Narth, who had his hands buried in the sleeves of his cloak, put one hand on my shoulder. “No, I am certain this is one thing you cannot change about yourself, and it is what makes you what you are.”
I called the admiral and delivered him a detailed report, and Shea added her scientific findings.
McElligott listened without interruption and then said, “The Kermac turned around after Enroe Industries sent a few of their security units in the area. Axel was so kind and helped me out there. The Kermac, of course, didn’t want to be seen and had to return as fast as possible. We are certain that they will come back. After listening to your reports, it seems they invested too much in that project. Whatever it is, it is big and important, and it seems whatever comes from that planet is able to fight Union soldiers in our newest armor and neutralize Fenris robots. So, we cannot afford not to find out everything we can. Therefore, I must ask you to investigate. I am pleased you managed to destroy the Barracuda.
“Cherubim will send you another undercover unit. It will tow the remaining T Cruiser and take whatever specimen and stasis prisoners you have back to Richter base for further analysis. Do your investigation as subtly as you can, of course.”
Chapter 19: Blue Mountain
This was our third day in this star system called Auriga Xi. Somehow, I’d pictured the start of our pirate career a little differently. Right after our call to the admiral, we landed on the first planet of the system. A hot, unfriendly world with temperatures hovering around 800 degrees, with lakes of liquid lead and molten sulfur, between cracked rocks and fine dust. Cirruit, his engineers, and Narth were outside fixing the Janus System. Shea and a team were also outside, happy as can be, surveying the surface of this small planet. Krabbel had baptized it Little Hell and since the planet was unnamed in the catalogs, Ship entered it as the official name in the Union Celestial Registry. Cirruit was confident they could repair the device but since it was perhaps one of the most complicated and unique systems it was not easy and could not be done fast.
Krabbel manned the sensors as Three-Four also was outside helping.
I maintained yellow alert, in case we had to leave fast, but so far there wasn’t much traffic, and only occasionally a ship would speed by the outmost sensor horizon toward Brhama Port. No wonder the Kermac had risked operating in this system. It was outside all traffic routes and this area of space still had a sparse star population. Toward galactic southeast, approximately seventy-eight light years was the previously uncharted Ballard Nebula Expanse. Of course, it soon would become Union territory as the Mini-Terrans claimed that nebula as their home and, small ships or not, they had the means to defend it.
Nearby, in the same direction and only a few light years more, was the Golden Bazaar, still in unclaimed space, and I wondered if Wurgus engineers would stabilize its position and how much of that space would be Union due to the membership of the Golden.
Many thousands of years ago, some Terran astronomers divided the galaxy into the same celestial directions as they had on Earth, namely north, south, east, and west. They used an imaginary axis toward Andromeda as north and added a Z-axis calling it Galactic Up and Galactic Down.
It was more common to use the terms upward, spinward, coreward, and downward to divide the galaxy into four equal segments, but the old way of describing directions in an environment that had no directions was easy to understand to most human minds and still used.
Almost straight ahead, or in the direction of galactic north and seventy-five light years farther, began the territory of the Fruidan; according to Sobody, they were a species of intelligent dragonfly-like beings with a very primitive civilization that joined the Kermac-led Galactic Council and became a Thrall species to the white-skinned psionic bastards after being independent Free Spacers. Over 120 light years from our current position to the galactic west was a region of Union Space that was often called the Fringes. Only a few thinly populated colonies and a few outposts basically there to claim this area for the Union.
Everything east was Free Space and Togar space beyond that.
While I was musing about all this, staring at a tactical map of the region, I wondered if the Fruidan actually had a choice. The efforts of the Kermac and their plan to accelerate a moon to trans-light speed in order to move it into their territory would require to accelerate it very slowly, using vast forcefields to protect the moon and to keep it together. It would require tremendous amounts of fuel and energies that would be detectable for many light years. So, they could not move it very far.
The Narth moved their entire solar system, and the Saresii had rearranged the planets in their own solar system. The Klack had battle moons of similar size, so it was possible, and the Wurgus Planetary and Solar engineers offered to move planets as part of their services. Still, it was a tremendous undertaking and required a level of engineering I simply didn’t think the Kermac were capable of. It would not surprise me if it was done by one of their Thrall species, but so far everything indicated that it was the Kermac themselves.
The petite Yeoman with the flaming red hair moved gracefully next to my seat and handed me my coffee and a plate of tuna sandwiches. I took it and thanked her. “Ms. O’Connell, how thoughtful. I was just about to get up and get me some.”
“Captain, it is the hallmark of a good Yeoman to know when her captain wants coffee even before she does.”
“I say you achieved that hallmark.”
“I am not as good as Gwenn or the Oldest when it comes to changing my appearance, but if you need me in my true form. I will, of course, serve you as well!”
“Let’s hope I don’t. I would have a hard time explaining the existence of demons to the others.”
“Will you remember us when you come into your own?”
“I have already come into my own, Yeoman. I am a starship captain, acting or otherwise. I am where I want to be, and of course, I remember the Coven and all the Sisters of the Circle. Why would I forget such a memorable meeting?”
She blinked with her big eyes and said, “Of course, Captain. I just wanted you to know you can count on me as much as you count on all the others. I will take your orders and obey your will even in my true form. So you have that option.”
“Who knows what this journey brings and what we have to face, and yes, it is a good thing to have a flaming denizen of the nether regions to scare the living daylights out of someone.”
I took a long sip of the strong special Navy blend coffee I liked so much and added, “Speaking of scary folks, I better check on my spooky friend.”
His voice was immediately in my mind, and Narth said, “I have patience, my friend. One day, you’ll be the scariest and spookiest of us all and then it is my turn. Until then, I think I’ll refer to you as upper-chest-enhanced—”
I interrupted his mental message. “It wasn’t my fault; tell that to Cherubim. She programmed the body changer. How are you guys getting along out there? I am eager to check out that moon and then get going. There are a lot of pirates out there, and we are stuck here.”
“I estimate we will complete the repairs in six hours and twelve minutes.”
“That is the most precise estimate I ever heard.”
“I omitted the second increment off my estimate; how can it be precise?”
I laughed inside and then had Elfi get me Shea. The angelic face of the girl I loved appeared on the main viewer and was partially obscured by the faceplate of her suit. “Hello, Captain, I was just about to call you. Three-Four is out of his suit and was scouting ahead, and we just discovered another one of those blue egg-shaped things. It is in a cave not far from here, and we believe it is feeding on the minerals.”
“Shea, come back to the ship right away. Don’t get too close!”
“Captain, there is Kermac machinery, and I think it is containing whatever it is. If the Kermac can contain it, we must learn how it is done.”
I had to agree with her. While it was nothing but speculation, I was certai
n whatever the Kermac’s plan was, it was aimed at the Union. I was certain it was some sort of weapon, some sort of doomsday device. The Kermac built their entire civilization on the expertise to subdue other life forms and do their bidding. I saw them use a device that controlled the Y’All, and they’d found a way to control the psionic inert X101s. Controlling others was their expertise, and they’d done it for a very long time. If those rocks could manipulate transdimensional energies and gravitons, they could travel. Travel anywhere and perhaps faster than the speed of light. The Nul had managed to break the most advanced Union shields with their graviton weaponry. Not even the Narth Supreme knew about these rocks. I became more and more convinced that we’d stumbled upon something that was a big threat to the Union.
I said, “Stand by, Shea; do not approach for now. We need to do this subtly and methodically.”
To Ship, I said, “Keep an eye on your gravionics sensors and tell me when you experience even the slightest variation.”
“Aye, Captain.”
I called Shea again and said, “Come back to the ship. I’d like to have a meeting and discuss how we proceed.”
I had to keep myself convinced that waiting was the best thing to do, and I did wait until Narth and Cirruit had completed their repairs. We were all assembled in our pirate’s den, former Hangar Bay B. I had called the entire crew. Most of them were, of course, standing, as there wasn’t enough room, but I wanted all to hear and have a chance to say something if they had an idea.
I repeated the details of our situation and included my opinion that this was a threat to the Union and that we had to do find out what we were dealing with and, if at any way possible, neutralize the threat if it turned out to be one.
Cirruit spoke first, “If there is Kermac machinery then I think we need to analyze it first and see what it actually does. I can do that by sending nanites to examine the thing on a molecular level and then simulate this machine here and see what it does.”
Three-Four raised his arm and added, ”I doubt they can harm me in my true form, and I can take a closer look.”
I shook my head. “Three-Four, if they can manipulate energies, we can’t say to what extent and that’s what you are, energy.”
Har-Hi played with a dagger of his. “I think we should simply destroy them fast and swift and then see if there are others like them in this system. I don’t think they can dodge and deflect an exo load.”
Fective, who was standing behind Krabbel, said, “I am a Weapons Engineer, and I’ve been working on an idea ever since we encountered them. I modified one of our fire suppressors; you know, the energy siphon beams that we use to fight fire, even plasma fires, and mounted it on a rifle frame. Instead of shooting them, we suck whatever energy they’ve got and deny them their ability to manipulate anything.”
Shea smiled at him. “That is quite brilliant.”
A Takkian specialist said, “Captain, I am Science Specialist Joglur. I am related to your friend Miglar, the Lieutenant of the Hyperion. I don’t know if it is relevant, but we Takkians are rock and silicone based, as you know, and we have a very old legend about a species of floating rocks that are the children of a Living Mountain.”
I said, “I have a gut feeling that your legend is what we are facing here. What do you know about it?”
“Sadly not very much. It is told by the Takkian priests and part of our chant slates. I am not a very religious Takkian and haven’t been to the temples since I was just a silicone nodule, but I will contact the temple and ask for a transcript of the Chant Slates, if you permit that.”
I got up and said, “Yes, do that please, and in the meantime, we will go to that moon. I don’t think the answers are to be found here. However, I will not risk the Tigershark again to be damaged by whatever it is. So here is my plan...”
While he piloted the Gazelle, Har-Hi said, “You know there isn’t a single person on our ship who likes your plan?”
I was sitting behind him in the small cockpit. “I am the captain, and I think this is the best way.”
“A captain is the last to die, not the first. That’s a rule, you know. You are supposed to remain behind and make plans and let us carry them out. We can’t be an efficient crew if you can’t send us into dangerous situations. Maybe it is a handicap that your first command is a ship filled with your friends.”
“I would do the same thing if I commanded a ship full of Thauran Nobles.”
Har-Hi sighed. “I am going there to check things out, and you stay safe behind isn’t much of a plan either.”
“That is not what I said. I gave everyone strict orders. I did send Hans and his team back aboard that cursed Kermac wreck to examine everything, and Narth is standing by to teleport us out. He can do so best with my mind. Three-Four is with us, and he, too, can manipulate energies. We got modified good old Quasimodos, with additional Arti-Grav modifiers and the strongest suit integrity fields Cirruit could come up with.”
Har-Hi tried to turn his head but he, too, wore a Quasimodo and was not able to make that move. “Still, there is no I in crew and you know exactly what I mean.”
I grinned, knowing he didn’t see it and said, “There is a C for Captain and yes, I do understand you, but I am not an experienced captain of many years’ command experience. I am doing this strictly by guts. I commanded the Devi by guts; I told you what to do when we faced the Seenian ship, not by any books or experience but by something else. Besides, I have an ace up my sleeve for this one.”
“I don’t think carrying some antique steel ax is much of an ace against floating rocks, when you got a mounted Mini TL launcher on your shoulders.”
“I am not even sure why I brought that thing along, but I remember the boarding ax was much more effective than your blaster. Besides, my ace is a little red-headed Yeoman.”
“Uhu, good idea! If we can’t win or destroy them, we let our onboard lawyer sue them for the use of non-permitted blue light in a green light zone or something like that!”
“Watch where you are flying. I don’t want to find out if the Gazelle or the ice and rock junk around that gas giant are better suited to survive an impact.”
“That thing was miles away.”
“We are doing 500 kilometers a second.”
“Well, we are here. The deep voice moon is straight ahead; what do you want me to do?”
“Take us straight down.”
Har-Hi did, guiding the lightly armed, recon-modified Wolfcraft inside the moon’s atmosphere. A Gazelle was based on the same hull as the Wolfcraft fighters and therefore designed to work in an atmosphere as well, Har-Hi was most likely the best small craft pilot in the Fleet and yet the Gazelle bopped like a Silver-Flicker fish caught in the wake of a Tyranno Fin.
Har-Hi managed to stabilize and said, “Wind speeds exceed 240 klicks. That’s some serious wind for a little moon like that.”
I noticed gigantic construction sites, monolithic pads of Duro-Crete, bigger than mountains and shaped like cradles. The magnitude of the Kermac project was mind-boggling, especially building all this in such adverse conditions.
We approached the area where the giga load obliterated the Kermac craft and rearranged much of the moon’s landscape. A huge crater had been blasted out of the surface.
Har-Hi said, “I think we are here.”
On the far side of the big crater was a mountain that did not match the looks of the rest. It was a massive mountain of about 12,000 meters’ height, and it glowed with a faint blue light.
Har-Hi put the Gazelle down just before that blue mountain and said, “If the little rocks could create thousands of tons gravionic pressure, then I don’t want to know what that thing is capable of.”
I patted his shoulder. “We are here to find out exactly that.”
With a determined move, I pushed the contact and lowered the seat to the ground. This was not the first time I’d set foot on an alien world, but the landscape of this moon appeared more alien than anything I’d seen befo
re. The light did not come from the distant sun of this system but from the giant gas planet, casting a strange, unhealthy pinkish hue over everything.
Unlike on Twilight, where the gas giant was only partially visible, here the planet filled the entire sky, and it felt overwhelmingly depressing somehow. We had landed at the edge of the twenty-kilometer-wide and deep crater our giga load had ripped into the surface. There were rugged and grayish pink mountains everywhere. Yellowish sulfuric snowflakes whipped by a hellish gale force wind splattered our suits with a vengeance. The wind was so strong I had to activate the gravo anchors on my boots and make slow steps toward that odd bluish glowing mountain that looked as alien and out of place as we did. It was an odd sensation to feel the force of a storm in a six-ton battlesuit.
Har-Hi lowered the visual enhancer visor over his faceplate and pointed toward the bluish mountain. “I can see more Kermac machinery. There are standard power plants, but they are building equipment of unknown purpose to the base of that blue mountain. Some of it was destroyed by our giga load, but some seems still operational.”
The images we saw were instantly relayed to the Tigershark, and Shea cut in and said, “I would need to see them close up and make more detailed scans, but I think these are Kermac psionic will amplifiers.”
I acknowledged and asked them to stand by as I activated my suit’s comm system on the same frequency as the voice had spoken before. I had clear instructions to identify myself not as a pirate or freelancer but as a Union captain. “This is Captain Olafson of the United Stars of the Galaxies. I am here to establish contact.”
At first, there was silence, and I’d already decided to get closer when Har-Hi’s shoulder-mounted weapon fired, a microsecond before two long line blasts impacted my shields. My suit computronic went to battle mode and automatically switched my helmet to tactical view. At the base of the blue mountain was a round cave entrance. I saw two Kermac in battlesuits using large line blasters on all terrain wheels a fraction before Har-Hi’s micro AM loads filled the entrance of the cave with blinding light.
Eric Olafson: Space Pirate Page 39