Chapter 4: Betrayed?

Roy followed the living legend, he knew very little about. He remembered of course what Stahl did for him at Belle Station. He also remembered the tough questions after the pirate attack on the Silver Swan.

Now he was actually walking right next to him towards a waiting D-20 shuttle, that had made landfall right in the middle of a sports field with a red track surrounding it.

The shuttle was not the usual kind, but a tough-looking Lister-Class with fixed forward-facing guns and a small gun turret on top.

Stahl sighed. “I know, son. Complete overkill and useless too, but I was not consulted.”

Roy knew it was a Lister class, from some GalNet program he somehow remembered, but that was about it. He also had no idea how to properly respond and interact with undoubtedly the most famous military hero in Union history.

Two marines in heavily customized battle suits stood by the boarding ramp. Both looked relaxed and very alert at the same time. The one to the left was human, had a very pronounced nose, almost like the one his father Paul was famous for, but this man had very pronounced cheekbones and long black hair in a ponytail. Completely against any regulation, Roy knew. Not that he knew that many already to be truthful.

The man with the ponytail cradled a long-barreled SITKU of an unknown type. The other marine to the right, at closer look, wasn’t a marine at all but a Navy Master-Chief, with the same utter confidence and deadly readiness in an invisible yet feelable aura as the marine to the left. The Master-chief was not human, but a Drach just like his new friend Faragon. This Drach held an SII Fafnir at the ready.

Stahl rolled his eyes and motioned Roy to get inside.

The marine was much less impressed with the presence of the Immortal than the usual marines. His piercing eyes scanned over the grounds and said. “That place sure evokes memories, Admiral.”

Stahl turned on his heel to give the grounds a last look. “Sure does, Redhorse. I have never been to a Space Marine boot camp as a recruit, but some things never change. Now get your ass inside, I am in a hurry.”

Inside the armed shuttle, Roy stood in attention. He still had no idea how to behave, but one thing he was certain. Everyone was important and had ranks. He wasn’t even a marine yet.”

Stahl sat down in one of the form seats and sighed. “Roy, relax and forget that you a marine recruit for now. Whatever fates decide such things, but Patriarch Sensitu wants you to be a part of very high-level talks and I was asked to get you there, so relax and sit down.”

Roy did sit down. “Sir, wasn’t Cara supposed to do that?”

Stahl looked at Roy directly, “Roy, the Cara you know never returned to us. She was replaced by a very clever clone or something like that. Have they not told you?”

Hearing that affected him more than he expected. He pressed his lips together and between clenched teeth he whispered. “I somehow expected this, however.”

Stahl sighed. “It’s never easy to hear such things about those we care about.”

The Old Admiral reached across the aisle and patted Roy’s knee. “I think she would be proud of you.” He then pulled a small box out of a pocket of his. “I took the liberty to take this from your personal effects. You need it, I am certain.”

Inside the small box was the Lontghk Token, the cube-like object, not bigger than a sugar cube, with intricate alien markings.

The human marine with the pony-tail came from the small flight deck. “Scanners are all clear sir, and our Wolfcraft escort confirms it. We should be back aboard the Devi shortly.”

Stahl nodded. “What else should they be? Deep in Union space and taking off from a Union Marine depot?”

“Ever since there was an almost successful assassination attempt on you, Centron and Alycia insist on a few extra measures, Sir.”

“Ridiculous, Redhorse. I have a word with that overprotective gearhead and despite her being a...” He grunted something and then said. “I have a word with both.”

Roy gasped and blurted out. “Someone tried to kill you, Sir?”

“Sure thing, Son, and they almost succeeded too, but that is another story altogether and I think I know who and what was behind it.”

Roy clenched his fists. “Dirty rotten son of a bitch, whoever is behind that needs to be hanged.” Then he looked up and realized who he was talking to. “Uh, sorry Sir. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

“Forget about it. Son. What do you know about the Wurgus?”

“Nothing much, Sir. I did read up on them a little, ever since I met that patriarch, but that didn’t tell me much.”

Stahl took a peek out a small viewport and then said. “Officially and by all conventions we, I mean we as in the Union do not invite or solicit new potential members. New societies must come to us, request membership. The Assembly then begins the PUMA process, you know that’s what they call the Potential Union Member Assessment. In this process, they check all sorts of aspects about such a new member and then deliver a recommendation to the Assembly which then votes on the admission or refusal.”

Roy nodded. “Yes, Sir this was discussed in Union School and I these were lessons I was present for.”

Stahl gave him a jovial nod. “Very well then, but there are a few exceptions to that general rule. We did more or less ask the Klack to become a member society, we suggested it to the Sentmac’s of Factory, the X101 and we truly want the Wurgus to be on our side.

They are very talented engineers and on a tech level higher than ours. Solar engineers to be precise. The Wurgus are masters in the art of solar manipulation.”

Roy lost some of his inhibition and said. “Yes, that is what I have found out about them. If I recall it correctly, the Wurgus sacrificed their own sun to defeat a Y’All invasion and later almost caused Sol, the sun around that old planet Earth to explode during the 4th Intergalactic war.”

“That is so indeed, and it was you who encountered Wurgus sun bombs aimed at Kappa Andromedae.”

“Yes, I haven’t forgotten that. Neither have I forgotten what you did for me, Sir.”

“I am glad I could help a little. Pelting your Greenie fist into the face of a Station commandant was perhaps not the best course of action. “ Stahl now openly grinned.”Even though that Thauran prick deserved it.”

Becoming more serious he said. “Well, the Wurgus are on the fence ever since that last meeting on Harper’s Junction that eventually let to you meeting them.”

“So what is it I have to do, Sir?”

“I am not a diplomat, Son. I was asked to fetch you because I know you, and I didn’t want you to be taken to that meeting by God knows who. I am sure there those who would want you to be briefed and do whatever it takes to ensure you present the Union in a certain way. This is another reason I have fetched you myself. I simply want you to be yourself and do what you think is right.”

--””—

Ivan Harrow welcomed the new guest scientist at the shuttle platform. The Bio-Research division of the science council had announced the visit of this council administrator only a few days ago.

While this was not unprecedented, Ivan wondered why Dr. Erine decided to come in person. The annual budget allocation to the science and the mandatory report was already done for this year. Ivan led the bioresearch outpost on Green Hell now for almost twenty years and did not want to be anywhere else.

While he had been born on Makemake, a Kuiper Belt Object in the Sol system, studied fungal based bioform as a major field his academic career and interest, he too slowly but steady had become a Greenie. Of course not a real one, he still would not set foot outside Anthill unless wearing a full protective suit and preferably with an escort of Expeditionary Marines. While he openly and often proclaimed what a hell-hole and death trap this planet was, especially with a pint of good ale, sitting in the scientist’s corner of O’Malley’s pub. He secretly had fallen in love with this world. He and Rita, his wife decided to remain on Green Hell, even after he officially retired from the Institute. Rita, a planetologist was a decade older than him and could ask for retirement a little earlier. Not that there was a set retirement age, even for standard humans and he could stay on well past his centennial which was still a good time ahead.

The thin framed, tall human that just arrived was hard to evaluate in terms of age, but that was mostly a futile exercise anyway, with the average human life span now around 150 years and with the endless cosmetic and cell rejuvenation options available. To Ivan, the man appeared to be in his early eighties. Neatly trimmed salt and pepper hair, a mouth framing equally well-trimmed beard. The visitor wore a dark gray suit with broad black panels.

Ivan, while indeed not a true Greenie had long succumbed to the local practice of wearing a Bio-Seal suit all day long and everywhere.

He greeted the man. “Welcome to Green Hell, Dr. Erine. It was such short notice and quite unexpected.”

“What possible task could you have that would need a notice more than an hour?”

Ivan was put off by that and not intimidated. “Dr.Erine, I am the administrative and academic lead of the Green Hell Bio Research Institute. There are 144 scientists, lab techs, and almost two hundred support personnel. In addition to a variety of administrative and management tasks, I am also conducting research myself.”

The man followed Harrow, to the elevators. “I am not here to inspect anything. I am with the project planning department and we are looking for senior researchers to staff a new lab complex at Science Central itself. You know how it is Dr. Harrow such opportunities are rare and prestigious.”

Harrow slowly shook his head while they descended to the main city level. “I am flattered, but I am not interested. I am not sure if you know that Green Hell was at the center of the reasons that led to the current war situation. These events have changed much of my outlook on life and my career. I am very content where I am.”

“While your name, of course, was mentioned, Dr. Harrow. I was hoping to speak and convince Dr. Masters.”

Harrow laughed. “I am afraid you made that trip for nothing then. She used to be one ambiguous person indeed, more interested in the academic cloud than life itself, however, she too experienced life-changing events and I seriously doubt she wants to leave Green Hell. She isn’t even working full time anymore.”

“I think I will be the judge of that, Dr. Harrow. Where can I find her?”

“She hasn’t been in the city or at the institute for days. She has GalNet though.”

“Wonderful, now I like to see my hotel room. This little, uhm ... city does have a hotel right?”

“Yes, we do have two hotels.”

Dr. Harrow decided to contact Science Central to inquire about Dr.Erine. He wanted to know more about this man and voice his complaints.

--””—

Green Hell was the second planet in the Maxwell system. The Maxwell system itself was inside quadrant UP06-20, part of the Former Xunx Expanse. This region was commonly referred to as the Union’s backyard. It was about 25,000 lightyears more towards Galactic East to an imaginary divider called the Upward-Spinward horizon. From there on deep into the Spinward sector was a region called the Thauran Empire, or more officially Empire of the Azure Worlds.

It was a long time ago in terms of human life spans and during the time of the so-called second Exodus when a group of French colonists left Earth aboard several colonist arks and under the lead of Rene Thauran.

The original destination was not as promised or expected and so the colonists went on to search for a new destination.

Their long odyssey had carried them past any known horizons, finally, at the very end of even the most vitally necessary resources the colonists made landfall on a Gardenworld they named Le Habre Bleu.

Far beyond communication reach and thousands of lightyears further than any contact ship might venture, the colonists around Rene Thauran were deemed lost and quickly forgotten.

Yet the distant and isolated colony thrived without any contact to United Earth and later the Union and spread over thirty star systems and over a hundred planets.

These Thauran colonists developed their own culture, technology, and adopted their brand of a hereditary noble system. Each of the Thauran planets was divided up among noble houses who fought and schemed to enthrone a king to rule over the planet. These planet kings were, in turn, deciding upon an emperor who ruled over them all.

Contact with the United Stars of the Galaxy was established about 1600 years ago, however, the Thauran Empire opted to stay independent until the Y’All Invasion.

Facing seemingly unstoppable invaders from another galaxy, the Thauran Empire changed their minds and joined the United Stars.

Local laws and governments stayed as they were, and little changed for the average Thauran citizen.

It was Thauran lore and myth that claimed the early settlers took

the notion of Blue blood quite literally and used genetic manipulation from to create blue skin, today almost all Thauran feature blue skin and very often coppery red hair in various shades.

The Thaurans are also deeply religious.

Rene Thauran, long-dead still remained this religion most important saint and is the founder of this religion.

According to legend and lore. In the darkest hour of need, when the colonists were almost out of resources and doomed to perish in deep space, the Blue Virgin appeared to Rene and guided him to the planet now known as Le Habre Bleu.

While modern Thauran, especially the commoners believe this to be nothing more than a nice story, to be repeated at church during weekend services. No Thauran would ever openly question the validity of that tale. It is because of this, the Church of the Blessed Blue Virgin has much political power and is perhaps the wealthiest fraction of Thauran society.

The church has no singular leading office. Thaurans await the return of the Blessed Blue Virgin who will resurrect Rene Thauran and lead all those of the blue faith to a new and final perfect paradise.

Thauran noble lords support their local churches, orders, and cloisters and the local churches sent their “Blue Cardinals” to the convent held every ten years at the Oldest Church and the tomb of Rene Thauran.

During this event, a Council is elected which leads Thauran society in religious matters.

While religion and history always been at the very core of everything the Taros family stood for, Tilo Taros wasted no thoughts on this right now.

About twenty minutes ago he had left Taros-Tucker, the largest town on the planet, and was traveling northwest in his private luxury flyer.

While it was a pleasantly mild afternoon when he left town, the weather slowly deteriorated, as it almost always did the further one came this way.

He had left Principale, the main continent of the planet behind, flew over churning ocean waves, and was now reaching Terre du Nord, the largest island of the planet and site of the Sanctuaire du voile bleu.

Here between rough and rugged boulders was an enormous building complex made of local rock, weathered beams of wood, and more rock. The complex was centered around a cathedral with three tall spires.

The season of pilgrimages was now over for two months and would not resume until the last two weeks of the Thauran religious year.

It was a long journey Tilo completed as he returned to the sacred walls of this shrine and holy site.

Both the true nature of his journey and what was hiding behind this façade of Thauran fate were not revealed to the pilgrims and the simple-minded that flocked to this place to stand in line for many hours, so they had a chance to see a richly decorated golden box. Inside the box a piece of fabric, a small piece of what was supposedly part of a veil worn by the Blessed Blue Virgin herself.

Even to a civilization that traveled through space and from star to star in ships that were faster than light itself, such superstition was very much alive.

Tilo wore the raiment of his important office and position of a Blue Cardinal and he paid no attention to the few pilgrims and faithful that had found their way to the shrine outside the actual season, as they knelt and bowed while he rushed past them.

Only after he reached his private chambers and he finally settled down behind his impressive richly adorned wooden desk, he started to relax.

He reached for a carafe of the finest Thauran Chardonnay and filled himself a glass of his favorite drink. All in all, it was a routine trip, but traveling past Union Space and visiting the vile world pf Sin 4 was never really routine.

The shrine and the cloister had long been just a façade for what was hiding behind it.

Jacqueline, his wife entered his study only moments after his arrival and took a seat across him. “What news do you bring from the king?”

It was not the king of Royal, she wanted to know about it.

Tilo took a sip of his wine. “He is slipping beyond madness once again, he speaks about the dawn of a new age and the coming of a new god. He aims to incorporate the essence of darkness.”