I planned to have Hans check on that name and I was sure that it more or less was exactly how it happened. “Well, Mikesh now there is a mystery less in the universe.”
“I kow you are a busy Pirate and all this might not be the usual pace of things you are accustomed to, but to me it is amazing to have your company for a little while.. When I meet the other miners and tell them famous Black Velvet has been here, they will call me a liar and all that; and will give me something to talk about for years to come.”
The ship had docked and he was getting out of the pilot’s seat. “I was not kidding, Black Velvet. I found something in this rock of mine. I am sure it is from the same beings that originally built the base, could even be Celtest.”
I followed him and was no longer just mildly interested. “Celtest you say?”
***
Har-Hi still felt groggy as he came around. He found himself wrapped in plastic tape. A strong looking green skinned Oghr of one or the other subspecies before him, holding the Jooltar mask in one hand and a Kermac Neuro Ripper in the other. “Since you awake, you can hear me Dai. I want answers.”
Now that his head began to clear he saw Elfi, still unconcious, also unmasked and to his great dismay a Kermac, who stood behind the Oghr. This Kermac was more gray than white and he did not wear an artificial beard, still he was certain that evol grinning hairless man was a Kermac.
They were still in the Tullerman from the looks of it.
The Oghr wore some kind of space suit, from the looks of it, quite old and repaired and patched several times. The Kermac wore something quite similar.
The Oghr held the Jooltar mask before Har-Hi’s face. “I don’t know if I can make a Dai talk, even with a Neuro Ripper, so I might revert to old fashioned torture and rip you and your companion in small pieces. Before I discovered that you are not at all what you pretended to be I wanted to know is why a mangy looking Jooltar and a Black Nogoll came into the possession of the Yukitri.”
The Kermac spoke for the first time. “They were good friends of ours, Vaokk and Fundr. scavengers like us, and missing for many month and now you show up in their Tullerman. We knew right away you weren’t scavengers and now what do we find?”
The Oghr shook the mask. “A Dai and a human woman disguised in fancy costumes. Tell me Dai, who are you and why did you come to Brahma Port like that?”
Har-Hi was angry at himself, he had been way to relaxed about his surroundings, way to preoccupied about the Captain than to pay attention. In his own Dai Suit he would have had a dozen ways to escape the bondage,kill the two and return to the ship, but right now he was as helpless as a Dai woman during her first bedding. He growled at them.”You let us go and I won’t kill you!”
“Letting you go? A real life Dai? Even if you don’t talk and survive my questioning you bring a pretty profit at Sin 4 or Alvor’s Cove. “
The Kermac shook his head. “I can’t read him. He is well shielded and the woman is still unconscious, but I am sure she’s Saran.”
A beeping sound from the ships control deck interrupted them and the Kermac said. “We leave you to think about it.”
They both left and Har-Hi could hear the Isah Pods of the Tullerman whine louder, and then the tone changed to a deep vibrating hum. He was certain they just went Translight.
Elfi opened her eyes, showing that she wasn’t unconcious after all. “I think this time it isn’t the captain who’s in trouble, Sir.”
Har-Hi successfully managed to shift his position so he could see the door and said. “Are you hurt?”
“Yes, the effects of that cursed Neuro Ripper is fading fast.”
Har-Hi looked around to see if there was anything he could use to free himself; to his dismay the small cargo hold was completely empty.
***
Mikesh and I drove in a wheeled contraption down a long winding corridor carved into the rock of the asteroid. This vehicle was basically a frame with six wheels, a cargo bed and two seats. Mikesh drove the thing at considerable speed and I was sure we covered at least ten kilometers or more, before the corridor widened into a big cavern and a dead end. Here he stopped.
A big tough looking machine on tracks with an articulated arm and saw tooth covered ball shaped digging or drilling tool at the far end stood there, bathed in floodlights on metal stands. He said with a proud grin.”This is a truly ancient SII – Tunnel Borer, almost 500 years old and never let me down. I know you and me don’t like the Union much, but they sure built the nicest things,”
“I have to agree with you on that, Mikesh.” I climbed out of the vehicle and looked around. “I guess that deep brown strada with those sparkling white rocks is the Kalium, right?” I was anxious to see what he had found so I could return to the ship, but I had to admit this so far pretty eventless trip was quite interesting and I learned how a Roid Mine looked from the inside.”
He chuckled. “Keen eyes you have behind that spooky mask of yours. Yes that is the Kalium, but this is not what I wanted you to see.”
He walked up to the wall where his machine had dug or drilled as it appeared only recently. I followed him and now I could see, the machine had uncovered a door like opening in the rock. It was framed with a dark gray metal and he disappeared inside.
I was right behind him .
The room was perhaps twenty meters in diameter, and it appeared to me that it once had to be part of a building,or basement. Much of it was empty and it all had the feel of great age.
In the middle sat a coffin sized box of the same dark metal.
The tools he used to pry it open still scattered around.
Inside a the box was a machine like contraption, It looked truly alien, but had button like controls and several spherical discs that glowed with a dark blue light.
There was writing as well.
Mikesh said almost whispering. “I don’t know what it is, but if you touch it it talks.”
“What does it say?”
“It says it is the Key to the Universe.If I understand it right, it can create some sort of gates and that might be useful to a pirate.”
“Where did you touch it?”
He pointed at the central light, a bluish glowing disk of about 20 centimeters across. I reached out against all better knowledge and touched the disk with my gloved fingers.
The voice was loud and not psionic. “I am the Key to the Universe. Many thousand gates can be opened with me. The Gates and I have been created to unite many to defeat you, Dark Lord and those who come in thy name!”
“I am not a Dark Lord. I am Captain Black Velvet.
While I was touching the thing, I suddenly remembered my ring. Why was I always forgetting the blasted thing only to remember it in the weirdest moments?
“I am the Key to the Universe, there are many like me. The Traveller came to this Star Island and made gates here. I was given to the Dominants so the gates may be used.”
“What kind of gates?”
“I am the Key to the Universe and when I am near a Gate I can open it. Travellers may pass through to reach other Star Islands. What is unreachable becomes reachable.”
“Can you show me the way to these gates?”
“I am the Key...”
“Yes, yes you are the Key and whoever created you wasn’t able to give you a little more sense.. Well maybe Circuit or Shea can make more out of it all.”
I removed my hand.
Mikesh said. “Whatever it is, I don’t want it on my rock, but if it can make some sort of gates, maybe it will be useful to a pirate?”
“You are a good man. Mikesh. I learned a lot today and this is most certainly a priceless gift.”
“Well Black Velvet. You can have it and I give you the most beautiful Kalium Crystal on top of it , if you pose with me next to my Digger, for a still visual. So I have a piece of evidence, you really been with me here,”
“Of course I can do that. Did you find anything else like that?”
“No, this is it. If I
ever dig out more, I set it aside and it will give you a reason to come back one day.”
***
I had made a few visuals with Mikesh and his digger, Then he used a material handler to load the entire coffin sized box on his vehicle.
Now two hours later we were back in his little ship and while he was busy getting us underway, I slipped into the small galley and called my ship.
Shea responded . “Captain, good to hear from you. We were almost a little worried, Sir.”
“I told you I am in no danger whatsoever. I found something ancient and alien and it might be Seenian or something like that. It talks and calls itself the Key to the Universe,”
I send her my recordings and she said. “Narth is looking at them too, and we are both convinced it is neither Seenian nor Pree or Uni. I am all excited to examine it and we should return to that asteroid and examine that place in more detail.”
“We are still pretending to be pirates. We can’t explore things, but if that thing turns out to be the key to a transspatial gate way, I am sure Fleet Command will find a way to secure that Asteroid.”
“True that, and in the meantime your new friend destroys perhaps irreplaceable artefacts.”
“Can’t be helped but I think he will indeed put the stuff aside as he said he would. Now please give me Har-Hi.”
“Har-Hi is not aboard, Captain.”
“He is not? Where is he then?”
“Sir, he and Elfi went disguised to take the Tullerman out to be near, just in case...”
I frowned. “Of course, I get the picture. Now please connect me with him.”
There was a pause
“Shea?”
“Sir I am unable to raise either one.”
“Narth, connect to the Kelpies and locate the Tullerman.”
Again a pause and then Narth said. “Captain the Tullerman went translight sixteen minutes ago.”
Chapter 8: Deep Space
“What a mess.” Elfi said.
“Don’t worry,Princess I am getting us out of here. I am much more worried how to explain that to the captain.”
She had to smile. “That is what I meant.”
“I wonder why Narth didn’t notice our predicament.”
“Because he is not a long range Telepath. I know he can sense thoughts at about 50 kilometers, he can only sense Erica no matter the distance because they shared their souls or spirits or something like that.”
The Kermac came in. “Now you going to tell me who you are. My friend wants to rip you apart, but I think the Saran girl will talk after a dose of...”
Har-Hi had used the time alone to shift his position and was know kneeling, and like a steel spring he pushed himself up, and hit the Kermac square against the chin with his head.
The Kermac fell back.
Still bound by tape,but agile as a snake, Har Hi was over the dazed Kermac and bit in his throat. Blood gushed, the Kermac gargled a suffocating scream .
Elfi was not a damsel in distress, she too had crawled on her knees and retrieved the Neuro Ripper with her hands still tied to her back, and immediately fired as the Oghar came through the door.
First he only shrugged and and kept on stomping forward.
Elfi thanked Isis for the weapon training they had received aboard the Devi and her fingers found the power dial. With two finger tips she dialed it to max, just as the Oghr pulled his weapon.
The Oghr fell in agonizing convulsions as every nerve in his body was overloaded with pain impulses. He died of Neural shock moments later.
It did not take them too long to find a knife on the Oghr and free themselves.
Har- Hi wiped the blood of his chin.”Maybe we make it in time before the Captain even knows we are gone.”
They both went to the tiny command deck, and found the Tullerman was still in Quasi and on an automated course towards a destination. Thankfully it wasn’t a very fast ship or had a great range.
Har Hi checked Navigations and said . “Looks like we heading for that G-type star.” He pointed at the 3D screen of the tiny Nav Tank.”
He cut the ISAH engines to drop into real space so he could re-align the course back to the Shattered star system , now 14 Light Years distant. The Tullerman’s fuel reserves would not be enough to make it.
Elfi was busy on the Tachyon Radio. Their own Com equipment in their costumes had only a very limited range of about five light years. “I am sending a coded message. SHIP or TheOther should be able to decipher it.”
***
“Circuit button her up, as fast as you can. Shaka as soon as the board shows green. Get us going. That Tullerman doesn’t have a terrible range,Krabbel check for the nearest possible destination.”
I said in a calm voice as I came onto the bridge.
While I was worried about Har Hi and Elfi and I knew they did not leave the system on their own free will, I was the Captain and had to be confident and assuring.
I also contemplated the probably that our cover has been compromised as I did not who or what abducted my friends, Their disguises were good but would not hold up to close scrutiny.
“TheOther, do you pick up any unusual comm activity, maybe talking about a Dai and a Saran?”
“No, Captain and I am monitor every channel we know and SHIP is helping.”
“All Green , Captain.” Circuit reported.
“Shaka, nice and smooth and with no apparent haste.”
“Aye Captain,”
“There is only one system that the Tullerman could reach. It’s a G type but there is nothing known about it in our catalogs. “
“Sodoby?”
“I think it might me Dyne. Marginal garden world that has or may be used to have a native civilization. They had so many pirate raids that nothing remained. I am not sure what is there now,”
TheOther said. “I am listening to local chatter for a while now and the place is mentioned occasionally, It is total anarchy and unlike Sin 4, no cities and no syndicates. Just low life gangs fighting each other and infested with every sort of space vermin. At least from what I heard not even pirates go there anymore.”
“Well that is where we are going,there is no other place that dinghy could reach.”
Time seemed to crawl as we accelerated well within the limits of a Karthanian and our simulated old Isahs
***
We didn’t have to go far, after just eight light years , Narth detected the small craft and TheOther received a tachyon Radio message from our friends and moments later we were close enough for their GalCom equipment.
But as we slowed down to take our friends aboard, the Swift Profit dropped into real space and hailed us. “I thought we had a deal and we go together to Sin 4? Isn’t a scavenger scowl a little too meager picking?”
“We never had a deal and I tend to change my mind.”
“Well I did too,my dear, you see you have a mighty nice chest. I don’t mean that delectable rack but the one full of Polos and I want it. So before we start shooting and all that, please pay attention to your scanners and you will notice four fighters approaching fast. You see Ikesh Bassett was very upset that you killed two of his men and helped his rival. It was very easy to convince him to assist me. Your Karthanian trader stands no chance against us. These are genuine surplus Dai Fighters and the jocks know how to use them.”
I cut the transmission. Mao as soon as they are in range for sniper loads take them out, and then place a micro load in Swift’s engineering section.”
“Marines prepare for boarding action.”
***
It was not really a fight, out here I did not have to worry about our cover, as I did not intend to leave witnesses behind and my marines had no problem either.
I stood by the airlock as TheOther carried Swift under one of his arms.
He was still conscious and cursed .”You managed to steal a Union Translocator! No other weapon could do that!”
“Well I decided to have one,they come in very handy.”
He looked around and I saw the truth dawned on him. “You are Union!”
“Yes Mr. Swift, we are and the survivors of the Danny Houston will have a front row seat at your execution.”
He lowered his head and then said. “On my trial I will expose you and this illegal Union action in free space!”
“Mr. Swift we are quite legal. The only law we follow is the will of the Assembly, and besides you have been already trialed in absence. When you come out of stasis is the day when they take you to the gallows. Mr. TheOther take him away.”
Behind the Marines Har-Hi and Elfi came aboard.
“Odin’s beard what happened to your face. SHIP get Cateria down here stat,”
“Delay that order SHIP.” Har-Hi said. “I am not wounded or hurt.”
“He took a bite out of a Kermac, Captain.” Elfi said.
Har Hi straightened .”Captain, I am taking full responsibility, It was..”
“It was a Erica Olafson situation so it seems . I know. Well at least for once it wasn’t me this time. I am glad you are back unharmed. I do however like to hear a full report. I also think you and Elfi need to visit Cateria.”
“We are not hurt, Captain.”
“You have been exposed to a Neuro Ripper who knows what side effects there might linger. Besides you took a bite out of one of your captors and I assume neither one seemed to be too clean.Once she has you declared fit for duty get cleaned up and join me for dinner. Unless you ruined your appetite snacking on Kermac.”
***
An hour later I sat in my ready room and made a call to Command. The ship was drifting in space, as we were were at the very outermost limit we still could call and receive. GalCom was no longer able to eastablish high resoution ,three dimensional visuals and had reduced the message to simple audio and two dee.
I finished my report saying.
“I have the crews of the Swift Profit and the rest of Bloom’s crew all in security stasis. I had no problem taking the Swift Profit, and we destroyed the ship after stripping most of its valuables.”
McElligott leaned back in his chair and in doing so allowed the visual sensors of his terminal to pick up more of his office. It was just another office, nothing elaborate or something you would expect the office of the Admiral of the Fleet to be. There were a few shelves with real books. There was a strange triangular brass object on his desk and a few PDDs strewn around. He noticed me looking at it and said.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 107