StarFlight: The Prism Baronies (Beyond the Outer Rim Book 2)

by Reiter

“Likewise, Llaz” Jovasor replied as he started for the door. “If you will all excuse me, I’ve got a Sick Bay to check up on.

  “Amosse,” Llaz said with a very clear change in his tone.

  “Well, I can see that the memo regarding me has been read,” Amosse returned.

  “Leaving only questions,” Siekor replied. “Why am I looking at you right now?”

  “Because he is in front of your eyes,” Dungias stated, giving Silnee a tighter hug before moving away from her. “Boss, I state for the record the ship I have returned to is whole and fully functional. You have served her well. As you are aware, we are en route to the Onyx Barony. Establish contact with the Baron and advise him that the crew of the Xara-Mansura will be visiting with him shortly.”

  “You got it,” Llaz said, giving Dungias a two-fingered salute.

  “Tolip, ready Pinion for launch. You will serve as an escort to the shuttle when the order is given.”

  “I’ll get right on it.”

  “Siekor, Shotgun, with the exceptions you will find on your brace-com, advise the crew to prepare for an extended away-mission.”

  “Yes sir,” both men said before departing the room. The Traveler then turned to face Amosse. One of the drones came into the room, carrying a black box. Dungias took it and handed it to the young man.

  “Please do not open it until you are back at Black Gate,” Dungias requested.

  “Excuse me, sir,” the man on the other side of the small majikul aperture called to Amosse. “I do not mean to press, but it seems that secrecy is important to you.”

  “I would prefer to call it discretion, but you’re right,” Amosse returned.

  “There are many eyes about this region of space. They have not yet spotted this incantation, but the hunt is by no means passive!”

  “I can only imagine what she has done,” Dungias thought before Alpha provided memories to that fact. “And yet again she has exceeded expectations.”

  “It will not take long for the flow of MannA to be seen,” the man stated. “I can give you only three more minutes.”

  “That should be more than enough,” Amosse said as he returned the bow. “Thank you.”

  “Master, do you feel that?” Alpha asked.

  “Indeed I do,” Dungias projected. “The Stars of the Prism Baronies summon us to an audience. We will not keep them waiting long.”

  “Why this?” Amosse said, holding up the box.

  “I would be less than my sort and my station if I were above giving second chances. Though this qualifies more as your third, Fate has spoken and I will allow her voice to speak for you.”

  “I should be dead, but I’m not,” Amosse concluded.

  “Exactly, and now we both share the same problem: you. Yes, you did emerge from the Bowels, but the very same obstacle that had you removed from this crew still stands in your way. Resolve Amosse if you can.”

  “And how do I do that?!” Amosse barked.

  “You might begin with trying to understand how you came to be a problem,” Dungias said ushering Amosse toward the aperture.

  “So the problem is personal ambition?!” the young man asked, pushing back against Dungias’ hand.

  “If you think my ambition to be of service to the Captain is not personal, your problems are greater than I thought.”

  “Z please!” Amosse pleaded, turning to face the Traveler. “Please!”

  “All I have is my own perspective,” Dungias admitted. “At the end of the argument, I believe that is all anyone has. Your people have a saying that is often misquoted and therefore misapplied: ‘perspective is reality’.”

  “I’m familiar with it,” Amosse shared.

  “The actual quote is ‘your perspective is your reality’ and that statement is a more efficient truth while the former is a blind, arrogant assumption. Your reality and the reality are two different things. For example, what color shirt is Sonar wearing today?”

  “I don’t know,” Amosse answered, frowning as he tried to understand the point.

  “Then that fact is not part of your reality and yet it still exists. There is an entire universe that comprises the things to which the phrase ‘I don’t know’ applies! My reality is not your reality. My reality is that he is not wearing a shirt at all. He just entered the shower, actually.

  “My point is this: you seek to attain power, and I am not in a position to judge that aim. But if your reality is limited, Amosse, what can we ever say about the power you attain… or your ability to wield it properly… or keep it?”

  Amosse walked back through into his casting chamber and the aperture was quickly closed. Eleda moved to address the three casters, signaling Ainille to escort them from the premises. Only when they were alone in the room did she turn back to Amosse who was laughing.

  The small black box was open in his hands and its contents made him laugh and cry at the same time. He reached into the box and pulled out a brace-com. He held it up for Eleda to see and his cackling became bawling. She ran to him, catching him just before his knees could reach the floor.

  “I plotted against them,” he cried. “I killed one of my closest friends, betrayed the entire crew in the name of power. Power I would have used to destroy them if they had dared to face me.

  “And he knows it!” Amosse yelled. “The only reason why it failed was because the whole thing was a simulation that I didn’t even know I was in. Z gave me all the rope… I hung myself good and true. And even with all of that, he gives me this!”

  “I have heard much about this man,” Eleda admitted as she maintained her embrace. “… outrageous things! The few moments I have been in his presence make the outrageous seem far less than what he may be capable of doing.”

  Amosse nodded as he clung to the woman. “Yeah. That would be Z.” Eleda took hold of her master’s shoulders and stepped back to look into his eyes.

  “And despite what you have done, you must come to understand what he has done. He has hope for you,” Eleda said, massaging his shoulders. “He sees in you what I saw the day we met. It doesn’t matter if we’re right or wrong. The only thing that matters is what you see when you look into Amosse’s eyes.”

  “I already know what I see,” he said, turning away from the woman. “I see a fool... a lost fool… with a very small reality!”

  “Then increase your reality!” Eleda snapped. “Use the stars to guide you, Amosse. But do not spend another moment hating yesterday. Use it for what it is: a lesson and a starting place.”

  Amosse wiped his eyes and looked at the brace-com, slowly closing it about his left wrist. It came to life and ran a quick diagnostic. After reporting it was functioning within listed parameters, a message flashed across the screen: Let us begin with trust, Amosse. There are four members of the crew who could use a fifth. You are cleared to approach the Kulri-Kraythe. Amosse closed his eyes as he chuckled.

  “That blue bastard doesn’t hit soft, does he?” he whispered.

  “It is my impression when he strikes, he has an intention,” Eleda replied. “A soft blow would only worry me.”

  “Indeed,” Amosse smiled. “I’m going to need each and every InvokeR Mother had in her books as owing her,” he said softly. “It’s time they paid up!”

  Eleda smiled as she nodded. “It shall be done, Master.”

  ** b *** t *** o *** r **

  Rahneece was the last to enter the room and she too looked confused to see her teacher’s face on the monitor screen. Ephaliun looked up at her before gesturing toward an empty chair in the center of the floor in front of the monitor.

  “Did you ever get the feeling you’re going to have one of those days?” he asked.

  “Is it that bad?” Rahneece asked.

  “You don’t recognize the background?!” Ephaliun asked. “That’s a Z lab! He’s on board the Xara-Mansura!”

  “How did he manage that?!” Rahneece asked.

  “Very observant, Kulrithe,” Dungias remarked. “Star is going to need
that same level of awareness for your next mission.”

  “Did he say mission?” Ephaliun asked, as his back straightened up.

  “Yes he did,” Teela replied, an eager glare firing in her eyes.

  “Since our return to the Rims, I have been in the company of the Stars,” Dungias stated. “I have also reviewed the information that CK collected while we were away. The logs have all been downloaded to Satithe aboard the Kulri-Kraythe. Something of an emergency situation has arisen in the Terran Triangle. The Captain will eventually make her way there, but we do not have the luxury of time.

  “Adleon is dead,” Dungias announced. “Hear me when I say, this is not a mission of vengeance. However, he was our friend and we will not deliberately avoid the opportunity to strike in his name.”

  “Understood,” Rahneece replied, leaning forward in her chair. “What is the mission?”

  “While I was held by Vidé, Cutter sent a number of files to Adleon that I had thought would prove helpful to him and his Temple studies. She only did what I would have done had I been aboard ship. The files were coded so that more intensive studies could only be unlocked once it was ascertained that the one seeking the information had reached a certain level of awareness. One level of those files was unlocked after Adleon was killed. We need to know the party or parties involved with the opening of that level.

  “I am responsible for the information I shared with Adleon, and I ask you to act in my stead. The re-plating of the hull of the scout ship should be complete in the next thirty hours. Take the Kulri-Kraythe to the Terran Triangle and investigate the matter.”

  “We’ll take her,” Rahneece said, standing up. “And we’ll make sure to keep her name well-founded.”

  “Thank you all,” Dungias replied. “Two additional notes: there is an account in the name of the scout ship for your use… and Amosse may be joining you.”

  “What capacity does he hold in your eyes, Teacher?” Teela stepped forward to ask.

  “I am hopeful, Bambi, but he has yet to regain my trust. At this point I am responding to a circumstance of fate.”

  “Gotta love the way he keeps it simple,” Ephaliun said, headed for the door.

  “And where are you going?” Rahneece asked.

  “Going to see if the drones need a helping hand with the re-plating,” he replied.

  “I think we should all assume that they do,” Rahneece added before looking back at Dungias. “If there is nothing else, Teacher?”

  “Take care of yourself and each other.”

  “We expect to see the Xara-Mansura with her Captain and her First Mate before too long,” Rahneece replied. “Star, out.

  “SAK, take a walk with Kulrithe please,” Rahneece said as she moved fast enough to get a hold of Teela before she could leave the room.

  Nodding before he quickly walked out of the room, Ulios smiled as he was still tickled by his crew name. He had read up on the history of the Swiss Army Knife and very much enjoyed the comparison.

  Teela smiled, turning to face Rahneece. “I’m touched by your concern, but I’ll be fine with him around.”

  “You’re reading me all wrong,” Rahneece stated. “You’re the Guardian in charge of all things MannA. I was simply going to say, when I start talking about ‘stinky ointment’, that’s your trigger to handle Amosse. Can you handle that?”

  “I can handle that,” Teela nodded before looking at the floor. “No Jovasor. I guess Z took him back to the ship.”

  Rahneece folded her arms. “If I were you, I’d start wrapping my head around not seeing Jovasor Cole for a really long time… if ever!”

  “I’ve got to make a stop before we leave,” Teela mentioned. “See you at the ship?”

  “No solo walks at Black Gate, Bambi,” Rahneece stated. “Not unless we have no other choice. So… where are we headed?”

  Before the reward, there must be labor. You plant before you harvest. You sow in tears before you reap joy.

  Ralph Ransom

  (Rims Time: XII-4203.28)

  Fadym-Fiera was the first to greet him, but it was clear to Dungias that each member of the Chorus, major and minor had convened. Hundreds of thousands looked upon him, and the Star Chaser had never felt so small and insignificant.

  “Forgive my delay,” he started. Fadym smiled, quickly signaling him to stop.

  “It is unnecessary to forgive something we do not see as a transgression,” she spoke softly and Dungias could feel a warmth pass over his body as she spoke. It was a euphoric sensation, and he closed his eyes, basking in the comfort of her voice. “We have no command over your life, nor do we seek that authority. You must trek your own path and this… what we have called you to attend is simply a brief meeting at the side of the road. Will you come and observe the roadside with us?”

  “It would be an honor,” Dungias replied. He could feel a force pull on his body and soon he was flying side-by-side with Fadym as they streaked into the Void.

  “It would seem that one chapter of your life has been closed,” she stated. “You engaged the Jump-Stride, leaving Black Gate, a very well shielded facility, and arrived on board the Xara-Mansura, a ship that was inside a pocket dimension that supposedly can be entered only by using the Baronial Gate.”

  “In the aperture’s defense, I did engage the Jump-Stride when I saw a ship emerging from The Territories,” Dungias admitted, recalling the moment with pride that triggered anger. He put more effort in remembering landing in one of his more visited labs before using the marker stone the College Mage had given him. With that giving his location, the teleport spell had been easy to cast, allowing Jovasor and Amosse to board the ship.

  “Be that as it may, we have been watching you, Star Chaser, and we are quite pleased with what we are seeing.”

  “Gratitude, my Lady,” Dungias stated. “I very much appreciate your observations and opinions. But I feel as if I know where this is going. I do not require a reward for what I have done.”

  “Unless it is something for your Captain, correct?” Fadym pressed as her eyes flared. Dungias could sense energy bursts firing on all sides of his body, but he could not read the intent of them and they were not harmful to him. “Something she can use, perhaps?”

  “The Stars do indeed see all,” Dungias smiled. “I would be honored to accept something for my Captain.” A small stone appeared in Dungias’ hand, and he looked down at it. The black crystal seemed to be breathing in the center of his palm as it changed color, becoming clear. The Traveler knew immediately what it was and smiled, placing the gem into his holding satchel. “Thank you.”

  “You may not be so gracious when you hear what we have to tell you,” Fadym said as the additional warmth faded to the normal cold of outer space.

  “You see death,” Dungias said plainly. “And from the looks of things, it is a significant death, a tragic death, and it greatly involves the Pearl Barony.”

  “Apparently you never had any issue with any of the other facets of the Stride,” Fadym stated, showing how deeply she had been impressed by the Traveler. “Yet you opted not to mention that this dark fate also involves you, should you stay your course. We know that you see it. What will you do?”

  “I will go and find my Captain, and resume my service to her station,” Dungias replied without hesitation.

  “Is there noting we can say to have you veer from this trek?” Fadym asked. “It would not rest well with us to see you pass from this realm before your time.” Dungias laughed, lifting his hand to cover his mouth.

  “My time,” he whispered before looking once more upon the Chorus of the Stars for The Territories. “My apologies, brilliant and glorious Stars, for I do not laugh at your touching sentiment.”

  “Then what is it that you find so amusing?” Sranzhurn, the Star of Citrinar, asked as his black eyes glared down on the Star Chaser. It was not anger that caused his eyes to squint; the starling was curious and rightfully so. Many decisions would be made based on the response to his in
quiry.

  Dungias looked upon the impressive figure, distracted for a blink of an eye by the mane of silver stars about the starling’s head. “It is the irony within the statement of Lady Fadym-Fiera that I find amusing. All the thoughts I have fathomed and filtered… the actions I have initiated and reacted to… if I am to meet my end here and now, it is the response to the stimulus that is also me. What other time, then, can it be other my own?

  “But my end is only one possible response to the stimuli of this moment, my Lords and Ladies,” Dungias quickly added. “A response to which I will forever take exception… one that I will protest and work against until my last breath is drawn… and at least one stride beyond that!”

  “Then I have but one question for you, Star Chaser,” Sranzhurn stated, taking several steps toward Dungias. “Do you subscribe to the premise that you are a sum of all the parts that have had some hand in your creation?” Dungias smiled, remembering what Satithe had defined the Star Chaser to be. He had chosen not to argue with her point of view. This pointed question demanded a stronger response.

  “It was Z’Gunok Tel Dungias who was weaned on knowledge and circumstance to become a student of The Master Traveler Nugar and Campus Mistress Z’Gunok Viora Danatra. Their applied efforts brought me to the pinnacle of the Traveler. Through further circumstance I created Alpha, Satithe, CK, and the Seven. We are products of our environments and our environments produce us. My environment has yet to find a set definition, and therefore I am always in a state of creation. Without my creations, what stands before you would have never been created! So, yes, I do subscribe to that perspective, Lord Sranzhurn. We are the Star Chaser!”

  “So be it,” the Star of Citrinar said before stepping back, bowing to the Star Chaser and then to Fadym-Fiera. “My place in these proceedings is both found and secured.” Dungias frowned in confusion and was about to give voice to his thoughts when Fadym placed her hand on his shoulder.

  “And there is no need for apologies, good Traveler. In all of your strides, you have never failed to recognize your imperfections. It is a perspective we share, and our point of view of your death as an untimely passing is personal… based on what we hope to see you achieve. Perhaps we should be more mindful of what you have done already.”