Star Force: Captains Mint (Star Force Universe Book 70)

by Aer-ki Jyr

  “I think so.”

  “The Founders are my enemy, and if the Vargemma heard me say that they would try to kill me as well. They are blinded with illogical devotion to those they have never met. There is a craze amongst them. A craze that has been quelled in me. I do not wish to be taken by the Founders, nor do I wish you to be taken. If you have revealed yourself to a Responder, then they will come for you eventually. And when they do, I want to avenge my master if possible, or defy them by eluding their capture. Either way, we have a better chance together, so I will help you, if you will help me.”

  “I have to stay alone to keep control over my siphon. If anything distracts me it will open and I cannot stop it without becoming very still and exposed in order to sense it. Unless you know a way to stop it, I cannot train with you or anyone else. That’s why I exiled myself out here.”

  The Mek’tal knelt down, bringing his head in line with Kara’s as his knuckles hit the ground, but he reached one of the smaller arms from his back over his left shoulder cluster and extended it out to the Archon.

  “Lower your defenses and touch my hand. I will look into you and see if I can identify the problem. You are far less skilled than I or my master when we made our breakthrough. Perhaps it is a simple thing that experience will solve.”

  Kara hesitated. “I really don’t like strangers inside my head, and this armor has a mind of its own, so to speak. Do not interfere with it.”

  “I will not touch either. I will look into your Core.”

  “How?”

  “If you do not already know, then there is no point in explaining the technique, but I can teach it to you in time as well as many others.”

  “Some are darkside and I don’t want them…just a defense against them.”

  “We have much to offer each other, little one. But first I must find the problem, and to do that you must trust me. I cannot look into you while you are fighting me.”

  “Will you let me look into your mind first?”

  “If that is what it will take to gain your trust. You may enter.”

  Kara didn’t hesitate, diving into his head with her Ikrid and feeling his impressive defensive layers peeling back. He was telepathic as well, but not on her level. She could feel that, but he also had more power than her due to his larger brain and 8 million years of experience. Add to that the Essence boost to his telepathy and she could understand why her superior psionics couldn’t do more than distract him momentarily.

  But right now he was giving her full access, and rather than trying to steal the knowledge from him concerning Nuv’ernor, Kara delved into his character to try and get a sense of the man.

  She spent nearly 12 minutes doing so before pulling back with her mind and reaching out her hand, grabbing his larger one and lowering her own defenses as her Nuv’ernor continued to spill Essence into one of her rings.

  Kara felt him reach into her and begin sucking the Essence out himself, more than was coming from her siphon. That should have been painful, but it wasn’t, for he wasn’t taking her lower than normal, merely pulling off the oversurge somehow. She had no idea how that was possible, for every time an Archon tried to take Essence from another it was a horrific experience. Then again, maybe hers was spilling so much he was just sopping up the excess.

  Regardless, the burning in her lessened ever so slightly as she felt a presence inside her that was not telepathic. It was closer to her than anyone had ever been before, and it frightened her…but she held her nerve and allowed him to proceed with whatever he was doing.

  Suddenly his mind also reached to hers…but it didn’t invade. Instead it offered a memory, one of his own, along with a suggestion. Kara accepted it and tried to use her limited control to implement what he had done many times increasing the flow rate on his siphon.

  Hers felt solidified and crusty, but now that she knew better what she was looking at Kara was able to crack it a little…which hurt like hell. She couldn’t try again for several minutes, but the Mek’tal was incredibly patient and stayed with her throughout the following hours as she tried again and again, slowly breaking open her siphon until she obtained the ability to increase its flow rate somewhat.

  When she did, he reached into her and drew out of it as much as possible, not allowing her to reduce its size, and after several more hours he suddenly stopped and withdrew from her, which took Kara totally by surprise.

  She fell to the ground, hurting badly, but her siphon was shut without her having to force it…and she was in a low level combat mode, wearing armor, with an enemy capable of killing her in an instant right beside her, which meant she was nowhere near the calm and exposed nature that had been required earlier.

  Kara lay on the ground, leaning on one shoulder as she looked up at him.

  “What did you do?”

  “Nudged you along a little. I apologize for the pain involved, but you took it well. You should be able to rest now…for a time. Your siphon is satiated, and will remain so for several days at least.”

  “Thank you, Strovok,” she said, coughing as her insides felt like they’d just been used as a piñata at a ninja festival. “My name is Kara. Kara-317. I’m one of Star Force’s war leaders known as an Archon. And I am very grateful to you, even if it won’t last.”

  “Will you allow me to train you?” he said, sitting down with a thud nearby her.

  “Will you allow me to train you to become a Varkemma?” she countered. “To join our empire and fight against the Founders when the time comes? Because I really don’t think they’re going to ignore us forever. It’s just a matter of time.”

  “What training do the Varkemma have that the Vargemma do not?” Strovok asked, confused.

  “They’re taught how to be the good guys.”

  “Your lightside philosophy?”

  “It’s more than philosophy, but yes.”

  “I will listen, but I will not swear loyalty to anything or anyone falsely. If you are not convincing, I will not bend.”

  Kara laughed. “Challenge accepted. Both ways. But I’m not calling you master.”

  “If your empire has killed one trained by the Founders, then I am your apprentice as well.”

  “Let’s just go with peers then,” she said, rolling on her back and lowering what little guard she still had up near him as she looked at the sky while trying to control her breathing and let her body heal as much as possible during this rest period. It felt so good not to have to hold her siphon closed manually.

  “When you are rested enough, will you call off your hunters? I am still a fugitive for breaking your confinement lines.”

  Kara connected to her ship via her Vorch’nas and linked into the battlemap system.

  “Done,” she said, tapping her wrist. “Neural interface comm device. You’ve got permission to roam the Temple, just don’t go near any of our stuff. Until you pass as Varkemma, you’re not trustworthy enough to get into a position of advantage on us.”

  “I am now.”

  “I’m an exception, and a grateful one. Just don’t go near anyone else.”

  “I’m staying with you, little one. I have no need to go anywhere else.”

  “Alright then, Sensei. Other than rest, what do I need to do?”

  “You are so damaged there is nothing more important than rest and healing…though your body requires food. I will find a Caretaker for you,” he said, getting up.

  “No need. I brought my own. As long as I’m sitting here, how about you tell me some stories from your 8 million years of experience.”

  Strovok sat back down. “As you wish. What do you want to know?”

  “Whatever I need to know. How about you start with why the Vargemma hate us so much?”

  “You invaded the Temple,” he said simply.

  “Other than that. Give me some history. You guys seemed to fight each other all the time before we showed up. Fill me in on what’s going on here.”

  “Do you wish me to speak in words, or telepa
thy?”

  “Bit of both. Don’t overload me with telepathy. You’ve got a bigger brain than mine.”

  “I will begin then with the Suisusini and their attempted purge of the Hip’tu. It is the most critical offense that still ripples through the fabric of this Temple.”

  “Good, start there,” Kara said as she closed her eyes and just laid on the ground in her armor, feeling very good to be able to wear clothes again. The whole exposed thing had become normal, so now her armor felt like a very reassuring blanket that she never wanted to take off again…despite the fact that her new friend could attack her right through it using his Essence techniques.

  But whatever. She wasn’t dead and he didn’t want to kill her. Kara had confirmed that much from looking into his mind. Unless he was real good at mental evasion, he was here to help, just as he had said.

  And frankly, right now Kara was such a burnt piece of toast inside she didn’t care about how reckless her current situation was. Strovok had provided a bit of relief and a breakthrough, which was more than she could have realistically hoped for yesterday.

  Right now all Kara had to do was try and stay awake as she listened to Vargemma story time…but that was one challenge she failed in less than an hour as she fell deep asleep while Strovok kept watch on her.

  He was finally no longer alone, and while the return of the Founders was imminent, he did not fear it as he once had. For he too now had a glimmer of hope, and the sleeping little one before him was his key to a future beyond mere hiding. He wanted vengeance, and Star Force had already extracted some against the Founders.

  Perhaps together they could achieve a bit more before they were all destroyed.

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