Flight of the Maita Book 27: Fun and Games

By CD Moulton

A being is picked up by Fleet and brought to Drove. He was carrying the exact coordinates for that world. He was from a culture that did know the empire existed. There was a war between two words with different peoples on them. The crew decide to try to stop that stupidity. Kurk & Thing can't be used here, so they have a little "Meanwhile" adventure. He captures a pirate gang.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CD Moulton
• Release date: Dec 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310305252

CD Moulton

Born in Florida, travelled the world as a rock guitarist with some big names in the late sixties, early seventies. Been everything from a high steel worker to longshoreman, from musician to bar owner, and much more. Educated in botany and genetics. Now living in paradise (Panamá!)

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Flight of the Maita

Book 27

Fun and Games

© 1988, 2012 & 2016 by C. D. Moulton

all rights reserved: no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, either electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder/publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

A being is picked up by Fleet who had the exact code for Drove in digitals on his tags so Maita and crew go to Drove to see what it’s about. It turns out the code was his dog-tags and he was a soldier in a war between unlike cultures on two planets in the same solar system.

Naturally, the crew decided to intervene.

Critic comment

Actually, a very good read. I felt I would grow tired of Moulton after a few books because a writer runs out of ideas. Moulton, apparently, doesn’t

I find myself growing fond of Thing and its insistence on changing things. I was told about the golems and must say they are a lot of fun

– IA Rtng: ***½

Contents

Prologue

Starting It

The Pirate Thing

The Gretschiim Thing

On Ankt

Solutions

Completion

Epilogue

About the author

CD was born in Lakeland, Florida, in 1938. He is educated in genetics and botany. He has traveled over much of the world, particularly when he was in music as a rock rhythm guitarist with some well-known bands in the late sixties and early seventies. He has worked as a high steel worker and as a longshoreman, clerk, orchidist, bar owner, salvage yard manager and landscaper – among other things.

CD began writing fiction in 1984 and has more than 300 books published as of 3/15/16 in SciFi, murder, orchid culture and various other fields.

He now resides in Puerto Armuelles David and Gualaca, Chiriqui, Panamá, where he continues research into epiphytic plants and plays music with friends. He loves the culture of the indigenous people and counts a majority of his closer friends among that group. Several have adopted him as their father. He funds those he can afford through the universities where they have all excelled. The Indios are very intelligent people, they are simply too poor (in material things and money. Culturally, they are very wealthy) to pursue higher education.

CD loves Panamá and the people, despite horrendous experiences (Free e-book; Fading Paradise). He plans to spend the rest of his life in the paradise that is Panamá

- Estrelita Suarez V. de Jaramillo – 3/15/2016

CD is involved in research of natural cancer cure at this time. It has proven effective in all cases, so far. It is based on a plant that has been in use for thousands of years, is safe, available, and cheap. He has studied botany, and was cured of a serious lymphoma with use of the plant, Artemisia annua.

Information about this cure is free on the FaceBook group, Artemisia Cancer Cure plus. CD asks only that all who try it please report on its effectiveness on that group.

Fun and Games

Prologue

Z Zutec, Terran member of the crew, laid back in the infinitely adjustable pilot's chair and looked across to the next pad where T6, Kit's (A robot detective) intelligent spaceship was parked.

Tab had just fastcommed in and Maita was in a very nervous state – something Z had gotten used to over the more than three centuries they had been together.

Tab was another robot Maita had designed and built with its intelligent ship/partner, TRD-60 (Affectionately TR) to act as a detective for the Maitan Empire and to help teach Maita, also a machine, something about the way organic beings thought.

Maita was emperor of the entire galaxy (for all practical reasons), but only the immediate crew were aware of that (And the Zulians, but that's another set of stories) (And the Parf)(And some of the Zeenans) (And some Kheth) (And a few Mord) (And the robot world) – (What a lousy way to keep a secret!).

It seemed many organic beings would rebel at the thought of a machine being their emperor even though the title was little more than that of the president of the traders guild. Maita knew from before there was any Maitan Empire to let the machines and traders run things and the empire idea would work very well, thank you. If one being – OR machine – tried to actually rule such a vast area he (she or it) was a complete fool. There was such an amazing diversity in the empire the idea of the guild or individuals seizing power was laughable.

Maita spoke to Z and, on occasion, the others through speakers in all parts of itself as well as on floaters that could go along almost anywhere with anyone. The speakers were also around Empire Center as well as on the detectives' ships. Maita could even use the detectives themselves if necessary.

Thing, a small, squarish, rubbery being with tentacles, also used the speakers as it was an empath without any ability to vocalize. It often communicated through a translator device on the floater it usually rode as well as through the aforementioned speakers. Maita used a soft bell tone (* – *) before and after its pronouncements and gave Thing a distinct mixed middle C tone ( [ – ] ) so there wouldn't be any confusion as to who was speaking at any given time.

When the group was originally formed Maita used almost no inflection so ran everything it said into one long paragraph as it did for Thing. The crew's robots and many other mechanical beings used regular forms to speak, but Maita and Thing still had the same form. Everyone was used to it so it was pointless to change at a later time. Empire fastcom holovid had the specially coded tones restricted for the sole use of those two so one knew immediately if it was Emperor Maita or Advisor Thing who was speaking. That and Maita's symbol the empire machines would refuse to carry for anyone else. When Maita added new contractions or idiomatic expressions Thing's speech mimicked it immediately and exactly – seeing Maita WAS translating thoughts into electronic speech so naturally used its own form of expression. Thing often rode on Z or Tab when it wasn't riding the floater as tentacles aren't designed to move well on smooth surfaces – and a spaceship is mostly smooth surfaces. It could surprise people with its ability to move very quickly if it became necessary. It was most comfortable under a couple of kilometers of water on most planets as it had evolved on a very heavy world. The pressure was pleasant to it that would crush many lifeforms to a shapeless jelly. It breathed through membranes designed by evolution to work well in liquid or in gaseous atmospheres.

Maita, Z, Thing and Kurk, the newest member of the crew, resided on the planet Empire Center, or EC. Z had an island of his own where he raised orchids and orchid-like plants from many worlds as well as bromeliads and camellias. Thing had its own island nearby where Z long ago planted the tropical strangler fig (Banyan) from Earth. The Banyan was much like the growths covering Thing's home planet, Menta, and afforded it plenty of things to hold to with its tentacles. It built vast gardens under the water on EC between the two islands and avidly collected things for those depths on many worlds. Thing also was one of the most intelligent beings known to date. Mentans were an old and highly developed race mentally and Thing now had several centuries' of experiences added to those natural abilities. Thing, Z and Kurk have been, for all practical purposes, made immortal by Maita's machines and could be kept in perfect health for as long as they chose. Most beings wouldn't accept the long life extension for any inducement, but these crewmembers chose it to be with Maita and to be together. As Z said, if they explored one new world every ten days in this galaxy they'd have plenty to do for a million years or so so they wouldn't be bored! Perhaps in a million years they would find a reason to reach other galaxies. Then they could study a new galaxy every ten days for a few million years.

Well, they'd found the way and had even tested it so the only reason they didn't go was because they hadn't explored a significant percentage of the worlds in this galaxy yet!

Then there were the other planals....

Kurk. Kurk is a Pluton, a being from another planality, a demon on the world Tlorg (as well as on Earth, but that's another story), brought to the N plane (This one) by the main true-magic world by a sorcerer. He was just a bit under eight feet tall, covered in medium-long black fur with vicious-looking claws, long sharp carnivoran teeth and eyes that contained a phosphorescent compound so that they actually glowed green. His home world, Hades, had large amounts of sulfur gasses in its atmosphere, which had to be added to Kurk's diet by Maita. He was truly amoral in many senses, but had a strong sense of right and wrong. He was usually gentle and compassionate, especially around small children, but was capable of immense brutality, too.

Each of the crew had its own strange sense of humor. It all started because Z had a great sense of fun and they would never know what was happening around him unless they developed such a sense. Tab was designed with a sense of humor in place and TR had a different one. They all had a great love for one another (Even Maita couldn't figure how machines developed the ability to love and hate. It must come with intelligence) and could say outrageous things to and about one another or could play silly tricks.

Rimalt had told them about his first discovery of T6's intelligence, which was quite humorous as well as ridiculously illogical and dangerous (The short story, "Science!). Rimalt, the original owner" of T6, responded with humor and T6 immediately saw the reasons for the humor and had developed a very quick wit and a sense of fun. T6's intelligence was accidental, caused by repairmen using the wrong replacement parts while TRD-60 was built with highly independent intelligence when Maita constructed it.

Kurk had a sense of humor much like Z's.

Thing waddled from the elevator to climb onto Z's lap. Kurk was laying in the navcomp chair where Maita was teaching him to use the nav machines. Hades was into a technological age so it wasn't completely new to Kurk. Kurk had a degree from his home university in biology. He had been studying life on Tlorg was why he was there when the crew found him.

Maita said, as soon as Thing was comfortable, *The fleet's under command of Rollo's son, Ander, at the moment. He's going to be good at the job so he'll probably be around for awhile in that capacity. Tab can call them in. The Feach, Gohn, is working with Ander. He's a brilliant strategist. That's the kind I've been trying to place into those positions for a couple of centuries!*

All right! Z cried. What in the hell's going on? I never know what you're talking about! Why would Tab be calling Fleet in?

I don't know either, Maita, Kurk threw in.

Maita can directly speak with Thing through mental contact so Z or Kurk had no idea what Maita was talking about while Thing knew every detail as it came in on the fastcom. Rollo and Ander were Acnians, a race of T-hypnotic beings who much resembled the Terrans in form (K-form), but had compound eyes and small feathery antennae. Z described a Feach as looking like a nine foot Tyrannosaurus rex. The Feach ran Hospital as well as held some of the better jobs in the fleet. They were known over the entire galaxy as the finest in all branches of medical studies anywhere.

Well? Do we get to know what the hell's going on? Z asked sarcastically. You two can play your silly game all you want, but you'll have to tell me about it if I'm to be a part of it!

[ Ohh! We don't want poor widdle Z'ums to worwy! ]

Z pitched Thing into the air where it reached a tentacle out to grasp the top of the holovid screen and swing down around behind him. It quickly pinioned his arms tightly to the pilot's chair from behind.

[ Ah-hah! Your reactions are slowing down! I haven't been able to do this in a long time! ]

It bent its stalked eyes around to look into Z's eyes from a few centimeters away.

You slimy little octopus! Z cried. I'll make sushi out of you!

*Hmm. Maybe you'd better hold him 'til he croaks from starvation, Thing. I don't see why you insist on getting yourself into this kind of situation. You don't dare let goof him after those HORrible threats. Sushi indeed!*

[ Besides, I'm just a quadropus, remember! You never get that right! ]

Okay! I give up!

[ Up where? ]

*You two knock it off. We have an assignment coming in.*

I'm trying to knock it off, but it's got my arms pinned! Z cried. What assignment?

*Prepare for IDmode.*

[ Oh, groan! ]

The crew, including the machines, continuously played silly juvenile tricks and jokes on one another as well as word games. It was a sign of their deep affection, though observers sometimes thought they would come to blows.

The Prepare for IDmode warning by Maita was a longstanding irritant. There was no way anyone could prepare for the strange sensations of planal shift.

Starting It

Do I get to know what this is all about or do we keep on playing games? Z asked. You two aren't ten percent as cute as you seem to think you are!

*I'll let all of you know as soon as I know anything myself. Ander said there's an emergency and doesn't know whether to call the fleet or us. He said the emperor's ship and the detectives' ships might all be needed. Gohn suggested it's something we may not want Fleet in on. The Feach or the Acnians are neither race highly subject to hysteria. I sure as hell don't have to tell you that! Can you picture a hysterical Feach? – never mind.*

Maita, you were telling about the Tlessarian berserker machines earlier, Kurk said. Would it be that?

[ Not likely. We have a procedure in place that can handle them well enough if they're in space and another if they're on a planet. T Six and Kit will meet us there I assume, Maita? ]

*Certainly. They'll arrive before us. TR and Tab are pacing us. I don't believe it's anything on the order of the robots, either. I'm puzzled because Fleet, Hospital or even University weren't called. Just us. We'll hopefully know what it’s about in approximately nine and one quarter minutes. We're now in TTH four.*

They felt the twist in their minds of a planar interstice crossing, then waited until they again felt the strange dizzy sensation upon dropping into N space.

*I'll be damned if I can see what emergency there could be here! There doesn't to seem to be anything at all here!*

[ What the hell? ]

We can't use your sensors the same as Thing can, Maita! Z exclaimed. What's going on?

Where are we? Kurk asked. We didn't even ask that.

*Drove. I'm calling Ander. There doesn't seem to be anyone else here. This doesn't make any sense! What in the hell could be happening at Drove that would cause the fleet to come here, much less to call US here? There's nothing here but a damned convention center and exhibition hall!*

[ Drove! We saw that. What kind of emergency can there be at Drove? There's only the one ship here. I agree, Maita. I think they've gone black hole on us. ]

I read one of Tab's reports about this place, Kurk said. It's sort of a meeting place for diplomats, isn't it? Some kind of vacation planet that certain peoples like for the constant violent weather or something?

It's a place where all kinds of beings meet for all kinds of reasons, Z replied. There's a huge stone castle on a cliff there.... Maita, I thought Fleet was out near the dome and on the W and E arms. Why would Ander be here this close to EC? This is more than halfway across the galaxy from them!

*They brought someone here at his request it seems. I'm in communication with Ander now. The being they have aboard isn't from any race we know or even that's in the records at Library. That's strange. Everything is at Library. The emergency part has something to do with the fact that he.... They had to bring this being at its request!? What the bloody hell is going on here! It isn't listed at Library and it's brought here at its own request? Horse manure!*

[ Don't get obtuse on us now, Maita. We haven't yet explored more than a quarter of a percent of the worlds in this galaxy including all those old records. There's a hell of a lot more that's not at Library than there is that is. ]

"What was that?!" came from Kurk. Z grinned.

*If we don't know anything about a race at Library it might occur to you to wonder how they know about Drove – halfway across the damned galaxy, as Dinghead mentioned. The three of you get into the hold. You're going in to meet this being. There'll be a probe on Thing's floater to use. This is very strange!*

There was no doubt about that! If Maita ignored a golden chance at a comeback to Thing's obtuse remark something was seriously wrong – particularly since Kurk caught Thing's poor use of the language!

Why didn't Ander use the probe? Kurk asked.

[ It's forbidden. ]

Then why are we going to use it? he asked.

Because Maita makes the rules and Maita breaks them, Z answered. I assume we're going to extract language, Maita? Can you tell us anything else while we're on the way?

*The being is being shown to me on the holo. It stands about two meters in height, is not unlike the Tlessarians, being more of a reptilian form, but lacks a tail. It's armored, has three toes and fingers on two arms and legs, has a bit of what Z calls a snout – it resembles a cross between the Tlessarians and the Lahsts with some Zict thrown in. It was found in a small E-pod ship near the S beacon. It has some kind of urgent message to be delivered to Drove. It has written instructions and the coordinates or something such. None of this makes sense! How would an unknown culture know about Drove? Gohn says it has written coordinates in standard ME digitals that are definitely for Drove so they brought it here, but it seems totally confused as to why it was brought or something. I think the emergency has to do with the people carrying coordinates of empire worlds. Ander seems to be afraid someone's out there who shouldn't be. He doesn't say it, but I'm sure he's mostly afraid – there's a little intersystem war going on there – that it's Immins.*

[ Oh, no! Oh, no you don't! No way! No