This was the best news I’d heard so far, and I sighed deeply, relieved. I could not help but grin as I heard Har-Hi had killed the traitorous admiral. “So Wetmouth is an agent, too?”
“No, Eric, she does not know; only a select few of the High Priestess of this order are aware of this. This order has existed for a very long time, and it is much more than a cover. The Sojonites know all the secrets of sexual pleasure of almost every being in the known universe.”
“How can they?”
“We are not human, Eric; we are shapeshifters and can take on any form.”
“I never heard of a species that can do that, but then I’ve seen many species unknown to me in the last days.”
“It is a great secret, Eric. However, it appears as if you attract and collect the great secrets of this universe like others collect pottery pieces. Maybe it is because you are keeping secrets well and you can be trusted with them.”
“I never really asked for them!”
“Well, you are not very good at keeping your own secret too well. It seems you are quite comfortable in this costume. Much more than a Neo Viking is supposed to be!”
My cheeks started burning, and I felt ashamed, as she was right.
She leaned forward and patted my knee. “Don’t be ashamed; there are no secrets of this nature that are a mystery to us and perhaps one day you, too, will learn how to shapeshift. It is a gift that can be learned, you know.”
I tried to feel more relaxed and said, “Well, I bet it sure helps to get into the nice outfits!”
She laughed. “Indeed it does!”
I showed her the Cred Box. “What do I do with this?”
She checked it and whistled behind her mask, “This isn’t small change anymore. I assume it is the sum brokered between Worm and Kermac for you. The Worm spends quite some money on this operation, but the Kermac can afford it. I think you should keep it. You could retire from the Navy right away and be a very wealthy individual.”
I shrugged. “My grandfather left me much more than that, and I have no idea what to do with all this money. I don’t think I am going to retire anytime soon.”
“Keep it anyway. It might come in handy. There are few more potent weapons in the universe than money.” She got up and tugged at her skirt and listened to something I could not hear. “It’s time we leave and, remember, you’ve never been here and all I told you was never said.”
“I will not mention anything to anyone.”
“Now be a Sojonit again put on your mask and follow me!”
Chapter 4: Sojonit Secrets
The woman in the red dress led me through a labyrinth of hallways and corridors. After an elevator ride, we arrived in the secret basement facilities of the temple far below the surface and accessible only through a complicated process of ID verification that made the Blue-Blue-Red Code process look like child’s play.
We ended up in a small conference room of sorts with several chairs and a kidney-shaped table in the middle. A Sojonit entered and handed the Mother Superior a PDD and said, “Arrangements have been made, and we will get a ship in three weeks.”
The masked leader of the Sojonites glanced at the PDD, nodded, and handed it back. To me she said, “By then everyone who is looking for you will think you are dead. Death comes quickly here on Sin 4 and in three weeks, you are old news. By then we should have no problems to move you off the planet.”
She pointed at my leg and added, “That gives you time to heal completely, and we can teach you a few useful skills.”
A modern-looking SII GalNet terminal rose from a hidden compartment in the table. A field screen flickered into existence, and the logo of fleet command rotated in the middle for a short moment only to be replaced by the face of Admiral Stahl.
Suddenly, I wished I was not dressed like a Sojonit. While I deeply enjoyed the role and the quite provocative outfit, I somehow didn’t want Stahl to know my secret.
The woman motioned me to remove my mask and the wig, and I did. Stahl looked at me; his face did not reveal what emotions he felt as he said, “Midshipman Olafson, I am very glad you are unharmed and safe.”
I wasn’t sure if I should stand in attention. Military protocol required such behavior only when in uniform so I decided against it. “Thank you, sir.”
He nodded and said, “As you know, military ships cannot enter Free Space and so we cannot come and get you officially. While we do have extensive other resources, I think the current plan is the best, to let things cool down and make sure no one connects your rescue in any way to the Sojonites. You understand that we must move subtly and carefully through very secure channels, so we do not jeopardize the Sojonites or the Saresii Intel Operation on Sin 4. Your friends know you are alive and I told them that you are reasonably safe for the moment. However, no one but Mother Superior and I know where you are. Most of your current adventure and the details of your rescue are classified beyond Blue-Blue-Red, meaning you will not divulge any details of this to anyone.”
“Yes, sir. I understand.”
He smiled briefly and continued, “I expected nothing less of you. For the time being, you are transferred to the Saresii Intel service, and you will take orders from Mother Superior as if they come from me, understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
He leaned back and the optical sensor now revealed that he was sitting in his office aboard the Devastator. “It might interest you to know that your friend Har-Hi killed Admiral Dent, sparing him an execution and we are currently cleaning up Newport.”
I could not stop the grin that crept over my lips. “I can’t say I am terribly sorry to hear that, sir.”
“I am looking forward to seeing you soon and in person for a complete report, Midshipman Olafson. Until then, good luck and gods’ speed. Stahl out.”
The transmission terminated and the field screen went dark.
I felt much better now. After talking to Stahl, everything didn’t seem so confusing, and there was a clear direction once more.
Mother Superior said with a warm tone in her voice, “I’ve known him for a very long time, and I can see he is very fond of you!”
I was still staring at the dark field screen and said, “I am very proud to know the admiral. It is very reassuring to know he is one of the men in charge and to know I can trust him.”
She nodded. “That you can indeed. There is no one with a reputation like his. In all the centuries that I have known him, he has not changed. No matter the situation or crisis, he is like a sturdy rock. Even his worst enemies respect and trust him. It seems you are fond of him as well. You have keen senses, and I think your feminine side goes much deeper than you know.”
During the next few days, I was taught how to overwrite and hack into advanced locks, break into computronics, operate Bioflex mask makers and use makeup and other means to change my appearance. I learned that the Sojonites did not only teach the art of love making but had a special squad of enforcers that made sure the Sojonit brand was not exploited by others. I learned the tall Sojonit was from Earth, and she taught me a new and different secretive martial arts technique that had only one goal, to kill the opponent as quickly as possible by recognizing the weak spot. Most of the training was given by neural upload and ancient Saresii hypnotic techniques. I was told that they had to revert to these old techniques as I was immune to psionic learning. After each extensive upload, she would go through a series of physical exercises to make sure the upload had taken hold. The martial arts technique was unlike any of the ones I knew, as it was based on the incredibly deep knowledge of the Sojonites into the weaknesses and nervous systems of hundreds of different species.
Another woman introduced me to the world of poisons and neurotoxins. How to identify some of them and how to effectively use them; again the Sojonites drew from a deep knowledge base of many species, some of them unknown to the Union.
The range of weapons the Sojonites used was wicked and deadly. None of them obvious and all of them hi
dden: micro-needlers, monofilament blades hidden in jewelry, masks, wigs, and clothing. A seemingly innocent and playful-looking wispy veil, used as part of the costume or in seductive dances, that could be transformed into mono mesh nets, slicing through flesh and bone, was especially nasty in my opinion.
None of the weapons would do much good in real battle or during boarding action but could reap terrible havoc in a nightclub or similar urban setting.
I learned much about the Sojonit and their secrets, that this order was only one aspect of the Goddess and that another much more secretive order worshiped and studied the destructive aspect. To them, the universe was a female spirit, giving live and light, but part of the universe was also death and destruction. The innermost circle of the Sojonites enforced the laws of the Order quite effectively as assassins, killing without mercy those who did not pay for services or those who tried to cash in on the reputation and dress like Sojonit Sisters. While I was not really buying all the metaphysical stuff, I learned that the Order existed long before Terra ascended. They had collected and preserved knowledge and developed skills for a very long time.
After two weeks of the most intensive training that barely left time for eating or sleeping, I wondered why I was receiving these instructions. I was certain it would come in handy to know these things, and I eagerly wanted to learn more. The Viking warrior in me recoiled and abhorred the wicked and hidden ways to kill and assassinate, and it was not really my style or character, but knowing such things existed would help me to identify such threats easier.
I had just completed another practice session with the tall Sojonit when the Mother Superior came and inquired about my progress. After she received a satisfactory answer and a little demonstration of the skills I had learned, she asked me to follow her to a small sacral-looking vaulted room with a statue of the goddess Sojo dominating the back. The statue was about the size of a human and the material had a waxen bone-colored appearance. The figure was dressed in the same deep red as the Mother Superior. Hundreds of candles were burning, and the scent they produced was almost too much.
A faint sound of silvery bells could be heard; it wasn’t really a melody but appeared to be generated randomly. I also could hear the gurgling of water somewhere.
She sat down on a large silk cushion, folded her legs underneath her, and asked me to do the same on a cushion across from her. She made a gesture toward the statue, “To us Sojonites the Goddess is quite real, and I am going to tell you our story so you may understand us better. After that, I will arrange to improve your education in certain areas a little.”
I blushed and said, “I don’t really want to know all the things Sojonites do. I respect it and all that, and I do enjoy being female at the moment, but I am quite sure I am not interested in the... uhm... you know what you Sojonites do.”
She laughed heartily. “Oh, now, young student, fear not, there are no intentions of that nature. Even though you would be surprised how powerful and useful such knowledge could be. The skills we hope you will acquire here are of a more practical nature and your admiral has approved it.”
I nodded and was glad that there was some knowledge I did not have to acquire. Still, I wondered what she wanted to teach me.
She pressed the palms of her hands together and placed them on her lap. “To learn something, it is often best to start at the beginning.”
I had to agree with this basic wisdom and simply nodded, while she began, “In a time where humans on Earth had barely learned to walk upright and had yet to bring forth true sentience, the Saresii had developed to a strong and mighty civilization with many achievements. We were blessed with psionic gifts and talents few others species could dream to match. With these powers and with the achievements of our culture, came pride.”
While she talked, a dark sphere established itself between us and displayed deep space and then moved to a Star system with seven planets. I knew as soon as I saw it that such a system could not have been natural, as all the planets were in the same orbit around their sun. The orbit was not elliptical, but a perfect circle, placing all seven worlds into a perfect distance from that star.
“Our pride grew and while pride is a good emotion, it can easily grow into haughtiness and arrogance, and it did so with us. The Saresii became obsessed with our own beauty, our own power, and this self-importance affected and infected our entire society. The Saresii were as condescending as the Kermac are now. Yes, there were voices of warning and those who tried to make us see the true reflection but to little avail. We used our combined psionic powers to rearrange our own solar system as you can see. There are seven perfectly groomed and perfectly identical worlds. We were not content with one home world, but showed the galaxy we were powerful enough to rearrange star systems and shape worlds to our ideals. The Saresii spread over many worlds and colonies, and each colony competed to be the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. We Saresii cared little about what others found pleasing and sterilized many worlds to brand them and remake them in our image. During this phase of expansion and arrogance, we met another civilization, the Seenians, just as arrogant and even more advanced. They commanded an empire that stretched across most of our galaxy, with untold resources and mighty fleets.”
I actually enjoyed her history lesson, and it did give me some insights into one of the leading societies of our Union. I was sure her story would drag on for a while longer, but after running through the city wounded and poisoned, I found this a nice change of pace. I also had the suspicion that the scent of the candles had some sort of tranquilizing, calming effect, but my mild interest changed as the image showed a fleet of ships, hundreds of them, and each looked like the Devastator. To the entire known galaxy, the single Devastator was a sign of Union might. I had seen her might unleashed and now I stared at a fleet with hundreds of these immense ships. I knew how difficult it was to fight a tiny courier vessel of the Seenians, so this image brought home to me just how powerful the Seenians had been.
I barely heard her say, “The Devastator is a Seenian ship, and it is just one. The Seenians showed up with fleets of thousands.”
I remembered the words of Admiral Stahl about how dangerous the universe could be, regardless of how big your ship was; there was always someone with a bigger or better one. I wondered if even the combined might of the Union fleet would have stood a chance against such an adversary.
“We welcomed them and felt we’d finally met a species worthy of our attention. The Seenians told us that they were at war against a brutish force and were recruiting others to join their fight. They also warned us that if we would not join them, we would certainly perish trying to stand alone against the Dark Ones.”
Seeing the might of the Seenians displayed, I wondered what opponent could hope to stand against them. The Seenians were no longer around, and everyone knew they had lost the war against their final mysterious opponent.
The Mother Superior kept on talking and commenting on the visual before me. “The Saresii, as you most likely know from school, fought with the Seenians against the Dark Ones, much like the young civilizations of the galaxy now fight against the Y’All every time they return. The Dark Ones were just as relentless unstoppable, and their only motivation seemed to do evil and inflict pain and suffering. They could have easily destroyed entire worlds and solar systems and had done many times, but they also invaded and tortured and killed, not for gaining ground, but to devour and destroy.”
The projection field between us displayed grainy and blurry images of a spherical ship that moved into a star system, and she said, “These images are the only visuals we have of the Dark Ones, and no outsider has ever seen them. We enhanced the quality as much as possible, but these records have been copied many times and are over a million of your years old.”
I had seen spherical ships before; the Ult used drop-shaped ships, and the new battleship class that was supposed to replace the wedge design was also spherical. I had seen the enormous Klack battle moon fr
om the cockpit of my Wolfcraft, so the first time I laid eyes upon a sip of the Dark Ones, I was not really shocked or amazed, but something was odd. I suddenly realized what I was seeing. That spherical ship was moving behind, and not in front of, an Earth-sized planet, and it was bigger! The Dark Ones used a ship of the size of a large planet!
The view switched and whoever took the image was standing on the planetary surface. I could see troops on sleek artistic-looking battle tanks and other beings wearing similar suits as Cateria the Seenian commander had worn. They all looked into the sky as an immense shadow darkened their sun. In that eerie twilight, I could see little darks spots in the sky. The troops on the ground poured a withering fire of powerful weapons into those spots, yet the spots became bigger and descended unharmed. The eyewitness who made these recordings had the camera mounted on his helmet. As he looked around, I saw Celtest and Saresii troops ripped out of their battlesuits by unseen forces. Blood and gore and the painful screaming of men all around. Then for a brief moment, I saw a dark shape, almost looking like a Narth, holding what looked like a battle ax. Flanked by hellish-looking creatures that made a Fangsnapper look tame and cuddly. The recording ended, and the projection field went dark.
Once more, I became aware of my ring. Every time this happened, I wondered why I never thought about this piece of jewelry and why I kept forgetting that I had it. While I watched these ancient million-year-old recordings, something struck a chord somewhere deep inside me, as if I had seen these images before; familiar images that meant something to me, but I had seen them from a different perspective. I somehow knew the sphere was called a War World, capable of instant and absolute movement. Able to appear anywhere in space, commanded by a Lord of the Deep. The black dots were Fury Hounds, savage intelligent beasts made to strike terror and fear into their opponents and bring death and destruction over anyone and anything they descended upon. I clenched my fist and agreed silently with their purpose, to bring revenge, to punish all those who worshiped chaos, life, and light with the final peace of darkness and the orderly state of death.
Eric Olafson: Space Pirate Page 7