432158592.edited

432158592.edited

Voyages of the USS Tigershark

CHAPTER 02: 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 Soakstone 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 Egil, 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 Egil, 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 Huhgavh sharer. All that is Narth celebrates this magnificent bond." I send 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 unflexible 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 wolfs 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 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 can not 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 future 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 Egil's, Elena's and it is yours." "It has ceased to be that of Egil, 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 ones 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 can not 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 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 opponents blade out of the way an 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 a 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 onlooking 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 everyone 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 translight. 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 meat 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 even were 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 your 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 ships' 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 unknowns 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.

--""--