"Human, thy armies spring not from the heavens, but of the soil, and it is not the property of the soil to remain thirsty for long. Proverbs of Arienta."
"Translated from Cyanji, this old written language that serves doubly as musical notes for the Blue Light Watchers." Eshka said, sounding vaguely bored.
"And it means they anticipated we would one day build our war machine again, but this time it would have religious significance. The redemption of humanity, the salvation of the Milky Way and absolution for the horrors humans have inflicted in order to become the absolute undeposable masters of defending our galaxy, a sacred duty." Jinar ordained, with a hint of militant facetiousness in her voice.
"Who sent this?" Osowl asked the communications software. It wasn't sure.
"We've received hail from a ship nearby that isn't on any of our readings. They are cloaked. I didn't know there was such a thing." Skipper McCain said.
"It's a Cave Gods ship. They have over a million years more levels of technology than ours. Ask them what we can do for them out here." Jinar determined.
"They have sent instructions to patch them through on our communications monitor." Skipper McCain said.
"Okay, it's talk they want." Jinar mocked surprise.
The face of a young-looking Cave Gods appeared, and he spoke using his own voice in English, but very slowly and with the fermented accent of a Cave Gods.
"He's a juvenile. He's not even an age-old. Must be the Cave Gods's Youngest. They rarely reproduce, and the youngest is exiled between half an age and an age old. All the Cave Gods will be watching what he does during these centuries, he must accomplish great things before returning home. He will be well equipped with many gifts from his people, including defensive tools. We should ask his help in your war effort." Osowl Fitten realized with little effort.
"She's right, I was going to say so, but first, let me say to him how handsome he is." Eshka hissed.
"He is rather." Osowl agreed.
"What are we saying?" Skipper McCain asked.
"Patch me through to him." Jinar stood in front of the webcam.
"I am Nyctoth, this is my vessel Fly-By-Night and I seek great adventure in the stars. Admiral Jinar, I've caught up to you at last. My current quest is complete. Now I must communicate with you successfully what I have witnessed. I have seen the destruction of Pacifica by the Unknown. While I was unable to prevent this, I have decided that my way will be to do whatever is necessary to prevent such destruction from happening again. I have many refugees on my ship who are human, and while they are comfortable right now, they need a home. I was hoping you could take them." Nyctoth had said.
"We are on a mission to prepare the galaxy for the Unknown. We are building a war machine, a defense industry. When it is complete, the association and the Combine will be as best prepared for the invasion by the Dark Beings as possible. It is what we do, after all, make war." Admiral Jinar told Nyctoth. "It would serve this cause if you burdened the Combine with those refugees. We are orchestrating a war in a galaxy asleep with peace. There's gotta be some wake up calls."
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"See? She knows how to use idioms properly." Eshka hissed quietly to Osowl, who realized she ot to take notes.
"Very well, Admiral. I will take the refugees from Pacifica to the Combine. When we meet again, allow me to partake in your efforts, under your command, so that we might defend the Milky Way together." Nyctoth's bat face looked eager, and Admiral Jinar caught the expression.
"You could be killed in battle, or required to kill. Is that an acceptable circumstance?" Admiral Jinar asked the Cave Gods Youngest.
"I have already lived many lifetimes past the lifespan your people enjoy and I am not even an adult. My people permit me to adventure and grow and experience the galaxy during this time, and if I should die, then that is the adventure, the experience, that I shall have. All living creatures die, but few carry the responsibility to entertain a soul. That is what all of us truly are, parts of the whole, pieces of the One. We are the sum of all things in this galaxy, and we do what we know we should do and we avoid doing what we should not do. No other circumstances are for me." Nyctoth explained.
"Very well, soldier. I hereby recruit you to special command in the New CUF. You will report directly to me and you will act autonomously while carrying out all errant missions towards our cause. If you fail in your duties, combat or otherwise, you will be discharged from our service, no longer part of the New CUF."
"Do I salute?" Nyctoth grinned with his curved fangs, his squinting eyes widening with the smile.
"No. Special command doesn't salute. You report directly to me informally and constantly. You can by my ears in the Combine. You have no idea how messy this political chapter of our war is going to get. I'm not sure I want to anticipate it myself."
"What about black ops, like sabotage or assassination?" Nyctoth asked weirdly.
"You're kidding, right?" Admiral Jinar asked.
Nyctoth laughed.
When Fly-By-Night had departed for the Combine the rest of the trip through the Basilik system was quiet. Meeting a Cave Gods Youngest felt like a big deal. Nyctoth's volunteer conscription was worth more than the prospects before them. At Basilik they were hailed.
"Exalted Inquisitor Eshka Layenna, a living legend, on my shores? I am beyond honored. Please, welcome to my city of Basilik." Said Administrator Ihanna Kelele.
When Phoenix Hawk had landed and Admiral Jinar and Osowl Fitten had emerged from the ship's parking ramp they looked to see Eshka Layenna was taken into custody by security droids. Several more such machines surrounded them and they were ordered to surrender to detainment.
"You three will remain my prisoners here. You thought you would start some kind of war using Sunder weaponry, human, but think again. We are not some munitions factory you can scout out and try to seize later. My colony will not be a pawn in your sick human war games." Administrator Ihanna Kelele chastised them in English, her voice sounding masculine and confident.
"I have diplomatic immunity, I was given the ancient signal that my visit would not be impeded in any way. You cannot detain me under these circumstances." Osowl Fitten said after she had thought for a moment. "It is illegal."
"Let her go. Capture the human on board Phoenix Hawk and then let her go."
The droids tried to enter the ramp, but Skipper McCain opened fire with an assault rifle, the high velocity bullets stinging the armored machines before burrowing in and exploding. One by one the droids came rolling down the ramp on fire.
"Surrender human, or we'll be forced to use exterminating tactics on you instead of trying to capture you." Administrator Ihanna Kelele turned up the volume on her translator and shouted into the open ship's docking compartment. The response was a spray of bullets in her general direction, a few getting a little close as they exploded on the floor around her.
"You serve no purpose to me or your commander if you are eliminated during this maneuver. I am not going to stay here and be shot at, but I'd prefer you surrender. I don't want your life on my hands." Administrator Ihanna Kelele shuddered in fear, but held her ground, insisting on capturing him alive, even at her own risk.
Admiral Jinar respected that and ordered her soldier to stand down.
"Very good. I was able to take you all alive. You will remain prisoners here indefinitely." Ihanna Kelele decided. "We are not arms dealers, you humans might be associated, but you have a lot to learn."