Humans Wanted by Vivian Caethe (ed.)

Author:Vivian Caethe (ed.) [Caethe, Vivian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction, anthology
ISBN: 0692900039
Goodreads: 35769475
Publisher: Cuppatea Publications
Published: 2017-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

Grrzh Dreadnought Protectorate Maul, Outside Former Grrzh Rebel Base

“Dang, I can’t believe that worked as well as it did!” Nines said, as she swung her maintenance tug into one of the Protectorate Maul’s cavernous docking bays, an incapacitated rebel lifeboat gripped in her ship’s manipulator arms. The diminutive craft puttered to the refueling station the warship’s crew had converted for her, where it lowered the captive lifeboat to the hangar deck before dropping it the remaining two meters into the center of a waiting squad of Grrzh marines. Just beyond the translucent docking bay shield, the gargantuan metal shards of the Dyson Field slowly spun in the disturbance caused by the detonating rebel base of operations.

“Satisfied. It did seem to go well. Thank you for helping our crews with salvage and rescue,” Burg said through the tug’s comms.

“Eh, it’s the least I can do,” Nines said as she keyed in the tug’s docking sequence. Around her little ship, squadrons of one-man Grrzh craft landed and departed as automated refit drones swapped their combat kits for more appropriate cleanup apparatuses. One drone regarded Nines’s ship momentarily before it puttered away, unable to decipher the ship’s foreign construction.

Nines stepped out of the roaring hangar and into the shimmering olive green access hallway, where Burg waited. The hunched Grrzh diplomat tapped the fingers of her secondary arm-cluster together, while the primary cluster swept outward in a traditional Grrzh greeting, rotating her delicate wrists and fanning her fingers. Nines would have attempted returning the gesture, but Burg had informed her that her first few trials were almost offensively bad. Nines simply settled for a friendly wave before leaning one shoulder against the wall.

“What’s up? Why’d you call me in?” she asked. Her small glass handheld vibrated on her belt as the wing-like fixtures in Burg’s face began to oscillate, beating together to create the deep hum of Grrzh speech.

“Unsure,” the handheld interpreted, translating Burgh’s buzzing into an amiable but monotone female voice. “The bridge officers requested an opportunity to speak with you.”

“Uh-oh. Am I going alone?”

“Reassuring. No I shall accompany you. They might mean well but they are intimidating and I do not think that their capacity to understand your speech has improved since the last time you spoke to them. Helpful. If it is required I can translate for your benefit,” Burg said, the arch of her chitinous bulk lowering slightly. Nines suspected that Burg’s posture was a Grrzh sign of trust or comfort, but she wasn’t entirely sure—body language was more Maz’s cup of tea.

“Aw, thanks, Burg. That bridge gives me the creeps,” Nines said.

“Warm. It is my pleasure.” The two walked to a door for one of the ship trams, where Burg keyed in a transport request. As they waited, Burg’s second forearm cluster entwined its fingers together, one hand picking at the gaps in the chitin that separated her knuckles.

“Inquisitive,” the Grrzh hummed, “Where will you go now that the war is over.”

Nines blinked in surprise. “You know, I hadn’t thought that far ahead.

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