Chapter 18: The End?

Hans due to his size and strength was often seen as a bruiser with tremendous strength but little else. This was not the case since he was with the Olafson gang.

He was asked about his opinion about other things. The woman across him was about as opposite as a being could be to a Saturnian, she was a Delicate.

While Brana was certainly not a member of the original gang, she like the rest became like family.

She had just stepped into his security office and without any hesitation floated right next to him. well, she didn’t actually float but walk on her own two feet. To everyone, especially perhaps to Saturnians it always appeared that they didn’t quite touch the ground.

Brana did not wear the veil like garments, Delicates were known of, but the standard board duty uniform he too wore. Her hair, when open reached past her hips, was gathered in a looped pony tail, reducing its true length by half.

She still was gorgeous and emitted an intoxicatingly sweet, fresh and flowery scent. She smelled like she looked.

Nolei was quite tall, but next to Hans, even a Nul didn’t look as big and massive as they were.

It was clearly an unconscious gesture of deep friendship and affection as she crossed her arms across his massive arm and glanced at what he was doing.”Still working?”

“Yes, Brana. I am digging into that Necro phenomenon, and it gets scarier and weirder the deeper I dig.”

He could not really turn his head, Saturnian’s necks were massive deltoid of muscle, reducing the ability to move the head drastically. This was tue crux with genetic engineered life, it was never as perfect as naturally developed life. So he shifted his entire body.

She had huge eyes, very feminine facial features in an exotic alien way. Delicates were humanoids and shared many aspects of human appearance, but they were not human. Not even part of the so called Human Mystery, as their home was in a distant region of the Large Magellan Cloud, so distant in fact that not even the Attikans knew about the Delicates.

Brana gave him a fine smile and sat right next to him.”Care to share?”

Hans brushed over the surface of his desk and with a few additional gestures conjured half a dozen field screens into existence.”There is a Union Police task force created just for that. Officially there are seventy-four registered and legal religious sects that are considered to be part of this Necro cult and there are over two thousand known illegal groups that adhere to this philosophy.”

He pushed a screen in the foreground while she leaned closer, a clearly unconscious move of trust and affection. Something that made the titanic Saturnian quite content.

She pointed at the list displayed.”We Delicates do not have sects and religion has not been part of our culture for many thousand years. Intellectually I somewhat understand the concept, but I would lie if I really get it. Why are there laws regulating it, and what makes one legal and another illegal?”

Hans called up another screen and it filled with text.”It is our constitution. Our very first article reads: Sentients are born, created or otherwise coming into being shall remain free and are equal in rights. The law must in all cases respect this principle.”

She didn’t say anything so he kept speaking. “It does not matter what reason a group of beings cites to come together, as long as whatever they do does not harm others or infringe on their rights.

Religion is free and is not regulated otherwise.

By request and Assembly vote in 4002, religions were recognized as a part of many cultures and must be part of the PUMA process. As of that vote, the Union Religion Registration Act became law. Religions must file their doctrine to be recognized as a religion. It is technically just semantics as the same rules apply to a community club building model spaceships, but it has been proven true that some religions have the cause to harm others as a core doctrine. As you can imagine those are declared illegal, especially if they act on these.”

She propped her chin on her thin hands and her elbows on his under arm. “I guess the Church of Gore will be outlawed now, with all the things that happened at Pluribus.” She slowly shook her head.”What an awful thing to do, attacking our Assembly.” Her eyes flashed with anger.”You know I am a peaceful Delicate for the most part, but I’d volunteer to hang a few of those terrorists myself.”

Hans sighed.”And it was so preventable, our Assembly is protected and all the scanners and systems are there.”

“And they were turned off or never turned on in the first place, as it should be. We don’t need security systems ... well we should not at least.”

“I hear you, but executing someone isn’t something easy. I tell you. I was there when the Captain had to hang a man. He deserved it a thousand times.”

“She’s something our Captain. So what do you got on these Necros and has it anything to do with our situation?”

“Well, as I started to explain there are many groups and some of them have been active for much longer than the Union. I have read reports claiming they might be around longer than the Seenians.”

Just then Shea, the ships CSO; the captain’s declared fiancee stepped into the security office and said.”This fits my research as well.” Her words gave evidence that she had heard Hans’ response to Brana. “I think both reasons we are here are connected. The Ypeherix, the Necros and that weird message of Sylia’s mother.”

Shea was more than a fellow officer to Hans. She was there from the start and a close friend. Neither one really paid any attention to proper protocol.

“What led you to that conclusion, Shea?”

“I better brief the captain too, do you know where she is?”

Hans pointed to the view port.”We are on a water-world and she had a free moment.”

“Of course!” She smiled and gave Brena a friendly nod.”SHIP can you call her? It seems my Com can’t connect.”

There was a tone of concern in SHIP’s voice.”I can’t reach her or Suit.”

The corridor behind me had disappeared and was replaced by a solid wall of rock. This was not the first time I traveled this way, I traversed space from Wichita to Planet Place. That episode with the mystery bones, Brenda and the Cave of Things seemed so long ago. Yet this was the same strange and undetectable transition.

I had stepped into a trap that was set with my biggest flaw as bait, my trust in my crew and friends,

Getting my bearings, a man stepped into sight. I had not seen his face for a long time and never expected to see again, Swybin Swybar.

The son of the Thauran Admiral that caused me to be flocked and almost killed.

“Before you shoot, let me assure you this is only a projection. Whatever you do can’t hurt me. We also believe you are wearing a Seenian suit. So be a good weirdo and take it off. If you don’t we start by executing your Ult Enviro specialist.”

How did he know all this? My mind was racing. That he wasn’t bluffing I was certain about. I also believed him to be a projection.”Swybin, if any of my people get hurt even the slightest bit, I find you.”

“Oh, no worries, Girl-boy. We meet in person very soon.” The projection expanded and showed an Ult in board uniform, he was wrapped in many layers of memory tape. Next to him appeared a Thauran, also in Uniform. I had seen his face once or twice before. Petty Officer Lomasr was indeed crew member and he stood there, with a Neuro ripper pointed at the bound Enviro chief.”Sorry to disappoint you, Mama Olafson. These aren’t the Glitter caves.”

The Ult groaned.”Captain, don’t worry about me. Don’t listen to that traitor. He came aboard at Chris...”

The Ult tried so hard not to scream, as the traitorous Thauran hosed him with invisible rays that stimulated the nerve paths, but as the sadistic bastard dialed the intensity up. The Ult could not hold back and gave evidence to the pain he experienced, by groaning in a heartbreaking way.”

“He dies if you do not comply!” Swybin barked.

“Suit, detach from me. That is an order.”

“Captain...”

Silently I whispered.”I am far from helpless, Tyron. Try to escape and find out where we are.”

He did detach himself and I stood there in the buff.

“What wonders modern medicine can provide.”Swybin cackled.”That ugly arse you used to be, transformed in a titty sporting blonde bimbo. Now step forward! And don’t hesitate or your Ult dies!”

I did and again the surroundings changed.

Tyron watched as the captain disappeared.

Naramir stepped through what appeared solid wall, with him was Petty Officer Lomasr.

The traitorous environmental engineer pointed at the gray garment pooled on the floor.”According to my crew mates, this is a genuine Seenian suit. She wears it all the time.”

Naramir still sore from the latest humiliation said.”Such a suit is indestructible is that true?”

Lomasr shrugged.”I think so, but I will bring it to the Kermac. Neither Sarak nor Trevor could offer what the Kermac offered.”

“Liar! You want it for yourself, Naramir argued and this time his Neuro shocker did what it was supposed to do, it disabled the other Thauran. Naramir snickered as the other collapsed with twitching muscles.”I am a fast learner. I am no longer serving anyone’s interests but mine.”

The Seenian suit is mine now...

Lumis and Ciferus were still processing the Necro Priests information regarding the WEAPON while they followed him down tight wound spiral stair cases, narrow corridors, and passageways. They must have walked for a good hour and finally emerged in a breathtakingly beautiful natural cave with towering stalactites meeting towering stalagmites in every shade of pastel colors.

The center of the huge cavern was a lake of apparently pitch black water. The surface was as smooth ads that of a mirror, not the smallest ripple disturbed it.

The light came from thousands of gas fed lanterns and torches.

There were structures and shapes of buildings. Either carved out of the cavern rock walls or built with the material at hand and blended into the existing walls and crevices.

To both of them, it was clear, this was built for the dead. An ancient burial site of sorts.

Their guide did not stop or explain much until they had crossed the cave and entered through a partially chiseled and partially stoner mason built archway into what appeared to be the anteroom of as temple.

The walls mostly natural rock were of a reddish earthen color and decorated with hundreds of skulls, not only of human but apparently of a thousand other species as well.

Here too, the light came from open flames, brightly dancing over the brass nozzles of bizarrely shaped wall armatures.

There was a throne at the other end of the room, and a being in a strangely shaped armor of sorts.

The entire breastplate was cleverly shaped like a skull. Ciferus had to admit that outfit was evil in a very symbolic way.

Their guide said.”Behold the Necro King grants you with his presence.

Lumis could not feel or read the creature. His probing powers told him that this was a being indeed, but the feeling was not a certain one, as it usually was when he probed into another person. He could not stop shivering caused by an ice cold sensation that was not quite physical.

That he could not sense much about Ciferus, he had sort of accepted.

It was his companion whispering from the side of his mouth.”He is quite old and crazy as a being can get.”

They both walked closer, the humanoid shaped being sitting on a throne composed of arranged bones and skulls shifted his posture. The flickering light of the bright torches now revealing the face of a skull beneath the pointed hood. Lumis was certain these were real bones and not carved objects.

“That you choose to visit, Ciferus is not entirely unexpected. To see the Lord of Light down here in this abode and shrine to death, however, could be considered most unusual.”

Lumis actually tried to remain quiet, could not help himself.” A foul creature you are, indeed. Sitting on a heap of bones and worshiping what is opposed by life and light. Behold I am its chosen champion. I am not sure if I should simply smite you.” He put his hand on the hilt of his sword.”That lackey of yours claim my quest ended. Not that I believe him, what mortal could destroy a WEAPON meant to slay the Dark One.”

The Necro King laughed.”You are just as they say you are. They call me insane and who knows maybe I am, but you are insufferably arrogant, ignorant and completely unprepared for what Crea has chosen you to do.”

Lumis stepped forward.”Insulting me, Necro will result in your demise.”

Ciferus distanced himself from the knight as if he anticipated something to happen, and something happened indeed. Something Lumis did not expect.

A shimmering sphere of light established itself between Lumis and the Necro King. The vague outlines of a female face appeared. It was not quite human and not attached to a body or anything else. It was Crea. the essence of Creation and the god entity that made him what he was.

Lumis lost all his bluster and sank to his knees lowering is head.

Her voice did not really come from the orb of light but fill the cavern and came from all directions at once.”My champion! Ridiculed and humiliated, wearing his armor ripped and torn, oh Lumis you deserved all that disappoint me. Weren’t you the one I elevated above all of my creation? Did I not rescue you from obliteration?”

“Crea, the light of my life. What can I do with so little understanding and knowledge?”

“Seek it! Open eyes and ears.” Crea barked in a thundering fashion.”I am forbidden to descent and interfere myself, but the conditions of this place allow me to speak to you. The one you must defeat is coming to this place.”

The shere was fading and Lumis yelled.”Goddess my light, when?”

“Her last words faded just like the light sphere.”Now!”

The Necro King rose from his throne.”My agents have obtained the mortal, we believe is somehow associated with the Dark One’s reincarnation. She is sent here, but she is only a naked human woman. Maybe she will be the mother of the vessel?”

Lumis noticed his armor was fully restored and his sword glowed with increased intensity. He knew Crea was not referring to a third party. No the Dark One was on his way, trapped in a defenseless naked human female. Still shy of five tokens, an easy kill and Crea safe and finally supreme as she wanted to be from the very beginning.

Ciferus too, noted that the fate of all that was and would be was rushing towards a cataclysmic event right here and now.

He too knew that the Dark One was not yet fully incarnated, but unlike Lumis he had not forgotten the slain light of knight, Zophim and the words of Verðandi, a mortal had slain the Knight of Light.