Chapter 9: Paul

The USS Revenant, so Roy learned intercepted the diverted destroyer. The elements that stole the ship were either dead or in custody.

He also learned that at least one of these evil actors had escaped in an escape pod and jumped the HHW gate before they could be apprehended, They treated him nice, but he felt, he wasn’t told many of the real details.

He felt physical well enough from his most recent ordeal, but everything else was very confusing. None of his new friends seem to be aboard.

The woman Alycia, appeared human. More Saresii than of Terran origin, but she felt much more alien to him than even the Wurgus he had met. She said she was a close associate to Stahl.

Partner was there, and after dining on a TKU power cell felt completely normal again. The Furt Beast sat on his hind legs and followed Roy’s movements while his mental pictures only transmitted joy to be with Roy and the always present eagerness to do things that would please Roy.

While the woman had left the infirmary only a few moments ago, the Leedei Knunging was still there sitting in a peculiar position on the diagnostic bed. His hands folded in the same complicated manner as back in the cargo hold of the destroyer.

“Are we still in danger?” Roy asked. He did not feel anything from his uncanny ability to sense trouble.

The Leedei slowly shook his head, obscured underneath that mask-like second skin.

“No, Roy, we are no longer detained and abducted by agents of the Kermac.”

“Where are the others? Why aren’t they here?” His voice sounded more distressed than he wanted to let on, but many details of the abduction made little or no sense to him. He also genuinely feared for his new friends.

The Leedei answered in this soothing whispering tone that appeared characteristic for all Leedei, or at least for the two he had met so far.

“The PSI Corps general told you the truth, Roy. We are on our way to Bluee Moon and your friends are either are already mended or on the way of recovery. It is also true that the Saran girl Aat and her father will need the attention of specialists and their recovery will take longer.”

“Can I not see them?”

“Of course, Roy Masters. However your friends are on their way back to Belle Station, we are on our way to utilize the Tele Listener located on my homeworld. Do you wish to abandon that quest?”

He almost yelled at the Leedei, who had by all accounts saved his life and that of the others. He reined in his emotional outburst in the very last moment, not entirely successful and snapped. “Why is everyone treating me like some kind of idiot? I have news for you Mr. Knunging, I am a teenager. I am not an adult and I am off-world for only the second time, and not very long. I didn’t ask for my stupid parents to run off chasing their science goals instead of staying home with me. They get killed by pirates, Just when I sort of getting used to the idea of them being dead, I am told they might be alive.

Of course, I want to use that thing of the Leedei. I did not want to be abducted by Kermac and I did not know what happened to my friends, or that we went on separate paths.”

“I did not ask to be drawn into your affairs. Roy Masters. As important these things seem to you, what exactly is my motivation in all this? Other than being asked by you to give you access to a device my people have not made accessible to most of us and no outsider ever. You should be thankful instead of lashing out against me.”

Roy knew that he went way overboard attacking the Leedei in such verbal fashion. His emotions turned from anger and confusion to shame and the realization that the Leedei was indeed correct. He had left behind his home and his daily life to assist a stranger.

Partner confused by Roy’s emotions didn’t help the matter, growling and almost attacking the Leedei. Roy calling his friend to stop at the last moment.

Knunging reeling back falling off the diagnostic bed.

The PSI Corps general entering the infirmary at the same moment.’ What is going on here?” She demanded to know in a surprised tone.

The Leedei unfolded his spidery fingers and pointed at Roy. “I understand that the recent events must have been challenging to you, but they were equally so to me. I exhausted my abilities. That you make your beast attack and frighten me, however, is not as easily excused. What have I done to you, Mr. Masters?”

“Mr. Knungking, I am very sorry. Partner reacted out of my confusion. I hope there is no harm done.”

“There is, Roy. I had my hands folded and could not break my fall.”

The woman said. “The CMO is on his way, Knunging. Mr. Masters, you are with me.”

Roy was too ashamed for what he had done to the Leedei to object, he sent a heartfelt apology to the Leedei and stepped into the corridor behind the infirmary, Partner right behind him.”

Yet the voice in him that made him lash out was not completely silenced. He was still angry at the situation and the anger subdued by the shame of his recent actions was still simmering underneath it all.

The exotic beauty looked at him for a long moment. “You know, the Leedei are not human. Their emotions are quite similar to those of humans, but they are experienced on an entirely different level, based on different glands and a completely different culture. You do know they are more or less the only species we know of that has three genders?”

Roy pressed his lips together and said between clenched teeth.”I heard about it.”

Her words made quite some sense to him. The many lifeforms of Green Hell, although not sentient acted and reacted according to their nature. It was one thing to accept all the many different sentient species that made up the Union, and it was a completely different thing to understand them.

Alycia Lichfangh sighed softly.”Don’t chastise yourself too much, young man. There are certain baselines all societies and sentient beings share, it takes a little experience and little more exposure than you had so far. The Bellebee elder that talked to you; a brilliant analyst and a very good Union citizen, equated you a little too much with Bellebee youth. Unaware of the emotional storm his news would create in you.”

She gestured down the corridor.”I keep telling my ... my good friend Richard Stahl ... the Universe is ruled as much by logic and science as it is my emotions and passions.”

Roy was thinking about the wisdom, the white-haired beauty revealed. She appeared of a much greater age than she physically presented. In a way, she had that same uncanny quality the Immortal Admiral had.

He pushed his hands in his suits side pockets, in an unconscious move that reflected his state of mind. “What will happen now? Did I ruin my chance to use that Leedei device?”

“For now you did, yes. But not because of Knunging or what you said. The Leedei still wants to help you.”

Roy felt a cold hand around his stomach. “I don’t understand...”

Her face reflected true empathy.”It is hard to understand especially for someone with such limited experience. I was briefed about your situation as much as possible. The actions of the Kermac on your world have firmly put you on the scanner screens of our enemies.

The Wurgus are one reason of course, but the pirates that attacked the Silver Swan asked for you, and not the Wurgus.

The Kermac abducted you, along with your friends, but it was you that was abducted because the enemy hopes to gain access to that Tele Listener.”

As they talked they reached an IST access point and he stepped next to her inside an Inter Ship transport capsule. He stepped aside to make room for Partner and the sank his head.”I still feel my parents need help and I must find them somehow. I never asked for the other things.”

“Life sometimes isn’t fair Roy. Whatever fate or chance that put you on this path, it is you who must walk it to its end. I know Richard has spoken to you about this, better than I can. Just like the Leedei, I am not human, Roy.”

To the system she said.”Hangar Deck”

“You are not Saresii, right?”

She smiled. “No, Roy. So far I am the only member of my kind that is also a Union Citizen, but I hope the rest will eventually make the decision to join. My origin is not important Roy, but it was that handsome and stubborn Terran you know as Admiral Stahl who made contact with us. What is important however is getting you access to the Tele Scanner, but not as initially planned.”

The IST doors parted and revealed another corridor. Substantially bigger, wider than the one they had left. He recognized the person, standing by a massive looking and so marked hangar door, it was Cara.

She wore that velvet bodysuit that she often wore, this one in a dark blue color. She had her arms crossed and observed his approach with a smirk on her lips.

As they were close she reached out and petted the enormous head of Partner without hesitation.

To Roy he said.”Thank you.”

Alycia put her hand on his shoulder and said. “I haven’t briefed him in detail yet.”

Cara did not lose her smile.”Then we better fill you in, before we go on our little odyssey.”

Roy blurted out.”Can I get more information, please? All this is still very confusing to me.”

The two statuesque beauties, each quite stunning and very alluring proportioned in a very human way, despite their claim not to be human.

In Cara’s instance, he wasn’t certain if Saresii weren’t considered human after all, but in Alycia’s case despite her perfect body and a quite female appearance and behavior, he was certain she was not.

The hangar doors parted and revealed an empty bay except for a small and civilian looking D 20.

Nothing of substance was spoken until they had boarded the small space ship.

They’re in a small passenger compartment, both of them sat down and asked Roy to do the same.

Partner was almost too big and filled the rest of the small compartment.

Alycia began. “The Leedei are Union members for quite some time, Roy but some of their achievements and technology have not been shared with the rest of the Union.”

Cara picked up the thread. “I think you know how dangerous psionics can be.”

He nodded. “Yes I do, most of the problems in my life seem to involve psionics.”

Cara nodded.”The Union as a society is very aware of this. Every citizen and resident is tested for psionic abilities early on and the so-called Heidelberg Psi Index is a permanent feature of everyone’s CITI. We have PSI laws and everyone can purchase PSI shields and such.”

He simply nodded. He did have a telepathic mother and most likely similar gifted grandparents as she originated from Phantas, planet where everything alive plants, animals and inhabitants were gifted in that regard.

He had some abilities, he knew. There was his psionic connection to Partner chief among them, and there was his ability to sense danger. While no one else appeared to have developed something similar, he was quite certain it was also psionic based.

Somehow his mother was able to send him vivid images of her peril over a great distance.

Cara was still speaking. “You might also know that our great Union has many member species and societies. Many are psi inert, some have very few individuals among them that develop or possess the ability to channel and thus control Psions and in doing so perform actions that almost appear like magic to non-gifted.

There are also societies on the other spectrum. Chief among them the elusive Narth. You most likely never heard of them, but they are considered the most gifted of all species. Sadly, they have chosen to isolate themselves and rarely if ever seen.”

Cara gestured towards herself. “There are others, like the Ariglou, the Urilliua and perhaps most commonly known us, the Saresii.”

Roy knew of the Saresii and vaguely remembered to have heard about the Urilliua in Union school. If school covered the Aeiglou he did not recall; most likely due to him skipping another upload afternoon in favor of roaming his beloved jungles. A place he longed for so much.

Alycia took over. “And there are the Leedei. Far removed from Union core space, inhabiting M 32, a Dwarf Galaxy separate from M 0 and M 31. More by chance than anything else, one of their scientists directed a device that they called a Tele-Listener in the void area between Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy. To their great surprise, they picked up much Psionic chatter from an area they believed to be completely void. They decided to build two special long-distance space ships, with an ingenious system of stages In an attempt to find out why psionic chatter was created in a region that should be void of anything,

The Leedei Expedition discovered the Union Bridge, the chain of Space stations between the Milky Way Galaxy and Andromeda. In 4290, the Leedei became the 4002nd Member Civilization.”

Roy did not interrupt her, he felt there was a reason for this,

Cara nodded as if to approve of his decision to listen and said. “No society we know of has developed psi tech of such sophistication than the Leedei. Psi tech is a small exotic aspect of Union tech in general terms and that includes Saresii tech and all other contributions. It is, however, the fundamental base of Leedei society and tech, for many thousands of years. Their ships are equipped with psion based engines and their weapons utilize psion streams.

Not all cultures and societies with the widespread use of psionics are our allies or friends.

You know of the Kermac, they too base their society on psionics. They are not on the same development level as Saresii or Ariglou, but they are not weak or impotent. Kermac made controlling others an art form, which is evident in their total control over the Galactic Council. There are well-founded rumors that they were somehow calling and directing the Y’All during their last invasion.”

Roy listened to it all, he was sure he needed all this as he was hopefully getting to the Leedei, but he hoped they would come to the point.

Cara slowly shook her head. “Be patient, Roy. All this is indeed important.”

Alycia said.”I am not invading your mind, Roy but I can read human expressions almost as good. That device, the Tele Listener is perhaps one of their greatest developments and certainly biggest secrets. You are indeed the first non-Leedei as far as we know allowed to not only see that device but use it in a way it has never used before.”

Roy nodded. “That is very kind of them, but why do I get the idea that there is more to this.”

“While the Leedei want nothing less than help a fellow Union citizen, the implications are enormous. You are a smart young man, imagine the Tele Listener works as you hope it does, it opens the door to something more dangerous than anything the known universe has ever seen. The location of a single individual across incredible distances becomes possible. Such a device let’s say combined with a Kermac Will Bender would be the end of the Union as we know it.”

Roy was not stupid indeed and experienced the terrible Kermac abilities on himself more than once.

Cara noticed his understanding. “Roy we are at war with an enemy that is behind the Union, in many things and they know they can not defeat us in traditional, military means. They are however not without power and tremendous resources. Connections and resources we are not even aware of yet.”

Roy wiped his mouth.”I understand and this was the reason for this abduction?”

Cara nodded. “That is what we believe to be the case. The tremendous distances, the unknown nature, and the extent of their resources and their proven cunningness make them a serious threat. It takes many months to move forces across space, develop intelligence and commit to battle. Millions will die on our side to kill billions on theirs.”