Void Emissary: The Book of the Void Part 1

by Lon Varnadore

  One, they are possible futures that I can see. Two, don’t speak of that again. Three, I can’t see anything past this Moot. Which doesn’t bode well for us. Let’s go.

  Pieter felt his throat tighten and close up for a moment. He took a deep calming breath, allowing his body to go through the meditations to cleanse and calm himself. He didn’t sit, since the Lasha would have taken that as a sign of weakness. He wasn't sure what the Lasha didn’t see as a sign of weakness. According to Toth, it seemed to be everything.

  “Void Emissary Strahd. You are here to speak on a certain matter?” A Lasha asked, standing up and looking over him like a field mouse. “You may address me as Bythel.”

  “Yes, a new enemy has appeared.”

  The dark-furred Bythel, with amber-colored eyes sat on a boulder at shoulder height to Pieter. “And what, human, is this new enemy?”

  “Something called the Khal.”

  There was a murmur from the Lasha on the lower rocks, and even the one who asked looked at another ginger-colored Lasha nearby. Bythel then said, “The Khal are a myth.” The murmuring stopped.

  “It is true, elder Bythel,” Toth said while sitting up, keeping from looking directly into Bythel’s eyes.

  “Proof?” The ginger-colored Lasha asked from beside Bythel.

  “The ship we arrived in. There are several dead Khal soldiers inside,” Toth said.

  “I have seen these bodies,” the ginger Lasha said. “My mate doesn’t lie. The Khal—”

  Bythel let out a hiss. “The Khal have not returned. You are excitable kits. They are mutated species of some near-human that has been causing havoc. That is all. This Moot is over.”

  Toth looked at his mate Goldie, yet both remained silent. Pieter shook his head. “You are fools.”

  Every pair of eyes fell on Pieter. With an icy glare, Toth hissed in Pieter’s head. What are you doing?

  What needs to be done. He turned to Bythel. “Elder Bythel, I assure you, there is more to it than those in the hold of the Ilvan ship. I have fought several of the drones, taking over the bodies of the dead in the village on Europa. They were larval Khal; I know that now.”

  “Do you think me a fool, Emissary?” Bythel asked.

  The Moot was silent. Not a Lasha stirred. Pieter felt rooted to the ground by the eyes of all the Lasha on him. “No, Elder Bythel. He looked the elder Lasha directly in the eyes. “Yet, if you do nothing, you will be considered a fool by those that survive.”

  “You look upon me as an equal?” Bythel hissed and gathered himself to lunge at Pieter.

  Pieter put out his hand. “Elder Bythel, you misunderstand. We need help. If you do nothing—”

  “I am Elder of this Moot. My word is final. The Khal are a myth, long since dead. You will be expelled from the planet Ilvan, your ship is to be taken and you, your apprentice will be imprisoned until the proper Emissaries of the Void come to collect you. And Toth, you will be put on trial for bringing undesirables to Ilvan. And your marriage is annulled between my granddaughter and yourself.”

  “Grandfather… Elder Bythel, please,” Goldie started. She then stopped, looked at Toth and then to the assembly. “The Moot cannot stop yet. There is still the matter of the missing—”

  “We will not reopen that preposterous idea again, granddaughter,” Bythel said. He turned, walked to the edge of the boulder, and jumped into the trees. Many of the Lasha did the same, though some leapt to the ground and started to leave in pairs or singularly.

  Pieter, Toth, and Goldie looked at each other as the Moot broke apart. After a handful of moments, the three were the only ones in the circle. “What do we do?” Pieter looked at Toth and Goldie.

  Toth and Goldie looked at each other. Toth looked at Pieter. “No idea.”

  Pieter looked at the two Lasha as they walked closer to the Ilvan camp for non-Lasha. He didn’t want to wait until he was caught. He had to act. And there was only one thing to do. “How long until they come and take Benny away?”

  “I am sure that Elder Bythel has already told his companion. And if one knows it, then all do,” Goldie said.

  “Then, we need to go. Now.”

  “What are you talking about, human?” Goldie asked. She looked to Toth, who was looking at Pieter with a look of puzzlement. Then, Toth shook his head.

  “No, we can’t defy the Moot Pieter. We have to—”

  “Do you want to be stripped from Benny?” Pieter asked.

  “No, Benny is my—”

  “Then, shut up and come with me.”

  Toth looked at Goldie. She looked at him. Pieter watched as Toth and Goldie rubbed at each other’s head. Goldie licked at Toth’s neck and then pinned Pieter with a look. “Emissary Strahd. I have one thing to say to you.”

  “Yes?” Pieter asked, wondering what it would be.

  “You will not let my mate come to harm. If you do, you will have me to answer to. Understood?”

  “Completely,” Pieter said.

  Toth turned away from Goldie and started to run a bit faster towards the camp. Pieter kept up with a bit of effort. “Her mate?”

  I don’t want to discuss it.

  The pair returned to Sarena and Kyp who had just started to eat dinner. The evening was coming, and the bright planet of Saturn blocked out the dim Eye of Jove. The camp was lit with dozens of glowing orbs of light. Kyp looked up at Pieter, “Sempai?”

  “We need to get out of here.”

  “Why, did you mess up at the Moot?” Sarena asked with a grin. She plucked a spoon from the thick stew. “I knew even Toth wouldn’t—”

  “Sarena,” Toth said out loud, that gave the woman pause. “We need to go. If we hurry, we might be able to get off planet with Benny before they stop us.”

  “Why would they—”

  “We’ll tell you as we go,” Pieter said. He reached out and took his pack with one hand. “Apprentice, get your—”

  Kyp nodded, already holding his sword. “We are ready,” his apprentice said.

  For a moment, Pieter felt a bit of pride that Kyp used the word “we.” He remembered when he bonded with his sword. He is moving much faster than I expected.

  “Are we going or sticking around?” Toth asked the Emissary.

  “Let’s go,” Pieter said. He turned to see the path cut off by trees. Trees that weren’t there when they arrived.

  “Dammit, seems the Moot has gotten its way,” Toth said.

  “We aren’t being stopped by trees,” Pieter said. He reached for his sword.

  Do not. I gave my word. And the Ilvan are different than the Lasha. Let me try, Toth said striding forward. He sat down in front of the trees.

  “Open,” Pieter said.

  There was a sound like a mental growl, yet when Toth stopped, he sat down, and Pieter could hear the conversation.

  “We wish to pass, friends,” Toth said.

  “Moot say you stay,” the voices were strange, Pieter wasn’t sure if there was one speaker or three.

  “The Elder is a bit strained. I assure you that we have permission—”

  “Moot says you stay.”

  Pieter looked at Kyp. He gave the youth a nod. Both he and Kyp started to reach for the Void. Pieter didn't want to yet he knew that the only way to stop whatever was coming was to get off Ilvan and get back into the æther.

  Toth hissed to Pieter. Stop. You continue, the Ilvan will destroy us all.

  What do you suggest we do? Pieter shouted back to Toth in his head. We have to—

  Listen to my mate, Emissary Strahd, the voice of Goldie whispered in Pieter’s head. He looked around for the ginger Lasha, yet in the growing darkness, he couldn’t spot the small creature. Everyone relax, she continued.

  Pieter cocked his head. “What does she mean—”

  Before he could continue, vines descended around them, looping around them all. Each of them were plucked off the ground by the living cords. Pieter looked up to see a ship much like Benny, except this one was a lighter color, somethi
ng much like Goldie’s shade.

  The side of the Ilvan opened and Pieter could see waiting for them was Goldie. “Yes, Emissary Strahd, this is how I got my name.”

  They were pulled inside. The door closed and moments later they found themselves landing besides Benny. Sarena was the first one out, running towards her ship. She touched a panel that Pieter didn't think he could ever find even with the light and Benny’s portal opened. Sarena stroked the side of Benny’s internal walls, a look of happiness on her face.

  “Do you two want to be alone?” Pieter asked as he passed by her.

  She smirked. “I’m happy to be on my ship again, Pieter. That is all.”

  “We need to go,” Toth said from his position outside, Goldie right beside him. He then turned and butted heads with Goldie a few times. Goldie did the same and pinned Pieter with a look.

  She didn't say anything, simply looked at him with narrowing eyes. I promise, Pieter thought. Goldie gave a small nod and then, once Toth was aboard Benny, turned back to her ship.

  “Won’t she be in trouble?” Kyp asked Pieter as the door closed.

  “She always one for trouble,” Toth said with a faraway look in his eyes. He then shook his head. “She’ll be fine. Not like Elder Bythel would hurt his own kin.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  “Well, that was a quick exit,” Pieter said to the rest of the crew.

  “Because of you, we had to exit quickly,” Toth said.

  “What did you do?” Sarena asked.

  “Not the time, Sarena,” Pieter said. “We have to do something or the Khal are going to try something else.”

  “If they are even real,” Sarena said.

  “You saw the bugmen, you saw those bugs that chased us. You can’t still think this isn’t real,” Pieter said.

  “It is possible,” Sarena said.

  Pieter took hold of his sword for a moment. Kyp stepped up. “Sempai, what did you learn?”

  Pieter looked at Kyp for a moment. Then, he smiled. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. “Goldie said something about there being missing Ilvan ships.”

  “There is no way that could happen,” Sarena said.

  “How can you be sure?” Pieter asked.

  “Because all the Ilvan can communicate,” Sarena said.

  “How do you know that?” Toth said.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I do.”

  Toth moved closer to Sarena and sniffed. “Hmmm. I think you and Benny bonded a little at some point. Did you ever go near the command chair?”

  “No, I hate using it. Reminds me too much of Lightman, you remember that.”

  “Still,” Toth said.

  “We are getting off topic,” Pieter said. “Goldie also said that the missing Ilvan ships can’t be contacted by the other Ilvan.”

  Kyp looked at Sarena shook her head. “No. Benny can reach them.” There was a ping form the command room. “See, he has made contact with one.”

  Toth looked surprised. “How?” He started to move towards the command room, the rest of the group moving after him. Toth leapt onto the helmsman table. When Kyp entered, he saw a screen had appeared of the Twelve Worlds. There was a large glowing green blob, a smaller green dot was slowly moving away from it. There were ten other green dots throughout the Twelve Worlds. Then, a red dot flared to life. And another.

  “There,” Pieter said, pointing to the red dots. “Those are the two Goldie was talking about. And, look where they are.”

  “They are going to get to Titan,” Kyp said.

  “And the Shadow Archive,” Pieter said. “They found out we were there. They know that has more information than we collected. I bet they are heading for it to destroy it, and then they could disappear again.”

  “Isn’t it a bit of a stroke of luck that they appeared suddenly?” Toth said. “We were just chased off planet, and then suddenly Benny can reach them?”

  “Of course it’s a trap,” Pieter said. “At least we are going in knowing it is a trap.”

  “Or we avoid it,” Sarena said.

  “And do what? Bury our heads in the sand? We have a chance to fight them.”

  “With what?” Serena said. “Benny doesn’t have any weapons.”

  “Neither do they. We can take the jumper, get on board, and find those responsible. Take them out somehow and stop them from doing any more damage.”

  “This is a bad plan,” Sarena said.

  Pieter moved closer to her. “Sarena, I know it is. But, you have to believe me.” He reached out to touch her hand.

  Kyp watched in shock as Sarena didn’t slap him. She moved a little closer and looked down. She didn’t say anything for a long moment. Kyp and Toth looked at each other, confused. She then looked up. “I don’t know if I believe you. But, I think Benny wants to figure out what is up with his two brethren. Alright, we’ll go.”

  Pieter smiled. “Plot a course for—”

  “No, we need to get there fast. Toth, get them into burst positions,” Sarena said, moving towards a railing that was right behind the command chair. She took hold of it with both hands, her legs spread a little wider than shoulder width. Kyp looked at Toth. “What?”

  The Lasha shook his head. “Over there, sit down and hold on tight.” He nodded towards two chairs that were off to one side of the table he used.

  Pieter and Kyp walked over, the chairs looked rugged and uncomfortable. Kyp sat down and was surprised to feel that though another of Benny’s grown chairs, it was curved in the right way to conform to his body. Pieter sat and they looked at each other for a moment. “Still want to know what burst mode is?” Kyp asked.

  “Ever wonder how the Ilvan seem to be everywhere?” Sarena asked.

  “Yeah,” Kyp said. “They always seem to be in every port. I thought there were hundreds of them.”

  “There are twelve that are out at any one time,” Sarena said. “They are able to travel through the æther in a very quick burst. It taxes the Ilvan ship, and it is always done away from populated places.

  The burst tunnel ended, and Kyp felt as though his body had elongated and then snapped back together hard. He felt his stomach roll for a minute, and then he vomited onto the deck. He looked over to see Pieter composing himself, though he looked like he would do the same thing. A warning alarm went off and the main screen snapped on. There were two Ilvan ships, their hulls black in the eldritch light of the æther. And a war galleon. A blast of a cannon struck the side of Benny’s hull, Sarena doubled over screaming in pain.

  At that moment, the communication relay turned on. Kyp was shocked to see Duke Harkness staring at them. His mask still there and his smile still white and even. “Ah, it is good to see you all alive. Too bad that won’t be for very long.”

  “How did you get a ship like that?” Pieter shouted.

  “I bring people their heart’s desire. You would be surprised how much they are willing to give for that. Isn’t that right, Ms. Corr?”

  “I never got Lightman. Your deal was invalid,” Sarena said.

  “Ah, perhaps. Or perhaps you made a deal with Lightman?”

  Kyp saw Sarena reached with a raised eyebrow. “Why would I make a deal with the likes of him?”

  “He is someone you care about, and no matter how bad you want to kill him, you won’t kill him.”

  “He’s gone. Off to the next deal.”

  “Interesting. Either way. You are outmatched. Surrender and you will be dealt with by the Masters.”

  “The last time you tried to have us surrender, your dreadnought went down in flames,” Pieter said with a grin.

  “Yes, I plan to take the price of that out of your hide,” Harkness said. Kyp thought it was strange that there wasn’t a hint of emotion.

  “He is being extremely calm, Sempai,” Kyp said.

  “I know, Kyp. Makes me wonder how that is possible. No one is that calm.”

  “You will never know,” Harkness said. “Fire.”

  Kyp braced himself fo
r another cannon shot. Instead, he saw one of the Ilvan trees prow’s glow with a sickly green energy. Then it fired a blast of that same colored energy towards Benny.

  “Hard to port,” Sarena screamed.

  Kyp wasn't ready for such a move and slid to one side as the ship moved faster than he thought possible. Yet, the beam still hit a portion of Benny and Sarena screamed out in pain. Kyp saw a lesion of red appear on Sarena’s forearm. “You’re connected to Benny,” he said, pushing himself up from the floor.

  “No, he and I are—”

  “Sarena, you are,” Pieter said. He then turned and looked at the three ships. “I need to get over there. Take the ships out.”

  “How?” Toth said. “You would need a guide, each of the Ilvan are different. Plus—”

  “Great, thanks for volunteering,” Pieter said.

  Toth looked at Pieter and Kyp was sure the Lasha would say something and turn away. Instead, the Lasha nodded.

  “Alright, to the jump ship,” Toth said.

  Sarena and Kyp looked at each other for a moment, stunned. Pieter went by, he grabbed Kyp by the shoulder. “Protect her,” he whispered to Kyp. He looked at Kyp, and then at Sarena. “We have to stop them here. If they get past us, we have nothing.”

  “They are going to kill us,” Sarena said. “We have to run.”

  “We can’t. Benny is moving faster than those blasts. Toth and I can sneak on board one of the ships and stop it. Maybe even take it over. And then, we turn Harkness’ weapon on him and things will be great.”

  He then moved closer to Sarena, touched her hand that was on the railing for a moment, then walked past her. As he did, he said, “Also, Sarena, don’t kill my apprentice.”

  “Get out of here if you are going,” Sarena snapped. Though she tried to hide it, she gave the retreating Emissary a sidelong glance and she mouthed something. “Better come back to me, Emissary.”

  Kyp didn’t have time to think about it. Another shot, this one from the other ship, shot past Benny. It didn’t hit. Yet, he could tell from the color around the beam that the æther was starting to boil. “Can Benny survive the heat?”