Oh Hell....First Contact

Wherein one highly advanced race discovers another, slightly less advanced race....

But one quite a bit more aggressive.

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Dr. Devinn Motrutta, De'Benja Sector Controller and Colony Director was as usual sitting at his huge desk. As always he was smoking an oversized, and quite immoral gifka cigar. Approaching retirement age Devinn was a very unhappy mouse, for before him was the oft read MORNING GLORY's first contact report. "Battle hungry huge breasted cat woman with fangs and guns" he snickered, "Somebodies been reading a bit too many fanzines lately." Touching a hidden switch with his foot he spoke into the air. "Send Captain Von Zung in" he ordered. Sliding the report aside he leaned back in his chair. 'Might as well get this hoax taken care of' the Sector Controller decided. 'Then a nice evening meal and a soft warm bed.'

Captain Tercy Von Zung marched stiffly into the office, coming to an abrupt halt exactly a meter from the imposing desk. Crisply he snapped to attention. "Captain Von Zung. Reporting as commanded" the starship commander announced.

Devinn studied the elderly man, 'Not one I'd take for a fanzineboy' he thought to himself 'Still, you never know.' "Relax Captain, this isn't a military tribunal" he ordered. ‘Yet’ his thoughts continued.

Von Zung shifted into an at-ease position, still staring directly ahead.

"All right Zung" Devinn announced. "I've read this report twice, studied your sensor tapes and viewed Science Officer Zuluan's pictures. Impressive. Who did the model work?"

"Sir?" Zung asked, suddenly bewildered "I don't understand." He had expected a grilling on the contact. A hostile race who's ships, although slower and of lower technology were more heavily armed than their own. And the Sector Controller asked about models?

“Come on Zung. I was an science fiction fan myself in my younger days" the older man answered. "I think I can safely say I've chaired my share of convention committees, missed my share of sleep watching B grade movie marathons and written a fair share of bad fiction." He held up the photograph to von Zung sight. "You might not recognize her, but she's almost a perfect copy of the aliens from a series titled The VhyrJyurn Masters. That tri-dee series was hugely popular when I was... oh.. fifteen to thirty. About sixty years or so ago." He touched a switch bringing a monitor to life. Playing was an old tri-vee show, the characters similarities to the woman in Zung's report were painfully obvious. "Now understand this Captain. I like a joke as well as the next man and I loved those old stories, so who did the model work."

Von Zung swallowed. He couldn't believe it. He had never heard of this show, never having been interested in Science Fiction. Yet the alien battle maidens shown were simply too close to their aliens, it couldn't be a coincidence. He watched as ancient computer modified images fought to save helpless VhyrJyurn colonists from a raging wolf invasion. Finally he shook his head in defeat. It was impossible, yet there it was right before his eyes. "Sir, I have one other piece of evidence to support my report" he announced, his voice shaking with shock. "If I may bring it in?"

Devinn smiled, "Certainly, by all means" he replied. "That is, if your certain its safe. " 'To your career' he finished silently.

Zung turned, waving through the huge open doors. Movement followed as several Imperial High Marines escorted a single captive into the office.

Devinn had specified his doors be half again the height of the tallest member of his race. Meant as a psychological move to impress visitors with his importance, the woman in chains who stepped through made them seem almost small in size.

"Sector Controller Devinn Motrurta" Captain Von Zung announced. "It is now my extreme pleasure to introduce Imperial Marine Sergeant Ree Starstone. Of the Naorhy Heavy Cruiser BLOODEYE."

Dvinn stared at the huge woman, his burning cigar falling unnoticed to the desk. She stood stiffly at attention, her torn, stained uniform the only indication that she was a prisoner. That, and the heavy chains that restricted her movements. Unmoving, silent, still she drove fear into the mouse's heart. Fear and something more. Slowly he turned his head to the still running Tri-Vee. Almost a mirror image, the shows creators had predicted the woman's race seventy five years before either had met. He swallowed, taking a deep breath. "Captain" he husked. "Please tell me this is a joke" he asked in a shaken voice.

Zung shook his head. "I only wish" he answered. "We lost seventeen High Marines dead or injured simply capturing this one. By her own actions. We had managed to cut her off, thought a single alien would be easy to capture. Sir, as you now know we were much mistaken. Their technology is, on average ninety years behind us..." He too swallowed. "But their combat abilities, courage, tactics and strength make us look like children."

Dvinn just nodded. 'Disaster' he thought 'Death and disaster. The first space faring race anywhere near our technology level, and they were like this?' Sweat beaded on his palms and forehead. "I'll call for the Sector Fleet. Admiral Tashan shouldn't take more than two months to arrive" he almost whispered. "In the meantime, get her out of here" he ordered. He motioned Captain Von Zung to stay as the group left. "Were you followed" he asked.

"More than likely" Zung answered. "They may be behind us in technology, but their spy ships are no slackers." He stepped past the sitting man to stare at the monitor, watching the events unfolding in it's play field. "I just hope they got the attitude right" he half whispered.

"So do I" Dvinn agreed. "If they didn't, and that race has any real support depth we could be looking at a hell of a long and bloody war. Maybe even the end of our civilization."

Above the good Doctor in high orbit Captain Emea Copperhead studied her screens, noting the spy scans from the world below. "Good thing its only a colony planet" she told her Science Officer. "Anything better than that defense station and we'd be spotted."

"Fleets two months behind us" Lt. Malassa answered. "Unless assistance arrives before then we can take this world, get that Sergeant back... If she's still alive that is. Revenge her if she isn't. With as big a technology grab a city that size would hold... Even if they beat us back we'll advance sixty, maybe seventy years."

"Oh, they'll beat us back easy enough" Copperhead replied. "We're out of our league here. The only advantages we've got are firepower and our fighters. They haven't launched anything near like a Keluaf yet." She stopped suddenly, thinking. "How close is the spy drone now" she asked.

Malassa checked her readouts. "It will pass over the city in... twelve minutes" she answered.

Copperhead nodded as her thought gelled to a plan. "Get that hand of Shock troops up here in full battle armor, ten minutes ago" she ordered. "I'm going to try something."

Sector Controller Dvinn stared at his desk display. As dangerous as the lynx woman obviously was the mouse couldn't get her out of his mind. 'Too much JanVarg as a child' he kept telling himself. Still, he kept daydreaming of coming home and finding her waiting.... Waiting just for him... His daydreams were suddenly and brutally shattered by his secretary.

"Mister Dvinn?" she called. "Planetary Defense demands you turn to channel ninety" she reported.

"Demands?" he asked. "Fine, why not" he muttered. "Demands..." After this afternoon what else could go wrong today. Grabbing his remote he selected the channel, to find himself staring into a scene from an ancient movie. Several women filled the screen, most in heavy battle armor. One, wearing a brightly colored uniform sat, simply staring at the viewer. This went on another three minutes when the uniformed woman suddenly nodded. When she spoke it was in a language he had never heard, but the translated scroll at the bottom of the screen told him all he needed to know.

"Greetings from the Naorhy Republic Imperial" he read. "Such a nice planet you have there. Will you be wanting to surrender now? Or after we vaporize that cute little city of yours."

Dvinn picked up a handset, punching well remembered numbers with a shaky hand. "Defense?" he asked. "This is Dvinn... Yes. I saw it. Can you.... No? Not even a chance?" He sighed, his eyes still locked on the monitor. "Very well, stand down. Yes... Stand Down is an order. There's no need to lose any more lives than we have too. Announce our surrender and request terms. All we have to do is survive the next two months. Yes yes yes... The sector fleet will arrive by then, the call's already gone out this morning. Fine. You make your report. To the new planetary government." He slammed the receiver down. Life had just become very... very complicated.