Spirit Unbreakable
Chapter 22

Reniko’s breath formed ice crystals in the unlit space before her. Traveling through the ERB had been as painless as the Microgate. One moment she had been standing in a warm well lit room on Vespen and the next she was in utter darkness suddenly wishing she was wearing warmer clothes. She saw Dertrik standing off to one side of the gate staring at her. He had insisted on being the first one through, even though Reniko had seen from the Kiwessa that there was no danger on this ancient ship. Malik and Rimca were not far behind Reniko and they both gave gasps at the frigidness of the air.

“Guess I should have paid closer attention to the temperature,” Rimca said shuddering, “Hurry up and do something about that.”

Reniko walked up to the console on the opposite side of the room. “I’ll try.”

She looked down at the console and placed her palm on the cold surface hoping that it would shudder to life. There was a thin film of ice that melted as her palm pressed the surface and suddenly white light filled the room. She watched words flit across the screen that was above her hand as it analyzed her genetic makeup.

“Ryama allonun, kevey rosha zem mydra,” a sudden disembodied voice ventured. Reniko heard everyone suddenly stiffen with surprise at the broken silence.

Reniko looked back at Malik as she recognized that the computer was speaking Levanith, but was unable to understand what it was saying.

“It said that you are what you say you are and that it wishes for your name,” Malik replied.

“Reniko Dorsalin,” Reniko spoke.

“I recognize your validation as Captain of I’dowith,” the computer replied in Vespen. She was impressed at the response that the computer had taken to changing languages for them.

“Captain? What happened to the last Captain?” Reniko asked.

“Would you prefer my analysis of events or would you prefer to view the Captain’s log?” the computer replied.

“I think I would like to see the Captain’s log first,” Reniko said tentatively. She wasn’t sure now that she wanted to know what had happened.

“How far back would you like to view?”

“How far back does the log go?”

“It covers extensively the entire voyage of I’dowith until the Captain’s departure, three hundred and eighty-eight standard years and four days.”

Reniko looked at Malik and couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. She could tell he was very excited about reviewing all of the logs. She didn’t know if he would be able to in his lifetime.

“I think starting from when they first came to this current location would suffice,” Reniko finally said.

In response a large screen on the wall in front of them lit up and Reniko saw the form of a young man sitting behind a desk. Reniko was captivated by his form. Behind his rich brown eyes and dusty coloured hair she could see the shape of his wings peaking from behind his shoulders, a mottled brown. So, there were variations of colour to the wings. It made her long even more for the presence of another Levanith. He started speaking and Reniko soon realized that this man was not as young as his form. His words held weight and age.

“Year nine hundred and forty-five LE, month Rydenlyde, day eleven. Captain Emavis of the I’dowith. We are currently approaching the seventh planet from the star in this solar system and are greatly pleased to see that this world seems to be inhabited by intelligent beings. We are not yet close enough to determine if they share a form like ours, as the Terrans did, however, they seem to be quite advanced technologically. We have spotted an armada of ships that seem as advanced as our own I’dowith, if not more so. We have watched many speed away in a blink and believe that this species may have perfected faster than light travel for their ships, something that our scientists have not yet achieved outside the Orasell Gate.”

Reniko turned to Malik and whispered, “What does Orasell mean?”

“It doesn’t mean anything, I think it’s a person’s name,” Malik replied. They both turned back to watch the screen riveted by the view into the distant past.

Captain Emavis continued, “We are keen to tell our sister ships of our new encounter. As we here trade is going well secretly with the Terrans, we are hoping open trade with those of such advancement will be equally advantageous. Within the day we should be able to make contact with the armada around the planet.”

The video cut out momentarily and restarted; the formality of the previous video gone. Captain Emavis held the recording device and was speaking as he travelled the halls of the ship. His voice was hasty as he tried to record all that he could, clearly constrained by time.

“The beings on the seventh planet have engaged us with hostility. They easily disabled our ship with powerfully destructive weapons the like of which our shields could not withstand. Our ship has been boarded and in an attempt to cut them off from the information that this ship contains I have disabled the ships computers. They are taking all Levanith encountered as hostages and killing those few Teoko that made the voyage with us. I have made it impossible for those of us on this ship to access the computers and after I complete this recording and attempt to send a message back to Vespen as warning, I will lock out my genetic code as well. If anyone is listening to this, I pray that the information that we stole from the seventh planets mainframe will be useful to you.

“I pray that our encounter with these beings does not endanger the rest of our kin back home. We were ill prepared for meeting hostility, as is our planet if these beings should choose to replace our home. I hope fervently that our warning will reach home.” The video feed cut off leaving the after image of Captain Emavis’ remorseful face imbedded in Reniko’s mind.

The room which had been steadily increasing in temperature suddenly filled with a chill at what the group had witnessed.

“You don’t think us waking up the ship has alerted these hostile aliens to us being here do you?” Rimca suddenly asked.

“I have been monitoring activity outside the ship since you activated the Orasell gate the previous day. As this ship has been drifting in space in an orbit around one of the various lunar bodies around the seventh planet for one thousand one hundred and six years, they are not monitoring it closely for activity. After they scoured the ship and made many attempts to access the information it was forgotten. The last attempt at access was one thousand and two years ago,” the computer intoned.

“Is there any way that we can see this planet?” Dertrik asked.

“There is a viewing deck on level thirty-six that is still accessible and that is facing the planet. If you wish I can establish a clear path to this section of the ship.”

“I would like that very much,” Reniko replied. The only response the ship gave was to open the only door in the room. Reniko watched as lights flickered on in the hallway. She looked to Dertrik and he nodded his assent and led the way out of the ERB gate room and into the depths of the sleeping ship.

The planet’s sphere was a mask of darkness peppered with starry lights. There was no familiar green and blue of a planet rich with life. This planet was industrialized. She wondered if there had ever been such a thing as green plant life on its surface. The waters that she could see surrounding the continents were a washed out grey and almost indistinguishable from the writhing clouds in the atmosphere. They were so close to the planet that she could see nothing in the observation decks field of view but it. Staring at it made her cold.

“Do you think that these creatures could be worse than the Rük?” Rimca asked. Reniko could hear the fear in her voice as Rimca thought of something worse than the creatures that had violated her back on Vespen. Goosebumps formed on Rimca’s skin that weren’t from the temperature of the room.

“Who says this isn’t where the Rük are from?” Dertrik replied.

Reniko looked at Dertrik incredulously. Why didn’t I think of that? What are the chances of there being a race more hostile than the Rük?

“I’dowith,” Reniko said speaking to the ship’s computer, “do you have any images of these aliens? You said you had your own compilation of data outside the ships log.”

“That is correct, Captain. In addition to the data Captain Emavis obtained, I recorded the images of all the creatures that have entered the ship. From my analysis, I have determined that this was the leader of the hostiles,” I’dowith’s computer replied. It displayed an image on the window before them. It was unlike any Rük Reniko has seen before, but a Rük nonetheless. His colouring was not that of the hive hierarchy. He was not a black Rük, but instead he seemed to be a mosaic of every colour of Rük.

“I’ve never seen a Rük like that in all my life,” Malik replied.

“I think that he is exactly what I’ve been looking for Malik. That is the first Rük,” Reniko said.

“When I started translating the data it didn’t occur to me that it might lead to your people, Reniko. I’m sorry that you had to see all of this.” Malik watched her with empathy. She went near to him and kissed him tenderly.

“Maybe this wasn’t what you expected to replace, but it was exactly what I was looking for. Not replaceing any of my people here doesn’t change anything. But you have given me a chance to fix whatever has been done to the Rük and I am grateful for that.” My redemption could be close at hand.

“It’s very nice of you to think that just because we found Druagg and the first Rük that things are going well. Truthfully there is a large amount of space and a huge planet between us and him. I don’t think we are any closer to solving the Rük’s problems than before,” Dertrik said.

“No closer? I’m sure there is a lot we can do with –” Dertrik put up his hand in protest cutting Reniko off midsentence.

“I don’t want to hear anything from you. Your impulsiveness gets you in far too much trouble. I can already see where your mind is taking you and I am telling you I will have none of it. We are leaving this place right now. We have spent far too long here amidst a hostile race that could notice our presence at any moment. Given too much time, I’m sure your ideas will get us into more trouble than we could handle.”

“But Dertrik, I wasn’t going to –”

“Reniko, just turn around and don’t look back. We’ll get what data we can from I’dowith’s computer and I will see if I can replace a viable solution to this problem. The most important word being I, as in me. You will not have any say in this at all. You will go back to Vespen and do your duty as their leader. Remember, you have responsibilities and people that need you. You can’t just be flying off into every problem like it is yours to solve. These kinds of things are my responsibility. That is why you made me head of security.”

Reniko gave Dertrik a stern frown as he pushed her back down the corridor towards the ERB. She was annoyed that he right about everything. She was impulsive and she did want to take it all on herself. It was hard for her to ask other people to put their lives in danger for something that she wanted done.

“I can’t ask you to do anything about this, Dare. I can’t ask you to risk your life for this. I want the answers, but not enough to risk your life or anyone else’s. We’ll just forget it, all right?” Reniko replied.

Dertrik stopped her and held her at arms’ length. “If you want to be a strong leader, Renny, you are going to have to learn to delegate. Most of all, you have to learn to trust us,” Dertrik said.

“I do trust you, Dare, with my life. I always have,” she protested.

“But do you trust my enough to make a safe decision. Do you think I would needlessly risk my life for anything? Don’t you think that I would way the risks? I taught you tactics. Do you trust that I know what I am doing?”

Reniko looked into her old friend’s wizened eyes. He always did know what to say to make her feel as if she was a little child again. She felt foolish for the way she had been acting.

“I didn’t mean it, Dare. I trust your judgment always. Maybe you should be Wayann,” Reniko said.

“Don’t be silly,” Dertrik said laughing, “everyone knows that all good leaders have good counsellors and wise friends. Besides, I wouldn’t want to have to carry the responsibility that you have to, Renny, but I don’t mind helping to shoulder it once in a while.”

Rimca and Malik walked a few paces behind listening and watching the master and student before them. Malik smiled, it wasn’t often that he got a glimpse of what Reniko had been like before she had literally fallen from the sky onto Vespen. He was suddenly reminded of his travels with Orric and it gave him comfort to know that the planet that Reniko had grown up on was not so different from his own.

“You can talk sense to me any time, Dare,” Reniko replied.

“I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities for that,” he replied and Reniko gave him a playful shove.

“You’ll let me know when you’ve figured something out, won’t you?” Reniko said seriously now.

“I’ll make it my top priority, I promise.”