Official Report: Queen’s Human Council
Position: Queen’s Historian
Standard Date: 22.60.612
Subject: Empire/Human Alliance
It has been a galactic week and from the events of the Queen has named the Overseer as the murder of the Pope. I went to the first meeting of human scientists and engineers. Each side was to bring one of each ship and one of each weapon. While both sides openly admitted that not all could be brought to this meeting. I was assigned to the small craft meeting. I am here as the official recorder for the Queen.
Our Meeting was done in a large hanger that was put in a spot in space that had no celestial bodies near it. This hangar was supplied by the humans and would have a contingent of the Queen's navy aboard to learn to do operations with humans. Humans seem to use every opportunity to learn or teach.
ST 0800
A small human, Not small by the standards we have learned of humans but smaller to the human military around me. He introduced himself as Jason Guilmain to all in attendance.
Guilmain: Greetings all of you. I am your program manager for this momentous occasion. While we still do not know what the Overseer is nor what he has available we know that with each other we can benefit each other and create something new that will be the start of the new age. Each of you was selected by your leaders to be here. I will not tolerate any misplaced hatred from any one no matter of species. The reason there are two of you for each ship is that one will stay with their ship the other will rotate to other ships. If you see anything that you would think would be better on your ship from another you will make notes of it and will be discussed tonight after dinner. So… Go.
Such a flurry of Xenos started walking around. The humans seemed to want to touch everything. Asking many questions, There were those in white lab coats that also seemed to be walking around and helping some of the species that were not prone to communicating with others. Human Guilman seemed to be directing humans to look at our ships and also was guiding a pair of Ferons over to what is called a Bomber.
ST 0945
Human Guilmain walked over to me as I tried to document everything going on. As he stared at me his body seemed to be bent.
Guilmain: Are you able to write all this down?
Vishnu III: No Human Guilmain, there is so much that I will be making a report that will not be fit for the Queen.
Guilmain: Ah, we can not have that. Every team will be writing a report. I will give you copies of the reports and just attach them to yours. Also just call me Jason. I do have a question.
Vishnu III: I will answer my best but I am not a military nor scientist so I do not have any technical data for you.
Guilmain: It is not a technical per se but more a cultural one. When going over the manifest I did not see a counterpart for me to arrive. This strikes me as odd and also makes it harder to plan without the other side to help in the planning. Are managers very rare?
Vishnu III: Indeed, they are very rare and most of them once becoming a Manager are direct supervision of the workers or the more talented ones will be taken by the Overseer.
Guilmain: I thought your people did not know what the Overseer was?
Vishnu III: Well, we don't. The managers that are selected are given orders and the Overseer has his ships that are not controlled by sentients and are taken somewhere to the core of the galaxy.
Guilmain: What, Really?
Vishnu III: I only speak the truth.
At this moment he went back up to the raised area between all the ships and spoke into the microphone. Please listen here as you are all studying each other's ships, a new requirement is to be added. The ship must operate with no computer assistance if needed. There must be a redundant system so all computer interfaces can be separated from all systems. I do not care if it is a coffee machine, a light bulb or a map. All systems must be able to be isolated via remote or by the crew. Adjutant send a message to the other meetings now. Tell them I will follow up in my report.
Guilmain: I am sorry that I didn't mean to interrupt. We are so ignorant and are trying to learn right away.
Vishnu III: I do not understand all of our ships are always connected to each other and constantly send messages to each other. They were designed and made at least thousand years ago.
Guilmain: Wait, are these ships connected now?
Vishnu III: Yes, I believe. I am not really sure. Maybe. We will have to ask one of the techs.
We walked over to a Feron standing in front of his low orbit security ship.
Guilmain: Is this ship and the other connected to all the other ships?
Feron: Of course, it is how we coordinate with each other within the half time of each other.
Human Guilmain used his loudest voice” All ships must have transmissions jammed or disabled now! I do not care now! Captain, Get this tub of a ship out of here now keep it moving. Orange team put out notice of possible security breach with all technology. Tell every group… Make sure you explain that it is not a hostile act of our friend with us. Now do it!!!”
Several of the Empire did not know how to react but humans started running. Much faster than any of us have ever seen. Parts were being ripped out, I saw one human with a wood stick with a sharpened metal swing into a communication array on a cargo ship. All the time screaming sorry. I was not sure if he was saying sorry to the ship of the crew that seemed to be horrified.
Guilmain: Please come with me.
Vishnu III: I am a simple historian, what can I do?
Guilmain: I do not know but your insight may have saved us from losing this war.
As we ran, or shall he ran and I struggled to keep up we went to a bridge. As Guilmain ran he shouted “Make a hole”. Humans just moved as fast as they could out of the way. Some pressed their bodies to the walls to make more space. As we made it to the bridge area a Woman was yelling orders.
Woman: How many are inbound
A human at a terminal yelled 15 confirmed and likely more on the way.
Woman: Engineering what is our status?
From a speaker: We can go now but the crews are not all in their proper place.
Woman: Do it now!! Medical preparations for casualties have full med teams prepared to sweep the ship. Security prepare to be boarded.
From voices all over and through speakers was an Aye, Aye
As the Queen, as my witness, this hanger that we had thought was built here was actually a ship designed to house other ships.
As I saw a series of ships from the Overseer fleet apeer we moved into FTL. IT was jolting and I heard several humans hit walls and the floors.
The Woman: Turned, Jason what is the meaning of this?
Guilmain: Their ships are bugged. Maybe all their technology. I am not sure but once they disable the ships I will let you know. Keep jamming our own hangers. I am sorry Captain.
Captain: I will have medics busy. I will send some of my guys to do full sweeps. I am sending out burst information packets to all in the fleet and HQ. So who is to blame? Who of the Empire is spying?
This female Captain gave a stair that would make the fiercest warrior cower and empty their waste disposal system. Then Jason Guilmain stepped in front of the Captain to almost shield me for whatever death was about to happen upon me. “No, I think they are not even aware of it. It is in their network. I will have a team start but this will require big brains.” As we stood on the bridge reports kept coming in till the Captain seemed to calm down enough to sit in a chair. Jason and I went back to the hangar.
ST 1230
Guilmain: Well we learned something new. The Captain has received reports from multiple sites. The strikes seemed to attack one of the meetings. It seems that a battle is ensuing. You saved many lives and a cause before it happened. The teams are working together to figure out how.
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Guilmain Seemed to almost fall over grabbing his back but made it to a chair but in pain.
Vishnu III: Have you been injured? How did they attack you?
Guilmain: Well yes injured but not from this place or this time. I used to be a pilot… As they say any landing you can walk away from is a good one but I did not exactly walk away… neither did 14 others… But I survived. Please sit, let's talk some more.
Vishnu III: So you are military? I thought you were a scientist.
Guilmain: I was military. I was a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the 182nd alpine division but that was a life ago. While I love what science does, I am not a scientist. I am good at managing groups of people and troubleshooting issues. So tell me about you. What does historian mean for you?
Vishnu III: I used to record events for the Queen and the Overseer but many reports never reached the Queen or were altered. So historians are different now but we are not sure how.
Guilmain: Ah… I can understand that one day I was flying troops in and the next I was laying in a med bay never to fly a ship again. So why not choose another job?
Vishnu III: Our jobs are predestined for us this is what we do.
Guilmain: But you are fighting that predestined crap now. You seem smart and willing to work with others so why not change?
Vishnu III: I am not sure what you mean.
Guilmain: Ok, you were an historian. The role of historian is gone from what you know. I can see that you can do more but also sometimes we take jobs not because we want to but because we need to.
Vishnu III: Are you saying that you can change your fate?
Guilmain: I would not say that but I am saying that. Huh, This is hard for me to explain. You see that young man over there trying to fix that cargo ship.
Vishnu III: Yes he used some crude weapon on it.
Guilmain: Ha ha ha, I guess it can be a crude weapon but it is actually to help fight fires. That is not the point. He will stay awake as long as it is practical to help fix that ship. He may or not be able to fix it. He will do that because that is what is needed. In a few years he will likely have a choice to stay in the military or leave it to do something else. So his fate for now is that ship. His fate for a few years is this war and this military but what he learns or does on his own time is up to him to a degree. After he serves his time he can walk away and never look at a ship again if he chooses to. So yes it is controlling your fate but it is also sharing your fate.
Vishnu: I have never thought about this. I have been a historian for so long I have never thought about anything else.
Guilmain: That is fine, I have to get back to work myself but I want to leave you a question. Will you be my cultural liaison? You know more than you know and when shit hits the fan you do what was asked of you. I do not know enough and being a manager and leader is about having the right people in the right place and I think the right place for me is to have you next to me. Now please excuse me.
ST 1330
I went to the medical bay where I saw several humans working on several people including those from the Empire. As I observed they took care of all equally. The cases were arranged by their critical needs not by any caste system. As I was observing the Captain came into the room.
Captain: You, You, You are the one that tipped us off!?
Vishnu III: I am sorry Captain, I do not understand.
Captain: Come with me now.
We walked through the ship to an area with chairs and a table. There was two guards who were very well armed in the corners.
Captain: Please sit.
While the phrasing was in the shape of a question it did not sound like one through the tone. I sat in a chair across from this woman. She took several moments staring at me.
Captain: I am Captain Kalpana Chawla of the United Space Force and you are the one that told us about the network that your technology has. So tell me, do you like tea?
Vishnu III: I do not know what it is.
Captain: It is a drink made from leaves and water. Depending on what is added and how it is made it can have relaxing or stimulant properties.
Vishnu III: We have something similar back on my nesting planet. Yes I do enjoy it.
The Captain gave a nod to one of the guards who left the room.
Vishnu III: I am sorry that some of your people are hurt. I am really here to just observe and have very little technical expertise.
Kalpana: Thank you but not needed. You today for being so open with us saved many people's lives. I want to answer any of your questions. I was determined to stay hands off and leave it to Jason but the most important part is quickly becoming you.
Vishnu III: You honor me with praise but I am still confused why such a high value on me or on the people of the Empire?
Kalpana: Short answer. You are our allies. Real Answer is that people are the strongest part of any organization.
Vishnu III: Is that why you were watching those being treated?
Kalpana: Yes, The ship was no longer in danger so I could afford the time.
Vishnu III: But your own ship is damaged? Should that not be your first priority?
Kalpana: Yes it is damaged but nothing that is critical and I have to walk the line with two orders at all times.
Vishnu III: Can I ask these two orders?
Kalpana: Of course, it is not a secret and is taught to every level. First is mission accomplishment and the second is troop welfare.
Vishnu III: Those seem to not work together for a military person.
Kalpana: Oh I like this talk.
At that moment the guard had returned with a container with two cups. There were a few smaller containers also on the platter. The Captain poured a light brown substance into each cup. It was warm to the touch. Then Kalpana put two white cubes into her drink and stirred it with a small metal shovel. I drank some of mine without adding any of the unknown substances. I have discovered I love tea.
Kalpana: I have a mission my leaders tell me that needs to happen. Example to host this meeting of our two governments. To keep it safe.
Vishnu III: Okay that I understand that seems normal.
Kalpana: If I needed to stay and fight I could lose some of my sailors' lives. It is part of the job.
Vishnu III: It is a normal conclusion
Kalpana: With the information I was given I did not know enough to fight well. Your ships could have exploded by remote control or maybe I could not fight them off if there were too many of them or many other scenarios.
Vishnu III: I would freeze trying to think of so many things.
Kalpana: Well I did not get to this position overnight nor have I always been right. The second part of troop welfare. I needed to quickly assess and really on those under me to feed me information. I needed to keep the meeting safe. Fighting was an option but how safe would our guests be along with how safe would they be? When the suggestion came from Jason who had greater knowledge at the moment had told me we need to run I simply looked at it as fulfilling the second role.
Vishnu III: This still does not explain why you were in the medical area instead of working on the ship.
Kalpana: One of my engineers was hurt. If the engineer is hurt, who would fix the ship?
Vishnu III: Another engineer?
Kalpana: Yes but if that engineer died the others would work furiously at first but then become melancholy.
Vishnu III: So the engineer's clutch would not work as well.
Kalpana: That is one way to look at it but also at HQ I would have to explain why they died and to the families of those who died. Do you think the families of those who died care about efficiency or do they care about the family more.
Vishnu III: What I observed of humans in the Queen’s court humans are very much a pack bond society.
Kalpana: Yes, we bond very strongly. So strongly every person on this ship is also part of my packbond and every person at home is part of my pack in one way or another. While this ship and crew can kill many we still have to kill people that are in some way part of a pack with us.
Vishnu III: This is very different for us as we do not choose our bonds and rarely bond with others outside of our caste and species.
Kalpana: So what method do you think is better?
Vishnu III: I like your human method, you never seem to be alone.
Kalpana: Oh that is a whole other discussion every human is alone and that is why we must bond but that must be for another day. So one question for you. I know Jason has asked you to do something. He is a smart bastard but also a good leader. What did he ask you?
Vishnu III: Uh… Am I aloud to answer that if he talked to me and did not tell you?
Kalpana: I do not know. So why not tell me? What do you have to lose?
Vishnu III: He asked me to be a Cultural Liaison?
Kalpana: Hmm… So why not?
Vishnu III: I do not know what it is nor how to do it.
Kalpana: If a human asks you to do something just think about those two rules and apply them to yourself… Or just ask why not. I must ask you to leave though and I hope to talk soon but I have to a few meetings with my staff.
Vishnu III: Thank you and I really do like tea.
As I headed down to the Hanger bay I saw that young human tech talking to the Feron tech in the passage way. He was very animated and excited. I caught the words ``You guys have to come to my mom's restaurant once you get to Earth. You have to try the waffles…” So it was just not me they were asking me but every person was trying to pack bond. Humans are so eager to make friends, so eager to ask questions, but also such thinkers.
ST 2230
Guilmain went over to me and handed me a data file then smiled.
Guilmain: So have you made your choice?
Vishnu III: I have. I have one slight issue. Who will do my job if I am helping you?
Guilmain: What is the time frame of your job here?
Vishnu III: Well, I did not have a time set. I was ordered by the Queen to report what I see and observe till I can not observe any more. I thought after the meeting there would be nothing more to report.
Guilmain: HA! So you can do your job if you just stayed at my side?
Vishnu III: I suppose so but anything I observe will go to the Queen and her aides.
Guilmain: I have no problem with that also could be advantages having someone with a connection to the higher ups. So what do you say? We can learn and observe together.
Vishnu III: Do you humans always use word traps?
Guilmain: Never, I am shocked.
I think Jason was making a joke. I am sure 65%
Vishnu III: Well as you humans say why not.
Guilmain: Excellent, everyone is getting rest, you and I should too. The meeting that was planned has been put to the side till we meet up with the fleet. Tomorrow I will find you and we will help these eggheads get to some real work.
My Queen. I will stay at the side of this human Jason Guilmain and observe how these humans function.
Your loyal historian
Vishnu III