Jess turned toward Minimalist, who was likely to be the most cautious of the SADEs.
“Kasie is correct,” Minimalist said. “SADEs have studied every operation at the rescued domes, including console menus and glyph input. There are no inconsistencies.”
“The Messinants were expert engineers,” Luther added. “They valued what they built, and they had techniques that ensured exact replication from dome to dome.”
“It’s only a matter of discovering each secret,” Kasie emphasized. “You just have to figure it out.” Then she muttered, “Without blowing anything up.”
“I withdraw my question,” Lucia said. “But I’ll feel better after the first few successful installations.”
“Admiral,” Minimalist said. “Speaking to your concerns, all teams will wait until Luther and I initiate one pair of gates first. We’ve no doubt of the outcome, but we feel it prudent to take this course.”
“Thank you for saying that, Minimalist,” Lucia replied.
“Let’s discuss the processes on-site,” Jess requested.
“We’ll start by sending cubes —” Mickey began, but he halted when he saw Jess subtly shake his head. “Perhaps, Commander, you should share with us your thoughts on this matter.”
“Mickey, the purpose of the teams journeying through the gates to arrive ahead of the Tridents is to allow time to initiate communications,” Jess explained. “The team must request the dome administrator communicate with the government leader or leaders. Once contact is established, our individuals can explain the steps to the planet’s principals. In turn, those leaders will direct key dome personnel, such as the administrator and the head of security, to follow your orders.”
“Ah, diplomacy,” Mickey said in a slow exhale. “Not an engineer’s best trait,” he added, which initiated chuckles and various noises.
“Afterward, your teams can execute the domes’ safety procedures,” Jess said. Then he tipped his head toward Mickey to continue.
“We see the first step as cube messages to the other ends of the gates to halt journeying until we initiate continuation with a second message,” Mickey enumerated, and he received Jess’s nod. “I would assume that, as a safety procedure, we would evacuate all local dome personnel.”
“Affirmative,” Jess replied.
“That’s not going to go over well for the dome administrator,” Kasie pointed out.
“Can’t be helped,” Jess replied.
“In the case of obstinacy, what is our recourse?” Luther inquired.
“Have the dome administrator contact the leaders,” Jess replied. “Communicate that not only is this a safety concern, but the methods of installation are not to be shared.”
“That seems a harsh thing to say,” Kasie said.
“Then substitute a more detailed explanation,” Lucia said. “Let the leaders know that it would be dangerous to demonstrate the complexities of the installation. We fear that individuals might try to replicate the process without a complete understanding of its dangers, and the result could be disastrous. Point out that the process requires instant communications with the second dome, which the races don’t possess.”
“And if that doesn’t work?” Mickey asked.
“Then there’s no installation,” Jess said flatly.
“The other teams will have biologicals capable of drawing the glyphs, right?” Kasie asked.
“A pair will accompany each team, Kasie,” Luther explained. “We assume that will be sufficient.”
The group finished their planning session. On exit from the suite, Mickey received a message from Julien, and the engineer took a different route to meet with Alex, Renée, and Julien. He met the trio in the outpost’s central park, which wouldn’t ever be as grand as that of the city-ships. Furthermore, its plantings had yet to mature.
“Good meeting?” Renée asked Mickey, as he settled next to her on the grass.
“I was schooled in how to teach my advance teams to act as diplomats,” Mickey grumped. “Have to admit that Jess had a point.”
Alex chuckled. “That was the hardest part for me to learn,” he said. “I couldn’t understand why individuals didn’t choose paths that benefited others, and my initial reaction was anger when I was confronted by acts of selfishness.”
“I know the fighting might never be over,” Renée interjected. “In the meantime, I’m willing to become diplomatic if it will reduce the clashes and the loss of lives.”
Mickey regarded Alex and waited to hear the reason for the meeting.
“Mickey, how long will you need the Tridents and teams?” Alex asked.
Mickey turned his attention to Julien and said, “From the launch date of the Tridents, calculate the sailing time to the farthest system, add two to three cycles for time on station, and then add the time for the ships’ returns.”
Julien produced the answer and shared it.
“Shortly after the Tridents make Crimsa, Mickey, the fleet will sail,” Alex said.
“Where to?” Mickey asked.
“It’s time for the grand plan’s next step,” Renée replied, laying a comforting hand on Mickey’s forearm.
“Which stop first?” Mickey asked.
“Sol,” Alex replied. “I’ll confirm several items with the president, Nikki Fowler. This needs to be done in person. Then the colonies ... New Terra, Omnia, Haraken, and finally Méridien.”
“For a minute, I wondered why Omnia,” Mickey said, with a wry smile. “Then I remembered that we’re Omnia Ships, not the government. Do you think Wave Skimmer would want to attend the conclave?”
Mickey’s question produced a deep laugh, a smile, and some fairy dust.
“He’d probably love a dip in one of Earth’s oceans,” Alex replied.
“What about the alliance?” Mickey inquired.
“I’ve already discussed this with Jess, Lucia, and Alain,” Alex said, frowning.
“What?” Mickey asked. “They don’t think they can motivate the council to attend?”
“It’s the consortium,” Renée replied. “The trio believes the consortium, which represents the fiercest part of the Resistance, won’t want to be excluded from the conclave.”
“If we have too many attendees, it could get unwieldy,” Alex commented, which had Mickey laughing.
“Oh, great leader, you thought you’d have simplicity? What happened to your diplomatic talents?” Mickey asked, pointing an accusing finger.
Alex offered his friend a wry smile and a shrug. “I didn’t say I’d become adept at it,” he replied.
“I’ve a solution for that predicament,” Julien offered. “Every world’s contingent must be accompanied by one or more SADEs.”
“That’s elegant,” Renée declared, and she leaned across the grass and kissed Julien on the cheek. “Even if the SADEs have private conversations with their principals, they can relay sentiments and moods.”
“A SADE per principal or per contingent?” Alex inquired.
“That would be your choice,” Julien replied. “However, I suggest you, as you would say, play it by ear.”
“So, Alex, why am I here?” Mickey asked.
“More like a monumental favor,” Renée murmured.
“Renée is right,” Alex conceded. “I don’t want you to put anyone in danger. Okay, no more than usual.”
Mickey held up a hand to halt Alex. “You need my teams to discover how to install new domes and activate gates,” he said.
“That’s what I need,” Alex replied. He gazed at Mickey, while he gathered his thoughts. “I need a major incentive for the conclave. Sol and the colonies have our existing tech, and the alliance is receiving much of it. Freighters can ply the space between worlds, but it’s the gates that will allow individuals to visit worlds immediately and maintain relationships. I think that’s the key to keeping the peace.”
“How long do I have?” Mickey inquired.
“Take all the time
you need, Mickey. Just as long as you’ve cracked the secret by the time I’ll have returned to Sol. That will be in about an Omnian annual,” Alex replied, and he gave Mickey an easy smile.
Mickey launched the installation teams three cycles later. As Kasie and the SADEs had anticipated, the first installation of a new gate pair was anticlimactic.
Luther signaled the other teams, and within the next two cycles, the consortium had their new gates.
Immediately, the leaders dispatched envoy teams to the outpost to plan the assisting of the developing races, as Jess had requested.
Alain was contacted continually by other races with requests for new gates, and Krokticka and her staff were kept busy logging the races and the connections. Despite Alain’s busy days, Tatia and he did manage many conversations. She asked him if he would be at Sol next year, and he assured her he’d see her there.
The installation teams returned to Triton via the domes. When the Tridents rejoined the fleet, recalls were issued. Farewells were exchanged over the course of the next two cycles, and then Hector’s fleet sailed for Sol.
Alex’s hopes for the future of many worlds were about to be put to the test.
— The Silver Ships series continues in Conclave. —
Glossary
Crocians
Bortoth of the Logar – Engineer on Pimbor
Daktora of the Logar – Engineer on Pimbor
Gorsatha of the Hagar – Senior project engineer for the Crocians on the outpost
Mangoth – Early dome explorer with Envoy Harbour
Dischnya – Sentient species in Omnian system
Hessan – Squad leader
Homsaff – Queen, assault commander
Neffess – Lieutenant, Omnian pilot, heir to Nyslara and Pussiro
Nyslara – Queen, mate to Pussiro, matriarch of Neffess
Pussiro – Ex-wasat, mate to Nyslara, patriarch of Neffess
Simlan – Squad leader
Earthers
Lenson – Earther console operator at Triton
Hyronzy (her-on-zee) – Burly alien race hosting the Tsargit
Fistonia (fis-tōn-ia) – Hyronzy Station director
Jatouche – Pyreans’ closest allies
Jastitock – Emissary, mate of Tockitak
Josstitot – Jatouche medical supervisor
Krokticka – Senior staffer to Alain de Long
Matnok – Jatouche medical tech
Tacnock (tac-nock) – Veteran fighter, friend of Jess Cinders
Tacticnok (tack-tick-nock) – Daughter of His Excellency Rictook, first female ruler of Na-Tikkook
Tockitak (tock-i-tack) – Present female ruler, mate of Jastitock
Lemgarts – Checkered past with the alliance
Fystal jer Hathwa – Transport company owner
Myseth mya Jaknas – Lemgart tailor
Loopah – Simian race, inventors of the gas-projectile launcher of the same name
Méridiens – Humans of the Confederation
Mistrallian (miss-trawl-ian) – Alien aboard Jatouche medical stations
Zimgell – Mistrallian research director at Pyrean medical station
Norsitchians – Alien race, dome overtaken by the Colony
Jarmonin (jar-mon-in) – Tsargit lead councilor
Menous (men-ous) – Commander of the brassards
Nemanous (nē-man-ous) – Minister of Planetary Defense
Ollassa – Sentient alien lifeform resembling a symbiotic collection of plant parts
Omnians/Outpost – Humans/SADEs
Alex Racine – Omnian co-leader, partner of Renée de Guirnon
Candace “Candy” Weller – Lieutenant, outpost security
Cordelia – SADE, rear admiral, captain of the Freedom, partner of Julien
Edmas – Senior engineer, partner of Jodlyne
Hector – SADE, fleet admiral, captain of the Our People
Hermione – SADE maintaining Ude’s medical avatar
Jackie Olmand – First mate of Transit Tripper
Jodlyne – Senior engineer, partner of Edmas
Julien – SADE leader, Alex’s close friend, partner of Cordelia
Juliette – SADE
Kara Walton – Captain of Transit Tripper
Laestra – Méridien crew member aboard Transit Tripper
Lucia Bellardo – Outpost admiral, partner to Jess Cinders
Luther – SADE, Mickey Brandon’s assistant
Lydia – SADE, advisor to Hector
Mickey Brandon – Chief engineer for Alex Racine, partner of Pia Sabine
Minimalist – SADE
Miranda – SADE, partner of Z
Miriam – SADE, Mickey Brandon’s assistant
Nalia – SADE in the outpost medical suite
Nata – Lieutenant, pilot, human clone
Paulette – Engineer aboard Transit Tripper, twin to Pauline
Pauline – Engineer aboard Transit Tripper, twin to Paulette
Petra Havard – Lieutenant, pilot, partner of Ude
Pia Sabine – Outpost chief medical officer, partner of Mickey Brandon
Rebecca “Becca” Audrey – Lieutenant aboard Alain de Long’s Trident
Renée de Guirnon – Omnian co-leader, partner of Alex Racine
Sam Fleetfoot – Outpost security major
Tatia Tachenko – Fleet admiral, partner of Alain de Long
Ude – Leader of clone band, repaired at Jatouche station
Z – SADE, partner of Miranda
Packeoes (pack-ē-ōs) – Federacy aliens
Pims or Pimborians – Small burrowing aliens
Pyreans – Humans in alliance territory
Aputi Tulafono (too-la-fōnō) – Assault commander
Aurelia Garmenti – Early explorer, partner of Devon, empath
Devon Higgins – Early explorer, partner of Aurelia
Harbour – First explorer, partner of Jessie Cinders, leader of Resistance, envoy, empath leader
Jess Cinders – Outpost One: Resistance commander, fraternal twin of Kasie
Jessie Cinders – First explorer, partner of Harbour, leader
Kasie Cinders – Fraternal twin of Jess, empath
Lillian Finian – President
Ophelia Tuttle – Security commandant, pro tempore president
Paul Lindstrom – Security major
Qualls – Intellectual race destroyed by the Colony
Restosians – Short, scaled aliens operating on Lemgart home world
Darter – Lieutenant Weller’s contact
Sylians – Cat-like sentient race
Sastisona – Assault commander
Sonistoma (sō-ni-stō-ma) – Tsargit representative
Talsoma (tall-so-ma) – Monarch
Swei Swee – Sentient alien lifeform inhabiting the oceans of several worlds
Wave Skimmer – First (leader) of the hive
Usaanans – Sentient race known as sand serpents
Uggert – Senior leader of the prisoners
Umlass – Tsargit representative
Usslert – Usaanan working with Lemgarts
Veklocks – Elder alliance race, triumvirate of bird-like aliens
Other Items
Dorgatha (dōr-gatha) – Monstrous reptiles of the Crocian wetlands
Hoorat Town – Seedy side of Lemgart capital
Messinants – Ancient race, dome creators
Norloth – Crocian Supreme Council
Omnia Ships – Business owned by Alex Racine and others
SADE – Self-aware digital entity, artificial intelligence being
Torque – Lemgart’s avant-garde club
Tsargit – Alliance ruling body
Wasat – Dischnya warrior commander
Planets, Colonies, Moons, and Stars
Confederation – Collection of Méridien worlds
Crimsa – Star of Pyre
Fe
deracy – Races previously ruled by Artifice
Méridien – Primary world of the Confederation
Na-Tikkook – Jatouche home world
New Terra – New Terrans’ home world
Norsitchia – Norsitchians’ home world
Omnia – World settled by the Dischnya, Swei Swee, SADEs, and humans
Packeo – Packeoes’ home world
Pimbor – Pimborians’ home world
Pyre – Pyreans’ home world
Quall – Home world of race lost to Colony, now occupied by Packeoes
Rissness – Jatouche moon
Sol – Earth’s star
Sylia – Sylians’ home world
Talus – Talusian system located in the federacy
Toral – Talusian home world located in the federacy
Usaana – Sand serpents home world
Ships and Stations
Carriers – Sol-built troop transports employed by the alliance outpost
Hyronzy Station – Tsargit convenes here
New Terra – Derelict Earth colony ship
Outpost One: Resistance – Station operating for defense of alliance space
RES Chesterfield – Outpost carrier under Sastisona
RES Drake – Outpost carrier under Homsaff
Rêveur – Alex Racine’s passenger liner
Sardi-Tallen Orbital Platform – Omnia orbital station
Transit Tripper – New Terran class four freighter
Travelers – Beam-armed shuttles and fighters
Trident – Omnian tri-hulled, beam-armed warship
My Books
Elvians is the twenty-third novel in the interwoven series of The Silver Ships and Pyreans, which tell the stories of Earth colonists and the spread of humankind throughout a galaxy filled with alien races.
The novel is available in e-book, softcover, and audiobook versions. Please visit my website, http://scottjucha.com, for publication dates and purchase locations. You may register at my website to receive e-mail updates on the progress of my upcoming novels.