Chapter 24: Going Below

(Checked over by Glenn)

“What is the World of Old?” Sister asked with her growling, hissing voice.

Sybil wrapped her arms around her knees as she pulled them up on the deep and soft couch that was part of the yacht’s main lounge. “I think I heard the term a few times, but I don’t know.

Martha, who left her seat to get herself a Hot Chocolate stood by the brass and dark wood appointed, robot attended bar. “I am sure I have heard the term once or twice, but without consulting GalNet, I can’t recall where or in what context. “She tapped her wrist com. “Where ever it is, seems to be outside GalNet range.”

Cherubim, sitting at the same bar, holding a mug of coffee. “The World of Old is well within GalNet range, Martha. Only your access is no longer working.”

“Why? Don’t you like me checking on the things you tell me?”

Cherubim sighed. “They say you’ve been quite the arrogant piece of work before all this. People who remember you, be it on Green Hell or the University, paint the same picture.” The masked woman shifted her position. “Now I know I am not the most trust inducing person, and Uruk knows I have a rather impressive reputation in this regard, but my conduct should have given some indication of my motives. Besides, none of you are here against your will. No one forced you to come with me. You name the place where you want to be dropped off, and I’ll have the ship change course and drop you all off.”

Martha didn’t like what she heard, mostly because the woman across her spoke true. She also realized that she had no idea where she would go. Still, she did not want to admit that, mostly to herself. “But why did you mess with my GalNet?”

“I did not, Martha. You claim to be a scientist. Let me ask you, what is GalNet?”

“Instantaneous communication, entertainment, and information access.”

“Simpler.”

She made a puzzled face and said. “A service?”

“Yes, a service Martha. Provided by whom?”

“GalNet.” Her answer sounded much less self-assured.

“GalNet is the tradename of an exclusive service provided by Schwartz Information technologies, and it is not a free service.” Cherubim sounded amused. “Who pays for your service?”

Martha realized that she never gave a single thought to that, but she realized why her Wrist Com was not working as she answered. The Institute cut her service off. “The Institute pays for it, but my family is rich. We can easily afford GalNet.”

“Perhaps, but your funds are kept in a Union bank credit account. You can access your account from any public GalNet terminal, transfer your CITI data and transfer credits to your strip, right?”

“I understand. There is no public terminal anywhere near.”

“I wonder how you managed to get these PhDs or ever hoped to become a member of the Hive of Minds. There is GalNet access right here, but you went to Union school, and they did tell you about the rights but also the duties of a Union citizen, did they not?”

Martha swallowed hard. “Yes, and I know I disregarded a Union Court Clerk summons. I could not betray Sister, no matter what she might have done. It was not her choice.”

“But it was yours to abandon your family, Sam Brown and much else. I commend you for your loyalty to a friend, and I am sure whatever ordeal you three went through created strong bonds. But frankly, you have been acting on impulse rather than rational thought ever since you returned. I am trying to help you, but you make it very difficult.”

“I am no longer a citizen?”

“Your citizen privileges are suspended until you appear before a Union judge. After a while, such a request to appear will turn into a warrant, and then your Citizen rights are revoked.”

“But you will help us, help me, to make this all go away once Sister does what you want her to do. You are with the government.”

“The Union government is the Assembly. Not even Richard Stahl could absolve you and reinstate you. However, I am working on a solution.”

Martha felt deflated, and Sister, who had great difficulties expressing her emotions, lowered her head. “Sister did not know what you lost on my behalf.”

Martha used the wrist of her right hand to wipe her eyes. “Never mind that, what is done is done. I just did not realize just how final my decisions were.” She smiled a forced smile and said. “Please tell us about the World of Old then.”

--””--

SOMEWHERE IN SPACE

As Paul came around and his mind cleared, he found himself sitting across from a Thauran, who was dressed in an elaborate robe-like garment made of a purplish red, with broad strips of golden embroideries. The theme of skulls, both human and non-human, is repeated in those embroideries.

As his sight cleared, he also noticed a Thauran woman dressed in a similar fashion standing behind the prominently seated man.

Paul tried to remember how he ended up here. The last thing he remembered was closing his laboratory, looking forward to a three day weekend at a quiet oceanfront resort. He then recalled a Thauran waiting for him and suggesting something profitable and discussing further details in a local bar. Paul now remembered entering the bar, and he recalled wondering that the place seemed to be deserted. Then he remembered nothing but insubstantial voices and colors.

The Thauran, in the unusual get up smiled at him, but it was a smile void of any warmth. “Good afternoon, Paul Masters.”

He found himself sitting on a hard metal chair, he was not restrained, but he also noticed that he didn’t wear anything. He was completely naked. “Where am I?” was the first thing that came to his mind, still reeling from this bizarre situation in which he suddenly found himself.

“Where you are is not all that important right now. To the general public, I am a Blue Bishop of the Church of the Blessed Blue Virgin, but I will reveal who I am.”

Paul was perplexed. “I am not Thauran. I am not religious at all. What you are doing is criminal! I demand to be released.”

The woman behind the seated Thauran said. “You have the great fortune to be in the presence of the Most-holy of the cosmic Assembly of Necros, and revered aide of the Necro King. The preferred choice of the Eternal Vicar. Behold, Tilo Taros.”

Paul wanted to wipe his mouth but now found that he could not move his hand, even though he could see his hands. “There must be a mistake. I do not know who you are or what this is. Release me at once. What you are doing is punishable by the death penalty.”

The Thauran laughed. “Oh, Paul, we went through all this trouble to get you. Besides, at the end of our quest is true immortality, the complete elimination of death. So even if your demands would be anything but utterly impotent, they meant nothing.”

“My work is not secret, never was. What do you want?”

“Much better! A Smilak has been introduced into your body. We think you know about those.”

Paul did. He was briefed on Smilaks while he interned at the Dangerous parasite collection of Venus Zoo. He shivered in fear. “Only registered researchers with a Science Council permit may own and handle Smilak.”

“We just abducted you. Do you think we care about such things as permits? The fact remains that there is one at the base of your brain-stem, and you cannot do anything but obey us.”

“You are Kermac!”

“Nonsense. If we were, we would not need to tell you what to do. Sadly we don’t possess the same magnificent psionics they have.”

The woman spoke. “We are on our way to the Maxwell system. You will proceed to Green Hell and find Martha Masters. Get in contact with her and lure her to a place we will determine.”

“I am no longer married to her, and we are not on speaking terms.”

“We know, but either Roy, your son, or this Sam Brown know where she is. You will come up with a reason to meet her. Your life depends on it.”

--””--

SIN 4

No one would have suspected the gray pelted Togress to be the Mother Superior herself, and indeed, no one would have even imagined it to be so.

Neither so the leather-clad Kakth Oghr to be none other than the richest man in the known universe himself, as they both left the armored taxi floater behind that deposited them both in the Baro district. Before them, the largest Baro casino. She said.” Well, here we are; according to my sources, he will be here tonight.”

“I am sure we have a file on him.”

“I have no doubt you do, but this is not the time for Schwartz muscle, trust me on that.”

The flyer platform was a good thousand meters above the slums and terrible filth below. Yet even here at the center of power to one of the biggest local syndicates, he could hear the throaty bellow of distant blaster fire. There was a smell of fire in the air. It was not the smell of a wood fire but the biting stench of melting plastics and smoldering waste.

Two Orkh Oghr in the latest Karthanian power armor and Kermac Line Blasters guarded the armored doors to the casino’s entrance. Rex relied on the finest SII spy scan sensors and thus noticed the hidden Neuro ripper projectors and the quite obvious Thermo Flamers mounted to each side of the entrance.

The left Oghr guard snarled past his decorated tusks. “This is Baro. Cause any commotion, and you won’t need a flyer to leave for the ground level.”

Deepa, in her Togress disguise, curled her lips and revealed small but razor-sharp teeth. “Are you objecting to my desire to spend a few Fullweights?”

“We tell this to everyone, and a few more or a few fewer Fullweights make no difference to the Baro.”

“I will make sure Ludor hears about your opinion regarding his profit.”

“This is a safe space, and we are paid to keep it that way.”

Finally, past the guards, doors, and looming weapon points, they both dove into the atmosphere of colorful lights, pumping music and the most common and a few uncommon games of chance. Beings from all across the galaxy, Freespace, Union, and Galactic Council milled around, lingered here or there while a steady din of voices mingled with the music, every so often highlighted by a dealer announcing the beginning of a new game or the result of another.

Deepa, in her disguise, knew precisely where she wanted to go and approached a roped off flight of carpet-covered steps that led to a balcony like an alcove. There behind a round table engulfed in a cloud of cigar smoke, sat a man-sized chimpanzee-like being with an old and evil-looking face. The primate wore an expensive-looking old fashioned cut business suit. He was flanked to each side by skimpily clad females of several humanoid but not Terran Human origin. A little removed were male beings also in fancy suits. Two of them apparently of the same primate species and two hairless, bulky humans with purple skin. Rex was confident these were Blokes.

She moved her face closer to his. “This is Ludor Baro himself. They say he does have connections to the Underground and maybe even to the Necro King himself.”

He whispered back. “He certainly looks very much like a genuine Chimpanzee, a huge one, but other than the suit and the cigar; there is a striking similarity.”

“That is not surprising, my friend. He is reportedly a direct descendant of Chimpanzee Ham. You know, you Terran Humans experimented with primates and dogs. Ham was one of the Chimpanzees used in early space flight tests of NASA in Pre Astro times. Ham was abandoned after a successful launch, as no re-entry was planned.”

He whispered. “You know a lot about this for a Saresii.”

“I should; I am as immortal as you. Much older even, and I spent a good thousand years on your planet.”

“Those NASA experiments were conducted in the 60ties of the 20th Century if I remember my history lessons correctly. What is he doing here in 4933? Is he immortal too?”

“As far as I know, Ham was rescued by a Saran or maybe a Freon space patrol. His IQ was raised, and I think it was paired with a specimen collected from Earth. The story is vague, and I certainly don’t know the details of it, but it appears the Saran scientist sold them to an exotic animal dealer. They either managed to escape or were let go on purpose. Togar discovered a healthy tribe of about 25,000 Simians on planet Dyne. The first Baros that came to Sin 4 was of that tribe. Ludor is the most recent descendant.”

The Blokes acting like private bodyguards, noticed Deepa and Rex, and one of them said. “Sorry, no access. This is private.”

“Tell that Simian, that Somej Argute wants a word.”

The old primate had become aware of them and waved. “Let them pass; we Baro owe the Togar much.”

Rex learned that Deepa’s disguise was more than just a costume. Her disguise came with a name, and he was now certain also with an elaborate background. He knew her for a long time, but she remained a very mysterious woman, even for him. Her Mother Superior appearance was also much more than just an undercover identity. She was the same Deepa that left Sares over a million years ago, and somewhere along her long odyssey of which he knew next to nothing, she somehow discovered the Rainbow Palace. And if the rumors were true, she met a goddess that taught her the secrets of carnal pleasure for a million species or more. As the very real undisputed head priestess of the Sojonites, she had access to the most satisfactory intelligence service imaginable. Deepa was also Deepa Lydaa and, as such, the Commandant of NAVINT.

All this went through his head as they approached the Simian syndicate boss. Rex was here because even he recognized the Narth Supreme as a superior being with motives favorable towards the Union and Earth. Of course, he also accepted this risky task because he said he was convinced the device or machine was indeed not meant for any mortal, but maybe there was technology SII could exploit. He knew of Deepa and considered her a friend, as much as he was willing to accept such a thing.

On his way to Sin 4, he read the dossiers of his intelligence sources, which weren’t strictly amateurs. The planet was not as lawless as everyone claimed it was; only one rule did apply and a simple one. The rule of the stronger. This was why he, too, or more precisely a subsidiary of SII, operated Sinister Sports, a Death Fight company making enormous profits for very little investment. SII also operated a Coin exchange and a casino as well. At the coin exchange, you could exchange a large variety of coin-based currency into Union Credits or vice versa. This was the only bank-like business on Sin 4, and indeed built like a fortress, with advanced shields and the best trained and equipped guards money could buy. There had been attempts to rob the place, but the reputation of brutal response and no successful effort made it a very popular and safe place to open an account. Anyone could open a coin account, especially for larger transactions, where millions of Fullweights were exchanged and needed a freight skimmer and several big and bulky lockboxes, a service the Exchange provided for a fee.

Deepa now stood before the Simian and said. “I am Somej Argute. I think you heard of me; I was a close associate to Largo.”

“Yes, my father spoke about you, and I remember you myself while I was still a young one. Please have a seat and tell me what this is all about.”

The disguised Deepa gestured to Rex. “This is my bodyguard and close servant.” With that, she sat down across the Simian, gathered her long tail in a natural all feline manner, as if she really was a Togress.

The syndicate boss leaned forward. “I think it is over forty orbits since you have been seen. It was a sad day for the Baro, as Largo died, and I took the reins. I know what you and the Togar did for the Baro.”

“It was a sad day indeed, and I am sure Largo is in a better place and is pleased with the direction you are taking the business.”

“You would not have come here for chit chat, Somej. I owe you, and I think this is the reason you came, right?”

While Rex stood behind the disguised Sojonite, he wondered just how long Deepa had been mixing with the shady elements of Freespace. She clearly knew much more about the Baro syndicate, and maybe her way was preferable over a special ops assault and subsequent torture for information. It was quite right he could indeed hire every gun-wielding ruffian in Freespace and not see a significant reduction of personal wealth.

Disguised Deepa, came right to the point. “Rumor has it that the Baro syndicate has connections to the deep below. Trading food and such?”

The well-dressed primate became visibly agitated. “A rumor, nothing more.”

“A million Fullweights, Ludor. I don’t run a syndicate or have permanent interests that would tangent your business. However, associates of mine want to know about the Necro King and meet the entity. Some say he can be found here.”

“I can arrange a meeting, but it is perilous. The King is mad and impossible to predict.”

He raised one of his thick eyebrows. “You would not want to tell me why you want to meet this crazy ghoul?”

“His Necros might have something of mine, and I want it back.”

“Fair enough. Yes, I have a connection, and as I said, I’ll arrange the meeting, but that is all I will do. If you get harmed, don’t blame me.”

--””--

GREEN HELL

Roy touched a fence post, and the system recognized him. The force field blinked off, and he could pass onto the actual farm. Neat rows of the carefully cultivated Fire Nettle Bushes, close to maturity, showed that the farm was still tended. Not far from where he had passed onto the farm ground was the reason for the well-tended plantation. Unlike Charles, Henry, the other Cerberus, was not sentient, but as a real Cerberus, very intelligent and adapted to his task of a farmer.

He was directing three Agro bots across the plants. With vacuum hose attachments they sucked the deadly pollen into collection containers where it was shipped as pure and raw Califerm to an authorized Pharma company on Harper’s Junction. While the farm also produced Tantalus Oak seeds, a small quantity of Hellade, and a few other local plant-derived products, Sam was the only legal Califerm producer in the Union, and this made him a wealthy man.