Chapter 85. Kidnapping the Earth’s Special Envoy
On the way back to the ship, the four walked together in silence, as if each was trying to understand what they heard to form their own opinion. Before Noah could speak, Dr. Celia spoke up.
"Is it just me, or does it feel a little weird to be talking to someone who has such a strong distrust of the Earth?" Celia murmured.
Noah frowned thoughtfully. "Yeah, it's a little weird. But that's not the first thing I noticed."
"What's that?" Celia asked.
"The senators seemed a little nervous, and..." He paused, as if searching for the right words. "They seemed to be overly attentive to us."
"That's not surprising if you consider their situation on Earth. You should understand this best, considering that you have been in a prison on Earth." Celia reminded him.
Noah tilted his head. "I don't know. I mean, there's something else," he said hesitantly. "What do you think, Mr. Jeffrey? What do you think? Especially about the Vulcans. They're not what I expected."
"Given that they come from a time when Vulcan was the only planet that was destroyed, it's understandable to expect them to have emotions. However, I must admit that such behavior confuses me a little on Vulcans as well."
"At least it takes a little getting used to," Noah agreed cautiously. He didn't know how Jeffrey felt on the topic, and wasn't sure if it was worth talking about. After all, emotions are a taboo subject among Vulcans. Maybe Jeffrey would be embarrassed by this? Embarrassment, on the other hand, is an emotion.
It was hard for Noah to imagine what it would be like if he met a human from more than two thousand years ago. Behaviorally, the differences may not be as dramatic as Vulcans, but they're still not small. If there were a primitive, perhaps superstitious human being who showed embarrassment in the presence of modern aliens, would that make him feel ashamed? After all, such a human being would show how small and narrow-minded humanity once was.
From Jeffrey's perspective, these Vulcans may also appear primitive and undisciplined, despite their mastery of space technology. But if they don't even try to control their emotions, wouldn't that be barbaric from a modern Vulcan perspective?
So Noah changed the subject. "What do you think of the whole situation?"
They had reached the elevator and had to wait a moment. Jeffrey looked directly at his captain. "The situation appears to be more complicated than we previously thought. It seems they are hiding something from us, although I have no proof. The invitation to us to attend the Earth Envoy's reception tomorrow is another clear indication of this. Clearly, the Senators wish to show Earth that we Already siding with the colonies.”
Noah was shocked at first, but then nodded. "Yeah, that sounds reasonable."
"We are involved in something beyond our control," Jeffrey warned.
"What else can we control here? On the other hand, this is an opportunity to find allies," Noah said. "If we want to find out what happened and get things back to normal, we need allies."
"Indeed," Jeffrey nodded slightly. "It's just a question of what price we're willing to pay for it and whether we're willing to accept what happened."
Everyone else fell silent. Clearly, they were in a situation where moral and necessary actions no longer aligned. They must ally themselves with the people of the colonies, knowing that if they succeed, these people will no longer exist. Or in other words, they have to exploit these people. This is clearly not what Starfleet teaches.
But is this justified in order to save the entire universe?
"We have to correct the timeline," Noah decided. "The timeline was altered to create a universe that should not have existed. This is our responsibility."
They all agreed.
"As for the colonies, we will do everything we can to keep as low a profile as possible. But we also can't panic them. We are as dependent on each other as they are, and they need us and we need them."
At this time, Ingemar was lying on the bed with a satisfied smile on his face. He was so happy that he almost wanted to embrace the entire universe. He was lying next to Shu Ran, and she had turned her back to him. His hands gently caressed Shu Ran's buttocks. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his caress.
They had just experienced an exchange of love, and it got better every time. They fit together perfectly, in every way.
Shu Ran sighed contentedly. His fingertips brushed her hips, then slowly moved to her waist, then to her breasts, gently circling her aroused nipples, and then started again.
"This is so beautiful," Shu Ran said softly. Ingmar responded by kissing her shoulder and then continued his caress.
Finally, Shu Ran turned around and looked at Ingema. "why me?"
Ingmar looked at her doubtfully. He didn't know what she meant.
"Why did you choose me? Why not someone younger and more attractive? Why me, a fat old woman?"
"Hey, I don't want to hear that again." He looked at her seriously. Then, his eyes became gentle again. "Why should I find a young girl? There's no way to have a good conversation with them. They're just talking about superficial things that don't matter. When they don't speak, they just talk about boring things. And you , absolutely unmatched. You are smart, beautiful, and absolutely a very charming crazy woman.”
"You're exaggerating," she smiled shyly. "Besides, I'm fat."
Ingmar caressed her belly. "I don't think so. That way I can enjoy you more, give your belly kisses and rubs. Plus, that way I can still hold you."
She looked at him with delight and then gave him a passionate and passionate kiss. Ingmar felt his life force awaken again. The night was far from over.
Rasekhai huddled behind a tree that grew along the connecting road to the airport. The sun shines down from the clear sky, indicating that today is going to be a hot day.
In order to implement his plan to kidnap the Earth's envoy, he found three other accomplices. They all agreed with him that only through pressure could the senators be persuaded to accept Earth's decrees and thus maintain peace.
They were improvised and this was sufficient for a surprise attack. Especially in Earth Command, surely no one would have expected such a thing.
Minutes earlier, they had learned that the envoy had landed and was now heading to the Senate. Fortunately, one of them is an expert in illegal communication techniques. In this way, they were able to tap into communications between the airport and the police without anyone noticing. In this way, they also learned that the envoy was only accompanied by three bodyguards. Although they were not numerically superior, they were only separated by one person. Naturally, the envoy will not participate in the battle. And they also have the advantage of a surprise attack, so there should be no problem. Although the bodyguards are trained in various combat techniques, none of this is enough to affect their plans.
They had made some preparations on the way. Small explosive devices were scattered across the road. These devices will explode as soon as a vehicle passes by. The explosion is powerful enough to disable the vehicle and potentially incapacitate its occupants. At the very least, they will cause confusion. The rest of the planning will be easy.
According to their calculations, the envoy's convoy would arrive in about fifteen minutes near their location. Tensions rise. Rasaka held the pistol tighter. The metal grip felt cold and unfamiliar in his hands. It had been several years since he last held a weapon. This was while he was serving in Earth's military. He fought in the war against the Terrarats. Fortunately, he was not sent to the front lines. Therefore, he only experienced one small confrontation, fighting a small group of insurgents. He was grateful that he had not experienced the horrors of war firsthand. Some soldiers are still haunted by that experience. He survived that.
The quiet sound of an engine alerted him. In the distance, glass and metal surfaces sparkled in the sunlight.
"They're coming," he whispered, though no one seemed around to hear him.
The team sprang into action. Each man took his assigned position, took up arms and prepared for action.
The vehicles slowly approached, closer and closer, their speed becoming more and more apparent. There were two black vans, fully in line with the characteristics of government vehicles. Although Earth governments also have space shuttles that can move between planets faster and more comfortably, these diplomats dislike the relatively small craft. Therefore, they have to transfer to wheel-based vehicles at their destination.
The sound of the engine startled a small rabbit-like creature, which tried to escape from the vehicle. Shockingly, the animal darted straight across the road towards a pre-set minefield. Before Rasaka could react, several bombs exploded, tearing the poor animal apart before it could even make a sound.
Rasaka cursed softly. The drivers of both vehicles certainly noticed the small explosion. They braked to a stop, just a few steps away from Rasekhai and his men and well away from the prepared stretch of road.
Then everything stopped. The driver and co-driver of the first car looked around suspiciously. They seemed to guess it was an ambush. After all, animals like rabbits don't usually pop up in places like this. In order not to put their wards in danger, they remained calm and surveyed the situation. After all, they don't know if the road back is safe.
Lasekai's thoughts were racing. If he still wanted to succeed, he had to come up with a new plan quickly. You can't risk letting this one-time opportunity go to waste.
The sound of footsteps alerted him. He peered out of the bushes and saw a man in the second car had gotten out and was walking toward the car in front. He paid attention to his surroundings.
This was their chance, Rasaka realized. They were able to surround all three bodyguards in front of them. Having been exposed, there will never be a better chance.
He informed his men of his plan through brief gestures. Then they all leapt to their feet and rushed toward the vehicle. Without hesitation, they aimed their nearly obsolete weapons at three targets, firing wildly.
The three men were completely frightened by the sudden attack by the terrorists. Although they expected an ambush, they did not expect such a bold frontal attack. They hastily drew their weapons and fought back. But before they could even fire a shot, the man standing next to the car was shot and fell to the ground, instantly killed. The driver also fell on the steering wheel and remained motionless. Only the co-pilot managed to evade the flying bullets.
The attackers continued firing blindly until their weapons were out of bullets. The front of the vehicle was riddled with bullet holes like a sieve. The windshield was held up only by a few shards of glass. Rasaka felt like he was in an old Western, with good-guy cowboys openly confronting bribed sheriffs and corrupt landowners, knocking down anyone who stood in the way of justice.
The most critical moment is when they quickly change magazines. The brief moment gave the remaining opponents a chance to counterattack.
And this man seemed to have seized the opportunity. He jumped out of the open car door, rolled, and opened fire on his attacker with a small energy weapon. The man standing next to Rasekai screamed and grabbed his thigh with one hand. The energy weapon burned a hole about the size of a fist there and even penetrated the bone. This made him unable to stand and he fell to the ground moaning.
Rasekhai had just reloaded and looked up to see a giant blond man appear around the vehicle. The fourth person? Didn’t you say there were only three bodyguards? Then he suddenly realized his mistake. He didn't take the driver into consideration. Therefore, they face more enemies than expected.
This giant carries a huge laser gun. Before Rasaka could react, he opened fire. The other attacker was hit and thrown several meters away, where he fell soundlessly and never moved again.
Rasekhai realized that their situation was deteriorating rapidly. But they can't give up. If they do, they will be trapped in a dark cell forever. No one will ever see them again. So he raised his weapon and took aim at the giant. Then he walked right up to him and opened fire, sending the entire magazine full of bullets into him. Several bullets knocked the man down. His remaining comrades dealt with the guy jumping out of the car.
They reached the car within a few steps and used it as cover. After all, they weren't sure how many enemies were still in the second vehicle. It stands to reason that there should be only one, but how reliable is this information? Lasekai was panting and looking around with his heart racing. There was no movement. Nothing moved. Did they take down all the enemies, or was someone trying to give them the illusion?
The sun was still shining brightly. The air above the plains along the road began to shimmer slightly. There was no sound in the air except the groans of their injured companions.
Rasaka looked at his remaining partners. They can't wait here forever. They have to make a decision. After receiving a brief nod of affirmation, they tiptoed around the left and right sides of the vehicle, ready to fire at any moment. Rasaka had to step over the giant's body as it lay on the ground. Black blood poured from his wounds, and his dead eyes were full of accusation. For a moment, he felt as if the dead man was reaching out to grab him. Rasaka had to look away. He must concentrate on completing the task. If he wants to fight for a stable life for his family, he must not fail.
He leaned against the vehicle and moved forward slowly. A quick glance told him that there was only one person left in the second car, sitting in the driver's seat. The second person was sitting in the back of the vehicle, almost sinking into the seat. Apparently, that person was an envoy.
For drivers, they are easy to fix. When the pilot saw their weapons pointed at him and realized that only he and the envoy were alive, he lost all courage and surrendered.
Rasaka felt a sense of victory. They achieved initial success. Although the price is high, these sacrifices will not be in vain.
Countless curious onlookers gathered in front of the Senate building. They all want to see Earth's envoy. Nowadays, the reason for his visit to the colony has spread. Everyone wanted to meet the man who might decide the further fate of the colony.
The street in front of the building and the entrance area are cordoned off to ensure that no one can get within a hundred meters of the envoy. Police were out in full force, trying to keep the crowd behind the fence.
A red carpet covers the stairs of the Senate Building. They want to show respect to their guests to relieve tension before the meeting begins. They believe the envoy has been so touted that he may have been less objective by the time the talks began.
At the door of the Senate, some senators were already waiting. The rest were inside the Senate, visibly nervous about the talks. Captain Noah and his team arrived a few minutes ago. They appeared directly in front of the building via teleporter, causing a wave of awe among onlookers. Such casual use of teleporters is unthinkable to anyone.
Almost everyone knows the news about the Republic at this moment. But since no one in the colony knows the exact background of the strange ship, it's less interesting to the residents than current political events. So Noah and his team met with the senators without fanfare. The captain was accompanied by Carol and Gladys. Jeffrey remained on the ship. Since the relationship between the colony and Earth was involved, and since the Earthlings didn't know the Vulcans, they thought it best not to involve Jeffrey. This complex negotiation need not be made more difficult by the presence of an unfamiliar and effectively extinct race. And honestly, Noah doesn't even know why he's here.
"Nice to have you here," Olet greeted them. He has yet to explain in detail the significance of the day and the arrival of the Republic's crew as an important signal. But before he could explain, he was interrupted by a young man who nervously pulled his arm and slipped him a note.
