Book 9 - Chapter 11 - Malmoru-edited

CH 11 Malmoru

Deep in the bowels of Quarva, Meeze reached a rock chamber, no outsider had seen since the Mara had left so long ago,

There was very little light, the faint illumination that came from dim glowing mushrooms did little to reveal more than vague shadows.

Meeze had little need for light, his species was well adapted to dark places and lightless crevices. There in the darkness, something big lingered, then moved and shifted.

A malleable, mass oozing with stringy goo shifted its position and a voice in the ancient language of the Genolax spoke to Wheeze.

"A child of the Genolax, you are, yet you are not of the Quarvax. What seekest you?"

To someone unfamiliar with the old language, the question sounded just like a hissing sound. To Meeze, of course, it was perfectly understandable.

"Meeze comez from ze crubilez. Meeze wanz zo finz ze bigz Magolax anz ze Vikarz, loz of zem."

"The Crucible and all the children of Genolax has been destroyed."

"Pffz, zey saiz yuz ze big and smarz onz. How canz I be herez if weze all deaz? Meeze helpz make the Cruzible go boomz. Allz my familiz nowz Unionz." Meeze lifted his upper body and looked quite proud. "Meeze iz Unionz Fleez specializt, youze helpz meeze or noz?"

"You were part of those who destroyed the Crucible. The ones that liberated the warrior drones here and been friendly to the Quarvax?"

Meeze spread his thin arms. "Yez, yez whize you repeaz thaz?"

"All the Quarvax still speak of visitors that took the warrior drones."

With audible pride Wheeze said. "Theze are meeze frienz. The vistorz arez Unionz. Are weeze talkiz all ze timez, Meeze in ze hurryz!"

"I sense great pride and purpose in you and you tell me, the Genolax are now the pepino slaves of a new species?

"Nooz, I telze you weeze are membrez and equalz noz ze slavez."

"Wonder over wonder. A species that considers Genolax equals, we will not seek their destruction then, You shall have the Magolax and ten thousand Vikarz. I send message and they will come, to what purpose?"

"Ze Togarz takez my frienz anz the stoopiz admrialz wilz not declarz ze war. The Vikarz are noz Unionz zey canz declarez the warz!"

--""--

"That was surprisingly easy," I said as our transport had landed on a spaceport right on the Togar main planet.

Cherubim got up. "This was only the first part." She pointed at an armed flier with official-looking markings. "I decided to let you play your game, but there are elements to this where you might benefit from my expertise."

"I never questioned your expertise, General. I just think that your priorities do not include Jolaj."

She sighed. "I hope you will understand one day, that the safety and life of one person are not as important as the safety of our Union as a whole."

I snapped back. "And I hope I will never develop such callousness. Our Union will defend its weakest, smallest member with the combined might of all. This is our mantra and our philosophy, this is my philosophy. Yes, I must send members of my crew into danger. I am told that a CO must be prepared to sacrifice everyone and the ship if needed. It might surprise you, but I am indeed prepared to do just. It will however always be the very last option. I have long decided to do whatever it takes to keep my crew, each and everyone as safe as possible and I will never accept defeat or give up on any of them."

She changed the subject. "Let them come aboard and let me deal with them." After a slight pause, she added. "I am on your side, please."

Six Togar guards led by a female officer came aboard and went straight to the small command center. Togar did not use the term bridge.

The female guard made a gesture of honor and greeted Cherubim who of course still wore her disguise.

"Contessa Syniaj of Chalura is it?"

"Indeed, and this is my daughter Hanaj."

"I had to consult the system, I must confess. I never heard of Chalura, but of course, now I have."

"And what is this about? I have been to Togr many times, never had the Queen's guard found it necessary to collect the landing fee directly."

"Your planet is truly very distant and in a region of space I did not even know was still considered empire. This is why I think you may not know about the escaped criminal, the pretender claiming to be the White Fur. This is why we must search every ship."

"Be my guest, this ship has no room for stowaways, not that there were any visitors to Chalura lately that could be the source of such a stowaway."

The guard woman laughed the guttural Togar way. "No, we are quite certain the traitor did not run or escape in that direction. It is just orders and routine."

Cherubim produced a pack of vacuum sealed bacon and handed it to the guard woman. "We came to see the confirmation of the queen and do some business afterward."

"Malmoru be praised! There hasn't been any bacon on the market lately, with all the Union troubles."

"Union? Aren't they part of the Big Four. We are much more concerned about Oghr affairs in our parts. I think that is where the Oghr get the bacon we buy."

The guard Togress blinked with her yellow eyes. "That makes sense, of course, learning where Chalura is. I make sure your ship is well guarded."

She then pressed her paw on the PDD she held. "You cleared customs and inspection of course."

Moments later the guards left.

Roghor grunted. "That's why we are doomed, no Union border guard could be bought with a pack of food. Here we are on the Crown World, and they didn't even check our identities."

Cherubim slipped into a richly embroidered overcoat that matched her luxurious golden outfit. "Don't sell your society short like that. It is very hard for spies to really get a foothold here because this is a one species society. The Togar are quite resistant to suggestive psionics and can easily smell if you are not a genuine Togar."

Rog had to agree. "But you two smell very genuine and the Captain smells like she is on the brink of..." He stopped in mid sentence.

"I don't smell anything and I am on the brink of what?"

Cherubim laughed. "Roghor, no other society can rely on the Shaill. Our mollusk friends added scent nodules to these costumes that could fool the Brugho cats of the Silkla."

"What are you guys talking about? I stink in some fashion?"

Roghor explained. "Captain, we Togar rely as much on scents and sounds as you humans do on visual appearances. Our sense of smell is much more sensitive than that of a human. We only mate when the female emits a very distinct scent. A fine Togar nose can tell that you are about to enter that three-week phase."

"I am what?"

Cherubim laughed. "Almost in heat."

"That is a rotten thing to do. Make me smell horny and all that."

"Don't look at me, Erica. Your costume came from Deepa and it is even more perfect than mine. Your ears and tail language is perfect."

I promised myself to ask Deepa about that and also got up. Rog handed me a short black leather jacket and while I put it on, I asked. "So, where are we exactly and how do we get to that Grotha place?"

Rog pointed to a mountain range in the South. "These are the Kreighu mountains, meaning we are north of Hi Togr, the capital city. This part is called the Brugho district. As the General mentioned, the traditional region of a Togar subspecies with a legendary sense of smell. We are almost a thousand standard klicks from Grotha, which is an island in the Ocean to the West."

He held out a pair of long leather gloves for me to put on. "There are flier and boat services that take approved visitors to the island."

The gloves had open fingertips, apparently for the retractable claws. "Approved?"

"Security is always tight, because of the Queen being there, but I imagine it will be even tighter now as they want to prevent our snowball to get there."

Cherubim said. "You need to be on a list to be able to go to the island. Do you see now how difficult it is? Doing things by ear rather than careful planning is not always the best approach."

"We'll see about that, maybe I just swim there!"

--""--

The masked Togar dragged Jolaj along a windowless corridor. There were bodies everywhere, some wore official guard uniforms, others the same dark leather-like suits and masks just as the ones that dragged her along.

From the other direction, she could hear yells, shots, and screams. There was intense fighting going on. Neither one of the male Togar had spoken much or identified the entity they represented.

They weren't very gentle either.

Especially the one she had kicked treated her quite rough.

When they came to an intersection, she realized they were already in Malmoru's temple on the Grotha island. When she was little she had been lost down here, this was technically not the old temple she had been born in, but there were tunnels and passageways that connected all the temples with the central temple mound.

Legend and religious believe claimed that this island was the very place where the Togar discovered fire and where the cat goddess Basu fought with the evil bird Horku. It was here where Malmoru the Lightray spirit descended from the heavens on a golden bolt of light. Where he gave the Kranji his seventy-one commands of light and righteousness and where he mated with Kranji.

This blessed union between the spirit of light and a beautiful Togress produced Anomj, the first Innocent Fur. She became the mother queen and the first ruler over all Togar.

Togar history started from this event and was commemorated every annual rotation, with this sacred event of confirming the ruler. Back then there were kings and queens.

This all changed when Yarriour, the First supposedly gave him a daughter. This daughter named Yara according to ancient art-work had human features, except for the head and face which were Togar. She introduced a new goddess, by the name of Lehloran, the mother spirit.

Togar religion was reformed and many spirits were added, but Malmoru always remained the central and most worshiped of all spirits.

The very spot where his ray of light touched the ground became the sacred pool of light, and a fine column of smoke curled from this pit ever since.

All this flashed through her mind, as these legends and stories were part of her daily instructions as far back as she could remember.

Needle sharp spikes suddenly shot up from the floor and pierced both Togar with gory swiftness, but no spike appeared for her.

Her captors could not even scream, death was so fast and so sudden.

Before she even realized what happened three temple priestesses in full regalia appeared from a previously hidden wall door.

Jolaj recognized the leading female. It was the black pelted high priestess of the mother spirit herself.

"The mindless servants have received their just payment." The priestess laughed triumphantly. "They have succeeded and delivered you into my hands!"

Jolaj lost all hope that she would somehow survive this, yet her voice was full of defiance. "You can kill me, but I am no longer alone. My captain will come and make you pay."

"Oh be silent, stupid little girl, no one will come for you. We are on Togr, whatever false hopes you have are as stupid, as you are silly. You are a tool, a pawn nothing more.

The Union will blame the Queen for your demise, I will offer her to them. They are appeased and all that is Togar has a new queen that is also the High Priestess."

The black-furred Togress gave her companions a sign to grab Jolaj. "Don't worry, it is the queen who will personally toss you in the light pool."

The priestess that took hold of her left arm cackled. "There is no holy secret in that old hole, just bubbling acid, heated by volcanic thermics. You won't last a minute and all that beautiful soft fur of yours dissolved with the rest of you."

The one to the right said. "You die before the eyes of billions. That silly white fur spook will end right there and then. The High priestess validated, revealing herself as the leader of the rebels blaming the old queen."

The black priestess kept on laughing."I guess the prophecy comes true after all. The poor white fur sent to defeat Darkness, but white dies and black reigns supreme."

--""--

The old priestess was petrified with fear and sheer awe.

Malmoru had come and he had stepped from his pedestal. His voice was indeed that of a god, as it resonated not only in her ears but filled her mind with an overwhelming presence. "Where is Jamalj? Where is my daughter?"

The old priestess finally managed to move and she dropped to her knees and burrowed her face between her hands. "Malmoru..."

The god spirit howled in anger as he looked into the old Togress mind. "They tortured Jamalj to death?"

Alarmed by the loud booming voice, a priestess of the mother spirit and six temple guards rushed in and stopped in their tracks as they saw the eight feet tall magnificent male Togar cat surrounded by a halo of brilliant white light.

The priestess of the mother spirit gasped. "She spoke the truth..."

She and the six guards rose into the air.

Malmoru boomed. "Oh, what filth has permeated my people!"

"Have mercy, we didn't know gods exist. I will worship you."

The six guards and the priestess died, as tendrils of pure light snaked around their necks and strangled them.

Malmoru paused, raised his head and bellowed. "The Dark One is here, but he is not yet fully restored."

--""--

We managed to hire a flier, what an offer of hundred coins Iridium of another Togar could not accomplish, a vac pack of bacon did. The flier operator told us, that there wasn't a boat or flier left. This was more than just another confirmation, he told us. This was the day of the White Fur's twenty-third anniversary. This was the day she was to supposedly appear before the pool of light and be verified by the spirits themselves.

There were still skeptical voices among the Togar, convinced that religious prophecies never came true. Yet, the word on the street was, that the Innocent White had returned to Togr, despite being hunted as a  traitor and impostor by the queen herself.

We made good progress. I could already see the island, the many temples of Togar architecture and the truly alien temple mound bathed in golden light.

The mound seemed to be a structure, a temple that had been carved right out of a mountain. Or maybe it was indeed that big of a building.

The air was filled with thousands of fliers but none of them made any progress and now our flier slowed down and stopped hovering in mid-air.

I cursed and demanded to know why we weren't getting any closer.

The pilot raised his hands. "Apologies I offer. The queens' guards have just issued a no approach command, they warned everyone and threatened with lethal force."

He raised a big view screen. "It was just announced the White Fur is here indeed and the ceremony is about to start. You can watch it here."

I pointed at the pilot and said. "Commander, make sure he stays put and reports to no one."

"Aye, Captain."

Cherubim with alarm in her voice said. "We came just a few moments too late...Hey, what are you doing?"

"There is still a chance. I go ahead, try to follow as soon as they let you in."

With these words, I jumped over the chest high sides. "Tyron, fins."

I hit the water head first and like a spear went past the waves.

The water wasn't really cold and I opened my gills, the water tasted less salty than the oceans of Nilfeheim, but was perfectly breathable.

My reckless jump from a flyer hovering about fifteen meters above the ocean surface was actually quite stupid and almost killed me. The ocean was quite shallow and really just about deep enough for me not to collide with the sandy bottom.

Tyron said into my ear. "I can propel you faster than fins."

"Can they detect it, or hear it?"

"Togar tech is even more primitive than general Union tech. I can cloak us, too."

"Go!"

--""--

Har-Hi unconsciously took the same at the edge of the seat position as the captain sometimes did when she was agitated or worried. The Tigershark looked like a Togar trader, they opted not to fully cloak. Even the advanced cloak could not mask the matter mass shock, any object created when dropping out of Quasi. Har-Hi didn't want to risk a Togar alert reporting an invisible phenomenon.

They had assumed a parking orbit around Togr, just another ship of hundreds that did the same. There were orbital platforms, artificial satellites, and stations. Surprisingly no one paid any attention to them.

Shea and Elfi had already put on Togar costumes, Har-Hi sighed and pulled the warm bioflex mask of a red pelted Togar over his own head and waited a few seconds until the living tissue had bonded with the rest of the costume.

Lieutenant Senhadjii being on the bridge, also wore a Togar costume said. "We must limit our exposure to real Togar as much as possible. The costumes are visually perfect, but none of you know how to body act like a real Togar, and while I am sure I can be convincing in that regard. I don't think our costumes have the right smell.

Suss, the Cat shook her head. "Whatever the Togar expect to smell, I have no idea but you guys smell like fresh bioflex masks, various perfumes, and human scent."

Narth said. "You can smell all this from back there?"

She nodded and Ak Fective said. "Attikan noses are just as sensitive. I can identify everyone of this crew by smell alone."

"Even Circuit or SHIP?" Shea asked.

"Circuit uses a chrome metal polish, and SHIP uses the same perfume as the Captain, but has no added human scent."

Har-Hi grunted. "You could have told us that before we put on these fancy skins."

Mehdi said. "I just came up to the bridge to do exactly that. No one asked me before."

Elfi said. "We are stuck in orbit anyhow. All ships, us included were told that all landing activity is suspended until after the ceremony."

Circuit said. "We could use the Matter Elevator."

"Do you know where to go?" Har-Hi said with frustration in his voice."

"Not exactly."

Xon said. "We just wait for some big explosion or something similar. That's where she's going to be.

TheOther said. "Why don't we hail her?"

"Because she is undercover and if she forgot to silence her communicator, we might give her away and put her in danger." Har-Hi said."Narth can't you reach her?"

"We are too far for me to pick her thoughts, but I sense she is extremely angry."

Sodoby said. "Anyone want to change their bets?"

--""--

The queen had arrived at the temple mount. Surrounded by even more guards than usual. She was right away intercepted by the High Priestess and her entourage of temple guards and priestesses. Because the entire planet was watching, and eventually reach all Togar worlds, she made the appropriate motions of devotion and respect.

The black pelted priestesses wore her full regalia and was no less spectacular than the queen. After the formulaic greetings and welcoming the Queen to the Temple for her annual confirmation, she said. "Queen, Tobaia the magnificent. Sovereign of all that is Togar welcome indeed. The spirits will soon speak to me through the sacred smoke as they always do, but this confirmation celebration is more significant than all the ones before."

She made an artful pause, mainly to make sure all the image takers had time to focus on her. "Indeed this is a most significant event.

The spirits themselves have delivered the impostor in our hands. The one claiming to be the Innocent fur herself is here."

That was not exactly news to the queen. She knew the White Fur had been brought back to Hi Togr, but that the High Priestess had captured the white one was indeed disturbing news.

Her own guards and agents had closed in on the dissident groups that abducted the young Togress had already closed in.

Despite all her bluster and self felt importance, the Queen was not only well aware of the Union deadline, but she and her advisers were quite certain that the Union Assembly's ultimatum was not just empty bluster.

Openly she did not reveal her thoughts, but declined her head ever so slightly. "Then let us not waste the gift of the spirits and put that pretender under lock and key."

This was the first time, the High Priestess openly opposed the Queen and said. "Your magnificent highness, all Togar is not interested in appeasing those Union bullies. No, this is a matter of religion and our sacred fate.

The white fur was to be tested and it will be the Spirits that exact true punishment.

You are our highest defender, oh Queen Tabaia. It is your sacred duty to punish the pretender, not by the hands of mindless brutes and a pool of water. Will, you not accept this your highest calling and punish the pretender that plotted to assassinate you on top of all?"

Hundreds, no thousands of eyes were on the queen, and billions more via remote viewers. The queen knew she was boxed in and outmaneuvered. Even her most loyal guards were deeply religious.

"My task is clear and I thank you and the spirits. I will send the pretender into the Pool of Light and expose her to the wrath of the spirits."

The High Priestess could not completely mask the triumphant feeling from her voice. "The smokes this traitorous body will produce will carry most profound revelations indeed."

--""--

I crawled out of the water. The shoreline of this island was not sand, but concrete and stone. There were lights everywhere, and little in terms of cover. "Engage cloak, Tyron."

There were thousands of Togar past the shore wall.

Tyron said. "Captain, the event has started. I am monitoring the broadcast. They have Jolaj and she will be thrown into some kind of pool. It is not water, from what I gather."

Then everything happened quickly.

The wall of a nearby temple burst in an explosion of light and a seven-foot-tall Togar appeared. He was almost as massive and muscular as Hans. The being glowed brightly and stomped directly towards me, with an even brighter glowing sword. "Dark One, it is I Malmoru. I will stand against you! You can not hide from me, I sense you!"

I rose to my feet, my ring also glowed dark red. I could feel my brother coming to the surface of my mind. "This is no mere Togar, but an entity."

I said with urgency. "Tyron, I must face this thing. Separate yourself and find Jolaj."

"Capt...yes at once."

Tyron flowed of my body and disappeared as the suit cloaked.

My next response was no longer mine. "Nay, Malmoru. I shall hide from no one. Come ye and receive what is the price all must pay. Vengeance is mine!"

The black shroud flowed around me and Bereaver grew in my fist. "Resurrection has not been completed, but I am no longer an impotent shadow."

All around us was panic, Queen's guards and palace guards responded and fired both on me and the lion-headed entity.

The shroud protected me like the finest Atlas suit, I did not feel the heat of the blast and the boots I suddenly wore, stood in liquefied concrete and stone.

But I was not yet fully incarnated, I was still burdened with the weak human body of my human origin, this is why I was quite relieved the Togar did not use Union style TKUs.

My mind had become a strange amalgam of Eric aka the Dark One and me. I did not fight or oppose him, this like the Malag I faced not so long ago were clear out of my league.

I wondered where that thing came from, wondered about the fact that this apparently was something like a real god. He extended dozens of tendrils of bright light, that like cables of a whip hit a number of attacking fliers and rendered them to burning scrap that tumbled and crashed around both of us.

Two of these light whips reached out for me. More out of instinct I swiped my ax and it cut them without effort.

It was not me who was now in control, as a bolt of black flames engulfed several Togar guards rushing close. The effect was sickening as they instantly withered to skeletons and then crumbled to dust.

--""--

"It is fair to say our captain is doing something," Mao said with his eyes glued to his scanners. There are energy readings that are off the chart, right at what I think is their holy temple island."

Elfi added. "Their news agencies are full of conflicting reports. Some speak of a Rebel attack, others claim their god Malmoru has appeared in person fighting an ax-wielding shrouded being. And some claim the Union is attacking."

Har-Hi still wearing his Togar costume, sans the headpiece grunted. "My money is on the ax-wielding option."

Xon also monitoring communications said. "They have Jolaj. She is dragged to their main temple hall."

Mao again spoke with alarm in his voice. "Sensor contacts! A large fleet of unknowns just dropped out of Quasi and they are firing on Togar ships."

Shea rushed to her console. "The unknowns apparently using ships of organic origin. There are quite large and have sophisticated shields of considerable strength. I am still trying to figure out what kind of weapon these things use."

--""--

The Central Commandant of all Togar forces, the sister of the queen was overwhelmed by the reports of a gigantic fleet of never before seen bizarre looking ships. Their apparent tech level clearly way above Togar. All he was certain they weren't Union.

Togar missile fire was absorbed by greenish shields, while continuous beams of dark red light cut through Togar shields and ships.

"Can we hail them? Who, what are these things?"

--""--

An ugly looking worm-like being wearing an alien organic looking battle suit appeared on the viewscreen. "Hey youz stoopiz Togrz, youz takez a frienz ofz minz. Stoopiz Unionz saiz noz declarz the warz. Pffz! Meeze declarz warz. Meeze makez all Togrz goez awayz and eaz ze rezt unlez youz givez the sweez Joolaiz!"

Har-Hi's chin dropped to his chest, being as utterly flabbergasted as the rest of the Tigershark crew.

"Meeze?"

--""--

There was not much left alive in the immediate vicinity. The glowing Togar god was emitting bolts of devastating, all-consuming light, that rendered everything except me instantly to ashes.

I thundered. "I promise to kill you and send you to the realm of the Judge, but can we not postpone this? I am in a desperate hurry to save Jolaj."

My ax cut his sword to pieces. "While you don't care for her, despite her supposedly be your daughter. She is in mortal danger!"

Malmoru stepped back in apparent surprise. "You are the Dark One! You want to save my daughter?"

"She is my friend. Now yield and die, I have no time for this."

"I came to protect my daughter from you!"

"Jolaj has nothing to fear from me, she is in mortal danger because of a jealous queen and priest cast. If she is harmed, I will not stop until there are no Togar."

I stomped forward, with a gesture of my hand I deflected another tendril of light. "You will be the first."

I raised my ax. "I yield, Dark One! Jolaj is paramount."

--""--

The queen, the High Priestess, and the many officials gathered in the Chamber of the Pool of light. Heard about the terrible fight outside and they all believed it was an attack of dissidents. They had beaten her and soiled her white fur partially with cheap dyes to make it look as if the white fur was nothing but a disguise.

The High Priestess yelled quick majesty throw that pretender in the pit. She dies and the spook ends. No White Fur, no rebels."

Jolaj had been suspended on a hook over the illuminated hole, where stinging wisps of vapor gave evidence of the deadly soup of bubbling acids about ten meters below.

The queen was in a considerable panic, but she agreed with the Priestess and rushed forward and pushed the release, opening the hook.

A scream of otherworldly rage thundered through the hall, the Queen, the High Priestess, and the present officials stared in disbelieve at the bright glowing Togar appearing in a bolt of light.

Malmoru, the light spirit was real and he was here. They just killed his daughter.

The Lightray spirit had not appeared alone, a midnight black Togar cat wearing a black shroud and wielding an archaic battle-ax had appeared too and stormed forward. Guards withered away in screaming agony as black flames consumed them in terrible quickness.

"To the darkest pits of the Netherworld with you."

The queens head was severed from her body with a powerful swing of the ax."

Malmoru grew even bigger as he bore down on the High Priestess. Her helpers were strangled by glowing light tendrils. She shivered and proclaimed with a shrill voice. "Gods exist! I am the High Priestess..."

"You defiled this temple, killed Jolaj's mother and now my daughter."

--""--

Jolaj felt something encasing her, just before she plunged into the scolding acid soup churned by volcanic heat, but nothing reached her eyes or mouth. Her arms and feet suddenly free, she first believed she had died and existed as a bodyless spirit, but a voice in her ear said. "I got you, Snowball. The captain and the crew would never forgive me if I came too late."

"Tyron?"

"Yes, Jolaj. We tried to come as fast as possible despite a lot of hurdles. Sorry for cutting it that close."

Jolaj, not even realizing she was still submerged in boiling acid cried in relief. "You came! I almost lost hope."

"She gave you her word, remember."

"The captain is here?"

"She's up there having a word with your father I think."

Just then a bright light tendril lowered the High Priestess who screamed in agony, slowly into the boiling acid.

--""--

I just saw Jolaj wearing a gray tight-fitting suit floating out of the pit. Saving the life of the Togar official I was just about to decapitate. "Jolaj!"

At the same time, a series of thundering booms and bright flashes announced the arrival of six heavy armed Togar cats, wearing the Silver Streak versions of Atlas suits that were made to look like alien pirate armor.

That the six were not really Togar, became apparent even to me. The tallest of them had a bright red pelt and had Dai swords on his back. I was certain I knew who was hiding under that Togar outfit. The voluptuous shaped golden fur with black dots and a charming white belly pelt was without a doubt, Shea. That the black cat with a hood drawn deep over the head was Narth, I was similar certain.

Har-Hi in his disguise looked at the carnage. "Again?"

A uniformed Togar ran in. "Where is the queen? We are being invaded by big worms!"

Har-Hi gave the glowing Togar god a side look and said. "Captain, you won't believe who just showed up with a massive fleet of alien ships, Meeze!"

"Meeze?"

"We thought he stowed away with you."

"Can we hail them?"

"Yes, Elfi can make the connection. He is hailing the Togar anyway."

It took a moment and Har-Hi handed me a bigger Com Unit, a field screen established and it did show one of the scavenger worms we had encountered in the Leo II galaxy. To me, they looked all alike and I was not sure if it was indeed Meeze.

The worm immediately spoke. "Ze timez iz upz. You stoopiz Togarz givez me the Jolaj or weeze killz allz!"

"Meeze is that you?"

"Yeez ize meeze."

"Still got your GalCom communicator?"

"Pffz, Togarz havz no GalComz thaz forze fleez."

"Meeze, forget what you seeing. I am Captain Olafson and I am ordering you to use your damn Comm Unit so I can be sure it's you. Jolaj is safe, we got here just in time."

The screen went blank and a moment later a safe GalCom connection with Meeze's MITI data confirming its identity was reestablished.

"Ize youz ze Captainz. Jolaiz iz good?"

Jolaj with her cute white cheeks still wet from tears stepped close. "Yes, little Meeze. They came for me. I am so proud of you."

"Jubilaz anz happinez, Meeze zoh happiez, Sweezie Joolaiz iz backz!"

I interrupted. "Mr. Meeze, can we discuss that big fleet and where in the hell did you go?"

"Pffz, maybez sometimz. Me senz zents the Magolax bacx anz ze Vikarz wanz goez zo ze Azembly. Canz I comez zo ze Tigersharkz backz?"

I sighed. "Yes, but you are not of the hook, we need to discuss that in more detail."

"Meeze poorz wormz youz speakez of ze hookz, meze knowz humanz fhisiz withz ze hookz"

The connection was severed.

The huge glowing Togar stared at Joolaj. "The prophecy came true. Even I could not believe it, how could you stand against the Dark One? You never stood against him, but the Dark One stands with you!"

Jolaj blinked with her big green eyes and then curtsied. "You are Malmoru, you are really my father?"

"I am, child. For you must have been born to fulfill that prophecy. You are the exalted Togress and the living daughter of Malmoru. You are the rightful queen

She swallowed. "Father, I am Togar by race. I care not about the Togar and do not want to be Queen. I am Lieutenant Grotha of the United Stars Spatial Navy." She made a gesture pointing upwards. "I think my ship is somewhere up there and there is where I belong."

She added. "I don't care about White Furs and prophecies I know nothing about."

Roghor came through the main entrance. Roghor held a Togar energy blaster and had several burn wounds. He stopped in his tracks. He was still dripping wet and stared at us.

I rushed towards him. "Commander, are you okay."

"Yes, Captain. After I saw the fighting, I followed you. I am not a good swimmer, and I had to fight but now everyone outside is confused and shocked. No one dares to come closer."

The glowing Togar god also approached. "You are Roghor!"

My friend and crew member bowed and went to his knees. "Malmoru!"

"Rise Roghor, you are of the royal line. My Togar need guidance and you are direct offspring of the Lost King."

--""--

Malmoru the spirit stood next to me, at the steps outside the Temple Mount. Tens of thousands of Togar had gathered below and all were kneeling and bowed deeply.

"You are the Dark One, but you have not risen yet. Thy purpose and power are beyond me to understand, but I sense you are not what all creation thinks you are.

They call you friend and reject royal duties to follow you."

"My path is still obscured and I can not see it until more of me is united with me, but friendship and loyalty are not alien to me."

"I will remain with my Togar, to rebuild a new society that embraces everyone, and until we have found the Lost King. Upon your recommendation, I will review what this Union is and if we too should join that society."

"That is a decision every society must make on their own. The Union does not invite or advertise membership, but I am certain they will openly welcome and application."

"A better argument for such a decision can not be made."

"I will not reveal you, but the one called Lumis is at Avondur seeking the weapon that defeated you before."

--""--