“Okay, I’ll just hop outside and bring Charlie up to date on all that’s going on.”
I related what I had learned to Charlie as quickly as I could. His jaw dropped when I informed him that Darnack was the mendia of the people. In that moment he seized upon his work station and started typing madly, presumably trying to record every detail of my relayed conversation. Panting and out of breath, I finished with the offer of the museum tour, moving our official meeting to the next day.
“Snow, moving official negotiations for a museum visit is highly irregular,” Charlie said, working to maintain protocol with Darnack so near.
“I know, but you know as well as I that we are here to learn more about the Mendians. I think it will be good for the mission as a whole.”
Charlie relented. “Very well, I suppose I have enough official reports to write in light of this morning’s meeting to keep me busy ‘til rapture.”
“Wait, you aren't coming? We’re both invited,” I said, shocked.
“I would like to, but, well sometimes duty has to come first.” Charlie was flushed, something was making him feel guilty, but what? Hadn’t we worked all this out last night? Darnack turned and looked at me, sensing my worry.
“Okay, Okay, I understand. We’ll be back on schedule tomorrow morning, 0700 hours,” I replied quickly, seeking neutral ground.
“Roger that, have fun,” Charlie replied.
Chapter 27
The museum of House Lethine was as impressive as any I had ever seen and reinforced the idea that the ship was not just a transport but served as a home for her people. Everywhere there were relics of space travel that dated back at least a thousand years. It was overwhelming. The Mendians measured their epochs in eons, while we were still relegated to centuries.
“I see you are impressed Snow,” Darnack said. I could sense his pride.
“It would be impossible not to be. When humans were first starting to farm, you had begun journeying among the stars.”
“Your perception of time and your veneration of what you call ancient is intriguing. It appears that your people largely ignore their history, leading them to repeat many mistakes." Darnack said, leading me to another display.
“Many historians would agree with you Darnack. It seems very few of my people value history.”
“So different you are from us. Without history there is no honor and honor is essential to the life of any Mendian,” Darnack said.
“That may be so, but the Matron of Dishonor still lives, mendia,” I said.
Darnack paused, and I saw his eyes twinkle for a moment. “Ah! Very good observation, Shifted One. I will make it a point to ask her.”
The lights flickered in the ship and I felt briefly weightless. I heard an emergency declaration sweep through the Link. Darnack summoned ship’s security to our location and we were quickly joined by four Mendian security officers.
“Come quickly! Something is wrong. I will see you to your quarters,” Darnack said.
As we were leaving, I noticed a mysterious banner hanging in one wing of the museum. It showed an ancient looking Mendian ship with pyramids being constructed in the background. I filed it away in my mind as this latest round of danger drove my pulse ever higher.
“Central! I have the House Earth's ambassador and am securing her in quarters. What is the status?” Darnack said in the Link.
“A rogue program has affected critical subsystems and is causing cascade failures throughout the ship. We are working to isolate the source of the infection.”
“Understood. Signal Central Core and inform of emergency umbilical separation. Move House Lethine to safe distance. Serve with Honor! We must protect the Nest.”
We quickly boarded the elevator to my quarters. Mendians were scrambling to duty stations throughout when I felt the ship lurch violently, throwing me into the wall.
“Honored mendia, propulsion systems have failed. The encylonic reactors are critical. We are adrift!” Ship Command said over the Link.
“Do we have enough clearance from the Nest?” the mendia asked. I could feel his worry and desperation.
“Negative. Current casualties estimated to be one billion if detonation of encylonic reactor occurs.”
“By the Light of Kolbos, find the source!” the mendia replied.
We rounded the corner. We were almost to my quarters but I wondered if we would be abandoning ship soon. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Matron. Did she have something to do with this?
“Mendia, we have isolated infection to the quarters of Earth House Ambassador Dawkins”
“Treachery! Inform Central Command and mobilize the fleet!” the mendia demanded through the Link. “They will pay for this!” and I felt from him a flash of anger that made my own long-simmering discontent pale in comparison. What was going on?
The door to my quarters opened, and Charlie was at his workstation.
“Risssse and ssstep away from the computer, human,” the Mendian security officer roared at Charlie, frightening me. I could feel the anger, hurt, and fear bouncing back and forth between them, the agitation cycling upward. I felt lost and alone. They were supposed to be the enlightened race! They were supposed to be an answer to the cruelty and ignorance of our own! It was all I could do to keep from bolting.
“I know this looks bad but I can contain this; there is still time.” Charlie ignored their command and his fingers flew furiously over the keys. “I'm pulling it out now. Something backfired. Just stay calm!” Charlie looked panicked and clearly over his head.
“Now!” The Mendian security officer ran his sword through Charlie. He crumpled and fell to the ground, while another destroyed the terminal.
“Charlie!” Horror overcame my instinctual fear, spurring me into action. “Wait, no! Don't hurt him!” I dashed past the officers, and felt a curious wetness on my paws. Looking down, I saw it was the blood of my friend. I wretched, my stomach tightened, and I felt oddly woozy. A dream, please let this be a dream.
“That… did not go well, Lil' Hare,” Charlie said, gasping for breath.
“The source has been neutralized! Format and re-initiate the core! It was the humans; they have endangered us!” I heard Darnack say through the Link, though he might as well have been a thousand light years away. As his revelation rocketed through the Link I became faintly aware of a growing murmur of shock and fear, as billions of voices were taking in the situation all at once. Somewhere, just out of reach, the opinion formed into one cohesive thought, dark and angry.
“Charlie.” I pressed my paws against him. “You're a mess, but don’t worry, we can get this fixed,” I said, trying to comfort him. “Someone! Get a doctor!” I cried out in the Link. No one was listening.
“It's OK. I don't think I'm coming back from this one, Snow. It's all on you now. It's all on you.” He heaved a heavy sigh and his eyes opened wide. I watched as the light faded from them.
“Reformat of core complete, crisis averted. Reinitialization of main drive systems on command,” flowed through the Link.
“No, Charlie, don’t die. Please don't die, Charlie! I love you!” Unbelievable pain welled up inside of me, blinding all reason. Dimly somewhere, I heard someone screaming and then, a heavy pull. Just let go, I had to let go… had to let it... slip… I crashed into something warm and wet on the deck.
Darnack fell, as did the rest of the Mendian security officers, as I felt the warm embrace of feralism.
It was my last conscious thought.
Fear, panic, the noise, the smell! Big predator! Something was here. Run, flee, have to get away.
I nudged Charlie. The scent of death was in the air. I drummed my hind paw. Alarm! Danger!
Not moving. Why? Go! Go! Shelter!
Up! Up! Danger!
The big snake-thing stirred, beginning to move. I hesitated. I nudged Charlie's hand, drummed the floor again, but still he wouldn't move. Have to run. Have to get away!
I took off into a run, dashing for an
y sign of safety. I sniffed the air. Safe place! This way!
Moving back towards my sleeping space, the predator seized me. I squirmed and then froze in terror. It had me! Funny noises came into my mind. So familiar, so far away. Scared… So scared! Panting and tense, my eyes wide, terror.
“Central Command. Status!” Darnack said.
“Some kind of pulse sent through the Link debilitated us. It appears there was a data overload. Systems are online now.” The strange but familiar noises wouldn't go away. Scared! So scared! My heart beat hammered as I began to hyperventilate.
“Ship status?” Darnack asked.
“Stable. Central Government control has mobilized the fleet. The local pulse temporarily disconnected us from the Link. They are preparing to jump. Your orders have been received and the council stands in agreement. The humans have used this meeting to put our Nest in danger. We will remove them before they can be of further threat.”
“Yes, let them pay for their treachery!” Darnack replied, holding me by the scruff. He regarded me curiously.
A black robed snake entered the room, taking Darnack's attention away from me. I squirmed again attempting to use the distraction! I had to get free! He shook me again, forcing me into a terrified stillness.
“How long I have waited for you Mendians to join House Detraxia in our dishonor!” the Matron said.
“There is no dishonor in our defense, in our survival! How dare you even question me?”
“Oh, isn’t there? Two thousand years ago we made that mistake, and now in your anger, in your fear of another cataclysm, you will bring the same fate upon the humans. Tell me, how does it feel, to have the roles reversed? Long ago, you charged the nest of Detraxia with your warriors to stop us from committing the ultimate sin. I wonder, will you fail again this day?” The Matron was unforgiving in her judgment.
Images unbidden erupted in my mind, of the black robed snake twisted in fear and worry; terrified at the loss of position of their house, of losing their place of honor. Reasons for war, dark and menacing raced past me, though I could not comprehend them. A deeper noise began to emerge from the ether, a billion panicked voices coalesced as one, realizing they were about to commit the same sin.
Recall the Fleet! Recall the fleet!
Darnack's eyes went wide. “Matron, in your dishonor, you still seek to spare my own?” He sighed heavily. “Central Command, signal the defense fleet to stand down. That is an order,” Darnack said, his rage quieting.
“I am sorry, mendia, but long range communications are down. We are still experiencing minor issues with subsystems. Estimated time for full operational status is three hours.”
“Are the encyclonic systems online?” Darnack asked.
“Yes, mendia,” came the reply from the command deck.
“Make an immediate jump for Earth! Emergency protocols in effect. Establish contact with the fleet as soon as we are within range. I will join you soon,” Darnack said.
“As you wish, honored mendia. Transit initiating.”
Chapter 28
The snake thing was content to grip me. I stayed frozen, fearing the inevitable moment when it would eat me. We were in a new location now, the smells strange, full of the predators’ scent.
Mendian ships had surrounded Earth, holding silent vigil. Meeting them were the first and the third fleets.
“Quickly! Contact Rothian, before it is to late!” Darnack said.
“Mendian vessels. This is Admiral Polemos. You have violated our territorial sovereignty and entered a controlled access space. Please, move to the following coordinates.” The tone was curt and professional.
“We are working to establish contact. We are still having difficulty with our transmission systems,” the Mendian engineer reported.
Suddenly the human fleets were adrift in space. The Mendians had used the same tactic on the Danube during first contact. This time, though, it was not for peaceful reasons.
“This is Fleet Commander Rothian, of the Mendian Armada. Your house has acted dishonorably and threatened the survival of our race. Your world will now be eliminated; justice will be done.”
“Sir, transmission systems back online. We have the ability to transmit,” the Mendian engineer reported.
“Open a channel!” Darnack shouted.
“This is Mendia Darnack of House Lethine. Stand down!”
“Of course, honored mendia, it is only fitting that you lead the battle. Again, you serve us honorably.” Rothian said.
“There will be no battle today, Rothian. We must investigate what happened,” Darnack replied.
“This is highly unusual!” Rothian sputtered in disbelief, “The humans have showed themselves to be a threat! We invite them to visit us and they attack the Lethine and put us all in jeopardy? They must answer for this!”
“We do not know what happened,” Darnack cautioned. “Let us not repeat the sins of the past. Return to the Nest.”
“As you wish, honored mendia. We shall serve with honor. Armada, execute orders!” Rothian replied.
With that, the Mendian ships leaped and were gone.
Chapter 29
The snake thing had chosen not to eat me. It was keeping me in a soft place where there was food and water. Very peaceful. It was content to make strange noises in my head.
“Snow. You have to come back,” Darnack said. Somehow the odd sounds echoed within my own skull. It enjoyed making them. It had done this many times lately. I nibbled on something tasty, then lapped at some water.
“Has she made any progress?” the matron asked. This snake thing was strange as well, but it also appeared content to not eat me.
“Sometimes I think she can hear me, but her responses are all instinctual; it is like her higher consciousness has been erased, or deeply submerged. It seems that the loss of Lieutenant Commander Stevens sent her into a deep feral state,” Darnack replied.
“Hmm. If Lieutenant Commander Charles Stevens is the cause of this, perhaps he can bring her out of it,” the matron suggested.
“This is untried with them,” Darnack protested, “We do not know how they would react, how one of her house would respond.”
“That may be true but if we do nothing, she may never return,” the matron replied.
“Indeed. That would not be acceptable,” Darnack agreed. “Very well, I will make the arrangements. First, let us make her comfortable.”
My ears twitched. Noisy snakes, making funny sounds in my head. One of them reached out to me with some thing. Warm, happy, sleepy.
// NEURAL ACTIVITY IN STANDBY MODE //
// ALERT! HIGHER SYSTEMS OFFLINE //
// LINK CONNECTION ESTABLISHED //
// PASSIVE RECORDING MODE ENGAGED //
_____
>For the honor of all Mendians, Awarness Rises... Chronicle of the Mendia<
The Ambassador Snow Dawkins was at rest on the table, though still not quite herself just yet. I left the link center fully extended to her awareness in the hopes of detecting a stirring of her higher consciousness but only her nanites took notice of me, recording the experience, even as she lay unaware. Her bonded one laid lifelessly just beside her, something that would no doubt be quite disturbing for one of her perception if they were fully conscious. Indeed, the loss of his vital fluids was what sent her into this panic. Strange, they were so much closer to their mortality than we were. How long had it been since I had lost a close one?
They were so very strange, but nevertheless, it was up to us to help them see the way forward, and I knew in that instant we had failed again, still I hoped this was the start of a pathway back. I worked furiously, interfacing the former Lieutenant Commander Charlie Stevens with our bio systems, letting our optical data network copy his consciousness. The human neural center proved surprisingly easy to access and his information, while fragmented, was not difficult to reconstruct.
“Your thoughts are reflective and strangely dark,” came the inner voice of the Matron of Detrax
ia.
“There is much to think on. It seems you have learned the lessons we were all meant to know. Disturbing, yet curious, after so many years, we were so content that we had moved on, and then this. One threat to our Nest and we were so ready to commit the same atrocity that marooned our own people in space,” I replied through the Link.
“The lessons never end, Mendia. We should never stop considering them, and learning their angles. You said something very similar in your youth. Remember back to those cycles of long ago, when you gave all of us the will to find our way in the great darkness.”
I gave a satisfied and reflective growl, and it was immensely pleasing. It vibrated my pump cavity and brought me great comfort. It always made me think of my brood matron and her soothing vibrations when I was but a hatchling. In those dark days we found a greater light to shine forward into the dark. We found the Path of the Other and our darkest cycle led to our brightest renaissance.
“You learn quickly, Mendia Darnack,” Came the voice of the matron as I adjusted the algorithm, causing me to quickly recalculate, and suddenly awareness dawned.
“We have become too comfortable, too secure in our place at the council, too willing to sit upon our own victories. We are losing the war within!” I sent my thoughts through the Link and felt a strange and worried murmur begin to thrum amongst the background noises of the ship.
“My people, oh my people, hear the wisdom of the age! The Great Cataclysm was the beginning of the great war within ourselves. We fight now for the very soul of our people and we cannot rest as we have been! We must be willing to go farther than we have ever gone; we must be willing to explore and find new ways. We must be ready to lose it all and to gain nothing but our own wisdom, for that is the path of the enlightened, to seek only the growth of their own kind.” The emotions surged within me, my pump cavity resonated, and I knew I had spoken rightly, and I felt the wisdom of the ancestors pour through me.
I needed to share that we were not so different. They too were fueled by an insatiable desire to know, they worked until they could touch the stars. They were just as we were, yet so very different, and this was our opportunity, to learn from our primitive friends, and perhaps grow ourselves.
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