"Let's see if we can do this right, shall we?"
"Yessir!"
"Not so LOUD! I didn't survive this long in the Ghosts by stamping around like a herd of dingst, did I?"
"Nothing so far, SISC"
"Might never be, either – but we don't succeed on 'might never' "
"A scout drone?"
"If you got one that works, yes"
"Has done since we got to Tal IV"
"What are you thinking's there, SISC?"
"Stuff's been happening down South here – but even those kinglovers in orbit can't stop supplies coming in".
"People packin' it in on their backs, then? Plokkin' lot of trouble to go to just to stir the pot a bit Southside".
"Depends what you hope to get out of it, treznot… whoever it is might want to see just how far the kinglovers can be stretched before mistakes start happening. They might even be looking to see if we're here, for all I know – which is prob'ly why the Military Attache sent us out here and not embassy guards or guards from our sector of the spaceport".
"Up an' away…"
"Perimeter watch, you lot. Fortify this position as much as you can do. Use the thermal blankets to hide from enemy oculars"
SMACK!
"Faster… and quieter!"
"We done this ten times this last weeken! I can 'ardly get a momen's sleep these days, thanks to me legs screamin' out in pain from all this plok!"
"You wanted them lizards outta orbit, din't ya? You wanted a more Sebacean-friendly gov'ner installed, yeah? Well, there's a price to be paid for everythin' an' this is the part of it you're payin' "
(a hand goes up, signalling 'Contact!' )
"Where, mister – where?! Come on, show us…"
"Out that way. Dunno if it's lizards, them weird Nebari, or smugglers".
(Peackeeper's hand goes up, signals to find cover)
"SISC…"
"Yes…?"
"Slight heat trace…very faint…"
"Range and bearing!"
"Bearing about 090… maybe thirty kilometras…at most. Could try a LIDAR scan… "
"Not right now. If it is who we think it is, there'll be at least one person out there with training and decent equipment… and LIDAR will give us away. Cycle through IR, UV, MAD, whatever passive scan modes your drone has that work".
"We keep getting plok like this happ'ning, SISC, I'm puttin' in for the change. Night vision can't possibly get any worse, after all…"
"Wot th' 'ezmana's 'appening with our Ghost? 'E's gone all spooked, like"
"You just been brain-sucked, you stupid hingemot? There's somethin' or someone out there tryin' to find us… I can feel it even if I can't see it… an' for lippin' your instructor like that you's getting punishment duty when we's back at camp, too!"
"Sound trace!"
"Talk to me…"
"Sebaceanoid voice or close to it…very faint indeed…I'd say outer edge of the drone's capture range. Said 'Ghost' "
"So they are here…well, well, well…"
"Insurgency support?"
"Bringing in equipment this way instead of just bribing a port controller? I'd say so, yes"
(muffled tapping)
"Drone set to hover… motion tracker's on…"
"Check your packs, stay hidden – Libba, if you see a Black Ghost in your scope, you take them down first"
"On it, SISC"
"…ahead of us…"
"Sir?"
"Somethin' out there, you bunch of drannits. We's bein' watched. Keep movin' forward an' for plok's sake be quiet about it. Any of you who can use oculars right put 'em on an' start lookin' around in night-spy mode".
"…plokkkk…"
"Two Sebaceanoids…close to the ground…"
"There's more around than that. Find them"
"…about ten to twelve, SISC. Can't say for sure. Thought I saw a glint of an ocular headband, though".
"OK, so either someone's walking a group of insurgents through training… or this lot have survived long enough to get some skills".
"SISC! Sending you scope-cam footage… think I got something! Twelve hundred out and closing!"
"You and that silly scope-cam… for once it's turned out to be useful…"
(muffled laughter)
"One Ghost – that I see, anyway. Not in regulation uniform. Painted up in night-cam facepaint. No sign of rank or ident".
"One more, SISC! Way back, maybe fourteen hundred-ish. Can't say for sure… thought I saw a field badge on his shoulder…"
"Let's see how close they get. If they want the easy route, they'll just come inside max pulse range – Libba, if you think anyone's found us here, you nullify them quick"
"You… down through that shallow depression to treblin. You… up around that odd-lookin' bush to hammond. Somethin' ain't right here, an' since you two's been on punishment more 'n anyone else you just volunteered to go scout"
"Them lizards got blue-grey skin! You know 'ow 'ard that's gonna be to spot out 'ere?!"
"YES! So you better get good at seein' it… quick!"
"Contact! Two Sebaceans, one out front by the channel with one more maybe ten further back…".
"Another one! Coming around the back and not being too quiet about it!"
"Hmm…deactivate the motion-tracker mode, bring the drone around where the rear of their formation should be… and give me a full LIDAR scan from there. Let's see if it spooks them in a way we can use…"
"Wossat noise?"
"Have you been on dust again – what noise?"
"Not 'ad any dust for a whole monen! Though I 'eard a whinin' noise out front a ways!"
"Scoutin' drone, sir?"
"At least one of you's got some brains… yes, a scout drone. Scarran scout drones for battlefield use are bigger than ours, heavier too, but they got real nice sensors in 'em. Unsling your rifles – an' I want at least one tak-5 warmed up an' ready".
BEEEEEEEEEEPP!
"SPARKLE! That means an active LIDAR scan for any o' you lot who ain't read the trainin' manuals more 'n once…"
"Plok! Run for it!"
"That's just what they want you to do… plok, I'm working with total fekkiks, total pleebin' FEKKIKS…"
"Don't worry too much. We'll see if there really is a welcoming party out there, Sub-Officer, when that sorry lot run a few more metras. They probably know their LIDAR scan's been detected by now… the only real problem is where they're hiding in relation to where that drone is".
"They detected the drone. Don't know yet if they've actually seen it".
"Bring it back in. We can see all of them clearly enough now except that one right at the back, and even then we know someone's there. Everyone… pick your targets, furthest away ones you can hit reliably… but don't fire just yet-what's that?"
"Caught this one going around back. He got inside two hundred, so I snuck down and gakked him when he made it another hundred. Nothing to hear, nothing to see… dragged it all the way up here an' covered my tracks".
"We's missin' one, sir"
"I don't suppose you actually know who, do you?"
"One you sent 'round back o' that 'ill, sir. I tried takin' a peek, but can't see a plokkin' thing".
"…a hill. Well, one of you lot spotted something I missed, then. Couldn't see that bit of ground was higher up than the rest of this benighted wasteland".
"I got two 'eadin out to have a quick look-see, sir, now we're pretty close to the South again…"
"PLOK! OFFICER DOWN!"
"One officer nullified. Hunting for further targets".
"Good, Libba… everyone else, targets of opportunity, fire at will. Try not to destroy the equipment, it might give us a clue as to what's going on down in the South… and the local governor will want to hear about that even if the proconsul doesn't"
"Oh, hezmana… you, you, you, shoot that way-I said SHOOT, not spray the whole pleebing moonscape! Take a microt or two and make the shot count!
You, you, and you…that way. Rocket crews… at least try and find something big up there to shoot at, that'll probably be makeshift fortifications…"
"We're down two, SISC… but they've lost more than we have, including one of their officers".
"Tak, tak, tak!"
"Anyone that's dead, sing out… good, no one's dead then…".
"Rocket missed everything important…Tegg, nullify the rocket teams… Libba, where's the other officer?"
"Down back some, sir. Maybe nine-fifty".
"Neutralise. Do not nullify. We could use a prisoner or two, I think…".
"Understood, sir".
"Round the others up. Capture if possible, nullify if necessary – we'll have take at least that officer back to the Embassy basement, we can't interrogate them properly here".
"They's just bagged the other one!"
"Fekkit! I seein' scalies up ahead! They's movin' outta their 'oles to get us!"
"No way out – they's comin' from both sides! Can't see 'em well enough to shoot anythin' !"
"Shoot to neutralise, not nullify. Any remaining targets are to be transported back to the Embassy for interrogation – I doubt most of them will have anything useful to tell us, but I refuse to overlook any possibility here. Someone try and find that other officer Libba shot – if he's just neutralised and not all-the-way nullified, we'll have another volunteer to go to the basement…".
"Just got word from Security, Harrigan…" Lazarus said, coming up beside Harrigan's command chair on the bridge "They saw a Hierarchy lander coming in nice an' low – from the dark side. Landed right in their embassy compound, too – and night patrol saw 'em shovin' a bunch of prisoners through the door. At least one had what I think was a PK spec-ops uniform on".
"The Emperor's guys an' girls jumped a bunch of insurgents out trainin' ?" Harrigan asked "Wouldn't want to be the bad guys on that one – they'll get seriously worked over, specially that Black Ghost. Doubt anyone will see 'em outside the Scarran Embassy again – alive, at any rate".
"Think we can encourage the governor to ask about that?" Lazarus suggested "He'd prob'ly be pleased that someone stopped insurgents getting in even if it wasn't us that did it – if he asks nicely, and remembers not to ask how they found out, maybe they'll let him read what's in the transcripts".
"Don't think the governor can read Scarran, mister" Lazarus added after a half-momen's pause for thought, shaking his head.
"That's why…" Harrigan replied, grinning "…as long as the meetin' goes down at the governor's place, anyway… we'll send Cap'n T. He's better at all that talking nice to people stuff, anyway – and I can't send Tal, nor go myself…".
"Yeah, and despite me being able to read Scarran now…" Lazarus added "…if they see someone with an obvious stage two change anyone from the embassy'll start asking questions I can't answer".
"Not going to be entirely safe for him, either" Harrigan replied "Don't think any of our guys that used to be official left in entirely good circumstances. You're right about the consequences of sending someone with an obvious change… but without a really close look you can't tell the diffference between a low-impact stage 2 like Cap'n T has and a normal stage 1, which I'm sure at least one or two people in the embassy have".
"…yes, Commander…" Trannak said over his personal comm a few momens later "…probably, Commander… it wouldn't entirely problem-free for me either, Commander… true… I will head to the governor's offices and ask in person, then – and take Skroloth and Serila with me. As long as we're not talking to …official… Scarrans, Amara can practice her mentalism and see if she can mindtalk to them from orbit".
"You think she's got that much range, Trannak?" Harrigan replied, surprised.
"There's only one way to find out" Trannak replied, nodding once "and Amara has always loved being tested, especially in mentalism. I'll talk to Skroloth and Serila about it first – if they agree to that part, I'll have Amara practice with them just so they know what it feels like and thus not give themselves away in front of embassy personnel whenever we get around to that part".
Trannak smiled as he thought about Amara's probable reaction to this new test of her mentalism.
To be honest… I don't know if she can handle that much of an increase in communication telepathy range he thought to himself as he walked to the nearby transit platform If I have to I'll ask Captain Tareg… but for all his skills and good record I'd bet more crindars on Amara managing it before him.
He smiled as he realised how proud he was of his adopted daughter, rumbling a little as he sent the car on his way to the room a few decks up from his family quarters that was used for tutoring the young children.
Trannak stood for a few momens, watching Dern and Moratha teaching the few children on the Havoc – Amara was both extremely gifted and over two cycles older, but all of the others were, as far as Trannak could tell, applying themselves well to their study. I don't know their general proficiency ratings Trannak reminded himself but I think they all do well enough.
When Moratha called a rest break, Trannak walked in – every child in the room turned and charged across the floor and tried to leap up and hug him.
Trannak laughed and called "Let me sit down first, children – then you sit in a half-circle in front of me, while Feltano and Amara sit beside me".
Trannak got each of them to report on how well their study time was progressing – each child told him if they had some favourite interesting thing they had learned recently, after which Trannak rumbled for each of them and gave them a hug before giving them a little advice.
"I have a special test for Amara" Trannak told everyone "A special test for Amara's special skills – Amara and I will go a little further away to talk about that, and you will go back to your study when your rest break is finished".
"I come, papa?" Feltano asked, though Trannak lifted him up and hugged his son again before telling him "It will be a test for your big sister about talking in people's heads, my son… which you know she cannot do near you or near me".
"That is true, papa…" Feltano replied, before hugging Trannak more tightly and rumbling before telling him "I will go back with Dern. He has more things to teach me, I think".
Trannak watched him walk over to the older Bloodstar, who rumbled softly before urging him to sit on a small mat – Sherenka sat on one side, Trannak saw, with Anton on the other and Harek beside him.
"You have a new test for me, papa?" Amara asked with interest "What kind of test? You said 'special skills' – is this test for mentalism? Have you found a good test for me in Doctor Nrakal's medical books?"
"It is a mission test, Amara" Trannak told her, raising one finger to stop her shrieking excitedly as he knew she wanted to "It is something you might be able to do to help me and your friend Skroloth and your other friend Serila".
"Skroloth smiles a lot" Amara replied, nodding and giggling a bit "Martha started calling him 'smiley Scarran' and now all of us call him that".
"He will like it" Trannak replied, smiling at how his friend had started settling in "He will be glad you have a special name for him, I think".
"What is this test, then?" Amara asked – Trannak hugged her before telling her about it, after which she clapped and hugged him and even shrieked a little bit.
"I do that, papa!" Amara replied, excited at the challenge "I am good at that! I will do that and I will do it the first time I try and I will do it correctly the first time as well!"
Trannak commed Skroloth and Serila and told them his plan – Skroloth grinned at Amara over the comm and told her "I'm gonna hide, Amara – if you can find me, you can mindtalk to me and I'll come and see you and your papa!"
"I will do this as well" Serila added more practically "Though I have, of course, heard Amara mindtalk to me this has not happened often – and it will be good for her to extend her operating range and control. I will find a place to go as Skroloth has, and if Amara can find me then she can mindtalk and ask me to come to you, Captain".
"More tests for me!" Amara replied happily, clapping, after which Moratha came over and tested Amara's abilities in both forms of Scarran as well as Kalish – Amara loved those tests too and filled Moratha's head with happiness and love before hugging her after the testing.
"What are her proficiency ratings on the standard scales?" Trannak asked "Caseya will be curious to know as well as me".
"Amara excels in whatever she puts her mind to, Trannak" Moratha told him with a smile "I think she could learn faster, even – but although she does learn anything and everything I give to her, she goes over each thing several times, whether I ask her to or not".
"She wants to be certain she has learned correctly" Trannak decided after a few microts "Partly the more cautious side of her Kalish nature… but she also loves spending time around Juroch, and I expect he stresses the careful and sure side of life on Sholphaur to them".
"That would explain Feltano as well, then" Moratha decided "He is very clever… but although he learns fast as Kalish do, he uses the time saved to make sure he has learned and to test himself repeatedly just as Amara does".
"My children are learning some of Juroch's better traits" Trannak replied "He likes to look and see and hear, then think – and only then decide. When he has the chance to. He also trains continuously, practicing emergency procedures… and I think my children like to watch him do that and help him".
The two adults – and, eventually, all of the children – watched Amara turn her head from side to sit and top to bottom while her eyes glowed just a little.
"She is trying to find my two old friends" Trannak explained softly to the children, so as not to disturb Amara "Both have said that if she finds them, she can mindtalk to them and ask them to come here".
"We watch. We see" Anton replied, nodding "We stay here cause we all got special stuff in".
They all watched as Amara scanned the ship, although Martha was worried when Amara started sweating a little – but then Amara's hammond hand flashed out and she called "Found auntie Se-rila, papa…" and adding ~Found you, auntie Se-rila !~ and giggling a bit before displaying a small map of the area with the teaching room in it for her in her mind before giving the precise room location code.
It took another four momens for her to find Skroloth, but she clapped and laughed loudly in his mind before calling ~Found you too, uncle smiley Scarran ! I found auntie Se-rila before, now I have found you!~ before sending him the same location help she sent Serila.
"You showed that map in the air here as well, Amara…" Moratha told her once she had stopped broadcasting and was recovering her energy "Did you mean to do that?"
"I did" Amara confirmed "I like to do things like that so you see and my friends see and papa and little brother see".
"Special big sister picture…" Feltano said softly, after which he rumbled.
Both Serila and Skroloth made sure to praise Amara's efforts at finding them, though Serila added "We will try more difficult places next time, Amara. We will make it harder for you. Then we will test you again and again and help you become stronger and more skilled".
"I will still find you" Amara insisted happily "I am good at finding people!"
"Enough boasting for now, Amara…" Trannak told her, rumbling softly "You have shown you can find Skroloth and Serila on the ship… but that is not the real test" before whispering to her what that part was – Amara clapped and bounced a little on his lap in excitement before throwing her arms around Trannak's neck and hugging him tightly again before insisting "I will do that too, papa! I am like you and mama and uncle Juroch, papa, I am strong and I am clever".
"…and you are like your new uncle Skroloth too, Amara" Trannak added "You like telling people you are clever too".
"Heeheehee!" Amara laughed, clapping, after which Skroloth added "We'll be heading down to Tal IV sometime soon for work stuff with your father, Amara… when we land, we'll comm your mother and she will tell you to mindtalk to Serila and I. If you can".
"I DO it!" Amara insisted, quite loudly this time "I will mindtalk to you clearly when you and Serila are on Tal IV and I am still on this ship! I will talk to both of you at the same time and link you both to me and to mother!" before actually growling a bit.
"No growling, Amara" Trannak told her, holding her head gently but firmly and looking her in the eye "It's not nice for people with Scarran bits in to growl at their friends".
Amara immediately hugged both Skroloth and Serila and apologised for the growling – Serila just smiled and nodded, while Skroloth tickled her and made her laugh until Dern called "Back to study, all of you… Amara, if you're going to be helping your father, you study until you're needed or it's Meal time".
"I do that, Dern" she replied, and Dern smiled before waving her back to her study seat and terminal.
Trannak met up with Juroch after that and told him the plan for testing Amara.
"A good plan, Captain…" he decided "…if one that may prove dangerous if the Hierarchy sends a mentalist to present their views at any meeting".
"We won't know if they do unless one actually arrives" Trannak replied "Even then, mentalists are rarer that anyone's propaganda would lead them to believe – that we have Captain Tareg with us is unusual, that we have my Amara as well both makes us very fortunate and very powerful".
"As long as that does not lead us to becoming very complacent as well" Juroch reminded Trannak "then we do well, I think. Our most important weapon is our brain".
"What do you think of my two old friends, Juroch?" Trannak asked after a few momens, wondering what answer he would get.
"I think they have a good deal of potential…" Juroch started "…but the female has spent too much time in a workshop and the male has spent too much time in a tavern".
Trannak smiled before telling him "I expect Skroloth would say you may have spent too much time in the forest as well, Juroch…".
Juroch smiled back briefly before nodding and rumbling briefly, then adding "I expect he would. Whatever his opinion, I think he will accustom himself to his new life sooner than Serila will".
"Maybe" Trannak replied, wondering about that himself "but she will settle as well. She will come to like this place and the people in it – and the regular supply of good food".
That did make Juroch smile and rumbled a bit more loudly, after which he nodded and said "I think any new recruits we find, wherever we find them, will be drawn by that".
"Ah, yes…" the governor called over his comm, sitting in his office "I had wondered if you would have heard about that… to be honest I have only just heard about it myself, but your position up there on orbit would have helped you see their soldiers return, I think".
"My Commander says he was told by someone in Security on your planet, governor" Trannak admitted "He suggests that we might ask to see the interrogation transcripts. He neither wants nor needs to know how any intelligence was obtained – though, like you and I, he can probably guess".
"I will ask their Military Attache, Captain" the governor decided "I don't know how likely he or she is to grant access to their interrogation transcripts… but if they think it may get them favourable consideration elsewhere then they may agree to, at least, giving me copies".
"Copies will be fine" Trannak replied, nodding "The less imaginitive have certain ways of wording things if critical information has been removed or altered… I know most of those code phrases if not all of them. If we are presented with a document given to media outlets back in Scarran space I will certainly know that when I see it".
"Ah, your satellites saw the lander return then" a gruff voice announced a few momens later "We don't mind that, it's not like we were trying to stay covert at that point in any case. What did you want?"
"Perhaps your prisoners were supporters of an insurgent movement here" the governor said "or even part of one. I should like to see the transcripts of their interrogation, if I may".
"I'll ask the proconsul at Second Meal, governor" the attache replied "That's not long from now. I'll comm you with his response as soon as I have it" before discomming.
"We have time to eat, Caseya…" Trannak told his wife with a smile "before Skroloth, Serila, and I go to work. Before our Amara is tested again, too".
Caseya smiled and leaned against Trannak, still as amazed now that he was her husband as she was when they first married, before telling him "I will get Amara some energy drink, my Trannak, and a few of those higher-energy foodcubes to eat while she does her part of the work. She will like being part of your mission, my Trannak, even if only a small part".
Loud laughter and shouting marked the arrival at the galley of the car with the children and the two tutors in it – Caseya heard, very faintly, Dern ask the children "We need one of you to go first, children, to take the point position – which of you wants to do that? They will need to find a good route for us, and to watch to make sure we don't run into any adults".
"An-ton do it…" Feltano called softly "He good at it…like me…".
"I do it" Anton agreed, nodding "You all follow me. I find a good way in. I see where your mamas and papas are and I take you to them".
Dern and Moratha let Anton go on ahead, but watched him very carefully – Dern just smiled when Anton signalled for Feltano to shift up the wall and press the button to open the galley door, and Caseya smiled when she heard the door open and heard her son call out that this had happened before climbing down.
Anton stopped, looked around the galley, then nodded before leading the small group over to Troll's table – the girls climbed up to their seats and looked at their brothers, as did the other children as well. Garakk was actually asleep, but Alphak was awake and turned to face them even though he could not smell any of them. His small new face lit up with happiness and he clapped, after which he reached out to test each of his friends' faces and match what he felt to what he saw and heard.
"It good you do that, Al-phak" Anton decided when Alphak tested him "It mean you look and you touch and you smell and then you know it me".
"He can't smell you, little man" Troll reminded him with a smile, but Anton clapped and said "That why he know it me! Heeheehee!"
Sherenka was ecstatic when Troll sat her new brother on her lap, even though he held him carefully as well, and she called out "Look… new brother sit on me! This new brother Al-phak! He newest new brother!" before he turned around and tested her again as well, which woke Garakk up – although he just grumbled a bit before sniffing, and when he decided he could actually see people but not smell them, he tried reaching out as well.
"It me…" Harek said, leaning close "I'm Harek. I'm the oldest boy here".
Garakk's treblin hand flashed out and caught Harek's hammond one, after which he poked and prodded it before comparing it to his own and shrieking when he realised they were much the same.
"I think…" Harrigan laughed "that's Garakk-ese for 'gimme my dinner'! Since I see Leasa waving at me, I'd say you can all go get it, too".
Harek and Anton chased each other to the start of the queue, where they play-fought for a momen or two until the adults caught up and Harrigan said "Let Anton an' his momma go first, son".
Harek grinned, nodded, and leapt up for his father to catch him and hug him before he said "We do that, papa. An-ton take point, we go next. Who's after us?"
"The three girls…" Harrigan told his son "and their Dad – Amara and Feltano are behind them".
"We see them after eating, papa" Harek decided, after which he remembered what he had heard in study time and told his father about Amara helping Trannak's mission.
"I gave him those orders, Harek" Harrigan told him, smiling "so I know about him doing that. D'you think Amara'll manage that?"
"She do it, papa" Harek replied immediately, nodding "Amara's good at special skills".
The queue was slowed down a bit at first by the children shouting back and forth to each other, but eventually everyone was sitting and eating – Feltano kept asking Skroloth what he was eating, which led to him getting the occasional morsel while Skroloth ate. Feltano made a game of deciding what food it was by smell only, and once the rest of the children found out they tried this as well – except for Sherenka, who stayed feeding her older brother.
"Garakk's still hungry" she told Urana when she was asked to play "I feed him. I've eaten nice things already".
"You're also changed, little miss…" Troll reminded her "When your brother's finished that bottle, you go up to your grandma at the counter an' get something else to eat, ok?"
Sherenka grumbled a bit, but nodded and said "I do that, papa. You watch and see".
"I'll give everyone half an arn…" Trannak told Skroloth and Serila "…then I'll come and get you both and we'll head planetside. We'll be going to see the planetary governor for Tal IV – he hasn't seen you before, but he also knows I don't just bring anyone with me so he'll extend a certain amount of trust your way because you're with me".
"I remember doing stuff like this the few times we've been with your father" Skroloth told Trannak "Neither Serila or I have forgotten what either of you told us".
"We won't be wearing the grey" Trannak added "The governor expects to see me in smart civilian clothing or special forces Scarran camouflage fatigues. I think we should use the camouflage fatigues today. We will need to talk to Karroch after eating, since he takes care of the stores – this includes additional things to identify both of you as Force Strangler to the uninitiated. We will not be wearing our usual green shoulderboards".
"Juroch told us about that" Serila replied "He said this would identify us as part of the skulker corps. If we are meeting embassy staff it would not be wise to do this".
"Correct" Juroch added, from his seat, where Feltano was sitting on his lap again "It would not be wise. If you were not dealing with embassy staff, you would be able to wear Kingdom insignia in the governor's offices since he knows about them and has seen them before". Serila filed that fact away in her mind, while Skroloth just nodded.
Sherenka walked over to the skulkers' table after eating. She looked up, saw Feltano on Juroch's lap, and said "Feltano up there. Is he sleeping? Can I see?"
"You're very large" Serila said with surprise, looking at Sherenka "I have seen you at the meal queue, but not at close range before".
"I come up" Sherenka decided "Then you can see. Then I can see Feltano" before hauling herself up onto Serila's lap.
"You are very large and very heavy" Serila said "Which one of your parents are large like this? Your skin doesn't look entirely Scarran, either".
"There is papa. Papa is human, new Se-rila" Sherenka said, pointing to her parents "Mama there. Mama is the same kind of Scarran as you".
"Both your mother and father are large" Serila told her "You will be large like your mother, I think. Both your parents have these extra things I have only seen since coming here".
"I got them too" Sherenka replied, a little more proudly "Not black stuff. My brothers have that. Not sisters and not me" before examining Serila's face in detail. Feltano looked up and saw her do that after a while, and he shifted up to the wall behind his seat before crawling across so he could watch.
Serila was alerted to his presence by Sherenka's giggle and pointing hand, and although she was surprised she nodded and told him "Watch from there, Feltano – there is only enough room for the girl here on my lap".
"That Sherenka" Feltano explained "Troll human man her papa and Urana her mama, who is Scarran. She has two more sisters and two brothers. She is the oldest".
"That's right" Sherenka added "Feltano is right. He knows a lot".
"I watch" Feltano confirmed "I look and I hear and I smell and then I know" before rumbling softly.
By the time Trannak needed to head to the flight deck, Sherenka was asleep on Serila's lap and Feltano was watching with amazement.
"Sherenka is asleep, papa" Feltano told Trannak, pointing to her "Look! There is almost no room on new auntie Se-rila's lap!"
"Your new auntie Serila can carry her back to her papa's table, I think" Trannak decided "I don't think Sherenka will want to move from where she is, but she will like waking up to see her papa and her sisters and her brothers".
Sherenka did grumble a bit as Serila stood up but didn't open her eyes and awaken – Urana saw this and walked over, and by the time Serila had reached Troll's table, Urana was beside her.
"Come back to your mother, Sherenka…" Urana called, lifting her eldest daughter from Serila's arms "Your new friend has work to do now. You have more study after the meal and some training with Keyah and your other friends".
Sherenka woke up and bellowed briefly to show her reluctance to move, after which she grumbled a bit as Urana told her off – but she nodded when she saw her sisters and brothers, saying "Al-phak still sleeping, mama. Garakk still sleeping too. Martha resting but not sleeping. Tabitha is still eating".
"Tell us what she's eating, Sherenka" Troll challenged her "Smell only!"
"That's easy, papa!" Sherenka replied, laughing and forgetting being woken up "It's fureen! We all like that!"
"Be ready when we call, Amara" Trannnak told Amara, smiling "I know this will be a hard thing for you… but you can do it. Do not feel you have to link in with everyone you can find, Amara, especially if you find it hard or if your head is hurting".
"I do it, papa" Amara replied, hugging Trannak tightly before rumbling softly "You ask uncle smiley Skroloth after and then you know it. You ask auntie Serila too".
"We do study…" Feltano added "and training. I heard auntie Urana tell Sherenka about training. We do that too. I do not know what kind of training, papa".
"Special exercises, Feltano" Trannak told him "So you can lift more and move for longer amounts of time and run and climb and maybe even swim if you are good".
"Be sneaky too, papa" Feltano added, rumbling quite loudly "I like that best. If I do that it means I am more like you, papa".
"It means we are more like papa" Amara agreed as Trannak hugged Feltano "It is good if we are like our mama and papa, Feltano".
"Skroloth and Serila will need uniforms, Karroch" Trannak said after walking to the Bloodstars' main table "So far they only have the greys they came here with. While those might come in useful at times… they need camouflage, the special forces kind, for most other missions and for times off duty when they prefer not to wear civilian clothing".
"That won't take long, Captain" Karroch replied, before telling Tareg "Watch everything with the Bloodstars for me, Captain… if I am needed while I am in the stores, comm me. I can tell Captain Trannak how to find what he needs and return if I need to".
Tareg rumbled softly, nodding, before saying "Always, Captain Karroch…life on Sholphaur teaches us to always watch out for our people. Whether they need it or not" before telling the Bloodstars "One arn to digest all this fine food… then it's unarmed combat training. Hawk talon with Rekketh and myself, nine-hand-hammer with Sturk".
Karroch smiled as he heard that, though once he and Trannak, along with Skroloth and Serila, were in the transit car and moving he added "I don't mind being a little late for unarmed combat training this one time… Captain Tareg is even harder than my father when it comes to practice there, though his idea of learning the basic patterns and moves of both our major arts is a good one".
"You should learn the basics of stealth and quiet movement as well" Trannak replied "There's no point in being able to make a strong and fast assault if you're discovered before you get the chance to do so".
"I know father would agree" Karroch replied "I think I have learned everything he taught me as well as I can, and I try to make sure the others learn it as well… but I have not been through either Hand or Irregulars special forces training".
"You're not as far behind as you might think, Karroch" Trannak replied after a few microts thought "What's more important is that you think, you're clever, you use your brain to both find good positions to attack from and to form good strategies to keep your people alive and complete your missions". Karroch rumbled softly in thanks, and no more than a few momens later the car slowed down and eventually came to a halt at the stores' platform.
It took almost twenty momens to find the right camouflage clothing in the right sizes for both Skroloth and Serila, and Karroch said "We were lucky to find it that quickly, to be honest… this stores system was set in place by a regular Army stores officer, I think, and while it's efficient enough, I'd still have arranged some things differently". Trannak just laughed a little while he waited for Skroloth and Serila to change uniforms.
"We will put your greys in personal lockers on the hammond side flight deck for now" Trannak told them once low-visibility rank badges had been put in their proper places "I'll see to it you get proper green shoulderboards to slip over the A-team low-vis patches you're wearing right now as well".
After a reminder from Skroloth, the additional weapons and a few other things Force Strangler members would be expected to have with them were found as well, after which they returned to the transit car and headed to the hammond side flight deck.
"Do you still have your old Raider, Captain?" Skroloth asked "I still remember that ship from before".
"It is here" Trannak confirmed "It is very old, though – I don't yet know how long it will last. It's a good choice for today, I think, since Raiders of various kinds are very common. Did either of you requisition or buy your own ships after I left?"
"We didn't" Skroloth replied "In Serila's case, she simply didn't see the need to buy when she could requisition whatever she needed… with me, well, I was having fun with my money. Winning friends and influencing people".
"Seeing your Kalish temporary mates" Serila replied "You will find that a good deal harder here – there is only one Kalish female who does not have a mate, and I would think by her manner she is a former Organisation commando".
Serila figured that out for herself, interesting… Trannak thought Good. Even if she did devote more of her training time to technical services than I may have liked, she still has the sharp mind needed for the skulker corps.
Tovak was on the flight deck when they arrived. Lockers were swiftly made available, after which Tovak went over their uniforms and made sure they looked as they should.
"Shortswords over the shoulder instead of inside the boots" he said "OK, then. It's allowed even if not strictly regulation. Karroch saw to it your insignia's all on right, at least – no name patch over the chest pocket, which we shouldn't ever have had anyway but regular army still uses. Pulse pistol and Viper. It'll do".
"You're former A-team yourself, I think" Serila said "You never did tell me before, when we first arrived here. I think you wore this uniform yourself, though".
"I did, clever woman…" Tovak replied "I was with Cap'n Kran an' Koronna an' Juroch before… and that's all you're going to hear about our pasts, so don't go poking around. The War Commander doesn't care what we were, he cares what we are now".
"Fine by me" Skroloth replied before Serila could open her mouth "Good food, good gear, good quarters, interesting people… what's not to like?"
Tovak just snorted before asking "Are you needing anything in particular, Captain Trannak?"
"My own Raider only, Tovak" Trannak replied "We'll only be taking a short hop planetside. I think we'll head to the South End checkpoint as well, neither Skroloth nor Serila have been there yet".
"You two be careful down there" Tovak told Skroloth and Serila "Southers get rowdy quite a lot. It doesn't usually get too close to the checkpoint, but just in case…" before the three of them headed to Trannak's Raider and strapped in.
"Bridge…" Trannak called "This is Captain Trannak requesting takeoff clearance…".
"Granted, Captain" Keyah replied "Containment field is on… and deck doors are opening…".
Skroloth spoke for a few microts in slightly cheeky street-level Kalish before Keyah screamed at him and added "You insufferable pest! The only thing separating you from that human when we first collected him is that you, at least, can speak the language of my people well. When you want to" before discomming.
"Keyah is under my command as well…" Trannak told them both as he guided the Raider out of the flight deck "…so learn to treat her respectfully, Skroloth. I know you can do that, I've seen you around Kalish serving in military capacities before…".
"Where are we going to land?" Skroloth asked to distract everyone "That private pit you mentioned before? A public one?"
"We could land at the administration headquarters" Trannak replied "There are a small number of landing pads there. Since we have time in hand, however, we will ask for a blast pit close to the Duleno's shop and take a public crawler from there".
Landing went a good deal quicker when the port controller realised they weren't landing at a private pit this time, so once Trannak had landed he reminded both his friends to put their caps back on.
Once all three of them had done this, they left the Raider and headed to a nearby public crawler stopping point. People were both slightly fearful and curious as to why they didn't use a government vehicle, but Trannak told them "I like to get out and about, to see the local environment, and insist those under my command do the same".
"Market Street main…" came the driver's call a few momens later "You want to buy an' sell, you do it here. We's right in the middle of where all the shops are right now, so there's pretty much anything you might be needin'. Liina's Night-Stay is right here for anyone needin' a roof over their heads, long or short term. To the North there's more of the eatin' houses below the North End checkpoint… to the South, there's all kindsa stuff down both sides, with the mercenary campground being the biggest thing on hammond side. If you're heading further down than that… you gonna be stoppin' at the checkpoint anyway, so check the security bulletin while you're there".
"Here" Trannak decided "We can walk from here. We'll head southward to the checkpoint, after which we come far enough up to get another crawler to where we're going".
Skroloth smiled a little more easily when they had walked further down Market Street, especially when they heard the loud music and announcements of all kinds coming from the campground.
"I have only been in there a few times" Trannak replied when Skroloth asked about it "Strangely enough, Amara loves it there – both for the loud noise, the convenience food, and the sheer variety of species of people to be found there. I won't take Feltano there until his fifth birth anniversary, even though Amara went in at a younger age".
"I'm surprised they would welcome anyone not capable of carrying arms in there or hiring those who do" Serila replied "But I know that official personnel of many governments hire mercenaries for many reasons, so we would be admitted".
The closer they got to the checkpoint, the more the crowds thinned out. There were still quite a few people close to the checkpoint, including one enterprising medical technician who had set up a mobile surgery facility and was doing a good if not frequent trade.
"Do you have medical supplies for currency or trade…" the medical orderly asked in slightly mangled Scarran "I am needing certain things. I have some things but am needing others…I have currency to pay".
"We can find them" Serila decided after looking at the facility "Our supply officer is not opposed to selling things privately as long as this doesn't endanger our own people. You are needing medicines?"
"Some medicines…" came the reply "Some small equipment. Two things that nice if available but not essential".
Serila communicated the medical technician's needs to Nrakal, who – after consulting the medical section of the stores' archive – replied "We can spare those things" before giving the average market price on the Tal IV trading network at the current time.
The medical technician didn't like that much, but eventually they settled on a price before Trannak told him "Friends will bring your supplies here. You do not need to go anywhere" before describing Nrakal and Urana, since he considered them the two most likely to come.
"Will be waiting" promised the medical technician "Will see your friend as soon as I free and customer not die", after which the three of them walked over to the checkpoint.
The security guards there were surprised to see Scarran special forces there, but relaxed just a little and lowered their rifles slightly when they came close enough to recognise Trannak.
"These are two of mine" Trannak told them "Don't worry about them. They are new here, though – so I brought them to this checkpoint so they can see for themselves the situation regarding the South End".
Skroloth and Serila listened for the fifteen momens it took to hear about the general state of the South and also current things to watch for beyond the checkpoint – Skroloth seemed interested to hear about the SubTerranea stadium, though he also admitted he wouldn't be going there soon.
"There are Scarrans near the South End checkpoint…".
"People of all kinds come here, you should know that by now. Our own people are permitted to come and go as they please… but so are others, with no requirements apart from the ability to pay for what they want".
"I have not been to an open commerce planet before – not one where those not of our people are in the majority".
"We can examine the surroundings later. Our objective for now is to find out about these Scarrans".
A slight whine followed as the leader zoomed his faceplate's ocular function in.
"Uniform identifies them as the elite of Scarran army special forces – but their ease among local security personnel would suggest otherwise"
"The Scarran Hierarchy is not welcomed with ease and readiness here?"
"No more than our own Establishment – or even the Peacekeepers, if it comes to that. The governor does not favour one major or minor power over any other. His rule is that any with currency or goods may come here to buy or sell or trade. Services of many kinds are available for hire in the long or short term as well".
"Should we follow these Scarrans?"
"We will follow these Scarrans. We will watch them with extreme caution - and we will report back to both the ambassador and our own superiors in the consulate later".
"I was wondering if a crawler would come this far South…" Serila groused after Skroloth reported seeing one further up the street but heading towards them "The security personnel at the checkpoint led us to believe this is a high-security zone".
"Beyond the checkpoint that's true" Trannak replied "Here? That's the reason why we have security alerts here, broadcast regularly over public frequencies for all to hear. To view on public information networks, too".
"Ah" Serila replied "Much the same as where we are from – except there, I think, the general standard of readiness is higher".
"Readiness for street warfare almost certainly" Trannak replied "but that is also one reason why we are here – our contract covers the heavier end of security, for the most part. Now and again we train local personnel as well".
"Behind us…" Skroloth whispered "Slightly southward… and above ground level. Not sure how far up. We got watchers".
"How you do that I still do not know…" Serila replied "You are like the odd quiet one, the Command Specialist – except I hear his skills tend to the wild places and yours to urban".
"I'm not that good…" Skroloth replied, shaking his head but also grinning "Not yet anyway. But I'm good in cities, that's true".
Trannak turned his head slowly, sniffing the air – but settled back and grumbled, saying "I can't tell one way or another who or where or even what any watchers are…I'd pretty sure they're fairly close to ground level, masking themselves in the smells of the street. If they were higher up, I might be able to find them if they're even fairly close".
"Might just be they found us by accident" Skroloth replied "Maybe they're after someone else an' found us on the way. Could just be they're out to see if there's anything interesting to find at all, of course".
"For now our chief concern is dealing with other Scarrans…" Trannak sighed "Keep a lookout for whoever's watching us… but don't worry too much about it just now".
Skroloth nodded, murmuring subvocally about getting the change for himself as soon as possible while Serila just snorted as she heard him do so.
"We have been spotted".
"How?!"
"I don't know – and it's not important anyway. We must be more careful".
"Do they have a helper of a species known for tracking with them?"
"A Vorcarian? Apart from the Scarrans, only Kalish and Charrids are known to work in the Hierarchy with any regularity… they might hire a tracker for a contract, but I doubt they have one on retainer".
"My instructors suggested the Scarran Hierarchy pursues genetic alteration programs, sir – to improve the senses of their soldiers, perhaps? If they have such, is it not logical that they test it on their elite soldiers? Might one or more of those be here?"
"I've heard the same things… no one knows yet how credible they are. Every so often some source says they have evidence of such a thing… and then is never heard of again".
"Perhaps the Scarran government takes security seriously for such a program, as we would".
"If any of that is more than fanciful rumours… then maybe. Our people would test such a thing on a secure world. I do not know how a Scarran thinks about this, perhaps they feel it is worth testing on a mixed-species world. Perhaps they feel the increased risk of detection is worth the increased testing opportunities".
"Their crawler has come to a stop, sir"
"Where are they going?"
"I cannot tell, sir – every time I come closer, the one in the centre turns their head as if looking for something. Perhaps it is us they look for".
"I will report what little we know back to our own commander. We stay where we are until I receive further orders".
"I think we picked up a trail for a while on our way here, governor…" Trannak explained once the three of them had made their way past outer security and into the governor's office "But for one reason or another we didn't have them by the time we headed back to the port and came here".
The governor looked briefly at Trannak's face before nodding and saying "Ah, yes… you have some of these amazing things as your Commander does. No one else except a Vorcarian would be able to tell one person from another in market street that way", then asking "These two with you are new recruits, perhaps?"
"Two old friends, governor" Trannak explained "New recruits here, as you said. Since they have not been to the South End checkpoint yet I took them there and the guards on duty explained about the South End to them".
Skroloth whispered to Trannak, who smiled and rumbled before comming the Havoc.
"My Trannak!" Caseya replied happily "You are doing well? Your mission goes well? Are you with the governor now?"
"I am with the governor" Trannak confirmed "Skroloth and Serila are with me. If you are close to Amara, let her know it is time for her test".
Caseya ran up the stairs to the study room, where she heard children debating who it might be at the door.
"You open the door, Dern?" Feltano's voice asked, to Caseya's delight "You open and see?"
"I will" Dern replied – Caseya missed what happened next, though she heard the three girls call "I ready" one after another before the door was opened.
"Ah, Caseya…" Dern called "Come in. I had wondered if this special test for Amara would be soon" before he called "Back to study, all of you! Amara… your mother is here".
Amara got up from her chair and ran over to Caseya, throwing her arms around her adoptive mother's neck and hugging her tightly.
"Is it testing time, mama?" she asked hopefully "Is it time for me to show everyone I can mindtalk from this ship to people on Tal IV?"
"You will be tested, Amara…" Caseya reminded her with a smile "…and we will find out. Then we will know".
"Test first" Amara repeated "Then we know" before she looked up and said "Your Amara will do it, mama".
Amara called very softly into Caseya's comm for Skroloth, and clapped when he answered.
"I mindtalk to uncle smiley Skroloth first, friends" Amara called "If he hears me I will show him a picture of all of you in his head".
Amara sat on Caseya's lap, and once she felt Caseya holding her safely she rumbled softly and called ~Uncle smiley Skroloth? Can you hear me? It is Amara! mental image of Amara at the top of a staircase, calling down to someone~
~Here ((praise))~ Skroloth replied, helped by Amara ~Governor's office. Your papa's here. Serila's here. Governor's here~
Amara showed him the image of her friends sitting close by as she promised she would, and Skroloth laughed a little before telling her ~Say hello to all of them for me, Amara… then talk to Serila~.
"Uncle smiley Scarran heard his friend Amara when he is on Tal IV!" Amara shrieked excitedly, clapping "I showed him the picture of you and he liked it a lot! He said hello to all of you!"
"You talk to other one now" Sherenka said, nodding "She not heard you yet. New auntie Se-rila not heard you in her head from longlong way away".
"I do that" Amara agreed, nodding "Papa says the governor is there, too. I will ask papa if I can mindtalk to him as well".
~Auntie Se-rila?~ Amara called next ~Can you hear me? It is Amara! Mama is here too!~
~Heard~ Serila replied ~Harder for me. Hear you clearly ((confirmation))~, after which Amara borrowed Caseya's comm to ask Trannak if she could mindtalk to the governor as well.
"Governor…" Trannak asked "Before we proceed to our work… perhaps you might be able to do me a personal favour…".
"Yes, Captain?" the governor asked with a slight smile.
"My daughter, Amara…" he explained, after making sure turned his antisurveillance unit on "…would like to talk to you… in your mind. She is a mentalist. We are testing her to see if she can mindtalk to people from orbit… when she heard you would be here, she wanted to test herself talking to you as well".
"I think I may have seen your Amara once or twice before…" the governor replied cautiously "I had not heard that she had these kinds of skills. She was very excitable, I remember – she chased my aide around the outer office and tried to snurch things from his desk without being caught".
"She did!" Trannak laughed "That is her! Can she mindtalk with you? Do you trust her to do that?"
"I think I can" he replied "I know her and I know you and I know her mother. I think such an option might be carefully explored – though next time I think I would prefer to be able to actually see her".
He smiled when Amara called ~Hello, governor… it is Amara here! ((mental image of her running around the outer office being chased by his aide))~
~((laughter))~ the governor replied ~((surprise))~
~I helped you ((confirmation))~ Amara told him ~You are right~ before giggling and expanding the link to include Caseya, Skroloth, and Serila. After that everyone reported feeling her sense of happy accomplishment and a stronger sense of challenge, after which they heard ~I am here as well. The governor has seen me before, Skroloth and Serila. I am surprised though pleased that Amara can link me in when I am near the bow of our ship in my home quarters praise~ from Talannah.
Amara was sweating profusely by now, but refused any call to break the link – and instead calling for the other children to speak so she could send their speech to the governor in his head. All of them did, identifying themselves by name, before Caseya took Amara to a nearby refresher unit before showering her and making her drink energy drink and water and eat foodcubes.
"I am back…" she called wearily when Caseya carried her back into the study room "Come and see…".
Feltano ran across first, asking so many questions about her mindtalking and about the people she talked to that she just giggled and hugged him – all the other children asked questions as well, but mostly just if she could tell if the governor liked to hear them speak.
"He like you all lots" Amara told them "He like to hear you. If your mamas and papas take you to Tal IV then you ask if you go and see him".
"Time to go and see the governor" the Scarran military attache told his own aide "Make sure you bring the interrogation transcripts he wants – I don't know if this one can read our language, but he might have someone with him who can".
"He might bring one of those kinglovers from orbit with him" the aide replied "I've never seen a Kingdom Scarran before. Can they speak our current Scarran language?"
"They can and they do" the military attache replied "even though they usually choose not to - and you'll advance further in the diplomatic services the less time you spend thinking like a Ministry propaganda speech. Look and listen as much as possible, but don't speak unless you're spoken to".
"Not the official vehicle" the attache told the first Kalish that approached him at the motor pool "I like the Scorpion. I haven't been in one of those since the end of my term of service. Do we have one here?"
"I believe there are a small number of those vehicles garrisoned at the Hierarchy section of the spaceport, sir" the Kalish replied promptly "Should I comm our garrison there and ask for one to come and collect you?"
"Do it" he replied, nodding "Just the basic crew and four bodyguards. No need for a full assault load".
The Kalish nodded and bowed briefly, then placed a comm call – the first thing that came out was loud Scarran shouting, but the Kalish acted with surprising restraint and just walked over to the attache, who barked "Enough of that silliness, whoever you are! That Kalish was doing her job – now you do yours and send me a Scorpion!"
After almost ten momens the requested vehicle arrived – it was clear the crew probably wasn't the most disciplined available, but the attache decided at least the crew's uniforms are clean, they're properly equipped, and I was given a proper salute if not addressed by rank.
The attache's estimation of the crew of the Scorpion rose slightly when one of them actually helped him strap in, after which he called "All OK!" with a strong accent from one of the Hierarchy's border worlds – and the attache's aide fell over as the vehicle got moving before he could sit down and strap in properly.
All the crew that saw that laughed, which wasn't helped when the attache did as well before calling out some saying the aide couldn't recognise – the turret gunner called back happily before banging the side of her protective plating.
"You know these… soldiers?" the aide asked, and his superior replied "I served my term of service in the same unit… I could drive this vehicle myself if I needed to, though not as well as its current driver since I'm a little out of practice".
"Can take you round the port any time" the driver called "an' get your rating all sorted nice, attache. Basics aren't hard, flying one's a bit harder, even then it's not tricky – sometimes we teach Kalish for fun just to see how they do!"
"If you ever find any that make the grade, mister…" the attache replied, turning his head to face the driver "… log their ratings and watch them. For all we know, we may actually need them one day…".
"We're here!" the turret gunner called, after which the driver asked "Roof pads, over the gate, or just shout at someone till they open them for us?"
"Over the gate" the attache decided "If their …helpers… have Scorpions it won't be anything they haven't seen before – and it won't hurt to show off a little for the local guards either…".
The Scorpion lifted off the ground a little more cautiously than the attache expected, but he attributed that to him being inside – the four troopers brought along as guards did report both security guards and passers-by looking up at the Scorpion, which made the attache smile and say "Good – maybe word will reach the governor. If he can spare the crindars, he might want to order some of these for himself – if not, we'll have other hardware he'll like".
"Security's saying a Scorpion just floated in over the gate, governor" a Sebacean staffer called, striding in "Are more of our allies in orbit coming to talk to you?"
"Some of our less helpful friends in the large uninviting building we know more easily" the governor replied "They have found out interesting things… and, it seems, may be willing to share them with us".
"That is why these three are here, then" the staffer replied, nodding "They will speak the Scarran language fluently".
"I can barely speak it at a conversational level" the governor replied "and that was thanks to my diplomatic training alongside Captain Kammel many cycles ago. I can't read it at all. But you are right… that is why these three are here".
Skroloth ran over to the nearest window, where he saw the Scorpion's assault doors opening and the attache, his aide, and four soldiers climbing out.
"They're here, Captain" Skroloth called "He brought someone to carry the papers an' he brought four guards. Bit more low key than I expected, to tell the truth – even accounting for the Scorpion".
"I suggest my friends and I stand out of sight of the door, governor" Trannak asked "Or even in some side room until you call us. Then you can welcome the attache with whatever protocol you prefer without our presence making them uncomfortable".
"The security station close to the door will be fine…" the governor replied "… though I personally would not mind if you stayed here. I do agree that it will help my diplomatic standing if you were called in as needed, though".
Once Trannak, Skroloth, and Serila had left the governor called "Show them up promptly" to his secretary.
Less that three momens later, the Scarran military attache to Talzenadar IV strode into the governor's office with his aide.
"Stay outside the door unless I call for you, all of you" he told the four soldiers quietly "Watch the staff, see how things are done here – if you see any security staff, assess their standard of proficiency and measure it against the Scarran army standards you know".
Inside, Trannak repeated every word the attache said into an intercom, which the governor was listening to.
"I can only just hear it" Trannak admitted "but the attache speaks with a clear voice, which makes things easier".
"Stand by" the governor replied, before discomming and welcoming the attache and his aide.
"We even have grolsahk, should you be permitted to drink while you work…" the governor's aide told them – the attache nodded and told him "Grolsahk to start… but after that, we'd better stick to tea".
After a toast, the tea was poured and the governor's aide left the room.
The attache's own aide raised an eyebrow briefly at that but passed over a thick folder with actual hardcopy transcripts inside.
"Here are the transcripts" the attache said "I don't know if you read Scarran, but if not now's the time to call an interpreter".
"I have someone I trust close by" the governor replied "along with two of his associates. Should you wish to invite your guards in to maintain parity, then please do so" before calling for Trannak to come in and bring Skroloth and Serila with him.
Trannak greeted the governor as though he had only just arrived, ignoring the slight growl from the attache's aide, before greeting the attache as well.
"I didn't think special forces had anyone here" the attache said, though he grinned when Trannak said "That's the point, isn't it?"
"Down to business" the attache decided next "Whoever you actually are, the governor seems to like you. Not one word of what you're here to translate for the governor makes it outside the room while I'm here. Who the governor decides to tell once I'm gone is his own business – though the fewer who see these papers, the better".
The governor and the Scarran military attache spent almost an arn and a half going over the interrogation transcripts, along with the report from the soldiers who made the capture.
Military intelligence made the capture Trannak told the governor, writing a note on a small piece of paper Rank designations given show this, since they are the same as my own command use. The documents are not entirely detailed, but suggest the Sebaceans being watched had been watched for some time before the ambush was put in place – after which he scrunched the paper into a ball and ate it.
When the governor told the military attache the part of that he needed to hear, the man snorted before saying "I'd seen that as well – as for the transcripts being edited, I'll thrash anyone who scrubbed out anything important" before whispering to one of the guards, who sent a message back to the embassy – Trannak wrote it down as it was sent, however, in the same way he did before, though he threw the balled paper underarm to Skroloth, who ate it where the attache couldn' see.
"Very interesting" Trannak decided, after checking a few things in the transcript "Might we scan these for the governor's records? We can show you the scanner and you can use it yourself if that maintains proper security for you". The attache shook his head, though his aide passed over a small memory card – this was then scanned and checked, though that alone took another arn before Trannak agreed it was the same as the papers.
While that was going on, the governor smiled just a little before saying ~I think you are listening, Amara… ((interest))~
~((praise))-((mental image of Amara standing in front of him and clapping))~ Amara replied ~I am. Sub-Commander Talannah is here. She is linked to me as well~.
~Do you think…~ the governor asked ~any of the government Scarrans in the room are like you, Amara?~
~((image of Amara shaking her head))~ Amara replied ~I see. I know. They are not mentalists ((certainty))~ before sending love and happiness to the governor and cutting the connection.
"Call my office if you need me, governor" the attache said, standing up "About this or anything else. I know that lot in orbit use our gear, so if you see anything they got and you want some then comm – I am the one you need to talk to about that" before he and his aide left the building, along with the four soldiers.
The governor told Trannak about Amara listening to his thoughts, and Trannak smiled and rumbled proudly before saying "She does so well, governor – for her mother and I, as well as her friends both young and adult".
"Bring your family down here some time, Captain" the governor encouraged "I know you are married… and I hear this Amara is not your only child".
"One other" Trannak revealed "A son. He is calm and clever and eager to learn and explore. He is like his mother and sister in that they eat infrequently as Kalish do".
"You should experience the kitchens here at least once, Captain" the governor added "Your large Commander and his wife have, a number of times".
"They were seen entering the governor's administration headquarters – not long after, a Scorpion battle transport arrived bearing the Hierarchy's military attache and retinue".
"Very well. We cannot use surveillance on that building from range, it is too heavily shielded – I will talk to your commander and see if he might know anyone amenable to financial persuasion working there who might tell us something worth knowing".
"It's worth trying – there's always people on this world wanting to gain extra currency quickly. I will look and see if I can find any such people who were in the administration headquarters at the time that interests us".
"Be careful".
(muffled noises, fabric being moved around briefly)
"I wish I hadn't seen that, to be honest – it frightens me. What it means frightens me".
"It does that to a lot of people. Most of the time I don't care. When I go outside buildings under the protection of our Establishment I wear head coverings suggesting I am recovering from an accident or I wear contemporary fashionable headgear for that world if I can stomach doing so".
"On that I generally agree, sir – the fashions of Sebaceanoid worlds can often be either offensive to look at or simply ugly. Clothing made and designed by our people is best for our people".
"Sometimes… just a very few times… something tolerable to wear can be found. I still have not heard if there are any of our people working in clothing shops around the port, in the North End, or even in the central part of market street. Should anyone find any such people, I'm sure I can find a small reward somewhere…"
