CHAPTER 12 (Almost into the Black Too)

Cautiously we opened the cargo bay door in slow/pause/stop/reverse/eject mode. The cases seemed to be intact except for one. By all appearances several containers had exploded, blasting the thick wine in all directions.

We double-checked the environmental conditions, puzzled about what caused them to do that. Everything was within optimal parameters. Cap’n Hotshot asked Commander Scorpion to enter the hold first. Scorp stepped in carefully avoiding slippery spatters and puddles.

Carefully looking around the shambles of the hold we discovered a baseball-sized sphere (yes, it is still played in a few places). It was a perfect black. Nothing reflected from it. Knowing that ship’s safety routines were operating, Captain Hotshot fearlessly picked it up.

Immediately lights from deep within its invisible depths flickered and danced in smooth transitions (you have to be almost blind to see into infinity, but Hotshot was appropriately qualified. Without a second thought we rushed for the Khreshnard language spinner. The communication system interpreted with audio and a text display copy. What we heard and read was astounding. We were given the secret behind the amazing Mup and Jhen. That stuff will never ever touch our lips again!!

Mup and Jhen is distilled from Khreshnard amniotic fluid! Now we are told by the sphere to rush and pour it all over the new hatchlings for their survival!

After a moment of stunning stunnedness our wits returned to the options and actions ahead of us. Captain Hotshot and I were both talking rapidly to one another in concerted thoughts. We grabbed a few containers of that vile wine and rushed back to the hatchlings. With help from the spinner at the door console we were finally able to convince the ship’s systems to open the door for us. The room was filled with lights! We had to be careful not to step on any of the newly arrived Kreshnards as we worked our way around the room ‘annointing’ the baby hatchlings.

They swarmed to us, attracted by the smell from that disgusting fluid. We doused them all as if putting out a fire. The living lights changed their frantic flickering display to soft subdued phases and passed colored patterns around the room in a slow hypnotically sleepy song of light. With droopy eyelids, Scorpy ushered Hotshot out of the room. We stepped quietly back to the door. We dimmed the lights. Suddenly all the hatchlings rose up in unison and burst into activity.

We turned the lights back up and they quieted again. We deduced that possibly they were ‘nursing’ on the light from the room’s illumination system. We closed the door and checked back through the display to confirm that they were still resting and ‘nursing’.

In a tiny room, which we used like a science lab, we set the sphere into a sensor cradle. “Bring up the holoputer”, said Captain Dolan. “Puter, please analyze the sphere for any further information”. Nothing happened during several tests and analysis attempts. Then Commander Scorpion suggested, “Maybe what worked with the hatchlings might effect the sphere. Say Cap’y old boy, maybe you should put some of the decommissioned 1,000 watt ‘Squaaad’ lights around it.”

Captain Hotshot positioned several high-powered decommissioned industrial grade spotlights around it. When he threw the switch the sphere came alive. It hovered and rotated. How we knew that it was rotating is unclear since no light was emitted nor reflected from it’s perfect black. (Well, the Captain knew as was previously noted being almost blind he had the ‘Certificate of Qualification’ to see into infinity).

After a few seconds a low display of repeated light patterns began to glow through its blackness as if from very deep within. We had brought the spinner translator into the lab with us and the interpretation began to unfold.

It kept repeating a request for identification. We tentatively spoke our names into the light wheel. Sudden very rapid pulses of blinding color exploded from the sphere. The spinning wheel seemed to be responding. Then it hit us. It was communicating with the holoputer.

We dashed to a vid-console but could not quite keep up with the furious exchange. We garnered enough to deduce that it was explaining something to our computer. After a moment of this the communication system announced that it had received instruction and a request for permission to utilize a new technology. We discussed it for a moment with our ship. As near as we could figure, the ship’s hull could flip electrons in its composition in such a way as to emit powerful surges of color and direct them to the home planet of Khreshnard as a means of communication. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked commander Scorpion, “Heck Yes”, said Captain Hotshot. “This should be interesting and in any case it might just get us some replacement cargo, always keeping the finances in mind – heh, heh.”

From a section of our vid-console we saw the hull light up and begin a barely detectable high-speed flicker. We were mesmerized by how the light seemed to gather itself into a bolus and then exit in a tiny intense beam in the direction of the Khreshnard system. Then the audio translation came in.

They first thing we received was a question about the well being of their hatchlings. We affirmed that we followed the instructions and they seemed to be feeding and resting.

Then we were informed that these hatchlings were a gift to us. They would complete the mutation to become Khreshnards within a few days and become our devoted ‘children’ and wonderful things will be given to us through them over time. Their only need was continuous dousings with Mup and Jhen for three weeks and then continual sources of strong light. We were informed that they could hibernate for short periods for their survival.

Captain Dolan and myself quickly discussed the ramifications of all of this. We seemed to share the same thoughts. First, we now had a prized cargo that only we knew was actually alien amniotic fluid. Second, and offsetting the first, we were handed obligations from an alien society to raise and care for their offspring.

Captain Hotshot whispered to me and I nodded in agreement while asking them what would happen if we declined. The response was immediate. The hull of the ship began glowing intensely hot. We were told that this was just a tiny sample of possibilities.

This was followed by a dignified plea for cooperation and increasingly good relations. We were told that we would be given information that could make us rich and powerful, if we so chose. They would monitor to prevent significant abuses, however. (Must’ve known about some of our more excessive escapades over in the Gamma Quadrant).

In one voice of like-mindedness, Captain Hotshot and Commander Scorpion graciously agreed to host the advancement of new relations between the two civilizations. I whispered something to Captain Hotshot and he was immediately forthcoming to them; that we had stashed some of the Mup and Jhen in remote scattered roids that would take a little time to recover. They asked how much was still on the ship. Then they informed us that they had anticipated us and there was no need. We carried an excess of many times the small needs of the hatchlings.

We all mutually resolved to form a partnership to pioneer the incorporation of the two civilizations in a new era of relationships. After that the Khreshnards sent a formula to us as a reward and incentive promote future cooperation and exchanges. The purpose of the formula was a little vague but they assured us it would benefit us immensely. We bid well wishes to one another and terminated the discussion. However, we noted that a very thin thread of light stretched out from our ship. We deduced that it was a link.

After several hours of discussion, Captain Hotshot Dolan and Commander Scorpion Speaker formed the structure and goals of a new corporation as entrepreneurial diplomats.

After that we took a close look at the requirements for the formula. The ingredients were all common and the procedures were within our capabilities. We followed the instructions and ended up with a small vial of sweet smelling amber liquid. We followed the suggestion and tested it on virtual human. The test subject seemed to be energized. We ran tests and analyzed various data recordings. We could not believe the results so we ran everything again. And yet again. The test subjects all became … enduring! Their cells replicated and changed so that they were in the mid years of maturity, in perfect health and then stayed that way!!

We ran the tests for days and the results were always the same. Finally Captain Dolan suggested that I should try it. After some laughter and cajoling we did thrice, rock-paper-and-scissors. Alas. Commander Scorpion quaffed a portion of the amber potion. The effect was immediate and I reported the sensations continually. I was filled with tingling energy, but it was not extreme. My mental acuity jumped several fold in mere moments. We cheered!! We had a fountain of youth! We had opened the gates to our suppressed intellect! We laughed and danced and hugged and cheered in exuberance!

Then I heard Captain Dolan screaming something in a desperate excitement. My mind seemed to shed a fog as his words penetrated my thoughts. He was slapping me silly and screaming “Halt simulation! Halt simulation damn it!!”

My eyes opened to see him shaking me with serious concern written all over his face. Slowly my thinking cleared and my memory revived. Then it finally registered. This was all only a holographic psycho simulation. I felt utterly dejected and depressed.

Captain Dolan patiently consoled me as we made our way back to the bridge. After we kicked back for a few minutes we set course to resume our trip home to Terra. A bit later I was clearing equipment away to storage locations when I spotted something unusual. The sudden freeze in my motion caught Captain Dolan’s attention and he turned to follow my gaze. There in the trophy display case was a little wheel of lights on a handle.

The rest is Tip Top Super Secret and cannot be published. Suffice it to say that we seem to keep falling into fortunate situations and want for nothing.

As a closing to this missive we offer a toast. “To joyful health and longevity!”
Commander “Scorpion” Speaker and Captain “Hotshot” Dolan