Chapter 22: Jump Speed

The subject of that angry interchange inside the hidden chamber beneath the tower of Wizards was strapped into his command seat, a good 60,000 Light year distance.

Einulsiebzwe was a Kermac, and like the current Supreme Wizard Zwhehzwheneu he could trace his roots all the way back to Koken and he was proud of his heritage.

As his T-cruiser, the very latest of its kind with the finest and best technology the Galactic Council had to offer, was accelerating to punish that impudent Union Police officer. He was thinking about the past. He was one of the very few who still knew they came from that mystical planet known as Koken. A world lost in time and space, even though there was the rumor that the book of sources contained the exact location. The book of sources was as ancient as the Kermac and its content revealed only to those who managed to climb upon the central seat, the Chair of the Supreme Wizard.

The name of the latest Supreme Wizard suggested that his roots could be traced to the Ker of the Zweh islands.

But those Ker who came from the Einul shores of the Ifnai ocean were just as important and the connection to Koken just as old.

So much of Kermac history has been forgotten, forbidden and buried that the stories remaining were more legend and myth than anything else. It, however, had been the declared task of the Einsul to be the keepers of Kermac lore and history. The Einsul had preserved and kept as much as they could even through war, the celestial move from Koken to Kermac Prime. The many laws and edicts of ruling wizards to erase historical evidence that did not fit their policies and narratives had greatly reduced what wasn’t already lost to time.

It was the story of a great civilization chosen by the aloft and so far advanced Uni, to rise above all other life to obtain the expression of truth, by displaying white in its purest form. Neither the Blue nor the Golden were chosen and in his opinion, it had been a mistake to let them go into exile. The only remedy for impurity was extermination.

There was nothing he could do about things that occurred so long ago, but he could restore Kermac supremacy in the here and now.

Kermac were always about control, control over others and this core motivation of their culture and society had always included their own. This was the reason for the creation and the rise of the Thought Police. It meant the realization of the ultimate and final control. That initial tool of control quickly grew into its own institution and became a potent political force.

But as powerful as they were, and as much their control had grown, the Thought Police could not be everywhere, as it was still a small group. The range of their mind spying abilities was limited, unlike the roots of the Ministry of Control who had grown with the Kermac ever since they left Koken and was deeply entwined into every aspect of Kermac society.

A secret shared by less than a handful of Kermac spoke about a Non-Kermac power that infiltrated and now secretly controlled the Kermac government through the Thought Police and the latest Supreme Wizard Zwhehzwheneu.

Kermac law was officially above everyone, even the Supreme Wizard, as it was Kermac Law regulating the ways Wizards were chosen. However once a Supreme Wizard took his seat, his word was absolute and thus Supreme Wizards were able to change or add law.

Einulsiebzwe’s left hand cramped around the seats hand-rest. “The Thought Police, their Supreme Wizard puppet and whatever alien force was behind them did not have total control over the Kermac. While there was an official propagated and generally believed illusion that this was the case, it was certainly not the reality. If there would have been such a single point of control, no separate ministries would be needed. No groups scheming against each other and trying to gain the top spot.

The only sentient society he knew that indeed reached this level of real and total control, were the Xunx. These long gone and eradicated insects shared a single consciousness and were genetically and mentally compelled to follow the queens’ will and rule. Xunx had no laws, no crime, no dissent, no religion. The queen was everything.

He conceded that the Klack, who were an enormous power and shared many similarities to the Xunx, also had a Queen that controlled it all. He did not know what caused the change, but Klack queens promoted individualism for many millennia now, and with increasing success, and with the increased influence of individualism the queens’ total control over her subjects lessened.

Einulsiebzwe was not an advocate of total control, at least not of this unyielding kind. It spelled doom for the Xunx, after the ‘back then’ impotent and fledgling society of Earthers were able to kill the Queen, the humans’ victory was certain and absolute. The rejection of absolute control also seemed to be the secret of the success of the Klack.

His closest advisor and assistant stepped up to his seat and interrupted his musings. “Shiny Beacon of Excellence and true supremacy. We have successfully hindered that infuriating Union maggot to obtain the necessary speed to enter the Nuran condition. We are moments away from optimum firing distance.”

Einulsiebzwe brushed the obscuring command separation curtain aside and leaned forward. “Roast this vermin, before he can jump and inform his superiors. I want to be done here and gone before Union scum can send battleships.”

“Your magnificence, do you not know about their instantaneous communication? I am certain he was able to inform his superiors already.”

“You are too enamored with these Union bastards. Yes, I heard about this GalNet and I have seen images of GalNet terminals. There is no room for such a massive system In that little thing. Besides he is a police officer, even if he could inform his superiors it will take many hours before it will reach high enough for anyone with the authority to send ships of war.”

The aide was not certain about his own knowledge regarding Union capabilities was based on. Facts or propaganda? “Shiny Beacon of Excellence...”

He was interrupted by a scanner operator. “Your magnificence, two very large contacts dropped out of the Nuran condition.”

“Union Warships?”

“No, Shiny Beacon of Excellence, civilians. Freighters most likely.”

--””—

“I think subtle is out,” Sam said and approached the Half Kermac and the man, Charles identified as Dimon Honshu. Charles was close on his heels.

Whatever instincts the Dai had served him well, he saw the pair approaching, did not hesitate for a moment. With a sudden push, he shoved the white-skinned man into Sam’s path. At the same time, he threw something at Charles.

Charles was a machine and could not be surprised, his reflexes were so much faster than that of most bioforms including humans and Dai. His systems identified the flying peanut-sized object as a technical, potentially explosive device and engulfed himself with his Battle shields and stepped before Sam.

The thrown object exploded indeed, but instead of causing damage, it created a dense cloud of smoke. It was not just smoke caused by thermal combustion of a flammable substance, but it turned out to be a sophisticated aerosol. A suspension of microscopic fine solid particles that obstructed the sophisticated visual sensors of the robot across the entire spectrum of light. The tiny device also emitted a deafening sound and emitted an EMT pulse.

Charles systems were capable of operating in any environmental condition, but the sudden distraction the device caused to his human partner who just now reacted to the Half Shiss stumbling into his path was enough to delay the disguised robots advance.

Just a second had passed since the quick-reacting Dai had thrown his device.

Charles noticed him disappearing on the spot, just like a Teleporter. He was a Type IV 4788, at this point 71 years old, well within service life expectations, but in military terms outdated. While he had been fully restored after the battle on Green Hell, he had not received any upgrades. Only units of Type IX could detect psionic activities. Charles could not tell if the Dai used psionics to escape, however, the person who knew about Martha’s whereabouts was gone.

Sam coughed and brushed the ultra-fine dust that was now settling on everything from his face. The Half Shiss was similar perplex and pushed himself away by Sam. “What? Where?” He looked around. “Where is Dimon, and who are you?”

“I was in the market for things the Dai reportedly purchased on Alvor’s.”

“Dimon is a valued associate of our family and a welcome guest on our rock. His sudden reaction and disappearance indicate that he did not want to do business with you and I think he recognized you as being dangerous.”

“I never met the man in person. I received information about his purchase from a Norkana, who unfortunately fell victim to the escalation of violence just now.”

“The Norkana, I see. I think I know who you are. You and your silent big friend came with the Unth, a day ago and you are asking questions about slaves purchased at Alvor’s. While I am not sure who you really are, but I have my suspicion and I want you off this Rock today. There is a ship leaving for Drogs in two hours accepting freight and passengers. You will be on it or I sell you to the Katharians, understood?”

Charles could tell, Sam tried to remain calm and patient. “You are a Bennett, I get it. But we have done nothing that warrants such treatment.”

“You both spell trouble. You are good I can tell, blending in as a traveling spacer, but you can’t completely hide the Union smell.”

With that, he turned and left them standing right there at the entrance of the mostly destroyed tavern. Then he turned. “Mooring arm, two, ship berth eight. The Vankux of Emon, the Gasthly. Be on it and leave or else.”

Sam grunted something and said to Charles. “We are so close, this Dimon Honshu knows where Martha is. Where did he go?”

“He used the confusion he caused to escape. He vanished, in the manner a Teleporter does, but I have no sensors able to detect psion activity.”

“We don’t have much time my friend. If our Chistel friend mentions the bounty on us, issued by that fat slave dealer, the Bennetts most likely change their mind about us. Instead of Drogs they will then send us to Alvor’s.”

“I am fully armed and it will be hard for them to persuade us.”

“Charles, we are on their rock in the middle of space. There are many thousands of them, we can’t fight them. We need to find Martha’s trail and be on that ship to Drogs, before they change their mind.”

--””—

Roy once again regained his senses lying on the recliner underneath the Bubble helmet. Knunging still holding onto his shoulder and Partner was as close as the huge beast could get to Roy on the recliner.

He propped up. “I lost contact again, but she says she is in Union Space and they are under attack by a T Cruiser.”

Cara’s mother who was still there and now that he was sitting up he could make her outstanding just beyond the light cone. “Ridiculous dream images of course. First, you claim her to be attacked by a Demon no less and now you saw her in Union Space fighting a Kermac warship.” She sounded very dismissive and added. “The Leedei device is not working as intended, all it does is induce wild dreams into the mind of the... , the male.”

Dr. Seniie, right next to her felt similar as he said. “His psionics are weak at the best of times. I think what he received was some kind of psionic residue and his mind added familiar images.”

A Saresii, Roy had not noticed before stepped into the circle of beings surrounding the recliner.”You both need to write a report about this. Why don’t you do this now?”

The speaker, like all Saresii, appeared female and his appearance left little doubt, the voice, however, was clearly male. The Leedei wanted to say something, but the new Saresii made an almost invisible gesture that made the Leedei fall silent.

Cara’s mother objected. “We still need the data from the Leedei and we need to get details on the device.”

“You both leave now, do whatever you do and expect an investigation by the Gray Cats, leave I said.”

The last words were spoken with an odd force behind it and both Saresii women were physically moved back, by an unseen force.

They both huffed and retreated short of running to the elevator platform.

Roy tried to get his mind into focus as he noticed the lights had slowly turned brighter. The room was once more uniformly lit.

Tanya was also still there and crossed her arms. “I better call our representative at the Assembly, I believe Roy and there is a T-Cruiser somewhere in Union Space.”

The Saresii, Roy had not seen before smiled at Roy. It was a genuine smile he was certain. The Saresii woman had white-blonde hair and her eyes had the same eerie quality as those of Admiral Stahl. “I am Algear Moansti, first among the Saresii and a Decision maker of our society. That I am also a Gray Cat means little to you now, Mr. Masters, but I hope it will soon.”

“My mother! I am sure it was more than a dream, she answered me. I am certain.”

Inklung nodded. “The Tele Listener works, Roy made active contact to a mind that is so familiar to him, it could only be his mother.”

The Saresii looked towards the elevator lift as if to make sure the platform carried the two other Saresii away indeed. “I believe you, of course. The Assembly just received word of a T Cruiser attacking a Police unit in a region called the Union’s Backyard. I am however not convinced your contact and that event is linked.”

Roy jumped off. “I am! We must alert the fleet! Do you have a fast ship?”

Alegar, who was, Roy had to admit the most beautiful Saresii he had seen so far kept smiling. “Mr. Masters, the report to the Assembly came from the Fleet. The presence of a Kermac warship so deep in Union Space is more than disturbing and Sector alert was raised. Admiral McElligott, much closer to the region than our Eternal Warrior, has left Earth already to deal with this. Every available fleet unit is on its way.”

Tanya stepped closer. “I can get us a fast ship, Roy.”

Knunging only now took his spidery hand off Roy’s shoulder. “I am confused and alarmed at the same time. Why have you dismissed these Saresii women in such a manner?”

“Because of this.” The Saresiil pointed to the now visible alien apparatus suspended on a crescent-shaped metal arm over Roy. “This device now combined with Tech of the First Age of Knowledge represents the most potent weapon in the known universe. If linked with Kermac Will Bender technology it could potentially enslave every sentient mind in this galaxy and perhaps beyond and force those receptive to psionics to fight those immune to it. Its existence is known to a select few. It has been guarded by you, the Leedei like nothing else.”

There was no one talking, so the Saresii added. “It has not always been a tool of science, the Leedei call it the Tele Listener now, but it has been used in the last Leedei Cleansing war, with terrible consequences.”

Avnak, the Leedei leader slowly unfolded his hands. The very long, multi-jointed fingers had joined in a complicated weird ball of fingers. “It is true what the First among the Saresii says. The Tele Listener is based on an ancient Leedei weapon, the PSI-Overloader. Able to destroy the minds of entire planet populations and over great distances.”

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