Chapter 18: Eliminate Charles

(Beta Reader Glenn, thank you Glenn)

Alegar was extremely agitated to put it mildly. He was not too mad at the woman who left him behind tied up and exposed to the Sleep Inducer of his bed. While it was more than inconvenient, it was the bed that alerted emergency services, after he lost bowel control while under the Sleep Inducer turned on without a timer.

No, it wasn’t that. He could not blame her for not trusting anyone and now he stood in the chamber of the Great Grey Cat. It was perhaps the most sacred of all for Saresii.

It was a sight to see indeed, here deep in the heart of the Sharirteke Mountains, and at the very center of the Gray Cat Monastery. Surrounded by cauldrons glowing with the fire of mountains was the truly ancient statue of Shari-Iee, the Gray Cat. Alegar believed the mystical powers of the Gray Car to be real, as did the priests in their gray robes. A shaft of light exposed a beautiful Saresii sitting there before the statue in a cross-legged fashion. Everyone in the cavernous hall believed this Saresii to be as old as the Saresii themselves. The Saresii had one name sacred to all Saresii: Alameda, the living daughter of the Cat.

Over the ages, Saresii reliance on and observance of religion were no longer the only centers of society, but science and the knowledge of man had pushed them aside.

Alegar was a Gray Cat; he was the unspoken, yet accepted leader of the Saresii as a society. Yet it was not a well-kept secret: Alegar was proud of the Union, was fond of the unruly barbarians from Earth and he was a Union citizen by conviction.

Alegar had been called before the Ancient teacher after he demanded to be heard.

The Ancient Teacher removed his right hand from beneath the long sleeve and with a flat handed gesture motioned Alegar to speak.

Alegar brushed back the gray hood of his cloak and said. “Someone who trusted they were under my protection traveled with me to this holy place to seek sanctuary. We were attacked by Gray Cats who did not know their place and our ways.”

“Injustice might have been done, Alegar. It will be considered and judged by those who are Saresii.”

“Am I not Saresii?”

“You are by birth, office, and statue but not by heart. Your allegiance is not with Carhesii; it is well known where it lies.”

Alegar’s anger increased as he clenched his fist. “What is implied by this?”

The Ancient Teacher waved his hand again. “Curb your emotions, Alegar. You are gifted with much of the talent and here at the heart of this Monastery, our Psion node is strongest. But know this: we are all blessed with the Gift, like the one you knew as Geha was. Her gift is neither trained nor well-controlled. What do you think a Pyrokinet could do here so close to the Node?”

“You accuse me of being loyal to others than Sares. It is true Old One, I am loyal to the Union and its true principles. As a Saresii of the Old seed, I will see that the Union grows, stays true to those principles and do everything in my power to show that Sares is indeed a trustworthy member. We are, aren’t we?”

“Are you not Saresii first?”

“I have been on many worlds beyond Sares orbit. I have made friends among the most unusual beings. There is an Immortal, they call the Eternal Warrior. He is honor and truth embodied, his word alone is trusted more than any contract or treaty by friend and foe alike. By his word alone the Klack Queen, Mothermachine, the Tri of Science, the Glou will act without hesitation and with every one of their societies. I am privileged to call him a friend. There are a few others of Non-Sares origin I regard very highly.

“I am blessed with the friendship of rulers and leaders of societies as old as ours, much more powerful than ours. Friendship, Ancient Teacher is that not a concept we Saresii know?”

“Yes, Alegar. The Eternal Warrior is beyond reproach indeed and we know the Tri has been here on Sares One. Bringing Leedei Psi-tech that is equal to that of ours of the First Age. We will discuss Geha, the Black Cats, and related things later. Now, sit and open your mind as we must speak of a conflict that is old, older than anything you know.”

Alegar did sit down, the abbot of the Cloister who had brought him here and who had been among those who denied Geha sanctuary made an impatient gesture while he removed his cat mask. Like most Saresii he was of course visually indistinguishable from a Saresii biological female and revealed an arrogant but very beautiful face. The beauty of this kind was so common on Sares, it was expected and nothing more. “Ancient Teacher, you speak of the Saresii conflict with the Kermac of course! Will you teach this confused mind that wandered off from Sares and Carhesii a lesson?”

“That conflict is remotely associated indeed, but neither side knows its origin. Since you mention this quarrel I insist you speak of it and educate me as you know of what I am about to speak.”

The abbot of the Cloister of the Grey Cats of Sar also sat down in a well-practiced fluid move. “It is a conflict that began with our first contact. Our first meeting with the white obsessed Kermac. It was the 48th Arcrumus in the 2nd Megaannum after the Minds bound by Carhesii put order into the sky.”

The abbot’s true name and face were known to the leading members of the society. Alegar knew he carried the name, Candear Barhees and had spent most if not all his long life right here on the mountain top cloister. In terms of worldly powers, Alegar was far above him as the unofficial but very real leader of the Council, and thus all that was Sares to the outer worlds. Alegar was also among the eldest and most influential voices among the Grey Cats of Sar and their extension as secret service for the Saresii. However in terms of spiritual powers and influence over the Saresii society, abbot Candear was second to none, except for the Ancient Teacher, whose existence was known to maybe a handful living Saresii, to everyone else Alameda was nothing more than a myth of distant past.

The Ancient Teacher did neither change tone nor his position but the gesture was underlined with the strong feelable emotion of impatience. “Do not stop there, Candear. Let us hear more of the things you do know.”

“What much else is there? The Kermac claimed to be superior to us, demanded our submission. We refused and the Kermac are nothing more than the upstarts they have been from the beginning. They will soon disappear into oblivion.”

“Will they disappear because of Saresii doings?”

“Of course not, this brute Stahl and those violent apes will do that for us.”

The Ancient Teacher neither moved nor seemed to do anything, yet Candear groaned in anguish holding the sides of his head. “Ancient Teacher, why punish me?”

“It is not I who is doing that, but Carhesii herself. But I will educate you before I will add punishment.” The Ancient Teacher kept looking at Alegar. “You too must listen.”

The Ancient Teacher once more buried his hands inside the sleeves of his robe. “Will it come as a surprise to you when I say that we all, Saresii, Humans, and even the Kermac have common roots?”

Candear wiped blood that dripped from his nostrils and glared at the Old Teacher. “But how? We are of Sares, the Kermac I know began their civilization on a planet named Koken. The location of that world has been lost but is remembered by the Kermac, and the human apes, these naked primates who were just discovering fire when we ended out First Megaannum, an age we call the First Age of Knowledge.”

“Your ignorance is almost as unpalatable as your condescension. You should consider a position as a Kermac perhaps. You do bring the necessary prerequisites.”

The Ancient Teacher kept talking and still looked at Alegar. “This is important for you, as I will take you down to the Vault of Knowledge and will give you access to the Depository of the Forbidden.”

Candear, had recovered from the piercing headache he still believed to be caused by Alameda. The Cat Carhesii was a statue and a religion, nothing more after all. “The Vault is for the enlightened and no one may descend to the Depository. It is forbidden for a reason.”

“Do you know the reason?”

“No one alive does.”

Alameda smiled for the first time. “I am alive and I do know. It was I who sealed it.”

“How can you have been alive when it was sealed? That happened even before Deepa, the daughter of Marak Lydaa killed all members of the old Council of the Seven Cat Orders, and before Arneea Ladeea began her dictatorship.”

“It was the Voice of the Rule who chose me as a Cosmic Elder. It was then when I learned about the true nature of Carhesii, and learned the origin of the Saresii.

The planet you know as Earth has seen four eons. At the end of the second eon, seeded by the agents of Corflic the first Humanity rose and with it civilization. The Vaalbaraians, the Chrom, the First Terrans, the Ur-Vrill, and the White. All fought for supremacy over this prehistoric Earth. The Vaalbaraians gave rise to the Vaalbarian, who begun their Seeding efforts and doing so created the Drak, the Ult, and the Pree. The First Terrans became the Atlanteans and out of their seed developed the Erogen and the Sarans. The Ur-Vrill became the Vrill, the Blondes, and also the ilk that became the evil of the Falkenhorst Empire. As you may guess the Whites developed into the Segments of Color that in turn gave rise to the Universal Collect or more commonly referred to as the Uni.

A colony of Pre-Uni Whites became the Ker tribes of Koken. Revisited by the last survivors of the Uni millions of years later, driven out of the M-0 galaxy by the Erogen. The Ker exiled two of their races and united the rest under a new name, the Kermac.”

Alegar had listened and known he was told secrets and knowledge not shared for many millennia. He had a dry throat as he asked. “What about the Chrom?”

“Ah yes, the Chrom. Glad you asked because they are the most important to us the Saresii. You see a large colony ship of Chrom leaving Earth found a new home on a beautiful garden world, in a yellow star system with seven planets.

The Chrom encountered the native Balam, a non-human but somewhat humanoid species; sentient but at a very primitive stone tool development level. At first Chrom and Balam got along, but the Balam had strange, supernatural powers that defied all the Chrom knew. The Chrom feared the Balam and committed the unspeakable crime of Genocide, killing all Balam. Before even the last Balam died, the first Chrom children with the same magical powers were born.”

“By magical powers, you speak of Psionics right?” Alegar asked.

“Yes, and as you both know psionics come in many different forms and levels of control. And not all are harmless to the wielder, especially the destructive ones. Parents feared their children. Some called them gifted, others called then cursed. Some legends claim it was a drug the Balam freely shared with the Chrom, but of course, it was not a drug but the exposure of being so close to a Psi-Node that was responsible for it.

“Two groups emerged and as it always seems to be the case in such tales a Civil War broke out between the last Technology keepers and a new group believing the new Psionic powers were a gift of the Gods. The Chrom without Psi Powers feared the ones that were born with the new unexplainable “magical” talents. A priest cast rose to power calling themselves Sar Ess-ii, a Balam word for Psi Powers.”

Candear whispered. “Sar Ess-ii, Saresii.”

“Yes, Candear. Out of this cast of priests came the Saresii. The Temple Sar became the first Monastery of Sar.”

Alegar almost felt like a blasphemer as he asked. “So the priest of Sar came before the cat?”

“No, Alegar. The priests of Sar Ess-ii could not explain the magic, and while seeking to find a place for Sar, they encountered a second almost sentient species, cat creatures with tremendous psionic talent and the ability to use them with the great skill of naturally acquired abilities.

“The Sar Ess-ii had forgotten that these cats came with them from Earth, a species distantly related to the Nimravidae of prehistoric Earth that is, and exposure to the Node increased their already existing intelligence. Unlike the Balam, these cat creatures were not peaceful, but vicious predators. These Cat beings, despite their psionic abilities never left these always mist-, cloud-, and fog-covered Mountains of the Kahil Continent. One of the Cat creatures gained sentience and was raised by the Voice of the Rule to be a Sentinel of this World and I was made a Cosmic Elder by the same entity.”

Alegar wiped his mouth. “This is knowledge not shared with living beings even before the First Age of Knowledge begun, is it not so?”

“To the short-lived, to the mortal, even to you modern Saresii who extend life spans beyond three hundred cycles it is a long time indeed, but this Universe holds many living beings and entities that do not suffer the decay of time. That Eternal Warrior you mentioned, he is one. You, Candear mentioned Deepa Lydaa. Would it surprise you if I tell you she returned many centuries ago and is a Union Citizen like Alegar?”

Alegar dropped his chin. “Yes, indeed it does surprise me. Would it not make her a million years old? Is she hiding among the Cats?”

“No, she is not. She became the associate of another “god” if you will; a goddess perhaps. Labels like that mean nothing, yet are helpful to mortals like you both.”

The Old Teacher laughed. “She was my first pupil when I still was Baltro, the Teacher and she gained true immortality without any association to the Cat. Deepa is an admiral and she is the commanding officer of NAVINT. As much as you are proud of your Gray Cats and the intelligence work done by them, I must agree in your assessment of the Union and much of what is associated with it, there is not much that is equal to NAVINT.”

“I always speculated the other Immortal Admiral, the one they call Highlander was the secret commandant of NAVINT.”

The ancient teacher laughed again. “Oh, this McElligott is as closely involved with NAVINT as can be.”

The Ancient Teacher got up on his feet in an agile fluid move, at the same time a downward leading stairwell was uncovered by a receding stone plate behind the now standing Ancient Teacher. Alegar knew about the many levels the Vault of Knowledge, and like every Saresii he knew of the fairy tales told of the Depository of the Forbidden. He never believed these archives existed, but now he too rose to his feet, stiff from sitting with crossed legs for so long.

The Abbot stepped forward. “You will not lead him to the Depository?”

Alameda turned already down the steps to his shoulders. “You, Candear must be thankful for being left alive. You will return to the top tier, purge all that is Black Cat from these sacred grounds and toss all who denied sanctuary to Alegar and his companion off the Bridge of Winds. I will return to the Upper tiers as well. Should I find one you missed, I will reconsider the mercy you received just now.”

Candear knew better than to argue or speak. He bowed, replaced mask and hood, and turned to mount the long staircase winding up the wall in the back of the cavernous Hall of the Cat.

Alegar also knew better, and followed the Ancient Teacher down the steps, hewn out of the mountain’s rock itself so it appeared.

The air was dry but had a musky smell. A light flickered over Alameda’s head, in color and appearance just like the light of a brightly burning torch, but the Ancient did not hold such a thing. Alegar wondered if this was done by Pyrokinetics.

The Ancient Teacher shook his head while descending further. “Not just Pyrokinetics Alegar, but a combination of several psionic abilities. I am tapping the source directly, but my old mind can’t simply think of anything else than the light of a torch. Once we are down at the first tier there are Lumi plates anyhow.”

True to his word there were Lumi plates attached to the ceiling and giving light to a room full of shelves. The shelves were apparently cut out of stone and holding stonewalled boxes with metal corners, looking very heavy.

The Ancient Teacher paid no attention and mounted the second flight of stairs leading down. He did explain the boxes, however. “Time is no friend of paper and vellum. These boxes are vacuum sealed and hold the books and scripts created by many centuries of Saresii minds.”

“Would crystal lattice storage not be a safer more convenient way of storing data?”

“You are a child of the Union, my dear.”

“I can’t deny it.”

“A Terran has been down here, many times.”

“A Terran Human?”

“Yes, another true Immortal. The first-ever married to a Saresii and still grieving for her passing, her name was Alegra Soneri”

“I think I heard that name somewhere, but I cannot recall where.”

“She was among the first Gray Cats of Saresii Intelligence.”

“I think she might have been mentioned in a class.”

“She was sent to Earth to monitor Freon activity, fell in love with a human policeman named Phil Decker who was Immortal already, long before there even was a United Earth.”

“Now that is a name I have heard as well I must say, but never gave much thought about it.”

As they descended the forth stairwell, the air smelled even staler than before. The Ancient Teacher was as agile and nimble as a young Seenian.