We Sing Among the Stars (IC, FT, Closed)

[Morningstar Coalition]

First off, this is a spin-off and continuation of the story which started in This Thread, and is a direct continuation from This Post.
If you have not been directly invited to join in here, do not post here. All unsolicited posts, even tags, will be deleted.

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Scout Squadron "Gryphon"
Sojent-Ra System - Surface of Sojent-Ra II
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~ Echoes!~ Night Breaker's 'voice' sang out to the others. The apprentice Black Swimmer had heard the faint sonar echoes first, but now all of them could make out the rebounding sonar pulses.

Star Fisher listened for a few seconds as her sled's computer began analyzing the waveforms to determine a source point. ~They're using the rocks to ricochet the pulses. Form up on me, I think they're about to attack! Wave Seeker, get that message playing!~ Already her pod was moving in closer on her position, angling their sleds so that everyone pointed outwards, as if awaiting an imminent shark attack.

Shortly after Wave Seeker was in position, she keyed the controls to play the pre-recorded message. Her sled's hydrophone piped the tones out into the water: Kushan-La words.

#Greetings! We hear the song of kin among the stars, and we rejoice. We are Irukan, and we wish for our song to join yours.#

The message looped three times, then went silent.

Star Fisher adjusted the gain on her sled's audio pickups, listening for any trace of sonar or other sounds in the alien sea...

Sorry for the massive delay Feaz. It's a short OP, but I wasn't sure what else could really happen at this point. In any case, it's your ball!

[Feazanthia]

The sonar pulses immediately stopped. Faint whistles passed between invisible points all around Gryphon Squadron. Suddenly, from all directions, the Irukan were bombarded with heavy clicks of sonar for a few brief moments before it was once again silent.

#We hear voices, shapeless and flat#
The voice, disembodied in the murky and debris-filled sea, came from directly in front of the Irukan party. The Kushan-la was muffled, as the vocal cords that spoke it were not designed to be used beneath the waves.
#Words of no meaning. Phrases of no color. You speak, yet do not know what you say. Your words are not your own. What reason do we have to hear your song?#

The voice was clearly spoken with hostility.

But they hadn't opened fire.


Edit: I fail at formatting

[Morningstar Coalition]

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Scout Squadron "Gryphon"
Sojent-Ra System - Surface of Sojent-Ra II
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Seven of the Irukan formed up on the only one of their number familliar with direct combat, while the one diplomat among them urged her sled ahead of the others, closer to the source of the reply to their greeting.

Wave Seeker listened to the words echoing from the deep, the mangled tones evidence that they were spoken naturally, without artificial source and without using sonar! That surprised her, she hadn't expected the Cetace to try to actually speak instead of sing. Maybe these Cetace did not know how to craft their sonar to shape the Kushan-La words underwater?
Wave Seeker queued another message into her sled's hydrophone, #I am aware. I understand. I hear the voice of kindred forms. I know your song, but do not understand it. You hear the words of our tools, now you will hear our song.#

Taking a deep breath, Wave Seeker popped the canopy on her sled and swam free, savoring the delicious salt sting across her tongue and the warm caress across her flesh. After only a moment to enjoy the feel of natural ocean, she turned towards where she hoped the Cetace was speaking from, and sang. She sang in her native language, based on sonar and harmonics too complex for most humanoids to follow.
The song continued for a full five minutes. If any of the Cetace were in the direct path of her sonar pulses, they might 'see' something. Irukan Song was a complex language, for it was not just sound, but the echoes and harmonics of the song itself interacted with cetacean sonar receptors to craft shadow images, ghosts which told story alongside mere word. Phantasms of Irukan swimming through a deep sea told a story from Wave Seeker's childhood, of a pod which braved the dangers of a frozen polar ocean to save one of their number.

When she was finished, Wave Seeker returned to her sled to refresh her lungs, the hydrophone's flat tones scattering the remnant echoes of her song, #Now you have heard our song.#

[Feazanthia]

Again, silence. Wave Seeker's words simply hung there without response. A minute passed where the only sounds audible were those of the natural, non-sentient wildlife of Sojent-Ra.

Finally, something. A single brief, sharp, downward cavitation resulting from a fluke quickly moving through the water. Immediately the seascape was awash with keening Trinary verses that, while the ultimate meaning would be lost on the Irukan, would convey impressions of anger or outrage to other creatures of sonar. Directly after, a haiku of short, staccato pulses was directed in the direction of both the Irukan and the original cetace speaker. They were in the style of what a predator species would use when hunting.

The sounds were instantly cut off by a booming Trinary stanza - obviously artificially enhanced - from directly in front of the Irukan pod. It spoke of both indignation and condescension. At once, all other voices ceased. Again, silence. A form came into view from the direction of the enhanced voice, slowly but noisily enough to be a non-threatening approach.

The cetace bore a passing resemblance to the ancient Tursiops truncatus, or common bottlenose dolphin, hailing from the terran homeworld. However, the rostrum was twice again as long and narrower. Its color differential was more obvious. Its fins, muscles, and bone structure were all thicker than its ancient progenitor, speaking of adaptations for a higher-gravity environment. Additionally, the cranial melon was larger and more pronounced. This individual was wearing a graphite-colored harness which covered much of its body behind the blowhole, and connected via wires to the cetace's skin just behind the melon's terminus. Four pylons extended from the harness - two bearing propulsion turbines, and two holding a cylindrical torpedo each. Manipulators shaped like long, thin arms were folded and stored along the harness' sides.

The cetace's rostrum opened, and its tongue dropped low to speak.

#Four-eyes-who-speaks-in-shadows, you have come to our world unbidden. Your...void crawlers...#
The female struggled with forming the words, snapped at herself, and closed her eyes. A voice, similar to hers but with the metallic twang of artificial creation, was emitted from the harness' speakers. It was clearer, the software obviously designed to compensate for liquid medium.
#Your warships hang in our orbit. Your landing parties descend upon our territory. Irukan! For if such is truly your name. Why have you come here? Quickly! Before my warriors decide to lure prey with your remains!#

[Morningstar Coalition]

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Scout Squadron "Gryphon"
Sojent-Ra System - Surface of Sojent-Ra II
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Sun Runner was one of the Irukan who'd been hastily assigned this contact mission, and right that moment he was quite uncomfortable. He was a senior med-tech, specializing in virology; diplomatic contact missions, especially those which involved what to him seemed a rather high risk of physical harm, were not in his job description. ~What if they attack?~ He spoke over the TacNet to his Pod-Brother, Night Breaker.

For his part, Night was also nervous, but he had actually downloaded the Kushan-La translator package, so he could understand some of what was being said by the Cetace and by Wave Seeker. Night tilted his head in the bubble of his sled to glance over at Sun. Neither would risk sounding in such a delicate situation, so their mind-voices were their only recourse, ~Somehow I don't think it'll go that far, but if it does, Star Fisher knows how to fight, and she's already set up to coordinate our sleds out of here. Relax brother, Wave is a good speaker, she'll be able to convince them we're not a threat.~

Over the TacNet, the clipped tones of Star Fisher's mental voice cut in, ~I know you're both nervous, but cut the chatter till we get out of this.~ Both Irukan males exchanged a startled look, then slapped their lower jaws closed in acknowledgement.

Wave Seeker listened to the song of the Cetace, a portion of her mind consulting with Ecclesia, the Shipmind of the frigate in orbit, who was trying to translate the Cetace language. Just from the cadence alone, Ecclesia had come to the conclusion that the Cetace's native language must be based on inference and symbolism, rather than direct meaning. It resembled the poetry systems of many human cultures, which made sense if the Kiith people had uplifted the Cetace species.
For a time Wave was genuinely concerned that this mission would result in bloodshed, then came the new booming 'voice', and the newcomer swam from the murk. Wave Seeker examined the female for a few moments, noting the cybernetic connections just behind the skull, as well as the bodysuit which covered her form. This was the first time Wave Seeker had had the opportunity to examine a cetacean species other than her own in person, and for a moment she felt a thrill of discovery as she noted the differences between their biologies.

Finally though Wave's attention was brought back to the here and now as the female 'spoke', first from herself, then using an obvious mechanism in her harness. The first attempt was unusual, it wasn't sounding, it was an actual voice, using air from the blowhole. It was an unusual adaptation which Wave assumed the Kiith humans had implemented in the Cetace species. The female obviously wasn't used to either speaking underwater, or speaking Kushan-La in general using her natural voice.
Wave dipped her beak and head in approximation of a bow before responding. Wave's own voice came from her sled, the Kushan-La language unsuited for natural sounding, #I am called Wave Seeker, and my species are Irukan. I apologize for our intrusion, however it was deemed necessary. The Kiith Federation has left this world, this star system. No longer do their warships defend this place from any who would wish harm upon those who lived under the banner of the Federation. Even now, other outworlders seek this system and all within it as a prize of war.#

Wave paused to allow that to sink in before continuing, #My people counted themselves friends and allies to the Kiith Federation. We did not know any had been left behind when the Federation withdrew. I do not believe that your people will be safe here forever, for if we found your presence, others will surely. I cannot be certain what others would do if and when they discovered you. I fear for your people.#

[Feazanthia]

Much of the following comes from an IRC conversation between Morningstar and myself. His dialogue is in blue, mine is in green.

The female glared at Wave Seeker throughout his words, and snapped her jaws in dismissal upon their completion.
#You think we do not know our situation? We detected your warships the moment the entered our system. You claim to not be of the invaders, but here to help. I assume you will claim you came out of the goodness of your soul? Yours is a mission of charity? The Tti-chit are not as ignorant as you think.#

Wave Seeker considered for a moment how best to respond. She couldn't lie to them, but at the same time telling the Cetace that the primary mission was just recon might not be the best idea.
#If you detected our ships, then you detected the others. We came to see if any of those who we called friend remained. We found you. Charity was not our mission, information and truth was. Now that we are here, we are faced with a decision. Do we leave you to your fate, or do we try to avert what we see as potential disaster. We cannot force you to come.#

The female thrashed her tail in a sign of anger.
#Our kind has never counted yours as friend. Do not come assuming otherwise. Those you sought left this world to us, and it is ours to do with as we please. Again, you claim to not be among the invaders, yet all we have is your words. You ask much trust of us, off-worlder.#

Now Wave Seeker was getting a bit upset herself. She didn't know where this outright anger was coming from, and it was starting to make her testy.
#This world may have been left to you, but could you defend it from enemies who will bring warships and armies to take it from you? Who may try to make you slaves, or worse, simply decide to destroy you from orbit?! Your kind and mine may not be related by blood, but I look at you and I can only feel kinship! I would not sit by and watch, risking that others will either enslave, or destroy if there was anything I could do to try and prevent this!#

The female barked a staccato Trinary verse, and all around them came the sounds of torpedoes arming. #Hot of blood! Quick of judgement! Ill logic from one who swims where she is not invited! No proof! No proof!# She thrashed her tail again, but this time began slowly moving towards Wave Seeker. When the artificial voice came again, it was low enough so that the war party would be unable to hear. #The truth of your words must be tested. Time is short, so decisions must be brief. This much power I have been given. The choice is yours, off-worlder. You alone shall accompany me back to meet the Tillek. She shall see into your truths and lies. If she is not satisfied, you will die. If you refuse,# she turned away. #You will all die.#

Star Fisher had been listening intently throughout the conversation, her implant's software loaded with the Kushan-La language. She'd taken the 'back-seat' until now because Wave was the Ambassador here. Now however Star Fisher swam forwards to join the other two. The pulse of sound her sled directed at the Cetace leader was focused, wave-guided so that it would carry to her alone. #I will go in Wave Seeker's place. I am a warrior, a hunter; as I suspect you are. If blood is to be shed today, it will not be the blood of singers, it will be the blood of hunters.#

The female flicked her head dismissively. #If you would rather fate be decided by the words of one who fights than those of one who sings, this is acceptable.# She sang out in Trinary, being responded to in kind from points around the Irukan squad. More shapes began looming in the water, and both male and female cetace appeared with similar harnesses. Two took up flanking positions around Star Fisher. #You will follow. The others will not. My warriors shall ensure this is so. Your device,# she turned to face an eye towards Star Fisher. #The one your ships use to track you. Deactivate it. And follow.#

Star Fisher turned to the rest of her impromptu pod, Wave first among them. The other female seemed ready at that moment to protest, already getting out the first syllable before Star Fisher cut her off, ~This is my mission Ambassador. I was placed in command, and if there is a threat to your life, I will stand between you and that threat. Return to the dropship and await my signal. If I do not check in in eight hours, I am KIA. Advise the Captain that I wasn't able to negotiate with the Cetace.~ Wave Seeker nodded mutely and turned to the others, getting them ready to leave. Star Fisher for her part returned to the Cetace, filling her lungs before popping her harness and leaving her sled. A quick nod of her melon indicated she was ready to leave.

The female took off away from the pod, and the other two cetace remained at Star Fisher's flanks. As soon as they could no longer hear the others, the female abruptly turned and began a diagonal descent.
In the distance, dim lights began to appear and faint snippets of Trinary could be heard. #You are brave, warrior Irukan,# she said.

Star did her best to keep up with the Cetace, glad for her combat augmentations and the rebreather implant, not to mention the acoustic implant which she now used to emit a somewhat garbled Kushan-La into the water. #It is the duty of the hunter to shed blood for the pod,
either her own, or that of her prey. It is simply a fact of life.#

The female couldn't help but break a (somewhat condescending) smile. #My warriors shall ensure your people are unharmed. That is my promise.# Lights in the shape of domes were beginning to appear, and full Trinary songs could now be heard. The female slowed slightly and her harness blasted out a cautionary verse, silencing much of the song. #Come. The Tillek shall be awaiting your arrival. Advice is granted. Do not speak falsehoods. She shall know of lies and truths. She is the Tillek. She is the mother of the Tti-chit. She will also be unamused at having to speak in this tongue.#

The beauty of the colony reminded Star Fisher of one of the home colony worlds, which seemed a lifetime, and another universe, away now. The soldier nodded to show she'd heard the other Cetace, following along silently for now until she met the Tillek.

The colony came into view. Low domes engulfed the silty sea bed with golden-hued luminescence. All around them, unharnessed Cetace - young and old - darted and sang in low tones to one another. A few brave souls directed pulses of sonar towards the Irukan warrior; cautious, probing gestures of timid curiosity. Ahead, great orbs of algae floated above the colony and attracted thousands of tiny, silver-scaled fish. Every so often, a Cetace would charge up and scatter the feeders, more often than not returning with a wriggling capture in its jaws.

#Here, Irukan,# they had come to one of the larger domes on the outskirts of the colony. It, too, was aflame with golden light. #You will find air within. The Tillek shall join you in time.# The female waited until Star Fisher had entered before sealing the door and swimming away with great haste.

---

It had not been long before the entrance to Star Fisher's dome once again hissed open in a hail of bubbles. Harsh, probing bursts of sonar permeated the dome, and an immense male Cetace entered. He, too, wore a harness complete with torpedoes, but he bowed his head in reverence and floated aside.

The individual that followed him was old. Ancient, even, and it showed. However, she swam with an almost serene grace and confidence that spoke volumes of her station. She was flanked by two more guards along with the female that had so deftly "negotiated" Star Fisher's arrival at the colony. The ancient female sang out in strong, melodic Trinary, and was answered by those gathered.

#This one before me; of four eyes and shadowed song says my child. Tool user, fire maker,# her words came from a small patch of carbon mounted directly behind her melon. An implant, most likely. They seemed to reverberate and permeate the space; to penetrate one's very being. #Warrior, says Ii'aaki of the west. Hunter, says Noa'mi of the east. Leader, says Crei'dek'ki of the north. Tool user, fire maker. Singing the song of those who crawl, of those who war in the dust. She who lives where life lives not! Descends to the domain of Primals. To world of Tti-chit. Tool user, fire maker. Brings tidings of ill-thoughts. Ill-deeds. Warning, says the warrior. Savior, says the warrior. Come to seek, come to find. Find not what you seek, no? Not come seeking Primals! Not come seeking truth! So, warrior of Irukan.#

The old one approached Star Fisher, looming over the Irukan despite her smaller size.

#Why seek you me? Why seek you Tillek of Moa'tk'kai?#

[Morningstar Coalition]

Star Fisher had to admit it, the city here was beautiful. Her memories of Poseidon were distant, separated by years and a universe away, but this place brought those memories back to her as if they were yesterday. There were differences, of course, but the architecture of the Cetace mirrored that of her own people in a way that made Star Fisher more certain of her course of action. These people had to be Preserved.

When the door opened, Star Fisher turned on end to watch as the first of the Cetace soldiers entered. Star had no doubt of the lethality of that sled's weapons, but the Irukan Marine had no fear for her life in this place. Only after she had been allowed to speak might Star's life be in jeopardy, not before. Finally at last here was the Tillek, a title which was familiar to Star for some reason she could not place. The female before her was old, very old. Ancient wisdom glowed within the black eyes, and Star had no doubt that this female had seen and done far more than Star herself was likely to accomplish.

The pacing of the Tillek's words was strange, halting in places, and flowing in others, and Star realized that it resembled the tone and pace of poetry. If this indicated the nature of their sonar language, then translating their language could prove difficult. When finally the Tillek actually directed her questions at Star Fisher, the Irukan soldier dipped her beak low in the water and prepared to answer.

Star Fisher's "voice" came from a similar implant to that the Tillek bore, however Star's implant was designed for use above the waves, and the voice came out slightly distorted here. #Tillek. War is coming to this system, a war the Kiith left this galaxy to escape. There are empires among the stars who want this system, and her worlds, for themselves. Already the first blood has been spilled, and I cannot predict where it will lead; nor can I predict how those who will fight for control of this system will deal with your people's presence on this world.#

#One of the nations that wishes to control this star is known to us. While they are not yet friend, they are neither enemy. While they are not without mercy, their path is one of conquest and domination. Theirs is a harsh life, and while I do not know with my own eyes what becomes of those who come under their dominion, I cannot imagine that it is a life you would want for your people.# Star paused here to gauge the Tillek's response, but the Cetace simply floated impassively, waiting for Star to finish. #The others who have come for this star, they are known to us as well. They sought to war with the Kiith, and all who followed them. I do not believe they will believe that you no longer follow the Kiith. I believe they will seek to either enslave or destroy your people.#

Star was closing on her purpose now, #I would not see either of these events come to be if there is anything I might do to prevent it. Tillek, I do not know your warrior's power, but I do not think it will be enough to stop either of these Empires if they choose to come for you. You are being offered three choices: Hide, and hope that those above do not notice you. Wait, and hope that those who do find you will be merciful. Or fight, and face what I believe will be your oblivion. I offer you a fourth choice. Leave this world with us, where we will accept you as you are, or else seek out a new world for your people to call home. The choice is yours Tillek, however you may not have forever to decide.#

Star had said her piece. Now it was up to the Tillek to judge her intentions...

[Feazanthia]

#Ah-h-h,# said the Tillek once Star Fisher had finished. She closed her eyes and held her head at an angle, as if listening. #Truth speaker, say the currents. At least, in belief. Those who war in dust warned us of such events. Warned us of enemies made. Foes created where none were before. Tool users, fire makers. Now it is so.#

She turned her tail to Star Fisher and fired a few, slow sonar pulses at the roof of the dome.

#Leave. Abandon. Flee. Understand little, little understood. Ears, but do not hear! Eyes, but do not see! Cannot leave. Cannot abandon. Cannot flee. Left already. Abandoned many. Fled jaws of waters unstable. However truth speaker speaks truth. No warriors with which to war.#

This elliticted a shocked and anguished squeal from the young female. The Tillek reared on her and smacked her side hard with the flat of her tail, following it with a blast of Trinary so loud it echoed throughout the dome.

#Apologies of this one,# said the Tillek mournfully as she turned back to Star Fisher. #Daughter Sirala. Young. Brash. Once tool user. Once fire maker. Trained by those who war in dust. Mind clouded. Song does not echo.# The female, now identified as "Sirala", looked away and clicked angrily. #Forgiveness asked. Prideful but not proud. Faithful but lacks faith. Hears but does not listen. Matters not, matters not. Asks much, truth speaker does. Risk much. Lose much. Do Primals speak if none can hear? Wisdom goes unlearned! Warrior. Hunter. Leader. Speaks truth but does not know truth. What would have us do? Take up tools? Create fire? No. Cannot. Will not. Must not. But what choice? Cannot fight. Cannot run. Jaws of Evil are tool users. Jaws of Evil are fire makers. Truth speaker is tool user. Truth speaker is fire maker.#

She thrashed her tail.

#Truth speaker. Hunter of Stars. Understand now what is asked of Tti-chit?#

[Morningstar Coalition]

It was difficult at times, discerning meaning from the Tillek's almost disjointed words, but finally Star Fisher believed she understood. Even understand what she did, Star Fisher felt a moment of doubt. There were those among her own people who had chosen to abandon the stars, all the trappings of technology, in pursuit of a life they felt was somehow more "pure" than that found in the Great Black. Star herself felt that these Irukan were fools, trying to recapture some semblence of their existence before Irukan had thought to ask the burning question, "Why am I here?". Star believed these Irukan wanted to ignore the universe, blissfully ignorant of the wonders and horrors of existence, and deluding themselves into the belief that this somehow made their people more noble, more divine.

Here again, among another species, Star Fisher believed she faced the same willful ignorance; only this time Star Fisher could not say with conviction that they were fools. #Tillek, I will not pretend to fully understand your ways, your beliefs; but I believe I understand what is being asked of you. I ask you this, can not your Primals speak in ways other than those found in these waters? Tillek, I have lived for thirty turns of my homeworld, and in that time I have seen much among the stars. Horrors, yes, but also such beauty as to make the mind wither in awe and insignifigance. If you will listen, I will try to show you what I have seen.#

Then, Star Fisher began to sing. Like Wave Singer had done before for Sirala and her warriors, Star Fisher used sonar to craft ghostly images from the echoes of her sonar pulses. The colliding sounds began to take on almost tangible shape around them. First, the image of Star's homeworld from space. A pale orb slowly spinning in the night, the arc of a galactic arm brilliant in the background, the twin moons stirring storms on the surface. Next, a stellar nursery, it's brilliant colors represented in halos of acoustic intensity. The first time Star Fisher had seen an entire galaxy from beyond it's rim, the swirling mass lighting up the night. The view of the accretion disc of a black hole, the total void at it's center surrounded by a ring of such sonic intensity that it might ache. Finally, the song. Star Fisher had learned to listen to the radio waves of the universe as if it were sound, and this she gave to the Cetace, the song of the very stars themselves.

As the ghostly images faded, the echoes dissipating, Star Fisher turned to look at the Tillek. "These are the song my people swim the stars to listen to. Is this any less truth than what is found in this world's waters?" The Irukan soldier let a plaintative croon escape, her people's equivalent to a sigh, "Tillek, I know what it is to leave all you have known behind. I know the guilt and anguish of ending another's life. It is a burning pain which I will never find release from, and I will never be forgiven for my sins, either by those whom I have killed, or by my own soul. However, I tell you now that I would do it all again a thousand times. I would suffer any pain, if to do otherwise meant the end of my people."

[Feazanthia]

The Tillek clicked sadly. #Understand not. Understand not. Can one who has heard naught but lies know truth? Can one who has not seen know color? No, no. Understand not.# She sang in Trinary to Sirala, who moved forward.

#Irukan,# said the younger Cetace. #You say the enemies of the Kiith close in. The first empire, Is it possible they would be content to leave us be? If not, are there any allies we might call upon to defend us?#

Star Fisher realized in that moment what kind of personality she was dealing with in the Tillek. This was not simply the leader of a people, this was the leader of a religion. He internal dismay at this realization never made it past the surface however, and the Irukan turned to speak to Sirala. #They are called the Huerdaen Star Empire. While they are not without a code of honor, theirs is a harsh and brutal life founded on military service and conquest. I have only seen reports of what happens to those civilizations they conquer. Those that surrender without resistance are allowed to live, but they then live as the Huerdaen do. They subsume native cultures within their own.# Star considered the question more carefully before going on, #They may ignore you here. I do not know how useful this world would be. If they do not ignore you however, I am concerned they would attempt to absorb your people into their own culture. I cannot imagine that your chosen way of life could survive this process. As for allies, we counted ourselves among the allies of the Kiith people.#

Sirala clicked dismissively. #And you alone cannot stand against them. Understood. Then what is your plan, eh? To sneak an entire civilization off a planet? Under the nose of our enemies? Ambitious, Irukan warrior.#

#I did not say the Huerdaen were our enemies. I said that if they chose to lay true claim to this world, I do not believe your way of life will survive, even if you yourselves do live.#

The Tillek hooted something to Sirala which the younger Cetace did not seem to like one bit. Still, Sirala turned back to Fisher and continued her questioning as the elder exited the dome. #So, these "Huerdaen". They will let us leave? If we are so unimportant, then why bother with us in the first place?#

Star considered carefully for a moment, weighing her words in the light of what she believed was religious zealotry on the part of the Tillek, #The Huerdaen culture is based on two principles. The first and most important to them is the concept of absolute truth. To knowingly lie is tantamount to sin in their culture, and in some cases is punishable by death. The second, and perhaps more important to you, principle is the absolute to them. These cultures are doomed to die of stagnation. It is because of this belief that they seek to conquer, to force other cultures to change.# Star clicked twice, pausing for a moment. #I firmly believe that the Huerdaen are more interested in this star system than they might be in your people. If we ask them to allow us to take you with us, I believe they will agree. However, as I have said several times, I personally do not believe that the Huerdaen will simply let you alone if you stay and they take control of this system.#

#And what of you, then?# asked Sirala, still glaring at the Irukan. #You decide to help us out of the goodness of your soul? Because we are a people in need? You will forgive me if I am skeptical, but the universe does not work in such ways! What is it your people get out of our assimilation?#

Star clicked again, trying to calm herself, #Three times we have seen a species erased; destroyed by the horrors you know are out there. Each time, something precious was lost. A species, a culture, a history. Our leaders chose then and there that if there were ever a similar situation where we could act to preserve even a portion of a people in danger, we would act. There may be others of your kind elsewhere, however I will act on what is before me, as will my superiors.#

#And you can speak as negotiator for your people? You have that power, Irukan?#

Star Fisher nodded, simply, #I do.#

#We risk much trusting you, warrior.# Sirala sang out in Trinary. A trio of Cetace entered the dome carrying woven nets filled with wriggling, silver-scaled fish. [color=#008000]#But our own intelligence does not contradict what you say. I may not believe you, but my Tillek has sang. Let us hear your plan.#

Progress at last! If she could have, Star Fisher would have sighed like a human. Taking a moment to surface and take a breath, she turned back to Sirala, #As soon as I can, I would like to contact my Captain to confirm that I am unharmed. Our first course of action would be to contact the Huerdaen in this system, first to find out if the battle we monitored the opening of is still taking place. Then we'll request permission to bring in a squadron of freighters or transports. The Coalition has enough influence with the Huerdaen Star Empire that I don't believe they will refuse, as long as there aren't any open battles taking place.#

Sirala contemplated this, reaching her rostrum into the net and removing a fish. The carrying Cetace offered the net to Fisher. #We have access to old Kiith communications devices scattered throughout the system. If they have not been destroyed, we will attempt to re-establish the link. What next?#

Accepting the offer, Star's beak darted forward to snap up one of the silvery fish and swallowing, #Once the transports arrive, and assuming you agree to the plan, we'll begin evacuation of your colony. As long as we have time and advance warning, we can recover and remove everything but the structures themselves.# Star thought for a moment, #After that, we'll leave this system together. What happens then will be up to you and your people. You may try to join our Coalition, or you can try to find a new world to settle on.#

Sirala excused herself for a moment to breathe, then returned. #And your ships are prepared to accept over nine-hundred refugees? Your government willing to respect the tenets and boundaries of our faith, and our desire for privacy?#

This time Star dropped her lower jaw in a grin, #The freighters could, in an emergency, house up to ten thousand. Command will likely send a squadron of five freighters to ensure we have sufficient cargo space to hold all you choose to bring with you. I can assure you though that the Admiralty will respect your customs and faith as best they can. Without knowing more specifics, I can't give you any more assurance than that I'm afraid. Privacy will be afforded in any personal spaces aboard any Coalition vessel, however you should know that all public spaces are monitored by the Shipminds.#

#Shipmind...# Sirala trailed off, rolling the word over. #You mean artificial intelligence? You have them?# Her tone shifted from aggressive and condescending to almost...hopeful?

#Yes, the shipminds are digital sapients.#

Sirala shook it off and assumed her previous persona. #We shall deal with that in time. Come. We shall attempt to contact your vessel.# She clicked several times, and the entrance to the dome yawned open once again. Sirala dismissed most of the guards, though the pair that had flanked Fisher remained. Sirala gestured in an almost human fashion with her fin. #Come.#

For the time being Star left out that she could have contacted the ship herself. She thought it best that ability remain secret, in case the earlier paranoia returned in force. Dipping her beak in a nod, Star followed along behind...

---

The colony showed considerably more activity than when Star Fisher had arrived. Cetace darted between domes, careful to steer clear of the strange alien but stealing curious looks anyway. The area echoed with strong, Trinary voices of both outrage and support.

The Tillek was addressing her people. They were not taking it well. Sirala hurried the Irukan along towards a smaller dome on the outskirts of the colony. The communications center was fairly standard fare for an aquatic race, and already another Cetace was working diligently. The monitor showed a map of the system with several lights scattered about it. Most had turned red and emitted slow, terse clicks. However, a few were still green with a bright, cheerful pitch.

#I assume you will be able to make use of this equipment?#