Unholy Star, Beyond Faith

Tentacles touching dark places

Thousands of years ago the Pioneers, intrepid spacefarers who risked everything to explore newly found pathways around the Galaxy Tree, discovered the living platform, a mineral-organic organism drifting within in a vast nitrogen-oxygen rich gaseous cloud that was to become, Quora Ammara. Even though the odds of finding such a unique wonder were close to impossible, they did find the moon-sized creature and, and on its back made one of humankind's most valuable assets, a colony that, even to today, belongs to all people in the Galaxy; a center dedicated to learning and advancement.

Over the millennia, many structures had risen and fallen on the living platform's surface and also within the natural caverns and tunnels that were found throughout the ages.  This activity left the host lifeform riddled with discarded facilities. It was in one such location that Sedek had set a secret meeting with his fellow Mawla and friend, Xe'ed. These particular rooms had likely been abandoned for over a thousand years, and were specifically chosen by Sedek because  they lacked, for some reason, any system interface to the colony's ancient processor (the machine would have been operating even then). The chamber, fashioned from manufactured stone was a technological black-spot.

Sedek could see Xe'ed's approach, the light from the palm of her artificial hand announcing her position. She found him in the space below a ceramic arch that the Mawla had lit with a field lantern. "A novel use of your weapon, it seems that the galaxy's most advanced prosthetic makes a good hand torch". But Xe'ed was not in the mood for humor, as her old friend's request was highly irregular and she knew that something must be up. 

"Sedek, why here? Why now, and in secret?"

The deep shadows of the strong lantern light accentuated the strong features the Mawlas, both recipients holding c-II and p-I genetic profiles. Sedek's reply bore the weight of a worry that he had hidden from his friend for a very long time. "We needed to talk, alone and clear from eyes and ears, which I fear, surround us. Even now I can not be sure that the technopaths haven't found some way of intercepting the messages to our veetexes so all of this might be a waste of time, and I would have been no less effective at hiding my thoughts had I stood on a stage and shouted my apprehensions."

"A stage? Like the stage at New Freedom?"

"Exactly. The destruction of New Freedom; the Reformation movement that has been formed by these rouge priests;  uprisings against the Church across the Galaxy; but that's just the strife we can see. There's more. That's why I've asked you here. The risk is more serious than I think we realise and I fear that Pachy is at the heart of it all." Sedek carefully studied Xe'ed's face, and she was fully aware that her response and reaction would be evaluated by the astute leader of the Maean States.

Xe'ed didn't flinch, her aspect steady, "Not that it would surprise me, the man has been scheming for decades, using his position as Zoro, Elder Learned, to acquire more privilege than any man or woman ever should be allowed and definitely beyond that which is his entitlement. But what makes you sure he has a hand in the strife at the opera house?"

"I don't know exactly where it starts, he schemes like an octopus crawls, its tentacles touching dark places. I do know, or suspect that it concerns Bast, who I am convinced did not become the first ever child auger by accident, no, that was planned by Pachy and his cohorts."

"So that's why you volunteered to be the boy's Mawla, way before your duty was due."

"Yes, but it involves your charge also, sweet Senniella."

"What you say about Bast, I concur, there has been something strange at play there, but Sen? I don't follow."

Sedek sat on a nearby ledge and motioned to Xe'ed to follow his lead. When she settled, he explained, "I know things about him that others don't, not even you."

"About his technopathy?"

"No, not that." he raised his voice in swift dismissal, "It is much worse, and I've hated myself for an age for not tracking all of these years differently, instead of bearing a burden that continues to kill as long as it is hidden. It happened when he was in his middle age. He raped Thespesia."

"What!? Portia?" He had used the formal name of the wife of the assassinated Lynx Lynx and mother of Sen. Both of the Mawlas had grown to known the high profile Skyeans and heads of the Atripliceae family well over the years through various assignments. Portia was one that they could both call fiend. Xe'ed was completely surprised by the revelation involving the powerful and confident woman, "I mean, are you sure? Have you been holding this secret all this time? Who else knows about this?" Now, Xe'ed was standing and there was an urgency in her voice.

"No one else knows, Portia made me promise not to tell anyone and, as you know, I'm a man of my word. But--" He put his forehead to his right hand, "--since Lynx's assassination, I knew straight away that Pachy was behind it. He is infatuated with her, always has been, always will be. The twisted bastard thinks it was love. Lynx hated him, and I guess he might have known. But now that Lynx is out of the way Pachy sees his time is here again."

"No, I can't believe it. Not after everything Tiger had done for him over his years. They would have died for each other at one time."

"This is true. But, so is the pain that he has inflicted on Tiger's daughter. Not only did he need Lynx out of the way to pave the way for Sen to become Ethnaa Aashar, but so that he could court the mother as a widow. He has other holds over Portia too: her favourite son, Hippophae, Seabuck. Pachy has him under a spell and, as I understand it, sent him off years ago to spy on the Ophiuchians ."

"Seabuck, yes I heard the rumor; It puzzles me Sedek, but even if what you say is true, and I don't doubt you, look at him--it is as if he is a day from death he is so old."

"He's been like that for years, he's not going to die anytime soon, I can guarantee that."

"Okay then, you're right, but, even if he took a twelfth gefresh, his biomarkers have been set to twelve years of age! He was Ethnaa Aashar too before Learned. A boy is no threat to Portia."

"So, I don't have the answers, but it would not do us well to underestimate him; there's a piece of the puzzle missing, and I think it has to do with what the girl has discovered."

"You mean the rogue planets, the worst held secret since the blooming of the Universe."

"Yes, she has told me about it only twice." Admitted Sedek, a hint of his lightheartedness showing through the gravity of their discussion.

But the brevity was lost in a moment, "He is bringing great evil upon this place; I can feel it in my bones Xe." He used his nickname for her, something he hadn't done for the longest time.

"I trust you, my old friend. We must act to ensure the children's well being. If others suspect the same, then this place is no longer safe."

"I agree. Tonight, I'm going to send Margot to my platform at Greater Mae, she's been with me since the start, and I trust her with the lives of my own children; She'll prepare the region for our arrival and the defense of the Ethnaa Aashar, all of them. Of all the free regions, my holdings are the most secure, and with the fat dog we'll be safe." He referred to his famous bunker class starship, Al Dahni. I'm glad that you are with me on this Xe'ed, it could not be done without you.

"Come, let us go back before we're missed." He picked up the lantern and began to walk.

Xe'ed followed, "We will also take Titus, Hett and Shoo-ee."

Sedek returned the statement with a grim look across his already stern face. "You know she is Zoro's pawn. He's using her empathetic abilities for his own end."

"He is using all of us for his own ends. She comes with us."

"So be it. We leave on the eve of the next Council, twenty days hence."