Har-Hi and Elfi abducted

Once more looking like a red fur Jooltar and in the company of a Black Nogoll. They slipped into the mooring arm corridor after Narth assured them no one was around to see them coming out of the Silver Streak.

They both were about to enter the Tullerman, when Har-Hi suddenly got weak knees and an intense sensation of burning pain engulfed his entire body. He and Elfi collapsed right before the Airlock.

Har-Hi could see two beings, that had been hiding inside the Airlock, one of the shapes was holding a Kermac Neuro Ripper.

"Let's get them inside before anyone sees them."

Everything went dark after that.

-""-

We finally approached a sizable Asteroid, at least six light hours from the pirate base. My new friend had told me much about the Bassett family and the details of a roid miners life.

I had learned that the Bassetts did not built the Asteroid base. It was so he told me originally built by an unknown alien civilization and discovered by the Togar. The cats of Togr refurbished it and used it as a mining base and outpost. Why the Togar abandoned it about 600 years ago was not known to him. He claimed that the ghosts of the original aliens had chased the Togar away, at least that was a popular legend and horror story, the Roid Miners loved to tell each other.

We approached the irregular shaped rock, that looked to me almost like the head of a Nul.

Mikesh hadn't really shut up since we left and some of it was mildly interesting, most of it however almost put me to sleep.

However I listened more actively as he begun to tell me more about the Bassetts.

"You know where we Bassetts come from?"

"No, but I do wonder why some appear to have Kermac and Shiss feature s. Those species are not exactly compatible."

"The details are kept secret, by the inner circle and I am sure only the Old bird herself really knows, but the story goes like this: The Kermac Ministry of Information needs spies that can infiltrate other societies. Now in the case of the Union it is relative easy, but neither the Shiss nor the Nul  are a multi species society. So the MOI simply took Kermac and started experimenting with plastic surgery and DNA tailoring to create Kermac that look like other beings, including Shiss and Nul. It is said that the original Bassetts were a failed experiment and managed to flee before the Kermac could destroy them. They weren't called Bassets back then, but no one remembers their real names. The legend also claims that the original Bassetts made their escape by the tinniest margin, their escape ship damaged and more a wreck than anything. They ended up here where they met a pirate or some other type of crook, he came from the Union and his name was Bassett and that where the name comes from."

He steered the small ship past the opening iris type doors, set right into the surface of the Asteroid. "Know you know."

I planned to have Hans check on that name and I was sure that it more or less was exactly how it happened.

"Well, Mikesh now there is a mystery less in the universe."

"I know you are a busy Pirate and all this might not be the usual pace of things you are accustomed to, but to me it is amazing to have your company for a little while.. When I meet the other miners and tell them famous Black Velvet has been here, they will call me a liar and all that; and will give me something to talk about in years to come."

"Besides I am going to reveal to you why this shattered system got destroyed and give you the key to the back door to Union space ."

I was no longer bored. "What do you mean by back door?"

The ship had docked and he was getting out of the pilots seat. "I am not kidding, Black Velvet. You see the real secret of this system is a natural worm hole, that connects this place with what the Union calls the old Xunx Expanse.

The worm hole does not move, it always appear on the same spot. Planets however do, and when the wormhole established itself, inside a planet, it tore the planet apart. At least this is how it was explained to me. We Bennetts use it for decades to smuggle Union Tech out of a region the Union deems safe with little controls."

"I listened to the dirty miner, revealing this incredible secret to me.

He led me into his living quarters that had the same character as his ship and I was certain Egill's burg had been cleaner in its worst days than that.

He opened a solid looking metal chest and retrieved a shoe box sized object. "Some ancient society, the Celtest maybe had tried to tame that Wormhole and left ten of these control devices behind . There are still ruins and a parts of some kind of lab to be found deep in the bowels of the big rock."

"Thor's thunder !"

He nodded ."Family lore has it that the Togar found it, but some kind of device was guarding the place and killed them all. No one knows how the first Bennett, managed to deactivate or control it, but it is the real source of the Bennett power and that is why neither the Togar nor the Dai really want to mess with this place. They have tried in the past."

"I thought there is some pact with the Togar?"

"Yes there is, because we Bennetts supply them with Union tech, Human meat and Intel."

He held up the box. "No one knows there is an eleventh box. I found it years ago, digging a tunnel in the main rock. They say there are more of these hidden wormhole gates and this box can detect them when you are nearby. You saved my life and if you ever need to run from Union battle ships, such a worm hole gate might save yours." He had a proud smile. "None of the other pirates ever gave me the time of day and my kin sided with that good for nothing cousin of mine. So I owe them nothing, but you did and that is why you can have this."

-""-

Har-Hi still felt groggy as he came around. He found himself wrapped in plastic tape. A strong looking green skinned Oghr of one or the other sub species before him, holding the Jooltar mask in one hand and a Kermac Neuro Ripper in the other.

"Since you awake, you can hear me Dai. I want answers."

Now that his head begun t clear he saw Elfi, still unconscious, also unmasked and to his great dismay a Kermac, who stood behind the Oghr. This Kermac was more gray than white and he did not wear an artificial beard, still he was certain that evil grinning hairless man was a Kermac.

They were still in the Tullerman from the looks of it.

The Oghr wore some kind of space suit, from the looks of it, quite old and repaired and patched several times. The Kermac wore something quite similar.

The Oghr held the Jooltar mask before Har-Hi's face.

"I don't know if I can make a Dai talk, even with a Neuro Ripper, so I might revert to old fashioned torture and rip you and your companion in small pieces. All I wanted to know is why a mangy looking Jooltar and a Black Nogoll came into the possession of the Yukitri."

Now the Kermac spoke for the first time.

"They were good friends of ours, Vaokk and Fundr. scavengers like us, and missing for many month and now you show up in their Tullerman. We knew right away you weren't scavengers and now what do we find?"

The Oghr shook the mask.

"A Dai and a human woman disguised in fancy costumes. Tell me Dai, who are you and why did you come to Brhama Port like that?"

Har-Hi was angry at himself, he had been way to relaxed about his surroundings, way to pre occupied about the Captain than to pay attention. In his own Dai Suit he would have had a dozen ways to escape the bondage,kill the two and return to the ship, but right now he was as helpless as a Dai woman during her first bedding. He growled at them.

"You let us go and I won't kill you!"

"Letting you go? A real life Dai? Even if you don't talk and survive my questioning you bring a pretty profit at Sin 4 or Alvor's Cove. "

The Kermac shook his head.

"I can't read him. He is well shielded and the woman is still unconcious, but I am sure she's Saran."

A beeping sound from the ships control deck interrupted them and the Kermac said.

"We leave you to think about it."

They both left and Har-Hi could hear the Isah Pods of the Tullerman whine louder, and then the tone changed to a deep vibrating hum. He was certain they just went Trans-light.

Elfi opened her eyes, showing that she wasn't unconscious after all.

"I think this time it isn't the captain who's in trouble, Sir."

Har-Hi successfully managed to shift his position so he could see the door and said.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, the effects of that cursed Neuro Ripper fading fast."

Har-Hi looked around to see if there was anything he could use to free himself; to his dismay the small cargo hold was completely empty.

–""-

"You are a good man. Mikesh. I learned a lot today and this is most certainly a priceless gift."

"Well Black Velvet. You can have it and I give you the most beautiful Kalium Crystal on top of it, if you pose with me next to my Digger, for a still visual. So I have a piece of evidence, you really been with me here,"

"Of course I can do that. Did you find anything else like that?"

"No, this is it.

I had made a few visuals with Mikesh and his digger,

Now almost two hours later we were back in his little ship and while he was busy getting us underway, I slipped into the small galley and called my ship.

Shea responded.

"Captain, good to hear from you. We were almost a little worried, Sir."

"I told you I am in no danger whatsoever. I found something ancient and alien and it might be Seenian or something like that and it controls a Wormhole gate right into the Xunx Expanse and our back yard. These Bennetts are much more than just independent miners.,"

I send her images of the box and she said. "Narth is looking at them too, and we are both convinced it is neither Seenian nor Pree or Uni.

If these Bennetts have access to some kind of advanced technology we must secure it."

"We are still pretending to be pirates. We can't go openly against them, besides if they somehow manage to defend themselves against the Togar and the Dai, we better be very careful. We need to contact Fleet Command as soon as possible."

"Yes Captain."

" Now please give me Har-Hi."

"Har-Hi is not aboard, Captain."

"He is not? Where is he then?"

"Sir, he and Elfi went disguised to take the Tullerman and dispose of it and he wanted out to be near, just in case..."

I frowned.

"Of course, I get the picture. Now please connect me with him."

There was a pause

"Shea?"

"Sir I am unable to raise either one."

"Narth, connect to the Kelpies and locate the Tullerman."

Again a pause and then Narth said. "Captain the Tullerman went translight sixteen minutes ago."