Read Online Carinae Sector: 01 - Traders' Scourge - Part 2 - Maveen Offer by David Buck - Free Book Online Page A

a sealed bottle and Garendestat slowly drank from the bottle. He noticed that the human ship had turned and was travelling slowly east, with the sneak ship on the horizon now appearing a little closer.
    Garendestat turned to Steve who was both looking at the sneak ship and talking to another human nearby, and repeated his earlier request. ‘Ship, Steve, Ship.’ And then he pointed yet again at the distant sneak ship.
    Steve seemed to pause without providing an answer, and then he walked off without saying a word. Garendestat was at the end of his patience and he stood up to his full height and repeatedly roared.
    ‘Ship, Steve, Ship, Ship, Ship’ and gestured wildly towards the sneak ship.
    Steve stood silently and said nothing, so Garendestat picked up and donned his helmet. The act of donning the helmet certainly got the human's attention, and several other humans called out to Steve in apparent support of Garendestat’s request.
    But Steve now shook his head and said ‘No’ repeatedly.
    The crew looked at Steve for a moment, but he would not meet their eyes, and they wisely went about their duties. Steve for one was glad that Samantha was not present to see this pitiful exchange, though Rebecca had returned earlier to check further on Garendestat. She favored the alien with a smile and Steve with a frown, but said nothing before she left again for the sick bay. Steve was sure that he did not like himself much at that particular moment, but he would not be controlled by Garendestat.
    Garendestat quickly verified the crippled condition of his space suit components and the hopeless state of the suit radio link. He was now feeling rather unwell, his legs really itched, and he felt deflated. He quietly removed and dropped the helmet to the deck, and slumped down to consider what he could possibly do next. Over to one side of the deck sat the human runabout he had been shown over earlier. ‘Not yet’ He decided to himself.
     
                                                                ***
     
    Prime Minister Ian Ridge stood at the lectern in the still mid afternoon flanked both by the leader of the opposition and the governor general, and began his speech. For their part, the media were respectfully silent, and paid the second aboriginal prime minister of Australia the respect and close attention that was due to him.
    ‘Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, the leader of the opposition, and the governor general. We can confirm the landing yesterday of several alien ships, including what appears to be a large mother ship, at the Houtman Abrolhos Island group in Western Australia. The federal authorities have, with the agreement and assistance of the WA State Government, proclaimed a quarantine zone around the islands to take effect immediately.
    The quarantine zone will be administered at sea by the Royal Australian Navy. The navy will have the support of both Australian troops and a handful of US troops policing airports and sea ports in the Mid West area of Western Australia. These forces are to actively police the quarantine zone to prohibit civilians, including the media from intruding in the zone.
    The Australian Navy is now under instructions to enforce the quarantine zone by force if necessary. Also we are enforcing punitive measures against individuals and news organizations that flout the quarantine zone.’
    The prime minister chose this moment to pause, and behind him he was aware of the nodding support of Stuart and Fiona. A hushed tone was evident from the media people in front of the lectern as they waited for him to start speaking again.
    ‘Now this landing is a very important event not just from an Australian perspective but from an international one as well. We have seen two incidents were the US navy has attacked or attempted to attack the alien ships. I have spoken to the US president on several occasions over the last few days and we have