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Ch 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 Circuit 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 Circuit 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 Circuit back. I can not 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 transdimensional energy pulses emanating 259 klicks from here. It is exactly where Shea, Tyron, Circuit, 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 can not 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 Circuit 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 transplace 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. Brana, 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, In 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, Circuit, 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 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 was 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 bodyless 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 a 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 Circuit, 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 Circuit you try to find whatever this place has for a Computronic and try to restore its normal functions, while Two Three, 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." Circuit said as we separated into two groups. They were heading to the left following Shea's lead, while Two-Three, Tyron and I went the other direction. Two-Three able to see in a completely different way guided us. The Non-Corporeal was certain we went into the right direction towards the installations 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 crossguard 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 can not 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 Dar 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 ax. "Come ye, then and take it!" My ax sliced through the beasts 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 Ax 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 Orlean equipment was somehow responsible for all that. I wished I had gained more insight into these things by merging with his Huhgavh. 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 Huhgavh 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 can not 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 Huhgavh. 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 can not 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!"