VAULTERS RETREAT

“Kastor, Kastor.”  

Kastor opened his eyes.  So heavy now.  The pain had receded and he gazed at the child through dull tired eyes.  He could remember when the colors were all so vivid, everything had lost its luster long ago, but the memory was as sharp as the day he had come to this place.  

“Tell me the story again.”  The child spoke excitedly.  

Kastor gave a sigh and pulled himself upright in the titanium rocking chair with its high back and padded cushion.  

“Now Aksha I have told you the telling only the day now gone.  You must know the story as well as I do by now”.  Kastor watched the frown wash over the child’s face.  He knew very well that Aksha knew the telling inside out, she had even told it back to him many a time as the wind whipped through the cold desert night.  He also knew that he would let his young friend frown a moment longer before he would relent and offer a gesture of silence at the upcoming plea’s.  Aksha smiled and settled herself at Kastor’s side.  The fire had been lit and the glow softened the shadows as they danced all about them.  Kastor cleared his throat.

“Well now let me see.  It all began with our arrival in the ice desert.”  Kastor teased.

“No No that’s not it.”  Aksha shrieked, her large brown eyes becoming saucers of light.  “That’s not the start of it.  Tell it from before.  I want to hear about Vern and the last tribes of Auriga.

“Now Aksha as you well know the beginning like the end is but an illusion.” 

Kastor sat forward slightly adjusting the soft purple cushion that supported his lower back.   

“Very well let us start with the founding.”  He said softly.

The colony ship had landed.  Eighty four years had passed since the great ship set out on its long perilous voyage to the remote cluster far beyond empire controlled territories.  Rort had watched as the ship transformed itself into the first viable colony.  The clan had survived that first dreadful winter, although many had perished as the ice storms relentlessly pounded the site that was now home.  Engineers had bored deep into the planets crust to harvest geo thermal energy that now powered the colonies shields.  Rort could never get used to the sound of ice chunks the size of scout ships as they smashed into the protective shield all about them.  Another thud made him wince.  The second year they had all nearly staved after an indigenous microbe wiped out most of the colonies crops.  That was fifteen years ago.  Now the colony flourished.  They had named the colony Vern, after one of the settlers gave his life to activate the great shield after that first storm hit.  

Rort turned and looked at the halo map as it updated sensor information on the surrounding systems.  It looked bad.  The Cravers had established an outpost not two sectors away.  Several scout ships had already made detailed scans of the colonies defense capabilities.  Diplomacy was impossible.  To the Cravers we were all food, nothing more.  Rort had sent out several scout ships with chameleon shields and deep space probes.  The telemetry reveled a Craver colony five sectors away, which was to close for comfort.  The closest empire system was two years back and the nearest portal system another three.  They were on their own.  The colony had a small flotilla commanded by the Bolt of Valor, a cruiser outfitted with modified ion slugs made from elements that his scientists had discovered deep within the planets crust.  Rort had made his decision.  It was a last desperate hope before the Cravers came to feast.  

Brogan had assembled his fleet.  They were all so hungry now.  The last planet striped and consumed he had moved on to new feeding grounds.  His advanced scouts had located the colony of men at the edge of cluster Z42-G.  It was enough for them to feed upon, the hive would survive. 

Deep under the colony engineers had dug out huge caverns.  Incased in magnasite that no scans could penetrate.  Already Rort was moving most of his population in to the massive bunkers.  It was a race against time.  The Craver fleet had already entered the system and had taken up orbit in preparation for bombardment.  The colonies shields were at full charge.  Rort had made a tactical decision to remove his fleet to an adjacent sector and cloak.  It left the colony undefended but it would survive the Craver onslaught.  

Magoron had the command.  The cruiser was now at full strength.  Several smaller fast attack ships made up the flotilla.  He had held the small fleet as instructed.  A chameleon scout watched as the Cravers commenced it’s bombardment of the colony.  

Rort felt the first of the ionized slugs hit the shields.  Heavy thuds of raw energy striking a matrix of sub atomic particles.  It was relentless.  The vibrations shattered many of the colonial buildings that had been constructed upon the surface.  Only the core compound and underground bunkers held firm.

Kastor soothed the tribe as they made their way to the underground bunkers.  He was a shaman whose roots stretched back to the leaving of Auriga.  Many of the first tribes had become pioneers, seeking out new homes in hostile environments.  Many had left the empire as it grew and consumed populations.  Vaulters by nature are explorers and scientists.  The call of the endless expanse was all they needed to fulfill their destiny.  

High above the colony the bombardment continued.  The great shield held but it was failing.  Plasma strands erupted as particles collided forming intricate patterns upon its surface.  Rort would not leave his post until every last person was safely relocated.  He was their Governor and as such the defense of Vern was his and his alone.  His second insisted that it was time to evacuate his post.  Rort took the trigger and together the two men made their way to the tunnels.  

Brogan was consumed with impatience.  The shield had held far longer than he had anticipated.  The last salvo erupted from his siege craft and the shield was at last broken.  Ground troops had already landed and a harvester was dispatched in preparation for the feeding.  

Magoron had received conformation to continue his mission.  He took the fleet still concealed out of the sector and into the slipstream that would take him to the Cravers colony.  Rort checked all about him, he was alone.  The tunnels were clear and his subjects safely bunkered down.  He had transmitted a remote code to the fleet and he waited for the Cravers to come.  

They came.  Thousands of them.  Robotic monstrosities with hearts of metal and alloys.  An insect race that had embraced technology an abomination that defied all of creation.  Brogan had landed and he now led the advancing horde.  He wanted to be the first to taste and feast.  The horde was hungry and many had the thought of consuming there brethren.  

THE COLONY OF VERN

The Portal of Vern courtesy of the Academy.

The great ring high above planet Vern was finished, it took ten years, a billion tons of titanium and 26000 construction crews to build.  

Landecker had watched and oversaw it all.  From that first ring segment until the eventual connecting of the last, he had witnessed the techno wonder of the Vaulter void engineers.  

He took a moment to pat his team on the back and to privately jab at their Sophon allies, who always considered themselves the Tech lords of the Endless expanse.  This was the fourth sub dimensional gateway that he and his team had constructed for the empire.  An integral network that provided instantaneous access to the outlaying systems.  Vern was the further most point of empire space.  A bastion of Vaulter culture and exploration.  

Kastor had watched with trepidation as the citadel sized device had taken shape.  He above all else knew that it would trigger a civil war with the empire for he had seen the contents of the time capsule that he had acquired from deep within the planets core.

Loren was the first to place her hand upon it.  A smooth cylindrical cocoon made of a substance that the Vaulters had not yet discovered.  Kastor had told her it was here but she had had her doubts that anything could survive the searing temperatures this deep within the planets crust.  The shield would hold for a little longer, enough time for her to free the object.  

Landecker gave the activation keys to Rort.  As governor to the colony it was his privilege to initiate contact with the core worlds.  He had run the simulations himself and was in no doubt that the gateway was fully ready and functional.  Rort placed the tablet into the crevice and waited.  

The assembly of colonial old tribes and new colonists looked out from the control atrium.  Nothing happened and they turned to the engineer.  

Landecker tried to suppress an inner smile.  He knew their impatience, they were accustomed to instantaneous results and gratification, as was the traits of most developed societies.  

First came the rumble and then the hum as the coils charged.  Energy was being drawn from the Sun by means of compressed photon beams that now illuminated the outer ring.  The delegation had returned their awe to the massive structure as it took on a life of its own.  Suddenly the gate lit up.  A mass of plasma energy engulfed its centre; they all watched as the space around them distorted and warped.  The portal gate seemed to flicker becoming almost liquefied.  

“Colonial command to Core.  We are live and ready.  Awaiting link conformation.”   

There was no response.  Static and distorted garbles echoed all around the control atrium.  The connection was confirmed, Landecker moved forward to check for himself.  The readings were fine.

“Colonial command to Core?”

Rort took the com.  

“Core are you connected, Ja-laren are you there?”  

“Governor we have multiple inbound signals within the stream.”

Rort checked the interface.  They were supposed to be sending a test ship through.  What the holographs showed were several large pings in close proximity to one another.

“Rort it’s an imperial transponder signal.  It’s the Empires flagship.”

Loren had secured the container and the excavation team headed back up through the magna flow and into the denser cooler formations that would eventually form solid rock.  She could see the approach to the colony as liquid gave way to solid.  Dense Magnasite all about them.  The small craft adjusted density to match the changing environment and they once again entered the tunnel that would take them home. 

Kastor was pleased.  He had received the vision and it had fulfilled itself.  He had the capsul and now the tribe would know its secrets.

The portal vibrated causing some of the delegates to seek a hold on whatever they could find to steady themselves.  Rort had flashed an order to his defense fleet as a precaution to be at the ready.  The first ship spat out into the void, it was a forward drone scout transmitting the core world’s insignia.  Several seconds passed and then another three ships joined the void.  They were support co-coordinator cruisers.  The atrium was now filled with disgruntled voices, concerns and accusations.  It was not supposed to be like this.  They had agreed to send a test ship to confirm the gates viability.  Not send a fleet, let alone the empires flagship.  Silence re asserted itself and they all watched in fascination as the giant carrier emerged from the gate, a huge technological beast pushing itself out of a womb.  

The carrier activated her hyperium drives and made her way to the planet, taking up orbit.  Her imperial transponder announcing that she was now the authority within a seven sector radius.  Her drones erupted out and started to form a defensive perimeter some of them pushing out to adjacent sectors where several other smaller colonies had made homes.  

No one including Rort had ever seen a ship the size of this.  Already several fighters and a shuttle were on route to the Govonors position.  A security screen had arrived around Rort as the carriers shuttle docked unchallenged.  The doors slid open and out stepped a contingent of armed marines.  Rort caught site of the man that he had not seen for thirty years as he immerged from his shuttle.  His security team had activated their shields, arms at the ready.  

Gorkon stood proud and in no doubt that he was the top dog here, proudly wearing the insignia of his imperial house.  He ushered his troops to stand down and made his way towards his old friend. 

 “Rort it has been far too long?”

“What is the meaning of this”?  Rort responded gesturing to his contingent security team to stand down.  The two men faced each other.  The delegation had moved back towards the atriums outer edges as if seeking a safety that was not there.  

“We need to talk.”  Gorkon said firmly.

The two men clasped arms and together they made their way into the portal commanders’ office.

Loren watched as Kastor scanned the capsule.  He was taking no chances.  It was old, even though it had not technically been invented yet.  The information it contained could only be activated through Vaulter DNA signatures.  Kastor had that DNA as he well knew.  The halo sphere pushed into the room and the two of them watched as the message was finally delivered.  

“Magnasite.”  Gorkon spoke.  “We need it.  The empire needs it.  This alliance with the Sophons and Horatio has brought us into a war that we simply cannot win.  The second fleet is bogged down fighting a protracted engagement with the Riftborn.  We are holding our own but the truce will not last.&n

The Assassin and the Stones of Roonos

He had his hands all over her.  Her thighs slightly spread.  It was not here, he could not find the item that his master had sent him to acquire.  

“It was supposed to be here, she always had it on her.”

He turned her over onto her side where he caught sight of the small pouch that was carefully stitched into her robe.  

Footsteps, shouts coming from down the hall.  He quickly ripped the pouch from her and felt its contents.  No time to look just escape.  The shard was already loosing its power. 

“Yes I am still alive.  Still part of this place.”  

She was almost disappointed as she struggled to regain consciousness.  Her advisor Wengart had been at her bedside for several days.  

Senator Aloron remembered the attack, the attempted assassination.  She remembered how her trusted friend and bodyguard had taken the full brunt of the shard as it passed through him and struck her in the chest.  The shard was always fatal and for Zebulon it was no less so.  Had he not intercepted the fragment of light she would be the one now dead.  

The hall had been deserted and they were returning to her chambers.  Zebulon had reacted on instinct.  The light had started to bend and he had seen this before so many years ago.  He was killed instantly as the shard passed clean through him, and he had no idea that he had saved the life of his lover and friend.

Aloron cursed herself for Zebulon’s death.  The pain far worse than her injuries.  They had told her she was lucky to be alive.  No she thought, she was alive for one reason only and that was to hunt down the dog that had taken her dear Zebulon from her.  She had felt the shard dissolve inside her, but not before it had revealed itself.  The investigation had exposed nothing that she did not already know.  Not that she needed answers; she had all that she needed.  There was only one race that used shards.  A race that ought to have been extinct, except for a few that still survived and remained hidden.  

A race that had been created for one purpose only and that was to be the ultimate assassin.  

Zarions.  An order so ancient that little was known of their origins only that they had become the favorite tool of the Academy.  That was Eon’s ago.  Nothing but legends and myths.  Yet it was unmistakable.  They were masters of light, able to manipulate photons that could bend reality as they saw fit, shadows and illusions their tools of choice.  

The Vaulter Senate was outraged at the attack on their delegate to Horatio’s court.  Tensions had grown as the two empires faced each other off.  The dissolution of the Alliance had only increased distrust and the border colonies were now preparing for a yet another conflict.  

Gorkon oversaw the transition of government to a scientific ecologist corium.  It was swift and unified the empire in more ways than could be imagined.  It gave a purpose for all citizens of the empire.  A common set of principles and understandings that transcended the paradox of fear and militarism.  

The Riftborn had made a lasting treaty of peace that lay the foundations of a new understanding between the two races.  Technology gifts had provided the Vaulters with access to star charts and a gateway to the Rift.

The Rift was a tear in the fabric of space time and the Riftborn had returned to this galaxy in an effort to repair it.

Gorkon watched from the bridge of Brimdyr as she skirted the edge of Vaulter territories, her halo sphere revealing a map of the systems around the Rift.  

Horatio was beyond furious.  His perfection severely curtailed.  How could they not want to be a part of his great magnificence, he simply could not understand.  He had expelled the Vaulter delegates and ordered his fleet to the border lands.  He genuinely had no knowledge of the assassination attempt and the fact that it occurred within his court incensed him further.  It was probably the only reason other than the pressing demands from the Vodyani that prevented an escalation of tensions.  The Sophon’s had remained quiet and uncommitted but still adding to his perfection, and that was all that mattered to him.  

The thing that materialized could not be seen without a spectral observer.  It occupied the shadows causing an imperceptible flicker of perception, a shapeless form moving towards the sanctuary of its kind.  A place forbidden and hidden within the Endless expanse.  

Nacranus was pleased.  He had now acquired three of the four stones that would complete the set.  He carefully examined the stone that he had not seen for a thousand years and more.  It was just as it had been all that time ago, and he placed it next to the others forming a triangle.  Light distorting all around, it was incomplete and he must now set his sights upon the last remaining stone that would make up the Stones of Roonos.

The shuttle had arrived at the system of Brenna, home to the Academy.  Aloron had fully recovered and had taken her leave from political duties to for fill a quest that was far more important to the continued safety of the Endless universe.  She had taken a disguise in the form of a trader of artifacts and curiosities and had also masked her identity using DNA replicators.  Not that she would be known this far from Vaulter space, but it was a precaution that was born from a cautious mind and a belief in absolute secrecy.  The Academy was the starting point for her mission, a mission that would take her to the very edges of her sanity and beyond.  

They made love deep underground within the great cavern of Volsten.  Surrounded by magnasite that caused the light to dance and flicker all about them.  They were deep in ecstasy.  Loren had returned to Kastor on the planet Vern.  The colonial portal system was once again a thriving colony.  Limited amounts of magnasite were being mined for a use that would hopefully save them all.  Kastor felt it, a contact within his mind.  He shook as he struggled to gain clarity.  Loren held him, a gentle embrace, his head pressed against her bosom.  He was coming down from a plateau of pleasure.  A vision now replacing feeling.  He could see the stones calling to him, a symbol that heralded a danger to them all.  The currents of the Endless had changed forming a tide that would sweep through this enigmatic galaxy.  

The shipyard of Yenna was situated within the core worlds.  A magastructure that was built around an asteroid composed of titanium and hyperium deposits.  Much of this structure lay deep within the asteroids surface providing protection and deflecting unwelcomed scans from any prying probes.  

She had taken seven years to build and was now ready for her trails.  Nu-Chromo, named after the Vaulter explorer who discovered the Star Forge deep within the Nagsa Expanse.  The emperor had commissioned the science vessel as a reward for excellence in the field of scientific understanding.  She would be the finest science ship ever constructed by Vaulter engineers and scientists.  

Loren had secured her post as science officer aboard the Nu-Chromo.  It had taken some persuasion but her skills were equal to the best that was on offer.  Kastor had petitioned the Corium not to appoint an academic from the institute of Science and technology.   He had successfully argued the need for youth and a fresh perspective.  The Corium had agreed.  Kastor had taught her well, she was more than ready for this assignment.  Loren was not as sure, as she would be the youngest ever science officer, let alone taking the coveted post aboard a science flagship.  

Nu-Chromo leaving dry dock  

Nu-Chromo entered the Expanse her sensor sweep showing the Rifts extent as it wove a thread through the void.  Tactical scans had revealed well over six hundred science stations spreading across four sectors.  They were Riftborn.  

FALLEN ARK

The dead had been remembered as was the Vaulter way.  Loren stood gazing at the sky and the stars beyond; she had said her farewell to her lost lover.  Kastor was somewhere out there she was sure.  Scattered amongst the stars, he would like that.  His death had hit her harder than she had thought possible.  The loss of the tribes Sharman was especially felt by all as he had cemented himself in the very fabric of Vaulter society.  He was a warrior, leader and advisor to all things spiritual.  Gorkon had officiated the ceremony, a simple goodbye to fallen friends and family.  

The outpost had turned into a colony, population nine hundred and thirty four.  They had been seconded from all the ships in the fleet.  Specialists and crew hands alike, many had volunteered for the assignment, some were ordered due to specific circumstances.  Riftborn, Sohon and Vaulter all equal.  There was only one law.  Colonial Rights as defined by the charter of colonisation.  Gorkon held absolute veto on all things that effected safety, judgement and military combat.  The Vaulters made up the bulk of the collective roster.  He had appointed the Riftborn Et as provisional governor to the colony.  

The first year saw significant results.  Structures built, climate stabilised and crops planted.  They had even managed to start a full archaeological dig of the fallen Vodyani ARK, the nose of the great beast protruding up into the sky as if pointing to a lost existence.  

Loren had been given her commission; she was seconded to the dig site as chief coordinator and reported to Gorkon directly.  They had dug into the sand and erected containment walls.  A hundred meters deep and still digging.  Eventually they had located an insertion point and they cut into her, like a forensic team evaluating a long dead corpse.  The entry hatch the size of a scout ship lit the way as the first teams entered the hulk.  

Gorkon had sent scouts back to the construct but had been forced to return due to the presence of a Stinger.  He did not wish to engage the creature/ship as they still knew next to nothing about their origin or capability.  He had sent in a chameleon scout to study it.  It was seemingly undetectable to the star creature as it majestically patrolled the system.  The data that the scout collected would build up a picture of how to effectively deal with this possible threat.  

Stinger analysis aboard Nu-Chromo

Feelong was pleased; he had recorded a stream of improvements that resulted in a steady incremental increase in survival probability.  He had also befriended the Riftborn Et, as they shared many similarities in understanding of artificial neural constructs.  Feelong was of course tied to Brymdyr but had complete freedom and connection to all fleet and surface operations.  To the Vaulters he was a member of the crew.  A confidant that would hold their secrets and he had in many ways taken the role of Kastor in this regard.  

Mc’Orlon was the first to enter her.  He never trusted the scans or the Intel that he reviewed before his team made their entry.  He was suspicious by nature but this was not the reason for his distrust of anything technical.  He had lost several good marines on Paxus Prime, when he was a young marine.  The Intel and scans had shown the place was clear, yet the troopers had got cut up badly when a Maglagon had activated and started picking them off one by one.  They lost a third of their team before he managed to sever its head with his trusted Arcon Sword.  The Maglagon had shut itself down to avoid showing up on scans.  It had evaluated their strategy and lay in wait like the predator that it was.  Its AI advanced enough to fool them all, so he had honed his gut to take point.  He signalled to his team to form up and together they cautiously entered the Fallen ARK.  

The opening gave way to a huge open space, dark and hot, his suit pushing the green band to maximum.  This was to be an exploratory mission only.  Just enough time to secure entry and set up an internal drone scan.  The team had jumped into the open area using jet packs.  They had landed on a solid platform that overlooked a series of corridors.  He could clearly see broken walls and partial rooms with various techs in states of decay.  Some quite well preserved.  The marine ordered his engineer to release the drones and they watched as the small spheres shot out in all directions, seeking out any space that they could navigate.  Feelong had started to receive the first images that the scans had relayed to him.  Brymdye was in orbit and acted as coordinator for the mission.  Loren sat topside her halo sphere showing the progress.

No vaulter had ever seen an ARK up close.  They had engaged many in battle in defence of life, but this was something else.  Many of Brymdyr’s crew had stopped their duties to take a look at the decaying ship.  She had been here for ninety years and the outside had acquired a coating of pockmarks from the hazardous sand storms that had blasted her.  The inside was almost pristine, apart from the damage she took when the Ion cannon had hit her.  Gorkon thought that it must have been a sight as she broke up in orbit and made entry screaming across the sky and eventually crashing into the desert sands.  

The marines had set up point defence laser turrets as a precaution.  It was all standard protocols for first contact, even though this was an archaeological dig site.  Loren had twenty eager scientists chomping at the bit to get in and start the excavation.  

“Ok Loren we are a go here.  Securing the sentry mech and returning topside.”  Mc’Orlon yelled.  

The Marines had returned to the surface and they would all wait for a couple of days, to allow the drones to finish their scans and evaluate the interior thoroughly before sending the dig teams in.

Lander pulled back on the throttle, his Typhon fighter instantly responding to his thoughts.  He was half way through his routine patrol of sector nine when he caught sight of the flare.  The asteroid field was interfering with his scans but he could clearly see the starburst as it illuminated the void.  

“Fleet I have contact.”  Feelong instantly brought him up on the command screen.

Randle had her on the virtual dome that now displayed a 3D view of the system.  The fighter had her nose to the contact and was awaiting instructions.  

“34 hold we are scrambling two Typhons at your location, Xen notify the Admiral.”

By the time Gorkon was sitting in his command chair the two fighters had screamed out of the carrier’s flight deck and jumped out of the system.

A fast response drone had already arrived and would act as eyes on support.  She was also the witness if anything unto wards befell the fighters and they were lost.  Gorkon gave the order to investigate and the three fighters assumed formation on a direct heading to the contact.  

Loren at last gave the order for her team to begin the arduous task of investigating the ARK.  She had wanted to be first in but the art of delegation was something that she had yet to learn.  Nu-Chromo had built a picture of the ARK’s interior.  It was absolutely massive, bigger than any ship she had ever seen.  Twelve thousand four hundred rooms, over a hundred kilometres of corridor connections and twenty two huge open areas.  All of this she could see on the rendered imaging profile, she could if she so wanted take a virtual walk around any given area.  Technology items of importance were the priority for the teams. Well over a hundred thousand of her dead crew were also marked on the holograph.  The Vodyani a natural enemy, yet she felt compassion for the fate that had befallen them.  

Excavation of Vodyani ARK.

Lander bussed the contact, a devil class asteroid rotating on a concentric axis, two kilometres in diameter and a fissure clearly visible.  He swung around to take a closer look, his wing craft holding their po