First journey chapter 36

Chapter 36 Planet Odin GalNet Entry: Saturnian Genetically altered humans. Previously Corporate-owned Clone slaves. Now recognized as subspecies and own race. After Earth ascended with the help of the Saran and before Earth became Terra and a founding member of the United Stars of the Galaxy (Union), there was a time of fast and virtually unchecked scientific and technological advances. Even before the Ascent, Earth scientists made enormous progress in Bionetic sciences, and Mega-Corporations put considerable sums of money and enormous efforts into Bionetic and genetic research. Virtually every possible life-form both native to Earth and alien with compatible DNA were crossed, linked, tweaked and genetically altered to create new life forms for all kinds of purposes. It started with the Canadians introducing an Organ Donor Swine. Hogs and later great apes were altered to grow human-compatible organs that could be transplanted. Almost every settler and colonist group that left Earth to migrate to other world received some form of Genetic tailoring to make them better suitable to their new environments. The Mega Corporations also tried to develop the most perfect soldier, worker, and slave. During the years between 2099-2110, the Mega-Corporations created new artificial life-forms, ranging from individual bacteria, fresh fruits and vegetables, new breeds of draft animals, and meat-producing animals were patented almost daily. Literally, millions of Patents were issued to corporations for life forms and new gene combinations. While moral and ethical restrictions hampered them, there were no laws or moral boundaries that restricted research during that time. It produced many successes but also horrible failures and catastrophes. The unrestricted mutations led to the Corporate Bio Wars, 2111 to 2114, that escalated into the Bio-Robotnik Miner revolt of Rasmussen Planet in 2115 and escalated into the all-out Super Clone Wars of 2116 that lasted until 2121 with the Gene Clone Attack on Antarctica and the bombing of the Terran Assembly. The Clone Wars ended in 2122 with the declaration that all Genetic altering and experimentation with sentient life forms had to undergo the strictest government controls. Anyone including corporation caught in disregarding these laws faced massive fines and mandatory death sentences. The death sentences were to include not only the scientists but also all management of the companies. All data and when possible, all products from these illegal operations were to be totally and completely destroyed. The same laws and concessions of the United Earth government gave all Gene Clones the right to freedom and self-control and to be fully integrated into the human race with all rights sentient being was entitled too. Schwartz Bio-Engineering officially did not participate in the Clone or Corporate Wars but had to release all their Gene Clone products. Among the most extreme were the Alpha-War Workers, designed to withstand the most extreme environmental conditions and be able to fight and work under crushing gravitation. In one Commercial the AWW's were praised as a worker that could even work on Saturn if it had a solid surface and an atmosphere to breathe. The AWW's got the nickname Saturnians. The average Saturnian stands 320 cm (approx. 10.5 feet) and almost 150 cm wide, with a sturdy carbon nanotube laced double skeleton, thick carbon nanomesh skin, and super dense muscle structure. The average Saturnian could lift up to 2500 kilos under one standard gee, stay submerged underwater for up to 4 hours and work in depths that would crush an ordinary human. This enormous strength and size had a price. The average price amounted to the loss of ultra-fine motoric abilities. Without cybernetic or mechanical assistance, Saturnians are unable to manipulate objects smaller than 3 cm even with the enhancements. Saturnians are devoided of all body hair and must have artificially implant eyelashes to prevent small particles from entering their eyes. Saturnians settled on the massive planet Odin with natural gravitation of nine gees. They joined the Union in 2210. While Saturnians can reproduce, extensive pre-/postnatal cyber technical assistance such as the bone structure weaving has to be done artificially. Such services are provided at a Union clinic. Today there are approximately thirty-four Billion Saturnians, and most can be found either in the United Stars Marine Corps or in the security industry. Saturnian Bodyguards are among the highest paid, especially if they are graduates of the Saturnian Fight and Security Academy. The entire Culture is strongly Germanic and duty oriented and focuses on security and guard duties. Saturnians enjoy extreme sports such as Ultra Wrestling and Beyond Limits Strongman competitions. The Annual Saturnian Strongmen Festivities are among the most-watched sporting events in the Union. Even among Saturnians Hans Neugruber, proved to be stronger than most. By his thirteenth birthday, he was three hundred fifty-two centimeters and was still growing. At first, he seemed to turn out alright but soon developed serious authority and disciplinary problems. His family considered themselves of German Terran descent. This was considered a special social bonus as the Saturnians fanatically worshipped old Germanic legends of the Riesen (Giants) and the Teutonic Knights. His father was First Paladin of the Granit und Eichen Order, an ancient and most honorable society focusing on civil service and protecting the weak. Hermann Neugruber had grand plans for his son Hans and trained him from early on in all matter of combat-related skills. At age fourteen, Hans won the Odin wide Schtzen Meisterschaft, a planet-wide marksmanship competition for the third time. After his 15th birthday, he was exposed to the Forbidden past, by fanatics of the Falkenhorst Reich and the Reinheits-Bruederschaft, a secret society inside the Saturnian culture that fanatically worshiped the old Falkenhorst ideals and historical events of the Terran national state of Germany before the Ascent and what was called Earth's Second World War. His father, upon learning his son's involvement in this highly illegal society, first tried to reach his son with discussion and education. However, Hans was in a severe teenager rebellious phase of development and the verbal attempts of his father did nothing. So his father used physical punishment, but this only hardened his son's unruly behavior. Herman sent Han t olive with a distant uncle far away from the city, unfortunately, too close to the spaceport. Herman hoped the distance from the secret, criminal elements in the capital city would help get Hans back on track. However, Hans and two of his friends stowed away on a freighter managing to leave the planet hidden inside a container. They planned to go to Falkenhorst a planetary society of Human supremacists, and not members of the Union. In their youthful blue-eyed fantasies, they saw themselves already as hailed heroes of the Falkenhorst society, but then everything went wrong. The freighter captain knew very well what was in the container and sold the entire box to a slave trader, the three Saturnians found themselves in shackles and in the training camp of a Death Fight Company on Sin 4. All this went through Hans mind as he stood in the elevator taking him to the arena, where he would fight as the Terror Hammer. He had come to Sin 4 three years ago. Erwin, his friend, had died in the training camp, after he attacked and killed two trainers, under the withering fire of Kermac Line Blasters. Siegfried, his other sole friend, had withered away only five months later from the poisonous sting of a Wurlag after fighting a whole colony of these toxic monsters. Hans, however, became a star; he had won every match and was sold to several syndicates for ever-increasing prices and in a championship match supposedly won his freedom. He was now officially an employee of the Donheer Syndicate, one of the four ruling syndicates on Sin 4. While technically free and no longer a slave and even enjoyed the perks of a megastar. But Hans was not a free being, unable to leave the planet as no one wanted to piss off the Duke by providing Hans the means of escape. His opponent today was also of the top league and an employee, not slave, of another Death Fight company. It was a Saturday night special and transmitted into the Union, with tremendous viewer ratings, merchandise and advertisement tie-ins. Even though holding a Death Match was illegal in the Union, watching them or advertising with images and footage was acceptable. He checked his helmet and his hammer weapon again as the elevator platform started moving upward. He rose into the large circular arena, today filled with boiling oil and floating boxes meant to be fighting platforms. It mattered little to Hans. All he wanted was to escape this planet and atone for his sins with his family or die right here like his best friends had. He had no longer any ambitions to go to Falkenhorst or belong to the Supremacists. He made good friends among the strangest aliens on this crazy world. He wanted to become a security agent or bodyguard, thereby showing that he could be a good son and make his father proud. And hopefully, be allowed to become a citizen as he had left before finishing Union School and taking the Oath of citizenship. He cursed under his breath for that stupidity of youth. Nuclor the Death Dealer, the champion and pride of the Rillo Syndicate, was his opponent for this highlighted title match. Hans was not sure what race or species he was, as he like Hans had fantasy origins made up by the PR department. Hans was almost certain Nuclor was not from any of the cultures associated with the Big Four and hailed from a region unknown to the Union. Nuclor, like Hans, had fought his way up and won every grueling and demanding Deathmatch. While both warriors represented a great deal of investment and business to the Companies, it was not called Deathmatch for just the hype as only one combatant would leave the arena. Nuclor relied on a hybrid steel ball on a long chain, and with it, he was an expert without peers. He could make that ball dance in mid-air as if it had a mind of its own, weaving in and out, back and forth. Entangling opponent's limbs be either arms and legs, crush bones, and take out eyes and teeth as if a practiced surgeon. Hans stepped from the Lift platform onto the hollow floating square as it rocked back and forth in the bubbling superheated oil. He could still see the gnarled fried bodies of the pre-show fight floating in the oil, darkening to a dull red from their blood. The air was hot and putrid from the stench of the fuel they used. He almost felt sorry for his opponent and wished there was another fate, but stopped that nonsense quickly he had to concentrate or die. Nuclor was just under four meters in height, his arms reached to the ground from his boxy body with relatively short, thick legs. This gave the Nuclor a low center of gravity and a sure-footed stance, but it came with a price, Nuclor was not the fastest on his legs, and this is why he relied on the steel ball and long-chain to keep his opponents at a distance. So far, he had not failed to do so, fighting a large number of skilled opponents. Nuclor came into this match rated as the underdog, panting for the championship. While Nuclor's hype was that of a mean, undercutting, backstabbing, dirty fighter, he had loud and fanatical fans, but they were no match for the ear-shattering roar of over 300,000 fans of the Terror Hammer. They bore the nickname "Hammer Fanatics" with pride and dressed in blue and yellow. Matching the colors of the Terror Hammer and they were chanting his stage name. He could not deny this chanting did get him going. Hans felt uplifted by it and always thought he owed the fans for it. His fans screamed in competition with the fans of Nuclor and the rest of the 500,000 live spectators filling the seat surrounding the arena. He also knew there were billions more watching the fight live on GalNet. The announcer introduced Nuclor as a man-eating beast from another Dimension, and as usual, the Terror Hammer was from a far distant Galaxy the only survivor of a race of Y'All slayers. While the announcer was still speaking, Nuclor attacked! This was neither fair nor in the rules. In a contest where victory meant life and failure painful death, who dared to enforce anything against these two combatants. All it did was increase Nuclor's reputation as a ruthless, no hold bars monster. Hans had not looked away from his opponent and saw the attack coming. Nuclor quickly went to the edge of his float, about three meters wide, and cast his ball. Hans wanted to grab it, but suddenly spikes and hooks appeared on the previous smooth metal ball. Most likely monofilament, capable of penetrating Hans's tough skin laced with Sharitan Carbon Nanotube fiber. Hans ducked agile, but one of the spikes did scratch across his back. Nuclor retracted the ball with a fast yank on the chain to deeply bury the hook into Hans. The spike caught and penetrated deeply into his back, giving testament to Nuclors skills with the evil, death-dealing weapon. Hans ignored the sharp pain, hoping the spike was not poisoned. Jumping up as high as he could and slammed back down on the edge of the wooden float, a splashing tidal wave of boiling oil engulfed his opponent. The forward jump had put enough slack into the chain for Hans to grab the chain and jerked it with force. Nuclor already screaming from pain lost his footing on the now oil slick wooden float and fell into the hot oil. Hans continued to pull and smashed his hammer into the forehead of his opponent, abruptly ending all his pain and suffering. The announcer completed his introduction sermon and stared in disbelief at the sudden complete destruction of the greatest fight of the century. He had hoped for a prolonged battle so he could exhibit his skills, thereby giving him chances at future gigs of this importance. The crowd had fallen silent as it always did for a long second when an arena kill occurred. Then they went into a chanting frenzy. Han's fans elated and the supporters of Nuclor silent. Just as the announcer declared his victory the fastest Boiling Oil Inferno victory, two of Nuclor's friends, most likely his trainer and manager, both former deathmatch fighters from the looks of it, almost certainly facing a fate worse than death from their owners jumped into the ring. One, a four-armed Shiss, wearing a full battle suit, armed with a force field axe, waded through the hip-high oil, his tough scaled skin impervious to the scalding liquid. The other, a Quadi-Ped wearing a flight belt hovering over Nuclor's abandoned wood platform, wielding a sword of enormous length. Now, this was tNulcorruly against the rules and would most likely escalate in a bloody syndicate war. However, Hans did not expect anyone to interfere in this battle royal. It gave the spectators an extra bonus, and the promoters a chance to gain even higher gate revenue. Especially since the title match was so short, thus eliminating all the late entering subscribers. Hans had freed the spiked ball from his back. He was certain his wound was bleeding and judging by the pain it had severely torn through a muscle. To be distracted by pain or injuries was a deadly sin in the arena, and facing two experienced opponents who could not back out facing certain death if they lost and perhaps even if they won was quite a challenge even for him. He still wanted to give his fans a show and stepped back into the middle of the wooden float and closed his eyes, at least that's how it looked like to the closeup cameras and lowered his arms in a meditative stance, just how he had learned from his childhood martial arts instructors. That Saturnians had two eyelids, the inner one transparent to protect them from sand storms and environments that could hurt eyes were a feature known only a few outside the planet, Odin. He could see less clearly but still well enough for this situation. His opponents were quite surprised by his move, and while the Shiss seemed to smell the deception, it worked on the Quadi-Ped who flew fast and with a raised sword, attacked. The sword came down, aimed to split Hans's helmet and skull, and penetrated well his shoulders, Reinforced skin and bone could deflect a typical blade but not the vibrating mono blade his opponent wielded. Hans turned away in the at last microsecond, grabbed the wrist of the sword holding arm, added to the momentum like an Olympian hammer thrower and with all his inhuman strength flung the Quadi-Ped against the Shiss who clung half-mounted to the side of the platform. The Shiss forced to defend himself, more out of reflex and instinct raised his force field axe and sliced deep into the body of his comrade, and then using two of his arms tossed the Quadi-Ped into the boiling oil and kept coming. The Shiss was good! Damn good! Hans's incredible move had distracted him less than a heartbeat, and he kept his total focus on Hans, bringing down the axe splitting the wooden raft with one stroke. The raft halves separated quickly tossing Hans into the scalding, bubbling oil! His opponent already thinking Hans was done for, did not know about the carbon nanotube reinforced skin engineered by Schwartz Bio-Tech those many years ago. That allowed Saturnians to work on planets, and in conditions, no average human could endure. The boiling oil burned into his wound, and he could feel the heat all over. He could certainly not survive for long, but he was not in any immediate danger. He was thankful to God that he had closed his eyelids. Hans crouched and exploded out of the boiling liquid right beside the Shiss who had raised all four arms in a victory gesture. Hans brought down his hammer with all his weight and strength behind it, he could have felled a Battle robot with that blow. Although Shiss were excellently trained warriors able to go toe to toe with Nul and Bootnar, his hammer rendered the four-armed warrior into a horrible gory mess that slides effortlessly into the liquid. Hans waded to the other platform to get out as fast as he could. As he now raised his arms, the audience exploded into ecstatic chanting. A hover platform descended and took him up before the panel of the five Fight Judges, declaring him the Ultimate Death Champion for the 21st time, and by doing so, he surpassed the previous unbroken record of Tabor Tremendous. Making him the most successful Death Fight Champion in history; he could hear the commentators already arguing that this was technically a triple win and should be counted as such. Part of him was disgusted by what he had done, but the chanting fans and the effects of his Adrenalin induced rush were making him feel elated. The fat, half Shiss Duke Donheer proved he was quite agile despite his bulk, jumped on the floating platform put his arm on Hans's shoulder and waved with his other to the crowd. "This is how a Donheer champion looks like, people. This is how a Donheer fighter deals with traitors, cowards, and cheats! He simply kills them!" He spoke into a swarm of floating hover cams and raised Hans's massive right arm. Hans knew this was also a hidden warning and declaration of retaliation to the Rillo Syndicate. A reporter of Gal Sports floated close and said." This fight certainly will go down in Deathmatch Sports history. Tell us Champ what motivates you?" "Eating right, making my Team proud and most of all the legions of Hammer Fanatics. It is my fans, first and foremost!" Only a Union doctor with access to Saturnian replacement tissue could have fixed his back right, but the team medic, derma patched his wound, and if he ever made it back to the Union he would have the damaged areas replaced. After he had been doctored up and a long shower, he wanted to go home and find a way to escape from Sin 4. He had a sufficient amount of Credits in the local SII Coin exchange, the only Union bank doing business on Sin 4, the Terror Hammer was about as well known as anyone could be on Sin 4, but no one knew Hans Neugruber. The problem was his stature and size, there weren't many disguises available, and none would really make him blend into the crowd. But as he emerged from the showers, Duke Donheer accompanied by his ever-present Togar Warrior guards intercepted him with a broad smile. "You can't possibly want to go home. There are big parties in your honor tonight, and you have been invited to a party of Sinister Sports Inc. They made me an offer for you I am contemplating. They want to buy you for 200 Million real Union Credits. No higher sum has ever been offered for a Death Fighter, and while I hate to see you go, it would be hard to find new matches for you." Hans blinked." You told me I am free. How can they buy me?" "This is Sin 4, Terror! You are free as long as it suits me. Now be a good boy and come to the party! Oh and I forgot to tell you, that the doctor not only fixed your back but implanted a little device filled with Wurgus poison, plenty to kill you. Just in case you decide to be a bit more independent than I like.  Of course, you understand that I have to make sure my treasure piece does not get lost. Of course, he knew how deadly the Wurgus poison even for a Saturnian was. It took all his will power not to attack the man and see if he could twist off the fat man's head before the poison took effect.   "The day will come. I am going to make you pay for this treasury!" "Yes, yes. If I had a credit for every time, someone said that I would not even need to sell you. Do I have to tell you again, or will you come along now?" Hans clenched his enormous fists and followed the Syndicate boss and thought about what he could do to get out of this predicament. The party was in Ups, the most northern part of the Upper Continent of Sin 4. The entire continent was more or less one city and Ups was where the rich and Syndicate protected lived. Only the Syndicate bosses themselves lived even more exclusive on their own islands. He had never heard of an outfit called Sinister Sports and wondered what his fate held in store for him. Hans was very tempted to simply end it. Attack the Duke, kill the swine, and be done with it. Hans would have done it if he knew there would be time to kill the man before the poison took effect. But he had seen the impact of Wurlag poison many times in the arena.  It instantaneously paralyzed a being, and every nerve in the body would wither away, including brain cells, and this was a slow and painful death while you were unable to move a single muscle. There was no known antidote for the poison. The party was big, and every delicacy, drug, and drink was provided in vast quantities. Even though they had his favorite dish, Terran roast pig, he had no appetite at all. All he did was nurse a large glass of fruit juice. The host of the party had not spared any costs, and there were at least twenty Sojonit Prostitutes. Even the Mother Superior of the Order was here to make sure the sexual fantasies of the guests were well met. As she was introduced to Hans, the woman in the revealing red outfit and in Hans opinion creepy face mask said to him. " Do you have any special fantasies or desires?" "I do, but I doubt the Sojonit could help me in my case." "Why don't you give it a try and tell me? We are known to fulfill even the most unusual requests?" Hans was not in the mood to talk to a masked prostitute or to anyone at this time. He barely contained his anger and frustration. He was traded like merchandise, forced to kill and fight until they decided to kill him per remote or giving him opponents and challenges in the arena than even he could not survive against." He wanted to walk away, but she put her gloved hand on his chest and said in a whispering way. "I can help you, Hans. You need to trust me and follow me so we can talk undisturbed." Duke Donheer was not far, but he just waved and said loud. "Yes Terror, go with the Sojo and have a little fun! You deserved it! It's all on the house so no worries about the fees." He was quite surprised that the Sojo knew his real name, and he had not much to lose, so he nodded and followed the woman. The party happened in a vast and expensive decorated, three-level penthouse of a skyscraper, complete with an in and outdoor pool and a rooftop park. The Sojonit Sisters had set up a series of pink tents in that roof garden, and she took him to one of these flimsy-looking love nests. She pulled the flap aside and let him in, and after she closed it, she said. "Now we can talk openly, these tents are shielded against any known spy and surveillance technique, including telepaths." "Lady, I am not in the mood to have an intimate conversation or something else with you. I came because I was intrigued that you knew my real name." "Even though we have ways to satisfy the appetites of a Saturnian," with these words she suddenly changes shape! Her form started to flow and expand, and in a mere moment, she had the physical size and attributes of a female Saturnian. I do this to show you that our reputation is well earned and that we have means and ways beyond the grasp of men. I also can read minds, and when I sensed your troubled mind, I looked more in-depth, and this is why I think I can help you. Help you to get home!" The sudden change actually frightened Hans quite a bit. He knew of no species that could so easily change shape and add so much volume and mass. That she was no hologram or Virtu projection, he somehow knew. Of course, if she was a skilled telepath, she might be able to make him see and believe anything she wanted. He tensed his muscles, just to be ready. "Lady, if you read my mind and you are indeed a telepath then you know that it is quite impossible for me to leave now, in fact ever." "I know about the Wurlag poison injector in your back. Right now Duke Donheer could press his button all he wanted, the signal would not reach that device, and if you let me help you, then you will leave this tent without it." I am still green, Sojo. I know that but even if you can help me. I need to know the price. There is nothing free in this Universe." "You are, or you will be a Union Citizen, and yes, there is a price for you to pay. The Terror Hammer dies when you leave this world, and you become a lawful citizen. You cannot return to this sport or even a related legal sport. You will be Hans Neugruber again, and you must find lawful employment, perhaps with the Union Police, the Fleet or something like that. Large Corporations are out as well. Sinister Sports, for example, is muscling in on the Death Sports scene and they do it with methods that make the syndicates look like angels. Sinister Sports is secretly owned by Galakto Entertainment, and they are not by accident in the same office building as the SII Bank!" Hans knew about Galakto, they owned several Casinos, and he had overheard the Duke talking about them as being a dangerous business opponent with incredible resources and no scruples. "But Schwartz Industries is a lawful and good Corporation. We Saturnians have been SII engineered, and they never treated us like other companies treated the Gene Slaves. Death sports are highly illegal in the Union!" "Hans, SII cares about one thing only, and that is profit. Death Sport is huge. Do you know what viewer ratings of 45 percent mean on the market with over a Centillion GalNet subscribers? Neither you nor I can imagine the sums of money involved. None of the Ultra Corps would think twice decimating planets for a business like that." She sat down on a Divan. "Now we are getting away from the current situation. You have not answered me if you are willing to pay that price. I know there is a part of you that enjoys the attention and the arena and I know you could be tempted to do this on your own if you would be free." "Lady I would give my right arm to go back to Odin and my family, finish Union school and atone for my sins, not that I could ever hope to live long enough to atone for one percent of them." "Good, that is what I needed to hear. Getting you off this planet won't be easy as we have to fool both the Donheer clan and Sinister Sports, and you are not someone we could easily disguise, but it is not impossible. It also must happen without anyone knowing of my involvement, but first, let me make you a free man and take out that Poison Implant." Why are you doing this? I am a Union Citizen and that must-do for an explanation for now.