Chapter 17: Trust Issues

Lumis and Ciferus stepped out into the light of a bright sun as they emerged from their long walk through a forgotten tunnel that connected the Nexus chamber with the outside of this planet.

This time they were indeed where they wanted to be. This was N’Ger, as a short six-limbed being with yellow fur confirmed. They met the being after descending from the mountain range behind them. Both men were not really affected by the scorching heat but accepted the ride the being offered them.

They were taken to a place the Byki called the Desert of Glaring Profit.

The little yellow being calling itself Byki had asked too many questions, and as a reward for its help, Lumis had killed the being, without so much as an iota of regret or guilt.

Ciferus watched as his travel companion reduced the small being to a cloud of nuclear ashes and said.”Would that not be murder? The extermination of life, is that not something you and Crea accuse the Dark One of?”

As if the words of the Netherworld being reminded the Lord of light what he just had done, he looked at the dissipating whisp.”It is the duty of lesser life to serve me, his questions became annoying.”

The Desert of Gleaming Profit was a huge landing field for space ships surrounded by tents, temporary buildings and further to the back were walled compounds of permanent settlements.

It did not take them long to find a tavern, a place of shade and information. It was true, neither was human or had needs for the things mortals deemed essential, but both still enjoyed the shade and were not above the simple pleasure a cold drink could provide.

Besides it was a fact as old as galactic history, when civilizations discovered faster than light travel and interacted with other civilizations someone came up with the idea of a communal place of informal meeting. Where over food, drinks, drugs or simple shade information and deals could be exchanged.

N’Germ being a place of trade for centuries was, of course, no exception. Judging by the diversity of beings assembled under the plasti-sheet roof of this establishment, this was a popular spot.

Unlike Lumis who had to spend a great deal of time, in the protected realms of the Upper spheres, Ciferus moved among the beings of the prime reality for a very long time.

That he had to stay in what was called the Prime reality, because he was exiled from his own realm, was a secret he did not intend to share with his temporary travel companion.

That he spend much time among the mortals of this realm was the reason his eye could easily spot the spacers in the crowd and separate them from the dirt siders.

Spacers regardless of the original species acted and behaved differently than those who never left their gravity well.

Ciferus had been to this Star Spiral only a few times, and this was the main reason most of the beings were unknown to him.

While many of the beings around them jabbered away in their own languages, there was a common one they all shared. It was the same language the little yellow Byki used to address them. It was called Squack, a language he knew well. And it was apparent Lumis had no problem with it either.

It was surprisingly not too different from the Altak everyone used on Avondur.

Lumis kept his mantle closed, to hide his partially shredded armor and sat down at the only free table, a little round platform held in place by an arti-grav repeller near the entrance.

Despite the busy place, a yellow pelted being looking very similar to the one Lumis killed, came to their table wearing stilts on his feet to be tall enough to serve the higher floating tables.

Ciferus stopped the arrogant Lumis from snarling a rude demand and said.”Do you accept Iridium discs for payment?”

“It is standard custom for guests to visit a payment equalizer or value exchanger to obtain the local circulated Polos, but I gladly accept your Iridium, I have a scanner scale behind the counter to determine the value.”

Ciferus handed the Biky server an Avondaler and was surprised by the reaction.”Haven’t seen one of those in decades, but you can eat and drink a lot for one of these.”

It was apparent that Lumis could not be anything else, but utmost arrogant.”Yellow thing. I require information, my companion sees value in compensating you with useless metal. Fail my request and I compensate you with punishment.”

The ambient murmur of voices suddenly stopped and everyone was now staring at them. There were quite a few hands and other appendixes dropping to weapons.

A muscular green-skinned being of impressive size and a pair of tusk-like teeth splitting the lower lip of his lantern jaw came stomping from behind the bar.”He doesn’t have blue skin, but he sure sounds like a Thauran that needs a lesson.”

Ciferus tried to defuse the situation, he was confident he and his companion were powerful enough to take on everyone in sight, but he did not want to advertise who they were on a planet with a million eyes and perhaps even those quite capable of stopping them before they could secure the WEAPON.

“Lumis, you fool. Let us maintain a low profile until we know more.”

To the approaching bruiser, Ciferus said.”My associate was trying to be humorous, we are of a distant not meaning to offend.”

He held out a small sack of Iridium coins.”Why don’t you serve everyone something they like?”

Offering the patrons free drinks and paying for it with Iridium changed the mood almost instantly and the green barkeeper said.”You better be careful with your brand of humor, it sounded quite serious to me.”

He left them to fulfill the many orders while Lumis glared at the Nether world lord and snapped. “These are simple mortals. They need to learn who I am and obey me.”

“I had enough of you Lumis. You are not even half as useful as I hoped you would be. True, there is not anyone I can sense within range that is even close to the power and might we present, but it will announce our arrival to those who are in our league and beyond. We are not the only ones seeking that power, Those who know about it, know it is close to manifestation.”

Lumis could not dismiss the reasons for the other and harumphed.”Maybe there is wisdom in your words, but you belittle me one more time and we shall find out if Light can conquer a shadow dweller like you.”

“Yes, maybe we should find out, I told you I am indeed tired of your antics. You behave like a spoiled brat, not like an entity perceived to face the Dark One. Yes Lord of light, let us find out.”

Lumis, taken back by the intensity and apparent confidence of Ciferus, he knew next to nothing about, raised his hands.”I have need of you, let us postpone my victory over you.”

The Demon lord grinned but was thinking. It is true. It is true indeed, the champion of light is a coward. What is Crea’s reason to pick a Buffon like you?

He ignored Lumis and asked the still present yellow furred, six-limbed server.”Where would we get local information, and how does one get to a world called Sin 4?”

The server looked at the Iridium disc and said.”It makes all sense now, you must be from Avondur.”

The server turned to scan the crowd, then waved at a humanoid just outside the tavern entrance.”For a piece of your Iridium, he’d sell you his own mother and while he is sober, he just might be one of the best sources of such information. He’s a Gnorfi now, but they say he was Union.”

Lumis had crossed his arms and apparently sulked at the fact he wasn’t taken as seriously as he wanted to be taken, and he was still contemplating the hidden warning of his travel companion. What guided him most was the fact that Ciferus was actually correct. He hated nothing more than being proven wrong.

Ciferus waved the local beggar to their table and said.”The server recommended you as a reliable source of information. Proof your worth and I will be generous with Iridium.”

The man wearing rags, had light blue skin as it became apparent when he brushed the hood of his dusty cloak back.”I am Surkin and I will try my best to satisfy your need for information.”

“How would we get to Sin 4?” Lumis asked.

“It seems you haven’t been around here indeed, Sin 4 no longer exists.”

Ciferus considered this a valid explanation, especially since the Nexus point didn’t work.”How was this world destroyed?”

“Oh, it wasn’t destroyed. It was liberated, at least from the viewpoint of the native Stik.”

Surkin expanded his explanation as Ciferus made a gesture for him to continue.

“Sin 4 was a planet in Freespace and a harbor for the lawless scum ever since the Karthian’s abandoned their plans to develop that world as a new meeting place for the Galactic Council.”

The former Union citizen ended up giving the two travelers a detailed galactic history lesson.

He then leaned forward as if to make sure he wasn’t overheard.

“I don’t want to know why you want to go to Sin 4, or Woorld as it is known now, but those who had to leave Sin 4 and were lucky enough to make it, can be found on Asputanth, planet and of course right here to N’Ger. There are rumors of a subsurface community if you know what I mean.”

Lumis had no idea what the beggar meant, but Ciferus was much better informed and pushed several Iridium discs across the table surface. “Indeed I do and for directions to that rumored community I would be very generous.”

“One must be very careful. The ones dwelling there do not like their secrets exposed and there are those almost equally dangerous seeking to find them.”

Lumis slammed his hand on the table surface.”Can you be any more confusing?”

Ciferus said in an old language.”Be silent, Lumis. This is very sensitive information. I explain later.”

To the Gnorfi he said.”One hundred of these if you make the connection, I am a friend of the Night.”

“I will be back when the sun has settled.”

Without taking his payment, he pulled his hood back over his head and muttered.”That cursed sun is murder to a Thauran.” Then he left and disappeared between the milling crowds that streamed past the Tavern.

Ciferus made a calming gesture.”Hold your comments, Lumis. That man is getting us in contact with the Necros and a source of information like none other. It is they who guarded the Nexus point at Sin 4. They use the old connection to spread all over the Universe since the First Empire fell.

If anyone knows about the WEAPON or the woman that carried it to Sin 4, it is them.”

Lumis stopped his tirade and instead, he said.”I think I heard of the Necros and the Necro King. These are dangerous lunatics, playing with forces they do not understand. They are enemies of light and life.”

“Exactly, Lord Lumis. Exactly that. It is not the Antiforce of Life we, I mean you are wanting to defeat and destroy? Is it not the ground of our uneasy partnership?”

Outside the hallowed sphere of the Assembly, in the ring corridor, a group of beings had gathered. It was a common occurrence. While the Union had done away with embassies and the immunity of diplomats, there were still ambassadors and foreign dignitaries. As long as the non-union entity wasn’t classified with Contact level minus five, which means open war and their ambassador accepted Union law. they were allowed to come to Pluribus and watch Assembly business from the visitors’ alcove.

The beings assembled outside the access to the visitor’s alcove took a break from Assembly business. According to Union standard time, it was Six Hour (late) or in the now quite outdated Old Terran Time 01:00 AM.

While Assembly business and thus Assembly sessions went on around the clock, it was usually a quiet time, even on Pluribus where the time of day meant little. The local sun illuminated the other side of the planet and the local businesses and entertainment venues offered the dinner options. This was the 10th and last official recess of the Assembly and lasted 15 minutes. It was

Inside the Assembly, Docket 74 had been discussed, it was one of the last dockets for this day. Not far from the Assembly in the Federal Stock Exchange, the belt was run to call the new Stock trading day to begin.

Swinasive, the Kermac observer was standing with the observer of the Jooltar, the third in their small group was a Kilth, member of an old and obscure species. They had been around since the first meeting of the First Galactic Council, and once were allies of the almost forgotten Ferons. Not associated enough to garner the anger of United Earth back then, and culminated in the complete eradication of both the Freons and their cousins the Ferons.

Swinasive would have loved to know more about these bipedal, roughly human-sized and shaped beings.

and so it came he curbed much of his Kermac arrogance.

A character trait he had almost completely lost. It was less than five years, the Kermac were allowed to sent observers again, after a long and complete ban.

Being Kermac arrogant was quite difficult right here at the center of Union might and power. Everything was impressive about the Assembly. The size of the Assembly sphere alone was a source of Union pride, but being able to build big, wasn’t a Union exclusive.

It was the fact that is was an institution that had and in some respects still was developing. Some of the things that made up the early Assembly had disappeared. The office of the president had been abolished and so have ministers, political associations and ministries. The backbone of Kermac control were ministries.

The Jooltar had purchased an Attikan snack bar from a vendor, the lard glazed stick of aged, already decomposing meat smelled pungent, and the Kermac tried his best to ignore the bads odor, The Jooltar were among the few independent species this side of the Galactic Bulge and he had strict instructions not to aggravate the Jooltar. The Kermac certainly could use the Jooltar.

He found that among the most repulsive facts of recent history.

Not so long ago, the Kermac would have never even considered the Jooltar, who stole most of the tech they used, instead of developing it. So many changes occurred in just his lifetime, events and developments no one in the Galactic Council, or even in the Ministry of Information was considering.

It was considered extremely crude and primitive to consume food or beverages to a Kermac, but he decided to get himself something, the other Kermac that were part of the Kermac representation, were most likely resting at this hour.

He had the choice to walk over to one of the many Vent-Matics. Here at the Assembly, these unassuming wood covered machines, were perhaps the most advanced vending machines in the known galaxy, able to produce even the most unusual snack requests, including these revolting stink thing, the Jooltar delegate was consuming with apparent pleasure.

The Kilth, judging by the forward facing eyes, the strong developed teeth with razor sharp incisors shared ancestry with something fierce and undoubtedly carnivore had summoned a floating egg-shaped bot.”I require fresh meat, preferably raw and bloody. Will that Vent Matic be able to provide me with that?”

The smooth egg-shaped machine directed its blue visual sensors at the Kilth.”But of course. Scanning and comparing biodata. You are Kilth, a carnivore LSLD consumer non-Union. There are eight hundred and twelve Member species with similar food preferences. I suggest the Maggi Sauron menu.”

“Machine, I am Kermac. Your inferior society will not have Kermac choices.”

“You are Kermac, various flavors of Keri-Milq are available.”

Before he could make a choice, he the robot, the two others, and many others nearby were swept off the ground by an enormous explosion.

The dignified and subdued atmosphere of this section of the Assembly was turned into chaos, wounded beings staggered dazed through the billowing cloud of dust.

Sirens blared and the Assembly security forces jumped into action. What no one ever considered to be possible just happened, someone or something was attacking the Assembly!

The water was just a tad too warm for my taste, but I expected it to get cooler, f I went deeper. Not that I really felt much about the water. Suit insisted on being worn, despite my assurance that I was carrying a genuine Nilfeheim slayer. I didn’t exactly study the list of known life forms, but I doubted that there was anything as big or as dangerous as a Rock Shark, or even a Tyranno Fin.

But I had to concede to Tyron’s argument that this was an ocean unknown to me and that a planet-wide ocean with very deep trenches might still hold unknown and quite dangerous life.

Tyron simulated a Nilfeheim wet suit, technically he performed more like a dry suit and provided perfect insulation.

Wearing Tyron, I felt I could have stayed submerged for days.

My science crew was still engaged with the actual and official problem that brought us here. Elfi, XOn, and Hans were working on the other one, about the Thauran Ensign and the mysterious message she received from her mother that was supposedly dead.

I found the entire thing very fishy and suspected some sort of Thauran criminal shenanigans to be behind it. It wasn’t something I could sink my teeth in, all I had was a gut feeling.

Now here I was, on a Thauran planet with two problems. Neither appeared to be anything that was within my field of expertise. As far as the Ypherix were concerned, I would have preferred to find some kind of planet of origin, question a few of those fiery creepy crawlers and...

A deep cold voice that was no longer foreign strange to me said as a silent answer in my mind.” ... and then destroy that world and all the Ypeherix.”

“That would be your solution, brother. We are Union officers we do things differently.”