The second time around, the 'wake-crossing' sensation of re-inserting in normal space didn't surprise anybody. "Alright, orienting on Sanctuary," Christin announced over the intership, in her capacity as communications officer. "Sending out all messages in the outgoing queue." There was a pause. "Send sixty percent complete... send is complete. Turning communications array to receive any incoming messages."
"We don't expect anything new from Sanctuary at this point, do we?" Max asked captain Variun.
"I don't think that there's anything really 'expected' for you guys, though since it's been so long, Alinda or someone else might have wanted to post an update," he said. "I'll probably have some news about the state of the pursuit, any intel they have about search patterns that we'll need to evade as we plot our next step of the course."
"And the trader ship?"
"They won't be messaging us over the tachy-wave," he said, "or at least, it'll be to say that something's gone wrong, and they might not even be able to then. The plan is just for them to re-insert close enough for regular microwave-based communications to be practical - within half a million kilometers, by human measurements."
"Around the same as the distance from Earth to the moon," Max filled in, and he nodded. Max was staying well out of the way in the cockpit. "So, is there any chance that we'll be able to dock with the trader ship and go aboard, just to have a look around? I mean, everybody's getting a little tired of the same rooms and cabins in here."
"Hmm... we'll ask, see what they say," Variun said after a moment. "Flaiisar should be able to handle a docking maneuver, right pilot?" Flaiisar waved with a confident gesture. "And we're far enough away that I don't think we need to worry about not spending too much time outside of warp space."
"Good, that's a relief," Max admitted. "So, do you have one of those detectors that can see other ships travelling through nearby warp space? Michael and Isabel mentioned tracking approaching enemy ships from the outpost on Stallynfruss."
"Actually, no Max, as much as I'd like one, there's no way to get that sensitive a warp-space sensor on a small ship like this one," Variun told him with a small smile. "We've got a sort of a warp proximity alert, which can tell when something's approaching us from warp - with a range of about a tenth of a parsec, which only works out to a few minutes warning at typical speeds." He paused, as if allowing for the possibility that once he had mentioned the proximity alert, it would immediately go off. But there was nothing. "If we get anything on that, be sure that I'll tell you. Why don't you wait with Liz and your friends? It could take an hour or more - seriously this time."
"Okay, okay, I get the hint," Max said. "Getting out of the way." He poked his head inside the 'royal cabin', and found that Liz was sitting in there alone. "Hey, I thought you'd be with some of the others."
"Nah, I just didn't feel like..." Liz shrugged slightly. "Why did you check in here first then?"
"Well, it was on my way, and I thought that you might have invited Michael and Maria inside." Liz nodded in response to that possibility.
"No transmission receiving yet?"
"No, they're not sure what we'll get or when," Max said, going over to sit on the bed himself and hold her close. "Also when and if this trading ship is going to show up."
"Ahh, so that's this stop then? I mean, if it happens."
"Probably, yeah." Max sat there with her for a moment. "I asked if we'd be able to dock with the trading ship and go aboard her."
"Oooh." Liz shivered slightly. "Would I have to?"
"Now, that wasn't quite the reaction I expected," Max admitted, "Why wouldn't you want to? We've all been talking about how frustrated we are, being stuck inside this small ship..."
"Yeah, I know, but - but not sure that going to a, a Tleonic ship would really make me feel that much better," she admitted. "Antarians and shapeshifters... I mean, I know that they're aliens, but they look and talk like people, and they're familiar by now. But - well, I hate to sound bigoted or anything, but have you seen the images of Tleons in the ship's computer?"
"Oooh," Max admitted, and sighed. "No, didn't think to look, actually. Are they all weird and scary?"
"Actual bug-eyed monsters with tentacles," Liz admitted. "Straight out of a horror movie or something like that."
"Hmm." Max considered that. "Well, I certainly understand and respect if you choose to stay behind - always assuming that they do show up, and give us permission to dock." He took a deep breath. "But I'm not going to to let that sort of thing stop me. After all, there'll be more exotic species than Antarians in Landorin as well, and we'll probably have to get used to being around them." He put his hand on the far side of Liz's face and turned her around a bit so that he could stare into her deep brown eyes. "You know that Variun and Christin wouldn't even consider letting us go if they thought there was the slightest possibility that the Tleons would harm us, right? No matter what they look like, with bug eyes and tentacles and all, they're just people trying to make their way through the universe. Not saying that they're all good and pure of heart, but they're not nasty just because they're alien, and probably on a long-term trading mission they'll be eager to meet some new people just as much as we are."
"So, in other words, you're going to try and guilt trip me into being more open minded about the tentacularly gifted?" Liz joked.
"Probably couldn't hurt. Just think how you'd feel if you woke up with tentacles of your own one morning," he kidded her back.
"Okay, okay, well - we'll see." Just then there was a chime.
"Hullo, Max?" That was Christin's voice.
"Yeah, did the traders show up?" No, that was the wrong question. "Have we got a signal on the warp sensor, I mean?"
"No, but there's an incoming transmission, on Liaretian channels."
"Sanctuary?"
"Nope, Stellynfrus."
"The place where Michael and Isabel dropped Tess off?" Liz said, her leg starting to shake with nervous energy. "Why would they be sending to us?"
"I don't know, Liz," Christin answered, "but it's from the outpost leader where Michael helped fight off Kivar's ships, and he's asking to talk to you, Max." She sounded a bit put out, which Max could understand. "Audio signal, patch it through?"
"Umm - alright," Max said. So this would be a live, or nearly live conversation, instead of just messages being beamed off hither and yon. "Hello, this is Max Evans."
"Hello Max, Gird here," the answer came in. "This is important. We've spotted a warp interference network being laid out in the space between your current co-ordinates and planet Vrelayan."
"Oh, frak us all," Max muttered. "Kivar's people?"
"Not directly - it seems to be a Breeolyn contingent setting it up. Not sure if they want to hand you over to Kivar if they catch you, or offer you up to the highest bidder, torture you for their own amusement, or what - but you do not want to be caught."
"No, of course not," Max said. "Why wouldn't you tell my comm officer or captain about this? I trust them implicitly."
"Oh, sorry - just was my first instinct to go with someone who I knew I could trust with the intel."
"The conversation's being recorded," Liz put in. "I'll work on patching Christin in, and the cockpit."
"Do that," he said. "Alright, if we can't continue on towards Sanctuary, then where do we go?" He had a sudden bad thought. "We're waiting for a rendezvous with Tleonic long distance merchants. Could they possibly be in on the same ploy?"
"No, Tleons would never work with Breoll - or with Kivar either," Gird assured them. "You're safe enough talking with them, and they should be warned about this net, in case they or other independent ships should happen into it by accident. They're as likely as not heading the other way, but still."
"Right."
"And as far as what to do, I'd suggest heading for the Kaalto outpost," he continued. "They're right up against the net co-ordinates, and on the same side of it as you are. And friendly - they're under Larek's protection, so they'll work with your crew. I think that they should be able to figure out some way to run the blockade, though it might take time."
"Hmm." Max considered this. Even more time before they arrived at their final destination - but they could spend some of them at an outpost, which would be even better than a trading ship at least, and... "Okay, your warning is given, and thank you. Anything else? We probably shouldn't speak for longer than necessary - the communication might be found."
"Yes, of course. Send my greetings to Michael and Isabel. Vvantas settlement, Stellynfrus 3 signing off."
"Okay," Max said, and paused. "Christin, Variun? Are you on with me?"
"Yes, sir," Christin replied immediately. "Preparing a tight-beam message to Kaalto to warn them that we're coming."
"And we're working on the warp-space trajectory," Variun agreed. "Should be able to make it in one more jump, around eleven days long."
"Okay, good enough." Max took a deep breath. "Computer, give me what information is available on the Kaalto outpost." He'd have asked one of the crew directly, but they would all be busy at a time like this."
"I'll call Isabel and Michael in," Liz said with a small smile. Once that was done, she turned back to Max. "What's the deal with the Breeol again? I know that Alinda mentioned them, but - wasn't Nicholas a Breeoll?"
"Yeah, I think so," Max agreed. "They're offshoot Antarians, like the Rahlicx and the others, but smaller and tougher because Breeolyn is a cold and forbidding planet. That's why Nicholas was in a twelve-year old boy's skin - he wouldn't have been able to fill up one for a human adult. Their politics are very cutthroat and totalitarian - with the power balance shifting often, but always held by only one or a very few people at the top. Generally, they've been pretty consistent if reluctant allies of Kivar, but I certainly hoped that they wouldn't pull a stunt like this on us." He hesitated. "Dammit, I should have asked Gird exactly where this warpspace 'net' is."
"I think he attached it to the message," Liz said. "Smart of him."
"Hey." The door signal chimed, and Liz let Isabel, Alex, and Ava in. Michael and Maria followed a few seconds later, with Lonnie right behind. It was quickly clear that not everybody would fit inside Max and Liz's cabin.
"We could head out into the rec room," Liz suggested. "Well, most of us at least."
Just then, there was a whistle over the intership. "Now we've got a signal on the warp sensor," Christin told them.
"Oh, boy, everything happening at once," Michael put in. "Big surprise."
"Well, we don't need to worry about that until the ship arrives," Max said. "Assuming it's the traders we've been expecting, Variun or Christin will talk to them first, and let us know if any of us can go over. Meantime, talking about this blockade thing and Kaalto outpost is good. I'm in the rec room." And he was, after pushing past a few people who were just standing around in doorways or in the corridor. "So, there's about eight hundred thousand people at the outpost, mostly Rahlicx, around forty thousand Klenthorrs, who are kind of humanoid-ish but don't look much - like Antarians or Rahlicx. But apprently they're good people with a strong work ethic and some very useful special senses..."
#
Liz reached out to hold Max's hand as the airlock opened leading from their ship to a much larger and completely different environment. Well, not that different in the sense that it still had oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere that they could breathe. The difference in 'atmosphere' was more metaphorical, something to do with the light level, the noise level, the sense of space in the cargo bay that they walked into together.
And then, just as Liz had said, there were the bug-eyed aliens with lots of tentacles.
"MucksIffinz!" The first Tleon exclaimed loudly, and it took Max a moment to realize that the being was trying to pronounce his name. "MuxEffins? We vurrah glad to meet yo."
"It's nice to meet you, yes. I'm Max Evans, this is Liz Parker, and what's your name?" The trader had been speaking Antarian, but with enough of an accent that it was hard for him to follow what was being said. Too bad they hadn't thought to take a translator that was programmed for Tleon dialect, or whatever this was called - if they even knew too much about it. Well, probably they had, if they'd been able to communicate with the Tleon ship at all... no, that didn't necessarily follow. The crew of their ship could have used translators into the Tleon's own language, or communicated via a data stream in some common conceptual code.
"Is Garragon, and opposite is Shralavell." Another Tleon, hanging from a sort of lamppost above them, made a wave. "Welcome babord, LizParkorr." There was a slight pause. "You human from Urth, righ Liz?"
"Yeah, pretty... pretty much," Liz agreed, not wanting to go into the queen's soul story with these guys. "Thank you for asking. What's your home planet like?"
"Garragon hatched up onna ship," Shralavell said. "Dozzin like ta talk bout it. I from Tleon five. Nice place, kinda cold though. Have to be careful when swimming that the Vergukar doesn't freeze up over you."
"Hmm?" Liz looked over at Max, but he hadn't caught the word of whatever Tleons liked to swim in either.
"So, we have lotsa nice Earth food ta offer," Garragon put in. "To show hostepality. How about rose beefed sanwitches an oranges juice?"
"Umm... that's really generous, thanks, but the food dispensers on our ship are great at Earth food," Liz told him. "You don't really need to go to any trouble to..."
"No, is okay," Garragon said, reaching out to gently hold her wrist and urge her along. "Great food. You not say no. Hostepality!"
Liz looked back at Max, a bit of panic in her face, but the wide smile he gave her as he followed actually made her relax a bit. She saw Michael and Maria coming through next, and a group of three Tleons converging around the airlock, and felt a bit sorry for them.
After suffering through the 'hostepality' of sandwiches and juice, (which Liz described later as 'not great, but not as bad as my Uncle Roy's hamburger bun pizzas',) they were finally able to settle down to the actual trading business, with the Tleon's Exchanges officer. Sitting in the exchange office, Liz still right next to him, Max fished inside his grey t-sweater, and brought out a small velvetey bag from an inner pocket, something that the steward had given him before they went over.
"Umm, here," he said, handing the bag over into one of the Tleon's tentacles. "Careful opening it." He probably needn't have offered the warning. The tentacles were obviously very good with fine detail work, and the mouth of the bag was pulled open. Instead of emptying it out onto a table, the alien withdrew the object from inside and held it up - a greenish-blue cut stone.
"Izz thiss really a Centaurian emeralld?" it inquired.
"Absolutely authentic, I promise you," Max said sincerely. "The ship made a pit stop at Theta Centauri on the way over to Earth to pick us up. You interested in the trade?"
"Csertainly! What do you wissh?"
"First, about two liters of red beta two lumitronic psycho-lubricant," Liz asked.
"That can be arranged. Annd?"
Max leaned over towards the officer. "What earth media do you have in your ship's library that we can copy?"
Its buggy eyes glinted with a kind of fierce glee and its crooked mouth opened. With a fierce gesture the Tleon tapped a computer control button. It must have known what to expect in order to call up the required program with just one button, Max guessed. On the wall behind it, several hundred little rectangles lit up in a grid, each switching to a new display every three seconds or so. TV programs, movies, photographs, newspaper and magazine articles, web pages and more all appeared, as closely as Max could tell.
"All of this, and more, you can copy. Hhave we a deal?"
"I rather think that we do," Max agreed, smiling.
The Tleon offered him a tentacle to shake to seal their understanding.
#
Personal log.
Well, we're on our way again, heading towards Kaalto to find out how we're going to be able to run the Breeolyn blocade looking for us - always assuming that we'll be able to find a way, of course. Everybody seems to be in fairly high spirits, though - partly because of the media batch that we got from trading with the Tleons. There's all kinds of stuff there, just about anything I could think of unless it came from the last two and a half years or so. I've been going through the complete series of 'Doogie Howser', just for memory lane laughs. Isabel looks at me funny if she walks in when I'm in the middle of an episode, but who cares. She'd rather watch Dallas!
The computer seems to be working even faster than before, too, thanks to whatever other stuff it is the crew had Max ask for in the trade. At some point, when I learn enough about Antarian lumitronics, I'm going to have to try and figure out exactly what red beta two psycho-lubricants do to them. Gorrv, the engineer, has been going around pretty much the whole ship, opening access ports in the walls and adding in little shot glass-sized doses of the stuff here and there. Keeps things interesting, sure enough.
Talked with Lonnie a bit about the idea of setting up a new party game based around diplomacy, and we tossed around a few ideas, but nobody really seems that excited about going ahead with it, so I'm leaving things be. Certainly don't want to actually get Isabel jealous of the time that I'm spending with Lonnie - not that I like her that way at all. Though I won't deny that little joke of Lonnie's about a threesome from the first time I met her keeps popping into my head at the oddest times. Dammit, head, I don't need to deal with this kind of stuff!
A few of us, including Max, Liz, Christin, Flai and me, have been going over the data that Gird sent over about the Breeolyn interference network, trying to see if we can find and prepare to use any weaknesses in the system before we even arrive at Kaalto - though we'll definitely check with them before trying any such notion. Just, always good to be forearmed if at all possible, and this is about all that we can really do about the situation while we're still in warp space. Isabel's been going over some of the stuff in the ship's library about Kaalto itself, which is very comprehensive - this is one of Larek's main courier ships apparently, and Kaalto is one of their usual destinations, so someone loaded detailed information about the layout of the outpost, commercial franchises and other concessions available, even where the best guest accomodations are, and video feed of the town concourse, which seems impressive both in terms of size and the variety of attractions it boasts.
Well, that's about all I can think of saying, so I'll close this log entry now. Maybe try working on adapting the inform interpreter, so that I can play the Zork images we got from the Tleon database with voice recognition. That should be fun.
#
"Okay, I feel like I'm not sure exactly what this thing interferes with," Liz said, moaning slightly and taking a long suck at her raspberry milkshake. "Is there any other way that you can explain it to me?"
"I... I don't know any of the actual physics behind it," Flaiisar put in, "but the way it was explained to me back in high school was that it changes... changes the characteristic velocity of the warp space level that you're flying through. Way downwards. And then, because the warp space engines are designed to operate at certain speeds, the change in characteristic velocity interferes with the manifold compressor operation. It fries out before you get through the interference field, and if the ship's systems aren't carefully protected from overloads, which I don't think ours are sufficiently, then it could fry out everything - well, except emergency life support. Then it's just a question of waiting for the Breeol to turn off the field, warp over, and take us in."
"Okay, then..." Kyle started, and Lonnie turned to him.
"Valenti, if you really want to play that baseball game, then ask Rath or somebody, okay? I want to stay and work on this thing..."
"Hey!" Kyle exclaimed in response. "Why do you assume that I'm about to say something so trivial? I could have an actually useful idea, and I sure think that I do..."
"About warp manifold compressors and interference fields? Yeah, right."
"Come on, Lonnie," Liz chided. "What's the notion, Kyle?"
"Well - if this thing affects warp space travel only - it's not a very thick field, is it? It hardly could be, in order to stretch as wide as it would have to to keep us from going around."
"Hmm... something like half a light-day at its thinnest point," Flai agreed. "but still, even though we could punch through it at high enough warp speeds that we only spend a few seconds inside it, that'd be enough."
"No, that's exactly my point," Kyle put in. "What if we don't use the space-warp, or whatever it is? Just go through it on conventional drives, pushing through normal Einsteinian space. How long would that take?"
"Hmm." Flaiisar pulled up a little calculator pad program on the table and started punching through some numbers. "Accelerating from a standing start - eight days. But if the Breeol have a warp detector on the nearest ship helping to generate the field, they could cut a warp course around the far side of it and intercept us just before we finished. It's much too risky."
"Is there any way to avoid starting from stop-still?" Liz asked hopefully. "Come out of warp at whatever relative speed our shields can handle the cosmic rays at - around point 3 C, right?"
"Point two seven, actually - I wouldn't want to try anything better in that part of space," Flaiisar said. "And yes, it's possible to use the warp fields to generate sub-light velocities, if you're careful. But - we'd still be taking risks."
"I don't think we're going to find any completely safe way through this, Flai," Christin told him. "This is the basis for a reasonable plan. We'll put it to the captain, and the officials at Kaalto when we get there." She smiled slightly. "Thanks, Kyle. It might have taken us a long time to think of that one."
"You're welcome," he said, and shot a 'so there' look over at Lonnie, who was still acting slightly stunned.
"So, can we take a break at this point?" Liz said, already standing up and grinning.
"Nobody was stopping you from taking a break three minutes ago. Liz squealed slightly and headed out of the rec room to go find Max.
#
"Yeah, I lent it to Alex, but don't worry," Maria said to Michael, pulling on a skirt and going over to the door. Just head right over and get oww!"
The sound finishing that sentence was because Maria had hit the 'open' button next to the door while already moving towards it at a noticeable speed - and the door had not opened up, even a little bit. Maria's head had found this out first. "Hey, what's wrong with this thing?"
"Try pushing the button a few times in a row," Michael suggested. "Maybe it's stuck."
"It's a touch-sensitive computer control, Michael," Maria said witheringly. "It can't be stuck."
"Well, if you're such an expert on the computers, then you tell me why the door won't open!"
"I'm not an expert or anything, I just know a stupid suggestion when I hear it." Maria tried pressing the contact again, and then banged on the door. "Hello, anybody out there?"
When she didn't get any reply, Michael went over to the communicator controls on the bedside table. "Umm... hello, Gorrv?"
"Yeah, what can I do you for, Michael?"
"Helping to get the door of our cabin open would help."
"It's not working with the usual touch contact?"
"Umm... no, I wouldn't be asking you if it were that easy, would I?"
"No - no, I guess not. Well, just a moment. I'll try the outside override, and if that doesn't work... then it's off to the system diagnostics I suppose. This has never happened before."
"I'm not sure if that's comforting or not," Michael said. "Thanks for your help though."
"Just lovely," Maria said. "Welcome to the world of alien technology, where even a door has system diagnostics."
"Well, if it's got a touch-sensitive computer control, why not?" he said, standing up. "Look, I get why you're frustrated. It's an annoying situation - and also a slightly funny one..."
"Hi, Michael?" It wasn't Gorrv's voice coming from the door - but Max. "Got a moment?"
"Plenty of time, if you can just get the door open," Michael said with a laugh. "It won't go from in here."
"Huh." There was a pause. "Oh, hi Gorrv." More faint noises from outside.
"What's going on?" Maria wailed in exasperation.
"Umm... the override didn't work," Gorrv admitted. "Just hang on - we'll get you guys out. There isn't anything you really need?"
"No I guess not," Maria admitted with a grumble. "Bathroom, food and water dispenser inside here. That'll last us for a little while."
"Not to mention the bed," Michael kidded. Maria hurrumphed at that - and went off to flop on the bed anyway.
It was nearly two hours before they figured out how to get the door open, and then longer before it would open and close on command happily. The problem turned out to have been an old computer virus hidden among the Tleon database, inside one of the computer games that Kyle and Alex had been playing, actually, which had managed to jump out of the emulator routine and do a little random damage to the ship's programming. Once Gorrv had the hint, he was able to clean up and restore all the system commands from backups.
"Probably a good thing that we found out now, rather than in a real emergency," he commented under his breath. "And that it didn't affect the warp manifold or the life support, obviously."
#
Alex went up to Isabel as she sat in the observation bubble. "Looking for something?"
"Yeah, the planet that we're heading to," she admitted. They were out of warp space now, and for the first time since leaving Earth system, could see a nearby star as a bright sun. "Kaltonus. I know that they say it won't be visible to the naked eye yet, just thought I'd take a look."
"Alright." Alex wrapped an arm around her. "Don't worry. We're going to get through this."
"Oh, yeah, I know that," she assured him blithely. "If there's anything that I'm worried about, it's not Breeolyn setting up a blocade for us. Kyle's idea was a good one, I think it'll be the key to us giving them the slip." She paused. "Any idea how long we're going to stay at Kaalto?"
"You're asking me?" Alex laughed. "Hard to say. I was wondering if they'd want to just check in quickly and then push on through before the Breeol have figured out that we're here, but that doesn't seem to be the idea. Maybe a few days - just long enough for the guys manning the blocade to think that maybe we're just going to stay put, and report to their bosses that maybe they should send ships in to try and take us off - and then we go when they're not really expecting it."
"Okay, cool." Isabel smiled, and kissed the side of his face. "I'm going to ask about getting quarters to stay in on the outpost for us - a big, private suite or something. See if my princessly status actually gets me any authority for demands like that."
"Hehehe, sounds great by me," Alex said. After a moment he realized that Isabel was still sort of looking at him. "Is there more to this?"
"Well, sort of, yes, but I'm not sure if I should say it."
"Why? I thought you could tell me anything."
"Well, I know I could, but it's something that would be better if I left it for the right moment."
"Ohh, okay." Alex considered. "Yeah, okay, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but I'll drop it."
"Good." She squeezed his hand with her own. Suddenly a little beeping sounded next to them.
"Hey, guys, there's another batch message in from Sanctuary, and one of the video letters is for the two of you."
"Oooh, great," Isabel said. "Is there some way to play it up here? I don't think we're about to get interrupted."
"Yeah, there should be. Just a moment." All of a sudden a little stand popped up in front of them, and the familiar picture of Queen Alinda, now sitting in a different room and a different chair, appeared in the thin air above the stand - must be some sort of semi-holo projector, Alex figured.
"Hi, Isabel, and hi Alex," she said, laughing slightly. "It was great to get your letter. The two of you seem like a darling couple, and I wish you all of the best together. Can hardly wait to meet you in person especially, Alex. Let's see now - might as well answer some of the questions you posed to me.
"Resistance headquarters - is more of a state of mind than a specific building or buildings, I'm afraid. At least, if there's a permanent place for it, they haven't told me. Generally there are a number of connected complexes here in the same city block where I live where - a lot of Rebel business tends to get done, and a few other little clusters of offices scattered here and there, not to mention a number of single dwellings and other 'temporary' places. Staying on the move and keeping things vague is a good way of staying ahead of the game on the few times that somebody we don't want to know about us comes snooping around. Even my own apartments come with a set of ownership papers indicating that they're owned and used by Alina Seerbrot, a retired vineyard manager from Taliernar. Well, you'll find out more of what it's like later.
"Certainly I don't mind you calling me Alinda, Alex. Isabel, yes, I've heard of people who can dreamwalk trying to use it to help resolve psychological issues that are manifesting through dreams. Not sure if you'll have to specifically study to get work in that field, but I think it would be a great undertaking, from what little I know about you. And yes, Alex should be able to find work as a computer microtechnician or a systems programmer if he can learn enough. Even though computers have gotten somewhat easier to work with over the past forty years or so, there's still far too few people who can really learn to understand what's going on deep inside their vitals.
"As far as the two of you living together before you're formally engaged... I certainly don't care a whit as long as the two of you are happy together, and I don't think anyone else would object either. Antarians, as a culture, don't really have that sort of strict sexual morality that I've heard about from my studies of Earth culture, where it seems like whole long lists of things that two consenting and intimate partners might do together to express their feelings are considered 'wrong' - longer than the comparable list of things that are seen as good. Of course, we still do have our own sexual taboos I suppose - adultery, promiscuity, and rascallery are all frowned upon - but the two of you shouldn't need to worry about those, would you?"
"Tess appears to be doing better recently in terms of her mental outlook, although she's been having a few physical issues with the pregnancy - her son is growing very fast, and it's a drain and an unexpected stress on her body. No real worry, from what the healers tell me, but she's frustrated with being confined to bed and 'prescribed' a list of rich foods to be eating." Isabel chuckled.
"I've heard about the Breeol problem and the plan for stopping at Kaalto, of course. Presumably, you'll be approaching there when you get this message. Maybe once you've landed, we might be able to arrange an actual conversation, though with the transmission delay it might be a little bit frustrating - I think it was a twelve second round trip lag the last time I spoke with someone on Kaalto, which is a lot to get used to. Best of luck."
"Bye." Isabel waved slightly just before the video froze.
#
"Are we landed yet?" Michael asked almost before the thump-bump sound could be heard.
There was a short pause. "Yes, we're landed, but they're extending the enclosed walkway up to the airlock," Christin announced from up in the observation bubble. "The air here on Kaltonus isn't very good for anybody to be breathing, so it's better this way."
"Great," Maria added. "Well, can we go line up in the hallway leading to the lock? How long will it take?"
"Just go already," she said with a sigh. Soon enough the airlock outer door had opened, and they were heading towards the massive enclosed township outpost. All ten kids had come out of the ship, along with Christin as their unofficial guardian. At the end of the enclosed walkway, more Rahlicx security guards saluted and opened a door into a large vestibule for them.
"Hi, and welcome to Kaalto," a friendly woman, maybe forty-ish by human standards, said, crossing the room towards you. "Umm... I've read most of your names, but can't really match the faces up."
"He's Max and that's Isabel," Kyle said, pointing to them in turn. "They're the important ones, aren't they?"
"You're all honored guests," the woman insisted. "I'm Shanita Evres, vice-president of the township. Sorry, but the president was stuck in meetings."
"Actually, Kyle here is humble and sarcastic by nature," Christin said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "but he's the one who came up with the best idea yet of getting us past the Breeolyn blocade."
"Right. But there'll be plenty of time for that - you're not planning on leaving for several days?" Christin and Max both made sounds of agreement with that. "Well, you're certainly tired of the inside of that little courier ship - I know it's nice but it's still the same old nice cabins for weeks on end. I've arranged some of our best accomodations for you. Right this way."
"Okay," Isabel said, holding Alex's arm tight to her. Shanita led them up a flight of stairs and out onto a suspended walkway, which offered them a great view of the same concourse that she had seen in the video.
"Oh, it's even more amazing in real life," she breathed. "I almost wish that we could stay for years here."
"Well, it's always gratifying to get that response," Shanita told her with a little smile. "But with the Breeol out there, doesn't seem like a good time. Come on. We were able to arrange that suite for you and your... your friend, Miss Evans."
"Yeah - lead on!" Isabel told her.