Starship Vengeance

Chapter 17

Our ship was surrounded as we entered the hanger. There was a single area open for landing. I skillfully guided the ship and set it gently on the deck. I turned to Shahae and asked, "Are you sure you are up for this?"

"I think it is a little late to have second thoughts" she replied.

"Shall we then?" I held my hand out and she took it. I led her to the rear door. "Looks like atmospherics are present and consistent with those on the ship. Air pressure is a little higher than normal, but that shouldn't take long to adjust to."

"May I recommend leaving our helmets on for the time being?" she asked.

"I really wasn't planning on taking it off unless I have to" I admitted.

I hit the button to release the rear hatch and watched as it slowly dropped, forming a ramp. Armored troops were arrayed before us. As expected, they appeared human, at least in shape. The armor hid any distinguishing features. Shahae and I slowly made our way down the ramp. My heart was beating rapidly and my hands felt clammy. I forced myself to breathe normally. I was in unknown territory and had to trust in my basic diplomatic skills.

We stopped at the base of the ramp. "Now what?" I asked Shahae. The soldiers in front of us parted before she could reply. An armed escort formed on either side of us and guided us through the opening. The trail ended in what appeared to be a prison cell. We were shoved inside and bars dropped from the ceiling. I was about to grab the bars when I noticed a distinct hum emanating from them. The bars were electrified.

The soldiers walked out, leaving us alone. "This is going well" I said sarcastically. "Please tell me this is normal behavior when making first contact with an alien race."

She looked at me and said, "Nothing has been normal since your arrival. In a very short span of time you have advanced our technology beyond what we thought possible, discovered at least one other sentient race, and have upset the balance of power throughout the galaxy. To be truthful, I have no idea what to expect now."

Several minutes later, a nearby door opened and a man wearing a two piece uniform walked up to our cell. The first thing I noticed was his ears, or lack thereof. Where his ears should have been, there were two recessed holes instead. He stood in front of us, staring. Feeling brave, I disengaged the seal on my helmet and removed it. Some expressions seem to be universal. His face clearly expressed shock at seeing how similar in anatomy I was. Shock quickly changed to confusion as he noticed my ears.

"If he's shocked at your looks, wait until he sees mine" Shahae said as she started removing her helmet. The man's expression was almost comical as he took in Shahae's white appearance. He stared at us more intently than before. I got the distinct impression that he was somehow attempting to communicate with us. As the seconds passed, he seemed to grow more agitated.

Hoping to ease the tension, I introduced myself. "My name is Admiral Jack Ryan. I am the captain of the Unity, the ship you fired on for no reason. This is Shahae, she is a diplomatic representative of a people called the Tuleeriri." I waited for some kind of response. The man grew increasingly agitated and stormed out of the room. "I think that went well" I said to Shahae, trying to ease the tension.

"This may be more difficult than we originally thought" she said, ignoring my failed attempt at humor. "I'm beginning to think that they don't communicate in the traditional manner."

"What other ways are there to communicate?" I asked.

"I don't know. As I'm sure you noticed their ears are underdeveloped compared to ours. It could be that they use something other than sounds to communicate. If they do, we might never be able to bridge the gap." Her words hung ominously in the air.