Alliance Hunter

It had been a rough journey to the planet’s surface. I didn’t know which was worst the stench of puke or the biting cold of a full-blown blizzard. Both Miri and Denassi had contributed to the puke it had been that rough. The smell alone had nearly made me join them. An icy blast ripped through me breaking the hold that thought had on me. The only person that had enjoyed the buffeting had been our Valkyrie pilot typical of them to enjoy something that could have caused the death of us. Still we were down and on the ground but at the moment I couldn’t decide which was worse. Another icy blast got me moving. Despite the regulator on my thermal suit turned to max and the mask I wore the gale chilled me to the bone. I was glad of the mask I’d look really unattractive with frostbite peeling my nose and lips. I glanced around trying to get my bearing in the blizzard. It was difficult to see past a couple of arm lengths.

“Jervic take point!” I shouted above the roar of the wind. Of all of us he was the better protected against the ravages of the storm encased in his combat armour.

“On it Gwen,” he said over the comms. It made better sense that trying to out shout the wind. I should of thought about that earlier.

“I’m next, then Al, Miri behind Al and you follow her Kelli, Denassi you take the rear.”

“Yes ma’am!” my team chorused.

I felt good, liberated despite the impending danger from the Guardians. “There should be markers we’ll follow those. I want a tight formation. No one lose sight of the person in front of you that clear?”

“Yes ma’am!” my team chorused again.

There was no sarcasm in their words just a professionalism that made me proud. “Ok Jervic move out take it slow.”

“Aye ma’am.”

In the background as I walked I heard the sound of the shuttle leaving. We ploughed through the knee-high snowdrifts. I though I’d never be warm again as I shivered my way past dark grey shapes barely visible in a vista of whiteness.

We trudged our slow way through the snow. It was hard going in the blizzard I could feel the burn in my legs from the effort of cutting a path through the snow. Even if I was only following Jervic who had the harder task. A large object taller than us loomed in the whiteness stark grey against the white. A cargo container a slight refuge from the anger of the storm.

“Where are those damn beacons!” Jervic growled.

I agreed with Jervic we had been told that there were beacons to guide us but I couldn’t see them. Red flashing lights should have showed even in this storm. I suspected the Guardians hand in that and in this sudden blizzard. We had to go on I didn’t have the luxury of going back. It was either this or returning to Alfheimir and at the moment this weather was the better option.

“We should go back to the shuttle,” Miri moaned. “And wait this out on the ship.”

I considered her words. “And exactly where is the shuttle? Did you not hear it leave?”

“Comm it back!” she replied.

“In this storm. There is a good chance it would crash and do you know the way back to the LZ?” I asked her.

“I’m sorry I’m not really cut out for this. Mother would say suck it up.”

“We go on,” I told my team. I felt a pull to the east along the side of container. It was if I’d suddenly acquired a sense of direction. “I’ll take point,” I stated sounding more confident than I actually felt. I was in charge and that meant showing confidence even if I was quaking on the inside.

“That wise?” Jervic said.

“Not really,” I admitted. “But I’m in command. Please Jervic have faith in me?” I know I still hadn’t told him everything. I could see the day when we would have a reckoning and I’d have to account for my lying to him but not today.

“Alright if I see you falter I’m taking over.”

“Ok let’s get out of this storm!”

It was harder going having to plough through the snow making a path for the others. The burn in my muscles increased and I began to regret my rash decision. The biting cold of the wind and snow was starting to take its toll on me. I gritted my teeth and went on. Suddenly an irregular patch of darkness appeared in front of me the entrance to the Archive.

“We are here!” I said with a great deal of feeling.

There was a rapid change in temperature as we stepped through the entrance of the cavern. Which had me rapidly dialling down the regulator on my thermal suit before I cooked in my own juices. The tunnel had a weird quality to it. I’d expected something like the cavern on Saros but frankly I was a little disappointed. The downward sloping floor of the tunnel was smooth but the roof and the walls looked as if the builders couldn’t have bothered. Both were rough and unfinished but on the plus side it was lighter.

We followed the tunnel down it opened out into a larger cavern crammed to the roof with prefabs. Each of the tiers of prefabs above the ground were attached to walkways and stairs. Beyond the prefabs was the entrance to another tunnel. A large power unit dominated the centre with cables running off it to the prefabs. On the porch of a ground level prefab was a sun lounger. A young woman in a brightly coloured sundress lay upon it a datapad on her belly and sunglasses covering her eyes. I was certain I could hear her snoring. I looked at the others and they looked back at me.

“Hello?” I ventured.

The young woman sat up abruptly and with a scream leapt from her lounger and ran to the other tunnel. Her datapad clattered to the floor. I watched her go feeling more than a little put out.

“Gee Gwen, way to be diplomatic,” Jervic nudged my arm.

“Ha, ha Jervic,” I replied sarcastically.

Moments later several people emerged from the tunnel the young woman had run down. The leader was an older woman. I reckon she was a beauty when she was younger her face retained some of that but her long hair was grey. She strode in as if she belonged here. Only one man with her looked older with a wrinkled face. I saw several other humans and T’Arni. The young woman hid behind the group casting fearful looks in our direction. I felt distinctly uncomfortable about that.

“Lieutenant Hunter I presume. I’m Joyce Neilson I’m the chief archaeologist here.” She paused giving my team the eye. “We’ve been expecting you, like a week earlier.”

“I’m sorry we had a few problems getting here.” I returned the scrutiny she was giving me. “Didn’t you get our comms?”

“With the blizzard outside no one has been able to get to the comms tower.”

“Comms tower?” Mind you with the snow and wind it wasn’t that impossible that we’d missed it.

“Yes unfortunately we can’t get comms inside the Archive. We even tried running a cable from the tower no dice. Now with the blizzard outside I rather not risk anyone in it.”

Which made sense to me.

Joyce turned to the young woman. “See Sheila it will be ok they are friendly.”

Sheila nodded but she didn’t look that reassured.

I put on my friendliest expression and spoke to her. “Sorry Sheila I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Don’t worry about Sheila she will be ok once she gets to know you.” Joyce’s words seemed to be directed at Jervic. I guess it might be his armour it could be quite intimidating for the uninitiated. “Sorry,” Joyce apologised to me. “Seeing that armour set her off.”

I think there was a story behind that. “Oh?”

“Someone in Confederacy armour shot at her.”

My guess was on the Black Stripes but I didn’t know enough to make that the case here. “I’m sorry I didn’t know.” It was my turn to apologise but I wasn’t sure why.

Joyce’s attention was on the young woman. “Sheila go back to the Archive and study the texts you need are on your datapad.” She gave the rest of her group the eye. “The rest of you have things to do. Pester our guests for news later.” Joyce turned back to me. “If you follow me we can talk without an audience.” She turned again to the older looking man. “Reed we’ll be in the canteen if anything comes up.”

“Sure,” he said as ushered the others back towards the entrance to the Archive.

Joyce led us to a well-appointed canteen in one of the prefabs. It wasn’t large but it was clean. We found tables and sat down Joyce sitting with me she seemed to be studying me in detail.

“Now Lieutenant Hunter.” She gave a little grunt at that. “That sounds too formal don’t you think?”

She had a way of speaking that put me at ease.

“I prefer Gwen and this is my team.” I introduced the others.

Joyce smiled. “It’s good to meet all of you.” She paused then spoke again. “Now down to business. Admiral Komana wasn’t too specific about what you had. But from what she told me you have is a data rod?”

I gestured to Al I had given him the rod to carry. “Al if you please?”

He passed it to me and I laid the box it was in on the table in front of me. I opened carefully holding my breath. I felt stupid for not checking the box before the shuttle took off. I’d look like a fool if the box were empty.

Joyce stared at the rod nestled safely in the box. Surprise registered strong on her face. I had gotten the impression that nothing surprised her but this was something she hadn’t expected. “God!” she uttered dropping from Galactic to USE then speaking again in Galactic. “You have an intact rod.”

Now it was my turn to look surprised. “Intact?”

“Yes I’ve handled them before always just pieces but never one not only intact but in excellent condition. I’ve had stubs of the originals the data corrupted and unusable. But this, this is the find of a life time or two if you are a T’Arni.”

I hadn’t really thought about that little wonder Runa had kept locked away with full security. “I wouldn’t know?”

“How did you get this?” Joyce asked me directly.

“I was given it,” I stated uncomfortably.

“Given it by whom?” Joyce sounded genuinely interested.

I glanced at Kelli she seemed to get my mute appeal. As much as I didn’t want to I hated keeping Jervic in the dark he was too intelligent not to put the pieces together and then it would be over between us. I didn’t want that after what I had to endure I took solace in his touch.

“Hey let’s go look at this Archive,” Kelli suggested tactfully.

I felt grateful for that but the only thing that marred it was Jervic’s annoyed expression. There never seemed a good time to sit down and talk together. I watched as she herded my team out leaving me alone with Joyce. She merely raised an eyebrow at my team’s departure.

“I won’t ask,” she said.

I regretted the secrets but somehow I felt I could trust Joyce. I don’t know why it just was. “I was given it by the Keepers on Saros.”

“I’ve never heard of anyone calling themselves the Keepers and there would have been a reference in the Archive?”

I took a deep breath and took it that I could trust her. I told her about stumbling onto the cavern and everything that happened afterwards. “It was their last and final refuge.”

To her credit Joyce listened without interrupting me once. She spoke once I’d finished. “I see, I knew of the ruins on Saros no one ever gave them much credit they were older the liberation war of the T’Arni.” She shrugged. “And you say your Keepers were the enemies of the Guardians.” Joyce suddenly laughed. “You show some balls bringing this here.” She patted the box holding the rod.

“Not that I had much of a choice the rod was meant to come here.”

“Supposed to come here!” Joyce gave me a look. “It’s not some weapon to destroy the Archive?”

“The Keepers say not.”

“And you believe them?”

“Despite what their computer did to me they seem to have a vested interest in keeping me alive. It is a message from the First Ones. That’s what the Keepers call them. Does that name have any meaning to you?”

“Certainly it will be a big deal amongst the T’Arni. If these First Ones are the same as the Ancients they intervened and rescued T’Arni from the Rhosani. They are reported to inhabit the Core from which no ship has ever returned.”

“I’ve been told that on numerous occasions and I’ve no desire to go there either.”

Joyce stood and picked up the rod. “Let’s us see what is on this. Follow me Gwen.”

As soon as I stepped into the Archive I felt the temperature drop I immediately cranked up my regulator. I looked around expecting to see something like the cavern on Saros but all I could see were round columns at regular intervals marching into the distance. It was a lot lighter than the cavern a lot lighter there seemed to be light everywhere casting no shadows. I wasn’t sure which I preferred the stark light or the dim twilight of Saros. Directly opposite the exit from the Archive was a squared off column a riot of colours instead of the dull colourless columns of the rest of the Archive. Surrounding the square column were a number of benches that seemed to be made of the same material as the columns. I noted the covers on the benches and several archaeologists seated upon them. Of my team only Denassi was absent. I guess he was off doing Ezaran things. A T’Arni stood with one hand on the squared column a datapad in his other hand and he seemed to be dictating to it.

“This is the index,” Joyce told me. “From here we locate the column we need and access the data it holds. The data is plugged straight into our minds.” Joyce frowned.

I would have to as well. I knew from experience how the Keepers invaded my mind seeming to know what I was thinking. Although I doubted that they were doing so now that I was in the den of their enemies.

Joyce continued. “Unfortunately as soon as we remove our hands the data fades and we can’t remember a thing we’ve seen. Hence our use of datapads to dictate. It’s the only way we can retain the data we obtained.”

“Have you tried other methods?” I asked.

“It’s the only way we can store the data we’ve collected.”

I considered what Joyce was telling me. “It looks like the Guardian like making things difficult.”

She waved at the T’Arni whose hand was on the column. “Leonas take an break we’ll call it a night I think. We continue in the morning well done all of you.”

Joyce turned to me. “We’ve got plenty of accommodation. I’m afraid no one is going anywhere until the storm outside abates. We can’t even use the comms I’m afraid.”

I looked at Denassi seated on a blanket staring up at the unlit column He hadn’t been there a minute ago. “Denassi see if you can see if there’s a way we can get comms working from inside the tunnel.”

“Sure Lieutenant,” he said formally unfortunately spoiling with a wink. “I like a challenge.” He rose from his seat and hurried off.

“I’m afraid it is male and female dorms. There were a few incidents when we had students here. We had to enforce a strict policy it wasn’t fair on those that didn’t want to woken up at night by the others’ shenanigans.” I noticed that she was glancing at Miri and Al she had then pegged right.

“Joyce, sorry for being informal is correct while we are here we abide by their rules,” I warned my team. I was surprised that they had students here it certainly wasn’t the environment to bring teenagers or even those a few years older. “Not really a place for students is it?”

Joyce sighed. “A long and complex story. Best for another time. We should concentrate on the task at hand.”

Joyce waited until the archaeologists that gone before speaking again. “Go a head and touch the index.”

I regarded the column in front of me with some distaste. I guess my first encounter with the Keeper’s computer had soured my outlook. Hesitantly I reached out and touched the column feeling nothing but cold stone under my hand. It remained that cold blank stone. “I assume something was supposed to happen?”

“If it did I’d be really surprised.” Joyce told me. “Here hold this then do it again.”

I took the item she proffered. It appeared to be diamond shaped with very sharp edges. If I could have placed a bet I’d betted that it was some sort of weapon. I reached out and touched the column again being careful how I handled the sharp edged thing in my other hand. The last thing I needed was to bleed over the column.

The column remained inert. “Something should have happened this time?” I asked Joyce aware the looks I was getting off my team. I really didn’t want to be the centre of attention especially when I seemed to failing so spectacularly. “Ok what does that prove?” I snapped. I brushed away my anger that wasn’t me. “Sorry,” I apologised.

“A lot actually. Pass me back my shuriken.”

I looked at the thing in my hand surprised. “That’s like no shuriken I’ve ever seen?” I handed it back to Joyce.

As soon as she touched the column the shuriken in hand it blazed into life. She glanced at my team. “Lieutenant Jervic please come here?”

Jervic glanced to me. “Ok Jervic it will be ok,” I assured him. Then I wasn’t certain he would be.

Joyce handed him the shuriken. “Ok now hold this and touch the index.”

Jervic glanced at me I nodded. He grimaced and touched the column. It blazed to life under his hand.

“Thank you lieutenant, now Lieutenant Kelli next.”

Kelli repeated the process she gave a little gasp as it lit up under her hand. Joyce repeated the process with Miri and Al with the same results.

As Al dropped his hand turning the light off Joyce stepped close to me her voice dropping to a whisper. “I’m sorry to put you though it like that but I had to test my theory.” She leaned closer. “I could see how uncomfortable you were about it. I wasn’t being mean, I wanted to know if the Guardians would lock you out, which they have done. Be assured you are not the first they locked out they nearly killed my niece.”

I looked at her startled. “I’m sorry I didn’t know.”

“Luckily I was here otherwise things could have be worse for all of us.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that it did sound a little cryptic. “I did tell that the Guardians are hostile to the Keepers.”

“And that’s my problem you aren’t a Keeper?”

“Not really,” I replied not sounding confident. I wasn’t sure who or what I was anymore I seemed to be pulled in different directions. I just wished I could go in my own direction and not keep being diverted every five minutes.

“Oh I can tell by the sound of your voice that you aren’t that confident in yourself?”

I glanced at my team who seemed to be listening to my conversation a little too closely. I hated the thought but I’d have to tell at some time. I didn’t want to but something a gut feeling I guess made want to trust Joyce. I took a chance not knowing how I was going to deal with the fallout afterwards. As much as I hate the thought I’d have to come clean with Jervic. I couldn’t keep stringing him along.

“According to the Keepers one of their exiles visited about six thousand years ago and seeded the Earth with their DNA.”

Joyce glanced at the column deep in thought. “I would have thought I’d be locked out as well?”

“True,” I told her. “But the Keepers said it was hidden but the Valkyrie did something to me to awaken it.”

Joyce nodded thoughtfully. “Yes the Valkyrie and their obsession with eugenics. They have a fascination with bloodlines.”

“Something I know all too well,” I said seeing Miri go red. She had been born so the Valkyrie could keep an eye on their damn bloodlines. I felt sorry for her in that respect.

Joyce considered my words. “On that morbid note I think we should call it a night. We have plenty of spare clothes.” Joyce gave a sigh. “You should see the junk the students left behind.”

With that Joyce made a gesture and we headed back to the habitat. In all my conversation Joyce hadn’t asked one question about the rod.