Surprise Me: Flight of the Maita, #34

By C. D. Moulton

The Freenz call the detective agency to investigate things that seem strange to them. They realize that what might seem strange to an insectoid would not seem strange to others.
There was something very strange going on

Critic comment
I began this reading with personal feelings I would not like it. It is the type of thing that is totally predictable, and the fantasy-like subjects sre not my preference. Moulton has a penchant for societal directives that do not appeal to me.
It did surprise me! I liked it. It describes personalities rather well and familiarizes one with the characters.
I will not describe the story here, as it would tend to detract from the work. I will say it is a worthwhile read for those who like a character oriented story.
EVG - ***1/2

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. D. Moulton
• Release date: Jul 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201384029

Book preview

Flight of the Maita

Book 34

Surprise Me

© 1990 & 2019 C. D. Moulton

all rights reserved: no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, 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.

The Freenz call the detective agency to investigate things that seem strange to them. They realize that what might seem strange to an insectoid would not seem strange to others.

There was something very strange going on!

Critic comment

I began this reading with personal feelings I would not like it. It is the type of thing that is totally predictable, and the fantasy-like subjects sre not my preference. Moulton has a penchant for societal directives that do not appeal to me.

It did surprise me! I liked it. It describes personalities rather well and familiarizes one with the characters.

I will not describe the story here, as it would tend to detract from the work. I will say it is a worthwhile read for those who like a character oriented story.

EVG - ***1/2

Contents

About the author

Talk Party

What’s New?

Settling In

Conspiracy

New Ventures

The Mystery Remains

Filling in the Spaces

More Information

Lab Mystery

Showtime!

Household Chatter

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, Ambrosia peruviana.

Information about this cure is free on the FaceBook group, Natural medicine research. CD asks only that all who try it please report on its effectiveness on that group.

Talk Party

What I'll never understand is why you'd go to the bother to build something like those golems then turn them over to a stupid servo in the first place, Kit, robot detective made in the form of a Kheth (Just under two meters, muscular, but with a small waist, hairless, bipedal, reptilian, leathery light tan skin with a brown diamond-shaped patch on his chest) by Emperor Maita, another machine intelligence, said. "Now they'll disrupt us every chance they get! You know how that computer that runs them is! You built it!"

Kit, along with the Terran, Z, the Mentan, Thing and the Pluton, Kurk, were on Z's patio at his home on Empire Center, better known as EC. Tab, the other robot detective Maita made a couple of hundred years ago, had just stepped into the transmat to go to his ship, TRD-60, or TR for short. The group were having their regular gab party on the terrace to discuss their latest adventures. As usual they played little tricks on one another. This time they had all ended up in Z's fishpond. That happened with an amazing frequency, the truth be told.

The golems were a device Maita made for an adventure many years ago and which had been employed several times since. They had their own computer circuits that reacted according to their personalities that had sent them to make remarks about the little group. They consisted of two bronze heads mounted on a plate-like gravitic floater. Yes, one of the heads, was a sickeningly sweet bubbly optimist who spouted platitudes while the other head, No, was mostly a cynical pessimist with a bad attitude.

Maita had given the computer a bit too much choice, as it was learning to it's dismay. It was also developing something akin to intelligence, but Maita wouldn't let the others know that yet – except Thing, who knew almost everything Maita did. They were in constant contact.

Z was still in the form of a large barbarian from his last adventure so was a match for the large demon from another plane, Kurk, and for the robots, though the robots were still far stronger than any organic being.

Z was a typical Terran usually, but Maita, TR or T6 (Kit's ship and partner and part of him as TR was to Tab) could modify him to an extent in their onboard medical facilities so long as the changes were minor – of course, two heads, extra arms and legs or all that muscle were minor to the ships.

Z had a lot of muscle added for his last role along with some slight modifications of minor features such as ears, hair and color. He had a little socket implanted in each earlobe in which he placed crystals that looked like fine small diamonds, but which contained information such as language, customs and abilities to use muscles to perform various tasks as well as the donor of the information of the crystals performed them. Those sockets were wired directly into the brain's motor control areas as well as to the computational areas.

Kurk also had those sockets in his earlobes, but the robots and their ships could trade information directly while Thing, being an empath, could receive the information directly from any of them. The robots had special receptor sockets built in for Thing to use to communicate when the floaters or ships weren't handy.

Kurk was a full two meters plus, tall, covered in black fur, had two long teeth that glowed a greenish color from phosphors stored in the material that made them up (Canines. Kurk was vain about his perfect teeth) and had vicious-appearing claws. His eyes glowed with a stronger light than his teeth because of the same biophosphorescence.

His native world was called Hades. It was in another plane in a position where Tlorg is in N space (This plane) and shares a second nexus point with Terra so the Plutons were demons in Earth's folklore as well as in Tlorg's.

Kurk was the newest member of Maita's crew.

Tab, the other robot detective, was made in the form of a Swaz, an amphibian being from Swaville. He was Z's height and general (K-form) and had ten digits on his hands and feet, but the fingers and toes had a webbing one third of their length. His eyes were slip-pupiled and dual-lidded. He had no hair, a trait shared by many amphibians and reptiles.

Thing, the Mentan, was a little empath. It was a squarish globe with four tentacles in lieu of arms and legs and sported independent eyes on short stalks. It was a bit over half a meter in diameter (Not counting tentacles). It breathed through very efficient membranes that served (with a bit of augmentation Maita had added) as well in water as in an atmosphere. It could survive for several minutes even in the vacuum of space, not having lungs to explode from decompression. It couldn't speak directly so Maita read its empathic ability to say what it wanted said through speakers on the various floaters it used (As it didn't move at all well on smooth surfaces, it used the floaters) as well as all over the ship itself and in all the areas, such as Z's patio, where it often went. It could use the speakers and readers on TR and T6 as well and the direct connections with the robots was already mentioned.

Maita was a saucer-type ship sixty meters across. It was thickly coated in pure platinum (Not mere ostentation! Platinum is non-reactive and extremely heat-resistant. It is also plentiful and relatively cheap in the Maitan Empire). It had become emperor through a strange set of circumstances and had built the empire with its crew and friends until it had thousands of worlds as members all over the galaxy.

Maita designed and built machines to run the empire, which they did very well, thank you. Maita could take control directly in less than a millisecond in case of sudden emergency the machines couldn't handle, but that was a rare situation indeed.

Few knew their emperor was a machine. Few would care, given how well things were going.

Maita and Thing used those speakers as did TR and T6 (and everyone else if they weren't together). A distinctive communications tone was worked out from the first for Maita and Thing. A distinctive bell tone sounded when Maita was to speak (*–*), and a tuning fork sound preceded and followed Thing's speech ([ – ]). Fastcom would identify the tones and would not allow it from any other source.

TR and T6 arrived much later and, due to the needs of their use, had distinctive voices that were known and recognized by many.

Author's note: Z has used the sound indicators *–* and [ – ] instead of quotes when those two were indicated from the first book he wrote. TR, Thing and Tab used the same system in those books they wrote so we decided to continue that tradition among all of the crew. Maita tends to speak without breaks to indicate paragraphing so we don't make such breaks in our little chronicles. Maita generally translates for Thing so the same is true there – Kit.

T6 is a saucer-type ship as is TR, but T6 is a Zeenan P-class ship that developed intelligence through chance when it was repaired with unmatched computational component boards. When its original owner died Maita designed and made Kit to be its new partner and friend. Tab and Kit are actually parts of their ships and of each other. The gravitic communications links allow each to use the others' brains in any combination, though the private personality circuits are distinct and not linked. That's what gives them an edge in their investigations. Four separate slants on any given question. Six when Maita and Thing are part of the link-up.

TR was made at the time Tab was made – by Maita.

The crew are close emotionally and share a strong affection. They play constant tricks on one another such as the one that ended them up in the pool. The robots have to be careful not to actually hurt the organics and Kurk usually had to be careful with Z and Thing. As soon as Z was returned to normal size he would have to take care again, but now Z was a match for him.

I sort of like the golems, Kurk decided. They're a lot of fun and they've really helped – several times.

*I had to give them autonomy, but I never planned for this much independence. I'll have to turn them off for now. They're not actually intelligent. They react in very specific ways to specific circumstances. I didn't program in the right responses to make their control computer turn them off.*

[ I think you've blown some circuits yourself! Those things are a menace to the sanity of everyone on EC! ]

Come on aboard me, Kit! T6 sent over the speakers. Tab's aboard TR. The agency seems to have a little job to do!

Not something from Woonith, I hope? Kit asked, heading for the transmat.

Believe it or not it's from Queen Mvrwnthz of Freenz, T6 replied. "It may not be anything important. The insectoids don't really understand things so they report them – which is damned good!

You want I should tell you about it now or will you wait until we're there before we know what the hell it's all about?

So surprise me, already! Kit replied, grinned, and stepped into the transmat.

Author's Note: In one of TR's later books it used a new format whereunder it could indicate what each involved person (including all us machines) was doing at a given time. As we are linked most of the time it is easy to be accurate in those depictions as we are all reporting. I will use the same method. A break with V before it means action with Tab while VV before the break means me. Understand TR and Tab are meant as one as are T6 and myself. If I have to explain something the ships are doing as an aside or separate break I will so indicate at the time – Kit.

What’s New?

Where are we going, if it's not too much to ask? Kit asked of T6.

A planet called Zvndrg, T6 replied. "And that's all I know to this point. TR says to tell you Tab thinks Queen Mvrwnthz's on to something. She would notice. TR says it's been checking on some different kinds of commerce, but this case isn't that sort of thing. It wants to close some parts out before we start."

Weapons movements? Kit asked.

"That sort of thing. It seems there are also a lot of the wrong sorts of people coming and going there. There's a whole society being messed with, but ... we'll have to wait and see. As of the moment we're working without information.

We have to stay out here awhile. We can't go in as us so we can't let on that we have the TTH fourteen drive.

They broke into N space several thousand kilometers from the planet and went to sit close beside TR to discuss what kinds of disguises the ships would use. T6 could change its ID and a few superficial features and go in as what it was, a Zeenan P class. TR would go in as a Zeenan L class. Kit would be modified into the guise of a Jornian. Tab would be a Bentan.

I'll be Klip Chron Zues, Tab sent. Here's a scan.

TR sent across exact details of the disguise. Tab would be called Chron. The Bentans had taken the custom of using the middle name, the first being the sirename and the last being the mother's maiden name. The females took the male's sirename when they married.

I'll be called Hohm Gaim, Kit sent back. "Note the homophone in Terran English. Z will appreciate that one!

Here's the scan.

T6 sent over the details and the customs the Jornians had of using the first name in friendly conversation and the last in business.

Bentans and Jornians were selected because, though most of those peoples were honest good citizens a few were known as master criminal types. The robots could try to find what was going on and could manage to fit into any situation. TR and T6 would input rather neutral information to the EC machines – a rather nice little talent to have if you're a detective for the empire!

TR recommended the two races because of the victims of the crimes the Freenz reported.

Only Maita and the mechanical crew, which included TR and T6, could input directly into the empire ID machines. So far as they could determine only one other person had made any even partial success out of that operation – and that one was caught and traced because he didn't do a perfect job.

TR called the planet spaceport to get landing instructions. T6 waited two hours before doing the same. They knew the city where the major center of trouble seemed to be concentrated. TR would be on pad seven and T6 on eight where they would link so the information from Freenz could be shared before any serious investigation began. The ships linked through tight lightbeam though their special gravitic links shouldn't be interceptable. The report was that several of the Freenz reported to the queen about this world. They had a small trading office here and noticed some strange things happening. Things without logic.

The insectoids are fully aware they think in different patterns than the large percentage of people so didn't pay very much attention to the problem until two people, one a Bentan and one a Klift who were involved in contracts with the Freenz, were found murdered. The two were political figures (To the extent there are politicians on trader worlds) as well as trade agents for two other worlds, so it seemed rather odd. Murder was rare enough in the worst of times and these were good times for most. It didn't make any sense there would be two in such a close area or time frame.

The people living there as longterm or permanent residents simply refused to discuss anything about the killings. The police, so far as the Freenz could determine, weren't even investigating.

This way the Bentans would have a direct representative in Tab, who would appear as one of those people. The Klifts were always in the company of Jornians. It was a strange relationship in many ways. The Klifts were reptilian, much like the Feach, while the Jornians were mammals much like Terrans or Maitans.

That was the main reasoning behind TR's suggestion that the detectives be those races. It would explain any questions they asked. It was certainly well-known the emperor's private investigating firm was to be called in cases of murder where nothing was found in a certain time so the Freenz took it upon themselves to make that call.

V

Tab left TR and headed to the Nrstred Hotel. Both murdered people had been staying there. It seemed to him the logical place to look for information.

There are a few definite advantages to being a machine in the detective business, particularly in any society that uses recording machines to the extent that the empire must. Tab or Kit had universal sockets built in that could be interfaced with virtually any of the machines used to handle accommodation on any of the trader worlds, with the empire machines and judges, with the banking institution machines and with most others.

A hotel must arrange conditions and food for various people. A delicious spice to a person from one world could be a violent poison to the citizens from another. There were more than two thousand citizen races who found the climate, atmosphere, gravity, oceans, temperatures and light intensities – among hundreds of other things – tolerable on Zvndrg, which was why it was used as a trading station. How could it be done, except by machine? Machines keep exact records.

The robots could read everything in the machines. Perhaps the information would prove useless, but that was part of the business. If everything that happens, every clue is vital to the solving, every word has deep meaning – you're reading a fantasy tale.

(Of course, one doesn't write about all the false clues and endless hours of pointless searching and surveillance in the real business, either – or no one would read it.)

Tab checked into the hotel, was assigned a room and waited for the servo to