Star Force: Temple Wars by Aer-ki Jyr (fox in socks read aloud .txt) 📗

from a 4th in Buenzy who had quite a lot of information to give us on the status of the Galactic Core.”

“You told me these repositories were redundant.”

“They are, but updates are not constant, and the personal knowledge of the Gahana in them varies. Apollo has seen the most, and his inherited memories will be the most complete with the ancient knowledge here. When activated the center of this room will transition into the Essence realm. Do not try and fly out of it,” Davis said, looking at the Ren’mak. “There are shields to make sure no matter interferes. If you were to breach them, you could rematerialize inside a bulkhead.”

The Ren’mak gripped Plausious’s shoulder firmly. “I will remain here.”

“Good,” Davis said, walking inside a glowing circle on the floor that was well wider than the suspended egg. “Step inside.”

Plausious did so slowly, feeling the nanites tightening in him the closer he got to the Gahana, so he did not approach nearer than one step beyond the line.

“Here we go,” Davis said, pressing the activation lever on a Star Force console that triggered the automated transition into the Essence realm in the form of a technologically created bubble using stored Essence rather than requiring those seeking an audience to provide it.

The view around them turned black, with the blue light from the line and egg being the only illumination aside from a few buttons here and there, but both Plausious and Davis could see with their Essence-enhanced vision the various glowing Cores around them in the Maty, but none of the elaborate infrastructure of the Temples that had been built with Essence technology, for the Gahana did not possess it.

The egg soon cracked apart, and out of it flowed a metallic liquid that slowly pooled on the floor before rising up and taking shape, with the smooth liquid gradually taking on geometric shapes, smaller in detail as the Gahana slowly woke from its slumber to full lucidity…then stared down at the smaller Plausious from its geometric bipedal form.

“Sean Davis,” it said with a slightly reverberating voice. “Why do you bring these two here?”

“Reignor Plausious has preborn knowledge that concerns me. His companion goes where he goes. Both have chosen to embrace the lightside. What is your concern with Plausious?”

“The knowledge contained here is not for all, and his race is treacherous. Why do you trust this one?”

“Gut instinct,” Davis answered pithily. “Why have you never interfered with any of the other people here? The Dotra especially.”

“The Hadarak were too great in number to stop, so our best strategy was to stay hidden while restricting key data. As for your guests, none have been this combination of questionable and dangerous.”

“Why did you implant him with nanites?”

“I did not. The Maty did because it sensed a threshold within him. The nature of that threshold is a private matter between us and him, and will be dealt with in time.”

“He is under my protection,” Davis warned.

“So long as he does not behave hostile, neither will we.”

“Fair enough. I’ve asked you about the rumored Endgame before, and you told me it was nothing more than a fable, but Plausious has seen…”

“Something curious,” Apollo finished, scanning his memories through the nanites. “You believe we are the result of this Endgame?”

“I have no doubt of it,” Plausious answered before Davis could.

“What memories do you have of the galaxy where you were spawned?” the Director interjected. “Was there a lightside empire there at the time?”

“We awoke in a small sea of particulate, all melded together into one form. There we stayed for a time acclimating before we broke apart and took our first steps in crude forms. We were unaware of the dangers of the galaxy around us, and naïve to most things, but we possessed what you have referred to as ‘preborn’ knowledge and it has driven us to this day. We did not leave our planet for a very long time, and travel to other stars was even longer in coming. We knew we were vulnerable. That we had to advance in solitude, with a yearning for cohesion over exploration. That then reversed at a specific time in our history and we began exploring the galaxy of Maheyna, only to find rubble of many former civilizations. The galaxy was broken, and our pre-born knowledge required us to mend it as best we could.”

“And the rubble?”

“I do not have that analysis within me, but it is contained within the Maty’s ancient database. Because it is beyond this galaxy you did not have access to it, but when we return I will unlock it for your examination.”

“Thank you. Do you remember any conclusions?”

“They did not destroy each other. The devastation was systematic and the work of an outside force we never encountered. It was believed to be extra-galactic, and we are still searching for it…if it still exists. It is possible it was extinguished in the interim. None we have discovered have our natural longevity.”

“We have discussed this at length,” Davis said, gesturing to the Neofan who appeared mildly dumbstruck at the towering Gahana. “And we think the Endgame can only be triggered by a lightside empire, with the trigger unknown. The darkside may be instinctually driven to stop this trigger at all costs, and if someone else succeeded billions of years ago, your spawning may be the end result of that Endgame. Do you have any memories that can confirm or deny this?”

“We have not encountered this theory before,” Apollo said, looking now at Plausious. “Your recent insight is not verifiable, but I see truth in it without specifics.”

“What did this galaxy look like when you ruled over it?” Plausious asked.

“We did not rule it, we guarded it. And it was a great deal more quiet.”

“What did you guard it against?”

“Internecine and invasion. It