The Scholar found most of his old friends in good health though in changed circumstances. Thomas was the only one of the old timers still working. He had gone back to his workshop once Lammas recovered enough to take over the Armoury. Quartermaine and Johnson had taken up residence out at Tracka-dan’s farm. Nowra had a cabin in his trees but spent most of his time sitting with the other two.
Old Tracka-dan’s house was very pleasant. Elsewise saw Gati’s hand in the whitewashed walls and vine covered arbours. ‘The light is good for their old bones.’ The voluble young man was still second in command of the Greys. ‘More attached to his commander than ever’ had joked La Mar. Elsewise had not understood the humour until he saw Bethane arrive in grey with the black arrow insignia on her breast. She had come across from the Amazons. Rhone commanded there.
Chalkley no longer had his crutches but still had command of the marines. He walked self-consciously in the Scholar’s presence. ‘Aesca wouldn’t let up on me,’ he said tapping his false leg. The doctor had bloomed in the years, more beautiful than ever. Perhaps because of quiet times and fewer casualties, perhaps because of the big marine beside her. Elsewise’s greatest joy came from another big man. Steamsetter had started on a set of histories. The Rim campaign was to be the first but the Ships and the Box were also on his list.
And Trahern? Oh, he had left. Not long after the mission against the renegades. Modified a ship and gone off to scout for La Mar. Out into the deep to find what had driven the Ships to the Passages. He had been gone almost three years. Not long for him but overlong in others’ eyes, especially now that Elsewise had been restored to them. In their talk out on the plain or at the farm or on the roof they often paused to look to the sky. The tall scholar soon adopted the habit. Like all on Base, he eagerly awaited the return of the Grey.
THE END
GLOSSARY
Adrienne: a planet in the Seventh Galaxy, closest ‘landfall’ to the Passage which connects to the Spiral Arm.
Ag Sector: portion of the Spiral Arm noted for the occurrence of numerous carbon and water rich planets.
AI: true machine minds that evolved in the time of the great expansion. They suddenly and mysteriously disappeared from the settled universe in the third millennium.
Arborne: a planet in the Spiral Arm.
Ascendant, ascendant line: family groups with wealth, power and ability that control the Inner Belt; an aristocracy, constantly vying with each other for advantage.
Auvinery: ascendant line in the Inner Belt, former rulers, eliminated by competitors.
Base: home/fortress of the life service Guard on Base Planet which guards the main Passage nodes in the Spiral Arm.
Base Planet: a rocky planet with oxygen-rich atmosphere that orbits a weak sun close to the main Passage nodes in the gap of the Spiral Arm. Official designation SPA35-HP1.
Bisegna: ascendant line in the Inner Belt, current ruling family.
Celerion: ascendant line in the Inner Belt.
Donnellian: ascendant line in the Inner Belt.
Dead Zone: areas of space that do not function according to the physics of the rest of the universe.
Deep, the: vast areas of space void of stars, also known as the empty reaches.
Fringe, the: portions of the settled universe that lie outside the rule and influence of the Inner Belt; generally remote, physically and ‘Passage-wise’.
Fitz-Gerald: ascendant line in the Inner Belt, also known as the bastard line.
Games, the: gladiatorial contests run in the Karee Sector in the Fringe. Recordings of the events are sold as entertainment throughout the Fringe and illicitly in the Inner Belt.
Gap, Gap Quadrant: Area defined by the projection of the gap in the Spiral Arm out into the empty reaches.
Houses, Trading Houses: commercial entities operating within and outside of the Inner Belt; dominate trade and raw material industries. Most are organised along family lines.
Inner Passages: node of Passages close to Base Planet in the empty mid portion of the Spiral Arm. These Passages allow instantaneous transport across to the near galaxies and locations up and down the Arm.
Inner Belt: dense cluster of galaxies with worlds settled by humans during the great expansion. Main human society, ruled by the ascendant lines.
Life service: sentence imposed on citizens in the Inner Belt that have contributed to loss of human life; involves transport to facilities or services in the outer sectors of the Inner Belt and the dedication of the remainder of the offender’s life. Promulgated by AI during the early development of the Inner Belt as a practical method of removing genes and behaviour patterns related to violence from the general populace. Sterilization by unshielded space travel precludes continuity of the genetic predisposition. Services include exploration, survey, pre-settlement, customs, Passage guard and some forms of mining.
Mad Command: informal name applied to the leaders of the Guard on Base during the period that led up to the War of the Crosses. The Mad Command extended the Guard’s patrols into the Fringe and into the nearby galaxies of the Inner Belt in an effort to protect the Passages from misuse by the extremist quasi-religious militant cults that sprang up during this period. A series of bold raids carried out by the Mad Command on the headquarters of the various militant chapters is reputed to have ended the War of the Crosses.
Outer Passages: node of Passages lying between Base Planet and the empty reaches, believed to spill out into young galaxies or voids. Not used by humankind. Early exploration proved fatal.
Passages: points or rifts in space that allow instantaneous travel over vast distances; facilitated mankind’s spread to most of the habitable universe.
Passage worlds: rare occurrence where a habitable planet lies close to a Passage or Passage node.
Passage Guards: life service personnel stationed on Passage worlds to patrol and protect the Passages on behalf of the Inner Belt; self-supported through customs duties collected on Passage traffic.
Rim, the: crush of planetary fragments and debris in the form of a large crescent located on the inner side of the gap in the Spiral Arm.
Tir: genetically modified humans (warriors) that escaped termination at the end of the Breed Wars. Small population lives in tightly bound clans in remote sections of the Fringe.
Triamo: a small asteroid lying between the Outer passages and the dead zone.
Weave, Weaving: tactic/technique in which numerous spacecraft are placed under the direct control of a single pilot. Intricate patterns are flown which permit the concentration of firepower from the faces of the weave and provide protection within. Craft are firing for the duration of the time that they are exposed. Shields are not required so all power is available for weapons and flight.
War of the Crosses, the: brief but intense conflict during which the military chapters of the fanatical quasi-religious cults that had arisen over the first two hundred years of the Takamede Period all but destroyed each other. Fought largely in the Fringe and along the main Passage nodes into the Inner Belt. The war marked the end of a wave of fanaticism that had swept the known universe.
NAMED CHARACTERS
LIFE SERVICE PERSONNEL ON BASE
Command
Quartermaine – Base Commander
Visco – Sub-commander
Burnett – Sub-commander, deceased
Med
Aesca – Head of Med
Turner – surgeon
Niome – med tech
Gunars – med security
Psych
Celene – Head of Psych
Sussex – psych
Briodi – psych
Sanseen – psych
Armoury
Armourer (does not use his previous name)
Training
Nata – martial arts instructor, Master of the One Path
Supply
Johnson – Head of Supply
Barry – supplyman
Kendricks – supplyman
Louie – su
pplyman
Fosci – mess
Services
Deacon – Head of Services
‘Burnt’ Thomas – old serviceman/ engineer
Steamsetter – serviceman
Tonno – leading hand
Security
Gardle – Head of Security
Karron – captain
Caretakers
Serin
Clairvaus
Arren
Forn
Donen
Crell
Far Ranger Cadre
Oulte – commander
Thorsen – second
Chris
Zammit
Tracka-dan – retired
Nowra - retired
Amazon Cadre
La Mar – commander
Bethane – second
Rhone
Seli
Sian – new recruit
Dedrin
Rafi
Allie
Ebony
Kesiah
Blue Cadre
Coltrane – commander
Lammas
Alizane (also known as ‘The Gold’)
Sikes
Easley
Grey Cadre
Trahern – commander
Gati Chiatos – new recruit
Sojean - deceased
Seventh Cadre
Zinni – commander
Clowns Cadre
Cazaly – commander
PlanCon Cadre
Colda – commander
Addikae – aide
Marines
Williams – commander
Faust – captain
Chalkley – captain
Dawes – sergeant
Tommo – sergeant
Tollen – sergeant
Delaney – sergeant
Mike Mancine – squad leader/ sergeant
Seca – squad leader/sergeant
Spence – squad leader/sergeant
Jared One-eye – squad leader
Tane – squad leader
Wojo – squad leader
Jacob – squad leader
Jay – squad leader
Macky – marksman
Bernie
Alex
Penter
Joe Pack
Parol
Amo
Rom
Ben
Corie
Terri
Daniels
Thomas
Peg – scout
Sunny – scout
Roli – scout
Collin – scout
OTHERS
Armitage – tavern keeper on Base Planer
Elsewise – Inner Belt Scholar
Comac Fitz-Gerald Donnellian – aristocrat from an Inner Belt ascendant line
Summers – Commodore of an Inner Belt fleet
ENEMY ON THE RIM
Red Eagle Auxiliaries
Kayrooz – commander
Black Hand mercenaries
Ledock – commander
Stuluck
Corso
Ritius
Bley
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE: THE LAST BATTLE
CHAPTER 1: ARMITAGE’S TAVERN
CHAPTER 2: TWO MONTHS LATER
CHAPTER 3: ON THE PLAIN
CHAPTER 4: IN THE BOX
CHAPTER 5: THE END OF THE TEST
CHAPTER 6: A SCHOLAR’S THOUGHTS
CHAPTER 7: OUTSIDE
CHAPTER 8: COLDA AND HIS AIDE
CHAPTER 9: NATA AND THE SCHOLAR
CHAPTER 10: OUT ON THE PLAIN
CHAPTER 11: GHOST HANGAR
CHAPTER 12: ON THE ROOF
CHAPTER 13: TRACKA-DAN’S FUNERAL
CHAPTER 14: THE SCHOLAR AND NATA
CHAPTER 15: BRIODI’S INTERVIEWS
CHAPTER 16: COLDA’S COLD FURY
CHAPTER 17: HARDWARE
CHAPTER 18: BRIODI’S TEARS
CHAPTER 19: TRAGEDY
CHAPTER 20: A TERRIBLE SIGHT
CHAPTER 21: LOWER LEVEL AT MED
CHAPTER 22: COLDA’S ALLIES
CHAPTER 23: TIME FOR THE BOTTLE
CHAPTER 24: A BUMP IN TRAINING
CHAPTER 25: ELSEWISE, NATA AND THE BOX
CHAPTER 26: CELENE STRIKES
CHAPTER 27: THE QUIET ONE’S COLORS
CHAPTER 28: QUIET NIGHT AT MED
CHAPTER 29: WITNESS TO THE MARVELS
CHAPTER 30: BLOOD ON THE BLACK
CHAPTER 31: DIRTY HANDS
CHAPTER 32: DEBRIEF 1
CHAPTER 33: DEBRIEF 2
CHAPTER 34: FAREWELLS
CHAPTER 35: AG PLANET
CHAPTER 36: THE LANDER
CHAPTER 37: THE PLAZA
CHAPTER 38: TAKE-OFF
CHAPTER 39: COUNTING THE LOSSES
CHAPTER 40: ON THE RIM, AT THE BLOODY PASS
CHAPTER 41: THE RUN SOUTH
CHAPTER 42: BLACK PLANS
CHAPTER 43: A LESSON
CHAPTER 44: OULTE’S RUN
CHAPTER 45: A GENERAL’S TENT
CHAPTER 46: PEG’S TRAVELS
CHAPTER 47: BACK ON BASE, AS EVENING FALLS
CHAPTER 48: BITTER QUEST
CHAPTER 49: CONCERNS IN MED
CHAPTER 50: OLD HEADS
CHAPTER 51: A MARINE KISS
CHAPTER 52: IDENTITIES REVEALED
CHAPTER 53: EXPLANATIONS AND PLANS
CHAPTER 54: SELECTION
CHAPTER 55: DIRECTIONS
CHAPTER 56: ON THE RIM, AN IMPROMTU MEETING
CHAPTER 57: THE LAST EAGLE
CHAPTER 59: DUTY OF CARE
CHAPTER 59: MERCY
CHAPTER 60: SURVEY
CHAPTER 61: TOLLEN’S PAINS
CHAPTER 62: THE SCARS OF COMMAND
CHAPTER 63: STRATEGY
CHAPTER 64: GHOSTS
CHAPTER 65: CONTEMPLATION
CHAPTER 66: BACK ON MISSION
CHAPTER 67: COURAGE AND CURSES
CHAPTER 68: THE RAID
CHAPTER 69: TACTICS AND TIME
CHAPTER 70: THREE-LEGGED RACE
CHAPTER 71: LOSS
CHAPTER 72: COMPARATIVE STUDIES
CHAPTER 73: THE SUCCESSOR
CHAPTER 73: BACK
CHAPTER 75: NEWS
CHAPTER 76: AND FORTH
CHAPTER 77: AT THE OTHER END
CHAPTER 78: DEAD MAN’S PANTS
CHAPTER 80: RED JUSTICE
CHAPTER 81: ON BASE, VIGILANCE REWARDED
CHAPTER 82: INSIGHTS
CHAPTER 83: FEAR IN THE NIGHT
CHAPTER 84: VISCO, THE HUNTER
CHAPTER 85: NATA, THE SCHOLAR
CHAPTER 86: CELENE, THE FOOL
CHAPTER 88: FIRST BLOOD
CHAPTER 89: THE ATTACK
CHAPTER 90: THE PRIZE
CHAPTER 91: QUARTERMAINE ON THE PLAIN
CHAPTER 92: COMMANDER LA MAR
CHAPTER 93: ANOTHER DEATH
CHAPTER 94: ANOTHER LIFE
CHAPTER 95: A QUEST COMPLETED
CHAPTER 96: MAGIC LIGHTS
CHAPTER 97: RECOVERY
CHAPTER 98: THE RECEPTION AT THE GREAT GATE
CHAPTER 99: MORE PATTERNS
CHAPTER 100: DIFFERENT WAYS TO SEE THINGS
CHAPTER 101: THE SCOUTSHIP
CHAPTER 102: THE ANTEROOM
CHAPTER 103: WALL DECORATIONS
CHAPTER 104: ALIZANE’S PATH
CHAPTER 105: GROUP COMMAND
CHAPTER 106: TOLLEN’S LUCK
CHAPTER 107: GHOSTS LIGHT THE WAY
CHAPTER 108: BACK ON BASE, A COMMAND OF CRIPPLES
CHAPTER 109: IN THE GAP, DOWN TO THE PASSAGES
CHAPTER 110: ANOTHER PLAYER IN THE GAME
CHAPTER 111: END OF A MISSION
CHAPTER 112: RANGERS REUNION
CHAPTER 113: WALKING TO TRACKA-DAN’S
CHAPTER 114: KINDRED SPIRITS ON THE ROOF
CHAPTER 115: WORKING AT TRACKA-DAN’S
CHAPTER 116:
REMEMBRANCES
CHAPTER 117: LEAVETAKING
EPILOGUE: THE SCHOLAR’S RETURN
GLOSSARY
NAMED CHARACTERS
The Return of the Grey Page 62