Breaking Point

Chapter 7: The Ambassador

"Bich-eul gajyeooneun salam," Zaid heard the man's voice say.  "The light bringer," followed the translator.  More words he didn't understand.  "Are you feeling better?"

Zaid took a deep, deep breath.  "What happened?" he asked as he stood up.  His headache was gone.  The man's translator repeated his words in whatever that language was.

"Ripper," he man said with a thick accent, but clearly an understandable word, followed by more that would be translated.  "These creatures live in the no gravity dark.  They shoot poison that makes you crazy and see things.  They eat our people.  We can push them back with sonic guns but not kill them.  Their skeletons are too strong for plasma guns to work well.  So we only stay out.  

"But you fought the rippers.  We watched when the electricity returned to the sector and came to see what happened.  We found you talking crazy and a ripper eating your leg.  We pushed away ripper and saw you killed at least two others.  We didn't count.  Too much danger.  We carried you here and gave you drugs to stop the crazy.

"Now you are here.  Your leg healed fast.  You can help us get the rippers out of more places.  Right now we are safe with sonic walls but we cannot keep up all the time."

So much to process.  Why did the ripper I fought on earth not have that hallucinogenic spray?  Why was there a ripper on earth at all?  Draygon's doing somehow?  Why bother bringing one to earth?  Man I'm starving, do I even dare ask about that?  And they're already excited about me killing more rippers for them.  But that's not what I'm here for.  First I need to contact Jesim.

Zaid spoke slowly, apprehensive about how well the translator would work for him.  "I... need... food."  The translator repeated his words in the other language.  The man replied, with translation "You can speak more fast.  The translator will understand and I will let you know if I hear something wrong."

"I need to eat something.  A whole lot of protein if you have anything.  And do you have long range communications?  I need to get a message out to someone."

The man shouted out something to someone outside the door.  It wasn't translated but he exchanged a respectful nod after a brief reply.  "I assume you need many calories for someone your size, especially to grow back your leg.  Do not worry.  I think you will be happy with our food.  For long range communications we have none.  It has not been operated since my grandfather was a child but we know where it is.  Sadly there is a ripper nest there too.  It has a power station and the rippers like to live close to the broken ones."

A sigh escaped Zaid's mouth.  "So I have to de-bug your system.  If it turns out to be broken, do you know how to fix it?"

"I will have to ask our engineers but I know we have lots of extra parts for all the equipment, and our computers have documents for everything."

Great.  He doesn't know.  So what do I even say?  The silence was awkward.

"Is there anything else you want to know?  About who I am or where you are?" the man asked.

Zaid shook his head.  "Not really.  Not yet."

"I see.  Please be aware that it is common courtesy here to express gratitude and show interest in someone you are dealing with.  I understand you are in shock but I hope you will be friendly to us."

"If you knew anything about me, you'd be running for the hills by now."

The man lifted his finger.  "But I do know something about you, Zee Four One Dee.  While you were asleep I plugged you in and looked at your files.  I know what you are."

Zaid scoffed.  "So you know I'm a monster."

The man shook his finger.  "Not a monster.  A Titan.  A champion powered by the Source.  You were made to fight our wars against The Federation.  The Federation made powerful nano robots to do their will.  So we made powerful champions to fight them.  But in the war with The Federation we lost contact with our Home Country and shut off long-range transmissions to avoid being noticed, so we didn't know if they had succeeded in creating any Titans.  Only one was ever created on this asteroid and she remains alone, made insane by the procedure and could never be controlled.  But you are here and you don't look crazy.  You are exactly like the procedure is supposed to go."

Another one?  Draygon was right.  This is where the research that made me came from.  "I wouldn't be too sure about my sanity.  You said she couldn't be controlled.  Neither could I."

"But you are under control right now.  You are not kept alone because I am scared, but because you might have diseases.  But as soon as your disease samples are analyzed it will be safe for you to meet everyone."

Zaid shook his head.  "No.  I can't meet everybody.  I don't think that would be safe for any of you.  But I suppose out of courtesy I can ask for your name."

The man nodded.  "I am Hyun-woo, son of Ji-hun and Chae-won.  I am the chief doctor here in the command center.  Outside is Eun-jeong, my wife and assistant."

"I'm Alan.  Alan Darius.  Everyone calls me Zaid."

"Which name do you prefer?" asked Hyun-woo.

"I'm used to Zaid."

Hyun-woo turned his head to the side.  "Why are you called Zaid?"

"Because when you write out Z-41D it looks like it spells Zaid."

"I see.  Since I do not speak or read English I did not catch that."

"Yep," said Zaid.  He pursed his lips and looked around the room.  It was silent again.  Zaid felt uncomfortable being alone and quiet with another person.  "So... you want me to kill off the rippers in the communications, and then you guys will fix it up and let me send my message?"

Hyun-woo replied.  "We will have to review the message you want to send first, but yes we will consider this as a bargain.  We will also consider anything else you want to ask for, because this is our long-term safety we will be getting from you, so please ask for anything you feel might be fair, that would not ruin our safety."

"Okay."  More awkward silence.

"Do you need time to consider what else to ask for?  I do not wish to present a deal that would not close our debt with you."

Zaid's eyes shifted around the room.  "Yeah, I'll think about it."

"I see.  I will let the others know where we stand.  Chae-won will bring you food in a few minutes."  Hyun-woo left the room.

Zaid felt relieved.  He became conscious of a slight tension he had simply by being around another person.

Let's go over what I need.  My first objective is to send that message, and obviously I'll have to help clear out the rippers first.  I'll ask for anything and everything they can tell me about them so that I can complete that as effectively as possible.  And I might need to replace some armor if they have any, though I kind of doubt it.

My overarching objective is to find out how to kill a Titan permanently.  Any files they have will be helpful but I doubt they'll be so accommodating with top-secret information.  I may be a Titan but I'm not in whatever tribe they belong to.  But maybe they can help me find the other Titan.

What should I tell them?  Should I tell them about Draygon?  Anything about the state of Earth right now?  They've been here for generations and haven't had contact with Earth during that time at all.  Nothing is the same.  Whatever this 'Federation' is, it doesn't exist on earth, and most likely whatever their tribe is doesn't exist on Earth either.  Maybe they should know.  Or maybe they should know about Jesim and he can impart something to them.  Maybe they'll be able to trust him.  I know they shouldn't trust me any closer than a long polearm.

So I guess that's it.  That's my approach.  I don't just ask to send a message.  I ask for them to join in sending the message and hear the response.

Great.  I'm an ambassador now.  Last thing I ever wanted to be.