Chapter 21: The Old Emperor’s Palace, Merpakt:

“Jason, this Palace is close to two million years old,” said Ergol as he showed Jason around. It was utterly magnificent, but with a different style to the other palace he saw so briefly on Skrept. It was ornate with fine carvings everywhere, yet there were few straight lines and passageways. The rooms had domed roofs with extensive landscapes painted on the walls faintly lighted, showing scenes of the outside planet. Some walls had detailed carvings of scenes of Cockroaches going about their daily lives, tunneling, building and at war.

Ergol watched Jason as he traced his finger above a series of pictures along one of the walls.

“We were sentient, long before those in the Collective, but not all of us achieved sentience at the same time. Our species was well ahead of the other Cockroaches and we were greatly helped by an ancient people who gave more than they took. The other Cockroaches were a hundred thousand years behind us. By then we had thriving civilizations and were traveling to planets some distance from us, with our primitive ancient slightly faster than light engines. We had been helped by the ancients and we helped the other Cockroach species develop. In time they joined our Empire and we lived in peace for a long time. I will tell you more of the history another time but suffice it to say that this palace is very old.

“Come with me I want to show you something,” Ergol said warmly, “you will be the first person in a million years to see what I’m going to show you.”

Ergol moved close to a wall in a comfortably furnished room with similar boat like chairs to those used in the Collective. He looked carefully at the wall. He moved his front claws cautiously into an aperture and then slowly turned them. A small section of the wall slowly opened to expose a passageway that looked as though no one had been in it for a million years. Several dim lights came on in the passageway, which surprised Jason.

“Come through Jason I promise you, you will not be harmed, but I cannot predict how you will react to what you see!” Ergol said grinning and waving his antennae excitedly. He led Jason down a shadowy passageway and then down a steep ramp into a square room that had tiny ancient exquisite paintings on the walls of a variety of creatures and scenes.

Jason looked at the nearest wall. None of the creatures looked familiar to Jason other than the Cockroaches. He saw large Slugs with Jellyfish attached behind their heads. There were odd ape like humanoid species carrying weapons sporting sharp pointed teeth. There were insects the likes of which Jason had never encountered, lizards with six legs, beings that looked like mist and others in unfamiliar environmental suits, but sporting four arms and some with eight legs, a unicorn like being with a scorpion tail and multiple legs like a centipede. Jason found the images disturbing. He found two other humanoid species one with elven ears like Porquenta’s originators, and one that looked like the people of the Empire but with very different uniforms.

“Jason these are some of the ancients I encountered and the paintings are mine.” Ergol remarked. “I cannot tell for sure which are your people, but I promised never to identify some of the ancients to anyone ever.”

Ergol moved over to a point on the wall and after careful inspection he pressed two points on one of his paintings. “It’s been a long time since I have done this and I have to dredge up very old memories from my crystals. My ancient brain begins to fail me, though the medical pod on your ship promises me that within months I will be a youngster again. I must admit I do feel more energetic. The medicine of the Collective is indeed amazing! Now watch,” said Ergol and pointed at a large table on a single pedestal very slowly rising from the floor.

From the table a small blue flame began to form. It rose four or five inches above the table. Jason began to feel a pressure in his head as if he was under telepathic attack.

“Relax Jason, don’t fight it, I promise you will come to no harm.” Ergol said to Jason on noticing his distress.

Jason breathed and relaxed while watching the flame hypnotically moving above the table. The flame enlarged and Jason saw a room within the flame beginning to form. There was some kind of being present within the room, but even with his sensitive Cockroach eyes there was too little light to see what it was.

The being appeared to arouse itself and Jason could feel words beginning to form in his mind.

“Who disturbs me in my rest? I have much work to do and I need my time of rest, let me look at you.” Said the being in a feminine sounding voice while looking directly at Jason. He could not see her face.

“Ergol, I see you, welcome back old friend I am delighted to see you have returned and I surmise that matters that we discussed a while ago have come to pass?” Said the being.

“It is true Nuswa, much time has passed and I have been in exile. I have brought along the friend who rescued me.” Ergol said.

“Of course, Ergol I know who he is, and I know his people. I have seen in your mind all that has transpired, you need say no more. I am sad your period of incarceration lasted so long, I did not predict that, but time does not have as much meaning for me as it has for you, yet I have missed your company and I have not settled easily knowing the evil ones lived in your home.” Nuswa said and then turned to face Jason.

“You and I do not need the artifice of the flame, move your consciousness from outside and you will see me within,” Nuswa instructed.

Jason could’ve sworn that he was looking at Porquenta’s older sister. Her voice was no longer heard within, but he heard her giggle, the pressure on his head eased as he relaxed.

“Ah, young Jason, you do recognize from whence I arose! I am the mother of all Porquenta like planets. I have been slumbering and resting for much longer than I realized.

“Ergol as I check my systems, I can see that I am sadly in need of much maintenance. However, I would suggest that you send all of the technicians and the scientists who will work upon me to visit Porquenta first, so that he can assess them and remove those who are malign and will sabotage me. He can educate those who will do the repairs. It will all move very much faster that way. My communication arrays are not functioning and neither are most of my repair drones. Jason if you will, please send Sheila and Claudette to the planet to see me. I can arrange with them directly what needs to occur and they can further assess for themselves the full scope of the problems I face. I fear I sank into a state of inertness with the lack of company and purpose! I neglected myself. It is sad to die of self-neglect and loneliness even for a machine such as myself. Sentience can be a curse when you are lonely.

“I regret I am not myself, I feel tired and my mind is sluggish. Let us arrange to meet again when I am repaired. Ergol I am pleased your incarceration has ended, but for both of you I regret the war is not ended, but the scope has grown,” said Nuswa as the table sank down and the flame extinguished itself.

“Ergol you promised me a surprise and I am well and truly surprised. I have summoned Sheila and Claudette and I have sent them the telepathic images of how to get here and what to do. They tell me they are in the palace and have reached the wall and ask your permission to enter.” Jason explained. Ergol waved his claw.

Jason heard footsteps two minutes later and was embraced by two excited young women.

“Jason, you and Ergol have other things that need your attention, leave Nuswa to us, she is precious to us and we will take great care of her.” Sheila the AI representative of Porquenta said as she pushed on the wall and the table began to rise again.

“We will take it from here and make all the arrangements necessary with the secretary of Ergol who has returned,” said Claudette the AI representative of Mars.

Audience Room of the Old Palace.

Three weeks later Jason sat next to Ergol and the representatives of the allies who sat in a long line facing the audience on a raised platform in an expansive conference facility in the palace.

Ergol rose and spoke to the room telepathically.

Jason suddenly became aware of Cyril, previously seated and now lurching drunkenly to his feet. He began to bleed from his ears and his eyes. He appeared to be having a battle within himself, “no I don’t want to do it”, he cried. Jason noticed his hand rising to face the Emperor. He placed himself in front of Ergol, but at the same time Julia stood in front of Cyril and blocked his hand while she struck with her other hand, directly into his face, smashing his nose backwards with her palm, then she cried out in pain and distress.