He walked outside on the small balcony and the rusty railing tilted away. He stepped onto thin air and vanished as he walked right into the brick wall on the other side.
Even though I was certain there was an invisible force field bridge and the brick wall had to be a hologram of sorts, I had to convince my feet it was so. I had flown and climbed, walked on greasy rafters under the high ceiling of the Halls of Hasvik, but walking over apparently nothing and a deep chasm took all my courage.
The brick wall did not feel insubstantial like a hologram. It was more like diving into a vertical surface of honey or water. The sensation was over before I really registered it and we found ourselves in a small but modern-looking command and control room, with large field screens and several control stations. A Human male and a Purple-Throat Shiss manned two of the stations. They wore Union Fleet uniforms with NAVINT patches on their sleeves. For a moment, I lost my communications link with Shea and the ship. My PDD whispered through my earpiece, “Current location Trans Dim shielded, direct CommLink to ship lost. Rerouting through local authorized NAVINT system.”
The Oghar NAVINT commander pointed at the wall we just walked through. “Molecular phasing as the eggheads at Terra call it. It is one of the latest developments. Mothermachine came up with the concept.”
He sounded very proud and enthusiastic as he added, “It feels as if Union technology is developing even faster than usual.”
I agreed with him by nodding.
The old woman stepped through an autodresser nearby and emerged still looking ugly, but her smudgy clothing was gone. She wore a crisp Fleet uniform with the stylized eye symbol of the Intel branch on her left sleeve and she straightened her stance and looked several inches taller.
She said, “I have so little chance of wearing the uniform and it is the first time we are going to meet the Immortals.” She tugged at her uniform blouse. “You might think of me as silly, but to me it is a very pleasurable experience, as it reminds me why I am doing all this and what we stand for.”
The old Oghar woman brushed her hand with a caressing gesture over the United Stars of the Galaxies flag patch on her right sleeve.
I said to her. “I know exactly how you feel, commander. We are undercover and for the most part wear costumes and disguises.”
She gestured to the autodresser. “Feel free to use it. It is Saresii technology.”
Har-Hi and I did.
I was sure I felt just like the Oghar woman as I stepped back out in Union black, with the diagonal buttoned uniform blouse, actually called a bib shirt in the regulations handbook. It was worn correctly with the lower half buttoned down showing the white inner lining like a large triangle across my chest. I could not deny feeling pride, because my sleeve cuffs displayed captain’s gold. I was a little surprised to see Har-Hi not in Dai red but also in Union uniform and I had to admit, he looked very handsome indeed.
He said, “Who would have thought we’d end up in uniform today?” He jerked at his sleeves. “It does feel good remembering that we are indeed Union officers. The Oghar woman is right, it makes you aware that you are part of something bigger.”
We followed them into a separate small conference room with a kidney-shaped table and a dozen chairs. After the door closed, three avatar projections established as if Stahl, McElligott, and Cherubim were right here with us.
The male Oghar called us to attention and we saluted them.
The Eternal Soldier looked, as always, tall, imposing, and even the avatar projection radiated his invisible aura of confident authority.
He looked at me and said, “What’s with the uniforms and the parade ground antics?”
The Oghar woman said with sheer awe vibrating her voice, “We are in the presence of the highest-ranking officers. The Admiral of the Fleet, General Cherubim and you, sir! We wanted to honor you by wearing uniform and adhering to protocol, sir.”
Cherubim elbowed the Eternal Warrior. “That your protégé isn’t much impressed by us is one thing, but you do have that special presence, old man. Even I still feel it after all that time.”
McElligott waved his hand. “He is way too overrated; besides, they are right. A little proper spit and polish and protocol is just fine with me.”
Stahl’s expression was stern and his face as if chiseled in granite as always, but he was one of those people who could smile with his eyes only.
McElligott was Immortal and as old as Stahl, and usually an authority and dominating presence, but it always got lost when he was with Stahl. The woman known as Cherubim was still an enigma to me, as I knew very little about her.
McElligott nodded, pleased. “How nice you all look. Unlike my friend here, I appreciate the uniforms.”
The two Oghar still stood in attention even as Stahl gave us the sign to relax.
Stahl only raised an eyebrow toward the Admiral of the Fleet, while Cherubim said to all of us, “You may relax and sit down.”
The male Oghar said, “I never thought I would ever meet any of you and now I have the honor and the privilege to be in the presence of three of the Immortals at once.”
Stahl said, “Lt. Commanders, we are just a little older than others and I am a stern objector to this personal cult thing. So, please, let us get started.” He motioned to me to give an update and I did.
After I was finished, the Oghars handed in reports and uploaded their logs and data. Cherubim actually started to scan through the reports on her PDD.
Stahl’s avatar looked at something that was not in this room and the old warrior said, “Keep going, I am listening but I’ve got something to do.” With that, Stahl’s avatar disappeared.
Cherubim put her hand next to her mouth as if to whisper and said, “We all just came from a state banquet at Urgotoor, a new member species famous for their fermented foods and our Eternal Warrior overdid it. As tough as he is, he still does not have an iron stomach.”
McElligott giggled almost like a teenager and said, “You see, we so-called Immortals are still quite Human.”
Har-Hi put his hand before his mouth to hide his grin.
In all this seriousness, I had to agree this humanized these Immortals in my eyes as well and maybe if I really had to be one of them, I, too, could remain Human. This little episode was quite reassuring to me.
The Admiral of the Fleet became serious again and said, “Now to the business at hand. Even though Karthania is a small fish compared to the Nul, the Galactic Council or the Shiss are an old culture with decent technology. While there are no common borders between Union and Karthanian space, there is some trade and the Karthanian Conglomerate is one of the bigger players in the region you are in.”
Cherubim put the PDD away she was holding. “We do have very few reliable intelligence-assets inside the Karthanian Conglomerate and so we are forced to maintain this and similar intel outposts on what the Karthanians call Outlet-and-Service Worlds. As you know, they do not allow any foreign ships inside their space and are xenophobic. Itheamh is only one of several such worlds we know of, that the Karthanians use as outlets and gateways for their wares and to buy scrap, ore, and other raw materials and, of course, sentient beings.” She got up and a projection of the Itheamh world appeared over the table surface. “We are well aware of the situation, but frankly, we have no mandate to interfere, especially not openly. But technically it is not against Union laws, as the Itheamh are a spacefaring civilization and Prim culture interference laws do not apply. Still, open interference in non-Union societies that are not at war with us is something we usually don’t do. However, the possible presence of Union citizens enslaved on Smelter Moons gives you all the authority, by Assembly decision, no less.”
Stahl’s Avatar established itself again and he interrupted right away and said, “That does not mean we want you to run off and try to liberate all 19 worlds, even though conditions there are quite similar to those on Itheamh.”
I said, “Sir, I did not come here to Itheamh to do that either but
it sort of happened.”
McElligott looked to the ceiling and then said with a hint of a smile, “That is what should be written on your ship’s dedication plate: USS Tigershark – We didn’t go out to change Galactic history, it just sort of happened.”
I frowned at the old admiral, as his joke made the other two giggle. So, I tried to ignore it and said, “I am going to the Smelter Moons myself tomorrow and hope to put an end to slavery.”
Stahl said, “Yes, you told us you would. Anyone else saying that, I’d call insane, but since it came from you and the Olafson Crew, we take it very seriously. We are scrambling to get the assets in place, just in case things turn sour. Plans are a nice thing but there is much that can go wrong. There isn’t a thing more uncertain and complicated then trying to engage in nation building and believing that our values and ethical ideas are automatically theirs as well. So, you decided to help and you already put a lot of rocks in motion. It is too late to stop for many reasons, but be aware that the Karthanians are not Sin 4. This is a star empire stretching over 90 star systems and they have been a star-traveling civilization for a very long time, it will take more than a few revolting slaves and an angry Neo-Viking in tight leather britches to change conditions there. You are too young to know this, but we have been in contact with the Karthanians while they still were under the control of that First Engineer. They were as xenophobic back then as they are now and they have never been our real friends, even while the so-called First Engineer was in charge, don’t forget that.”
I responded, “I have no plans to go to Karthania itself. I know too little about that world and have no idea who or what that First Engineer is.”
The last traces of amusement had left Stahl’s face. “Once you get things like that started, it is very hard to find a good place to stop. Once events are in motion, be prepared to see them through to the end. You decided to help and that is commendable, but that means you are in charge and responsible for the entire show. They have not been our enemy so far, but if they find out you are Union officers, this could change in a heartbeat.”
I had hoped for support and not this stern lecture, but I knew he was speaking the facts and I knew he expected me to be able to handle it.
Cherubim expanded the projection over the table with a gesture until it showed a strategic map of the Coreward Sector of the Galaxy. “The Galacto-political situation in this region is not very stable. We know the Karthanians think about expansion, after all, and so do the Togar. They hate each other about as much as the Nul hate the Shiss. The slightest spark could mean war.”
I nodded. “Someone told me that while I was on Kaliment.”
She glanced at me from under her white-blonde bangs and her face, a bio-flex mask and not her real face, I was certain, did not show any emotion and she slowly nodded. “Ah, yes, of course, Kaliment could be the world where it starts, but the situation also involves the nine Oghar kingdoms, the Jooltar, and the remaining Dai Than.”
McElligott waved his hand and several colorful spherical regions were added to the projection. “There are also smaller and very small civilizations strewn out there and they would suffer greatly from an Interstellar war in that region. Not to mention that beyond the Togar realm begins space we know very little about. Who knows what civilizations and empires are yet to be discovered. Coreward and Downward is very little surveyed by us and enemies like the Piostla have appeared from there. They sure gave us all a hell of a fight.”
The old admiral reiterated what Mother Superior had said to me a while ago. “Wars have a tendency to spread, the Shiss or the Kermac and the Galactic Council might decide to take sides and that would more or less mean we would have to get involved as well.”
I had to admit I had not thought of that. McElligott was not done and said now with a slight smile on his lips, “We did put your dilemma before the Armed Forces Committee of the Assembly. They actually agree with you and want you to rescue any Union citizens. This is not Freespace and there are no treaties hampering Fleet involvement.” He smiled. “As my esteemed colleague mentioned in the previous conversation, you are not alone. We do have your back and we hope we will be able to give you more concrete assistance. Also, we think we can buy you a little more time in regards to the Red Dragon. You do remember Klotzky & Harris Freight and Exports?”
My voice sounded deeper than usual as I recalled the ship full of Human body parts. “How can I forget that ship of horrors?”
McElligott nodded and the projection changed, showing uniformed police raiding a corporate office and arresting people.
“Federal Police had, thanks to you, enough evidence to get a search warrant and they found underground slave prisons and terrible conditions. There is also evidence that this went on for years. The press somehow got wind of it and it was blown all over prime-time news. To make a long story short, the General Assembly took this news and they discussed it on Pluribus for almost three days. Finally, they stopped short of declaring war against Togar. A resolution was made and the Assembly decided that the Fleet should do something about this.”
Stahl’s eyes smiled again. “So, we decided to make a little trip through the Coreward Sector. The Assembly tasked the Fleet to send an armada and perhaps engage in a few war games and ‘survey’ missions. We are going to do that right there between the Karthanian and the Togar Empires. Maybe even establish a forward Fleet base somewhere in an unclaimed system. After all, that space is unclaimed and we are not bound by any treaties. The Assembly wants us to show a little strength and remind all the locals in that neighborhood just whose tail they are pulling by eating Union citizens and forcing sentient beings to work as slaves on Smelter Moons.” He drew a glowing path with his finger over the reappearing sector map, to show us the path this armada would take, and he made a small circle around Itheamh System.
“As part of those war games, a few ships will visit you there. Itheamh is, after all, officially an independent world and does trade with the Union, and there are several Trade Company offices at the local spaceport.”
Har-Hi handed me a kerchief, and I was certain he had read my mind because he did so just in time. I had to sneeze. Whatever caused the itch in my nose for so long had finally reached the point where I could no longer suppress it. I sneezed and thankfully made use of his kerchief.
While I was fighting my nose, Har-Hi said to the Immortals, “As I understand from the local rebels, there was once a Union ship here before but they left since the rebels did not speak for the entire planet. What difference would a new visit make?”
Stahl’s smile now reached his lips. “I am not talking one or two ships, Mr. Hi. We are talking about the entire COWACOM, the 90 Union fleets that are assigned to that region command. In addition to that, they will be accompanied by the First Fleet and, of course, the Devi. Finally, to round things up, the Gray Nul and current ruler of the Nul found this a splendid opportunity to show the Galaxy that Nul and Union are the closest allies now and he is sending the 4th and the 5th Nul Armada for joint maneuvers.”
He could not suppress the glee he felt. It was one of those things that made the heart of the Eternal Soldier swell. “I am certain the Togar will think it is their time to pay for all their culinary choices and mobilize everything they have. The Karthanian are forced to do the same, as they have no clue what is going on and none of the Oghar kingdoms will send mercenaries anywhere and keep their forces close if they think we are up to no good.
“Of course, the Kermac will think we going to try to go at them from the rear. So, in short, this nice quiet area of space will be quite busy. And with a little over 100,000 Union and Nul ships in the region, I think your pirate friends will stay put on that Second Planet of theirs and pray to whatever gods they worship that we don’t take a closer look at that world.”
I could not fight the contagious grin and smiled as well. “And the Karthanians will stop openly committing any atrocities on Itheamh.”
McElligott said, “However, to tak
e such a big show on the road takes time. The logistics alone are quite demanding so it will take us seven to eight days before we are anywhere near Itheamh. Don’t forget, we also have to go around Freespace. So, until then, you are on your own.”
I still smiled. “What’s new, sir?”
***
Circuit, like me, was dressed completely in black, hiding his shiny chrome body as we hushed along in the stark shadow of a stack of shipping containers. While it was night, glaring floodlights kept the cargo area brightly lit. The lights also created hard shadows that allowed us to get close to the parked transport ship. Shea was right behind me, and I liked seeing her shapely body in skintight black material. She appeared like a razor-sharp cutout against the metallic wall of a container before she melted back into the shadows.
I glanced around the container’s edge, and Narth peeled out of the darkness right before me and almost gave me a heart attack. “One does wonder why we are hiding in the shadows when we have perfectly good cloaking technology.”
I whispered, “Because we are supposed to be pirates engaging in assisting a local revolt and not Union officers.”
He kept floating next to me as I rushed to the next stack. “And why are you whispering? There is no being near that could hear us? The wind and the ambient city and port noise would make no difference if you yelled.”
I said, “Because it is tradition. When you are dressed like that and sneak around one whispers.”
Narth slid back in the shadows and he completely melted into the darkness and I heard him whisper, “Then one shall sneak and whisper right behind you.”
Circuit, who was right behind me, said, “It’s more fun like that anyway. Can I ask why you say ‘one’ again; haven’t you started to use ‘I’?”
Narth whispered, “I am experimenting with habits and saying one instead of I, is a typical Narth habit. I think habits are an important part of what defines Humans. The captain has certain idiosyncrasies and so do most of our crewmates. So, I am testing which one is most Narth-like and yet defines me as an individual.”
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 7 Page 147
