[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
determination, not panic."
"You see not the entire problem." The ambassador was anything but confident.
"All we have on our side is time, thanks mainly to this fortuitous early
interception. Unfortunately, according to the research vessel serving as our
eyes and tentacle-tips, the five hundred or so vessels now ascertainable on
our screens precede by several days' travel time a much larger force whose
strength our brave scientists estimate at some four thousand vessels."
Chaheel tried to imagine a force of interworld ships that large. Though he was
a social psychologist, not a military man, the sheer quantity of material and
energy involved was intimidating.
"And," the ambassador added glumly, "for all we can tell there may be more
coming behind those. The instruments on the research ship can probe only so
far. Joint military command has decided those scientists cannot be risked for
a deeper probe. They constitute our only point of contact with the aliens."
"A sensible decision, at last," Chaheel muttered. "It is time to..." He
hesitated and his second eye swung around to focus on the ambassador. "Pardon,
First Father Ambassador. But you said 'joint military command'?"
"Truly naturally," was the reply. "The only possible way an invading force of
such size could be countered is with the full armed might of both the
UTW and the worlds of the Families."
He escorted Chaheel to another part of the cavernous chamber and showed him
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humans and Nuel standing intermixed before another large screen. Bipeds and
ciliates conversed busily, some with the aid of interpreters, a few without.
"The plotted approach indicates this alien armada is slightly more inclined to
enter the UTW first," he explained. "Hence command has been established here.
Members of all military families have been arriving on Terra for days. Ships
are being called in from all the family worlds.
"The combined fleets will assemble near a colony world named Larkin which lies
somewhat northinner to Masermun, the family world nearest the alien's path.
From there the joint force will move out to an intercept point in free space."
He paused, added, "We know nothing of these Tremovan's weapons or capabilities
beyond the fact they have a unique communications system and the ability to
muster a large force. Whatever the odds, we shall fight, of course."
"You say we know nothing of the Tremovan's military capabilities,"
Chaheel said evenly. "That may be so, but there is one human who might have
such information."
"Ah." The ambassador expressed himself wistfully. "The Kee-yes vain
Lewmaklin of whom you have spoken. There may be members of the families who
sleep through the obvious but, once awakened, they can move quickly enough.
"First detection of the aliens was made by the human scientific vessel some
three weeks ago. We have spent most of that time trying to locate this
Lewmaklin, ever since your profoundly ignored information was rediscovered and
recredited.
"He is nowhere to be found. For such a powerful individual to vanish so
quickly and utterly bespeaks much fear ... or careful preplanning. Even his
closest aides, who have been interrogated on truth machines, have no idea as
to his whereabouts."
Chaheel was thinking furiously. "He rose out of the human underworld many
years ago. Is it possible he has run to cover there again?"
"No. Once the nature and magnitude of the emergency was made clear to those
humans who dominate that peculiar social structure, they began searching for
him just as intensely as the legal authorities. They have no knowledge of his
present location either. There was one rumor which had him taking ship to
Restavon from Evenwaith with only two close assistants, but the humans have
turned Restavon inside out without finding a slimetrail of him."
Chaheel considered this, as he turned away from the noisy cluster of milling
military personnel, human and Nuel alike, and then gestured with a couple of
tentacles back toward the towering screen, which still showed the silently
advancing cluster of lights.
"I should venture to predict that he is now somewhere between there and here,
assuming he has not reached his allies already. There is no telling what
important information on human and truly also on family fleet strength and
deployment he has already provided to these Tremovan."
"But he is not a military man," the ambassador objected. "Surely he cannot..."
"Naivete peers from beneath your skirt, First Father." Chaheel's quiet
frustration finally overwhelmed his instinctive politeness to one of superior
family standing. If they had listened to him in the first place...
"This human has spent most of his long life insinuating his tentacles into
every imaginable business and aspect of commerce not only in the human sphere
of influence but in that controlled by the Families as well. I would venture
to predict that a check of commerce records would reveal that among other
dealings companies controlled or directed by him have supplied ship frames to
the military as well as armaments, engines, navigation equipment, and
everything else." He pointed toward the milling human soldiers.
"Likely he possesses as much knowledge of the military as any of those
uniformed individuals working with our people, and quite possibly more."
"Then we can do nothing about him," said the ambassador with admirable
resolve. "There are ships out looking for him, but space is very large and a
single small vessel can go, if it so wishes, anywhere it desires without the
Page 119
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
rest of the galaxy noticing its passage. We shall have to confront these
Tremovan as best we can. This Lewmaklin will have transmitted all useful
information to his alien friends by this time anyway.
"Should by some chance of fortune he be found, however, we will at least have
the satisfaction of dealing with him in person. Perhaps the humans can be
convinced to turn him over to us. Our plans for him would be more suited to
his treachery, his death more intimate." He put all four tentacles around the
psychologist.
"Whether we are successful or not, the Families and the humans as well owe you
apologies and a debt. Will you remain here to advise us? I will not restrain
you if you wish to leave."
"I've already told you everything I know," Chaheel replied, "about these
Tremovan. About Kees vaan Loo-Macklin I can tell you a good deal more, but he
seems not so important now."
"We still do not know for certain if the aliens crewing the approaching
vessels are these mysterious Tremovan," the subambassador pointed out, "any
more than we are certain they are warships bent on mischief." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
determination, not panic."
"You see not the entire problem." The ambassador was anything but confident.
"All we have on our side is time, thanks mainly to this fortuitous early
interception. Unfortunately, according to the research vessel serving as our
eyes and tentacle-tips, the five hundred or so vessels now ascertainable on
our screens precede by several days' travel time a much larger force whose
strength our brave scientists estimate at some four thousand vessels."
Chaheel tried to imagine a force of interworld ships that large. Though he was
a social psychologist, not a military man, the sheer quantity of material and
energy involved was intimidating.
"And," the ambassador added glumly, "for all we can tell there may be more
coming behind those. The instruments on the research ship can probe only so
far. Joint military command has decided those scientists cannot be risked for
a deeper probe. They constitute our only point of contact with the aliens."
"A sensible decision, at last," Chaheel muttered. "It is time to..." He
hesitated and his second eye swung around to focus on the ambassador. "Pardon,
First Father Ambassador. But you said 'joint military command'?"
"Truly naturally," was the reply. "The only possible way an invading force of
such size could be countered is with the full armed might of both the
UTW and the worlds of the Families."
He escorted Chaheel to another part of the cavernous chamber and showed him
Page 118
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
humans and Nuel standing intermixed before another large screen. Bipeds and
ciliates conversed busily, some with the aid of interpreters, a few without.
"The plotted approach indicates this alien armada is slightly more inclined to
enter the UTW first," he explained. "Hence command has been established here.
Members of all military families have been arriving on Terra for days. Ships
are being called in from all the family worlds.
"The combined fleets will assemble near a colony world named Larkin which lies
somewhat northinner to Masermun, the family world nearest the alien's path.
From there the joint force will move out to an intercept point in free space."
He paused, added, "We know nothing of these Tremovan's weapons or capabilities
beyond the fact they have a unique communications system and the ability to
muster a large force. Whatever the odds, we shall fight, of course."
"You say we know nothing of the Tremovan's military capabilities,"
Chaheel said evenly. "That may be so, but there is one human who might have
such information."
"Ah." The ambassador expressed himself wistfully. "The Kee-yes vain
Lewmaklin of whom you have spoken. There may be members of the families who
sleep through the obvious but, once awakened, they can move quickly enough.
"First detection of the aliens was made by the human scientific vessel some
three weeks ago. We have spent most of that time trying to locate this
Lewmaklin, ever since your profoundly ignored information was rediscovered and
recredited.
"He is nowhere to be found. For such a powerful individual to vanish so
quickly and utterly bespeaks much fear ... or careful preplanning. Even his
closest aides, who have been interrogated on truth machines, have no idea as
to his whereabouts."
Chaheel was thinking furiously. "He rose out of the human underworld many
years ago. Is it possible he has run to cover there again?"
"No. Once the nature and magnitude of the emergency was made clear to those
humans who dominate that peculiar social structure, they began searching for
him just as intensely as the legal authorities. They have no knowledge of his
present location either. There was one rumor which had him taking ship to
Restavon from Evenwaith with only two close assistants, but the humans have
turned Restavon inside out without finding a slimetrail of him."
Chaheel considered this, as he turned away from the noisy cluster of milling
military personnel, human and Nuel alike, and then gestured with a couple of
tentacles back toward the towering screen, which still showed the silently
advancing cluster of lights.
"I should venture to predict that he is now somewhere between there and here,
assuming he has not reached his allies already. There is no telling what
important information on human and truly also on family fleet strength and
deployment he has already provided to these Tremovan."
"But he is not a military man," the ambassador objected. "Surely he cannot..."
"Naivete peers from beneath your skirt, First Father." Chaheel's quiet
frustration finally overwhelmed his instinctive politeness to one of superior
family standing. If they had listened to him in the first place...
"This human has spent most of his long life insinuating his tentacles into
every imaginable business and aspect of commerce not only in the human sphere
of influence but in that controlled by the Families as well. I would venture
to predict that a check of commerce records would reveal that among other
dealings companies controlled or directed by him have supplied ship frames to
the military as well as armaments, engines, navigation equipment, and
everything else." He pointed toward the milling human soldiers.
"Likely he possesses as much knowledge of the military as any of those
uniformed individuals working with our people, and quite possibly more."
"Then we can do nothing about him," said the ambassador with admirable
resolve. "There are ships out looking for him, but space is very large and a
single small vessel can go, if it so wishes, anywhere it desires without the
Page 119
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
rest of the galaxy noticing its passage. We shall have to confront these
Tremovan as best we can. This Lewmaklin will have transmitted all useful
information to his alien friends by this time anyway.
"Should by some chance of fortune he be found, however, we will at least have
the satisfaction of dealing with him in person. Perhaps the humans can be
convinced to turn him over to us. Our plans for him would be more suited to
his treachery, his death more intimate." He put all four tentacles around the
psychologist.
"Whether we are successful or not, the Families and the humans as well owe you
apologies and a debt. Will you remain here to advise us? I will not restrain
you if you wish to leave."
"I've already told you everything I know," Chaheel replied, "about these
Tremovan. About Kees vaan Loo-Macklin I can tell you a good deal more, but he
seems not so important now."
"We still do not know for certain if the aliens crewing the approaching
vessels are these mysterious Tremovan," the subambassador pointed out, "any
more than we are certain they are warships bent on mischief." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]