R’Ben was standing in the office of the Captain of the USN Phobos with her captain behind his desk, and a severe looking grey-haired woman standing next to another officer on a hologram for the meeting.
“Mr. R’Ben, please understand that you are in no trouble in any way. However, I must ask you to repeat the information you told Captain Collins to the Ambassador and the Admiral.” The captain’s tone was firm, but cordial.
“Certainly. I have been a slave to one crime head or another for most of my adult life. How, is a story for another time. Two masters ago, almost a decade’s time, I was under the ownership of a Kawmari Female who had taken a great interest in the Corth/Vorath war. She had amassed quite the library before I had been acquired by her, and it only grew during my stay. In time, once she realized our interests intersected, she allowed me access to the library. I was to clean and maintain the artifacts and learn as much as I could, and aid in the addition of more. For five years, I oversaw finding Vorath pieces and manuscripts from the war until I failed to acquire a particular item and was sold. To my knowledge she is still in possession of her collection.”
“Ambassador, I recognize that the time period may be… extended… in terms of intelligence gathering… but I think it may be worth a shot, at a minimum to see where the Vorath baseline for progress might be.” Phobos’ captain stated, “Mr R’Ben has provided us with the coordinates, and I can have a team ready in 28 hours…”
Ambassador Gwen gazed thoughtfully back through the connection, “risks?”
“We don’t know if the collection is still there… and, forgive me, R’Ben is an untested asset.” Admiral Stevens ventured.
“No offense taken. Until this morning, I thought all of humanity were limb-ripping brutes of unfathomable violence. I may be able to acquire the information to assuage at least one of those risks. I would need Captain Collins’ souvenir, however, to set the bait.” R’Ben offered. “The Warrior Captain Collins bested to acquire that dagger is from an old house. It is quite the prize, in a collection of any size. I believe I could get her to at least respond.”
“I see,” Admiral Stevens nodded, “any objections to initiating contact?” He paused, the silence confirming consensus, “Very well. Proceed. Report with the results of the call as soon as applicable, port Royal out”
The holograms winked out as Admiral Clint swapped his codes over and redialed Ambassador Gwen.
“You got a minute?” Clint said as soon as his Aunt appeared on the projector.
“What you got Nitro, I got about six.” Gwen responded, taking a sip of coffee.
“Ivar and Martina are coming to visit this afternoon. I believe they may be excellent candidates for CODEX. I’m requesting permission to bring them into the discussion on this side of the gap.” Clint said sincerely.
“I see. Clint, we don’t know quite what will happen. It will be a considerable risk for two of our best.” Gwen stated carefully.
“Maybe, but I can’t think of any two people I both trust enough with this information and believe have a prayer of having it go well.” Clint stated.
“I’m forced to agree with you… permission granted, carefully.” Gwen stated “Don’t let Chika jump. You know she will. Slowly, Nitro. Gwen out” The ambassador closed the call just as her next appointment called in.
————————————
“I must confess, It is very strange to be on this side of the equation” R’Ben had indeed contacted his previous master, she was very excited at his ‘new owner’ being willing to sell such a priceless artifact. The meeting was in a neutral place of course, and a small Delmar Courier vessel was used as the meet vessel, with Phobos just outside minimum jump range monitoring through a crybaby connection.
“Don’t get too comfortable. This can go wrong in so many ways” Captain Alex Collins was not in full ‘battle rattle’ but the low-profile armor still showed on his massive frame, if one knew where to look. “I’m going to be wanting that back…” he grumbled, glancing down. His dagger, and its scabbard, were currently contained in an appropriately ornate display box.
“Indeed.”R’Ben tried not to flash a terrified color as he felt the implied warning. He glanced over to the sensor screens just as a Vorath Corvette snapped into existence at the beacon and began burning towards an intercept.
“What the fuck!!” Collins swore and spun to order the pilots to abort.
“Ease, Captain. Ease. She has just decided to show up with strength. It took her 60 years to piece that thing back together.” R’Ben caught a wary glance as Collins uncoiled slowly.
“What the fuck is she doing with a Vorath warship.” He demanded.
“Well, it’s actually 18 different Vorath warships. That is her Libraries crown jewel, parted together from scavenged wrecks over the decades. Even today, it can hold its own against most of the riff-raff out on the edges of the Unity.” R’Ben stated just as a hale was received.
R’Ben answered it with polite, and completely fake amphibious smile, “Ah, Quawrine. I see you have not lost your feathers for the dramatic.”
“R’Ben, you are looking quite… moist. Airlock 4 is ready to receive you and your master.” Quawrine snapped off the connection as her ship began its deceleration burn to match speeds with theirs.
“I don’t like this,” Collins rumbled before turning to the pilots, “Ping Phobus, 5 minutes. Then Jump”
“Confirmed” the copilot answered as his fingers flew. “sent.”
“Take us in.” Collins commanded and the Drives Lit on the Courier vessel as it approached the Cobbled together Vorath ship. Slightly rusted seams and imperfect lines betrayed the ships construct as the distance shrank, and 2 minutes later the doc was complete, and the airlock cycled between them and an impeccably preened older Kawmari female flanked by a pair of guards appeared as the doors opened. One guard was a Lycan with a matted patchwork of fur and a robotic left clawed hand. His right hand hovered steadily over a larger-than-normal laser pistol. The other was a C’Claram with pieces of armor that appeared to be riveted to its exoskeleton. It wore a plasma launcher across its chest and its face was drawn into a sinisterly inviting expression.
“Is this really necessary” R’Ben began as Alex stayed just out of site.
“You were always a slippery one. I have my doubts as to your master’s intentions… He is a fool to send you alone, in such a ship.” Quawrine scowled.
“That would be inadvisable” came a deep baritone as Dozer rounded the corner glaring out through Alex’s features. “Unless you want to find out, the Hit pieces were…. Incomplete.” R’Ben openly shrunk back at the sinister smiling visage before him. Alex had not physically changed any of his accouterments… save for the massive belt-fed human weapon casually lying over one shoulder… The proof R’Ben wasn’t imagining the aura of unmitigated aggression emerged when both the bionic canid and the Insectoid moved instantly to put themselves in between their benefactor and the visage of death before them.
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“You did not tell me that your new employer was… human.” Quawrine’s feathers ruffled in an instinctive display designed to make herself appear bigger than she was. “I believe we may have gotten off to the wrong beginnings… May we try this again?”
At that moment, USN Phobus dropped into real space a mere 50 kilometers from the two docked vessels and launched boarding shuttles. “Yes,” Dozers voice was scored Durrasteel, “Let’s try this again…”
Thumps could be heard as the courier vessel was used as a bridge between the assault shuttles and Quawrine’s corvette. The rattle and hiss of airlocks was accompanied by the rumble of steel-studded boots as two more pairs of rifles poked out from either side of Dozers shoulders. These Marines were in full Battle Rattle, and their faceless helmets glimmered in the sterile artificial light. “Unfortunately; We are not, in fact, here to make a deal. However, we are not here to steal from you.”
“Noble words, Human.” Quawrine waved her guards to stand down, they would be useless anyway. “Why should I believe you, and what could you possibly offer that would make me cooperate with you.” She ruffled her feathers, not caring that she wasn’t completely in control of the display.
“Because.” Dozer casually shattered the ornate box and strapped the dagger to his leg with deliberate slowness, “I possess something far more valuable than a dagger. May we come aboard…”
“As if I have a choice, Come. I’ll take you to a conference room that will fit all of your… friends.” Quawrine squawked before spinning on her claws and stomping away to lead the way.
The Marine team left two at the airlock and proceeded with two as they entered the ancient corvette. Thankfully, it was not a room that was far away; undoubtedly to keep any prying eyes from seen more of the ship than was strictly necessary.
“Now, Human. What is this all about. It's obviously not about a dagger, and I suspect that this is about my Library. You won’t find it. Even your slave doesn’t have the coordinates anymore.” Quawrine was irritated but resigned; playing the poor hand she had been dealt.
“You are correct in part; this is about your Library. It is not, however, about the acquisition of your library. My superiors wish to copy any information you have on the Vorath. We require combat data, cultural information, images, and tactical records if you have them.” Dozer stated simply.
“A copy? Why.” Quawrine’s curiosity was slowly getting the better of her. “Your superiors? What is this...”
“This, Ma’am, is a requisition for information; a baseline if you will. We have reason to believe that the Vorath threat is returning, or is already returned. This is also the reason you have not been detained and the coordinates of your Library… extracted…” Dozer continued with his flat formality mixed with aggression.
“That’s flatly impossible. Those monsters have been gone for thousands of generations. Why are you chasing ghosts.” The giant bird's feathers smoothed finally as she calmed from defensive to incredulous.
Dozer slowly drew his trophy from its scabbard and flipped it easily to slide it to the woman grip first, “Take a look.”
The large birdwoman hefted the weapon, as a keen trained eye inspected the cartouches and finery about the handle and hilt before inspecting the spine of the weapons blade, “This isn’t possible. There are markings concurrent with their original language, but the ceremonial dates are… recent. Much more recent than anything I have seen in my lifetime…”
She froze as something clicked in her brain, “Where did you get this…”
Dozer pulled a small device from his pocket and activated it. The pocket holographic projector unfolded itself on the table and began an auto playback. A helmet-cam filled with humans in a line getting rocked by a series of explosions before being rushed by monsters thought relegated to myth and legend. Alex took a deep breath as his helmet cam replayed his perspective of events during their first engagement with the Vorath; Ending in him looking down to find the dagger resting on the table, buried to its hilt in his side.
The playback ended and Dozer carefully pocketed the device, “I’m afraid I am going to have to insist on access to the library. We will never be friends, but I believe we have a common enemy. The Coordinates, please.”
Quawrine could do nothing as her feathers flattened against her skin in pure shock, slowly nodding after a moment.
-----------------------------------------
Jacob Irving stepped through the doors of the research and development building that housed the headquarters of the Brothers Gremm. He had expected this call, but it had not come from the doctor who tended to him after he lost his eye, not the Mad Lads on this side of the Delmar Sol Technological powerhouse.
“Captain!” His doctor called to him from down the hall, “I see you are in good health, come.”
“Hi Doc, I got your message, if not from where I was expecting.” Jacob chuckled as he shook the Older Delmar’s hand. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.”
“Yes. Well, I thought it best to perform the test and fitting here. They developed it after all.” The doctor smiled as he produced a square box, opening it to reveal a smooth almost metallic porcelain looking orb.
“May I?” Jacob asked before carefully picking up the object, slowly turning it over in his hands. “It’s heavy… Is that going to be a problem”
“We don’t believe so, It is a first generation. We hope to make improvements based on the data and feedback we get from you. Unfortunately, we could not get the functionality we wanted, and have it look real at the same time” The doctor began, turning the eye over and revealing a very artificially white Iris. Jacob’s eyebrow rose over his surviving eye. He was naturally born with Browns.
“The Iris was a particularly difficult problem. However, we found a nanofilament weave we could control adequately for the optical part of the device; but I am afraid you are stuck with the color for now.” The doctor apologized as Jacob sat on the bio bed and laid down.
“Optical Part? Doc, What did the Brothers twist off on this time..” Jacob groaned.
“Oh just the basics, Optical, RADAR, and IR” came a second voice as Bart Grem stepped into the room.
“You gave this thing Predator vision?” Jacob gawked receiving a snort from Bart confirming the reference was not lost in the cultural ether.
“Bart, you can stay or go, but close the door. I need to begin” Scolded the doctor as Bart stepped fully in and closed the door.
“I’m here to assist on the technical side of things. Proceed doctor.” Bart sat in a chair with a pad and began tapping on the device as Jacob felt a small prick on his eyebrow above his empty socket. The Nanite injection quickly dissolved the connection between his upper and lower eyelid and his eye socket snapped open as his Doctor began inspecting to ensure everything was in order.
“Ah, the Optic nerve has retracted as expected, but it remains in good health. Bart, the Device please.” The doctor retrieved the artificial eye and Jacob realized that the metallic porcelain globe was in fact a globe encase in a transparent coating of some kind. “So, We could not figure out a way to attach your muscles to the device without compromising functionality, Instead the outer layer is an Acrylic globe that has a receiver for your nerve. The components can traverse within the globe. They should, with time, self-calibrate to your natural movements and commands. I’m going to be locking you in place. Initial installation is finicky.”
Jacob felt his body go rigid as the biobed rendered him immobile. A second injection numbed his entire face as he began to feel pressure from the doctor beginning his procedure. It was not comfortable, and he smelled a light burning scent at one point before a second nanite injection was administered.
“Ok,” Bart walked over still looking over his pad, “I’m going to initialize the link. We have numbed you the best we can, but I honestly have no clue what’s going to happen next. Say when.” He said sincerely.
Jacob took a deep breath, “Go for it..”
For a moment, nothing happened, but only for a moment. An excruciating spike of agony flared deep into Jacob’s brain in the most immediately violent migraine he had ever experienced. Luckily, he was still restrained.
“Fuuuck….” Jacob groaned, involuntarily fighting against the beds restraining fields.
“Easy son, just a few moments more. I have to synchronize the eye with your nerve’s natural signals…. I’m almost through, how do you feel now.” Bart mumbled as he fiddled with his pad.
The pain seared for a moment longer before a flush warmth washed over Jacob as the pain vanished and he felt a flickering in his vision. Jacob winced in a little spike of pain as two separate images flashed across his mind fluttering in and out of sync with each other as his brain fought to figure out this new input.
“A little fuzzy, Is that you or me.” Jacob groaned.
“Ah, just a moment.” Bart stated. After a moment the desynced images stabilized into one binocular image as the right side of Jacob’s peripheral vision returned to him.
“Holy shit!” Jacob breathed, “I think it's workin’. The pain is mostly gone. Can I be let up now. I’m starting to cramp up.”
“Certainly, take it easy. Again, this is completely new territory. Go slow please, Captain” Bart nodded to the doctor before the restraints were released.
Jacob rose slowly, sitting on the bed as he slowly looked around the room. The images destabilized slightly at first, his right side chasing his left as his brain relearned how to use the right side again. He scanned back and forth several times as the images slowly began to match themselves with more ease. “Ok…. Ok…” Jacob breathed as the pain came back slightly.
“Good, very good for a start captain.” Bart handed him a data pad with a layout of one of his command chair pads on Traveler, “Ok, captain. I need you to activate traveler’s sensors.” Jacob instinctively tapped the controls into the dummy pad. “Good. Now, ask your eye to do it, but imagine what you would see on one of your screens. Do not touch anything.”
Jacob thought for a second then glanced over at one of the console interfaces on the desk. His vision flickered and snapped into a composite image almost like layers on an onion. He mentally pressed deeper into the console, and the outer visual image dissolved, and the circuit boards appeared. The boards and wires pulsed with electrical energy as Jacob watched the console run its processes. He slowly imagined himself backing out of the console and his vision returned to the visible spectrum.
“Holy shit…” Jacob looked over at Bart and the transition was immediate. Bart’s visual image phased into a semi-transparent state as his clothes disappeared and Jacob quickly reversed the process. “Ok, going to have to be careful with that.” He mumbled. Thinking about what he would see looking through an IR rifle scope, his vision shimmered once again and… “Oh fuck… predator vision…” He mumbled as he looked around the room. He began to feel strain as he kept this mode and eventually relented and simply returned to the optical spectrum.
“How did you get this into an eyeball” He asked in awe.
“Very carefully. The fatigue you are feeling is programmed. We want you to have to intentionally push into the other than visual spectrums, to prevent accidental activation. That will fade as you learn and use your new eye more.” Bart stated, handing Jacob a bottle of pills, “These are just in case you get migraines. We expect that to happen occasionally for the first 72 hours or so. Do you have any questions or feedback so far?”
“You might want to warn people of the Radar setting… Your wife is a very… satisfied woman isn’t she.” Jacob raised an eyebrow as Bart coughed into a drink and the Doctor began laughing, “Not something I wanted to learn.” Jacob chuckled as Bart sputtered and recovered.
“Ok, point taken captain. Anything else.” Bart’s mildly reproaching tone was accompanied with a very definite note made into his pad.
“I’m having a dull ache in the back of my eye socket. Might be your attachment method. Will probably fad. I’ll keep you apprised.”
“We’ll keep a note of it. If there is nothing else, I advise you to head home and rest. Give your brain time to get used to using the default optical mode for a while before you try to use the RADAR or IR.” The doctor said, “We are done for now.”
Jacob threw an abbreviated salute and departed. He smirked in a quick thought as a gasp reminded him that he now had the eye pattern more akin to an Australian shepherd than a human. He wandered the overhead walkways for an hour or so before deciding to head back to Hera’s parent's Estate. Hopefully, Hera wouldn’t freak out too badly.
‘On second thought’ Jacob pressed his eye patch back on and smirked.