Chapter 25: Battle Stations

The Thauran behind the altar thundered with a deep voice.”What is this?”

“Itz ze Meeze, stoopiz. Meeze goez now, whenz the Meeze comz backz. Ze girlz Soburz iz bettzer reazy zo goez.”

Men drew weapons, none appeared to be of Union origin and aimed it at the Wheeze. One of them said.”I never have seen a creature like that, and I can not identify the hardware it is wearing but it speaks a very garbled version of Union standard.”

“Pffz youze triez to doez ze speakiz witz a ringmouz, noz eazy.”

Another said.”It is caught inside the old security curtain. We shall dissect it and find out what it is.”

Meeze knew enough about the suit to know the emergency release. Meeze keyed in the self destruct and then hit the emergency release. Technically he was wearing an Atlas suit, but it was a stripped-down and not entirely complete version made by Circuit and Warner in spare time, but the emergency release worked, and nano charges disintegrated the suit and basically spit Meeze out, and past whatever curtain thing was holding the suit.

He didn’t wait and scurried out the door. He heard angry shouts. chief among the deep voice of the red-robed leader.”Get that thing!”

Meeze, now able to use his micro bristles did what his kind did for millennia, he scurried up the rough stone wall and wiggled as fast as he could between the iron bars before a small half-pipe shaped wall opening.

He watched the red-robed Thaurans run both ways, one group down the stairs where he hoped Fenris had decided to hide itself a little better, and another group of men stomped into the other direction. None of then even looked up.

Now that he was without weapons or Communication he did not want to go openly against them.

He looked around and found that he was in the inner yard of a very large stone structure. The sky showed sparkling stars and that indicated to him that it was night on this side of the planet.

He pondered for a moment what to do. Go back and try to free Ensign Sobur, or try to find Fenris.

But his four eyes noticed an open gate across the inner courtyard of whatever building he was. Beyond that gate was a paved street, and he could see the bright light of a project-a-sign, Public GalNet terminal.

--””--

The director of Workgroup Olympus, a Leedei greeted Phil and his entourage. “Good Ten Hour to you, Citizens. I am Professor Sakalaer. I was just informed that the most famous detective and the similar famous Wisemen of the Assembly have come to see us here. Welcome indeed.

Phil said.”Thank you, Professor.”

Egill acting as the spokesman of his little group added.”For good and bad reasons, they indeed call us the Wisemen and despite my objection, they made us an official entity of the Assembly. My friends and I have decided to accompany Mr. Decker first out of curiosity, but his investigation into the terror attack on the Assembly has revealed more questions and now we are conducting our investigation into what was certainly not a simple terror event.”

The Leedei looked like every Leedei, Egill had ever seen. Gray skin, vague facial features beneath a natural facial cover that made them all look as if they wore a tight-fitting hood of distorting fabric. The professor wore a black pantsuit with both the insignia of a member of the Hive of Minds and the department logo of the Workgroup displayed. The glowing triangle of the Hive on his collar and the department logo on his sleeve below a Union flag. His Science Corps rank made him an Academic Professor Level 3. He waved towards the corridor behind him.”Why don’t you follow me to my offices, so I may serve refreshments and inquire about your reason to include the Workgroup into your investigations.”

Phil responded.”Actually, we were interested in meeting with the Deputy Director, a Seenian scholar by the name of Lurega Donomensi. Your receptionist just informed us that he suddenly asked for additional vacation time.”

“I was informed about this myself, just moments ago. This is why Kurthbir our receptionist summoned me, maybe I can assist.”

The four followed the Leedei into a spacious office with a window front that revealed a beautiful vista across Pleiades Plaza. The office was littered with real books, scrolls, candles, brass instruments, effigies and statues of gods and demons of at least a hundred societies. The Leedei scholar looked over the scene and said.”Oh my, I forgot, I should rather meet with you in our conference room.”

“Never mind the mess.” Phil said.”I am sure you are a busy man, and it looks you concern yourself with many subjects.” Phil took a dark wood carving of an ugly looking sitting demon figure from a chair.”The Pandorku of Simna planet, seem to have very interesting lore about beings from another realm that are able to, let’s say slide between realities.”

The Leedei became all blustered and animated.”Indeed, are you a scholar, too Mr.Decker?”

“I am traveling across this universe of ours for some time now and pick up things here and there. How did your Workgroup become aware of a document that was in the possession of the Coven? I am certain this was not an advertised fact.”

“Was it not? I think it was professor Donomensi that made us aware of this most remarkable scroll. It is supposedly the only genuine copy of the ‘Prophecy of Before and Yet to come’. If my information is correct, it is the only artifact that comes to us from a now destroyed precursor universe.”

Phil nodded. “I have the same information. Of course, you know it was this Workgroup that requested it for examination.”

He nodded.”And I was almost certain I had cracked the Netherworld language it was written in. Such a shame it was destroyed during that explosion at the Assembly.”

“It was not destroyed, it was stolen. The entire incident was staged to steal that document. I think speaking to professor Donomensi is imperative. I also like to have a copy of all your notes and images regarding the documents and the translation.”

The Leedei nodded absentminded and pressed a sensor.”Kurthbir, please contact Professor Donomensi. He must postpone his vacation plans and report to my office immediately.”

The green Vapor appeared in a visual and said.”I am sorry, this won’t be possible, Professor Donomensi has left Pluribus.”

Phil leaned forward.”How do you know this?”

The Antoo responded right away.”He was seen by Belina leaving the Astrographic institute. He said he was in a hurry to catch the next Space Train. Belina stands right before my desk and told me.”

Phil sighed.”Looks like we are going to chase this Professor Donomensi, off-planet. Are you ready to do that?”

Egill glanced at his enthusiastic nodding friends.

“Yes, Phil I guess we are.”

“Let us go to the Astrographic Society and see what he asked them.”

--””-- The Golden Archives were inaccessible for him right now, he had to keep a low profile. He had no idea where that Forbidden Library was, there was nothing on GalNet. Traveling all the way to an independent planet on the account of an oral clue did not promise success, but he was Saresii. Member of the Black Cat society and thus had access to the deepest levels of the libraries on Sares One. Better yet Sares was connected via Space Train.

He shivered as he realized that this was the exact reason he was kept alive. The Tribunal wanted to know what the Saresii library held on this place called Avondur.

He would not fail them.

Of all people he ran into Belina, the nosy Homo Stellaris just as he was about to use the TMT. There were billions of beings on Pluribus, but of course, it was not a big coincidence to meet a fellow scientist and scholar right here near the Ivory Tower.

Belina Sankers, was a dedicated archeologist specializing in Pre Union mega societies.

After the usual greetings, and out of a hunch he asked her.”Have you ever heard about Avondur?”

“Oh yes, it is mentioned by the Oxis, and it appears to be a central theme in the Orlan society. It is a world or planet also being called the Planet at the Center of the Universe. Sadly I have yet to come across any useable details as to where this planet might be located.”

He thanked her and entered the Transmatter Tunnel, after telling Utchat he wanted to be transplaced to the Pluribus Hub.

--””--

The richest man in the known universe officially participated at an important business summit. The top business entities were represented to discuss ways of incorporating the few existing Nul businesses into the Union markets and assist the Purple brutes to open new businesses of their own. Of course, they also went there to see what products and services could be pushed onto Nul markets.

It was rare for himself to participate, but he wanted to gather information regarding Avondur. The entity that was part of him, was certain this was the place of the final conflict and the appearance of the Dark One. The prophecy, he had stolen was now fully translated and identified the Planet at the Center of the Universe as a central part of this cosmic puzzle.

For now, he decided to let the Old Saresii live. He was a good researcher and of all things had access to the Old Saresii archives. Archives that held wisdom and knowledge from the First Age of Knowledge. It was conceivable that the mystical Grey Cats knew where Avondur was to be found.

Not even a Bellebee friend of his, who dug up every available piece could tell him where Avondur was. But that floating gas bladder suggested that the Sealed Library of the Fifth might contain such information, as the Deep Libraries of the Saresii, While it was not all that difficult to insert an agent of his into the CLOAK unit of NAVINT that currently held auspice over this recent find. It was under the watchful eyes of Cherubim and Admiral Lydaa, both women more enigmatic than he liked.

Besides sifting through millions of physical documents to find a reference to Avondur could take decades.

Rex was certain that cosmic even of events was close at hand. Certainly not decades in the future.

For all his power the Deep Libraries were not open to him. Only a handful of Saresii approved scholars were ever allowed to descent past the floor of ages and open the sealed tomes of knowledge, the Gray Cats had preserved from a time when the Saresii were a Tech Level 11 society and unlike the Seenians traveled beyond the boundaries of the M-0 galaxy.

Balthasar, the Seenian Sentmac slipped into a seat next to his boss, who only appeared to listen to the lecture of a Sauron merchant, who had business dealings with the Nul for many years.

“The Drone is on his way, Mr.Schwartz. All other possible leads have been cleansed according to Ajax protocol.”

Rex acknowledged this with a nod.

The Seenian android added. “The drone left a trail though and this man named Phil Decker seems to have picked up that trail.”

“The drone knows nothing that could implicate me, but his mission must not be hampered. Maybe it is time to reduce the number of immortals by one.”

“I think that can be arranged, Sir.”

--’’--

Meeze had successfully traversed the yard without being seen. He didn’t have the best hearing so he did not notice the blood-curling screams that came from one of those half pipe openings that connected the yard to the undercroft of the compound or heard the cracking report of Kermac blasters.

He scurried across the street. A Thauran woman walking on the other side, gasped as she saw him pressed against an opposing wall and then ran in the other direction.

Meeze crawled up on the terminal.”Systemz canz you finz the Wheeze?

“Communication request received. There is a community so named, would you like to connect?”

“Yeez.”

“Scanning CITI, not present. Scanning MITI present. Switching to GalCom.

Moments later on the screen, another Wheeze worm appeared.”It is the Meeze, why do you call?”

“Whize youze speakez likez thatz?”

“Voicebox, we are all fitted with recently developed voice boxes.”

“Meeze anz ze frienz in troublez, Neeze neez zhe helpz!”

The other worm looked up his location. “We’re coming!”

--””--

The USS Tigershark was accelerating and popped into Quasi Space. It was as if there was a collective sigh.

Mao said.”I don’t know about all of you but this is where we belong, together and in space,”

Har-Hi sat down into his XO seat and glanced at me.”So you accidentally ran into a space battle?”

“I didn’t run into a space battle. The Or-Ghe decided to attack a Union outpost while I happened to be there.”

Marth snickered under his hood.”What a perfect timing then, those Or-Ghe most likely wish they had chosen another time.”

Shea turned from her console.”I glad you are back.”

Har-Hi said.”You know we are in Union space and we can’t do any criminal investigation. All we can do is inform Union law enforcement. We are Navy we are sort of limited in that regard.”

“I am aware of this, friends, but we have two crew members missing and I really want to know why that ensign is of such interest to them. I just dealt with a gnarled thing claiming to be the Necro King.”

Elfi also turned.”I am reading up on those Necros. That cult is very old and has spread across many cultures and societies. A sect like this doesn’t die when you kill the King. All that happens is, a new king or queen takes his place.”

I sighed.”I was afraid of that. That thing was a lunatic as can be.”

Har-Hi crossing his arms.”Yes, I say he was crazy, taking you to a place you don’t want to be and perhaps even saying some things you don’t like.”

“You know who was involved in all that?”

“Who?”

“You might not know a delusional guy named Swybin Swybar, but I am sure Narth remembers him. And there was our friend Naramir Suppor, they all worked together to get me. They were responsible for torturing Chief Hilbora.”

Krabbel waved his arms.”In his case, Stahl should have made an exception and shoved him out the airlock right after that rotten instructor.”

I frowned and said.”Speaking of the Eternal Warrior and his expectations. We will try to find our crew members and leave the clean up to Union police. We still have those cursed Ypeherix to deal with it and that is our mission.”

--””--

Le Habre Bleu was an old Union world with a population of over 6 billion, many cities and towns. It was not the seat of the Thauran empire, but many very rich and very influential Thauran families claimed this world as their home, ever since they made planetfall with Rene Thauran, so long ago. It was a well-developed world and it was tied into the Space Train network. The trains reached the system hourly either coming down from Blue Moon or traveling up from Center Core station, the furthest point one was able to travel via space train in the Spinward sector. A major spur connected this system with Stepping Stone, and thus the main lines traveling across the Bridge to Andromeda.

Space Trains were a technological marvel, and unique to the Union. Able to cover distances much faster than any known space ship. Unlike space ships, however, space trains traveled in what was called a Blacklight tunnel and needed a start and a receiving station.

Space Train stations were always built-in so-called traffic hubs. Usually, an artificial space station parked at the nadir or apex point over a star system. Connecting via shuttles, Transmatter Tunnels, and local Space-Tram lines to various points in the system.

The traffic hub above the sun Lumis Rene, was no exception.

It was no particular special day in the Union calendar. Union week and the traditional vacation time of Union citizens was months off. The famous Le Habre wine festival was equally distant. Yet, the traffic hub manager could not explain the seemingly endless streams of wiggling and screaming worm creatures pouring out of the train compartments arriving from Blue Moon. Thousands of them, armed with small knives. Wearing all kinds of makeshift armor pieces.

They were clogging the Transmatter Tunnel access to the surface of Le Habre Bleu. Throngs of them in line before the shuttle terminal.

He glanced at his GalNet readout, the worm creatures he had never seen before were indeed a very recent Union addition.

While he was not able to identify the worms without GalNet help, he lost many shades of blue when he saw the four-armed brutes arriving in the next train. Hundreds of Y’All in full battle armor. They too demanded fast transport to Le Habre Bleu. No one aboard the Traffic hub station was brave enough to deny their request.

He called the Union Police officer, a dignified gentleman of an old Thauran house. “Can you explain what is happening?”

As he was connected he stared in the upside-down face of the old Union Police officer. He was held that way by a Y’All.”Human, I am resigning from my post and these Y’All gentlemen is helping me to arrest myself.”

“What? What are you talking about.”

A worm wiggled in his office.”We cleanz the filhz and you betterz have nozing on ze recorz.”

--””--

Meeze had returned to the corridor window and took a peek. The floor was littered from wall to wall with body pieces, bloody intestines, and gore. He heard Fenris shriek somewhere ahead.

He went into the room of worship, where he had seen the red-robed priest and the Ensign. Both the ensign and the lead priest were nowhere to be found.

But here too, it looked as if a tornado of saw blades ripped through at least a dozen Thauran.

Meeze found the destroyed pieces of his Atlas suit and his small TKU, with a green light, but before he could reach his weapon. A Thauran appeared from between curtains that concealed a doorway in the back.”Hellspawn die!”

The man fired a Neuro Shocker and Meeze felt as he was doused with boiling oil.

--””--

Sarak Sobur, dragged the dazed woman on her arm along an old corridor. She slowly fought the effects of a numbing drug and recognized the face under the hood. “Sarak?”

“Yes you little shit, I am your brother. Where is the key?”

“What key?” he shoved her through a rusty door. There was an underground river and tied to the small quay a motorized boat waiting for them. She recognized the older woman already standing inside the boat, it was her mother.

She cried.”Mother?”

“Oh you silly girl, why did you have to turn out like your father? Sarak and I are on the verge of claiming true eternal life and real power.”

“Shut up, mother. The whole city is squirming with aggressive worms. A black dragon is tearing our men to shreds. We must flee before the authorities, the one we can not buy can find us.”

Sylia struggled against the pulling arm.”I do not know what is going on, but I am a Union Fleet Officer.”