The Waiver 10
Entering the bridge, I was startled by the system displayed on the viewscreen. Actually it wasn't the entire system, just one particular planet that stood out among the rest.

Marco spoke up, "Um, Menderash? Why does that planet glow in the dark?"

Menderash ignored him and contuinued his scans of the region.

The planet, marked on the screen as Sector 471, RG8-3, emited a brilliant purple color. I noticed that the system designation was shorter than others I had seen before, yet the Sector designation was longer. Was this because no Andalite had traveled into Kelbrid space?

"It's so beautiful." Cassie whispered. Jeanne nodded her agreement, utterly awed.

Marco waived his arm grandly at the screen. "I name hereby dub this land in name of Earth: Planet Glow Stick."

I leaned over a hassled Menderash's shoulder, resting my hand on the side of his console.
"What's up, Menderash?"

He sighed and spun his chair around to face me. His eyes were red-rimmed with fatigue and face slightly pale. Actually, by now we were all pretty pale. What with no sun and all.

But Menderash has been sleeping less and less lately. I find him on the bridge constantly off-shift, muttering to himself and charting out the new systems we pass. We had set course to this sector, knowing that it was the nearest which could support life. So far, we had only found dead systems. Something I could tell frustrated him to no end.

"I seem to be having trouble locking on the direction of trail." Noticing our blank looks, Menderash continued. "To elaborate, when a ship is about to enter Z-space, they bleed off any excess Ion particles behind the rear thrusters. When the rear thrust is activated, the bled Ion gas cloud ignites, giving the almost immediate acceleration needed to 'cut' into zero space. The
only flaw to this method, however, is that the Ion explosion leaves a trail behind which, in space, could remain there for decades without dissipating."

Everyone stared at Menderash, but it seemed to click for Tobias. "Um, what you're saying is . . . we're looking for tire marks on the asphault?"

"What?" Now, it was Menderash's turn to be off-step.

"Nevermind. Just know that we get it. So, why can't we lock on the trail?" I asked.

He grit his teeth. Amazing how quickly he was picking up on human gestures. "It's planet three. I assume that the intense radiation is confusing our scanners. I'll be able to lock on the signature but not the trail." Before I could ask, he raised his hand to stop me and explained. "I will be able to tell you the engines used in whatever ship passed through here, and from that,
be able to list what model ships carry such engines. I will not be able to track the direction the ship was going or determine precisely how long ago they entered this sector."

I threw my hands up and slapped them down on my thighs. "So, all this information is pretty much useless?"

He hesitated. "Not exactly, Sir."

I raised an eyebrow. "What can be done?"

"Simply? If I lower our shields, I can increase the intensity of our scans and perhaps even root through the false scans to find the real trail. I am currently picking up on false reports of non-radioactive energy on planet three. Signs of technology, civilization." he scoffed. "Obviously impossible on THAT thing."

"Will lowering our shields make us vulnerable to the radioation."

"No, Captain. Our hull should provide adequate protection. We WILL be susceptable to attacks."

I didn't hesitate. "Go for it."

Menderash swiveled back to his console and began ringing off commands in thought-speach while pressing keys clumsily with his human fingers. "Lower shield resolution to 4.61. Prepare scan managers six through eight on the aft. Prime port thrust and rotate to-" his concentration was broken by a loud and insistant beeping coming from a speaker at his elbow.

Menderash peered at the speaker, mystified. "I- Captain, this is the off-ship communications line."

Jeanne questioned him, uncertainly. "Does that mean someone is 'hailing' us?"

Marco fluttered his eyelashes at her. "I ever tell you how smart I think you are?"

Jeanne just rolled her eyes and smiled. It had taken a while, but I could tell she was now used to Marco's harmless and pointless comments.

Menderash shook his head, emphatically. Again, the human gestures. "Impossible, besides they would use the standard inquiries and procedures. They wouldn't just 'beep' at us. It must be a random glich, Sir. I'll just cut the reciever and-"

"Wait!" Marco grabbed his shoulder quickly.

"What's wrong, Marco." I asked, concerned.

Marco muttered something to himself which I only caught part of. "-the universal language . . ."

Now, I was becoming a little agitated. "Marco, spit it out, already."

He shook his head. "Jake, don't you get it? Listen. It's not just random beeping. They're counting!"

I listened carefully and counted the beeps. Two, four, eight . . . No it wasn't counting. It was in multiples. I waited until the signal started again, looping at thirty-two beeps in a row.

"Jake, man, remember when my Dad was into that whole Z-Space mess?" I nodded. "Yeah, well he said that if humans had to communicate to another species and didn't know the language, they would have to use a universal language. Like music . . . or math."

I thought quickly. "Menderash, when it starts over again, tape it."

"Excuse me?"

I sighed. "Record the signal from the beginning." He waited as the signal wafted through the speaker. When it was complete, he muttered something to the computer and turned to me. "Signal recorded."

"Okay, rewi- uh, cycle it to the start and play it back to the point of origin."

Just as I started to feel the tension in the room rising, Menderash jumped out of his chair.

"Contact!" he yelled, excitedly.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I clutched my chest, gasping. "Don't DO that!"

"Sorry. But, Sir, we've established contact! In Kelbrid Space! They've sent some sort of text message in a data stream!"

"Can you translate it, or do you need more imput?"

He shook his head and sat back down. "A few more lines should provide a higher word accuracy, though details may be skewed slightly."

"Alright, um, send them this: 'We are the Starship Enterprise, of the United Federation of Planets-"

Marco snickered.

"-we are on a peaceful, scientific mission of discovery and wish only to inquire about the manner of habitat on their planet.' that should be enough to get something out of them."

The response came faster than I thought and Menderash quickly translated to us:

We are the Blue. The Blue wish to learn of you. The Blue wish to be your friends.

and then, a hurried second message:

The Blue are troubled. The Blue need help from our friends. Please tell the Blue more of your Federation and your Dark Sea Ship.

"Our what?" Santorelli asked.

"Dark sea ship? I guess they meant the Rachel." Tobias shrugged. "'dark sea' must be what they call space."

Menderash looked at me, expectedly. "What should I tell them, Sir?"I glanced quickly around the room to check the group's reaction. "Well, I guess we vote. Should we talk to these guys or not get involved? Jeanne?" I asked, making sure to start with the newer people.

Jeanne looked flattered to have her opinion asked. "I think perhaps we should stick to our priorities. While it would be nice to help everyone in the universe, we should be lookingfor the good prince, no?"

I nodded and then looked pointedly at Cassie, the next person on Jeanne's left.

She hesitated. "We should leave- no... help. Yeah, if they really need it, we should help." she nodded, mostly to herself.

I gestured to Santorelli. "I'm gonna have to go with Gerard on this one, Prof. Our primary mission is the recovery of Prince Aximili."

Marco gestured toward Jeanne. "Well, as much as I'd like to agree with this fine, young specimen of female-ness. I have to disagree."

This took me aback. While Marco is brave, he is also the most likely to vote for us to save our necks.

"Why do YOU want to stay? What's the catch?" Cassie asked what I was thinking.

He smirked. "If these people's first reaction to aliens was to contact us, then any other ship that stopped here might have had time to speak to the locals too."

I nodded. "And friends of "The Blue" might be able to ask about these conversations." I asked, more of a statement.

I looked at Tobias and he just shrugged at me.

"Menderash?" he straightened his shoulders.

"Whatever my Prince decides, I must obey implicitly."

I sighed.

Just like Ax. A depressing thought.

"All right, hail them."

End Chapter 10

Reviewer's Response:

Raspberry: Yeah, I think I rushed it a bit. I was just SO eager to get the plot moving again,
but needed a link from one plot to the next. Hence: Chapter 9. I wish I could show you WHY
Cassie was so messed up in 9, but unfortunately this is a Jake POV book, so you won't find out
until Jake does. Sorry.

Rachel: Aw:P to you too! lol