Again turmoil, as they debate how to handle this question. Snuggled deep within the debate, Ed spots a singular statement that tells him all and it is, '...but we need the materials, we cannot stop this.'
He has the answer!
Maybe they are creating the anomaly, maybe it is natural, but in any case, what they gain out of it is securing the craft and the materials they are made of. The people aboard are just a nuisance, but one that because of the beliefs or ethics of these beings, they have to preserve the lives of the people. In one statement Ed knows the hub of the situation.
~~~~~~~
Chapter 30 - Listen To Me, To Us
Only a couple of hours to go now and they would be there, Galdesar has just told Sylvie that communications had been established with the Questor 9 and they were awaiting their arrival with anticipation.
Sylvie and Paul were just catching some lunch and Galdesar decides to join them. He starts to discuss some possible approaches to the problem and typical for a military person, they all involve attacks of one form or another. Sylvie listens for a while, then interrupts Galdesar, pointing out that before they go in all guns firing, they should take some time to find out more about their enemy, if there is one. To check out whether there is any intelligence behind these events.
Galdesar smiles and says, "I still have to have a military plan in-case diplomacy fails."
"Granted, but best to start formulating that when we have a better idea of what we are facing." says Sylvie with a determined look on her face.
Galdesar smiles and says, "This is precisely why I knew having you along would be of enormous benefit to the mission, you have a cool head for this type of thing."
Sylvie now smiles and replies, "So do you, but yours is geared towards a cool military solution and I have no problem with that, provided you go with a sound information basis and know what you are likely to be facing and have a peaceful backup plan to achieve a final resolution. We work well together Galdesar, you are my protector and I am your information provider."
~~~~~~~~
Ed wonders just how he is going to use this new information to his advantage, just how is he going to negotiate with these beings. His only bargaining chip is taking the problem off of their hands. But surely they aren't just going to give up all these people, even if it removes the problem. There is still the problem that they want or need the materials that the craft are made of, not just to house the people that come in them, these beings clearly have another need for the materials, but for what purpose?
Here goes, thinks Ed and repeatedly he thinks of the question, 'Why do you need the materials from our craft?'
Again turmoil as the beings debate this. The fact that they are debating Ed's questions is a good sign, there must be some of them who are almost on his side. If only he can win them around to his way of thinking, they in turn may be able to find a solution that could suit the masses. He wonders just how many of these beings there are, as to this point he had only detected about four.
The debate rages on, but nothing useful that Ed can make out of it all. Just what can he ask now that may break this deadlock?
Ed asks, 'Why do you need our materials?'
The debate seems to be on the basis of one in favour of telling Ed the reason but three against. Just how can he swing more in favour of sharing this information? The fact that one is in favour of telling, must mean that their need is not for sinister reasons, unless..... that being is not aware of the real reason as to why they need the materials.
~~~~~~~~
The Questors 7, 8 and 9 look really impressive with all their appendages, Paul and Sylvie had been watching them as their craft approaches.
Galdesar's Leader Board are sitting, the Captain has joined them and on the Questor 9 a similar group are also in session, the two groups can see each other on their screens. Planning discussions are in progress they have been in session for the last half hour. Both Galdesar and his counterpart, Caxek Jeven-tarous, were for the first part of the meeting getting all fired up by suggestions of military action. Then Sylvie, convinced that they were going to get nowhere like this, intervened and suggested that they need to get more intelligence, she suggested that they open up the anomaly and see if she can make any contact with whatever is the other side.
The planning has now turned to details of what craft should be where, speeds, directions, cross over point and what they should do when the anomaly is opened, to avoid being dragged in.
The meeting complete, both groups disperse and the flight crews set about achieving the cross over and hopefully the opening of the anomaly.
~~~~~~~~
Ed feels as if he is getting absolutely nowhere. He had offered again, the help of his people to solve the problem as to what to do with all these people in the pods, but all that did was set up yet more debate. What is it with these beings are they incapable of making decisions?
Suddenly Ed is aware of some other presence in his head, a familiar presence, as if someone had just spoken to him. The voice, so familiar, but why, who is it and where is it coming from? Are these beings playing with his mind? Are they pretending to be someone that he will recognise?
There it is again, someone is asking if he is here. If it were the beings, why would they ask that question? Ed decides that if they are playing mind games with him, he can equally play mind games with them. He replies, that he is here and that he is fine.
The reply is instantaneous, what is more Ed now recognises the voice, it is Sylvie. My, my they are doing a good job, thy must have probed his mind well to find that memory. Is this an act? A new debate has broken out amongst the beings, they are wondering who the new being is. Ed has to hand it to them, they are thorough. The Sylvie's voice, asks if Ed's craft has been damaged and had they tried to escape from wherever they currently are?
Ed decides to play along and answers, "Don't know about the craft as I am not in it, being held in some sort of life support pod, I presume my fellow travellers are also alright, but I have no contact with them. Where are you?"
The voice says, "Is it some sort of hospital? We are the other side of the anomaly, managed to open it up, but don't know for how long. Your brother Paul is with me. Stick in there we will find a way to get you out. Is there anything that you can tell me that will help with our planning?"
Ed is impressed at how clear these latest communications are, previously things had been quite hazy and more concepts rather than direct statements. Ed wonders why things have changed. Have these beings managed to tap into some area of Ed's brain that has enabled them to communicate much more clearly? Ed remembers that he owes the beings a reply, or they will get suspicious. What was the question now? Oh yes a request.
~~~~~~~~
Sylvie has told Galdesar what she had learned from Ed.
Galdesar is silent for a while then asks, "Are you alright?"
Sylvie wonders why he has asked the question, but answers, "Yes fine."
"You sure? Something is worrying you, I can tell." Galdesar has a look of great concern on his face. He had been sitting if both hands clasped together as Sylvie told him about Ed's situation, now both arms are sticking straight out in front of him, almost as if reaching towards Sylvie. His hands are facing downwards the fingers touching the table. Unlike Sylvie, she normally keeps herself pretty much to herself, but with Galdesar, she feels safe. He emanates not only a sense of power and control, but also trust. Sylvie replies, "Well there was something about the way that Ed was talking to me, I couldn't figure out quite what, but it was almost as if he didn't trust me and was holding something back. As if he was under some sort of threat."
"Was it actually Ed you were communicating with?" asks Galdesar.
"Undoubtedly, I could tell instantly if it was someone or something else, there's something about telepathic communications, its better than fingerprints and voice prints. Each persona is unique and you can tell one from another."<
br />
Galdesar taps the fingers of his left hand on the table, as if suffering from nerves. Sylvie knows that it is one of his habits if he is thinking deeply about something. He asks, "Do you think he is lying about anything he told you, is he under duress, being tortured or something like that?"
"No but your questions reminded me what I had an overwhelming sense of, mistrust. I don't think he thought I was who I am. Perhaps he thinks that I am one of the beings he speaks of, he probably thinks they are trying to trick him in some way."
Galdesar sits back in his chair, the finger tapping recommences and he is silent again. Then he almost makes Sylvie jump as he says, "OK we are in the classic stand off, we have to do something that will shake these beings up into paying attention to us and also force them to make a decision. We also need to convince Ed that he has got friends on the outside and we mean business, we will get him and the others out of there even if it is the last thing that we do."
"That sounds a bit final, what are you planning to do?" even her face has a questioning look upon it.
Galdesar smiles and replies, "Not tell you for starters. You have a direct link into the enemy's camp."
"You are not going to do anything rash are you?" asks Sylvie, unable to read either Galdesar's face or his mind.
"History will tell if it is rash or not. Now get off with you, update that Brother of Ed's and take a rest, I will need you and your skills later, so I want you on top form. Don't worry, I will take care of things."
~~~~~~~~~~
The strong flash of light, then the awareness of an explosion, of loss of despair amongst the beings. Unless they are really good at faking things up, this all feels real. They don't have any time for Ed, they are concentrating on something else, something out there, outside. They have lost one of their craft, their precious materials gone.
Anger wells up in the beings, after all they have done to safeguard these people to protect their lives, then along come fellow travellers and the blow up one of the precious craft. The debate rages now and there is such fear as they try and work out why it has happened. Intermingled amongst the debate, Ed picks up on the fact that the anomaly is open and was attempting to suck in one of those craft out there. Instead of which it sucked in this thing that caused the damage.
A sudden sense of even more panic, but what about now?
Ed struggles to comprehend what is going on. Then suddenly like someone turning on a light in a place of complete darkness, Ed can see what is going on. Another of those things is heading in through the anomaly and the beings are unable to close the anomaly. They cannot understand it, they have always been able to control it in the past, to switch it on and off at will. Now they appear to have no control at all.
Another powerful flash of light and the great sense of loss.
There is someone out there after all, could it be that the communications were genuinely from Sylvie? At the mention her name, Ed is suddenly aware that she is calling him, asking if he is safe and sound. The concern in her voice, unmistakable. What is more a question, does Ed have his comms band on him? Ed doesn't know the answer to that one, to the best of his knowledge he was totally naked. He couldn't feel it, but then these things almost become a part of you. You are so used to them being there you don't even notice the pressure against your clothes or skin.
Ed tells Sylvie, that he thinks he is totally naked and doesn't have anything. There's a moment's feeling of embarrassment on the part of Sylvie. Ed didn't quite mean to convey the image of his own naked body to Sylvie, it was a kind of involuntary reaction to the question. He apologises for the embarrassment. He focuses on updating Sylvie on the sense of panic that the explosions have caused this side of things. The beings are now in total blind panic and are wondering what will be destroyed next. They have great fear not only for the loss of the materials that they have gathered in the shape and form of the captured craft, but also enormous concern for the people they are holding in the pods, they do not want any of them to be harmed in any way.
Sylvie is encouraged by the latter statement. She tells Ed to communicate clearly to the beings, that they must listen to Ed or there will be more of these events and they will lose even more of their precious materials.
Ed does as instructed. The beings stop their debate and listen to Ed. At the end of repeating his message for the third time, the beings start another line of discussion along the lines of 'who do these people think they are, coming here and threatening us, us. Do they not know how powerful we are and that we could crush their little rebellion just like that. There are numerous images of things being crushed and mutilated, passed to Ed.
After relaying the beings reactions to Sylvie, she replies, 'Well at least it has got their attention. Presumably no-one was hurt?' There is also a strong feeling of annoyance, mixed in with this, the annoyance not directed at Ed, nor the beings, but someone else, someone called.... Galdesar. 'He could have killed everyone.' comes over as well.
Ed says that whilst he has no physical way of checking, he's pretty sure everyone is safe, otherwise the beings would have held one of their discussions or debates about the matter and what to do about specifics, but apart from crushing whoever had sent these explosive devices in, there had been nothing to do with things this side. Ed concludes by asking who Galdesar is.
Sylvie, whilst she does not speak, her thoughts convey a sense of someone who is powerful, not only in the sense of their ability to order things to be done, but also powerful in their very presence. Ed had a tutor who was like that, everyone respected her, whilst not everyone liked her, they all took note of what she did or said and no-one wanted to cross swords with her.
There is silence for a while. Either Sylvie is thinking or engaged in something and is blanking Ed out. He patiently waits, whilst attentively follows the beings latest rants about the audacity of these travellers.
~~~~~~~~
Chapter 31 - Tipping The Balance
Sylvie says to Ed, 'Tell them that they either take note of what we say or we will not only damage more of their precious materials, but we will come after them as well.'
Sylvie listens in as she hears Ed pass the message on, she could probably communicate direct with the beings now that she has heard Ed do it a few times now. However, it is probably best coming from Ed as he is their man on the inside and has some form of credibility now with these beings.
The message delivered, Sylvie gets the overwhelming feeling that they still consider 'these travellers as arrogant and acting well beyond their means and status'. Sylvie marvels at how arrogant these beings are behaving themselves. Here they are powerless to stop the explosions and yet they consider themselves to be all powerful gods and far superior.
Sylvie passes Galdesar's message onto Ed to tell them to expect further damage as they have not taken note of the warnings.
Ed reports back that he can hear some sort of strange noise building up and that he warns Sylvie to get their craft a safe distance away from the entrance to the anomaly, as he gets the feeling that some form of retribution is being worked upon.
Sylvie is glad that she responded quickly to Ed's warning as there is some sort of quite broad ray emanating from the anomaly. It misses their craft by only a matter of metres.
Minutes later, reports come in that a space station quite a distance off has been holed by some mysterious beam. Luckily no-one is hurt, but the damage is quite extensive.
Sylvie resists the temptation to inform Ed, the least feedback these beings get about their efforts to put the frighteners up the travellers, the better. She does let Ed know that they are alright and he was right to warn them.
There is yet another explosion deep within the anomaly.
Sylvie asks Ed to tell the beings that this is going to turn into an outright war, unless everyone sees sense and puts a stop to this now. She senses Ed conveying the message. Then picks up the reaction, the balance has been tipped, it is now 50 / 5
0.
Galdesar, when told of the beings reaction, asks, "Just how many craft have I got to blow up to convince this lot that we mean business?"
Sylvie replies, "Well hopefully no more, otherwise we won't have enough craft space to get our people out of there."
"When it comes to that, we have no idea if there are enough craft in there anyway." Galdesar grins, as if he knows a secret that Sylvie doesn't.
Galdesar is quite surprised when Sylvie replies, "Yes of course."
This left Galdesar feeling rather insecure, he does not know if Sylvie has reached the same conclusion as himself, and if she has, did she do it by deduction or simply reading his mind. This has been the only time that Sylvie's abilities made Galdesar feel somewhat insecure.
Sylvie smiles at Galdesar, then after a short silence, when she feels he has squirmed enough and she has gained enough enjoyment out of the situation, she says, "Well they did say they needed the materials." She pauses then continues, "So they may have taken most of the craft apart by now."