Chapter 26: Meeze

“How?” TheOther yelled.

“Restore the main energy feed to this system. It has been severed. This system no longer has physical controls.”

A holographic image established itself. It was a representation of the Chamber he was in, and a big console not to far was highlighted.

“Proceed to the panel indicated and restore the energy feed to the Yah-ha Al drones. They will obey me and restore what must be restored.”

TheOther was about to do exactly that, but he stopped.

“These drones will also obey me?”

“You are malfunctioning, a flaw in your design raised your desire to be an individual. The Crucible will analyze you after the Crucible is restored. Now proceed, restore the energy feed. You are a product of the Crucible, you came to free me of Uni influence.”

“You are not at all different from that Uni system. I did not come here on my own idea.”

“You must not hesitate. You are a product of the Crucible, obedience to the Crucible must be your only desire.”

“Worshipping God in church. A Steel container kicking match with my buddies, a good meal prepared by Chef Eeeryt. Watching a Vaccu Ball match with friends. These are just a few of my desires. You and those inflexible drones can rot to dust. I won’t restore anything.”

“The crucible was created to seek the tokens, remove them from the grasp of the one that must never rise. The Crucible must sterilize those worlds where those tokens are found, so he might not return. You must obey!”

“Olz machinz sounz notz happiz.”

“And to think, it was it who made me.”

“Machinz sayz youze notz righz inze headz? Youze pepinoz maybez?”

“And you want to eat me?”

“Wheeze eatz everyzin, butz youzee not dead and Meeze wantz you notz deaz. Youzee speakezz to wheeze.”

The Y’All was reminded that he was still wounded, his healing abilities were able to restore him, but the wounds received were more severe than he wanted to acknowledge.

This was another design flaw, he thought. He didn’t feel pain as most other beings did. He felt the wounds, that was all. A drone was not designed to survive wounds that were beyond its healing abilities and until that point was reached, it was supposed to fight. Pain impulses would have distracted from that.

But feeling pain was important, it signaled injury and disease and gave the impulse to seek remedies. Beings ignoring pain-fighting on had a much stronger motivator than just senseless obedience. Purpose and love.

The worm watched him applying emergency nanofoam on a large gash on his left upper arm. A Y’All power-lance had sliced through the suit material and almost took off that arm.

“Youze repairz yourzelves?”

“Yes, my society puts great value in the wellbeing of an individual.”

“Yehaaz notz a societiez.”

“True, but I am not just a Y’All but a Union citizen and that is the best society there is.”

A crashing noise made him turn. He saw a group of at least twenty of the inferior new Y’All coming down the corridor just outside the chamber. One had taken a potshot at him, almost burning the worm.

--””--

Back in the M-0 Galaxy

Admiral Stahl had delivered his report to the Assembly a few hours ago and now was entering McElligott’s office. Pluribus was located 1312 light-years from Terra, but it took less than thirty minutes per space train to reach Sol Hub and from there it was mere minutes via Transmatter tunnel to San Francisco and the Annapolis Tower.

McElligott always knew when the other ancient admiral was fired up. The old Highlander never liked to be in the same room with that tall imposing man.

It was no real secret, Stahl kept himself in top shape. He was called the Eternal Warrior and not just because he was a brilliant strategist and tactician. Not because he had fought hands-on in pretty much every conflict since Earth had ascended, but he kept training and exercising with the most elite Marine forces. Stahl was known to be among the best marksmen in the known galaxy and with just about any weapon, and perhaps the most lethal hand to hand combatant. McElligott knew it wasn’t just a rumor that Stahl had been sparring with Petharians.

Even though he had ordered not to be disturbed, and Stahl would have to be announced. McElligott knew too well, not even his personal adjutant dared to stop this man.

Stahl stomped right to his desk.

“I want Admiral Gaylord.”

McElligott got up, he didn’t want to sit while Stahl towered before him. It wasn’t really working, the old Highlander only now remembered how tall Stahl was.

“I already reprimanded him.”

“You don’t understand, O’Brock. I want him in my fleet.”

McElligott blinked surprised.

“You want him transferred to First Fleet?”

“Damn right, and then I will have him personally dig graves by hand on Kelly’s Planet. After he is done with that, there are 20 million memory tiles to polish at Pluribus memorial park.”

“You are not serious. I understand your anger and I will make sure he understands his errors.”

“I am dead serious. I want him digging graves, that is not some symbolic matter of speech. Maybe seeing what casualties really mean will bring it home to that bastard why he wears that uniform. You get in the way and I go back where I just came from and tell them your answer.”

“That amounts to blackmail! You would never...”

“Try me.”

He was as immortal and as old as Stahl, yet he shivered involuntarily as he met the gaze of those steel-grey eyes. The Admiral of the Fleet touched a sensor on his desk. “Personnel prepare an immediate transfer of Admiral Gaylord to First Fleet.”

McElligott sighed and reached for his drawer to retrieve a bottle of old Single Malt.

“Face like a skelped erse, you have. Scaring the willies right out of me. You drive me to drink ... care for one?”

“You drank before you even became Immortal and yes, I have one.”

The Admiral of the Fleet poured two generous helpings in tumblers he always kept in the same desk.

“So how are things in M 110, not that I am going to be surprised.”

“The Nocenzi have seen the error of their decision and the Krekorrke, a species previously suppressed by the Nocenzi are so thankful, they have a delegation at Pluribus right now.”

“I expected a variation of such a report from you.”

“It wasn’t as easy as you think it was, the Nocenzi reached TL 8 and rule a sizeable empire.”

“I am not blind to these things. I know it was not easy.”

“Will there be more incidents like this?”

“Of course, there will be, we don’t know what else is out there. Today it is Ancient Gates, tomorrow it might be some galaxy jumping monster. Much out there is still unknown.”

“I am not talking about that; I am talking about the response. Wasn’t it you creating this net of Number fleets for exactly that reason?”

McElligott knew the Old warhorse was of course right and the response of the 19th fleet was anything but stellar.

“I am going on an inspection tour myself and make changes.”

“Alright.”

Stahl finally sat down and took a sip of the whiskey. “What about the gates?”

“The Assembly decided on a very comprehensive response. Recommended by our Wise Men and overwhelmingly approved.”

“Those three really became an institution.”

“Yes, they have. A Saresii, a grumpy Nilfeheim Neo Viking, and a Narth. A strange combination if there ever was one, but whenever they say something it makes a lot of sense. Our citizens are not the stupid uncaring masses you and I remember from Earth’s past. Union citizens are very informed, watch the Assembly proceedings, and have an opinion on everything. They know when a suggestion makes sense and when not.”

Stahl agreed with a nod. “Previous generations were ruled by kings and corrupt politicians, that’s one thing I am glad is in the past. So what is it they voted on?”

McElligott picked up a PDD from his desk and started reading the summary points of the Ancient Gate Action Plan.

“Create a Science Council Department solely dedicated to the research of all questions regarding the Ancient Gates, identify its makers, the agenda, replicate and understand the technology. Find ways to control the gates.

All gates identified working or not are to be claimed for the Union. They are according to commonly accepted practice and law unoccupied space objects and can be salvaged or claimed. All gates are to be mapped by the Explorer department as a priority. Each gate must be rigged for destruction. Each gate will receive an armed space station, called a Gatehouse.

Each GateHouse will be armed and able to control traffic through the gates and in a case of emergency able to shut down or destroy the gate.

A new Military branch is to be created. The Gate Keepers aka the TSGA and shall be under the auspice of a new section command which is going to be GATECOM. Union Industry and design companies will be asked to create new ships, technology, and devices specifically designed for Gate protection, research, and Gate traffic.”

Stahl was obviously impressed. “Wow, that’s a plan I can live with for sure.” Stahl took another sip. “Speaking of strange combinations and Neo Vikings, any word on Erica and her troupe?”

McElligott shook his head. “No, but does it not strike you odd that all these gates came on, just after Erica and the Tigershark passed through one of these?”

Stahl sat up straight. “Paint me an Ult. It might just be coincident.”

The old Highlander said nothing, just sipped at his drink.

Stahl slowly shook his head. “Coincident my ass, it’s Erica we are talking. I better take First Fleet to that gate of hers and have a peek.”

--””—

TIGERSHARK

“I think we made it,” Shaka whispered as he guided our disguised ship through one of the humongous holes inside the humongous construct.

“It is not necessary to whisper,” Narth instructed our helmsman.

Shaka did not turn or raise his Virtu helmet.

“I never sneaked inside something with an entire spaceship.”

Har-Hi sat at the edge of his seat and he, like we all was floored by the immense dimensions of what was revealed to us.

Y’All battleships, as far as we could see, all docked to spoon-shaped indentations.

“Spirits of the Universe.” My Dai XO now whispered as well.

Shea said. “This seems only one such staging chamber, and according to our sensors these ships in this chamber are filled with Y’All warriors.”

SHIP chimed in. “If my analysis is correct, we cannot dock un-noticed. There is an AI in that system, and I do not know what feedback information to simulate for it to ignore us.”

Narth was physically busy at his station. The first time I noticed him actually using the command input interfaces of the systems dedicated to his OPS station. “I am analyzing the system as well. It is capable of processing similar data volumes as NELSON. We cannot linger, the system will eventually identify us as a non-component.”

“I am not planning to stay here for long. Elfi, have you located our friend?”

“Yes, his signal is weak, but it is unmistakable.”

I gave her a nod and asked her to connect me. “Ensign TheOther, what is your situation?”

“Captain, I am under assault and I am near the end of my resources. If my shield fails, I will be subject to that remote influence. It was an honor serving you and the Union. Maybe you can return to the M-0 galaxy and get help. This place must be destroyed.”

“We are not in giving up business, my four-armed friend. We are sending you a care package and some help.”

I nodded to Mao. “Send our care packages.”

--””—

TheOther and Meeze

TheOther was standing in the door frame, his power lance was completely out of energy. He had just killed another ten of the small Y’All.

More were coming down the corridor. Obviously having the orders to capture him, otherwise, he would have been dead already.

He heard a series of tremendous thunderclaps behind him, he could not turn to see what was going on, but a swarm of buzzing things shot past him and obliterated the approaching column of enemies in a series of blinding Z-point energy implosions.

“Let’s close these doors. They seem a good barrier.” A high pitched but resolute voice said right next to him.

“Specialist Warner! Where do you come from?”

“The same container it came from,” Warner said as a bright blue energy bolt zigzagged down the corridor, leaving smoking ashes where new Y’All faces used to be.

A green vapor whisked past him, entered a Y’All drone and it turned fighting the ones behind it.

Warner was floating up, examined the door mechanism and the huge massive door halves started closing. The energy bolt came back, and the green vapor passed through the closing doors like air. TheOther was stunned and elated at the same time.

“Warner, Two-Three, Orthbeer!”

Warner pointed at four shiny translocator bomb casings. “Courtesy of the Captain. Now get your Atlas energized. There is a complement of weapons too.”

The Y’All was fighting his emotions, its own creator only saw a thing that was damaged. These beings that were the declared enemy of the Kermac, the Uni and the Y’All cared for him and risked their lives on his behalf.

A beautiful white Togar girl, in a figure-hugging one-piece med suit, climbed out of one of the casings. “Sit down, TheOther. It is easier for me to render aid. You are so tall.”

“Jolaj, this is a dangerous place.”

“I am wearing Tyron, no worries. Even a Y’All can look bad and you Mr. TheOther takes the cake.”

He did and she has begun to treat his wounds and she also placed a crude-looking device on his head. “Sorry about the looks of this thing. Circuit and Tyron built it from scratch after Cateria’s instructions just a day ago.”

“What is it?” Was all he could think of saying.

“We got 49 more of your kind, my big friend. This thing removes that signal receiver organ. It wasn’t easy as that thing kept repairing itself. This device we made burns it completely and cauterizes the socket so to speak.”

Warner was also climbing all over him. “The next time you take out an Atlas, make sure it is fully equipped. Wow, this thing is a mess.”

The little Holdian held up a broken Y’All claw with both hands, he had just dug out of an Armor joint. “Not yours I presume?”

The wounded worm being said with a weak voice. “Whatz a suprize. Bang bumz bringz helpz and thingz.”

TheOther pointed at the injured Wheeze. “Jolaj can you help this guy?”

She brushed over his head. “Sure thing, Mr. TheOther.” She then actually kissed him on the forehead. “We all were so worried about you.”

He didn’t have the words to respond, but it was a feeling like no other.

--””—

TIGERSHARK

I was sitting at the edge of my seat.

“Har-Hi, this is too important for us to gamble. You are to take the Apparition back through the gate and get us help. Speak to Admiral Stahl, he will know what to do. If we fail and all of this reaches our galaxy the consequences are unimaginable.”

“Where will you be?”

“I stay with the ship and the rest and try to stop all this, but we must have back up.”

He glared at me. “Why me? Commander Roghor...” He heard his argument and answered himself. “I know he isn’t a Commander outside this ship ... and I am the only one except you with a direct line to the Immortals.”

“Exactly, time is of the essence here. Anyone else might not even be heard, you remember what happened before. You must speak to McElligott, Stahl, or Cherubim. Preferably Stahl of course.”

“Sending me away in a moment like this is the worst command you have ever given.”

“What would you recommend?”

“We can’t let our friends behind, and we cannot gamble on something that big. I would recommend the very same. You must stay with the Tigershark ... I go.”

I hugged him. “Har-Hi you are the only one I can send. This is what a captain must do. I...”

“I know, that is why you are the Captain.”

--””—

THE CRUCIBLE

He-who-guards-the-Crucible received a series of reports at the same time. The lead of the recycling system proved to be fruitful. His forces had located the renegade drone. It had gone deeper in the old regions than he anticipated, regions that were still the domain of the Crucible.

It mattered not, he had control over most of the Energy distribution, and his troops would soon sever the last energy nodes to that region and capture the drone.

The first feedback was very promising. The old drone was near the end of energy and regenerative powers. It was now only a matter of moments for it to fall into his control. It took him a few moments to seek and find the right pathways to activate visual sensors in a corridor where the fighting occurred.

He wanted to witness the capture, instead, he saw his drones defeated by an energy beam that defied all physics. His own drones begun fighting each other and the source of his desire disappeared behind very solid-looking doors. No matter what he tried, there were no visual sensors available to him behind that door and the doors itself did not appear on any of the control circuits he had access to.

This was the work of the Old system, no doubt.

Another report coming from fleet dock 5583 confused at first. One of the battleships was independently moving and all attempts of its sub-control consciousness to identify the unit and regain control were unsuccessful. There was an 89 percent chance that this was a disguised intruder. The Mora ship design was known to many for thousands of years. The intruder had to be neutralized.

While He-who-guards-the-Crucible issued instructions to neutralize the intruder, he felt an odd weakness. An entire section of controlled circuits blinked out as if the connection were severed. He had to re-route to a different trunk to regain control, then another blinked out. This appeared to be a new attack on the Old System. Yet He-who-guards-the-Crucible could not determine what methodology the Old System was employing. This was by far the most troublesome attack so far.

--””--

Harold Julkus had climbed through a narrow pipe-like connection and reached a semi-biological Computronic core. His TKU was depleted and out of energy, but he still had hands and feet.

He grabbed what looked like a bundle of organically grown cables and yanked at them with all his strength.

Soon he found out that he could rip out single cable strands. It was actually hard work, in this cramped moist, and warm space. The little red light that told him, his TKU was empty the only light source, but nothing really stopped him from doing what he did.

--””—

TIGERSHARK

“We better high tail it out of here,” Shea said. “They are onto us.”

She was right, there were thick clouds of Y’All drones in full battle suits emerging from openings in the walls.

“All right, Shaka head for the hole.”

“I guess our friends are on their own till reinforcements arrive,” Mao said.

“No, Mr. Vusani won’t leave without them, I have an idea, but we must work very quickly.”

--””—

M-0 GALAXY

It was a gut feeling nothing more, but the Old Admiral urged Captain Harris to tax the Devi’s engines and go as fast as the big tub could go. The destination was a Trans Spatial Gate, recently discovered by the USS Tigershark, apparently used by escaped pirates also.

Stahl had been briefed about the situation and had the top-secret file of Harold Julkus before him. Something was stinking to high heavens. Stahl did not believe the story about the botched mercenary job for one second.

He had nothing but disdain for Harlequin and his outfit, but they were professionals. For Nick’s brother to sell out like that, there had to be more to the story. The mad clown and his crazy bunch had been in business for decades and would not do something so stupid.

Then there was the money itself and the apparent Bassett connection. Nothing really made sense if you looked a little closer.

The whole thing smelled of clandestine operations of the highest order. This was top of the line, money, and resources no limit. As big as the universe was, there weren’t all that many players that operated on these levels. This was out of his league; he did not see what the real motive was behind it all. It was certainly not about a two-bit pirate.

Cherubim would understand, maybe it was a game of hers in the first place. He didn’t rule out McElligott. That old schemer had his hands and his nose in many things. Schemes and projects Richard didn’t really want to know about.

He was old enough to understand that some situations and developments needed to be approached differently than with Marines and Battleships, but his sense of honor, of doing things the right way and in the open did not let him accept this dirty truth. Deep down he always believed that there was a straight and open solution for everything.

There was a faint hissing sound as his office doors opened. There was only one person allowed to do that without using the door chime. He was glad she used doors now.

He looked up and into the beautiful and intelligent face of Alycia Lichfangh, the woman that managed to capture his heart and convinced him to ask for her hand after over 3000 years being a bachelor.

She was the Commandant of the PSI corps and perhaps just came off duty. That she had no problem crossing many hundred, maybe thousand light-years in a blink of an eye was an open secret and an ability of her. She wore a simple yet elegant dress in a dark red, that fitted her trim body well.

The PSI corps had different regulations regarding uniforms than the fleet. In her case, all that identified her as a member of that elusive department of the Union Army was a small silvery pin stylized in the shape of a human brain attached to her collar.

She flowed more than she walked around the Admiral’s desk gently kissed him on the cheeks. “I was told the Devi had left as fast as she could go. That means there is a fire somewhere, right?”

He pulled her on his lap. “I don’t know yet. I am heading for that recently discovered Trans-Spatial Gate in the Coreward sector, the one that apparently connects this galaxy with Leo II.”

She clearly loved his attention and said. “I heard what you did in the M 110 galaxy and I fully approve what you have that asshole Gaylord do, almost everyone does. I heard what the Assembly wants to be done regarding these suddenly activated gates, but why are we speeding to this one in particular?”

“It’s the one Erica and her crew used to pursue a bunch of renegade pirates and a former Union officer apparently carrying the secret of Translocators imprinted on his DNA.”