Chapter 21: Portals

Ciferus was right behind Lumis as they scrambled into the cave and used the Nexus point to return to Avondur.

Lumis had lost all his arrogance; the proclaimed Lord of Light was a shivering heap, kneeling in the fine dust that covered much of the Nexus chamber’s floor.

Shard, the supposedly indestructible weapon of light had been deformed and bent like a piece of lead. His new, Crea restored armor torn and in pieces.

When he was flung into the cave wall, he felt like an insect. He had been shoved by Geoan, and he had been hit by Balkurs. He had stood against and before powerful entities before, but never had he felt like this. He had been swatted away like an insignificant speck of dust. He was promised immortality and god-like might with the strength to shatter mountains, yet here he was on his knees feeling actual pain and something was dripping from the corner of his mouth and drooled to the floor, he was bleeding!

He lifted his head.”Who...”

Ciferus, who escaped physical confrontation brushed his right hand over his eyes and slowly turned to the exit.”A fool I was; doomed fools they all are. Luc, Baahl, Sata and the rest. The Dark One is not even complete, he has not fully resurrected and he is beyond anything and everything.”

He gave Lumis an almost pitiful look.”Go, Lumis go back to the Upper Realms and hide. Our quest ends here. The Dark One’s rise was prophecized and it is occurring, what has been ordained by all that was and is can not be prevented.”

Lumis raised his hand. “Wait...”

Ciferus did not wait, a dark red portal came into existence and the Netherworld dweller disappeared with it.

Lumis not only felt alone, he realized he was afraid. What he had faced on N’Ger would find him. It was not he who was hunting the Dark One.

He held up his bent sword.”Crea, mother of Creation. Why have you given me this impossible task?”

The entity answered.”I will mend your body and augment your strength. Not all the Tokens have been united, the WEAPON must be found.”

He groaned.”The WEAPON was with a woman and she was killed.”

“What happened to the cunning Vizir of great intelligence and hunger for power, I rescued from a doomed Precursor universe?”

“I am beginning to understand and I am realizing that you have not told me, educated me. I learned more from a Netherworld demon in a short period, than I learned from you in eons.”

“You are but a creature, elevated by me and bestowed with power, you are my servant. The purpose of your existence is to defeat and prevent the rise of the Dark One.”

“How?”

“Travel to the Eternal Plane, I will be there and so is the Voice of the Rule. The WEAPON must be found.”

--””--

The planet governor was certain his life and that of everyone else on the planet depended on how well the Dai before him was able to restrain himself. The red-skinned Dai Than warrior stared out of his yellow eyes with such intensity into his face, making Maresan fear for his very life.

“Commander Hi, I swear. I swear to you, I have nothing to do with your Captain’s abduction. Every resource available to me is yours.”

The Dai whispered.”Thank whatever Gods you worship, that I am wearing this uniform. Do you know what Dai can do to make a human talk? I don’t care about your resources, I will use mine. Should I find even the most remote involvement of yours, I am going to face a Court-martial and you will know how your intestines before you die. Now use those resources and find Captain Olafson!”

The oldest son of Baron Maresan spread his hands.”Look, Commander Hi. I am a former Union Fleet officer and I am not only on your side, but I am also a Union citizen, I am as angry as you about this.”

“Then what is done?”

“I have all security personnel looking for Captain Olafson. Union Police, Fleet Police and NAVINT are on their way. Assets of the PSI Corps are expected to arrive tomorrow.”

What at first, looked like a female X101 with silvery hair, but without the usual shiny chrome skin stepped into the planet manager’s office, was introduced by the gorgeous science officer of the Tigershark, who stood behind the aggravated Dai.

“This is Lt.Commander SHIP, your excellency. She and I have looked into your local Computronic.”

The artificial female had a smooth doll-like face and clearly artificial eyes with an eerie piercing quality.

“I have indeed done so and found several issues that co-relate with our missing Captain and all are connected to Sir Baran.”

“That is my deputy manager.”

“He also used to run things and was the planet governor before your father decided to elevate you to this position.” Shea said.”It looks he accepted a few rather large payments over the last few weeks.” Shea’s voice trailed off as Hans stomped in and made the spacious office of the governor feel a little crowded. The truly massive Saturnian held that very man like a doll in one of his fists, pinning the man’s arms to his body as if caught in a huge vise.

Maro Maresan’s desk unit flashed with dozens of reports from all over the planet. Calling him for advice and with bewildered faces, regarding Petharians and Y’All in Union Marine uniform squeezing and bullying pretty much everyone they came across. His father Baron Mersen Maresan calling and wanting to know what was going on. Apparently, he was inundated by requests for answers.

Maro was a retired Union Fleet officer and that meant he was not as easily flustered or intimidated by an unusual crisis.”Officers of the Tigershark, please give me a moment to focus. I am on your side, as much as you might have certain well-founded preconceptions about Thaurans, I assure you I am a Union citizen and more so a Union Fleet officer. I might be retired, but that does not mean I left everything including my oath behind. The disappearance of a Union Fleet CO is as serious as it gets.”

He pointed at Hans.”Why are you holding my deputy like that?”

“Because he is under arrest.” Hans said.”This is Sir Baran, his last name is Taros.”

The governor blinked confused.”So? I know that, why would that be a reason to arrest the man?”

“He is the brother of Theodor Taros, aka Admiral Taros.”

--””--

Senior Chief Hilbora was near death, he knew it. The restraints holding him were made of Ultronit. Not even a Petharian would have been able to break them. His moisture suit had been perforated many times and drained of the life-sustaining water, his kind needed.

Yet he had only one regret, he had been used to trap the captain and strip her of Suit and all weapons. That lad Lomasr seemed such a nice and competent fellow. He had been transferred only very recently while they were at Christmas Base.

That Thauran turned out to be a traitor of the worst kind. He was a Necro worshipper so it turned out. What Hibora could not explain was the man’s transfer to the Tigershark in the first place. The environmental engineer that held this post had been with the Tigershark, since the beginning of the second mission.

The chaos and problems caused by Admiral Taros, the dispersion of the Tigershark crew was responsible for the transfer of the Oromarl that held this post. Instead of getting his old assistant back, they sent him that Thauran replacement.

Now he was long enough in the Spatial Navy to know that these things happened, but the Tigershark wasn’t a regular Navy unit, not even the usual NAVINT X Fleet unit.

The crew had been handpicked by McElligott, Stahl, and Cherubim including him. So how in the world could a Necro worshipper, something that should have barred him from Fleet Service, manage to be assigned to the Tigershark?

In all his pain and misery he only hoped that the Captain would be okay.

His tormentors had lefty him. He was all by himself in a tiled room, attached with crude, but very solid Ultronit shackles to a stainless steel table that had been tilted upright.

They had used Neuro Rippers, Boiling Water and electroshocks on him. In all their activities they didn’t ask him any questions. One of the tormentors, a Thauran named Swybin told him that he simply loved inflicting pain on anyone especially associates of Captain Olafson.

He heard a steel door opening, the only door to this tiled chamber was out of his field of view. The white-robed being that came into view was a Kermac.

“Ah, the abdominal fish face is still clinging to life. I can make you feel much more comfortable. Get you water for your skin.”

Hilbora said nothing.

“Oh come on now, we have excellent intelligence this time. We know who you are Master Chief Hilbora, twentyone years in the Union Navy. Environmental engineer first, but your personnel files also reveal that you have propulsion certification and there is a classified part of your file.”

Still, Hilbora was saying nothing.

The Thauran picked up a sharp hook-like implement of a small table.”We Kermac are supposed to use refined and very effective psionic and neural persuasion methods, but I was always curious about the more crude ones.” He examined the needle-sharp tip of the tool with great admiration. “I am studying and collecting information regarding this for a lifetime. Dare I say I am an expert in inflicting old fashioned pain, caused by physical means.”

“Do you worst. Hilbora, Master Chief. 87599-H...”

“Oh, that is exactly what I will do, dear Master Chief. You see, I put great attention to the particularities of Union species. I know how to hurt an Ult. The fact that I find your kind particular disgusting and repulsive will add to my personal pleasure.”

The Kermac put the tool down and took a shiny rubber-like apron from a hook and put it on.”Physical torture is so messy, fish-face.”

As he tied the apron he said.”Your mind is conditioned and shielded and your personnel file contains a classified section in the specialization section. That is done for one reason only, you are Translocator tech certified.”

“No, I am specialized flushing Kermac turds like you.”

“Now I want to know every detail of Translocator tech. Being the one securing this secret guarantees a Wizard chair.”

The Kermac sunk the steel hook expertly into a nerve cluster, the pain blinded the chief and engulfed his mind.

The pain blanketed everything and there was part of his mind that told to reveal what the Kermac wanted to know, just to make the pain go away.

But aloud he repeated his name and service number. From within that cloud of pain, he heard the steel door open once again.

Through his blurred vision, he saw the Kermac look up.”Who...”

The Kermac’s face suddenly changed to fear.”What are you?”

Hilbora heard an artificial sounding voice.”I am “I am Luitenant Tyron Suit of the United Stars Spatial Navy. The standard protocol would compel me to place you under arrest. Due to your actions directly seeking to discover and obtain Translocator technology, I am no longer required to act under standard Naval protocol but the Critical Technology Protection protocol.”

The Ult chief, near the end of his strength, laughed weekly.”Secure leaks and prevent the proliferation of any tech deemed critical. Tyron forget about me. The Captain, she is in terrible trouble!”

Tyron came into the Ult’s view. The Kermac pointed a Neuro ripper at the Ult.”I don’t know what you are but I kill this Ult if you do not surrender.”

“Your feeble tech has been rendered useless. You caused pain and harm to a friend of mine, now it’s your turn.”

The Kermac agent did try to use his weapon but it was dead and drained of all energy.

A bubble of insubstantial iridescent energies emerged from the suits right arm and engulfed the Kermac. The white-skinned agent of the Kermac rolled his eyes up, the cheeks suddenly collapsed, the man aged in seconds until there was nothing left but a dissipating puff of dust.

Tyron rushed to the wounded Ult, the restrains withered away.”My friend, please stay with me. I am not equipped to render medical aid, but we are on a Union planet and there is a clinic nearby. I have alerted authorities.”

Hilbora’s voice was terrifyingly weak.”The Captain!”

“I don’t know where she is, Chief. We dead with that as soon as you are out of danger.”

“What happened to the Kermac?”

“Chrono-Acceleration. He was exposed to a subspace bubble of ten thousand years. He experienced the passage of time in full.”

The steel door was ripped out of its frame and two Union Police officers and a Med Bot arrived.

--””--

Before the Mega Tycoon headed for his ship, the Black Sirus. He once more descended to the lowest levels of the SII Needle. Down here past many levels of security and secrecy, where the real secrets of SII. If the Union public would have known only ten percent of the things that went on down here, SII would have been declared the greatest enemy of the Union for certain.

One of the Seenian Sentmacs, a machine that now used the name Balthazar Steelgrip waited for Schwartz to step out of the private Matter transmitter. As always the sentient android acknowledged the arrival of the immortal Tycoon with a slight voluntary bow.”Good Midday, Sir.”

“Same to you Balthazar.”

Rex Schwartz walked past the android who fell in line with the tall man.”The translation has made good progress, Sir. Looks like we can read the document soon. One of our associates embedded with the CLOAK unit protecting and researching the Library of the Fifth recovered a cipher key to Netherworld glyphs.”

Rex acknowledged.”Good news indeed. I am about to leave for Pluribus to attend a business leader conference on Fringe group Terror and prevention. I was informed Phil Decker took the case of the Assembly bombing.”

“I have inquired about him, Sir. Decker has a stellar reputation, but we left no traceable connections.”

While they were talking they had reached a massive elevator platform and stepped on it.

The platform started descending.

The sentient android was one of only five sentient beings knowing about Rex Schwartz greatest secret, and why this world had been chosen to be at the core of the SII business empire.

Rex Schwartz knew the true identity of those who sent the Guardian to Earth and had not rested ever since to unravel what was the behind it all.

Omni planet was not a simple garden world, a rock core planet that developed from a dust swirl around a young star. Omni planet was an artificial construct, disguised as a planet.

Its origin so ancient, that it had been moved to new star system four times.

Here far below the crust, the true secret of Omni Planet had been revealed to the Seenian Sentmac. This world had been the original Throneworld of the First Emperor.

An entity, chosen by the Voice of the Rule to become a Cosmic Elder and prepare for the rise of the Dark One and his Decision.

Balthazar was privileged to know about this truly cosmic mystery that had always been about nothing less than a quest to gain truly omnipotent powers.

The Emperor, the only Nnnth left behind. Deemed unworthy to join the rest to merge with the Arth to form a new definition of awareness and sentience, the Narth. Jealous and angry rejected the charge and task set to him by the Voice. Using his vast powers and Nnnth technology to forge the First Empire. A realm of control and might reaching across several Superclusters and thousands of galaxies.

The Emperor, so Balthazar understood wanted to attract the essence of the Dark One by this physical expression of power and control, but then over the millennia the Emperor developed the conviction that he was the next Dark One himself and that he, like his kind the Nnnth was ready to take the next step in evolution.