by David Tucker
Rescuing him from silence, the comm crackled and came to life with a flat-toned voice. The Historian listened intently.
“Recreational shuttle Comfort, this is Grathon of the docking facility Pavises. Your ship is docking on Deck N-21c – and upon arrival you are to immediately disembark from your vessel and await further instructions. Any persons, creatures, goods, or un-bound robotics will be imprisoned if found to be within your craft after departure.
“According to Code 211-9 all weaponry is to be left within your craft’s weapon safe and your ship must be programmed to lockdown mode. Any attempts to avert these protocols, or any other of colonial law upon Pavises, will lead to court martial by the SINAI judiciary system …” Osiris waited patiently for the voice to continue, well versed in this procedure. “Welcome General Osiris, you are expected.”
Osiris didn’t bother replying as he knew the welcome was only extended as a formality. After more silent minutes their craft finally rocked with a jolt as they came to rest on the large docking bay floor. Osiris unbuckled his flight harness and proceeded from the cockpit into the ship’s interior, still feeling claustrophobic anxiety grappling with his inner-most mind.
Reaching the weaponry safe, he found his pupil already loading the shelving within the laser-sealed cabinets. Osiris watched quietly as Justice placed his revered and noticeably loved primary weapon on the prominent overhead magnetic couplings with great care.
In its true and original design Justice clicked the large hammer, which stood easily the length of one and a half metres, into position, and only after carefully placing his weapon – checking several times that it was secure – did he unceremoniously unhitch his pistols and gauze rifle. Placing them also into their assigned slots, but with much less care—
Justice spun with a start, “God, in the name of the Sacred, Sovereign, you can still sneak up on me.”
His pupil’s mood seemed to have miraculously changed; Osiris could only guess why. He smiled as he gave a half-hearted laugh; it was probably the first time he’d truly caught him off guard in many years, and he was glad for the change in dynamics between them. He rested a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
“Ha, with a novice like you it’s just too easy Justice.”
The words helped ease the awkwardness, although Justice still glowered at being called a novice as Osiris walked past to holster his own weapons and activate the laser-sealed door. Osiris spoke, sensing the stare and still trying hard to prepare his young apprentice for what was coming next.
“Young Wielder, I hope you’re ready for this, because I know I’m not. I feel today is going to be a day of great significance, and if not sure of much, around these new events, this much I do know; larger forces than us simple Immortals are at play here.”
With this comment, Osiris moved quickly past Justice as the apprentice was becoming visibly impatient, his dithering Sovereign gathering his required gowns for going before the SINAI and finally leading their way towards the ship’s exit.
Upon departure Justice’s Apocalypse armour changed into the required robes for their coming meeting. His swarms of nanos burst and wrapped around him like dark clouds as they formed into their civilian mode effortlessly in accordance with protocols for Wielders aboard Pavises and SINAI.
Osiris glanced at his pupil. The robes did little to hide his powerful form, and Justice strode confidently towards the exiting rampart. It still frustrated him somewhat that it took longer for him to be ready than his apprentice. It was more than unhelpful that Historians such as he needed to wear actual physical clothes, due to their lack of external nanos and Apocalypse suit.
With a sigh he let it go just as quickly. He knew it was the way of things and that his genetics would never accept the grafting process of the Apocalypse armour, so as he pulled the final cord to fasten his robe, he did so with diminishing ill will. He guessed he should be more appreciative that the Wielders did have this permanent advantage of taking on the form of whatever gowns they needed through their nanos; it meant he rarely had to wait for his student.
Osiris let his thoughts fade entirely, watching his surroundings with little interest as they continued further outwards. They quickly passed through the corridors of their own shuttle, the various work droids and bots directed by A-flight racing to dock at their assigned lockdown stations. After a short distance they emerged to face the scrupulous eyes of the many boarding parties.
An intricately robed Lutieth quickly pushed through to the front and walked to them with authority.
“Gheneral Osihrisss, it is a phleasure to see you once mhore.”
The rounded accent of the Lutieth guide was familiar, and he smiled as his old friend clasped his wrist tightly in the required fashion. Sladdent did his best to reciprocate the expression, opening his mouth wide, but only succeeding in looking menacing as his rows of razor-sharp teeth gleamed behind his wide lips. “I ssssee you have chossssen a new chraft to get you ahround these dahysss Ossirisss,” he motioned to the shuttle behind them.
Osiris chuckled at Sladdent’s version of humour. “Yes, well you know I’m a sucker for comfort.” Sladdent didn’t laugh, humour being far too impractical more than once in a conversation.
Before they could move away, a Lutieth boarding party moved noisily past them, climbing on board the ship to scan for contraband. Their guide spoke again in a rushed voice as he sidestepped the commotion.
“Thatssss fhine, we will leave them to their work. You may whalk this way, they whill continue their sssearch whithout usss; the next ferry to the SINAI whill be lheaving ssshortly so we must be hassssty.”
His lower arms gestured for them to follow as he moved ahead of the two Immortals, his streamlined body balanced perfectly as he paced towards the dock’s nearest exit. Both followed as he ushered them as quickly as he could through the huge docking bay and past the few other vessels scattered about.
Osiris watched his strange friend with a smile as the alien effortlessly strode faster than his companions, looking deceiving in his scarlet, body-tight armour, with his outer garments billowing to hide his true athletic features. To the dismay of those around him, however, Osiris paused … again he had an unusual feeling jolt through him, this time he was sure it was his foresight … something didn’t feel right. For some reason he got the impression he wouldn’t be seeing this station again, at least not for a long time.
He turned and looked around as he passed through the giant expanse of the docking station, unsure what was giving him this sensation. The space was so large he felt like a tiny insect crossing a giant’s table. An entire squadron of Dreadnaughts’ could have easily landed in the wide docking area.
He felt Justice tense as he noticed the pause and glanced back, raising his shoulders impatiently. Osiris moved on, ignoring the warnings in his gut.
Chapter 23 the Brotherhood of Man
Twenty minutes later, having endured countless more checks and lockdown rooms, they were finally ushered towards the ferry system. Osiris once again felt warnings, and now even Justice’s growing anxiety. He put a steadying arm on his apprentice again, trying hard to conceal his own concern as he spoke.
“Relax Justice, we’re not smugglers or Skinks, don’t worry, but I feel it too, something isn’t quite right … but here we are safe, this is our Sacred place, no harm could come to us here.”
His apprentice seemed to relax, but only a little. Osiris made himself do the same, for he knew his words had truth in them. Their deity’s location was the safest place in Terithian space and there surely was nothing that could infiltrate them here, or so he hoped—
The last scanner buzzed overhead as it checked them for ingested weapons, poisons, chemicals or foreign objects.
“I take it your ahudience with the Ehlders isss to do with the incoming traffic of all thessse fhaction lheaders, Ohsssiris?”
Osiris gave him a cursory glance, sensing an intention to worm out information.
“Well, you tell me, you’r
e the one sitting on top of the SINAI, the most informed piece of human technology known to our civilisation Sladdent. I’m sure you know exactly why we are here.” Osiris raised his eyes.
Sladdent, misunderstanding the gesture as indignation, stood straighter.
“Whell I know only what I need to Gheneral—” Osiris interrupted, teasing a little more.
“Yes, and that, Sladdent, is quite a lot I would wager—”
“Ah look we have arrived, if you whould be sssso kind.” Sladdent avoided the last comment with unusual finesse and gestured them towards the shuttle that would take them to the ferry docking bay. Only a handful of Lutieth were on board and Sladdent led the way, visibly glad to disengage in conversation.
Once the doors sealed, Osiris felt the shuttle’s motion pulling them at an impressive speed almost immediately. The overhead ceiling was transparent, so as they burst through to the outer hull and began descending in the flexi-glass tunnel towards the bottom of Pavises he could clearly see the golden sun beaming over the crest of Earth and lighting up their entire side of the station.
He bathed in the warming light as he looked upon the expanse of decks, hangars, antennas and horizon of nano-steel structures, reminding him of his balcony back home. Towers and instruments of impressive size made him feel insignificant in their tiny shuttle as they picked up speed. As they continued their descent, Osiris missed his chambers within the chantry with a sad pang, and wished he was back home studying his texts rather than being amongst the beginning of fearful events.
Hoping to shake this feeling, he looked over at the passengers sharing his shuttle. They looked a little surreal bathed in the golden rays. Sladdent drew his attention the most, however, as he fussed over the lateness of their arrival, hinting that his concern was greater than normal, and over something more troubling than tardiness. The alien was one of the Elders’ favoured ministers, able to directly serve the divine masters aboard the SINAI – if something was wrong he would surely know it.
In fact, Sladdent personally oversaw anything to do with the Immortals upon Pavises; this was why he was here, chosen to guide them through the station. But as always, Osiris could tell that he was not happy to be away from his masters for long.
Osiris reflected on what he knew about Sladdent. When he was a much younger Immortal, and the Lutieth ministers had been around to help with their training in the SINAI’s staging grounds, Sladdent in particular was first in line to assist them. He was a useful servant, a friend, and as loyal as they came. Even now as they moved towards their seats, Osiris watched as two of his four arms diligently plugged at a data orb, most likely giving the Elders their exact time of arrival. Osiris internally smiled at his comically precise mannerisms.
The other passengers were all lowlier Lutieth ministers, probably on their way down to the SINAI for some task of lesser importance. Osiris continued watching thoughtfully as Justice initiated conversation with Sladdent about security—
With sharp pain inside his head, Osiris winced as he felt the touch of the SINAI. The radiating psychic energy permeated, jolting his mind like a plasma bolt, his myriad thoughts and worries ceasing as a void overpowered him. This was the only time his superior cognition ever stopped functioning and the ensuing silence was almost unbearable. Osiris felt his own psychic energies melting under the sheer volume of the perpetual expanse of all that was the SINAI. He winced again as he felt its physical effects pulling at his Rieft and soul; he felt like he was spiralling down into a muted echo of what he should be.
Osiris held his head, rubbing at the pain. He hated this experience, he felt blind and powerless; it was a feeling he knew needed further investigation. He forced himself to dwell on this fact alone – noting dutifully that he did so only to mask his fear of the silence.
Before the portal had closed, over seventy years ago, the sensation of the SINAI hadn’t been like this. Then, it gave off only the radiance that lifted Immortals to heights of euphoria … but now, due to the negative energy sucked in when they lost their many brothers, the experience was painful and nauseating, alien and … changed. The words resonated and took shape as he thought more about it.
Osiris knew the SINAI’s living entity had only started giving a painful cry from that day when the portal closed, and it was felt by all Immortals and Lutieth alike. Slowly over a period of several years, the SINAI’s once joyful energy was lost, replaced by this lamenting saddened memory that felt almost injurious to their entire Order. It was almost as though it was crying out for help, or maybe demanding its lost children be found. Whatever it was, every time they now visited the SINAI its cries were a bleak reminder of what that fateful day signified, and Osiris loathed it, to the point he avoided the SINAI where possible these days.
At one stage he’d tried to find out what was wrong with his deity, but check after check had found the SINAI’s bio-organic and mechanical mind to be functioning perfectly and the Elders inside safe.
No one had ever fully understood the nature of what happened or established why the SINAI had changed. Personally, he’d accepted the theory that one part of the SINAI physically was injured on the day the portal closed, and ever since its scarred essence cried out painfully for its lost children.
Osiris, feeling the same futility he’d felt back when the theory was conceived, dropped the matter as even this small line of inquiry was becoming painful in the presence of the all-powerful SINAI. He concentrated through the pain, and looked at Justice, who was now also putting his hands to his temples. His pupil’s face contorted with pain as he too started feeling the ill effects. Osiris knew from prior research that it was nowhere near as painful for Wielders as it was for his own kind, and watched, envious, as Justice blocked out a portion of the burden.
It must have worked to a degree as his face returned to normal a second later and he started talking again to Sladdent, shrugging off the minor annoyance.
Osiris leant over and put on one of the shuttle’s headsets, listening in on some of the local news channels in the sector, helping to block out some of the SINAI’s psychic noise. He listened in half-heartedly for the remaining fifteen-minute trip before they docked and met up with their connecting ferry.
The news was nothing exceptional, something about a shuttle missing from the security stations above Gomorrah, but nothing to seriously note. He dismissed it as they arrived at their destination and were bundled quickly onto an adjoining ferry for travel to their final destination. As they were being seated in the dignitary section of the new shuttle, an overhead speaker announced their imminent departure. Osiris only heard half of what the station’s Al was saying as a louder voice startled him.
“Ha ha, well look at what the Retrieval Droid dragged in, if it isn’t my favourite old … old man and his spoiled little pup.”
Osiris recognised the voice instantly. Sitting across from his seat was his oldest friend and fellow Historian, Gladarch, who was accompanied by his Wielder pupil Zariah. Osiris struggled to keep his face neutral and elbowed Justice, speaking loud enough for Gladarch and Zariah to hear.
“Well there you have it Justice, the SINAI’s standards have truly slipped if a couple of amateurs like these two can break in.”
Gladarch laughed while Justice and Zariah shook their heads at the outdated humour. Osiris continued, “So you’re still kicking round with the old man then Zariah, I thought you would have long been promoted to a Divine and been rid of such a burden.”
Zariah flashed a look at Gladarch as she replied, “Well I probably would have … if my Sovereign here would stop defying the council’s orders and keep me from getting into trouble—”
A hint of truth rang through her comment, although Gladarch just laughed as he cut through her fiery voice, either not noticing the tone or not caring.
“Well we may sometimes be called divine, my brothers and little sister … but unfortunately, I for one, being the clod that I am, am nothing like an angel or a God. Unlike my perfect little narcissist here
, who can be expected of nothing but perfection, I seem to get into trouble with or without her direction … isn’t that right my dear.”
Osiris saw Zariah tense; obviously her master was used to riling her. Her voice edged with feigned aggregation.
“Damn it Gladarch, I mean, my Sovereign … how many times must I remind you, it’s either Wielder, Immortal 02, or Zariah; you’re not allowed to use such names to address me, otherwise once more …” she gave a frustrated sigh, “we will be at the scrutiny of the council’s judgment, again!”
Gladarch slapped her on the back and she grimaced.
“Ha, ha, ha, just let them, those old bastards, the wind bags are all talk and no action. Anyway enough of that; Osiris, Justice, come on, come on! Sit, sit my brothers, we must talk, don’t worry, we’re not going to bite … well I won’t anyway.”
Zariah flashed him another icy look.
Osiris moved first and Justice followed, strapping in opposite Gladarch and Zariah. For a split second Osiris noticed Zariah shoot an even icier look towards Justice, yet this time it wasn’t feigned. Osiris knew why too.
In their last training session together, Justice had utilised one of his more … less-than-polite talents, throwing Zariah off a sky-platform when skirmishing. Obviously she still felt more than a little angered by this act, as shown by her deathly stare and body language. She wasn’t usually overly feminine, but her claws certainly could still come out.
Osiris shifted his gaze, glancing over the odd couple strapped in front of him – a beautiful young woman and an eccentric old man. Osiris always thought their pairing was odd, but he knew they didn’t have much choice.
They had teamed together following the portal’s closure, about the same time as Osiris had accepted Genesis into his own tutelage. Zariah’s Sovereign at the time had been separated from her in the Cen’Shur’a sector as well. Gladarch had also lost his pupil, Harper, in a tragic battle in the Outer Rims. She was in need of a new Sovereign, and Gladarch had capacity.
