“Captain, I will challenge you to a rematch one day when I think I’m ready. It means a lot to me. After all, I am a proud Great Huntress,” Valeri pointed at three wavy lines tattooed on her cheek. “In the traditions of my people I cannot be kidnapped, bought or taken by force. I bow to no one: not to chieftains or shamans, wise men or rich ones. I will only ever submit to one person in my life, and I must first deem them worthy. Might that be you, captain?”
As soon as the doors closed behind her, Tini the kitten flew into my room, now back in the game:
“Master, I was not able to carry out your order. The living incarnation of the Great First Female Leng Amiru U-Mayaoo refused to overrule the order of Commander Leng Keetsie-Myau, who is equal to her in authority. She said: ‘My friend Keetsie is somewhere on the station, deal with her yourself.’“
The Miyelonian teen was down in the dumps after failing such an important mission. I walked over to Tini. His hair was standing on end, and his ears were pressed back. In an effort to reassure my ward, I gave him a tender pat on the nape and said:
“Don’t worry. Somehow I knew I’d have to visit this station. Okay then, I guess we’ll have to track down the great commander on this huge station, which is teeming with Miyelonian military. Get the crew together in the lounge. I’ll speak with them and pick out a team to come with me.”
* * *
Airlock fourteen, docking bay 567, just about the very center of the huge disk-shaped station. It took the gravity cranes a whole hour to drag our ship down the two-and-a-half-mile-long corridor. The pace was impossibly slow. Then, in no hurry, the ship was turned and, literally centimeter by centimeter, placed in a tiny hangar which looked to have been intended for starships of a somewhat smaller class. It was such a tight squeeze that I worried my Tolili-Ukh X modular frigate might have its armor panels scratched or its short arrow-shaped wings broken. I even asked the wise Ayukh who would pay for repair if that happened.
But thankfully it was not necessary. Still, when I left the ship to evaluate the parking job, I couldn’t hold back a select word. The sharply pointed nose tip of the frigate was less than half an inch from the rough back wall. And the tips of the stabilizer wings had anywhere from six to eight inches play off the hangar walls. Jeeze, what a pinch...
Nevertheless, I had to admit we were very lucky that the dispatchers of the Kasti-Utsh III station even found a free hangar for our frigate given the huge Miyelonian fleet stationed here. Otherwise we’d have had to spend the five days just sitting in space without the right to turn on our engines or use comms systems. I suspected that the slightly different proportions of Miyelonian ships — narrower and more elongated compared to the more triangular Meleyephatian ones — prevented any of them from fitting into this small hangar, and that was why it was left for us.
I entered the lounge, where all Team Gnat was already waiting, staring at me in anticipation. The whole crew understood the gravity of the situation. We had no reason to hide that the war on Earth was going very poorly for our faction. Imran had just come back from the Dome with alarming news, saying that the Tropics node had been abandoned by its defenders and fallen. The Dark Faction was building on their drive south, acquiring more and more territory. In fact they had forced their way quickly through the swampy forest of the two coastal nodes and already reached the border with the German Human-6 Faction. Although the attack was utterly expectable and even inevitable, neither my faction nor H6 had the forces to repel it or impact the situation in any way.
Still, it wasn’t like the H3 faction was just sitting with its arms folded and waiting for the end to come. We regularly attempted counterattacks, but none had been successful. Once we attempted to launch an offensive from the Capital node toward the Graveyard to test the enemy’s defenses and tie up some of their reserves, but the attack drowned in blood. It was as if they knew in advance. The First Legion fell under dense crossfire and were all sent to simultaneous respawn.
Imran also told us about fierce battles at the juncture of the Centaur Plateau and Rainforest nodes, but from his words I couldn’t understand who attacked who. Imran also told us about the movement and successful deployment of rocket batteries on that section of the front, so most likely we were the aggressors. Furthermore the Dagestani told me that, on the southern front, we had shot down an enemy Sio-Mi-Dori antigrav. And he had some strange news about our new faction head Gerd Ivan Lozovsky. Apparently just after returning from Moscow and entering the game, he transferred leadership to his deputies, got in a Peresvet with a group of trusted First Legion soldiers and went on the Geckho ferry to an unknown location.
Basically, the war was really heating up. My faction was resisting with all its might, but it wasn’t enough at all defensive sectors.
“Captain, I spoke with other team members and here’s what I want to suggest...” Uline Tar stepped forward, drawing my attention. “There’s still time for you, Immmran, Dmmmitry and Eduarrrd to change faction. Go find some fixers here on the Kasti-Utsh III station who provide such services. Sure it’ll cost you, something like five crypto a head, but you have that kind of money. If you don’t, I can loan you some. And in five days, you just leave your virt pods in the real world on a Miyelonian station.”
“Yes captain. Why risk your lives?” Vasha Tushihh supported my business partner.
Seeing dismay on my face, Avan Toi walked forward.
“Don’t be angry captain, it was my idea. No one is talking about deserting, and certainly not treason or betrayal. In five days, when the state of emergency here on Kasti-Utsh III is called off, you can go help your faction at once. You can even go back and see your friends, if your Leng allows it. We’re just suggesting some insurance just in case everything goes wrong.”
Their suggestion to take insurance and temporarily change faction sounded logical in every way. But it was just... somehow wrong or something... Deep down, my heart just wouldn’t let me.
“Friends, it’s nice to know that you care, but I’m afraid I have to say no. And not least of all because a frigate that formally belongs to a Miyelonian faction might not be allowed into exclusive Geckho space. But there’s a bigger issue. After all, I am not merely your captain, I am a famous and high-profile player in my faction. My factionmates are fighting heroically against a strong and intelligent enemy. Yes they are being beaten, but they’re fighting for every rock, every inch of territory. They’re expecting support from space and have placed their hopes in me. So now if, instead of long-awaited help, it leaks that Gerd Gnat and his crew abandoned the faction...” I shook my head in doubt. “No matter how noble the intentions, it will be taken too negatively and be a serious blow to our soldiers’ morale. So I will remain with my faction to the end and am willing to share their fate!”
Authority increased to 52!
Now that I’d answered, I had to get back to the main mission: somehow finding the commander of the Miyelonian fleet on this huge station and getting an audience with her. Leng Keetsie-Myau wasn’t exactly a needle in a haystack, she shouldn’t have been hard to find. Plus just think how easy it would be to find that needle with my Scanning abilities! Here on the Kasti-Utsh III station there were two technical floors, docks and two residential floors. One hundred square miles of corridors and rooms! It’s square mileage was double that of Paris! What was more, there were thousands and thousands of Miyelonian soldiers here now, which was causing problems of its own. Ayni had also given me another warning. Apparently the Miyelonian predilection for dueling, which I first observed on the Medu-Ro IV pirate station, was especially widespread among the military.
So I came to a somewhat paradoxical conclusion: if I wanted to get past the plethora of Miyelonian troops, I shouldn’t take anyone who knew how to fight. I could only take crew members these cantankerous tomcats wouldn’t see as targets, whether because it violated their mores or they’d think it was too easy. For example, I had Ayukh or Avan Toi. Sure, not a bad idea! The old Navigator and sullen Supercargo had bee
n on this station a few times, knew their way around and could give me some advice. What was more, neither Geckho would be of interest to young thrill-seekers looking for glory and trophies from valiant duels with worthy enemies.
How about noncombat characters then? Uline Tar asked to be left out of this. My business partner had found a shipment headed for earth and was engaged in negotiations to deliver it. Gerd Ayni obviously was out, too. Fanatically inclined Miyelonians would kill my Translator for no good reason, just because of a personal dislike. And here on the Kasti-Utsh III station, teeming with quick-tempered warriors, it would be quite a difficult task to keep the Miyelonian lady alive and well. Tini? Sure he was small, and no one would challenge a kitten to a duel. What was more, my ward was somewhat familiar with Commander Leng Keetsie-Myau, which could help.
And well... I ran my gaze over the remaining crew, trying to choose between Orun Va-Mart, Valeri and Minn-O La-Fin. There’s always work for an Engineer on a ship at dock, so let Orun Va-Mart stay. Valeri-Urla? I would have taken the Beastmaster with me but I remembered the recent conversation about Denni and decided to leave her on the frigate so she could have a talk with her companion. So I decided I would bring my “travelling wife.” Minn-O would have to change into a civilian dress though. Otherwise I was afraid the tall and agile cartographer, who looked impressive and fearsome in an armored space suit, would seem like a worthy opponent and get challenged to a duel by surly Miyelonians.
The fact that I myself would make quite the impressive trophy I decided to ignore for now. At the end of the day, if you’re afraid of wolves, stay out of the forest! And if you’re afraid of trouble of any kind, it’s best to just keep your nose out of space in the first place.
Chapter Four. Volatile Analyst
WE MADE IT through control without the slightest delay. All our documents were in order, and the Tolili-Ukh X modular frigate in long-distance raider configuration was already in the galactic ship database and registered to Free Captain Gerd Gnat. My pirate status at level two caused no questions or difficulties, so the Miyelonian sitting at the registration counter wished us a nice stay on Kasti-Utsh III and opened the transparent doors, letting us onto the station. We found ourselves in short hallway. All the walls, ceiling and even floor were plastered with advertisements for all the bizarre services available on the station. There were all kinds of hotels, stores, restaurants and...
Cartography skill increased to level fifty-eight!
Scanning skill increased to level thirty-eight!
There’s what I needed! New locations, new maps being drawn by my skills and use of scanning. Given the abundance of creatures, objects, hallways and rooms, Kasti-Utsh III was a paradise for Cartographers, Scouts and Prospectors. Minn-O looked at me with a satisfied smile and asked if her husband noticed that she just hit level seventy-one. Yes, he did.
A flood of information crashed down on me after running a scan, and I noticed a good deal of it. With my skills where they were, my scanning radius was just one hundred thirty feet, but a sphere of that size could in fact contain quite a lot! I saw a group of pickpockets in a nearby gloomy wall niche, a hidden observation system lining the whole corridor, a little snack shop or cafe a floor up and an Onuri-No V container ship docked on the other side of the nearest wall. Then I noticed a strange figure thirty steps behind us and sneaking our way. It instantly darted behind a corner when Tini turned to look in its direction. The only Listener in the game was nearly drowning in the ocean of data that was Kasti-Utsh III. Doing my best to sniff out the most valuable and important parts, I stopped and gave orders to my companions:
“Tini, go talk with the thieves hiding in that hole,” I pointed the kitten to the darkened niche. “Tell them Gerd Gnat really doesn’t like when he and his companions are robbed. Tell them this captain generally prefers to shoot first and pay off guards rather than to search a whole huge station for the little thief that ran off with his stuff. And you, Minn-O, there’s a Jarg following us back there. Quietly go pull him into the light. He’s level fifty-two, you’ll manage.”
“A Jarg?” Ayukh and Avan Toi shuddered at once. “Careful human, don’t spook him! Jargs can explode in dangerous situations, shooting hundreds of sharp neurotoxin-coated scales and leaving behind a cloud of poison gas. That’s why Jargs are not allowed on most space stations.”
Well, well! This was the first creature I’d ever heard about with such a bizarre ability. So I asked the knowledgeable Geckho to tell me more about the astonishing race. Minn-O also stopped to listen, in no rush to carry out my order. Ayukh was eager to share what he’d heard about Jargs:
“A peaceful race, they were first discovered by the Geckho four hundred tongs ago. In fact, Jargs were the first Geckho vassals in the game that bends reality. Their civilization was not yet at spacefaring level when discovered, and has not reached it to the present day. Jargs have no desire to explore space, although they do possess all the necessary technologies to get there. They have no drive for expansion, instead meticulously landscaping their swampy homeworld to perfection. There has never been a war in Jarg history and, in the game, they have no combat players in the usual sense of Grenadiers, Gunners, Shocktroops and the like. In case of danger, they attack with waves of suicide troops. It’s easy, because all Jargs can explode from the tiniest to the greatest. No one in the galaxy can say for sure how many of them there are. Even us Geckho, their suzerains, do not know. There might be a few million, maybe a billion, or maybe a whole trillion hidden in their endless underwater cities.”
“How?” I couldn’t believe my own ears. “Do the Geckho not even have a basic idea of what takes place on their vassal planets?!”
“The Jargs put up an energy shield over their homeworld, and also actively jam any attempts at scanning. They don’t let foreigners to visit, so it’s hard to say what exactly happens down there. Just one lone Geckho diplomat is allowed to be on the planet, and he is forbidden to leave his underwater embassy.”
“But the Jargs themselves travel throughout the galaxy extensively and work for lots of races both great and not so great,” the Supercargo added to the Navigator’s story. “It’s thought that Jargs bring good luck, so captains are eager to take them on, though they do try to keep them separated from the rest of their crew. Their race is famed for its excellent Strategists, Philosophers, Physicists, Engineers and Drafters. The services of such specialists are expensive, but even Meleyephatians hire Jargs to do those jobs despite their suspicion and lack of trust, and that says a lot.”
Everything in this story was interesting, although it didn’t explain why this particular Jarg was stalking us. I looked at Minn-O as she took out her laser pistol and adjusted the power output. I shook my head skeptically and decided to go with my wayedda. And although I was also armed, Paralyzer in hand, something was telling me we wouldn’t have to do any shooting.
Uii-Oyeye-Argh-Eeyayo. Jarg. Level-52 Analyst.
A very strange creature, I couldn’t easily imagine an analogue. He was sitting in a ventilation niche and staring at us with dozens of cloudy white eyes that lacked pupils. The Jarg came up to my waist and looked something like a frog covered in triangular scales with two pairs of back legs and two pairs of front ones and suckers instead of fingers. But he also could be compared to a pear-shaped upright armadillo with extra appendages and a strange formless head with many eyes. The Analyst wasn’t even slightly afraid of me or Minn-O La-Fin. He came right out to meet us, as if expecting us. But the strange gurgling sound he issued contained zero familiar words.
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Do you speak Miyelonian?”
The creature didn’t answer, so I asked if he know Geckho. More silence. I wanted to call Ayukh over to have him use his fifty or so words of Meleyephatian on the thing, but there was no need. The many-eyed Analyst used his uppermost pair of appendages to get a universal translator out of his inventory, hung it around his neck and burbled out again:
“Good one. Glad to see. You
. And you. Have offer.”
Minn-O and I exchanged glances and both simultaneously holstered our guns. And that was also when I noticed that the security cameras in this section were all broken. That can’t have been a coincidence.
“A deal? What kind of deal?” my companion asked the Jarg, but the alien ignored her and kept sitting and puffing out his cheeks in silence. I had to repeat.
Successful Fame check.
“You to speak. Senior human. One. Cartographer to leave. You I to know. You I not to know.”
It wasn’t exactly easy to parse, but it wasn’t a huge challenge either. This Jarg was suggesting we speak one on one and telling me he had heard of the man named Gnat. But such mistrust would offend my junior wife, and I was already working hard to get Minn-O back to normal after all her recent traumas. So I decided to speak up on Minn-O La-Fin’s behalf:
“She is my wife. I trust her. Speak, what kind of deal do you suggest?”
The Jarg spent a long time in silence. A minute or so, if not longer. Finally, I saw a message about successful Authority check, after which the strange creature told me the essence of its offer:
“I to think. You to search Keetsie. Hard. Not to find. Much area. Secret. I to tell you where. You to take package. Bring Keetsie. I no can to do. Jarg is not to allow. Big-tail warmongers.”
Uhh... As far as I could tell, this Analyst with an utterly unpronounceable name had somehow heard or intuited that I was looking for the celebrated commander of the Miyelonian fleet. The Jarg assured me that without its help, Leng Keetsie-Myau would be impossible to find on the Kasti-Utsh III station because the commander’s location was a big secret and no Miyelonian would help me. But somehow he knew where to find Keetsie, and would tell me if I agreed to take a package to the fleet commander, which he couldn’t deliver because Jargs weren’t allowed on the station. Plus the “big-tail warmongers” were here, by which he must have meant Miyelonian soldiers who could stop the explosive Jarg from reaching their leader.
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