Fragment Future -2-



-1-

Lt. Claudia Moore grabbed her gear bag and followed the others down the ramp of the D 20 shuttle. She was the only one wearing Navy black. The others were marines in full battle gear and four beings in beige colored uniforms of the Science Corps. 

Her transfer orders included a briefing on the environmental conditions, but she was still unprepared for the billowing dust and the heat, that hit her like a fist as she went past the force field curtain and stepped into the glaring light.

The Marines before her stomped onto a wheeled tough looking contraption. A turbine howled into higher rotations and the massive Marine vehicle started rolling away kicking up even more of the yellowish dust that obscured everything and turning the two suns in the sky into pale discs.

The four scientists, in their beige uniforms looked like insubstantial ghosts even standing only about eight meters away. One of them was from Archa, his huge spider shape in the boiling dust was actually quite disturbing.

An even more frightening shape moved through the dust. It was huge, but she recognized the big shape to be a Boloth. In her estimate this one was at least 30 meters long and 12 meters high. Of course it must have been Dr. Cybur one of the few Boloths that eagerly travelled.

The massive Union Citizen made a nearby Pertharian look small.

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She watched the Scientists climb onto the back of the Boloth. That made sense, why having a transport vehicle when they could rely on a Boloth?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Shuttle behind her closed its ramp and climbed back into the sulfuric colored sky, kicking up even more dust.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She felt completely lost when she saw a tall humanoid shape approaching her. The shape became clearer and revealed a fierce looking Dai Warrior complete with swords on his back. Instead of a dark red Dai armor, this one wore a black uniform and instead of the Clan Glyph at the center of his weapon harness that criss crossed his chest was the Union Flag.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He wore a filter mask before most of his face, but she could see his yellow eyes behind transparent goggles. She remembered the jokes and stories from the Academy about the Dai ;and the old Terran phrase of handsome devil was getting a whole new meaning with most of the Dai Than now being Union members.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She had not met a Dai in person yet, but her female friends at the Academy all swooned for these former space pirates.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He was tall and muscular and she had to admit he radiated masculinity in a raw and powerful way that made her flush despite her situation and all the new impressions.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said. “Good afternoon Lieutenant Moore and welcome to Avondur, and the very center of the Universe, I am Per-Hi. Commander of this perhaps most unusual Union Outpost.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sir, I am sorry for my tardy arrival, but the first two shuttles from the Gate Train were filled to the last seat.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The dust started to settle a little and slowly more features of the surroundings became visible. The small landing area was surrounded by a low primitve wall of yellowish rocks. She heard the din of thousand voices and beyond that rock wall and in the direction from where the Dai had come, roofs of dusty tents, and primitive buildings as far as she could see. To the opposite direction a featureless desert with an undefinable horizon that lost itself in the dusty haze. Everything she could see was covered with a thick layer of yellowish dust that had the consistency of Talcum powder.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An alien space ship was sitting on its landing gear not far from where the Union shuttle had been.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Dai handed her a dust mask with attached goggles and said. “It is quite alright, Lt.Moore. That you are two hours late isn’t all that important after a trip of 65 million light years. You are briefed about the local conditions?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She put on the mask and nodded. “Yes Sir, but I think the briefing was a little on the light side.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He sighed. “Let us go to the Compound. I am sure we can fill the gaps in a more agreeable environment. Just follow me and do not talk to anyone, do not react or response to whatever is said. Regardless if it is insulting or offensive, you did get that part of the briefing right?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes Sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She followed the tall Dai to a gap in the circular wall and they stepped into a busy, apparently primitive market. The market was crowded with beings of many shapes and sizes. Some were humanoid but it appeared humanoid shapes were in the minority, some of the non-humanoids looked familiar, most however did not resemble any species she knew. As diverse as the beings were so were their clothing and gear. A few sported modern, sophistacted looking armor and weapons while others wore anachronistic armor paired with swords, clubs and spears. The only common theme was that they all were armed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The tent stalls offered wares and food in a staggering variety. The smells ranged from heavenly scents to gag reflex inducing stenches. The path that sneaked between the tents was wide enough for a Boloth, but unpaved and littered with trash and fecal matter.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Dai was walking fast and purposeful and the merchants and customer crowds mingling between the stalls made way.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The path leading from the simple landing pad now widened into a market square of sorts

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There merchants and dealers sold beasts of burden, caged monsters and slaves! There was no mistake, these chained beings were sentient. Her hands clenched into fists. This most miserable practice of enslaving sentient beings had just been eliminated in the M-0 Galaxy, at least for the known part of it. With the fall of the Kermac and the end of the Galactic Council, the Freespace treaty became null and void and Union battle ships could freely move, hunting pirates and cleanse pirate nests and slave trading markets, not that there were many customers for slaves left. What was left of the Togar Empire joined the Union. The Karthanian first Engineer, awake after many millenia had sent a delegation to Pluribus just about a month ago requesting Karthanian membrship, both societies once relied on slaves, but seeing this practice here was quite disturbing to her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While she felt sorry for these chained beings, with what appeared to be price tags attached to their bodies. She observed a bird like creature haggling with two large bipedal beings over the sale of a sad looking pinkish colored being; as she followed the Dai walking by that slave dealers stall, she

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">saw two humans. The anatomy was correct, there was no mistake. As the chained and naked humans noticed herm they raised their hands as much as they could yelled. “Union Officers, we a re citizens! Help us!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She was already on the move,with her hand on the butt of her sidearm to question this dealer for this audacity and free the slaves when the hand of the Dai fell heavy on her shoulder. “ Lieutenant Moore, do not act or even respond to these slaves and keep following me!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sir, these are Union Citizens. Regardless where we are, regardless the conditions here, they are the reason we wear this uniform. We are required by law to assist.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We are very far from Union Fleets and resources. Now follow me, and not another word and that is an order.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It took all her will power to make a few more steps. Again the human slaves called for help and their voices reflected their losing hope as they saw the Union officers walk on. She was about to disregard the Dai officer. “Sir you are my superior officer, but you are Dai, maybe Terran Humans mena little to you. I took an oath to...”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Before she could do anything else, the Dai grabbed her, slung her over his shoulder and carried her away. He was very strong, she could feel his rock hard muscles underneath his leather armor, but she was not helpless. She was a trained Union Officer and she was from Earth, not exactly a very exotic place, but she was Terran through and through. Ancient Terran anger started boiling in her

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No Terran acknowledged even the existence of this “collective” emotion they all had in common, Sir, unhand me at once and let me do what must be done, or by God I will take steps..”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Luckily the Dai had reached his destination. A sand stone and mud brick building complex with a high wall and the Union Flag projected into the air above it. Two Marines in Atlas Battle Suits guarding the gate and two more sitting behind tripod mounted weapons to the left and right on top of the wall.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Without letting her go, the Dai said to two men in brown Cloaks they encountered right at the heavily reinforced gate. “There are two Union Citizens in the latest assortment of Kalich the Sorrow.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the cloaked beings was quite short in stature and reached only to the Commander's waist. She had to twist and struggle to see what was going on, the Dai's arm pressed her even tighter and she felt like caught in the steel grip of a robot. However as the short being raised his head she recognized a Golden underneath the hood

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Golden also held up a heavy looking small leather bag and said. “We know Commander, that is why Lt. Jif and I are on our way.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The other being, as tall as the commander turned enough. He was a four armed Attike-Tak one of the legendary almost mystical warriors of the Attikan Commonwealth.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Without further words the unlikely duo disapeared into the crowds

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Only now and past the gate did the Commander drop her off his shoulders and growled at her as she struggled to get up.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">”If you ever again disobey an order of mine, I send you wrapped like a Nul Sausage and per Union mail back to where ever you came from.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sir, I am an Officer. I have a moral obligation to evaluate each and every order given. Our uniforns and oaths require us to assist those Union citizens, even if we have to go against the whole planet.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Dai Commander stuck his gloved finger right before her eyes. “As an officer you are also obligated to follow orders. Only act it with all information possible before you make a decision to disobey a direct order!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She swallowed hard and realized that she could be moments away from a trip to the brig and perhaps a court martial.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He was not done and still kept his gloved finger hovering before her eyes. “I am going to forget what just happened, but I won't be so forgiving about the fact, that you accused me of race bias.” He relaxed his stance and waved his hand. “Now get yourself situated, your are scheduled for duty as of Oh-nine hundred tomorrow and before that you and me will have a long talk!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Dai turned on his heel and left her standing there in the middle of a small court yard, behind her the tall wall and the gate and before her a four story building complex made of rough hewn stone and mud bricks. She estimated the yard to be about hundred meters wide and fifty deep, the ground was smooth Duro-Crete.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A pair of S-10 robots in sandy camouflage pattern paint used vacuum suction devices to gather the fine dust.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She sighed deeply and hoped the Commander would not go by the book. She knew she had and impulsive streak and no matter the rigid Academy training, she could not deny the fact that she was a woman and sometimes reacted to her feelings, before she   had a chance to think.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was a a door to the left, leading into a mud brick building, that had no real straight corners. It was glued right to the inside of this fortress like wall, upon which she saw marines patrolling in full Atlas Suits.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A chirpy voice interrupted her musings. “Welcome to Avondur, Lt. Moore. I am Petty Officer Brener.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It took her a second to find the source of the voice, a   maybe forty centimeter tall Holdian. A pelted being with a long snout,   pretty much looking like a very large Terran rat walking on its hind legs and wearing its version of a black fleet uniform. She acknowledged the petty officer with a nod and said. “Thank you Mr. Brener.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Do you want me to show you to your quarters or would you want to remain here?”

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">