by Frank Carey
###
"So, this is Rhanna. Not much to look at, is it?" the first guard said as she scanned the edge of the forest with her binoculars.
"It could be worse," the second guard said.
"How could it be worse?"
"It could be raining," the second one said when his scanpad starting beeping. He pulled it from his belt and panned it around. "Hey, I'm getting intermittent life signs," he said.
"Direction and distance?" the other asked as she brought up her gun.
"Directly in front of me, about two meters." They both looked up and saw nothing.
"Your scanner must be on the fritz. You should have the Engineer look at it. Hey, what's that over there?"
They walked over to the middle of the square and picked up a canteen that was just sitting there. "No footprints," the second guard said. "Isn't that your canteen?" he asked the first guard.
"What?" she said as he looked at her belt and found her canteen missing. "Yeah, but how the hell did it get here?" she asked as she looked around the empty site.
###
"Lexa, you are insane," Doma said as the two of them unveiled in a hidden doorway. "What if one of them had caught you?" he asked with genuine concern.
"I would have slit their throats and escaped into the night. They have no sense of smell and their devices can only partly detect us," she said.
"There are other ways to detect us. We should leave," Doma said as he restored his veil and walked back to the rise. Neither of them noticed the small probebot hovering twenty meters above the ruins.
###
Renta and Doma stood silently as the Leader vented his displeasure on Lexa. "You went face to face with two of them and played a prank on them?"
"Yes, sir," she said, standing at attention.
"Sir, I…" Doma tried to intercede, but the Leader would have none of it.
"Quiet! She is your Number One. She makes the decisions. Is that not correct, young lady?"
She flared for a moment at the subtle dig that only her father could use against her, but she recovered. "Yes, sir," she said through clenched teeth.
"While you were pranking the guards, did you happen to notice this hovering above your head?" he asked as he pressed a button on the back of a courier before placing it on the table. A hologram appeared above the device which showed two guards and a probe bot in the air just above them. "The Crafter thinks that it's some type of robotic probe. It may have seen you even though you were veiled."
"Sir, that is impossible. Nothing can…"
He ran the feed forward showing the two guards retrieving a canteen while the bot spun around in the direction of the courier. "Wasn't that about the time you two took off back to the rise?"
"Sir, I don't know what to say. I…"
"Let me make this perfectly clear. We use advanced technology to augment our simple lifestyle on this planet, a lifestyle which has served us well for many thousands of cycles. We use it to keep watch for the indigenous barbarians that live around us and to watch for dangers from space. It now seems that we're not the only advanced race in town. We cannot underestimate the people in the ruins. We had two advantages: they didn't know we were here or what we are capable of. You have effectively nullified the first one, so do not screw up the second. They will take one look at you and think you're a primitive. Let's keep it that way. Dismissed."
Renta and Doma hurried out of the room while Lexa stayed behind. "Father. Sir, Doma had nothing to do with this. It was my idea."
"Oh, I know that. Doma is supposed to be your anchor, your brake, the ring in your nose. I don't think he can do it anymore, the job that is. He is supposed to be your tie to reality, but I see the knot is unraveling through no fault of his. I don't think you can be contained."
"Sir, please…"
"I am seriously thinking about breaking you two up and reassigning him to another, someone less headstrong and willful. Perhaps, Nala. She just put her Number Two in the clinic for a week."
"Sir, no…"
"As for you? I have had a query from Togloth. His eldest son has taken a shine to you. Perhaps the simple life will teach you something, because I surely can't."
"Father, no!"
"Then pull it together and start thinking about the tribe. In fact, start thinking about our race. We came this close to being blown back past the Stone Age, and our only hope lies in leaders who see that and can guide our race to a new future. Things stand for the time being. Now, get out."
"I love you."
"And I will always love you, my daughter. Try to remember that."
Lexa walked out of the room both angry and upset, mostly with herself. Outside Doma was waiting for her."
"So, are we still a team?"
"Of course. Thank you for trying to take the blame."
"I should have seen the bot hovering there."
"You will, next time."
"No, no, no! There can be no next time. Did you not hear your father?"
"He said I needed to think about the tribe, and I am. Come on. We'll go back to the rise and watch them, but we'll make no effort to conceal ourselves since they already know we're here. They will grow complacent, which means we will start to blend back into the background. Come on," she said as she walked out the door.
###
Lexa and Doma watched the strangers as they performed a building by building search of the ruins. Each building in the complex had been originally designed to be virtually impregnable, which was why they and their contents were allowed to remain in situ. Over the years, some of the weaker structures were emptied of their contents and allowed to collapse. The last two standing were the toroid-shaped building next to the orb pit and the fifth one down from it. The rest were just barely-standing walls.
Doma put down his field glasses for a moment to rest his eyes. "Lexa, why do we keep things stored down there instead of moving it all to the caves?" he asked.
"Father told me that every council since the first one has discussed the matter and tabled it. Frankly, I don't think anyone still knows what's inside and would prefer to just let it all be. Like the orb generator. It was thought that its connector was long destroyed, yet we have aliens appearing from it. It was confusing times back then, and things got lost."
Doma looked through his field optics. "Something is happening," he said.
"Where?" she asked.
"The first building, the one shaped like a thick ring. I can see them milling about in the inner courtyard. Do we know what's in there?"
"I vaguely remember someone calling it the Repository. They said a lot of things are stored in there, but no one is sure exactly what. If memory serves, there is a prohibition against opening any of the rooms for fear of something getting out," she said as she zoomed in on the courtyard.
"How many rooms, I wonder."
"Eleven, I think."
Lexa looked closer as some type of hovering lift or cart was brought in through the front entrance. It emerged minutes later with a load on top. "Damn. Those look like old tech devices. Real old. By the Holy Tree, I think those are portal generators and not the bridge type we normally use. I think those are the ones which were modified for ship use."
"Let me see."
Lexa jerked around to face her father, squatting no more than inches away from her. "How?"
"I'm old, not decrepit. The day I can't sneak up on you two cubs is the day I let you run the tribe. Let me have those," he said with a smile.
His mirth changed to anger when he saw what was coming from the building. "Damn it to all seven hells and three pits. I told the council we needed to go in and check those buildings. They said no, that they were impregnable. They said that we should let sleeping snogs lie. Well, these snogs are awake and will be biting someone in the ass in very short time," he said as he handed the optics back to Lexa. "You two stay here and keep track of everything that comes out of that building. I need to confer with the council," he said. He walked quickly back to the villag
e while Doma and Lexa pulled out visual recorders and aimed them at the building. As they watched, a plume of smoke came from the building followed by the sound of an explosion.
"Seems they found a door that wouldn't cooperate," Doma said.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Nebulon was in her lab gently examining what she now called a conventional artifact—one from a known race from within the history of the League worlds. This one was an early twentieth century radio receiver found in the ruins of an old farmhouse in upstate New York. The museum was putting together a wing devoted to wireless communications from early efforts using the electromagnetic spectrum to modern FTL. Nebulon was overseeing the project and was helping with restoration of several key pieces.
"Dr. Blyst, is that made from wood?" a familiar voice asked.
Nebulon looked up and removed her magnifier glasses. "Director, how nice to see you. Yes, Earth and several other League planets used natural materials to encase early technology. This is a wonderfully preserved RCA Radiola 24 from 1923 in the old Earth calendar."
"Amazing. I don't think I ever told you this, but I'm originally from Earth. Family dates back at least two thousand years."
"I assumed you were human, with the last name Devlin and all," Nebulon said as she got them coffees.
"Yes, Ireland to be exact. I haven't been back for many years."
"So, what brings you to my humble lab?" Nebulon asked as she sipped her coffee.
"We have another auction to go to. This one is on Tennosh, the gaming mecca of the League." Ciara replied.
"Is it bad for me to say I have never been to Tennosh?"
"Never?"
"Nope. I never had the opportunity."
"Well, now you do on the Cube's dime. Jason and Nat will pick you up on the roof in the morning and take you to the Tennosh spaceport. He'll brief you on the way."
"Can you tell me anything about it?"
"It's what we call a 'down low' auction because no one is supposed to know its occurring."
"If no one knows, then how can you have an auction?"
"All word of mouth. No advertising, no social media, no fliers, no nothing. If you're supposed to be there, then someone will tell you in person."
"Why all the secrecy?"
"We think the items were stolen from a ship while it was en route. There is an unwritten code in the black market that prohibits stealing. The people holding this auction stole the items, which could have severe repercussions if they're caught. Natalie is looking into it."
They walked over and sat at the lab's documents table. "So, how did OffSec find out about this double-secret event?"
"We have contacts, people who straddle both sides of the legal fence. They tell us things and we let them remain in business. Security doesn't always involve legal or legitimate. What else do you do around here?"
"Let me show you," Nebulon said.
Ciara followed Nebulon into a side lab where a skeleton was being removed from its protective encasement of plaster and burlap. Even to Ciara's untrained eyes, the skeleton was odd. "What species is it?"
"Tralaskan, female, approximately forty thousand years old. It was found in a village not far from the first recorded Goranthi landing site. She's a Tyen."
"The Goranthi had space travel forty thousand years ago?"
"They've had space travel for at least fifty thousand years."
"Aren't those canines awfully long?"
"Very good, Director. A number of her physical parameters are outside the norms for my species.
“Were they a different sub-species?
“No, our geneticists have found that Tralaskan women carry dormant Tyen genes. These genes activate under certain conditions. In fact, we have evidence of Tyens appearing within the last century. The problem is we don’t know what activates the genes."
“Wait a minute. Are you saying that all Tralaskan women can potentially become Tyens?
“Yes. Given the right trigger, I can develop retractile canines, enhanced strength, extended claws, and enhanced reflexes. Any Tralaskan woman can.
“And you don’t know why this happens?”
“Nope. Not a clue. We only know that Tyens have appeared during periods of our history and disappeared during others. There are several ongoing research projects investigating the phenomenon.
Ciara shook her head as she considered the possibilities. "What are those skeletons over on the other benches? They look Goranthi."
"They are. There are twenty of them and all were found around hers. Evidence suggests that she killed them using only a knife and a spear before succumbing to her own wounds."
"Wait a minute, even back then they had to be using advanced weapons."
"Lasers and projectile weapons."
"My God. She’s a plarking weapon’s system. Can you get me contact for the people researching this phenomenon?"
“Sure. I can even introduce you to several of them if you want. Why do you want to meet them?
“Thanks. Introductions would be great. As to why I want to meet them, it’s simple. Tyens sound like something that’s right up the Cube’s alley. I’ve got a discretionary slush fund ear-marked for this kind of research.
“Great! I know the principle investigators will be thrilled to talk with you. Come into my office and I’ll make some calls.”
CHAPTER NINE
The Ascendant landed at Kunojin Spaceport on the planet Tennosh and taxied to a VIP spot in one of only a handful of hangars that catered to the wealthiest citizens of the League. Around them were space yachts of every size and description.
Jason looked up at the Universal Chrono above the radio. "Our ride should be here soon," he said. He got up and walked over to a locker and took four blasters out.
You know how to use one of these, right?" He said indicating the pistols
"Of course. My father loved target shooting, and I passed the Cube training course with flying colors the last time I was there," she replied.
"Great. This is your primary," he said, handing her one of the blasters, "and this is your backup."
She checked the load status and safety on both guns before putting the primary under her belt at the small of her back. The secondary came with an ankle holster which she put on her left leg.
The limo arrived as they finished their preparation.
"Nat, our ride's here. Keep the fires burning and the coffee hot. Try not to take too much of the ground crew's money."
"Aye, Captain. Safe journey to you both," she said as she saw them out the door and watched them leave in their limo. Once they were out of sight, she went back inside to finish reading the paper.
"Natalie is incredible. Where did the two of you first meet?"
"On Orinoco Station on the edge of the Elspeth Expanse. She needed a job and I needed a first officer. We've been together ever since."
"According to the briefing, this isn't a typical black-market auction. The police think that these artifacts were stolen from a ship while it was docked at Orinoco Station," Nebulon said.
"For whatever reason, the theft wasn't reported to station security. They found out about it during a routine check of dock security video footage. When security tried to contact the ship, they found the berth empty and the ship long gone.”
"Any idea what was taken?"
"No. But they were able to get a copy of the catalog. It only lists a pair of spheres. The description says both spheres were found inside the Elspeth Expanse, well off the shipping corridor. No further information and no pictures."
"So OffSec wants to know more about these two spheres?" Nebulon said as she watched the countryside roll by. "I assume they want us to try to buy one or both."
"Exactly. That's why you're here, to observe, photograph, and obtain if possible. We assume they found the objects on some ancient world, which means artifacts from an ancient race, which is right up your alley. All you need to do is give them a once-over and determine if OffSec needs to be involved. It may be noth
ing. It may be something. They're running deep checks of the ship's records to see who owns the spheres or at least paid for them to be shipped," he replied.
"Where are we going, exactly?"
"An old stadium outside the city limits. They usually host sporting events, but this time it is billed as an invitation-only auction event. Opening bid is five million credits per sphere."
"Wow, that's a lot of money, isn't it?"
"Yes. Ciara thinks that the buyers already know what they’re buying regardless of what's in the catalog. The problem is no one is willing to talk about it. None of her snitches know anything."
They arrived at the stadium and found it deserted.
"There's something wrong here," Nebulon said as she and Jason got out of the limo.
"Go back to the road and call in a code seven," Jason told the driver.
"What's a code seven?" Nebulon asked.
"Requesting backup. We should be hearing lots of people, but this place is silent as a tomb. Notice that even the birds are quiet."
"Any idea how many were invited?" Nebulon asked.
"No one mentioned a guest list." Jason said as he pulled out his scan-pad and scanned the area. "I'm picking up no life signs."
"And something stinks," she said, wrinkling her nose.
"Smells like a backed-up sewer. Through here," he said as he gestured towards a doorway.
They drew their weapons and carefully entered the stadium building. They walked past empty vendor stalls and a bar filled with liquor bottles and half-empty glasses. Nebulon looked down and saw numerous footprints heading off in all directions. They made their way to the playing field where the auction should have been held. Above them was seating for thousands.
"What in the name of the Seven Holies happened here?" Nebulon asked as she stared at a huge, hemispherical hole dug into the middle of the playing field. "It must be more than fifty meters in diameter."
"At first blush, it looks like someone used a big ice cream scoop out there. No wonder it stinks. It looks like several sewer lines were severed." He pulled out his commlink and called Ciara to report what they found. Their backup arrived with local law enforcement just as he finished.