Free The Great Destroyer by Jack Thorlin Page B

mission control except Yazov noticed Drew Murphy putting on her helmet, her hands shaking.
     
    * * *
     
    The Supers reached the airlock door with a jolt visible on Charlie II’s camera.
     
    Takagawa triggered a radio communication.  “Charlie, switch to internal video feed and stand ready.”
     
    Charlie II radioed back, “Yes, Dr. Takagawa.”  The camera feed being sent to observers around the world switched from Charlie II’s movie-camera quality portable camera to the less-polished feed from his optical sensor.  Charlie II tucked the portable camera away in a side compartment and stood squarely facing the airlock door, his hands at his sides, ready for anything.
     
    The Equality Minister was too focused on the Supers to worry about what Charlie II was up to.  She exclaimed, “They’re here!  Robot, let them in.”
     
    “Yes, Equality Minister.”  Charlie II waited until the Supers were all fully inside the airlock, then pushed a button to shut the outside door.  Once that was accomplished, he pushed another button to pressurize the airlock, then another to open the inner door.
     
    The Supers floated in the airlock, a small space adjoining the main habitable area of the capsule.  There was just enough room for the three of them to fit in the airlock, and they spread out a little, two of them moving into the main capsule and one staying in the airlock.  All of their faces were still hidden behind golden visors.  They faced the Equality Minister, Drew Murphy, and Charlie II, all of whom were anchored to the opposite wall of the capsule about five feet away from the closest Super.
     
    “On behalf of Gaia, I welcome you,” Tanya Eldridge said, bowing as far as she could.
     
    Jackson couldn’t suppress a snort in mission control.  He whispered to Yazov, “Looks like she forgot what planet she’s from.”  The Russian grinned slightly, as much emotion as he allowed himself to show at a time like this.
     
    The technicians in mission control watched as one Super touched an electronic display on his forearm.  He gestured to his companions and himself and spoke, his voice emitting from speakers embedded in his suit.  “Ushah.”  The middle “sh” came out slurred, almost a hiss.  He repeated the word.
     
    Eldridge, realizing that the Super was telling her what to call them, gestured to Drew and said, “People.”  She didn’t mention Charlie, who stood out of the way.
     
    “People,” the Ushah said awkwardly, testing the unfamiliar word.  He pointed to Eldridge and Murphy and said, “People,” again.  Then, he pointed to the Earth out the portal, and held his long, thick finger.  After a moment, it was clear he was prompting the Equality Minister.
     
    “Earth,” Eldridge said. 
     
    There followed an hour of explaining vocabulary.  The talkative Ushah conveyed that he was a linguist, and he translated for his companions as he rapidly gained familiarity with Terran Standard.  Eldridge first described the components of the ship, then basic facts about humans.
     
    The linguist asked in a raspy voice, stumbling over the hard consonants and grammar, “You leader Earth?”
     
    Eldridge didn’t hesitate.  “I speak for and represent Earth.”
     
    The Ushah linguist spoke rapidly with the other Ushah over a private channel.  After a moment, he asked, “You alone leader Earth?”
     
    The Equality Minister’s ambition and ego were on full display. “Yes.”
     
    The Ushah linguist conferred again with his colleagues.  One of the Ushah was taller than the linguist and skinnier, standing about five and a half feet tall.  The other Ushah was short and very broad.  He fiddled with a control screen on his wrist and, suddenly, small mechanisms emerged on the top of his left and right hands. 
     
    The mechanism on his left arm appeared to be a complicated mechanical device with a small opening at the end.  Its purpose was not immediately clear to Igazi, watching the event