Chapter 10

Fivecheer and I arrived moments later at our Den. I was just sitting back down at the table as our little Holdian Engineer jumped out of his seat with a panicked shriek. I turned to see what had spooked him.

It was Cateria and the white furred Togar standing in the door. The Togar had her hands demurely folded before her and she looked to the floor. She was wearing one of the white dresses female Med-techs liked to wear and she looked strangely alluring and quite attractive.

Warner pointed at her. “If there is one thing Togar like more than eating humans, it’s chasing and eating Holdians.”

She whispered. “I wish not to cause any harm or trouble to anyone. It would be best if you let me leave the ship, or kill me.”

“You are not a prisoner, and if you want to leave no one will stop you, but we are on Sin 4 and three Togar battleships broadcasted a big reward for you over all channels. It would be suicide to go out there. I think you should sit with us and have dinner.”

The Holdian was moving close to TheOther and said. “Don’t invite her Captain, she might take you up on it and eat me.”

TheOther placed two of his huge arm pairs like a barrier around the Holdian and this gesture of protection was calming our little engineer down considerably.

I said.”No worries Mr. Warner, I am sure there is no danger at all.”

I got up and made an inviting gesture.

“Please sit and eat. We do not have human or Holdians on the menu, but I remember a Togar friend of mine and she said she prefers bacon and I am sure we have some of that.”

She raised her head a little and her green eyes sparkled. “You know a Togar and call her friend?”

“I must admit, I have almost forgotten about her, but through your presence I was reminded of the lessons of an old teacher of mine. There is a very small community of Togars living as free citizens in the Union and one of them is the Captain of a civilian ship.”

She moved with grace and elegance and sat down at the edge of one of the big chairs and she said to Warner. “Dear Mr. Holdian please be assured I mean no one any harm and I have never harmed, slain or eaten a Holdian and will never do so.”

The little engineer jumped over the arm barrier and walked with twitching tail back to his booster seat and said. “I am not afraid anyhow, I am a Fleet Engineer and we are afraid of nothing really, and I was merely acting, of course.”

Our Elly cook came in with a plate and placed it before her. “The Captain mentioned bacon. Mr. Narth teleports me into my kitchen before I even know it and SHIP already has the bacon out of the stasis freezer, so here we go, the fastest ever fried bacon.”

She whispered “Thank you, but I am not hungry.”

Her pink triangular nose over the cleft lips began to shiver and she timidly took a little piece and nibbled. Right after that she ate a whole slice and said. “Intha, intha, this is like god food.”

I motioned everyone to eat and the ice seemed to be broken as the good food pacified everyone.

The Togar female almost reacted like the Holdian as Krabbel came in and announced. “My shift is over and it looks like I am just in time for dessert.”

While our Archa pleaded with the Cook to change the planned pudding dessert to ice cream, I said to the Togar. “This is Lt. Krabbel, my Navigator and he is from Archa. There is hardly a kinder soul aboard this ship and of all beings you need not to fear him least.”

The Togar female said whispering. “This wonderful harmony on this table, all these different beings and they all have a home and a purpose. I think I am ready to leave now.”

She nodded and her eyes shimmered wet and Shea whispered. “Say something to her, she’s crying.”

I said to her.”Why don’t you tell us who you are, before you go?”

“I am Jolaj of Grotha. I was born to a priestess of the temple.

It is forbidden for those who serve the 431 Spirits of the Grotha to have children, except when the spirits manifest themselves through birth which had last happened many thousands of years ago. I was born on the feast day of Malmoru the Lightray Spirit and, because I have white fur, they elevated me and gave me the name Jolaj, calling me the one who saves the Togar from the wrath of the darkest spirit, the one that shall not be named and comes from a cold dark place.I am to unite all Togar, including the forgotten tribes that have left Togr so long ago.”

She raised her head. “My people are very proud and fierce and we are told not to like other species. We are ruled as much by our Queen as by our faith and religion.”

I noticed Shaka who sat at her other side, looking at her with great attention and his hand touching her fingertips and he said with a gentle tone in his voice. “It sounds like you are a living god among your people and should be exalted and celebrated.”

She turned to face him and said. “It was so at the beginning and I was schooled and educated and learned much about the outside worlds. I know of the Dai-Than, the Kermac, the Nogoll, the Karthanian and I was told about he Union. But then two cycles ago at my feast day, the Queen came to the temple to be justified by the spirits for another cycle and to question the holy smokes of the glowing pit about the future. The spirits prophesied her reign would see the coming of the Darkest Spirit and that this dark spirit would even disguise himself and shape itself as a Togar female. The Darkest Spirit would also kill her and all of her dynasty and great darkness would descent upon the Togar and the very light of the Galaxy’s center would be dimmed.”

Shaka took her hand into his and I was certain he was not even aware doing it and he said. “Sorry but that sounds like every other prophecy uttered by a thousand prophets on a thousand different planets. It is always the Darkness and evil this and doom and gloom that. I am sorry but I think this is how these religions stay in business. What I don’t understand why you are being hunted.”

“My old teacher warned me and I didn’t believe her. She said the High Priestess and the conference of priestesses hated me, because if I came of age I would make them obsolete. So when the Queen asked for an interpretation of the prophecy and how she could recognize the false Togar, they said that it was not Malmoru, who sired me, but a mangy Togar male possessed by the Dark Spirit that lay with my mother and that evil was masked in the fur of innocence. A widely broadcast trial declared me guilty of impersonating a goddess, planning to kill the Queen and conspiracy against the realm. I was sentenced to death, but in the dungeons my old teacher came to visit me and helped me dye my fur. I was herded out with the other prisoners to work the Happy Mines on the Neverwarm planet.

Our ship got attacked by the ones that sold me to you, and that is how I ended up here. I am the most wanted criminal in my society and you are all in danger. Because most of Togr would revolt if the truth came out. To all the Togar I am a Goddess. This is why the Queen fears me more than anything and must be destroyed.”

The big Y’All spread his arms and said. “Let them come, you are safe with us.”

Har-Hi said. “Our Captain will never yield even if the entire Universe wanted to get you. I also pledge to defend you and so will everyone on this ship. If we return you can become a Union citizen and that means the entire might of our civilization will be your shield. So, you pretty Togar Cat, cheer up and we find some things for you to do around here.”

Shea whispered. “I think our quiet Helmsman and our XO are quite smitten by the kitten and she is very beautiful in her exotic way.”

“I noticed, too.”

My gorgeous science officer turned to Nestor, who was eating like there was no tomorrow, pointed at the Itomarian Vision staff on the table. “Please let us talk about this for a moment. I heard you would know where other artifacts like this one can be found.”

He nodded chewing, holding a chicken drumstick in his right hand and a biscuit in the other hand. “Yes I do. Gothar the Dealer has four cases with writing like that and red spheres like that inside.”

To me Shea said. “Narth and I are quite certain, that this is indeed of Itomarian origin. This staff is a sort of a library access device and those spheres hold knowledge and records of that long gone, barely known and yet once very highly developed civilization. If even one of these spheres is still undamaged it could provide us with important information and advance our technology. A Saresii legend tells that the Itomarian knew the secrets of the Y’All invasions and how to end them once and for all. Some scholars believe they are the ones who made the Y’all in the first place. The Narth knew of them even before the rise of the Pree and the UNI.”

I turned to our eating guest. “Who is this Gothar?”

Nestor used a napkin to wipe the grease of his cheeks and looked quite satisfied. “He is a Lipsiar, non Union species from somewhere in the Coreward sector. He lives at the Village and buys the scavenged materials from the Skaakh and Stik; things such as Valuable Metals, plastics and everything else that might still have value. We can buy knives, chem-guns, food and such from him. Once a month or so he takes his freight skimmer to the Commodity Market and sells what we collected.”

The door to the hangar opened once more and Cateria returned, accompanied by the tall native. He too was clean now. His skin a pale yellow and he somehow looked as if his skin had been stretched over an elongated human skeleton with a pointed skull. He was at least three meters tall and his arms almost reached to the ground, he reminded me of a Spindlar, only that a Spindlar looked fat compared to him. He bowed before me and said: “You are the Chief of this flying Village?”

“Yes I am.”

“I am Camael Sincenine. I am the Chief of the Um tribe and Chief of Chief in the meeting of Elders of all People. I am good friend to Nestor.”

“I am glad you are better, Chief.” I knew I could not let him go back before Narth had wiped his memory or placed a hypnotic block.

“Nestor has told us so many things about the Union. Is it all true?

“I do not know what he told you but I am sure it is more or less so.”

“Nestor told us that we are the true owners of our World and that the Union law would say so.”

“Yes the sentient native life form of a planet is by Union law the rightful owner of their home world. However this is not Union Space and our laws mean little. We must be here in secret.”

“No it is not true. Nestor says that everyone can become Union and then planet becomes Union and Union comes and kicks off all Mighty Ones and we are free people again.”

Har-Hi whistled. “You know, he is right. If the Stik would officially ask for membership, then the Freespace status of Sin 4 no longer applies. Any Civilization, including the ones in Freespace, have the right to associate themselves with any of the Big four. That is so stipulated in the Freespace Treaty. No one can argue that the Stik are the rightful owners of this world.”

Nestor nodded. “That’s why the Cartel tried to murder all Stik. Stik are not allowed to speak in public, cannot use flyers and are not allowed to leave on space ships. The old Cartel bosses have seen that danger and wanted to eradicate them all, but the new generations don’t even see the Stik anymore and pay no attention to them. I studied the treaty, and I knew this would be the solution one day. I never dreamed it would happen in my lifetime.”

I played with my braids as I always did when I was thinking and said. “This presents a problem. I need to call Fleet HQ about it. But first I need to ask you, Nestor, for a favor. I need to find and talk to this Gothar and I best do it incognito. Could you lead me to him?”

“Yes Captain Velvet, I will.”

Har- Hi agreed. “It would not be out of character for a pirate to look for spare parts there either, or to buy a load of stuff to pay for a trip instead of flying with empty cargo holds.”

Zorgo Cave

I missed the Battle Armor greatly as I followed Nestor through the twilight of the coming night. The air was putrid and stank, almost as bad as the Enviro Tanks. I wore my black leather outfit, a tight leather mask and a cloak with hood. the Leather was lined with micro mesh, no animal or bladed weapon could do me harm. The personal force field generator on my belt was the last line of defense, it was currently off, not wanting to put all my cards on the table.

Narth monitored my mind and could teleport me out of danger, so I was as safe as one could be in a situation like that. I still didn’t feel too good, especially after Nestor warned me what kind of surprises could hide between the trash. The Village, he told me, was a Skaakh settlement in the middle of Trash Island, made of old shipping containers and crates. The Village Skaakh had organized armed patrols and guards to fend off the bigger, more aggressive vermin that made trash island such a dangerous place. Narth had dropped us off about half a click from that village, so we could reach the Village unobserved. I was sure there were eyes on the Tigershark ever since the Togar had broadcast their demands all over the system. While I made sure we broadcasted back on the same channels, I was sure there could be some who didn’t hear all of it or didn’t believe my story.

I knew I was walking on thin ice in regards of our mission and that exposure could lead to serious repercussions, all the way to open war.

I kept my hand on my blaster under the cape and wished I had added a breathing mask to my disguise. Nestor knew his way around and avoided nests of curling tentacles, well hidden at first and exploding to life if something came near. The air was filled with insects of various sizes. I held the hood closed with one hand while Nestor was almost unmolested.

Before we went he had had held up a dirty tub and explained.”The Stik make this ointment and it keeps most of the nasty stingers away, not all of them but most. I politely refused the smelly paste he had lathered all over his exposed skin.

We finally made it, and after one more turn around mound of rotting plants and paper there was the village. I had rarely seen something more depressing. About twenty large shipping crates with plastic film roofs and dirty curtains stood in a rough circle around a large Standard freight container with an added lean-on out of wood and plastic planks. About a dozen fires burned and two meager, dirty looking men, one human the other some humanoid species I did not recognize, stood by the closest fire holding those primitive one shot projectile rifles. They grabbed those weapons but recognized Nestor and made surprised faces as they saw me. He exchanged a few words with them and simply pointed at the large container and they nodded.

We went into the lean on through a plastic curtain. Nestor took a spray bottle from a shelf and sprayed it all around us. “It’s to keep the bugs out as much as possible. Gothar doesn’t like us dragging them in.”

After that decontamination procedure we entered the actual container, there was artificial light from Lumi-Plates, shelves with knives and a dozen crude made rifles on one side. Barrels and boxes filled with metal pieces lined the other side. There was a crate with damaged ArtiGrav Coils next to a open sack filled to the brim with little metal disc, a tightly wound bundle of plastic film and a barrel full of E Boards, all damaged and worn. But right there were four tetragon shaped boxes with the same alien writing, filled with dark red fist size glass like spheres. There was a counter in the back that was a steel plank thrown over two barrels. Behind it sat a bird like, featherless creature with a large yellowish beak and small staring eyes. The creature was about man size and what went for wings had turned into arm like limbs with three fingered hands. He eyed us, especially me, with suspicious stares and then he said with a croaking voice. “Nestor, Nestor my old friend, are you coming to settle your account? You still owe me six Copper Flops or merchandise of same value.”

Nestor pointed at me and said. “This woman I met on the Mainland wanted to talk to you. I told her you have plenty of ArtiGrav Units.”

The yellowish beak looked sharp and a little black tongue flickered between the half moon shaped beak halves. He said with an unfriendly accusatory tone.

“You had enough coppers to get a ride to the mainland and did not pay me first? Well we need to talk about that later.”

The little speaker in my ear whispered. It was Har-Hi. “The Old Merchant is back. He is now seeing what you see and will give you advice.”

I was connected via a safe Transdim link to the ship and the tiny camera built into my mask transmitted sound and image.

Gothar the scrap dealer now turned to me and said. “I usually don’t do business with folks I don’t know. It’s a habit that has kept me in business for a long time.”

Hearing Sobody’s voice in my ear, I simply repeated what he said. “I am sure Ms. Polo Coin will do for a name right now and this is a name that should be familiar to you.”