Dark Hunter, Dark Saviour
Chapter 36: Reconciling, fractures.
10th October 2900
Pandora, Alpha Centuari, Omaticaya Hometree, mid morning.
The day's tasks were already at hand, and much of the tribe had their duties to attend to.
Having superseded the years of her hunting time, and in the wake of a new generation of more able hunters, Firi'sry was assisting the Tsa'hik in spiritual concerns. Today was her first spirit walk in Eywa, where she would temporarily link completely with Eywa, at the Tree of Voices.
With the Tsa'hik now with her, and 2 hunters and their Pa'li as escorts outside the Tree of Souls, Firi'sry briefly looked around the area surrounding the Tree of Souls. It was common knowledge in the Omaticaya that this site was destroyed in the first wave if human settlement over 7 centuries before, and had since then fully recovered enough to be accessible. It was still recovering in size, but it held just as many memories.
Although, the younger vegetation and hole in the rainforest canopy was more noticeable. After all, there Tsa'hik Mel'sity and her escort had witnessed Raxler and a fighter down the Alliance transport set to start trying to enslave Eywa, 5 months before. The scars of that battle, in the natural rainforest and the St. Augustine Colony, still needed healing.
Reaching the site, Mel'sity turned to Firi'sry, and said calmly: "You must feel with your spirit, find the part of the tree that sings to you, and become one and the same. Listen, only when you hear their songs and voices in perfect clarity have you completed this spirit walk, and shall be ready to fully take on the roles as my assistant."
Eyes alight with determination, the mid 40s aged Firi'sry set forwards, weaving into the glowing, dangling, pinkish-purple willow branches, touching them as little as possible. She calmed her mind, searching, listening. The small labyrinth of branches swayed, and she searched.
Finally, a whisper, like a breeze of wind. Turning slowly, Firi'sry advanced further, homing in on the whispers, a rhythm emerging from the sounds as she homed in, like a homing beacon. Closer and closer, and the whispers became singing, fuzzy, but certainly voices.
Finally, she found a cluster of willow branches, and gently reached out her hand, brushing them. Each branch flared in brightness on contact, but one flared more brightly than the others. Reaching behind her back, Firi'sry pulled her queue towards the branch, bringing the neural bundle out of the long braid end. The branch and fibres met, and the fibres wrapped around the glowing branch.
As the branch flared in colour, Firi'sry's eyes shut, overwhelmed by the voices filling her head. Tribal singing, generations upon generations, and a few chattering voices, memories.
A few stood out, some for the fact that they weren't Na'vi voices, but they weren't completely clear yet, their sounds fuzzy and vague, only barely discernable.
"The guy's stepmother is here, she's finally made it to this stage."
"My Jake, Eywa has allowed her this far, just as she has forgiven her son's sins."
"I know 'tiri, she'll be great."
"Firi'sry."
The last voice sounded familiar, and Firi'sry found her mated bond suddenly revived for the briefest moment. She listened in, letting the sounds of H'nuptec's voice flow more clearly:
"Do not blame our son for his sins. He has been used, like a tool, only now does he act on his own. Through him killing me, the guilt has awakened him from his dark sleep. He will accomplish great things, and gain many memories and people to share them with in his travels. He will do a large part in helping end this war that never should have happened, that much we are certain."
"Goodbye Firi'sry, and when you see Sru'sky next, tell her to continue to follow her heart in whatever she wants. Know that I will always be here, and will wait until you've led a long, fruitful life for you to join me with Eywa. I love you, my mate, my Firi'sry."
Disconnecting, Firi'sry began to tear up a bit in happiness. It had been so long since she heard H'nuptec's voice, and he had wished all three of his family the best.
The Tsa'hik came up behind her, congratulating her. She noticed the slight sadness, and said: "Do not worry. Eywa always cares for those under her watch. The Great Mother is all knowing, and your mate is in a much better place."
"I know. It's just good to hear from him again." Said the mother Na'vi.
11th October 2900
Hanaghoth system, Planet Orsion, Alliance outpost.
The skirmish had lasted two weeks already, and the Alliance were beginning to pull back, the stress of the UIP counterattack too much. After all, what better place for a heavy UIP counterattack, then on an outpost captured from them just a year ago.
Ducking down behind a wall, Quirinth set her rifle to a high power, low fire rate setting. Hearing, she then engaged her suit's cloaking gear, and stood up quickly, firing off 4 rounds, hitting 2 Alliance troopers who somehow got close.
Behind her, her squad of 2 Predators, a male human and a Sril'sask, ran on past, suppressing any more distant Kro'nogri or Leg'hrul troopers. Her squad was one of a few dozen sent in first after the initial bombing run. The base was heavily damaged on the outside, many of the defence turrets in ruins, the others focused on warding off the attack craft making hit and run attacks on the base. The 'front door' approach of the attack squads, Quirinth's team included, was only dealt with by the guards.
Up in a sentry tower, a pair of Kro'nogri snipers lined up their shots, taking aim at the attacking troopers. Then, a clang of something landing on the metal floor. One of them looked around, and in the second he looked, he saw the grenade on the floor.
Climbing up the side of the base perimeter walls on waist mounted tow cables, the barren rocky ground now 20 metres below, Sru'sky saw the sentry tower nearby explode with a thrown grenade from a fellow soldier, a male human. Reaching the top of the wall, she grabbed her assault rifle, and quickly leapt over the wall side with 7 others, herself the tallest among them by far. Turning right, she opened fire on another sentry tower, her plasma bursts mixing with that of 3 other rifles. A grenade from a rifle mounted launcher fired into the tower, quickly detonating, sending another sniper screaming in agony, the flames licking his scaly skin as he staggered out, collapsing outside the tower.
"Use the walls as a vantage point! Stick to cover, attack from all sides!" Yelled Sru'sky. On her command, the soldiers began to circle around the base walls, firing suppressive fire at the Alliance troopers in the compound below, or any along the walls. Kro'nogri opened fire, and if they got close enough, they gripped the nearest enemy trooper and bit at the most exposed body part. Overhead, the Leg'hrul ducked and weaved, firing into the thralls of UIP troopers attacking the base. But it was hopeless.
By now, the overhead attack group landed, with Trion as second in command of the Cybertronian division of troops. He in his fighter frame, along with 2 seekers, a mech and femme. and 2 ground based mechs, fired away at the base, rapidly reducing the blast doors of the inner base structure to slag.
12th October 2900
As fate would have it, this base was more heavily defended on the outside than it was on the inside. After a 2 hour battle to get near to the base, and a 30 minute conflict just as they got into the depths of it, the Alliance Kro'nogri field sergeant there surrendered, with she and her hundred or so remaining troopers to be deported to prisoner of war camps off world. The UIP losses amounted to 23 dead, 12 badly wounded, and the loss of 2 fighters and an attack craft.
Another planet retaken by the UIP, but alas, for every one they gained or regained, the Alliance matched the record. And unlike the UIP, the Alliance had a greater drive for victory, and would only stand a chance of winning by apparently accepting appalling losses that the UIP could not condone. That situation of conflict loss rate in the war had not been achieved, yet.
The following day, in the repaired and repurposed communications centre of the recaptured outpost, Sru'sky, Trion, Quirinth and 3 other field captains stood before a holographic interface map, showing the locations of other battlefields across the galaxy:
"We've hit 4 bases similar to these ones these past few months, and retaken them all with little trouble. The defence of their less critical areas seems inadequate for their size."
Studying the map, the male human Admiral James Auger, noted this. The holographic display of his head mirrored his moves as he transmitted from the bridge of the orbiting cruiser Caristo. Thinking, he said:
"The Alliance's grip on their smaller held territories has slipped since their Varya operation, although they have recovered from losses much more quickly like that before. Something is holding them back."
"Whatever it is, we should use it to take back as many of our lost territories as we can. Resume standard procedure with the recaptured outpost, and expect coordinates for a new target within the next week." With that, the hologram died.
Now aboard the Cruiser Caristo, having departed to the cruiser the same day as the meeting, the three had left the reclaiming role to the other captains, taking their stations on board the cruiser.
In the mess hall, Trion sat down, leaning back against a wall, an empty energon cube in his hand. His servos flexed, the dirt from the planetary assault having been spray washed out of them. Casually, bored with this time he had, he began to rub his fingers together, letting the sharp digits shed sparks sometimes.
The scraping sound was drowned by the echo of the few dozen in the mess hall talking together, but one person already headed his way registered the sound. Seeing her larger, closest friend and ally against the wall, Sru'sky approached Trion, her footsteps masked by his casual finger scraping.
Still scratching his fingers together, Trion jumped a little when a hand was laid on his 15 foot tall frame, touching the arm softly. Jerking around, his facial plating broke into a smile at the sight of Sru'sky, and he whirred in a happy tone:
"Sru'sky. I didn't hear you coming."
"In this room, it's hard to hear your own thoughts at times." Said Sru'sky, leaning slightly against his arm, the silver coloured metal warm to the touch. Even through her combat gear, the warm metal soothed her, her eyes shutting in relaxation, her long tail gently waving side to side. She then commented sadly:
"But, it will be quieter now." Trion looked at her, wrapping his fingers gently around her arm, saying in his warm, electronic voice: "You did all you could, they died good deaths. Your lost squad would want you to carry on."
This had become commonplace, the four unlikely friends, divided as one was with the others, had come to depend upon one another for comfort and support, which helped keep them sane in the war's tragic moments.
Nuzzling her head into his arm plating, Sru'sky said to Trion: "I know, and I'm glad you're here to remind me of that. Thank you." Pulling her into his frame more, Trion merely whispered: "That's what I'm here for Sru'sky. I'll never leave you as long as my spark beats."
The pair stayed like that, Sru'sky embracing Trion's flank, for a few minutes. During that time, a commotion had built up around the table nearby them. Looking over, they saw Quirinth in the centre, apparently the others cheering on whatever she was involved in.
Straining, Quirinth snarled into her opponent's face: "You're going to lose, just give up."
"And turn down a chance to say I beat you in a arm wrestle, no way!" Said her foe, a young, albeit strong male Romulan. The two were evenly matched, his strength from his kind evolving originally on a high gravity world of Vulcan, and of Quirinth for her kind's dense muscle structure.
Around her, around two dozen soldiers, Human, Predator, Romulan, and even a Klingon and a Sril'sask, cheered them on, their cries mixed together, making it uncertain who was cheering on whom. Straining, she tried to pin him down, slowly forcing his arm downwards. Then, he made a much greater effort, grunting as he peaked, crushing her hand in a vice like grip. She hesitated from the pressure slightly, which with his strength over double that of a normal, unaided human, slammer her hand onto the table. Half of the 2 dozen troops cheered, the others were disappointed, groaning loudly as their supported participant lost again.
Her mandibled mouth flexing in glee, she stood up, saying loudly: "Alright guys, I'm going to get some sleep, see you some other time."
Bidding her goodbye, the others began loudly saying who would arm wrestle whom next. Walking away, Quirinth was warmed by the sight of Sru'sky and Trion embracing, the 21 year old Na'vi woman nestled into Trion's side, his arm wrapping around her protectively. Rolling her eyes, she said aloud as she walked by:
"Hey, save it for the furlough [leave time] next week, you're making me sick."
Splitting apart, Trion stood up, while Sru'sky stood up also. Despite their severe height advantage over her, Quirinth was never intimidated by these two for size, especially when they wore sheepish grins on their faces. Sru'sky's facial dots flashed a bright blue, while Trion's cooling fans kicked in harder, the whirring noticeable.
Shaking her head, Quirinth said: "I guess you're both down about the people we lost today huh?" The sad tone in her voice was evident, and she muttered: "At least we're clawing back UIP territory, but really, its too much for too little."
The trio walked down the hallway, with Trion commenting: "At least the battles now are smaller, no surprise attacks have occurred for a long time. It could be worse."
"Yeah, I suppose it could. But all this killing, I'm starting to get tired of it, is it worth anything?" Quirinth asked.
Sighing, Sru'sky said: "I don't know. All we can do is even the scores between the Alliance and UIP, and hope we gain the advantage."
13th October 2900
Luekray nebula, Konurich station
The Konurich station was a large sized space station, measuring 10 kilometres long and 4 kilometres wide. In the past decade and a half, it had seen rapid development from its original 6 kilometre length. The trade and transit of military and cargo vessels had risen dramatically in those years, and had prompted a large increase in business and infrastructure aboard the intersystem space station.
Such development was expected for the joint Leg'hrul/Kro'nogri capital, and the headquarters of the Alliance government. Anything of importance in the Alliance was known here, and anything that happened here was known Alliance wide. Anything here had influence in most if not all Alliance systems in some way.
Today, was no different, but the type of events occurring were troubling to he authorities.
Outside the shops, in the bars, in the station's streets, echoes or roars of rioting crowds near and far echoed. In the areas of activity, the security forces battled fiercely, rioters hurling abuse, throwing anything capable of hurting the security personnel and mechs. Shop and apartments were looted, service areas ruined, a sign of dissention, dissatisfaction.
Pinning a Kro'nogri guard to the floor, a small mob began mercilessly beating him, only stopped by the unoccupied security mechs wrestling the rioters off, or firing stun rounds. Elsewhere, shots rang out, as station security Leg'hrul, Kro'nogri and mechs were shot anywhere vulnerable, by plasma rounds. Some of the rioters had weapons.
It was chaos, the screams of anger and desperation from the masses, mixing with the screams of authoritative desperation from the guards and their mechs.
In one of the untouched station areas, an Underworld Guild agent reported in a successful operation. Carefully spread rumours, a series of staged or prompted incidents between acted civilians and security, and one incited guard later, and after 4 weeks, he and his contacts on the station had prompted a station wide riot.
He would remain here, free from touch, using a run down area as cover. After all, rioters always targeted the better areas of any settlement when they were angry. They were the problem of station security now.
"This is operative 327 reporting in, riots have escalated into the Garaz district, Konurich station is falling into chaos as I speak." Said the Kro'nogri crime operative. On his secure channel, a two way quantum entanglement link to his operation chief, his employer spoke, her tone satisfied:
"Excellent. Proceed to monitor the situation, let it die down a bit to avoid a serious response for now. Continue to carry out our propaganda strikes, and increase hired assault strikes on the station if need be. The situation must remain unstable, so we can exploit it when our superiors deem it the time."
"Understood. 327 out." He shut down the link, and took a sip of his drink, tipping the barman for his service so far. Smiling, the Leg'hrul female took the tip, slipping it into her work jacket pocket. She was one of his contacts after all. Bars proved time and again to be good places to spread rumour, or get information from intoxicated people.
13th October 2900
Garonth system, Garonth VII orbital prison Tartarus
The orbital prison Tartarus was the most high security facility in the UIP, and one of the most infamous interrogation centres in UIP space. Traitors, high level prisoners of war, and all around scum of all scum of the galaxy the UIP brought in came through here, and often stayed here.
The Warden examined the security feeds to his office. The prison station orbited Garonth VII, and the facility was actually a reformatted heavy cargo ship, measuring 1400 metres long, 600 metres tall, and 300 metres tall. With a modular design, the facility was cheap to maintain, and left much funds for security. Inside, the separate cell blocks were able to be locked down in seconds, and each cell block had 20 cells each. Execution, occurring roughly twice a week, consisted of simply venting prisoner out of an air lock. The cell blocks on the edges of the station could be vented into space, to act as cells for prisoners standing a good chance of execution. The story was that the deeper inside the station you were placed, the longer you'd be there.
Inside one of the deeper cell blocks, one prisoner, relatively fresh, was being interrogated under electroshock treatment. He was a Grey, a traitor to the UIP, a hired Alliance spy. He was also surprisingly adamant of his innocence.
Interrogator 1[male human]: "Who are you're employers?"
Jarothes Hutreck: "I-AAAHHH! I-I-I'm not a spy! I've been framed! It's not me! It's someone else in the UIP intelligence!"
Interrogator 2 [male Sril'sask]: "Maybe we should increase the voltage, that may curb his resilience."
Jarothes Hutreck: "AAAAAHHHH! Please! Stop! I had nothing to do with any of it! I'm innocent!"
Shutting off the video feed, Warden and former Captain Pey'lakan Gra'til, shook his head. He was amazed that such an obviously guilty person was still in the belief somehow that he was innocent. That, or Jarothes Hutreck was one Grey who was very good at acting under torture.
Standing up, Gra'til looked out his office window, this one overlooking a wide room, the dining area. 20 metres below, through sound proof glass, the prisoners let out for lunch ate, some of them solitary, others forming 'gangs' of their own, cliques to stick to, all led by one individual.
Such petty unity was a way of maintaining one's safety, but they all knew that here, Gra'til was the ruler of them all. This was his dominion, and anyone who disagreed, violently enough, would become burning particles entering Garonth VII's atmosphere.
After all, Gra'til found the name of the station, descended from Human Greek mythology as the term for 'hell', suitable. Here was hell, and he was the ruler. It was a far cry from his career as a training captain at the Frosia military academy before the war, but it suited him perfectly.
13th October 2900
Ki'ristalis, UIP central intelligence, head offices.
N the hallways, a single female Sril'sask walked briskly down the hallway, her lizard-like jaw set firm, her tail rigid and nearly straight as she was alert. It was a side effect of her career as a high level information analyst, high stress levels were common.
Krith Lovisk paced down the hallway, just having dropped off her verified documents for that day. Ever since the Varya incident, a flood of extra information had come into the central intelligence bureau, much of it from direct admittance or clues from newly imprisoned Alliance troopers, or captured technical data from Alliance vehicles, weapons and tech captured at either Pandora or New Cybertron.
That was 5 months or so ago, and in that time, one high ranking employee, and one of Krith's co-workers and companions, had been arrested for espionage. Jarothes Hutreck, a 50 year old, male Grey. It was a true shock to his co-workers, as he had served with distinction for the past 5 years. But it was a fact that he had been found guilty, with evidence, of transferring UIP secrets to the Alliance.
Krith knew otherwise. After all, she and Jarothes had been analysing some transmissions from secure channels, reserved for high ranking personnel. They had detected high energy bursts, carefully concealed, hidden in the data as it was transmitted. No one else was paying attention to it as they were overwhelmed by the loads of data after the Varya incident and the commands and relays of command for the war campaign. However, it was not unknown that there was a spy, as reports of unwarranted transmissions to the neighbouring galactic arm were apparent.
Krith Lovisk knew, as did Jarothes while they analysed the data, that the culprit may come down on them. Obviously, he had targeted Jarothes as a scapegoat, to take the fall. What was worrying was that the culprit might continue, and use others as scapegoats when the time came.
However, Krith had been shocked when she found out Jarothes had been sent to the Garonth system for imprisonment and interrogation. As brilliant as he was, Jarothes was a bit soft, weak physically, even for a Grey. He wouldn't last long, or much longer if by some miracle he was still alive.
The dull ache of losing a friend, and also a co-worker who had not only served in the UIP intelligence longer than her, but had a service as a mapping scout before hand as well. He had been her mentor and cover when things were tough, which was more often, as Sril'sasks were hard to find in her line of work. They were the youngest species in the UIP, and their natural aggression and fearsome, dinosaur like appearance made them slightly intimidating, and distrusted.
But the faint traces of transmission bursts were still there, dating back to even before the war had broken out. Whoever was sending and receiving the calls from and to he Alliance had known about them before the war, there was no other possible reason for them to send such transmissions 3 years before the war started.
While the rest of the galaxy was focusing on blowing each other up, or stopping the violence, Krith would continue to burrow deeper. She knew these transmissions had something to do, and their investigation had gotten Jarothes sent to Tartarus. She would not let his hard work go in vain.
As usual guys, please leave reviews if you need to tell me anything I could note and use later in my stories. Again, this is a chapter setting up the next story arc.