Chapter 25: On to Phantas

Roy found himself waking in a huge bed, Tanya snuggled close to him, Partner behind them both like a giant living pillow. The window across the bed provided a vista over a green mountain meadow. It took him a moment to get oriented and remembered taking a shower and crawling more tired than he realized he was into this bed. A glance on his Wrist-com told him, that was six hours ago. The enormous bed, greatly expanded to accommodate Partner was part of this uber-lux master bedroom. The window displayed only a simulated view. He was still inside a Space-Train segment,

Tanya looked even more beautiful and for some reason more desirable than ever, without a lick of makeup and her hair in an untamed mess. She opened her eyes and blinked softly. “Good morning handsome. Did you find enough sleep?”

He nodded and asked. “When will this Train starting to move?”

“Love we are past Blue Moon already and about to hit Sol Hub. There we switch lines and arrive at Lamax system in about four hours from now.”

“I didn’t feel a thing.”

“There is no sensation associated with Space Train travel. Everyone always has these great expectations when they travel this way the first time.”

“I wonder why it isn’t extended to everywhere then. Why space ships or those Hyper-Highway Things.”

She sat up. “Space trains can only go where a train-station exists. Propulsion comes from these stations. Each train has a so-called pusher and puller unit. One in the direction of the destination and the other piece facing the point of origin. Our science has not figured out self-propulsion that works within one of these Blacklight tunnels. There is no course change possible, no variable speed settings and no stopping between stations. The reason we don’t have more Space Train connection is the cost, our trip, for example, consumed more energy than the Devi needs to reach Quasi Space. Nothing that is larger than ten meters in diameter can be transported and there is no communication possible with the outside. But it is the cost and it makes economical sense on very busy routes only.”

She laughed. “If it would be up to Dad, we would have them everywhere, preferably from Hubs SII built and manages.”

“So you guys really own it?”

“Technically the company does and it is a corporation with stock and all, but by all other measures yes we do. “ She wore the most provocative thing. Something pink, shiny and with little substance to hide what was beneath. “She put her head against his arm.”You better get used to including yourself when I say we. Unless you changed your mind, you are part of the family now.”

“I think I just can’t wrap my head around it.”

“I think no one but Dad and Yvonne truly can do that, and I think we should not make this the focus of our relationship.”

Roy got up. “I guess I better get dressed before we arrive on Sol Hub, so we can change lines.”

“They will take this coach and hitch it to the next train of the Sol-Spindlar-Quadi Loop. Lamax is the fourth stop on that loop. We don’t have to leave the train for that.”

“You say there is no GalNet?”

“You can make a connection while we are at Station stops. We will be at Sol Hub for about 40 minutes.”

“I like to call and find out if there are any news, you know.”

“We are reaching Sol in less than six minutes. Why don’t you make your coms? I fix us breakfast while you do that.”

She too got up in a most delectable display of smooth feminine moves, a flutter of chiffon and satin and hair.”Come, Partner, you can help me.” She said and the big animal willingly followed her.”

“Tanya, where is the terminal?”

“Everywhere, my love. There is a physical one in the study though.”

She left and Roy hastily dressed and then said. “System, Galnet access?”

She was right, a soap bubble-like insubstantial field screen established right before him. “Access possible in one minute.”

He impatiently waited, then the bubble took on a greenish glow. GalNet connection established.”

“System, identify Roy Masters, CITI access granted.”

“Identity verified.”

“Search for recent news regarding Martha Masters, my mother.”

“Requested person is listed as missing. A legal request filed by Masters, Paul Ph.D. biologist at Union Court Ribenna to declare Masters, Martha Ph.D. biologist for legally deceased.”

It was the first time, Roy openly cursed his father. “That damn bastard wants to get access to her account. She came from a much wealthier background than he did.

Roy swore that he would stop that if he could not find his mother alive. “System, connect me to Moke-Die, Belle-Home planet.”

“Connection established, Avatar connection possible,”

The Belle Bee’s size reduced projection established itself. “Ah Roy, my Podling, good to communicate with you again.”

“I am so glad I have met you, Moke-Die. Do you know if there are any news regarding my mother?”

“Yes, there are. The T-Cruiser was successfully intercepted by corporate units of Enroe and SII and has been destroyed. The surviving crew of this enemy unit triggered self destruct before they could be identified and placed in custody. However, a drifting Katharian has been secured by Fleet units and seventeen surviving individuals have been placed in custody. They describe your mother to be in the company of a Than princess and a monstrosity they call Nega-Ker. The three individuals so described escaped in a Tullerman Dinghy.

A craft of this kind has been observed by the Police officer at the scene and very recently a craft of such kind has been sighted near Phantas planet. It was pursued by a small Kerma scout craft before it disappeared and assumed crashed into the forbidden forests of Phantas.”

The man hiding behind the identity of Dimon Honshu for so long stared in the business end of a Kermac Line Blaster, Vooomt, the old Roid Manager and perhaps a son or grandson of the Old Bird held the weapon aimed at Half Dai. “I honestly wish I could act otherwise, but the threat of your Kin tearing this rock apart is serious and outweighs our business association.”

“I understand, no hard feelings then.” Dimon was suddenly engulfed in a forcefield and it emitted brilliant blending light. Vooomt did discharge his weapon, but after his hurting eyes were able to see again, there was a glowing hole in the wall. Dimon was gone.

Dimon had shed his favorite identity once more and returned to be Stomaal, the Mineral dealer. Stomaal was a grumpy Oghr buying rare ores. He did only little business here and then. Every miner knew of him, but no one missed him when he was gone. Stomaal had no connections to Dimon at all.

The man behind the disguise knew it would protect him only so far. If the Dai indeed raided the rock, they would take everyone and interrogate without mercy. The Dai were Than, but everyone knew Dai were brutal and did not mind inflicting pain and death to achieve their goals. There was a reason, the Hi were the biggest and most successful Tribe. A long line of the most ruthless and brutal leaders, utmost loyal to their allies. Without mercy towards their enemies. This stance was a core reason for the last big Tribe war and was the subject of many stories told by Dai and Non-Dai all over the vast regions of space that was not Union. The once so proud an almost equal tribe of the Na had been cut down to about half its former strength and the Cam of that tribe, skinned alive by the Old Tar of the Hi himself right in front of the Pale Ones at Thana Shoo. He knew this had happened over 400 years ago, but it would not ever be forgotten by the Na and many others.

This fanatical devotion to allies and friends, however, was equally legendary, the disguised man knew it well. The Co Tribe might have backed out, now that the Togar were here, the Hi did not know retreat,

This posed a serious problem for him.

While his alter ego, the Half Dai Honshu had excellent contacts to the Nul and these brutes could have swept both Togar and Dal out of existence, he knew the Nul did not want to anger the Union.

He cursed his own decision to take the Privileged and the Union female. All he was paid for was to get the Nega Ker and transfer her through the Secret Back Door, to a group of Kermac operating deep in Union space. Dimon, of course, did not know this, but Dimon was just a carefully crafted personality. The man who now pretended to be Stomaal, the Mineral dealer, was once born on Earth, long before the Ascent. Chosen to be one of the two hundred immortals, by that enigmatic entity known as the Guardian of Earth. Back then and so very long ago he was a low-level Nobleman on the court of the Spanish king. The Guardian had tasked him to crawl like a worm between the cracks of humanities society and take control of the hidden elements that shunned the light of the law.

United Earth was long gone and so was the Guardian. That entity and its machines to resurrect leaders and important figures of the human past had been destroyed by none other than Richard Stahl. The one they called the Eternal Warrior acted this way after the Guardian wanted to recreate the fourth clone copy of Adolf Hitler. In many ways Hector agreed with this, the Original and three clone copies had led humanity onto the darkest path. Hector was deeply impressed that Stahl managed to do this, something no one else dared to even attempt.

Without the Guardian and humanity becoming part of the Union, Hector abandoned his call and duty. With all the things he did, he could never be as evil and ruthless as that other Immortal, Rex Schwartz. The mega tycoon reflected the darkest side of humanity and managed to hide it behind a shining façade of the now all-controlling corporation Schwartz Intergalactic Industries, known to everyone as the Good Company. While McElligott built his fleet, Hector built his organization, known as the Worm. No longer with any other goals than advancing his influence and power.

This was the reason, the Nul and the Kermac became interested in contact. The Worm provided them with a convenient back door into Union Fleet affairs no spy could access.

Dimon became a prominent broker of information and secrets. This was the reason for his current troubles, because of a very secretive group of Kermac, a core group within their famous Ministry of Control.

The old legend of Necro fanatics creating powerful – reanimated monsters from the corpses of sentient beings turned out to be true. One of these forbidden experiment results survived in perhaps the most secretive MOC facility od them all.

On a marginal Gardenworld, deep in Union space were the forgotten lab facilities of the Necro while they were active in the very early times of the developing Union. Taken over by Necro Fanatics when the cult spread into the Kermac society.

The Gardenworld was marginal at best and the property of Edgar’s Bio-Tech. Just like the Slidebelt Company a cover for Kermac Clandestine Operations, but always under the auspice of the MOC, MOI never knew about it.

The easiest way to hide something within Union Borders was hiding it in plain sight. EBT had become an old company, existing for many hundred years. It never really sold anything, had a staff of employees, who had no idea they worked for the Kermac, running and operating glass houses experimenting with a variety of seed-based plants under various environmental conditions. The staff of EBT Inc. took occasionally part in industry-related conferences and trade shows and freely allowed Control Inspections of the Science Council, as every company conducting bioresearch was required to. The inspections had become rare, and if at all an inspector arrived every five or six years. Looking over the rows of plants. Taking the required samples and copies of the research work. The Union took Bioresearch seriously, as genetic manipulation was heavily controlled and regulated, but EBT’s work with seeds and traditional manipulation by cross-breeding did not register very high. EBT did the same for many hundred years after all.

Yet a planet was a big thing and secret operations could easily be hidden, and beneath a mountain range was the last of the Necro-Ker lab facilities. Forgotten and sealed for over 2000 years. Supreme Wizard Einvieach, the Kermac leader back in 2331 ordered the Purge including executions and mind wipes and the whole project faded into oblivion.

Hector did not know if the Kermac agents on Edgar’s World knew about the cache of forgotten Necro Tech or if they re-discovered it. However, he knew about the whispered rumor of an internal power struggle at the top of Kermac leadership.

There always had been a struggle between the Ministries and it was fought with assassins, intrigue, and denunciation. Especially between the three most powerful ones: Intelligence, Control, and Military. But this time and perhaps for the second time since the Necros tried, something external had infiltrated the Kermac society and was slowly but steadily gaining control. A force or group that did not come from any of the Ministries.

Hector knew much for a Non-Kermac, but he knew next to nothing of the details and the current conditions.

Gathering intel from the inside of Kermac society was very difficult indeed.

Only about two months ago he had been approached by members of that secretive group mentioning the threat of someone or something gaining dangerous levels of control over Kermac leadership and then they revealed to him that they attempted to revive the Necro experiments as the results of these forbidden and terrible dangerous experiments were completely inert and invisible to Psionics. The most successful result of these experiments had been transferred via the Secret Backdoor, into Freespace, but before the transport could reach its destination within GC space, it was stopped and raided by pirates.

Experiment Vengeance-Red was lost, but then it was spotted on Alvor’s Cove.

That was where he came in. The ‘Restorers of Kermac Will’ contacted him, explaining as much as they dared and assuring him that they were representatives of the MOC and not the current Kermac government. He instantly believed that, because most Kermac did not know about the Backdoor. That old artificial wormhole, a spatial short cut, was the very reason this star system had been shattered. That super exotic thing and product of along vanished unknown super society appeared at the same spot, the planets did not.

A very long time ago, a renegade Golden sold two control devices, one to the leader of the Bennett’s commonly referred to as the Old Bird and to someone on the other side. To this day Hector had not been able to find out who held that key device on Union side. However, either device was able to open the connection and create a transpatial connection between this Freespace system and a spot somewhere in the so-called Backdoor region of the Union.

Only a select handful of the most successful smugglers knew about this connection and paid a hefty fee to the Bennetts, but running and selling the best tech the Union had to offer was perhaps the most profitable business in these parts.”

He was successful and bought the Nega-Ker right from under the nose of the regular Kermac spy, a very unpleasant Chistel. If the young Bennett was correct, Ixato was now reduced to a cloud of frozen biomatter plastered to the side of a roid along with Emon and his crew of cutthroats.

That sudden end of the Vankux was still very disturbing. He had no doubt it was something the Black man or his partner did. Demonstrating an ability to stop and destroy a pursuing space ship using an unknown method or perhaps a very powerful psionic gift was more than alarming.