RM2-Ch3:The Past-edited

Chapter 3: The Past - 4930 (OTT)

The Saresii ship was the product of a Union member society, and yet to him, it was quite alien in design.

The crew consisted of only beautiful Saresii, no other Union Member species represented and all appearing like women.

The quarters he received appeared frilly and had floating furniture that reminded him of shimmering soap bubbles.

Cara ensured him that most of the stuff was made of formed energy and manipulated matter, much like Variform furniture and that it was sturdy enough even for Partner.

After they had taken off, he retired and wanted to catch some sleep, he felt exhausted.

Just as he had dimmed the lights and was drifting into sleep, he had a very vivid dream of a dry planet. with a glaring desert. Of rough canyon rock walls, with thousands of cages. In his incorporeal ghost-like condition, he noticed a filthy woman leaning against a stone wall inside one of those cages, The floor covered with filthy yellowish plant stalks.

He recognized the woman. The images made him bolt straight up in the low-grav bed, and he yelled, “Mother!”

--””--

Only ten days had passed since the Kermac attacked Green Hell, trying to excavate and secure an ancient Saresii space ship, buried there for over a million standard years.

It all culminated with the Union-wide shocking revelation that the President of the United Stars himself was a Kermac Spy.

Roy had been at the very center of these events and he had to admit, most of it it was still hard to understand.

The Kermac, the Galactic Council. A quest by these White-skinned agitators that lasted over 500 years, to unravel the technical secret of the Translocator Cannons.

Galactic secrets, Union politics, wide-reaching ramifications, and war. He sighed deeply as he rubbed his eyes, trying to chase the demons of that vivid nightmare away whispered. ”Damn them all, I am just a teenager of a backwater world. What do I know?

His beloved homeworld, Green Hell did not develop into the most dangerous planet in the known universe all on its own, and by nature's design alone.

He unraveled that mystery at the climax of those recent events. All that lethal life that did not match any genetic commonality, like the naturally evolved life of any other known garden world.

All these diverse life forms had been brought to Green Hell, by a long-vanished and highly advanced society, known to a very few as Seenians, generally and incorrectly called the Celtest.

These Seenians gathered the most lethal and dangerous life forms from all across the galaxy and perhaps beyond, brought them to Green Hell as part of a bioweapon program.

If he understood correctly, the Seenians tried to develop bioforms that could be used as a weapon against an equally long-vanished foe, called the Dark Ones.

Both the Seenians and the Dark Ones vanished long before the bioweapon project was completed.

An advanced AI machine was left behind and it somehow developed a personality and merged with a cosmic entity or spirit, someone or something truly beyond Roy’s comprehension. What he believed to understand was that this machine/spirit symbiont evolved in a kind of planetary mother. A guardian or protector of Green Hell with a deep connection to all that lived on Green Hell.

The most lethal life forms somehow learned to live with each other, find a balance and evolve into the unique biosphere of Green Hell.

This entity was represented by the projection of a woman with the name Qaroniel.

She had revealed herself to him and first called him a child of Oaroniel and then as the Kermac invaded, she called him Warrior of Qaroniel.

He had seen her only once in the aftermath of the invasion. To his disappointment, she too wanted him, just like Uncle Sam to leave Green Hell.

She argued that the true monsters and true evil were to be found beyond the orbit of Green Hell, a sentiment echoed by Uncle Sam. Qaroniel told him, that he would need knowledge and skills not found on Green Hell to become its true protector.

When Cara, his Saresii friend, and mentor offered a chance to receive college education on Sares Prime, everyone he knew told him this was a great honor and a rare opportunity.

Something he had to accept and embrace. Even practical Ma Swenson told him, the day he left Green Hell, that them Doll-faces of Sares were quite advanced and smart as they came.

Those were her words. So, he promised everyone to be good and try his best.

He had to agree that the events since his last birthday had shown him just how important education, and how dangerous ignorance could be, but deep down there was a voice of rebellion. Perhaps not as stubborn as it was before, this voice still a hallmark of human teenagers since times began; resenting the fact that there were always others telling him how he had to act and what to do.

Less than twelve hours ago. Cara, Partner, and Roy had boarded this exotic looking Saresii space ship at the spaceport of Harper’s Junction.

Not able to sleep after that strange nightmare.A dream where he saw his mother and his father in a cave-like place, dirty and wearing rags and being prisoners of someone or something. Not that this was possible, both his parents fell victim to a pirate attack and perished with all the others of the UES Zengh He.

While the Saresii Ship was quite fast, it still had to cross through the entire Upward Sector. past the gaps of two spiral arms and then cross into the Spinward Sector.

In terms of distance almost 35,000 light-years. Even though the Saresii Ship traveled in Quasi Space at the incredible speed of 42,875 times the speed of light, it would take over 298 standard days to reach the destination of Sares Prime, at least if his calculation was right.

Yet, Cara had told him they would make the trip in less than 20 days.

In moments like this, he knew he should have paid more attention in school and not skip the Neural Upload sessions as he did so often, so he could escape school for his beloved jungles. He wondered how this would be accomplished.

Roy took a cold water-based shower, instead of the also offered perfumed steamed sonics, and got dressed in his usual camo-pattern Bio-seal suit.

His quarters were spacious and everything had an alien feminine character, well everything except that huge black beast, still snoozing in the big bed.

That animal was a true enigma, all Roy really could find out about Partner came from obscure stories and legends.

Some sources suggested that it was the product of highly advanced civilization, today only remembered as the Dark Ones. Perhaps the Green Hell project of the Seenians was a direct answer?

His mind had a hard time believing that this fur-covered, four-legged animal was that old. According to these legends he had discovered so far, Partner was supposed to be a Fury Beast or if Roy paid credence to an Oromal waiter of Harper’s Junction spaceport, Partner was an Imperial Hell-Hound; that his four-legged friend was way more than it appeared was certain, however. There seemed little that could harm or kill his friend, except energy siphoning devices.

Partner could teleport, emit strong energy blasts from those small, always slightly glowing horns, eat pretty much anything.

And when he needed help, the Beast summoned thousands of similar, but smaller Fury Beasts. These other beasts had appeared in the nick of time defeating the landing Kermac, only to disappear once the deed was done.

Roy shared a psionic link, a strong bond with Partner and while his animal was quite intelligent, it was not sentient. It communicated with mental images and emotions, many of Partner’s images made no sense to Roy.

For example, when he tried to ask Partner where the other Fury Beasts came from or where they went, all he got were confusing images of swirling colors and symbolic conditions that looked like abstract paintings of a mad man. At least that was the closest way Roy could describe what he saw when he tried to formulate his question.

He had given up trying to understand his friend. All he know was that he loved this creature as much as anyone could love an animal.

Partner raised his head, always knowing when Roy was thinking about it and a warm wave of affection came over Roy, transmitted by the mind of the animal as if to say. “I love you too.” Then Partner blinked with his deep red glowing eyes and it was clear he tried to say. “Is it time to get up?”

Roy went over and rubbed the animal’s belly. “Don’t get up. It’s still early and there isn’t anything to do anyway, but I can’t sleep, I had a weird dream. I want to see if I can scare up some breakfast.”

Partner sneezed, licked over Roy’s arm and squeezed his eyes shut.

“I said it before, you know. I bet you are the laziest sleepy beast of them all. Whoever owned you before wanted some tough beast and all he got was a big black cuddle monster.”

He hugged his massive pet and buried his face in the dry, warm fur. “I sure glad I have you, though.”

Partner grunted deeply satisfied and then sneezed again. Roy was certain, Partner was completely content. So he let it sleep and then went to the exit.

The door to this pink and pastel blue bubble room without any straight walls or sharp corners was a five-leaf iris and it made a turning motion and chirping sound as it opened.

The corridor behind his door had the cross-section of an egg-shaped oval, the walls and floors were made of a smooth white plastic-like mirror-smooth and translucent material.

Soft bluish light shining without revealing a real source behind the material gave it all a clinical, antiseptic atmosphere.

Cara had shown him to his quarters as they left Harper’s Junction yesterday, so far he had seen little else of the ship.

Not knowing which direction to go, he hesitated for a moment and then simply went to the right.

It didn’t have to walk far when he ran into one of the ship’s crew. Another long-legged, very female shaped Saresii wearing a white catsuit, with fine black lines down the sides.

Her ample chest was clearly defined underneath that shinny white material and on top of her left boob the Union Flag, while a series of alien writing on the right side most likely identified her name.

If it was a she of course, despite the fact she looked like a flawless fashion model with a killer body, long shiny black hair and a beautiful face with large purple eyes and voluptuous lips; he knew she could very well be a Saresii male. From what he learned from Cara there were no visual differences.”

She smiled at him. “Hello Mr. Masters, I am Doctor Seniie and the CMO of this vessel. I am surprised to see you up at this hour.”

“Nice to meet you Doc. I had a nightmare and could not sleep so I decided to find the galley, scare up some breakfast and then look around a little if that is okay.”

“Of course, there are no areas of this ship that are restricted to you, this isn’t a Union Fleet ship.”

She pointed back from where Roy had come from. “There are verbal accessible serve-matics in your quarters able to provide you with a wide variety of breakfast choices. There is a staffed Galley on Deck three. Easy to find if you take the next IST and tell it where you want to go.”

“I suspected there would be serve-matics, but I wanted to walk a little.”

“Why don’t you accompany me to Sick Bay? I always begin my shift with a good cup of Terran coffee and a few doughnuts. I can’t stand this weak Saresii Tea we’re supposed to love.”

“A donut doesn’t sound too bad. Got any Boston crème?”

“I am sure the serve-Matic can print one.”

Roy changed direction and followed the medical officer and decided she had to be female. No man would have such a nice behind.

The doctor sighed and then said. “Cara told me you did not have much exposure to other Union members on Green Hell, and that the Saresii society might be a little challenging for you, but I have to disappoint you. I am a male Saresii.”

Roy blushed and remembered that Saresii were all psionic gifted and almost all of them were Telepaths. “I am sorry for...”

“Don’t be sorry and don’t worry, we don’t dig. That means we won’t go further than the open surface thoughts almost all beings transmit, it’s almost like hearing a spoken conversation to someone with ears. Going beyond that is against the law and we take our Union Psi laws very seriously.”

“I know, my mother is ... I mean she was a Telepath and she too spoke about these laws and always respected them. I know what digging means. She didn’t do it either.”

The CMO gave him a sad smile. “Yes, Cara told me about that as well. From Phantas, right? I mean your mother was from that world, was she not?”

“Yes, she was.”

“Ah, the Phantas enigma. Terran Settlers there developed strong Psionic talents over the almost 2000 years of Colony history.”

The doctor was thinking for a second and added. ”If I recall, only recently it was discovered that local pollen of a psionic gifted plant that caused the mutation. Actually, this pollen dust is somewhat akin to the dust pods of the Fire Nettle Bushes, producing the famous Calipharm that comes from your world. Leedei scientists think psionic abilities occur on planets that are near psion nodes.”

“I didn’t know that.”

The doctor made a gesture down his body. “If you are curious about Saresii and our ways. I don’t mind answering your questions.”

“How is it you have female hips, and fill out that skin tight thing, without showing ... Uhm...”

“We do this for a very long time and perfected it. It is still sort of a disguise, but after almost 950,000 years it is very natural to us. Then there are Saresii Body-Shapers, these machines able to rearrange the molecules of your bodies in many shapes.”

“Ah, that explains why you all look like tall legged super beauties.”

He laughed. “Well, that. careful dieting and there are of course genetic changes that occurred both naturally and assisted that blur these external visual gender differences, that are more pronounced in the average Terran Human of course. We have a Body shaper in Sickbay and if you want you can try it too.”

“Maybe some other time. I am sort of okay with what I got and all that.”

“But maybe we could look into your Nightmare, only if you want, but nightmares often have psychosomatic causes and psycho med-science is a Saresii specialty.”

They reached an IST tube and stepped in. The Saresii Doctor asked the system for sickbay and Roy said. “Sure I don’t mind that, it was such a weird dream. You will tell me before you do any Psycho Surgery right?”

“I wouldn’t perform it on anyone if my life depended on it. I am very much against these procedures.”

“I thought you Saresii invented it.”

“We did, a very long time ago, like so many other things but it was the Terrans who took it to a whole new level.

To me, it is a very controversial issue, as well as among many Medical professionals all over our Union. I am part of a growing group of physicians all over the Union, trying to outlaw it completely.

I simply abhor the fact that one person can decide what personality another person should have.”

Roy never heard all that much about it, he just knew that Uncle Sam and a few other adults he knew didn’t like it much.

The IST car stopped and released them into a corridor looking exactly like the one they had left, except it was wider. They did not have to go far and reached a transparent iris door with the standard Union symbol for medical services on it. A blue star-like cross with a snake in the middle. The door opened and the doctor led him into bright office in a light blue and white color scheme and gestured towards a visitor chair.

“Make yourself at home while I get the coffee going.” He pointed to a blue and chrome contraption built into the wall. “This is the serve-Matic. Check if we do have that Boston crème thing on file and order two. I’d like to try one as well.”

“Aren’t you going to use it for the Coffee?”

“Oh no, I have an old Terran coffee machine. Using real ground coffee and percolating hot water.

There is no serve-matic I have found so far, that can reproduce the real aroma of Coffee. A lot of the magic of this wonderful Terran beverage gets lost when it comes out of a replicator, you’ll see.”

Roy turned to the modern shaped serve-matic. “System, do you have Boston crème Donuts?”

The blue field turned red. “No such item on file, one moment, please. Accessing GalNet. 233 Replication Files found.”

“Check if there is Dunkin Donuts.” That was Ranger Solomon’s favorite brand and Melissa’s parents had a Dunkin Donuts dedicated Replicator in their Restaurant.

“Information found, fee transfer completed. Molecule pattern downloading ... Processing,”

Behind the transparent door of the replicator, the molecule printing arm started spinning and begun to print the Donuts, molecule layer by molecule layer. It spun so fast no human eye could possibly see it, but underneath he could see the donuts grow. Roy always loved to watch Food printers.

Suddenly there was a heavenly invigorating scent in the air followed by a happy gargling sound. Of course, he knew coffee and how it smelled, but this was different. He instantly understood what the doctor meant, serve-matics did not produce any aromas while making things.

He turned and watched the doctor filling two mugs from a bulbous carafe and said. “Milk, Sugar?”

“Uncle Sam drinks it black. So I try it that way first.”

“Good choice.”

For a small while, they didn’t say anything. Eating the fresh donuts and the bitter, hot oh so delicious coffee. For the moment the world was perfect for both of them.

The doctor finished his donut. “They are my favorite kind from now on.”

“And I will never think of Coffee the same way. This stuff is the Whamo.”

The Doctor got up and Roy wondered why a man with a set of such nice breasts would not try to fondle them. Roy pushed the thoughts away, as was surprised by them. He hoped he hadn’t noticed them.

The doctor had noticed and said with an impish smile. “I would not get done anything all day, that’s why.”

The Doctor still grinned and took a small device from a shelf behind him. “I am going to perform a basic health scan first and then check your cerebral activities for any abnormalities first. Simply to make sure your nightmares are not caused by any physical condition.”

Roy nodded. “I never had any nightmares before and most certainly not of my parents sitting in a prison-like cave wearing rags.”

The doctor waved the device over Roy and raised an eyebrow. “Are you able to remember your dream in details?”

While three-dimensional bubbles popped silently into existence floating around the doctor's head, showing images of his brain and displaying neural activities in pulsating colored patterns while others filled with data and graphs.

Roy nodded. “Very much so, every detail. They were in a cave-like room, with metal bars on the open side. There were nine others with them, six humans, two Pan Sarans and one Klack. All wore tattered and ripped Uniforms. The Klack had a name tag with the name H’thkjik.”

The doctor looked at his scanner. “Physically you are a picture-perfect example of human health, but your Pineal Gland is very active, and it appears your HPI has increased by about 200 points from what your CITI states when you were tested at first School day. A change in a person’s Heidelberg Psi Index is quite unusual, but perhaps a side effect of you strolling outside in those Green Hell Jungles all day. alongside a psionic gifted animal.”

The Doctor still looked at his device and Roy asked.

“Anything I need to worry about?”

The Medic looked up from a readout, his face was unreadable as he answered.

“No, not at all. You have Phantas DNA after all, and the colonists from there are known to develop and grow Psionic abilities. I suggest you have it checked every few years or so. If they ever go beyond 250 you will start developing stronger telepathic abilities yourself, but I would like to do a few more tests if that nightmare ever reoccurs. I just checked the crew manifest of that explorer and there indeed was a Klack biologist aboard named H’thkjik.”

Just then Cara came in and closed her eyes while she inhaled. “They may be war-loving barbarians, those Terrans, but nothing compares to their Coffee.”

The doctor gestured to the coffee maker and said. “Help yourself, I made a whole pot.”

She smiled at Roy and filled a mug. “I think this stuff is the real reason we Saresii joined the Union.”

Roy agreed. “I never had any coffee like this.” He too was glad as the doctor refilled his mug.

She sat down and said. ”You are up bright and early?”

He told her the same story about his nightmare and the doctor pointed at the scanner bubbles and said. “As I said, nothing to worry about but as I told Roy if it occurs again I would run a Meissner – Norrlu test.”

She glanced at it and then at the doctor and Roy had the feeling they had a psionic conversation and said aloud. “That would be advisable.”

To Roy, Cara said, “It was rude of us and looks deceiving but our psionic way of conversation is simply faster and comes naturally to us.”

She looked directly at Roy. “You can trust the diagnosis of our CMO, he is very good, but we have, well he has a theory about your nightmare and its cause”.

Roy straightened in the seat. “Should I not know about it?”

She sighed. “We didn’t want to cause you emotional distress, but as you know your mother was psionic gifted and that could have been a telepathic residue projection when she died and it finally made its way to your mind.

Psionics occur on a different spatial level so to speak. Physical distances sometimes mean little. The Kermac make extensive use of so-called Long Range Telepaths, able to send messages across many thousand light-years. We Saresii know of individuals of our kind who develop similar abilities. The Leedei use Psionic technology that bridges many thousands of lightyears. Things like this are very rare but not unprecedented, especially among next of kin.”

Roy frowned. “I actually had a notion it might be something like that.”

The doctor leaned forward. “The Meissner-Norrlu Test is conducted by a device that is basically a psionic energy detector that searches for the source of psionic induced dreams, but it works only when it occurs or very shortly after. I wish we had access to a Leedei Tele-Psi.”

Cara put her cup down. “A Tele-Psi?”

“The Leedei are a very recent Union member and even more advanced than we Saresii when it comes to Psi-Tech, supposedly they have a device able to detect Psionic signatures and activities over great distances.”

Roy only listened halfway because the possibility that his now-dead mother had sent out psionic cries for help to him was quite unnerving and did affect him emotionally more than he thought it would.

He quickly took a large sip of coffee to fight the knot in his throat and said. “I guess sometimes it is better if a patient doesn’t know all the details.”

She put her hand on his and said. “You are among friends, even if some of us are weird Cross Dressers in your mind.”

Roy shook his head. “I didn’t think exactly like that. It’s just not so easy to understand. I mean the Doctor looks almost as good as you and if he didn’t tell me, I never guessed.”

The doctor crossed his arms and gave Roy a smoldering look. “Gee, thanks Roy, almost as good? I spend a good hour this morning on makeup.”

Then he laughed. “I am just kidding, of course, we are all more than a little jealous of Cara because she is blessed with her looks all-natural.”

Cara actually blushed, and that made her even more attractive and a little more human in Roy’s eyes.

She said, clearing her throat. “Your reaction is quite normal for a member of the Terran Human race, as the gender roles and appearances are much more defined and even after so many centuries still the core of your species interaction and behavior. We Saresii have been the same way, but that was a very long time ago.”

Roy said. ”I read up on Saresii before I went to bed.”

Cara got up. “Care to accompany me to the bridge. I want to introduce you to the Captain.”

Roy thanked the doctor for the coffee and donuts then got up, to follow Cara.

Outside he said. “What I wanted to ask is, how can we make the trip so fast? Would it not take over a year to get to Sares, unless we take a train?”

“We going to take the HHW once we reach Blue Moon.”

“The HHW?”

She stopped at the IST and called for transport and then said to Roy. “You never heard of the Hyper High Way connections between Core worlds?”

Cara and Roy stepped into the IST and he said with a sheepish grin. “I wasn’t the most observant student in school.”

“You do know the difference between ISAH drives and Hyper Jumps right?”

“Not exactly. I know that Hyper Jumping was a trans light technology of the Sarans before Dr. Isah discovered the Isah Drive and Quasi Space.”

“Hyper Jumping, as it was done before the dawn of ISAH drive technology, was very dangerous, unreliable and limited to jump from gravity well to gravity well.

System hopping it was called. You may want to read up on the details if you are interested, but the general idea is that ISAH Engines are safer but have certain limits. The faster you push an ISAH engine across Quasi Space the shorter the distance can be bridged. Hyperspace Jumps are technically unlimited in distance and almost instantaneous but need gravity wells and hitting them precisely is vital. Normal Hyper Jumps could only be made from Star System to Star System. Now our Terran Friends developed so-called Hyper Highways with Gates in regular intervals, making Hyper Jumping very fast and very safe and each jump bridges 2000 light-years.” She sighed. “Don’t ask me how it works exactly. There are books on the subject.”

Roy had listened and said. “Now that you mention it, I think I did hear Maria talk about these once or twice or so.”

“The HHW net is relatively new and only Core Worlds are connected so far. Those gates are humongous, big enough for the Devi and it takes a while to build them, so that is why we fly to Blue Moon, from there we can access the HHW and be at Sares Gate in no time.”

The IST had reached its destination, the door opened and in the same moment, a terrible jolt lifted them off their feet, throwing Roy against the wall. Cara fared no better colliding with her shoulder against the door frame. Red lights replaced the bluish illumination and a very male voice repeated the phrase: Red Alert, Red Alert...”

-””_-

Roy’s uncanny sense of danger warned him of impending danger. However, it did not give him enough time to consciously react other than being able to brace himself; his sense never told him what the nature of the danger was; he only knew the ship was in danger and that he could tell even without his danger sense. The blinking red lights and the voice calling everyone to General Quarters made that very obvious.

He checked on Cara. She was rattled and even looked scared for a moment, but seemed unharmed. “Are you okay?”

She nodded as he helped her up. “Yes I think so, I just bruised my shoulder.”

“Do you need medical attention?”

“Not right now.”

“Do you know by your telepathic powers what is happening and what we are supposed to do?”

She closed her eyes for a moment and then said. “We are under attack. Kermac and Nogoll ships approaching the Kappa Andromedae System, where we planned to have our fuel stop.”

Her face showed distress. “We are in no imminent danger, as we just got a Wolfcraft escort but the system is home to the Bellebees. I hope there are enough assets in place to defend them.” Bellebees are gas bag life forms living on a Jovian planet.

Because they shared some traits with the Lightning Dragons of Green Hell, they had been a life form studied and mentioned by his mother on several occasions, yet he had paid even less attention to the work of his parents than he had at school.

Cara pointed down the corridor. “We should return to our quarters. This ship has gone to General Quarters and we would only be in the way...” she stopped in mid-movement, put her left index finger to her temple and then nodded to whatever conversation she was listening to and then said to Roy. “ ... but the Captain just told me that he wants us on the bridge.”

Roy grunted under his breath. “I wish you guys would use normal intercom or something. If this is any indication what awaits me on Sares...”

Cara didn’t respond, but simply smiled and led him to a more solid-looking Iris door that opened and gave them access to the bridge.

The Saresii bridge reminded Roy of a fancy hair salon, like the one Maria liked at the main concourse of Ant Hill, and not the bridge of a space ship.

Nine Saresii beauties looking very much alike and only individually identifiable by minute differences you had to look for very closely, sat in reclined in comfortable bubbly looking furniture. Flimsy semi-transparent command consoles floated before them. In the centrally located recliner sat the first blonde Saresii he seen so far. Her skin color was more like Roy’s and her eyes weren’t as big nor purple as most Saresii seemed to have.

Wearing a pastel-colored uniform like everyone else, the commanding officer turned and said. “Those cursed Paper Faces caught us off guard, but our shield went up just in time to prevent serious damage.

The Kermac have no time for us now. Wolfcrafts tearing them to scrap.”

Cara said. “The Bellebees?”

The Captain sighed. “I wish we had something to fight with, but this is a Saresii science Vessel designated as a Courier ship at the moment. But neither the Kermac nor the Nogoll brought enough assets to get even close to our thinking friends. We just wait, watch the fireworks and then go for our planned top-up.”

The Captain got up and greeted Roy. “I am Captain Loran Watson, I wanted to welcome you aboard earlier but you seemed tired and I was a tad busy.”

Somewhat stunned about the relaxed acting Captain, despite the Red Alert lights and the attack, Roy shook the presented hand and said. “Thank you, Ma’am.”

“Why don’t you have a seat, Mr. Masters. It isn’t every day you can watch a space battle from a front-row seat.”

Roy sat down in a chair that inflated out of the floor following a gestured command of the Captain.

One of the Saresii officers below the main viewer said. “The Nogoll are in the range of the Station batteries now, and the 45th just dropped out of Quasi to assist. Not that there is much left, the Wolfcrafts launched by System defense have already destroyed many of the Intruders.”

Cara rubbed her arm. “We should still worry about the Kermac able to strike so deep into Union Territory.”

Roy watched as Union Battle Ships fired on T-shaped ships and each salvo completely obliterated an enemy vessel.

It wasn’t a space battle, it was a slaughter. The computronic enhanced images, allowing human eyes to follow the events in deep space, supported by the spoken commands and reports pouring out of field speakers showed in great detail how brutal and intense war was, even in space.

A huge wedge-shaped Union battleship with glowing ISAH pods and shimmering purple shields appeared unfazed by the withering fire received by four T cruisers.

Compared to the size of the Union ship, the 800-meter Kermac and Nogoll ships looked small. Dome-shaped objects appeared on the smooth armor of the Union ship. The Saresii captain leaned forward. “That is the USS Vindicator and about to fire a broadside.”

Bright purple flashes emitted from those domes and dozens of brilliant blooms of energy engulfed Kermac ships in rapid succession. Only glowing twisted pieces of debris remained, where a heartbeat earlier enemy warships had been.

While he was there, when the Kermac attempted to destroy his homeworld and this incident being the cause for this war; there was a part in him who felt sorry for the crews of these ships that turned into brief and bright miniature suns every time trans locator bombs detonated deep inside their hulls.

There was a part of him that understood why the Kermac tried to excavate the old Saresii ship and gain the secret of Translocator cannons.

This Union weapon, technically the development of a far advanced long-vanished civilization, transmitted Anti Matter Bombs at the time of explosion via a different state of space and time, only to instantly and without any time loss rematerialize inside ship hulls and inside shields. No matter how strong an opponent’s shields and armor were if an antimatter bomb exploded inside their engines or their bridge, the ship was instantly doomed and destroyed.

Translocator Cannon technology ensured Union supremacy ever since Richard Stahl returned from his exile, bringing the secret of this terrible weapon along. He also realized how utterly important it was to guard that secret and keep it out of the hands of Union enemies as long as possible.

Cara still rubbing her sore shoulder said to him. “You are a wise young man.”

“With you, I don’t mind, but I wish I could think without everyone and their uncles listening to what I am thinking.”

“Once we are on Sares we going to take care of that. You get a fine Saresii shield and the necessary training on how to use it. I told you before we take the PSI laws very seriously and we don’t pry.”

The Captain said. “There goes the last one. Fleet didn’t even bother sending boarding units or surrender messages.”

There was a tone of approval and joy in the Captain’s voice. “Science, scan for survivors anyway just to make sure they got every last one of those bastards.”

Cara whispered. “He’s half Terran, and his father’s side is the dominant one. Nothing excites Terrans more than war.”

The Captain turned and said. “I doubt the Union would be what it is today without Terra. Our enemies respect the Union, but they fear Terrans.”

Cara gave the Captain a knowing look. ”It was a wise decision Sares became Union indeed.”

The lights of Red Alert faded and the Bridge was lit in the indirect bluish light from the translucent white walls.

The Captain sighed. “Ah, that’s better. Cara we are going to stay a little longer at Belle Station just to make sure our shields are fine and check for structural damage. I don’t want to go on the Jump with any leakages or tech problems.”

“How long do you think are we going to be there?” She asked.

The Captain shrugged. “Depends on what they find but I doubt it will last longer than three days.”

Cara turned to Roy and said. “That’s not so bad. It will give you a chance to go down to Planet Humongous and visit one of the most unusual Union Member species, the Bellebees.”