unreality and excitement. They were going to try it – the graviton drive permitting; they couldn’t just glide forever into nothing. “There is an alternative we’re not considering,” he said slowly.
“Yeah,” Jeanie said. “Why don’t we just ask them for some coolant?”
Strem and Cleo laughed. Sammy looked worried. Eric was surprised that it was Sammy who initiated the argument against the idea.
“We can’t do that,” he said seriously. “They would want to know who we were, where we came from, how we got here, and how Excalibur works. Their propulsion systems are clearly far behind our own. We don’t have that authority or the right to tamper with an alien culture.”
“Damn right,” Strem said. “Sorry, Jeanie, but if they got hold of the graviton and hyper drives, they could make trouble for The Union.”
“They could even shoot at us and damage us and take Excalibur ,” Cleo put in.
“Why are you all assuming they’re hostile?” Jeanie asked, irritated. “They’re such good-looking people.”
“They’re also desperate people,” Strem snorted. “Imagine, trying to get to the stars in those clunkers.”
Clearly Strem had a different appreciation of the aliens’ efforts, Eris thought. He held his tongue. He didn’t know these beings, other than their beautiful voices. He didn’t want to take the responsibility of handing over advance technology. Besides, if he pushed the issue, the others, except for Jeanie, would just vote him down. There was no reason to take up a losing cause. At least, not right now, anyway.
CHAPTER SIX
The hours of anticipation had passed. The plan was to approach across the charged wake created by the hundreds of ion drives. The turbulence would play havoc with their own failing power, but Sammy felt it offered the best cover from watchful eyes. They also hoped their speed, slow next to a Patrol cruiser but stupendous compared to the fleet, would catch the aliens unaware. It was their intention to sneak in beside a ship along the perimeter of the formation and look for an air lock that wasn’t locked.
They’d been watching a lot of television. The Kaulikans – as they referred to themselves – were still an enigma, but Eric had not expected to absorb the soul of an alien culture in a few hours. More and more, he was afraid that if they did get aboard a ship, they’d be spotted by the first person they said hello to (which was, by the way, boo in the Kaulikans’ predominant language). Outside work situations the Kaulikans used a multitude of hand gestures to communicate, many quick and intricate; these were not something that could be mastered in a crash course. Thank heavens the aliens had a standard issue of five fingers.
Flipping through the channels, several other social characteristics had struck Eric. The Kaulikans were great lovers of romantic operas – they were all exquisite sopranos – specifically, a type where the people in the audience danced while the performers on stage sang. They also appeared a nonviolent race; he hadn’t found a program where one Kaulikan had hit another Kaulikan. Of course, Strem said, it was probably a social taboo to get mad, but they being Earth people and alien to this culture would still have to stay on their guard.
The aliens smiled when they were happy, nodded when they meant yes and shook their heads when they meant no. Although the coincidence raised interesting philosophical implications on the nature of intelligent life everywhere in the universe, they didn’t dwell on them.
Eric and Strem were to be the only ones to enter the ship. Cleo threw a fit at being counted out, but Eric suspected it was more of an act; Sammy was able to pacify her easily. Jeanie wanted no part of the adventure, and it was decided by vote that Sammy was too valuable, with his technical knowledge, to risk. Sammy took the decision quietly, though his disappointment was obvious. The main reason the exploration
“Yeah,” Jeanie said. “Why don’t we just ask them for some coolant?”
Strem and Cleo laughed. Sammy looked worried. Eric was surprised that it was Sammy who initiated the argument against the idea.
“We can’t do that,” he said seriously. “They would want to know who we were, where we came from, how we got here, and how Excalibur works. Their propulsion systems are clearly far behind our own. We don’t have that authority or the right to tamper with an alien culture.”
“Damn right,” Strem said. “Sorry, Jeanie, but if they got hold of the graviton and hyper drives, they could make trouble for The Union.”
“They could even shoot at us and damage us and take Excalibur ,” Cleo put in.
“Why are you all assuming they’re hostile?” Jeanie asked, irritated. “They’re such good-looking people.”
“They’re also desperate people,” Strem snorted. “Imagine, trying to get to the stars in those clunkers.”
Clearly Strem had a different appreciation of the aliens’ efforts, Eris thought. He held his tongue. He didn’t know these beings, other than their beautiful voices. He didn’t want to take the responsibility of handing over advance technology. Besides, if he pushed the issue, the others, except for Jeanie, would just vote him down. There was no reason to take up a losing cause. At least, not right now, anyway.
CHAPTER SIX
The hours of anticipation had passed. The plan was to approach across the charged wake created by the hundreds of ion drives. The turbulence would play havoc with their own failing power, but Sammy felt it offered the best cover from watchful eyes. They also hoped their speed, slow next to a Patrol cruiser but stupendous compared to the fleet, would catch the aliens unaware. It was their intention to sneak in beside a ship along the perimeter of the formation and look for an air lock that wasn’t locked.
They’d been watching a lot of television. The Kaulikans – as they referred to themselves – were still an enigma, but Eric had not expected to absorb the soul of an alien culture in a few hours. More and more, he was afraid that if they did get aboard a ship, they’d be spotted by the first person they said hello to (which was, by the way, boo in the Kaulikans’ predominant language). Outside work situations the Kaulikans used a multitude of hand gestures to communicate, many quick and intricate; these were not something that could be mastered in a crash course. Thank heavens the aliens had a standard issue of five fingers.
Flipping through the channels, several other social characteristics had struck Eric. The Kaulikans were great lovers of romantic operas – they were all exquisite sopranos – specifically, a type where the people in the audience danced while the performers on stage sang. They also appeared a nonviolent race; he hadn’t found a program where one Kaulikan had hit another Kaulikan. Of course, Strem said, it was probably a social taboo to get mad, but they being Earth people and alien to this culture would still have to stay on their guard.
The aliens smiled when they were happy, nodded when they meant yes and shook their heads when they meant no. Although the coincidence raised interesting philosophical implications on the nature of intelligent life everywhere in the universe, they didn’t dwell on them.
Eric and Strem were to be the only ones to enter the ship. Cleo threw a fit at being counted out, but Eric suspected it was more of an act; Sammy was able to pacify her easily. Jeanie wanted no part of the adventure, and it was decided by vote that Sammy was too valuable, with his technical knowledge, to risk. Sammy took the decision quietly, though his disappointment was obvious. The main reason the exploration
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