For the second time that day the Aurora's alert klaxons made their long, electronic tones. Julia kept her eyes on the screen while activating her safety harness. "Prepare for evasive maneuvers. Lieutenant, hail them."

"They are already hailing, Captain," Neyzi said. The Turkish woman's fingers moved over the ops console. "Putting them onscreen."

The viewscreen changed to another bridge. In the background was another holographic map display much like a plotting board. The face that dominated the screen was of a woman who looked anything from her late thirties to forties. Her skin was light brown, with brown hair that looked curly - much like Lucy's - and was pulled back to the rear of her head. Julia thought the severe image was somewhat lightened by the freckles that dotted the woman's cheeks and other parts of her face. "This is Captain Margrethe von Lohringhoven of Her Imperial Majesty's Ship Maya-Mayi. You are hereby instructed and commanded to immediately return command of the Irresistible to her crew without condition. If you fail to heed, or delay in acting in accordance to this ultimatum, we will necessarily construe this as an act of War against the Imperial Federation and commence hostilities."

Julia felt an instinctive bristle at the bald threat. Honor culture or not, it was aggravating to deal with people who seemed to have "threaten" and "open fire" as Steps 1 and 2 of any encounter. She forced that aggravation to remain off her features, keeping her face neutral and her tone reserved. "Captain von Lohringhoven, I am Captain Julia Andreys of the Alliance Starship Aurora, representing the United Alliance of Systems. Your ultimatum is unnecessary. The Irresistible's crew is still in control of their ship. Our only personnel aboard her are medical personnel assisting with the wounded under the supervision of my First Officer." As she spoke Julia considered the potential consequence. She had expectations that a medical mission of mercy would not be interfered with. But was it possible the Aururians might seize her people now that they had backup?

While the other woman had a disciplined, even haughty look to her, a flash of surprise registered on her features. Apparently she hadn't been expecting the possibility that the Alliance hadn't seized control of her ship. "To clarify, you are in acceptance of the Irresistible's return to Imperial service and command? With her colours restored?"

Locarno and Angel were both looking toward Julia. They'd gotten the gist of that as well. The Aururian commander wanted the ship recognized as being a lawful combatant if shooting started.

Of course, if I don't, the shooting is going to start now. With that thought in mind Julia nodded. "Yes, Captain, I am. The Irresistible opened fire first as it was. It is not my intention to fire on your people except out of self-defense of my ship and of the Alliance colonists below us."

Von Lohringhoven nodded. "Then this first matter may be deemed settled in the present moment. The matter of your vagrant colony within our space must still be addressed. As of now, I am granting your settlement one week to evacuate this system. Any sentients who choose to remain must either swear or affirm an oath of allegiance to Her Imperial Majesty or they will be ejected with force."

"And that is our point of contention, Captain," Julia replied. "There is no indication whatsoever that your Imperial Federation has a claim upon this system. Our surveyors marked this system as open space and this settlement was made with that fact in mind. Your own communications officer can confirm there is no signal from a beacon or buoy. There are no markers in the system showing it as your territory. If you have a claim on this system, the Alliance is willing to negotiate the issue. But we will not be bullied."

The Aururian captain looked offscreen for several moments. A look of irritation and surprise crossed her features. "So it presently appears. I do have your word of honor, as an officer and captain, that your people did not destroy our claim buoy?"

"We did nothing of the sort," Julia said. "No claim buoy was ever recorded by our people. If it was destroyed or damaged in some way, the Alliance was not responsible for this act." And I'd love to know who did, if there was one.

There was a short pause, as Loringhoven regarded her through the screen. "The Imperial Navy in our persons will commence an immediate investigation into this matter. I caution you, my term and timeline for the removal of the occupiers of the planet below still stands. The Imperial Government has instructed me to commence negotiations on this matter, however, as well as to press upon the issue of the subjects of Her Imperial Majesty your occupation force has seized and imprisoned."

"I'll arrange a meeting with Governor Taylor immediately. We can meet on the planet in a neutral location, if you desire."

"I will select an appropriate venue. Maya-Mayi out." Her image disappeared from the screen.

The blast wave from the explosion that gutted the Aururian ship was more than powerful enough to send Lucy and the crewwoman ahead of her flying. It would also likely kill them both by smashing every bone and organ inside of their bodies.

Lucy turned and summoned all of her power. She willed energy into the space between her and the shockwave, just high enough to protect them. She felt the fury of the blast against her will and the energy it was directing. Debris slammed against the invisible shield as well. It took every erg of effort Lucy had to keep her field from collapsing.

This saved her life and that of the straggling crewwoman. The energy field surrounding the ship absorbed the blast and debris. It was visibly weaker afterward. Jarod and Barnes picked themselves up from the ground. "Lucy!" Jarod shouted. He went back into the field where she was standing and looking wobbly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said. "I just need a moment."

"What the frak happened?!" Barnes demanded. "What did you do?!"

"We were trying to hack into the computer," Jarod said. "It must have triggered an auto-destruct process." The three of them looked to the burning remnants of the ship. "It looks like they really didn't want someone looking through their ship."

A number of figures in green uniforms came running up, pulse rifles slung over their shoulders. "Sir," one of them said. "What just happened? How did that ship get blown up?!"

"A booby trap," Barnes answered. "And we were the Goddamned boobies who set it off."

"Colonel Littleton will want a report."

"He'll get it," Jarod promised. "But first, I need to call our ship." He brought up his omnitool. "Jarod to Aurora."

The delay before a response felt a little too long. Enough that Lucy audibly sighed with relief when the reply of "Aurora here" came from Julia. "Are you all okay? What happened down there?"

"I'm afraid trying to examine the ship's computer caused a hidden self-destruct mechanism to activate. If not for Lucy we'd have all been blown up."

"So the ship's a wreck?"

"Completely. Although we did learn some things about their ship design."

"Standby. We'll beam you back up shortly."

The quiet of the sickbay on the Irresistible was broken by a call over the ship's PA system. A voice, with inflection and tone indicating it was coming from one of the slender, semi-furred aliens, made a pronouncement in a language neither Leo nor Meridina knew. Their automatic translators also failed to identify the language in question.

It was clear that whatever was announced, those around them took it as good news given the wild cheers from anyone still conscious.

"Should I be worried?" Leo glanced up from a crew member he was removing shrapnel from.

Meridina opened up her mental defenses. She could sense the sentiment rushing around the crew with her inherent mindreading talents. "It would appear another vessel of their fleet just arrived," Meridina stated.

One of the crew overheard her comment and looked up from the bed, smiling with a particular vicious glee. "Iron Margrethe has arrived. Now it will be your vessel that is forced to strike!"

Meridina blinked at that. "You believe this person will force us to open fire?"

"No, she doesn't," Leo said. With the 19th Century lexicon on display his mind had recalled a couple of movies he'd seen over the years set in the time period. "It refers to a ship lowering its flag. In the days of naval warfare on the sea, that was how ships signaled their surrender."

Left unsaid was what would happen to them if the Aurora was forced to withdraw.

Yet again a voice came over the ship intercom, speaking in that same unidentified language. There was again a cheer, if not as great as before.

The vessel's doctor, Surgeon Munissi, stepped up to them. Her coloration was dark, much like Leo's, with a round face and dark brown hair cut short. There was a glimmer of respect in her brown eyes that had not been present before. "A battlecruiser from our fleet has arrived," she clarified to them. "In response to her challenge your Captain has stated our ship may raise our colors."

"We never assumed control of your ship in the first place," Leo pointed out.

"We nonetheless had yielded to you and were honor-bound to Her Majesty to take no action to repair the ship. Now that such is no longer the case, work will commence." Munissi watched Leo finish removing the last piece of shrapnel from the wounded girl on the bed. "I was initially uncertain to your intentions, Doctor Gillam. But I see now that your purpose here was an honorable one. Your assistance saved the lives of many of our girls. I am pleased to see that honor and compassion still exists in Humanity outside of the Empire. You even treat your alien physician with respect."

"Doctor Hreept is new to my medical staff, but he's one of the best. I would never brook disrespect to him."

Meridina allowed Leo to finish his remark before stating, "By your statements it appears the other Humans of this universe treat non-Humans with disrespect. Is this true?"

There was confusion and uncertainty on Munissi's face. "The League is well-known for its exploitation of alien species."

"I see. Our own knowledge of this League is still limited. We have only heard of them through the Trade Consortium." Meridina frowned. "It would appear that their conduct will not meet with the approval of the Alliance."

There was a skepticism evident in the Aururian surgeon at that remark. Whatever her thoughts on it, however, she spoke on another subject. "I have been informed that surgeons from the Maya-Mayi are coming aboard to assist me with the remaining injured. Since there are no more personnel in severe risk thanks to your efforts I can deal with the remaining wounded. It may be for the best if you return to your vessel, with our thanks for your compassion."

Leo took the hint. If things got tense again and they were still aboard, then he and his staff were potential hostages. "Thank you, Doctor," he said to her. "We'll get our equipment together and leave immediately."

The command staff was back in the conference lounge within the hour. Through the window outside they could make out the Maya-Mayi. The ship was an omnipresent threat given its large and visible weapons.

"Well, this is turning into a real fraking disaster, isn't it?" Barnes grumbled.

"There is still room for discussion to bring agreement," Meridina pointed out. "This need not end in violence."

"True, but it's going to be difficult. They firmly believe this system is rightfully theirs," Jarod said. "And right now they have the advantage with that battlecruiser. It has two of the graviton weapons the first ship used on us."

"Speaking of that…" Julia looked to Scotty. "Any suggestions, Mister Scott?"

"Deflector shields dinnae work very well against gravitons at that level o' concentration, Cap'n," said the veteran engineer. "We wud have t' completely rebuild th' shield systems."

"The weapon is essentially an overcharged, inverted tractor beam," Jarod clarified.

"So there are no countermeasures at all?" Meridina asked.

"Given time, we can reinforce th' ship structurally. Increasin' th' power t' th' structural integrity field wud help, tho' that willnae do much for anythin' or anyone nae bolted down."

"Do what you can. And what did you find out about their ship before it destroyed itself, Jarod?"

"Not much. As you've already learned, they use spatial fold jump drives and warp drives in tandem. Their power generation system combines a fusion torch with heavy shielding with trace amounts of some exotic matter." Jarod tapped a button and brought up the scan results.

"Well, wud ye look at that," said Scotty.

"You've seen this before?" Barnes asked.

"Only on th' drawing board, Tom," Scotty answered. "It's a monopole matter conversion system. It gives ye fusion-based power that can match matter/anti-matter reactors, but without th' risk o' anti-matter fuel sources. But ye need a big ol' particle accelerator, an' I do mean a big one, t' generate the materials tae run th' things."

"Well, that's something else we've learned at least," Julia said. "Anything else?"

"Lucy remained planetside to go over the wreckage of the Aururian ship," Jarod said. "She'll report in whatever she finds."

Julia turned to Leo next. "What about the people the colonists are holding? Did you learn anything more about that organism while you were over there?"

"I was a little occupied," he pointed out, leaning forward slightly. There was slight fatigue visible on his face. "But I made sure our suits' systems were set to record passive scans, including analysis of the ship's atmosphere. What I can tell you is that it's a spongiform that is present in their tissues and bloodstream. There were no indications of it in the atmosphere, and since all but two of the crew we examined had it present in their bodies, I'm inclined to rule out airborne vectors for infection. The most particular item of interest was that our suits' sensors confirmed the presence of a pheromone in the atmosphere of the ship. I've sent our data to Doctor Ke'mani'pala for analysis."

"So there is no risk to the Oakland Colony?" Julia asked.

Leo shook his head. "Not from the spongiform. I'm not sure what the pheromone does, or even if it's related to the spongiform. Doctor Singh and Doctor Opani are going to check on that. But if you ask me, the quarantine can be lifted."

"Returning their people to them will further ease difficulties," Meridina pointed out.

"It still doesn't settle the problem with the Colony," Julia said.

"Well, do we need this one?" asked Locarno. "I'm sure it's an annoyance to the colonists, but there are half a dozen other garden worlds in our claim area, we could simply relocate the Oakland Colony to another planet."

"No, we can't," Julia said. "That much is clear from the material Defense Command provided. The surveyors have confirmed numerous elements and minerals of immense strategic value in Phi Perseus, including cameronite, naqia, and trinium. The Alliance Government is already preparing further facilities to begin mining the system."

"So we need it and they insist it belongs to them." Cat shrugged. "Maybe we can make a deal? I mean, there is no claim beacon or anything. You're supposed to leave those, right?"

"Not every universe has the same system for establishing claims," Jarod noted. "But we would have the superior claim by those standards too, since they usually involve presence and use. And we've got both."

"It was clear to me that Captain von Lohringhoven expected such a buoy to exist," Julia said. "Once she realized it didn't she wanted to know if we were the ones to destroy it."

"I looked through our data on the system. There is no indication of prior claim," Meridina noted.

"So either they screwed up and didn't leave one, or something happened to it," Angel said.

"That's what I've got Zack out looking for," Julia noted. "As for the rest of us, we're staying at Code Yellow until this situation is resolved." Julia checked her omnitool. "Hopefully…"

Before she could finish the sentence a voice came over the intercom. "Bridge to Conference Lounge," stated Lieutenant Neyzi.

"Andreys here," she replied.

"The Maya-Mayi has signaled. Captain von Lohringhoven is requesting a meeting with you and Governor Taylor."

"When and where?"

"In one hour. She signaled she would be willing to land in the Colony itself for the meeting on the condition of meeting with the quarantined individuals."

"Very well. Send my acceptance of the time and her condition and relay that to Governor Taylor. Andreys out."

"I'd better issue my own report to Doctor Logan," Leo said. "He should release the quarantine once he receives it."

"Which means Captain von Lohringhoven might very well be picking those people up." Julia allowed herself a small grin. "That should make the rest of the negotiations easier. Alright everyone, you're dismissed."

Opani approached the wing of the hospital set aside for quarantine cases. A pair of militia guards waved her through on confirmation of her identity. The first set of doors brought her through a specialized forcefield, on the inside of which was an isolated atmosphere. Opani checked her omnitool and activated the atmospheric scanner before going through the next set of doors.

The quarantine sector, by nature, had to have comparisons to a jail. Keeping patients isolated from each other as well as everything else protected them as well, after all, but it meant putting everyone into what were essentially isolated cells, each with its own air circulation system that kept potentially contaminated air from escaping.

The quarantine rooms were more comfortable than cells at least. The beds had proper sheets and were made for comfort and a holo-display was made available for the occupant to watch programs or make comm calls.

Opani looked from cell to cell. According to the patient files, there were six Humans with the spongiform organism and four non-Humans who did not have it. They were paired with each other, every two sharing a room by species as a precaution. As with the crew of the Irresistible they were all female. Opani contemplated what that meant. In the histories of various societies gender segregation was sometimes practiced. The Epamal and Onurtam nations of Dorei were known for having males and females serve in entirely different units of their armed forces, or so Opani had learned in her preparatory school courses when she was a youth nearing adulthood. Did these Humans practice the same?

She walked among the cells, running scans on the air content within. The Human-inhabited cells did, indeed, include the pheromone that Doctor Gillam had detected aboard the Irresistible. The scanners found no trace of the spongiform, however, at least not in the air. It occurred to her that if Doctor Logan and his staff had access to the scanning technology they used on the Aurora this entire problem might have been avoided.

"Do you speak the English tongue of the Humans?" a voice asked. "Or the French?"

Opani turned about and faced one of the rooms. The occupant was one of the aliens, with silvery brown skin and dark green hair. Opani approached the forcefield and met the alien's yellow eyes with her own. "I have learned English, yes."

"I have never seen your species before."

"Nor have we seen yours," Opani answered. "I am a Dorei, from a planet we call Doreia."

"I am a Ralsan, born on the planet Venus in the human solar system."

"Venus." Opani vaguely recalled the name. "So you lived beside Humans?"

"Some."

"It was a mere four years ago that we encountered Humans for the first time," Opani answered. "It must have been an interesting experience to grow up among them." As she spoke Opani was mentally compiling the notes she would provide to Doctor Gillam and the others. Even a name for the species with the Human Aururians was potentially valuable. Although her testing was mostly done, Opani decided to linger and converse. "I am Doctor Roliri Opani, assigned to the Alliance Starship Aurora."

"Kishala Abrakia," the Ralsan female answered. Opani noticed her yellow eyes dart around the room, as if searching for something. Once she seemed satisfied with her surroundings, her voice lowered. "We may be able to help you."

Opani found that remark curious. She leaned a little closer. One of her ears twitched. "What do you mean?"

"I saw your scar," said Kishala. "I have seen it on other worlds, where the Humans implant trackers into their workers to control their movements. We may be able to help you disable yours and escape."

A wince of anguish briefly crossed Opani's face at the reminder of the old scar at the back of her neck, the remaining blemish to her body that marked her time as a slave. By the end of Kishala's sentence, it gave way to confusion.

"We have done it before," Kishala assured her quietly. "If you come with us, you will be free of the Humans."

"I am free," Opani said. "Yes, I once had a neural override device planted upon my spine, but that was before any of us had met the Humans. The Humans of the Alliance do not enslave other species."

Disappointment flashed across Kishala's face. A flicker of defiance went through her eyes. "The League of the North has often claimed they do not enslave too. But I have seen the labor camps and the fields with my own eyes. I know how the Humans outside of the Imperial Federation treat aliens. Even when they claim you have become equal to them, you are still treated as an inferior."

"Whomever this League is, they are not involved with the Alliance. We are new to this Universe. My people are founders of the Alliance of Systems, along with our long-time allies the Gersallians and the Alakins of Universe A7R6." The surprise and bewilderment on Kishala's face told Opani everything. "Your people, they do not know about the Alliance? Where it comes from?"

"You speak of the Universe as if it were a planet," Kishala said.

"My people learned from the Gersallians of the existence of other universes," Opani explained. "It was knowledge they passed down from an age three thousand years ago, when a species called the Darglan created an interuniversal state based on scientific discovery and the protection of other species and peoples. The Darglan are gone now, but their legacy was discovered by well-meaning Humans, who re-introduced it to the Gersallians."

The other Ralsan in the cell was staring at her as well, now. A glance around the room showed that the other women, Humans as well, were doing the same. One of them, an older woman with a bronzen skin tone, spoke next. "Have they driven you mad, then?"

"I am not mad. It is the truth."

The woman in question showed skepticism in her amber-toned eyes. But the other woman with her, of darker skin tone and a thinner build, placed a hand on her arm. "I sense she believes she speaks truth."

The others looked now to this woman, if they could see her, and their expressions remained skeptical, though they softened slightly.

Opani wanted to continue the conversation. Her intention was interrupted by the light on her omnitool flashing to life. She pressed it. "Opani here."

"Doctor Opani, have you completed your scans?" Doctor Singh asked.

"Yes, Doctor Singh. I have. I was speaking with the patients."

"Truly?" The New Punjabi woman's voice betrayed pleasant surprise. "I hate to interrupt you, but I would like you to rejoin me. Doctor Logan is expecting us and our findings."

"Of course. Opani out." She lowered her forearm and looked back to Kishala. "I must go speak with the lead physician of the Colony. Hopefully our new information will persuade him to undo your curfew. You would be free to rejoin your people."

Kishala nodded. Opani could see the continued bewilderment on her face. She wondered if it was from Kishala believing Opani to be mad… or if she was scared Opani was not.

The port authority had removed the shield inside the hangar now that the vessel was destroyed and, more importantly, no contagion risk was present. A couple of officers and crew were brought down to join her. One, a Human petty officer with a ruddy, Caucasian complexion, brought up another piece. "I'm having trouble getting a material scan on this one, sir."

"Let me." Lucy accepted the twisted piece of material and put it into the materials analyzer she'd brought down. At first nothing showed. She had to change the scanner settings a number of times to get a result. The machine's display soon brought up data for her, data that was intriguing. "It's a scanner-reflective material," she noted. A slight suspicion arose in her mind.

"Lieutenant." The second newcomer was the Falaen officer new to the ship, Ensign Talara, wearing a field uniform that had command/navigation red trim as opposed to Lucy's Operations beige. Her blue eyes were focused on another, larger piece of scrap. This one had the remains of a hinge on it. "My scanners aren't showing anything of this either."

Lucy accepted the scrap from Talara and put it into the analyzer next. Using the same process, she got virtually the same result, save for a layer of material on one side of the piece near the hinge that matched samples from the standard deck plating. Her suspicions intensified. Lucy closed her eyes and reached through her life force, sensing the piece before her and the answer it held.

"Lieutenant, are you…?"

Lucy opened her eyes in response to Talara. "I'm fine. I was just considering what I'm seeing."

Talara nodded in acceptance of the answer. "Do you know why it was blocking our scanners?"

"Scanner-reflective material," Lucy replied. "Even the materials analyzer had trouble with it."

"What do you think it was for?"

"I have some suspicions," Lucy said while her hand went to her omnitool. Once the interface activated she tapped the key to activate her commlink. "Lucero to Aurora."

"Aurora here," Locarno replied.

"I need to speak to Captain Andreys about this wreck. I've found something."

The main office of the Aurora medbay was set up to Leo's liking. His desk included a group picture of his friends from the days before the Facility and a couple of family photos. His white doctor's lab coat was hanging from a stand near the door, leaving him in the Alliance uniform of black with blue trim color. Three gold slanted strips on his collar marked him as a Commander, although it was a rank he rarely attempted to employ.

The monitor on his office desk activated. "Singh to Gillam," Dr. Singh's voice said.

"Gillam here." Leo reached down and tapped the key to activate the video component of the call. Dr. Singh and Dr. Opani were present, with Dr. Logan behind them. "Any new developments."

"We have confirmed the presence of the pheromone as well," Singh said. "It is only with the Humans in quarantine."

"So it's looking like it is a side effect of the spongiform." Leo put his hands together on the desk. "Anything else?"

Opani spoke up."One of the aliens in quarantine spoke to me. Their species is known as Ralsan. They seem to coexist with the Aururian Humans. And they also seem to believe that Humans outside of the Aururian society are exploiting alien species. Because of my scar they believed me to be a slave. They state other Humans from a 'League of the North' have enslaved other species."

A small frown crossed Leo's face at that remark. "The Xou!tasam shared information about a Human government called the League of Democratic Worlds. But the package I read indicates basic material. Government type, economic system, import and export figures… either way." He shook his head. "That's for Julia, for Captain Andreys, to handle. From a medical perspective, it looks like these people pose no threat."

"Agreed," Doctor Logan said, "I will inform the Governor that I am releasing them from quarantine."

"I'm sure the Captain will be happy with that news," Leo said. "She's probably on her way to beam down right now."

Another tone sounded in the office. Leo tapped the blue light his omnitool was showing over the back of his left hand. The omnitool displayed an image of Ke'mani'pala down in Science Lab 3. The Gl'mulli scientist was one of the most unique individuals on the ship. The Gl'mulli were an agendered gelatinous species that resembled gumdrops of cyan or blue coloring. They sensed the universe primarily through electromagnetic field-based senses, communicating with the same. Through simple touch they could, when they desired, exchange genetic information to enable reproduction.

Ke'mani'pala had other communication and sensing options now, of course, with the help of the translation device that she affixed to her body. It was the blue electronic eye of this machine that looked toward Leo on the omnitool screen. "Doctor Gillam," she said, her voice an electronic warble through her translator. "I have completed an analysis of the organism samples you provided. It is a most peculiar thing, this spongiform."

"What have you learned?" he asked.

"The organism is fascinating. Clearly it evolved upon your species' planet of origin. But it appears to share some chemical similarities to our cells."

"What do you mean, Doctor?" Logan asked.

"The spongiform has a biochemical makeup that makes it possible for them to carry genetic data originating from another being. It can act much in the same way as my own cells do if I make contact with another Gl'mulli."

"You mean in reproductive terms," Leo said. "Like how your cells can carry genetic material secreted from another Gl'mulli into the interior of your body, where you merge your material with it to fertilize an embryo."

"Yes."

"When you say this can do the same thing, does it mean this spongiform could carry Human reproductive material from one body to another?" Singh asked.

"It does appear so," Ke'mani'pala trilled. "I would like to run laboratory tests to make certain. It will take time to grow a sample batch of the spongiform to conduct such tests."

"Let me know when you get any results."

"You will be the first to know, Doctor Gillam. I will begin the batch immediately." Ke'mani'pala disappeared from the screen a moment later.

Certain thoughts were coming to Leo on the matter. The spongiform, the pheromone present wherever those carrying it were gathered, and now this fact. Added together and it could imply certain characteristics. Leo tapped a few keys on his control and brought up a microscopic image of the spongiform. "Just what are you?" he muttered.

Julia and Meridina appeared in a pair of white bursts of light at the edge of the spaceport. Lucy stepped up to them. "I've got Talara and the others working on the debris still," she said. "We're using the scans to put together a model of the ship."

"You mentioned that they had sensor-reflective material built into their ship," Julia said.

"Right. And one of the pieces I've seen so far definitely had a hinge, or what used to be one."

"Implying a door or hatch," Meridina noted.

"Exactly." Lucy nodded once at her former teacher. "I can't tell you for sure until we finish the reconstruction, but I'm pretty sure it was a smuggler's hold of some kind."

"An interesting possibility," Meridina said. "It may provide us with answers on why the Aururian response has been so assertive."

"Maybe we'll find out soon," Julia said, while the air filled with a loud, electronic roar. A gray-toned shuttle was approaching from the distance at a high speed, coming from an orbital position given its height. As the moments passed the shuttle flew overhead and came back around to a landing. It had atmospheric wings that folded inward as it landed on four landing gear legs. The side of the ship was marked with a roundel of blue and copper color with a very dark purple center.

"Where is Governor Taylor?" Meridina asked.

"Late," was Julia's reply. She felt irritated at that. This was a first contact situation for them, and with all the trouble they'd already seen everything had to be done right. Being late would only make things seem worse.

The rear door of the shuttle opened. Captain von Lohringhoven stepped out in the company of another woman of dark skin tone with what Julia thought to be Southeast Asian features on her face. Their uniforms were white in primary color with blue and black on the trim and the shoulder boards. Gold thread marked the cuffs on the jacket and the bars on the shoulder boards, with fleece around the collars. A pair of figures in suits of light armor followed them out, keeping their rifles at port arms. Lohringhoven stepped up to them and nodded. "Captain Andreys," she stated. "This is my First Officer, Commander Andrianafelana."

"Commander." Julia nodded respectfully in reply. "This is my First Officer, Commander Meridina, and one of my operations officers, Lieutenant Lucilla Lucero."

"I was expecting the governor of the Colony to attend as well."

There was just the slightest hint of anger in Lohringhoven's words. Julia worked to keep her own frustration out of her voice when she said, "So was I, Captain. It appears he was delayed. He may be discussing the release of your people with his medical director. Our examination has shown that the spongiform organism within them is not a health threat to the colony, making the quarantine unnecessary."

"A simple inquiry would have reassured you of this."

"Unfortunately communications between our people have not been the best so far. I hope we can change that now."

Any further conversation was not to be. A black and silver aircar pulled up toward them. It was not a completely high end model, but it was nice-enough looking to indicate it was the Governor's car.

The rear door opened and Governor Taylor slipped out of the seat. There was a look on his face that Julia thought to be somber. Very somber. He looked back to the vehicle.

The figure that emerged was not Human. It wasn't even bipedal. She watched a creature of yellow and orange and reddish hues slip out of the craft. The alien stood to only about one hundred and fifty centimeters in height, while in width its wide limbs gave it a wider profile than most Humanoids. One of its five arms remained up, showing what Julia were certain was a cluster of eyes. It moved forward with the four other limbs to remain in step with Taylor. When they were within five meters they stopped and the alien raised itself so that its other two limbs were free. An electronic device was attached to the centerpoint of its body.

Given the look, Julia was certain of the being's species, but it was Governor Taylor who made the introduction. "I am sorry for my tardiness," he said. "Sub-Consul Tio!sat!ny intercepted me on my way out and insisted on accompanying me to this meeting."

"It is certainly no great surprise to see a representative of the Trading Consortium present," Lohringhoven said. Despite the diplomatic formality in her tone there was a certain distaste evident in the Aururian captain's expression. Commander Andrianafelana was unable to even hide it. "As always, the Xou!tasam are quite swift to seize the main chance."

"Captain Lohringhoven." The voice was an electronic one that sounded over an incomprehensible series of sounds that issued from the center of the being's form. "Your reputation precedes you, 'Iron Margrethe'. Given what we have learned, I am not surprised that your Empire has dispatched you to this place."

"Sub-Consul, this is Captain Julia Andreys of the Starship Aurora," Taylor said, gesturing to Julia. "And two of her officers."

"My pleasure, Captain Andreys. Your defense of this colony was most appreciated."

Julia kept her hands to her side. "It was my duty to protect my people, Sub-Consul." She leveled a look toward Taylor. "Are you inviting the Trading Consortium to these talks, Governor?'

"We have a complication," Taylor said. "I thought the Sub-Consul should be present to explain it." He looked down at the starfish-like alien. Julia could see he was not entirely happy either. He had the look of a man resigned to something nasty happening, something beyond his power.

"The Governor, in his attempt to identify the Aururian subjects who arrived on this world, provided me with images of the quarantined figures."

"Did you know about the spongiform's lack of airborne survivability?" Julia asked. Left unsaid was the obvious consequence of such: that they could have handled the people in quarantine already if they had been told.

"I am no biologist. I know nothing of how this organism functions, merely that it has divided the Human species into two parts," Tio!sat!ny answered. "I could give no assurances to the good Governor, as much as I wish I could."

"That still does not explain your presence, Sub-Consul," Lohringhoven remarked. Her tone was distant and cold. Julia's heart fell at the suspicion she saw in the Aururian officers' eyes.

"I provided the images to my superiors on Jao!senat to assist our trading partners in the Alliance," the Xou!tasam explained. "They reported to me that the figures in question are gun smugglers wanted in the Trade Consortium on numerous charges related to their activities."

The look on the Aururians' faces could have chilled a star into ice, Julia thought.

Taylor picked up from here. His tone was almost apologetic. "The warrants from the Consortium were provided to me just now. They are legitimate. And under the terms of our treaties with the Consortium, I am required to keep these individuals in custody until they can be lawfully extradited to the Consortium."

"An interesting approach, Captain Andreys," Lohringhoven stated, looking to Julia instead of Taylor. She didn't hide the smoldering disgust in her eyes. "You request my presence for a parley, assure me of access to the party taken by your squatters, and now I am told they are to be imprisoned until handed over to the friends of the Northern League."

"The Captain knew nothing of this," Taylor stated. "We're as surprised as you."

Lohringhoven glared to him next. "You have seven days, Governor, starting now. At that time, any in this system who refuse to swear oaths of allegiance to Her Imperial Majesty will be forced to leave. I expect our people to be returned at that time as well, without any injury to their bodies, minds, or honor, on penalty of immediate arrest of you and all other members of the leadership of this colony. Additionally, if any vessel of the Consortium, Alliance, or League attempts to remove our subjects from this world, I will commence fire upon them immediately."

Before Julia could speak, Taylor spoke up. "Your people have no claim here," he said. "There is no claim beacon, no buoy, no settlement. We colonized this world. It is ours by right. We'll fight to keep it."

The tone he got in reply went beyond icy. "A sentiment we have heard before, from rapacious butchers of innocent starfarers, before we drove their broken remnants before us. If it is war you want, then by all means, maintain your pigheaded foolhardiness. War and defeat you will then have."

Lohringhoven turned on her heel. Her First Officer did the same, and the two of them marched back to their shuttle without another word.

As the craft lifted off, Julia and Meridina exchanged worried glances. "Damn," Julia muttered. She brought her left forearm up and activated her omnitool. Her finger tapped the key on the blue hardlight to open comms. "Andreys to Aurora."

"Yes sir?" answered Locarno.

"Get me Admiral Maran on IU radio," she said. "We might have a war on our hands out here."