The landing shuttle shuttered from the turbulence as it entered the jungle planet’s atmosphere. Sterin calmy sat, as her radio was overwhelmed by overlapping nets of commands and calls from her captains. Some of the ships had been boarded, but Miken had managed to warn them in time. Now a duel against the Blood Maw and the loyal ships raged above them, filling the sky with bright flashes, and falling debris as the shuttles descended towards the surface.
Malcom and Sage sat side by side, nervously clutching their harnesses as the landing craft shook and vibrated. Eventually, the fireball of reentry dissipated, and Sterin saw the clear blue sky before the windows. Below them, a storm raged furiously, spanning hundreds of miles. As the shuttles hurtled towards the very center of the storm, Captain Sterin reflected.
How had she gotten herself into this? This was supposed to be a simple retrieval contract, a farewell job for Zion before she slunk back to the frontier to feed off fat merchants and city state citadels and planets. No one had told her how important this relic was until after she accepted the job.
She had lost her brother, her lovers, half her crew, her ex-girlfriend had tried to kill her, Draycerion was trying to consume the celestial father, her mother was spying on her, all of humanity depended on this mission, and the Emperor of the Laydren Empire was willing to hand her a royal pardon should she succeed. Her head swam from the events that had happened.
Truth be told, she didn’t want to go back home. She loved the freedom of the privateer’s life. Sex, drugs, violence, no limits on any plans. She could go anywhere, do anything. Yet it had been an empty, shallow life, as she desperately tried to fill the hole in her chest with violence and victory. A hole left by the absolute shame of being banished, a laughingstock of the imperial court. Her name had been cursed and wiped from imperial records, her place in the high houses revoked, her birthright as Star Listener of the Laydren Empire given to her inept brother.
Would giving the relic back to the humans truly earn back her place back home? Or was she yet again a pawn on a massive chessboard played by powers that sought to rule the galaxy? She had been tricked once, and it had cost her everything. She trusted no one, aligned herself to her own cause, and not the self-righteous propaganda of others. Yet she knew, deep within in her heart of hearts, Draycerion had to be stopped.
Royal Pardon be damned, so what if she could never go home, she would rather prefer feeding off the frontier as a pirate the rest of her lives. But the mad man needed to be stopped. If nothing else, simply for her pleasure from watching the puppet master’s plans wither and die before her.
She steeled herself, as she accepted her fate. No matter what happened on this planet, no matter what some important person said, she would ensure Draycerion would fail. No matter the cost. She swallowed her brief fear, as she her body stiffened.
“Captain?” the pilot called.
“What is it?” Sterin growled.
“We got company.”
Sterin looked out the window, and saw another dozen or so shuttles decending, a few miles to the left. Red comets of fire were escorting them. She grimaced, as she put her finger to her earpiece.
“Sterin to black fleet. Any chance any of you guys can shoot down those bogies?” Sterin called.
“We’re a little busy at the moment!” Miken roared, screams and gunfire in the background.
“All ships are repelling boarding parties Captain!” another captain called.
Fine. She would do it herself.
“Open the back hatch,” Sterin called.
“What are you doing?” Malcom asked with wide eyes.
Sterin stood up and stretched as wind roared into the compartment.
“Are you going out there Captain?” Sage chimed.
“Yeah, make sure everyone hits the surface in one piece. We need everybody for the retrieval,” Sterin drawled.
Sage undid their harness and hopped upright.
“I would like very much to accompany you,” Sage grinned.
“Out there is no place for a humble scientist, my little friend,” Sterin sighed.
“My people chose me for this mission for a reason, dear captain. Please do not repeat the mistakes of your people, and underestimate me or my kind,” Sage grinned.
“Your funeral,” Sterin sighed.
“Captain Sterin?” Malcom called.
She looked over, eyebrow arched.
“Be careful,” Malcom gulped.
“You oughta know me better than that bud. Stay alive, I’ll see you on the ground,” Sterin grinned.
Sterin pulled her helmet on, the internal holographic display activating, providing her with a crystal clear one hundred eighty-degree view head to foot before her. She looked down at Sage, their tiny frail body eager as the white robes flapped around them.
As the shuttles descended, both watched the enemy comets veer off form their shuttles, on an intercept course for Sterin’s shuttles.
“Correct me if I am wrong, but Steriness Stjorneth Caluth means: she who calls the storm, in your people’s tongue. Yes?” Sage smiled.
“Something my degenerate incestuous cousin seems to always forget,” Sterin grinned.
Captain Sterin sprinted forward, and jumped out into the air, her other shuttles zipping past her as she free fell in the sky. The storm clouds far below her. As she fell, she grinned, her energy zapping and igniting. As her armored body descended, she looked over, and saw Sage falling alongside her. An odd fog like essence surrounding them. The little grey creature with four oval eyes nearly disappeared in the cloud essence as their energy formed and ignited, sparks and small bolts of lightning shooting outward.
“Always full of surprises, aren’t ya Sage?” Sterin thought projected.
“I am a scholar, a poet, and a warrior by trade. Let us show them the error of their strategy by charging us over a storm,” Sage cackled back.
Sterin’s energy burst out like an explosion as her four wings emerged from her body. Two white feathered wings from her shoulder blades, two smaller ones from her lower back. A small wing extending from her booted ankle on each foot. The storm below her crackled and pulsed as she flexed her fingers, electricity coursing out from her palms. As she powered up, she noticed Sage.
The small little alien’s cloud has disappeared, as their robes extended twenty feet. Like a flag attached to an aircraft, Sage’s robes flapped and wove in the wind, their body and face gone as the hood and robes overtook them. Fire and lightening lapped from the robes as Sage engaged their full force.
Up ahead, the dozen or so red comets barreled towards them. Sterin grinned and dove downwards. As Sterin hurtled towards the clouds, Sage followed. The comets also dove, diving nose first towards their adversaries. Right before Sterin entered the clouds, she leveled off, her wings hitting and disturbing the soft clouds as she corrected her flight pattern. Up ahead, the comets came hurtling towards them, long beams of red fire and lights swiping past them, exploding in the clouds.
Sterin gathered her energy, mustering her full strength. As she balled up her energy, Sage rose upwards, charging the comets. Sterin watched with delight as a wide shield of blue energy was formed, protecting both of them as a hailstorm of fire rained down from the enemy. Sage hovered in midair, maintaining the shield as countless balls of fire, lasers and much more smashed into their shield.
Sterin hovered in midair and drew her full force. She called upon the ancestors, her vision darkening as every molecule in her being screamed and protested. She gathered her focus, the storm around her thundering and shaking. She looked up, and pushed her pressed together palms, unleashing the full fury of nature.
Having summoned the full force of the storm, a thousand lightning bolts leapt up from the clouds, interlacing the sky with long lines of electricity. Most missed, but the rest hit the comets, making them explode. Sterin grinned as the red comet escort exploded, their broken burning bodies softly falling to the ground far below.
She huffed, exhausted as she flew upwards. Sage’s hood turned and nodded to her. Before she could say anything, the massive thirty-foot-long cloak shot through the sky as impossible speed. Captain Sterin watched with wide eyes, as the ball of smoke and cloak charged towards the enemy shuttles. The Dark Axium landing craft tried to evade, but it was pointless.
Sage’s cloak shrank, evaporating, and forming a long metal cylinder. The metal rod smashed into a shuttle, then another, and another. Three shuttles exploded as their brethren tried to break off. The metal cylinder, easily ten feet long, upturned, and hit a few more. Sterin watched as over the span of a few minutes, Sage eviscerated the remaining enemy shuttles. Their burning hulks and debris falling towards the surface in fire and smoke.
Sage’s cloak slowly descended, coming closer to her. Sterin cackled as she grinned underneath the mask. The two finally faced each other, floating in midair above the clouds.
“Well done captain,” the massive faceless cloak boomed.
“Nice moves nerd,” Sterin giggled.
“Shall we?” the cloak’s handless arm gestured to the surface.
“Let’s,” Sterin grinned.
The two descended, flowing through the clouds, the rain and thunder bothering neither as they went deeper into the storm. Eventually, they surpassed the bottom cloud level, and raced to the ground. The surface of Jorfin five was covered in dense, triple canopy jungle, which interrupted all scanners and communications links. It was a good thing she had linked with Umar, otherwise they would be blind down here.
Sterin and Sage cruised along the treetops, until they saw a wide opening in the jungle canopy. Here they slowed down, and descended to the ground, amid the many gathered shuttles already landed in the mud. Sterin up righted her body, and descended feet first, Sage following above. Below them, the crew cheered and roared, weapons over their heads as their captain descended.
Sterin’s pristine boots hit the mud, and her energy burned it away as she walked forward. Footprints outlined by white fire left in the mud as she marched towards her crew. Professor Malcom stood wide eyed, as Sage landed behind her. Their physical form returning, now just another four-foot-tall pale alien happily strutting through the mud towards them.
As Sage walked forward, the Spree bowed and moved respectfully out of the way. Sage arched an eyebrow, but happily continued alongside the captain. Malcom was nervously eyeing both of them as Sterin and the Sage looked to him.
“What?” Sterin sighed.
She took off her helmet and looked him in the eye as Sage took off their hood, gazing at the human with their four dark oval eyes.
“I thought only Zion had magic,” Malcom murmured, looking at the ground.
“You call it magic; we call it science. They are one in the same, young human,” Sage smiled.
“I don’t know what I was expecting from this expedition, but it definitely wasn’t this,” Malcom smirked.
“Come along, we have treasure to dig up before I lose my fleet,” Sterin sighed.
Some of the Spree stayed behind to guard the ships as the rest of the crew moved into the dense and soggy jungle. Water splashed about their feet as they went deeper. The journey would be slow and arduous despite each person carrying the bare essentials to survive. As they walked, Sterin focused on Umar back up in Orbit.
“How far?” She projected.
“A days walk to the mountain, descend into the caves at the foot, there you will follow the tunnel network until you come across your first gate. There, call upon us again, and we shall guide you.” Umar whispered in her mind.
“Can you guys hold on for that long?” Sterin asked.
“We shall not falter. May your ancestors protect you, Star Listener,” Umar said.
Sterin nodded to herself and pressed forward. They continued onward, the jungle growing far denser. Trekking through the jungle is arduous, smelly, hard work. A single kilometer can take twice the time to cover that off crossing the same distance across other terrain. But she had a secret weapon, prompted by her impatience. Sterin called a halt and turned to her Spree. She grinned as she leaned forward, hands on her knees.
“You boys wanna help momma?” Sterin asked sweetly.
The Spree piled forward, surrounding her as they nodded vigorously.
“There is a mountain, our treasure lies beneath it. Find me the way boys,” Sterin grinned.
The Spree all looked at each other, murmuring as they grinned and slung the weapons.
“Oog bata mare zula,” one of the Spree nodded firmly while smiling, his long rows of silver coated, razor sharp teeth showing.
“Zuh wah,” the Spree murmured.
The little viscous creatures leapt unto the trees, and climbed up them at breakneck speed, disappearing as their clawed feet and hands giving them firm climbing holds. The tree branches rustled and shifted as birds protested, flying away panicking.
“Lizard chimpanzees,” Malcom nodded.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“Fucking what?” Sterin laughed.
“I have been trying to surmise what animal DNA was spliced together to create such things,” Malcom shrugged.
“The resemblance is quite uncanny,” Sage smiled.
Sterin’s smile melted as she glared at them.
“What?” Malcolm gasped.
“Human, Gurgen, and Laydren,” Sterin growled, as she stomped away.
“She can’t be serious,” Malcom blustered with wide eyes.
Sage shrugged as they walked onward.
Sterin hated her people for what they had done to the Spree, but she shoved it from her mind as she delved deeper into the vines, bushes, shrubs, and trees. Time passed, with no sign of returning Spree. They pressed on, their progress significantly slowing down. It may have seemed like a day’s journey perhaps from the view of orbit, but at this rate it’d take a week. They needed a path forward.
The planet was teeming with life, though none of it intelligent. The exact kind of place the original Spree test subjects had been taken from. Primal predators evolved from conditions that would purge all feebler life forms. Add a biologically enhanced aggression, and ability to adapt, and you had the perfect storm troopers.
Time passed as they struggled forward, when the brush cleared, and they came across a massive beast. Ten feet long, four limbs, it seemed to be saber toothed, but one of its foot long fangs was missing. Its scaly hide plundered and torn open; its neck ripped apart. As the party went around the dead predator, Professor Malcom knelt with wide eyes, studying the carcass.
“What could have done this? This was not for the meat, whatever did this took joy in killing such a majestic beast,” Malcom stammered.
“Why don’t you ask the Lizard Chimps why they did it next time you see them?” Sterin spat over her shoulder.
Malcom gulped nervously, and stood up, hurriedly scanning the canopy as he followed the party. Sterin looked back and saw several Spree where eyeing him greedily. One of them made eye contact with the captain, and ran her thumb claw across her neck, grinning as the Spree head nodded upwards to Malcolm’s back. Sterin winked, shaking her head, the Spree pouting.
“Zoo ag been!” a deep voice called from above.
They all looked up and saw a Spree standing on a tree branch twenty feet above them. A foot long saber tooth housed between their fur armor, and leathery belt.
“Did you find us a path?” Sterin called up excitedly.
“Zeeb, zeeb!” the Spree chattered happily, jumping up and down.
“They understand you?” Malcom gasped as he arrived besides her.
Sterin chuckled to herself, realizing Malcom had missed the battle on Barouge.
She turned her head to speak to him, when she saw another Spree was standing right next to the professor, barely an inch away. Their long, forked tongue was stuck out, as it licked Malcom’s hand. The professor yelped and yanked back his hand as the Spree smacked their lips and grinned.
“They are intelligent, ya know that right? Fucking cavemen, but they do get the gist of what we say,” Sterin cackled.
“Oh, good lord,” Malcom huffed.
“Lizard chimp, eat tasty man,” the Spree whispered, the other Spree nodding vigorously like children.
“No! Eat bad men! Off with you!” Sterin scolded like a mother.
“Wait, I wasn’t trying to insult you all!” Malcom cried, his eyes wide.
“Lizzy chimp! Lizzy chimp! Lizzy chimp!” the remaining Spree chanted like sports fans as they crashed forward into the bush.
Sterin inhaled deeply with her nostrils, drinking in the sweet, arousing scent of Malcom’s fear. She sighed seductively as she bit her lip, then marched forward. They moved deeper into the bush, and sure enough, there was a long winding path besides a rushing river. It was barely large enough for a human, more a beaten path in the mud and brush from animals as they followed the river.
As the party formed a single file, Sterin in the front, as the Spree scouts hooted and hollered triumphantly from the treetops. One of them caught a fleeing bird, bashed its body against the tree trunk, then began to eat it as the others swiped at the meal greedily.
“Captain Sterin?” a small voice asked behind her.
She looked back, to see Sage was now walking behind her, studying her with their wide oval eyes.
“What’s up little one?” Sterin sighed.
“All know scientific studies have concluded the Spree are cousins to the Laydren by nature, as monkeys are to humans, but you seem to make it as if there is something more diabolical to their nature,” Sage noted.
The light was beginning to dim, as the sun shrouded by the storm began to set.
“Let’s save that talk for tonight,” Sterin grumbled.
“Of course, Captain,” Sage chimed.
As the light dimmed, the Spree began fashioning and lighting torches, making it seem like the treetops glowed with orange light, spaced evenly along the path winding along the twisting river. After a few more hours of trekking along the river in the ever-growing darkness, Sterin finally met a Spree scout standing in the path. He pointed beyond, and she followed his gesture with her advanced sight, aided by her energy.
There far beyond the river, lay a jungle covered mountain.
“Well done, Arkmu!” Sterin cheered.
“Eeb mach boogan,” the Spree scout grinned.
“Arkmu, Steegis, Morn, Agalat, find momma a bivouac,” Sterin called.
The treetops whooped and cheered as the Spree scampered away, jumping from branch to branch. The remaining Spree on the ground sprinted forward on all fours, chattering as they bounded into the bush. The remaining crew members followed.
After a few more agonizingly wet moments, they emerged into a deeply concealed position. The humans trailed off, setting in security with the machine guns as the Laydren officers walked the lines, making sure there were no blind spots. The Spree went to work, ripping down branches and vegetation, quickly forming impromptu shelters.
After all was prepared, and the guard was set, Sterin crawled underneath the biggest shelter. Sage and Malcom sitting down beside her. They watched as the Spree dug a hole, and miraculously created a fire underneath a small shelter. They dragged forward a small animal carcass and began skinning it then stripping the meat off the bone. The sweet aroma of cooking wild animal filled their nostrils as night was now firmly upon them.
“It’s like each of them are the culmination of every trick the earliest civilizations had when they were in their perspective stone ages,” Malcom marveled.
One of the Spree looked at him, snapped an animal bone with their hands, then began sucking the marrow out of it, never breaking eye contact with the pale professor.
“That was the intent,” Sterin huffed.
Both Sage and Malcom looked at her. She sighed, looking down as she poked the mud with a stick. Time passed, as she gathered the strength to tell them.
“We were losing the war to the Great Masters. The assholes the Dark Axium are trying to bring back. We did, unspeakable things. One of them, is now cooking in a storm with fire made from rubbing sticks together,” Sterin spat.
Both scientists where silent as thunder boomed overhead. The Spree scrambled up and roared, their hands held over their hands as they jumped up and down.
“They weren’t always like this. They were a once proud and noble race, nearly rivaling our own. When humans first interacted with them, the humans thought the Spree where slightly shorter Laydren. Not as beautiful, or adept at the art of war, but the Spree often were confused as being us. An insult to our houses, who viewed them as beneath our people. They were not children of the celestial father, or so they told us,” Sterin sighed.
“What happened?” Sage asked gently.
“A kind, and beautiful race of diplomats and scientists, often a Spree was sent as the herald of one of our Legions. Kinda like Sema. They would work within the Laydren Empire, negotiating with other species. When the war with the Great Masters began, one of the first planets that was destroyed was the Sprees’ home planet. They came to us, begging for aide. They asked for the strength to take back their world. Naturally, the houses saw this as the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. To direct the Spree back to where they came from, sending them to a battle they could not possibly win, and forever ridding themselves of our lesser.
“So, we gave them ships, arms, and sent them on their way. Once they had departed, my people destroyed the nearest citadels and cosmic highways, effectively trapping them in their solar system. It would take hundreds of years traveling the speed of light just to reach the nearest outpost. We left them there for a few hundred years as the war raged on. Those centuries past, and we were losing, badly. I was tasked with scouting their quadrant, maybe find a nice hiding hole among the ruins to establish a forward operating base for our corsairs to raid enemy lines.
“But when I arrived, I was met with millions of them. They had won. Somehow, some way, the quaint little folk had done the impossible. They were the only non-ascended race to manage to actually kill one of the Great Masters. I still don’t know how they managed to do it; Great Truth knows I tried to find out.
“In the hundreds of years, we had left them there, they had gone feral as over population and no way out led to them forming a feudalistic home world. Their lords eventually wound up nuking each other into oblivion, the survivors going underground. They still weren’t the little monsters dancing around the fire over there, but they were pretty close. A mere shadow of their former selves.
“So, I took some home with me, and I showed my findings to the House. They had done it! This was our answer to winning the war. In my naivety, I mistook the eagerness of the high lords to send me back with a Legion as them wanting to help. As soon as I arrived, the Legion asserted dominance over the Spree. That Legion was commanded by Draycerion, you guys know him as Shrike.
“I was too busy trying to fend him out of my bed, to notice the horrors his Legion was doing to the Spree. Rounding them up, putting them in camps, performing experiments, all with the blessing of our houses. I didn’t know what was happening, as I still trusted my captains, who had been bought out by Draycerion.
“I returned home and told my father of how Draycerion had tried to rape me. When a task-force was sent to investigate, they were ambushed and killed by his men,” Sterin spat.
She looked up and saw all the Spree were sitting cross legged, staring at them from a few yards away. She sighed.
“For getting him banished, Draycerion framed me. So, I too was exiled. In my absence, the high houses had turned the Spree underground cities into laboratories. They stripped the Spree of their identity, their language, biologically curbed their neurological wavelengths, and selectively bred them. They spliced the unborn children with Gurgen and Human DNA. The perfect, rabid army of feral savages that could be unleashed behind enemy lines and help bring victory to our empire,” Sterin huffed.
“But then, mother come, back, kill bad bad,” one of the Spree whispered.
Malcom and Sage turned their heads back and studied Sterin with wide eyes as she scoffed.
“I might have stolen this sweet ass armor and unleashed the Spree unto their captors. I just pushed some buttons and slit the right throats. They did the rest. So, they named me Mother, and now every time I die, the Spree scour the cosmos, find me, bring me back, and raise me on their radioactive rock. I’m the only Laydren the Spree in their current form have ever sworn fealty to,” Sterin said.
“Amazing,” Malcom gasped.
“You never cease to surprise me Captain,” Sage smiled.
“Stop patronizing me or I’ll feed you to the little fuckers,” Sterin spat, pointing with her stick.
The Spree all grinned as one, fidgeting as they sat.
“I gather, due to your actions, the Empire is not on amicable terms with the Spree as they are known today,” Malcom said slowly.
“If by not on amicable terms, you mean my people are pissed they lost their rabid science projects, then yes. Fuck em. The Spree in their current form are better off serving as mercenaries or guarding their home world anyway,” Sterin shrugged.
“You mentioned a great war. This was before my people ascertained space flight, but we have found marks and scars from this conflict throughout the stars,” Sage said.
“So?” Sterin asked.
“You said the Spree’s home world was the first destroyed, and that they killed a great master?” Sage arched an eyebrow.
“I did,” Sterin huffed.
“Curious,” Sage nodded, looking at the Spree.
The Spree, now board, where wrestling, ripping bark off trees, sharpening their weapons, comparing trophies taken from the corpses of enemies, dancing, singing, and overall, not seeming to mind being in the pouring rain and mud.
“What are you thinking?” Malcom asked.
“Travel across space and time is not from one point directly to another. There are channels, web ways, roads if you will. Just as water follows the easiest route, so too does universal energy. That means that perhaps, the Spree home world is at a crossroads. Maybe their home world is the head of a long bridge that winds its way back to the Great Masters,” Sage put a long slender finger to their chin.
“Forgive the ignorant human here folks, but what are the Great Masters?” Malcom asked.
“The first and only truly ascended civilization. They sired the Laydren, Humans, and Etherals. It why our three species are the most abundant in the universe. They created most organic life forms we run across. Why? No one fucking knows. They keep to themselves in the center of the known universe and have minions like the Dark Axium do their dirty work for them,” Sterin said.
“What does it mean to be ascended?” Malcom asked hesitantly.
“To an ascended civilization, means interdimensional citadels, star engines, and highways across millions of trillions of light years is mere child’s play,” Sage sighed.
“But that’s impossible,” Malcom laughed.
Both Sterin and Sage looked at him.
“Sage, how far are we away from Earth right now?” Sterin asked.
“Six trillion, one hundred ninety-six billion, eighty-seven million, three hundred, fifty-six thousand light years from Earth. About three Arbeqs in my people’s measurements,” Sage smiled.
“Phuh, three Arbeqs ain’t shit, I’ve done fifteen Arbeq jumps before. Whole month stuck on ship, it’s fucking brutal,” Sterin sighed.
“I once did a twenty Arbeq jump, Arthulze Prime,” Sage said with pride.
“You lucky fucker! I’ve always wanted to go there!” Sterin whined.
“It is as grand as they say, and much more,” Sage chimed.
Noticing his silence, both looked over at the pale Professor Malcom, who looked like he was on the verge of panic attack. His skin was clammy, chest heaving, hands shaking as he stared at the mud.
“I think we broke him captain,” Sage giggled.
“Awwww, is the little human realizing how tiny he is? Poor baby,” Sterin mocked.
“How, in the ever-loving fuck, is any of this possible?” Malcom muttered.
“Portal technology,” Sage grinned.
The pale man looked up.
“But-but, how, the science, the material, the specifications, this shouldn’t be possible. Do you two not understand how utterly insane that distance is?” Malcom yelped.
“Well, that’s we why fly through dimensions, utilizing the energy of the universe. Each portal drive essentially has a black hole inside, while adequately trained particle manipulators can open doorways in between planes of existence, creating their own short distance paths that can only be maintained for a short duration,” Sage shrugged.
“So, this is not my home dimension?” Malcom titled his head with wide open eyes.
“Hell no! You’re like three million dimensions away from home,” Sterin cackled.
“So, everyone I know will be dead by the time we get back?!” Malcom yelped.
“Keep your fucking voice down!” Sterin growled.
“Sorry, sorry,” Malcom panted, wiping the sweet from his brow.
“Time is not a straight line, going forward or backward. It is linear yes, but more a vast ocean. That’s why citadels and beacons are so important. So, navigators like myself can arrive back within in Zion central time. That is the majesty of Zion intervention. While those who live within their border live their average lifespan, they can impact thousands of worlds across millions of years. That is how Zion keeps the peace, and ensures less advanced civilizations can prosper, and advance,” Sage nodded.
“And you idiots thought the big scary floating space station gives half a fuck about your dirty little ball of mud called Earth,” Sterin cackled.
Malcom nodded slowly.
“So, with Zion coupled with Mars, time will have flowed normally for everyone I know?” Malcom muttered.
“Eh, yeah kinda. I’d say about a month or two will have passed. Fuck knows what’s going on back there, that’s why we need to hurry up with this expedition come morning,” Sterin nodded.
The three where silent as the Spree played. Eventually, Malcom spoke again.
“All of this technology, and power, which I am still struggling to accept. If the very pinnacle of Human and Laydren engineering is mere child’s play to the Great Masters, why do they need the Dark Axium to bring them back?” Malcom asked softly.
“That’s a great fucking question,” Sterin sighed.
“Did mortals help them enter our plane of reality the first time? During the great war?” Sage asked.
“Kind of. But it was more like, they didn’t like humans and Laydren working together, so they just barged in. They kicked the door in last time, this time the Axium is trying to open the door. And no, I have no clue why, but we can ask them when we kill Shrike,” Sterin huffed.
The three sat silently as rain continued to pour down.
“Get some sleep, I’m gonna walk the line. Big day tomorrow boys,” Sterin sighed.
The other two nodded and began to get comfortable, as Sterin crawled out from underneath the Shelter. She wondered out of earshot of the scientists, igniting her energy. Small flecks of white electricity danced around her as she blocked out all sound and signals. Even from Umar. Captain Sterin then approached the Spree. As she walked into their presence, the Spree stopped what they were doing, and huddled around her as she knelt.
“What did the scouts report?” Sterin whispered.
“There is a temple beneath the mountain, mistress, and it is indeed guarded by sentinels. Bajeem and Morjab died trying to get inside,” one of the Spree whispered back in a raspy voice.
“How big we talking?” Sterin asked in a hushed tone, putting a finger to her chin.
“Six columns in the front my lady, its subsequent levels going deep into the ground. We used the instruments you provided, and we believe there are six levels that lead to a vault. Here are the radar scans,” one of the female Spree nodded.
The small Spree handed Captain Sterin a holographic pad, and Sterin gazed at the floating Temple structure provided by the tools that scanned deep within the ground with radar.
“Good work everyone, we will mourn our lost siblings later,” Sterin nodded.
“We do not trust them, my lady,” another Spree said fervently.
Sterin looked behind her, at Sage and Malcolm as they were dozing off.
“I don’t mind them, but as soon as they do anything fucky, kill them,” Sterin shrugged.
The Spree all nodded firmly.
“Stay strong, once we help the humans, we can go back to Torvac,” Sterin said.
“For Torvac,” the Spree all whispered.
“All right you mangy fuckers, off with you!” Sterin boomed, as her energy dissipated.
“Zore, zore, zore!” the Spree chattered happily, bounding away.
And this, was the Spree’s secret. The one she had discovered when she visited the laboratories Draycerion had constructed. The biological meddling to keep the Spree under control had failed. They were still just as intelligent as they were before losing their home world.
Captain Sterin had discovered this and freed them. Utilizing her innate knowledge of naval warfare, the traffic lanes of the empire, and how the Laydren fought, she ensured the Spree rebellion was successful. The ultimate spit in the eye of the houses who had banished her.
She had rebuilt an entire civilization around her, dedicated to her will. While the rest of the universe feared and shunned the Spree for being savage, Sterin had an unlimited supply of ships, resources, and fanatically loyal warriors for the rest of her lives.