Adventures of a Greenie Green Marine Vol 3 Chapter 4 Betrayed
- 4 years ago
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(Made better by Glenn)
Montreal was still a beautiful human city, with many sights to see, but with the exception of a sentient machine none of the that had followed Sam Brown had any interest in the sights of this town.
While this city, like most Earth cities, had become very quiet, it was as if the cradle of humanity had fallen asleep.
It was technically still a very important place, but almost all industry had moved either to the artificial ring that now circled this famous and perhaps one of the most beautiful planets in the universe, or spread to other planets and places within the Sol system.
Earth Torus was visible if one was near the equator and then only if the sky was cloudless and the sun illuminated this tremendous construct just right.
Oh, there were still some small businesses and specialized agriculture, there were, of course, the old and venerable universities. Technically it made no difference where you graduated if you had chosen an academic career, but it was an accepted fact, that a Ph.D. of a real old Earth, Saresii, Saran, or Ult university simply counted for more.
Then there was the Union Fleet HQ and a dozen other military installations, but despite all this, the actual population of Earth had shrunk to about a billion permanent residents.
Large regions on all continents had been re-naturalized with enormous efforts to erase the many thousand years of human occupation. Here and there were still surface roads, mostly for historical preservation reasons and for the surface vehicle enthusiasts, but rivers had been returned to their natural itinerary, dams and hydro plants removed. There was no large scale agriculture anymore. Yes, this wonderful planet that spawned perhaps the most aggressive species of sentient humanoids known.
While Charles had the advantage of very large memory, and it provided the machine with every known combat tactic known to Union science, a large database on virtually any known life form with detailed information as to how to kill it of course, as well. It had gained sentience or perhaps the awareness that it was sentient only very recently, and with the open awe of a child but the intellect of a grown-up, the sentient machine processed its environment and new situations.
Completely impervious to any known environment from the radiation filled near-vacuum of space to the inside of a volcano or the lightless depths of an ocean and everything in between. Charles did have the fine instrumentation to tell it everything there was to know of the surrounding space it occupied. Temperatures, atmospheric pressure, gravitation, the composition of materials, and matter all around it. It’s SII manufactured and recently updated sensors told him, the exact position of every living organism, its details, and energy source emitted from mobile or static tech within a radius of one about one thousand klicks, and if he lit up in battle mode expanding that to a sphere of over 500 klicks. Yet all this data and all these impressions were simply numbers, applied to govern algorithms allowing it to execute a wide range of military missions. He wondered how it would be to actually feel the sunlight, the weather, and all these things like his friend Sam did.
Two days had passed since they arrived in Montreal. Sam tried to pick up some information he could use to resume tracking and thus finding Martha.
With all its processing power and the logical process, it could apply the Sentmac was still deeply impressed by how Sam operated. Sam was, all his strength and abilities aside still a human being without any supernatural or psionic abilities at least as far as Charles knew, and Charles had been with Sam for a long time indeed.
To Charles, the trail of Martha faded since they arrived on Earth, but Sam, after getting them rooms, in a place called Hôtel Pierre du Calvet, the former marine was busy from daybreak to dusk.
Yes, Charles did try Poutine and the machines’ new olfactory sensors told him the most minute composition of the flavor component, and it technically still meant nothing to Charles other than a set of data. But sentient beings liked and disliked things. Charles decided to like Hell-Aide because beloved Roy liked it. Charles decided it liked Poutine because Sam liked it. Charles also knew Roy liked French Fries, which was a core component of Poutines so the robot filed the Poutine data under the group heading Favorites. Something remarkable developed, because now he consumed Poutine everywhere it could and Charles noticed a great variance in molecule maps. None compared to more than 98 percent to the Poutine it sampled first and thus Charles with great pride concluded it had a favorite Poutine restaurant.
The rooms in the Hôtel Pierre du Calvet were very small for modern standards and clearly designed for humans and humanoids in mind. Charles could imagine other beings of BaPhy Class 1 might also find them adequate, but to anything bigger, certainly not.
None of the furniture was variform. Sam explained to Charles that this Hotel was there a very long time before Terran Humans ever thought of life elsewhere.
Charles had its gravo adjuster dialed down, so the machine did not exert its full weight of 8 metric tons on floors and structures not meant to hold much weight, and Charles being a robot did not mind stand for many hours on one spot. It had no need to sleep and no need to use bathroom facilities. The matter it consumed was virtually unchanged and could easily be disposed of in any recycling slot.
Charles recorded the time to be Fivehour, as Sam returned. Earthers still used the old OTT system and locals insisted it to be 8:35 PM.
“Have you been successful?”
Sam, sat down on one of the replica antique wooden chairs and nodded and then made a wide gesture. “Place is still secure?”
“As much as the Hotel’s surprisingly advanced anti-surveillance systems and I can make it.”
Sam looked tired but grinned. “Pierre du Calvet is the oldest hotel in town indeed, but this is not the reason why I have chosen to stay here, my friend.”
“I am with you ever since you retired from the Marines and Admiral Stahl gifted me to you. In all that time I never saw you do anything without profound reasons.”
“And your way of expressing yourself becomes less robot every day.”
Sam bend over to loosen the fasteners of his boots. “The owners of this place have prided themselves not only with owning a place that exists since 1725 OTT but providing a safe place to meet and speak without being overheard ever since the evil time that began in 2122. That is a very long time of grooming a reputation, my friend.”
While Sam pulled off his boots, Charles accessed GalNet regarding 2122 and even though the machine received much information, it did not understand it. In 2122 there was no Union, and Earth was governed by United Earth. Charles decided to ask Sam about it but at a later time.
Charles said. “I can assist you in taking off your footwear, Sam.”
“You are my friend, not a mindless machine or slave. If I get too old to do that myself, it is time for me to shut down my functions for good, speaking in robot terms that is.”
Sam said. “She was here, alright. Martha that is. I re-traced her path to the University of Montreal, where she made inquiries about Pierre Lafleur. He was an employee of that University and I know she was at his home address. It seems this Pierre Lafleur was a member of a sect with meetings in the Catacombs of France.
I also know that we are the focus of at least three, maybe four different groups, but this is about all I could find out, Charles. Tomorrow, I think we bury the whole affair, visit old places and family in South Carolina and then go home.”
“I am impressed by how much you were to find out, and I think you would have liked a more conclusive end to these affairs.”
Just then, someone knocked at the old fashioned wooden door.
Sam looked at Charles. “Anyone, we know? Weapons?”
“The person appears to be human, there are several pieces of technology carried by that person that defy my scanning abilities.”
Sam, s hand slipped to his TKU 12 and said to Charles. “Let’s see who it is.”
Sam went to the door, weapon ready. Charles now in full battle mode, projecting a strong shield around Sam and all weapons active.
The former Marine said. “The door is unlocked, come in.”
The door was opened by a human male, Charles visual scan linked to GalNet identified the clothing worn by the man as a trench coat and the thing on the man’s head was a har called Fedora. GalNet also identified the face of the man, as one of the Immortals.
The man tapped his wrist, a golden Union Police shield was projected over his arm. “Good evening, Mr. Brown. I am Phil Decker, detective of the Union Police. I like to ask you a few questions, if I may.”
The manners of the anachronistic dressed human were polite and friendly, however, Sam instantly noticed that unexplainable aura, Stahl, and McElligott had about them. Before Charles could tell Sam about his GalNet results, Sam knew this man was an immortal.
The shield was genuine, Charles instantly verified. “Sam, he is indeed police.”
Sam holstered his weapon and stepped back. “Please come in, or do we have to go to a precinct?”
“Oh no, Mr. Brown. You have not broken any laws yet. I am here to ask a few questions that’s all. You are not required to let me in or answer those questions. However, I would be forced to issue a warrant and then ask those questions in a precinct indeed.”
The man did come in, closed the door, and by doing so restoring the integrity of the very advanced, invisible anti-surveillance measures provided by the hotel.
Sam gestured towards an upholstered armchair next to an antique-looking piece of furniture, while he himself sat down. “Have a seat then, and let me have it.”
The visitor did, tugging on the legs of his pants. “I was asked by a friend of mine, a police officer responsible for the TNO region of this system, to look into the murder of two citizens resident to Ceres and right after I began my investigation, I noticed a number of parties to be very interested in this case. Some even try to diverge and dispel Union Police efforts to get to the bottom of something that is growing bigger the deeper I dig.”
Sam was afraid this would happen and Union Police getting involved. He wondered just how deep Martha was actually involved and at this point, Sam was not even sure if she wasn’t somehow involved in the death of Dr. Erine. This was still one of the biggest loose ends in all of this, in Sam’s mind. Yet he was not willing to volunteer any information just yet.
The man who identified himself as Detective Decker and without a doubt one of the Immortals had the same eerie quality Sam recognized with Stahl, but could not describe or even say what senses he used that made his neck hair stand up when the seemingly normal human man looked at him directly.
Decker went on. “I also noticed the case is connected to Green Hell once more. You may not know it, Sir but this is indeed the second time. Three days ago, I talked to a friend of hours. He is actually standing by...”
The detective’s Wrist Com was of the latest kind it seemed and able to establish an Avatar connection. Out of thin air, in a flickering manner, a second Immortal became present. This one was well known to Sam, it was Admiral Stahl!
The former marine, like a first-year private, jumped to his feet and snapped into attention. “Sir!”
“At ease my old friend.” The Admiral said. “Few men in all my long life have earned my deepest respect more than you, Sergeant Major Brown. And recently I came across a young marine who earned my respect several times indeed, a young marine raised by you, Sir.”
Sam’s eye glittered with deep emotions and Charles who stood in the background realized the Admiral spoke of his true master, Roy. He did not dare to speak, but the emotion of love and pride made his visual sensor glow in the brightest red.
Stahl put his projection hand on Sam’s shoulder. The other day I spoke with Colonel Stilton regarding a certain affair and from him, I learned you were involved.”
Sam nodded. While he did not plan to divulge and volunteer information, there was nothing he would hold back from Stahl. “Yes, Sir. I was...”
Stahl interrupted him with a friendly tone. “I am busy fighting a war and can’t invest the attention to all this even though I know I should. So I asked another friend to look into it. It turns out he already was. I am not here to get too involved in this, but I wanted to let you know about that kid of yours, Roy Masters.”
Stahl provided Sam with a few moments of the recording. The first part revealed Roy’s involvement in the Wurgus affair and the second part was a summary of Roy taking charge of his platoon. In an impossible-seeming deep space assault, the untrained marine recruits fought like warrior demons, taking an enemy battleship in space.
“Your boy earned the Navy Cross and is on his way to Quantico. Old friend, you managed to instill some of your characters essences in your son. That is why wanted to appear, to be the first to let you know and congratulate you.”
The knot in Sam’s throat was so big and so hard, it hurt him. It hurt him so deeply and in a profound way only a father could feel for his son. “Thank you, Sir.”
Stahl saluted Sam and did not fail to do the same to Charles and then blinked out.
Phil Decker had a deep smile on his face as he remained silent to let Sam and Charles have this moment.
--””—
The Thauran Bishop had been received like a celebrity in Montreal because the region is still known as Quebec also had a small Thauran community. A few of the original colonists leaving Earth with Rene Thauran had not originated from France, but from this former French Canadian province, that to this day stubbornly and proudly refused to use Standard as their main language, but held on to that ancient and elsewhere forgotten language of French.
A few descendants of these original colonists had returned to Quebec, less than two hundred of them, but stout believers of the Blue Virgin, and her church. The small community is ecstatic about the visit of this holy man, most likely to be the next Grand Cardinal of the Virgin.
This was the most prominent visit the old city of Montreal had in decades, perhaps centuries. Bishop Tiloothy of the Church of the Blessed Blue Virgin arrived with a small entourage via TMT from Treasure Island and was recognized.
The city manager had pulled out every stop to make this a memorable event.
An opulent suite had been prepared in the Hotel Vogue. The Pope of the Old Catholic church, residing in the Vatican himself announced he would travel to Montreal to meet with such a prominent leader of a closely related faith. Of course, the current Dalai Lama could not let these faith leaders have all the spotlight in the news and also signaled to be interested in meeting the Blue Bishop, especially to discuss Thauran Religious relations to the Kingdom of New Siam, where many Buddhists lived.
Sleepy Montreal was suddenly the focus of news and this, in turn, had a ripple effect across the globe.
Technically, Tilo Taurus, aka Bishop Tiloothy of the Church of the Blessed Blue Virgin was not exactly a first-tier celebrity, and there were so many much bigger religions across the Union.
The Union did not regulate religions and allowed anyone to believe whatever they wanted to believe, however, religions could not practice any custom that violated any of the unalienable rights of Union citizens. Religions that wanted to be recognized as such were compelled to register with the Federal Religion and Faith Bureau chiefly for tax reasons and to assure that the rights of citizens were not violated. Tilo knew there were 12,943,342 different registered religions, and 60 percent of the Union population did not practice or observe any religion while a large number of these were declared Atheists. Which made the Association of Declared Atheists, (The AoDA) the largest registered religious group.
No, religion did not play a very dominant role in the overall society of the Union, but to the remaining forty it was part of society and culture with various grades of importance. The Thauran born religion of the Blessed Blue Virgin was on the 711th rank in terms of membership numbers and distribution across Union space.
Union officials of Assembly bureaus and Councils loved numbers and the FRaFB analyzed annual census numbers. To be on the 711th rank meant billions of believers, trillions of Credits, and a certain level of control over the culture and behavior of these believers.
Now, Tilo Taurus, aka Bishop Tiloothy could not deny loving and indulging himself all this attention, elevating his importance within the church even further and virtually guaranteeing him to advance to the holy chair of Grand Cardinal, in importance equal to the Thauran Emperor, but all this attention made the true reason for his visit to Earth quite difficult.
After spending an afternoon at an official banquet given in his honor, an event that even garnered a five-minute segment on Channel three. This was a big deal, especially during a time of war and religious-based news hardly, if ever made it below the infamous 1000 and above GalNet channels. Tilo finally found some privacy behind closed doors of his suite and immediately called for Alexandre Toussaint. The layman priest from France, also catapulted into the spotlight immediately rushed to this summons and bowed as he arrived. “Your Emminence, this unplanned exposure has done great things to the Church of the Blessed Blue Virgin. Info requests on GalNet just reached 10 billion. We are gaining new members and may even rise a whole point on the scale!”
(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...
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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...
“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...
That night, the boy Roy Masters retreated into the past forever and the golden morning light filtering through the tall windows of this luxury apartment found Roy Masters the man instead. No other event, no other act was as decisive and profound as the one he had shared with the most incredible creature in the entire universe. It began in the most innocent and playful way, simply wanting to know more of her, not her mind and nothing she was saying. His mind was detached from reason or...
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Harlex had his arms crossed before his chest and leaned with his right shoulder against one of the supports that held up the sheet of heavy gauge translucent Dura Plast. It once had been translucent, but a thick layer of slimy green algae covering most of it made that a mood feature. Heavy rain poured from the lead colored sky thick with billowing clouds and the rushing sound of the downpour almost drowned the poor quality transmission of classic Bombast music coming from inside the...
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...
Green Hell didn’t have a spaceport, just a shuttle pad on top of Merchants Tower, the highest building of Ant Hill. A daily shuttle service-connected to Harper’s Junction. He felt a little forlorn as he stood there on that platform from where he had a breathtaking view over the shimmering lake and the jungles lining its shores in the distance. Partner nudged him in the side, and a feeling of warmth spread in his mind. At least he was not alone; he had Partner. According to the woman behind...
Stahl “If that is an Army Exercise then my name is Donald Duck.” Stahl grunted from the command seat. “Sir we getting thousands of calls for help from short range GalNet PDD’s. They are coming from Desolate, Harper’s Junction and Green Hell.” “There are nine Capital Kermac Units and there is debris of at least seven civilian craft including a space bus, Sir” “We are detecting Energy Weapon fire from the surface of Green Hell.” Stahl interrupted the flow of reports. “Launch Wolfcrafts,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
“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....
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 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...