Prophet and the Blood March (Prophet of ConFree) by Marshall S. Thomas
Authors: Marshall S. Thomas
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Yeah, and one more thing. I want a high-powered delegation to visit the UMC as soon as poss and brief them on the critical importance of not, repeat not, shooting at or in any way being aggressive towards the Brights. If they classify humans as enemies, we are all in very deep trouble. We'll send reps from Galactic Info, the Legion, Fleetcom and, hell, send 'em a personal rep from me. Emphasize the stupidity of challenging the Brights in any way. Bribe the Mocains. Whatever the hell has to be done. I don't want anybody taking potshots at the Brights. We've got enough problems with the D's, we don't need any new, all-powerful enemies."
"You want me to go?" Snow Leopard asked.
"No, I want you here. Just make sure the Mocains get the message. And tell Thinker to get those Delta people producing some useful prophecies for us. This would be a good time."
Δ
Bees was squirming in her chair, straining to hear the latest from Good Soul. She could barely stand it. It was all bad news.
Help. Help. Any thinking being, help…. A message of distress, from somewhere unknown, somewhere maybe not even in our own time and space. They are coming. Late, too late…. Who is coming? Describe them! Why are they coming? Alone. Fellows captured. Helpless. Planet 6621. Fellows captured. What does that mean? Planet 6621. Sorry, no record. Fools, fools in peril. Too late for them, too late for me. The thoughtless dead approach…. The thoughtless dead. That's not too hard. Fools fools fools. We fools, I the fool, Good Soul, cry for release. No escape. Stupid, now die. Die your deserved death. Whoever Good Soul was, she was helpless. Captured by aliens, skinlight slowly fading, flickering. Die in a dirty hole, alone.
Good Soul's thoughts seemed stronger now, or maybe Bees was just getting better at hearing them. It seemed time was running out for Good Soul. Bees felt a great sadness. She could hear her. She should be able to do something to help her. Skinlight – she must be a Bright! Pursued by unthinking aliens – that was us!
"Bees. Excuse me." Doctor Dimension stood there, holding a printout in one hand.
"Yes, Doctor?" Bees reluctantly removed her earphones. Doctor D appeared happy. He looked almost comical. His long hair was carelessly mussed up and he was beaming in delight.
"As you know, we've been doing a lot of research on the DX neural transmissions that you've been freescanning. We've been making progress. Slow but sure."
"I'm glad to hear it, Doctor," Bees said, in a neutral tone. She was anxious to get back to Good Soul.
"We've succeeded in tracing some of the transmissions back to their general points of origin."
"General points of origin! What does that mean?"
"I used your special frequency, you know, Good Soul, as a test."
"A test?" Bees was frozen in anticipation.
"Yes. The frequency originates in this universe, in DX of course, and it is sourced to the Inners, UMC vac, somewhere in or around the Luyten sector."
Bees gave a little squeal and her arms jerked as if activated by a burst of electricity, sending her dox cup ricocheting off the counter to bounce around on the deck. "Oh! That's wonderful! Where in the Luyten Sector? Where where where!"
"Um, well, we can't say exactly. We're still learning. But I'm certain it is the Luyten sector, or the vicinity. Is that helpful?"
"Helpful? Helpful? Oh Doctor!" Bees leaped up and gave Doctor Dimension an enthusiastic wet kiss. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!" She was trembling.
"Ah, yes! Thank you . I mean, I'm happy to help," the Doctor said.
When the Doctor left the room Bees picked up the earphones again and tried to calm down. "We hear you, Good Soul," she said. "And we're coming as soon as we can." She knew nobody could hear her except herself but that didn't matter. She meant every word. Good Soul was not a microscopic worm in a drop of water. She was a Bright, under siege, and the Brights had saved Ice and Saka and Bees herself, and the whole damned squad, all
"You want me to go?" Snow Leopard asked.
"No, I want you here. Just make sure the Mocains get the message. And tell Thinker to get those Delta people producing some useful prophecies for us. This would be a good time."
Δ
Bees was squirming in her chair, straining to hear the latest from Good Soul. She could barely stand it. It was all bad news.
Help. Help. Any thinking being, help…. A message of distress, from somewhere unknown, somewhere maybe not even in our own time and space. They are coming. Late, too late…. Who is coming? Describe them! Why are they coming? Alone. Fellows captured. Helpless. Planet 6621. Fellows captured. What does that mean? Planet 6621. Sorry, no record. Fools, fools in peril. Too late for them, too late for me. The thoughtless dead approach…. The thoughtless dead. That's not too hard. Fools fools fools. We fools, I the fool, Good Soul, cry for release. No escape. Stupid, now die. Die your deserved death. Whoever Good Soul was, she was helpless. Captured by aliens, skinlight slowly fading, flickering. Die in a dirty hole, alone.
Good Soul's thoughts seemed stronger now, or maybe Bees was just getting better at hearing them. It seemed time was running out for Good Soul. Bees felt a great sadness. She could hear her. She should be able to do something to help her. Skinlight – she must be a Bright! Pursued by unthinking aliens – that was us!
"Bees. Excuse me." Doctor Dimension stood there, holding a printout in one hand.
"Yes, Doctor?" Bees reluctantly removed her earphones. Doctor D appeared happy. He looked almost comical. His long hair was carelessly mussed up and he was beaming in delight.
"As you know, we've been doing a lot of research on the DX neural transmissions that you've been freescanning. We've been making progress. Slow but sure."
"I'm glad to hear it, Doctor," Bees said, in a neutral tone. She was anxious to get back to Good Soul.
"We've succeeded in tracing some of the transmissions back to their general points of origin."
"General points of origin! What does that mean?"
"I used your special frequency, you know, Good Soul, as a test."
"A test?" Bees was frozen in anticipation.
"Yes. The frequency originates in this universe, in DX of course, and it is sourced to the Inners, UMC vac, somewhere in or around the Luyten sector."
Bees gave a little squeal and her arms jerked as if activated by a burst of electricity, sending her dox cup ricocheting off the counter to bounce around on the deck. "Oh! That's wonderful! Where in the Luyten Sector? Where where where!"
"Um, well, we can't say exactly. We're still learning. But I'm certain it is the Luyten sector, or the vicinity. Is that helpful?"
"Helpful? Helpful? Oh Doctor!" Bees leaped up and gave Doctor Dimension an enthusiastic wet kiss. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!" She was trembling.
"Ah, yes! Thank you . I mean, I'm happy to help," the Doctor said.
When the Doctor left the room Bees picked up the earphones again and tried to calm down. "We hear you, Good Soul," she said. "And we're coming as soon as we can." She knew nobody could hear her except herself but that didn't matter. She meant every word. Good Soul was not a microscopic worm in a drop of water. She was a Bright, under siege, and the Brights had saved Ice and Saka and Bees herself, and the whole damned squad, all
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