Ch15-gh1.doc

The two Pertharian mercenaries crowded the small freight flyer to its capacity. Marco was at the controls. He was a spy and had worked for Kermac Intelligence for almost thirty years now and had been on Green Hell for almost as long. He was not a Greenie, but he knew the stories were anything but exaggerated. He had seen what happened to the last Pertharians that went out. Yes, true the others did not wear Armageddon Suits; but as fancy as the name was for those tin suits, these were civilian legal export approved suits. Yes, it was good SII technology but at least two tech levels below the current stuff. Marco contemplated leaving Green Hell right after he dropped the Pertharians. He was against this sledgehammer method. Too much could go wrong and thirty years of careful planning could be destroyed, not to mention him ending on the end of a rope. Ever since the Peace Hawk debacle, Union Officials dealt with spies very harshly and swiftly. The owner of Green Hell Slide Belt Service Company was a genuine Kermac, surgically altered and a member of the Ministry of Information, also didn't like the sudden urgency and speed. GH SBS Inc. was a success and a carefully hatched plan to obtain the secret of Translocator Cannons. It was taking shape and with patience they would find that Saresii ship. The Old Saresii working for them had combed the jungles for 300 years. It was that Saresii who had found the old Log book element in the first place and started the whole thing. The log book contained a detailed manifest of what the ship had in its hold. Among other things were four crated Seenian Transpatial AntiMatter Cannons; or in other words, the lost Saresii ship from the First Age of Knowledge carried the same stuff Stahl brought back with the Devastator. These were the same weapons that virtually guaranteed the stellar rise of the Union; the secret of Translocator Cannons. Excavating a shipwreck direct under the noses of the Union would have been tricky anywhere, but here on Green Hell it was nearly impossible. The prize however meant the end of Union predominance and the Kermac once again taking their rightful place as rulers of the Galaxy. Marco was not a Kermac but a genuine Union Citizen and he was simply a traitor for very mundane reasons at first. He sighed and put the armored flier down at a wide pebble beach called Razor Fish Bay, because the water of the lake was quite shallow and the big Snakes generally preferred the deeper areas. This area was almost exactly on the opposite side of the lake from Ma Swanson's. That would give the Pertharians an additional 150 miles to cover; but hey, they were really tough and here no one would see them. The two Pertharians bent the exit hatch as they squeezed their battle frames through into the open. Therefore the air lock hatch did not seal. Unknown to Marco, an angry patch of Killer Moss was agitated because half of its organism was crushed by an armor suit boot and squeezed itself through before Marco lifted off to return to town. Leris laughed as his left armor fist spewed plasma fire in an arc clearing a wide path into the dense underbrush. "This is going to be even more fun than I expected. There is nothing out here that could stop us in these suits." Choler was already a little less confident and he said, "Conserve your energy, we still have to cover 300 klicks and we don't want to show up on any sensors either." "There aren't any sensors! We are deep in Union Space, nothing in Orbit. He kicked a tall stump like structure and didn't see the swarms of Ants that crawled out the broken nest and up his legs. Choler brushed a drop shaped cocoon of Buzzsaws aside as he stepped into the smoking breach his partner created with his Gatling. They were about twenty meters inside the Jungle when Leris stumbled and fell over, his left leg armor failing. Choler wanted to help him and see why his friend fell, stumbling was nearly impossible in these marvels of technology as the computroinic assisting, would compensate automatically. As he saw the tough material of the Armageddon melt away like butter from the legs of his partner, all the stories they heard about Green Hell no longer felt so ridiculous. "Activate your force field!" he yelled as he activated his. " Leris yelled back, "There is something inside my suit. I can feel it crawl all over!" Choler wondered what it could be, as Leris should not be able to feel anything as long as his outer Pertharians skin was intact. Then he saw tiny dots. Crawling inside the rim of his helmet. Leris managed to get back on his feet and fired his weapon in all directions, even hitting Choler. His shields protested and flickered. Choler decided to go back to the shore and call the human back. They managed to walk about two kilometers. To his horror he noticed green plants moving over the charred ashes of their slash and burn approach. The Pertharian evaded a large spider thing and doing so his forcefield entangled with an almost invisible spider net. Blue energies sizzled and his suit reported strong electric discharges. As he stepped back he lost the footing and started to sink into a mud bog. Scaled coils of something large appeared only for a moment. His shields strained now, trying to burn tons of water and soil and the suit recommended to deactivate the shields so Arti Grav could be activated, energy reserves for both were already limited. Leris saw his friend run and leave him alone. His legs failed again, this time it was his own, not the suit. He felt a burning sensation as if dipped in liquid lava from his hips on down. He hit the emergency release struggled out of the suit. He needed to get rid of those insects that crawled all over him and whatever they secreted dissolved the tough alloy of the suit and his own Pertharian skin with equal ease. He stumbled forward as a dozen Razor Bush branches slashed across his face gouging one of his eyes, his left arm stuck in a yellow substance covering a tree. The oozing yellow sap was stickier than anything he knew. Trapper Palm crawlers and ants competed against each other over the now helpless Pertharian. The last thing he saw was the rest of his armor suit swallowed by the ground and a human woman in a green dress. Choler was now to his shoulders in the mud and he opened the Comm Link. "Marco, come back. Get us out of here! Everything is true, we are dying!" Choler managed to divert enough energy to his Arti Grav and slowly rose from the muck. If he could gain altitude he might make it. There was hope as he kept rising and almost reached the tree tops when he noticed a large inflated thing hovering in the dark sky. The next heartbeat he fell, back to the ground, after a terrible bolt of lightning had vanquished the last remnants of his suit shields. He crashed hard on the jungle floor. The fall was high enough to hurt him, but he barley felt the pain of the fall, the tiny dots in his helmet now gathered all over his mouth and in his eyes and nostrils. He could feel them crawl inside; the cursed suit didn't let him reach his own mouth. He had four arms and yet he could not reach his own mouth. In utter panic he opened his helmet not noticing he was brushing a plant with little red pods showering his face with a fine white powder. The effect was instant, he felt no pain, and the crawling things in his mouth didn't matter any more. He suddenly felt as if his mind was opened and no longer attached to his body. He could feel the last dying thoughts of his friend. He could feel the hatred of everything living around him. Every plant, everything alive in these jungles hated him! Then it was as if he could feel the many minds of Ant Hill. Like a chorus of many thousand voices all talking at once. Through all this chaos and his certain knowledge of his impending death a human female face appeared, framed by long greenish hair. She had Saresii features but did not look like the Saresii of today. She said to him. "Perish and fade away!" -""— Ranger Salomon was not pleased as he stood in the workshop of Green Hell Slide Belt Service Inc. He had promised his wife a nice evening out, courtesy of the Masters and now he had to investigate the death of Marco Adams. It was completely unclear why he was flying a cargo flyer with a broken Air Seal Lock at night. There weren't any Slide belts outside Ant Hill anywhere. The owner of the small business looked distressed and looked very pale. "I can't tell you why Marco went out after hours using our company flyer." Solomon had his PDD in dictation mode and said looking up. "Mr. Keltony why do you have a freight flyer in the first place? All your customers should be right here in town." The Slide belt technician shrugged. "Our main Office on Blue Moon thought we needed one and sent one. We never used it and that is how we never noticed the damaged seal I guess." "He had to touch down and land for getting a patch of Killer Moss inside. The poison killed him and he crashed into the upper receiving Garage." "We will of course pay for the damage done." the pale man said. "He did mention a few times that he wanted to check out the surface of Green Hell, before he was transferred." It was all more or less routine. Things like that happened before on Green Hell and would happen again. What bugged Salomon was the fact that Marco Adams was no newcomer, but had been on Green Hell for twenty years. He closed the PDD and said, "There will be a formal inquiry and the council will decide on further actions. As for my part and the Ranger Department the case is closed." The altered Kermac acted very distressed and sad with a thankful tone. "Thank you Ranger. I will of course contact Adams relative and make all arrangements." Ranger Salomon tipped his fingers to his brow and left. The Kermac closed the gate, returned to his office and established a secure link to Desolate and conferenced the Employers into the conversation. "The Pertharians have failed; they barely made it past two miles, not even close to their intended objective. I even lost a dependable asset." "Impossible!" barked the woman currently known as Dr. Yeager quite unladylike. "Those were trained Guards of the Arcane Order wearing shielded battle suits." The unseen Employers appeared only as milky shadows said, "There is conflicting information. How can we hear reliable reports that teenagers roam freely and two Pertharians in Battle armor perish?" The disguised Kermac knew very well who was behind those Milky shapes, High ranking Agents of the Ministry of Control, in their plush offices of the Kermac Consulate on Pluribus. He had spent almost forty years far from Kermac worlds, disguised as a human carefully preparing this operation for the Ministry of Information. If the MOC would simply stop their infuriating meddling every time an Operation was slowly starting to bear fruit, the Kermac would have had the Secret of Translocator cannons long ago. The idea that another ministry could report a success to the Grand Wizard was unthinkable to the cursed MOC. He said without hiding his cynical tone, "Because the Ministry of Control makes decisions over the heads of the MOI field agents. The very reason I was grooming Harlex was to have a genuine Greenie under our control. It was all planned and could have been gone without anyone knowing anything. But your decision to take over, pluck Harlex with this sledgehammer method from the Prison Colony instead of simply waiting until he was released in just another year, was as idiotic as sending two Pertharians." "You must be careful how you speak about the all-knowing Ministry of Control. They will hear such things and will not be pleased." "Oh drop the act you fool. I know who you are. I am a loyal servant for the Cause. You are lucky that the local law enforcement agent is a dull ranger and that there is no Federal Police investigation. " There was a moment of silence and then the shapes said to the woman. "The Harlex must be used." The woman did not sound as confident as she had before. "He tried to escape after he woke from his stun much earlier as we anticipated, he is injured and we cannot go to the Med Clinic to have him fixed." The Kermac who went by the name Nolam Keltony said, "He is a Greenie you stupid woman, they developed a much stronger metabolism, their immune system shrugs off neural poisons and the most aggressive microbes you will ever come across. What stuns a human only dazes them at best." The shapes said, "Can he not be fitted with a new CITI and then seek medical assistance? How serious are his injuries?" "We cannot simply march into a Union Clinic and present a human that was shot by a micro missile without the doctors asking questions. We’re currently keeping him in a Space suit stasis, but he will need serious medical attention the second he comes out." The shapes said, "Very well Dr. Yaeger, we will make a decision shortly and send you assistance.” They disconnected her and said, "Her usefulness has come to an end faster than expected. What is your proposal then, Agent of MOI?" "That you go to the seventh circle of the Netherworlds, you and the rest of MOC would be my first recommendation to the Grand Wizard in the report I am sending him. Then I strongly suggest you do not terminate the woman just yet. She is the direct contact to our Worm Asset on Desolate, without her we lose access to the CITI machine and that alone is as worth more than you can imagine." "Your insolence is noted and no report to the Grand Wizard is necessary, we inform him about everything." "Everything that puts the MOC in a good light and the rest is twisted. No my friends. The MOI is not without friends in the Circle and the Grand Wizard will hear an alternative version of these events than the one you send him." Again silence and a new voice spoke. There was authority in this voice as it said. "The Grand Wizard cannot be fooled, he will certainly note your loyal service. Now speak and say what is to be done?" "Return to the old plan and I will groom another Greenie. It will take years but it will work and no one will notice." "This cannot be, it must be done soon. We have intelligence that the Wurgus are considering Union Membership. We are trying to prevent that, but if it happens we must strike against the Union before they can make use of Wurgus Technology and for that we need Translocator Cannons." That was news to the Kermac Agent and he said, "The Wurgus as Union Members will be the end of our kind if the Wurgus tell the Terrans who is behind the SOL Bomb event; they will go to war indeed!" One of the shapes said with a sigh, "We all know what happens when they do." The Kermac Agent said, "There is this boy, his name is Roy Masters. If we can get him to do our bidding, he will find the final resting place of the ship, there is no doubt. No one equals his abilities to roam these jungles. He found the Takkian shells with ease and is known to travel many miles unprotected." One of the shapes said, "We will take it from here, we are masters in the bending of wills. You obtain the intelligence, the execution lies with us." The strong voice said, "This is the last time I will allow the MOC to take the lead. If you fail this time I will have MOI clean your Ministry as they see fit. All the way to the top." The disguised Kermac knew now who the voice was. The Grand Wizard himself. He was certain they would screw up and he could not wait to put the Grand Wizards threat into action. The Grand Wizards voice said, "The next time we speak I expect this Roy Masters in your control so we can begin phase two and isolate Green Hell so we can excavate and recover." -""— Roy had never worn a fine suit before and felt completely out of his comfort zone wearing a black Kimo Suit and a white shirt. He had his hair trimmed exactly like Sam Brown, in a regulation High and Tight haircut and he had shaved the first fluffy whiskers off his cheeks and chin. Of course he did not use the Colgate Hygiene center; but did that too, the Sam Brown way, with a genuine straight razor. This was one 'Pre Astro' custom his father did not want to try. "Roy!" Complained his mother as she saw him coming down the stairs. "Please leave the gun belt and the All Terrains at home. You can go out right after we have our dinner together, but you won't need to shoot anyone in Ant Hill." Six minutes later, and with a slight frown on his face, he came back down again; this time without gun and boots. He barely recognized his own mother. She wore a clingy sparkling blue dress, and there was no doubt that Dr. Martha Masters was indeed a woman. Her long hair gathered in a dress matching snood. Paul Masters was dressed much like Roy, in a dark suit. Roy would have preferred a dinner at home and with Partner along, but then this was perhaps the only dinner he would ever have with his parents for a long while. Further, he knew how much Ranger Salomon and especially his wife were looking forward to the dinner; besides Sam would be there as well. Partner simply sneezed in understanding, stretched out before Roy's bed, closed his eyes and making his plans for the evening easily understood. – He had never been in Ant Hill during the night and downtown was gleaming with a thousand warm golden lights, illuminated fountains and residents strolling up and down the main concourse that circled the ground level of the domed city. They had taken the Slide Belt and left it before Marcello's Restaurant. He recognized Sarah Solomon and Bob right away, they stood at the entrance. He could not help but grin as he saw Bob his best friend looking like him, dressed up and looking completely different. "So they made you wear Off World stuff too.” Bob rolled his eyes, "My mother hasn't talked about anything else since your mother invited us." Bob's mother, wearing a white dress said with an apologetic gesture, "Aaron had some Ranger business and will be a little late." Martha offered Sarah her arm and said, "Then why don't we go in and have a few drinks and appetizers. I don't see any of the others yet either." Just then Bob nudged Roy into the side with his elbow and said, "We're not the only ones, looks like Norm is stuck in one of these suit things too." Norm actually looked like a million credits in his suit and it didn't appear as if he was as uncomfortable as Roy or Bob. His father and mother looked almost like Vid Stars. While Martha and Paul greeted the Major, Norm stepped over and said, "Never expected an invitation from your parents in a million years, but it is sure a nice surprise." Before Roy could say something, a black hover sled stopped and a gorgeous girl in a figure hugging dress of red lace made everyone look. Bob said. "That's Melissa! She even has Silver along!" Moments later Maria arrived and Roy barely recognized her in that midnight blue velvet thing she was wearing. Her long black hair shone in a precious luster and she glared at her friends. "Not a word! Mother made me wear this. I only came because of Roy, so you better not tell me how ridiculous I look in this getup." Bob said. "Maria you are gorgeous! You and Melissa you look so..." "Grown up!" said Norm. "You two are real Stunners." Martha Masters herded them all inside and an incredibly tall host greeted them. Maria whispered, "I heard he is only half Andorian, that's why he is only about 250 cm tall." Roy blinked, "Only?" She nodded. "Andorians can reach 350 centimeters." Bob padded his stomach, "I love Italian, but Andorian is a close second." The Maître de heard it and said, "We do have a few Andorian dishes on the menu." Bob looked hopeful, "Meat Cake Wrap?" While the group was seated around a big round table, the Andorian grinned, "I will see what I can do." Roy said. "How do you know all that stuff?" Bob said, "You know I like to eat and I got a Galaxy Gourmet subscription last year for Christmas. A different galactic specialty every week by mail. Today I got something called Tyranno Fin Steak from a planet called Nilfeheim.” Ranger Salomon, still wearing his Uniform came and sat down after he made a few apologies. Roy found that this was actually very nice. The table was filled with faces he knew. The Swanson's were here, Margit, Clarion and their oldest son Gary. Even the Shaill doctor was here. But all conversation ceased at this and the other tables of the restaurant that was filled to the last chair, as a tall black Marine in full Dress Blues arrived. His sleeves ran up with golden red stripes and more than a few patrons stood up and saluted as they recognized the cross shaped medal hanging on a blue band around the man's neck. Even though no one in this room knew Sam Brown better than Roy, he had never seen Sam like that and he had never seen anything more impressive and dignified. The little live band in the back started to play the Marine Hymn and the owner of the restaurant saluted and said with tears in his eyes. "Corporal Antonio Marcello, 3rd Marine Regiment, Sir. What an honor, Semper Fi!" Roy knew it then; he would become a Marine, nothing else and make Sam proud. Sam sat right next to Roy. Not a muscle in his face moved and yet he could see the affection this man felt for him and because of Sam, he had never really felt alone. Martha got up and raised her glass, "This is to the friends of my son. Some of you have saved our lives; some of you have helped us to see what we almost left behind without ever knowing what we would have done. Roy just recently turned 16 and this is belated real birthday party. I am a very proud mother, to have a son with such a host of distinguished friends." -""- Celyciia Paydhal and Sergeant Ruddick sat on a picnic blanket in the soft, ankle deep grass of North Africa Park; the largest Terran style park of Reckno City, the capitol of Recksnostal Colony. Ruddick said after he devoured another sandwich, "This is how I dreamed police work would be, before I ever joined the force." Celyciia smiled, "Having picnic in the park and eating while on duty?" He shook his head, "Of course not, I eat all the time, on duty or not. No I mean us listening in on the bait and waiting to see if something will happen, and then we follow the lead, put the facts and clues together and solve a case. I mean us doing it and not a Law Logic Computronic figuring out whose mining claim was violated and then GalNet issuing a citation or a warning." The Saresii Police Lieutenant sighed, "Yes I know exactly what you mean. I almost hope we don't solve the case all too fast. There is so much we can learn from him. Real Police work I mean." Another sandwich disappeared and the Sergeant said, "I never thought I would say it, but I don't even miss Old Snukkler anymore. I feel like a real policeman and after reading your case report I am convinced you were right from the start. Nothing of that case added up and someone is trying to pull the wool over our eyes. Well the Precinct is behind you Ma'am, one hundred percent." The Saresii woman sipped on her coffee and glanced over the rim, past the Sergeant watching the blue skinned Thauran sitting on a bench waiting for the contact to arrive. "It took you over three years Sarge." "Captain Snukkler was a liked person. Someone new and Saresii at that replacing the old Garbini was not expected." "You don't like Saresii?" "Oh they are all very nice to look at, but you never know if you deal with a woman or a man and then the whole mind reading Psionic thing." "You had a methane breathing Tree Polyp as a boss and that was better than a Saresii?" "Klack, Garbini, Purple Throat makes no difference Ma'am. I am not only a police man but a proud Union Citizen and not a Xenophobe. You Saresii are not Xeno, you're human. Gorgeous beautiful women and the thought that some are men are more alien to me than a Takkian. Its old fashioned and wrong I know, but I can't help it." "I am all women and I am one of those rare Saresii who have no telepathic abilities at all. Besides, you are a Federal Police man and should be PSI shielded." "You only told us that a few weeks ago and to someone who has no idea about Psionics they are all a little spooky. Someone saying to you ‘you are shielded’ and you feel no different than before doesn't give me much confidence I am afraid." The Saresii Woman said, "I had no idea." The Sergeant said, "That's why I am a sergeant and not an officer. I am a simple person at heart and like things to be black and white. Of course nothing really is, but one cannot really jump over his own shadow." The Saresii wanted to say something when she saw someone approaching the Thauran Warden. The man looked like he just stepped out for lunch from one of the many businesses that lined the park. He sat down right next to the Thauran. Both the sergeant and the Saresii Lieutenant had sensitive surveillance equipment and listened in. The man, a human said, "Your usefulness has expired, but I am curious to find you ‘out and about’." The Thauran answered, "I want 50,000 credits or I tell them about you!" The man in the shirt laughed, but it was not an easy laugh. "If you do, how will you explain all the bribes you took and all the crocked deals we made? You will hang for that." "I don't care. I come clean and maybe I get a deal." "I’ll see what I can do. Meet me here tomorrow!" "Not good enough. I want to see you in 4 hours with the money or I will tell the Feds everything I know. There is no space bus and no scheduled starts so you can make a run in that time." "You won't live long enough to enjoy that money." "You made the mistake letting me live, now go get my money. Or it is you who will hang." Sergeant Ruddick gave the sign and two of his men, disguised as park maintenance personnel followed the business man. Ruddick eyes gleamed. "This is real crime and conspiracy right here on our little Colony. Do we inform HQ about this?" The blue skinned warden came over and said, "No not yet." The Old detective in his disguise as Thauran Warden added, "It is going to be very interesting soon. I expect someone will try to kill me. So stay on your toes. Even after 3000 years, I am not really ready to meet my maker." "No worries Mr. Decker." the Sergeant said. "We might be just a back world precinct but we are Federal Police and we’ve got six fully cloaked surprises in the area, not to mention a micro millimeter satellite scanning everyone." The Old Detective took the last sandwich and said, "I never doubted you guys, not a minute. Well I am back at my bench. As soon as our friend receives instructions we should expect action." Celyciia Paydhal tapped her tiny ear piece, "SII confirms receiving a Federal Court order to allow GalNet tracing. We should be able to tell from where they get their instructions too." -""- The woman worked as a clerk at the Science Council for over twenty five years and was an outstanding citizen, member of several charitable organizations and a prayer leader for the Daughters of the Reformed Back Looking Buddhists of the Third Incarnation. She was groomed and pampered by her handler without her really knowing it until she was a willing tool. She didn't even think of herself as a spy. What harm could it do if her friends knew where the Science Council sent its Explorer ships? Since she was one of the clerks in the Chief Dispatchers office of the Explorer fleet, it was easy for her to obtain such information. Carrying it out handwritten on a piece of paper was something the advanced data storage scanners in the exit door frames did not even register. The advanced technology completely overlooked the real old fashioned methods. She handed the little note to her handler in an open air cafe in the Outer Ring Park of the Assembly and he thanked her with a kiss and a bunch of flowers. As spies went, she worked very cheap. Her handler felt so secure that he didn't really try to conceal his movements and after a little round trip with a bubble cab, he went to a Union Post Office and send high resolution images of the paper to his contact. Those Union fools with their precious freedoms and liberties, making it a Federal Crime to intercept or open mail. They took this very serious and it was the safest way to send intelligence material. While he felt the Union was a bunch of idiotic fools, with a Kermac in charge the Union would be master of the entire Galaxy, he actually enjoyed his life here on Pluribus and hoped his masters would take their time with overthrowing the Union. Why his masters wanted to know the exact course an Explorer was scheduled to take was unimportant to him. -""— The evening had ended bittersweet as his parents officially said good bye and would leave in less than a week. Their Explorer was already on its way to pick them up. Roy walked next to Partner along the shore of a jungle river, carefully avoiding Mortar toads and Murder Grass patches and was brooding about the recent changes in his life. It soon would change even more when he went to go to College in the Sol system, almost 2500 light years distant. There was a hidden cove with a waterfall and a small pool, one of his favorite places to go. It was only twelve miles from the house and it was his personal secret place when he needed to think. Not that there was really anything he had to decide. He wanted to become a Marine, but he didn't want to leave either. The future, so it appeared, had even more change in store than the last few days. As he reached the little cove, the fresh water of a creek rushed over a rock face and gushed down about twenty meters into a pool. While there were Tantalus Oaks and Strangle vines all over, the moss clinging to the rocks was not the moving Killer Moss found at the shores of the big lakes. There wasn't enough room for Stompers or Insectos and Water Snake roaming season was still a few month away. So he looked forward to a few hours of relaxing there before he would find his way to the Rocks and meet his friends. "Hello Roy!" A melodic female voice greeted him as walked around the last tree covered boulder to enter the little cove. The green haired woman was sitting on a round boulder, churning the water before her with lazy moves of her right foot. Roy relaxed and said, "Oh it is you again. You sure get around and you keep it quiet it seems." She leaned back supported by her arms. Her hair almost touched the stone as she arched that way but again she was not saying anything. So Roy said, "For a girl you sure don't talk much. Do you have a name?" She glanced at him and said, "You can call me Quara if you like." "You are the strangest girl and your answers are just as strange." She said, "So are you, walking through this jungles being friends with the most vicious beast on his side." Roy almost laughed. "Quara, this is Partner. He is the gentlest animal on this planet. You can pet him!" She got up. "You don't even know what it is, Roy." She was clearly afraid of it. "No I don't but you can trust me and him. I won't hurt anything if I don't have to and he won't either." She jumped to shore and reached out with a trembling hand. Partner squeezed his eyes close and sneezed. She retracted her hand but repeated the careful gesture and finally made contact with Partners fur and then se relaxed and petted the animal. "I always liked that about you, Roy." "Would you stop talking in riddles please and say something that makes sense? How can you like something about me, without me knowing you? What is it you like anyway?" "The ones that came from the Skies, made their home on the isle on the lake. They could not be scared away. They remained and it took much effort to keep their numbers small. Yet they never gave up and come and measure and probe everything. " "Are you talking about Ant Hill? Aren't you from there as well?" She kept petting Partner and slowly shook her head. "No Eric, Qaroniel is my home." "Is this a Union world nearby?" She spread her arms. "Eric this is Qaroniel, it is all around you." "Green Hell?" "This is how you call it. Some others called it Imthe-Seth and before that there were those who cursed it saying Mrthgtha, but it has been Qaroniel first." Roy scratched his chin. "Those are the old names the Saresii and the Sarans used." He looked at her with a quizzed look. "Just who are you exactly?" "I am Qaroniel.”