Part 44 (1/2)
”Yes, with the existing data that can be inferred with a high probability.”
A new murmuring swept the audience.
”Let me guess: one of the remaining creature-s.h.i.+ps, one of the Great Horned s.h.i.+ps, gave birth and then had its newborn escorted back to begin the process of rebuilding the Third,” Jysar added.
”That would seem logical,” Mother agreed. ”But to finish my current line of reasoning, T'kaan wars.h.i.+ps not in close proximity to the Great Horned s.h.i.+p when it died did not self-destruct.” Mother allowed her words to sink in. ”From my knowledge of the T'kaan-from my battles with them-it can now be deduced that they did not fight at one hundred percent capacity. I had a.s.sumed that my skills were simply superior, but after the new Great Horned s.h.i.+p arrived, the T'kaan's strategy and their effectiveness increased substantially, though I, too, increased my capabilities as I grew as a life form.” Mother again paused for the benefit of the slower minds listening to her.
”Some individual s.h.i.+ps did survive of the Third, but they were still affected and not fully functional. And so,” Mother began.
”What does this mean?” Chira asked quickly, interrupting Mother. ”Are there T'kaan s.h.i.+ps left? And what about this symbiotic relations.h.i.+p, when that was broken because of the creature-s.h.i.+p's death-self-destruction was almost immediate.”
The murmurs increased as emotions grew higher for all present.
Mother waited until Chira called for order and silence returned to the hall.
”First, we cannot be certain any survived, because we are still not in possession of all the facts. Some of our conclusions will still be conjecture, and some will merely have a high probability of being correct.”
Mother waited.
”Please proceed,” Chira directed.
”There were normal communications between the T'kaan s.h.i.+ps and their commanders. The humans had also detected the so-called background noise that accompanied these normal communication signals during the original a.s.saults. But it did not seem to contain real data, so it was dismissed as meaningless as the tide of war turned against them.”
”However, the only time the Great Horned s.h.i.+p had accompanied the other wars.h.i.+ps into battle against humanity was at the final a.s.sault against Earth. We must a.s.sume the Great Horned s.h.i.+ps only take part in what they perceive are decisive battles.” ”So this more intense, all-enveloping symbiotic signal, or noise, was picked up for the first time by our sensors at the recent battle.”
”It was of a greater magnitude in signal strength?” Jysar asked.
”Yes, and there were several other differences, including certain bands of frequency generating at a significantly higher rate. Still, we have deciphered no formal data streams embedded inside them. We can only infer what function this signal stream, this background signal, from the creature-s.h.i.+ps to the T'kaan wars.h.i.+ps and their crews had in this triple symbiotic relations.h.i.+p.”
”Triple?!” Jaric half-shouted.
”Before I begin that aspect of the discussion, let me finish the first train of thought by stating that it seems, and I repeatseems , that T'kaan wars.h.i.+ps farther removed from the creature-s.h.i.+p's deathwere affected by that rare and catastrophic event, but not as intensely. Hence, they did not immediately self-destruct with empathy as did the wars.h.i.+ps located nearby; though again, they were affected in a negative way.
There may be isolated T'kaan wars.h.i.+ps still remaining, but with no creature-s.h.i.+p to lead them now, they probably do not present a threat. More importantly, with no creature-s.h.i.+p left, it would seem no more can be created-or born. That is the best I can surmise at this time.”
”It is a reasonable conclusion,” Jaric commented as he nodded to both Rok and Kyle.
”I agree,” Jysar added. ”And I would think when you present what you have learned, or inferred, about this triple symbiotic relations.h.i.+p, that it will confirm this first conclusion.” Jysar looked around at the other leaders, a knowing smile on his face.
”I bet he's had this same discussion with Mother already,” Kyle whispered to Jaric.
”No doubt,” Jaric agreed.
”He's such a geek,” Kyle added.
The two chuckled until Mother's voice returned.
”This is interesting, though.” Jaric nodded with a rapt look.
”The background signal, or noise, was one of the links in this complex relations.h.i.+p. Because we still cannot find any detectable data streams, and it is likely there are none to find at this point, we find ourselves faced with supposing its true function. I have, in previous discussions with other scientists on this subject, looked at its possible function at several levels. One inference is that it was some kind of subconscious connectivity, albeit crucial, between the creature-s.h.i.+p and the T'kaan. Or an emotional connectivity...”
”Like love?” Chira suddenly asked. ”Like the bond of each family member?”
”Perhaps it was that simple, if love is indeed a simple emotion. But I would not cla.s.sify it love,” Mother added. ”We have also looked at it as a type ofshared instinct , such as is found hard-wired into the brains of animals. A strong instinct which drives their innate desire to survive, perhaps like that which drives the pack to fight together as one.”
”Or a combination of the above,” Jysar added, his smile now larger. ”Agreed,” Mother said. ”What's more, maybe it is not just a link between the creature-s.h.i.+p and the T'kaan, but perhaps between certain cla.s.ses of T'kaan wars.h.i.+ps as well.”
”She lost me there,” Kyle whispered.
Jaricshhh'ed harshly.
”To begin with, I would cla.s.sify this symbiotic relations.h.i.+p as Commensalism, meaning both species obviously benefited from it.” Jysar crossed his arms, a pleased-with-himself look on his face.
”But not completely,” Mother interjected. ”I suggest it might be partly Helotism as well, the creature-s.h.i.+p seemed to have a Master/Slave relations.h.i.+p with the T'kaan.” Mother paused. ”Are there any other ideas?”
”I'd say the creature-s.h.i.+p was at the top of the food chain, too,” Rok ventured.
A ripple of laughter raced among the crowd.
”You laugh, but there is truth in his statement. Individual T'kaan were consumed by the creature-s.h.i.+ps.
That is a definite fact.” Mother paused for effect. ”But each species benefited.”
”The creature-s.h.i.+p was a home for the T'kaan. I discovered that a large section of their population actually lived inside of them. That is where their factories and cities existed. That is where the maggot young were sent after they entered their second stage of life, and it would seem from the great numbers I recorded on the desolated human worlds, that most of them never made it to their second stage.”
”The maggots ate each other as well!” Rok shouted.
”Right again,” Mother said. ”I would venture an a.s.sumption that the fiercest maggot young were identified for the warrior cla.s.s and were nurtured through the third stage.”
Murmurs again swept the room.
”The Great Horned s.h.i.+ps, the creature-s.h.i.+ps, were first and foremost biological ent.i.ties, though their outer sh.e.l.l, or skin, was equal to the strongest steel used in stars.h.i.+p construction. It was the T'kaan species that added the hyperdrive engines and enabled the creature-s.h.i.+ps the ability to travel faster than light. They were mainly biological, and then only partially technological, through these separate enhancements. Of course, we will never know completely.”
”And the T'kaan wars.h.i.+ps?” Kyle asked, his interest piqued. ”From a distance they seemed to be constructed like the creature-s.h.i.+ps.”
”The wars.h.i.+ps were first s.h.i.+ps. Kyle is indeed correct, their outer hulls were constructed of the same material. But from our scans of their destroyed fleet, we have determined that their hulls were manufactured.” Mother paused. ”So, the wars.h.i.+ps were first technological, and only then partially biological. That is the best I can do with the limited facts available to me.”
”What part was biological?” Jaric asked.
”Certain interior sections of capital wars.h.i.+ps. Inside, the T'kaan wars.h.i.+ps were vast mazes of labyrinthrooms, similar to the creature-s.h.i.+p's natural ones, but these were manufactured, as was the entire s.h.i.+p, except for sections of specific labyrinth rooms. I would suggest these biological structures integrated both some of the wars.h.i.+p's systems with the creature-s.h.i.+p, and performed some type of integration or communication between the individual T'kaan and the creature-s.h.i.+p.”
Jysar felt his excitement growing. ”I can understand the wars.h.i.+p integration; after all, your main long-term memories are constructed out of Human DNA, albeit artificially produced and of a single type for its superior durability and reliability.” Jaric looked at Kyle while Jysar paused to catch his breath. ”Actually that single aspect of Mother might be considered biological, integrated with her technological systems.”
”But the T'kaan wars.h.i.+p's integration seems to have been more sophisticated, though we cannot ascertain that with precision now,” Jysar added.
”So, let me see if I understand this correctly,” Chira said. ”The Great Horned s.h.i.+ps were living beings.