Part Eleven by Iona Laing.

Chapter Thirty-one.

The following day Raul and Karin had moved into their own bedroom just down the corridor from the infirmary. It gave them chance to be on their own and re-establish their relationship now that things had changed so drastically for them.

A larger room next door now housed Rusan, Jena, Sleal and Jinz who were busy forming or renewing their relationships.

Politically, everything was quiet as no response had been forthcoming from President Signi or anyone else from within the Masonville hierarchy for that matter.

Sleal had brought with her and her younger daughter, information about the burgeoning underground upswelling of revolt within the Masonville civilian population. It seemed that Signi’s impression of the control he could exert on the masses was not as absolute as he thought it was. His comeuppance could well be sooner than he ever thought possible.

Raul and Karin lay quietly in their bed. Both staring at the ceiling wondering what the other was thinking.

Karin then partially sat up and rested on her elbow as she looked at her partner, even if it did seem she was staring at her reflection. She saw the tear escaping from the corner of Raul’s eye and slowly trickle into her left ear.

“Hey, we’ll have none of that! What’s up? What are you thinking?”

Raul didn’t say anything, just chewed her lower lip and shook her head.

“Come on Raul, let me in, I can’t help you if you won’t speak to me, remember our vows? In sickness and in health! Until death do us part!”

More tears flowed from Raul’s eyes. Karin lay back down next to her spouse, then sliding her arm under Raul’s shoulders she pulled her partner close to her, their breasts interlocking as Karin held a sobbing Raul.

“Listen Raul, I am not sure quite why you have been physically changed into a woman, and a woman who looks like my sister at that! I mean from the little I understand of the transportation process our friends utilise, I suppose you are a near duplicate of myself! I don’t know if it can be undone or not, but we are in this together, I am not going to suddenly fall out of love with you simply because your outer being is different to the person I met and fell in love with back on Earth. I love you, pure and simple, so come on, talk to me, tell me what you are feeling? This is me, Karin, I am your wife, your life partner, your soul mate and whatever other term you care to use. Since we first met at the repository in Denver, I have felt something for you, that something has grown into love, a limitless love, I am not going anywhere without you! Do you understand me? . . . Do you? . . . . Do you understand me?”

After a short while Karin felt Raul nod her agreement. Raul looked up into Karin’s eyes.

“I can’t believe how screwed up my emotions are!

“I can’t believe how much weaker, physically, I am!

“I can’t believe this has happened to me, although I know I am not unique in undergoing such a drastic change!

“I can’t believe how readily we have been accepted into the extended family we seem to have become a part of, and, most of all!

“I can’t believe that you still love me, after all, you can’t get a more radical change than this can you?”

“Of course it could have been more radical, I could have transformed into a man!” said Karin smiling. “Look, when I lost my first husband, Alexander, I was a lost soul, barely existing. If you think I am going to give up and lose you too, then you don’t know me very well.

“Will things be different between us? Inevitably!

“Will I still love you regardless? Inevitably!

“Now Raul, relax a little, enjoy our privacy a little, so come here and give me a kiss!”

Sometime later than were still enjoying a cuddle and being close together, their thighs interlocked.

“Although we haven’t been here that long, it does seem from the folk we have come in to contact with, that this planet, apart from those bullies in Masonville, seems to be a lovely, gentle, less stressed place to live.” mused Karin.

“Well, if you discount the almost Nazi like state just next door, then yes, it is a nice place to live!” chuckled Raul.

“Did you ever think of settling down, you know, to a less frenetic lifestyle, or were you always planning on being a space explorer?”

“This is going to sound corny, but, until I met you, I thought I would always follow in my father’s footsteps and be an explorer all my life. I never expected to meet anyone who would derail that ambition! I mean, for a lot of my younger life, my mother and I were either left behind on some outpost or were part of my father’s dream of seeing what was over the next horizon on one of his ships. I thought everyone felt the same!”

“How do you feel now?”

“Now? Now I am not so sure! Now, I think that it would be nice to put down roots, you know? To make my mark doing something for others in some way. To be able to have some predictability in my life, to be able to come home to a place that didn’t have the ships power hum under my feet, somewhere where the view wasn’t a constantly changing vista of passing stars and galaxies! But to have a feeling of solidity, to be able to watch the seasons affect the environment around me, to watch things grow and evolve, to perhaps have a garden and grow things, to be with friends rather than just colleagues.

“This isn’t just because of my change; this has been growing on me since I met you and realised that there is a lot more to life than I ever thought possible! I want to be able to say I work to live, rather than living to work, if that makes any sense? Oh, I am just rambling I think!”

“That’s very philosophical Raul; it makes perfect sense. You want to put down roots, to establish yourself in other ways than logging how far you have travelled or how many star systems you have visited. There’s nothing wrong with a change of direction to give a person new goals. The hard part I suppose, is not looking back with a sense of regret, because you didn’t follow a different dream when that opportunity presented itself!”

“I know Karin, but we are not supposed to influence those worlds we investigate, we are just supposed to observe and report back!”

“Well Raul, I think that boat sailed when we crash-landed on this planet, and we are involved for good or ill!” interrupted Karin.

“You can say that again, but now that we are involved, we can’t abandon these people! I don’t think I could live with myself if we let people like Signi rule the roost, which seems highly likely if we do nothing, because, whether we were the instigators or not, everything has changed. We were targeted by Masonville, it wasn’t a random attack on the Oslo, if they can do that much damage to a vessel they should never have known existed, then just imagine the damage they would inflict on places like this? The devastation doesn’t bear thinking about, I think we are duty bound to help these people ensure peace for themselves and perhaps a better way of life for the masses living under Signi and his cohort’s yoke over in Masonville!”

“And that Raul, is why I love you; you were a man of honour, you have proved yourself to be a person of honour and perhaps, it is your lot in life to be a woman of honour, is that so bad?”

“No, I suppose it isn’t, is it Karin? The thing we must work out is exactly how we can help as many people as possible without ruining the good parts of this world!”

“Again, that is why I love you! - Did you ever consider having your own family?”

“Until I met you Karin, not really. It didn’t seem that important to my immediate life’s goals. But now, life has changed, I think it would be nice to have children, to tell them of the things I have seen and done, the places I have been, the people I have met, and especially how I met their mother!”

“I feel the same! When Alexander was due to return from his last run, he was to have had an extended period of leave, a shore-based training role for a while before his next supply run. We were planning to try for a family, but, when he died, that dream was shattered, as was I, and I thought that dream died too, then, I could have seen myself as being the mother to your children! But it’s all academic now anyway, unless we use a donor and one of the syringes from our first aid kits!”

“Perhaps not Karin, maybe I can be changed back, maybe not, who knows? We may be rescued and sort of returned to our previous lives, even if it is as a lesbian couple!”

Karin chuckled, “Well, a lesbian couple is one thing, it still leaves us short of a vital ingredient in the baby making stakes, sperm, Raul’s sperm to be exact!”

Raul lifted her head, “Actually, there is a certain medical facility back on Nirvana that holds some of Raul’s frozen sperm. All crew, male and female are given the option of freezing samples of sperm or eggs just in case of accidents! It’s not compulsory, but a safeguard offered to everyone. I took advantage and had some sperm frozen even though I didn’t ever foresee a likely need to make use of any. It was my mother’s idea, and I did it mainly to shut her up, but now? It seems like one of the best things male Raul ever did as regards his personal life, after meeting you of course!”

“Remind me to give her an extra kiss when we next meet up with her, and to give her my heartfelt thanks!”

“Don’t you mean, IF, we ever meet her again!”

“We will Raul, we will, you mark my words! We will be reunited with our family someday. While we are talking about the future, do you want to retain the same name now that your circumstances have changed somewhat? Did your Mum ever say what your name would have been if you had been female from birth?”

“Well, I know my parents tried for a long time to give me a sibling, whether it was a medical barrier or timing or what, I don’t know, but a couple of times, usually when I had passed a milestone of some sort, Mum would get the holo-photo display going to reminisce about previous achievements and she said they’d picked the next names out ready, but sadly, they never had the need to use one. If they ever had a girl she would have been called Raelynn, or Rae for short!”

“That is a beautiful name, so what do you think about changing your name? For the time being? If you think the change is indeed short term, do you want to stick with Raul?”

“I have a feeling that this change may well be for longer than I originally thought, but, as strange as this may seem, it doesn’t seem quite as scary as it did not so long ago! Perhaps, it makes sense to change my name to reflect the new me, and Raelynn is a nice way to honour my parents unfulfilled aspirations! What do you think Karin? Do you think I should change my name, and if I do, will it impact you or our relationship?”

“I think, for as long as you may need it, a more feminine name may well be appropriate. The main thing is your happiness. It may help you compartmentalise your life into the two, distinct parts you have been presented with. I like Raelynn, and I’m sure our new friends will like it too!”

“I think you may well be right Karin! So, then if I may introduce myself, . . . . I am Raelynn Elstrae Strall Suarez, I am pleased to meet you!” said Raelynn as she offered her hand in greeting.

“Wow Raelynn, that is some name you have there! If you don’t mind, I think I will stick to Raelynn or Rae for short, and Rae is looking better all the time!” laughed Karin shaking Rae’s hand.

“I know, Mum wasn’t too thrilled with it either, but she had to keep both grandmothers happy somehow! And that’s not easy let me tell you!” laughed Rae

“I know Rae, I know! Don’t forget I met both at our Nirvanan wedding ceremony! Formidable is the term that comes to mind! Formidable, or just downright scary, you chose! Mind you, not to burst your bubble, but there may be a few aspects to all this body changing you have undergone, that may have escaped your thought processes”

“What do you mean?” asked a confused Rae.

“Well sweetheart, you look like me, correct?”

“Obviously!”

“We could well be twins, yes?”

“Without a doubt!”

“Are you, Raelynn Elstrae Strall Suarez now female?”

“Yeeesss?”

“Are you breasts tender, and your tummy feeling bloated?”

“Yeeesss?”

“What do you think makes a woman’s body feel that way?”

“Err, . . . I’m not sure, . . . . should I know?”

“Well Rae, I’ll give you a clue, it happens roughly every twenty-eight days.”

“Nooooo!!!!”

“I can tell the penny is about to drop, even though we’ve only been here a couple of weeks or so, I recognise the signs!”

“But, . . . you mean, . . . . a period? . . . . . Noooo!!, . . . I can’t, . . . . can I . . . . . I mean, . . . I don’t know what to do!”

“Shhh Rae!” Karin placed a finger to Raelynn’s lips. “Don’t worry, I will help you, any questions, just ask and I will tell you all you need to know!”

“Oh Karin, that’s, . . . that’s, . . . a lot to get my head around, . . . I don’t know if I can do this!” a tear leaked from Raelynn’s eye.

“You will cope Raelynn, just like you have coped with everything else life has thrown at you of late, you are a strong woman Rae, you can do this, but that’s not the only thing to think about!”

“Isn’t that enough, . . . for now, . . . what with everything else that’s going on at the moment?”

“Well yes, but we were talking about the future weren’t we? So Rae, if you have had a period, it means you are, like me, and we are probably fertile young women!”

“Nooooo!!!!!”

“Yes, Rae, if you are indeed the same, or almost the same as me genetically, there is no medical, ethical or any other err. . . ical reason, as to why you could not be impregnated with a few of Raul’s frozen swimmers, and, potentially, become a mother yourself!”

“Wow!!!! Me, a mother?”

“Yes Rae, you could be a mother, that is if that is something you would like to be, sometime in the future perhaps?”

“You know Karin, that is not as scary a thought as you would perhaps expect it to be! Me, a mother!”

“Yes Rae, I also suggest we have a word with Ayne or Urna as soon as possible to discover what there is available locally for a woman on her period. The supplies in the escape pod will only go so far, before we run out of options. I presume we’ll have to utilise washable pads, but I’ll find out when we meet up this evening for our usual natter.”

“I have never been so glad to have you with me Karin, I’d have died of embarrassment having to ask what to do!” said an almost tearful Rae “I feel such an idiot!”

“Come on Raelynn, you have turned a major corner psychologically today, if you have coped with everything that life has thrown at you over the years, then you can cope with all this! Don’t forget you are mentally, the equivalent of a young, teenaged girl learning all about life. You have a lot of help, you are not on your own through all this, if you have a doubt or a question, then just ask, or tell me what is bothering you, I’ll sort you out! Mind you, I am sort of glad I am an orphan!”

“What do you mean Karin?”

“Well Rae, I presume your mother knows a little of what our missions are geared towards, and that we may come across transported individuals? And, that occasionally something goes awry with the transportation system?”

“I think so, but what exactly my father has told my Mum I don’t know, but I assume she knows some of the background!”

“Well, one way or another, if we are rescued or someone contacts us, she is going to know that she is now the proud mother of a wonderful, beautiful daughter! I could never have seen myself having to have a similar conversation with either of my parents, not that I ever knew much about my father! Even so, my Mum was a little narrow minded, and the fact that her daughter was married to another woman would have been enough for her to have disowned me and deny my existence. Trying to tell her it was an involuntary change would have made little difference. She belonged in the dark ages of the twentieth century! Loved her to bits, but she did my head in when I was growing up! Mind you, telling her I was now a man might have been an interesting conversation.”

“I am lucky I suppose, my parents are very liberal, I suppose they have had to be, given the nature of dad’s occupation and the people he has encountered. But it is still going to be an interesting conversation to have to have with my parents! ’Hi Mummy, Hi Daddy, I was your son, now I am your little girl’”

They both laughed, cuddled ever tighter together and just revelled in the love they shared.

Chapter Thirty-two.

Tens of thousands of miles above the planet Villiar, the fleet flagship, The Vasco da Gama, continued its geo-stationary orbit over the last known sighting of the jettisoned escape pod containing Karin and Raul.

The intense monitoring of events on the ground far below had continued without break. Admiral Maurice Suarez had slept very little since the attack on the shuttle had exploded onto their screens. The fact that it was his son and daughter-in-law who were missing in action didn’t make his job any easier. It would be too simple to go in mob handed, but it went against all the training that was ingrained in all Nirvanan Survey personnel! That to do too much, too quickly, could end with the exact opposite result of what you originally hoped to achieve, and that was the safe return of Karin and Raul.

The recordings of the interaction of between the opposing forces over the capsule was uppermost in his mind. The images, both daylight and in the nighttime infra-red spectrum and false colour had been hard to watch! Especially the violent interaction that had erupted in the foothills, that had had him close to intervening in another systems politics, but ultimately, he knew he had to let events unfold as they fell. It was hard to divorce his feelings of being a father from those of being the person in charge of the whole survey mission.

He had to trust to the training both Raul and Karin had received. Raul, he knew had a vast amount of experience for one so young, whereas Karin, although on her first trip was an extremely intelligent analysist.

From the interaction that had been observed from their high vantage point it certainly seemed that the nation that had recovered the capsule was the more benevolent of the two protagonists.

The recovery of the individual from what was obviously a bog or marsh suggested a more humane nature than the summary executions they had powerlessly witnessed.

Especially in light of the release of that prisoner’s bonds and the apparent hugs that enfolded them, that suggested someone at least had compassion.

What was concerning was the lack of effort to gain access to the capsule’s interior! Could they tell the occupants were deceased? Were Karin and Raul holding the fort and keeping the hatch closed? Only time would tell.

An excess of radio traffic from the more aggressive nation had almost entirely ceased following some event a day or so ago. The technical teams on board the Vasco da Gama had cracked some of the codes being used. Their problems were exacerbated by the fact that both nations were using unknown dialects. But it seemed that the computer processes being used at full capacity were beginning to bear fruit.

Maurice’s desk intercom burst into life and the image of the Vasco da Gama’s captain Bran Lalle filled the screen.

“Admiral, great news, great news, I’ll be with you in a moment!”

It was obvious that the captain was walking and talking into his hand communicator as he hurried along from the main bridge to the Admirals personal quarters.

Maurice barely had time to move his arm to the control panel on his desk before the door access signal sounded. The door hissed open, and Captain Lalle entered the ready room with a beaming smile plastered on a tired face. The door slid closed behind him.

“It’s great news Admiral, great news indeed! Our intelligence unit has made a stunning breakthrough! No matter how many computer systems you throw at a problem, sometimes it takes a human touch to provide that little bit of insight, insight that is absolutely crucial to resolving part at least of this conundrum.”

Maurice and Bran had been friends for longer than either cared to admit, and Maurice knew his friend’s precise mind would take a little while to get to the point, but his report would be succinct and little if any clarification would be needed. Bran continued.

“As you know Maurice, the nation that we know who secured the capsule has been repeatedly broadcasting the same message for three days now, not just within their own territory but towards the aggressive group, and in other directions too!

“Not only that, but the power output has also been significantly increased from what we know of their existing technological capabilities.

“But that’s not the best part, we are now able to actively translate the whole message! It’s in two distinct parts as you know. Now listen carefully!

“Computer, replay the translated transmission!”

“Right men! You all have your orders and know the plan, show these people no mercy, anyone gets in your way, then despatch them without a moment’s hesitation. We’ll be in and out of here before these idiots have any idea what is going on, by this time tomorrow we’ll be back in President Signi’s presence and you will all be awarded a hero’s welcome and be more than amply rewarded for your actions today, so keep alert! So, places men!”

“That was the voice of General Brandr, head of Masonville’s military and diplomatic corps. In that segment of conversation General Brandt is briefing his squad of top assassins about the imminent attempt to seize Queen Adred and her court. Fortunately for us here in Granaria this dastardly plot was foiled, unfortunately there were casualties. Four of Masonville’s troops died at the scene and one subsequently succumbed to his injuries. One of our own gallant defenders received minor injuries and is recovering well under advanced medical care. General Brandr has been placed under arrest, and, as he was masquerading under false credentials, and operating under President Signi’s personal authority, his claim of having diplomatic immunity has been denied. We look forward to hearing President Signi’s statement on these abhorrent events. The would be attack and subsequent retaliation has been captured on cine film, copies of which will be distributed to all fellow nations within Villiar along with a copy being sent to Masonville. This transmission will continue to be broadcast on this and other frequencies over the coming days.”

“Wow Bran, that’s brilliant, what a breakthrough, will we be able to open other messages in the same manner?”

“That’s what we anticipate Maurice, but that’s not the best bit, listen to the female’s statement again!

Computer, replay the female’s transmission again and increase the volume by fifteen percent!”

“That was the voice of General Brandr, head of Masonville’s military and diplomatic corps. In that segment of conversation General Brandt is briefing his squad of top assassins about the imminent attempt to seize Queen Adred and her court. Fortunately for us here in Granaria this dastardly plot was foiled, unfortunately there were casualties. Four of Masonville’s troops died at the scene and one subsequently succumbed to his injuries. One of our own gallant defenders received minor injuries and is recovering well under advanced medical care. General Brandr has been placed under arrest, and, as he was masquerading under false credentials, and operating under President Signi’s personal authority, his claim of having diplomatic immunity has been denied. We look forward to hearing President Signi’s statement on these abhorrent events. The would be attack and subsequent retaliation has been captured on cine film, copies of which will be distributed to all fellow nations within Villiar along with a copy being sent to Masonville. This transmission will continue to be broadcast on this and other frequencies over the coming days.”

Slowly a smile spread over Maurice’s face, “That’s her, that is Karin? It is, isn’t it?” Bran had an equally broad grin.

“Yes Maurice, it is Karin, we’ve performed a quick analysis of speech patterns, inflection, tonal range, stress levels, any indication of anxiety and everything else we can think of, and the results all come back with the same conclusion. That young lady broadcasting over what seems to be known as the Granaria Broadcasting Corporation, is none other than your daughter-in-law, Karin Suarez herself, last seen being dragged into the escape capsule we know is within their main compound. She is, by all accounts, happy, healthy, under no stress or duress and is working with whoever is in charge of the government. Although it is conjecture, if she is well, and functioning at the top of her game, which is evident in every test we’ve run, and there are a still a few tests being undertaken as we speak, but then it’s fairly safe to assume Raul is probably also happy, healthy, under no stress and working with whoever is in charge of the government too!

“It must be only a matter of time before we have definite proof that both are alive and well, and whatever is going on, they’re working as part of the response against this Signi character.

“It was only because Ellie Rett was working an extra shift in the intel suite that she stopped us concentrating on what was being said, but on the owner of the voice, speaking to us over the airwaves. A classic piece of lateral thinking!”

“Pass on my thanks to her, she doesn’t know how much this means to me and will mean to Ava!”

“Will do Maurice! Plus, we now know what tipped off Masonville to the Oslo’s presence, which in turn likely led to them launching their attack!”

“We do?”

“Our shuttles are faulty, or at least this batch of vessels are.

“The ceramic shielding tiles, fixed to the underside of the shuttles, are working loose and coming adrift! So those civilisations with appropriate technology may well be able to spot them orbiting above their respective planets. It seems whatever adhesive compound used is a new formula! While it claims better shielding capabilities all round, the only drawback to it, is that it’s main function, as an adhesive, is sub-standard!”

“How many shuttles are affected Bran?” asked a somewhat relieved Maurice.

“It seems to be every shuttle built in the last six years, at least that’s the evidence of those shuttles that we’ve had chance to inspect. All have shown themselves to be missing some tiles, most are missing just one or two, a handful are missing anything up to twenty, and all of those have build numbers concurrent with the Oslo! The Bergen which is two shuttles newer in the construction run is missing fourteen tiles so we were lucky that she was being masked so effectively by the Oslo, otherwise we may have lost the pair of them, then the list of missing personnel could have potentially been much worse!”

“So, it’s likely the Oslo had a significant number of missing shield tiles?”

“It certainly seems that way Maurice, yes!”

“Well, at least we are starting to gather some answers at long last! It’ll be great to give Ava some positive news for a change.”

“Not only that. but we are trying to determine ways of contacting Karin in some discreet manner, utilising the technology at their disposal, but also not wanting to announce to all and sundry down on the planet that one, but hopefully, two, of our personnel are stranded down on the surface!”

“Yes Bran, we need to let Karin know that we are aware of her survival!

“There must be some way of making contact discreetly with her. She has a particular affinity with the twentieth century on her home planet of Earth, have a look through our databases, see if there is anything from that era that may be of use to us, something that she may know of that we may not, but our computers may be able to help us with.”

“Actually Maurice, we have come across a method that was used to transmit messages over their early radio/telegraph systems called “Morse Code!” It was a system of combining dots and dashes to represent every letter of the alphabet!”

“It sounds very laborious to me!” interjected Maurice.

“It does to me too, but it was, apparently, very effective.

“For example, when ships were experiencing trouble at sea they would try and summon help by transmitting a universal three letter message of “S.O.S.” which equated to “Save our Souls”. This was done via nine keystrokes, three dots, three dashes and three dots. A dash was simply a slightly longer keystroke than a dot. Three dots represented the letter S, three dashes the letter O!

“Every letter of their alphabet had a unique key code, the letter “A” was a dot, dash, the most common letter used in their language was the letter “E”, this was represented by a single dot and so on.

“According to our research, it was possible for some operators to recognise other operators by the nature of the way the dots and dashes were transmitted! Although it does vary, due to word length etc, but the average operator could transmit or receive somewhere between twenty to thirty words per minute, some could, by using short words, even cope with speeds of fifty words per minute but that was exceptional.”

“That’s quite clever given the limitations of the technology I suppose!” mused the admiral.

“Well, whilst they may not use “Morse Code” we are fairly certain that the good people of Granaria use a similar method to transmit messages! So, what we propose is to selectively target the central Granarian complex. Then bombard them with the S.O.S. message and see if it is repeated, or something similar is transmitted back. Karin may have known of the code, but may not know all the letter combinations, but if someone bounces back the S.O.S. in reply, then at least we’ll have made contact with them.

“The only flaw in this plan, apart from Karin’s probable lack of awareness of all the code letters, is the fact we’ll be interfering with a native civilisation! For that we need someone in authority to give us the go ahead to breach this regulation.

“We don’t want to transmit in clear language in case someone with nefarious inclinations is listening in. It’s a risk using open morse, but less than using direct speech!”

“Okay Bran, let me think this over carefully, my obvious reaction to your proposal is to say yes, transmit your trial runs, and let’s see what happens, I should run this past headquarters in the Nirvanan Survey Service, but it will take time for the message to work it’s way through channels, and I want to know asap that Karin at least is safe and sound. So let me think on this for a short while. I assume we can automate the transmission and would have actual ears listening for a response, not just automated systems running when we can spare the time to listen?”

“Yes Raul, we can automate whatever message we want to send, and I already have a list as long as your arm of individuals willing to listen out for any response, and that’s before we’d formally announced that was the plan! So, don’t worry, any possible feedback will be picked up and relayed to yourself as well as whoever happens to be on the bridge at the time of receipt! Now, any idea of what we’ll transmit?”

“Well, I suppose if the S.O.S. combination was short and designed to attract attention, how about that code and Karin’s name, and well, we’ll judge what to send next once we know someone is listening out for us!”

Some ninety minutes later the continuous transmission of a code group started, “dot dot dot, dash dash dash, dot dot dot, dash dot dash, dot dash, dot dash dot, dot dot, dash dot, dot dot dot, dash dash dash, dot dot dot.” Then the whole sequence started up again. It was simply a matter of waiting to see if this tactic generated a response.

Any reaction would be an incredible bonus.

Chapter Thirty-three.

Twelve hours after the start of Vasco da Gama’s transmissions of the basic morse code message, Karin and Rae were summoned to Queen Adred’s private office. As they were shown into the Queens presence, Pellinore and Aryn were also waiting to speak to them as was an unknown individual who clutched a sheaf of papers to their chest.

“Thanks for attending so quickly girls, it is much appreciated. May I introduce Chief Scientific Officer Socorro Hervera, who has something you will both find interesting. Socorro, may I introduce Karin and Raelynn Suarez, security specialists currently seconded to us from a friendly nation. I’m afraid I can’t tell you more at the moment!” stated the Queen. “Come, let’s all sit on the sofas, we might as well be comfy while we discuss the item that’s causing a little consternation at the moment.”

“So Socorro, why don’t you tell us what has brought you to my office today?” asked the Queen.

“Certainly, your Majesty! May I pass around some copies of information I think you should all be made aware of!” As she handed out the sheets, she surveyed the two strangers. So, these were the mysterious twins she’s heard so much about within the upper echelons of Granaria’s civil service, she thought!

Let’s hope they can give us an edge over Masonville.

“If you’ll take a look at these pages, they represent radio transmissions we have received from an unexpected source for the last few hours. At first, we thought is was some strange natural occurrence or atmospheric anomaly. But now we have realised that this is a set of unique patterns in the transmissions, which, are being constantly repeated and we believe, are from a source outside of Villiar!

“It seems to start and end with the same sequence, but with a distinct but separate element in its centre, if you see it starts.

“dot dot dot, dash dash dash, dot dot dot, dash dot dash, dot dash, dot dash dot, dot dot, dash dot, dot dot dot, dash dash dash, dot dot dot.”

“We soon realised that the first nine characters being repeated at the end of the sequence was not accidental!”

With that Socorro seemed to run out of steam.

None of those sat around the small table could fail to miss the beaming smile on Karin’s face. Pellinore looked across at her.

“I take it my dear, you know what this represents?”

“Yes, I believe I do, it’s what is known as Morse code. The code was the invention of a man called Samual Morse, and dates back some five hundred years or so. It was an early means of sending telegraph messages, and relied on the people at either end of the signal wire knowing what the groupings of symbols meant, in it’s current form this short message, because that’s what it basically is, says;

“S.O.S. Karin S.O.S.

“I assume they used this message as the repeatability of the beginning and end would make it stand out from random static.”

“But why S.O.S., what does it mean?” asked a bemused Raelynn.

“Well, back in the infancy of radio communications on my home planet, it was a way of ships out at sea to summon assistance and help.

“There were several messages tried, the one that was popular at one time was C.Q.D. or “dash dot dash dot, dash dash dot dash, dash dot dot” which stood for ‘Come Quick Danger’!

“The trouble was that the keystrokes needed to send that message took longer and didn’t stand out from the background traffic in the same way that S.O.S. did! The middle bit of this message just states my name, Karin”

The Queen noticed the open-mouthed astonishment of Socorro Hervera.

“Socorro, I don’t need to remind you of the secrecy of these discussions and the facts revealed to you within this room. As you may have guessed, Karin and Rae are visitors, not only to our nation, but to Villiar itself!

“What you hear today, must not, and I repeat not, be repeated to anyone outside of this room, do you understand me? The very safety of Karin, Raelynn and ultimately everyone in Granaria depends on their presence remaining a closely guarded secret!”

“Of course your Majesty, I would never betray any confidences I am privy to, but so much of recent events now starts to make sense, but rest assured, you may rely on my absolute discretion.

“But may I ask who is sending these messages? Because, as far as we can tell, not only are they are coming from a source far above our atmosphere, but from a stationary point in the sky, and, how come one sister knows all these facts, yet another does not?”

“Ah, Socorro, I’m sorry, but the origins of our sisters are a matter that must remain a secret for the time being! But, to get back to the original point of this meeting.” Stated Aryn, “Can you use it to communicate with the senders of this message Karin?”

“I don’t see why not!” answered Karin, “There was a unique series of codes for each of the twenty-six letters used in the English alphabet, plus the numbers zero to nine.

“What amazes me, is that although I learned the principles of the code when I was in school, I seem to be able to remember the codes used, so if we come up with a reply, we can send it and see what happens next.

“I wonder if they identified my voice on the transmission which we beamed all over Villiar as a result of Masonville’s attacks! But, we can sort that out later!

“Let’s first come up with a reply to this particular transmission!”

A short intense discussion followed and eventually a message was decided upon that read. “Karin and Raul aok need tech help” which was sent repeatedly on a similar frequency to that the incoming message had used.

Not long after the first few transmissions of the answering message was sent the S.O.S. ceased to be received. Both Karin and Raul hugged each other tightly as they knew family and help was nearby.

Later, as they were sat quietly in their room, a bright glow began to grow in intensity, until it eventually resolved itself into the form of a late middle-aged woman that they both knew on sight.

“Garia!” exclaimed Karin, “I never thought to see you here!”

“Well Karin, it’s fair to say that I didn’t expect to see either of you two here either!

“You’ve certainly stirred up a hornet’s nest with your presence. But, as always, it gives us the opportunity to make changes for the benefit of everyone on this planet that has become home to the pair of you!

“By the way, I have spoken with Admiral Suarez, and he sends his love and best wishes to the pair of you, although he has yet to break the news to Ava that she now has a daughter, and not a son. But don’t worry, knowing Ava as I do, I am sure she will embrace you as her child no matter how you look. She has a love all mothers should have, a love regardless of their child’s outcome, sadly not all do, but you Raul, are a going to be a very lucky young lady indeed.”

“Well, Garia, while I am now female, we have decided that perhaps it is probably better if I leave the name Raul behind, I have decided to honour my parents by adopting the name they would have given to their daughter, if they had ever had one that is, so I am now Raelynn Elstrae Strall Suarez! I know it’s a bit of a mouthful, but it’s what they would have wanted, at least I hope so!”

Garia smiled at the women in front of her. “I think that’s a nice touch Raelynn, I don’t think either of you have anything to worry about, Ava and Maurice will love you both, just as they have always done!” she patted Rae’s knee in reassurance.

“You don’t think I will be changed back, do you?” asked Raelynn.

“I doubt it, there is no technological need to transport you to another place and therefore no need to construct another new body for you. We don’t, in effect, murder people to create a need to move someone from place to place!

Besides, it’s not so bad being a woman, I wouldn’t have missed a minute of my female existence, and your good lady wife would agree no doubt!”

“I understand, I just wanted to make sure of what my future held, rather than it being a desperate desire to change my body for changes sake!”

“I realised that Raelynn, none of us knows what the future may hold, but I think I can say with some certainty that your future is likely to be female in nature.

“Now, let’s talk about what you have started here on Villiar, and how it can be used to help remove Signi from power without leaving a vacuum behind that could lead to civil war!”

The discussions went on late into the night!