Chapter 23: Awake

I returned to the table where Har-Hi was talking with the former pirate captains and a former Union fleet petty officer, who had dealt with the Worm and now paid the price.

“We need to get back to the ship, right away.

“Har-Hi didn’t lose a second and got up, tossed a few Iridium coins on the table and was ready to follow me. Lemakr, the Togar said.

“What about us, Black Velvet?” “I have all the crew I need and I am in a hurry, figure it out.

“I was torn between showing them some sort of mercy, by letting them off the hook and following through and arrest them, but that was a decision I would face at another time. Right now I had TheOther on my mind. From since we came to this dwarf galaxy, there was something about the locals knowing more about the Y’All. We should have investigated this fact much more serious. TheOther was a Y’All and I was there when two of them were re-animated. A Kermac using a handheld device to control them. If there was one such device, there was a good chance there were more. While I hurried back to the Verti shooter, I told Har-Hi what happened. He and I jumped into the next downward heading capsule and he said.

“The local pirate Plostrak is a Pepino.

“I counted the levels and nodded impatiently.

“Yes I know we just sliced six of them.

““Let me finish, Captain. I just learned that the Pepino are supposedly been made to replace the Y’All, by the same source that made the Y’All. Captain, the Y’All came from the Leo II galaxy and not Andromeda as we always suspected.

““Odin’s beard! We, I mean the Union is looking to find the source for 1500 years...

“I tapped Har-Hi at the shoulder and jumped off the capsule conveyor. We were at the right level for sure, Har-Hi’s bloody purchase in that grimy white plastic bag was still hanging there. It had not been unnoticed. The underarm long centipede-like creatures had discovered it, and there was a wiggling mess of them right at the entrance to the corridor. One of them made a hissing sound towards us.

“Thiissss ourrrrs.

““No worries, it is all yours.

““Weee seeeze youh puht Graaphilj therze, noww wanzz it baacck?” “We have no time discussing why we abandoned the Grabilk, you can have it. Now make way or we going to add you to the bag.

““Wheeze arz the manhy, ezy kill one. Harz to kill all. Youzhe givz Graaphilj to wheeze. We helpz you if you wanz.

“Har-Hi was about to jump over the coiling things, but I stopped him and said out of a hunch.

“We are after the Y’All have you seen it?” The underarm long many-legged creature had a purplish hue and with the bloody smear, it almost looked like moving intestines if it weren’t for the thin arms and many legs.

“Wheeze seez much. Wheeze knoz the Yeeha, wheeze knows many sleepz inz rokkx.

“As much as I was in a hurry, I somehow knew I had met the true masters of this rock. The disgusting being mentioned many Y’All sleeping. I encountered TheOther and his partner while they were in suspended animation.

““I have urgent business right now, but I want to talk to you again. Maybe show me the sleeping Yeeha.

“The creature waved his small very sharp looking knife.

“Whhezze come whenze bringz Graaphilj, here.

““Deal.

“I then rushed on and told Har-Hi while we tried to find the correct shooter that would take us back to the platform where the Tigershark was sitting on.

“I have a feeling our friend is somehow remotely controlled. It is how I met him, he was controlled by a device Kermac agents had.

“Har-Hi tugged me on the arm.

“I think it was this one. I remember the blue walls across this shooter station.

“We took the downward running conveyor and I was again counting levels. Har-Hi said.

“I wonder why we never checked on this, I mean he is a real Union officer now.

““I think it was simply overlooked.

“I cursed.

“McElligott wanted to keep the existence of that device secret. Not even Stahl knew about the Y’All at first.

“My Dai friend could not have missed the level, because Hans and two Petharian Marines were right there. Hans was shaking a Pepiro quite angrily, while one of the Petharians had his battle claws extended and threatened another being. Hans snapped in attention as Har-Hi and I stepped on the large platform. While he did that, he had to let go of the Pepino. The big bruiser did not look very big or frightening compared to Hans, he staggered dazedly and quite bruised away “Hans, forget the parade ground attics, your information source is getting away.

“The big Saturnian grabbed the local pirate and he was visibly angry.

“Captain, they did something to my friend TheOther.

““That is why we rushed back.

“I stepped before the Pepino.

“You will tell me everything! If even the slightest harm comes to my friend, I will go to war. I will not hold back.

“The Pepino shivered and started talking.

TheOther was perhaps the first Y’All warrior crying, or wanting to cry as his physiology did not allow him to openly do so. He suddenly had no control over much of his body. It was as if someone else possessed him and made him do things he did not want to do. The impulse wanted him to go berserk and kill every one of his friends and associates. It took all his will power to only knock out Rak Nikors, his best friend and cabin mate. Even doing this caused him unbearable pain and shame. He would die for Rak, for everyone aboard and now he once more was forced to be a Y’All drone. A mindless killing machine without a will of his own. He staggered and resisted every single step he had to take leading him up a landing ramp of a spaceship. There inside was a tall brutish being holding a Mewook, the control device that gave whoever held it complete control over the Y’All. The being wore a battle armor and was almost as tall as the Y’All.

“How is this possible, Drone? Why are you resisting the Mewook?” TheOther wanted to attack his tormentor, it felt as if he was struggling against an invisible force that kept him from reaching his target.

“I am Ensign TheOhter, United Stars Spatial Navy. Set me free this instant. You made me hurt my best friend.

““I ordered you to kill, you are defective that is certain. I will gain much bringing a genuine Y’All drone to the Crucible. I command you to put on these restraints.

“His captor was obviously not very comfortable with a furious Y’All so close, despite his control device.

“You fear me, that is obvious. Your device will protect you for now, but it is not me you need to fear.

““I fear nothing. You are the last Y’All, you will be copied and I receive rewards beyond imagination.

““My friends will come and find me, and you will learn fear like no other when my Captain finds you.”

The calling signal of the Mewook did not just summon TheOther. Unknown to all but a species of scavengers, deep in a hidden and long forgotten cavern of this ancient asteroid were fifty crates. Big dark metal boxes attached and connected to machinery and systems created by those who originally created the Y’All and built the Crucible. The Mewook signal reactivated systems that slept for thousands of years. The first container lid shattered as a clawed fist of considerable size punched through it. More and more of the stasis boxes were forcefully opened. Giants that had not been seen in this galaxy for thousands of years, staggered with increasing mobility through wafting clouds of billowing steam. The first ones reached the solid rock doors and begun pounding and clawing the hard surface. Their claws digging deep into the reinforced stone doors. The terrifying spectacle of more and more Y’All coming alive was witnessed by a group of a meter long centipede-like creatures hiding in an old vent shaft, above the hidden chamber.

Narth slowly shook his head.

“I am afraid I cannot detect him. He is not a very active mind in terms of psionics, and he must have received shielding while he was at the academy.

“I wanted to curse and asked.

“If he is shielded then how did they manage to influence him?” “Are you sure he is not doing this on his own?” Har-Hi asked looking at me from the side. I stared right back.

“Are you seriously asking that? He might be a Y’All and all, but he is a member of my crew. I trust him as I trust you.

“He nodded.

“I do too, but that is my job as your XO.

““I am just worried. First Suit got hurt and now someone is remotely controlling TheOther, who knows to what end.

““He is a Y’All. He is quite resilient.

“Har-Hi said, trying to ease my mind. I gestured across my bridge.

“We got the most advanced ship and the best crew. There must be a way to scan and detect a single Y’All. If not, we will tear this rock down, bit by bit until we find him and make whoever did it pay!” Shea made a thoughtful face.

“TheOther was influenced only after he stepped out. Our shields must have prevented whatever signal is reaching him.

““Use whatever you need, and whoever you think might be able to help you.

““We find him, Captain.

“Elfi said.

“I think I already did. I tried to contact him via his com unit. He did not respond, but there is an active GalCom unit, less than five clicks from here.

“Mao took her data and said.

“The signal is weak, but it comes from that spaceship over there.

“SHIP did not have to be asked. The main viewer focused on a sizeable ship of unknown configuration emerge from a covered hangar and proceed with arti-grav towards the big exit hole.

“Everyone aboard?” “No Captain, Hans and a team of marines are still outside, as you ordered.

“Now was the time to curse.

“Har-Hi, get as fast as you can into one of our Wolfcrafts and follow that ship. We must not lose it.

“Narth tapped Har-Hi at the shoulder and both vanished. SHIP said.

“Lt. Hi is bypassing all pre-start sequences, but it will still take him, five minutes to get the fighter launched.

“This was not the Devi with a fighter wing on hot stand by. We did not have revolving starting tubes. To get a fighter space-born took much more time. Still, it was faster than getting all my crew inside. I was deeply concerned about TheOther and if that other ship went translight before we could follow, we would lose him. There was no telling where the destination of those abductors was. However, I could not leave anyone behind either. No matter how fast, Hans and my marines scrambled to get back aboard. Launching a fighter was faster, but would it be fast enough?” The alien ship had passed into open space. Mao spoke with grave concern.

“That ship is TL 8 for sure. It is already accelerating to TL and as fast as any of our standard cruisers.

““Har-Hi, status?” “Opening hangar doors now. I will be after them in less than two minutes.

“Har-Hi most likely broke the Union fleet record launching a fighter from cold engines, but he was still too late. He just passed into open space and gunned the Wolfraft to max acceleration, when the alien ship jumped into Quasi and was out of scanner range in a heartbeat. Hans and his team signaled boarding complete, just eight seconds later. Eight seconds was not much, but almost an eternity in this situation. Har-Hi’s voice was dry and carried his disappointment.

“The target went beyond scanner range before I could catch up.

““I know, it is not your fault. Please return to the ship.

“Mao said.

“We are not going after them?” He asked it before he had time to think, I was certain. I still snapped at him.

“And what course do I ask Krabbel to plot? This is not even our galaxy where we could make a guess.

“Soboby wiped his eyes.

“Did we lose him?” I got up from my seat.

“We lost him for now, but someone on this rock knows where they went. That means we will know.

“Then I walked up the ramp and said.

“Shea you keep working. I want to know what controls him and how we can stop it. From the I.S.T. Fivcheer stepped onto the bridge.

“Captain, the Confusor virus is ready, on your orders we can shut down their Psionic communications.

““Do it.

“Elfi asked.

“Confusor virus? What does it do?” The darker shadow, that was Fivcheers’s mouth, behind his natural face-cover changed into a smile.

“We had to name it something, as it is most likely the first psion based virus ever conceived. It takes the senders most primal emotions and fears and transmits them to the receiver. It overwrites any and all other messages.

““Alright, while they wonder what happened to their mind communication, we will squeeze anyone who might know where that ship might heading for.

““There are a lot of people on this rock.

“Roghor said.

“We might have to squeeze quite a few before we know.

““We start over there.

“I pointed at the main viewer and the hangar, where the other ship had left.

“No restrictions either, we squeeze as hard as we must.”

TheOther had been placed in very heavy and solid looking restraints, apparently made for Y’All warriors. A being looking very similar to the one that held the control device was sharing the otherwise empty hold. It too was wearing restraints, of a similar kind. The being stared at him and grunted.

“So you are a genuine Y’All. So much better than us.

““I am Y’All, however, I am unable to verify if I am genuine. I do not know what species you are, thus I am also unable to validate your assumption of being inferior.

““I am Plostrak, I am Pepino. Ever since this cursed He-who-guards-the-crucible lost the gene map or whatever it took to make Y’All, it experiments and tries to recreate your kind. The Pepino are one of these experiments and according to it, a failed one.

““He-who-guards-the-crucible is a being or an entity that made the Y’All?” “No, the Crucible was built by the Anadda and its original AI made the Y’All. Then came the Survivors and found the dormant Crucible and planted their AI in the old system. The new AI is He-who-guards-the-crucible.

“TheOther forgot his situation.

“I am a Battle Drone, I came to be on a drone ship. Sent to the M-0 galaxy to destroy and kill. No knowledge was given to me. Not our origin, not our purpose.

““Your original purpose, the one the Y’All were created for has to do with a truly ancient myth. It has to do with some kind of entity that seeks to reincarnate. The Y’All supposedly were to kill and destroy all civilizations this entity could find a host to reincarnate.

““This is our purpose?” “I have spent a long time researching all of this. To find answers and to find out why Pepino were inferior and not worth being reproduced. We come from the same place, you and I.

“The Pepino struggled without avail against his shackles.

“This is what the legends and the old stories tell. Then the Survivors came to this galaxy and they found the crucible as I told you. They also found the Y’All and an excellent tool for their revenge. I do not know the nature of their enemy, but they were called the Nurth or Nerth or something like that.

““The Narth?” “Yes, that sounds right.

“Again the Pepino strained against the heavy metal casing, placed like a heavy vest over his chest and covering his arms. He continued to educate the Y’All.

“I think the Survivors were what’s left of a once-dominant spacefaring society in that big star isle, of which we are a satellite galaxy. If my research is correct they were the Universal Colleagues.

““The Uni, the Universal Collect?” Plostrack stopped struggling against his restraints.

“You know the story after all?” “No, just the names. It all happened a very long time ago.

““Yes, but the rest of these Uni had become the survivors but left a calling device behind. A long range version of that handheld thing our tormentor used to capture us both. Its counterpart is incorporated in that new AI. Whoever was left behind was supposedly make the call whenever a Token of Power was found or a civilization rose, meeting all the predictions in a prophecy. Mind you, there are big gaps in my research and all of it is based on stories, legends, and myths.