Altered Children

An hour and a half later Mack and the others were returned to their base outside of Collie, Australia. Immediately upon their arrival, Mack informed Dennis Murphy of the team’s discussion with Admiral teDanon.

Mack was emphatic. “Dennis, we need you and Munir to come to Collie within forty-eight hours for the meeting with the admiral.”

“Mack, I’m thrilled it worked out as we’d hoped. What about the children?”

“Claire seemed to have a good rapport with the admiral and handled herself extremely well. She’ll definitely be involved. As we discussed before, another three or four children should also join us. I’ll leave it up to you and Munir to decide who, and to coordinate your trips here.”

“Sounds good, Mack. But, none of us are astronauts. Don’t we need some training and preparation? I wouldn’t like to go floating off somewhere.”

“Not to worry, Dennis. They have an artificial gravity system. It’ll just seem like being on a ship.”

“Okay then. That eases my mind a bit. I’ll take it from here. See you soon.”

Mack hung up and called the children over to the desk. One after another, the children informed their parents all was well and they would be at the school near Morisset in a few hours. In the meantime, the lieutenant and sergeant had called their wives. Finally, it was Mack’s turn.

“Hi Robbie, it’s me. Everything’s okay.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so glad you’re back. Were you frightened at all?”

“Robbie, in all my years of naval service, I never imagined being involved in anything like this. And, well, I admit I was a bit anxious. Listen, I’ve only got time to give you the highlights. Just watching the spacecraft land here was amazing. The voyage itself was uneventful, yet still exciting. We’ll talk again soon. Love you.”

Tired as they were at a little after four in the morning, Dennis Murphy, Karen Pacheco and Ramaraju Gupta were still in Dennis’ office in the Discovery Bay school. Rama took the information from Dennis and entered it on the foundation’s website so everyone would know what was happening. Dennis then placed a conference call to Mack, still at the airport outside of Collie, and Munir, now at the school in Mohrane.

“Since the meeting is in less than two days,” Dennis said.,“those of us who are going should leave for Collie as soon as possible.”

Rama joined in and all four discussed who among the children should attend the meeting with the Silkaran officers.

“Time is short. We’ve got Claire Watson and Kamal Fakherdin already in Australia,” Dennis reminded everyone.

“Claire and the admiral seem to have bonded—made a connection of some kind,” Mack informed them.

“So we know we want her there,” Dennis said. “Let’s include Kamal too, and I’ll bring Jason Starkey.”

Munir jumped in. “I think Masanja Kayange would be helpful. In the last year, with Zahra’s help, he’s come a long way.”

“Being autodidactic and having a photographic memory like the other children certainly hasn’t hurt him,” Rama interjected.

“The strength of his paranormal abilities is at the top of the scale,” Munir commented. “He can go to Collie with me.”

“Good choices,” Mack threw in. “They should make excellent representatives for the children, and be very effective at the meeting.”

“Before we get the children too excited,” Rama said, “let’s get their parents’ permission. They may want to be there to bid their children goodbye, and welcome them back.”

Masanja’s mother and father were so in awe of all that’d happened over the last few years, they took this new affair in stride. Though nervous, Rachid believed in his son and trusted Mack. Aisha was frightened, but Rachid, Kamal and Zahra convinced her to allow Kamal’s participation. Aisha and Zahra would accompany Munir Ben Nafi, and Masanja and his family.

Claire’s parents were becoming used to her independence and adventuresome spirit. They arranged for RVs and trailers to be driven to Collie to provide temporary quarters. Her parents left their home in Botany and led the small convoy on the six hour drive along the A32, B55 and Oxley highways to Collie.

Dorothy and Howard Starkey expressed concern, but finally relented with worry tugging at their hearts; they would come to Collie and bring Peter. Yuriko Nishikawa had insisted on joining the team, arguing she could be helpful because she, Jason and Masanja had developed a strong psychic bond which strengthened their powers while linked together. Yuriko’s mother, Izumi, went along to Collie as well.

The trip to Collie—and beyond—began with little fanfare, but a great deal of preparation and anticipation.

Admiral teDanon entered the shuttle command center and told his executive officer, Commander geWaxted, Shuttle Group Commander kaAshlo, and the senior captain of the destroyer escort squadron about what had just transpired. He also commanded their participation in the meeting with the Jerithans.

Commander geWaxted asked to meet with Admiral teDanon in private and was invited to the admiral’s cabin. Admiral teDanon found the commander waiting for him, opened the hatch and stepped in, followed by the commander.

The admiral sat wearily behind his desk and nodded to the commander to take a seat. “Well, what is so important you need to talk to me alone?”

“Admiral, I am not so sure this meeting is a good idea.”

“And why not?”

“It will compromise the operation, and definitely skew the results of the tests.”

Admiral teDanon sighed deeply. “Commander, the operation is already compromised. Considering what we have learned so far and from what I expect we will learn at this meeting, the results are probably invalid as well.”

“Should the meeting take place without authorization by the General Staff?”

“You know I am returning home to meet with them in a few days. I need as much information as possible concerning the Jerithans’ intentions and capabilities. It will help the General Staff determine the appropriate actions.”

Commander geWaxted briefly rubbed his chin in thought. “Hmm, we may be able to correct the problem with the locators in those subjects. We should use the opportunity to interrogate them. Get the locations of the subjects we lost track of. The operation may still be salvaged.”

Admiral teDanon shook his head. He sat forward in his chair, half rising with both hands placed flat in front of him on his desk. “The Jerithans have demonstrated a great deal of empathy by returning the bodies of my father and his crewmates, of resourcefulness in disabling the locators and caming to this vessel, as well as a tremendous amount of courage.”

“Yes, sir. But—”

The admiral held his hand up to stop Commander geWaxted and sat back in his chair. “The coming meeting with the Jerithans should benefit us all and will be conducted without subterfuge. You will attend and contribute to it. Since the operation is in hiatus, I want you to prepare a summary report of its current status.”

“Yes, sir. Will that be all, sir?”

“Yes. You are dismissed.”

Commander geWaxted rose, came to attention briefly and then turned, and stepped to the cabin’s hatch with the admiral’s glare burning into his back. As he left, he muttered something under his breath Admiral teDanon could not quite hear.

Several tables, chairs and sofas had been set up in a corner of the main hangar at the airfield outside of Collie. By mid-afternoon on Friday, July 23, everybody had arrived and were shown to the RV or trailer assigned to them for the next few days.

Using the communicator he’d been given, Mack contacted Admiral teDanon. Aided by a shuttle crewmen acting as interpreter, Mack arranged for the pickup to occur at eleven o’clock that night. The timing enabled the Humans to prepare for the meeting they expected would be epochal in the annals of Earth’s history.

Eight o’clock. They broke from their planning session. Everyone had a light meal and relaxed as best they could.

At eight forty-five, those who were going to the meeting continued their preparations.

Ten past ten. Decisions made as to their respective roles during the coming meeting.

Ten forty. Preparations completed. Backpacks, shoulder bags and boxes were assembled near the hangar door. Some sat and tried to relax. A few paced. Several checked the time . . . and rechecked . . . and rechecked again.

Anxious minutes before the eleventh hour, a humming sound drew them out of the hangar. As they took in the amazing sight, the shuttle settled slowly on the tarmac a hundred yards away. A hatch opened beneath the shuttle, now resting on its four great legs.

Dennis Murphy, Munir Ben Nafi, Mack Wallace, Jason Starkey, Claire Watson, Kamal Fakherdin, Yuriko Nishikawa, and Masanja Kayange bade goodbye to their anxious families who would wait for their return. Then they hefted the luggage and boxes going with them.

Hesitatingly at first, then eagerly following Mack’s lead, they boldly strode to the ramp that had extended from the open hatch. One by one the seven hopeful Humans boarded the Silkaran shuttle and settled in for the trip to the Rostvar Cluster.

An hour and a half passed before they arrived at the shuttle’s berth and completed lockdown. Admiral teDanon was there to greet them, along with Shuttle Group Commander kaAshlo, and the administration officer—a sub-commander in charge of the carrier’s Administration Division. This division was responsible for maintenance and support of the carrier’s supplies, mess and personnel. The admin officer was short for a Silkaran female. Her skin was a light red bordering on pink and her forehead ridge was less prominent than on most Silkarans. She had been given a crash course in English and assigned the responsibility of providing whatever assistance the Humans required—to be their aide-de-camp as it were.

Admiral teDanon and Mack made the introductions. The admin officer asked Mack for instructions regarding handling of the food the Humans brought with them. Mack told her they brought fresh fruit and vegetables, which should be refrigerated, and the rest were packaged meals that just required heating. Their aide directed two petty officers to store the Humans’ food, and then led them to the compartment where they would sleep.

In a pleasingly high-pitched voice and halting English the officer explained it was time for the third sleep period. Her smile lit up her face and her pointed left ear twitched when she showed them where the lavatory and shower facilities were located, through a hatch at one end of their compartment, and demonstrated their operation.

Before she left, the admin officer told them she would come to get them at the beginning of first-watch and take them to where they would eat first-meal with the Admiral, Captain geMilot—his executive officer, and the flagship’s commanding officer, also a captain.

“Well, what do you think?” Mack asked the group when they were alone.

Dennis grinned. “If nothing else, looking at these people really makes one question why our native Americans were ever called ‘redskins’.”

As soon as the chuckles died down, Munir added, “They’re rather magnificent looking. This experience could be quite frightening except they seem to be trying to reassure us and relieve our anxiety.”

“Yes,” Dennis said, “very accommodating. But can we really trust them?”

Mack, acting the intelligence expert he was, jumped in. “Hold it.” He motioned them into the lavatory area and turned on two showers. “Be careful what you say,” he noted just above a whisper. “They may be monitoring or recording us.”

“We searched their minds,” Jason said, “and were surprised to find they’re respecting our privacy. There are no recording devices here.”

“That’s a relief,” Mack remarked, turning off the showers. “Let’s go back and get comfortable.” He led them back. “We should probably get some sleep.”

“Once you are in their minds,” Claire said, “you find they are not awfully different from us. Some can be trusted and others cannot.”

Masanja cleared his throat. “We’ll monitor their thoughts so we know whom to trust.”

They awoke to a jarring noise—burrrrrup . . . burrrrrup . . . burrrrrup—issuing from a speaker and a voice in a language only the children understood.

“What’s all the noise?” Dennis asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“It announces the beginning of what they call ‘first-watch’,” Masanja replied.

Mack was the first to get out of his bunk. He walked over to where Dennis was just rising. “This reminds me of sea duty—just like a ship, but without the rolling waves. How did you sleep, Dennis?”

“Not badly, considering.” They turned to see everyone else getting out of their bunks.

The sound of knocking came from the hatch between their compartment and the passageway. They all looked toward it. “It’s okay,” Yuriko asserted.

“The administration officer,” Masanja added.

“Enter,” Mack said.

The admin officer opened the hatch and stepped inside. She looked around at the Humans. “Greetings. If you would please get ready, I will return in a half-hour and take you to eat first-meal. The meeting will be held in the same compartment following the meal.”

“We don’t know how your time relates to ours,” Mack observed. “How will we know when the half-hour is up?”

“Our standard day is roughly equivalent to 20 earth hours,” she replied. “Since our standard hour is one-twentieth of a standard day it is approximately the same as one earth hour. So, you should have no problem with our timekeeping for as long as you will be with us.” The admin officer asked Mack what food they wanted to be brought to first-meal. After Mack told her, she turned and left, shutting the hatch behind her.

Dennis checked his watch. “Okay, girls first. Get going, you’ve got fifteen minutes.”

The time passed quickly and the administration officer returned to find them ready and waiting. She led them through the light green passageway of Deck Two. Their aide-de-camp pointed out the secondary bridge, various offices, crew’s quarters, and the crew’s mess and galley. They arrived at the classroom area and she brought them into a compartment with three tables facing another set of three with a four-foot gap between them.

“First-meal will be served here,” the administration officer informed them. “The stewards will bring the food you requested in case you do not like what our officers will be eating. If you don’t mind, we would like the children to act as interpreters with my assistance. Between us we should be able to minimize any misunderstanding and confusion.” The Humans agreed with her suggestions as to who each child would interpret for, except for one change. Mack replaced Kamal with Claire to be the admiral’s interpreter.

As soon as they were seated, Admiral teDanon came in followed by his executive officer, walking with a slight limp. At over seven and a half feet, Captain geMilot was taller than most Silkarans and had red skin just beginning to darken—typical of early middle age—with light patches on arms and legs. He had copper-colored hair in three braids, behind each ear and down the middle. His brow ridge was more pronounced over the temples, common to many Silkarans. The carrier’s captain entered last.

Introductions completed; the stewards served first-meal. The Humans tried the Silkaran food and each found something they liked. Dennis offered the Silkaran officers samples of food they had brought, which the admiral and his executive officer ate with gusto while the carrier’s captain merely sampled. First-meal was finished in forty minutes.

The stewards cleared the tables for the meeting and then made drinks available. Three minutes later, Commander kaAshlo, Commander geWaxted and the senior captain of the destroyer escort squadron entered. As the admiral presented these officers to the Humans they took their seats.

Yuriko glanced at Operation Pacify’s chief medical officer and her face became almost ashen. She communicated telepathically with the other children. “This guy is bad news—no conscience.”

“No remorse,” Claire added.

Kamal asked the rest of the children, “Should we say something?”

Yuriko and Masanja shook their heads subtly and Claire looked askance. Jason said, “Not yet. Let’s see how things develop first.”

Admiral teDanon led the meeting and spoke for the Operation Pacify team. His gruff voice gave him a harsh edge. The foundation’s board had previously appointed Mack Wallace as their primary spokesperson for this meeting. Being a senior naval officer, the board reasoned he could probably relate to the alien officers better than anybody else. Each of the participants agreed not to speak without raising a hand and being recognized.

Admiral teDanon called the meeting to order by shaking the traditional assembly rattle on the table in front of him. “Captain Wallace, one thing has really puzzled us. How did you first become aware of our operation?”

Mack thought for a few moments before answering. “Your tracking device implants were discovered through the normal process of physical and psychological examinations of the children. Many children reported persistent dreams about being abducted and examined by people who looked like all of you. Some dreamed of riding in what could be described as a kind of spacecraft. After several years, their doctors and psychological professionals identified a pattern and began talking together and comparing notes.”

Commander geWaxted raised his hand and the admiral nodded to him. “These subje—children—seem far more intelligent and resistant to our anesthetics than the majority of Humans. Do you know why?”

“He was going to say ‘subjects’ instead of ‘children’; he’s incredibly callous,” Yuriko told the other children.

Dennis decided to answer this one. “It appears those characteristics are a side affect of your genetic manipulations.”

Commander geWaxted started to say something, but Admiral teDanon put a hand up, stopping him.

Commander geWaxted arched his brow crest and looked at Admiral teDanon. He kept quiet when the admiral glared at him. “Getting back to my first question, just how did you learn the details of our operation?”

“Let me be blunt,” Mack replied. “We learned the basics a year ago from the children you executed during their escape attempt. Somehow they managed to transmit information to us before you destroyed the spacecraft they were in. Several of our governments know you exist because over the last eighty years they found at least four wrecked spacecraft.”

“I guess the big question,” Admiral teDanon said, “is . . . how did they manage to escape?”

“Admiral,” Mack replied, “we cannot say exactly how they did it. Don’t you know?”

“We thought one or more of the crew helped them, but found no proof.”

The foundation had decided to withhold, for the present, information regarding the children’s paranormal abilities. Mack’s answer had been subtly misleading, but not an actual lie. The children sensed the Silkaran officers were going to press forward on this subject and ask how the children had captured the shuttle bringing them to the spacecraft carrier. So, the children used their telepathic hypnosis ability to divert the Silkaran officers from that line of questioning.

Claire’s request to speak was acknowledged. “When all is said and done, the main objective of your operation, may have been accomplished, directly or indirectly. We children score significantly higher on intelligence tests than the average Human . . . and tend to be less violent. You’ve seen the evidence in your studies of us.”

Dennis added his own comment. “We may never know whether your genetic manipulation directly reduced a Human tendency toward violence or if it is a result of the children’s superior intellects. While not a one-for-one relationship, higher intelligence makes it likely one will find a non-violent way to deal with a stressful or threatening situation.”

Mack felt it was an appropriate time to put the Silkarans on the defensive. “Meaning no disrespect, your criticism of our violent tendencies is like the pot calling the kettle black. Being a military man myself, I can understand your motives.

“However, your people are taking a very invasive—one could say violent—approach to solving a problem that really doesn’t exist yet. Earth is no threat to Silkar. It’s unlikely we will ever threaten you militarily, and will not do so economically for at least a hundred or two hundred years. And here you are, abducting and killing our people—our children.”

“Yes, Captain, you are correct. Many of us—myself included—have had growing misgivings about the operation. But being military people, we have followed our orders to the best of our ability.” He gave a brief description of Silkaran history and how they were quarantined by the league only a hundred twenty-five years previously due to Silkar’s violent colonization of another planet.

Mack decided to strengthen those misgivings. “The military personnel of many of Earth’s countries are obligated to obey only lawful orders of their superiors. Though it is sometimes difficult to draw the line between what is a lawful order and what is not, common sense and a good ethical and moral philosophy should guide us all.”

Over the next couple of hours, the children remained unobtrusive for the most part, feeling the aliens would be more willing to accept and respect statements made by the adults. Because of Claire’s previous rapport with Admiral teDanon, she spoke up occasionally.

They had a short break for lunch—called second-meal by the Silkarans. At one point, Yuriko—being left handed—and Claire knocked their hands together and came close to spilling their drinks. Their infectious laugh brightened an otherwise serious meal. When they finished, the Silkaran officers broke to take care of business and the admin officer served as tour guide for the Humans.

As they made their way through the passageways, she described the ship they were on as an assault spacecraft carrier. The officer explained how these vessels were suitable for raids and support missions. Larger spacecraft carriers were used to protect bigger flotillas and fleets with cruisers and battleships in them and to attack opposing planets and fleets. During the tour, the children identified a number of officers and crew who were uncomfortable with, if not antagonistic to, Operation Pacify.

They returned to the meeting room just ahead of the admiral and two of his officers. Discussions resumed and continued for another hour or so.

As the end of the meeting approached, Admiral teDanon rose. “For the time being, we will consider your foundation’s executive board as the unofficial representatives of Earth. Let us meet again and plan the best time and manner to approach your United Nations leadership. To that end, and with your approval, I will assign an instructor to join you in each of your three schools to teach the children and whomever else you designate about Silkar and the league. These instructors will use our teaching machines to educate them in our language.”

At this point, the locations of the schools had still not been divulged to the Silkarans.

Mack also stood and offered his hand. “We have a tradition of shaking hands as a personal commitment for sealing agreements.”

“Our way is similar,” Admiral teDanon said, taking Mack’s hand in a strong grip. After Admiral teDanon closed the meeting, the admin officer guided the Humans to the hangar deck for their trip back to Earth.

Before dismissing the officers, Admiral teDanon looked around the compartment. “Well, what is your assessment?” He nodded to his executive officer.

“I see hope in what was accomplished here. This meeting confirms the feelings I have had for some time. Jerithans do not appear as violent and hopeless a people as we first thought.”

“Thank you, XO.” He nodded at the spacecraft carrier’s captain. “Comments, Captain?”

The lanky Silkaran officer angrily ground a fist into his hand. “I have yet to be convinced Jeritha does not represent a threat to our interests. And Captain Wallace’s statement concerning following only lawful orders—I do not see how a military can operate in such a fashion. It could not remain an effective force let alone maintain discipline. We must follow the orders of our superior officers. If their orders are unlawful, they will suffer the consequences.”

Admiral teDanon turned to face Commander geWaxted. “And your thoughts Commander.”

“As I said before, I am not convinced the meeting was appropriate without getting prior approval of the General Staff. I definitely object to giving Jerithans classified documentation. We are limiting our options by doing so.”

Shuttle Group Commander kaAshlo spoke next. “I thought they made a persuasive argument that Jeritha would not be in a position to threaten the interests of Silkar, or any league member, within the seventy-five year time frame the General Staff considered to be critical.”

“Just words,” the carrier’s captain said, “opinion, based on . . . on what?”

Admiral teDanon drummed his fingers on the table. “They did promise to provide evidence that Jeritha would not have the technology, economic strength or political will to explore interstellar space in a meaningful way for a hundred fifty years, if not longer.”

The destroyer escort squadron’s senior captain waved his one good hand in the air, the other having been severely injured in an old space battle. “I think they came across as sincere. Captain Wallace admitted Jerithans might be ready for interstellar exploration before they were united as one people, and even many of them consider this a potential problem.”

“We have already gathered a good deal of evidence over seventy years of monitoring Jeritha,” Commander kaAshlo said. “It supports Dr. Murphy’s statement that most of Jeritha’s leaders and people are working toward ending hatred, intolerance, and the threat of war. Are they so different from what we were a hundred years ago . . . or even today?”

“Right. We had best not forget our own history,” Admiral teDanon declared. “It is replete with violence. Where were our ethics a hundred years ago? Even now, we must ask ourselves why we find it so easy to abandon our own moral code.”

The carrier’s captain slapped his massive chest and shook his head. “We follow our code of honor, which requires us to obey all orders of our superiors. That precept is Canon Two in our military code.”

“Yes,” Commander kaAshlo added, “but Canon One insists we honor Silkar’s Declaration. And this should be an even higher authority.”

The destroyer squadron senior captain looked at the carrier’s captain. “Minor revision to our military code may be appropriate.” He leaned forward in his chair and glanced around the table. “I believe this meeting with the Jerithans will give support to the admiral’s argument to cancel Operation Pacify when he meets with the General Staff.”

“Keep in mind the league mandate to monitor Jeritha is in force for another seventeen years,” Admiral teDanon reminded them. He rose from his chair, followed by everyone else jumping up and standing at attention. “Thank you all for your opinions and candor. Before the end of third-watch, give me a memory card with your opinions and suggestions. I will review and take them to my meeting with the General Staff.” He looked around the compartment and then dismissed the officers.

As they left the compartment, Commander geWaxted stopped the admiral. The commander kept his growing anger in check. “Sir, I would like to present a somewhat different view to the General Staff than I believe you will present. May I have permission to return to Silkar with you and attend the meeting?”

He is not making an unreasonable request, Admiral teDanon thought. But I think he and those like him may be a greater danger to Silkar than the Jerithans . . . and I do not know how much I will disclose. It all depends on their reaction to my initial comments. “No, you have enough to do here. The memory card with your statement will suffice.” The admiral pressed past the medical officer, returned to his cabin and prepared for his trip home.

After standing for a moment trying to keep calm, Commander geWaxted went to the spacecraft carrier’s captain as he stepped into the passageway. “Excuse me, sir. May we speak in confidence?”

“Yes, Commander. Meet me in my office in fifteen minutes.”

* * * * * * *

Their aide-de-camp led Mack and the others to a crew lounge in the hangar deck near the lockdown birth of the shuttle they would take back to Earth.

Dennis shook her hand. “Thank you for your help. You’ve been very kind.”

“You are welcome,” she said. “I am to remain to assist you with anything you need.”

“Will you give us some privacy, please?” Mack asked.

“Yes of course. If you require me, I will be in Shuttle Command. Just call me on the intercom.” She ambled over to the device mounted on the lounge bulkhead and demonstrated its operation.

When the admin officer was gone, Mack gathered everybody together. “So, what do you all think about those officers and what you heard?”

“We children reached an important conclusion,” Jason interjected. “We decided it is critical for us to be able to mind-talk to the adults before the next meeting with the Silkarans. You still confuse mind-talking with your own thoughts.”

Yuriko shook her head. “Commander geWaxted is dangerous and not our friend. He is committed to Operation Pacify and wants to continue the experiments.”

“I tapped into his thoughts once. He does seem intent on following the General Staff’s orders—no matter what the admiral says,” Jason added.

“Same with the carrier’s captain,” Masanja said.

“The admiral is genuine,” Claire declared. “His voice may sound harsh, but he has a more sensitive spirit.”

“Captain geMilot strongly supports the admiral,” Jason proclaimed.

Kamal stood up. “Shuttle Group Commander kaAshlo was very sympathetic.”

“What of the destroyer escort squadron’s senior captain?” Mack asked. “He seemed to support the admiral’s position.”

“He’s having trouble reconciling his own feelings of empathy toward us and his military training,” Jason said. “But I believe he is with the admiral.”

“Right. I’m convinced he’ll support the admiral,” Claire assured them.

“You all confirm my own observations,” Munir noted.

“And mine,” Dennis agreed. “Most of them seemed to agree with the admiral. Their outward behavior didn’t appear to be put on for our benefit.”

“Well,” Mack announced, “the tradition of the Silkaran military to obey orders without question is too reminiscent of Earth’s own militaristic history . . . and it bothers me.”

Dennis brushed his hair back. “It’s clear to me there is hope for change in their attitude and philosophy. You could see it in the body language of some of the officers.”

“And hear it in the speech patterns and tones of their voices,” Munir said.

“So it seems . . .” Mack murmured, looking down at the deck and rubbing his chin.

It became quiet for awhile as they each became lost in their own thoughts.

Commander geWaxted arrived several minutes early and sat in the captain’s outer office. He shifted uneasily, then stood and paced until the captain arrived—precisely on time.

“Thank you for seeing me, Captain. I will get right to it. I am uncomfortable with these meetings, and how willing the admiral and others are to treat the Jerithans as equals.”

“I am not happy with it either,” the captain agreed. “From your reports, however—”

“Sir, excuse me. I believe the admiral is overstepping his orders from the General Staff. He is giving too much information to the Jerithans without prior authorization by his superiors.”

“Commander, I read your reports. Has not the operation been gravely compromised? So badly in fact, should it not be discontinued?”

“It has been compromised. But as the senior medical officer for the operation, I can tell you our medical team is close to discovering how to correct the genetic manipulation technique which allowed the Jerithans to get so familiar with Operation Pacify. I am certain proper steps could be taken to eliminate the contaminated subjects and restart the operation. But these steps must be taken soon, before the admiral disseminates classified data to the Jerithans.”

“What would you have me do, Commander, mutiny?”

“No sir. If anyone is guilty of mutiny, it is the admiral. I am asking you, as the senior officer after the Admiral and his executive officer, to intervene. Contact First Admiral teReevat at the General Staff and bring him up to date before there is further contact with the Jerithans . . . and also to stop the Jerithans from leaving this vessel until authorization is received.”

The captain strolled around the cabin and pondered what the commander had said. “All right. I will hold the Jerithans on board until the General Staff can decide their fate, and contact Admiral teReevat directly.” The captain glared at the commander. “I expect you to take a certain amount of responsibility as well. You are senior medical officer of Operation Pacify. Issue an order relieving the admiral of his command pending a medical evaluation. Deliver it to the commander of our security force.”

The carrier’s captain opened a cabinet, removed a small object from a shelf and held it out to the medical officer. “Here, take this. It is a communicator tuned to my secure command channel. Go back to your office, prepare the order . . . and delay the disclosure of any new information to the Jerithans.”

The captain called Shuttle Group Commander kaAshlo in the shuttle command center when the medical chief left,. “Commander, I am contacting Admiral teReevat for verification of Admiral teDanon’s instructions. For now, lock the Jerithans in one of your storerooms until I authorize their release.”

Commander kaAshlo sat and stared at her console for a few moments. She rubbed her eyes and called Admiral teDanon on the flag channel. The shuttle group commander informed him about the order she had just received.

“Put the Jerithans into the shuttle where they will be more comfortable,” Admiral teDanon said, “and safer. Put a guard on it. If the Jerithans ask for an explanation, just say you are preparing for their departure.”

Immediately upon disconnecting from his brief conversation with Commander kaAshlo, the captain quickly drafted a message. Next, he called the communications center and gave them the message to code and send to Admiral teReevat.

The captain then called the carrier’s security force commander. “Major, you will soon have an order from Commander geWaxted relieving the admiral of command. As soon as you get it, place the admiral under guard in his cabin. Do it as quietly as possible.”

“Something’s wrong!” Yuriko yelled, placing her hands on both sides of her head.

Claire jumped up and stamped her foot. “The admiral is in distress.”

Everyone else looked at them.

Jason punched the armrest of his chair. “Something is happening. And it isn’t good.”

Admiral teDanon decided not to take any chances so he called the communications center and spoke with the officer in charge, a senior lieutenant. “There is to be no outgoing messages or any transmissions sent without direct authorization from me or Captain geMilot.”

“We were preparing to send a message from the captain,” the senior lieutenant said. He read it to Admiral teDanon.

The admiral told him “Lieutenant, I am the senior officer of the flotilla. I will deal with the captain. Hold the message and do not send it.”

The admiral then gave the same instructions regarding outgoing messages to the captain’s of the two destroyer escorts in his carrier flotilla. He also ordered them to remain on station until he or his executive officer gave them new orders.

Next, he called the flotilla’s security force commander. “Colonel, the carrier’s captain and some other officers are in mutiny. Arrest the captain and Commander geWaxted. Take command of the carrier’s security force. Secure the armory and communications. Assist Commander kaAshlo in protecting the Jerithans on the hangar deck. Escort my XO to the bridge so he can take command. Close down this vessel until we determine who we can trust.”

The admiral shut his eyes and thought, When I took command, I selected a large number of the senior officers for this operation. I should be able to depend on most, if not all, of them.

By the time the troops of the flotilla’s security force arrived to arrest the captain, his carrier security squad had already arrived, resulting in a standoff. As the captain checked the status of the Jerithans he learned a flotilla security team had just arrived to take control from the carrier’s security team, which Commander kaAshlo had ordered to stand down.

The Humans were startled by the sound of claxons. Yuriko and Jason translated the command they heard over the speakers to go to Alert Status Three. “What’s happening?” Mack asked Commander kaAshlo, who stood outside the entrance to the shuttle they were now in.

“You heard the call to emergency stations to deal with a non-external threat. It appears Commander geWaxted and the carrier’s captain are in mutiny against the admiral. These men you see are part of the security team assigned to protect you.”

The children briefly talked telepathically. “Commander,” Jason said, “please inform the admiral we can help. Just get us close to the captain.”

Commander kaAshlo cocked her head and crossed her arms. “Help? You children? How can you help?”

“Believe them when they say they can help,” Mack replied. “You should really do what they suggest.”

Yuriko was leaning against a bulkhead, her damp clothing clinging to her body and moisture glistening on her face. “Yuriko, are you okay?” Jason thought to her.

“Too many people . . . I feel their fear and pain,” she replied telepathically.

Commander kaAshlo shrugged her shoulders, called the Admiral and told him what Jason and Mack had said. Claire stepped in front of the communicator. “Admiral, there are a couple of things we did not tell you about us. But we see it is time to demonstrate our good will again. Just get us to the captain.”

“Yuriko needs to stay here,” Jason said, as Masanja, Kamal and Claire indicated their agreement. “She’s feeling the emotions of the crew too strongly,” Jason added for the benefit of the adults.

“And it’s hindering her ability to function,” Kamal threw in.

“I will see she is protected,” Commander kaAshlo vowed.

By that time, the major and two men had arrived at the admiral’s cabin with the order from Commander geWaxted relieving the admiral of command. The admiral’s guard was there—a security force sergeant with a squad of eight armed troops.

“Sergeant, I have an order relieving the admiral of command. We are here to guard the admiral’s cabin. You and your squad may leave. Turn in your arms at the armory and return to your quarters.”

“Major, I am sorry but I cannot comply. My colonel gave me explicit orders to defend the admiral and the flag section. I think it would be better if you and your two men left.”

The major recognized his position was untenable. He led his men outside the flag section and contacted the carrier’s captain.

Confusion reigned aboard all three vessels. A few of the officers and crew who were most loyal to the captain and Commander geWaxted were resisting those loyal to the admiral.

The colonel commanding the flotilla’s security force brought two security companies to deck three and gained control of the armory. He sent troops to secure the communications center and shut down the carrier captain’s communications circuits. Then the colonel led one of the companies to deck four. He assigned a platoon to Commander kaAshlo, who remained in the shuttle command center, and then took control of the combat command center.

The admiral’s security forces now controlled the entire hangar deck and all flight operations. Following the admiral’s orders, the colonel personally led a platoon to bring the children to the bridge. The admin officer insisted on going along to watch over the children.

They worked their way to the starboard forward elevator, meeting no resistance until they were at the hatch leading to the passageway where it was located. The security sergeant on point stopped them. He checked around the corner with a small mirror. “Six-man squad of carrier security troops and two crewmen at the lift’s entrance. Lightly armed. Stun grenade, Colonel?”

“Yes, and then we will take them,” the colonel replied.

The sergeant began to pull the grenade from his belt. “Children, flatten yourselves against the bulkhead and cover—”

“Wait,” Jason said, placing his hand on the sergeant’s arm. “Give us a chance.”

“What can you children do?” the colonel asked.

“How can we identify the person in charge?” Jason asked, without answering the colonel’s question. After the colonel described the leader’s insignia and rank markings, Jason tapped the sergeant’s arm, procured the mirror and looked around the corner. For a moment, his eyes lost focus and the other children closed their eyes in concentration. Then, Jason gave the mirror back. “It is okay, Colonel. You can go out there now.”

The colonel glanced around the corner and smiled. He motioned everyone forward. To the surprise of his troops, everybody guarding the elevator had placed their weapons on the deck and stood facing the bulkhead with their hands locked together on their heads.

The colonel’s platoon locked the surrendered personnel in a nearby storeroom and one squad remained to guard the area. The lift could hold only one squad plus the colonel and children, so the other squad and the admin officer would have to wait. They entered the lift and the colonel started it moving. Before it reached deck one, Masanja pressed the stop button, halting the elevator. “There are six armed men outside. Leave it to us, colonel.”

The colonel motioned his troops to line up along the bulkheads at both sides of the door. They grabbed at the children who shrugged them off and placed themselves in front of the door. Kamal pressed the resume button and the elevator moved up a short distance and stopped.

The elevator door opened to reveal six men with lasguns and stunners pointed at the elevator. Before those men had a chance to do anything, their weapons flew out of their hands and dropped to the deck several feet away. The colonel’s men used the opportunity to fling themselves out of the elevator and take prisoner the now unarmed and shocked troops. The colonel looked at the children. “I am not going to ask how you did that. I expect we will all find out soon enough.”

The other squad arrived and they all moved down the corridor. The colonel left teams along the way to control two strategic locations. They got to the bridge down to a single squad and joined the one which had showed up earlier with two wounded. Admiral teDanon arrived moments later with the squad that had gone to his cabin to protect him.

“I do not want to cause unnecessary deaths and injuries,” Admiral teDanon said. “A majority of the crew is merely acting out of loyalty to their officers. I am sure they are confused over what is happening. But if this does not get resolved soon, we will have to force our way in to arrest the captain and put an end to it.”

“Admiral, we can stop it without further violence,” Claire assured him. “Nobody has to be hurt.”

“How is that possible?” Admiral teDanon asked.

The children all smiled. “It is already done, Admiral,” Kamal responded. “The captain needs to make an announcement to the crew. Please let him do it.”

Immediately after the admiral ordered the communications center to open the captain’s circuits, the captain’s voice was heard through the loudspeakers. “This is your captain speaking. Cease all resistance to the Admiral and his forces. Stand down.” He repeated the orders twice. Then the hatch to the bridge opened and the captain stepped out. “Admiral, the bridge is yours.”

“Captain, you are relieved. We will discuss this at a more opportune time.” Admiral teDanon turned to his security force commander. “Take the captain into custody, but treat him respectfully.” Then he faced Claire. “What just happened, young lady?”

“I told you there were things about us you were not informed of before. Can we go back to where we all met and bring everybody together again. We will explain it all then. Oh yes, this ship’s executive officer is on the bridge, but took no active role in the mutiny.”

“All right, but we need to clean up this mess first. We will meet in a couple of hours.” The admiral ordered the carrier’s executive officer to take over as the acting captain. Next, he had the children brought back to the shuttle in the hangar deck where Mack, Dennis and Munir waited. Quite relaxed since the children had managed to keep them updated by telepathy, though with some difficulty.

The mutiny had resulted in the deaths of four mutineers and two supporters of the admiral, and injuries to a dozen more from both sides. All remaining mutineers were temporarily incarcerated under guard in several storerooms and the brig.

While the action had not spread to the Silkaran destroyer, officers aboard the Mythran Confederacy’s destroyer detected a disturbance. Its captain asked the squadron’s senior captain about it and the communications blackout. Describing it as a surprise drill for the Silkaran crews, the senior captain deflected their concern. Back in the classroom where they first met, everyone except the captain and Commander geWaxted got together again.

Mack stood and looked around at the Silkaran officers. “The children convinced us it was time to explain a side effect of Operation Pacify’s genetic manipulation. The short explanation is that it imbued the children with superior intelligence, as you already know.” He paused for effect. “And, additionally, it gave them the paranormal abilities of telepathy, clairvoyance and telekinesis—to one degree or another.”

The children could not directly translate the words “paranormal,” “telepathy,” “clairvoyance,” or “telekinesis” because there were no Silkaran words for them. Claire explained as best she could and then the children demonstrated their abilities to the amazement of all the Silkaran officers. The officers finally understood how the children had been able to escape one year earlier. To put the Silkaran officers at ease, Jason described the ethical principles which governed the children’s use of their paranormal abilities.

“Children,” Admiral teDanon declared, “it appears I owe you a debt of gratitude once again. Without your assistance, there would have been many more deaths and injuries.”

Claire tugged Admiral teDanon’s sleeve. “You are very welcome, Admiral.”

“We in the foundation have come to believe our two peoples are more alike than we are different,” Dennis asserted. “We should be able to resolve peacefully any problems the Silkaran government believes Earth may cause it.”

“Admiral, I want you to consider something,” Mack added. “Operation Pacify may have become a self-fulfilling prophesy. The Silkaran military leaders’ actions could result in Earth’s nations working together instead of competing against one another, speeding the development of spacecraft and space exploration. Our two civilizations are at a crossroad.”

“It is highly unlikely your operation and the league’s existence can be kept secret from our governments for much longer,” Dennis said. “The foundation believes Earth, with all its problems, should now be formally recognized by the league.”

“I cannot promise anything,” Admiral teDanon replied. “But I will present your case before the General Staff when I meet with them in a few days.” He looked around at his officers. “It seems most of our people agree with you. We opened the door and both of our peoples should walk through it together. Now, I have work to do before I return to Silkar for the meeting.”

“Let us help where we can,” Claire offered, “before we return to Earth.”

“You have already done—”

Captain geMilot interrupted. “Excuse me, sir, but I believe the children, and maybe Captain Wallace, could be very helpful.”

Admiral teDanon gathered his papers together. “I will leave that to you to determine, XO.” He turned to the administration officer. “Sub-commander please take the Jerithans back to their quarters until the XO asks for them.”

Admiral teDanon and his executive officer switched a number of the officers and crew around between the Silkaran destroyer escort and the spacecraft carrier. He soon left aboard the Mythran destroyer escort for his return trip to Silkar and his meeting with the General Staff. The admiral left Captain geMilot with orders to return as many of the mutineers as possible to normal duty. First, the mutineers had to be convinced the admiral and the forces loyal to him were adhering to the League of Worlds’ Charter of Covenants, the Silkar Union Declaration and its laws, and that Operation Pacify and the General Staff were in violation of them.

Over the next nine days, with the children’s help, Captain geMilot and other loyal officers were able to accomplish their objective with only a few exceptions. The spacecraft carrier’s captain and Commander geWaxted were two of those exceptions.

Finally, on Tuesday, August third, the Humans left the flotilla aboard a shuttle and returned to the private airfield near Collie in New South Wales, Australia. They brought with them four communicators, one for each of the schools and one to be kept at the airfield, which had quickly become a spaceport for the foundation.