Astra Pt. 04

The Ambassador is a hybrid, but they have not undergone their trial yet. They are two in our medical who are not hybrids. The doctor is looking for any Drakor DNA markers in their blood. Please read through their minds and find out all you can about this ambassador's intentions. There species intentions as they boarded by stealth. *

She returned, "I need a vid device and a pad that are interconnected for receiving information but not tied into the main internal systems. I want all communication systems isolated from internal computers to disconnect any cross-links I want it sent to this pad and vid. I do not want them trying to use our comms relay to gain access to our archives."

She returned and had the new chip in hand, "Same software with just the added module to let me hear when you want to send me a message silently. Interesting concept of bridging electronic with physic communication."

Jack thought out, * Justice this is the first time dealing with another hybrid. One who has not gone through the trial. His sword said Protector of the One in your language. Avoided trying to give him too much information but he asked me the right question he just needed to ask you. Is it true that he has been at this for 10 years?" *

Justice chose to respond, * Encountering another hybrid so soon was not expected. You did deduce that they were caught up in the events surrounding the Pralons and they have lost many more of their people to those creatures that humanity has. We feel partially responsible for that because of the weapon they used. You did right in having them seek the answers for themselves.

Determining his sword name without calling it out was a surprise but we now know you were concerned about revealing too much too fast. You want to know more about this 'one' he is the protector of. That is for him to say or not. You also wanted to gauge if we would be upset by any perceived interference. You did not cross any lines.

You gave him the correct course of action and the path he has is long. He now knows just how correct you are in how long it will take them to get to their rendezvous location. He has been at it for 32 years. They have those who use the sword. They do not need to know your styles. He needs to learn it himself.

These stealth intruders into your ship he has been made aware was a very bad idea. We told him his people are alive but captured because of this move. He knows you will want concessions for their return for the violation of this trust.

He is being told to embrace his nature as a protector, embrace the power of the sword through his own people's methods. He is quite young for his species and they can live a few centuries. His government is aware of his gifts and how he got them. They are uncertain of what to do about them. *

Jack thought, * I will not give or trade any engine technology with them to speed up this journey. He has time and motivation. He will likely get the engine information from the planetary patent offices but I would warn him I would consider that theft and a threat to our people.

If he has already done so then he needs to turn over technology in kind. Like there stealth ship and sensor technology for seeing their own ships. We would then work to upgrade humanity to see them coming. I will call him out on his undiplomatic approach to things. I might just put Astra to work to deal with that aspect. I will let them know that our internal defenses will be activated.

Those will shoot hidden intruders to kill. Instead of the two, we captured for an eventual return. We will know because Meltora would let us know given the atrocities committed against his kind by this race. *

He heard Justice almost laugh, * Your guide is learning a lot about this race and there approach to things. It understands the reasons you are looking for these answers but it hates it when people 'profit' from his kinds death. Still, you are doing it for many reasons and some are for the benefit of its own kind. *

Jack thought, * The deal I will force them to take in regards to hunting, researching or harming of his kind will probably bring Meltora a sense of gratification in how I am approaching this. Meltora and then the Drakor are the only two races I have managed to negotiate with thus far. Once I understood your methods and Meltora's methods and concerns.

Then I knew how to establish friendly relations with each of you. The Drakor can defend themselves. Meltora's kind might not be as skilled in that area. I will, on a personal level, work to defend Meltora and his kind from further abuse. Even if it means to bring the hybrids to bear to address this issue in the future. Meltora is like family and his extended family is worth protecting if we are able. *

Justice replied, * I can see how you would perceive this for the betterment of humanity but remember not all of humanity can be protected as well as your ship can. At least for now. I know that would change if they came back with a heavy-handed response. *

Jack thought to Meltora, * Your thoughts on my approach with this ambassador and the two we are holding in medical? *

Meltora responded, * They harvest from my kind like cattle. There are no more in their space but they harvested them for food and in search of any technology they might have ingrained into our being. They found nothing of use to them. Other than food. *

Jack went to his lab and made the modifications to the eye and installed it into Astra who liked having a targeting reticle with the ship's internal defenses. He determined the power signature of the stealth suits and modified the external and internal sensors to look for that signature.

She installed the new chip into his head. He created a down and dirty pulse-like device to reveal stealth ships. He built it into a series of explosive devices to demonstrate a point. Sarah had brought them in on the dark side of the moon and they picked up eight stealth ships. One about the size of a battleship, a shuttle and what looked like drones or fighter craft for the rest."

As they approached, "He got on his system, "Crazy Eights and Wildcard. Are you flying today?"

He heard laughter, "Yes Merlin we are flying today. What do you need?"

He smiled, "Four fighters on the dark side of the moon with shields activated and not firing unless fired upon. I need to make a point."

He heard back, "Will four be enough?"

Jack laughed, "A point not an all-out threat. Let me know when you are in the zone."

They came to a stop and pointed the craft nose up out here. He waited to be contacted. The shuttle came out of stealth and Jack had the air-gapped vid device with a logger on it and waited to be contacted.

The call came in and was routed into the device and Jack displayed it up on the bridge, "Hello Ambassador."

He sighed, "I was informed by the Drakor that you captured two of our operatives boarding your ship." Jack nodded and saw the hacking attempt coming in.

He thought to Astra, * Astra, slow turn, Send charges out of the airlock. Bring the nose down. Explosive decompression to send the other four from the shuttle bay.*

She responded, * I am liking this new interface. Switching to standard shields. *

As the ship circled slowly and Jack did not answer him yet. The Ambassador finally asked, "Is everything alright?"

The nose came down the airlock blew out the atmosphere and the four charges.

He thought to Astra, * Astra, I am waiting on one message. Here is the order of event...*

He gave her a breakdown of what he wanted her to do during this encounter. By the numbers. He heard over comms, "Merlin, You got your 4 fighters approaching your 6. Problems with that shuttle in front of you. We are not getting an ID on it." Jack called out. "Hold back, Astra Phase 1."

The charges went off in space sending a shortening pattern into the stealth arrays of the ships in the area including the battleship. "Phase 2."

All weapon systems went active and targeting systems locked on targets. "Ambassador, you can tell now that I was not joking about seeing, or neutralizing your stealth technology. Your attempt to hack into our comms array to get to our system is not going to work either.

You are tripping over your own anatomy. That is a human term for stepping on your own reproductive organs. Meaning counterproductive and hurting yourself. Recall your drones or fighters you have exposed before the fighters behind me start looking at target practice. Pull your Capital ship back, the fighters will escort it to the sunny side of the moon.

Wait for them to effect repairs to their stealth cloaks while getting their stealth shuttles craft, or personnel off of Terra and Luna. All Terran sensors will be upgraded in a matter of hours to find your ships and personnel in those suits. I am giving you the opportunity to save face. While we continue our diplomatic mission.

Any personnel aboard your ships that had those suits active are standing there wondering what to do now. Return them to your battleship, Bring yourself and your two visible guards to my shuttle bay and we will work to start negotiations off on a more friendly note. By returning your two men, naked, but you will get them back. Your technology will be given over to Terra Military R&D for further study.

I will give you 10 minutes to effect the change of personnel on your ship and the recall of all the drone fighters."

The ambassador sighed and ended communication. Wild card contacted us, "What the fuck is that?'"

Jack replied, "Wild Card this is Merlin. This is another alien race. They stepped over the line with me by trying to sneak two stealth operatives aboard my ship. We captured them. They were following the Praylons. The Praylons had destroyed some of their colonies they made contact through the President. I am affecting some aggressive negotiations at the moment.

When the time comes please escort the battleship to the light side of the moon. Do not fire unless fired upon. They will be working the systematic recall of any other stealth craft and operatives from Terra. I just demonstrated we can see them and disable their stealth capabilities. Informed them their craft would be considered hostile invaders if revealed in this manner in Terra space or on the surface."

He saw the shuttle moving back toward him and thought, "Astra phase 3."

Astra went through their computer systems found any and all stolen technology and archived it back along with the weapons, crew complement, and designs for their entire fleet. She also added their repository on alien races they encountered and sent it to xenobiology for Carol to start reviewing while Astra's Core sat down and filtered through to find the good parts.

Astra replied, * Done and without being detected...yet. *

They opened the shuttle bay and watched the ship land. All security systems went active before the doors closed. Jack walked out with Just Astra The Ambassador and his two guards stepped out, "Astra hunter mode." Her eyes went red and the interior guns started searching for targets.

He looked at the Ambassador, "You managed to piss me off, Meltora, A 30th-century computer AI and possibly the Drakor. I am sure they had a nice talk with you."

He sighed and nodded, "They told me you had contacted them. You knew how to do that."

Jack asked, "Astra we behind the battleship? If so activate phase 4."

She nodded, "Yes we are following them. Allowing the comms through now to the Ambassador which we have been blocking."

Someone appeared on their version of a vid, "Sir, we were just informed that our entire system and core were hacked. All data gained from terra removed.

That all returning ships and electronics will have the same thing happening to them. The face of a human woman with glowing red eyes appeared on every screen across the entire ship and every pod we have coming back."

Jack looked at him, "Follow us to medical and your two crew. Your guards better holster those weapons before the internal security system is set off.

Right now, updated Sensor software is being pushed into all Terra Starbases and latest generation fighters we have been adding. It will go active in 12 hours if not sooner. Any stealth person or craft found in Terra or Terra space will be deemed to have hostile intentions. Once you are out beyond the range of Jupiter you can again use your cloaking devices.

The early warning net I will see about getting installed will let us know if you enter the system again in the same manner or others you might have stolen the technology from. You have people gifted in accessing computers and others at reverse engineering technology. You do not have the creative force to generate a lot of your own innovations. Now, who is the 'One' for starters?"

The ambassador looked at him, "The belief that we are the one true race in the universe. The superior being, if you will, as foretold in our religion."

Jack nodded, "You are a protector of that 'philosophy' then. The Drakor are far superior in their approach to things and their technology than any other race I have read about or encountered. A lot of humans believe the same thing about themselves. I am not going to fault you there. Core release patients from the table."

Carol looked over, "The other did have the Drakor markers, probably the progeny of the one you are talking with. I injected some into the other one and his wounds are healing."

Jack nodded, "Naked but unharmed except for the one who decided to try to hide from our sword-blades; bad idea. On the table Ambassador and we will see what they did to you."

He got up on the table. Left limb, both legs, a second heart and a place over the middle lobe of your brain. Five lobes. All bones in all limbs; except your off-hand. She nodded, "DNA is stored and modified in their heart. Roughly 40% change as it did no muscles except the one arm and his legs.

Jack nodded, "We came close to killing the wounded agent of yours. The historical information we were given on your species was completely inaccurate. Dr. Carol determined it was not accurate so we used the Drakor DNA in your progeny here to help fix the other. He now carries those same markers forever.

Your people know of you and your abilities. They know you have been searching for answers for over 30 years. We know you have those who use swords on your planet. Time to embrace the sword. Time to think about your approach if the action you have been taking is truly the right course for protecting your people. As the Drakor would say it is a choice, and those choices are yours. Meltora has asked us to determine if your species will satisfy its dietary requirements."

The ambassador looked shocked, "You would not do such a thing?!"

Jack smiled, "Told it you would be mostly bone and gristle when done considering you used his species for food and have hunted it completely out of your area. Which is why you are going to sign a document.

Acknowledging that the Meltora are a sentient species and are not food to be hunted, killed, maimed or studied any further. As you have none to do this with it is an easy thing to ask. It also lets you know that while the Terran people would not likely act in this matter.

The crew and human Hybrids aboard the Excalibur would most assuredly act if we learned of this. Astra could have sent your system cores critical while in stealth and left you out there in a shuttle and a very long trip home. We did not do that.

We did ensure that the technology you attempted to steal including my drive designs was recovered and removed from your systems. You will need the extra time getting to your meeting location in order to come to terms with who you are and the blade you carry. Your role for your people.

We share the same blood. The Drakor blood. I am a guardian of humanity but I am also part Drakor and when you offend us in such a flagrant manner; humanity and myself. I am a little more than disappointed. I wanted my first contact with another hybrid to go smoother.

You still have a lot to learn. Like the fact that the Drakor destroyed the Praylons for having one of their ships and stealing their technology. We discovered that when we boarded the ship. They came because they were pissed and they are now hunting that race to extinction.

Do not think I am the only one who is offended by your approach in that manner? We may have saved you from the Praylons' fate. If you had captured those ships and used all the technology onboard you would have been stealing from the Drakor."

The Ambassador turned white and looked at Jack, "They said you are correct."

Jack nodded. "Astra, using what we know of the Drakor run a scan of the technology archive and tell me if any Drakor technology is in fact in their hands already?"

The Ambassador clutched at his chest like he was having a heart attack. Astra came back, "No, nothing remotely over the top to indicate Drakor technology. As I have no repository, I could only go over technology that seemed to be more advanced than I am."

Jack nodded, "You might want to talk with your people about their approaches to gaining technology."

He nodded, "They just told me that was sound advice and said I should thank you for looking after our interests."

Jack sat back against the desk, "We are both part Drakor. Finding common ground is an area we all need to learn how to accomplish better. Meltora did not ask about eating your people. He is more evolved than that. I did it to put the shoe on the other foot as it were. Let you feel it from his side.

Meltora the Ambassador is a captive audience for the next few hours if you wish to speak at him."

Meltora laughed in his head, * You are a true friend. Thank you. I will spend some time chatting with him. *

He looked at all of them, "Please stay in medical. Astra will be watching and those turrets are not set to wound. Also, stay away from our computers. She will dispatch assassin bots on your group if you attempt to breach her from within."

He heard Astra laughing in his head, * That will have them thinking about this. I've counted 84 pods including one from every Starbase. It will take them 15 years to return home. *

Grace came in with the paperwork to give him and he signed it and she gave him a pad with a copy of the document.

It was another 4 hours before the Ambassador was contacted. "All pods recalled." He nodded to Astra, "Phase 5."

She nodded, "All military and Starbase sensor software have been upgraded. We are picking up one still at the Capitol."

He looked at the Ambassador and he contacted his ship. He sighed, "They are returning. They sent an assassin down in case I was not returned."

He nodded, "I am not alerting them to not shoot that craft. It will get interdicted and if it fails to comply will be destroyed. Let them know we are taking you back to your shuttle now. As soon as that craft lands aboard your ship surrenders, or explodes you will be free to return."

They got to the shuttle bay and the call came in from Astra, "The pod blew itself up. A fighter had it in a beam to prevent it from escaping."

Jack nodded, "Maybe next time start off with true good faith intentions."

The Ambassador nodded, "Take care Defender of Justice."

Jack nodded, "I am 'Dispenser of Justice' and a defender of humanity. You take care 'Protector of the One.'"

They let the shuttle go and Jack watched them leave the system fast and noisy as their stealth drives were still offline. The fighters followed them out for a way, "Merlin this is Death Blossom. I caught a cloaked ship and it blew up?"