The Specimen

Chapter 21

“As they say on your world, it is a small universe commander.” said the shuttle pilot.

“Yes it seems that way isn’t.” said the commander. De Kar could not remember the shuttle pilot’s name even though this was the second time she and her team used the services of this shuttle pilot.

“Does this mission serves justice, knowledge or happiness?” asked the shuttle pilot.

“We are still trying to figure that one ourselves, but if we fail someone will be happy I guess.” said the commander

“Who?” asked De Kar

“Loo Tan Wun.” replied Ky’Mod.

“Why?” asked De Kar “What does Loo Tan Wun have against the commander?”

“A lot of things, just the fact that I am an Arcevar Noveren is the major point and I suppose he still has not forgotten what I did at the Larbane A star system.” said the commander

“What happen?” asked De Kar

Before the commander could answer De Kar noticed an opening appeared in the shuttle area and in walked in a Fodani, seven Sidone and three at first glance were Flun, but they were taller than the usual Flun, no these were Arcevar Noverens and they were attired in the same way as the commander who sometimes may have passed for a Flun if not for her height. Then six more Arcevar Noveren entered the shuttle area then the opening closed.

“Is some thing the matter?” asked the commander

“We heard you are going on a suicide mission, figured you could use some help and we like to join in and help you figure things out.” said one of the three Arcevar Noveren who De Kar then realized it was the dirt healer from the eating area, the other two similar attired were the other two healers from the eating area.

“You know this will be dangerous, we have no idea what to expect.” said the commander

“It is not the first time we faced dangerous and unknown situations before” said one of the healers “but I tell you Kar that story the survivor has told us does not sit well with me, some thing is missing here and the only way we going to find out is to go there ourselves and take a look around.”

The commander looked at the other healer and said “Edn what about you?”

“I agree with Dal and Car, besides you did not have a chance to move the dead bodies back to the Triskewura. Dal and I could check these bodies to see what killed them.” replied the second healer.

“It was the enemy!” said one of the Sidone, “Death to the enemy!”

“Death to the enemy!” chanted all eight of the Sidone in the shuttle area, however Ton Gar’s chant was soft and subdued when the rest of the Outcast looked at him during their chant.

“Who are you?” asked De Kar

“I am Puma Gum Pon Ho Hi Zun, I am the leader of this mission to the space ship to do battle in glorious manner against the enemy that threatens us all. Death to the enemy!” said the Sidone

“Death to enemy!” said all of the Sidone except Ton Gar.

“Why did you not chant?” asked the Sidone called Puma Gum Pon Ho Hi Zun

“No offense Puma Gum Pon.” replied Ton Gar “but what did the, the”

“Specimen” added Ky’Mod

“Thank you, specimen do to us such that it became our enemy?” asked Ton Gar

“It killed the crew of that space ship.” said Ho Hi Zun

“And we do not know why it did what it did.” said the commander

“It is dangerous, it needs to be destroyed.” said Ho Hi Zun “All Sidone need to go aboard that space ship to destroy that enemy.”

“Ho Hi Zun” said the commander “Right now I got orders to recover the bodies of those dead space ship crew and bring them back to the Triskewura for further study, to find out what really killed them.”

“It was the enemy.” said Ho Hi Zun “Death to the enemy!”

“Death to the enemy!” chanted all the Sidone except Ton Gar

“Have you listened to the story that the survivor has said Ho Hi Zun?” asked the commander.

“Does it matter?” asked Ho Hi Zun

“Yes it does.” replied the commander

“Blah such matters does not concern me not.” said Ho Hi Zun

“It does to me.” said the commander “For instance do you know how many have died aboard the space ship? How many is aboard that ship?”

“It is a trivial matter, I do not care.” said Ho Hi Zun

“I do, according to the survivor, there seems to be at least seven of them on that space ship. Three have died and if you count the survivor, there are three beings not accounted for plus the specimen.” said the commander.

“Blah I care not.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“You should, assuming that the specimen is hostile.”

“It is!” said Ho Hi Zun

“Well if it is, there are three possible friendly to us but they may not know that we are friendly to them, they might not take kindly on us going through their space ship.” said the commander.

“So?” said Ho Hi Zun

“So you might kill the friendly instead of the enemy and that would not be good.” said the commander.

“I do not care, I care only about killing the enemy.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“Right let us dwell on that for a while.’ said the commander.

“What about it?” asked Ho Hi Zun

“The survivor said the third one died by a ball of energy.” said the commander.

“Are you afraid about this?” asked Ho Hi Zun

“More like, if it was capable of releasing a ball of energy to kill, why not do it to the first two victims.” said the commander.

“Blah, all I care is about killing the enemy” said Ho Hi Zun

“If there is an enemy to kill.” said the commander.

“You are a coward, I should be leading this mission not you.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“Nope I am in charge of this mission until Gy’Well or Loo Tan Wun says other wise.” said the commander.

“I challenge you to the death for the leadership of this mission.” said Ho Hi Zun

“I do not accept your challenge.” said the commander.

“What how dare you not accept my challenge.” said Ho Hi Zun

“Look Ho Hi Zun this mission is a recovery of dead bodies, maybe explore the space ship that we missed the first time we was there. Combat is not the primary reason why we are going and I will avoid it at all cost.” said the commander.

“You are afraid, you are a coward, and you have no right to lead this mission. I should kill you for your actions.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“What actions?” asked the commander “We haven’t even boarded the shuttle yet and you have already accused me of something that I haven’t done yet.” said the commander.

“You Arcevar Noveren are all cowards, you have no honor, you run from combat.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“Your biggest mistake Ho Hi Zun is assigning one trait to our race, we have varied beliefs and motivations.” said the commander

“Meaning?” asked Ho Hi Zun.

“Meaning over all you might encounter a race of mild, timid, easy going, fearful beings, but there is always one that stands out from the rest, the one that causes grief to the rest of the group, the trouble maker, the misfit, the outcast of the group. Trouble is you might not know which one it is until it is too late.” spoke one of the other six Arcevar Noveren.

Ho Hi Zun looked at this Arcevar Noveren and said “Ric San do you challenge me?”

“I was not leading this mission, I came to offer the services of myself and my team for this mission.” replied the one known as Ric San.

“You expect combat too?” asked Ho Hi Zun.

“No but it case it happens we will be prepared, but we would like to help out in any way we can no matter what happens.” replied Ric San.

“Thank you.” said the commander

“Why do you speak?” asked Ho Hi Zun

“Because I am in charge of this mission.” replied the commander.

“No, you lack the courage and honor to lead this mission, I should lead this mission not you. I challenge you to death for the leadership of this mission.” said Ho Hi Zun

“I do not accept.” said the commander

“How dare you? You dishonor me by your actions.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“Excuse me you are the one who is causing problems for this mission not me.” said the commander

“You are the cause of the failure of this mission.” said Ho Hi Zun

“Me, we have not left yet and all ready you are judging this mission to be a failure.” said the commander.

“It will end in failure because you are in charge like the time on Larbane C Four and Larbane A.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“I did what I did to protect the ship and it’s crew at Larbane A.” said the commander.

“At the expense of our honor!” yelled Ho Hi Zun

“The Win Poo Foo Tip does not know that you were aboard the Triskewura so your honor is safe from them” said the commander

“You should have destroyed them, they threaten us, they prevented us from doing our mission.” said Ho Hi Zun “The Triskewura could easily have destroyed that puny ship of theirs.”

“Yes, the Triskewura could have easily destroyed them, but that was not the mission we were assigned to, the mission was to survey their star system not engage in battle.” said the commander.

“They prevented us from doing our mission, they should have been destroyed for that reason alone.” said Ho Hi Zun

“Of all the” said the commander “I do not believe what I just heard from you. You are saying I should have blasted that ship of theirs because they were preventing us from doing our mission, never mind the fact that they were doing their mission.”

“Which was what?” asked Ho Hi Zun

“Protecting their star system from possible hostile invaders.” replied the commander

“We were not invading them.” said Ho Hi Zun

“That’s what I told them, but apparently they did not believe me.” said the commander “But it seems spying on their system was a hostile act to them.”

“You should have destroyed them, but instead you became a coward and ran away from them.” said Ho Hi Zun “That act brought dishonor to us all.”

“Better that, than having a dead space ship crew on our conscience, that is too high a price to pay for knowledge no matter what.” said the commander “And as for Larbane C Four, well we could have gotten out sooner if your people did not stop and do an unneeded battle against the inhabitants of Larbane C Four.” said the commander.

“They challenge us to combat.” said Ho Hi Zun.

“Their mission was to divert attention so we could have picked up the first team.” said the commander. “To be honest they did their job, but some thing went wrong and instead of being afraid of that Sidone team, the inhabitants went after them. And for some reason I can not understand that team wanted to fight it out instead of leaving like they should and then my team went down to pick them up and instead of following us back to the shuttle they still wanted to fight it out.” said the commander

“It is our way, never to run from battle.” said Ho Hi Zun

“It was a battle that never needed to be fought.” said the commander “And because they refused to obey my order a couple of members of that team got injured unnecessary and we lost a fighter crew because of that delay.”

“You should have left them behind on that planet, it is our way.” said Ho Hi Zun

The commander then walked up to Ho Hi Zun and faced him straight on and said “It is our way not to leave any one behind, dead or alive, and I was tasked with getting that team back, so I ask you Puma Gum Pon Ho Hi Zun which of our cultures takes precendence here?”

“How dare you talk to me in that manner you dishonorable misfit outcast!” said Ho Hi Zun

“I only asked a question of you, but I will open that question up to any one in this area, because it is an important question to all of us and the answer to that question is even more important that you can even imagine. On this ship with many races and cultures which culture takes precendence?” asked the commander.

No one in the shuttle area spoke, they all looked at each other pondering on what the commander said. For what seemed like an eternity, the commander spoke up and said “The primary objective of this mission is to recover those three dead bodies on that space ship and return them to the Triskewura for further study. Secondary objectives of this mission are as follows. One, ascertain the technology of this space ship and it’s mission. Two, ascertain the where abouts of the surviving crew members and make peaceful contact with them. Three, ascertain the where about of the life form dubbed the specimen and make peaceful contact with it, if that is not possible capture it or withdraw from the space ship, use hostile force only as a last resort. Does any one have any questions?”

No one spoke up in the shuttle area. The commander than said “If any one has a problem with these mission objectives or have an issue with me being the leader of this mission you can either speak up now or you can remain behind here on the Triskewura, nothing will be said if you choose to remind behind.”

The twenty four varied beings of the Triskewura looked at the commander. For her part the commander looked at the shuttle pilot and asked, “Can we all fit in there?”

“I do not think so commander.” replied the shuttle pilot.

The commander then look at the one called Ric San and said “As much as I liked to have you and your team there, I truly need the Sidone for this mission.”

“But commander.” said Ric San

“No buts, however you and team go find a second shuttle and be our backup in case things go wrong.” said the commander

“I hope I don’t have to haul your sorry okole out of there commander.” said Ric San

“Will try not to get in to trouble then.” said the commander. And with that Ric San and his team left the shuttle area and saying “Good luck!” before finally leaving the shuttle area.

“The rest of you let us get going on that shuttle.” said the commander

Posted by Helen at November 24, 2003 10:58 PM