Solbidyum Wars Saga Book 1: Battle of the New Orleans (26 page)

“Good to see you again also, Lunnie
, you never change.” Kerabac replied.

“Nice to see
you again Kerabac.” Reidecor said and they exchanged a head nod.

“It’s always a pleasure to see you also
,” Kerabac answered, “after all you saved my life.”

“I
have not heard that story, would you mind sharing it?” I asked.

Kerabac
began, “I was on a mission to Hugulsa after the uprising there when the patrol ship I was in got hit and we had to make a crash landing. I was injured and could not get away from the ship and we were surrounded by rebel fighters. Everyone on my ship was dead and I thought I was going to be shortly when suddenly, then Sgt., Reidecor came barging out of the jungle and ran to my crashed patrol ship. He jumped in through the open hatch with shots being fired at him, he didn’t even have a gun, his own ship had been shot down two days earlier and he’d been hiding in the jungle.   He grabbed one of the guns in the ship and began returning fire, I blacked out.  When I regained consciousness I was being carried by Reidecor through high grass to a rescue pod that had been sent down.  Reidecor had activated the beacon on my ship for a rescue unit.  He had fought off most of the attackers for several hours and then under fire he carried me to the rescue pod and got us both out of there.   That’s where he received that long scar on his right arm if you ever noticed it.” I had but had never asked about it.  “We became good friends and worked on the same patrol ship crew for a long time until I was reassigned to base duty and he went on to the
DUSTEN
.”

“
So are you currently attached to the military?  I notice you still wear the uniform.” I asked

“I am, but my tour of duty is up the end of this week.” Kerabac replied, “I will either reenlist or I will sign up with you, if you make me an offer and if I like what I see and hear.”

While we were talking Kala had handed me a computer tablet with Kerabac’s personnel military file on it. High praise had been given to him by all his commanding officers and he seemed to have performed well on all the assignments he’d had to date.

“Tell me one thing Kerabac,” I asked, “why would you want to leave your military career to join with us? Reidecor and Lunnie and the others still maintain their military ranks and status because of an agreement I made with Admiral Regeny.  However, that agreement won’t cover any new people I hire.  I can offer you a really good salary and benefits, but as far as your military career is concerned it would be over.”

“I’ve given that some thought
,” Kerabac said, “The fact is that I have been somewhat bored in the military, I see you as being a major part of history and I have a feeling that you will continue to be. I would like to be a part of that to be there to see it happening.  Plus I need to stick to Reidecor, I still own him a life.”

“Hey, what about me
,” Lunnie chimed in, “You don’t want to be around so we can win more dance contests?”

“That goes without saying Lunnie.” Kerabac said with a grin.

I looked at Kala and she gave me a slight nod and Marranalis flipped his thumb up where Kerabac could not see it so I knew they were in agreement. Lunnie and Reidecor both had given me their feeling beforehand about him so now the decision was up to me.   I still had one question to ask and I was not sure how it would go over in the Federation culture.

“Just one more thing
, I don’t know what things are like here in the Federation, but back on Earth where I come from, there are many people who are racists and have prejudices against people of other cultures and races, even though it is illegal to practice such behavior.  Some employers will not pay of give promotions to a person because of their race or culture; some won’t give those persons jobs at all.  At one time on my planet persons of your color were taken and made slaves, and though that slavery ended hundreds of years ago bitterness and prejudices still exist there.  I guess what my question is, do such prejudices exist here in the Federation and if so I want to know what each of you here in this room think about it.”

I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t what I got
.  Suddenly the room went deadly silent and all the faces took on a stone countenance. 

“
Kerabac, I would like to hear your thoughts first.” I said.

Kerabac had a hard look on his face and his look indicated serious though and conviction about what he was about to say
, he began slowly with controlled words. “I will confess that there exists such prejudices within the Federation and I deeply regret that they do.  I would hope that you not hold me responsible for the actions of my people, past or present.  I do not harbor the feelings of superiority that many of my race do.  I do not approve of or condone that they once enslaved millions of white people as forced labor on several planets.  I deplore slavery of any sort and I would hope that I am judge on the bases of my personal character and accomplishments.  I believe that all men are equal and should have equal opportunities regardless of the laws and not because of them. “

I was shocked
, it had not occurred to me that in this galactic community that it might have been  blacks that took the superior attitude and that it might have been their culture that would take and have white slaves.  Before I could say anything Reidecor burst out with, “I can attest to Kerabac character and that he is not prejudiced, when I was on Ginet, which is a predominantly black planet, and I was being refused service in a bar Kerabac came and sat next to me and bought drinks and in defiance of others in the room gave me one and the two of us drank together, if he was a prejudiced bastard he would not have done that.” 

Lunnie likewise interjected.  “Kerabac has never once indicated any discomfort or displeasure or embarrassment being seen with me when we have gone out dancing or for dinner
, you would never get me convinced he’s prejudiced. “

I looked at Marranalis who said
, “I’ve had some blacks that have looked down on me, but I don’t have any hard feelings about them.  I figure they just don’t know any better and simply have grown up with attitudes they never questioned.”

I looked at Kala who said
, “Oh please Tibby, don’t tell me you have such thoughts!?”

I turned and looked at Kerabac “Ok
ay here’s the deal, I’ll pay you ten times what you are currently being paid by the military.  You will be given accommodations here at the estate like the rest of my team.  Reidecor is the chief officer on the
TRITYTE
and you will be second to him. Marranalis is the gunner and in charge of security, both on and off the ship.  You will have a personal body guard at all times when you are off ship or away from the estate here.  When we acquire other ships you will serve as navigation officer and any other position that I may decide on.  At all times Kala’s orders or requests are to be treated as my own.  If that’s acceptable to you, you may move in here next week.”

“One question before I give you my answer,” Kerabac said
, “What would you have done if someone here had given an answer that they felt differently.” 

“I would have fired them immediately!”
I said my voice full of conviction.

Kerabac got a huge smile on his face “In that case
I accept.”

I looked around the room to see everyone else relaxing and
with smiles on their face.

Lunnie
and Reidecor left with Kerabac to show him around the estate and to find a suitable suite for him in the main house.  Kala informed me that she had taken my advice and found an employment agency that placed ex-military people in jobs and had found a temporary staff for us.  She was very hopeful that some may even become permanent.  Now that the estate had been purchased I needed to see to living up to my promise to Admiral Regeny about training his people in martial arts. I needed to find some way to expedite the process.  For this task I felt that perhaps Kala could put her staff to work.

“Kala, when I was on the
TRITYTE,
after I more or less fell into it, there was a device that I put on my head and it taught me your language,” I said, “I need to find out who makes them today and if there have been any advancements in them in the past six hundred years. When you find someone set up an appointment so we can go meet with them, I may be looking to have one made that is specialized.

Just as I finished calling
, one of the few staffers left over at the estate called me saying that a person representing the shipyard on Nibaria was calling claiming they had a wondrous opportunity for me. Since receiving my first outpouring of cash from the Federation I had been receiving calls similar from just about everyone that had something to sell someplace in the Galaxy, so this call came as no surprise.  Kala started to tell the assistant to simply give this person the same story that we gave all such parties so eager to partakes of my wealth that I was not interested in purchasing anything and that I did not accept solicitation calls (a message I used to give to all such calls back on Earth) then assistant interrupted, “But ma’am the person is calling on behalf of the shipyard is Senator Tonclin!”

Kala froze mid
speech, “patch him through here,” she looked at me and said, “it never pays to ignore a senator.

             
Tonclin was the first non-human sentient life form that I had a chance to observe close up, albeit via a view screen. There had been several non-humans at the senator’s dinner, but in the hustle of the crowd about me none had been able to actually speak to me.  With nearly one million persons attending the event and non-humans sentient races representing less than three percent of the Federation that didn’t amount to many.  My first impression of Tonclin was that he looked like he was covered with rough tree bark. There was a humanoid resemblance to him, he appeared short and squat and he didn’t appear to have either hair or eyebrows.  His eyes were round and a very dark green in color and I could not detect a pupil.  I expected his voice to be a deep base and was surprised when instead it was high pitched a rich soprano voice.

“
Senator Tonclin,” Kala began, “It is a pleasure to see you again.  It’s been three years since I was attached to your delegation on the
DUSTEN
.   To what do we own this honored call?”

“Major Kala
, it is so nice of you to remember this humble one.  I am most pleased to speak with you once again.  I recall well the kind and professional manner with which you served our delegation.  We were most appreciative.

I
’m calling on a matter that we hope will be of interest to the Honored Citizen Tibby the Recoverer.  We heard today of Honored Citizen Tibby the Recoverer’s acquisition of the estate of Galetils the industrialist of Astamagota, he is to be congratulated on this wondrous purchase.  I myself have been to this estate as a guest of Galetils and recall its grandeur; it is good to see that it has gone to one so deserving as Tibby the Recoverer.

But as to why I have contacted you, I have been asked, o
n behalf of the shipyard here on Nibaria, to inquire if the Honored Citizen Tibby the Recoverer would be interested in purchasing the space yacht that Galetils was having built, as you are no doubt aware it is the largest and most luxurious, and though it is still untested, fastest space yacht ever built.  It was nearly completed when the sad demise of Astamagota and Galetils occurred.  Unfortunately Galetils still owed vast amounts of moneys on the unfinished yacht and were due to be paid upon its completion and delivery.  With all of Galetil’s debts and the wealth and remaining resources of his estates, after liquidation, the Federation will not have enough monies to pay in full the debts that he left.  For the shipyard here on Nibaria and many of the subcontractors and suppliers this means that they will take huge losses and many may have to go out of business, and so it is that I come to the reason for my call. The ship yard is prepared to offer to the Honored Citizen Tibby the Recoverer the space yacht of Galetils for what is yet owned on this ship, the value of which two thirds had already been paid and only one third of its cost would have to be paid by the most Honored Citizen Tibby the Recoverer.  Otherwise this wondrous ship, that is now ready to traverse the galaxy, will have to be scrapped to pay the debts the shipyard incurred in building it.  Such would be a terrible waste.  The peoples of Nibaria would rejoice in knowing that this proud ship was in the possession of one as great as the Honored Citizen Tibby the Recoverer.”

Being out of view of the camera on the screen I motioned to Kala that I wished to talk to her and I mouthed the words
, “I’m interested”.

Kala without giving the appearance that I was there said to Tonclin
, “Senator Tonclin, I am sure that Tibby the Recoverer will be most interested in hearing of this wonderful offer on behalf of the shipyard at Nibaria. I shall personally inform him of your honored call and the offer being made.  Should Tibby the Recoverer be interested in acquiring this yacht, I am sure he would first like to visit and see for himself the wondrous workmanship of the peoples of Nibaria before making the purchase.  We would of course be honored if we may respond to you personally and should Tibby the Recoverer be interested in seeing this ship for himself we would be most pleased to meet with and greet the Honorable Senator Tonclin as well.”