MENTAL ESSENCE
PAGE 148
   "They are interesting beings.  Awfully pleasant.  Magnificent architecture, and some very interesting food," Pace said.
   "They are nice.  Plus, we gave their economy a healthy boost.  We will attach your ship backwards at the end of the train.  Your thrusters will keep it taut," Trent thought.
   "OM, get some good pictures of this train," thought Pace.
   "Done," replied OM.
   "Jellun up.  See you at Hoyla." said Pace as she settled in for the trip.
   "On arrival," replied Trent.
   They arrived at Hoyla without incident.  It took a month to land each container individually.  It took another month to get the Hoyla familiar with all of the components of the delivery.
   "Well, they should be able to take it from here," said Pace.
   "They should, so if you're ready, we will say our goodbyes and head out," thought Trent.
   Pace and Trent exchanging one last best wishes with the Hoyla, and then they were on their way.
   "There are three likely destination sites for the transmission from Nee.  One is at four hundred light years, one is at twenty-two thousand light years, and one is at two hundred thousand and seventy-seven light years away," OM announced.
   "We should start with the closest to Hoyla," Pace injected.
   "Rough estimate on time of arrival is thirty three days," OM stated.
   "How rough?" asked Pace.
   "Very," OM replied.
   "Jell up, and we are on our way," Trent said.
    Four months later they arrived at a planet call Sorn.
   "Trent, we are at a planet named Sorn," OM stated.
   "How is Pace?" asked Trent.
   "It has been four months, so she will be quite hungry," stated OM.
   "Outline on Sorn please," Trent thought.
   "They have not advanced to the nuclear era, population two billion, and no signs of the Celder," answered OM.
   "I believe it would be wise to let Pace have something to eat before moving on to the next site," Trent thought.
   "Agreed," OM returned.
   Soon they were on their way.
   "Trent, we are at site two," OM thought.
   "Pace?" thought Trent.
   "Fine, and I will bet very hungry.  Very hungry," said OM.
   "How long?" asked Trent.
   "One year and three days," answered OM.
   "She will be very, very, hungry.  So, what is this planet like?" asked Trent
   "It is called Amia.  They are just now entering organizing into agricultural groups.   There are no traces of Celder," thought OM.
   "As soon a Pace has eaten of our suppies, we will head for site three," said Trent.
   Pace was indeed ravenous after such a long flight, and it was decided that in the future they would stop every four months so Pace could renew her strength.
   "Trent we are at Vitis," stated OM.   
   "Pace?" Trent asked.
   "Fine," replied OM.
   "So, what is Vitis like?" Trent asked.
   "They have two habitable planets, population nine billion plus, there are no wars at the present, they are comprised of several democracies, they have interplanetary flight capabilities, most diseases have been eliminated, there are many signs of Celder, there are several uses of the ward Nee which are not a designation to a galaxy, most of the Vitisians speak a language similar to universal, most look similar to you, there are no monitors so they do not know we are here, there has been not contact with beings from other systems, they are capable of making their own scanners to detect Celder, and there is one small signature of gravitirium," OM stated.
   "How small is the gravitirium signature?" Trent asked.
   "It is configured in a twenty foot circle and is comprised of six inch rectangles, and has a round nickel center.   It is located in what I believe to be a Celder hive.  At least there are a lot of Ceder in the immediate vicinity," OM stated.
   "Can you tell what they use it for," asked Trent.
   "Not from here.  Should I wake Pace?" replied OM.
   "Yes indeed," answered Trent.
   As Pace had at the pantry, Trent gave her an update.  She stopped cold when he mentioned the gravitirium and nickel.
   "Not good.  Not good at all," Pace said with a stern expression.
   "Would they be alarmed at the sight of Ship or the cargo ship?" asked Pace.
   "Not per say, but they will be very curious.  There are space worthy ships which look simile to Pace's.  The good news is the warning transmission" ss concerning the Celder will not reach here for a very long time, so the Celder have not been put on guard," said OM.
   "How long?" asked Pace.
   "Two hundred thousand years or so.  I did not send hyper transmissions in this direction because there were none coming from this direction, and I have placed a monitor near the gravitirium circle," answered OM.
   "Their ships probably use it to home in," Trent thought.
   "There are no nuclear signatures emanating from transports, and there are no electronics in use that indicate knowledge of gravitrium.  The Celder have several enterprises associated with livestock, bio engineering, electronic manufacturing, and military equipment.  So far, I have detected one hundred and fifty thousand two hundred and six Celder.  There could be more underground, or in the shielded areas of which there are thousands of rooms and buildings the scanners cannot penetrate," OM stated.
   "Are there Celder around the political centers?" asked Pace.
   "Governmental installations have significant Celder presents," OM replied.
   "Well than, I suppose we should contact their manufacturing competition.  They should be interested in working against the Celder," said Pace.
   "Good idea, and we must keep in mind the likelihood of spies for the Celder within those companies.  Industrial espionage seems to be a thriving activity most everywhere," Trent thought.
   "I suppose the Celder use the same encrypted file system," Pace thought.
   "Yes, they do," replied OM.
   "How many competitors do they have in the military equipment business?" asked Pace.
   "Seven," OM answered.
   "How many electronic companies capable of making scanners?" Pace asked.
   "Four," OM thought.
   "Let's arrange a meeting with the authorities first.  Let them arrange an organized the action against the Celder," Trent ordered.