Chapter 2: No Air in Space

We did make it to that GIII star system. The damage report didn’t sound so severe when I had first heard it, and there was virtually no structural damage to the ship. As bad as a damaged Janus system was, it was technically not a vital system. Without the Dime Tap, we still had extendable backup ISAH engines. We had some fuel and an onboard refinery, able to turn any source of hydrogen into NuGas.

We were not beyond any hope ever reaching Union space, but without our real engines, it would take over a year to reach the closest Union system, almost 30,000 light-years from our current position. With our engines and energy tap working, a trip of 127 days. Relying on the backup engines the same journey would last almost 300 days, not counting fuel stops.

We crawled figuratively speaking, partially to preserve energy and partially because I suspected more of these Yule log things to be around. Going slow with every eye glued on the sensors I hoped we were able to avoid another confrontation.

Har-Hi and Mehedi assured me that the crew morale was in an alert, but overall very good state,

Mehedi believed that the crew preferred this uncertain, potential very dangerous situation over being stuck for days and week on the surface of a planet.

Krabbel christened the unexplored system Kryktim, an old Archa term for a yellow glowing insect native to his home-world. The star had twelve planets, four gas giants, many moons, a dense asteroid belt between the sixth and seventh orbit and many planetesimals.

Only one of the inner rock core planets was within the Goldilocks zone that allowed liquid water to form. While Union science had encountered life in the most unusual environments, including the very surface of suns and Neutron stars. The vast majority of encountered life was of the Carbon-based variety, relying on water as a solvent and a core condition of life.

This planet was at the innermost orbit where liquid water could exist, and our sensors picked up a rich biosphere. According to Narth and the other telepathic gifted members of my crew, nothing even remotely sentient. Narth was certain that the most developed life form did not exceed the intellectual comprehension of a Terran sheep. While I had never seen a sheep, Mao assured me that even the dumbest goat kept by members of his tribe far outsmarted a Terran sheep.

Since I never seen a goat either and generally disliked their taste I simply took their word for it.

To avoid as much of even that non-sentient life, we found a region of bone dry deserts that suited our purposes.

I was not ready to call it quits and limp home. Circuit assured me he could affect repairs and put everything back in working order, but he needed the main energy systems offline to do that, hence the need for putting our ship down on the reddish coarse sand and rock of that desert plane.

I called my seniors to a conference in the Den.

After they all found their seats I said. “We have two options, guys. We can limp to the outer rim and find the Camogi system. From there we have GalCom and other resources. It will take about a year in our current state”.

I paused to let this sink in. “Or we repair our ride, find out who or what tried to stop us and continue with our mission. Whatever we are facing is very advanced with unknown but quite possible better resources than we have”.

Har-Hi said. “Are you asking that for real? No one on this SHIP is ever going to quit”.

TheOther agreed. “That’s not us, Captain. Leaving this for someone else to unravel”.

Sodoby grinned. “She already made up her mind, otherwise, we would be on our way to Camogi Star already”.

“Givz upz, Weeze? Captinz Meeze noz givz upz!”

“Mr.Meeze this is a Senior staff meeting, what are you doing here?”

“Whaz youz zinkz Meeze doiz? Meeze rotaz in departminz youz saiz. Meeze rotaz in ze seniorz departminz. Meeze noz soz stoopiz”.

I sighed. “Of all things, Mister that is one aspect no one thinks is true about you”.

To Circuit I said. “Do you have everything you need to get us up and running?”

“Not even close, Captain. I want a fully equipped dock, access to Fleet logistics for parts and tools”. He spread his arms. “Give me four of five days and I think we should be okay”.

He got up and walked to the Den exit and said. “I better get started. Three-Four and Warner are already stripping the Dime Tap”. Our Sentmac engineer then motioned Meeze. “What are you waiting for? You said you know the Big Boomz, so you might as well get it fixed”.

The worm followed him. “Big Boomz melz ze emiiterz, Meeze fiz it.”

Shea said. “We are going to be stuck on this baking oven of a planet, for a few days. Can the Sci department survey it?”

“Sure you can, but I need your best Xeno Tech to come with me”.

Har-Hi glanced at me. “You are not serious?”

Narth was perplexed. “Can you read her mind?”

“Almost, friend Narth, almost. Eighteen light-years from here is a piece of alien ship”.

I nodded. “The bow section is gone, but the aft piece is still there. We have the Apparition and we do need to find out more about our adversary”.

Tyron floated close. “Permission to be your protective garment. I also recommend taking a Casern along”.

--””--

The being stepping on the Plane of Eternity was completely shrouded. Yet, even here at this metaphysical location, removed from the very Omniverse, this entity radiated wisdom and power of great magnitude.

The Voice of the Rule, who had seen this entity come to be when the Arth and the Nnnth united in a symbiotic relationship and became the Narth.

The shrouded entity lifted his arm and extended a finger. The Voice was completely unprepared for the strong emotions that emanated from the Narth Supreme.

“Voice! I come to accuse you of meddling and interfering! I no longer call upon you, but on the One Behind it All”.

“Narth Supreme! You are the first Entity of the Prime Universe. Your very existence was preordained by The One Behind it all. I am the Voice of the Rule and impartial until the Decision is made”.

Neither the Narth Supreme nor the Voice was prepared for the white-blue sphere of light brighter than all the suns together. A brilliance that transcended the very fabric of existence. It was not a blinding light, or hurtful. It was the ultimate definition of light. Nothing could stay hidden, no crevice, not the shadow of the biggest mountains could conceal a single atom of matter or a quantum of energy.

What became present here above the Plane of Eternity was beyond the understanding of the Voice and the Narth Supreme by infinite magnitudes. There was no voice, no conversation. Both the Voice and the Narth Supreme were in the presence of the One Behind it All. Both entities controlled considerable cosmic power. Yet compared to the condition that appeared to them, it amounted to nothing.

Time had a different meaning here on the Plane of Eternity. Neither could say if time existed at all or if eternities passed, but the brilliant light subsided and then was gone.

The Voice of the Rule was no longer avoiding the accusation. “Your charge has been received and the Voice of the Rule has been purged, punished and renewed to its purpose, Narth Supreme. Bring forth the cause that compelled you to come here”.

“The previous incarnation of the Voice had become a stalwart of Duality and pursued ways to restore the inflexible condition of Duality as it governed Cron, the First Universe. Duality is not malleable, Compromise and shades of Grey do not exist. This is the reason Crea was able to break the Rule because Crea crossed from the side of light and incorporated aspects of darkness, a third condition was introduced. A concept that could not exist under the auspice of Duality.

The Rule had been broken and Cron was doomed and ceased to exist. The changed Crea clashed with the Dark One, who was still soundly connected to Duality as the Dark One represented all that was opposing light.

The surprise attack of Crea failed, as this very act introduced aspects of light in the Dark One. This caused confusion within the Singularity of Evil and Darkness and is the real cause for its defeat. It could no longer exist as it was”.

The Voice of the Rule did not interrupt, even though it received the same cosmic revelation just now.

The Narth Supreme thundered. “The One Behind it all punished and exiled Crea from the Prime Universe and promised the Dark One to be the one making the decision that was to restore the RULE or abolish it forever. The old Dark One could no longer exist. Twelve symbolic items were created and strewn across a new Universe. It was ordained that the essence of the Dark one would resurrect in the Prime Universe and begin a quest to reunite the twelve token. It was to be a journey of learning and to define the New Dark One, so when all twelve tokens were reunited a New Dark One was to make that Decision with a new understanding based on experiences gained on this quest.

The Voice of the Rule came into being, meant to be as an impartial arbitrator and you summoned 25 beings and made them Cosmic Elders, to guard and protect the conditions necessary for this Decision to be made.

The Narth Supreme was one of these. Yet one was unaware that you summoned an Nnnth before me to fulfill that role. This Nnnth rejected and exiled along with two others by us because they were unfit to join the new symbiosis. Their minds and being filled with hate, the lust for power. Power for the sole purpose of gaining power over others and everything”.

The voice of the Narth Supreme was not acoustic but his words were expressed by one of the strongest psionic sources of all creation. It always was a voice of disembodied aloofness, now it was colored by strong emotion.

“You, Voice of the Rule gifted Rehux with powers far beyond those of an Nnnth and declared him to be a Cosmic Elder. Yet he rejected your charge and instead of a Cosmic Guardian he became the First Emperor. The one known as Invictus Rex. The one raising an Empire of the cruelest totalitarian kind and spreading over thousands of galaxies”.

The Voice responded. “It is as you say. The Voice failed and this failure corrupted the Voice. The Voice of the Rule has been punished, expunged and restored”.

“One does not question the justice delivered by the One Behind it All”.

“Yet you are not the Narth that was summoned by the Voice when Elders were chosen”.

“Because Narth too rejects this role of Cosmic Elder and impartial guarantor of conditions. None of the Elders you have chosen remained impartial.

After contemplation, all that is Narth decided to create a new young Narth, endow him with a physical form to explore the Prime Universe. This young Narth discovered concepts that the Nnnth rejected, the Arth forgot and the Narth lacked. Friendship, loyalty and love chief among them.

This young Narth embraced this concept of true friendship with a human being, a being that carried the Essence of the Dark One!

This friendship grew into the purest form of love as they shared the Hugavh, the core essence of their individuality. Young Narth did not only share it with Erica who shared that human body but was allowed to glimpse the true essence of Eric. In doing so Narth shared it with all that is Narth.

One is the Narth Supreme and the sum of all Narth, but with these newfound concepts, one is also I. The one that is Narth Supreme declares impartiality is impossible. Narth is loyal to the Dark One, and I the Narth Supreme declare before you and the Universe to be a Union Citizen. It appears a condition so simple and dimensional, but its true concept of celebrating individualism by embracing community is unique throughout the universe and I am proud of this. The respect and love that is given to me by myriads of individuals is a non-tangible treasure that exceeds it all”.

The Voice said. “I sense your emotions and they are stronger than your psionics”.

The Narth Supreme nodded slowly. “This validates our decision”.

“We know the Dark One walks among the beings of the Prime Universe and has united most of the tokens already. Still, inside a weak human body, he swatted Lord Lumis and greatly injured the Lord of Light, who is infused with all of Crea’s might”.

“Lord Lumis is not aware of this, and lacks the intellect to realize this”. Then the Narth Supreme laughed in a very corporeal human way. “You are mistaken, Voice. Erica might appear to be a weak human. Yet I am certain she would try to defeat you, her body is human, oh indeed. Her will power and resolve are beyond measure. In that, she is a true twin of that entity within her”.

“Lord Lumis searches for the WEAPON”.

“The WEAPON is aboard the Tigershark. The WEAPON was conceived by those who fear the return of the Dark One, it is of no consequence to the Old Dark One, but who can measure its effect on the New Dark One?”

“The time of the restoration of the Dark One is close. What can we do to prepare?”

“Let the Gods and Entities beyond our level of understanding do that”. The Narth Supreme said. “One is concerned about the proliferation of Nnnth technology. One will now trace and exterminate those that are Nnnth but failed to become Narth. Nnnth must no longer exist”.

--””--

I entered main engineering. The cube-like block of our Dime-Tap Energy system no longer looked like the smooth piece of equipment it usually did. All panels were removed. Many parts were strewn all over the floor.