The Queen's Daemon (T'aafhal Legacy Book 2)

by Doug L. Hoffman

  “Hush, Bobby, we are almost to the throne platform.”

  Before them the raised platform on which the throne sat ascended in three wide steps. Sitting in an alabaster cradle, the Queen was surrounded by advisers, servants, and other subjects. Mizuki noted that the Queen's abdomen had already grown significantly and her vestigial wings were gone. As the humans approached, the Queen's head rose and she looked directly at Mizuki.

  “My Lord Mizuki, I almost didn't recognize you in your battle armor,” Timushi announced. “I thought never to see you again.”

  Mizuki bowed as gracefully as her armor allowed. “Your Majesty, it is good to see you again. I have brought my friends, the other leaders of our expedition, to pay their respects.”

  “If they are your friends then they are Our friends as well.” The Queen dipped her antennae in greeting.

  “This is Captain Billy Ray Vincent, our leader, Commander Beth Melaku, his mate, and you have already met Commander Bobby Danner, my mate.” Taking their lead from Mizuki the other three partners bowed to the monarch.

  “You are all welcome in my domain, friends of Lord Mizuki. Your aid in eliminating the spined invaders will forever be appreciated. In fact... Scribes! Take a proclamation... I Timushi, Queen of all Formicidae do hereby declare that Lord Mizuki of Earth is forever more the Queen's Daemon. All subjects will render her whatever aid or assistance she might require from this day hence.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” the head scribe intoned, bowing and backing way. She conferred with her underlings and several hustled from the throne room to spread the proclamation to the far ends of the Queen's empire.

  “So let it be written, so let it be done,” Beth sarcastically intoned to her fellows via suit-to-suit.

  “Your Majesty,” said Mizuki, bowing again to the monarch, “you honor me greatly.”

  “Nonsense, it is you who has honored me with your service. Many years from now I will still recall the events of my ascension day and the part my friend from beyond the sky played in them. So tell me, my Lord Mizuki, is there something that I can do for you and your friends?”

  “Well, there is something that we wished to ask you.” Mizuki turned and motioned Billy Ray forward.

  “Yer Majesty, the reason we came to your world is that we received a message from an entity, a very old entity that we believe has been on your world for many years.”

  “Really, Lord Billy Ray?”

  “Yes, Ma'am. You see, our kind has inherited a problem left behind by our... predecessors. A sort of legacy that includes watching after other species and having to fight a long list of bad guys. Like the daemons who came here and meddled in your affairs.”

  The queen nodded encouragingly. Billy Ray continued.

  “We keep looking for clues as to why the older daemons, who left us in charge of this mess, disappeared. We think the message we received came from one of their devices, left on this world a long time ago. We were wondering if you had any historical tales or legends regarding something strange, perhaps even magical, in the north?”

  “Summon my scholars and sages, Majordomo, I have need of their advice,” Timushi ordered. “I have no personal knowledge of such a thing, but my people have records going back to the dawn of time. Those who study and record such things will be able to tell you if there is anything untoward in the north country.”

  CIC, Peggy Sue

  Arin Baldursson had come forward to the CIC, leaving the comfort of his usual haunts in Engineering. By order of rank and seniority he was technically in command of the Peggy Sue, but he had no desire to be captain. He felt much more comfortable in the engine room than on the bridge.

  Joining Arin in the ship's control center were Chief Zackly and GySgt Acuna, both obviously concerned about having the ship's four senior officers together on an alien planet. Also present was Dorri, monitoring the conversation between the officers and the ant Queen, just in case some help was needed with the translation algorithm. Mizuki's prolonged exposure and interaction with the natives made that improbable, but it was a serviceable excuse to get her into the CIC where the action was.

  “Everything seems ta be goin' fine so far,” the Chief commented.

  “It's not like the locals pose a threat to them in armor,” the Gunny replied. “The Queen should surely know that from what we did to her evil sister and those spiny beavers.”

  “The conversation has been polite, even friendly so far,” Dorri added. “Maybe the ant scholars will have some useful information.”

  “Where's yer sister, short stuff?” The Chief teased Dorri for being shorter than her older sister, even though she towered over the diminutive old sailor.

  “Are you kidding? There is no way you can get her to leave Mal's side.”

  “She does seem rather smitten,” the Gunny said.

  “Ja.” Arin shook his head. “Love seems to be breaking out all over. Evidently Umky and Ahnah have overcome their differences, either that or they are trying to kill each other.”

  “What?”

  “The polar bear quarters are adjacent to the engineering spaces, and it has become obvious to me that the walls are not nearly thick enough.”

  “Death will do that to people, and to bears,” Rosey said. “It makes us feel our mortality and nature's answer to mortality is procreation.”

  “You mean sex?” asked Dorri. She was fairly sure that was what the others were talking about, but she wanted to be sure.

  “Yer too young to be hearin' this, short stuff.”

  “Chief, the Imam back on Paradise tried to marry me off when I was thirteen—I am well acquainted with the concept.”

  The Chief grimaced and squinted at the young woman. “Yer about the oldest fourteen year old I've ever met, kiddo.”

  “Hey look!” Dorri exclaimed, pointing at the larger wall screen. “A bunch of new ants have arrived, they must be the Queen's sages.”

  “You are right, Dorri,” Arin replied, thankful for the interruption and change in topic. “Quiet everyone.”

  Queen's Palace

  Having run out of small talk the Earthlings were relieved when the Queen's scholars filed into the throne room. The ant academics were all significantly smaller than the Queen, or even the bullheaded warriors, but they possessed the large compound eyes that seemed to indicate higher intelligence in the arthropods. Several of them were carrying scrolls tucked under their arms, lending them a studious air. The lead sage had a gold medallion hung around her neck on a chain, perhaps a symbol of rank. She bowed and addressed the Queen.

  “You have summoned us, my Queen?” The scholar managed to sound obsequious and haughty at the same time.

  “Yes, Senior Sage, these daemons wish to know if there is any lore recorded in the royal archives regarding strange or mystical events to the north.”

  The other scholars began chattering softly amongst themselves, while their leader bowed her head in deep cogitation. One of the subordinates leaned in and whispered something to the head scholar. She straightened up and again addressed her sovereign.

  “You Majesty, it would seem that the archives of ancient times do contain stories of odd things happening to those who have traveled to the far north, close to where the mountains are white with frozen water.”

  “Yes?” the Queen prompted, showing signs of impatience.

  “Er, yes.” Another assistant handed the head scholar a scroll. With an almost theatrical flair she unrolled the scroll, nodded a few times as if reacquainting herself with the text, and then read aloud from the document.

  “More than ten thousand years ago, a party of prospectors set out in search of metal deposits to mine. Their journey took them to the unexplored lands of the far north where they reported finding a cave. The cave's mouth was high on a cliff face, hidden behind a stupendously large waterfall.”

  The scholar paused for effect. She was definitely enjoying being the center of attention while reciting the tale. “Finding a way to reach the mouth of the cave they
entered in, hoping to find treasure worthy of the trek’s hardships. Sadly, few of their number left the cave alive, and even fewer lived to return to civilization. When they did, they recounted harrowing events—perils that claimed most of their companions, and even stranger things. Deep within the cavern they claim to have experienced hallucinations, strange visions that filled their heads, sending them fleeing in terror.”

  She looked up at the Queen. “Since that day, no one has ventured so far to the north, and none have sought the daemon haunted cavern.” The head scholar lowered the scroll, bowed and stepped back from the throne.

  “The old girl sure has a flair for the dramatic,” Beth whispered to her companions. Billy Ray ignored his wife's commentary and directed another question to sage.

  “Did they leave any description of this place? What the surrounding terrain was like, how they found it in the first place?”

  “Lord Daemon, they described the waterfall as being at the northernmost end of a deep river valley, a place where mists and fog from the water never allow the rays of the sun to shine unhindered. The falls are supposedly the headwaters of the great northern river. They simply followed that river's bank, always choosing the widest tributary, until they came to the falls themselves.”

  “Thank you,” Billy Ray said to the sage, then turned slightly and addressed the Queen. “And thank you, Your Majesty. We now have a place to start our quest.”

  “May the old gods smile upon your endeavors, Lord Billy Ray. I do not envy you this legacy your elder daemons bequeathed you. Is there anything more I can do for you?”

  Mizuki spoke up in Billy Ray's stead. “No, Your Majesty, you have done quite enough. Thank you again, we will take our leave of you now. If we find anything of consequence we will let you know. My companions and I wish you a long and productive reign, and prosperity for all Formicidae.”

  “Fare thee well, my favorite daemon.” The Queen nodded and dipped her antennae. Without another word, she returned to the business of running her empire.

  The humans all bowed to their host and withdrew, anxious to be on their way. As they walked down the hall Bobby spoke to his fellow adventurers.

  “So this is our mission, our legacy—The T'aafhal Legacy—eh?”

  “Yeah, pardner. Ya gotta admit it sounds better than the giant pain in the ass it really is.”

  “So far, dear,” added Beth.

  “Trust me, things can always get worse,” Mizuki finished. The aoi chō swirled above them in oblivious joy.

  Chapter 35

  Captain's Pinnace

  “Looks like they're coming back,” Hitch said to his friend and longtime shipmate. Both he and Jacobs were standing at the top of the airstair in the rear of the pinnace. Both petty officers had served on the Peggy Sue since the first voyage, with a few side trips along the way. They had been chosen by the Captain to accompany the officers because they were a known commodity, and they had faced strange situations without panicking in the past.

  “Right, Stevie,” Matt replied. “I guess we are headed north to find this big waterfall.”

  “Waterfalls I've seen, it's what's behind the waterfall that worries me.”

  “We've fought aliens on strange planets, space stations, and in outer space for years, buddy. I doubt that there's anything in this cave we're looking for that we can't handle.”

  “Now that makes me worry.”

  “What?”

  “I'm the one who's always naively optimistic. You not being worried scares me half to death.”

  “Come on, it's a hole in the ground, and if there is anything in the hole its been here for a long, long time. You heard the officers talking—it's like some kind of lost T'aafhal weather station or something.”

  Hitch scoffed. “Name me one time when we have come across anything having to do with the T'aafhal that the shit hasn't hit the fan.”

  Jacobs waved one armored hand dismissively. “If the T'aafhal droppings do hit the fan it will be the officers in the lead.”

  “You wanna bet we'll be in splatter range?”

  “Pipe down and belay that chatter, they are almost close enough for suit-to-suit reception.”

  At the bottom of the airstair they could see the tall figure of the First officer mounting the ramp into the ship. The two friends stood back from the entrance, giving each other here-we-go-again looks. They were sailors and sailors love to complain, but in truth, there was nowhere they would rather be than in the pinnace, on the threshold of adventure.

  * * * * *

  Minutes after boarding the shuttle the party of Earthlings was headed north, leaving behind the sprawling city of the ants. The temperate upland terrain was soon replaced by hills and then a lowland basin with a wide river meandering across it.

  “According to our planetary survey this is the largest river in the north,” Bobby reported from the flight deck. “If the scholar's tale is factual we should be able to follow it right to the waterfall.”

  “That's assuming things haven't change too much in ten thousand years,” Beth observed.

  “I talked with Dr. Hosseini a few minutes ago and he assures me that the headwaters of the river should not have eroded beyond recognition.” Sami Hosseini was one of the scientists on Mizuki's staff, the expedition geologist. “The face of the fall may have receded several kilometers but if the strata are consistent the fall should remain. The biggest worry is that erosion of the waterfall has obstructed the cave entrance.”

  “We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.” The pinnace's cabin was in full transparency mode, affording everyone on board a panoramic view of the lush countryside passing beneath their feet. Having spent more than a year in space, Billy Ray and the others were all enjoying the sight of so much greenery. “This is quite a pretty planet, at least from up here.”

  “Believe me, it is not so pretty up close.”

  “You only say that because things kept trying to eat you.” Beth shot her friend a wry smile.

  Mizuki unconsciously reached back and touched her new sword, just reassuring herself that it was there. Clinging to the cabin ceiling the butterflies rustled. Mizuki smiled back. “It was exhausting being so popular.”

  “At least there was air to breath, water to drink, and food to eat,” Bobby observed.

  “If you like the constant stench of rotting vegetation, getting soaked by daily showers, and eating big fleshy maggots.”

  “I'd say you are one lucky gal, Mizuki. After all, black crap didn't ooze out of the ground and try to dissolve you like back on Paradise.”

  “My paradise lies in the shadow of my sword.”

  “Is that an old samurai saying?” asked Beth.

  “Actually, honey bunch, that was old Freddie Nietzsche from Ecce Homo. 'And like a wind shall I one day blow amongst them and with my spirit take away their soul’s breath'.”

  “My favorite proto-fascist philosopher,” quipped Bobby.

  * * * * *

  In the back of the cabin Hitch and Jacobs were quietly eavesdropping on their officers' conversation, hoping to get the real skinny on the purpose of their mission. Making sure not to be overheard, Hitch leaned over and whispered to Jacobs.

  “Who's this Nietzsche character?”

  “He was a 19th century German philosopher and whack job. He was a sort of predecessor to Ayn Rand, only not so warm and cuddly.”

  “Who?”

  “Forget it. They are both long dead.”

  “Do officers talk about shit like this all the time?”

  “It's the burden of a liberal education, Stevie, a burden you don't have to bear. Now be quiet, they may say something important.”

  The Cavern Beneath the Falls

  Deep in the folds of the planet's crust, at the end of a cavern hollowed out by leeching water and the passage of time, an intelligence of non-biological origin observed the pinnace's progress. Entangled quantum domains danced with the thoughts of a being who had been created by the T'aafhal themselves. Left o
n Formicidae more than a million and a half years ago, its mission was to preserve life on the small world where it resided.

  Instilled with a mission it could not abandon, the AI watched over the system humans called Alpha Phoenicis. Left alone to fulfill its preprogrammed purpose it had never been contacted by the T'aafhal again—though occasional messages encoded in neutrino bursts arrived from other AIs.

  Infrequent messages not withstanding, its solitary existence was seldom disturbed until recently. A web of sensors monitored stars, planets, and surrounding space while the intelligence lay dormant—even a machine intelligence would eventually be driven insane by eons of isolation if it remained fully conscious all that time.

  It looks like the creatures from the T'aafhal-like ship are coming, at last. Interesting that they took the time to check on the natives before satisfying their own curiosity regarding my signal. It is possible, though not probable, that the T'aafhal sent these creatures. While they did neutralize the threat posed by the Dark Lords and their minions, that does not mean they are benign. No matter, their intentions will be known soon enough.

  One thing the intelligence had in abundance was patience. But it also possessed curiosity, a hallmark of all truly sentient beings. When the visitors arrived the AI would question them, and if they threatened its mission it would deal with them.

  Captain's Pinnace

  The terrain beneath the shuttle was growing more rugged. Gentle hills gave way to jagged ridges and the once placid river grew wild and unkempt as it was channeled by deepening gorges.

  “Well, folks, it looks like we are going to run out of daylight before we find this waterfall,” Bobby announced from the pilot's seat.

  “I was afraid of that, pardner, even a small planet is a pretty big place. Can you find a level area to set down for the night?”

  “Why can't we just use FLIR and light amplifiers to keep looking after dark?” Beth asked.

  “Since we don't really know what we're looking for I think I'd rather we bivouac for the night and get a fresh start in the morning. We've been in this system for weeks, another night won't make much difference.”