Chapter 6: Sister Calling

Everything really did feel larger than life to Roy. There he was on Summit-Peak, a world known to spacefaring societies even before the formation of the First Galactic Council, being in the company of the most revered and beloved Immortal of the Union, a living legend only a handful of people ever met in person.

To top it all off, he was wearing an old pre-Union uniform of the Eternal Warrior.

The place was buzzing with activity. There were sentient beings he could identify and there were many more he could not. Dressed or decorated in what was considered to be the finest in their respective societies.

Two beings were waiting for them at the end of the landing ramp, one was a Stellaris. Ever since Roy had met Alejandro on Belle Station he had learned to differentiate between the Stellaris and the Sentmacs known as the X101 of Factory. The other was a Klack, this member of that insectoid species was easily identified. While he was sure pretty most everyone in the Union knew about these Antlike sentients, he, of course, knew K’Tkik, who without question could be found in Ma Swanson’s boathouse at around this time playing Eggs & Grubbs with Trond Iveland, perhaps this frankly quite scary larger than life situation made him think about the carefree time of his not so distant life growing up on Green Hell. Seeing the Klack he wondered if he made the right decision. Sure he promised Sam to become a Marine, but what other marine recruit in all Union history had ever been in a situation like this?

Back then when he saved the life of the Wurgus and met the patriarch, he was even greener than now and agreed to participate in whatever this was. He should have never agreed to this, but back then he knew even less than now, not that he had gained all that much more wisdom and experience since then.

Both, the Klack and the Stellaris wore their versions of fancy civilian attire. The two of course first welcomed Stahl.

The Stellaris was first to address Roy after he had acknowledged the Admiral. “You must be Roy Masters. The All Patriarch has asked if you were to attend.”

“I am Sir.”

“I am Hidalgo Morris and this is P’Tykt. I am the Consul general of the Union and my friend P’Tykt was sent by the Assembly as Delegate. We would love to have you at the Union compound, but the Summit is about to start in less than three hours.”

“Sir, can you help me understand as to what I have to do?”

The Stellaris spread his arms. “We not exactly certain, Roy. The Wurgus society has not shared many details of their society with Non-Wurgus.”

“I think we will find out very soon.” The Klack said pointing towards the large Wurgus ship. An open hover disc, clearly of Non-Union design approached. On it a good dozen of the truly alien Wurgus.

It was only the second time, Roy saw Wurgus, the first time over a year ago. As he saw them approach, he realized just how much had happened since.

All of them appeared to be about two meters tall, there was no significant height difference between them, and just as last time he was reminded of a fresh plucked and butchered chicken sitting on top of their thin necks, complete with drumstick legs and fleshy little wings on the side. The eyes had the appearance of peeled onion bulbs stuck into the sides of the eerie-looking head. That the being in the middle was of greater importance, was evident in the more elaborately decorated robe-like garment made of shimmering purple fabric.

The disc silently hovered closer and touched the ground moments later.

With a slight bow the Stellaris acknowledged them and said. “Great honor is extended with your presence, your Majesty.”

To Roy, they looked all alike and he could not tell if the one he had talked to before was among them.

“Honor is a complicated concept, Union delegate. I am Patriarch Sensitu of the Morlga Wurgus. My word and rule are absolute in many places, yet I strive to be worthy of honors extended to me. The Wurgus patriarch rotated his eyes towards Roy. “It pleases me indeed you have come, Masters. Have you changed your view on Wurgus?”

Roy sighed openly. “I have not changed my view on Wurgus, but frankly I don’t know enough about your kind to form a real opinion one way or the other. I still think your kind paid more than any other to defeat the Y’All. It all happened long before my time and in the case of you scarifying your sun, I think that happened even before there was a Union.”

There was no emotional response Roy could recognize or understand. The Stellaris, however, was not too sure about this and he said. “Should we not proceed inside and prepare for the summit? Why discuss such things out here?”

The Wurgus responded. “Many have come to this place to discuss, lie, and perhaps encourage us to sway us in one way or another. I did not come to hear them. I came to speak to you, Masters now continue.”

Roy decided there and then to do exactly what the Immortal Admiral recommended and speak his mind as he saw it. “Your Majesty, I am a nobody. I come from an unimportant world and am trying to live up to the expectations of the one person I admire most by becoming a Marine. I came because I gave my word, but frankly, I don’t know what I am doing here? This is too big and too important for me to screw things up. I don’t understand what I am supposed to say or do, or why you wanted me to be here.”

“You have reservations of Wurgus joining that Union?”

He gave the alien a hard look. “Yes, frankly I do. It was your kind who gave Sun-bombs to the Kermac, twice at least.”

The Stellaris openly gasped and said. “I am sure this young man did not mean to put it that way, your Majesty. Maybe we should show the young man to the Union compound, while we proceed?”

Stahl crossed his arms. “Neither Roy nor I came here because we chose to be here. In my opinion, he raised a valid question.”

The Klack was next to speak. “This is why the Assembly wanted you to be here, Eternal Warrior.”

The Wurgus swiveled his bulbous eyes. “This is why I wanted this young human to be here. He speaks without falsehood or hidden agendas. I explained this to Colonel Cara, we have no use for diplomats.”

To Roy, the Wurgus said. “Had you not asked this question, I would have abandoned this summit. We also know of you, Admiral Stahl, you are synonymous with honor and integrity far beyond the realm of the Union.” The Wurgus leader motioned towards one of his companions. “This is Patriarch Mursitun, he will answer your question. He is our historian”

The Wurgus pointed out bowed and spoke. “When we sold Wurgus stellar destructor devices to the Kermac, we knew little about the Union. As you know, we sacrificed our home system to defeat a Y’All invasion. When these monsters returned to our star spiral, the Kermac approached us. The Kermac asked us for Stellar Destructors to repeat this sacrifice on several of their systems to defeat the Y’All again. We agreed and provided the Destructors for this purpose. The Kermac deceived us. We have not done business with the Kermac since.”

Stahl made a clouded face. “That means these Paperfaces now have Sun Bomb technology on their own.”

Roy again disregarded his feeling of inferiority among these important people. “When Alejandro and I discovered the bombs, they used Wurgus displays and language. Would they not adapt this tech to their language and controls?”

“Not necessarily, Son. These Kermac bastards are nothing if not deceptive and perhaps wanted to frame the Wurgus in case their scheme was discovered, as it was by the way.”

--””--

Geha gathered her mind to unleash a bolt of intense heat when another Saresii in similar garb appeared out of thin air and thundered. “How dare you find judgment against an Elder of our society without summoning of the Council?”

To Geha the same Saresii said. “I am Alameda and I ask you to hold your ability. Alegar conveyed you here for sanctuary and it is granted.”

One of the masked cat priests objected. “Most revered Master Alameda, the Black Cats have warned us of this betrayal and it was confirmed by Alegar bringing a wanted Non-Saresii to our gates.”

Before the masked Cat could speak another word, a visible bolt of bluish energies engulfed the robed priestess and pushed her with apparent force over the ledge of the bridge. The masked Saresii screamed and vanished.

Alameda said with rage in his voice. “What traitorous insanity is this?”

Alegar came to his feet. “This is for you to investigate, Master Alameda. This woman, Geha is under my protection. Until this sanctuary is indeed a sanctuary, I will be her guardian.”

The Saresii named Master Alameda said to Geha. “You have a formidable and unusual control over Psions, come back once you feel safe and I will hone your skills.”

Geha felt confused and angry, but she sensed that this Saresii was much more than it appeared. “Who are you?”

“They call me Master Alameda, what is happening right here at the gates of our sanctuary is very disturbing and it is I who will do the cleansing.”

Alegar reached out for her hand. “Let Alameda do what must be done; until then let us disappear.”

--””--

The last time Ranger Salomon met Martha was at a formal dinner, and just a few days before the Masters had left Green Hell. Much has happened since then: the Masters were reported lost in a Pirate attack, the Maxwell System and Green Hell had been attacked by Kermac, and war had been declared.

Several months later, the Masters returned, first Paul and then his wife Martha. Paul did not stay but requested his belongings to be shipped to Ribenna Colony.

Martha returned a few weeks later, but unlike her husband she decided to stay. She even purchased the old Science outpost, the one that served as a home for the Masters before.

Now, neither Salomon nor anyone he knew was really sorry about Paul Masters’ decision. The ranger knew no one who really missed that prick and by the nature of his job, he pretty much knew everyone here on Green Hell. Oh yes, a prick he was for certain. He never shared a pint with the other scientists at Gillian’s Pub or anyone else for that matter. Ant Hill and the entire small colony on Green Hell existed because of the Bio-Research Institute of course and there always was a little gap in terms of social interaction between the scientists and everyone else, but it had become less and less defined, especially between those who decided to stay for life.

To the Ranger, and most of the locals there were only two kinds of people. Those who love this crazy green ball, populated with the most lethal non-sentient lifeforms so far encountered by Union science and those who hated this place.

He was born here, and so was his father and his son Bob. He considered himself to be a true Greenie and he, like all those who proudly proclaimed they were natives of Green Hell, were fiercely protective of this world. Most of the scientists however just came for an assignment, a particular research project. To them, this planet never became home and not a small number of them applied for a transfer as early as possible and left as fast as they could.

A small, but slowly growing group of these scientists, however, changed their opinion and extended their assignments until retirement and then decided to stay.

Most prominent, perhaps was the decision of Dr. Harrow, the chief scientist, and administrator of the Institute. His decision, openly proclaimed only about six months ago surprised quite a few, but not Aaron Salomon. He had anticipated this ever since Ivan started frequenting the pub and insisting that they call him Ivan.

However, Aaron would never in a million years have suspected Martha to be one of those.

True, Roy her son, and a good friend of Bob was the quintessential Greenie. No one else could roam the deadliest jungles in the known universe with such ease. Not even Bob or any of the other kids that were able to leave Ant Hill, wearing only the most basic of protection.

But Bob was gone, his son upon completion of the Basic school decided to serve his 22 months of Union service, not with a law enforcement agency and then follow his father’s example and join the Ranger service, but Bob signed up with the Union Fleet and everyone knew this was never for just 22 months. Bob just recently sent him a Com from basic training enthusiastically speaking about his decision to enlist for a twelve-year stint and his hopes to become a weapons specialist.

Aaron was a little disappointed, but at the same time very proud of his son.

Not that there would have been a Ranger position on Green Hell, even if Bob would have chosen to become a Ranger. Only a week ago, headquarters informed him, that the Ranger office for the Maxwell system was closing by the end of the year. While Green Hell did not grow very much, Harper’s Junction had grown enough for a Union Police precinct. The small local police department on Harper’s was closing as well.

This development was not a real surprise either, as he had expected it ever since the aftermath of the Kermac attack. For whatever reason, this event seemed to have woken the sleepy little system at the outward fringes of the Old Neighborhood. Even Maximus, Insignificant, and Desolate were now developed. The asteroid belt between Maximus and Insignificant was now surveyed by at least three mining corporations.

Since he was technically the Ranger for the entire Maxwell system, he had had to respond to several incidents already. As much as the Union was advanced, refined, and a very lawful society, Mining operations always drew the most rugged and uncut individuals. Conflicts between miners and mine companies were not uncommon. Before the Kermac incident, no one paid attention to Maxwell. Now it was realized that there was a dense asteroid belt with roids full of metals and valuable minerals and not far from the ever-hungry smelters of Union industry. Sure Green Hell was known before, but for the most part, no one even knew where it was.

It was simply too much work for a single Ranger.

It was not like they simply forgot about him. Headquarters gave him a choice to either accept a new assignment somewhere else or take the class to make him a Union Police officer. He opted for the second choice and by the end of the year, he was to change uniforms. This way he could stay on Green Hell.