"So there he stands, braced against that boulder, so it wouldn't fall on the city below." She closed her eyes. It had taken her nearly her entire lifetime to dig up even a little bit of information on Atlas, but it was enough for the scientist to sift through, and connect the dots in other legends and mythologies. The archaeologist nodded eagerly.
"It was thought Atlas held up the world on his shoulders, but it simply wasn't true. He held the safety of the city on his shoulders. A statue carved to resemble a titan who saved their lives. Just look at how they forgot him." He shook his head in distaste. "I don't know if Atlas was ever a living being, but this statue shows him being truly heroic." The woman nodded.
"He was tricked by his own brother. That boulder was sent down from the mountain top, not to crush the city, but to keep Atlas out of his way. He knew Atlas wouldn't let him destroy without restraint, so he had to occupy him with something else." She sighed sadly. "He couldn't throw it though, or move it after it became wedged in like that. All he could do was hold it in place." She looked out over the valley. The city had long since crumbled to dust, and many of the surrounding hillsides had collapsed, covering over the city he sought to protect.
"To protect a city that only walled him in afterward, hiding his memory from other eyes. A testament to their cowardice." She nodded. "That is a tragic story, but this is a statue, and though legends have some basis in reality, this can't be what we seek. This might point to his real location." She looked down at the much smaller man.
"Unfortunately, its not just a statue. Atlas was said to have been carved from the very stone of the mountains from which he was born. His heart was another matter." She clutched her chest in pain. "It was a gift from my mother." She grew incredibly angry, and her eyes flashed with such blinding light, the small man cowered.
"I didn't mean to offend you!" He knew she was powerful, but only glimpsed the barest of hints of her true power from time to time. She had rescued him from a few outlaws a number of years ago, and he had worked for her ever since.
"You haven't." She shook herself, and grit her teeth. "Its time." She looked down at him and smiled softly. "Your service will never be forgotten. You should get out of this cavern, for when I free him, it will come down in a glorious hail of debris!" He looked extremely frightened.
"He really is Atlas? Where should I go?"
"North. To the town we stay in. I'll be there in the morning. It might take that long to convince my father that I'm not his enemy."
"Father. Its time to wake up!" She stood before the behemoth statue, jumped up high, and hit him square in its chest of stone. The statue blinked.
"Who...." she smiled. "Why does it hurt?" He asked, and she sighed happily.
"My mother's bones lie at your feet. Within your chest lies her heart. She gave it to you before she died, and hoped you would one day rise again." He blinked again.
"The city? Was it saved?" She growled.
"Those cowards left you to rot here for centuries! Look around!" He turned his gargantuan head slowly. "Walls carved from the stone, and stacked, to keep you hidden from sight! You saved them, and they left you here!"
"But....my brother! Why...."
"That bastard is the one who loosed the boulder! You would have interfered in his glorious war! Its time, father! The city is dust! Let your burden go!" He tried to shift his weight, but the stone started to move.
"I can't! That's why I haven't moved in so long! I remember now! I can't move or the stone will crush me anyway! I didn't save the city! This was meant to be a prison!" He saw her eyes flash, then her body change into stone. She grew to his size, and beyond.
"Then I will break your prison for you!"
"I thought I would have to convince you that I'm not your enemy." She said softly as the behemoth stone giant stretched and moved his limbs for the first time in thousands of years.
"I can feel your mother's heart beating within your chest, and you changed to a daughter of the stone. You are my child, aren't you?" She smiled.
"Yes, I am. The world is not as you remember it, father. There are cities everywhere, with humans numbering in the millions. They built weapons of war that put the old gods to shame. They murder each other in wars across the planet, and respect nothing. Not nature, no god, or each other. They worship gold as their god now." He chuckled. "What?" She asked indignantly.
"You truly are her daughter. Men were like that when I was young, child. They didn't worship the gods. They worshiped gods of gold. They weren't smart enough back then to figure out the world was orderly, so they made up gods to give that order a name. They destroyed entire forests to make charcoal to process their iron and gold, and ripped up vast patches of fertile farmland to keep it out of the hands of their neighbors. Things have not changed." She lowered her eyes.
"Maybe not. But how will you fit in? You are a stone giant, father. I never considered.....what the?" She was taken aback as her father shrank and took on the look of a lowly human, albeit a large human.
"Did you think you got the ability to change your form from your mother?" Then he started to laugh loudly. The laughter sounded like a large war drum, rumbling deep from a massive chest. "Your mother was a wonderful, loving and beautiful woman. That stone was my prison only because your mother lived in that city. Had I known she had left, I would have slowly pounded that stone into dust! But time is different for the likes of us, daughter." He smiled a large smile that beamed with happiness at knowing he had kin such as her. "Now, let us go into this big world of theirs and see what kind of trouble we can stir up!" She smiled.
"Are you an outlaw, father?"
"Of course! The laws of men have always protected the rich, and the wicked, and I do nothing of the sort!" He laughed again. She watched as the sky flashed with lightning in response. She had thought that her power had no equal, but Atlas was now awake, and the elements responded to the emergence of one of the oldest kinds of gods.
She could also feel a deeper truth then she once knew. He was far more powerful then she. A true Titan that gains power the longer he is in his natural state. Her father was in his natural state for thousands of years, and there is no telling how much power he gained during that period of time.
Atlas was free, and the chains of the gods were ready to be broken.
Tuesday, 29 January 2019
Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Patrons of the Order - Chapter 4 - Plans Within Plans
"Is that what I think it is, Neku?" Rakal asked softly at his ear. Her swollen belly bumped against his shoulder. He smiled, turned in his seat and laid his head against her. He smiled as he felt the child kick energetically against his ear.
"Just like all children of the Order. Strong and healthy." He smiled up at her then turned back to the drawing. "Yes, its the Core. I thought about what will happen to this planet in the future, remembered some of the details of what I already knew, and what I now know." She tilted her head slightly.
"Now know?"
"The lines of power that encircle this planet are its life lines. The Core is to keep this planet fed for the future not yet written. It will generate power on a scale I've never before heard of, and absorb ambient radiation from the emptiness of space around the planet as it orbits the sun." She looked down at the complicated drawing.
"It seems to intersect with those lines you speak of. What will it do with that radiation?" He smiled.
"Good eyes. Its stores the energy for the future. When its ready to be used, it will have a massive amount stored, and at hand."
"Ready to be used?" He leaned back and let himself rest against her still muscular form. Rakal was extremely proud of how he managed to balance his life as the father of many children, and remain loyally faithful to herself, and his duty to the Patrons. She still couldn't quite grasp that he was being loyal to himself, and to her.
"As Ori sees fit. I believe he has a plan, but one that I will only fully know when I stand beside him." She watched him shake and tremble, before being gripped by one of the convulsions that ended in a burst of white light. She always stayed close to him for just this reason. Just in case he ascended when she was not there.
"How long?" He smiled sadly.
"Soon. I'm almost finished the writings. The Core design is complete. The preservation cages are designed, and ready to be built. All that remains is to put our armors in them, and lock them away. I still have to come up with a way so that only those of the Order are able to open them. Genetic keys, I think." She smiled.
"What about the Song of the Matriarch?" Neku frowned slightly.
"What is the Song of the Matriarch? I've never heard of it." She chuckled.
"That's right, you wouldn't have. Its only taught to the females, the ones who might become acolytes, or soldiers. Its a song of her lineage. The Matriarch is chosen from among the descendants of the Patrons, the first ones, and only direct descendants. No one of mixed blood, from among the men of Old Earth, are allowed to take the role. If there are questions in lineage, the line has to be removed from the line of succession. It was why the Matriarchs were the only ones who could open the preservation lockers that held the armor of the Patrons." Rakal closed her eyes. "I never thought we would actually be the ones who would plan out our entire future, the future of the Order." Neku smiled.
"Its humbling, isn't it? To know that your own actions, the ones in the ancient past, are the ones that built the entire future of our people, our children, and our family down through the centuries, and for thousands of years." She nodded.
"And scary. I worshiped the Patrons as my gods, and now I find out that I am one of them." She closed her eyes and watched Ori walk passed her. "I see him more often now." Neku sighed softly.
"He spoke to me last night. I don't have much time left, love. We'll be together in a year or so, but the others must survive long enough to give our children time to mature. I'll see if there is a way to slow it down." She shook her head.
"We'll train them thoroughly, Neku. I will hold on as long as possible, and get the others to do the same, but we shouldn't interfere or we may change things for the worse." He thought for a moment, and looked up. Ori stood in front of him and pointed to Rakal.
"Ori agrees with you. We'll have to do our best while we are in our physical bodies, and leave the rest up to them. I wonder if we can affect the physical world while in that state?" Rakal smiled softly.
"I've always believed that the Patrons could affect our lives, Neku, so I will continue to believe that we can when we've made the leap. We are the Patrons, after all."
"How does it go, love?" She smiled.
"I can't tell you that, Neku. We just have to put the directions for acolytes on how to choose a Matriarch, and how to disallow those who do not qualify. It was what the Matriarch told me in one of my training sessions. I believe all female soldiers get this training, as our unit was fully instructed. Only children of the Patrons and first ones can enter the sisterhood, and become Matriarch. The ability to open the armor lockers is proof of pure blood." He turned slightly as he struggled to concentrate, and write it down in such a way that it was instructive, rather then simple orders.
"Were you able to open them?" She smiled.
"Yes, the entire unit was able. Even Ori." She laughed. "He was barely five when he first saw the armor of the Patrons, and rushed over to the one that held his. He put his hand on the poly carbon fiber glass, and it opened to his touch. The Matriarch was incredibly angry on the surface, but she couldn't keep her pride out of her eyes. The acolytes still talk of that day as though it was a major step towards their goal." Neku nodded, and smiled.
"It was. Its part of the history, and tale of how they would know him." She turned slightly.
"You're putting that in." He nodded.
"Its something to know. A sign of the times they are in. Each of us will be able to open our respective cases, as though it was our own. A back up key, if you will. I've been able to isolate Ori's DNA from his child's, and that is how they will know." He smiled softly, and continued to write. "Think of it as a series of signs. Only if we are all there will the mission go ahead. I still can't believe that enough of the materials we needed to build these armor cages was transported with us."
"Almost as if Ori.....wait! You think Ori....." Neku smiled.
"He already had some power when we transferred through time, and he could feel the planet's lifelines. I would almost say that Ori brought us all here, to a safe time, but accidentally. He didn't think of a year, or a place. Just somewhere safe for all of us. The only place he could think of was Canaan, back before the Core. Before Chaos and men." He chuckled. "And most likely, since we are all there too, not just our physical selves, but all of us after we ascended to him, then they could have assisted him to funnel that energy to this time." A lone tear trickled down his cheek. "Think of it. Friends and family for fifty thousand years." Rakal put her hand on his shoulder, and squeezed it gently. He felt pain in his body much more easily as the transfer time approached.
"Then I shall not be upset at the brief time we are apart. Though you have fathered many children, you are my mate. The others have already become family units, each couple watching over their children, and helping to watch over the others. They will never get a better start." Neku was wracked by another convulsion, and a blinding flash of white light.
"I'd better hurry. Bring the others. I don't know how long I have, and I must say goodbye to my children. And my wife last of all." She turned away, and her face fell. She kept it clear of her sadness while she was with him, but when she didn't need to be strong, she nearly fell apart every time.
Neku was her life now. Her own reason for living. Something she would never have thought possible on that journey to Canaan, when all she wanted to do was shove her gun in his face and blow his head off.
She never once thought about how much she would come to love that little man. But the Matriarch had.
"Rakal?"
"Yes, Matriarch?" The older woman smiled benignly at the massive woman who approached her in her new armor.
"How does it fit?" The woman smiled.
"Its a perfect fit, Matriarch. Almost as if the Patrons knew my size." The Matriarch smiled.
"It was a design by Neku, so that's not surprising." The soldier frowned.
"The Patron? I had no idea." The Matriarch shook her head.
"No no, the scientist who studied and built all the armor for your unit. Even Ori's. Even in the preservation cages, there was some expected degradation, but he managed to remake those power armors exactly. It was said that Neku had a special fondness for his mate, Rakal, and spent an enormous amount of time on her armor. Just as your armor took a tremendous amount of time to complete, as it was the first one completely analyzed, he took special care to make sure yours was exactly as the Patrons desired." The soldier blushed lightly.
"I'm surprised a male has so much knowledge." The Matriarch bristled, and caused Rakal to step backward.
"Be cautious, Rakal. Both Neku and Ori were males. The first of the Patrons to cross over into the light of the Order! Even Jokrah, the most loyal soldier to cross over into the light of the Order, served Ori first!" Rakal lowered her eyes.
"My apologies, Mistress. I mean no disrespect to the Patrons, or Neku. I am just surprised is all. We were all taught about how females of the Order are stronger, faster, and smarter then any male of the Order. It was a gift of the Patrons." The Matriarch smiled softly.
"Those are the words of our writings, but that is just genetics, Rakal. And it was not always so. The men of Old Earth were much larger then their females, and we only exist because we have a long ancestral line that reaches back to Old Earth. A hidden tribe left that planet with their best warriors, and brightest minds." Rakal frowned.
"I thought the writings told us that we were from the Patrons, the Order, not Old Earth." The Matriarch smiled.
"The acolytes were wise to make sure only the most loyal knew of our true ancestry. The Order is a complicated web of time, and space that started in a hidden part of Old Earth, where a small tribe of warriors were visited by our Patrons. They saw how men were wicked at the time, and agreed to follow their ways." Rakal frowned.
"Does that mean the Patrons existed way back then too?" The Matriarch smiled.
"Not quite. The Patrons walk through time as we cross a room. They found those warriors, where men and women shared responsibilities equally, defense and hunting as well, and slowly, the tribe conformed to the laws they were given. The tribe recruited strong women among the other tribes, and some of their beliefs traveled out into the world. That is why the pantheons of gods appeared in the ancient cities of Old Earth. After a time, when the women grew stronger, due to selective breeding, the men grew smaller, but more intelligent. That was when they were taught advanced technologies, that eventually led them to the stars. And to three different colonies. Canaan was the first." Rakal scratched her head.
"But that doesn't line up with our history." The Matriarch chuckled.
"Neku left us the Holy Writings while he was in physical form. The other writings, the history of our people, were guarded and protected by the first ones. They were entrusted to the acolytes, and therefore to the Matriarchs. We kept this part quiet, as we weren't sure how the rest of the Order would take that we have a common lineage to Chaos if you go back far enough." Rakal sighed.
"Probably as well as I did. It makes sense though. If the Patrons were the first of the Order, how did the Patrons come to be? There had to be a true origin even before the Patrons." She smiled at Rakal.
"That is true. After Neku and Jokrah join the light, the first ones from Old Earth will arrive. Our tribe. It will be about two thousand years before Chaos follows them." Rakal frowned again.
"Wait, then that means there will be a substantial population already there!" The Matriarch nods.
"Yes. Which is why Chaos and Light come to blows. They infiltrate, try to sow their seeds of hate and destruction, and eventually, they violently force their ways onto the planet. A select group hides where the Core will be built, but again, they force their way in. The Order has to abandon the planet, but not before they build the Core, and then temporarily retreat to the other two colonies. They build up their strength, and force Chaos off Canaan. But the damage is done. The planet is dead, the Core continues to function, but is unable to sustain any real life there. Chaos retreats, but attacks in smaller skirmishes for centuries. They have no idea how long the Patrons have planned, or what they have planned." Rakal held her hand to her head.
"This is too much, Mistress! Plans within plans! I can't take it all in!" The Matriarch gave her a look that said it all. She had no choice, but she was sorry for the damage it did.
"The Patrons have been with us since that humble beginning, gods among us as it were. They tried to reason with Chaos, but ended up deploying a plan that was longer then the fifty thousand year history of Canaan." Her hand shook and trembled as she contemplated all she learned from those texts, found in a ritual chamber no one had been in for a thousand years, and given to her by the hand of the boy who would become her god.
"You see, The Patrons are almost ready." Rahal lifted her eyes.
"For what?" She smiled, her eyes filling with fervor.
"For war on Chaos."
"What's the word from the Holy Planet?" The Matriarch asked a passing acolyte.
"The ship that dropped off the Major has said there was an emergency broadcast from the planet. The Core has gone critical." She smiled and nodded.
"As it was foretold. Is everything ready?" The acolyte nodded.
"The Armada stands ready to enter the system, and your ship is ready to be boarded. I can't believe it! We stand on the edge of war with Chaos, after they strike a blow at the Holy Planet, proof that their ways are evil, and the day we've been waiting for!" The Matriarch smiled.
"The Patrons have waited thousands of years for this day. We shall not make them wait any longer." She watched a light flash in front of her eyes, and saw the beings she worshiped standing before her. She's always known they watched over her and her ancestors, and now she had proof. Familiar eyes, and warm smiles made her tear up.
The acolyte immediately fell to her knees in reverential fear. This was her first time, but not the Matriarch's, or the rest of the acolytes. Stories had circulated for the last fifty years, that the famine of visions was over, but now she saw it with her own eyes. The Patrons let her see them for the first time, and it was awe inspiring!
The famine was over. The time for hiding was over.
"Its time to go home. To Canaan. To Ori, and the Patrons."
"Just like all children of the Order. Strong and healthy." He smiled up at her then turned back to the drawing. "Yes, its the Core. I thought about what will happen to this planet in the future, remembered some of the details of what I already knew, and what I now know." She tilted her head slightly.
"Now know?"
"The lines of power that encircle this planet are its life lines. The Core is to keep this planet fed for the future not yet written. It will generate power on a scale I've never before heard of, and absorb ambient radiation from the emptiness of space around the planet as it orbits the sun." She looked down at the complicated drawing.
"It seems to intersect with those lines you speak of. What will it do with that radiation?" He smiled.
"Good eyes. Its stores the energy for the future. When its ready to be used, it will have a massive amount stored, and at hand."
"Ready to be used?" He leaned back and let himself rest against her still muscular form. Rakal was extremely proud of how he managed to balance his life as the father of many children, and remain loyally faithful to herself, and his duty to the Patrons. She still couldn't quite grasp that he was being loyal to himself, and to her.
"As Ori sees fit. I believe he has a plan, but one that I will only fully know when I stand beside him." She watched him shake and tremble, before being gripped by one of the convulsions that ended in a burst of white light. She always stayed close to him for just this reason. Just in case he ascended when she was not there.
"How long?" He smiled sadly.
"Soon. I'm almost finished the writings. The Core design is complete. The preservation cages are designed, and ready to be built. All that remains is to put our armors in them, and lock them away. I still have to come up with a way so that only those of the Order are able to open them. Genetic keys, I think." She smiled.
"What about the Song of the Matriarch?" Neku frowned slightly.
"What is the Song of the Matriarch? I've never heard of it." She chuckled.
"That's right, you wouldn't have. Its only taught to the females, the ones who might become acolytes, or soldiers. Its a song of her lineage. The Matriarch is chosen from among the descendants of the Patrons, the first ones, and only direct descendants. No one of mixed blood, from among the men of Old Earth, are allowed to take the role. If there are questions in lineage, the line has to be removed from the line of succession. It was why the Matriarchs were the only ones who could open the preservation lockers that held the armor of the Patrons." Rakal closed her eyes. "I never thought we would actually be the ones who would plan out our entire future, the future of the Order." Neku smiled.
"Its humbling, isn't it? To know that your own actions, the ones in the ancient past, are the ones that built the entire future of our people, our children, and our family down through the centuries, and for thousands of years." She nodded.
"And scary. I worshiped the Patrons as my gods, and now I find out that I am one of them." She closed her eyes and watched Ori walk passed her. "I see him more often now." Neku sighed softly.
"He spoke to me last night. I don't have much time left, love. We'll be together in a year or so, but the others must survive long enough to give our children time to mature. I'll see if there is a way to slow it down." She shook her head.
"We'll train them thoroughly, Neku. I will hold on as long as possible, and get the others to do the same, but we shouldn't interfere or we may change things for the worse." He thought for a moment, and looked up. Ori stood in front of him and pointed to Rakal.
"Ori agrees with you. We'll have to do our best while we are in our physical bodies, and leave the rest up to them. I wonder if we can affect the physical world while in that state?" Rakal smiled softly.
"I've always believed that the Patrons could affect our lives, Neku, so I will continue to believe that we can when we've made the leap. We are the Patrons, after all."
"How does it go, love?" She smiled.
"I can't tell you that, Neku. We just have to put the directions for acolytes on how to choose a Matriarch, and how to disallow those who do not qualify. It was what the Matriarch told me in one of my training sessions. I believe all female soldiers get this training, as our unit was fully instructed. Only children of the Patrons and first ones can enter the sisterhood, and become Matriarch. The ability to open the armor lockers is proof of pure blood." He turned slightly as he struggled to concentrate, and write it down in such a way that it was instructive, rather then simple orders.
"Were you able to open them?" She smiled.
"Yes, the entire unit was able. Even Ori." She laughed. "He was barely five when he first saw the armor of the Patrons, and rushed over to the one that held his. He put his hand on the poly carbon fiber glass, and it opened to his touch. The Matriarch was incredibly angry on the surface, but she couldn't keep her pride out of her eyes. The acolytes still talk of that day as though it was a major step towards their goal." Neku nodded, and smiled.
"It was. Its part of the history, and tale of how they would know him." She turned slightly.
"You're putting that in." He nodded.
"Its something to know. A sign of the times they are in. Each of us will be able to open our respective cases, as though it was our own. A back up key, if you will. I've been able to isolate Ori's DNA from his child's, and that is how they will know." He smiled softly, and continued to write. "Think of it as a series of signs. Only if we are all there will the mission go ahead. I still can't believe that enough of the materials we needed to build these armor cages was transported with us."
"Almost as if Ori.....wait! You think Ori....." Neku smiled.
"He already had some power when we transferred through time, and he could feel the planet's lifelines. I would almost say that Ori brought us all here, to a safe time, but accidentally. He didn't think of a year, or a place. Just somewhere safe for all of us. The only place he could think of was Canaan, back before the Core. Before Chaos and men." He chuckled. "And most likely, since we are all there too, not just our physical selves, but all of us after we ascended to him, then they could have assisted him to funnel that energy to this time." A lone tear trickled down his cheek. "Think of it. Friends and family for fifty thousand years." Rakal put her hand on his shoulder, and squeezed it gently. He felt pain in his body much more easily as the transfer time approached.
"Then I shall not be upset at the brief time we are apart. Though you have fathered many children, you are my mate. The others have already become family units, each couple watching over their children, and helping to watch over the others. They will never get a better start." Neku was wracked by another convulsion, and a blinding flash of white light.
"I'd better hurry. Bring the others. I don't know how long I have, and I must say goodbye to my children. And my wife last of all." She turned away, and her face fell. She kept it clear of her sadness while she was with him, but when she didn't need to be strong, she nearly fell apart every time.
Neku was her life now. Her own reason for living. Something she would never have thought possible on that journey to Canaan, when all she wanted to do was shove her gun in his face and blow his head off.
She never once thought about how much she would come to love that little man. But the Matriarch had.
"Rakal?"
"Yes, Matriarch?" The older woman smiled benignly at the massive woman who approached her in her new armor.
"How does it fit?" The woman smiled.
"Its a perfect fit, Matriarch. Almost as if the Patrons knew my size." The Matriarch smiled.
"It was a design by Neku, so that's not surprising." The soldier frowned.
"The Patron? I had no idea." The Matriarch shook her head.
"No no, the scientist who studied and built all the armor for your unit. Even Ori's. Even in the preservation cages, there was some expected degradation, but he managed to remake those power armors exactly. It was said that Neku had a special fondness for his mate, Rakal, and spent an enormous amount of time on her armor. Just as your armor took a tremendous amount of time to complete, as it was the first one completely analyzed, he took special care to make sure yours was exactly as the Patrons desired." The soldier blushed lightly.
"I'm surprised a male has so much knowledge." The Matriarch bristled, and caused Rakal to step backward.
"Be cautious, Rakal. Both Neku and Ori were males. The first of the Patrons to cross over into the light of the Order! Even Jokrah, the most loyal soldier to cross over into the light of the Order, served Ori first!" Rakal lowered her eyes.
"My apologies, Mistress. I mean no disrespect to the Patrons, or Neku. I am just surprised is all. We were all taught about how females of the Order are stronger, faster, and smarter then any male of the Order. It was a gift of the Patrons." The Matriarch smiled softly.
"Those are the words of our writings, but that is just genetics, Rakal. And it was not always so. The men of Old Earth were much larger then their females, and we only exist because we have a long ancestral line that reaches back to Old Earth. A hidden tribe left that planet with their best warriors, and brightest minds." Rakal frowned.
"I thought the writings told us that we were from the Patrons, the Order, not Old Earth." The Matriarch smiled.
"The acolytes were wise to make sure only the most loyal knew of our true ancestry. The Order is a complicated web of time, and space that started in a hidden part of Old Earth, where a small tribe of warriors were visited by our Patrons. They saw how men were wicked at the time, and agreed to follow their ways." Rakal frowned.
"Does that mean the Patrons existed way back then too?" The Matriarch smiled.
"Not quite. The Patrons walk through time as we cross a room. They found those warriors, where men and women shared responsibilities equally, defense and hunting as well, and slowly, the tribe conformed to the laws they were given. The tribe recruited strong women among the other tribes, and some of their beliefs traveled out into the world. That is why the pantheons of gods appeared in the ancient cities of Old Earth. After a time, when the women grew stronger, due to selective breeding, the men grew smaller, but more intelligent. That was when they were taught advanced technologies, that eventually led them to the stars. And to three different colonies. Canaan was the first." Rakal scratched her head.
"But that doesn't line up with our history." The Matriarch chuckled.
"Neku left us the Holy Writings while he was in physical form. The other writings, the history of our people, were guarded and protected by the first ones. They were entrusted to the acolytes, and therefore to the Matriarchs. We kept this part quiet, as we weren't sure how the rest of the Order would take that we have a common lineage to Chaos if you go back far enough." Rakal sighed.
"Probably as well as I did. It makes sense though. If the Patrons were the first of the Order, how did the Patrons come to be? There had to be a true origin even before the Patrons." She smiled at Rakal.
"That is true. After Neku and Jokrah join the light, the first ones from Old Earth will arrive. Our tribe. It will be about two thousand years before Chaos follows them." Rakal frowned again.
"Wait, then that means there will be a substantial population already there!" The Matriarch nods.
"Yes. Which is why Chaos and Light come to blows. They infiltrate, try to sow their seeds of hate and destruction, and eventually, they violently force their ways onto the planet. A select group hides where the Core will be built, but again, they force their way in. The Order has to abandon the planet, but not before they build the Core, and then temporarily retreat to the other two colonies. They build up their strength, and force Chaos off Canaan. But the damage is done. The planet is dead, the Core continues to function, but is unable to sustain any real life there. Chaos retreats, but attacks in smaller skirmishes for centuries. They have no idea how long the Patrons have planned, or what they have planned." Rakal held her hand to her head.
"This is too much, Mistress! Plans within plans! I can't take it all in!" The Matriarch gave her a look that said it all. She had no choice, but she was sorry for the damage it did.
"The Patrons have been with us since that humble beginning, gods among us as it were. They tried to reason with Chaos, but ended up deploying a plan that was longer then the fifty thousand year history of Canaan." Her hand shook and trembled as she contemplated all she learned from those texts, found in a ritual chamber no one had been in for a thousand years, and given to her by the hand of the boy who would become her god.
"You see, The Patrons are almost ready." Rahal lifted her eyes.
"For what?" She smiled, her eyes filling with fervor.
"For war on Chaos."
"What's the word from the Holy Planet?" The Matriarch asked a passing acolyte.
"The ship that dropped off the Major has said there was an emergency broadcast from the planet. The Core has gone critical." She smiled and nodded.
"As it was foretold. Is everything ready?" The acolyte nodded.
"The Armada stands ready to enter the system, and your ship is ready to be boarded. I can't believe it! We stand on the edge of war with Chaos, after they strike a blow at the Holy Planet, proof that their ways are evil, and the day we've been waiting for!" The Matriarch smiled.
"The Patrons have waited thousands of years for this day. We shall not make them wait any longer." She watched a light flash in front of her eyes, and saw the beings she worshiped standing before her. She's always known they watched over her and her ancestors, and now she had proof. Familiar eyes, and warm smiles made her tear up.
The acolyte immediately fell to her knees in reverential fear. This was her first time, but not the Matriarch's, or the rest of the acolytes. Stories had circulated for the last fifty years, that the famine of visions was over, but now she saw it with her own eyes. The Patrons let her see them for the first time, and it was awe inspiring!
The famine was over. The time for hiding was over.
"Its time to go home. To Canaan. To Ori, and the Patrons."
Wednesday, 16 January 2019
Patrons of the Order - Chapter Three - Canaan
"Where are we?" Rakal drew her weapon and spun around fiercely. All she could see were green forests, bushes, while she could hear the chirping of many different kinds of bird. Neku put his hand on her arm.
"We won't know until nightfall, Rakal. Not until the stars are in the sky. I know we are not on the Holy Planet though. There are no forests, or wildlife on the planet of origins." He looked up at the massive muscular woman, and saw how her eyes jumped from place to place. She needed an enemy, or something to focus on. "Rakal?" She turned and looked at him. He watched her eyes focus, and become almost gentle.
"Yes, Neku?"
"What should be your primary objective? We are on unfamiliar terrain, far from our last known location, and Major Ori is gravely injured." She looked to her side, saw the major laying on the ground, and her superior, Captain Jokrah, on her knees beside him. She nodded when she saw the obvious.
"Soldiers! Fan out! Determine a place for base camp, with defensive positions! Secure water and food!" Neku watched as disciplined soldiers went out and did their jobs. He turned towards the major, and sighed sadly. He looked at the instrument in his hand, and took a reading. The major flashed a bright white flare from within his body, which then dampened to nothing.
"Neku?" He approached.
"Yes, Major. I am here."
"I hear....birds. Where are we....." Neku looked into his eyes.
"You can not see, can you?" The major shook his head.
"Not like before. My eyes don't work, but I see. Jokrah kneels beside me. Rakal stands two meters away. The rest are on the move through....trees? Are those trees?" He grimaced, and flared again.
"We are not on the Holy Planet, Major. I won't know where we are until nightfall." He turned to Neku.
"We're not?" He frowned. "But...can't you feel it? Can't you feel the heart of the Order?" Neku frowned, while Jokrah turned to the major, showing confusion.
"Ori? The heart of the Order? What do you mean?"
"The Holy Planet. Its alive again. The core fed the lines of power that ran through the planet. Doesn't your instrument show you those lines, Neku?"
"I see them as radiation bands, but you can feel them?" He took out the instrument again, and his eyes grew excited. "Its real. I don't believe it!" Jokrah turned to the scientist.
"What's he saying?"
"We're on the Holy Planet! Canaan!" He fell backwards, and tears streamed down his face. "Canaan! The planet of our origins!" He looked up at Rakal.
"How is that possible?" She asked, then looked around. "This planet is alive! Canaan has been dead for over two thousand years!" The major chuckled, then grimaced.
"We traveled the lines of Canaan's life. It brought us back, to a time before the Order, and before men." He turned towards Jokrah, and smiled sadly. "I only wish I could see it like you do." He held out his hand, which she took. Her face was lined with tears, and misery. "Don't cry. I shall be with the Patrons soon." He closed his dead eyes, and smiled. "There. I can see it now."
"What can you see, Major?" Neku asked solemnly.
"Something you will see before you come with me. Guide them well, Neku." He turned onto his side, grasped Jokrah firmly and pulled her close. He then laid his hand on her abdomen, and smiled. "There. A seed. A future to protect, Jokrah. And make sure you destroy the traitor's body. No trace must be left behind. No name. Just his armor. Just like before." He opened his eyes again and smiled.
"Bare him strong children, Rakal!" He said, although he was gripped by agony. His body flashed once more, and disappeared.
"NO!" Jokrah screamed, like she had once before. It felt like her soul was shattered with that scream.
"What just happened, Neku?" Rakal asked him shakily. Her mind couldn't make sense of what she just witnessed. Neku looked at the readings on his instrument, and shook his head.
"I....I'm not sure. I'll need some time to think." He looked at Jokrah. "We need shelter. And a place to preserve his armor." Rakal looked down at him, a tilt to her head.
"What do you mean?" Neku began to smile, and held out his hand. It shook something terrible.
"I can't be sure just yet. But we need shelter for the captain." He smiled down at the captain. "I believe she was given a parting gift, something he didn't have a chance to give her before. I won't know for a few weeks though." Rakal took a deep breath.
"Are you saying...."
"Maybe." He looked up at her and smiled. "I need your strength, Rakal." Her lips firmed up, and the tremors fled.
"You'll have it. Always."
"Ugh, why am I so sick?" Jokrah wiped her mouth and involuntarily retched again. "The food was good, but I'm still sick!" She looked up as Neku knelt beside her.
"I thought you might be. It took a few weeks to show up, but there is no doubt." She frowned.
"No doubt of what?"
"You are pregnant with Ori's child." She held her middle, her eyes wide open in shock.
"But...that wasn't a dream? He touched me....we spoke in the light....he said it was a gift!" She looked down at herself again, and let go of the shock. She began to smile. "I'm pregnant. Ori's child." Neku smiled softly.
"The first of the children born on Canaan. The first seed of the Order." He closed his eyes as he tried to remember his history lessons. "Its been many years, but if I remember correctly, there will be a modest colony thriving on Canaan when the first ones from Old Earth arrive." Jokrah hissed in displeasure.
"Monsters of Chaos!" He nodded.
"Chaos does follow the First Ones, but it was Chaos that destroyed Old Earth with their 'development', and refused to stop. They came here, integrated, and eventually influenced the colonists. They eventually kill this planet too. The Order learns this lesson, but Chaos does not." He sighed sadly. "There is nothing we can do to prevent this future from happening, but we can offer guidance." She snarled angrily.
"They will destroy Canaan, and you want to offer guidance?" He nodded.
"It is our job, captain. We can not interfere until Ori tells us to." She stopped her angry snarl, and frowned.
"What? Ori is...." Neku smiled.
"Dead? Haven't you felt his presence these last few weeks?" Jokrah's jaw dropped open.
"What....I....but..."
"Close your eyes, captain, and let me help you to see him." She closed her eyes, and felt the small man's hand cover her eyes. "Your eyes can fool you. Make you see things that aren't there, and miss what is right in front of you. Now see." She felt a warmth envelop her, and a white light pass over her eyes.
"Ori?" She asked softly as she saw a figure clad in light walk passed her.
"He's here. Watching. Waiting." She frowned as the image faded, and he pulled his hand away.
"Waiting for what?" Neku smiled, and gripped his hand to stop it from trembling.
"For us to make the leap with him. Or waiting for you to bear him a son. You and I will be the first." She frowned, and looked up. The colossal woman known as Rakal pressed her lips firmly together to stop them from from trembling. She never knew how hard it would be to hear Neku speak in this manner.
"Us? Why?" He smiled sadly.
"We were the closest to the entrance. The Major was already on his way with the first blast, but the second pushed him beyond the boundary of life and death." She closed her eyes.
"How long?"
"A year? Maybe two? I do not know, to be honest." He closed his eyes. "I have a lot to do before the inevitable happens." He shivered slightly. "I have much to write down. Many instructions to give. And a family to start." Jokrah looked up at Rakal in surprise. She had been so wrapped up in her own misery, she failed to see how close the two had become.
"A family?" She smiled shyly.
"We were given a task by Ori." Neku chuckled.
"Yes, we were, but its our choice, is it not, Rakal?" She colored brightly.
"Yes, our choice. Though I am not keen on sharing you with the others." She growled lightly, at which he smiled.
"I will father a child for them, but that is it." Rakal growled louder.
"You have to father two at least! That's the only way the gene pool will be diverse enough to grow into a colony!" She growled again, and looked into the sky. "I hope you're happy, Ori! I have to share my mate with the others!" Neku colored, and turned away. Jokrah watched them, and felt a shiver go down her spine. She repeated the words in the writings of the Patrons, and ones she knew by heart.
"Neku, a father of many, generation after generation, and the first to join Ori in the light. Neku left the Order with many instructions, which in turn became the Holy Writings, after he entered the light with Ori. The Patrons of the Order are ever watchful over their family on Canaan." Her lip began to tremble.
"Neku? Are we...." He smiled sadly.
"Maybe, but we can not change who we are, Jokrah. Neither can you. You must be who you are in order to be who you will become." He closed his eyes. "I wonder if the Matriarch knew."
Jokrah's memories returned to the far flung future, and her recent past.
"You called for me, Matriarch?" The older woman smiled and beckoned her in.
"Yes, I did, captain. You've been permanently assigned to Major Ori's team, correct?" Jokrah smiled involuntarily.
"Yes, Matriarch, I have. He is an amazing leader, and always yields to the wishes of the Patrons, and the Order." The Matriarch smiled.
"Its good that he has such loyalty, but tell me, Jokrah, how would you feel if he decided that something the Patrons did wasn't quite right?" She frowned.
"He always defers to the Patrons, and the Holy Writings." She nodded.
"True, he does, but what if, for some reason, he had to do something that went against a more obscure part of the writings, but you knew that it did? Would you still follow him so loyally?" Jokrah frowned.
"I....to be honest, I am not sure. He's earned my loyalty, Mistress. It would feel like an elementary betrayal if I didn't, but at the same time, I would have questions as to why." The Matriarch smiled.
"And so you should. If his reasons were good, would that allow you to rest your conscience?"
"I...I don't know. It would have to be an incredibly good reason for me to betray the Order, or the Patrons. From the Holy Writings, I like to think I know Ori quite well. The Major mirrors him so much, its almost frightening." The Matriarch smiled softly.
"I understand your feelings, captain. He's been under my spiritual care since he was born, and I was merely an acolyte. I taught him as he sat on my knee, and he never once deviated from what he was taught. In fact, he emulated his Patron so well, he is almost a mirror image of him. From my own standpoint, it would be almost unthinkable for the Major to betray the Patrons, but I wanted your thoughts as well." She smiled again. "I'm glad he has such a loyal follower to help him when he needs it." She looked at her slyly. "By the way, you've never received the ritual sterilization for soldiers, have you?" She shook her head.
"None of our unit is sterilized. The Order has mandated that anyone given the names of the Patrons must remain intact in every way. That included the ones who volunteered to be in service to the Patrons in their military." She nodded.
"Its been that way since the beginning of the Order. Which must make it difficult. Ori is a powerful virile man, and one who would catch the eye of many within our military ranks. He's not as small as most men these days, and could easily match many of our female soldiers for sheer strength, and willpower." Jokrah blushed a bit, and nodded.
"He's had ample opportunities presented to him, Matriarch, but he is polite, and refuses all calls for sexual relief. I've never known a man to remain celibate like that." The Matriarch smiled, like she had a secret she might be willing to share.
"Do you know why he remains chaste after all these years?" Jokrah shook her head. "He once told me that just like his Patron had waited patiently for his Jokrah, he would wait patiently for her as well. His own Jokrah. A fiercely loyal soldier of the Order who would never betray him, or the Order." She smiled benignly at the captain. "Remember who your first loyalty belongs to. If you remain loyal to the Patrons, you may in fact find your Ori."
Jokrah held her stomach, and closed her eyes. She smiled serenely as Ori walked in front of her and smiled.
"I shall remain patient, my love. My Ori."
"We won't know until nightfall, Rakal. Not until the stars are in the sky. I know we are not on the Holy Planet though. There are no forests, or wildlife on the planet of origins." He looked up at the massive muscular woman, and saw how her eyes jumped from place to place. She needed an enemy, or something to focus on. "Rakal?" She turned and looked at him. He watched her eyes focus, and become almost gentle.
"Yes, Neku?"
"What should be your primary objective? We are on unfamiliar terrain, far from our last known location, and Major Ori is gravely injured." She looked to her side, saw the major laying on the ground, and her superior, Captain Jokrah, on her knees beside him. She nodded when she saw the obvious.
"Soldiers! Fan out! Determine a place for base camp, with defensive positions! Secure water and food!" Neku watched as disciplined soldiers went out and did their jobs. He turned towards the major, and sighed sadly. He looked at the instrument in his hand, and took a reading. The major flashed a bright white flare from within his body, which then dampened to nothing.
"Neku?" He approached.
"Yes, Major. I am here."
"I hear....birds. Where are we....." Neku looked into his eyes.
"You can not see, can you?" The major shook his head.
"Not like before. My eyes don't work, but I see. Jokrah kneels beside me. Rakal stands two meters away. The rest are on the move through....trees? Are those trees?" He grimaced, and flared again.
"We are not on the Holy Planet, Major. I won't know where we are until nightfall." He turned to Neku.
"We're not?" He frowned. "But...can't you feel it? Can't you feel the heart of the Order?" Neku frowned, while Jokrah turned to the major, showing confusion.
"Ori? The heart of the Order? What do you mean?"
"The Holy Planet. Its alive again. The core fed the lines of power that ran through the planet. Doesn't your instrument show you those lines, Neku?"
"I see them as radiation bands, but you can feel them?" He took out the instrument again, and his eyes grew excited. "Its real. I don't believe it!" Jokrah turned to the scientist.
"What's he saying?"
"We're on the Holy Planet! Canaan!" He fell backwards, and tears streamed down his face. "Canaan! The planet of our origins!" He looked up at Rakal.
"How is that possible?" She asked, then looked around. "This planet is alive! Canaan has been dead for over two thousand years!" The major chuckled, then grimaced.
"We traveled the lines of Canaan's life. It brought us back, to a time before the Order, and before men." He turned towards Jokrah, and smiled sadly. "I only wish I could see it like you do." He held out his hand, which she took. Her face was lined with tears, and misery. "Don't cry. I shall be with the Patrons soon." He closed his dead eyes, and smiled. "There. I can see it now."
"What can you see, Major?" Neku asked solemnly.
"Something you will see before you come with me. Guide them well, Neku." He turned onto his side, grasped Jokrah firmly and pulled her close. He then laid his hand on her abdomen, and smiled. "There. A seed. A future to protect, Jokrah. And make sure you destroy the traitor's body. No trace must be left behind. No name. Just his armor. Just like before." He opened his eyes again and smiled.
"Bare him strong children, Rakal!" He said, although he was gripped by agony. His body flashed once more, and disappeared.
"NO!" Jokrah screamed, like she had once before. It felt like her soul was shattered with that scream.
"What just happened, Neku?" Rakal asked him shakily. Her mind couldn't make sense of what she just witnessed. Neku looked at the readings on his instrument, and shook his head.
"I....I'm not sure. I'll need some time to think." He looked at Jokrah. "We need shelter. And a place to preserve his armor." Rakal looked down at him, a tilt to her head.
"What do you mean?" Neku began to smile, and held out his hand. It shook something terrible.
"I can't be sure just yet. But we need shelter for the captain." He smiled down at the captain. "I believe she was given a parting gift, something he didn't have a chance to give her before. I won't know for a few weeks though." Rakal took a deep breath.
"Are you saying...."
"Maybe." He looked up at her and smiled. "I need your strength, Rakal." Her lips firmed up, and the tremors fled.
"You'll have it. Always."
"Ugh, why am I so sick?" Jokrah wiped her mouth and involuntarily retched again. "The food was good, but I'm still sick!" She looked up as Neku knelt beside her.
"I thought you might be. It took a few weeks to show up, but there is no doubt." She frowned.
"No doubt of what?"
"You are pregnant with Ori's child." She held her middle, her eyes wide open in shock.
"But...that wasn't a dream? He touched me....we spoke in the light....he said it was a gift!" She looked down at herself again, and let go of the shock. She began to smile. "I'm pregnant. Ori's child." Neku smiled softly.
"The first of the children born on Canaan. The first seed of the Order." He closed his eyes as he tried to remember his history lessons. "Its been many years, but if I remember correctly, there will be a modest colony thriving on Canaan when the first ones from Old Earth arrive." Jokrah hissed in displeasure.
"Monsters of Chaos!" He nodded.
"Chaos does follow the First Ones, but it was Chaos that destroyed Old Earth with their 'development', and refused to stop. They came here, integrated, and eventually influenced the colonists. They eventually kill this planet too. The Order learns this lesson, but Chaos does not." He sighed sadly. "There is nothing we can do to prevent this future from happening, but we can offer guidance." She snarled angrily.
"They will destroy Canaan, and you want to offer guidance?" He nodded.
"It is our job, captain. We can not interfere until Ori tells us to." She stopped her angry snarl, and frowned.
"What? Ori is...." Neku smiled.
"Dead? Haven't you felt his presence these last few weeks?" Jokrah's jaw dropped open.
"What....I....but..."
"Close your eyes, captain, and let me help you to see him." She closed her eyes, and felt the small man's hand cover her eyes. "Your eyes can fool you. Make you see things that aren't there, and miss what is right in front of you. Now see." She felt a warmth envelop her, and a white light pass over her eyes.
"Ori?" She asked softly as she saw a figure clad in light walk passed her.
"He's here. Watching. Waiting." She frowned as the image faded, and he pulled his hand away.
"Waiting for what?" Neku smiled, and gripped his hand to stop it from trembling.
"For us to make the leap with him. Or waiting for you to bear him a son. You and I will be the first." She frowned, and looked up. The colossal woman known as Rakal pressed her lips firmly together to stop them from from trembling. She never knew how hard it would be to hear Neku speak in this manner.
"Us? Why?" He smiled sadly.
"We were the closest to the entrance. The Major was already on his way with the first blast, but the second pushed him beyond the boundary of life and death." She closed her eyes.
"How long?"
"A year? Maybe two? I do not know, to be honest." He closed his eyes. "I have a lot to do before the inevitable happens." He shivered slightly. "I have much to write down. Many instructions to give. And a family to start." Jokrah looked up at Rakal in surprise. She had been so wrapped up in her own misery, she failed to see how close the two had become.
"A family?" She smiled shyly.
"We were given a task by Ori." Neku chuckled.
"Yes, we were, but its our choice, is it not, Rakal?" She colored brightly.
"Yes, our choice. Though I am not keen on sharing you with the others." She growled lightly, at which he smiled.
"I will father a child for them, but that is it." Rakal growled louder.
"You have to father two at least! That's the only way the gene pool will be diverse enough to grow into a colony!" She growled again, and looked into the sky. "I hope you're happy, Ori! I have to share my mate with the others!" Neku colored, and turned away. Jokrah watched them, and felt a shiver go down her spine. She repeated the words in the writings of the Patrons, and ones she knew by heart.
"Neku, a father of many, generation after generation, and the first to join Ori in the light. Neku left the Order with many instructions, which in turn became the Holy Writings, after he entered the light with Ori. The Patrons of the Order are ever watchful over their family on Canaan." Her lip began to tremble.
"Neku? Are we...." He smiled sadly.
"Maybe, but we can not change who we are, Jokrah. Neither can you. You must be who you are in order to be who you will become." He closed his eyes. "I wonder if the Matriarch knew."
Jokrah's memories returned to the far flung future, and her recent past.
"You called for me, Matriarch?" The older woman smiled and beckoned her in.
"Yes, I did, captain. You've been permanently assigned to Major Ori's team, correct?" Jokrah smiled involuntarily.
"Yes, Matriarch, I have. He is an amazing leader, and always yields to the wishes of the Patrons, and the Order." The Matriarch smiled.
"Its good that he has such loyalty, but tell me, Jokrah, how would you feel if he decided that something the Patrons did wasn't quite right?" She frowned.
"He always defers to the Patrons, and the Holy Writings." She nodded.
"True, he does, but what if, for some reason, he had to do something that went against a more obscure part of the writings, but you knew that it did? Would you still follow him so loyally?" Jokrah frowned.
"I....to be honest, I am not sure. He's earned my loyalty, Mistress. It would feel like an elementary betrayal if I didn't, but at the same time, I would have questions as to why." The Matriarch smiled.
"And so you should. If his reasons were good, would that allow you to rest your conscience?"
"I...I don't know. It would have to be an incredibly good reason for me to betray the Order, or the Patrons. From the Holy Writings, I like to think I know Ori quite well. The Major mirrors him so much, its almost frightening." The Matriarch smiled softly.
"I understand your feelings, captain. He's been under my spiritual care since he was born, and I was merely an acolyte. I taught him as he sat on my knee, and he never once deviated from what he was taught. In fact, he emulated his Patron so well, he is almost a mirror image of him. From my own standpoint, it would be almost unthinkable for the Major to betray the Patrons, but I wanted your thoughts as well." She smiled again. "I'm glad he has such a loyal follower to help him when he needs it." She looked at her slyly. "By the way, you've never received the ritual sterilization for soldiers, have you?" She shook her head.
"None of our unit is sterilized. The Order has mandated that anyone given the names of the Patrons must remain intact in every way. That included the ones who volunteered to be in service to the Patrons in their military." She nodded.
"Its been that way since the beginning of the Order. Which must make it difficult. Ori is a powerful virile man, and one who would catch the eye of many within our military ranks. He's not as small as most men these days, and could easily match many of our female soldiers for sheer strength, and willpower." Jokrah blushed a bit, and nodded.
"He's had ample opportunities presented to him, Matriarch, but he is polite, and refuses all calls for sexual relief. I've never known a man to remain celibate like that." The Matriarch smiled, like she had a secret she might be willing to share.
"Do you know why he remains chaste after all these years?" Jokrah shook her head. "He once told me that just like his Patron had waited patiently for his Jokrah, he would wait patiently for her as well. His own Jokrah. A fiercely loyal soldier of the Order who would never betray him, or the Order." She smiled benignly at the captain. "Remember who your first loyalty belongs to. If you remain loyal to the Patrons, you may in fact find your Ori."
Jokrah held her stomach, and closed her eyes. She smiled serenely as Ori walked in front of her and smiled.
"I shall remain patient, my love. My Ori."
Monday, 14 January 2019
The Patrons of the Order - Chapter Two - The Present Past
"I don't believe it." The scientist whispered. The major frowned.
"What's the matter?" The scientist took a tentative step forward.
"The core. Its not within the planet. Its here!" His eyes darted here and there. "And its still active!" He looked around quickly, at individual pieces, and at the whole of the massive machine. "Its a fusion plant!" His eyes became frantic.
"Explain, why is that significant?"
"We always assumed the core was actually deep within the planet, but no one has been allowed upon the planet in nearly two thousand years. The ancients built the city around the core, and siphoned energy to feed it, but the core was designed to keep the planet alive. It was created to keep the planet from going cold after that same civilization did something horrific to alter the actual planet. We always assumed that they bled the planet of its heat, and the core had to be built to keep it replenished." The scientist took another tentative step forward. "What have we done?" Rakal frowned.
"What do you mean, scientist?" She bristled angrily.
"The ancients! They destroyed this planet's ability to keep itself warm, then were given the designs for a wondrous machine to fix what they destroyed, and they still kept doing it! Our planet of origins! Our home, and they kept doing it!" He fell to his knees. Rakal stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder.
"This bothers you?" She asked, a bit surprised.
"I've never believed in the Patrons, but this technology is tens of thousands of years old! Long before we could make it! They had to be so much more advanced then we are, and they tried to stop us! They must have been incredible beings." He trailed off, and sounded almost reverential. Rakal smiled, one of the softest smiles the major could remember ever seeing on her lips.
"They were. There is much more to see, and we need your mind sharp. The Patrons left this behind for a reason, and the Order sent us here to figure out why, and how to fix it." The scientist nodded, and slowly got to his feet.
"An open mind. A good place to start." The Major smiled.
"Rakal, stay on his six. Nothing gets near him, or interrupts whatever he starts." She turned towards her leader, and nodded. "I know it didn't need to be said, Rakal, but he needed it to be heard." She heard him speak through the mic in her helmet.
"Understood, Major Ori. Nothing will get near him." Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she scanned the area. She put her hand on his shoulder again. He looked up at her, a bit of awe in his eyes. "What is your name, scientist?" The major smiled.
"Neku." Her eyes went wide in surprise. "My parents were very devout members of the Order, and thought I should have a name to reflect that. I hope they are happy that I follow in the steps of my Patron." Rakal began to laugh. It was the very person who built her armor, and now that respect she had started to develop for the unknown man was now much greater, and felt familiar. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought her feelings were a kind of affection.
"You surprise me, Neku. Named for the advisor to the Patrons, and with intelligence worthy of your namesake. It shall be quite interesting to guard you, Neku." Ori felt his vision swim for a brief second. A flash of light blinded him, but it was not in front of him. It was from a dream he had long ago, and it was as if this whole scene was nothing but a memory of his childhood.
"Major." He shook his head.
"Report, Jokrah."
"Your instincts were correct, sir. He has no history within the Order before two weeks ago. His records have been erased, or never existed. How did he end up on our detail?" The major growled lightly, which made her nervous.
"I don't know, but I don't like surprises. The Order assigned him to our detail, and for reasons we are not aware of. If he should betray us...." He heard the words he knew would be on her tongue.
"We'll rip that armor off his body, and make sure not one piece of him will remain on the Holy Planet."
Neku frowned, and examined the machine before him.
"I was wrong." He said softly. Rakal came up behind him.
"Explain, Neku." She was no longer as aggressive towards him as she once was, but couldn't stop herself from questioning him.
"We see a machine, in the center of the city, right?" She nodded. Her massive size was a genetic gift of the Patrons, as was the incredible strength, speed, and agility of almost all females of their civilization.
"Of course. You already said as much."
"I was wrong. This is merely a piece. Look." He pointed to its base. "The unit continues down into the ground. I should have known that the devices they designed were much more complex then just a a simple fusion plant." He examined it closer. "It almost appears to be a more complex, but similar engine to what powers our cities and ships throughout the Order." Rakal stepped back.
"They were the source of almost all our technology, weren't they?" Neku sighed softly.
"It appears so. So intelligent, those who once guided our ancestors, and whose writings still guide us today." He got down on his knees and closed his eyes. "As the Patrons will it." Rakal smiled softly at the scientist, and felt her affection for this smaller male grow.
"Should I report to the Major?" Neku nodded.
"Yes, tell him we need to look for an entrance to the underground works." He pulled out an instrument and frowned. "That's odd." The display looked complicated, but the instrument was quite easy to use.
"What is that?" she asked quietly.
"Something the Matriarch gave to me. An ancient, but reliable instrument designed to scan for radiation concentrations. The area is saturated with ambient radiation, a large source below us, bands interwoven, but there is a source on the surface. Moving." Rakal tapped her helmet.
"Report."
"Neku found a moving source of radiation. On the surface." She heard him growl, and loaded her weapon quickly.
"Someone is about to.....Saltea? What are you doing?" She heard weapons fire. "He betrayed us! There is a fusion mine on the underground entrance!" Rakal looked at the scientist.
"Neku? Can you disarm a fusion mine?" He looked up at her in alarm.
"Oh no. Not here! The Holy Planet!" He shook himself quickly, and she watched the panic subside. Her admiration for the small man grew as she watched him grow calm, and calculating. "I might be able to." He looked her in the eyes. "Get me there."
"Major! We're on our way! Neku might be able to....." She heard another growl.
"There's no time! Its already on its last cycle!" Neku looked her in the eye, and that caused her middle to clench and flex. It felt like the affection she had for Ori, but even stronger.
"Let me speak to him." She nodded almost absently as she tried to assimilate the new sensations she felt.
"Major, Neku wishes to talk to you."
"Put him on."
"Sir, you may be able to stop it. Your suit is designed by the Patrons. I built yours specifically to absorb incredible amounts of energy. Radiation is energy. Activate your shielded armor, lock it down, and stand right in front of it. It may overload your powercells, and it may even kill you. But your suit will withstand that amount of energy." He heard silence on the other side.
"Will it save the planet?" Rakal closed her eyes.
"I'm not sure, sir. But the Patrons were not fools. Your suit had a purpose. Now I know what it was. Somehow, they knew this was coming, and planned for it." Again, more silence.
"Rakal."
"Here, sir." She fought her emotions.
"Keep him safe. Jokrah is in charge now. She knows what to do." She fought the tide, and won. She tapped her mic
"Jokrah?"
"Here, Rakal."
"Ori has placed you in charge. Saltea is a traitor. He said you would know what to do." She heard her friend and comrade growl.
"We are going to rip that armor off his body, and make sure nothing remains!" Rakal grinned.
"I wish I could be there, sir. He ordered me to watch over Neku, the scientist." She frowned and looked down at Neku. She literally towered over him by a foot, even without the armor. "What is it?"
"Tell the Captain to hurry. Finish her duty, then return. The major will survive the ordeal, but...." She closed her eyes.
"But not for long." A scene she's witnessed once before flashed in front of her eyes.
"Why didn't they destroy the armor?" The Matriarch smiled.
"Ori knew we needed to know the traitor existed, but not his identity. We examined the armor of all the Patrons, from the shortest, Neku, to the tallest, Rakal, and the traitor's armor is the only set that didn't make any sense." She frowned.
"In what way, Mistress?"
"It has no power sources, no advanced technology, and no physical benefits in any way. If I didn't know any better, I would swear it was something made to resemble the Patron's armor, and get the traitor in the door." Rakal blinked and returned to the present.
"Jokrah?"
"What is it? I almost have him!"
"The Matriarch said the traitor's armor was a fake! She told me before we left on this mission!" Jokrah growled.
"So what's your point? He's not the traitor of the Patrons!"
"Our armor can shrug off our strongest weapons! What if his can't?" She waited, then heard a yell through her mic. "Captain?"
"Good call, Rakal. You were correct. Now I can kill him at my leisure." Rakal closed her eyes.
"You can't, Captain. Kill him quickly, and get back here. Neku said that Ori will survive the blast, but not for long."
"Wait! What do you mean he'll survive the blast?" Then they heard the sizzle as a fusion mine exploded. "No." She said quietly. "Ori!" Rakal grimaced as she heard that heart wrenching scream. She looked down as Neku lightly placed his hand on hers.
"We need to go. I don't want the major to be alone." She blinked away her tears, and nodded.
"You are aptly named, Neku." He smiled sadly. Neku was the intellect, and the conscience of the Patrons, the Order's benefactors.
Rakal and Neku jogged into the area where Ori laid, and watched as Jokrah knelt beside him. Her face was a picture of total misery. It was obvious to Rakal that she did love Ori, though it was now too late to do anything about it.
"Did....you....do....it?" He asked brokenly. His armor was charred, and still sparked from the overload of energy. She nodded.
"I left nothing of his head behind. The body is intact, and ready to be incinerated, but his head will never find peace." Ori nodded, his body flashed brightly as though lit up from the inside, which made him grimace.
"I...was....not....enough." Neku quickly looked at his instrument, and closed his eyes.
"Contact the ship, Rakal. Tell them to get out of here. The Core is going critical." Ori nodded, then tilted his head quizzically. His body flashed again, and he could have sworn that he saw his entire squad, all bathed in white light, fully armored, standing a bit off from their current location.
"Bring....the....unit.....here." Jokrah looked confused.
"Why?" Neku nodded.
"Good thinking, Major. The entire unit, including my own suit, might be able to absorb enough of the energy to hold back the blast. It might hold it back long enough for the ship to escape." Ori nodded, and grimaced again. His body flashed brighter.
"Hurry......not....much.....time......" Neku nodded.
"Rakal. Get them here. We need to do this right now, or the Major will be unable to assist us." She tapped her mic.
"Recall! Recall! Converge with all haste on our position! Battle positions! Armor lock down! Shield Hardened!" She nodded as she received acknowledgement on the orders.
"Help....me....up!" Jokrah closed her eyes, then put the major's arm over her shoulder. The rest of the unit pounded into the area, and Neku silently counted.
"Twelve soldiers. Thirteen including myself." He stood at the major's side, and helped to prop him up. As he heard the powered armor enter the lock down stage, with their shielding active, and energy absorption on full, the major flashed again.
A terrible sound erupted from the ground as the core went critical. Neku looked up at Rakal, and saw her eyes mist up as she laid her hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, and smiled.
"We are Thirteen. Just like the Patrons." Just before the entire area was bathed in the light of the fusion reactor's radiation, he saw his unit again, standing in front of him, smiles on their lips, all radiating that same white light. Then the image spoke.
"Well done, Major. Well done."
"What's the matter?" The scientist took a tentative step forward.
"The core. Its not within the planet. Its here!" His eyes darted here and there. "And its still active!" He looked around quickly, at individual pieces, and at the whole of the massive machine. "Its a fusion plant!" His eyes became frantic.
"Explain, why is that significant?"
"We always assumed the core was actually deep within the planet, but no one has been allowed upon the planet in nearly two thousand years. The ancients built the city around the core, and siphoned energy to feed it, but the core was designed to keep the planet alive. It was created to keep the planet from going cold after that same civilization did something horrific to alter the actual planet. We always assumed that they bled the planet of its heat, and the core had to be built to keep it replenished." The scientist took another tentative step forward. "What have we done?" Rakal frowned.
"What do you mean, scientist?" She bristled angrily.
"The ancients! They destroyed this planet's ability to keep itself warm, then were given the designs for a wondrous machine to fix what they destroyed, and they still kept doing it! Our planet of origins! Our home, and they kept doing it!" He fell to his knees. Rakal stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder.
"This bothers you?" She asked, a bit surprised.
"I've never believed in the Patrons, but this technology is tens of thousands of years old! Long before we could make it! They had to be so much more advanced then we are, and they tried to stop us! They must have been incredible beings." He trailed off, and sounded almost reverential. Rakal smiled, one of the softest smiles the major could remember ever seeing on her lips.
"They were. There is much more to see, and we need your mind sharp. The Patrons left this behind for a reason, and the Order sent us here to figure out why, and how to fix it." The scientist nodded, and slowly got to his feet.
"An open mind. A good place to start." The Major smiled.
"Rakal, stay on his six. Nothing gets near him, or interrupts whatever he starts." She turned towards her leader, and nodded. "I know it didn't need to be said, Rakal, but he needed it to be heard." She heard him speak through the mic in her helmet.
"Understood, Major Ori. Nothing will get near him." Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she scanned the area. She put her hand on his shoulder again. He looked up at her, a bit of awe in his eyes. "What is your name, scientist?" The major smiled.
"Neku." Her eyes went wide in surprise. "My parents were very devout members of the Order, and thought I should have a name to reflect that. I hope they are happy that I follow in the steps of my Patron." Rakal began to laugh. It was the very person who built her armor, and now that respect she had started to develop for the unknown man was now much greater, and felt familiar. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought her feelings were a kind of affection.
"You surprise me, Neku. Named for the advisor to the Patrons, and with intelligence worthy of your namesake. It shall be quite interesting to guard you, Neku." Ori felt his vision swim for a brief second. A flash of light blinded him, but it was not in front of him. It was from a dream he had long ago, and it was as if this whole scene was nothing but a memory of his childhood.
"Major." He shook his head.
"Report, Jokrah."
"Your instincts were correct, sir. He has no history within the Order before two weeks ago. His records have been erased, or never existed. How did he end up on our detail?" The major growled lightly, which made her nervous.
"I don't know, but I don't like surprises. The Order assigned him to our detail, and for reasons we are not aware of. If he should betray us...." He heard the words he knew would be on her tongue.
"We'll rip that armor off his body, and make sure not one piece of him will remain on the Holy Planet."
Neku frowned, and examined the machine before him.
"I was wrong." He said softly. Rakal came up behind him.
"Explain, Neku." She was no longer as aggressive towards him as she once was, but couldn't stop herself from questioning him.
"We see a machine, in the center of the city, right?" She nodded. Her massive size was a genetic gift of the Patrons, as was the incredible strength, speed, and agility of almost all females of their civilization.
"Of course. You already said as much."
"I was wrong. This is merely a piece. Look." He pointed to its base. "The unit continues down into the ground. I should have known that the devices they designed were much more complex then just a a simple fusion plant." He examined it closer. "It almost appears to be a more complex, but similar engine to what powers our cities and ships throughout the Order." Rakal stepped back.
"They were the source of almost all our technology, weren't they?" Neku sighed softly.
"It appears so. So intelligent, those who once guided our ancestors, and whose writings still guide us today." He got down on his knees and closed his eyes. "As the Patrons will it." Rakal smiled softly at the scientist, and felt her affection for this smaller male grow.
"Should I report to the Major?" Neku nodded.
"Yes, tell him we need to look for an entrance to the underground works." He pulled out an instrument and frowned. "That's odd." The display looked complicated, but the instrument was quite easy to use.
"What is that?" she asked quietly.
"Something the Matriarch gave to me. An ancient, but reliable instrument designed to scan for radiation concentrations. The area is saturated with ambient radiation, a large source below us, bands interwoven, but there is a source on the surface. Moving." Rakal tapped her helmet.
"Report."
"Neku found a moving source of radiation. On the surface." She heard him growl, and loaded her weapon quickly.
"Someone is about to.....Saltea? What are you doing?" She heard weapons fire. "He betrayed us! There is a fusion mine on the underground entrance!" Rakal looked at the scientist.
"Neku? Can you disarm a fusion mine?" He looked up at her in alarm.
"Oh no. Not here! The Holy Planet!" He shook himself quickly, and she watched the panic subside. Her admiration for the small man grew as she watched him grow calm, and calculating. "I might be able to." He looked her in the eyes. "Get me there."
"Major! We're on our way! Neku might be able to....." She heard another growl.
"There's no time! Its already on its last cycle!" Neku looked her in the eye, and that caused her middle to clench and flex. It felt like the affection she had for Ori, but even stronger.
"Let me speak to him." She nodded almost absently as she tried to assimilate the new sensations she felt.
"Major, Neku wishes to talk to you."
"Put him on."
"Sir, you may be able to stop it. Your suit is designed by the Patrons. I built yours specifically to absorb incredible amounts of energy. Radiation is energy. Activate your shielded armor, lock it down, and stand right in front of it. It may overload your powercells, and it may even kill you. But your suit will withstand that amount of energy." He heard silence on the other side.
"Will it save the planet?" Rakal closed her eyes.
"I'm not sure, sir. But the Patrons were not fools. Your suit had a purpose. Now I know what it was. Somehow, they knew this was coming, and planned for it." Again, more silence.
"Rakal."
"Here, sir." She fought her emotions.
"Keep him safe. Jokrah is in charge now. She knows what to do." She fought the tide, and won. She tapped her mic
"Jokrah?"
"Here, Rakal."
"Ori has placed you in charge. Saltea is a traitor. He said you would know what to do." She heard her friend and comrade growl.
"We are going to rip that armor off his body, and make sure nothing remains!" Rakal grinned.
"I wish I could be there, sir. He ordered me to watch over Neku, the scientist." She frowned and looked down at Neku. She literally towered over him by a foot, even without the armor. "What is it?"
"Tell the Captain to hurry. Finish her duty, then return. The major will survive the ordeal, but...." She closed her eyes.
"But not for long." A scene she's witnessed once before flashed in front of her eyes.
"Why didn't they destroy the armor?" The Matriarch smiled.
"Ori knew we needed to know the traitor existed, but not his identity. We examined the armor of all the Patrons, from the shortest, Neku, to the tallest, Rakal, and the traitor's armor is the only set that didn't make any sense." She frowned.
"In what way, Mistress?"
"It has no power sources, no advanced technology, and no physical benefits in any way. If I didn't know any better, I would swear it was something made to resemble the Patron's armor, and get the traitor in the door." Rakal blinked and returned to the present.
"Jokrah?"
"What is it? I almost have him!"
"The Matriarch said the traitor's armor was a fake! She told me before we left on this mission!" Jokrah growled.
"So what's your point? He's not the traitor of the Patrons!"
"Our armor can shrug off our strongest weapons! What if his can't?" She waited, then heard a yell through her mic. "Captain?"
"Good call, Rakal. You were correct. Now I can kill him at my leisure." Rakal closed her eyes.
"You can't, Captain. Kill him quickly, and get back here. Neku said that Ori will survive the blast, but not for long."
"Wait! What do you mean he'll survive the blast?" Then they heard the sizzle as a fusion mine exploded. "No." She said quietly. "Ori!" Rakal grimaced as she heard that heart wrenching scream. She looked down as Neku lightly placed his hand on hers.
"We need to go. I don't want the major to be alone." She blinked away her tears, and nodded.
"You are aptly named, Neku." He smiled sadly. Neku was the intellect, and the conscience of the Patrons, the Order's benefactors.
Rakal and Neku jogged into the area where Ori laid, and watched as Jokrah knelt beside him. Her face was a picture of total misery. It was obvious to Rakal that she did love Ori, though it was now too late to do anything about it.
"Did....you....do....it?" He asked brokenly. His armor was charred, and still sparked from the overload of energy. She nodded.
"I left nothing of his head behind. The body is intact, and ready to be incinerated, but his head will never find peace." Ori nodded, his body flashed brightly as though lit up from the inside, which made him grimace.
"I...was....not....enough." Neku quickly looked at his instrument, and closed his eyes.
"Contact the ship, Rakal. Tell them to get out of here. The Core is going critical." Ori nodded, then tilted his head quizzically. His body flashed again, and he could have sworn that he saw his entire squad, all bathed in white light, fully armored, standing a bit off from their current location.
"Bring....the....unit.....here." Jokrah looked confused.
"Why?" Neku nodded.
"Good thinking, Major. The entire unit, including my own suit, might be able to absorb enough of the energy to hold back the blast. It might hold it back long enough for the ship to escape." Ori nodded, and grimaced again. His body flashed brighter.
"Hurry......not....much.....time......" Neku nodded.
"Rakal. Get them here. We need to do this right now, or the Major will be unable to assist us." She tapped her mic.
"Recall! Recall! Converge with all haste on our position! Battle positions! Armor lock down! Shield Hardened!" She nodded as she received acknowledgement on the orders.
"Help....me....up!" Jokrah closed her eyes, then put the major's arm over her shoulder. The rest of the unit pounded into the area, and Neku silently counted.
"Twelve soldiers. Thirteen including myself." He stood at the major's side, and helped to prop him up. As he heard the powered armor enter the lock down stage, with their shielding active, and energy absorption on full, the major flashed again.
A terrible sound erupted from the ground as the core went critical. Neku looked up at Rakal, and saw her eyes mist up as she laid her hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, and smiled.
"We are Thirteen. Just like the Patrons." Just before the entire area was bathed in the light of the fusion reactor's radiation, he saw his unit again, standing in front of him, smiles on their lips, all radiating that same white light. Then the image spoke.
"Well done, Major. Well done."
Thursday, 10 January 2019
The Portal - Chapter 7 - Lessons Learned
Director Shelby looked around at all the important faces in the crowd, and the news media present. He had insisted upon a press conference instead of a debriefing, and that was in order to put the upstart 'specialist' in her place. Some of the faces he expected to see, government officials, were not present.
His temper was already inflamed as the former employee of NASA currently sat with the astronauts, and was obviously a 'special' guest of one of them, though he didn't know them by name. He had the list in front of him, and he would connect the faces when he called the team to the podium.
"Ladies gentlemen of the press, honored guests, and to those watching, I would like to first introduce myself. I am Director Shelby of NASA, who was personally responsible for making NASA more financially viable. On this historic occasion, I would like to also introduce a team of hand picked astronauts, who traveled to Jupiter, the largest planet in our system. And for the first time ever, they have uncovered something that tells us we are not alone in the galaxy. A portal to another star system." He smiled as he watched the flashes, and heard the gasps in the audience.
"I have been given information that also tells me they have a surprise for us all. A piece of technology from an alien space craft, though they have failed to indicate what that technology is." He said it in offhand way, as though it were no surprise that they were difficult to deal with. "So, without further input from myself, I'd like to introduce to you the astronauts who were on that mission." He picked up the list just slightly, but not enough so that the audience would think he didn't know their names.
"Captain Arnold Rainier. Commander Dave Sampson. Doctor Geri Almaniah. Lieutenant Daria Thompson. Lieutenant Eevi Dye. Doctor Arlen Neale. Doctor Damian Stone." He kept the name he hated the most for last. "And Specialist Tara Timmons." He frowned as the crew made their way to the podium, along with the one he fired.
"Security! Stop that woman! She was fired earlier today, and I don't want her up here as though she has a right!" Captain Rainier stopped his crew, and all eyes were focused on him. He pointed to the security guard.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on one of my crew members." He said in a cold voice. "That is Specialist Tara Timmons, the one responsible for not only finding the portal, but for saving our lives more then once. NASA abandoned us in space, labeled us as dead even while we kept sending reports back on a monthly schedule. Tara kept us moving forward. As Director Johnson would have if he was still in charge. He would not have abandoned us." He growled under his breath. He looked at the members of his crew. "Its up to you. Would you like to leave now, or put up with this?" A man came out of the crowd.
"You won't have to make that decision, Captain. The President would like to see your crew in his office, at the White House. He's read the reports as they came in, but watched to see if NASA would do its job. If you wouldn't mind coming with me to the cars? The Secret Service will escort you there now." He looked to the director, and shook his head. He didn't say anything as he didn't need to.
"And our director, sir? Damon Johnson was a good man at the helm." The man held up his hand.
"That's not my call, but rest assured, that fool won't be at the helm when you return." He smiled. "Jupiter! Of all things, to return home, and with technology too. I'm glad you didn't divulge the nature of that tech, as it could leap us forward by almost a century." He smiled at Tara. "Thank you for smoothing things over with the RSA. To hide something like that from them would have been a disaster. A political one, and a military one." She smiled.
"I'm glad you understood the necessity of keeping our allies in this as allies. Just think of it, sir! Industry experts, and environmentalists working together to move all industry off the planet!" He smiled a bit at her enthusiasm, and possible naivety. Things seldom work out the exact way we envision them.
"Its a little bit too early to get our hopes up, but that is an interesting idea. Make sure you mention it at the meeting. This is not a formality. All the Secretaries of State will be there. They may be a bit uncomfortable with how you handled the director." She smiled a small smile.
"He dug that grave on his own, sir. I asked for a debriefing, not a press conference. The technology was too important to reveal in front of cameras, and it would influence the careers of many, including other politicians. By keeping it secret for now, the political bodies can debate it privately, and make the decisions needed that the public often forces them not to make." He chuckled.
"Your father taught you well, Ms. Timmons." He closed his eyes in spite of the lack of light this late in the evening, then cleared his face of his emotions.
It didn't have to be said that the current director wasted years of valuable time that could have been put to better use.
"I don't think I've ever seen a politician so excited before." The captain said quietly as they left the White House.
"Not just the President either. They will need time to work out the details, but the military, and all the Secretaries of State are interested." Tara listened quietly, and found a warm hand link with hers. "They will need a lot of meetings in the future, along with more information from us." The captain turned towards the crew.
"Impressions?" Tara shrugged.
"Its politics, Captain. Let them sort that stuff out, and we'll sort out our lives that we left behind. I'll probably have to wait for Johnson to come back before I'll get my back pay, but I arranged for my house taxes to be paid while I was away, and a cleaning crew to come in and keep it immaculate." She smiled at the group. "What say we go back to my place, order a lot of alcohol, a lot of food, and unwind?" He chuckled.
"I'm heading for my own place. I suggest the rest of you do the same." He turned away, but noticed that as Daria looked around, Tara grasped her hand more firmly.
"We'll do that then, Captain. Daria? I hope you don't think you're getting away from me." Daria blushed brightly.
"Funny. I was about to say the same thing to you."
"I lost everything!" Daria mourned as she contemplated everything she had been told. Her pay had not been deposited for the last year, the bank foreclosed on her home, and her furnishings had disappeared. Tara held her hand firmly.
"I thought something like this might happen. I had my father's lawyer keep an eye on things for everyone. You were hit the hardest, and we couldn't stop the foreclosure, but she managed to acquire all your goods from your home. Its in storage, safely paid for and held for you." Daria looked up at her and began to cry. Tara put her arms around her.
"Even when we weren't together, you looked out for me!" Daria may have been a strong woman, but she didn't mind being feminine and crying on Tara's shoulder. Tara made her feel like a real woman, one who could be strong when she chose to be, and someone who could cry when she was frustrated.
Though she's had a few close relationships, none felt like this one. This one felt perfect.
"I didn't expect that." Daria said softly. She reclined back against Tara's side, and felt her arms come around her. The intimate kiss at her neck reminded her that they were alone, not in space, and had several days ahead where it would be just them.
"Neither did I, but Director Johnson is the right one for the job. China, the UK, and some of our other allies can help alleviate the costs with returning to space." Daria groaned.
"But another four years in space?" Tara smiled.
"You don't have to go, you know. There will be plenty of job offers for the flashy and beautiful Lieutenant Daria Thompson back here on Earth." She turned her head.
"You're going." She said, but it wasn't a question.
"Of course I am, love. I know you'll be waiting for me when I return, but I would prefer that you come with me too." Daria folded her arms and lowered her eyes.
"How do you know I'll be waiting for you?" Tara smiled, and put her lips near her ear.
"What else would my wife be doing other then waiting for her partner to come home?" She smiled. Daria shivered slightly as she felt the teeth of her lover nip at her neck.
It would not just be their team. There would be additional engineers, a larger ship to analyze the engines of the alien ship, and they would do it piece by piece. They would send out more probes to explore the new system, explore the yet unexplored system on the other side of the second portal. Their ship would take the engines apart, then take those pieces back through the portal.
The new technology would be analyzed, and integrated into their current ship, if possible. Whatever they learned would be sent back to Earth. New facilities would be needed in space to handle the new ship building industry, and with the development of the artificial gravity generator, prolonged space flight and living outside of Earth's gravity well would no longer pose significant risks to the human body.
As Tara kissed Daria softly, her mind returned to the director's words.
"We have alliances here on Earth who can help us do quickly what would take us years to accomplish. Private corporations will be invited to 'sit in' on some meetings, and see how they can contribute to this endeavor. Our technology level will increase significantly over the next few years, and the possibilities are almost endless." She smiled as she heard her own words reflected in his speech.
"Just think about it. Space flight without bone degradation. That means entire stations designed for utility and functionality instead of gravitational force generation, ships without extra mass for that same purpose. Less cost means more ships. New stars with new challenges. Maybe another world with life on it. More unexploited resources. Untold wealth, and industrial possibilities are out there." He pointed to the sky above. "Its waiting for us. We just have to plan, and go get it."
But Tara knew nothing was ever that simple. Even if all of the people of Earth were behind them, there were still two questions that remained.
Where are the builders of the gates? And what drove the aliens they did know about to kill and eat each other?
"Finally!" Captain Rainier said as he stepped off the capsule onto the International space station. The new gravity generator that was just installed meant some upgrades to the station were scheduled, but the astronauts who were on board had large smiles.
"Ya, they finally listened to the specialist and just built it before they know how it works." He jumped up and felt the station pull him back down to the deck plates. "No more long rehab times, and we can stay where we love to be much longer!" The captain shook the commander's hand.
"How far along have they come on the ship reconstruction?" The commander ushered him to another airlock.
"Check for yourself." He took a peek out through the airlock window and smiled.
"Damn, she's big." It was just as long as the previous version of Jupiter01, but much thicker, and with no effort put into a rotational section. All space was devoted to the mission, and her crew.
"And faster." The commander remarked. "Larger plasma thrusters, rear and maneuvering, a larger fusion plant for more power on demand, heavier plating for protection in deeper space, and a spot specific to the gravity generator, isolated by mounting plates so the rest of the ship doesn't shake while being engaged." He smiled proudly. "We also managed to push the engineers to make all the consoles and panels removable and modular. We'll be able to clean our stations more easily now, and not have to put them through a harsh retrofit in order to make them livable and sanitary again." He had been involved in almost all aspects of its refit up here, and it showed what the RSA could do. "Even the labs are state of the art, as your NASA sent up some top notch equipment to make sure she was outfitted for those big brains you'll be taking along with you." The captain groaned.
"Don't remind me, commander. I'm used to my crew, but eight more techs, engineers, and physicists to make this trip more productive while out that far." He shuddered for a second, then smiled. "Well, at least this time, we won't be declared dead while we are still sending messages back home." The commander shrugged.
"Idiots are everywhere, captain. Expect a few on board this time. A lot of intelligence can sometimes steal away the common sense." The captain shook the commander's hand again.
"Thank you for sending one your men on this trip as well. His expertise will be invaluable when we get to the alien ship. Also, this station will become a trade hub in the years ahead, Commander. The last stop before Earth. I can't wait to see how the RSA changes things when we get back."
"Our scientists are already devising ways to start spatial mining for minerals and metals, Captain. I think the RSA wants to be first in line." The captain smiled.
"They were, commander. Eight years ago, they helped us get out there, and helped us get home again." The captain decided to put something out there for the commander. "You can let your superiors know that the first mineral trove we find will be mapped, and the RSA will have the right of first denial. As per our original agreement." The commander started to laugh.
"Oh, you really are trying to 'piss in their cornflakes'? Is that how its said?" Rainier chuckled.
"A little revenge, but yeah. You have the correct idea. It wasn't just the director who abandoned us. The rest of them decided to not say anything to the press, or other members of the government. This may mark my last mission in space, but I'll be damned if I'm going out quietly!" The commander chuckled.
"You sure you have no Russian blood in your veins, Captain?"
"All stations, set for orbital burn. Report lock down readiness." Thompson issued a series of commands into her console.
"Scientists strapped in within their labs, sir. It was a good idea to set up proper chairs in all the departments." He nodded, and continued to monitor the time set for departure. "Engineering reports ready, sir. Specialist Timmons has also given the green light, sir." He smiled.
"You couldn't keep her off this mission with a crowbar." Thompson smiled.
"I should know, sir. I tried." He chuckled.
"Alright, once the timer is synced with our pre-approved launch program, begin the countdown." Thompson nodded.
"Reaching optimal launch within ten seconds. 9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Firing thrusters. Beginning high orbit burn. Quickly reaching optimal speed to exit Earth's gravity." He smiled as soon as the display showed they had exited Earth's atmospheric envelop.
"Fire main thrusters. Make this a nice clean start, lieutenant." She nodded, and executed the command. The main plasma thruster bank kicked in, and kicked the ship into a new speed record for space flight.
Thompson checked her readings, and smiled.
"At this rate of speed, sir, we should reach the Portal in one year, six months. We'll have to overcome inertia a number of scheduled times during the trip, sir, but we've shaved six months off the journey!" She turned her head. "Remember when this tech was new? They turned nearly a year journey to Mars into about five months or less. We've turned a three to four year journey into two, and now its down to a year and a half! I can't wait to see what that alien vessel will teach us!"
"I just hope we learn from the mistakes that led to them being stranded, and starving to death." Thompson grew quiet for a brief moment, then brightened up.
"Did you hear the chief, sir? He said the grav unit looks to be designed completely different from the alien vessel. Almost as if they got that secret from someone else." The captain looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Just like us." Then he said something ominous that Thompson couldn't shake. "Does that mean that there were others who didn't learn that same lesson?"
His temper was already inflamed as the former employee of NASA currently sat with the astronauts, and was obviously a 'special' guest of one of them, though he didn't know them by name. He had the list in front of him, and he would connect the faces when he called the team to the podium.
"Ladies gentlemen of the press, honored guests, and to those watching, I would like to first introduce myself. I am Director Shelby of NASA, who was personally responsible for making NASA more financially viable. On this historic occasion, I would like to also introduce a team of hand picked astronauts, who traveled to Jupiter, the largest planet in our system. And for the first time ever, they have uncovered something that tells us we are not alone in the galaxy. A portal to another star system." He smiled as he watched the flashes, and heard the gasps in the audience.
"I have been given information that also tells me they have a surprise for us all. A piece of technology from an alien space craft, though they have failed to indicate what that technology is." He said it in offhand way, as though it were no surprise that they were difficult to deal with. "So, without further input from myself, I'd like to introduce to you the astronauts who were on that mission." He picked up the list just slightly, but not enough so that the audience would think he didn't know their names.
"Captain Arnold Rainier. Commander Dave Sampson. Doctor Geri Almaniah. Lieutenant Daria Thompson. Lieutenant Eevi Dye. Doctor Arlen Neale. Doctor Damian Stone." He kept the name he hated the most for last. "And Specialist Tara Timmons." He frowned as the crew made their way to the podium, along with the one he fired.
"Security! Stop that woman! She was fired earlier today, and I don't want her up here as though she has a right!" Captain Rainier stopped his crew, and all eyes were focused on him. He pointed to the security guard.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on one of my crew members." He said in a cold voice. "That is Specialist Tara Timmons, the one responsible for not only finding the portal, but for saving our lives more then once. NASA abandoned us in space, labeled us as dead even while we kept sending reports back on a monthly schedule. Tara kept us moving forward. As Director Johnson would have if he was still in charge. He would not have abandoned us." He growled under his breath. He looked at the members of his crew. "Its up to you. Would you like to leave now, or put up with this?" A man came out of the crowd.
"You won't have to make that decision, Captain. The President would like to see your crew in his office, at the White House. He's read the reports as they came in, but watched to see if NASA would do its job. If you wouldn't mind coming with me to the cars? The Secret Service will escort you there now." He looked to the director, and shook his head. He didn't say anything as he didn't need to.
"And our director, sir? Damon Johnson was a good man at the helm." The man held up his hand.
"That's not my call, but rest assured, that fool won't be at the helm when you return." He smiled. "Jupiter! Of all things, to return home, and with technology too. I'm glad you didn't divulge the nature of that tech, as it could leap us forward by almost a century." He smiled at Tara. "Thank you for smoothing things over with the RSA. To hide something like that from them would have been a disaster. A political one, and a military one." She smiled.
"I'm glad you understood the necessity of keeping our allies in this as allies. Just think of it, sir! Industry experts, and environmentalists working together to move all industry off the planet!" He smiled a bit at her enthusiasm, and possible naivety. Things seldom work out the exact way we envision them.
"Its a little bit too early to get our hopes up, but that is an interesting idea. Make sure you mention it at the meeting. This is not a formality. All the Secretaries of State will be there. They may be a bit uncomfortable with how you handled the director." She smiled a small smile.
"He dug that grave on his own, sir. I asked for a debriefing, not a press conference. The technology was too important to reveal in front of cameras, and it would influence the careers of many, including other politicians. By keeping it secret for now, the political bodies can debate it privately, and make the decisions needed that the public often forces them not to make." He chuckled.
"Your father taught you well, Ms. Timmons." He closed his eyes in spite of the lack of light this late in the evening, then cleared his face of his emotions.
It didn't have to be said that the current director wasted years of valuable time that could have been put to better use.
"I don't think I've ever seen a politician so excited before." The captain said quietly as they left the White House.
"Not just the President either. They will need time to work out the details, but the military, and all the Secretaries of State are interested." Tara listened quietly, and found a warm hand link with hers. "They will need a lot of meetings in the future, along with more information from us." The captain turned towards the crew.
"Impressions?" Tara shrugged.
"Its politics, Captain. Let them sort that stuff out, and we'll sort out our lives that we left behind. I'll probably have to wait for Johnson to come back before I'll get my back pay, but I arranged for my house taxes to be paid while I was away, and a cleaning crew to come in and keep it immaculate." She smiled at the group. "What say we go back to my place, order a lot of alcohol, a lot of food, and unwind?" He chuckled.
"I'm heading for my own place. I suggest the rest of you do the same." He turned away, but noticed that as Daria looked around, Tara grasped her hand more firmly.
"We'll do that then, Captain. Daria? I hope you don't think you're getting away from me." Daria blushed brightly.
"Funny. I was about to say the same thing to you."
"I lost everything!" Daria mourned as she contemplated everything she had been told. Her pay had not been deposited for the last year, the bank foreclosed on her home, and her furnishings had disappeared. Tara held her hand firmly.
"I thought something like this might happen. I had my father's lawyer keep an eye on things for everyone. You were hit the hardest, and we couldn't stop the foreclosure, but she managed to acquire all your goods from your home. Its in storage, safely paid for and held for you." Daria looked up at her and began to cry. Tara put her arms around her.
"Even when we weren't together, you looked out for me!" Daria may have been a strong woman, but she didn't mind being feminine and crying on Tara's shoulder. Tara made her feel like a real woman, one who could be strong when she chose to be, and someone who could cry when she was frustrated.
Though she's had a few close relationships, none felt like this one. This one felt perfect.
"I didn't expect that." Daria said softly. She reclined back against Tara's side, and felt her arms come around her. The intimate kiss at her neck reminded her that they were alone, not in space, and had several days ahead where it would be just them.
"Neither did I, but Director Johnson is the right one for the job. China, the UK, and some of our other allies can help alleviate the costs with returning to space." Daria groaned.
"But another four years in space?" Tara smiled.
"You don't have to go, you know. There will be plenty of job offers for the flashy and beautiful Lieutenant Daria Thompson back here on Earth." She turned her head.
"You're going." She said, but it wasn't a question.
"Of course I am, love. I know you'll be waiting for me when I return, but I would prefer that you come with me too." Daria folded her arms and lowered her eyes.
"How do you know I'll be waiting for you?" Tara smiled, and put her lips near her ear.
"What else would my wife be doing other then waiting for her partner to come home?" She smiled. Daria shivered slightly as she felt the teeth of her lover nip at her neck.
It would not just be their team. There would be additional engineers, a larger ship to analyze the engines of the alien ship, and they would do it piece by piece. They would send out more probes to explore the new system, explore the yet unexplored system on the other side of the second portal. Their ship would take the engines apart, then take those pieces back through the portal.
The new technology would be analyzed, and integrated into their current ship, if possible. Whatever they learned would be sent back to Earth. New facilities would be needed in space to handle the new ship building industry, and with the development of the artificial gravity generator, prolonged space flight and living outside of Earth's gravity well would no longer pose significant risks to the human body.
As Tara kissed Daria softly, her mind returned to the director's words.
"We have alliances here on Earth who can help us do quickly what would take us years to accomplish. Private corporations will be invited to 'sit in' on some meetings, and see how they can contribute to this endeavor. Our technology level will increase significantly over the next few years, and the possibilities are almost endless." She smiled as she heard her own words reflected in his speech.
"Just think about it. Space flight without bone degradation. That means entire stations designed for utility and functionality instead of gravitational force generation, ships without extra mass for that same purpose. Less cost means more ships. New stars with new challenges. Maybe another world with life on it. More unexploited resources. Untold wealth, and industrial possibilities are out there." He pointed to the sky above. "Its waiting for us. We just have to plan, and go get it."
But Tara knew nothing was ever that simple. Even if all of the people of Earth were behind them, there were still two questions that remained.
Where are the builders of the gates? And what drove the aliens they did know about to kill and eat each other?
"Finally!" Captain Rainier said as he stepped off the capsule onto the International space station. The new gravity generator that was just installed meant some upgrades to the station were scheduled, but the astronauts who were on board had large smiles.
"Ya, they finally listened to the specialist and just built it before they know how it works." He jumped up and felt the station pull him back down to the deck plates. "No more long rehab times, and we can stay where we love to be much longer!" The captain shook the commander's hand.
"How far along have they come on the ship reconstruction?" The commander ushered him to another airlock.
"Check for yourself." He took a peek out through the airlock window and smiled.
"Damn, she's big." It was just as long as the previous version of Jupiter01, but much thicker, and with no effort put into a rotational section. All space was devoted to the mission, and her crew.
"And faster." The commander remarked. "Larger plasma thrusters, rear and maneuvering, a larger fusion plant for more power on demand, heavier plating for protection in deeper space, and a spot specific to the gravity generator, isolated by mounting plates so the rest of the ship doesn't shake while being engaged." He smiled proudly. "We also managed to push the engineers to make all the consoles and panels removable and modular. We'll be able to clean our stations more easily now, and not have to put them through a harsh retrofit in order to make them livable and sanitary again." He had been involved in almost all aspects of its refit up here, and it showed what the RSA could do. "Even the labs are state of the art, as your NASA sent up some top notch equipment to make sure she was outfitted for those big brains you'll be taking along with you." The captain groaned.
"Don't remind me, commander. I'm used to my crew, but eight more techs, engineers, and physicists to make this trip more productive while out that far." He shuddered for a second, then smiled. "Well, at least this time, we won't be declared dead while we are still sending messages back home." The commander shrugged.
"Idiots are everywhere, captain. Expect a few on board this time. A lot of intelligence can sometimes steal away the common sense." The captain shook the commander's hand again.
"Thank you for sending one your men on this trip as well. His expertise will be invaluable when we get to the alien ship. Also, this station will become a trade hub in the years ahead, Commander. The last stop before Earth. I can't wait to see how the RSA changes things when we get back."
"Our scientists are already devising ways to start spatial mining for minerals and metals, Captain. I think the RSA wants to be first in line." The captain smiled.
"They were, commander. Eight years ago, they helped us get out there, and helped us get home again." The captain decided to put something out there for the commander. "You can let your superiors know that the first mineral trove we find will be mapped, and the RSA will have the right of first denial. As per our original agreement." The commander started to laugh.
"Oh, you really are trying to 'piss in their cornflakes'? Is that how its said?" Rainier chuckled.
"A little revenge, but yeah. You have the correct idea. It wasn't just the director who abandoned us. The rest of them decided to not say anything to the press, or other members of the government. This may mark my last mission in space, but I'll be damned if I'm going out quietly!" The commander chuckled.
"You sure you have no Russian blood in your veins, Captain?"
"All stations, set for orbital burn. Report lock down readiness." Thompson issued a series of commands into her console.
"Scientists strapped in within their labs, sir. It was a good idea to set up proper chairs in all the departments." He nodded, and continued to monitor the time set for departure. "Engineering reports ready, sir. Specialist Timmons has also given the green light, sir." He smiled.
"You couldn't keep her off this mission with a crowbar." Thompson smiled.
"I should know, sir. I tried." He chuckled.
"Alright, once the timer is synced with our pre-approved launch program, begin the countdown." Thompson nodded.
"Reaching optimal launch within ten seconds. 9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Firing thrusters. Beginning high orbit burn. Quickly reaching optimal speed to exit Earth's gravity." He smiled as soon as the display showed they had exited Earth's atmospheric envelop.
"Fire main thrusters. Make this a nice clean start, lieutenant." She nodded, and executed the command. The main plasma thruster bank kicked in, and kicked the ship into a new speed record for space flight.
Thompson checked her readings, and smiled.
"At this rate of speed, sir, we should reach the Portal in one year, six months. We'll have to overcome inertia a number of scheduled times during the trip, sir, but we've shaved six months off the journey!" She turned her head. "Remember when this tech was new? They turned nearly a year journey to Mars into about five months or less. We've turned a three to four year journey into two, and now its down to a year and a half! I can't wait to see what that alien vessel will teach us!"
"I just hope we learn from the mistakes that led to them being stranded, and starving to death." Thompson grew quiet for a brief moment, then brightened up.
"Did you hear the chief, sir? He said the grav unit looks to be designed completely different from the alien vessel. Almost as if they got that secret from someone else." The captain looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Just like us." Then he said something ominous that Thompson couldn't shake. "Does that mean that there were others who didn't learn that same lesson?"
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