"GOOOOD MORNING TAL IV!" Troll bellowed as loudly as he could from the comm desk, as soon as opening time came on Founders' Day morning "This 'ere's the big ol' Troll man, broadcasting from high in the sky aboard the HMS Cry Havoc. For anyone who doesn't already know... it's a big day for all our scaly friends, it's Founders' Day. This Founders' Day's even bigger 'n usual, 'cause the Emperor's decided to come here, yes here, to Tal IV to let his hair down an' have some fun - or at least he would be lettin' his hair down if he had any hair!"
Troll paused to grin a bit, then added "Well, then... the question of the arn is... what does this mean for Tal IV? Gonna be lots to do, I'm sure - a good start for the entire weeken's sure to be the sporting games goin' on pretty much every day. There's a full schedule of events available along with the security bulletin - there's events almost everywhere except down South this cycle. Each of the top three placing athletes in each event gets a medal, by the way - and running totals will be kept so you can tell at any time which major power, minor power, or independent group has the most. The day starts off with qualifying sessions for short to middle-distance running at the hardball stadium track... anyone wanting to get the best seats has fifteen momens to get down there in time to be there when the doors open!"
Once Troll checked for any communications from the Scarran embassy, he added "For those of you curious about all the stuff that goes on where Scarrans are, there's going to be a few cultural events from each of the three major species of the Hierarchy throughout the weeken - so Kalish, Scarran, and Charrid practitioners will be showin' off their fighting arts; some of the arts as well for people curious to see actual culture that doesn't involve hitting people; and so much general information about life in Scarran-controlled space for everyone to see it'll make your eyes bleed and your brain leak out of your ears! This ol' Troll man's gonna be doing his very best to go down an' see if there's anything for showing off the food of each of the major species of Scarran space, an' then I'll see how much I can get away with eating!"
Since the Scarran embassy was already working to capacity when opening time came around for trading, Troll's broadcast came across their speakers very loud and clear indeed.
Emperor Staleek grumbled at the volume of it, then added "For all the irreverant behaviour clearly shown by that brain-deficient treznot, especially when it refers to me... he looks to be giving our holiday good exposure locally. Is this being broadcast outsystem as well?"
"I don't know, Emperor" Graffak replied "I would expect so, even if it might be a delayed broadcast - as that commentator said, it is a notable thing that you chose to celebrate Founders' Day here on Talzenadar IV. As for the lack of respect shown... consider where he is broadcasting from, Emperor. The designation given would suggest he is broadcasting from a kingdom-aligned ship - not one of ours, or anyone else's either".
"To be honest, Graffak..." Staleek replied, turning to face his aide "... I was more concerned about his manner than his allegiance - he sounds much like that plokking human I had to deal with before you assumed your position assisting me. That one's infernal meddling led to the death of your predecessor, Captain Jennek, as well as considerable embarassment politically - the only thing that makes those events even slightly tolerable was knowing Commandant Grayza and the Peacekeepers were even more embarassed by that whole turn of events than we were".
"Ah, yes..." Graffak replied "I have read at least the more accessible files on those events... the human identified as 'Crichton' proved to be maddeningly difficult to deal with, by all accounts. We can be thankful that, at least, he did not choose to reveal what he knows to our enemies".
"Yes..." Staleek replied, nodding and growling softly under his breath before asking for the full schedule of events for the first two days.
"I will be expected to open these events myself?" Staleek asked "I would hope that the governor would assume I would wish to do that - it is, after all, our major national holiday and I am our head of state".
"I have not been advised about this" Graffak admitted "With your permission...?"
"Find out" Staleek replied, nodding "Ask the governor, ask those kinglovers in orbit, ask whoever you need to - just find out when the opening ceremony for these sporting games starts. I expect every major power will send their leaders to it, which means I should be there to open the games and receive the praise and applause of all the people present".
It took ten momens for Graffak's efforts to reach the Cry Havoc, where Troll took about a quarter-arn more to call the governor and find out what he had arranged.
"Very well" Graffak said when he had passed this on "At least an opening ceremony of sufficient standards has been put in place. The Emperor, myself, and a small group of additional representatives will arrive approximately fifteen momens before scheduled start for this opening ceremony - please ensure the governor is ready to receive us and that secure seating arrangements have been made in accordance with the Emperor's position".
"I'm sure the governor's got your big man's safety at the top of his to-do list" Troll assured him, nodding "I'm sure your lot have people prowlin' an' growlin' around the stands, I know the PKs do... maybe even those Nebari got a few hiding behind the waste baskets or perched up a tree someplace keeping an eye on things".
Graffak smiled briefly before nodding and saying "I expect they do, yes. A number of bodyguards will accompany the Emperor everywhere he goes, of course - beyond that, units assigned to security duties will coordinate with local security for maximum safety for everyone. I expect that some of your comrades will be working alongside us in this capacity as well".
"Dunno who" Troll replied "I ain't been told who gets that job. I'll probably be down there at some point or another, at least when the main events are on - but I'll be reporting on everything that happens wherever I end up going, so you an' your Emperor will get the very best in timely updates on how well everyone's going in the games".
"We will be assisting the Irregulars with important security duties for the duration of the Founders' Day weeken" Commander Solk announced as he addressed the infantry detachment on the KV-3, while Captain Haresh watched "I have been told that those personnel given duties will be paid by the governor at Irregulars contract rates - so I want no plok-ups".
"YES, SIR!" came the loud and expected response.
"We will be expected to exercise the natural talents of our people in keeping the general population safe" Haresh added "Our excellent memories and natural curiosity about many things will be put to the test to make sure that nothing untoward happens to anyone - especially to visiting dignitaries, but to any spectators as well".
"Will we be co-ordinating with other forces apart from local Security, Captain?" one of the senior NCOs asked, and Haresh nodded before giving out communication frequencies and codes before saying "Those are the communications protocols you will need should you be assigned to security duties during the celebrations. While local Security will be covering the more basic law enforcement duties, should we be able to assist there then we can do so too - as long as it does not restrict our ability to act on more important tasks".
"Will we get to use some of the interesting things these Irregulars have, Captain?" one of the more junior line troopers asked hopefully "Perhaps it might be arranged for us to work alongside them and learn from their elite on many things as they practice them?"
Many smiles followed, and more than a few laughs as well, before Captain Haresh smiled and replied "I will certainly ask if we might be permitted to test some of their powered armour suits, should the need arise - and some of their more unusual combat armour I hear is called a 'sneaksuit'. That will be much more useful and more suited to our people's ways of doing things. Beyond that... you know as much as I do at this point".
"I had not expected such widespread interest in working alongside these Irregulars, Commander Solk..." Haresh told his first officer "Even considering our people's natural curiosity, the interest in our new allies is high".
"I can't say I like every Scarran I've ever seen, Captain..." Solk replied more cautiously "but these Irregulars seem friendly enough. I'll be reworking squad assignments a little, I'll try and put at least one trooper or NCO with experience in law-enforcement in each squad to guide our newer troopers in the right direction".
"I expect you will assign yourself to one of the squads too, Commander..." Haresh suggested, smiling more widely - Solk laughed, nodded happily, before replying "I want to try these powered-armour suits I hear about but have not yet seen! I know we will likely not be able to shift in them... but having so much extra protection as well as the firepower has to be worth a lot in itself".
Captain Haresh nodded before announcing which units would be staying with the KV-3 and which would be deployed to assist the Irregulars.
"There may be opportunities to change squads around..." Haresh explained, silencing the complaining "...so even if you are not initially deployed then you should be ready to transfer to the Cry Havoc's hammond flight deck if you are called to do so".
Once this news made its way around the infantry present the mood lifted noticeably.
"Captain Trannak will coordinate covert forces..." Captain Lazarus announced at First Meal "...and Captains Karroch and Tareg will coordinate the other forces. I will remain aboard the Havoc here and coordinate any air forces needed along with the overall security mission this weeken. Kalish units from the KV-3 have been released to help out, thanks to Captain Haresh and Commander Solk... I know they've been telling people on the KV-3 about some of our toys, so don't act so surprised if a Kalish face appears beside you and asks what you're doing, hmm?"
Keyah smiled at that, knowing how curious and interested Captain Haresh's infantry would be - she looked over at Juroch, who was also smiling and rumbling very softly.
"Your friends aboard the KV-3 will be pleased, I know it" Juroch told Reanaree "Will you be assigned to these duties?"
"I have been" Reanaree confirmed, nodding "Captain Haresh knows I am more accustomed to your company than that of the others here, so I have been assigned to assist your covert units that wear the green shoulderboards that you told me about".
"I've been working my eema off getting the autofac levels we found so far making more sneaksuits..." Liz added wearily, leaning back against the wall "So far we got forty we can rely on. Hellbolt's checked all of 'em personally by hand, which is part of the reason we don't have more - but the ones we got are good".
"Well done" Juroch replied, nodding "Forty will be more than enough. I will not require one myself even if it would fit me, but I'm sure Reanaree's friends will be eager to test them for you".
"Commander Solk insists on being fitted for powered armour" Reanaree added, smiling indulgently "He likes all the extra things those suits have, even though he knows he cannot shift when wearing one".
"Rulok or Shellek will see to it" Trannnak replied "that any Kalish wishing to assist with heavier security requirements are told what they need to know".
"I have seen these suits myself" Reanaree said, nodding "From what I was told, the way their systems are controlled is very much like the way additional systems on our fighter craft are controlled - when I learned this, I passed on what I learned back to Captain Haresh and Commander Solk".
Barely three momens later, Commander Solk walked into the galley himself - when he saw Reanaree, he turned and walked over to the skulkers' tables and sat down before asking about duty assignments for his troopers.
"We will be making sure your troopers can use the new equipment assigned to them first" Trannak told him "It will not take long. As Liz will tell you, the basics are comparatively easy to learn".
Liz nodded when Commander Solk turned to look at her, telling him "I've used the suit under fire - it's a little tricky at first, but nothing too hard. At least I don't think so".
"Good" Commander Solk replied "You will come and show us how to put them on, how to activate the systems, how to understand what we are seeing when we wear it".
"Won't hurt having two instructors, that's true" Hellbolt replied, making sure everyone knew he had provided the suits "I'll run one group through it, Liz can handle one more".
"Each of them..." Commander Solk added "... will then teach others... and when we have forty troopers, all of them will demonstrate their knowledge of the systems before you, and then we will be ready for deployment. When can we start?"
"Right after we finish eating" Hellbolt replied "This is good food we get here and I'm not wasting any of it".
"Well..." Vice-Chancellor Voss told the ambassador in the Peacekeeper's own embassy "You look to have been able to keep our people's reputation as good if not always great despite the repeated unmasking of pro-Sebacean insurgent groups or criminal gangs creating unrest these past few cycles. That on its own is quite some achievement".
"Those groups, officially sanctioned or not" came the reply "do what they need to do merely by existing - they don't actually have to succeed. We win if they do, and since in some way the governor operates more closely with us after insurgent events then we win if they don't as well".
Voss thought about that as he drank his tea.
I don't know if the current ambassador has connections with the Disruptors... he thought to himself but it wouldn't suprise me if he does. I need to keep a closer watch on Grayza and her deep-cover personnel - the reports from local Security lead me to believe she has a hand in what's been going on, even if neither local Security or those ...people... in orbit have a clue yet.
"For now that may be true" Voss decided "but the issue of the weeken is somewhat more agreable - how to get our athletes motivated enough to increase our standing in these sporting games.
The public announcement earlier confirmed the promotional materials we already have - medals for athletes in the first three places in any event, public commendation for the teams with the three highest overall medal counts".
"We have one of the widest assortment of athletes on hand, Vice-Chancellor" the ambassador replied "We have the Luxans, the Delvians, and the Interions competing under our flag - plus our own species as well. Even the Scarrans don't have such a variety of competitors to call upon".
That did make Voss smile, if briefly.
"If they're not at the hardball stadium already" Voss ordered the ambassador "then get our athletes of every species we have with us over there now. I expect, since it's a Hierarchy holiday and the Emperor himself is here, that we'll start the games with an official speech - so all the athletes get to be as bored as I will".
"Hah!" the ambassador laughed "They've been training in a secured zone in the outlands, the partially terraformed zones - and should be at the stadium by now. We'd better get going ourselves".
The Nebari delegation were limbering up at the track and looking around at the other athletes and the spectators.
"I have not seen such a variety of species before" one of the runners said as he completed warm-up exercises "How many of them would be sympathetic to our Establishment - or even have seen our people before?"
"The band covering heavy security, these Irregulars..." a more knowledgeable voice replied "have at least two personnel known to use our equipment, so it would be a fair assumption that they have Nebari in their ranks. They will know our people. How many of the others know anything about us at all, whether truth or propaganda, remains to be seen".
"I see Peacekeeper troops on guard patrol" another whispered "I don't know from what branch of service they are".
The previous speaker looked, then said "Special Services Directorate guards. It's common knowledge that the head of their group here this weeken is Vice-Chancellor Voss - he would have brought these troops with him" before smiling slightly and pointing out to his fellow athletes where the SSD guards as well as regular Peacekeeper troops were that he could see. The Night Watch among them speculated about possible assignments over and above security that the SSD might have, while the Enforcers debated their patrol routes and equipment.
"Look, a number of Zenetans are here" another of the Night Watch athletes called "Independent bands are competing, not just political powers".
"Perhaps a few of the Irregulars may compete, then" one of the Enforcers replied "With all the rumours and wild talk we hear about them, that would be something to see".
"A lot of them are Scarrans..." one of the Night Watch replied, sighing "We know what they are like. They might do well in some of the events, but we will do better in most of them".
"I like this special seating" Emperor Staleek said as he was ushered to the governor's box in the stadium "Transparent panelling on the front, so I can see the events and be properly protected at the same time. A good view, so I can see the entire running track and any events taking place in the centre of it as well. Refreshments on hand".
Talzenadar IV's governor smiled and nodded before saying "I like it too, Emperor... I watch the occasional hardball match from here, some other sporting events as well. There is enough room for me to bring a small number of staff so I remain able to deal with the business of my world at all times".
"The cameras will be able to see me when I stand to open the ceremony?" Staleek asked, and the governor nodded and replied "Easily so, Emperor - there will likely be camera drones as well as people filming you. Perhaps spectators will have their own video capture devices as well".
Staleek smiled, rumbled quite loudly, then nodded and said "Good, I like that. I like that people will want to make their own personal record of my presence here as well as that of the Hierarchy's athletes".
"The Irregulars representative providing account of these events for broadcast says there will be a procession of athletes to start the games after your speech" the governor added "Since this is your Founders' Day, the Hierarchy team will be leading this procession".
When that news reached the Hierarchy preparation rooms, a very large and heavily muscled low caste Scarran bellowed as loudly as he could to get everyone's attention.
"All the athletes are getting paraded before the spectators!" he shouted "and I do mean all of them - which means you Kalish an' Charrids as well! The Scarrans will lead, but you Charrids will be on either side of the Kalish and a few more Scarrans will finish the column! We'll have the Sebaceans and their friends behind us, so keep calm and don't let them get to you!"
"Good" Proconsul Tolchen told the training instructor "Get everyone formed up outside in the corridor and wait for the signal from that Irregular that seems to think he has a sense of humour. We will lead this procession, we have pride of place - so no mistakes, Gaphak".
"You won't get any, proconsul" Gaphak replied, grinning - after which he turned to the other side and said "Captain Shursith... unless you want to watch all the athletes forming up down here I'd suggest you make your way to your own seating, sir".
"I will be" Shursith replied, nodding once "I expect the Emperor will need me in the governor's box beside him before long".
A Black Ghost turned his head and his treblin hand flicked through a few quick signals.
"The Scarrans are making formation for the athlete's parade" Commander Valden Hez announced "The promotional material we were given says that our teams will follow. Do not get too close - I want at least fifteen metras between the front of our formation and the rear of theirs. Behind us will come the Nebari's Establishment, and behind them such independent bands as decide to compete".
"Will the Judicator's athletes lead our group or will the Dacon's?" a Ghost will unkempt short dark hair asked.
"Athletes will be grouped by event, not carrier of origin" Hez replied "Short distance running, long distance running, acrobatic events, other athletic events. That's the order. We compete on behalf of our entire people, not just our own carriers today".
"I'm seeing a Nebari or two watchin' our door!" one athlete called "I think them greyskins is gettin' impatient!"
"Luxans..." Silec suggested to one member of that species "Perhaps your people should position themselves on the flanks and rear of our formation in this parade. Not everyone here likes the idea of being too close to the Nebari".
"We'll do that" the Luxan replied, grinning "Don't you worry. Just getting word now that our Delvians and Interion are ready, so we'd better get formed up quick".
"The Sebacean delegation is getting ready" one of the younger Night Watch athletes called "They are positioning their larger aligned species between us and the Sebaceans".
"Time ... to move..." agent 47 called, clearly but not too loudly "Everyone, to... your places. We will move neatly and precisely as our people should do. Everything... will be in place. When you are... all assembled... then I will proceed to my own place... beside our ambassador".
The Enforcers from the Showlon's crew that were competing made sure everyone got in formation - several of the Night Watch smiled just a little as they realised the Enforcers were placing themselves around the edges of the group while they remained in the centre.
"It is... good" agent 47 told them, surprising them "We have Enforcers to... protect us... in obvious ways. We have Night Watch to... protect us in... less obvious ways. This deployment shows this... to all..." , after which he went through several calming exercises before taking a long swallow from a flask in his jacket.
"All the athletes are ready, Troll" came the call from security.
"I got secure uplink to the Havoc, too" Troll replied "We just need word from the governor, then you lot can open the doors an' I'll get the fireworks going an' all the rest of the stuff too".
Troll made several comm calls from his place in the broadcast booth - once the support staff told him the entertainment was ready, the athletes' security reported that the athletes were ready, he checked again that the broadcast uplink to local and interstellar feeds was secure, he flicked his hammond hand at one media technician and turned the microphone on.
"Tal IV welcomes people of every kind to these first Founders' Day games!" Troll called "Everything's ready to go - all we're waiting for is the go-ahead from the governor and Emperor Staleek!"
"We are ready" the governor of Talzenadar IV replied in Troll's earpiece.
"Do it" Staleek added "I am ready, our athletes are ready. Nothing more needs to be done".
"Open the doors, start the music, let off the first round of fireworks" Troll told the stadium manager before getting on the security comms and announcing "We're getting started, you lot. Anyone got anything to report?"
"All clear here" an officer from the Judicator replied "I have my SSD troopers on constant patrol and other Peacekeepers guarding places of interest in our assigned sectors".
"Luxans are ready" an NCO from the Ka'Hakk added "Security around the athletes reports nothing unusual at this point. Security at stadium entry points reports nothing unusual either".
"Hierarchy forces, standing by" called one high-caste officer surprisingly calmly "Black Omega are on plain-clothes patrols and surveillance. Regular army guarding fixed-site places of interest. A-teams on roving patrols".
"Establisment forces performing as required" a Nebari Enforcer called "We've had more contact with people just coming up to look at us than we have with criminals. Not even any pickpocketing reported or other petty street crime yet".
"LET'S GET MOVING!" Gaphak bellowed at the head of the athletes' parade, before grinning at the two Sebaceans standing either side of the doors leading out to the track.
"Even better than military parade back home..." a number of Charrids murmured softly as they marched "People watching, clapping, making all kinds of noise... music and those coloured explosions... and we don't have to provide our own security either!"
The Scarrans nearby in the formation said nothing but did smile, while a few of the Kalish smiled as well and said "So many kinds of people to see and hear! So many things to do while we are not competing! Different things to see and buy!"
"...AND THE SCARRAN ATHLETES ARE COMIN' OUT ON TO THE TRACK!" Troll shouted as the athletes came into view "Looks like they brought a bit of everything with 'em - I'm seeing the Scarrans I expected to see, but there's a few Charrid and Kalish there as well!"
"The Emperor's up in the governor's box" Proconsul Tolchen told Gaphak over a tiny comm hidden under his coach's uniform "No one expects you to hold up the parade by stopping to salute... but make sure everyone does so while keeping in formation as they pass the box".
"Told everyone about that before we started" Gaphak replied "They know that when I do that, they do it too. The Organisation overseer even had their Kalish practicing that a couple of times. Nothing to worry about".
Emperor Staleek stood as the athletes approached the governor's box - when Gaphak led the Hierarchy detachment in saluting in his direction, he rumbled softly and did the same in return.
"Good, good..." Staleek said, sitting down once they had passed "This opening parade was a good idea. A little showy, I think... but good. Lots of loud noise and music and lights for people to remember".
"Our athletes lead the parade in good order, Emperor" Graffak replied "Everyone in their place and keeping station. I'm sure the Scarrans among them would rather have moved faster, but the decision to keep at striding pace means everyone can stay together".
"The Sebaceans have kept their stronger allies around the side and rear of their formation to maintain security as we have" Staleek told Graffak "I see no flags identifying blocks of athletes by assigned ship or world of origin, though".
"Black Omega reported the Sebaceans were not told to make formation that way" Graffak replied "Their formation is grouped by event participation - though they did not know what order the events are formed up in".
The Nebari athletes kept their part in the parade simple - they marched proudly in front of all the spectators in the stadium, which was packed to capacity, and a few athletes even smiled a little or waved to spectators in the front rows on the lower stands.
"Do not be so uneasy about...that departure from... protocol" agent 47 suggested to his ambassador "It is... not required, certainly... but helpful to maintain interest... among the spectators of all species".
"Perhaps so" the ambassador replied "If it means more respect earned for our people and government, and more money for our businesses, than I'll accept it".
Our athletes feel proud and pleased to be here agent 47 decided in his own mind I can barely tell this far away, I am hardly skilled at range with these odd skills I now have... but our athletes are proud of themselves and proud of our people. After a brief swallow from his flask, he passed on his observations to the consulate Night Watch commander and Marshal Fen by secure comm.
"Looks like everyone's getting started down below nicely" Harrigan suggested to Captain Lazarus, who looked at both the main broadcast stream projected in the bridge as well as smaller holoprojections from other fixed cameras and video drones before nodding and adding "If Troll hadn't spent his childhood stealing cars, running drugs, and robbing banks he'd have likely made a good presenter or editor at CNN - as it is, the Air Force got him, and now we have him".
"Yeah, I can just see Troll doin' the ten o' clock news..." Harrigan laughed "Troll would more likely end up owning WWE, that's more his style of theatrics".
Lazarus snorted and said "Doesn't seem to be any disturbances in the stadium, at least - local security's logged a few down market street, none near or in the camp, just out and around the central part of the street. Near the public crawler main station and closer to the arrivals lounge mostly" to try and get the conversation back onto the job at hand.
"Same as usual so far, then" Harrigan replied "Think we need to drop a few of our guys down for street duty yet?"
"Not so far" Lazarus decided "Dunno if Captain Trannak's got anyone dirtside on covert ops yet, but it might be an idea to get some of our own doing that and not leave it up to that lot the proconsul called Black Omega. Never heard about them before".
When Trannak arrived, he nodded to both Captain Lazarus and Harrigan before telling Harrigan "The timing of the summons was good, as it happens - Maranno is sleeping again, while both my other children are with their friends watching the opening ceremony of these games in the galley".
"You doin' the whole public holiday thing like you did back there?" Harrigan asked, waving in the direction of the bridge window to indicate Scarras Prime.
"Not entirely..." Trannak laughed "Today, yes - there will be a more relaxed study regimen for the rest of the weeken, but studying must still be done by each child".
"Good" Lazarus decided "Too much free time an' all kinds of ideas get into their little heads. Get 'em studying, train 'em hard, and after that they're too tired to make trouble or get in people's way".
Trannak laid out printed copies of each child's study records, which Harrigan and Lazarus leaned over to check.
"Good" Lazarus decided, a slight smile coming across his face "My son's clever, he's doing well. Looks like he's got at least some of my intolerance for bulldren, but it looks like the report says Harek's trying to help smooth off Anton's rough edges".
"Harek's a good boy" Harrigan replied, smiling happily "He's a lot like Skroloth or me, he's clever enough but he's more of a people person. Street learning rather than book learning. For all that, it looks like Anton's helping him out there too" before grinning at Trannak and adding "Looks like Amara's a certifiable genius".
Trannak rumbled softly and proudly for several microts before nodding and saying "She is, yes - not just with her study, either. She pushes herself so much in trying to help the other children, to build friendships with all of them - some of that will be her empathic talent, but I think most of it is simply her normal personality".
"I look at Feltano..." Lazarus said "and it's like I see a small Juroch with orange skin. He's clever, but he don't move fast, he's all slow an' cautious - and he seems to be making a bigger impression with Troll's brood than either of our boys are".
"They all need each other" Trannak replied "and they don't feel upset or threatened by that. They are not annoyed or angered by those around them not being just like them. They are making friends with each other readily and the adults as well" before he asked "Do you have orders for me, Commander?"
"Orders?" Harrigan replied "Not just yet - could do with picking your brain a bit, though. Who's Black Omega? Proconsul says there's a few doing plain-clothes surveillance around the stadium".
"So the Emperor brought them as well...interesting..." Trannak replied, smiling just a little.
"They with the Ministry?" Harrigan asked, though Trannak shook his head and replied "No, sir - I don't know how far it goes or why, but what little I know about them suggest they and the Ministry don't get along well at all".
"A good start..." Lazarus added "...since we don't like the Ministry either. That's not all, is it?"
"If what I heard was true..." Trannak thought aloud "Black Omega is a special force of combat mentalists - I would think they fall under the command of special forces, but for all I know their only authority may be the Emperor himself".
"Get some people down there" Harrigan ordered "Find out who they sent, find out who's in charge - might even come for a bit of a meet 'n greet at one of the cultural events if they sent someone rational".
Trannak just nodded before taking the transit car to the galley. He walked in as quietly as he could while the children all watched the opening ceremony and the political speeches and the opening entertainment in the centre of the track - and grinned when Harek tried standing on his hands, managing it for less than a microt before tipping over again.
"It's Captain Trannak!" Harek called excitedly when he landed on the floor and looked up, promptly getting to his feet and running across the room before leaping up into Trannak's arms.
"You are a very big boy, Harek..." Trannak laughed "It will not be long before you knock me down doing that" before asking all the children "Did you like the opening ceremony? Did you like seeing all the different kinds of people? The loud music, the rockets exploding in all kinds of interesting patterns and colours?"
"Heeheehee!" Harek laughed, clapping "That was all a lot of fun! Speeches were boring, uncle Trannak, but uncle Rustuk says the Emperor hasn't been here before so that's why he gave a big speech and made a big fuss".
Trannak got all the children sitting down and facing him before explaining simply about how the Emperor chose to celebrate Founders' Day in a particular place.
"So..." Anton said, thinking aloud "... the governor helped the Emperor with things and that's why he came?"
"I think..." Sherenka suggested "... the Emperor wanted to go somewhere far away from the big palace. He wanted to go somewhere new. When papa send him stuff about the games, he think papa had a good idea and that's why he came".
"It might be, Sherenka" Trannak told Troll's eldest daughter "The Emperor is not the only power in the Hierarchy, but he is the most senior in authority - if he liked your papa's idea and liked that he might get away from the familiar then he might simply give orders saying that he would be going and that preparations should be made to get him here". That's far from the whole story Trannak knew but neither Sherenka nor the other children need to hear about the machinations of Scarran politics now.
"Amara..." Trannak told his adopted daughter, smiling "There is something special you can help me with if you want to...".
"What is that, papa?" Amara asked excitedly "What can I help you with? Is it a mission? Are we going to do new sneaky things?"
"It is something we can all do together as a family, I think" Trannak decided "Both a treat for us all and work as well. You uncle the big funny man wants people to go and see where some very special Scarran sneaky people are - and they are a bit like you, Amara. They are mentalists".
"They will not hurt us, papa?" Amara asked worriedly "They will not hurt you or mama or Feltano or Maranno or me or friends?"
"I doubt it, Amara" Trannak replied, stroking Amara's ridges and doing his best to calm and reassure her "If they are not nice, we will hide and be more sneaky than them and we will watch the games and they will not be able to find us".
"We do that, papa" Amara decided "If you say it is good, I come and help you. Will we bring friends, too?"
"Just three" Trannak replied "Your friends the whisper Scarran and Reanaree, plus my old friend Skroloth".
Amara ran over and whispered to her brother - who nodded before running over and leaping up to hug his father as well.
"We come, papa..." he said, nodding "We come. We find new sneaky people who are not ours. We look and we find and we know and we see, papa. We see".
"We will, Feltano" Trannak replied, smiling "We will find your mama and Maranno and we will make sure everyone is ready... and then, I think, we will go and see how well Commander Solk and his Kalish are doing on the hammond flight deck".
By the time Trannak and his family had assembled at the hammond flight deck transit platform, Liz and Hellbolt had quite a number of curious Kalish from Captain Haresh's ship standing around them and watching them put their sneaksuits on, take them off, and run through simple operations with them.
"Now you've seen us do that..." Hellbolt announced "I want people to try for themselves. Liz and I will watch - but not help unless you get really stuck".
"Special sneaky clothes, papa" Feltano whispered softly "They are special suits that make you disappear".
"They are" Trannak confirmed, nodding "These are not like the ones Hellbolt brought with him when he came, nor even what Liz wore when she went with us to collect Skroloth and Serila".
Trannak and his family all watched Hellbolt and Liz drill the Kalish in suit operations - and they all seemed very eager to try the new suits which none of them had seen before.
"These suits are coloured in the special camouflage pattern the Irregulars use" one of the Kalish told those around him "They are not coloured like our uniforms or camouflage fatigues".
"That's standard Scarran-pattern urban camo" Liz told them "That's why it's mostly grey instead of mostly green. It's designed to work best in cities and towns. Ships as well, I 'spose".
"It is good" Commander Solk decided as he watched "Our own camouflage is a multi-purpose pattern we use in all environments, but this specialised pattern looks to be effective enough for its intended environment".
Juroch, Reanaree, and Skroloth turned up a momen or two later - Reanaree watched her friends and comrades train with the new suits, trying herself for a while as well, before everyone turned as Shellek directed Solk and a few of the more adventurous Kalish toward where several of the medium-weight powered-armour suits were lined up.
"I know Commander Solk has been very interested in these..." Shellek called, to a little amused chuckling from the Kalish "...and it seems quite a few of the rest of you are as well! Learning how to power up and power down will not be so hard, at least not for you... moving will be hardest for you, since these suits are so much bigger than what you are used to".
Every Kalish watched closely as Shellek and Lirak helped Krynak get into a suit - so there was soon a small crowd chattering and pointing and asking questions.
"This suit is one we use for training" Shellek explained, activating a holoprojector "That is why you can see the suit's HUD on the holo-display now, and its technical diagnostic readouts" before asking Krynak to walk around a bit. The Kalish remarked at length on how they could feel its footsteps through the deck and what it looked like as it moved, pointing to things they found interesting - Shellek and Lirak explained about those things for them before Krynak brought the suit to a halt back where it started.
"This video is a training one used to show Hierarchy recruits how a suit's HUD responds in combat" Lirak told everyone "Note the various weapon temperature displays or ammunition counters - you should see four larger ones and two smaller ones. The smaller ones are for pistols or other specialist weapons designed to be held by powered armour. The larger ones are for the suit's built-in weapons".
All the Kalish started pointing to things they saw and talking quite rapidly and with much interest - Commander Solk grinned and said "The HUD layout looks to be as simply laid out as possible while fulfilling the pilot's operational needs. How would the display change if I needed to use surveillance equipment - I assume these suits can be fitted with it?"
"They can" Shellek replied "although longer-range active sensors require the removal of one of the body weapon stations - simply because they have to go somewhere, and because of weight as well. I doubt using such things in these suits is too different from using them in whatever craft you fly for scouting purposes already".
"You go in the suit now, Commander Solk?" Feltano asked, pointing to it "You go in? We watch, we see?"
"I will" Solk replied, nodding and grinning "and everyone here will watch and see".
Feltano rumbled softly, then watched while Krynak climbed out of the suit and it was adjusted to Solk's smaller body size. He giggled and clapped as Solk tested moving in the suit, while all the Kalish watched as well.
"The Commander is not moving fast" one of the Kalish said "Can the suit move faster than a slow walk in the hands of an experienced pilot?"
"They can" Krynak replied "You can run in one of these once you got used to it, do at least some rolls an' jumps an' that stuff - there's flight packs that go on the back as well, we'd need to train on Tal IV with those, there's not enough height here for basic training for that".
Amara giggled when she heard all the Kalish talk among themselves about what they had just heard.
"They like the idea that these suits can fly, at least a little bit" Amara told Trannak "We have never seen them do that, papa. Can we see when our new Kalish friends test them?"
"If we are not working, we can see in person" Trannak told his children "If we are working, we will watch the recorded archive video after our work is finished. For now, children, we have our own special sneaky work to do, don't we?"
"We do, papa" Amara replied, nodding "We do. We go and find new mental sneaky people. We find and we hear and we see and then we know".
"We find uncle Troll" Feltano added happily "We find him and watch him and hear him do stuff about the games".
"We'll take my Raider" Trannak told Juroch, Reanaree, and Skroloth "Better that our transport pass unnoticed, even though our gathering may cause comments among those less used to multi-species worlds" before turning to his children and telling them "There are a lot of visitors on Tal IV right now, children... and not all of them will be used to seeing special children like you. Do not be upset if they make remarks that aren't nice - if they seem nice and are simply curious or worried about you both, we will see if we can talk to them".
"We do that, papa" Amara promised "We do that".
"So far the various Sebacean-sized athletes have been doin' well in the sprint qualifiers..." Troll called over public broadcast "Best showing so far has been from the Dacon, with that carrier placing the most athletes in the next round of racing - the local embassy put a few of their boys an' girls in too, with three of them going on as well. The Judicator has done good if not great... but it looks to this ol' Troll that they sent their big heavies along to try and put the wind up the Scarrans, while the Dacon brought its runners an' acrobats".
"Our Scarran athletes have not done well in their qualifiers for short distance racing" Staleek told Graffak, in the governor's box "They are fit, they are strong - why do you think they are being outperformed by the Luxans?"
"Our Charrid and Kalish do well in these races" Graffak reminded Emperor Staleek "As for why our own people don't do as well as we'd like, I think it's simply our body type working against us. We'll do well enough in the middle to longer distance racing, I think - where our superior endurance will be seen".
The Emperor nodded and rumbled a little bit before leaning forward slightly to watch the start of the next qualifying race for the 100 metras distance.
"Our athletes do surprisingly well in these short distance sprints" one of the Enforcers from the Showlon told agent 47 "We have placed three of your Night Watch and five of our Enforcers in the next round of racing for the fifty, one hundred, and two hundred metras distances".
"We... are doing well" agent 47 replied, nodding "I am... curious... about the pole jumping event and the one for throwing the short pole. The ones for two separate... kinds of jumping... as well. I do... not think those are scheduled... until day three of these games".
"Correct" one of the other Night Watch close by told him "There will be other events here before then, however - mostly these qualifying events designed to make sure only the very best reach the races whose top three athletes are rewarded with medals".
"A number of us..." Marshal Fen reminded both the Enforcers and Night Watch "will be expected to appear at the banquet at the Scarran embassy tonight as well. While I will be there, the captain of the Showlon as well... there is enough extra seating allocated that we can bring three Enforcers and three Night Watch - each of whom will be expected to submit a report on their observations after the banquet has concluded and we return to the embassy".
"That strange commentator is essentially correct, I think" Vice-Chancellor Voss told Captain Kammel "but while these running events are interesting I think the better events are the others we have been told are opening for qualification tomorrow".
"Shot putt..." Captain Kammel said curiously "Throwing a large round weight as far as possible.
A half-circle spin is permitted, these rules say, before the throw. While the Luxans will do well at that, I think some of the athletes from my own carrier will do well also".
"The real problem's going to be the Scarrans for that one" Voss replied "They'll put their huge upper-body strength right into that with a will - for all I know they might have the strength to propel this 'shot' all the way to the boundary barriers".
"Another one for a heavy weight on a chain..." Kammel added "Hammer throw... though that is not the shape for any hammer I have ever seen".
"Probably made that way for the spectators" Voss decided "I've never heard of any of the ...stranger... events before. If that commentator and his friends brought these from their own world, then there will be at least some reason they can understand - even if we can't".
The two older children happily sat with the other adults in the cargo section on the Raider while Trannak flew down to Tal IV - to Caseya's amazement but also approval, Maranno slept the entire flight with a very slight smile on her face, only waking up when Trannak landed.
"Your first planet, Maranno..." Caseya told her youngest daughter, with a smile "Lots of new things and people for you to see and hear and especially smell".
"Lots, little sister" Amara added, climbing up Trannak's back so she could watch her sister "We are going to look and hear and smell and tell you about everything we find. We brought some big friends to help us find new things to tell you about and show you, too".
"We will stop at the Duleno shop later, if we have the time" Trannak told the two older children "For now... we will enjoy the time together at these games as a family, and we will see if we can find some of these people we were sent here to find" before telling the adults "Black Omega are supposed to be here out of uniform... if you see anyone you know is with them, signal to Caseya or I. Caseya will pass anything you tell her on to me. I don't know if Amara will be able to read your surface thoughts and tell if you have seen anyone... but tell her if you don't mind her doing that".
Amara rumbled and clapped before hugging Serila and Skroloth after they both gave her permission to read their surface thoughts. Maranno was, by now, wide awake - and was gurgling and cooing at all the strange things she could smell and hear and feel and see.
"If you see people in uniforms, children..." Juroch suggested "...tell us where they are, and who you think they might be. Tell us what species they are, and describe any patches or special insignia they wear".
"We do that, uncle whisper Scarran" Feltano promised, nodding "Amara will do that and I will do that. We tell you and papa".
The children were all overjoyed to see the huge variety and number of people - not all were there for the games, most were there to buy and sell and deal as at any other time of the cycle, but Amara and Feltano were happy to see them all.
"Luxans..." Amara called softly, pointing to them "Patch on jackets. I do not know what it is for".
Juroch looked and nodded before he said "That patch, children, is simply to let people know what ship they are from - in this case, the Luxan ship Ka'Hakk, their bigger ship in orbit. The Luxans are not wearing uniform".
The Luxans seemed to be creating a lot of interest among those passing by, which they seemed pleased to see.
"Black hair..." Feltano called, just nodding slightly in the direction he saw it "Red hair too... ".
"Interion, Feltano" Skroloth replied, following Feltano's nod with his eyes "Black hair means they're men, red hair means women. Can't tell for sure... but some of that lot are athletes and some are just here for the games or business".
"I have not seen Interion people before, smiley uncle..." Feltano replied, smiling up at Skroloth "All new...".
The nearest crawler stop was full of people of all kinds - Serila reported ident tags for several different cruise lines present among the Sebaceans, Interion, and other species. Once Amara had clapped and told Feltano about going to the cruise liner with Trannak to collect Harkino and Ellia some cycles ago, Feltano clapped - and asked if there were people they were going to rescue today as well.
"Not today, Feltano..." Caseya told her son, soothing him and stroking his ridges "There will be other things for us to do, my son... but your papa will tell us about that later".
It caused more than a little discontent when local Security saw Trannak in the queue and moved his family onto the next crawler - but the Security officer told the crowd "He's on duty for this run, everyone... he's contracted for special arrangements along with his friends. You prob'ly seen which friends if you were near a window in whatever ship you came here in".
Almost fifteen children then promptly started arguing about how many points they would score for seeing the Havoc from the windows of their cruise liner - Trannak nodded to Serila, who asked "You have a spotters' book for shipping? Let me see it and we will see if the ship we live on, or one close to it, is listed".
The children were more than slightly afraid of Serila, since she was an obvious low-caste Scarran - but one or two laughed when Feltano shifted to her and climbed up her back, and eventually one girl came forward and showed Serila her book.
"See..." Feltano called, reading over Serila's shoulder "...seen that one... that one..." as she turned the pages.
Serila chuckled when she found listings for ships of unknown origin, or the subjects of myth or legend, or simply unique in one way or another.
"Our home..." she explained, just a little smugly as she turned to the listing for Scarran dreadnaughts "... is far larger even than a standard dreadnaught - and those are large. Both, however, are made by Scarrans... and I think that is as much as I should tell you about it".
"Our cruise liner has a flight deck for shuttles" one of the children said "Does your home?"
"We have a very large flight deck" Serila replied, omitting the fact they had two "Plenty of room for small craft of several kinds. Bigger than the flight deck on a dreadnaught".
"How many ships like that are there?" one particularly bold boy asked, so Skroloth grinned and told him "As far as we know, young man... we have the only one. The first one, anyway".
That caused a lot of chattering as the crawler filled up, with one of the fathers eventually getting the liner attendant with their group to ask an officer for a score for the Havoc - the children clapped and called out loudly in delight when the call came back.
"We get a hundred points!" one girl shrieked to Caseya "We are some of the few who got to see your ship from our liner's view portals! Everyone who's playing this game and saw your ship with their own eyes and not on a screen gets a hundred points!"
The noise got Maranno turning her head to look - she smiled when she saw a new face, cooing and rumbling slightly before reaching up to the girl's face.
"My daughter will not hurt you" Caseya assured the girl "She simply wants to touch your face and find out what your skin is like, since she has not seen you before. Ask your mother or father if you want to come closer".
Maranno's head turned to face a woman who came up beside the girl, after which she sniffed, then clapped and reached up to her as well - she cooed hopefully when they didn't lean down to look at her right away, but the smile came back when they did and she rumbled when she tested each of them and the girl let her hold her hand for a microt or two.
"The rumbling means she is happy" Amara explained for them, nodding "My brother and I do that too" before demonstrating for them.
Feltano watched and listened as Amara talked to the children about her rumbling and other things, telling Juroch "They know the rumbling comes from Scarrans, uncle whisper Scarran...but they are confused because neither Amara nor I look completely Scarran. Their papas or mamas don't know why, either".
"Let them find out for themselves, Feltano" Juroch suggested, resting one hand on his shoulder in caution "They will feel better if they find out for themselves. Besides that, we should not tell new people everything about ourselves".
"That is right, uncle..." Feltano replied, nodding "You told me that before. You said it is not sneaky and not always safe".
"I did" Juroch said "We should be polite, yes... but apart from that we should...?" before prompting Feltano for the rest.
"Watch and hear and smell" Feltano replied promptly and softly "Then we know and we tell papa and big funny man".
"Watch and hear and smell" Juroch confirmed "The more we know, the more we can tell officers like your papa or the commander".
"Perhaps the Security officer and his family should lead the way?" one of the cruise liner attendants suggested "With the crowds here today... we should stay close to him, maybe then we'll reach the head of the queue sooner".
While they didn't reach the head of the queue too much sooner, their group was admitted together and fairly quickly.
"Smells..." Amara said as she turned her head and sniffed "People and things...and food! I smell meat and shokran rings and grolak and several kinds of bread! I smell something else... but I do not know what that is".
Juroch sniffed, and eventually decided "Fellip. A drink for adults, Amara - and not all adults drink it often, or indeed at all".
"Look around, Amara..." Caseya told her oldest child "See if you can read surface thoughts. See if you can find any of these Black Omega your papa wants us to find. If you find people doing bad things, tell us - and we will tell Security".
"I do that, mama" Amara decided "We go first with auntie Serila, mama - Feltano can stay with papa and uncle smiley Skroloth and uncle Juroch".
Trannak explained this for Feltano and the others - while Feltano was a little upset he couldn't go first, he nodded agreement anyway and added "Amara looks in heads, papa. We look at everything else".
"For now, yes" Trannak told his son "Later, I'm sure, Amara will help us as well".
"Hanging things, papa" Feltano called "Look, there are lots! What are they?"
"Banners, Feltano" Trannak told him "Some have emblems from certain kinds of people, or from ships, on them - others are telling people about things they can do, things they can see, or things they can buy here on Tal IV. Some of the other signs tell people where important things are in this stadium".
"Luxans, papa" he called a few momens later, pointing to them.
"How many, Feltano? Count them and tell us..." Trannak replied with a smile.
"I see twelve, papa" Feltano replied, getting a soft rumble from Juroch "Small groups, papa. Groups of four. One staying by where people are, two moving".
"Another entry door, Feltano" Trannak explained, within earshot of at least one Luxan - who turned to face them "The Luxans are there to make sure people have tickets, and to make sure they don't do bad things".
"A Scarran..." the Luxan replied, walking over but staying within sight of his comrades "I have not seen a high-caste Scarran before. You all look so different it is difficult to tell what caste you are sometimes".
"It can be" Trannak replied "With me it is easy. With my friends it is easy. My wife is not Scarran".
The Luxan thought about that for a few microts then shrugged and asked "These are your narls? All three?"
"All three" Trannak confirmed "Amara is the oldest, Feltano there is the middle child... and the girl in my wife's arms is our youngest child, Maranno".
All three children were pleased when the Luxan looked at them in detail, more so when he sniffed.
"You do good smells like us, new Luxan" Feltano said "I see you and hear you and smell you and now I know you. We do not have a big smell because we are special sneaky people" and rumbling as the Luxan tested his ridges.
"Interesting..." he said as Feltano reached up and tested his own ridges "I think they are hybrids, I do. In Sebacean space, we rarely see hybrids. Not common to see them on Luxan worlds either".
"We know that word" Amara added "It is a special word about us and we like it. It means we are a bit like mama and a bit like papa".
"Luxan on comm, papa" Feltano said as they moved on "He tell people about us?"
"He might be" Trannak agreed "He will probably tell his commander on his ship, Feltano. If he tells local Security, he will find out that they know us and we are nice people".
The adults made a game of identifying people's species purely by smell for the children, which they enjoyed and the other people found amusing - even though most of them didn't come close, especially when Feltano rumbled quite loudly and whispered "Nebari, papa. I smell them. I think there are six, papa. At least one lady Nebari, papa".
"Well done, Feltano" Juroch told him "I smell them too. I think there are three more close by on a higher level as well".
"A test for you, Feltano" Trannak whispered to his son, smiling "Look in windows, in other reflective surfaces like mirrors - see if you can tell what clothes these Nebari wear".
By now this behaviour had drawn quite a crowd, all of them watching Trannak and Feltano. Well aware he was being watched, Feltano smiled and looked around, then nodded before telling Trannak "Six behind us in black, papa. Night Watch, papa. I saw the three uncle whisper Scarran saw too, papa. They wear grey, papa. Enforcers, papa".
"Your narl there's very good..." a wandering Peacekeeper said "Even I didn't spot the three Enforcers without a really good look - and I thought those six now looking at us quite closely were Establishment diplomatic services".
"I know how to tell the difference" Trannak replied carefully "and as a father should do, I pass on my skills to my children. My son learns very quickly".
Once the man had left, Skroloth hissed "We might want to make sure that man's never seen again, Trannak... he wears a military dress uniform but he's clearly uncomfortable in it or not used to it, which - as that human Troll says - rings all kinds of warning bells".
Trannak's treblin hand dropped to where Juroch could see, went through two quick signals, after which he turned to face the very surprised Night Watch and greeted them in their own language.
"Greetings to you also" one of the men replied "We are patrolling our assigned sector for security purposes. Might I ask if you are a tourist here to see the games, if you are a competitor from your government, or if you are Scarran security staff who may have got... lost?".
"I am an officer with the Irregulars" Trannak replied "We coordinate security between all involved parties for these events - among other things. All is going well in your assigned sector, I hope?"
The female approached, checked Trannak's insignia, then nodded back to her male colleague - after which he said "Many of those here have never even seen one of our people, it seems - a few people have even asked to take images of one or more of us with them or their children. Is this normally accepted behaviour? Back home, we might get one or two requests occasionally should we be conducting the business of our Establishment in uniform and the one making the request has connections to us or perhaps may hope a child might gain admittance to our service. Here... to be honest, these people are not our people and I do not know what they might do, what is normal, or how I should respond".
Trannak smiled and made a couple of suggestions in their own language, which made the temporary audience tap their ears (since their translator microbes weren't set to handle Nebari speech) and the Nebari smile before they turned around and went back the way they came.
"I cannot find mentalists yet, mama and papa" Amara said when Caseya looked at her "None of those Nebari were mentalists, I could tell by their minds and the lack of those bulges on their heads. I have not even found someone coming to watch the games who is a mentalist".
"The Scarran patrol sector is a little way ahead, Amara" Trannak replied "I got you to look now in case one or more were either wandering around or finding refreshment".
"None here, papa" Amara repeated "Not yet".
After a momen or so, Juroch returned and whispered in Trannak's ear - Trannak nodded, after which Feltano walked over to Juroch and reached up to hold his treblin hand. Juroch rumbled softly and thanked him in Kalish, after which Feltano just rumbled softly.
"We go and see more things and people now, uncle whisper Scarran" Feltano said, nodding "Mama and papa in middle, smiley uncle and auntie Serila on point with big sister, and I stay with you here".
"Reanaree is here to help us, Feltano" Juroch reminded him "See?"
Feltano looked up in the indicated direction, sniffed, then rumbled before saying "That is Reanaree, uncle Juroch. I see and I sniff and I hear her talk to you and then I know" and reaching up with his treblin hand to Reanaree, who took his smaller hand in her own before smiling as she heard Feltano's happy soft rumbling.
"Interesting..." a Scarran whose skin was almost black murmured.
"Yes?" a taller man beside her prompted.
"A little open chatter on the Security net, sir" she replied "Luxans reporting a man of our people and his family making their way around the stadium - towards us, I think. We caught faint chatter from the Nebari mentioning them as well, sir - but their encryption's good enough that that's a guess rather than a certainty as we got maybe one word in three".
"Interesting indeed" the man replied, nodding "Did the chatter mention anything about the man? Did he wear a uniform of one kind or another? What is his family like? How many children does he have with him?"
"No detail, sir" the woman replied "Anyway, with their current rate of progress they will find us before long and we can see for ourselves".
The man just nodded and smiled before looking around as the pair of them headed toward a nearby convenience food stand.
"We have seen a lot of different kinds of people so far, have we not?" Caseya asked her children, smiling "So many people from so many places! Which are your favourites?"
"I like all new people, mama!" Amara replied excitedly "Not many talked to us, but they all look at us and smile, mama!"
"All nice" Feltano agreed, nodding "I like the Interion best so far, I think. I want to see if there are some of the people with lots of hair the archive says are called Vorcarians. The archive says they do special smelling even better than us".
"They do" Juroch confirmed "The archive is correct in that. Their daylight vision is not so good, though - so they may not see us clearly until we are close. They will probably smell Reanaree before they see the rest of us".
Feltano and Amara rumbled softly when Juroch told them this.
A few momens later, Amara stopped and sniffed - then held a hand up to stop the group before she said "Scarrans, mama and papa. A long way off. I think there are two or three, mama and papa. Not lots" before she turned to her brother and asked "Can you smell them too, little brother?"
Feltano took a half-momen to test what he could smell before his treblin hand came up and he pointed, after which he nodded and said "Scarrans, uncle whisper Scarran. Two or three. Over there".
"I think you and your sister are right" Juroch decided "I cannot tell if there are male or female Scarrans there. It is quite far away and there are a number of strong smells between us and them".
"I think that is food, uncle whisper Scarran" Feltano decided "Scarrans get hungry sooner than most people. I think new Scarrans out there are hungry and thirsty".
"Should we go and see, Feltano?" Trannak asked with a smile, and Feltano smiled back and rumbled before saying "We go and see, papa. Big sister takes point with uncle smiley Scarran. The rest of us stay with you, papa".
"I think I see a Scarran man coming our way" the taller man whispered softly to his female comrade "High-caste, from what I can tell. I can't see any sign of a woman - but if that's the same one security was talking about we'll find out shortly anyway".
"I can only barely see him" the woman replied "There's too many people moving around for me to be able to see him with any detail this far out".
When Trannak stopped and started scanning the landscape, the man smiled and waited...
Amara's hammond hand came up fast, signalling ~Contact!~, while her treblin hand tapped her temple three times.
"That is Amara's special signal to let us know she has found mentalists" Trannak told the rest of the group very quietly "For her to find them in among all these people is amazing in itself... but since we have smelled and seen Scarrans, I suggest we all stay close together. The probability that the Scarrans and the mentalists are one and the same is too strong to discount".
"That means you stay close to papa or uncle whisper Scarran" Amara told Serila and Skroloth seriously, nodding "If you stay within a few metras, mentalists will not be able to find you or try to look in your head. I will go first and see if I can find them before they find me".
The child Amara is not afraid to take responsibility for hard tasks herself Serila decided with approval She is the only one with mentalism, and knows we all depend on her to make contact and tell us where these mentalists may be. Serila wondered if the mentalists would be Black Omega or from some other service branch, but decided to stay close to Amara anyway. Amara smiled and looked up at her before rumbling - for maybe three microts, after which the rumble turned to a growl and Serila was surprised to see small target markers appear in her vision while Amara called "I found them, mama and papa! They are here! They are getting food and drink, I think".
"They will be happier when they eat" Caseya told her daughter "While they get their food, Amara, we can be sneaky and move closer".
"Move closer" Amara agreed "We be sneaky. We go closer and see".
"We see" Feltano chimed in "We see" before climbing up onto Juroch's shoulders.
"I think they are coming this way" the man decided "I don't know if they are trying to find us specifically or they want food just as we do. Be polite but wary" before undoing his long coat to both pay for their food and make sure his pistol was close to hand.
"I see two Scarrans" the woman said "One of each caste. The skin of the low-caste one appears to be green, for some reason - either the lighting is bad here or he has had cosmetic adjustment performed on him. I think there are Kalish there as well... but something's blocking my hypersense".
The man smiled slightly and rumbled before he heard a loud and happy ~Heeheehee! ((laughter))~ come clearly across his mind, followed by an equally excitable ~We found you! We found you and the lady Scarran! We know you are mentalists!~
He smiled more widely and rumbled a little more before telling the woman ~We have been found. Either the man or one of those with him is a mentalist, because someone made contact with me in my mind - and it was surprisingly difficult to tell anything about that person or to trace their location~.
~I did not detect them ((mild unease))~ the woman replied, after which Amara called ~I heard you too! ((smug satisfaction))~ to the woman, followed by ~We coming to see you~ to both of them.
"I think you were showing off a bit, Amara..." Caseya told Amara, grinning - Amara just shrieked and laughed before clapping and jumping up and down "I think you tried as hard as you could to make sure those Scarrans could not find us from your thoughts. Did Sorfil teach you about that?"
"He did, mama" Amara confirmed, nodding but not taking her eyes from where she could now see the two Scarrans up ahead "He said I could learn to make it hard for people to find me from my thoughts and I might be able to encrypt my thoughts so only the people I mindtalk to can understand them. He was a little sad he could not teach me that, but I gave him hugs and climbed on him and made him happy again".
"You are very good at that" Caseya assured her, hugging her and stroking her ridges "Even before we found out you were a mentalist, you were good at making people happy. Now we can see these new Scarrans, Amara, I think your uncle with green skin should go first - Feltano, climb off your uncle so he can lead the way".
"I want to stay, mama" Feltano replied, grumbling "I want to go in front and see. I want to go in front and see first with uncle whisper Scarran".
Trannak laid one finger over Feltano's mouth to quieten him down, after which he asked Juroch "Will he be safe if you are on point, Juroch? Will you be able to use your weapons or your unarmed combat skills? Should I keep my son with me?"
"If we all move together..." Juroch decided after a half-momen or so "...it will not matter. Then we can support each other. I do not have a rifle with me today, of course - but at this range that will not matter should they be hostile".
"A mixed species group..." the woman said with surprise as Trannak and his family approached "That is a surprise. Not many species relate well to ours".
"Be calm" the man told her "Watch and listen to them, talk to them if you like - but this is not one of our worlds. We must present a good impression and be more careful with our speech and actions than we might be back home".
"Be calm" Trannak told his two older children "These Scarrans may be new to you, but they are not part of our unit and they may not be as willing to accept eager, excitable children jumping on them and asking question after question".
"We watch and we hear and we smell and then we know, papa" Feltano replied, still on Juroch's shoulder "I will climb down now, and stay with you. Then new Scarrans know we are yours".
Trannak rumbled more loudly with pride before nodding and taking hold of Feltano's hand, while Caseya stood beside him holding Amara's hand.
"We will be good, mama" Amara said, looking up at Caseya "We are close to papa. New Scarrans cannot see in our heads then, mama".
"That is right, Amara" Caseya replied, knowing that but relieved and pleased that Amara knew as well "We are close to your papa, and our friends are close to your uncle Juroch".
"New Scarrans have skin that's all black!' Feltano called in astonishment "I look, I see!" - though he also signalled back with his hands, giving deployment orders.
"Your child knows handsign" the woman stated, nodding "You have taught them basic military skills? How old are these two I see?"
"Both children you see know handsign" Trannak confirmed "My children do not mean to be rude when they remarked on your skin - they are both surprised and pleased to see a Scarran that does not look like the ones they know".
"Man has lots of hair on face, papa" Feltano said, pointing "I have not seen a Scarran with lots of hair on his face before. What is it for, papa?"
Trannak rumbled with amusement before nodding for the man to answer - the man nodded back and bent down to look more closely at Feltano before telling him "I don't think it is for anything, young boy... I have this facial hair simply because I like the way it looks. It is called a beard when a man has this much facial hair growing in this way. You have not seen this before?"
Feltano shook his head before looking as closely as he dared - Amara came closer to see as well, and the two of them chattered very softly in Kalish about what they could see about the man's beard and his appearance generally.
"The Kalish beside you does not need to be afraid of us" the female Scarran said "She seems either wary or frightened of us".
"Simply wary" Caseya said after a few microts "My friends here are Scarran but not all my dealings with your people have been good".
"These children are hybrid" the man said "Are they yours? I have not seen hybrid children before and these ones are interesting".
"These children are ours" Caseya clarified, resting her hammond hand on Trannak's shoulder - but was prevented, and thankfully so to her, elaborating when Amara looked up at them and said "You are mentalists. You are and the lady is. What can you do? Can you mindtalk?"
"I think..." the man said with a wider smile "...I think the mindtalk I heard earlier came from you. Am I right? Did you mindtalk to me?"
Amara looked up for approval to speak, and also to make sure her adult friends were close - Juroch smiled and nodded before telling her "We are here", after which Amara said "It was me. I am good at it" before her curiosity got the better of her and she reached up to test the man's beard.
Caseya was both fearful and surprised that Amara would do that with a Scarran she didn't know, but she also saw Feltano give hand signals asking Skroloth and Serila to draw their guns as well - since Trannak knew the two dark-skinned Scarrans saw those signals, he called "Belay that, everyone - stay close and stay careful, but leave the weapons where they are".
Amara talked to Feltano about the man's beard, which relaxed everyone enough for him to introduce both himself and the woman.
"I am Marshal Vallo bin Hafak" he announced quietly enough so only they could hear "and this is one of my troopers, Kiya fin Tommon. She is well-trained but comparatively inexperienced outside worlds controlled by Scarrans. As your child has guessed, we are both mentalists".
"Why are you here?" Kiya asked bluntly "Are you tourists? Have you come from our worlds?"
"We are not tourists" Trannak replied "At least not the way you mean. I work for the mercenary unit contracted here for security purposes, as does my wife and our friends here" before rumbling softly and proudly in Caseya's direction, which woke Maranno - who soon smelled the two new Scarrans and started burbling and calling out.
While the two of them looked at Maranno, Trannak asked "You are both with Black Omega? I heard that group has deployed some of its members here to assisst with security for these games".
"We are" the Marshal replied, but smiling just a little "and a number of our members are in this stadium as you suspect" before adding just a little proudly and smugly "I am the head of Black Omega at this current time, as well as the head of my subsector in it".
The Marshal watched curiously as Feltano stared at him and listened to him and sniffed - when Feltano realised he was being watched, he said "I look and I hear and I smell and now I know", after which his own curiosity got him asking about both the Marshal's beard and why his skin was so dark.
"Environmental adaption" he said once Kiya dispersed the temporary audience at least a little way "Our world of origin is heavily industrialised even by Scarran standards. Every Scarran resident has skin like ours to one degree or another. The Kalish and Charrid there have adapted in their own ways as well".
"Perhaps you are hungry as well?" Kiya suggested "This discussion would proceed much more swiftly if you bought food - then we can find trackside seating and not block the queue to the food stand. Only our species prevents people arguing - and even then I suspect Security has been called to investigate".
Skroloth grinned and ordered a number of things for everyone.
"Good" the Marshal replied "You have food" before his face crinkled and he rumbled briefly and said "For some reason my head throbs and I cannot mindtalk - do any of you know why?"
"We know..." Feltano replied, nodding "We know. That is us. That is my papa and my uncle and me. I will not tell you why. That's classified".
Marshal Hafak looked down in interest but also surprise when Feltano said that, which brought his face close enough for Feltano to see in more detail and to add "You got special stuff, new man. You got special stuff. We know about special stuff. Papa say I not speak about that. Papa say it is classified".
"It is" the Marshal confirmed, nodding "You and your papa are right about that. We should not say any more about it, should we?"
Feltano shook his head before asking "Where we sit, papa? Where we sit? We sit with new mentalist people, papa?"
"I think we should" Trannak decided "We will all sit together, watch the sports, and eat and drink. We will be happier then, yes?"
"We will, papa" Amara added "Uncle smiley Scarran got nice drink for little brother and mama and I with fruit in, papa. He got stinky drink for him and you and uncle whisper Scarran and auntie Reanaree. He got food for us, too".
Eventually they found an entry door to the main seating of the stadium - and passed through the Scarran-controlled sector of the stadium in doing so.
"Army..." Feltano whispered softly, nodding slightly "Lots. See two squads there. See one more there. See officer and helpers there", pointing to several different locations as he talked.
"Short platoon" Kiya replied "Either their unit is organised with three squads to a platoon or the remaining squad is elsewhere".
"They's off gettin' stuff..." one of the female soldiers drawled, a little insolently "...whoever you are. Our regiment has four to a platoon" before their Specialist Trooper hissed "Officer on deck!" when they saw the Marshal.
"As you were..." the Marshal replied immediately "Anything to report?"
When the Specialist Trooper looked at Trannak cautiously, Juroch rumbled and said "That is my Captain. I am his Command Specialist. More than that, no one needs to know".
"One of them..." the man said with surprising tact "I know special ops, an' so should this bunch of brain-deficient treznots ... say the word, Captain, an' I'll revoke their leave priviledges for the rest of the weeken an' put 'em on punishment training".
"No need for that" Trannak replied, which made at least one trooper sigh with relief "Perhaps one session of extended training at hard regime... which will be good for them anyway, especially if any aspire to join special forces. But they can do that after the holiday weeken".
Both Kiya and the Marshal wondered about Trannak's manner and choices for a few momens as they found seats close to the front of the ground-level sector, but neither of them said anything.
