Authors: Jason Kent
Ian nodded. The fleet arrayed before them consisted of twenty massive cargo vessels and as many combat starships. Saratoga was acting as the official escort of the fleet as the ships prepared to pass over the threshold of their first wormhole.
“They’ll only be five jumps away,” Ian said. “That doesn’t seem very far.”
“Four hundred and twelve light years,” Jennifer said, nudging Ian in the ribs. “Pretty far if you ask me.”
“At least it’s a start,” Yates said.
Ian and Jennifer looked at the General, now sporting a second star.
“Earth Space, Jupiter Space, even all of Near Space is not big enough,” Yates added. “Yes we have outposts on or around five other planets besides Earth, but we need to plant seeds, colonies, throughout the galaxy, maybe throughout the universe.
“This,” Yates pointed at his feet, “can not, must not be the sole pocket of humanity. If the last battle proved anything, it was that an enemy could sweep us off the face of every planet in our home system.”
“Human-kind’s survival depends on them,” Jennifer said, nodding at the ships hanging in orbit around Jupiter. “And they won’t be just setting up
outposts. Those ships have everything they need to establish a fully functioning society. Given enough time, they will be able to produce their own colonization fleets and send them out.”
“And you’ve helped provide the key to keep everyone together,” Ian said, squeezing Jennifer’s hand. “No matter how far into the galaxy man wanders.”
Jennifer blushed.
“Eventually, humans will be on more planets than we can count,” Yates said. “And each will have its own fleet of defensive ships. With Jennifer’s quantum communications, no matter what the distance, any one of those worlds will be able to call on the rest of humanity for help. There will still be a Far Space beyond the wormholes, but it will look more and more like Near Space’s backyard.”
“I think that’s what the Comets meant to teach us,” Jennifer said.
“Speaking of which,” Ian said, “Your guys have any luck tracking them down?”
Yates shook his head. “We’ve been out twenty thousand light years in the wormhole system. No sign of any Angel ships. The Soosuri worlds are in some sort of social upheaval and didn’t even realize we were checking up on them. And the Cohou seemed surprised we were still around at all.”
“That doesn’t sound promising,” Ian said.
“Yeah, we’re checking the translations again,” Yates said. “I just wonder if we have them to thank for the Soosuri finding us in the first place.”
“Well, hopefully they don’t know about them,” Ian nodded out the observation window at the fleet. One of the ships flashed then disappeared.
“There they go,” Jennifer noted. “On their first step into Human Space.”
Soosuri Dictionary
agang – call
ahe’ – no / negative akka’ – bite
alula – hurry
amot – medicine
aniyu – ring for finger, neverending ari’i – person of high class, descended from gods/chief aroha – all embracing love aris’a’kai – the sea beyond the sea asaina – Lord God
atua – God
‘ava – plant root
biahi – time
chetnot – wound
chomma’ – forbid
etnon – gathering
fanaitai – read / said prayers faisen – ask
fenua – land
feti’i – close member of clan fine’na – first
fugo’ – wring / squeeze haere mai – call of invitation or welcome hau – wind, breath of life himi – trident
hini tini – descendants hini – girl, young woman ihu – life force
kaue – no
gna’an – sacred plant ihu – gift
isao – sin kannai – arm
kanton tasi – beach ladera – cliff
guaifi – blow
ha’of – chest
hafno’ – high tide hanom - water
maeva – welcome
makaro – predator fish malinau - calm
maolek – good
marae – temple
mar’ar – worship
ma’te’ – low tide
miro – sacred tree na’i – give
n’angu - swim
napu – wave
natata – shallow
ora – time, ~hour
ra’atiri – chief
pahi – large ship
paoti – scissors
pau – finished, over patea – form of address to older woman pia – arrowroot plant popa’a – foreigner puti’on – star
rahaui – sacred prohibition on food tahua – priest
taio – close friend linked by unbreakable bonds tamanu – plant used medicinally
tame – adult male tano’ – land
tasi – ocean
tau rearea – carefree days of youth telari – days
tife’ – harvest
tupu – personal items which must be discarded secretly (use for blood) t’taga’ – ruthless scavenger va’a – ship