Pax Galactica - A Space Opera

Chapter 38 - Things Fall Apart...

After the battle the Kinshippers were both elated and terrified.

"I have never seen weapons of that kind before," said Bright-Moon-Hills. "Are those the enemies you spoke of?"

"They are," replied Aranarth.

They were back at the original safe house. All around them the other Kinshippers were packing things up to move to the next one.

"You have our gratitude, then, that you changed your mind and decided to help us. Without this help we would not have won the battle. Your bombing of the sun catcher was spectacular. That will teach those wretched aliens to defile our homes with their presence."

"Don't thank us yet," said Aranarth. "If news gets back to the greater galactic community of what we did it might spell the end of our ability to help you. Not to mention the problems it will cause for us."

"Why are you helping us?" asked Bright-Moon-Hills suddenly. "Why are you risking so much? We are not of your tribe."

"A.R.C. likes to think of everyone in our sphere of influence as 'of our tribe'. An attack on you is an attack on us."

"I understand. You are insane," observed Bright-Moon-Hills. "I am pleased your species has chosen to express this pathology by helping us. We do not share in the extent of your madness but if it would please you, you have earned the right to call yourself an associate of the Kinship. We will tolerate your presence even when your usefulness has ended."

"Why thanks," Aranarth deadpanned.

<A Suit just entered my hypersensor range,> the Suit informed Decker. <It's badly damaged.>

"Ranger Aranarth..." Decker chimed in.

"I see it," said Aranarth. "Let's go."

"What's going on?" asked Bright-Moon-Hills.

"One of our people is on their way. They appear to be hurt."

Decker and Aranarth rushed up the stairs as quickly as they could and emerged into the blinding light of the desert.

The ranger in the damaged Suit came flying into sight. Her flight path stuttered and stopped. A piece fell off the Suit and became lost in the sand. From the looks of the Suit this wasn't the first time this happened. She nearly dropped from the sky several times as she came swooping in for a landing.

"It's Ophelia!" shouted Decker.

Aranarth didn't bother to correct him about using her title.

She came in for a jerky landing, her legs running in the air, and she touched down a few meters away. Her suit immediately retracted into hyperspace. Ophelia was left wearing nothing more than her cloak and her Violet Motley clown tights.

She began to gasp and cough from the poison atmosphere. Decker ran over and helped steady her on her feet.

"She needs air!" he shouted.

"Pus-filled wounds of Tellus!" Aranarth swore.

Aranarth held out his hands in front of him. His Suit began to construct some kind of a basic transparent bubble helmet in the space between them by warping in one component at a time. After a few seconds he had what looked like a streamlined space helmet.

He placed it over Ophelia's shoulders. There was a hiss as it formed an air tight seal.

"Take a few deep breaths," said Aranarth. "Relax."

Ophelia struggled to breath in the helmet. She let out a series of ugly coughs. A little blood came up.

"Just breathe," said Aranarth. "There's some medicine mixed in with the air it'll help your lungs."

She did. Each breath became easier.

"QX," said Ophelia. Her voice sounded weird through the very basic speakers in the helmet. "I'm QX. I'm QX."

"What happened?" asked Aranarth. "Were you attacked? Was that what caused those explosions we detected earlier."

Ophelia was still breathing heavily.

"No," she said between gasps. "No the explosions were us. We found some Old Ones digging something up. Ranger Helios thought it was some kind of Inxon construction, a data tomb I think she called it."

"That would explain why the Old Ones are so interested in this region of space all of a sudden," said Aranarth.

"Well, so was Ranger Helios," said Ophelia. "Something's wrong with her. She started going on about how humanity needed the power of Inxon technology to escape the influence of the Parliament of Stars. When I didn't agree with her she tried to kill me."

"That's impossible!" said Aranarth, forcefully. "A Suit could never be used to attack another ranger. That's the entire point of building a weapon with a conscience."

"Oh is that so?" asked Ophelia, sarcastically. "I guess I wasn't attacked by her after all. What a relief."

"You're sure it was Ranger Helios who attacked you?"

"Yeah. I think I'd know."

"Where is she now?"

"Probably inside the data tomb."

"There has to be some explanation for all this," said Aranarth. "Some kind of a mistake or misunderstanding."

"I think I understood being shot six times by my former mentor plenty," sneered Ophelia. "My Suit just about killed itself staying together long enough to get me here."

"Once you've had a little time to recover you need to take me to where Ranger Helios is. I need to get to the bottom of this right away."

Ophelia laughed bitterly.

"No way. I'm not going back there until my Suit is finished repairing itself. You can go yourself if it's so important. You remember where we saw the Old Ones before, it was near there."

"Very well," said Aranarth. "You stay here and recover. Squire, you're with me."

<See?> Decker's Suit gloated.

<See what?> asked Decker.

<See what happens when a Suit decides the rules don't apply to it and goes rogue?>

<Don't pretend this vindicates you.>

<I'm not pretending.>

Several Kinshippers had gathered at the entrance to the safe house. Among them was Bright-Moon-Hills. Aranarth approached him.

"My squire and I need to go investigate this new development. I'm leaving Ranger Helios' squire with you."

"This human is known to us," said Bright-Moon-Hills. "She too is entitled to unusual respect for an alien."

"Good. We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Recall that we are moving. Now we must do so immediately. This one flying here gave away our location. We will wait for you at the safe house where you met our scout for as many days as we can so you can catch up to us, but if you do not arrive quickly we will need to leave. I will not risk the safety of my people for you."

"I understand," said Aranarth. "I'll see you there."

"Are you going to be okay?" Decker asked Ophelia.

"Yeah, I can breathe now," she replied. "Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure!" she snapped.

"Let's go squire!" announced Aranarth.

The two rangers took off into the sky. Ophelia watched them go, still breathing a little heavily.