Adventures of a Greenie Vol 1 Chapter 9 A New Game is in Play
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Phil Decker pushed his hat back and scratched his hair line as he had done countless times in his very long live and with his other hand in his coat pocket he turned from the carnage and destruction before him and said to the tall woman standing a few feet behind him. “Roast me an Ult if that was done by Shiss pirates.”
The tall woman brushed a silver strand of hair out of her face the wind kept blowing back. “When I heard legendary Phil Decker was in a system nearby I could not resist and put in a call. I am just a little precinct Commandant and just a Lieutenant at that, and HQ hinted they want this case closed and filed deep before the beginning of Union week.”
The man in the somewhat anachronistic outfit knelt down next to the skeletized remains of half a human hand, the rest had been burned. “Deep enough so no news hound or sensationalist can dig it up, and make a stink before the entire Assembly, maybe even call for war against the Shiss.” The Saresii woman in the dark blue uniform of a Union Police Officer watched Decker with great interest. Very few knew he existed, or better still existed.
He was just like Stahl or McElligott, one of the Immortals and he had been a police man, a detective in an Earth city called New York long before even the Saresii had shown themselves.
He waved at one of the forensic robots and said. “Tin-head over here, collect this hand for me.”
The robot immediately responded floated across the rain soaked charred ground of what once had been a penal colony settlement and collected the bones with machine efficiency.
He pointed at a few black streaks and said. “Tin-head, make sure you record and measure all the charred marks. I’ll eat my fedora if whoever did this didn’t use Bolter Gatlings. Streaks set at exactly two fingers with, and then evenly arched across the field by someone very strong but not a robot. Perhaps a SII Fafnyr or a Enroe Firestorm.”
She came over knelt next to him into the muck and only now could she see what he saw. He was kneeling exactly where one of the shooters had stood the slight depressions the blasts made with each turn of a Gatling barrel where clearly visible. She said. “Weeks of rain almost obliterated any evidence, any traces and clues and yet you find something. Now I believe everything they say about you, Mr. Decker. I am humbled!”
He smiled at her. “Call me Phil, Celyciia. I never liked this hero worship stuff and special attention. I am just a cop, always have been and as long as I can always will be. Don’t believe half of it, try to find evidence for the rest and forget most of it.”
“What else have you observed about this case then?”
“This is the fourth of the settlements we seen so far, but only this one was destroyed from the ground. Whatever they were after was here.”
“The Penal Colonies records show that there was a yellow throat Shiss here and that would then support all the other evidence that it was a Shiss raid after all. “ She sighed. “The faint engine trails, Shiss Disabler Drones, the bribe for the Warden coming from a Credit box we know has been stolen in a Shiss raid. So I guess HQ was right and I dragged you out here for nothing.”
He got up his nice trousers completely caked with mud. “Why did you?”
“Drag you out here?” She shrugged. “It is really true, I did hear you were at Suraman Colony and since this Penal Colony and Suraman are all within my precincts jurisdiction...” He shook his head. “Barely anyone remembers me, certainly not a young real Saresii woman from the first World.”
She gestured around. “It doesn’t add up Phil. This is overkill, yes the Shiss could have been angry and they are vicious and maybe the Yellow throat was really pissed and ordered them to take it out on the others here, but then why bribe the Warden and not kill him too? They had the fire power to do it for certain and then there are a few other things that simply don’t feel right.”
Once again he waved at one of the robots and said. “Hey Tin head. I want aerials from this island, millimeter scale and then get me a ground radar image and look for matter compression. Something had landed here and used landing struts.”
Celyciia enjoyed her own amazement and then raised one of her eyebrows. “How did you know I am from Prime One and no Human Terran not even a Saresii can really tell who is female and who is not!”
He answered her while watching the robot ascent into the sky to make the birds eye visual scans. “I am still waiting for all my answers. Still your turn and then I tell you why it is easy to tell real women from Saresii disguised men apart, even after they had a million years of practice.”
She said with a sigh. “Because I needed help and because my academy instructor always quoted you and told us about the old Gumshoe from Earth and the great detective. When I called BRUCE to see who is in the area I really could not believe when it told me that you were on Suraman.”
The robot descended and reported. “Confirming Soil compression spots. Nine points located now covered with mud and water.”
“I guess you made detailed 3D impression scans of the exact shape of the landing plates?”
“Affirmative.”
“No sense of hurrying things. Make detailed micro scans of the depression areas for lubricants or sealants, excavate the depressions to preserve them as evidence.”
While the robot turned to execute the orders the Saresii woman asked. “Why taking the depressions?”
“The exact shape of the landing gear might tell us the manufacturer of the ship. The dirt underneath the struts is from before the attack and there is a slim chance that the ship transferred some material, a bug or something from another world and deposited it here. Telling us where it might have been before and when we catch these murderers we can compare the dirt in their landing gear and prove it came from this place.”
She smiled deeply. “You know what, Phil. I begin to feel we might catch them after all and I’ll eat your Fedora, whatever that is, if this has been done by Shiss.”
“My hat, the Fedora is my hat and I think neither you nor me need to eat it anytime soon. When we are done here we going to grill the Warden.”
She blinked. “He is Thauran but he is humanoid and I had no idea you would resort to torture or cannibalism!”
Harlex had no idea where they were. He was never a spacer, some of them he heard could tell where they were in the Galaxy just by looking outside a space ship window and compare constellations in relation to the Galactic core or something like that, at least that is how Captain Ironfist on the Starblazer always did it. His former and as it looked like future partner in crime had not spared attention to make him feel welcome.
The yacht was stocked with the finest liquors and real glass bottles with traditional made Whiskey. There was a light year wide difference between the 24 year old Dalwhinnie he was slowly swirling in the heavy bottom glass he was holding and the gut burning booze Napha used to sell. He wondered if good whiskey and the possibility of a fat credit box was worth being on the side of a mass murderer.
He watched the silver blue swirls of thick smoke of the cigar he nursed with careful slow drags and was certain whatever he had to do whatever these employers needed done was something very sinister and that they would not let anything or anyone stop them. The yacht had everything to make a long trip very pleasurable, he enjoyed a king sized vari-grav cloud bed in a spacious cabin and there was an infinity pool at the ships aft with a breath taking view of deep space while taking a plunge.
It was here, at the pool where he watched the smoke of his cigar and between the fast dissipating wafts of aromatic smoke he made sure he did see as much about Ieshia Yeager as he could. She was swimming and just climbed out of the water, in a white bathing suit that was made nearly transparent by the water and most certainly chosen by the woman for exact that feature of the fabric.
It left very little for his imagination as to visualize as how she might look without any fabric but it did lot for his other fantasies. He was a man after all, and he had spend the last 5 years with nothing for acceptable sexual companionship as is hands or Guilly the guy who operated the big mushroom stem saw and didn’t mind acting like a girl for some attention.
They had kept the women separate to make sure nothing happened in terms of pregnancies. As it would be unfair to a child to be born into a prison colony.
Ieshia came closer with a sway of fluid hip motions and said with a smoky voice. “I am included in the benefits if you do your part right.”
His body wanted nothing more than to accept her invitation but his mind was not completely switched off just yet and he asked. “What is my part? What could I do to pay for all this?”
She knelt before his chair and led her colored nails slide over the skin of his thighs protruding from underneath the bathrobe he was wearing. “We want you to guide a small expedition onto Green Hell and help us locate the old Saresii ship that had flown there and never left.”
Her answer was so surprising to his ears that even her fingers that slowly crept towards the seams of the bath robe could not distract him and he said. “The Mila Tyray?”
“You know the name of the ship?” She acted surprised.
“Every Greenie knows the legends of the Mila Tyray and the Saresii Commander Tradiderias. It was him who discovered Green Hell first and named it Mrtgtha, but that is over a million years ago, whatever is left of his ship is covered by miles of dirt and sediment, and that could be anywhere.”
She pulled the bathrobe open and said looking at him from underneath long lashes. “The Saresii from the First Empire were as evolved and technologically advanced as the Celtest, that is Tech Level 11, Harlex. Our associates obtained the Ships log and think they know the approximate location of the ships resting site. Your job is to get us there so we can do the excavation without being killed or noticed.
Ranger Salomon grinned with joy as he handed Roy his pet owner’s license.
“I have registered Partner, since we have no idea what it is, I wrote Black Dog into the species field.” Martha thanked the ranger and said, “I understand Bob, your son, is my son’s best friend and I found out Roy had spent many nights and eaten many dinners at your home.”
The ranger leaned back in his swivel chair and said, “Roy is always welcome in our home, he is more like a brother to Bob than just a friend and Roy has been more than helpful in quite a few instances for the Ranger service, by helping me find things out there.”
Martha looked at Roy and said, “I know more about the Lighting Bolters than my own son, but what I’ve heard about him over the past few days has made me very proud. But what I wanted to say is that I would like to invite you, your wife and Bob to dinner. Now I am not a very good cook but I hoped you would accept invitations to Marcello’s in town.” Marcello’s was the finest and most expensive restaurant in Ant Hill and the Ranger winked at Roy and then said.
“I am delighted to accept. I don’t think my Sarah has been out for a nice dinner in a long while and I am sure she will be as happy as I am.” Roy still could not really believe how much his situation had changed in just a few days and slowly he accepted the fact that it was indeed true and not just a dream. The Ranger got up and walked them to the door.
“I am glad it all worked out; you know the news of teenagers going outside unprotected made quite a splash in the news. It turns out you are not the only ones going outside, but so far no one else managed to get friendly with local life forms.” The Ranger’s office was in the South Wall Tower, an inward curving building following the curve of the protective dome. The right wall was transparent and allowed a magnificent view over the lake and the distant jungle shore. His mother stepped into the cabin of the Inter City Transporter after Roy and said “Since I forgot your birthday and we are in town, is there anything you’d like?” Roy shook his head.
“No Mom, they don’t sell anything here I need or like.”
“Roy I really mean it, it is not a trick and while we are not exactly rich, we earn decent salaries, a young man must have something he wants. Not that I could ever match that present you got from your Uncle Sam. I just found out what a Cerberus goes for.”
“Mom, you actually talking to me, I can go outside and I can keep Partner, there isn’t much else I want. Besides, I am really a Greenie and the things I like aren’t sold in town but at Ma Swenson’s.”
“Then let us go there and you can get something a real Greenie needs.” While traveling on a slide belt to the Flyer Hangars, others waved and several kids cheered his name and Roy felt quite uneasy about this sudden popularity and he wondered if it was better the way it was, with his friends meeting in secret and his parents knowing nothing.
Inside Ma Swenson’s boathouse main building was a cluttered sales room with show cases displaying weapons. Several models of protective Armor suits highlighted with spot lights stood here and there. Armor suit parts for a hundred models and makes stacked in high shelves. A big Flyer Arti Grav Lifter module, way too big for anything on Green Hell, stood in one corner. Gary, one of Ma Swenson’s sons leaned over the service counter, chewing something and talking to Sabari Dohr, an old Saresii who lived in one of the Research Outposts and kept mostly to herself (or himself, no one of course knew for sure) discussing something with Gary. The mangled armor arm of a Krauss- Armor Walker was between them. There were a few tables and simple chairs in the middle of everything. Trond Iveland, one of the Cities Service Engineers and a sixth generation Greenie sat there with the only Klack living on Green Hell and they were playing Eggs and Grubs, an old Klack strategy game. The whole place smelled of metal, lubricants and coffee. Ma Swenson herself stood by one of the tallest shelves directing her thin husband standing on a reach-all-platform trying to get something from the very dusty selection of refurbished parts as Roy and his mother entered from the Flyer garage air lock. She turned and waved at Roy and said, “Roy go climb up there and show Clarion where we keep the Mark 87 Actuators, that half blind Ninja Weasel I got for a husband keeps pulling the 89′s.”
Roy had no need for a Reach-All; he climbed up as fast and as nimble as a Moolax.
Ma Swenson gave his mother a glance.
“And you are?”
“I am Roy’s mother, Martha Masters.”
Ma Swenson stemmed her fists into her hips.
Lamax system was only 61 lightyears distant to Faysummit system. Meaning the superfast Colt reached Faysummit only 136 minutes. Roy was getting more anxious by the moment. The closer he got the more he felt convinced that his mother was close and that she was in great peril. The Colt was brand-new and by law, it was his ship. The Phantasian who piloted the ride was an employee or more precise a contractor. Tanya was right, this passenger cabin was not big enough for Partner, but then this...
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...
Roy had left his animal with heavy heart and foreboding gloomy thoughts in the mostly gutted ruin of Research Outpost 2. Even though he was sure the animal understood and would wait for him, he feared he might have seen his new friend the last time. Bob always left Wobbler here, when he had to go inside and Wobbler was always there the next day. Norm’s Zisch always came right out of the water; so Roy sighed and petted the humongous head of the black beast and received a dry lick across the...
The house he called home was a dome shaped Ultronit sphere; made out of the same material they made battle ship armor out of. The house had two levels and once had been a forward research outpost on Green Hell and served as his families’ home ever since he was born. Roy switched on the outside visual sensor and waited for the Institute Floater that would take his parents away. The visual sensor was on a sturdy telescopic mast and inside a strong protective housing and could be steered and...
Celyciia, the Federal Police officer of the Recksnostal precinct was on her way to the interrogation room where she had the Warden of Penal Colony 23. Phil Decker the old detective wanted to question the Warden and not eat him, as she now knew. They had returned from Planet Parajsa after over two days of detailed investigation. She was completely fascinated with this man who had lived on the Human world Earth before they even knew there were other sentient life forms in the Galaxy. He wasn’t...
Dr. Ivan Harrow disconnected the Comm-Link with a forceful gesture, reflecting his feeling of annoyance. He really respected Paul Masters and he simply adored Martha, but he hated to be called while he was attending a lecture at the annual Galactic life-sciences Conference. This time it was being held on Earth (Terra) and the ancient hallowed grounds of the famous Cambridge University. Even though he was unable to attend in person this year, and he was there only via GalNet tele-presence...
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...
(Checked by Glenn) Martha watched as Cherubim once again entered the main lounge of the small ship. “Cherubim, you say we are on our way back to Green Hell?” “No, Martha, we are not, your son is. Official Union authorities, as well as several very dangerous groups, are after the three of you.” Martha waved towards the viewport. “I thought we were going to Green Hell, so my son can find that guardian and a way for us to find that Techno Mage?” “Your son is about to reach Green Hell, and he...
Roy and the others were still outside and while the pebble beach here at the Big Lake was far safer than the jungle; even here it was not a good idea to stay too long at the same spot. A Stomper crushed through the thicket into the open, what made him storm onto the pebble beach was not clear to Roy and he wondered about it. As Stompers rarely if ever actually came into the open, they feared nothing except Water Snakes. There was a collective scream of fear going through the crowd at Ma...
Far from Green Hell, an asteroid without a corresponding solar system slowly made its way to a region called Ballard’s Expanse in Union galactic maps. The asteroid would reach this dense dust cloud around the year 5020. The asteroid was a wanderer on a course across the Galaxy for many eons. This big chunk of rock and ice was hollow and known as Sobody’s Seat. One of the fabulous Galactic Markets operated by this neutral and enigmatic civilization. Some claimed that the Golden were somehow...
The Admiral was gone, and so was the Devastator so the Silver Swan was once more on her way to its next destination. Roy was back in his suite, Cara sat next to him on his balcony. They had both watched the Devastator accelerate and go to trans light in a flash. Even though there was no sense of size in deep space as there was no reference. The immense ship had dwarfed the Silver Swan to insignificance hanging next to her and then as the most famous ship of the entire Galaxy accelerated they...
The two Mercenaries had left Desolate a few hours ago and arrived via shuttle on Green Hell. They both were Pertharian. They had accompanied Ms. Yeager to the prison colony and now their mutual employers wanted them to make an initial survey of this world. Neither of the Pertharians believed there was a planet in the universe they could not survive, especially with the nice equipment their employers got them. All these stories about Green Hell were made by weak and fragile humans of course...
Martha tapped the activation sensor and established connection. Geha did not use an Avatar connection. “Martha, I managed to get away from the ones that tried to capture me again, but this is not why I am calling. I wanted to let you know that I am trying to get back into Freespace.” “Geha, Sister is alive.” “I am glad, it appears I gathered enough of her and it appears there was enough life in her for them to keep her alive. What will they do to her once she can be regrown?” “Geha, she...
He did not know how long he had cried and he must have fallen asleep. This time there was no dream of his mother. He was certain he imagined things but there was a warm heavy arm on his shoulder and as he looked up a man sat next to him, the energy curtain was gone and the marine that mocked him stood there with a black eye and with a face of pure fright. “Everything is going to be alright, Roy.” The man next to him wore an all-black uniform, his calf-high boots polished to a mirror shine....
The view was awesome, absolutely awesome. He could see the entire ocean of trees and far in the distance the shimmering of an ocean, a river meandered in a green valley far below. He saw tiny houses there and on the side of a mountain, he saw tiny dots sliding down that white stuff. On top of the other mountain was a building of sorts. Connected with little gondolas traveling up and down suspended on cables. He wondered what they were doing and said to Partner. “It’s freaking cold up here...
Roy returned to the hotel to find Cara in the sitting room of their shared suite. She was lounging in a comfortable chair with her legs up gathered in a feminine fashion. A field screen displaying apparently local news floated before her. Cara had her long silvery hair open and wore something soft caressing her curves. To Roy, she had always been an exceptional beauty of exotic grace, but now his mind compared her to his Tanya, and in his mind, no female could compare to her. Just as he was...
Roy was quite angry, partially at the situation, partially at himself but mostly at Paul Masters, Yet he should have known better, he grew up sharing a home with Pau; Masters, who was according to human biology, Union law and common convention, his father, Roy, at first never saw anything unusual in the rather unsocial behavior of his father, but when he started school and heard about how other fathers treated and connected with their offspring, Roy knew his father was indeed not what one...
The Space Train terminal was located on the very apex of the truly gigantic station known as Sares Hub. Roy, while he started to become a seasoned traveler, still found places like this overwhelming. There was so much activity, this was by far the busiest place he had been so far. He had to admit he was glad Tanya was with him. She was not intimidated and seemed to know where to go. While he traveled with Cara, who also always seemed to know where to go and what to do, it was different with...
Ieshia pressed a sub-dermal contact on the base of her jaw and tapped it twice and with that she activated her Data Brain connection to GalNet. She now could make GalNet calls directly using her minds speech center without opening her mouth. It took a little practice to separate what you were thinking and what you wanted to say without using your vocal cords or your mouth, but she had been doing it for a long time and because of that she earned a very generous salary. She was an employee, but...
Roy never really thought he would ever meet the Eternal Warrior, the man Uncle Sam respected so much, and now he was sitting across from the legendary man and was questioned. Stahl appeared to be a normal human being but Roy’s back hair stood on end whenever he looked into the eyes of that man. It was just as if staring into deep space. The legendary Admiral wasn’t exactly friendly and his voice had a razor sharp edge. Cara had left to talk with the Wurgus delegates. Ship crew was starting...
Ken Kener, the Triple Strong was the first who had his rack inspection ready. He was always first in things like that. Ken somehow managed to have his boots shined, his footlocker squared exactly to specifications and his bunk looked like the image in the recruit handbook. Faragon, was on the opposite spectrum and struggled with these things. Ken grinned and even found time to help the Drach before their instructor called them all into attention. Their drill instructor was a Botnaar. Roy...
Martha stared at the small man standing in the door of her cabin, holding a small Neuro Ripper. Her former colleague had closed the door behind him and his face was graced by a smug and evil smile. “I am asking nicely, but only once: Where are you meeting the Experiment exactly?” Dr. Evans was quite assured of himself. She was helpless and he was in charge. But the Martha he knew was not the same that stood before him. She had gone through quite an ordeal, an ordeal that had taught her a few...
Sergeant Leven had second thoughts as he was leading his platoon of recruits away from the damaged dropship. None of them had ever worn a Destroyer suit before. The first introduction to these marvels of Union military technology was planned for tomorrow and then the first planet drop would commence. That was the plan at least before the Basilone dropped into a system filled with angry Larkami battleships. Glancing back his heart sank as he saw the proud dropship trailing a cloud of debris....
Roy doubted there could be a moment more perfect than this one. There beneath the invigorating light of a GIII type yellow sun, standing at attention, wearing his dress uniform, he and the other 22 were officially decorated in recognition of their heroic deeds. However, that he was the one receiving the Navy Cross was not the source of this feeling that made him almost explode with pride. It was the fact that Admiral Stahl, commemorating his Marine roots and wearing an old fashioned but still...
Sam could not deny a sense of deep friendship as he saw the towering Cerberus standing there by the entrance. Even though it was a Mark IV, made obsolete quite a while ago with the Union military now using the Mark IX, it still was an impressive combat system. The fact that Charles was truly sentient made the Cerberus much more dangerous than any known main battle system in Sam’s opinion. Sam has just stepped out of a TMT booth and onto Treasure Island Plaza, right before the sky-reaching...
Sybil, Martha, and Sister Sybil, formally known as Geha was no longer confused. She now knew who she was and how it all started. The one thing she and her alter ego had in common was their origin. She was born on a planet named New Olympus colonized by the Privileged. She once again knew that the Privileged were exiled from a society known as New Gods who had split into three distinct societies, the Standards, the Outcasts, and the Privileged. The Privileged split into four groups and left...
“Nice to meet you, Sir. I have to tell you my mother is dead. She and my father were killed in a pirate attack, a little while ago.” The alien creature paid no attention to what Roy had said. “I am a very old Bellebee and I still get confused using the Avatar technology. This is why I wanted to meet you like this, young Masters. Let Cara and Ukdu talk while I show you a few magnificent sights.” Roy carefully adjusted the thrusters and slowly followed the huge being. “Alright, Mr. Moke-Die....
Geha melted and faded away, dissolved like a puff of smoke in a strong breeze. As they raised the helmet-like apparatus she had been under, it was as if she woke from a long deep sleep. She could remember everything and in a clear order. She also remembered what she had experienced while she was Geha. Including the lasting impressions of her ending up on Alvor’s Cove and meeting her new friends, Martha and Sister. She remembered meeting them again in an old secretive satellite in an orbit...
Celyciia Paydhal and Sergeant Ruddick sat on a picnic blanket in the soft ankle deep grass of North Africa Park, the largest Terran style park of Reckno City. The capitol of Recksnostal Colony. Ruddick said after he devoured another sandwich. “This is how I dreamed police work would be, before I ever joined the force.” Celyciia smiled. “Having a picnic in the park and eating while on duty?” He shook his head. “Of course not, I eat all the time on duty or not. No I mean us listening in on...
Roy Roy came around and felt awful. There was a metallic taste in his mouth and his tongue felt three times as big as normal. Every muscle and every nerve ending was hurting in his body. Now he knew why Neuro Rippers were illegal. It was more a Torture device than a weapon. He found himself sitting in a reclining chair of sorts, his hands and legs wrapped with memory tape. Cara was in a similar seat, and also tied up. Including a layer of tape across her mouth and eyes. He strained his...
Roy had learned that the ship he was on was a Saresii Courier and officially operated under the charter of the Science Council. It was a Henjiitah Class cruiser and 600 meters long. It had the outer appearance of an elongated bulbous plant leaf and reminded him of the thick water filled fleshy leaves of the Glow bush. The ship was not green however but had an iridescent color of pearly pale orange. The ship was called the Gayimeera and since it was not a Union Fleet unit it did not carry the...
The trip back to Belle Station was eventless and so was boarding another long-range shuttle to the outermost planet of the system a few hours later. The intersystem trip would take only 35 minutes as the shuttle did have FTL engines and would bridge most of the six light hours in Quasi space. Sobyr did not even bother finding a seat and went straight to the shuttle’s small lounge for a burger. Roy was too excited to eat or feel hungry, so he opted for a cup of water. “What are they doing...
Siebzehfie, a high ranking Wizard in the Ministry of Information just finished consuming a detailed intelligence report and then looked up and noticed a new participant just taking a seat at the perfectly round, white table at the top of the Ministry of Information tower. There was a shocked hushed silence because it was the Supreme Wizard himself. No one knew how to react, this was unprecedented. The Supreme leader of all Kermac was accompanied by two other Kermac. The one to his right was...
The ship must have gone trans-light, so far they had not spaced anyone. Roy and everyone else had been left behind in one of the destroyers cargo holds. As Cara walked by Partner he saw something his four-legged friend has never done, he flashed his formidable teeth and growled deeply at the Saresii woman. From his animal, he received emotions of confusion and anger towards Cara. She hissed at Partner. “Shut up, stupid beast.” Then she walked out the door. Partner had always liked Cara,...
There were those who doubted the Union could win this war. The Galactic Council led and controlled by the Kermac, was a powerful entity, with hundreds of Thrall species, massive fleets and many millions of warriors. The Larkami were no exception, difficult to control but tremendous fighters. Ninsibfiv, the High Wizard of the Military himself had traveled to Lark, the homeworld of the Larkami to coordinate. He planned to use Larkami manned Kermac warships to counter-attack several Union...
Space bus travel was subsidized and tightly regulated under the Travel Assistance Act of 2224. Union Citizens took this service for granted, as it connected virtually every possible destination within Union Space, but the envy of so many other societies. Roy had his head turned to the viewport on his right, rather than using the field screen he could have activated. The local sun was settling behind the distant horizon and sent its last rays of light over a sprawling orderly Union city....
Cara and Roy had left their seats for a ight meal in the main lounge. Partner insisted to be there as well. While the huge black animal never wanted for any sort of food, it was happily consuming the leftovers and wrappers Roy tossed its way. Cara had finished most of her Muuhn cakes, which were a traditional Saresii lunch item. She educated him, that these vegetarian-based air baked protein dumplings were considered spicy on Sares. He tried, and to him, it was as if eating something...
Paul no longer looked like a slave. He was clean, well-groomed and wore a loose-fitting, light brown colored shirt and pants combination underneath an open seamed dark brown dust cloak, that was so common on Alvor’s Cove. The belt pouch contained an Alvor’s Cove resident license, officially purchased and verified. The colony officials selling these and a host of other permits and licenses only cared about the Iridium chips or the Fullweights they charged and did not ask any questions at...
Kukur Nurop found himself covered with bruises from a severe beating and completely naked in the lizard scat composter. His hands tied to his back, it took him quite some effort to get his head over the lid, only to receive a shovel load of more of the revolting greenish lizard poop into his face. He yelled and cursed on the top of his lungs and his racket alerted an Oghr overseer. “What have we here? Trying to escape by hiding in the shit box? Couldn’t handle the stench eh?” I am Kukur...
The Unth had reached Bhrama Port and rested against the long mooring arm. Groghr nu Trrmphka, the Togar shipmaster stood by the open passenger hatch, accompanied by his Kakth Oghr mate. He watched the tall human debark. “Have a nice time on Brhama, Human and thank whatever gods you may worship that we actually made it.” Sam turned. “I noticed the alarms, but it seems you mastered the situation, whatever it may be.” The Togar shipmaster brushed over his whiskers. “Turned half my fur gray,...
Nijaii plaza was just like everything else, a perfectly groomed, perfectly clean open space multi-leveled space connected with sweeping two or three-step stairs. Interconnected with water features, gurgling fountains and more of those artistic shaped, but not very natural-looking trees. There wasn’t a single leaf on the ground, no one walked or sat on the carpet like grass. Some of the grass was not even green, but pink and peach-colored. The TMT Gazebo centrally located on that plaza had...
Martha and her new friends did not run into anyone as they made their way to the hangar deck. While the Union scientist would have never found anything on this alien ship. It was evident Geha did not have the same problems. She unerringly used elevators and corridors as if she had been raided on this Karthanian. Geha said as they emerged from an elevator shaft. “I wonder where the rest of the crew is. I am sure there are more than the dead goons up in Command and Control.” “There aren’t...
The subject of that angry interchange inside the hidden chamber beneath the tower of Wizards was strapped into his command seat, a good 60,000 Light year distance. Einulsiebzwe was a Kermac, and like the current Supreme Wizard Zwhehzwheneu he could trace his roots all the way back to Koken and he was proud of his heritage. As his T-cruiser, the very latest of its kind with the finest and best technology the Galactic Council had to offer, was accelerating to punish that impudent Union Police...
Two hours just weren’t enough to find a man who knew this rock and did not want to be found. Sam knew the Bennett’s were quite serious about their warning. Even with Charles, he could not win. This wasn’t an open planet where he could hide in the wilderness somewhere. This was a closed environment with areas not accessible to him, and with too many eyes and ears. He had asked all the usual sources and while they all knew something about Dimon, no one really knew where he was. Sam did find...
Roy found himself waking in a huge bed, Tanya snuggled close to him, Partner behind them both like a giant living pillow. The window across the bed provided a vista over a green mountain meadow. It took him a moment to get oriented and remembered taking a shower and crawling more tired than he realized he was into this bed. A glance on his Wrist-com told him, that was six hours ago. The enormous bed, greatly expanded to accommodate Partner was part of this uber-lux master bedroom. The window...
This was the first time Supreme Wizard Zwhehzwheneu noticed that the seven xenomorphs in their hidden chamber right beneath the Tower of the Supreme Wizard were not as arrogant and aloft as they usually acted. It almost seemed the seven were disturbed and perhaps even afraid. They had summoned him and he of course obeyed. “I have heard your call and here I am.” “Our assets, the eyes we have developed within the society known as the Union disappear at an alarming rate. We lost contact with...
All the anxiety he had felt over the past months melted away, there before him was his mother, kneeling between vegetation, almost completely naked, covered from head to toe in sod, small cuts, and welts. Her once carefully coifed hair a filthy mop. Yet he recognized her like only a child could recognize its mother, this bond was older than thought and as powerful as psionics. He dropped to his knees, “Mom, it’s me, Roy. Everything will be alright now.” Martha came to her feet. “Roy, oh my...
Paul felt the fine stinging sensation of the suit’s Auto Doc administering drugs and injecting tissue and medical repair Nanites into his back. He tasted blood in his mouth and opened his eyes. He lay sprawled on the vegetation covered ground of Green Hell. He saw the wrecked skimmer not far away, a smoking and twisted wreck. Then he saw something he had never wanted to see up close, hundreds of Dragon Ants crawling over the faceplate of his helmet. The suit must have automatically sealed...
Roy and his friends arrived a little early. No one said much and had a gloomy mood, already fearing they were about to lose their animals. Roy was especially depressed, even if all other parents said yes. He was certain his would never allow it and most likely take Partner away and dissect it. So he had already made up mind; he would run away and live in the jungle for good. They’d never find him there. There was plenty to eat, if you knew what was consumable, and he had heard there were...
Thanks to the course and flight plans the Green Snake and her crew knew exactly when the Explorer Cruiser would be here. The ship was known as the Green Snake; Captain Coldblood commanding her was feared and known as a ruthless pirate. That he was sponsored by the Kermac was a careful kept secret, not even his crew knew about. Taking on a Union Explorer ship was actually a number too big for even him, and he knew it would stir up the Union hornets like nothing else, but he had his orders and...
Phil Riddick felt like a child in a shiny world of really big adult things, The Federal Police Precinct responsible for Blue Moon had its very own Minimon Space Station and it was busier than Silver Hawks Emporium two days before Union Week. He marveled at the rows of shiny Victoria Class Police Cruisers, the latest models, with all the bells and whistles. Back at the Recksnostal they had two almost 100 year old units. Granted they were still perfectly alright and they had never needed more...
Roy stopped his own impulse. There were simply to many of the Kermac elite commandos on the platform and there were a few civilians and innocents as well, not to mention the 200 plus Kermac already in the City. He also did not forget Cara who had remained on Desolate, tied up in the office of a fat man he had only briefly seen. He was certain Cara would die if he could not do something to get her rescued. It was better to gather more information and then he could try to contact Uncle Sam and...
Phil Phil, Celyciia, Riddick, and Cherubim had been shoved into the elevator guarded by five muscular aliens. As the elevator was moving, Cherubim said. “No worries, those are just Krthar. I take them out now and then we discuss what we can do to solve this dilemma.” Ruddick snorted. “They might as well be Holdians, we are tied up and their guns are active” One of the Kermac soldiers grunted. “You will be dead if you just lift a finger, human.” Phil rolled his eyes. “Just get it over with...
Sol Hub positioned right at the edge of the so-called heliopause. Almost exactly one lightyear from the actual star at the center of this system. As star systems went, this one was without question one of the most important. While every rock and floating pebble big enough to put a boot on was occupied or utilized. It was all about the third planet; by all accounts, he heard, one of the most beautiful and perfect garden worlds in existence, with a rich diversity of climates and life forms....
The United Stars of the Galaxies, more commonly and simply referred to as the Union, was as societies went, still young, and had only existed for about 2700 years. This was not a very long time even in human terms. There had been empires and societies existing for much longer than that. Compared to other galactic societies and empires past and present, the Union had not even really started. In this short time, however, it managed to spread over a considerable region of space and even into...
McElligott was not certain what talents the Glou might have, but he was pretty sure they were based on Psionics, and this latest Union shield technology was not only opaque to it, but an effective way to isolate a psionic user from accessing that trans-spatial condition where Psions could be accessed. The small humanoid, sure enough, fell to the ground, no longer able to levitate himself. The Old Highlander got up and gestured towards a visitor chair that established itself. “As I said,...
The planet and the system had many names, but to most it was known as Summit Peak. Like the Planet of Universal Peace, this world was also famous for being a place for important meetings between space-faring societies. It was almost forgotten during the height of the First Galactic Council, as such trans-society meetings took place on the Planet of Universal Peace. However when the Original Galactic Council became a farce to most because of the Kermac demanding sole control and the rise of...
“My ship?” Roy repeated the question. The Wurgus made the confirming gesture again. “Yes, Masterun. The All Patriarch has gifted you a Pod ship. You can’t be a Patriarch without a Podship.” Roy sighed. “You Wurgus value honesty right?” “Yes, above all,” “We humans like to be asked about things like that. This should go both ways you know. I want to become a Marine and I don’t need a ship or want to make a career out of becoming a surrogate Wurgus. I think you guys are very nice and go out...