The agitator would also see to it that the colonization projects on Mars and on the Moon were adversely affected … by force, if necessary! He had received a clear directive toward one goal – return Humanity back to the stone ages! If a civil war was what it took to destroy the current government, then so be it.
The agitator grinned diabolically, aware of his powers – the powers lent to him by Morgotradon. He would not hesitate to use them as necessary.
The Myzel
Trade Guild
»I still don’t understand why you didn’t show us this before, Scorge,« Arkroid said in wonder, but not without a touch of scorn.
Lai Pi looked around, open mouthed, at the towering, exotic mushroom heads spanning over the entire refuge.
»Awesome,« Pi added to Arkroid’s remark, »it’s like Alice in Wonderland!«
Vasina wore a bored expression as she inspected Scorge’s private abode. She didn’t seem to understand Arkroid’s and Pi’s excitement.
»I have invited you here to extend my personal thanks to you. Take it as a generous gesture. We Shwakans usually never allow outsiders into our refuge,« Scorge announced through his small translation device.
These translation devices are a godsend! Arkroid thought.
»Without your help and your swift actions, the Yax K’uk’Mo’ would now be in an enemy’s hands,« Scorge continued, sounding depressed. »This wasn’t the first pirate attack. It worries me that they now possess such improved cloaking or camouflage technology. I hope we have a chance to buy some better scanners on Coip-Pertyl.«
Arkroid only half-listened to Scorge’s thank you speech. His attention had been diverted by a large, fist-sized piece of pollen that had dislodged from the underside of one of the mushroom heads and was slowly falling to the ground. Before it hit the ground, however, Scorge caught it up skillfully with one of his tentacles. The pollen droplet disappeared seconds later into one of Scorge’s skinfolds with a mushy sound.
»Enjoy!« Lai Pi whispered, amused.
Arkroid briefly cleared his throat.
»A thank you speech isn’t necessary, Scorge. Friends help each other! Right, Vasina?«
Vasina drilled her eyes into Arkroid’s.
»Rexas!« she hissed angrily. »That this galactic shit still exists is shocking to me!«
Arkroid grimaced. He didn’t like hearing intelligent beings talked about like that. He could understand Vasina’s reaction, though: the Rexas had deported some of her peoples to far away planets a long time ago. He still wished that Vasina would work at keeping her emotions under better control.
»Whatever!« Arkroid responded. »We’re all sitting in the same boat, literally, and should be happy to have repelled the attack. Still … the connection with the pirates is strange. Despite the vastness of space, they found us. I have to suspect that they had the Yax K’uk’Mo’ on their to-do list.«
»We can’t rule out meeting them again in the future,« Scorge put in. »Next time, we’ll be a lot better prepared. Those pirates have a reputation for learning fast.«
Arkroid rubbed his chin.
»You really think that small bunch of Rexas forwarded a message about us?«
»Certainly!« Vasina answered before Scorge could speak. »It was only a small ship, a scout, so-to-speak! It is quite possible that a Rexa fleet has already reached the Epsilon Indi system. We should never have let them escape!«
»They won’t find us there at least!« Scorge chuckled. »My flying junk trader is faster and, as usual, a step ahead.«
Scorge gargled in amusement.
»What happens to the Techno-Clerics and their home-world?« Pi inquired quietly. »Didn’t we endanger our friends, even if by accident? We should send them a warning.«
Arkroid shook his head.
»Techno-Center is safe. It’s probably already removed from the Einstein continuum. As long as the Dimensional Swing is functioning, they’ll be safe. The Rexas will find a dead planetoid drifting in space instead.«
»May they choke on the planetoid’s dust!« Vasina threw in.
Arkroid resigned himself to Vasina’s emotional outbreak. He couldn’t change her; he’d just have to ignore those in the future.
»Are you absolutely sure they can’t track the Yax K’uk’Mo’?« Arkroid asked Scorge seriously.
»They don’t know our current course vector or our destination. They won’t bother us for a while. As long as we keep a low profile, they’ll have a hell of a time finding us.«
Suddenly, the lighting inside the refuge took on to a reddish hue, and the humid atmosphere filled with even more steam. Hidden illumination elements activated near the command seat where Scorge was sitting.
Arkroid looked briefly to the ceiling. As soon as the light went off again, the gigantic mushrooms began to suck in the steam.
»Fascinating!« commented Pi.
»We’ll reach the trade world in a couple of hours. It’s a good place to disappear for some time. I hope our stop will be good for business too, and that we’ll get some information. The Trade Guild markets will certainly be an interesting place for you to visit,« Scorge remarked.
»Trade Guild? Uh, I remember, you mentioned it on your first visit to Earth. As I recall, you had a rather negative opinion,« Arkroid remembered.
»Nothing changed in that regard,« Scorge replied with a surly undertone. »They think they can regulate free trade. We Shwakans won’t stand for that!«
Lai Pi faintly shook his head and Arkroid understood immediately. It seemed he had touched a very sensitive subject and opened a can of worms.
»Fortunately, the markets on Coip-Pertyl are not under full control of the Guild. They belong to the Myzellans – the aboriginal intelligences of that world.«
»That’s really interesting,« said Arkroid, trying to twist the discussion away from sensitive subjects. »Who are the Myzellans? What do they look like? How friendly are they?«
Scorge seemed to be in a grouchy mood and didn’t reveal much.
»They’re not like you Humans, that’s for sure. As for friendliness, well, that’s always good for business and trade, isn’t it?« he replied with a gargle. »Don’t worry, you’ll find out for yourselves, you can’t avoid them.«
»Who says we want to avoid them. Are there any special landing procedures? Something like duty or customs?« Lai Pi asked.
»Customs … duty?« Scorge all but screeched in horror, as if he associated these words with space demons. »Coip-Pertyl is a free trade zone and always will be … remember that!«
»Okay, okay,« Arkroid grimaced. »We still have a lot to learn about galactic trade. At least tell us what kind of planet we’re dealing with and where it’s located.«
»What makes you think that Coip-Pertyl is a planet?« Scorge asked surprised.
Arkroid and Pi just shrugged and looked at each other.
»Haven’t we been talking all this time about a trade world?« Arkroid remarked, not following.
»Why are you Humans always so narrow-minded?« Scorge snipped. »Coip-Pertyl is a satellite, a large moon!« he revealed finally.
Arkroid and Pi exchanged looks again.
»I’ll transfer the maps to the ship’s computer. You can look at them in your cabins and inform yourselves about Coip-Pertyl. Please leave now, I need to concentrate on the approach, and attend my garden before we land. My plants need the touch of my caring tentacles.«
Arkroid nodded at Lai Pi and Vasina. Moments later they left the refuge. Scorge seemed to want to be left alone.
Tears
They returned to their climate controlled cabin where Arkroid took the lead.
»You persuaded Scorge to fly to the Atlon system? You made him promises that you can’t fulfill!« he accused Vasina. »Why didn’t you consult us about the change of plans? We agreed to openness.«
Vasina didn’t seem surprised at Arkroid’s manner.
»I knew he would tell you when the Techno-Ferry returned,« she replied coolly. »Yes, I a
sked him to fly to my home system. I need to know what happened to my people. Is there something wrong with that?«
Arkroid indicated for Lai Pi to leave the cabin. Pi nodded and voluntarily subjected himself to the humid ship’s climate outside the airlock. He understood that Arkroid needed to talk to Vasina alone.
»What are you hoping to find?« Arkroid asked in a hard voice. »A million years is a damn long time. You really think you’ll find any survivors? Even if there were Progonauts left on Atlantika, you wouldn’t recognize them after all these years. You’re asking Scorge to take incalculable risks. The space mines around Atlantika? If Scorge flies into those … then we’re history! Do you really want to take that responsibility?«
»Of course I’m aware of that. I activated the Achmedorian Key! It was like yesterday for me. I’m fully aware of the barrier and how dangerous it is. The enemy can’t get to the home-world thanks to its mine fields and belts. The survivors on the planet retreated to Atlantika’s underground caverns. Even though we never really expected an attack on our home-world, we were prepared for even that unlikely event. There was ample food and space for each and every Progonaut on the planet to survive even the worst scenario.«
Vasina’s voice had softened with her last words.
»There were still Rexa ships on my home-world after the anti-matter mines were deployed. They couldn’t start. Any of them who dared to start their ships were doomed. The remaining Rexas on Atlantika would certainly have been hunted down and killed. My people may have lost a galactic war, but they were not defenseless! More than four billion Progonauts lived on Atlantika, ten million in the capital alone! There must be descendants!«
Arkroid slowly shook his head.
»Vasina, you’re just being stubborn. That’s all wishful thinking. Be realistic: Scorge can probably reach your system without problems, but he could never penetrate the mine belts.«
»Maybe not … but the Techno-Ferry can!« Vasina countered.
Arkroid was speechless for a moment. Then he saw Vasina’s train of thought.
»The Techno-Ferry is a far advanced vehicle, but it can’t work wonders. I don’t want to fly it into the mine belts. That would be suicide. Since the ship is technically mine, I will not permit it. It’s likely that the ship would reject the idea anyway.«
Vasina looked dejectedly to the floor.
»I knew you wouldn’t understand. You’re Human! It’s not your world or your people we’re talking about.«
Arkroid wiped his right hand over his forehead. He was sweating despite the cabin’s adjusted temperature. He didn’t really want to be having this conversation.
»Think of the possibilities!« Vasina regrouped. »If my people still exist then they are ready for a day of reckoning. The Progonauts on Atlantika are just waiting to be freed. They will acknowledge me as their queen and help solve Humanity’s problems at the same time. Our peoples are very alike, probably related. Together we can fight the unknown enemy and free the galaxy from their evil.«
Arkroid massaged his temples. He found it less easy that he’d thought to reject Vasina’s request.
»We’ll see what the future brings,« he answered diplomatically. »But you need to throw this nonsense idea overboard that the Progonauts are just waiting for you. If we ever get to your home-system, I don’t want you breaking down under the load of realities you might find. It may be a rude awakening for you, Vasina!«
Vasina looked at Arkroid with glaring eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks …
At least she cries like us! he thought in surprise.
Let’s wait and see
Arkroid asked Pi to join them again. He had been waiting outside the cabin at a corridor intersection. Vasina was still moody as Arkroid explained to Pi what they had been talking about.
»Well then, let’s see what the computer has to say about the trade world,« Pi took the initiative, when he returned to the cabin and sat down and brought up the computer interface.
A holographic display with grid-lines and star positions appeared in the cabin.
Lai Pi was, however, not able to read the coordinate system and reference pointers.
»What’s the base reference or the origin of this coordinate system?« Pi asked, perplexed and loudly into the room.
»The coordinate system relates directly to the nearest pulsar,« the computer answered, »whereas the most significant 10 neutron stars are referenced from Gamma Draconis, the Shwakans’ home-world, in direct correlation. This way the Shwakans can determine any position according to their algorithms.«
Lai Pi frowned.
»That’s not helping us. The displayed map is useless to me. Can you see anything like a known reference point?« he asked Arkroid.
Arkroid was confused himself and couldn’t help Pi.
»Change display!« Vasina commanded suddenly. »Adjust the reference point to Earth, plot and correlate our destination point on the display: execute!«
Lai Pi looked speechlessly at Vasina, who smiled briefly.
»It’s about time you learned to use of this technology correctly!« she commented in a mocking voice.
The unknown star display whirled around for a moment and reformed. The new projection stretched bell-like across the display sector. Then constellations appeared that Arkroid and Lai Pi could identify easily. One of the stars on the display was very bright and tagged with a Shwakan symbol.
»See this marker beside the bright star?«
Lai Pi reached into the holo display and pointed with his right index finger at the star.
»This sun belongs to the constellation Eridani,« he explained. »If I’m not mistaken then the system is Omicron 2 Eridani – also called Keid!«
»The Keid system?« Arkroid asked surprised. »That’s relatively close to our sun system, right?«
»16.5 lightyears according to Human distances,« the computer interrupted.
»Is it possible to magnify that solar system?« Pi asked interested.
Seconds later the holo display jumped at them, leaving the desired system in its display center while the objects became bigger and bigger.
That’s how it must look like when flying toward a distant star much faster than light! Arkroid thought in awe.
The holo halted when an orange colored star almost filled the display, circled by a dual star system. The dual star system was made up of a red and white dwarf, which circled each other in an eccentric orbit, which in turn defined their orbit around the orange sun.
»A multi-star system!« Arkroid shouted, surprised.
»Right!« Pi replied. »We’re looking at three stellar objects known to astronomers for quite some time. That’s all we know though. So far, we’ve never been able to determine if these systems have planets.«
Pi inspected the holo display in fascination. It proved that the Shwakans had explored and mapped large areas of the Milky Way Galaxy. The details could otherwise not be so well rendered.
»Well, we know now that one planet exists there – the one orbited by Coip-Pertyl!«
»Do you know this system in the past?« Arkroid asked Vasina.
The Progonaut queen shook her head, a gesture she had copied from Arkroid and Pi.
»No, but we visited many solar systems and explored them. It is possible that our scouts had been there, but it was probably not a very important system at the time.«
»That means that the guild didn’t exist in your time, Vasina,« Pi threw in.
»I would have known about the guild. No, that organization is relatively new in the galaxy.« Vasina looked at Pi. »Would you like to know what I’m thinking?«
»The Dark Brotherhood?« replied Pi.
»Uh … I don’t know … not necessarily,« Arkroid cautioned. »Even though the Dark Brotherhood still seems to be running things, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have had their fingers in everything that happened over the last million years.«
»I’d still be cautious!« Vasina warned. »The Myzellans and the trade world
may be free of suppression, but that doesn’t mean that the Dark Brotherhood isn’t pulling strings in the background, unknown to the traders. I don’t think they would have ignored the trade world and all its potential.
»Let’s wait and see. I’m curious to see what’s waiting for us, and how the Myzellans are going to welcome us,« Arkroid closed the discussion.
Atlantis
Scorge allowed his visitors to observe the approach to Coip-Pertyl via holo link to the command console in his refuge. Vasina, Toiber Arkroid and Lai Pi went to the Yax K’uk’Mo’s panorama galleria to witness events. The term panorama galleria had been coined by Lai Pi, but it was a bit misleading. There was no panorama window into space in this ship section at all – it was a realistic illusion, broadcast from the command seat. A specially designed display, stretching along the wall of the semi-spherical room, gave the impression that they were standing inside a gigantic glass sphere with a breathtaking omnidirectional view.
»We’re just passing the dual stars Keid B and Keid C. I will use your terminology for clarity. Yax K’uk’Mo’s course will lead us directly above the gravity center of both dwarves. They are orbiting the orange colored central star. Their gravity center is located about 418 astronomical units from Keid A.«
»A red and a white dwarf?« Pi didn't believe his eyes.
»What’s so strange about that?« Arkroid asked, catching the doubt in Pi’s voice.
»Besides the fact that we are the first Humans to ever see these two suns,« Pi grinned at Arkroid, »the white dwarf is a very interesting stellar object. It has reached the end of a long evolution that includes having transformed from a Nova a couple of million years ago. If I’m right, the event must have been devastating to this whole solar system. We should still find traces of that star explosion in the system.«
NEBULAR Collection 2 - The Expedition: NEBULAR Episodes 6 - 11 Page 33
