Chapter 15: Prostradoris

After nine days of event-less trans-light travel, we had dropped out of Quasi just outside the Porsthir home system. While most of the other pirates dropped well within the system, I noticed that Crimson was now doing the same cautious approach I preferred.

Hans told me that Kilkam asked if he could access the bridge. I sighed and looked to Har-Hi who shared my sentiment but nodded.”He knows most of it anyhow and bridge audio can be accessed from anywhere in the ship.”

I gave Hans the okay with a nod and a hand sign. The Wisdom keeper stepped through the main access doors and stopped while he slowly looked around.”Corflic’s eye! This is an impressive place indeed. For the last eighty years, I saw mostly Trontigmakader and Puup ships. I have seen the interior of Yotenen, Furze and Dawn ships. I always considered Porsthir ships the most advanced but your ship is so much further advanced than even Quanter tech at our peak.”

“It is the sum of our Union members engineering skills.” I said.”we don’t have to rely on one society technological advances but are able to take advantage of the knowledge and solutions of 5000 member societies.”

He came closer.”I am learning much about your Union from your fantastic library and the most pleasurable and friendly AI I have ever encountered, but I think the real lessons about this Union of sentients come by osmosis. It is a palatable almost physical thing that permutates everything and everyone. I met more diverse life forms aboard your ship than in all the many centuries I am alive. Yet they all have a common pride that reveals more about you all than any recording could provide.”

He looked at the main viewer and added.”You are the most deserving children to get the Inheritance for sure because you don’t even need it.”

“I hope that this Anagoge agrees with your opinion. He didn’t see eye to eye with you the last time if I understand it correctly.”

“You are a beautiful and very resourceful captain, but you are still young. Listening to your crew telling me about you, I think the Anagoge is in for a surprise.”

That comment caused open laughter on my bridge. Har-Hi could not maintain his serious Dai face and giggle.”He’s on to something.”

Mao also laughed.”Either she fights him or he ends up with us. There is a pattern, Captain.”

Even Tyron Suit found it amusing. “I am perhaps the most advanced piece of technology aboard, right after that Narth interface and SHIP, but I stood no chance.”

“You know Mr.Kilkam, she fought a terrible monster in an arena, just with an ax defending me.” The Nul prince said.”This action is the root cause we Nul are no longer enemies of the Union but are on our way to become Union members. If that Anagoge objects to us, I am sure we find that depot anyway.”

I felt embarrassed and told them to quit and concentrate on our mission.

The Wisdom Keeper crossed his arms. “I too will apply to become a Union citizen by the way.”

Elfi said.”Lormoog is hailing everyone with information on the Porsthir.

“Listen up, Captains. I do not want the Porsthir to be angry at me for leading you here. These evolved canines are among the most technologically developed in this region. They control a sizeable sphere of space with about three hundred systems.

They are very orderly minded and littering is a serious crime here. There is what they call a Pack of Leaders and a Top leader.

I am not sure they have battleships like many others do, but rely on very fast destroyers and corvettes and attack in packs. Their tactics are feared all across the region.

They have very powerful projectile type weapons and they release them in great numbers. Traditions and antiques are held in high regards and while our new friend the Wisdom Keeper claims this Wisdom of the Fifth business is not a religion, it is one here. No other temples or gods are permitted and it is the official state religion. The core wisdom hall is here.”

Kilkam nodded and spoke into the open channel.”He is quite correct and while I maintain that the Wisdom of the Fifth is not a religion because we do not worship Corflic or consider him a god. He was quite mortal and has been killed. We regard his teachings and directions as wise and thus we follow them.”

The Red Dragon responded.”Well, we are here to get directions to the Anagog and don’t do any pirating or littering. That especially means you Sandovahl. If you or your crew cause trouble here, I will be the first to denounce you and if necessary kill you, understood?”

“You don’t scare me, Thauran. My Killerbeast is a tough nut to crack and has very sharp teeth.”

Crimson chimed in.”You don’t listen well, Mister. You do not adhere to the rules I too will join the Dragon to make sure you won’t ever do that again.”

This sentiment was repeated in various ways but with the same message by the other members of our group.”

Lia addressed me directly. “How about you, Velvet?”

“I say we simply destroy the Killerbeast now and kill him before he can make any trouble. You are welcome to see if your sharp teeth are enough to scratch my shields and I do have a fine number of very good nutcrackers too.”

That seemed to have the desired effect. Sandovahl sounded much less confronting.”I am not stupid, I understood Loormog’s instructions very well. I didn’t come that far to mess things up.”

He then added.”How’re the conditions aboard that Silver Streak rust bucket, Wisdom Keeper? Decided to change your mind?”

“It is cramped as she said it is, and they aren’t the most amenable people for sure, but they are about as professional as can be. I value that over comfort anytime.”

I gave the Wisdom Keeper a thankful gaze and hoped he noticed despite my mask.

After the transmission was cut he said.”I am not going to kill my chances of becoming a Union Citizen by revealing what you so skillfully hide.” He glanced at TheOther with a smirk on his white face.”Besides, I doubt I wanted to experience a Y’All massage.”

It didn’t take long and we were hailed by the Porsthir and a flight of twenty sleek looking ships changed their course on a clear intercept. Another group of about sixty just left the orbit of the seventh planet. In case of a battle, we would be caught between them. A third group was coming from the nadir direction and an artificial space station of sorts.

My tactical opinion on these aliens was growing by the moment.

“This is Rurth Sundahr, Command giver of this Porsthir system defense. We noticed your approach and wish to inquire about your reasons for your visit?”

It was Loormog who answered the hail for our little fleet. “I am Lormoog, a Wutohf lifeform dealer currently assisting a group of visitors that came from all across the star spiral. They intend to visit the Wisdom Hall and speak to the High Keeper. We also might engage in some commercial transactions, buy fuel, perhaps sell some items on the local markets. We hereby request landing permission on Prostradoris.”

“We welcome you and your associates and landing permit is granted. We ask all new visitors to adhere to a few basic rules of our societies. We are transmitting those rules right now. Basically, we ask to refrain from violence, activities of criminal nature such as stealing, littering, actions that cause physical harm to other beings and their property. We allow most goods to be exchanged but we do not condone the sale or purchase of sentiments against their will.”

The Porsthir rose in my opinion already. They did not practice slavery.

Har-Hi said.”I like them already.”

Of all planets, I had seen so far Prostradoris was the first one I could picture myself living on. We landed on one of the cleanest spaceports I had ever seen. The planet itself was a perfect Gardenworld of the rare GWC 2A type.

But the city actually took my breath away. It was nested on a series of mountain plateaus surrounded by tall peaks and around waterfalls of various size and width. The city somehow managed to blend into the natural scenery without disturbing its aesthetics. Yet it was not a small city, but the capital of a spacefaring society that was on the verge of achieving Tech Level 8 and ruled over 300 star systems.

The spaceport control contacted us and requested that we remained in our designated landing berths. Crews that wished to leave the ship and spaceport facilities were asked to submit to a hygiene scan and register any weapons they might carry. Their use was highly prohibited.

“So how we are doing this?” I asked. “Is there a certain protocol we have to adhere to in order to enter that Wisdom Hall”

Kilkam slipped into his mantle and placed a dignifying headdress on his otherwise bald head.”A small group of no more than four from each ship should follow me. I am going to announce myself to the Principal of the Wisdom Hall above Corflic’s Tomb. He will ask each of you for a Token of the Fifth. To all but you captain, I will issue one of these Tokens.”

“Uhm okay. Out of curiosity is there some reason I don’t get one?”

He held up a metal disc of about ten centimeters in diameter.”This is such a token. Anyone visiting any of the Wisdom Halls spread across this region of the galaxy, can buy one from the Wisdom Keeper for a few coins or whatever local currency, after participating in a reading of various wisdom quotes. You would not have needed me to obtain such tokens.”

I wasn’t sure if I liked what I heard. Did the old man just admit to deceiving us all?

It seemed he could read me despite my Psionic shields and my mask I was still wearing. “You never really asked or inquired about those tokens. You didn’t even visit my Wisdom Hall, but I came to you.” He had a fine smile that reached his eyes.”Suss told me about you and I learned more about you from reading her mind. I came gladly when Marguug called me and told me who came to visit him.”

“Alright, Kilkam but that still keeps my question open.”

“I am getting to it, of all your great skills and abilities Captain. Patience seems not your greatest strength.”

I sighed.”Maybe not, so please tell me.”

He glanced at the viewport, as it had become customary aboard the Tigershark to raise the main viewer and thus open the view through our forward viewports.”We have a little time, so I will give all of you another history lesson of a far distant time. “I think you know the Seenians were ruled by a Queen. Koorinah the Mighty was her name. She was not the first female ruler of the Seenians, but the first one who made her gender an issue, not so different by the way as your Sarans.”

Elfi blinked.”How do you know about this”

“I am reading, watching and consuming your Union’s history with great appetite since I was permitted to board.”

I really tried to be patient and said.”If you don’t mind? Please go on.”

“You are female, Captain Olafson. One that was accepted by Tyron Suit as one with command authority. I am going to give you something that is way more than just a mass-produced token, any visitor to a Wisdom Hall can obtain. Something that can not be purchased anywhere and something the Anagoge will recognize.”

“You could not be any more specific than describing it as ‘something’?”

“Ah but I am a guest, not a member of your crew, Captain. I am here to see the end of the quest and the final chapter of the Inheritance. Grant this to an old man who is waiting for this for a very long time.”

I wasn’t too happy about that, but I could not really find anything wrong with Kilkam, the Wisdom Keeper. I didn’t trust him fully, and I had the distinct feeling he had ulterior motives that were beyond his wish to see the end of the quest. Maybe he was using us as a tool to gain it all for himself, but for now, he was the best guide we could find. That did not mean I bought all of his praise. One part of me wanted to trust him and applaud his wish to become a Union citizen, but the other part did not buy it. It was another old man who taught me to see everything from more than one side. What worked one way had to work the other way too.

Our guest had given the other pirates the same instructions and moments later Mao reported that there was activity at the boarding ramps of the other ships and small groups debarked from each.

I decided on Har-Hi, Shea and Narth to come along. While I had Xon take the Conn.

Unlike Union ports, each ship sat in an artificial crater, almost like eggs in an old-fashioned egg carton. The rim of our landing berth was quite steep and smooth metal. My fear that I might have to climb up those steep walls was thankfully not realized as our guide stepped on a red marked square that revealed itself as an elevator platform climbing up to the rim.

The vista from up there was as incredible as it was from the ship. I felt like a silver flicker fish looking over an immense field with a dimple like impressions, of which many were occupied with ships.

A robotic flier descended and Kilkan motioned us to board the pilotless thing that reminded me of a flying dinner plate with a shallow rim. Once we were all on it flew with considerable speed towards a collection of buildings that nestled against the steep walls of a tall mountain.

The flying plate docked into an open-sided facade of the biggest building, that revealed itself to be a spaceport terminal of local design.

The other pirate arrived or had already arrived on identical flying discs.

Lormoog and Kilkam took the lead once we all were complete and after a short walk, we passed through automatic doors into a large room with transparent walls. About a dozen Porsthir in hermetically sealed plastic like suits greeted us and one of the officials that did look a little like Attikans or like upright walking Nubhir wolfs said.”This is the first step for all visitors to our planet. We scan you for potentially harmful microbes or parasites. It is a necessary procedure to maintain an alien parasite free environment.

Surprisingly it was the Red Dragon who apparently remembered being a Union citizen once.”A sensible precaution, we have very strict hygiene laws from where I originate as well.”

Crimson was not so happy about it, but it was Captain Carrhrh the Togar who got really annoyed as the scanning Porsthir officer said.”I am sorry, Captain Carrhrh but we can not grant you permission to pass controls until you are decontaminated. You are infested with a very small insectoid life form.”

It must have been the laughter of Basoro.”Look at that seems it is you who is the mangy one and Lemakr who had cleared the controls also laughed.”Seems the Jooltar is right, you do have Nuganucks. What a disgrace.”, that set Carrhrh off and he yelled. “I teach you respect! I am not infested. You are lying canines. I spit on you!”

The Porsthir remained professional.”Mr. Carrhrh our scans reveal a significant...”

Lemakr made a disgusting sound.”Hygiene seems not a priority on that ship of yours.”

Carrhrh pulled his weapon and fired twice. First hitting the Porsthir agent and then burning a hole in the transparent barrier, and hitting Lemakr.

Because I was closest and had already feared this might happen, I was already in motion to prevent another blast. I shoulder tackled the furious Togar and drove him to the ground, following right behind.

Alarm sounds went off. Shea who had been right behind me rushed forward and knelt by the Porsthir, cut more protective suit and immediately pressed her auto doc unit against the exposed fur.”Captain, he is in very bad shape. Thankfully he is basic mammalian.”

Heavy armed security forces flooded the place and aimed their weapons at all of us. Their leading officer yelled.”Everyone on the floor and no moves!”

I signaled my entourage to do so and stayed right where I was. Carrhrh was just aiming his weapon at me, when he was pulled to his feet by two Porsthir in augmented suits while a third aimed a long energy weapon right at Carrhrh’s head.

Shea did not comply.”Guard, this officer’s life is in grave danger. I can’t adjust the Auto-Doc lying down. He needs immediate expert help.”

While I was on the floor the lead guard said.”He is alive?”

“The line blast, cut his pancreas, severed much of his spine and vaporized intestines and maybe stomachs. I have him in stasis and pain-free for now.”

The voice of the guard was less aggressive.”He is done for, the wounds you describe will leave him a total cripple if he survives.”

“Our CMO might be able to print him a new spine and I am sure we can grow him new organs.”

“What you describe is beyond our medical abilities. Whatever you can do to help him do it.”

“I need to contact our ship and get a medbot and our Chief Medical Officer.”

He nodded.

While Shea talked to the lead guard, his troops begun arresting us, by taking our weapons and placing tough looking shackles over our arms. They did that without saying a word. Then they stopped as they came to Kilkam, obviously recognizing him as a Wisdom Keeper. “Wisdom Keeper, please accept our apologies. Have you by accident arrived with them?”

“No, Guard. I am one of them, I traveled aboard the Silver Streak under Captain Velvet.”

“We won’t restrain you of course, but we must ask you to come along for the inquest.”

“I am under your authority.”

One of our own landing tanks arrived. The mission module had been changed to the Medevac package. TheOther was piloting and both Cateria and our snowball Jolaj jumped out. I was thankful they did not bring a med bot. Having a 4.3 million credits medical expert machine of the latest Union tech would have certainly blown our cover and a med bot could not be easily disguised.

The Prosthir guards clustered closer together and moved away from TheOther, who followed our medics carrying a medical equipment case.

Catera without much words pushed one of the guards aside and immediately begun to work on the fallen officer. The fact that TheOther was right behind her was most likely the reason he did not say or do anything.

Jolaj went to the barrier and said.”I need to get to the wounded Togar.”

The other hygiene inspector said.”No one is to exit this quarantine area before being scanned.”

In all this hectic and near chaos our beautiful Togar girl acted in the finest Union tradition with a cool head and said.”I am a medical professional and adhere to the most stringent hygiene procedures, but please conduct your tests so I may render aid to the wounded.”

The Officer scanned her and looked at his readout.”You are indeed the cleanest individual I have ever examined. Zero micro life forms.”

She pushed through and reached Lemakr who was sprawled on the floor, staring at his burned arm stump. Local EMT personnel arrived as well.

Cateria said to the Lead guard.”With your permission, we want to take him to our sickbay.”

“How is he, will he survive?”

Cateria flashed one of her ultra-rare smiles.”He is out of immediate danger and should be able to return to duty in a few days.”

“Return to duty? He is not going to be an invalid?”

“I don’t see why, unless there are psychological reasons. I am not a good Psychiatrist and he is a new species to me. But physically he is stable and all we need to do is regrow and print what the blast burned and vaporized. I just mapped his genetic code and it’s straightforward.”

The lead guard nodded, obviously perplexed. He watched as TheOther loaded the stretcher into the landing tank he and Cateria left.

He then said.”The magistrate will review the incident. The guilty will be punished and the innocent may proceed with their business.”

Captain Carrhrh now like the rest of us in restrains growled.”I care not about your peoples’ punishments. return to my ship and leave. You insulted me and that is the reason for my anger.”

“You no longer have that option. You committed violence and caused bodily harm to others. You landed on our world and thus you are under our jurisdiction.”

All of us were scanned and examined for parasites and harmful microbes, as we too passed the barriers. Jolaj stepped up to me.”Captain, Lemakr has lost his left arm and suffers wound shock. The local EMT people say they can stabilize him.”

The dazed Togar, now on a stretcher of the local med service kept staring at Jolaj.”The White Fur has appeared to me...”

He kept repeating the same words even as they floated him away.

To her I said.”Return to the ship, assist Cateria if she needs it, otherwise tell everyone to stand by.”

We were all herded into a windowless transport flier. Several armed guards joined us.

Red Dragon cursed and groaned.”What have I done to deserve this?”

I could have told him a whole catalog of things, the top of my list was a small but incredibly brave Holdian commander who lost her life because of that bastard, but I remained silent.

Lormoog said.”No worries, Dragon. This is a lawful civilization, we did not do anything.”

The short flight ended in a concrete tunnel and us being forced to walk single file along a stark corridor with cold industrial lighting.

In a larger chamber, another uniformed Porsthir barked at us.”We will see the magistrate shortly. Now we will search you for weapons and you,” He pointed at me.” You will take off that face cover.

Har-Hi said.”Why are we here and under restrains?”

“You are foreign troublemakers and associates to the coward that shot one of our officers. You all will likely be punished.”

Kilkam and an older looking Porsthir just then entered the room.

The uniformed guard turned.”This is highly irregular, seeing you here Magistrate Larpter.” He bowed to Kilkam.

“It is my task to determine if laws are broken, not your’s Command-of-Fifty. I reviewed the case and the visuals. Only the individual identified as Captain Carrhrh has committed crimes.”

Moments later we found ourselves in a courtroom of sorts with the easily recognizable elements of such a place. A recording of the event was shown on a big screen and a panel of apparent expert commented on it. Shea’s immediate action to save the life of the seriously injured and dying officer was mentioned several times.

A whispering sound of many voices rose as TheOther appeared and I could hear the word Y’All.

The magistrate, who now stood behind a prominently placed lectern said.”The individual Carrhrh will be retained and stays in custody until tomorrow. The others are free to leave.

The individual Shea of the Silver Streak is to be commended for saving the life of Urgum Sonmers, Hygiene inspector of Prost-Port.”

As we walked out the front door, Narth said.”It was really his decision, I did not intervene.”

I had a feeling that this was the case. While I was not overly concerned, I did have doubts about our mission in that concrete interrogation chamber and before that Command-of-Fifty individual.

Lormoog’s utterly alien head had nothing in terms of facial expressions, yet I could hear his sarcasm and relieve.”You guys are one messed up group for sure. I think I need to up my price to be your guide. I told you, I don’t want any trouble with the Porsthir.”

The Red Dragon was also visibly relieved.”We dodged the bullet there and lost another member, good riddance to him. He almost jeopardized everything.”

Basoro said.”Who knows what Lemakr will do, maybe we lost both Togar.”

As we stood there before this antique looking official courthouse building, we had a spectacular view. Across the granite slap paved street were stands of trees and then a deep chasm with several breathtaking waterfalls. There was invigorating fresh moisture in the air.

Kilkam now came down the ramp leading to the entrance of the courthouse we just left. As he was within talking distance he said.”The Principal of the Main temple will receive us and will show each of us the map in question.”