Angelika Queen Of Mars

Chapter 21

Chapter 21 Kha'Mak

It was just Kha'Mak and me hauling ass back to earth, a normal voyage usually takes a full week, Kha'Mak is sure we can do in five days or una's. With nothing much to do I began to talk to this android, and in the end made a new friend as well as gaining a pilot.

"So tell me about yourself Kha'Mak," I began, "you say that you are an android?"

"Yes, that is correct; I was created by the JoMarra Corporation as an SK 2152 droid."

"Well Kha'Mak," I replied, "Please forgive any dumb or insensitive questions I may ask, where I come from the best we have right now are very advanced robots, although our technology is right on the cusp of droid technology." I heard him make what I thought to be a rude noise at the mention of robots, but then he continued.

"Robots are something else entirely," he replied, "They are not permitted in our guild."

"You belong to a guild?"

"Absolutely," he replied, "The Tech Droid Guild, represents every android from a level ten right up to level fifty, I'm a level forty." This was certainly interesting, androids belonging to a union, I had to know more.

"I assume this Guild bargains for you and sets wages and working conditions?"

"The Tech Droid Guild concerns itself primarily with fair wages, training, and skill upgrades, working conditions, somewhat, but isn't that the whole point of an android, to work in conditions either unsafe or unhealthy for Nuelian's. There are many types of droids all designed for many applications, working in poisonous or radiated environments. Then you have droids created for extremes in temperatures, either hot or cold. I'm a pilot/Navigator droid these are the skills I was designed for and trained to do. No one is going to employ me to wander around on an ice planet, or work around radiation, or poisonous chemicals."

"You say you guys get paid," I asked, how much?"

"It all depends on the going rate, as well as our training," replied Kha'Mak. "You might ask what an android would do with credits but we need them as much as any Nuel. It's true, we don't need to eat, but we need places to live. The Guild operates hostels in various parts of Falth as well on many of the other off worlds where androids can stay while on a job. We need credits to pay for clothing and especially various upgrades. Many of our employer's automatically pay for upgrades, or special training programs, but many do not." The things he was telling me were incredible; I was extremely intrigued by what I was hearing.

Kha'Mak told me that he has the skills to fly anything being flown by Falth or the Amulian's. I've been thinking that I should get a major upgrade in my engineering skills," he explained. With a chuckle you wouldn't expect from an android, he went on to say,

"Some of the equipment I've flown recently left a lot to be desired in it's upkeep and maintenance, knowing how to make proper repairs would go a long way in keeping me from becoming stranded in deep space or elsewhere." He told me about droids that work in places that would instantly kill a living being, but don't bother androids at all.

I then asked a question that had been on my mind but in reality was ashamed to ask.

"Are there droids made especially for s*x?"

Kha'Mak gave me a look that made me regret asking, but replied,

"Androids of this nature are not deliberately created, but illegally modified. They exist of course, but are not members of the Guild, in a way I feel sorry for them, all outcasts, there isn't even an accurate figure as to how many are out there, but most are found on mining or heavy industrial planets for obvious reasons."

"I'm sorry for asking Kha'Mak," I replied, "I understand some of the robots on earth, or Kagor as you call it have been deliberately created for that purpose." He gave me a look of disdain before replying,

"There you go again about those robots, but I suppose I could believe it." I then thought of something,

"When we get to earth, there are some books you might be interested in, however I don't know if you are able to read English."

Kha'Mak shrugged,

"It's nothing I can't pick up. The easiest way to learn is to have you stand over my shoulder and read a chapter as I analyze the words and grammar."

We talked at length about droid/human/Nuel relations, as well as basic philosophy. The more I talked with this droid, the more misconceptions fell by the wayside. Unlike another human, Kha'Mak never ran out of anything to say, we also spent considerable time teaching each other our respective languages. Although, I could understand what a Falthian was saying to me. I couldn't read the language very well, or understand more difficult words, or the way their language was constructed

By the time we reached home, each of us had a pretty good grasp of the other's written word, and pronunciation.

We came out of hyperspace near Mars, where we immediately picked up radio traffic from Mars base asking who we were and our destination. They were obviously keeping an eye on things here, I asked about commander Armun, but they told me there was no word as they were too far out, so we continued on our way. Earlier I had advised Kha'Mak that we needed to make sure we were cloaked, as we didn't want anyone figuring out where we were landing. I also advised him that we wanted to land sometime between ten and midnight to take best advantage of the dark. Even though it was winter, I didn't expect us to land in a damn storm. At least the wind wasn't blowing, but it was snowing rather heavily, and around twenty-five degrees outside. I had my coat but Kha'Mak didn't. As we trudged through the snow I could see a couple lights on in the house,

"I sure hope Carman and Tarsig are up," I commented, they certainly wouldn't be expecting us. Kha'Mak kept looking around making comments about the weather as we approached the back door.

Knocking hard on the door I stood around freezing although the cold didn't seem to be bothering Kha'Mak at all. Another loud knock brought Carman peering out the window. I could hear her squeal as she realized who it was the door quickly opening. Even though she was trying to hide it, I spotted a 9mm in her hand,

"Smart girl Carman," I casually observed, "You never know who could be out there."

I introduced Kha'Mak but not as an android, I wasn't sure Carman realized that he wasn't a living being as she simply greeted him as a Falthian. Tarsig Appeared in the kitchen wearing a housecoat greeting Kha'Mak and I but casting a curious eye at my pilot.

Once everyone stopped talking, I added,

"Listen ladies, the reason for this visit hasn't arrived yet, there are a couple of Amulins coming but just when they'll arrive is anyone's guess…soon I hope." This statement brought surprise to Tarsig's face,

"Amulins! Why are they coming here?" Carman registered concern, not knowing who or what Amulins were, so I continued.

"Don't worry Carman they won't bite, I'll set them up downstairs in great grandfather's office and study, oh that reminds me, Kha'Mak, there are some books I want to get for you, should make for some interesting reading. Anyway, we got our "t**s in a ringer," over some drawings Gerry made of some flying saucers then showing them to some Amulins. We went before the Falthian foreign minister as well as the Amulian ambassador. Carman, do you remember reading about the UFO crash at Roswell and all the stir about flying saucers in the fifties?" Nodding her head, she replied,

"Area 51 and all those sightings, yeah I remember."

"Although no one will admit it, I think the Amulins built these flying saucer's for one of their client races, who then visited here, crashing, terrorizing people in Kentucky, and who knows what else. The Amulin government is sending a couple investigators here to collect data on all that plus photo's, and project Bluebook. Now look, when they get here, don't bother them, or try and make conversation with them, obviously we'll have to cook for them, and I have no idea what they might eat, but we'll worry about that later. Just leave them to their work OK?" Carman then turned to Tarsig and asked her about the Amulins, while I went down into the basement to check on what was there.

Great great great, grandfather Moreck kept his office and library down there as well as a spare bedroom. One of his later purchases was a Mac desktop computer which was connected to the internet. I turned it on as well as the lights, since the furnace was down there it was plenty warm enough. Then perusing his library, I selected four books along with a dictionary for Kha'Mak to read. Before I headed back upstairs, I surveyed the room, Moreck set up this "Man Cave" sometime back in the 1920's, with all sorts of newspaper and magazine articles framed highlighting human scientific development. Full size front pages from the Chicago Tribune and Denver Post marked the moon landing in 1969. Although I had never spent much time down here I could tell Moreck's whole life was either on display, or stored away down here. Before leaving the room, I quietly said out loud,

"Got some Amulians coming Moreck, hope you won't mind if they use your office.?"

Somehow I was pretty sure he wouldn't mind, knowing that this old house was returning to its former use as a "way station," for any number of intergalactic races.

Returning upstairs I found both women chatting with Kha'Mak about the snow and cold weather.

"Here are the books I promised you Kha'Mak, as well as an English language dictionary,"

"Excellent," he replied, "I can read them while everyone sleeps." At this point Carman looked at him strangely,

"Don't you sleep?" Kha'Mak gave her a half smile and replied,

"I don't need to sleep really, although I have a hibernation ability which I use from time to time whenever I…" He started to speak but Carman interrupted,

"Don't say it Carman!" I quickly injected. She turned and gave me a strange look'

"I was just going to ask if he was an android…Jeeze."

"Yes, Carman I'm an android, a Ja'Komasec SK2152 series droid." I was so sure she was going to make a reference to C-3PO from Star Wars I stood ready to correct, but once again she simply replied,

"Cool!" Flashing me dirty looks. Kha'Mak looked at the volumes which I read for him.

"I Robot, Caves of Steel, Naked Sun, and Robots of Dawn written by Isaac Asimov. Along with Phillip K. d**k's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep."

"I know the term "robots" offends you, but Asimov wrote those back in the early fifties, at the time when people were seeing those flying saucers, and the concept of droid's simply wasn't thought of." I directed him to the "Lazy Boy," in the living room where he sat down preparing to read. I stood behind him and read most of the first chapter of "I Robot," before joining the ladies in the kitchen.

Tarsig announced that she was tired and going to bed, so I waited until she was gone before asking Carman how things were going.

"Terrific," she replied, "LT I'm just so grateful you called me, this is really the opportunity of a lifetime. Tarsig and I have become such good friends. She's promised me a visit to Falth, where I can meet her friends as well as her parents. But how about you, how are things going with you?"

"Well besides this Amulin business, great. We've talked with all the right people in the marines, they are all for it, good Lord you ought to see all the visual and graphic's they have, the place doesn't even exist yet but we were actually walking around the training villave as though it really existed." As for Moreck, I met his friend who runs a provisioning company as well as a catering service. Everything's ready to go on their end, it's just a matter of shipping now."

"Well the warehouse is full again," announced Carman, can we send it back with you?"

"I'm afraid not," I replied, "there's very little room aboard this ship, however I might be able to squeeze a twenty-five pound bag, as well as perhaps a couple five pound canisters on board. I'm only here because of this Amulin thing, and once they're done, Tarsig and I are leaving."

We sat up and talked for a bit longer, then just as we were ready to call it a "night," a low rumble came from above. I looked up at the ceiling, and announced,

"They're here." Tarsig called from her room,

"Now who's here?"

"The Amulins!" we shouted back.

""No rest for the wicked tonight," I said to no one in particular, as I went to the window to see who was outside. Sure enough, there were two figures standing out in the yard so I opened the door,

"You two, over here, its cold out there, come on in." Tarsig had rejoined us along with Kha'Mak. Having never seen this mysterious race Carman stood close to Tarsig and Kha'Mak. Without a word, they seemed to glide into the room giving the kitchen a complete "once over," the moment they entered. Carman's eyes got big as she took in this new race of aliens coming into her life. I noticed they appeared to be male and female, and was just starting to wonder if they spoke at all when the male introduced themselves.