Chapter 5: Approach

Disclaimer: This is the rough draft of “The Terra Project”, a novel in progress. The story, characters, and events are subject to change during the editing process.

Please keep in mind that as a rough draft, the writing style and organization is expected to be poor and or lacking. As quoted by Ernest Hemingway, “The first draft of anything is shit.”

Comments and critique are greatly appreciated, though it is preferred that advanced critiquing be held off until later drafts. Anyone interested in the story or the novel project is encouraged to email me at fishbowlery@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy.

The engines roared and echoed in the cramped halls and corridors of the great ship The Catalyst. At the front, Iro Kastan stared out the front window with his five top generals behind him.

“There, that one,” Iro declared.

His generals all nodded quietly in agreement.

“As the largest one, it probably has the greatest population,” one of them nodded.

“Put the scanners on it, check it for resources,” Iro said.

A few seconds later, a screen appeared showing the outline of Astica.

“This is showing the elevations and detected mineral deposits of the continent you specified, sir!” a technician called.

Iro examined them closely. “I'm seeing a lot of iron and nickel around the perimeters of the 'divots', that will no doubt prove useful,” he said, pointing two three lowered areas on the continent: one that took up most of the far western end, a small one near the midpoint of the northeastern coast, and another mid-sized one near the south that was fairly deep. “I must say, this looks to be the oddest geographical formation I've ever seen.”

“Where should we land, sir?”

Iro looked back to the continent through the window and thought. “I suppose there's no way to tell from here where the most advanced civilization with the greatest population is,” he said. “I should say though, our best bet is near a body of water.”

“Scans are showing several systems of large rivers there,” one of the generals noted, pointing in between the larger and smaller divot.

“Fly there, then, into the pocket that those two rivers make before they join up.”

“Roger, captain,” the pilot replied.

“What is our estimated time of arrival to the surface?”

“Several hours, sir. My computer is showing four to five.”

Iro nodded. “Everyone is dismissed. Meet back here in four hours.”

As they all turned and marched to their quarters, Iro could not help but admie his ship. It was quite a large ship, but packed and crammed like a German U-boat. It was carrying the parts and pieces for several different factories, housing for his troops and men and their future recruits, weapons, gear, vehicles. Everything they would need. Soon his goal would be reached. Alonso had paved the way for him.

Binky dipped, then dove down in a graceful landing right at the center of the city that the aqueduct had led to.

Around it a crowd of people gathered. To Dr. Kaddix's mild surprise, they looked nearly exactly human. There were some slight differences about them, but he simply couldn't put his finger on what it was that distinguished them from the humans of Earth.

He ignored that and pressed the button to open the ship door and shouted out “Oi! Any of you bastards know anything about rocks and want to come along with us?”

The crowd gasped and began to whisper to each other in fear, many of them slowly backing away from the ship.

“Dusty, do we have anything that can teach these people English? Some kind of quick-tutor program maybe?”

Dusty looked around. “We've got Jack.”

“Who's he and why haven't I seen him?”

“He's a robot,” Dusty said. “Specifically, a nanobot controller.”

“How the fuck does a robot teach people English?” Dr. Kaddix boomed, causing more of the gathered civilians to cower in fear.

Dusty shook his head and walked to the back of the ship, grabbed a heavy cube of metal and hefted it over to the door.

“Just let me set it down outside the ship and I'll program it to teach English to everyone, how's that?” Dusty asked.

“Sounds good, just do it quickly, I'd like us to get our booze and get out of here.”

Dusty dragged the large cube out of Binky and plopped it down on the ground. He tapped it a few times. “Jack, use language bots. Upload English to everyone without it within twenty five meters.”

“Command received.” Jack replied in a blank, lifeless voice. “Syntax understood. Initializing...”

Dusty waved the gathered crowd toward him and the cube.

“How's it going?” Dr. Kaddix shouted impatiently.

Dusty rolled his eyes. “It's going, give it a minute.”

The cube let out a few high pitched beeps and a few of the more brave, inquisitive members of the crowd drew nearer and nearer to the strange device.

After a few moments of tense silence, the cube chirped loudly. With a noise like a series of sparks, everyone in the crowd fell to the ground screaming in pain.

“Oi!” Dr. Kaddix bellowed. “What the bloody hell did you just do?”

“I taught them English like you told me to!” Dusty shouted back.

“Oi!” Dr. Kaddix shouted to the crowd, most of which was still on the ground. “Do any of you bastards speak English now?”

A flood of “Yes”'s met his ears. Some ecstatic, some fearful, some startled. Most of them confused.

“Okay, good. Where can I get me some booze and someone who knows a lot about rocks and architecture?” Dr. Kaddix called. “And then we're out of here, don't hold us up, please.”

Dusty shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“Are you gods?” one of the fearful spectators asked.

“Oh no, we're just traveling scientists from earth. We'd like a booze and a talk with whoever's in charge here.”

A course of whispering washed through the crowd as they got to their feet. After a minute Dr. Kaddix, Dusty, and Kyme were being lead down the stone street by the ecstatic inhabitants of the city, with several barrels of some kind of liquid being rolled along behind them.

The inhabitants quickly lead them to a large, domed building constructed nearly entirely of marble and ushered them inside quickly. Inside was a circular table with several people seated around it, all deeply engaged in the conversation between them. They all froze and looked up as the newcomers entered.

“You taught them English too,” Dr. Kaddix asked quickly.

“I don't think they were in range of Jack at the time.”

“Well, go get Jack?” Dr. Kaddix suggested.

Dusty rolled his eyes and charged out of the building, to the protests of the people that had led them in.

“Does anyone here want to translate for us in the meantime?” Dr. Kaddix called out. “Preferably someone who knows rocks and is good with buildings, or vice versa I suppose, but it would save us some looking later.”

“I could help you!” piped a voice. One of the townsfolk dashed forward. “I'm Kiono, an amateur engineer, architect, geologist, and general scientist.”

“Oh, good, you're hired.”

Kiono blinked. “I... I am? Oh... Can I look at your ship?”

“Sure, as long as you don't try to tinker with it. And first things first, translate to these people.”

“Um, what do you want me to say?” Kiono asked blankly.

“Tell them we're from Earth, we're grateful for the beer, The United States of America wants to be friends with 'em, and that you're coming with me to study everything.”

Kiono paused and gave a quick listing in his head to make sure he still had all of the information. “Anything else you'd like to add?”

“Tell them the aqueducts they have are amazing.”

Kiono coughed and called out to the assembled people at the table, who quickly discussed in hushed voices amongst each other. After a while of discussing and talking, they called back to Kiono.

Kiono looked to Dr. Kaddix. “They said they are pleased to welcome you to the city of Brellan, of the country of Joss,” he said. “That they are pleased to hear your appreciation for the spirits the people have given you, humbly accept your compliments to their construction, and are pleased that you accept Kio- pleased that you accept me to come along with you on your studies and your journeys.”

“Well, that's good,” Dr. Kaddix noted. “Did they say anything else I should no about?”

Kiono thought for a second. “They mentioned that they will send forth word to the capital to spread the good name of the Joined Areas of Amrica.”

“Close enough,” Dr. Kaddix said. “Dr. Harrow's supposed to be doing all the diplomacy shit, but I guess I've killed an extra bird with my stone. And now, shall we be off so I can actually study rocks like I'm supposed to?”

Kiono shrugged and nodded, and Dr. Kaddix began to walk back out.

Dusty nearly ran into him entering the building with the heavy cube, then cursed as he realized Dr. Kaddix was simply leaving again.

“Oh, um.... can I get my stuff?” Kiono asked timidly.

“You got ten minutes, kid,” Dr. Kaddix shouted. “After that, we're leaving without you.”

Kiono did not know what a minute was, since he was used to using a completely different system of tracking time, but he detected that he was going to be quite hurried and he sprinted to his house.

After a few minutes he reappeared at Binky with several odd, cumbersome contraptions in his arms. A few more minutes and Dusty appeared with the heavy cube device and hefted it aboard and Binky lifted off.

“So tell me,” Dr. Kaddix said once they were all aboard and the ship was airborne. “The rocks the aqueduct is built of and the rocks of the mountains are not the same, are they? Where did you get the rocks you built the aqueducts out of?”

“Bretin,” Kiono answered. “It's... um... past the mountains to the south and then west past this one river. It's limestone, by the way”

“Sounds good,” Dr. Kaddix noted. “Let's go, then.”

“I repeat,” stated the anchorwoman seriously. “The planet you now see in the sky is the project of an obscure company known as TimeSpace Technologies. The planet is their creation and they currently have researches and diplomats on the planet to study it and befriend the natives. The are also running a web site dedicated to providing information to us and allowing us to communicate with the researches for feedback and questions. The URL is at the bottom of the screen, and there is currently a poll going on to determine the name for one of the continents. Back to Doug with the weather.”

Dan sipped his coffee thoughtfully. He had ordered that the larger aircraft remain in place to conserve fuel, but had flown in a helicopter to a small hotel to rest and wait until the candle-light vigil that he would attend. He and his escort were currently lounging in the lobby, which was comfortable enough for the time being.

After viewing the news announcement, he quickly looked around the room until his eyes met a piece of crinkled paper taped to one of the walls bearing the handwritten legend 'free intarnet. hi spede. why-fi'

“Excuse me sir,” Dan said to the clerk behind the desk. “Do you have a laptop I could borrow?”

“Sure thin', Mr. President,” he replied, then casually tossed a laptop to him from behind the desk. Dan caught it carefully and opened it up, then connected to the net and entered the URL shown by the news station.

The resulting page was professional looking, but at the same time very blank and empty. It showed the planet, labeled 'Terros', and several tabs, but only three were graced with a name: 'Satellite Photographs and Maps', 'Researcher's Logs', and 'Polls'. He idly clicked the logs tab and scanned through a short article by Dr. Tro about the discovery and naming of the continents, then clicked over to the tab for the poll.

'Should the continent be named Euria or Eurica?' it asked.

Dan chuckled and quietly added a vote. For once, it felt good to him to be one equal part of a decision instead of a possible roadblock to them as presidency had become.

Several hours later the first lights of dawn began to land on the Aften Stjerne.

Dr. Tro had already woken up and was at the pilot's seat, and the ship quietly lifted into the air and began to sail above the trees.

“Dvshvwa?” Chase asked when he sensed that the ship was moving.

“Say what?” Dr. Tro called back.

Buck nodded out of his doze.

“I most clearly asked why we were moving,” Chase said as he stumbled to the front of the ship.

“I've slept on it and I've decided,” Dr. Tro noted, “That we won't be able to really follow any specimens as I would normally go about doing. Given our resources, a realistic time frame for being here, and so on, that what we really should be doing is more general exploring. Sort of flying by and making a few odd stops to observe. That'll be where you come in too, Chase.”

“Er, okay, I guess,” he said. “Do you mean to say we're just going to take flyby pictures and such? Like out the window or something? Because those just don't have much depth to them and they're usually of lower quality.”

“No, I mean that we should be just trying to get a more general picture of the life and ecosystems here instead of plopping down in a single forest the whole time.”

“Ah,” Chase said quietly. “So, wide lens, then?” he added jokingly.

Dr. Tro gave a short laugh as she guided the Aften Stjerne on.

“So, where are we headed?” Chase asked.

“Wherever,” Dr. Tro said, then she glanced at the compass. “Looks like southeastish. Feels kind of like a road trip, the only destination is wherever there's something interesting?”

“Admittedly, we're going a lot faster than that,” Chase said.

“Not if we don't want to miss anything,” she said. “Hey Buck!” she called.

“Yeah,” Buck asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to stay awake. “What can I help you with, ma'am?”

“Does this ship have any sort of feature that would allow it to maneuver quietly as to not scare away any potential animals of interest?” she asked.

“Yeah, there's a button on the far left, big orange one, just don't fly around in it too much, it sucks power like nothin'.”

“I see it. Chase, you see anything interesting so far?”

Chase shook his head. “Well, besides this whole planet thing, which is kind of amazing, not at all. You?”

Dr. Harrow gave one last look at the city as he climbed back into the Lovable Dictator. Raj was right behind him and dashed inside to Nebbs was. After him was Taco, hefting the heavy keg of booze that Jerund had promised, and lastly Alex with a crate of other assorted gifts.

The inhabitants of the city had met them with welcoming arms and high regard at the words of their king; it simply wouldn't have done to run off, so Dr. Harrow had stayed for as short a time as he felt he could get away with without looking bad and headed to the ship.

He'd managed to get through it all though, and was reflecting on it all when he plopped into the captain's seat in the cockpit of his ship.

“Where to next?” he called back.

His audience considered the question. Raj put Nebb's head to his ear, as if listening to a tiny voice from the thing.

“Nebbs says we should go to Bolvia,” he announced after a few seconds.

Alex turned to him with an incredulous look. “Are you serious? Are you sure you're an adult?”

“I'm twenty four,” Raj said defensively. “That's elderly in Skidun, the country to the south of us.”

Dr. Harrow was considering the suggestion. “That actually makes sense,” he said. “You mentioned earlier that they traded with the Eurians, didn't you?”

“That I did,” Raj answered.

“Trade ports are usually the most advanced and often the most populous, as well as most influential. Allying ourselves with them would spread word of our landing and make anyone and everyone they trade with more open to the idea of friendship with us, as well as more likely to believe that we really are from Earth. Raj, do you think you can get us there?”

“Um, I've never been there, I just know the general direction. Something east of here, probably north. I know the lost Euricans that usually visit us wind up doing so because they make a wrong turn at a river, so that would be a good way.”

Dr. Harrow sighed. “Does Nebbs think he could get us there?” he asked sarcastically.

Raj lifted Nebbs to his ear and listened closely. “He says he could.”

Dr. Harrow rolled his eyes. Raj saw and recoiled slightly with a hurt look.

“Northeast, then,” Dr. Harrow declared as the Lovable dictator lifted up into the air and flew forward.

“I have an idea,” Alex said as the ship gained altitude and the ground below began to rush past. “I'll fly the ship and Raj and Nebbs will give directions. Dr. Harrow, I'll bet the people back on Earth are simply dying to get an update from you and would love to hear about your time in the capital of Harasa and what all you learned there.

Dr. Harrow considered this for a few moments, then eased out of the driver's seat and strode over to the computer terminal.

“I'm sure Alonso knew that you could do this just as easily as I could, if not easier,” he thought aloud. “I'm sure he has a reason for me doing this and not you doing this.”

Alex and Taco both looked away and remained silent. Dr. Harrow noted this.

It was currently night over the ship Binky as it made a slow journey just over the crests and sides of the jagged mountain range southwest of Joss.

“We should really be there by now,” Dr. Kaddix grumbled.

“I just...” Kiono groaned, grabbing at his stomach. “Look, I just can't stand the thought of moving fast, I can barely stomach flying...”

“We're moving at a bloody crawl!”

“If we go any faster I'll be sick or have a panic attack or something!” Kiono protested.

“Well go over to your bunk and cover your eyes with your blanket or something!”

“No, I just can't stand the thought of it...”

“If we go higher it won't seem like we're moving very fast at all.”

“No!” Kiono shouted with a start. “No, I don't want to get any further off the ground than we are now or I'll just be sick... don't.... don't...”

Dr. Kaddix groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Look on the bright side,” Kyme said cheerily. She casually flicked a few buttons and bright headlights flashed to life, illuminating the vast mountainous landscapes that they were slowly traversing. “If we'd gone fast we would have probably missed all this,” she noted.

Dr. Kaddix looked out the cockpit window at the vast mountainsides the swept up slowly beneath Binky as it floated over the range. “It is kinda nice,” he said with a shrug.

“That's freakin' beautiful, man,” Dusty said. “C'mon, what kind of rocks do you think those mountains are made up of?”

“Probably same stuff that the mountains were made of several hours and tens of miles back,” Dr. Kaddix replied. “Doesn't look like the aqueduct material.”

Dusty gave a sigh. “Y'know, you didn't grab a rock sample then. You could put'er down here and grab a sample, study it, do whatever,” he said with a gentle nudge in his voice.

“We've got a rock tumbler, you could make some nice jewelery or shiny paperweights or whatever,” Kyme added. “I simply love rock tumblers.”

Dr. Kaddix shrugged and gave up. “Alright, set her down wherever, then, Kyme, and we'll grab some rock. Where's the damn pickax?”

“Right in the back,” Kyme replied as she guided Binky to land gingerly on the crest of one of the mountains.

“We're not too high for atmospheric pressure to be a problem, are we?” Dr. Kaddix asked.

Kyme shook her head. “Not really, especially if we're not here for very long.”

“Good, open the door,” he said as he dragged a pickax and a plastic container toward the door. He already had the tool raised above his head with one arm when the door swung up and out, and stepped forward with a swing. A soft clinking announced that he had hit rock, and a soft clattering noise told that he had gathered some odd rocks into the container. He then stepped back inside and pulled the door shut behind him, using the pickax as an arm extension to do so.

“Got a fresh edge of the rock, let's get it dated and we can see how old the mountains are,” he said. “Where's microscope, I'll need to look at the rock structure so I can determine the rock type. I'm guessing now it'll be volcanic, though it could be something else if the megadome was caused by meeting of continental plates. Mind you, it would have to be a bunch of plates all meeting inward, which I don't think has ever happened on Earth.”

Dusty nodded and cleared away the workspace, leaving only a few tools, a microscope and spectrometer out for use. “If you're not careful, you just might wind up having fun here,” he noted.

Dr. Kaddix rolled his eyes. “I'll bet you anything this is metamorphic.” He grabbed the first metal tool his hand came across and he smashed away a few small particles of the rock and slid them under the lens of the microscope. “Looks like gneiss.”

Kyme nodded. “Well?”

“Results inconclusive, but it is metamorphic as I suspected,” Dr. Kaddix noted. “Doesn't really confirm anything so far, but it goes along with the idea that this is just a huge convergent boundary here, except most of them are ridges instead of bumps, and almost definitely wouldn't be this big.” By now, Dr. Kaddix seemed to be talking more to himself than to his crew. “I'm still as perplexed as ever by this. It just doesn't seem like a bunch of plates would come together like this. No, they'd probably all be spreading apart from this. And that little dip that is Joss... Do we have a map of the continent available?”

Kyme ran to the computer and printed off a satellite image of the continent and handed it to Dr. Kaddix, who examined it closely. He grabbed a marker and brought it toward the paper, but when he got close with it his expression turned blank and lost. “I just don't know how this is happening, but I'm fairly sure none of it makes sense. Is there any chance of us being able to look at the seafloor? I'm pretty sure I'd need to be able to see the rift valleys and such, I suspect they'd be a ring around this place instead of a straight up and down line like we have in the Atlantic, as nonsensical as that would be.”

“Our satellites should be taking scans and photographs now,” Kyme chirped.

“Fuck it until then, it's like trying to put together a puzzle with half the pieces missing,” he said with a grunt. “In the meantime let's head to wherever it was you got your building rocks from, I'm sure they'll be-”

Kiono waited for Dr. Kaddix to finish his sentence. “They'll be what?”

“What the fuck is that?” Dr. Kaddix wondered out loud.

Kiono pulled himself to the front of the ship, fighting his hatred of flying with every step. When he had pulled himself to the window he saw it and his jaw dropped. “I've never... never seen anything like that...”

The ship had just cleared the last mountains. Ahead of them was what appeared to be a pillar of brilliantly glowing fog, billowing higher and higher and glowing brighter and brighter. It was coming from somewhere on the ground below the mountains, which had dissolved into sweeping hills covered in thick, lush grass.

“Does anyone have any idea what that is?” Dr. Kaddix demanded.

Kyme and Dusty both shook their heads. Then Dusty paused and leaned forward to examine it. “It almost looks like something Buck would be able to...”

“You think you know what it is?” Dr. Kaddix asked.

Dusty shook his head. “Naw, ignore me.”

Dr. Kaddix grabbed at the controls and began steering towards the light. “Well, I'm going to find out what it is.”

She saw it, subtle though it was. It had turned slightly, reacted. It had seen it. And it was heading straight towards it. It was floating towards the air with the great beams of light coming from it, showing directly where it was as it drifted towards her. To her cloud of light that she had summoned.

She had decided what to do then. She knew the direction to her settlement and with a fling of her arms, a fling of her will, she sent the cloud billowing towards it. She watched as it left her control, ceasing to be a part of her. It tumbled slowly downward as it drifted swiftly in the direction she had sent it, like a cloud of brilliantly glowing dust in the air.

It drifted directly over her as it followed it, and they both swam slowly into the distance further and further away. It hadn't seen her. She would be there when the town woke up to greet the new arrival.

Dr. Harrow clicked submit. He'd been staring at the blank screen for most of the flight, then, after a few trial sentences, his ideas ran off with him. When he was done he had a log entry that most resembled a wandering rant, but it was better than nothing, so he had sent it without a second thought.

When he finished he pushed himself to his feet and walked to the cockpit, Alex was landing the ship near the edge of a city under Raj's directions (who was apparently telling Alex where to go under Nebb's directions).

“We're there already?” Dr. Harrow asked.

“Looks like,” Alex said. “That is, if Raj here has been giving accurate directions.”

“If Nebbs is correct,” Raj replied. “This looks like it.”

Dr. Harrow looked out through the cockpit window. Just ahead of them was a fairly large city centered on a large lake, just big enough for a dock on the far side of the lake to be reasonably visible from the side they were on.

“Definite trading hub,” Dr. Harrow noted. The lake was lined nearly completely with docks, right up to where the lake emptied into mouth the very slow-moving river, which seemed to have been artificially widened for the sake of allowing more traffic. It struck Dr. Harrow as a very ideal spot for such an occurrence. A few more seconds of admiring the setup and he began to scan quickly and thoroughly for any unique-looking buildings, trying to spot the capital building as quickly as possible.

“There, on the far side,” he said, pointing. “That building way over there with the gold-domed top, land us near that.”

“Aye aye, captain,” Alex chirped. The Lovable Dictator pushed forward over the lake, just high enough to stay above the masts of the ships that were swimming through the lake.

Some of the busy merchants and sailors even took the time out of their daily routine to stop and watch as the ship flew overhead.

Dr. Harrow scanned the city as they flew towards the capital building. The rest of the city was comprised of houses and stockyards behind the docks, stretching for several blocks worth in each direction outward, except for the capital building, which was completely clear behind it, giving it the odd appearance of having pushed the other buildings out of its way.

The ship landed to no immediate apparent reaction from the populace and the four walked around to the doors of the capital building.

“Taco, los aprendalo,” Dr. Harrow said when two guards in brightly colored plate armor blocked the doorway to them. Dr. Harrow could see some bits of fur under the armor, indicating they were cat-people as with those back at Harasa, but something seemed slightly different about them. They didn't quite seem to have the resemblance to house-cats that those back at Harasa had, from what little that he could see.

They began talking in their incomprehensible language, protesting the party coming any farther, until Taco moved his hand just between them and they both collapsed onto the steps clutching their heads, which in itself would have been a suitable mechanism for gaining entrance, but Dr. Harrow politely held back his crew until the guards had gotten to their feet.

“I need to talk with your leader,” he stated firmly.

“Why... who are you representing?” one of the guards demanded fearfully, holding his spear-like weapon in front of him to put space between himself and Dr. Harrow. The other guard was doing something that Dr. Harrow regarded as much smarter; he was pointing his spear at Taco, even though Dr. Harrow was making it obvious by keeping to the front that he was the leader in the operation.

“I'm an ambassador from the United States of America, which is a country on Earth.”

“I don't believe you!” shouted the one aiming the spear at Taco.

“If you don't, we can show you some of the wondrous technologies that the people there have developed,” Dr. Harrow started casually. “We've got a ship that can fly, you probably saw that just now.”

The guards looked at each other, both calculating the believability of Dr. Harrow's words in their given situation.

“Of course, if that's not interesting, we can show you how we teach people languages by going directly into their minds. You might already have seen that one though, judging by the fact that you're understanding what I'm saying.”

“We still can't let you in!” one of the guards stammered meekly.

“Oh, then I guess we'll have to show you how we can obliterate people that get in our way simply by looking at them,” Dr. Harrow stated. “Raise your hand if you'd like to volunteer for that one. Or you can show us to whoever is in charge. I don't care really, they both sound like fun things to see right about now.”

One of the guards squeaked and the spear that was aiming at Dr. Harrow dropped and clattered on the stone steps of the building.

“We'll show you to the governor,” one of them finally stammered. “Just... wait here and we'll send someone to lead you in.”

The two guards sprinted inside.

“They were obviously not getting paid that much,” Alex said. “Should tell the governor that if he wants to get dedicated security he's going to have to pay a bit more per hour.”

Dr. Harrow gave that some thought. “Do you think we should just go inside or do you think they're actually sending someone? They seemed honest, but only because they were too scared to-”

He turned his head as something caught his eye. Something that Raj quickly hid behind his back when he turned to look.

“For God's sake,” Dr. Harrow said exasperatedly. “You didn't bring Nebbs, did you?”

“He told me to do it!” Raj said defensively.

Dr. Harrow paused and examined Raj closely. He seemed to be completely serious and honest, and not showing any outward signs of mental instability.

“Let me see him,” Dr. Harrow said.

Raj looked slightly uncomfortable at what Dr. Harrow asked, but surrendered the brightly colored stuffed cat without a fuss. Dr. Harrow turned it over slightly, examining it closely. He even decided to humor Raj and held it's head next to his ear, as if letting it whisper to him, but it didn't make a sound. In his hands it seemed quite unlike any stuffed animal in its feel and texture.

“When did you get him?” Dr. Harrow asked.

“I dunno, he was with me as early as I can remember, and I don't even remember my parents dying.”

“You were an orphan?” Dr. Harrow asked.

“Yeh,” Raj said quietly. “The people back at my village took me in. My parents lived on the border of Skidun in the desert. The border's always involved with a lot of fighting as the two countries don't like each other, always disputes on where the border is since there isn't a river or anything, and one day some angry types from Skidun decided that my village was on their side of things and that it didn't belong. Or so that's what my adoptive family says.”

“How'd you escape?” Alex asked, completely entranced by the story.

“Pretty standard thing for all Asticans is to leave kids alive, even if they just leave 'em alone in the desert with their parents dead, nobody to fend for them and too young to care for themselves,” he said with a sigh. “Me and a handful of other kids were found in the remains of the town by a rescue party. They made sure we were alright and went inland, stopping at any villages they met along the way and dropping us off with whoever would take us until we all had a home, or a house at least.”

“Awww, you poor thing,” Alex said, leaning over and giving him a hug.

“If you don't mind me not seeming more sympathetic to all this,” Dr. Harrow said flatly, “I must remark about how well you seem to be doing in spite of it all.”

“My parents back at the village were good, and they told me when I was old enough to understand and I was able to deal with it, had a lot of people to talk to it about and time to think it over,” Raj said. “I might as well have been born there for all the difference it made in how I grew up, it seems.”

“I also noticed that you completely disassociate from Harasa,” Dr. Harrow added.

“I don't see the point in identifying as from a country,” he said with a shrug. “Having grown up in a small village and never wandered far anyway, it wouldn't have made a difference if I'd had any allegiance at all or not, and it just made more sense not to, I guess.”

Dr. Harrow nodded and handed Nebbs back to Raj right as one of the guards reappeared with another individual in a rather complicated and fancy appearing suit of clothes. It was then that Dr. Harrow saw the difference that he had detected under the armor: the cat-people here happened to resemble cheetahs in their markings, ears, and muzzle shape rather than house cats like the Harasans.

“I've talked to these people and they say you can talk. This man here will lead you to the governor.”

“Would you like us to teach him English or would you prefer to translate for him so he can skip the learning curve?” Dr. Harrow asked politely.

“Make him learn it,” the guard replied. “He owes me money.”

Before Dr. Harrow could intervene, Taco had already strode up to the servant and prodded him in the temple, causing him to reel backwards while the guard shouted something in Bolvian that Dr. Harrow was willing to bet money translated to something to the tune of 'It won't hurt a bit'.

After that was over with, they were promptly lead via the shortest possible route to a large, ornate office with a long wooden table at the center. Sitting behind that table, shuffling through documents, was another cheetah-person in a very formal, fancy suit that looked fairly more stiff than would be comfortable. He looked up and gave a short greeting that was full of forced politeness.

“Are you going to teach him English?” the guard asked hopefully. The servant nodded encouragingly at the suggestion.

“Siempre es un placer para utilizar mis talentos,” Taco said with a bow. He marched up to the governor amidst loud, yowling protests until he reached his target, causing the familiar reel of pain.

“We apologize for having to do that,” Dr. Harrow said once Taco had finished his handiwork. “It is necessary to teach you our language so that we can communicate.”

“Couldn't you have had one of my people translate for me and spare me the horrible pain?” he demanded furiously.

“They offered to do that for you, but I regret to say that the negotiations that I wish to make would require that we speak directly to each other,” Dr. Harrow answered seriously.

The governor grunted with displeasure and adjusted himself back to his straight upright position in his fancy chair.

“Querria usted vino caro para salir con eso gimote?” Taco asked.

“Eso chiste no tiene sentido en espanol,” Dr. Harrow said quickly.

“What are you saying?” the governor demanded.

“Sorry, my associate here is more comfortable speaking Spanish, would you like him to teach that to you as well?”

The governor glared slightly. “I saw your ship,” he said.

Dr. Harrow turned and saw several large windows to the side, which the Lovable Dictator had undoubtedly passed by. “I would have thought the sight of something flying like that would have elicited more of a response.”

“I'm busy, I don't have time to chase anything I see flying past my window. I really don't have time for this talk,” the governor said.

Dr. Harrow rolled his eyes slightly. The governor seemed too busy to notice. “I'm Dr. Harrow, ambassador for the United States of America from Earth.”

“And here I'd simply assumed those damned engineers at Joss had finally come up with a flying machine that worked,” he grumbled, still not looking up from his paperwork. “Governor Calerence, and welcome Earthlings to Zinduar, the proud capital of Bolvia.”

“That didn't sound very heartfelt,” Dr. Harrow pressed.

“I told you, I'm busy,” Calerence restated flatly.

Dr. Harrow was appalled by this display, but managed to keep his face free of anything expressing his distaste for it, even though he knew that his expression wouldn't be viewed in favor of Calerence's paperwork, a fact that infuriated him even more.

“I'm simply here to make an alliance between my nation and yours. I only ask that you make it official that we are friends, and then I'll be out of your hair.”

“Give me that ship of yours and I'll fly your flag next to mine and sing praises of your country to every foreigner that passes our borders our enters our ports.” Calerence looked up to see Dr. Harrow's reaction; his expression was forcefully blank.

“Why would you want it?” Dr. Harrow asked.

“Just think of all the trade that could be done with it,” Calerence said. “How fast can it go?”

“You would only be able to carry very small loads with it,” Dr. Harrow replied. “Which would not be suitable for the kind of trade you're thinking. Also, it runs not on wind but on a fuel that you would have no way to process with your current technologies; when that runs out you would be stuck. Quite simply, it is too much for me to give up, and it would be useless to you.”

Calerence nodded understandingly, then shifted his gaze back to his paperwork. “I guess that means we're done here then, unless you've something else to say.”

“However,” Dr. Harrow added forcefully. “If you do that, support my country, swear loyalty and friendship to it, then you'll get something much better. You will become popular with the people of my country and that will create an opportunity for you called tourism.”

Calerence looked at Dr. Harrow blankly. “And what is that?”

“No puede ensenarlos palabras que no corresponde a algo que ellos saben,” Taco whispered.

“Tourism, my good man,” Dr. Harrow said, “Basically means that people will come to your country for vacation and sightseeing. They will essentially be coming to your country just for the sake of spending their money.”

Calerence actually pushed his paperwork aside at mention of this.

“Sounds lucrative, doesn't it?” Dr. Harrow asked.

“And ships? Bolvia will always be a trading country at heart, especially Zinduar.”

You'll get money to buy planes that were meant to carry large cargoes large distances, we've made quite a few of those too.”

Calerence considered this. “What all do you ask in return for this.”

“This is not a bargain,” Dr. Harrow answered. “But it is something you'll have to earn. You'll have to make your country and its leadership in particular well-liked by the people back on Earth. To do that, you need to swear friendship and loyalty to the United States of America as an ally.”

Calerence considered this.

“Fighting to the death for our cause if anyone should try to make war with us would win you big points too, as well as flying our flag next to yours and singing our praises to every foreigner and all the stuff you mentioned earlier.”

“Done,” the governor said shortly. He stood up and walked over. “What is the custom in your land for agreeing to a deal?”

“We grab hands firmly and shake gently,” Dr. Harrow answered. He offered out his hand and Calerence complied, then marched back to his desk and got back to his paperwork without another word.

Dr. Harrow stared blankly at him as he continued shuffling his papers as if nothing had happened at all, then turned quietly and began to walk back out, waving for his crew to follow.

“Porque...” Taco began as they exited the capital building, “Mandaste a el que te defenderia si fuera un enemigo cuando querriste que el rre de Harasa no ofrecialo?”

“Porque el rre de Harasa es amigable,” Dr. Harrow answered shortly.

“Y si fuera un enemigo, le matara al person que a ti no le gusta y el person que a ti te gusta seria salvo y sano,” Alex added.

“No importa,” Dr. Harrow replid. “No sera un enemigo.”

“Yo y Taco sentimos que no lo crees,” Alex said.

Dr. Harrow said nothing and the four of them marched back to the Lovable Dictator in near-silence. When they got to the ship, Dr. Harrow looked at Raj. “Sorry if you felt excluded from the discussion,” he said. “I'll fill you in on it later. I thought it would be better if we talked in Spanish so that none of the individuals we had taught English to would overhear.”

“Nah,” Raj said. “Taco taught me Spanish while you were back writing anyway. Just for such thing.” he paused and looked at Dr. Harrow seriously. “About what they said... yo lo siento tambien.”

Dr. Harrow grimaced as they all climbed up into the Lovable Dictator.

“Where to next, everyone?”

His crew looked at him blankly.

“Raj, do you have any leads?” he asked.

Raj considered this for a second. “I don't think Skidun would like us very much now that we're friends with Harasa, but hopefully that should pass. Wen might be good though, since they also have a border conflict with Skidun. And another with a country that's in mild conflict with Bolvia. So, they should be our friends on two counts of 'the enemy of my enemy', sort of thing.”

“Well, I don't see any other ideas, so it looks like we're off. Do you think you can direct me to there, by the way?”

“Either me or Nebbs should,” Raj answered.

The Lovable Dictator slowly lifted off the ground, then it launched forward and began to swim gracefully and swiftly through the air.

Back inside the capital building, Calerence looked up from his paperwork to watch the ship glide past the windows.

And then he went back to work.