Free SODIUM:6 Defiance by Stephen Arseneault

rectangular shape was dotted with ports and thousands of docked ships. As we observed we took note that each ship had a transponder and the transponders were coded to six unique frequencies.
    After mapping traffic as it arrived and departed we soon had directions to 14 nearby star systems. The next month was spent traveling to each to gather information. The six unique transponder codes were tied to seven species within the star systems we had observed.
    Harris had been feverishly working to unravel the alien languages. He soon had a set of common terms used by all and was able to build translator modules for each distinct language. I continued to be impressed by his work.
    They identified themselves as the Kooze Collective. The seven species were divided into six governed zones. The Hark were the dominant species and were identified as one of the good species we had found on the right hand door on DaCuban. They were the first of the three symbols from the right bottom row.
    The Hark had an appearance that resembled a giant sloth. They had brown fur and large bellies. Their hands were not clawed as a sloth's, but had three fingers and an opposable thumb. Their slow walk turned their large belly from side to side as they moved along. Again we studied their behavior through televised signals. The Hark occupied two star systems with four habitable planets and appeared to be a friendly people.
    The next species was the Bellians. They were the final symbol on the right hand door at DaCuban. The Bellians had a bright green scaly skin with a white underbelly. They were bipeds and sported a short tail. From the signals we had intercepted they seemed like an industrious species, moving about quickly and heavily involved in trade; a species whose dealings with others seemed to be on friendly terms.
    The five remaining species were identified as members of the archway 36 from DaCuban. Each had a unique appearance, culture and behavior, but each seemingly got along well with the others. Two of the five species shared both a government and planet.
    When the languages had all been interpreted and each species studied and logged we were given the order to make contact. Harris and Miller soon had a channel open to traffic controllers of the great station. After discussions with several individuals of ever increasing rank, a heavy cruiser was sent to escort us to the station.
    We pulled into an open port and set down at dock BEL1244. A Bellian Ambassador was the first to greet us. We were escorted to a large conference room with windows that looked out upon the traffic coming to and leaving from the station. It was a busy place.
    Ambassador Creeger gave a standard welcome speech, but with its delivery I could tell it had not been used very often. In our discussions he revealed that we were the first travelers to visit the Alnilam region in more than five centuries. The previous guests had come limping along in a tattered starship.
    The Karant were a people on the run. Their planet had been attacked and all their citizens killed. The starship Bella and its 156 passengers were all that remained. Their planet had been destroyed by a CME coming from their sun shortly after a mysterious ship had arrived. The Bella had been returning from a mining colony when the attack happened. They had taken heavy damage from a particle beam strike just as they reached light speed. They returned to their system two months later only to find that their people were no more.
    I asked if we could see an image of the Karant, they were soon identified as the remaining species from the bottom of the right door. The Karant exchanged technology with the Kooze collective in return for repairs to their ship, and for supplies. They departed for a destination unknown shortly thereafter. The last known trajectory of the Karant ship was heading for dead space. Creeger noted that it had been a big story when he was but a child.
    Creeger was our escort and was thrilled when we