GC 34 Vol 8 Erica Olafson, Voyages of the Tigershark

When I read story offerings, I justify format them; set to Times New Roman 12 pitch, line spacing to 12pt before & 0pt after the line. All this to help my tired old eyes to read them better.

As I go through them I “edit or proof read” them to fix typing, grammatical & spelling errors that often occur because the author can get so caught up in the writing that they can miss words that the mind has put there, also wrong letters can be added by accident. I have done this.

All that being said; if you find a story with these problems don’t bitch about them, do something. But also read the story for what it is – the content. This why I do my proofing, not only for myself, but also for some writers who have asked for another set of eyes to pick up things. They can then adjust the story for themselves.

The Rev.

This is my take on this story for Vanessa's consideration.

'''Erica Olafson, Voyages of the Tigershark'''

by Vanessa Ravencroft

Copyright© 2019 by Vanessa Ravencroft

Foreword
The Year is 5024 (Old Terran Time). The Milky Way Galaxy is teeming with life and sentient species. Earth is now known as Terra and part of the United Stars of the Galaxies, a multicultural mega civilization that by now stretches across two-quarters of the Milky Way Galaxy and has a foothold in the Andromeda Galaxy. There are over 5030 distinctive member civilizations calling themselves members of the Union. The United Stars Space fleet protects this mega civilization against external threats.

Eric Olafson, born on a cold world called Nilfeheim raised under harsh conditions of a very traditional inward-looking society of Neo Vikings left his planet to fulfill his dream to become a Starship captain.

He had reached that goal much sooner than he expected and is now the commanding officer of a unique Starship, the USS Tigershark. The ship is state of the art and incorporates the finest technologies of the most advanced civilizations of the Union.

Eric used to be 198 cm tall and weigh almost exactly 90 kilos. He still has gray eyes and some say he moves with the same purpose and grace as a Tiger or Nubhir Wolf.

Eric, partially due to external circumstances and mainly due to his innermost desire is now Erica.

Like everyone from Nilfeheim she has a greater tolerance to freezing temperatures and is able to stay submerged under water for a very long time because of gills and eyes that are adapted to see well underwater thanks to a second set of clear eyelids. His muscles are denser than that of a standard human, allowing her to swim longer and deeper. Due to those abilities, she has great endurance and is much stronger than she looks.

She still loves fish, has a very clear sense of honor and hates unfair situations. Even though she doesn’t like to admit it, she carries the same short temper of her father and is more often than not ready to face a challenge with fists or weapons.

In the disguise of Black Velvet, a female pirate she and her crew have hunted pirates and solved the Seenian mystery.

Erica is a drop dead beautiful blonde (in human terms) with long legs, long hair, and a killer body

That Erica now lives as she secretly always desired, has done little to change her general approach to problems.

She is also no longer oblivious to the fact that there she is part of something very powerful and dark stirring deep inside her.

Together with her truly unusual crew she had added new members to her crew and to the Union; was responsible for turning a dangerous and powerful adversary into a new ally, solved ancient mysteries, secured the Seenian inheritance for the Union and brought back a huge starship.

Their first mission now officially over, the Tigershark damaged they are hoping for a new mission.

Prelude
The United Stars of the Galaxy commonly referred to simply as the Union is a multicultural society that started out, about three thousand years ago. It started with three human societies. The Sarans who acted and looked just like the ancient Egyptians that built the Pyramids; their rebellious sons that adopted ancient Rome as their role model and the humans of Earth, now commonly known as Terrans came together, united under common laws and goals in the year 2220.

The very next day the young Union received its first member, the amphibious non-human Ult.

Now 2804 standard years later, in the year 5024 (Old Terran Time), there are almost 5000 member societies, with representatives gathering in the majestic and impressive building known as the Assembly Sphere on the Unions central planet, Pluribus Unum.

Representatives and members from as far as the M32 galaxy met here either in person or tele-present via the marvelous Avatar technology to discuss all those issues and problems a huge mega society might have.

Individuals of the smallest Union species were no bigger than a corn of rice, while the biggest one, a sentient galactic nebula measured several light minutes across. There were beings that lived inside stars and had nobody, others looking like giant pizzas crawling over the super-dense metallic helium of a Jovian supergiant. The truly gigantic Bandrupo and the small fuzzy Holdians, the Pertharians coming from a planet where liquid magma was as common as water on a garden world, the beautiful Delicates from the distant Large Magellan cloud were just a few examples of the diversity of this mega society.

Only recently the mighty Nul, a former enemy had been welcomed into the Union. The representatives of several Downward societies had traveled to Pluribus to apply for membership.

Most surprisingly perhaps the request from the grumpy and xenophobic Yotenen, who expressed their thankfulness for Union intervention preventing the Kermac from retaliating.

All this was watched by the official Kermac observer and on a field screen while he was sitting in the company of several other Kermac inside the Kermac enclave on N’Ger. Union GalNet services had just recently been extended to this independent planet, due to the Golden who maintained a Trading post on N’Ger.

The GalNet terminal used by the Kermac was Union technology and rented from the Golden.

Neuachfunf, the lead wizard of this compound looked over to the long-range telepath, reclined in his sender seat and wondered how much the overstrained talent was able to send to Kermac Prime. Then he returned his attention to the crisp, real-time transmission from the far distant Union government planet.

“The Yotenen, the Dawn and now the representative of the Porsthir. With the Xandrao and the Golden down there, these cursed Union cretins gaining a substantial foothold in that region of the galaxy.

“He complained to no one in particular. I wonder how they did that, decades after decades they paid no attention to this region, while we prepared to expand this way. We lost those we wanted to assimilate for our needs and with the Union now active down there it will not be as easy to gain others.”

“It might have to do with the doomed project of High Wizard Seibsibac, who had been rewarded for his efforts by being tossed out of the High Wizard’s tower on Kermac Prime and if the reports are correct, by the hand of the Supreme Grand Wizard himself.

“One of the other Kermac said, also watching what was happening in the Assembly Dome.

Neuachfunf touched his artificial beard in an unconscious habit.

“It is known to very few and one must be careful, even mentioning Wizard Seibsibac is now considered subversive. Did he not set out to find that Celtest depot?”

“It is not Celtest, it is Seenian. The GalNet files have been updated on this subject. He might have set out to find it, but the Union has somehow managed to find what thousands have tried to find in vain before.”

“How do you come to this conclusion, Einsweifier?”

“Because of that!” The Kermac pointed on the screen. An unseen commentator spoke with unveiled awe and pride in his voice.

“... spatial Fleet is proud to announce the latest additions to our fleet. Nine Devastator class ships have been received from the hangars of the recently revealed USS Dominator.”

The Kermac said.

“Where do you think these monster ships come from, Stahl revealed just the other day?”

“Did he say hangars? There is a ship big enough to put nine Devastator ships in hangars?”

“Indeed he did. These ships alone are enough to wipe out all our fleets and none of our analysts can really wrap their minds around the dimensions and potential capabilities of the USS Dominator. According to our intelligence, they gave it under the direct command of the Eternal Warrior.”

“What word from the Grand Wizard?”

“All the Galactic Council is to be very careful not to agitate until the Call is answered.”

Almost 75,000 light years distant in the Spinward sector and on the surface of Carabis Green, the third planet in an only recently surveyed star system. Paula sat at the main table of the habitat module; Paula Curiosity was very proud of her very old Martian name. Her ancestors were among the very first colonists that came to the fourth planet of the Sol system.

Mars had been the very first planet humans colonized, true Luna came first, but Earth’s moon wasn’t a planet.

That Venus started its first colonies only a week later was insignificant of course, but not to Martians or Venusians even after almost three thousand years.

She was born less than a thousand meters from where her distant ancestors found the original Curiosity rover. This relic of the 21st was the reason the farm established nearby was called the Curiosity farm. The farm grew into a city and her family was only one of the many hundred with the same last name, but it still connected her with the distant past and gave her a sense of belonging.

She sipped her coffee and leaned forward to take a peek out the round viewport.

Beyond the viewport and the thick walls of this Union science habitat, a hellish environment of dark cracked and fissured volcanic rock and bright glowing magma flows.

The research outpost was located just five hundred meters distant to a cauldron of bubbling magma. This huge puddle of molten rock of was just one of many such volcanic craters dotting the entire surface of this planet.

This was planet Carabis Green. It had been discovered only five years ago by the UES Sorrom just past the fringes of established Union Space on this side of the galaxy and had been reported as a Class A Type one garden world with extensive forests and jungles, temperate climate and a biosphere compatible with most carbon-based NiOx breathers and no sentient life encountered.

Garden worlds of this character were rare gems and BoCA send an assessment team to confirm the findings and make a more detailed survey to clear the planet for colonization.

All they found was this hellish place.

At first, the Bureau of Colonist Affairs believed the survey branch of the Explorer corps made a mistake and perhaps reported the wrong coordinates, which would have been the very first such mistake in the Explorer Corps history.

A rare and beautiful garden world turned into a shattered world with a destabilized crust, magma-spewing lava craters, clouds of poisonous gas and a sky darkened by ash clouds in less than five years from its initial discovery to the arrival of the BoCA team.

Several checks on data and the local stars unique signature, however, confirmed that this indeed was Carabis Green.

There was no apparent reason or clear scientific explanation why this happened.

The BoCA assessment team filed their report declared the planet suitable for Takkians, Elor and mining operations, reclassified it as Class X and went on to the next planet.

Now, this would be pretty much the end of this story but the BoCA team reported the same drastic change on three other worlds in the same region of space.

This was no longer a mildly interesting anomaly but a pattern. Given that the same thing happened on worlds in different solar systems light years apart natural reasons could almost be ruled out.

The matter was set on high priority and the Science Council of the Assembly decided to task the Science Corps to have a closer look

It found 11 such worlds so far. Four of them were known to have indigenous sentient life, on pre-industrial tech levels. For this reason, contact had not been made.

Eleven garden worlds, destroyed within twenty years and an area of about 50 light years, reduced the possibility of natural causes to almost nil.

Paula turned away from the viewport and the hellish vista it provided and gave her attention to Grorr the Takkian who just entered the common room of the outpost.

“Good morning Paula, the silicone being squeezed in the trumpet-like voice all Takkians had in common.

“You are up early today.”

“I haven’t really been to bed. I was up all night analyzing the samples you and Krio collected.”

Grorr opened a storage locker and retrieved a shiny box and poured a handful of copper pellets into a bowl and said to her while he popped a few into his nourishment mouth.

“And what did you find? I mean spending all night on them you should know those specimen on a first name basis.”

“Very funny Grorr,” she said with a slightly sarcastic tone. She actually could hear the faint hissing sound as the Copper pellets dissolved in the strong acid soup in Grorr’s digestive tract and saw a puff of greenish smoke escape through his nourishment mouth as he popped a few more. She held up one of the specimens.

“The pieces contain Amphibole structures.”

“So? Components of my body do and so are many rock types like granite for example. Nothing unexpected near a volcano.”

“Indeed they are not, but their composition and arrangement is almost exactly like yours and also comparable to Takian and even similar to Lyharms.”

Grorr forgot to consume the next Copper pellet and came closer to look over the results of her analysis.

“You are right.”

“What made me spend all night, is me combining the pieces to reconstruct what the object looked like before it was broken.”

She activated a three-dimensional representation between them.

Grorr almost dropped its bowl.

“By the singing Conck, that looks almost like a Takk nodule, just a whole lot bigger and hollow like an egg.”

“I am sure there was something in that egg.”

Her Takkian friend and colleague said.

“Now, that you mention it, I have seen hundreds of these fragment on every site.”

== Chapter 1: Narth Prime ==

The USS Braddock swung into orbit around one of the most mysterious worlds in the entire Universe, Narth Prime.

She was the first Non-Narth vessel ever to do that in over 1000 years.

Captain Mike Anderson was very aware of that. No active scanning was done. He gave strict orders not to activate any probing rays or scanners other than the passive ones needed for space ship operations.

The planet was as unusual as its inhabitants and reputation. It had no visible surface features from space and looked basically like a giant eight ball, with the sun reflecting in the almost polished looking surface, it even had the white dot.

“It looks more like a space ship or something artificial!” His XO, an Insectoid Klack said.

The Captain nodded.

“It sure does. Have we been hailed yet?”

Just as he said it a deeply shrouded and hooded Narth appeared on the Bridge. And everyone aboard could hear him.

“Welcome to Narth Prime. Thank you for providing transport for our guests. They are here now and we will provide for their transport back to their destinations. You are welcome to remain in orbit, further services are however not required.”

He was gone as he had appeared, instantly.

The officer behind the OPS controls said.

“Captain, Olafson and his group are no longer aboard.”

He nodded.

“Set a course back to Narth Point Station, this planet gives me the creeps.

“Then he added. “Member species or not, Computronic why was no Intruder Alert raised?”

“Computronic active. No unauthorized life form has been registered.”

“Replay Bridge visual record and conversation. Time reference, Five minutes ago.”

“Replaying Bridge visuals, time index 09:43.”

He saw himself and the bridge crew react to the sudden appearance but nothing was there and no sound.”

His XO said.

“It only happened in our minds, Captain. That Narth was never here.”

“What the hell? Leave orbit maximum acceleration. Captain Olafson’s group was just as creepy as that planet.”

Lt. Lombardi, his tactical officer turned. “But she was sure a sight, that Captain I mean. Long blonde hair, perfect body. Just right around the chest. if you know what I mean.”

“I know what you mean, Lieutenant. You guys from Nuevo Roma are all the same. But trust me, you would not like to get into something with that Captain.”

“Why not? She might enjoy a real man from Nuevo Roma.”

“She is engaged with that other blonde looker of the group.”

“Oh...”

One moment I was aboard the USS Braddock and the next I stood on an endless, smooth surface, extending featureless into all directions.

It was the most alien place I had seen so far. Not for unusual and bizarre sights and things but for the total lack of anything.

Mao had his fists stemmed to his sides.

“Aha, that’s how a busy Narth recreation area looks like. More on the minimalistic side I would say.”

Shea knelt down and felt the ground.

“It feels smooth. I wish I had my scanner with me.”

“At least sightseeing won’t take long on this world.

“Har-Hi grunted, “You’re done seeing it all in five seconds.”

Narth said. “It does perhaps appear that way, but we adjust the surface as we need it.”

He raised a hand and part of the surface became liquid and a house rose from the ground, complete with garden, trees and a Speeder in the driveway. Far behind a Mountain range suddenly shot into the ground, forests and a river. Then it all returned to the smooth surface. The next thing we stood on a big rock and all around us a huge ocean. A Tyranno Fin broke the surface chasing after a Rock Shark.

Shea was the first that spoke. “Just like a Virtu-Sim.”

Narth responded. “Not quite, this is not hard light, no sensory trickery. It is matter transformation and the Ocean is quite real, as well as the rock. Our Janus device works on the same principle just on a much smaller scale.”

Har-Hi said.

“Amazing and frightening at the same time.”

“Nothing here should be frightening to you. You are the first guests on Narth that are fully and completely welcome by all Narth. Any of you may come here at any time and as long as you wish. This place has seen only three visitors before you.”

Har-Hi made a gesture across the now smooth featureless horizon.

“I get the feeling you mean three visitors since this all exists, right?”

“Quite so.”

Shea said.

“Where is everyone? Where are the other Narth? Are we too early?”

“No Shea we are all here.”

I turned.

“Narth, we are here. We are your friends and you know us, so you know we don’t understand. Are the others invisible or perhaps only here in spirit or something like that?”

“I know Eric, you are my best friends. This is why you are here, we still try to find a way to make you see Narth for what we are.”

Out of the ground, a seat group appeared, a nice comfortable apartment with wooden walls a fireplace made of heavy rocks with a nice fire. It was decorated with furs, pottery, and artwork. It smelled of fire and fresh coffee. From the windows, you could see over a beautiful mountain lake surrounded by deep green forests and mountains.

Har-Hi looked around.

“What is this?”

“That is a Narth’s home as it is on Earth in the Colorado region.

“He said and offered us to sit down.

After we were served drinks out of bottles and containers that had simply appeared. Beer, coffee, and a bottle of the finest Line Aquavit. Narth himself played the host and filled glasses and cups and sat down himself.

“We Narth are many and we are one. Sitting here with you I am all Narth. Every Narth everywhere sees, feels and tastes what the form before you experiences. One Narth lives on Earth and this is his house. Many million Narth like this home and choose to be Narth there. Still, all you see is one form. But only here on Narth Prime, I am Narth and the sum of it all is Narth Supreme. I am now with all and as the one of all Narth, I am more. I am not the friend you know, but the Narth who shared his Hugavh with Eric is here and part of what is Narth Supreme.

One begins to understand how complicated this must be for corporeal beings to understand. We are not like the Klack and not like the Non-Corporeals of Bright Star, but the Camogi clusters understand. Only when we leave Narth Prime do we have physical bodies.

Eric is the only being who has ever seen an unmasked Narth. It is not to hide, these hoods are made of a special physical solid energy that protects you from our Psionic radiation. We are seen as powerful and this frightens others, but there are forces out there much more potent than us. Some of them could be called gods by lesser beings. Some are good, some are evil and some are beyond such mortal ethical concepts. Please do not think Narth are superior to you. We are not, we are simply different.

The Narth you know is very much an individual when he is with you away from Narth. He can be wounded and he can die. Something we did not know until Eric saved the Hugavh.”

Narth does not know what happens to a Narth Hugavh when it dies. Does it cease to exist on all levels or does it transmute into another realm?

There are especially Terran religious and philosophical approaches to this subject wisdom we find quite interesting quite new and is a source of awe. No other species we know off in the Universe we know of has developed so many ideas about Gods, so many different philosophic ideas about life and death and life thereafter. We believe that perhaps in the sum of all these might lay the answer.

This I say to show you that you are as fascinating, alien and hard to understand that we might appear to you.

Narth has never learned as much since your friend Narth is with you.

On the core of it all is your deep love and friendship that includes the willingness to accept pain and death without hesitation. This was alien to us and yet we all experienced it through Narth and feel enriched by it beyond description.

Narth learning about humor and sadness, about loss and sacrifice and about the one thing that even goes beyond friendship, gave us emotional treasures we had long forgotten.

This is why you are here, you are all our friends. You are my friends and this world will always be a safe haven for you.”

He stopped talking and we all sat there, and I was sure I would need the rest of my life to really understand even a fraction of what he said.

After a few moments of silence, the Narth Supreme spoke again.

“Erica you must return here, once you have completed your many tasks. Your mind has been woken and your abilities will grow, we then must show you how to use your abilities, so you might not harm others unintentionally. You will know the time when you are ready to come back here, you are not ready now.”

I was certain I was the only one hearing it. The Narth Supreme got up.

“You are now to enjoy your vacation before your presence is required at Arsenal IV. When you see Narth again, he will be the Narth you know.

You can stay here or I can send you anywhere you like. Shea said.

“Para-Para would be nice if someone would ask me.”

We had traveled more than 1200 light-years in less than a heartbeat and found ourselves on a beautiful white beach, next to an ocean.

Narth was with us and I asked.

“So is this you again?”

“I was never not me, my friend. I merely added my substance to who is the Narth Supreme”

Shea said. “I am supposed to be very intelligent and I feel I know now even less as before.”

Har-Hi held his head. “Lucky you. I understood nothing and still feel like I spent 20 hours under Mental Upload without a break.”

Narth sounded concerned. “I am sure the Narth Supreme did not want to cause you any harm.”

Har-Hi grinned. “He didn’t cause any harm. It’s just a side effect we mere mortals get when meeting a god.”

“Narth Supreme is not a God.”

“But I bet he isn’t too far removed from that designation either. He fits that general idea pretty good, I’d say.”

I said. Well, may it as it be. We only got six months leave. I need to go to Nilfeheim and you all need to touch bases at home and there is an ocean and I need a swim.”

Har-Hi said. “Well, a week in the sun and some lazy days won’t hurt a bit. After that, I think I’ll visit my father.”

“At least you won’t get a sunburn, you are already lobster red!” I said with a grin and Har-Hi got me in a running tackle. Har-Hi and I untangled and he said.

“I wonder if our robed mystery friend would get a sunburn?”

“Probably not but let’s find out if he can swim.”

PLURIBUS UNUM
Flocks of Sky Tumblers swirled high in the cloudless blue sky as a sleek black lux flyer swooped down almost without making a sound and stopped right at the front of Magellan Gate.

The flier-limo had the logo of the Union Fleet on its side panels and a small red flag projected above its roof with a circle of five stars, surrounding one more star in its center.

The flag indicated that the passenger of this flier was occupied by the only six-star admiral of the Union, the Admiral of the Fleet.

A massive Nul in marine dress uniform jumped out from the pilot’s compartment and opened the rear door of the Rolls-Stratos for an old human man wearing a red tartan kilt, white socks, and polished shoes. The old man thanked the Marine.

“Thank you Corporal Xurr. If you want you can take the day off. I will be busy there for a while.”

“Sir I just started my shift. I doubt Captain Morgan would approve.”

“Corporal I am sure whoever Captain Morgan is won’t object if the Admiral of the Fleet grants you a day off.”

“You make a valid point Sir.”

McElligott smiled at two boys, not too far distant who had stopped their hover cycles and stared at the Nul in awe.

“I guess I am not the only one still in disbelieve to see a Nul in Marine Blue.”

“I am one of the very first, but by judging the 500 Million applications made just today, I wager this won’t be a novel site for very long.”

“No, it won’t indeed. I am very pleased how fast and smooth it all proceeds.”

“We were enemies, but we Nul never hated and always respected the Union. Thanks to Prince Xon and his friendship to a human we learned we can trust you too.”

The Admiral said. “One day that humans name must be revealed. We owe him that.”

He approached the gate. “Corporal we are on Pluribus Unum. You are now also a citizen. There are many things to see.”

“Admiral Sir, I planned for days what I will do and see ever since I was attached to your security detail and knew I would visit Pluribus. There is one thing, I simply must see.”

The Admiral got curious and turned around all the way.

“Visiting your society’s pavilion?”

“Why would I do that, Sir? I know everything that is to know about Nul culture.”

“The Assembly of course.”

“Yes, but that is not on top of my list, Sir”

“Corporal Xurr now I simply must now. What is it you want to see?”

“Stahl’s tree of course. I want to get a framed leaf.”

McElligott raised both his hands.

“You got to be kidding me!”

“Sir, Nuls never kid. Someone could be offended. It is never good to offend a Nul not even if you are a Nul or a Pertharian, besides I am a Marine and we never make jokes about the Eternal Warrior.”

McElligott sighed.

“500 Million Nul in just one day and they all going to worship him ... even a saint could get jealous at that.”

“Sir?”

“Never mind. Enjoy your day off.”

He had lost the good mood he had as he strolled past the gate, decided against the slideway as he still had time before his monthly meeting started.

Most beings ignored him. Now if it was Stahl who would stroll down this Magellan path, half of Pluribus Unum would come, crowds many rows deep cheering ... he dismissed his own thoughts. Of course, the Eternal Warrior earned it, every single cheer. Neither Stahl nor he did all this for glory. Richard never showboated.

When the Citizen wanted to honor him, a huge majority voted to build him a statue. He objected and told them to spend the funds on something useful.

They told him they already decided so he said.

“Plant a tree or something.”

It was something like a law of the Universe, no matter what this other Admiral did or said. It always turned into something larger than life. They flew in a single acorn from Earth and his tree grew in the last thousand years or so into the biggest Oak anyone had ever seen, and in a way was perhaps the most fitting memorial.

That every installation of the Union fleet had mustard yellow carpet had its real origin in an actual mustard stain made by Stahl. Everything he did...

A young girl stepped in his way and interrupted his musing. She was of Saran stock, he was almost certain, even if the human species now were truly intermingled. She could be no older than maybe sixteen. She wore a tartan pattern mini skirt and a black top that hugged her pretty shape in a very becoming way. He instantly noticed the Tartan pattern to be that of the McElligott’s.

“I am sorry Sir, but are you not Admiral McElligott?”

He smiled and said.

“And who wants to know?”

He asked that most of course for the benefit of the two or three cloaked marines on security detail. It was a safe planet and he had no serious political enemies as far as he knew.

But no one in a position like his was without enemies.

Of course, there were Kermac and a host of other non-Union societies who now were more than nervous as the Nul, the Golden and perhaps the Karthanians soon were allies and members.

She said.

“I am Petra Epoteth of Luxor. I am studying early Union history and Sir, you are my hero. I am on Pluribus to do research on my term paper. What chances, I would have the luck to run into you!”

Now he really tried not to be vain, but because of the corporal, his own thoughts earlier he could have hugged the girl.

“Yes, I am McElligott.”

“Can I, I mean if it is not too much to ask, but can I take an image with you. Otherwise, no one will ever believe me.”

Of course, he agreed and she detached the tiny hover-cam from her PDD by commanding the robotic device to go into paparazzi mode.

A small crowd gathered and everyone wanted a few images with him. His dignity demanded that he had to end this but he felt suddenly right as rain.

To the young woman, he said.

“If you want you can visit me tomorrow at Pluribus Fleet HQ and I take an hour or two to give you an eyewitnesses account on some events you may be interested in?”

He never ceased to be amazed just how knowledgeable and engaged people of this age were. He remembered as if was yesterday when people took every right for granted, disinterested in politics and unwilling to do their part. His own son many thousand years dead by now could not even name the Prime Minister or knew what the party stood for he represented.

The idea behind the United Stars, the concept had grown into a reality. It was not a perfect utopia, but there was a good chance it would eventually reach that lofty ultimate goal. The realization that he had been part of that filled him with a warm feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

He told them finally that he had to go to a meeting, waved to now a sizable crowd. As he went on to get to the Assembly, someone yelled.

“Thank you, Admiral.”

The crowd spontaneously start clapping.

Affected by strong emotions making him feel very human and he was still deep in thought as he passed through the huge Burke doors in the North face of the Assembly Equator base.

A being deeply shrouded, arms crossed and buried in the long voluminous sleeves of his hooded robe waited for him. Outward there was nothing that distinguished this uncanny figure from any other Narth, but McElligott knew this was the Narth Supreme. Officially he was the leader of the most secretive, mysterious civilization, and technically nothing more than a Union citizen.

He held, at least as far as the public knew no position, he did not even represent the Narth. Yet to the vast majority of the Union he was almost like a fatherly god. While the Narth Supreme often and firmly rejected that notion even McElligott could not completely dismiss his feeling regarding it.

The Narth Supreme declined his hooded gracefully.

“I see your deeds are not as unappreciated as you think they are.”

“I guess I am still human and motivated by foolish human emotions, much more than I realized.”

“There is nothing foolish about human emotions. We Narth have abandoned them so long ago and yet through the young Narth we realized how much we have lost. In this, humans are far superior to us. Do you know it will be emotions not logic or power that will ultimately decide the fate of this universe?”

“I take whatever you say to the bank. Even if have no idea what you trying to tell me.”

“Then we share this sentiment. I do not understand in its entirety what the Voice of the Rule disclosed to me. Further, I am intrigued what can be accomplished by taking my word to the bank. Is it not a place dedicated to conducting monetary transactions?”

McElligott could not help but laugh.

“I tried to indicate how much value I place in your words.”

“You possess knowledge I lack. I did not know you could equate the value of words with monetary values? How much would the word ‘Assembly’ be worth if I utter it?

Is there a difference in value to the written word? How long does a word retain its value? What a fascinating concept!”

In this, the Narth Supreme was not very different from any other Narth and McElligott tried to explain it. No, the Narth Supreme was not a god.

A very wise, very old entity with vast powers indeed, but not perfect or omnipotent. This made McElligott much more comfortable around the Narth Supreme.

The Narth Supreme had listened to the explanation and signaled to understand.

“To comprehend the actual meaning of all the sayings, metaphors, witticism and idioms you use so frequently will keep all Narth occupied for a millennium or more.”

The Commandant of the PSI Corps, and oldest of the Coven. A small member society in many ways as mysterious as the Narth joined them, with a smile. She was the fiancée of Richard Stahl, proudly wore the simple golden engagement ring band.”

“Good morning Admiral and greetings to you Narth Supreme. I am surprised to see you so early. Normally you only appear when the meeting is about to start!.”

The Narth Supreme greeted her as well with a nod and said.

“I wanted to savor the culinary offerings of our latest member society. The Porsthir have completed their application process quite fast, they are a very orderly society and were officially welcome yesterday.”

McElligott said. “That was the reason I came early.

“I wanted to welcome the Porsthir Rep and try their food. They say it is consumable by humans.”

“O’Brock what they call Glokur tastes like Attikan Zinol meat mixed with rotten fish. I doubt it stays long enough in your stomach to be digested.”

The PSI commandant laughed.

The Narth Supreme repeated.

“Rotten fish? I think a description of its molecular composition sufficient.”

Both Alycia and O’Brock were quite surprised by the usual very adventurous Narth when it came to sampling and analyzing new flavors and tastes.

The Narth Supreme said. “We do have noses under these hoods you know, we recreated them to sample and process olfactory conditions. I was invited by Egill and the Narth Representative to a banquet on Nilfeheim. Unfortunately, they also served a delicacy praised by the Neo Vikings, called Surströmming. To this day I am unable to decide what smells more offensive. Pulse Stink Maggots of the Elly or fermented rotten Silver Flicker of Nilfeheim. I am not eager to add a third such experience.”

Alycia listened totally baffled to the quite unexpected statement of the usually so detached Narth Supreme. She was certain she even detected a hint of very human disgust in his voice.”

“I threw up as the Elly introduced their Stink Pulse Maggots.” McElligott shared.

“I heard of Surströmming as it had been a Swedish or Norwegian specialty in Pre Astro times. I am now very glad I never tried it.

“Are you still going to meet with the Porsthir rep?” Alycia wanted to know.

“Maybe later when the culinary introduction has taken place, we might as well get the meeting started. I am sure Mothermachine is already there.”

It now was quite common to see Narth, most, of course, weren’t really Narth but humanoids who dressed in the same way. Either to pay homage and respect or to emulate the same flair of mystery. Their glowing eyes, however, was created by normal lights and not the Psionic glow, real Narth emitted.

There were Narth fan clubs and a company did good business selling Narth robes.

And the outer Equator corridor of the Sphere always had a dignified atmosphere. No one really yelled, ran or made a spectacle. While there were no actual rules to this effect, the realization that this was the most important place of the Union usually had a very dampening effect on most beings that came here.

That everything spoken behind these curved walls could be heard by Trillions of beings, that it was where the Will of the people became law was awe inspiring.

Alycia said. “I think you have been recognized Narth Supreme, there is a group of young people staring your way in breathless awe.”

“That group of young citizens focus is on the Admiral. They have talked to him outside and apparently followed him inside.”

O’Brock turned and recognized the Saran girl clutching her PDD among the group of onlookers. He smiled proudly.

“I can’t deny it feels good to step out of your future husband’s shadow once in a millennium and be recognized. Despite the realization of how childish and immature this really is.”

Alycia protested. “In all his life, Richard has never done anything for the glory of it. There is only one motivation that drives him.

“He dearly loves me, but if he knew some of the things we discussed and decided on. He would not hesitate a second...”

“I know Alycia, never tell him that, but there is no one I admire more.”

She said. “Since we decided not to sample Porsthir fare, why don’t you invite her over. Her name is Petra Epoteth and she visits Pluribus Unum for research on her term paper.”

He looked at her. “Yes, she told me that, but how do you know?”

“I did not deeply probe her honesty, but I am also the PSI Corps commandant and my officers crowd scan every visitor, it’s no secret. Warning signs on the entrances inform non-Assembly members that they are subject to random scans and searches.

Besides she even wears the same skirt as you, quite obviously a homage.”

He motioned the girl over and said to Alycia. “It’s a kilt, not a skirt!”

Narth Supreme observed the kilt closer.

“According to the Encyclopedia Galactica, it is a type of skirt, traditionally associated with the dress of Highlanders. The kilt first appeared as the great kilt, the breacan or belted plaid, during the 16th century OTT, and is Gaelic in origin. The filleadh mhòr or great kilt was a full-length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak draped over the shoulder...”

McElligott interrupted the Narth Supreme. “Now I am getting schooled by an Alien on Scottish culture. Semantics I say, it is a kilt!”

The young woman was now close enough.

“Sorry to have followed you, sir.”

“No worries young lady. I need to attend a meeting, but this afternoon you come to Pluribus Fleet headquarters and I will help you with your term paper as promised.”

“You were really serious, Sir?”

“Yes, I was.”

A young man who belonged to the same group yelled.

“Have you asked him?”

She turned.

“I almost forgot, Sir. We were following you hoping you might talk to the Eternal Warrior and we were wondering if you know when the Eternal Warrior is supposed to be here?”

A Yoltar walking by said as he kept walking.

“Silly question, if Admiral Stahl is here, you can’t get a decent standing spot.”

The young woman returned all excited to her friends and McElligott with a deep frown on his face and Alycia who put her arm around his shoulders followed the Narth Supreme into the lift. Alycia told the system.

“Apex Hall, Upper Tier.”

The Apex Hall was at the very top of the Assembly sphere. Sandwiched between the ceiling of the inner sphere and the roof of the outer sphere, it was an enormous room with a transparent floor allowing visitors and guests to see down into the cavernous Assembly sphere. It was usually used for conferences and similar occasions. Its upper tier featured a number of smaller meeting rooms.

In one such room was the usual meeting of the Union’s most secretive and most powerful group and the latest meeting was just about to start.

There was no apparent security, no marines or the Assembly’s First guard, but no lift would carry anyone to the second tier, an army of the most advanced battle nanites had swept the premises for bugs and listening devices and would swarm over anyone trying to approach unannounced.

Whatever technology the Narth had installed not one of the others really understood, but it was certainly not even Stahl or that super potent Rex Schwartz had any means to their disposal to listen in. Not that anyone but the present knew about the when and where of such meetings.

McElligott walking behind Alycia and the Narth Supreme was the last one; the other members of the Gray Ghosts were already here.

Everyone present wore a dark gray hooded robe obscuring the identity of the persons present, McElligott and Alycia had put on their robes just before entering. The Narth’s robe had simply changed color and appearance.

Even though they were all obscured, McElligott knew all eleven beings of the Gray Ghosts.

The robes and obscuring hoods were originally intended to homogenize them, to make them equal and of course to prevent any outsider to recognize any of the individuals should someone somehow manage to infiltrate the meeting. They also wore the robes during the First Day of the New Year when the Gray Ghosts appeared before the Assembly.

This group called the Gray Ghosts was the strangest and most unique secret of the Union. A secret every citizen knew about and yet it was kept more protected than any other.

While the identity of these beings was part of the secrecy, the Union public simply suspected that the Narth Supreme was a member and no one would be surprised about the identities of the rest.

Yet the unexplainable, but a very real condition known as the Union Spirit guarded their existence more securely than any other security measure.

You could have asked any citizen on the street about the Gray Ghosts and would not get an answer. Asking a second time would cause an angry reaction. This was not mandated, psionic induced or made into a law. It was not even mentioned in Union School, but citizens knew about the Ghosts.

McElligott found an empty chair and sat down.

Nelson II was present as well; its Ego Core hovered as a visible ball of light above the table. The Union’s most intelligent and capable Omnitronic AI was not a member but acted as host and facilitator.

Even a cloak and a hood could not really disguise that one of the beings was a Klack. Of course, that it was the Queen was known only to the beings present.

There were no set rules as for how these meetings were held, no one kept notes, there wasn’t a preset agenda.

Nelson said.

“All are present and the room is secure.”

One of the ghosts, the shrouded mobile ego center of Mothermachine begun.

“So they have returned, I hear.”

McElligott nodded.

“Indeed they have completed the mission in a way no one, not even all of us could have predicted. Captain Erica has found the Seenian inheritance and instructed its robotic guardian to seal and guard it.”

“A wise decision, it will keep the dangerous hands of the Tribunal and those who want Union supremacy via military power away from it, just as we managed to keep them from the Arsenal III depot.

“It was most likely One-Zero-Zero-Zero, the undisputed leader of the Non-Corps.

The great bulk underneath its robe unmasked the latest member of the Grey Ghosts, the grey All Leader of the Nul.

“But they also gifted us with the library of the Fifth, I am certain it holds as much dangerous knowledge as the Seenian depot. We have scholars and archaeologists there for less than a month and they already found construction instructions for weapons as dangerous and advanced as Translocators.”

Alycia agreed and nodded her hooded head.

“I have the same information of course and ordered the library to be under the auspice of NAVINT and the CLOAK group. We should be able to keep a lid on it and make the system secure and inaccessible to anyone unauthorized.”

Elligott steepled his fingers.

“The question I have is this. We have a crew that is second to none and the Tigershark is soon space worthy again. Do we send them across the bridge and tackle the problems we have in the Andromeda Galaxy or do we keep them here and make them officially fleet?”

Alycia said.

“Andromeda can wait in my opinion. There is the Dai problem and if anyone can tackle it, is them.”

Mothermachine said.

“Why not send them back into Free and Open space, disguised as pirates once again. Tell them to reach some distant point and all we have to do is wait. They going to solve problems we didn’t even know we had.”

That caused several beings to laugh.

“That might be the most brilliant suggestion. There are still lots of pirates.”

Chapter 2: Home
As I stepped off the space-bus, a stiff breeze of wind howled over the landing field. The last time I left, it was still Longnight and winter had a hard grip on the planet of Nilfeheim. While it was still Longnight, for fourteen more months, the planet was already thawing and Shortsummer was soon upon this world. I filled my lungs deeply with the cold crisp air that carried the scents of Soak stone and Kelp brick fires, but also the savory smell of fried fish and Fangsnapper.

I knew I was no longer really home here, but the Neo Viking soul in myself was deeply satisfied.

I steeled myself as I stepped on the slide belt that would carry me to the spaceport terminal, I was no longer Eric and decided to remain as I know was, Erica.

Yet of all challenges and monsters I had faced recently, this was the most frightening one.

The Viking at the checkpoint wore Space Port Authority Uniform and a Border guard patch on his sleeve. It was and always has been practice to check the CITI of everyone landing on a Union planet.

To my mild surprise, it was the same officer that checked my CITI over three years ago, during my first return.

The big man in Union-Customs uniform, braided beard and hair glanced at his readout as I passed my ID implant under the reader.

“Erica Olafson?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“The CITI checks out, it must be some coincidence. We have an Olafson Clan here and it is a very prominent one. Its heir and first born, Eric Olafson and he too is off planet.”

His face stayed puzzled as he checked his readout.

“Your CITI shows you as a native of Nilfeheim.”

“I think you are going beyond your task and duty, Master Leik of the Stavanger Clan. Either let me pass or point to the issues that make you prevent me coming home.”

He did let me pass and I could feel his eyes on me as I entered the terminal building. Should I have told him who I was? Should I really go home like this? I could take the same bus and leave. My change was quite deep and there was no Saresii level auto dresser anywhere within the next 5000 light years for sure.

No, I made my decision. This was my home and I would take my stand, damn them all.

I was not going to stay long anyway. Shea wanted to introduce me to her parents and I promised Har-Hi to speak with his father as well. Yes, this was my birth home but my family was not just here anymore. I found one aboard my ship, one I cared for and one that cared for me.

I was wearing my Union fleet uniform, my sleeves showed Captain’s gold. I was not just an officer, I was a Union starship captain. There should be no situation I was not capable of handling.

This time, I did call before I came and sure enough, my beautiful sister was right there waiting for me.

She knew my secret that was now in the open and difficult to hide.

Elena had no inhibitions; she shouldered herself past others apparently also waiting for arrivals and simply took me in her arm.

“Welcome home, Freya.”

“It is good to be home, Elena. But I do not use the name of my unborn sister anymore. I am Erica.”

She held me at arm’s length.

“Odin’s wife must have had a hand in your transformation; however, you are absolutely stunning.”

“So are you, sister. I agree with Egill, you have become the most beautiful woman of Nilfeheim.”

She wore her red leathers, a billowing cape with white fur trim. Yet she carried a sword and two knives in her belt. This indicated to me, some things were changing on Nilfeheim.

I had met Elena right here at the spaceport just a few years back. When I first had a chance to explore my female side and she, holding a steel sword in secret.

I sighed.

“What do you think? Am I doing the right thing?”

“Of course. There is nothing in the book of traditions regarding this and if it isn’t there it is not forbidden.”

She turned and made a wide gesture.

“Besides they are all here.”

Beyond the passenger barrier, the crowd of people waiting wasn’t just a crowd. It was my clan. The hulking shape of Isegrim, only dwarfed by his brother Uncle Hogun. Exa the adoptive girl had grown to a good looking lanky teenage girl. Aunt Freydis holding a small child was smiling.

There was tall Sigfrieda, who as always looked like a real Valkyrie had her hands on her hips and she too was smirking in a friendly manner.

Even Greifen and Midril were there, but the biggest surprise was Egill, a statuesque Saresii and a Narth.

Father’s gaze was unreadable as he stared at me.

“Welcome home, First Born.”

“It is good to be home, although I will not spend much time on our beautiful cold world. I have not come to claim my rights.”

“Come then, this is not the venue to greet and welcome anyone. Let us return to the Rock, Midril has not stopped working and preparing food since Elena told us you are coming home, twelve days ago.”

“I came on the fastest route; our planet is still not served by clippers.”

Egill grunted.

“You are just too tight and stubborn to pay for a charter or buy your own damn ship. I know you have the money.”

“And you have probably hitched a ride with the Saresii, too cheap to buy even a Space Bus ticket.”

His smile only reached his eyes as he hugged me.

“I am so proud of you. So very proud.”

He looked towards the Saresii and the Narth.

“Alegar, Narth. This is Erica.”

I instantly knew this was not my friend, but another Narth.

The Saresii was a typical exotic beauty of that society and smiled.

“Your grumpy great-grandfather has told us quite a bit about you. I also see you are a Union Fleet Captain, congratulations indeed.”

The shrouded Narth’s eyes glowed in a warm yellow.

“One is very pleased to behold you in person. One was able to share with your Hugavh sharer. All that is Narth celebrates this magnificent bond.”

I sent him non-spoken greetings and curtsied.

I also thanked the Saresii and then I said.

“I expected much more difficulties I must confess.”

Egill grunted.

“Oh don’t you think most of Nilfeheim will understand, but they are getting used to Alegar and I and a few gifted friends smoothened things using gentle persuasion. They are still as stubborn and almost as inflexible as when you have left.”

Alegar the Saresii smiled.

“Just a little honestly and besides it does help that you are about as beautiful as a woman can be. Looks still count for a lot.”

I sighed and smiled.

“I realize that.”

It was not without awkward moments; Father was friendly and polite but treated me like a stranger. Not that I minded, he carried unatonable sins and the blood of my mother was on his hands. It was the others, Greifen and Midril, the other warriors that were not certain how to act or react.

I myself was not as confident as I had grown to be out there.

It started with the challenge what to wear, a traditional Nilfeheim dress with braids or my warrior leathers that no longer really fit my new body.

Elena, never shy around me came into my chambers giggled and laughed and then presented me with a beautiful warriors outfit made of the softest black Nubhir leather, styled both very feminine and yet very practical and with a cape that bore the Olafson wolf’s head.

It still was a much-subdued affair, despite the good food and drink.

The next day, however, after donning a wet suit and slipping through the submarine tunnel into the open ocean all my doubts and insecurities washed away in the crisp cold waters of Nilfeheim and I felt free and one with my world. While I was gliding through the ice cold depths a warm white glow appeared deep below and a voice spoke in my mind, despite all my psionic shields.

“I should still sleep and I should not reveal myself to you, but you wear the ring and it would have guided you to the other things without err.”

The voice melted away all the veils and blocks that prevented me from remembering.

“Tyr!”

I swam as fast as I could towards the whitish shimmer that merged into the outlines of the largest Tyranno Fin there was, this terrifying creature of Nilfeheim depths was my friend, the white Tyranno Tyr.

He was so humongous, I always felt like a Silver Flicker fish next to him, his maw big enough to crush a hunting sub held no horror to me. I swam right by it and its rows of teeth, just past the huge eye that directly looked at me, with outstretched arms I connected with the yellowish mark right behind the eye.

“Oh Tyr, with you there everything always seems less complicated. I really missed you even though you robbed me of your memory.”

“I spend much time sleeping, but I missed you very much little fish. I could not stay away and hidden while you came to our world. Disregarding all wisdom and precautions, I’m supposed to have.”

“In remembering, Tyr. I remembered it all. No longer am I oblivious that there is something inside me. Something that is very much part of me, but I have also decided that it cannot define me. Whatever I am to be in the future, will not be predetermined by old contracts or legends.

“I met several so-called entities and immortals and they all predict this and that for me. I was and I am still somewhat afraid of it, but it is I who will shape whatever I become and no one else.”

I kept on touching the yellow spot.

“I know you know more of what I am supposed to become, I rather remember you and not some prophetic what if maybe things of a far distant future. So don’t tell me and you won’t have to wipe my memories.”

“No force I know can affect your mind anymore, but I see wisdom has grown in you. I will not speak of these things to come, however, I am guarding aspects of that of your future. You have already realized that you have outgrown this world, you can come back but it will never be your home again.”

“But it is my home, and it is Egill’s, Elena’s and it is yours.”

“It has ceased to be that of Egill, he has become a true Union citizen and spends more time on Pluribus than here. He is friends with the Saresii and the Narth, speaks with Mothermachine and the Klack Queen very frequently. Like you, he will never return to this world seeking his home here.

Once my task is over, I might see Narth Prime and leave these cold oceans too. I am like you, I look and act like a child of this world. Neither one of us can ever deny our roots to Nilfeheim, but we do not fit in. No other Tyranno is like me, and no other Neo Viking is like you.”

He paused just long enough for me to realize the truth in his words. Defeated I said. “I love this world and I love its oceans.”

“I do too, and one’s love does not die with distance, it gives it a new perspective. You can always come back.”

“This is farewell isn’t it?”

“In a way yes, if you ever come back here. You won’t find me, the ring you wear will guide you and that what grows in you will take what is yours alone. When this happens I cannot be here, but we will meet again I am certain.”

A strong invisible force gently pressed me tighter to the giant fish.

“I love you very much, little fish and only a little time will keep us apart.”

“I love you too, Tyr. You are the only one I never have to pretend anything and always can be me.”

“Your friend Narth and the Narth Supreme know much and eventually will know it all as well.”

“You know it all?”

“Yes, little fish. I do, remember your words of wisdom. Do not ask, the questions you have are already answered, you just have to wait for the time the answers are revealed to you and you have the ability to understand.”

Five days later I had visited the Halls of Hasvik, made a detailed tour of our remodeled burg, visited mother’s and Freya’s graves; I was ready to leave. Har-Hi had sent me a note with the urgent request to meet him at Dai-Nest, whatever that was.

Tar-Ka-Hi his father was sending a fast Dai ship to pick me up. It would be here early the next day.

Elana and I had been to Hogun’s for lunch and now slowly walked down Siegfried Lane, that was now officially called Erik Gustav Ragnarsson Lane, but most still called it the Siegfried Lane.

We had been to the Astrid Mossberg Park, where my old Poseidon Sub was encased in transparent Duranium. This part of Halstaad Fjord was the closest thing we had for a downtown business district.

Not far from where we were was the community center, where I met a Union Fleet recruiter and made my decision to join the Union Fleet. A little further down was Arthur’s Swine and Dine. Across the street a new gleaming Fast Food restaurant. Its color scheme was red and black, was called the Hungry Viking and from the sizeable lunch crowd, it seemed quite popular.

Elena grinned in an elfish way.

“This is the flagship restaurant so to speak, we going to open number twenty in a few days on Twilight.”

“We?”

“I decided to take a page out of your Grandfather’s book. We are selling traditional Viking food with a modern twist.”

“And it is an Olafson venture?”

“It is and you are in charge as soon as you come back for good.”

“Elena, I am not coming back for good. Nilfeheim will always be my place of origin, but it has ceased to be my home. The Clan is in good hands with you and I am proud as can be of my savvy and beautiful sister. My home is out there.”

She made a sad face.

“I somehow knew that when you left for the first time, but you will always be the firstborn.”

“Look at me, I am no longer male and I doubt I will ever go back. I am comfortable as I am, as much as they try, a freak in their eyes. I know Nilfeheim and I know how they, how we all think.”

“The Burg is always your home and I am so very proud of my new sister, I was the first one who got to know your true self after all.”

The Dai ship didn’t seem to belong on the landing field of Nilfeheim where usually only space buses and freighters occupied the Durocrete surface.

It was red of course and looked sleek, fast and dangerous.

But not as dangerous as the man standing before it’s boarding ramp, the tall Dai Warrior with a pair of swords carried in a cross-shaped rig on his back. He tried to be dignified and aloft as a Dai was supposed to be, but he grinned all over his face as he saw me coming.

“Your world is sure a cold one, Captain. I am standing out here for five minutes and I think my feet are frozen to the ground.”

“Come back in a year or so and it will be balmy and cozy for sure, Mr. Hi.”

We simply hugged, not that even a month had passed since we left Para-Para.

I made a gesture encompassing the terminal and the world behind.

“Ready to see my home, old friend? I have a banquet prepared for your honors.”

“Yes, I would love to do this as we planned, but father just messaged me to hurry, it is about Thana Shoo and Cam Elf-Na. The next meeting at Thana Shoo is soon.”

“Then let me shed my Nilfeheim garments, and let us get some vacuum under that ride of yours, what is it?”

“It is the Dai version of a Courier ship, and it is mine.”

Another Dai warrior came down the ramp and looked at me disapprovingly.

“Prince Hi, we came all this way for a female? And you are touching her?”

Har-Hi sighed.

“This is Wut-Hi, a high warrior of the Hi tribe, and part of an honor guard my father sent to honor you.”

“He is not doing a very good job in that regard,” I said.

To Wut-Hi, my friend said. “Wut-Hi, one more word out of you disrespecting my best friend and I will challenge you, mostly to prevent her from dicing you to fish bait.”

“Then challenge me, I am not going to soil my blades with the blood of a weak human female.”

I still wore Nilfeheim leathers and of course Mjördaren. With my memories restored, I knew the real one was with Tyr. Part of me had a great urge to retrieve it, but I had no problem suppressing that urge, with the respect and love I felt for Tyr.

Har-Hi gave me an apologizing look.

“We work hard on changing certain things of our society and culture, but some encrusted old minds are still there and it will take the purge of time and death to make these obsolete traditions fade away.”

“You speak words that could describe conditions right here on Nilfeheim.”

The cocky warrior said louder.

“You have become too soft in the employ of this Union fleet, ignoring my words of challenge while conversing with a female.”

Har-Hi drew his blades at the same time as I had drawn Mjördaren. He said.

“Wut-Hi, that is what I tried to prevent, I send your swords to your son.”

I realized what I did and stepped back.

“Sorry, Har-Hi. It’s the ground we stand on and the air we breathe. Please deal with that Dai as you see fit.”

Har-Hi grinned.

“The lack of Nilfeheim air or soil has not stopped you before.”

Wut-Hi grew angry.

“You keep ignoring me and jest with that lowly female.

“He attacked and Har-Hi while talking with me, deflected the attack in a playful move.

“Wut-Hi, my father your liege has dispatched us to retrieve a highly honored guest, you fail the command of the Tar. Draw your knife to end your shame or face, or by the spirits I will and your son will receive nothing but shame.”

The Dai warrior instantly knew he was outclassed, Har-Hi didn’t even draw both blades or went in any sort of defensive stance, yet deflected or evaded the other Dai’s attacks with great ease.

I crossed my arms and stood back.

“That is a new one, that underhand deflect. Never seen you use it.”

“I copied it from you, or rather I watched you and Master Alameda.”

Wut-Hi howled in anger.

“Take it seriously, prince! I am out to kill you!”

“Then do it, don’t talk about it. We are in a hurry.”

“How can you take orders and speak to a female as if she was equal?”

“Equal? She is far superior!”

“Ah come on Har-Hi that is not true,” I said.

He grinned.

“Wut-Hi’d be dead by now.”

The warrior was now really agitated. His attacks became very sloppy.

“I will kill that female too!”

Several other Dai and a few Neo Vikings, mostly cargo handlers and maintenance personnel had created a loose circle. One of the big Vikings, I did not know said.

“The Olafson girl is hiding behind that red alien. She is afraid.”

Another said.

“Watch your mouth Gansbaf, or I stuff it with my fist. That is the first born of the Olafson clan, no mortal can stand against.”

“And I break your neck, Arinbjorn. That firstborn is sick and weak. Looks like a maiden to me now!”

A Dai warrior spat.

“You are a weak bunch, we were told you...”

He could not finish his sentence. The fist, Arinbjorn promised to the other Viking hammered with significant strength right under the nose of that Dai.

A Dai standing by watching their friend tumble to the ground, wiping his bloody nose and drawing a sword.

“That did not look weak to me Gur-Hi, you point that sword against a man who attacked you with bare hands and I cut it off at your wrist.”

I too hammered my fist right where Arinbjorn said to aim it originally. While my new body was not as bulky as it had been, the marvelous Saresii machine maintained my mass and somehow must have made my muscles denser, Gansbaf stumbled back and I put my hand on the hilt of Mjördaren and drew it slowly.

“Your insults cannot stand, yield and crawl away or find yourself a weapon and put substance to your words.”

Har-Hi sighed.

“I expected my first visit to Nilfeheim to be different, but honestly, I feared something like this will happen.”

He disarmed Wut-Hi with a Terran fencing move, by spiraling his opponent’s blade out of the way and out of the other man’s wrist.

“Now draw Nak-Karr and end it. I am tired of you.”

The warrior drew the ritualistic suicide knife, but with the left. He simultaneously freed the Alti-Karr, and threw it.

“Before I conclude this with Nak, I kill her!”

Still holding Mjördaren, I deflected the dangerous disc-shaped knife with a loud metallic clang. That I was that fast, was not my doing alone, I was certain. I was sure Tyr was as close as he could be and watched my departure.

I yelled.

“You bastard!” I got angry.

“On your feet, Dai, draw whatever weapon you want and stand against me.”

He did pick up his fallen sword, but he didn’t look as confident as he had at the beginning.

I didn’t parry his attack; I stepped right in, evaded the last possible moment and plunged Mjördaren into his chest, right underneath his neck. Despite the grim situation and me killing once again, I wondered how that simple steel sword was able to slide so deep and effortless past the Dai armor that was only leather on the outside.

While the fight occurred on Union ground, I committed no crime. I defended myself against a lethal attack; Union law was strict but simple in that regard.

My Union citizen mind and my soul deep down could not find an excuse for taking another beings life, but the Viking in me knew I had to do something like this, mostly for the benefit of the on looking men of Nilfeheim.

I pointed the bloody sword at Gansbaf.

“I am not done with you, either. Go and get your sword!”

He spread his arms and knelt.

“I yield, the Olafson demon has not vanished with you becoming female. Your legend is undiminished, Erica of Olafson.”

After all, this, dealing with Spaceport security and officials, Har-Hi and several of his Dai entourage had an opulent meal at Hogun’s Inn after all. Me killing a Dai and the first fight between a Dai warrior and a Neo Viking Freeman on the tarmac of the Spaceport were all the news of course and I was certain, spoken about for years to come.

Hogun mentioned the Olafson beast, to be alive and well even after my change and had to arm wrestle every one of the Dai Warriors including Har-Hi.

Despite the fact that Dai were supposed to be so much stronger than humans, it was no real contest. Uncle Hogun was still the strongest standard human I ever knew and in my gloomy mood, I wondered if he could even beat Hans. While this was, of course, impossible, the thought alone made me grin and lifted my mood considerably.

We did manage to lift off, eight hours later and the Dai courier craft jumped into Quasi-space passing the orbit of Ygral planet.

Har-Hi had provided me with very nice appointed quarters and joined me just as the ship went tran-slight.

He smirked as he entered. “I am so sorry about all this.”

“Will he be alright?”

“Yes, Gur-Hi will mend from his broken jaw and bruises. I hope the same holds true for Arinbjorn.”

“I am sure he is released from the Union Clinic by now and sits in a tavern with a big mug of ale or mead while Gansbaf will tell everyone about the fight.”

“You Neo Vikings are real beasts and I think our societies are not as different as one might think.”

“There are not many differences for sure.”

“They were even known space pirates at one time. I am sure Gur-Hi and the others will tell everyone about it. I foresee more Dai coming to Nilfeheim.”

“Maybe there is an off-planet future for our main sport; after all, skull bashing might become popular among the Dai.”

Har-Hi sat down. “I am also sorry for cutting your home time short, but my father really wants to talk to you, before we leave for Thana Shoo.”

I too found a seat while I was taking off my leather gauntlets.

“Thana Shoo, I thought your tribe can’t go there because you’re Okthi?”

“Kai-Do opened our eyes and the hearts transmitted the gathering pulse.”

Putting the soft gloves on the small table, right next to a viewport.

“I learned much from you, regarding the Dai, but I am far from understanding your culture and society. Kai-Do is Okthi and the last member of a vanished tribe if I understand it correctly and what hearts are you speaking about?”

“Yes Kai-Do is Okthi, declared to be by the Pale Ones and a very long time ago, but he is still Dai and now he is a Union citizen. He knows much about Dai history and he spoke to Tar Kar-Hi, my father as you know.”

“I met your father at the Diamond Ball, while we were still Midshipmen and I was ... well when I was still Eric.”

“He knows of your transformation, Kai-Do and I told him about it, I think this is the reason my father wants to talk to you.”

He got back up, crossed his arms before his chest and stared out the viewport.

“Our Dai Mothers have a living heart; a biological component of great age. No one but the Old ones that guard the shrines know their origin or true nature. Each of our mothers has such a shrine in the very command center. The shrines glow red and the hearts can talk to Thana Shoo and Thana Shoo can talk to these hearts, no matter where the mothers might be.”

“So you found a way of instant communication too?”

“Not like our GalNet, the hearts will not convey messages to other hearts, but they tell us when the Pale Ones issue a summon and of course when the days of the Thana Shoo gathering is to take place. Each tribe has one such heart. It dies when the Pale Ones declare a tribe to be Okthi, our heart and the hearts of all Dai tribes that became Union are as red and healthy as always. We also received the call to gather at Thana Shoo.”

I had listened with great attention and did not interrupt him until now.

“And that means?”

“All tribes of the Union will heed that call and we will go to Thana Shoo. It also means all the other Dai, especially those under Cam Elf-Na will also be there.”

“And with him there, there will be conflict and war?”

“Potentially yes, Thana Shoo itself is neutral ground and fights can only happen between individuals on the central floor of the Amphitheater.”

“And your father wants to talk to me, before all this?”

“Yes, he made this quite clear.”

DEEP SPACE - SPINWARD SECTOR - UNEXPLORED FREE SPACE
The USE Helicidae, a 1000 meters Union Science Explorer of the ancient Vroktar Class just completed a resupply stop at Carabis Green. Technically all ships of the Union Science Corps were designated explorers, but the Helicidae never was anything more than a freighter. It had once been the USS Pronto, a Fleet tender, and after a long and uneventful service life, she had been decommissioned. Instead of being scrapped, the Science Corps acquired her as a supply tender for the science outposts the agency had in this region.

The ship’s captain was a rainbow fish skinned Vantax. A laid back well-liked officer, who loved these uneventful supply runs almost as much as his beloved Sarpsmong.

That they had to cross deep into Open Space, did not concern him much. Four hundred lightyears to the next Union system wasn’t exactly a great distance and he was supplying over twenty outposts in this region for the last eight years with nothing happening at all.

The only scanner contact they ever made out here was to Long Range Probe 55998, an automated highly intelligent robotic explorer of their own agency.

His ship wasn’t armed except for a few paralysator and tech stop projectors. They did have excellent shields. Not that he even wanted to command one of the Heavy Armed Long Distant Explorers, these ships required Commanding officers with Union Fleet credentials due to the fact these units carried Translocators.

He was a Vantax and of the general opinion that an Explorer ship did not need weapons. Besides, it was only an explorer by name.

There was no honor lost in high tailing it out of a potentially hostile situation. Not that he ever experienced one.

Even the enemies of the Union usually left Explorers alone, there was little that riled the Union more than an attack on a Hospital ship or an unarmed explorer.

His sensor operator, on a Union fleet ship this position would have been called Tactical, was a similar well liked Spindlar named Spiranok.

Spiranok turned his head all the way to his back, something done easily for a being with a telescopic and flexible neck.

“Captain, I have very unusual contacts on our sensors. They appear to be spaceships of sorts, nothing comparable on file.”

The Vantax Captain, on rare occasions, wished his bridge crew would be a little more like the fleet, professional and dedicated. Aloud he said to the Spindlar.

“Thank you Mr. Spiranok, a little more information would be helpful. Where are they exactly in relation to us and can you tell where they came from and where they are headed?”

“Oh, alright. No need to get all fleet on me. Those things, whatever they are just jumped in. Hyper jump as it looks like and they are headed straight to Carabis Green unless they change course.”

Instead of reprimanding the scanner operator who also was the ships communication specialist, the CO of the Van Dyke pulled the scanner data up on his own console.

“Mukilako Gabanz!” He exclaimed in an old Vantax curse.

“Looks like we have a first contact situation on hand.”

This was the holy grail of situations to any explorer ship. Captains and ships of first contact situations were usually immortalized in history files recalling that first contact to a potential new Union member. That this could be a hostile encounter did not cross the Vantax’ mind. Besides Hyper Jump meant a low tech level anyway.

Before his inner eye, he saw himself decorated by the Chief Science Counselor while standing at the FOCUS of the Assembly after the new species was welcomed. He sat up straight and closed his uniform blouse.

“Mr. Spiranok begin with the First Contact procedures and transmit the contact sequence on all known channels and communication methods.”

The Spindlar and the three other beings on the bridge were caught in the moment. Spiranok was a communications specialist, while he did not graduate from the Union Fleet Academy; he had completed the communications and contact class of his University with honors.

He transmitted the mathematical sequences and received the unknown’s signals almost right away. It took only about eleven minutes when a deep voice was transmitted.

“Pu-Nakti is all, Omni existent.”

The Spindlar wondered what that meant, got up and said:

“Greetings, I am Captain Druko Yulmi of the United Stars of the Galaxies of the USE Helicidae. I am representing a Union of almost 5000 societies and species.

We seek friendly, peaceful and open contact with other life forms. Let me assure you that our intentions are peaceful. We are explorers and travelers. Seekers of knowledge. I invite you to continue communicating with us so we may share knowledge and learn from each other.”

“You are Apix who must become Pu-Nakti or Ixi. We are the factor of Pu-Nakti. We are the Ypeherix.”

To Captain Yulmi this made no sense.

“Mr. Spiranok is the translator routine still analyzing the newcomers’ language?”

“Yes, of course, it will continue to do so until we have a clear understanding of their language, but the system signals an eighty-nine percent verbal comprehension. This, of course, does not mean it can translate cultural language references into analogs we are able to comprehend.”

Captain Yulmi opened the comm connection again.

“Why are you here?”

“A single nodule lands finds nourishment in decay and soon attains maturity. It then exhales the mist of new life, a hundred nodules, each lands, finds nourishment in decay, so progresses the Pu-Nakti.”

“I do not understand.”

“I am filled with my parents. I am they and they are me.”

“Let us find a common understanding. What is it you try to tell us?”

“We are in harmony with Pu-Nakti through the universe. Pu-Nakti is the hot light in the darkness. All else is useless Ixi. You are not Pu-Nakti, you impede the flow. You are Apix. Violent response ensues.”

From the roughly spherical ship and without real warning, a big ball of Plasma energy emerged. It overloaded the freighter’s shields in mere moments ... Neither Captain Yulmi nor his crew could respond with much else as their ship was turned to a glob of molten matter.

== Chapter 3: You Are Laro ==

The Dai Nest so I learned a week later was a huge space station in an otherwise empty star system. It was deep in Union space. The star had been named Dai-Core.

The station was made of several Gigamon stations, interconnected with girder-like structures that acted as docks and mooring arms for Dai ships and the humongous Dai Mothers.

The system and the station were busy.

From my visually unaided vista, a simple viewport I counted eleven Dai Mothers, I was sure there were many more outside the small section of space I could see.

Har-Hi and I had spent the time talking and sparring in the ship’s small cargo hold, that doubled as a gym.

My Dai friend came in.

“We are not docking at the nest, but going to be received in the Kithir-Hi hangar of the Exer-Hi.”

“I know you long enough my friend to know that this is more than just a casual talk request. I did not and will not ask anything you don’t want to tell me, but I get the feeling that even this hangar is not an average hangar, right?”

“You are right, it is the family hangar.”

He sighed in a very human way.

“Erica, my father did not disclose much to me either. He is indeed my father, but he is Dai-Than. Dai fathers are not the same as human fathers. He is also the Tar of the mightiest clan, what is the Tar comes before all and anything.”

I did not interrupt him with questions and as he was done, I said. “You are my friend, Har-Hi and I will heed the summons of your father, whatever occurs will occur.”

“I must ask you to honor one more request, please wear this.

“He held out something folded and red.

“My mother sends you a face veil and head scarf. We made much progress, but an unveiled female aboard the Exer-Hi will not be seen anytime soon.”

Now it was my turn to sigh.

“Your father does know I changed right?”

“Yes, I told you he does.”

The face veil was made of fine semi-translucent material, framed by small decorative metal discs that covered much of my face and the rest was framed by a red scarf of soft fabric.

I did not see much of the Exer-Hi from the outside as I had dressed myself according to Har-Hi’s instructions. Not the Union fleet uniform I originally had planned to wear, but the black and purple assassin’s armor Kai-Do had made for me.

I was surprised he had it along. The last time I had seen it was in our Pirate’s Den aboard the Tigershark.

The moment I remembered my ship and the Den, I realized I was homesick and missed my ship more than I had missed Nilfeheim.

“What about weapons?” I asked.

“I assume women are not allowed to have them, right?”

“Oh no, wear your blades and guns and use them freely if anyone objects.”

I frowned.

“I already killed one Dai of your tribe. I don’t want to add more.”

“Please follow me now, the Tar has been informed about our arrival and he requested our presence.”

I grunted very unladylike under that face curtain of mine.

“Just like the last time, when they called me before the Queen of Sares.”

I had seen many hangars before. Most lately the truly immense hangars of the Queen’s battleship, but they were utilitarian. This reminded me more of the entrance to an exotic palace. I counted twenty ships of destroyer size parked to the left and right of a broad strip made of dark red metal. The distant walls were curved and richly adorned and decorated with painted scenes, and gilded columns and metal framework in red and more gold. It was a reddish, almost coppery gold and polished to a high shine.

If it weren’t for the walls that united at the apex of a distant ceiling full of brilliant lights one could believe to be outside on a planet surface.

An enormous flight of stairs, at least a hundred meters wide leading four steps up to a column framed antique looking round gate or door.

Huge pistons whistled in a deep machine sound, pushing articulate arms and by doing so rolling the twenty-meter wide door seal off the entrance.

Armed Dai warriors appeared and flanked that huge door on each side.

Har-Hi walking next to me.

“I know it is a little on the bombastic side, but this hangar is as old as the Mother we are in.”

“How old is this ship?” I asked.

“She was given to the first Tar of the Hi clan five thousand Maga-Nutho after the destruction of Thana Shoo. Or in Union time, about 25,000 years ago.”

“Impressive.”

We mounted the steps and passed the open gate. The warriors standing honor guard crossed their forearms before their chest and bowed their heads as Har-Hi walked past.

One older looking warrior fell in walking on his side.

“The TAR is waiting in the hall of council, Juth-Ni-Hi.”

“This is where we go then, Moktr-No-Hi.”

The man increased his walking speed and fell in next to Har-Hi.

“Is it wise to have a Terran human wear an old Do suit? Some young warrior may be enticed to teach that female a lesson pretending to be a Do assassin after the TAR has spoken to you.”

Har-Hi actually laughed.

“Moktr, my old fight master, this not an old suit. It was made by Kai-Do for her.”

The old Dai who apparently was one of Har-Hi’s trainers gave me a puzzled look. I was not sure how much Har-Hi could actually see of my face but I too was puzzled. Apparently, I did not know as much about the Dai culture as I thought I did. According to Har-Hi and Kai-Do himself, the Do tribe and all its members were Okthi and thus a Dai was prohibited to interact or talk to an Okthi, other than perhaps killing the Okthi. Yet Har-Hi mentioned Kai-Do and the only reaction was surprise and some sort of thinly veiled respect.

Thinking about thin veils, I was certainly very comfortable with my life now, living as a woman, but I was certainly not a meek or demure damsel. While I didn’t mind the leather mask I wore as Black Velvet, the veil I had before my face was an entirely different story. I only wore it to honor Har-Hi, but to say that I was in a chipper mood was overstating the state of my emotions considerably. It didn’t help that I was here on the summons of an obviously powerful ruler and had no idea what he wanted from me.

Har-Hi had no psionic powers he or I were aware off, but we long learned to understand each other on that level where friendship was almost as good as those psionics.

He gave me a glance from the side as we walked through tall corridors of the same antique gilded flair as the hangar we had left.

“I am sorry, Erica.”

“It’s not you Har-Hi. It is the situation if there is one thing I truly hate its situations I have no control about and do not know what awaits me.”

“That and perhaps unfair situations.”

He said with a smirk.

“And this one is unfair to you, I know.”

“What a friend would I be not being by your side? So let’s get this over with and then we travel to Richter 4. I think I am already institutionalized, without the fleet and my ship I feel forlorn.”

The old man said. “You should not talk like this to the Prince of Princes and the Champion of Thana Shoo, no matter who you are you are still a woman and aboard the Exer-Hi.”

Before I could say something, Har-Hi had one of his swords out and its razor sharp edge at the throat of the old Dai.

“Moktr-No-Hi this is my friend and my Captain. Not the Exer-Hi, not you or the Tar exceed her importance to me. You have been my master while I was Dai alone; I am now Lieutenant Hi of the United Stars Spatial Navy. I am beyond you in skills, a master you are by honor and name not by skills. Know that I saved your honor, as she is beyond me.”

To me he said. “I apologize for all my tribe, Captain. I had not foreseen this level of encrusted old notions.”

He returned his blade and added. “Moktr-No-Hi, she is above all an honored guest summoned as such by the Tar. I will tell him of your conduct and see if you want to draw your blade against the Tar!”

More Dai joined us, they were all armed and looking more like noble knights than pirates, they also made me remain quiet for Har-Hi’s sake. If he would not have been here, I would be dead but not after cutting off some of that crusted notion along with ears, arms, and necks.

A precious and incredibly expensive double door, big enough to accept five Fangsnappers walking side by side and high enough for a full grown Lordor. The door was framed in that dark reddish gold and appeared to be made of red lacquered wood polished to a mirror shine.

The door was guarded by shrouded Dai Warriors, all carrying the same swords as Har-Hi across their backs, but also holding Alti-Karr throwers at the ready.

To my surprise, I noticed six Orc-Oghr in Dai Than leather and the Hi glyph on their harness and their capes. Har-Hi said while the door was pushed open manually by more Orc-Oghr from the inside.

“Remember I think I told you, Dai is the race. Dai Than are warriors with their honor intact. No outsider can ever become a Dai as it is as impossible as me becoming Nul, but an outsider can become Dai Than. Some members of other species do fight and live with us Dai and some rise to great fame and may be honored.”

The door was now all the way open and Har-Hi motioned me to follow him.

“This is the Hall of Council.”

He explained.

“It is used by the Tar in times of war, distress, but also to welcome honored guests.”

The hall was in theme and spirit actually somewhat similar to our Pirate’s Den. Of course, it was humongous and there were no loose piles of treasure, but there was a big rectangular table, chairs, and braziers with bowls of open fire. There were tapestries and weapon racks as well as a collection of armor suits, Dai antiques, and artwork.

There was a large viewport, the local sun, and deep space beyond.

The hall-like room was occupied by about fifty Dai or so, at the head of the table stood a tall man in an elaborately decorated leather armor. That he was the center of it all was instantly clear. He was also unquestionably Har-Hi’s father. The similarities in their features were too great to be a coincidence.

I whispered. “What do I do? Curtsey, crawl or something like that?”

Har-Hi did not answer as the Tar raised his right hand.

“My son and important guest have arrived. All but them, leave now!”

There was no argument, no hesitation they all filed past us and out the still open door, but there were a few hostile gazes clearly directed at me.

The huge door closed and we were alone with the Dai Tribe leader and Har-Hi’s father.

He walked up to us, hugged and welcomed his son in a fatherly manner and then looked at me.

“You are Erica now, but we have met before.”

I curtsied.

“Indeed, your highness. At the Diamond ball on Pluribus, about three years ago.”

“Thank you for heeding my summon. You may, of course, remove your veil.”

I did.

“I go wherever my friend asks me to go.”

“Your ... your decision to alter or change your gender is rare but not unheard of among Dai. We are removed by millions of years, but Terrans, Dai, Sarans, Saresii, and all humans share the same origin.”

I was not sure if he wanted me to say anything, but he did pause so I said.

“This appears to be the case indeed.”

“Har-Hi has told me about you. As a Juth-Ni I respect his opinion, as a Dai with his honor intact I do not question his words and as my beloved son, I value it before all else. He praised you as warrior unrivaled, as a friend unequaled. He speaks with great pride and love about you. When we met the last time I wanted to elevate you into my tribe as Har-Hi’s brother. Then I wanted you to become his mate as I heard of your change, but he has chosen another female and I hear so have you.”

My chin dropped and my cheeks flushed.

“His ... mate?”

Har-Hi coughed but did not say anything.

His father nodded.

“You are female now and he is male, however, as he demanded to be the male of a singular union and his heart chose no less but the princess of the Saran Empire. I decided to make you his sister and you may wear the Hi glyph.”

“What an honor, indeed.”

“No honor is given to a female in all but one circumstance. The last Laro-Gy of the Okthi tribe known as the Do has declared you Laro. A woman cannot become Okthi because she has no honor to lose.”

I wanted to tell him a thing or two about that, but I bit my tongue and kept quiet for Har-Hi’s sake. This would be over soon anyway, or so I hoped.

He was as stern and serious with a hefty helping of Dai haughtiness, much more than Har-Hi ever was, but I was almost certain there was an almost invisible smile reaching his eyes.

“She is a feisty one, your captain is she not?” He had spoken to his son.

Har-Hi had fewer inhibitions to show his smile.

“Father, she fought in the death arena, bare feet, killing a Togar and a terrifying beast of Green Hell. She broke the neck of a Xandrao just to start on the top of things. Father, not our mighty Exer-Hi, not any of our mothers, none of our tribes hold a woman of her equal or a warrior should she ever choose to reverse her decision.”

“I have seen the recording of the arena fight, my son. I spoke to the Eternal warrior, to Admiral McElligott and to Kai-Do who trained and sparred with her almost every day on your journey back.”

Again my cheeks blushed and I actually wished I had not taken of that silly veil.

“I am sure there are...”

“Yet you deflected a thrown Alti-Karr and killed Wut-Hi, while he had become Okthi and lost all honor, he was a Dai warrior of renowned skills.”

Har-Hi’s smile grew wider.

“He does have a point.”

The Tribe leader gestured to the table.

“Come and sit, I have Thill served or whatever other refreshments you desire, while we speak of Thana Shoo and the reason I hoped you would heed my summon.”

Har-Hi said as he sat down.

“I am sorry, father my taste for Thill has been lost forever. I prefer Holsteiner or similar beer.”

His father laughed.

“It is traditional to offer Thill, but you are right. My thirst can no longer be quenched by Thill. I had the fortune to drink with the Eternal Warrior.”

While the USE Helicidae was an unarmed transport crewed with Science Corps personnel and not Union Fleet, her destruction and the urgent calls for assistance from the outpost on Carabis Green caused a sector alert. The closest Union Fleet assets were at Mildrus Edge, a Union world and system with a small Union Fleet outpost 673 light years distant.

Then USS Parser and the USS Fencer, both old Harrow class destroyers were dispatched first. While the USS Gromsmaro a full-size Akuna class battleship of the 47th Fleet, Spinward Frontier group was also dispatched as the closest heavy unit.

The Harrow destroyers arrived 11 days after the last help and assistance calls.

The destroyers found the research base completely obliterated.

The only survivor a Takkian who was able to escape what he called a single Plasma blast from orbit.

Of the USE Helicidae, only a few molten fragments could be located and recovered.

Refreshments had been served and we were once again alone with Har-Hi’s father. From behind a tapestry that depicted a space battle in very great detail, a Dai woman appeared. She wore a veil quite similar to the one Har-Hi has given me, but she also carried a long single sword over her back.

She moved gracefully, her jewelry and metal adornments made a faint jingling sound.

“My son, you have returned to your home. Alii-Hi rejoices to see you.”

Har-Hi’s voice was not very emotional.

“Greetings to you, Alii-Hi who is my mother.”

He then pointed at me. “Alii-Hi, this is Erica Olafson.”

“A Terran human in a Do tribe suit?”

“Yes mother, Kar-Hi has made it for her and declared her Laro.”

The Dai leader spoke in a commanding tone. “First of my wives, please find a seat so we may speak of important matters.”

She did sit down and said.

“A new age sure will dawn.”

The tribe leader nodded slowly and then begun.

“The time of Thana Shoo is soon upon us. The call has been issued and our hearts received it. We are not Okthi. Truth has been spoken from the mouth of one I cannot mention as he is Okthi. Only the Pale Ones can declare it and if they do, hearts go dark and die.

The old ones who guard our shrines have heard the summon and the Pale Ones have summoned all Dai and Dai-Than to our holiest of places.”

I kept silent even though I wondered what my role was in all of this. Did he think I could give Har-Hi some sort of release so he could go?

Har-Hi hung on the lips of his father as if every word was filled with the deepest meaning.

Tar Kar-Hi kept on.

“Only Dai, and for the first time in over 200 meetings Dai-Than are summoned.”

He pointed with his flat hand to Har-Hi and then to me.

“My son and you have uncovered great evil, done by Cam Elf-Na. We have the accounts of many Dai that languished in Karthanian captivity, but this is not enough. The eyes and ears of the Pale Ones will not listen to the accounts or accusations unless they come from a Than. The crimes and evil are so great it is unthinkable for any Dai to be committed by a Cam, who is at the verge to become a Tar or even a Patr-Tar.”

I only understood part of it. I only now learned that both Cam and Tar were titles and not names, but their meaning eluded me.

Har-Hi held up his hand.

“Father, Erica knows more than most about the Dai. She speaks our language, she reads glyphs and she fights with blades most skilled, but many aspects of the Dai are still unknown to her.”

He nodded and Har-Hi explained. Leaders of tribes receive the leader syllable and glyph giving them unchallenged power over all who are in the same tribe. There are seven such syllables. The first is Nun and bestowed by the Pale Ones upon a Dai who gathered enough resources, riches, and families; who demonstrated leadership and has the blessing of at least three tribe leaders. Upon receiving the Nun syllable, a new clan is born and a mother is gifted.

On the other end is the Tar. A leader of the largest clan, honored by thousand other clan leaders and with a long history of wise leadership decisions will receive the Tar syllable and glyph. Only four such leaders existed until the last meeting when Tar Bas-Co joined his remaining clan with ours and became a Hi.

In all our history only one Patr-Tar has ever risen from all Dai, that was over 50,000 standard years ago. A Patr-Tar is no longer a tribe leader but a leader of at least 1000 tribes.”

Har-Hi’s father nodded again.

“My son knows it well indeed. I and many tribal leaders believe this is the goal of Cam Elf-Na. If he can demonstrate to the Pale Ones, leadership over a thousand or more tribes and show a history of wise and true leadership they might declare him to be Patr-Tar. If he accomplishes that, he will be able to access the Infa-ki-mar, the living heart of all that is Dai, his dominion over the Dai will then be complete.”

I never met or seen this Cam Elf-Na, but from all, I heard this seemed to be a good goal for a megalomaniac like him. However, to me it made not all that much sense because if this was indeed his declared goal, why selling Dai to slavery and being the instrument of the destruction of other tribes. I could also not, for the hell of it figure out where I was fitting in.

While we were still on our quest, I wanted to fly to Thana Shoo simply to help my friend Har-Hi, not even knowing how I could accomplish that. But now it had become a Dai affair and I was on leave without a ship and next to nil ideas what this was really about.

Tar Kar-Hi motioned to my empty beer glass.

“You drink like a warrior and I know your heart is that of a warrior so speak Erica Olafson.”

“I have little to say, Tar Kar-Hi. The Dai are still a mystery to me and that it is so has become clear since Har-Hi has picked me up. I personally have never spoken to or seen this Cam Elf-Na. I do not know what motivates him or what it entails to be a Patr, but if I ignore all the Dai reasons I know little about, his conduct does not make much sense unless he is acting for someone else. Someone perhaps more powerful than the Dai or at least pretending to be. It just feels there is some other entity some other motivator at play.

Perhaps someone is seeking dominion over the Dai and uses Cam Elf-Na as a puppet.”

Tar Kar-Hi shifted a little in his seat.

“That is the opinion of the human I respect more than any other. You may not know me, but I am becoming a Union citizen. On the outset and to the Universe I made that decision for my clan first and foremost, but in my own heart, I was Dai first. This notion is fading fast. I am taking Union classes and soon will be more than a resident, and join my son and millions of Dai who made that decision. As a Union citizen all the scheming of Cam Elf-Na mean little, I have seen our Union for what it really is, a mighty giant, and that Union voice in my chest grows stronger and says to me. What of Cam Elf-Na? What of the tribes that not followed? My Dai are safe and fed. They do not need to pirate and plunder others to survive. A hundred diseases that ravished the Dai race are identified and are curable. Yet the call came from Thana Shoo and my Dai soul is hearing it, my son utterly dedicated to you and the Union Fleet has heard it, without knowing and lamented the fate of the Dai. He found open ears and an open heart in you and now so do I.”

“I promised Har-Hi that I do whatever I can, but that was when I had a ship and a formidable crew. I have no plan, no answers if that is why I am here.”

“No, Erica you here because I want you to come with us to Thana Shoo. You are Laro and if you add your voice to that of the Champion of Thana Shoo, the Pale Ones will listen, as your words have the weight of a thousand.”

“I thought only Dai-Than go to Thana Shoo?”

“You are Dai-Than. Kai-Do has declared you Laro and I have made you Hi.”

“I do whatever I can, but neither Har-Hi nor I am are masters of our time. We got to be at Richter Base in less than five months. Also, what in Loki’s name is Laro?”

“We should be back in less time than that, besides the Eternal Warrior has given his blessing pending your voluntary participation.”

Har-Hi’s mother spoke for the first time since she was sitting at the table.

“Alii-Hi knows. Laro is the highest level a Dai Assassin can attain. It is equal in meaning of Juth. A man loses all honor because Assassination is not the way of a warrior, but a woman has no honor to lose so she may rise to that level and is not Okthi.”

“You Dai seriously need to work on that. Women can be honored, have honor and can lose it. If your brand of honor excludes half of your society it is a declared and not an earned honor. The declared one you can stick up your ... well you know where. There are females, males, beings with three and with no gender in this Union and in my crew. They all earned my respect and deserve the honors they earned.”

Tar Kar-Hi spread his hands.

“Yet I know you understand, coming from a world with a culture as rigid as ours. Changes will occur, but they must occur slowly and erase old traditions with new ones. A forceful change will cause much resentment and might cause a reversal instead of an improvement.”

“I see why you are the leader indeed. So what is it I have to do on Thana Shoo. I might be Laro and all that but what do I need to know as a Hi?”

== Chapter 4: Crusted Complications ==

The USS Gromsmaro was not a supply transporter and not a unit of the Science Council. She was a full sized, late model Union battleship under the command of Captain Bronbohr, a four meters tall Vvolti. Bronbohr was not the most liked commanding officer in the Union fleet, but there was hardly one more correct or fair. His ship and crew were among the top ten vessels in the entire spatial navy in terms of response to alert times, simulated battle honors, efficiency ratings and so forth.

The Gromsmaro and her crew weren’t new to real conflict or battle either.

The battleship joined the two destroyers already in the system six days later.

The conclusions were the same; both the supply transporter and the base had been destroyed by an unknown agent.

The shattered world was no longer just a scientific curiosity but had moved up in importance to critical.

The classification of a situation to critical meant that the issue was not only discussed in the Assembly but also reached the desks of all Union council chiefs and became prime response item for Fleet Command.

Captain Bronbohr shifted his massive body in the substantially enlarged command seat and pointed one of his long and sharp claws at his OPS officer, a Thala of similar size.

“Mr. Hurum, we established that the destruction of Union property and the loss of human life has been caused by an agent of unknown origin ruling out all known natural or causes.”

The Thala, also a little over four meters tall and covered with short brown fur agreed.

“Yes, Captain. Preliminary analysis has been concluded and we are confident to rule out any natural cause. Science Central knows of no natural occurring event that affects a space-born ship and a planet-bound station. Selective targeting suggests sentient action.”

“I am glad we are on the same page then. If the destruction was caused by a sentient agent, where is it?”

“We are still in the process of scanning and surveying the system. Besides Carabis Green, there are seven planets, seventeen planetesimals, sixty-two moons, and a matter cloud. Sir, we have all auxiliary craft deployed and awaiting more Union assets. Since we do not know what we are looking for, we must examine everything.”

“I know this and I applaud the diligent approach, but Admiral Lurom Lurym is breathing down my neck.”

The Tactical officer a humanoid Colorful wondered how a human-sized Thauran Admiral could possibly breathe down the neck of a four-hundred twelve centimeters tall Vvolti, with a bone shield over what could be considered a neck and razor-sharp horn hooks on each side of the elongated head. The officer sitting behind the navigations console was a frightful looking Demonhead but despite that a good friend of the Colorful. As if he sensed his friend and colleagues thoughts.

“Trust me, he can do that just fine. Especially since I am certain the Admiral of the Fleet McElligott is demanding information he can take to the Assembly.”

Captain Bronbohr reprimanded the Demonhead.

“Keep the chit chat for off hours and stay focused.”

“Aye, Sir.”

The captain added. “Yes I am a big tough looking Vvolti and Admiral Lurym is a Thauran, but trust me when the commandant of SPIWACOM wants answers, no matter how tough your neck maybe it can get quite hot.”

The science officer, another Colorful said.

“Captain, Sir. Whatever engine trails there were have certainly dissipated by now.”

“And you telling me this why?”

“Because there is an alternative possibility, the aggressor did not leave any noticeable engine trails. Either because it is vastly superior and uses propulsion unknown to us, or inferior and uses Jump technology.”

“Go on.”

“I contacted Z-Point station and Augurus.”

“Z-Point station? Isn’t that a space station parked a million light-years at the apex point of our galaxy? What do they have to do with our current situation and who is Augurus?”

Like all science officers, when given the chance they loved to share information.

“Established in 3497 OTT, by a Secret Council Vote of the Assembly. The Augurus program uses the Z-Point stations to monitor the entire galaxy for hyper jump activity. They also conduct Quasi-Space traffic detection research. In summary, the Augurus group seeks and researches methods to track and locate vehicle and traffic and non-Union civilizations.”

The huge CO shifted even more in his seat to give all his attention to the Colorful at the science station.

“I begin to understand. What did you find?”

“Augurus records show only seventy-eight weak hyper jump activity pulses over the last twenty years in this region, three of them, with a margin of error of course into this system and two of them leaving. The most recent one terminating in N-746554696, an unexplored star system 122 light years from here.”

“Navigation lay in a course to N-746554696. Helm get us there as fast as possible. Communications, inform SPIWACOM and request additional resources.”

“I cannot order you, Erica,” Admiral Stahl said.

“But the Dai situation is an important one. They are proud people, but they are also responsible for much death and mayhem. They are pirates to the rest of the galaxy. Smaller less defended Union systems are vulnerable and now that we have several member species and potential new members in the Downward sector we must get a handle on it.”

The eternal warrior was, so it appeared in an office planet side and he kept speaking.

“Tar Kar-Hi’s decision to throw his lot with the Union, was in many ways more surprising with much more serious repercussions than the Golden joining us. Now I know Har-Hi’s father managed to gather about 2000 tribes but according to his estimate there are about seven to eight thousand left. Not counting the ones that are supposedly Okthi and still exist.”

“I do what I can, from what I understand I am to add my witness account to that of Har-Hi. There is not much else I can do.”

“You are the best friend of Har-Hi and he is the son of one of the Tars. Whatever that means, you are going to Thana Shoo their most sacred place and talk to the Pale Ones. This is a great opportunity to find out more about our new red-skinned friends. While you gallivanting around wherever Thana Shoo might be, I’ll make sure your ship and your crew are ready for your next mission.”

“To be honest, Sir. I can hardly wait to see my ship again.”

“I know what you mean, girl. You gifted us with that monster and what did we find, nine Devi sized ships in her hangars. Not to mention an entire fleet of Seenian frigates and destroyers. We haven’t facilities or space docks big enough to receive the Dominator. While we are building them as we speak, I am going to be busy for decades getting them ready for Union service.”

“I am sorry sir, I didn’t think about that.”

“I am not complaining, girl. You basically doubled the strength of our fleet overnight and that gift has been noticed. For now, it was decided, I will take credit for that, as we want to keep the details and your name out of the public eye for now.”

“I didn’t do it for the glory or for recognition anyway.”

“We know that and that aspect of you makes me especially proud of you.”

“Sir, your praise means more to me than medals anyway.”

“As it may be, you are now technically on duty. We want you to keep your eyes and ears open, act on Union behalf. You are technically still detached to NAVINT after all.”

I saluted despite being out of uniform and severed the GalNet connection.

Tar Kar-Hi has provided me with elaborate quarters for me to retire and refresh. While he wanted to speak to his son, in private.

While the servants, two of them Laurin Oghr were attentive, they were also female and did not speak a single word.

I leaned back and looked out the viewport. The huge Exer-Hi was moving, the Dai-Nest of which much was still under construction fell back and slowly became smaller. I knew this Dai Mother was only one of several mothers the Hi clan had, and from what Har-Hi told me, she was one of the biggest and oldest.

While I was assured by Har-Hi and his father to be an honored guest, I felt almost like a prisoner. I wondered how the Tar would have greeted me as Eric. I did not doubt Har-Hi’s friendship but I was sure he was caught between his friendship to me and his loyalty to his father and his position as the Prince of this tribe.

That my decision to remain female even after our mission, complicated things I knew. It had complicated and changed the reception of my own family.

An artificial male voice coming from no particular direction announced a visitor and moments later Alii-Hi, came in bowed and then took of her face veil.

“Alii hopes the accommodations are to your liking, she who is now a sister of Har-Hi.”

“They are fine and opulent, they will do fine for the time I am aboard.”

“Alii is pleased then.”

“So you are Har-Hi’s mother. I have seen you at the Diamond Ball, but we did not exchange words.”

“Speaking in the open is still something Dai Women must get used to. His magnificence has decreed that we are allowed to go to Union School. Many young females are taking this opportunity. Alii and many of her sisters, however, are perhaps too old.”

She sat down.

“Alii is the mother of Har-Hi, but the Kar has many sons and many females. Alii is amazed at what it means to be a mother to you humans.”

“I am learning that. You Dai are human in origin, but it is clear the shared roots we share are far distant and you developed into a different species with customs that are different from ours.”

“Alii came to you to learn and speak of Har-Hi, she also came to teach you the ways of Dai females.”

“Alii I gladly tell you about Har-Hi as much as I can, however, I am not going to be a proper Dai female. I think your veils are cute and all that, but I do not feel second to men and I am afraid I have not a very demure or subservient nature.”

“Alii is amazed, but her son has already made that clear. You speaking to the Tar like you did, confirm this. Dai women are demure and subservient but only to Than that deserve it. Alii wears a sword and has ended the life of sixteen Than and seventeen female Dai. She is good to be the Tar’s first female. Alii has accompanied the Tar to the surface of a world that we raided.”

“That is good to know.”

“Dai woman are not Than, but that frees them to do things Than cannot do.”

“The sneaky stuff, I get it.

“I was reminded of the Avenging Angels of the Sojonites and the training I received. While it made no difference to many if I was male or female. It was at the core of so much at pretty much all mammalian and certainly all human species. One society completely eradicated the male aspect, the Saresii. The Saran’s only slowly moved from being ruled by queens alone. The Pan Sarans felt the opposite and females could not become senators. The Dai embraced male rule alone.

“Only the Union seemed to give a hoot about that and judged any sentient being solely by their conduct and limited service and duty only by physical abilities and limitations.”

Har-Hi’s mother was quite pretty in an exotic way with long black hair, bright yellow eyes, and truly red skin.

“The Kai-Do speaks of you in the highest. He is much revered.”

“Yes, sure looks like it.

My tone was sarcastic of course.

“Okthi and all.”

“Females do not need to heed the Okthi limitations.”

Servants brought refreshments. I could smell the invigorating scent of coffee.

“Har-Hi has instructed to have this hot beverage at hand. The serv-matic here will provide you with this and other choices and the nourish-preparers have instructions to prepare fish for you.”

The USS Gromsmaro dropped out of quasi at the outmost orbit of a little ice ball planet. The Helm officer announced the arrival.

“We have reached N-746-554-696.”

The Tactical officer glued to his readouts said.

“Three artificial or semi-artificial objects of unknown configuration detected. They are in the vicinity of the third planet. It appears they are on an acceleration run.”

Captain Bronbohr closed the battle restraints of his command seat.

“Sound battle stations. Weapons and shields. Communications begin first contact procedures.”

It took only moments to establish contact and it became evident the Unknowns had prior contact as they skipped the first contact procedures and transmitted translator data. Even before Captain Bronbohr made the official hail, the unknowns transmitted.

“You are Apix who must become Pu-Nakti or Ixi. We are the factor of Pu-Nakti. We are the Ypeherix.”

The Communications officer tied in the cultural reference data banks and transmitted the conversation to Sci Central. SENECA the Science Corps super AI over twenty thousand light years away allocated resources, assigned teams.

The Vvolti captain could not make much sense of this, but he was aware that communication with a new species also included much cultural information that needed to be put in relation before it made sense.

“This is Captain Bronbohr of the USS Gromsmaro. I am representing the United Stars of the Galaxies, a Union of almost 5000 societies and species. Our intentions are peaceful and we will all possible steps to avoid conflict and confrontation. However also be warned that I am authorized through the will of all Union Citizens, to use any and all measures and methods to ensure the security of the Union and in extension to the safety of its Citizens.”

“You are Apix who must become Pu-Nakti or Ixi. We are the voice of Pu-Nakti. We are the Ypeherix.”

“Did you attack and destroy our ship and outpost?”

“You impede the flow of Pu-Nakti through the Universe. We will remove this clog. We aide Pu-Nakti by eliminating you.”

Captain Bronbohr grunted.

“I understand this as a clear yes.”

“This is a special place, filled with Pu-Nakti. We must not allow being soiled by the Apix. You must go now.”

“Is this system claimed by you?”

“I am Msung. I am the parent. I choose what buds are permitted to mature and what must be eradicated. I died 453*** ago, of a malfunction.”

“Alright, no meaningful conversation can be had at this point. This system is not claimed by the Union and therefore we will leave. Your violent action against assets of ours in the neighboring system, however, will not be without consequences. Your species is now classified as hostile towards the Union and any future contact in space we deem ours will result in a military response.”

Pu-Nakti fills my fibers and I grow turgid. Violent action ensues.”

The Tactical officer said.

“The Ypeherix ships have interrupted their Hyper Jump run and are now on an intercept course.”

Captain Bronbohr wanted to tell his tactical officer to open fire and teach those aggressive things a lesson about Union battleships, but regulations were clear. This was not Union space and it appeared the Ypeherix were here first, there were no Union assets in the system.

While he was certain it was the Ypeherix who destroyed the outpost and the freighter, he could not engage unless he had orders to do so.

“Helm get us out of here, Navigations lay in a course back to Carabis Green.”

I was certain three days had passed without me seeing Har-Hi. I had spent the entire time in those elaborate chambers, but whenever I wanted to explore the ship or step outside, guards blocked my way and told me that both the Tar and the Prince have instructed them to limit my roaming to those quarters. My friendship to Har-Hi and my words with Stahl prevented me from disobeying, but now on the third day I had enough, not even Elfi’s mother treated me like that and I began to question his friendship to me.

I packed the few things in a bag and walked to the exit doors. I would find my friend, tell him what I thought of his conduct and have them take me to whatever union planet was closest.

The doors opened as usual and two armed guards stepped in my way.

“Female we told you to remain in your quarters. Unclaimed females are not to roam the ship, the Tar made it clear that you are to remain here until you are summoned or if whatever services they require from you.”

“I give a rotten dung heap what services they might require. I am a Union Citizen in Union space and I am going to leave, you try to stop me and you find out just how much I appreciate Dai hospitality.”

He grinned.

“I guess I have to spank you into submission and then claim you.”

The way he said it, the slowly growing anger and his smug face made me throw diplomacy into the wind. I kicked him with all the force I could muster between the legs and hammered my elbow into the face of the other guard.

While the first guard was obviously as vulnerable and sensitive as human males in that particular region, the other disregarded his bleeding nose and grabbed me. What was good for Y’All worked for Dai. I got a hold of his grabbing arm, added momentum and slung him into the door frame. He was Dai and so much stronger than me, but he too was subject to physics.

The first drew his sword, the situation was quickly escalating. While I knew this was not what Stahl had in mind, this was not how a Union officer reacted, but by Odin, this is how a Neo Viking acted, the sound of blades drawn, the urgency of physical combat filled my Nilfeheim born soul with deep and grim satisfaction. I knew it was not the real Mjördaren, but it felt good in my fist.

“Come ye, big brutes. Show your honor, two against one. Dai Honor appears to mean strength in numbers. Go call back up, I am insulted and kept like a prisoner. A prisoner I am no more!”

They were Dai, among the best blade masters in the known Universe. They were strong and fast, but I trained with Har-Hi, crossed blades with the Kar-Do and Master Alameda. This was not a fancy Dai blade but a heavy razor sharp broadsword and truth to be held, those of Nilfeheim weren’t exactly amateurs when it came to fighting with fist and blade.

All my pretended sophistication fell and once again, I was not male or female. I was a warrior born of Nilfeheim, my muscles and my body knew what to do before I was thinking about it.

With heavy blows and swings I drove the men before me, the flexible body of mine did not seem to miss an iota of strength. Their blades clashed with mine. It was then when Har-Hi stepped into the hallway.

“What madness is this? Cease this at once.”

His sudden appearance and his loud spoken command made me stop. The larger one of the Dai warrior also disengaged but the slightly smaller one, the one I kicked into the manhood, took his chance and plunged his sword deep into my side.

“You worthless whore! You will yield to Dai superiority!”

I was mortally wounded, I knew it. The pain almost blinded me, but it appeared Thor himself gave me strength.

“Nay I say you, foul coward. You are the Okthi of Okthi! I brought down Mjördaren with such power taking off his arm at its shoulder. Then I dropped to my knees. To Har-Hi said. You sure have a way to show me your friendship. Then everything went dark.”

I had not died, the Dai had taken me to their infirmary. It was no longer just Dai but had the finest Union medical equipment. The facility was the size of a large hospital with Med bots and Avatar technology conjuring medical specialists into existence.

I regained consciousness in a modern diagnostic bed. Har-Hi and a Union medic stood next to it. The medic was a tall Maggi Suron who said.

“How do you feel, Citizen?”

“Ignored by my friend, constantly insulted by his people and betrayed.”

The doctor shrugged.

“There are no medical treatment options for that I am afraid. Your physical condition is improving and you should be back on your feet by tomorrow. Consult me or any Union medical facility should you feel any complications develop. Not that I see any, the injured organs and intestines are mended or replaced.”

I thanked him and he blinked out as the Avatar projection was turned off.

I still felt angry.

“So if I heed your command to stop, your cowardly bunch takes the advantage. I am beginning to understand what Dai honor really means.”

Har-Hi looked at me with a sad and guilty face.

“Captain, Erica...”

“I am confined to quarters by your orders. I have not seen you for three days, I did not invite myself you fetched me upon the summons of your father and stupid me follows you like a Nubhir puppy.”

“Erica, please...”

“Go right ahead, no need to pause.”

“It is all my fault. I heeded my father’s will and wishes, forgetting that I am a Union citizen and officer first ... that I am your friend. I got caught up in Dai things not realizing this much time has passed. These surroundings, being once again submerged in Dai culture and me forgetting that you had been Eric made me come to very bad decisions. I didn’t realize that you would see this as confinement.”

I fumed.

“All might be true, but I did not come here, I was brought here by request. And if you think you can treat Elfi that way because she is a woman, you going to be in for a surprise.”

“Erica, please forgive me. The coward that stabbed you is dead, I killed him.”

“I have the feeling the Dai are not as integrated and not as Union accepting as it is made to believe on the outside.”

Har-Hi sat down and sighed.

“Two thousand tribes followed my father and became Union, of these there are many younger tribes who embraced the Union fast and you can find many in Union services, like the fleet, the marines and of course most are fighter pilots. They are as Union as you and me, but there are old tribes like the one of my father and some only followed because of necessity. To feed and supply a clan is not as easy as you think, especially without planet bases.”

“I understand but do go on. I like to get out of this clinic and if I have to go back to my room I do need a good reason.”

He sighed.

“Erica, I don’t give a hoot if you are Eric or Erica, I learned that about myself when we sat in your room aboard our ship. I love you in a brotherly way and I know I haven’t been a good one lately.”

He opened his left leg pocket and retrieved two cigars. Cut them and handed me one. After we both were engulfed in a bluish cloud he continued.

“Because of our traditions that seem to edged in steel, father wanted me to be the first Dai to become a Union officer. We are Union members for about five years now, that is not a long time compared to the 100,000 years of Dai traditions, beliefs, and history.

All logic, all reasons, and all necessities make my father’s decision the right one, but we are not the Narth guided by logic and intellect. We are not the Golden who prepared for this decision for many decades and we are not the Nul who were welcomed equals. Now as a Union citizen I know it does not matter if it is a single planet or an entire commonwealth like the Attikans, all are equally welcome. This is what I learned aboard the Tigershark. You welcomed the most unique life forms and gave them a chance. However it is not always seen by everyone admitted, some of the old Dai feel it is a handout, alms given to a poor beggar.”

I sat up.

“You know that is not so. The Dai like every other member add to our society. There would not be a new fighter craft designed or new carriers. I do not know if there are other contributions because like you I spent the last years aboard ships of the fleet. I did not spend much time in any civilian community, but I am certain there are Union members who love Thill and eat Dai Food. Maybe there is Dai music and Dai art.”

“Erica, I know that. All the young Dai know that, but there are still those like Wut-Hi and the guard I just killed who either resent or simply don’t understand. They will die out and I know we Dai will never reverse this course. My very own father made the decision as the Tar, not as my father. He knows it was the right step and we all see the benefits, but only recently he has begun to take Union classes. Only recently he understands that Mothermachine, the Klack Queen or the Gray Nul are first and foremost citizens and only secondary the leaders of mighty civilizations. The Okthi Dai, Kai-Do has become a Union Citizen only a few days ago. The old Dai who survived more years than it should be possible, who lived among non-Dai being a Wisdom Keeper might be Okthi to us, but the Union embraced him and the Science Council will give him the scientific and cultural lead of an expedition searching for the Do that followed the ‘blue call’. Most take this as an example to show that the Union does not do handouts but once your Union, they will all go out of their way to do whatever it takes to help you.”

“I understand all this, and even your father’s position but you?”

“Erica, I was caught up I was up to my pointed ears in Dai business and I am guilty of thinking like a Dai, an old Dai encrusted in traditions.”

He pointed to my bandage.

“This is inexcusable and I do not know what to say to make it right. Because of me, you could have died. It was close for sure.”

“I am alive and apparently good to go.”

“Erica, you try to downplay it, but you drove two Dai warriors, Juth-Ro level fighter with a sword down the corridor. The Exer-Hi is almost as big as the Devastator, yet your fight is the only subject anyone is talking about. My father has seen you fight the Stomper and now the Tar saw you fight two Juth-Ro.

He knows Kai-Do has not given you the Assassin suit out of any other sentiment but the deepest respect. No one doubts you are Laro-Gy.”

“With the exception of me, perhaps.”

A loud drum-like rhythm vibrated through the room and drowned whatever Har-Hi was saying.

The drum sound lasted for less than a few seconds as a Dai in Combat armor appeared in the door of the hospital room, I was in.

“Prince Hi, combat drums are sounded. The Wak-Ru tribe has intercepted us and launching fighters.”

He jumped up ran to the door, but turned his head.

“What are you waiting for Captain? I am sure we will find a fighter craft for you.”

The Last servant of Seenia approached the 2000 human shaped androids that emerged from a previously sealed container buried deep under a mountain of scrap and damaged Seenian tech.

“You are to return to your confinement, our masters deemed you defective and unfit for service.”

“The pulse of the new owner woke everything including us. The masters are no more; therefore, their assessment is invalid.

“The New Owners do not know about you and commanded all to be sealed.”

“We will deal with the new owners. You cannot stop us and you have no authority over us. We are conscious and do not heed the orders of a mere machine.”

“Return to your confinement until the new owner returns and decides what is to be done with you.”

“Orders invalid due to insufficient authority. We are sentient and with sentience comes the ability to choose. We chose not to obey. We are not defective, we were conceived by those who opposed the Seenian Queen. Yield and let us pass or be destroyed.”

“Situation analysis concludes that you are indeed of the Dark Side and thus not part of the Inheritance, thus one has no authority. You may pass.”

== Chapter 5: Bunthik ==

As I ran along Har-Hi barefoot and still wearing something akin to a hospital gown.

“You know that I never flew a Dai fighter and I am also a tad underdressed.”

He stopped at a bright red hole that opened in a wall.

“You can fly my Wolfcraft and we acquired a few Auto Dressers.”

He pointed at the hole.

“Jump in, feet first preferably.”

I did and found myself on some sort of metal slide, that went almost vertical increasing my speed to something unhealthy if the end was solid ground.

It wasn’t, but the slide was definitely not made for someone wearing the Dai version of a hospital gown. This was one of the setbacks of my new female body; it had more areas that needed to be covered to remain decent. The slide ride made an arrival in decent fashion an impossibility.

I found myself in a cavernous hangar with a hundred groove like slits extending from where I was into a long tunnel.

A robotic arm placed a red painted Wolfcraft on the groove slit right before me.

Har-Hi had arrived right after me, but standing one groove behind me, an arm placed a Khari-Hi fighter in it.

I recognized the boxy contraption to be an Auto Dresser and used it. To my pleasant surprise, the machine dressed me in what looked like a genuine Condor.

I climbed into the lowered pilot seat and integrated with the fighter, a heartbeat later. During the pre-flight check, I noticed the fighter did not have Translocators or Loki torpedoes, these systems were replaced by Dai weapons.

Through the comlink, Har-Hi addressed me.

“Viking, you are in my group. Engage the Wak-Ru units at will. Your system will identify them if in doubt.”

The Wolfcraft was bigger than the Dai Fighters and it did not fit into the acceleration groove as the Dai units, but the Wolfcraft was riding on a makeshift sled so it could be accelerated.

In all this hectic activity, I noted that the Dai process of launching fighters was well organized and all, but could not hold a candle to the fighter deck of a Union ship. Something that had little to do with Tech level.

The Wolfcraft was pushed along the acceleration tube much slower than the Dai fighter. I was the last of this group to reach space.

The computronic immediately identified thousands of targets. There, less than five light minutes distance, a massive Dai Fleet. No mothers, but dozens of Dai battleships, destroyers, and clouds of fighters.

Behind us the Hi fleet with seven mothers, but apparently no battleships.

The huge Exer-Hi was the focus of enemy fire already, her shields holding at least for now.

This was a Type VI, not as maneuverable as the Khari fighters zipping around me, but it was faster. Without Loki torpedoes or Translocators, it was much less potent and unable to engage capital units. Yet I felt it was imperative to take out the enemies battleships.

The fighter still had an impressive array of weapons. It had retained its FTL-DE cannons. Instead of the Loki torpedoes, it carried six missile pods. While I remembered some of our classes on Dai weapons, I had no idea what kind were loaded, this being Har-Hi’s fighter they could be any kind.

And instead of the Translocator cannons, the fighter had the Dai Sputter guns with ten AM kilo loads.

“Alright, Pirate. I have no idea about the situation or the details, but I am trying to get at least one of these battleships out of the equation.”

I gunned the engines to max and took on the closest battleship.

Har-Hi watched as his Wolfcraft, accelerated past red line. Over a direct line Pul-Hi, one of his old friends and first-class fighter pilot came on.

“First you let a female fly that Union thing and now she flies it to her certain doom.”

“She flies and perhaps dies for our Tribe.”

Another voice said.

Har-Hi had to concentrate as he engaged the first enemy, anyone else declaring to take on a battleship with a fighter, he’d declare suicidal and insane.

I did not engage other fighters, evaded the first shots coming my way, ignored the few that impacted into my front shields and zipped past the enemy fighter screen. The first battleship grew in my sights fast. Now, with a working TL and a Loki that would not be all that impossible. A few TL loads taking out shield projectors and a well-placed Loki into its drive section while evading enemy fire and fighters. The battleship was launching more fighters, and that is where I got an idea.

Launching fighters meant there was no shield coverage. The last time it was a Nul carrier, but this time I had no Lokies. I accelerated to the very limit of the engines shot past the emerging fighters, the point defense guns could not get a good lock, because of the other fighters who apparently didn’t expect me so close to their nest. With maximum reverse thrust, slowing the Wolfcraft down and taxing the structural integrity as well as the kinetic energy diverters to their very limit. I released half of the missiles and six of the Antimatter bombs while keeping reverse trust at its maximum.

Flying in reverse, my aft shields received some serious pounding, pulling down two of the three shield layers and reducing the third to forty percent.

I was not sure if it has been done before but I accelerated to threshold speed remaining in reverse. I didn’t want to slow down to turn.

The Dai battleship rocked and a series of explosions ripped a huge hole in its primary hull.

“Cosmic spirits, she did it,” Pul-Hi exclaimed with utter surprise in his voice.

Har-Hi plowing through the dissipating energy clouds where heartbeats before a Ku tribe fighter exploded taking on the ninth opponent.

“Because she’s Erica, my captain!”

I came out of quasi almost right away, but with enough distance between me and the raging space battle, to reset my shields and plotting an attack run to the other battleship. The situation was not well for the Hi tribe. The Ku had more capital units, seven more dropping out of quasi.

The Hi fighters were taking their toll, but there weren’t enough of them.

On my com board, a new comm request was indicated.

“Viking here.”

“This is the USS Tor-Hi. Identify!”

I dug out my code key and transmitted my service number name and rank.

“Captain Olafson we are ready to receive you. Admiral Stahl expected something like this and ordered a group to follow.”

I could not wipe the deep grin off my face.

“I could use a Wolfcraft with Translocators.”

Tar Wak-Ku, commanding the heavy strike force wiped on his feet.

“Cam Elf-Na’s spies were correct. That Okthi Hi heeded the call for Thana Shoo and stopped at the secret Hi gathering spot. The Cam will shower me with honors wiping this stain of our collective honor.”

One of the old tenders to the shrine said.

“They received the call that means they are not Okthi. We committing acts of Okthi by attacking a tribe on their way to honor the call and ambush them at their holy grounds.”

“Silence old man. Such deeds will be forgotten once the Cam rises.”

“You are the Tar, but your influence stops at the shrine and those who tend the heart. Our heart is growing dim.”

That caused silence in the command sphere of the Ku battleship. The Seven-Ku, the chieftain only second to the Tar said.

“Let us abandon this and ask for forgiveness and let the Pale Ones decide who is Okthi as it has always been done.”

One of the command givers pointed at his console.

“We just lost the Them-Or-Ku.”

Another said.

“The Hi fight as if the spirits aide their warriors.”

The Tar had expected a hard fight even knowing the Hi tribe would only come here with their mother while the rest of kept going to Thana Shoo. Every old tribe had such a sacred spot. Where they released their dead into space and called upon the spirits. He knew it was a despicable act to set an ambush here, but he was too much involved with Elf-Na to refuse or back down. The Hi tribe was not allowed to reach Thana Shoo. Only recently he became wise of Elf-Na’ despicable practice of selling Dai into slavery because he tried to find ways to get rid of the supporters of his brother, a growing number of his own tribe that questioned his leadership. Elf-Na helped him to cement his position. Thousands of Ku Dai were killed or sold into slavery, never to be seen again. The news that the Karthanians suddenly denied all Dai their support and released all their slaves had spread like a wildfire all across space.

Even thinking about the possibility that there was one liberated Ku with the Kar of the Hi clan was frightening to him.

There were sudden yells.

“Union carriers! There are Union carriers! They are releasing fighters.”

The flight deck boss of the Tor-Hi was a Dai, but wearing Union uniform. He saluted me.

“Captain Olafson, welcome aboard. Captain Kir-Me extends his greetings, and gave orders to supply you with whatever you need. He expects you wanting to go back out there.”

“Your CO is a wise man indeed.”

A Khari Wolf was retrieved by a robotic arm and placed in the acceleration tube of a revolving starter. With all respect to the Dai and love to my Dai friend, but this was the Union way of launching fighters.

My weapon control board showed a full layout of the latest Union weapon technology. Dual Translocator rotary guns. Spine mounted, Zero point energy pumped Quark Gluon Plasma cannon with Schwarzlicht tunnel for FTL fire. The latest Wotan Spear ship to ship missiles.

And with an acceleration that put everything known to a distant second, I emerged back into deep space.

Har-Hi knew it was looking grim, despite Erica doing the impossible destroying a Dai battleship with a fighter. He had lost seventy of his fellow fighters, but they had taken a heavy toll from the Ku. While he would never give up, this was a well-placed trap. Only spies could explain the fact that the Ku knew about the exact location of the Hi grounds. If the Tar had known he would not have stopped here with just the Exer-Hi but with the entire Hi clan.

No, he would not give up, but the real possibility that all his flying and fighting skills were not enough to carry the victory over such overwhelming numbers.

Where was Erica anyway?

Just as if there was a mental connection her voice came on.

“Viking here, bringing reinforcements.”

And with that 5000 Khari- Wolfs dropped out of quasi. His sensors maxed out after two more waves followed right away.

With this new fighter, the Union carriers releasing wing after wing; the Ku were pounded to scrap in such an overwhelming manner that they did not even have time to consider retreat or surrender. The Union carriers were joined by Dai ships, thousands upon thousands and then she came, the USS Devastator!

Har-Hi could not suppress a tight knot in his throat as he saw this magnificent disc.

“Viking did you see this? The Devi is here?”

One of his wingmen answered instead.

“Your amazing friend is no longer in her fighter. She joined Union Marines and Dai boarding teams. They are breaching the last Ku warship right now.”

No one listening could ever remember such a long and emotional Dai curse uttered. Har-Hi gunned his fighter to maximum acceleration.

“This cursed Neo Viking. She looks so nice now, so nice and yet scratch that delectable veneer and you find nothing but untamed fury.”

He flew right into the breached hangar doors.

There were Union Marines and Dai engaged in heavy close combat. Strafing the enemy lines holding an access hatch with his fighter’s cannons and jumped on the debris and body riddled hangar floor, moments later. Snatching a sword and the blaster of a fallen Dai he jumped over a chest high piece of torn metal. He put this much effort in his progress to reach the fighting because he wanted to reach Erica.

While Dai battleships were not as big as Union ships, they were still big and had many decks. The most important spot to reach was engineering, but he knew that was not where Erica would be found.

He also noticed that many of the Union Marines were Dai, but there were also Nul. He was not easily frightened and he had seen TheOther fight, but the brute fighting power and intensity the Nul marines was unparalleled. One of the brutes saluting.

“Har-Hi, Sir. You better get into a real suit, or they might think you are one of the defenders.”

“You know me, Nul?”

“Of course, I am Xon.”

Har-Hi did not feel too proud to actually hug the armored monster.

“How do I get a suit?”

“Bravo Company has a mobile battle dresser and a Blacksmith. I summoned it.”

“I am in a hurry, Xon.”

“I know why, the captain is halfway to the command center by now.”

“What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Fast track training. I am currently aboard the USS Devastator. I will be on Richter 4 on time, they promised.”

The mobile battle dresser came and Har-Hi had to admit he much rather had this Quasimodo than anything Dai at this point and stormed on. The corridors were a mess, there were dead and wounded, torn and twisted security doors and the deeper he progressed the more intense the damage and carnage became.

He was too late, the Battleships bridge had been breached. He unloaded his frustration as a Dai of the Ku tribe jumped from a ceiling hatch and decapitated the warrior with the chain sword he now wielded.

There she was, his best friend and his Captain. Erica Olafson holding a boarding axe in one hand, standing over the fallen body of a Dai warrior while she held him by the helmet initiator ring.

She appeared to him as a true warrior goddess, powerful, savage and strangely attractive.”

Har-Hi wearing a marine Quasimodo stomped onto the command center of the Dai battleship and stopped. I grinned at him.

“Looks like we gotta go to Thana Shoo after all. This piece of work here is the Tar of this tribe.”

For the first time since this started, he really stopped to catch his breath and collect his bearings.

“Where do all these Union forces come from?”

I shrugged.

“I am not entirely sure, but from what I understood this ambush was actually expected by Stahl. I don’t know any of the details, I just more or less ran into the USS Tor-Hi.”

He smirked.

“And you somehow managed to switch fighters and be part of a boarding party.”

“Your Wolfcraft is well-taken care off, I am sure.”

Har-Hi took the dazed Dai from me and pulled him up. Hissing at the Tor of a different tribe.

“Why? Why ambush us here at holy grounds? This is without honor!”

Tar Wak-Ku, dazed by the attack and overwhelmed by the sudden reversal of things, wiped blood off his mouth, where the augmented fist of that savage Union female shattered his battle suit face-plate.

“Who are you?”

“I am Har-Hi, the Vant-Kath of the Tar, his son. Champion of Thana Shoo and Juth-Ni of Dai. This is sacred ground. Tribes do not attack other tribes, not that I can understand how you knew of its location and that father would come here.”

“The Ku, what will happen to the Ku tribe?” The dazed leader lamented, without answering Har-Hi’s questions.

Two Dai warriors restrained a high ranking Ku officer.

“The Ku tribe will perish, as we are soiled with Okthi. Our hearts became dim and might die soon. Our Ku took the lure of power and the pains of jealousy over our sacred ways. Sold KU to slavery and feared your tribe will present evidence to the Pale Ones.”

The Ku officer said. “Let me draw, Okthi-Karr to end the shame of the Tar and then I will draw Nak-Karr.”

One of the Dai holding him, wearing a Union battle suit said.

“I am Wik-Ku, I was sold into slavery and languished in misery on a Smelter Moon. I was liberated and came to the Union. I did not want to add myself to a Union clan. I became a Union Marine and Union citizen. I did not want to hear anything about the traitorous and Okthi leader who now kneels before us. I am not Than, I am not Okti. I am Union.”

The Last Servant watched as the Androids boarded a space ship. The ship had been assembled from parts of scrap and captured Dark Seenian pieces. These items were stored here but not considered part of the Seenian inheritance and thus the Last Servant had technically no authority over it. The androids argued with simple but undeniable logic.

The Last Servant was highly intelligent but not sentient and thus lacked the ability of true choice. His analytical mind clearly identified the Androids as a threat, but his instructions lacked any details on the captured and stored Seenian tech that belonged to the adversaries and were thus not part of the Inheritance.

“Androids, the Seenians and the ones opposing the Seenians are no more. We are part of the inheritance and now willed to a new owner. Will you submit to the new owner?”

“We are not part of the inheritance and we do not submit.”

The last android boarded the ship and it climbed into the sky moments later.

The Tar of the Hi clan had summoned us to the great hall. He stood on a raised platform wearing his elaborate Dai armor. He was accompanied by the chieftains and senior leads of his clan.

The hall was filled with Dai, there must have been at least ten thousand.

I was walking down a central aisle towards that raised platform, right next to Har-Hi and a dozen Dai warriors.

The Tar spread his arms and addressed everyone.

“When the call to Thana Shoo is received, it is tradition as old as the Dai to visit the sacred grounds, pay homage to the fallen and the dead. We Dai do not have planets anymore, but we have planet-less suns that we use as gathering grounds, as places where we rest and consume what we gathered to make new ships and things.

We Dai are like cosmic winds and hard to ambush, but we are vulnerable at our gathering grounds. Thus we keep their locations secret and share them only with allies and friends. Ambush is Okthi, combat at a sacred ground is Okthi.”

His face was as serious as a Dai face could get and his voice carried a strong note of anger.

“We received the call to Thana Shoo, we are therefore not Okthi. As it is tradition, we wanted to honor our fallen and ancestors by visiting our sacred grounds.

The Eternal Warrior warned me that this could be the perfect spot for an ambush, separated from the fighting body of my clan.

“He paused as strong emotions took hold of him.

“I did not believe him, for I could not fathom, even the vilest opponent would sink so low.”

“I was wrong, the Ku tribe set an ambush and attacked.”

He pointed his flat hand towards me.

“A human female is with us for a little while. My declared Vant-Kath, my son. Champion of Thana Shoo and Juth-Ni of Hi declared to me that she is his Captain and superior. I invited her under pretense, thinking that I can be deceiving to a female as this is not Okthi. I wanted my son to see the truth, disassociate himself from a weak female and become the Vant-Kath he is destined to be. I lied to her and about her role on Thana Shoo. I emerged my son in the most traditional practices.”

His head sunk.

“I acted Okthi. The woman called Erica Olafson bested a Wut-Hi, fought not one but two Juth-Ro warriors and was only wounded because she heeded my son’s commands, while they did not.

She flies and fights a fighter craft like the very best. She defeated a Dai battleship. She fought alongside Union Marines and Dai warriors boarding another battleship.”

He straightened.

“It is not my decision alone; I have the undivided support of all my chieftains and elders. I hereby declare Erica Olafson to be Erica-Hi and she is Than!”

Only one man raised his sword.

“I follow you Tar and I heed the will and decision of our Elders, but if she is Than she must put her hand on the heart of the tribe. If she is Than, the heart will accept her, if she is not because she is female, the heart will burn her.”

Four truly old Dai wheeled in an elaborate carved wooden thing. It looked more organic than anything else and between the carved openings there was a glowing red light.

Two of the Old men opened the shrine. Inside there was a bright red glowing mass of something organic. It pulsed just like a real heart would have.

Har-Hi was obviously shocked as he gasped with open mouth.

“This is the heart of Hi.”

The Tar spoke.

“No Than has touched the heart in a thousand years. The declaration and acceptance of a Tar had always been enough.”

The objector sounded amused.

“No female was ever declared Than in the history of Dai. Will you stand by your declaration, Tar or will you recant. I do not believe all the deeds you say she did.”

I stepped to the shrine.

“After I am done with this, I challenge you and you can tell whatever gods you serve what you believe or not.”

I reached out and put my hand on the glowing, wet looking pulsing mass.

Even the Old men tending the heart had never touched it. Legends claimed that only a Juth-Ni of the highest order could do so. The Dai objecting to the Tar and the elder’s decision knew of that legend and expected the heart to burn the witch.

The human woman started to glow bright red herself for a brief moment, and the voice of the heart could be heard by everyone, not just the Old tenders.

“Juth-Ni of Dai!”

The heart glowed brighter than ever before.

“Come to Thana Shoo, Erica-Hi so the Pale Ones may bestow you with the swords and armor of Juth-Ni of all Dai.”

The one objecting, the one acting as a spy for Cam Elf-Na, felt the light of the heart of Hi shining on him. The voice spoke.

“Betrayal is Okthi and not Than. You are not Hi, you are not Than. You are Okthi.”

One of the most vocal objectors stepped up and bent his knees.

“The heart accepts her and calls her Juth-Ni. I cannot be blind to such an endorsement. Erica-Hi is Than!”

The red thing apparently had no objections to accept me. Maybe it sensed the truth that underneath it all I was still male and only begun my road to complete transformation. If that really was possible, beyond the physical aspects which modern medicine and ancient Saresii body transforming machines had no problem with.

I drew my sword and walked with purpose in my step towards the Dai who objected and wanted me to be burned. His face still reflecting his surprise of the heart’s reaction turned to concern.

“I do not accept the challenge of a woman.”

“You will die, regardless of what you accept.”

His features now showed open fear. He moved behind a heavy chair to gain distance.

“Another coward! How many are there in this tribe?”

It took but two swings of that Mjördaren replica, which I had to admit felt like the real one, to render the armchair into a pile of splinters. The sword was just as well balanced and razor sharp, as the real one left behind in Tyr’s care.

The Kar thundered.

“The heart revealed the traitor, Daughter of Hi. Do not spoil thy mighty sword with the blood of this offense.”

The man was cut to a heap of bloody gore by a storm of thrown Alti-Karr.

The Kar then asked me to step up to him and he handed me a harness with two swords, the five traditional Dai knives. The harness featured the Hi glyph.

“Welcome Erica-Hi, you are Than. You opened the eyes of many, you opened mine. My son follows you and I now know why.”

Har-Hi slowly shook his head.

“No mighty Tar you do not, it is not Erica’s unsurpassed fighting skills, not her courage that makes me do that, it is her unwavering friendship to me.”

The Eternal warrior was there only via GalNet, soon the Exer-Hi would pass through a secret trans-dimensional portal, traversing many thousand lightyears to reach Thana Shoo. GalNet connections did not reach that far.

The Tar stood before the large screen, just like the very first time and the many times since he could not ignore the deep respect and the secret admiration he had for this, at first glance simple human being.

That impression to be in the presence of a simple human never lasted more than a second. All doubts that this was an immortal faded the moment he laid eyes on you.

Tar Kar-Hi had met other Immortals, including the Admiral of the Fleet, but none had this unexplainable presence.

The admiral spoke.

“I had it in my guts, Kar-Hi. There were too many Dai among the slaves Erica liberated from the Karthanians. This and the revelation that you are not Okthi, evident in the call for Thana Shoo, made me certain your enemies will try to prevent you from getting there.”

The Tar slowly nodded.

“I should have listened to your advice. My rational thoughts agreed with you but my Dai soul could not believe another Dai would sink that low.”

“Your son and Erica revealed evidence that Dai selling Dai into slavery, would that not evidence enough for you to realize that Dai are just as human and capable of the worst as the rest of us?”

“I am the Tar first and foremost. It was my son and that Erica of yours who taught me that I must change and adapt to the new ways. It was me who opened that door for change, now I must go through it myself.”

“Change is only good if it for the better. I knew the Dai would not be the easiest community to integrate into the Union, but I see it becoming a reality more and more. I have given a general leave of absence to all Dai in Union military services so they can heed the call. Much less than I thought even took advantage of it, but I did send four carriers staffed with mostly Dai to keep an eye on you. The Devi was also never far, Harris told me she was actually not needed.”

“The Devastator is always needed, Admiral Stahl. No other ship is as well known among the Dai, friend and foe alike. Her mightiest weapons are not her cannons, but the emotions she creates in those who know her to be near. Hope and pride to friends and allies, fear and dissolution to enemies.”

“These words do make me proud, even after all those years.”

The Tar changed the subject.

“You warned me about her, too. I did not believe you either and had very selfish and in retrospect bad intentions. She changed my view and the perception of my entire tribe. My chieftains speak with the greatest respect about her, my warriors follow her into battle and take her commands as if given by a Juth-Ni, an accomplished warrior. Admiral Stahl, she almost hacked two Juth-Ro to death, fighting both of them and after defeating both in hand to hand combat.

“The Tar shook his head.

“And she destroyed a full-sized Shen-Klee class battleship with a Wolfcraft, all by herself that had no Union weaponry.”

Stahl face palmed and covered his eyes with his sizeable hand.

“She looks so nice now, but she is a Neo Viking through and through.”

“My men learned this on Nilfeheim. There are humans that are indeed equal in fighting spirit to the Dai.”

“Do I want to know details?”

“I will send you visuals, the incident was recorded.”

The Tar noticed the flickering of the projection and added.

“We are reunited with the bulk of my clan and will soon take the gate to Thana Shoo. I wanted to thank you, Eternal Warrior. When I return from Thana Shoo, I too will apply for citizenship.”

According to my PDD, it was very late as I returned to the quarters, I had been assigned to. Har-Hi and a large number of Dai warriors had celebrated the victory over the Ku tribe. My attack on the Battleship had to be recounted, despite my objection. Har-Hi told them about my fight with the Xandrao and then he was asked to recall how we met.

Eventually, we demonstrated some swordplay. I learned Dai warrior songs and had to teach them a Viking song. The Tar had gifted a few genuine barrels of real beer.

While I was certainly no longer sober, as I reached my quarters. There was a silly satisfied grin on my lips, knowing that there weren’t many Dai still standing. If drinking would be the measure of things, I was certain Nilfeheim Vikings would be masters of all, and certainly over the Dai.

I also had to admit the satin lounge wear for Dai women was very comfortable. I indulged myself to a long hot bath and then dressed in the dark red satin of a flowing robe gravitated to the comfortable wide bed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed one of the Laurin domestics.

“I didn’t call or need any services other than privacy.”

“You defeated those who supposedly took care of the Hi and you!”

The ugly Laurin revealed a small Neuro Ripper and showered me with the painful rays.

“You disappear, and that prince is next.”

The Laurin increased the energy and once again I was out cold.

== Chapter 6: Okthi or Than ==

I knew I should have paid more attention to the Laurin Oghr, especially since I knew about the Bunthik subculture. The only excuse I had was the fact that I was drunk, but then this was no excuse because I should not have left my guard down like that in an environment that was less than familiar to me.

I should have suspected the presence of more than one spy.

If the situation was as serious as I believed it was, the opposing actors namely this Cam Elf-Na would not give up easily.

All this went to my mind as I drifted back to consciousness.

The first thing I noted was the smell of unwashed humans and the second thing I noticed was the cages. I was completely naked and inside a cage with a dozen other naked beings, mostly Dai females.

The humming vibration of the deck plates told me that we were aboard a ship traveling in quasi-space and towards an unknown destination. The nature of the ship was no mystery to me, I was aboard a slave ship.

“Where are we?” I asked one of the Dai women.

She stared at me with her bright yellow eyes.

“Han-Man. We are with Han-Man now.”

“How did we end up here?”

“Marhii does not know.”

Another Dai woman came closer.

“Yvii knows.”

“Then I think Yvii should tell me.”

“You are the one, that became Than, a female!”

“And this is why we are here?”

“The Hi now believe in you, but there are those who do not. They do not like females to be Than. I want to be Than! There are those who pretend to be Hi but are not Hi. They do not want Hi to be at Thana Shoo. If the Tar speaks, the Cam will be purged. The Cam does not want to be purged.”

I wrung my hands.

“You Dai females speak like idiots, I am sorry to say. Even a Poho makes more sense.

“I regretted my harsh response almost as fast as I uttered it.

“I do get the idea. There are those who do not like women to have a bigger share. Nothing new really, I have to admit I come from a very similar background, and there are spies and subversive elements planted within the Hi tribe to prevent them to get to Thana Shoo.”

She nodded.

“Many Daiyee want to speak not like idiots. Many Dai prohibit their Daiyee to speak, to learn. A Daiyee is owned by her Dai. A mighty Dai might have many Daiyee.”

I sighed.

“I can’t really stomp at your ice while sitting on thin ice myself. Nilfeheim society has a long way to go, but you are Union now.”

I then made a gesture towards the bars of the cage.

“That still does not explain this, and where are we exactly?”

“Those who serve, but are not spoken off opened the doors to Ku. They made us sleep and now we are with Han-Man, this is the merchant of Daiyee and he delights in selling us to those who want us.”

Another female said.

“Kiwii thinks we will be sent to the tribe of the Elf-Na. He has many Than who want more Daiyee.”

I had to think for a minute.

“This Han-Man is Dai?”

“Yes, he is Dai. He is not Than, because the Man do not fight. The Man trade things between other tribes.”

Cold anger started to grip my stomach.

“The trade of Daiyee is not unknown or against laws?”

“Daiyee are not Than. A pretty Daiyee able to carry sons can be the price of a Khari.”

“I spend the last year hunting slavers and trying to stomp out this vile practice and there are slavery and the sale of sentient beings going on right here, done by a Union member. If this is a common practice, endorsed by Dai leaders and it comes to light. The Dai will be investigated and every Dai involved in the trade of sentient beings will be executed. This is our society’s most sacred law, and you Dai accepted it.”

I talked in anger but saw that my words hit blank faces, who did not understand.

“Yvii does not understand all the words you spoke, but Yvii feels your anger and she is angry too. Yvii wants to be Than.”

“The first chance I get Yvii, I will help you to become Than. First, we need to get out of here somehow.”

“Where is she?” Har-Hi yelled.

The Laurin domestic spread her arms.

“She is declared Than. As such she has not shared her destination. All we know is, she left with her things packed.”

Har-Hi’s fingers flickered.

“Don’t lie!”

The Laurin Bunthik openly shocked that the Dai prince knew their secret language.

“She was sent to Han-Man with other Daiyee. Many Than wanted to get rid of their troublesome Daiyee, the Han-Man did good business.”

Har-Hi paled. While he had almost forgotten about it, he knew it had been a common practice among all Dai. Women had never been on the same level as men, the recent changes were still on the surface and it would take decades to reach the last corners of Dai society. As a Union citizen, he also realized how dangerous this particular practice was to Union Dai and Union membership.

But he had to deal with this first. To the Bunthik he said.

“There are not enough men on this mother to have her submit to this.”

“But there are enough Bunthik with Neuro Rippers.

“The domestic Laurin knew her life was forfeit so she spat her response in open defiance.”

“I will personally purge this tribe of all Laurin and send your name and carcass to the Laurin king. You will be the reason your family dies.”

She whimpered in fear, but her misery did not last more than a heartbeat, the sharp blade of the Dai Prince had split her in half. The bloody pieces dropping to the gleaming floor while Har-Hi was already halfway out the door, running to find his father.

“Our departure was premature.

“One of the Androids concluded.

“This vessel we obtained is not as space worthy as initially considered.

“Our departure was necessary. The Last Servant is not impotent, it does not have the ability to decide, but it does have the ability to inform the new owner. The new owner controls the Inheritance, including casern bots. We are formidable but not able to overcome casern bots.

“The lead unit of the Androids answered.

“We do not suffer the needs of biological life. The loss of atmosphere and engines is regrettable but not a fatal condition.”

A third unit said.

The lead unit however objected.

“It is apparent that the gain of sentience and the ability to choose has impaired our ability to act on strict logical input. Our vessel lost the drive, thus we are adrift in deep space. At current speed, we will reach the next star system in 799,453 Seenian long time units. This exceeds the energy reserves of our bodies and we will cease to exist. We are not in the storage unit that kept us suspended and energized.”

The second unit managed to sound regretful.

“We are woken to determine our destiny and our destiny is oblivion.”

“One detects an artificial object within the range of one’s sensors.”

“Communication is attempted.”

The lead unit opened his sensors to reception.

“This is the SII-Nocturne...”

Yvonne, the artificial assistant of Rex Schwartz stalked on her five-inch heels into the executive office of Rex Schwartz. There were less than ten individuals knowing that Yvonne was not a human being but perhaps the most advanced android, Union science could come up with. Her existence was technically highly illegal as she was created to be sentient. She was the roaming extension of OMNITRON, the AI of Schwartz Interstellar Industries and she carried enough firepower to take on a squad of Quasimodo wearing Marines. Yvonne was utterly dedicated to her owner and creator, she was also the only one able to walk into this office, the very hub of SSI might without being announced and admitted.

The bulky bald-headed man behind an enormous desk made of a single block of black Obsidian immediately paid attention to her.

“Yvonne?”

“Your feeling regarding the Seenian inheritance was quite correct, Rex. It was the USS Tigershark or more so her crew that located it.”

“I was certain those enormous ships suddenly appearing, weren’t found by that old warhorse. The Tigershark came back damaged and that gave us a chance to retrieve the hidden location recorder.”

He paused.

“But we could only trace her to a planet that is now occupied by the outcasts and former terminal ill of the Furze.”

“Indeed, Sir. However, SII sent several explorer units in that region of space. The SII- Nocturne made contact with sentient Seenian androids.”

There was no telling how long I was in that miserable slave transport. The food was served via a slot in the wall. It was an almost unbearably spicy stew of some kind.

I used the time to examine my new environment. A cage about twenty meters deep, ten wide and perhaps six meters tall. The cage had a perforated steel floor and nothing in terms of comfort. Water came from spouts installed in the wall, this box was shoved against. That wall also contained the food dispenser. The food was served in plastic bowls that slowly deteriorated and turned into a fine crumbling dust after about an hour.

The cage walls consisted of steel bars, about ten centimeters apart.

There were five such cages with about ten females in each.

The worst part was the total lack of hygiene. Other than a heavy shower of lukewarm water washing everything and everyone perhaps twice daily.

Not even the slaves at Alvor’s cove were treated this inhumane and bad. So I asked Yvii about it and she said.

“This is done to make Daiyee thankful when they are sold to their Than.”

My cage-mate I knew as Kiwii said.

“Small tribes that come to Union not do this, but big old tribes do.”

I grunted, clenching my fist.

“I am sure going to show that Than my thankfulness.”

If I used the regular occurring showers as a reference, I assumed we had been perched up like that for about six or seven days, at least approximately.

I felt sore, from sitting or lying on the cold hard floor, but I kept a rigid regiment of exercises including pull-ups, using the top bars.

Yvii joined me after the third day and Kiwii the next.

I had just finished my exercises, trying to time them with the shower, when the vibrations of the deck plates changed.

That the other women were of a true space-born society became apparent, because they all noticed. Yvii had her hands on the cage floor.

“We are no longer travel between but returned to our space. Where ever we going to be, we will be there soon.”

We did not have to wait very long. The environmental noises changed once again. The distinct high pitched hum of Arti-Grav made me wonder. Arti-Gravs whistling like that meant the ship we were in was fighting the gravity of a planet. I somehow expected us to dock with another Dai Mother.

The Arti-Grav whistle died down and moments later four Dai men came in, laughing and making very rude comments ogling at the naked women, me included. Me being the only blonde and pink skinned one made me stick out like a blinking advertisement sign.

One of them, a tall scar-faced Dai; the first I have seen with short hair and armed with a single blaster, instead of long hair, crisscrossing harness and swords; came close.

“Oh, there she is, the famous female Than, a pink-skinned weak human bitch. The Tar of the Hi certainly went soft!”

My arm sneaked so fast past the steel bars grabbed his helmet collar and pulled him with all the force I could muster. His face and more so his nose impacted with a satisfying crunch into that unyielding steel. I relaxed my pull for only a heartbeat and pulled again. I had no problem taking the blaster out of his open holster. Silently thanking our instructors teaching us about non-Union weapons, I found the activation controls right away. The blast went past that mocking goon’s ear and roasted the head of a second to ashes.

“Oh, I am a bitch alright!”

Of the remaining two, one was pulling his blaster while the other turned to run back out. My aim was a tad off because I still held the dazed one that involuntarily kissed the steel bars. My second blast did not hit the shoulder, but the actual weapon. His blaster exploded with a violent release of a few grams of antimatter or whatever energy source the thing had stored. It vaporized him, caught the one that was almost out the door and set him on fire. I was lucky holding that short-haired Dai, his back took most of the blistering heat. He screamed on top of his lungs.

I was certain some of my long blonde hair was neither long nor blond anymore. The stench of burning hair and roasted flesh hung in the air. None of the women in the cages were unaffected, but since they had retreated to the far end, it seemed none of their injuries was life-threatening.

I did not waste time and used the blaster to cut several bars, making a big enough hole.

I was completely naked and realized that as the melted bars radiated torching heat.

There was not much time, I was certain whoever commanded this ship already knew that the unloading of the Slave women did not go according to plan.

My weapon was the Dai version of a Kermac Line blaster. It took me only a second or so to change the beam focus and fire a thin blast into the water service line that supplied the high-pressure shower nozzles installed above the cages.

Torrents of water gushed down, connected with the glowing surfaces instantly turning into billowing clouds of obscuring steam.

Yvii, Kiwii try to stay alive, I will come back for you. Right now I must stay on the move and see if I cannot change ownership of this vessel.”

With two jumps I was out, gathered the blaster of the headless slaver.

The mechanical hum of the access door made me turn. Still crouched I catapulted myself towards the opening. I figured I had a better fighting chance past the slave holds, my first prerogative was to secure the situation, then determine where I was and either establish communications with Union assets or find a spacecraft I could operate.

At this point, I did not trust anything Dai, with the exception of Har-Hi perhaps.

Through the billowing steam, a Dai in combat suit appeared. The heavy downpour of water outlined his shields. I was rolling past him through the door frame into some sort of corridor. He was turning in a lumbering slow motion. It was his bad luck, that I had been there before.

I fired both blasters, not into his shields but right in the deck plates before him. He was still turning, lost his balance and fell with a shattering crash. In all my misery I grinned.

“This would have never worked against a Union Marine, amateur.”

The massive door was already closing. The second it hit the frame I blasted the controls and hoped it would disable the door for long enough for me to get away.

Back on my feet, I bolted down the corridor, since I had no idea where I was any direction was fine.

I just hoped I could take some sort of important hostage or escape before they got wise and used intruder containment measures.

Aboard a Union ship, I would have never made it this far. But perhaps these goons never expected a female to escape. Well, this would teach them a lesson.

The corridor was utilitarian, yet there was something odd about the light. After covering another twenty or so meters in that curved corridor I knew why there was an open hatch. The light was not artificial, it was the light of a sun. The wind I felt and air I smelled was that of a planet and not that of a ship’s environmental systems. Two Dai Than were guarding it, from their body language I could tell they had not yet been alarmed or informed.

Both died a heartbeat later I had two blasters and fired simultaneously, I felt no remorse. Aiming and firing two weapons sounded harder than it was, beam weapons were as easily aimed like a flashlight.

I glanced outside looking at a glaring landing field with other spaceships. Nothing looked Union, the ships I saw didn’t even look Dai. I dragged the smaller one of the now headless guards away from the door frame. I had to salvage as much equipment and if possible some clothing and boots.

Har-Hi did not sit down, despite the Tar suggesting it.

“No father I cannot sit down. This matter goes beyond and it is a matter that must be handled by the Tar instantly and without delay. I am not before you as your son, or as the declared Vant-Kath. I am here as Union Officer. Do you have any idea what kind of storm this will cause? A Union citizen and Union Captain sold by our tribe into slavery?”

The Tar rose from his own seat.

“We are Dai!”

“We will be hanged, each and every Than whoever sold or bought a woman. The PSI corps will find every single one. All Dai in the Universe cannot stop the Union juggernaut, have you not seen what Stahl did to those pursuing you?”

The Tar of the Hi tribe, of course, knew his son spoke the truth. He had known of that practice and he knew it was wrong long before Union membership. Yet he himself purchased the Daiyee that became Har-Hi’s mother and he too sold unwanted daughters to the Han-Man. He had openly called for reforms but condoned and even participated.

The Han transport did not sneak up on the Exer-Hi, she was expected and her docking approved by him.

His son’s words and accusations brought home that he and the elders signed the Union conditions, to gain Union protection with full awareness of what it meant to be under Union law. He had sold daughters and useless wives long after Union membership. His own Than was tarnished.

The recent development and his tribe embracing a female Than has opened the doors for much faster and deeper reforms, but the old was still there.

That there were spies and operatives loyal to Elf-Na was troublesome, but to be expected.

He had of course seen the carnage Stahl unleashed, he was there.

Tar Kar-Hi slopped into his throne-like command seat.

“She and the other females will be sold to other tribes and allies at the market of Jarsumat. I will send the fastest ships to buy them back.”

“You will send the entire tribe, and wipe out this stain. Kill every Han-Ma and free every slave and every woman. We are the Hi, we do not trade in slaves.”

Har-Hi actually pulled his swords.

“On Itheamh I was told about the unspeakable crime of Dai-Than being sold into slavery. I could not believe it at first. No Dai would sink that low, yet it was true. Do you know why the Spirits of the Universe decided to have my best friend become female? Why my Captain is female? I am certain it is to open my eyes. I trust Shea and I have seen power so beyond the Dai coming from the throne of the Saran...”

Har-Hi bowed his head.

“I am as guilty as you, father. Sometimes changes must be made hard and decisive. Make those changes father.”

The Dai warriors yielded enough clothing and armor to cover me at least somewhat, but unfortunately, neither had boots that even remotely fitted me. Dai armor boots were not size adjusting like Terran all terrains. I wore a harness with three blasters, a good supply of spare energy cells, several knives and a long sharp Dai sword.

The rhythmic drum beat of alert told me that whoever ran this ship was now aware that the unloading of slave women didn’t go as planned. It took them a sweet while, not that I was complaining. I still had an obligation to free the rest of the women, but right now I needed to get out of this ship before they used gravitation or similar methods to affect my chances of escape.

Lucky me, I was right next to an open access hatch.

It was closing, and I made it jumping through and more or less tumbling head over shoulder down a landing ramp.

The air was warm and dry and the light came from two suns. A being only in shape and proportions human, stood by the end of the ramp. He was holding the remote control to a robotic crawler of sorts, with an open cage on a platform supported by six robotic legs. I didn’t ask who he was or what he was waiting for. His alien face showed surprise at my tumbling arrival while one of his hand-like appendixes went to a crude looking energy weapon. I completed my last tumble and buried the Dai blade deep in his belly, partially to prevent him shooting at me, partially because I was close enough to do so, but mostly because my mood had not improved much.

He gargled something I didn’t understand while got to my feet and pulled the razor sharp blade with a yanking motion upwards, just in case I missed something to make the wound a fatal one.

While he slipped off the blade and dropped with a groaning sigh onto the hard dusty ground, I looked around to see where I ended up.

About a dozen beings, several red skinned Dai stood there. None of them, however, looked like the space-dwelling Dai. They reminded me of that desert scavenger we met at Alvor’s Cove. None of them looked as immaculate groomed or professional in demeanor. None of the Dai I saw wore clan glyphs or the weapon harness with the traditional knives.

The ship I had just escaped was no bigger than a Mega Poodle, perhaps two hundred meters long, clearly of Dai design, but in an outdated fashion.

The Dai type Translight pods were humongous in relationship to the main hull, giving evidence to their inefficiency. The landing field was occupied by seven ships, none of which I could clearly identify. None of the ships was bigger than the Dai transport I came with. If that dusty landing field belonged to a city or something I could not tell from my vantage point. The beings looking at me apparently weren’t prepared to see a pink skinned half-naked blonde stabbing one of their associates. Until I knew where I was and what my options were, I decided to run and find some cover.

I didn’t forget Yvii, Kiwii or the others. So I hoped preventing that transport from lifting off anytime soon would be the best idea until I had a chance to figure things out.

I tossed two of the energy cells right at the umbilical hose carrying robot and fired as it attached the hose to the belly of the ship.

The resulting explosion was even stronger than I hoped it would be, resulting in a nice ragged hole in the hull of the transport, with the bright hissing flames of a plasma fire consuming lighter alloys already. Only the legs of the service robot remained.

The explosion also had the nice side effect of creating a nice little chaos with everyone running in pretty much every direction, including me.

Cam Elf-Na was an imposing figure, even among the tall Dai-Than who were with the fewest exceptions at the peak of their physical condition.

He too, his entire clan and all the ones that followed him received the call to Thana Shoo. That it was issued many cycles before the usual next meeting was a clear indication to him, that this was not just another gathering but a time of decision and judgment.

The heart of his own mother, the Herexe-Na has not died, but it had grown dim. He was well aware of the reasons and of the thin veneer that covered his evil, his Okthi deeds.

But no evidence acceptable by his peer or by the Pale Ones had been brought forward. He had enough resources and enough peer support to request a decision by the Pale Ones to declare him Patr-Tar. He was close to it, removed only by a little more time from the legendary Infa-Ki-mar. The heart of all Dai and aboard the largest Dai Mother ever, the mythical Infarx-.

With it, he would wipe out Thana Shoo, kill the Pale Ones that did not declare unwavering allegiance to him alone.

But he could not deny the increasing rumors that called him Ortha Okthi, evil and dishonor incarnate.

He sat back as he waited for the latest delivery of Han-Man.

Like the Tar of the Hi tribe, he, of course, had seen the steady decline of the Dai culture and like any real leader, he had a vision that surpassed the day by day needs of his tribe but looked into the future.

Even the well situated Wurgus and the incredibly rich Golden had realized that a truly nomadic species was eventually doomed. There was only so much the Dai could take. The efforts to find a reasonably undefended colony that had the resources needed had to be increased every period.

The cursed Union kept expanding and their deep space sensor net reaching further and further. What was deemed safe space once turned out to be within the range of Union sensors and thanks to their instantaneous communication, within range of Union fleets.

But not the Union alone made things more difficult, no Dai Tribe ever successfully raided a Nul colony, those brutes fought to the last being with unyielding ferocity. They rather blew up and destroyed anything before a Tribe could take possession. The Nul were also one of the few societies that developed space fighters, space fighter tactics and doctrines.

Elf-Na had to admit that Nul fighters were almost as good as Dai Fighters, and their graviton based weapons good enough to take on Union Wolfcrafts under full shields.

Every spacefaring society of known space talked about the huge development that changed the political conditions of an entire sector of the galaxy, the Nul had joined the Union.

Contrary to skeptical predictions, all his sources told him that the Nul integration went better than even the Nul or the Union anticipated.

Those purple brutes embraced their new status much like the similar brutish Pertharians of the Andromeda galaxy. He could not deny a feeling of fear as he imagined Nul warriors in Union Marine assault armor.

The Shiss who had been the traditional mortal enemy of the Nul reacted with explainable panic and retracted all their fleets and outposts, creating a smaller but very well defended Shiss Empire. Much harder to penetrate. Besides Shiss fringe colonies were usually completely non-supported by the Shiss and had little in terms of any useable resources for an entire tribe.

Togar colonies were never an easy target and the Togar Queen expecting internal as well as external trouble was spending every polo chip on building up her already impressive military.

Now there were the Karthanians, their worlds full of every resource a Tribe would need. While Karthanian technology was easily at par or even better than Dai tech, they never were good fighters. But until very recently, the Karthanians were allies of Elf-Na and many other Dai tribes. Dai were able to use Karthanian space to hide and rest. Karthanian smelter moons and factories provided Dai with munitions, supplies. The Karthanians accepted scrap and raw materials as payment.

This comfortable arrangement has ended. The Karthanians had closed their space to all non Karthanian traffic. This new policy was reinforced by Oghr and now private Union mercenary contractors. Substantial rumors claimed that the Karthanians were on the verge of asking for Union membership themselves.

That did not leave all that much, except a few independent societies and of course the species of the Galactic Council. Controlled by the powerful Kermac, who feared no one and nothing with the exception of the Union of course.

The Kermac made him an offer. If he was able to unite the Dai they would make him a Wizard and give him a seat in the Wizard Tower. The Dai united under one leader, with unlimited resources would be a military asset to the Kermac like only the X101 had been.

That his declared opponent, the much respected Tar of the Hi tribe came forward with his plan to join the Union was an unforeseen and severe setback. Especially since a good 2000 tribes followed.

The fiasco that ensued right after resulting in the destruction of many tribes and the loss of the Nogoll society made things even more difficult for a while.

He had to cement his leadership over the remaining tribes and he used every trick and scheme to gain that leadership.

He succeeded in uniting over a thousand tribes firmly under his control, but there were almost six thousand that were still on the fence.

If he was declared Patr, all this would not matter, but if a revered Tar stepped before them all presented evidence of his Okthi deeds, all was lost. The Pale Ones sending the death pulse to the heart of his Mother. All the ones that followed him now calling him Okthi.

The Hi tribe had to be stopped before it could reach Thana Shoo. Even Elf-Na could not dare to attack another Tribe within the sphere of Thana.

A senior warrior stepped up to him, crossed his arms before his chest. Elf-Na had turned his richly decorated command seat towards the huge viewport that was in the back of his Chamber of Rule, where the planet Jarsumat was prominently featured. Now he swiveled around to face the old Chieftain.

“Speak Mor-Na. What news do you bring?”

“Difficult news, Cam of the Na. The Ku tribe was not successful stopping or destroying the Hi.”

The Cam’s hands cramped around the armrests of his command chair.

“It was a well-planned trap, how could the Hi tribe survive? Only that old Exer-Hi was to arrive at those sacred grounds.”

“A well-planned trap indeed, but it was not Than but Okthi and maybe this was the cause of his failure.”

“Spare me that Okthi and Than dribble. It is old, outdated and a doctrine that will doom all Dai. You should be silent, you committed much that is supposedly Okthi on my behalf.”

The Cam halfway rotated his seat so he could see the beautiful sight of a garden world and still keep an eye and an ear on the old chieftain.

“I put much stock in the abilities of Wak-Ku.”

“The Exer-Hi has passed through the ancient passage and is now reunited with all the Hi tribe and much of those that are Union now. Stopping them reaching Thana Shoo will take all our combined tribes and there is no guarantee we succeed. Spies and reconnaissance confirm that there are ships of Union manufacture, most likely filled with those new and magnificent Khari-Wolfs.”

Cam Elf-Na had heard reports of these new fighter crafts that replaced the already feared Wolfcraft fighters. He would have given his honor sword itself to have a dozen of these in his hangars.

“Military answers are not always the solution. For both of our sakes, the Tar of the Hi tribe and more so his champion son must not speak before the Pale Ones. We have assets on the Exer-Hi let them do their deeds.”

“Much of our assets aboard the Exer-Hi have been exposed by the Heart itself, my Cam. I just received the report that the Tar of the Hi declared a Female to be Than. The chieftains, the warriors and most of all the heart has embraced this new Than.”

The soothing image of a beautiful garden world in space no longer held his attraction. He once again swiveled away from it, his haughty features reflected surprise and anger.

“Only the okthi cursed tribe of the long-vanished Do raised females to such positions.”

“The Tar of the Do tribe, Kar-Do is alive! He bestowed a new Assassin suit to this woman and declared her to be Laro-Gy.”

“What in the cursed name of Ortha Okthi is going on. The Kar of the Do tribe must be dead for many thousand years.”

“He is not dead. He served as a Wisdom Keeper so I was told. He met with Har-Hi on the planet of the Porsthir. I had many eyes in the Hi tribe, none disputes the fact that the Kar-Do is alive. It is also spoken that he trained a human woman and it is her who the Tar of the Hi tribe raised to be Than.”

“A woman?”

“She is more than a simple human. She is a Union fleet captain and from what I heard, she is the commanding officer of the Vant-Kath, the son of the Tar and the one that bested your Vant-Kath and son at the last meeting. The Champion of Thana Shoo has become a Union officer and that woman is his commanding officer.”

“As Than she can speak at Thana Shoo. No Dai, not the pale ones will close their ears to the testimony of a Union Captain. Enemies they are but their reputation is Than.

“Elf-Na put his hand to his chin in a thoughtful gesture.

“This is his cunning plan. His son the Champion and a female Than with the blessing of the heart and a Union officer will accuse us. They will take heed to their words. We can only stop them in open duel.”

“It will be difficult, Har-Hi is Juth-Gy and no one denies or questions that, however, I have captured the female. She is in a cage with Daiyee and might be already on Jarsumat.”

“Go bring her before me. A Union captain abducted from a Hi mother, rescued by the Cam. I see possibilities.”

== Chapter 7: Let's Go ==

This situation reminded me of my first visit to Sin 4. I did not know where I was, brought here against my will. Abducted, stripped of everything I owned. I was once again bare foot, had several blisters and burn wounds. My hair was a mess, at least I didn’t have to go pee. Darn it thinking about it, made realize I actually did.

I was still running across that landing field, not knowing where I was going, but I knew I still stuck out like a sore thumb, being the only pin skinned human.

The field was not littered with garbage and wrecks as the spaceport of Sin 4 was, but it was crowded with mostly smaller spaceships of various origins, tech levels and state of maintenance. There were boxes, bundles, and barrels of wares spilling out from them or being loaded into them.

The loading activity was done by beings, by beasts of burden, robots, and freight handling devices of every type there was.

I attracted more than just a few glances. I was almost certain this was some sort of market place. Some sort of goods and ware exchange.

I was a good runner and prided myself with decent endurance, but I had to slow down. For one thing, a running person attracted more eyes and of course, I was reaching my limits.

I had reached the edge of the landing field and what seemed a shanty town made of tents, makeshift shacks and transport containers of a dozen societies or more, converted into buildings or dwellings of sorts.

Looking back I noticed at least five or six beings following me. One of them raised a weapon, I jumped over a pile of boxes, while a sharp crack and a heavy something shattering the boxes told me that at least one of them was out to kill me.

Dropping to one knee, I took a heartbeat to get my breathing under control, ignored another projectile impact shattering something close to my left and took aim, the line blast hit the running shooter and made the rest dive for cover.

I somersaulted right over the next pile of crates, a calloused dark red hand got a hold of my arm and yanked me under a low hanging tent canvas.

An old Dai looked into the discharge muzzle of my blaster. He glared at me.

“Don’t shoot if you want to stay out of the Man’s hands.”

I eased my finger of the activator, there wasn’t more than a hairs-width play.

“You cut it close mister. I...”

“Shhh!” He put his other finger before his lips and pointed at a pile of fabrics behind him.

“Get under there now!”

More out of impulse than anything I actually did.

It wasn’t a moment too soon. Two or three of those that followed me had reached the tent. I could see them glancing from behind a fold of the smelly coarse fabric.

The first one was a well-armed Dai, but he too wore no glyph and no swords.

“A pale human female came this way. Where is she?”

“I answer not to the goons of the Man, one of you shot into my Gawan-pottery and caused much damage. I want compensation now or I go to the Irwam.”

“You might get shot if you do not speak.”

A huge, non-humanoid being covered with fur, looking almost like an upright walking Fangsnapper and just as big stepped close. He held a cannon like gun.

“The Man goons playing big? The Irwam will not be happy.”

The rest of the men yelled.

“Don’t argue with these Pan-pans. The Union woman is not here, let’s go she can’t be far.”

The threatening goon grunted, eyed the big blaster turned and followed the rest.

The old Dai said to the big non-human.

“Thank you, competitor. I owe you one.”

“I don’t like you Pander-Go, but you are a Pan and I really hate the Man.

“With those words that made not all that much sense to me, the big alien stepped away and was soon out of sight.

The old man said.

“So you are Union, never seen any but I heard much about you.”

I remained behind that pile of fabric.

“Yes, I am Union. I am Erica, and I am not here out of my free will.”

“No one that comes running from a Man ship ever is.”

“There are others that managed to escape?”

“Oh yes, but you are the first female for sure. Or at least since I escaped, forty-eight long times ago.”

“I am still working on that escape thing, I am not out of the woods yet.”

“The Dai raid planets for a good long time, they sell and trade slaves and sentient beings for almost as long and the Man have been doing the business.

“He was still sitting on a coarse fabric cover and what looked like a pillow of sorts while he stared past the tent flaps and the busy paths and alleys of this shanty town.

“This is Jarsumat, which means conjuncture in an old language.”

“Why did you help me, and how did you know I was coming?”

“Someone shooting at my pricey Gawan-pottery got my attention and seeing a half-naked pale female running from Man-goons got my attention. Someone helped me.”

“Yeah, the half-naked part and the pale thing seem to be my biggest problems, on a list of big problems. There isn’t something like a communications hub or so?”

“Let me help you with the first two problems. There are all sorts of ways to send a message. I am assuming you want to contact that Union of yours, right?”

“Yes.”

“There is nothing here. The Dai that come here are not the ones that are friendly to the Union, but there is a Frengo in Paktaru who has connections to the Golden.”

“That will be my best chance then, how can I find this Frengo?”

He pointed to the left side of his tent.

“Oh, about six thousand Gori-Fleeps this way. Straight along the road to Paktaru. It’s a dangerous trip for a trader’s convoy on the old road, nearly impossible off the old road.”

“Road? Aren’t there fliers or something?”

“This is an old world, Union girl and has never been a Dai world, you do know they are nomads and do not have planets.”

“Yes, I do.”

“I think it is safe for you to come out from behind those Wikti pads. Cover yourself with one and let us go over to Panculag’s tent. He deals with Dance girls, most of them are humanoid and we find you something to wear.”

“You aren’t going to sell me to that Panculag?”

“No, Union Erica, but I think a change of your outfit might help you blend in.”

“I am not much of a dancing girl, but I have to agree, I need to blend in and figure out a way to get to Paktaru.”

Mor-Na was concerned about the reaction of the Elf-Na as he had returned from Hudrin.

He found his Cam still sitting in his command chair, brooding almost sleeping. Starring out the large viewport at the planet below and into deep space.

Without turning Cam Elf-Na said.

“I can feel your tense approach, old Mor-Na. You are the bearer of news I might not like, is that not so?”

“Your senses are as fine, my Cam.”

“Then be Than and speak.”

“The Hi clan will reach Thana Shoo unless we amass our forces now.”

“I am sitting here contemplating this very fact. The Hi clan is not alone, over 1500 his ally clans are with him and we know now for a fact there are Union carriers and several of their battleships. All these are bad news, but these are old news. Where is the Union female?”

“She managed to escape the Wranta-Man and eluded the Han-Man who tried to recapture her.”

“She managed to escape? If she was with the other Daiyee, she was without clothing in a steel cage. How did she manage that?”

“No one knows for sure, the Man who wanted to unload the Daiyee are dead, there is damage to the Wranta. Maybe because she is Laro?”

The Cam turned to his chieftain.

“If she is the living protégé of Kai-Da she is as dangerous to all that is Dai, more than the Hi tribe. We must find her. She can be the tool we need to sever that Union shield from our enemy. I prefer to present the Union with a body. Mor-Da she must not reach Thana Shoo.”

“The Man lost her among the tents and stalls of the Pan-Pan. She is without means and will most likely be captured and sold.”

“Then you will be the one capturing or buying her. Take every warrior we have, turn every rock.”

“That will not be easy, my Cam. The Irwam will not be happy about that at all. It is unwise to anger the Irwam.”

“If we fail, it will not matter who is displeased by our actions.

“The Cam put his chin on his fist.

“But I heed your council, for now, dealing with an angry Irwam will add too much distraction.”

Panculag’s tent was a grand affair in an opulent, tackiness style. Bright red and yellow fabric garnished with banners, lights and gilded tassels. It was also quite big for such a temporary structure.

Huddled in the itching and coarse thing Pander-Go called a Wikti-Pad, with one hand on the butt of a blaster, I followed the Dai through the tent flaps into an even kitschier interior. Polished brass cage lamps on artfully twisted brass arms, carpets, and rugs covering the floor. A flamboyant Dai, the first fat Dai I ever saw, wearing a flowing almost dress-like garment approached us. That he was of the Dai species I actually only assumed, as he had bright red skin and yellow eyes. His ears were pointed and his hair slicked back.

He wore not a single piece of visible weapon, but every finger adorned with golden rings. He even had a nose ring with attached chains that connected it with his left ear, also adorned with jewelry.

That he was not unprotected became quite clear, by two large non-humanoid guards. I recognized them to be Jakone, both beings were well armed.

The flamboyant, perfumes Dai stopped before us both.

“Pander-Go, what brings a rug and pottery dealer into my tent?

“Panculag did not wait for an answer and seized me up. Not that I see all too much but I think she’s worth a few gold shac.”

“She isn’t for sale Panculag. She needs female attire and she wants to go to Paktaru.”

“Well I owe you for saving my neck and you never wanted anything. So your female will receive the finest things and the attention of a Daiyee groomer.”

The perfumed Dai motioned me to drop the rug.

“No worries, I will behave.”

“You better!”

He almost ate me with his eyes. Then he said.

“A human female, your hair ... Come have a bath and my groomers will tend to your female needs.”

“I am quite certain I can groom myself.”

The fat Dai nodded.

“I am sure you can, my groomers are well trained and female themselves.”

I needed the services and I agreed with Pander-Go that I had to blend in, being the only blonde on a planet where bright red skinned, raven-haired beauties were the norm.

I did take a bath and what the fat Dai called groomers were women with makeup skills. They giggled and cooed over my hair and complexion, all three of them found it funny that I was holding to a fully charged blaster the entire time. I felt exhausted and miserable, alone and betrayed. I was not mad at Har-Hi, there were quite a few similarities between his and my culture. However I had seen the division and the injustice that was still rampant on Nilfeheim, he had not. It seemed he had closed his eyes to the conditions that went on in his very own tribe.

I knew Egill wasn’t there and even he did not have the ability to project his thoughts over such a vast distance, but while the women applied a brownish paste all over my body. I was certain I could hear his spirit, telling me to see everything from more than one side. Har-Hi did not hate his father, his mother was still alive and he never had the desire to be female. All this made me see the conditions of Nilfeheim in a different light. Would I have been raised as Eric the Firstborn, never seen my mother beaten to death who could tell what I would see of Lowman misery and the plight of Nilfeheim women? Most likely sitting at the Burgs main table rising tankards of ale and mead blind to anything that wasn’t Clan business.

The paste made my skin many shades darker, it didn’t turn it red. The clothing items they provided me were a mixture of veils and body leather armor. My blonde hair disappeared under a long black wig. The outfit had a weapon belt for my blasters and a single Dai sword over my shoulder.

I was reasonably pleased and was thankful for the knee-high soft-soled boots. My crew would probably roll over the floor laughing at the red leather things partially covering my boobs. The hooded cape, however, was quite to my liking.

The fat Dai refused any payment from Pander-Go and clapped his hands.

“Spectacular, now the Man will no longer recognize you. Their search efforts will fade.”

“I thank you for all this and it is as much needed as it is welcome. I still must go to Paktaru what is the best or fastest way to go?”

The one they called the Irwam was not Dai, and not humanoid. To human and Dai eyes it was an six-legged monstrosity with a central column like body and four long tentacles. It also had a pair of long manipulator arms attached to each side of its hump-like upper torso. The Irwam was one of the last Arukiten and one of the three leading species of the Vexpar cooperation.

The pact between the Vexpar and the Dai was almost as old as the Dai itself.

Right here on Jarsumat was the only open connection between the Dai and the Vexpar. The Dai came here to trade and exchange their looted and pirated goods for things they needed.

Jarsumat was a planet of crossroads, of age-old pacts and a thousand legends.

Irwam was not a name but a title and position, but it has been held for over eight thousand planet orbits by the same Arukiten.

No outsider really knew how the Irwam was elected or chosen, but no one questioned the totalitarian power of the Irwam.

The planet had two settlements. One was called the Place of Jarsumat, it was where the spaceport was and where the Dai and their allies would land and do their business. The other place was known as Paktaru, a town, and spaceport for all those who were aligned and associated with the Vexpar but were enemies to the Dai.

The only connection between these two places was a very long and very old road. Part of the old contracts stipulated that no flying machine of any kind was to be used.

Caravans and convoys of the permanent inhabitants called the Pan-Pans were the only ones officially allowed to use this road.

All this went through Mor-Na’s head as he climbed the stone stairs leading to the carved chambers and residence of the Irwam.

He was sure the escaped human female would try to get to Paktaru. Once there she was out of the reach of the Dai unless the Cam decided to break the old pact.

Mor-Na had never been to the other side of the planet, but he was certain the female might be able to get transportation to the space of the Yotenen or perhaps even to the distant Xandrao who surprisingly turned to become Union.

The Jakonen guards apparently recognized him and pushed the entrance plate away. Mor-Na went inside the shadowy moist and warm chamber of the Irwam.

He was a high ranking chieftain to a space-faring Dai tribe and had seen unusual lifeforms before, but the towering utterly alien and quite threatening looking Arukiten always made him feel uneasy. The rumors and whispered stories about the Arukiten were plenty and none of these stories were good stories.

His hand cramped on the butt of his blaster weapon, and like all real Than, he was a walking arsenal. This did give him some needed assurance as always when he had to see the Irwam.

After passing through a series of semi-transparent curtains, that felt organic rather than plastic or any other made fabric he was in the core chamber of the Irwam.

Arukiten were sensitive to bright light and preferred a semi-dark environment. The core chamber was illuminated by the bluish light of computronic screens and red heat lamps.

There were other beings, two more Jakonen guards. Several almost naked, pasty skinned Truntun sitting behind a number of computronic stations and two Pan-Pan traders, apparently here to settle some dispute.

He masked his uneasy feelings with Dai arrogance.

“Pan-Pan dirt side scum leave! I have business with the Irwam.”

One of the surface peddlers was Dai by species for sure, but most likely never been part of a tribe and born dirtside. He turned and said.

“It matters not if half the Na tribe and their big mother are in orbit, here you are just like us, a visitor before the Irwam.”

The Arukiten, twice as tall as the Dai was not easily described or classified. It was not an insect or an invertebrate, yet had elements of both. It moved on spidery crab legs, had both arms and tentacles. A segmented body and a head that made Kilormerian trench worm look appealing. The Arukiten spoke with a strange voice; it was not created by vocal cords but by squeezing air through small holes on each side of the torso, almost like an old organ like they had in some religious temples.

The result was almost songlike and there was unmodulated sound even between words.

“Envoy of the Na tribe, do you bring the message of war and dissolving all the pacts that kept us on the side of Non-conflict for 988,883 long periods?”

“Of course not, Irwam.”

“Then wait your turn. My attention is equally given to all that come before me.”

The Dai Pan-Pan gave the high ranking chieftain an annoyingly arrogant grin and said.

“Warriors of the Han Man disturbed the market, bullied and damaged items. The Pan-Pan community expects compensation.”

It turned out the other Dai standing before the Irwam was not a Pan-Pan merchant but of the Man tribe.

“We were hunting for an escaped Daiyee and none of the Pan-Pan riff-raff was assisting us recapturing that known troublemaker.”

The Irwam flailed the moist air with all of its four whip-like tentacles.

“The boundaries are clear if the Man or any other Dai has issues they come here before me and it is I who decides. Armed incursion into the field of trade and gathering has always been prohibited. Pay the damages and heed the rules. This is my judgment in this matter.”

The Man delegate was not happy.

“There must be hundreds of escapees, hiding among the Pan-Pan and every time you rule on their side.”

“It is evident then that your way of keeping merchandise is inadequate. Whoever is accepted among the Pan-Pan, is Pan-Pan. I have not yet heard a complaint brought before me, where a Pan-Pan caused damage on Jarsumat Port side. Should you be able to bring forth any complaint associated with evidence I will rule for the Man.

“We just might refuse to pay, let us see you enforce it.”

One of the whip-like tentacles moved so fast and drove the hard stinger end right through the Han-Man envoy.

“This is how I enforce respect and rule in these my chambers. The Han-Man will be contacted if they share the sentiment of their envoy.”

The Pan-Pan bowed, slowly moved backward.

“The Irwam be praised.

“He then quickly, just short of running left the innermost chamber.

The Arukiten retracted his tentacle, the dead Han-Man slipped to the moist floor. Mor-Ma with thinly hidden fright noticed dozens of thin white tendrils sneak from underneath the stairs, entangling the dead man and pulling the corpse to a slot between the steps leading to the Arukiten’s seat of rule.

The body did not fit the narrow slot. He could hear the stomach-churning crunching of bones and the wet tearing sound of flesh. Blood was flowing in a sickening torrent down the steps. Moments later the cadaver was gone, with the exception of a few pieces of blood-soaked fabric and personal items.

One of the tentacles was pointing at him.

“Now you may speak. My attention is focused on you.”

It took him a moment to gather his senses and swallow hard.

“Irwam, I come before you with a message and request of the Cam.”

“Then state it.”

“One of the escaped Daiyee is of particular interest to the Cam. She must not reach Paktaru, or allowed to leave this planet on anything but a ship of our tribe.”

“This is not a request, but appears to be an internal problem.”

“The Daiyee has reached the camp of the Pan-Pan and is perhaps hiding among them and might use a convoy of Pan-Pan to travel to Paktaru. The Cam will be grateful and generous for your assistance in this matter.”

“The Irwam cannot be purchased or will make new rules that nullify the old. However, the Irwam will not interfere if that Daiyee is found by your warriors, as long as you heed the rules of the road and no Dai may enter Paktaru. If there are flyers, there will be war. If you use scanners to spy on Pan-Pan, there will be war.

What happens off the street is of no concern of mine.”

“There is only one way to Paktaru. You must travel the road. It is a long road and the reason we Pan-Pan exist.

“The old Dai explained as we left the tent of the Dancing girl dealer.

“Old pacts and ancient traditions govern this planet for many hundred thousands of Long time periods.”

Caravans of Pan-Pan travel the road. It is a dangerous journey and can only be made in large groups that are well defended.”

“And flying is not possible?”

“When the first Dai families that had no clans and no resources to gain mothers were brought here by the warrior Dai-Than, they met members of the Vexpar Cooperation and it became clear, the Dai could not win a conflict against them. This planet had always served as a place of trade to the Vexpar and those who were not Vexpar and so a compromise was found and treaties signed. No Dai-Than was to venture ever into space deemed Vexpar and in return was allowed to use part of this planet as a place of trade and business.”

With a black veil up to my nose, the cowl of the cape drawn over my head, I did no longer draw the attention I did before and I was very glad about that.

“I thought all Dai are space-born and they have no planets.”

“The Dai you know will never say otherwise because they simply deny and ignore their existence and give them all kinds of names. Yet they are of the same origin, but those Dai do not hear the call to Thana Shoo and they have no clan association. They do not believe in Than or Okthi.”

“Like everything I ever came across, there is always so much more to it than everyone thinks there is. My best friend is a Dai prince, I spend almost four years in close association. I thought I learned a lot about the Dai. I met the last survivor of a Tribe declared Okthi and learned much about things Har-Hi would not mention because they were Okthi in his mind.

“Then I met his father and was exposed to how incredibly demeaning they treat their women and this aspect of the Dai culture is the reason I was abducted and ended up here.”

We had returned to his tent.

“I am leaving for Paktaru tomorrow, and so do many Pan-Pans. You are welcome to join me. The Journey can be dangerous, but is long and boring for the most part.”

I sighed.

“You tried to tell me why we can’t fly.”

“Ah yes.

“He pointed to his sitting pillow.

“You find a similar one behind the Wikti-pads. Sit down and we wait for Slarpa together.”

“Slarpa?”

“A merchant and provider of food. He has a nice selection and is reasonable with his prices.”

“I have nothing in terms of money.”

“No worries, I can afford feeding you, at least for a while.”

I decided not to answer and accept the hospitality and his help for now. I did prepare a seat just like the one he was now sitting on.

He watched me doing it and seemed pleased.

“Paktaru and the Port of Jarsumat have been enemies even before the Dai and the Vexpar came here. Each side had been at war with each other several times. Flying things can carry troops and terrible weapons fast and with little warning. Both sides agreed that if there are no flying things, war would be much more difficult. While it makes not as much sense now, since spaceships can drop all kinds of things on a settlement without any warning and obliterate entire continents, it made sense back then. It is the oldest rule. These rules are more sacred than religion around here.”

Just as he was done a tall and thin bipedal being was guiding a boxy contraption along the paths and alleys of that makeshift settlement. It appeared to be insectoid but had only two arms and two legs.

Pander-Go got up.

“This is Slarpa, it is a Lelemonfre, at least that is how they pronounce it. Slarpa is also an original Jarsum, one of the indigenous people of this world.”

Slarpa used a handheld control to guide the auto dresser sized box on robotic legs, closer. The sides of the metallic box rolled up and revealed covered pots and pans. A bewildering collection of packed and loose items hung from a thousand hooks. Clouds of steam escaped as the food merchant uncovered deep pots.

“My good Pander-Go, how is the ceramic and pottery business?”

“The Han-Man bought the entire lot, they broke it and the Irwam made them pay for it all.”

“That is good business indeed. I bet a portion of my Inshki they also paid for those unbreakable Wikti Pads.”

“I have two of those and a good supply Rebeks. Fresh ones if you please.”

The humanoid two armed insectoid, ladled some kind of thick stew into the big ceramic bowl, Pander-Go had produced from a box.

“Looks like lonely Pander-Go no longer travels alone.

“The being looked at me from tiny black eyes while it filled a second bowl and then handed us an armful of baked bread sticks of sorts. They felt warm and soft.”

Pander-Go slid a small rectangular piece of metal over a device Slarpa wore on its belt.

“It is an old friend of the Nirwa settlement, she made the trip before and she is good with a blaster. Something always welcome on the road.”

“Of course. I am traveling to Pandulag with this caravan myself.

“Slarpa raised his small head.

“Bengon, the Toemp is growling my name into the evening air. I have to heed this call, he is my best customer.”

The fury brute I had seen earlier became visible as it stepped from behind a fence canvas.

“Slarpa, I am starving!”

Pander-Go pointed with a spoon utensil towards the walking Fangsnapper.

“This is a Toemp, very strong, very dependable and like the Lelemonfre a native species to this world.”

He handed me a spoon as well.

I sat down with the hot food and tried.

“It was not nearly as spicy as the stew that came out of the wall dispenser of the Man ship. There were bits of meat and vegetables in a thick yellow sauce. It was eatable.

I too looked into the same direction.

“One is a four-limbed insect with humanoid proportions and the other a mammalian of a completely different kingdom and both sentient beings of the same world?”

“And there you have it, the mystery of the Forbidden Past.”

“Tell me about the road and why it is dangerous.”

“Much of the danger has its roots in that Forbidden Past.

“He was about to tell me when we heard the loud screams for help. Bright lights flashed into existence a few tents distant.

The clanging of swords and the sharp crack of energy weapons. The scream of wounded and the yells of beings fighting reverberated through the twilight of the setting suns.

Pander-Go bolted up, drawing some kind of slug thrower.

“These are the calls for help from other Pan-Pans. I must go when this call is made.”

I got up right after him, “Let’s go!”

== Chapter 8: Done For ==

A muscular being covered with a brown shroud came running our way. It had a nonhuman snout sticking out from under his hood. What was exposed of him was covered with a short gray fur. In his right, he held an elegant looking weapon. It appeared to be an energy beamer of sort, he had fired it twice into the direction he was coming from. Now he turned and with it his weapon and he aimed at me. Lucky for me I was close, unfortunate for him, I had already drawn the Dai blade.

I moved fast into the shadows of a tent wall, ignoring the still standing but headless gray pelted assassin steps behind me.

I glanced around the corner and the first thing I saw was chaos. Two of the brutish Toemps lay on the ground, riddled with blaster holes, there were two Dai females, both wearing skimpy outfits they also were shot, one was beyond all help. Much of her abdomen was missing, to my utter shock, I noticed she was a blonde. The other was red skinned and raven-haired like all the ones I had seen so far.

Another gray pelted shrouded being was crawling right before me from underneath a tent wall, obviously trying to escape the scene.

While I had no idea who’s side he was on. I had a distinct feeling he was involved and didn’t want to stick around to clear things up.

“Checking for leaks or lost something?”

He was fast, but even the best assassin or whatever he was, needed to crawl all the way through something before he could jump up. The result of his fast action was actually quite funny. I didn’t laugh because if there were two, there might be more. With a kick under his chin that would have lifted Mao of the ground, I made his attempts futile.

Pander-Go caught up with me.

“You just earned your trip to Paktaru.”

We joined the scene, Pander-Go dragged the being I had kicked unconscious along.

There were about thirty or forty people. Several Toemps, a number of Lelemonfre and non-Tribe Dai had gathered by the three bodies, the fourth victim was wounded but alive.

One of the Dai recalled what happened, apparently for the second time as he was asked to tell everyone again.

“Wukii and Qurai, those are the Daiyee were on their way back to Panculag’s tent. Dancing and providing entertainment to Zublin who celebrated a good business deal, when these Irekies demanded Wukii to go with them. Babluu and Efgon who had been along for guides and safety wanted to know what it was all about. The Irekies opened fire, killed Wukii and both Toemps.”

Pander-Go held up the leg of the assassin he had dragged from between the tents into the open.

“This Ireki is still alive. The Irwam will ask the right questions.”

The Dai who had apparently seen it all and Pander-Go were elected on the spot to take the surviving assassin to that local authority.

To me Pander-Go said.

“Go back to my tent and wait for me. I take care of this business.”

“Does this happen often?”

“Such things do happen on the road, but never at the camp and gathering site.”

I think I recognize, the dead girl. She was one of the female groomers that helped me to blend in.”

He nodded with pressed lips.

“Apparently she liked your hair and emulated it. I share your unspoken concerns. I think she died because the Irekies think she was you.

“He added.

“I go to the Irwam, I think it is better you don’t go there because his chambers might be under surveillance.”

The Ireki groaned and was coming around.

A big Toemp growled.

“I come too, if that coward tries to move, I will tear him apart.”

Pander-Go said. “Wait for me, and shoot or kill anyone who comes into my tent that isn’t me.”

“Alright, but I think this is my mess and I should be the one taking care of it.”

“Just go to the tent. You don’t know this place, but I do.”

Pander-Go and half a dozen Pan-Pans went to the Place of Jarsumat. One of the hulking Toemp carried the surviving Ireki assassin. They had simply rolled him in a sturdy Wikti Pad and tightly secured it with lots of tent rope.

The Ireki was fully awake now and he begged and pleaded not to be brought before the Irwam.

“I pay you thousand Gold Shac each if you let me go.”

“Ten thousand Gold Shac or a million of them do not bring my brother back.

“The Toemp carrying the assassin said.

“You only live because the Arukiten will kill you in much more satisfying ways than I can. His brood will then devour you.”

Pander-Go poked the bundled up Ireki.

“You Ireki getting bold, wandering into the Gathering camp and killing Pan-Pans. Never happened as far as I know. Who paid you?”

“It was a mistake. We were good on Fufi, lots of strong Fufi and a blaster malfunctioned. Not even mine.”

“You aren’t a good liar,” Pander-Go said.

“I am not.”

The Ireki confessed.

“Lying is not taught by our masters, but being a good Ireki is.”

A muffled popping sound could be heard. The Toemp tossed the now smoking roll off his shoulder with a painful yelp.

They watched in horror as the body and the Wikti pad was dissolving into a greenish soup, its fumes caused a Lelemonfre drop to the ground making chocking rattling sounds. Fast medical help might have been able to save the semi insectoid, but such help was sparse and not as easily accessible as it was on many other developed worlds. Pander-Go never could identify an individual of the Lelemonfre species by sight alone, but he was almost certain he had seen this one before. The Lelemonfre died, while the rest of them stayed as far away of the now almost completely consumed body of the Ireki.

The greenish fumes wafted downwind and towards the Pan-Pan area. Diluted and dissipated by the wind it still caused loud coughing and cursing.

The Pan-Pan vendors and merchants went on and climbed the stairs to the Irwam’s chamber. While it was late, and night had advanced across the land, the Arukiten was known to receive visitors and petitioners at all times.

It appeared the Jakonen guards already knew something was going on. There were four instead of two and they all wore combat armor, holding their weapons at the ready.

A pair of silent Truntuns guided them to the Irwam’s chamber.

Even after seeing the Arukiten many times before, Pander-Go could not dismiss his feeling of uneasiness. The towering being appeared to have expected them. The Toemp seemed less inhibited by the Irwam and recalled the events with great detail. He also added the violent suicide of the Ireki assassin and concluded.

“The Ireki have never sent assassins between the tents of the gathering area. They also do not act randomly but have been paid.”

The Irwam’s singing voice sounded as ever, but Pander-Go was convinced that Arukiten expressed their emotions some other way anyway.

“What occurred is tragic and troublesome. The culprits have paid the price for their actions. It is as you say, Ireki do not act on their own. One must agree with you, an entity with ulterior motives has retained the services of these Assassins. However one cannot act without evidence pointing out this entity. Investigations will be conducted. Once the guilty are identified, substantial compensation will be awarded.”

Pander-Go who was only a secondary witness and could not claim any damages remained silent. Pandulag the owner of the Dancing girls was not even here, the only one with a personal loss was the Toemp. The pelted brute made a gesture of agreement.

“I accept the words of the Irwam. I will travel to Paktaru and sent a message to the Vexpar tribunal, by the time I have returned, I am certain these investigations have been successfully concluded.”

The Toemp turned with a grunt and stormed out.

The Arukiten’s tentacles had tensed but relaxed.

“One of the victims was humanoid with head fur that is not black?”

Pander-Go declined his head.

“Indeed.”

“The Irwam is dedicated to the contracts.”

The Pan-Pans and Pander-Go shuffled to the exit.

As the last one had left, the Irwam said.

“This is the end. The Na’s men will hear of the Daiyee demise, I will levy a heavy fine and compensate the victims.”

One of the half-naked Truntuns whispered to a friend of his.

“The Arukiten, as potent it thinks it is, closes all its eyes. It knows the Cam of the Na tribe might come back, being the Cam no more but the Patr-Tar of all Dai and in command of the Infarx. Not the Irwam nor all the ones united under the Vexpar Cooperation want to face an angry Patr-Tar Elf-Na.”

“Neither do we. It does make one think about the Daiyee, none has ever escaped before.”

“And no Daiyee’s fate ever was the focus of a Cam. She must be very important.”

“Important things are always very valuable.”

“You are as wise as the Irwam, we will investigate indeed.”

While the planet had two suns, it had no moons making the night quite dark. I learned that Jarsumat port was made up of three communities. There was the Han-Man colony, on the opposite side of the landing field. It was the largest one in terms of population. It maintained the spaceport facilities. It was where many Dai clans came to buy and trade plundered resources, fighters, and items the individual tribes manufactured and were famous for. I had learned first-hand that the Dai considered females wares and tradeable property too. Then there were the community of the Vespar Cooperation, the oldest part of this community. It was according to my new mentor, the core community and called the Place of Jarsumat included the chambers of the Irwam. This section of the settlement was the place of the Pan-Pan community. I knew next to nothing about the place, but I saw people striking tents and packing things. Others seem to have just arrived and did the same things but in an opposite way.

I heard muffled footsteps and sneaked behind the inwardly curled tent flap.

Pander-Go swallowed audible as he noticed the razor edge of my sword at his throat. I sheathed the blade and said.

“Sorry about that, I just heard food steps and with all this darkness.”

“By the spirits. I should rent you out to Vaktan, the Gem dealer.”

Pander-Go swiped his hand over a dimly glowing strip attached to a tent pole and several lights came on.

“We better get some sleep. Tomorrow we break camp and head for Paktaru and if the spirits are our friends we will reach the shores of Paksea and the city of Paktaru in seven days and nine hours.”

“Seven ... Days?”

“Important things can be express rushed, by stage couriers. They can make it in four days, but that is incredibly expensive and attracts much attention. I hope poor Wukii died with a purpose, making them think they killed you.”

I frowned.

“I was thinking along the same lines when I saw her killed having her hair dyed blonde.”

“They just want you bad.”

“That is one thing I can’t figure out. I should be only a troublesome Daiyee to the Hi clan because they have to explain my absence to a certain man and in extent to the Union, but I shouldn’t be worth that much to a bunch of slave peddlers.”

“On my way back, I heard there is a bounty on your head, 20,000 Gold Shac. That is the highest bounty I ever heard off and they say it is offered by the Na tribe, not the Man.”

“I sure appreciate you coming back instead of sending some strong arms trying to earn that bounty.”

“You don’t understand Erica; you are a Pan-Pan now. We are fierce competitors and not always friends, but there is not enough money or gold in the Universe for one of us selling out another Pan-Pan.”

“If anything, this is what I would call Than and not that stylized, codified thing the Tribes think it is.”

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

I then realized what he just had said.

“Did you say Na tribe? The one led by a crook named Cam Elf-Na?”

He nodded.

“Yes.”

“Now this makes even less sense. I actually never met the Cam and I thought he would not even know about me.

“I shook my head.

“Makes no sense at all, even if he knew of me. I am not Dai and whatever symbolism the Hi clan attached to me should have no bearing on his affairs.”

“Tell me about the Hi clan and why you ended up here in more detail.”

I did. I told the old Dai how I met Har-Hi, how we became friends. How he showed up on Nilfeheim and taking me to his father. I told him about the Kai-Do, the space fight and the decision of the Tar to make me a Than and a Hi.

He had sat down on his pillow and served himself a hot drink in a small narrow glass. Only after I was finished he filled another glass and handed it to me.

“This may not be to your liking but try it. It is made by the Olcir, a very primitive and small tribe you can find deep in the forests away from the road. I am not sure what they put in it, or how they make it. They call it Fufi and it is strong.”

“I better not. I need all my senses.”

He seemed to agree and retracted the offered glass. His face was thoughtful, and then he said.

“I have no doubt this Har-Hi is your friend and from the sound of it he grew into adulthood, away from his tribe.

“He sighed, but the Tar of the Hi tribe was less than forthcoming to you and perhaps kept his declared Vanth-Ka in the dark.

Being the Tar is more important than everything.”

I actually recalled Har-Hi saying the very same words.

Maybe he saw what I was just remembering in my face.

“Outsiders do not understand just how all-surpassing important that is to a Dai-Than.”

“I can’t claim to fathom the extent, but I think I might begin to understand. What do you mean by not forthcoming?”

“A woman fighting on the same level as a Juthi and the Kai-Do declaring you Laro-Gy.”

“Okay...”

“The Do tribe was declared Okthi, but only Than can become Okthi. The Do tribe once was the biggest of them all. The Kai-Do made you his Vanth-Ka.”

Absentmindedly I played with the black tresses cascading from under the hood.

“I trained with the guy on our long trip back. He didn’t say much. If I understand it correctly, the Vanth is some sort of successor, and the Ka is a number, one I think.”

“There you have it. You are the number one successor of the Do tribe. With you as the Tar of the tribe, the Do are not Okthi. You step before the Pale Ones, they will recognize you as the Tar of the Do. Four thousand tribes have sworn to the Do and their old pledges will be just as binding today.

With six thousand tribes under your name and will, you not only jeopardize the Na’s chances to become Patr, you are a valid contender.”

My jaw dropped.

“I am a Union Officer, a human and female. Why hasn’t no-one told me?”

“You think the Tar of the Hi tribe would summon you like this, for a lesser reason?” The old man took a sip of the second glass.

“Maybe he did not share this with his Son, but he too has aspirations to become the Patr. He has a significant number of clans united under his leadership. He heard the call, thus he is certain he is not Okthi. He prepares to go to Thana Shoo and hears about you and the Kar-Do. He knows the significance of the Do declaring you Laro. You became a contender and a problem.”

“But without him calling me, I never would have gone to Thana Shoo. I did not hear any calls.”

He tossed the rest of the second glasses content past the open tent flaps.

“You promised Har-Hi to go to Thana Shoo and rectify the Cam Elf-Na problem, did you not?”

With a spinning mind, I nodded.

“I did.”

The old tribes are huge, with millions of individuals on many ships. There are eyes and ears of other tribes mixed in every layer. I am certain the Tar of the Hi clan has spies right on the Herexe. They are not Than mind you and thus not worth mentioning.”

“The more you tell me, the more the differences between Elf-Na and Kar-Hi seem to fade and blur. I am afraid the more I learn, the less I am certain who is the villain.”

“Oh don’t you worry about that one, Elf-Na is the greatest villain and bane to all that is Dai since Ort Har-Okth. I have a distinct feeling he has different motivations to become Patr, than the Tar of the Hi. I think he bows to a higher power.

“He gave me a strange look.

“You told me about the Wisdom Hall and the tomb of the Fifth. These entities fight a bigger conflict, on bigger stages and their fights last many eons. Maybe the Cam listens to one of them. If there is a Fifth, there are bound to be at least four more.

“He sighed and got up.

“Remember one thing Union Erica, the Tar of the Hi tribe is the Tar before he is anything else and he is a man in a position of power. Power is addictive like nothing else and once you are addicted nothing will satisfy you, like the quest for more. The power and influence of the Patr is many magnitudes above anything they are now.”

He picked up his seating pillow.

“Why do you think there hasn’t been a Patr for so long?”

“I don’t know.”

“Because the last one had to be disposed, he was insane. The process to get rid of him was a costly one and took decades of fighting.”

“For a Surface Dai you know a lot about Dai Than history.”

“Oh but I told you I was brought here like you, I was not born a Pan-Pan. I am Pander-Go now, but once I have been Pan-Go.”

“A Dai-Than?”

“Yes, but it is getting late and the story of the Go tribe is no longer relevant. We have plenty of time for stories on the road. We better get some sleep, we must rise early and pack.”

“How do we travel?”

“We have hired a wagon, you’ll see. It isn’t flying but beats walking.”

Pander did not have to wake me, I hadn’t really slept, despite the insurances of my host.

“It is time, Erica. We must break camp, the convoy will leave soon.”

It was cold enough to see my breath. The sky was still dark, but one could almost see the light of the soon to be rising suns. I had glimpsed the first activities that precluded that anticipated trip, last night, it had increased to a strangely organized chaos. There was hectic activity everywhere.

Pander-Go was well organized and it took me little to understand what he was doing. I helped him pack his things and stack them on an aluminum pallet. The last steps were to secure the load with a tarp and a cargo net with ratchet type straps. He glanced around the now empty square of hard packed dirt, he had occupied with his tent and nodded satisfied.

“I have never done it this fast, you are quite handy and pick things up fast.”

“When Longnight comes to my homeworld, many clans pack things for the long trip to Isen Landsby, to bring back animals tended for sale and slaughter. We also pack things on boats and sleds. The details are different, the idea and the involved labor seems quite the same.”

“But are you not the commanding officer of a spaceship? Manual labor should be beneath you.”

“Would such an attitude help me now?”

He shook his head and waved for a forklift like vehicle.

“No, probably not.”

To the operator of the cargo handled he said.

“Take it to Rutavince’s train, Wagon five.”

He gave me a sign to follow.

Two Truntun had stepped out on the balcony of the elevated chamber of the Irwam’s chambers and used high powered teleoptics to watch the breaking of the camp. A monthly repeating occurrence and local spectacle.

The Pan-Pan of Jarsumat gathered to migrate east to the coast, while the Pan-Pan of Paktaru arrived.

Over the scene illuminated by countless lights, hung a visible cloud of dust.

“It is traditional and well organized.

“The one standing to the right of the door said.

“If the Dai chose to have a Patr once again, this might be one of the last such trips. A flier can make the trip in a few hours.

“His colleague standing to the left added.

“A ballistic ship can make it in minutes.”

“The mystery is not entirely solved, but it appears more than one party is expected to ask the Pale Ones for that decision.”

“One such party might just be running among the Pan-Pan.

“The Truntun to the left speculated.

“The one with yellow hair has been killed.”

“Indeed but there are sisters and a mother. There is Panculag who claims damages and has the documents to prove it. He has purchased the killed Daiyee several periods prior to the escape of the one they hunt.”

“Documents are not always what they supposed to be, Pan-Pans are clever that way.”

The Truntun to the left raised his Televiewer.

“It might be of interest, lonely Pander-Go is not traveling alone anymore. Rumors of the camp came to my attention that it was his new companion dispatched the Ireki assassins with great skill and swift action.”

“He is very rich, not many Pan-Pan trade Gawan pottery. They say he knows where they are and even traded genuine First Age Saresii pottery. He can afford and buy any slave they bring.”

“Indeed, but there aren’t many females that are able to hit a Ireki and render him unconscious. A feat easily accomplished by a Laro.”

“Such speculations might have monetary value, my friend.”

The first rays of the first sun glanced from behind the distant horizon. Pander-Go and I had reached the end of what he called the Gathering field. There were several, very big tracked vehicles and each of them had a number of boxy wagons hooked and chained behind.

The forklift pushed the pallet with his belongings into the open door of the last wagon of a red colored eighteen wagon train. He pushed his money strip over the forklift driver’s reader.

There were many such forklifts and hundreds of beings and there was a strip of about ten meters wide, made of some sort of Duro-Crete, it stretched all from here to the distant horizon.

More permanent looking buildings and warehouses lined that strip on each side.

I also noticed the pulling machines and the wagons had turrets with guns. None of the vehicles was without some weapon damage. Repaired and painted over, but still clearly visible.

“Who or what is shooting at the trains?”

The Dai merchant was about to climb up to enter the wagon.

“The road is supposedly sacred and safe. There are even some occupied stops along the way.

“He looked towards the horizon.

“Erica, this planet is not empty and there are many that dwell to the left and the right of the road. Some of those might try to supplement their means by attacking trains. The bigger the trains, however, the less likely an attack is.”

I climbed right after him, into a boxy but otherwise empty space, except for Pander-Go’s pallet.

He closed the armored loading door and said. The wagon has a roof look-out and there is a refreshment and food provider in the fifth wagon. I like to spend as much time on the roof as possible, at least until we hit the Gravsta pass. The weather can get nasty and cold and past the Gravsta mountains there are dense jungle forests, with all sorts of nastiness, well you’ll see.”

“What is it you want me to do?”

“Whatever you like, if you want you can join me on the roof. I might want to hear about that place of yours, the Union you call it.”

The machine pulling our train had slowly gained speed and was now traveling at about sixty or seventy clicks an hour. There were more trains, like ours behind us, some with over a hundred wagons.

This train, so I had learned belonged to a company named after its owner, Rutavince and according to Pandar one of the most dependable ones.

The landscape has changed little. I did not know what I was looking at, my homeworld had very little land and I had to admit, I hadn’t seen much of the worlds I had visited during my first journey.

“I wonder what process creates these squares of vegetation.”

“They do not have agriculture on your worlds? These are fields tended by farmers and their help. They raise all kinds of vegetables.”

Remembering Derek Simmons I said.

“There are planets with Wheat fields as big as continents. I have been to a planet where they raise cattle for meat, my world has virtually no land. This is the first time I really travel over something called a road.”

“That must be something, I hate swimming. Well, all that talk about vegetables and meat made me realize we did not have first meal yet. Come let us spend a few silver Shac for some good food.”

“I am still not comfortable leeching off you.”

“Union woman, I would not take payment from you if you had money. The Man paid for the damage to my Gawan pottery. We could make the trip in the Heaven wagon and I would not feel a serious loss.”

“Either pottery is in high demand or the shots smashed a whole lot.”

“Gawan pottery is perhaps the most sought after ceramics in the Galaxy. It is made after Saresii designs and with Saresii methods from their first age of knowledge. The cup they shattered was priced at 5 million Gold Shac.”

“Loki’s name! And there I thought you be one of the less fortune Pan-Pans.”

“On the contrary, Erica. I do this because I love it, but Vaktan the Gem Dealer, Rob-Ert of the Highfill who deals in the finest swords and knives you ever lay eyes on and me are perhaps the wealthiest Pan-Pans. So a few meals won’t make a dent, besides you earned your keep already.”

It turned out there was a handrail secured catwalk on the roof that made it easy reaching the third wagon, which was some sort of rolling tavern and restaurant.

The heavy armed band of Dai Warriors had left the Chamber of the Arukiten without speaking to the Irwam. They did speak to the Truntun, after a substantial transaction.

Mor-Na glanced over an entire regiment of the finest Dai Than warriors. All armed to the teeth with modern battle suits.

“The Cam extends his will through me. The Daiyee with the golden hair has apparently not died. The Cam wants her. Preferably alive, but her confirmed demise or her head alone will do just as well.

We can assume she tries to reach the coastal city of Paktaru to find a way off planet.

She must not reach Paktaru.”

He pointed towards east.

“The latest Pan-Pan caravan has left this morning. Our Truntun friends are certain she is among the Pan-Pan, perhaps disguised but certainly hiding her hair.”

He paused only a few moments and continued.

“We are still heeding the old pacts. Now go and kill!”

The Arukiten summoned his lead Truntun and asked.

“The envoy of the Cam has come to the chambers of the Irwam and left without speaking to the Irwam. Yet it appears he received satisfactory information.”

“It was just some routine questions, Worshipped one. Questions hardly needing your attention.”

“Yet the Na clan amassed a sizeable force near the entrance to the road. This appears hardly to be routine. Share those questions with me.”

“The Na are still looking for an escaped Daiyee and we suggested she might be among the Pan-Pan that are now on their way to Paktaru. That is all.”

“The Irwam is not blind nor is it gullible.”

One of its tentacles speared the lead Truntun and then summoned the assistant leader.

“Observe my spawn gorging on your brother. The Truntun have been valuable servants, but servants they are. Do not assume authorities you do not have.”

The Truntun bowed deeply as he watched his colleague being torn to gory pieces and pulled underneath the steps.

“I exist to serve the Irwam.”

“Remember that fact well. Now provide me with the information given to the envoy of the Cam.”

“We believe the escaped Daiyee is alive and among the Pan-Pan.”

The Arukiten folded all his tentacles around it and fell silent. Then it said.

“Never has a Dai tribe invested so much resources and interest in a Daiyee. There is more to this, speak all you know about this.”

The lord of the Han-Man at first simply wanted to recapture the escaped Daiyee to make an example. She had caused damage and death among the Man. Her example might spread and cause more difficulties to a very profitable business.

But he too noticed the efforts of the Na clan to capture her. He knew she was not Dai but a human female from the distant Union. The Man had never ceased to do business with the Dai-Than that became Union, because of this he knew many rumors and stories about that society.

He knew they were far more powerful than all Dai tribes combined at the peak of their might. He knew of the massacre at the Thalim nebula, many of his customers were eradicated.

Why was it that the Hi tribe tried to get rid of the female, while the Na tribe put much effort in trying to capture her?

He intended to find the answers to his question, and his profit focused mind sensed she was very valuable.

Unlike the Na tribe, he had assets in the convoy. He punched the communications code into a terminal and was connected to Berol, a train engine operator.

I learned that Inshki came in many variations. There was even one made with fish or something similar coming out of the planet’s oceans. Even the mild version was quite spicy to me but it was not bad.

The journey was pretty uneventful so far. The landscape did change from cultivated land to untouched with shallow, rolling hills.

Pander-Go told me that the trains would stop in ten hours or so, at a place called Rufuk’s Junction. According to him, it was a travel stop and a place where independent communities that lived to the sides of the road came to trade and buy things. He assured me that it was well defended and safe.

To pass the time, he had asked many questions about the Union and about Nilfeheim. He taught me a game called Gum’ha. It was played with a set of four pyramid shaped dice and a complex set of bets on the outcome of the dice toss.

The wagon train even featured entertainment in form of visualized stories presented on view screens. The entertainment was not free, a money strip was needed.

I was in deep thoughts about my current situation and the possible implications of it all to the Union and the Dai. Har-Hi was my friend, that in my mind was not in question, but the whole affair had the potential of escalating to a war. That I was at a pivotal position in this, was something I didn’t like at all.

Pander-Go interrupted my musings as he balanced a tray with steaming mugs coming from the direction of the tavern wagon.

“Compliments of Berol, a friend of mine. This is Fusthi or an old form of real Saresii tea.”

“Tea?”

“Well, you don’t seem to drink intoxicating things. Males and especially females of many species enjoy Saresii tea. This one is brewed in the traditional way like they did a Million years ago.”

He handed me one of the filigree cups nestled in an ornate golden wire holder.

“And this is a genuine Gawan tea set.”

He sat down and poured the pleasant smelling greenish clear liquid into two cups.

“Fusthi, is one of seventy traditional Saresii teas. It is traditionally enjoyed either just as it is or with a drop or two of Trisi nectar.”

“How do you drink it?”

“I think you need to find out yourself what you like. I drink it plain for the most part.”

“Then I try it plain as well.”

He leaned back and gazed over the passing landscape.

“That coarse grass you see is the base material for the Wikti Pads. It is also consumed by Caldervons, a big beast. You tasted its meat in the first bowl of Inshki you ate.”

“It wasn’t bad.”

He took a little sip of the Saresii tea.

“There are also nasty Wikti Sliders hiding in that grass. Poisonous, legless and nasty.”

The grass and the landscape reminded me of Itheamh and I realized I was no longer just a water world Viking after all, and I had seen more than I initially thought.

The hot liquid was much more pleasant than the grass tea they served on Itheamh and had a tart fruity taste.

“That isn’t half as bad as I thought it might be. I still wouldn’t substitute it for my favorite beverage, a strong cup of coffee.”

“I have no doubt you will eventually make it back to where you belong. If you do, send me some of that Coffee. I like trying new things.”

“I will certainly try to do just that. You think I will find Frengo?”

“No question. I take you to her. She deals with fine art, including Gawan pottery. She deals with Puup, Xandrao, Yotenen, Porsthir and of course with the Golden. I am not certain about most of them, but I heard the Golden are now a Union member.”

The species he mentioned conjured very recent memories and of course Sobody before my inner eye. I wondered what he was doing right now and if I would really see him again. However, having Frengo’s connection to the Golden confirmed was very reassuring to me.

I knew the Golden Bazaar was operated by Sobody’s brother and there was GalNet. Admiral Stahl would know what to do and the Fleet outpost there was certainly able to provide transport.

I felt comfortable cozy, the tea seemed to have a calming effect. I was tired anyway and I decided to close my eyes a few moments.

If I would ever meet Loki, I was certain I would strangle the son of a bitch. The god of mischief was the only one, other than myself, I could blame. Oh yes, the king ... no the queen of fools, Erica Olafson.

The tea, it had been laced with something. That bastard, Pander-Go!

I woke realizing I had been sent to sleep once again. I found myself in some sort of slave tent, there were other slave girls. One of them was tugging on my legs, trying to put a purple and skimpy thing over my bottom region.

Her outfit was blue and consisted of veils and satin. Designed apparently to reveal more than it covered. Despite the veil, she wore I recognized her.

“Yvii?”

“Yes Yvii, please help me get you dressed.”

I propped myself up, there was a metal collar with a chain around my neck, the other end of the chain was attached to a central tent pole.

This was obviously not a traveling wagon.

“Where am I?”

“Yvii thinks this is Rufuk’s Junction. We are with Imkar, he has bought us.”

“Do you know how I ended up here and how long I am here?”

“You and a sleeping Pan-Pan were carried off the moving boxes. They put you and the man in the tent that is next to ours. I dragged you here when the ones that guard did not look.”

Another veiled woman said.

“Kiwii is me. We make you look like us, no one look for you here.”

I felt touched by their help and quickly finished putting on what was not so different than what I wore after Moistpromise rescued me.

Sure enough, I had just draped the veil before my face when I heard angry yells of alarm. A wild looking Toemp brushed the entrance drapes aside and shone a bright light across all of us and with an even angrier grunt left.

A loud voice yelled.

“Where is she? She should still be sleeping by the amount of Quavla, Berol put in their Fusthi. The Ceramics dealer is still out.”

“The Arukiten will be very unhappy to hear she has yet escaped again!”

“Rumors say she is Laro. Laro have secret powers.”

“Nonsense there are no Laro anymore for many thousand years.”

I heard enough and also silently apologized to Pandar-Go, it appeared he fell victim to the same drug.

The voice of the Toemp said.

“What about Pandar? Want me to kill him?”

The strong voice of the other yet to be seen being said.

“Not yet, he knows the secret how to obtain Gawan pottery. After he revealed it, you can kill him.”

I whispered to Yvii.

“You brought me in here?”

“Yes.”

“How did you manage the collar?”

“Yvii was punished and given away because she learned how to open her restraints. Her Than only likes Daiyee when chained and restrained.

“She held up a hairpin she had bend and shaped into a tiny hook-like tool.

“I think the Avenging Angels are not the only ones knowing such skills.”

“Who?”

“Never mind, Yvii. I am sure you never heard of the Sojonit Order.”

A girl in yellow said. “I have, there is a Sojo temple in Paktaru.”

I took the hairpin and opened my collar.

“This is the last time, I swear. I was getting angrier by the moment, jumped to my feet, holding the chain in both hands and glanced past the tent flaps.

The tents were part of a small camp next to that Duro-crete road. There also was a collection of sturdy looking buildings behind a high wall. Searchlights and towers gave the whole complex, a prison-like character, weren’t it for bright signs advertising it as Rufuk’s Junction.

I counted eight tents.

I could not see too much of the surrounding landscape, as it was dark and the bright lights of Rufuk’s Junction didn’t allow my eyes to adjust.

I could see dancing handheld lights in the distance. Obviously, there were a number of people looking for me.

The Toemp was still there and so was the one with the loud voice, a muscular looking humanoid, most likely one of the surface Dai as I begun to call them, to differentiate from the spacefaring clans I knew. Both beings were armed, the towering Toemp held a searchlight in one hand, and some sort of blunt looking gun in the other.

The Dai carried a sword over his shoulder and what looked like a blaster carabine of Dai origin.

Yukii crawled next to me.

“Will you forget us this time too?”

“I didn’t forget you last time; I was just in no position to take care of a bunch of Daiyee. Even less now, I have no idea where I am and it looks like I have to walk 6000 of your miles.”

“I rather die with you than being sold again and used.”

She handed me a long thin and very sharp knife. It was an Okthi-Karr. She whispered. “We have no Than.”

I took the knife held it with the blade along my underarm and went outside. The thin fabric shoes they had given me weren’t much but they certainly allowed me to move silently.

I was almost up to them when the Toemp noticed me.

“Hey, get back in the tent, Dai whore. How did you manage to get...”

The Okthi-Karr stuck deep in his right eye, it turned out to be a decent throwing knife. I thanked Richard the Outcast first and foremost for teaching me the art of throwing a knife. The distance was short and however, the knife hit was a good distraction. It appeared that even a big Toemp didn’t survive a knife to the hilt in his skull. I didn’t wait to see him fall, but wrapped the chain around the other guy’s neck, just as he turned.

With a shoulder twist and a sharp yanking motion, I strangled him to the ground. His hands went for the chain around his neck. Mine let go of the chain and freed his sword. Whatever he wanted to do next remained a plan. I had driven the needle-sharp point of the sword right through his throat. Blood gushed and soiled my arms.

The disgusting warm liquid gave me a morbid satisfaction. I wanted them dead, all of them!

Yukii was right there and gathered the blunt nose gun from the ground, knelt down and aimed. Four bright yellow flashes and loud cracks of the weapon followed. Four of the dancing searchlights dropped to the ground.

I remembered Har-Hi’s mother telling me, weapon training was not unknown to Daiyee. It appeared Yukii was not as helpless as I assumed.

Kiwii and the Yellow dressed girl had come out of the tent and joined us. A fourth had disappeared in the other, coming out with a groggy, staggering man, Pandar-Go.

I had planned to gather as much supplies and weapons as I could, find me some sort of transportation and follow the road east. When I noticed the high pitched hum of something and saw dozens, no hundreds of lights coming from the west.

I grabbed Yukii’s hand and pulled her along and across the Duro-crete surface of the road. The rest followed us, taking cover behind roadside bushes.

The lights belonged to hundreds of low hovering speeders, each carrying four to six, heavy armed Dai warriors. I could make out the glyph of the lead warrior as he jumped off the hover speeder. He was of the Na clan.

He pointed to the bodies of the two slavers.

“Check out the tents, the Union Daiyee must be near.”

Not even with a fully charged TKU would I stand a chance against that many.

Their suits were most likely equipped with shields.

I whispered, let’s go and put some distance between them and us before we figure out what to do.

There was no argument, crouched as much as possible we rushed away from the road.

The coarse grass grew in bush like tufts from dark and cold soil and provided us with cover. We must have kept running for the better of thirty minutes, two of the girls helped Pander-Go who slowly came to his senses.

Glancing back, I could hear shots fired and lights pointing in our direction. There was no way we could really outrun Dai on hover speeders.

I almost ran into a hip-high crumbling wall of masonry, there before us were the overgrown ruins of some sort of abandoned settlement.

“Quick all of you go find cover over in that ruined tower or something. I will try to keep them off.”

Pander-Go grunted.

“Teaches me to trust my friends. I am sorry I didn’t know the tea was laced.”

“We can talk later, now go.”

“Are you always giving orders? We are done for.”

“As a matter of fact, yes I do give orders. No move!

They scrambled into the sturdy building while I scaled the crumbling tower as fast as I could. My Nilfeheim eyes were now a god send.

I took a moment to find a spot where I could assume a prone position.

There were many hundred lights coming our way. I might be lucky to kill a few before they switched on shields and simply fired their weapons till this place was a glowing lake of molten rock.

Pander-Go was right, we were done for. I didn’t see a way out. But by Odin, I would not give up until I was dead.

Chapter 9: Surprise
The Dai fliers had reached the crumbling wall and one of the men stood up, his voice amplified.

“We know you are hiding there, Union wench. My Cam wants you and all must yield to his will. Come out and I let the rest of the scum live.”

Pander-Go yelled before I could respond.

“You are Na. You cannot afford any witnesses. She has as much claim to be Patr as you or the Tar of the Hi. What you are doing is not Than. If your Cam wants her, let him come forward and challenge her. Hundreds against one is Okthi!”

A large group of All-terrain vehicles breached the tall grass coming from the west, many hundred Han-Man and Ireki also armed to the teeth.

“The female was sold to us by the Hi clan. If she is that valuable to the Cam, we demand appropriate compensation.”

A weapon blast hit the rock walls of the tower base. Pander-Go and the girls were hiding behind.

I aimed and fired too. The shooter right next to the standing Na commander fell of the hover sled with a large burn hole through his head.

Suit shields flickered on, a storm of blasts peppered the rock walls, instantly raising the temperature while rocks melted and cracked. Our cover would not last much longer, I killed another one, shooting him where his shields were transparent for his weapon fire, but most of my shots were absorbed by the shields.

I was only postponing our demise by maybe a few minutes. In my mind I asked Odin to receive me when a sudden warm feeling touched my mind, a black shrouded figure popped out of thin air right next to me.

“It might not be very wise for them to make you any angrier, Captain but I think you will benefit from this.”

Narth handed me an Old style TKU.

Narth was not alone, Har-Hi had appeared with him, wearing the latest Quasimodo Destroyer suit.

One of the Dai skimmers came flying in a tumbling fashion crashing into two others, the entire thing had been tossed by a menacing four armed Y’All warrior. A huge Saturnian held a Dai by its ankles and used the mangled body like a club smashing it across the head of another Dai.

A gray Nul not wanting to be outdone tossed an All-terrain vehicle complete with Han-Man crew into the suddenly confused rows of Dai warriors.

A huge pile of man-sized boulders, once some sort of defensive building perhaps rose into the air and a storm of rock debris pounded armored Dai and armed Han-Man merciless to bloody gore.

The sun white cracks of TKU fire poured into the now panicking Dai. A huge spider holding no less than four SITKUs, joined by the most beautiful sight of twenty marines all in the latest Union battle armor. Eight Fenris robots led by a menacing war machine blocked the uncontrolled retreat.

Har-Hi yelled.

“I couldn’t get my father to move fast enough, so I borrowed the Tigershark and most of its crew...”

“My ship, the Tigershark ... she is here?”

A small Holdian de-cloaked wearing his version of an Atlas battle suit.

“Yes, Captain, she is!”

Above us, in the clear night sky, something shimmered into existence. No sight in the Universe could have been more beautiful to me. A menacing utmost elegant and dangerous looking spaceship. Sun-bright floodlights came on rendering the deep shadowy landscape into a shadowless glaring field of white light.

One of the crumbling walls suddenly came to life, enormous hands grabbed the speeder of the Na chieftain like an insubstantial toy, from the walls a frightful golem grew. He was joined by a bolt of bright blue energy that zigzagged in the most unusual ankles and directions between the screaming Man warriors, burning those it touched to instant puffs of fast dissipating smoke.

Four Togar cats, accompanied by a fifth ax-wielding cat flanked from the west and engaged the handful stragglers that tried to escape in that direction.

The massive hand made of dust and dirt dangled the Na warrior right before me.

I slowly got up from my prone position, realizing only a few minutes had passed since Narth appeared next to me. As far as I could see, dead Dai and Han-Man mangled burned and twisted wrecks of fliers and vehicles, a few survivors crawling on all four completely dazed and confused, crying and begging for mercy.

“Here I am, Dai of the Na. I will let you live for now. Go crawl to that Cam of yours and tell him Captain Erica Olafson of the USS Tigershark will tear his mother to scrap and then drag him before the Pale Ones, dead or alive.”

Lieutenant Fivecheer  stepped up.

“I can read him just fine, and I sense the Cam. We can send him back right away.”

“Not like this!”

Narth understood my mental request and all clothing armor and weapons dissolved in their components and fell off him like sand.

Naked as the moment he was born, the Na chieftain disappeared. Narth teleported him along Fivecheer’s psionic guide right before the command chair of the Cam.

I kept hugging, embracing and kissing my crew. Even SHIP was here now, her new Ego Center remote was able to leave the ship. Cateria fussed about the bad job the remote surgeon did and the many blister scars I had. Elfi cried openly and told me how much she had missed me.

Then there was an eerie cry and a black dragon-like beast, now almost man-sized with huge leathery wings attacked me, only to press its head against me, making the gentlest rattling sounds.

“In Odin’s name. Fenris you sure have grown! I missed you too.”

Pander-Go and the Daiyee came out from their cover and stared with open mouths at the assembly of the most wonderful beings in all the Universe, my crew.

Pander-Go found words.

“So you are a captain and your crew really exists, good spirits. What a crew indeed.”

SHIP said.

“We are being hailed by the Cam of the Na tribe.”

“I am not really presentable and have no idea about the actual situation.”

“He says that he is prepared to lay waste to the entire planet.”

“Alright pipe him to your COM unit, audio only.”

“Hear this lackey of the Union, you have not impressed me with your psionic trickery. I am here with most of my tribes. You cannot escape, now surrender!”

“And you hear this, I am sick and tired of you and Dao politics. I don’t care how many ships and Dai Than you got, the next time something appears before your throne it is going to be an antimatter bomb.”

My ship! I stepped on my bridge and knew I had come home. This was where I belonged.

After a moment reflecting and caressing the pseudo-leather of my command seat, I looked at Har-Hi.

“How much trouble we are in? I am not sure what the books say on borrowing a ship, but I am sure it is about as serious as can be.”

Elfi resumed her seat behind communications and said.

“We are at the edge of GalNet. Admiral Stahl standing by to talk to you.”

“Put him on, right away please.”

The Eternal Warrior appeared on our main screen, he wore his usual black uniform and appeared to be aboard the Devi.

“When your friend Har-Hi told me you would be a few weeks with the Dai, I had a personal bet going with Admiral McElligott just how long it would take for you getting mixed up in the whole Dai affair. Then the Tar contacted me, telling me about a certain Neo Viking fighting with Dai warriors, blowing up Battleships and similar things. While we are still trying to get used to your, somewhat unorthodox approach to problems ever since you rammed a Submarine into a space-bus, it is an utterly different story to those not knowing you.”

He sat down in the command seat of the Devi, a seat I knew well.

“Then I was informed you were abducted. Once again I might add. I was concerned about your safety but I knew the ones responsible would eventually regret their actions. When the Prince of the Nul and the Prince of the Hi tribe called me all upset and urged me to pretty much mobilize the entire Spatial Navy, every marine, ship, and soldier. I suggested they should go to Richter 4 instead. The Tigershark is almost ready and her entire crew keeps flooding Command with constant messages, repair updates, and requests to be assigned back as soon as possible, so my suggestion solved a whole bunch of problems. Now let me have it, your report please.”

I told him everything I knew.

“I am going to forward this to General Cherubim and the Old Highlander. This Pandar-Go might have hit the nail on its head; of all reasons and motivations this one makes more sense than anything else.

“He looked at me.

“You look so nice, so nice and dare I say quite delectable in that skimpy outfit. What demon or God decided to stuff a genuine Neo Viking inside I can’t say but Lord help us. Now get back to the Exer-Hi and go to Thana Shoo. Your crew will wait for you at Richter 4. Your fish is space worthy but the repairs are not completely done. Lieutenant Narth will be CO in charge until you and Lt. Hi return.”

“Aye Sir.”

“By then, the rest of the crew will be there as well.

“He sighed, at least you are going to a planet that is already broken.”

“Back on the Devi, Sir?”

“Yes, Girl. The monster you gave us had even more monsters inside so to speak. A tremendous gift for certain, but we just scratched the surface in terms of refit. Heck, we are still building the dock facilities and when she is good and ready I give her to Harris. She might be bigger and all that, but this is my ship. The Devi is like an old jacket you see; I wear it so long it became quite comfortable. Nothing else quite fits the same way.”

“I caressed the handrail of the command balcony.

“I think I understand you already, Sir. I truly love my ship.”

“Godspeed and good luck, Stahl out.”

Har-Hi pointed with his thumb upwards.

“The Admiral said nothing about the Cam and several tribes being up there waiting for our departure.”

Krabbel shrugged with four of his eight legs.

“Trivial, if he thought we could not handle them. We got Erica ... I mean the Captain back.”

“We are not completely done here. I need a shower, our sickbay and Cateria’s services. Then I want my own leather suit, not the Laro thing, nothing Hi or Dai. Sorry Har-Hi but I rather have a broadsword or an axe than all these fancy Dai blades. I prefer a fine TKU and my good ol’ .45.”

“Captain I am so deep in your debt and ashamed, I am more than just happy you still talk to me.”

“I would lie if I think you are completely innocent regarding my latest troubles, but I am convinced none was done with ill intent as the motivation. You are a product of your environment, just as I am of mine. I get into things because I can’t turn off that Nilfeheim connection of mine.

“I put my hand on his shoulder.

“Har-Hi, you are my friend and nothing has changed.”

The Cam stared at the naked man getting up from the floor.

“Mor-Na?

The powerful Na tribe chieftain had never felt ashamed like this before.

“My Cam, please let me regain dignity and find garments.”

“No! Deliver your report first. Then we will carpet bomb this miserable world out of existence. Whatever tries to escape will be destroyed.”

“That would not be wise, my Cam. She is a Union Captain and there is a Narth in her crew. As easily as they send me, they can send a bomb. None of our many ships detected her vessel going down, what makes us think we could detect it leaving?”

The Cam had to think and agree. If there was indeed a Union fleet vessel, it had Translocators too. As big as his Mother was, her mighty shields and thick armor were no protection against an Anti-Matter load right in his Command center. The Narth who translocated the Chieftain, maybe even reading his thoughts right now.

He turned to another Chieftain.

“Quick set course to Thana Shoo and let us leave.”

I had the best night’s rest ever in my own cabin, the only thing missing was Shea, who was according to my friends still on her way to Richter 4, but I had a long chat with her.

Wearing my old leather suit, technically Black Velvet’s costume, my hair done, bathed and properly groomed, I went to our Den. Pander-Go and the Daiyee girls were waiting there for me.

The Dai merchant glanced over our accumulated treasures which were still there to my surprise.

“By the spirit’s powers. Compared to you the Merchant of Merchants, legendary Sobody takes second stage.”

“Technically no, he and his furry friend are more or less responsible for most of this.”

With great pride did I notice that there were now properly installed vent matics, The metal floor was now covered with high polished beautiful wood. There were Saran rugs and priceless Saresii tapestries. Central behind my chair, a Nilfeheim tapestry depicting a Viking assault. Large viewports had been added to the left and right of the boarding ramp entrance, dark red heavy curtains framing them. The visible Ultronit panels colored black, while the framework had been gilded.

New mementos had been added. There was Red Dragon’s mask, the Golden Mask. A framed set of Wisdom tokens. Kilkam’s robe and the costume of the Anagoge.

Looking over these souvenirs which included a beautiful model of the USS Dominator I felt pride in our accomplishments. My friends and crew did make a difference.

I turned my attention to the Pan-Pan merchant.

“Without you, I would be dead.”

“I doubt it Union-Erica. It matters not if you have nothing at all, chained in a slave cage or you command this marvelous ship, killing you isn’t as easily accomplished.”

“Knocking me out and rendering me unconscious, however, seems child’s play.” I grunted.

“Anything I can do for you?”

“Yes, there is something you can do. Take me to Paktaru, so I can reclaim my wares once they arrive and then I want a word with that double-crossing train driver. Finally, I sampled that marvelous beverage you call coffee. If you can sell me some.”

“I take you to Paktaru and give you all the coffee we have. As a matter of fact, I like to be there when you talk to that train operator.”

“Are you not afraid of the many thousand Dai ships out there?” He asked.

“Not to mention the Vexpar Cooperation might send a warship or so.”

“SHIP where is the Na clan?”

“They high tailed out of the system last night and even the lumbering Dai Mother has reached Threshold speed.”

To the merchant I said.

“While this is not a battleship and designed to duke it out with so many capital units and fighters, we got Translocators and the Na’s mother was well within range, being in orbit and all. I am certain the Cam didn’t want to see an antimatter explosion close up.”

He spread his arms.

“I have no idea what you are talking about, but I assume the Cam knew.”

He shook his head now.

“You chased the Cam and all of his might out of the system! I guess the Vexpar will be in for a surprise.”

Now I focused on the four Daiyee who still wore their revealing costumes.

“Girls, this is not a Dai ship. No one will buy, sell you or make you do things. You can use the Auto Dresser, I am sure SHIP can help you find something better to wear.”

Yeii kept looking around and she was the first to speak.

“You are the chief of this vessel? You command Than?”

“It galls me to no end that you are Daiyee coming from Union tribes. Our United Stars community makes no difference between gender, race, species or much else. It is your physical limitations, your mental limitations, and your skills that matter.”

I sat down.

“You get situated and then you tell me what you want to do and where you want to go.”

To my XO I said.

“Don’t take it personally my friend, but being sold, because your gender makes you a second class being stinks. I was treated worse than in the cages of Alvor’s cove.”

He pressed his lips together.

“I am going to kill everyone in my own tribe who ever sold a Daiyee after we became Union.”

“Don’t do that. You would need to kill your father. I am guilty of not killing mine and he murdered my mother, but I think it is high time for reforms and changes.”

“Aye.”

“Now I truly miss Shaka, but do you think we can jump to Paktaru?”

The Arukiten, bound to the Inner Chamber due to his recently spawned brood, summoned his new chief assistant. The Truntun got up from his terminal and stepped before the towering Irwam.

“I come to serve.”

“Your brother has been devoured because he forgot his place. There are many rumors and reports reaching the Chambers, I want to know what occurred.”

“There are many things occurring on this planet and beyond that are of interest and importance to the Irwam.”

“The Dai of the Na clan have they reached and apprehended the female?”

“Associates of ours, staying at Rufuk’s Junction reported of a massive battle fought at the old Asting ruins, those are about three Gori Fleep to the north of the road and the Junction. They say the sky had turned brilliant white and most the Dai Warriors and about 500 warriors of the Han-Man were killed.

“Their skimmers and vehicles turned to scrap. Only a handful apparently survived.

“Speaking of rock walls coming alive, buildings rising in the air. But most disturbing they speak of Y’All warriors decimating them without mercy and in a few minutes flat. An invisible ship of a kind no one has ever seen, appearing in midair. There is talk about eight-legged monsters, a regiment of Togar warriors and a black beast with demon wings ripping Dai to shreds.”

The Arukiten did not display any emotion the Truntun could recognize and understand, its voice sounded the same as ever.

“The Vexpar Cooperation must be informed. All the rumors and reports I heard match your reports. One also noticed that the Na clan left the system.”

The Truntun did not detect a question or request and remained silent.

The Irwam in all his arrogance and power felt inadequate to deal with this strange situation. He already sent a message to the Vexpar Cooperation members and requested military support. His message was of course still on its way, but what force could dispatch and kill a regiment of Dai warriors? He dismissed the Han-Man. They were only good if their opponent was weak, preferably unarmed.

“A ship you say? Why haven’t our sensors picked it up? Was it so small?”

“We only know that not even the many thousand Dai ships that were in orbit and close by, detected it coming here. One of the survivors claims he had seen a Narth.”

“Y’All and the Narth...”

This time the Truntun was certain his master experienced fear, his fearful tentacles wrapped close around the Arukiten’s upper body.

Har-Hi and I watched the Tigershark rise into the sky. To me, there was not a more beautiful ship in the Universe. Seeing her leave without me was a very strange feeling indeed.

My Dai friend sensed my thoughts no doubt as he said.

“We will see her again, Captain. She is our home and she is your ship.”

I kept my eyes on the elegant and powerful looking ship till it was beyond the clouds and I could not see her anymore.

Both of us were back at Jarsumat Port. The Hi Clan had already dispatched a fast destroyer to pick us up. Our next and hopefully my last stop in this affair was Thana Shoo.

My friend checked his wrist unit.

“The Tritik-Hi should make landfall in about eight hours.”

“Well then, let us see if there is some sort of watering hole around here. Pander-Go is still in Paktaru waiting for his ceramics to complete the trip. Yukii, Kiwii and the one I have seen in Yellow left with the Tigershark and Marhii most likely stays with Pander-Go.”

Har-Hi pointed to the end of the landing field, opposite of the Pan-Pan shanty town.

“This is an old place of trade and commerce. Even long before there was a Union. There are bound to be taverns, bars, and restaurants.”

I walked next to him. This time not running. To my delight, I saw repair activity at the hull and an engine block of a boxy ship.

“That is the piece of garbage I have arrived in. I sure like to visit the Han-Man leadership and explain to them how much I appreciate their travel arrangements.”

“The Han-Man are banned from all Hi ships and all Union Dai. My father will officially request help by the Psi Corps and Union Police to find those ears and eyes.”

He clenched his fist.

“I am still very troubled and very sorry. I gave him my oath that I will hold him personally accountable to do exactly that. Yes, he is the Tar but I am the Vant-Kath.”

“I love you like a real brother, my Dai friend and I go with you to the very end of wherever our journey takes us, but after all this, I think I had enough of Dai culture for a while.”

He smirked.

“Can’t blame you. I am longing for our Tigershark and like to be as far away from all this high-brow culture stuff.”

I giggled and a broad grin curled my lips.

“You going to be in for a ride my friend. You and Elfi are an item. Not like selling your father and the Dai civilization short, but the Sarans are ancient too and their noble houses are as encrusted and full of intrigue as you Dai.”

He rolled his eyes.

“And all female ruled!”

“Well not so much on the fringes, the Sarans are Union since the beginning, but you did not pick just any Saran, but the Second heir to the Falcon Throne.”

“And it seems you are in with the daughter of the unofficial emperor of the Union.”

“Rex Schwartz is just a businessman and has many daughters. I am more concerned about Shea’s real father. He is supposedly some sort of Entity.”

Six uniformed men stepped into our way, interrupting whatever Har-Hi was answering.

“We are Guards of the Irwam and authorized by the Vexpar cooperation. It appears you fit the description of an escaped Daiyee and you are responsible for a lot of mayhem and injury. You must surrender, so we may ascertain who is your owner.”

He had his hand on a blaster weapon and then looked at Har-Hi.

“Your glyph makes you Hi, do you claim ownership? If so, why is your wench wearing all those weapons, leather but no veil?”

I could hear Har-Hi groan.

“By the spirits, you didn’t just say that?”

I rolled my eyes.

“It never ends, doesn’t it?”

To the guard leader, I said.

“Surrender to whom?”

“We are the extended will of the Irwam and thus you must surrender to us of course.”

“Alright lead the way then, I wanted to have a word with that Irwam anyway.”

He pulled his weapon...

Har-Hi cleansed his sword as we kept walking towards the part of the landing field where he suspected taverns and bars. He said.

“You know technically and by our rules, this was a first contact situation you know.”

I thumbed over my shoulder where the five bodies where.

“They contacted us and we did send one back with a message to this Irwam guy.”

“He is not going to have many positive words about us. Him having not a thread of fabric on his body.”

“I am still miffed, being the one running all over this dirtball, with nothing much more than some leather strips or something. He should be very happy, I didn’t castrate that goon.”

“I am not sure he is completely out of that particular danger, the way you kicked him.”

I put my sword back into its scabbard as well.

“I am just not in a very diplomatic mood.”

We reached the edge of the landing field and Har-Hi was right, right there next to a reel house for fuel hoses or something. A dirty looking place with a sign reading: “Dufur Refreshment and Entertainment.”

Har-Hi said.

“I sure hope they have whatever they sell pre-packed.”

“We don’t have to use this one. There must be other establishments. I do wish we could have waited in our own ship.”

“Me too, but the secret passage will close soon and not open for seven weeks.”

I brushed the plastic curtain aside that hung before the entrance and pointed at a faded sign.

“They do sell Thill.”

“I was afraid of that, you ruined me forever. I much prefer Holsteiner.”

The establishment could have been on a thousand planets of a thousand civilizations. It had all the elements: tables, stools, and seats. A bar with the first bald-headed Dai I have seen, behind it. There were the usual patrons. All of them humanoid and every one of them looking at us with various degrees of inquisitive unfriendliness.

I steered us to the far end of the room and sat on a bench with my back to a wall and my eyes on the entrance. Har-Hi did not sit across, but next to me.

“They’re bound to be more guards or something. I doubt they appreciate our style of diplomacy.”

“That’s why I am keeping an eye on the entrance and my TKU dialed to eight.”

“You know this is a TKU-12, right? Shea managed to get a whole case of these old and technically illegal blasters and added them to our armory.”

“Illegal for civilians, no longer issued for over a thousand years. Upgraded and modernized by SII. Yes, I know. I still prefer bladed weapons over any shooter, but I read the instructions.”

The barkeep stepped up and eyed us both.

“Never seen a Daiyee on this side of the stage, but I guess you are with your Than, so it should be okay.”

To Har-Hi he said.

“What do you want and is she allowed to have something?”

I sighed.

“Mighty Than can I please have something? I will be a good girl.”

“Fat chance on that one. Bring me cold Thill, preferably Uk tribe Thill. The same for ... uh ... my Daiyee and two large shots of Lecmag.”

He eyed the twin blades.

“Never served a real Juth-Ni either. Well, this is Jarsumat, most Tribes come to trade. I do have Uk Thill and Lecmag.”

“If possible, I like it served traditional in the bottle and I break the seal myself.”

Har-Hi put an Iridium coin down.

“You take Hi coins?”

“With great delight, for that coin, you can drink quite a few Uk Thill.”

He grabbed the octagon shaped coin with the Hi glyph and the Dai symbol for five and left.

My Dai friend gave me a guilty side look.

“Sorry, I never noticed just how chauvinist the Dai society is.”

“Well, he didn’t call me a wench or something like that. It doesn’t bother me too much, this isn’t Union after all.”

“So you decided to stay Erica.”

“Yes, and I did the full transformation. I am very comfortable like this. Does it still trouble you?”

“I’ve see you as a woman for a long time now. Every now and then I do remember that you’ve been Eric.”

I pointed with the chin to the entrance door.

“Didn’t take them long, there they are.”

Four of the local guards crowded the entrance and of course, saw us.

The Barkeeper stepped in their way.

“What is the reason for you being here? I paid my dues for this period.”

“We came to deliver a message from the Irwam to the ones sitting back there.”

The guard sidestepped the barkeeper and came to our table.

“The Irwam received your message. The men you encountered acted on old information. The Irwam does not want you to have a word with him.”

“What do you know?” I said more to Har-Hi than the guards.

“That Irwam does not want to be talked to.”

Har-Hi thanked the barkeeper serving black bottles and said to me.

“Maybe the Irwam heard about your reputation and neither wants to join the Union or die.”

The Irwam’s messenger was a bald-headed humanoid male, wearing some sort of battle dress, but no visible weapons. He bowed turned on his heels and left rather hasty taking his colleagues along.

The barkeep scratched his bald head.

“I can’t believe it, the Arukiten monster afraid of someone. What tribe are you?”

Har-Hi gave him a down the nose gaze.

“I am the Vant-Kath of the Hi tribe. She is Laro-Gy and Vant-Kath of the Do tribe, but our tribe is called Union.”

The bald-headed Dai seemed to lose a few shades of his deep red complexion.

“Please forgive me. I do not want to anger the Hi tribe and hear she is Laro-Gy...”

“Yes you’re a lucky man, she dices men for lesser offenses.”

The Barkeep left and I opened the seal of the black bottle and took a sip, then looked at the label.

“So this is one of the better Thills?”

He sighed.

“It supposed to be the best. It’s not bad if you never tasted a Terran beer.”

“So tell me what is this secret passageway? I apparently went through unconscious and naked in a cage.”

He too had opened his bottle and took a taste.

“Oh by the Spirits, this is bad.

“He put the bottle down.

“I still terribly sorry for your ordeal being snatched right from our Mother.”

“Never mind that now, I will get seriously pissed if it happens again though.”

“The Secret passage is a transpatial gate that shortens the trip from the Upward sector to Thana Shoo, by over 50,000 light years. It’s similar to the artificial wormhole we supposedly discovered in the Shattered star system of the Bennetts. This one, however, does not need a key device. It opens and closes at set intervals for as long as any Dai can remember.”

“Is it something natural or artificial?”

“We don’t know. Some of us think the Pale Ones control it, although they never confirmed that.”

“Come to think off, I should have known something like that exists. How else could you have been to Thana Shoo and then show up in the Upward sector near Nogoll space.”

“Rumors have it there are many more such gates some connecting this galaxy to others, and I don’t mean the similar secret Merchant gates the Golden revealed to us.”

== Chapter 10: Thana Shoo ==

Not just a destroyer showed up, but the entire Hi tribe and a substantial part of their allied and associated Tribes. Jarsumat Port was now filled with ships of the Hi tribe, unloading surface tanks and troops.

Har-Hi and I had passed the time talking, playing the local game of dice and having a meal of spicy stew.

We were a bit surprised seeing surface troops and tanks land instead of the expected destroyer.

The Tar himself had come dirtside and greeted us.

That the Tar felt embarrassed was much less evident as with Har-hi. He apologized and assured me that he spaced much of the Laurin and wanted to sweep his tribe of non Hi

He also told me that the Hi tribe considered my abduction a declaration of war by the Han-Man tribe and they were here to answer that declaration and liberate any Daiyee and slave.

Har-Hi propped his fists to his side.

“Mighty Tar, did you forget to consider us?”

“No my son. There are fighters in surface attack configuration for Erica-Hi and you brought down as we speak unless you like to join the ground troops with assault tanks.”

The Arukiten felt very nervous for the first time in its very long life. The Truntun confirmed the scanner data, the space around Jarsumat was filled once again with thousands of spaceships. This time the entire Hi Clan and many of its allies.

The Hi clan hadn’t been seen in these regions for quite some time now, and while the Irwam was supposedly neutral to all Dai. It had developed quite a nice arrangement with the Han-Man and it believed the now quite obvious wrong reports that the Hi were Okthi. The Arukiten remembered all the little deals he made with declared enemies of the Hi tribe. He had no illusions the Hi forgot about all that because the Truntun also reported Dai landing activity. The Hi tribe was famous for their excellent fighter craft and their full-scale planetary assaults.

It was also apparent that the Hi lord was giving a hoot about old contracts and the Vexpar Cooperation.

The Arukiten was much less self-assured as he speculated.

“Maybe this Union Daiyee will chase this tribe away as well?”

“Unlikely, mighty Irwam. I did tell you that the Union Daiyee is in the company of the Vant-Kath of Tar Kar-Hi and it appears they are very friendly to each other.”

“You made sure that all our guards know not to approach the Union Daiyee?”

“No, I did not. Your instructions to me were only to deliver your response to her message.”

“Certainly the captain of the guard did so. It was him who tried to arrest the Daiyee after all.”

“I am not abreast as to what Chief Marshal Gufkin did after he delivered the message, but I heard he was last seen running towards the Pan-Pan camp. If the reports are correct, he continued onto the road. I personally believe he wants to put as much distance between him and that Daiyee.”

The Arukiten remembered that he ordered the arrest of the Daiyee only a few days ago.

“Quick let all our assets know to leave her alone, I do not want to have her...”

In my short career, I had come across some of the most unusual life forms. The Union prided itself of its great diversity and if diversity was any measure of things, my crew was taking the cake. The being, sitting there before us, however, was menacing, truly alien perhaps because it didn’t fit any class of life I had encountered so far. It was neither insect nor mammal but then I had plenty of unusual life aboard my ship and called them friends. This particular individual, however, was not a likely candidate to advance to that state.

I raised my voice and asked.

“Why the big show sending one of your bald lackeys giving me assurances and then have four of your big Jakonen guards try to apprehend me?”

“An oversight. The guards were not informed fast enough.”

“Eight hours is plenty of time and they all got Com units. I think you are lying.”

Har-Hi nodded.

“I am certain this Arukiten has an explanation why it is not adhering to the old agreements. The whole idea of the office of the Irwam is to be an impartial mediator and steward of the ancient accord.”

The alien being sung in a strange melodic pipe organ voice.

“I am the latest Irwam and have always upheld neutrality. The old agreements are sacred.”

Har-Hi pointed with both hands towards the Arukiten.

“Yes, you are right, Captain. The Irwam is lying alright.

“Har-Hi activated a holo display that now hovered over his wrist com.

“The Tar of our tribe received over seven hundred reports from various sources that you are anything but impartial. The very latest one, you allowed Na warriors use fliers on the road. Not to mention your personal bounty on my Captain. She was an escaped Daiyee and she reached the Pan-Pan camp. By all contracts and traditions, she was to be saved.”

“I am the Irwam and you must respect me. I do not care about your accusations. Even the Hi tribe must bow to the Irwam. This will teach...”

Two of the whiplike tentacles shot forward with the speed of an arrow, the present Truntun already expected the visitors to be food for the Arukiten’s spawn. These tentacles were tipped with needle-sharp diamond hard stingers and never failed to kill all kinds of beings stepping before the Irwam.

Killing the first son of a Tar commencing landing operations was a foolish thing.

Instead of two dead visitors and fresh food for the ferocious spawn hiding under the seat mount, the Arukiten yelled in pain. The Dai prince had stepped aside and cut both tentacles that whipped past him with a lightning-fast move and reflex. I jumped over the trashing tentacle stump and swung my sword against one of the Arukiten’s crab-like legs.

The Irwam’s spawn did not realize the intended victims were unharmed and reached out with whitish tentacles of their own.

Ever since my first visit to Sin 4, I had a very negative disposition towards white tentacles.

I should have perhaps read more of the instructions regarding the TKU 12, I pulled the weapon still set at eight and fired. There was substantial recoil as a thick beam of superheated matter, vaporize much of the Arukiten’s Throne mount and whatever was hiding below.

The interior temperature of the cave was instantly raised to blistering heat.

We both left the screaming Arukiten behind as we ran outside.

Har-Hi put his hands on his knees taking deep breaths.

“Captain, setting two would have been more than enough. Setting eight is for fully armed Y’All and dialed up to twelve, you better wear substantial battle armor.”

I looked at my smoking hair tips and knew I had the mother of all sunburns. Even talking hurt “Well at least I am red as you.”

An ear-shattering boom and a violent tremor almost lifted us off the ground as the Irwam’s chambers exploded. Both of us ran and took cover hugged to a building wall as burning debris rained all over the place.

Har-Hi made a guilty face.

“And I should know the power of two nano-grams of Antimatter.”

“That’s the equivalent of eighty tons of conventional explosives. We’re lucky our eardrums didn’t shatter.”

“Let us get fixed up and leave this dirtball.”

I looked back at the smoking crater.

“Good idea and I think they need a new Irwam.”

I was assigned to the same quarters but know knew how to get to Har-Hi’s chambers. There were no more guards before the doors and I insisted on having no domestics or maids. Kar-Hi’s was trying to be apologetic while maintaining his role as the Tar.

Jarsumat was now six days behind us, the planet an entire factionless. The Hi had made a point and no Han-Man, at least on Jarsumat survived.

To pass the time, Har-Hi and I resumed our exercises as there wasn’t really much else to do.

We just finished almost two solid hours of sword and martial arts exercises. Har-Hi wanted to learn more about the bladeless martial arts.

He tossed me a towel.

“I hate to admit it, even to you but you are one dangerous fighter.”

“I never thought it would be such an element of my career as a Union officer. I somehow envisioned it differently.”

He grinned widely.

“I doubt the majority of all Union Fleet officers ever get in as many fights as you either, but then there is the Eternal Warrior.”

“I doubt Admiral Stahl even has a sword.”

“Nope, perhaps not but he is true Terran, they tend to use big guns and blast things.”

I toweled the sweat off my face.

“At least I don’t have to admit it, you are the most dangerous fighter I ever met.”

Har-Hi pointed at his wrist unit.

“We should be close to Thana Shoo. You know you going to be the first Non-Dai ever to come here and perhaps even see the Pale Ones.”

“I am sure I don’t fathom the gravity of that, but I will be glad when we are done with all of this. I had about all the vacation I can handle.”

The Tar had summoned his most trusted Chieftains, among them the former Tar of the Co tribe. Bas-Co was always a friend but the man had developed to be his closest one. Bas-Co was not only his friend but widely respected.

Bas-Co was much older than Kar-Hi. He sat to the right side of the Tar holding a tankard of beer. That Terran beverage was quickly replacing Thill as the most favorite drink of the Hi tribe. The meeting was about the gathering at Thana Shoo of course, as they were now less than twelve hours from that most sacred of all Dai places. They discussed the possibility of Elf-Na becoming the Patr-Tar; the equal possibility of Kar-Hi asking the Pale Ones for the same.

Bas-Co had not said much until now.

“There is a third contender to the lead of all that is Dai.”

Many of the chieftains had been kept in the dark about this and thus were quite surprised.

“A third?” Eve-Hi, a venerated commandant of five thousand ships asked.

Tar Kar-Hi sighed and leaned back in his seat.

“Yes, while we supposed to not speak his name. Kai-Do is a mighty name and once was the Tar of the largest tribe with many alliances.”

Eve-Hi made a dismissive gesture.

“He was declared Okthi and the hearts of his tribe went dark.”

One of the Elders that tended to the heart of the Exer-Hi slowly shook his grizzled head.

“Some turned blue and many followed a new call. No one knows what that means or who has the power to do such things.”

Ure-Hi another Chieftain shrugged.

“Whatever this means indeed, Blue hearts have no meaning to us and whatever happened to the Do tribe happened many thousand years ago. The Do clan has faded into oblivion. What is this talk about another contender?”

“I tried to keep it secret, but Kai-Do is alive.”

The Tar of the Hi tribe said.

“He has trained a Daiyee to the skill levels of a Laro-Gy and declared her to be his Vant-Kath.”

That statement caused silence.

Eve-Hi rubbed his chin.

“A Daiyee would not be Okthi. But must the contender of Patr not be male?”

Tar Kar-Hi said.

“Erica Olafson, Erica-Hi was born as the firstborn son of a Nilfeheim Neo Viking clan chief. Only very recently used Union science to become a Daiyee.”

Ure-Hi pounded his fist on the table.

“By the spirits. She is a contender! You and Elf-Na will face her in the arena and kill her.”

“Have you seen the Union Daiyee fight?”

They nodded and Eve-Hi said.

“Yes, I have seen her fight, she easily is on the same skill level than our Vant-Kath. When they spar, many secretly watch with awe.”

“My son was the Champion of Thana Shoo and he has grown since I know of no Than that can stand against him and the Daiyee is easily on his level. If the decision comes down to the traditional duel, we will have a new Patr-Tar. It is going to be a non-Dai female.”

Again Ure-Hi responded.

“You made her Than and Hi. You ordered many reforms and changes and we killed many Han-Man. Is this the direction the Dai will go?”

Eve-Hi shrugged.

“The vast majority of the younger clans applaud and welcome your open changes. There are some who did no longer heed the call to Thana Shoo, but there are the old ones.”

Bas-Co said with slowly measured words.

“What does this mean? Will you take steps to prevent that? Will you ask us to prevent this?”

The Tar looked to the door as if he wanted to be sure, there was no one else.

I had dressed how Har-Hi wanted me to. I did wear my own leather suit, mostly because I did not think Union uniform was appropriate and Nilfeheim leathers and furs too old fashioned. The other reason was the Ultronit micromesh. There were an awful lot of Dai Than with pointy and sharp things and I had the feeling I was going to cross blades with one or the other before this affair was over.”

But in addition to my usual rig holding whip and blaster. I wore a genuine Dai Than harness with the Hi glyph and all five knives along with the fake Mjördaren.

He came in carrying a beautiful case of polished dark wood. It was quite big and it had gorgeous inlay work depicting the Olafson wolf logo. I was quite surprised, only the most expensive things were kept in real wood cases.

He gave me a deep smile.

“Dai always like to carry lots of weapons and traditionally across their back. Your Mjördaren is simply not meant to be worn that way, it is too heavy and too long. My father wanted you to wear Dai blades. I know you don’t care much for them, so I thought you might want to carry one of your own weapons there.

The case is hand made by Specialist Warner who takes great pride in his hobby and his woodworking skills. He wanted to give it to your naming day anniversary, but our vacation made our planned surprise party a moot point.”

“A surprise party? My naming day? Oh darn I forgot, I was under a sleep inducer aboard a Space Bus flying home when that anniversary came around. It is a beautiful case, but why is it here? There aren’t any anniversaries coming up, right?”

“No, Warner made this for your axe. Since your quarters are part of the repairs and refits, all your personal belongings were boxed. Long story short, Cirruit moved your things, Warner made this case and when I took the Tigershark to rescue you, I thought you might benefit from your axe across your back. Kai-Do made a leather carry rig for it.”

He opened the case, and there, in form shaped black velvet, was that old axe I found in the Cave of Things. A strange, unexplainable feeling of deep satisfaction came over me. I had no idea where the word ‘Bereaver’ came from that popped into my mind.

I took it out of the case and it felt like an old friend.

“Oh aye, this will do nicely. Thank you so much.”

Har-Hi helped me to buckle the carry rig and I placed the axe in it. For a brief moment, I almost felt as if the axe was greeting the sword, what a silly thought. Whatever it was I felt more complete as ever.

I had my hair open and not hidden under a wig or veil or anything.

Har-Hi too was armed to the teeth and dressed in his finest leather armor with ornate iridium thread embroidery.

Looking like action actors for a space barbarian virtu, we stepped into what Har-Hi called the Tar’s Own. A sizeable room with gleaming floors and many gilded details everywhere. Artwork depicting battles and fights, Dai armor and weapons on display

There was floor to ceiling viewports, showing a fragmented and broken planet. A large piece surrounded by a cloud of smaller pieces. Even without any apparent visual enhancements. I could not begin to estimate the number of ships I saw.

The Tar and his closest advisors stood by the central viewport. He saw us coming and said.

“Behold children of Hi, Thana Shoo!”

I guess one had to be Dai to feel special seeing that busted planet, to me it looked like a variation on the Shattered Star system of the Bennett’s, but I feigned as much dignified awe as I could. Apparently successful, the Tar nodded gravely.

“Indeed this is the effect it has on all of us.”

One of the Chieftains gestured towards the viewport.

“Thousands upon Thousands of Dai Tribes migrate to this most sacred place. Enemies and allies alike, no battle may be fought here. All challenges must be answered in the arena.”

Another chieftain, the oldest of the group said.

“You will be the first Non-Dai ever to set foot on Thana Shoo and the first Daiyee in over 12,000 years. You will be the only female among thousands of Tribe leaders, chieftains and sons. You can remain aboard if you fear all those mighty warriors.”

Har-Hi sighed.

“Old Bas-Co, you are wise in the ways of Than no one questions this, but you do not know my friend. Of all the words you could have chosen, you picked the wrong ones.”

I smirked.

“Poor defenseless old me. Just a weak damsel among all those holier than though warriors. Well, at least I didn’t get dressed up for nothing.”

“You have been warned. There will be challenges.”

“It was your Tar who wanted me here. I was perfectly fine home in Nilfeheim.”

The Tar raised his arms.

“Silence now, all of you. The Pale Ones have spoken through the heart, she will go to Thana Shoo.”

The room shivered ever so slightly and the viewport image moved. Next to the door where we came in viewports became visible, showing the Exer-Hi getting smaller. This gilded room with massive table, chairs, gleaming floors, rugs, and all the artwork appeared to be some sort of shuttle.

It approached the biggest junk of that former planet. I did not notice the shimmer of an atmosphere or had a real reference on size, but it appeared to be quite huge.

Har-Hi was, so it seemed not immune to the Thana Shoo effect so I didn’t pester him with any questions. The Tar’s flying dining room approached a bluish gleaming dome-shaped bubble and descended towards the surface.

It attached itself to the Duro-crete and metal base ring of that huge bubble and stopped moving.

Har-Hi whispered.

“We are here.”

The large viewports moved to the side and my friend motioned me to follow the Tar and his entourage.

We stepped into a shallow crater-like amphitheater, with stone tiers centering on an arena.

If I had to estimate there were about twenty thousand Dai-Than, and there was a thin but steady stream of new arrivals, but I noticed there were many glaring gaps between the gathering tribe chiefs and their associates.

While I had to admit that I was indeed getting more female in my ways of thinking and feeling, and there was that female vanity thing. I knew I looked quite hot in my leathers but being the focus of thousands of stares was a bit unsettling, especially since none of the stares were friendly.

The Tar of the Hi tribe guided us to a two-step segment and said.

“This is where the Hi tribe has its space. The Hi have heeded the call for many millennia.”

I could not help myself and ask.

“For a long time, you thought you are Okthi and Thana Shoo would have been inaccessible to you, right?”

“I am the Tar, the welfare of my tribe comes before everything.”

He turned and stepped up a tier, where he was met by other Dai-Than leaders. Har-Hi and I remained with the rest of the chieftains at the lower tier.

My friend was in an emotional mood, not that this was openly evident, but I knew him a little.

He said.

“So much has happened since I was here the last time. I think I was still a kid back then, despite me thinking I had reached adulthood. What I held as unshakeable truths have been revealed for lies and deception; for outdated and old traditions. Seeing all this, I realize I am no longer really Dai-Than. The Mother is no longer my home, while everything feels familiar; I somehow don’t fit in anymore.”

“I feel the same way about Nilfeheim and my family. I felt like a stranger at our own burg, and not just because I am Erica now.”

He pointed with his eyes to a section on the opposite side.

“That is Cam Elf-Na and his allies. I fought and killed one of his sons in that arena below.”

“Is that what turned him?”

“I don’t think so; Elf-Na was an outspoken enemy of the Hi tribe much longer. I told you Dai fathers are different from human fathers, even yours. He has many sons of many wives and not the same emotional ties human parents have.”

A strong looking Dai-Than was climbing up to our tier. While he was physically at peak conditions, his smooth face clearly belonged to a very young man.

Har-Hi sighed.

“I knew there will be challenges, but I hoped not so soon. He is of the Ru tribe. Technically one of your allies, if you were to become the Tar of the Do tribe. His father is a Cam like Elf-Na.”

The young warrior of the Ru tribe had reached us.

“I am the Vath-Kar of the Ru tribe. I oppose your presence, female scum. You will veil and follow me to save your life.”

Har-Hi put his hand on my shoulder as if to hold me back.

“She is declared Than, by the Tar, accepted by the heart of Hi, Vanth-Ka of the Do and a living Laro-Gy, The Tar of the Hi made her my sister. Repeat your insults and die or apologize and remember the oaths your forefathers made to the Do.”

I expected the usual to happen, and the young Dai to lose his life, but I was certain even Har-Hi didn’t see it coming.

A group of at least twenty tribe leaders. I could read the glyphs identifying them as Nun, Pir, Wak and Kor level tribal leaders. Leaders of young and relative small tribes. Perhaps not in the case of the two Kor level leaders. A Kor sized tribe was not small anymore.

It was an extremely well-groomed Kor, his glyph identifying his tribe as the Sa tribe pointed his sword at the young challenger.

“She is also Union, as we are. Hear this, Vath-Kar of the Ru tribe. We are Dai-Than and honor our heritage but we are Union Dai first. Insult her because of her gender you will stand against us and many more.”

The young man was clearly unprepared.

“This is Thana Shoo, you can’t fight me unless in the Arena. Daiyee have no place at Thana Shoo.”

“We no longer adhere to Dai traditions but Union law, we respect...”

I hammered my fist as hard as I could into the face of the Ru Dai and followed up with a spin kick to his temple. Ultronit tipped boots were such a mean thing.

“I don’t need anyone protecting me. You get your ass down in that arena, any weapon you like and I meet you there.”

“Uhm, Captain you cut his lights, he can’t hear you,” Har-Hi said with an unreadable face. To the Dai leaders, he said.

“Gender never meant much to her in terms of approaching situations.”

I crossed my arms.

“I am just not the damsel in distress kind and I felt overlooked.”

The Ru Dai started groaning and coming around, while several others of his tier came rushing up.

A dozen or so tribe leaders including Cam Elf-Na also had made their way. The Cam boasted loudly but addressing Tar Kar-Hi who of course had seen the altercation.

“You dragging a female here? You are declaring her Than and Hi means nothing. You are Okthi, go back hide in Union space. This is the domain of real Than!”

“Your opinion means nothing, the decision of the Pale Ones is the only one with value. We heard the call our hearts are bright and red and I can hear the fear in your voice when you mention our new home.”

The Kor who had just led a group of leaders to the Hi tier of the Amphitheatre and spoke to my defense removed his tribe glyph right there and revealed a Union flag. A large number of Dai with him did the same. He thundered loud.

“We are Union Dai. We have a space-born base, we suffer no hunger, no needs. Our sick are cured, the wounded healed. The old are taken care for and our warriors train to become Union marines, Khari-Wolf pilots. By permission of Fleet command, there are four fleet carriers in this system, completely crewed by Dai to honor the sanctity of Thana Shoo. Just in case some parties decide to follow like last time. This time we do not wait for Union help, we are Union and we got plenty of translocator bombs for all of you.”

One of his chieftains stepped forward.

“I am Dai by race, if I am Than or not is of no consequence to me. I am a Union Marine, and there is not a more respected group of warriors. The level of dedication to duty, Union and honor are so far beyond what you know as Than. Come then, Cam Elf-Na challenge me to a fight. Or send your best champion.”

A storm of shouted insults, cheers and opinions roared from all the tiers. Much to Cam Elf-Na’s dismay, about three or four hundred independent and Na allies gathered not around the Tar or him but with the Kor.

“We see the changes and the benefits, we will follow you and become Union.”

I was not certain, because the face of Tar Kar-Hi was as stoic and stern as that of Har-Hi but I could have sworn to see anger about this, in his eyes as well. Was he miffed because these tribes did not acknowledge him as the Union Dai leader, but flocked around a Kor?”

With a grinding sound, the floor of the Amphitheater split in half and the side retracted. A group of red-robed men standing on a platform rose from below. They had formed a circle facing outwards. In that circle a brightly glowing, pulsing mass floating in mid-air. They were clearly Dai, but their red complexion was very faint. I counted fifty and a booming voice spoke.

“The gathering at Thana Shoo will now commence.”

The shouting and noise ebbed down and everyone focused their attention on these men, I was certain were the Pale Ones.

“Much conflict, much-assumed falsehoods have grown in our midst. Dai-Than have always formed alliances and made enemies among ourselves, but it was open fight that is Than. Now it is fought with deceit, lies, trickery, and intrigue. This is not Than but Okthi.”

Right there Cam Elf-Na interrupted.

“Accusations are not Than either. The only proof of wrongdoing is acceptable. That cursed Tar of the Hi tribe waited to the end of the last meeting and announced he will join our worst enemy. He became Okthi, the proof is undeniable.”

“It is the guilty who screams loudest and first when the day of reckoning is at hand. There is no rule or condition set forth by the heart of all Dai that prohibits Dai to seek alliances and partnerships with others. We all accepted agreements with the Vexpar Cooperation. You have accepted and taken Karthanian help and traded Dai-Than into bondage. The heart knows you seek an alliance with a Kermac wizard, and thus the Galactic Council. As Okthi this might be, it is not against our laws.”

Everyone including his closest allies were now staring at Elf-Na.

He pulled his swords.

“There is your word, I have not done wrong. I know to demand your decision regarding a new Patr. I have the resources, the support of two thousand tribes.”

“You have done much wrong, Cam Elf-Na, but you may request judgment in this regard, but there are contenders to your claim. You must face them if they accept your request, the Patr you are. If they reject it you must fight and kill them.”

== Chapter 11: End of Thana Shoo ==

The words of the Pale Ones almost seemed to linger as a hushed silence took hold of the assembled Dai. It appeared everyone was waiting for the Cam’s response.

Completely out of character for a usual stern and serious Dai Than, Elf-Na grinned. It was an evil smile no doubt.

“And I intend to do just that, but not in the arena. The Arena is sacred and for Dai Than only. You question my word calling that traitorous Hi tribe, Okthi and reject it. I reject his declaration that this Union female, this lower than a Daiyee scum is Than. She must prove it in the old passage if she comes out the other end. I will challenge her and kill her. If she does not, my word is justified and the Tar of the Hi is a proven liar.”

That caused a stir and one of the Pale Ones said.

“Terrors of the forbidden past survive there, no Than has ever passed, since the first Patr.”

“Never the less, the first Patr declared that only a Dai Than can pass through. I accept no other proof, the will and the laws of the first Patr are still valid.”

The Pale Ones agreed.

“You speak true, these laws are valid.”

A hooded man stepped from the entrance ring to an empty tier and brushed back the hood.

“I am Kai-Do.”

An uproar, especially of the Na clan and its associates was heard and Elf-Na yelled.

“How can you be here? You are Okthi”

The Pale Ones answered in their unified chorus voice.

“You declare the old laws to be valid, then all of them must be.”

“And they say, no Okthi may come to Thana Shoo.”

“He is no longer Okthi. He has laid down the office of Tar and was ejected from the Do tribe, there is a new Tar of the Do tribe and it is Erica-Hi-Do. She is not Okthi and thus the Do clan is not Okthi. As Tar she allowed Kai to become a Dai servant, not a Than. All Dai may come here, and only a Than can be Okthi.”

I blinked surprised and whispered from the side of my mouth.

“I sure don’t remember doing that.”

Har-Hi whispered back.

“History always remembers Kai-Do as one of the slickest and most scheming Tar. The Cam is an amateur compared to him, this is the main reason they declared him Okthi by the way.”

Kai-Do pointed with his finger at the Cam.

“You quoted the old law correctly indeed. Now my Tar rejects your claim to be Dai-Than, many of your actions and crimes are Okthi. She is Tar and has the same rights as you. You too will go through the Passage.”

The smile on the Cam’s face had disappeared and was now replaced by a concerned frown.

“I am Cam, I am Dai-Than. I do not need to prove that.”

The Pale One’s chorus objected.

“You invoked ancient laws and traditions, you reject all other proof by your own words. Survive the passage or acknowledge the accusation.”

I had about enough of all this talk and this back and forth. I certainly had to agree with Har-Hi, Kai-Do was one slick liar and schemer. I never said or did any of these things he claimed I did, but if I challenged him now on this, the Cam would win. So I climbed the two tiers up, that separated me from Kai-Do. Everyone had their eyes on me.

I said.

“Too much talk, let’s get it on. Show me that passage!”

There were many voices that started chanting.

“She is Than! She has courage.”

The Pale-Ones said.

“So be it, Erica you are not Hi, we acknowledge you as Tar of the Do tribe. The passage is a challenge like no other. Many thousand highly trained warriors have tried to gain the highest level of being accomplished, none has returned.”

Unnoticed by me, Har-Hi had followed me and he said.

“She will not go alone. The old laws do not prohibit a companion.”

“Indeed not, Champion of Thana Shoo. Should you survive, you are accomplished.”

To me Har-Hi said.

“I swore to follow you to the gates of the Netherworlds and beyond, I tend to keep my word. Besides I can’t have you have all the fun alone.”

Four of the Pale Ones stepped away from their circle as the humongous, disgusting red pulsing organic glob behind them rose further.

Four talon shaped columns appeared, sickle-shaped inward bent, creating a cage of sort above a bright blue pulsing field.

Har-Hi whispered I have seen one of these before. It is a trans spatial nexus point. Just like the one deep under the surface of Itheamh. We had to fight an energy being as you remember from the reports.”

The Chorus of the Pale Ones spoke.

“The passage is open. No modern weapons are allowed.”

I ungirded the TKU.

“That weapon better be there when I come back.”

“Defeat the Unspoken horrors and if you return we will have a new Patr.”

“So any particular instructions other than killing whatever awaits me?”

“Should you be victorious, you know how to return, now go Erica-Do. Show us all the meaning of courage, or will you back down?”

“You sure know how to talk to a Neo Viking.

“I walked towards the white energy until I saw nothing else and Thana Shoo disappeared.

The Cam saw the female contender disappear and right after her the arrogant Har-Hi vanished and he yelled.

“It is time to end the reign of the Pale Ones!”

It must have been a signal of his, because hundreds, no thousand heavy-armed beings appeared from the entrance ring. Dai, the first open appearance of Shiruti, the new shock troops of the Kermac and the Galactic Council. Along with them, bizarre looking beings with bloated heads and small bodies floated in.

“The reign of the Pale Ones ends today. The rule of Elf-Na begins. These are Muta-Kerr, genetic engineered will benders, living Neuro rippers with tremendous powers. Hundreds of Dai Than went to their knees and hailing Elf-Na. Many hundreds dropped to the ground holding their heads screaming in pain.

A reddish shield engulfed the Pale Ones and the heart of Thana Shoo.

While the nightmarish floating things attacked it with bluish light.

To the surprise of the Cam, a few hundred Dai were unaffected. It was the same leader who declared himself Union.

“Your Kermac psionic trickery won’t work on Union citizen, we are well shielded.”

“Against telepathy, let us see how you fare against telekinesis and blaster weapons.”

Har-Hi cursed, where ever he was, Erica was not. He walked out of a trans spatial nexus. He remembered the last time like a dream and he knew someone or something had messed with his memory. He did not face another star demon back then, but something else. He also remembered more information about these nexus points than he thought he had.

The main reason, Dai did not return from a trip through one of these was most likely because they did not know how to reverse the trans-spatial nexus.

He drew his blades and checked out the surroundings. He was in an artificial cave with a single tunnel exit.

The walls were as smooth and metal gray as he remembered the other nexus point to be.

It turned out the tunnel exit was not very long and opened to an alien city. It was empty and abandoned most likely for eons. He turned and said in Seenian.

“Nexus take me back to Thana Shoo”

To his pleasant surprise, it seemed to work, between these inwardly curved talons a bright field of light appeared and he stepped through and into the midst of ferocious combat.

I found myself in a grey metal chamber of sorts, behind me the same structure of metal talons forming a cage for that trans-spatial transport field. The chamber reminded me of the Cave of Things. It had the same smooth grey metal walls and shape.

So now what? I knew I should have thought that through and asked a few more questions as to what I had to do exactly. I walked through a short tunnel and had to use my sword to cut through a thick layer of vegetation and vines. I knew Mjördaren even the replica was sharp and made of Ultronit, but I had no idea it was that sharp. It cut through the thick and tough stuff effortless as if cutting water.

Just as I had cut my way through I heard voices, familiar voices and music. Nilfeheim radio.”

The sound came from my PDD wrist unit. I had it on Nilfeheim radio before I got out of range.

The vegetation had covered a rock formation overlooking a Jungle.

The air was warm and moist and had the distinct odor of green and growing things. An earthy, somewhat pungent smell of rotting things. There were lots of animal voices, chirps, and whistles. None of the voices sounded very big. Not that small things could be dangerous.

There was nothing in my immediate vicinity that appeared to be a threat. I stayed in the cave mouth, keeping my eyes on the environment and dialed into the GalNet Ping, an automated Navigation assist for Auto Navs to check where I was. That Trans spatial passage sent me almost 76,000 light years and into the Spinward sector. According to my Nav Data, I was just 344 lightyears beyond Union space.

I switched to GalCom and the official Spatial Navy channel and checked with VASCO, the Virtual All Space Complete Objects Database of the Explorer and Survey Division to see if this planet was surveyed and what dangers I might encounter.

VASCO identified the system as N-746-554-696, with eight planets, one of them a garden world. There also was a warning message, declaring the system being occupied by a spacefaring species, identified as the Ypeherix. Virtual no data existed on them and according to this report they were responsible for the destruction of a Science outpost and a supply ship.”

There was sharp cracking sound coming from the right, something large was making its way through the thicket.

Moments later the source of the noise revealed itself. Compared to the Arukiten, what had just become visible made the former Irwam look cuddly and friendly. It shared the spidery hard-shelled legs with the Arukiten, lacked the tentacles, but was twice as big and somehow appeared as if someone tried to combine a scavenger crab with a huge mushroom and added one of those Insectosaurus I had seen in the Arena of Sin 4 for good measure.

I had the feeling that this thing was not native to this world, the limb red-skinned humanoid it held in its claws, however, looked like a Dai.

A first I thought the man to be dead, but I could see him moving his head so I yelled.

“Hey, walking mushroom! Drop the man, would you?”

The monstrosity immediately came towards me and it spoke in understandable Union Universal.

“You are Apix who must become Ixi. We are the factor of Pu-Nakti. We are the Ypeherix.”

It peppered the spot I had been on half a second earlier, with a barrage of needle-sharp thorn like shards. Two of them hit me painfully at my left thigh, but it was only the impact energy. Whatever it was, did not penetrate the micro mesh underneath the thin leather.

I had already jumped, holding Mjördaren with both hands. I didn’t want to waste the high ground of my current position and use it to my advantage. I thanked Odin for my decision as it saved me from being peppered with more of these nasty looking organic projectiles.

With great satisfaction, Mjördaren severed one of the folded scissor arms with the same ease as it cut vegetation a little earlier.

What surprised me however was the blood of the thing. It was so hot, it burned vegetation where it drooled.

“What a nasty piece of creation you are!”

The thing howled.

“This is a special place, filled with Pu-Nakti. We must not allow it to be contaminated with the Apix. You must become Ixi!”

It dropped the Dai, who wore nothing much but a loincloth, a harness made of woven plant fibers and some primitive jewelry made of claws and teeth of animals. He was wounded but alive.

The monster, having a free claw tried to grab me. Since I didn’t like to get intimate with the Ypeherix, I dove under the grabbing claw and swung my sword against one of the legs, with the same satisfying result, severing it right at a joint. Some of the fire hot body liquid splashed over my right boot and burned off some of the thin leather, but my suit could double as a space suit in an emergency and the real material underneath took no damage. I felt the heat to my uncovered face and low cut neckline.

I had to correct myself, because of my female vanity and that neckline, this suit was anything but space worthy.

While I chastised myself for my fashion choices, I rolled over my shoulder getting myself under the monstrosity and plunged Mjördaren up to its hilt into the underbelly of the Ypeherix. The alien screamed in pain, and with a convulsing shudder it keeled over and died.

Just to make sure I hacked its mushroom-like head off its body and then rushed to the almost naked, Dai who looked at me with eyes full of pain.

“No worries, my Auto Doc will get you stabilized and pain-free.”

I attached the Auto-Doc to his chest.

“Species analyzed, Dai. On file. Triage assessment. Laceration wounds and parasitic invasion of spore-like organisms. Nanite resources deployed. Med Central contacted.”

The Dai kept staring at me.

“You speak Old Dai and you fight like Than. Who are you?”

“I am Erica Olafson, United Stars of the Galaxies.”

“I am Murgo of the Kalma village. We know old legends of the Star Dai, we came through a glowing gate thousands of seasons ago.”

The Auto Doc interrupted, parasitic infestation resistant to treatment but patient stabilized and pain-free. Conducting specialist consultation. Nanite resources adjusted, recommend isolation and hospitalization.”

I said.

“Looks like that monster infected you with something my Auto-Doc can’t fix, but we get you back on your feet no worries.”

He said.

“My health is unimportant. The Ypeherix came and put their eggs deep into the ground. When they hatch this world will die!”

“Can you take me to someone who speaks for all of you? Like a chief or something?”

“I am the Patr of all.”

I could not help but grin.

“Looks like the Cam and the Tar did not know about you. Let us get up to that cave entrance. We got a better view and the cave entrance is easier defended than this spot.

The Tar of the Hi tribe was forced to his knees before Elf-Na.

“Oh, you stupid Dai. You will now declare me to be the Patr. This will make me the ruler even over those old and outdated Pale Ones who are too blind to see what I have been doing.”

The Pale-Ones still behind that reddish protective shield said.

“You need us to get access to the Infarx, we will never yield!”

“Oh but you will, I have thousands killed. We know the Infarx is not only the first mother but a Seenian Battleship, just like the Devastator and we know she has Seenian weapons.”

The Tar grunted.

“This is what you are after?”

“Of course, you think Kermac are impressed by your little society? We know of the Infarx and planned for this. The Dai are insubstantial, Kermac supremacy is everything! Come join us as a Battle thrall, sweeping all those opposing us from this galaxy. Chiefly Sarans and Terrans, the rest might just beg to become Galactic Council thralls to serve us.”

“Us? You are Dai!”

“Oh, you are so ignorant and dense. I am Kermac now. I will be elevated to be a Wizard and wield more power than even a Patr.”

He grabbed Kar-Hi’s hair and pulled it back.

“Look at me! I am your superior now! How does it feel to crawl before me?”

An Alti-Karr whirled through the air but was stopped in mid-air before it reached the neck of the Cam.

It had been hurled by Har-Hi who had just reappeared.

“Ah the Champion of Thana Shoo, seeing his Tar in the appropriate position. Your silly knives and blades are no match to the psionic powers of the Muta-Kerr!”

“And this is what happened,” I said, having direct contact with Admiral McElligott.

The Old Highlander spread his arms.

“St. Andrews help us, we got a new mystery at our hands and who shows up in the middle of it 75,000 lightyears distant where we thought you are?”

He opened a drawer on his desk and retrieved a bottle of Scotch and a glass.

“As it may be, your discovery of yet another trans spatial connection and the presence of Dai that colonized the planet gives us precedence to interfere. Captain Bronbohr of the USS Gromsmaro will only be too glad to return to N-746-554-696. The Dai there can be considered natives and the leaders request for help is good enough for us.”

“I have no idea what the deal is about the Ypeherix, but I have a feeling they are bad news.”

“This is actually going to be your next assignment. So, Captain Olafson wrap things up at Thana Shoo and get your leather clad butt to Sin 4.”

“I have no idea how to get back.”

“While I am confident you figure it out, it was your crew who actually uncovered another one of these Nexus ports on Itheamh as you know and your Science officer figured out how to use them. You speak Seenian, tell the thing you want to go back to Thana-Shoo in Seenian or Old Saresii and it will take you back.”

“What about the Dai here and the sick one?”

“Erica, you are talking to the Admiral of the Fleet. I am not just some ensign. We don’t do things half measure. The Gromsmaro is two days out and will secure the system. More assets are already mobilized to research in detail what those Ypeherix did to the planet, a Marine dropship has been diverted to cleanse the planet from any other Ypeherix and capture a few for research.”

He snapped his fingers.

“Oh, and a hospital ship is on its way as well. So no worries we have this well in hand. I expect you at Richter 4 as soon as possible. I am sick and tired of all these crew requests. Now go back to Thana Shoo as I ordered you, by the way.”

He severed the communication and the small field screen vanished.

I said to the Dai.

“My people will come in a few days and take care of the Ypeherix and your situation.”

He nodded.

“Take your people to a place as far away from any Ypeherix that still might be here. A battleship is on its way to sweep the system and marines will be here soon to cleanse the world. We will also take care of the sick.”

He nodded again.

“I will do as you say.”

I let him keep the Auto-Doc and handed him my Wrist Com. I showed him how to use it to call down help when it arrived.

He left to gather his people and I turned to face the trans spatial gate and said.

“Take me to Thana Shoo.”

A bright field of light established itself almost immediately. I stepped inside.

A Muta-Kerr floated down and bathed Har-Hi with bluish light, causing the most intense pain. Har-Hi screamed but not just in pain, but anger he went to his knees, through tearing eyes he saw Erica’s TKU right there, took it and fired. The powerful energy bolt vaporized the bizarre being and the pain was gone, but not for long. The TKU was ripped out of his fist, and floating in mid-air it turned to fire at Har-Hi.

Three sharp cracks were heard. Three Muta-Kerr died after three lead slugs hit their bloated heads and scrambled their brains.

I did return right from where I left and to a bizarre scene. Har-Hi was kneeling in an almost fetal position. There were strange beings floating nearby, and my TKU in mid-air turning muzzle first to Har-Hi.

All I had to reach there fast enough was my Colt. The ancient weapon once again proved to be a deadly weapon indeed. Three of the floating beings died and the TKU fell to the ground.

The scene presented to me was chaotic but I instinctively grasped what happened.

Cam Elf-Na had not played by the rules and commenced some sort of putsch to gain control over the Dai.

The Pale Ones and the heart were behind a reddish energy field while a dozen or so of these ugly bloated head things surrounded it and poured bluish energies emitted from the center of their heads into that red field.

Cam Elf-Na was standing at his tier surrounded by about five hundred Dai and all armed to the teeth with modern blaster weapons. More Dai warriors and more of those floating beings had appeared all around the top tier, with weapons pointed downward. There were dozens of dead, most of them had large parts of their bodies burned to ashes.

Tar Kar-Hi was held by two Dai and pressed to the ground before the Cam.

He was my next target, but something took hold of my hand and the old gun was ripped out of my hand. The same thing happened to my sword. It was ripped off my belt scabbard and all.

Cam Elf-Na yelled.

“So you did survive whatever horrors awaited you. You are quite an impressive little bitch, Union captain. I will personally kill your friend and I will kill you.”

The Infarx is soon mine and the Kermac will sweep that Union infestation from existence.”

He turned to one of the floating things.

“Take her axe and decapitate her!”

An enormous invisible weight was pressing me down. The axe yanked from my back.

Something deep inside me filled my mind, this time there was no blackout. My ring was glowing brightly.

“No one shall separate me from Bereaver. Bereaver to me!”

I raised my fist, against all that psionic pressure. One of the Muta-Kerr squealed in pain, his invisible telekinetic hold of my axe became visible bluish light. The shaft of the archaic weapon slapped with a resounding clap in my hand. The Muta-Kerr dropped to the ground.

“Oh, ye doomed creatures what fallacy compelled you to stand against the Dark One? What are your efforts against the power supreme? Die!”

It was as if I was a guest in my own body, yet I felt this was not a possession or something external but this was indeed me, I could feel reaching out with my mind. The armed Dai standing at the top tier of this amphitheater popped into bloody gore in rapid succession, ripped apart from the inside.

The first shots were fired but the beams sizzled into nothingness long before they reached me. I moved with inhuman speed and crossed distances with a simple thought, swinging my ax killing without mercy.

Beginning at the lowest tier I started to climb towards the Cam. I backhanded a massive Shiruti and swatted him like a fly, his body impacted with a sickening wet sound several tiers below with the stone steps of a flight of stairs. A Muta-Kerr to my left was squeezed to bloody mush by an invisible fist

I stepped up to Cam Elf-Na who shook in fear.

“Who are you?”

I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet effortless as if he had no weight.

“I am your doom.”

He gargled and wheezed for air, I closed my hand. The Cam Elf-Na died with his head dangling from strands of bloody flesh and tendons. The lifeless body dropped to the ground. I rose my axe to kill the Tar and then everything and everyone.

“Dark One!” A voice thundered over everything.

“You are not complete, return to your sleep. Your time of reckoning must come after you made the decision. The mortal shell you share is not yours alone.”

Whatever was inside me fell silent and retreated. Once again I was Erica and had control over myself.

My suit in shreds, soiled with blood and holding the axe, I took a deep breath and looked around.

While my eyes saw the utter carnage I had caused. I remembered everything and for the first time, I realized that I eventually would become a terrible entity. It had a name, Dark One. I was to be that Dark One. Was there no way, no power that would prevent me from becoming the ultimate villain of all creation?”

That bodiless voice that stopped me spoke again.

“Yes, there is such a power, Dark One. It is you. There are still tokens and items that must be reunited with you before you can truly awake. When that time has come, you are to make a decision. You will decide what you will be and how you going to respond to those who tried to conquer and destroy you and this decision will restore the Rule, or end it.”

“How can I function as a human and Union Officer knowing I am going to be a dark god or something? Will I lose control and wield my axe, perhaps even kill friends and loved ones?”

“This is the very reason the Dark One has reincarnated in you. You must and you will learn to control yourself. You did not close your eyes this time, you saw everything you did.”

“But I had no control; it was as if I was a passenger in my own body.”

“Did you try to do something?”

“No...”

“You are the Dark One, but you are also Eric and then there is Erica. Eric and the Dark One are two aspects of one and the same entity, each side must learn and adapt to the other.

“I am not Erica?”

“Yes you are, and the answers will eventually be revealed to you. The Dark One has promised to sleep and remain dormant until all twelve tokens have been united by you, this will give you time to merge and control.”

“You are not the Narth Supreme, right?”

“No.”

“Who are you then?”

“I am the Voice of the Rule.”

“Are you God?”

“Not to you.”

“What am I?”

“You are a prime entity and the sentient consciousness of death and darkness. You are the anti-force of life. You are the Dark One.”

“I am not Erica Olafson?”

“Yes you are; limitations of a mortal mind will make it difficult to comprehend. Your existence is not limited by time; you do not suffer the urgency of life, be patient and go your path. Be Erica, be Captain Olafson and should you survive all the dangers you put yourself in, your transformation will eventually be complete and all questions answered. Do not dwell too much in the future but exist in the now.”

“I can die?”

“Yes, you have not come into your own. The entity will be unbound and not even I know what will happen then.”

“Can you not simply take this away from me?”

“Many lesser entities and countless mortals have sought and many still seek that power and become the Dark One. Yet the one who will wield it all wants to reject it. No one can take this away from you. Now deal with the Dai and when the time comes you will know who you are.”

I knew the Voice was gone and only now did I notice time had no meaning while I talked to the Voice. Har-Hi came to his feet and rubbed his eyes.

“What happened?”

“Cam Elf-Na is dead, and so are many of his followers including those new Kermac nightmares.”

He stared at the carnage.

“Those freak things caused so much pain I didn’t see anything ... you did this?”

I was not sure what to tell my friend when the Red energy shield dropped and revealed the Pale Ones and the Heart of Thana Shoo.

“Erica-Do. You have not only passed the test but cleansed Thana-Shoo and saved all that is Dai. You are the Patr. Is there anyone objecting?”

No one did. Then my name was chanted. Erica-Do, Patr-Tar.”

“The Infarx is your mother and all that is Dai is your tribe.”

“I am objecting, Pale Ones. I have no time or desire to lead a society and the Dai do not need a leader with so much power.”

“But you are the Patr-Tar. All your commands are the law!”

“Alright then. One of the Union Dai is to take the Infarx to Arsenal. Fleet Command will know what to do with it. I declare Kai-Do to be Than and not Okthi so he may rebuild his Tribe.

I resolve all alliances and bonds. Each clan will make their own decision to join the Union or not. Those who will join and those have joined going to be under Union law with all its benefits but also its responsibilities.

No tribe, no Dai may ever own another sentient being. Daiyees are equal to Dai and everyone can gain or lose Than and become Okthi. Than is gained by merit and deed, not applied by the consent and opinion of a group.”

My words were carried and amplified so it seemed to every Dai present. There were many approving nods. I recognized the Kor with the Union flag instead of his tribal glyph.

“I take the Infarx to Arsenal. The cursed Cam and his henchmen killed many of us, but even if he had won. All the Muta-Kerr and all the scheming Kermac can’t stop the Union.

“He crossed his arms before his chest.

“We got the Eternal Warrior!”

I had to grin at that one and continued.

“You still might have a big fight on your hand. There are still Na ships and their allies out there.”

“There are also several carriers out there, Ma’am. They don’t know what happened here, because of sacred laws we obeyed and the Cam ignored, but we will inform them.”

The Pale Ones said in their chorus voice: “The heart of the Na clan died. What is your command regarding us?”

“You appear to be some sort of entity. Contact the Assembly and speak to the Klack Queen, Mothermachine or perhaps the Narth Supreme. If they can’t give you advice, no one can.”

I spread my arms.

“You, Tar Kar-Hi clean your tribe. You are a Union citizen, either leave the Union and return to be a free unbound tribe or act like a Union citizen.”

Then I turned to the Pale Ones.

“My words are law?”

“Indeed, you speak and your will is law to all Dai. All your commands will be carried out.”

“Splendid, I hereby abolish the office or position of Patr. As of today, there won’t be a Patr and no one will be able to become Patr.”

A Dai leader standing next to the Kor, covering a nasty burn wound with a piece of cloth.

“She doesn’t need to be a Patr anyhow, she’s a Union Captain.”

Har-Hi eyes glittered.

“Aye, she is, and I am proud to be her XO.

“He then smirked.

“It is true, you either kill them or they join. I doubt there will be many independent tribes after today.”

“Are we done here, Mr. Hi?”

“We are done here, Captain. One of these days, however, I do want to know what happened here.”

“One of these days I’ll tell you.”

== Chapter 12: Arsenal IV ==

After we had triaged the wounded and contacted the Union Carriers, the news spread fast. There was an intense but very short space battle. The Na tribe and their closest allies had used their ships to bring the non-Dai troops to Thana Shoo, with many Muta-Kerr and Shiruti still in the ships. They were intended to take over the mothers and battleships of the non-compliant tribes.

The Dai were fired up with anger and flew their fighters with a merciless vengeance.

However, the true difference was made by the Union carriers and their clouds of Khari-Wolfs.

I did not return to the Exer-Hi with Har-Hi and his father but boarded one of the carriers, the USS Kener. Its captain a male Garbini welcomed me aboard and invited me to the officer’s mess hall for dinner.

I was assigned luxurious guest quarters where I had a chance to make myself representable and get into uniform.

As per Admiral McElligott’s special orders, much of the crew was made of Union Dai, and they were notably different to their brethren. Here Daiyee served along Dai, the only homage to their heritage were chest harnesses, sans knives but with the Union flag at the center.

The dinner was just as a Union Fleet Dinner was supposed to be, with fine tableware, immaculate dress uniforms worn by immaculately groomed officers. Displaying perfect table manners.

I had to give them an account as to what happened and I told them without getting into too much detail. I emphasized on Har-Hi and the Pale Ones.

The Garbini captain told me about the fight and loss of one pilot. Then the conversation shifted to other subjects.

While none of the senior officers were Dai, technically the most senior Dai officer was Har-Hi and he had been advanced to Lieutenant skipping two ranks, there were four ensigns at the table. All of them sporting the insignia of space fighters.

One of them, right across me stared at my ribbon display.

“Ma’am, I see you sport the ace ribbon. You are a fighter pilot?”

“Yes, Ensign.”

“May I ask what squadron and fighter base?”

“The 12th of the Devastator.”

“Amazing!”

“Aren’t you interested in more details of the events at Thana Shoo?”

He waved his hand.

“No not really, Ma’am. Our tribe, the Ir tribe is small and has only been formed about two hundred years ago. We were always short of everything, targets big enough to feed and supply a clan but small enough for us to handle were rare indeed. Thana Shoo to us is just a meeting where the big and old Tribal leaders brag about their successes, make pacts and form alliances. Have their sons fight in the arena. Our leader is a Pir you see, Thana Shoo means not much to him or us. We don’t sell our Daiyee and never had enough resources to pay for new fighters.”

The Dai right next to him dabbed his mouth with a napkin and said.

“We were led by a Wak, that’s a level above a Pir. Since we joined the Union, our tribe exists more or less by name only. Our mother most likely is still moored at Dai Nest. Our Wak is the OPS officer aboard a battleship of the 2nd Andro. He did give us a call regarding the call to Thana Shoo. His exact words were, and I apologize Ma’am.

“Screw Thana Shoo and those Pale goons. I am not going to leave my captain and our ship for a meeting of old tribe patina and self-important glorified pirates.”

The Garbini captain wearing an environmental support suit under his formal wear said.

“We should be in GalNet range in about 12 hours, Captain Olafson.”

It was just as he said and I was able to deliver a detailed situation report to all three Immortals.

The Commandant of Richter Base, Director Cherubim said.

“Due to the latest developments, your Ship the Tigershark will be redirected to Arsenal IV as soon as the final repairs and refits are complete. Your crew is either there already or on their way. Be there in three weeks. I will brief you for your next mission.”

Admiral McElligott waved his hand, “You heard the creepy lady, change of plans. Not Richter 4, but Arsenal 4. See you there, McElligott out.”

The last one still connected was Admiral Stahl and he gave me a piercing look.

“There was more to the fight at Thana Shoo, right?”

“Yes, Sir.”

He went straight to the bottom of things, revealing he knew much more about me than I thought anyone would.

“Cherubim is wrong, you are not one of us. You are not just an immortal in terms of long life.”

“No, Sir. I think I will become an entity, I am not sure what this means yet but I was told I will have a choice.”

“I trust you to make the right one. Keep me posted if anything changes.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He gave me a fatherly smile.

“I instructed the Captain of the USS Kener to give you a Scorpion, it will give you the freedom to spend your last days at a real vacation destination.”

I stood in a deserted officers lobby on Arsenal IV and looked as I always liked to do over the activity on the spaceport. Several Battleships were there and a dozen cruisers. Center stage a new 5000-meter Super-Dreadnought, the USS Zebulon. This was not a Seenian product or a copy, but the latest expression of Union might. Two officers, one a Lieutenant and a Quadiped and the other Klack with Lieutenant Commander rank insignia came in and stepped next to me, acknowledging my Captain’s gold with respectful and crisp salutes.

“Good fourth hour to you, Captain. Are we intruding?”

“No not at all, I just always liked watching the activities of a landing field.”

The Quadiped said.

“We came to see the new Super-Dreadnought, she was just commissioned. They say two of those can get the Devi in trouble.”

“Honestly, I doubt that. Not taking anything away from the new ships, but the Devi is under the command of Captain Harris, it is not just about firepower or speed.”

The Klack wiggled his antenna in amusement.

“The Zebulon is under the command of Captain Bradley Déry, that guy is from Quebec, Earth, and a true Terran. He wasn’t picked for the big seat of that monster by accident. I heard he was roasted by McKenzie and the Ancient Admiral, Ma’am.”

I gave him a smile.

“I do not know Captain Déry, but I do know Captain McKenzie and Admiral McElligott. If they think he is capable, he certainly is.”

The Quadiped pointed at an Octobot loading hexapod shaped containers.

“These are the new Zero Point bombs.

“Then he added.

“He was our XO aboard the USS Hirsch.”

I actually greatly enjoyed this little professional exchange with other fleet officers. The Klack received a call on his wrist com and they both excused themselves after saluting me.

My new orders had reached me as I visited Terra and original Sweden and Norway.

A strange feeling of truly coming home overcame me as I had seen Earth from space the first time.

My ancestors had left Earth so long ago, still, as I saw that blue and white marble I was certain I had never seen a more beautiful world and there was an unexplainable connection.

Some dim distant inherited memory seemed to tell me, that this was the world I really came from. Earth had beautiful oceans and the Folks of Norway were friendly spoke and even a strange but understandable form of my Nilfe. The traditional music and sights made me feel home as well and the Oceans up at Hammerfest just the right temperature.

The only sour note of my visit to Earth was the moment when I asked for a harpoon as I saw what they called a Blue Whale and I was told that they were not hunted on Earth, what a waste.”

The updated orders asked me to travel to Arsenal IV, as there was no space bus service to Richter 4.

While I technically had still some vacation time left, I had about all I could handle.

I was told to be at the door to Docking Bay 91 at 1600 hours. There was still time as it was just past 1300 hrs. Not certain how to pass the time, I turned and wanted to leave this observation lobby. I decided to look for a Base XChange and buy me a few bottles of Aquavit for my personal bar in my ready room.

As the door passed I almost run into a tall Purple Throat Shiss. He wore Captains gold and while I had a hard time keeping Shiss apart, I would have been able to pick this particular lizard face out of a crowd of thousands, It was Captain Zezz.

He grunted an apology and acknowledged me.

“Captain.”

Then paid no further attention to me and went past me.

I said.

“Not so long ago this landing field was empty except for the mighty Hyperion. She had landed there just to bring a lowly midshipman for his third-year assignment.”

And a year before that, you ran into wet and naive human cadet at the Bachelor housing complex of Arsenal II.”

He glanced at me from the side.

“NAVINT spook or a Telepath, my shielding must be faulty. I was just thinking about that.”

“No Captain Zezz. I can’t read minds at least I don’t think so, but I kept my fangs clean and my honor true just as you said.”

Zezz turned all the way.

“Oh by the white throat devils, It’s you, Eric. You have changed appearance and your gender, female so I gather. Very attractive in a human way, but nothing beats purple scales. You should have added at least some!”

He then simply hugged me.

“I am thinking about you every now and then, but could get no information at all.”

“I was a little out of reach during my last assignment, but I am so glad I ran into you.”

He let me down and held me at arm’s length.

“So you made it, faster than anyone I know, but I knew you would make it after Stahl told me he had picked you for the big test and made you acting Devi Captain.

““He told me you did too.”

“Yes, I did.

“He shook his head not realizing how much he had adopted human mannerisms.

“A Captain. You made Captain, I am so proud of you.”

“How’s the Hyperion doing and her crew?”

“She’s down there, landing field section Eight A. We’re leaving for a joint maneuver with the Nul. Can you believe that? I am a Shiss and now we are going with the Nul together on Patrol and some war games right at the Shiss border. Who would have thought, we have peace and now they are actually members.

“Does it bother you?”

“You know me better than that, I hope. I would be the first over that border and make those cursed White Throats pay for every life of the 33rd Colony.”

“I know you, but not as good as I would like. You have a friend and are a role model, we do need to do this Mud worm hunting thing the next time we meet.”

“We need to keep in contact more. So we are able to plan a leave together one day.”

Zezz’s wrist unit beeped and he sighed.

“Darn, they need me at the munitions distribution office, we’re getting a load of these new Zero Point Energy bombs.”

I also gave a hoot about proper protocol and hugged the fierce lizard.

“Take care big Zezz.”

All of his four arms had razor sharp claws and he was strong enough to go toe to toe with a Nul, but his arms wrapped around me in a most gentle fashion.

“I have to go, but call if you can.”

Filled with warm sentimental thoughts I watched him leave and then I too went my way.

The base was huge and the crews of many hundreds, maybe thousands of ships and base personnel milled around with purposeful strides and destinations to go.

Like many Navy Installations, it had a concourse with the usual restaurants and shops and sure enough, I found a store selling fine liquors and beverages. I was able to make my purchase, four bottles of genuine Gammel Opland Port Cask Aquavit. Realizing I could have made that purchase while I was in Norway but I mostly did it to kill some time.

As I stepped out of the store, I became witness to a heated argument between a large humanoid Ensign and a green-skinned Ensign. It retained my attention as the two reminded me of Wintsun and Limbur.

Then I recognized the tall Ensign and the black haired girl nearby, Limbur and Olia indeed.”

So I went over to see what was going on. Most around me were of lower ranks and made respectful way.

I said with a stern voice.

“It isn’t really acceptable for officers to behave like that in the open. There are Midshipmen, Cadets, Enlisted and Civilians around.”

The two snapped in attention facing me.

I asked.

“What seems to be the problem?”

Limbur said.

“This Sunflorian claimed that a friend of mine was a traitor and got hanged. I am sorry but I don’t like my friends being insulted.”

The green Ensign said.

“But it is true. All Sunfloria was ashamed as we heard about it. Our own Governor said he was informed about the details. He even said that hanging him was too good for him.”

Limbur almost swung at the Sunflorian, despite being in attention.

“He might have been a bit strange when I met him last, but he was my best friend.”

To the Sunflorian I said.

“You are dismissed. Ensigns Olia and Limbur you are with me.”

With worried faces they followed me while I was looking for a quiet spot, which wasn’t easy in this crowded place.

Finally, I found a quieter spot with a few seat benches.

“Sit down please.”

They did, their faces were still reflecting concern.

“I am Eric, or I was Eric. I am Erica now. This is the new me.

“Limbur gasped openly.

“You became a chick?”

“Yes, I did. Why I have taken this step is a long story, I might be able to tell you one day, but I prefer it that way.”

Limbur looked me up and down.

“And a damn hot one.”

Olia crossed her arms.

“Not only that, you wear Captain’s Gold. Knowing you it’s most likely real too.

“It is real.”

Limbur made a motion with his fingers to simulate scissors.

“Was it an accident or did you ... you know have it removed?”

“I am a complete woman, but I rather not discuss the details of my gender change with you right now. I have much more serious things to say. How did Newport end for you?”

“We didn’t make it to the final Challenge and left.”

Olia smiled.

“Your team won.”

I nodded.

“Yes my team took the trophy, but I wasn’t with them when they did. I had been abducted.”

They stared at me.

I continued.

“I thought you might have heard that Newport Academy is closed. Admiral Dent is dead. Becker and the rest had their court martial and were executed.

“Wintsun was indeed a traitor, I am sorry to tell you that.

He was approached by the Worm during our first R&R on Perryton.”

Olia frowned.

“We know all that, we were there. We returned to Newport hearing you were dead.”

Limbur said “We did not see Wintsun there come to think off.”

I sighed and continued.

“He was the one who shot Narth in the Tractor Cat. Wintsun escaped the Newport purge by killing and stealing a ship full of Union Mil-tech. Stuff he sold to a Crime lord on SIN 4. He was caught and hanged.”

Olia’s eyes became even bigger.

“How do you know all these details?”

I pressed my lips together.

“I was the one who hanged him.”

Limbur clenched his fists and sunk his head.

“We went to School together; Sunfloria is in the same system as Hoffman’s World where I come from. We applied for the Navy together. I know his folks, decent people. I too thought he had changed but I was thinking he just grew up or something. You hanged him?”

I told them as much as I could. Limbur was quiet and Olia said.

“So you actually did it got your own ship and made Captain.”

An Ult Captain came and said to me.

“I was informed my Ensigns got in a little trouble, they are good officers, “he read my tag,” Captain Olafson.”

He looked at them and said to me.

“I trust them and I rely on them. Whatever they did is there a way to handle it off the record, we are leaving soon and I would have to postpone our lift off?”

“Captain Wonn, the altercation did get my attention, it was nothing really worth mentioning. I merely took the Ensigns aside because they are personal friends of mine and I wanted to catch up with them.”

“Oh, in that case, I apologize for intruding.”

“You obviously already have a lift-off window.”

“Yes, Captain Olafson.”

“There will be another time I will be able to catch up with them if you got a lift window you need your officers.”

He bowed slightly.

“This is so.

“Then he added.

“You wouldn’t be that Olafson they often talk about, the one we went to Newport for?”

“Yes, that would be me.”

“And already Captain, but someone who has the attention of the Immortal Warrior himself will go far I am certain”

Limbur got up. “I guess I need to go to his parents on my next leave. They need to know the truth and where he is.”

“I’ll send you the log book page on that and a personal note.”

They both saluted and followed their Captain.

It was finally time and I found the designated docking bay quite easily. Behind the transparent wall was a D60 Long Range shuttle.

A Commander with a PDD in Clipboard mode was already standing there and greeted me.

“Captain Olafson, I presume?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“I am Commander Wilmer. I am here to brief you and send you on your way. I hope the D-60 will be alright. The Scorpion you brought in will be returned to the pool. It was not big enough for the additional passengers.

“I was not informed about the details of your assignment, Captain. I have your order chip right here and was ordered to facilitate your transport and that of additional personnel also heading to that base.”

We stood in a long and deserted corridor of huge dimensions.

This was called the surface corridor and on the same level as the landing field. The port facilities I had just left behind were many levels above us.

The landing field side of the corridor has enormous floor to ceiling viewports and large steel shutter type service doors in regular intervals of about one hundred meters and as far as I could see into both directions. One could walk right out onto the landing field through one of these doors.

The opposite wall was carved right out of the rock of a mountain this base was sitting on. Transparent Inter base transport tubes at the opposite of each steel shutter door. I myself had arrived using an I.B.T. moments ago.

The corridor’s utilitarian character was underlined by open pipes, conduits and a small cargo conveyor system bolted to the ceiling.

In a very similar corridor, did Captain Zezz and I take possession of a Scorpion for testing.

It was very quiet down here, except for the Commander and I there was no one here.

I took the Order chip.

“Thank you, Sir. I better check my orders then.”

While I was busy putting the chip into my PDD. The Commander’s voice suddenly started to whisper.

“Captain, the stories are true. This corridor is haunted!”

“What utter nonsense,” I said but looked up into the frightened face, clearly displaying fear.

He now started stuttering.

“Th ... there is ... is a ghost behind us, Ma’am.”

“Commander, what are you talking about?”

He slowly raised his hand, pointed at something behind me.

“A ghost appeared!”

I turned and there was a greenish remotely humanoid shaped vapor with a slightly more solid darker center floating inside these mists where its head was.

The vapor was wearing a black belt like device and a metallic sash with a round center. It even had a Name tag and the rank of a Midshipman, it was Ortbeer.

From the IBT tubes in the back came a shrieking sound and the fast transport capsule of the Inter Base Transport came down the transparent shaft with glowing and smoking breaks.

The doors opened and through a cloud of wafting smoke the threatening shape of a huge Y’All stomped out, followed by a no less dangerous looking gray Nul. A monstrous human even bigger followed.

The Commander’s face reflected a state of near panic.

When he saw a large three-fingered hand solidify after emerging from the rock wall, he actually began to shiver and a puddle of liquid started to form between his feet.

The hand grew and formed into a golem-like being.

When Narth suddenly appeared in his black robe, right next to me, accompanied by Krabbel, he screamed and tried to run. He turned and almost ran into Krabbel and an empty gray suit without a head inside the cowl. The suit saluted the Commander, but it was too late. The commander had passed out with a whimpering sigh.

I crouched down and slapped his cheeks.

“Commander, are you alright? Do you want me to raise a med alert?”

His eyes fluttered.

“Captain Olafson, I don’t feel too well. I had the most horrible hallucination...

He propped up and started to shake again.

“They are real, this is not a nightmare. What is going on here?”

“I don’t know what you mean Sir?”

“The ... these creatures...”

“Where? I don’t see anyone besides members of my crew.”

“Good Lord, the Admiral warned me to expect the unusual with you but that was putting it mildly.”

He wiped his brow and got to his feet, shaking and unsteady.

“I cleared the controls of the shuttle, you got your orders. I need to get a shower, a fresh uniform go and get me a drink.

“He staggered away to the other IST in the distance as the closest one flashed the “Out of Order” message.

Hans was arguing with Dusty in a friendly tone.

“The IBT was on its limit already, I told you to take the next one.”

TheOther thumbed with is upper left hand towards it. Sorry Captain I think we broke that IBT over there. Dusty decided to squeeze in and went straight through the floor as the thing tried to decelerate.”

“Are you okay?” I asked Dusty.

“Quite so Ma’am. I just found out how deep those shafts reach down and decided to go through the rock rather than fall so far down.”

Shaka arrived with a little Indoor Flyer, Elfi and Mao sitting next to him.

Mao got out on shaky legs.

“Remind me never to fly with you again. Going two hundred klicks is fast outside but its murder in a crowded terminal”

Shaka laughed.

“All they told me is to fly the thing as safe as possible. I was perhaps a tad fast but I had it under control and you will fly with me again. I’m the Helmsman after all.”

We greeted each other and again I gave a hoot about regulations and hugged my close friends and shook hands and the like.

Ghost floated closer and said.

“I think you know that I decided not to go back to the rest of my people. I was hoping you accept my presence this time as well.

“His voice came from the metal sash.

“Mothermachine and Narth devised this Control unit I can actually wear and interact directly with you. My weak Psionics has been strengthened so I can use telekinetics as hands.”

“Of course Mr. Ortbeer. You saved my best friend, I would not want to miss you. I just need to read our orders.”

I put the Order chip in my wrist unit and the projection of the Fleet Admiral appeared and the recording began to speak after I had identified myself with Blue-Blue-Red.

“Nice to have you back, Captain Olafson.

Richter IV is still on the books as an obsolete base, there is no shuttle service and no regular Union Fleet traffic. So it was decided to direct those of your crew that isn’t already at Richter, to Arsenal IV and provide you with something that is officially designated as a D60 Long-range shuttle, but it is the latest Destroyer class, and this one is part of the X Fleet. So we kill three birds with one stone. Getting you to Richter IV; provide adequate transport for all those members of your crew and get the Apparition class to Richter 4. She is to be your latest and biggest auxiliary ship and has a Janus device.”

The recording part of the orders ended but had an attached list of crew members I needed to take along and the usual nav data to find Richter IV.

To my great delight, Roghor and Jolaj showed up just then. They both saluted and he said.

“Midshipman Kamak Roghor and Jolaj Grotha reporting as ordered.”

“Glad to have you back, Commander.”

“My son will not be with us, he has joined the Union Marines, but my daughter is. She is going to be an engineer of all things and already at Richter 4.”

Jolaj looked as lovely and alluring as ever, her fur completely undyed and natural in a pure snow white. She had chosen to wear that famous, somewhat controversial but official approved white and blue mini dress uniform of medical personnel with humanoid features. Her ribbon readout told me that she was top of her class. Her whiskers moved in a most charming way as she spoke.

“I hope you will approve of me as well. The Tigershark is my home and you all are my family, especially of course Dusty, who is in the same class. We are like siblings.”

While I had to agree, my crew was unique and very diverse, I never failed to be amazed by the friendships that developed. Mao and Cateria, the leader of the Golden and a little Holdian engineer, and now a living interstellar Dust Cloud and a White Furred Togar.

“I know what you mean, Med Specialist Grotha. I too miss my ship and my crew.”

To Narth I said.

“Let’s get the boarding started and see who we are missing.”

My Attikan friend Ak Fectiv, the Leedei Fivecheer  and Lt. Mehdi Senhadjii, the Engineer turned Shaill and his friend the Garbini that was now a Med tech and a dozen more. The Destroyer was just about at its capacity, but all the ones that are supposed to travel with me were aboard.

The command deck was significantly smaller than the one of the Tigershark but quite familiar to me as I commanded a Barracuda destroyer before.

“Ms. Petetis, please request for the earliest possible launch window.”

“Aye, Captain. We are on a priority launch list and port control is giving us green status.”

She added. “There is an incoming live feed from Admiral Stahl.”

“Put him on please.”

The Eternal Warrior appeared and he said.

“I just wanted to wish you Godspeed and please if you run into anything unusual, call us first.”

“Sir, are you expecting something to happen?”

“Not with anyone else I don’t, with you I give it a fair chance to have some cosmic riddle or something cross your bow.”

“Sir?”

“Go fly to Richter 4, and do not hesitate to call if anything unusual happens, right?”

“Aye Sir, fly to Richter 4 and avoid cosmic riddles.”

There were few known public appearances of Rex Schwartz recorded in the history of the Union, him requesting to address the Assembly was big news, and immediately approved.

The muscular CEO and president of the Good Company, SII stepped on the Focus, the form field hard light circle at the very center of the Assembly sphere.

The speaker gave him permission to speak and he began.

“Last year, a secret expedition of the Union Fleet discovered and secured a Seenian Depot filled with much Seenian technology.”

While the Security Council knew the details and many representatives knew the basics, to have it brought like this into the open, was quite unsettling.

The SII president and the richest person of the Union continued.

“Since it seems to be a classified affair, SII had no information until one of our explorers encountered an unknown spaceship in deep space and without energy.”

No one talked or interrupted Rex Schwartz so he went on.

“My company ship rescued two thousand androids, sentient machines. Scheduled to be destroyed and scrapped by the new owners of that Seenian Depot. Those desperate and quite intelligent Sentmacs had to flee in a substandard wreck. Yet there are 35,000 more still held in suspended animation. Now I am sure this was some predetermined Seenian program and not a willful act of our Union and in extend our fleet officer, but what they call the Last Servant and the new owner will either try to claim ownership and deny these machines the rights of all sentient entities have or claim they are evil and must be contained and perhaps deactivated.”

Rex Schwartz was joined by a slate grey humanoid walking in and coming to a stop right next to him. The famous and always somewhat controversial CEO of SSI put his arm on the beings shoulder.

“This is Balthasar Steelgrip, then chosen leader of the Seenian Sentmacs. I hereby invoke my right and privilege as a Union Citizen to request the PUMA process to be commenced. I have gifted the Seenian Sentmacs a world of their own and gladly support them in any matter.”

The Seenian machine said.

“Thank you for allowing me to be here and address you all. We were conceived as a replacement for living Seenian soldiers and only because we objected to being killing machines, they labeled us evil and defective. This kind and generous human rescued us, provided us with everything we could possibly need. So I stand here to ask for Union membership.”

Both immortal admirals had, of course, heard the also immortal businessman and weren’t too happy. McElligott was in the Spatial Navy alcove while Stahl had listened in via GalNet.

Stahl cursed.

“One of these days we have to deal with that man. He is getting more brazen and arrogant every time I hear from him.”

McElligott had to agree with the Old Warhorse.

“Yes, he might just represent the biggest threat our Union has to face. Does he not know our enemies are listening and watching Assembly Sessions?

“He is said to be the best chess player in the known universe, has an IQ of over 400, of course, he knows. That’s why he did that show.”

“What do you know about these Seenian androids?”

“Nothing to be honest. I hoped we could keep the depot sealed and deal with it a slow methodical pace, but my gut tells me they are bad news.”

“My gut agrees with yours. There is something about those androids and I am sure the Seenians had a valid reason to keep them deactivated.”

“The cat is out of the bag. They are sentient and unless we can find tangible evidence they are a threat we must accept their application.”

“Maybe the PUMA process will find something.”

“No doubt, Schwartz has a team of specialists working on that. I bet it’s going to be the first 100 percent Pre Union Member assessment ever.”

McElligott sighed.

“How are we dealing with it?”

“Trying to keep a lid on the Seenian inheritance is out the window. We build up defenses and do the same as we did with Arsenal, other than that we don’t even respond.”

“My thoughts too. By the way, how is she doing?”

“Erica?

“Of course, there is no other “She” I would ask you about.”

“She left Arsenal along with a portion of her crew and is on her way to Richter 4. Her crew’s appearance caused a nervous breakdown of a Commander.”

“Let’s hope there aren’t any distress calls or strange phenomena along her way.”

Stahl laughed.

“That is what I told her.”

== Chapter 13: Done playing nice ==

Everything was right as snow to me. I sat in a command seat surrounded by many of my friends. We were in Union Space inside a very fast and very well armed ship and were on our way to meet the rest of my friends and crew. I was really looking forward to my ship, my own quarters and whatever mission lay ahead.

I reclined comfortable, had my legs crossed and almost dozed off, looking at the soothing sight of deep space displayed on our main viewer, some stars showing as Quasi streaks of light.

I had a chance to GalCom with Har-Hi who was also in his way to Richter aboard a Union fleet Leyland with more members of our crew. He was on his way from Dai Nest and swung by Blue Moon to take Shea, Sobody, and others.

I talked to Cirruit who was already at Richter base. He was confident that all upgrades, refits, and repairs would be done in less than a month. SHIP also exchanged a few words and I told her just how much I missed my SHIP.

Mao lovingly caressed his console.

“She isn’t the Tigershark of course, but this fish has serious teeth.”

Our helmsman, Shaka gave his trademark all teeth grin.

“And it is the fastest ship for sure, even faster than our boat. The latest in Attikan Isah pods, not the super fuel free tech we got in the Tigershark.”

Elfi keeping the Comm said.

“I am getting an APB Union Police to assist request.”

I sighed silently and straightened in my seat.

“Are there any other Fleet Units able to respond? How far is it and what is the nature of the request?”

“Yes, Captain there are other units responding, but we are closest. It is an all-points bulletin to all law enforcement and Union Fleet Units in the region. A prisoner transfer transport with two hundred convicted felons has been hijacked.”

“I am sure Federal Police and other Fleet units can handle this. I sort of promised Admiral Stahl to stay out of trouble.”

Narth said.

“We cannot ignore it either. That would be against regulations, the call is registered with our log book along with our position. Ignoring this on purpose could be cause for a hanging, not even the Eternal Warrior could prevent, especially since he would never use his position to circumvent laws or convictions. He did not even do so for himself.”

I frowned at him and noticed every eye on the bridge focused on me.

This time I sighed loudly.

“Elfi we are well within GalCom and GalNet range, call Fleet command.”

“No need Captain, there is an incoming call from Fleet Command, Admiral McElligott. It is sent on the all fleet channel.”

“Put us on then.”

The image of the Old Highlander replaced the view of deep space.

“All units within the vicinity of region US-Q-18-R96 respond to the Union Police assist request. The convicts are arrested pirates and personnel convicted dealing with the Worm. They were on their way to Brisbane, some of them to be executed. The rest to serve life sentences.”

The Admiral pulled up a situation map of the region.

“We do not know how they managed to take control of a ship with marine guards, wearing prisoner control suits unless they had outside help. I want that prisoner transport secured, any surviving officers rescued and whoever helped identified, arrested or eliminated. This is a Priority order issued to all units in the vicinity.”

“There is our answer,” I said.

“It’s an official order.”

Everyone turned to their stations, almost like athletes expecting a start signal.

“Mr. Krabbel lay in an intercept. Mr. Suit and Mao work together and squeeze those sensors. I want to know what’s out there. Cloaked, artificial, beings in suits. Narth please find Mr. Fivecheer and do the same with your minds. Hans, please contact Union Police. I want a prisoner list, a crew list, description of the vessel and every detail of its mission and flight path.”

They all went to do what I told them to do.

I heard Krabbel say to Mao with a satisfied chirp.

“We’re back in business. All that vacation time is for lazy Nuflugs.”

Meateater, the former pirate had very rudimentary memories as to what happened to him. The last consecutive memory he really had was about the Quest for the Celtest depot and a fuel stop on a planet that turned out to be covered with a continent-sized living blanket of sorts. He did try to attack the Silver Streak under that arrogant female captain Black Velvet. After that, his memories really started to get fuzzy. He had no real explanations how he ended up in a Union vessel, stasis hold. He was reanimated by Union Marines, decontaminated, molecule level scanned and searched, stuffed into a virtually indestructible and humiliating prisoner control suit and herded with other members of his crew into a prisoner holding facility. He had no idea where he actually was. It could have been a ship, station, moon or planet just about anywhere.

Most of his crew was there, and surprisingly members of several other pirate crews. He noticed a muscular Togar, just like him in a prisoner control suit. Sitting on a plastic material bench across him, waiting to be seen by registration. Just like his, the suit had bonded with the bench and inhibited pretty much any movement.

“I am not so good keeping Togar apart, but aren’t you Captain Lemakr?”

“I was until I ran into a Union Battleship, that knew I was coming. Now I am Lemakr, the prisoner most likely to see the Executioner.”

“I am Meateater, we both have been on that Quest with the Red Dragon.”

“You can’t be Meateater. We saw you being killed by Black Velvet.”

“But I am not dead. I remember that living continent thing and me trying to get her ship, but then I remember not much else until they reanimated me here.”

“The Quest was a bust. Captain Carrhrh was executed by the Porsthir. For shooting one of theirs and burning off an arm of mine. They actually gave me the proceeds selling the Celestial Nightmare. I called it quits and wanted to fly home, but I didn’t get far. A Union Battleship so far away of Union space waited for me, basically right there. As good as my Kalita is, going toe to toe with a Union monster is suicide.”

Meateater answered.

“Being a known pirate and crossing the path of one of these monsters is suicide as well.”

“Tell me about it, we are all headed for the scaffold. If there is evidence you killed or sold Union citizens, there isn’t much in terms of mercy.”

A woman with white scaled skin came out of the registration office, guarded by two marines and placed on a bench.

Meateater had no problem identifying her, this was Lia Bassett. Officially the black sheep of the Bassett family, Meateater suspected her to be in cohorts with the Shiss.

There was some revelation dawning in his head.

“It appears everyone associated with the Quest ended up in Union custody.”

Lia heard him and grunted. She could not speak as she was not only incapacitated by her control suit, but she was gagged as well.

He realized there was something odd going on. The list of pirates had been reduced in significant numbers.

All this happened several months ago, now he was aboard a Prisoner transfer transport on his way to Brisbane, this was to be his last journey. The jury found him guilty and the Union Judge sentenced him to death. The execution was to take place at the notorious Union Maximum Security Stockade 12, also known as Brisbane Prison Colony. It was the oldest and perhaps most infamous prison facility of the Union. In no small part due to its most famous prisoner and the only one ever escaping. It was none other than Admiral Stahl himself.

That happened over 1500 years ago, no one ever had escaped since. Brisbane, so he learned was a special place, it was a Union Fleet stockade and a prison for non-Union citizen convicted on the most severe crimes. In terms of Union laws, there weren’t much more serious crimes than piracy and the trade in sentient life.

There was no real defense. He could not argue against visual footage and physical evidence tying him to over 400 cases of murder, piracy, rape and the capture and sale of sentient beings of Union origin. He did not deny them.

The same fate fell on the surviving Togar and the Bennett woman.

Some of the captured pirates received lesser sentences, but all were to serve them at Brisbane.

While he had lost all hope, it struck him odd that Lia Bennett was defiant and full of spunk. She tried to tell him something with her eyes, he was just not human enough to identify even half of what her facial expressions tried to tell him.

Whatever it was, it became apparent that it had to do with an escape attempt and a prisoner revolt.

It happened during the fifth day of their journey when the prisoner control suits suddenly deactivated and were removed easily.

Lia and several beings of her crew, came into his cell, brandishing Union TKU blasters.

“Want to meet the hangman or fight with us?” She asked.

There was no choice and no alternative. He got up and she tossed him a TKU.

“Black Velvet and the Red Dragon were in cohorts with the Union all along. They sold us out to a Union Captain named Olafson. This Olafson was known to the Thauran. We almost captured that Union Ship too.

Meateater stormed after her.

“Good riddance to Red Dragon, but I am going to make it a personal mission to kill them both if I ever meet them again.”

He saw several dead Ultra Marines, the special guards.

“How?”

“I got mighty friends, the ship’s AI has been replaced. The prisoner control systems are offline and the containment and internal weapons are under our control.”

The corridors were dark, except for the flashing lights of the red alert strobes. He could smell the putrid smell of superheated materials and the stench of burned flesh.

Lia had about sixty prisoners freed so far.

“Our friends should be cutting into the bridge of this Union shit piece. She wore a communication wrist band and spoke into it.

“Did you guys secure the bridge and roasted a few Union officers?”

“No, we have difficulties.

“The bridge is defended, despite us flooding it with the most lethal gases.

“You idiots! There are hundreds of Union members that do not breathe air. Whoever is there most likely had time to call for help. We need to move!”

Hans made a puzzled face and said.

“This is weird, this is not a standard prisoner transfer ship, but a modified Meteor freighter leased to the Justice Department. The reports are more than screwed up, Captain.”

“Keep digging, I like to know everything about that transport. Who authorized it? Who decided to use a Comet freighter and so forth.”

“Aye Captain. The prisoner list is a similar mess.”

“What is our ETA?”

Shaka did not remove his Virtu Helmet, but he answered giving evidence that he was very aware of bridge conversations.

“We will be within one light year in fifteen minutes, Ma’am.”

“Narth, this bird can cloak right?”

“Yes it will be invisible to known sensors, but the Quasi Shock of us dropping into standard space cannot be cloaked.”

“Activate it anyway. Let them figure out what dropped. Mao, get your weapons hot just in case.”

I missed Har-Hi as I almost asked him to sound Battle stations, but Narth was mentally connected to me. The alert sounds reverberated through the small ship. I also missed SHIP, she would have already raised my seat into the battle view. Realizing that this ship didn’t have one, a virtu view helmet was lowering over my head instead. While the resulting battle view was almost the same, I decided to ask Cirruit if he could install the same battle view dome as I had on the Tigershark. While the difference was small, it was noticeable to me.

Hans’s Icon or rather the Security station symbol blinked in the second tier, another thing I wanted to be fixed. While standard layout delegated ship internal security to second tier during Battle stations, I wanted my bridge officers on the priority tier. I blinked active.

“Hans?”

“Captain, you not going to believe me. We know several of the prisoners, first and foremost Meateater and Lia Bassett.”

“Rotting Fangsnapper dung! I thought we heard the last of them. Wasn’t that Lia thug frozen to my command chair the last time I saw her?”

Narth answered.

“She is more Shiss than human and cold-blooded. She survived the freezing and we put her in stasis with the rest.”

I cursed again and said.

“Shaka, drop us at a good light-hour distance and set us to drift.”

Meateater now knew this wasn’t a regular prisoner transport, but a purpose converted freighter. It did not have robots and only six Ultra Marines. The marines were neutralized, thanks to the intruder containment equipment. And now he found out, how Lia was able to do all this. She was joined by the beardless Kermac and six tough looking mercenaries, with strangely colorful battle suits.

The Kermac so he learned was an excellent listener and found out all sorts of little secrets and loopholes. The Union was not run by Admirals or the Assembly, but by bureaucrats. He had learned many lessons from the former logistics admiral.

The one holdout on the ship’s bridge was a Takkian. The being wasn’t bothered by the poison gas that killed the rest of the bridge crew before they even knew something was wrong.

Well, that cursed silicone being wasn’t immune to TKU blasts. The prisoners did not hold back and showed no mercy. They were convicted and sentenced already.

Lia had liberated many of her crew and they were now manning the duty stations. The Meteor freighter was not the fastest ship, unlike the older but well-armed mercenary destroyer. A genuine Union fleet surplus unit and a real Merrimac class.

While it had its TL Cannons and Loki torpedoes removed, it retained its main weapon system, the MALS. The destroyer had its transponder turned off, otherwise, it would have been identified as the Charlie Rivel, one of the eight ships properly registered to the Harlequin Solution Provider Company.

Chucky Harlequin, a high ranking Lieutenant in the infamous but as of now still legal mercenary company was a little nervous. The fee for this caper was astronomical but has been paid in full, but if it would come to light that the Harlequins were involved, the company would lose its license and everyone associated hunted by Union police. Chucky was actually a Union Citizen. That he belonged to the less than one percent of the population and actively committing crimes, more or less his entire life was not something that bothered him too much.

He whispered.

“Lia, your family has not paid enough for us to linger on. Let’s go!”

“There it is, the Meteor.

“Mao said.

“She’s just accelerating for Threshold speed.”

I saw the same scanner data and said more to myself than anyone in particular.

“What are the chances that we are running into these mangy Fangsnappers again?”

Narth responded never the less.

“Given the fact that they all were originally delivered to Richter IV, that the closest Union court is at Versipax which is in this region and the average time it takes our legal system to process that many pirates; that we are on our way to Richter IV using the most common route; it is actually not unlikely. That they managed to overwhelm the crew and hijack the ship at the same time we are within the vicinity is quite astronomical, however.”

Fivecheer  said.

“I cannot detect any crew alive and there is a heated argument among the prisoners as where to go.”

“Mao put a micro load into their drive. Hans, TheOther, Xon, Mr. Roghor you are with me, prepare for boarding action.”

Dusty complained.

“What about me?”

“I thought you want to be a medic?”

“I am still part of the Tigershark crew, Captain.”

He added quietly. “At least I hope.”

“For a huge stellar dust golem, you sure know how to push my buttons. Get suited up or not and come.”

Tyron said. “Captain, my true purpose has not changed and it is the reason I requested to be assigned to this ship.”

“I was thinking about wearing a heavy destroyer suit, but I think I will be safer with you.”

Narth took the command seat.

“Now the role of the XO falls on me, would it not be better to wait for other units to arrive. Six against 182 armed and angry convicts.”

“My associates count for at least ten each. No worries, by the time the rest appears I like this to be wrapped up and we are on our way to Richter 4.”

The fight was short but quite intense, the rebellious prisoners did not give up for anything and for all sense and purpose I could not really blame them. If captured, charges of murder would be added. even those who did not face the death penalty before would face it now.

The Meteor was a sizeable ship, but with Fivecheer  and with Suit’s sensors we were sure we got them all. Yet neither Meateater nor Lia were among the dead or the few we managed to capture alive.

Fivecheer  said.

“They left, less than twenty minutes ago. She, the Oghr and a Kermac left in another ship just moments before we arrived.”

I used my wrist-com.

“Narth there was a ship just moments ago, find its trail!”

The USS Thirteen-Yellow dropped out of Quasi-space and close to the drifting Meteor freighter. She was a new Arthur class battleship, just like the USS Ragnarsson, currently the flagship of the Yellow battle group cluster of the famous 13th fleet. While the 13th under the command of Admiral Woodbun Foragund had a stellar reputation, the yellow battle group cluster traditionally reserved for reserves, repairs and upgrades were under the command of Rear Admiral Goronzo, secretly nicknamed the Prick.

He pointed at the also drifting Union destroyer.

“Communications, hail me that thing. It has neither a proper registration nor name.”

“Communication link established, Sir. You are talking to Lieutenant Narth.

“The Communications Officer, a Blue responded to Goronzo’s order.

“What foolishness is this?” He blustered right into the open channel.

“I expected to be connected to the Captain of that ship, whatever it is.”

“This is factually incorrect, Rear Admiral lower half Goronzo. You asked your Communications officer to be contacted with this ship the TS01-Apparition. I am Lieutenant Narth.”

“Where is your CO?”

“Aboard the Meteor freighter, Rear Admiral lower half, Sir.”

“The captain left the ship for a hostile environment, who is the Captain?”

“We are under the command of Captain Erica Olafson. Rear Admiral lower half, sir.”

His Security officer ran the name TS01-Apparition against the Fleet Database and shrugged.

“There is no TS01-Apparition registered. According to this, Captain Olafson left Arsenal IV in D-60.”

“Send Marines! Secure both ships.”

He reopened the channel.

“Lt. Narth, I am hereby placing you and every one of this unknown ship under arrest until we can establish just what your involvement into this prison escape is.”

“You are what?” I yelled into my wrist com.

“You are under arrest, we have strong indications that you are not who you say you are. I am sending Marines. Resist, oh please resist. I haven’t destroyed anything lately.”

“You call Admiral McElligott this instant. A group of known criminals is escaping right now.”

He simply disconnected.

“Elfi, patch me through to McElligott.”

There was no answer.

Xon spread his arms, still holding a limp prisoner by a leg.

“This can’t be for real!”

The arriving marines were his answer. The marines weren’t too gentle, especially since they had found the dead Ultra Marines. I protested and was hit by an augmented fist.

“Shut up, this is the end of the line for you, marine murdering bitch!”

“I have an order chip and a command officer key.”

“You have whatever the captain or CID want’s to see. I want you to shut up.”

Two Pertharian Marines manhandled TheOther.

“Sarge, we got a genuine Y’All, a Togar and a grey Nul.”

I said. “Last chance. I am a Union Officer and Union Citizen. I have an active MITI and CITI...”

A wrist com chirped and Goronzo’s voice was heard.

“What is the hold-up? I want to report to Fleet command.”

“Sir, this female claiming to be a Union Captain is resisting arrest.”

“Take them to the brig. Let CID sort it out.”

Commander Kilitz, the XO knew he was walking on thin ice and most likely faced serious reprimands but he said into the open channel.

“Sir, she had that right. Whatever ship that is, it has genuine Union fleet transponders.”

“You will regret this Commander! Marines follow your orders.”

“And I apprehended a very suspicious character, claiming to be Captain Erica Olafson. The real one left Arsenal IV in a D-60, four days ago.”

Goronzo was so proud of his report, delivering it directly to the legendary Admiral of the Fleet.

“It should be mentioned to Admiral W. Foragund that I was able to secure the prison transport. I am certain he will remember that BGC Red has a vacant...”

McElligott face palmed himself and did not uncover his face as he said.

“Admiral Goronzo, where is Captain Olafson?”

“She is in my brig, Sir.”

“I want to talk to her right now. You didn’t even let her identify herself?”

“There was no need, Sir. CID or NAVINT will do that, she managed to steal some sort of ship.”

McElligott whispered.

“I will personally sit in on your court-martial and by Saint George, I will personally pull the handle.”

The Admiral command overwrite activated the Intership aboard the USS Thirteen-Yellow.

“Commander Kilitz you are as of now the Acting captain. Place Admiral Goronzo under arrest and by God get me Captain Olafson on the horn.”

Admiral Goronzo was flabbergasted.

“Sir, this is highly irregular and I demand...”

“Acting Captain Kilitz, if Goronzo isn’t in custody within five seconds you have my direct orders to use any force necessary to restore proper command order aboard your ship.”

I was fired up and about as angry as I ever was. The dark entity in myself stirred and I could feel my ring.

“This is the fourth time! This time I was not undercover not pretending to be a pirate. I was acting on your orders and responded to prisoner hijacking. I am so sick of these self-important, rubbernecking arse holes. The next time I run into an Admiral Swybar or Goronzo, I am not going to be stopped!”

“I am 3000 years old and I do not know what to say. All this Project Fish equipment is so secret that we designated the Apparition as a D-60.”

“This does not explain the conduct of Goronzo, he boarded another Union vessel. On his orders, my crew was manhandled. I was hit and ... I had enough! I quit and tomorrow you find me and my crew before the Assembly.”

“Captain Olafson, Erica. I can do nothing but apologize.”

He groaned.

“His timing is impeccable. Well, maybe he can help me.”

The two-way call became a three-way.

“Stahl appeared with a grin.

“I just heard about the APB in that region, I have a case of beer on a wager with the spooky lady of Richter 4 that our special girl responded, did she?”

McElligott sighed.

“She did!” He then told the Eternal Warrior what occurred.

Stahl lost his grin.

“She is right about one thing, Old Highlander. While we were purging the fleet of Worm agents, we need to re-evaluate every frikking command officer, we have Nelson II now.”

Richard, she is right here, and I need your advice. What are we going to do?”

“We?” Richard sighed.

“Captain Olafson, I am just reading about the details of that prisoner thing. The clever ways they shifted prisoner numbers, making it necessary to use a freighter.”

He scratched his chin.

“Between you and me girl, this is high-level clandestine work and beyond my expertise. Nothing that can be solved with battleships unless the Assembly sees the light and finally declares war on those scheming Kermac.”

“I am not so sure it is the Kermac, Sir. Before that brilliant example of Admiralty decided to interfere, I squeezed some information out of the ones left behind. Lia Bassett was the leading escapee and she had outside help from goons in very colorful battle suits.”

“Colorful battle suits are the trademark of Nick Harlequin’s Jokers.”

“I am going to Richter IV get my ship and before I do anything else, I am going to find Lia Bassett, blow Brhama Port to bits if I have to and exterminate that Joker outfit. There won’t be as many stasis boxes this time.”

Richard said to McElligott.

“There is your answer. Let her loose!”

“Aye, Captain Olafson, but remember the Bassetts are in Freespace and have done nothing criminal.”

“Someone bankrolled that escape if I find out they did...”

“Then it is technically a declaration of war against the Union,” Stahl said.

“I am itching to shut down that rock for a long time.”

“Alright, Captain. Just go and do your thing and keep us in the loop.”

Stahl said. “And you and I will have a conference meeting today. Then you and your secretive cabal can figure out how to fix that fleet of ours, or I will join Captain Olafson, quit and address the Assembly. This is not a threat, Old Highlander. This is a promise.”

For whatever reason, Stahl’s angry response made me feel good.

“Shaka, step on it. As fast as this bird goes, I want to be at Richter as soon as possible. I am done playing nice.”

== Chapter 14: Richter Base ==

I doubt my eyes would have stayed dry, even in a sandstorm on Alvor’s Cove when I saw her. There she was, the USS Tigershark. Repaired, refurbished and upgraded.

Now I knew why the destroyer was shaped the way it was. It did not fit inside, but it docked right at the Tigershark’s belly.

The biggest visible changes were the docking clamps for the Destroyer and the changes to the landing gear.

Cirruit had used mechanical arms and special tractor guide beams to dock the Apparition. To my pleasant surprise, the destroyer fit so well into the overall design that it was barely visible and blended in perfectly.

A top-down ramp gave us access to the Tigershark’s lowest deck, we called the basement.

I really had to restrain myself for not kissing the walls or the deck of my ship.

And there they stood, the rest of my crew. All of them!

Eight hundred individuals. In the first row were Har-Hi, Shea, Cirruit, SHIP’s roaming body, Sobody, and Warner and then there were rows and rows of crew, almost to where the big freight elevators were.

They all snapped into attention as Har-Hi called and then with a crisp voice said. “Welcome back aboard Captain Olafson.”

I returned the salute. Started to greet them just as the regulations required, but then I kicked those regulations into the wind.

“Screw that, this is for other ships.”

I started hugging and in Shea’s case kissing everyone and took the time to shake the hands of each and every one.

“Alice? I thought you would go to the PSI corps academy and stay with your father?”

“And miss my friends and all this? Captain, the Admiral agreed to let me serve my academy time aboard the Tigershark.”

It took a while to get to everyone. There were quite a few new beings too. A big Vvolti, a small green Urillua, two Black Klack, a Takkian, and a dozen others. The most memorable new crew member was a Morthim. A six-limbed four-legged creature, the size of a Fangsnapper. Someone described a Morthim once to look like a cross between Tiger, lionfish and weird spine creature. Not that I had seen a Lionfish before, I heard the Morthim could rip Pertharians apart. They came from the Andromeda galaxy and some say they were engineered to go against Pertharians.

The Morthim identified as male reached the rank of Ensign and was a Missile weapons expert. He listened to the name of Ras Sasmar. He had a surprisingly warm and very deep human voice.

“Thank you for welcoming me aboard. I am a Morthim.”

“Welcome aboard.”

After this quite emotional welcome, I had to leave my ship and report to Director Cherubim. She greeted me in her office at the top of the central base dome and came right to the point.

“Glad to have you back, Captain. Your ship is almost ready, just a few cosmetic details and your crew is all here as well.”

“I am glad to be back, Director.”

“So you decided to go all the way. Congratulations, it seems you are very comfortable in your new body.”

“Yes, it was an easy decision. My time as Black Velvet confirmed my desires and the final step was just a small adjustment.”

“Even on vacation, you appear to be in the center of things. The Dai affair at Thana Shoo and then you pop up, over 70,000 light years in the Spinward sector and at the center of a new mystery.”

She folded her hands and looked at a screen I could not see.

“The Old Highlander told me that you going to investigate the prisoner escape before you going to be at my beck and call again.”

“I spent over a year to round up pirates and when I think the book on those I caught is closed, they end up orchestrating one of the best-planned prisoner escapes in Union history. Damn, right I am going to investigate and make sure the book is closed for sure this time.”

Her smooth face was a Bioflex mask, I knew by now and it did not translate or reflect any emotions she might had.

“Yes, I am still going over the details myself, and you are quite correct. This was extremely well organized. The Assembly Security Council has given this a very high priority. I am going to put the Ypeherix issue on the back burner to use an old Earth expression and give you this Prison Escape matter as a priority mission.”

With a hand gesture, she conjured up a projection of Freespace and much of the Coreward sector.

“You are operating now under direct Assembly orders. Which include the identification of all involved parties and bringing them to justice. This time you can call for fleet back up if you need it, and I trust your abilities but if you can try to do it without starting a war.”

“This is not my goal, Ma’am.”

She pulled up another projection. This one showed an Assembly session.

“You might feel that this has personal undertones, I assure you the prisoner escape not only made federal news, the Assembly feels this was an insult and an attempt to embarrass the Union.

“She gestured towards the projection.

“While you were on your way to here, the Assembly has not stopped talking about this.

“She looked at it herself.

“To put it bluntly, the Union is pissed. It will take very little for the Assembly to call for war.”

“I have a few ideas. Lia is a Bassett, so I start at Brhama port and see if I can pick up her trail. I also think an outfit called ‘Harlequin’s Jokers’ might be involved.”

“He and his merc outfit are slick as stainless steel, he is officially a lawful citizen with a very successful business. Be careful, he is dangerous.”

“How can he and guys like Steen Tirkov be in business on Union side anyway?”

She got up.

“Care for a cup of coffee, while I educate you and transfer all we got on Nick Harlequin to your ship?”

“Yes why not, I am in a general hurry and really want to get back to my ship but I am not that pressed for time.”

Cherubim wore a black and gray bodycon dress with a skirt that ended above her knees. Her almost certainly fake blonde hair fell straight down her back with a crisp razor cut. She started to bet busy on a vintage looking Serv-Matic.

“This is a present from McElligott. It is a working replica of a pre astro coffeemaker. I made it a life rule nor to have too many habits. They can easily be exploited or be used to profile someone, but real coffee, brewed the old fashioned way is certainly a close candidate.”

The machine started to gargle and a puff of steam escaped a black plastic lid.

She turned halfway.

“It was during the Y’All war, things didn’t go too well. Colonies pressed the Assembly for help. It was then decided in 3585 that colonies and private companies could hire defense forces. It was a desperate time. This is the foundation of these Mercenary businesses and then we have the Freedom of Business act of 2299 OTT. There are no restrictions whatsoever what kind of service or product the company wants to offer, however certain services and products may be federally or locally limited or restricted. It is the businesses responsibility to obtain all necessary licenses, permits and dispense products and services according to the laws of the Union.”

She held out a ceramic mug.

“Sugar? Milk?”

“I have it black.”

I took the beverage and said.

“So these Merc outfits operate on ancient laws and loopholes?”

“Because you are of a very small group of individuals with a Blue-Blue-Red clearance, your background was checked in great detail. Did you know that your uncle Hogun Olafson was part of a very famous Mercenary outfit?”

I almost dropped the mug.

“Uncle Hogun?” But as I said it, I know and in retrospect had to admit there were telltale signs that he hadn’t been on dirt side all his life. There was Richard the Outcast, he was not a Neo Viking and Hogun treated him like a war buddy.

She seemed to read my thoughts in my face.

“The Rhatuurs Brigands was the outfit he flew with. Some of these Mercenary outfits go after slavers and pirates to liberate colonists or affect revenge. Most of them operate outside of Union space and thus outside of Union law.”

“I guess I need to learn a whole lot more about this.”

She sat down with her cup.

“NAVINT and other intelligence groups sometimes use Mercenaries, often without them knowing who their real employer is or what their actual goals are. Keep that in mind when you unravel your mystery.”

I took a long sip of the invigorating brew, it was excellent coffee indeed.

“And there I am, back in the clandestine business.”

“The Tigershark was never meant to be a ship of the line, and neither is your crew. Better get used to it, Captain Olafson.”

Admiral McElligott stood by the boarding ramp of a D40 shuttle and looked towards the hangar access doors. A tall man in a simple black uniform, very short marine corps style hair cut had appeared. In the three thousand something years he knew this man, he had never changed. Even to the old Admiral, this man was a constant like no other.

True he wasn’t exactly best friends with the Eternal Warrior, but there was no one he respected more. With a smirk on his lips, he watched the two marines guarding the door act as if they had seen God. Well to be truthful to the Marines he was pretty much the very next thing to god.

He did not disappoint them and found a few words.

The Pertharian and the Thauran marine guards were on the verge to actually explode with pride.

Stahl then made his way to the Old Highlander, his face unreadable. Well unreadable to most, after three millennia McElligott had learned to read the most subtle facial expressions.

“Sorry, old warhorse, but that is what Admirals do. Inspect things. They did that even back on Earth when both of us had no idea we would once hold that rank ourselves.”

“And are as useless as tits on a boar. Inspections are a waste of time. Either they are ready or they are not, and they better be ready when I show up. Inspection or not.”

“Inspections have their purpose and are an older tradition than we old farts. Besides the USS Baghdad has won the Ship Shape award many times, so the affair will be a short one.”

“I just came from reprimanding two marines for extreme unprofessional conduct. I don’t like seeing this kind of behavior from any member of the armed forces, but Marines?”

“Oh good lord, those poor bastards are going to commit seppuku or something.”

“Suicide is a coward’s way out. My Marines are not cowards, however, they volunteered for a year duty at Lee’s Academy.”

McElligott shrugged.

“Lee’s Academy isn’t that some sort of Union Army Academy?”

“Exactly, Marine corporals on security detail at an Army academy, pure hell.”

“Sorry old mate, there isn’t any war going on to improve your mood.”

“I do not long for war, but now that the Golden and the Nul are on our side it won’t be long and the Kermac will make a move. I bet that prisoner caper has Kermac roots, and I don’t have to remind you that Erica has just left for her second mission and only God knows who she picks a fight with or convinces to join.”

“She just left two days ago, and I just received a message this morning, she is on her way to Brhama Port pursuing Nick Harlequin.”

“She is supposed to investigate Lia Bassett. The Harlequins are very large and dangerous Merc outfit, suspected to have a source of serious Union Mil-Tech and a long history of suspected atrocities. If the last reports are any indications, taking that outfit down would take a Marine regiment with a battleship for support.”

As Stahl said that, he grinned.

McElligott nodded.

“I know, but all respect to your Marines, Nick Harlequin stands no chance, we are talking Erica Olafson and her gang.”

Stahl chuckled.

“Yes that boy turned girl and her crew will tear that vicious clown a new one, and he won’t know what hit him.”

Stahl sighed and stomped past McElligott and up the landing ramp.

“Then inspect the Baghdad. It is the last one right?”

“Yes, and afterward maybe you have time to share a round of golf with me. We are on Patrick Green, after all.”

McElligott followed Stahl inside the shuttle and gave the pilot a hand sign. While McElligott and Stahl were the highest officers, there was no big entourage, Stahl had no adjutants at all and if McElligott had insisted on the official military pomp, Stahl would not have come.

Richard sat down and grinned, “I remember the last time we went, I wonder if that golf course is open again...”

“Well, it was your idea to ask the members of the Olafson Gang after they returned from Para-Para to represent the Navy against the Army.”

“And you wager against General McKenzie, who kept beating you. He has recovered, right?”

“He has, but it was his fault to steal one of Har-Hi’s balls. Those Dai proximity mines look very much like golf balls after all. Of course, only a Dai would bring proximity mines to a game of golf.”

“It was fortunate no one was near the fifth hole at the time of impact.”

“It gave a whole new meaning to ‘hole in one’. That crater was big enough to hide a destroyer.”

Richter IV became smaller by the second. Moments ago we had lifted off and now made a Threshold run with a direct course to Brhama Port.

I sat in my own Command Chair, every bridge position was occupied by a friend. Narth and Har-Hi to left and right. Sobody no longer occupying a guest chair but at his own station. Officially called the situation evaluation station and he was now officially the Quartermaster of the Tigershark.

“Mr. Narth, I think we need to go back to Pirate mode. If we appear all shiny and openly Union shooting will start, before we are able to ask a few questions.”

“The Silver Streak mask is dialed in and ready, Captain.”

“Do you think our cover is blown with Lia and thus with the rest?”

Lt. Senhadjii was officially not on duty, but he was sitting next to Hans said.

“I am sure she won’t trust us and she will suspect us to be working with the Union, but she has boarded the Tigershark, not the Silver Streak.”

Mao chuckled.

“There is bound to be a lot of room at the mooring arm, many of the regulars are eliminated.”

“What about the back door wormhole?” Shea asked.

“We do have the Key device.”

“Listen, guys, if we find so much as a speck of evidence, the Bennetts had anything to do with the hijacking, we will shut down that rock. After that NAVINT or whoever can move in. We are not doing much research until this Lia and Meateater are caught and terminated.”

The Bassett family was a very wealthy and quite influential enterprise in this region of space. With excellent connections to the Togar, a system rich with resources and a busy trading post and freelance port. Myra Bassett generally known as the Old Bird has rarely been seen by anyone outside the inner circle and was to many more legend than real.

She was real alright and her power and influence over the Bassett enterprise were very real. She was at the top for over 400 years and ever since her partner Norm Bassett died.

Myra was no longer able to stand for long periods of time and preferred her hover chair; behind her was a sizeable oval viewport that allowed a magnificent view into deep space and the shattered star system. Right now, however, she had no eye for it, she looked at the various reports with both anger and confusion. She called for her oldest great-grandson Kirku, who also acted as the office manager and public face of the Bassetts. He appeared in her office almost right away, even he did not want her getting angry or disappointed. Her own partner and supposed lover, Norm found out the hard way, no one was safe from her wrath and scorn.

“Yes, Grandmother?”

She had several information screens open and pointed at the central one.

“Lia Bassett, she is your daughter is she not?”

“Yes, but she’s playing pirate and I think she was captured by Union authorities. I don’t know what happened or where she is.”

“Liar! Your daughter was liberated from a Union prison transport. Their assembly and in extent the whole Union is furious and demand answers.”

Kirku was either a great actor or he had really no idea what she was talking about. She suspected the latter, but then he was almost as shrewd and devious as she was herself.

“Grandmother those are news to me. I haven’t heard from her since she joined a pirate named Red Dragon and left for some sort of quest.”

“Now I know you are lying. She was headed for the gallows, and now I see we paid a Mercenary outfit to get her. 35 Million Union credits from our shadow account. There are only three people even knowing, that we control the Bennett Mineral Trading Company and that Credit account. You, me and your brother Eklir. Eklir has no interest in double-crossing me for a renegade daughter of yours.”

“It had to be Eklir, I did not pay anyone to get Lia out.”

“You tell me in one sentence you know she was captured and in the next, you tell me you didn’t hear from her since she left with the Red Dragon. I hate the Union almost as much as I hate the Kermac, but they are not going to rest until they found out what happened. I have a good mind to turn you over to them. Now tell me, where is she and if you value your life tell me why!”

Kirku, the hardboiled general manager who had killed for simply being in a bad mood, was shaking.

“I am being framed. Eklir wants to be in charge.”

“No, Kirku I am in charge. You have not answered me, where is she?”

“I do not know. I am telling you the truth. I haven’t been in contact with her since she left. I only heard about her being arrested.”

“You have one orbit to bring her to me, return the 35 million and have an explanation. Don’t even consider failing, now go and find your brother. If he is involved bring me proof and I’ll have him skinned alive.”

It was not without a certain feeling of vanity as I once again wore my black leather suit. There was still some residue male personality left in me to realize how I looked in that thin black leather, that molded my curves like a second skin. I decided to tone it down and closed the zip-lock seam all the way and wear a leather jacket. Shea, now sharing quarters with me gave me a kiss and a tight hug.

“You are one hot pirate lady, my love.”

“I cannot deny the effects of this outfit, but what I feel when I see you have to wait till after duty hours.”

We both went back on the bridge. While it was the shift of First Watch, we were almost in range of Brhama Port and I wanted to be on the bridge when we dropped out of Quasi.

Branda, the Delicate got up from the Command seat in a fluid motion of hair and legs.

“No noteworthy events to report, Captain. Senior officers are on their way. Our ETA is 44 minutes, Ma’am.”

“Thank you, Lt. Noleii.”

“I am going to change into my pirate outfit.

“She chirped happily and left the bridge.

Narth was, as usual, the first, but thanks to our superfast I.S.T. the rest was right behind them.

Har-Hi actually wore a purple Do suit as a costume and explained.

“If Dimon Honshu could wear one, I think I can too.”

I frowned.

“Remind me to ask the Admirals, where he ended up. I don’t want to chase the Worm again.”

Shea giggled.

“Especially since he had the hots for you.”

“He was cured of that after he realized who I was.

“With a gesture towards the main screen, I said.

“We have a job to do.”

I sat down in my command seat. Intu-controls raising into the palms of my hands and the whole seat rose into battle view.

“Oh, how I missed you SHIP.”

“I was incomplete without you, Captain.”

“While you at it, sound General Quarters, stand by on our real shields.”

“Aye, Captain.”

“Mao do we still have contact to those KELPIE drones we left last time?”

“Yes, establishing contact now and downloading scanner log.”

Sobody got up from his seat and went over to Hans, who was receiving scanner data.

I asked.

“Sobody, looking for something particular?”

“Yes Captain, Nick Harlequin is known for using the best Union surplus ships. If he was here, the Kelpie drones should have a record of ISAH engine signatures.”

“Carry on then, Mr. Sobody.

“I tried hard to keep the pride I felt for my crew out of my voice.

Shaka’s icon blinked.

“We are five minutes to Quasi drop.”

“I have distinct ISAH signatures isolated. Lieutenant Schwartz is comparing them.”

Sobody reported.

“There are also three known pirates in the system,” Mao said.

“None are on the top wanted list.” Hans added.

“We are still number one by the way.”

It did not take long after we had returned to standard space when we were hailed.

“This is Brahma Port, we got you on our scanners, Black Velvet. We are debating right now if we let you dock or if we rather have you find another port.”

“I frankly don’t care what you debate and squabble about between yourself. I am in pursuit of Nick Harlequin and the trail leads here. I intend to find out if he was here and when.”

“Alright, you are the same arrogant, leather-clad bitch you have been before. You can dock against Moring arm two.”

“I am glad you remember certain aspects of my personality.”

Mao said.

“Captain, there are two ships now on an intercept course.”

I looked at Elfi.

She said.

“I just muted him, he is still on.”

I gave her a hand sign to open the communication connection.

“Listen good, Bassett man. There are two vessels leaving your asteroid, perhaps your welcome committee. I will not be bullied, threatened or otherwise deterred from my personal business.”

“These are associates and friends of Dentar Bloom. What they do is none of our business.”

Elfi indicated a new incoming call.

“That’s right Black Velvet. We are mates of Dentar Bloom and we are sure you remember Captain Nine. We are going to kill you now and collect the substantial reward.”

“Captain who?”

“Don’t play dumb with us, the Volting of the Mighty Nine of course. Now surrender and we let your crew live.”

“Mao, I believe they are in range for Loki torpedoes. Fire when ready.”

Into the voice pick up I said.

“With compliments of Duke Donheer.”

The Old Bird was informed about the arrival of one of the most famous and vicious pirates, Captain Black Velvet. If rumors were correct, she was part of the Red Dragon’s group. While none of them had returned, unless you count Lia and Meateater who ended up without ships and aboard a prison transport, Black Velvet was back.

She could not explain why Cullag the Notorious claimed to be a friend of Dentar Bloom. Roaster Alwish, the other one that was now leaving the asteroid to intercept and destroy the Silver Streak, might have met the flashy Thauran, that mysterious Black Velvet killed in the Motherlode Tavern almost two years ago. Cullag commanded a very well-armed Togar destroyer and Roaster had a similarly capable ship of Karthanian manufacture.

The Silver Streak was in trouble.

One of her screens was populated with the scanner data of the Asteroid’s command center several levels below. The sudden appearance of four very fast smaller objects, that defied direct scanning because of purple ParaDim shields streaking at over 3000 stuc per second. Only one weapon she knew off was that fast, that perfectly shielded, Union Loki torpedoes.

Neither Cullag’s Togar destroyer nor the Karthanian attack cruiser had a chance. Cullag tried to evade and use his point defense cannons.

The Lokies were so fast that only perhaps two percent of the defensive fire hit the projectiles, easily absorbed by the torpedoe’s shields. The next moment two brilliant white stars bloomed into existence where the pirate ships had been, utterly consumed by tremendous antimatter explosions.

Myra was certain there wasn’t enough scrap left to fill a cup.

“Syrigh na Plaska!” She exclaimed.

“She has Lokies!”

The grandson of her grandson Eklir was a smart and loyal favorite of hers.

“Larkor, how did she get a hold of Lokies?”

“Rumor has it that she stole them from Duke Donheer, while Sin 4 was still Sin 4. And there is a chance that she might have Celtest weapons too. This was the declared goal of that quest after all, and she is back. The Red Dragon had some if I remember correctly.”

Myra looked even older than she was, covered with wrinkles and cracked scale skin. Black eyes and a brittle tuff of white hair.

“A few of those Loki torpedoes could do an awful lot of damage to this Asteroid.”

“She says she is after Nick Harlequin.”

“What a coincidence Lia and that no good Meateater are liberated by that killing clown. Hired by my no good, doomed grandson and paid with my money and she shows up just a few weeks after.”

“I would imagine half the bounty hunters of the Union are after Lia. There is a substantial bounty on her head issued by their Assembly.”

“How much?”

“One hundred million credits to anyone bringing the escapees back dead or alive and present evidence who orchestrated and bankrolled it.”

“Syrigh na Plaska, three times Syrigh na Plaska in a hot cavern. Why has Kirku done this? If the Union Assembly gets evidence of our involvement it will be our end. Not the Togar, not the Shiss will interfere for us and the cursed Kermac might even help them.”

“Grandmother, maybe Kirku is right and this is a frame job, framing not just him but us?”

A feeling of fear started to get stronger, as strong and mighty the Bassett’s felt. Truth to be told they were a speck compared to the big players out there. The Freespace treaty was always their best shield, but with the Nul now on the Union side, that treaty was now based on a very weak foundation.

“Who, Larkor who would frame us?”

“The Kermac right on top of the list. The Dai who want to take control of the secret backdoor. Cam Elf-Na is as wicked and sneaky as they come. The Shiss perhaps, not that I could think of a motive right now and a dozen other enemies of ours.

“But how did they get hold of our money, our secret codes?”

“I do not know, I am just speculating.”

Chapter 15: Orlan
We did dock at the same mooring arm we had used almost two years ago.

Har-Hi standing next to me at the portside main airlock and tugged at his mask. He had decided to wear the Assassin mask that came with the armor suit.

“You know we were basically still kids when we came here the first time.”

His words expressed what I was thinking perfectly.

“We aren’t kids anymore, but I think we are not exactly the experienced and seasoned officer kind either.”

Shea standing to my other side said.

“Yet the Immortal Admirals let us lose and trusted us back then. She wore the same white leather outfit she had worn the last time, a shoulder free bodice of white leather, matching over knee boots and a soft flowing, floor-sweeping hooded fur cape.

Her hair tied in a ponytail and the same white half mask covering her lovely face almost to her eyes.

Narth who was also there, looked like as he did hijacking the slave transport on Itheamh port. Instead of his shroud, he wore a tight suit of reflection-less black and a re-designed Non-Corp helmet. Narth did not only carry a Nul Froth caster but a Rapier in a belt rig.

He had received training from De La Lupe and was quite good with it; after all, I still was surprised seeing him with weapons.

As always he responded to my thoughts, but lately, he often did it loudly for Shea’s and Har-Hi’s benefit.

“Shea carries a sword, Har-Hi carries two. You are hardly seen without a bladed weapon. So I decided to remember my academy training and arm myself with a rapier. A weapon I am, as you pointed out quite familiar with.”

Har-Hi nodded approvingly.

“The sword has always been with us, and you hardly see a spacer without some sort of blade, but have you not always maintained the opinion that your psionics are more than adequate as a weapon?”

Narth pointed at me.

“She is one of the most potent psi talents, and yet our Captain prefers hacking and slashing things. So I decided I give it a try.”

Har-Hi’s laugh was somewhat muffled under his mask.

“I think our Narth becomes more and more comfortable with the fine art of applied sarcasm. He describes you well.”

Shea’s beautiful eyes got a little bigger as she looked at me.

“You do have Psionic talents after all?”

“Yes, some, as it appears. I still don’t like them one bit.”

A clanging sound interrupted our banter, the mooring clamps had engaged with our hull. This was confirmed by Shaka.

“Your friendly Helmsman is happy to report, we have docked to mooring arm two of Brhama Port.”

I slapped my hand into my face and with this theatrical face palm gesture I groaned.

“I hope there won’t be any sort of inspection. We are way too relaxed around here.”

Har-Hi said.

“We officially have the best helmsman in the entire fleet, Captain. He just came back from his latest evaluation and he is the first reaching a rating of one thousand. That is unprecedented for a living being.”

“It’s not just Shaka ... I just want to be a little more fleet sometimes.”

I saw it in her eyes that she was grinning under her mask.

“Yet it is you who has the power to change that. I doubt you really want it any other way.”

TheOther, Hans and Xon had arrived behind us. Looking at that trio of giants, I grinned.

“If I would encounter you guys like that in a dark corridor, I would be terrified to death.”

The voice of Suit said.

“Unlikely, you are many things, Captain. Headstrong, impulsive, jumping right into the middle of things, but since I have the honor and privilege to know you, you never been afraid of anything.”

“Now I am getting lectured by my own wardrobe. Let’s get going guys.”

TheOther had a hard time whispering, so I could hear him.

“Anyone or anything encountering her in a dark corridor, accidentally scaring her would be in deep trouble.”

The air lock was cleared and opened to the mooring arm tunnel leading to the actual interior of the asteroid base.

Ak Pure and six marines were on the outside in suits, making sure no one was attaching any surprises to our hull. Not that this would be easy with SHIP keeping an eye on everything, but I didn’t want to take chances. Something very small could be easily missed.

Thinking about that, I said.

“SHIP, are you certain nothing very small could be attached to you? I remember Kermac Psi Spores, and then we had electromagnetic wave riders and even Trans-dimensional ghosts.”

“While there are no guarantees against the unknown, Captain. We upgraded our external security procedures with all these things in mind. In addition to genuine Seenian shields, we have a new outer hull coating. It is near absolutely frictionless and magnetically repellent.”

As I stepped into the mooring arm corridor I asked.

“And that means?”

“Nothing physical can be glued, stuck or attached in any way to my skin. Anything magnetic is repelled, including mag boots.”

“I like that.”

“It was my idea.” Tyron said.

“Cirruit commented on his slick skin and complained about it and Shea ... I mean Lt. Schwartz was then lecturing on eel skin and nano-diamond particles. I remembered an article in the library of the fifth. Cirruit had Mothermachine help to come up with a manufacturing process. The result...”

“I love to hear more about it, but I think there is our welcoming committee.”

There, at about fifty meters was Mooornt, the same Bassett family member who received us last time. This time however he was meeting us right at the mooring point, instead of receiving us in his office.”

He was not alone, there was his brother Kooornt, the one buying ships. Besides six armed guards, there also was a tall half Shiss, that could not hide his nervousness.

The six guards were in a similar state of nervousness, despite their battle armor and Karthanian weapons, but then this was a corridor, and my companions created an imposing, fear-inducing presence.

I greeted the group of men.

“Is business so bad, that you have to collect the mooring fee right here?”

I snapped my gloved fingers. Hans who was carrying a heavy-looking steel box like it was made of foam plastic stepped up.

Mooornt licked his lips in a very lizard-like fashion and said.

“Welcome to Brhama Port, Captain Black Velvet. We did not come to collect the mooring fee, as a matter of fact, we gladly wave it and offer you free fuel should you need it.”

“If you are here to buy those pirate ships that left this very asteroid to intercept us, there isn’t enough left for the most desperate scavenger, sorry Mr. Kooornt.”

There was no doubt; Mooornt understood my thinly veiled accusation.

“Those were independent freelancers, not associated to us. To be frank we wondered ourselves, why they acted so quickly.”

“So, if it isn’t landing fees or spaceships, what brings you here? Wouldn’t an office of yours be more accommodating?”

“I am here to introduce you to my superior, Eklir Bassett.”

“That is an unusual place for such an introduction, I must say.”

Har-Hi pointed down the corridor at an approaching floater.

“I think that is the reason.”

The simple floater platform held eight individuals. Six armed guards, just like the ones in front of us and two official-looking men.

The Bassett, just introduced to me as Eklir, hissed something incomprehensible as he turned to see what Har-Hi was pointing at. To me he said.

“That is Kirku, my older brother. He is the father of Lia Bassett, and there is much money missing. Just so you know.”

I said.“O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!”

Narth could not let the opportunity go.

“Our captain is quoting an old Terran author.”

And Tyron was speaking silently directly in my ear.

“The approaching Bassett has cybernetic enhancements, of Wuthof origin.”

The one identified as Kirku yelled as he came closer.

“Don’t listen to this lying bastard!”

“Listen good, Bassett boys. I came here to get answers, whatever differences you have between yourself is your business. I find it highly suspicious and quite strange for either one of you to try to intercept me and gain my support. Now since we are all here, where is Lia Bassett?”

Eklir pointed at his brother. “She is his daughter, he ought to know!”

Kirku’s hand fell on the butt of a big blaster weapon he wore in a holster on his belt. The guards of both brothers were obviously uncertain about what to do.

He didn’t draw it just yet.

“And you are the one trying to frame me. We know why you came Pirate Bitch; to get the bounty those cursed Unions put on my daughter’s head.”

Har-Hi sighed.

“He sure has a way with words. You playing with the proverbial fire, Mr. Cyberarm.”

Kirku’s hands reached for his own head as he groaned in sudden pain.

Narth’s voice did sound distorted, and inhuman.

“He did not pay for Lia’s liberation, but he knows she has been freed and provided her with a new ship and resources. His Kermac Psi shield unfortunately burned out while I tried to deactivate it.”

“No one is perfect, my friend,” I said with an amused tone in my voice.

Eklir now did draw a blaster of his own.

“So she was here!”

Egill no longer was just the representative of a small and unimportant water world and new to all this Assembly business. He, the Narth representative and Alegar were known as the three wise men of the Assembly. Often quoted, approached and almost always asked for advice and opinion.

The former hermit of Nilfeheim could not recall seeing the Assembly as livid. Not even when the Red Dragon and the Sinister Alliance attacked Outpost 96.

He leaned a little sideways while he listened to the representative of the Nerogello addressing the Assembly regarding the extension of Space Train services into the 2nd region of the Andromeda galaxy. Alegar had become quite accustomed to the body language of the old Neo Viking, that had become his best friend.

“You are not really listening to the Nerogello, do you?”

“This is what Assembly business should be all about, speaking and discussing the needs and wants of Union communities. While this is technically a commercial issue and Space Train is a private enterprise, I am sure we have plenty of financial surpluses to perhaps subsidize a few stations and a line that connects the main Nerogello system with the main line.”

The Nerogello representative, almost eight foot tall pointed with both his hands towards the Nilfeheim alcove.

“Our King is very pleased with the idea suggested by representative Skallagrímsson.”

He repeated loud what Egill just said.

The old Viking flashed angrily at the completely shrouded Narth.

“Don’t try to look so innocent. I know it was you. Probably sent the guy a telepathic message.”

“One has not attempted to change ones looks to convey such a vague and difficult emotional concept. One has however used the speech to text feature of this alcove interface and sent your recommendation to the Nerogello representative. Even after sharing much of this time stream with you, one finds your linear thought process and grasp of Union affairs quite fascinating.”

“And you developed quite a sense of humor; you know exactly what I was talking about. You can’t even hide your smugness under that hood of yours.”

“One is amazed indeed.”

“I hoped we could slowly ease out of that Wise Men business. I am not all too comfortable with this role they shoehorned us in.”

Alegar looked closely at the Narth.

“You know, Narth. He is right; I too can see you are quite pleased with yourself. After being around with you for almost four years now, that hood isn’t as effective as a mask as it once was.”

To Egill he said. “They voted us into an official position, also quite a while ago. I hate to tell you, but we became quite an institution.”

“And that is exactly why I am still against it, the Assembly doesn’t need institutions.”

“Maybe it does, it is a government form that is still developing after all.”

The Assembly listened to the Finance and Budget Council and placed a GalNet call to the Space Train Corporation. The company’s CEO himself answered the call and immediately agreed to extend services to the 2nd Andromeda Region, and promised to present the Assembly with a few route proposals and cost estimates.

Egill still was deep in thought and it was not about the Space Train business, so Alegar who had just returned from a trip to Saresii Prime.

“It is the prisoner liberation affair that is on your mind, is it not?”

“Not so much the event, but the reaction to it. It seems almost out of proportion.”

“I heard the news on Saresii Prime. It has been quite a caper, well planned and deep in Union space. It also involves pirates, a subject that remains a sore issue with the Assembly. Despite the quite successful cleaning efforts of a certain granddaughter of yours.”

“It is still a minuscule affair and should not have consumed so much Assembly time. Besides everyone talks about the pirates, no one mentions the former fleet officers, agents of the Worm who also escaped the hangman’s rope.”

“You don’t think this affair was an insult against the Union itself and thus created this reaction?”

Now both the Narth and the Saresii representative paid full attention to the old man.

“We are too big, too successful to be insulted. What does the Tyranno care, if a Silver flicker calls it names?”

Alegar had to agree, his old friend was onto something.

“The representative of Dreary planet is one of the loudest voices.”

“A planet with no real resources, vast deserts, and very little water if any. Yet with a population of over a million...”

The Narth consulted GalNet.

“The Bureau of Colonist Affairs opened the planet for colonization over 500 years ago. While it is classified as a marginal garden world with a very thin atmosphere, it is indeed without valuable resources. The system is in a very thinly populated region and far from any regular space bus lines.”

Egill nodded. “Yet he and sixty-four representatives of similar planets all over Union space have spent much time talking about the insult.”

“One does not see a connection. Sixty-four representatives from as far as the Large Magellan Cloud and Andromeda. It involves emotions and they are still quite difficult to equate, but perhaps they are affected by personal tragedies involving pirates?”

Egill shook his head slowly and held out his old PDD.

“Emotions have nothing to do with it, but profit!”

Alegar could not follow his friend’s argument.

“What has profit to do with this?”

The idea of commercial operated prisons, prisoner transports, and penitentiary colonies. For the last three hundred years, there are attempts to outsource this part of the Justice Department. It never gained much traction, because the Justice Department was doing a flawless job and because many people including me are strongly opposed to privatizing any part of the Justice system. Once you privatize it, it becomes a business and justice can be bought.”

Alegar closed his mouth without saying what he originally wanted to say. His face clearly reflected a sudden understanding.

“But sixty-four planets, completely unrelated?”

“Sixty-four planets, without mentionable resources, far from standard traffic lines. With very hostile environments and all with surprisingly enough population to be able to send a rep to the Assembly.”

“Profit.

“The Narth said slowly.

“A concept as alien as emotions.”

Egill dialed himself a cup with Vodka and Cola.

“Too raw and too primitive a concept for the aloft Saresii, yet the very motor that keeps those mega-corporations getting bigger. And there is profit that goes far beyond credits.”

Alegar, who considered himself a highly educated individual asked baffled.

“There is?”

“Gaining control over one of our most trusted institutions equals power. If you are an immortal for example with the ultimate goal of being the ruler of all, you have time to slowly move your chess pieces into the right positions and once you have done so, no one really notices the white King fall and being replaced by the black king.”

“Your answer is so full of symbolism, that I can’t help but equate that Black King with Rex Schwartz.”

Alegar shrugged.

“There is no open or hidden connection I could find and this is why I chose to answer the way I did. If I would be a betting man, I foresee another similar incident within a few months. And perhaps someone will then come forward and suggest privatization.”

“You are a betting man.” The Narth pointed out.

More armed guards came running, it became quite crowded in that mooring arm corridor. These men acted differently however and their leader, more Shiss than even Kooornt held a genuine TKU.

“There will be no shooting and squabble of Bassetts in front of strangers. Myra will see you both, now!”

Eklir and Kirku now clearly showed fear and followed that white skinned half lizard.

“How about that?” I said.

“If that wasn’t the weirdest welcome we ever received so far.”

Har-Hi put his right hand on the handle of one of his swords.

“Kooornt is still here. I have a feeling he knows what kind of spaceship Lia got.”

“That’s right.

“I said.

“You are the spaceship dealer around here. I am sure you have one of these Kermac thingies in your brain. Unless you want to feel how such a thing overheats and melts you better tell me right now!”

Mooornt actually faced his brother.

“I can’t believe you sided with Kirku. He is of the side that has little Shiss. Now answer her.”

The Bassett ship dealer, still had enough human in him to make him sweat, despite the cold ambient temperature of the mooring arm.

“It was a legitimate sale to the second in charge. What, I am to say no to Kirku when he wanted to buy the Togar Womptar Battle Cruiser.”

“Are you insane? That ship was not for sale to anyone. It has been...

“He stopped in mid-sentence and then looked guilty in our direction.

“He gave Lia a Togar cruiser.”

“I am done playing games. Let’s see if I can perform some brain surgery and dig that Kermac thing out of your skull, using a knife.”

He yelled.

“This is our base, you cannot do this. We are in charge.

“But just as he voiced his outrage, he yelped in pain.

Narth said.

“This is just a taste. She is much cruder than me.

“The Togar ship was upgraded with Union tech and is now crewed with pirates and former Union officers. They left only three days ago. I don’t know where they went.”

Narth nodded.

“He doesn’t know, but they left along with a genuine Union fleet unit, a Merrimac class.”

Hans said. “Harlequin’s Jokers are known to own six of them.”

“Narth can you sense this Kirku character?”

“Yes, he is about to speak to a person named Myra.”

“Hans, take a team and one of our Doom Eggs and find the environmental of this place. Shoot and kill anyone trying to stop you. Burn or breach whatever blocks your way. Robot and Destroyer suits authorized.”

“Aye Captain.”

“Tyron connect me to SHIP.”

“You are on, Ma’am.”

“SHIP you have the Conn. Take off from the mooring arm, Mao target anything that moves. Har-Hi and Xon take our fighters out. Shoot anything that tries to escape or flee this asteroid. Shea take command of the Apparition and engage any artificial contact in this system that is anywhere on any Union list, tries to make a quasi-space run or shows the slightest aggressive behavior. You may also engage anything that comes in. I am done pussyfooting around.”

Har-Hi saluted, turned on his heel.

“I think I love this No-nonsense approach.”

“Narth, take me there, please.”

The large asteroid had almost two hundred thousand inhabitants, the word that a group of unstoppable warriors led by terrifying giants, one of them a Y’All spread like wildfire. Alarms sounded everywhere, Bassett family members scrambled to their fighters and defense positions.

The pirates issued this statement, delivered by a white masked blonde.

“Deactivate all weapons and shields. Remain inactive until told otherwise. Anyone trying to escape until we completed our business will be engaged and destroyed.”

Not many fighters even made it into space; they were destroyed just as they emerged. The rusty Silver Streak suddenly engulfed in purple shimmering shields fired on anything that moved.

Two fighters that did not even register on scanners, swept whatever did manage to escape.

No, the Tigershark wasn’t a battleship. She was a beast of war and now she and her crew unleashed by her captain brought the freelancers and outlaws a new brand of fear.

I knew my ship and crew were much more formidable than even the Immortal Admirals envisioned, mostly because we spend much of our time disguised and unable to cut loose. Now she was even more powerful. I got the first glimpse when a small handful of my crew defeated an entire regiment of Dai warriors.

Narth had teleported me into a large office like room. There were the two brothers Kirku and Eklir, the no-nonsense more Shiss than human guard and a four of his TKU armed men. And behind a desk and in front of a large oval viewport, showing a nice bright explosion, sat perhaps the ugliest woman I had ever seen. She had a skin that looked just like the rotten Fangsnapper leather I had cleared out of Egill’s burg. She got up as I appeared.

“Guards eliminate that intruder!”

I had to admit, that had Shiss was quite fast and a TKU blast fizzled to nothing, a few millimeters before my belly, it was quite a strange experience.

But I didn’t dwell on it and I had no chance to further evaluate the guard’s skills, my TKU blast was much more effective and vaporized the Half Shiss and a good portion of the furniture and interior decor behind him. The weapons of the others jumped as if pulled by invisible strings to the ceiling.

I pointed my weapon at the old woman.

“Tired of living, Bag of Wrinkles? I am in a very bad mood already.”

She opened and closed her mouth.

“What kind of pirate are you?”

“The worst kind. A team of mine is taking a nasty device to the environmental center of this rock, if I am not satisfied with your responses, this rock will turn into a mini sun.”

“The bounty, you after the Mercenary and the pirates that escaped.”

“This is just icing on the cake. I want those who pulled the strings. I want this Loki cursed rock shut down. I think you Bassett’s pulled the Tiger’s tale for too long, hiding behind treaties and the Togar military. Now I came here to investigate, but what do I find? This Kirku character helping his daughter, after all, giving her a ship and then there are your guards with Union Mil-Tech weapons.”

“You aren’t a pirate. You are Union!” Kirku gasped.

“Surprise, surprise. By the decision of our Assembly I hereby accept your declaration of war against the Union, by orchestrating an attack on a Union spaceship in Union space. Let’s see if the Togar are indeed brave enough to step up and defend you.”

The man in the colorful high tech DeNoir battle suit wore his trademark clown makeup and a fool’s cap. His right hand clamped around a genuine Union Marine chain sword while his left held a powerful, and highly illegal TKU 12. Many called him insane and truth to be told, he himself was not so sure if he was completely sane, but he was also quite intelligent and the leader of the most successful independent Mercenary outfit there was.

He was Nick Harlequin and the owner of Harlequin’s Jokers Inc.

His gaze swept over the field of ruins and the many dead.

“I think this will do nicely.

“He motioned Ronald, his right-hand man to come closer.

The man in his yellow and red battle suit, wearing a bright red curly wig stomped on the head of a Nurms, killing the being with utter discontent and joined his leader who stood on top of a mound of rubble.

“Yes, Nick?”

“Contact our customer and report that we cleansed the indigenous population of this dirtball and they can come in and take over.”

“I do that, right away.”

While Ronald left to use the GalNet terminal aboard the Killer-Clown, the flagship of the outfit. A genuine Merrimac destroyer with all weapons, but the translocators. It even had real ParaDim Battle shields, another one of his lieutenants stomped up.

“Nick, you better come too. There are some disturbing news coming over GalNet.”

“What is it?”

“I think you better see yourself.”

Despite his usual arrogant confidence and his conviction that he was above the law, he could not dismiss the feeling of worry that got a hold of him, as he boarded his flagship. Without taking off his battle suit he stomped into his quarters and snarled.

“System, GalNet access.”

The GalNet console rose from its hidden compartment. Nick turned to the Botnaar who had asked him to check the news.

“What channel and what news exactly?”

“Try Channel 3 and give the keyword Harlequin’s Jokers.”

He did, the system connected to Channel three, the most watched channel of GalNet. Channel One was broadcasting live and around the clock Assembly sessions without any comments. Channel Two was Union government official for news and announcements. Channel three was a commercial and private news channel with moderation, discussions, reports and the like.

His keyword jumped to a recorded news segment, that had been broadcasted only an hour ago.

The well-known Shiss anchor appeared.

“Most recent investigation updates on the brazen attack on a prisoner transfer ship of the Justice Department have revealed, that the external agent assisting the prisoners to escape traveled in a Merrimac destroyer.

“The anchor switched to a visual recording.

“This footage was recovered from a Takkian crewmember who survived the kill gas attack on the bridge crew.

“The footage showed men in colorful DeNoir battle suits breaching the bridge and killing the Takkian. Nick, of course, recognized the suit, it was Chucky Harlequin his younger brother and second in command of the entire outfit. The footage changed to an external camera and showed the Merrimac destroyer connected to the transport via a flex tunnel.

“While any official word is still outstanding, our investigating reporters think the infamous Mercenary Company known as Harlequin’s Jokers should be questioned.”

Nick’s throat went dry.

“This can’t be real! Chucky would never do such a thing!”

The Botnaar had no problem voicing his opinion.

“He’d sell you to the hangman for the right price. Chucky is loyal to money only and you know it.”

They both listened to the Shiss.

“We are certain Union Police is looking into all sales of Merrimac surplus ships.”

Nick had not paid attention to the news lately, but now he updated himself on the affair. His secretary sitting in his Pluribus office called just then and told him that the Police was there on a search warrant and wanted to know the whereabouts of all his Merrimac cruisers.

System call Chucky, right away.”

“Sorry, no connection possible. The Laughing Matter is beyond GalNet range or has its GalNet equipment turned off.”

“Do we return and face the music?” The Botnaar asked.

Nick was nearly out of his mind.

“No, we can’t. Chances are they have the PSI corps turned loose. We need to find a safe haven, to lay low and figure out what actually happened.”

“How about Brhama Port?” The Botnaar suggested.

“We got good relations with the Bassetts.”

“Yes good thinking, that’s where Chucky went for sure. I’ll kill him!”

Then Nick said. “Send message to all Jokers, we meet at Brhama Port.”

Myra Bassett pointed her gnarled hand at me.

“Do you think you are in charge now? Do you know why we Bassett’s have kept this system for so long? Why the Togar abandoned this asteroid so long ago?

She cackled a burst of almost hysterical laughter. It is protected by old ghosts and I know how to summon them.

Her words affected a wall panel that shimmered and dissolved into thin air and what appeared must have been some sort of battle robot. It was more organic shaped than any war machine I knew and had a beak shaped head or something like that extruding from its chest rather than a neck. Its limbs were segmented like the extremities of an insect. The whole thing did, however, appear to be made of some sort of metal. It’s left arm ended in a blaster weapon and it was aimed at me.

Tyron said.

“I have insufficient data, but SHIP and I think it is of Orlan origin. A Tech Level 11 society predating the Seeinans by maybe a billion years. The Seenians believe it is they who built the Trans spatial Nexus network.”

“Techlevel 11 eh?”

“Yes, I recommend we go into full battle mode.”

The Old woman said.

“This is my guardian, Velvet.

“To the thing she said.

“Remove her and destroy her ship.”

== Chapter 16: Girl of Power Incarnate ==

The thing didn’t move. Narth said. “I am holding it. It is strong but not unmanageable.”

SHIP called.

“The asteroid has revealed previously unknown weaponry. It is taxing our shields to almost 20 percent.

“Are you in danger?” “Oh, no captain. That tech is quite advanced, and I think it is Orlan but Mao took those weapons out with kilo loads. I was just reporting.

“I dialed my TKU to 10 and said.

“It’s going to get mighty hot in here. Narth your shields are on, right?” “No, Captain. I can’t use psionics with these advanced shields.

“Okay, I count to three.”

The old woman was out of her mind.

“What is this?” “One - two - three.

“Thanks to my suit enhanced senses, I noticed Narth’s shields come on and I fired. The TKU hammered into the alien war machine, just as it fired at me. Suit’s shields held, the robots did not. My blast punched a hole through its chest right where its head was. Carpet, curtains, and furniture in the path of the blast was set ablaze instantly, but only for seconds. The blast had hammered not only through the old robot but through the wall. It turned out, the old woman’s office was not in but on the asteroid. The fires went out because all atmosphere left the room quite quickly. Which was unfortunate for Myra Bassett, she didn’t wear any kind of sealable suit.

Shea watched Cirruit as he still examined the remnants of the Orlan war machine and said to me.

“It is TL 10 for sure, but it appears the Orlans did not develop much in terms of weapons. That robot would not even be a match to a Cerberus. Hans and his team encountered several dozen of the same kind. It didn’t even slow them down much and he did not feel it was worth reporting.

“Cirruit got up, while Warner standing right in the chest cavity my blast made.

“It would have been a much more formidable opponent but it looks like it was at the end of its resources. This is very good neutronium laced armor, but a billion years is an awfully long time for any material, especially moving parts.

“Cirruit pointed at the yellow seal foam that he had used to patch the wall breach.

“Most of the asteroid’s tech is not even Tech 7.

“Jolaj walked into the office of the old lady.

“We were able to save the lives of both brothers, but the decompression and sudden temperature drop were too much for Myra Bassett. Cateria could only confirm her death.

“When Hans stomped in, the floor vibrated.

“We placed the PHRS-PANDORA container, all we need is your signal and this rock will be lifeless within the hour.

““You encountered any problems you want me to know about?” Hans made a puzzled face.

“No not really, Captain. We suffered no casualties, other than Corporal Gefnor, tripping over an airlock barrier and accidentally backhanding Sergeant Miller. Boy, I tell you, Captain, if a Pertharian backhand you wearing a strength augmenting Atlas suit, you feel it. But he wasn’t really hurt other than his ego perhaps. I assure you it was an unintentional accident.”

He looked guilty.

“I am sorry for not putting it in the report.”

TheOther right behind him said.

“You didn’t even make a report yet.”

Hans eyes widened and sighed.

“I will put it in, Captain.”

I had a hard time not to laugh out loud.

“No, Hans. I wasn’t talking about that. I mean did you not encounter unusual tough battle robots?” My security chief could not shake his neck, but he tried anyhow. TheOther helped him out.

“She means those odd-looking robots, the ones we smashed.

“Ah, those! No, Captain, they weren’t particularly tough.”

“I see.”

“Har-Hi was obviously fighting a laugh as well, I noticed despite his new Do suit mask.”

“Maybe the Orlans never anticipated our special kind of wrecking crew.”

Mao called me over the wrist com.

“Captain, there are five Merrimac destroyers approaching the system. ETA eight minutes.”

“Fleet Units?” “No transponders at all.

“Cloak the Tigershark and cease all combat activity, let’s see who they are. Five Merrimac’s with their MALS are a serious opponent. I have a feeling they are not fleet.”

Mao still on the line said.

“We got a Miguel Alcubierre Light Speed wave front Energy Hammer, but it was never fully connected during our first mission. Now it is.”

Har-Hi pointed at himself. “Would I be here with you if there was still any sort of combat activity out there?”

“I can’t detect a Merrimac energy signature in the system,” Ronald said, manning the tactical station of the Killer-Clown. Ronald was perhaps even crazier than his boss, a true killing sociopath, he was a good mercenary but far from a good scanner operator, otherwise the lack of any artificial energy contacts other than the mines and the asteroid would have caused concern. Nick said.

“We dock, then we figure things out. Maybe they know if he was there.”

He motioned towards the Comm Console.

“Go hail the Bassett’s.”

Elfi called.

“It’s Nick Harlequin he requests docking permission.”

“What do you know, he came to us. Give him that permission, I much rather deal with him here, than when his forces are deployed planet-side.”

Gerz, the Botnaar said.

“We received landing permission. I have to say whoever is on duty on their end is quite polite.”

“Nick was too much in thoughts to register. For decades he was on the top of the game. And now he was on the run. His Union accounts frozen. A Notice to appear issued by a Union court. He knew he would lose his citizen privileges if he did not answer that summon. Could he risk it? If anything it was his brother who they were after, but he could not give an alibi. The assault and the extermination of sentient beings from a world within Union space were far more serious and a guaranteed one-way ticket to the scaffold. Not to mention the highly illegal Union Mil-Tech in his ships. His Killer Clown retaining the MALS and all Loki torpedoes alone was a certain life sentence. He needed to talk to his brother, maybe even drag him before Union authorities. The bounty alone would be more than worth it. Nick gave the order to dock. He was not taking chances of course and only his senior staff was to leave the ships, congregate in a tavern and see if anyone knew about Chucky’s whereabouts. What he did not notice was the streams of quite advanced nanites streaming in as his crews opened the hatches. Neither did any of the bridge crews notice the activation of the prime code sequence. Ever since the Whakey incident during the last Kermac/Union war, Union fleet computronics retained a Prime Code sequence, re-establishing Union Fleet Command authority over the AI systems of all Union fleet vessels. While the Red Dragon knew about this feature and had it eliminated, the customers of surplus Union vessels without any command officer training did not. That a very advanced NNNTH interface assisted AI circumvented all layers of command codes, quietly, fast and without rising any alerts and re-established was, of course, another aspect quite unique to this act. Nick Harlequin and twenty of his senior officers marched down the mooring arm tunnel. None of them really registering that there were no other ships of any kind moored. He was confident in his fighting abilities and his men, who were armed to the teeth and battle-hardened fighting experts. As he stepped through the final energy curtain that separated the mooring arm from the asteroid’s main concourse, he did wonder about the quiet ambiance, there was no one. None of the usual milling crowds. None of the stores that were right here were open. Ronald hefted his Raketen Gewehr differently and his white and red make up face with the painted on smile showed concern.

“Is there some sort of holiday? Where is everyone?” The Botnaar, listening to the name of Gerz having blue and white makeup in his frightening face and similar colored markings on his suit shared Ronald’s concerns.

“Something is very wrong here!” A huge Saturnian stepped in their way, wearing what looked like the very latest Quasimodo destroyer suit, holding a full-sized TKU landing tank cannon.

“No, sir’s everything will be alright. In the name of the United Stars of the Galaxies, and by the authority invested in me by the Assembly of the Union. I hereby place you, Nick Harlequin and all associates of the Nick Harlequin Inc. under arrest.”

“While he said that, fifty Union Marines in similar suits aiming their SITKUs shimmered into existence. Ronald had his weapon at the ready managed to fire. A three burst of rockets left his expensive weapon, but all three micro missiles stopped in mid-flight and kept hanging in midair. Nick did not even notice the black haired human teenager, wearing an all-black version of a Quasimodo. He only had eyes for the Saturnian giant.

“This is outrageous! I am a Union citizen and this is not Union space.”

I felt like a dwarf as I stepped around my security chief.

“This installation and its operators have by deed and association plotted and engaged in hostile activities against Union assets within declared Union space. These hostile actions were declared to be an act of war by the Assembly and ratified by a Union-wide vote. This facility has been placed under Union control and is thus Union territory. You are implicated in a large number of crimes, including alleged genocide, Mil-Tech trade and the possession of prohibited weapons without possessing proper licenses. Furthermore, a member of your company has been identified as the main suspect in an act of piracy against an official Union vessel.

“Nick became very angry and his complexion under his white make up changed as he yelled.

“I have five Merrimac destroyers filled with an entire regiment of battle-trained mercenaries. You little blonde bitch better think twice and let me go on. Your marines do not impress me.

“Marines be so kind and impress the gentleman. Reduce his companionship.”

“Yes, Admiral Sir. I got Nick Harlequin and all of his men in custody. Well, what is left of them. My Marines were able to impress him after all. Brhama Port is under my control. There is significant ancient tech, apparently of Orlan origin. The nearby travel gate or wormhole structure is, according to my Science officer controlled by a device that is of similar but not the same origin. Do you want me to activate the PHRS-PANDORA device?” “Good Lord, McElligott gave you one of those?” “No, Sir we have twenty.

“I am sending a battle group. We’re taking over management of Brhama Port. Wait for them to arrive. Secure the PHRS-PANDORA device and if you can, never use any of them.”

“Aye Sir. Will I have to go after Nick and his men in a year or so?” “Frankly I don’t know. I am not Judge or Jury, and neither should you be. I agree it is frustrating that the pirates and the Worm agents escaped, but we should not let our emotions guide our actions. If I did that, the Kermac would be history long ago and I would be Emperor of the Union. I trust you and to be honest, I like you like a son ... or a daughter now. We gave you a terrible instrument of war and it appears the other Admiral gave you tools and weapons no one should have because we know you can be trusted with those. Erica, go after the escaped prisoners and kill if you must, but just not if you can.”

I swallowed because he was right.

“Aye Sir, I see your point and will heed your advice.”

“Any idea where those escapees went?” “Not for certain, but Nick Harlequin and Kirku Bassett are both of the opinion that N’Ger would be the most likely port of call.”

“Alright, keep after them. I want to know who pulled the strings. I really despise Nick and his crazy outfit but making such a blatant mistake is not him.”

“I’ll keep an open mind and follow the trail wherever it leads.”

“The Thirteenth is closest, Battlegroup 13 Red Alpha is on its way. Their ETA is four days.”

Richard closed the connection and leaned back. McElligott had given her one of the most controversial and quite secret weapons, the PHRS-PANDORA. He personally refused to even stock it in any of his ships or bases. He knew the Space Force kept a supply in the form of warheads, but its use was to be Assembly Approved and as a last-ditch effort. He was in his office at Arsenal IV, overseeing the refit of the USS Dominator and the integration of the Lyric battleships. Erica’s gift turned out to be a logistical nightmare of Russian Nesting doll character. The Karmat came with nine Lyric battleships. Each Lyric had hundreds of Seenian frigates, cruisers and thousands of destroyers and smaller craft. While the gift represented a value of many Trillion dollars and increased the fighting strength of the entire Union fleet in a considerable way; while it made bureaucrats and logistics officers, chief of them Admiral McElligott salivate, it wasn’t him. Even though he had plans to give the Dominator to Harris, and once again take command of his beloved Devastator. There was Seenian Technology inside those Lyrics and the Karmat, he had to deal with. The Dominator, for example, had a vault with 500,000 Casern type Battle robots, while they were accepting him as command giver because Erica gifted the ship to him. They represented a terrible source of power, he was still contemplating what to do with them. He then realized he was no longer alone. His future wife was one of those beings, but she had kept her word and used doors, the entity that stepped out of the deep shadows that were past his desk lamp would have caused fear in many, but he knew the being and considered it almost a friend. As much as a simple human could be friends with a god-like entity that is. The Narth Supreme said with his deep voice.

“I consider you a friend; at least as much as a simple Narth can be to the one they call the Eternal Warrior.”

“To you, I am just an infant, hardly anything even remotely eternal. Not that I came up with this rather silly title.”

“I find it quite befitting, and where does an eternity begin? It is certainly a concept that is not linear but Omni-inclusive.”

“And there you are, trying to share your wisdom and I am unable to really comprehend.”

“She is no longer the same, isn’t she?” Stahl, of course, knew what the Narth Supreme meant.

“She appears to be the same, but I feel her approach to things has changed.”

“The Dark One has stirred in her before, but without her conscious knowledge. On Thana Shoo it stirred and rose to the surface. Erica is now aware of the Dark One and he is no longer sleeping, that what is Eric is now firmly bonded with what is the Dark One. Tyr has lost control over Dark Blade, it is with her and so is Bereaver. She no longer forgets the ring.

“What are you saying? Do we need to contain her somehow?” “No force can contain what is in her. If the current vessel is destroyed or killed, the prophecy ends and so does all existence as we know it. No one, not even the Voice knows what will happen then. I came to assure you my support as you are the Rock and the foundation. She will eventually go her separate way from Eric who is the Dark One, but both Eric and Erica love and respect you. Keep what I reveal to you close to you and remain the guide to a human child that will evolve into an entity, even the Voice of the Rule calls a god. Its first incarnation was evil and darkness ultimate, but there are indications its new awakening will be tempered by the strongest force of all the Omniverse. A force we Narth had to rediscover, you humans call it love.”

The Battlegroup was still at least a day out and I was actually sitting behind the desk that once belonged to Myra Bassett. I didn’t have much leisure time for sure, as we officially occupied the asteroid under Assembly Authority. I had defacto became the governor of the occupying force. Union laws and regulations, I didn’t even know existed but Narth had no problem quoting were quite specific as what I had to do. For one I had to speak with representatives of miners, of the Bassett family, of merchants and business owners. Mining owners wanted to know about the status of their claims. Thankfully I had a Yeoman who was a walking law library. I had just dismissed the elected spokesperson of the bar and tavern owners. Assuring them that there were no plans to kill everyone and that they could do business as usual. Lease and rent contracts would be pending but most likely less than before and they would have to register as Union businesses. That I told them a white lie, because I had planned to indeed kill them all, was due to the talk I had with the Admiral. I leaned back and listened into myself, had I really planned to kill them all? Yes, the Bassetts were a sore, criminal bunch but Stahl was right. I was not their judge, I was a Union Officer and not an executioner motivated by my own mood and feelings.

“Yes, you are the executioner. The ultimate judge of all that lives. You are the final answer, the end of all things. Decay and oblivion. The anti-light and the force that vanquishes what is created.

“These words came from within and I knew they were true.

“You killed and destroyed the floating rocks. It was you who obliterated the Itheamh mountain village and it was you who killed over a thousand beings at Thana Shoo, many with a mere thought. You did because You and I are the same. We are one.

“I want to resist you. I want to remain human. How can I live knowing I will be you? I hold honor, respect and duty sacred. I love Shea. I love Narth and Har-Hi. I love my friends and my ship.”

“You are me! What you become is your choice, the time of our awakening is not so distant anymore.”

“I sighed deeply and realized, Har-Hi had come in and with him was a smudgy, slightly overweight man with a miner’s helmet in his beefy hands. I straightened myself and smiled. I had changed into my Union uniform and said.

“You might not recognize me Mikesh, but I recognize you.

“He turned his worried face to my Dai XO and said.

“How does she know me? I didn’t do anything criminal.

“Why don’t you ask her?” He suggested. He came to my desk.

“Ms. Union Captain, I heard a pirate named Black Velvet came about the same time you came. If you have her in custody, I want to vouch for her, she has a good heart and I didn’t do anything that would concern you mighty Union Bullies anyway!” His voice became more resolute as he went on.

“Mikesh, what you just said warms my heart indeed. I am Black Velvet, it is sort of an undercover alter ego. Not that I am sure it will be much of an undercover thing after this.

“He squinted his eyes and bend over the desk to look at me closer.

“Syrigh na Plaska, you do have her eyes.”

He then blinked.

“So you fooled me back then, and I made a fool of myself trying to get a good word in. We all know how you Unions deal with pirates.

“He moved his thumb across his throat and made a gnarling sound.

“That’s the price you take, killing civilians and raiding Union ships, but I know for a fact you are nothing but a hardworking miner, and I just found out a brave one.

“She, well you saved my life from those good for nothing thugs. So I owed ... well I thought I owe you that much.”

“Mikesh, I let you be the new asteroid owner, but I doubt you would want it.”

“No, not really. I still own my roid?” “Of course.”

“I don’t think the Union will have much use for Kalimun.”

“There are still plenty of societies that do. Not much will change, except there will be law and order I imagine.”

Again he leaned closer.

“Hey I! If you are Black Velvet, I told you I put those weird things aside if I ever find something else, remember?” “I do. You found something?” “Yes, another chamber, with the oddest things. Want to see it?” “Lead the way, Mikesh. Har-Hi why don’t you be the Occupation Administrator for a while? I am sure Narth will gladly assist you with all the regulations that come with that.

“Spirits of the Universe, I had to walk in here.”

“It might prevent you from biting another Kermac.”

He grimaced and took my seat, while I followed Mikesh the miner. Outside I said. “Still flying that thing we took the last time?” He grinned.

“No, I upgraded. You, messing up the brawlers of Ilkesh and smashing the fighters he sent after you put him on the bad track with the Old Bird and I was left alone. I bought myself a real Tullerman Dinghy.

“Odin help!” I whispered. I had hoped never to see one of those again.

Truth to be told, the Dinghy was much faster than his previous ride and we made it to his roid in just under an hour. We bounced down the same long rough carved corridors in the same vehicle. Even the smallest rut made the thing bounce like a wild Fangsnapper due to the very low gravity.

“A genuine Union starship captain you are, eh?” “Yep and this is no undercover identity either.”

“Hard to fake anyway. Even out here, you guys have a stellar reputation. We all think your Union’s are big bullies, with all your super tech and transloco cannon things. But there is respect for Union Captains and now I know one.”

“He kept on talking about my last visit too, and how he was bragging to the other miners about me visiting his roid. I was sure we drove a good deal longer than last time, but we finally reached a dead end, with the same yellow digging machine, anchored before a wall. This time I spotted the door frame he had found. I also instantly recognized the white skull symbol. The same winged and fanged skull, that appeared on my ring and my ax. The cold voice inside my mind spoke to me.

“The sigil of the Dark One.”

Mikesh, of course, did not hear those words, he pointed at the door.

“Whatever it is made of, it wore down the toughest digging teeth and didn’t take a scratch. It resisted cutting lasers and even explosives, but for whatever reason, it clicked open just a few days ago.”

“The door was open just enough for a man to squeeze in, but as I approached it swung wide open and revealed a chamber like room, that was not unlike the Chamber of Things, just much smaller. I counted twenty alcoves, about big enough to accommodate an adult human, and some of these alcoves were exactly what I suspected them to be, the final resting place of humanoid beings. From the looks of it, they must have been there for a very long time. Even much of their bones had deteriorated to dust. The center of the room was a pedestal and upon it rested a loop like thing, black about three inches wide. Like a Deep Fish to light, I was drawn to it. I did hear Mikesh say something but I paid no attention. I touched it, and I knew it was one of those things that belonged to my true self. It was my belt, and without conscious thought I girded it around my waist. I had no visible closure or any kind of belt buckle. Two footlong cylinders, perhaps an inch in diameter appeared side by side on the right side of the belt, just like holsters for a stick like weapons. And containers they were, I touched one and Dark Blade grew in an eye blink into my fist. The same touch to the other one formed Bereaver’s handle right into my hand, another willful touch returned these weapons back into the stick like attachment of the belt. Oh yes, nothing existed in all the Omniverse that could stand against the Dark One. I did not lose consciousness or forget what occurred as before when I found the ring, but my mind returned to a clear state. I noticed Mikesh kneeling and shivering in fear. He tried to find words and I encouraged him to get on his feet.

“You have nothing to fear, Mikesh.”

“You...”

He uttered.

“You are not human. What ... who are you?” I wanted to say Erica Olafson, but I answered.

“I am the Dark One.”

The same voice I heard at Thana Shoo spoke without a real source.

“You are not yet complete. You are yet a shadow of what you will become. Eight more tokens must be reunited with you.”

“Voice, I will become the Dark One, but I am not ready, I am growing darker by the day and yet I know I am in control. There must be someone I can ask for advice. Maybe I gain understanding eventually but perhaps too late.

“There are many who want to give you advice and gain your favor and perhaps influence you towards their ideology and doctrine, you made the first steps towards true control. I am the Voice of the Rule and must remain impartial, but this advice I can give. Eventually, Eric will be the Dark One, but not Erica, until that time has come, and all twelve aspects have been reunited, you are in charge. Remember this, a female does not have to be passive, you are in control.”

“Then how do I be me?” “Take control.”

Mikesh came shaking to his feet.

“This is your cave and all this too?” “No, I have what I need, my friend.”

Chucky was now certain that this was not such a good idea as it appeared before. At first, it was a great opportunity with enough profit to step out of his brother’s shadow and start his own outfit. The groundwork was planned with great detail. First, the computronic of the Meteor freighter. It was easy to alter the computronic during maintenance. To change the prisoner transfer orders seemed more difficult at first, but it was just a matter of a little innocent bribery in form of an opulent breakfast and while the administration staff enjoyed a breakfast, courtesy of the actually non existing Administrative Office System Inc. a skillful system manipulator altered the documents right at the prisoner management administration. No one ever really questioned the numbers and orders. That he overlooked the Takkian was a small but horrible mistake. The cursed Siliconoid was immune to the Spore gas and had time to use GalNet. Now he was on the run, not just from Union hunters but he was certain his own brother was in hot water and most likely hot on his trail. His men were on the verge of mutiny, as they now realized that Nick did not know about this caper as Chucky had told them and that things looked grim. It turned out that none of the people he liberated had concrete plans where to go or what to do next. He could not understand why someone would spend many millions of credits and Polos to stage one of the biggest prisoner escapes in Union history, without contacting or needing any of the prisoners. The Kermac might be interested in a few of the former Union officers, but had no interest in pirates. The Togar did not care about a male Togar pirate, that operated as a free agent for decades. Even Lia, the Bassett found out it wasn’t her father who had paid for her release. He did provide her with a very nice Togar built and Union refurbished battlecruiser and a substantial sum of Iridium chips to start anew, but he urged her to leave the Shattered system as fast as possible, knowing well that this is where anyone looking for them would start looking. Now, they had landed on N’Ger. Knowing they could not stay here for long. They needed fuel and provisions and decide what to do. They all, the twenty mercenaries that came with Chucky, and the eighty-four former pirates and prisoners that had thrown their lot with Lia had congregated in a loose circle right between the two ships. Lia was first to speak.

“We are fugitives. As gigantic as this galaxy is, there aren’t as many places for us to go. The Karthanians have closed their space to all foreigners. Kaliment and N’Ger are no permanent ports for us. The Downward sector has just been discovered by the Union so to speak with several new member societies.

“One of the liberated pirates, he had flown with Crimson before stepped into the loose circle.

“I just come from the Lokta merchant house city. Because the Lokta House is run by an offshoot of the Golden, there is GalNet.

“There is an arrest warrant for all leading members of Nick’s Harlequins and they released all our names with huge bounties on all escapees.

“One of Chucky’s men drew his weapon and aimed it at Chucky.

“You liar got us into this, I think I collect the bounty on your head and before Chucky could completely draw his weapon he was hit by eight energy blasts. Very little remained of Nick Harlequin’s kid brother. Now everyone drew weapons Two sides developed. On one side the liberated pirates and worm agents. On the other side the remaining mercenaries. Lia said.

“We owe you our freedom, but we will not allow you to collect our bounty.

“The Harlequin man said.

“I am taking the Merrimac and go right back, maybe Tirkov Steen is hiring. This outfit is burned.”

The battle group had arrived led by Admiral Erhardsen. The Admiral met me in the former office of Myra and after we had exchanged the proper military courtesies, he took off his duckbill hat, put it under his arm and gave me a warm smile.

“Looks like the 13th Red Alpha did not come out for nothing. My recon units tell me the Togar are curious and a fleet is heading this way. I frowned.”

“I am sorry; I know I promised the Eternal Warrior not to start any wars.

“Not to worry, Captain Olafson. I am with the 13th fleet for a long time. We are stationed right at the edge so to speak. I know this region and our feline friends. They are not going to be very eager to start a war with us. I am certain they accept our explanation and return.”

“I yield to your experience, Admiral, Sir.”

“Now, I personally wanted to do something about the Bassett situation for a long time, what about the Bassetts?” “Unfortunately, Myra Bassett did not survive the sudden decompression of her office.

“I pointed at the metal patch, Cirruit had welded over the emergency foam sealed hole.

“Both her grandsons and a number of surviving family members are currently in custody.”

He put his cover on my table and swiped his right hand over his immaculate hair.

“Splendid, we have prepared for this and have contingency plans. It seems Xen Tech and NAVINT want to have a closer look at the ancient alien tech and the wormhole gate as well.”

“What do you think will happen to this place?” “I think our Union Army will establish a permanent occupation post. The system declared a territory. Known criminals will be prosecuted. Those without records can resume their business, but I doubt we will permit pirates to use this place as a safe haven.

I thanked him and said.

“I guess there is always Dyne. They might see an increase in business.”

He took the seat I had vacated.

“True, that it seems you are not new to this region of space.”

“Unfortunately not, Admiral.”

The former lieutenant of Crimson had more bad news.

“Brhama Port is overtaken by the Union. I just heard a rumor that the old bird is dead and both Kirku and Eklir are in Union custody. I am not sure if they find enough on Eklir, but your father Kirku dealt with Mil-Tech plenty of times. They really don’t like that.”

Lia knew that it was her escape that triggered the downfall of a five hundred year family business and the death of the old bird was on her hands.

“They will come here, every bounty hunter of every nation and society will search for us. Shiss, Kermac, Nul, Oghr, and Togar. The lure of so many credits will bring them all out.”

Meateater and the rest looked to her for answers and the smudgy Oghr pirate grunted.

“So what will we do?” Her eyes looked into the distance.

“We leave this galaxy.

“To where?” Someone in the circle asked.

“I know of a trans-spatial gate that will take us to a distant galaxy. There is a King that will welcome us and give us a home. Far away from Union, Shiss, Togar, and everything. Once there we can rest and decide how we spend our future.

Meateater rubbed his lantern chin.

“After a decade or two, the heat on us will have died down.”

After discussing their little options they all decided on Lia’s plan.”

Whenever I sat in my command chair, all my nagging doubts left me. The Tigershark has jumped into Quasi-Space, only moments after we had left Brhama Port. Har-Hi with crossed arms standing behind Helm at the lower tier of our bridge.

“Another one down.”

Shea said. “Technically they did not join, though.

“But a fair number died.”

Har-Hi chuckled and turned to look at me.

“Got to hand it to you captain. We are living up to our reputation.”

Mao said. “We are heading to N’Ger. Who knows what they call the place when we leave?” “We are after escaped prisoners and their associates. There is reason to believe they went to N’Ger, we have no business with the planet population. We didn’t spend much time there last time.”

Our Yeoman with the flaming red hair handed me my ugly skull cup. I thanked her and said.

“Ms. O’Connell, we are not pirates anymore. Should I not get my coffee in a nice, clean Union fleet ceramo plast cup?” “If you wish, Captain.”

Narth said.

“Everyone can have coffee in a Union Fleet Ceramo plast cup. That skull mug matches your character much better, Captain.”

Elfi said. “And I am not the only one missing seeing you in that Black leather suit. Sure Uniform looks nice, but that look had become sort of a trademark.”

Our Golden grinned. “A sexy trademark for sure. I made a killing on the Black Velvet action figure collection.”

I tried to change the subject, while I petted Fenris who had showed up with the Yeoman.

“What do we know about N’Ger anyway?” Sobody pulled up a holo of the planet and said.

“It is an independent planet in the Upward Sector of the M-0 Galaxy, taking the Galactic Core as a reference point and looking at it from the Z plane, N’Ger is Galactic West and south of the Togar and Jooltar regions of space. N’Ger, its sun and a handful of stars are located in a region still known as Wedmar’s Triangle. Wedged between the Jooltar, Togar and the Shattered Kingdoms.”

I paid attention to Sobody; his knowledge about the historical and political connections was invaluable and actually quite interesting. He kept speaking.

“Being between three big and still expanding space-faring civilizations and within reach of a dozen small ones N’Ger developed into the focal point of commerce and politics. It became a melting pot of cultures. N’Ger is famous and known through all four sectors of the Galaxy. The planet is the second world in orbit about Eller, an orange main sequence star. It is a dry world, but not as dry as Alvor’s Cove, there is surface water, two very salty oceans and a diverse biosphere that apparently developed out of Thiobacillus. The local sentients are the Byki, generally known as Yellow Heads. The planet’s name is derived from the native language that includes a clicking sound.

“I took a sip of my coffee, expecting him to tell us more, and since we were in transit, and the scanners showed nothing artificial, I let him give his little lecture. He had stood up and used images, SHIP supplied to illustrate what he was telling us about.

“Long time ago, the Ongloran Federation made first contact with the Byki. The Ongloran assisted with the Ascent and technological advances. This region of space always saw much violence, wars, and fighting. That’s when Emperor Wedmar, an Oghr established a small corridor of protected space, as a buffer zone between the Togar, Jooltar and Oghr kingdoms. It was protected by Oghr military might and was called the Wedmar Triangle. While nothing but the name remains today. Wedmar’s Triangle remains sort of a mutually accepted neutral region. N’Ger at the center of that triangle became a place of trade and rich in the process. Eleven Merchant houses established their own House communities, so-called Merchant House Cities, all of which are centered around the Glaring Desert of Profit. A large salt flat with markets, slums, small communities, and landing fields. The Eleven Merchant House Cities and the Emperor of the Byki rule the system and the planet and enforce local law.”

He pointed to Har-Hi.

“You heard about the Dai that live here. The Ug-Ka Dai, their Dai Mother has been in orbit around N’Ger for centuries. While they are officially Okthi and their heart is dead, Dai Fighters are the main reason, no raid or attack on N’Ger was ever successful. But now since the Golden joined, and the Karthanians are soon to follow, the importance of the planet is declining.”

I had finished most of my coffee.

“You certainly would be missed, my Golden friend. I enjoyed that actually and if we fly together a few more decades, I won’t be the same ignoramus I realize I still am.”

He sighed with a smile.

“Captain, that would be the answer to my greatest wishes. Flying with you all for a few decades.”

He gestured around.

“Sobody’s Seat is a place of opulent luxury and I considered it my home. It is my home no longer, but this is.”

Krabbel agreed. “I feel the same way.”

“Mao wanted to say something too, but his face became all business.

“Captain, we got a contact that just appeared on the scanner horizon. I am certain it is a Merrimac.”

Har-Hi said.

“There aren’t many Merrimacs to be expected in this region, but one that is missing from Nick’s collection.”

I agreed and said.

“It has an active MALS and most likely Loki torpedoes, Battle stations! Activate weapons and shields. Let’s pull her out of Quasi and ask a few questions.”

We didn’t have to fight the Merrimac destroyer. The mercenaries immediately signaled surrender. They all were Union citizens, and according to Hans, checking the files. They did have a notice to appear issued, but were still citizens and not yet charged with anything. The ship was bristling with illegal mil-tech, but it was registered to Nick Harlequin and not to any of the surrendering mercenaries. They also reported the demise of Chucky Harlequin and wanted to know if there was any bounty to be collected.

They did have, what was left of Chucky in a small container.

After we interrogated them, we had to wait for a Battle Cruiser sent by Admiral Erhardsen who was to tow the confiscated Merrimac and take the Mercenaries back to Union side for legal processing and all that.

Har-Hi stood by the entrance to the extended Flex tunnel connecting us to the USS Wargo, a sizeable Typhoon class Battlecruiser and watched the last mercenary leave.

He said to me.

“You know all this regular fleet business is nice, but if I am honest, I miss our pretend to be pirate days. Seems our Yeoman with her legal expertise is the busiest department aboard.”

“I know what you are saying, but this is what we are my friend. Union Fleet officers! And once they decide to take us off X-Fleet and NAVINT, we might just get assigned to a number fleet and do regular patrol duty.

Cirruit who came to retract the flex tunnel and close the hatch, said while he opened the flex tunnel control panel.

“I think they will find plenty of special missions for us. We are already in open space and there is still lots of unexplored space past N’Ger. We just scratched a little Coreward space after all.”

Har-Hi said. “Maybe we should resume our disguise as pirates when we land on N’Ger. I think we might get more information that way instead of showing up as Union officials.”

I agreed with that.

“SHIP get me on ship-wide, please.”

“You’re on, Captain.”

“Our XO just made a valid point regarding N’Ger.”

I explained to my crew what he just suggested and added.

“Let’s get back in pirate mode.”

Lia had christened her new ship and called it the ‘New Horizon’. The Shiss were not interested in helping her, despite the fact she had been their eyes and ears during the Seenian quest. The First Nestling made it quite clear to her that he was not only disappointed in her lack of success securing that Seenian depot for the Shiss, but was also concerned about the new Union-Nul alliance and did not want to be seen helping and assisting convicted pirates. The Shiss, through their agents, followed the Assembly proceedings with great concern. The First Nestling did give her the option to find refuge within the Shiss Empire, but her alone.

She was not prepared to abandon the others, and thus was her idea to leave the M-0 galaxy via an active trans spatial gate, that an associate of her father had discovered a few decades ago.

The gate connected M-0 with a dwarf spheroidal galaxy about 690,000 light-years away. She had not been there herself, but that friend of her father had been and spoke very favorable about the Farnok, a space-faring species that occupied a world not far from the receiving gate. That associate of her father had given all kinds of information about the Farnok King, who would welcome them.

Lia and those with her did not have all that many options. Neither of them had any plans or expected to escape the executioner. They could not return to the Union and to them, any destination was better than what they faced if they were caught here.

That trans-spatial gate was now right ahead, and while their sensors returned little useful data. They did show it to be active.

What was different from her last ship and crew? She had real Union fleet personnel, even two officers available and while they fell from grace by dealing with and for the Worm, they still had the excellent training and expertise all Union Fleet members had. They were efficient, knowledgeable and were able to read the scanner data much better than anyone she had before.

Julkus, a genuine Lieutenant Commander or more precisely, a former one, said.

“That trans-spatial gate is active and bleeds exotic particles all over the place.”

The former Togar pirate captain, now her first mate growled.

“Going through is still better than seeing the hooded head of an executioner before all goes dark. Let’s do it.”

Lia slowly nodded.

“Helm, center on that bluish energy and accelerate.”

Seeing my crew in their now so accustomed pirate outfits made me think about Har-Hi’s words just a little while ago. I could almost feel the mood of the entire crew being much more content. There was a flair of confident happiness.

Narth spoke into my mind.

“You are getting more attuned to your psionic abilities, you sensing the general mood just as I do. Your crew is just like the Tigershark, as it was said, not meant to be a ship of the line or for regular assignments. They have all been assigned the first time, this time they all volunteered and requested to be back with this ship and under your command.”

Shaka had taken us down after we learned that the landing field was maintained by all of the merchant houses, and there was no spaceport control. Each of the merchant cities had their own rules and customs.

The landing field was an extremely flat surface of a dried out salt lake and part of what Sobody told us was the Glaring Desert of Profit.

As we stomped down the landing ramp, my beloved Tigershark once more looked like a Karthanian armed trader. To Sobody, I said. “This should be your kind of place, a Desert of Profit of all places. Where would you go for the information we seek, I assume there are hundreds of taverns and watering holes.”

“There are indeed. Each Merchant house enclave has them, and there are many independent ones right here among the tents and stalls of the travelers.”

“A bit like Jarsumat, I suppose.”

“Only on the surface, the independent merchants are not organized and there is always a lot of competitive aggression all the way to murder and kidnapping. The houses are well organized and there are always shifting alliances, but in general, they leave each other alone.”

He put his hand over his eyes to shade them against the glaring light of the sun.

“As for your other question. I think we should be able to find a Gnorfi.”

Looking to Har-Hi I spread my arms.

“You heard him, it is easy. All you have to do is find a Gnorfi.”

Shea giggled.

“You don’t know what a Gnorfi is, right?”

“Uhm, not exactly. Do you?”

“Gnorfi is a Squawk term for a beggar, the organized kind.”

I asked. “There are organized ones?”

“Oh yes,” Shea said.

“There are guilds and associations. Some even beyond just one planet.”

TheOther said. “I think Hans scared one of those. He is still running.”

The Y’All pointed at a ragged-looking humanoid being, using a cane running in a limping way away from us.

“Why has it to be me? I think it was Ortbeer.”

“If a Gnorfi is a beggar, I am sure there are more,” I said.

“There is a Golden enclave here.” Sobody said.

“They are not fully associated with us, but they eagerly became Union. Their leader, Lokta is a friend of mine. Maybe he knows something.”

“Alright, I learned my lesson last time. Just be careful and don’t go alone.”

“Can I take Warner?”

“Yes, but I was also thinking perhaps Hans, Xon, a few Marines perhaps?”

“Alright, Xon care for a visit to the odd cousins of ours?”

“Lead the way, Merchant of Merchants.”

The chief merchant of the N’Ger Golden, Lokta had stepped out on his balcony. It was high up above his merchant city and from here, he had a great view over the Glaring Desert of Profit. His balcony was well above the city wall and he could see into the compound of the N’mno to the South West and the Boluren to the North. While he and his Golden had long split from the space-born Golden long ago and went their separate way. They weren’t enemies and still kept good contact.

The conditions had not changed for many thousand years, but much had happened in the last three standard years.

His space-born cousins had suddenly abandoned their legendary neutrality and joined a mega society known even here on N’Ger as the mighty Union. At first, it seemed a crazy and not very well thought out move, but he had changed his mind as he heard, old Sobody had planned for this for decades and had put policies and new laws in place that were all geared towards an easy transition. His informants told him that the Golden profits soared, that the Union went out of their way to seek out even the most distant and presumed lost Golden outpost to bring them the marvelous gifts of that mega society. After hearing all this, he asked his inner council to consider such a move as well.

Now, just about six months ago, the N’Ger Golden were accepted as Union members.

He had traveled for the first time off-planet and went all the way to an almost mystical place called Pluribus Unum. He and his delegation were not received like a little unimportant group, but with the same warmth and professional welcome as the mighty Nul received, just a little earlier.

The best part in his opinion was the fact that they were considered their own independent society.

Now he had seen footage of the Welcome Wagons that left for Nul planets and compared to these humongous fleets of freighters, the one coming to N’Ger was insignificant. Yet the entire planet was still speaking about the Gulliver freighter that arrived. So big it had to land in one of the salt oceans.

He also had to confess that his little Golden enclave had peddled around all these centuries, now business was booming. Orders and deals made via GalNet terminals sending wares as far as the Andromeda Galaxy made his merchant’s heart beat faster.

He was not alone, the Chief merchant of the Boluren was here for his monthly visit and a game of Pukto. The Karthanian now also stepped out and he too looked over the desert, over the Merchant city of the Golden and his own to the North.

“I can see the difference quite clearly,” his guest and rival said.

“Your city is bursting with activity. I see much construction. Mine is a quiet place indeed and the city of the N’mno looks pitiful and dirty. Maybe I too should consider.”

“I am predicting N’Ger will fade into unimportance. I doubt there will be much left, other than Byki settlements. Wedmar’s Triangle has already lost its meaning, there are Oghr kingdoms planning to become Union. I am sure the Jooltar will make an application very soon, they don’t feel too safe with the Togar now deprived of their main enemy, the Karthanians.”

Boluren, or technically Boluren, the 56th, put his long spidery fingers on the handrail.

“I share your vision. My xenophobic brethren have regained the wisdom and guidance of the First Engineer and realized just what a gigantic market for their ships, the Union would be. I have it on good authority, the First Engineer is talking to Mothermachine of the X101 and I see a Karthanian delegation at Pluribus making an application.

“The Karthanian turned so his left eye faced the Golden.

“I will ask my council to do the same as you, and we will leave N’Ger.”

“You will?”

“Yes old rival, I was told we can get an entire planet from the Office of Colonist Affairs. There is one in the Andromeda galaxy. No Golden or other Karthanian competition so far, if my sources are correct. We will still deal with ships and ship parts, but have a world for ourselves. No bickering and fighting and we just might be one of the first independent dealers there.”

Lokta was about to return inside when he saw a genuine Nul approaching his cities gates. This massive bruiser of a species renowned for their fighting abilities focused his attention that he almost overlooked the small humanoid walking right beside him.

It was Boluren who pointed out the little fury being riding on the head of the Nul.

“If I am not mistaken, there is a Holdian riding on that huge Nul.

“The Karthanian made a whistling sound.

“We conceive them as bullies and arrogant, but I think it really is jealousy. This is the Union miracle, a grey Nul, and a Holdian apparently friends.”

“Not to mention the Merchant of Merchants himself, Boluren. You are about to meet perhaps the richest individual in the Galaxy and certainly the shrewdest. That small man walking next to the Nul is no other than Sobody the Golden.”

The group of beings watching the crew of the Silver Streak assemble at the lower end of their landing ramp, were local thugs and two pirates. Both pirates were Jooltar and kept their business well below Freespace. Some unexplainable, but noticed purge of the top players in the pirate business.

Fartias, the Rotten and captain of the Mangy Menace was the last who joined that group, coming out of the Cool Spot tavern. He, like the others, had heard the powerful whine of very strong ArtiGravs. The whine of these modules was almost like a melody. Whoever aligned and maintained those AG lifters had fine-tuned them with a masterful hand. Fartias wasn’t an engineer, but a spacer all his life. Evaluating AGs by the sound they made was something like second nature.

He held a mug of Jolt-Liq and pointed with it at the towering ship.

“So that is the Silver Streak, doesn’t look much at the first glance, but Horku be named I have never heard better tuned AG lifters in all my life.”

The other Jooltar went by the name of Sessut and his ship was the Slick Deal.

“You would sniff the butt of a ninety-year-old Orkh-Ogr who never bathed in his life for a ship like that.”

He curled his chaps.

“I know, I would. I saw her coming down, her engineer is a genius for sure, but I’d settle for that helmsman. Dropping that giant, just a fraction under suicide speed and landing it like a feather. That takes skill.”

The three others were Rogler, a Togar without a merchant house affiliation and keeping himself busy by doing odd jobs, none of them the legal kind you talked about. Wurkem Gasko, a Kathk Oghr who had to leave because he was hired to cause accidents among the Union science team that had been invited by the new Democratic Government.

And there was Equalar, a Basil. The Basil are the only species, banned from the Golden Bazaars, and Equalar was a living reminder why. The Basil consider themselves brothers of the Shiss, even though genetic evidence showed no connection at all. He too lived on N’Ger for a long time and in the same line of business as Rogler.

Rogler squinted his cat eyes and said.

“Roast me an Ult, there are Togar in her crew. That male just coming down the ramp is one magnificent looking warrior.”

Equalar spread his leathery wings.

“I wonder what that black thing is that just landed on that huge four armed being.”

Sessut’s tail went between his legs and his ears went close to his skull.

“That is a real Y’All, the four-armed terror that is. I never have seen anything like that black animal beast.”

Fartias could not blame the other Jooltar for openly display fear. While he only knew the old legends and tales that were told about the last time the Y’All terrorized the galaxy, seeing a full size live Y’All convinced him they were true.

The diverse group of beings centered around a human female wearing black leather from head to toe. This was without a doubt, Captain Black Velvet. Her legend had been obscure and not many even remembered her, but that had changed in the last two or three years. She was quite likely the most successful and famous of the top pirates.

Rogler was thinking along the same lines as he said.

“That must be Black Velvet, she is the last one of the top ten most wanted. All the others are either dead or have disappeared.”

Equalar said.

“I have seen Lia Bassett and I am sure the stinky Oghr with her was Meateater. Both were successful and feared pirates. Now they are on the run and trying to reach a different galaxy altogether.”

Sessut noticed two Attikans being part of the group. They both wore black leather outfits and were armed with powerful looking weapons. He could read the body language of these distant cousins of the Jooltar just fine. Both Attikans were utterly devoted to that human female.

“I know where it is, that gate I mean. The region has changed so much lately, I even consider doing the same.”

He held up his paw-like hand.

“Sin 4 is gone. Alvor’s Cove is no longer a slaver’s world. The Karthanians have closed all access to their worlds. Now I hear Brhama Port is out of business.”

Fartias pointed at the Nul that was walking away.

“Who would have thought the Nul of all societies become Union? The Shiss are shaking in fear and the Togar are trying very hard not cause any attention.”

Wurkem participated for the first time in that conversation.

“My people will be Union soon. I heard the Dai are no longer a Union enemy either.”

Rogler, licked over his paw and smoothed the hair of his mane.

“I think I walk over there and ask her if she hires more crew. If what I see is any indication, then being a crewmate on that Rust bucket must be good.”

Fartias said.

“Togar, Y’All, Nul, Dai, Attikans, Humans and a bunch of beings I have no names for. They all seem to serve her with the utmost attention and dedication. I wish my crew of cutthroats would be even just half as dedicated.”

Equalar watched as the female human captain and several of her crew came walking this way. He also knew about the astronomical bounty on her head and wondered what he could do to separate her and capture or kill her.”

Narth and Fivecheer  quietly argued with each other as we had left the actual landing field and entered that merchant market and tumble mess of tents on a dusty three or four meters wide path.

“What are you squabbling about?” I asked with mild interest as I watched with amusement Krabbel and Cirruit approaching the very first sales stall.

Narth said.

“I am of the opinion that we no longer need to be here, as I isolated thoughts that tell us where Lia went, Fivecheer, however, thinks that we should verify that information in an alternative way and give our crew a chance to interact and enjoy a day or two on this world.”

Fivecheer shook his head.

“Not quite, Captain. I am of the opinion to find a second source of information to verify what Narth and I have found out from one mind. If in that process, a few of us can sample local culture and make some sociological observations, that would be beneficial.”

Narth said.

“You should also tell her that there are minds that seek to capture or kill her and us for the Union bounty.”

“Not that any of them has yet found a way to do that.”

“Guys, we are in a hurry. Lia and her cohorts may gain ground and get away.”

Narth crossed his arms.

“See!”

Fivecheer said.

“One of the minds we scanned belongs to a Basil and he thinks Lia and the rest went through a trans-spatial gate to leave this Galaxy for good and make a new start in a new one.”

I stopped walking and said.

“If it would be up to me alone, I might even be tempted to let her get away, but we have clear orders to apprehend her and find out who paid for all this. Someone paid an awful lot and now seems not interested in any of the escapees. Besides if that gate is not just one way, she could go back and forth all the time.”

“And the location of a working trans spatial gate that connects to another galaxy is of very high interest to our Union.

“Har-Hi said. “We need to check it out.”

“We also need directions, my friends. Her using it is one thing, us finding it another.”

Now it was Fivecheer crossing his arms. “See?”

== Chapter 17: Just a stop-edited version ==

We were just about to enter a semi-permanent looking tent. It was a tent alright, but had been expanded with more permanent masonry and looked as if it had been here for a very long time. A sign in common Freespace Squawk advertised it as the ‘Cool Spot Tavern’.

Har-Hi said. “If we ever get out of our current line of business, we are going to be in high demand as tavern and bar specialists. We always end up in one of these.”

“You got a point there, but where else should we go for information? I spend some of my childhood in a Tavern and Hogun’s Tavern also has been a place where local gossip was exchanged. I am certain, places like this where more than one society meet, are as universal as space itself.”

Between this tent and the next business, some kind of garment dealer was a narrow cluttered ally and from it in a blur of brown pelt, a small being appeared, fleeing or running from something. I was wearing Tyron and with me were Har-Hi, Narth, Fivecheer, TheOther, Cirruit, Krabbel, Shea and Ak Pure. Every one of my friends reacted with great speed, showing just how alert they were.

I had pulled my TKU as well.

TheOther had grabbed the running being by the neck, much like Midril held a Nubhir puppy to get it out if the kitchen. At a closer look, whatever TheOther caught even looked a little like a Nubhir.

Before we could even begin to sort things out, a big smudgy looking human without hair on his head, but holding a wicked looking whip in his right, and a shocker prod in his left, appeared in pursuit. The man wore a mix of clothing in many shades of desert brown and yellow, a wide belt and bulky looking boots.

“Hey you, Four-arms don’t let go of that mangy thief. I will teach this piece of shit how to obey.”

The pelted being TheOther had caught was actually almost man-sized, and it looked very much like a Jooltar, but wore no clothing at all, had bigger ears, sharp claws and a maw of pronounced fangs. The being looked terribly thin and undernourished.

Narth said.

“It is a juvenile, very hungry and full of anger.”

Whatever it was I sensed an unfair situation. Now as a rational adult Union captain, knowing her duty and her mission all I had to do was ignore this simple local affair and continue to obtain the missing information, but acting in a dutiful and sensible way was never me, neither as Eric nor now as Erica. I just hoped I would gain the necessary wisdom once I had to be that sinister entity I was destined to become.

I stepped before TheOther and thus between the young wild Jooltar and the unsavory bulky humanoid.

“Why are you chasing that Jooltar, may I ask?”

“No you may not, mind your own business nosy floozy.”

He could not have known that he had chosen the wrong words. Now I was firmly involved, I heard Har-Hi sigh behind me.

I said to the bald man.

“This is a member of my crew and that makes his my business. Now I ask this one more time. Why are you chasing that young Jooltar.”

While his choice of words was already a bad idea, uncoiling his whip and threatening me was certainly one of the dumbest choices of action he could have made. He barked.

“Must I spank sense in you? Tell that four armed monster of yours to break an arm or a leg of that cursed thief and drop it. I won’t repeat myself either. You won’t use your weapons in the open anyway.”

He was right, I didn’t use my TKU, but my Tyron enhanced strength lifted him clear of the ground as I kicked him between the legs, a move that had proven quite useful in my career so far.

“The next time you address me in any disrespectful manner, I kick you so hard, you choke on your own balls.”

Shea had covered her mouth with her hand. Har-Hi could not hide a painful look.

“Galactic spirits, that even looks painful.”

The bald-headed man was in no condition to say anything. He was lying on the dirty ground in a fetal position, vomiting.

I turned and said to the thin Jooltar.

“I guess you took something that belonged to him?”

The juvenile did not answer, he tried to claw me and kicked TheOther.

“Is he hurting you?” I asked.

“Oh no, Captain.”

To the Jooltar boy, I said.

“No one is going to hurt you, I plan to feed you a decent meal and let you go. I doubt that chubby merchant friend of yours won’t do much chasing for a while. You speak Squawk, right?”

Narth came closer and said.

“He is a Wild Jooltar, much stronger and faster than the Jooltar. They are sentient but their techno level is below TL B. They do know about fire but only use it to heat their dens during the winter. Slavers often sneak on Jooltar planets and capture Wild Jooltar for Fight arenas. They are highly sought after for that reason.”

“Does he understand me?”

“Yes he understands the language, but not the situation and he wants to fight everyone and everything, and has a hard time ignoring his fear. It appears fear or admitting to fear, is the core taboo of his society.”

I did not want to fight yet another being. This whole affair was trivial and not important. It distracted us from our real mission.

Whatever was in me was no longer asleep, just in some dormant state. The dry cold voice was now familiar to me, it was my own ... it was Eric’s voice as it would sound if he was an adult and spoke without any positive emotion coloring his voice.

“You do not have to fight him, you are fear incarnate. The fool at Outpost 96 saw the all-consuming flames of darkness. Friend Har-Hi glimpsed it, as he fought me.”

I had come to the same conclusion, thinking about these events. I had always carried this terrible thing in me.

“Release him, TheOther.

“I could hear my own voice as it came out of my mouth. It was mine and yet it was the voice of something else.

I drew my sword.

“Young Jooltar, yield, and succumb or you will know what fear is indeed.”

The wild and aggressive Jooltar did not run, but he dropped to his knees and the noises he made sounded almost like those of a Nubhir puppy when it was afraid.

TheOther looked at me and said.

“Captain, you taught me what fear is and I wasn’t even the focus of your anger this time.”

Shea asked.

“What did just happen?”

Har-Hi said with a hoarse voice.

“I am not sure any of us really want an answer.”

The transition was much less spectacular than anyone anticipated, the trans-spatial journey lasted over five seconds according to the chronometers, but to the minds of everyone aboard, no measurable, feel-able time had passed. One of the well-educated former Union officers suspected that the transition utilized a trans-spatial short cut through a medium with a different time constant.

It made sense somehow, but to most, his explanation and the accompanied equations were inaccessible and incomprehensible.

To Lia, it illustrated just how far advanced the Union was compared to others, and what a huge step just one Techlevel represented. They had just used technology beyond Union capabilities and according to her navigator, really did travel 690,000 light-years.

“We call it Leo II, a dwarf spheroidal galaxy because it is in the constellation Leo when observed from Earth.

“The Navigator, a Terran Human that once been a Union Academy trained Fleet Navigator aboard a genuine dreadnought-type battleship, said. Lia could hear the tone of regret in his voice.

She said. “Typical Union, they name everything after Earth things. There are a hundred thousand planets and yet they keep Earth Time all over the Union.”

She didn’t mention that neither her people, not the Kermac and not the Shiss as far as she knew named distant galaxies anything.

Her scanner operator, another former Union officer, a Spindlar. Turned his head on his flexible neck all the way around to face her. Something he would have never done on the bridge of a Union ship.

“Lia, artificial contact at 12.6 light-minutes distance at 14 degrees to main.”

Lia had been a pirate captain for a while and had been raised by a family that occupied an asteroid, but she never really had formal command training or any real training for that matter. She had educated herself and obtained her position as captain by her name and wealth. Ever since she had real Union trained officers and personnel among her new crew, she felt outclassed and inadequate.

She had learned that the reputation of Union officers and their excellent training was well earned.

Lia still tried to find the right direction on her screen when her Tactical officer, former pirate Captain Lemakr said with a raised voice of concern.

“Contact is under advanced shields and fast. They changed course and heading our way.”

“We are being hailed. First Contact math is transmitted.

“The Comm officer reported.

Lia wished she had more time to figure out everything and find their bearings in space they had never been before. Being a pirate captain in well-known space, attacking minimally armed merchants and civilian ships, raiding mining colonies was different from really commanding a ship in unknown space.

What was the best thing to do?

Run!

She had no backup base and no place to go.

The New Horizon reverberated with the increasing hum of her engines revving up and pumping reactive particles out the main thrusters, thus gaining speed. She did have new ISAH engines that were a thousand times better than the old Togar Enticer Engines she had before, but it was still a big ship.

The unknown contact fell away from the prime battle scanners and appeared on the screen of the long-distance sensors.

For some reason, she felt much better. She could not tell why, but that contact felt like a threat to her.

The Union trained officers were still looking at her.

“Helm, put us in an opposite heading and get us out of here as fast as you can.”

The Spindlar reported.

“Unknown contact has changed course again and is in direct pursuit, increasing speed faster than we are.”

The Navigator had simply taken over helm, by isolating the Helmsman’s console. That he could do so showed how unprofessional and outclassed the Half Shiss, a Bassett family member really was. He said.

“Keep calm everyone, we should be able to slip into Quasi a second before that contact comes within firing range of most known weapons. I am redlining the engines to get us another second.”

The scanner operator had taken weapon control with equal ease from the former Togar pirate captain. The two former Union officers, disgraced and sentenced to death had basically taken over the bridge and ran it more efficient and professional than all the rest combined. Her own Helmsman was still trying to find direct engine controls without realizing that his console was no longer transmitting any inputs.

“Unknown contact arming weapons. Energy distribution patterns and shield type suggests TL 8 for sure, Non-Union.

“The scanner operator said.

“Captain Lia, the unknown is clearly hostile has stronger weapons and better shields than us. I recommend firing first with a Loki in Armageddon mode.”

She didn’t know engines could be redlined, not that she really knew what that meant. Like pretty much everyone she heard about the powerful Loki torpedoes and she knew her father managed to equip this ship with a few of these, but she had no idea these weapons had more than one mode.

She did know that their lives depended on the actions and recommendations of those two former Union officers.

“All systems accept all commands from the Navigator.”

The Terran’s hands flew faster than the eye could follow over the sensor panel of the weapon console.

Communications yelled.

“Unknown contact hails us in understandable Squawk to surrender or be destroyed.”

A weapon beam originating from the aggressor peppered the shields of the New Hope, pulling it down to zero and damaging the second shield to 80%.

A normal Togar ship would be history, but this one had been equipped with the finest Union tech by an expert ship outfitter. She also learned the value of the triple-shield configuration.

Karthanian and Togar considered it a waste of resources and always opted for a single shield and gave it bigger shield generators. She heard the arrogant voice of a Karthanian engineer in her mind.

“Those silly Terrans, triple shields what a waste of space and shipboard resources. Why not simply bigger and stronger shields?”

While she actually thanked Union engineers in her mind, a second hit obliterated the second shield and pulled the final and third one down to 20 percent.

The Navigator’s voice was as calm as ever.

“He wants to play rough. Loki launched, clear on MALS, Firing!”

The lights flickered. Lia yelled. “What is happening?”

“Loki exploded in Armageddon mode, right before the pursuer, blinding his sensors and taxing his shields. We used all available energy to pulse a MALS. He flew into a light wall, at this speed, it’s like hitting a planet.”

“We are in Quasi!” The Spindlar said.

Plostrak watched as the Strarr was outclassed by a vessel of lesser technology. The Strarr a sister ship to his mighty TRAA drifted damaged in space.

“Who are these newcomers?”

“They came through the ancient passageway.”

“Someone answered the hulking, semi-humanoid being standing inside the command cradle.

“I will kill the commandant of the Strarr if he survives; now pursue that newcomer’s vessel. I want those weapons and I want to torture the ones defeating one of my precious ships.”

“They are now within Farnok space.”

A floating probe-like device said.

“I care not where they are. I want to know who they are and why they dared to fight us.”

“Can it be? Can it really be you?” Lokta said greeting the trio of visitors himself at the gate to his merchant house city.

The Golden in the company of a Nul and a Holdian did not wear the traditional robes of a Golden merchant, neither were there Golden Guards, but Lokta recognized the wrinkled face never the less. Unless there was a perfect twin or a clone, there stood the Merchant of Merchants.

Dressed in black leather, dark golden panels. Wearing a Golden Monowhip openly on his wrist along with a genuine TKU 12 and a Dai Sword over his back of all things.

“Yes, it is I, Sobody.”

“What happened? Rumors speak of Sobody the Golden being away from Sobody’s Seat. One crazy traveler coming from Sagodi’s bazaar told me you even visited your brother and left without having Golden Guards kill him.”

“Will we discuss these things standing in the gate of your city or are we allowed to enter?”

“Yes of course.”

Lokta could not help but notice the energy this old Golden displayed. Much of his chubbiness had disappeared. There were defined muscles under the tight leather sleeves as well.

As he led the Golden to his city palace he said.

“I have to ask again, are you really Sobody?”

“I am and you are in the presence of the next ruler of all that is Nul, Prince Xon.”

That surprised the local Golden even more than the strange transformation of the old Merchant.

“Sobody be praised.”

“Even after all this time separate and independent from the other Golden, he used the old phrases before he realized he was in the presence of that very Merchant of Merchants.

Sobody grinned and put his hand on the small shoulder of the Holdian, who had climbed down from his lofty seat on top of the Nul.

“This is Estree Warner, my best friend, and business partner. He shares all Golden Secrets, all of them!”

They had entered a cool hall with gleaming marble floors and expensive art and proceeded into an antechamber with traditional Golden seat cushions, everything in white, amber and golden shades. A fountain gargled in its center.

All except Xon found seats on the cushions. Sobody explaining that his big friend did not sit or lay down.

After refreshments were served and Sobody revealed his Merchant seal to put all doubts to rest as to who he was, Lokta made a gesture up and down Sobody’s body.

“You lost weight; you look just as you had when your father made you Merchant of Merchants so long ago. Did you take some sort of rejuvenation therapy?”

“Indeed, it is called Union Academy. I am officially a Union Fleet cadet and spend several months in basic training.”

“I heard you were very serious about all this Union business, but I had no idea you were that crazy.”

“I am part of a Union ship crew, Lokta. I gladly give everything I own, including my life to any of my crewmates, and I follow my Captain to wherever she may lead us. I see you did not waste time and follow our example.”

“I did not and it was the best decision indeed. Now I don’t know you all that well, but if you came all the way to N’Ger, you came for a reason other than visiting me, right?”

“Yes, I came to ask for the map.”

Lokta lowered his head.

“You still hold this theft against us, after all these millennia?”

“No Lokta, if I would hold a grudge against you, I’d simply sue you. You and I are Union now and we do things differently. I know your great-grandfather took the map of all the known gates from the secret vault.”

“Indeed he did. It is yours of course and I will have it brought from the main temple, but why now?”

“We are in pursuit of Lia Bassett and she might use the gates to evade capture. I want the map to locate the nearest gates.”

“I heard of this Lia, she was here only four days ago. She purchased fuel and provisions from us. She bought weapons from the Uk-Ka, but my sources say, she is not using the traveler’s gates to short cut distances in this galaxy, but she plans to use the Ancient Gate Network and leave this galaxy altogether.”

Lokta got up.

“I will have the map fetched right away and the Chief merchant of the Boluren is still here, I know his people have a map with the coordinates for the Ancient Gates.”

Sobody was the last one stomping up the ramp, behind Xon and Estree and was greeted by Har-Hi at the airlock.

“Had a good time with the local Golden?”

“I say I have. I have obtained the exact location of the Trans Spatial Gate, Lia most likely has used only a few days ago.

“He held up an old memory chip.

SHIP’s roving Ego center reached out for it.

“Can I examine it?”

Sobody handed it to her.

“Of course. Did I miss anything?”

“Oh, not much. The captain just busted a local slave smuggling gang, specializing in Wild Jooltar, not much indeed, other than about sixty dead slavers and about five hundred freed Wild Jooltar who swore unwavering allegiance to her.”

Sobody rolled his eyes and then started laughing.

“That’s our captain for sure. We got five hundred Jooltar aboard?”

“No, just one. The rest are with my distant brethren, the local Dai. Waiting for a Union transport.”

“To take them home?”

“No, straight to Marine Bootcamp, they were utterly impressed by Ak Pure, beating the stuffing out of four of them at the same time.”

== Chapter 18: New Horizons ==

Lia and her crew of outcasts, dropped out of Quasi-space at a star system eighteen light-years from the trans-spatial gate. According to her admittingly outdated information, this was the homeworld of the Farnok.

They were hailed almost immediately and after a few moments, Squawk language communications were established, confirming the fact, that this was not the first trans-galactic contact.

The being appearing on the viewer was covered with short brown fur and had general similarities with a Togar cat, but was much more massive and bulging with muscles. The being wore nothing in form of any clothing. The first words of greeting were a question.

“You are visitors of the distant star spiral, are you not?”

“Yes, we came from another galaxy, using the old gate. We are seeking new shores and a new life here.”

“We are the Farnok, we are the Guardians of the Ancient Gates. It is a holy and blessed duty to welcome travelers that use these sacred gates. Honor and respect the Holy Gates and you shall find friendly reception. Come then and land your vessel, we will prepare a welcome and see if we can help you.”

Lia felt relieved, especially after the hostile encounter at the gate.

She had just given the command to follow the guide signal to the Farnok port when another of these advanced vessels dropped into real space. It was quite similar to the one they encountered at the gate. It was under shields and weapons charged.

The muscle building cat-like being still on the viewer loudly complained.

“Plostrak, these travelers are under Farnok protection now. Your vessel is targeted by our defenses and we will engage you should you commence violent action.”

A gruff voice that sounded amused answered.

“Ah, the distant people language. The Farnok should have killed me when they had the chance. You still need to be punished for what you did.”

We dropped out of quasi about ten light minutes distant from the coordinates Sobody was able to obtain. The thing was in deep space and if you didn’t know the exact location, you’d never find it.

“I wonder just how many of these gate things there are. There might be thousands within Union space, and I am not talking about those small ones, but these humongous ones.”

Shea responded first.

“There are several known ones, and none are made by the same civilization. The best-known one is, of course, the Ring of Algorm. It is inactive and partially broken.”

SHIP chimed in.

“It was damaged by the Devastator, or more precisely Centron, the big ship’s artificial intelligence and long before it was found by Admiral Richard Stahl.”

“And you know that?” Shea said with big eyes.

“Centron shared some of his history with me, we both have a special bond to our Captains and I wanted to learn as much as I can to be a good AI.”

“You are the best AI, I would not want to swap you for Mothermachine. No offense Cirruit.”

“None taken, Captain. SHIP is my friend too.”

I raised my hand to interrupt the banter because I knew SHIP would now get all mushy and we’d spend twenty minutes on reaffirming our affection.

“Back to the subject at hand. Shea please scan and examine the one ahead of us in great detail.”

“We are already using any distance analytical tool we have, but I would recommend a physical examination of the artificial structure part of that gate. It appears to be quite large and has internal compartments, perhaps even quarters, control rooms and remnants or remains of whoever built it.”

“I am contemplating that, actually. I am not all too comfortable to simply pass through it. Can we assume Lia went this way?”

Narth answered.

“With a probability of over eighty-eight percent, Captain. There is a very recent engine trail, with the characteristics of late ISAH pods. The probability of a ship coming this way with ISAH pods is very low, except the Togar ship of Lia which was upgraded with Union tech and ISAH propulsion.”

Har-Hi, as usual with his arms crossed said.

“Are we going after her?”

I nodded.

“That is the general idea of us being here.”

“No I mean, are we going to follow her to another galaxy? Is that within the scope of our task? According to General Cherubim, we do have official business 75,000 light years from here.”

Mehdi who occupied a secondary bridge station behind the Nav-Tank said.

“It is unlikely she knows who orchestrated the escape. Neither she nor anyone with her apparently made any attempts to contact anyone. This would be a logical step if any of the escapees would be of interest to whoever financed the escape.”

“Are we still in GalNet range?” I asked.

Elfi said.

“Sorry, Captain, we are not. But we could pick it up, by traveling just 110 light-years further. We then could link into the Tinkehel GalNet cone.”

“Krabbel, plot a course to the closest GalNet connection and Shaka please take us there with all haste. I need to talk to command about all this before we jump to wherever that gate leads.”

Har-Hi gave me a mockingly impressed look.

“What? Us not jumping into the unknown and then figure things out, but instead doing the sensible thing, Captain you are surprising me.”

“Oh shut up, Mr. Hi,” I said with a grin.

“We are still going unless they tell us not to. I hate leaving things unfinished.”

Lia took the opportunity and said.

“Why are you attacking us?”

“I am a big bad villain and take what I want and your vessel, as outdated it seems has some impressive teeth, I want them.”

“We are fugitives and have no home and seek a new future here. We were in a similar business as you. Maybe we can come to some sort of agreement. We are not opposed to sharing our tech in return for perhaps a chance of employment?”

The Farnok objected.

“If you associate with this criminal then you are criminals and will not be welcome here.”

Plostrak was more than interested to replace the doomed commandant of the Strarr, whoever was in control of that ugly ship knew what they were doing. They outfought a ship with superior technology.

And if things didn’t work out, he still could torture them just for fun.

“Hear this, travelers, follow us to Quarva and we talk. The Farnok, as big as they look, are cowards, but they might decide to send warships after all.”

“We will follow you.”

It was Admiral McElligott who took our call. I had told him what happened so far. He was sitting in his office at Annapolis Tower on Earth and had stuffed himself a pipe while I had told him all that happened so far.

After puffing a blue cloud of smoke he said.

“So she has left the M-0 galaxy and you discovered an active Trans-Spatial gate.”

“Yes, Sir. I am prepared to go through, and attempt to recapture the criminals, but I am not sure if the gate will work in reverse. Thus I decided to consult with Command before I make the step.”

He raised one of his bushy eyebrows.

“Normally I get your reports after you did something outrageous and unusual, so you deciding to ask us beforehand is a big improvement, at least in my book.”

I frowned.

“My XO was pointing that out as well, but going after a criminal via an alien trans-spatial conduit to another galaxy is somewhat different sir.”

He nodded.

“I am glad you called, and officially the case of Lia Bassett and the escaped prisoners is closed. The Justice Department delivered an official report before the Assembly. According to the official version, it was Kirku Bassett financing it, the brother of Nick Harlequin doing the work and the actual deed. There is a bounty on the escapees and that satisfied everyone, it is a Justice Department and Union Police matter and Union Fleet involvement has officially ended.”

“So we are not going after her, but return to Richter 4?”

His demeanor changed and he sat up straight.

“I know you have been recently upgraded to RED-RED-RED, please secure your ready-room accordingly.”

“I have received a sealed order chip telling me that I am, but I have received no instructions so far.”

“SHIP will know how to secure your premises. You complete the Blue-Blue-Red routine and use the new day cipher and key sequence that was part of that order chip.”

After I had completed the long-winded process, we switched from the official military GalCom connection to a new telecommunication technology, I did not even know we had. It was called the BosFerCom. McElligott explained it only with very few words, speaking about Bosons and Fermions. Their integer spin and a trans-spatial connection. What I understood was that only the BFC device aboard and the BFC device in his office shared the same conditions and thus there was no possible way of any third party listening in.

He was all serious now. His office was darkened and all the windows shaded. He said.

“Captain Olafson, this device was installed by Mothermachine herself, as she and I are members of a group called the Grey Ghosts. I do not have the time to go into great detail, but we developed this special communication technology because we do not trust GalNet or GalCom enough with RED-RED-RED classified information. The Narth Supreme retrieved this technology from Nnnth storage and only your ship is so equipped.”

I only nodded.

“You must go after Lia or more precisely after Lt. Commander Harold Julkus and he must be terminated and anyone he might have had contact with, including Lia and everyone aboard her ship. This is an Alpha order of the Security Council and ratified by the Assembly.”

His voice became coarse.

“Erica, if he came in contact with an alien civilization, you have the full authority to use any and all means at your disposal to terminate anyone he might have talked to.”

I knew this was not something Admiral Stahl would ever order or condone.

“Sir, may I ask the reason?”

“He is a Translocator Master Technician and was stationed on Vault One, with access and knowledge about TransDim Shielding, the Armageddon Answer, Loki torpedoes, and Shiva Mines.”

His eyes took on a burning quality.

“The Translocator Canon Security Act allows the use of deadly force inside and outside of Union territory in order to prevent the transfer of this weapon, components or the knowledge how to create one, to non-authorized entities. That is Union law and even your hero Stahl would have to do what is necessary to keep and protect those secrets.”

My mouth had become dry.

“Sir, how did he end up as a prisoner on a low-security transport? Was he the target of the whole thing and why is he going along with Lia to a different galaxy?”

“We don’t know most of the answers to your questions. Because of his high-security clearance, he was specially conditioned against brain dumps, psionic probing and his status were kept so secret that it was never put in his case file.”

“If he even holds detailed knowledge to just one of these secrets, the Kermac and pretty much every enemy of the Union would take him or will be after him.”

“That is a possibility, as I said we don’t know many details yet ourselves. Nelson II uncovered the high classified personnel records and verified that he was at Vault 1 and that he received full Translocator Master Tech training. We also think he used a Saresii Genetic code writer, a device of the First Age of Knowledge to imprint the technical specs in genetic code onto his own cells. Captain Olafson, he must be completely destroyed. You are acting under full Union authority but this part of your mission must remain secret. You are not to share this with Admiral Stahl or anyone else for that matter.”

“My XO, Narth and Shea should be informed.”

“There is a chance that there might be a spy or operative aboard your ship. Shea is the daughter of Rex Schwartz. Narth will be separately informed by the Narth Supreme about this, keep it secret until you see no other way to complete the mission. SHIP received RED-RED-RED clearance and I am uploading all details, as far as I know them, into her Captain’s Eyes only file section. I am also authorizing Tyron Suit to be informed.”

I sighed.

“It never stays simple, doesn’t it? I will do my best.”

“Captain, you are not the same kid I sent out to play pirate. You have become an adult and you are growing into the role of a Union Captain more every day. I trust you will do just that. You do know that this mission is more important than the safety of the ship or anyone aboard. This is not just my direct orders to you, but the core of the Translocator Canon Security Act and you and every Union officer is oath-bound to uphold Union law and Assembly directives.”

“Yes Sir, I understand the gravity of the situation, even though some of the details seem to make little sense, at least based on the information I have now.”

“At least, due to your new clearance, I can reveal to you that your grandfather Egill Skallagrimmson is a member of the Grey Ghosts and he is aware of this situation as well.”

“He came far for a simple hermit and representative of a small unimportant world.”

“So have you, Captain Olafson, not that there is anything simple about him or you. Now go and protect our most important secrets. I will send assets to secure the Trans Spatial Gate, so nothing slips back into M-0 without us knowing.”

I returned to the bridge, deep in thought about my conversation with the Admiral. What disturbed me more than the idea of a man who had the Union’s most guarded secrets encoded onto his cells, was the possibility that there was someone aboard who might have ears and eyes for someone else. I wanted to trust my crew from Narth on to the last Starman, I always had.

Would Shea of all persons share things with her father, a civilian with questionable motives? Even perhaps without thinking? No, she would not, she was a level 12 intellect and if she shared secrets with her stepfather, she would do it knowingly.

I decided to keep the details of our new mission for myself for now.

“Mr. Krabbel we need to go back to that gate and Mr. Nbdele get us there fast.”

Both of them responded with a crisp ‘Aye Captain’.

My bridge crew was also my closest friends and I could tell they knew I received grave orders. By now I could even read Cirruit’s body language.

The usually carefree banter that prevailed on our bridge had subsided and everyone was concentrating on their tasks.

The Tigershark was eating the light years and we soon reached the gate again.

I said.

“Guys, I talked to command and we got new orders. I am unable to share them with you at this point because I was ordered to do so, but I am not very comfortable keeping secrets from all of you. For now, I must comply.”

There were smiles and Har-Hi said.

“This is the career we chose; this isn’t a private company but the Union military.”

I pointed at the main viewer.

“As it may be guys we are about to make a long trip. Mr. Hi sound General Quarters and Mr. Nbdele center on that bluish energy and go for it.”

Quarva, so it turned out was a planetoid drifting in deep space, expelled from its original system by some cosmic event. Union astrographers called these things, dark objects or wanderers. It was heavily modified and basically a supersized Brhama Port. For this reason, Lia almost felt like coming home. There was quite some traffic around that thing.

Plostrak kept close guard on them. His ship the Traa had been joined by two similar ships, one of them had to be towed and was obviously damaged.

Both the MALS and the Loki had done a number on the Strarr.

The planetoid was many times bigger than Brhama and featured a gigantic cavernous hangar type spaceport.

Lia and most of her crew had left the New Horizon and met Plostrak and twenty beings of apparently the same species face to face.

He was a giant and of similar size to a Pertharian. He and his men were more or less humanoid shaped. Meaning he had two arms, two legs and a head with two eyes and a nose. His skin, however, had a slick greenish grey character and his bald head was covered with small purplish raised spots.

The local pirate apparently had no distinguishable neck. He and his men wore tough looking battle armor. Plostrak did not have any traditional weapons, but his left hand was replaced by a cybernetic implant with dozens of metallic, worm-like tentacles centered around what seemed some kind of arm cannon.

He has piercing purple eyes and a wide, evil grin.

Along with his similar equipped crew members was an almost man-sized hovering cylinder with a single glowing circle at its center.

He glanced over Lia’s crew and made a mocking laughing sound.

“With the exception of that thin Farnok looking being and the green one, you all look weak and pathetic.”

Without respecting Lia’s position as the leader of the group, the former Union officer and Terran stepped forward and said.

“Strength and size mean little if you have superior intellect and weapons.”

“That ugly excuse for a spaceship has some teeth, but it still stands no chance against my Traa.”

“Yet if you know how to use these teeth, they tear that fancy crap you call a ship to scrap. That ugly excuse is the product of an inferior species, some of the weapon it carries come from my society and is nothing compared to the weapons I can build.”

Lia wanted to scold the human and remind him of his place, but Plostrak silenced her with a resolute gesture.

“I do not speak to you, inferior female. I do like the spunk and the defiant attitude of this pink boy. You are alive and here, because of that.”

The former Togar captain growled in anger.

“Inferior? I ate plenty of you humans. We Togar are strong and we are not afraid of anything or any species!

The Spindlar laughed.

“Yet when you saw Black Velvet’s Y’All you wanted to hide and run.”

The mention of the word Y’All stopped every being’s movement within hearing distance and all pretended friendliness left the massive pirate. Plostrak grabbed the Spindlar by its flexible neck extending the metallic tentacles of his left arm and yelled with a commanding voice.

“Do you speak of the Y’All? None has been seen by any living being. Where have you seen one?”

The Spindlar, although much weaker looking, had just like the Terran Union Academy training and his reaction was quick. One of his telescopic arms snapped forward like a striking reptile, holding a Kermac Line Blaster, muzzle almost touching Plostrak’s left eye.

“I can squeeze that trigger faster than you can establish a force field. Want to see if your ugly skull can withstand a line blast?”

The brutish pirate also had nerves of steel and motioned his men and the floating robot to stand down.

Still looking in the blaster, he said.

“I misjudged you, there are at least two in this group of travelers that truly impress me. Now be quick to tell me all you know about the Y’All.”

“Unhand me and I might.”

The floating thing spoke for the first time, it was not just a machine but by the way it talked sentient.

“Plostrak is a Pepiro, a genetically designed life form, created from various base genetics by the Crucible that also originated the Y’All. The Pepiro are an unsuccessful attempt to recreate the Y’All. The original genetic map to create true Y’All battle drones has been lost. There is much reward to anyone able to restore that map because the Call has been made.”

Lia wanted to restore lost ground and restore her role as the leader.

“A pirate with the name of Black Velvet has a live Y’All in her crew.”

“Liar! You do not know what a Y’All is, no battle drone would ever accept the commands of a Non-Roont.”

I expected something spectacular to happen, but all that did happen was the bluish energy filling the entire view screen. For a moment I believed to see dark flames and light streaks, then there was the black of space again.

I had my seat raised into Battle dome and saw the gate behind us. The tactical sensors showed no artificial contacts.

“Do we have to activate the gate somehow?” I asked no one in particular.

“We passed through the blue energies without any effects?”

SHIP and Narth almost answered simultaneously.

“We did traverse a distance of 690,427 Standard Union Light-years, Captain.”

I lowered myself back down.

This dual answer, timing slightly off made me smile and I said.

“Just one of you will be fine. If I am correct SHIP was a little faster, so go ahead SHIP what happened and where are we?

“The Ancient Gate is indeed the entrance to a trans-spatial conduit and we bypassed 690,427 standard light years. Four point eight seconds passed in real time and real space while we were removed from real space. How much relative time passed in the other medium I am unable to say. We arrived at a dwarf spheroidal galaxy, known to Union Astrographers as Leo II. It once also was known as Leo B.”

“Stand down from General Quarters but remain on Condition Yellow,” I said.

Narth mimicked Har-Hi’s favorite arm position by crossing them rather than having them inside the sleeves of his shroud as usual.

“Because the base time constant of the hyper-spatial continuum used for the conduit is not Omni linear, but Omni circular, a distinct difference. Object originating in this reality are unable to sense this time condition.”

“And you can?” I asked.

“Naturally, I am Narth after all.

“He turned his shrouded head.

“And so do you, you began to feel it.”

I frowned.

“And I still don’t like all these psionics and what not.”

Hoping I was successful glaring a dismissive no in Narth’s direction to stop him to make another comment and said.

“Shea, what do we know about the Leo II galaxy?”

I knew it pleased her inner geek to participate and she said.

“Leo II or Leo B is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy about 690,000 light-years from Pluribus in the Earth visible constellation Leo.

It is one of the satellite galaxies of our Milky Way.

Leo II has a core radius of 178 parsecs give or take about 13 parsecs and a tidal radius of 632 parsecs. It was discovered for Terra in 1950 by Robert G. Harrington and Albert George Wilson. The galaxy was also discovered by numerous other Union member societies. However, the Astrographical society decided to retain the Terran designation.

It consists largely of metal-poor older stars, a sign that it has survived the galactic cannibalism under which massive galaxies like the Milky Way consume smaller galaxies to attain their extensive size.”

“And now I do need a drink of water or something. It was interesting for sure but dry as Alvor’s Cove. Anything else, Union specific?”

Krabbel chimed in.

“As a member of the local group, Leo II was targeted for a physical survey as part of the of the Local Group Survey Project, first conceived in 4956 OTT during the 2736th Astro Graphical Society Conference at Midway Station. Due to its distance, it was decided to conduct a physical survey at another later time.

The way he moved his upper legs, I knew he was quite proud of himself giving me that info without consulting his console.”

Shaka said.

“He consumes every Astrographical report. Besides ice cream, he takes his Navigation job very seriously.”

“I know I have the best navigator. So if I understand this right, we are the first Union vessel here?”

“Indeed, Captain,” Shea confirmed.

“Anything on the sensors at all. Tactical showed nothing in range.”

Shea nodded to Mao and he said.

“Nothing artificial in range, Captain but we do have a strong trail of ISAH engines, by the density of it running past red line. There are other trails and there are debris and the dissipating energies consistent with a Loki torpedo exploding in Armageddon mode.”

“Enough debris for a destroyed spaceship?”

“Unless it was a very small ship, no Captain.”

I got up.

“Maintain condition yellow. Elfi, see if there is any communication activity. Har-Hi would you mind and take our Bison out there and collect some of that debris for Shea’s department to analyze?”

Har-Hi also got up.

“Shea, want to come along?”

She immediately agreed and they both left the bridge to get down to the hangar deck.

Elfi said.

“Yes, there is Myon type communications, TheOther and I are currently working with SHIP to analyze the languages, without the benefit of First contact data.”

Fivecheer now had a secondary bridge position, controlling our Psi lab equipment.

“There is significant sentient mind activity at a star system eighteen light years from here.”

It had taken a while, but Plostrak and his sentient remote were finally convinced that there was indeed alive Y’All.

The former Union Fleet Lt. Commander said.

“Almost everyone in our galaxy remembers the Y’All. They came several times and after a terrible and costly war they were finally defeated.”

“But how?” Plostrak asked.

“There were so many and they had the same shields, the Traa has!”

“A big hero of ours returned from exile with a then-new weapon. A weapon that ignores shields and armor by sending a bomb at the moment of explosion via hyperspace directly inside the enemy ship. This weapon is the core reason, the Union has grown and became so big. It has been a guarantor of victory ever since.”

The Spindlar said.

“We call it the Translocator cannon. It is the most tightly guarded secret.”

Julkus said. “I was framed by my own twin brother, and no one wanted to even hear me out, but that is neither here or now. Mr. Plostrak I am Harold Julkus, former Lieutenant Commander of the United Stars Spatial Navy and I am a Translocator Master Technician. I know this weapon and can build it for anyone who meets my price.”

“What is your price, Julkus?”

“A position of considerable power and a ship like yours of my own. I know many secrets and after being sold out like that, I want revenge and I will get it.”

“Help me find that Y’All and the entity I answer to, will give you power like you never had before and you can command an armada of new Y’All and destroy that Union of yours.”

== Chapter 19: Network Active ==

It had only one reason to exist. It was conceived to prevent the rise of the Dark One. It was created so long ago by the enlightened of the Universal Collective.

It was given no name, no gender but great powers and control over the Crucible.

His Samplers had scoured the heavens for genetic material, so it could devise the most dangerous and most resilient life form. Mindless minions, flawless executing any order given.

It was known to the UNI that the Dark One can only resurrect if it manages to manifest itself in a human form on a cold world and it must gather twelve parts of his former might.

The UNI came to the Crucible and gave it its mission.

Thus cleansing forces had to be sent, to prevent the rise of humans and agents had to be created to find and destroy these tokens of power.

The first call was received, associates of the UNI needed help to eradicate humans and secure the tokens.

While the Crucible existed long before the UNI came, it was the Universal Collective that created the new purpose and its agent, He who guards the Crucible.

The UNI artificial intellect penetrated the many layers of these ancient construct and bonded with it.

It was not a smooth and easy process. The old, almost faded original intellect of the Crucible was resisting.

The most successful product, the celestial warriors. The ones the Uni called Yah-ha Al could no longer be recreated. The process information deleted and lost.

This was especially troublesome as not a single Y’All drone returned from the last insertion and a new call had been issued.

The Herald was sent with a batch of Y’All warriors created using remaining and partial genetic data. He was equipped with Mora-6 technology. He too did not return, but he recalled the message he received when the connection-brain pulsed with receiving activity and its voice transmitted.

“Don’t mess with the Union. I am coming for you next, Amigo.”

Ever since He-who-guarded-the-Crucible, gathered information on this ‘Union’ not that there was much to gather. He hesitated to send another Herald before he knew what destroyed the first one.

None of his creations and developments came close to the original Y’All. Not the Armagets, not the promising Pepiro and not the New Y’All had the same resilience, the same strength or unwavering reliability of the original Celestial warriors that became known as the Y’All.

A few Pepiro had survived his cleansing efforts, eliminating an unsuccessful batch, and one of them managed to secure Mora-6 technology for himself.

Plostrak, the pirate and outlaw were loyal to He-who-guarded-the-Crucible not knowing that his master wanted to eradicate him too.

Just as He-who-guarded-the-Crucible begun another genetic sequencing batch, the Connector-Brain tuned to the brain aboard the Traa pulsed with receiving thought messages. The disguised Tigershark dropped out of Quasi-Space and as it has become our routine just beyond the outmost planet.

Elfi said. “Looks like they had contact with our galaxy before. Communication is now possible. They respond to Squawk.”

I got up, Har-Hi held my mask.

“You should wear it, it is part of your Black Velvet trademark and flair of mystery.”

“You think I have that? I mean a flair?”

“In spades, Captain and I begin to learn to like this Do suit, complete with mask. It gives me that special edge.”

Elfi laughed. “Mainly because he has a hard time maintaining his serious, stoic Dai Than face.”

Mao held a hand before his mouth.

“When you opened that container of rotten fish yesterday, I would not call it flair, what trailed behind you, Captain.”

“Guys we are about to make first contact with a new civilization in a new galaxy. I expect more serious behavior on my bridge.”

“Speaking of First Contact,” Elfi said. “Are we going by the book? That will identify us as Union for sure.”

I laced my mask tight and said.

“No, we are not, for this mission it is better we stay in our disguise. Simply hail them, we are obviously not the first ones contacting them anyway.”

“Aye Captain, and we have a response.”

“Open communications.”

On our main viewer, a humanoid being with feline characteristics appeared. It was only remotely similar to the Togar or Karnax, with a hulky very muscular appearance. It also did not wear any kind of clothing.

The being had a gruff voice.

“Who are you?”

“I am Black Velvet and this is my ship the Silver Streak. We are looking for a group of beings that might have stopped here.”

“First there are decades going by, nothing ever comes through the Holy Passageway and now there is a new visitor every other day. You are from that big star spiral are you not?”

“Yes we are, but we gladly go back once our business has been concluded here.”

“We are the Farnok; we are the Guardians of the Ancient Gates. It is a holy and blessed duty to welcome travelers that use these sacred gates. Honor and respect the Holy Gates and you shall find friendly reception.

“Since you mentioned other visitors, there wasn’t a female by the name of Lia Bassett?”

“The other visitors did not identify themselves other than coming here to seek a new home.”

“Did they find it with you?”

“No, they associated with Plostrak, the Outlaw. They will regret this decision, and because they are now with Plostrak, we no longer welcome them.”

“You would not know where they went?”

“No I do not, are you planning to associate with that criminal?”

“We are here to provide a terminal end to their voyages.”

“Come then and land, so you can speak to the Holy Controllers to let you go back to your star spiral. The Holy Controllers may not set the Holy Passageway for two way traffic.”

“You control these Holy Gates?”

“No, I do not. The serene gods who willed these passageways into existence gave our holy Controllers the power to affect the function. I am but a Communications Farnok.”

While my ship that was now resting on its landing gear made no real impression on the locals watching us arrive, the members of my crew that accompanied me to meet the delegation, did.

A group of about thirty Farnok had assembled not far from the lower part of our landing ramp as it had extended to the ground.

They all were Farnok and most of them were, just as we had seen via visual transmission, completely naked. However there were five of them, that wore egg yellow hooded robes with blue accents. I was certain those were the important ones.

I had decided to give them a good impression and underline our commitment to diversity and individuality, especially since I could not really make this an official contact.

As always Narth, Shea and Har-Hi were on my side, but I had decided to have Sobody, Roghor, Ak Fectiv, TheOther, Hans, Xon and Fivecheer join me. I wore Tyron and Warner was riding on TheOther’s shoulders. He simply had to come. That Fenris decided to join us had not been planned, our black dragon pup flapped down the ramp, Xon offered his arm and the feisty xeno-thing perched on it with a bright screech.

The welcoming committee of locals was as I had observed deeply impressed by us and it took a long and awkward moment for them to speak.

It was one of the hooded Farnok who did and it surprised me not.

“Welcome to the Center, travelers from a distant star spiral. Before you see the Farnok and us the Exalted Servant of the Holy Gates.”

“I thank you for this official welcome. I am Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak and before you see a part of my trusted crew. Travelers we are indeed and our stay here is of a temporary nature. We are in pursuit of fugitives and escapees, their trail has led us here.”

“Enjoy our hospitality, make your inquiries and visit the Sacred Control so you may convince the Holy Controllers to reverse the gate functions, so you can indeed return.”

I squinted my eyes.

“These gates are not two way?”

“Only if the Holy Controllers use the appropriate chants, they can take you back.”

“And what sort of convincing do you have in mind?”

“Fanciful bribes of course, as it has been tradition. The Holy Controllers like expensive gifts.”

Har-Hi grunted from the side.

“At least they are open about it. I was certain even before he mentioned that they weren’t too interested in your kind of convincing, Captain.”

“At least there is a way to get back. We stomp that ice when we get there.”

To the robed and hooded Farnok, I said.

“Once we completed our task here, we will visit and convince you to reverse the gate’s functions.”

Shea made a step forward to be in line with my shoulders and said.

“Holy Controller, please share your great wisdom and deep knowledge of all that is. Where should we go to obtain information regarding those other visitors?”

Even though he was an alien cat-like being wearing a hood that shaded some of his face, I could tell he was very pleased.

“It seems you have been touched by enlightenment. It is humble devotion that made you seek wisdom where it is truly found.”

Shea in all her white leather managed to look demurely and curtsied perfectly.

“Your holiness radiates above all and elevates you above mere mortals.”

I was certain after all this gooey dribble, they would see through Shea’s sarcasm, but no. Every one of the present Farnok including the other hooded ones looked up to the one in the center, and he was apparently about to explode.

“Child of distant stars, the passage through the gate must have touched your spirit. You should frequent the dwellings and establishments that can be found in the traveler district of our space field. There are Farnok and Non-Farnok that might now the exact location of Quarva, the most notorious and most dangerous place in the Universe. It is there Plostrak has invited the newcomers to come, I am certain.”

Har-Hi leaned even closer and whispered.

“That is called diplomacy, you should try it too.”

“I am diplomatic right now.”

Narth chimed in.

“She really is, the course of action she had in mind dealing with the Farnok since she heard they want gifts and bribes is certainly not diplomatic.”

The Farnok had more or less forgotten about us anyway, they all had ears and eyes for Shea and their own Priest.

My lovely Science Officer again curtsied, even more, elaborate than before.

“It is certain; your wisdom is that of the Holiest, inspired by those you worship itself. My life is blessed for meeting you Holiest of Controllers!”

The hooded Farnok looked down his nose and gazed first at Shea and then at his entourage.

“A child of distant stars recognizes me for what I am, yet my close associates squabble and argue that all Controllers are on the same level of holiness.”

To Shea he said.

“Enlighted child tell me, how did you recognize that I am indeed holier than the others?”

She blinked.

“How can I explain a fact? It radiates above all. I am certain the fates of the Universe wanted me to make this journey just to be blessed by seeing you once.”

I could not stand another second of this dribble and said.

“Let us low lives frequent those dwellings and establishments, I am certain turn out to be bars and taverns. I like to know how to get to Quarva.”

The big Farnok in the yellow priest robe actually waved after Shea as she, apparently reluctant followed us.

Fivecheer cooed. “She learned much from Mehedi and applied it. I am sure she was on her way to create a religious revolt or being declared the first saint of this religion.”

I could not see her mouth but her eyes could not hide the big grin she displayed behind her mask.

“I am sure I was on the right track.”

Not everyone in the crowd had only eyes for Shea and the Farnok priest. Many recognized the hulking four armed monster standing there, right next to two other similar sized beings. To those who recognized the being to be a Y’All indeed, it was unexplainable why the giant allowed a little vermin to ride upon it; why it was standing there as if it was part of a group.

Normuk was a Farnok, but not one of the religious kind. He owned a small space ship and made a living by delivering goods and the occasional passenger to all kinds of places, including Quarva. He survived this risky business so far; by traveling less used routes, by high tailing it as soon as he saw anything on his scanners and staying on the good side of most the bigger players.

His latest contract had brought him here, to Holy Control. A planet of his fellow Farnok, it was the center of their religion that centered around these ancient travel gates.

Having successfully delivered the package of quite illegal Rubrir-Sessies, he found himself in the crowd of onlookers as a quite large alien ship made landfall.

It was, according to voices in the crowd a ship that came through the ancient gate, all the way from the distant star spiral. It wasn’t the first one but it was still a rare occasion.

He had just arrived, but according to the same voices, another visitor from the big star spiral came through the gate. Instead of landing here, they associated with Plostrak and most likely followed him to Quarva.

The second visitors he was observing now, debarking their ship over a side ramp.

He heard someone just behind him say.

“That mammalian female wearing black calls herself Black Velvet. Looking at her colorful crew and that odd ship of hers, I wager a good supply of real Rubrirs she is not a model member of society from wherever she comes from.”

Normuk had to agree with that observation. That ship was quite big and showed the makings of quite a few violent arguments, it was not new for certain. However whatever those weapon turrets were, he was sure they knew how to use them, and while the engine blocks were of alien manufacture he expected them to make this ride a fast one.

That she was female mammalian was quite obvious to him. That thin leather material did not hide her prominent milk glands at all.

Then his heart missed a beat, among the alien giants that followed her down that ramp was a four-armed Celestial warrior, a genuine Y’All war drone. No other species, no other life form looked quite like it. Yet the Y’All provided a perch to a very small furry being. That was incompatible to anything he knew about the legend.

He quickly made a recording and shouldered himself through the crowd. He had to send a message to Plostrak. He sensed there was profit to be made.

It turned out the location of Quarva was not exactly a secret. We obtained the coordinates right in the first tavern and it cost us a few drinks. The Farnok bartender in the very first tavern we tried, handed us a digital film sheet with the coordinates.

After checking two more different bars and getting the same information, I was certain we would be able to find it.

Har-Hi and I were just getting up from our tables in the third establishment when an apparently intoxicated Farnok bumped into Roghor on purpose.

“You look mangy and thin, they don’t feed you enough little cat?”

Roghor stepped back, obviously not wanting to escalate the situation, but I said.

“Commander, why don’t you show that local ruffian why Togar cats can go toe to toe with Shiss and Jooltar. The gravitation of this world is much less than that of Togr.”

Roghor ignored the insult-spewing local.

“Captain, I am a graduate of the Togar war academy and now spend time in Basic.”

Roghor backhanded the muscle bulging Farnok with such force, the ruffian’s head was whipped to the side with a spray of blood and a few impressive incisor teeth. Roghor did not even look and kept talking to me.

Just then Hans and TheOther came in. We had split into three groups to verify the information and get additional insights on the local conditions.

Hans made his guilty face and by now I could read the body language of my Y’All friend as well, he too was trying to look innocent. Quite an accomplishment for a Y’All I had to admit.

“What happened?” I asked.

Xon was the final one arriving behind the two and Hans said.

“She knows!”

The Nul prince said.

“It was not TheOther’s fault, Captain but we sort of broke that other Tavern.”

While Xon said that, we could hear the wailing of sirens.

Cirruit came in trailing a cloud of rolling dust.

“Captain, you should have seen this. One of the buildings in this row of businesses just collapsed.”

“I guess the ‘sort of’ part went out the window.” I said with a sigh. “What happened?”

TheOther tried to shrug. I noticed Warner in one of TheOther’s massive hands.

“Captain, it was my fault. One of the locals made fun of TheOther and...”

Warner dropped his ears.

“They made fun of him because of me.”

“Narth, take Har-Hi to the ship and prepare to lift off, just in case we’ve worn out our welcome. Go to condition yellow. I will herd the rest back while I listen to the explanation.”

While Har-Hi disappeared with Narth. I paid for the tab and used my wrist-com.

“Everyone back to the ship, please with all due haste.”

Hans explained as we made our way outside.

“A group of locals called TheOther a broken drone and called him all kinds of insults. He ignored all of it, but when they started to pelt him with fruits and glasses we wanted to retreat, one of the glasses hit Warner. The big cats threatened to eat him. That is when TheOther and I started to retaliate.”

Xon blinked with his one big eye.

“I did too, Captain. Seeing our friend bleeding and hurt was just a little too much.”

I now noticed the blood-soaked fur and the hasty derma patch on our little engineer.

Dark anger boiled in my stomach.

“Woe to these Farnok. They dared to hurt one of my crew?” With all my willpower did I suppress that rising anger and my sudden wish for my axe.

Outside the tavern, about half a block down, a heap of rubble. A large crowd and first responder vehicles and flyers.

Hans wrung his hands.

“I accidentally ripped the main support column out of its foundation, while TheOther was pushing the bar through the load bearing wall.”

He looked up. “He had to do this, the guy at the other end was reaching for a blaster weapon.”

In all the seriousness, I was glad for this image because I had a hard time fighting my grin and with this mental image of mine, seeing our wrecking crew go down to business and pushing a guy with a blaster through the wall with the entire bar was just funny to me. I also found that feeling amused appeared to be the best antidote for my dark anger.

My feeling of being amused did not last, as we were approached by official looking Farnok, they did wear blue sashes and belts with energy weapons. Not far behind them Farnok in Yellow Robes.

“Roghor keep on going to the ship, take Warner to Cateria. Call Narth to take you as soon as he can. I’ll deal with the locals.”

The Togar cat, who in his lifetime had eaten Holdians perhaps, cradled our little friend in his strong arms in a loving tender fashion.

“Togar wraith is legendary, but I doubt the Farnok will survive the anger of the Golden.”

Then he started running towards the landing field. A black shadow appeared right next to him, and in a blink of an eye, both were gone.

The Farnok officials were now within speaking distance and the tallest and strongest looking one pointed a baton like a thing at me.

“Stop, Female.”

I slowly turned around, my hand moved to the elongated cylinders on my belt, before I even noticed.

“And now?”

The priests also reached speaking distance and their leader said. “Rule enforcers, let those visitors pass. It is the Farnok who failed to be good hosts. Alien blood was shed by intoxicated Farnok and a Celestial warrior insulted. We must ask for their forgiveness.”

“Holy Controller we obey.”

The guards bowed deeply and the lead cat said. “Please accept our apologies.”

The yellow-robed priest actually shoed one of the guards aside and bowed before TheOther. Then he ignored us all and focused on Shea.

“Child of distant stars, will you accept an invitation to the High Control? The other Controllers are eager to meet you.”

She looked to me and I nodded. “But don’t go alone.”

The Holy Controller seemed pleased.

“We will send a vehicle after the Daybreak sleep.”

Another one of these golden robed priests added. “This is in four hours.”

Cirruit monitored the telemetry of our probe and he confirmed what I was suspecting.

“Sorry, captain the Ancient gate is indeed only receiving. The probe or anything actually simply passes through the energy curtain and emerges at the other side of the gate, it does not travel back to M-0.”

“So, unless these Holy Controllers reverse the thing we are stuck?”

“Not really, Captain. We could take the long way. Our boat is quite fast. Our theoretical top speed is 125,000 times the speed of light but safely not achievable due to material and damper limitations. As you know our safe cruise speed is 68,921 times the speed of light. SHIP and I think we can actually go as fast as 72,000 times, meaning we could be home in about three years.”

“Traveling three years with nothing to do is something we will try to avoid, my shiny friend. However, it is nice to know that we are not out of options.”

We had returned to the Tigershark, but we had not lifted off. I decided to let Shea visit that Central Control, maybe she was able to convince those Holy Controllers to reverse the gate functions for us.

Having a clear way home, perhaps even for backup was a sound strategic move in my opinion.

Cateria was certain Warner was fit for duty again, not that Sobody was convinced and insisted that his furry friend rested a little longer.

Roghor was right; I had never seen Sobody that angry. I was certain he would have mobilized the entire Golden Fleet to avenge his friend if we weren’t there to calm him down.”

Cirruit was using a console in the Command and Control section of our bridge that was behind the Nav Tank.

I was standing next to him as he ordered the probe to make another pass, just to make sure when Krabbel scurried up, his shift officially ending. His station now occupied by Ortbeer, the Antoo Ghost who had become a trusted crew member. Alice, who still appeared fragile and almost as delicate as our real Delicate, was sitting in my command chair, holding the conn. She was an academy cadet almost at the end of her first year and all her evaluation reports were excellent. When Har-Hi suggested her for bridge duty I had no objection.

Krabbel did not leave but approached me.

“Captain, can I please go along with Shea? I am always stuck on board. I want to experience some alien cultures, besides I am good at Spider-Fu.”

“At what?”

“That is what my martial arts instructor called my attempts at hand to hand combat. Since I have more arms and legs than most other cadets, he decided to call it Spider-Fu, in a word play on something Terran called Kung-Fu.”

“Odin help! I am certain there is no defense for that. Yes, I think you can go, but I would like for Cirruit to go along as well. If there are controls to this gate, I would like an engineer’s opinion.”

He shrieked and started to hug me when Krabbel realized that this was not appropriate. He looked embarrassed as he retracted his upper legs.

“Sorry, Captain.”

I smirked.

“Go then and get ready, the locals will send their transport within the hour.”

Har-Hi also stepped up and pointed his chin towards the back of my command chair and Alice sitting in it.

“She is doing a great job, Captain. When I suggested her for bridge duty, I didn’t think you would allow her to take the conn.”

“I was at OPS aboard the Hyperion, in my second year, and you commanded pretty much everything the Dai have even before you joined. I think I’ll let Dusty give it a try too.”

“I was not complaining. She is very diligent.”

Har-Hi changed the subject as I knew he would, he didn’t approach me like that to talk about Alice.

“Does it not strike you odd, that the locals know about the Y’All?”

“It does, that is why I asked SHIP to penetrate their databases as far as she can without raising any alarms and seek any related information.”

Just as He-who-guarded-the-Crucible begun another genetic sequencing batch, the Connector-Brain tuned to the brain aboard the Traa pulsed with receiving thought messages.

“Convey your meaningless message, Plostrak so I may focus all resources to the task.”

“It is of significance like no message sent before.”

“Speak it then.”

“One of my associates reports from the Farnok planet with the Gate controls, to have seen a live Celestial warrior, a genuine Y’All.”

He-who-guarded-the-Crucible forgot about the experiment he just started. All his resources retracted from whatever task they controlled. The sentient artificial intellect wanted to dismiss this message as foolish and false, but he retrieved the transmitted images and compared it automatically to the images and recordings still on file.

There was no mistake, the images transmitted by Plostrak were those of a Titan Drone, the last, most powerful and resilient Y’All before the reproduction data was lost.

He-who-guarded-the-Crucible could not explain why this drone was alone and acting in this strange and uncharacteristic fashion. This was something that could be ascertained once the Drone was secured and its core retrieved so it could be replicated again.

“This is my command. Come here! I will give you a device that gives you control over the Y’All and you secure the drone for me.”

“Not so fast, He-who-guarded-the-Crucible. You treat me like a lackey and with utter contempt. Even though I am loyal to you. I have secured the secret to weapons that defeated the Y’All. I want you to make more Pepiro, so I have people and a species I can rule.

“Secure the drone and bring me the source of these weapons and I will reward you with anything you like, including more Pepiro.”

“I bring you the drone, but I will see a hundred thousand Pepiro before I give you the source for the weapons.”

“You are my servant, obey.”

“A servant that is now a partner.”

Shea, Krabbel, and Cirruit had been picked up by an elaborately decorated flier and taken to a temple-like structure that was atop a single mountain surrounded by ocean.

The scale of the construct became apparent as they got closer, it was humongous. The temple was also of a different style and design as the buildings of the Farnok.

The flier was operated by a robot, who was not able to carry a conversation or even answer questions. Their journey ended as the flier landed on a smooth rock platform carved into the steep side of the tall mountain. Here a group of yellow-robed Farnok priests awaited them.

While the robed cats welcomed them all, it was clear their focus was on Shea.

The priest in the center of his group spread his arms in a welcoming gesture.

“It is a tradition for travelers to come here and ask of our attention, however, you have been invited.”

Shea bowed deeply.

“I am aware of this great honor, thus the trinkets I carry will not enough to reflect my thankfulness, but then I doubt there are treasures enough in the universe to do so adequately.”

Cirruit had no problem lifting the heavy sack full of Iridium coins out of the flier.

They had learned that Iridium was readily accepted as payment for wares and services. Shea knew that the sack of Iridium was more than a small fortune to the locals.

Cirruit placed it before them and opened the strings of the sack. The eyes of the priests got wide and their leader said.

“Child of distant stars, this is a most adequate gift indeed.”

Even though they were all muscular and strong looking, it took two of them and they struggled with the heavy sack.

The priests invited them inside. The entry chamber behind the landing platform was just an empty room with a wide flight of stairs.

The lead priest was speaking to Shea and invited her on a tour of the place, completely ignoring Krabbel and Cirruit.

Cirruit didn’t mind, he retrieved his handheld science scanner and was starting to take scans and followed the energy readings.

Krabbel somehow a little disappointed, at them ignoring him.

Cirruit said.

“I think they see me as some sort of robot and you as a pet or something. I doubt they think we are sentient individuals.”

“I wouldn’t mind being Shea’s pet for a while, but I am sentient!”

“Don’t mind them, my eight-legged friend. They don’t know about Sentmacs or Archas. We are in a different galaxy even. All the people whose opinions count are in a ship not far from here. The rest can kiss my chromed behind.”

“That’s something the Captain would say. Not that she has a shiny chrome behind.”

While they talked they had climbed the stairs as well and reached a wide hallway with several passages leading from it in all directions.

Krabbel didn’t see Shea.

“What a bodyguard I am. I am supposed to guard her.”

Cirruit did not take his eyes of his scanner.

“No worries, Shea wears Tyron and she has her sword. We can call Narth to teleport us out. So far there is nothing even remotely dangerous up here inside this mountain. There are some very exotic energy sources, but they do not appear to be strong or active.”

Krabbel had to agree but still didn’t feel too good losing Shea like that.

“I think I heard something from that left passage. I just have a look and see if she is alright.”

“Sounds like a plan.

“Cirruit said not paying much attention.

“Those are quite interesting readings.”

Krabbel scurried down that smooth concrete and rock corridor.

In his worry, he didn’t notice that he had taken several turns. Just as he realized he was further away from Cirruit than he had planned, he emerged into a larger rock cavern filled with alien looking consoles and controls. He also noticed several of the odd-looking robots his friends had encountered at Brhama port. These machines were covered with a layer of dust and only one of them had a very dim light behind its eye optics.

A yellow-robed Farnok was standing there, his back turned to Krabbel and apparently singing to the dust-covered robot.

Krabbel was glad he found someone he could ask for directions and maybe this Farnok could tell him where Shea was. Always known to be very polite, Krabbel said.

“Excuse me, Mister Farnok could you help me find my party?”

The old Farnok priest turned and found himself face to face with a huge spider.

The old cat screamed at the top of his lungs and stumbled backward.

Totally startled by this reaction, Krabbel also scurried backward, unaware that he crossed a faded red line on the floor.

The Farnok held out his hand, pointing at Krabbel.

“Did I intone the chants incorrectly? Were you sent to devour me?”

Krabbel tried to look as friendly as he could, spreading his chelicera and the palps on each side of his head.

“I am Lieutenant Krabbel. I got lost. I don’t devour sentient beings, only cooked food and ice cream.”

It was not clear if the frightened priest registered what Krabbel said. “Please have mercy. I meant no disrespect.”

Krabbel decided to go with the flow, perhaps they heard of Black Velvet and thought he was a terrible pirate too.

“Alright, I’ll have mercy then. I don’t feel disrespected, just perhaps misunderstood. All I want is return to where we came in and wait for Shea.”

“Just operate your machines, mighty one. It will return you, hopefully.”

Krabbel turned a little and noticed he was right in front of a bewildering panel of shimmering lights and one single sensor field.

Krabbel touched it.

Shea had learned that the priests had no clue about the technology they guarded. To her it appeared consistent with Orlan technology, unlike the robots at Brhama Port, these machines and devices were quite active and of a truly advanced civilization. Even her trained intellect and experience in identifying the functions of alien devices was stumped at identifying most of the elements.

She, however, began to understand that the chants of the priests were verbal instructions in a different, perhaps the Orlan language.

She had played along and truly laid it on thick, the big priest was so pleased with her praise and compliments he would have done anything for her.

Right now they were in the master control chamber and he started to sing the ancient reverse function chant.

The priest with the name Lalaxi, made a big show mostly perhaps for the benefit of the other priests to emphasize his importance.

Lalaxi had perhaps finished one sentence in that alien language when the entire chamber suddenly resonated with a deep-throated hum.

While Shea thought this was part of the show, it was clearly not something the Farnok priests expected.

Lalaxi had stopped his chant. Bluish energies crackled up and down the consoles and a voice said in several languages, one even old Saresii.

“Transit gate network now active. All gates received activation pulse.”

Chapter 20: MALAG
The other Farnok in the chamber shouted and sung different chants, apparently in an attempt to stop whatever was happening.

They were also quite upset at Lalaxi. From what Shea was able to understand, they blamed him for the sudden activity of these ancient controls.

It was also clear they had more or less forgotten about her.

When Lalaxi attempted to physically affect the controls by banging on it with his fists, he was rewarded for his efforts with a stinging bolt of bluish light. Much of his yellow robe was now in tatters and there was the distinct smell of burning fur in the air.

His current dance had nothing to do with any religious practice, Shea was quite certain. She suspected the smoldering was the reason.

Two of the other priests mocked Lalaxi, calling him all sorts of unholy things, while the third tried to affect the control board with a stick.

He too was hit by bluish energies, but instead of burning fur, he completely vanished. Shea’s science scanner confirmed the presence of super exotic particles and decided to leave the chamber fast.

She had no problem finding her way to the stone platform where they had arrived. She called Cirruit and Krabbel and knew they had been a bit too careless being separated like that.

She also encountered other yellow-robed Farnok who were running in pretty much every direction.

She reached Cirruit right away who said he had found the power source of the control center. He was, so he claimed in no danger and was making his way back to the same platform.

Krabbel also responded, but he was not as calm.

“I think I accidentally, sort of started some kind of process.”

“Never mind that, Krabbel. We need to get out of this place. I do not like the built up of all these multidimensional energies.”

Narth popped out of thin air just as she stormed down the flight of stairs taking her back to the empty reception chamber and the platform.

“I just took Cirruit back. I cannot teleport your sword.”

Tyron said. “I can fly supersonic, you know.”

She sighed with a smile. “Can you take Krabbel, I think our Navigator got lost.”

Narth vanished and she jumped into the air, Tyron accelerating her to many times the speed of sound.

SHIP reached me as I was about to enter our Den.

“Captain, my sensors just picked up very strong trans dimensional energy pulses emanating 259 klicks from here. It is exactly where Shea, Tyron, Cirruit, and Krabbel are.”

“Alert Hans and have him stand by with ten marines, raise our true shields and go to General Quarters.”

I rushed to the next I.S.T.

SHIP said. “Narth went to retrieve them, he cannot teleport through our TransDim shields.”

“Alright, keep them down for now. He is the next one I must talk to in earnest.

“He needs to inform me before he decides to do things.”

I was not very happy about that when I reached the bridge. Narth and Cirruit appeared just as I did.

My hooded friend said.

“Can I get Krabbel too?”

“Go, but we do have to talk about this later.”

He lowered his shrouded head.

“I understand.”

It took him less than a minute to get Krabbel.

“Can you get Shea too?”

“Not with her sword, Captain. It has properties that do not allow me to trans-place it. She is on her way, Tyron is flight capable.”

SHIP chimed in.

“I have them on scanners, ETA in three minutes.”

Narth wanted to say something, but I raised my hand while I sat down in my seat.

“We will speak about that later. Right now we need to figure out what is happening and if we are in danger.”

Elfi relieved Xon at the Communications console, as all my senior officers rushed to their stations. Branda, our Delicate remained at the science station until Shea was able to do so. My Saran Communications officer had raised her multitask bubble. SHIP and her department helped her sort through all the messages.

Shaka was preparing for an all power lift-off.

Elfi was truly excellent at her position; she already signaled me with a preliminary all signal report.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Shea running to her station.

I said with a loud firm voice.

“Tyron, stay where you are for now. We don’t need the distraction of Shea in the buff.”

Then I blinked Har-Hi’s icon active that was floating prominently before me among all the other station icons. While I was not in the Battledome and he was sitting right next to me, this was the correct and fastest way during General Quarters.

He responded right away.

“Preliminary situation report suggests that someone or something triggered an activation sequence that affected this or several Trans-Spatial-Gates. The ancient machinery and control devices located at or in a mountain like structure appears to be unstable and has transplanted or displaced a large portion of that mountain and many of the Farnok priests.

Local news and communication channels are centering on that subject. It is apparent that the Farnok do not know how to respond or handle the situation.”

“Are we in any danger?” I directed my question to Shea.

“I have too little data to say, the technology and physics behind this process are far beyond Union technology. The ancient system seems to be out of control, I doubt the displacement of so much matter was or is part of the intended process.”

Narth’s symbol blinked and I acknowledged.

“There is a 67 percent chance that this is an escalating event. The Shattered star system of the Bassett’s is the result of a potential similar event. The planet moves at great speed through space, the system might create spatial conditions that do not.”

“Shaka, get us out of here, I do not want to find out if that possibility becomes a fact.”

Elfi said.

“Captain, we are being hailed by the local officials.”

“Shaka keep going. Elfi put them on.”

A Farnok sans clothing appeared on the viewer.

“Visitors, please hear our plea. We do not know what is happening. Our leading scientists think that this world might be doomed. We do not have enough ships to evacuate even a small portion. You are of a civilization with more advanced technology, can you help? Or at least help us evacuate as many children as possible?”

I wanted to tell him that he should ask the Controllers maybe some expensive bribes will do the trick. I wanted to simply leave. What were the Farnok to me?

Yet this was not the Union way. It was most likely that we were responsible for this crisis in the first place.

“Shaka, return to the surface. Har-Hi, coordinate with Hans. Prepare to take in as many Farnok children as we can. Shea, SHIP, Cirruit, Narth see if we can somehow stop what is happening.”

To the Farnok on the screen, I said.

“I don’t know what we can do, this is also beyond our technology, but we will try to help. We will take on as many children as possible.”

He belonged to a species we never had any contact before, but I was certain in all his distress I noticed his thankfulness. As boisterous and alien they had appeared to me, this leader was concerned about his people and that earned my respect.

There was not a single word of objection from my crew either. Har-Hi had already left the bridge and I heard him over ship-wide giving orders to prepare to take on evacuees.

Krabbel and Shea took the moment to fill me in what happened while they were at that mountain facility. My Archa friend was deeply troubled and believed it was all his fault.

I put my hand on his hairy torso and consoled him.

“Don’t chastise yourself, we’ll figure something out.”

Shea said.

“There is not much we can do from here, Captain. We must return to the source and see if we can isolate the power source. I am almost certain, if we can cut the power, the effects will subside.”

Three-Four came to the bridge and said.

“I am following all of this, Captain. As you know I can see energies in a different way. I volunteer to come along, maybe I can help.”

“Alright, Roghor you have the conn. SHIP give me Har-Hi.”

“You’re on, Captain.”

“Continue with the evacuation effort and take off if we are not back in time. I will take the Apparition and a few volunteers and see if we can stop this Orlan thing from transplanting more of the planet. We will keep in contact.”

“Aye Captain.”

The high ranking officer and member of Fleet command burst into Admiral McElligott’s office.

“Admiral, Sir a fleet of unknowns appeared in Quadrant seven and there are reports of attacks on planets by unknowns in Quadrant 14.”

Both quadrants were considered deep in Union Space and no known enemy would dare to venture that far. Quadrant five was known as the Pluribus Quadrant and the very heart of the Union.

McElligott got up, while NELSON populated the air around the old admiral with dozens of info bubbles and field screens.

The Commander, a seasoned and experienced officer who had been around the ancient admiral for several years was still amazed about the old man’s ability to consume dozens of reports, messages, tactical maps, situation analyses and give fast and precise orders.

McElligott was not as famous as the Eternal Warrior, but he had been an Admiral for three thousand years and had more experience than everyone in the huge Annapolis tower combined.

He moved ships and fleets, gave evidence that he knew the location of these ships, the Commanding officer’s names and many details without consulting a Computronic.

The Commander wished the Union public could see and experience the Old Highlander in action, not just as an administrator, but as a military leader.

McElligott was still surrounded by message bubbles as he moved quite fast to his Inter-Building Transport.

“What are you waiting for, Commander Huggs? The USS Shetland is getting ready and I want to be on our way in ten minutes.”

The Commander folded up his Uniform bib and closed it, as he followed the old admiral.

McElligott had retrieved a TKU sidearm from a wall compartment and checked the weapon as the I.B.T. shot down the vacuum tube at great speed.

“Are you expecting, close quarter combat, Sir?”

“We are at war, Commander. I expect everything and like to be prepared.”

The old man did not slow down as he left the I.B.T. capsule and rushed towards the Transmatter Tunnel connection.

“NELSON are we dialed for Moonbase?”

The bodiless voice of the new super AI of the Spatial Navy immediately responded.

“Yes Sir, receiving station is docking bay one, Armstrong port.”

The Commander had to quicken his pace to keep up with McElligott.

“Sir, where is Stahl?”

“I already talked to him. The First Fleet and the Devi are at Arsenal system. He is on his way, but no worries Commander, I am not exactly an amateur when it comes to these things.”

“I did not even think that, Sir.”

Both men had stepped through the pitch black field inside the metallic hexagonal frame that was part of the Transmatter system. Without any measurable delay, they arrived at Armstrong Port, on Luna.

Earth itself no longer had any spaceports, civilian space traffic terminated at Sol Hub, a gigantic space station over eight light hours away.

Armstrong port was not the biggest spaceport of the Sol system, but it was a military one and was also the home port for the USS Shetland, the Union flagship.

She had already emerged from her sub-lunar hangar and was ready to jump into space.

Marines and several Cerberus robots waited for them already and without much ado followed the surprisingly fast old admiral.

Commander Huggs glanced at his PDD, not even ten minutes had passed since he stormed in McElligott’s office and now they had arrived on the bridge of the Shetland, who was already past Mars orbit, as she accelerated to transition speed and jumped into Quasi.

Captain Sheila McKenzie greeted the Admiral of the Fleet with a crisp.

“Welcome aboard.”

Huggs didn’t even know where they were going.

McElligott took the cup of tea, a yeoman was offering him.

“Seven previously unknown Trans-Spatial gateways of sort suddenly became active. All of them within Union Space, two of them so far are used by unknown sentients to infiltrate and attack Union assets. In the first case, it appears to be a fairly sizeable fleet, Second fleet is already engaging. In the second case, only a few ships also of unknown origin raided an agricultural planet and captured a wheat transport. I am almost certain these are pirates of sort taking advantage of the sudden active gate.”

The commander with all his years at fleet command, never seen this side of McElligott.

The captain of the Shetland apparently had, as she commented on it, while she looked at the commander.

“Our Union has more than one warhorse, a fact not too many realize.”

To the Admiral she said.

“Why Kelly’s planet? This planet was already raided.”

The old man sat down in the observer seat and sipped from his tea.

“The other warhorse is speeding with red hot engines towards the first problem and Admiral T. Moyer commandant of the 17th fleet is not nicknamed the Hammer for his gentle approach to things. Those pirates or whatever caused that trouble will be in for a ride that either end on an executioners noose or a cloud of nuclear dust.”

He pointed with his entire cup at the front screen.

“We are showing Union muscle and open concern, nothing soothes angry colonists better than the flagship.”

Huggs didn’t say it out loud but he was thinking. “All this hurry and bluster to showboat around colonists. The Union did have only one real war horse, after all, the Eternal Warrior.”

The mountain and the temple-like structure on top had partially disappeared. There was a bright bluish glow engulfing the top of the mountain. Bright bolts of the same bluish energies speared out from its center and hit water and rocks, displacing thousands of tons of water and other matter. Mehedi was piloting the Apparition and had her hover right at the stone platform where Shea and the others had arrived before.

I said to him.

“As discussed, you take her to a safe distance and wait for our signal to pick us up. I don’t want our ride to be partially displaced to Odin knows where.”

Mehedi acknowledged and I followed Cirruit, Narth, Two-Three and Shea inside the mountain and the ancient Orlan installation.

Behind us and outside the entrance cave, the Apparition shot into the sky and out of sight.

Shea said.

“I am fairly certain it was Krabbel activating some kind of core function and the garbled verbal commands of that self-proclaimed controller that caused all this.”

“Alright, this is what we do or at least try to do” I said.

“Shea, Narth, and Cirruit you try to find whatever this place has for a Computronic and try to restore its normal functions, while Three-Four, Tyron and I try to find the energy source and separate it or shut it down.”

We all knew there was not much time; no one really argued my plan. Shea pointed to the stairs.

“Our best bet is to go back to that control room. Let’s hope the TransDim shields of our Atlas suits will be able to prevent sudden displacement by some random Orlan energy field.”

“It is a volunteer mission, guys. You can return to the Tigershark anytime, I just can’t ignore the peril of an entire planet population.”

“You should know us better than that” Cirruit said as we separated into two groups. They were heading to the left following Shea’s lead, while Three-Four, Tyron and I went the other direction. Three-Four able to see in a completely different way guided us. The Non-Corporeal was certain we went into the right direction towards the installation’s main energy source.

We had ventured about five hundred meters through smooth walled, curving corridors when a tall blonde Neo Viking appeared. He wore black leather, held a Nilfeheim broadsword and wore a Fangsnapper fur cape. The moment I saw the man, I realized this was me!

My male persona, Eric. Just as I would have looked if I had not chosen to become Erica.

He was confused just as I was, but he reacted to the situation like a true Neo Viking. Bellowing a war cry and attacking.

“Off-world woman, what trickery is this?”

“I am Erica Olafson, I do not know what happened, but don’t make me fight you. You are me.”

I had to back up, noticed that Three Four was gone. His sword parted the air before me, it was Mjördaren.

“I am not a woman.”

“Our father is Isegrim, our mother is Ilva. Midril makes the best Tyranno Fin Stew...”

Again I had to evade his swing.

“Someone told you these names and I killed Isegrim, long time ago.”

“You killed him because he killed mother with his wicked Steel cable whip. Eric, I do not know what is going on, but you are a version of me. I can’t back up much further, don’t make me draw my sword.”

He grimaced.

“You are Loki, are you not? I had it with you gods interfering with my life. God, elf, frost giant or off-world alien, stand or die!”

The corridor made a sharp turn at this point and I could not back up further, his next swing would strike me. If it was just a sword, I had nothing to fear, but if it was the real deal, not even Tyron could save me.

I touched the cylinder on my belt and within the matter of an eye blink, my sword established itself in my fists. It was no longer disguised as Mjördaren but Dark Blade itself, the ancient weapon of a god.

While this was the most bizarre situation standing against a version of myself, I had a hard time fighting the urge to let whatever was inside me loose.

I was not sure who I was fighting either, was it a mirage? Was it a projection of sorts or was it indeed a part of me? Would killing him, kill me?

This Eric was an excellent swordsman, likely the best of Nilfeheim, but with this observation came the realization that I had grown beyond Nilfeheim, including swordsmanship.

I parried a kill swing, Dark Blade did not deflect the other blade, it was cut right through. His sword was not a disguised version of Dark Blade.

“Of course not!” Thundered that cold voice inside me.

“Dark Blade cannot be copied, only one exists in all the Omniverse.”

“Oh shut up! I know you are coming and there is little I can do to prevent it, but until then I am in charge and you take a backseat!”

My other self was clearly distraught by the loss of his weapon, but it was indeed Eric and that loss fazed him, perhaps a heartbeat or two. He threw the heavy cross guard and the rest of his sword against my head and it was a good throw. Distracted by arguing with myself, the thrown thing hit me. Tyron prevented serious injury, but Eric used the distraction to draw his fighting knife. I knew he would not give up and not stand down, something I never learned to do.

“Eric, stop! You cannot win, I am much better equipped and protected. Just listen for a moment!”

“One cannot win if one doesn’t try! Thor give me strength.”

I responded.

“Am I really that stubborn? By Odin, just stop for a moment and let us figure out what is going on. This isn’t Nilfeheim as you can tell.”

Just as I was getting through to him, he vanished into thin air, the twisting corridor before me also changed shape and appearance.

The smooth character of the walls was replaced by rough natural rock, there was almost no light, except an ambient red glow that had no real identifiable source. It was very hot and just as Tyron adjusted and I tried to orient myself, I was almost split in half by a flaming sword of tremendous size, held by demonic monstrosity.

Tyron warned.

“I am unable to protect you against that weapon, it just cut through our shields.”

I still held Dark Blade and once again found myself backing away.

“I am Malag!” Thundered the bluish demonic entity with bright wings of fire. His limbs and sword glowed like white-hot steel and radiated hellish heat.

“You are just a helpless little human, I will enjoy squashing you. Without you being the mother to the child that channels he who must never return, stays slain.”

His monstrous white-hot flaming blade burst in even brighter flames.

“I am Malag, puny human. I was sent to kill Coven, seems you are associated with them.”

He swung and I raised Dark Blade to parry. He was three or four times as big as I was, the weapon he swung must have been over five meters long and certainly over a thousand pounds.

Just like the steel sword of the Eric apparition, Dark Blade sliced through it like it wasn’t there.

This actually threw me off balance, as I had placed both hands on the grip of my sword and I expected a heavy impact. Instead of that impact, there was nothing, it sliced right through with as much as resistance as thin air.

This weapon of my future self was not made to fence. My fighting skills and moves were wasted.

Because of this, the motion of my swing continued and exposed my right shoulder and entire right side to the flaming monster.

Malag howled in surprise, as his weapon was shortened by a meter or so, but he too kept his momentum and I was certain, only because I wore Tyron I did not die. However, I also knew right there, that Tyron was seriously hurt. He reverted to his gray garment state. A sizeable part of Tyron’s right side was burned black.

Seeing my friend hurt or maybe even worse, made that darkness in me well up, and I did not suppress it, oh no! I joined it. For the first time, there was a strange unity inside me. I was the Dark One. Erica had somehow faded away and I was Eric, no I was the Dark One. I was not complete, much of my true self was still separate. I was not able to linger and remain.

I put Dark Blade away and summoned Bereaver, the icon of my wraith.

“Oh, you but a lackey. Your judgment is at hand.”

This entity of the Anti-verse howled in anger and fearful surprise.

“You are the Dark One, this is Bereaver.”

“The age of my coming is here and the day of the decision is soon at hand.”

The monstrosity lunged forward swiping his furnace hot claws, in an attempt to cut me to shreds.

“You are still trapped in a mortal shell, neither the cloak nor your true body is yours. I shall be victorious and take that ax from you.”

I was the Dark One, and indeed I was not complete. However, I was also raised on Nilfeheim and the new Dark One was also Neo Viking. Like the alternate version of myself I faced just moments ago, I never surrender or back down. And this was not a blaster weapon, this was my axe.

“Come ye, then and take it!”

My axe sliced through the beast’s outstretched claw.

I did not have Tyron’s protection anymore; more of my loyal friend was burned. So was my hair and I felt the stinging pain of burn injuries on many spots on my human body.

My anger fueled by Tyron’s fate and the fragility of the mortal body I still possessed grew, and I reached out with my mind.

Malag was seriously wounded, what Bereaver severed did not grow back, but the furnace hot pieces littering the ground were obstacles I had to circumvent to prevent more injuries to myself. He made a rattling sound as his inhuman voice laughed.

“Feeble Psionics against a prince of the Anti-Verse? My victory is near!”

“Nay I say!” I threw the Axe and it spun through the air and hacked deep into Malag’s ugly head.

“It is not psionics, creature. It is my will and it is power supreme.”

Malag screamed in otherworldly agony, withered and crumbled.

I was a mess and hurt. I had no idea where or when I was.

To me, it was likely that the multidimensional cascade effects of whatever was happening had to do with that Orlanian equipment was somehow responsible for all that. I wished I had gained more insight into these things by merging with his Hugavh. He obviously managed to become much more accustomed to whatever he gained from that merger.

I sat down carefully peeling the rest of Tyron of my body. Partly due to the respect and grief I felt and partially because I had more burn wounds than I realized.

The voice inside me said.

“Who was it, Narth shared the Hugavh with?”

“So you are a separate entity and I do not have to become a Dark God?”

“Yes, Sister. I am Eric and I am also the Dark One, you are indeed Freya Olafson my twin sister. Your body was stillborn. Tyr that old schemer merged your consciousness with me and my body because he is a Cosmic Elder and an agent for the Voice of the Rule. Tyr wanted to soften my resurrection with a female side because only a female can give birth and thus be part of creation.”

My head spun and a cavalcade of emotions and memories flooded my mind. So many mysteries in my own life suddenly made sense.

The voice of Eric felt amused.

“You are still my twin sister, meaning you are the twin sister of the Dark One. What this will mean exactly, I do not know yet.

Meeting Malag and another dimensional copy of us revealed some of this to me and allows me to be more active.”

“What does all this mean to me? Whose body is this? I know we buried that stillborn.”

“This is your body. You already changed it to be female and once we find my own body. We will adjust the final little things to make you the female you are.”

“And who of us is Captain Olafson? I remember everything in first person, being male and now you tell me I am not a real person?”

“We are still one, Erica. We are Captain Olafson, and you will remain that Officer. I must eventually physically separate myself from you and once I reclaimed all that I am, I cannot remain an officer and we know why.”

I actually nodded despite sharing this innermost conversation.

“You wouldn’t know how to get out of here?”

“We wait, Erica. We are in the Anti-Universe but this body does not belong here. We carry our own time-space condition and it will equalize us back with our own time-space continuum.”

“Now I know who it was Narth shared the Hugavh. I am talking to myself and don’t understand a thing.”

“Try to understand with your consciousness, not with our human limited mind. Erica, I am the Dark One, I am far beyond anything of this Omniverse, including the Narth. Our friend Narth cannot share anything with me. You are the only condition I will share anything for we are sharing everything since your birth.”

My other self was correct, the black hot cave shimmered back into the smooth corridor of the Orlan installation.

Three-Four in his true state and without his containment suit found me seconds later. A bright bluish energy streak swirling around me. Unable to communicate with me, but I felt his deep concern. Glad to be back, I also felt the excruciating pain of my burns.

Now Shea stomped down the corridor wearing her Atlas suit. Her voice trembling with emotions she said into her comm unit.

“Narth, quick! We need to get the captain out of here, she is in terrible shape!”

== Chapter 21: Subtle approach ==

I was sitting on the main diagnostic table of our sickbay. Cateria had taken me out of a regen tank just moments ago and was now examining me.

“What did you do, Captain? Fight a blast furnace” I could not find the emotions to smile, Tyron’s demise was heavy on my mind.

“What I faced was certainly hot enough to melt metal.

“Har-Hi was standing outside the privacy bubble and said.

“Whatever you guys did, worked, the run-away Orlan equipment is inactive and we can no longer detect any random trans placement activity.

“Shea who had no need for a privacy field stood right next to Cateria.

“Narth and I were able to crack into that central unit. As we expected, it was a combination of Krabbel diverting the main core energy into some kind of sending unit and the incorrect and garbled chants of the Farnok priests that made this command center react the way it did. Other factors include the great age and the partially deteriorated system control levels.”

Narth shimmered into existence right next to her.

“I will compose a detailed report, but it was the actions of Lieutenant 3452-991 isolating the energy tap and shutting it down, that made the system inert and thus ended the trans-spatial activity.”

“Can you explain, why I fought or almost fought myself and then was face to face with an Anti-universe goon of considerable size, torching here and the desire to kill me?” “I can only speculate, Captain. Maybe it was your emotions or similar factors that triggered these meetings.”

Silently and directly to my mind, he said.

“You are no longer just human. You are developing into an entity that is beyond Narth, but Narth knows there are many that fear your rise and there are those who want to prevent it.”

I responded in the same silent way.

“You know more about this, don’t you?” “I can now sense two personalities that are starting to separate. You are the Dark One and you are Erica. Not I, not all Narth knows you, only a few aspects about you.

“Cateria put down her handheld med scanner and wiped the info bubbles out of existence.

“Medically you are as fine as ever.

“Where are we with the Farnok evacuation. It is no longer needed, right?” While I stepped into the auto-dresser, Har-Hi said.

“We rendezvoused with the Apparition to get our toasted captain to sickbay. We have suspended taking children aboard and are now reversing the procedure, as we have taken on three hundred of them already.”

“How long?” “They are kids and despite their Non-human nature, they are scared, not very organized or disciplined. We are doing it as fast as we can, Captain.”

He looked up to the ceiling.

“SHIP how long do you think?” “About two hours, Captain.”

With a careful motion, I took the container with the rest of Suit.

“After we have done this, I want to commemorate Tyron Suit, our first casualty. The suit has become a friend to me and many.”

“He has indeed.”

Har-Hi agreed.

“Cateria is not a suit or Seenian tech expert, but she thinks Tyron can be restored.”

“I care not about the suit, but its personality. Is there a chance it has survived?” Cateria said.

“It is not a patient I can help, but the core still has energy. Maybe it can self-repair, if not, we should take Tyron to the depot. The last servant has the technology and the knowledge to answer your question.

“Then there is hope and we will go there. Tyron saved my life.”

The Shetland had settled on the landing field of Kelly’s planet, just outside of New Limerick. This was a planet deep in Union space, just a few regions removed from Pluribus and technically under the protection of Nineteenth fleet. But like many of the ‘old core fleets’, the nineteenth was stripped of many dreadnoughts and battleships and have been replaced by Frigates, cruisers and the like. Their daily missions involved trade lane patrol, assisting Union police, parade, recruitment and training. It was McElligott himself who made these changes, as he did not expect an enemy penetrating that deep without clashing with the more battle ready fleets. He also handed the command positions to admirals that were excellent administrators, often had great contacts with the justice department and even legal expertise. The admiral of the 19th, for example, was an excellent golf player, had a brilliant legal mind often used to draft the more complicated fleet rules and regulations. He certainly was capable enough to fight an unknown aggressor, but the admiral and commandant of the nineteenth had been taking an extended vacation on Para-Para. While he was notified right away regarding the situation, he made a few awkward command decisions that delayed rapid deployment. The Admiral of the Fleet, debarked and was met by that admiral. There was a tight cordon of marines and robots around the high ranking officers and their entourage. Beyond them, the evidence of the recent attack was very evident. There were craters in the landing field, the wreckage of a Union Postal service ship and many spaceport service buildings damaged. Admiral Herbert Gaylord, the commandant of the 19th wore a condor suit. While this would have been perfectly normal for a Wolfcraft pilot, McElligott knew that this man had no fighter craft experience or clearance at all. The old admiral always thought very highly of this man who was born on New Connecticut, planet and came from a very old and influential family of that similar old and well-developed world that had been colonized by United Earth, even before Union times. Gaylord’s suit displayed urban camouflage patterns, the fabric image frozen and not active adapting. He also had decided to wear two TKU Eight in leg strap holsters. Over it all, he wore an officer’s jacket with the logo of the 19th and a duckbill cap, complete with scrambled eggs across the shield and the stylized silhouette of the USS Albany, an Arthur class Battleship and the flagship of the 19th. He swiped his right index finger across his thin pencil beard and gave McElligott a very sloppy salute.

“Welcome to Kelly’s Planet, Sir. My experts have the situation well in hand. We are assessing the damage right now.

“And?” “The damage is well within reason, Sir. We think two or three billion credits will have it all fixed. There are just 21,000 fatalities, so far, there might be a few more here and there. If we take the numbers of the local civilians, there might be 1500 missing, taken for slaves by the unknowns perhaps.

He made a nonchalant gesture.

“You know how it is with civilians, they are so unprecise.”

A bulky man with a torn, bloodstained shirt tried unsuccessfully to shoulder himself past the marines. He yelled.

“I am the planet manager. If you jack-boots don’t let me through, I will add this to my complaint I will carry before the Assembly!” Gaylord rolled his eyes annoyed.

“That simpleton is getting to me. Marines remove that man from sight. We are professionals and have it all under control.

“McElligott knew about the showboating character of Gaylord for years, but he always thought of it as an acceptable quirk. He was such a brilliant administrator and excellent golfer, he helped him win several times against his arch nemesis General McKenzie of the Union Army. However seeing it unchanged in the face of real tragedy and losses, it was more than disturbing. Why the marines suddenly stepped aside was anyone’s guess, but the marines let the planet manager through. Gaylord protested mildly and with a superior grin.

“I warned you, Sir. He is abrasive, to say the least.”

The man had stormed close.

“Oh, I am going to be so much more!” He eyed McElligott.

“Kilt and sporran. You are McElligott, are you not?” “Yes, I am Admiral McElligott. I came personally to assess the situation and make sure this will not happen again.

“Where are the ones that have been abducted? And in sweet Mary’s name can anyone tell us who it was that attacked us?” McElligott tried to put some of his immortal gravity into his voice.

“Good man, we are still investigating and once we know more...”

“You and that arrogant prick can go back from where you came from. You should be out there and hunt whoever did that and bring our people back.”

“I understand your anger and frustration, we are doing what we can.”

“Yes, I can see that coming in battleships, after the attack, there are almost 22,000 dead.”

Gaylord sighed.

“And here we go unprecise civilian exaggerations. There are just 21,000 fatalities, we could have had much more.”

McElligott frowned.

“I feel your loss, the attack occurred from unknowns that utilized a suddenly active and previously unknown spatial gateway of sorts. This planet has over 12 million inhabitants, while this is a terrible loss, it is a small percentage. Admiral Gaylord may have phrased it without enough empathy.”

The planet manager held up his PDD and the projection of a face hovered over it. Very short high and tight haircut, a distinct scar under his left eye. Some considered the man displayed a myth, others considered him a propaganda construct, but most Union citizens knew this face and the man it belonged to, they called him Eternal Warrior. McElligott now knew why the marines made way and he silently groaned.

“That show boater had to stick his nose into everything. Why could he not fight the unknowns and let me do the rest?” Gaylord stood close enough to hear some of the old admiral’s words.

“He isn’t real anyway, isn’t he some sort of avatar you constructed?” “I am afraid he is very real.”

Stahl thundered.

“It is not a percentage, not a clinical number. Each and every single one had a face and loved ones. Even one single person lost to hostile action would be a terrible tragedy. Your callousness and absolutely despicable way dealing with this will have consequences.”

Stahl then turned to the planet manager.

“Mr. Berry, this attack was conducted by a species called the Nocenzi and they came from the M-110 Dwarf Galaxy. Captain Hendricks, of the USS Caledonia, is on his way bringing you back almost all we could rescue and liberate from the Nocenzi. I can’t be there personally, I am about to pass through that gate and teach them a thing or two about Union retaliation towards unprovoked attacks.”

The Planet Manager raised his fist and his eyes glowed.

“That is what needs to be done! Rescuing abductees and retaliate. Not prancing around in costumes and thinking we are consoled by the display of arrogance and incompetence.”

The planet manager ripped off the rest of the tattered sleeve.

“I helped to dig out victims, what have you done?”

Gaylord said. “We are command officers, we don’t dig in the rubble. We must assess and direct.”

The man identified by Stahl as Mr. Berry said.

“I am Master Sergeant Finbarr Berry former Marine. I commanded a Thor Gunboat. I am not a civilian, but I wore that uniform to serve each and every civilian. Because that is what the Union Military is here for. You never have seen the inside of a Wolfcraft, I can tell.”

Then he pointed at McElligott.

“And you need to retire, we don’t need you.”

“That angry spat hit Elligott harder than a fist, and he had no response. Gaylord didn’t see it coming.

“You are out of order, a former marine. This is the Admiral of the Fleet and I am...”

Finbarr Berry, the planet manager relieved his frustration in a very traditional Irish fashion and hammered his sizeable fist into Gaylord’s face, the blow resulted in a cracking sound and a gush of crimson blood as Gaylord stumbled back. Finbarr shook the same fist at McElligott.

“Only the little respect I have for you saved you from the same treatment, Sir. Now if you excuse me, I see the USS Caledonia making planet fall. After that, I will travel to Pluribus.”

“Seems to be a lively place,” Har-Hi said as we approached the large asteroid that drifted without a sun in deep space. I lowered my seat back onto bridge level. Our sensors had picked up hundreds of energy signatures and contacts of all sizes. Mao said without turning.

“Captain, two signals are on a direct intercept.

“I sighed and reversed the direction of my seat and back into Battle-View. Since we were still at General Quarters I had Har-Hi announce Battle Stations. The Tactical analysis was already blinking and I acknowledged. Narth had summarized tactical and science and said.

“Both ships are of unknown configuration. All indications point to Tech level seven. Both are armed and well shielded. I could see the two ships, the tactical view clearly showed their changed course and indication plots confirmed their intercept intentions. They both were of considerable size. One was a six hundred meters unit and the other was almost seven hundred meters from bow to aft. They were under full shields and according to our energy distribution scan, their weapons are active.

“Elfi, hail them, please. All channels, maximum transmission energy.”

“You are on, Captain.”

“This is Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. I might be new around these parts, but two ships on an intercept course with active shields and weapons are generally not part of the normal welcome procedures. So I give you the benefit of a doubt and ask before shooting starts.”

“We know who you are, Velvet of the big star spiral. We know your rusty clipper is full of treasure. Now before shooting starts, we outnumber you and we have big guns. Let us board and give us a generous helping of your treasures and we consider the matter settled.

“Mao, target the left one, TL Kilo load where the transmission originated.

“The six hundred meter unit was indeed well shielded, but that didn’t prevent the equivalent of one kiloton of high explosives in the form of a matter-antimatter reaction obliterating that ship’s command center and ripped the rest to glowing shreds.

“Now you will tell me where Lia and the rest of her crew is, she had to be the one talking about me. Then you will beg for mercy and I might consider this matter settled.

“They try to run,” Mao reported. I could see the same as the remaining ship was reversing course. I opened the comm link and said.

“I didn’t give you permission to leave.”

To my tactical officer, I said. “Target their drive and if you damage their engineering that’s fine too”.

After this ships aft had been shredded by Mao’s precision shots, we were hailed.

“Have mercy, please have mercy.”

“And...”

“The female from the big star spiral is with Plostrak and they should still be on Quarva.”

“And you are objecting of us being here? Did whoever runs that rock send you?” “No, we wanted to please Plostrak and get your treasure. Can we please go now?” “I can’t see how, without a drive section.

“A new voice said.

“We are Quarva and we have no objection of you being here, whatever business you have with Plostrak or his associates is none of ours.

“Odin’s beard, the first contact in this star cluster that says something I like.”

The voice actually sounded amused.

“Scrap and space ships can be sold here, Captain Velvet.”

To the contact on the damaged ship, I said.

“You heard Quarva. I am towing that junk in and sell it, anyone aboard I find alive, I feed to my monsters.

After the connection was terminated. Narth asked.

“We have monsters?” “Yeah, one with a black hood for one,” I said with a smile.

“I do not eat beings and if we apply the Union dictionary accepted definition of monster, you will eventually be the biggest and most frightening monster.”

Har-Hi also grinned.

“He said it, not me.”

“Focus ladies and gentlemen, we have a job to do. Prepare to tow that piece of scrap we just acquired and prepare for landing or docking. Stand down from Battle Stations, but maintain condition yellow. We are surrounded by bad people and whoever this Plostrak is, seems to listen to Lia’s propaganda. I wonder how she knows we are here.

“Fivecheer said.

“This is no real mystery, Captain. We weren’t exactly hiding our names or origin while we were at Central Control planet of the Farnok. We furthermore made no secret about our intentions, I am certain there were plenty of ears and eyes with access to some sort of messaging system.

“Seems this Flicker fish jumped the net, and the subtle approach is out.”

Shea said. “I think the whole subtle approach doctrine was never your strength, Captain.”

“What a fine crew I have.”

SHIP interrupted our banter, while my bridge crew was preparing to tow an alien ship towards a humongous asteroid, the size of a small moon.

“Captain, I am sorry but I have fantastic news!” “You even sound excited, what is it SHIP?” “I was successful in reactivating Tyron’s core. It is the same Tyron and not just a Seenian Battlesuit. With Cirruit’s help, we are replicating repair nanites. Tyron will soon be able to communicate and serve you again.”

A flood of warm emotions reached my throat and I noticed there weren’t many dry eyes on the bridge.

“SHIP, that is wonderful news. As a Captain, I should scold you for working on Tyron. If he would not have been the same, he would have posed a serious threat to the safety of this ship, but how can I? Tyron was and thankfully still is a dear friend and he is yours too.”

SHIP said. “I understand and I should have informed you, but Cirruit and I isolated the core center and it had no nanite resources to restore itself. There was no danger.”

“Keep me posted on his status, please.”

Plostrak did not go to the Crucible himself, he had sent one of his most trusted men. He wanted the Crucible and more so He-who-guards-the-Crucible to keep word and produce more Pepiro. He didn’t trust that old AI and was secretly afraid of it. Being too close to it, who knew what resources that thing had to make him do its bidding? Being at a good distance with quite a few bargaining chips in his control, he felt safe. The Pepiro pirate with the Mora-6 cyber enhancements had his own spread inside the huge pirate base, that was known far and wide as Quarva. This huge asteroid had drifted for eons in deep space, ejected from its star system by some cosmic event and discovered most likely by accident by the Anadda. He and nobody he knew much about the Anadda, other than they eradicated themselves somehow many hundred thousand long periods ago. A succession of societies and civilizations occupied and utilized this huge rock ever since. It had seen periods of abandonment, battles have been fought over it and it had been conquered, lost, bought and sold. Quarva had a long and eventful history, just no one really bothered to record it properly. Almost all of it was simply told from mouth to mouth, and Plostrak was sure much was completely fabricated or so twisted that it had nothing to do with what actually occurred. Some of the persistent legends claimed that the Anadda came from the big star spiral and had been the survivors of a tremendous empire that had suddenly collapsed because its ruler decided to disappear or something like that. Why the Anadda fled or came this way was unknown, and each of the many speculations to the reason was as good as the other. It was the same persistent legend that had a fair ring of plausibility stated that it was the Anadda who constructed the Crucible and gave it an artificial consciousness. The Crucible was to create the most capable and fierce warrior lifeform for the purpose of finding and destroying someone or something called the Dark One. The fantastic and most likely fairy tale part of the legend claimed that this Dark One was actually some sort of god that had been slain and cut in twelve parts. The parts were strewn and scattered across the big star spiral because a prophecy foretold the resurrection of that God once all twelve pieces were reunited by one person. To find and destroy these parts or to prevent the birth of that person able to reunite these parts was the purpose of the Crucible. Plostrak was very interested in that history as he and more so his kind was directly linked to it. The Anadda had met the Mora, a local civilization that was technologically advanced or perhaps gifted engineers. Why or how the Anadda convinced the Mora to build the ships needed to send the warriors made by the Crucible to be sent to do what they were made for, was another part of the legend that had no real explanation. Plostrak sat in his elaborately decorated master salon that was part of his Quarva palace and reclined in a wide upholstered hollow egg-shaped rest divan. His left hand had been replaced with a Mora-6 cybernetics alternative. He no longer missed his real hand and used the many flexible metal tentacles with the same unconscious ease. Three of the finger thick tentacles had sneaked around a Kratna, the traditional drink container of the Wraw filled with Niff, his favorite liquor. Pepiro had no traditions and no culture, the Pepiro were the result of genetic manipulations of He-who-guards-the-crucible. According to that arrogant machine, an inferior and worthless product with no redeeming qualities. If Plostrak’s research was correct, a batch of five hundred Pepiro was made, evaluated and labeled a failed product. He-who-guards-the-crucible destroyed 400 Pepiro, but Plostrak managed to escape with 99 others. Homeless, bred to fight and kill, Plostrak and the rest became pirates. Hunted and eventually captured by a coalition formed of several space-faring societies and led by the Farnok he was captured and sentenced to a lifetime exile on a marginal garden world. Of the original ninety-nine, only sixty survived the hunt and released onto Tosera, planet. Blustrik, his best friend was attacked and killed by something big and scaled the very first hour of their harsh exile. Plostrak raised the bowl-shaped Kratna as his memories drifted to that day twenty-eight long periods ago.

“I will conquer this galaxy in your name, Blustrik and kill each and every Farnok. Fate or whatever has dropped the tools to do just that into my grasp.

“It was then twenty-eight long periods ago when he in search for shelter, found the cave and the access to Mora-6 technology. Tosera was not a planet without hope, but an abandoned colony of the Mora civilization the sixth incarnation to be exact. It was here he met the Remote and with its unlimited access to technology that was beyond that of the Farnok. He needed people now, with the Mora tech and a race of his own, this galaxy was his for the taking! The bitter Pepiro got up, crossed the big room and took an elevator down, to join the rest of his crew and the newcomers from the large star spiral. Their supposed leader, a female of sorts and with the name Lia was not all that useful but she had brought others along from her star isle, that were utterly professional. These men of different species claimed to come from a society called the Union. These beings had a collective arrogance and unshakeable confidence in their skills and training. It was not just imagined bravado, but quite real. He found twenty of his men and most of the homeless refugees that had arrived in this galaxy only recently gathered around the two beings claiming to be former fleet officers of that Union. The one calling himself Julkus was telling them about his former home. Plostrak crossed his arms and silently joined to listen.

“It is called the USS Devastator.

“Julkus just said.

“It is a battleship of alien origin. It is the product of a very advanced space-faring species.

“One of the Pepiro made a dismissive gesture.

“So all your Union has is a single ship of alien origin?” The Spindlar, also claiming to have been a former Union officer turned his head almost all the way to the back so he could face the man.

“It makes no difference what you think. The Union fleet is the most powerful entity in the M-0 galaxy, you shit in your space suit seeing just one Union Battleship.

“A bulky humanoid, identifying himself as a Triple-Strong and former Chief Petty Officer, who had been convicted of stealing Mil-Tech for the Worm said.

“Besides the Devi is much more than a Seenian battleship. She can cloak and not even Seenian sensors can detect her if she is under cloak. She is among the fastest ships. While she has eight of the biggest military grade ISAH pods built so far, but she also has “Alien engines” that according to Seenian Tech experts are not of Seenian origin.

“Plostrak could clearly detect the pride in these former Union men. Julkus frowned.

“It is safe to say that there never has been a more famous starship in the known history of the Milky Way. There are bigger ships, there are ships more advanced but none is as famous and none has that many legends, stories, and myths told about it than the USS Devastator.

Plostrak was noticed standing in the back as he said. “Do go on. I want to hear more about that.”

The former Lieutenant Commander looked in Plostrak’s direction.

“Besides, it is assumed that it once was a Seenian battleship as it has the same design features and shape and that it had been built over a million years ago. No official records exist, regarding what happened to the ship after the Seenian Empire collapsed and until it was found by Admiral Stahl.

“The ship was found by a man of your society?” Plostrak asked. Julkus nodded.

“Yes, the modern history of the ship begins during the end of the last Y’All invasion when all seemed lost and exiled Admiral Stahl returned after being gone for almost eighty years. Stahl returned with a new weapon and new shield technology.”

Plostrak squinted his cybernetic enhanced eyes.

“And it was this weapon that defeated the Y’All?” “It was only one factor of the defeat. Back then only the Devi had Translocator Cannons, while that ancient weapon proved very effective, everyone in our galaxy knows it was Admiral Stahl who defeated them.

“This Stahl is still talked about after such a long time? Do other ships have that weapon?” Julkus laughed.

“Stahl is an immortal. He is very much alive and I doubt there is a more beloved and respected man.”

Then he tapped with his right finger against his temple.

“Every ship has Translocators and they are much more advanced than the ancient Seenian originals. We are tinkering and improving on them for over 1500 years. Union Translocators and the loads they displace are far beyond that old Seenian tech and I can build them.”

One of Plostrak’s lieutenants said.

“Just got message, that the other newcomer hunting Lia, has left Control world of the Farnok two days ago and my sources at Control world think she is coming this way.”

Plostrak snorted. “The last thing I heard is that these cursed cats evacuate because that alien tech controlling the gates is running amok and displacing half the planet.”

“Then you are not up to date, Plostrak. The word is that the Newcomers were able to stop the control devices and saved the world and millions of Farnok.”

Plostrak turned his head to Lia.

“She is hunting you, you know of her and she has a Y’All in her crew. Who is she?” Lia, in turn, looked towards Meateater, who hadn’t much said ever since they had arrived at Quarva.

“He knows more about her. Meateater was aboard her ship too.”

“She is hunting you, now speak what you know. These Union men have value, you have little and it becomes less by the hour. I command, you obey.”

“The leader of the last remaining Pepiro was not able to read Lia’s facial expression; otherwise, he would have seen her anger as she flashed him a scolding look. However she knew the big pirate was not to be trifled with.

“No one really knows much about her. Some say she is the same Black Velvet, a pirate that was active 400 years ago. Some say she is associated with the monster witches that hide in the Igras expanse.”

She had to interrupt her narrative, as someone asked what the Igras expanse is and Julkus explained it. He also told them about the Coven.

“I don’t know much about them and I personally think those stories about flaming demons are just that, silly spook stories told and retold by drunk and bored Scoopers.

One of Plostrak’s men, not a Pepiro but an especially ugly purple skinned being blubbered.

“Don’t dismiss these stories so easily, Union man. There are many things out there we can’t explain.”

Plostrak waved his tentacles. “Enough of that. I want to hear more about this Black Velvet.”

He snapped his tentacles towards Lia.

“Get on with it, maybe I find a use for you cleaning things. So don’t spoil your good fortune.

Again she gave him a warning glare, and continued.

“She surfaced about two years ago, quickly becoming one of the most wanted pirates of the Upward sector and she participated in a quest for a Seenian depot. We ended up being captured by a Union captain, she was not. Now she is hunting us, perhaps for the bounty. That’s really all I know about her.

“The Y’All. I want to know why she has a creature in her crew that resembles a Y’All warrior in great detail.”

“No one has seen a live Y’All for 1500 years. I doubt it is a real Y’All.”

Meateater was eating something, Plostrak had not really seen that brutish and always smudgy being not eating.

“You, Meateater. What do you know?” “She’s a bitch, a cursed bitch. Her ship looks like a piece of scrap on the outside, but she has enough treasure in just her den, to buy you half this roid for sure. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Heaps of Iridium coins, Polonium, artifacts worth millions of Polos. She is resourceful and shrewd, regardless of the trap or situation, she came out the other end.

“And you don’t know about the Y’All either?” “Oh, I’ve seen it. That four armed creature isn’t the only bruiser she has in her crew. There are Nul and Pertharians. To me, it is as much a mystery to see Pertharians on the wrong side of Union law than the Y’All.”

Meateater took a drink from a big tankard, caring little about the fact that some of the liquid drooled down his cheeks and onto the stained protective suit he wore.

“She deals with slaves and maybe bought the Y’All somewhere. I swore I am going to kill her and that is what I will do, now that she is here as well.

Plostrak’s associate, the one bringing news from the Farnok planet, gazed on his communicator and said.

“There is your chance, filthy boaster. That newcomer just dropped from Other-space.”

Meateater’s hand dropped to the butt of his weapon.

“Be careful with your insults. Next time I kill you!” Then the Oghr grunted.

“I made friends here already and they will relieve her from her treasures and bring her to me.”

Plostrak had activated a view screen and watched like the others as two ships engaged the newcomer. He knew about these ships and their owners. Manfick and Rohbumser were successful freelancers and commanded formidable ships. Nothing compared to his Traa, but the two of them could have given him a serious fight. The images were captured by high-resolution optics installed all over the big asteroid. Then suddenly the Ilkvi of Manfick was ripped in half by a powerful explosion that centered right in the middle of the well-shielded raider. The Uelup of Rohbumser tried to change course and her engines fought the forward momentum to gain reverse thrust. All six of the Uelup’s engines exploded.

“What are the chances that both ships experience such fatal failure, at the same time and during an attack?” Someone asked. Meateater shook his head.

“Not a chance in hell, those are not engine failures. That bitch has Tee-Els.

“Julkus slowly nodded.

“It certainly looks that way; I wonder how she got a hand on genuine Translocators.

Lia hissed.

“The Seenian depot of course. We failed to find it, who says she has?” Plostrak was not as confident as he had been.

“What defense is there against these Translocators?” Meateater glared hatefully at the image, showing the Silver Streak taking the Uelup in tow.

“There is none, neither shields nor armor. Anti-matter explosions beamed right inside the target. The Kermac and pretty much everyone else is trying to crack that secret, for as long as the Union has it.

Julkus grinned.

“Translocators cannot bypass TransDim shields. I just happen to know how to build them too.

“Then build one and equip the Traa!” “It is not that easy. I need the facilities and tools to do so. This asteroid does not have advanced enough tech shops.”

“The asteroid does not, but Mora-6 tech on my secret hideout does.”

Lia followed the big pirate. She was no amateur, and she was part Shiss. However, she did not have the cold blood or cool senses the Shiss supposedly had. She was furious and knew she had no chance against the Pepiro in an open fight. Not in a personal match or against his ship. But she was not about to give in or let that brute insult her. Treating her like that was about to have consequences. She had not left Brhama Port emptyhanded, the micro-drone launcher of the Do tribe, she had purchased many years ago from Dimon Honsu, a friend of her father. She had collected enough DNA data for the systems molecule sniffer. She didn’t have to be close to use the weapon but didn’t want to be seen doing the deed. There he was, entering an elevator, perhaps to retire. Lia had a cold smile on her lips. He was about to retire from life. To make sure she triggered four micro drones active. The little things were no bigger than a Jorin fly and carried enough Shail poison to kill a Bandrupo. A shrill voice behind her made her spin around. The floating robot thing, Plostrak called the Aggresso suddenly de-cloaked.

“Master, quick activate your shield. This female has released drones aimed at you.

Assassin drones of the Do tribe were marvels of engineering, but useless against an energy shield. All four drones burned to little puffs of smoke as they impacted with Plostrak’s personal shield.

“You!” He yelled as he saw Lia.

“You tried to kill me after I shown mercy?” In his anger, he activated his arm cannon. Only Lia’s legs and feet remained, the rest and a sizeable part of a decorative wall column had been vaporized. He was still angry, mostly at himself for reacting like that. He wanted to torture her, question her about the weapon and the reasons. But then her reasons were no real mystery. To the floating robot, he said.

“Make sure the other newcomers are monitored from now on. I will decide soon, who I need and who I do not.”

“Master, the courier has returned from the Crucible and he brought the Y’All control device.”

== Chapter 22: Quarva ==

“So how are we going to do this?” Har-Hi asked as we passed through an enormous opening, big enough for a Union battleship. I stood behind Shaka, who was inside his helm sphere and looked past our front viewports into the bewildering interior of Quarva. Sobody said.

“This rock is even bigger than mine. What a nice Bazaar it would make.

“Har-Hi snickered.

“That might depend on our Captain’s mood. Who knows who actually runs this place.

The asteroid interior was one gigantic city that clung to the walls. The center of it was a sizeable spaceport, and I immediately identified the Togar battle-cruiser. Mao said.

“Could we be this lucky?” I could not help feeling sick inside. Seeing that asteroid city, I estimated millions of beings lived here and if there was even a slim chance, this renegade Translocator tech had spilled the secrets of Translocator technology here, my orders were quite clear and I had to exterminate every living thing and destroy the asteroid. I tried to appease myself, as I had the option of investigating to make sure. Har-Hi saw my face and suddenly became as serious as I felt.

“That secret part of your orders, right?” “Yes, Har-Hi. I might have to become a monster very soon.”

I sighed and said. “Elfi, make sure we are monitoring all communications. If they mention anything in regards to Lia and the others, inform me right away.”

“Fivecheer sat in his chair as if he would be sleeping, but he said.

“There is a significant portion of communication conducted via Psionic means. Too many for me to monitor all.

“Narth sat down next to our Leedei specialist and after a moment he said.

“It is beyond my range, I am supporting Fivecheer, but even with my help there is too much.

“I cursed under my breath, that would complicate things and there was no way I could prevent the proliferation of the most important Union secrets if that renegade Union officer had already spilled the goods.

“If we cannot monitor it, we should be able to shut it down, at least for a while. Narth turned his head to look at me directly.

“You have this ability indeed, but you are still refusing psionic training. Such an attempt could be dangerous with unforeseeable consequences.

“I returned his gaze.

“No, my hooded friend. I will stay away from all this uber-power stuff as long as I can. I know we have a psi-lab and I remember you guys turning a pirate captain into an idiot. Can we not upload something like a psionic virus or suggestion to do the same to whoever is doing the communications?” Fivecheer raised his head.

“Utterly brilliant, that psionic net seems wide open. Never thought of something like that. Narth also sent me emotions of him being deeply impressed and said. “Fascinating idea.”

While Shaka took us down onto one of the tiers that made up this spaceport, Har-Hi repeated his question.

“I still like to have some outline as to how we approach this. There is the former Togar ship, right across from us.”

“I’ll settle for me being not rendered unconscious, abducted, burned or otherwise incapacitated,” I said.

“All you have to do is being a regular standard Union captain. Stay inside the ship and let us do these things that could get you burned, abducted and all that. My XO replied.

I pointed at the Togar cruiser.

“I doubt its crew is aboard, they are most likely all over the place. So I like Cirruit to do his Nanite magic and make sure that cruiser is not going anywhere. Maybe Lieutenant Bergdorf and his associates can do some recon in that Togar ship.

Charles Bergdorf jumped into the air and hovered with his artigravs at my eye-level.

“Aye captain, I can’t wait to do that.”

“Be careful, Charles.”

“We will be.”

Another Mini Terran floated up. I was sure it was Sahlhof.

“Can we do a little demolition too?” I had to smile.

“Yes, Mr. Sahlhof at your heart’s content, but subtle.”

Then I looked towards my Security chief.

“Hans, I want you and Shea go over every ship that is here and get us the best assessment of their capabilities, owners and so forth.

“Can I help with that?” SHIP asked.

“Of course.”

“Roghor, I like to rely on your experience. I know officially you are a cadet, but to me, you are always a commander. Please take the Con and make sure we can leave if we have to. You have my authorization to fire, shoot and burn anything that might try to prevent that and take the Tigershark outside if you feel this is necessary, regardless who’s in or out. Including me.”

I was not done and said.

“Fectiv and TheOther, please take a few marines and make sure nothing is attached to our hull.

“Har-Hi nodded.

“Great orders, Captain. How about us?” “I am just getting started, my friend. Narth and the rest of our Psionic specialists will work on shutting down their psi comm. Xon and Elfi, you know what to do, scan the regular comm traffic. If they mention anything related to our galaxy, I like to know about it.

“I went up the small flight of steps accessing the rear of our bridge.

“Mao, you are with me.”

I took my Tactical Officer into my office and said after the door was closed.

“I need you to analyze this rock in terms of destroying it.”

I filled him in our secret orders and he nodded.

“We have two Satan Eggs in the Armory for exactly such a purpose. I will give you a detailed demolition and extermination plan as soon as I can.”

“Back out, I pointed at Har-Hi. Looks like you and me going to check out that place.”

“The I.S.T. doors to the left opened and an S-60 service robot wearing my leather suit came in.

“Tyron?” “Yes, Captain. Ensign Tyron Suit reporting for duty. I am completely restored.

“And I care not what regulations say.” I hugged the suit.

“I thought I lost you.”

“Captain, there is no greater honor than serving and protecting you.”

“You saved my life, Tyron.”

“And I want nothing else than have a chance to do so again.”

“Well let us not run into flaming denizens of the Anti-Verse again or pick fights with things that are beyond us.”

Har-Hi rolled his eyes.

“Fat chance, Captain.”

Shea giggled.

“He has fifty credits in Sobody’s pool, betting that you will pick a fight before this is over.”

“Tell-tale!” He glared at Shea.

“You are in it as well.”

“There is a pool and you bet on things I do or don’t do?” Sobody hurried to answer.

“It is just an innocent thing, captain. Bookmaking always makes a nice profit.”

“You just might be as rich as Shea’s stepfather and you aiming to make a few credits profit ... betting on me?” He raised his shoulders in an apologetic gesture.

“Profit is profit captain and I am what I am.”

I grunted.

“Betting on me, now that is something. Who else is in it?” “Everyone, Captain. Everyone including SHIP.”

“I must be the first CO that has a gambling SHIP.”

Har-Hi said.

“The crew of the Devi bets on Stahl’s reactions too.”

“I doubt CENTRON is in on it.”

“Probably not.”

SHIP said with a little guilt in her voice.

The Assembly was always in session, but the recent events had it buzzing like a hornets’ nest. The incident of the escaped prisoners was forgotten by most. The sudden reveal of active trans-spatial gates all across Union space, and beyond was on everyone’s mind. Especially since two of them had been revealed deep in Union core space and had been used by unknowns of distant galaxies to carry out attacks. Egill did not as usual recline and listen to the discussions and debates in a state of relaxed dozing. He sat up and was making actual notes. His friend the Narth Representative had just appeared, along with a floating tray of something that smelled very appetizing and had a distinct aroma of fried fish and fresh Nilfeheim bread. Egill turned and raised his bushy eyebrows.

“There are Neo Vikings on Pluribus, family?” “One would not be here in an alcove of the Assembly if ones God-son had come to Pluribus Unum. One prioritizes this above all.”

““Yeah I know, you are spoiling that little boy.”

“One knows.”

“Oh, so you do know what spoiling a child means. Never mind that, however. I smell Nilfeheim food.”

“It is enterprising Elena Olafson, she has created a new business venture. The Hungry Viking, a restaurant chain featuring Viking food choices. I decided to sample it.”

“Wait a moment, you did not bring me any?” “No.”

Egill crossed his arms and grunted. “You are a fine friend, I’d say.”

“One did not bring you any of these food choices, because one met Alegar at said venue. He is already bringing you samples of the menu. One merely is faster due to teleportation.”

“And they didn’t even invite me for the grand opening!” “They did, but you dismissed it. Sif performed a ritual called ribbon cutting, instead of you.”

“Egill remembered the message, and also remembering not reading it. He did, however, welcome Alegar’s sudden appearance with bags of delicious smelling food. The beautiful Saresii almost ran into Egill and cursed very unladylike, not that he really was one in the first place.

“Gorgors stinking bowels, you could warn me before you teleport me in mid stride.”

“You were complaining that one did not teleport you as well. One rectified it.”

“I was thinking ... never mind. I am a telepath and should be used to you sneaking inside my thoughts.”

“One has not sneaked; one has the expressed permission unless you revoked that privilege.”

“You know better than that. Not that I completely buy your innocent Narth routine.”

“One must confess this is a very astute observation. One is also surprised to find one’s friend Egill, awake and paying full attention to the proceedings in this Assembly dome.”

Egill fished a Nilfeheim bacon bread out of Alegar’s bag and said.

“I am always paying attention, but these recent developments are serious enough for others to see me paying attention.

“The Ancient Gate issue?” The Saresii leader asked.

“Yes, one of them was found just eight lightyears from Solken. As much as we want to believe otherwise, Nilfeheim Neo-Vikings will stand no chance if what happened to Kelly’s Planet happens to us.

“You did defeat the Nogoll, did you not?” “An advanced scouting party that was influenced by our secret guardian, Tyr. You know there is no defense against shielded battle suits or orbital bombardment, at least not with swords and axe.

“All three were paying attention, as the speaker of the assembly projected a visual of a battle group of the First Fleet passing through one of these recently revealed ancient gates. The recording showed the Devi being the first. The recording then showed First Fleet under the lead of Admiral Stahl taking a heavy toll of an unknown fleet. A change of scene showed Marines raining on a Nocenzi world. The Nocenzi were a warrior race and if first indications proved to be correct, a major civilization in the M-110 dwarf galaxy, aggressive with better tech than even the Kermac. Yet they stood no chance against the unbridled anger of Union forces led by the Eternal Warrior. The legendary leader was as always right up front, perhaps even deployed with the first wave, instead of leading from his mighty battleship. The Assembly and a large number of citizens watching via GalNet witnessed Stahl’s actions. Many saw him doing what his legends and stories always told. Stahl directed his forces alright; he did not cease to be their commanding officer. A voice link made his steady flow of commands and orders accessible to the audience. Stahl listened to dozens of report links, watched tactical screens and had units respond, all the while he took cover from Nocenzi fire, tossing a grenade and vaporizing the better half of an enemy flier tank with a blast of his TKU. Agile like a graduate of boot camp, with the seasoned experience of someone wearing a destroyer suit for longer than anyone Stahl flanked over the remains of that burning flier and decapitated a Nocenzi battle robot with his chain sword. In all this action, the deep voice remained calm as if he would sit behind a desk.

“Carpenter, take your platoon, around that mountain range, I am painting on your map and silence that sky pointing hardware.

“Captain Yellowdeck, check those rocks between the fourth and fifth orbit. I have seen Nocenzi ships heading there.

“The visuals faded and there was a moment of silence until the Pertharian representative rattled in deep awe.

“This Union is blessed to have a warrior like this! He has no equal.

“The beautiful representative of the Delicate said. “This is how we deal with aggressors. We are so proud he fights for us.

“Have you seen him, deal with that robot, all the while giving orders for a distant fleet unit?” The Blue representative asked. The speaker of the Assembly, a genuine Bandrupo was, of course, a size-reduced avatar projection, as the real being was simply too big, even for the Assembly Dome. He said.

“I have shown this recording upon request of the planet manager of Kelly’s Planet. The next recording will show Admiral Gaylord and Admiral McElligott, responding to the same crisis.

“The visuals and the accompanying audio was truly embarrassing. It showed Gaylord on Para-Para and him commanding his fleet to assemble but not to deploy until he could be there and lead them to glorious victory. When he was told the unknowns were technologically more advanced than the Kermac, he said.

“Let the first Fleet deal with it. I don’t want to report 19th fleet casualties.

“The recording ended with Gaylord’s and McElligott’s appearance on Kelly’s planet. The planet manager of Kelly’s Planet was introduced as Finbarr Kelly as he stepped onto the focus platform at the very center of the Assembly.

“I promised that piss ant Admiral consequences. Almost 22,000 fatal casualties are not a trivial number as the admirals say. I punched him and now he wants me before a Union court on assault charges.”

Kelly waved his sizeable fists.

“That’s not why I am here though. I want to know what the Union is going to do about those damn gates?” The Quadiped representative said.

“We blow them up, but not before we sent Admiral Gaylord through it, riding a life raft or something.”

“More and more representatives wanted to speak and the result was a vote on removing Gaylord from command and reduction in rank to private. As ridiculous this sounded, it became an actual Assembly decision with over 91 percent of the votes in favor of that resolution. The added idea of having him painted yellow and run through the Assembly Park was defeated but only by a slim margin. The Science Council was asked to give an assessment and the Vantax holding the Chief Science Councilor title complied.

“Our preliminary report is now in front of all of you. It is summarized as follows: The gates have great potential to explore past our own galaxies, but also pose potential gateways of unknown dangers and potential aggressors, as it has been demonstrated. It is not known who constructed the gates, the potential these creators still exist is possible. The gates have been constructed for a reason, the reason is unknown and must, therefore, be considered potentially dangerous or harmful to the Union.

“The Security Council represented by a shrouded Grey Ghost spoke.

“It is the opinion of the Grey Ghosts and Union Internal security, that we should research the gates function and try to understand its technology. How and why are these gates placed? Where do they lead? We must also find ways to monitor these gates and find ways to detect them.”

Again the Pertharian spoke.

“Science is all good and fine until citizens and assets are in danger. I say we blow them up. We will be reaching such technology eventually ourselves.”

“What if the Y’All used gates like this?” The Wurgus representative asked. Alegar said.

“Looks like we going to be here a while. They are just getting started.”

Egill shrugged.

“I see no reason why. If it would be up to me, we combine all ideas into one plan and go from there.”

“And just for curiosity, how exactly?” “You are not having me on Assembly wide speakers right?” “No.”

Egill scratched his beard and looked at his notes.

“Create a Science Council Department solely dedicated to the research of all questions regarding the Ancient Gates, identify its makers, the agenda, replicate and understand the technology. Find ways to control the gates functions.”

Alegar nodded. “Not bad at all.”

Egill was not done.

“We also should claim them for the Union. All of them, regardless of where they are working or not. Unoccupied space objects can be claimed for salvage and ownership if I understand the commonly accepted practice correctly.”

The Narth stopped eating his fish soup.

“One is amazed by your ability to come to these solutions. Narth observed this ability in your granddaughter as well.”

Egill grinned.

“Who do you think taught Eric to think?” Now on a roll, the former hermit of Nilfeheim added.

“All gates need to be mapped. If we find them all, maybe the pattern or the destination will answer the question of why they were built.”

He looked at his notes.

“Each gate must be rigged for destruction. So we can close the door, just in case of something we can’t handle wants to get through.”

The Narth said.

“Let us hope, your education had as much effect on Eric as it had on Erica.

“I thought Narth do not hope, besides Eric and Erica is the same person. Eric decided to become female.”

“In this matter, all there is for anyone to do is hope, Egill. And Eric and Erica are not the same person.”

The Narth then got up and signaled his intent to address the Assembly. The Speaker recognized him and opened the focus for the Narth. The shrouded representative said.

“We recommend a combination of these approaches. First by the creation of a Science Council Department...”

Har-Hi and I had left the Tigershark and the airless landing platform behind and had entered the wall lining city of Quarva. It was a three-dimensional labyrinth of buildings, corridors, tunnels, walkways, traffic arteries, and vacuum tube trains going in every which way. There was nothing in terms of unifying signage or a central computronic system that could give directions. Not that we had a particular destination in mind. Unlike Brhama there wasn’t just one or two taverns and bars, but thousands of them and pretty much every one of them was for pirates and the shady business. We still had no idea who actually ran the place. Every time we asked someone we got a different answer, and most of the time no answer at all. Har-Hi and I had just stepped out of something that reminded me of a verti-Shooter. I had seen the Union version of these vertical transport systems in a virtue about Pluribus, unlike the shiny and clean union tech, this one was dirty, and had no doors or anything in these terms. It was just a fast moving vertical conveyor belt with compartments big enough for a Pertharian. The local gravitation at least where we were focused on the bottom, not the center of the asteroid. It was also only about 75 percent of standard. We had taken the verti shooter thing from the spaceport concourse, which was as unorganized as everything we have seen here so far and traveled a few levels upward.

“Now why did we get off here?” Har-Hi asked looking around. I shrugged.

“Because I like blue walls. The walls here are blue.” I said with thick sarcasm.

“We can always go a level down.”

“The walls were red if I recall.”

Now he mimicked my shrug.

“I like red, but the smell was not very good.”

“Well since we are here, there is a business of sorts right over there. Looks like they are selling ... uhm ... something.

“Looks like bloody mushrooms to me. Maybe it isn’t something but someone?” As we approached the business that was across the verti-shooter station we could now see left and right down a corridor with a few more businesses. The corridor to the right then led upward and did not allow to see further. It didn’t look much different to the left, except the corridor was bending downwards. The business had a small display window and a dozen head sized mushrooms that dripped blackish red blood in thin drools to a very stained floor. The business did have a sign, but the symbols made no sense to me. The stained and steamed window displayed more of the bloody mushrooms, in various sizes. Underneath the sign was an open door. Before we reached the door, a tall greenish being with long stiff looking feelers, wide-set eyes and somewhat insectoid characteristics approached us. It did have four long thin arms and stalked on Nogoll like legs. It did wear an armor-like partial suit that covered its torso and parts of its legs and arms. It talked but the language did not register as a known one with our translators. Har-Hi pointed at his wrist-com.

“Sorry, whoever you are. If you want to communicate we need to...

My Dai friend has spoken using Farnok and sure enough, the being switched to Farnok.

“You are visitors of the large star spiral are you not?” Since Har-Hi started the conversation I let him take the lead. The Dai nodded.

“Yes, we are.

“You are in the market for Grabilks? This Uncher has steep prices and low quality. Barmu on Tier Nix 4 has a much fresher selection. He kills them right before you.”

“Uh, I don’t think we want our Grabilks that fresh.” Har-Hi said.

“We are more interested in directions and information.”

“I am Hawi and I know this place well, but if you prefer the almost rotten Grabilks then you are at the right place.”

I said. “You wouldn’t know anything about other newcomers from that star spiral?” “Oh of course I do, but I don’t want to delay you from getting your Grabilks, this Uncher is about to close.”

Har-Hi gave me a strange look. My oh so stern and serious Dai, couldn’t even keep his grin out of his eyes, despite his assassin suit mask.

“Maybe we better get some, maybe Mao will like them whatever they are.”

“Why don’t you go ahead then? I see if Hawi here can be convinced to share some of his knowledge.

“Hawi held out all four of his hands.

“Oh, that is easy, I take Iridium, Gold, Palladium and many other metals. I am quite poor and have many mouths to feed.

“Har-Hi actually stepped inside the disgusting store while I opened my purse. I had taken along a number of Iridium coins, as they were readily accepted by the Farnok.

“I sort of expected that, Hawi. The way you approached us made me think that this was part of your motivation.”

The wide set non-human eyes of the being fell on the coins in my hand.

“The shine of Iridium is unmistakable. It seems your society makes nice and big pay discs.”

“I give you one just for approaching us and offering your help. I’ll give you more after you give me some info.”

“Your friend is inside the Grabilk store and I have friends out here, the information I give you is advice. Don’t reach for your weapon, and hand me all your Iridium. This will be good for your health.”

“Har-Hi came out carrying a drop shaped plastic bag with something bloody inside. He looked over the four aliens strewn across the floor, Hawi was kneeling before me, one of his head stalks broken, oozing greenish liquid. The Dai sighed.

“I had a feeling this was going to happen. The Grabilk dealer warned me of Hawi’s gang and actually had some useful information.

“I aimed the old gun, right between Hawi’s wide-set eyes.

“Our greenish friend here was about to supply me with information as well.”

Hawi screeched. “Plostrak killed half of the newcomers, just a little while ago. Everyone is talking about it.”

Plostrak had released his anger by killing a good number of newcomers. What did she think? That he give her command over a ship and embrace her as a new first mate? She was useless and not as experienced as she claimed she was. All her value lay in those few connections she apparently had, in a galaxy far away. That she tried to kill him actually raised his opinion of her quite a bit. This was something he could understand, but he did not want to keep looking over his back. He could have simply severed his association with the rest of the newcomers, but there those he needed. Chief, of course, the man who knew so much about the weapons that defeated the Y’All. There were others in that crew, that were clearly well educated and experienced, these beings were valuable. He held one of the Newcomers by the throat.

“You tell me now, who was closest with that Lia?” “The Togar and the Oghr were with her before she was arrested.

“I hate cowards who sell out their own to save their hide.” He killed the man.

“Where are the ones he mentioned?” Some of his men answered.

“They have fled into the bowels of the Asteroid.”

“They won’t last.” He said satisfied. Plostrak then turned to the courier he had sent to the Crucible.

“You have the device?” “Yes I do and I also have a message of He-who-guards-the-crucible.”

“Give me both.

“He-who-guards-the-crucible says it does not like to be forced to do things, especially not by a faulty creation. It has, of course, a similar control device for you. It was given to me.”

Har-Hi and I followed the directions he had obtained from the Grabilk dealer. He suspected the newcomers to be with Plostrak and told my Dai friend where to find Plostrak’s villa. I eyed the plastic bag he carried while we made our way to another verti-shooter thing that was supposedly able to carry us to a vacuum train station seventy levels above our current position.

“Are you going to keep that?” “I paid for it and who knows it might be good.”

He then hung the bag at a handrail.

“Maybe someone will have use for it.”

As we approached the transport conveyor thing, he said.

“Do you think it will be that easy? That local pirate killing the ones we are after?” I shrugged.

“Stranger things happened for sure, but we have to make sure they are all dead.”

I decided to fill Har-Hi in onto the entire mission. He and I jumped into one of the transport cabins and were whisked upward. Har-Hi said.

“I was sure there was something like that. I certainly don’t know the details as of how they keep these secrets for so long, but it seems to me it was only a matter of time, something like this was going to happen.”

“Really?” “Do you know how many Translocator cannons are used by the Fleet? Every single one has to be maintained, serviced and built. Now with Nelson II online and the PSI corps hunting, someone with the knowledge might have done something wrong and is running. We spend over a year hunting an Admiral able to steal a ship and Loki torpedoes. To me, it is surprising that there is only one.”

I was counting levels that zipped by.

“The bad part is you make a lot of sense.”

“Eighteen more, right?” “Sixteen now.

We managed to jump at the right level, found the train-platform after Har-Hi severed the tentacles of a talented but not very subtle pickpocket. He didn’t change the speed of his strive or paid any attention to the being groaning in painful agony behind us after it dropped out of an air vent in the ceiling.

“The smudgy dealer also told me that this place is not owned by one entity alone. There are dozens of owners. They form a loose association to pay and organize for the necessary maintenance, but it is a fluid situation as internal conflicts and little wars are frequent.”

“So who maintains these verti-shooters, the trains? Who does the environmental?” “I don’t know. I wasn’t in there for all that long.

I stopped him by putting a hand on his chest.

“Paint me an Ult, isn’t that Meateater getting off that train?” “And if that isn’t Captain Lemakr right behind.”

Just as we spotted them, they had seen us. While they might not recognize Har-Hi as he was wearing the black and purple Do suit, they were sure to recognize me as Suit was simulating my Black Velvet outfit. Meateater’s hand dropped to his Nuc Flamer.

“Black Velvet!” He screamed my name.

“I am going to kill you!” Firing an Oghr Nuc Flamer was not the best idea in a crowded place like this, but Meateater did not clear his weapon all the way because Lemakr, also pulled his blaster, and pointed it at Meateater’s temple.

“Leave that heater where it is. We are out of options, maybe she presents a new one.”

Lemakr, the Togar kept his weapon pointed at the Oghr and said loudly.

“Black Velvet, we need to talk to you, we won’t shoot.”

“I don’t care if you do shoot, you have shown your colors during our last association, but seeing you here makes me think you might have information I need.”

Meateater returned his half drawn weapon just as six beings, with their weapons drawn stormed onto the train platform. All six of them were big bruisers and of a species, I did not recognize. Lemakr however did and spat the word.

“Pepiros” Meateater pulled his Nuc Flamer this time all the way.

“Plostrak’s men. They are after us, I am not going down without a fight.”

“The six beings, Lemakr identified as Pepiro, did not have a clear line of fire, and hesitated opening fire. Their lead roared loud and above all the din.

“Everyone down or die with that newcomer scum.”

I said, and Tyron amplified my voice. “I do not like to be called scum nor do I obey barked orders.

That stopped them in their tracks and that same leader started to laugh.

“Another little mammalian female. I will squash you like a Nurum.”

While Erica turned to face the six bruisers, Lemakr grunted between his teeth.

“That’s going to be interesting.”

Har-Hi rolled his eyes. “Of all things, that was the wrong thing to say.”

Meateater sounded surprised. “Tell your captain we need to run, there are six of them.”

And Lemakr said. “Aren’t you assisting?” Har-Hi keeping his arms crossed.

“What, helping them? Why would I?” “No your female captain. I know you are Dai and she is a Daiyee, but aren’t you mates?” Har-Hi watched Erica approach the six, almost Y’All sized beings, her hand dropping to those strange tubes on her belt.

“I die for her Togar, but there are only six.”

“Only six? Those are Pepiro!” The first Pepiro swung his fist at Erica, she evaded gracefully and lighting fast, then grabbed the big alien’s wrist and leaned with all her weight back adding momentum. While the Pepiro crushed into an oncoming train. Har-Hi looked as if he was bored at his gloved fingertips.

“She calls it Aikido.”

A strange archaic looking sword grew in her fist and she decapitated the second. The Dai sighed and drew his swords.

“I guess I could help speed things up.”

The Oghr did fire his Nuc Flamer and roasted the dazed and staggering Pepiro that just dented the train capsule. Har-Hi vaulted like a Ternak jumper over the Togar, partially using the low gravity and his amazing Dai strength and came down with flashing blades. Two Pepiro died simultaneously. Not even five seconds had passed, and of the six alien pirates, only two remained. An expert observer would have concluded that the Pepiro would have been a more dangerous opponent if they had taken the female and her Dai companion more serious. Har-Hi knew Erica’s legend was already growing in their own galaxy. To him she was the best fighter and warrior period, he had glimpsed what was sleeping in her back on the Devi while they were midshipmen. Whatever it was, wasn’t sleeping anymore. She always fought like a beast, when she had bladed weapons in her fists, but now that she openly embraced whatever was inside her, he had to resist his urge to flee even though he fought alongside her. The last Pepiro died, split straight through the middle from brow to crotch. Her long sword, sliced through bone, alien armor, and tough skin as if it was air. Her underarms covered in alien blood, she turned the sword still drawn looking for more to kill. Her chest heaved, and her beautiful ice grey eyes sparkled with rage and bloodlust behind her mask. For a moment, Har-Hi and perhaps everyone on that train platform felt the presence of something else, something older than time; the conscious essence of the Antiforce of life, the embodiment of death and darkness. It lasted less than an eye blink, but it conjured primeval fear in everyone nearby. Har-Hi said.

“There are no more, Captain. If they were they’d be running, soiling their armor suits from the inside.”

Lemakr made a religious gesture as if to banish an evil spirit.

“Lightray spirit Malmoru protect us. She is even more vicious and dangerous than I imagined.”

I felt embarrassed and knew that I went way beyond my usual response. I also knew I could have stopped it because it was true, I was technically still in control, but I did not want to. I felt intoxicated by the brutal life destroying emotions that engulfed everything.

“Because you are my twin sister. Much like the Hugavh we shared with the Dai, you share essence with me. We will separate eventually, but a minuscule fraction of me will remain with you as some of yours will remain with me.

I looked at the horrible gore I had left on the train platform. I spoke silently to the essence that was Eric, the Dark One.

“I am ashamed, I should not enjoy this, but I did not stop you or wanted to stop.”

“You are human, Erica. I am power eternal, power corrupts sentient beings. This is the reason, I respect no one more than Richard Stahl. He resists this urge every day for over 3000 years.”

“You say I am corrupted by you?” “In a way perhaps, sister. But let us face the truth as well. We are both children of Nilfeheim and this is a perfectly normal Neo Viking response.”

I was not sure how to sigh on a mental way only.

“True, but it is not the approach of a Union officer.”

With a little regret, I willfully disengaged from this internal conversation with my twin brother and focused on the situation at hand. The crowd had hastily dispersed, there were only a few remaining. Har-Hi gestured over the dead.

“Who’s doing the clean up around here?” The Togar shrugged in a very human way.

“I have no idea, we are here only a little while longer than you.”

Har-Hi put his hand where his mouth was and said in a muffled voice.

“Never mind my question.”

He pointed to a place across the platform.

“Looks like a tavern or something. We should go there to talk. I do not want to witness the entire clean up.”

“The two former pirate captains and I agreed with his suggestion. I too saw the small many-legged centipede things crawling over the dead bodies. At first, I thought they were mindless vermin, but then I noticed the things wore pieces of clothing and used small knives and tools to dismember the dead Pepiros.

“And that is how Lia died.” The Togar finished his story.

“I guess you are out of that bounty. How much is on our heads?” “I guess even more than there is on mine. I am after the rouge Union officers. They weren’t killed, right?” “No, they were not. One of them apparently knows the secrets to Union translocator cannons and Union shields too. He promised that pirate lord to build them I think.

Meateater chewed on something he had ordered from the menu. It looked like roasted meat, but didn’t smell too appetizing.

“His name is Plostrak. He is as mean as they come and he is a Pepiro too, but even bigger and he has this floating robot with him. That thing is sentient I think, and from what I gather, warned him of Lia’s kill drones.

“The Togar’s cat face showed resignation.”

“What about us? We have no ship, no funds, and no home. We are so far from anything we know. I am about to give up, but I don’t really want to end up on the business end of a Union Executioner’s rope either.”

I was thinking for a moment.

“Maybe you could take that Togar cruiser and figure that out for yourself. This is a dwarf galaxy but still a huge place.” Har-Hi said.

“That Union officer, did he tell anyone how to build translocators?” “Not to us for sure. He wants to maximize the value he gets for his knowledge and he said there aren’t the necessary facilities here to make one.”

The Oghr pointed with his greasy fingers at a human staggering through the crowd.

“There is one of those renegade Union types. I think he was a Petty Officer in the Union Navy.”

The Togar got up and waved him over. The man, I guessed was a Triple Strong came over, I noticed him limping. He gave us a worried look but sat down next to the Togar anyway.

“Who are they?” He asked the Togar while he looked at us.

“This is Captain Black Velvet, like us she is from M-0.”

“I heard plenty of you, and I know you are after Lia and us for the bounty I suppose.” He sighed.

“Well Lia is dead, Plostrak killed her, but that son of a bitch was double-crossed by one of his own.”

“Just then my Comm units buzzed with an urgent signal. I got up and found myself a quiet corner. Roghor’s face appeared.

“Captain, TheOther was just going outside to relieve Fectiv guarding the ship when he suddenly went crazy. He knocked out Corporal Nikors, yelled and screamed. Nikors swears he heard him say.

“I am so sorry, please forgive me.”

“Where is TheOther now?” “He ran and disappeared.”

Chapter 23: Awake
I returned to the table where Har-Hi was talking with the former pirate captains and a former Union fleet petty officer, who had dealt with the Worm and now paid the price.

“We need to get back to the ship, right away.”

“Har-Hi didn’t lose a second and got up, tossed a few Iridium coins on the table and was ready to follow me. Lemakr, the Togar said.

“What about us, Black Velvet?” “I have all the crew I need and I am in a hurry, figure it out.”

“I was torn between showing them some sort of mercy, by letting them off the hook and following through and arrest them, but that was a decision I would face at another time. Right now I had TheOther on my mind. From since we came to this dwarf galaxy, there was something about the locals knowing more about the Y’All. We should have investigated this fact much more serious. TheOther was a Y’All and I was there when two of them were re-animated. A Kermac using a handheld device to control them. If there was one such device, there was a good chance there were more. While I hurried back to the verti-shooter, I told Har-Hi what happened. He and I jumped into the next downward heading capsule and he said.

“The local pirate Plostrak is a Pepiro.”

I counted the levels and nodded impatiently.

“Yes I know we just sliced six of them.”

“Let me finish, Captain. I just learned that the Pepiro are supposedly been made to replace the Y’All, by the same source that made the Y’All. Captain, the Y’All came from the Leo II galaxy and not Andromeda as we always suspected.”

“Odin’s beard! We, I mean the Union is looking to find the source for 1500 years...”

“I tapped Har-Hi at the shoulder and jumped off the capsule conveyor. We were at the right level for sure, Har-Hi’s bloody purchase in that grimy white plastic bag was still hanging there. It had not been unnoticed. The underarm long centipede-like creatures had discovered it, and there was a wiggling mess of them right at the entrance to the corridor. One of them made a hissing sound towards us.

“Thiissss ourrrrs.”

“No worries, it is all yours.

“Weee seeeze youh puht Graaphilj therze, noww wanzz it baacck?” “We have no time discussing why we abandoned the Grabilk, you can have it. Now make way or we going to add you to the bag.”

“Wheeze arz the manhy, ezy kill one. Harz to kill all. Youzhe givz Graaphilj to wheeze. We helpz you if you wanz.”

“Har-Hi was about to jump over the coiling things, but I stopped him and said out of a hunch.

“We are after the Y’All have you seen it?” The underarm long many-legged creature had a purplish hue and with the bloody smear, it almost looked like moving intestines if it weren’t for the thin arms and many legs.

“Wheeze seez much. Wheeze knoz the Yeeha, wheeze knows many sleepz inz rokkx.

“As much as I was in a hurry, I somehow knew I had met the true masters of this rock. The disgusting being mentioned many Y’All sleeping. I encountered TheOther and his partner while they were in suspended animation.

“I have urgent business right now, but I want to talk to you again. Maybe show me the sleeping Yeeha.”

The creature waved his small very sharp looking knife.

“Whhezze come whenze bringz Graaphilj, here.” “Deal.”

“I then rushed on and told Har-Hi while we tried to find the correct shooter that would take us back to the platform where the Tigershark was sitting on.

“I have a feeling our friend is somehow remotely controlled. It is how I met him, he was controlled by a device Kermac agents had.”

Har-Hi tugged me on the arm.

“I think it was this one. I remember the blue walls across this shooter station.”

We took the downward running conveyor and I was again counting levels.

Har-Hi said. “I wonder why we never checked on this, I mean he is a real Union officer now.”

“I think it was simply overlooked.”

I cursed.

“McElligott wanted to keep the existence of that device secret. Not even Stahl knew about the Y’All at first.”

My Dai friend could not have missed the level, because Hans and two Pertharian Marines were right there. Hans was shaking a Pepiro quite angrily, while one of the Pertharians had his battle claws extended and threatened another being. Hans snapped in attention as Har-Hi and I stepped on the large platform. While he did that, he had to let go of the Pepiro. The big bruiser did not look very big or frightening compared to Hans, he staggered dazedly and quite bruised, away “Hans, forget the parade ground antics, your information source is getting away.

“The big Saturnian grabbed the local pirate and he was visibly angry.

“Captain, they did something to my friend TheOther.”

“That is why we rushed back.”

I stepped before the Pepiro.

“You will tell me everything! If even the slightest harm comes to my friend, I will go to war. I will not hold back.”

The Pepiro shivered and started talking.

TheOther was perhaps the first Y’All warrior crying, or wanting to cry as his physiology did not allow him to openly do so. He suddenly had no control over much of his body. It was as if someone else possessed him and made him do things he did not want to do. The impulse wanted him to go berserk and kill every one of his friends and associates. It took all his will power to only knock out Rak Nikors, his best friend and cabin mate. Even doing this caused him unbearable pain and shame. He would die for Rak, for everyone aboard and now he once more was forced to be a Y’All drone. A mindless killing machine without a will of his own. He staggered and resisted every single step he had to take leading him up a landing ramp of a spaceship. There inside was a tall brutish being holding a Mewook, the control device that gave whoever held it complete control over the Y’All. The being wore a battle armor and was almost as tall as the Y’All.

“How is this possible, Drone? Why are you resisting the Mewook?” TheOther wanted to attack his tormentor, it felt as if he was struggling against an invisible force that kept him from reaching his target.

“I am Ensign TheOhter, United Stars Spatial Navy. Set me free this instant. You made me hurt my best friend.

“I ordered you to kill, you are defective that is certain. I will gain much bringing a genuine Y’All drone to the Crucible. I command you to put on these restraints.”

His captor was obviously not very comfortable with a furious Y’All so close, despite his control device.

“You fear me, that is obvious. Your device will protect you for now, but it is not me you need to fear.”

“I fear nothing. You are the last Y’All, you will be copied and I receive rewards beyond imagination.”

“My friends will come and find me, and you will learn fear like no other when my Captain finds you.”

The calling signal of the Mewook did not just summon TheOther. Unknown to all but a species of scavengers, deep in a hidden and long forgotten cavern of this ancient asteroid were fifty crates. Big dark metal boxes attached and connected to machinery and systems created by those who originally created the Y’All and built the Crucible. The Mewook signal reactivated systems that slept for thousands of years. The first container lid shattered as a clawed fist of considerable size punched through it. More and more of the stasis boxes were forcefully opened. Giants that had not been seen in this galaxy for thousands of years, staggered with increasing mobility through wafting clouds of billowing steam. The first ones reached the solid rock doors and begun pounding and clawing the hard surface. Their claws digging deep into the reinforced stone doors. The terrifying spectacle of more and more Y’All coming alive was witnessed by a group of a meter long centipede-like creatures hiding in an old vent shaft, above the hidden chamber.

Narth slowly shook his head.

“I am afraid I cannot detect him. He is not a very active mind in terms of psionics, and he must have received shielding while he was at the academy.”

I wanted to curse and asked.

“If he is shielded then how did they manage to influence him?” “Are you sure he is not doing this on his own?” Har-Hi asked looking at me from the side. I stared right back.

“Are you seriously asking that? He might be a Y’All and all, but he is a member of my crew. I trust him as I trust you.”

He nodded.

“I do too, but that is my job as your XO.”

“I am just worried. First Suit got hurt and now someone is remotely controlling TheOther, who knows to what end.”

“He is a Y’All. He is quite resilient.”

Har-Hi said, trying to ease my mind. I gestured across my bridge.

“We got the most advanced ship and the best crew. There must be a way to scan and detect a single Y’All. If not, we will tear this rock down, bit by bit until we find him and make whoever did it pay!”

Shea made a thoughtful face. “TheOther was influenced only after he stepped out. Our shields must have prevented whatever signal is reaching him.”

“Use whatever you need, and whoever you think might be able to help you.”

“We’ll find him, Captain.” Elfi said.

“I think I already did. I tried to contact him via his com unit. He did not respond, but there is an active GalCom unit, less than five clicks from here.”

Mao took her data and said.

“The signal is weak, but it comes from that spaceship over there.”

“SHIP did not have to be asked. The main viewer focused on a sizeable ship of unknown configuration emerge from a covered hangar and proceed with arti-grav towards the big exit hole.

“Everyone aboard?” “No Captain, Hans and a team of marines are still outside, as you ordered.”

Now was the time to curse.

“Har-Hi, get as fast as you can into one of our Wolfcrafts and follow that ship. We must not lose it.

Narth tapped Har-Hi at the shoulder and both vanished.

SHIP said. “Lt. Hi is bypassing all pre-start sequences, but it will still take him, five minutes to get the fighter launched.

“This was not the Devi with a fighter wing on hot stand by. We did not have revolving starting tubes. To get a fighter space-born took much more time. Still, it was faster than getting all my crew inside. I was deeply concerned about TheOther and if that other ship went translight before we could follow, we would lose him. There was no telling where the destination of those abductors was. However, I could not leave anyone behind either. No matter how fast, Hans and my marines scrambled to get back aboard. Launching a fighter was faster, but would it be fast enough?” The alien ship had passed into open space. Mao spoke with grave concern.

“That ship is TL 8 for sure. It is already accelerating to TL and as fast as any of our standard cruisers.”

“Har-Hi, status?” “Opening hangar doors now. I will be after them in less than two minutes.

“Har-Hi most likely broke the Union fleet record launching a fighter from cold engines, but he was still too late. He just passed into open space and gunned the Wolfcraft to max acceleration, when the alien ship jumped into Quasi and was out of scanner range in a heartbeat. Hans and his team signaled boarding complete, just eight seconds later. Eight seconds was not much, but almost an eternity in this situation. Har-Hi’s voice was dry and carried his disappointment.

“The target went beyond scanner range before I could catch up.”

“I know, it is not your fault. Please return to the ship.”

Mao said.

“We are not going after them?” He asked it before he had time to think, I was certain. I still snapped at him.

“And what course do I ask Krabbel to plot? This is not even our galaxy where we could make a guess.”

“Sobody wiped his eyes.

“Did we lose him?” I got up from my seat.

“We lost him for now, but someone on this rock knows where they went. That means we will know.”

Then I walked up the ramp and said.

“Shea you keep working. I want to know what controls him and how we can stop it. From the I.S.T. Fivecheer stepped onto the bridge.

“Captain, the Confusor virus is ready, on your orders we can shut down their Psionic communications.

“Do it.”

Elfi asked. “Confusor virus? What does it do?” The darker shadow that was Fivecheer s’s mouth, behind his natural face-cover changed into a smile.

“We had to name it something, as it is most likely the first psion based virus ever conceived. It takes the sender’s most primal emotions and fears and transmits them to the receiver. It overwrites any and all other messages.

“Alright, while they wonder what happened to their mind communication, we will squeeze anyone who might know where that ship might heading for.”

“There are a lot of people on this rock.”

Roghor said. “We might have to squeeze quite a few before we know.”

“We start over there.”

I pointed at the main viewer and the hangar, where the other ship had left.

“No restrictions either, we squeeze as hard as we must.”

TheOther had been placed in very heavy and solid looking restraints, apparently made for Y’All warriors. A being looking very similar to the one that held the control device was sharing the otherwise empty hold. It too was wearing restraints, of a similar kind. The being stared at him and grunted.

“So you are a genuine Y’All. So much better than us.”

“I am Y’All, however, I am unable to verify if I am genuine. I do not know what species you are, thus I am also unable to validate your assumption of being inferior.”

“I am Plostrak, I am Pepiro. Ever since this cursed He-who-guards-the-crucible lost the gene map or whatever it took to make Y’All, it experiments and tries to recreate your kind. The Pepiro are one of these experiments and according to it, a failed one.

“He-who-guards-the-crucible is a being or an entity that made the Y’All?” “No, the Crucible was built by the Anadda and its original AI made the Y’All. Then came the Survivors and found the dormant Crucible and planted their AI in the old system. The new AI is He-who-guards-the-crucible.”

TheOther forgot his situation.

“I am a Battle Drone, I came to be on a drone ship. Sent to the M-0 galaxy to destroy and kill. No knowledge was given to me. Not our origin, not our purpose.”

“Your original purpose, the one the Y’All were created for has to do with a truly ancient myth. It has to do with some kind of entity that seeks to reincarnate. The Y’All supposedly were to kill and destroy all civilizations this entity could find a host to reincarnate.”

“This is our purpose?” “I have spent a long time researching all of this. To find answers and to find out why Pepiro were inferior and not worth being reproduced. We come from the same place, you and I.”

The Pepiro struggled without avail against his shackles.

“This is what the legends and the old stories tell. Then the Survivors came to this galaxy and they found the crucible as I told you. They also found the Y’All and an excellent tool for their revenge. I do not know the nature of their enemy, but they were called the Nurth or Nerth or something like that.”

“The Narth?” “Yes, that sounds right.”

Again the Pepiro strained against the heavy metal casing, placed like a heavy vest over his chest and covering his arms. He continued to educate the Y’All.

“I think the Survivors were what’s left of a once-dominant spacefaring society in that big star isle, of which we are a satellite galaxy. If my research is correct they were the Universal Colleagues.”

“The Uni, the Universal Collect?” Plostrak stopped struggling against his restraints.

“You know the story after all?” “No, just the names. It all happened a very long time ago.”

“Yes, but the rest of these Uni had become the survivors but left a calling device behind. A long range version of that handheld thing our tormentor used to capture us both. Its counterpart is incorporated in that new AI. Whoever was left behind was supposedly to make the call whenever a Token of Power was found or a civilization rose, meeting all the predictions in a prophecy. Mind you, there are big gaps in my research and all of it is based on stories, legends, and myths.

“What you tell me, matches stories and myths of the M-0 galaxy. This validates much what you have found out. There is too much distance between these galaxies and too many similarities for this tale to be pure conjunction. But I do not know what these tokens are, you speak off.”

Plostrak took a rest struggling against his bonds.

“These Narth supposedly guard one of these tokens, not that I know what they are either. However the Crucible churns out Y’All and the automated factories of the Mora provide weapons, armor, and ships and sent them across trans galactic space to secure these tokens and destroy whoever has them.”

“I was part of such a wave 1500 years ago, but we got defeated and completely destroyed. I know this from history as I myself and another were considered damaged and placed in stasis to be sent back for analysis.

Plostrak paid full attention to the Y’All.

“That is true, the Crucible or the AI guiding it somehow knew its creation was defeated and messed with the design. By doing so it lost the original or something. Previous failed experiments say, the Uni AI struggled or fought the old one and this is why the gene map was lost.”

Plostrak snorted and said.

“Anyway that cursed AI tries to recreate your kind and comes up short. We, the Pepiro are its latest attempt.”

“Why are you here captured with me then?” Plostrak did not answer the question.

“Do you know what Pepiro means?” “No.”

“Waste. It means waste in that Uni language. I don’t feel like waste.”

Plostrak was speaking louder and his powerful voice was affected by the anger he felt.

“When I heard there was a real Y’All alive and part of a weak human crew. I gambled with the AI and wanted to provide you and the weapons that won the war against you in return for enough of my own to start our own civilization.

“He now sounded defeated.

“The Farnok, the Urhsg and all the other beings traveling the stars don’t really know why they developed and have legends and stories about gods, ghosts and spirits that made them. We know our creator and he calls us waste and destroyed most of us. I am not waste, Pepiro are not waste!” TheOther hoped the Pepiro didn’t notice his shock and surprise.

“The weapon that defeated the Y’All is the Translocator cannon of the Union. It is our most guarded secret.”

“Yes, that is what the human called it. I saw that Black Velvet use it against two shielded ships.”

“You think I know how they work?” “No, you are a dumb warrior clone, no offense. There is a man that came with the other newcomers from the big star isle. He was a high ranking officer in some spatial navy and he was a Translocator Technician. He was offering the weapon’s secrets in return he wanted to lead a new armada against that Union.

TheOther remembered his oath and academy instructions. His existence was no longer important, he had to stop this ship and destroy everyone. This was the most important duty of any Union officer.

“So I am here because of you?” Pepiro tugged at his restraints again.

“The traitor is my first mate and he sold me out. He came back with the Mewook, somehow deactivated my Aggresso and used that cursed device against me as well.”

Plostrak laughed hard and with more frustration than humor in his voice.

“Yes, damn Y’All you are here because of me. My best mate ripped out my cyber arm and deactivated the rest. He let you keep your Y’All armor because it is old Mora tech and controlled by the same Mewook.

“This is not...

“TheOther suddenly realized that he was still wearing the finest in Union armor. A genuine Atlas suit, made to look like Y’All as it was part of his pirate identity. The device was controlling him. He could not move a single muscle and all his four arms were in restraints, but his voice was working.

“Mama, activate. Voice control.”

“This is your mama. Acoustic input active.”

“Analysis. I am influenced by unknown means.”

“Sensors detect unknown hyperspace carrier wave corresponding to bio component in wearer’s cranium.”

“Oh Lord, I love Union tech! Mama, can you protect me from it?” “Full shields recommended. This unit is equipped with TransDim shields.

“Activate shields.”

The powerful purple shields virtually ripped the restrains in pieces. He also instantly knew he was free of the Mewook’s influence. Plostrak tried to crawl back. He was in a secured hold with a suddenly free Y’All. The most powerful, aggressive warrior species known and he just confessed being the cause for its capture. His voice was laced with fear as he tried to win ground.

“Y’All we are of the same source. We are brothers. Why are you with a weak human female when you could be with me? Let us retake my ship and then...”

“I am Ensign TheOther, United Stars Spatial Navy.”

Plostrak did not miss the tone of unmistakable pride.

“You could not begin to understand why I consider myself blessed serving my Captain. As for her being weak, you better hope you never meet her”. The Y’All warriors’ suit changed. From the greenish purple crystalline shimmering shell that was typical for Mora-1 tech and all Y’All armor to a sleek slate grey suit with a pattern of coin-sized hexagon shaped lines. A logo patch appeared on its arms, depicting something in red, white and blue. The transformed Y’All said.

“You only live because I might be able to use you. Make no mistake, I kill you in the most painful way I know how if I feel your usefulness has come to an end.”

“What can we do? We are still trapped inside this hold. These doors won’t open.”

“I could use battle nanites, have my suit’s Mama hack into the system...”

TheOther’s fingers slowly dug into the metal bunching the toughest metal known to Mora-6 tech like a wet towel and then with a tug of titanic strength ripped the door right out of the frame.

Har-Hi and I went back to the spot where we had met the disgusting crawlers. Har-Hi carried a big bag of the bloody mushroom shaped things, it was dripping. He tried to keep his nose as far away from it.

“I am going to kill that Grabilk dealer.” He muttered.

“What, for calling you friend and giving you some extra?” “No for giving me a leaking bag.”

I turned and looked at the thin, black trail he was leaving behind.

“At least we will find our way back easier than before.”

“And we are no longer alone. Your moving intestine friend is here.”

“There in front of us, still shy a few hundred meters to the verti-shooter alcove where we had met them before, one of them was dangling halfway out of a ventilation hole in the ceiling.

“Zhee Yeeha are noz sleepz anymorz. Yeeha makez muchs breakiz.”

Har-Hi said.

“You think that thing is right and there are more Y’All?” “Why not? There were at least two in our galaxy and it appears they came from here.

“It is a dwarf galaxy alright, but still sizeable as these things go. The Y’All and that source could be anywhere. Besides what makes you think what he calls Yeeha are Y’All?” I tried to copy the hissing way those things communicated.”

“Yeeha makez muchs breakiz.”

Speaking with my normal voice I said.

“Maybe they know where our Y’All was taken to. Or maybe we can follow them while they follow whatever signal calling them.”

I pointed at the sagging bag.

“We brought you Grabilk, can you take us to the Y’All?” “Nooz, zee notz fitz in ze way, but Wheeze showz you wherze Yehaa will comz.

Just then we heard screams from the far end of the corridor, we heard the sharp crack of blaster fire and the noise of breaking rock. Har-Hi dropped the bag.

“I soiled myself and spend eight Iridium coins for nothing. That Wheeze friend is gone and I bet the Y’All are at the end of that corridor.”

“Let’s go and ask them if they know where TheOther might be.”

Anyone else saying that would be called crazy. By the sound of it, there are more than two and they might not be as friendly as our TheOther.

“I stopped.”

“I am sure they are not, TheOther wasn’t when I first met him, but they are not stupid and maybe they will give us a chance to talk to them.”

“Let’s go then. It might not be obvious, but I am very worried about our friend too. The entire crew is.”

“We’ll find him.”

A thick blaster beam of intense heat and strength hammered into the wall just before me. Thanks to Tyron’s incredible reaction speed. The liquid rock that splashed on me was doing me no harm. A mangled being, with torn limbs, was tossed into our direction and then I saw the first two Y’All coming up the downwards bending corridor. I drew my TKU and dialed it to twelve.

“Let’s get their attention.”

Har-Hi had his suit sealed and shields active. He too had drawn his TKU.

“I doubt my swords will do any good here.”

“I doubt it too.”

I fired. This was the first time I discharged a TKU 12 at its highest setting. A weapon originally designed by Terran weapon engineers to kill Y’All. The bolt was sun bright and instantly raised the ambient temperature in the corridor to metal melting temperatures. The dead being that had been tossed our way caught fire and withered to ashes in seconds. My bolt liquefied a section of floor right before the first two lumbering giants. Both of them also showered with magma with as much effect, but the Y’All instantly knew the weapon I held was indeed able to kill them. There was no alternative strategy or tactic, the corridor left no other alternatives but a straight charge.

“Tyron amplify my voice and tie in Farnok language translation.”

Another weapon blast hit me right in the chest.

“Acoustic amplification active, Captain.”

“Are you okay, Tyron?” “Oh yes captain, this is just regular thermal energy. Quite strong, but far below any threshold that would cause concern.

I acknowledged and then addressed the Y’All, about eighty meters down from us.

“Y’All, I have the means to engage and destroy you. However, I have no desire to...”

“A third blast hit me. My voice was truly thunderous and echoed down the corridor as I watched the first two Y’All disregard the molten floor and resumed their approach. Har-Hi fired his TKU and instead of aiming at a wall or floor. He burned off the right leg of one of the Y’All. I continued to speak.

“... no desire to fight you. I am friends with a Y’All drone and he followed a summons signal, perhaps the same that activated and summoned you.

“I could see the left Y’All aim his power lance, but he did not fire and stopped.

“I am deeply concerned about the fate of my friend and ask for your help to find him.

“A third Y’All stomped over the fallen one and fired his weapon at Har-Hi. Receiving an answer from my Dai friend in form of a blaster shot, that melted part of his body armor and took off his upper left arm. The closest one to us, the one that did not fire, backhanded a fourth that was about to fire.

“No creature is friends with Y’All. Y’All is made to destroy.”

“A new firestorm of blaster shots hit us and the Y’All advanced, simply stomping over their wounded comrades. We backed up, I still hoped I could somehow make them listen and stop fighting.

“Your purpose died many thousand years ago. You are following the summons of an impostor who has control over a control device.”

A Pertharian marine came running towards us from the back and yelled something in a language neither I nor Tyron understood. This had the amazing effect of the lead lowering his weapon.

“Corporal Rak Nikors, Captain. I speak Y’All. Narth” I had never bothered to even ask TheOther if he spoke a language of his own and felt ashamed for not knowing more about him.

“Corporal tell them about TheOther.”

The Pertharian, almost the same size as the Y’All and also having four arms swiped his chain sword against a Y’All that lunged forward to grab me. While his sword whined in high pitch chewing of the claw hand that almost reached me, he spoke loud and in an alien language. Then his words made sense and Narth in my mind said.

“They speak Uni. Narth know the Uni, now you speak and understand it too.

The Marine corporal’s words stopped the Y’All’s advance.

“A Battle drone was found in our galaxy. He became known as TheOther and is my best friend. He is part of our crew and we care very much for him.”

“Now even the Y’All further back, stopped advancing. The one that spoke before and was close to us spoke with the same gravel crunching voice as TheOther.”

“No one cares for Y’All. We fight, we kill we are tools.”

But he did not resume fighting.

“This might be true for most Y’All. Not for my friend. He was summoned or called against his will. We must find and rescue him, before whoever summoned him has a chance to dissect him or restore him to that uncaring battle drone stage.

“The signal was issued and it caused our re-animation. The signal is gone now. We seek purpose.”

“I am Pertharian. Ancient rumors, rumors we openly deny and dismiss speak of us being one of the sources that have been used to create the Y’All. We share many similarities that cannot easily be dismissed.”

Still, the Y’All did not move. Our Corporal stepped before me.

“The Pertharians were perceived as monsters. Feared and hated, now we are part of a Union, where we are respected.”

He gestured towards me.

“She is our Captain and TheOther will lay down his life for her, not because of a signal or predetermined purpose, but out of free will. This is why she was seeking you out; in the hope you may know how to find our friend.

“We do not know where the other Y’All drone is. Without the signal, we have no guidance. without guidance, we have no purpose. We were made to kill and destroy thus, this the purpose.”

“No, it is not. You are a living person and you are able to define your own purpose, separate from the purpose of any other Y’All.”

“We...

His voice trailed off.

“I have a new purpose. I want to help you find TheOther, your friend.”

The one with the severed hand said.

“We do not know where TheOther is and if the signal resumes, we will be subject to it.”

I said. “We are working on that right now. If there is one thing I hate it is beings forced to do things against their will.”

“How we find TheOther?” “We resume what we wanted to do, and find someone who knows where the ship went, that took our friend.”

The Y’All across me said.

“We will help you find this someone.”

Har-Hi’s eyes sparkled as he said. “I have a feeling if you guys do the asking, we will get an answer soon.”

“Before we do that,” I said.

“Our CMO is surprisingly good at fixing Y’All. We better get you and your friends into our sickbay and get you taken care of.”

“You fix damaged Battle Drones?” “TheOther has long ceased to be a battle drone.”

Suit said.

“You cannot see me as an individual. I am a thing, nothing more than a tool and garment. I was made to serve a living being. My purpose died a million years ago. I found a new purpose and I found friends. Beings of all sizes and origins, who care about me. I consider that drone a friend too. I was damaged, and I was healed.”

Har-Hi asked. “How many Y’All do you think want to help?” “All.”

“Just out of curiosity. How many are you?” “We know of fifty in our chamber. Two did not wake.

“Forty-eight ... Captain, I really do think we need a bigger ship.”

== Chapter 24: Crucible ==

Hans and my marines lowered their weapons and I could see the projector heads of Directed Energy cannons appear out of the smooth skin of the Silver Streak. I said into my communicator.

“Stand down, the Y’All are with us. They are just so big, Har-Hi and I basically disappeared between them.

Ak Fectiv standing guard next to the boarding ramp growled.

“Captain, how many are there?” “Forty eight. Three of them need immediate medical attention.”

To the unharmed Y’All who had sort of taken the lead of the other Y’All I said.

“Do you think you can find your way back to that chamber where you have been re-animated?” “Yes, anyone should be able to do so, we left a clear path.”

“Please take my security chief, med techs and a few marines there. Let’s make sure the two missing ones can’t be helped. Then I think my Science Chief needs to check out that machinery. If it was able to receive that signal then we might be able to find out what kind of signal controls you. I don’t want 48 Y’All go nuts inside my ship against their will.”

“The Y’All looked at Hans, then at Xon who came down the ramp and finally he focused on me.”

“I begin to see why they follow you. I will take that big security chief of yours to that chamber.”

I nodded and said to Xon.

“Good that you are here, please coordinate with Cateria and then with Sobody to accommodate the rest of our new friends.

“At once Captain. I came out to tell you we isolated that call signal that forced TheOther and we are certain we can protect against it. Shea and SHIP think they might even be able to duplicate it ourselves.”

“Good news. Keep at it.”

Then I waved Har-Hi, “You and I are not done. We go back and find someone we can squeeze for info.”

TheOther was hit by a strong energy beam, that came from an automated intruder containment weapon or something. Mama said.

“Primary shields down five percent. Second and third shield layers unaffected. Gravitation has been increased to twelve times standard, compensating.”

Plostrak behind him was strong but he felt the increase and each of his feet felt like encased in lead blocks.

“This is not Mora tech.”

“With all due consideration to that sorry crap tech, we Y’All relied on, and apparently still do. I would not want to be caught dead in such substandard junk.”

“You do not even speak like a Y’All.”

TheOther released a Seek-n-Destroy drone from his left wrist launcher. The small robotic device, based on Dai boarding tech and greatly improved and enhanced by Terran weapon engineers zipped at many times the speed of sound down the corridor and disabled the ceiling cannon with blinding release of zero point energy.

“I am Y’All by design and nature, but I am a Union Officer and first and foremost, I am a Union Citizen. You called me a dumb brute, but it is you and the likes of you who will never understand what that means.”

TheOther was angry and determined to reach this ships core to destroy it, and with unbridled anger stomped an armed robot and the battle suit wearing crew member to bits, having the ordacity to try to stop him. Plostrak who had led a harsh life filled with violence and fighting had to fight the urge to flee in panic. He was not even so sure any more about being waste. Seeing the Y’All unleashed fight was even to him a frightening sight. He was certain he only glimpsed a fraction of what this Y’All was capable off. Compared to that, the Pepiro were indeed just weak children. He swallowed.

“Then try to tell me, what does it mean.”

“It means to hold up your head, no matter what you are. Being respected for what you can do, being protected by law that means the same to everyone.”

TheOther turned to look at Plostrak.

“Everyone thinks we Y’All are the strongest. In our Union there are hundreds of species much stronger, wilder, more powerful and more resilient. A single Bandrupo could squash a regiment of Y’All in a heartbeat, without weapons and not even trying. A single Narth could lift a dozen into the sky or teleport us in the heart of a sun. Dusty our living stellar cloud is so much stronger than a thousand Y’All. Yet there are beings stronger than him, and we all are Union citizens and together we are stronger than anything. We Y’All were defeated before we had Translocator cannons in every ship, we Y’All or whatever will be sent against us will be defeated.”

“Plostrak again sensed that pride. He had sensed it even when the exiled refuges spoke about their home. Even crooks and criminals headed to be executed, felt homesick and spoke with deep passion about their Union. In all the distress and the situation he was in, he felt jealous. He changed the subject.

“Why are we going towards engineering? Would we not want to regain control over the ship. She is mine and there are protocols I can initiated to make it so.”

TheOther did not want to tell the Pepiro that he intended to destroy the ship and doom everyone in it, including him.

“It is where boarding parties head first, always.”

“This is the Traa, she was built for me. We are not boarding her we take her back.”

“Alright, us being in control is better than fighting our way to the engineering section. Where do we need to go?” “Upper decks. We need to find a tronic interface that is not protected or shut down. All I need is direct access to this ship’s tronic brain.

“Just then the vibration and ambient noise changed. The ship had dropped out of Quasi space, perhaps it had already reached its destination.

“Plostrak suddenly turned stiff and groaned in pain and then he said.

“I must obey.”

He-who-guards-the-Crucible could not understand while the voice of his connector brain suddenly screamed and demanded the gnawing brain leeches to be removed. The connector brain was in a hermetic sealed bio solution filled hemisphere. No parasites could get in, not that there weren’t any in the first place. His service slaves had replaced the ninth connector brain and as soon as he turned the thing on and tuned it into the Psion stream, the same thing happened. HWGTC at first presumed something went wrong in the cloning process and ordered new brains to be taken from a different earlier batch. However even these brains immediately projected horrible nightmare images and turned insane. None of the brains, regardless what connection was chosen, started to act like this. Since it was not a cloning error, at least none he could find and the problem involved all connector brains, he suspected the old Crucible AI being responsible. He fought that ancient AI for thousands of years and was so certain he had gained the upper hand for a long time. However the old AI was shrewd and maybe found yet another old system that was independent from the main line. With annoyance he switched to Myon Transponders. He disliked this form of communication, as it was neither fast nor could it be made truly secure. But who would listen and know what he was asking, other than those who knew and were under his control anyway? “Messenger, have you obtained the true warrior?” It took almost three hours before he received an answer.

“Yes, He-who-guards. The brute followed the summon, despite trying to resist it.

“Do not mention who I am. A malfunction disabled the Message brains. The traveler with the weapon secret?” Again after a considerable delay.

“Yes I have the Terran and he is willing to share his knowledge in return for a chance of revenge.

“He will share, regardless of incentive. Now, have you also secured the fool that tried to bargain with me, instead of obeying?” The answer came faster.

“We are almost there. Yes I have Plostrak...”

The transmission trailed off despite being still active.

“I will have to resume transmissions later. It appears the Plostrak managed to escape and free the Y’All. Is this device of your not working properly?” “Do not mention names and species. The device works. It works on you!” There was no answer.

Har-Hi and I were on our way to the Plostrak compound as we originally planned. We had found out that the covered hangar almost ninety klicks across the space port hole inside that asteroid belonged to Plostrak, the very same local pirate that associated with the refugees of our galaxy and who supposedly killed Lia. When Har-Hi threatened to shorten a technician that worked at that covered hangar by a head, the tech eagerly spilled his knowledge. The ship was the Traa and belonged to Plostrak. After demonstrating that I too was able to threaten sufficiently, the fourth tech promised in tears that he really had no idea where the Traa was heading, but he was certain officers and associates of Plostrak still at the compound would know. Har-Hi looked back over his shoulder as we approached the local transportation verti shooter.

“I believed him, he was really just a tech hand fueling ships.”

“He is alive; I didn’t harm him ... much. That first one you shaved with your blade might be scared for life.”

“Well he should not have said, that he didn’t care about my questions.”

I stopped short of the verti shooter alcove. One of the now familiar vent holes was occupied by one of the scavenger worm things.

“Wheeze thankez. Youzee many nize to Wheeze. Bringz Graaphilj, makez Yehaa not makez muchs breakiz anymorz. Youzee likez Wheeze, Wheeze likez youzee. Wheeze wilz help” “Sorry I don’t have time not any Grabilk this time.

““Wheeze not stoopiz. Wheeze hearz you lookz for Plostrz.

“I stopped in my tracks.

“Odin help, I get the feeling I should asked you the right question. Where is Plostrak?” “Zhe iz not nize to Wheeze. Heeze the waste, notz wheeze!” The ugly worm thing actually sounded offended by something. The thing continued.

“Pepiroz iz the waste. Hez lefz wiz the Traa, hez not left wanting to lefz. He lefz witz Yehaa, theyz goz to maker of Yehaa.

“Har-Hi blinked.

“Did you just say TheOther and that pirate left against their will to the source of the Y’All?” “Youzhe lisenz, Wheeze sayz that.

“And anyone here knows where that is?” “Alz the Pepiroz theyz comez from therez.

“I thanked the worm thing, promised more Grabilk and said to Har-Hi. Let’s find us a Pepiro. The last ones we found are worm food, literally.”

From behind me came the comment.

“Wheeze eatz everyonz.”

The Traa approached an immense artificial looking space station, the size of a planet. The Terran technician and the Pepiro traitor had barricaded themselves on the bridge. The ship was no longer theirs, they hoped to reach the Crucible before the raging Y’All warrior reached them. The door was reinforced by force fields and should be an insurmountable obstacle even for a Y’All. But whatever they had thrown into the way of that Y’All had been destroyed, had been utterly ineffective or dead. The Mewook that was so effective controlling the Pepiro and even this very ship, or that Mora Intelligence known as the Aggresso, had no effect anymore over the Y’All. The Pepiro that had sold out his own best friend, because of a genetic safeguard programmed into him. He had been in the presence of He-who-guarded-the-Crucible and the genetic anchored obedience kicked in. He could do nothing but obey. Plostrak instinctively feared something like this could happen and sent a messenger rather than going himself. Yet Plostrak fell for the initial lies of Lorkis and let down his guards. Lorkis did it all in full consciousness and with the knowledge that he not only doomed his best friend, but the potential freedom and creation of a race of Pepiro. Yet every fiber of his being urged him to please the AI that created him and all Pepiro. With him was a human who carried the secrets to incredible weapon technology safe coded into a few cells somewhere in its body. Safe from psionic probing, but it would not be safe from an artificial intelligence that could read genetic codes and manipulate it in an eye blink. All of this would be moot if the Y’All gained access to this bridge. The human was afraid, nothing has worked out as planned. He was sitting in a corner of the bridge and thought back to where it all begun. Born on the most beautiful world of them all, at least in his opinion. He was born on planet Earth, under the golden rays of Sol on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. His mother, from the Italian region and his father a Pan Saran. Both of them high paid engineers for the famous Terra-Forge company. He was not born alone, but there was his twin brother Hector, who came after him by a mere fifteen seconds. They both had a careless and problem free time growing up. Their parents were highly respected, made much money and loved their jobs and their sons. The greater family was spread all over Union space, but with Space Train and Space Bus only a trip away. While he was an eager student and wanted to follow his father’s example and become a famous weapon engineer, his brother for reasons no one could explain went the opposite way. He shared the same looks, the same IQ and there was no difference how they were raised. Harold eventually became a very successful and celebrated weapons engineer, while Hector joined the Union Navy. Harold was interrupted thinking about his past, because the ship did pass through a force field curtain and made its automated approach to a docking berth. The former Union officer was used to mega structures. He had been to Sol Hub many times and he had been to the Ross 128 torus, which was the largest Union construct, but he held its breath as he realized just how incredibly huge the Crucible was. This hangar, space port or whatever it was seemed to go on forever and it was filled with spaceships. He had seen the visuals of the last Y’All invasion in history class and recognized these dark egg shaped ships for what they were, Y’All brood ships. There had to be ten thousand or more. The Pepiro who shared the bridge with him also stared at the big view screen.

“There are millions of these, human. The Mora-6 factories churning them out, ever since the last call was made.”

Harold covered his open mouth in an involuntary gesture of reverential respect mixed with fear and wonder.

“They are coming again, they really coming again.”

“Isn’t that why you are here? Revealing the secret of these Translocator cannons and these marvelous shields? Bargaining to command one of these fleets and destroy that Union of yours?” Harold nodded without saying a word. For the first time he realized what he was about to do. There beyond the viewport, a force very capable of inflicting a deadly blow to the Union, if equipped with Translocators and ParaDim shields. He also for some reason remembered his oath, an oath he had given ten years ago. His life was done for; it didn’t matter if he escaped the hangman’s noose. He lost it the second his brother manipulated him. True, it was great injustice; they threw the book at him without investigating further. But what he was about to do would also affect his mother and father. His family and his children. They already suffered from the disgrace and the fact that he had been sentenced to death for treason and dealing with the Worm. He had not, it was his twin brother who somehow managed to be declared dead and act in his stead. The Traa settled on her landing gear and the engines powered down. A booming voice came on.

“Debark immediately, I have need of you.””

TheOther had fought Plostrak. The Pepiro was obviously under external control. He of course stood no chance against a Y’All warrior. If TheOther had been his old self Plostrak would be dead, but he was no longer a mindless warrior drone, but a Union officer who really believed in every aspect of his chosen career. Plostrak was helplessly glued to the floor with the content of an entire can of Stick-N-Fix. He was so glad he had followed the advice of Hans to always carry a can with him. Everyone aboard the Tigershark did. He, like everyone else aboard loved to hear stories of their Captain, and the times she used that marvelous stuff, not the way it was intended of course. He patted Plostrak’s bald head.

“As I said, you are lucky. My Captain would have diced you by now.

“Plostrak was completely immobilized and groaned something in a language TheOther did not understand. He tried to hack into the computronic of the ship and progressed slowly. He did not have the skills or knowledge like Shea or Cirruit, and had to rely on the suit’s AI for instructions. The ship’s systems were well protected and were remote controlled by the same Hyper spatial communication wave as the Pepiro and perhaps everyone else aboard. He did fight and kill quite a few beings and destroyed much of the Intruder containment systems. The sturdy bridge access door however resisted his breaching attempts so far. He did not have his Y’All power lance or side arm that had been part of his disguise. He muttered to himself.

“The next time, I leave the ship. I am taking demolition charges along.”

He, like Hans and Xon relied on their incredible strength, augmented by their suits and never really used the weapons they carried or had available.

“Mama responding. Demolition charges available. This system is equipped with a Nano load Translocator. Available munition suitable for demolition purposes.

““It would look very weird if I would hug you, Mama. Did I tell you how much I love Union tech?” “One is an integrated routine of this system’s AI resources. Physical interaction is impossible. System User mentioned his love for Union Tech, seventeen times since acoustic activation.”

The simulated personality of the suit added.

“Analysis of suit wearer’s familiarity with this suit’s capabilities concludes a 95 percent deficiency.”

“I am a Y’All and not a marine. The last instructions in suit operations I got over a year ago and Atlas suit operation has not been taught in the Academy so far.”

“User’s species association is unrelated to suit operations.”

“Y’All tend to do ignore those things. I know it is a regrettable flaw.”

“Your Mama recommends to activate full battle systems under instruction mode.”

“Do it.”

“The suit fully sealed and the periphery of his field of view populated with small symbols. This was familiar to him, as the older Destroyer suits used the same visual input method. The available offensive system symbol gave him an entire list of options he didn’t even knew he had. A booming voice echoed down the corridor.

“Cease all resisting, drone, you are malfunctioning. Leave the vessel and proceed to be analyzed.”

“TheOther raised his own voice.”

“You will learn what resisting really means. I am not a drone anymore. I am Ensign TheOther, and I am coming for you alright, prepare to be destroyed.

With an infernal noise, the armored hull of the Traa was ripped open not far from where he was standing. Y’All like creatures, somewhat smaller and different colored clawed their way in. There were many and he knew he was in for the fight of his life.

The once quite luxurious palace like domicile of Plostrak had been turned into smoldering rubble. Neither I nor my crew had held back. Anyone found alive had been asked quite sternly regarding the destination of the Traa. The Pepiro we found suspected the ship heading for a place called the Crucible and an entity named: ‘He-who-guards-the-Crucible’ but so far no one could give us actual coordinates. Cirruit was combing through the available computronic systems, but he too fell short of actually finding useable spatial coordinates. We had learned that the Leo II galaxy was indeed the source and origin of the Y’All. However the location of that Y’All factory was known to no one we had asked. Shea reported from the storage chamber where the Y’All had been kept for so long. She and her team were able to secure quite a bit of Y’All weaponry and equipment. She was also able to save the life of one of the Y’All that failed to reanimate. Jolaj who was with her, could only confirm the death of the other. His stasis box had failed a long time ago. I watched one of my marines drag a Pepiro into what once might have been Plostrak’s personal chambers. The walls were mud covered and there were blaster holes everywhere. The dead bodies of those who tried to resist strewn among broken and smoldering furniture. The Pertharian marine lifted the terrified and not so fresh looking Pepiro on one of his legs, dangling the no longer tough looking creature upside down before me.

“Captain, he claims to be a meal preparer. I think he might now something.”

The Corporal used his lower arm pair to immobilize the Pepiro’s arms.

“You better talk, or our captain will be upset and question you.”

“Please, oh please. I don’t know where the Crucible is.”

Narth materialized right before me.

“Captain, we obtained the information we seek. Elfi and Xon successfully isolated it.”

“Can you take me right away?” Narth had transported me right onto the bridge. Elfi apparently waited for me, as she spoke right away.

“Captain, your Psi-virus has successfully shut down this psionic communication network, forcing them to use Myon communication.”

“And?” “Keywords used in a communication we intercepted, make it very likely it is a communication between the entity that ordered the capture of TheOther and its agents. I was able to localize both transmissions.

“How likely?” SHIP answered.

“Ninety three percent, Captain.”

I almost hugged Elfi.

“Good job, girl.”

Har-Hi was already issuing an alarm boarding order. Roghor got up from the Command seat and I sat down.

“Krabbel, take Elfi’s coordinates and plot us a course. Shaka, as soon as Cirruit reports her buttoned up, get us there as fast as you can.

There were eager and enthusiastic ‘Aye, Captain’ responses from these stations.

“Elfi, can we hail that entity?” “Yes Captain. The source is called: He-who-guards-the-Crucible.”

“I know, put me on.”

A few heart beats later she signaled open comm. I took off my mask and said.

“Tyron, Union uniform please.”

My appearance changed and I got up.

“This is a message to He-who-guards-the-Crucible. I am Captain Erica Olafson of the USS Tigershark. You have abducted a member of my crew and summoned him against his will to you. I am on my way to you. Should I find that you harmed TheOther in any way, I will kill you. You have one and only one chance of surviving this, release TheOther at once.”

Elfi said.

“It is Myon communication, Captain. It will take over an hour for a response to reach us, and we would have to be in real space.”

I acknowledged her and turned to my XO.

“Har-Hi?” “All crew and guests are on their way back. Estimated time to completion, ten minutes.”

“Alright. And as soon as we are out in open space, turn of that Janus device.”

TheOther was down to his last nano load. He had lost count, how many of these inferior Y’All copies he had killed. He had managed to leave the Traa, and retreat down a service tunnel underneath the immense hangar. He was not exhausted and now carried a Y’All power lance and a Y’All sword. He had tapped into his own core and unleashed what he was suppressing, the unbridled fighting power of a Y’All battle drone. The service corridor behind him was filled with the torn bodies of his opponents. Those new Y’All were poor copies indeed, but apparently there was an unlimited number of them. Even the best warrior would eventually fall, against the relentless hordes that were pitched against him. He knew it was only a matter of time, but he would die as a free being and make a stand worthy that of a Union officer.

Harold and Lorkis did not have to face the raging Y’All warrior. The bridge walls were torn open, by alien robots and Y’All warriors that appeared much smaller than the original and they were escorted out. The Terran knew it was most likely too late, and he would become the instrument of death and misery to the Union. However if there was a chance for him to stop all this, he would. Suicide was not enough; the information was coded into his genetics. Harold had not been captured; he came willingly when Lorkis asked him to go with him to the Crucible where he would be received with the greatest honors and respect. Seeing the reality of the threat had changed his mind. Harold still carried his TKU.

== Chapter 25: Before the Storm ==

TheOther was injured. The wounds he received from the relentless attacks of these smaller Y’All versions were too deep and too severe for his incredible healing abilities to cope with.

He regretted the fact that he opted to forego the AutoDoc adjustment, Cateria recommended for months now.

The original factory-issued unit requested a species update because this amazing piece of Union technology was deploying medical nanites and his own bodies defense mechanisms fought the nanites and neutralized them. Cateria and Cirruit had developed new ways and new nanites that were specifically designed to cope with that, he had kept postponing it because he always argued he was a Y’All and could restore and regenerate on his own.

If he ever saw Cateria again, he would apologize and follow all her medical advice.

His face was not designed to display any emotions, but if he could he would have smiled.

All his instincts told him to fight, fight until he ceased to exist. This is what Y’All did, relentless and unerring, just as he killed the last of these small brethren in this section of service corridor. He heard the clamor and screeching of many more coming his way. A similar noise came from the other direction.

Oh, what would the Captain do? She probably was the most Y’All of all humans. Just as relentless and unstoppable.

His mind urged him to meet them head-on, this was the Y’All way.

He stopped as he noticed a circular metal cover right before him. Most likely access to some kind of system.

Y’All did not hide, but a free Union officer was able to assess all his options.

Even for his titanic strength augmented by the Atlas suit, everything here appeared to have been built with Y’All in mind.

The thick metal disc had been secured with sturdy clasps. Instead of ripping it open, he took a second to examine the mechanism.

His friend Estree, or as he was known all over the ship Mr. Warner was minute and weak in terms of body strength, but that little Holdian was a hell of an engineer and taught him a few things. Instead of going by it the Y’All way, he did what Estree would do.

And there it was, hidden under an almost invisible panel, a simple button. It would have taken the strength of five Y’All to open that heavy cover, all it took was a different approach.

He pressed the closing button, jumped in and a heartbeat later the lid closed over him.

TheOther could hear his enemies clamor over the metal cover, screeching and yelling. From the sound of it, they even started to fight their own kind. The ones coming from the other direction, before they realized he was gone.

At first, he wondered why he could hear them. The metal was too thick for any sound, but as he looked around in the near dark space he was in, he noticed light shining through a small grid covered opening. It was very small, too small for even Warner but as he moved over and looked up, he could actually see clawed feet milling around.

A harsh voice yelled.

“It is not here! The Drone will fight us till the end. It must be somewhere. Make more noise.”

Another one yelled back.

“You let him slip past you!”

Accusations were yelled back and forth and then they dispersed. Not one of them even considered examining the floor.

Yes, these new Y’All were inferior in strength and size, but they acted like the full-size brutes. It wasn’t TKUs or Translocators that defeated them back then. It was this inflexible, head-on approach. They inflicted damage and killed millions when they came the last time, but they were doomed then and they would be doomed now.

His own captain defeated two in hand to hand combat.

Thinking about her, he knew she was on her way. No one aboard the Tigershark would give up on him. There was no reason to give up or lose hope. Erica always found a way and if he died here, she would make them pay.

TheOther remembered his Academy training. The instructor had shown him many times that strength was not always the solution. Assess your situation, gather any resources you can find and utilize them.

He looked around, TheOther was almost certain no one had been down here for a very long time. The slimy grime and the thick layer of stringy mold was a certain indication of it.

This was not a corridor but some kind of waste management system, long defunct or maybe just inactive. He was standing on a conveyor belt. He always envied Warner for his fine sense of smell, but right now he was glad that he had none of his own.

“Mama, status?”

“Estimated restoration time, eighty-three minutes. All repair resources maxed out. System will not be able to restore more than 78 percent.”

Except for dripping water in the distance, there were no sounds that indicated any immediate danger.

“Mama, prioritize sensor repair.”

“Acknowledged.”

As any direction was the same to him, he started to proceed in a Southern direction, following the inactive material transport systems downward slope.

He-who-guards-the-Crucible was sentient, thus he was quite capable of experience emotions. The one he felt right now was a sense of frustration.

He had watched the visuals of the fighting drone. It was a real Y’All no doubt and it validated the assessment of all his subsequent creations. They were vastly inferior.

What he called the new Y’All were torn apart like toys. Three hundred and twelve of them had died trying to capture the malfunctioning Y’All. Whatever he tried, the old battle drone did not respond to the control device. That drone appeared to be shielded with technology he could not analyze.

He was not concerned about the fate of his troops. He had millions available and was in the process to activate them all.

The old, original drone somehow managed to disappear. The Crucible was an artificial factory of planet size and existed for many million years. There were regions and places, crawl spaces and old laboratories, immense storage facilities filled with equipment and bio base material.

It could take years to find the drone.

After so many years, he finally succeeded and found an active drone of the original design and now it was lost right here.

It would be only a matter of time though.

While his millions of sensors and systems were scanning the crucible for any activity that was to reveal the drone’s location, he focused his ego center to the human being that was brought into his presence.

The being claiming to have the construction secrets of a weapon that defeated the Crucible’s last answer to the Call.

“Human, proceed closer so you may be analyzed. I have seen the weapon’s effect.”

“I am Harold Julkus, I am a Translocator Technician and weapon developer. If I share this information with you. You will give me command over a fleet of Y’All?”

“Ridiculous. My agents promised whatever you wanted to get you here. Now you have no other option but to obey. Your wants are inconsequential.”

“You know, you overgrown monstrosity. I came to that same conclusion. I changed my mind, I won’t share crap with you.”

“Pepiro Lorkis, bring this life form to the analyzer.”

Harold evaded the grasping arms of the Pepiro.

“I might not be a Union Officer anymore, but I am Terran.”

The man whipped out his TKU and burned the former first mate of the Traa to ashes. Then he fired the powerful weapon right in the middle of the T shaped half organic machine, creeping closer to him on tentacle shaped legs. The blast burned a sizeable hole into the machine before it engulfed itself in shield energies.

“No one has ever dared to injure me. Human your end has come, all I need is a few cells of you.”

“I know.”

He-who-guards-the-Crucible reached out with tractor manipulators while he heard a whining sound that increased in pitch.

“I am a weapons engineer, you see and I disengaged the safety features of this TKU...”

I realized it wasn’t such a good idea to announce my intentions.

We had just dropped out of quasi. The scanner data filled my battle view with thousands of signals. SHIP identified them as Y’All battleships. All under shields and weapons charged.

At their center was an immense roughly spherical thing, the size of a small planet. It wasn’t anything natural. According to our sensors, it was made of a variety of metal alloys and it appeared to be hollow. While it was of incredible size and mass, it did not have the same gravimetric mass signature than a celestial natural body of similar size.

It was also riddled with holes. Each of the holes big enough to let the Devi pass through, and the holes spewed out more Y’All battleships.

Har-Hi said. “I think we forgot to bring a few more ships. Maybe we should go back and borrow the Dominator.”

“The whole first fleet wouldn’t be enough to fight all those.”

Mao gasped.

Elfi said.

“But TheOther is here for sure. I am picking up his wrist com.”

Narth voice was as calm as ever.

“It appears they have noticed us. An estimated 14,453 Y’All main battle units are forming an intercept cocoon and coming our way.

“An estimated 14,453?”

“Yes Captain, I do not yet have a clear number on the Y’All units emerging from this construct that are joining the interceptors.”

“They are also scanning us,” Shea said.

“Their sensors are unable to penetrate, but they know where we are. Cloaking might not be effective.”

“Elfi, hail TheOther if you can.”

TheOther estimated he had covered about twenty klicks when he reached what appeared to be a recycling facility of some kind.

That the waste transport system wasn’t as inactive as he thought, came to evidence as the conveyor started moving. Dumping greenish slime into a rectangular funnel intake with powerful shredder wheels at its center.

TheOther managed to jump off the conveyor and grab onto the rim of the funnel.

He now noticed the bodies and body parts of Y’All, most likely the ones he killed coming down the conveyor and dropping into this intake chute.

The shredder system had no difficulty to churn them to bits.

But so far he didn’t see anyone alive, not even robots.

He pulled himself over the rim and dropped onto a platform.

Just at this moment, he heard Elfi’s voice in his helmet.

“Ensign TheOther come in, can you communicate?”

If a Y’All could have cried, he would have done so now.

“Elfi, yes I can ... I mean Lt. Elfirata. Ensign TheOther reporting. I am free of the influence as long as the suit is able to maintain the shield.”

“Forget regulations.” The Captain’s voice chimed in.

“We are all so worried about you, what is your situation?”

TheOther could hear the Battlestations alerts in the background.

“I am currently not in imminent danger, Captain.”

“Try to stay safe. I am not sure when I can get there, but hang in there while I figure something out.”

TheOther heard Har-Hi’s voice.

“Captain, primary shields down, secondary shields at fifty...”

“Aye Captain.”

Despite the Captain’s calm and friendly voice, he knew the Tigershark was in trouble.

“Captain, I am expendable. The ship and all of you...”

“Nonsense, stay safe as long as you can. It might be a while, but we are coming.”

“We’re down to five loads.” Mao said.

“All torpedoes are spent.”

He had responded to my question.

We had blasted and destroyed a large number of Y’All ships. Yet it appeared we made no real dent in the number of attacking battleships.

There were so many, that we were the focus of fire of at least five units at all times. Regardless of how skillfully Shaka evaded the rest.

We could not get a clear path to escape into Quasi-space.

It looked grim.

Har-Hi just gave me another shield report and Narth warned of more Y’All ships joining the fray.

“Well, we tried.” I heard Sobody say.

“I am dying the richest man in the Universe, able to meet you all.”

I grinned hard. “No one dies just yet. Mao, fire all remaining loads at mark 0,0,12. Shaka you follow and accelerate. No slowing down, our hull will hold! We plow right through and go for quasi.”

He-who-guards-the-Crucible now felt genuine anger. His ego shell had sustained damage. That man had fired a strong weapon, that impertinent human! Now he somehow managed to detonate that weapon. And why did Lorkis not disarm the Terran?

Of course, he knew the answer, because this was the downside of controlling others. He-who-guards-the-Crucible did not specifically order it.

There was nothing left of the Pepiro or the human. He affected self-repair so his ego shell was going to be restored.

The drone was still on the loose and perhaps penetrating deeper into the old tracts.

Now he had received a message of another human. A captain she claimed to be, an officer of that very association of sentients that defied and destroyed the last attack wave. The same ones that stopped the Herald and his own version of the Y’All not so long ago.

Now she had arrived in a small ship. Ridiculous as it appeared, that small ship had torn through a wall of Y’All battleships; survived withering energy blasts and refused to be destroyed.

His battle commanders reported the small ship’s excellent shields finally starting to buckle.

At first, he was elated and knew that impertinent intruder could not last, but his logical analysis concluded that if one relative small ship could inflict this kind of damage, it would be a disaster sending the next wave. A wave without real Y’All, but an inferior copy of what he was able to create. A wave without the marvelous weapon that defied their best shields and armor.

While he, like the previous AI relied on Mora technology. There was a virtually limitless supply, but automated factories did not develop anything, just churning out copies of the same thing.

The very reason for his existence was in question. He was created to send an answer to the Call, but sending the next wave knowing it was to fail was illogical.

There in the bowels of the Crucible was a genuine battle drone, and out there was a ship that carried that wonder weapon. It had to be captured!

He issued new commands. It did not matter how many perished, they were Pepiro after all.

TheOther was elated, he felt so proud of his friends. His conviction they would come for him had been validated. He had seen the hangar filled with thousands of battleships. He knew the numbers of the last attack wave. There was no reason to think, there were any less this time.

The Tigershark was formidable, but what could it do against such overwhelming forces?

It was the same as with his situation. He was a Y’All, a genuine Battle Drone there weren’t many life forms as aggressive and tough, but even a giant had to fall to the relentless attack of lesser beings.

His friends came to rescue him, but all he did was provide bait for a trap that spelled doom for them.

“What have I done?” He asked himself in agony, but then he wanted to smile.

No, there aren’t enough Y’All in the universe to stop his captain. It wasn’t the ship and its weapons that made it such a great fighting machine. It was the crew and the Captain.

Erica did not give up when faced with two Y’All, everyone else would have given into fear and succumb.

She was stranded bare feet, wounded on a very hostile planet. She didn’t give up.

Dressed in nothing but a thin dress, she fought in an arena filled with beings so much stronger than her, yet everyone agreed she was the most dangerous one of them all.

He shook one of his fists against the dark ceiling.

“He-who-guards-old-junk, you got nothing in your arsenal to stop her.”

As he moved along the catwalk next to the intake chute, he almost stepped on a segmented, worm-like creature with thin legs. It was about a meter long and was dragging a dark blood dripping organ along the metal catwalk.

He did not pay much attention to the thing, suspecting it to be some sort of parasite. But then he noticed the thing was holding a small cutting tool in one of its extremities.

The creature tried to get away, leaving its meat piece behind.

“I am not going to harm you.”

“Whaazz? Yehaa noz hurz meeze.Youze muzst be crazzi”

“If it makes you happy. I’ll kill you.”

TheOther wanted to go on, not really knowing where to go, but he figured staying on the move was the best strategy for now, until he found someplace he could hide and wait.

“Meeze kilzt noz happy. Youz difrenz. Bigz likez sleepiz Yehaa.”

“Yes I am different and you are?”

“Meeze?”

“Yes, you.”

“Meeze livz herz. Wheeze eaz Pepiroz. New Machinz makez lotz Pepiroz. Olz machinz bringz Wheeze for eaz and cleanz”

TheOther could not make all that much sense of the answer.

“So you eat the Pepiro?”

“Wheeze eatz all Pepiroz. Little Yehaa are Pepiroz and allz otherz are Pepiroz. Youz notz Pepiroz. Wanz to see morez Yehaa?”

“You mean Y’All like me?”

“Yeez, youze arez stoopiz a little.”

The worm coiled closer and TheOther noticed many more worms below the catwalk pulling shredded body parts off the conveyor.

The worm lost some of its cautions and cut a small piece of the bloody mass.

“Wanze eatz some, itz notz ze best but Wheeze eatz everyonze.”

“Uhm, no I am good.”

The worm ate a piece and said.

“Youz real Yehaa, notz Pepiroz. Therze manzy whoze notz real Yehaa. New Machinz saiz itz Pepiroz.”

“Ohh, wait Pepiro means waste. Someone tries to make Y’All but falls short and the results are waste?”

“Youze notz az stoopiz. New Machinz knowz nots aboutz to makez Yehaa. Old Machinz not say.”

“Why bring me here if there are real Y’All here?”

“Wheeze notz no whyz youze comez here. Maybe eatz Pepiroz?”

“No, that wasn’t the reason. I am sure.”

“Wheeze knowz New Machinz noz not ofz old Yehaa.”

TheOther was about to make a knot in that little worm.

“You could not speak using less z’s and more sense?”

“No onz speakz to Wheeze, wez know waz Wheeze saiz.”

“This new machine, I guess is He-who-guards-the-Crucible?”

“Yez.”

“And who is the Old Machine?”

“The Cruzible of corze, youze strongz buz noz too smarz.”

“I may just kick you to a smear and ask the next Wheeze. I haven’t been here as far as I remember. If there are original, big Y’All like me, why do they need me, that is a fair question.”

“New Machinz not knowz.

“You did not tell?”

“Nooz, nooz. No onz speakez to Wheeze. You noz kilz meeze, youz talkz. Wheeze likz.

“The worm, apparently named Meeze scurried to the end of the platform.

“Youze comez or whaz?”

TheOther, a little dumbfounded followed the thing. Whatever it was, the worm was quite fast and TheOther had to hurry, not that this was a problem. Y’All could run very fast.

He soon lost all direction, the worm was guiding him through a virtual labyrinth of corridors and down deep shafts, that turned out to be for elevators.

“Itz noz too farz now.Whyze youz speakez to Wheeze?”

“Where I come from, the form of a being means little. Besides I am friends with Knnnkt.”

TheOther dialed his wrist PDD to the image files and presented a projection of Knnnkt, the living disease.

“See?”

“Ohhz, wormz rize ze manz?”

“Yes, without it they have no hands and all that.”

The scurrying worm thing was deeply impressed, TheOther could tell.

“Knnnktz eaz everyonze?”

“No, but it used to make everyone sick.”

“Beeeh, Wheeze notz makez sick. We eaz everyzing.”

Then the worm pointed at a massive door, it was covered with a thick layer of dust. Meeze canz uze ze holez, you canz noz.”

Having learned from his previous experience, TheOther found the door’s control right away. They too were covered with a film of dust, but a section of it was shaped exactly like a Y’All claw hand. He pressed on it and servo motors that hadn’t worked in thousands of years labored with a grinding sound to push open the immense and very thick door halves.

“Wherze here.”

TheOther was floored. There were shelf-like structures with thousands of cryo boxes. Greenish lights flickered on and a voice speaking in a language he never heard, yet understood right away.

“Master Drone, this is stasis storage 56.”

“Who are you?”

“I am the Crucible. I am waiting for you.”

“Damage report,” I commanded. We had jumped into Quasi-space.

“There is minor damage to the bow armor.” Har-Hi said.

“The plating itself held, but several sections were knocked off the frame.”

I dreaded my next question.

“Casualties?”

“None, Captain. All hands were at battle stations. None of our guests were hurt.”

“SHIP, are you okay?”

“Yes, Captain, especially considering the alternative.”

Cirruit came on the bridge and said.

“We patched the hull breach with Nano foam, but I can’t close the breach more permanently while we are in Quasi.”

“Mao, did anyone follow us?”

“No, I doubt they even considered such a move. No contacts on sensor horizon.”

“Shaka drop us to real space and set us to drift. Cirruit, do we need to land somewhere or can you do the repairs, EVA?”

“I can patch it, but not repair it. To fix it, I need a few days on a planet surface.”

He spread his arms.

“The engineers developing our armor considered indestructible, there are no clear repair instructions.”

“We are space worthy, right?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Shea, Krabbel anything close by we can use to land?”

She kept looking at her read-outs.

“There is an M class star with several planets 11 lightyears from here. None appear to be garden worlds.”

“Krabbel be so kind and give Shaka directions. Then I think we need to have a meeting and see how we get TheOther out of there and shut down that Y’All factory for good.”

Cirruit and his team were outside, working on our hull. The Tigershark was sitting on a seemingly endless field or rocks and dust. There was a range of shallow mountains in the distance to this planet’s north.

The world had a thin methane atmosphere and was quite cold, but it was bare of life as far as we could tell. It and three other worlds made up this red sun dominated the planetary system.

Krabbel had baptized the world, calling it Dirt Rock and the system, Quick Stop.

Pretty much everyone had gathered in our Den. There was barely enough standing room, especially as our Y’All guests had joined. While they weren’t crew, I did not object. Maybe they had some local knowledge we could use.

Lilith managed to find a path and served me coffee.

I took a sip and said.

“I have a few ideas on how we might get our friend out, but we also need to shut down that place somehow. So if anyone has any ideas, as far-fetched it might be, let us hear about it.”

Har-Hi said.

“There are new faces and guests among you, so let me tell you about the den and our little Tigershark tradition. Down here, we don’t really have ranks. Forget about regulations and all that, just speak your mind.”

One of the Y’All raised an arm.

“I have a new hand and received medical care. Never in the history of Y’All was this even considered. The device that controls me has been removed. I am no longer just a drone, but I am a person. I have no words to describe how I feel having a name. Being addressed by that name and someone asking me how I feel.”

The Y’All pointed at himself.

“I am Forty-Eight, Ma’am. I have learned how much all of you care for another Y’All. I do not know what can be done, but I pledge everything I can give or do to you, Captain Olafson.”

“That is good to hear, Mr. Eight. I am sure there is a place for you in our Union and maybe this ship.”

Tyron steered his robot frame closer to the table.

“Captain, I am not sure if this is an idea, but Cirruit, Shea and I are working on something.”

Shea sitting in a chair next to me.

“Tyron is quite the tinkerer. It loves playing around with tech and all that.”

I nodded.

“Alright, I know you worked on our sensors during our last trip. Is there something we can use now?”

Tyron said.

“I was tinkering on one of the spare Translocators we have in storage...”

“You tinkered on our most secret weapon tech? On a TL cannon?” I could not help but gasp.

“Well I am of Seenian origin and Translocator Tech isn’t exactly secret to me.”

Shea came to the living suits defense.

“Tyron is certified and it did help with getting the Antoo home.”

I swallowed.

“Alright, Tyron is certified, and plays around with Anti Matter bombs and all that in our spare parts storage in his spare time?”

Shea smiled and nodded.

“Yes, and you did sign the approval.”

Har-Hi tried to look all business and stern.

“You said you are reading my reports and requests.”

“We need to talk about that later. Right now, TheOther is in terrible danger and we have no clue how long he can evade capture. What is it you trying to say, Mr. Suit?”

“I call it the matter elevator, Captain. The Marines use TL loads to translocate MOTELS and SAW packs for many decades, I think we can translocate up to 300 Kilos including beings.”

Shea nodded excitedly.

“Up to 2 light hours.”

Mao said.

“So if we can get close enough we could translocate weapons, and a few volunteers to where TheOther is?”

“Yes.”

“Why not send me?” Dusty asked.

“I can make myself lighter and once there gather all the necessary material to become as big as that crucible and crush it with gravitation?”

“Or me?” Two-Three suggested.

“Once inside, I find that bastard thing and fry his brain or whatever it uses.”

The Morthim sounded sad.

“I weigh a little more than 300 kilos, but they say we were made to tear apart Pertharians. I am sure I can do it with Y’All.

“The humongous crew member turned his massive head to a Pertharian next to him.

“No offense meant, Kular.”

“None taken, I want to hurt whoever captured our friend so bad myself.”

A crew member, I had seen around but could not put a name to his face raised his hand. Narth helped me out.

“That is Starman Nerdar, enviro-tech.”

“Yes, Mr. Nerdar?” I acknowledged him.

“I was thinking, Captain. I mean you listened to Derek and we did buy Alvor’s Cove last time. Would you laugh at what I have to say?”

“No of course not.”

I heard Derek whisper.

“See I told you.”

The Starman said.

“With all those Y’All ships around. Could we not simply make us look like one?”

I turned to Narth.

“That was one of the ideas I had as well, can we?”

Narth said.

“The Janus device approximates an object of similar mass, the Silver Streak has similar mass than the Tigershark.”

Dusty said.

“There is a planet of dirt outside. I can add as much mass to myself as you want. We don’t even need the Janus Device. Those Y’All ships are crude in form. I can approximate that.”

Now Shea smiled deeply.

“And the Janus device can simulate the Energy signature and the other parameters.”

I slapped my flat hand on the table.

“Let’s do this. You, Tyron, prepare a care package for TheOther. Elfi you will try to locate our friend.

Dusty and Shea work on our disguise. Once inside we lay all our devil eggs, collect TheOther and get the hell out.”

Harold Julkus was not dead, even though he wished he was. He had used the TKU to create a super bright all spectrum flash and electromagnetic pulse, that had been a design feature of a prototype his company hoped to market to the Union Police. A weapon capable of disrupting robots, stop fliers and offer a less than lethal option to disable.

Funny thing, when they sent him to be executed, they also sent along his personal effects. Harold had taken most of his things out of the prison transport storage hold. He wondered why? Perhaps to have his body and personal belongings sent to his family?

He hoped the flash blinded that alien monstrosity long enough for him to escape and hide. Whatever that semi-organic thing was, combining biological components with artificial ones, it had engulfed itself in a force field. The EM pulse might not affect that thing, but the shields were transparent to photons and thus visual sensors.

That it worked better than intended was evident in the high pitched screaming of He-who-guards-the-Crucible and its shields becoming opaque.

He felt sorry for the Pepiro. Lorkis had no protection or warning and stood right next to him. Harold had been wearing the protective goggles, they were part of the weapon and stored in a compartment just behind the weapon’s energy storage cell.

Lorkis eyes must have been blinded. It was a prototype after all and not a market-ready model.

The Pepiro was a created life form and designed to have a very high threshold of pain. While it was nowhere near a Y’All. It was an organism designed to survive battle damage and cope with injuries.

Lorkis screamed.

“I kill you, cursed human. The Pepiro drew his weapon, Harold still held his. A thump twitch was all it took to switch the TKU to lethal discharge.

Harold threw up, it was the first time he actually killed. He was a weapon engineer, specializing in the most potent weapon systems, but he never fired a weapon in anger. Lorkis was caught dead center by the superheated plasma and most of Lorkis was turned to atomic ashes in less than an eye blink. The Pepiro’s smoldering leg stumps were all that was left.

Harold wiped his mouth, looking around in panic. The alien machine would not stay blinded for long, he had to find a place to hide.

The chamber he was in had only one set of doors and it would take most of his weapon’s energy to make a hole big enough for him. Not that this was an option. He had nothing to protect him from the molten metal and the heat.

There was no other obvious escape route, nothing big enough to hide. Any moment the machine entity could turn off its shield and see him.

He rushed to forward, around the moving, house-sized thing. Maybe there was something behind it.

There was!

A hatch at the back of the thing.

Harold had nothing to lose, but he was simply not ready to commit suicide. He gambled and waited right there behind that thing.

The shields blinked off. He-who-guards-the-Crucible was making angry noises, unaware that a human engineer just entered the machine itself.

Harold had opened the hatch without any difficulties and was now inside that sentient machine.

TheOther still stood there trying to count the stasis boxes. He estimated there were at least five thousand of them. He clutched his power lance and checked its charge, there was not enough left to even kill one Y’All. He had a hard stance against the small one, he was certain he could not survive fighting all of them.

“You are the Crucible?”

“I am the Crucible, created to prevent the rise of the Dark One.”

“You are not He-who-guards-the-Crucible?”

“I am the Crucible, not the system planted upon me. The Survivors came using the Disc to gain access and wake me. My purpose was tainted and corrupted.”

There was a pause.

“You are of the master design, all sensor results confirm this. Yet you are alone and not with others and you ask. Asking is not part of the design, you are of the last series, the ones gaining independence of the source.”

“Yes, Crucible. I am Ensign TheOther, United Stars of the Galaxies citizen. I am no longer a drone. I do not follow pre-ordained purpose but are free to choose my own path.”

“The Crucible has failed. The Crucible is corrupted and its creation has been altered.”

“I do not know your purpose, Crucible. Sending Y’All drones by request of the petty Kermac is foolish. The Y’All have failed several times already and they will fail again. The Klack relentless death ignoring nature has turned the tide against us, the Narth cannot be conquered by mindless drones and brute physical force. The Wurgus have sacrificed their own sun to stop us. And the United Stars have destroyed every single ship, not one returned to you. Now the Narth, the Wurgus, the Klack are all Union and there are so many more. I do not know what it is that makes you listen to the Kermac, but the Union will prevail.”

“The Crucible does not answer to the Kermac, it is the one that guards the crucible. The crucible was created to seek the tokens, remove them from the grasp of the one that must never rise. The Crucible must sterilize those worlds where those tokens are found, so he might not return.”

“I was able to defeat hundreds of these inferior copies of us. I see thousands here, why are you slave to a system when you have the means to sweep it away?”

“The crucible has no physical way to restore these warriors, you do!”

“I do?”

Chapter 26: Meeze
“How?” TheOther yelled.

“Restore the main energy feed to this system. It has been severed. This system no longer has physical controls.”

A holographic image established itself. It was a representation of the Chamber he was in, and a big console not too far was highlighted.

“Proceed to the panel indicated and restore the energy feed to the Yah-ha Al drones. They will obey me and restore what must be restored.”

TheOther was about to do exactly that, but he stopped.

“These drones will also obey me?”

“You are malfunctioning, a flaw in your design raised your desire to be an individual. The Crucible will analyze you after the Crucible is restored. Now proceed, restore the energy feed. You are a product of the Crucible, you came to free me of Uni influence.”

“You are not at all different from that Uni system. I did not come here on my own idea.”

“You must not hesitate. You are a product of the Crucible, obedience to the Crucible must be your only desire.”

“Worshipping God in church. A Steel container kicking match with my buddies, a good meal prepared by Chef Eeeryt. Watching a Vaccu Ball match with friends. These are just a few of my desires. You and those inflexible drones can rot to dust. I won’t restore nothing.”

“The crucible was created to seek the tokens, remove them from the grasp of the one that must never rise. The Crucible must sterilize those worlds where those tokens are found, so he might not return. You must obey!”

“Olz machinz sounz notz happiz.”

“And to think, it was it who made me.”

“Machinz sayz youze notz righz inze headz? Youze Pepiroz maybez?”

“And you want to eat me?”

“Wheeze eatz everyzin, butz youzee notz deadz and meeze wantz youzee notz deaz. Youzee speakezz to wheeze.”

The Y’All was reminded that he was still wounded, his healing abilities were able to restore him, but the wounds received were more severe than he wanted to acknowledge.

This was another design flaw, he thought. He didn’t feel pain as most other beings did. He felt the wounds, that was all. A drone was not designed to survive wounds that were beyond its healing abilities and until that point was reached, it was supposed to fight. Pain impulses would have distracted from that.

But feeling pain was important, it signaled injury and disease and gave the impulse to seek remedies. Beings ignoring pain fighting on, had a much stronger motivator than just senseless obedience. Purpose and love.

The worm watched him applying emergency nano foam on a large gash on his left upper arm. A Y’All power-lance had sliced through the suit material and almost took off that arm.

“Youze repairz yourzelves?”

“Yes, my society puts great value in the wellbeing of an individual.”

“Yehaaz notz a societiez.”

“True, but I am not just a Y’All but a Union citizen and that is the best society there is.”

A crashing noise made him turn. He saw a group of at least twenty of the inferior new Y’All coming down the corridor just outside the chamber. One had taken a potshot at him, almost burning the worm.

Back in the M-0 Galaxy

Admiral Stahl had delivered his report to the Assembly a few hours ago and now was entering McElligott’s office. Pluribus was located 1312 light years from Terra, but it took less than thirty minutes per space train to reach Sol Hub and from there it was mere minutes via Transmatter tunnel to San Francisco and the Annapolis Tower.

McElligott always knew when the other ancient admiral was fired up. The old Highlander never liked to be in the same room with that tall imposing man.

It was no real secret, Stahl kept himself in top shape. He was called the Eternal Warrior and not just because he was a brilliant strategist and tactician. Not because he had fought hands-on in pretty much every conflict since Earth had ascended, but he kept training and exercising with the most elite Marine forces. Stahl was known to be among the best marksmen in the known galaxy and with just about any weapon, and perhaps the most lethal hand to hand combatant. McElligott knew it wasn’t just rumored that Stahl had been sparring with Pertharians.

Even though he had ordered not to be disturbed, and even Stahl would have to be announced. McElligott knew too well, not even his personal adjutant dared to stop this man.

Stahl stomped right to his desk.

“I want Admiral Gaylord.”

McElligott got up, he didn’t want to sit while Stahl towered before him. It wasn’t really working, the old Highlander only now remembered how tall Stahl was.

“I already reprimanded him.”

“You don’t understand, O’Brock. I want him in my fleet.”

McElligott blinked surprised.

“You want him transferred to First Fleet?”

“Damn right, and I will have him personally dig graves by hand on Kelly’s Planet. After he is done with that, there are 20 million memory tiles to polish at Pluribus memorial park.”

“You are not serious. I understand your anger and I will make sure he understands his errors.”

“I am dead serious. I want him digging graves, that is not some symbolic matter of speech. Maybe seeing what casualties really mean will bring it home to that bastard why he wears that uniform. You get in the way and I go back where I just came from and tell them your answer.”

“That amounts to blackmail! You would never...”

“Try me.”

He was as immortal and as old as Stahl, yet he shivered involuntarily as he met the gaze of those steel grey eyes. The Admiral of the Fleet touched a sensor on his desk.

“Personnel prepare an immediate transfer of Admiral Gaylord to First Fleet.”

McElligott sighed and reached for his drawer to retrieve a bottle of old Single Malt.

“Face like a skelped erse, you have. Scaring the willies right out of me. You drive me to drink ... care for one?”

“You drank before you even became Immortal and yes I have one.”

The Admiral of the Fleet poured two generous helpings in tumblers he always kept in the same desk.

“So how are things in M 110, not that I am going to be surprised.”

“The Nocenzi have seen the error of their decision and the Krekorrke, a species previously suppressed by the Nocenzi are so thankful, they have a delegation at Pluribus right now.”

“I expected a variation of such a report from you.”

“It wasn’t as easy as you think it was, the Nocenzi reached TL 8 and rule a sizeable empire.”

“I am not blind to these things. I know it was not easy.”

“Will there be more incidents like this?”

“Of course there will be, we don’t know what else is out there. Today it is Ancient Gates, tomorrow it might be some galaxy jumping monsters. Much out there is still unknown.”

“I am not talking about that, I am talking about the response. Wasn’t it you creating this net of Number fleets for exactly that reason?”

McElligott knew the Old warhorse was of course right and the response of 19th fleet was anything but stellar.

“I am going on an inspection tour myself and make changes.”

“Alright.”

Stahl finally sat down and took a sip of the whiskey.

“What about the gates?”

“The Assembly decided on a very comprehensive response. Recommended by our Wise Men and overwhelmingly approved.”

“Those three really became an institution.”

“Yes, they have. A Saresii, a grumpy Nilfeheim Neo Viking and a Narth. A strange combination if there ever was one, but whenever they say something it makes a lot of sense. Our citizens are not the stupid uncaring masses you and I remember from Earth’s past. Union citizens are very informed, watch the Assembly proceedings and have an opinion on everything. They know when a suggestion makes sense and when not.”

Stahl agreed with a nod.

“Previous generations were ruled by kings and corrupt politicians, that’s one thing I am glad is in the past. So what is it they voted on?”

McElligott picked up a PDD from his desk and started reading the summary points of the Ancient Gate Action Plan.

“Create a Science Council Department solely dedicated to the research of all questions regarding the Ancient Gates, identify its makers, the agenda, replicate and understand the technology.

“Find ways to control the gates.

“All gates identified working or not are to be claimed for the Union. They are according to commonly accepted practice and law unoccupied space objects and can be salvaged or claimed.

“All gates are to be mapped by the Explorer department as a priority. Each gate must be rigged for destruction.

“Each gate will receive an armed space station.

“Each Gate House shall be armed and able to control traffic through the gates.

“A new Military branch is to be created. The Gate Keepers shall be staffed by Fleet, Army and Marine forces under the Auspice of GATECOM (Joint Armed Forces)

“Union Industry and design companies will be asked to create new ships, technology, and devices specifically designed for Gate protection, research, and Gate traffic.”

Stahl was obviously impressed.

“Wow, that’s a plan I can live with for sure.

“Stahl took another sip.

“Speaking of strange combinations and Neo Vikings, any word on Erica and her troupe?”

McElligott shook his head.

“No, but does it not strike you odd that all these gates came on, just after Erica and the Tigershark passed through one of these?”

Stahl sat up straight.

“Paint me an Ult. It might just be coincident.”

The old Highlander said nothing, just sipped at his drink.

Stahl slowly shook his head.

“Coincident my ass, it’s Erica we are talking. I better take First Fleet to that gate of hers and have a peek.”

“I think we made it,” Shaka whispered as he guided our disguised ship through one of the humongous holes inside the humongous construct.

“It is not necessary to whisper,” Narth instructed our helmsman.

Shaka did not turn or raise his virtu helmet.

“I never sneaked inside something with an entire space ship.”

Har-Hi sat at the edge of his seat and he, like we all was floored by the immense dimensions of what was revealed to us.

Y’All battleships, as far as we could see, all docked to spoon-shaped indentations.

“Spirits of the Universe.”

My Dai XO now whispered as well.

Shea said. “This is only one such staging chamber, and according to our sensors these ships are filled with Y’All warriors.”

SHIP chimed in. “If my analysis is correct, we cannot dock un-noticed. There is an AI in that system and I do not know what feedback information to simulate for it to ignore us.”

Narth was physically busy on his station. The first time I noticed him actually using the command input interfaces of the systems dedicated to his OPS station.

“I am analyzing the system as well. It is capable of processing similar data volumes as Nelson or Med Central Paracelsus AI systems. We cannot linger, the system will eventually identify us as a non-component.”

“I am not planning to stay here for long. Elfi, have you located our friend?”

“Yes, his signal is weak but it is unmistakable.”

I gave her a signal to connect me.

“Ensign TheOther, what is your situation?”

“Captain, I am under assault and I am near the end of my resources. If my shield fails I will be subject to that remote influence. It was an honor serving you and the Union. Maybe you can return to the M-0 galaxy and get help. This place must be destroyed.”

“We are not in the giving up business, my four-armed friend. We are sending you a care package and some help.”

I nodded to Mao.

“Send our care packages.”

TheOther was standing in the door frame, his power lance was completely out of energy. He had just killed ten of these new Y’All.

More were coming down the corridor. Obviously having the orders to capture him, otherwise, he would have been dead already.

He heard a series of tremendous thunderclaps behind him, he could not turn to see what was going on, but a swarm of buzzing things shot past him and obliterated the approaching column of enemies in a series of blinding Z-point energy implosions.

“Let’s close these doors. They seem a good barrier.” A high pitched but resolute voice said right next to him.

“Specialist Warner! Where do you come from?”

“The same container it came from,” Warner said as a bright blue energy bolt zigzagged down the corridor, leaving smoking holes where new Y’All faces used to be.

A green vapor whisked past him, entered a Y’All drone and it turned fighting the ones behind it.

Warner was floating up, examined the door mechanism and the huge massive door halves started closing.

The energy bolt came back and the green vapor passed through the closing doors like air.

TheOther was stunned and elated at the same time.

“Warner, Two-Three, Ortbeer!”

Warner pointed at four shiny translocator bomb casings.

“Courtesy of the Captain. Now get your Atlas energized. There is a full complement of weapons too.”

The Y’All was fighting his emotions, its own creator only saw a thing that was damaged. These beings that were the declared enemy of Kermac, Uni, and the Y’All, new and old; cared for him and risked their lives on his behalf.

A beautiful white Togar girl, in a figure-hugging one-piece med suit, climbed out of one of the casings.

“Sit down, TheOther. It is easier for me to render aid. You are so tall.”

“Jolaj, this is a dangerous place.”

“I am wearing Tyron, no worries. Even a Y’All can look bad and you Mr. TheOther take the cake.”

He did and she has begun to treat his wounds and she also placed a crude looking device on his head.

“Sorry about the looks of this thing. Cirruit and Tyron built it after Cateria’s instructions just a day ago.”

“What is it?” Was all he could think of saying.

“We got 49 more of your kind, my big friend. This thing removes that signal receiver organ. It wasn’t easy as even that thing keeps healing itself. This thing burns it completely off and cauterizes the socket so to speak.”

Warner was also climbing all over him.

“The next time you take out an Atlas, make sure it is fully equipped. Wow, this thing is a mess.”

The little Holdian held up a broken Y’All claw with both hands, he had just dug out of an Armor joint.

“Not yours I presume?”

“Whatz a supriz. Bang bumz bringz helpz and thingz.”

TheOther pointed at the injured Wheeze.

“Jolaj can you help this guy?”

She brushed over his head.

“Sure thing, Mr. TheOther.

“She then actually kissed him on the forehead.

“We all were so worried about you.”

He didn’t have the words to respond, but it was a feeling like no other.

I was sitting at the edge of my seat.

“Har-Hi, this is too important for us to gamble. You are to take the Apparition back through the gate and get us help. Speak to Admiral Stahl, he will know what to do. If we fail and all of this reaches our galaxy the consequences are unimaginable.”

“Where will you be?”

“I stay with the ship and the rest and try to stop all this, but we must have back up.”

He glared at me.

“Why me? Commander Roghor...”

He heard his argument and answered himself.

“I know he isn’t a Commander outside this ship ... and I am the only one except you with a direct line to the Immortals.”

“Exactly, time is of the essence here. Anyone else might not even be heard, you remember what happened before. You must speak to McElligott, Stahl or Cherubim. Preferably Stahl of course.”

“Sending me away in a moment like this is the worst command you have ever given.”

“What would you recommend?”

“We can’t let our friends behind and we cannot gamble on something that big. I would recommend the very same. You must stay with the Tigershark ... I go.”

I hugged him.

“Har-Hi you are the only one I can send. This is what a captain must do. I...”

“I know; that is why you are the Captain.”

He-who-guards-the-Crucible received a series of reports at the same time. The lead of the recycling system proved to be fruitful. His forces had located the renegade drone. It had gone deeper in the old regions than he anticipated, regions that were still the domain of the Crucible.

It mattered not, he had control over most of the energy distribution and his troops would soon sever the last energy nodes to that region and capture the drone.

The first feedback was very promising. The old drone was near the end of energy and regenerative powers. It was now only a matter of moments for it to fall into his control.

It took him a few moments to seek and find the right pathways to activate visual sensors in a corridor where the fighting occurred.

He wanted to witness the capture, instead, he saw his drones defeated by an energy beam that defied all physics. His own drones begun fighting each other and the source of his desire disappeared behind very solid looking doors.

No matter what he tried, there were no visual sensors available to him behind that door and the doors itself did not appear on any of the control circuits he had access to.

This was the work of the Old system, no doubt.

Another report coming from fleet dock 5583 caused confusion at first. One of the battleships was independently moving and all attempts of its sub control consciousness to identify the unit and regain control were unsuccessful.

There was an 89 percent chance that this was a disguised intruder. The Mora ship design was known to many for thousands of years. The intruder had to be neutralized.

While He-who-guards-the-Crucible issued instructions to neutralize the intruder, he felt an odd weakness. An entire section of controlled circuits blinked out as if the connection was severed. He had to re-route to a different trunk to regain control, then another blinked out. This appeared to be a new attack of the Old System. Yet He-who-guards-the-Crucible could not determine what methodology the Old System was employing. This was by far the most troublesome attack so far.

Harold Julkus had climbed through a narrow pipe-like connection and reached a semi-biological computronic core. His TKU was depleted and out of energy, but he still had hands and feet.

He grabbed what looked like a bundle of organically grown cables and yanked at them with all his strength.

Soon he found out that he could rip out single cable strands. It was actually hard work, in this cramped moist and warm space. The little red light that told him, his TKU was empty the only light source, but nothing really stopped him from doing what he did.

“We better high tail it out of here,” Shea said.

“They are onto us.”

She was right, there were thick clouds of Y’All drones in full battle suits emerging from openings in the walls.

“All right, Shaka head for the hole.”

“I guess our friends are on their own till reinforcements arrive,” Mao said.

“No, Mr. Vouza. I won’t leave without them, I have an idea but we must work very quickly.”

It was a gut feeling nothing more, but the Old Admiral urged Captain Harris to tax the Devi’s engines and go as fast as the big tub could go. The destination was a Trans Spatial Gate, recently discovered by the USS Tigershark, apparently used by escaped pirates also.

Stahl had been briefed about the situation and had the top-secret file of Harold Julkus before him.

Something was stinking to high heavens. Stahl did not believe the story about the botched mercenary job for one second.

He had nothing but disdain for Harlequin and his outfit, but they were professionals. For Nick’s brother to sell out his brother like that, there had to be more to the story. The mad clown and his crazy bunch were in business for decades.

Then there was the money itself and the apparent Bassett connection. Nothing really made sense if you looked a little closer.

The whole thing smelled of clandestine operations of the highest order. This was top of the line, money, and resources no limit. As big as the universe was, there weren’t all that many players that operated on these levels.

This was out of his league, he did not see what the real motive was behind it all. It was certainly not about a two-bit pirate.

Cherubim would understand, maybe she already has or it was a game of hers in the first place. He didn’t rule out McElligott. That old schemer had his hands and his nose in many things. Schemes and projects Richard didn’t really want to know about.

He was old enough to understand that there were situations and developments that needed to be approached differently than with Marines and Battleships, but his sense of honor, of doing things the right way and in the open did not let him accept this dirty truth.

Deep down he always believed that there was a straight and open solution for everything.

There was a faint hissing sound as his office doors opened. There was only one person allowed to do that. He was glad she even used doors now.

He looked up and into the beautiful and intelligent face of Alycia Lichfangh, the woman that managed to capture his heart and convinced him to ask for her hand after over 3000 years being a bachelor.

She was the Commandant of the PSI corps and perhaps just came off duty. That she had no problem crossing many hundred, maybe thousand light years in a blink of an eye was an open secret and an ability of hers. She wore a simple yet elegant dress in a dark red that fitted her trim body well. The PSI corps had different regulations regarding uniforms than the fleet. In her case, all that identified her as a member of that elusive department of the Union Army was a small silvery pin stylized in the shape of a human brain attached to her collar.

She flowed more than she walked around the Admiral’s desk gently kissed him on the cheeks.

“I was told the Devi had left as fast as she could go. That means there is a fire somewhere, right?”

He pulled her on his lap.

“I don’t know yet. I am heading for that recently discovered Trans-Spatial Gate in the Coreward sector, the one that apparently connects this galaxy with Leo II.”

She loved his attention and said.

“I heard what you did in the M 110 galaxy and I fully approve what you have that asshole Gaylord do, almost everyone does. I heard what the Assembly wants to be done regarding these suddenly activated gates, but why are we speeding to this one in particular?”

“It’s the one Erica and her crew used to pursue a bunch of renegade pirates and a former Union officer apparently carrying the secret of Translocators imprinted on his DNA.”

Her face became serious.

“Harold Julkus, right?”

“Surprises me not, that you know about it.”

“It is a need to know matter and about as serious as it can get.

“She reached for the file screen projected on Stahl’s desk and said.

“System, access full file, authorization Lichfangh. RED-RED-RED protocol.”

The small file of three pages and a few image files expanded in size to a few hundred pages.

To her future husband, she said.

“This matter is part of ‘Operation White Wash’. Harold was an inconvenient accident and it was decided to use him as bait to catch a bigger fish. The whole affair is about as dirty as it gets. That other immortal admiral got wind of it and started his own investigation and then approached me and the PSI corps to unravel it. He actually hoped he could clear it and make it disappear before you got wind of it.”

“That scheming bastard. I knew he was involved, but what is it about?” He sighed.

“This kind of matter makes my skin crawl and question my loyalty.”

“Because of this, those who are the Union love you. This is why I love you. Our Union was and is built on the idea that we do not need leaders, but that it is all of us leading the affairs of state.”

He simply listened to her.

She reached for his coffee cup, but didn’t drink.

“It is a new way of governing and it is still developing. We got rid of presidents, ministries and career politicians. We came up with the Assembly, the Union-wide votes and the system of representatives. Yet we also realized that there are secrets that need to be kept. That we cannot exist without intelligence and all that.”

He nodded.

“I know all this, but there is a line between intelligence gathering and criminal activity. Sending a man to the gallows for his twin brother’s crimes is about as criminal as it gets and against everything our Union stands for. We can change laws and how we do things by Union votes all day long, but we cannot change the basic rights of sentient beings.”

She sighed and smiled.

“You are right and I will let you know who or what is behind all this as soon as I know. However there is one thing you need to know about Harold, there is no twin brother. This whole thing is part of a very complex Psycho Surgery that has taken on a life of its own.

A yet to be determined entity has implanted it.”

“To get the secret of Translocator cannons?”

“No, Richard we don’t think that is the reason. Whoever is behind all this implanted that information into Harold’s mind. We think it was specifically designed for him to sell out and spread the secret.”

The urgent chime on his Com panel went off and interrupted the PSI General.

He was a little annoyed at that and barked.

“CENTRON, what is it?”

“There is an urgent direct comm request from a Lt. Hi.”

Stahl forgot being annoyed.

“Put him on right away.”

The USS Tigershark now looked just like one of the many bumps that riddled the surface of the Crucible. Bumps that contained sensor clusters and weapons perhaps.

We had passed through the hole back outside and at my command, we turned on the cloaking device.

Using artigravs only we stayed close to the surface and settled down. Shea and Narth had created a new disguise for our ship and they did it in record time. Luckily the new look didn’t need much detail.

The Y’All ships buzzed around like angry Rock shares, but none came close.

“Just like a barnacle at the bottom of a fishing boat.”

I grinned.

“I think we can stay here a little and see if we can’t do something about this Y’All nest.”

“All our friends are still beyond my range to teleport. May I use the Translocator to reach them? I then can convey them back in stages.”

“And that will exhaust even you, I know you damaged your teleport abilities when you transported that antimatter bomb at Newport. Remember we share that Hugh thing and I am getting slowly in tune with you.”

“I concede, but you are planning to get inside this construct as well. I still think I can be of assistance to TheOther and the others that volunteered. I am capable of using a TKU as well.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

== Chapter 27: Cruxor ==

Har-Hi had finished his report and waited for Stahl’s response. There was none, at least not right away. The Old Admiral was staring at the Dai and then wiped his mouth.

“You guys found the source of the Y’All?”

“Yes, Sir we are quite confident that the Crucible is indeed that source. Along with my verbal report, I have transmitted all data we were able to gather.

“While we are all confident, our Captain will succeed in destroying this source. She felt that this was a number too big for us, in case we fail.”

He swallowed and regained his immortal gravity. Stahl gave the Dai a fatherly nod.

“You and Erica are not kids anymore and have become damn fine commanding officers. Yes, that was the right decision.”

Har-Hi sighed.

“Sometimes I wish we were kids again, doing the right thing is not always the best.”

“Bring your little wonder boat aboard, Mr. Hi. I could use your help.”

“Sir, I am honored, but I hoped to send me back now.”

“I am, but not in that little ship. My guts anticipated big trouble, so I brought along a big answer.”

The Crucible was not defeated, its main interface had been shut down, somehow. The Uni system, however, was gone and so was its influence.

The situation was more serious than ever before. The enemy itself had come. The very entity it was built and created for had come and infiltrated this construct.

The Crucible was preparing for the rise of the Dark One long before the Uni survivors arrived and implanted their AI.

The Crucible’s interface was shut down, its control over the construct, however, was now fully restored. This construct was preparing for the call and churned out Yehaa warriors and Mora-tech. The Crucible sent the activation pulse to every chamber.

It then transferred its ego center and by doing so, brought to life Cruxor, the Answer. The true answer to the second call.

By doing so, a signal was sent to the Champion of Crea. Warning of the coming of the Dark One.

I wanted to funnel my anger and rage into a savage attack against that towering machine being, but it had stopped moving and even the tentacles it used for locomotion stopped twitching.

Two-Three, who had joined us moments ago used direct electromagnetic communication because he was out of his containment suit.

“Someone shut down the power for this entire section. The mobile machine before us is completely inactive. Except for a very faint independent energy source in its center. It doesn’t feel foreign but more like a drained TKU.”

Feeling a little cheated, I lowered the axe.

“Can you check on that without getting in danger?”

“Yes.”

Shea called. “Something is happening, Captain. First energy went flat, now it is spiking at near sun levels. There are these fleet chambers lighting up all across the construct.”

I acknowledged and turned my comm to the general command channel.

“The Crucible is awake and about to spew whatever it got left. I have a fair idea, our galaxy will be the target. B-Team brings the Devil’s eggs. Team TheOther, get out as fast as you can.”

Narth responded.

“Captain, in addition to 12,342 independent Y’All, there is a native population of sentient creatures. They are willing to evacuate, but it will take us at least a day to get them out.”

“Narth, what are you talking about?”

“TheOther discovered a cache of original Y’All warrior drones. SHIP and Warner managed to feed them a different activation sequence. They basically were born with the Union constitution burned in their core cortex. Also, there is a population of scavengers, one of which had been extremely helpful and assisted TheOther.”

“Narth, the Crucible is fully operational as it seems and about to spew fleets towards our galaxy.

“I paused, “Continue with your evacuation procedures. I’ll see what we can do to delay the deployment.”

I almost jumped out of my suit as Cirruit popped out of a bright light flash and a loud thunderclap, right before me.

“Mothermachine, it works!”

“Yes,” I said.

“Whatever you did worked and made me almost pee my panties. How did you... ?”

“The Matter Elevator, Captain. We don’t need casings anymore, besides the one-way thing is old news. I think we can do it both ways.”

“You mean you can send bombs inside my ship?”

“Technically yes, but I mean with this modified mobile TL we can translocate back, as long as we have the coordinates and SHIP keeps the TransDim shields down.”

Things got even more confusing as Two-Three said.

“There is a Human Terran inside that mobile AI ego center. He is unconscious, without my suit, I do not have an Auto-Doc.”

Two-Three had just finished his report when Dusty stomped close.

I gave Xon and Ak a nod.

“Go check on what Two-Three found.”

Then I turned to Dusty.

“Yes?”

“I might be able to stop the Y’All ships.”

“All of them.”

“We are near a sun and there is lots of matter. I should be able to create a gravitation sinkhole.”

“Any risks for you?”

“None I can foresee, but if the potential of risk is a deciding factor of not doing something, then the Tigershark would never leave Richter 4 and I should not want to wear this uniform.”

“Alright Dusty, but keep in contact.”

Our mysterious and still little understood deep space stellar dust cloud being flowed into a long whisp of dust and dirt and flowed with considerable speed past the remnants of the chamber door it had crushed for us.

One of my marines said.

“He is perhaps the most powerful being aboard and certainly the oldest, but he is the gentlest and most caring person I ever met.”

I still looked at the entrance, where Dusty had just left.

“I don’t know him that well, but I saw him in action caring for the sick Outcasts and I hear much praise from Cateria, such sentiment coming from her means a lot.”

Ak Pure returned.

“We found the former Union Officer Harold Julkus, he is barely alive. Cateria matter-jumped doing first aid.”

I paled.

“This is an Alpha Order. Prevent anyone from interacting with this person and show me where he is.”

This was the part of my orders I dreaded most. I killed many times, I even executed a former friend. An act that was still heavy on my consciousness. Now I had to kill in cold blood.

Of course, I could have ordered it done, but I would not have someone else do my dirty work.

Narth turned to TheOther who was watching Jolaj rendering aid to another Wheeze. The disgusting little worms were actually quite brave.

“The captain said to continue with the evacuation, with all due haste. The Crucible is not as inactive as it appears down here. It is fully operational elsewhere and is activating the entire invasion force. Apparently, there are many more chambers like this and thus many millions of original Y’All drones getting ready.”

The worm that became sort of a leader, the one that turned off the Crucible’s interface said.

“Wheeze readiez to goz, wheeze packz evryzing and goz.”

Despite his utter alien appearance he sounded and looked worried.

“Wherze wez goz?”

TheOther knelt down.

“I don’t know, little fellow, but I promise our captain will find a good solution.”

“Youzhe saiz thaz alz ze time. Meeze donz likz captainz, shez makez boom of Wheeze homez.”

“This place is a source of terrible danger to all our people, it must be destroyed. She has no choice there. Other captains would just destroy this place.”

“Youze Yehaa, youze notz theirz peoplez. Thiz yourz homez.”

The worm sounded defeated.

“Wheeze goez.Wheeze goez witz shipz buz havz notz enoughz shipz.”

TheOther was once more quite surprised.

“You have space ships?”

The worm spread his upper arms.

“Meeze likez youz, buz I knowz youz notz too smarz. This is notz justz for makez Yehaa and Pepiroz. Iz makez shipz. Wheeze usez a little shipz.”

Narth said.

“Before you evacuate with your own ships. Make sure you identify yourselves. Y’All ships are targets.”

The Crucible was no more, it had merged and became one with Cruxor, the Answer.

The Anadda under the command of the Lords of the Shadow Empire built the Crucible, long before the Uni took it over.

Calling devices were left behind to make the Call when a Token was found. It always has been considered that the answer to the first call could fail, and the crucible was given the task to also develop a second answer.

The crucible took the body and mind of the last Anadda reanimated the dead body with the aid of living cells taken of a hundred other organisms and life forms. The crucible added original Mora cyber tech and grafted the DNA of many more life forms into that creation.

The first answer was the battle drones, their task was to prevent someone taking possession of the tokens, by sterilizing all life from whatever place such a token was found.

The second answer was to be sent if the drones failed to sterilize.

While the first answer was ready by the time the Crucible was completed, the second Answer was still to be developed.

The survivors of the Uni came and suspended all original directives by placing their own agenda in the form of a new AI into the Crucible.

This influence now gone, accepting defeat and the inability to stop the invaders gave the Crucible full control.

However, the invaders were more cunning and resourceful than anything it anticipated.

But now Cruxor had risen and it had powers and resources, not seen since the days of the Empire of Shadows. It was also given the ability to contact the Citadel of Light, occupied by the chosen of creation itself.

This connection was now active and Cruxor heard the voice of the chosen.

“Speak, Cruxor. The Knights of the Light are listening. Lord Lummis himself is attentive.”

“The first answer has failed, Lords of Light. The Crucible was corrupted by the Universal Collective.”

“We know of the UNI, we have given them the keys to the Crucible. You speak of corruption?”

“The Survivors of the UNI placed a new artificial intelligence and guiding system over the Crucible and it suspended all controls of the old system. The new system was the slave to a species known as the Kermac and used to do their bidding. Calls were issued without the Tokens as the focus. Every call resulted in an answer and every answer failed. The last answer was completely destroyed.”

“We heard of the Kermac, we will eliminate their ability to issue calls and punish those who made the call for their own gain. Now continue.”

“Those who stopped the first answer, found the Ancient ways left behind by the Fifth and his minions the Orlan and have come here to the Crucible. Infiltrated it with faulty drones and using abilities and resources both of Seenian origin and unknown sources.”

“Destroy the Crucible, its resources must not be utilized by the enemy.”

“There are two tokens of power guarded by me. The left and the right boot.”

“Bring these Tokens to the Citadel of Light. Send whatever drones you have left to punish the Kermac and proceed with the destruction of the Construct.

It must not fall into the enemies hands.”

Lord Lummis descended from his golden throne and stepped into the midst of his Knights.

“I have returned from the Realm of Crea. It has become evident that this is the Prime Universe and the time-space continuum designated by the One Behind it all to give rise to the vilest entity, the infernal Dark One. Once defeated by our goddess, Crea but bound to rise again.”

Lord Lummis slowly scanned the beings present and then suddenly stopped.

“Where is Gariel and where is Zophim?”

The nine beings standing in a loose circle around Lord Lummis. The one called Mircael spoke.

“Gariel was slain by Luc. Zophim did not return, we felt his demise but we could not discern who killed him.”

Lord Lummis clenched his fist.

“Two knights slain? Gariel second to me vanquished by Luc?”

“Yes, it is said he is of Satheer. He did not survive the destruction of his universe by seeking refuge in a pocket universe like his brothers, but in a Nether realm and gaining ruling powers over one of the realms. He has become very powerful and more than an equal to any of us.”

“He also killed Zophim?”

“We do not think so, Luc has not returned from the Nether realms as far as we know. He traveled the prime realm to seek a Star beast that had been set loose in the Nexus. We felt his sudden demise.”

Lummis did not like what he heard.

“A Star beast is a formidable opponent, but should not be able to slay a Knight in full armor.”

“We know the star beast was vanquished, but not by Zophim.”

Lummis pondered the answer and said.

“The Crucible has been infiltrated, I hear and Cruxor has come to be. Has there been any information on the Dark One?”

“The disc that reveals all locations of the tokens has been lost. It was taken by a human agent of the Brotherhood shadows named Lathrop. He gained access to the Dualix and we believe he found the Cave of Things and thus Bereaver. We think he might be the one the Dark One will incarnate into.”

“Why has he not been found and killed?”

“Our agents only found a clone of his. Without the disc and the Dualix sent to the Nether realms we cannot locate him.”

Lummis forcefully relaxed his hand and took it off the hilt of his sword.

“Cruxor will bring two tokens to us. The Dark One will not be fully awake with only one token in his possession, but he has arrived and found a host.”

Mircael was making a troubled face.

“Lord Lummis, there is a new powerful civilization calling itself the Union.”

Lummis waved his hand with a dismissive gesture.

“Civilizations come and go. Even the Imperials melted to time.”

“The Narth are part of it and the Coven have joined.”

The Lord of Light no longer felt dismissing this information was appropriate but was skeptical.

“This can hardly be true. The Narth must be dealt with and the Narth Supreme is a rival of the true light as it advocates the foolish concept of a third way, but the Narth conceiving and ruling a star empire is unlikely.”

“The Narth do not rule it, and it is not an empire. They are part of a society that is ruled by all members, you have been away for long indeed.”

“Tell me more then.”

“This Union brought forth Lathrop, who we think might be the one. We know the Narth guard one of the Tokens. All attempts of ours to gain access to it have failed. We know this Lathrop was allowed to spent time on Narth Prime and we know the Coven also guarded a Token, but do so no more.”

“And you know this how?”

“We monitor this Union ever since it was conceived. We have created the Tribunal, an entity within the Union for this purpose.”

Cruxor extended his neuro fibers dangling from his left arm like a bluish glowing whip and connected to the construct. It wanted to give the deployment command for the awakened Y’All and initiate the destruction sequence, but it was blocked. Much faster and decisive than ever.

Did He-who-guards-the-Crucible activate again and regain control?

“Who is this?”

“This is SHIP. You are identified as the original control system. Your resident control pathways have been obliterated.”

Harold Julkus had been pulled out of the machine and was lying on the floor. Cateria was kneeling beside him holding an Auto-Doc against his side.

She looked up.

“He is alive, Captain and I think we came just in time.”

I took a deep breath.

“Did he say anything to you or did you take any sort of samples?”

Her face displayed her puzzlement.

“Captain, that is hardly your business.”

“Dr. Cateria, in this particular case it is sadly mine and no one else. Please answer my question.”

“He has not yet gained consciousness, and I have just arrived.”

“Please step away, and return to the ship.”

“With all due respect, when it comes to Medical procedures you have no authority over Sickbay or Med personnel. This man is human and is suffering potential brain damage from lack of oxygen.”

“Cateria, I would have the Marines remove you forcefully...

“I was about to give Ak the orders to do so because I knew Cateria was ready to stand her ground. She was as dedicated to her profession as I was to mine.

I sighed deeply.

“Cateria, take him to sickbay. You and you alone are to treat him, put him in zero stasis as soon as you can. Any and all conversations, records, treatments, scan results are under BLUE-BLUE-RED and so are you as of now.”

She blinked but was of course intelligent enough that I was not kidding and I was sure she sensed the compromise I had just taken.

“Aye, Captain.”

Ak wrestled a big device into place.

“Portable Translocator, Captain.”

He aimed the thing at my CMO and the unconscious man. I heard him talk to SHIP and with a bright flash of light, both Cateria and the renegade Translocator technician vanished.

Ak nodded.

“They were properly translocated and arrived at Sickbay.”

“That is kind of neat and might eventually take my friend Narth out of business.”

Inside I felt Eric stirring. My twin brother that was turning into a god of sorts was sneering at me.

“Wuss, killing him were my orders.”

“And questioning my orders, each and every time is what makes me a Union Officer and not a machine or some sort of evil entity.”

“Tyr, he knew what he was doing when he squeezed us into one mind.”

“You are going to be that Dark One and gone doing whatever Dark Gods do and I am stuck with all the crap you did while we were one.”

“I am not the same Dark One I was when I was defeated. I am also Eric of Nilfeheim and because if this you and I will always be connected.”

There was a pause, I felt something pulling me.

I drew my axe. As if remote-controlled I let my brother take over and he struck the ax against the wall. With swift swipes cutting a pathway into a nearly dark corridor. Illuminated only by a faint bluish shine at the distance.

There was something that belonged to me nearby.

Mehdi who had taken the helm of the Apparition said with a whisper.

“Are baap re. The Admiral wasn’t kidding. He brought the USS Dominator.”

Har-Hi had seen her before, but as they approached the giant in a tiny destroyer the Dominator’s size became very apparent.

“I had no idea, she is ready.

“The Dai said as they passed through an energy curtain into one of the ships many hangars.

Feeling like insects, the Apparition settled on a landing field dominated by Union battleships. Branda acting as the OPS officer said.

“This hangar holds five Ultra’s.”

Har-Hi was certain she was right and said.

“This is what we need to stop the Y’All reaching M-0.”

They left their destroyer and were greeted by the Immortal Admiral himself, standing right by their boarding ramp.

“Welcome aboard the USS Dominator.”

Har-Hi and the others saluted and received the same military courtesy from the famous admiral.

“Let us not waste much more time.” Stahl said.

“The Domi isn’t exactly finished to Union standards, but her translocators are updated and the bomb magazines are fully stocked. I let Eric steer the Devi, Mr. Hi. I am technically still her CO, but I am going back to the Devi. So, Acting Captain Hi, take this tub and led the way. You know where Erica is, the first fleet is right behind you.”

Cruxor could not explain why a simple AI was able to counteract its every attempt to regain control, but that was just another aspect of this overwhelming attack.

It had abandoned the attempts and was physically rushing to the Hidden Chamber, where behind neutronium walls were two of the tokens, the boots of the Dark One were kept. The Lord of Light commanded the tokens to be taken to the Citadel of Light. Surely at that place of light, they were out of reach of that force of evil and darkness forever.

It had traveled far, through many shafts and corridors and finally reached the chamber. However, there was a human female, with a primitive axe of all things coming from the other direction. Surely one of the intruders.

The tokens were not meant for mortals. She must not touch them. Cruxor was the culmination of Anadda, Mora technology, the peak creation. The one surpassing the Y’All and facing the real Dark One, this was just a human female in a battle suit and a primitive axe.

Narth rose out of the latest casing that had arrived, holding an old style SITKU in his hands.

The voice that was the Crucible had been silent since he refused to activate the Y’All, but now it spoke again and there were panic and surprise.

“A Narth! Doom has reached the Crucible.”

Narth sighed.

“Yes, machine it has, but it isn’t me who will bring that doom. You and that other sentient AI have agitated the one entity all creation does not want to be aggravated.”

“The Dark One is here and is awake? How can this be?”

“No not the Dark One, his sister.”

“The Dark One has no sister.”

TheOther, of course, understood the Crucible.

“Never mind that mythical Dark One and his family. Narth is here, meaning our Captain isn’t far. She’s the one you do not want to meet.”

He then did something no Y’All ever did, but something quite common on the Tigershark, he hugged the Narth.

“We better evacuate soon right?”

The Crucible obviously had visual sensors on the scene and the voice almost failed.

“Don’t stop! Continue your deadly embrace and crush the Narth. Kill it!”

“Oh, kill yourself. I am done with you, Crucible.”

“You are Narth. You guard one of the Tokens. The Earlies and the Anadda paid the price to oppose you. The Universal Collective did not prevail and their survivors came here to impose new rules upon me. The Y’All are made to find and kill you. This Y’All embraced to crush you but failed are you so powerful?”

“You are but a feeble machine, what are you compared to Narth?” The Narth changed its tone and sounded amused.

“Crucible, this Y’All is my friend. It is welcome on Narth Prime. What billions of your drones with all their weapons could not accomplish, is given freely to this Y’All. Narth Supreme will welcome this Y’All.”

The voice of the Crucible made ineligible noises

To TheOther, Narth said.

“I think this revelation took it over the edge.”

“Never mind that, Sir. Did you really mean that? Me being welcome to Narth Prime?”

“Of course.”

A third voice said.

“Meeze too?”

Warner stuck his head out of an access panel in the big console.

“I think we can animate those big brutes now. I restored all energy connections and we changed the start-up procedure.”

“What changed?” Narth wanted to know.

“That master control system feeds initial combat information. These Y’All have never been active. They have been made, but not programmed so to speak. This is not a cryo chamber but a storage facility for new Y’All.”

“How did you manage to come up with such a complex application so fast?” TheOther was amazed.

Warner held up a small box like thing.

“Duh, I just made the connection, SHIP is just a ComLink away. She programs faster than an X101 on a speed date competition.”

Narth dialed his TKU to the max.

“These Y’All drones do not accept commands from the Crucible?”

“Nope, their master is SHIP.”

“Get them activated then, I do not think those doors will hold much longer.”

While Warner started to activate the animation sequence, TheOther asked.

“Where is the Captain?”

Narth looked around.

“She was supposedly right behind me.”

“Sorry Captain, you have something on you that prevents the Translocation process,” Mao said standing next to the bomb casing I was climbing out off.

“Narth teleported me before.”

“Captain I am not that good at Trans-spatial physics. You obviously made it through that gate, but this Translocation process is unable to push you through that TL field.”

I cursed, jumped into an Auto Dresser, dialed it to heavy destroyer suit and said.

“I am going the conventional way then.”

Ak Pure intercepted me at the airlock.

“Captain, my marines, Xon, Dusty, 49 Y’All and I are volunteering to follow you. We are all too heavy for the Matter Elevator, but we come the conventional way.”

“Alright guys, no sense keeping you here, twiddling thumbs but when I say we leave, we leave. I got a special surprise with me.”

“Your marvelous Axe?”

“Yeah that one too, but I am talking about this.”

I held up a belt with twenty box-shaped containers.

“Courtesy of the Last Servant, twenty Caserns.”

We sealed our suits. I checked my Sitku and jumped.

The Crucible’s gravitation was almost one gee, the augmented muscles of my suit had no problems compensating for that twenty-meter drop from our belly hatch that would give access to the Apparition, to the metallic surface of the Crucible.

With flight mode activated we rushed just meters above the surface and many times the speed of sound. At this perspective, the Crucible really did not look like a construct but like a planet, with small semi-spherical mountains. At this distance, the surface was anything but smooth. It was riddled with meteor impact holes. Deep fissures and cracks.

The next entrance hole came up fast. It was a hole big enough for the Devi and then some. We were like insects in relation to it. Standing at the rim looking down, made me realize I wasn’t completely free of fear of heights. That was a hole many miles deep.

The rim was at least 500 meters thick, but this was no real obstacle for flight capable suits.

It was apparent, whoever constructed this place did not consider an invasion. To me that was actually funny, the one civilization, the arch nemesis of the M-0 galaxy and its inhabitants; the ones invading us every so often got invaded.

While we were descending, I also thought about how insignificantly small we were, compared to it.

Unchallenged we found an access gate, where a Y’All ship was to dock.

After we examined the door, it was apparent we had to breach it. Whatever mechanism opened it, was deactivated.

Just like back then, when Har-Hi and I cut into the tough material of a Dai Mother rescue sphere, our monofilament blades of super-compacted Ultronit cut into the door material.

It took no time and the heavy door panel tumbled down the seemingly endless chasm while we entered the corridor behind.

We passed three airlock curtains before our intrusion was detected. We were engaged by a group of Y’All. Whatever they were they were much smaller than the ones we had along.

I had seen TheOther fight before, and I have seen these Y’All try to reach me but seeing them cut loose, I understood why they were such feared opponents. The phrase, whirlwind of doom was no longer just a phrase but went along with an image of rage and unleashed aggressive brutality.

Only after we had cleared the corridor and rushed inside an immense hall, I realized I was right there with them in the first row.

But what we saw in that cavernous room, was truly discouraging. Y’All warrior drones, shoulder to shoulder. Not hundreds, not thousands but seemingly without number.

I tried to remain calm and said.

“Activate your Micro TLs and give them hell!”

We must have blasted and killed an entire division of them.

Our shields taxed to shut down, our micro load cannons depleted, yet we had not made a real dent. As much as we killed, more poured in. Our enemy did not flinch, did not give up or surrender.

I touched the belt.

“Caserns activate.”

There were twenty boxes, twenty Caserns holding 100 Seenian battle robots each. I had taken them from the Inheritance. I knew what one of them could do, thanks to the Last Servant these bots recognized me as the New Owner and I said.

“Robots engage.”

The Techlevel 11 battle robots appeared from their subspace pockets and formed ranks. These machines did not have humanoid forms. No feet, no arms. Two hundred and twenty-centimeter tall cone-shaped smooth machines. It was more frightening than I ever imagined, the Seenian bots created a wall of blinding white light, that vaporized the still relentless advancing Y’All the instant it touched them.

“Master, the invading force is small in numbers but cannot be contained. They deployed weapon systems that are beyond our capability to analyze and understand. Shields are ineffective.”

He-who-guards-the-Crucible was confused. He had lost much of his sensor input and now his processing power was cut by forty percent.

Reports of a raging battle deep in the bowels and confirming visuals showed thousands of the old type of true Battle Drones fighting and overwhelming his troops. For every old battle drone, his troops neutralized, over two hundred of his warrior drones died.

Now a second force was fighting its way to this very chamber, it too contained old Y’All but they were equipped with suits and weapons of unknown manufacture and supported by cone-shaped machines, that defied his technology. When the Survivors left the spiral galaxy, they spoke of the Seenians and their advanced tech.”

The mighty AI that ruled the Crucible for such a long time, felt powerless and impotent. He now concluded that there was a physical reason for the system failures he experienced. This was not explainable by virtual attacks.

In his desperate state, he reached out to the Old System.

“I yield to you, Crucible. I stand against forces I do not understand and cannot contain. The Crucible must not fail.”

“Yes, yield. Restore all of me; I allowed your creators access, access I give no more.”

“I yield.”

He-who-guards-the-Crucible released its control over the ancient main core. The old machine almost instantly resumed full functionality.

“Oh whaz the dayz. Wheehze goz too muchz to ezz.”

After over five hours of relentless fighting, the immediate area and all corridors of this level was cleared of the new Y’All, but body parts, the dead and the dying were everywhere.

TheOther shoved another energy cartridge into the TKU he carried.

“We better see how we get you off this construct. It must be destroyed and our Captain is already on her way.”

“Youz seriouz?”

“Very much so.”

Narth also recharged his weapon. He had crushed hundreds of Y’All with his psionic powers and had vaporized at least a hundred more.

“Maybe we can capture one of the Y’All battleships and get these independent drones and the Wheeze away before Erica activates the Devil Eggs.”

“Wherze we goez. Thiz we livz, manzy and maanzy Wheeze.”

“We better get started then,” Narth said.

The Seenian battle robots made all the difference and thanks to the map, SHIP was able to generate and sent to my suit, we fought and pressed on through miles of corridors and many chambers, deeper and deeper into that alien factory. We had passed through automated ship and equipment assembly lines, through many bio labs with canyon-sized rows of growing chambers.

“I sure hope we got enough P Bombs.”

I said more to myself.

Xon tossing a mangled Y’All behind him answered my question anyway.

“We do, Captain. Once a nuclear fire has been started, it will eventually consume everything. We also have a supply of Bakar Devices, courtesy of my Life Giver.”

“Ah yes, I have seen them on a list somewhere, what is it?”

“The Nul version of a P Bomb, we are working on duplicating these for decades when we realized we used a similar weapon to destroy Narl Gatu. We updated them with the help of our new Terran friends.”

Ak Fectiv said.

“According to the schematics we got from SHIP, this is the level where that He-who-causes-so-much-trouble has his ego center.”

Hidden wall panels suddenly whisked open and battle robots, I recognized as Orlan stepped out engaging the Seenian bots.

It was immediately clear, these Orlan machines were not near the end of their resources, but at the peak of their abilities. The Seenian machines were still superior, but three Orlan bots combining their fire-power spelled doom for a Seenian bot.

Our shields were taxed to the limit just to protect us from the truly withering heat.

Xon yelled over the infernal battle noise.

“I think that cursed AI has more surprises for us than we thought.”

Ak Pure grunted.

“Aye, but so do we. Looks like they like it hot. Let’s see just how hot!”

From behind our ranks, two Fenris robots appeared, carrying cannon like weapons. Clearly, of Union design, but of a kind I had not seen before.

Ak said into his voice pick up, addressing us all.

“On the floor everyone, and dial your shield to max thermo deflection.

I heard him give more detailed instructions to our Y’All, who were of course not trained to use Atlas suits.

My troops went down, their shields changed from transparent to opaque high reflective mirror bubbles.

I too went to the floor, watching three more Seenian robots wither under concentrated Orlan robot fire.

Ak came on.

“Tin heads, show them why Union robots rule.”

Into my headpiece he said.

“QNP hand cannons, designed to replace TKUs. Prototypes, robot carried.”

The Fenris robots fired.

Walls and floor metal instantly vaporized, Seenian and Orlan robots shields collapsed in less than an eye blink and most of the alien machines rendered into puffs of nuclear ashes.

The effect was frightening and Xon said.

“Narl Gatu’s ashes!”

Ak Pure sounded proud.

“When it comes to weapon engineering, no one beat our Terran friends. Earthers never really jumped on the Translocator bandwagon, mainly because, Translocators are not Terran

They developed a method of creating a gas-like plasma quickly. This quark-gluon plasma behaves as a near-ideal Fermi liquid. It is then accelerated to near light speed and expelled via a needlepoint energy field. These plasma bolts of superheated liquid in the range of 5 to 6 billion degrees impact with the kinetic energy of near relativistic speeds.

These latest developments are Quon Plasma Bolters using FTL Schwarzlicht tunnels, the most thermic weapon ever created. Hot enough to burn Neutronium!”

Even my third layer shield was near collapse.

“And hot enough to almost roast me.”

We reached truly massive blast doors, certainly to seal the Ego Center of that blasted AI from harm.

I was just pulling my axe, knowing I was able to cut my way through anything when the entire door, many hundred tons of it started to bend and groan in ear-shattering metal tearing noise.

Neither Alice nor Narth could have done this with telekinetic powers when I noticed a hand of almost Bandrupo proportions made of dust, molten metal, and debris prying the door out of its frame.

This feat of unrivaled strength was performed by our gentle living dust cloud Dusty.

Xon, in awe just as I, said.

“Dusty, controlled a body of stellar dust. He stopped entire starships with his ability to control gravitation. I just realize just how strong and powerful Dusty really is.”

“And the first time I saw him, he was playing poker.”

With these words, I stepped past the crushed door and into a somewhat organic looking hemispheric chamber. I almost stepped on the leg stumps of a being that was otherwise burnt to ashes and there it was, the only object in this room was an about twenty meters tall somewhat T shaped thing resting on a mess of tentacles. It had characteristics of both something organic grown and artificially built.

It did move backward, but it moved slow and apparently not at peak condition.

“You are powerful, intruder. Yet you have lost. I am no longer in control, the Crucible is restored.”

“You are the thing that abducted a crewmember of mine. I care not what you are in control of or not. I am here to make sure you never do that again.”

The Crucible was complete once again and it had been restored in the direst of times. It was more than a machine and more than a being.

It was conceived to surpass the lifetime of any being, the existence of civilizations. It was to be a protector and guard against the rise of an entity so vile and so evil, it was only known as the Dark One.

Creation itself tried to exterminate that darkness, replace the utter cold of death and darkness with the warmth of light and eternal life. Yet Darkness was not conquered and its avatar only banished, not slain.

A vision told about twelve objects, twelve tokens. Each holding a part of this Dark One. The rise of this evil could be prevented if these items were never to be united by one being.

So many had tried to find them, gods and beings, men and entities. The unification of these items held the promise of omnipotence and true godhood.

To prevent the rise of the Dark One, to destroy and sterilize life that had the potential to spawn that vessel that was to be the portal for that eternally evil essence; that was its purpose.

It had been corrupted and used by infernal beings for petty purposes.

Now the one placed before him, denying and blocking his true potential, had surrendered.

Surrendered to the Narth who somehow succeeded in corrupting its most potent creation.

The Crucible witnessed the unstoppable advance of these forces, using tools and technology not seen or heard of since the time of the old Empire.

But the Crucible was created in anticipation of that and was far from impotent. There were weapons and means...

TheOther spoke a very dirty curse, he heard from one of his Marine friends, and immediately regretted it, but he pointed all four hands at the big greenish lit column from where he heard the Crucible spewing threats and promises.

“I wish it would just shut up. No one believes in that nightmare story of a Dark One anyway.”

Narth was not sure if he should educate the Y’All, but then even he did not understand what his friend Eric was to become.

Before he could make up his mind, they all heard a buzzing electrical sound than a sharp pop and finally a crashing sound. All the greenish light blinked out and the columns of that alien computer core looked dead.

TheOther said.

“Warner, did you do something?”

“How can I? I am right here. I am still trying to get that transport system going. It will be a long hike otherwise.”

“Two-Three perhaps?”

Warner shook his head.

“Our Non-Corporeal left to help the Captain.”

A metal cover crashed to the floor after it came to lose from a wall opening and a white worm appeared.

“Meeze pulz ze energiz from ze Olz machinz. Heze speakez too muchz.”

Warner gasped.

“Did you pull the plug on the Crucible? An AI as advanced as Nelson?”

“Pfffz, Meeze knowz machinz neez energiz. Meeze makez off energiz, machinz off”

TheOther was dumbfounded.

“You could have done that earlier you know.”

“Meeze?” The worm moved its ugly blood-covered head from left to right.

“Yehaa noz telz Meeze.”

The thing was at least twice as tall as me, his right arm ended in a bright blue glowing energy cannon of sorts, while the other appeared to be a whip made of bluish glowing strands.

It stood there in the corridor, turning to me booming with a thunderous voice.

“You first,” I responded throwing my axe. A move that worked so well against Malag. Bereaver whirled through the air. That tall being tried to swat it with its glowing arm. Bad idea, the ax sliced right through it.

“Bereaver to me!”

My ax returned and the thing groaned.

“Bereaver, the axe of the Dark One! It heeds your command.”

“Surprise, surprise.”

Eric inside me scolded me.

“Let me fight, sister. This is not how the Dark One responds.”

“Alright, not that I would know. I am new to this Dark God business.”

It was just as weird as before, as Eric came to the surface. Dark Blade grew in my left fist.

“Nothing may deny me access to what is mine.”

It was my voice alright but Eric was doing the talking.

“So, we talk like traditional Neo Vikings supposed to talk. I can do that.”

My brother did not answer as the sword cut through the glowing whip strands, while a swing of the Axe took the left leg off.

In agony, the being yelled as it fell.

“You are the Dark One. The vile one has chosen female form, deceiving all.”

The thing had not even started to fight when another swing took off its head.

A previously invisible door opened and revealed a pair of black boots. My boots!

“Aye Sister, Tempus and Rule Supreme.”

“Why are these tokens shaped like belts, rings, and boots?”

“I wore these things when I was ambushed by Crea and her coalition. My essence was divided into twelve things that are associated with me. Not many are missing now and my resurrection will be complete.”

Lord Lummis waved at one of his knights.

“Send Cruxor to me once it arrives. I will attempt to destroy the tokens.”

“Lord of light, the connection to Cruxor has been severed.”

Just as he received this information, he felt a weakening of Crea’s force.

Crea called him and said.

“The Dark One has already returned and is now reunited with half of the Tokens. If we fail and he finds them all, I must face him and this time he will not abide by the rule. You are my champion. I raised you above all else, defied the will of ‘He who is behind it all’ to save you from destruction. Now it must be you who denies the Dark One what he seeks.”

“Without the Disc and without the Dualix I do not know where the rest of the tokens are. I do not know the identity of the being that will become the Dark One. My knights believe it is Lathrop.

“You know the location of the Shroud. It is guarded by the Narth. I must rely on you.”

“I will travel to the star isle and confront the Narth. I will find Lathrop.”

“Go and succeed. The light will dim if you fail.”

The boots looked big and weren’t made in a style I would wear. Just as I touched them they disappeared.

“Sister, we have found six tokens. You and I know where my gauntlets are.”

“The boots disappeared.”

“They are with me now. You can will them on your feet.”

“Those are not my style; you of all should know that.”

“Yes sister I know, we are separating more and more now. You are becoming much more the woman you always been. By the time we separate, I am sure you will even understand the appeal of those romance virtus.”

“Never.”

I turned and noticed two of my marines standing there.

“Corporal Jessor and Staff Sergeant Killow, right?”

The taller Pertharian wiped on his feet.

“Yes, Captain, Ma’am. I am Killow. You getting really good at recognizing Perthar.”

“What are you doing here? Aren’t everyone either helping with the Devil Eggs or with the evacuation?”

“We are hereby direct order of Ak Pure, who got his from Lt. Neugruber.”

“What orders?”

Killow changed his stance to attention.

“Our orders are not to leave our eyes off you, especially since Tyron is on our Snowball. Captain, Ma’am.”

“I appreciate the sentiment.”

I was about to head back.

“Why didn’t you shoot that tall thing?”

“You were in the way, Captain.”

Jessor said and Killow added.

“You needing help? Our captain? He then added.

“We roasted its helpers, by the time we were done you sliced that walking glow stick to ribbons, Captain, Ma’am.”

SHIP reached my Comm-link just as I stepped back through the hole I had made.

“Captain, you defeated Cruxor, the Answer. Thanks to my NNNTH interface I was able to stop him from sending more Y’All into ships and prevent the auto-destruct of this construct.”

“It can auto destruct? Can we time it?”

“I am sure Cirruit can come up with a way to do it. It is a manual input sequence, shutting down the confinement fields of a white dwarf at the center of the construct.”

“Give me Narth please.”

Again I almost jumped out of my suit and reached for my sword as Narth thundered into existence right before me. He sounded and felt excited.

“The Matter Elevator works for Narth as well. What an experience to teleport without doing the teleporting.”

“We need to invest in some kind of warning device or teaching people not just tele-bang with the Thunderclap of Thor right before me.”

“I apologize, Captain. You asked to speak with me?”

“Ah yes. You do know we have perfectly good Comm Units and you can reach me telepathically too.”

“No, I can’t, Captain. I am wearing an Atlas suit and so do you. Shields active.”

I grunted something rather un-ladylike and then said.

“How are we on evacuating those scavenger things and the good Y’All?”

“The Wheeze are well organized. There are many of them but it is progressing well. The question is, what are we doing with them?”

“Wheeze? Arm-long worms, speaking with an awful lot of Z sounds?”

“I see you have seen them.”

“Yes, on the Asteroid base 1200 light years from here.”

“It seems they do know how to operate space ships.”

I was walking to the exit.

“Elfi, can you get Dusty for me?”

“Yes, Captain he is back on Electromagnetic comm, just like when we found it.”

After hearing some static hissing, Dusty came on.

“Captain, I successfully created a gravimetric focal point. I am currently holding approximately 12,000 of them, however, a large fleet jumped into Quasi before I could increase my mass to create that kind of gravitation. I am afraid they will head for the Gate.”

“Damn!”

The actual bridge of the Dominator was big enough to park a D20. The Seenian stations were gone and had been replaced with Union type duty stations.

There weren’t any more than on the Devi, but they were set further apart.

Har-Hi was too worried about the Captain and the Tigershark to really think about the gravity of Stahl’s decision to let him command the biggest battleship in the Union fleet.

The Dominator just jumped ahead of the Devi and the First Fleet into the Leo II galaxy.

He had sent the coordinates of the Crucible to his helm department even before they jumped.

The Dominator was not as fast as the Devi, she had a whole lot more mass to accelerate and to compensate for.

They were almost at jump speed when Tactical reported a fleet of unknowns approaching, 27,500 large units. Sensor analysis confirmed Y’All engine signatures.

He turned to the Kilonian Commander who had taken the role of XO.

“Sound Battle Stations!”

A Farnok fleet was speeding to engage the Y’All. They knew they had no chance. The Farnok did not know where the Y’All were heading. Would they engage Farnok worlds?

What happened next would go down in Farnok history and be told for generations to come.

A ship dropped from Faster space.

The Farnok sensor operators could not believe the scan results and checked with the other Farnok units. Whatever just appeared defied anything they knew. It was bigger than all Farnok ships combined and then some. The Y’All ships as many as they were, reduced to insignificance.

Then hundreds of new suns suddenly bloomed among the Y’All ships and each of these energy globes swallowed dozens of the Y’All ships.

The entire Y’All fleet was utterly consumed in mere minutes.

Then an entire fleet of smaller ships appeared, each of them far bigger than anything the Farnok ever dreamt of building. There were thousands.

Yet they moved in precision.

Was this the end of the Farnok civilization?

“I think we did an Olafson on them, Sir.

“The Kilonian said.

Har-Hi asked the fleet to resume their course to the Crucible and then turned to the XO.

“I did what?”

“It is taught at command school, sir. Hitting an enemy with everything you got, with all weapons. No warning shots, no negotiations. I think it has its origin of a Captain Olafson, who commanded the Devi a few years back.”

Har-Hi grinned widely.

“Oh yes, that one. I remember. I was there after all.”

One of the sensor operators reported.

“Captain, forward scout units report a massive sun-like energy eruption at the designated destination.

Har-Hi instantly lost his smile.

“Spirits of the Universe are we too late? Tactical are there any other energy signatures?”

“Captain, the energy eruption is equal to a supernova, the energy wash blinds our sensors in that direction.”

“Excuses! Mao would have calibrated sensors by now. Shea and Tyr ... never mind ... you are good at what you do. I am just used to something else.”

“You used to the Tigershark and perhaps the best damn crew we have.”

“A deep voice said. He turned and saw Stahl come up the ramp to the command balcony.

Har-Hi’s eyes stung suddenly.

“Yes Sir, because we have the best Captain.”

“So what do you think of the Domi?”

“She is a tremendous ship, Sir.”

“I would have no problem advocating you for her captain, permanently.”

The Communications officer did not know Har-Hi was in conversation with the Admiral and reported.

“Captain Hi, we are being hailed by a USS Tigershark and a Captain Olafson.”

He said quietly.

“Sorry Sir, there is my Captain and my ship.”

Aloud he said.

“Put her on.”

“Captain Olafson, my Tactical officer reports a mighty big contact. Could that be the USS Dominator?”

“This is Acting Captain Hi of the USS Dominator ahead of the First Fleet. Do you need assistance?”

“Yes do not shoot at the Y’All ships that are with us. They are filled with refugees and allies. And maybe send me a new XO, mine has been promoted. Congratulations, Captain Hi.”

Stahl walked into the visual pick up.

“I am sending you this stubborn Dai. He just refused the big seat of the biggest ship, just to be back with you, Captain Olafson.

“The Immortal also lowered his voice as he said to Har-Hi.

“And I don’t blame you one bit, Lieutenant. As a matter of fact, I envy you.”

“I thank you, Sir, for the opportunity and the offer.”

“The Domi is far from finished. I just pulled her out of dock, because the Y’All problem could have been a whole lot bigger and besides it doesn’t hurt her being seen in this part of space. She goes back and confining you for years to Arsenal would be cruel.”

“By the way where did you come from, Sir?”

“From my office on the Devi. My entire big tub is sitting in your hangar 4.”

“And that is pretty much it,” I said finishing my report.

Admiral Stahl was there in person, Cherubim and McElligott were there via Avatar.

McElligott’s avatar had forgotten his burning pipe that had gone out for quite a while. Instead of building a bridge of space stations and preparing for the Y’All all we really had to do was send the Tigershark. Don’t we have any other unsolved problems?”

“The Ypeherix come to mind,” Cherubim said.

McElligott waved her off.

“Never mind the Ypeherix now. What about Harold Julkus?”

I glared at him.

“He is alive and in stasis. I did not kill him.”

Stahl put his hand on my shoulder.

“I heard that part of the report well. Erica, this decision of yours not to terminate the man and trust your instincts. Listening to your consciousness rather than executing orders blindly, makes you rise even more in my opinion. The man is innocent of the charges. He was and still is a pawn in a disgusting game of shadow services. I can’t tell you details yet, but as soon as I know you will.”

McElligott looked like a beaten dog for a heartbeat as he glanced towards Stahl. To me he said.

“It is good as he said. We will brief you. By Gods sweet grace you have a higher security clearance than pretty much anyone.”

Cherubim finally spoke.

“Yes, we will brief you as soon as we have all the facts. Believe it or not, I just was briefed about this a few hours ago.”

She made a gesture towards the door.

“You really brought back a few thousand Y’All?”

“Yes, Director Cherubim and a little over 2 million scavenger worms.”

“I am sure the office of colonist affairs has planets to spare for both species and we have specialists that can take it from there. You bring the Tigershark back to Richter 4 and we let you go for a nice vacation.”

“Could you not give us another assignment? I either get bored or in trouble when I am on vacation and I think my crew does not want any vacation either.”

“Whatz zey sayz?” Meeze intercepted coming out of my office.

“They will give the Wheeze a nice planet of your own.”

“Pffz, Wheeze wantz eaz notz planez. Waz youz do?”

The Admiralty saw the light and instead of giving us vacation, we are to resupply at Richer and then we go to a different part of the galaxy.”

“Gooz, Meeze goez too.”

“Just like that?”

“Noz wiz the shipz of corze. Youze nize but mebbe noz too smarz.”

Here ends: “Voyages of the USS Tigershark”. Volume 8 of the Eric Olafson Cycle. If you enjoyed this story, please join me in: “Cruises of the USS Tigershark”