Eric Olafson, Space Pirate 18

Chapter 18: Blue Mountain

This was our third day in this star system called Auriga Xi. Somehow I pictured the start of our pirate career a little different. Right after our call to the Admiral, we landed on the first planet of the system. A hot, unfriendly world with temperatures hovering around 800 degrees, with puddles of liquid lead and molten sulfur, between cracked rocks and fine dust. Circuit, his engineers and Narth were outside fixing the Janus System. Shea and a team were also outside happy as can be surveying the surface of this small planet.Krabbel had baptized it Little Hell and since the planet was unnamed in the catalogs, Ship entered it as the official name in the Union Celestial registry. Circuit was confident they could repair the device but since it was perhaps one of the most complicated and unique systems it was not easy and could not be done fast.

Krabbel manned the Sensors as Three – Four was also outside helping.

I maintained Yellow Alert, in case we would have to leave fast, but so far there wasn’t much traffic and only occasionally a ship would speed at the outmost sensor horizon towards Brhama Port. No wonder the Kermac had risked operating in this system. It was outside all traffic routes and this area of space had a sparse star population. Towards Galactic south east approximately 78 light years was the previously uncharted Ballard Nebula Expanse. Of course it soon would become Union Territory as the Mini Terrans claimed that Nebula as their home and small ships or not, they had the means to defend it.

Nearby in the same direction and only a few light years more was the bazaar still in unclaimed space and I wondered if Wurgus engineers of the Army corps of engineers would stabilize its position and how much of that space would be Union due to the Membership of the Golden.

Many thousand years ago some Terran astronomers divided the Galaxy into the same celestial directions as they had on Earth, namely North, South, East and West. They used an imaginary axis towards Andromeda as North and added a Z axis calling it Galactic Up and Galactic Down.

While it was more common to use the terms Upward, Spinward, Coreward and Downward to divide the Galaxy in four equal segments, the old way of describing directions in an environment that had no directions was easy to understand to most human minds and thus still used.

Almost straight ahead or in the direction of Galactic North and 75 light years further begun the territory of the Fruidan; according to Sobody a species of intelligent Dragonfly like beings with a very primitive civilization, that joined the Kermac led Galactic Council and became a Thrall species to the white skinned psionic bastards after being independent Freespacers. 120 light years from our current position to the Galactic West was a region of Union Space that was often called the Fringes. Only a few thinly populated Colonies and a few Outposts basically only there to claim this area for the Union.

Everything east was Freespace and Togar space beyond that.

While I was musing about all this staring at a tactical map of the region, I wondered if the Fruidan actually had a choice, considering the efforts of the Kermac and their plan to accelerate a Moon to trans light speed in order to move it into their territory would require to accelerate it very slowly, using vast force fields to protect the moon and to keep it together. Such an endeavour required tremendous amounts of fuel and energies that would be detectable for many light years. So they could not move it very far.

The Narth moved their entire solar system and the Saresii had re arranged the planets in their own solar system. The Wurgus Planetary and Solar engineers offered to move planets as part of their services The Klack had Battle moons of similar size, so it was possible. Still it was a tremendous undertaking and required a level of engineering I simply didn’t think the Kermac were capable off. It would not surprise me if it was done by one of their Thrall species, but so far everything indicated that it was the Kermac themselves.

The petite Yeoman with the flaming red hair moved gracefully next to my seat and handed me my coffee and a plate with tuna sandwiches. I took it and thanked her. “Ms. O’Connell’s how thoughtful. I was just about to get up and get me some.”

“Captain, it is the hallmark of a good Yeoman to anticipate when her Captain wants coffee even before she does.”

“I say you achieved that hallmark.”

“I am not as good as Gwenn or the Oldest when it comes to change my appearance but if you need me in my true form. I will of course serve you as well.”

“Let’s hope I don’t. I would have a hard time to explain the existence of Demons to the others.”

“Will you remember us when you come into your own?”

“I have already come into my own, Yeoman. I am a Starship Captain, acting or otherwise. I am where I want to be and of course I remember the Coven and all the Sisters of the Circle. Why would I forget such a memorable meeting?”

She blinked with her big eyes and said.”Of course Captain. I just wanted you to know you can count on me as much as you count on all the others. I will take your orders and obey your will even in my true form. So you have that option.”

“Who knows what this journey brings and what we have to face, and yes it might be a good thing to have a flaming denizen of the Nether region to scare the living daylight out of someone.”

I took a long sip of the strong special Navy blend coffee I liked so much and added. “Speaking of scary folks, I better check on my spooky friend.”

His voice was immediately in my mind and Narth said. “I have patience my friend, and one day you be the scariest and spookiest of us all and then it is my turn, until then I think I refer to you as Upper chest enhanced...”

I interrupted his mental message saying.”It wasn’t my fault, tell that to Cherubim. She programmed the body changer. How are you guys getting along out there? I am eager to check out that moon and then get going. There are a lot of pirates out there.”

“I estimate we will complete the repairs in six hours and twelve minutes.”

“That is the most precise estimate I ever heard.”

“I omitted the second increment of my estimate, how can it be precise?”

I laughed inside and then had Elfi get me Shea. The angelic face of the girl I loved appeared on the main viewer and was partially obscured by the faceplate of her suit.” Hallo Captain, I was just about to call you. Three-Four is out of his suit and was scouting ahead and we just discovered another one of those blue egg shaped things. It is in a cave not far from here and we believe it is feeding on the minerals.”

“Shea come back to the ship right away, don’t get to close.”

“Captain, there is Kermac machinery and I think it is containing whatever it is. If the Kermac can contain it, we too must learn how it is done.”

I had to agree with her. While it was nothing but speculation of mine, I was certain whatever the Kermac’s plan was, it was aimed at the Union.

It was some sort of weapon, some sort of doomsday device. The Kermac built their entire civilization on the expertise to subdue other life forms and make them their slaves.

I saw them use a device that controlled the Y’All and they found a way to control the Psionic inert X101s. Controlling others was their expertise and they did it for a very long time. If those rocks could manipulate Trans dimensional energies and gravitons they could travel. Travel anywhere and perhaps faster than the speed of light. The Nul managed to break the most advanced Union shields with their graviton weaponry. Not even the Narth Supreme knew about these rocks. I became more and more convinced that we stumbled upon something that was a big threat to the Union.

I said.”Stand by Shea, do not approach for now. We need to do this subtle and methodically.”

To SHIP I said.”Keep an eye on your gravionics sensors and tell me when you experience even the slightest variation.”

“Aye Captain.”

I called Shea again and said. “Come back to the ship. I like to have a meeting and discuss how we proceed.”

I had to keep myself convinced that waiting was the best thing to do and I did wait until Narth and Circuit had completed their repairs. We were all assembled in our Pirate’s den, former Hangar bay B. I had called the entire crew. Most of them were of course standing as there wasn’t enough room but I wanted all to hear and have a chance to say something if they had an idea.

I repeated the details of our situation and included my opinion that this was a threat to the Union and that we had to do find out what we were dealing with and if at any way possible neutralize the threat if it turned out to be one.

Circuit spoke first. “If there is Kermac machinery then I think we need to analyze it first and see what it actually does. I can do that by sending Nanites to examine the thing on a molecular level and then simulate this machine here and see what it does.”

Three-Four raised his arm and added. “I doubt they can harm me in my true form and I can take a closer look.”

I shook my head. “Three-Four, if they can manipulate energies, we can’t say to what extend and that s what you are, energy.”

Har-Hi played with a dagger of his. “I think we should simply destroy them fast and swift and then see if there are others like this in this system. I don’t think they can dodge and deflect an Exo load.”

Fective, who was standing behind Krabbel said. “I am a Weapons engineer and I worked on an idea ever since we encountered them. I modified one of our fire suppressors; you know the energy siphon beams that we use to fight fire, even plasma fires and mounted it on a Rifle frame. Instead of shooting them we suck whatever energy they got and deny them their ability to manipulate anything.”

Shea smiled at him. “That is quite brilliant.”

A Takkian specialist said. “Captain, I am science specialist Joglur. I am related to your friend Miglar, the Lieutenant of the Hyperion.

I don’t know if it is relevant, but we Takkians are rock and silicone based as you know and we have a very old legend about a species of floating Rocks that are the children of a Living Mountain.”

I said. “I have a gut feeling that your legend is what we are facing here. What do you know about it?”

“Sadly not very much, it is told by the Takkian priests and part of our chant slates. I am not a very religious Takkian and haven’t been to the temples since I was just a silicone nodule, but I will contact the temple and ask for a transcript of the Chant Slates, if you permit that.”

I got up and said. “Yes do that please and in the mean time we will go to that moon. I don’t think the answers are to be found here. However I will not risk the Tigershark again to be damaged by whatever it is. So here is my plan...”

--””--

Har-Hi said. “You know there isn’t a single person on our ship who likes your plan?” while he piloted the Gazelle.

I was sitting behind him in the small cockpit. “I am the Captain and I think this is the best way.”

“A Captain is the last to die not the first. That’s a rule you know. You are supposed to remain behind and make plans and let us carry them out. We can’t be an efficient crew if you can’t send us in dangerous situations. Maybe it is a handicap that your first command is a ship filled with your friends.”

“I would do the same thing if I commanded a ship full of Thauran nobles.”

Har-Hi sighed. “I am going there and check things out and you stay safe behind isn’t much of a plan either.”

“That is not what I said. I gave everyone strict orders and I did send Hans and his team back aboard that cursed Kermac wreck to examine everything. Narth is standing by to teleport us out. He can do so best with my mind. Three-Four is with us, and he too can manipulate energies. We got modified good old Quasimodos, with additional Artigrav modifiers and the strongest Suit integrity fields Circuit could come up with.”

Har-Hi tried to turn his head but he too wore a Quasimodo and was not able to make that move. He said. “Still there is no I in Crew and you know exactly what I mean.”

I grinned knowing he didn’t see it and said.” But there is a C for Captain and yes I do understand you, but I am not an experienced Captain of many years command experience. I am doing this strictly by guts. I commanded the Devi by guts; I told you what to do when we faced the Seenian ship not by any books or experience but by something else. Besides I have an ace in my sleeve for this one.”

“I don’t think carrying some antique steel ax is much of an ace, against floating rocks, when you got a mounted Mini TL launcher on your shoulders.”

“I am not even sure why I brought that thing along, but I remember the boarding ax was much more effective than your blaster, besides my ace is a little red headed Yeoman.”

“Uhu, good idea. If we can’t win or destroy them, we let our onboard lawyer sue them for the use of non permitted Blue light in a Green light zone or something like that.”

“Watch where you are flying, I don’t want to find out if the Gazelle or the ice and rock junks around that Gas Giant are better suited to survive an impact.”

“That thing was miles away.”

“We are doing 500 kilometers a second.”

“Well we are here. Deep voice moon straight ahead, what do you want me to do?”

“Take us straight down.”

Har-Hi did, he guided the modified lightly armed, recon modified Gazelle inside the moons atmosphere. A Gazelle was based on the same hull as the Wolfcraft fighters and therefore designed to work in an atmosphere as well, Har-Hi was most likely the best small craft pilot in the Galaxy and yet the Gazelle bopped like a Silver-Flicker fish caught in the wake of a Tyranno Fin. Har-Hi managed to stabilize and said.” Wind speeds exceed 240 klicks. That’s some serious wind for a little moon like that.”

I noticed gigantic construction sites, monolithic pads of Duro-Crete, bigger than mountains and shaped like cradles. The magnitude of the Kermac project was mind boggling especially building all this in such adverse conditions.

We approached the area where the Giga load obliterated the Kermac craft and rearranged much of the moon’s landscape. A huge crater had been blasted out of the surface and Har-Hi said. “I think we are here.”

On the far side of the big crater was a mountain that did not match the looks of the rest. It was a massive mountain of about 12,000 meters height and it glowed with a faint blue light.

Har-Hi put the Gazelle down just before that blue mountain and said.” If the little rocks could create thousands of tons gravionic pressure, then I don’t want to know what that thing is capable off.”

I padded his shoulder. “We are here to find out exactly that.”

With a determined move I pushed the contact and lowered the seat to the ground. This was not the first time now that I set foot on an alien world, but the landscape of this moon appeared more alien than anything I seen before. The light did not come from the distant sun of this system but from the giant gas planet casting a strange unhealthy pinkish hue over everything.

Unlike on Twilight where the gas giant was only partially visible, here the planet filled the entire sky and it felt overwhelmingly depressing somehow. We had landed at the edge of the twenty kilometer wide and deep crater our Giga load had ripped into the surface. There were rugged and grayish pink mountains everywhere. Yellowish sulfuric snowflakes whipped by a hellish gale force wind splattered our suits with a vengeance. The wind was so strong I had to activate the Gravo Anchors on my boots and make slow steps towards that odd bluish glowing mountain that looked as alien and out of place as we did. It was an odd sensation to feel the force of storm in a six ton battle suit.

Har-Hi lowered the Visual enhancer visor over his face plate and pointed towards the bluish mountain.

“I can see more Kermac machinery, there are standard power plants but they are feeding equipment of unknown purpose attached to the base of that Blue Mountain, some of it had been destroyed by our Giga load but some seems still operational.”

The images we saw were instantly relayed to the Tigershark and Shea cut in and said. “I would need to see them close up and make more detailed scans, but I think these are Kermac Psionic Will amplifiers.”

I acknowledged and asked them to stand by as I activated my Suits Comm. system on the same frequency as the voice has spoken before. I had clear instructions to identify myself not as pirate or Freelancer but as Union Captain. “This is Captain Olafson of the United Stars of the Galaxies. I am here to establish Contact.”

At first there was silence and I already decided to get closer when Har-Hi’s shoulder mounted weapon fired, a micro second before two long line blasts impacted into my shields. My suit Computronic went to battle mode and automatically switched my helmet to tactical view. There at the base of the blue mountain was a round cave entrance. I saw two Kermac in Battle suits using large Line blasters on all terrain wheels, a fraction before Har-Hi’s micro AM loads filled the entrance of the cave with blinding light.”He went into flight mode and said. “Out sensors don’t penetrate that blue mountain ... I had to fire to prevent them to ready their Anti Matter Bazooka. Those things could ruin our day.”

There was still silence on the channel and I went into flight mode as well. I didn’t blame Har-Hi for firing without asking. Kermac Line blasters could not make a dent into a Quasimodo much less our shields, but a few hits of their AM Bazookas could wear down our shields fast.

The possibility that the Crew of the escape pod had not been killed but found shelter inside that mountain thing was now quite likely and with that also the knowledge of the Translocator manual. We flew fast and with pre programmed evasive patterns close to the still smoking cave entrance.

In Shea’s estimate the Blue Mountain before us was about 8 kilometers high and had a base width of 16 kilometers. That gave us a potential volume of 2,300 Cubic kilometers and if that thing was hollow, lots of room for millions of Kermac.

Now close to the mountain I scanned the material and dependable as an Ult Chronometer, Shea came back saying. “The material is similar to the blue rocks on the Kermac Cruiser and those on Little Hell. It is mostly crystalline Silicone, dense layers of heavy metals such as lead and gold. The bluish color is most likely due to a high concentration of the element Cobalt. Noteworthy is the presence of large amounts of the biological coenzyme Cobalamine, or more commonly known as Vitamin B12. Many bacterial and animal life forms use this for nutrition.”

While I listened to Shea’s analysis I slowly approached the cave entrance, while Har-Hi did the same from the other side. I said to Shea.” Why can’t we scan through that and we should be able to detect life forms including silicone based life.”

“I think it is the way the crystalline lattice is structured, but because of that I am convinced this is a life form.”

“You mean there are life forms inside?”

“No I am running the data once more through SHIP and the Xeno data bank on Venus and I am certain the mountain thing is one single life form.”

While I digested her info, Har-Hi tossed a mini spy drone into the Cave entrance, the drone could cloak and was virtually invisible to most scanning equipment.

I dedicated the upper left side of my Faceplate to the telemetry of the drone.

Our little spy machine floated through a long straight corridor made of the same bluish material for nearly two kilometers. We noticed the shattered suits and bodies of three more Kermac who could not escape the confined space fast enough and thus where even more exposed to the devastating AM blasts.

Our little spy drone entered a large cavern.

The Image beamed back to us was overwhelming and frightening. There stood an army of bluish giants. Statue like beings with arms, legs and heads. I estimated there were at least 20,000 of them, looking identical to each other just like robots. Each of them held one of those bluish football sized rocks before them in crude looking hands. Each of them had to be at least four meters tall and at least two meters wide.

On the sides of the cavern were more of those round rocks stacked in large piles, but they did not glow and looked broken.

Two Kermac sat on the floor before them with closed eyes and technical device between them.

Har-Hi said.”What do you say? I take the ten thousand on the left and you the ten thousand on the right. There are certainly enough for both of us.”

I smirked at that and was pondering what to do. These rough looking stone golems did not move. Did the Kermac perhaps keep them I that state and contained? Would we unleash that army if we killed the Kermac?

Har-Hi said.”I think we are fucked and you might agree with me if you turn.”

I turned and saw at least a hundred of those floating rocks behind us and before I could do anything, both I and Harry were suddenly and very fast pushed inside the cave entrance by an irresistible force. The floating rocks had generated a gravionic focus point inside that pulled us and much debris through that cave corridor. My suit was holding but could not generate enough Artigrav to counter this force.

Shea who was still connected said with an alarmed tone in her voice.”I am sending the Marines and robots; we get you out of there.”

Har-Hi and I tumbled before the two Kermac who were no longer sitting.

One of them clapped his hands and the Stone warriors came alive and then he said.

“Splendid, two Union fools have stumbled across our special project. It looks like they have Translocator cannons with them.”

I managed to get to my feet and said. “That’s right White face, and you are the first to find out how it is to be shot point blank by one.”

“Ah but you won’t you see we can crush you and your friend inside your suits to liquid. Our friends here have truly mastered the mental control of Gravionics. So I suggest you hand over your shoulder cannons and tell us all you know about it. I can start with you and your friend will be very cooperative after seeing you squashed like a rotten fruit.”

“I am going to overload the entire magazine of Translocator bombs.”

The Kermac waved his hand to the Stone giants. “Strip them of their suits, Children of the Conck, these are the ones that have abducted your Queen and broken many rocks.”

The Shoulder Cannons and our Main TKU twisted and became useless. The Kermac lamented.”You imbecile Olours, that was what we wanted to preserve.”

Our reinforced Suits held much better than the Gilgamesh, but our Systems were strained to the limit, but now the immobilizing pressure subsided, enough to take the Ax I had fixed to my belt, and Har-Hi managed to pull his Chain sword.

It was more a gesture of defiance than anything else as we had no hope to defeat them all, but something strange happened. The Stone giants stepped back; the floating rocks retreated from us. The Kermac, who had spoken before, now hissed.”Enough of this crush them.”

But no pressure came, the giants tried to step back further until they run into each other and had no room to further back away from us.

Har-Hi waved his Chain sword. “Looks like those boulder things respect Axes and swords, more than energy weapons.” A rocket launcher popped up from Har-Hi’s wrist.” You Kermac have no idea what a Quasimodo can do.” A pair of mini rockets hissed from the launcher and hit the Kermac device and blew it to twisted bits of metal.

The Kermac that had not spoken before said to his partner. “Wizard of the project, wise Sweisweinule. We must negotiate for our lives. We lost control.”

Both their natural arrogance was gone. The first one displayed anger and disbelieve and the second one was clearly afraid.

The deep voice spoke and it came from everywhere at the same time creating a strange echo.”The ONE is awake and has come. Must the Conck now perish?”

The angry Kermac yelled. “You must obey. We are the Gentle Ones from your past, we are the Allies you are honor bound to serve, for we are the Oxis. Those are the servants of the Craah-th Darkness. Enemies of the First League. Destroy them.”

I had about enough of the Kermac and now that I was free and able to move and I stomped towards him raised my axe and said.

“I have about all I can take of you scheming, arrogant bastards. A short while ago I wondered if there was something redeeming even about your kind. He stepped back pulled his Line Blaster, but then his face changed into a twisted grimace of horror and the Blaster fell out of his hand, he dropped to his knees and whimpered. “Don’t take me, please don’t take me there.”

I felt no remorse no guilt as I swung the half moon shaped antique axe down in a wide swing. Why I was certain I could kill him with such a simple steel weapon, I could not say. He was wearing a Kermac armored suit after all; it was as if I sliced through air and didn’t feel the slightest resistance as the axe blade slid through his armor, body and bones.

I whirled around and raised the archaic weapon to end the life of the second, but he had surrendered to Har-Hi. My Dai friend gave me a strange look for a long second and then said.

“First Shea pulls a sword that slices through Ultronit like a hot wire through Ulgan Jelly and now you got an ax that goes through Kermac cerami-weave as if it wasn’t there. I really need to find out where you guys buy your hardware.”

Before I could say something and wonder about that myself. The Floating rocks gathered by the Cave entrance and Shea, Circuit and all my marines accompanied by Fenris robots marched in. Despite the withering gravitation attack, Shea and the others moved unhindered. The Marines just as precise and fast as the robots raised their wrist cannons and Shea said, “Give the word Captain and we turn this place into a gravel pit.”

Circuit said. “Shea, Narth and I figured a way to neutralize their Grav-manipulating powers.”

The voice of the mountain thundered with its echo voice. “The day of doom has come to the Conck.”

From between the ranks of the Marines my Takkian specialist appeared, he too wore a Battle suit but his helmet was open. To him this environment was obviously not harmful at all. He said. “Captain may I ask for permission to talk to the Conck?”

“Yes by all means if you can shed some light on all this I will be grateful. I am as much in the dark as we have been before and that Conck isn’t very responsive to questions it seems.”

“Captain, the voice we hear comes from a Kermac device and it is very limited to translate the Conck.”

“Go ahead Specialist Joglur.”

The Takkian resolutely stepped forward into the center of the cavern and begun to sing, it was a strange song that sounded like someone chewing sand while gargling. Despite the strange sound, I found the songs melody actually quite acceptable.

Narth silently floated in and moved next to me and his voice said in my mind. “Shea came to the conclusion that we control and manipulate Gravity for a long time and have both the technology and the knowledge. Instead of absorbing the pressure they generate it is now deflected around us, takes much less energy and as you see works fine.”

“I was actually thinking about the same lines, not that I claim to have Shea’s genius but we deflect and absorb much higher Gravs when we go to threshold speed and the Arti Gravs of our Battle ships move millions of tons.”

“She is right; you aren’t as stupid as you always say you are.”

“I am not always...”

Our silent banter was interrupted as the song was answered by the mountain and then the Takkian said.” These stone warriors are called the Olours they are noble warriors of ancient heritage. They forgot the details of their origin or how they became sentient, as it is so long ago and come from the region we call Downward. They did have brief contact to a sentient space faring species who took seeds of them to create the Takkians and the Takian races, if I understood it all correctly. So in a wider sense our religious chant slates were quite correct.

The Olours move and speak in a stately, glacial pace. Meaning it usually takes them between hundred and two hundred of our years to even finish a sentence, and conversations can last millennia. They are the epitome of patience and are usually extremely slow to anger. They have no technology whatsoever. The Olours actually seek just and honorable contact with other races, but since they speak so slow, this was not very successful. They generally have little patience for brutality and the kinds of atrocities other species are so ready to commit.”

He extended his arms and gestured to the ceiling.” This is the Conck, the Mother or the Queen so to speak and it is it I am talking to by the way and not the Olours. This mountain is the mother of this species and if it can absorb enough energy and if the Olours collect enough base materials, the mountain creates one of those big blue eggs you have seen aboard the T cruiser and on Little Hell. It happens only about every 500,000 years and these Blue rocks are called Conck-Stone.”

Our Takkian Specialist managed to mesmerize us with his information and we all listened closely. He made a pause as he listened to more of the gravel and sand crunching song the mountain sung to him and then continued.

“These Conck-Stones are actually a collection of 50 to 60 individual Nodules, those ball shaped floating rocks. The Olours bring them to places with rich mineral deposits, and do so by traveling space manipulating gravitation.

They cannot travel faster than light, but can teleport up to one light year if I get the distances right, such a jump however depletes their energy reserves and they die if they do not find a feeding ground, such as a planet or an asteroid. If the conditions are right eventually a new Olour develops. These Conck-Stones are vital to the Olours because they represent the continuation of their race. Anyone who knowingly destroys a Conck-Rock becomes a declared enemy of the Olours and they go to great length to punish a rock-breaker.”

Har-Hi who held the second Kermac said. “How did the Kermac fit in?”

Narth said. “Specialist Joglur already asked that question but the Conck has a very peculiar way of telling things.”

Joglur had no neck or a distinctive separated head moved his left manipulator in the Takkian gesture for yes and said. “I am sorry Lt. Hi I am trying to translate and interpret all the things it is telling me and only give you the short version.”

Har-Hi looked embarrassed, shook the Kermac for good measure and said. “I am sorry for sounding impatient, please go on.”

Our Takkian sung a piece and received a similar answer then he interpreted again. “The Olours were members of an association of space faring civilizations they call the First League. It was very long ago even in the time perception of the Olours and this League was centered on a group of Light Knights. The Conck does not know what happened to the League or these knights but there was a war or fight and it didn’t go well for the League. The Conck claims it was rescued from another place before the enemy known to them only as the Imperials could destroy the Conck, and brought to this moon by someone it calls the Gentle Ones.

The Conck says the Gentle Ones returned very recently only about 100 of our years ago. The Gentle Ones reminded the Conck of this rescue and the debt of honor owed and demanded that the Olours serve them, what they of course did. The Gentle ones promised to take the Conck back home after it did the great deed.”

Narth said to me with concern and actual surprise in his voice. “I broke the shield of the Kermac and they planned to take the Conck near a black hole and use its gravitation manipulating abilities to destroy Narth Prime. These machines are not to control the Conck but to vastly increase its already enormous powers. The Kermac pretended to be the Gentle Ones and thus secured the cooperation of the Conck.”

The Kermac held by Har-Hi said triumphantly. “We find a way to destroy you humans and your Psionic alleys. This is but one project, we have thousands, and we are the Masters of Psionics. We already breed new Kermac generations with the exact same abilities as these unreliable Rocks.”

Har-Hi’s augmented suit fist had crumbled the Kermac armor like paper holding him like that and he said. “It is very unwise to make such speeches while being held by a Dai.”

I said.”He is stupid too, revealing their plans like that. I think if we repeat what he said at the Assembly, Admiral Stahl will get any resource he needs and before you know it, there won’t be any Kermac period.”

I waved at Pure, the Attikan who I noticed to be part of the Marine detachment that had arrive and said to him. “Lieutenant, put this Kermac into Zero Stasis and get him out of here.”

To the Takkian I said. “Did you tell that thing who we are and all that?”

“Yes Ma’am but if you ask if they are interested in membership then we have to wait a little. The Olours have just begun the discussion and the Conck does whatever they come up with.”

“We can’t stand here till they decide something in thousands of years from now. What do we do with this? We can’t let the Kermac return and do their thing.”

The Takkian said. “Captain we are by definition also Children of the Conck and this is according to our religion a holy place. The Conck agrees that we too can make decisions for the Conck, so we call Takkkk and let them declare this place Takkian and thus Union and we’re off to play pirates. All this Silicone stuff is fine and dandy for normal Takkians, but I didn’t sign up with the Navy to do all those boring things we Takkians do, with all due respect Ma’am.”

--””--

INTERLUDE: ON ALVOR’S COVE

About twenty clicks north of Alvor’s Canyon where the mountains ended and the endless sand and dust deserts of the Glagadrinn really begun; a dull all terrain vehicle grinded on wide profile tracks through the rough terrain. It was an old machine with an engine that ran on natural petroleum, black stuff that could be found everywhere on this dusty world.

Ban-Hoo, the driver and owner of the crawler was quite proud of it, most of the other desert scavengers rode on Katthais.

Ban-Hoo hated these lizards and their stench. Like all Dai he had an excellent sense of smell. That the other scavengers complained and accused his machine of stinking bothered him little. That was one of the few benefits of his chosen profession, you did not have much contact with others once you left town.

Out here were only the occational Brown People, wild Lizards and snakes.

Out here he had time to think and as usual when he was thinking his mind wandered back and the reasons he was here. The others had long quit asking why he, a proud Dai Than Warrior became a planet bound vagabond instead of raiding ships and planets with his clan.

Because by now everyone knew at least part of his story; they knew he had no clan.

He was the last of the Tun-Ha Clan as far as he knew. He had been the one in the scout ship, who found that perfect colony to be raided. The Clan moved in, but it was a trap and a Union Fleet destroyed and killed anyone not surrendering.

It was the scouts job to make sure no Union Assets were close enough to interfere before the raid was done and the Dai Clan long gone. He had done a quick scan of the System and was not as diligent as he should have been. Not checking the actual planets and overlooking an entire Union Battle Group had landed on the fifth planet. Normally it would have been his duty to commit suicide but a warriors alternative to suicide in such as case was revenge. While he was emotionally devastated to lose his family and everyone he knew, he was not to keen or deep down actually affraid of suicide. To go to another Clan and become an Inbur-Thal, a coward who had failed to do his duty and not commit suicide was even worse.

At Sin 4 he had to sell his Scout Craft as it was out of fuel and he had no money. He almost ended up as a slave to fight in one of the Arenas but made it to Alvor’s Cove. At first it seemed a bad decision to come here. This was one of the busiest slave markets in the Galaxy, at lesst on this side of the galactic buldge, but he had enough money from the ship sale and paid the Local Lord the Freedom Fee. Unlike Sin 4, Alvor’s Cove was firm in the hand of one faction and their laws were crude and simple but quite reliable.

He realized back then that his money would not last, especially with the water prices here.

He interrupted his musings for a moment as he passed the Gilguri rocks, the last outcropping of the mountenous cliff plateau behind him. There sometimes were desert gangs or opportunist with long range weapons, picking off a lonley traveller, of course the Local Lord forbade such behavior (unless someone paid the Killing permission fee). But the Local Lord’s reach diminished fast out here and no one gave a care about that self important Kartanian beyonbd these rocks.

He swiveled his Slug Accelerator towards the rocks and kept an eye on them, but nothing but a loney Ki-Ki-Togg moved over there.

Seeing the ultra shy, flying lizard hoping over the rocks convinced him that there was nothing else hiding. Well nothing else but Ki-Ki-Togg prey.

The last traces of the rocks now behind him. His cat now rolled through the near featureless sand and dust desert and he would do so for the next 700 clicks before he reached Mount Nathir.

He long had learned how to read the sand and knew how to stay clear from the drift sand bogs that could swallow his crawler and him or at least make him get stuck for days. Seven Years ago he had come to Alvor’s Cove. With his money going fast, there weren’t many career choices on Alvor.

You could become a slave merchant, slave guard, shop owner, tavern owner, water merchant, food vendor, lord guard, lizard hunter or desert scavenger.

He nodded to himself and his mental list confirming to himself that he didn’t forget much. He took a sip from his water bag, swished the liquid around his mouth and squinted his eyes behind his goggles.

To become any sort of merchant he needed much more capital, have connections to a supplier and know about the wares you sold.

To be a Lord Guard you needed to be well connected to the Local Lord only trusted those he knew well. lizard hunter or slave guard did not appeal to him due to the stench, so considering his skill sets and financial resources all that was left was desert scavenger.

At first it seemed to him a fools job. What could possibly be out there except sand and dirt? But then he made friends with an old scavenger the one who sold him this Crawler for a good price and taught him the trade. He then learned that Alvor’s Desert held many treasures.

Sub Terran Water sources, Tutu Cactus buds eaten by the tame Lizards, Tutu Cactus flowers very rare and hard to find but ground to a powder, a Drug readily purchased by Togar males. Since Alvor’s cove was close to their empire they frequented the place often.

There were open petroleum pits, the stuff was not worth much but a load of it always paid for the trip and supplied him with cheap fuel. There was the Dawal Lizard, if you’re lucky to find one and even luckier to survive a fight and kill one then you had a load of good meat, bones and blood. Not to mention the highly valuable tusks but all this was the usual stuff.

Every scavenger dreamed about finding the Nakh.

Legend had it that out here somewhere was a buried Celtest ship.

Artifacts of advanced ancient cultures and societies were the single most valuable commodity in the galaxy. Celtest stuff was on the very top. Anyone finding even just a piece of Celtest scrap metal would be a rich man. That there was a Celtest ship, and not just an insubstantial myth doubted no one.

A scavenger only thirty of fourty years ago had found a Celtest artifact and became very rich.

Ban-Hoo dreamed about finding it and taking the entire ship out from the sand and fly it in Union Space and destroy everything he could find.

But that would not be today and probably never. Today he actually had passengers. Two Kermac no less and paying him a good sum for a trip to Mount Nathir.

Why the Kermac wanted to go to the Old Worm was none of his business. How they even knew about that odd hermite?

But then Kermac had Psionic powers and could read minds and such. Some of the Scavengers believed the Old Worm was the result of a failed genetic experiment to mix human gentics with Nul and come up with a Nul that could spy on humans or something like that. That experiment resulted, so the story went, in a horrible abdomination.

And it was hiding out there, avoiding to be seen as much as possible.

Other voices claimed, the Old Worm to be a holy man and that he had contact to some God. Much older than the Celtest ship story was the rumor of a hidden temple with a sleeping powerful supernatural entity.

This legend also based on real facts. Alvor’s sun flared and cooked of the vast oceans that once covered this desert. The flare and the duration of it, was according to many an artificial purposely created event.

Ban-Hoo had no particular oppinion on that legend, but he knew the desert before him once was an ocean floor. Countless shells of water creatures attested to that.

He doubted the old worm was a god, but that he might be considered some sort of spiritual guide was conceivable, that he looked half man, half worm was nothing too spectacular. He was Dai and his kind had travelled far and wide, encountering life forms much stranger.

--””--

Underneath the canopy that covered the cargo bed of the crawler, Vienacfier tried to meditate while Halbforneur monitored the thoughts of the Dai driver up front.

He touched his ceremonial beard for the millionth time as it was his habit checking if his psionic shield still worked.

“It works.” Vienacfier said with much annoyance in his voice, partly because he could not find the balance to meditate and partly because he felt insulted by his partners constant checking. “I will not probe your mind.”

“How would you know that my shield is working if you had not tried to probe my mind?”

“Because it is of finest Kermac technology just like my shield and I know of only three cases they have failed.”

Halbforneur was not so convinced, a little paranoia was never wrong. For all he knew Vienacfier could have been an agent of the Ministry of Control, one innocent thought wrongly interpreted and one was likely to find oneself mind dumped and erased.

And all his loyal service to the Ministry of Information would only come to light in his defense after the mind dump and too late for him. Not that loyal service and devotion to ones job ever was considered in a case of ‘severe obstructive and subversive thought engagement’.

He often wondered how the Saresii or the recently discovered Leedei, the only other societies he knew were everyone was a telepath got along without mental shield generators and ability enhancers.

The Narth did not really count as society in the common sense.

Vienacfier grunted like a primitive sub Kermac life form as he shifted position in the swinging hamock like seat.

“I sure hope this coward of a Dai knows where he is going.”

Halbforneur tried to hide his disgust he felt towards his partner.

“He does. His mind is clear and open and he accepts Kermac superiority and does not even question our reasons to come out here.”

“It is still better we eliminate him. Just in case.”

“It would be unwise. Local Lord has warned us and you were too cheap to buy the Kill all License.”

“I am not paying 10,000 Polo coin to some totally inconsequent lower life form on a similar inconsequent planet. I will punish him for is insolence when we leave.”

“This world might not be as inconsequent as you make it. There are Celtest artifacts out there somewhere and we are meeting the Purple Worm. I doubt he choose this world at mere random.”

“The more reason we should set up a base of operations here, take over the local crime lords control and search for the Celtest artifacts with modern equipment and tear this dust ball apart.”

Halbforneur now was almost certain his associate was associated with the MOC. They always talked that way.

“This planet is close to the Togar, It be unwise to provoke a war. I am certain there are Union Spies, not to mention Nul and Shiss agents. It might not be wise to make the Nul even more hostile towards us at they already are.”

“I doubt there are any Union Spies here. I expanded my mind and did not find any shielded minds except a few Sojonit Priestesses. I had a good mind to visit them after we are done here, that be Polo Coins well spend.”

“If it would be that easy to determine if there are no eyes and ears for the cursed Union, don’t you think we of the Ministry of Information would rely on doing mind sweeps all the time?

And the funds made available to us are meant to pay for information gathering not personal indulgences.” “You talk like a puppet of the Ministry of Information. We are field agents and have to sample and learn about other cultures this too is gathering of information.”

“I am an associate of the MOI and you know that. What makes me wonder if you are indeed of the military.”

“All you need to worry about are my credentials and your orders. Both make me the one in charge.”

With a jolt the Crawler came to a sudden stop.

Halbforneur realized he had not paid any attention to the thoughts of the driver. The Driver was gone, at least he could no longer sense the man’s thoughts.

They both grabbed their weapons, dialed their power amplifiers to high and with activated personal shields they went outside.

There was a group of dust covered beings holding a selection of weapons, all heavily shrouded and hooded. One in the center was taller and wore a purple cloak and hood.

“Your Ministry of Information is very good I have to admit, you accomplished what countless before have failed to do and find my lair.”

Halbforneur raised that part of skin that once held eyebrows.”We are Kermac, therefore it should be no surprise that we accomplish where others fail. You associated to much and too long with Larthop, through him we were able to trace you.”

“Yes you are quite correct, but I am not an amamateur either. I agreed to a meeting but I decided to chance the location of our meeting.

Instead of the mountain we can do it right here. Especially since you Kermac have a Strike team moving in on the mountains as well.”

Halbforneur had no idea there was supposed to be a Strike team. His superior told him to show good faith and fancy the Worms wishes to normalize relationships so a better cooperation could be achieved.

He glanced over to his associate seeing he was not in the least surprised about this relevation and the presence of a Kermac strike team.

Vienacfier made a dismissing hand gesture. “That Herkatan strike team will make sure you cannot leave this planet.I am sure you know of their reputation. They are monitoring us as we speak as I am their ears and eyes.”

The Purple worm laughed. “Maybe that is the real reason your species is on the decline. Kermac always rely on other species to do their fighting for them.

I have a working relationship with the local lord, the one you consider so primitive. We have that Kermac transport, disguised as Yotenen trader vessel in focus of our planet defense batteries. One move and we blast it out of the sky. The Local Lord will then call upon the Nul for help as we fear more Kermac warships. Dare to make the call and start a war, Kermac?”

Vienacfier activated a Comm Device in his beard.

“MOC lead to Herakan team, abort Mission. I repeat, aboard mission and return to deployment base.”

“That was a wise decision.”

The Worm raised his arm and the sand all around came to live, hundreds of heavily armed sand colored beings rose from the dust. The shrouded beings were totally undetectable by his Psionics. Due to the hoods and shrouds he could not determine what species they were either. They did not move like humanoids, more like primates.

They erected a tent in no time and the Worm invited his guests inside. Chairs had been placed and someone brought in a case of Kermiliq.

On a provided table stood cups. The Worm gestured the Kermac to have a seat. He sat down across them. “Help yourself to the Kermiliq. It is cooled and I assure you not tampered with in any way.” Halbforneur was still furious that he was kept in the dark and took one of the Bottles, opened it and did not bother with a Cup. He knew it was very primitive and without form but he was thirstier than he realized. The slightly tardy taste and the moisture of his favorite drink did wonders to his mood and condition.

Vienacfier ignored his associates primitive display of ignored manners and said.

“Let us get to the point and leave this inhospitable place so we can enjoy refreshments in more appealing conditions.”

“You are the ones that again asked for a meeting. Here we are.”

“Our last cooperation was marred by betrayal and misfortune, the Narth’s human died on Sin 4 and it turned out he was of little consequene after all.”

“Yes I have the same information. The Narth representative at the Assembly maintains a connection to the grandfater of the Nilfeheim boy.”

“The Narth have already begun what we hoped could be prevented. Narth now participate and strenghten the cursed PSI corps.”

The Worm had to agree.”This involvement of the Narth has cost me much already and I fear it will cost me even more. Several attempts to assassinate one of these new Narth agents have failed and met with such brutal and swift response even by Union and Terran standards that it becomes quite difficult to even find someone willing to try.”

Vienacfier was now relaxing a bit and he too took a bottle but demonstrated quite detailed how it was done properly by filling a cup only a third and take little sips.

“Kermac Intelligence assets face similar challenges. Now let us approach this with open defenses. We come to the conclusion that it is very likely you are no mere criminal mastermind but that the Worm is a cover for Nul intelligence.”

The still completely shrouded Purple Worm laughed. “It is a good guess and honestly I wish it would be so, but Nul are neither biologically nor ideological connected to the Worm or me in any form.

The Worm’s activities are not activities the Nul would support or condone. However your intel is not completeley inaccurate, I have deep connections into their intelligence services and can arrange contacts if you desire.

However I must warn you, Nul do not play well with others and are opposed to alliances especially since that brief Nul Shiss alliance quite some time ago.

He raised his hand and one of shrouded children sized primates places a glass with a golden liquid in it.

While gesturing a tank you the Worm said.”To quell any suspicions, I am not Shiss either. Playing well with the Nul means I can not play with the Naxxxtuu-www .”

“Kermac and Shiss interests are incompatible but we would be interested in a meeting with Nul Intelligence. We don’t want an alliance but we all face a common enemy that is becoming stronger by the moment and we can already see the day when the Union will move against the rest of us and claim dominion over the entire Galaxy.”

“I agree with your assessment but the Galaxy is still a very big place and there are vast areas unknown to all of us and the time where the Galaxy must be united to face those who made the Y’All will be at hand sooner than some believe.”

“This is the reason the Galaxy must be under the firm rule of Kermac, for we have means to communicate with the Y’All and prevent their dominance.”

“A point only seen by the Kermac of course, and the rumors that you are capable of doing more than just communicate becoming stronger, especially recently, but for the near future our goals are the same. I shall arrange that meeting.”

Chapter 19 »