GAW1 First Edit

 Galaxy at War

 Book II in the Roy Master Cycle

 A Galactic Chronicles Story by

 Vanessa Ravencroft

 ©2013 McCullough County – Texas

 The year is 4937 (Old Terran Time); Earth is now generally known as Terra.

 Earth is only a small part of a gigantic mega society officially called the United Stars of the Galaxies, but by everyone simply referred to it as the Union.

 Roy Masters, born on Green Hell, one of the most dangerous and deadly worlds in the known Universe, just turned sixteen.

 He lost his parents to a Pirate attack and helped foil a scheme of the Kermac that almost destroyed his home planet. He and his alien pet, an Imperial Fury Beast are now on their way to Sares Prime, where he supposed to go to College. While he travels to the exotic home system of the Saresii, the Galaxy prepares for war.

 Roy is about 6'2" and has very athletic body with steel hard muscles, thanks to growing up on a world with higher gravitation. He is fiercely proud of being a Greenie.





PRELUDE: UNION AT WAR
 The alien machine paused for a moment as it appeared on top of a mountain of rubble that once had been a housing complex. The dark gray metal giant moved its eight tons of molecule compacted Ultronit armor with purposeful agility. All four of its weapon arms were raised.

 Section leader Ohnic of the seventh Palace Elite keyed a fire resolution into his command giver. Then he adjusted the tele-optics of his helmet to compensate for the wafting smoke and dust that obscured much of the battle field.

 A Ruthiyk missile battery was dug in behind heavily reinforced concrete and the strongest battle shield projectors the Galactic Council forces had available, they now received the firing solution and four missiles hissed at many times the speed of sound across the sky.

 The missiles bridged the five Lika distance across the ruins that once were the capitol of the Hilibar Empire, but only one reached its target. The battle robot had destroyed three of them with energy beams.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The fourth however hit with a tremendous explosion. Two Grams of antimatter reacted with matter. Tons of debris was instantly vaporized as sun-like temperatures melted rock, concrete and steel into a lake of molten magma and the shock wave flattened still standing walls and buildings.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Yet, as the brilliant white glow of the atomic fires subsided, the dust and debris finally settled enough to see; he watched in horror as the alien machine was still there, totally engulfed in a purple shimmering force field, wading through the molten rock unfazed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of his assistants was crouching behind the remnants of a shattered temple column. The Section leader said with panic vibrating in his voice. "What are we facing, what is this?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ohnic was clenching his fist and responded. "This is a Union Cerberus Robot and it isn't alone. There must be Union Marines that are nearby as well."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Whatever the Assistant said was swallowed by an explosion that shook the very ground so violently that both Hilibar fighters were lifted off their feet.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A sun bright sphere expanded where the missile battery was. Nothing remained of the twenty Hilibar fighters or the missile battery. Everything else was instantly vaporized. This was the result of the latest Translocator bomb technology of the United Stars.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Thousands of supersonic booms in rapid succession from up high, like thunder following lightning. This crescendo hailed the approach of Union Marines as they dropped with supersonic speed from the sky.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Marines were like a hail storm from hell. Spawned demons without mercy for as they descended, they fired on anything that moved or dared to be alive.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The last Hilibar resistance melted away like snow in a smelter furnace.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They watched helplessly as Union Marines and Cerberus robots swarmed over everything, brutally, relentlessly killing and destroying anything in their path. No fighter, no civilian, no priest, not even  egg carrying females were spared.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> There was no place they could retreat, regroup or rearm. This was the last bastion, the last planet of the Hilibar.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Once they had been a mighty and proud member of the Galactic Council, serving the Kermac freely and without being forced into service by Kermac Psionics or other means.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> For almost 2000 years they had believed the Kermac propaganda and dismissed the rumors of Union supremacy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Their ruler, the supreme leader of the Hilibar had rejected the Union Offer of surrender not so long ago. He and the nine who gave the law no longer existed. The palace and even the bunkers below had been hit by the first orbital barrage before the Marine assault.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Section Leader we must leave!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No my fellow Hilibar warrior, there is no place left." The Section Leader raised his Command Giver and activated it to send on all channels. "Those who still hear me, surrender. You have fought well. The Hilibar..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He could not complete his transmission as a swarm of transmission homing micro-missiles shredded his body and a Union Marine jumping over the collapsed wall, bringing down his chain sword cutting the Section commanders aide in half.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Almost 750 light years from the Hilibar home world, the USS Hammerfaust dropped out of Quasi Space into the Agerath System, stronghold of the Itkkme. Like the Hilibar, the Itkkme were a member civilization of the Galactic Council and one of the most industrious providers of war materials and ships to the Kermac. They weren't fighters like the Hilibar; they were workers and engineers who took great pride in their work ethic and the quality of their products. Their production lines churned out the finest T Bar cruisers and Yiee Battle ships used by the other Galactic Council members to expand the Kermac influence and supremacy across the Universe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Kermac had promised the Hilibar protection, vowing that no Union Warship would ever come this far.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> But the Hilibar fleets protecting them had disappeared weeks ago. The Unifrim, who were insectoids sent by the Kermac to take their place had simply fled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> What defenses remained were crewed by hastily trained Itkkme. These troops were pulverized in mere moments by relentless Translocator Cannon fire poured out by sixteen Union Battle Ships. The Battleships swooped in at tremendous speeds and behind seemingly impenetrable Para Dim Shields across the planet orbits of this star system.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The orbital shipyards were once the pride of Itkkme technology; and now  reduced to glowing scrap. The remaining pieces caused a terribly beautiful meteor shower of debris in the skies of the Itkkme home world.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The USS Hammerfaust was a planet bomber; one of the Unions most controversial weapon systems.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Captain Stella Summers, stood before her command chair. Her black uniform immaculate as she watched the planet centered on the main screen getting bigger.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Mr. T'Thakk inform command that we are here and have them confirm the termination order."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The ant-like Klack at the Communication station confirmed the order and opened a channel to Central Command. "This is the USS Hammerfaust, approaching mission target. Requesting confirmation of the termination order."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "This is Central Command; verification codes are confirmed. All occupied planets and moons of the system are confirmed targets, commence termination. Crustbusters and P-Bombs authorized."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Captain, Command is giving us the green light. Admiral Stahl's commence code has been verified."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Open bomb drawers one to five", Came the next command from Captain Summers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The weapon systems officer of the planet bomber touched the necessary controls on his station. On each side of the boxy hull, 1000 meter long panels opened and huge racks were pushed out like the drawers on a commode. Each of the racks held two thousand warheads; forty ton self-propelled crust buster bombs. Each of these Deep Penetrators held enough energy to pulverize a small moon.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> At the belly of the ship, drop shafts opened and a conveyor system moved the first P-Bombs into position.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Captain Summers was well aware of the gravity of her next order. She had given this order seven times in the last six months of this war.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She still had a dry throat and nodded. "Helm steady as she goes; Mr. Blueroom commence drop."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Takkian at the ships helm corrected the ships course slightly to remain on the best attack vector. The Quadi-Ped Lieutenant named Blueroom began by opening the protective cover of the rack release. Blueroom passed one of his hands with an elegant motion across the cluster lights before him. This action turned the clustered instruments from green to red.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Mechanical claws opened and fusion pulse motors ignited, each propelling the bombs to 80 percent of light speed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Helm, turn her to Helio center and increase speed to 20 percent light." Summers commanded.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The silicone being that looked very much like a petrified walking pine cone at the helm station confirmed the order and the huge ship majestically turned its bow towards the systems GIII type star.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The blue and green world spun below was the birth planet of a space traveling civilization. It now wandered off the main screen to be suddenly lit up with thousands of little bright lights sprouting on its surface. The P-Bombs had ignited nuclear fires all over the beautiful world.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Billions of tons of ocean water turned to superheated steam in seconds obscured the continents and the surface in a matter of moments. Then the Penetrators reached the liquid core after tunneling through miles of planetary crust. In an almost surreal image, the continental plates were outlined in bright white. It was then as if creation itself paused to sigh; the entire planet seemed to contract ever so slightly, only to expand a few moments later and the entire planet exploded in a cloud of elemental fire.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A spherical cloud of fire and burning matter replaced what once was a cradle of life.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> True, the USS Hammerfaust had a crew of over 500 beings from all over the Union, but everyone knew this was the kind of war only Terrans fought, utterly brutal, relentless and total.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The USS Hammerfaust obliterated two more planets in the system known to hold Itkkme industry, mines and settlements, before accelerating to threshold speed and disappearing into Quasi Space.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Seventy Itkkme miners on the systems smallest planet were the only survivors. They stared in absolute horror into the night sky as 5 hours later the light of the destruction of their home world reached their little outpost.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sivenfosieven, Command Wizard of the 7th Kermac Space Lord Fleet, carefully attached the artificial beard to his chin. He took great care in tying the light blue ribbons that held the cone shaped, appendix-like beard which slightly curved upwards symbolically to his face. In the days of old, the ribbons really did hold the beards and were still used as a symbol of status and position. The color, width, length of the ribbons and way they were tied were codified in great detail and described in the elevated Scrolls of Greatest Importance.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Now these false beards, that had become synonymous with Kermac culture, were often glued or as in his case attached via surgical implanted micro connectors.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The morning ritual of attaching the beard was an important one for every Kermac and practiced with spiritual and religious significance. To Sivenfosieven, it was the time of day that gave him strength and centered his thoughts.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Kermac beards contained hidden PSI technology. Every Kermac had a MOC approved mindshield in his beard. Those who were in higher positions; like his, also had a small but quite powerful Neuro Ripper in its tip. On very low intensity it was a perfect tool to make servants, slaves, and others lesser than him squirm with uneasiness and painful nerve tingling while in the presence of a Kermac Wizard.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He also had a PSI enhancer that increased his psionic abilities. In his case it elevated him into the very rare group of telekinetic gifted individuals. His natural Psionics had the potential for telekinetic powers but his natural strength allowed him to manipulate objects of no more than a few grams at the greatest concentration and exhaustion. With his enhancer, he could manipulate almost 50 grams within viewing distance. This was something he was tremendously proud of, as only one in about 100,000 Kermac developed telekinetic abilities.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That his PSI shield was actually quite illegal and not approved by the Ministry of Control was one of the perks a military leader of his level enjoyed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He too feared the ever present shadowy threat of the Thought Police. Once denounced by a TP officer as someone with thoughts not appropriate for a Kermac, even a man of his position could face the terrible punishment of a Mental Wipe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While he tied the last knot of the upper ribbon ends and checked the result in a mirror field; he had to admit he had many of such non appropriate thoughts lately.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He brushed his long thin hand over his completely smooth skin of his bald head and wondered if he would find time to have a skin bleaching ritual session today. In his self critical opinion, he found that his skin was still several shades below the blessed true white of a Kermac God.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Religion was for Thrall species and slaves. Kermac knew and worshiped only one thing, themselves.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He checked the black mascara that lined his eyes and applied more lip white to make sure his lips matched the whiteness of the rest of his face and recited the seventeen reasons why the Kermac were supreme above all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Making sure he did it loud enough so his aides waiting for him outside could hear him. He spoke the words mechanically as he had lost the conviction needed to recite this required daily sermon with passion: "Above all that exists and lives are Kermac! To all that lives we are Gods and must be worshiped for we are supreme. We are not among the dirt that dares to defile existence, we are elevated..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had not even reached the sixth reason when someone rapped against the folding door that separated his private accommodations from the Command Center.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was aboard the most powerful warship ever created by the combined sciences and engineers of those who served the Kermac. This 1200 meter giant was part of a 2000 ship fleet of similar sized ships. He swallowed his anger for being disturbed, he was quite aware that no one would have dared to do so if it was not utterly important.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Waving his hand toward the door, he signaled the door to fold away. It revealed Sub Command Wizard Achnacdrie with a thinly veiled expression of concern. His subordinate said, bowing in the required motion. "My eyes are inadequate to fully appreciate the magnificence your presence bestows upon this universe; my lips are inadequate to..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Suspend the litany. If you felt it was important enough to interrupt my recital, then time must be of essence."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Indeed Magnificent Sivenfosieven, Commander most wise and supreme. We received message via Long Range Telepaths that the Hilibar have fallen. Union barbarians somehow managed to circumvent brilliant tactical defenses planned and implemented by our other regional leader, the  Great Command Wizard Fivtofortwe."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The fall of the Hilibar was only a matter of weeks and expected. The forces used to assist the Hilibar can now be diverted and bolster the Unifrim to protect the Agerath System."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Indeed you're Magnificent Apparition of Perfection; that is strategy of supreme wisdom. However Great Command Wizard Fivtofortwe might have experienced slight complications in that matter."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "What kind of Complications?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Your colleague of highest esteem and almost equal magnificence was so kind and sent message via LRT that the Union completely destroyed the Agerath System; they destroyed the actual planets, Agerath and all Itkkme present."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sivenfosieven did not blame is Sub Commander for acting the way he did. It was how Kermac spoke and behaved, 20,000 years of Thought Police made this as natural as eating and drinking. He did not blame the other Command Wizard, even though he considered him to be an Idiot. Whatever they threw in the way of the Union onslaught was obliterated, killed and destroyed in a truly terrifying methodical fashion. "What of the Unifrim? Simply speak of facts and refrain from the Form Speak."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Sub Commander sighed. "Your Magnificence, they fled. They left the Itkkme to fend for themselves. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The Itkkme were vital to our war efforts. In that system was one of our most important ship yards. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Indeed your Magnificence, it was."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "There is more, isn't there?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Our long range detectors from our scout ships have detected a collection of several barbarian spaceships heading into this area. Insignificant of course, as they are just Union and it is of course completely impossible for them to ever reach this bastion of Kermac might. This is after all not a system that is home to worthless servants, this is a Kermac System. Defended by none other than you, the most brilliant Command Wizard. Their inferior technology and stupidity will make them easy prey to our mighty fleet and your brilliant order decisions you will give. Is this not so?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "There is a fine line, Sub Commander. There is a fine line indeed between using Formal Speech to laud and elevate your superior; or use it to express sarcasm. You have long ago crossed that line. Your sarcasm is so thick, it has reached your eyes. So spare me your excuses and attempts to convince me otherwise. However do tell me how insignificant that Union Fleet is that is coming this way."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We think it is the full First Fleet with the Devastator. No other known space craft makes our mass detectors spike that way."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sivenfosieven was certain he just managed to gain a few shades towards the Supreme White without any bleaching sessions. "Stahl is coming?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Someone in the Command Center said, "No, your Magnificence, that Union Devil is already here!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As if to underline these words, the Kermac flag ship vibrated from the Battle Alert Warning Sounds and only seconds later shook violently as the first Giga Load exploded nearby.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Admiral Stahl was not on the bridge of the mighty USS Devastator; his Union battle ship of alien origin was under the command of its current CO, Captain Tor Igvar.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The immortal Terran who was known throughout the known universe as the Eternal Warrior, felt unable to remain behind the lines and direct his forces from the safety of his flagship as a man of his importance should have done. Instead, he sat in the command seat of an Ajax Class Super Cruiser; he had pulled out of the Surplus pool of Delta Group about a year ago. It carried the Union Fleet designation USS Shadow Hawk and whenever the First Fleet went into battle, he took her out personally, surrounded by a handpicked crew.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Shadow Hawk was a 800 meter Super Cruiser, refitted with the most advanced shields and updated weapon systems.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> With an almost fanatic devotion of the Devi's engineering department to make it a ship fit to use by the Old Man, they used every trick in the book to acquire the very finest tech.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Of course Stahl could have taken command of any ship in the fleet. He could have requested the latest and newest Dreadnought coming off the assembly lines at Ross 129; but that would have been inappropriate in his opinion. New ships were needed for the war effort and assigned to proper commanding officers and crews. Pulling such a resource merely to satisfy his personal ambitions and desires was something the man synonymous with integrity did not do.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Taking an old ship out of a bone yard and crewing it with volunteers was as far as he was willing to go. Putting himself in danger on the front lines was not exactly the role or position that the supreme commander of all Union Military should take, and was of course criticized by Admiral McElligott. Along with pretty much everyone else at Fleet Command.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sitting on a desk and delegating forces behind the lines simply wasn't him. He could delegate and direct on board the Shadow Hawk just as well and in the very center of the action.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While his style of command and his decision to fight himself alongside regular units was scolded and criticized by Fleet Command; it elevated his legend to almost godlike status among the spacemen, soldiers, marines and officers of the Union Fleet. They followed him with a sense of unequaled pride and devotion.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl himself spearheaded this all out assault on the first Main Kermac Star System. The USS Shadow Hawk was among the first ships dropping out of Quasi.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Brytha make those loaders sweat!" Stahl said to his Tactical Officer. "Keep your barrels straight ahead and sweep the path."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Aye Sir." The Saresii woman behind the weapon controls said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Kolfsen don't slow down one klick, if necessary plow right through whatever tries to block our approach."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was perhaps the only Jooltar on the Union Side and most certainly the only one in the Union Fleet. Jooltar grunted and pushed the Helm System visor before his eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The immortal warrior blinked at the fleet communications icon floating inside his retina, "Stahl to Devi, what is keeping you? Captain Igvar, light up some flares and tell them we're here."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Devi responded and her turrets fired in salvo tact, every 30 seconds the biggest mobile Translocator cannons in the Union arsenal coughed Exo load after Exo load into trans-dimensional space only to re-materialize inside shields and past armor deep inside enemy vessels and each time a Kermac Battleship was vaporized with a suddenly expanding temporary mini-sun in its place.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Kermac did not give up without a fight. The Kermac FTL Line Cannons did pack a wallop delivering the energies of fusion bomb explosions compressed in a tight focus of only a few centimeters through an ISAH field-like compression and acceleration field. This enabled Kermac Line Cannons to engage an enemy target with translight speed. There was little that could withstand a direct hit. Kermac Psi Powers were one reason the Kermac were so powerful and ruled over the Galactic Council, their Line Cannons were the other reason.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This had been the status quo for many thousands of years. Now there was the Union with Battleships bigger than anything since the Celtest disappeared. Their cursed shields withstood the Line Cannons and it took the combined hits of at least three Kermac Battle ships and all their cannons to crack the shields of a Union Ship long enough to cause serious damage.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After the attack wave of Union Battleships, sixteen Forrestal Class Carriers arrived and launched Wolfcraft Fighters and Thor Gun Boats. Swift Destroyers were protecting the carriers with deadly TL Sniper fire.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Several Union Battleships were seriously damaged, but the Kermac and their Thralls had nothing to equalize the incredible fast Wolfcraft. Once again, the true value of space fighters was demonstrated. These were not the Nul or the Dai who also had fighters; few space faring civilizations considered the use of one pilot attack craft. Most certainly, none of the known Galactic Council species did.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Wolfcraft fighters were heavily shielded, had Translocator Gatlings, Quantum Plasma Cannons and Loki Torpedoes and thanks to their size and fast speed almost impossible to hit, even for Kermac Computronic aided target acquisition systems.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Saresii Tactical officer of the USS Shadow Hawk resisted wiping of the sweat from her forehead as her hands punched in energy reroute commands to the shield generator systems. The Super Cruiser had lost starboard shields and aft shields flickered with less than 20   % and were down to the last shield layer.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The temperature on the bridge was almost unbearable as Stahl had life support and climate controls turned down to an absolute minimum. Every iota of energy diverted to the bow shield projectors.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> More than once since this attack run had begun, the Shadow Hawk plowed right through the barely dissipating energy clouds of enemy and friendly fire alike.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That they could have retreated at any moment return to the safety behind Union Lines was an option no one on this ship even considered. Stahl wanted to reach the Kermac World and deliver the Devil's Bunch attached to an external hard point at the keel of their ship to that planet’s capital   and seat of the local Wizards. They all would rather die than disappoint him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A Devil's Bundle or Devil's Bunch was a set of 12 Loki torpedoes connected to each other like a bundle of fire wood and released simultaneously. (This was actually an invention of Stahl during the Y'All war when he bundled the then common SHIROC anti ship missiles to knock out Y'All ships.)

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The reason for this attack was to destroy the well defended and protected Wizard Tower and by doing so, neutralize the Psionic Influencers the Kermac used to press their will on the Thralls fighting for them at least in this region of space. There was also the hope to possibly neutralize their ability to communicate with Long Range Telepaths sitting in bunkers underneath the wizard tower.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Bundle was released at a distance where it could no longer be intercepted; it made its way and obliterated the city, the Wizard Towers and the Psi Enhancers. Many of the remaining Kermac ship crews suddenly experienced complete confusion as the psionic oppressive will that pressed them to risk life and health to defend the Kermac was gone. The tactical commands given by their telepathic communication suddenly fell silent.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The entire First Fleet, all four Battle Group clusters, had now arrived and the outcome of this space battle had never been in any doubt, but the action led by Stahl himself ensured a fast and decisive victory and the details of this fight were added to the many stories told among the crews and citizens of the Union, about Admiral Stahl.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was the first Kermac Planet that was ever attacked in over 20,000 years and the first to fall in Kermac history.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

Present
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Gunnery Sergeant Robert "the Hook" Dunn leaned back into the mechanical claw of the robotic arm and it lifted him off his feet and traveled with great speed along a central track and placed him into the next available Drop chute of the forward Starboard Drop battery.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Many arms like this one, rushed back and forth, performing a mechanical high speed ballet only machines were able to do, bringing more marines from the Hot Standby deployment zone and stuffing them into Drop Chutes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Gunny Dunn, performed a suit check. He was wearing a SII-Destroyer Main Battle Suit Mark XI, more commonly known the Galaxy over as a Quasimodo.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Marines called their suit systems Mamma, because if you took care of Mamma; she took care of you.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Mamma, Pre-Drop System Check."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Mamma, Online, commencing Pre Drop Suit Check. Nano-Bio Gel layer intact, Auto Doc online, stocked and operational. Warning, Neuro connectors ping commencing in 5 seconds."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Mamma warned him about sending a neural feedback pulse through all the neuro connectors of the suit. This short but intense reflex impulse agitated almost every muscle in his body and made him twitch like he had touched a live energy socket.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Some marines never learned to get used to the Neuro Ping and hated that moment, some loved it and took it like the start signal before a big race or sporting competition. Robert got used to it all right but he never learned to like it, even though it meant that his suit was now fully integrated into his body and even the most minute movement was translated instantly into the Battle suits synthetic muscles. Six Billion miles of microscopic thin Mylo-Mylar-Nano carbon strands woven and wound into fire hose thick synthetic muscles attached to a Neutronit-Ultronit foam Exoskeleton.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It all was covered from head to toe with 5 millimeter hexagon shaped scales made of Molecule compacted Ultronit, individually molecular bonded to thin layer of Intelli-Fab, making the suits skin into a highly flexible, yet almost indestructible barrier. On top of that followed 260 pieces of semi rigid armor pieces, interlocking, augmented and articulated.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It all meant that he could move this 8 ton battle suit with the precision of a Lavatian watch maker, with the speed of a martial arts master and with the grace of a French Ballet dancer. A Marine wearing one of these could pick up a raw egg, or lift a 60 ton landing tank with equal ease; walk across the surface of virtually any planet, fight in almost any environment known to science and enforce the will of the Union Assembly where ever it was needed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Highly advanced Shield emitters could engulf his suit with three layers of soap bubble like iridescent purple shimmering Para Dim shields at a eye-blinks notice.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Through the main wet-link neuro connection a dedicated battle computronic transmitted not only battle field data, target information and communications directly to his brain, it also assisted and elevated his reflexes and reaction abilities to machine speed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Mamma's soft female voice kept going over each check point, while he did a manual check on his offensive systems. Two chain fed mass accelerator cannons mounted in twin configuration, one on each shoulder. These babies had their origin in the ancient Gauss Rifles the first Space Marines carried into battle. These MACs accelerated plutonium slugs to 99 percent light speed. The relativistic mass created by 6 grams of Plutonium impacting at this speed with a few thousand tons of kinetic energy, and that 12 times per second if necessary.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> On his back, in the hump of his suit; the reason these suits were called Quasimodos; was the suit’s main weapon, a Translocator Cannon with a 5 shot Micro load magazine.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was but one of the many weapon systems available to him, most of them were built into the suit, like wrist guns, finger beamers, mine dispensers and micro missile launchers. However studies had shown that an external independent weapon was preferred by most soldiers as it added versatility and an extra suit independent weapon system.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was the reason he also carried the SII-TKU Mark 19 Plasma Rifle with a 5 gauge Grenade launcher and Chain Sword attachment, the standard infantry weapon of choice for the United Stars Marine Corps. It was a relatively old system and was with the Corps for over 150 years since the introduction of the Mark 1 in 4780, and the Mark 19 still looked more or less like the old Mark 1 with only minor improvements or changes. Dunn preferred the "Sitku" over everything else, even though he did have a choice of several other systems he could have selected during the Suit Up Sequence, including the Fafnyr SII TKU gatling or the Feuersturm 4500 Chain fed Heckler & Koch Raketen MK.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Technically of course the Sitku had nothing to do with a chemical slug thrower and there was no rifling in the barrel parts of this weapon, but this weapon linked Marines to over 3000 years of Rifle man tradition and because of this, it was still called a rifle.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That the weapon had more firepower than a division of early Astro Marines complete with tanks and artillery was a fact Robert could not really relate to, as he had no idea what kind of weapons Marines carried when Earth became a space faring civilization. It simply was something they always said when they handed out these babies.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Mamma said. "Pre-Drop Check complete. System at 98.87 percent."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Mama what causes the one point thirteen drop from the expected 100?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The left gauntlet finger control has a seven nano second reaction delay, with a probability of a data trunk damage in the left suit arm. Do you want to abort the drop and receive a replacement unit?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> No Marine had to drop if he felt his equipment was not up to specs and no one would have held it against him if he asked to see a Black Smith, but that meant he missed the first wave drop.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Mamma assured him that the problem could be fixed by Suit Nanites as soon as he had dropped. So he opted to drop and called the status of his suit into Command Net with the Good and all Green message.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The robotic arms zipping back and forth, Marines called "Jar stuffers", deposited a marine into a deployment chute right across his own and his suit systems recognized the otherwise invisible markers on the other marines suit and identified the man as Human Terran, Private Harry Boscoe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had met the kid just this morning, fresh and green as can be right out of boot camp and shipped out for the first time past Union Space.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Even if Robert could have seen through the completely opaque face plate of Private Boscoe's Quasimodo that was seamlessly integrated into the rest of the suits dark gray color scheme and transparent only from the inside; all he would have seen was the bright blue and finger thick bio-slime that covered every Marine wearing a battle-suit from head to toe, like a second skin.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That blue goo was perhaps the real reason why Union Battle Suits were the very best in the known Universe. The goo did not only act as frictionless padding, allowing a Marine to wear that suit for many months if necessary, absorbing impact shocks the Arti Gravs could not handle and recycle sweat, body waste and every dead skin flake; it also acted in concert with the Auto Doc and provided medical treatment. The bio slime kept temperatures at perfect levels. A marine was never too hot or too cold. It instantly sealed wounds and kept any wound trauma to the absolute minimum.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The S.L.I.M.E was more or less the same stuff Med Techs used in their Re-Gen tanks. The Blue Slime could, if necessary assist the Auto Doc and regrow limbs, bones and basically keep a marine alive even if sixty percent of his body had been vaporized.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Blue Slime had a few other benefits as well but like the Neuro Ping, it was a thing you had to get used to.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As soon as the Suit was ready to be sealed the slime deployed out of small openings inside the suit and then crept and crawled like a living thing, warm and moist, all over you and entered every orifice. Newbies often panicked when the slime crept into their nostrils, forced itself inside the mouth, into ears and over their faces and eyes. Robert no longer really noticed it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Private Boscoe, did you perform a Pre-Drop?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Neuro Ping?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "All 100 percent Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Good to hear. Did you slime up alright?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes Sir, just completed." The Private could not completely hide the uneasiness in his voice.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Robert had the individual icons representing his platoon troops, transmitted right into his retina and could access a wealth of data from each of his marines. Boscoe's suit showed green and so did the vitals of the rest of his platoon.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> According to his read out, Private Boscoe's psych status was elevated but well within parameters. A seventeen percent increase of the young marines respiration rate, combined with elevated heart rate and increased Adrenalin production was to be expected during a first Action Drop. Brain Wave patterns were also within expected regions. The brain regions responsible for emotions such as fear, just a notch above Orange. Robert could see the same data on everyone of his men. Corporal Whitesheet next to him was almost asleep, completely relaxed, listening to Ult harmonics, that Quadiped was only on his fourth drop.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Robert keyed into Boscoe's suit audio and said. "No reason to be nervous, this is going to be easier than the live fire drops you did in boot camp."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "But we are dropping on the Noghlers right?" The slightly agitated voice of the Private said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yup, big nasty twelve meter tall sentient Bios, with the latest Kermac battle armor. Tough motherfuckers they are. Still no reason to worry, Private. Do you know why?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No Sir, I heard they are quite aggressive and dangerous."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Because we are dropping on Glher, their home world. It's their last planet. We kicked their huge ceramic armor covered asses from twelve worlds. We're Marines, there isn't anything tougher and more dangerous out there. Besides you are now with Bravo Company 2nd Platoon, the Master Blasters. Our Platoon leader is Lt. Roy Masters, the toughest SOAB you ever going to meet this side of the Orion Arm. He's from Green Hell."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yeah heard, but where is he?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A voice interrupted them both. "I am already down here, advanced Recon and I really could use some help down here. Yes I am from Green Hell, but my mother is a famous scientist and I will pretend not to have heard your last comment, Gunny."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Red lights started to rotate and loud speakers blared. "Drop-Drop-Drop-Deploy!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Robert’s suit automatically moved into drop position with arms close to the body and the chute door closed with a metallic clang.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> There was half a second of complete darkness and then it felt as if a giant's invisible hand had taken hold of his feet and yanked him with great force and speed through a short pipe filled with blue sequenced pulsing lights into open space.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Below him was the immense sight of a brownish red planet with a few wispy white bands of clouds and dirty looking oceans.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He and the rest of Bravo Company, including 2nd platoon accelerated head first towards the first layers of atmosphere.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Stryker was only one of 200 drop ships in orbit around the hostile world, and they all started to deploy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Through the retina-linked visual sensors, increasing his natural field of view by 60 percent to each side without even moving his head, he noticed the heavy weapon impacts into the shields of their own Drop ship, the USS John Stryker.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He silently cursed the Noghler surface defense batteries as they fired accelerated antimatter loads into the swarms of descending Marines and the fast flashes of Kermac Line Cannon fire coming from below.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Marines doing an orbital drop were small and hard to hit targets, and their shields and armor was second to none, but planetary defense batteries designed to take on space ships could ruin a marine’s otherwise perfectly good drop, especially if it was a direct hit. He noticed seven icons on the Company level board turning red and three more blink out in rapid succession. Red meant severe damage and the three lost icons re-appeared a heart beat later on the casualty list. Three of damage icons belonged to his Platoon.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He pressed his lips together as he knew all three men who had just died, good lads of 1st platoon and made sure everyone was moving at max speed, with the random course deviator program activated, that shifted marines into unpredictable quantum patterns and gave orders to deploy Rescue Cerbs to retrieve the damaged and wounded Marines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Force fields automatically took on the best aerodynamic shape as they penetrated the first layers of the planet’s atmosphere. Like thousands of glowing shooting stars, trailing superheated air molecules, Union Marines rained in on the home planet of the Noghler,

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Robert's targeting system identified a series of surface batteries, he aimed his shoulder cannons and switched to triple burst, while he gave a mental set of instructions to his Hump TL with the re-materialization coordinates for the micro loads he sent them inside the death dealing turrets below.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> –""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy tossed the smoking body of a Noghler away from him, the brutish alien giant that reminded him of an upright walking Stomper, with a face full of milky white tentacles, sharp looking mandibles and twelve black button eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This Noghler had managed to keep his momentum despite a direct TKU hit that punched a pumpkin sized hole right through the towering giant’s upper chest and collapsed right on top of him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Six hours ago he had dropped after a long and low signature approach under full stealth right into the mountains surrounding what looked like a big city in Noghler terms and in this case the very center of their government. It was supposed to be recon and not an all out engagement.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> At first everything went according to plan, but he found out that a local type of brownish mushroom were much more than just innocent looking brown toad stools.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had landed fully cloaked and undetected but then he had stepped on one of those mushrooms and the entire field of them came alive, screaming like tortured babies and actually running away from him, it took less than a minute for the Noghler to notice his location despite the cloak and open fire. Then the whole planet was on highest alert, expecting a Union Attack.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Noghler weaponry was inferior to Union weapons, but they had lots of them and he and his three man advance Recon team was seriously outgunned.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Corporal Ructus had bought the farm just twenty minutes ago. Hit by the concentrated fire of three Noghler Hover tanks; there was barely enough left of the poor bastard to send home. What was left of him Roy carried in a spare ammo box, strapped to his suit.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy knew he would miss the dry humor and the thousand ways the spotted Attikan could show his emotions by just moving his ears and tail, but he could not bring himself to hate the Noghler. This was their home world, their last stand. They had fought hard over each of their twelve colonies and outposts and lost each one.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Even if the main force did not drop in time to save Roy's life, the Noghler would be history and soon forgotten. In moments like this he truly missed Partner. His Fury Beast would have torn through the Noghler like a Marine Battle Tank, but his friend was many thousand light years away, almost half across the Galaxy and with his girl.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A warm feeling reached his mind as he thought of his blonde girl friend waiting for him Union Side, as he shoved the last magazine into his TKU and smiled at Corporal Yzzzith, a Purple Throat Shiss. Of course his facial expression was wasted at the Lizard, as Yzzzith did not see his face and even if he could have, the Shiss still had difficulties reading human emotions. So he said. "Let's see if we can make it to that ridge over there and hold out till they come."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Shiss tossed his last Cluster Storm grenade and the devilish device released a hail storm of pin head sized plutonium pellets, perforating a trio of Noghler warriors setting up some huge and ugly looking tripod weapon. Whatever that weapon was, it exploded and took out two more. "They are dropping now, but those worm faces still have a lot of sky pointing hardware."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy's uncanny sense of danger warned him and his accelerated reflexes allowed him to raise his weapon and fire a three burst, taking out a big and fast projectile coming their way. "Change of plan, we stay right here, Corporal. Put a designator on those batteries over there and call for a Hammer. I’ll try to keep them occupied."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy collected his mind and used his Saresii honed Psionics to suggest to an approaching Noghler Tank commander that the troops beside him, were Union soldiers. Noghler minds were truly alien and this Tele suggestive trick was something he had only practiced on Sares before, it did not work exactly as intended the big Noghler simply jumped out of the approaching tank and hugged a Noghler warrior nearby with his six upper arms in a way that looked very intimate. Roy, despite the serious situation could not help but grin and wondered what it was he actually suggested and then tried to make every shot of his TKU count, while the Noghler Infantry, distracted by their love crazed tank commander tried to restrain the poor guy while Roy picked them up one by one.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> In the meantime the Shiss Corporal transmitted the exact coordinates of the planetary defense batteries, about twelve kilometers from their own position to Fleet command, calling for a Kilo load.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of the Union War ships in or near orbit received the call and a Translocator Cannon transmitted an anti matter bomb to the designated coordinates.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ship sized weapons used on a planet surface were never a good idea, especially if you were anywhere on the same continent. While the load beamed down was one of the smaller bombs, it still vaporized the rock and matter of a full size mountain to sun hot plasma in the fraction of a second.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Both the Shiss and Roy had thrown themselves to the ground and activated their Grav anchors to the max, hoping to stay glued to the ground and ride out the apocalyptic event, but still the blast wave; traveling at supersonic speed; ripped them clear off the ground, obliterating their already weakened shields. The temperatures around them rising to sun hot levels and melted the outer layers of their armor skin. The shock waves and superheated winds tossing them like tumbleweeds across the landscape.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy's Mama reported. "It looks you survived it, Lieutenant. Your broken arm and the concussion is easily fixed, but Primary Shields are completely inoperative. Secondary Shields offline. Tertiary shields need 20 seconds to reset. Energy reserves at 30 percent. Suit integrity damage 34 percent."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Like all Suit systems, Roy's Mama had a simulated personality and complained in her soft voice. "This is no way to treat Government property, by the way."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His retina display showed him that Yzzzith was okay, but his suit was in even worse shape than Roy's and the leg actuators fused, immobilizing the Shiss.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> However the orbital hammer blow had also destroyed much of the mountain, most of their immediate opponents and scattered the rest.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was of course not what the mission was all about, if Command wanted that, they did not have to send Marines and could simply reduce the planet to slag from orbit.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> But Roy was given the permission to use a Hammer if necessary and he hoped that his decision to use it, saved many Marines and perhaps took the fight out of the Noghlers, at least long enough for the first wave to establish a perimeter-beach head.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Their mission was to find out how the Kermac controlled the Noghler. Captured Noghlers did not show any signs of psionic influence but NAVINT was certain the Noghler did not fight for the Kermac of their own free will and that the answer could be found in the Broodmaster’s chambers right here on their home world.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While Command was pretty sure this was the last Noghler world.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They also mentioned during their mission briefing that their intelligence was faulty at best when it came to the Noghler and some indications suggested that there were still Brood worlds out there and that the Kermac or the Noghler themselves experimented with breeding a new even fiercer kind. To find evidence and to substantiate this was the main reason for the assault.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That the Noghlers responded to Psionic suggestions was evident in his own attempt just moments ago, despite the rather unusual result. Despite his Saresii training he was just dabbling in Psionics, especially compared to the eons of experience the Kermac had in this field.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He checked his suit repair systems, the Nanite resources were maxed out and Mama estimated at least 60 minutes to restore it to at least 80 percent. But even if the suit would be functional right away, he had virtually no weapons left. Less than six bolts remained in his TKU, leaving him pretty much with the Chain sword and the extendable Mono filament claws of his gauntlets. His hump did not contain the Micro load TL of standard Quasimodos, but the ISAH pod and the systems for his FTL engines. He had jumped seven light years into this system and made a low emission stealth approach.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Then Marines of the first wave reached the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While the Noghlers were far from throwing the towel and were still serious opponents, there was little they could do once Marines in Destroyer suits were en masse on the surface.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A Black Smith homed on Roy's signal and the Battle Suit Engineer threw his arms into the air in a very human gesture. "Lokat and Nibet, the cursed gremlin twins and fiends of all that is tech could not have done a better job in ruining a perfect set of Quasimodos than you two. I am a Wurgus not a magician!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy smirked and wondered if that Wurgus knew who he was. It was Roy who was there when the Wurgus made the decision to join the Union after all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He said. "Patriarch Hurun would be horrified to hear you even mention the Cursed Gremlins while there is still a sun shining light on you. Don't you know it brings katkthe?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You must have mentioned the names of the cursed Gremlin twins at least ten times while under the light of three suns, by the katkthe you seem to be in!" The Wurgus Engineer responded, not losing a beat, while he attached energy transfer pods to Roy's and Yzzzith's suit. "It is a great honor for me to meet you. Patriarch Masterun. I call in for a Replacement, your suit is only fit for the recycler."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "How fast can you get me one? I need to go back into the war, since I blew this recon mission. I need to gather all the bonus points I can, before I need to report in."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I called for a Mobile Battle Dresser. Should be here in six minutes."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Yzzzith sat up, now as his suits muscles responded again and said. "What is this Patriarch Masterun business all about?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Wurgus Suit engineer pulled a half molten actuator from Yzzzith left elbow joint and pointed at Roy. "This Lieutenant is the first and so far only human ever to be made a honorary Wurgus Patriarch by the All Patriarch himself. He's also the reason I am a Suit Engineer and working on Union Side instead of building Solar Bombs for the Kermac, figuratively speaking of course."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said. "It's a long story Corporal and I tell you all about it back on the Stryker."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> In a brand new Destroyer suit, full energy cells and a complete weapon and munition load, Roy and Yzzzith joined their platoon and just made it to the final assault on the main brood chambers deep below the termite nest looking Noghler city on the surface. The fighting was intense and the Noghlers fought relentless and without regards to their own losses. Their aggression intensified the closer they came to what deep penetrating ground scans revealed to be the main brood chamber.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had long lost count how many Noghlers he had killed. Down here they could not bring the full potential of their weapons to bear without risking cave ins and now fighting came down to chain swords, claws and cluster grenades.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy could not simply fight, he also had to keep an inner eye on the labyrinth like three dimensional layout of the tunnels around him and making sure his platoon was moving into the right direction.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> First Platoon was coming from the other direction, while the rest of the marines mopped up resistance all across the planet. Now that the last planetary defense batteries had been neutralized, second and third wave had arrived and more Marines swarmed down into the subsurface part of the Noghler stronghold.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The corridors down here were big enough for four or five of the Noghler giants to walk next to each other. The corridor walls were decorated with intricate swirling designs of dark red and black patterns and appeared to be made of the same tough ceramic material the Noghlers used for their body armor.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Force field curtains and locked security doors had to be breached almost every hundred meters. Advance was further hampered by automated weapons popping out of wall and ceiling compartments. None of the weapons individually were strong enough to faze the Battle suits shields, but combined fire of several sources did wear them down.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He blinked at the yellow Chevron symbol for his Platoon sergeant. "Gunny, I think we are almost there. That corridor you're in should merge with ours in about sixty meters. How are you doing on Screamers?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Takki has two left, Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Perfect, send one to that junction. That should keep them busy long enough for us to reach them."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had deployed a tiny spy drone that enabled him to look around twisting and turning corridor sections and he watched as six Noghler wheeled one of those tripod mounted weapons in position.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A Screamer was a high powered robotic flash bang drone, emitting not only 5000 decibels of disharmonious high frequency sound ,but created a concentrated electromagnetic pulse and a flash of intensive light all across the spectrum from infrared to ultraviolet. They had proven the most effective weapon down here so far, problem was they weren't standard equipment and only a few marines had packed a few of them as they were thought to be pretty useless against armored and shielded enemies.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Only Noghler leaders or whatever they called their officers appeared to use personal shields, their common soldiers did not.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Screamer went off and very effective, the Noghlers dropped in painful looking convulsions to the ground and Roy and his men had no trouble reaching them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Killing had become such a routine since they tried to reach the Brood chamber that Roy already raised his Chains word to decapitate the one he had reached, while Dunn coming from the side, fired his wrist laser killing another one of the incapacitated enemy warriors, when he stopped his own swing. "Mama, switch my external speakers and tie in Translator turned to Kermac."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "System request active."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said. "Surrender and I spare your life!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had learned some basic Kermac terms while he was at the Saresii College and later in Xeno Class at Marine Corps Academy he didn't want to try it here. His suits computronic was much better.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The still semi stunned and radiation burned Noghler before him, groaned in heavily accentuated Kermac. "Order Lord?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes I am Order Lord." Roy said sensing that the Noghler warrior considered him perhaps to be a Kermac. The Noghlers were Galactic Council members after all and considered a Kermac Thrall.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Why lie, Order Lord? You say fight Uhnion now you are Uuhinon!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Could it be that easy? He thought to himself and said. "Order Lords do things Noghler do not understand, now tell others stop fighting and tell us all."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The giant on the floor raised one of his blister covered arms and pointed to an alien looking device integrated into a wall. "Not good to order, just do things told I am, Order Lord speak to 'All-Who-orders-things' and no fight will be."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy called Command. "Lieutenant Masters here. I think I can make the Noghlers stop fighting."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Fleet Admiral who was in charge of the this operation responded. "If you can do it that would be a neat trick, what do you need?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Everyone stop shooting at anything for a few moments, and just hold position."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Order is given and keep me online."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said. "Corpsman to my position stat!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A Marine Medic came running only four minutes later. "Sir?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Patch up that Noghler!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Corpsman was an Ult, but managed to modulate his voice with a very surprised tone. "Sir?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Put your auto doc or whatever you got on that Noghler and do your thing."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Sir I am a Corps Man and a Medic and not a Xeno expert."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You are going to be a Corpse used to be a man if you don't do what I say, stat!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Aye Sir." Came the still surprised sounding reply. The Corps Man did exactly what Roy wanted and he attached a big Battle Field Auto Doc Unit to the burned exposed skin of the Noghler who had neither moved nor said something since his last response.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Auto Doc, designed to provide first aid to almost any Union Species was tied into Med Central on Paracelsus Planet and received treatment instructions after it transmitted the physiological data of the Noghler to the Medical Expert System. The Auto Doc communicated with the Corps man and the Ult in the Med Tech Suit opened a panel on his armor suit and explained.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "A Xeno Med expert from Med Central will take over treatment via Avatar presence." The Panel revealed a GalNet Avatar projector.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Noghler as alien as it was, appeared to be more impressed by the Suron in white medic Uniform suddenly appearing than it was about the heavily armed Marines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The hard light avatar projection of the Suron MD immediately begun working on the Noghler and after about ten minutes said. "The Noghler should fully recover in a few days, but is pain free and able to act and move now."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said to the Noghler. "Now speak to all of your kind and tell them Order Lords will not kill and fight  if all Noghler obey and stop fighting so they can hear what we have to say."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You are Order Lord who is greatest Wizard of Kermac as it can make Shiss come from air and command it to heal."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Noghler rose to his impressive twelve meters and several Marines raised their TKUs in a nervous gesture.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy motioned them to lower them and the Noghler giant activated the alien device at about his face level and begun to speak in a very guttural language of many very short chopped sounding words, while it simultaneously moved its facial tentacles in a very complex pattern.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A new voice speaking over the same channel as the Admiral said. "Interesting, it appears the Noghlers use a combination of verbal and visual sign communication. The verbal part is only about 20 percent of the information while the tentacles convey the rest, this is why our linguists could not decipher the audible records we had."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Noghler spread all his arms and said. "One-who-gives-all orders has made all Nogh*wiggle*wiggle* ler not fight and say Order Lords come to innermost place and say to those who guard the eggs what new commands are given."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Every time the Noghler spoke non Kermac words his nine facial tentacles performed a complex movement pattern.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Admiral said. "I’ll be damned, this little Lieutenant has just shown us that all we had to do was trying to pretend to be Kermac and we could have saved us month of fighting. Lt. Masters, we are sending specialists to your position to take over the next part. Remain where you are and tell your new friend that Big Order Lords are on their way to talk to his One who gives all Orders."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy did exactly that and the Noghler conveyed that in turn into the wall transmitter and said. "One who gives all orders waits till Big Order Lords come." Then the giant simply sat down leaning against the wall, only to start sleeping moments later.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Avatar of the Suron MD confirmed that the Noghler was simply sleeping and then said to Roy. "Thank you for giving me that chance working on a live specimen. The data you enabled me to gather on their physiology will close a few knowledge gaps we had on them."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Shiss Corporal said. "You need to help them with their eye sight too, Doc. They got eight eyes and still took you for a Shiss. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Suron laughed in a hissing fashion. "No one is perfect, Shiss. I am so much prettier after all." and then the Avatar winked out.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The intensity of the fight was still very evident in the thousands of dead Noghler littering the ground everywhere. The once green surface was stripped of anything alive and the ruins that once were part of the Noghler city as Roy and his platoon finally returned to the surface. They had waited and stayed with the Noghler until three First Contact specialists, two Saresii PSI Corps officers and a small team of High ranking officers, (some of them NAVINT for sure) finally arrived. It was their job to go with the Noghler to continue talks with whoever was in charge of the remaining Noghler.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While arriving Army took over to do whatever was still to be done on this planet openly, Roy never had all that much good to say about the Army, but he doubted there was anything more efficient in the known Universe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Army engineers were unloading Nanite factories, setting up POW perimeter fences and started to clean up the terrible mess war always left behind.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Re-board order came and Roy collected his platoon at the designated evac site. A blunt nosed tough looking Sprinter Type APCs swooped down and  picked up 2nd platoon and ferried it back to the USS John Stryker.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Stryker was a Suribachi Class Marine Drop ship. Captain and Crew were Navy, as per Assembly decision only Union Navy was allowed to operate Faster than light ships.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While the Stryker was perfectly capable of making planet fall, Marine Drop Ships rarely if ever did so.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Marines dropped and went dirt side, not their Drop Ship, besides the situation on the Noghler home world was not entirely clear and bringing down these huge ships on a still potentially hostile world was not a good idea.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A Destroyer suit was fully flight capable and it was also quite possible to use the suit’s engines to return to the ship, but that also almost never done. The United Stars Marine Corps liked things orderly and in certain ways.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Troops were picked up in units by APCs, this ensured troops arrived together and at the same time, had a way to take along equipment and of course their wounded and dead.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Sprinter Class had room for a full platoon of Destroyer suit wearing Marines, could take all their additional equipment and eight Cerberus robots from and to nearly any planetary environment.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Sprinter dropped them off in troop receiving bay two.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy saw Major Knt'she standing right by the heavy access doors to the actual interior of the Stryker and said to Dunn. "Have the men go to quarters and begin 1700 routine. As soon as I know what our orders are, we will schedule a memorial for Corporal Ructus."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Aye Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "How are our other casualties?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Schiller and Lucy got hit on the way down. Schiller's suit kept his brain alive even though seventy percent of his body was gone cutting it mighty close. He is now in IC but is expected to fully recover. Still that is a ticket home and I think he will take it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy nodded. "Yeah I think so too, it’s his second time getting hit during a drop after all. A full body regrow and brain integration takes time. I am sure his Keira will be happy to hear he is coming home for good. How about Lucy?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "PFC Lucy, our Saresii good luck charm, lived up to his reputation being lucky. Got hit by the same burst, that caught Schiller. The first suit's shields took the brunt, Lucy was towed back by Cerb-Hooks, then went down with second wave and a new suit, Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Fine lad, make sure I won't forget to write that in my evaluation report and check on Schiller and let me know when the Medics say he can receive visitors."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I keep you informed, but it will be a while before he has enough body grown so they can wake him, there was not much left other than his brain and some of his spinal cord, the Medics said."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shivered at that thought and cleared his throat as he dismissed his Sergeant.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While his men hit the showers and then went to the Chow line for dinner Roy delivered his report to Major Knt'she who was his highest superior aboard the Stryker.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Major was one of the few Klack who had joined the Union Marine Corps. He took Roy's report without interrupting and not asking any questions and finally dismissed him saying. "Good work, Lieutenant and quick thinking. Command is all abuzz with the latest development. Seems that talking trumps guns in some cases after all."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I just wish I had come up with this idea before I lost Corporal Ructus or Private Jeron on our assault two weeks ago."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I understand your sentiment, Lt. Masters and I share it. I too sometimes think that we should be all advanced and developed enough to come up with an alternative to war. Yet even the ancient Celtest and the Old Saresii, so much more advanced than us, fought wars and I heard they found evidence that the Pree and the UNI fought each other 250 million years before our time. Looking at it this way I think there will be wars and conflicts fought until the Universe ends and then I come to the conclusion that I made the right decision by becoming a United Stars Marine, it looks we won't be out of things to do for many ages to come. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy found wisdom in the words of that Klack officer and said. "There is much truth in what you said Sir, and I agree."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack put one of his thin arms on Roy's shoulder. "Corporal Ructus’ death was not in vain. We all must die eventually and it is not important how and when we die; life comes without guarantees except that it is terminal. However your Corporal died in the company of friends, he died doing what he wanted to do. We Klack are a very old race, aeons older than you humans and yet we just started to develop individualism very recently so to speak. The death of an individual, even hundreds or thousands had no meaning to us. We have no death mythology, did not know the meaning of grief or personal loss. Even after 500,000 years of discovering and developing individualism, these were very foreign concepts to us.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Yet I know  Klack who are grieving the passing of a human friend for many years. I have seen Pertharians cry over the loss of a Saresii; I have witnessed a Suron cradling a dying Klack in his arms and lamenting in haunting cries over his friend’s fate. This is the reason Lieutenant, I feel deeply privileged and blessed every time I put on this uniform, there might never be Universal peace, but I think we are defending a place where the next best thing seems possible."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy thanked the older Officer and decided to use these words at Ructus’ memorial.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack major changed his stance and returned being a commanding officer and changed the subject. "The Stryker is returning to the USS Normandy and we should be back with mobile headquarters of our division in about eleven days.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> 14th Marine Division is moving into the Zirkho region of the Norma Arm. Reports say that First Fleet successfully breached the iron belt and completed an assault on the first Kermac System. I am pretty sure we are sent in to mop up the rest of the Iron Belt defenses and then make the trip across the gap to the Norma Arm. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy tried to see an image of the Milky Way in his mind and said. "This will be a long trip, Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am afraid so, Lieutenant. Nine to ten months until we reach Norma Arm, but there will be plenty of action before then. The First just breached the Iron Belt. It wasn't destroyed. There are still plenty of angry Thrall species and who knows what the Kermac still have in reserve."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Nothing good I am sure, but I think they are already scraping the bottom of the barrel."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I don't think it is time to celebrate their defeat just yet, Lt. Masters but I too think we have seen their big guns already. So until further notice, Second Platoon may enjoy 3 days of R&R and then there is RBS, dismissed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Major Knt'she was not one of those Klacks who used their Antennae to express their emotions and state of mind. The major, even for a Klack was known to be very unemotional and rarely interested in any non duty related comments or conversations. So this long conversation was rather unusual. Usually he never said much and Roy was perfectly fine with that, Major Knt'she appeared not to have the same collegial qualities of other Marine Officers but he also never had any time for bullshit and always made sure his Companies and Platoons had everything they needed. That the major had a personal side and was quite able to have a meaningful conversation, showed Roy the value in not giving too much credence to the opinion of others or listen to much scuttlebutt and gossip.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> With that he finally left the troop receiving bay and found Gunnery Sergeant Dunn, also still wearing most of his gear, except for his the helmet, standing right inside the heavy airlock doors. Roy grinned and said. "Gunny, didn't I order the men for 1700 routine? What are you still doing in gear? I expected you to be halfway to Rose's Cantina already."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am not the men, Sir. I am your Platoon sergeant."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Indeed you are. The word is three days R&R and then Standard Board Duty until further notice. Looks like we going home to the Normandy and that means they take us for a long ride. I am also planning to hold a little ceremony for Ructus tomorrow at the Hero Tree on R Deck Park."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I tell the men, Sir. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Drink one for me at Rose's tonight."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Sir, will you not join us?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Probably not, Gunny. I need to call Ructus folks and then I intend to call home. After all that I think I hit the rack. Remember I am in that damn Gorilla Suit since 0900 yesterday doing the long Recon approach from outside moon orbit."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "True that Sir. We will be at Rose's in case you change your mind. If not, see you tomorrow then Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "See you tomorrow Gunny."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Gunnery sergeant turned and stomped towards the Crew Shower facilities on the same deck as receiving bay two.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy turned on his heel doing the same, but heading for the smaller officer facilities. Not that he would have minded to use the same facilities as his men, but it was against Marine corps regulations and traditions.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy was Greenie, a human, a Union Citizen and many other things, but ever since he had graduated from boot camp, he was first and foremost a United Stars Marine and he took their traditions and regulations very serious, just as they all did. This wasn't the Navy or the Army, everyone here from the freshest private to the Commandant of the United Stars Marine Corps carried a special almost fanatical pride in their service branch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The entrance of the After-Mission-shower facilities was located right after the Troop receiving bays and included a series of Battle Dressers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> These marvelous machines, military versions of the Union wide available Auto Dressers, could assemble a Quasimodo around a Marine in less than 3 minutes. It took about the same time for the process in reverse.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Thousands of Nano meter thin needles, completely invisible to the naked eye detached from his nerve cluster endings underneath his skin and retracted. It was completely pain free. You could not even feel the needles when they penetrated the skin surface or when they were pulled. Then the blue Semi Liquid Matrix Emulsion (S.L.I.M.E) peeled off him like a second skin, while robot arms and Micro robots disassembled the Suit components and weapon systems.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> An internal transport system conveyed the Suit parts that could not be manufactured on the spot or could not be broken down, like the outer armor pieces, weapons and so forth, to the central armory of the ship for storage.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Naked as the day he was born, he stepped out of the Battle Dresser and into the large hygiene cell and selected the Pertharian power wash program level Three. The computronic no longer questioned his choice, as it did the first time Roy selected this for humans almost unbearable and almost dangerous wash program. Pulsing streams of very hot water were forced with great pressure through rotating force field nozzles, hitting every spot of his body while manipulator beams slowly rotated his floating body.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Pertharians were a unique silicon and carbon utilizing lifeform from across the Bridge out of the Andromeda Galaxy. These usually six meter tall, 1.5 ton, four armed giants were the only known life form other than the Y'All that combined aspects of carbon based life with aspects of silicone based life. While much of their organs and inner workings were carbon organic, both their Exo and their tough Endo skeleton, their skin was silicone based. The planet of origin for the Pertharians was a very hot extreme world and water was virtually unknown, on a world where lava and fire were as common as grass and water on other planets, body hygiene was not a cultural aspect of the Pertharians before Union Membership.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The United Stars Marine Corps however required that every Marine performed such activities with great care. Immaculate grooming and hygiene were the hall mark of a good marine and simply expected.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Since, according to Uniform Armed Forces Regulation Code 345-4734, Water and simple soap wasn't harmful to any being accepted into the armed forces, (this was one of the BaPhy requirements after all); every Marine had to shower and use soap.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Pertharians hardly loved anything more than taking a water shower and their wash program included a High temperature, high pressure steam cleaning program that would have cut and cooked a human to death in seconds. However Pertharian wash program number three was not only survivable but to Roy greatly enjoyable. To him it felt as if the pulsing water streams and the soap emulsion washed away the very last molecule of dirt or grime and after such a shower he always compared his state to a freshly peeled hardboiled egg.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Of course technically there was no need for a shower coming out of a Suit, no water shower or soap treatment could be as deep cleansing as the blue S.L.I.M.E layer. Where the tiniest dead cell was instantly removed by Nanites and added to the suits complex and constant molecular recycling cycle. However Marine Corps regulations were not all born out of technical necessities but also out of over 3000 years of USMC history. Water showers were a great way of relaxing from Battlefield stress. War was still a dirty job after all and the special kind of dirt and grime a warrior picked up on a battlefield, could neither be seen or really understood by anyone who had never fought in a war. Taking a shower was a psychological process as much as it was a matter of hygiene.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of the greatest benefits living in such a diverse mega civilization as the Union in his eyes were the little things other beings brought into daily life. Because the Marine corps accepted a wide selection of beings and because of that almost everything including the shower cells were dimensioned large enough to accept Lortors and Pertharians.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Union Marines had more restrictions as who could enter service than the Navy or the Army. The so called BaPhy regulation spelled out the exact basic physical requirements a being must have to become a Union Marine. It had restrictions on size, both big and small, on the minimum of physical weight a being had to be able to lift and a long catalog of other requirements. Despite the many restrictions it still enabled almost 90 percent of all Union Species to join.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While in the suit, Auto Doc and S.L.I.M.E kept thirst and hunger feelings completely suppressed as such feelings could distract a Marine from his mission. The system kept hydration and nutrition levels of the body at the exactly needed levels, but once out of the Suit, the body and perhaps even more, the soul and spirit demanded solid food and Roy did feel more than just peckish.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After the showers he selected an off duty outfit from his personal program inside a regular Auto Dresser at the other side of the shower facilities. Wearing dark green and brown camouflage patterned pants of a Bio Seal suit and Terran All Terrain Boots was an emotional homage to his home world Green Hell. As a top he simply wore a T shirt, one of his favorites of course. A stylized picture of an Old woman and a small framed old man standing before a semi spherical dome and bold letters advertised : "Ma Swanson's Boathouse, Big Lake Coast, Green Hell. Weapons, Armor, Flyers, repair services and more."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ma Swanson sent him a new one almost every month, but so far beyond Union Side borders, regular matter mail only reached the marines once in a while.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Of course there would be a small mountain of matter-mail when the USS Stryker returned to her home the USS Normandy, the mobile headquarters of 14th Marine Division, the truly gigantic USS Normandy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He decided to forgo regular chow and visit one of the restaurants on R deck. As an officer he had, as it was tradition pay for his meals, even in the officer mess. It was a ridiculously small amount of 50 Micro-Creds per meal.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The nineteen on board restaurants operated by civilians charged more but were still government subsidized and affordable to anyone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was standing on a slide belt and had himself carried to the center drop almost 600 meters from the Shower facilities, here on D Deck where the Troop intake bays were located. His final destination was fourteen decks below in terms of internal ship Grav orientation.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While it was perfectly alright for Marines to use slide belts and officers did it all the time, it was one of those unwritten, unspoken rules that troops did not use slide belts anywhere on military installations unless ordered to do so or during alert conditions. So he was pretty much the only person on the slide belt while Marines who knew him, none of his own platoon so far, greeted him as they walked or ran the other way. Since he was not in uniform the greetings were informal of course.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While the USS John Stryker did not have the dimensions of a Union Battle Ship, that did not mean an Suribachi Drop ship was small. 1500 meters from bow to aft, 800 meters from port side to starboard and 980 meters from keel to top mast.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It was home to 3000 marines plus Officers, engineers, techs, Medics, a few hundred civilian contractors and the actual Navy Crew of 150.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She carried three full companies of Cerberus Battle Robots, the tanks, APCs and field artillery for three Regiments and the materials and munitions to set up a forward planetary base if that was required.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was lost in thoughts thinking about the somewhat strange and unusual ending of the last mission, the fate of Schiller, the death of Ructus and the words the Klack major had found. So he almost missed the waved greeting of the largest Marine of 2nd Platoon and perhaps the tallest in all the Marines corps. Corporal Eugbenzi was a genuine Lordor from a distant kingdom in the Large Magellan Cloud. Once they had been the archenemies of the Attikans, if Roy remembered the story right and never been members of the Attikan Commonwealth. The Lordor despite their thousand year history of resisting the Attikans, joined the Union only a few years after the entire Attikan Commonwealth became a Union member.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Corporal Eugbenzi was 803 centimeters tall and tipped the scale at almost 2100 kilos.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was the first and so far the only Lordor that managed to get into the Corps, because of their size, Lordors generally exceeded the BaPhy requirements in terms of size. Auto Dressers, ceilings, weapons, shower facilities and everything else were simply not compatible with these towering beings. Eugbenzi did not tell the recruiter that he was still growing at the time he signed up and the BaPhy regulations were not updated with Lordor physical data. So this shaggy fur covered giant was one of Roy's men and Eugbenzi managed to crouch and squeeze himself into the battle dresser, showers and simply slept on the floor. Despite his frightening size and tremendous strength, he was perhaps the gentlest and most content being in his Platoon. Eugbenzi never complained about anything and always pointed out something good and positive in the seemingly worst situation. He always volunteered and that despite boot camp where troops learned fast never to volunteer for anything.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had recommended the towering many times and just last week sent away a promotion request.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Lordor waved his man size hands. "Lieutenant Masters!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy still on the slide belt rushed by and turned to wave back. "Corporal Eugbenzi."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He jumped off the slide belt and looked up. The Lordor Corporal looked more or less like a walking fur coat with legs. Only if he moved his arms, you could actually see them and the same happened where the Lordor’s face was supposed to be.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> You could always see the four big orange eyes, but everything else including a maw filled with predator teeth that would have made a Tyrannosaurus envious, was usually hidden behind the long shaggy fur.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Eugbenzi, usually walked on all fours, it was very natural to his kind and it was easier for him to navigate space ship corridors, as most decks did not allow him to stand upright. Here on D Deck however, where the Corridors were designed to double as Wolfcraft flight decks if necessary, he could move upright and on his hind legs.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Eugbenzi did not fit in the regular Drop chutes either, so he dropped from Air locks. He was the platoon PASS (Platoon Artillery Support Specialist) and usually dropped wearing the Heavy Fire Support version of the Quasimodo.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While size usually mattered little in a society with augmented power suits and energy weapons, in Corporal Eugbenzi's case however it did. His assembled suit simply had more surface to add bigger systems and so he carried a usually tank mounted MAC into first line battle. When Eugbenzi opened up, he could permanently changed the landscape of a planet on a continental level.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Shaggy giant held out a tiny black box. "It came through, Lieutenant! I just come from the Captain's office. I was made Staff Sergeant!" His voice however sounded as if the big Marine was depressed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy grinned and said. "You earned it Sergeant Eugbenzi, but you do not sound as if you are very happy about your promotion."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Lieutenant, I am very proud and I know it was you who made this happen, but I just wish I could really celebrate it, but it just isn't right with Ructus gone. He was a good friend"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "He was my friend as well. Do you think Corporal Ructus would not want you to celebrate? We must remember our friends and comrades as they were and how they would want us to remember them and not as social convention tells us to act. Go celebrate, I bet most of the men are already on their way to Rose's and I think they will raise the roof hearing you made Sergeant. I am almost certain Ructus will be there in spirit when that happens!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes Sir, I think you are right." The shaggy giant sounded much happier.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Even though he was stone tired, Roy said, "I think I will go there after all and join you in a bit."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A few moments later, the big Marine was on his way to where ever he was going, Roy had reached the Central Shaft, said "Deck R" and jumped in the Central Core shaft of the John Stryker.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Unlike Union Fleet Ships with IST systems, Marine Drop Ships like the Stryker used a different system. Mainly because crews aboard a Navy ship moved to where ever they had to go alone or in small groups and individual fast moving elevator capsules were just fine for that.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> On a Marine Drop Ship however, entire Companies had to move at once and move fast. Instead of super sized elevators, as they still used in the older Tripoli Class, there simply was a large pipe like shaft in the core of the Stryker (and all Suribachi Class Drop Ships). There was no gravitation in those shafts and tiny precision tractor drones received the destination request and pulled the individual to that destination.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This system allowed the members of one platoon or an entire company entering the shaft on various decks and various locations and exit as one complete unit at the Deployment Decks. This was very helpful during Alert and deployment conditions. While the Computronic controlled system pulled a suited individual during alert conditions with great speed to the destination, it used much less speed and a gentler approach during regular ship board operations.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Especially Navy personnel or Civilian contractors at their first time aboard a Drop ship hesitated to jump into the well lit, deep looking shafts and started to panic when they were pulled at considerable speed up or down.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He reached R Deck a few moments later.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It was perhaps the most important deck of the ship. Having that many battle ready, aggressive, battle and combat honed marines in a closed confined environment, often for month on end was a recipe for disaster, no matter how disciplined and how well trained they were. So recreation and relaxation was very important and the Union Navy and Union Marine Corps had thousands of years experience in such matters.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The R Decks were technical marvels all on their own. Once you stepped out, it appeared as if you were outside on a planet’s surface. There were no visible walls, but distant horizons, all clever projections of course. Force fields and tractor beams made it possible that you could try to reach that horizon but never did, so the illusion of unlimited space was nearly perfect.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Stryker called this area the promenade as it looked like the downtown portion of a small Union town, with shop, restaurants, amusement venues, bars and so forth. The promenade was lined with trees, there was grass and always a light breeze. The sun in the light clouded sky appeared real and warm, but they could and did make it rain down here and he had heard that they even made it snow once in a while, to celebrate an old Terran holiday tradition called Christmas. There was a nice park complete with a small lake and trees. There was also the Strykers Field of Honor, a small virtual cemetery with a large Oak tree and small name plates in regular intervals in the grass around it. Each plate carried the name of anyone who ever served aboard the Stryker and had paid the ultimate price.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Board time was kept on Union Standard and it approached 1700hrs for real. When he ordered Seventeen hundred routine for his platoon, he referred to an Union Marine term. Seventeen hundred routine meant end of shift or end of duty. No matter the actual time.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Except for Shore Patrol no one down here was in Uniform, around this time. While trouble was rare, mostly due to the truly harsh punishments and of course considering the usual swift and indiscriminate action of the Shore Patrol, it did happen once in a while.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Union Marines were a special breed of beings, regardless of their origin or race. The toughest basic training (called boot camp) in the known universe, the constant physical and mental honing made them into something different. Only pride and iron discipline kept the carefully cultivated aggressiveness in check. On rare occasions when emotions and stress took their toll all the discipline and all the possible consequences meant little and fist or similar appendixes were used to settle arguments.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> In leadership training class at the Marine Corps Academy they made it a point that the most important role of a Marine Corps Officer was to feel and gauge the mood and mental state of the troops assigned and intervene when something changed. He was pretty sure his platoon was content.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had found a seat at an outside table of Andromida's Restaurant, his favorite eating spot aboard the Stryker.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The place was run by a tall Andorian. They served a variety of foods, but specialized in the spicy BBQ the Andorian Mountain regions were so famous for. He ordered the Big Andorian Sampler and extra Schhhiiit sauce along with a pitcher of ice cooled Hell-Ade.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Andorian had stocked this technically ultra rare beverage from Green Hell, because it was made in very small quantities by his Uncle Roy and was usually only available in a few places in the Maxwell System, just because of Roy. This was of course one of the reasons he loved this place and ate here very frequently.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Andorian, a four meter tall, otherwise perfectly proportioned human carried the big wooden wheel like platter himself to Roy's table. Sixteen segments with finger long crisp charcoal roasted meat varieties and soft, freshly baked Andorian bread was a treat and perhaps Roy's all time favorite dish. The fiery red sauce actually had a different name, but since many marines exclaimed, "Shit that stuff is hot." it was known as Schhhiiit sauce aboard the Stryker. Andromida once told him it was made out of a blend of Terran Ghost Habañeros, Andorian Torch Berries and Pan Saran Flame flower seeds and mixed with tomatoes, oil and other spices.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> To a Greenie who could tolerate breathing in Fire Nettle dust, it had just the perfect spicy note and he smothered the stuff in generous helpings on the crisp meat. Anyone else used less than a drop to spice up a whole meal with almost intolerable heat.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Just as he had finished about half of his platter, he noticed a young human marine, in regular Board Duty uniform standing there on the main concourse looking a little lost. He remembered the face from a visual memo from his Platoon sergeant about new men joining his platoon he had received just yesterday, while he was slowly floating towards the enemy planet, in a low signature recon approach. He often did his platoon paperwork that way, there was little else to do during a Low Signature approach anyway. He also remembered the name that went with the face.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He raised his hand and voice and said. "Mr. Boscoe over here."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The young marine was all human from the looks of it. He was tall and at peak physical condition, the hall mark of any Marine just out of Boot camp. He still had the boot camp regulation high and tight hair cut; most of the seasoned Orbital infantry, be it Army or Marines opted to keep their hair (if they had any that could be cut) completely shaven. The reason of course was the S.L.I.M.E. While the stuff could engulf a being completely covered with hair, like for example Sergeant Eugbenzi, it took much longer and at least to humans the experience was literally hair raising and somewhat unpleasant.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Boscoe's hair was coppery red and his facial features remembered Roy at a well fed baby, complete with freckles and big blue eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The man came over and said. "You know me?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No not really, just saw your face in a rooster briefing yesterday morning. You looked lost."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The marine gazed around the place and gestured down the main venue, "It is my first time on a drop ship, Sir and this place is amazing. My mates told me that they will congregate at a place called Rose's but I can't seem to find it and the Info Board had no such place listed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Have a seat and try some of that meat, Mr. Boscoe. Once I am done eating I intend to go there myself, then I show you where it is."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Private sat down. "I am Private Boscoe, Bravo Company, 2nd Platoon, Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes I can see that, you wear full uniform. How come?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "My personal gear was shipped to the USS Pandora, while they shipped me to the Stryker. Logistics told me it was a mistake because there was another Harry Boscoe on the same Outward transport and I forgot to mark my gear with my service number."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy smiled. "Yeah things like this do happen, don't worry. I am sure your stuff will be waiting for you on the Normandy. Both the Pandora and the Stryker will be there in a few days. SBD uniform is quite alright of course, but there is a store just a few meters from here, they sell all kinds of civilian attire. The Auto Dressers also have a few standard civilian options."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He sighed, took a piece of meat and dunked it in the red sauce.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy leaned forward. "I am Roy by the way and I too serve with the 2nd Platoon and if I were you I be careful with the Schhhiiit sauce, it's hot they say."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He rolled his eyes. "Oh please mate, I am tough! Looks like you can eat it then so can I."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He couldn't.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Private Boscoe turned cherry red and tried to scream but only a hissing whistle escaped his mouth. Tears streamed down his face and sweat started to pearl down his brow and cheeks in torrents. He started to hiccup rather violently.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy took a spoon and poured a helping of Sugar on it. "Here use that. Sugar is the best way to neutralize the burning."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It took several spoons and the entire pitcher including the ice cubes to somewhat lessen the pain.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Just then Sergeant Dunn appeared, wearing shorts and a colorful Hawaiian shirt and sat down without asking, took a piece of meat and carefully dipped it into the sauce so only the tiniest drop remained and then said ."Looks like our noob sampled a little too much of our Platoon leader's special sauce." Then he ate the piece and he too hissed. "Schhhiiit that stuff is still as hot as I remember! Andromida please bring me a big pitcher of Samuel Adams, fast!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The private bolted up and snapped into attention. "Sir, am sorry, *hic* Sir. I did not recognize*hic* you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Sit down and eat. More bread and meat will settle your hick ups. I am not in uniform and that means you can quit calling me Sir, and call me Roy as I told you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Richard pointed at the sauce. "You know this stuff should be outlawed, this is not a condiment this is weaponized torture in a bottle."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> With a boyish grin, Roy ladled a big helping of it on a piece of beef and put in his mouth, "Wuss!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Private finally managed to get his hick ups under control and said. "Sir, I mean Roy, I mean are you not human? How can you do that?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am from Green Hell, we Greenies tend to have a different tolerance to these sort of things. There is a plant on our planet that emits a pollen dust that is ten thousand times hotter than this stuff and actually quite poisonous to others, but we sort of got used to it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "So you are really from Green Hell? I mean I heard..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You heard that I am a Sissy from Sares, right?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Well yes Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I know of that rumor and it is not completely wrong, but I only went to College there. I am indeed from Green Hell. But remember this, we do have two real Saresii in our Platoon and eight more in our Division, they may look like girls but they are as tough as any Marine. I have very few rules in my Platoon, Mr. Boscoe and the very top one is, that I don't tolerate prejudice or any form of jokes, innuendo and discrimination against any other Union species. Marine Corps Uniforms come in all sizes and shapes but all are one color only."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I understand Sir. I am a good Union Citizen and hopefully prove to you that I am a good Marine. It's just the things one hears that often colors one perception, but I have learned what you said already in Boot camp, Sir."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Good lad, now I think we are ready to go to Rose's, right Mr. Dunn?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Wrong Mr. Masters, I just got my beer and I ordered some more meat. We can go when I finished."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The young marine asked. "Can I ask where Rose's is and why it is not listed among the restaurants or bars?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Dunn said. "Because it is now called Clara's Cantina. When we fought the Shogals, almost 12 month ago. The Stryker ran into four Shogal Battle Ships and was heavily damaged before we managed to overwhelm one and the Navy managed to jump into the right system to help us out. R Deck was breached and many of the civilian contractors perished, among them Rose Wellington. She was the proprietor of what now is officially called Clara's Cantina, to those who served aboard back then it will always be Rose's. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy raised his glass. "To Rose."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Dunn also raised his beer and repeated. "To Rose"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy gave Richard a warning look, but the Gunnery Sergeant ignored it and said. "It was then when a certain green marine fresh from the Academy took command of a boarding party and earned himself the Medal of Honor."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The young marine gasped. "You received the Medal of Honor, sir?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy looking in the distance beyond the young Marine and nodded, "Aye, I did."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They had celebrated Eugbenzi's promotion, drank to Ructus and other lost friends and comrades until the wee hours before they all found their way to their quarters.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy, as an officer had a small cabin for himself and before he went to bed he selected full dress Uniform from the Auto Dresser and made sure it was immaculate before he stood before the GalCom terminal and requested a Avatar Connection to the Attikan home world. The fact that he could send his Avatar projection all the way to the Large Magellan Cloud in virtual real time, was a testament to Union technology and the envy of other civilizations but right now and to him it was a very solemn and incredible difficult duty. Especially as he knew Ructus’ family well.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The GalNet terminal and the Stryker disappeared around him after he had stepped into the environment simulator field and his five senses were connected via Neuro links to his Avatar projection establishing itself 600,000 light years away in the Common room of the Wind Planes residence of the Ructus family pod. Attikans did not have first names the way humans had, they used family or pod names and identified individual members by olfactory means that could be translated into Attikan grunt and gnarl sounds other Attikans understood but had no real meaningful translation in Union Standard Lingu. He had been here before, as Ructus was more than a comrade or a fellow Marine, but a close friend.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The old Pod leader, a still fierce and big looking Attikan, despite his advanced age, waited for him in the open atrium like common room of the one storey  home, carved out of a sand stone rock formation. The Ructus were an old and influential family and lived on a sprawling estate on the very core world of the mighty Attikan Commonwealth.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The home was furnished in the rustic and traditional Attikan way with low seat pits, rough woven mats and the furs of prey animals. Prey animal skulls worked into oil lamps, no longer used for illumination purposes were still used for tradition sake. The Old Ructus knew what Roy's visit was all about, he had received the standard GalNet Message from Marine Corps Headquarters shortly after his son's dog tag transmitted the KIA pulse to Command.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had learned a lot about the Attikan civilization and their customs but he did not know how they dealt with death or the loss of a loved one.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Sir, I am here to inform you about..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Old Attikan put his finger to his jaws in a very human looking gesture for silence and pointed at a sand stone wall behind Roy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy turned and noticed a folded Union Flag below a picture of Ructus in Marine corps uniform, having his arm around Roy, also in Uniform.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Old Attikan said in a growing tone. "My Pod is poorer of a promising Alpha, my heart is heavy as he was a favorite of mine, but he died in the company of the mightiest warriors and in the presence of a dear friend. No Attikan could ask for more in his passing hour. I envy him as I must battle with age and succumb to nature. He died fighting 12 meter tall giants. Tell me of his last fight."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy gave the Old Attikan a detailed account, of Ructus fighting the Noghler.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Old Attikan approached Roy's avatar. "You are always welcome here. If you can visit us in person and when you do we will put Ructus Spirit bone together on the pile of ancestors."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I do not know when I get leave, but I promise I will do so as soon as I can."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "He is dead, Roy. Marine Command told us, you collected his remains and they will be shipped to us. The dead have time and do not suffer the urgency life dictates on us who remain. Come whenever you can. Should you perish before that will happen, I will make sure a Bone of yours is laid with his."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy put his nose to the slightly wet and dark snout of the Old Attikan in the traditional greeting and show of honor and affection. "Death hold no horrors if such honor awaits."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Fare well, then Roy, friend of Ructus."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy bid his farewell and disconnected.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> An hour later he was lying in his rack, but despite being dead tired he was still emotionally stirred and so he took down his small visualizer and scrolled through the two-dee pictures of his own friends and family. There was a picture of Sam, Clara, a picture of Charles his robot. There was Ma Swanson and his friends on Green Hell and his mother. His thoughts trailed back to when it all begun. To the day he had left Green Hell; to the day he started his journey to Sares and back then when he had the first strange dreams about his mother still being alive.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Much had happened since then.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Kermac were retreating now for the last six years and most of the fighting happened in space. Roy and his Platoon could barely remember how many ships and enemy stations they had boarded. There was no one in the known galaxy doubting that the Union would win this war.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It had started almost seven years ago and caused by a Kermac attack on his home planet Green Hell and escalated as it came to light that the Union President himself was a Kermac spy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Much had happened to Roy ever since indeed: a small odyssey half across Union Space, his time on Sares Prime and the Wurgus affair at Pluribus and finally boot camp and his admission to the Marine Academy at New Quantico. All this happened only about six years ago and yet it appeared to him as if it happened a life time ago.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He expected the war to be over by the time he was done with boot camp and academy, but they were still fighting the Kermac and the Galactic Council.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The main reason was the fact that space was so darn big and that it took ships and fleets weeks and  month to reach their destination. Out here beyond Union Space, without Space Trains and Hyper Jump Highways, travel was much slower.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Another reason for the War dragging on was the fact that Command was taking it slowly and methodically. This war was not fought with strategic goals and tactical battles, but to roll the Galactic Council up like a carpet, system by system, quadrant by quadrant. Squeezing those Paper Skin bastards and their Galactic Council thralls right out of the very Galaxy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Admiral Stahl had told the Assembly in a GalNet broadcast speech that he intended to wipe the Galaxy clean of everything ever associated with the Kermac, once and for all. Not everyone agreed perhaps, but no one friend or foe alike doubted his word.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Of course the Kermac, leading the Galactic Council were not rolling over and surrendering.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Almost every week were news about a new previously unknown Thrall species thrown into the fight by their Kermac masters.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It took little imagination to visualize how the Kermac felt, seeing their empire, their sphere of influence that was second only to the Union shrink every day.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Now if it was all up to the Eternal Warrior the war would have been over of course and every enemy world simply orbital bombed including Kermac Prime, but that was not the Union way. Since it was believed that most Thrall species of the GC did not fight on their own free will, but where forced either by the Kermac Psi powers or by other means.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It was by Assembly decision that every time a new species appeared, it had to be determined how they were controlled. If evidence of Kermac forced control was found efforts had to be made to free them of that influence and give them a chance to surrender and disassociate themselves from the Kermac. However if it was determined they weren't controlled and ignored offers to surrender they could be attacked and destroyed unrestricted.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was done mainly due to the X101 who once had been a Thrall species of the Kermac and argued that other species should get the same chance.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Union gained nine new members that way, former Galactic Council civilizations including the Elly, who had been a staunch Kermac ally before. News from Union Side told about three more former Galactic Council civilizations currently in the process of gaining Union Membership.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> So far eleven civilizations and Kermac Thrall species had not chosen to surrender or disassociate themselves and more or less ceased to exist.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Union Analysts and Intel sources estimated that the Kermac still controlled about 15,000 star systems and several hundred civilizations, but only perhaps 20 percent of these were anywhere near Tech Level 7 or useful warriors.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He slowly drifted into sleep after all, while his thoughts mingled with dreams and went back to the days it had all started.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> == PART II – THE PAST -- == <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

THE PAST - 4930 (OTT)
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Only eight days had passed since the Kermac attacked Green Hell, trying to excavate and secure an ancient Saresii space ship, buried there for over a million standard years. Events that culminated in the revelation that the President of the United Stars himself was a Kermac Spy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had been at the very center of these events and some of it was still hard to understand. He was just a teenager of a backwater world after all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Green Hell did not develop into one of the most dangerous planets in the known Universe on its own, but was the result of a bio weapon program of the Old Saresii. A  machine left behind had developed into its own entity and acted as a protector of the planet and its diverse and dangerous biosphere. The machine represented by the projection of a woman with the name Qaroniel wanted him, just like Uncle Sam to leave Green Hell, to learn and receive an education.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> When Cara, his Saresii friend and mentor offered him a chance to receive his college education on Sares Prime, everyone he knew told him this was a great honor and a rare opportunity.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He promised to be good and the events since his last birthday had shown him how important education and how dangerous ignorance could be, but deep down there was a voice of rebellion; perhaps not as stubborn as it was before, but still a hallmark of human teenagers since times begun; resented the fact that there were always others telling him how he had to act and what to do.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Less than ten hours ago, Cara, Partner and Roy had boarded this exotic looking Saresii space ship at the space port of Harper's Junction.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Not able to sleep after that strange nightmare he had. In that dream he saw his mother and his father in a cave like place, dirty and wearing rags and being prisoners of someone or something.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While the Saresii Ship was quite fast, it still had to cross almost the entire Upward Sector and then cross into the Spinward Sector from Green Hell to Sares Prime. In terms of distance almost 35,000 light years and even though the Saresii Ship traveled through Quasi Space at the incredible speed of 42,875 times the speed of light, it would take over 298 days to reach the destination if his calculation was right. Yet Cara had told him they would make it in less than 20 days. In moments like this he knew he should have paid more attention in school and not skip the Neural Upload sessions like he did so often. He wondered how this would be accomplished.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He took a cold shower and got dressed in his usual camo-pattern Bio seal suit. His quarters were spacious and everything had an alien feminine character, well everything except that huge black beast, still lying in the big bed. The animal was a true enigma, all he really knew of the beast came from truly ancient and obscure legends. Some suggested that it was the product of highly advanced civilization, today only remembered as the Dark Ones. The last Dark Ones supposedly fought the Celtest and the Old Saresii over a million years ago.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His mind had a hard time believing that this fur covered, four legged animal was that old, but then no normal human could really relate or understand what a time span like this really meant. According to these legends he had heard so far, Partner was called a Fury Beast or if he paid credence to an Oromal bar tender, he had met at the space port of Harper's Junction, Partner was an Imperial War Hound. That his four legged friend was way more than it appeared was certain however. There seemed little that could wound or kill his friend, except energy siphoning devices. Partner could teleport, emit incredibly strong energy blasts from his small, always slightly glowing horns, eat pretty much anything and when he really needed help summoned thousands of similar Fury Beasts. The other beasts had appeared in the nick of time defeating the landing Kermac, only to disappear once the deed was done.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shared a psionic link, a strong bond with Partner and while his animal was quite intelligent, it was not sentient. They communicated with mental images and emotions, many of Partner’s images made no sense to Roy. For example when he tried to ask Partner where the other Fury Beasts came from or where they went. All he got were confusing images of swirling colors and symbolic conditions that looked like abstract paintings of a mad man. At least that was the closest way Roy could describe what he saw when he tried to formulate his question.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had ceased trying to understand his friend. All he know was that he loved this creature as much as anyone could love an animal.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner raised his head, always knowing when Roy was thinking about it and a warm wave of affection came over Roy, transmitted by the mind of the animal as if to say. "I love you too." Then Partner blinked with his deep red glowing eyes and it was clear he tried to say. "Is it time to get up?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy went over and rubbed the animals belly. "Don't get up. It's still too early and there isn't really anything to do anyway, but I can't sleep. I had a weird dream. I see if I can scare up some breakfast."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner sneezed, licked over Roy's arm and squeezed his eyes shut.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I said it before, you know. I bet you are the laziest sleepy beast of them all. Whoever owned you before wanted some really tough beast and all he got was a big black cuddle monster."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He gave his Pet a hug and buried his face in the dry, warm fur. "I sure glad I have you, though."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner grunted deeply satisfied and then sneezed. Roy was certain now Partner was completely content. So he let it sleep and then went to the exit. The door of this bubble shaped room without any straight walls or sharp corners, was a five leaf iris and it made a turning motion and chirping sound as it opened.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The corridor behind his door had the cross section of an egg shaped oval and the walls were made of a smooth white plastic like mirror smooth and translucent material. A soft bluish light shining without revealing a real source behind the material gave it all a clinical, antiseptic atmosphere.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara had shown him to his quarters as they left Harper's Junction yesterday, so far he had seen little else of the ship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Not knowing which direction to go he hesitated for a moment and then simply went to the right.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It didn't take long and he ran into one of the ship’s crew, a long legged, very female shaped Saresii wearing a white cat suit, with fine black lines down the sides. Her ample chest was clearly defined underneath that shinny white material and on top of her left boob the Union Flag, while a series of alien writing on the right side most likely identified her name.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> If it was a her of course, despite the fact she looked like a fashion model with a killer body, long shiny black hair and a beautiful face with large eyes and voluptuous lips; she could very well be a Saresii male. From what he learned from Cara there were no visual differences."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She smiled at him "Hello Mr. Masters. I am Doctor Seniie and the CMO of this vessel. I am surprised to see you up at this hour."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Nice to meet you Doc. I had a nightmare and could not sleep so I decided to find the galley and some breakfast and then look around a little, if that is okay of course."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Of course, there are no areas of this ship that are restricted to you, this isn't a Union War ship. There are verbal accessible serve-matics in your quarters able to provide you with a wide variety of breakfast choices and there is a staffed Galley on Deck three. Easy to find if you take the next IST and tell it where you want to go."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I suspected there would be serve-matics, but I wanted to walk a little."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Why don't you accompany me to Sick Bay. I always begin my shift with a good cup of Terran coffee and a few donuts. I can't stand this weak Saresii Tea we’re supposed to love."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "A doughnut doesn't sound too bad. Got any Boston crème?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am sure the serve-matic can print one if we don't."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy changed direction and followed the medical officer and decided she had to be female. No man would have such a nice behind.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor sighed and then said. "Cara told me you did not have much exposure to other Union members on Green Hell, and that the Saresii society might be a little challenging for you to get used to, but I have to disappoint you. I am a male Saresii."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy blushed and remembered that Saresii were all psionic gifted and almost all of them were Telepaths. "I am sorry for..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Don't be sorry and don't worry, we don't dig. That means we won't go further than the open surface thoughts almost all beings transmit, it's almost like hearing a spoken conversation to someone with ears. Going beyond that is against the law and we take our Union Psi laws very seriously."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I know, my mother is...I mean she was a Telepath and she too spoke about these laws and always respected them. I know what digging means. She didn't do it either."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The CMO gave him a sad smile. "Yes, Cara told me about that as well. From Phantas, right? I mean your mother was from that world, was she not?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes, she was."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes the Phantas enigma. Terran Settlers there developed strong Psionic talents over the almost 2000 years of Colony history and only recently we discovered that it was the pollen of a local plant that caused the mutation. Actually the pollen are somewhat akin to the dust pods of the Fire Nettle Bushes, producing the famous Calipharm that comes from your world."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I didn't know that."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor made a gesture down his body. "If you are curious about Saresii and our ways. I don't mind answering your questions."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "How is it you have female hips then and fill out that skin tight thing..without..uhm.."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We do this for a very long time and perfected it, it is still sort of a disguise but after almost 950,000 years it is very natural to us. Then there are Saresii Body-Shapers, these machines able to rearrange the molecules of your bodies in many shapes."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Ah that explains why you are all tall legged super beauties."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Well that, careful dieting and there are genetic changes that occurred both naturally and assisted that somewhat blur the external visual gender differences, that are more pronounced in the average Terran Human of course. We have a Body shaper in Sickbay and if you want you can try it too."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Maybe some other time. Right now I am sort of okay with what I got and all that."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "But maybe we could look into your Nightmare, only if you want, but nightmares often have psychosomatic causes and that is sort of a Saresii specialty."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They reached a IST tube and stepped in. The Saresii Doctor asked the System for Sickbay and Roy said. "Sure I don't mind that, since it was such a weird dream. You do tell me before you do any Psycho Surgery right?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I wouldn't perform it on anyone if my life depended on it. I am very much against these procedures."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I thought you Saresii invented it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We did, a very long time ago like so many other things but it was the Terrans who took it to a whole new level and it is a very controversial issue among the Medical professionals all over our Union. I belong to a growing group of physicians all over the Union, trying to outlaw it completely. I simply abhor the fact that another person decides what personality a person should have."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The IST car stopped and released them into a corridor looking exactly like the one they had left, except it was wider. They did not have to go far and reached a transparent iris door with the standard Union symbol for medical services on it, a blue star like cross with a snake in the middle. The door opened and the Doctor led him into bright office in a light blue and white color scheme and gestured towards a visitor chair. "Make yourself at home while I get the coffee going." He pointed to a blue and chrome contraption built into the wall. "This is the serve-matic. Check if they do have that Boston crème thing and order two. I’d like to try one as well."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Aren't you going to use it for the Coffee?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Oh no, I have a an old Terran Coffee machine. With real ground coffee. There is no serve-matic I have found so far, that can reproduce the real aroma of Coffee. A lot of the magic of this wonderful Terran beverage gets lost when it comes out of a replicator, you'll see."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy turned to the artistic shaped serve-matic. "System, do you have Boston crème Donuts?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The blue field turned red. "No such item on file, one moment please. Accessing GalNet. 233 Replication Files found."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Check if they have Dunkin Donuts." That was Ranger Solomon's favorite brand and Melissa's parents had a Dunkin Donuts dedicated Replicator in their Restaurant.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Selection accepted, Molecule pattern downloading...Processing,"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Behind the transparent section of the Replicator, the Molecule printing arm started spinning and begun to print the Donuts molecule layer by molecule layer. It spun so fast no human eye could possibly see it but underneath he could see the donuts grow. Roy always loved to watch Food printers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Suddenly there was a heavenly invigorating scent in the air followed by a happy gargling sound. Of course he knew coffee and how it smelled, but this was different. He instantly understood what the doctor meant, serve-matics did not produce any aromas while making things.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He turned and saw the doctor filling two mugs from a bulbous carafe and said. "Milk, Sugar?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Uncle Sam drinks it black. So I try it that way first."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Good choice."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> For a small while they didn't say anything. Eating the fresh donuts and the bitter, hot oh so delicious coffee. For the moment the world was perfect for both of them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor finished his donut. "They are my favorite kind from now on."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "And I will never think of Coffee the same way. This stuff is the Whamo."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Doctor got up and Roy wondered why a man with a set of such nice breasts would not try to fondle..he pushed the thoughts away and was surprised by them. He hoped he hadn't noticed them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor had noticed and said with an impish smile. "I would not get done anything all day, that's why." The Doctor still grinned and took a small device from a shelf behind him. "I am going to perform a basic health scan first and then check your cerebral activities for any abnormalities first. Simply to make sure your Nightmares are not caused by any physical condition."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy nodded."I never had any nightmares before and most certainly not of my parents sitting in a prison-like cave with rags."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor waved the device over Roy and raised an eyebrow. "Are you able to remember your dream in details?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While three dimensional bubbles popped silently into existence floating above the doctors desk, showing images of his brain and displaying neural activities in pulsating colored patterns while others filled with data and graphs, he said. "Very much so, every detail. They were in a cave-like room, with metal bars on the open side. There were nine others with them, six humans, two Pan Sarans and one Klack. All wore tattered and ripped Uniforms. The Klack had a name tag with the name H'thkjik."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He looked at his scanner. "Physically you are a picture of human health, but your Pineal Gland is very active, and it appears your HPI has increased to by about 100 points from what your CITI said you had while you were tested at first School day. Perhaps a side effect of you strolling outside in the Jungles all day."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Doctor still looked at his device and Roy said. "Anything I need to worry about?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Medic looked up, his face was unreadable as he said. "No not at all. You have Phantas DNA after all, and the colonists from there are known to develop and grow Psionic abilities. I suggest you have them checked every few years or so. If they ever go beyond 150 you might start developing telepathic abilities yourself, but I would like to do a few more tests, if that nightmare ever reoccurs. I just checked the crew manifest of that explorer and there indeed was a Klack biologist aboard named H'thkjik. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Just then Cara came in and closed her eyes while she inhaled. "They may be war loving barbarians, those Terrans, but nothing compares to their Coffee."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor gestured to the coffee maker and said. "Help yourself, I made a whole pot."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She smiled at Roy and filled a mug. "I think this stuff is the real reason we Saresii joined the Union."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy agreed. "I never had any coffee like this." He too was glad as the doctor refilled his mug.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She sat down and said."You are up bright and early?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He told her the same story about his nightmare and the doctor pointed at the scanner bubbles and said. "As I said, nothing to worry about but as I told Roy if it occurs again I would to run a Meissner – Norrlu test."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She glanced at it and then at the doctor and Roy had the feeling they had a psionic conversation and said aloud. "That would be advisable."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> To Roy she said, "It was rude of us and looks deceiving, but the psionic way of conversation is simply faster and comes natural to us." She looked directly at Roy. "You can trust the diagnosis of our CMO, he is very good ,but we have, well he has a theory about your nightmare and its cause"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy straightened in the seat. "Should I not know about it?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She sighed. "We didn't want to cause you emotional distress, but your mother was psionic gifted and that could have been a telepathic residue projection when she died and it finally made its way to your mind. Psionics occur on a different level of space so to speak and distances sometimes mean little. The Kermac make extensive use of so called Long Range Telepaths, able to send messages across many thousand light years. We Saresii know of individuals of our kind who develop similar abilities. The Leedei use Psionic technology that bridges thousands of light years. Things like this are very rare but not unprecedented, especially among next of kin."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy frowned. "I actually had a notion it might be something like that."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor leaned forward. "The Meissner-Norrlu Test is made by a device that is basically a psionic energy detector that searches for the source of psionic induced dreams, but it works only when it occurs or very shortly after. I wish we had access to a Leedei Tele-Psi."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara put her cup down. "A Tele-Psi?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The Leedei are a very recent Union member and even more advanced than we Saresii when it comes to Psi Tech and they have a device able to detect Psionic signatures and activities over great distances."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy only listened halfway as the possibility that his now dead mother had sent out psionic messages to him was quite unnerving and did affect him emotionally more than he thought it would. He quickly took a large sip of coffee to fight the knot in his throat and said. "I guess sometimes it is better if a patient doesn't know all the details. I am sorry."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She put her hand on his and said. "You are among friends, even if some of us are weird Cross Dressers in your mind."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shook his head. "I didn't think like that. It's just not so easy to understand. I mean the Doctor looks almost as good as you and if he didn't tell me, I never guessed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The doctor crossed his arms and gave Roy a smoldering look. "Gee, thanks Roy, almost as good? I spend a good hour this morning on make up." Then he laughed. "I am just kidding of course, we are all a little jealous of Cara, because she is blessed with her looks all natural."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara actually blushed and that made her even more attractive and a little more human in Roy's eyes. She said, clearing her throat. "Your reaction is quite normal for any member of the Terran Human race as the gender roles and appearances are clearly defined. We Saresii have been the same way, but that was a long time ago."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said."I read up on Saresii before I went to bed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara got up. "Care to accompany me to the bridge. I want to introduce you to the Captain."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy thanked the doctor for the coffee and the donuts and got up, following Cara.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Outside he said. "What I wanted to ask is, how can we make the trip so fast? Would it not take over a year to get to Sares, unless we take a train?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We going to take the HHW once we reach Blue Moon."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The HHW?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She stopped at the IST and called for a transport and then said to Roy. "You never heard of the Hyper High Way connections between Core worlds?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara and Roy stepped into the IST and he said with a sheepish grin. "I wasn't the most observant student in school."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You do know the difference between ISAH drives and Hyper Jumps right?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Not exactly. I know that Hyper Jumping was a trans light technology of the Sarans before Dr. Isah discovered the Isah Drive and Quasi Space."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Hyper Jumping as it was done before the ISAH drive technology, was very dangerous, unreliable and limited to jump from gravity well to gravity well. System hopping it was called. You may want to read up on the details if you are interested, but the general idea is that regular ISAH Engines have certain limits, either distance or speed. The faster you push an ISAH engine across Quasi Space the shorter the distance can be bridged. Hyper space Jumps are technically unlimited in distance and almost instantaneous but need gravity wells and hitting them precisely is absolutely vital. Normal Hyper Jumps could only be made from Star System to Star System. Now our Terran Friends at SII developed so called Hyper Highways with Gates in regular intervals, making Hyper Jumping very fast and very safe and each jump bridges 2000 light years." She sighed. "Don't ask me how it works exactly. There are books on the subject but there are aspects SII keeps secret, just as they keep the exact workings of Space Trains and GalNet to themselves."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had listened and said. "Now that you mention it, I think I did hear Maria talk about these once or twice or so."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The HHW net is relatively new and only Core Worlds are connected so far. Those gates are humongous, big enough for the Devi and it takes a while to built them, so that is why we fly to Blue Moon, from there we can access the HHW and be at Sares Gate in no time."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The IST had reached its destination, the door opened and in the same moment a terrible jolt lifted them of their feet, throwing Roy against the wall. Cara fared no better colliding with her shoulder against the door frame. Red lights replaced the bluish illumination and a very male voice repeated the phrase: Red Alert, Red Alert.."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""_-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy's uncanny sense of danger, warned him less than a heartbeat of impeding danger. However it did not give him enough time to consciously react other than being able to brace himself; his sense never told him what the nature of the danger was; he only knew the ship was in danger and that he could tell even without his danger sense. The blinking red lights and the voice calling everyone to General Quarters made that very obvious.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He checked on Cara. She was rattled and even looked scared for a moment, but seemed unharmed. "Are you okay?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She nodded as he helped her up. "Yes I think so, I just bruised my shoulder."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Do you need medical attention?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Not right now."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Do you know by your telepathic powers what is happening and what we are supposed to do?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She closed her eyes for a moment and then said. "We are under attack. Kermac and Nogoll ships approaching the Kappa Andromedae System, where we had a planned fuel stop." Her face showed distress. "We are in no imminent danger, as we just got a Wolfcraft escort but the system is home to the Bellebees. I hope there are enough assets in place to defend them."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy remembered something about the Bellebees, if he recalled correctly they were some sort of gas bag life forms living on a Jovian planet. Because they shared some common traits with the Lightning Dragons of Green Hell, they had been a life form studied and mentioned by his mother on several occasions, yet he had paid even less attention to his mother than he had at school.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara pointed down the corridor. "We should return to our quarters. This ship has gone to General Quarters and we would only be in the way..." she stopped in mid movement, put her left index finger to her temple and then nodded to whatever conversation she was listening to and then said to Roy. "...but the Captain just told me that he wants us on the bridge."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy grunted under his breath. "I wish you guys would use normal intercom or something. If this is any indication what awaits me on Sares..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara didn't respond, but simply smiled and led him to a more solid looking Iris door that opened and gave them access to the bridge.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Saresii bridge reminded Roy of a fancy hair salon, like the one Maria liked at the main concourse of Ant Hill and not the bridge of a space ship. Nine Saresii beauties looking very much alike and only individually identifiable by minute differences you had to look for very closely, sat in reclined in comfortable bubbly looking furniture. Flimsy semi transparent command consoles floated before them. In the central located recliner sat the first blonde Saresii he seen so far. Her skin color was more like Roy's and her eyes weren't as big nor purple as most Saresii seemed to have.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She was the only one not wearing a pastel colored uniform but hers was solid black, except for a white triangular bib like lapel.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She turned with a smile and said. "No reason for alarm. Those cursed Paper Faces caught us off guard, but our shield went up in time. The Kermac have no time for us now. Wolfcrafts tearing them to scrap."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara said. "The Bellebees!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Captain sighed and said. "I wish we had something to fight with but this is a Saresii Vessel designated as a Courier ship, we have no weapons." The Captain pointed to the main viewer. "But no worries, neither the Kermac nor the Nogoll brought enough assets to get even close to our thinker friends. We just wait, watch the fireworks and then go for our planned top up."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Captain got up and greeted Roy. "I am Captain Loran Watson, I wanted to welcome you aboard earlier but you seemed tired and I was a tad busy."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Somewhat stunned about the relaxed acting Captain, despite the Red Alert lights and the attack, Roy shook the presented hand and said. "Thank you Ma'am."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Why don't you have a seat, Mr. Masters. It isn't every day you can watch a space battle from a front row seat."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy sat down in a chair that inflated out of the floor following a gestured command of the Captain.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of the Saresii officers below the main viewer said. "The Nogoll are in range of the Station Batteries soon and the 45th fleet just dropped out of Quasi. Not that there is much left, the Wolfcrafts launched by System defense have already destroyed many of the Intruders."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara rubbed her arm. "We should still worry about the Kermac able to strike so deep into Union Territory."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy watched as Union Battle Ships fired on T shaped ships and each salvo completely obliterated an enemy vessel.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It wasn't a space battle, it was slaughter. The computronic enhanced images, allowing human eyes to follow the events in deep space supported by the spoken commands and reports pouring out of field speakers showed in great detail how brutal and intense war was, even in space.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A huge wedge shaped Union Battle ship with glowing ISAH pods and shimmering purple shields, appeared unfazed by the withering fire received by four T cruisers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Compared to the size of the Union ship the 800 meter Kermac ships looked small. Dome shaped objects appeared on the smooth armor and the Saresii captain leaned forward. "That is the USS Vindicator and about to fire a broad side."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Bright purple flashes emitted from those domes and dozens of brilliant blooms of energy engulfed the Kermac ships in rapid succession. Only glowing twisted pieces of debris remained, where a heart beat earlier Kermac war ships were.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While he was there when the Kermac attempted to destroy his home world and this incident being the cause for this war; there was a part in him who felt sorry for the crews of these ships that turned into brief and bright miniature suns every time trans locator bombs detonated deep inside their hulls.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It was this part of him that now understood why the Kermac tried to excavate the old Saresii ship and gain the secret of Translocator cannons. This Union weapon, technically the development of a far advanced civilization, the Tech Level 11 Celtest transmitted Anti Matter Bombs at the time of explosion via a different state of space and time, only to instantly and without any time loss rematerialize inside ship hulls and inside shields. No matter how strong or thorough an opponent’s shields and armor were, if an antimatter bomb exploded inside their engines or their bridge, the ship was instantly doomed and destroyed. Translocator Cannon technology ensured Union supremacy ever since Richard Stahl returned from his exile, bringing the secret of this terrible weapon along, over 1500 years ago. He also realized how utterly important it was to guard that secret and keep it out of the hands of the hands of Union enemies as long as possible.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara still rubbing her sore shoulder said to him. "You are a wise young man."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "With you I don't mind, but I wish I could think without everyone and their uncles listening in what I am thinking."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Once we are on Sares we going to take care of that. You get a fine Saresii shield and the necessary training how to use it. I told you before we take the PSI laws very serious and we don't pry."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Captain said. "There goes the last one. Fleet didn't even bother sending boarding units or surrender messages." There was a tone of approval and joy in the Captain's voice. "Science, scan for survivors anyway just to make sure they got every last one of those bastards."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara whispered. "He's half Terran and his father's side is the dominant one."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Captain turned and said. "I doubt the Union would be what it is today without Terra. Our enemies respect the Union, but they fear Terrans."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara gave the Captain a knowing look."It was a wise decision Sares became Union indeed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The lights of Red Alert faded and the Bridge was lit in the indirect bluish light from the translucent white walls.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Captain sighed. "Ah that's better. Cara we are going to stay a little longer at Belle Station just to make sure our shields are fine and check for micro damage. I don't want to go on the Jump with any leakages or tech problems."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "How long do you think are we going to be there?" She asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Captain shrugged. "Depends on what they find but I doubt it will last longer than three days."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara turned to Roy and said. "That's not so bad. It will give you a chance to go down to Planet Humongous and visit one of the most unusual Union Member species, the Bellebees."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had learned that the ship he was on was designated as a Saresii Courier  and operated under charter of the Science Council.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It was a Henjiitah Class cruiser and 600 meters long. It had the outer appearance of an elongated bulbous plant leaf and reminded him of the thick water filled fleshy leaves of the Glow bush. The ship was not green however but had an iridescent color of pearly pale orange. The ship was called the Gayimeera and since it was not a Union Fleet unit it did not carry the USS prefix and only the Captain was a Union Fleet officer, the rest were members of the Science Council explorer corps.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Gayimeera approached a tremendous space station, and passed through force field membranes into a hangar where Union Battle ships found room to spare. The Gayimeera appeared tiny and like an exotic bird compared to the massive Union Battle ship that was serviced in the next berth.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara explained to him that this was a Gigamon Station and it had a diameter of 36 kilometers. Roy could not really envision anything that big man made, especially after they had debarked and he stood on a slide belt looking up a 3500 meter Uni Design Battle ship, it was bigger than the highest mountain on Green Hell. It blew his mind when Cara said that this was only one of sixteen battleships currently serviced and that the station had room for two hundred at the same time.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Only Partner remained pretty much unimpressed and sat behind him on the Slide-belt, enjoying the ride.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A green uniformed Klack apologized for checking their CITIs and explained that this was a procedure required due to the current war condition.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara stopped for a moment as if to orient herself and Roy could not blame her, They had entered what was called the outer Ring Concourse and according to a sign he spotted, it went all the way around the stations equator for almost 114 kilometers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Slide-ways, People movers, Ride Bots, Taxis and Inter-station transports moved troves of beings in both directions. There were civilians, but far and few between. Union Fleet black was predominant, perhaps the crew of the battle ship getting shore leave explained the dense crowds.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara pointed to the left. "I booked us rooms at the Sheraton. There we can get settled. While I am here I might as well report in. In the mean time you are free to explore the station if you like. Tomorrow we go down to Humongous, where I like to introduce you to a friend of mine, it is eager to meet you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She was technically his guardian and he promised Uncle Sam to behave and take the great and rare opportunity to go to college on Sares.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While he really liked Cara, he wasn't so sure he would enjoy Sares, if the ship was any indication of the culture he was about to experience. "Sure sounds like a plan."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He said aloud and added, "Is there some sort of Saresii outpost here?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She approached a Taxi stand and said. "No, we are full Union members there aren't any Saresii embassies or outposts. I was ordered to take you to Sares, however I am still a PSI Corps officer and there is a field office here, it is common practice for an operative to report in to a local post."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She hired a larger open Taxi that also allowed room for Partner. Roy followed his big animal onto the hovering transport flyer and said. "Who ordered you to do that?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You have an important appointment with the Wurgus on Pluribus and since I care about you, Command decided that I accompany you to Sares and pick you up from there for the Wurgus meeting. That was our original plan, even before all these events as you recall."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He realized she would not be there on Sares while he was going to College there. "Where will I stay? I don't know anyone."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "My parents have eagerly offered to take you in. No worries you feel at home there in no time."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara was gone to report to whoever she had to go. Roy had taken a long shower in the hotel room and was now with Partner outside the Hotel and wondered what he actually wanted to see or explore. The station was big and impressive and certainly had great recreation facilities but nothing really attracted him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He felt a lit forlorn and a wave of homesickness came over him. He longed to be outside in his beloved jungles. Union installations always appeared clean and orderly and there was rarely anything green.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A group of teenagers perhaps his age spotted him. They were all dressed in something like Space suit combinations. One of them came over in a relaxed manner and grinned with an open friendly face. "I'm Sobyr and I noticed your side arm and simply had to get a closer look, it’s a TKU 9 right?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No, it's a TKU 12 and I am Roy by the way."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The boy was about his age from the looks of it perhaps ten centimeters shorter. He had a bright blue skin and coppery hair.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr turned to the other four beings and said. "That Dirtsider carries a genuine T12, how whamo is that?" To Roy he said. "Don't take offense calling ya a Dirtsider. It's how we Insiders call pretty much anyone not from Belle Station."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No worries, I wasn't." The open way the other guy acted appealed to him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The other four also came closer.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> There was one that looked like a lizard, it had bright green skin. It was not a Shiss as it had neither four arms, nor those leathery wings. The lizard being had a long, agile moving tail and was taller than the others, it had muscular hind legs.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Then there was a cute olive skinned beauty with black shimmering hair cut to a chin length bob and an adorable upward pointing nose.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The third had an all chrome skin and looked like an android and Roy wondered if he was an X101 or a Stellaris. He didn't know how to tell the difference, but the silvery guy was clearly not an adult.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The final member of the group was the most alien and had the appearance of a Burrow Digger centipede keeping about one third of its body upright. Unlike the centipede life forms of Green Hell, the upright half lacked the many small feet the rest of the body had, instead there were two quite human proportioned arms but with hands of only two very long fingers tapering in sharp claws and a similar long thumb. The face of the alien being was split horizontally and vertically almost like a pie and each section had a bulbous red pupil-less eye.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The blue skinned teen said. "You and your silent huge friend look lost. We know this station like no one else. Just tell us where you want to go and we can get you there."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shrugged. "Not really lost, I have just no clue what to do. The ship I came with has a three day stop over and I am supposed to keep myself busy until we go on to Sares."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Why don't you hang with us until then? Maybe I start by introducing us to you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The blue skinned guy took a step back and pointed his flat hand at the girl and said. "That lovely sheila here is Aat Amenemhat. Her family is from Petra and her father is the Station Security Chief. Then we have Ncchsi, she is a Maggi-Suron all the way from the Spinward Sector, her mother runs the Med Center here. Alejandro Rivera is a Stellaris, just got his new skin yesterday and is probably the only Stellaris insisting to be Puerto Rican."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The chrome skinned teen said. "I am not the only one, my family roots are from Puerto Rico Terra and my dad says that is very special. We Stellaris are made of human DNA after all and ours came from there."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr smiled and then pointed his hand at the centipede. "Meet Pictfram. Perhaps he is the first Xiptin you talk to, as they have joined the Union only very recently." Finally Sobyr tapped his thumb against his own chest and said with a sigh. "Yes I am Thauran and what makes matters worse of a Noble family but don't let that scare you off. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy greeted them all and said. "I am Roy Masters from Green Hell and that is Partner, he isn't really sentient but a very smart pet. He's a Fury Beast."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Xiptin crawled closer to Partner and its truly alien face split four ways as he said. "It is a magnificent animal and I heard lot of stories of Green Hell. From what I have seen it must be paradise with wonderful mud pits."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy could not believe his ears. There was a member of a species he had never even heard off, saying nice things about Green Hell. "There is a stretch of many square miles of bogs and mud pits not so far to the east to where I used to live."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Xiptin's voice did not seem to fit the being, it sounded almost like a singing voice of a trained opera singer and the centipede intoned what he said in a melodic way. "We only have a Mud tub in our home here and would love to dig into a real deep bog, but then I probably would not survive the competition that resides in those mud pits of your planet."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy actually smiled from ear to ear now and said. "Green Hell is dangerous yes, but if you don't disturb the balance and go with the flow instead against it, I am sure I could find you a bog you could enjoy."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Saran girl had a fine smile and held up her PDD. "Guys they declared the System open again. Let's go out there before the professionals pick all the good stuff."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr nodded and said to Roy. "Want to come along?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Sure, it isn't anything illegal right?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr made an insulted face, "Her father is the security chief, mine is the Station Commander. We might not always be angels Roy, but this is a Union Military installation and not a Civilian world. Even the world Illegal is illegal here."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Stellaris said. "Marines are the police here."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy apologized. "I am sorry, I just promised to stay out of trouble and this is pretty much my first time off planet. Yes I would love to tag along."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr had long lost his frown and smiled again. "It's all good. Just follow us. We need to get you an EVA suit as well."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy and Partner followed the group to a large Inter Station transport access point and they all boarded the next tube car. There was plenty room for them all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Lizard said. "I think we need to tell Roy what it is we are going to do."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro agreed with a nod and said. "There was a space battle just a few hours ago and the system was just declared safe, meaning open for civilian and commercial traffic. The fleet is certain all enemies are either gone or destroyed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr made a wide gesture with both of his arms. "We are born and raised on this station, and there is only so much to do, even on a big one like this. So we are taking our Bison out there and see if we can scavenge some debris. Space ship metal scrap is valuable and sells good on our Xchange."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat, the Saran girl sat down and crossed her legs while looking up from underneath her black bangs. "While there weren't any space battles in this system before, we usually go scavenging in the Nolbu ring. That is our local asteroid belt with lots of abandoned mining bases and all kinds of junk. We  think we can find us some space battle debris and junk."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro the chrome skinned Stellaris added. "They say sometimes you can find even artifacts and things still good to use. Space law allows salvaging and anything floating out there is free for the taking. A few hundred Credits extra isn't so bad you know."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy nodded. "I saw part of the battle as we came in, and I sure could use a few extra credits, but I never been outside in a space suit."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Pictfram spread his thin arms. "It took me quite a bit to get used to EVA, but you humans seem to have a natural skill for it. We going to show you the basics and you be as good as we all are by tonight."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr agreed. "The suits will do most of it and the rest is like diving in a real big ocean."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> According to Sobyr they were almost at the bottom of the Space station now after the ride with the IST.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Pictfram said. "When you saw the station from the outside you might have noticed a green glowing ball all the way on the bottom of it, right?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes I did and if I recall correctly from school I think it is the Gravo Anchor that keeps the station where it is."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The centipede made his four way split face move in a quite disturbing fashion and said. "Yes and we are just 600 meters above it. This part is called the Station’s basement and that is where all the private storage bays and hangars are."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro brushed a key card over a locked door and said. "This is a small docking bay we use."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> What Alejandro called a small docking bay was to Roy still a very big cavernous room and in its center stood an old rugged, tough looking boxy shaped and somewhat ugly space ship. Roy estimated it to be perhaps sixty meters long and twenty high and wide. It had large flexible mechanical manipulator arms attached underneath the ships cockpit windows.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Stellaris opened the boarding ramp. "All aboard the Calypso. We are leaving soon."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy made wide eyes. "You guys have a space ship of your own?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Passing by Roy to climb aboard the Saran girl said. "It is only a very old surplus Long Range Bison. It was used by the engineers who built the station. It's almost 300 years old. We restored it a little."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro was next climbing in. "It has ISAHs but only for in-system flights. It can't go FTL. Maybe you know that by law any Ship with a Union registration able to go TL must be piloted by someone who has passed the federal Shipmaster test. But no one would even call a brand new Bison a ship, this is more like a space boat."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Nosy as he was Partner stomped right on in and Sobyr made an inviting gesture. "You're next unless you changed your mind."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy went over the short belly ramp into a small cargo hold. Sobyr right behind him said. "No it isn't a ship officially but to us it's the Devastator.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Pictfram was all excited and wiggled his long fingers and his tail."Roy, your Partner beast has licked over my tail pincers, they are very poisonous. We need to get it to a Vet right away."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy received nothing but friendly excitement and happiness from Partner. "Not to worry Pictfram, he can eat and swallow pretty much everything and poisons won't harm him. When Partner licked you he meant to express that he likes you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "What an amazing life form, indeed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner now felt even more happy as he was the center of attention and the Saran girl started to pet him. He raised his head so she could scratch his throat. She coed."Oh isn't he adorable and so soft."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy grunted. "Keep that up and you need a bigger cargo hold, for him swelling with pride."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro and Sobyr had climbed up a metal ladder with railings and sat behind the controls of a small command deck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi held out a space suit and said. "This should fit you. We don't have an auto dresser but you can use our tiny hygiene cell to change."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro said. "It's a good one, Roy. A genuine SII – EVA Engineer 7. Father insisted we had all our suits checked by the Suit Technician before he allowed us to use them."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy thanked them and went to get changed. Somehow his mood has improved greatly. This unexpected little adventure and these five beings he felt were well on their way to become friends of his was of course the reason. He also looked forward to go EVA and wondered how it would be.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They were almost 4 light hours from the station and near the orbit of the second most distant planet of the Kappa Andromedae system. So far their external cargo bay held a few pieces of twisted metal scrap, collected with the manipulators, and now according to Sobyr they were approaching the area of the main engagement.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Out here in the small ship Roy got a real sense how big space really was and to find some scrap was actually not that easy. Especially since the little bison had only the most rudiment sensors.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy didn't mind. He learned lot about the Xiptin, the Sarans and how it was for teenagers to grow up on a space station. In turn he had shared with them how it was to be on Green Hell and of course they asked him about the most recent events as they knew Green Hell was at the center of the reasons for the war after all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The most reliable sensor they had were actually Alejandro's eyes. His engineered eyes could see further and make out things in space no normal human eye could. He interrupted Ncchsi who was just about done explaining Roy the features of the Space suit. "Sobyr drop us to 20 km/sec and turn a little towards Galactic North and about five dots up on the Z axis. I think I saw a reflection, high albedo."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It became quiet in the small craft and everyone was gripped by a sense of anticipation, even Roy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After a few minutes, Sobyr the Thauran teen said. "I don't know how you do it but I got a substantial piece of mass on the scanner now."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro leaned forward and was starring out the forward view port. "It's a big section of a T cruiser, the T bar is gone but most of the forward section is still there."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After about six or seven minutes of more silence, Sobyr said. "I read some very faint energies."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy asked "Could there be still live Kermac Warriors?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr turned and said. "Highly unlikely, I can see the thing now. There is a gaping hole where the bridge was and another one at engineering, life support is completely gone. Besides we don't have life sensors, but if we can tow that thing to the station we  get enough credits to afford better sensors."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy went back to the Hygiene room and detached his PDD from the Bio seal suit he had left there and then with it climbed up to Sobyr. "This is a SII Science Scanner with PDD function. My mother gave it to me before she left. I don't think it has a terribly good range but it has the finest sensors you can fit into a hand-held, according to her at least."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro took it. "And you've been jealous of our Bison. "That's a genuine Science Corps – Mark 16. Sell it and you could afford a working Surplus Bison for sure."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He activated the thing and played with the controls. "Let's see according to these on screen instructions the sensing distance can be increased by reducing sensitivity. To do that activate Sensor Program GS..." The rest of his sentence he mumbled as he started to adjust the programming of the device.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Xiptin raised more of his body of the ground and demonstrated just how long his usual curved and coiled body really was and looked over the shoulder of Alejandro without using the ladder. "Our Stellaris is a genuine Science Nerd. He probably dreams about your gadget ten weeks after you're gone."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro protested without taking his eyes of the Scanner. "That is simply not true, nine weeks max."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The chrome skin covered Stellaris voice trailed off again and then he said. "Well I can't detect any life, but there are several active energy sources.  It appears to be nothing bigger than an emergency computronic or emergency lighting."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr pulled up the soft transparent hood from his helmet collar and said. "Well let's check it out before the professional Salvagers come and take it from us. Possession is the name of this game" Then he closed the helmet and the thing became a rigid bubble.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They divided the cargo hold with an energy curtain and Roy said to Partner. "Sorry, you got to stay behind. There isn't a spacesuit that fits you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner blinked, then sneezed and the emotions he got from Partner were a little confused but he sat down on his hind legs. Xiptin patted the beasts side. "No worry I keep you company as someone has to stay behind in the ship and that is me this time."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy also folded his helmet up and he could feel his own pulse rate go up as Sobyr opened the cargo bay doors. The Thauran was the first to push himself out and Roy took a deep breath and then pushed off right after the Girl. Space seen through a view port was spectacular, but seeing it through a refraction free space suit helmet was overwhelming and no word in Roy's vocabulary could describe what he saw, it was so completely different to any experience he had before. Even sitting on the balcony bubble of the Silver Swan. His mind had lost all sense of up and down. A short burst of his suit thrusters had accelerated him towards the ominous dark shape only noticeable because it blocked out starlight behind it, he had the distinct feeling as if he would fall, but he had no idea if he was falling up or down. His stomach felt very queasy and he had to swallow hard to keep it down, but as he neared the shape he could now see details inside the razor sharp circle of light from his chest mounted lamp, he forgot about his stomach and he no longer felt sick. He saw a twisted and torn hole in an otherwise smooth metal surface. Alejandro, only wearing a thruster pack as this was the environment his kind was designed for, shot past him and so did the lizard. They had reached the hole, Roy was still about 150 meters away as he watched Sobyr use the hull breach to enter the wreck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Suddenly he felt imminent danger. His unusual awareness made his entire body tingle and he somehow knew they weren't alone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The sudden feeling made him touch the thruster controls, the wreck became bigger and way too fast. He remembered the instructions they had given him and pulled the joystick to activate the counter thrusters. Braking speed so rapidly that he banged his forehead against the helmet plate and then he flew backwards away from the wreck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He noticed something black and ominous right next to him, keeping perfect pace with his noob attempts to fly a space suit. He also noticed the last of his new friends had disappeared inside the wreck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Finally he managed to stop his momentum into a slow drift, then tried to pull his TKU but the darn weapon would not come out of the holster. A red light he never seen before blinked at its butt.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The light of his chest lamp illuminated a big black four legged beast with fangs and glowing white horns. Only now he calmed down enough to notice the waves of excited emotions, Partner was floating right there without any protection, moisture and traces of atmosphere had coated the animals coarse neck fur with ice

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Neither the deadly radiation of deep space nor the frigid airless conditions fazed his friend.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I should have known that you don't need a space suit." His voice rang hollow in his helmet, but he did not really need words to communicate with his friend. Still the fine hair on Roy's back were standing on end giving him goosebumps. The feeling of something or someone hostile had not subsided. His own PDD, not that it would do him any good was still with Alejandro.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While he was still aboard the little ship, Aat had shown him how to activate the Helmet Comm. He repeated her words as he stared on the controls at his left underarm. "Press these two control stubs of the wrist control panel at the same time." But which ones again, there were eight.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He pressed two and loud music pounded his ear and a voice proclaimed. Thank you for tuning on to Channel 9988 Pertharian Terror Metal all day long..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He managed to turned it back off. His friends were in some kind of trouble and he could not even get the suit’s communication working, or pull his own gun.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Yet had to find out what was going on and help them if necessary. He planned to regain a little momentum, approach the hole and take a peek inside.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Without any reference point to his eyes he completely miscalculated the true distance to the wreck and again was way too fast, missed the wicked looking torn edges of the torn metal by less than a centimeter and collided hard with someone wearing an alien battle suit. The impact had enough momentum to throw the other being hard into a bulkhead, Roy tasted blood, cursed his decision to participate without a little more training and passed out.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy saw his mother and she wore a steel collar around her neck, except for a few rags she was naked. She was covered with dirt and her beautiful hair chopped, not cut, by someone who wanted to hurt and humiliate her. She was sitting against a rock wall eating what looked like a raw onion. There were dozens of humans all around her looking the same. The filthy individual staring into nothingness next to her was his father. She suddenly looked up and directly at him. Her mouth formed the word. “Roy!” He tried to reach her, get to her, but he didn't notice his own arms, or legs and somehow he knew he was dreaming.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> With this realization he woke and recoiled in horror as a decapitated, mutilated body of someone floated right before his eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr was right next to him looking down with a concerned face and talking behind his helmet.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy pointed to his and shook his head.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Now Alejandro came into view and pressed two studs on Roy's underarm. “...tivate the helmet comm like this, before the system takes verbal commands.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy got up and almost floated away but Ncchsi caught him and then his boots connected to, what technically was a wall, but up and down became meaningful again.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> There were at least five dead Nogoll and the terribly mutilated body belonged to a Kermac, at least that what Roy suspected.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr looked sick and frightened. “Your beast saved us all. I never seen anything like that. He ripped Nogoll in shielded battle suits to pieces while it ignored blaster fire head on.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy still tried to get his bearings. Ncchsi said. “Your move took a lot of courage too. Ramming that Nogoll like that, he was about to shoot me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy finally managed to say. “What happened?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr pointed town the corridor. “This segment had survivors after all. Shielded in suits. That's why we didn't pick them up I guess. As we came in they waited for us and wanted the access code for the Calypso.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He made a guilty face. “I gave it to him as the Kermac came in.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy knew the feeling and said, “They did the same to me with their Psionics, not so long ago.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro said. “Two of them took Aat to the Calypso and said they would kill her if your beast didn't stop or if we call for help.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy looked around and said. “I don't see Partner.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro pointed to a spot where a dead Nogoll floated. “It simply disappeared just a few moments ago.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy wondered if Partner was gone to get his special kind of help again, he closed his eyes and he could feel partner, the beast appeared a second later right next to Roy. Looking at his friend and master and the emotions Roy felt were like a question, wanting to what Roy wanted it to do.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro had moved to the ragged hole.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “The Calypso is gone.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Thauran tried hard to stay calm, as his chin trembled. “Sorry for getting you all in this mess.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said with a fatalistic grin. “At least it isn't me alone who always gets into the middle of things. We do need to tell the authorities, they will know what to do. There is fleet and a Psi Corps post at the station.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I wish we could but we pulled the GalNet modules from all suits, yours too and tossed them.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi hissed. “Even I was not immune to the Kermac influence.” Roy looked around.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “And I even a little felt sorry for those Paper skins. The Galaxy is better off without them. I just wonder why they let us live.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr pointed to Partner.”They were afraid of your animal and could not control it. I think they knew it would shred them to pieces if they killed us, at least that is what I think.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy wondered how far Partner could teleport. His animal did leave the Silver Swan and re-appeared on Green Hell many light years distant. Partner seemed to understand his thoughts and  transmitted the images of the station and that it was able to get there.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said. “Sobyr, your father is the Station commandant, right?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Yes, and he will ground me for the next twenty years if we ever get out alive. Not that there is any chance they find us out here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Partner can teleport to the station but he can't tell them what happened and I can't tell him where Carla is since I don't know, but he can take you there and you will be able to get through to your father. He will know what to do.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I won't let you two behind. I let you into this mess so you go.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I will not get through to your father or anyone fast enough. Aat and Picfram's life are in danger. Who knows where they go with that ship of yours, since it can't go Trans-light.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro said. “He's right. We are reasonably safe, just hurry up.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr wanted to argue, but Roy managed to explain his plan to Partner with easy to understand mind pictures, Partner nudged Sobyr into the back and both disappeared.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi stood by the hole and said, “They are gone for about a standard hour now. Do you think they made it to the station?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had walked deeper into the corridor turned and said, “I don't have a real  connection at this distance, but I know he doesn't feel any distress. I am sure they made it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro walked up to Roy and he too shined his light down the corridor.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> ”What is it?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I don't know, but I had this feeling that there was something dangerous nearby when I was still outside and even though the Kermac and the Nogoll are either dead or gone, I realized I still have this feeling.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “It's your first time in space and we are in anything but a perfect situation. There are dead bodies that creep me out; it's normal to feel that way.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy tried to pull his weapon still without success.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I am a Greenie we have an ability to sort of sense danger. I still feel it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Then he cursed. “I wonder what happened to my TKU, it feels as it was glued to the holster.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro looked closer and said.”This is a genuine Union Marine weapon and the  TKU holster is in deep space mode. The mag-lock has engaged so it won't float away.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro opened the a little compartment on the weapon and retracted a band and locked the flexible thing around Roy's wrist and said. “It looks like you haven't  customized the settings yet. It is in lanyard mode now.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The red light went off as Roy tried and the weapon could be pulled easily.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I should be called green and not Greenie. I never checked the weapon for anything other than if it was charged.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He did feel a whole lot better with the TKU in his fist pointing at the sealed door down the corridor.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I think  we should check the rest of this wreck just to make sure there aren't any more surprises.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi said. “There is one already, we're moving.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro pushed himself off and floated to the hole and went outside. His voice said. “Sure enough this wreck just grew a set of Kermac engines, two pods and they are active.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He came back in, I can't be sure but I think we are accelerating  with about 500 klicks to the second.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “You mean like FTL engines?” Roy asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Yes, the Kermac version of Isah Pods. My Stellaris senses could be off as we are inside the field but if I am right we will hit the threshold in about an hour.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “This isn't a wreck either, “Said Ncchsi. “That hole hasn't been made by a weapon, there is no damage behind it to suggest a TL load going off in here and any other weapon would make a hole with tears to the inside.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy went to the door. “Why would they leave a ship capable of going trans-light in exchange for a shuttle that can't leave the system? I think we better find the answers before the answer finds us.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His effort to get to the bottom of this was stopped as the door would not open. It was a solid metal door and the simple enough looking controls were inactive and the handle didn't budge. So he went back as far as he could dialed his TKU to six and  fired. The recoil was enough to break the mag field bond of his boots and push him back into another wall and a thick blinding bright bolt  hit that door with many million degrees of heat and a few hundred tons of kinetic energy. Whatever the Kermac designers hoped the door would withstand, they did not include a TKU 12. It was ripped out of the frame, pulverized to a cloud of molecular ashes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Not waiting for the others, they weren't armed anyway, he rushed through the corridor as fast as his boots let him and stormed into the breach. There was no one and he was certain now they were alone on the ship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The room he breached was in his opinion as big as the rest of the wreck. As alien as they were, he recognized several fuel tanks and  the machinery all the way in the back looked like the part of the wreck ships engines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The rest of the room was occupied by an elongated oval object. Even though he had seen Wurgus writing and symbols only once and very briefly. He was certain the writing was Wurgus.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro and Ncchsi had now also entered and Alejandro stared at the writing and said. “This is a Wurgus Sun Bomb. Ten or twelve are enough to make Kappa Andromedae go Supernova.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Stellaris went to an asymmetric shaped screen displaying moving symbols and then he said. “This one is set to go off in 58 minutes, two seconds after it goes trans-light.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Would the station not be able to detect us now?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi spread his arms. “It is accelerating very slow. It didn't jump into the system. They probably think it’s a Scavenger.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro said still studying the display. “According to this there are 12 similar ships all accelerating towards the sun. Once they go trans-light they can't be stopped, they reenter space inside the sun and...”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy suddenly understood that the entire attack was just a cover to get these bombs in place. The Union so confident in their weapons, they underestimated the Kermac. They didn't have Translocators but that didn't mean they were impotent. They were second only to the Union in the Milky Way Galaxy and didn't become so big by being complete fools. Ncchsi was obviously thinking along the same lines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “They took a page out of the Terran book, this is what United Terra did with the Xunx and the Freons. Maybe what happens here happens in more Union systems right now.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro said. “Operation Steam Roller. Only this time we are at the receiving end.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy felt stupid despite the situation and said. “What kind of roller?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Long ago and before there was a Union, Earth send fleets of robotic long range bombs to every known Xunx planet and obliterated a few hundred planets all at the same time.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> What if the Kermac do the same and try to blow up a few hundred suns. Fake space battles, bringing fake wrecks like this into the systems....no Quasi space signatures then slowly accelerate. If they take out core worlds like Terra, Blue Moon, Thebes and so forth that could break the Union.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy somehow knew that this was exactly what was happening, the Union would be severely crippled or perhaps even destroyed in one single sweep, in less than 49 minutes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy still stared at the read out of the bomb. Alejandro pointed to another small screen showing a three dimensional graphic of the local system, with its sun in the middle and eleven other green dots that approached that sun, now passing the orbit of the eighth planet.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> If Alejandro was right there were less than 20 minutes left for the bomb carriers to reach trans light speed and jump into the sun.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Can we stop it?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro did not take his eyes of the controls and said. “Wurgus Tech is considered TL 10 and that is way beyond me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy looked at the bomb and said. “Maybe I can make it detonate and thus warn them. There was no hesitation or arguing, the Stellaris and the Maggi Sauron nodded, knowing that this meant their certain death. Ncchsi said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Do it!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy didn't want to die either but if it meant they could stop this bomb and thus show the station that there was a serious threat, then it was worth it. He pulled the two spare energy cartridges he had in his belt and glued them with Space suit emergency seal tape to the huge bomb. He was just about to aim his TKU at the cluster when Alejandro said. “Wait!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy lowered the gun and said, “You're right! You two go outside they find you. No need for all of us to stay. I can blow this thing alone.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “That's not what I meant. Three of the other bomb ships just blinked out, and now two more.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Blinked out? Did they jump already?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “No I think they are being destroyed. Three more just went.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy still held his blaster. “We need to be sure they are being destroyed the longer we wait the less time they got to react.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro rushed to the Fuel tanks and yelled, “Roy, don't shoot the bomb. Shoot at that Distributor junction I am highlighting with my chest light.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy did not ask why he simply did. The TKU  bolt slammed into the contraption, his new friend had pointed out. The effect was spectacular and frightening. Whatever it was melted to slag and open pipes started to burn with a bright green fire. Roy and his friends were wiped of their feet, tossed at least 30 meters across the room and then slammed into the machinery at the rear of the ship. This time however Roy managed to twist and turn his body so he collided with his feet first and was able to lessen the impact. Alejandro however tore a rip into his chrome skin and blood appeared freezing instantly. Roy pushed himself off and pressed his hand over the wound.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Everyone alright?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi appeared next to him holding a roll of Suit tape and said, “I think I broke my tail but other than that I am alright. Let me get some tape over Alejandro's wound. Underneath that skin he is as vulnerable as you and me.” Alejandro tabbed his ear and then his voice came on.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I am sorry but I had to stop us. The safest way was to cut the fuel supply at the distributor before it goes to the antimatter generator. I knew we would decelerate fast, but not instantly as that would have surely killed us.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “That saved us but what about the rest?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Because I am receiving Standard radio. I needed to make sure they don't shoot at us.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi said. “We are not safe yet. We are still near a bomb that goes off very soon.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Then we should leave as fast as these suits go, Partner can find us out there I am sure.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> At that moment Union Marines rushed in and it was due to their training that they didn't shoot the teenagers. Their transmitters dialed in on the radio frequency of the suits and one of them said, “United Stars Marine Corps, let's get out of here.” Partner also appeared next to Roy, feeling exhausted but proud. Roy patted his Partner.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Good Job.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of the Marines simply grabbed him and instead of walking flew in this confined space with a speed that made Roy dizzy. They were free and the Marine went Super luminal with his suit and Roy a few seconds later. Roy yelled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Partner!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As they came out of Quasi Space a few seconds later they were near the station. The Marine pointed into space and Roy looked and saw a bright new star appear and linger for a few seconds, then it twinkled back into nothingness. Roy at the same time lost all contact to his animal. It was like before, when Partner went to get help, there was a sudden emptiness in his mind. However Roy did feel the exhaustion of his friend. He didn't even have a chance to tell Partner to get out.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Did anyone see Partner?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy and the other teenagers, all of them stood in the big office of the Station Commandant. Commodore Sybor, the Thauran father of Sobyr, Cara and a bunch of officials faced the Teens. Roy was close to tears and had to use every ounce of self control. No one had seen Partner. An alien bomb strong enough to kill a sun had been simply too much for even his formidable friend. Cara had told him just moments ago that the psionic power of teleportation was the rarest and most energy consuming of all Psionic powers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Commodore said. “Thanks to the heroic acts of these Teens we were able to prevent a war changing catastrophe. Especially thanks to Mr. Roy Masters and his remarkable teleporting beast. I was torn between scolding you for doing such a foolish thing, but the deed far outweighs any wrongdoing. Now I understand that, the beast has been lost in the blast of the last Sun bomb. There is little I can say to this, but as helpful and instrumental this animal was, it was still an animal and we can be glad no sentient life has been lost.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had tried to be brave and collected but that was too much. He jumped forward and punched the Thauran in the face.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Thanks to this animal your blue butt is still attached to you and you can make speeches. Partner was not just an animal. I loved him and he was my friend!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Two Marines seemingly out of nowhere grabbed Roy and the Thauran came up with a bleeding nose and two teeth missing.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Your actions of today do not condone your behavior. Marines take him to the hold, while I consider charges!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Marines manhandled him rather roughly and stripped him of his suit and things and threw him into an Auto-dresser that fitted him with a transparent suit and then marched him to a holding cell. He noticed a Kermac and four Nogoll dressed the same way in a similar energy curtain secured spartan holding cell.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of the Marines said, “Punching the Commodore was a stupid thing, boy. He's going to rip you a new one. You must be nuts, doing that for a teleporting dog.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy tried to punch the Marine as well, but the suit held him and his effort was in vain. “You are a stinking coward. Making insults while I am tied up.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They pushed him in the cell and the Marine said. “Oh shut up, you seem to be a trouble maker. So cool off  in there. If you're lucky he let you go after 30 days, and then I wait for you and show you what it means to insult a Marine.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The two activated the curtain and walked off. Roy was emotionally down to his last nerve. He should have never left Green Hell. Nothing went his way the second he had left Green Hell.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> From the Kermac plot to destroy his planet to the stupid idea to go to Sares to college. No one really cared about him out here. Cara only followed orders so he could swoon the Wurgus. He meant nothing to her. She didn't even say a word as he was dragged out. Partner was dead and he was in jail. What would Uncle Sam say if he heard that he was arrested and sent to jail for punching a Union Fleet Commodore. Everything was so much bigger than him and so beyond anything he knew about. Oh Partner why did you come back for me? You already have been safe! He sat down on the smooth cod and started crying. He did not know what to do, who he could turn to for help. Partner was gone and so was any illusion of a future that held anything for him. He was utterly alone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He did not know how long he had cried and he must have fallen asleep.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This time there was no dream of his mother. He was certain he imagined things but there was a warm heavy arm on his shoulder and as he looked up a man sat next to him, the energy curtain was gone and the marine that mocked him stood there with a black eye and with a face of pure fright.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Everything is going to be alright, Roy.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The man next to him wore an all black uniform, his calf high boots polished to a mirror shine. He was tall and had a physique as if he could go toe to toe with a Pertharian

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The man's face was rectangular, with a very pronounced chin and jaw line. There was a scar from his left eye to his mouth. The blonde hair cut high and tight. The man's eye were gray as steel and there was an eerie inhuman quality to them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Next to him sat Admiral Richard Stahl the eternal Warrior. The living immortal legend.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> None of his legends however reported that he had a warm and caring voice and a very human heart. The Immortal still had his arm on Roy's shoulder and then produced a piece of white cloth out of a pocket.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “It's an old fashioned handkerchief, but I have found no high tech alternative that really substitutes.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy felt suddenly very embarrassed for his tears and his conduct and took the handkerchief and wiped his eyes,

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Sir, I don't belong out here. In my jungles I knew what to do. Out here I can't even fly a spacesuit without making a fool out of myself.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “This is just how I felt, the first time I left Earth.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy looked up with disbelief in his face, “Sir, not you! Everyone knows you are...”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I was a young Marine Lieutenant on a planet that knew nothing of Aliens or Faster than light travel. A trip around our planet, aboard an airplane back then took many hours longer, than it took me to get here after I heard what happened. When I saw the first Xunx, I almost shit my pants.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Even today I wonder if all this isn't simply too big to a simple Pre Astro Marine. They did not teach Faster than light weapon tactics at Parris Island or at Quantico and because I am blessed and cursed with immortality, I saw more friends die than I can count and yet everyone of them left an empty spot in my soul. When the day is over Roy I am as alone as you feel right now, my last relative died 2800 years ago.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy completely forgot his misery for a moment.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> ”Sir, I had no idea. You can come to Green Hell anytime. I am sure Uncle Sam  would be delighted!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A deep smile parted the chiseled features of his hard face. “Thank you Roy and might just do that too, but first let's get out of here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Am I not charged with something?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Nobody filed any charges and the Commodore clearly understood the errors of his ways. You are the Unions biggest hero after all.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I don't want that. It was Partner and not me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I know Roy. I made sure your name and the details were kept out of the news, but that does not mean I and a few others don't know about it and we won't forget it either. Twenty Five Star Systems could be saved. You saved Billions of lives by sending Sobyr and Partner to the Station. Thankfully we have instantaneous communication and the magnificent Bellebees who instantly sent out the correct orders to every System Defense.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “And Partner paid for it with his life.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl got up.”Then I have a surprise for you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy also got up and followed the Immortal Admiral. Stahl pointed his finger at the marine with the black eye.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Mocking a prisoner, any prisoner is simply not acceptable behavior for a Marine.” The stout marine trembled at Stahl's gaze and gasped.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Sir, no Sir it is not. I volunteer to run the Concourse twice with full gear, Sir and I will correct my behavior.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Accepted.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Kermac in the other cell came to the field screen and waved at Stahl. Stahl pushed the two way audio and barked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “What do you want?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I recognize you. You are the one they call the Immortal Warrior. You are our greatest enemy but they say you are integrity personified. Tell me what will happen to us?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “As despicable your act was, we are at war and you are now a prisoner of war.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I knew our lives were forfeit the moment we stepped aboard the bomb carriers. I mean what will happen to all of us, the Kermac?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I am no psychic. I can't predict the future, but I assure you I will do my part to retaliate in kind.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Kermac looked distressed and defeated, “We know of you. No Wizard will ever admit to it but we fear you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “If you have something to say, say it now. I am wasting time.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I know of another plan and I am willing to reveal it, for certain concessions.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Sorry I don't make deals with enemies.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl tabbed his Wrist Com. “Alycia can you come down to the Prisoner hold and talk to our Kermac inmates. He has something about another Kermac Scheme.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> To the Marine he said. “Make sure they can't lift a finger or kill themselves before General Lichfangh was here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl waved Roy and said. “I still need to show you your surprise.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy was once more dressed in his Bio-Seal Suit and had his belongings back. A marine handing him his things told him that the Immortal himself ordered them to get it all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As he stepped out of the Security Office he saw Stahl talking to a pretty woman in an US Army Uniform. He waved Roy over.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> ”Alycia I want you to meet Roy Masters a very resourceful young man I greatly respect.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Woman had a Cara quality to her and while she had some similarities to a Saresii, he had the distinct feeling she was not of that race.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Nice to meet you indeed Roy.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> In all the misery he still felt, he could not deny the uplifting effect of the Eternal Warrior treating him like a friend.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “It is an honor, Ma'am.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Her eyes had an even more penetrating quality than those of the Admiral.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “No one has told you yet?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Told me what?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “The station went under a Saresii Psi Shield as the last bomb exploded. It was feared there could be Kermac Psionic attacks to follow.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had no idea what that supposed to mean. The Woman glared at Stahl.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Go take him to his animal!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Take me to my ani..PARTNER is alive?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The woman said, more to Stahl than to Roy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “The boy and the beast have a very strong Psi bond. The Shield has severed it. They both think the other is dead. The Brig down here is even stronger shielded.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl grunted. “I still hate Psionics in the first place.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy grabbed the arm of the Admiral. “Sir where is Partner?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “They found your beast floating in an almost catatonic state. He is with your new friends. I take you to them.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The second he stepped out into the corridor he could feel Partner again and a heart beat later, with a loud bang, Partner appeared. Roy immediately slung his arms around the big neck and kissed and hugged his friend, while he was licked. It was the second time today Roy could not keep back his tears.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The waves of love and emotions he received from his partner had never been as intense. The Universe simply wasn't as big or as scary while he had his friend and was not alone after all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl interrupted him after a while.”I am sure glad you two are back together, but I do need to go back to my duties.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl pointed to Roy's PDD.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I added my personal call code. If you ever need me, call.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Stahl padded Partner and then turned and walked away. Only now he noticed Cara and his new friends standing a short distance down the corridor. He did not let go of Partner as he walked up to them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara gave him a scolding look. “I said explore the Station, not half the Galaxy.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said. “I am nothing but an assignment to you. Stowed away on Sares till it is convenient for the Wurgus Conference. I promised Uncle Sam to be good, but no one ever asked me if I even want to be here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It came out like a flood. “I thought you be there at Sares and now I know I am just orders and  you  decided to put me up with your parents. I don't know them, could you not tell me that and asked me?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He pointed at partner and said. “And then you let that prick talk like that when I thought  Partner was dead?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She took an actual step back. “I am sorry Roy. I know things haven't been easy for you since I met you, but I thought we were friends. I called the Admiral to let him know what happened and he actually left his ship and took a space train half across the quadrant to come here personally. You physically attacked and wounded the Commandant of this base. No matter how insensitive and callous his comment was it was a serious thing.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Yes I understand your emotional state at that time, but everything went so fast you gave me no time to react or even say anything.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She looked sad and a hurt and added. “I volunteered to help you from the day I heard you parents got killed. If my help was not adequate then I am sorry. Go back to Green Hell or whatever.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr looked troubled. “I came to apologize for what my father said and did and for the mess I got you in. I really am sorry, we all felt enriched by your presence and would like to thank you for everything you did, saving our lives and all.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat, also made sad eyes. “If you go back to Green Hell we won't have a chance to get to know you better.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy suddenly felt rotten for snapping that way at Cara. What she said was true of course and she had his best in mind and never was anything less than a friend. Cara stepped forward and simply gave him a hug and pressed her soft cheeks against his. “I am sorry Roy. I don't know what it is I can do but I will try to be a better friend.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> What do you say if you wished you never said something that hurt a friend in the first place? He wanted to say something but she said. “Telepathy has its good sides too, apologies are easier because we can feel if they are sincere. Can we forget what happened and simply go from there?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy was on the verge becoming a man and Cara felt lovely, soft, warm and had a faint but heavenly scent. He said. ”Yes please. I did not mean what I said. It was just so much. I think I still want to go to Sares. If everything I experienced was a lesson then I learned that I have to catch up with what I missed in school”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She held him at arm’s length. “I said it before, deep down you are wise young man, Mr. Masters.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She actually looked a little embarrassed and added. “Why don't we all got to Arthur's and have pig out dinner and we all catch up. You and your new friends and of course, Partner.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy learned that Sobyr went to his father right away and thanks to the presence of the PSI corps they found the Calypso right away and had no problems to use Tech Stop and Paralysators to overwhelm the Kermac and the Nogoll and free Aat and Pictfram. Sobyr's father alerted the Bellebees and they instantaneously issued the detailed orders to ten thousand Union Fleet posts where Kermac battles happened and thus Union forces were able to avert a terrible catastrophe in the proverbial last minute. Cara explained that the Bellebees had no natural eyes or ears, no arms or faces but still were a tremendously important member of the Union. Bellebees had the ability to remember collectively every little detail over thousands of years and easily correlate the most minute detail with a million other details and come to a sensible solution. They were as efficient as any computronic but added intuition, creativity and a certain level of emotional response to a solution only living beings could.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> For this ability the Bellebees were a part of Fleet Command and able to react to a wide spread problem in a fast and decisive way.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was the reason the Kermac attacked this system as well, as they correctly identified the Bellebees as powerful asset member of the Union.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr's father was a true Thauran and could not apologize directly to a “Non Thauran” but he expressed his apologies to Roy via his son.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr assured him that had nothing to do with Stahl coming during a war and despite all the events half way across the Galaxy to intervene.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It was primarily the fact that Roy was instrumental in saving Sobyr's life. Of course having the Immortal Admiral breathing down his neck made more than just a deep impression on the Station Commander and just about anyone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That Stahl had been on Pluribus at that time and only a Space Train ride away from Belle Station was beside the point.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They had all a great dinner at an Arthur's Swine and Dine and even Partner participated by eating the wrappers, entire cups of soda, cup, ice straw and all, two pepper shakers and an entire napkin holder Pictfram tossed in Partner’s direction, much to the delight of the others.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The plan they agreed on was that Roy would visit Humongous with Cara the next day and then have a whole day with his new friends before they had to resume their journey to Sares.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

Humongous
<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The next morning, bright and early Cara, Partner and Roy met at the hotel lobby after breakfast and ran into Captain Wilson, the commanding officer of the Gayimeera. He was out of uniform and wore a short white dress and carried a sports bag with a long handled thing sticking out one side. He waved at them as he came out of the IST.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Colonel Halvagh and Mr. Masters. I was just about to call you but running into you is even better."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy remembered that Cara's last name was Halvagh and that she was a Colonel. He also still thought it was a quite deceiving for a Saresii man to look like a real hot looking blonde with legs to the sky and a skirt that barely covered his round behind.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The XO of the Gayimeera, even though being half Terran was telepathically gifted and gave Ray an impish grin.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Oh yes indeed it is quite deceiving and fun." Then he changed the subject. "The Gayimeera did need a new bow shield projector after all. The Nogoll missile that hit us overloaded the coils. Nothing serious but due to the war they are short of projectors and have none that fits in stock."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara said ."So how long will that delay us?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "They ordered one from Ross 123 and it is already on a Post ship and should be here on Eightday of Red Week and since we got Threeday, it will be here in five days. Fitting it is a matter of hours and we should be on our way to the HHW on Sixday latest."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She sighed. "I hoped to be on Sares for the Silver-Cat festival so Roy could experience something that happens only every five years and get a good first impression."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "O, I think we still make it to the festival, Colonel. We just ditch the planned stop at Blue Moon and go straight through Intergalactica SW 1 and that will get us to Sares Gate on schedule."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had no idea what they were talking about but he understood that they would be here for five more days but still somehow manage to reach Sares without much of a delay.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara seemed pleased with that and thanked the Captain for the information.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Captain Wilson held up the sports bag. "I am using the stopover for a few Tennis matches. The station has excellent facilities and I am participating in a local competition. Are you two care to come along?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara spread her arms. "We would have loved to see you compete in whatever it is you are about to do, but we are on our way to visit Humongous and the Bellebees."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy also had no idea what Tennis was. "I don't know any Sports really."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The blonde captain shrugged. "You should check it out one of these days, it, but then you can play Tennis anywhere, but meet the Bellebees only here."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Captain left and turned the heads of a few human males, most likely not even suspecting anything as Wilson did not look very Saresii, being blonde and tanned and all that.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara did not say anything but rolled her eyes at Roy's thoughts.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His new friends already waited outside the hotel and all together and a taxi ride later they boarded a local shuttle bound for Humongous.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The shuttle was packed to the last seat.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara leaned over and explained to him that Belle Station was located about 12 Light minutes above the local Star still called Kappa Andromedae as the sun was known to Terran Astronomers even before the Ascent.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Since the Bellebees had no name for their own sun (not being able to see it) the name remained.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Humongous was the 4th planet of the system. The planet had 14 larger moons, all occupied and utilized by the Union. According to the information he got from an onboard brochure displayed on an info screen, there were several large cities floating in the gaseous layers of the planet.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As they approached he noticed how different it looked to the planets he had seen so far.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sensing his unspoken questions, Cara said. "It is a Jovian planet. Jovian means it is a planet similar to a big gas planet, called Jupiter. We Saresii have a completely different name for giants like that, but for some reason the classification Jovian stuck and now the entire Union is using it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "And Jupiter is where?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "It is a Gas planet in the Sol System. You know where Earth is, the home system of the Terrans. Humongous however is bigger than Jupiter or pretty much any other Gas Giant. It is one of the biggest know planets in the Galaxy. Some say it is a failed sun"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "If you say Gas giant, does it not mean it is made of Gas and thus just a puff of nothing solid?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You really skipped a lot of school, you know. Planet classification is taught in 5th grade."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am getting that and that is why I am on my way to Sares, of all places, to catch up."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She answered his question. "Some Gas giants do have a solid core, but have technically no solid surface. Pressures and conditions change the properties of such basic elements like hydrogen and helium to such dense material that you can indeed walk on it, given you wear the right protection."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She pointed at the dark red ball that was getting bigger by the minute. "Humongous is a little different than most Jovian planets and scientists argue to this day if it a Super Jovian or a failed Brown Dwarf. The planet is right at the threshold of becoming a star. Conditions there are even more extreme than on other Jovians and Surface temperatures right above the metallic helium layer hover at around 1600 on the K scale or about 1326 degrees on the old unscientific C Scale, so many Terrans still prefer."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The red ball had little in terms of features and appeared more like a dirty glowing sun with some orange swirls.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy kept looking at the planet and said. "How can they have a city on a planet like that? How could life develop?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She smiled. "The Union has Cities on the surface of Stars, a research station near the Galactic Center and many hundred thousand floating cities on Jovian planets. For example the temperatures outside Bright Star City on the sun the Non Corps call home are many thousand times hotter than here, the radiation conditions near the Galactic Bar are so intense they could even kill a Takkian and yet we have a research station there. I know of a certain green planet, where everything is deadly and yet even there people live."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat the Saran girl sitting right behind him said. "To me our Union is even more fascinating than the rest of the Universe. We visited Gore II just last year, and that is a planet sized organism."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi the big Suron female next to the Saran said. "I too wonder how life could develop on a place like this failed sun."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Carla turned to better answer. "How life evolves and exists on planets like these are questions scientists, scholars and theologians try to answer for a very long time. Heck we don't really know why life really comes to be on a Garden world. However Roy's mother was one of the foremost authorities on energy consuming and energy transferring life forms and she was an authority on the Bellebees and she was well known and well respected among them and that is the reason for Roy's invitation by the way."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He looked away. "I know, she tried to tell me about the Bellebees and I remember only fragments. I didn't want to hear what she had to say.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She put her hand on Roy's shoulder. "The Bellebee we are going to meet is eager to make your acquaintance because he was a good friend of your mother and he knows about you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "He knows about me?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes, your mother most likely have mentioned you and the Bellebees do not forget anything, not the smallest detail. They can remember every word anyone has ever spoken to anyone of them."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro sitting one seat row ahead turned and added to the conversation. "They know the name of every Union Fleet Crew member since there is a Union Fleet."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Carla nodded pleased and gestured towards the now sight filling image of the planet. "They are Union Members for quite some time now and because our technology allows them to actively participate they take membership as serious as a religion. They are even more serious about it than the Shaill or the Pertharians and that is saying something."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The shuttle's view ports closed and the passenger view was replaced by view screens. Roy noticed that the shuttle extended wing like control surfaces as it dove into the planet’s atmosphere. Despite computronic flight stabilization some shaking and bumping motion came through. The pilot ensured the passengers that this was perfectly normal as they entered a 1600 miles per hour storm layer. Air and matter particles pounded the shuttles strong shields with supersonic speeds. The view sensors compensated for the strong glow and an after a twenty minute descent an artificial structure became visible, floating in a fantastic swirl of every shade of red. From the softest pastel pink over saturated orange to deep red and dark violets. The structure featured an illuminated Union flag in its center, proudly proclaiming that this construct was of Union origin. It had the appearance of a star like wheel with sixteen spokes and at the end of each spoke was a pine cone shaped appendix. At the center of the wheel was a sphere like hub.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As they approached he could see hundreds of softly glowing pumpkin shaped things float around the cones and settle into spoon shaped tubs.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As one of the floating pumpkins passed close by, he realized how big those things were.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara said. "This is Ukdu Aigs, he is one of the Old ones and about 800 meters across."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You can tell them apart and know them by name?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She tapped to her ear. "They are hard to read with Psionics as their thoughts are simply overloaded with a flood of details, but I am also a Data Head and I tuned my internal PDD to the Belle-radio frequencies. He floated by to say hello and wanted to know if you are aboard."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Is he the one who knew mother?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Not in person, no. That would be Moke-Dies. He has already docked in his spoon-tub, remember they do share all the species memory. Ukdu-Aigs is excited to meet you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had no response to that. It was another one of these events that were so much bigger than him and something he simply wasn't prepared for. He sighed. "I hope I won't make a fool of myself."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I think you will do just fine."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Do you think I should get myself such a Data Head thing?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I would wait if you are still serious about becoming a Marine. They get their own implants."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The shuttle approached the hub of the big wheel and slipped through an energy membrane.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Inside it was just another high tech dock, smaller of course than on Belle Station, but still the same activities went on everywhere he looked; freight handling by robots, beings traveling in every direction on foot or on slide belts. The only real difference were the huge view ports. Instead of deep space once could see the swirling red hued swirls of color outside.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After a short trip on a slide belt across the landing deck, Roy, Carla, Partner and his five new friends came towards a row of wide doors with a big sign reading: City Access.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> There by the doors a sizeable committee of uniformed humans and human sized Bellebees floating above the deck plates, awaited their approach.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara whispered. "Those are size reduced Avatars of actual Bellebees."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A human sized Bellebee Avatar actually wearing a black Uniform with the Union Flag on the side, established itself in a central position.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Hail and welcome Roy Masters of Green Hell; hail and welcome Partner of Green Hell. May the winds lift you always to rich feeding grounds. I am Ukdu-Aigs an Elder of the ones you call Bellebees. The one of Highest Respects has told us that you are humble and honest and not out for glory. That you do not wish to be celebrated, yet being the core cause why 234,405,403,003.50 beings still live is certainly not a deed that should pass without any recognition"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy wished he knew what to say and how to address the alien correctly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Mr. Ukdu-Aigs, I am really just a teenager from Green Hell. I was only a small part of the events that unfolded. The others who were with me deserve praise. Alejandro the Stellaris and Ncchsi the Maggi-Suron didn't even hesitate a second when I wanted to blow up the bomb.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr delivered the message. Without him there would not been enough time and then there is my animal Partner who teleported Sobyr to the station. I had the smallest part in all of this."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am long enough among humans and other beings to understand the fine nuances of human emotions presented in facial expressions and tone of voice. Even though my eyes are artificial, I can sense your embarrassment. The Eternal Warrior was right when he said you would be uncomfortable if we tried to celebrate you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The band seemed to have received an unspoken command and left without playing and the Bellebee floated closer. "We will heed the Immortal’s advice and your unspoken wishes, yet we want to express our gratitude."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy felt better already after the band and half of the officials left and he waved his hand.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No worries your Highness, it's just that I feel it’s a bit over my head." Then he rubbed his chin, "Just one thing I do like to know. How did I manage to save half a being? I mean the point five number means there was half a guy?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> There was a moment of silence and then one of the officials started to giggle and someone else started a suppressed laugh.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The male voice of the Bellebee also sounded amused. "No, Roy Masters not half a being, but we Bellebees have access to quite precise numbers and there were 3,434,112 births and in correlation to the precise time when the last bomb was intercepted, one mother was at the exact moment of giving birth so technically her child was not entirely to be counted as an individual."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That statement clearly impressed Roy. "Wow that's whamo. You knowing all that I mean."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "There is an Earth tradition where one can become a honorary member of groups and institutions and we like this tradition. In this tradition we like to pronounce you and your partner to be honorary members of the Bellebee civilization. It must be an alien and strange culture to you, but Humongous will always welcome you in ways no outsider ever will be."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "That's sure a nice sentiment, and you are not all that strange. We got something like you right on Green Hell. Of course not as smart or as big but the gas bag floating part I mean."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I read your mother's papers on us and on the Lightning Dragons of your Home world. She was a remarkable scientist and understood us. Do you know that her work was instrumental in improving our health services and developing a medical treatment for a disease that plagued my kind for a long time?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy pressed his lips together and then took a deep breath.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No I did not know. I did not listen as much as I may should have when she talked about her work, I don't have the same interest in science as my parents had."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We observed that the offspring of humans not always chooses the same career as their parents do. It is not necessary that you follow your mother's path. It is however important you follow your own and it appears that your family’s path is already intertwined with ours."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of the human officials stepped forward.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am the City manager of Humongous One and while I can understand your sentiment not to bask in glory or expect much fanfare, I hope you allow us to celebrate the fact that we still have a sun and our lives. You are of course a guest of honor not just for today but as long as you and your partner live. I make sure the same invitation goes out to the rest of the individuals you mentioned."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Thank you." was all that came to Roy's mind.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> There was a big dinner after all, in a spectacular restaurant, with view ports showing the colorful swirling outside. He wondered if looking at that all the time would drive people crazy and Cara explained that most residents didn't even see it anymore and most view ports could be blocked out or show any scenery desired.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After the dinner, which was actually pretty good and since he had a few formal dinners in recent history, he did not feel totally out of place.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Especially the lessons he got from Cara while he was aboard the Silver Swan were quite useful now.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> To his delight he saw the others also enjoying themselves: Sobyr, Aat, Ncchsi, Alejandro and Pictfram. The City manager had kept word and made sure they were invited too.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He didn't have much chance to talk to them, as they all got the grand tour of the City and the Manager himself did the tour guide bit.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr, as much as he tried, could not completely deny the fact that he was a Thauran and he did enjoy being at the center of attention.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While his new friends continued with the tour, Cara and the Avatar of Ukdu-Aigs took him through one of the wheel spoke connections to meet Moke-Die.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The IST dropped them in one of the cone shaped appendixes and Ukdu-Aigs said. "Would you care to go outside? Union Technology developed special flight suits allowing a Human to leave the city and share our environment."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I made a fool out of myself in a space suit just recently and I sure don't want to meet my mother's friend bumping into everything."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You can meet Moke-Die. Just like me as an Avatar of course, but this is not free space. Up and down do have meaning if that was the problem in space, besides the Suits do have computronics that do the flying."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy agreed, but had mixed feelings as he stepped into the Auto Dresser.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had to laugh as he saw Partner, also wearing a flight suit. Tailored to his shape and size. He was certain that Partner didn't need a suit but, his four legged friend looked very proud having a suit and his mental pictures seemed to say. 'this time I got a suit so you don't have to leave me behind.'

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara was right behind him as he stepped through the Airlock membrane and into the atmosphere of the huge planet. The Bellebee Elder’s Avatar blinked out still inside the station, two of the humongous balloon shaped beings were hanging right outside.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ukdu was right, this wasn't deep space, this was much worse! Yes there was an up and down, and the suit kept him stationary with grav projectors and positioning jets; at least for the moment. For some reason his mind told him that he was hanging a few hundred kilometers above a swirling storm. A storm they had told him was raging with wind speeds at over 1600 kilometers per hour and that storm created a whirlpool like vortex that appeared to look like the maw of a gigantic monster.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While his sense of Danger was silent, he still could not completely ignore a feeling of fear. So he decided to not look down too much, get the meeting over with and leave Humongous. He was certain becoming an honorary member of the Bellebee society was a great honor and all that, but he did not exactly want to spend much time here. The floating city was nice, but it was just another enclosed space. He preferred a planet with a surface and forests, preferably jungles. In other words a place just like Green Hell. He realized that he was a little homesick again.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He almost missed the radio signal, the reason he was here in the first place and he told the suit to connect him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Welcome, Roy Masters. I am Moke-Die and I am a friend of your mother."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Nice to meet you, Sir. I have to tell you however my mother is dead. She and my father were killed in a pirate attack, a little while ago."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am a very old Bellebee and I still get confused using the Avatar technology. This is why I wanted to meet you like this, young Masters. Let Cara and Ukdu talk while I show you a few magnificent sights."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy carefully adjusted the thrusters and slowly followed the huge being.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Alright Mr. Moke-Die. I am right behind you, at least if that dark orange colored section counts as your behind."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We don't really use such designations. Come up and sit on my top, that way you do not have to concentrate on flying that contraption."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy did follow the advice and the invitation and Partner followed as well, he did not use the suits thrusters yet he managed to steer just fine

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While sitting on the surprisingly hard surface of the beings upper side, it said. "Those suits are as marvelous as all Union technology, but I assure no Bellebee has ever failed to fly while it was alive."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> That was actually quite reassuring and Roy relaxed a little. "Yes sir, I believe that right away."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am one of the last Bellebees that came to be before we were Union members. As you know we have none of the senses you have, senses that are needed to interact with Non Bellebees. I have no ears, no eyes and this Avatar technology all the younger Belles loves so much gives us simulated ears and eyes, can you imagine how confusing sight can be to someone who never saw anything?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy nodded and then realized the Alien could not see his nod and said, "Yes Sir, I think I can imagine, sort of at least."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He wondered why the Bellebee was telling him all this, but then it appeared that as alien and strange as they were, their old people seemed acted not so different from human seniors. He also noted that they were already many hundred kilometers away from the City. The huge majestic balloons that appeared to move so slow actually traveled in wind currents of supersonic speed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The old Bellebee seemed pleased with that answer and continued.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Your mother has been here on Humongous for a year, working on her thesis. While she wasn't the only Union Biologist who studied us; there are always ten to fifteen around at any given time; she was one of those who really cared about her work."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Again Roy nodded inside his helmet. "Yes being a scientist was everything to her."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "She discovered that some of us could get sick from Ozone when it passed through a weakened food membrane. She developed a food supplement, much like you humans need vitamins and eliminated a problem that plagued us for ages and was the cause for the premature death quite a few Bellebees."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I will add this to my memories of her."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am telling you this, to explain to you why I dedicated whatever live I have left to her and that self-elected task of course extends to you and I did that long before you decided to save us all."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy sighed and looked to partner who sat next to him behind a shimmering force field bubble of his suit that automatically created a perfect aerodynamic lens shaped bubble. Roy was certain he had one around him too, "It was not just me."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I analyzed the events and I came to the conclusion we would all be turned to Supernova ashes without your intervention; but let us not talk about this."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Thank you!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "When the news of your mother's death reached Humongous, I was mourning her passing indeed. However I am Bellebee, young Roy Masters. I collected every bit of data I could find. Fleet Reports, intercepted Kermac telepathic messages, flight plans and mission parameters and every bit of even remotely connected data. While I analyzed that data, I discovered that a clerk on Pluribus had leaked the mission plan of the UES Zheng He.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "A clerk on Pluribus did what?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Giving someone access to the flight plan and mission specifics of the Explorer Ship your mother was on. It enabled the pirates to plan a trap and intercept that ship. She and her Kermac sponsored Spy handler have been apprehended and will receive the punishment spies deserve."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy no longer felt bored by the sermon of the old Bellebee. The UES Zhen He was the Explorer of his mother and it appeared the Kermac deception he thought was over ran much deeper. He clenched his fist and said. "If there is one thing I learned not to like, it’s spies and clandestine missions and all that."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Bellebee elder went on. "Yes, I have collected and analyzed everything I could find and due to my security clearance I was able to analyze your recent adventures as well, as you and any data you created are of course relevant to my dedication to your mother."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy watched as they passed two other Bellebees, one of them appeared fleeing from a greenish glob with tentacles and what looked like a round mouth full of teeth. While he wanted to hear more what the Elder had to say, he interrupted. "I think one of your fellow Bellebees is about to get eaten or something."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Oh how wonderful eyes are. Yes I noticed the Belsnap. They are our natural enemy, but they are rare now. We Bellebees have never been completely helpless against them, as we have the benefit of sentience. We used to gang up on them and crush them, but the Belle out there just play with the poor Belsnap. They both are Union Citizens and carry shield generators and weapons."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A bright bolt of energy glared across the violet sky and pierced the green glob and it instantly fell and disappeared beneath the swirling colors of angry clouds.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Old Bellebee said with sad regret in his voice. "There are voices who say we should preserve the Belsnap and we elder can see wisdom in this, but the young ones like the two you are seeing want to be like Terrans. Do not understand me wrong, young Roy Masters. We are Union Citizens and very proud of this fact, but I wish the young ones would also listen to the Elders and not trying to emulate Terrans too much."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy frowned and said. "I don't like this killing for sport and no real reason either. Off Worlders try to stomp through our jungles in Armor suits and think the answer is to burn, shoot and blast everything in sight, yet they disturb the balance and at least on Green Hell, pay the price for doing so."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Cara described you well; you are an impulsive teen as the young of humans and Bellebees have been since time begun, but you do have a quality of deep perceptiveness and wisdom that makes you quite different. Your mother was a lot like this and that is why I always considered her a real friend."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "How about my mother, there is more to what you wanted to tell me, right?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes there is more." The Old Bellebee did go on. "The UES Zhen He was attacked by a Pirate Ship called the Green Snake, commanded by a pirate known as Captain Coldblood."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Bellebee paused for a brief moment and said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "When I say I am analyzing information, I use the collective knowledge and memory of all Bellebees and I co-relate info to other information based on meaning, impact and relationship. While a Computronic can do the same and even faster than us, these machines cannot see the significance of a rumor about a pirate transmitted via Tachyon radio..."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He paused again. "I am trailing of the subject and it isn't important for you how I do thing."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You are talking about events that affected and killed my parents, so I am eager to hear whatever you know, but that does not mean I should not know how you alien floaters do things. I kept myself ignorant and did not learn what I should have. Nothing I learned in the Jungles has any meaning out here."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "If you look at your life and all the events that occurred to you, all the decisions you made as we do,  the Bellebee way, you will realize that everything you did and learned was important in the forming the person you are.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The sum of it all influences all decisions you make and will make. You don't want to hear about it, but your decision to trust your big animal instead of running away forged the first bonds that allowed you to save billions of lives. If you could see the net of connections I can see, you would be amazed what even the most minute event has on the great whole."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes Sir, I think I understand, but could you go back again to the Green Snake and that pirate?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Seamlessly the Elder Bellebee continued: "Analyzing this pirates patterns I concluded that he is acting under Kermac direction and the Pirate identity and behavior pattern is a cover.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Captain Coldblood knowing when and where the Zheng He would be at given time, strengthens this conclusion considerably. Checking many sighting and scan reports, the Green Snake is not armed well enough to take out a Union Explorer under shields, therefore I ordered a detailed trace inspection of the area where the Zheng He was destroyed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You can order something like that?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I carry the rank of Rear Admiral in the Union Fleet and I am attached to Fleet Operations, like many other Bellebees are, so yes investigating the demise of a Union Ship falls within my authority and I can dedicate assets, within certain limits and frame works of course."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "What did that inspection find?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The detail sweep of the region resulted in two specific findings. One is the use of Nul Gravo Mines, that had to be set up prior by a bigger ship, and the other result was the discovery of much of the Zheng He's debris and her log book drone. Furthermore we concluded that the bridge module that can be jettisoned as an emergency craft was missing from the mass of debris"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy's mouth became dry and he completely forgot that he was floating in a violent killer atmosphere. "Tell me everything!" He yelled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Slaver activity, the recent sale of a Union Bridge module on a Golden Bazaar, reported by a NAVINT operative, the content of the log book and your recent dream where you correctly identified the name of a Klack that was part of the Zheng He crew leave only one conclusion:"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You mean that there is a chance my mother is alive?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The last Log entries describe the attack and that the Module was jettisoned, your parents were present on the Bridge at that time."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy unconsciously had known it the entire time and now as it was said, there was no doubt in his mind that this was true. "What is done to free them?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "There is nothing done, Roy Masters. Your parents if they indeed survived are most likely sold as Slaves and all known Slave markets are in Freespace."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Why not? We got a fleet and we got military for that very reason. That is why it exists."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The Union prohibits the trade in sentient life forms, but as big as the Union appears, we are not alone in the Universe. While our ethic understanding and our laws recognize fundamental rights for sentient individuals. It is not an universal concept and there are many who see nothing wrong with slavery and sentient beings are just another commodity."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I understand that and I don't care what others do, but my parents and the others were abducted. The Colonists you spoke about were Union Citizen."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "And have the Shiss and the Nul enter the war as well? No, Roy. The Union will not break the treaty now. We are winning this war, our calculations are correct I am certain, but it is better we concentrate on one enemy at the time."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy became angry. "My parents! The others, I saw other humans in my dreams as well! They are held in terrible conditions. This is what the Assembly needs to do! Free Union Citizens and protect them from being abducted."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "This is a sore point and is discussed at least once a week at the Assembly. When loved ones make petitions; when raided colonies make the news or when pirates attack civilian ships, but there is no easy solution."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Are we not at war? Is the Free Space treaty not voided?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Yes indeed and I am not defending the pirates or anyone committing crimes against our citizens. I just wanted to explain to you how difficult it is to really police and protect every colony and every ship. Space is awful big. The distances between star systems are truly tremendous and it is easy for others to find gaps in our armor. An entire enemy fleet made it to our Star system despite the fact we are at war and the fleet is at highest alert. They managed to get battle ships into the Maxwell System.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> You just experienced a space battle and the Kermac's plan to turn the tide of war. The fleet, the Assembly simply cannot guarantee the safety of everyone. We are already at war, going against slavers, breaching the contracts and treaties we have with the Shiss, the Nul and others carries a high risk of War escalation. Our chances to win that war are good, but by no means certain."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy sounded defeated and said less angry. "But my parents?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You know how much we respect your mother, but the chances of them still being alive is not very good and even if your dreams are indeed caused by some sort of long range telepathic phenomenon, they could be at a thousand different places."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "If you knew all this; if the fleet or the government can't help me; why tell me in the first place?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "The government cannot help you, but that does not mean I won't help you. Not as member of the Armed forces, but as a friend of your mother."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I appreciate the sentiment, but what could you do? I mean you guys are all smart and analytical, but I think a fast ship and a commando unit would be needed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The huge gasbag had an amused sound. "Well yes we are physically quite limited and more or less stuck on this planet, but you should not underestimate analytical thinking and the application of results. We have many sources of information and I will attempt to find out if they are indeed alive and where they are. Once I am able to get details, we can make plans, secure the necessary resources and affect a rescue."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I need to postpone my trip to Sares, my plans to join the Marines and need to find my parents. I just know they are alive!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As he was saying this, he said. "Cara knew about this, didn't she and so did Admiral Stahl. They knew there is a chance my parents are still alive and didn't tell me."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Young Roy Masters. I cannot claim to know what the Immortal Warrior knows, but I can assure you that even if the Universe will try to deceive you, he will not. There are very few constants in this galaxy, Admiral Stahl however is one.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Now before you make hasty decisions and let emotions overtake sound reason, please be patient. Heated action without any direction is quite silly. We will stay in contact and as soon as I have news I will inform you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy could not really think to say anything else as "Thank you!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Now we must first ascertain that they are indeed alive and if they are find out where they are being held.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> I might be just a bag of gas to you, but I can access and analyze every rumor, every intercepted communication and that is what I am doing right now.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "And then? Will the Union Fleet get them, before they are dead for real?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I cannot give such orders and even your remarkable friendship with the Immortal himself won't change the fact that the fleet or the Union cannot help you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “What good will it do to know they are alive and there is nothing to be done?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I understand your emotions, but you maybe it helps you to add a little Bellebee to your mind and really hear all that is said. The Fleet can't help your parents, that doesn't mean there is nothing to be done.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Once we established they are alive and their whereabouts, you will learn that our Union is not ignoring the cries for help and that there are ways to help your parents.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””—

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Bellebee changed course and headed back to the City.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy knew of course that Stahl would not deceive him. The Immortal left everything in the middle of a war to come to help him personally, but he was angry.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "How about Cara?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "She is your friend I am sure, but it is you alone who must make the decisions who you can trust."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Sir, how would you try finding a pirate?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am an Officer in the Union Fleet. If I knew the whereabouts of any Pirate within Union territory, that Pirate would meet with a Battle ship instead with a merchant ship, but Free Space is beyond our reach and the Intel assets we have there are few   and not all are reliable, but if I were you I would talk to the Wurgus. They get around and you are as it appears the first non Wurgus to have the ear of the All Patriarch."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> –“”--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Back at the floating city Cara greeted him, she was already back inside and asked. "Had a good time out there?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy decided to keep this new knowledge to himself at least for the time being until he had time to form a plan as how to find his parents.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He said. "Yes I learned a few things about the Bellebees and watched them blast some sort of predator beast."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "There aren't too many humans who can claim to have ridden on the oldest Bellebee." She gestured to the IST tunnel. "In the light of our ships delay, we are not in a particular hurry. Your new friends should be done watching their show. I for one will take advantage of the VIP status we got thanks to you . They have great SPA facilities at the local Sheraton."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I am sure they have." He said not really sounding very enthusiastic.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Don't knock it before you tried it, you and Partner can join me of course or you can go off on your own and see if you find something to pass the time. Of course I would appreciate if you try to call me before you decide to go on any unplanned adventures."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner sneezed and sat next to Cara and Roy said, "Are you serious? SPA is like sauna and hair and massage and stuff like that."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Cara laughed with her clear voice and scratched Partners side. "He is a very smart animal after all."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner really liked hearing that.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "You are the most vane, sleepy beast in the whole Galaxy. Go ahead get pampered. I see if I can find Sobyr and the others if they are still here."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had left Partner and Cara at the Cities Spa and beauty center.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Shortly after Cara and Partner went in, he actually could feel the comfort and joy his animal felt. His four legged friend transmitted mental images of a dozen exotic beauties all cooing about him. Roy smirked and was glad his friend enjoyed himself.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had no plans to relax, there was nothing else in his mind than his parents and what he could do to find them and rescue them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> If he told Cara, she would watch him even closer. As much as she claimed to be his friend, he still felt she had an agenda that superseded the friendship part. Of course there was the Wurgus meeting and the recent events showed how potent their technology was.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> So him being at that meeting by request of a Wurgus Patriarch was important to the Union and Cara was more or less there to make sure he made it to that meeting. But he also remembered the old Bellebee mentioning the Wurgus. Maybe he should try to reach that patriarch, but how?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> If he called the Immortal admiral, he would tell him the same as the Bellebee admiral. Not even Stahl would risk widening the war for a few human slaves.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Perhaps Uncle Sam would know. He used to go hunting pirates and all that before he settled on Green Hell."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He found a GalNet terminal in the hotel lobby and sat down after activating the privacy screen. "System, connect me to Sam Brown, Green Hell."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Requested party has a GalCom account, but has no registered GalNet Terminal and is not listed to have any active Comm devices. Do you wish to leave a message?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Knowing Sam, it could be month before he went to Ant Hill to check his messages. "System, new request. Connect me to the Union Post Office."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Accessing, Union Post Office interface active."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He selected the record option and said. "Uncle Sam, it's me Roy. I really need your advice in an urgent matter. Please contact me on my PDD as soon as you can."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He then had the message put on a physical chip and send via Union Mail to Green Hell. The chip delivered to Ma Swanson and she would send one of her employees with a flyer to Sam. A bit slow but at least he was certain he would get it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "System what is the charge?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "All charges have been covered by the Bellebee Society account. Do you wish to use a different account?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "No."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As he left the booth he was greeted by Aat, or more precisely pointed out by her as she raised her voice. "Guys I found him."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr and the others gathered around him and the Thauran said. "You are hard to find, but we sure appreciate the sentiment. State Dinner, guests of honor and all that. What did your mother do to them exactly?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy sighed. "She cured some sort of disease they had."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi managed to make her lizard face look impressed. "Curing a disease, you must be mighty proud of her."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro padded Roy's shoulder. "Yeah Sobyr's father is only the station commandant and was never invited to the Bellebees."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr looked around as if to make sure no one else could hear. "They sure like to tease me about my Thauran roots."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "What is it with that Thauran thing. I don't understand."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat laughed. "I guess they don't have any Thaurans on Green Hell then."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She smirked I Sobyr's direction. "They are known to be the most arrogant, self serving beings in the Universe. Able to teach even the Kermac how that is done."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr spread his arms. "Worst part is we know it is true, but it is part of our culture and we made a science out of it. I try real hard not to be too much Thauran but sometimes I can't deny my roots."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro looked around. "Where is Partner?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> |Roy closed his eyes and could see his big now being friend submerged up to his eyes in a big tub of steaming mud. Cara and several other girls, wearing nothing at all sharing the tub. Roy sighed with a smile. "He's taking a mud bath with Cara and enjoys every minute of it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Pictfram's alien face split like a fruit and a purple tongue like thing appeared for a second. "Oh that sounds awesome, I love mud baths too."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi agreed."Me too!"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shrugged. "I guess you could go there as well."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They were still standing in the Hotel Lobby and Sobyr said. "I am not really up to sitting in a tub with mud, what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shrugged. "I was planning to do some research."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr blinked surprised. "Thanks to you we are honor guests in a Lux Hotel till tomorrow, that means free food, free snacks, entertainment and all that. You didn't strike me as study nerd like Alejandro, besides School won't start for another month. What are you studying?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy really wanted to share the news he got with someone so he said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I just found out that my parents might still be alive and kept as slaves somewhere in Freespace."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr pointed to a seat group island in the hotel lobby. "Why don't we sit down and you tell us all about it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat nodded. "I remember you telling us that they were killed by pirates."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They all sat down and Roy more or less told them, what the Old Bellebee told him and when he was done, Sobyr said."We need a Ship and a fair amount of money of course. I think I can scratch 50,000 together, what about you Aat?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy raised his hand. "Hold on! Ship, Money, what are you talking about?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr said. "We going to help you of course to find your parents. We need a ship to get to Freespace, the Calypso won't go TL that far and then we need money for weapons, supplies and bribes and such. To find out where the Pirates sold your parents."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro leaned forward. "I bet we find could information at Alvor's Cove. I heard it is a famous Slave Market."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy felt deeply touched by the reaction of these five new friends. There was no hesitation at all, they were clearly willing to sacrifice their money and future to help him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Guys, I appreciate your sentiment and there is nothing I would like to do more than to jump into the next space ship and search for my parents. I even think with all your help I would have a chance, but I can't accept your offer. You would throw away your future and going against Pirates and Slavers is too dangerous, what if one of you gets hurt or dies?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr looked at him as if he spoke Nul. "You're a friend, doesn't matter if you a new friend or an old friend. Helping a friend is the highest calling and the cost is irrelevant. We Thaurans might be perceived as arrogant a-holes but we have an old code of honor and I find it worth living by it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Alright then, I am in no position to reject help but we need to plan this before we run into the blue. If we fail my parents are doomed for sure and if we spend the next ten years searching space, we will be too late."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro said. "Then let's do the research together."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat got up. "We need to find out where this Green Snake and Captain Coldblood usually strikes; where pirates like him hide out and sell Slaves.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy sighed. "You know this is probably the dumbest thing we ever do, and yet part of me doesn't even want to wait. I feel every moment we waste could mean they are coming too late. Maybe they are dead already."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi said. "I call Inklung, he's a Leedei. I will be right back."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Maggi-Suron rushed to the GalNet Booths.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Pictfram said. "That's a great idea, maybe Inklung can get us access to a Telelistener"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Can you explain to me what a Leedei is and who is she calling?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr shrugged. "I have no idea, I never heard of Inklung either."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro tabbed the coffee table between them, activating the computronic interface and said. "System establish field screen above table, access GalNet, display Leedei."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A gray somewhat humanoid being was displayed and Alejandro said. "They come from Dwarf Galaxy M32 and are quite advanced and have Psionic talents on Saresii levels and perhaps the best Psi Tech of anyone."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr snapped his finger. "Oh right, those are the guys who accidentally discovered the Bridge, by pointing their PSI listening device to a section of space that was void of any stars, deep space between Andromeda and the Milky Way Galaxy and received the Psionic thought activity of millions of minds. Their device had focused on the Bridge

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro half obscured by the projection nodded. "Yes, they discovered the Bridge by using a Psionic Telescope, called the Telelistener."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi came back.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Let's go. Inklung might be able to get us access to a Tele-Listener.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "What are we doing exactly and what will the Telelistener do?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro turned to Roy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The lizard being flickered with her tongue and said. ”Inklung was in my class for a while, they are at least as good as the Saresii with psionics. Maybe they can use that device to trace to the source of your dreams and thus find your parents location.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Alejandro nodded. “If I understood Ncchi's friend correctly, they  can find a known Psionic brain wave, using that Telelistener clear across the Galaxy. Since you know your mother’s mind, you connect to the thing and we find out if your parents are still alive and maybe even find out where they are."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Now that was the first concrete plan and it raised much hope in Roy. "Now come to think of it, Doctor Seniie the CMO of the ship I came in, mentioned a Tele Psi device. Where does this Leedei live?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The lizard said. "Inklung said we can come right away. He and his family live on Kappa VIII, that's the outmost planet of this system. There is a shuttle connection leaving from Belle Station every 5 hours. "

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy felt like sitting on needles and he wanted to go right away.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Could we visit your friend with Avatars?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi declined his head. "Sure we can but Psionics won't work with Avatars. You need to be there physically. Inklung doesn't know your mother’s mind."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy pulled his PDD and said, "Connect me to Cara."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> She answered right away but did not activate the visuals. "Your friend is alright, Roy. The girls here argued for about ten minutes who would be allowed to massage him. Now they are all petting him and even though I have no Psionic connection with Partner, I can tell he is really loving it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy felt his animals emotions and she was right, Partner was very relaxed and loved every minute of it. He concentrated on the conversation and said. "I am calling because we wanted to go Belle Station and then visit a friend of Ncchsi."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We are in the system for at least three more days. Go right ahead, but keep in touch and please let me know if you plan to get into any unusual situations."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He knew she was sensing some of his thoughts and he didn't want to lie to her so he said. "I will let you know."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He planned to tell her what he was planning as soon as he had an idea what that would be and of course preferably from a GalNet terminal already halfway to his parents, so she could not stop him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Just as they wanted to leave the hotel, Partner popped into existence right before them in a cloud of perfumed air. No matter how much he liked where he was, Partner felt that Roy was about to leave and there was no place Partner wanted to be more than at Roy's side.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy did stop in his tracks. "What in the world did happen to you?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner's usually coarse and black neck fur had been brushed and there were pink highlights and a Rhine stone encrusted hair clip sparkled between his glowing horns.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner sneezed very proud and happy.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "I have a feeling you won't have any problems fitting in on Sares Prime. You sure don't look like an Imperial Fury Beast."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat cooed. "Oh but he looks so adorable and he smells so nice."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Partner gave Roy a defiant look and sneezed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The trip back to Belle Station was eventless and so was boarding another long range shuttle to the outermost planet of the system a few hours later.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The intersystem trip would take only 35 minutes as the shuttle did have FTL engines and would bridge most of the six light hours in Quasi space.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr did not even bother with finding the seats and went straight to the shuttle’s small lounge for a burger. Roy was too excited to eat or feel hungry, so he opted for a glass of water.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "What are they doing so far out? I mean what is on Kappa VIII?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr munched happily on his burger and waved to Alejandro who only had a coffee. The Stellaris said, "This is a Member species System and every rock and floating real estate is either occupied or under construction to be occupied. Like most Union Star system, the outermost planet is first and foremost used as a long range listening and scanning outpost. On Kappa VIII is a large Union Army Post with a compliment of Gunships. There is a System defense battery with Loki torpedoes and the region’s GalNet repeater station. Those large repeater stations usually have a crew. Kappa VIII also does the maintenance for all GalNet Buoys in the region."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi ate her raw uncooked burger. She did not chew but devoured the burger in fast snapping motions and swallowed the pieces whole. Roy could picture how she would sink her teeth filled jaws into a prey animal and it was clear to him that the Maggi-Surons developed from a fierce predator life form.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Despite her somewhat frightening appearance, she was a nice person and she said. "SII has a factory there making GalNet buoy parts or something. All in all I think Kappa VIII has a population of 200,000. That isn't very big but far from small. Inklung's Sip Sap is a Union teacher there.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I love those White Castle Burgers, they only serve them on Shuttles around here and they come all the way from the Sol System. Not printed food but Zero Stasis real meat."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy still wasn't hungry and said ."Maybe I have the stomach to try one on our way back. Did they get attacked during the battle?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr shrugged ."I don't know but unlikely. Kappa VIII is currently on the Galactic South side and the Kermac-Nogoll fleet came from the North side, that is Core ward in Sector terms. Even if they were, they have Loki Batteries and not just one. The Army Gunships probably didn't even launch. They are useless in an all-out space battle anyway, everyone but the Army knows that."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr checked the time and ordered another burger from the Lounge waiter. Then he said, "The slide caves on Kappa VIII are worth a visit. If we are successful with our attempt locating your parents, we should visit them. Four Kilometers of a steep ice cave tunnel you can slide with a Duro-Plast board. Great fun I tell you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Kappa VIII didn't look like much from space. It was a dark dull gray ball without a visible atmosphere. The local sun was nothing but a bright star among many other stars.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> But as they descended, Roy noticed a bright lit dome in the otherwise stark and featureless gray landscape.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He hasn't really traveled all that much and seen only a few other places, but so far none of them could hold a candle to Green Hell.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sure enough the town on Kappa VIII, once they had landed, was no different than Anthill inside. The same bright corridors. He was quite happy to see that the corridors and the main concourse featured quite a few green plants and open water.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A weird looking semi-humanoid being, gray from head to toe waited for them. The being was about as tall as Sobyr and had two legs and two arms, but arms and legs had at least one more joint. The head was completely smooth except for three darker almost black areas where eyes and mouth would be. The being appeared as if wore a tight fabric semitransparent fabric over his head that smoothed any facial features into a vague representation of a human face.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat noticed Roy staring at the being as they approached. "The Leedei developed on a planet with three suns and there is never any darkness or night. To protect their eyes they and many other life forms of their planet developed a second skin-like cover over the actual eyes that is semitransparent and filters out most of the bright light and harmful radiation."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi performed a complicated greeting ritual with his hands and Roy noticed the Leedei hand had eight fingers and each finger had at least six joints and looked almost independently alive and more like many legged insects than hands.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi turned and placed her scaled hand with sharp claws on Roy's shoulder.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "This is Roy Masters and the big black thing answers to the name Partner."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Then she pointed to the being. "This is Inklung, he is a good friend of mine and its Sip-Sap was my Basic School teacher. Inklung is, like all Leedei, a formidable Telepath."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The being had a muffled, whispering voice. "Nice to meet you Roy and Partner. Your connection to the beast is amazing indeed."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy didn't even try to repeat the greeting Ncchsi did and simply shook the being’s hand. It was as if a bony spider crawled half up his wrist and he said. "I am too glad to meet you."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The being gestured to the exit gate of the shuttle landing berth. "Let us go to my home, where you can tell me in detail how I can be of assistance."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> -""-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The home of the Leedei was located deep underneath the surface, a house carved into a rock alcove. One of many such homes lining a long tunnel wall. To Roy's surprise and delight he noticed that some of the houses had front yards with green grass and even flowers and bushes. A gaggle of kids two humans, a furry black being and a small Version of a Maggi Suron chased after a ball. A Klack guided a hover cart, wearing the green Uniform of a Union Post employee greeted them clicking his mandibles and then carrying a package to a door.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A woman with a large hat was clipping a bush with a pair of scissors. Roy somehow had not expected this idyllic peaceful scenery underneath the ice and rock of a distant outpost planet and he recalled Cara's words. She was right, in these aspects the Union was quite fascinating.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The interior of the Leedei home was very dark. Only dim strips of red light provided the faintest of illumination. There was very little in terms of furniture.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Their host led them into a living room where sitting furniture had been added, and from the looks of it in anticipation of their visit, as it appeared out of place.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Inklung gestured to the seats. "Please make yourselves at home. I know Roy is eager to come to the point and we shall as soon as my Sip-Sap can join us, Knunging will be here any minute now. My Sip-Sap is in contact with G 6783, our home world to gain permission to use the Telelistener."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A S-10 robot in domestic service configuration came in and asked with the same type of whispering voice. "Welcome to the Ging-Lung household, this unit was summoned to provide refreshments. Please state the type of snack or drink you like to consume. This household is attached to the Kroger groceries Network and we can provide virtually any desired refreshment."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi was not very shy and said. "I like a Grobil blood squeezer."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Inklung said."Please do as our common friend did. Serving guests as good as possible is a Leedei tradition and it makes us very proud and happy if guests do avail to offerings."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Ncchsi was obviously here before as she switched on a little light above her seat, "Yes do order something, serving guests is like a religion to the Leedei."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sobyr found the little contact and also turned on a light above him. "Well in that case, Robot get me some Thauran Grape Juice."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat ordered Saran Beer. Alejandro wanted a coke with ice and Pictfram asked for a small bag of snack grubs. While Roy really wanted to get started, he did ask. "Any fruit juice will do, maybe Cranberry?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The robot took the orders and Inklung sounded very pleased. "Thank you, friends of Ncchsi. You made this home a happy one and yes, we can provide almost everything. We have a Matter Radio enabled GalNet terminal." There was a tone of pride in the Leedei's voice.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had heard about this technology. It was among the newest developments. He knew the Institute on Green Hell had received one only recently. The technology allowed the transmission of actual matter over GalNet. It was limited to 1000 grams and the Matter Radio enabled Terminals were ridiculously expensive.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was getting very nervous as the anxiety was killing him. First he heard his parents got killed in a pirate attack. The news affected him more than he thought. His life had changed so much since then. His carefree days roaming the jungles seemed ages ago; and now he was sitting in the dark living room of strange aliens hoping they could tell him if they were still alive. He wished it would be all over soon so he could simply go back. Deep down he even regretted giving Uncle Sam his word to become a Marine. While he still wanted to do that, it was no longer his first choice, he simply wanted to go home. This constant feeling of being in situations he had no real control over made him terribly homesick.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was smart enough to know that his depression was caused by the uncertainty of his future, the forceful uprooting caused by the very parents he now wanted to save. Maybe he should simply let them rot, where they were. It wasn't him who wanted them to go on an expedition and abandon the only place he knew as home.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was a homeless drifter if you really looked at it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Leedei reached out for his arm. "I promise we will do what we can to help."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Just then a second taller Leedei entered the room, right behind the robot who served the refreshments. Despite his state of mind he could not take his eyes of the plastic bag, the robot handed Pictfram. He was certain the little things inside moved.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The second Leedei said. "I am pleased to see you have availed yourself to refreshments. My home and name is blessed by guests and their comfort."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They all thanked the Leedei for the refreshments and then the taller Leedei said. "I am Knunging, and I am a Union teacher, but right now I am a Leedei and a Union Citizen. I am honored that you came to us in search for assistance in this grave matter. However there seems to be some misconception. The device we call Telelistener is a huge machine and only one exists. It is located at our Home Planet and generally not available to Non Leedei. Usually not even to most of us."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy's feelings and hopes sank to the bottom.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The taller Leedei held up both hands. "No, do not lose hope, Roy Masters. The reason for me not greeting you at your arrival is, that I contacted our society’s leaders. The Council of my people have decided to allow you to use the device and they are eager to see if the device can indeed be used like that.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Our Council believes if it works, it could be used to locate many missing persons and some of our thinkers already dream of building many more Telelisteners and make them available to the Union Police. Of course there are also voices who do not want us to share this technology this way as it could be abused. You must know we take the Union Psi Laws very serious and it is those laws we find are the greatest gift of the Union to us and to all thinking beings. Psionics are rightly feared and mistrusted as these gifts can be abused. My society’s history is full of wars and conflict arisen from the misuse of Psionics"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy simply listened, hoping the Leedei would come to the point. From the corner of his eye he saw Pictfram stuff thumb sized maggot-like things into his four-way split mouth. Despite his alien face that allowed no human emotion to be displayed it was apparent the Centipede greatly enjoyed it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Knunging sat down and continued. "While my people decide the larger implications of whatever outcome of this experiment. They have, as I mentioned decided to let you use it, first and foremost to see if it actually works like that. In theory it should, but it has never been used to locate a single mind. Despite the idea of your friends, it was never more than a theory.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Your try will be also a scientific experiment. So to assure you, we will help you, but we cannot promise any results."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy was okay with that, no one could possibly ask more of them and to find out if his parents were still alive would be an important first step in planning any sort of rescue.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The taller Leedei slowly nodded.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Indeed Roy Masters, that would be the logical first step. For me as Union Teacher to know about your plan: six teenagers planning to run away to Freespace and not doing anything to prevent it would go against every oath I took. And frankly every shred of common sense. So our help comes with a price. You, Mr. Masters are welcome to use the Telelistener in the manner described, but it cannot be secret. Your guardian Cara needs to know about it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy again felt as if he was riding a roller coaster. Every time there was progress there was a new hurdle. "She will not allow it."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Assuming things is a trait that appears to be common with many young beings, including humans and the Leedei. She can't deny you to try rescue your parents. The old Bellebee told you the Union Fleet can officially not help you and that is true, but your circle of friends has increased and they all are willing to assist you.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> All we need to do is find a way to do it right and with a plan. You five running off to Freespace will result in you joining your parents as slaves, if you are lucky and more likely cause your death. Both outcomes are not going to help your parents one bit."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had to agree there was a lot of truth in that, part of him had the same thoughts the moment his friends and him decided to go. He could not possibly be responsible for Sobyr and the rest to lose their lives or their freedom in a fool’s errand. "Thank you Sir, I know it was a foolish idea from the start."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "Wanting to come to the rescue of your life givers is not foolish, the way you wanted to do it however could be classified as such. Coming to us however was quite smart. I shall accompany you on this journey.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy sighed. "So what are we going to do?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "We are going to inform your Cara and then we make arrangements for you to come to our home world."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> "From what I was told G 6783 is in another Galaxy, close to Andromeda. Will that not take many months to get there?"

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Aat put her arm on his shoulder and said to the Leedei. "He is a smart young man, but he didn't like school too much."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy felt embarrassed by that, mostly of course it was true.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Leedei said. "By conventional means it would take many years, but there is a Space train connection. We can be at G 6783 in four days. Like your Cara said, the Union is quite amazing."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Inklung said. "I am going to be part of whatever rescue mission you guys plan. That is a given."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

THE PRESENT 4937
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy wiped an underarm long worm creature with its round sucking mouth from the face shield of his Quasimodo – D Type.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His suit was covered with at least a dozen of them, along with dark green almost black algae as he sloshed through the hip high brackish water.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> About six meters to his left  Gunny Robert Dunn, the Platoon sergeant and self assigned SAW man, carrying a heavy TKU-SII Fafnyr in his augmented arms and he cursed over the team channel.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> ”Didn't they promise us some nice, easy and  uneventful SBD and then an even longer uneventful longer trip aboard the Normandy? “

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Dunn wiped several of the leech-like worms of his weapon. “This mud ball is an exceptional bad shit hole. How are we supposed to find Whakeys if we don't know how they look like?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “You sing the same song every time we go dirt side.” Roy replied on the same channel. “Now quit complaining and keep your eyes in the game and your mind on track. We are bound to run into those Whakeys eventually.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Yes Lieutenant.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “You are longer with this crazy club we call Marine Corps than I am, Gunny. You should know by know that, the words nice and easy don't exist in our world, but don't worry we will catch up with the Normandy eventually.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They did had three days of R&R, and two days of Standard Board Duty.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The USS Stryker was already within 120 light years of the USS Normandy when they received different orders that diverted the Stryker and thus Roy's platoon to a star system designated K70 in their initial briefing, they had never heard about it, not that that was something unusual.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy was leading his platoon. He had taken position in the first squad and had them walk in a loose diamond formation and as it was his habit in his short but so far quite eventful military career, he took point.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> To his left was Corporal Kokovhr, a Pertharian who was  the Squad's Artillery Support (SAS) and with his Trajectory Attack Mortar, he could engage enemy fortifications, columns and other targets beyond the horizon and with a variety of nasty payloads.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Shaggy Sergeant Eugbenzi, who was normally always with Roy and providing Artillery support was not even back on the Stryker. The gigantic Lordor recently promoted was on his way to the Normandy to take a required class on logistics and troop management.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Pertharian added his comment saying. “With a little luck, we find out that they are gone and we can go back to the Stryker. I could sure use a few extra hours of shut eye.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Corporal Nine-Nine-Two, one of the few Non Corps accepted to the Marines as they normally did not meet the Marine BaPhy requirements, bringing up the rear said. “Some rest would be nice indeed.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy kept an eye on his threat sensor, the sensors showed nothing artificial or sentient within 20 clicks, but that meant little. They were on the hunt to find members of a  new species, no one had heard or seen before, well no one on Union Side of course.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This was the reason Roy had taken his Platoon dirtside to this wet, swamp world because a few days ago Fleet ran into a new species.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Scuttlebutt had it, they were similar to the Y'All, but five times as big and tougher than the  Noghlers. Smarter than the Narth. Incredibly powerful and relentless as the Klack. Creatures able to go toe to toe with a Marine wearing a Quasimodo. It took the  Marines less than a day to hear all sorts of rumors and if you believed half of it, the new species was about to win the war for the Kermac, with abilities nothing short of magic.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had learned not to pay  attention to scuttlebutt as it almost always was completely wrong and way out of proportion.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Not even a real Y'All could have fought a Marine in a modern Quasimodo and while there was little known about the reclusive Narth, he doubted that the new enemy was as smart as them. If they  were, they would not be controlled by the Kermac.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> In the briefing before they dropped on this world, he was told  NAVINT believed six or seven space ships of this new species had entered this system and landed on this world and had not left so far.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> So this morning Roy and a pretty much every Marine of the John Stryker jumped on this planet where Intel assumed Whakeys had a stronghold of some kind.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The eight fleet was now in full strength in the system to make sure nothing left and no one uninvited joined the party.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> It was the Marines job to find out if this was true and capture a few of these beings alive, so Xeno could dissect a few and perhaps find out what made them tick. The planet, or at least the region they had jumped into was a steaming jungle swamp, but unlike on Green Hell his home planet, the plants here were black and looked for the most part like intertwined bodies of naked, wet snakes with thorns. These twisted tree like things fanned out at the top into a dense canopy about sixty meters off the ground and most of the local sun's light did not reach the planet’s surface. The air technically was breathable but had a higher oxygen content than Standard Terran type NiOx atmospheres. They kept their helmets closed anyway because Science told them, that the local air was thick with spores of as yet unknown kind,  and had no idea yet if that stuff was harmless or not. Wiping off these aggressive worms that almost constantly slimed over his face shield made him glad the helmet was sealed. The dense biosphere of the planet combined with strong electromagnetic storms made sensor scans unreliable. It was very difficult to differentiate between natural and artificial energy sources, especially if the enemy had turned its equipment off or has the ability to shield it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> No clear determination was made by NAVINT or Command what level of  Tech the Whakeys possessed. As a matter of fact there was even less information than usual.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Lighting and  thunder was almost constant and so was a strong downpour of rain. He wondered if this was only seasonal or if conditions were always like this.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His team was augmented by 4 Cerberus XI robots, but since this was a potential First Contact situation they did operate under the Second Response Directive and would only fight if the Marines were attacked and an order to engage from Command was given.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Barlow, a Terran Human also carrying a TKU Fafnir Gatling snarled. “Almost fourteen hours now, and nothing but these damn slime suckers, ugly Lizard Snakes and friggin' huge swim beetles. Maybe there aren't any Whakeys down here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Rokers, the Team engineer, had his suits vibro claws extended and speared a sizeable scaled thing with many teeth, spines and finned feet out of the water. The seven meter long beast thrashed and slashed while its fangs and claws slid across the nearly indestructible suit material. “Maybe this is a Whakey? Don't we have a member species that almost look like these?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy responded with a sharp tone in his voice. “If I see you again killing something without reason or purpose, I pull you out of your Quasi and make you swim with one of those, do we have an understanding?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Jeez, sorry Sir, Forgot you are from a place like this and have a soft spot for dangerous creatures.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Barlow coughed and chimed in. “Rokers, you're new to the Master Blaster so I give you a piece of free advice. Mess with Lt. Masters you mess with all of us, not that he needs help, just ask  Corporal Kokovhr.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Pertharian growled.” The Lieutenant wiped the floor with me, so what do you think he could do with you?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy held up his hand, made the slow down signal.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I hate mindless killing, that Snake Lizard posed absolutely no threat to you and yes I am a Greenie and if you want I introduce you to my very own dangerous creature.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Barlow laughed. “His Beast has you for breakfast, suit or no suit.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Sorry Sir, I won't do it again.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Accepted, now scan that thing and make sure it does not have any higher brain functions or neural pathways associated with sentient beings.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy could not see the surprised face of the engineer

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> But he said, looking around. “We have barely covered ten percent of the planet’s surface, there is still lots of ground to cover.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Dunn, swatted a huge black beetle landing like a miniature helicopter on his helmet, chimed in. “Mr. Barlow if you feel bored you can join me for a recon flight ahead, if the Lieutenant agrees to it, of course.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shook his head, knowing they could of course not see his gesture. “You wouldn't see much more from above the canopy and you make a nice target. We don't even know their Tech Level, for all we know they could detect you. There is nothing on the Sat-View. Just stay put for now.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Just then the Operations-Command icon flashed over com-panel mirrored directly onto his retina and Roy blinked it active.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Lt. Masters here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “This is Operation Command, Major Omval, find a spot and make camp. We drop a MOTEL as soon as you give the signal.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Yes, Sir, any additional instructions?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “There will be an official Mission Update brief at 1900 hrs and that is two hours and six minutes from now, but here is the situation in a Nutshell: The Army has arrived and is going to do a full Divisional Orbital assault on the southern Continent, making a lot of noise doing so. They plan to even land a Leviathan Planetary Siege Engine. The Army Division also brings in Aqua troops to scour the oceans. Our Tactical brains at Command feel that this will make whatever hides on that mud ball nervous enough to attack. Or do something we can detect.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> If they attack we' re ready and if they move we hope they move into northern direction, in other words right to where you and the other platoons are.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy rolled his eyes as he heard the word Army and sighed. “They just had to join the party. A Leviathan are you serious? Why don't they let us do the Division drop just once and they do the point scouting for a change?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Major on the other end snickered. “Because they aren't Marines..”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Semper Fi Major.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy pointed at Dunn. “Sarge, you got your wish, go up there and see if there is a spot where we can set up camp.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Aye.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Robert Dunn shot into the air and punched through the canopy like a cannon ball.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy blinked at a star shaped symbol in his troop command screen and by doing so gave the so called 'Gather” order and his troops pulled close together in a star formation weapons pointing outwards.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Sergeant reported. “Local Topo analysis complete. There is nothing better for fifty klicks all around us, just trees and swamp. There is a shallow hill 21.6 klicks from where we are, sensors say its Terra Firma.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A new voice buzzed in. “We spotted that hill first. Bravo Company 1st  Platoon Dragon Riders call it, besides we're only 4 klicks away from it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy snorted. “Lt. Arsugen, get off our channel and quit eavesdropping on 2nd  platoon. The hill is yours, it is too far out for us.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “This Hotoreth needs every edge to compete against a certain Greenie Lt, besides you left the Company Level channel open ever since we dropped.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Of course Roy had left the Company channel open so the two other Platoon leaders of Bravo Company could listen in or call for help if needed. Roy trusted his own senses more than he trusted his sensors, but so far his uncanny sense of danger had not reacted on anything. Lt. Arsugen was a big truly alien being with a long neck and tail being from Andromeda and despite his quite unsettling appearance, he was a good marine and Roy liked him. “Well keep your ladies nice and safe, looks like the Army is doing a big fancy show down south and  perhaps scaring those elusive buggers our way.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I heard, dropping a Leviathan no less, if that doesn't scare whatever it is we are supposed to find, nothing will but I think Intel has it all wrong and there is no one but us on this beautiful world. They may fool our sensors but I am a Hotoreth and I can smell sentient brain activity over great distances and I haven't felt anything.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy snorted. “I take that as an insult, you walking Brain leech,  or do you imply there isn't any brain activity over here where we are?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Hotoreth laughed in his strange metal rattling, hissing way and snarled. “Well if I really concentrate, I might be able to separate your mind activity from those disgusting sucker slime worms. Their t-waves are a whole lot cleaner than yours”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy grinned inside his helmet. “That was a good one and it would not surprise me if NAVINT sent us to the wrong planet, like that never happened before.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The other Platoon leader tapped an acknowledgment and Roy deactivated the connection and  switched to Platoon channel “Well looks like the subtle approach is out the window. The Army is on its way.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He  called up a local map and selected four hexagon shaped areas centered around his own position. “Snyder, Kronaki, T'Chnk and Ash, you take perimeter guard till 2100hrs. Go into Sniper stealth.” The four Marines acknowledged and Roy said to the rest. “We might as well camp right here. Mr Dunn be so kind and make us a little room, Command is dropping us a MOTEL, so not even you can complain.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Dunn opened up with his gatling and moved it in an arc, vaporizing vegetation and trees in a neat circle.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While he did that he said. “Oh Sir, I certainly can! For one I prefer our drop ship over a MOTEL any time, or even better some R&R on Para Para.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Non Corp in the team said. “Well if anything is out there, they now know where to find us.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy shrugged. “Who knows, with all that thunder and lightning?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Then he sent the exact coordinates to the USS John Stryker somewhere in Orbit around this planet. On the Gun deck of the Stryker, Gunner Crews loaded a green Giga Load casing into a Translocator cannon and hit the discharge contact. The Translocator cannon was aimed straight at the coordinates Roy had send them. There would not be much Jungle left or any marines if this would have been a Red Giga Load, but this wasn't a bomb, it was a Mobile Operations Temporary Encampment Load, specifically developed for the Union Marines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Only perhaps ten meters from where Roy stood and almost at the center of the spot Dunn had cleared, a dark green 5 ton capsule appeared in a white flash, enormous bang and tidal wave of black swamp water. While the rest of the platoon was keeping guard, Roy sent the activation signal. The Capsule sensors analyzed the surroundings and reconfigured the pay load with an army of Nanites to the environment and seconds later, almost like a children inflatable bouncy castle something expanded and inflated. A  30 meter diameter floating platform with a central cube shaped building appeared. The thin plastic walls, filling with molecule expanding concrete foam, hardened in moments. The Platform  was well protected with ParaDim Shields. It has room enough for the platoon to get out of their suits, take showers, eat in a small galley and sleep in low gee cots. It certainly beat the prospect of sleeping in the suit, something they all had done many times before of course.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The platoon had settled down, for some chow and rest. The M.O.T.E.L was of course a bit crowded but Roy had a tiny separate chamber for himself as that came with the lieutenant bar on his collar. He was out of his suit and had a shower. The environmental system of the MOTEL did not need to use and recycle the very limited water reserves it came with but could use local water. It was good clean drinking water once it had passed through the filtering and conditioning of the Nanite recyclers. He checked all positions but still there was nothing out there but slime worms, snakes and big flying beetles. He sat down behind a small desk and dialed for Command.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Lt. Masters, for Admiral T'Thakk.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack Admiral who was in charge of this operation came on almost immediately. Normally no simple Marine Lieutenant could simply call right up to the top brass, but Roy could have called the Eternal Warrior and would have been connected.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack Admiral was one of the two Klack he had saved from being shot, back on Harper's Junction almost seven years ago. It was that Admiral who wanted Roy to call if he had a moment. The Klack face was unreadable, but Roy started to learn to read the subtle ways Klack communicated emotions with their feelers and how they moved their heads. The feelers right now told him the insectoid officer was relaxed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I already expected your call Lieutenant, how is the situation down there?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “We are currently making camp, Sir. We covered about 150 miles in difficult terrain but have not made any contact or even noticed any traces of sentient occupation. I would like to volunteer for a scout mission, Sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “You are on a scout mission, are you not?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Sir, it is the same back home on Green Hell. We are stomping through the swamp in high tech suits and use high tech sensors and scare anything away or make what we are looking for hide.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “So what are you proposing, exactly?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Going out there, sans Quasimodo and see if I can't find those elusive buggers.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Can't say I it would be a bad idea, but I just got word, the Army localized the aliens and has them surrounded. I guess this one goes to the boys in green and spoiled your chance to get close and personal with that planet.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “So we got all mudded up for nothing?” Roy had the strange feeling there was something missing in the picture. Not that he had any doubt that the Army could handle whatever they found, it was just a unexplainable notion.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sure enough, three hours later the official word came down to return to the drop ship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Dunn was the last to leave the MOTEL and triggered the self destruct sequence. “What a waste, we just came here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Weren't you complaining to be here in the first place?” Roy asked as he watched their shelter crumble away like a sand castle washed over by water.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I just hate to get dressed up for nothing.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The APC sprinter to pick them up was already on its way and the marines on their way to a more open area where the LC was designated.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy wanted to say something when his strange ability to sense danger hit him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Green floating things with arms appeared flashing some kind of reddish light beams at the marines. At the same time tremendous explosions rocked the landscape.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The red light was the danger! Roy instantly and instinctively knew not to look into it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Dunn  next to him had dropped to his knees and ripped his helmet off, not taking it off, but actually tearing it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Corporal Kokovhr, was hit by a weapon beam engulfing the marine in a  ball of lighting white fire.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Another explosion threw a big black tree right onto Roy and rained mud water and more trees onto the platoon.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> While he tried to get out from under the tree that pinned him into the hip high water, he blinked at several icons of his command interface, instructing it to put Dunn in stasis.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He pushed the tree off him, “Don't look into that red light, and start shooting!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He threw the tree off and got up. His threat monitor showed sixty huge machines stomping towards their position.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Several of the green floating things had been killed, his platoon casualty list showed twenty six marines out and one name on the KIA list.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He had no idea what those towering robotic machines were, but they were Army and displayed the Union flag.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “This is Lt. Masters, Command we are under fire by unidentified Army hardware. Alien sentients encountered.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Lieutenant Maters, these are Army Gorgons, they are rogue and under full shields. We are unable to establish control.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> One of the machine opened up with a deuterium slug gatling and made the shields of two Marines glow bright.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Lieutenant, Nine-Nine-Two here. The Whakeys use some form of visual psionics. I think they control the Army hardware too. If we shoot them we kill whoever is inside.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I know, lay a load under the feet of those things. We need time to figure something out.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He and his remaining men used the “hump back “ TL to transmit micro loads into the ground underneath the Army battle machines and created instant sinkholes, hoping the machines sensors would be over loaded with the shower of debris and fall into these instant trap pits.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy fired at the last green floating balls he could see. Killing two more, but it seemed even killing the aliens didn't stop whatever control they had over the machines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Four of the Gorgons fell into the pits, the other two managed to stop.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Army machines instantly compensated and started to float. All it got them was a few moments.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Army hardware came closer and poured constant fire into the remaining marines.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The jungle around them was long gone, water had turned into billowing clouds of billowing steam.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The worst part was that these machines were occupied by men and if they shoot back, they would kill  Union soldiers.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Just then through the clouds of smoke and steam a huge shape appeared on their side. It was a Quasimodo in PASS configuration and with a deep roar Roy could hear even inside his suit, the dual TKU cannons on the shoulder of the giant sent mountain shattering pulses of superheated matter into the Army walkers shields.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Eugbenzi don't kill the Soldiers!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Lieutenant they are not occupied, these are autonomous machines!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy had too many questions, “Where did Eugbenzi came from? Why did Union robots attack ? But at the moment he did not clutter his mind, he now was free to fight. Putting his Sitku in sniper mode he took carefully aim, waited for the exact moment when the machines fired and needed to create shield gaps.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He took one out, Eugbenzi and Nine Nine Two three more, when the rest suddenly stopped and lowered their weapon arms.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Behind them an even bigger thing appeared, it also was Army Green.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After that everything went quickly and with the usual Union efficiency.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His troops were transferred to a Navy hospital ship and he was ordered to a debriefing aboard the USS Hytakk, a Navy dreadnought and the flagship of the seventh fleet under command of Admiral T'Thakk.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He just stepped of the D20 that had taken him to one of the hangars of the giant ship. After he went through the decontamination process, he was shown to a conference room. He still wore his battered destroyer suit.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack admiral was there and seven other beings, none of them known to him. A Belanorm in Army Uniform and with the Colonel bird rank insignia, two Saresii and a Leedei, also wearing Army uniforms but except the insignia of the PSI Corps had no other decorations or rank pins and two humans with the NAVINT patch on their sleeves.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> They were all clean and unarmed, Roy in his Destroyer suit looked out of place.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He was angry and a more than a little confused.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Army Colonel spoke first. “What is this Marine Lieutenant doing here? This is a highly classified meeting.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Admiral  T'Thakk said. “Because I want him here and more so I want you to explain him what you explained to me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I am not discussing highly classified and sensitive issues with a Marine Grunt. Is he even cleared for this? We are under Blue-Blue-Blue protocol”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “He is Blue-Blue-Red  cleared, Colonel and I just asked you to please debrief him and all of us. I am not asking again.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Colonel got up, “Very well.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He waved at the table and the three-dimensional  image of a green, floating being appeared  It looked organic and had two massive arm like appendixes hanging from what most  likely was its front. Several bright red skin areas, looked like inflated blisters. Only now he noticed a small head, almost hidden between the large arms.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Somehow it reminded Roy of a really big and bloated tick.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Colonel said. “This is a Whakey. Perhaps the most dangerous and yet virtually unknown thrall species of the Kermac. Only today did we capture two specimens alive.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He pointed at the Leedei. “Specialist Inklung can tell you a little more about their abilities.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Leedei got up and said. “We know each other, Roy. We will catch up after this.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy of course knew Inklung and nodded.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Leedei folded his spidery fingers and said. “What I am now saying is based on speculations, as it was pointed out we only now have live specimen for closer examination. But based on the survivors of Sigmar Base we came to the conclusion, they use a different form of Psionics, still based on the same principle of trans spatial info-energy we call Psions. We Leedei  experimented with it many thousand years ago, during our 76th period of aggression, but during these violent times much of the research has been lost. We know the Narth are using it and a form of it is evident in their Psi Glow. Unfortunately the Narth do not really communicate or participate in Union affairs and have so far ignored our requests for information.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack Admiral said. “This still does not explain why the Army decided to deploy untested autonomous weapon systems.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Belanorm changed the holo and  one of the battle walkers, Roy had faced was now displayed in a slow rotating image. “The Enroe Gorgon-5, is a fully autonomous  system. It is more powerful than a Cerberus and can do anything a Marine can do.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> With his feelers displaying clear emotions of anger the voice of the Klack remained calm, but then the Klack's voice came out of a voice box, and probably not able to add emotions to the acoustics. “They also have a bio-brain component, completely ignoring our laws against the creation of sentient machines. A Cerberus is immune to Psionics, your toy soldiers are not. The entire mission was compromised and Marines died.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “The Gorgon program was authorized by General Warwick himself. The restriction specifically stipulates that it is illegal to create sentient machines. It does not prohibit the use of already sentient tissue  and I am not going to discuss the Army Advanced Warrior program with you. The system was psionic shielded just like the Quasimodos, no one could anticipate this new form of psionics.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Not new, Colonel.” The Leedei interrupted, “Psionics are as old as the Universe and just like fire discovered not invented. Not the Leedei nor the Saresii know all there is to  know about it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack admiral looked directly at Roy. “Admiral Warwick is a strong proponent of the All Machine and no Battlefield soldiers philosophy. He and his camp want the Marines eliminated; replaced by what you faced today.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Not just Marines, Army OA as well, the X101 are proof that it is quite possible and...”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Insectoid waved his upper arms while his feelers dropped even more.”...and today has shown that you are light years away from achieving such a goal. I still question to deploy untested systems.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “We are not here to discuss this, we have another much bigger situation at hand.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Well I am sure neither you nor General Warwick will really look forward to the discussion the Eternal Warrior will have with you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “This is an Army program and the joint operations approved by Fleet Command; besides I doubt Stahl has the time to discuss this rather small incident. We are at war and we have the biggest crisis of this war at hand.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Marines died, Colonel. He will hear of it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy could not be silent. “ Am I to understand my Marines got killed by an experimental machine of the Army?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Admiral’s feelers could not drop any further. “Yes Lieutenant. The Whakeys used this not yet clearly understood method of visual psionics to influence the machines. Not just your marines died, sixteen Army OA troops also perished.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy asked.”What about survivors of Sigmar Base? Is that not a major fleet base?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Klack Admiral dropped his feelers. “It was Lieutenant. It has been completely destroyed by Orbital bombardment, by two of our own ships.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy gasped. “When did this happen? I never heard of it?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Colonel snapped. “Not everything that happens in a war is communicated to the bottom. All you need to know is communicated.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “The Gray Ghosts informed the Assembly security council and suggested to keep all nine attacks under wraps. Until we know more and can give the Assembly and thus the Citizens real answers.” Admiral T'Thakk said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Gray Ghosts?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I brief you after this meeting. Not that I can give you much as much of it is beyond all our clearance in this room, but the main reason for keeping it quiet is the potential of forces unfriendly to the Union learning that two Union battleships, Arsenal class dreadnoughts not only attacked and destroyed a major fleet base, and six Checkpoints, but they are still out there.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “The Kermac have captured Union Battleships?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “We don't know if the Kermac have them, but the ships are fully armed with translocator cannons, Loki torpedoes and have our latest shield technology. We know the USS Walker, one of the rogue ships also had two TLTs aboard. Translocator Technicians of the FORGE. Two individuals who know how Translocators work, down to the last part.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The Belmac Colonel wiped the holo image off the table. “Is this still part of that marine’s debriefing?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A sound that almost sounded like a human sigh came out of the Klack admiral's voice box. “No it is not. Lt. Masters, return to the Stryker. Your men will join you as soon as they are cleared fit for duty. I must remind you that everything you heard is classified and not to be discussed with anyone, understood?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Yes Sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy was dismissed and left.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> As he headed for the shuttle bay, he was deep in thought. The war was far from over and if the Kermac could indeed reengineer Union TL tech, its outcome was also far from certain. Two Arsenal ships and the techs with all the knowledge the Galactic Council needed to do exactly that.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> This and the damn Army. Of course he knew about the No Men-All Robot philosophy. It resurfaced at least once a decade and gained enough momentum in the Assembly to be discussed. So far it had never gone far, and usually never got enough track to get to a vote or even on the Union Wide list, but it was a subject at the Marine Academy political classes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> A Navy chief stepped before Roy. “Lt. Masters, Sir. I was sent by the Admiral and you are asked to follow me to sick bay.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I am fine, I was not hurt. My Quasi Doc agrees.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Unfortunately this was not an invitation but orders.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Alright then, lead the way.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “We can swing by Marine quarters, they have Battle dressers and shower facilities.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> --””--

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> After arguing with the computronic that he really wanted Pertharian shower program three and dressed in Standard BDU, he emerged from the shower facilities to be greeted by the same Chief who was now accompanied by two Army security guards.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “What is this? Am I under arrest or something?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “No Sir, I just have orders that you are arrive safe and sound at your destination.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Army guards aboard a Navy battleship?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Sit you are armed and we are not asking you to relinquish your side arm. Not that I could see the reason or the wisdom to allow anyone to carry a TKU 12. These guns are quite illegal.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Not for me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I know Lt. Masters. Natives of Perko, Natviv, Bottom Hole and Green Hell are indeed able to carry pretty much anything up to Class nine.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “You are not a Navy Chief.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “It helps to blend in. Now please let us proceed to Sick Bay,”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I go nowhere until you identify yourself and I verify you indeed have orders from the Admiral.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> The human pretending to be a Navy Chief  pressed his wrist PDD and the holographic image of  INSCOM appeared. “I am Captain Prescot Central, Security Service.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Intelligence and security command? Sir, I am a Marine, this is a Navy ship. What business does Army intelligence have here? Not to mention the no jurisdiction part.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “You are still a Lieutenant and you need to follow orders.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “The hell I have, and if you think you can get me to go anywhere before I know what this is all about, you are in for a surprise, Now for the second part of my request. Authenticate your badge and your orders.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Both guards, a Stellaris and a Quadiped raised their service weapons, not fast enough though, the Army Officer stared in the bore of Roy's TKU. Sweat appeared on his forehead as he saw the shimmering discharge focus field. “Take it easy Lieutenant.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> To the Quadi Ped he hissed. “Why is his TKU still active?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Sir, the Command Overwrite seemed to have failed.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Sorry Sir, all shuttle resources are currently maxed out. Your flight to the Stryker is delayed till 2100 hrs.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “That's six hours from now. This boat must have hundreds of shuttles, what's the reason for the max out?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I am not at liberty to discuss that, Sir. However Marine quarters have Battle dressers, Admiral T'Thakk told me to inform you that you are welcome to make yourself avail to the rec facilities and take a breather.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> His sense of danger did not warn him, but his battle and training honed senses still noticed the shadow that was moving close from behind. He turned and Inklung, his Leedei friend stared in the shimmering discharge field before the muzzle of Roy's TKU.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> He immediately lowered the weapon. “I am sorry Inklung. I guess I am more than a little spooked from what I have heard in there.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “I was too, no need to apologize. You have always been terribly quick with that monster gun of yours, even back then when we first met.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Still wearing his Destroyer suit, Inklung looked fragile and small.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> Roy grinned. “I'd give you a hug, but that's one thing you can't really do in these things.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Well unless it is your Charles. How is that fearsome robot of yours?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “He's back on Green Hell, taking care of the farm while Uncle Sam is gone. But how are you? I never expected to see you on a battleship. Didn't you wanted to become a Union School teacher?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “It's still on my scanner, before you can become a teacher you must have served. Besides we are in a war and you know how serious we Leedei take our Union commitments.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"> “Yes I do, an entire Union member society went out of its way to help a distressed boy. I will never forget that.”

<p class="MsoNormal">