Charlie Boone

by Geron Kees

Life Is Like A New Suit of Clothes, Charlie Boone! - Chapter 5

They were asleep when the big voice called to them. Charlie woke with a start, and Kippy immediately took a big, startled breath. "What's going on?"

"Amtapora called to us." Charlie leaned over and waved a hand at the nightstand beside the bed, and the room lit softly. "Yes, Amtapora?"

"I have brought us to a halt well outside the destination system, Charlie. I think you should come to the command chamber for a briefing."

Charlie sat up, and threw the covers off them. Their cabin had been modified to suit their needs, and now could have been any nice room in any nice hotel back on earth. As time passed they would further personalize the place; but for now, it was more than comfortable. "I'm up."

Kippy sat up, too. "I'm coming with you."

"I have alerted the others as well," the big voice said. "Everyone is awake now."

They dressed quickly in fresh clothing that had been provided by the ship's facilities, and hurried out into the corridor. Robin and Browbeat were there, obviously waiting for everyone else. Browbeat had bunked with Robin to give Charlie and Kip some privacy, as the older man was the only unattached member of the crew besides the flyer, himself.

"This is exciting!" Browbeat called, as they joined them. "What do you think is happening?"

Charlie smiled. "Your guess is as good as mine."

The little flyer tittered happily. "Something's up!"

Rick and Adrian joined them then, with Horace and Amy right on their heels. Questions were asked, but Charlie just held up a hand for silence. "I don't know what's happened. Let's go to Command and see."

Whoever had designed the command deck had done a decent job of it. Their cabins were just steps away from one of the entry points to the command chamber. They entered the room to find the distant, marble-sized image of another blue-white star in one quarter of the amazing circular view, while the pinpoints of much more distant stars filled every other quarter of the view. There was simply nothing around them but interstellar space, save the star that must be their destination, far ahead.

"Please be seated," the big voice told them. "And relax. We are in no danger."

That was good to hear, and Charlie let out his breath as he and Kip and the others took seats in the circle. "That's the star we are bound for, there ahead of us?"

"Yes. In keeping with your wishes, I transitioned us from the Cooee beyond the sensor range of current empire technology, in order to survey the system ahead before entering. I have detected ships there, and so called you."

Charlie frowned. "There shouldn't be any ships there. Elias' people don't use them. They can cross interstellar space under their own power."

"Nevertheless, I count four vessels there. And, they would seem to be bombarding the destination planet."

Robin steepled his hands before him. "To what effect?"

"None, apparently. The destination world is cloaked in a defense that I have yet to fully analyze. The bombardment is unable to pierce this defense."

"That's something," Charlie decided. "How is that possible?"

"Fifth-order energy beings understand and manipulate fundamental energies that third-order corporeal life cannot. It is no surprise to me that they can raise defenses to counter an attack of this sort. The weapons being employed are potent, but fairly standard in nature."

"Like hernacki can manipulate the basic structure of the universe," Horace said. "Even my Gretchen can perform amazing feats that I have yet to understand." He frowned. "But these sorts of complex beings should also be able to raise an offense of some sort -- one, I would think, that would be more than up to taking on these ships."

"Imagine hernacki pissed off," Rick said. He grinned then. "Or, Pyewacket! He sent us to an alternate universe just for the hell of it, because he thought we might be a danger to Kiernan."

"What about that?" Charlie asked, turning to Horace. "It does seem a little odd, now that you mention it, that Elias' people aren't shooting back."

The ghost hunter shrugged. "My first thought on that is that they are unconcerned about what's happening. Surely, they know they can outlast their attackers."

"So...is the planet in danger, or not?" Kippy asked.

"I would say not," the big voice inserted. "But I will speculate that the very defense being employed is the reason that your Elias is unable to sense his people. My own sensors are stopped at the surface of this defense, indicating that it is in no way permeable to the forces I can bring to bear. This is not unexpected. However, the telepathic probes I have tried to employ are also negated at the surface of the defense, indicating it is proof against penetration by thought. That would deny Elias contact with his people, as well."

Robin stared at the distant sun. "Sounds like a great defense to have."

The big voice took a moment to answer. "This defense also confines them to their own world, unfortunately."

Rick whistled softly. "Safe, but prisoners at the same time."

Adrian frowned. "But like Elias said, the things that go on on our own Earth are just fleeting moments to him. If that's the larger perception of time his people have, then it doesn't bother them at all to wait out these attackers."

Kippy turned to Charlie. "So, is our job complete? We can just tell Elias his homeworld is under attack, and they have raised a defense that also cuts off telepathic communication, and that's why he can't sense his people. But that they seem not to be bothered or in danger, and will just wait out the attackers, who will likely drop dead between breakfast and lunch for his kind?"

Charlie smiled at that. "I guess that would actually be all he needs to know." He shook his head. "But if we just walk away now, we won't know what's happening here."

His boyfriend smiled at him. "Do we really need to know?"

Charlie smiled back. "Yes. Grim?"

"Yes, Charlie?" the somewhat smaller voice of their own shipmind answered.

"Does Amtapora have access to your catalog of empire ship designs?"

"Yes, Charlie. He has already identified the vessels in question. They're Loturi. We are in their space, technically."

Charlie had to think a moment. The Loturi were one of the five empires, along with the Moth, the Trichani, the Braunigan, and the Abask. They had yet to meet the Abask or Loturi in their travels, because their empires lay beyond Trichani and Braunigan space, and one had to either transit one of those territories, or go upward or downward and loop over or under the spiral arm to reach them. They hadn't even had time to explore Trichani space very well yet, and the Braunigan did not allow trespassers in theirs. But now, it seemed they had transited one of those two empires while in the Cooee, and arrived within the Loturi Cooperative, anyway.

"What sort of people are the Loturi?" Charlie asked. He'd read a little bit about them years ago, but knew some of the others would be new to this topic.

"In demeanor, they are somewhere between the Trichani and the Braunigan," Grim told them.

Rick laughed. "Wouldn't that be the Moth?"

"They are power users like the Moth, but they are far less belligerent. Like the Trichani, they have organized the people within their sphere of space to act for the benefit of the whole. Member worlds enjoy considerable freedom and independence. But the Loturi sense of security is more like the Braunigan, and the Loturi are more strict about passage into their space by outsiders. Their borders are more regulated and watched than the Trichani generally maintain with theirs. The Loturi have a myriad of mapped check stations at their borders, and visiting vessels are required to stop at one of them and obtain permits to proceed into the Cooperative. So, their Trichani-like liberality within their own sphere of influence is somewhat countered by their Braunigan-like wariness of the other four empires."

"Borders have little meaning in the Cooee," Robin pointed out. "As we can see by being here in Loturi space, and them not having a clue we're here."

"Vessels approved to operate in Loturi space all have permits that broadcast that fact. Should we encounter Loturi vessels and not have such an indentifier, they will view our presence here as illegal."

Charlie nodded. "By everything I've ever heard, the Moth have the best ship technology among the current five empires. Does that mean that Loturi vessels will be less of a threat to us than similar Moth vessels?"

"Loturi ships are well-armed and defended, possibly better than Trichani ships. But, yes, the Moth are still regarded as having the best technology among the five empires."

The big voice returned. "My analysis of the weapons and defenses in use by the ships ahead of us indicates that Investigator is under no threat. Should you decide to proceed, it is safe to do so."

"There's four of them," Rick reminded.

"Nevertheless."

Rick turned to grin at Charlie. "For once, we're the big dog!"

Horace leaned towards Charlie. "We don't want to fight with them, do we?"

"Not particularly. And we don't want to be showing off this ship's superiority unnecessarily. Still--"

"Grim?" Robin asked. "You said we are in Loturi space technically. What did that mean?"

The smaller voice returned. "This area of space lies along an extreme border with Abask space, and is contested between the two empires. The Loturi have the stronger claim, but the border in this area still tends to move back and forth with the political winds."

"Why it it an extreme border?"

"The Loturi and the Abask have their backs to the Trichani and the Braunigan. Their only option it to expand farther down the arm. We are along the farthest expansion border of both of these two empires in that direction. Beyond lies unclaimed space, lightly explored, and mostly unknown."

Charlie smiled at that. Smiled hard.

Kippy noticed, and smiled along with him. Rick noticed that, and also grinned. "Uh-oh. The wheels have started turning!"

Adrian chuckled. "Here we go!"

Browbeat tittered happily. "This is gonna be good!"

"What is?" Amy asked.

"Whatever Charlie is thinking!"

Robin looked pleased. "I so love a good adventure!"

Horace gave a soft sigh. "And I thought ghost hunting was living on the edge!"

"It's a simple enough idea," Charlie explained. "I want to take a page from our own experiences. We are very close to what Grim called unexplored space, which means that neither the Loturi nor the Abask really have a good idea of what lies beyond. I'm sure both empires have exploration ships out there, but their political presence beyond their own borders here is non-existent. That would seem to say that there is very little in the way of an administrative presence here." He smiled. "Ship commanders would be very much on their own in making decisions."

Robin nodded at that. "You intend to exploit that, somehow?"

"Sort of." Charlie looked around at his friends. "Suppose you are in command of a ship -- or four ships -- in an area that is contested, and borders unknown space. You are in the middle of an operation, when a vessel of unknown origin appears, and its captain demands to know what you are doing in their space, attacking one of their allies?"

Kippy laughed. "You plan to create a diplomatic incident?"

Charlie shook his head. "Not really, I just want to plant the seeds of doubt here. If we materialize on the other side of Elias' system, come inwards at what appears to be an incredible speed, and then demand to know what the Loturi are up to, what do you think would happen?"

Robin frowned. "I thought we didn't want to showcase the superior technology of this vessel?"

"We don't, at least back in the part of the arm we call home. Doing it there would suggest to all parties that someone local had a technology they might want. But we're a very long way from home. And, we're close to a region of unexplored territory where maybe another empire could exist, one with a better technology than the Loturi. If you were a Loturi commander and realized you might just have met some very powerful neighbors you had no idea existed, wouldn't you want to avoid causing a problem with them?"

Adrian scratched his head. "Isn't this sort of what we did to the Trichani when we first met them? Disguised Lollipop, and used Max's powers to help simulate a superior technology?"

Charlie smiled. "That's what gave me the idea. What worked once could easily work again. Except this time, we have our own talents, and a genuinely superior technology to work with."

"The Loturi are power users, too," Kip reminded. "They'll likely sense anything we do with skwish, and know it's not tech in action."

Charlie shrugged. "That's fine. If we are perceived as somewhat powerful ourselves, and masters of a superior tech, it just makes us seem more formidable as possible adversaries."

"What's your ultimate aim in doing this?" Horace asked.

Charlie nodded. "I'd like to get this bombardment stopped, and maybe even to get the Loturi to leave the system. But I'd at least like to open a dialog with them to see what's going on."

Robin smiled. "And if they think we came from the unexplored space beyond, no one would be looking for this ship back home."

"Exactly."

"Exactly!" Browbeat mimicked, tittering happily. "It sounds like fun!"

"What about ourselves?" Amy asked. "Do we want them to get a good look at humans, and possibly make a connection with us at some time in the future?"

"We can disguise ourselves, just like we did last time," Charlie replied.

"We had Max last time, remember?" Rick said. "He set us up with disguises that were real, as in parts of our bodies. We can't have anything the Loturi might see as a deception."

"I can assist with that," the big voice announced. "I can provide changes to your physical make-up that cannot be discerned as unoriginal to your forms."

Charlie waved a hand. "There you go."

"What do these Loturi look like?" Adrian asked. "We'd need to be prepared not to be shocked or horrified upon seeing them for the first time."

Grim spoke then: "Here's a projection."

An image appeared before them. Charlie stared, neither shocked nor horrified.

Kippy laughed. "Hardly terrifying."

"Raccoon, anyone?" Rick said.

The alien was about breast-height to one of them, and very much did resemble a raccoon at first glance. This one was wearing clothing, but what flesh was exposed was covered in golden fur, save for a black mask around its two eyes. The ears were erect and furry, the eyes within the mask a warm and friendly brown, and the short but appealing snout tipped with a moist black nose. The alien's hands had fur on the back, but dark-skinned palms were visible, as well as thin, agile-looking fingers tipped with very human-like nails. They wore uniforms and their feet were booted, and there was no tail; but their association with the cute raccoon had already been made.

"They're slimmer than a raccoon," Amy pointed out. "Raccoons, when they stand, look a little dumpy. These people have longer legs, and narrower waists, and they look very fit."

"Mammals, certainly," Horace observed. "Amazing how many of our sort have made it to the stars!"

"We're one of nature's more successful attempts at life," Robin answered. "Mammals are adaptive and durable. And they seem to get smart fairly quickly, as evolution goes."

"I like the way they look," Amy said then, smiling. "They look like they'd be good friends."

Robin sighed. "We mustn't allow their resemblance to a likable animal back home color our perceptions. This is a people that have conquered the stars and built an empire. You don't get all that by being lovable and furry."

"But it helps!" Browbeat offered, tittering.

Kippy laughed, and reached up to pat the furry flyer where he was perched on his shoulder. "I'm sure they're not as sweet as you, honey."

Browbeat laughed again. "You're just saying that because it's true!"

Everyone smiled at that. But it did serve to ease the tension among the group. They had seen the opposition, and were not impressed.

"They're power users, remember," Adrian said. "We still have to be careful."

Charlie rubbed his chin, looking speculatively at the projection of the Loturi. "Now that I see this fellow, I'm not sure we didn't see some of his kind on Roorapynta."

"The disc world is a popular destination," Rick said."I don't think we've been anywhere that boasted such a mixture of so many races in one place."

"Can we see what one of their ships look like?" Charlie asked Grim.

The projection of the Loturi vanished, to be replaced by a three-dee model of a star ship. It was something of an ovoid stood on end, egg-shaped, in fact, like a Kift vessel, with a smaller rounded end at the top, and a larger rounded end at the bottom. But there the resemblance to one of Pacha's people's ships ended. The Loturi vessel was obviously larger, and its middle was girdled by a ring, looking like a man's gold wedding band. This ring had a circle of blisters on it, that Charlie suspected were weapons pods. There were also a fair number of projections on the hull, which was a dull gray beneath the ring, but a startling shade of red above.

Amy laughed. "It looks like an Easter egg dyed by a very bad boy!"

"This is what we're facing ahead?" Charlie asked, smiling.

"Yes. Four of them, to be exact."

"Okay. Now show me how large these vessels are compared to Investigator."

A globe appeared next to the Loturi ship -- their very own ship, an irridescent blue in color. It was a little larger than the Loturi vessel, and quite larger in volume, because it was a true sphere.

Charlie smiled. "Good. I was hoping we weren't a lot bigger then they were. Four-to-one will seem like good odds to them. We'll get a better idea of what they're like if they feel they are in a position of strength. At least, initially!"

"What about our disguises?" Kippy asked

Charlie smiled. "We'll do that now. Amtapora?"

One of the doors ringing the command chamber whispered open. "This way, please."

Charlie looked at himself in the mirror and grinned. His skin was now golden in color, and rather striking. The hair on his head had grown incredibly fast under one of Amtapora's treatments in the medical center, and now stood out in sharp little spikes all over his head. The follicles of the skin of his face had been similarly stimulated, and he now sported a sharply-pointed Van Dyke beard beneath a rather impressive handlebar mustache. His earthly clothes had been traded for a black uniform that was featureless save for one small line of fruit salad on one breast -- colored bars supposedly denoting rank and accomplishments, in this case. Behind his head a tall, rounded collar rose, a dark red in color, that he had plucked from memories of watching an old, old movie serial with his dad when he was eight years old. The character that had worn it had been evil and plotting, and Charlie had remembered how much dread the man had inspired when he had appeared on screen. His name had been...oh, what was it?

But then he remembered: Ming, the Merciless. The dreaded nemesis of Flash Gordon, hero of the universe.

Charlie laughed at the memory.

Kippy, standing beside him and similarly appointed, sighed. "We look like a cross between Maleficent and the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz."

"I think we look rather impressive," Rick countered, grinning through his beard and mustache."Imposing, even."

"Speak for yourself," Amy returned, staring at her own bearded image in the mirror. "I look ghastly!"

Horace came to stand beside her, and dramatically stroked his own mustache once before leaning closer. "I still love you, my sweet."

She smiled at that, and turned to kiss his cheek. "As long as it's not permanent, I can handle it." She eyed her spiked hair in the mirror a last time, and then turned away. "But I could learn to hate mirrors, too."

"I'm the best looking guy here now," Browbeat said, admiring himself in the mirror from his perch on Kip's shoulder. "Who knew that could ever happen?"

Adrian came to lean up against Rick, and examined his reflection in the mirror a last time. "We look positively sinister."

Charlie laughed. "That's the idea."

"Am I in on this?" Browbeat asked. "I don't think I can scare anybody."

"Just sit on my shoulder and pretend you're a vulture," Kippy advised. "It's all in the expression, sweetheart. Look nasty enough, and to aliens you might look fairly intimidating."

"Especially sitting on your shoulder," Adrian teased. "You look like the gatekeeper from the third level of hell."

Kipy tilted his nose into the air. "I beg your pardon! You look like Satan's chauffeur, your own self!"

Everybody laughed.

"I took the idea of the way we looked to meet the Trichani, and sort of tossed in a Halloween bag of candy," Charlie said. "We look sinister and repulsive." He grinned at his reflection in the mirror. "I'm satisfied!"

Robin sighed at his own image in the mirror. "Perceptions of ugly and evil are very race-specific, I think. What may look repugnant to us may be quite beautiful to another species."

Charlie raised his eyebrows at that, and smiled at the older man in the mirror. "I think what we plan will work either way, whether they fear our appearance or love it. The main purpose here is that we not resemble humans."

Amy rolled her eyes. "I think you have that covered."

"Per your instructions, there is nothing that can be removed that will give away the disguise," the big voice said then. "Once you are completed with this operation, I can restore you to your former appearances."

Everyone relaxed at bit at that announcement, including Charlie. He gave a little inward sigh, imagining being stuck looking like this and having to explain it all to his parents!

"I guess we're ready, then," he said. "Let's head back to the command chamber."

Once returned and seated, Ampatpora took them into the Cooee and circled around the system to the side facing unexplored space. This was a mere technicality, as any vessel could materialize anywhere in a system having come from any direction. The psychological aspect of simply suggesting that Investigator had come from the unknown was something Charlie figured couldn't hurt.

"We are positioned, Charlie," the big voice told them. "At your command."

Charlie looked around at the others. "Ready?"

No one spoke. Everyone just nodded.

"Take us in," Charlie said.

Once again, the darkness of the Cooee vanished from around them, to be replaced with a much closer view of the new sun. Like the sun of the system where Sefton had first found their ship, the star was blue-white in color, though this one was a lighter shade and smaller, being on the main sequence rather than at the warmer end. The view shifted dramatically then, and a planet raced into view, one which displayed tiny sparks of fire raining upon it above the northern hemisphere. Those sparks raced closer, and in a few moments the four Loturi vessels came into view. The sparks now were much larger, being magnetically separated payloads of matter and anti-matter, which combined with ferocious bursts of energy at an invisible point far from the surface of the planet.

That planet was largely covered in clouds, in patterns of circulation that combined swirls of color, and was suggestive of a very active atmosphere.

"I thought there was some sort of screen around the planet?" Charlie asked. "I can see the surface. Or, the clouds above it."

"It is a most interesting defense," the big voice replied. "Its transparency to light in the visible spectrum would indicate that light-amplifying weapons should pierce it; yet that is not the case. It is impenetrable from without. How the effect is worked is not something I understand at this moment."

Rick whistled at that. "That's saying something!"

"These beings control the forces of nature in ways we may never understand," Horace said. "Gretchen can do things that have long amazed me. And she is not of the same order as these beings are, apparently."

Kippy shook his head. "If they're so strong, why don't they fight back?"

Charlie frowned at the imagery. "Maybe this is their way of saying, go away, and don't bother us! Indifference can be a very effective tool in dealing with a belligerent foe. There is very little more discouraging to an aggressor than an opponent who just stands there and smiles after they've been hit with their best blows."

The shooting suddenly stopped.

"We are being scanned," Amptapora told them. "The effectiveness is only about six-percent, however."

"Not the quickest response to our appearance," Robin said drily. "I'd say we definitely achieved surprise."

For a long moment, nothing more happened. Charlie could imagine the Loturi suddenly faced with an unknown vessel that had virtually leapt upon them in a matter of seconds. The aliens would have to be scrambling to figure out what was going on.

"Six-percent, you said?" Charlie asked Amtapora. "How much can they actually sense from us, then?"

"As it sounds.Very little.Their sensory array is substantially less effective than our own defenses."

Another moment of inaction passed, and then Amtapora returned. "They are attempting to communicate with us. According to Grim, this is on a standard channel used within the Five Empires."

Charlie thought a moment, then shook his head. "No answer yet. Move us to place the ship between the Loturi and the planet."

Once again, the imagery moved with unnatural speed; and then Investigator was between the Loturi and their target.

Rick laughed. "I'll bet that gave them something to think about!"

Charlie nodded. "And now, we wait a bit."

Amy turned to gaze at him. "May I ask why?"

"Nerves," Charlie replied. "I want to see if they have them, and if so, will they override their patience." He smiled. "And good sense."

"We're not going to do anything immediately?" Adrian asked.

"I thought you had a plan," Robin added, smiling at him.

Charlie grinned, back. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Amy gaped at him. "Tell me you're kidding!"

"I am kidding. But I only have an outline of what I want to accomplish. I expect the particulars to come to me as we go along."

Rick stood up then. "Are you going to be a while? I'm hungry."

Adrian sighed, but gazed up fondly at his boyfriend. "You're always hungry."

"And your point?"

Charlie looked at the alien vessels in the projection before them. "Any change, Amtapora?"

"They continue to try to establish contact, but I do sense that their weapons have been placed in a standby mode."

"They're being careful," Robin decided, watching the image. "I'm sure the way this ship appears to move spooked them. I'm aboard her, and she spooks me!"

Charlie stretched, and stood up. He smiled down at Kip, and Browbeat on his shoulder. "You gents care to join me in the restaurant?"

Rick patted his belly enthusiastically. "Now you're talking!"

Kippy stood, but didn't take his eyes off the four ships in the projection. "How long do we wait?"

Charlie turned to look at the projection, too. "As long as it takes."

"I'm sort of revising my plans on the fly," Charlie said to the table, munching happily on his bravanta. At least, that was what Amtapora called the meatlike food. Charlie had no idea if it was really meat, or a plant, or even artificially produced. It tasted sort of like hamburger with mushrooms and maybe a hint of hot sauce on it, and was both a good eat and quite amenable to the human digestive process. They were eating some vostz with the bravanta -- little round vegetable-like orbs in a sauce -- and drinking schnort, a bubbly liquid that was both tasty and amazingly refreshing. The name of the beverage had generated jokes about having a snort of schnort, but in the end they had become fond of the drink, and Charlie found the idea of eating aboard Investigator to be an unexpectedly pleasant experience.

"I kind of thought we'd just race in and get right up in their faces," Rick said, munching on his own meal. "Let 'em know who was boss right off."

Adrian lightly smacked his boyfriend's arm. "You didn't really think that at all."

Rick grinned at him. "I know. I'm just still enjoying being the big dog for once."

"You do have some sort of plan, don't you, Charlie?" Amy asked.

"Of course he does!" Browbeat inserted quickly. "Charlie always has a plan!" He turned then, to smile at Charlie. :"Um...what is it?"

Charlie smiled back at the flyer. "I appreciate the vote of confidence. But I've been thinking, and allowing my original idea of just pretending to be the local landlords suddenly realizing someone is trespassing in the backyard to mutate a little. At the moment, I want to see what the Loturi do when faced with the same sort of response from us they're getting from Elias' folk. Most people don't like to be ignored. I'm wondering now if the Loturi bombardment of this world is actually an act of aggression at all, or simply a bid for attention. They have to understand by now that the planetary defenses here are impervious to their weapons. So, why keep up the shooting?"

"That's a good point," Robin said. "It does seem a waste of energy, even if they have quite a lot of it to waste."

Charlie nodded. "We've missed something, obviously. And that's whatever incident led up to this bombardment. It now becomes important to find out what started all this in the first place."

"What do you expect the Loturi to do if we continue to ignore them" Horace asked.

"Um...I expect them to try to get our attention by other means. At that point, we'll talk to them." Charlie sighed. "Grim? Any news?"

"Yes, Charlie. The Loturi have been trying to move their vessels so that we are not between them and the planet below. In keeping with your instructions, Amtapora has kept Investigator between them and the planet."

Robin grinned. "That has to be pissing them off."

Kippy laughed. "Just a little, I'd guess."

They finished their meal and went back to the control chamber. They had barely seated themselves when the big voice spoke up. "Charlie, one of the Loturi vessels is powering up weapons."

"Which one?"

They could see the distant vessels in the view around them, a cluster of four bright lights, noticeably bigger than the far off stars. A circle of red appeared around one of the lights, but it was hardly there when a burst of larger light appeared and seemed to grow with unbelievable speed.

"We are not targeted," the big voice said quickly. "Remain calm."

Something streaked by them then, and detonated far behind them, against the defenses of the planet. The light would have been almost unbearable, but the view seemed to cancel most of it out.

"What the hell?" Rick yelled, jumping to his feet. "That was close!"

Charlie waved at him to sit. "Relax. That was a shot across the bow, I guess, just to let us know they are tired of being ignored. Amtapora? Are they still trying to contact us?"

"Yes. Their efforts have remained unceasing. If you are ready to speak to them, I suggest you turn about in your seats and face inward."

They did that, and Charlie nodded. "Connect us with them."

An image appeared at the center of the circle of seats. Three Loturi, sitting abreast, talking among themselves, and not looking happy. There were other Loturi in the background, seated before consoles or standing before screens that displayed reams of data in an alien script. One of the three Loturi seated -- the man in the middle -- caught sight of Charlie and the others then, sitting in an arc, watching them, and immediately held up a hand for silence. For a moment the two groups stared at each other in silence. But it was clear from their expressions that the Loturi were unsettled to see their notions that they were facing an unknown people confirmed.

The middle Loturi gently cleared his voice. "I am First Captain Anon, of the Loturi Cooperative cruiser Roorisk. This is Second Captain Rorna" -- he indicated the Loturi to his right -- "and Third Captain Lisk" -- the Loturi to his left. "I don't recognize your vessel, or your kind. I don't even know if you can understand my words. But if you can, may I, uh, inquire with whom I am speaking?"

The translations were carried out by Grim, and were immediate.

Charlie nodded curtly. "I am Commander Boone, of the Carpathian Empire patrol vessel Unpleasant. You see with me some of my staff." Charlie leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. "You fired upon my vessel."

A measure of patience crept into the alien Captain's eyes. "We merely sought to get your attention, since you seemed to ignore our com request for contact."

"It could be construed as an act of war," Charlie stated flatly. :"You are trespassing in Empire territory, firing upon a member world. And now upon my own vessel, arrived in response to this world's request for assistance."

All three Loturi looked astonished at that.

"This is Loturi space," First Captain Anon shot back at them. "You would seem to be the trespassers here."

Charlie smiled evilly. "This is an extreme frontier of our empire, but it has been Carpathian space for two thousand years. As you can see yourselves, there is very little to recommend this area of space. But I don't see the lack of a vigorous presence here by our patrol forces to be good reason for you to move into our territory."

Charlie already knew that the Loturi hadn't been in this area of space for two hundred years, let alone two thousand. The three aliens looked shocked at his words. The Loturi on the left opened his mouth to speak to the First Captain, but that man quickly held up a hand, cutting him off.

First Captain Anon leaned forward slightly. "I assure you, we have never met your kind, nor are we aware of prior claims to this space. This region is not inhabited by any developed races -- in fact, the world below us hosts the only intelligent race in a hundred light years. I am neither prepared nor qualified to dispute your claim to this space. It will need to be a matter for the diplomats to discuss, not us, not here."

Charlie tilted his head back just slightly, and stared a moment at the alien commander. "You will not be allowed to continue your attack on an Empire world."

"It was not an attack," Anon responded. "Our instruments clearly tell us that the bombardment is incapable of penetrating this world's defenses. The type of life in possession of this world would be immune to the forces we could bring to bear, anyway." The other man released a small breath then. "We are simply trying to get them to acknowledge us, to talk to us. That is all."

So...the Loturi were aware of the sort of fifth-order life that inhabited this world.

"What do you wish to speak to them about?" Charlie asked boldly. "What is the reason for your presence here, at all?"

For a moment the audio from the other vessel was muted, and the three Loturi spoke quickly among themselves. Then the First Captain quickly waved a hand. The audio resumed. "Perhaps a parley? If you could assist us in resolving our current issue, we could then leave this system. And let the diplomatic corps of our two peoples sort out this border thing."

Charlie looked over at Robin and winked before returning his attention to the Loturi. "Perhaps we'd best talk about this."

A flash of relief crossed the First Captain's face. "May I ask for a brief period for us to collect the evidence we need to present in order to demonstrate our intentions?"

Charlie nodded. "Contact us when you are ready. But in the meantime, please refrain from any further actions against the world below."

"Ageed. We will contact you shortly."

Charlie waved a hand, and the image of the Loturi vanished.

Robin smiled at him. "You're halfway good at this sneaky stuff."

Charlie returned the smile. "Well, I honestly don't enjoy deceiving them. But I am far more optimistic about our chances of learning what this is all about peacefully if the Loturi believe we are part of a vast empire, rather than just one ship and a bunch of odd-looking aliens."

"Speak for yourself," Kippy said, grinning. "I have never been odd."

"You should check that mirror again," Rick said, laughing.

Charlie waved a hand quickly. "Okay, okay, calm down. We have some planning to do before the Loturi get back to us. I want to be ready when they call us."

Horace leaned forward to squint at him. "Ready for what?"

Charlie rubbed his hands together slowly, and cackled quite ghoulishly. "Gather 'round, my children, and let us form our nefarious plans!"

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Charlie Boone

by Geron Kees

Life Is Like A New Suit of Clothes, Charlie Boone! - Chapter 5