Book 10 - Chapter 12: Gathering at N'Ger-edited

Stahl had returned to the hotel where his wife and the others were staying. N'Ger had grown in leaps and bounds ever since Sin 4 was no more. Since Alvor's Cove was closed for business.

That the Togar and the Karthanians suddenly wanted and applied for Union membership had changed the political situation in this region of space considerably.

N'Ger always has been a busy place of trade and transcultural commerce, but the recent changes truly increased its importance.

The planet and the planetary system was deep in the Coreward sector of the M-0 galaxy.

This region had been known as Wedmar's Triangle, long before the rise of the Union.

To the galactic west were the Jooltar. To the Galactic East the many shattered kingdoms of the old Oghr Empire. Above the Oghr brutes in terms of these old directions and to Galactic North the Karthanians and the Togar.

While N'Ger wasn't a Tech level Eight clean Union world; and the main market place had the character of a shantytown made of temporary buildings and tents. It was a world where travelers came for thousands of years.

There used to be 11 merchant houses, one had been destroyed and leveled but the remaining 10 had swiftly gobbled up space and business, These ten houses ruled the planet and the many other cities of this world.

The hotel they had chosen was not associated with any of the merchant enclaves, but a stone and concrete building near the south entrance to the landing field.

The Eternal Warrior knew there was serious business ahead, an affair that was in the making since the very beginning of existence. He did not understand it all, but he never been the kind that worried too much about the future and potential difficulties. If he had to be honest to himself, he actually enjoyed himself. He was with his beloved wife on an exotic planet, far from Union space. On a quest with adventure at every corner. Deep down this was the kind of life he always enjoyed most. Doing something, blazing ahead into uncharted waters instead of sitting behind a desk, pouring over requisition requests and personnel files.

Harris was perhaps the best Captain the Devi ever had, and the new one would have to fill big shoes. He had become good friends with Harris. This was the real crux being immortal, friends aged, retired and eventually died.

Harris had been the CO longer than most and clung to that Command seat like Velcro. A nice and quiet desk job with regular hours and full retirement just a decade or so away was perhaps the declared goal of some kind of administrator, but not to those whoever took the big seat. While this was true to most COs of any ship, it was especially so for those who commanded the Devi. There were bigger ships now, ships more powerful and better armed. None, however, came even close to the fame and legend of the Devi.

Stahl truly missed the time when he was the CO of the Devi.

This was the reason he understood Harris very well, the old CO should have been on his way back to Arsenal IV by now, but the latest report from LEO II informed Fleet Command, that Harris wanted to check out the rumor of a second Crucible and extended his mission by another six weeks.

The Eternal Warrior grinned more inside than truly visible. There was no other Crucible, and the rumor was more than vague.

The new captain, a Nul of all people had been on Stahl's radar for a while and picked to become the next CO of the Devi.

He reached the balcony that was part of the spacious apartment suite he had rented.

Alycia, his mysterious wife was lounging under the off white canvas roof that extended from the apartment door to poles on each side of the hip-high balustrade enclosing the balcony.

She was wearing a black and red bathing suit like outfit and a wide-brimmed sun hat. To her right a small table with a large glass filled with something pink. Her lissome legs crossed in a very female fashion. She blinked and said. "What amuses you, my love?"

"I made a call to Fleet Command to check on things, and was told Harris is chasing after a rumor in the LEO II galaxy, extending his deployment by at least six weeks."

In a fluid motion of legs, she got up and joined him at the rail of the balustrade. She sneaked one of her arms into his and let herself be pulled closer. "He will miss the big seat for sure."

He changed his gaze from looking over the ocean of lights that just came on, illuminating the many thousand stalls and tents seaming the open landing field, to look at her from the side. "It's a human condition, my love. Humans age and must make way to younger ones."

"You need to go back"

"No, love. Whatever we are about to do is still ahead of us, but we are still on N'Ger. I don't mind hanging out, but there are more pleasant worlds than N'Ger if that is all we do."

"Not everyone that needs to be there is there yet."

"Fair enough, not that I am complaining, seeing you like that reminds me that I am not only human but of the simple male variety."

"There never has been anything simple about you."

"What about that horned woman we picked up just outside that connection cave?"

Alycia turned to look towards the apartment. "She is half Netherworld and she is hiding some kind of secret, but I know the Yellow Wizard and he told her to seek out Coven protection."

"Your other friend, Lucy isn't trusting her I think."

Alycia's smile deepened. "Lucy hates men and thinks humans are weak, but she really likes you. Lucy respects you like she never respected anyone of this plane and it warms my heart to see my oldest friend and my one and true love getting along better every day."

"I guess I am  getting used to her, I am no longer compelled to make the sign of the cross every time she appears."

"She is the daughter of a very evil and bad entity, but we can choose my love. She chose to help me against the will of her father and has been hunted, cursed and shunned for my behalf for a very long time. She trusts beings of the Nether realms even less than others,"

"I am with her on that, there are always agendas, treachery worse than in a Thauran court, but I think that Angela is really hunted and on the run for a long time."

"I get the same vibe. She will tell us eventually, I am sure."

The Eternal Warrior, looked down to the street level three stories down, not for a particular reason, but he instantly recognized the man with the Fedora.

"Phil! Phil Decker?" He called the man's name and then noticed the Old detective's companions. Three of them were quite famous and known to almost everyone as the Three Wisemen. Egill Skallagrimmson of Nilfeheim, easily recognizable wearing full Neo Viking garb; Alegar Moansti, the foremost Saresii, the Narth Representative and the fourth was another Narth and the tallest Narth he had ever seen.

--""--

That the newcomer was not just another visitor was clearly apparent to everyone. Even on Avondur where thousands of rifts and transdimensional gates, both on the planet and within the system, ensured a steady stream of newcomers and visitors for many millions of years.

This newcomer arrived with an army of at least a thousand warriors. Highly professional beings accustomed to violence, battles, and war. Beings without any allegiance other than to their master. Without any moral and ethical boundaries and equipped with highly advanced weapons and equipment.

For three days, they had worked on the Stratella Caravanserai. The official word was it had been purchased from the old Stratella family of merchants, but rumors claimed that the newcomers brutally tortured the owners forcing the last of the Stratella come before the City Council of Sandakarr and transfer the deeds and documents of the old property to the new owners.

Gone was the stone and mud-walled caravanserai. In its place a futuristic palace of smooth black and silver walls, sharp angles and armored gates.

The winged skull symbol on the gate had not been seen in this galaxy ever since the First Empire collapsed, eons ago. A few scholars, however, knew it was the symbol of the First Emperor.

The arrival of these newcomers claiming to be servants to the Emperor and calling themselves Imperials had been noticed of course by the Seven Circles and many others.

Luurat, the High Lord of the Tomradi was among those. He was the chosen leader of a very advanced society that was the self-declared inheritor of the First Empire and searching for the shards that made up the Cosmic Key. The very tool that, when re-assembled not only pointed the path to the Imperial Vault but opened it. Giving whoever found it, access to the most advanced tech in the entire universe, but bestowed god powers and dominion over most of the Universe.

Even after over a million years of searching for the shards, the Tomradi only ever managed to find two shards.

The news, that a being arrived on Avondur claiming to be Invictus Rex himself, brandishing the banner and symbol of that godlike ruler, not only summoned the largest fleet of Tomradi Conquer Discs ever seen; tremendously big battleships able to destroy planets; but the Tomradi High Lord himself wearing his living battle shell.

Luurat knew about the special conditions that supposedly ruled this special world. However, at no time in its known history had a fleet of such might ever appeared in its vicinity. The Tomradi were the unchallenged masters over ten galaxies and all the life they contained.

Luurat marched right into the Hall of the Crimsor, the ruler of the Red Knights who claimed and held dominion over much of Sandakarr. Luurat was not an envoy, not an underling easily dismissed and not impressed by the Netherworld connections of Crimsor. The Tomradi lord, backhanded an armored Red Knight and servant of Crimsor with such force, the big and strong being shattered one of the big stone columns that supported arches holding up the high and distant vaulted ceiling, The knight so forcefully swept aside, buried in a pile of rubble and bent armor.

"Crimsor, have one more of your lackeys step into my way and I will level this fortress and decorate the pile of rubble with your broken bones! You dismissed the envoy I have sent, in favor of Miracel, a  Knight of Light claiming he is beyond us. I am Luurat, are you beyond me, Crimsor?"

Crimsor rose from his throne-like seat, but did not descend the five steps. "I say what I said then. These are the chambers of the Red Knights, neither Lord Lumis nor his minions may demand anything. The haughty attitude of Crea's soldiers is well known. Heed this warning as it extends to the Tomradi. One or all of you. Now speak your business and I will then decide if you shall pay for the injuries you caused to my servant or if I decide to answer otherwise."

"The agreements and conditions that shelter the Seven Circles and this world are not made with Tomradi, now newcomers are claiming to know about Imperius Rex?"

"Why don't you ask them yourself? They transformed the old Stratella Caravanserai, you can't miss it. Go test your might and strength against them."

--""--

"N'Ger again?" Har-Hi said after Elfi relayed the new orders.

"We've been there a few times, I admit but never really long enough to find out much about it," I said. "What else do the orders say?"

Elfi spread her arms. "Nothing else, Captain. Just go there fast. Once there we will be briefed by NAVINT."

I, of course, got the orders on an encrypted com package, secured Blue-Blue-Red but I did not apply the standard protocol that wanted me to take the message in my office under secure conditions. I decided long ago, that my bridge was the most secure place and I trusted the ones present more than anyone.

This was how things were done on the Tigershark, while I was in charge.

Mao grinned deeply. "Whatever it is, it is not Richter 4 or some stupid vacation. I hope for a real long assignment."

"It will eventually happen, guys. Everyone aboard is top-notch, almost everyone got a promotion. Even SHIP will no longer be stuck to the Tigershark. If I understood it right, Mothermachine is providing her with a roaming avatar."

Shea turned. "What about you?"

I tried to sidestep her question because it was heavy on my mind. I was no longer Eric, but Erica. The entity I knew as Eric, my brother was on a journey that ended with him becoming something like a god. A Dark God and something I was not entirely sure about. That he eventually gathered all these tokens, there was no doubt in my mind. However I was a Union citizen and more so a Union Fleet Officer, I gave an oath to protect the Union. Enabling an evil god to emerge was perhaps not the right thing to do. Not that I had any idea how I could prevent that.

Aloud I said. "I am a Captain not for all that long, maybe I get some new crew or the command over a different ship. Perhaps they remember that I never been to Command School or spent time as an XO, who knows?"

Narth stepped on the bridge and said. "Are you ready?"

Shea got up, vacating her station for Brena. "I am, Narth. I look so forward to visit the Camogi."

Narth said. "No one can visit them physically of course, except me and Three-Four perhaps. You will go there in Avatar form."

--""--

Our Non-Corp and my friend Narth had left the Tigershark. It was very odd to see not only Two-Three's containment suit deflated on the floor but also Narth's robe.

Shea was already on an Avatar couch and the red light above her signaled that she had just neuro-connected.

I too was about to connect, when my brother spoke. "Not like this, Sister."

"I am not indestructible, and the surface of a Neutron star is certainly not an environment I can enter."

"The others are invited so they may quench their scientific curiosity, I am called to retrieve a token."

"I was just thinking about that, brother. Maybe I need to take steps of stopping you."

His mental voice, audible only to me said. "You are the only one that might be able to postpone my complete resurrection, and I, of course, followed your train of thought. Do you know why I came to be as a human baby, why Isegrim beat and tortured us, why mother died and why there are tokens that I need to find before I can come into my own?"

I think I shook my head, a completely wasted gesture in a conversation that took place in my own mind. "No."

"I am not the same Dark One that was defeated so long ago. I was a condition, part of a rigid duality. The rule of duality was broken by Crea as she took on aspects of the other side. These rigid rules were the main reason I could be defeated in the first place. Erica, all these conditions, our upbringing, me sharing this body with you and the tokens are parts of a quest,  education, and conditioning. It is, as I begin to understand myself a path the One behind it All prepared and created for us, for me to become a new entity."

The voice of my brother paused for a short moment. "Erica, I am the Dark One, while you are closer to me than any creature has ever been, your mind can not comprehend what I was and will become. While we share the same body I am limited in understanding, but I am a Union citizen Sister. I can not intervene on behalf of the Union as it would be contradictory to the very idea of a community of beings making decisions in an Assembly of voices and opinions."

This declaration of my brother removed my deepest concern. "Thank you for telling me this."

"You are my sister."

"Now how do we go to the Camogi?"

'We will meet them in a different condition of space."

--""--

Admiral Stahl pointed with his flat hand towards Phil. "This man is an old friend of mine, literally. Phil Decker, born on Earth like me and before the Ascent. Phil, this is my wife Alycia."

While Phil introduced his associates who had followed him onto the balcony, the women Stahl traveled with came onto the balcony, including Angela.

Phil and Stahl kept introducing the rest and then Phil said. "Of all people, I never suspected to run into you, the Eternal Warrior."

"I am not here in any official way. My wife thinks I need to be here, or more precisely on a planet called Avondur. There is supposed to be a trans spatial connection."

Phil nodded. "We followed the trail of a theft and it led us here as well, with the destination of Avondur."

Egill gestured to the tall man dressed in a Narth robe. "This fellow was on Earth before he turned up on Nilfeheim, I have a feeling it involves my granddaughter."

Stahl laughed. "It wouldn't be a cosmic riddle without Erica and her crew involved, and whatever we are facing at Avondur it truly seems to be a big one."

The Narth Supreme had his arms buried in the wide sleeves of his shroud, looking identical to the Narth Rep that was part of Phil's group. However, there was an unseen quality that erased any doubts as to who he was. "The most significant even of them all, my friend."

A woman came up the stone stairs at the side of the building, connecting that balcony with the street level. "Can I join you all?"

Stahl was the only one who knew who she was. "Of course, Ms. Lydaa."

The Commandant of NAVINT wore a Saresii style one-piece catsuit in a very dark red. It was not a uniform so Stahl did not introduce her other than with her name.

She curtsied honoring the Narth Supreme and then the others. "I appreciate you keeping my identity a secret old friend. I think I can trust the ones that are here. I am officially the NAVINT Commandant, but I am not here as the Commandant, seeing all you make me certain my reason for being here is similar to yours."

"That might be a fair assumption." Stahl agreed.

The NAVINT commandant said. "That reason is on her way, I made sure of that."

--""--

The being taking the zoom optics down and said to the other being crouching next to him. "There are ten of them now, but these are all weak humans. We should have no problem obtaining that woman for our employer."

"Let us wait until they retire. We kill them while they sleep."

--""--

I was certain this was not an Avatar session, I floated through space without a spacesuit but wearing that spooky shroud.

We moved fast towards a glowing ball of unimaginable gravitation energies.

"Brother, I feel no fear. Yet I remember this panic-like fear of deep space. Was it you who feared space?"

"Yes, Sister. We were much more intertwined and we did not know we were two entities. I had no knowledge of who I was, but I was ambushed and left floating in space. Before the One Behind it All appeared to me and declared my revenge to take place in another reality, I am not afraid, but my memories of that event were and are too much for your mortal mind and manifested as fear.

"Whatever you say, big spook. So where does the air come from or the heat? That robe is certainly not well insulated."

"It is a product of technology that is far beyond any civilization past or present. You thrust Tyron and it is a primitive thing, Besides we are almost there. It should lend evidence to the fact that my robe will protect you, regardless of the condition."

My mind had a hard time describing what I saw. The actual Neutron star measured only about sixty klicks across and according to the readings Crea had taken, 600,000 degrees hot.

It was spinning very fast at a rate of almost 40 times a second. Making it one of the slower ones. Like many neutron stars, it emitted beams of electromagnetic radiation making it detectable as pulsars.

Its magnetic fields was 108 million times stronger than Nilfeheim's magnetic field. The gravitational field at the Camogi Home's surface was about 200 billion times that of Nilfeheim's gravitation,

To me, it represented itself as a fast spinning ball of intense white and red light. The fact that I was approaching it like that was as fascinating to me as the fact, that this place was home to sentient life.

A ball, that reminded me of a school of Flicker hatchlings as it would appear in zero gravity. But that analogy was only marginally applicable, the small things inside that dense bowl were no bigger than perhaps a grain of rice. The movement I perceived was caused by millions of these rice corns blinking out while new ones came to be at the other end.

My brother explained."The ball is a Camogi cluster and these small elongated objects are the individual Camogi. The movement you perceive is the Camogi Generations conveyor. Due to their fast lifespans about 200 generations of Camogi live and perish every day, but they can instantly transfer all knowledge to the next generation."

While my mind still struggled to get this explanation in analogs I could understand. My brother began speaking to the Cluster. The conversation was conducted in a purely mathematical fashion. There were no words, no sounds; just the abstract exchange of mathematical concepts in the form of energy pulses representing a binary language consisting of pulsed light.

This time I understood nothing at all, but I suddenly felt my ring getting hot. It was not a physical heat that could burn me. It was associated with a tugging sensation that drew me closer to the bright ball of radiation and light.

I could no longer discern the ball of light as an object. The pulsing wall of red and white light, as brilliant as Two-Three was now all around me. Up and down, left and right had lost all meaning. When a solid object peeled out the swirling energies.

A skeletonized face. a human skull. No not the entire skull...just the face, a mask!

I reached for it and the next thing I knew, I was wearing it.

An uncanny sensation of power and might had pulsed through my very being when I found the gauntlets. The realization that the JUDGE was an aspect of my person was revealed to me.

Now a similar sensation burned obscuring veils off my mind.

The anti force of life, the quintessential core of what the Dark One was, had been unlocked and re-united with the essence of the Dark One. This was a different sensation, not one of violent power but a cold calming assurance that all that was and all that had a beginning also had an end. I was that End.

There was no sensation of time until the essence of the Dark One and mine separated once again. He always had been a tremendously powerful thing inside me, but now the Dark One had, even for me, crossed the line between a living being and an entity of truly cosmic proportions. My mind reeled in fear, a primeval fear of something so momentous. All ideas what my brother might become were mere concepts and words I did not really comprehend before. Now I begun to understand, the Dark One was not a being, not a person but a cosmic concept.

His voice had a new quality, it was cold, colder than anything physical and darker than ever before. "Fear not sister, we will remain associated."

"There is now only one such token to be found?"

"No, sister. This was my mask. A secret 13th token, that was only revealed to me as we approached Camogi Home, but I know where the Book is, and that is where we must go next."

--""--

The gang of assassins had come to N'Ger from Avondur. Their numbers contained netherworld demons and beings from a dozen distant worlds and realities. Gathered by Lumis to find and capture the woman that knew about the WEAPON.

There were twenty-three of them, led by Masara the Battle angel and a female member of the Lords of Light. Armed with formidable weapons and protected by otherworldly armor.

Masara pulled her sword and hissed. "We wait no longer. Let us assault and kill those who defy our Lord and master."

While they rushed down the narrow paths between tents, one-story buildings and huts. Lor, another Lord of Light was bringing up the rear. On one hand, he was as confident as Masara, what defenses could a bunch of mortals put up against such a superior force as theirs? On the other hand, he wondered why Masara and not Uritel led this assault. Where was Uritel anyway?"

--""--