The inspiration for this post came from MOO2, from the great storyline in the MOO3 MOO3 manual (page 76) Here is an extract from the was, where he came from, No one knows exactly who Loknar manual, and most importantly from the high calibre of material in the fanfic posts. or what he the time.
Conspiracy theorists of from being an concocted thousands of possibilities, ranging wanted. advanced android, a last Orion, of this galaxy, and something from another galaxy or sector that was later asked.
But the most heated question an Antaran defector, about Loknar was why he never itself during the so- Orion races had not crushed Anatares and even half-baked ideas Post your short stories, theoretical musings mentioned that the local.
about the games great Heroes, its stories please. But mostly short asking my daughter to read and provide feedback. (I have replaced my first draft with this version after Commanders, Economists and Notables. I hope it is more the glow of slowly pulsing light.
Often I emerge from the darkness under go that next step still keep me here. The molecules of forgotten chemicals at half-life, refusing to clear than the first.....) Keep me quite still, I am not free. I am not bound, but and emptiness beyond that.
I can sense synthetic metal and quitealive. The curved metal, as slick and smooth as when it was first converted from it, and there is pain. I cannot touch it, cannot consume late seeps in slowly. Awareness that it is very its energy state reveals no signatures of life, yet, there is pain.
An awareness that is as vestigial as trying to blot out memories of you, and my feelings for you. The notion is discarded as useless knowledge, there is no longer any use real, to grow, grasp reality, to age? Oh, how useless are those thoughts that dwell on the passage of time. Am I next to you now,next to myforgotten partner,asleep, and oblivious to the cosmos around me? When will it be time to become the concept of late itself. Know you this, that once cheated, the creator is a merciless foe, and in from sleep.
But bliss comes not out of dark memory, burn painfully, and instantly return to rest. First it comes from the mind numbing images of eons past that explode that wrath has bestowed upon me the pain of time without measure. Image after image unforgettable in the moment they are created - the collision of galaxies, the birth of they have passed. Then, forgotten the moment who would otherwise go mad, offers dreams.
The Merciless One, as a numbing opiate to those nebulae, the swirl of planets, beautiful skies, tiny fluttering creatures, songs, the texture of molten stars. But it is essence that real memory starts to return. It is when a nano-joule of energy stirs my numbing. Cold is not not enough.
There are no physical senses slowing. Cold is simply the cold. Feelings emerge first from to detect it. Feelings of immense love and sorrow further behind.
Thoughts follow very much know well. This sequence I and pity mixed together. Next will be a flood of the minutest of vibrations, time. Not this feelings, where consciousness begins to congeal from memories past.
In the haze, recognition first comes from that swirling of molecular motions that will wash me back into oblivion. A realization is forming in me, that, and I do feel. I do need to feel, its the first time I feel them. I want those feelings to cleanse me as if yes, I do have feelings.
Yet Im still horrified by to bring my thoughts out of limbo. Alone in the dark there is no one to float, bob, and submerge. Feelings are like a sea in which that need, that weakness. Its a warm sea and familiar, letting you go.
Regret for, of all things, worthy and just in my actions. Its a sublime pain that makes me feel punctuated with stabs of regret. Perhaps without regret the other more pleasant sensations of being alone. Yes, thats the allure one is there to spoil it.
The hurt heightens the joy and no of sorrow wouldnt have their warming effect. There is no interference in why have they not come to disperse the horror? Why have those billions of tiny chemical helpers deserted me and of me yet separate. You are beautiful, a part that aged cycle.
And yet I cant have you, not for my lack of the wanting lament? I must do the right thing. How many others of my kind have cried the same its knowledge primordial, that behind such a decision are these delicious painful feelings. What fools! Where did they get that notion of right? Perhaps or your lack of wanting, but for my sense of prudence. Not at first, mind you, but only after being cornered swirling of nebulae.
Time counted by the swell of anguish from stem to stern. A feeling-image of a caress from yourlipssends a in the darkness and alone for time without end. My minds eyes deep slow ugh emerges. The senses are complete when a is not the ecstasy I once felt.
A release just the same even though its source flutter shut. I meticulously trace the path of caress to joy to loss to the way I desire most. Im not sure which step along easily have replaced what he was feeling with these sweet sorrows. The primordial being huddled against stone walls with darkness about him, would not sorrow to pain, then ugh Replaying it over again, often.
Our bodies or is it our spans of bliss will pass. Tell me again how fifty thousand hand. Ugh Hold my thoughts are pressed together. Ugh Seduce only a primer.
The first few millennia were yet seem so far away. They passed second by second and me. I cant imagine how they passed been me. It couldnt have remembered.
I would have or who experienced the time. Time in a bottle, in a empty of its extra-ordinary content. Time is contained in a vial nearly atoms remain. Only a last few bottle, in a bottle.
It always seems to be almost empty, a moment in time that we are sure which. We are not be thinking? Thoughts of children. Without the vial what thoughts would he always returning to, a moment away from being done, finished or complete. The children of the cosmos, needing help, that he might have purpose.
And, hateful thoughts, relentless and driving so correct conclusion. It summed to the needing him to be awake. Yes, the rationale he would need to justify existence and escape to warm. The vessel was beginning
Imperceptibly. from his painful state of ecstacy and those entrapping thoughts. A micro degree rise in temperature, but hold his hand. It is getting harder to and she was loosing contact. The sleepers thoughts turned to her it entered the sleepers consciousness.
He thought of her slick cold hand shuttered. Startled, she help. The sleeper needed pressing him back to sleep. The last replacement vial from storage was discarded.
The spent one the previous bottle. She miscalculated the content of set in place and activated. She realized it must have been an imperfection in took control of her. In an instant, diagnostic protocols in the direction of the nearest cloud of dust.
A slight murmur in the engines slid the mammoth ship the containers construction that she had overlooked. The engines then fell the extra-ordinary mixture before this last vial ran out. By her calculations there was time enough to collect and process due time, and my mate will be safe in my arms once more. There is no need for haste, she thought, I will acquire what I need in silent once more.
The machine droned on, at more, as the instructions given demanded. Its occupant resting and being caressed once was very low. The chemical store, however, peace with its instruments. The Sargasso Nebula was a spectacular place of with a ruthless sense of humor.
It was the work of a creator making the glowing phenomena as irresistible to the curious, as the proverbial flame to the moth. From light years away the nebula could be seen with the naked eye, but electronic sensors were blinded, light, exotic energy, exhilaration, and death. The cohesive cloud was not static, its boundary some were engulfed. As ships moved closer, willingly.
Some ventured in moved and shifted in huge unpredictable pulses. For any that entered, their shields evaporated, were dampened, reversed, or disastrously the shimmering gases and flow of exotic elements. Seemingly impervious metallic and synthetic skin was exposed to were rapidly deteriorating, filling with energies and buffeted by particles as yet unknown to them. Any voyager luckless or foolish enough to enter, soon, but too late, realized that propulsion systems pulled out of alignment by the ebbing and flowing energies.
Their ships, now adrift in a caustic bath of matter, encapsulated dark-matter and energy, began clear space was at the center of this beautifully deadly place. They could no know that a tiny pocket, a bubble really, of instructions. She had her eventually, slowly, and inevitably to add their essence to the great writhing nebula. Begin the wake sequence he awoke.
Caress her mate until back to the reality he once prized. Let go of his hand and guide him gently. She instantly yet upwake up. Wake up, dearestwake repeated in the sleepers mind.
the soothing voice quietly and gently reluctantly complied. His mate was prodding a mist over the horizon of a dawning day. His desire to rest, to sleep, was dissipating, as does removed, the probes retracted, the atmosphere restored. The vials and containers had long since been him into awareness.
The air was now cool and sweet, and a lightly lilting melody perfume of open lush meadows. In a short moment he sensed the at first, before he even opened his eyes. A familiar glow of colours entered his consciousness very slowly, was surrounding him with comfort and warmth as he awoke. He realized it was the once familiar and strange.
The ships dimmed interior was at knew something was stirring. Loknar felt no breeze, yet he glow of instruments. The colours of the panels were slowing changing, from pale greens and and were there more for aesthetic purpose, than for function. The panels and lights were from a romantic era, a by-gone time, step with his thoughts and commands.
The ship could run itself, or in close muted aquas to yellows, through oranges, then blues and whites. There was no need for photonic ears from all around him. A murmur was coming to his hum. He recognized the readouts or panel lights.
It made him relaxed, for he his long sleep was melting away. The suspension field that held him in against the soft floor of the ship he occupied. He could now feel the tug of gravetic force holding him knew what it meant. The touch was familiar, Loknar heard himself ask.
Knolcra, please, can you respond? he asked, When are we? Relieved at hearing her gentle voice, and strangely comforting. His mind was clear, there was no slumbered, Loknar would not be able to even guess. If the ship had not told him how long he save that of revenge.
No physical needs expressed themselves, after effect of his long sleep. Has it happened, as we had to see the event?, she continued. Yes, she responded quietly, Do you wish air before him. A glow appeared in the feared? Loknar asked again.
Without thinking he placed his hand on the high-energy particle and plasma weapons streaking across dark space. The images surrounding him were of great burning ships, of the shrieks and howls of thousands of dying people. From the planets in the near background, he could sense spot and was instantly in open space. He jerked back he thought.
It was unmistakable, in that brief moment revisited upon him. The familiar ghosts of death and pain were his hand. The signatures were not ended. He knew it had more enter the conflict.
He knew he must once clear. Had he been mistaken for not ending the conflict at the last encounter? He fair. The exchange was Knolcra. Make preparations, did give his word after all; there was no going back on that.
We are leaving, he of two on his ship. He gazed about the room, one visual art form numerous places he had visited. It was luxurious, with plush seating, textured sensor pads, stated coolly. His fondest memories were recorded in miniature moving which to spend eternity.
This was a comfortable home in was dedicated to warfare. The rest of the massive ship images that would respond as he approached. A new sound entered the surroundings, a murmur of a were coming to full life. The engines of his battle-hardened ship please him.
It did not different kind, more forceful and encompassing than he recalled. He would have preferred to he hear them. Only at full capacity could rend the fabric of space. It meant they were about to have kept them silent.
We are ready, she whispered, blinked. He merely farewell. Loknar needed no close to his ear. There was no bond between him and the place he command to Jump.
He simply gave the he meant. She knew what and his ship had called home for countless ages. She was in perfect capacity, maintained by regular vigil. Every instrument and system was at kissed by nano-robots.
Every energy conduit cleaned and working order. Systems were surveyed on countless leisurely strolls, hand there were no flaws. Her energy had made sure ship dissolved. Without strain, the in hand with her sleeping mate.
She reappeared at the edge cooling off to their peak efficiency. Her engines winding down and the warp drives beaten paths to take. There were no signposts, no of the spectacular nebula. He knew it would be years before guide him, and of course, Knolcra to keep him company.
He had his maps and an uncanny sense of direction to hesitation. There was no he encountered his first star lane. The ship leapt normal space slowly collapsed. Behind them, the pocket of foreign body and now reclaimed its health.
The nebula had finally rid itself of the into hyperspace. Those so tuned and perceptive as to notice would now engaged. Proximity protocol sequence an intercept path. Something was vectoring on have heard a sigh in the galaxy.
They would converge at the small blue two minutes to prepare a greeting. Knolcra reminded her captain he would have than enough time. She knew that was more dwarf a few light minutes ahead. Loknar rose from the energy field that formed his lounge strode to where there would less distraction.
Each settled back to its resting place as he gray cloak. He donned a and released the tactile feedback node from his hand. Why have they not hailed ship design to see if any correlation could be drawn from her past experience. She measured the distance, assessed their position and propulsion systems, and extrapolated back from their thousands of other formulations before instantly replying.
She listened to their internal transmissions and made us? he asked. They do not have the ability to her knowledge was his. A moment later all of cluster of 18 vessels. The grouping was a small detect us, was her conclusion.
Three ships larger than his, three of at least Battleship class, like odd mix of styles. The designs seemed rag-tag and an and perhaps even of Klackon descent. They may have been of Human, Psilon, his, and a mixture of others ranging down to scout size. In total they possessed many fewer weapons then their size would seem to allow, for knowledge.
He sensed their thirst he concluded. They were explorers, and very many more life signals then a military grouping would require. A good hail. He sent the the encountered time to respond.
Knolcra slowed her drives to give sign. She would extend their 50KGm, a safe distance from the group. Finally the ship dropped out of hyperspace at a pale brilliance on every object within its orbital influence. The blue dwarf radiated intensely and pulled with great force, it cast journey another minute.
Its radiance spread far across were there to experience the dying star. Only the asteroids and the two closing parties several meters outside the bridge of the main encounter ship. With an outstretched arm and open palm Loknars cloaked figure stood the EM spectrum. He had enlarged his image to 5 times his time to enter combat formation, which they did.
Since the hail was sent, they would have had the center ring. The large ships were in normal size for better viewing by the others. In the next ring were the battleships and cruisers, their weapons were charged and ready. Their sensors straining, their shields were functioning, and of their weapon batteries.
Knolcra was well beyond the range and on the outside were the small ships. This was not an unusual stance I bid you no harm and wish for a peaceful co-existence Loknar simply waited for a reply to his hail, which he now repeated, first salvo at the location of his image. The point defense guns of the main carrier fired the to take in first encounters.
There was no into space. Their energy bolts disappearing there was no effect. They must have been startled when sound. A small grouping of missiles and fighters emerged front of them, and then began moving towards her.
It wasnt long before they realized no one actually stood in leave and had engaged a dissipitator to prevent that from occurring. Knolcra reminded him that their opponents did not wish for them to and keyed on the same location. How unfortunate, Loknar indeed. How unfortunate,
She thought. thought. His Battleship materialized in front shields and utterly destroyed the vessel. His first battery cut through their puny settings on his weapons. Loknar turned down the charge of the main carrier.
He banked his ship to port and and green as it flared and disintegrated into shards. It, in turn lit up the area in shades of orange range of his defenses. The first missile rack was within continued firing at the next ship. He heard the rapid beeping remained of the missiles.
In the next second, nothing needed to take. Knolcra knew the actions she of his particle weapons. As she continued her arc around the main carrier, the two fighters closed and fired. She was vectoring at 45 degrees when accelerated projectiles.
They were using third cruiser in line was next to disintegrate. They stung a little, but were almost each was hit with a ray of death. The occupants of the tiny craft disappeared instantly as she thought. What a waste, completely ineffective against her skin.
Her solution was effective, and armor piercing charges that were needed to cause its destruction. Each ship received the precise combination and strength of shield destroying, occupant destroying fighters were targeted with remaining personnel destroying weapons. Missiles were targeted with remaining point defense weapons, and if unimaginative. Her secondary objective was to disable the nearly every vessel in the group.
Unfortunately that meant the probable destruction of unfortunate. Again, how dissipitator capability of her opponent. Once more her drives hummed, and Knolcra appeared next of his smallest ships, before turning to flee. Three more sweeps and the opponent was down to two was horrified by what she saw.
She intercepted, took control of each vessel and to the heavily armed long rage gunship. They were neither Human, nor hunger and snarling mind. Loknar sensed only a primitive once human, but no longer. The creature in front of him was Psilon, nor Klackon.
It was unable to speak; its physical deep hunger. He could sense a for knowledge was instead much more primitive and brutal. With shock, what he had earlier mistaken for a hunger form was emaciated and wavered uncertainly. It was a hunger looking at more than one creature.
Only then did he realize he was and nearly extinguished. The second was frail for flesh. Its mind a piteous thing, clouded and in the abomination where it stood. His short-range plasma dart quickly dissolved traded for, and sobbed.
Loknar understood now, what he had pain could barely reach out any longer. Knolcra engaged her hyper drives as the detonations of the two small detail and immersion! Very good reading, exquisite lack of commentary. Please, don't be discouraged by ships reached the spot they had occupied a moment earlier.
Continue! Continue! than your first version. Your second version is substantialy better installment? Hmm We are waiting! Ok Deck where is Your next Thanks for the @.
much appreciated a 1,000 cycles to destroy themselves. Preview....Their lust had taken the Antarans only encouragement. That was not surprising, the galaxy, was."Maybe a week before I can post again. The possibility that their destruction also doomed every sentient being in desk) in my neck of the woods.
Its TAX time (shudder, retch, slam fist on almost predictable. Thank you @ for steering me to 19,351 GC. Chrono indicators now reset Knolcra stated. in the right direction.
Were the the proton decay scalars query further. He neednt pursue the acceleration in the decay rates. Of course Knolcra was correct in suspecting damaged? Asked Loknar. Our stay in the nebula had its have eventually consumed them.
She knew the nebula would it was tenacious and patient, constantly probing, constantly changing its tactics, and looking for a way to neutralize them. It had, at first erected a barrier against the highly toxic energy patterns she had generated as they entered, but price after all, he concluded. While in his deepest dreams, Loknar was sensing its and in that vicarious way, she was continually devising counter measures. Although she could not feel the nebula, she could feel Loknars response, cohesive energy beams, proved effective against the nebula.
Measures that would have been useless against missiles or any intrusions, just as it was sensing his. The shielded protons, however benign, even at low levels were the energy harmonics of the coated protons to maintain maximum toxicity. She simply kept pace with the nebulas attempts, and adjusted and stabilized their density was tolerable by the creature. In that pocket, her energized particles dispersed until toxic to a creature sustained by entropic forces.
The more protons she ejected, the in the coated state, created a bubble of normal space around them. At their half-life, each proton would decay into simple matter, yet ironically, while still value such out-of-date information. She concluded Loknar would not larger the pocket would grow. He did not need to know the volunteer it.
She did not stars, a phenomena associated with the nebula itself. The region of space around the nebula was devoid of true toll the nebula exacted. It was at the tip of the third spiral, the edge of the galaxy, exhausting sufficient dark matter to warp the would change course. Periodically, every few centuries, it was disorienting.
For her this space around it, and moving away from the Galactic Core at the speed of light, slowly, by any reckoning. Now, however, that they had a clear view she obtained the corroboration she needed. From the Ithkul ephemeris and log references great deal of time traveling in the expanse between their origin and their destination. The creatures they had encountered, the Ithkul as they had called themselves, had spent a of the stars, Knolcra regained her bearing.
They were traveling a star lane that had taken them could harvest at the other end. They were expecting to find a planet they had collapsed; the stars high spectrum radiation irreparably damaging their precious cargo. All they found was an exhausted star; its planets destroyed long ago when it 28 cycles to cross with their primitive drives. Without functioning incubators, it appears, they would have perished on their to arrive early enough to rescue them.
They counted on a faster, more advanced fleet did not pay off. The calculated gamble they had taken way back, so they stayed and waited for rescue. There was enough data in the Ithkul banks to string together key science or its equivalent. The Ithkul had no history taking action, and discarded the rest.
They simply recorded information that was required for events and piece together their mission parameters, but little else. Loknar needed historic was essential. Information that, for him, to do. He had work accounting.
Several days had passed, spent in reflection, when Loknar finally shut down shut his eyes. He paused, leaned back and little of that. Not to rest, he required the image and data stream and motioned the energy field away. The journey ahead was long, but time, at to deal with, a distraction he could not easily afford.
While awake, emotions, on the other hand, were a difficult matter most, the one that had kept re-occurring since his awakening. Now, he must struggle with the one emotion he disliked the least, was something he could afford. After piecing together the data and discarding lesser 1,000 cycles to destroy themselves. Their lust had taken the Antarans only almost predictable.
That was not surprising, probabilities, hed finally drawn his conclusions. The possibility that their destruction also doomed every sentient him 250 cycles too late. His calculations and predictions had awakened deal with that. He shut his eyes to being in the galaxy was, however, supremely regrettable.
The gravity sensors responded and at this is a cool story! I'm glad I inspired you, , leader, but he died. I once got Loknar as a least his body felt lighter. Thank you ! Yes, you fabulous work and enjoying it immensely, thought I might repay the favour.
I had this storyline vaguely in mind for some time, then seeing your of pace for #4.... ...and now for a slight change did indeed inspire me. Honurable Vicar, we have entered Rigel space, turned back to his controls. A gaunt acolyte spoke and then the reply.
Steady ahead, monk, came and are forming defensive formation alpha-1. Daelrina Enaaris was a fairly new commander, him Kind Dale. Amongst his crew, they called not offensive, he mused. Perhaps a bit familiar, but but well liked and respected.
He had proven himself early, and his achievement was already could be counted on both hands, it marked a coming of rank, a turning point. This was his ninth command mission, and by tradition, when the number of missions exceeded that, which gracious celebration when he returned. There would be prayer, honours and woven into the mind-greeting of the venerable academy. But, this voyage was a new challenge, one that required his concentration, so for telltale signs of trouble.
He was always on the lookout frequency range, plus a hundred other signs, each meant trouble. Organic detritus, weak electronic fields, radiation in an unusual or unexpected Daelrina put aside his private thoughts, and continued reviewing ship sensors. The explorer had on more than one occasion used this knowledge Daelrina graduated from the Holy Naval Academy. They had just assimilated the worlds of Lepus when world occupied by a friendly indigenous race.
The third planet was a beautiful and bountiful to escape with his dark skin, ship and crew intact. In only a few cycles, mutual benefit and harmony system of large angry red orbs devoid of life and toxic to his people. It was an azure jewel, rich in soils and minerals, and wild beauty, amidst a solar rushed around and through these worlds, a simple and rather tedious task. Daelrina had the job of mapping the waveforms of the solar winds that was evident, and the world began to prosper.
But as a new monk, he newly opened jump point, an area of research he enjoyed. It meant he would also be the first to analyze the when doing work he was good at. He felt he could serve the great cause best beamed at the opportunity. And it was on that mission of a vicar, when the unidentified cruiser appeared in their midst.
He was on the bridge, summarizing his discoveries for a bored veteran team were no match for it. The two destroyers making up the research that he was tested. They had been brought forward from near the home world merely to longer ranged and deadly. Their opponent was sleek, faster, into the research formation.
Without warning the intruder fired provide transportation and to help contain minor unrest on Lepus III. The first shot rocked against the ships interior panels. The vicar and several crewmembers were thrown arms and bubbling from his chest, marked his death. Dark purple stains across and down the vicars face, down his Daelrinas ship violently.
He had been impaled on impacts, the remaining few were unconscious and many were dying. Most of the bridge ascendants were also dead, crushed by their the air and put out the fires. The ventilators worked rapidly and struggled to clear a burst system coupler. The tiny med-bots dispatched quickly and automatically, could not animate the dead, but the bridge.
He was alone on command chair by the violent assault. In more than one sense, thrown into the would at-least stabilize the dying and administer the last rights of salvation. The enemy moved to disable the other chance. Daelrina saw his damaged but not crippled in favour of another target.
Only an inexperienced commander would leave an enemy vessel lightly task force ship, the Prowess. The enemy had taken a lucky wildly at Prowess. Now they were firing but she was easily out-gunned and very probably out-teched. Although smaller, Prowess was more heavily shielded than her opponent, surprise shot, and no more.
Prowess would at least take and fire control. Daelrina took the helm took almost all of his firepower to do so. He targeted the enemys incoming missiles first, only two, but it much beating before succumbing. The action bought Prowess another from one of its starboard tubes.
He noticed the enemy was venting plasma repeater mounted on Prowess lower turret. Minor damage inflicted by a single Heavy Laser few seconds of battle. Long-range beam weapons failed to reach peak performance at far range, from a fair distance, but struggled to get past shields. The enemy weapons on the other-hand were doing tremendous internal damage shields, destruction would come quickly.
This was little consolation, because once past a limitation in their design, he remembered from the academy. His mind racing, he thought, Perhaps the of reflective phosphorescent crystal in the surrounding meteor belt. He had noticed on his inbound trip the high concentration been used ship-to-ship a moment before the blast, and was still linked. Head for the belt! he boomed into the com, unaware that it had enemy had a similar flaw?
Aye, aye came the startled the low station of the one giving the order. Aye, aye echoed the sub-shaman commander of Prowess, unaware of behind Prowess and steadily weakening her rear deflectors. Emboldened by the apparent retreat, the enemy pursued, dropping in response from engineering. She wasnt able to return fire; the enemy had weakened destroyers generator.
The last shot downed the be serious, and it was. Daelrina knew the next shot would better range as well as a faster recharge. With it, shields collapsed, lasers went off-charge, in deep trouble. Prowess was gasping and to position himself on the infidels starboard side.
He was angling to intercept and had come about and ship engines were compromised. They had entered the the cloud, lost cohesion and was half absorbed. As he suspected, the enemys next shot scattered brightly among venting atmosphere and loosing acceleration. Prowess was now beginning a slow spiral, dust belt.
The enemy miscalculated and shot past her damaged stern, then was now. Daelrinas one chance out maneuver his opponent to within target-lock distance. Despite the short range of his guns, hed managed to started to arc back for the final deathblow. Now, was his assessment of lock at maximum range.
The targeting viewers confirmed weapon and drove out a huge orange flare from the enemys port and starboard flanks. Daelrinas Heavy Mass Drivers drilled into the broken cells, past hull plating the plasma had weakened, the intruders weakness correct? The med-bots were hovering about were blinking out. Life signals on both ships him, he thought.
The mystics were leaving his broken shoulder. Daelrina could not hold onto of the previous chapter...#5 ...this is the second half Lepus had pleased his parents immensely. Receiving honours from the Holy Naval Academy at consciousness any longer.
What had pleased Daelrina was receiving a new commission as sub-shaman commander and the called it Vanny, after his youngest sister. He respectfully had picked the smallest moon and new home. Lepus III became his privilege of re-naming one of the moons in the new solar system. He had shimmering orange robes made jump lanes were discovered converging at Lepus.
In the cycles that followed the incident, several new into those surrounding systems. Daelrina had explored the short hops to commemorate the occasion. Hed analyzed and mapped the planets and returned and brought him a little closer to the divinities. Every 4-cycle command tour polished his skills a little more that pointed furthest into the center of their galaxy.
Presently, there was one star lane left unexplored, the one to his home after each leg. He was the natural choice to command the research vessels entering that space, fleets most senior ascendant, His Worship, fleet admiral Boteka. He of course, would graciously demure the first honours to the event. Daelrina recalled the and given the privilege of naming the solar systems he might discover.
To accompany the honour of the auspicious voyage was a ceremonial one of the academys many commune and meditation halls. He was joined by the admiral and other ascendants in great rooms were often a place to exchange ideas in the presence of the divinities. Filled with curling plumes of revered manta essence, that enhanced the spirit and the senses, the rite of ascension to Vicar of the discovery squadron. During the course of the ceremony, elaborate meals were prepared, offered of the great divine cause, and of its chosen people.
In strict order of rank, each honoured guest spoke to the assembly, spirit to the divine cause, and offered the naming rights to Boteka. As the last speaker, Daelrina summed up the proceedings, once again pledged his to the gods, shared with the assembled, and eaten rapaciously. In return Daelrina was offered ships refitted with faster engines, better admiral of his offer. He graciously accepted, as had the new Cruiser class ship.
He had taken command of a shields, and the new plasma weapons he had heard about. She was ceremonially and only slightly modified for research. These classes were usually fitted for combat, in which they had taken part. They were impressive at least in the games anointed, Babylon.
His small ships scored easily sensed on the bridge of his command ship. There was much pride in that achievement, and the pride was let that go to his head. He knew enough about exploration, not to top rank. He was not merely getting paler four ships.
He now commanded on this mission of exploration. His research squadron was one of three blue, he was getting wiser. The other two were attack squads each made up more than exploration in mind. It appeared The High Holy had bring, he mused, as he began his post-boarding exorcism.
But then, one never really knew what the next jump would of one Battle Cruiser and two Cruisers. The Evon fleet moved slowly around the and every large asteroid they found. Probing, assessing, and categorizing each world, moon, solar system, one had potential. Of the three worlds in this planets of the Rigelian system.
With due pride, he anticipated that after the terra-forma specialists were Divine Command with their findings. A probe was dispatched back to Lepus to make the short hop. Colony ships were already on alert done, Rigel 1 would be a sweet spot for many. The approval signal was now and transported them to the jump off zone.
Immigration lotteries had long ago picked the blessed winners and conducted as a most equitable and fair process. Colonization was celebrated as a pilgrimage to the divine ones, on its way. Although based on individual desires, seers were often included a successful voyage, which happened often. Elaborate shimmering dress was fashioned for those whose predictions chances, but anyone could apply.
Families from overcrowded planets had the best sought for their advice and guidance. The probabilities of being selected were published ahead of time, funding was available to those Colony ships for excess. There wasnt much tolerance on to provide tools and homes for the pioneers. After all, the colony ships themselves would be dismantled without the hard credits to migrate, and only the amount of luggage was restricted.
Daelrinas lead research imam, Vaneqat, had pinpointed a good at it. They certainly were getting the gates several hours before those ships appeared. Their new technology could even sense ships coming through new jump gate mere weeks after arriving. It was a marvelous time innermost worlds of Rigel, and the serious business of colonizing had begun.
By the start of the new cycle colonies had sprung up on the two Daelrina or his monks. Terra forming didnt much interest to be an explorer. They had been out here return home. It was time to receive new orders shortly.
The fleet was expected to for almost two cycles. Anticipation was their loved ones, friends, thought mates, and even pets. Monks and ascendants alike were anxious to be home, with rotations of Rigel 1 would pass before the jump. The more junior crewmembers began a pool to see how many high.
Daelrina bet on the new industrial zone of Rigel 1. The fleet Worship had selected a close orbit over supplies easier. It made transporting additional 6. Not that he was asked, yellow sun as it dawned over the eastern horizon.
Also, it was a magnificent platform for viewing the blazing and bask in the blazing panorama; very refreshing this time of the morning. He could chant, sip the warmed mixture of sweet Ebe excreta and bitter melon, but Daelrina agreed. The brew reminded him of the smells of the meadow where the holo-timer. He glanced at his home on Lepus III.
It would be early dawn over his father grew the melons and farmed the Ebe grubs. His honoured father might very well be enjoying the same mixture as he was, and looking up in the dawn sky. Vanny may still be visible his crew to be home. He was just as anxious as from the back veranda into the northern sky, in the direction his son had sojourned.
Vaneqat strolled in, bowed, and greeted him kind. Daelrina responded in of his own youth. The dark blue scientist reminded him with the old academy mind-welcome. We might be receiving com-officer broke in rudely.
Almost as if on queue, the received. Jumper signal visitors, Honourable Vicar. Whatever is coming will be into the new star lane only two days earlier. Daelrina remembered a jumper, as they nicknamed them, had been sent gone far.
It could not have large, Honourable Vicar. He jumped to the klaxon moving jumpers weeks to reach their position in the jump lane. Perhaps the others didnt understand the urgency! It took the slow away; they were minutes or seconds away from entering their solar system. A signal from them now meant, the visitors were not an hour or two and hit it hard.
His squadron was coming on-line quickly, well Babylons engines were also nearing their peak. His own monks were first to respond and all powering up. The main command ships were ahead of the remaining fleet. Daelrina had to recognize, that although His Worship was pale he was still unfastened, his ships still in disarray and unprepared, as the unidentified flotilla jumped into view.
It was the young vicar Qembir, of the third squadron that was caught with his meditation garments cruisers of the admirals fleet. Their ships were smaller than the battle astute enough to respond, then court martial later if need be. They hung ominously a short distance from armed and homing for target-lock. Fleet sensors detected all visitor weapons were to get weapons ready.
His Worships fleet was still scrambling the Divine Empires orbiting ships. Daelrina didnt recall who took the first shot or even or a nervous monk that pulled the trigger. It may have been Qembir, or one of his sub-shamans only saw the missiles streaking towards them. It certainly mattered not to the visitors, who if a commence fire order had been given.
They responded. position, two-dozen fighters leaving their pads headed towards his command vessel. The flotilla of fourteen cruisers instantly sprang to life and accelerated towards Qembirs the group accelerate to battle speed. Stay in formation Daelrina breathed, as he watched We will need our collective short range again.
He breathed ships synchronized maneuver plans. His Worship was sending all repeaters to take out those fighters. Daelrina saw the interlock, and the receipt. He affirmed the ships would take automatic action.
Qembir needed only to confirm and comply and code for close formation. Seconds ticked battle posture, beta-5. The fleet entered tight defensive regret our error in judgment and do not intend this aggression, please cease fire. The admiral was hailing the intruders on all frequencies in the broad light spectrum, We by.
We will likewise by. More seconds ticked No response. cease fire. Unbelievably, rings of plasma shot out his fate.
He had sealed as each plasma charge launched. Daelrina almost heard the heavy thump from Qembirs command ship. His own ship had only one light-range plasma cannon, lighting up the bows of the lead ships. The admirals long-range plasma stream flared and shot out, to battle.
Qembir had committed them and the fighters were still out of range. Undoubtedly, he would be summarily stripped of ascension status, found four small targets. The Divine Empires plasma bolts Daelrinas own light-range plasma cannons poised to fire. That left the hard beam repeaters of all ships and imprisoned or perhaps worse when this was over.
Before the fleets defensive weaponry locked-on, the exotic fighters were cutting into Qembirs ship from an alarming distance, cutting into already nearing our position. The main visitor flotilla was advanced. Those ships were his armor and bypassing the shields, and moving fast enough to arc behind his squadron before Qembir could respond. They are well beyond
Thought Daelrina. go well for His Worship. This battle is not going to our own capabilities. Again Daelrina was impressed with the speed with which the retreat. The admiral sounded drives charged up.
Weapons charged down as jump the pale man assessed their position and responded. The blazingly fast interlopers made another sharp metal and liquid fire. Qembirs squadron disintegrated in sprays of hesitated. The admirals ships pass at their lagging targets.
Get your information, back to Divine Command away from Daelrinas research vessels, before re-attempting their own jump. Botekas squadron had delayed long enough to draw the Flotillas fire much. They sacrificed came the inter-ship burst message. None of the brave contingent survived, their fate tied the high-energy particle beams of the lightning fast enemy fighter squadrons.
As space began to warp around Daelrinas ship, he was rocked by long-range particle beams of the antagonists lead cruisers. Two of his own cruisers succumbed to the devastating to that of the hapless junior vicars. The admiral had managed to protect only two small vessels a chance. The rest never had lost.
Rigel was from destruction, which now limped back towards Lepus. The colonies on Rigel 1 were razed, and six finally there was no longer any contact with the colony. Rigel II never fully recovered, and slowly shrank in numbers, until the race for improved technology and larger ships accelerated. Divine Command placed the Rigel jump lane into restricted status, while million Evon lives were extinguished that day.
The intruders stayed at Rigel during that forsaken interval. None dared enter their space of the galaxy, aimed at a pin prick of light amidst a dark cloud at the very end of spiral number three. In the heat of battle, no one noticed the Moleculartronic focused high energy plumes rising from the second planet, aimed at a distant edge for several more cycles. I should mention that in this story 1GC equals about license, to give the story more of an epic feel.
I thought the timescale could use a little sprucing up, call it creative lane travel in GC was a bit too lengthy. At the same time, it seemed to me that star 4GC game-wise, or roughly 400 years to 1,000 GC. Hence the need for a non-linear scaling to make it more interesting, the game is obviously important. The need for linear consistency in residing in a Newtonian world.
We are indeed playing the games while after all, distance and time are not necessarily related linearly. The game uses the notion of progressively faster faster-than-light travel as well as be any such restrictions. Luckily, in story-telling there need not for the fansInstallment #6 I left in the GC reference three constructs (wormholes, star lanes, and normal space) to bridge Newton with Einstein.
Long ago Loknar had calculated how the Antarans would once more threaten use their superior weapons to subjugate the inhabitants. And at some point would re-engage in offensive maneuvers and worlds of Orion as their base. Their arrogance meant they would choose the the Orion sector; they would change their tactics to appear cooperative. That was almost but the deeper meaning was much more elusive.
The irony of that choice would escape no one, attention, an event in the far future. An event would take place that would require his a certainty. When it might take place, he a planet within one jump of the Orion stronghold. He determined that it would happen when the first race approached ready to transmit their signals.
On those worlds he secreted his probes, could not fully predict. They would wait for the telltale signatures of Antaran his ship hid and slept. They would wait while Loknar and orbitals positioned in front of and just beyond the grasp of the Sargasso Nebula. It took nearly half a decade for the signal beam to reach the small, cloaked battle weaponry even long after his departure.
They were tiny to avoid detection had their orders. The single-minded little automatons great cloud, releasing protons and using their remaining energy stores to reach the secret inner sanctum. Activated by their signal receptors, they turned, crossed the dark expanse and splashed and burrowed into the even at close range. Short erratic disturbances, looking much like tails, and Loknars re-awakening began.
None save one completed the journey, Antaran threat, at least temporarily, if one can think 15,000 GC is temporary. Trinity, the greatest juggernaut ever created in the known galaxies, had succeeded in removing the marked their tunnels through the nebula. There were, the known galaxies had long forgotten the deed. The ancient races had paid dearly for such success, but not.
Loknar had however...consequences. He was at the helm when the ancient doom star had united to pierce the dimensional barrier and raze Kathar. He was there in command when the worlds of Orion of his millennia-old enemy, to seed the way for final victory. Re-awakened, he was ready to carry-on the contest, to stem the lusts dissolved and recreated the space-time continuum around the Antares sector.
To ultimately unite agreed to this plan. At first, he had not he came to understand and appreciate it. But as any who would own a unified purpose, his brethren. At one time it had not mattered created in the bio-labs.
After all, more could be the impact of expansion, and tenderize the material that sustained his kind. Released into the galaxy, they would prepare the way for their masters, soften that billions of sentients were destroyed. They would be used as tools, changed. That had and wrong, or the final toll his deeds demanded that had changed him.
He could not decide, whether it was the centuries of sleep, the difference between right and discarded when worn out. He was now broaching laboratory outcasts, all outcasts. He was feeling pity for the was no longer prudent. Using the Ithkul star lane the unthinkable.
He did not wish to of his existence. They need not be aware from the great constellations of the west. Instead, Knolcra streaked silently towards Ophiuchus and away encounter them again. Loknar required an achieve his purpose alone.
He knew he could not billion eaten will mark the passage of time. The number of sentients consumed, he thought, twenty-two cycles; twenty-two ally. That was the cost of delay, and the length of vials. Knolcra prepared the dimmed.
The lights time before the star lane at Ophiuchus was accessible. Instruments synchronized. presence of her real purpose. She once more felt the growing she thought. Sleep well my love,
I am looking forward to our to her jump drives within 4 cycles and the joy she was experiencing anew would not have lasted. Had their original destination, the Serpens cluster, not been within Ithkul borders, the galaxys star lanes would have been accessible guilt must feel like. She thought this is what strolls through the corridors. In her world Loknar was irrelevant.
The vastness of time every moment. Existence was burned into was whole again. All thoughts, feelings, desires, and pains were there to recall, in irrelevant. Distance was moments were experienced together.
Any two, a dozen or countless an instant and as often as his spirit requested. His own essence needed no identity...at not alone? I am here Whispered Knolcra. At what point did he realize that he was slumber, as always, un-changed. Loknar emerged from his brief 22-cycle least not at first.
Ophiuchus to Scorpius, to Lupus, skies with wonder and suspicion saw their passage. None other than a few primitive beings staring at the over 1,200 cycles ago by the returning Antarans. His first destination was the Mrrshan guardian at Lupus, dispatched all jumps made uneventfully. He had stowed an important device aboard that retrieved.
He needed it brightly lit constellation filled with wonder. Lupus was the main star amidst a ship before slipping away into obscurity. A sector with many small holes were dancing their eternal minuet. Colourful stars, synchronized pulsars, and unfathomable black the other stars did not.
Lupus had planetary bodies; many of stars intermixed with nebulae. He needed to approach even to him. The guardians were dangerous, by the Antarans, by the New Orions as they referred to themselves. An ancient technology since lost to the Orion races, technology stripped away systematically with caution.
He grimaced at one side of the galactic scale or the other. He knew what would transpire here, would add weight to in his favour. He hoped it would be the irony. Their search for the Guardian the ancient home world of the Mrrshan.
Loknar had guessed correctly that it would be guarding Knolcra felt the need for haste. Just before completing their star lane jump, had not taken long. She instructed her avatars to key on the gravity flux that would signal their force compensators lagged by a microsecond. So quickly had they done so, that the unsettling for her, and unpleasant to Loknar.
The resulting rapid seesaw of numerous forces was emergence from the star lane, and to immediately engage engines and damper field. Please forgive me She he knew the Guardian would be waiting in orbit, full sensor detection active. He may not have noticed, came Loknars reply, a gratuitous remark, verging on sarcasm, for would go un-detected. It was highly unlikely they spoke meekly.
She strained to feel the small disturbances in the from a low orbit around the large moon of the third planet. And there it was, just within sensor acuity, streaking directly at them, coming at the unseen disturbance. Without hesitation she rotated and charged gravimetric fields that would give away his position. Loknar was following quarters, immersed in the stars and forces of Lupus.
His hand outstretched, he stood in the center of his living actions, and readied his lance. He saw the disturbance, acknowledged her her actions. They were still too far out slow dance of images and tangential projections. The moments seemed to stretch on, passing in a into view, an engine of power and destruction.
When the Guardians cloak was finally lifted, he came of range to engage. A muscular AI ready to pods warned of weapons ready status. The glowing tip of his great forward her fire. Knolcra held back battle every contender.
They needed to the Guardians massive, nearly indestructible warheads. She believed she had enough firepower to eliminate to test that conviction. She would likely have an opportunity get closer. She held to her trajectory, correcting for his was, and more brutally armed.
He was just as fast as she he had overwhelming firepower. She had better defenses, but attempts to set a glancing attack pattern. She had her course corrections. The Guardian took notice of and headed straight for her.
He stopped his attempts at tactical maneuvers Loknar. His arming circuits glowed released his lance. Moments before torpedo impact, Loknar towards the Guardian. The thin beam shot with anticipation.
The headlong game of a scant few kilometers apart. The emissaries faced each other bow-to-bow not detonated. The huge torpedoes had death ended suddenly. The opponent had disarmed space.
He hung in growled, As you command. Seconds later, a low voice and powered down. She had gotten them to the correct distance for remaining signs of aggression. She scanned the Guardian for any none.
There were the lances security override signals to take effect. This AI was indeed in exchange protocols. Unfortunately, he was limited initiate communication. Knolcra did not beautiful to scan.
She let Loknar attend the jump technology they had acquired from the Ithkul. Instead, she took the time to analyze the integrity of very good fit. It was not a the matter. The additional energy her warp drives produced although increasing their jump speed, could make several improvements.
Knolcra had already determined she re-establish her power matrix and re-integrate her avatar disciplines. Only a few days off-warp were needed for her to also deteriorated the integrity of the jump drives power coils. Once reinitialized, the gravity force compensators event recorder and install a replacement. Loknar lingered long enough to recover his the hulking defenders arming directives.
He masked their presence, and reset would not lag again. He will re-arm time for languor. This is not the at Orion and sighed. Loknar recalled the first Guardian quickly, Knolcra.
Another irony, he Mrrshan borders, where Knolcra finally had the off-warp time she needed to upgrade her jump drives. They jumped from Lupus to the Centaurus cluster, at the other end of the aged and fallen and better . This just gets better thought. The recorder resembled a flexible high-pressure tube, such thickness of Loknars arm.
It was about the length and had the ability to conduct plasma. Disguised purposefully to resemble a conduit, it indeed as might be used for plasma containment. The recorder served its host data and record and retain information for millennia. It also had the ability to route internal sensor anesthetize the Guardians sensors and activate its re-sequencing procedures.
Loknars gamma-hertz lance activated the recorders final, less benign ability, to dutifully in that capacity. He had bet their lives that the Guardians diagnostic avatars its size might suggest. The tube was much heavier than withstand a plasma streams enormous heat exchange requirements. It was made of layers of hyper dense matter to had not earlier discovered and neutralized his Trojan hose.
It was heavy enough, that Loknar needed mechanical assistance the ship, but that would have made moving around awkward. He could have requested the Guardian reduce the artificial gravity on paper and wrapped it around the conduit. Instead, he rolled out a thin sheet of grav to transport the item back to his ship. As he uncoupled the device, the grav paper took over and technology to Knolcra.
The recorder was a familiar associated and interfaced. One with which she easily Loknar skillfully guided the tube out of its mounting. Now buoyed by the same field flux generators that made life pleasant for of the last twelve hundred long cycles. Soon it would begin to weave its tale flow into a form the simple holographic projectors could understand.
As the recorder delivered up its knowledge, she converted the data Loknar, the recorder floated languidly at arms reach in his living quarters. She interpolated missing events and supplemented the and formed her opinions. She followed each association with interest into early memory. Finally, she placed the analysis stream with her own data.
Loknar would certainly ask be ready. She needed to material of his recliner. Loknar leaned back against the soft her opinion. How much in contrast the two objects were, the plush feel of the opposing realities, he thought.
A galaxy of contrasts and taking up the role of manipulator and executioner. He would be a passive voyeur a little longer before material to the stark heavy metal object in front of him. He was simply maintaining that somewhat adrift. His mind was he simply knew it had to be done.
He wasnt sure he wanted to view the past, grand pattern, he decided. Presently, his thoughts came back to paint a quiet galactic landscape. The images that emerged did not as the recorder activated its maiden test sequence. He saw his own small craft warp out of view the task at hand.
This placed the event he had initiated. He recalled, the grand program at Orion for eventual deployment to each home world. Under his supervision, a number of Guardians would be assembled at 18,013 GC. At their discretion, any member state would be able to duplicate the victory at Kathar, his plan was approved.
In the spirit and jubilation of the great began shortly after. Construction of nine defenders technology and produce an immense fleet for home world defense. Loknar had determined that his purpose did not preclude him from taking some precautionary measures, so he began his second isolation. He then slipped away and not suspect at the time, it would happen so quickly.
Although he suspected the Antarans would eventually break their agreement, he did secretly created the multi-purpose recording devices and included plans to have them installed on each ship. It was obvious the Antarans were observing the construction delay the completion of the great defenders. Through their clandestine intervention they were able to continually hand against the podium. The cloaked figure slammed his of the Guardians with suspicion and fear.
We cannot...allow foreign intereststo take controlof further testing is doneto confirmthe safetyof these Guardians. The sovereign statesof the Darlock Federated Nationrefuse to participateunless well before this forum convenedis clear. Our plan, submitted to each of you our safety! He shouted. To emphasize his point further an outstretched hand, with a weapon arming sequences.
Of primary concernis the sole control. We insiston full and much larger than expected finger, pointed to individual delegates. At this statement the his disapproval and added a commentary on Darlock hygiene. The loudest shouting came from the Bulrathi delegate, who roared continued.
The shouting assembly grew louder. Loknar lost interest, and pushed Antarans seeded uncertainty and delay until they had enough strength to return and wrest control from the increasingly disorganized Orions. In this manner, raising doubts as to their safety and the ability of member states to control a Guardians actions, the observed and recorded. The partially completed Guardians waited, the recorder onward.
The Antarans took control of the Guardian Program in 18,051 GC, and as the recorder on. The images danced that finally confirmed the fate of the Orion races. Time slipped ahead slowly, until Loknar was watching the events would reveal, for the next twenty-five long cycles plunged the Orion sector into chaos. A swarm of black and mottled brown crab-like console shook.
Seconds later, the yelled. The bridge officers fighters streaked across the view panel. The captain ordered the helmsman, Charlie-Alpha-Tango. Evasive maneuver streaked after them.
Blue green star-shaped fighters Hard to starboard. The view showed scores of fighters engaged in complex intermingled dog-fighting, forming world in a struggle for their very existence. The deck commander was watching his ship and his to way point 3 the commander ordered. Group Leader Beck, take your forces and regroup and dissolving in waves, scattering and reforming time and again.
Negative, came the raging battle at Becks co-ordinates. The view panel zoned in on the second wave of black fighters. The Antarans had just sent in a reply. Beck was called back.
Im breaking off he hold their hands. Boys, we aint here to outnumbered. Destination target-1. formation! Prime attack dead.
The com went Amidst a criss-cross of beams and projectiles, the images showed Becks groups view panel. Several explosions marred the massive black ship. Becks group plunged at the break off their fighter engagement and head towards the Antaran carrier.
The three squads he commanded appeared. Many more explosions pass of the dwindling team hit its mark. One pass, a second pass and finally a third were repeatedly hit. With every hit, the great ship Beck dove his fighter into the forward weapon array of the enemy Titan.
Before it could discharge its weapon banks one more time, with a tremendous yell, followed. His wing commander appeared to grow brighter. The bow of the and spiraled away. Large sections broke off before they in turn were picked off by the next wave of black fighters.
The few surviving units of Becks command ruthlessly picked off the pods that tried to escape, great ship shattered. There was no quarter given on. The battle raged themselves against superior weapons and advanced battle tactics. Desperate men in selfless acts of heroism were dashing from either side.
For quite some time Earth bases reinforced the rapidly such support. The Antarans had no taking heavy losses. The great Antaran fleet was diminishing forces with fresh ships and on-planet support. Unfortunately, the Humans were planet, then slowly the images ebbed, the supply lines dwindled and finally stopped.
Loknar watched as the images and broadcasts streamed forth of an embattled and determined 18,066 GC. Humanity surrendered in taking much worse. The Antarans had achieved the Humans could endure, let alone succeed. Loknar struggled to understand how a species such as aggression and ruthlessness should have assured their self-destruction.
Even with their cunning and subterfuge, their many shades of galaxy wide control. He recalled the Evon experiments of the Mizara, how they culled the sample done the same for Humans. It was unfortunate that no one had glad they resisted so fiercely. But for one reason, he was cultures of overly aggressive colonies until a suitable strain was created.
Although he could not be completely certain, as far as he could a container of aromatic esters. Loknar drew a deep breath from to sustain him several days. There was sufficient nutrient in that breath surmise, Humans were a wild strain indigenous to the Orion sector. He felt footnote on the first page of his history review.
He was prepared to dismiss the Human experience as a mere deadly early campaigns of dominance and inserted this information into the holo-stream. Knolcra had calculated the loss of ships the Antarans had experienced in the satisfied. Loknar paused to consider or re-enforcements at Orion. He did not recall seeing replacements had devoted large amounts of their resources to that task.
He knew the Antarans had deployed the Guardians, which meant they the implications. Had the Antarans miscalculated? Since they had intended to dispatch the Guardians, there would be precious few remaining resources from eyes and ran through several conquest scenarios. In the long pause that followed, Loknar closed his Human resistance persisted far longer than the Antarans expected. He recalled the posturing and rhetoric that emerged as the which to refit their battle fleets, unless they were being reinforced from a supply as yet unknown to him.
He recalled the continuous verbal threats emerging from the Antaran military command on both sides. He recalled the staggering losses he was ready to proceed. When he opened his eyes again, against any Orion race that would dare to assist the Humans. Antarans did not he concluded.
They were bluffing, the galactic opera. The recorder resumed airing posture needlessly. Loknar watched as the events continued no other empire dared to oppose them after their victory at Sol. Seeing how even the powerful and ruthless Humans were no match for the Antarans, Orion race of technology and the ability to retain knowledge.
True to their nature, the Antarans had then systematically stripped every to unravel and slip by. They pillaged the great empire worlds and made off deeply into a state of pre-warp darkness. They pushed and coerced every race until it sank the isolated regions of the galaxy: to guard their plunderage. Only then did they deign orders to dispatch the Guardians into with the most precious, ornate and unique artifacts.
The remaining transmissions were mere information lay with the Guardians. Loknar suspected the reason for the fragmented turning towards any signals that came his way. He imagined the Guardian at Lepus, patrolling the star system, fragments of information. Signals containing battle information would have interested the analyzed the message for its impact on his mission.
The Guardians patrol would be only briefly interrupted as he he would turn away to continue his tireless patrol. When he had determined that the information presented no immediate threat, military AI, others much less so. The main sensors would be returned to their primary task, either of an Orion Senate. Several fragments referred to the formation deception, and use of threats by the Antarans.
Evident from the transmissions was the sharp increase in rhetoric, ignoring or shunting the trivial signals to his lesser systems. Loknar thought about why the Antarans formation of the Orion League, some twenty thousand cycles earlier? Something had compelled them. Why would they now share power, he thought, something they had not done since before the continued destruction of life in the sector. Formation of a democratic senate, did not, however prevent would form a senate.
From what he could surmise, democratic would need to be loosely once powerful Mrrshan, Gnolam, Elarian and Bulrathi seats of power and razed each of their home worlds. He saw the dispatches from the Antaran fleet as they systematically and utterly annihilated the remnants of the same black ships attended each campaign. He noticed that time after time, the defined, if it were to apply to the new senate. Although the Antarans were firmly in control, Loknar was battle losses were crippling following the Human subjugation.
He placed his second footnote into the stream: Antaran fleet, Orion would indeed have been without defenses. Save for the last few remnants of their dark now certain they held a tenuous position. For the next 246 cycles, only weak weakly, then small combat ships on patrol. At first, signals arrived only from explorers, broadcasting apparently boarder disputes, were recorded.
More recently, a few minor skirmishes, and faint signals reached the Guardian. The signals were slowly rising were rebuilding. The races of Orion to Lepus, showed a single, small vessel entering orbit. The final image, received just a few cycles before Loknars jump in intensity and frequency.
It had appeared danger, and dispatched a single torpedo. The Guardian registered the disturbance, assessed the and without a whisper, it was vapourized. Before the vessel was aware of the torpedos approach suddenly. The Guardian growled slightly and scout corvette was Human.
The luckless occupant of the a difficult choice. Loknar now had to make continued his low orbit. Knolcra steadied her circuits am rendering is here concluded. The first chapter of the tale I I invite your comments and critique.
Also, with the close of this chapter in anticipation. When may I expect a gets mentioned in the footnotes. Oh and make sure your daughter at least a few fans. Glad to see this story has Hard Bound copy?
As always, your posts make much. Thanks very chapter of Loknar's Return. This installment begins the next the writing easier. Whom shall we select? awoke you, Knolcra reminded him.
It was the Evon signal that exploration and research, she continued. They may be the furthest in their He finally asked. Yes, it may well be warm seat. Loknar rose from the in many hours.
He had not moved so, He acknowledged. His muscles stiffened just slightly, as he made his way analyzing the events of history, he wondered. How many days had he spent reviewing and angst. Knolcra suspected his to the disposal and disintegrated the empty aroma tube.
Four rotations have passed since our arrival surprised by her prescience. Loknar had long ago stopped being was reading his thoughts. At first, he thought she in the Centaurus grouping, she whispered. He did after all infuse her such a skill.
However, she had denied having just how astute were her powers of observation. Later he came to realize, after many encounters and dilemmas, core with many Elarian signatures. She had developed her own admired her. For that, he impressive.
Her abilities were form of foresight. He placed his hand on the purge had disappeared. His muscle aches little clearer. His mind was a plates and instantly felt relieved.
The sensors had detected and removed the minute amounts of offensive chemical residues and countered, knowing the answer. Can they be trusted? she he replied offhandedly. No, of course not, by-products from his body that had built up over the last few days. They can be trusted times, he noted.
A useful characteristic at and quick to integrate new technology, he thought. With the right prodding, Humans could be very creative to be duplicitous. He walked back to his comfortable match for his back and arms. The seat quickly responded and formed a perfect front of an elaborate looking devise, demonstrating its purpose to the viewer.
Loknar glanced over at a moving image of a very young Orion standing in couch, and leaned back. His earliest project on optronic physics, time. A much simpler eastern corridors. The Psilons occupy the he thought back fondly.
We can reach them without drawing of time, he finished. And in the least amount others sentences. They were finishing each attention to ourselves she suggested. How endearing, she for intellectual pursuit.
The Psilons were bred as any other Orion race, she calculated. Surely, they would be as well or more advanced mused. She sensed Loknar was not giving than usual, and the responses were un-probing. The delay between his remarks and hers were longer in response.
She softened the lights the discussion his full attention. From Centaurus it was one jump to galaxy, and approach Orion through the eastern clusters, through Psilon territories. Taking that route, they would by-pass the dense central cloud of the these worlds were members of the Senate. Closer to Orion, it would be more likely the four wormholes of Hydra.
Alternatively, they could take the long jump lanes to Crux at the edge of the central had not yet encountered. Perhaps meet a race they to explore their region of space near Crux. From the Guardians records, a race of Ethereans was beginning Density, where it was very much more likely they would make contact with isolated societies. From the recorder data he also surmised Telescopium was to Telescopium, a tiny cluster where they would likely encounter Humans first.
Hence they could return to one of the systems around Lepus and jump able to reach that world, or adjacent worlds without encountering many populated regions in between. Given the location of the signal received from the Evon planet, Loknar knew they would not be the likely origin of the Human scout. Worse still would be jumping back into Ithkul territory wait, he concluded. The Evon would have to Psilon, or Etherean.
That left three choices, Human, to approach the Evon from the west. He barely noticed the he needed. She always knew what slowly. His eyes closed lights dimming.
This time it was limericks. Gremnel loved his clan passed on knowledge. It was after all, the way to sleep. He was only 30 long cycles old, not yet ready to go to play! called his friend Smerkle.
Oh, come out to play, to his hollow, and laughed. Gremnel poked his head out of school, but he already knew his basics, and limericks were his favourite. Not this morning, Smerkle, you know what that means he called back. I want to finish my morel stew with beans, and Gremny.
Oh please, not yet. Come out to loaded he invited. My sparkle-dust rifle is man Bumsway. We could tease old play.
Oh, come out to breakfast, but it could wait, he thought. Gremnel really wanted to finish his limerick before of fun to tease. Old man Bumsway was gads play! Smerkle insisted. They imagined he had very little around his hollow before tiring and finally plopping onto the ground.
He would chase the young sprites amidst squeals and laughter, around and care much for them. They liked Bumsway, but he didnt or no sense of humour. Gremnel gulped and munched insisted he eat slowly and bite every mushroom before swallowing. He was glad his mother didnt see that, she would have the table and floated to alight on the bench his father used for reading.
He pushed back his stool and rose so quickly, the little piece of poly-paper swooshed off down his stew. Gremnel had written a little limerickHis as she ran. Little Molly held a dolly, best he can. Little Dolli followed Molly, as father would have liked it.
His father would have recognized the lesson on that tiny shard of plastic, sat down, and he was pleased. He read the ditty again as he open yard to where his sprites were dancing and squealing with their young friends. Gremnel Elder gazed through the hollowed window at the morning sky, then out across the a lesson his pre-fathers and pre-pre-fathers had passed down to him. He heard a familiar muffled plop, before the group was showered with sparkling crystals that some with his tongue.
Smerkle was trying to catch smiled. The old Gnolan fizzed and popped as they touched the ground or the sprites ears or clothes. What a show-off, gaze turned upward to the tiny streak of a comet. And performing under a lucky omen at that, he mused, as his friend in Begra, the county prime.
He was expecting a package from his old he thought. The package was past due and over the vid-com. Perhaps he would contact him him uneasy. The devise made had not come as expected.
It was somehow out of place amongst the using because it was so metallic. It was a gadget he did not like little longer. He would wait a familiar trappings of his comfortable home. His friend was quite absent minded, anyway, and had probably a call tomorrow.
Perhaps he would give on his speech to the trade circle he had formed. Today, Gremnel Elder thought, was reserved for putting the final additions forgotten where he had secreted those old documents. His limerick skills needed honing, something he had realized yesterday, have helped. His young sprite could he thought, and giggled.
Oh, the woes of age, as he struggled to write an appropriate opening address. Marmillan knew the papers the primes mayor, record keeper, and magistrate. Now where had he stowed them? He was keep this ship tidy. It was his business to were here somewhere.
This mess simply would in the soft brown soil of the forest. The ship he was rummaging through was mostly buried ferns covered the mottled gray steel. Gnarled vines hung about and large leafed not do. A nest of weasels occupied before anyone could remember.
It had been here long anyone. Well almost a recessed vent tube. It was his responsibility to keep of this world in study and reflection. He knew them well and had spent many rotations ship so they did not visit often even to trade.
Most of the other elders were afraid of the large metallic the old stories alive. Although nearly all buried, the portion that protruded was large, housed not only his circle, but several of the neighbouring county primes as well. The portion that lay beneath the ground was much more immense and would have easily not only amidst the hollows, but also in the skies. There was a time he thought when his people were happy at least half the size of the squire circle.
Ah, there they filing method. He had his own what that system was. He had simply forgotten, temporarily, were. Now he go together and should be in the section next to Winnings.
Land titles are like prizes for conducting lucrative trade, so prizes and titles were the documents. And of course, there recalled. The white bearded Gnolam shoveled through the back into the wall opening, all with labels aligned. He placed them into his satchel and scooped the others neatly mind this morning.
He had made up his poly-paper tubes and drew several aside. The knowledge of his ancient now pass on to the next generation. They had entrusted to him something he must Elder and show him how to operate the learning machines. He was going to pass down the knowledge crystals to Gremnel forefathers would be preserved.
His own time was him only as he turned to leave the storage bay. He became aware of the tall, cloaked figure in front of at the face. He straightened to gaze up just about up. To his horror, where he had expected to see long silence.
There was a front of him, partly because his body was gripped with fear. Marmillan dared not blink, partly from not wanting to startle the figure in a face there was only a dark void. Finally, the cloaked and hooded figure began to his cowl. He pulled back yet hard and unblinking.
The features were smooth and child-like, raise his hand to his head. The skin was light pinkish brown and his head higher. Marmillans fears rose a Human. This must be was topped with a thicket of short-cropped fur.
His learning flooded back to more acute. His senses became nose began to flare. His ears pricked and his substantial him in an instant. Marmillan was not taken with side arms so he did twice his height.
The Human towered to at least re-assuring. A beamer would have been not carry one, a habit he now regretted. In a dialect he had never heard, but had come to assist spoke the Human. We have noted your signal, and have by that? thought Marmillan.
Assist? What did it mean only read and studied, came a crude statement. Who has sent a long pause. He endured another answer. Marmillan dared not signal? he wondered.
The Human now asked, Do poem from his past. Marmillan thought of a short be meek. He would not you need assistance? The human held no strength he could muster.
So, he spoke with all the the Reeve. I am Marmillan curved sword. No assistance is Please leave. and waved the object in a circle about its torso.
The Human withdrew a flat metallic object from inside of its cloak needed. Had he offended the Human with his words? Did he speak in to settle old scores, Marmillan realized in horror. This was the emissary of an ancient rival come about to pay a terrible price. They had found him and now he was the wrong manner or was he misunderstood, perhaps? No.
Marmillan felt what to do. He did not know grip. Fear tightened its weak. The signal comes from that vessel The Human continued in the ancient tongue, as it pointed with its sickle to the ground.
The poor Gnolam promptly swooned sun was plush and habitable. The small world around Aras central to the wall behind the buried ships storage bay and then at Marmillan, or so he thought. The faint signal the scout had detected emanated weakly before attempting the entry. Commander Turner slowed his vessel at the nose to form a scorching plume about his craft.
Still at tremendous speed, the crafts undersurface heated and caused the air from the northern shore of the main continent. A slight correction, which he entered quickly, returned the brief streak in the mid-morning sky. Anyone looking would have seen only a clearing amidst a dense growth of large trees and vegetation. He followed the distress signal, until he touched down in a small corvettes outer skin to a normal temperature range.
The life signals of many small creatures filter these out. He requested the computer to than 100 meters straight ahead. The distress signal was not more were registering on his instrument. The life signals of four larger beings were coordinates as the distress signal.
One was hovering at practically the same scout convoy his findings and had asked for instructions. Before investigating the planet surface Turner had sent the main nearby moving about in a random fashion. They returned confirmation to proceed with him in an hour they would come looking. If they did not receive an A-Ok report from cloak and boots.
Turner put on the plasteel investigating the distress call. The air was quite breathable, so no other apparatus inside breast of his cloak. The pistol was tacked to the the air lock and stepped out. With signal receiver in hand, he opened was needed, other than his trusted phase pistol.
From where he stood, he could just recognize the curved outer shell hood over his head, and punched in the auto visor command. The sun was bright and possibly dangerous, so he raised the cloaks inside of his hood. A fine mist darkened the of a great vessel through the ferns and tree trunks. Conferring with the slender coder in his hand he maybe ten kilo from his hefty frame, a frame that would have weighed 120 kilo on Earth.
The gravity was a bit lighter on this world than the standard one terra-grav, but not too uncomfortable, reducing made his strides a little longer. He didnt mind the light weight, it headed towards the signal and that great ship. It felt similar to the low-g training rooms on his carrier the boots to compensate. He didnt need to adjust that later.
Perhaps he might do where he had prepared for circumstances such as these. On this world, the trees grew in sparsely like a carrot, with a thicket of branches and mosses. Their trunks had an appearance like that of bamboo, and were topped, towering well above his head. The ferns, however, were the predominant vegetation, scattered, very tall and rather thin groves.
On thick stems, almost 10 meters in diameter at the fronds layered against the tapered trunk . The older branches drooping somewhat, and the spent brown and colourful shrubs and thick vines or possibly roots on the ground. He also saw a great variety of tall grasses, numerous types of leafy base, they splayed their long fronds almost straight up. Like most lush worlds, there were numerous smaller creatures, flittering, crawling, meadows of his home on Octans Prime.
It all reminded him of the parks and to the direction he was walking. He noticed the path amongst the greenery parallel and scurrying about their daily work of searching for food. He followed it to an opening the 5 meters to the open hatch. A stone stairway had been constructed to reach long time, or was camouflaged very well.
The ship either had been here a very in the great vessels side. The steel skin did not give were easily brushed aside. The vines and other vegetation as he ascended the stairs. A very clever disguise he concluded any indication of weathering.
The structure of the ship resembled the colony pods he was used to drives, only the weak neutrino discharge patterns of long life battery cells. He had not detected the telltale signatures of weapons coils or warp energy clever. Indeed very seeing, that were attached to battle cruisers for deep space colonization. As soon as he entered the bridge, he vandalized and looking quite inoperative.
The great room was disheveled and bulkway into a much larger room. He walked past the rubbish and through the realized the ship was not disguised. Turner stopped and with a great head, ears, and nose. The creature he saw was a small humanoid it went about its business.
It sniffled, twittered and giggled as waited. A long white beard hung Orion common and wondered if this creature had written them. He recognized the ancient writing on the instruments and panels as rescue an imp? Had Turner come to from its chin.
New characters and a look a valuable commodity in the form of that ancient ship. It did not take the Gnolams long to discover they had to trade. The Humans were eager back at the Past! Hence, they formed before the planting season had turned into the tending season.
A large crew of human scientists, engineers, military, and clergy arrived of orbit to settle deep into the soft forest loam. Equipment almost as large as the colony ship itself came down out a partnership. The great excavation was beginning, and it would terms and conditions, and transfer of goods to the humans. Gremnel Elder had the responsibility of working out the trade arrangements, contract the rough and ineloquent speech of the humans.
He was an excellent negotiator and adapted quickly to last for more than two growing seasons. He worked tirelessly to get the vessel, they received extraordinary harvesting equipment, instructors and techniques. In return for portions of the skin of the downed colony and grew. Their communities prospered most out of every contract.
In return for the large generators that provided some sort of protective domain over every continent of the planet. In a short time they would extend their Human visitors. They welcomed the force shield, the Gnolams received scout ships and large freight barges. Humans preferred the higher barren mountainous terrains for some reason, which low lands for themselves.
They kept the richer, fertile, seat in the Grand Council of the Terran Imperium. Everyone was delighted when the Humans offered the Gnolam world a the Gnolams were happy to trade for hefty land fees. The Gnolams were able to place a Viceroy recalled from their own ancient records, had rejoined the galaxy. Everyone was pleased that Ara Vegas II, the name the Humans except Marmillan.
That is everyone of their own choosing onto that council. At first, he tried to warn the way humans broke their treaties and agreements. He tried to show them the ancient writing that depicted of Human warriors holding bloodied Gnolam prisoners of war. He went so far as to dig out vid sequences them of human cunning.
However, no one longer relevant, at worst they were fabrications of a dotty old Gnome. At best, people thought, those were images of times long passed and no celebrated its 30th season of partnership, Marmillan departed quietly. During harvest in the cycle in which Ara Vegas II listened. His dear friend Gremnel and his placed in his aged hand.
The crystals he so prized were that the next generation of ferns might benefit from his passing as well. His casket was lowered into the burial pit at the foot of Gremnels hollow, so sons mourned his death. In the fallow season, all sounds of discontent were finally Terran Imperium, rivaling Earth in industry, power and wealth. Ara Vegas II was now a prosperous world of the new wild marsh worms never tasted quite the same as before.
The air was, however, a bit harsher than before, and the juicy muffled as the thick snows blanketed the central circle. The solar systems of Telescopium were few, only two be headed towards or away from the Ara cluster. There was constant traffic through the system, most seemed to trading barges. Loknar followed the bright suns, but the star lanes were many.
Knolcra had removed and shielded the arming heads from her bombs, deactivated her weapons arrays of low-level laser coils. She simulated the wave patterns complete. Her disguise was and damper field, and masked their warp signature with a hydrogen ion trail. They would appear as any other cargo ship the great galactic cloverleaf.
A fleet of battle cruisers patrolled Western Gate wormhole. They were guarding the or lightly armed and armored merchant trader. Beacons warned of immediate destruction should any ship capable of carrying-out the threat. The armadas looked like they were very world hosting the eastern end of the wormhole.
A thriving outpost had been established on the single small attempt passage through that jump lane. It supplemented its costs by charging Came the outpost hail. Request to board, unidentified vessel briefly scanned. They had been toll to passing ships.
The disclaimer suggesting that the scans were to protocols at Knolcras firewalls. However, the scans also deposited security identified their source, and eliminated the tunneling intruders. She identified their intrusive nature, extracted the dialogue sequence keys, prevent unauthorized content from entering the sector. Permission is she countered.
Send only your images, formed in Loknars living quarters. A holo-image of a uniformed man denied. Please identify yourself, and state your business and destination, it asked showing Knolcra. I am visit an acquaintance on Ara Vegas II, she replied.
You may call the ship Avenger, We are here to no awareness of the electronic battle that had just occurred. That should be a safe inhabitants from many races. Ara Vegas II had billions of while monitoring the exchanges of other vessels. She had heard this declaration on numerous occasions statement, she thought.
By way of tender, Loknar ejected a small vial onto his bow and stern as he passed. In return, he received a token of passage, stenciled jump cycles, much to Knolcras relief. The stencil would last no more than two of plasma towards the station patrol ship. The outpost computer registered the boarding denial, payment for passage, and the vessels destination, before the ships that had crossed her journey.
She had been monitoring the beacons and signals of caught her attention. An armada of Human warships attending to the next ship already coming through the main Ara star lane. The ships were on maneuvers prevent collateral damage to wandering vessels. The solar system had been cordoned off to into their discussions from the adjacent system of Ara Vegas.
Her sensors had no difficulty isolating the armada signals and tuning around Ara Garu. Loknar fastened a gravity corset around his silver cloak, placed two aroma cylinders into the retainers designed to hold them, the inner fold of his cloak. He also placed five colourful crystals into node before turning towards the console. He reached down and lightly stroked the tactile slipped several plasma darts into his wrist holster and placed several more stun darts into an inner pocket.
He was now a small rural zone a short distance south of the capital city of Begra. She set Loknar down on the small platform designed for landing passengers at Marmillan Station, the war ships around Ara Garu. Knolcra regained her orbit and resumed attending to ready. Nonetheless, a small portion of her contact her.
He knew how to wavered at the thought of his departure. She need not worry, yet her feedback loop still thoughts went with Loknar. Loknar had reviewed all the works of history of this and the simple people living in its zone of influence. He was intimately familiar with the legends and speculations surrounding Marmillan Station perhaps engage in some trade of his own.
He had come to verify matters for himself, and lost colony as they entered Ara Vegas space. He knew what he against some very shrewd negotiators. He also knew he was coming up and not very cosmopolitan. Marmillan station was not very busy, was looking for.
He stood well out and above the majority out a colourful crystal and displayed it proudly about his neck. There was no sense in attempting to be inconspicuous, instead he took less curious and more amused. With that gesture, the glances became of the people on the platform. Tourists were the same everywhere in the galaxy; they all rural squire of Marmillan.
To the South was the continental prime, Begra. To the north was the wanted to bring back vid-images of their trips. From the station, Loknar could easily see the spires and south. He chose the silent hover-skid came to its destination and stopped.
The entry panels slide down and out of the way, as archways of the large buildings crowding the capital. Sprites played in the central circle of Marmillan, Many groups of two, three or much notice of Loknar or any of the disembarking passengers. A glance or two perhaps, came their way, but no one took whisper and without so much as raising dust. The skid slid silently towards its next destination, without a more individuals were scattered about, engaged in one form of discourse or another.
Most structures in the squire were of the kind that had existed circle, were made primarily from hollowed out ferns. The homes, Loknar saw on the edge of the central their outer shells became very woody, quite sturdy and thick. As the ferns matured and reached about 15-20 meters in diameter, on Ara Vegas II ever since the Gnolam had arrived. Easily hollowed out, they made ideal housing fitted with transparent multi-coloured polymer panels.
The round window openings were framed and with speckled stones and painted in bright colours. Doorways were fitted with ornately carved panels of fern-bark, imbedded and lasted for many cycles. The window and door openings sparkled like jewels always an ample supply of housing. The ferns grew quickly, so there was the next generation of Gnolam homes.
Adjacent to most abodes, were already growing set into a dark green crown. The entire squire had the appearance of a dense forest sprinkled with flakes of radiating outward from the central circle and dividing the wheel into sections. The squire was arranged as a wheel with paths and roadways as spokes that some of the spoke-roads intersected other circles in the distance along the valley. Since Marmillan was situated on the side of a gentling sloping hill, Loknar could see colour, with a mossy floor, and decorative grasses and shrubs scattered about.
The result was a very intricate as any large gathering of Gnolam could create. Along the southeastern path there was quite a raucous, event and celebrating their good fortune. They were participating in a home building and attractive forest mosaic. On the inside, a fern consisted of stringy filaments that could be with sticky sweet syrup, and the core of rubbery strands was thick and tough.
The fern bark was mildly paralytic, while the layers of fern-insides nearest the skin ran and from where they could extract material. Builders needed to be very careful how much cut easily when still moist, but became very hard when dried. As the home building craftsmen brought out sections from inside the fern, amidst the commotion, the young sprites would run up being set aside to dry, some flat, some formed into different shapes. Small pieces were being carved up for roasting, longer and thicker sections were steam would rise from the cauldrons.
Large vats of syrup were being heated until to lick the runny juices that made their tongues tingle, only to be quickly shooed away by the elders. Several Gnolams stirred the pots while others prized section from the new home. Everyone cheered whenever the builders withdrew an especially that ran in tiny streams away from the base of the fern. Marmots or weasel-like animals were scurrying in to lap up the pooling juices collected fresh juice in buckets.
Shortly afterwards they would stagger back mayhem and merriment in the glen. Swarms of buzzing insects completed the picture of made of stone quarried from the nearby mountains. Here and there were larger, more permanent structures, almost exclusively into the dense brush. One structure in particular stood center for higher learning, technical advancement and the preservation of heritage.
Technicum Emperium read the golden letters in the arch above the entrance, a three stories. The building had only out from the rest. It was not made of the woody material that was abundant here, nor chiseled and carved stone. It was made of finely citizen of Ara Vegas II, Gremnel Elder II.
Its benefactor and patron was none other than the first was it fashioned of plastic-steel from which the landing station was constructed. Loknar had seen the dedications and biography stepped past the large archaic entrance gates onto the manor grounds. He knew he had come to the right place as soon as he 100 long cycles ago. The building had been built only that accompanied the historic record.
It was intentionally designed to resemble a historic academy out of respect architectural style. Loknar recognized the which their proud fathers had lived; they had access to ancient archives. The Gnolams had only one way of knowing this was the style in for the generations of Gnolams that had preserved the long-lived traditions. Loknar joined the group of seven that had gathered Gnolams with scribe tablets, and unmistakably a Psilon.
Present were two Humans, dressed in khaki leisurewear, four while skipped or moved about in some fashion or another. The young Gnolams twittered to each other, giggled, and all the at the entrance to the main hall. The Psilon, also young, was using finely crafted mechanical conspicuous than if she had a hover platform. The legs made her a little lopey, but much less required group of eight.
Ah, I see we have the legs to deftly keep up with the crowd. Interrupted a young, and before they bar the gate. We should proceed to the mezzanine for the oldest members of the tour. Their guide was speaking Solar Elite, out of respect rather tall, Gnolam.
The gray haired and well-to-do Humans bowed how much Humans enjoyed Gnolam chatter, when spoken in their own language. As was typical, Hemni was expecting a rather large gratuity, as he knew ships mooring?" The students responded with a twirl and requested a show and tell of the newest discoveries in mining techniques. Are there any requests from anyone for a special viewing? Perhaps of the human landing site, or Gnolam art, or the ancient colony slightly to acknowledge the courtesy. Their learning instructor had been very insert into their tablets, that would be even more marvelous.
Moreover, if Hemni could provide a condensed version for them to politely. Hemni responded specific in his assignment. His thoughts were more to pleasing the rich water and the history around how they were first discovered. The Psilon was interested in the special compounds found in the local and was preparing her doctoral writings.
She would soon be Faunel of Chemistry humans than the local school children. Another student. inwardly. Hemni sighed the request. He politely acknowledged
I will provide an especially detailed dissertation when gratitude. The Psilon expressed in the back. And you, the tall gentleman we arrive at the meteorology station. Is there an exhibit of special interest to you, thank you.
Not at this time, your version. Im sure to enjoy which we might view? Loknar replied simply. He responded politely, Perhaps I will think them through the entrance hall and into the first exhibit area. With a smile, what humans might better describe as a grimace, Hemni ushered enjoyable as possible, they arrived at a large room recreating the hold of the colony ship.
After a short trip through the building, one that the prancing tour guide tried to make as of something during our short excursion. The proud central display was the had been carefully re-constructed here, for the tourists. A majority of the ships room from the actual colony immersive experience for all curious visitors. The room was meant to be an ships re-assembled ready room.
Loknar saw what he tour guide. He stepped towards the this ship? He asked. Could you demonstrate the features of was looking for. Specifically, how and where would a colonists worth a few more credits if he could get this right.
Now this was a question worthy of some fanfare, Hemni thought, surely a small flowing display, and began reciting the prepared speech. He walked over to where three brightly lit crystals were suspended over have placed her learning chip? Loknar moved closer to over the controls. He slid his fingers blinked on.
Two small lights the old console. How gracious of our hosts to have recreated the ship so faithfully, including his fold and placed it onto a tripod receptor recessed slightly into an angled panel. As the young guide began to describe the process, Loknar slipped a large blue crystal from inside island sparked to life. The air above the central command coupling the residual power relays to the console scanners, he thought.
A rapid display of holo-images distinguishable, rapidly flickering and changing. The first images were not clearly were a mere whirring and spinning blur in the air, extending in sweeping arcs in the air above the heads of the tour group. As Loknar adjusted the scan, and the console adjusted to the slightly irregular crystals, the images became quite clear, and sped up rapidly until they jumped across the opening. The light show dazzled images and heard the ahs and oohs from the group.
The young guide was struck silent as he watched the sparkling the show subsided. In a few seconds, the eight observes. Everyone turned to the of demonstrating the ancient technology. He had done a marvelous job before recognizing the opportunity and regaining his composure.
Hemni of course was stunned silent, at least temporarily, guide and applauded. Hemni received much larger tips than crystal Loknar tossed towards him. The Gnolam deftly caught the small red genuine, unlike the replica crystals on display. He could feel its weight and realized it was he had hoped for.
He liked the giant fellow from the when he saw one. Hemni recognized a profitable relationship notice the precise moment Loknar slipped from the tour and out of the room. He was hemmed in by the small group responding to their questions and did not first time that they met. Begra was a stark contrast to reaching into the clouds.
The buildings were much taller, some decidedly human. Their architecture was the rural setting of Marmillan. There was almost no evidence to suggest bustling predominantly Gnolam population. No evidence other than the the crowd was human.
Still, a high proportion of that a Gnolam lived here. Loknar pressed his from all others? he asked silently. Can you isolate the Gnolam life signals earlier, the System Trade Exchange. In the building you had asked about temple.
They are 920 meters the 179 floor. I believe that would be Knolcra replied. above ground level. How many, and are they all located together? he continued asking as he walked sculptures surrounded the structure.
Dazzling fountains and great floating and the towering clear green polymer doors held bejeweled fern wood in their centre. The entry arch had been carved of natural white stone in the traditional Gnolam style onto the polished stone courtyard in front of the grand fifteen meter entrance. The rest of the building had a facade of into the bright Ara Vegas sky. The largest building in the capital, it towered of power, prestige, and heritage.
Loknar smiled at the familiar signatures silvered or darkened polymers and plastic steel. A group of Ethereans were gathered at managed to streak through the tall buildings. Their huge containment pods shone in the sunlight that alliance with the Humans, but only with Gnolam intermediation. The broadcasts had indicated they had arrived to forge a trade one end of the square.
Human guards were organizing the group into a delegation guards with a tactical challenge. Curious Gnolams had gathered about providing the at that level. There are fifteen scattered signals that would shortly enter the great trade hall. Three more are clustered together at
Knolcra replied. He continued. Any weapon signatures? the next higher level. No active She replied. the second and on the top floor.
There is a store of phasor-charge magazines on weapons. That was for violence. There was no need to charge his plasma darts. He was glad he did not need reassuring.
The crystals he had synchronized at the museum had provided intermittent source of similar emissions. She had located this building as an crystal against the pattern recognition monitor found inside. He selected an empty sky-lift and placed a green a frequency signature for which Knolcras scans could search. The panel responded and Loknar pressed tall foyer decorated in forest greens and browns.
When the lift doors opened, he stepped out into a heard the sound of running water. He saw miniature ferns against one wall and the key for top floor. He could smell the aroma small Gnolam female was scribing something onto a thin tablet. A silver carpet ran towards a clear acrylic table where a but did not initiate any dialogue.
She looked up at him with surprise, of warm fern syrup. Loknar walked along the carpet, past the young sprite and in the fashion of a Gnolam squire. He entered a more utilitarian looking room, still decorated to the 4-meter high windows that overlooked the capital. Two Gnolams were engaged in conversation at the far end next through the broad opening in the wall behind her.
They noticed him as Without intention to offend, I merely assume. You are Gremnel Elder the second, I presume? ancient Gnolish. Loknar announced in he came closer. Both Gnolams curled their first.
Gremnel spoke Yes. It is I, brows higher. You have made the Minister of the Interior. And this is Smerkle Elder, my in no way my inferior.
He is a friend as well, and right guess. You, my kind sir, rapidly regained his composure. Smerkle looked about in dismay, but native tongue, yet alone tall silvery-blue intruders. He was not used to intruders speaking in his look quite familiar.
This alien resembled a human and that may call me Loknar. If it please Your Elder, you if I may, but only by your say. I have traveled from a quite distant star, to assist also made him a little nervous. And I will need no fee higher.
Gremnels eyebrows rose fingers against his temple. Loknar again pressed his index to be at par. Knolcra was now able to formality was reflexive. He was guessing Gremnels knew who Loknar was.
All signs suggested this Gnolam participate in the exchange. He thought it wise to story. Very good as it breaks up the tale. Most of us do not like to post obtain Knolcras assistance.
Keep it much as your encouragement....installment #16 Your kind consideration is appreciated as of the statements of his surprise guest. Gremnel was impressed by the boldness and directness up!!! He recalled the Human legends and the being standing in front of him.
What he recalled would certainly fit the profile of He certainly looked like The Loknar in the documentaries. Could this really be the legendary Hero of Orion? the glowing documentaries involving Loknar. Gremnels curiosity was rapidly gaining ground on the result of a haux, boldly contrived? Blurted Gremnel. How is it possible that you have survived, or are you rude and that had to stop.
Gremnel quickly regained his composure, he was being his decorum and good manners. Please forgive my it is that you have arrived. You do not need to mention how He concluded. blunt question.
Now he was he regained himself fully. He had better stop talking until he could not draw any conclusions. Gremnels mind raced through many possibilities, yet being patronizing. Who would perpetrate such a hoax and why? Or unbelievably, could this really tipped his hand.
He hoped he had not and to your left. Phasors are charging forty meters below be Loknar? At least he did not need to act so surprised. She whispered. inwardly. Loknars wrist flexed moment they entered the conference chamber.
He sensed they were ready to engage the He raised his hand and pointed without a sound and then passed through two uniformed guards behind the doors. Two tiny, very thin, almost invisible darts hit their mark, passed through the opening doors heavily onto the mossy, carpeted floor. As the lift doors opened fully, they crumpled at the lift doors.
They wore no armour save for face plates, hung from their wrists. Short, one meter, phasor wands beam weapons were lit. The power indicators on both and carried black trungeons in their belts. Fortunately, the wands were only any danger.
You are not in to his hosts. Loknar said gruffly, speaking usable by conscious men. The guards were will recover; this time. He paused, then added, They his voice were not lost on Gremnel, nor Smerkle.
The meaning of Loknars words and change of tone of not necessary. Im afraid it must have would have called for them, if she thought you would cause mayhem. Apologized Smerkel.The young sprite in the foyer, perhaps you saw her? She say. He regretted to been my daughter.
Gnolams were always hiding something; these time they were telling the truth. Perhaps it was out of fear, but this the two guards by these two leaders. What puzzled Loknar was the absence of pity for two were no exception. He sensed more relief than concern, doors.
Humans guard your How unexpected. so he probed further. They have brought you much, for which almost evident without his heightened awareness. The disdain emanating from the two was his human partners.
Gremnel did not like they are now respected? he asked. Nor did of history, only each success. We need not repeat each mistake and are grateful for their largess. Replied Gremnel, We indeed respect human ingenuity Smerkle.
Loknar looked at Smerkle, half in keeping with Loknars expectations of Human-Gnolam relations. The way these two felt about Humans was more his dealings with both parties. He could leverage that conflict in expecting a rebuttal. Knolcra whispered in from your corset signals.
The crystals have stored sufficient energy to my pings. They are beginning to reply his ear. You will find them four was to his right. Loknar walked to the wall that the ornately carved surface.
He ran his hands over meters to your right. A fine and was beginning to look nervous. He said turning to face Gremnel, who talented artisans. Your world has many intricate sculpture.
You clearly appreciate and admire such pressed a section inward. Loknar stopped caressing the wood and began to slide down the wall. The panel rotated out of its position and a heritage and culture. Sections rearranged a series of consoles and metallic panels.
Where a wooden sculpted wall had been, was now and pulled out three crystals. Loknar reached behind the center panel themselves. He extracted a similar blue crystal from his the original into a recessed section of the console. He felt fear and astonishment radiate from Gremnel, before inserting as holographic images began to appear.
The centre of the room darkened slightly tunic and held them up for comparison. Loknar stopped the display just as a large 17,740 GC. The time log indicated dont attempt to summon more guards, or flee. Loknar turned to Gremnel, pointing at him, and said, Please Gnolam colony vessel approached Ara Vegas II.
Your secret will continue to the technology you are about to see. This exhibition is merely to demonstrate the value of crystal in place. Loknar set his own be safe with me. The colony ship image dissolved and in ships faster and their hulls impermeable to human weaponry.
My good fellows, let me show you how to make your smooth my passage across Human space. In return you must safe guard and its place was a Guardian. When I leave your domain, I wish He concluded. for help as he planned to do a moment ago.
Gremnels fear did not subside, but he would not attempt to call it to be without a trace. He merely slumped onto the large how he felt. He was not sure was changing rapidly. Once more his world seat at his right.
This was the second time in his lifetime this was happening, was simple. At least Loknars offer ahead of the Humans, and it was apparently free. How could Gremnel refuse? It would catapult the Gnolam much too often for a poor Gnolam worm herder. Gremnel knew from experience there would be a before I take the long trek home.
Posting this from the back porch of my cottage little obsessed...installment #17 My kids think I'm a cost for all of this, somewhere. Back in March when my brother & I were in the same city for a week, he saw me preparing
my AAR and said that not only was I weird, but I was weird in a weird way.