Interlude: The Watchers The Captain strode on to the cramped bridge, the small space barely able to hold the four officers there. The command chair was set at the back, then attack and defense stations, then at the front the ship's navigator. Her blue hair matched that of her four companions, her expression calm, almost remote. "And how is Birthplace today?" she asked with gentle amusement. "Quite well, Rowas Lariel," the navigator said with a smile, her eyes equally warm. Lariel smiled slightly. She had been named Rowas, or captain, of this vessel only a few years ago, but it still felt odd bearing the title. For a long time she had been 'Alm Rodial' the navigator, then slowly rising to 'Soporuka' officer. Becoming Rowas of a Gel assault ship hadn't been her plan, but it seemed to be working out well. "Rowas," the Lekle, sometimes called Senior Navigator or Defense officer spoke up, Spoor's voice musical, "I'm detecting ships entering into the system." "Pilgrims?" Lariel asked. "No ma'am," the Soporuka officer Feia jumped in, a unusual degree of eagerness in the attack officer's voice, "its a ship of the Predecessors!" Lariel stiffened. "Go to cloak," she ordered the Alm Rodial Selin. "Please confirm," she addressed the bridge, all business now. It took only a few moments for the data to start coming up on the view screen, information and comparisons with historic files. "I matches Solenoid design philosophies," Selin said after a moment, "taking into account several centuries of progress." She highlighted a section of damaged hull and asked, "Is that what I think it is?" Feia's voice was grim as she said, "The ship-wounds match our records of Paranoid weapon's discharges." "But I thought we destroyed the Paranoid...." Spoor murmured. "It was never confirmed," Lariel mused softly, "all we knew for certain was that we drove the Paranoid from the territory we claimed." "Understood, Rowas," Spoor nodded. "Backtrack their entry vector," Lariel ordered, "where did they come from?" "From the home territory of the Predecessors," Selin said after a moment, "and it seems they followed the route our forefathers took to Birthplace." "By chance," Lariel mused softly, "or intent?" They watched as the Solenoid ship settled into orbit, launching shuttles then observing as the smaller craft dropped to the surface of Birthplace. The hours ticked by as they observed, both the ship and the people it sent forth, collecting and studying information. Selin scanned the surface cautiously then reported, "They appear to be collecting supplies, food and other provisions." "Our records of normal procedure would have had a Solenoid return to base for supplies," Feia said thoughtfully. "They're far from home," Spoor offered then she hesitated before adding, "or maybe they have no home to return to." They watched for a while longer, seeing the fighters sweeping space in a carefully plotted pattern. A few times a fighter nearby brushed their Gel but a careful nudge of drives wiggled them by, keeping them safely concealed. Lariel rose, her cape swirling around her slim body as she walked to the rear hatch. "I'll be in the communications suite if needed," she said coolly, "continue to monitor." The passage led through the small vessel's interior, past hatches leading to weapon stations or quarters, then to the communications room. Like the rest of the ship it was designed for efficiency and comfort, large enough to relax in and also accomplish all the needed tasks. Lariel deployed the communications device, a modified antiproton cannon, then aimed it at the cloaked receiver across the system. She composed her initial report calmly, detailing known facts and only digressing to speculation near the end. "I believe," Lariel wrote, "that our successful war with the Paranoid did not destroy the race, but instead merely drove it from their original territory. They then entered the homeland of the Predecessors, the Solenoids, and proceeded to do great damage." Lariel looked off into the distance, trying to imagine what it must have been like. The battle hardened, desperate Paranoid must have demolished the Solenoid at first, burning through any defense and inflicting incredible casualties before the Solenoid could gather their forces and fight back. Even more ironically the Paranoid's technology must have been much better, all the efforts they had made to catch up with her people's innovations in attack or defense would have given them a incredible advantage over their peaceful foes. "The Solenoid seem to have closed the technological gap with the Paranoid, but they clearly do not match our own technology. In my opinion we are obligated to help undue the harm we have inadvertently caused," Lariel finished, "though I do not know how." With that she downloaded it to chip and sent the recording off in a burst transmission to NewHome. As Lariel returned to the bridge she saw on the viewscreen a remarkably clear image of the surface. Selin frowned slightly, "It looks like they've found the Cradles, the bases our people first lived in on Birthplace." "We left them as if we intended to return," Lariel said thoughtfully as she settled into her seat, "I wonder how they'll take that?" "They'll likely realize it's odd," Spoor suggested, "but why it's odd they may not know." "Don't underestimate them," Feia reminded them, "the evolutionary difference between us and them isn't all that great." "They are our foremothers," Lariel agreed, "we must treat them with the utmost respect." Just then the musical chime of an alarm rang across the bridge and the crew silently went to work. On the screen the image shifted to the edge of the system, where three Paranoid vessels shifted out of hyper into normal space. It took only a minute or so for the Predecessors to detect them, too, then the shuttles quickly returned to their ship. "What do you think our Foremothers will do?" Spoor asked softly. Feia made a uncertain gesture. "If their sensors are good they may attack the wounded bird," she highlighted the lagging ship, "if not, they could either maneuver fighters and ship to attack together, or use fighters to screen their retreat." "Sacrifice rodail to save themselves?" Selin sounded shocked. A true leader never sacrificed their officers, the rodail, to save their lives, it was considered dishonorable. "Tactically they may have no choice," Spoor conceded... then it was as if the Solenoid ship exploded with power. "By the Empress...." Lariel breathed out, "what was THAT?" "Immensely powerful energy discharge," Feia said after a quick analysis, "much more so than a ship that size should be able to produce." Their was real admiration in her voice, "They'd be mad to try, but I suspect they've got the power core of a much larger vessel in there." One by one the Solenoid ship struck, the Paranoid craft sent reeling away from them. The third, wounded foe detonated moments later, shifting the odds once more. Spoor looked up at Lariel, "If we act now...." "No," Lariel shook her head firmly, "we cannot. If we act without permission, it could have grave consequences on the Empire." Before the debate could grow the Paranoid seemed to open up, life a flower with seeds as fights wheeled out to surround the vessels in a cloud of death. "There's three hundred fighters out there," Feia reported softly, "they've launched everything they have." "The Solenoid fighters are launching in return," Selin noted, "and the Solenoid main ship is following them in. It looks like they're preparing for a final confrontation." Lariel's arm band chimed, informing her that a transmission had come in from command. She tapped a control on her seat and read the message, a smile tugging at her lips. "Ma'am?" Spoor dared to ask. "Decloak, deploy weapon systems!" Lariel said with a feral smile, "We've just received permission to assist our Foremothers!" To be continued.... Notes: The language and other details are loosely based on the Abh from Crest of the Stars. I've tweaked them into a all female race, of course, and other changes have been made. My reference was the mangas, but if I couldn't find an Abh term, I occassionally modified something else....
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