Erica Olafson, Voyages of the Tigershark 19

Chapter 19: Network Active

The disguised Tigershark dropped out of Quasi-Space and as it has become our routine just beyond the utmost

Elfi said.

“Looks like they had contact with our galaxy before. Communication is now possible. They respond to Squack .”

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 in 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 Sodoby, Roghor, Ak Fective, TheOther, Hans, Xon and Fivcheer 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 gates 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 tavern. 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.

Fivcheer coed.

“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.

Circuit 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 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 ax.

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 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.”

Circuit 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 back up was a sound strategic move in my opinion.

Cateria was certain Warner was fit for duty again, not that Sodoby was convinced and insisted that his furry friend rested a little longer.

Roghor was right, I had never seen Sodoby 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.”

Circuit 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 Othbeer, 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 wordplay 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 Circuit to go along as well. If there are controls to this gate, I would like an engineers 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 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.”

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 Traaa 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 Lakey 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 Circuit 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.”

Circuit 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.

Circuit 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 Circuit.

Circuit 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.

Circuit 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 who’s opinion 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.”

Circuit 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.

“Circuit 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 Circuit 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 Luitenant 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 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 »