Among The Stars
02 Aug 2022Lord Scarfinger
Back on Inde, the crew finished the post flight check of their Argosy, then left the ship in the hangar and went to their group quarters provided by Braaben Ore Mining. Usually rooms with bunk beds for 6-8 persons. Skord lying in his bunk asleep, having a dream. In which he looks up to the sky, sees a flower shaped object hovering above Mount Niarha, a beam of light coming down of it on the mountain. Seeming to pick things up with this beam. Or more like harvesting.
He looks around him, everyone on their knees, worshiping this thing. All the people around him look like from an ancient civilization. Their clothing more rag like than anything else. This must have been Udaak millenia ago. They all were mumbling in unity, in a language he never heard before. At least it isn't arduan as he knows it. As the beam got brighter, the mumbling seemed to turn more and into chants of a massive choir. Everyone around him seemed to join in with the singing. All in favor of the flower thing in the sky, or maybe in fear. He had no clue, couldn't make out what all that meant. Suddenly a large insect like figure flashed up in front of his eyes and he woke up screaming. Sweaty and scared he hastily looked around him, he was all alone in the crew quarters. What the hell was that thing. Again a stinging pain in his head, he heard a whispered voice:"Udaaki. One, we are."
He still couldn't make out what happened to him. Or what all that actually means. Nor did he know that he isn't the only one.
After a while, trying to process what he just endured, he got up from his bunk. Still trenched in sweat, he walked over to the showers, takes a look at himself in a mirror, and yet again asks himself what happened to him. As he stares at his reflection, he notices a small sliver of black goo that runs out of his nose and suddenly move back in again.
Another whispered breath in his head:"Udaaki, mine. We are one now." accompanied by another burst of pain.
As this flash dissappears, he finds himself on his knees, with his hands on his head.
Slowly, he picks himself up, walks to one of the shower cabins, turning on steamy hot water, in the hopes to wash it all away and clear his mind...
Rover and his Taari siblings, didn't stay long at the crew quarters. They just went back there for a quick nap and a shower before heading to the bar close to the docks. Not yet having any idea what is going on with their fellow crew member. They were surprised that Skord didn't tag along this time, but didn't give it any further thought.
At the table, Rover mentioned if the others sensed anything weird in Skord's behavior since the incident in their Argosy's refinery.
'He kinda seemed grumpier than usual." Mleen said.
Adding: "But I haven' t talked much to him since we left the rings, to be honest."
Saardon said: "Not sure, but I had the feeling that he got more aggressive in a way, towards everyone. Maybe he just needs some days off. I mean we all had been on board of that old can, mining for months, since they accelerated the assembling of the first two arks."
Latruuk inserted in arduan: "Ashiiba, ksa niib ta osp? Niib taansetaa geeha ni krath ta afnu veii staadi yta eto? E deesyuoo cu siinuu ta afnu natdeedi?" (Ashiiba, why do you ask? Did something happen in there you haven't told us yet? A confession of love you rejected?)
Rover, while bisexual, is more attracted to males than females. Bisexuality is common in Taari culture and widely accepted for centuries, yet Latruuk often jokes about it. But not so much in the Udaaki culture. So, Skord wouldn't like that joke at all.
Rover replied with a smirk in arduan: "Latruuk, ve deesyuoo vere e natdee. Yge pu behu, tli ol cla shiig pe yti sla." (Latruuk, no confession nor a rejection. And even if, he's too tall for my liking.)
Collectively, they all laughed at that and emptied their glasses. The four of them agreed that Skord's behavior was a bit off and decided that Mleen had to have a conversation with Skord before their next departure into the rings.
Though they only manned a mining vessel, she was the crew's Commander after all. And a Commander's responsibilities were responsibilities, no matter what ship you're on.
... Meanwhile Skord had left the showers and was back at the quarters. For now, his head seemed to be clear. Dressed and ready to go for a walk around the docks and maybe grab a bite to eat. In twelve hours he'd be back on the Atrio, starring at lasers and rocks again. A dreading job, but way better than sweating in the mines of Inde.
As he walks around on his search for food, he feels another flash of pain through his head again, different this time, yet pain. There were 2 Arduan soldiers next to a coffee vendor, seemingly on break of their dock patrol tour. A Voltec and a Mercian. In order to provide security for all the valuable materials needed for the arks, coming in and out of the docks, the Arduan government posted military units everywhere. He could sense that this "new companion" sitting in his head, kind of felt an urge to get close to these soldiers. Not an urge to attack, more of wanting to examine and maybe even interrogate. At the same time he felt a certain caution and had no idea why.
"Muuuust follow them carefully, Udaaki!" another whispered breath, but no pain this time.
It seemed having no choice at all, his mind and body started more and more to oblige to the will of the Insectoid controlling him.
After waiting for them to walk away, he started to follow them. He stayed not too close behind those 2 soldiers but close enough, to not lose sight of them.
After a few minutes they took a left turn on another corner and stopped. No one else was around, just him and those two. He wasn't sure now, if they spotted him. They glanced at Nbula and walked right back in his direction.
He felt a slight burn in his throat, his body tensed up, and as they were just a few feet away, his mouth opened, a gargling sound erupted from within. Suddenly two small dart like projectiles left his mouth. Guided at high velocity, they hit both soldiers on the forehead. They slumped to the ground, bleeding. Then the darts transformed into a black gooey liquid and slid up their nosetrils. Afterwards their head wounds disappeared. As it happened to Skord before, they started to shiver and shake wildly as the goo connected to their neural system. As they stood up again, they looked in awe at him, not saying a word, then turned around and walked away. Skord now, sensed some kind of connection and felt their presence even though they were gone and out of sight already. Shocked about what just happened he thought to himself: "What the fuck was that? And why did I do it?" Then again, flashes of pain, his body was moving, but not controlled by him.
So the spread begins...
Back on Ardua, Ksyl Skalda arrived at Sub Lt. Ichika Kryon's apartment complex. She already waited and she got into his aero car he immediately said: "I know I said I'll be here in 15 minutes, and it took me 17." And smiled afterwards. Ichika replied with a smirk: "Didn't expect you on time, you're always late anyways."
And then they lifted off. As always after the rain from the orange clouds, fog emerged and vision was alomst none. Still Ksyl piloted his aero car way faster than he should be. Full of excitement what that device might be and what secrets it might hold, he almost collided with another aero. Ichika yelling at him to slow it down: "Flying like this, you probably will never get to see the device! Cause we're either gonna die or end up at a hospital! So slow the fuck down, Professor Skalda!" He looked at her with a childish glance but realized that she was right and obeyed. He didn't want this 12 minute ride to be his last one either, especially since a discovery like this.
Arriving at Wallace Tower's ACPPH (Aero Cars Parking Platform Hub), they had to wait for a few minutes until they were designated a spot. Not everyone has the privilege to have his own there, since Wallace Tower serves as the capitol building as well.
Finally Ksyl landed his AC softly on the parking pad, shut it down and secured it. They got out and headed to the entrance. Inside the building they had to go through the usual security screenings. Though Kryon was known there, she's never spared by this hassle. Too many of the government's opposition tried to get in there and make trouble already. Some of them were Arduan military personnel, but were followers of Mar Ris' Shield Of Justice movement. So no matter rank or uniform, screening is a must. With a few exceptions of course.
Ksyl found it quite annoying to go through all this, but did he have any other choice? No!..
On Inde, the crew of the Atrio went about their tasks before lift off. While they prepared for another mining run, Rip Chip's Noise Collective was blaring through the onboard speakers with their song A Darkening Sky. The band, very popular on Ardua, consists of Rip Chip the band's founder and drummer and writer, ZamenK, lead vocalist and lyric writer, Sticky Iky, the band's basist, Nex The Zapper, guitarist, a young talented keyboarder and producer with the name of Tiimus and The Jester Of LP, backround vocalist, producer and writer. A crazy bunch with fast tongues and lyrics which speak out of their fellow Arduan's souls. Blending live drums and melodies with electronic beats and dramatic synths.
If Skord and the 4 Ziine siblings had one thing in common, it was that this was their favorite band.
(Music playing with a male overdubbed voice singing: "War torn, then unified, but way too late
A darkening sky, seals Ardua's fate
Orange clouds bringing acid rain, they're here to stay
A costly price for decades of war Ardua has to pay
Building arks to flee
To the stars, where our haven might be
Gazing at the horizon, all to see is a darkening sky
Set to come for Ardua's demise")
After the song's chorus ended and the lead vocalist's ZamenK first verse started, Mleen rapped loudly along to the artist's deep voice: "Ardua, once a beauty, now a source of contamination
War torn, now unified, soon to be wasteland, a victim of exploitation
What's left, except for poverty, corruption and a multi-class society
A world, disease stricken and without empathy
I often wonder how and why
Some of us continue with their lifes
Going through all the struggles, all the pain
Starving and without shelter how can they stay sane
This planet decays
Arduans counting the days
Til they finally can embark
On one of the government's arks
But still uncertainty lingers within the population
Will all be able to join the journey for the new destination
Or will those with no money, no status, be left behind
Those sick and who're seen as a lesser kind
Politicians, our elected leaders, they for sure don't give a damn
About what happens to the little man
As long as they have their assured seats
On the long flight that someday leads
To the end for the Arduan Chronicle of old
And the chapter that sets a new Arduan Chronicle to unfold"
This drew the attention by the rest of the crew solely on her, and not because she was talented in any way. Just because her deep female voice mixed with ZamenK's, added some more weirdness to the song that already sounded weird because of the Atrio's old speaker system.
As she sensed them looking at her she plainly said:
"I'd love to be pierced by ZamenK's love gun all night long and have their pretty young Keyborder Tiimus join in for a wild night of hard Taari pounding."
Rover replied with a laugh: "Well, look at my naughty big sister! Always dreaming about getting her holes filled up!"
Mleen shot back: "Coming from the guy having ecstatic trips with multiple partners at once, male or female!"
"And loving it!" Rover shouted across the ship's bridge. "By the way, next time, make sure you really know the lyrics. Instead of adding words to them that don't come up." Rover added with another laugh. Mleen just stuck her tongue out in a childish way and continued with her work. Saardon and Latruuk, this time, stayed out of that conversation, both knowing about their siblings' sexual behavior and knowing both spoke the truth about each other. And besides Mleen and Rover always have banters like this, so nothing out of the ordinary.
Skord just shook his head and said: "Things I don't wanna hear about, be right back, going to have a leak."
In the ships washroom, Skord stood in front of the mirror after washing his hands.
Thinking to himself:"Why me, and none of the others?" A reply in another whispered breath rings through his head: "You were chosennnn. One of few. Udaaki. Mine."
Again pain...
... At Wallace Tower Ksyl and Ichika finally were done with screening and headed toward the elevators to meet IC Randy Pope to examine the device.
Ichika's slate started to beep, she grabbed and saw a written message by Pope: You got the professor? You guys already here? Hurry!
Kryon just shook off that she was a Sub Lt., an officer and Pope wasn't, normally an Incremental Constable (IC) couldn't talk or write that way with an officer. No matter the age difference. But him being an Section 6 agent, he actually had more power than the average Constables.
Already at the elevators, on our way up to the conference room now. Ichika wrote back.
The elevator ride was awkwardly silent, quite unusual for her and Skalda. But excitement took over and both had no idea what they'd expect. Not even the slightest idea about what they will witness as they enter the conference room.
As the elevator doors opened and they exited, a large fireball appeared in the sky, they hurried towards the conference room and before they were in front of the door another man ran passed them, slammed open the door and yelled frantically:"The ark... Perseverance! It's been destroyed!" They could see Prime Minister Ford from tge entrance, standing there in shock. In close proximity, Admiral Idle, Pope and two other men they've never seen before, kneeling next to a sweat trenched woman who looked like Dr. Rask who held something close to her chest.
Sub Lt. Kryon saw all the chaos in the room, but couldn't figure out what just happened. Pope saw her and Skalda stabding there and just said bluntly:"Glad you two made it to the freak show too." Director MacEllister looked at him in a disgusted way and told him with a head nod to shut up.
The device was on a desk in the room, and Ichika noted it blinking and slowly brighten up.
Before she could show Skalda what it was or could say anything further, the device lit up the room and a loud shrieking and clicking sound emerged from it. After that, the room was filled with a voice that said, almost screaming with fear in arduan:"Ke ol ta?" Then it switched to english:"What are you?" The voice kept swapping these words back and forth between arduan and english several times before it changed to something else.
First shrieking and clicking sounds again, then in arduan:"Pard baak Summi Niarha ges Udaak reen e enooii ta shaar. Ke ol hu? Tik Udaaki chee rax yiira!
(Deep below Mount Niarha on Udaak lies a secret you hide! What is it? All Udaaki will be ours!)
Everyone looked in disbelief at the device and then Ford asked Jacq'tu:"What's that thing talking about? What secrets?"
Tuuka said with a weak voice:"That's what I meant by now it was different. It was frightened and asked me the same before." Jacq'tu replied:"I have no clue about any secrets, but Mount Niarha had something to do with these alien theories we spoke about earlier."
Skalda looked at Kryon baffled and joyful at the same time, but before he could say anything to her, Pope asked Ichika:"Did something like this ever happen on the surveillance material I gave to you?" "No, not at all." Kryon replied and went on:"But when Mar Ris activated that thing it started to blink as well, never lit up like though. Maybe it projects the feelings the entity on the other side has as well, as it translates." One more thing she added:I am not sure but for me these shrieks and clicks before arduan and english, could be their actual language, of whomever they are, coming through."
Ford said emotionless:"Thargoids, that's what they are called."
Ksyl Skalda then stretched his hand out towards Ford and said:"Prime Minister, it is an honor to meet you. My name is Ksyl Skalda, I am a history and linguistics professor at Lentia University." Ford shook his hand and replied:"My pleasure to meet you. Aren't you the chairman of the Wallace Institute Of Arduan History And Languages? And you are here to help our young Sub Lt. decipher their language and study this device? Well, as we just found out, their language gets translated by it anyways." A short, nervous:"Yes." came from Skalda. Jacq'tu and Ksyl didn't need any introduction, they knew each other from various Arduan history conventions and have spoken several times. Not always seeing eye to eye, but respecting each others work.
Garen and Pope had Dr. Rask back on her feet again by now.
Admiral Idle said firmly:"Professor Skalda, do you have anything about the secret below Mount Niarha in your archives? Anything at all? We have to find that out fast. How come we aren't aware of this?"
"Mount Niarha was always a place of worship for some kind of gods, old Arduan history refers to. Ancient Udaak and Udaakis are known for their religious beliefs. And it is a common theory between many of us historians, that these gods might have been an advanced alien race. But it is just a theory, no real evidence. And as my colleague Jacq'tu here pointed out, we have no knowledge of a secret below."
Ford shakily sat down, as the adrenaline rush from all the excitement declined and slowly started to realize what just happened. Ardua is facing the threat of an unknown alien race at its doorstep and one ark to flee the decaying planet just got blown to bits. What would that mean for him and his legacy?