Before Maria and her friends can leave Wiis, Sevi retrieves communication from the IP universal messaging system. It is a general alert, almost like a newscast that everyone, including Kal, watches aboard Whadgaf’s ship.
“Aircraft are advised to avoid use of warpways in the vicinity of the Interstellar Panel in advance of the first ever war games between the IP Law Enforcement Officers and the Wiis Defense Ministry. These games will continue for a rount, commencing at the start of the IP headquarters’ daylight cycle in three cycles. The warpways will reopen for travelers at the end of the first day of war games.”
“Military games?” Sevi asks when graphics flash across the screen, the same message from the announcer in Brise, the official language of the IP. The announcer continues his report, but he is giving information about Representative Pen Nuren who would lead the forces of the IP Security Officers, and the current First Captain of the Mhadswiis, Tak Nuren, the youngest sister of Representative Nuren, who would lead the forces of the Wiis Defense Ministry.
“It’s simulated war,” Maria says to Sevi as Kal and Whadgaf stare angrily at the screen.
“They’ve never done this before,” Sevi says, “the Security Force has no need for simulations of war. They protect the IP. The IP is not at war.” Even though they had just discussed the possibility of Representative Nuren attacking the Banned Regions, Sevi refuses to believe that the IP would attack anything.
“We have to get back,” Kal says, looking at Whadgaf angrily. “If we can’t use the warpway, we won’t get back to the Banned Regions in time to help.”
“Sevi and I will send a message to someone you trust who can warn everyone in the Banned Regions,” Whadgaf says.
“Yes!” Kal screams. “Do that! Everyone should scatter, but to where? There’s no time left to figure this out.”
“If they are doing war games,” Whadgaf says, “then they are in preparation for war, not ready to launch an attack. I think that you are panicking for no reason. We can get back to the Banned Regions in no time, in about five IP daylight cycles. We can travel as far as we can, wait in the area, and then be back on the warpways as soon as they open up.”
Kal is angry and it shows on his face as Whadgaf talks. His big muscles tense under his tight spacesuit and his orange-red face is angry.
“The Defense Ministry does war games here,” Kal says as he starts to relax, realizing that Whadgaf is right. “It’s an evaluation of commanders. Pen must be choosing her Interstellar Mhadswiis, the leaders of her forces in whatever attack she has planned. That gives us maybe another couple of rounts after the warpways open back up.”
Whadgaf nods. “We will make it back to the Banned Regions before there is any war.”
They all board their ships to depart Wiis, headed toward the IP headquarters.
As they near the IP headquarters, Sevi receives a message that she urgently relays to Whadgaf as she and Maria pilot the ship.
“We have word from Kazi Lograt. He and Representative Prab are not being allowed to depart the headquarters in advance of the planned military games. I responded with a question about the Representative’s rendezvous with the Queen Ravileth, and I’ve just retrieved his response that they never met with the Queen Ravileth nor the Earthling Giovanni.”
“What?” Whadgaf asks angrily. “They arrived at the IP headquarters, why wouldn’t the Representative have spoken with them.”
“There is no record of their ship at the IP, ” Sevi says. “I checked the system and there is no record of it having arrived there.”
“We were on Wiis for at least two full IP daylight cycles, and that doesn’t even include the travel,” Whadgaf says. “They should have been back to the Banned Regions by now. You’re sure that Lograt and Kiarle have not seen them?”
“They were surprised when I asked about the Queen Ravileth. They were not aware that they should be expecting visitors.”
Sevi purses her thin lips and the gray pigmentation of her skin seem to move slowly down her face like a simulation of rain.
Whadgaf slams her fist on the control panel and one of her feathers flies up and floats down in front of Maria.
“Why is this happening?” Whadgaf says. “We’re sure they traveled to the IP headquarters? Maybe they encountered something on the way?”
“Eakran alerted us when they left the Banned Regions,” Maria says as she puts the message on the display screen. It is muted, but shows a split screen of Eakran’s face and the manifest of the Queen Ravileth’s ship along with the planned route to the IP that was a simple trip from the Regions to the headquarters along the established warpway.
“I’ve tried to send a message directly to the Queen’s ship,” Sevi says, “but either we are still out of range of it, or the ship is not receiving messages.”
Whadgaf and Kal land their ships at an unsanctioned spaceport located near the IP warpway. They choose to avoid the IP spaceport because of the apparent disappearance of the Queen Ravileth who is well known for her association with the Ointite Independent Militia that is protecting Eakran in the Banned Regions. They are not sure that this is the reason for her disappearance, but they want to be cautious to avoid any additional delay in their return to the Regions.
At the spaceport, Kal is happy that he does not have to hide his identity as he did on Wiis and he walks around without a shirt as they look for a place to wait for the warpways to reopen. He is very muscular and his skin is an orange red that glistens under the lights of the spaceport. Maria stares at him when he doesn’t notice. He looks like a human man, but he very obviously isn’t, it’s fascinating and very uncanny.
They rent a room large enough for the four of them for a few daylight cycles, and after they drop their bags, they head to a bar to discuss the situation with the Queen.
“There is no reason for the Queen to be rejected from the IP headquarters,” Whadgaf says angrily. “That’s why I sent her, she was the last person I expected to encounter resistance.”
“Pen is mad at the Militia,” Kal says, slurring his words a little. He has a large mug of a giant drink that is practically beer as it exists on Earth, but the alcohol content is much higher.
“She made all of you fugitives or something,” Kal continues. Then he smiles at Maria. “Earthling woman, are you enjoying your drink?”
“It’s better than the beer I’m used to,” Maria says, not quite as drunk as Kal, but happy enough not to let the mystery with the Queen and Giovanni rob her of a good time.
“Can you focus?” Whadgaf asks angrily. “I thought you were most concerned with getting back to the Regions.”
“I am, but we can drink tonight,” Kal says. “We survived Wiis, we made it here. Let’s drink tonight and worry in the morning. I’m much better at worrying after a night of levity.”
Sevi laughs at him. She is worried about the lack of communication from the Queen and she understands why Whadgaf is so grave, but Kal and Maria seem to be having a good time.
“He is right,” she says to Whadgaf. “Tonight is short, and tomorrow promises so much uncertainty. Let’s make certain that tonight is full of fun and happiness before we deal with the difficulties of tomorrow.”
Whadgaf sighs as Kal orders drinks for her and Sevi. When they arrive, Maria holds her large mug with both hands toward the center of the table.
“A toast to the short night!” she says and everyone looks at her.
Kal says, “The traditional Rhasdwiis salute before drinking is: Bless the mothers who bore me.”
“The Jiris family salut is: Ever higher, ever stronger,” Whadgaf says.
“I like Maria’s,” Sevi says and hoists her mug next to Maria. “We are not in the vaulted city of Jerial, or in the rainforests of Wiis. We are together because we have a common goal. We are a kind of family. And we salute the short night, our brief happiness before duty calls tomorrow.”
“To the short night,” Whadgaf says, nodding her head and lifting her mug.
Kal stands, holds his mug high over his head as the liquid sloshes onto his head and down his arm, and he yells loud enough to fill the large room,
“To the short night!”
Maria wakes the next day with the worst hangover she has ever experienced and she swears off alien alcohol forever.
PRL Serials 