Star Clash

Chapter Seven

(Harmony, Sirius System)

Steven Coleman trudged silently beside the Commander through the streets of the City. He risked a quick glance sideways and saw that the Commander was still annoyed. He wasn't accustomed to walking through snow, not unless he was going skiing that is, and neither of them was dressed suitably for the cold weather. Although, come to think of it, Coleman remembered there had been a short weather report included in their directions. Evidently it had been intended as more than general information about their destination.

Weather aside, Parker was not happy with the fact that they had been made to leave their hovercars, and the staff who had accompanied them, outside the gates to the City. They had been directed politely but firmly to a flat square of ground, where they could park the hovercars. It was enclosed on three sides by long white huts containing sufficient, if basic, accommodation for all the people they had brought.

Steven stopped worrying about the Commander and looked about with interest. Despite wet feet and a cold nose, he was excited. Here he was, in a city only one other human had ever been allowed into, to the best of his knowledge. He wasn't going to waste a second. The buildings they were passing were long and white, curved slightly to ensure that the snow didn't pile up on the rooves. He could see nothing to distinguish one building from another, though presumably the Ancians knew which was which.

Apart from the Venturi leading the way, he saw no-one else out and about on the streets. Perhaps there was some underground method of transport?

A few minutes later the Venturi stopped in front of one of the buildings. To Steven's eye it looked just the same as every other building, but the Venturi opened the door and ushered them inside. Steven blinked. For a second there, he had thought the building was bigger on the inside than the out. What an odd thing to imagine, of course this building was large. He remembered quite clearly thinking it was the largest he had seen so far, when they halted out the front.

He realised the others had walked on ahead, and he hastened to catch up.

The two humans followed the Venturi through an empty hall, lined with colourful murals depicting different star systems and galaxies. Steven would have liked to linger but the others were keeping up a brisk pace, heading towards an open door at the far end, through which he could see an Ancian already lying on the customary low couch.

As Coleman followed Parker into the audience room he heard the gasp of an indrawn breath from his left. He spun around and froze. Two Vishnans stood there, to the side, both wearing dark blue cloaks which covered them from their shoulders to the ground. One looked like an older male, his hair was pure white, and the other was ... the young Vishnan he had run into in the Bazaar. Both of them were staring, in what could only be described as shocked dismay.

Evidently humans were not the Ancians' only guests today.

Steven made a huge effort to gather his scattered wits and managed a credible bow to the Ancian. Then he turned and bowed his head very slightly to the two Vishnans in acknowledgement.

Commander Parker was still battling for control. His face was an angry red. "Administrator," he ground out. "Can I ask, what is the meaning of this?"

The elder Vishnan stepped forward as if he, too, would ask the same question.

The Ancian's face took on an even more impenetrable expression, if that were possible.

"Of course, Commander, Councillor. Both your races have requested a meeting with us to discuss your current conflict. It seemed to me the ideal opportunity to start by showing you the exhibitions we have on display for your respective cultures. It may prove enlightening."

Coleman could almost see the struggle on the Commander's face, as offence battled with the possibility that they might gain an advantage, by seeing what the Ancians thought was important about Vishna.

In the end, curiosity won. "Of course, Administrator," Parker agreed stiffly.

"We accept, Administrator," said the white-haired Vishnan, at almost the same moment.

The two opponents studiously ignored each other.

"Let's go and have a look then, shall we?" said the Ancian, sliding off the couch. However, instead of flopping or sliding along on its belly as Parker had expected, the creature rose up onto its tail. Vertical, the Ancian towered over everyone else. The Venturi hastened forward with a small chariot-like vehicle and the Ancian slithered onto it. Its forward appendages grasped the front of the chariot which then proceeded to glide over the floor at a leisurely pace, allowing the others to follow.

To Coleman's disappointment, for he was now convinced that there must be an underground transport system, the Ancian led the way back out into the streets. The chariot moved effortlessly over the snow, leaving the humans and Vishnans to trudge behind as best they could. A couple of hundred meters later, it drew up in front of another undistinguishable white building. The door opened and the Ancian led the way inside.

There was a brief awkwardness as both Parker and the elder Vishnan tried to enter the door at the same time but soon all four were inside, Coleman politely bringing up the rear. Once again, they found themselves in a large hall, except this time, there were rooms spaced evenly along the walls, the fourth side of each completely open to the hall. The Ancian stopped at the first.

"Here is the human exhibition," it announced. All four crowded around behind it to watch the holographic display as it followed human development over the centuries, beginning with the very first cave dwellers. The display showed the development of spears and swords, then guns and rifles, up to the most modern rocketlaunchers; before branching out into the weapons of mass destruction, bombs, nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

Coleman felt ill. Were weapons the only things worth remembering about his species? He looked across at the Vishnans. They were aliens, he couldn't be certain he was reading their expressions correctly but he was pretty certain he could see disgust on their faces. More worryingly, he thought the older Vishnan looked satisfied as well, as if his expectations had been vindicated.

"But where is the art, the music?" he blurted out. "The beautiful buildings? I'm sorry, Administrator, but surely this is only one part of our culture?"

The Administrator turned to look at him without speaking. The Vishnans both looked smug, that was the only word for it, thought Coleman, grinding his teeth.

Still silent, the Administrator moved to the next display room before speaking. "Here is the Vishnan exhibition."

Coleman had to take a couple of deep breaths before he could concentrate. He saw images of wheels, bridges, buildings. Cities covering vast tracts of land, then space ships and interstellar flight. Coleman shut his eyes for a minute, it was chillingly obvious which race the Ancians thought was more worthy. And what was worse, maybe they were right.

But when he opened his eyes again, he saw whole planets being altered, their burgeoning ecology cleared away, everything reformed and reseeded to suit the needs of the Vishnans. He stared at them in horror. How was this any better?