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The Things That Change The Universe (Part 2) |
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Written by Darth.Hunter
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Sunday, 26 August 2007 |
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„[...]The new Commonwealth needs a strict leadership.
Disciplin and obedience are the most important maxims.
Arbitrary acts will not be tolerated.[...]“
Extract of a Collector's speech – date unknown
Beka looked at Harper. „Why don't you just rest for awhile? You may need a nap after all this I think.“ „Yeah maybe.“ So he left the Command Deck. „Dylan, what to do next?“ Rommie asked. „Well“ Dylan began „Beka, can you please make contact with the Nietzschean fleet? They may want to know what to do and what's going on. We need to stabilize the new Commonwealth, so they may be helpful.“ Beka nodded and was just walking outside the Command for the Maru when Trance said „I'll come with you. Sounds fun.“ She grinned at Beka. „Allright“ Beka said, grateful for the company. Telemachus also joined up with them, regarding it as his duty to protect Beka wherever she went. It was still difficult for him to accept her as his Matriarch but he knew they were friends and he also knew she would never abuse this power against him.
„Okay Rommie set course for Tarazed, we need to make contact with the Commonwealth's government. They have to know about the Nietzscheans and that the hostilities are ceased now. Also the Vedrans' return must be announced. And we also need supplies, restock our ammo and hire a new crew. But the most important thing is water. After our Seefra Adventures I'm really looking forward to drink some.“
The Andromeda moved down towards the planet and Dylan decided to change clothes. When he returned to the Command he was wearing a black Captain's Uniform. Silver-blue stripes were decorating its rims and silver buckles were keeping it closed. „Receiving a hail from Tarazed.“
„Okay“ Dylan said. „Show me.“ It was a High Guard soldier. He saluted and said „Andromeda Ascendant XMC-10-182, this is Tarazed Landing Bay 9-6-11. You are clear to land, please follow the escort. Once you docked, there will be a shuttle waiting for you. Tarazed Landing Bay 9-6-11 out.“
About twenty slipfighters were approaching and got in formation around the Andromeda. Then they traveled towards Tarazed.
When Dylan left his ship he enjoyed the familiar environment. The high white towers shining in the sun's light. The Commonwealth's or High Guard's sign decorating walls and squares. Tarazed always reminded him of the days of the old Commonwealth he missed so much. But now the Vedrans were back. Now the Commonwealth would rise again. He didn't feel like that for years and suddenly a great sadness overwhelmed him: Sara. Now that everything was right, now that he had some time for himself he missed her more than ever before. Rommie, who accompanied him recognized her Captain's expressions. „Whats wrong with you?“ she asked caringly. Dylan sighed and said then „It's ... nothing – nothing at all.“ Rommie watched himdoubtfully but left it at that.
The duo entered the shuttle. It was a small carrier with no cockpit. Dylan knew those shuttles from the old days but at that time they were white. This one was silver, the Commonwealth's sign was covering the ground. The walls had many black windows. Beneath them there were rows of white metallic banks.
„Where to?“ an A.I.'s voice said. „Commonwealth's Government“ Dylan answered and the A.I. confirmed.
During the flight, Dylan thought about Sara and the old days. He also cared about his crew, his friends. Would they fit into an organized Commonwealth? He watched the landscape they passed and saw that, not like the landing bay, the land was carved by sinkholes caused by the Nietzschean bombs. He watched ruins of debris, metal and glass, burning buildings and dead people. The attack was over but the damage did not disappear just as the attackers did. A few minutes later they landed at the Capitol of Tarazed, where the impressive Government's building was standing. The high white pillars in front of the building and the black windows reflecting the rays of the sun made it look very impressive.
They were crossing a huge square when Tri-Lorn of the Triumvirate walked down the stairs. It seemed as if he had been informed of Dylan's arrival. The Captain wanted to salute but Lorn declined and said friendly „Welcome Captain Dylan Hunt. The Commonwealth owes you a lot, but first we need to know what happened to the Nietzschean fleet.“ Dylan eyed him suspiciously. „Triumvir Lorn, there is much more to tell, please lead me to the Triumvirate. May I ask what happened to Tri-Jema's empty seat?“ While they were going through the building towards the hall of the Triumvirate, Lorn told Dylan what happened the past four days after the worldship's fall. „We realised that you've been right all the time so we declared the Collectors an enemy of the Commonwealth. We got many loyalists on our side but the Collectors have an overwhelming force. I'm not sure whether we could stand an attack. The Commonwealth is weakened. But nevertheless we managed to free Tri-Ortiz from her prison. Tri-Camille, Ortiz's sister regrets the connection to the collectors but we don't know if we can trust her so be careful Captain.“ They passed several halls and floors and Dylan recognized improvised defensive measures to defend the Government's building but apparently there have been no fights inside this building. Finally they entered a high hall. Dylan remembered this place. He has been here almost four years ago, when he discovered Tarazed and met Telemachus Rhade first. He orated here to make the people join the new Commonwealth but at that time Tarazed declined to join. Funny, he thought, that the Triumvirate of the Commonwealth has its seat here now.
Beka, Trance and Telemachus were hailed by Elssbett Mossadim-Bolivar. „Matriarch, the fleet and all Nietzschean prides are prepared and willed to serve you. We appreciate your presence. Please feel free to enter my ship. The leaders of the Drago-Kazov, Sabra-Jaguar and several smaller prides have gathered here. They urge your arrival on my ship.“ Beka stared at the screen. It was very difficult for her to believe her status amongst the Nietzscheans. She was going to command all those prides. All those people she shot, fought and killed before were now willed to serve her and to die for her. What sounded fun first, now began to frighten her a little and she was glad to have Trance and Telemachus by her side. „Okay.“ she said with a light shivering voice. „I'll meet you there.“ Trance grinned at Beka and showed thumbs up. Beka smiled back and for one second Trance appeared like the young funny purple girl she used to be. Carefree, regarding the life only as much fun and taking nothing really serious. As if this all was just a game. She blinked and when she looked again there was the older golden Trance. Maybe she just imagined it. And so they continued their flight towards the huge Nietzschean ship, where Elssbett and the other Nietzschean leaders were waiting for her. Telemachus watched Beka. He was very proud of his matriarch – his friend.
Then he looked elsewhere and drove his fingers through his hair. It was short again, his beard now just covered his chin and reached to the corners of his mouth. He shaved off all the hair that has grown on his time on Seefra and he felt more comfortable now. He was wearing a High Guard officer's uniform. It was of red leather with a high collar and had a black rim. The buckles were golden. His pants were beige ending in black boots. Around his pelvis the High Guard's Duty Belt was tightened and two force lances were ready. Telemachus didn't know but right now he looked like a copy of his ancestor Gaheris Rhade.
Seamus Harper woke up. He had slept for about two hours, felt refreshed and now he had a brilliant idea. He was sure Dylan would love it, so he asked Doyle to meet him at the Machine Shop of the Andromeda where he introduced her into his plans. She smiled and agreed with him that the others will be zesty so they started working on it. Seamus loved working with Doyle. It was not like working with anyone else. Despite he and Doyle would be arguing sometimes, it was all much fun and though they didn't share the same sense of humor it was very enjoying working together, trying out all the possibilites and doing funny things with all those electronics. Doyle liked it very much having Seamus around. It was a good feeling and his presence made her feel safer. This big universe she never got in touch with scared her but nevertheless she felt as if it was her task to protect Harper. She knew, it may probably was caused by her programming but it were mainly her feelings she listened to, though she knew they were artificial.
Together with Tri-Lorn, Dylan and Rommie walked towards a huge table of white marble where the two other Triumvirs, Tri-Camille and Tri-Ortiz were sitting. The three sat down and Tri-Ortiz smiled when she saw the Captain but Dylan thought that she didn't look that well. She was macerated and heavyly wounded. A huge scar, reaching from her left eyebrow across her bony cheek, made clear that her time with the Collectors was everything but happy. She recognized Dylan's glance and explained that they interrogated her about him and when she refused to give them any answers they started torturing her but she kept her mouth shut. When they decided to kill her because she would never speak, a Commonwealth ship entered the orbit of the prison planet she was captured on. She was liberated even before any Collector recognized it.
Dylan watched her with immense respect and he couldn't tell her how grateful he was but she already understood when she looked into his eyes. Then Tri-Lorn said „We need to know what's going on out there. What do we do about the Nietzschean threat?“
And then Dylan began to talk. „The Nietzscheans aren't hostile any longer, we got the Nietzschean's Matriarch on our side and she is trustworthy, I promise. I've been together with her for about five years and we faced together any danger you can imagine. I'd die for her, she is a good friend and she's got all my trust.“
The Triumvirs stared at him as if they were seeing a ghost. „Their Matriarch? That is impossible. The Nietzscheans are already existing for thousands of years!“ Tri-Camille said. Dylan pulled out a flexi from inside his uniform. „That's why I brought this along. I hope it's enough to convince you. Otherwhise you are free to check the DNA-test's result on my ship by yourself.“ The Triumvires stared bewildered at the recordings Andromeda made during the test. When the video sequence was over, Tri-Ortiz looked at him with obviously mixed feelings. „Captain Hunt, if you're right, and the Nietzschean's Alpha-Mother is on our side, then whe have a huge fleet as our ally. I suppose they won't take orders from us directly will they?“ „No I don't think so.“ Dylan said. „But Beka will convince them, working for the Commonwealth.“
„Well“ Tri-Lorn began „we will see, if they can be trusted. The Commonwealth has once been betrayed by the Nietzscheans who has apparently been the Commonwealth's ally. They may prove themselves in missions but don't ask me for trusting them blindly“ Dylan smiled. „Nobody asks you to do so. But please have a little confidence. If we don't provoke them this will be a powerful alliance. Moreover we can't afford any more enemies at the current state. But now there is a much more important thing you need to know: The Vedrans are back and at this moment they are reclaiming their homeworld. Tarn Vedra will soon be populated by Vedrans again and the Commonwealth can receive their support, as soon as Tarn Vedra is rebuilt. And don't worry about the Collectors. The Vedrans promised me to get rid of them.“ The reactions of the Triumvirs were not as Dylan had expected. On the one hand they looked as happy as if their most fervent dream had come true, on the other hand they looked as if they've just been infested by Magog. „What's wrong?“ Dylan wanted to ask and glanced at Rommie who answered his question with a shrug. Tri-Lorn was the first recovering his ability to speak. „Sorry Captain these news are just overwhelming. Please give us some time to realise the consequences of all this. We will meet you soon. Please feel free to spend the next days here on Tarazed. I'm sure you will need to restock your supplies and you need a crew. Please visit the High Guard's military academy here on Tarazed. On your flight you may provide them with a list of the crewmembers you need. Thanks a lot for what you've done and that you've informed us. But please give us some time now.“ The Triumvirs smiled but it looked artificial and painful.
Confused about that behaviour, Dylan and Rommie left the building and headed towards the shuttle. On their way, he thought about why the Triumvirs may have reacted that strange when they heard of the Vedrans but he found no reason so he gave it up to think about. Maybe it was just the surprise.
Rommie instead watched her captain full of sorrow. He was so important for her and he worked like insane for the past five years. He lost so much. While at first, she could not quite empathize with him, but her current thoughts brought back the memory of her biggest loss to her consciousness. Years have passed since she lost Gabriel, but the memory of an A.I. doesn't blur over the years. And so, she understood Dylan's silent pain he fought down every day. She understood how much Dylan needed a healthy strong Commonwealth. It was like a medicine for a man uncurable ill. He has been suffering for such a long time. Of course Rommie didn't know much about time but she knew that five years are much for a mortal being. Mortality. It feared Rommie to think of the day her friends would die. But now she had to care about her captain and not about her own fears.
Beka, Trance and Telemachus left the Maru and just in time an escort of Nietzschean soldiers arrived, bowed deep and brought them to the observation deck, where at a long table a lot of Nietzscheans were sitting. A loud voice announced Beka. „Please welcome our Matriarch and her attendance!“ The Nietzschean leaders stood up and bowed. Beka was overwhelmed. This was an incredible spectacle. All those men and women, leading Nietzschean prides were following her. She saw the dozens of colours the leaders were wearing. Beka supposed that those were the prides' colours. She was so fascinated by all this that she didn't recognize the room she was in. It was a quite beautiful hall with a giant window on its far side. The walls were covered in silver metal and a double helix was engraved in the wall across from the window. The three doors that were leading from the room were guarded by two Nietzschean soliders each. Beka discovered Elssbett and her husband Charlemagne. A strong man with a short beard and grey hair next to him said with a deep strong voice loudly „Welcome Matriarch. It is an honor for us to serve you.“ The other Nietzscheans agreed. They watched Beka tensly.
„Alright“ Beka said while she took a seat. Trance and Telemachus sat down left and right to her. „It's great that you, the leaders of the Nietzschean prides are gathered here. Thank you. Now that I'm here, listen to me: The Commonwealth is not your enemy. You – we, need them as our allies as they need us. Together we can make a powerful alliance.“ Beka was not even sure if that what she said was true, but she had to convince these people, that they had to work together with the Commonwealth even if she was not watching them. „I will not let you attack them and if I learn that you did you will be punished. Am I clear?“ The Nietzscheans confirmed their agreement. „So there is much work that needs to be done. We are expecting a threat but we can't prove how dangerous it is so you have to scout for any signs of danger. Moreover you have to rebuild the Commonwealth and support its army and fleet.“ She said it with a self-confidence but in fact she hoped that the orders she just gave had been no fault. Nevertheless she decided not to tell them about the worldship. They would get to know early enough.» Season overview
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