Chapter 4: The Azloc Priestesses and the Training Program

The small conference room was comfortably furnished bug style. There was a low table, the walls were bare, and they were seated on boat-like chairs like the Collective. They all were in Azloc bodies, and all conversations were telepathic. The building was one of the few above ground and had small slits that permitted only a dim light in the room. Horti found her spider eyes surprisingly good.

“Welcome to Verdoon, the home of the Azloc priestesses. We will brief you and provide you with training for your mission,” Mother Superior said. “Has your friend provided you with any useful information?” The Mother Superior turned to Horti.

“No, even though I recall she was an old friend, I don’t trust her, and I suspect she has another agenda. My mother is calling me to come; time is running out.”

The Mother Superior peered at Horti, her gaze a long way away. She then turned to introduce Marcela, the Destroyer priestess.

“Marcela, please tell the group what your oracles have discussed with the sisterhood.”

Marcela nodded and stood in front of the group.

“We sisters are part of the group who went to Bekta Delta from Norbut 19. We were scientists and technicians. The old religion is misnamed. It is a system of self-development and not a religion. That is what priestess means in our language. The Destroyer males used priestess as a derogatory term, but in recent years the women have used it respectfully.

“Our role was to give the people their knowledge after they descended. When you descend, you lose your memories.”

“Marcela, what about the priestesses? Why did you not lose your memories?” Sammy asked.

“Some of us can change our bodies to suit different universes. Craig, your grandparents could do the same, but the recovery process is onerous and slow after the change. I could barely walk for the first year and battled to feed myself. Your parents elected to take new bodies as rehabilitation can be done in condensed time,” Marcela explained.

“How many descended to Bekta Delta rather than came here?” Horti asked.

“Not all the people chose to descend in Bekta Delta. One-third did not want to move on. The Emperor took many to this Universe as it has better resources and is much bigger than Bekta Delta. He was cautious and split the people to descend into two different apes. They became the Dinnion and the Uzliumbax. We arranged to follow him after we completed our duty in Bekta Delta.

“The priestesses considered the reptiles chosen by the Destroyers a poor choice. We didn’t give them the knowledge of the people as we were unhappy with the attitudes they showed and the awful way they rejected the loyal Grork,” said Marcela. “We took as many as possible from Bekta Delta and the Grork of the Uzliumbax and Dinnion and inserted them into spiders we modified with Uzliumbax DNA. We did well with the Grork here, but it took a long time. They flourished as Azloc. We later discovered the Azloc priestesses on this planet and realized they were a different, much more advanced sentient species. They are not Grork. We related well to them as we were familiar with chemical communication, and they became close friends.

“They played a key role for us, agreeing to assess the Emperor after the Destroyers restricted our freedom. The priestesses were bored waiting for what their assignment was to be,” said Marcela.

“Why did they restrict you?” Lisirra asked.

“The Destroyers became angry with us as we were outspoken in our criticism of them and their attitudes. They decided to restrict our freedom of action then later, they held us in Bekta Delta and prevented us from traveling.

“The Azloc priestesses looked after the Azloc for us after we could come here no longer. They only recently confided in us and explained they like you, Horti, were sent here from a dying multiverse. They came here to do something but did not know when or what they would be required to do.

“The Destroyers loosened their control of us in recent years. Several of us entered military service. I became a free agent after our capture by the Emperor.

“Six months ago, our oracles told us of you, Horti, and your people and that the Azloc priestesses came from the same multiverse.

“We learned much more about the Azloc Priestess queens recently. They fulfilled minor missions requested in dreams but only recalled who they were after we talked to them. They don’t know very much about their major mission. Like you, the Azloc are blocked from knowing something until a critical event occurs. Mother Superior?”

The Mother Superior remained seated as she spoke. “Horti, we remembered our mission after we met you. We were told to meet you and assess you but not why. Then we were told to do nothing until either your friend informed us fully of your mission or she did not. She did not betray you, but she is acting for someone else. Those interests are obscure to us, but without her help, you will have a more dangerous and complicated task, and time is running out.”

“I intend to capture her and will interrogate her if she returns,” said Horti.

“Excellent, you can take her with you on your mission,” Mother Superior said. “What do you think your mission could be?”

“I have given it much thought. I can picture myself when I was seven or eight, and my friend was there. The Azloc Queen arrived. We could not communicate with her. My mother was trying to decide what to do. I saw her moving her arm and forming a spear with her hand. My friend has a powerful and commanding voice that she was practicing. It appears to come from somewhere other than her.”

Horti looked around the group. “‘Do not do what you are thinking of,’ she said, employing her ventriloquist voice. My mother was startled and gently touched the Azloc Queen’s neck. After communicating with you, I realized she should have done as I did. The Queen stormed out, and we fought many minor skirmishes over the years, never a war.”

“Does that mean your mother will not support our people coming across?” Asked the Mother Superior.

“My mother will not want to bring her problems to this Universe.”

“How did Chak react?” Asked Craig.

“She first looked triumphant, then her face fell. She told me she felt guilty and believed she had caused an insurmountable problem.”

“How did your mother react?” Heather asked.

“My mother said nothing. I suggested Chak talk to my mother. She refused to talk to my mother about her deception. Chak made me promise never to tell my mother the voice was hers.”

“Horti, was that friend the one who visited you?”

“Yes, Mother Superior.”

“Chak must know how dire the situation is on the other side. What is she playing at?” Asked Aubrey.

Horti shrugged, turned both palms to the ceiling, and turned down her mouth. “If I must save our people, why would anyone want to obstruct me from returning? Could it be she doesn’t want me to tell my mother? Has she taken my place and fears losing it? Has she taken up with my alleged betrothed and doesn’t want me back?”

“You must get to the Azloc Queen and reconcile your peoples. That is what we see as your first mission. War cannot be the solution,” said Marcela.

“It will be a difficult mission, as I can be sure the Azloc Queen knows what my mother intends to do,” said Horti.

“Horti, you can be sure the Azloc on the other side has a plan, as does your mother. There must be a reason so much time passed, yet we can speculate until a black hole forms, but we have no more helpful information to share.

Horti sighed. “I know I am speculating without information. I must find what is in my friend’s brain.”