CH White Fur

White Fur

The USS Shadowrunner was another Chimera unit, a disguised ship. On the outside, a fairly old Oghar Ulmgar cruiser operated by an independent privateer named Kekotraa and on the inside, a state of the art Union ship. Kekotraa was a genuine Diechsen. A 350 centimeter tall Reptilioid of the Sauro kind. Warm blooded, fast and strong, a former GC species.

Just like a regular Ulmgar, this Oghar cruiser was well armed and shielded but had  bigger cargo holds. Captain Kekotraa explained that he was mostly resupplying Chimera units and secret NAVINT stations in and beyond Freespace. We transferred the pirate crews and much of the loot of the Swift Profit, as we hoped it could be returned to the families of the victims. As we wanted to transfer the alien key device,the Captain of the Shadowrunner refused to take it."Command changed their mind on that one. The Admiral wanted me to inform you, that the Golden made an identical device available to Union science and the one you discovered might become useful to you, detecting secret gates." He handed me code verified orders as well. We transferred what needed to go Union side. In return we received our first real Wolfcraft fighter, not another Gazelle. It was the first and so far only one equipped with a smaller version of the Janus Device. Along with the Wolfcraft came a few containers of fresh food supplies. Not that we were anywhere near running out. We weren't gone all that long and just restocked pretty much everything at the secret NAVINT base. Of course we also had Molecular reconstitution systems that recycled 99.99% of our waste, but it was nice to have fresh things and a larger variety. I was in our main Cargo hold where I had been talking to the Captain of the Shadowrunner who was, so I learned from Holstein planet, despite being Diechsen. Holstein was in the same neighborhood as Nilfeheim and it was nice to exchange some non-important local gossip. He had sent over a crate of Holstein Pilsner, my favorite beer, and to the delight of our chef, a supply of Holstein butter. While I was standing there, a large battle robot, bigger than a Fenris and more massive than a Cerberus, came over the freight tunnel that connected our ships and stomped towards me. The machine saluted and remained in that position. Then a hatch on it's chest opened and three hand sized men appeared, and they saluted again. I noticed they wore Union Black and I recognized them as Mini Terrans. A magnifying field screen established between me and one of the men said. “Lieutenant Charles Bergdorf and two specialist of the New World Commonwealth reporting for duty, Ma’am. Admiral Rutherford personally sends this Terror Mech. He thinks you might be able to use it and us.” “Welcome aboard then. I am delighted to have you. Your machine looks impressive.” “Yes Ma’am it is the pinnacle of NWC technology and rivals one of our battleships fire power. It was conceived to answer possible invasions by large enemies and the Terror-Machine-Suit series is the latest. We have been briefed about the Tigershark’s true mission and volunteered.” Har-Hi walked around the towering machine and said. “If this thing equals the fire power of one of these spheres, then it exceeds a regular Cerberus for sure.” Lt. Bergdorf said. “It is also a full functioning space ship, capable of reaching destinations of over 1500 light years. It maneuvers almost as good as a Wolfcraft and can operate in full robotic mode, but when I am connected to it, it can move like a human, picking up feathers, or crush steel.” I said. “I think you will be a nice addition to our Marine detachment and Lt. Pure will get you situated.” Pure came running, as SHIP had heard me and summoned him. I filled him in and the three Mini Terrans returned inside their machine and followed the Attikan Marine. While I watched the battle robot thing stomp away I noticed Sobody talking to Har-Hi and he repeated that strange move he had done in the Tavern killing one of the pirates. I could tell my Dai friend was deeply impressed. I joined them and asked. “How did you actually cut that Thauran?” Sobody pushed back the sleeve of his robe and revealed a metal wrist band with a little hump and said. “This is a Monofilament whip. It shoots a strand of a metal wire only a few molecules thick and invisible to the naked eye. The thing is highly flexible and there is a little weight ball at the end. It is so thin it cuts through nearly everything and it can be electrified or heated to 4000 degrees if the cutting alone doesn’t do the trick. It isn’t useful against a fully armored person in a Union battlesuit, or against shields, but in close quarter or hand to hand situations it is deadly. It takes quite a bit of practice as it can be very dangerous to the user. It’s a very old Golden weapon and I have this one now for a very long time and it turned out I am still good with it, I haven’t used it in anger in almost 500 years, you know.” Har-Hi said. “Can you get me one of those?. I think I could fit one above my dart launcher and below the bomb pellet dispenser.” Sobody smiled proudly. “This is a great compliment coming from a Dai. I have a spare one for sure and I’ll show you how to use it, too.” I said: “Above the dart launcher and below the bomb pellet dispenser. Are we talking about the arsenal you carry on just one arm?” Har-Hi shook his head. “No, only what I carry between wrist and elbow, I’ve got a bigger list if we talk about the whole arm.” I rolled my eyes and said: “Thor’s Hammer, I had to ask!” The Captain of the Shadowrunner handed me a PDD in clipboard mode. “I think that is all. I got the sleeping beauties and the loot and you got the walking dollhouse complete with real life action figures.” I checked the list just flying over it with my eyes just because it was nice to do something that was fleet routine. Something normal captains would do every day. I loved our current mission, but once in a while I wished we could be a Union ship openly. I stopped and read over the list more carefully and then said to Har-Hi who was still next to me and said: “Say the Togar female isn’t on this list. Aren’t we transferring her too?” “She is still at sick bay. Cateria hasn’t released her.” I thanked the captain and wished him a good trip home. After our ships had separated and we were back on course to Sin 4, I went to our sickbay. I found it strange that the Togar female was still here; she didn’t look that badly wounded and as far as I knew, Togar were biologically similar to many mammalian species. I also remembered Narth’s ominous thoughts and wondered why he hadn’t come back to me about it. Out of thin air, Narth appeared next to me as I turned into the corridor of sickbay and he said. “Apologies, Captain. I have not updated you as I am still missing certain information I am not sure how to obtain.” I stopped and said. “What do you mean by that?” “I mean I am morally hampered to proceed. It has partially to do with your sense of fairness and as I said the Hugavh share goes both ways.” “Narth, I am not complaining or expecting you to have all the answers for me all the time. I just think we are not the right environment for these human flesh eaters, and sending her along with the Shadowrunner would have been a good idea. However I am curious what my sense of fairness has to do with all of this.” “You bought her, acting out of that very sense, and I must tell you that the Togar female was tortured and raped in the most horrible ways aboard that Pirate ship. Her psychological condition is fragile and very difficult and Cateria is trying her best with old fashioned counseling and medication to help her. She didn’t think having her treated like an enemy by uncaring Union authorities would be good.” What he said touched me somewhere deep. I remembered as Egill had transferred me somehow into the body of a female to teach me what hell could mean, and I had almost been raped by Harkun. I had not thought about this for a long time but now it returned as a vivid memory. Narth nodded. “You see, all your past experiences have formed your personality and we shared this with the Hugavh. Now the Togar female has a mental shield, preventing me from probing deeper and finding out more details. I could easily break it of course, but I would basically commit the same crime on her again as these men did,” He lowered his head. “With my increased understanding of human emotions, my own approach to things changes. I would have broken her shield without hesitation only a year ago. I will of course proceed if you order me to do so." “Narth, this is not a bad thing, it is what we call a conscience, and it tells us what is right and what is wrong above any laws or any rules. We humans can differentiate between good and evil, and this opens a whole can of worms on such subjects as ethics and religion.” “I am still at the beginning trying to understand all this, but I fail to see why opening a can of worms is of any significance to this discussion? I am certain we have no can of worms in our freight manifest.” “Go ask Shea about that one later. Let us check on the Togar and see if we can get her home somehow.” “That is the problem I mentioned earlier.” I went through the double doors of our sickbay. It had the symbol of Aesculapius over a six pointed star etched into semi transparent material. The lobby behind was white and blue and everything looked brand new and sparkling clean. Cateria wore a light blue coat over white pants. Her usually short cropped hair was now a little longer and gave her a more feminine appearance. Her slight smile also helped. “Hello Captain, what can I do for you? Is it an inspection, or are my services required? Back issues perhaps, walking day in and out in these murderous heels or carrying that rack you decided to have must do a number on your back.” “No Cateria, my back is fine and I am not here for an inspection either. I am here to inquire about the Togar female.” Cateria lost her smile and said. “Her name is Jolaj Grotha and physically she is as good as new. She comes from a matriarchal society and has been raped not once but many times and not by members of her own kind but by aliens to her, which makes it even worse. She is young, barely adult in her society, and she is also perhaps the most wanted person in the Togar Empire.” Narth said. “That is what I meant, if the Togar Empire becomes aware that she is alive and aboard our ship, they will try to capture us and kill her.” I said gloomily: “I didn’t make a big secret out of buying her either. In a Tavern of all places. Chances are the Togar already know we have her. What has she done?” Narth said. “That is the information I was unable to obtain.” Cateria said. “All I know about the Togar society is what I could find on GalNet. I am trying to win her trust so she opens up on her own. Captain I simply could not release her. What would they have done to her on Union side? She doesn’t belong there, they know as much about the Togar as I do, and she belongs to a society that eats humans. I asked Narth and the others not to mention her and I hoped you would forget her for a while.” She looked at me intensely. “I know why you bought her. To impregnate her with a virus or something and make her the instrument of her own species demise, and half the ship agrees with your idea.The Seenian in me applauds you, but I am a physician and I just recently swore the Union physician's oath, with full understanding of every word.” “I said what I said as I stood in a cargo hold with thousands of dead humans, slaughtered and butchered like Fangsnappers. I saw humans herded and separated in slave pens destined for the spits of Togar grills while I was in a slave pen on Alvor's Cove myself. So my general opinion of the Togar society isn’t very favorable, but I don’t buy sentient beings for any purpose whatsoever. I bought her to get her out of the situation she was in. I wonder what what kind of monster you think I am?” “I don’t know you as well as the others do. I know you are fair and straightforward. I know I can trust you with my life and I am here because you showed me mercy, but I also remember how it is to be your enemy.” I didn’t have any real response to that and said. “Well I am not going to kill her or kick her out, but I’d still like to know what we are going to do with her. She isn’t a prisoner. Can I talk to her?” Cateria shrugged. “I am not the best psychiatric expert and know next to nothing about Togar, so I guess you can.” I followed her into a well lit room with a bed with curtains on a window that simulated the view onto a green sun drenched meadow. There was a desk and a chair as well. The white Togar female was on the bed and she was restrained. Cateria answered my unspoken question. “Partially to prevent her from harming herself and partially because she is a Togar with very sharp claws and teeth. Neither I nor my staff have the desire to become patients in our own sickbay.” The Togar was really pretty, looking almost like a human woman with a skintight white fur suit, if it wasn’t for the four toed, claw like feet, the catlike face, pointed triangular ears and the long tail. I wondered if the Pree or the UNI who supposedly seeded human life all across the galaxy also seeded the Togar. She looked straight at the ceiling and did not move or react as we came in. I said to Cateria. “Deactivate her restraints.” “You think that is wise Captain?” “Deactivate her restraints and leave me alone with her. I don’t think I am in danger.” She did and the restraints holding the Togar disappeared into the bed frame. “Hi Jolaj, I am Erica and I am the Captain of this ship.” She did not move or look at me as she said. “You bought me!” “Only to get you out of the situation you were in. We are on our way to Sin 4. I can even make a little side trip to Kaliment and you are free to go. You are not my property and you are not a prisoner.” “You can kill me if you want and you can use me.” “I killed the man named Bloom and his men are all going to be hanged for acts of Piracy.” She moved her head for the first time and looked at me. "You do not show your face, yet you are not pirates. The ship is old on the outside but inside it is like no ship I ever knew. So bright and new. Why should I believe you?” “You do not have to believe me. I am sorry for what happened to you, but I have a mission and the ship that comes first. I will instruct my Ship’s surgeon to do Psycho Surgery on you. Afterward you will remember nothing. My ship’s secret is safe, you will not remember any of the bad things and we let you go on Kaliment where you can reach the Togar side easily.” “Then you are a coward and let others do your killing for you. Why not kill me right away? Any Togar that helps me is automatically sentenced to death. Any Togar that kills me will gain great fortune with the Queen.” “What could you have done that is so terrible?” She turned her head away and said. “I was born.” “I can understand that you don’t trust me or anyone for that matter and frankly, I don’t trust you. I don’t particularly like Togars, and I am not too fond of any species that buys and hunts my kind for food. But I hate unfair situations and yours is very unfair. So I am asking you, what is it you want?” “Kill me, please, simply kill me and all the problems are gone. The pain I feel, the trouble I cause everything will be gone and you are rid of me as well.” Why I sat down and touched her hand. I was not sure, but her pain and sorrow I could almost physically feel. “Death comes to us all sooner or later; there is no need to seek it out.” She turned her head and I could see the pain and the shame she felt in her big green cat eyes. Her whiskers quivered and I saw the fine fur underneath her big eyes was wet. “Just kill me, please.” I touched her cheeks and said. “No worries Jolaj, I give you my word I will find a solution and, while this is a ship of war and we will be in dangerous situations, I promise you no one will ever hurt you again while you aboard this ship and under my care.” I took her paw like hand in mine and squeezed it saying: “Do you believe that?” Tears rolled down her cheeks and she nodded. “Yes, I believe you.” Again I was surprised by my own actions as I pulled the dangerous alien cat close and hugged her and she started sobbing in a strange mix of animalistic and human noises. “I am sorry for everything. I didn’t ask to be born you know. I didn’t ask for white fur, I am sorry for being Togar and that I have eaten human. I am sorry for being female and making them…” Her fur was at least as soft as that of the little Holdian commander. I did not understand everything she said as she switched between native Togar and Frees-zone Squawk. Many of her words were swallowed between deep sobs, but I could feel her pain and hopelessness while I was holding her. I was once again reminded of Egill and could almost see him nodding with approval. I was certain I heard another voice say: “As long as he can feel compassion so strongly through the female persona I have given him, all hope is not lost.” For a brief moment I wondered about my own imagination but then was distracted by the white furred Togar I was still holding. She was crying in strange meowing sounds softer now and I patted her back. I don’t know how long I sat there holding the alien female, but then I noticed she had fallen asleep and I let her down, covered her and quietly left. Cateria and Narth were there outside the door, it was the Seenian CMO that spoke first: “She hasn’t been able to sleep without sedation...I’m sorry for having misjudged you, Captain.” “Don’t restrain her any more and if she wants to get up and wander around, let her. SHIP will keep an eye on her so she isn’t wandering in restricted areas,right SHIP?” "Of course captain." Cateria looked back through the door window and said: “I’ll see to it, Captain.” Narth said: “I will attempt to learn more about the Togar and maybe I can find out why white fur would be of significance.”

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Dimon landed on a private island, the enclave of the Rico syndicate. The old Baro syndicate was in business because of the worm and received a coded message from the Purple Worm himself, to accommodate the half Dai, Dimon Honsu. The Baro syndicate was one of the four big players that more or less controlled Sin 4. The leader and undisputed boss of the outfit, Ludor Baro was waiting for him right at the boarding ramp as he stepped on the landing field. Ludor did look very much like a human sized, strong looking chimpanzee. But his face was anything but dull or animalistic. There was a persistent rumor that Ludor was a Level 7 intellect. Two levels above the average and on the same level as Dimon. The man pretending to be Dimon had no doubt the rumor was true. He had dealt with the old Baro before. Ludor placed his long arms on each sides of his hips."Don't be surprised to find me out here, greeting you in person, but our mutual friend made it quite clear how important your visit is." Dimon greeted the Simian."Good afternoon, mighty Ludor. Yes I have important business, Freespace and peace hinge on me being successful, but I do have a crate of Union Marine Issue SITKUs and twenty H&K missile carabines, plus crates of missile canisters and Power-mags for the SITKUs. Just in case you might want to update the personal hardware of your guards." The grim face of Ludor changed for a short moment and displayed a toothy grin. "I hate the Union with a passion, especially Terrans as you know, but I love Union Mil Tech. It is going to be very hard getting hands on the genuine stuff. I am sure you know of the increasing troubles of our friend the worm." Dimon nodded and waved a few of Ludor's stooges so they could unload the gifts."Yes there won't be any big stuff anymore for sure, but unless the cursed Admiral McElligott finds a cure for greed and opportunism there always will be some stuff coming this way." Dimon knew, the hatred towards Union and Earth was strong and deep in the syndicate boss. It had to with the fact that he was a direct descendant of one of the Chimpanzees sent into space by human scientists long before Earth ascendet. If the story was true, one of the monkeys were rescued by an alien society and eventually brought to Dyne, where they developed. Dimon did not know if the sentient part was genetically engineered or developed on its own, but Ludor was technically a Terran or at least had roots to that planet. Ludor and Dimon walked side by side into the main building of the immense villa. Dimon didn't want to waste time and said."Did you hear about a captured Nul being sold on Sin 4?" "There is only one Nul on Sin 4 right now. A Gray one no less, abducted by Shiss raiders and given to Duke Donheer, the syndicate boss of the Donheer clan and proprietor of the Death Arenas. I am sure this is where the Nul will end up." "The Nul is important to the Nul and they will go to war if I can't manage to get him back." "Good luck with that one, but then the Duke can be bought if the price is right." "I will make him an offer. Any other news that I should know about?" "The Togar apparently also lost one of their own. In their case it seems to be a criminal or terrorist of sorts." "A Togar female by any chance?" "Yes, there is a significant reward from the Queen herself anyone capturing and turning over a Togar female with all white fur." "She was sold by Dentar Bloom at Bhrama port to a mysterious female pirate called Black Velvet." "I never seen the Togar as serious and determined about anything like that before, but then there is a legend about an All White Togar who is the daughter of their highest god." The Half Dai nodded."The Togar are still very religious and superstitious. Doesn't' that religious legend say that this white fur Togar replaces the Queen and the High priestess and brings justice to all Togar, male and female?" "Exactly, now can you imagine what the Queen and the High Priestess will do if there is indeed an All White Fur?" "She makes them obsolete and that's the reason for all that. I seen the female, she is indeed all white, but that should not be that rare. Albinos exist in all species." "I am neither an expert on Togar furs nor genetics. I do know the Togar Queen declared the All White an impostor and put a big bounty on her head, preferably dead by the way." "She has the potential to rip apart the Togar empire, just as they are aiming to become a big player." "You squandered a big chance at getting very rich and on the good side of the Togar queen." Dimon sighed."I realize that too. Well maybe that Black Velvet pirate makes it to Sin 4 and I can buy the Togar."

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Sin 4

We had reached the Sin system and as always, I had us drop out of Quasi-space in the outmost regions of the star system. I said: “Maintain course to Sin 4, and steady as she goes. Mr. Shaka.” “Aye Captain, keeping it all well within the limits for a Karthanian.” “Elfi keep your ears open and record all comm traffic. SHIP, help her please.” “Already on it, Captain, search patterns for Pirate name activity and transmissions that offer Union Mil tech are in effect. There is an awful lot about the White Fur Togar” I sighed and acknowledged with a nod and said. “Narth and Shea, make sure you don’t use any active scanner beams we are not supposed to have.” “We adjusted our active Sensors to match our Disguise.” Har-Hi handed me a PDD in clipboard mode and said: “Arrival at Sin 4 or not, it is 0900 Union time and that means you got to sign the daily order sheet, Moi Captain. Only with your signature can I process them.” “Where is Ms. O’Connell’s? Is that not her duty?” “Her duty yes, but since you decided to pull two shifts and throw my carefully arranged shift schedule in chaos, I have to do it. She is sleeping most likely. ” I blinked guilty and said: “I just wanted to be on the bridge myself when we arrived. I somehow hoped never to set foot on Sin 4 again and yet here we are.” "And when you are on the bridge, so is your senior staff." Narth added. "I should pay more attention to that, I suppose." Har-Hi watched me read the general order for the day."No worries, Captain. No one's complaining." Shea sighed at that and said: “About Sin 4, I can’t help but think the same way, and this dirt ball is supposed to be my home.” I said. “Your home is where you make it and not where fate put you when you were born. At least we arrive in a nice ship this time, and I am not bound and can go to the bathroom anytime I want.” Everyone looked at me and I added. “Well the first time I arrived here I was tied up and I needed to go to the bathroom real bad. It’s not a story I should tell you all, but not being able to go can be real painful.” Har-Hi said: “No one is laughing, Captain. This makes your accomplishment to escape barefoot and without any resources even more amazing. We just went to a similar ordeal ourselves and it only lasted a few hours. You didn’t go into great details when you told us how you escaped your tormentor, but I can imagine it was much more difficult than you let on.” “Maybe I’ll tell you one day. Right now we’ve got a job to do and, as we are the first federation ship ,at least as far as we know,entering this system, we might as well collect some data and upgrade our catalogs and information on this system.” The Golden One came onto the bridge and SHIP said to me: “I asked Sobody to the bridge to help Elfi with the Comm traffic analysis.” “It’s all good SHIP. I think we have thrown regulation 563.43 B out the window quite a while ago regarding proper bridge conduct. Besides you are not just the AI. You do carry rank and you are an Officer.” Har-Hi could not help himself.“That regulation with many of the other regulations. Not that I am complaining or anything.” Sobody looked over to the busy science console and said: “Captain, we are supposed to be pirates. Pirates don’t survey, measure and explore.” I smiled, answering: “Not to worry, Ancient Merchant. We won’t launch any probes or send survey teams to the other planets.” Har Hi, who stood with crossed arms next to my seat, instead of sitting in his designated chair, also watching the science crew do their job, turned to the Golden and said: “Even a Golden with your excellent scanner tech might be surprised at the data we can collect just with our sensors. I doubt there is another species that elevated scientific sensor analysis to such a level as the Union.” Sobody agreed saying. “This is one of the reasons I am such a fan of the Terrans and the Union, Mr. Hi. I can't wait what Terrans do with Golden tech.” Har-Hi coughed."I bet they find a way to weaponize your cash registers." That earned him a stern gaze of mine. Shea looked at her readouts and reported. “None of the other planets are used or occupied as far as I can tell; there are no energy signatures or material concentrations that would suggest artificial manipulation or presence. Yet it appears that there are several candidates with promising mineral and metal riches.” Har-Hi said. “Crooks don’t mine and those who do want to mine have the fruits of their labor stolen or taken away. So I guess that is the reason no one is mining out here,” She nodded and returned to looking at her readouts. I knew her well enough that I could tell by her body language she found something, so I asked. “Lt. Schwartz is there anything I should know about?” “No Capitan it is not anything that would affect us or the mission in any way. The Sun is a Spectral Type O2 and...” She stopped in mid sentence and kept looking at her readouts. She turned: ” It is my home system Captain but I never had the chance to scan our sun before. This star is unstable and I am running a simulation through SHIP right now, and a Nova eruption is likely to occur within the next two or three hundred thousand years, mere moments in a stars live. I am certain by natural causes.” I responded saying. “It won’t affect our mission then because I hope we all will be somewhere else by then. Maybe the situation will have changed by then and the Wurgus Solar Engineers could stabilize that sun, but you could consult Three-Four.” The Non-Corp appeared on a Comm-screen and said."She already did, Captain.I am going over the star data as we speak." Narth was also busy on his console and said: “Captain, there is a lot of traffic in this system, and I am detecting weapon fire at nine different locations within the system. Mao analyzed the conflicts and concluded that none of the fights are connected.” Mao did not take his eyes off his readouts and confirmed what Narth had said: “Narth send me the scanner data but I can’t see any correlation between any of these shoot outs. It also appears no capital ships are involved. Weapon energies exchanged are consistent with armed system shuttles and the like.” Shea said. “That is normal. There is only one law here, the law of the stronger. There are always quarrels and fights anywhere on or around Sin 4” I leaned back.”Har Hi sound battle stations anyway. I like to be ready.” “Aye Captain. General Quarters!” We reached the planet without any incidents and Shaka took us into a standard orbit around the garden world that was known as SIN 4. It had only two continents and several large islands. The rest was Ocean. Even from space the upper continent didn’t look very inviting. Most of it seemed gray and looked dirty. There was visible pollution oozing from one of the large islands in a gray smear across the greenish oceans. “So how do we land?” I asked. “Did anyone hail us?” This question I directed to Elfi. The beautiful Saran woman answered: “There is lots of activity on all channels, but no one is taking any interest in us, Sir.” Narth checked his scanners and said: “No one has even noticed us.There isn't anything in terms of scanner arrays." Shea said. “We simply land. There are a few spaceports but there is no active landing control. I suggest we land at the Gorotolah. It is the largest spaceport on the southernmost edge of the Continent.” She waved her hands over the main viewer and magnified a section of the planet below and pointed at an area. I was certain it was the same spaceport I had been before, as it had the Ocean close by. Shaka was under his Virtu Helmet but unlike most other Virtu Helmsmen he always paid attention to what happened on the bridge and participated in our conversations. He said: “I am on Ship vision and can see it and there are other ships as well.” I smiled at Shea and then said. “Shaka, take us down there and put us as far away from the other ships as possible. Mao, keep our shields active and Narth, double check the Janus system.” We landed on the same cracked and crumbling, Duro-Crete field I had been on before. I recognized the tall Duro-crete wall in the distance, but most of the Skeleton hand spider infested terminal was gone, and there was still a crater where the SII ship had blasted one of the Spaceports turrets away. To my utter surprise I recognized the now completely salvaged and butchered hulk of the Karthanian courier ship that I had arrived with on Sin 4 not so long ago. It was nothing more than a twisted wreck, but I recognized its hull shape. Nothing much had changed; there were the same garbage fires, piles of waste and filth. Shaka took off his helmet and shook his head looking at the main viewer saying. “Good lord, what a dump. If this is such a lawless place, who actually build this spaceport? It looks it had been a well planned facility once.” I looked into the direction of our geek squad and said:“Good question.” It was Sobody who had the answer, as neither Shea nor Narth seemed to know. He said: “It is a little known side note of galactic history. After the first signing of the Accord for Universal peace, the Poho who hosted the conference and were known as the most peaceful and neutral society did not want to have any more meetings on their world. The Poho homeworld had become known as the Planet of Universal Peace and had been the meeting place of choice even long before the rise of the Union. So without having a meeting place anyone could agree on, the Big Four looked for another place. This world was considered and the Karthanian, smelling the opportunity to do business with the Big Four, build this space port, the terminal and the original city. It never happened. The Poho changed their mind and openly invited everyone to use their world for such purposes again. The Karthanian abandoned the world and since it was now in Freespace and had a city and space port for the taking, it didn’t take long for pirates and similar vermin to find this place. Syndicate Families developed and it all turned into the Sin 4 we all know today.” Shea said. “Not that anyone had the right to take this world, as it has a sentient native population.” Elfi signaled me and interrupted. “Someone did notice us and we are being hailed.” I settled back down in my seat and put on my mask then said. “I am ready, put it on.” The being appeared to have features of both the Oghar and the Shiss like and looked quite frightening. “We are calling the Silver Streak.” "That is an original Ohgr by the way." Har-Hi whispered. I acknowledged Har-Hi with a nod and said aloud. “Looks like you got our attention. Speak up, what is it you want?” “We know who you are, Captain Velvet, your reputation travels faster than your ship.” “This is indeed Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. Whom do I have the dubious honor to talk with?” The answer came right away. His voice sounded rough and somewhat high pitched and I could hear other voices in the background. “Captain Velvet, you are talking to the Gorotolah Spaceport Protection Agency. We heard of you and your ship and we know you are a successful pirate. We are very happy you choose to land on our port. However this is a dangerous place and we can only guarantee your safety for 20,000 Polo coins, or goods of similar value. If you decide not to pay or to leave we are forced to use our big DE guns on you. We have two large DE turrets aimed directly at you. You have exactly 20 minutes to comply. A group of our associates will approach in a floater and expect payment to be transferred.” Mao manipulated the main viewer and magnified a set of buildings across the landing field. Indeed there was a bunker like building with a force field surrounding it and a set of DE turrets on top aiming at us. Mao said. “Captain, those pea shooters won’t even dent our armor without shields. They don’t have anything big enough to put us in any real danger.” Har Hi agreed. “They are bluffing and hope we don’t know, but there aren’t any weapons big enough that can be used on a planet and seriously harm a ship of our size, even if we really were a Karthanian Freighter with original shields. Any weapon big enough to crack our shields would seriously damage a huge area around us.Not to mention the possible loss of contamination to the Anti matter part of our fuel. Half the continent would be liquified. This isn’t a Poodle.” I nodded. “Elfi can you pinpoint the location of the transmission?” She moved her hands over her console and responded. “Yes Captain I have localized it to that transmitter array over there.” I pointed at the turrets and said: “Mao, fire our simulated Froth Caster and place a 5 gram TL bomb right where that transmission originates. That should do as payment.” From the outside it looked as if our Nul turret fired, the Translocator load was invisible and undetectable. The result was more than I expected. The 5 gram antimatter exploded and obliterated not only the bunker and the building with the transmitter but the entire building complex with a tremendous fire cloud. Har-Hi coughed into his fist and rubbed his fingernails on his jacket. “I don’t think this is what they had in mind when they asked for goods of similar value, Captain.” Shea shrugged. “I doubt anyone will care and I expect others will take their place and try a similar scam in a few month” I got up from the seat, and said: “Let’s have a conference in the Den to figure out what we need to do and how we are going to do it.”

--“”--

Har-Hi once again standing rather than sitting like most of us said: “There are three reasons why we came here. Number one is to find the Terran weapons dealer and shut him down. Number two is to find out where the Sinister Alliance is meeting and what they are planning and number three on our list of things to do is to identify all pirates and freelancers that are on the wanted list of Union Police, with special focus on the Red Dragon.” “To accomplish this I would like to deploy one of our Intel specialist, If that is permitted. He was added to our crew while we were at the NAVINT sun base. His skills and abilities are especially suited for this.” “I guess I should read your daily reports more closely. Who is it?” "Lieutenant Senhadjii. he is attached to our S-2 department and yes it might be a good thing if you read my reports in more detail." "I will do that in the future and since I trust your judgement, I approve the deployment of this specialist. Keep me informed please. And I do remember his name, wasn't he looking into the body language of that half Dai?" Har-Hi nodded."Indeed." I turned to the big Saturnian. "Mr. Neugruber you wanted to be next." Hans expanded the size of high resolution pictures “These are the ships that share the landing area with us right now. All three are operated by notorious outlaws and pirates. I prepared dossiers on each of them from the data we have available. As for the Mil-Tech dealer I would like to go into the city and gather some intel on that.” Hans managed to look embarrassed and said. “I am not on Sin 4 for the first time either and I have some contacts and a reputation here, even though I am supposed to be dead.” I said. “Not that I want to sound nosy or anything like that, but could you be a tad more specific?” He looked down on the table surface and said. “Before I joined the Fleet I was fighting for money in one of the big arenas here. Nothing to be proud of, but back then I was a young punk with no brain and an expensive taste.” “You?” Was all I could say. Hans was always so correct and straight. He grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, me, I was known as the Terror Hammer and fought in the top league. I still have some connections here. Golden said he would come along as well.” “I can’t simply allow you go outside Mr. Merchant. It is very dangerous out there and how would they react to the Merchant of Merchants being here?” He smiled and said: “You worry too much, Captain, Cateria will do some plastic surgery again and add the ugly branding of the Expelled on my head and besides even we Golden have a hard time to tell us apart. To any stranger we look very much alike.” He then looked up to Hans and said: “I think I could help out there more than I can here. Sin 4 is a rotten place but it runs on money and business and that’s what I know best.” I sighed. “You know how to make a point but be careful and stay with Hans.” Shea said. “I would like to go to the temple and get a few things.” “How will you get there safely?” “I’ll call the temple and have them pick me up.” Elfi was next. “SHIP and I decoded a message send from one of the pirate ships out there. The ship identified as the Merchants Sorrow, commanded by Sodex the Wild. He was contacted by the Red Dragon. The message tells Sodex that the Red Dragon will be here in seven days to participate in the semi-annual Pirates market.” I acknowledged her report and said to Hans and Sobody. “Well we are here for at least that long, so you may go and do your intel-gathering, but keep in touch and report as often as you can.” Sobody and Hans agreed to do that. Now it was Narth who got up and I said to him. “Don’t tell me you, too, have been on Sin 4 before as well.” He shook his shrouded head. “Not in a corporeal sense, no, but I did share some of your experiences while you were here.I changed from a sitting position to a sanding one got up as it seems that is what the others do when reporting. “ “All right then, what is it you want to report, Mr.Narth?” I am addressing you in my capacity as OPS officer and it is part of my duty and my department to allocate resources and delegate projects. The OPS department is often called the XO’s …” I interrupted him. “Not that I mind a refresher course about what OPS is but I am sure you had another reason for getting up, right?” “Oh yes, of course. I have a request from Ensign Dien Tallow.” I actually remembered the name from some list I signed or maybe it was someone I greeted, so I said. “I think I heard the name and I believe it is someone in our science department. Is he from Sin 4?” “No Captain, but as you correctly remembered, he is a member of our science department. He is quite a brilliant and talented scientist with particular interests in sociology, Xeno archeology and biology. While microbiology and Xeno entomology are his main fields of expertise. He had an interesting proposal and suggestion.” Narth waved the man over. He was human and one of those who would not stand out in a crowd of one. He looked older than most ensigns but then he had gone the science corps route and they often tended to be older. He saluted me and he managed to make a military greeting look shy and weak. I told him that no one had to salute here in the Pirate’s Den and encouraged him to simply tell us his suggestion.” He said. “Captain, we are the first Union ship on Sin 4 and I heard we might have a few days time, so I would like to propose we survey the planet. I am aware of our mission but I think we can do it while disguised and not be obvious. The southern continent and some of the islands, and especially Trash Island, are of particular interest to me.” Yeoman O’Connell had appeared behind me in her usual quiet way and held a mug of coffee before me. I was so getting used to her punctuality that I grabbed the mug before I even acknowledged and thanked her. To the scientist I said. “I am not opposed to your idea, but we do have a cover to maintain.” He pointed to Circuit and said. “Ma’am, the Chief Engineer and his team has already modified one of our Armadillos to make it look old and non-Union. I studied as much about Sin 4 as I could find since it was a possibility that we would come here. Visiting Trash Island would be a highlight in my scientific career, Ma’am.” I sipped at my coffee, giving Gwen a thankful smile and asked. “Why is this island of such interest to you?” “Unrestricted transfer of goods and life forms for almost 1500 years from all regions of our galaxy must have created a very unique environment, especially in terms of vermin.” Shea agreed: “It sure would be an interesting expedition and no one but Skaakh and Stiks live on Trash Island.” I sipped at my coffee and said. “Alright, I approve it, but I better go along to make sure our science crew isn’t overdoing things. But first I like to hear proposals how to sabotage and if possible take those landed ships out. While I think we need to leave the Merchants Sorrow alone for now, the other two should never leave this place again." One of the Mini Terrans standing on the table said."Lt. Bergdorf here, Captain.This is our specialty. Edwin and Gerd, I mean Ensign Sahlhof and Ensign Helle. We are not just Mech pilots but trained in clandestine demolition and sabotage." I leaned forward."So what could you do?" "Carry a load of Lt. Circuits nanites inside for one, set very small demolition charges that ruin their Computronic or their AM mix ratio." One of his colleagues, introduced himself as Edwin Sahlhof actually giggled. Captain, changing the AM mix ratio is always a favorite." A Leedei ensign I had seen a few times before and who had shown his talent by sensing the minds of the mercs almost a light hour distant apparently encouraged by Narth to speak said. "Captain, you do know we have a PSI lab and all kinds of Leedei tech? Leedei even decided to make several Gorrontha devices available to this ship and project." "Yes I know we do. Weren't we using one of those things to mess with the Kermac on Dioba? But I guess it is a good time you guys tell me what those devices do." The Leedei explained. "It agitates and stimulates what we Leedei call the PSI Organ. It can increase or decrease the ability to channel. Even store psionic energies. It works on almost any  life form and could increase the HPI by up to 500 percent. The device has been improved ever since and became the core of Leedei might. The Gorrontha Device was first used in anger over 6,000 years ago to create something we call a Psi Blast and it was instrumental in winning the conflict.It has officially been outlawed, but we did continue to develop it. We have a big Gorrontha projector, the one we actually used to temporarily increase the abilities of the Kermac. And we have several hand held projectors." Narth in my mind said."It is forbidden technology because it is perhaps dangerous to a Narth." The Leedei did not know Narth was sending his thoughts said."It can be used the other way too, you know. Lowering the cognitive intelligence of a being even." To my friend I was thinking back."This is very concerning indeed, and I wonder if there are other Union ships with that device." "No there is not, the Leedei leadership only made it available upon the Narth Supreme asking them to add it to this ships equipment." I acknowledged and said to the Minis."An anti matter explosion might be a tad too much, but other than that, let me see what you can do." I looked at the images Hans had provided."Take care of that Oghr Combat freighter over there. Hans' info identifies the ship as the Brazen Business of a Privateer and smuggler named Turdin Masab." I then turned to the Leedei. "And you do your thing to the Tight Squeeze, that Karthanian copy of a Union destroyer. But most of all stay as safe as possible and if at all possible do it stealthy. Don't expose us."

--""--

Trash Island

Circuit had done a terrific job, gluing and welding armor plates over the sleek form of a Landing Tank. Rusty steel chain curtains covered the wide Ultronit Tracks and the whole thing looked like an old, many times repaired, all terrain crawler with an ArtiGrav. The main cannon was still there but looked like an old artillery piece and not like the High energy QGP it was. The Mission Pod module on this tank had been changed from Combat to surface survey and science. Instead of more weapons, advanced shields and a troop compartment, this module was equipped with external manipulators, mini lab equipment and a science sensor suit. Shea had left to go to the temple, being torn between going there and coming with us. Hans and the Golden had left as well. Circuit stood next to the modified tank and said: “Do you mind if I pull a Level Two on our Energy Tap system?” “Is there something wrong with it?” His face was unchanged as ever and I could not say or pinpoint how I was able to sense his moods and emotions, but to me he sounded somewhat concerned. “As you know it is experimental technology and we are the first ship really using it, other than test platforms. The maintenance manuals and documentation is very rudimentary. It was Three-Four who first saw a minute energy leak. Basically it is a small hole if you will bleeding a previous unknown form of transdim energy past the chandeliers, but it is inside the system and very small.” “What are you trying to tell me? Is the ship in danger? Are we able to leave if we have to?” “The ship is not in danger and we always have the conventional back up. I am also certain I can fix it, but I need about six hours. Neither the shields nor the Janus System will be affected.” “You’re my Chief Engineer and I trust your judgment, just keep me informed.” Circuit promised and left. I contemplated to stay but then decided to trust my crew and a few moments later we left the Tigershark and flew due south. It was true; no one cared about us and after a few minutes we were simply another armed skimmer in the skies. Krabbel sat at the controls and Dien Tallow sat next to him in the Mission command seat. Narth went along out of scientific curiosity, TheOther manned the turret and there were four other crew members in the crawler as well, all from the science department, and I was simply a passenger, more or less. Tallow directed us South away from the city and air traffic became less, consisting almost entirely of dirty open freight skimmers loaded to the brim with waste. Most of them were just wooden contraptions with fitted ArtiGrav lifters and simple propellers for locomotion. One of the scientists sat next to me. She was maybe a dress size two and if it wasn’t for her older looking face, she could easily be taken for a teenager. She brushed a lock of her chestnut brown hair out of her face. She had long thin fingers and a doll like appearance. She was excited and said to me: “Thank you Captain for making this opportunity available to us. You see, every type of vermin you could think of has been brought here to SIN 4, either by accident or on purpose. There are no hygiene or import rules. And for over five hundred years they have been dumping trash and waste on this island along with life forms from all across the Galaxy. I can’t wait to see how Terran rats have adapted to this environment.” I shivered, involuntarily remembering the white tentacle thing in the sewers, and said:“To each its own. I guess everyone needs a hobby.” She smiled. “Captain, I am a Xenobiologist and to me such things are quite fascinating. About sixty years ago there was a Galactic Geographic expedition to Sin 4 and they focused on Trash Island and found some of the strangest life forms there. It was never done again, because two expedition members got killed, most of the gear stolen and two abducted for ransom. So I look forward to see what has changed and what is still there.” “I am always amazed what scientists find fascinating.” “You have seen the landing field? It is cracked and large patches are corroded and disintegrated into to dust.” I nodded. “I have.” “It was leveled and installed by Karthanian civil engineers about 1500 years ago in the hopes to get this planet chosen as a neutral meeting place. The material used is very similar to our Duro-Crete and should have lasted thousands of years. But someone imported probably by accident, a mineral eating microbe and it mated with another perhaps local microorganism and a new life form emerged that finds the polymer compounds used in that Karthanian concrete especially delicious. The result is crumbling and cracking concrete.” I raised an eyebrow. “Now that is actually interesting, if that microbe could be altered and delivered by bombs. It could turn an entire Spaceport to dust.” Krabbel laughed. “Our Captain really is Terran, no sense denying it. The first thing they always think of is how something could be used as a weapon.” I shrugged. “It was a logical conclusion was it not?” Narth raised his head. “Indeed especially logical to Terrans.” The chestnut haired Xenobiologist said. “Also, we can devise materials immune to these effects. These microbes are just one example. There is a common weed on Terra called Dandelion. It too found its way to Sin 4 and it has developed a symbiosis with a flesh eating plant. Now the little seed pods that look so lovely on Earth carry tiny flesh eating pods that instantly burrow into unprotected skin and cause serious infections.” Dien Tallow turned in his seat to add his expertise and he said. “The standard hygiene procedures developed for all Union ships are based on such research. Did you know that the Tigershark and all Union ships, for example, have special anti contamination systems fitted to our landing gear wells.Every time landing gear is retracted, it is sterilized. Our decontamination field at the air locks, we hardly notice. The harmful aerosol scan procedures that are strictly observed by your environmental engineers, our bio form transfer laws were all developed using research like that.” I raised my hand. “You made a point. Maybe I was not entirely fair in my assessment and I know we are supposed to hunt Pirates, that is our primary goal, but the pursuit of knowledge is also important, and this is why even a ship like the Tigershark has extensive lab facilities. I am not against scientific exploration and I would love to simply go on an exploring mission without masking as pirates. That is why I agreed to this and I am sure it is time well spent. We just need to be careful, pirates don’t explore much and we can’t risk our cover.” TheOther did not take his eyes of his targeting and scanning oculars but he said: “I feel very blessed to be here and on a mission that adds to the body of knowledge. Y’All do not explore at least not as far as I know. This thirst for knowledge is what makes the Union and you humans truly superior to us.” Krabbel said. “I hate to interrupt this conversation, but we are here. Trash Island is below us. I asked. “TheOther, are we followed?” “No Ma’am. All I have noticed are garbage scow floaters and none of the ones within range has any scanning hardware.” I looked out the view port on my side and if there was a hell in the Universe, I was sure we had found it. The water around the Trash Island was a dark brown soup with floating spots of shimmering oil and solid waste. How the island once might have looked I could not say all I saw were mountains and more mountains of trash, waste and rotting garbage. Smoldering heaps belching black smoke into the air that even made the sky over this island look dirty and somewhat greenish. Krabbel landed in a valley between two mountains and engaged the tracks. In the distance we saw one floater dumping trash and I could clearly see the form of two human bodies falling down as well, the two man crew of the floater had bare bodies and used simple shovels to clear the cargo bed. They paid no attention to us at all. It was Narth who pointed out the viewport. “Please stop. I believe I see an Itomarian Vision Staff.” Krabbel stopped and Dien became excited. “I believe you are correct. It indeed looks that way. What an eye.” Before I could ask, Narth’s voice answered as usual in my mind. “A long disappeared species of space travelers, believed to be active even before the UNI and the Pree. They had a large empire long before the Seenians. There is scholastic evidence suggesting they belonged to the First League, the one the Conck mentioned. We had little contact with them as we Narth isolated ourselves as much as possible from other species. However their technology was highly developed and very unique.” We cycled through the small airlock, wearing our new Atlas Battle Suits, altered in such a way that they did not look like Union technology. Even Narth choose to put a battle suit on. Krabbel remained and kept an eye on the scanners. I sank to my knees into the mass of moist waste before the suit adjusted and lowered the gravimetric ground pressure so I could walk on top of it. Something like a centipede with many segments and as long as my arm had coiled itself around my left leg and tried to bury sharp looking mandibles into the material of my suit. The Xenobiologist, Rebecca Dunns, made her Atlas suit look petite, grabbed the trashing thing and placed it, not without difficulties in an unfolding stasis box. “Could be an Amel originally from Troga, but six times the original size.” TheOther stomped past me and he truly looked terrifying in that battle suit as his had four arms. “What amazing technology these new suits are! I was always at awe at the Quasimodos and I remember well how Union Marines fought us wearing them. Now I am wearing one that is so much advanced I believe I could hold an entire Y’All landing force off all by myself with it.” I laughed: “You terrified the crew of an entire ship, that’s for sure, ripping Airlocks out of their sockets like paper.” “Ah, yes, true, but it was a battle and I had little time thinking just how marvelous these Atlas suits are.” Narth and Dien uncovered an elaborately decorated three meter long object from the dirt. It had a dull metallic color and roughly looked like a giant ear cleaner with round ends on each side. A red crystal like object was embedded on one side. The coloring and the shape reminded me of the round spheres, I had found in the Cave of Things. This reddish crystal sphere however had the appearance of being damaged. I watched my small landing party dig through the trash and kept looking over the depressing landscape, with one eye on the battle sensors and said to the big creature next to me: “Do you think the Y’All will return?” He raised his upper arm pair and said. “I was what we called a battle drone, Captain. I was not given much information. I was grown in a vat along with ten thousand exactly like me and came to this Galaxy aboard a Hatching Ship. I know less about the true motives of my kind than you. My purpose, and only purpose, was to destroy and kill. I had no other reason to exist. When I questioned that existence and wanted to know more I was declared damaged and malfunctioning and my section command put me in Stasis for further evaluation. I was scheduled to be disassembled along with the other Y’All you found. He made a very human sigh and continued. “I found killing and destroying without reason very disturbing. Be assured I will defend you and the ship and my friends, but I would have a hard time following an order to kill without a very good reason.” I watched Narth and Dien poke through the trash obviously searching for more artifacts and then saw the petite Xenobiologist transferring something struggling and slimy with lot of legs into another Specimen container. While I observed them having fun I said to the Y’All. “I think this is a good philosophy and I promise you I won’t order you to kill without a reason, but our mission requires that we terminate individuals.” He turned his entire body to look at me directly “It will have a reason though. We are defending the way of life of the Union, a place where even one like me receives mercy and a chance. With you I am an individual and the very concept of having friends is a very good reason to fight.” I wanted to say something but my sensors picked up a human shaped heat source hiding underneath a crate not too far from Narth. I did not read any energy sources indicating weapons or shields so went towards that crate to see who was hiding there, something hit my suit, at the chest area. The suit computronic switched to battle mode and said. “Chemical projectile weapon impact, threat level zero.” The sensors homed in on an extremely dirty man crouching behind a wall of trash aiming a weapon at us, next to him a Stik native armed with a spear. TheOther turned into a lighting fast running battering ram and plowed through the dirt and trash like a cannonball, trash and pieces flying everywhere, and grabbed both the human with one hand and with another hand a gangly, tall and somewhat thin human alien. The crate before me flew to the side and a meager, dirty girl was exposed and it floated into the air, held by Narth’s telekinetic powers, but I sensed Narth having trouble at first. I lowered my gun to shoot her. Narth’s voice said. “No Eric please do not shoot. I have full control now.” TheOther carried the struggling man; he wore only rags and was barefoot. The tall Alien was in no better shape, almost completely naked, dirty and wounded. The weapon, some kind of rifle, was bent into a pretzel in one of TheOther’s other hands. The man screamed in perfect Union Lingu. “Let her go you bastards, let her go. She means no harm. Let her go!” Narth just looked in my direction and I nodded. Narth said. “We mean you no harm as well. It was you who shot at us and I know you only did it to protect that female.” The man stopped struggling and TheOther let him go. I said to the dirty man. “No matter how fast you try to run, we are faster. So stay until we are done talking to you.” The native being did not move, it simply hung in the huge fist, like dead. The dirty man did not relax and eyed us with open mistrust. “You must be Union: No other society in the Universe would poke through trash with million credit equipment and collect vermin.” I said. “You appear human and you don’t speak Freezone Squawk, are you a Union Citizen?” His head sank. “Not anymore, I did some bad things a few decades ago and fled to Sin 4.” Now he lowered his hands in a resigning gesture. “I’d say take me. I would give up. I’d rather face charges at home as to spend another day in this hell, but I can’t, I must protect her and stay with my friends here.” Narth said. “Captain, this girl has tremendous psionic powers, almost on par with mine and she is in great danger to harm herself as she had no training at all.” Our tiny Xeno scientist held out a Ration Bar to the girl. “Are you hungry?” Narth examined the tall thin Stik: “This individual is seriously injured.” The girl was incredibly filthy and her hair resembled the dirtiest mop in Midrill’s broom closet. Somehow she reminded me of Exa, but compared to this one, Exa was sparkling clean the first time I saw her. This girl was also very thin and meager, and looked malnourished. She had big blue and incredibly sad eyes. She nodded at Specialist Dunns question but didn’t take the bar; instead she looked over to the man. He said. “Go ahead Alice take it, these are real Union Soldiers like I told you so often about.” She took the bar and ripped it open and wolfed it down like an animal. I noticed the longing eyes of the man, so I opened my emergency ration compartment and handed him a bar as well. At first he tried to maintain some dignity but his hunger won and he too tore it open and literally inhaled the bar in two or three bites. They both got two more and finally he chewed slower and his eyes glowed with bliss. He said still chewing: “Oh God in heaven, I never thought a RICE bar would taste so good.” I was certain he was Union, perhaps even with military background as he knew the acronym for these Ration Individual Combat Emergency bars. I said. “I think it is better we take you all to the ship, have our med officer check you out and get you a real meal. That Stik friend of yours really needs medical attention. I give you my word that if you want to leave you can. You are not under arrest.” He nodded. “The word of a Union captain is enough for me. I know you are fleet even though you try to hide it, especially with the others calling you Captain and you having RICE bars with your equipment.” I frowned and said. “Let’s make sure no one else comes to this conclusion. Let’s go back to the ship before someone else does pay attention to us.” Narth asked the man holding up the artifact. “Have you ever seen any artifacts that look like this Stik?” The man looked at it and then nodded. “Yes Gothar the dealer has four cases with the same markings standing in his store. There are little round crystal balls in them just like the busted one in that staff.” Narth said to me. “We must return here, Captain. We must recover those cases. If I am right, then we have discovered a find perhaps more important than hunting pirates.” This was a strong statement coming from my friend and I knew he never exaggerated. I nodded. “Then return we will.” We returned without further incident to the ship. While we thoroughly decontaminated the landing tank, the suits and ourselves, I thought about the words of the Xenobiologist concerning the decontamination process that previously was so routine I barely noticed, and it now become much more significant to me. Cateria and her staff were ready and waiting. They transferred our three latest guests on Med Bot stretchers and began their work while on their way to Sickbay. Narth went with them. Shea came into the landing bay and watched as the scientists unloaded the specimen containers and other finds. She still wore her Sojonit Outfit but took off her mask and said. “I have the blessings of the Mother Superior for our union and she has retired my name.” I smiled, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and kissed her. She then handed me a sealed package and said with slight surprise in her voice. “This comes from the Mother Superior. The package contains a real Sojonit costume and she hopes you find time to visit her at the temple tomorrow.” I took the package and said. “Then I will make the time if at all possible and we go and visit her.” I checked in on the bridge and was briefed by Mao about the ship status and Elfi reported more communication intercepts between the Merchants Sorrow and the Red Dragon and the arrival of that ship was confirmed. Then I went to Engineering and found Circuit in the Main Engine room at a towering machine that had all the looks of Union tech but at the same time looked quite alien. A robotic arm had removed a large section of its cover and held it in place hanging from the ceiling and allowing me to see inside this contraption. Eight tubes of about one meter in diameter stuck out from a hexagonal shaped cube. The cube looked as if it was made of glass or some other transparent material and it looked as if bright red glowing liquid syrup was mixed and swirled with a milky, yellowish, thick liquid that also glowed. I saw a bushy tail sticking out from one of the tubes. Circuit handed me a pair of dark goggles and said. “Better put them on Captain, Three-Four is out of his containment suit and he is brighter than a blue star.” I pointed at the cube thing and said after putting on the goggles: “How are things going?” “We got the leak fixed and we are running at 99.9998 percent efficiency and conversion rate.” He pointed at the Cube. “This actually is the chamber where we tap into the higher dimension and the swirling colors are what our senses make of what is actually there. Only Narth and Three-Four can actually sense what it really looks like. We are pulling the purest form of energy from that dimension and to use it we must convert it into all the different energy forms we need. We have never used it in its raw form in the Nose cone spine cannon and its use there has not been entirely tested either.” Even with the dark glasses I was almost blinded as a bright ball of intense white light emerged from one of the tubes and slipped into the Uniform containment suit lying on the floor. It looked as if someone pumped air into the flat suit and Three Four the Non-Corp got up and saluted me. “Hi Captain, everything is working fine now. The leak is patched and we now know why it happened in the first place.” Circuit pointed at the bushy tail. “Captain, I recommend specialist Warner for a service medal. That little Holdian is working like a machine, and I mean that as a compliment.” “I’ll have Har-Hi draw up the necessary documents and I will decorate him accordingly.” Circuit made a gesture to the open hatch. “We should be done in about 20 minutes, but I would love to run the system one hour above red line.” I patted his shoulder. “You deserve a medal too my friend, and maybe after we have slain that Red Dragon we can cast off our disguise for a while and take our ship to the edge of what she can do.” Like always I knew his mood and he was deeply satisfied saying. “These engines are all the medals I need, that and your pat on my shoulders that is.”

--""-- THE TIGHT SQUEEZE

Hegor was known to be a smart person. He managed to stay alive and in business in a very though business where competition had no qualms to kill. Hegor was one of the many pirates and privateers that infested Free and open space. Now Hegor was not the most prominent pirate, but he didn't mind not being on the top of the list. He himself did not really consider himself a pirate, more like an opportunist and he didn't mind smuggling, abducting, selling slaves and drugs. Just as long as it kept him a decent profit and his fifteen head crew fed and paid. He had come to Sin 4 so he could convert the loot he had in his cargo hold into Polo Chips, get some fuel and supplies. He found it particular odd that his first mate, a strong Oghr sat on the floor of the ships command center and played with his blaster, examining the weapon like he had never seen one. Moments later a guttural laugh escaped the Hythagh ship master as a bright bolt burned half the Oghr's head to ashes. Looking into a blaster while playing with the trigger was not a smart thing to do. Hegor scratched his bald head with his long fingers."He was hungry and confused." It was unclear who opened the boarding ramp to the Karthanian destroyer, but the engineer might have been the culprit after pushing and operating every control, especially the beautiful red ones. It didn't take long and the first scavengers and space port rats noticed the open ramp.

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Later that day, I went to the Den wearing my Captain’s Uniform. Har Hi followed holding the little box. In the Den I asked Specialist Warner to stand on the table, so I could look him in the face. He too wore his Uniform and stood at attention, except his tail had other ideas and twitched back and forth. I said to him. “Mr. Warner, I was told by your supervising officer that you perform your tasks above and beyond expectations. In recognition of your work and performance I am hereby awarding you the Service Medal of Engineering Excellence and in lieu of the shore leave rights I am unable to grant at the moment, you have a full day use of the Virtu Chamber, and you will be the guest of honor at our next formal dinner.” Har Hi handed me the medal chip and I swiped it over his ribbon display and handed him the actual medal. “Well done Mr. Warner.” If he would have been a balloon I was certain he was near bursting and so I nodded to Har-Hi who called everyone present to be at ease and dismissed. The little Holdian shrieked in excitement and shook my hand with both his paws. “Thank you Captain, thank you. I am so proud.” He then jumped off the table and showed his medal to the Golden and Circuit. From the curtains that hung before the main door to the converted hangar bay emerged Cateria and with her came the man and the small girl we had picked up. Both looked much more human now. The man wore a standard duty uniform without any insignia. He appeared to be in his late sixties and had silver gray hair that matched his now well groomed beard that framed his mouth and chin. He had hollow cheeks and looked very thin. The girl had long black hair that was parted in the middle. Her skin was not as white as that of a Kermac but still appeared very pale. She reminded me of Galmy who was from Maltyr one of my first year academy mates, but unlike Galmy the girl did not have black eyes, but large blue ones. She appeared almost like a precious little porcelain doll, like the one my mother had sitting on her vanity dresser. The girl now wore a black dress with white lace collar and I wondered why a little girl would want to look as somber like that. Her face had an expression of sadness. Cateria held up a PDD and said while looking at it. “I am surprised that these two are still alive. I have never removed so many parasites from only three individuals. The man suffered from gastritis and from advanced lung cancer. Not to mention several festering, infected sores. I was able to treat all three and these two are as good as new. The Girl is an enigma, she had only a few cuts and bruises and a nasty fungus infection on her scalp, but her immune system is exceptionally well developed. She carries human DNA, but also DNA patterns of a species unknown to the Computronic databanks. Her Heidelberg Psi Index is at approximately 14,000, considerably lower than Narth who exceeds the 35,000 mark but far more than any Saresii, Kermac or Human ever measured. To put that in relation, the average Kermac or Saresii talent hovers about 250-300. Alycia Lichfangh who is considered one of the most powerful is at around 9,000. She is not telepathic and according to Narth her entire Psionic power manifests in telekinetic abilities. The strain of fighting Narth had caused severe cerebral bleeding and she was on the brink of death. She, too, is out of danger, but using her talent now before she has completely recovered will kill her as certainly as a blaster shot to the head. I have her momentarily on a psionic blocking drug.” Both of them are severely undernourished. The Stik is also on his way to making a complete recovery. I doubt it happened on purpose, but the powerful hands of our Y’All friend augmented by the suit crushed his backbone to an unsolvable puzzle, so I am printing him a new one as we speak. He will be in the ReGen-tank for at least another two hours.” She lowered her PDD. The man bowed before me and said. “I thank you for your hospitality and for saving our lives. I knew I had cancer, I was quite sure of it and hoped I would survive long enough to see Alice grow and be safe.” Elfi stepped in and handed me a printout. “Ms. O'Connell ran his data through main CID at Pluribus and he is identified as Nestor Faller, born on Tillsquare Planet 78 years ago. He had a good education at Pluri-Tech University and became a very successful thief, cat-burglar and computronic manipulator and for a long time was only known as Fusionbeam. His alter ego, Fusionbeam, gained quite some notoriety when he stole the Tear of Blood, the largest natural ruby in the known Galaxy, right from under the noses of Schwartz Security. It was said he coul infiltrate any system and steal whatever he wanted.” The man listened to what Elfi said and nodded. “Yes that is me. I was Fusionbeam. I never killed anyone or stole from anyone who could not afford it, but then my own wife, that snake Lisa, double crossed me and made my identity known. Those bastards at Schwartz security hunted everyone down associated with me They didn’t turn them over to the law, they killed everyone; my family, my friends and that long after I had given back the ruby. That wasn’t enough for them, so I faked my own death and fled to Sin 4. But even here I found out I was not safe. So I became a Skaakh and completely vanished.” He put his hand on the head of the girl and fatherly love glowed in his eyes and he continued. “Seventeen years ago I found her, dumped from a garbage flyer, a tiny baby girl wounded and barely alive. I did what I could to nurse her back to health and help her grow. If it wasn’t for my friend, the Stik, we would both never made it that long.” Shea said: “I am certain I can arrange for Schwartz security to cease all prosecution and have all charges dropped, expunge the files even and leave you alone.” My redheaded Yeoman said, clutching her PDD before her chest as usual, when she didn’t carry coffee. “I checked into his case and since he was never convicted or stood before a court of law. I don’t see why he should not be able to return home. His Citizen rights can be restored, I am certain.” Tears rolled down the man’s face as he said. “There isn’t a night I don’t dream of going back and being free and clean once again. Eat real food and sleep in a real bed, but my home is here now. The Stik are the true owners of this world and they are oppressed, slaughtered and enslaved while the Off-Worlders rape their planet, destroy everything and pollute it to death. They have never abandoned me and I will fight for them and live with them until I die.” He then pushed the girl gently forward. “However if you could take care of her I would be eternally grateful to you all. She has no future here and I know her talent can kill her. You could teach her and make her grow in a clean, healthy environment. She could go to Union school and then have a galaxy of opportunities; here I doubt she will see another year.” The girl cried. “I don’t want to leave you Dad.” He knelt down to her and said with a choking voice said. “Alice, I love you like my own daughter, but I am an old man on the dirtiest world in the Universe. Don’t you remember all the stories about the Union I told you? They are all true. You will never be cold, sick, hungry or thirsty again. Here you don’t have to fear anyone and the man in the black robe is a real Narth that can make your headaches go away and you will never have nose bleeds again. Alice if you love me you must go with them.” She sobbed but nodded: “I love you Daddy.” And as she said it blood trickled from her nose. Cateria jumped up and Narth caught her collapsing body, saying with urgency in his usually so calm voice: “We must get her back in sickbay or she will cease to live.” I nodded and he disappeared along with Cateria in a loud pop as the air rushed into the void he had just occupied. Nestor looked helpless at the spot she had just been: “Will she be okay?” I put my hand on the man’s shoulder. “She is in very good care and my friend Narth will teach her and make sure she will no longer hurt herself.” “He really is a Narth?” “Yes he is.” “If only half of the legends are true of them then I have hope.” I had everyone sit down and had coffee served. After about an hour Narth came in and said to the man. “She will fully recuperate, but she is in a deep sleep right now. Our CMO has done a marvelous job in cauterizing the hemorrhages and I will teach her in small steps how to control her enormous potential.” The mood improved after that and I had dinner served. Just as Nanjo Eeeryt served the main course, Elfi, who had the Conn at the moment called and said. “Captain, I am sorry to interrupt dinner but three Togar warships just entered the system and intercepted comm traffic confirms they are searching for us.” Thanks to our fast IST it took me little time to reach the command deck. I stopped by my quarters and changed into my leather outfit and then stepped on the bridge. Har-Hi was right behind me and Elfi vacated the Command seat. “Three Monglar Class Togar Attack Cruisers dropped out of Quasi-space about eight minutes ago and are broadcasting a description of our ship and offering a reward of 5,000,000 Polos for anyone knowing where we are.” “Sound General Quarters and open a channel to them.” The rest of my senior officers arrived and took their seats, just as the klaxons blared through the ship and called everyone to their positions. Elfi said. “I have a connection to the lead ship.” After a hand sign of mine she put me on and a brown furred  female Togar cat flanked by two male warriors of her species appeared on the screen. “I am Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. Why would the Togar Empire have a bounty on us?” The female growled. “We are aware you are harboring a fugitive of our kind and we demand that you hand her over.” “I am not in the business of harboring anyone.” “Liar, we know you purchased a female Togar at a place known as Brahma Port.” “Oh that one, sorry I don’t have her anymore. Captain Swift purchased her from me and I am not sure where he went, but if there is a reward. I will keep an eye open for him and the Swift Profit, his ship.” One of the male Togar said to her. “She could speak the truth, she has been seen leaving Brahma Port with said individual and we know of his appetites.” “Human you will give us the exact coordinates where you saw this Swift last and tell us if you know where he went.” “Is there a reward out for that fugitive of yours?” “You can collect it at the Throne world if your information leads to the capture of that individual.” “I think he went to Kaliment, if my memory serves right.” She turned to her associate and said: “Lay course to Kaliment.” To me she said. “If you come across this Swift before we do, make sure you tell him there is a substantial reward for that Togar female.” With those words she cut the transmission. Narth sitting behind his console said.“The Togar ships are changing course and accelerating out of the system.” Har-Hi got up and looked over Narth’s shoulder and said to me. “That was quick thinking, sending them to chase a pirate ship that doesn’t exist anymore, but I really wonder what our white furred guest did to justify such efforts.You know Sin 4 is sort of neutral ground and the Karthanians, the Oghr kingdoms and a few other players in the region certainly noticed the Togar war ships here.” I shrugged. “She will tell us when she is ready. I gave her my word she will be safe aboard my ship, and I tend to keep my word.” I got up, and said. “Well that went better than expected, stand down from General quarters and keep me posted. I think I will finish my dinner. If I am right, Nanjo made fish soup.” As I wanted to leave the bridge, I noticed TheOther and Elfi by the comm console and both listened or watched something intensely. I asked."The Togar didn't come back right?" "No but we are watching the most peculiar activities over by the Karthanian Destroyer." "Throw it on the main viewer. I have a suspicion." The Karthanian destroyer was the focus of a large crowd of beings. It came to no surprise to me, that the crowd was split in several armed and opposing parties. At first I didn't see anything particular interesting and thought that Elfi and TheOther never seen Sin 4 attics, but then I saw it too. Several beings wearing combat space suits and outfits typical for fighting spacers, sitting on the crumbled Tarmac playing with rocks and dirt. A huge Oghr pushing a box with a Togar sitting inside, pretending it was some sort of vehicle. As I watched someone started shooting and fighting chaos ensued. A rugged looking armored floater fired into the drive pods of the destroyer. "SHIP, add ParaDim to the shield umbrella. I am sure there is some Anti Matter stored in the drive pods." Just as I said it, one of the Karthanian drive pots exploded,reducing the fighting crowd, many tons of debris and the entire rear hald of the Karthanian to molecular ashes." Elfi turned and said."Whatever our Leedei did to them sure worked!" Ensign Fivcheer, obviously summoned to the bridge by SHIP came from the IST. Despite the traditional Leedei face cover, I could tell he was not certain if it should be proud or concerned. He came straight towards me, stopped himself from saluting and said."I appologize, I only lowered the cognitive factor of the crowd by about ten percent." Har-Hi looking at the shallow crater and the rest of the Karthanian destroyer."I guess it was enough, no sane person shoots a landing tank cannon into the drive pots of a landed ship. There is usually enough AM left for a fast lift off." I also looked at the result of our handiwork and said."They fired into the drive pots of the courier ship I came in the last time and there was no Leedei influence." I turned."Ensign Fivcheer, I am deeply impressed. Could we not do that to all pirate ships and the Kermac in general?" "Unfortunately not, Captain. The Kermac on Dolbra were not prepared, but their major planets and ships are not only shielded, they can detect Psion sources and thus the origin. It would work on any species or ship of TL 6 for sure and all TL 7 without psi talents or Psi tech." "Thankfully they only had a few grams left in their propulsion system and the rest wasn't mixed yet. So all in all I am very pleased, Ensign. Why don't you take the honor and report the destruction and elimination of the Tight Squeeze and pirate Hegor, the merciless officially into the log, I sign it." I then motioned to the IST."Why not join me for dinner, Mr.Fivecheer. Tell me a bit about Leedei culture and such. I remember Specialist Yda from when I was evaluated." "That is one of my parentlings, Yda and the Tribunal are the reasons I am onb this ship, Captain."

--""-- Fivecheer and I arrived moments later at our Den. I was just sitting back down at the table as our little Holdian Engineer jumped out of his seat with a panicked shriek. I turned to see what had spooked him. It was Cateria and the white furred Togar standing in the door. The Togar had her hands demurely folded before her and she looked to the floor. She was wearing one of the white dresses female Med-techs liked to wear and she looked strangely alluring and quite attractive. Warner pointed at her. “If there is one thing Togar like more than eating humans, it’s chasing and eating Holdians.” She whispered. “I wish not to cause any harm or trouble to anyone. It would be best if you let me leave the ship, or kill me.” “You are not a prisoner, and if you want to leave no one will stop you, but we are on Sin 4 and three Togar battleships broadcasted a big reward for you over all channels. It would be suicide to go out there. I think you should sit with us and have dinner.” The Holdian was moving close to TheOther and said. “Don’t invite her Captain, she might take you up on it and eat me.” TheOther placed two of his huge arm pairs like a barrier around the Holdian and this gesture of protection was calming our little engineer down considerably. I said.“No worries Mr. Warner, I am sure there is no danger at all.” I got up and made an inviting gesture. “Please sit and eat. We do not have human or Holdians on the menu, but I remember a Togar friend of mine and she said she prefers bacon and I am sure we have some of that.” She raised her head a little and her green eyes sparkled. “You know a Togar and call her friend?” “I must admit, I have almost forgotten about her, but through your presence I was reminded of the lessons of an old teacher of mine. There is a very small community of Togars living as free citizens in the Union and one of them is the Captain of a civilian ship.” She moved with grace and elegance and sat down at the edge of one of the big chairs and she said to Warner. “Dear Mr. Holdian please be assured I mean no one any harm and I have never harmed, slain or eaten a Holdian and will never do so.” The little engineer jumped over the arm barrier and walked with twitching tail back to his booster seat and said. “I am not afraid anyhow, I am a Fleet Engineer and we are afraid of nothing really, and I was merely acting, of course.” Our Elly cook came in with a plate and placed it before her. “The Captain mentioned bacon. Mr. Narth teleports me into my kitchen before I even know it and SHIP already has the bacon out of the stasis freezer, so here we go, the fastest ever fried bacon.” She whispered “Thank you, but I am not hungry.” Her pink triangular nose over the cleft lips began to shiver and she timidly took a little piece and nibbled. Right after that she ate a whole slice and said. “Intha, intha, this is like god food.” I motioned everyone to eat and the ice seemed to be broken as the good food pacified everyone. The Togar female almost reacted like the Holdian as Krabbel came in and announced. “My shift is over and it looks like I am just in time for dessert.” While our Archa pleaded with the Cook to change the planned pudding dessert to ice cream, I said to the Togar. “This is Lt. Krabbel, my Navigator and he is from Archa. There is hardly a kinder soul aboard this ship and of all beings you need not to fear him least.” The Togar female said whispering. “This wonderful harmony on this table, all these different beings and they all have a home and a purpose. I think I am ready to leave now.” She nodded and her eyes shimmered wet and Shea whispered. “Say something to her, she’s crying.” I said to her."Why don't you tell us who you are, before you go?" “I am Jolaj of Grotha. I was born to a priestess of the temple. It is forbidden for those who serve the 431 Spirits of the Grotha to have children, except when the spirits manifest themselves through birth which had last happened many thousands of years ago. I was born on the feast day of Malmoru the Lightray Spirit and, because I have white fur, they elevated me and gave me the name Jolaj, calling me the one who saves the Togar from the wrath of the darkest spirit, the one that shall not be named and comes from a cold dark place.I am to unite all Togar, including the forgotten tribes that have left Togr so long ago.” She raised her head. “My people are very proud and fierce and we are told not to like other species. We are ruled as much by our Queen as by our faith and religion.” I noticed Shaka who sat at her other side, looking at her with great attention and his hand touching her fingertips and he said with a gentle tone in his voice. “It sounds like you are a living god among your people and should be exalted and celebrated.” She turned to face him and said. “It was so at the beginning and I was schooled and educated and learned much about the outside worlds. I know of the Dai-Than, the Kermac, the Nogoll, the Karthanian and I was told about he Union. But then two cycles ago at my feast day, the Queen came to the temple to be justified by the spirits for another cycle and to question the holy smokes of the glowing pit about the future. The spirits prophesied her reign would see the coming of the Darkest Spirit and that this dark spirit would even disguise himself and shape itself as a Togar female. The Darkest Spirit would also kill her and all of her dynasty and great darkness would descent upon the Togar and the very light of the Galaxy’s center would be dimmed.” Shaka took her hand into his and I was certain he was not even aware doing it and he said. “Sorry but that sounds like every other prophecy uttered by a thousand prophets on a thousand different planets. It is always the Darkness and evil this and doom and gloom that. I am sorry but I think this is how these religions stay in business. What I don’t understand why you are being hunted.” “My old teacher warned me and I didn’t believe her. She said the High Priestess and the conference of priestesses hated me, because if I came of age I would make them obsolete. So when the Queen asked for an interpretation of the prophecy and how she could recognize the false Togar, they said that it was not Malmoru, who sired me, but a mangy Togar male possessed by the Dark Spirit that lay with my mother and that evil was masked in the fur of innocence. A widely broadcast trial declared me guilty of impersonating a goddess, planning to kill the Queen and conspiracy against the realm. I was sentenced to death, but in the dungeons my old teacher came to visit me and helped me dye my fur. I was herded out with the other prisoners to work the Happy Mines on the Neverwarm planet. Our ship got attacked by the ones that sold me to you, and that is how I ended up here. I am the most wanted criminal in my society and you are all in danger. Because most of Togr would revolt if the truth came out. To all the Togar I am a Goddess. This is why the Queen fears me more than anything and must be destroyed.” The big Y’All spread his arms and said. “Let them come, you are safe with us.” Har-Hi said. “Our Captain will never yield even if the entire Universe wanted to get you. I also pledge to defend you and so will everyone on this ship. If we return you can become a Union citizen and that means the entire might of our civilization will be your shield. So, you pretty Togar Cat, cheer up and we find some things for you to do around here.” Shea whispered. “I think our quiet Helmsman and our XO are quite smitten by the kitten and she is very beautiful in her exotic way.” “I noticed, too.” My gorgeous science officer turned to Nestor, who was eating like there was no tomorrow, pointed at the Itomarian Vision staff on the table. “Please let us talk about this for a moment. I heard you would know where other artifacts like this one can be found.” He nodded chewing, holding a chicken drumstick in his right hand and a biscuit in the other hand. “Yes I do. Gothar the Dealer has four cases with writing like that and red spheres like that inside.” To me Shea said. “Narth and I are quite certain, that this is indeed of Itomarian origin. This staff is a sort of a library access device and those spheres hold knowledge and records of that long gone, barely known and yet once very highly developed civilization. If even one of these spheres is still undamaged it could provide us with important information and advance our technology. A Saresii legend tells that the Itomarian knew the secrets of the Y’All invasions and how to end them once and for all. Some scholars believe they are the ones who made the Y’all in the first place. The Narth knew of them even before the rise of the Pree and the UNI.” I turned to our eating guest. “Who is this Gothar?” Nestor used a napkin to wipe the grease of his cheeks and looked quite satisfied. “He is a Lipsiar, non Union species from somewhere in the Coreward sector. He lives at the Village and buys the scavenged materials from the Skaakh and Stik; things such as Valuable Metals, plastics and everything else that might still have value. We can buy knives, chem-guns, food and such from him. Once a month or so he takes his freight skimmer to the Commodity Market and sells what we collected.” The door to the hangar opened once more and Cateria returned, accompanied by the tall native. He too was clean now. His skin a pale yellow and he somehow looked as if his skin had been stretched over an elongated human skeleton with a pointed skull. He was at least three meters tall and his arms almost reached to the ground, he reminded me of a Spindlar, only that a Spindlar looked fat compared to him. He bowed before me and said: “You are the Chief of this flying Village?” “Yes I am.” “I am Camael Sincenine. I am the Chief of the Um tribe and Chief of Chief in the meeting of Elders of all People. I am good friend to Nestor.” “I am glad you are better, Chief.” I knew I could not let him go back before Narth had wiped his memory or placed a hypnotic block. “Nestor has told us so many things about the Union. Is it all true? “I do not know what he told you but I am sure it is more or less so.” “Nestor told us that we are the true owners of our World and that the Union law would say so.” “Yes the sentient native life form of a planet is by Union law the rightful owner of their home world. However this is not Union Space and our laws mean little. We must be here in secret.” “No it is not true. Nestor says that everyone can become Union and then planet becomes Union and Union comes and kicks off all Mighty Ones and we are free people again.” Har-Hi whistled. “You know, he is right. If the Stik would officially ask for membership, then the Freespace status of Sin 4 no longer applies. Any Civilization, including the ones in Freespace, have the right to associate themselves with any of the Big four. That is so stipulated in the Freespace Treaty. No one can argue that the Stik are the rightful owners of this world.” Nestor nodded. “That’s why the Cartel tried to murder all Stik. Stik are not allowed to speak in public, cannot use flyers and are not allowed to leave on space ships. The old Cartel bosses have seen that danger and wanted to eradicate them all, but the new generations don’t even see the Stik anymore and pay no attention to them. I studied the treaty, and I knew this would be the solution one day. I never dreamed it would happen in my lifetime.” I played with my braids as I always did when I was thinking and said. “This presents a problem. I need to call Fleet HQ about it. But first I need to ask you, Nestor, for a favor. I need to find and talk to this Gothar and I best do it incognito. Could you lead me to him?” “Yes Captain Velvet,I will.” Har- Hi agreed. “It would not be out of character for a pirate to look for spare parts there either, or to buy a load of stuff to pay for a trip instead of flying with empty cargo holds.”

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