Aliens Vs. Humans (Aliens Series Book 4) (9 page)

“Of course not.”

The black globe with the gravitationally distorted star images disappeared. The red Arbitor ship now appeared, reflecting distant star light as normal.

“Now!”

Green laser beams shot inward from three angles.

They impacted the starry black globe. Nothing happened. The shield globe had appeared before the lasers fired.

“Shit!” he said.

The holo of Maureen turned to him. “I prefer fuck! It is more human-expressive.”

“It seems you have trouble accepting reality,” MakMakGor said in a growl that sounded impatient.

Jack showed his teeth. “We humans are stubborn. And persistent. And deadly. They are characteristics that helped us conquer every eco-niche on our planet.”

The dino shook its massive head. “All Hunter species share such cultural patterns. Otherwise they would not be hungry for new space, would not have created spaceships and would not have traveled to their most distant planet. Nor would they send colonies off to distant stars. Stage Three exists whether you like it or not.”

Jack grinned. “I pose a challenge to you. Turn your shield on and off at random times. Let us fire our lasers at you. If you are hit, then your shield is not perfect.”

The T-rex snorted briefly. “Your resistance is boring. But your challenge is accepted. Observe.”

On screen, in the spysat image, the black globe that glittered with gravitationally distorted star images blinked on, off, on and off.

Jack waved back at Denise, who knew to shut off his audio. “Captains! Fire your lasers at full strength but at varying wavelengths and duration times. Maybe a few pulses will make it through before the shield blocks them.”

Six green rapiers struck inward from the six ships.

On screen, the image of the Arbitor ship appeared, disappeared, appeared . . . showed a brief darkening of its hull, and disappeared.

“Interesting,” MakMakGor said in the neutrino comlink image. “For the first time in seven hundred cycles, hostile energy beams have touched our hull.” The dino looked up from his control pedestal. Red-scaled eyelids spread wide as the creature’s red eyes showed . . . surprise? “Your wavelength variation is a tactic we have not encountered in prior Violation events.”

Jack felt intense disappointment. It was clear that whatever sensor the Arbitor ship relied on for detecting the imminent discharge of a lightspeed weapon, it worked faster, almost, than any ship could fire. Even using computerized Auto-Track and Defend mode.

“Enough,” he called out to his ship allies.

The green streaks stopped.

The Arbitor stepped back a few paces so his full image, standing seven meters tall from black-clawed dino feet up to the red-scaled crest that ran between its eyes. The red and yellow-scaled tail slithered over the metal floor of the room in which the Alien stood. A long red tongue licked against its white shark teeth.

“Do you accept my judgment?” grunted the Arbitor.

Jack looked to Maureen’s holo. The woman looked furious. Inflamed actually. Her fingers were curled like claws ready to rip out the eyes of their dino opponent. “Combat Commander, we can’t harm that ship with any weapon we
now
have.” He looked at the motion-eye. “Arbitor MakMakGor, on behalf of humanity, I accept your judgment. No Human ship will contact a juvenile species before we receive a signal from your Sentry probe.”

The T-rex opened its toothy mouth. “You lied just moments earlier. Why should I believe you now?”

“It is in the nature of any predator to lie for advantage,” Jack said calmly. “Any predator will attack when it senses weakness on the part of prey. Or a competing predator. You are not weak. So I accept your judgment.”

The Arbitor nodded slowly. “Stage Three is therefore complete. Be warned. If you violate again this Rule of Engagement, this ship will travel to your Sol system, emplace an Isolation Globe next to your star, and Isolate all Humans for eternity.”

Jack felt intense frustration. As surely everyone else did. But this outcome was what he had expected. They had learned a few things. And Max and Archibald had seen the activation of the shield multiple times. Hopefully that was enough to let them figure out what it was. Which might give them a chance to defeat it. There was one last option.

“Any attempt to Isolate Sol system will be considered an attack on humanity,” Jack said bluntly. “The five non-human ships that are part of our fleet belong to our Freedom Alliance. As do two other species that we liberated from Hunter dominance.” He paused, wishing his mouth was not so dry his tongue felt like a rag. Time to finish. “An attack on one species is an attack on all members of the Alliance! Do you Arbitors really wish to motivate attacks on you by seven species in addition to our human fleet?”

The third dino in the background tossed a black ball to the T-rex. Without looking back it reached out, caught the ball with talon fingers, and inserted it into its control pedestal. MakMakGor looked down at the pedestal, then up. “Those seven species are all new to the Great Dark. As are you Humans. None of you know the true extent of the domains included within the Hunter system. Nor will any species ever know the location of our Hunt territory and Hunt star. We fear nothing that exists in your universe.”

Maybe so. For the moment. “As I said, no Human ship will contact a juvenile species until your Sentry probe alerts all Hunters. However, we will attack other subject people systems as we see fit. And we will attack the cometary outposts of other Hunters in any system that we find them in. If our battles draw the attention of a local juvenile species, do you agree we are not violating the Rules of Engagement?”

The Arbitor dino looked down at the new databall, glanced back at its two fellow Arbitors, then faced him. “Alpha Human Jack Munroe, no Arbitor ship will interfere with your conquest of other subject peoples. Such combat is normal among Hunters. Nor will any Arbitor ship intervene in any fight among Hunters waiting in a cometary system for the local juvenile species to reach its outermost planet. Such fights happened in your Sol system before your
Uhuru
ship was challenged by the Rizen.”

Well, that was something. Jack wondered if zapping a Hunter comet outpost with a thermonuke torp set for a 50 megatons blast would suffice to draw the attention of the local juvenile species. It was something they might explore in the future.

“Thank you for your guidance on the ways of Hunter combat,” he said. “As you said, we are new to the Great Dark. You have educated us on the nature of its Rules. We will comply with your judgment.”

The dino scanned Jack’s crew, focused on the holo of an angry Maureen, then nodded slowly. “Perhaps you understand reality. We depart.”

“Wait!” he yelled, hoping the neutrino link would stay intact. “How do I contact you in the future? If we humans need further guidance on proper conduct in the Great Dark.”

MakMakGor snorted long and loud. “You Humans are indeed a bothersome predator. Though small and lacking in proper skin colors, you know how to be an irritant. You may contact this ship by neutrino signaling at the wavelength equal to helium’s mass cubed. Do not be a continuing irritant.”

The dino image vanished.

On the front screen, the spysat image of the Arbitor ship showed nearby starfield images warping as it entered the Alcubierre space-time manifold. It became a starry teardrop that shot away so fast it vanished in the blink of an eye. Jack turned away from the true-light image of satin black space at the outer edge of the Tau Ceti system and sat in his Tech station seat. He pulled the Tech panel over from his left armrest, nodded to the holo of an impatient-looking Maureen, and looked up at the images of his allied captains that ran across the top of the front screen.

“My allies, confirm that your AV Come-Back signal to me is encrypted in the Beta Blue Violet encryption.”

“Confirmed, Fleet Captain Jack,” said Hideyoshi.

“Pack Leader Jack,” called Benaxis, “we confirm this encryption mode.”

Every Belter captain and the other four Freedom Alliance captains confirmed their AV encryption.

“Thank you all.” He smiled. “You are all probably wondering what I intend. Well, defiance of course.”

“Yes!” yelled Maureen from the holo.

“Good to hear,” Gareth said, his look thoughtful.

“Your
boina
guides you!” Ignacio said sharply.

He held up a hand to forestall further reactions. “Please. I am not perfect. And we will obey this no-contact with juvenile species Rule of the Great Dark. For awhile. As our master fighter Sun Tzu said long ago, we shall ‘pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance’.” He smiled and gave a shrug. “Sun Tzu also said ‘All warfare is based on deception’. So, we will seek out data on this Arbitor, find its weak spot and then make it come to us. For its final death.”

“Yes!” cried Maureen from the holo above Jack’s lap. “I want some dino steak!”

Most of the human captains laughed while the Alien captains showed body language reactions that Jack was still learning to read. “First, every human ship will join me in a jump to Zeta Serpentis system. Clearly there is more our Nasen Trade associates know about these Arbitors, the Rules, this Sentry probe thing and the history of the Hunters system.” He looked over to Elaine, whose amber eyes looked hopeful. “Pilot, compute our vector for the trip to the Nasen home star.” He looked further back, catching the attention of Max, Blodwen and Archibald. “Friends, you may recall I told the Arbitor we could not harm it with any weapon we now have.
Now
. I need a new weapon. Something that will penetrate that shield, whatever it is. Or something that makes the shield fail to happen.” He faced back to the front. “My Freedom Alliance allies, return to your home systems. Look for a neutrino signal from me that is encrypted in Beta Blue Violet mode. If we need your help, we humans will call you!”

“Understood,” Defender Tok barked. “May your teeth chew the flesh of this Arbitor!”

“We agree,” Thoughtful/Progenitor said. “But our herd remains ready to trample that ship into fragments.”

“May your trap catch this reptile by its tail,” yelped Bulaken of the North.

“May its food be poisoned,” chittered Mother Prime.

The Melagun hippo was last. “Our three ships will always stand at the side of you Humans. Your action to alert us to this Hunter threat is not forgotten. Every Guide will teach our people the wisdom of the Humans from Sol system.”

Jack felt relief. Then tiredness. Being on stage before fifteen other captains, in addition to his crewmates and the Arbitor, was exhausting. But as his Grandpa Ephraim had shared with him, a leader does not choose the time when he will lead. The time chooses him. As it had from the moment the call had come in from the first Melagun he had spoken with.

“Guide Benaxis, you comfort me. My crewmates, my ship and every other human ship will remember your words. And your hospitality at the Refuge. Leave now but be assured you will know the end of this tale.” On screen the three Melagun and four Alliance ships went to blip jump or to Alcubierre space-time bubbles. He scanned the face of every human captain. “This is not ended. Captains Vigdis and Helena are on their way to check out the two Hunter systems that may be the home of these Arbitors. In the meantime, we travel to speak with the Nasens. After that, perhaps Max will find a way to increase our Alcubierre speed. He’s told me the four light years per day limit frustrates him. And one thing I’ve learned from years spent with Max, he always overcomes any frustration!”

Laughs and chuckles sounded from the eight other captains. Behind him his crewmates also made sounds of amusement.

Hideyoshi leaned forward in his seat on the Command Bridge of the
Bismarck
. “Fleet Captain Jack, do we hold a planning conference before we leave for Zeta Serpentis?”

“No. We do that later. After we arrive. While we are still on the outskirts of the system.” He looked over to Elaine. “Have you transmitted the vector to the other ships?”

“Yes,” Elaine said softly, looking down at her NavTrack panel. “Receipt confirmed. Max?”

Jack looked back and gave a thumbs-up to his Drive Engineer. “Send the Alcubierre activation signal over our laser time-lock!”

“Sending!”

In front of Jack the screen’s image of soot-black space speckled by millions of unblinking stars shimmered, grew hazy, then vanished as the space-time bubble of Alcubierre stardrive wrapped them in its embrace.

To the stars they went.

CHAPTER SIX

On the seventh day of their FTL trip to the home star of the Nasen predators, Archibald called Jack and everyone else to join him for lunch in the Garden habitat of
Uhuru
. The lush green grass, perennial shrubs and white-barked aspen trees created a feeling of forest and meadow that Jack had always loved. A blue pond occupied one part of the meadow. The pond, meadow and forest were a big deal. Creating a Garden habitat in a ship just 200 meters long and 50 meters wide was not easy. The compartment lay past the Lander Hold and before the Mech Shop that was Max’s idea of
nirvana
or Heaven. Beyond the Mech Shop lay the third of the ship devoted to three fusion reactors, supercold deuterium and helium-3 fuel tanks, and the fusion cylinder that opened into a funnel for the fusion pulse gases that shot out in one direction, thanks to the magfield coils that ran from the cylinder to the funnel. While Maureen often walked through the Drive section in order to get to the rotating globe that was her Battle Module work station, no one else went past the Garden and Mech habitats. Holding the warm hand of Nikola, who had joined him as he walked past the Rest Area group of roomsuites, they sat in a spot between the pond and forest that Archibald had marked out with a red and white-checkered cloth.