Book 9 - Chapter 8 - Another Approach - edited

Chapter 08 Another Approach

Jolaj was no longer bound and her fur was once again as white snow. She was treated like a princess, but there was no doubt, she was a prisoner. They did not allow her to leave her quarters.

She learned that the ship was not a Togar product, but a luxury yacht made by Enroe.

None of her captors had given their names, they simply identified themselves as the Resistance. A group she had learned called themselves, Children of Malmoru."

The female, with a light brown fur and puffy cheeks, pointed to the computronic terminal. There are entertainment options available. We rather keep you confined to quarters. Most of the crew is male and you are even more beautiful than the legends claim you are."

"Why don't you understand. I don't care about anything Togar, I am a Union Citizen and where it Roghor?"

"The male was unimportant, we left him behind and you change your mind, but frankly we will make you do what is needed. After the bath in Malmoru's sacred pool validated you, all Togr will rise like a storm and sweep that filth out of the palace and the temples. You are a tool, Jolaj. We prayed to Malmoru for centuries, but that is the problem with gods and spirit, they never listen and all they are shadows of legends and long gone times."

"You don't think I am the daughter of Malmoru?"

"Of course not, but billions of Togr do and that is what matters. Now be a good goddess and do what you will be told." With these words, the brown furred female left her alone.

Jolaj could hear the lock engage and she was certain the door would not open for her. She tried anyway but the unyielding door confirmed her fears.

"System, open the door."

"Unable to comply, you are not authorized."

Jolaj wiped her tears. She just told that female that she was Union but she was also Ensign Jolaj Grotha. She looked around and asked herself: What would the Captain do?.

"Never give up, for one thing." She said to herself. "No, I am not a useless and helpless white Fur temple cat."

Then an idea started to creep into her mind. This was not a Togar ship.

"System identify yourself."

"Spaceship Operations System Mk.14 'Susi'"

"And the ship?"

"Enroe Colt III, Executive Armed Edition."

"What is your port of call?"

"Houston Planet."

"I am Jolaj Grotha, Union Citizen and Union Fleet Officer. I am abducted, open GalNet channels for an Emergency call to Union Police."

"System lockout deactivated. GalNet terminal active, audio connection only."

The next voice she heard was friendly and female. "Citizen state the nature of your emergency."

Jolaj tried to calm herself and remembered her training. She identified herself used her service number and last assignment. She also reported her situation as fast as she could.

The brown furred female came in and backhanded her with ferocious strength. "You rangy piece of work. Who are you talking to?"

The voice from the terminal had changed to a male voice. "She is on contact with Union Police. I am Luitenant Wargor. You are hereby ordered to return to Kaliment or the next Union Outpost. Any further harm to the Union Citizen will add to your charges."

The voice added. "Ensign Grotha, Union Fleet and the OOCA have been informed and we will do whatever possible to affect your release."

Her captor growled. "System terminate connection."

"Unable to comply, this is an Emergency call. Citizen is properly identified."

"These are Togar affairs and we are far from Union space!"

"Abducting a Union citizen makes it a Union affair, your terminal, and ship have been identified..."

The brown pelted female actually fired her blaster into the terminal, as she was unable to terminate. To Jolaj she snarled. "What can they do? We are in Togar space. Seems like you need to be tied up after all."

--""--

I stared at the worm being. "What did you say? You know where Jolaj is?"

"Yeez, Meeze saiz it againz." The Wheeze spread his thin arms. "Togarz lazie wantzed zo hidze inze wallz, justz when Meeze wanzed to makez ze stinkiz. I saiz I eaz her but she wanz noz to be eazen."

"Okay, let me get that straight. You took part in the base assault with a little knife and decided to use a base tunnel for a bath room, while there was fighting going on?"

The worm seemed pleased. "Youz listenz. When Meeze feelz it, Meeze goez fighingz or notz." The worm looked at me. "When youz feelz iz, you goez rightz?"

Baffled I nodded. "I guess so, never had the urge to...never mind. Where is Jolaj?"

"Zei takez Jolaj for bazing az anotzer planez. Poorz Jolaiz, Meeze doez notz likez the bazing either."

I smacked my face. "So they have taken her off planet. That does not mean you know where she is."

Dusty who was right behind me said. "Captain, the Wheeze might be onto something. Jolaj told me about a pool she was supposed to submerge herself on her twenty-third birthday. It is called the Light Pool of Malmoru or something like that. Only after she emerges unharmed she is confirmed the Chosen one of the Light Spirit and fulfill her prophecized destiny of uniting the lost tribes and save her kind from a Dark Force."

Meeze pointed to the still open secret door. "Thaz whazz shez saiz, maybeez she saiz more. I onlyz eaz a litze biz of herz legz."

It turned out, the Togar female was indeed alive, but not by much. She was missing a substantial part of her right leg and had bled almost to death.

She was very willing to share her information after I told her Meeze could have the rest if she wasn't forthcoming.

I had returned to my ship and called the Admiral of the Fleet.

He had listened to my report and said. "Landing on Togar side and leveling the Governess palace isn't the most subtle way."

"Sir, I am sending you the med report on Roghor. He is a Union officer and he was abducted. He was in this situation because of Fleet Command being unable to keep Newport arses out of their ranks. The utter discontent for his life and safety makes me fear for Jolaj. I just came from Rogh's bedside, and I have a good mind to do what I wanted to do when I saw the freighter full of butchered humans."

He pressed his lips together. "And I accept part of that blame, Captain Olafson. I understand your anger and I am not reprimanding you for what you did, but we must handle the rest a little more subtle. This incident will give us plenty of leverage to solve this short of going to war."

"Isn't that what we were prepared to do, according to your own words?"

"Captain Olafson, threatening with war is a diplomatic tool. We are much stronger than the Togar, but there are also plenty of independents and there are the Kermac." He held up his hand before I could say anything and grunted. "He has impeccable timing. Stand by to repeat your report, the Old Warhorse is requesting to take part in this briefing."

Sure enough, a new Avatar established in my Captain's office. As always even his avatar radiated some of the unexplainable gravity that was part of his legend. He wore his usual black uniform, the only thing new was the small golden band on his ring finger of his left hand.

He first gave the other admiral a long look. "I was just briefed about the whole affair and I expect you explain it to me in a way a simple man like me can understand it."

"I am still the Admiral of the Fleet and I don't have to explain my orders to everyone."

"Are you saying that you are above scrutiny and that I need to know my place?"

"Mhac Na Galla! Yer bum's oot the windae, Richard I am doing this damn job for three thousand goddamn years. It was never small ever and now it is the biggest darn monster in the history of monsters and I try to keep it running as smooth as possible. Sometimes things will happen. Erica, like or not, you are part of the top of the pyramid if you will. Meaning you are also going to be exposed to more bullshit than the average CO. The incredible success of your first mission forever cemented you and your crew in our focus, and in extend to everyone else's focus who looks at us. You dealt with a jealous admiral and his son, more or less from the start. You had jealous officers aboard Richard's big tub and there will always be some who learn about the Tigershark, about you and some will be jealous. I doubt there is more than ten percent of the Devi Crew who have ever seen Harris or even Richard. Yet you met him as a midshipman, steered his big tub, even had beers with him and went to his wedding as the Ringbearer no less."

He wasn't finished and kept on venting. "The Nul All-leader declared you part of the family pod. The Nul basically re-arranged Karthania because of you. You are the declared Patri-Kar of all Dai. The Seenian Last Servant still consider you the Inheritor. The Narth made you high representative. The Coven declared you decision maker and the re-confirmed leader of the Golden just told me, that he follows you to whatever end. I know the mysterious Mother Superior of the Sojonites calls you her Sojo. You are engaged to a daughter of the richest man in the universe and the second daughter of the Queen of Saran is among your closest friends. Heck, I have you on my direct call list. Do you know there are less than twenty beings on that list?"

He spread his arms. "I know you probably never even listed all this in your mind. In this, you are like Richard and that is one of the reasons you are on that list, another reason is that I know you can handle difficulties and you can be trusted with the biggest secrets of our society."

Richard Stahl grinned. "He does make a few good points I have to admit. You collect secrets like a magnet and your security clearance is higher than mine. Anyway, we are just mopping up the Shiss mess, the Shiss war is officially over, as of Five Hour today. The remaining Shiss leadership has signed an unconditional surrender.

Shiss-Ta is now under the control of the Union Army and the First White Nestling has been tossed off his high mount."

I then repeated my report and he said, holding up a PDD. "On a personal level, I am impressed by your landing action. A fast descent, taking out ground defenses very quickly and then an overwhelming ground assault. But then not even the Devi can boast a personal fifty head Y'All warrior force. Not to mention a living dust cloud, a gray Nul, and your marines."

McElligott interrupted saying. "And everyone as dedicated to her as the grunts of your Steel Gauntlet. I spend a few days aboard that fish, I know."

Stahl nodded. "So have I, while you Captain decided to free each and every slave the Karthanians had."

He became serious again."That was my personal opinion and you did more or less what my esteemed colleague has authorized, but even for the sake of all your crew members, you are not authorized to willfully declare war on your own. As a Union Fleet captain you have the full authority to retaliate and respond to a declaration of war, but our law grants the authority to declare war to one body alone. Not me, not the Admiral of the Fleet, not the Narth Supreme but the Assembly. Because you did not declare war openly and there is ample proof the Togar abducted Fleet members you did not break the law, but you came very close. Make no mistake Captain Olafson, personally, I would be proud to call you my son or my daughter. Personally, I respect you very much and see a reflection of me, but if you break our laws, I will not hesitate to bring you to justice. I see McElligott bend the law and I know Cherubim does, I am personally convinced Rex Schwartz is the most dangerous criminal there ever was, and if I ever come across any evidence that supports my suspicions with facts, I will take action on the side of the law."

His voice was a reflection of his name and his unquestionable authority. "If we suspend law and justice for some and not for others, we become criminals ourselves and our laws mean nothing."

I could not do anything but intellectually agree with the Immortal Warrior, even though his words had a deep emotional impact on me. I felt chastised and reprimanded by the one person I never wanted to be reprimanded by.

There was nothing I could say in my defense, I had to admit that I did not act as a Union Captain should have.

In all this he managed to increase my respect for him, he was indeed integrity personified.

He glared at McElligott. "That goes for you as well. Telling her that you would call for war. Yes, you can call for it, so can anyone. But it can only be declared by the Assembly and after a vote. If it would be that easy, we would not have a Kermac problem for a long time."

McElligott's face reflected similar thoughts than mine, I was certain.

"Alright, but the fact remains, the Togar have abducted Union Fleet members. I will pressure for diplomatic resolutions."

"Then do that, Admiral Sir." He said. I was not sure if there was a hidden accusation in that response, it sure felt that way.

The Eternal Warrior seemed ready to leave and disconnect. "Erica, I am very concerned about your Jolaj and I have seen what they did to Roghor. You are not regular fleet, you are still NAVINT. Where the wrecking ball and cannon fire won't succeed, use a different approach. The Tigershark was built for the cunning approach, not the frontal assault."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You figure it out, I have confidence in you."

--""--

The representative of the Office of Citizen Affairs to the Assembly was an Ogher. He belonged to a small community of genuine Ogher of the Shattered Kingdom, that were Union Citizens. In his case, he was fourth generation, but he maintained some contact to family members that remained subjects of the Ogher kingdom. Because of this, he was better informed about that particular region of the M-0 Galaxy. He also knew more about the Togar.

When he received the urgent call of Union Police regarding an abducted Union officer named Jolaj Grotha.

The Union Fleet Personnel office at first didn't want to cooperate, and that made him not only suspicious but even more determined to get to the bottom of this affair.

While the Fleet was without question the largest Union organization and often acted as if it was also its most important one.

But that was not the case, Wrungar the Ogher OOCA commissioner felt very passionately about the OOCA. It was in his and perhaps every citizen opinion the true soul of the Union.

The Office of Citizen Affairs was the department of the  Civil Affairs Administration. Formerly known as the Social Network Bureau. It was renamed OOCA by Assembly vote in 5009 OTT.

While the office had nine departments and was mostly concerned with social services such as employment, medical services, retirement and so forth, its most famous feature was the OOCA's advocacy service. A citizen was able to call on the bureau for any problem at all.

In a community counted by trillions, most problems were not new and solutions could be offered or referred to the correct service. In more complex matters a Case Manager could be assigned. A Citizen calling from beyond Union space for help was such a case.

The Union Police could not help, and the Union Fleet at first did not appear to even acknowledge the existence of Jolaj. The Union Police officer contacted OOCA in the hope the Crime and Catastrophe Victim Assistance department of the Office of Citizen Affairs could help.

Wrungar stopped the Fleet representative in the Ring Corridor. "Ah Commander Savritz, good that I am running into you. You can assist me in preventing a major scandal."

The Union Fleet Commander, a Terran Human and career officer loving his assignment to be part of the Assembly Union Fleet liaison alcove. It was a prestigious assignment with a clear career path to Fleet Command and an Admiral rank, knew the OOCA commissioner and as Union citizen, he knew of course about the importance of that institution. "Of course, what seems to be the problem?"

"A Union citizen and Union Fleet Officer called for help. She is being abducted and it took me no time to verify her CITI data, I am being stonewalled by the Fleet Personnel office. I expect you to answer me and assist me. A police detective opened an OOCA case on behalf of Jolaj Grotha and I will make it an Assembly Docket if you also decide not to answer."

Commander Savritz promised to do whatever possible and contacted Fleet Command.

--""--

All my senior officers and a good number of other crew members had assembled in our Den. I had briefed them, that we were not allowed to openly pursue the matter.

Har-Hi played with a knife of his, skillfully balancing it tip first on a gloved finger. "I understand the reasoning of the admiral and an officer and XO I must agree, but we can not give up on our snowball. She is part of this crew. By the time diplomacy does anything, she might be dead."

Warner agreed. "She is not just any Togar, she's some sort of religious symbol. Nothing makes beings do weirder things than religion."

TheOther touched his little cross. "It also is a source of unprecedented strength, great art, and music. There is also a difference between religion and faith."

The Golden said. "She has the potential to tear the Togar empire apart, just for what she represents. To many, she is too dangerous to keep her alive. As we Golden are members now, we can't declare war on the Togar on our own, but I will make it known how angry we are."

Roghor came in, still limping somewhat. His magnificent strength and confidence seemed as affected as his physical condition. "It is my fault, our beautiful Jolaj is in their claws."

I got up. "No, Commander it is not. I read your report, it was well planned and masterfully executed by a person in personnel. I am still waiting for the detailed report on the details but it was Togar intelligence and an Enroe employee forced to comply to get their hands on Jolaj. That she is a young female and that she had relatives on the Togar side only came to light after we interrogated the Togar Intelligence officer. Jolaj told no one, and probably planned to visit that sister of her mother in secret and in disguise."

"Still, I should have known and prevented her from going."

"And she is beautiful, a female and she argued that it was safe under the shadow of a Union Battleship. Don't chastise you, I need you back in full strength. I have no intention of abandoning her, I am not sure how I am going to do it, but that's where you come in."

"Anything, Captain."

"Do you know anything about a pool of Malmoru?"

"Yes, that is a mystical, holy cave in the Golden Mountains of the Frarr Continent. The main continent of Togr."

"We think she is heading for that cave."

"The cave is a shrine to Malmoru and the Innocent Fur was supposed to be submerged in a pool of light at her twenty-third year of life." He stopped for a second. "Jolaj has just turned twenty-three."

"And that is where I will need to go."

--""--

The Vrigen observer shared the visitor's alcove with a dozen other accepted and approved guests of mostly independent species, that were not on the enemy and hostile list and maintained trade relations with Union companies. The Vrigen were not exactly the best friends of the Union, and their trade volume was truly insignificant. Maintaining a trade office on Pluribus was prohibitively expensive and technically not necessary, but with the trade office came a seat in the visitors' alcove. The Vrigen were pitiful weak and had little in terms of true defense against Dai raids and the once frequent visits of Karthanian slavers, but since they decided to accept Togar aid and secret leadership, they enjoyed Togar protection.

The Vrigen did not want to become Union members, mainly because their Benevolent Leader, and his dynasty would be the reason for failing the potential Union Member assessment.

The Observer had been picked for his loyalty and of course his close relationship to the Leader. He was not here to run the trade office but to keep a close eye on the Assembly and report everything to the Togar Queen's intelligence service.

A Union Admiral had just delivered a detailed report on the official end of the Union Shiss war. The four-armed lizards had unconditionally surrendered.

The All White First Nestling dead and Shiss Taa their homeworld under the military government of a Union Army garrison. Many thousand Shiss worlds, either utterly destroyed, rendered into nuclear furnaces or lifeless balls of dust.

Whatever was left of the Shiss military was decommissioned and scrapped.

Artex, the Vrigen knew the Union military was tremendously powerful, but not even here where he was exposed to Union power every day did he think the Shiss could be defeated so fast, so decisive and with so little loss on Union side.

He dutifully recorded his observations and witnessed four Assembly docket dealing with the Shiss war aftermath. The Purple Throat Shiss proposed a 33rd Colony memorial day and offered their cultural expertise to assist with the remaining Shiss. A proposal that was agreed upon.

Another dealt with Shiss prisoners of war and what to do with them.

It was all in all just another day at the Assembly so far. With clinical almost bored detachment did this mighty body of Union representatives deal and dismiss final issues regarding the once so mighty Shiss.

The Nul representative invited the entire Assembly and whoever else to a victory celebration. For the Nul, the utter defeat of the Shiss was a monumental occasion, but Artex knew in a few days the Shiss would be forgotten and no one would even remember this war in a decade or two to come.

This was of course bad news for the Kermac and in extend to all the independent known non Union societies of the M-0 galaxy.

The Big Four had ceased to exist, and basically, overnight a new term started to circulate, the Remaining. The new term included the Kermac, the Oghr kingdoms, all the independent and unaffiliated and of course the Togar.

When the high commissioner of the OOCA asked for a new docket to be added and immediately to be discussed, and the docket title spoke about a Togar crime, he no longer felt bored but sat up and listened closely.

The Oghar was well known and he just accused the Togar government of abducting Union Fleet Officers. That was about as serious as it could get, Artex was watching the Assembly long enough to know that this had the potential for war.

The issue was discussed but they had turned off the audio feed to the visitor's alcove.

The Oghr's avatar projection hovering over the Focus turned and looked directly towards the visitors' alcove and audio was restored. "This is the message of the Assembly to the Togar Empire, Artex the Vrigen. The Togar have ten standard days to return all Union citizen unharmed, including Jolaj Grotha. Should this ultimatum be ignored, this Assembly will vote upon direct military intervention."

--""--

The USS Tigershark had been ordered back to Christmas Base and I had to comply. I knew I was losing precious time, but I could not ignore a direct summon short of turning rogue and becoming an outlaw for real. Something I even contemplated for a little while, but of course could not actually do.

We had literally just landed moments ago when Director Cherubim requested to come aboard to meet with me.

Now the most mysterious of the Immortals was sitting in person across my desk with crossed legs. Her face I knew was a very generic looking female bioflex mask.

She had however identified herself according to the Blue-Blue-Red protocol.

After the official greeting and my report, she said. "I agree with the immortal admirals of course but I am also here to offer you an alternative. You officially take a vacation, the USS Tigershark will operate under the temporary command of your XO and continue to investigate the Ypeherix."

I stared at her. "And what will that do? Is that some form of punishment?"

"No, Erica, it is a chance for you to help Jolaj. NAVINT will send you on a mission, it is a volunteer mission of course. You can refuse and forget about the White Togar, but you can not order any of your crew to come along."

"I will do whatever I can to get Jolaj back. What is it I must do?"

"Come with me, I am going to Togr. The developments there are too important for our intelligence to ignore and I was told by Admiral Lydaa that you have previous experience posing as a Togress."

--""--

I had called my senior officers and basically told them what Cherubim told me and after a long argument telling my friends that this was not up for debate. Roghor and Suit however volunteered and Cherubim accepted.

I hugged Har-Hi after I had hugged and shook hands with pretty much everyone, and he said. "It is your ship and I will do my best to make you proud. Bring her back, captain."

Roghor, Suit and I then followed the mysterious Cherubim to her own small ship, she called Mirage. It was sitting right next to the Tigershark. About sixty meters long, apparently an old pre-Universal design courier ship of Terran design.

Without much ado, she took the ship right into space. There was no other crew aboard.

After we jumped into Quasi, she said. "Next stop, N'Ger."

"Why N'Ger?" I asked.

"It is where we all become Togar and travel to Togr."

--""--

"And there she goes," Har-Hi said with a sad sounding voice.

Shea sniffed. "Anyone else going like this, I call insane, but Erica will bring Jolaj back."

Narth was also in a strange mood. "Or make them pay."

"Well, everyone. She expects us to solve the Ypeherix problem."

TheOther said. "On one side the science corps and unlimited resources and on the other side, the little Tigershark..."

Xon said. "The Sci-Corp stands no chance."

Knnnt, the living disease came onto the bridge. "I apologize for coming up here and not being summoned, but I am looking for my roommate. Has anyone seen Meeze?"

--""--

Tobia the Magnificent was furious and scared at the same time after she had consumed the report sent to her by the Vrigen. Her military experts were still pouring over the Shiss war reports and images and they were just as terrified as the queen was when she saw them first.

The black-furred priestess of the mother goddess Lehloran no longer bothered having herself announces walked in.

The queen pointed at her war council. "How can we respond to this?"

"Your majesty, we know where the White Fur is. She is aboard a vessel heading for Togr itself. She is no doubt heading for the light pool. Once she is dead, we will offer the Union her body and apologies. We send a few Union slaves meant for our pots back and all is forgotten in a few months. The Union will not attack first, they never have."

--""--