from one passing your sensor stations at the galactic rim,” Renjir said. “This is larger and from my home galaxy. I was there only as a child; that was decades ago. I now live in a planetary system in the irregular galaxy those of you from Earth call the Magellanic Cloud.”
“You mentioned it is larger and a different class than what you are familiar with,” Wilder said.
“Yes, Captain Wilder, these Talcon Star Cities seem to be multicolony facilities, which means there has been a migration from the home systems,” Renjir replied. “I cannot speculate as to why, although usually such an exodus is because of excessive population growth or perhaps stellar instability.”
Wilder nodded, taking in the Talcon’s explanation.
“Sir, the battlecruiser Nautilus in task force four has a long-range reading on the Star City,” Sterling said. “I was just updated by Fleet Captain Sherman.”
“How far is that from our maximum trans-light velocity?” Wilder asked.
“It’s one thousand, six hundred, and fifty light years from our present position; that’s going to take us approximately three days to reach, Sir, with the augmented engines,” Commander Zachary stated.
“The Star City is still moving right, so it could be less or more if it changes course,” Wilder replied.
Acting Commodore Sherman used his interlink. “The Nautilus is under one hundred light years from the Star City and is the closest to it. I will order Captain Grant to set a matching course and follow the Star City until the Phoenix and the equivalent of at least three task forces can rendezvous with the Star City.”
Wilder looked around the bridge as Ares and others took their stations and other officers shifted out. “I think we may need to shift into two-duty shift mode as we approach the Star City,” Wilder stated. “Mr. York, make a log notice.”
“Aye, Sir,” York replied. “I will make the necessary duty adjustments.”
Wilder nodded at York as he watched Ambassador Renjir Felkestaar observing his crew. This Talcon was an officer in his people’s space navy and evidently enjoyed being on the bridge. Ambassador Felkestaar had moved over to the science section and was conversing with Commander Andor, who alternately spoke to the Talcon in his native speech and in the Alliance standard language, which was composed of the languages of the founding members. Unlike other more formal ambassadors, this Talcon was friendly and getting along well with the Phoenix crew.
“Yes, our science division is large for a starship with military activities,” replied Andor to a question the Talcon had asked in his language. “And yes, we do have a large bridge crew, because manual actions sometimes became necessary during battle or if there were shield failure; in addition, although this happens rarely, interlinks and other computer interface devices might not function properly due to potential Varlon jamming.” Renjir nodded and then asked another question in Talcon. It seemed Renjir was still practicing his Alliance standard and seemed more at ease speaking to an android, and Andor seemed to enjoy practicing his Talcon. Renjir eventually began conversing with Commander Taylor as well.
“Yes, essentially I am in command of inter-task force science projects for Task Force One, and Commander Andor, who is a degreed science officer, is in charge of science department administration. Of course, both of us also perform the science officer bridge duty tasks.”
“Now that we will be running a two-shift day again, only one senior science officer will be on duty at a time,” Andor said. “The three-shift period may allow some overlap, since scientific results and procedures occur at all times.”
“I have noted onboard the Indefatigable and at Star One,” Renjir said, “that, on the whole, artificial intelligences such as yourself, Commander Andor, are not given excessive responsibility, whereas perhaps my people sometimes give our AI’s too much responsibility.”
“Interesting,” Andor said. “True artificial intelligences in the Alliance have to serve a token twenty-one years and, upon passing requirements, are given citizenship. It is done that way because most biological life forms are juvenile citizens of their home worlds and, after certain amounts of time, are granted full citizenship privileges; for most humans and their colonies that age is usually between eighteen and twenty one.”
Renjir nodded. “I understand; your citizens do not want to grant instant rights, as they themselves do not obtain full rights and privileges until they are of appropriate age.”
Acting Commodore Sherman walked on the bridge and moved over to Ambassador Felkestaar. “I just wanted to thank you, Sir, for coming with us to help ensure a good first contact outcome with the Talcon in the Star Cities,” said Sherman.
“Of course I want to help; I also want to visit some fellow Talcon and see one of the Star Cities. And perhaps have some good Talcon food,” Renjir said with delight and with what appeared to be a smile when he mentioned food. Before Sherman could say more, one of his officers came to take him back to the command alcove.
“I guess we’re alike in that I, too, like to eat local or ethnic food from my home world,” Taylor interjected, “although I would like to try some of your Talcon-style cuisine.”
“Then perhaps I can arrange that. Oh, and please call me Renjir; I am not as formal as others, and it would be my pleasure to introduce you or any interested crew to the Talcon cuisine.”
“Feel free to call me Sharon. I understand you spent some time with your science directorate during your career.”
Wilder half listened to the muted banter of the officers and the ambassador as he finished reviewing a report. He felt sorry for Commander Andor just for a moment as Mr. Andor looked on while Sharon Taylor and Renjir started talking about science and food. Andor, like most other Class 3000 androids, had only one name attached to the rank he earned. Wilder also noticed that no one had yet sent a message to Star One or updated the location of the Star City, probably because Sheppard was doing some Star Knight discipline in the med bay. “Commander York, arrange to send a coded message to fleet command at Star One,” Wilder said. “We have located the Talcon Star City.”
***
In Sheppard’s state of mind, he was getting images and seeing and hearing things that, for the most part, related to his interest. He was in a trance state, yet he could sense the occasional presence of Doctor Bell, Doctor Grey, or one of the medical technicians when they came to check the monitors that would send alarms to the doctors’ commlinks or interlinks.
As he went deeper, using retrocognition and enhanced memory recall disciplines, he began to see clearer images of the events that had transpired at Quellus Borealis 7. His consciousness moved back to the time just after the Accadian supreme leader Kra’ag used his starship’s antimatter weapon to shear his ships apart. The leader was in a single Jiyarr base ship, not an actual Accadian-designed ship. Its defenses and weaponry were even more powerful than those of the Varlon H class. Sheppard recalled information from the Betellians, another of the nonaligned civilizations, that the Accad had acquired a task force of Jiyarri ships. The Betellians had been attacked by both the Varlon and Accadian ships. That made them anxious, as they were fairly peaceful while building their Dyson Sphere constructions around two star systems. They had undergone damage but were able to repel the fleet sent against them.
As Sheppard’s mind’s view became larger, he saw space and stars and then felt as though he were floating in space. Originally, he and Sharon Taylor had entered an escape pod and were moving away from the Phoenix as Wilder decided to heroically stay with the ship, thinking he was going to die, tried a last ditch attempt to ram the Phoenix, using lateral thrusters, into Kra’ag’s ship, the Kadjiah. His mind’s eye was viewing the shattered remains of his task force when he heard strange music that reminded him for a moment of Monteverdi’s “Domine Ad Adjuvandum” and various bits of other inspiring music. He saw what appeared to be a large star-like object appear, and then he felt the echo of a greater ascended beings’ passage. It was a Protren; now I see the signs, thought Sheppard. But why did it come? What was its purpose? Was it