FALAHA'S JOURNEY 2: Graveyard of the Gods

Episode #27

Eyuran, listen carefully! I touched his mind as our dive ended abruptly and not in the desired place. Far from it. Tell Tagai to get Gal Runagh off-world and head for Gekka, the Second Motherworld of the Triad. Find Shendala. He'll know what to do. No questions asked.

There was a pause at his end. But he only replied, Understood.

"I was kind of expecting this," I told Orewen, as we were being surrounded by a whole fleet of Enclaves and numerous Baali. Someone who broke our dive-fold was as powerful as Shaamta. A Sangu. Perhaps, more than one. That wasn't good. "We mustn't lose our cargo, Ore."

"Don't worry, I will hold tight onto it," Eyuran's dad replied. "Do you want us to engage them all?"

"Engage? No. We'll retreat. Run, if you must. Because even if you do that now, no one will even dare to call us cowards. Of course, I'd call it tactfully disappear. Because if we fight, it will attract even more Baali, Shaamta being among them. And the last thing I want is to see him here. Because I have zero doubts these guys are here not just to talk. They already attacked us by breaking our dive-fold."

"Indeed. But how do we escape?"

"Well, they attacked a dive-gear. But would they be able to catch an Enclave? Powered by a Yajur Sangu?"

"What do you mean?" Ore was confused.

"We'll just pretend to be one." My soma was gathering energy and mass for the dive. "I know exactly how much matter and energy is needed for one of those big ships. All the inhabitants included. Call it a dreadful experience in childhood. So I'll create a bubble for us, compensating for what we are currently lacking. And then, we just run. Set course for the Triad, love. We're going to Gekka. We'll catch up with our crew there. Eyuran knows."

"Good, I'll trust your lead then, Fireball."

The attackers still haven't sensed my increase in energy or mass, since I haven't revealed my reserves to the world yet, with processes hidden deep within my soma. They were slowly gaining on us, encircling, taking strategic positions. I sensed five, maybe six Sangu-level bloodlights amongst the gathered party. But I dimmed my own for now. Though if they suspected someone in this Bradoh had the ability for such a bright and powerful fireball as I had demonstrated earlier, they expected we weren't an easy target. So we pretended we're about to take them on for now. Until my soma Enclave build was complete.

"It will be fine," I said. "I used similar tactics in our last war. Only then those were phantom bloodlights of a Sangu."

Orewen nodded. "So I heard."

"My only hope is that Gal Runagh won't run into trouble as well. I can't be in two places at once."

"You'll have to rely on Eyuran's strength," Orewen replied.

"That would be his first test of Mechmaster's abilities then." I grinned. "So, once Enclave with all of its inhabitants coming right up. I hope Dorgu won't mind if I used one of his blueprints and his family's bloodlights. This grand escape would wet Shaamta's reputation a bit in certain Baali circles... but I think he will be able to deal with that. Just don't tell him I did that."

Orewen laughed. "I definitely won't."

Inhale. Exhale. And begin.

I unfolded my high-mass construct around our Bradoh. It wasn't large in size, but from the side it appeared as if a stellar-sized Enclave just revealed itself stuffed with Dorgu's Baali and his Sangu in person. There were signs of hesitation among the gathered Baali who still kept their distance. Meanwhile, I was gaining energy for a dive.

Before our sudden enemy could even blink, 'Dorgu's Enclave' entered a dive-fold and disappeared from sight. With so much energy and mass, this dive was faster than Bradoh's and I did everything in my power so even a group of Sangu wouldn't be able to break our dive-fold. But attempts were made, which were successfully warded off. And so we were off.

Then, the pursuit began.

The Enclaves of the unknown Baali force were entering dive-folds as well. I remembered how Dorgu's Enclaves could align and work as one big ship, but here, either the pursuers were separate families or factions, this didn't happen. They were chasing us across space as single entities and of course we had an upper hand with me being Yajur Sangu. Still, they were steadily hanging on our tail and we needed to drop them off somehow. I allowed myself more untapped power from the Jainaa Core.

The closer we got to the Triad Motherworlds, the more persistent the pursuers became. But then, suddenly, they just dropped out of the race, exiting dive and slowing down. And turning around. It was then I noticed another presence somewhere ahead of us. Something very familiar.

Our phantom construct exited dive-fold and slowed down as well. I dissipated all the energy and mass, leaving only our Bradoh.

Soon I understood what scared off the pursuers. Yajur Garai's Enclave entered the region, followed by a few others. And though the Triad had no Sangu of their own, even those groups who did rarely wanted to mess with Garai's extensive family.

And even sooner a familiar voice addressed us through Orewen's soma, relaying everything through Bradoh's commline.

"Mechmaster Anika's sibling... Falaha Yajur Sangu..." Yajur Garai growled, loud as usual. "Hmm... I was expecting Shaamta and Dorgu. But what is going on?"

"Hello, Yajur Garai," I replied, relieved to encounter him here. "We were followed by an unknown Baali force, so we had to get a bit creative."

"Are there only two of you? Where are your other crew members? My son? My granddaughter?"

"Somewhere on the way to Gekka I suppose. That's what I told them to do while we were running away from these guys."

"Those were remnants of the rogues. They wander around, catching unsuspecting victims. Annoying pests!"

"Actually, all this could have been avoided, but due to unforeseen circumstances it happened. I was about to visit the Triad anyway."

"Well then, come aboard and we'll talk in person, Falaha Yajur Sangu. If you are here on official business, we must welcome you properly. Then we shall rendezvous with your ship. I'll send my elder children to check on them immediately, in case those pests run into your people as well."