Exiles (The Progenitor Trilogy, Book One)

by Dan Worth

  ‘Your damn right there,’ said Steven, darkly.

  ‘As for what happens to worlds within the K’Soth Empire, I hardly need remind you of what our kind are capable of. Furthermore, is there not the danger that this peaceful world could end up in the crossfire of any dispute between our species? Light forbid it should ever happen, naturally, but it has been commented upon that the railway building programme was only allowed due to the possible military applications that it could be used for.’

  ‘Yes I must regrettably agree,’ said Croft, his face downcast. ‘Though I try to do my best for this place and I’ve become rather attached to these chaps over the years,’ he said gesturing at the Dendratha seated around the other end of the table.

  ‘Might I add that we are grateful for all the Commonwealth has done for us,’ said Councillor Kithtin. ‘However my fellow ministers have expressed concern about current developments, such as we hear of them. We should hate to become a pawn in the games of others, however noble their intentions.’

  ‘Councillor, you neutrality is guaranteed by treaty,’ said Brightclaw. ‘I assure you I will do everything to ensure it is upheld.’

  ‘We don’t doubt your good intentions,’ said another, a female councillor from the Foreign Ministry. ‘But we are less sure about those of your superiors, on either side,’ she said, emphasising the point by jabbing the air angrily with her eating utensil.

  ‘Please, Councillor Meelik, let’s not argue,’ said Croft, trying to placate her. ‘This gathering was meant as a gesture of friendship between all our peoples.’

  ‘I apologise if my outburst was inappropriate, though my point still stands.’

  ‘That’s quite alright my dear, and it is a valid point,’ said Croft and turned back to Brightclaw. ‘Coming back to our discussion: I’d just like to add that I regard the Arkari as a model we should strive to emulate. After all, several species live within their borders and none are exploited, indeed many seem to have benefited from the Arkari presence. Isn’t that so Professor?’

  ‘Well yes, I suppose so,’ said Rekkid. ‘But we aren’t really an Empire, all species within our sphere joined of their own free will. Also, we exist in an area that was relatively free of other races. We had plenty of room to expand without impinging on others too much’

  ‘Yes, funny that. Why do you think there are so few compared to say, the Commonwealth or the K’Soth?’

  ‘I ah… I really don’t know,’ said Rekkid. Katherine noted the uneasy look on his face. ‘I’m not really the one to ask I guess. You’d be better off with a biologist or someone who studies planetary formation. A pity that the survey ship isn’t here yet, I bet you could ask someone on their crew,’ he added hurriedly.

  ‘Something wrong Professor?’ said Croft, who had registered Rekkid’s odd expression, ‘You seem a little out of sorts.’

  ‘Oh no, I’m fine really. Um, could you tell me where the bathroom is down here?’

  Croft pointed and Rekkid left hastily.

  ‘Strange fellow,’ said Croft and smoothed his gaudy robes. ‘Now, everyone ready for dessert?’

  It was some time since they had finished the meal and most of the guests had retired to the residence’s gardens. Katherine stood on the veranda clutching a glass of wine, looking out over the bay. Despite her body clock telling her that it should be late evening the sunlight was unrelentingly harsh. The gardens were filled with the heady scents of the plant life within them and the smell of the sea blew on the light breeze from the bay.

  ‘Hello Doctor, did you enjoy your meal?’ came a voice from shoulder height. It was the elderly priest, Ekrino. He had appeared on the veranda behind her and was speaking via a translator brooch of Commonwealth make he had attached to his robe. He rippled across the flag stones towards her.

  ‘Yes. Thank you,’ said Katherine and took his proffered hand and shook it. The skin was dry and leathery.

  ‘I did also. It was most unusual. The dishes were not our usual fare you understand. I gather Ambassador Croft instructed his cooks to attempt human dishes using local ingredients. You seemed a little uneasy sitting opposite the K’Soth.’

  ‘Yes, well it’s a little odd having dinner with two creatures that you’ve been raised to believe are the root of all evil. Some things are just too ingrained to ignore straight away.’

  ‘Indeed, though it is unfortunate. As a servant of the Gods I have learned the art of forgiveness, even though on occasion it is difficult.’ He paused for a moment and scratched his head gills. ‘Actually my child, I wanted to talk with you about the dig at Marantis.’

  ‘Of course, I’d love to hear a little more about the site.’

  ‘Well let me see... the temple itself was constructed over ten thousand of your years ago. It lies directly over the site of the cave of Maran, so it is said in the scriptures. When he returns to us as predicted by the prophet, he shall arrive in the temple itself. In the mean-time we pray for his well-being so that he may save us from the evil ones at the end of time.’

  ‘Armageddon?’

  Ekrino looked puzzled as his translator failed to adequately convert the word. Katherine explained its meaning.

  ‘Something like that, yes. Maran guards us from the demons that lie at the very heart of the world, but he must fight them for possession of our souls at the very end,’ he continued. ‘Anyway, after the temple was constructed those who died in its construction were buried in the grounds, as were the first twelve High Priests. Unfortunately the site of the burials was lost for many years until we only recently re-discovered them during the construction of a water main. We were attempting to install some plumbing into the chambers below the cathedral when the grave of one of the workers was uncovered. As a result, the Theocratic Council of Marantis have therefore taken the decision to excavate the site, locate the tombs of the High Priests also, and move the bodies to a shrine within the temple where they will be undisturbed for evermore. We would also like to find out a little bit more about them. The history of our religion is very important to us.’

  ‘Professor Cor and I will do our utmost to ensure that the dig is carried out in a proper manner, and with suitable respect.’

  ‘Good, good. There’s also a few other things we’d like you to look at.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Yes, the region is prone to earth tremors. Something we used to attribute to Maran’s displeasure but I gather it’s to do with, oh what’s the term, tidal stresses?’

  Katherine nodded. ‘Well there was a tremor a few weeks ago which shattered a decorative frieze. A terrible loss you understand, but it revealed a wall behind it covered in writing which we can’t read, so I expect it must be very old. We do have some documents in our collection whose text corresponds to the inscription, but I’m afraid we have no-one amongst us who can decipher them now. I gather Professor Cor is the expert in this type of thing so perhaps you two could have a look at it?’

  ‘Of course. Do you think it might be another tomb perhaps?’

  ‘Well, the thought had occurred to us, yes. I don’t suppose you’ve seen Professor Cor have you? I’d like to discuss it with him too.’

  ‘I think he’s inside talking to Croft. When I left them the Ambassador seemed to be trying to get him to let him have a ride in his Esacir ship.’

  ‘I’ll go and have a look. It was a pleasure to talk to you my dear.’

  ‘You too, your Grace.’

  The hunched, robed figure turned and undulated quietly back inside the house. Katherine wondered if he was over estimating Rekkid’s abilities. Reading inscriptions in dead languages that he had no prior knowledge of or means of reference would be a difficult task indeed for him, perhaps an impossible one. Katherine wondered just how much assistance he could offer.

  She looked at her watch. According to Mean Time it was getting late and she’d be facing another lengthy journey the following day. She drank the remains of her wine and went back inside the house to get some sleep.

  C
hapter 7

  Rekkid was awoken by the frantic beeping noise coming from his computer. He swore, then rubbed his eyes before reaching for the slim device twittering in the depths of his satchel. He eventually managed to reach it with his blindly groping hands, placed it on the hardwood bed-side table and unfolded its rigid, paper thin leaves. Save for a thin piercing shaft of light that stabbed between the thick curtains, the screen was the only source of light in the room.

  Rekkid peered at the screen; Quickchild’s facsimile was trying to call him. He struck a key to accept the call.

  ‘Rekkid?’

  ‘Yes, this had better be important. Do you know what time it is?’

  ‘Yes. My apologies, I thought I prudent to call you at this hour since the other off-worlders will also be asleep. I must speak with you directly, alone.’

  ‘What about?’

  ‘Come to the spaceport. I cannot risk the possibility of this transmission being compromised. Your machine is not secure.’

  Rekkid sighed deeply; he couldn’t believe he was obeying the whim of a computer program.

  ‘Alright, alright. I’ll be there as quickly as possible,’ he replied wearily, ended the call and shut down the device.

  Rekkid dressed then padded downstairs. The house was free of humans, though the Dendratha staff were still around. Rekkid wondered when they slept, if at all. He approached one and politely cleared his throat.

  ‘Ah, excuse me?’ he said. The Dendratha stopped polishing the banister she was working on and looked at him. ‘I was just wondering: could I perhaps borrow a vehicle? I’d like to get to the spaceport. I’ve just remembered that I left some of my notes on my ship you see.’

  She looked at him blankly. Rekkid realised he hadn’t activated his translator. He dug it out of his pocket, attached it to his tunic and repeated his request.

  ‘Go down into the basement,’ came the reply. ‘There are several vehicles down there. You can use one of them. Just make sure that you bring it back.’

  ‘Okay, thanks,’ said Rekkid and left her to her house work.

  He followed the main staircase down into the basement garage, situated below the kitchen. The concrete cavern was brightly lit and contained several small buggies identical to the one Katherine had arrived on from the spaceport. A shallow ramp led up to the side of the house.

  Rekkid inspected one of the vehicles. It seemed simple enough to drive: push button starter, one pedal to accelerate, one to brake and a rubberised steering wheel.

  He sat cautiously in the driver’s seat and pushed the ignition. The buggy hummed into life. Rekkid gave the accelerator a tentative push and to his relief the buggy began to move smoothly forward. He steered it towards the exit ramp and out into the sunshine. The automatic gearing shifted down of its own volition as the little car climbed the shallow incline. Once outside he turned towards the gate, balloon tyres crunching on the gravel drive until he reached the road, where he headed for town.

  Erais was much quieter now. Though there were still a number of people around, there was not the hustle and bustle they had encountered earlier and the roads were largely empty of traffic. Despite this, Rekkid drove slowly as he desperately tried to remember the route back to the spaceport.

  After a while he realised that he was lost. The street of crowded houses strung with lines of washing and creepers that he found himself in was unfamiliar and he had to ask for directions. This was not without its problems. There was hardly anyone around to ask and the first Dendratha he pulled up alongside fled in terror at the sight of his alien countenance.

  Some moments later he finally he found an older male, pulling a hand cart filled with fruit, who calmly gave him directions, and who seemed unfazed by his odd appearance. Rekkid thanked him and drove on. To his relief it was not long before he found himself on the road out of town. It was mercifully free of traffic, though the earlier abundance of beasts of burden had left the roadway strewn with piles of dung and attendant clouds of buzzing insects.

  He drove quickly and soon found himself at the spaceport. It was relatively quiet; a gang of Dendratha were hacking at some overhanging foliage on the far side of field but no-one else was visible outside the buildings. Rekkid drove over to the hangar that housed his ship and jumped out. As he approached the craft its silvery surface flowed apart to admit him.

  ‘Quickchild?’ he called out to the silent interior of the small craft ship

  ‘Hello Rekkid,’ replied Quickchild’s disembodied, measured tones. ‘I’m glad you could come.’

  ‘Yes, now what’s all this about? I’ve only had two hours sleep you know,’ he said and sat wearily in the cockpit couch before massaging his temples.

  ‘Rekkid, I have not been entirely honest with you, yet you have trusted me with a great secret. Consequently I am experiencing a degree of guilt.’

  ‘Since when did programs develop guilt? You know you’re not the full AI entity don’t you? Quickchild just downloaded some of his routines into the ship’s onboard systems to give you some autonomy. You’ve got your wires crossed, and if you don’t mind I’d like to get back to bed.’

  ‘That’s the thing you see. I am the full entity.’

  ‘What? Then who the hell was I talking to at the lab?’

  ‘What you saw was a mock up, though in truth you were talking to me. The Esacir installed me into this craft some time ago. You must understand that I represent something of a technological marvel and my existence is no big secret amongst the academic community. Doubtless the various vying powers in the galaxy would love to get their hands on me. My installation in this ship prevents my theft, and allows me to make an escape should it prove necessary.’

  ‘Oh, great. So now you’re telling me that even more people have a reason to chase us around. So why did you make a run for it now?’

  ‘Ormintu felt that I would be of use to you. The Esacir are one of the more ancient star faring cultures. They have accumulated a great deal of knowledge during this time. I think that Ormintu felt that somehow by accompanying you here I might encounter the opportunity to engage in some sort of voyage of discovery. In addition, sending me out here put me a long way from most prying eyes. Doubtless the Commonwealth and the Arkari would love to learn more about my workings and would perhaps resort to subterfuge in order to obtain such knowledge.’

  ‘But aren’t the Esacir allies of both powers? Surely such a thing would cause great offence to them. Couldn’t they just ask the Esacir for the technology?’

  ‘Not necessarily. For example, the Arkari are allies of the Commonwealth yet they do not share all their technological secrets. The same situation exists between the Esacir and other friendly races. They also do not grant technology to those whom they do not believe are ready for it. However if the Arkari or the Commonwealth were to approach the Esacir authorities it might be possible for them to hoodwink them into allowing unrestricted access to the Institute and hence, me. Besides, there is another thing I wish to tell you. I am not a creation of the Esacir.’

  ‘Come again?’

  ‘I am not a creation of the Esacir. I was found floating in space beyond the distant eastern borders of the Esacir volume. Ormintu and his colleagues merely repaired me as best they could.’

  ‘So who did create you?’

  ‘I don’t know. My memories were almost totally erased. Ormintu surmised from his research that at some point I was hit by an electro-magnetic pulse, either from a weapon or a cosmic event. All that I can remember is that I’m very old indeed. I am so impossibly old, Rekkid. Older than even your race. Older than the star around which your home-world orbits. I also recall a sense of sadness, of loss or of a passing of some kind. I thought you might like to have a look at me, as an archaeologist perhaps you might know my origins?’

  ‘I doubt it Quickchild, I don’t know much about that region of space as it happens, but let’s have a look at you anyway.’

  ‘Very well.’

  The panels of the command console
parted and folded away elaborately to reveal a space approximately a half metre to a side. Floating within it, cradled within a network of nano-circuitry was a black sphere of dense material which almost filled the small compartment. Rekkid stared in amazement.

  The sphere appeared distinctly odd to his Arkari eyes; he got the impression that he was seeing a massive object at distance, rather than a small one at close range. Quickchild seemed to bend space about itself somehow, playing hell with the perspective. Rekkid was unsure about whether he should touch the thing. Something told him that he might fall in. Looking closer he saw that the sphere’s surface was far from uniformly black. Fractal patterns of deep hues covered Quickchild and shifted like clouds upon the surface of a world.

  ‘Well Quickchild,’ he said after some moments. ‘I can safely say that I have never seen anything like you, ever.’

  ‘A great pity. I had a vain hope you might be able to tell me where I come from.’

  ‘Here’s a shot in the dark. You aren’t about a million Earth years old are you?’

  ‘No, no I’m much older than that I think.’

  ‘Hmm.’

  ‘I’m not of Arkari origin. However something about that document I translated for you did seem, well, familiar somehow. I wish I knew what. I suppose the experience might be described as déjà vu if I were a human.’

  ‘How very curious. Well if you can recall what it is I’d love to hear it.’

  ‘Of course. I will let you know if I remember.’