by Aer-ki Jyr
The Grand Admiral just hoped that the ‘soreness’ didn’t escalate to a typical Zak’de’ron temper tantrum. They really didn’t take well to being told no.
3
November 30, 128558
Itaru System (V’kit’no’sat Capitol)
Low Stellar Orbit
The two Star Force Mach’nel entered the system barely 20 seconds apart from one another, having already passed through numerous heavily armed V’kit’no’sat systems to get here, but what Grand Admiral Neofen saw upon arrival rewrote the definition of ‘stronghold.’
The jumplane they’d entered on was clear of obstruction, as was prudent, because you didn’t want stuff nearby that could be rammed by arriving ships, but off the jumpline there were clusters of stations, large and small, spread out like constellations inside the system. As the ship’s sensors began to update the nearby battlemap, entire swaths of dots appeared and began to fill in large tracts of space. There was plenty of maneuvering room in between them. After all this was stellar orbit and not a planetary orbit, but the density of infrastructure here was staggering.
The 16 planets, along with their 183 moons, took a while to register sensor pings, but the passive information filling in ahead of that showed a mass of civilization far beyond any system Star Force possessed. Even Shangri-La wasn’t up to this level of development, though the information in the database said otherwise. Significant changes had been made here in recent years, and the traffic flowing in and out of the low stellar orbit underscored that fact.
The jumplane they were on had been crowded when leaving for Itaru, but there were so many others pouring ships into the system that they dwarfed the numbers going out, and the Rammus didn’t think that was typical, especially with a chunk of the ships entering being warships. Mak’to’ran was calling in reinforcements to an already stacked deck, and he assumed that was to give him as much leverage as possible when the Apprentice arrived.
Linking into the Urrtren they realized that hadn’t happened yet, and Neofenn was relieved they had gotten here in time.
“Guess we didn’t miss the party,” Anders said in a hologram that popped up next to the biped/quadruped before being shrunk down to an appropriate size so the Grand Admiral didn’t have to constantly look up at the Archon.
“Did you know Itaru had risen this far?”
“No, I didn’t,” she admitted. “Mak’to’ran has certainly been redecorating.”
“I’m seeing additional weapon platforms more than anything. Fear of the larger Hadarak arriving here, perhaps?”
“We have our Castle projects. I won’t begrudge them trying to develop something similar…though they clearly don’t have the Ysalamiri for it. And this buildup won’t do much against a Lurker unless it’s stupid enough to stick around after expending its Essence.”
“Perhaps putting up additional targets is a defense mechanism in and of itself.”
“At the cost of a lot of blood, but I agree. Whatever losses occur her, the Hadarak are dying if they press the issue. This is definitely the backdrop you want for a talk with a superior power.”
“And it gave us time to get here,” Neofenn said as his ship received navigational coordinates directing them out to Wendigama on a priority route. He mentally issued the order, and the giant vertical disc-shaped Mach’nel began carefully moving through the traffic to get to that insystem jumpline.
“Glad they’re not shooting us this time. Even in Mach’nel we wouldn’t last very long here.”
“If the Apprentice wants the V’kit’no’sat to not fight the Hadarak directly, perhaps the sight of this system will suggest that Mak’to’ran wields more power than the Apprentice thought.”
“But not Essence power,” Anders said gravely. “The Hadarak don’t fear the V’kit’no’sat, or they would have smashed Itaru long ago. Even with Legion they haven’t come here. But they fear Essence, and now we have a better idea of why.”
“Two nearly instantaneous Hadarak kills rewrite the power structure in the galaxy,” Neofenn underscored. “That may also be why Mak’to’ran wanted to come here.”
“Bruised ego?”
“When you are afraid for your life, your natural instinct is to flee to a place of safety. This is as safe as any place in the galaxy for the V’kit’no’sat.”
“Yeah,” Anders said, cringing. “I don’t like the idea of this guy showing up, but at least I can use Essence. The V’kit’no’sat are impotent. I’m just effectively impotent, but at least I’m familiar with the weaponry. They can’t even scan for it. That has to be morale-breaking.”
“Indeed. I believe that is why he requested you be here. At least you have the eyes to see and knowing counsel to offer.”
“So why did you come?”
“I’ve always wanted to see Itaru,” he said, pausing dramatically. “And whatever happens here with the V’kit’no’sat is going to affect the evacuation efforts. If the Apprentice can convince them to turn and run, a lot of people that we are saving will be left for dead. I don’t have the ships to cover them all. We need the V’kit’no’sat fleet’s help.”
“Yet another reason I hate the Vargemma,” Anders said as she watched the in-depth scans of the closest weapon platforms tally up. Many were Tar’vem’jic, while others were heavily covered in short-range weapons that would be very useful against Hadarak minion swarms. But it was the cargo convoys that truly caught her eye. Normally a system like this was pretty much self-sufficient, and there was far too many imports going on if that were the case.
She sifted through the growing battlemap and followed the traffic flows. They branched off every which way, but after a detailed analysis…which took a couple seconds for the Archon’s Sav-enhanced mind…Anders found where a chunk of the imports were going.
“Look what I found,” she said, highlighting a series of shipyards on the Rim of the system.
“Are those Ysalamiri?
“They look like it, but as far as I knew the V’kit’no’sat don’t have ranged Ysalamiri technology…and I think that is still the case. Look at their parking lot.”
Neofenn saw them. Hundreds of the massive ships not far from the huge shipyards, all sitting dead in space within a protective cradle supplying shields and perimeter defenses. That meant they were not crewed or powered, only in storage, though from the exterior they appeared intact.
“He’s building as much as he can, hoping that we will give them the rest later,” the Grand Admiral deduced.
“I think you’re right. Or maybe he has a team working on it independently of us. Either way, he doesn’t want to waste time when he gets it. I’m actually impressed.”
“At that and nothing else?”
“I’m impressed at the strategy, not the equipment. He wants to be able to kill Lurkers, and he knows they’re vulnerable to them until they can. They need us for that, and we’re currently pre-occupied. So he’s saving time by getting the heavy construction out of the way now.”
Neofenn twitched. “The V’kit’no’sat just sent out a system-wide alert,” he said as the traffic patterns immediately began to alter, with the majority of the civilian ships either heading to planets or surging towards stellar orbit.
“The Apprentice is three jumps away,” Anders noted, getting the same information packet from the Urrtren. “Estimated 8 days to arrival. We barely made it in time.”
“They should have known his location earlier than this.”
“Must have pretty good stealth systems. He’s probably letting them know he’s coming early by shutting them off, just to be polite.”
“If that’s so, it’s a failure of their detection grid. That will not help their ego.”
“And it demonstrates yet again how inferior they are, thus increasing the credibility of the Apprentice and his claims that the war cannot be won by the V’kit’no’sat’s power. I get the feeling we’re dealing with an experienced diplomat.”
“One that adds races to the Vargemma?”
“Possibly, depending on how old he is. Or maybe he was taught the methods of those that did. I don’t think we can assume too many Zak’de’ron tendencies here. This might be a Zen’zat to Ter’net comparison.”
“Let us hope not, intellectually speaking.”
“Why do you say that?” Anders asked.
“An enemy you can understand is bad enough, but one you cannot predict because you are not on their intellectual level is a far more dangerous foe. And if this is the spawn of the Founders, we know they are not to be trusted.”
“If it’s alright with you, I’m going to find Mak’to’ran and hang out with him, do some Essence education directly. I’ll be back onboard before Super Puff arrives.”
“As you wish. Make sure you are not caught beneath their planetary shields. I want that Materia in play when he arrives…”
“How far?”
“There isn’t a set limit,” Anders said, having to look up at a steep angle to see Mak’to’ran’s tattooed face, “but the further you reach the more power it costs you. That’s why Essence is primarily a short range weapon unless you are enhancing something else.”
“Your Materia weapons?”
“Not just that. It also upgrades my psionics. My enhanced Lachka is far stronger than my using Essence alone to do the same task.”
“Will pure Essence be blocked by Rentar?”
“No. Nothing we have discovered will affect Essence except Essence.”
“So you could kill me right now and I would be defenseless against your attack?” Mak’to’ran asked bluntly.
Anders glanced around the large chamber where she and many others stood, but all were either Era’tran or Zen’zat.
“I could kill more than just you. I could take down everyone except them,” she said, pointing to the far side. “I’m not sure if I could get enough grip that far away unless I used my Lachka, but in theory I can stretch as far as I have the power, though it’s not worth it because it would drain me heavily even if I could reach.”
“How would you kill us?”
“Brain death is the easiest. Even if your Kich’a’kat repairs you, you’re neutralized. If I had the Vargemma’s skills and enough power, I could disintegrate you, leaving nothing to repair. Other ways are sending out a small, low power Essence technique that attacks your heart and causes it to stop. That’s the more economical way of killing large numbers of people. I don’t have that skill. I’d have to directly reach inside and scramble each of you.”
One of the other Era’tran huffed in a displeased fashion, but the look in Mak’to’ran’s eyes harbored no anger, only cold calculation.
“What range is safe from the Zak’de’ron?”
“Killing a Hadarak would require more scrambling, so assume a longer range than was used to reach the center of the Tier 2 it killed.”
“Tar’vem’jic range?”
“I would not feel safe any closer, but I cannot guarantee even a Mach’nel at extreme range would be free of limited contact.”
“Do you estimate the Zak’de’ron has more range than a Lurker?”
“We’ve never seen a Lurker engage a Hadarak, or Uriti, but we think a Lurker can’t scan well at distance. If it could it would have killed our people prodding it from range. Instead it attacked the ships’ exterior or center of mass. Had we used Essence we would have lit up like a beacon, but not using it we are dark to that sense. Whatever Pefbar-like navigation it uses, I think the Lurker’s range is more limited than its weapons.”
“Can it not enhance that ability like your own psionics?”
“If it can, it either did and was still short, or it can’t.”
“Can you use Essence to override Ikrid blocks?”
“When I enhance Ikrid, no. When I use Essence to directly reach a mind, I can’t interface with it. Either that’s my limited skill or Essence can’t be used to accomplish that directly. What we know of the Vargemma, they cannot either unless they have a base telepathy skill to enhance.”
“So mechanical blocks should be effective against both the Lurkers and the Zak’de’ron?”
“I don’t think the Lurkers will let us live long enough to interrogate anyone, but I’d say the brain boxes are a legitimate counter to even Essence enhanced telepathy. Whoever you have within range of him should wear such devices, or only use Zen’zat.”
“What do you know about this strategy he proposes?”
“We know the Vargemma are told to wait, train, and grow stronger until one of the Founders returns when they hit a prerequisite level. They are told any attack against the Hadarak prior to that is suicide. I would guess he either wants to take the V’kit’no’sat into the Temples and trigger some of you to make the breakthrough to Essence abilities, or he wishes to preserve you in some part of the galaxy due to your technology so you can be helpful when the Founders eventually wish to try and take this galaxy from the Hadarak.”
All the Era’tran in the room twitched when she said that, including Mak’to’ran.
“They can give a person Essence abilities?”
“From what I’ve been told, and I haven’t been there to see for myself, the Temples have facilities designed to do just that, though they are rarely used and we have no access to them due to our limited skill level. It seems only another Essence user can upgrade a ‘mundane,’ and the process is frowned upon. Individual improvement is the preferred method, for the genetics of an individual, when passed on to the next generation, include Essence sensitivity. Offspring of Essence users are more likely to make the jump to Essence connectivity than others. So if you upgrade someone who doesn’t have the genetics, their offspring will most likely not be able to make the transition. To the Vargemma this makes them mostly useless.”
“So why have the equipment to do so?”
“Perhaps for the Founders to use. Perhaps for isolated cases where an individual proves themselves worthy by other forms of merit. I really don’t know. Much is hidden in the Temples until you reach the necessary skill level to unlock them, and even the Vargemma have not unlocked everything…possibly not even most of it.”
“Could this Zak’de’ron be part of the Vargemma?”
“No Vargemma that we have discovered are anywhere close to his body size. No other Zak’de’ron have been discovered. And if he is speaking the truth, he has been hiding in the Deep Core and monitoring the Hadarak. The Vargemma have been ordered to remain in the Temples save for special operations which they feel are distasteful. They do not like leaving the Temples unless absolutely necessary. It is a form of punishment as far as their societies are concerned.”
“They detest the other races in the galaxy?”
“They detest seeing stars,” Anders said sarcastically. “The Temples are grand constructs, and they have been told they are the pinnacle. They do not want to deal with anything lesser in the galaxy.”
“Yet they are waging a war against you to stop you from attacking the Hadarak.”
“Apparently they feel that is necessary.”
“And now we have a Zak’de’ron coming to tell us the same.”
“At least he’s talking. The Vargemma attacked us then issued their demands.”
“Is there a way to measure how much Essence an individual has in reserve?”
“Not precisely. With some reference points you can guestimate the familiar. New arrivals you cannot. When an individual draws low, it can be seen. How much they have left is paired to their maximum rating. The Zak’de’ron could be near to death and still have more Essence than me at my max.”
“Is there a buildup before a strike, or can they release their Essence reflexively?”
“Depends on the attack. The larger ones require a charging phase called a ‘Sha’mesh.’ It’s similar to an aura around them that fills up prior to release.”
“Can you see this occur?”
“Only those with Essence skills can see it.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“The larger the Sha’mesh, the larger the range.”
“I will give your ship a special access channel to the Urrtren. If you see one of these Sha’mesh forming, it will allow you to trigger a warning. I want to know the moment the Zak’de’ron intends to do anything.”
“Smaller actions will not be so vivid. I would have to be very close to see them. But I can alert you to the largest ones a few seconds before they are launched, assuming the Zak’de’ron behaves like an Olopar.”
“I cannot believe the Vargemma would use them against you and not the Hadarak. Such a waste of superior weaponry. I hope they fall quickly to your forces. They do not deserve the privileges given them. Can you use the Olopar?”
“We’re working on it, but right now we prefer to craft our own equipment. We don’t want software installed that will allow others to take control of them. If we brought one here, it’s possible he would be able to assert control over it.”
“Still, I would be interested in seeing you field test one against the Hadarak.”
“So would I, but we’re busy at the moment.”
“Rightly so. Still, the larger war presses on and the other Zak’de’ron are lessening their resistance.”
Ander’s chin rose up slightly. “Oh?”
“They are choosing certain regions to defend and allowing others to fall without contest. They are not protecting the galaxy as much as protecting their own assets.”
“They have less offensive capability than we do. What do you expect of them?”
“The superiority they always claimed they had.”
“Well said,” Anders admitted. “I kind of thought we’d outgrown them.”
“Never assume that. Their secrets have secrets, and now we have one of them claiming to be a rogue coming to us with powers far beyond even yours and the Vargemma’s.”
