First Contact

Chapter 943: The Setting Sun

Overstated myth? Huh. Is that what the cool kids say now? That they're an overstated myth? That one of the Forerunners was an overstated myth?

Tell me, researcher and scientists of your investigative journey...

...have you ever seen what was left behind by the Forerunners? Their works? The devastated systems where they fought that last desperate struggle against the ultimate devourer? Have you actually found any intact equipment or facilities from them?

No?

Look around you. What our world, which you view as a world of high tech miracles, is a pale shadow of the Forerunner's glory.

But, I can tell. You seek information. You want to know where you can find the Forerunners. Where you can find the remnants of their great works.

You wish to plunder them in hopes of prying even the most bare basic technology from them.

Fine.

First, heed my warning.

They were called what they were, we now call them only Forerunners, for a reason.

Should you seek them out, should you disturb their relics, you will discover why.

But you won't heed my words. I can see the greed and hope in your eyes that I'll give you the clue you need to find some piece of military equipment you can reverse engineer to win that centuries old war you have been slapfighting about with, bothering everyone else.

Between the Hive Worlds of the Mantid and the Treana'ad territory and the Great Gulf, to the outside of the Rigellian Saurian Compact worlds, downward from the Pubvian Dominion, you'll find what you seek.

The Tomb Worlds.

Where even death may die.

Where that which lay dreaming should not be disturbed.

But mark my words and heed my warning, you'll find out what they were known as before they were known as the Forerunners.

The Mad Lemurs of Terra.

You will walk amid their madness.

And you will understand why we still fear them.

Oh, yes, you will. - Ta'lkn'to'ou - Lanaktallan Historian, 2,871 Current Era

I'm giving you this information for one reason and one reason only.

Your war.

That war that you've been fighting for nearly six hundred years. The one you have tried to drag all of us Forerunners into in hopes we'd crush your enemy.

We have voted. We have said the proper prayers from the Book of Telkan and summoned the Gestalts.

They have agreed.

The information you seek will end your war.

The Forerunners had areas like the ones you have searched for in vain.

Go to these coordinates. Take your battle fleet, you will have to fight your way through the defenses. Not to worry, they were considered obsolete when they were built.

There, you will find what will end your war.

But, I warn you: Be careful what you wish for.

There are no genie in the Tomb Worlds.

Only those who died screaming. - Researcher Ark.Puk, 3,722 Current Era

They weren't 'Forerunners', dumbass. They were the Mad Lemurs of Terra.

You think if you find one of their old tech-worlds, you can reverse engineer something to win your stupid slapfight that neither one of you incompetents can finish?

You don't have the tools to build the tools to build the tools to even understand their technology.

It wouldn't work for you anyway.

Why? You don't understand rage, you pathetic mewling race of infants.

What? Your little slapfight? You're like two puffies shaking tinsel at each other. You don't know the meaning of wrath, of hate, of rage.

Oh, a planet cracker? Why, you have indeed put on your big boy panties, complete with ribbons and sparkles. No, it doesn't impress us. A nova spark? My my my, look who thinks they're ready to put on the big boy bra now. Is it nippleless or just have tassels on the front of the cups?

Save your threats, you pathetic creatures. We are the Pubvian Dominion. Your fleet, your 'grand war fleet' you brought to 'force' us to answer you? We thought it was just in case you had to stop by a Puntimat strip joint in a rough area of the galactic spur.

We aren't impressed by fifty ships.

Come back when you're all grown up and want a real fight.

As a token of our amusement, we will only provide a slight chastisement.

But, to your request.

Normally, we Pubvians couldn't care less what weaklings like you want. You exist to be dominated by someone who cares, and you are beneath our notice. The Dominion has no need of domination of lower life forms.

You know what? It'll be funny.

This region of known space.

This was the home of the "forerunners" as your race of brain damaged idiots call the.

We call them "The Tomb Worlds" and avoid them. We don't guard them to keep people from taking them, we guard them to keep fools like you from waking up something none of us are prepared to deal with.

But you know what? This'll be funny.

How many worlds does your star empire have? Two thousand? Wow. A whole two thousand. You are indeed mighty. And your foes? The same?

Heh. Here's the coordinates.

I'm sure you'll do great.

Just like everyone else whose thought they were tougher, smarter, and more vicious than the Terrans.

Oh, before you go?

That chastisement you might have heard me mention?

You can't see it yet. It'll take almost an eighteen hour delay at lightspeed for you to get the information.

We blew up the twelve battle wagons you left at the edge of the system to attack us. We also destroyed the eight ships you had heading for our stars to try to force us to submit with crude antimatter nova sparks that can be defeated by basic stellar stabilizers that even the Lanaktallan discovered.

And just to remind you children of who you are dealing with...

Look up. See those sparks?

That's all but the two unarmed ships.

You are free to go.

What? How did we do it?

A C+ cannon.

Not planetary batteries.

The kind that the Terrans used to wrap a snub nose light attack parasite craft around.

We were their allies.

You should not have come here and threatened us.

We would punish your home systems. Leave your 'thousands' of worlds riven and naught but dust and death.

Instead, we will grant your request.

The Tomb Worlds are here.

I'm sure you'll discover something that will change the course of your stupid little slap fight.

It's starting to annoy us.

Now begone and return nevermore. - Falethtra, Pubvian Diplomat, 3571 Current Era

We will not answer your question or grant your requests.

You are trespassing on Mantid space.

You have three minutes to return to jumpspace and never return.

Any ship remaining after the time limit will be destroyed.

- Only Mantid Communique 3,571 Current Erra

YOU HAVE ENTERED RIGELLIAN SAURIAN COMPACT SPACE

ENTRY IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN

YOU MAY COMPOSE YOUR DEATH SONGS OR LEAVE

EITHER IS FINE

- Rigellian Communique, 3,571 Current Era

So, you bothered the dommy mommy lizard ladies and disturbed their ducks, tried to annoy Sis by flexing on them like you're tough, ruffled the Pubvian's fuzzy little hair, tugged on the broodmommy's tail, and scuffed the Lanky's hooves?

Wow, you just pissed everyone off, didn't you?

Well, let ol' Uncle Tee help ya out, kid.

I'll tell you what I told that other pack of coyotes came through here.

Yeah. I have the data you need.

I'll give it to you, just like I gave it to them.

Here's how you can find the so-called Forerunners that you're so desperate to look for information and technology.

First, you go on down to Grady's Costume shop. The one down on P'Kank Avenue. You taking notes? Good. Now, you get yourself a clown suit. Make sure you get one with a big rainbow wig and a honkable clown nose.

You'll need that part.

OK, then you put it on. Make sure your seltzer sprayer and squirting flower are full. You'll want those.

Now, this is the important part.

You get a running start...

...and jump up your own ass.

Get those flying shit-heaps out of this system or we'll rip them apart, take all of you alive, then toss you in the grub pits. - Treana'ad Ambassador 3,571 Current Era

Tell me, stranger, what brings you to this world, to this place, where you are standing in my humble abode, holding what is obviously a weapon, surrounded by men holding weapons of their own and dressed in, what I assume is, some kind of armor?

What brought you to kicking in my front door, made of wood and lovingly hand crafted as it is?

So, you're following the trail of Nakteti the Traveller?

Then rejoice, for I have news for thee.

You have indeed come to one of the last worlds she visited. You have indeed followed her path faithfully.

And now you shall be rewarded.

You've come to the end of your path.

For I am Magnus Oathsworn, Duty Bound Immortal, and I shall be the last thing you see. - Last recorded encounter of Grenklakail Archeological Team, 3,791 Current Era.

The "Disputed" capital of New Tnvaru was well lit, if quiet. The city was divided in half by a wall, with one half beneath "The Tnvaru Conglomerate" and the other half being "Free Tnvaru".

Nakteti stood on the balcony of the suite that she stayed in when she visited the capital.

She had to admit, she didn't like it. She hated that circumstances made it so that her planet had to be divided in half, that her people had to be divided into sections.

Those who could not handle any freedom at all on one side, others that screamed at the slightest rule on the other, with the majority of Tnvaru between, leaning toward one side or the other.

As disgusting as it is to make the comparison, releasing my people from the Overseers, pulling away from the Council, pushing them to accept their own destinies was like taking children of various ages and just throwing them out of the grav-lifter and into the woods and flying off, she thought, staring at the night.

She clenched her gripping hands on the railing.

All I wanted for was for all of you to be free. To not live in fear of saying the wrong word, seeing the wrong video, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, she thought. But I had not taken into account generations of genetic alteration, historical destruction, and everything else you had been through.

She lifted up the wine-glass she held in one catching hand, sipping at it, staring at the city.

There are times when I have hated you with all my being for the mere crime of being afraid to do for yourself, she thought. Afraid that to take responsibility for your own actions would lead to death. That the consequences of your own or others actions would lead to death for you and your entire family. That it is better to be told what to do, from rise to sleep, from cradle to grave, than accept accountability, consequences, and responsibility.

She closed her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath.

Perhaps it was the psychic scream that did it. That terrible scream of the Precursor that we encountered, that did something to me. Made me unafraid, she looked down.

Or perhaps it was being too close to the Mad Lemurs of Terra. Too much close contact and now I am mad, she thought.

She closed her eyes and sighed, remembering the first time Major Carnight had wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight, allowing her nervous system to calm down after she had gone through one too many shocks.

How it had felt like padded endosteel wrapping around her. The solid muscle of his chest. She had been able to feel his heart thudding inside his chest.

She remembered how safe it had made her feel.

Even during that first thunderstorm that she had stood on the balcony of the Terran hotel to feel it. That she had turned down the weather screens until she could feel the tearing wind, the pounding rain, the chill. How the thunder had rolled across with such ferocity it made the macroplas windows rattle.

Just knowing he was standing behind her, feet shoulder width apart, back straight, chin up, hands behind his back, had kept her calm.

She took another sip of the wine, staring at the city beyond as she made an admission to herself.

She missed him.

Sometimes, so badly, that it hurt.

Others might scoff. They had spent less than two years together before the first archeoreversion attack had left him in cryostasis. She had taken to him to his sister, the powerful warlord Lady Keena, who had arranged for him to be healed.

Before he could be revived, the second archeoreversion attack had hit.

And almost all of the Terrans had been dead.

Major Carnight had been left in stasis. Left in a cryopod to lay in dreamless sleep.

She had kept him hidden from everyone but his own family, who had understood the need to keep their kinsman hidden in secret. There was no records of him in Tnvaru space. There were no references to him.

She had worried that he would be put in danger, be a target for those who wanted to gain leverage over her.

Or just wanted to hurt her.

She stared at the night and frowned.

The weather was controlled. Electrical imbalances were handled before they could generate lightning. The rain was scheduled and always scientifically measured to provide just the right moisture. The wind was never more than it needed to be in order to keep moving what calm weather systems that were allowed.

She found she missed Terra.

The door behind her pulled her from dark thoughts.

"Momma?" the voice was small, a child's voice.

"Yes, sweetie?" she asked, turning around.

Her oldest daughter stood there, holding onto a stuffy with her gripping hands.

"How cause your on the balcony?" the girl asked.

"Momma's just thinking," Nakteti said. She stepped forward, setting down the wine glass. "Do you need tucked in again?"

The girl nodded, holding up her catching hands.

Nakteti took her hands in her own and lifted her up, letting her child grab around her neck and hold on.

The door closed on the night.

-----

Namtotun opened the door to the balcony, no longer surprised by the fact that the weather shielding was turned off.

"You are awake late tonight," he said.

"Heavy thoughts," Nakteti said.

Namtotun stepped up behind her, putting his gripping arms around her waist, using his catching hands to slowly stroke the upper section of Nakteti's catching arms.

"About?" he asked.

"My Terran bodyguards," she said.

Namtotun repressed a shiver.

It had been over a decade since she had carved out his eye, since the Terrans had destroyed an entire Law Enforcement Crowd Pacification Team in bare minutes with bare hands and primitive weapons.

It still made shivers go up his spine.

"Their mother has vanished. None have seen her in years, and I have paid many an investigator to locate her," Nakteti said. "She left Telkan with another Terran and her twin children and vanished into the night."

Namtotun nodded, nuzzling the back of her neck.

"I will release all but Magnus and Seersee from their oaths," she said suddenly.

Namtotun blinked.

"I have another task for them. One that I will require of them in time," she said.

"What task?" Namtotun asked.

"That is my secret," Nakteti said.

Namtotun could taste steel and blood in her words.

"I worry about you releasing your bodyguards from their oaths," Namtotun said. "There are those, even now, who would kill you if they could."

"Do not worry, Namtotun," Nakteti said, still staring at the night. "It will be several years before I set Magnus and Seersee on their tasks."

Namtotun just nodded.

"Will you come in soon?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. I need time to think, to plan."

"Our children graduate from basic schooling tomorrow and wish us both to be at the ceremony," Namtotun reminded her.

"It will not be too long. This is important," Nakteti said.

Namtotun nodded, gave her a gentle squeeze, then went back to bed.

Nakteti stood and stared at the night, her eyes and expression unreadable.

-----

Namtotun followed the mournful sound of the harmonica through the garden. It was playing a slow tune that made cold shivers run up his back.

He disliked what he was doing.

The path twisted and suddenly opened into a clearing.

The Terran, Magnus, sat on a stone. He was dressed, like always, in a rough homespun shirt, a slightly polished black leather sleeveless vest, brown leather pants, hobnailed boots, his hair tied back with a leather thong, fingerless leather gloves on his hands.

And that sword across his back.

He had a thick ceramic mug of ale between his feet as he played, his blue eyes staring at Namtotun as the Tnvaru moved across the clearing toward the lemur.

When Namtotun got close the Terran stopped playing, dropping the harmonica into a vest pocket.

"Namtotun, to what do I owe the pleasure?" the lemur asked.

The voice was cheery, pleasant, and spoke perfect Tnvaru, but it still made Namtotun's blood run cold to be the object of a Terran's sole attention.

"Do you know what my wife plans?" he asked.

Magnus shook his head. "Nope."

"Don't you wonder?" Namtotun asked.

Magnus shook his head again, smiling as he reached down and picked up the stein of ale. "Nope."

"Why not?" Namtotun asked.

He had to wait for Magnus to take a drink off of the ceramic mug. Magnus gave a satisfied sigh and wiped the foam off his lip.

"Men like me, Namtotun," Magnus paused and Namtotun nodded. Magnus shrugged. "We are as the Digital Omnimessiah made us. We fight where we're told and we never ask why."

Namtotun frowned. "I don't understand that. Your sister wishes to know why."

Magnus just shrugged. "She's different than me. Much more different than you can imagine or even understand, and that's without getting into the fact she's a woman and I'm a man, which is pretty profoundly different."

Namtotun thought for a second. The lemur must mean more than just the obvious biological sexual dimoprhism that was so obvious in the lemurs.

"You don't ask why? Why not?" Namtotun asked.

Magnus shrugged and took another drink. "What's to know?" he asked. "Go here. Kill this poor son of a bitch, go there, kill that poor dumb brave bastard. Go to that place and wreck all their shit, hurry to that location and burn everything down," Magnus shrugged. "I'm a simple man, Namtotun. I leave plotting and scheming to people like you and my sister," he gave a wry chuckle. "And, of course, my mother."

Namtotun felt frustrated, but knew better than to press.

"I had thought that, perhaps, you knew what my wife plans," Namtotun said.

Magnus just shrugged again, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his harmonica.

"Nope. Don't care none neither," he said. He played a quick tune on the harmonica. "When the time comes to tell me what my part is, when the time has come to do my part, I'll do it."

"I was hoping you would know," Namtotun said. He turned and began to walk from the clearing.

"I'm a simple man, Namtotun," Magnus said as Namtotun moved down the garden path.

The harmonica music seemed to mock him.

But Namtotun could remember vividly the lemur ripping the door off of an armored troop transport with his bare hands like he had been pulling the top off of a fizzystim.

-----

Nakteti kissed Namtotun on the tip of his nose.

Namtotun rubbed noses with her for a moment.

"I don't know when... if... I'll be back," she said.

Namtotun just nodded.

They had argued, many times, since she had made her decision to leave. A week of arguing.

Namtotun regretted it now.

"Come back when you can," he said.

"I will," she said.

Part of Namtotun felt it was a lie.

He knew the real reason.

He had gotten older in the three decades since she had taken his eye. He had been an adult then, older than Nakteti was. He walked with a cane now.

She looked the same.

He watched her turn and walk toward the shuttlecraft. It was blocky and unfinished looking.

Every child on New Tnvaru or in the Tnvaru Systems could identify it by sight.

The landing shuttle of the It Tastes Sweet.

The female lemur followed Nakteti as she boarded.

Namtotun felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Magnus staring at him with a solemn expression on his face.

Namtotun expected a threat or a promise of violence.

"It was always going to end this way," Magnus said.

With that, the lemur walked away, leaving Namtotun to ponder those words.

-----

The It Tastes Sweet had made jumpspace.

The lights were red. The air had a fine mist in it that tasted faintly of rust.

The cargo compartment was full.

But at the center, held tight in a web of straps and cargo nets, was a single object.

An older cryo tube.

Nakteti stood at the head of it, her gripping hands on it.

She stared into the frost.

At Major Carnight's face.