Finish the Science Fiction Story

Cafe Society
61

The Professor hurried onto the University campus and headed for the library. It was nearing the second meal time on this planet, and he knew where he could find at least one courier.

The library was quiet at this time of day, but sure enough, there were the three couriers who attended classes here. They were hunched over at a study table, listening to one of the multi-music devices the library loaned out. One of them was human, one was Xavvian, and one was half Renallian. She didn’t know who her other half was, as her mother was gang-raped by a group of mercenaries during that sad planet’s last invasion.

“Hello, Professor,” Robert, the human, said, pulling down his earphones. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be checking out the new Terran-Chinese restaurant.”

“Later. Look, gang, I need your help. Can you come back with me to my apartment?”

tKlana’ska, the Renallian, pulled her earphones from around her lovely long neck. Her skin was a beautiful pastel blue. If she’d been full-blooded, her skin would have been closer to purple. “Certainly, Professor. We have a class after second meal. I have a feeling we’re going to miss it.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to your instructor. I’ll explain everything and we can order some Terran-Chinese for delivery while you help me.”

Martel, the Xavvian, cocked an eyebrow. “This isn’t university business, is it?”

The Professor shook his head. “Let’s just say there are some Imperial issues to consider.”

62

Walking across campus with his three courier companions Professor Kenezr stopped short. “I just remembered I need something from my office,” he said. “Robert, take my pass card and go on to my apartment. Take Martel with you. tKlana’ska, you come with me.”

“We’ll meet you there, then,” said Robert. “Should we go ahead and order the food.”

“Yes, yes. We won’t be long,” replied Kenezr.

Separating, the two parties started off through the lush garden commons of the most prestigious university in the cosmos.

A few moments later, Captain Largo, waiting patiently in Professor Kenezr’s dark office, heard footsteps in the hallway…

63

The footsteps paused outside the door then continued down the hall. Unknown to Largo, tKlana’ska had stopped Professor Kenezr from entering. She had grabbed the Professor’s wrist and spun him around then clamped her other hand over his mouth. Kenezer’s eyes widened in a mixture of shock and surprise. It took him a moment to realize that the Renallian didn’t mean any harm. She could have easily lifted him over her head but was instead leading him toward a nearby maintanence room.

64

As the hall outside went quiet, Largo cursed himself for not being more prepared. This whole time he was waiting he could have collected DNA samples from the room to use in the proximity sensor he brought with him. Whipping the sensor from a hip pocket Largo searched the room for possible deposits from the Professor.

Ah, chewing gum under the seat. “Eww,” Largo muttered under his breath. Still, he didn’t hesitate to pick at it. The gum was still soft.

Largo loaded the sticky gum from his fingers into the sensor. Immediately, there was a blip on the tiny screen.

65

Captain Largo stepped out into the hallway and saw a young Renallian standing near the door to a supply closet. He recognized her from the files his contact had given him as one of Kenezr’s three student couriers.

Glaring at him through metallic-blue bangs, she snarled, “I don’t know who you are, but if you want the Professor you’re going to have to go through me first!”

Largo chuckled to himself. He knew the foolish girl thought the crystal nestled deep within her made her all but invincible and he was about to teach her otherwise. It was the last lesson she would ever learn. From his belt he withdrew an unusual device that Vorpal had given him, a strange weapon that resembled the bastard child of a laser pistol and a tuning fork. It was a handheld harmonic wave disrupter, designed to create a pulse wave that would have a catastrophic reaction with the energy generated by the crystals. Unfortunately, the device used up so much power that even fully charged, it could only be fired once. One shot was all he’d need.

The Renallian threw back her head and uttered a piercing war cry, then ran at Largo full speed. He stood his ground, waiting for his moment, then at the last possible second jammed the disrupter into her gut and pulled the trigger. The woman’s momentum bore them both to the floor even as the crystal within her exploded into a hundred jagged shards, shredding through her organs.

Largo pushed the woman’s limp form up off of him and got to his feet.

“W-What have you done to me?” she said, struggling to push herself into a sitting position.

“I’ve killed you,” Largo replied matter-of-factly.

He started to walk away, then thought better of it and turned back.

“My people were not always scholars and philosophers. We know much about the ways of war. For most of my people the knowledge is purely academic, but not for me. One of the most important lessons is this: never turn your back on an injured opponent . . .”

Largo lifted one foot high.

“ . . . they may have one last attack left in them, so always finish them off.”

With all his strength he brought his foot down into the young woman’s gut. She sputtered her last blood-choked breath, the fell limp.

“It is done. Now for the Professor.”

66

As a confused Kathy questioned her visions another began to tremble in her mind and sight.

"Back…back…this harmony…correct now…focus…use true note…pitch…do not…again…loop/circle? Kathy wasn’t sure about the meaning of the last term, and as quickly as it had begun it ended. She sagged a little in her seat and looked at Tobermory.

“You heard something again, didn’t you?” His words were a statement, rather than a question. “Can you tell me, or explain?”

As Kathy told him what she had heard, Tobermory’s mind raced to find the words to tell he what he feared had been happening. This was going to be difficult, both to explain and to straighten out.

“Kathy, do you remember that I was telling you about Prof. Kenezr and his work, and the recording your father found?”

“Of course I do, it was less than an hour ago!”

“Praise the Mother!” Tobe said to himself. “Well, I think that the latest words you heard were a sort of warning. You are new to the crystal work, and as astonishing as I think your already manifested abilities have been, you lack experience. I think that your mind, in trying to form sense from everything that has been going on, has been creating, how shall I put this, multiple lines of experience, or memories for you.”

“Are you trying to say I’m doing a time warp, again, in my head?”

“Something like that. You don’t sing really, do you?. I hardly even remember you humming when we were on Ceres.”

The sudden change in subject caught Kathy by surprise. “No, I used to as a child, in school, chorus class. I was even told I have perfect pitch.”

“Why did you stop?”

“Well, like I told you, when the feelings started, as a teenager, they seemed worse, or more clear, when I sang. I felt too much of the emotions and sensations of those around me. So I quit.”

“Can you sing for me now? We need to untangle your mind and straighten out your experience line. If you don’t, your mind could get lost in time loops, and never find it’s way back. It’s happened to others.”

“What will singing do?”

“Prof. Kenezr discovered that if, while singing your “true note” that I spoke of, you concentrate, you can tell false memories from true ones.”

“How do I begin?”

“Since I don’t have any tuning instruments with me, I think we can make do by just having you go up and down the scales slowly. Blank out your mind and when a note feels right, stay on it, keep it going as long as possible.”

As Kathy began Tobermory noted what a lovely voice(for a human) she had. It was a shame she hadn’t felt herself able to use it more. Maybe that could change, when she gained experience and the proper discipline of crystal use that Kenezr could teach her.

In Kathy’s mind’s eye there were a jumble of images. She saw herself telling Tobermory about the voices in a variety of ways. She struggled to find order and then, with the second E-flat above middle C, she felt a little ping! and knew she had found what she needed. She held the note as long as possible, and suddenly felt a sense of release. She was back with Tobermory.

“Kathy, Kathy! Are you all right?”

“Yes, I am, but oh Tobermory! It was my father! And mother too! I don’t think they are really dead at all!”

67

Captain Largo checked his sensor readout. Just as he’d suspected, the Professor was hiding in the maintenance supply closet the Renallian girl had been guarding. She’d relied entirely on her crystal-given abilities to get herself and the Professor out of trouble, and look where that had gotten her. Largo cared little of the crystals and frankly wondered why a man like President Vorpal would waste so much time and effort on such ridiculous artifacts of pseudo-scientific mysticism, but then he wasn’t being paid to wonder, simply to do the job as he’d been told to do it.

Largo’s communicator chirped, and he lifted it to his ear and spoke, “Largo here.”

“This is Captain Verless, we’re in orbit right now, do you have the Professor?”

“In a moment. Get his cell ready, we’ll be joining you shortly.”

With on hand Largo pulled the transport vortex triggering device from its pocket, with the other he grasped the door handle and pulled it open.

An unexpected left hook caught Largo across his head and he staggered backward, but he quickly recovered. Like most of the Yebeshim people, Largo was well-versed in his culture’s ancient martial arts. Unlike most of his people, he wasn’t squeamish about employing them when necessary. Less that a second after the Professor landed his surprise blow, a carefully aimed backhand drove him to his knees.

“A valiant attempt old man, but you are a scholar and I am a warrior!”

“Lar’gorn’yem!” the Professor spat in disgust. “You worthless traitor! I’d heard a rumor that you were working for my cousin these days, but I’d thought that even you would never stoop so low as to . . .”

“Silence!” Largo hissed, punctuating the word with another sharp backhand blow. “I am a mercenary now. I go where the money is best, and even in exile President Vorpal has access to incredible wealth. More than that, he plans the destruction of the Floginim Brotherhood, and that is something I would very much like to see.”

The Professor had no response to that. Despite his lofty goals and the tools with which he pursued them, he was in the end a humble teacher and man of science. There was nothing he could do now but await his fate.

Largo activated the triggering device and a doorway opened in the middle of the hallway. Pulling him to his feet, Largo forced Kenezr into the opening and then followed him through. A second later, they both appeared on the bridge of the Jewel of Novon, surrounded by half a dozen armed Novon soldiers.

Largo dropped back to stand next to President Vorpal and Captain Verless. Kenezr simply stood in the center of the circle of armed men, silent.

“You’ve down well Largo,” Vorpal said, “You’ll get a sizable bonus for this.”

Largo nodded slightly in response.

“Men, take my cousin to his cell and see that he’s comfortable, I’ll be in to speak with him shortly.”

“What do we do now, Mr. President?” asked Captain Verless.

“Now? Now we return to the station and wait. With Professor Kenezr in our hands, Ms. Swanson will have no choice but to come to us.”

“And Tobermary.” Largo added.

“Yes, him too. Don’t worry Largo, I haven’t forgotten our deal. Once they’re captured, the werecat is your to do with as you wish.

68

As this story is now on it’s second page, and has become delightfully detailed and involved, I thought it might help readers and authors(old and new), to have a sort of database, or recap. I will of course have made some errors, and if you spot them please email me and the data will be included in a later updated recap. As I completed this darn thing I realized I gave my own local dates and times. I’m too lazy to go back and change them all, and I think my fellow Dopers are an intelligent bunch, so let me state that the times given are -6 hours GMT.

Without reproducing the thread word for word the information included below is not, of course, complete. Because reproducing the background for major characters is time and space consuming, some will have a “selected” set of background references, and not a cite for every single time they appear. The sources for information given are in the italicized commas, with poster, date, and time of post given. I decided to do it this way to encourage re-reading, and to expose any new authors that come along to more of the story. Also because quoting takes up even more space! To all the authors, I have tried to make my quotes as accurate as possible, and I hope you won’t feel slighted if your name doesn’t appear as often as someone else’s. I have liked every single post so far, they ALL have something to add to the story!

Ceres: agricultural world, presumably Terran-type, settled in the 25th century.(Baker 5-1, 10:33PM)

Confederated Alliance: formed initially from worlds with Earth heritage, now seems to have some alien worlds as members.(Fibber McGee 5-3 1:22PM)

Crystals: a device implanted in certain people with proven sensitive abilities. It can enhance those abilities. It takes training for a courier(crystal bearer) to use them to their full potential. Some individuals can use them to greater effect than others. Also can be used for data storage and messaging, hence the use of “courier” to denote those who carry a crystal. Kathy Swanson may have abilities, that, enhanced by the crystal, are unique in their power.(Jack Ketch 5-3 11:34PM)

Exegesis II: a class of space vessel, not large, in which Kathy and Tobemory make their escape from Ceres. They are costly*(Jack Ketch 5-2 4:51PM)* and can support only a small crew*(Baker 5-4 1:26PM)*

Federated Teachers Union: founded in the late 22nd century, headquarters located in Century City, at the main university, in the northernmost province of Laxis Prime. It is at once a union, a fraternal order, and an intelligence agency*(Jack Ketch 5-3 9:57AM and Fibber McGee 5-3 1:22PM)* Led by Teacher One.

Floginim Brotherhood: first referred to here*(Jack Ketch 5-3 11:34PM)]/I] it is an order, or perhaps internal arm, of the Federated Teacher’s Union. See alsoFibberMcGee 5-5 5:54PM).

Granthiaxav: a Xavvian, former executive officer to Tobermory. Has arrogant personality, due to his aristocratic rank, but is loyal to the current embattled Xavvian government.(Baker 5-5 5:00PM)

Jewel of Novon: Presidential yacht of Astrid Vorpal.

Kenezr, Professor Cousin to Astrid Vorpal. He is also Teacher One, head of the Federated Teacher’s Union. Mentor to Kathy Swanson, he knew her parents and of her latent abilities. It is Kenezr who presented Tobermory,(in the form of a house cat, to Kathy, probably to help keep an eye on her. Kenezr’s given name is either Jacob or Timothy*(I emailed Fibber McGee about the discrepancy and he replied that the two names were an oversight on his part.). Kenezr’s mother was Miranda, his father was Harlan Yitsu, who died when Kenezr was an infant. Miranda ran off with an Alliance diplomat named Kenezr, and young Jacob/Timothy used his name. Younger than Vorpal, but more gifted intellectually, he was “a pioneer in the effect of rhythm and melodies on masses of sentient beings.”(Jack Ketch 5-5 10:09AM)* In addition to music he studied archaeology, which aided him in searching for ancient musical recordings. He developed, along with Vorpal, the Electron Libretto Oscillator, which enhances the effect of music on sentient beings nervous systems. At the time of this recap he has been kidnapped by Capt. Largo and is currently a cative of Vorpal.

Kine/Wayre: first mentioned by Tobermory when Kathy saves their ship.(NoClueBoy 5-6 11:34PM). Kine would seem to refer to Kathy’s telekinetic powers, and the order of Wayre, could be a belief system surrounding Kine.

Largo, Capt.: a renegade Yebeshim. His full name is Laxius Lar’gorn’yem. He is hard and ruthless, currently employed as a mercenary by Astrid Vorpal*(Fibber McGee 5-5-5:54PM)* Also a murderer*(Fibber McGee 5-9 5:31PM)*

Laxis Prime: homeworld of the Yebeshim, a non-human species. Unknown if they are Alliance, possibly they are neutral. Site of the University attended by Kathy Swanson.

Martel: Xavvian, male, one of three couriers who are helpers to Kenezr*(ivylass 5-9 11:50AM)*

M’Kayla: See Trontiann, Commander.

Political and Historical Background: there are many posts detailing the backstory of this thread, but for a good introduction try here*(Fibber McGee 5-3 10:25-10:33PM)*

Robert: human, male, one of three couriers who are helpers to Kenezr*(ivylass 5-9 11:50AM)*

Sorenson-Patel hyperdrive: a propulsion system that enables ships to travel more quickly around space. smaller vessels cannot take advantage of it.

Swanson, Kathy: human, female, teacher, in her early 20’s(Terran ears), as she has been out of the university for only 18 Terran months.(Jack Ketch 5-2 3:34PM). Her appearance is not yet described specifically although Tobermory does once refer to it*(Baker 5-6 11:03PM), as does Astrid Vorpal(Fibber McGee 5-2 7:26PM)*

Swanson, Mr. and Mrs.: parents of Kathy Swanson, given names, age and appearance are/were not known. Musicians. Said to have been murdered by agents of Astrid Vorpal,(Jack Ketch 5-3 11:34PM), the reports of their death may be premature.(Baker 5-7 1:36PM and Baker 5-9 9:46PM) Kathy Swanson believed her father less talented*(Jack Ketch 5-2 10:53PM)* than her mother, and learned from Tobermory that her mother had been an intelligence agent as well*(Bunnylady 5-3 7:22AM)*

tKlana’ska: Renallian half breed, female, one of the three couriers who are helpers to Kenezr*(ivylass 5-9 11:50AM)* Stronger than she looks.(Jeff Olsen 5-9 3:07PM). Brutally murdered by Capt. Largo when she attempts to save Kenezr from kidnapping*(Fibber McGee 5-9 5:31PM)*

Tobermoryinitially thought by Kathy Swanson to be a Terran domestic house cat he is revealed as a shape-shifting Xavvian*(Fibber McGee 5-2 7:26PM), although his race is mentioned earlier(Jeff Olsen 5-2 10:09AM). Unknown if Xavvians have racial differences, but Tobermory is tall and green(Baker 5-2 7:42AM). They do have eyebrows(See Martel)Tobermory has enemies, including, but not limited to”members of his own race”(Enola Straight 5-2 11:02AM), Astrid Vorpal(Fibber McGee 5-3 12:00AM), and Capt. Largo(Fibber McGee 5-5 5:54PM)* Tobermory is fond of Kathy, as she has been a loving mistress to him in his form as a housepet. Also, Kathy may develop more personal feelings for him*(ivylass 5-3 4:19PM)* He was at one time an intelligence agent, and also commanded a space vessel*(Jeff Olsen 5-5 3:38PM) and (Baker 5-5 5:00PM)*

Trontiann, Commander: captain of a second ship sent to escort Kathy and Tobermory to Laxis Prime. His vessel has also been sabotaged, as was that of Granthiaxav.(Jeff Olsen 5-7 12:40PM) He has a mistress/companion named M’Kayla, who is also a courier*(ivylass 5-8 11:31AM).More of his history is here(Jeff Olsen 5-8 12:43PM)*

Verless, Wesley, CaptainAide to Astrid Vorpal, but not his friend. His homeworld is Novon 12.

Vorpal, Astrid: President-in-Exile of the Novon Protectorate. Luxury loving, demanding, with a poisonous personality. Cousin to Professor Kenezr, although closer to the Presidency, since the office is hereditary. He was at university as the same time as Kenezr. Vorpal was a music student, amongst other things, and became addicted to old Earth rap “music” getting his brain fried in the process. He knows of the special abilities of Kathy Swanson and sees her as the key to his return to political power. Many, many references of course. See (Fibber McGee 5-2 7:26PM, 5-3 12:00AM, 5-3 7:06PM, and 5-4 7:23PM) & (Jack Ketch 5-3 7:39PM and 5-5 10:09AM)

Xavvians: non-human race described as “felinoid”(Jack Ketch 5-2 10:09AM, and Enola Straight 5-2 11:20AM) and “expansionist”(Fibber McGee 5-3 10:33PM, and 5-4 7:23PM ) Some rare individuals have the ability to shape-shift, and for unknown reasons many of these seem to prefer the form of the Terran house cat.(Fibber McGee 5-3 12:00AM) Possibly what the humans refer to as “marsupial”(Baker 5-5 5:00PM) The Xavvian government is aristocratic*(Baker 5-5 5:00PM)* and monarchial*(Fibber McGee 5-3 7:06PM)* and is currently in chaos, with various factions making a bid for power*(see Political and Historical Background)*

Yebeshim non-human race, physiology undescribed, but it is inferred they can share the same environment as human.(Fibber McGee 5-3 1:22PM) But not all Yebeshim are scholars*(Fibber McGee 5-5 5:54PM, see also Largo, Captain)*

69

Robert and Martel looked worriedly at each other. The Terran-Chinese food had arrived, but the professor and tKlan’aska had not.

“Are you sensing anything?” Robert asked. Martel was a year ahead of him and had already started Advanced Reconaissance Studies.

Martel closed his eyes and concentrated. He shook his head. “I’m not getting anything from them. I think we better go to his office. Maybe something detained them.”

They left the apartment and quickly made their way to the Professor’s on campus office. Robert gasped as the lift doors opened onto the floor of Kenezr’s office.

“tKlan’aska!” he screamed, rushing to her side. Her gray eyes stared at the ceiling, their double pupils filmed over. “No no no no no,” he cried.

Martel dropped to his knees beside his friend. “Robert, look,” he said, pointing to her midsection, or what was left of it. “Her crystal was shattered. From inside,” he continued.

Robert wiped away his tears. “An harmonic wave disruptor,” he said dully. “We learned about them in Crystal Defense class.”

“I don’t see the professor,” Martel said, looking around. “Whoever did this probably took him.”

Robert stood. “I’ll call the security police. Then we need to find the professor.” He pressed a button on his communicator that immediately alerted the authorities to his location.

Martel closed tKlan’aska’s eyes. “Farewell, my friend.” Then he looked at Robert, his steel resolved. “We’ll find him.”

70

The Exegesis II was under control due to Kathy’s newfound abilities. Tobe realized they were still in nonspace, though, and would become forever lost if he didn’t try to re-enter normal space. Of course a small ship like the Exegesis II, despite all its amenities, is not equipped with a Sorenson-Patel hyperdrive.

“Kathy,” said Tobe. “I need to bring the ship back into normal space. Please strap yourself into the co-pilot’s seat.”

“I thought a ship couldn’t re-enter normal space without a Sorenson-Patel hyperdrive,” said Kathy.

“It can be done,” explained Tobe. “It’s just very tricky and dangerous. That’s why I need you strapped in.”

“Maybe I can help,” Kathy added. “I stabilized the ship before.”

“No, it’s too dangerous. We aren’t sure what you can do yet. It takes years for most couriers to learn to control a crystal and your crystal is unlike any other. You could just as easily destroy the ship as help.”

Discussion was over. They strapped in to the cockpit and Tobe worked the controls. It was important to adjust the attitude of the ship precisely. The ships computer would make the calculations but couldn’t be trusted to adjust to the multitude of contingencies during actual re-entry. That took intuition. Or, more accurately, a bit of luck and a good guess.

Moments later the Exegesis II was ready. Tobe turned to Kathy. “We’re ready. You might want to say a little prayer.”

Kathy began humming to herself. A little tune from her childhood her mother would sing when Kathy was upset. It always calmed her.

“What are you doing! No, no humming!” Tobe was yelling. “You could get us both killed.”

“Geez, lighten up.”

“Sorry. I’m just get a bit jumpy doing this. I’ve only done it twice before.”

“Well, get on with it then,” said Kathy.

Tobe hit the controls. The Exegesis II tossed and pitched. The pure darkness of nonspace began to open up. A fissure was created by the mass of the ship against the dark matter outside as the ship slowed. Thrusters fired. A ball of light energy engulfed the ship. Tobe’s panel was lighting up. Systems were crashing throughout the ship. Much longer and tiny Exegesis II would be destroyed.

71

As the little ship creaked and groaned, Tobe adjusted his controls. “Almost got it…almost got it…there!” The ship entered normal space just in time. “Trouble is, I don’t know where we are and the computer is down.”

Kathy closed her eyes and started humming again. Moments later, her eyes flashed open and she pointed to a star. “We need to go there.”

Tobe stared at her in amazement. “You know where we are?”

She shrugged. “Not exactly but I believe if we go toward that star, we’ll find help.” With a nod from Tobe, Kathy took over the ship again and directed it toward where she had indicated.

Back on Trontiann’s ship, M’Kayla suddenly sat bolt upright. “Darling, they’re headed for the Valis system.”

Valis. That could only mean one thing: Valis 5. Home of VMC Manufacturing, one of the Alliance’s biggest suppliers of spacefaring vessels ever since they came up with the Kaalon. Commander Kal Trontiann was about to head home.

72

After giving their statements to security Martel and Robert returned to Prof. Kenezr’s apartment instead of their own. Martel was especially grim and silent, but Robert did not wonder at his demeanor. He had learned that Xavvian’s express sorrow differently than humans. Labeled “felinoid” by humans for no other reason than a slight resemblance of their facial features to Terran cats they did have something in common. The evolutionary ancestors of Xavvian’s had been predators, occupying much the same ecological niche as cats of all types on Earth. Hence, when “stalking prey”(in this case searching for Kenezr and Largo) they tended to focus only on the chase, and ignore other feelings.

When they arrived again at Kenezr’s residence Martel ate his now cooled food, and then dropped into a reverie which allowed him to blank his mind of all else but considering the task before him. Robert ate too(reheating his portion first), and then began searching through the open books Prof. Kenezr had left laying about when he had so abruptly left. Kenezr was one of those people who still preferred, for information purposes, reading actual printed and bound books, instead of researching on a computer. It hadn’t seemed to hamper his academic career, Robert thought, as he leafed through the pages Kenezr had marked. Suddenly, reading one entry in a dusty old tome with a crumbling binding, his eyes went wide. “Oh fasterick!” he exclaimed to himself, “if this is true …”

He turned to Martel and approached him carefully. Best not to startle a “hunting” Xavvian too much. “Martel, Martel, he spoke in a calm, level voice. Martel’s eyes snapped open and focused on Robert(at the same time subconsciously dismissing him as a threat), and he asked “What is it?” Robert gestured to the book and said “You have to look at this!” Martel did so, rapidly scanning what he found there. The gaze of the two couriers met and Martel breathed as satisfied sound “Sssssssooooo!”

73

“Helsman, plot a course for Valis 5. Maximum speed,”

“Aye sir,” the helsman replied, then the conn chirped.

“Sir, Captain Granthiaxav is hailing us.”

“Go ahead,” Trontiann said, as M’Kayla slipped away from the bridge.

“Tront, we’ve got most of the repairs completed, and I’m still searching for the saboteur. What are your plans?”

“We believe Tobe and the courier are headed toward Valis. We were just about to go there as well.”

“Well, there’s no way we can keep up. We’ll go back to base and report to the Professor.”

“Very well,” Trontiann replied. “Hopefully we’ll be home soon as well. Trontiann out.”

Trontiann nodded to his helmsman, who obediently coaxed the ship towards its maximum speed. They should be at Valis within a few hours.

Meanwhile, back in her cabin, M’Kayla opened her eyes, breaking the link with her cousin. She knew he was too far away to reply, but since she was older, her powers were more developed and she knew he would get the message.

Martel would need to know that Tobe and the courier were heading toward Valis 5.

74

Valis 5 is an industrial planet. The fifth of twelve planets in orbit around a single star, Valis. It had no natural satellites but was ringed by space stations used to manufacture star ships. Less than a century ago the place was a backwater. Few significant leaders even knew where Valis 5 was on a star chart. Being so far from civilization a cottage industry developed in spacecraft. Locals with nothing better to do raced space ships. Despite a sparse population the inhabitants of Valis 5 became the best pilots and mechanics in the Alliance.

That was why Victor Michael Channing moved his fledgling company to the system. With capital scrapped together from a few unscrupulous investors he bid on an alliance contract for the new Kaalon cruiser. His design was brilliant. Simple, powerful and entirely utilitarian the Kaalon exuded an elegance of the useful. No part of Channing’s design was wasteful. And the manufacturing process he designed was genius. Robots did almost all the work in assembly line fashion at stations that formed rings around the globe. Only key positions needed the craftsmanship of highly skilled mechanics.

The quality of the workers is what drew Channing to Valis 5. He was proud to bring prosperity to what he saw as the greatest community in the Alliance. And, with no local base the United Starship Constructors union had no representation. But, that didn’t stop them from migrating hoards of unskilled labor to the system. Locals were established eventually. Hell, even some of the robots joined. Channing was forced to hire union workers by the company’s investors. Production slacked over time. Quality took a hit during labor disputes. Newer designs drawn up by an increasingly frustrated Channing were left in the design room. Creativity was stifled. Channing finally quit and quietly faded into obscurity. The behemoth corporation he created lived on. VMC Manufacturing continues production to this day. Its creations are monuments to excess and waste.

Some say Channing still lives on Valis 5. They say he helps independent builders put home made ships in the starship speed meets. They say you can see his touch on the designs of the winning craft. But, those are just rumors.

75

Any decommissioned Kaaon is bound to have been modified by its new owner and Trontiann’s ship no exception. In fact, his is more modified than most because he is one of the few who captained one while they were in active service. He secretly acquired extra parts over the years via his Xavvian contacts. Rumor has it that Victor Channing himself ensured Trontiann’s ship was never inspected too closely.

76

Professor Kenezr was seated uneasily on the small, uncomfortable cot that was his the only furnishing in his small cell onboard the Jewel of Novon. Where do they expect me to go to the bathroom, Kenezr thought bitterly, In the corner?

He looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Various guards had been in and out in the last couple of hours, to make certain he wasn’t trying to escape apparently. Not that there was any place he could go. But this time it wasn’t some anonymous guard.

“Astrid,” Kenezr said wearily.

“Jacob, it’s been a while.” Vorpal replied.

Kenezr nodded. “Almost 20 years. The last time I saw you, you were one step ahead of a small army of Xavvians out for your blood. No surprise there, after all, your parting shot in the war resulted in the destruction of, what was it, two Xavvian worlds? Three?”

“It was four actually. I would have shattered the Xavvian throneworld if I could have gotten close enough, but then the crystal was destroyed.”

“The crystal you stole from me!” Kenezr replied heatedly.

“But you’ve finally created another, haven’t you Jacob? It’s nestled safely within the belly of your young student, and once I have my hands on it . . .”

“Never!”

“But Ms. Swanson will come right to me. How could she not? Only you can reveal the full truth of what she carries within her and she’ll want to know about it very much, especially considering that you placed it inside her without her knowledge. Once she knows the whole truth, she might even give it over to me willingly. Wouldn’t that be delightful? If all your plans to keep the crystal out of my hands only served to deliver it right to my very doorstep?”

Kenezr had no response. Kathy was a good and responsible young woman which was partly why he’d chosen her, but there’d been so many lies so much deception. Astrid had a point, it was likely that when Kathy knew the truth, the whole truth, she might just give the crystal to Astrid even though doing so could mean the destruction of countless worlds. He had to get to her before Astrid did, tell her his side of the story, tell her why . . . why everything. Explain it all so it would make sense to her, so she’d understand how important it had all been.

But what chance did he have of getting to her, locked away in a cell aboard his cousin’s ship? It all looked hopeless. For the first time in decades, Kenezr felt himself giving in to despair.

77

Now that they were back in normal space and heading for a given destination, Tobermory went to work on the ship’s systems, bringing the computer and guidance ccontrols back on line. It wasn’t as difficult as he had thought it might be. Although not large, an Exegesis II failsafes and backup systems that allowed for rerouting of many functions. After determining that their “star” was the primary of the Valis system Tobermory was a little more at ease. Kathy’s guiding senses had at least pointed them to a civilized system. Once on Valis 5 they should also be able to communicate with Laxis Prime, and apprise Prof Kenezr of their whereabouts.

Ther trouble now was, since they were in normal space, it would take at least another standard day to reach Valis 5. Kathy was going to have time to start asking questions which Tobermory would rather put off until they rejoined Kenezr. 'Well" Tobe thought to himself, “I might as well leap from the Pouch and get this over with.”

While Tobermory had been working, Kathy, not being of a mechanical bent, had taken the opportunity to doze off in one of the ships bunks. Rather than wake her directly Tobe rummaged quietly in the galley stores and found two more ready-pack meals, and popped them in the warmer. As he unzipped their casings Kathy’s nostrils twitched and her eyes opened.

“That smells good, whatever it is”

" I thought we would need another meal. We have almost a day to kill and…

“…that sandwich we had a while back seems like eons ago” kathy finished for him. “Oh damn!” she exclaimed, seeing his startled gaze, “I did it again, didn’t I?” “I’m going to have to get this under control or people will think I’m a psy-spy or something.”

The Swedish meatballs, with black plum cobbler for a dessert, gave them both energy. Tobermory didn’t usually eat many fruits or vegetables, but his system could metabolize just about anything in a pinch.

“Kathy, I need to ask you something. After I had you sing, to straighten out your memory lines, you told me that you thought you really did hear your mother and father, and they weren’t dead? Can you explain that?”

“Well, Tobe, all I ever knew was that their ship was lost in non-space. It was a billions to one chance, but another ship ran across it in that void. The main hatch was blown, life support systems were off, and a lot of light gear must have blown into space. But the rest of the ship seemed to be intact, and after turning everything inside out, so to speak, all that was ever discovered was that there had been a systems failure of unknown origin It’s hard to explain, but the voices didn’t so muchsound like my parents as *feel * them. The impression I got was more like that of a prepared response program, though, not live but sort of recorded.” She stopped and considered her surroundings “But I don’t feel them at all now. I wonder why?”

Before Tobermory could respond, a proximity alert sounded from the guidance controls. "Now what?, they both exclaimed simultaneously They looked at each other, and, in spite of the situation, they began to laugh!

78

After Tobermory adjusted the controls a bit, The Exegesis II passed uncomfortably close to another ship then came to a dead stop. The felonid and the human stared awestruck at the strange vessel for it was like nothing either had seen before. It was almost the same size as their ship but it appeared smaller and there didn’t seem to be any wasted space at all. It must have been either a Channing design or at the very least inspired by him. Then there was the color or rather colors; something gave the hull a prismatic effect. The vessel suddenly fired up its engines and disappeared into nonspace while Tobe and Kathy continued to stare into the void of space, questioning if they had really seen something there after all.

79

Kathy and Tobermory sat back abruptly.

“As I was saying” said Tobe, “now what?”

“I wish I knew,” replied Kathy. “I sensed something, well, different, about that ship. But there’s something else. Just when it flashed into non-space I felt/heard the voices again. Only for that instant, though.”

“Kathy,” said Tobermory gently, “nothing lives in non-space, no kind of life we understand I should say.”

"I’m not so ignorant as all that"she said irritably. “But I know what I felt!. However, I know we don’t have time to check it out now, but I do want to come back. Soon.”

Tobermory was relieved that Kathy was being sensible. They began making plans on what course of action to take when Valis 5 was reached, and time quickly passed.

Meanwhile, others were making plans as well. Martel and Robert were yelling back and forth to each other as they raced across the university campus, heading for the chamber where the Flogonim met.

"DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY WILL LISTEN TO US?"hollered Robert.

“HOW CAN THEY NOT?” Martel thrust back.

“BECAUSE(puff, wheeze) WE’RE STILL ONLY STUDENTSMAYBE?”

“WHAT PROF. KENEZR FOUND WILL MAKE THEM LISTEN”

The two couriers skidded to a stop before the great door of the hall, and began pounding on it, not even knowing if anyone wasnside or not.

80

And on the Echo II, “Junior” Channing was cursing himself for straying too close to another ship. Then a voice brought him back to reality. “What’s happening?”

“A malfunction dropped me too close to another ship but I’m fine now.”

Victor Channing frowned. Just what we need, more malfunctions. At least he didn’t crash into that other ship. Wait a minute…“Another ship? What other ship?”

“Looked like an Exegesis II. I, uh, think it belonged to the Teachers Union.”

“Damn! Last thing we need now is to get involved with them again!”

Over the past several years, Victor Channing had been seeding his old company with employees who would be loyal to him and his heirs. He’s also been building up a sizable cash reserve with his share of the proceeds from all those races. His aim is to take over VMC Manufacturing and restore it to its former glory, all he needs is one hell of a product. Far from they prying eyes of the current executives, he founded an outpost to build and test Echo prototypes. Now all his plans could be ruined by a Teachers Union ship.