“That’s very helpful, Controller. Thank you for your assistance.” Glotaj signed off, his brows furrowed in thought.
“I’ve been representing the Yanurans before the Admissions Committee,” Mara mentioned. “Their departure was expected.”
Glotaj nodded absently. “I’d like to have a private conversation with Admiral Daras Gog. I’m sure Sarina won’t mind if I use her upstairs office.”
While he was gone, the door chime rang and Hedy was admitted. Her haste in getting there was apparent in her disheveled appearance. She wore a pair of leggings and a pullover sweater, and she’d fastened her brown hair into a ponytail.
“Thank the stars you’re here,” Mara cried, rushing to her. Quickly, she filled Hedy in on what had happened.
Hedy’s face paled and her lips compressed. When Mara finished, she rummaged in her bag for her mediscan unit. “I’ll tend to her right away,” she said. Turning on her heels, Hedy headed toward Sarina’s sleeping chamber.
Mara paced the living area. Her mind filled with the issues they’d discussed. Had anything been left out, any item of small significance that would apply to the situation?
A thought struck her, and her heart raced. “Lieutenant Wren!”
Wren was at the holovid unit, studying Teir’s new image crystallizer. At her summons, he glanced up.
“The kidnappers knew Sarina would open her door to receive a bouquet of flowers, yet Earth isn’t advanced enough to be a member of the Coalition. First contact hasn’t been made. How would they know about the Earth custom of delivering flowers? It would have to be someone like me who’s studied their culture.”
Wren raised his layered eyebrows. “Has anyone discussed this topic with you recently?”
She regarded him thoughtfully. She worked as a cultural specialist for the Department of Interstellar Relations in the Diplomatic Affairs Bureau, representing new alien cultures applying for admission to the Coalition. In addition, she attended interdisciplinary team rounds at the wellness center, offering her knowledge of alien customs as they pertained to medical care.
“I don’t recall anyone mentioning Earth’s cultural practices. Then again, the database in the study center is open to all.” The main library on Bimordus Two had a huge directory, receiving input from over five hundred worlds.
“This could be an important clue,” Wren remarked, his voice a pitch higher with excitement.
“What could?” Glotaj descended the spiral staircase. When Mara explained her idea, he nodded his agreement. “You’re right. On Bimordus Two, we consider it a sacrilege to snip blooms and deprive them of their short lifespan. The kidnappers used a specific knowledge of Earth customs to trick Sarina. We’ll have to look into this possibility more thoroughly.”
He strode down the last few steps. Though dressed casually in a short tunic and trousers, his lined face, sharp gaze, and proud posture displayed his status as a member of the royal House of Raimorrda.
Teir also claimed lineage from that respected ruling family, Mara remembered. Was it possible the baby had been abducted by someone working against the Raimorrdans?
No, it couldn’t be. Destroying the Elevation Ceremony would harm Auranians, not those of Raimorrdan blood. She was grasping at straws. Hanging her head, she felt discouragement wash over her.
“I’ve notified Admiral Gog about the traces of quantum resolution particles found in the nursery,” Glotaj said, staring at a Carellian thorn vase displayed on a pedestal.
Mara followed the direction of his gaze. Pink veins highlighted the translucent white vase, while thorny prominences decorated the curved upper edge. It had been one of the best pieces she’d ever sculpted. The day when Sarina and Teir had accepted her gift with lavish praise had been one of her proudest moments.
Her eyes wandered to the holographic image of Jallyn fixed on the wall. The baby gurgled with laughter, her tiny hands and feet waving with uninhibited joy as the camera had captured her. She remembered how Sarina had beamed with pride when she showed her the picture, and her eyes misted.
Pushing aside her emotions, she focused on what Glotaj had said. “What’s the significance of quantum resolution particles?” she asked.
Glotaj’s mouth tightened as he moved closer to where she stood. “It means the abductors used transporter technology to escape. We’ve determined there were two of them, but our scans are inconclusive for further details.”
Her jaw gaped. Transporter technology? As far as she knew, their scientists were only able to transport a roomful of objects from one location to another, but they hadn’t perfected the technique enough to transfer people.
Transporter technology was not related to the molecular alteration process that ran their fabricators or allowed shuttles to be disguised in different configurations.
She stared at Glotaj. “How is this possible?”
“We know of several nonaligned species who possess technical knowledge in advance of our own,” Glotaj said, his face grim. “The Rakkians, Fire Weavers, and Bolons come to mind.”
“They should all be checked out,” Wren stated, frowning. “One thing I don’t understand—why the ruse with the flowers if the abductors could have gotten in using the same transporter method?”
“Apparently they arrived downstairs in the lobby. They must have been uncertain as to the location of Sarina’s apartment. But once they found it and gained entry, they beamed directly out.”
“Is there any way to trace the pattern to learn where they went?” Mara asked.
Glotaj shook his head. “We don’t have that capability. We do know the child was taken aboard a ship. Admiral Gog is sending patrols after Boris Gregorski and Ambassador El’Rik. The Yanuran delegation is another matter. Their situation requires a closer look, so I’m sending a special team to Yanura.”
At Mara’s look of puzzlement, he explained. “The Yanurans have applied for admission to the Coalition. You’ve been helping them with the application process, so you’re more familiar with their situation. But Wren may not know the details.”
He directed his attention to the Polluxite. “Fromoth Trun, the Yanuran leader, has offered to share the formula for Vyclor, a miracle age-preserving drug derived from seaweed, as a trade incentive. The data seems conclusive, but the Admissions Committee requires a fuller investigation before reaching a decision.”
“The Yanurans don’t need a trade incentive to enter the Coalition,” Wren said. “So why are they offering something so valuable?”
“They’re demanding immediate access to our technology instead of having to wait the usual probationary period of one annum. This approval can only be granted if they’re given special trade status. We need to conduct a more thorough examination first.”
“If you ask me,” Mara interrupted, “the Admissions Committee is looking for an excuse to deny their application. No one likes their smell, and I think that’s why the committee is delaying its response.”
The Yanurans exuded a fishy odor that may have prejudiced the committee against admitting the amphibian race to the Coalition. Fighting intolerance had become Mara’s passion in life after her own personal experiences in this regard. In her opinion, the Yanurans were being discriminated against without reasonable cause.