Chapter Six

Vector sent the letter to Rey'elle before they left Nar Shaddaa. He had deliberated for quite some time before pressing the send button, delivering the content of his heart to the holonet and relying on the mercy of technology to get it to its final destination.

Five days to Alderaan. The nest was excited to be going home and questioned the feeling of dread that they read in Vector's aura. They could not conceive his fear of losing himself, once again, to the hive since they had no sense of individuality. All existence served the hive and it could be no other way, it was all that they knew and Vector had failed on all levels to make them understand. They were simply incapable of being anything beyond what they were bred and born to be.

The morning before they arrived, Vector went to the cargo bay and performed the ritual for the Hour of Revitalization, welcoming a new day, expressing gratitude for the bounty of the sun and the Castle Lands. As Dawn Herald it was expected of him, but it was something he had neglected for weeks or maybe months, so much had happened he wasn't sure any more. He now used it as a peace offering to the nest, they were one and the ritual solidified this bond, the nest was content.

Scorpio had left her usual place and taken a seat in the cockpit to exit hyperspace above the world of Alderaan. Vector felt the hive immediately and had to partially block out the onslaught of images and chatter that flooded his mind. There was a sense of concern and urgency in that communication and he knew that he would have to go to the cave soon after landing.

Exiting hyperspace above Alderaan, they noticed another of those space stations in the beginning stages, much like on Nar Shaddaa.

"I wonder how many of those things they are building," said Lokin.

"Good question, doctor," said Vector. "These invaders appear to have a great deal of resources to spend on something that has no apparent purpose. We believe they may be used for surveillance or control of the populace, but will know nothing until their completion."

The holo chimed and Vector and Lokin moved into the common room to answer while Scorpio took them into the spaceport.

"Hey, bug boy," said Kaliyo's image. "How's it hangin' doc? Listen, I won't take long but I just wanted you to know that this new enemy seems to really have a hard on for the empire and republic. Several Hutt fleets have encountered them on their trips through the galaxy and haven't had even one shot fired as long as they didn't start any shit.

"I doubt if they would have even started building that damned space platform if there was no empire or republic presence on Nar Shaddaa. They evidently don't see the Hutts as a threat but it makes me wonder what the hell we did to them to get them riled up enough to invade. I hope we get some answers soon, not knowing makes me twitchy. Watch your backs, Kaliyo out."

Vector turned to Lokin. "So many things don't add up. There were reports of twin brothers at the head of the attacks on those remote worlds and outposts when this all started months ago and now a full scale invasion of sith and republic space, but no further mention of these brothers. It all has to be linked somehow and we think that we won't like the answers when everything is revealed."

Vector began to key in another code on the terminal. "Would you mind giving us some privacy doctor? There is a call we need to make. You are free to listen, but out of sight."

Lokin exited the room as the call attempted to connect. Several rings later the image of a middle aged man with short hair displayed itself. "Who the hell are you and how did you get this frequency?"

"We are Vector Hyluss, a crew member of one you used to call Legate and we request a few moments of your time."

Ardun Kothe rubbed his chin. "Ah, yes, the joiner. And, Legate, now that's a name I haven't heard in awhile. Last I heard from her was when she was headed to Hoth. So why didn't she contact me herself?"

"We presume you have heard that Darth Marr is dead, but what you may not know is that the agent was on his ship when it exploded. They were held captive for at least five days before Darth Marr met his end, however, we have heard nothing about the agent. We had hoped that perhaps you had some information to that end."

"Other than this new enemy kicking the crap out of both sides, and, of course, Marr, I have heard nothing although I am saddened to hear of Legate's disappearance. You realize I cannot go into details about republic movements."

"We understand, although we question the wisdom of the two factions retaining their old habits. It seems that those in control have a more limited view that the rest of us."

Kothe laughed. "I hear you, but, we are, technically still enemies. What I can tell you is that they are blockading or destroying shipyards that serve the republic and we know of the space platforms they are erecting around certain planets. Belsavis, Bothawui, Tatooine and Voss."

Vector added to the count. "They are also on Hoth and Nar Shaddaa although we do not know their purpose. They are also attacking any imperial fleet that they can find, with dire consequences."

"Pretty much the same for the Republic. What are the sith doing about it?"

"More than likely the same as the Republic, seeking to hurt each other instead of combining forces to fight this new enemy together. We take it that Saresh has not yet displayed reason or constraint?"

"She and the sith share much in that mindset, but you didn't hear that from me. We have agents looking into every bit of data they can get their hands on. The Jedi are sorely taxed with trying to hold the center, as they always have, and it is not going well for them.

"Nothing good will come of this, Vector. And what of the black codex? Can what it contains be of any help at all?"

"We were never told the location where Rey'elle hid it and we are grateful for that ignorance, we fear it would do nought but complicate matters."

"You are probably right on that accord. One more thing, these strange fleets appear to have no end to their numbers, and they seem to be trying to block exit points of hyperspace routes. If they achieve this, both sides will be completely cut off from supplies, troops, hell, even galactic economics will be affected. We are in for some very trying times.

"I will contact you if I hear anything about the agent, but, I fear that however this unfolds will be the same for empire and republic alike and as long as Saresh and the Council war against each other, we must maintain the status of enemies. Kothe out."

Vector turned around and leaned against the terminal, rubbing his temples in an attempt to dispel the feeling that he was running out of resources and time where Rey'elle was concerned. He felt the ship slow as it entered the atmosphere of Alderaan and then the repulsorlifts engage as Scorpio guided them into the Rhu Caenus Spaceport and come to a complete stop.

He was about to go change his clothes from street to armor when Lokin asked him to step into the med bay for a conversation that could not wait.

"Yes, doctor?" Vector said as he closed the door.

Lokin sat down on the stool in front of his monitors, he looked tired. "There is no easy way to say this, but I must leave the ship sometime in the future. You know of my condition and it appears that the years of experimentation have, at last, taken their toll."

"How so?" asked Vector as he leaned back against the door.

"Many of my cells are mutating, which I was expecting, given the types of concoctions I have injected myself with, but I have noted a pre-cancerous anomaly in some of the lymph samples I have taken. They are in remission now, but for how long I cannot guess. I fear that the equipment available to me on the ship will not be adequate for further experimentation and I will require fresh rakghoul samples as well for further testing. I doubt you would welcome those types of friends on board.

"I have a safe house here on Alderaan that contains much of the equipment I require and cages that can contain the, less than savory, companions I am in need of. I know that this comes at a bad time, but it appears that my time is slowly running out."

"How long can you stay?"

"Another few months, possibly a year, but nothing beyond that. The clock ticks, Vector, and I cannot sit idly by until it stops. As soon as those cells even hint at coming out of remission, I must leave."

"Your counsel will be missed, doctor, but we understand your dilemma, it seems that time is as cruel now as it ever was and we thank you for remaining as long as you can. We fear that, eventually, we must abandon this ship also although we will be loathe to do so. It has been our home for so long and holds more memories than we can count."

"Not all of them pleasant though, my boy."

"No, not all pleasant, but it holds Rey'elle, the better parts of our time together, our memories are forever part of this place. Our life with her began here, our love for her began here, we are in the very molecules of each wall and frame."

"So what now, Vector?"

"Now, we return to the hive. We sense great unrest there and must also make arrangements for a summit of the other hives to see what aid we can bring to the empire, although we cannot guess what that might be. On the ground, the killik are formidable warriors, but in space we would be out of our element against the might of this new enemy. However, we will try to garner what aid we can."

"Will the hive even welcome you back? You have been gone for the better part of five years."

"We are Dawn Herald, doctor, and we do maintain contact. The hive does not measure time the same way humans do nor do they entertain the notion of abandonment. We are much the same today as the day we left the cave, in their eyes. Now, if you will excuse us, we must get ready."

Vector changed his clothes, donned the Jawa cloak to hide his eyes, and picked up his staff in preparation to leave the ship. Before he departed he gave instructions to Lokin and Scorpio to see to refueling and restocking.

He walked out of Rhu Caenus into the brisk, clean air of Alderaan and breathed deep of the familiar scents, but they were not the scents of home, not any more. He went to the speeder depot and procured a ride, taking care to keep his face hidden and then turned right out of the spaceport and into the grassy hills that bordered the mountains.

For an hour he rode until in the distance he noted the fallen tree that marked the entrance to the cave, he dismounted when he arrived and hid the speeder behind the log and entered. A few steps into the cave, he was met by soldier killiks standing guard and rubbed forearms with them as a greeting.

One of them led him down several winding passages to the central chamber where the queens resided, the ruling body of Oroboro. One queen sat above all and looked down on him as he approached. She was surrounded by attendants and several joiners sat or stood around the edge of the chamber while workers scurried about performing their tasks. She was the largest and her exoskeleton possessed streaks of bronze and gold running through the green primary color, her eyes were a vibrant orange.

The area was alive with mingling auras and magnetic pulses and Vector could feel the pheromones heavy on his skin, in his nose trying to re-invade his body. Telepathic communication was easy from this distance and Vector could translate the various waves of energy into images and then common as easily as if he spoke to any human species. The chittering and clacking of mandibles became background noise as he opened his mind to the dialogue.

"Dawn Herald, we are pleased you have returned to us, we had thought you gone forever. Why do you walk among us again?" the queen began.

"We are happy to be of service. May we ask why there are fewer queens now than when we left the hive?"

"The oldest were killed as we could no longer sustain the numbers being produced. It has diminished the hive but was necessary. We battle constantly with the humans for land and resources since we woke and we are ever being pushed back.

"Their poisons and machines work tirelessly to eradicate us and we fear that soon there will be no place where we can hide except the deep catacombs."

Vector knew that one queen alone could lay a thousand eggs in a month. "A wise decision although we miss their presence. We detected an aura of deep concern from the hive almost as soon as we landed and would know what causes such distress."

"There is a structure at the end of the path of stones that we cannot understand. It hangs in the air like a giant spitcrete ship but we cannot detect any living aura. Some of our scouts have also seen machine men surveying the ground almost directly beneath this structure. They smell of grease and circuits. We feel it brings a doom to this world that none will survive."

"Did the scouts engage these machine men?"

"No. We wish to draw no attention to ourselves however they did observe a brief encounter between a group of humans and these machine men. The outcome was not in the human's favor, all were killed."

"And the other humans of this world?" asked Vector.

"They war as they always have, against each other and against us. Becoming part of the empire has benefited us little except in trade and since the new structure even that has waned. We survive by the gifts of the givers alone rarely venturing outside the caves. We miss the sun."

"We are distressed to hear that there is yet no peace between our species. One reason for our return is that we desire a meeting with the colony, can one be arranged?"

"Perhaps. We have emissaries in many regions that we can contact, but why would you desire this?"

"We must see what aid the Nest of Nests can provide to the empire concerning this conflict and we also need to know what Oroboro can provide."

"Oroboro is not what it once was, we can offer membrosia, silk and the work of our artisans. To be honest, we are considering going back into hibernation until this threat passes."

"But that will kill the joiners. They cannot survive so many years."

"Then we will cocoon them and insure they sleep, there will be no pain. Will you stay with us Dawn Herald?"

"If the castle lands are bombarded, Oroboro will not survive, you know this. And, no, we can not stay, we still have work to do."

The queen cocked her head, staring intently at him. He could feel her gaze boring into every fiber of his being, her thoughts riding the synapse of his brain, peeling back the layers of his experiences, prodding every memory and the pain drove him to his hands and knees.

"You fear to stay with us, you fear the pheromones, explain," the queen demanded.

Vector struggled to stand up, swaying slightly on his feet. "We have tried to clarify before, but we will try again. The human woman is our mate and just as we were driven to find the missing hives of the Great Migration, so are we driven to find her. She is the fuel that feeds our dreams, her pheromones invade our senses, her scent and taste fill us like membrosia and her aura lights our way. All is darkness without her."

The queen shooed away an attendant who was cleaning her mandibles. "We have experienced these things from those we absorb. They serve no purpose, they do not serve the hive and are discarded as readily as the husks we shed. We can ease the pain, cause you to forget, we can give you peace."

"We do not want to forget, the pain gives us purpose, and the love provides the will."

"So, we have lost you to your humanity then?"

"We will never be lost to you. We are forever Dawn Herald and we shall serve the hive. We will bring back information from this summit and you and the others may wish to consider another migration away from this place. To stay, may be to doom Oroboro to death."

"Return in three cycles of full white, you will have your answers from the other hives at that time and a destination. Go then, Dawn Herald. Bring us news of the Colony and of other worlds where we may flourish, we will consider your words carefully."

Vector bowed and extended his arm as the queen reached out with hers to rub lightly against his armor. He had been given leave to depart and was much relieved. She could have kept him there, flooded him again with pheromones, chipped away at his humanity little by little or even killed him outright, but she had not.

He suspected that she somehow needed this summit to happen and felt that there were secrets she had not yet revealed. The catacombs of Oroboro ran deep and he had not walked them for many years but he felt that something slept in the earth beneath his feet.