FALAHA'S JOURNEY 2: Graveyard of the Gods

Episode #6

"So, what did you find?" I asked Asa, as she landed onto the chair at the table. The others were also taking their places.

Instead of answering she sent me and everyone else some data. I opened her package and there were images of a massive irregular structure gazing at me with empty holes of countless tunnels. The structure looked extremely old. But the fact that it—or at least some part of it—was on the surface, hinted that it didn't find its way here in a very distant past.

"Have you seen anything like this before?" she asked.

"Tunnels," I said. "Tunnels mean they are leading somewhere and somebody or some things must have used or still using them."

"Oh, dear Ancestor," Tarrenat whispered, putting his fork down before starting to eat. "Falaha, I told you it was a bad thing to call this planet the Grave." He still had bad memories about the tunnels of the Enclave.

"Those remind me of some burrowing insects' habitats," Neve said.

"Didn't Falaha say that she feels no presence on this planet?" Baro told them both. "Maybe there's nothing to worry about."

"Correction. I never said there isn't anything. And you are right, Baro, I said I don't feel anything."

"There is only one way to find out then," Eyuran said. "And no, I don't mean sending anyone of us there. There are always drones."

"What say you, Ore?" I asked. "Did you notice anything unusual?"

"Yes. At one point near those... ruins... I got a heat signature from its depths. And I'm pretty sure the structure goes deep into the crust. I believe something is functioning there, whether living or artificial, I can't tell. But it was very, very faint."

"Ato, Goto, you've been silent so far. Any ideas?" I asked them.

The twins looked at each other, then at me, then at Asa.

"There was something strange going on on site," Ato whispered. "At several points I lost track of time and Goto reported blacking out on few occasions. We told Orewen and he said we should leave the place. It was a little hard to persuade Asa, but even she eventually complied."

"Asa?" I looked at the Danna woman.

She shrugged and looked at her spouses, concerned. "They haven't told me anything about it. I bloody swear."

"Ore?" I looked at my Second spouse.

"I received no complaints from any of them. At least I... I'm not sure anymore?"

"Dad?" Eyuran turned to him. "Are you alright?"

"I think I am, but I don't like something messing with my mind like this," Orewen replied.

"I think you all should head into the medical sector, now," Neve said, standing up from her seat. "Let me take a better look at you."

Leru and I rose as well. She nodded at me.

"We'll come along," I told them.

Eyuran and Tagai also stood up, ready to follow.

The meal had to wait.

"I'll be in the Control Center," Tarrenat said. I nodded.

***

We walked towards the medical block. Eyuran, Orewen, the Kljvk twins and Neve in front, followed by Asa, Leru and myself. Tagai and Baro marched behind us, closing the procession.

"How can we be sure they haven't entered contact with whatever is out there?" Leru asked me.

"From what I observe here now, I'm pretty sure they had entered into contact," I replied. "I understand the situation with the twins, but what in the world could have affected soma like that? And there's also the fact that I don't sense anything. I'm a bloody Yajur Sangu."

"This Flow is the place where the Alima Eni resided," Baro told me. "And they had ruined the soma of Somg."

"The Alima Eni are extinct, and this particular region was home to their enemies, the Lael," I said. "What's your point?"

"The Lael were close with the Baali and they were enemies with the Shaamta's Nest. They were gifted builders. Maybe they had created something to protect themselves from their enemies."

"They were all wiped out by Dorgu and Shaamta."

"Maybe not everything that supposed to be dead stayed dead?" Tagai said. "Do you know why the Alima Eni were so dangerous?" the Baal asked me.

"They were using you and your soma to advance their own ends."

"But do you know what that means, Falaha Yajur Sangu?" he persisted.

"I haven't studied them in detail, Tagai. Enlighten me."

"They drank our blood."

I turned to him. "What does that suppose to mean?"

"Millenia of modification and transfiguration, they designed forms for themselves that allowed them to feed on our black blood and with that to harness our power. They had the means to keep us close. They tied our minds too. It was a hard-won battle when they were finally gone, even for powerful beings such as the Baali. The Alima Eni were a danger to anyone who has Sangaru."

"You don't mean they were literal bloodsuckers, do you now? That's just crazy."

"It took a lot of effort to bring them down, yes, since they become quite a pest. But did we really win? One can never be so sure. The universe is vast, with plenty of darkest corners for anything to hide in them. I think I understand why Shaamta wants to keep you hidden."

"Wait, wait, you are telling me all this now, because you think what's happening here is tied to the Alima Eni?"

Tagai nodded. "I wouldn't exclude such a possibility."

"Explain to me, how did they function, Tagai. The Alima Eni had not even a single drop of soma in their systems."

"Not even a single drop of their own black blood, Falaha Yajur Sangu."

"And our soma didn't reject them?"

"No. Don't forget that they are our maternal side."

"Yes, yes. I'm just trying to figure out how this all ties together with everything that happened to my crew." I opened a connection through my Node to Tarrenat. "Tarry, do me a favor, get some of our fancy drones ready. I'll be with you soon."

"Sure thing, Falaha," was the reply.

We entered the vast hall of the medical facility.

"Now, let's see what Eyuran and Neve will find," I said, observing how my First spouse and the Medan woman proceeded to accommodate their newly acquired patients.