About the Author

 

Hello everyone, my name is CMed. I will make it brief and quick about me. I was a college student who got a Major in History before going into the realm of the military. I am a Navy Veteran that has served for six years and wanted to become an author and book writer near the end of my military contract. 

Serving aboard ship was a long and challenging life. It is not for the faint-hearted, but after being taken off of it, I now had more time than ever. I used my time wisely to begin writing books. Writing had and continues to serve as therapy for me. It helped me through my times, even way before diseases or social unrest ever became the main headlines of modern media. 

Writing is something that does not come overnight. Most writers require at least two years of writing before they are even going to be marketing. Needless to say, make sure that you set the time to do so if you wish to be a part of that hobby. If you know somebody that wishes to become an author, make sure to give them that support. Writing is an extension of us and our imagination. Without imagination, our civilizations would never exist. Without imagination, we would have no empathy towards the next person. We all come from different walks of life. Each one of us can tell a story, and it all comes down to our will to survive through the best of times to the worst of times. 

I have designed Tales of Heroes and Gabatrix to be a system that expands itself. If people like my stories, then they can help out that cause. With the help of you, the audience, the system will get bigger and bigger. If you like my stories, then come and support me on my Patreon. Thank you, and enjoy my stories. :)

 

https://www.patreon.com/TheUniverseofCMed

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer

 

Tags: Space, Science Fiction, Future, Sex, Love, War, Swearing, Violence, Blood, Combat, Horror, Action, Interspecies, Male Human, Female Alien, Scalie, Human/Alien Sex, Size (Very Large Female), Intercourse, Consensual Sex, M/F

If you wish to support me on Patreon (TheUniverseofCMed), you can. Note that my Patreon cannot be located in Patreon’s own search (since it deals with adult material). It can be located by regular search engines though (CMed Patreon for example). Money goes into helping me get additional artwork and helps me keep writing in general.

Disclaimer 1: This story is meant for adults as it contains sex, violence, cursing, and blood. There is a clear division between the sex and the violence.

Disclaimer 2: This book is an erotica, action, and science fiction rolled into one. Expect scenes of human/alien sex and love. Gabatrix is an ongoing series. It’s highly recommended that the audience reads the earlier stories to enjoy the overall arc of this story.

Disclaimer 3: There are some depictions early in the story that deal with blood, light horror, action survival, and light gore. There is a clear division between the erotica and the horror elements. 

Artwork by Piero Painter.

Special Thanks to my Patreon supporters:

Quintin Martin, Christof Bradford, Mike Nixon, Nightsound, Anthony Kestle, Vlad Emanuel, Lynn A Sines, and DracoamansNVX for their generous donations

And, of course, the other patron supporters for allowing me to write and supporting the universe that I write. :)

By CMed (Copyright 2023) 

Prologue

 

“They always say that the mightiest is the first to fall. However, the saying can be made with the heart and not always with supporting facts. This is often used with the Alara’jal, the titans. The truth is that the mightiest of our races is one that has always learned to survive against great hardship, their desire for greed and domination being their undoing. They are no different than any Itrean, and their demise may very well be the future sign of all our species. However, there is also enough supporting evidence that no Itrean species may truly be extinct. They are still out there…..” Gular’shel, 2296 AD.

 

……. A new year dawns for Humanity and the Itreans. The war remains, locked in an ever-ongoing struggle to eliminate the other…..

 

……. However, the UHN and T’rintar Clan Alliance have seized an opportunity. A small task force of ships is readied and dispatched to find a race that should no longer exist…..

 

……. A leading paleontologist is to join this great expedition. His goal: to find the mightiest of the Itrean people, if any of them are still alive……

 

 

Chapter 1: January 26th, 2351 AD

In front of us sits a singular planet located in the fabric of space. The prevailing darkness consumes the visual spectrum. In the distance is an array of numerous small orbiting debris. Other twinkling stars, galaxies, and celestial phenomena also consume the background. A single yellow glowing star radiates in the vast distance. It only serves to highlight the silhouettes of unlit objects that stand before us. The vacuum eliminates the natural sound generated in the enclosed atmosphere.

The world that sits before our view is that of a cracked sphere. It is a graveyard of history, artifacts, and ancient technology that defies all human expectations, from denial to the skeptical. Radiation generated from powerful antimatter explosions, shelling, and bombs have reduced what was a habitable world into oblivion.

We already know where we are as we have been in this vast expanse of relics. The former dinosaurs of Earth have called this region of territory “Dead Space,” the end of an era. We close into the near orbit of the planet. More of the floating debris comes into view. The world still consists of volcanic eruptions from a core that struggles to spin despite the massive upheaval done to it. The former accomplishments of a civilization are buried under its destruction. The people, the Itreans, never wish to return. Fear of the unknown, ghosts, and regret hovers over their souls. Any future attempts to come back to this region of the Milky Way Galaxy will likely be shut down quickly for fear of waking the dead.

However, humans have brought new life into Itrean history. The discovery of Itrea, the original homeworld where the Itreans came from, has brought back the desire to look into their past. Even now, where we sit together is not just one of the many worlds settled by the reptilian people but the first colony. No date has ever been recorded on when it happened as much of the Itrean history has become forgotten or lost in the ravages of time. However, new theories have placed the time period to be from one to several million years ago. The humans look at this with interest, anticipation, and perhaps fear of the fate of everyone. Are the Itreans and Humans destined to exterminate one another?

It may surprise you, but the countless years of Itrean violence against one another only occurred long after this world was colonized. Many viewed this location as the new beginning and defined the culture of the Itrean people. Some believed that the few surviving dinosaur species that had evolved into intelligent sentience had formed a society of mutual cooperation. From the Velociraptors to the Oviraptors, the Troodon, and more, they all settled onto this colony first. Their unknown goal was to leave Earth behind and start a new life together. Their ships were supposedly primitive, so much so, that they were on par with the rockets used in the mid-20th century of human history, perhaps even less advanced. With gate-folding technology, the Itreans could go anywhere. How they obtained this miraculous ability remains a mystery to them, but for the civilizations that followed, everything prospered.

Yet, what had happened? This world is smashed and laid to ruin. Even now, the vaporized corpses on the surface tell no tales. Only the surviving ancestors craft their stories and pass them on to the next generation. Most likely, they are lies that become myths and fables.

It was speculated that nine Itrean subspecies lived together in harmony, perhaps more. Some were small, the size of a human infant. However, there were one subspecies that defined them all. We see this as one of the floating debris drifts in front of us. Perhaps this was a former warship, once. Unlike the other ships, this one is quite large, being over five thousand meters in length. Craters, scarred hulls, impact marks, and ripped pieces of metal and wood drift near it. In the surviving front section of this ship is a giant bore cannon, big enough to rival any cannon made from the human race.

The culprit of these great warships came from none other than the Alara’jal. Their colossal size made them stand over the average-sized human by a factor of three. For many of the Itrean clans, none could ever disrespect these people. A single smash of their foot could crush anything underneath it. The very name inspired fear, wonder, and power. Even the name’s origins derive from the English translation of “The Dominant Walkers.” They were none other than the largest meat-eating dinosaurs of former Earth.

The Alara’jal, supposedly, worked in harmony with the other Itrean clan species. Despite their predatory nature, something happened that allowed these titanic people to work side by side with the others. Ancient Itrean historians had even speculated that they were respected elders, noble, and just. Subspecies helped them, and they helped others in return.

Sadly, it was never meant to be. Much as how time operates, it is a river that can ultimately lead to tragedy. To this day, little is known who struck first and what the issue was about. What was known as that resources were stretched to the limit. Even with the miracle of gate-folding technology, the Itreans advanced far slower than humanity ever did. The ability to replenish food stocks was challenging. Even if the Alara’jal had become omnivores, the amount of nourishment that their bodies needed was far more significant than any other Itrean species. This, in conjunction with living, the need for land, and other daily conveniences, further plagued the society. The Itreans often squandered their desire to explore, often forcing them to fight over familiar worlds.

Despite all of this, the accomplishments of the Alara’jal were grand. Their spaceships were the largest and most powerful. Where the other clan species used quantity to make up their ranks in combat, the Alara’jal used the sheer domineering power of the fewer. Even a weak Alara’jal soldier was more than a match for divisions of the much smaller Itreans. This alone propelled the mighty race into the masters of ground combat. If it weren’t for their small fleets, it was very well possible that the Alara’jal would have conquered all of the Itreans, either slaughtering them or worse.

While the Alara’jal fought as gallantly as any other clan species, most Itrean historians did reach a similar conclusion. When the Alara’jal lost in space, their fury and determination to win were just as great as their sizes. A “Scorched-Earth” policy had been adopted. The colossal people would build powerful siege warships and use them to devastate worlds. If their enemies didn’t surrender, then nobody would win. Even if the Alara’jal aren’t to be blamed entirely, many feel that they were responsible for much of the destruction in the Era of Dead Space. The wreckage that stands before us is most likely a victim of these ancient sieges.

However, the Alara’jal clan had slowly come to the decision that such destruction was unnecessary. Eventually, wisdom won out. For each destroyed world, it would only deny them the possibility of eventual conquer. In the long future, ravaged planets would only result in fewer worlds to live in. Perhaps, technology had played a role in replenishing essential resources. There was also considered to be a form of awakening in the Era of Old Space. Many of the Alara’jal had embraced pacifism and enclosure from the outside. The combination would lead the colossal people into times of prosperity as they sought to find peace and seclusion. Remote villages would adorn many of the great worlds. What the humans would sometimes define as “Tribal Anarchism” had formed the core aspect of Alara’jal society. Birth rates were slow, an elder would be chosen to review simple issues, and advanced replenishment practices were put into place. Many of them wished to live alone and in harmony with nature.

Like anything, even such peace was always at risk. While other clans sometimes struck Alara’jal worlds, the Alara’jal were also a genuine threat to themselves. The clan race had done its part. While Tribal Anarchism worked on most worlds, the largest of planets and populations had become a trove of violence and bloodshed. The core Alara’jal worlds had embraced a path of pure Anarchism. Only the strong ruled the weak, and the weak would suffer the most. A system without laws is a system with outlaws. Powerful warlords would seize the opportunity to control, build up their forces, and launch attacks to unite the entire Alara’jal people. From there, the savage dictator's greed and hunger to control would lead them on a path of ultimate violence to inflict as much damage on other clan species as possible. These warlords victimized and terrorized Alara’jal villages and forced them to serve as slaves or soldiers. This history had become an ever-constant in Alara’jal society as if it was a running river that never ended.

However, the Alara’jal people did see times of great relief in their society. The great Itrean Empire of Jalgren the Great had become a saving grace for the titanic people. Jalgren’s desire to create an idealistic utopia of unification benefitted the Alara’jal far more than many Itreans suspected. He would wipe out the warlords and free the Alara’jal people to live their own lives again. It was no surprise that they welcomed the Emperor with open arms, willingly becoming citizens of Renlar despite their colossal size. The mere cost of adapting to the Aksren ancient language was all but welcomed, as many of the Alara’jal lacked the ability to read. Schools, vocational centers, and cultural influence were accepted, and the clan species enjoyed an era of prosperity.

The Empire was not to last. Greed, racism, and corruption would eventually deny the Alara’jal of their fundamental rights. Many of the people were left in uncertain times. With the Rototrein Rebellion that was to take place, should the Alara’jal join and fight for their freedom? If they lost, would the Empire eradicate them? If they won, would the warlords eventually return to dominate the peaceful people again? The Alara’jal made a difficult choice. Some generally accepted that fighting for the rebellion was the lesser of two evils. They decided to join the uprising, where their colossal sizes placed them into the roles of shock troopers. Even with primitive forged guns against the Imperial troops, the Alara’jal were utterly devastating, capable of flipping hover tanks with a lift of an arm and crushing all opposition underneath their heel. On the ground, the Empire of Jalgren had accepted that it was near impossible to win. By 10,000 Earth years ago, the Empire was crushed, and the Alara’jal clan would be free to control their own destiny.

For many human scholars, it was easy to point out that the Alara’jal’s greatest mistake was to eventually pull out of the negotiation table, despite against the wishes of the Rototrein family. The Alara’jal, once again, wanted to return to the route of solitude, prosperity, and pacifism. Sadly, it would be the last time the colossal people would enjoy their newfound freedom. History repeats, and the few Alara’jal demand power. Through them, the warlords would return. Through the power of an absolute few, these tyrants would resume the hostility against the other clan species. Their goal was to reclaim the lost territories and inflict whatever casualties upon the other, whatever the cost. The Alara’jal that resisted these warlords would face the most grievous of consequences. By 9,000 Earth years ago, the great people had been reduced to thugs and raiders and ruled by the strongest. Only four of the Itrean clan remained. The Shal’rein, Aksren, Yutilians, and Alara’jal would fight for conquest throughout the galaxy.

However, unlike in the ancient past, the Alara’jal never gained much territory against the other clan species. Despite their enormous warships, their fleets often struggled with their offenses. Forced conscription resulted in poorly trained crews despite having the most powerful ground armies that ever existed. Other clan species did their best and usually prevailed in repelling the Alara’jal. However, there was one particular stronghold that belonged to the towering people. One of the four great starfortresses, an incomplete one, had been gifted to them after the conclusion of the Rototrein Rebellion. With this, the warlords would focus their efforts on completing it and using it as a shipyard and base of operations against the other clans. As long as this structure remained, the Alara’jal could never truly be conquered.

It would be the Yutilians that bring forth their most potent and destructive weapon, one that proved to be the downfall of the Alara’jal civilization. Being the masters of biological warfare, the Yutilians would unleash their constructed plague against the titans. The results were immense. Countless worlds were affected. The goal of the disease was to never eradicate the entire population but only a select percentage. By the time the disease had finished, a near trillion had laid dead. Despite the efforts made, resources became scarce. Even the great star fortress would eventually be nearly abandoned, at which point the Aksren clan would finally lay claim to it. By 500 Earth years ago, the attacks of the Alara’jal had become infrequent. Their homes were being slowly taken. Despite the calls of mercy, the other Itreans would ignore it. Their goal had become a singular focus: to eradicate the Alara’jal once and for all. It would be a wish that the other clan species would ultimately achieve. By 200 years ago, the clan was no more…..

Why is all of this so important? Learning so much about a people's history is difficult when having to explain a summary of millions of years. Of course, while we have eons to go through such a history, I know that even you are interested in answering this very question: Is it ever possible for a single species of people to survive the ravages of time? Are the Alara’jal truly extinct?

We must leave this area of space. We say goodbye to this area once again. Perhaps it will be the last time that we will ever return to this region. The star shrinks to a tiny spec. The wrecked planet vanishes into nothingness. Stars zip past us at an ever-increasing rate. The area of space becomes brighter as we bypass the galactic center, the massive stars being markers of their short flickering lifespans. In mere seconds, we cross the center border and through the concentration of matter. We turn our attention to the growing darkness. Countless distant galaxies and stars fill our view.

Within less than a minute, we finally near our goal and where our story will continue. We enclose upon the Sol System, the star that held the building blocks for the Itreans and the Humans to come forth. We focus on a similar distant glowing yellow star. A singular small red planet grows as we eventually near our destination. Mars has always served as the capital of the UWA, as Earth now belongs to the previous ancient owners. Countless spaceships and traffic wonder to the nearby tethered gate array. However, our focus brings us to a triad of three vessels that stand in a line formation.

Each of these ships bares particular looks and features to them. The other vessel closest to us on our approach seems to be an alien warship. Its green cylindrical profile consists of a rearward spinning centripetal ring and engine array network. In the center, dorsal and ventral sides are a set of Gatling light railguns. Near the front mid-section consists of VLS launchers. Finally, in the bow is a heavily sleek armored nose section where the main bridges are located. On the opposite side of this battleship appears to be a human combat transport. Its gray boxy appearance and frame are connected to a spinning centripetal ring and engine array. It is too far away to ascertain anything else about it.

We continue to fly past the alien ship towards the vessel in the center of this parade formation. It is a human warship. Its profile is somewhat similar to the green warship. It has a gray color. Unlike the slightly more cylindrical rectangular shape, this ship is more rounded. Its bridge sections are near the center dorsal and ventral sides. A medium railgun turret fills each of its sides. Its centripetal ring is thinner but slightly larger than the other warship. The front bow of the ship consists of eight torpedo tubes and an array network of AIO turrets. On the side of the human vessel is the name placard “UHN Drake MBB-84,” written in both English and Chinese. We zoom in on the ring till we finally penetrate through the hull and into the habitable environment where the humans live and operate.

With the spinning ring, artificial gravity is created. Wayward crew walk to their destinations and follow with their day-to-day duties. The internal layout of the ring is simple in its construction. It consists of a singular straight passageway. On both sides are sets of doors that lead to various rooms and locales. We are nearing the end of our journey as we reach the sealed door of the guest quarters.

Upon entering this room, we are greeted with the comfortable layout of where a single occupant resides. There are two bunks, one on each side. A single restroom and table sit in the center, with a set of computer displays on the walls. The man that sits in the chair by the table is looking at a video of some sort.

This man appears to be dressed in comfortable civilian attire consisting of black boots, a blue shirt, and thick khaki pants. His looks are similar to a person from China of former Earth combined with a pale complexion. He has a goatee and a black mustache. He is also completely bald and carries a somewhat jovial smile while he observes the video. The recording consists of himself. However, he is dressed in a protective yellow suit that covers his body. The environment displayed is a harsh dry, and mountainous location, consisting of hard sandstorms in a darkened gray sky. Wind, carrying the loose dust, appears to be blasting his suit. The individual seems to be looking at the camera as he speaks.

“I am here on Earth in the place that was originally called ‘Hell Creek, Montana,” the man said with a muffled voice. He has a faint Chinese accent. His personality and tone are equally outgoing, as if he is doing a documentary. “This is thee location where the first skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex was ever found.” The man held his arm out, pointing at what looked like a dug-out pit, but it was difficult to see through the dead sandstorm. “It was here that Barnum Brown would make one of the greatest discoveries of the early 20th century. At the time, this place was beautiful, consisting of green forests and clean lakes that reflected blue from the overhead skies. Brown and his team would find the skeletons of one of the largest dinosaurs to ever exist in Earth’s history.”

The man in the room appeared to be rehearsing and gloating over his old recordings. His finger seemed to be rubbing his chin as he mouthed off his own words in silence. The video of himself continued to walk and present the landscape before it switched over to an internally enclosed building. There were a variety of large dinosaur skeletons that were held together. One of these skeletons appeared to be a sizeable two-legged creature with small little arms. He still wore the same protective suit, but his breathing mask and veil had been lifted to give him clarity as he spoke to the camera drone.

“We are here at the Second American Museum of Natural History where humans and Itreans are toiling around endlessly to restore this building to its proper condition. When Earth was mostly abandoned in the late 22nd century, the building was left to crumble under the harsh environment that humanity invoked upon it. However, the skeleton of the first T-rex has been saved by myself and the others that are here.” He pointed at the skull as he walked underneath the enormous frame. “Take a look at this….this is one of the largest land animals to ever thrive on Earth over millions of years ago. The mighty Tyrannosaurus was the biggest carnivores capable of predating and scavenging the dead. Their skull measures to almost a meter and a half in length. They had up to sixty serrated teeth that would measure to…” he paused as he held a large tooth. “Up to 20 centimeters long. I’ll tell you. I wouldn’t want to be hit with that! Omph…That would ruin anyone’s day. Overall, these animals would reach a length of about twelve meters and have a height of about 5 meters. They were the kings of dinosaurs that I, Doctor Fengge Yu, are more than proud to tell you.”

The video feed continued as the man wandered around the restored museum. He used the camera drone to provide low-angle shots. It was all designed to provide an example of the sheer size of the T-Rex. Their gargantuan size was enough to tower over him easily. A Yutilian wandered into view. She was dressed in a white lab coat. Her long bushy pink tail swung. She stood on digitigrade legs and had light green colored scales. It was here that Fengge Yu pointed at the small-statured alien.

“Ever since our discovery with the Itreans,” Fengge Yu joyfully explained. “Our entire world of Paleontology has seen a great revival that hadn’t been seen since the evacuation of Earth. We work together to relearn what history has tried to ravage. With the fact that a few of these dinosaurs continued to evolve to become what they are now is incredible. What was deemed impossible had been proven to be true. There were civilizations on Earth far earlier than humanity had ever accomplished. We can now confirm that….” The camera zoomed out to show more of the skeleton before zooming back to him. “The T-Rex had indeed survived to become the Alara’jal people, possibly coming from species that predate even before the T-Rex, such as an offshoot of the Allosaurus. Sadly, their culture and race would fall into extinction almost 200 years ago.” He paused and smiled. “How much I would have loved to get a chance to talk to one of them…..ask them how they managed to survive when so many failed to live.”

The video was paused, leaving a still image of the paleontologist before it was shut down. Fengge Yu leaned back onto his chair, propping his boots up to the table. He seemed ecstatic, even if he was doing his best to hold back his emotions.

“Incredible…,” Fengge Yu said to himself. “I finally get to be a part of this exciting adventure! This must have been like when Roy Chapman ventured into the Gobi Desert or when Charles Darwin ventured in the HMS Beagle. I, Fengge, will be part of the Reliquary Expedition.” He proudly looked up at the ceiling. “Gabatrix, if you are looking down upon me, thank you for giving me this magnificent chance to explore the unknown in the name of science. I promise you that I won’t come back emptyhanded.”

He turned his left arm and tapped on it. The augmented appendage provided a display menu screen. It projected a number on it showing that it was 0848.

“Well!” He said as he slapped his hands to his knees. He propped himself to the deck before standing up. He put his hand to his heart but paused as if he was missing something. He spotted his signature brim outdoor tan hat and a proud smile appeared on his face.

“Not yet,” he commented to his hat. “But, soon…..Time to head to the briefing and be a part of history!”

He tapped the button on his left augmented arm to shut off the display. He was debating if he was going to pull out his little camera drone from his pocket but decided against it. It was a military warship, after all, and doing open recordings of the day-to-day life of crew members or ship layout would have been unwise or even face censorship. He kept his hand away.

“Ah….so much that I wish that I could record in this future event,” Fengge said to himself. “I will just have to keep all of this written down….maybe….write a book. Oh! Even better! Fengge,” he addressed himself. “I will do like many of the famous paleontologists have done, and I will write a book about this adventure.”

It was time. He proceeded to leave. When he reached the door, he tapped the side panel. It slid open where he left to his next destination…..

 

*******

 

"Doctor Fengge Yu? I assume?" the random guard replied by the main CO stateroom door.

"Please, you can just call me Fengge," the paleontologist happily explained. "I am at the right spot, am I?"

"Yes, you may enter

The uniform lad dressed in red and blue stepped aside from the door. Fengge Yu was unfamiliar with military protocol. He had no real military experience or how military bearing worked. However, he still remained professional and outgoing to the best of his abilities. It seemed to work as a civilian. There appeared to be no gripes that he at least knew about. The door slipped open, and Fengge stepped inside.

The CO's galley was extravagant, to say the least. It was an officer's mess room and a briefing room rolled into one. Two rows of tables with lavish chairs connected to each one. Display screens surrounded the bulkheads and furniture. A connected galley provided cooks the ability to craft their own meals for the officers. For Fengge, the room seemed like a hotel restaurant on some yacht.

Of course, it was the occupants of the room that described the scene perfectly. In all, there were at least twenty chairs. At least twelve of these chairs had been filled. Most of these were officers. They were dressed in blue and red with thin red pauldrons that flowed from the shoulders. The uniformity of attire was somewhat intimidating to Fengge, who was more used to the free flow of attire choices in a professional environment. The military seemed quite rigid in how they operated. All in all, at least eight human officers were present.

There was at least one marine that was in the room. He didn't wear any jumpsuit but that of a marine sergeant's uniform. He stood out a little bit in the crowd and looked mean. He had gray hair and a holstered gun on his right hip.

There were four Itreans that were present. Two of them were Yutilian women. Fengge was all too used to operating with them but didn't personally know these two. They were shorter than the average human and had green-colored scales. One had black feathers that rode her arm, tail, and head. The other looked just like the other but had white feathers instead. Both of these "Captains" of the T'rintar battleship apparently worked together. They wore green, black, and white spandex-like uniforms that covered much of their bodies. Both of them took notice of the human wandering in. Their reptilian eyes scanned his clothing before they resumed their low chatter between them.

The other two Itreans were Shal'rein. One was dressed in white and red spandex that covered much of her body, fin-like frame, ears, arms, and tail. She had a grayish skin tone. Perhaps she was a medic. Fengge was unfamiliar with this individual. However, she sat not far from the other Shal'rein. This one, the paleontologist was familiar with. She had purple hair that covered one side of her face and eye. She also wore the blue and red officer's jumpsuit uniform. She appeared to have attracted some of the wandering views of the other human officers. She was the captain of the UHN Lifen. Unlike the other Itreans, this particular individual was neatly composed. Her single working yellow shark-like eye conveyed her soul and demeanor. This was Shira, the first Itrean captain to command a UHN ship. Most likely, the other Shal'rein was a subordinate that worked with her. However, a human officer that Fengge also knew was present. Officer Javier sat next to Shira and took notice of Fengge's arrival.

Javier nodded his head and waved him to have a seat by Shira. A big smile appeared on Fengge's face as he knew that he had associates to work with. It didn't take long for the paleontologist to wander over and have a seat next to the Shal'rein officer.

"Captain Shira, Javier, a pleasure to see you two," Fengge addressed them. The towering Itrean reciprocated.

"Doctor Fengge," Shira responded in a deep and calm voice. "It is good that you came."

"I wouldn't have missed this opportunity if both my legs were removed. This may become one of the greatest discoveries of all time," he paused and put his hand to his chest. "Well…..I digress. Meeting the Itreans was no small moment, either. However, to know that there may be more Itreans out there than expected, I just simply can't ignore it."

"Your expertise will be greatly valued," Shira commented. Her response was almost emotionless.

An odd set of looks came from the pair of Yutilians in the room. It was that of skepticism. His arrival and sitting next to the Shal'rein was what seemed to trigger it. While they remained quiet, they appeared to be sharing information with one another. They were scornful remarks as if Shira or Fengge had stirred them the wrong way. No….Fengge recognized this as a more concentrated hatred towards Shira. The paleontologist only knew so much about Shira. However, it might have been possible that the animosity was focused on her and trickled onto him for being so nice to her. Shira never gave a glance to the two.

Finally, the Yutilian with black feathers leaned over and spoke in the Itrean language. Fengge was pretending to ignore them. Their chattering consisted of full words with clicks and chirps in them. The paleontologist finally had to say something.

"I say now," Fengge replied with some earnestness. "Mind your manners and be professional in this environment."

"What?" the black-feathered Yutilian replied. Both of the paired Itreans' head feathers rose up in surprise. "How do you know what we are saying?" There was a thick accent in their voice that was reminiscent of Japanese, French, and Spanish combined together.

"I know a little bit of Itrean," the paleontologist replied. "I am not the captain's concubine. I came here to be a part of this expedition!"

The room's quiet chatter ended. The Yutilian snouts sneered a little bit.

"You know our language, human?" the white-feathered Itrean replied.

"I know enough. I'll tell you that I wouldn't be the greatest paleontologist of the 24th century if I didn't bother to learn the language of the creatures I study on the ground."

"Your name? Human?"

"Doctor Fengge Yu, at your service." He held his hand out in greeting, but the black-feathered Yutilian swiped it away in annoyance.

"How rude! Now see here! I will lodge a complaint with…."

"It isn't necessary….," Shira interrupted calmly. "They are merely trying to disturb you."

"What are they saying?" Javier asked her.

"None that may concern you. It appears that our Lesser Adjuncts do not wish to participate in this operation. However, their mistake will be their own undoing." She said this blatantly in front of them.

"You are still Shal'rein!" the white-feathered Yutilian said with a sneer. She practically almost got off her seat.

"A traitor to her own people, but we see through your lies!" the black-feathered one added. "You are still with the Shal'rein clan."

"Ambassador Ifra and Ambassador Kane don't seem to agree with that assessment. If you make physical contact with this civilian again, you will be arrested for assaulting a human, something that won't look too kindly to your fleet adjuncts. There are quite a number of witnesses to verify that claim as well."

"Give the word, Captain," the marine in the room added with some anger. "I will gladly show our guests to the shuttle bay."

"Ahhck," the black-feathered one replied, waving her four-digit scaly hand away. "Sorry…. Paleontologist Fengge Yu. It appears that I jumped to…..the human word? Conclusions."

"We did not know," the white-feathered Yutilian added. "You only started working for this…..lying false adjunct. The humans….stupid to take you."

Shira only remained calm and ignored the idle complaints. Javier seemed disturbed, but anything he said would only exacerbate the situation further. Fengge noticed this as he seemed to look at Shira with some earnestness. If she remained calm and collected, then so should he. Instead, he held his hands out in acceptance.

"What am I to say no to our great companions that will be a part of history?" He said with a smile. "I would cherish this moment well."

Both Yutilians' eyes seemed to roll in aggravation. However, before anything else was said, the door slid open, and the call was made.

"Stand by!" the guard yelled into the room. Everyone but the Yutilian officers stood up. Fengge almost got out of his seat because it went dead silent. However, this was military protocol. So he remained seated as he remained quiet.

"Attention on deck!" the guard said. An officer entered the room. Fengge recognized the man immediately that walked in. It was the CO of the Drake Vice Admiral Passos. He was an older gentleman in his later sixties. He had a gray mustache, pale complexion, and short silver hair, almost similar to the lone marine in the room. His posture gave the impression that Passos was a reasonable man. However, he had heard of the crew members that would comment that the CO was somewhat lax on his actions and choices. Others even claimed that Passos was a little too easy on certain things and agendas, often being quickly bored by the simplest of tasks. There were other quirks of his personality that Fengge took notice of as well. The vice admiral waved his hands to everyone as he stood by the central display screen.

"At ease, at ease," Passos grumbly said, waiting for everyone to sit down and slap his hands together. "Hello, everyone. I'm Vice Admiral Passos, Captain of the UHN Drake and XO of the Martian Fleet Bravo. We have all gotten most of the early briefings of what we plan on doing by 1300 today. However, I feel that it is necessary that we have everyone together before we carry out with our mission. I want us to clarify the importance of this mission and our intentions. I want to make sure that the officers of all ships get to know one another before we commence and that there is no misinterpretation of the orders given to us."

The Vice Admiral walked over to the table and tapped a few buttons. All the displays activated. The lights in the room darkened as a holographic projection showed the galactic map of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Sol system was pointed out by an arrow followed by the green, red, and purple territories outlined under the control of the Itreans. For Fengge, it seemed daunting and intimidating. The Itreans almost had a quarter of the galaxy under their domination, with the exception of the unexplored region, the galactic center, and past it. Small schematics appeared that showed the UHN LIfen showing it as a Qing class Military Transport, the UHN Drake as a Magellan Class Guided Missile Battleship, and the Menshe'tat a T'rintar Italq Mark 3 Class Battleship. This included all the small amount of information about what each ship could do.

"Admiral Hazer has given us the go-ahead to commence with Operation Reliquary," Passos stated. "Most of the operational planning was made in thanks to Captain Shira of the UHN Lifen who is adamant about the success of this mission. However, I will be the leading CO of the mission. Captain Shira has been made the XO of the mission in case I am incapacitated."

The other officers briefly looked at the Shal'rein officer. The Yutilians seemed to grip their uniforms with some annoyance. Shira remained quiet. Passos looked at the two short reptilian women with some understanding.

"However," he continued. "I also understand that this is a small fleet operation. There are many possible variables that can occur. Lesser Adjuncts Youica and Coyaca of the Menshe'tat and Shira of the Lifen, my goal is to work in conjunction. I understand that we come from different backgrounds. Youica and Coyaca, I thank you for your cooperation from your government to render assistance to this. My goal isn't to rule over the shipboard operations of your warship, nor am I with the Lifen."

"….Thank you," Youica, the black-feathered Yutilian replied.

"Understood," Coyaca, the white-feathered Yutilian, added. Fengge had noticed immediately that there was something unique about these two Itreans. The more he looked at them, the more they looked similar to one another. Were they sisters ruling the same ship?

"With that said," Passos stated. "I will command this operation and will have the final say in everything that will happen." He looked at Shira. "I know it was you that pushed for this to happen, Captain. I respect you, but do I make myself clear on this?"

"I will comply with your orders, Vice Admiral," Shira calmly replied back to him. Javier lightly looked in her direction. Fengge acknowledged this as well.

"Very well," Passos explained as he pointed at the projected image of the galactic map. "At 1430, we will use the gate array from Fort Prisidia to make a jump straight to Zalri'Eko or Outpost-1078, the final known military base of the Alara'jal. From there, we will ascertain if it is safe and monitor all possible enemy fleet activity."

The vice admiral's finger tapped a single dot on the galactic map. It highlighted the location of where the base was located. It was just past the red outline of where the Aksren controlled it. Fengge didn't know about this fact, but it was easy for Passos to explain this.

"Approximately over 50 years ago, the Emphra had overrun this base after the Alara'jal ceased all further hostility with the other clans. By the end of the Emphra War, the Aksren clan launched a raid where they obliterated the base to purge the Emphra. Needless to say, all of you are aware that we'll be making a jump into enemy territory to reach this base. However, according to Shira's intuition, she believes that the Aksren clan defenses will be minimal or nonexistent in this location."

"Expect the possibility of a response, Vice Admiral," Shira politely replied leaning back on the chair and pressing her fingers together. "However, the need to defend territory on the edge of their space with no critical outpost or base will be a low priority for them. Keeping our fleet small will lessen their desire to respond. I can't guarantee, though, that they won't be monitoring us. We should have the time necessary to conduct our mission before they eventually respond to our transgression."

"Yes," Passos replied. "Zalri'Eko consists of a large rogue asteroid and two smaller rocks that orbit it. Using the intel that Shira has acquired, we will launch a marine team to land on what we call Zalri'Eko Beta."

The vice admiral tapped a few buttons on the panel controls. The display image of the map faded as it showed a green 3-D silhouetted projection of the target. The fleet of three ships was parked over 6,000 kilometers from the massive rock measured with a radius of 200 kilometers. The main central hangar base had an X printed over it to indicate that it was an avoidable location. Two other smaller rocks could be seen. Zalri'Eko Beta was highlighted.

"Approximately fifty years ago," Passos explained. "Gular'shel, a Master Adjunct of the Shal'rein clan, led an invasion onto the outpost when he found it. His goal was to secure and locate any possible Alara'jal that might have still been there, including any equipment to fight against the Emphra. However, during his raid, he found only corpses and broken-down equipment. He managed to secure Alara'jal warships but also found a damaged Alara'jal computer core. He and his team had attempted to repair and download the data before the Emphra fleets had located his fleet. Unfortunately, he had only got fragmented data before he was forced to withdraw from the outpost and make his retreat. However, according to Shira, Gular'shel had enough data to suggest that some of the Alara'jal might have left the outpost sometime before the station went offline."

This was the part that Fengge knew well enough. Shira had already told him about the idea that she had. The paleontologist could feel it in his bones….. Alara'jal that escaped destruction, venturing to the unknown to escape their fate. Could it truly be possible? His gut instinct told him that it had to be. No doubt, the Alara'jal scattered in different directions. Did they commit suicide by tossing themselves against their enemies, or did they go somewhere else? His fists clenched at the very prospect.

"It is under our belief…," Passos continued, "that the Aksren clan had pulverized Zalri'Eko Alpha as it served as the heart of the entire Alara'jal outpost, but the outpost consists of several listening posts and defense emplacements. It's possible that the Aksren might have missed one of these posts during their bombardment. Our goal is to deploy our marines to raid one of these bases. We believe that it has recorded data of the trajectory jump paths of the last 200 years. The UHN Drake will send one of our shuttles, the Goshawk, to dock with the UHN Lifen. From there, we will pick up Captain Shira's marines and deploy them to any intact facilities. Their goal will be to secure this data and return back. From there, we will decide our next course of action, including going to the sector where the Alara'jal went to."

"I….question this," Youica protested, interrupting the briefing.

"I further doubt the purpose of this," Coyaca added before they both looked at Shira. "Your father failed to stop the Emphra in this battle."

"The Aksren clan fail to destroy everything they look at," Youica made a series of clicks in her voice.

"But, you expect them to miss one….how foolish. You are more stupid than you look. You put your warriors into danger…..to find ghosts."

"The possibility of failure is present," Shira calmly told them. "However, I acknowledge the dangers. No doubt if the Aksren clan had failed to destroy one of these listening posts, that the Emphra may be present as well. I trust my marines in doing their jobs to acquire this data."

"I second that as well!" the marine said as he slammed his fist to the table. "I'm Master Sergeant Stone. I will be leading the team personally to follow my captain's wishes. We will succeed…..unless you are afraid to send your own soldiers to help us!"

Coyaca hissed as she stood up. Her tail snapped in the air as she got up. The very words mocked her, and she was ready to fight him. Stone also stood up as well, but he was clearly much taller than her. The fierce gaze and clenched fists of the marine showed his determination to engage in whatever stood in his way. The scene was getting out of hand as Fengge put his hands to his head. He wasn't expecting this. Other officers' eyes would widen in shock as well.

"Please….Hey!" Passos said, getting adamant. Shira lifted her hand that Stone saw, causing him to back down and sit down again.

"Lesser Adjunct Coyaca….Lesser Adjunct Youica…," Fengge spoke to them. "Please let this be in the spirit of cooperation." He confidently elaborated in the Itrean language. He would make a set of clicking sounds and use a vocabulary only the Itreans knew about. The Yutilians seemed mildly surprised as they turned their heads to look at him. However, they appeared mildly confused. Their feathers rose and fell as they tilted their heads in an attempt to understand.

"What was that, Doctor Fengge?" Youica asked.

“Ummm….. *click*….eep….. Hes'tao *click*?" he thought twice about what he had just said.

"Ha…..ha….," the two Yutilians turned to look at each other and laugh. This was followed by a series of chirps and clicks in the spirit of amusement. Fengge was taken aback by the response. Even the other Shal'rein medic was surprised by what he said. However, it did seem to lighten the mood suddenly.

"Uh….did I say the correct words, or are you two just mocking me? Umm….Shira?" Fengge turned to look at Shira. The Shal'rein captain calmly explained to him.

"You stated that 'In the spirit of the group,' and that 'You wish to eat fish on their rear-ends.'"

Some of the officers were doing their best to hold back their laughter. Fengge seemed somewhat embarrassed, but he put his hands up. He was never the type to be humiliated and quickly pushed it aside.

"Oh, dear. Forgive me….umph," Fengge tried to happily explain to them, putting his hand on his chest. "Itrean is never easy to learn. I was trying to say, 'In the spirit of our alliance, let us work together.' I know it must be difficult. I know enough of your history that the Yutilians played a role in wiping out the Alara'jal, but….times have changed."

"They are dangerous…," Youica said.

"But…Fengge is right," Coyaca tried to reminisce. "Further trouble will only anger our alliance. Let us….work together."

"Yes," Youica hesitantly replied. It silenced their argument.

Fengge looked to his right and saw Javier nodding his head, motivating the paleontologist. Shira remained indifferent as Passos gave a soft sigh. He seemed more relieved that the alien women were somewhat challenging to operate with.

The vice admiral grumbled a little, seeing that the scene had resumed control. "Our goal is to secure the data of the whereabouts of any Alara'jal strongholds and negotiate with them. Our secondary goal is to acquire any special equipment or munitions that the Alara'jal might have at the outpost or what they took with them.

"Ah….," Youica quietly commented, avoiding any further interruption.

"Antimatter warheads….heavy railguns…," Coyaca whispered. This seemed to peek the interests of the two Itreans.

"However, due to the unpredictability of the environment," Passos continued. "We must assume that we're heading into a possible confrontation with the Aksren or any possible Emphra remnants that still exist at Outpost-1078. I expect all ships to be at Condition 2, ready to initiate Battle Stations at a moment's notice. Our goal is to avoid any possible engagement with the Aksren clan if their response is immediate and a paramount threat to the task force. Captain Shira, I think that even you would find those orders to be reasonable."

"Of course," she replied.

"If the Aksren clan do launch an attack at us that we cannot repel, we will retreat and jump back to Mars ASAP. Time will be of the essence as long as we are there. After our first objectives are concluded, I will then decide on the next course of action. Are there any questions?"

The room seemed quiet at first. Most of the officers were well acquainted with the briefing as it was. However, a sense of apprehension filled the air. Many knew that this was going to be a dangerous mission. Fengge could only understand this to a point.

"Then I don't see any further wait on this," Passos commented as he shut off the projection image and turned the lights back on. "Everyone, with the exception of Doctor Fengge and the Lifen staff, you're dismissed."

With that, the room began to empty of personnel. Fengge watched as the two Itrean women stood up and left. They never bothered to look back. They almost seemed to walk in step together, their tails swinging in the same pattern. Virtually half of the officers had vacated the room. Once the door closed, the vice admiral gestured with his hand for everyone else to stand up. They all did so. Fengge immediately noticed how big Shira was, as she was half a meter taller than him.

“Bah….,” Passos remarked. "Now I have to debate launching a formal complaint to the T'rintar clan for those lesser adjuncts and their behavior. I would have also expected more from you, Master Sergeant."

"Hmph….," Stone replied with a grunt. He said nothing else.

"You will find that those lesser adjuncts will be more important to you than you realize, Vice Admiral," Shira calmly told him. She took a step toward him and placed her hands behind her back. Her shark-like tail seemed to twitch a little bit.

"Very well…." Passos dropped the issue. "I wanted to have all of you here since this entire mission pertains to you more than it does with me. My goal is to really provide backup to the Lifen in case the Aksren clan decides that they don't want us in their territory."

"Quite the contrary," Shira replied. "You are correct. The environment that we are heading into will have variables. It will very likely involve the possibility of splitting up our forces to achieve the final goals of the mission."

"Yes….that is why Doctor Fengge will be with us. If, for some instance, we happen to find any living Alara'jal, it will be Fengge that will be our mock Ambassador. Doctor, are you still sure that you want to be a part of this mission?"

"Wholeheartedly, Passos," Fengge replied with glee. "I have dreamed of this moment. If there was a god, then he put me here to be a part of this expedition."

"Then there will be other questions that I need to bring forth as well. Doctor….Floral’sha….umm…I apologize….did I get your name right?"

"Doctor Folar'sha," the other Shal'rein politely corrected him.

"Yes, I had a question. If Fengge or any of the human teams were exposed to the open air of a planetary body or moon, would they be alright?"

"I promise you that Fengge has received all the immuno-boosters needed to walk most of the known worlds we have cataloged," Folar'sha explained. "Before and after we make any trip, he will receive a full checkup from me. He won't carry any diseases that can threaten the habitat of another place."

"What about your disease?" Passos gestured to Shira and Folar'sha. "Assuming we find the Alara'jal, would you end up contaminating them with it?"

"No," Folar'sha was adamant. "Zilik's Disease can't afflict the Alara'jal. The disease we carry poses no threat to humans, and they aren't carriers."

"It would be highly unlikely," Shira added. "It is attuned to target Yutilians, Aksren, and Shal'rein. Zilik constructed the disease to target those three subspecies as she knew they were the only ones alive. She also didn't have access to Alara'jal DNA as well. Regardless, Fengge, it will be important that you be discreet about Zilik's Disease."

"I only know so much about it besides what I've been told," Fengge replied with a shrug. "I could only provide so much information as it is."

"We can still have afflicted Itreans interact with other subspecies," Folar'sha said. "But….to be safe, I would still recommend that any Itrean teams that accompany Fengge be sealed in their wrap armor. It would greatly lessen the opportunity of any potential exposure. We can continue to run any further analysis to ensure that nothing was missed."

"That sounds wise," Javier commented with a nod.

"Then I can't think of anything else to add to this," Passos commented. He sniffed hard, causing his mustache to flick a little bit. "Fengge, depending on how this goes, it may end up becoming the most…. unrelieved mission or something that may very well depend on you."

"I can assure all of you that I am more than ready for this," Fengge turned and looked at Shira. "I can promise you that Shira chose wisely in finding me."

There was a hint of a smile on Shira's rounded face, but it quickly faded. For somebody that seemed to react little, it was a sign for the paleontologist that he was making his impression upon everybody.

"Then I will leave everyone to their duties," Passos commented. "Everyone, good luck…..dismissed."

With that, everyone began to leave. Fengge and Passos remained as they were as they watched the door open. The last that the doctor saw was Shira's tail before the door closed behind her.

"Ugh…..," Passos grumbled. He ruffled his mustache as he looked at the doctor.

"What is it, Passos?" Fengge asked him.

“Hmmm…..ask me later….”

The doctor wrapped his arms around himself. A smug look appeared on his face as he tapped his chin. There was no hint of doubt from him, but the look of concern on the military leader's face was a little disheartening. Little did Fengge know that his journey was about to begin, along with whatever obstacles were soon to appear.....

 

Chapter 2: The Last Outpost Part 1

 

"Sir! Sir, Passos!" yelled Fengge. The paleontologist hobbled down the passageway. His magnetic boots were clamping on the deck with several hard thumps as he wasn't used to walking this way. Unlike last time, Fengge wore his signature safari hat. It almost seemed to give him a swagger when it came to his looks.

The zero gravity outside of the rotating centripetal ring was evident. It had been over a few hours. The vice admiral appeared to daydream as he stared at the bulkhead and thumbed his chin. The passageway was empty, leaving the older gentleman to his thoughts. He barely even seemed to notice the wondering civilian that appeared in a hurry to find him.

Fengge knew that he wasn't far from the hangar bay doors. Passos again didn't seem to notice the voice calling out for him until he was finally close enough to stir him from his thoughts. He sniffed and finally twitched his mustache before he turned to look at Fengge.

"Yes, Doctor Fengge," Passos said.

"Phew…." The paleontologist remarked. "I didn't know if you were on the bridge or not. Had to find you before the shuttle was going to depart."

"What is it that you want?" The vice admiral turned to face him.

"I want to be with the marines when they start exploring the station."

"What?" Passos tried to react calmly, but his voice expressed his level of shock upon hearing such a request.

"I…..had the time to think about it, and I want to be on that station. I want to be there to see it all!"

"You can't be serious, Doctor."

"Dead serious as the first day a dinosaur bone touched my boot, serious."

"I… don't know if I can allow that. Assuming that we find anything to put our troops on, we don't know what we might encounter. There could be traps….Emphra….maybe Aksren soldiers. It would be perilous for a civilian."

Fengge shook his head. "I am all aware of the risks. I'm already going to be talking to the Alara'jal face-to-face. I've worked with skeletons of their ancestors that were three times my height. I know the risks and am more than ready to face it. I want to be there first before anything else."

Passos only seemed partially convinced. "'If' we find them. I don't know…..there are many dangers….I can't promise your safety. Even if we find the Alara'jal, it will mean nothing if you are killed or injured before we reach them."

"Please…. you know me. I'm Doctor Fengge Yu, the greatest paleontologist of the 24th century. I travel to every corner of Earth regardless of its conditions. I would risk my life, if necessary, for science and Itreopology."

"Itreopology?"

"My coined phrase for Itrean Anthropology."

Passos seemed to sigh and look away. He paused for some time. It was as if he was arguing with himself but was distracted at the same time. Finally, he spoke to Fengge.

"Youth these days….," Passos commented with a sniff of his nose. "I can't keep up with how much is changing."

"Surely, it isn't changing that much."

Passos shook his head. "It's too fast…I still remember Gabatrix. I spoke to him when I was a child. Now he's passed, and I am almost the same age as he was when I first saw him. That felt like yesterday. Now….we have Itreans….aliens….and a galaxy far bigger than we ever knew. It's too much for an old man like me."

"A man twice my age still has a lot to live for," Fengge was adamant in how he said it.

"Hmmm…..when you reach my age, the last thing you want to be told is that you have a lot to live for. Do you know who I am, Doctor?"

"I don't understand."

"Do you know the JJ-78 incident?"

"A little bit."

"Then you would know the ship that was involved in it."

"I don't."

The vice admiral paused and looked at the interior. "Well.....you're standing in it."

"Really?"

Passos snifled his nose. "The Drake was the surviving ship. The Cabot and her Captain sacrificed themselves to save me and my crew. I still remember Commander William's face when we had to make our retreat."

"I know so little about it."

"Hmm....let's say that history follows me. I believe in luck, Doctor. If it didn't violate military rules, I would sneak every charm around my neck and appendage over my body. I'm a superstitious man…." He paused as his thumbs fiddled with his fingers. "Luck was with me two years ago. Then, I thought that I was going to die. Now......once again, pressed against the enemy. I know what is going to happen in this mission…."

"What?"

"This will be my last mission….I retire in two days….two days, and I get to see my family….my granddaughter….my wife. I live away from the war as the youth replace me in this ever-changing galaxy."

Passos was not a man of emotion, but there were heartfelt words in how he conveyed his last sentence. Doctor Fengge held his arms out in triumph.

"That's great news. You finally get a chance to sit back…. maybe get a chance to enjoy my shows."

"No…," Passos shook his head. "I know exactly what this means. Two days from retirement. I've seen it all. A man of my experience can tell you when the signs are present. I've seen the old Earth films…..two days from retirement. I've been cursed….and possibly my crew."

Fengge still didn't understand what he was getting at. What was so significant about two days from retirement? Was there some sentimental weight to the phrase? However, whatever the case was, the doctor was doing his best to reconcile with him.

"You are afraid that you'll die?" the doctor asked. "You are still alive right now and have been alive since you started the military. I'm sure you will be alright through this whole mission."

"Are you sure about that, Doctor? In about an hour, we'll be departing to enemy territory, with some…." Passo's looked at his ship. "Some…..aging warship….rambunctious and rude allies…and a woman that betrayed her own people…..with an even older Captain to lead them. There was a time that I had this ship in tip-top shape. Why I knew every screwhead and pipe that went to every deck that every new engineer would die to know. Now…now….look at it."

The paleontologist looked around the passageway. He saw nothing of the unusual. It was a long straightforward alley with multiple sealed doors. It was clean and smelled like the artificial air that permeated the scene.

"I don't see anything wrong," Fengge comforted him. He risked it and held his arm to the vice admiral's shoulder. "As a civilian, I think you just need someone to talk to. In two days, you say goodbye to this vessel and crew. I'm sure that they'll miss you."

"Hmm…..yes….yes, maybe you're right." The pep talk seemed to stir him a little bit. "The problem with us' Captains' is that we don't get a chance to talk to those lower than us because it makes us look weak, but who becomes our counselors? Who is there to slap that old man to get him to wake up?"

"Live life to the fullest. Don't look at this as some cursed mission. Consider this as an opportunity before you finally retire. Look at that, Shira. She seems smart and levelheaded. She helped make this mission possible. Did she recommend having you a part of this?"

"Hmph…hmph…," he did a grumbled laugh. "Why yes."

"Because she knew that you would do well in this mission. She knew that you were well experienced and that you would excel at your duties."

"Hmmm…..perhaps."

"Give you one last adventure before you get to be with your family. After this mission, it will be even fewer days before you retire. If all else fails, somebody like me will be the one that will bear the front for science. Toss me to the wolves, Vice Admiral. I'm your guy."

"Heh…..Hmmm….Yes." Passos sniffed his nose. He paused and thought about it. Finally, he tapped the younger man's hand to let go of him. "Ehh….at least I was still able to deliver that briefing with some judiciousness. If it's one thing that we Admirals get to do is talk, talk, and talk. I've done my best to avoid it. They tried to offer me a seat off the ship, but….I liked this ship….Drake…..it's such a nice name. I never wanted to leave it. Well…."

The vice admiral almost pushed aside whatever emotions were threatening to come forth. Instead, he was reassuring himself and became adamant. Fengge knew that he was looking at the same man that was at the briefing. It was as if some aged warrior was resurfacing. The vice admiral then put his hand on the paleontologist's shoulders.

“Fine….,” Passos said. "Go and get on that shuttle. But," the vice admiral pointed his finger at him. "Captain Shira must give the go-ahead if she will let you participate or not. Just because I can say you can, doesn't mean that she'll let you. She must weigh the risks or not."

Fengge held his fist in a minor form of victory. "Yes…Thank you."

With that, the paleontologist turned around and left the vice admiral. The magnetic boots would continue to click and clack the deck as he was determined not to miss his flight.

"Hmm....hmm......yes," the vice admiral quietly remarked to himself.

 

*******

 

Thirty minutes had passed. Doctor Fengge walked down the spinning centripetal ring of the Lifen's habitat. Time was of the essence. The sooner that he had a chance to see Shira, the better. For a moment, the paleontologist would pause as he tapped his feet.

"Omph….," Fengge said as he could see some crew walking back past him. "Not used to having to walk in zero gravity to induced gravity. Ah…..I miss Earth's gravity."

He finally neared the door. It had to be at the right spot. Shira could be in her stateroom or on the bridge already. He had to try this room first.

The paleontologist reached over and touched the door panel. His heart was pounding. He could feel it in his soul. He knew that he was going to go stir-crazy if he remained on the ship. Meanwhile, the marines would get the glory of touching Alara'jal engineering, their work, and their mastery of construction.

"Come on….," Fengge said to himself. He was about to tap the panel when the door slid open.

"Doctor Fengge," Shira calmly said. "Please enter."

The near-emotionless voice echoed from the interior of the room. Upon stepping inside, Fengge had a pleasant view of the locale. It almost looked similar to one of the rooms inside the UHN Drake. However, there were some slight differences in the internal construction. The Captain's stateroom consisted of a single display table. A few chairs lined around its spherical layout. A few displays lined the bulkheads and center projector. A set of closed bunks could be seen. Shira was sitting on her chair, her tail spilling over the seat and a cigarette burning by her fingertips. The hint of the aroma of cigarette smoke filled the air.

Another person was standing facing the Captain. She appeared to be human with a dark complexion to her. Her hair had been curly and cut short. She was dressed in the marine camouflage working uniform. She appeared to be mildly strong, cut from the hard work that marines typically had to go through. She briefly looked at Fengge.

"Continue…," Shira gestured to the marine.

"I….," the unknown woman seemed hesitant at first. "Does he have to be a part of this?" The marine pointed her finger toward Fengge.

"Time is of the essence, Sergeant Zalika. Continue….”

“I just…..where we’re going….”

The female marine was apprehensive. She was trying to remain composed, but she was showing signs of fear. She did her best to stay calm. Fengge recognized that this woman was Oshunian and had an accent that also seemed to mimic it. Her dark complexion also further hinted at her origins.

"I have to state my….issues….with this mission, Ma'am," Zalika explained.

"You knew of this upcoming op for some time," Shira responded. "However, you decided to wait till now before bringing this to my attention." The Shal'rein took a drag from her cigarette. A puff of smoke radiated out from her nostrils.

"It…." Zalika gripped her hands so hard that they turned a lighter color.

"Zalika, you have the choice if you wish to be a part of this or not."

The marine took a deep breath and momentarily looked at Fengge. "I…."

Shira lifted her hand. "Do not let his arrival cloud your emotions. Speak what is on your mind."

"I can leave if….," Fengge tried to say, but Shira again waved her cigarette. She didn't even bother to look at him. The paleontologist remained quiet.

"Your expertise will be valuable on this mission," Shira explained to Zalika.

"I still have nightmares about them, you know?" Zalika said with a nervous smile.

"No doubt that you do. I would question the sanity of most individuals that would carelessly fight the Emphra, human or Itrean. Unless….of course, there was a defining reason to do so."

The Emphra….the name stung in Fengge’s mind. What had happened to Zalika? He didn't know. He had to remain quiet as he stood there. A part of him genuinely felt that he should leave and let this discussion be in private.

"I lost a lot of friends recently," Zalika replied in a shaken stir. "That officer….that fucking officer didn't care. They just sent us into a zone with not a care in the galaxy. Me and Ioren were the only survivors."

"Indeed, I'm well aware of your actions on the UHN Columbia."

"Then you have to promise me!" Zalika said, pointing her finger at the CO. "You know what is there. Anything….any little thing. Where the Emphra maybe hiding…..something that we don't know about."

"I can only offer you the truth on this. We are heading into hostile territory. We face numerous enemies, both seen and hidden. Caution and speed will be the key to the first phase of this operation."

Zalika was doing her best to handle this, but it was evident that she was partially distressed. Finally, she spoke up again.

"Those new marines….they will be put into the thicket of this…."

"All the better to have you and Ioren there to provide backup for them. Of course, you can always choose not to be a part of this. There is no shame in doing such a thing."

“Son of a….,” Zalika commented. Her anger was not directed toward Shira. If anything, the Oshunian woman seemed to fall back on her argument.

"Sergeant, unlike Major Marshall, I'm well aware of the enemy. I know the scene and environment that you will fight in. You will have the proper equipment, resources, and knowledge on how to defeat them, and I won't pretend that your opposition may be more unsurmountable than you realize. Your actions here may very well determine the larger events that are yet to come." Shira turned her head to look at Fengge. Her single yellow shark-like eye gazed upon the man. "Doctor Fengge Yu will also join you as well."

"You read my mind, Shira," Fengge replied with a smile. "And here I was going to plea to you that I be a part of this."

"What!? Oh, heeellll no," Zalika remarked in shock. "He's just a civilian."

"And he will be treated as such," Shira calmly explained. "It will be Centurion Bekra's responsibility to make sure that Fengge comes back alive…. preferably intact and unharmed."

"What's he going to do there?" Zalika waved her hand a little bit in dismissal. "Umm…Doctor…..Doctor?"

"Fengge…..Fengge Yu at your service," the paleontologist extended his hand to shake hers. "But, you can just call me Fengge."

"Any combat knowledge?"

"None, but I have fired a pistol back on Earth."

"But that isn't why you wanted to be a part of this upcoming mission now, isn't it?" Shira said.

"I want to explore…." Fengge explained. "Learn more about the Alara'jal as much as possible….even if it's just ruins. I must learn more about them, whatever the cost."

"Sergeant," Shira turned her attention to the marine. "Arm and prepare yourself. Unless you have any other issues that you wish to bring forth?"

Zalika said nothing further. She was distraught enough that she didn't bother to salute when she stepped out. Shira waited till the marine reached the door.

"There is something else that you can tell Centurion Bekra," Shira said. It caused Zalika to pause in her walk.

“What, Ma’am?” Zalika asked.

Shira took a drag of her cigarette before blowing the smoke from her nostrils. "You can tell Centurion Bekra that I will put in a good word for her. I think a promotion is in order. Greater Centurion is a more fitting rank for someone such as her to have. Especially after your prior past engagements. Of course, it would be important that both of you return back alive to enjoy the full fruition of such a possibility. Wouldn't you agree?"

Shira took her cigarette and tapped the ashes onto her small ashtray. Zalika almost seemed glad to hear of it. It was enough to push her out of her trepidation and focus back on reality. She said nothing else and gave the nod in approval. With that, the door slid open, and the marine stepped out. Once the door closed, Fengge turned to speak with the Shal'rein woman.

"I'm sorry for interrupting that," the doctor explained.

"Not at all," Shira calmly replied, stuffing her burnt-out cigarette into her ashtray and closing its lid. "Time is of the essence, Doctor."

"How did you know that I wanted to go with the marines?"

"You made great strives to come to my ship just to personally speak with me. You only confirmed it once you refused to protest it."

"That marine….she seemed really troubled with what happened to her."

"How much do you know of the Emphra?"

"Not much….except with just a mentioning here and there. Most of my attention is ancient history, not recent."

"You will find what you encounter to be most….interesting. But I have a question for you, Doctor. Assuming there is anything worth finding, what is your intended course of action when you traverse with my marines?"

Fengge noticed that Shira wasn't asking that question out of curiosity. Of course, her lack of emotion in her words didn't help, but it almost appeared that she already knew what she was asking.

"Why to take pictures, of course," Fengge replied with a smile. "I want as much documented action and recordings about the Alara'jal as possible. From their civilizations, their buildings, their tools, anything to show exactly what they were to what they become."

"Then I suggest that you record as much as possible. The more, the better, but always remember…." She intertwined her fingers together as she focused hard on him. "Every action has consequences. You will find that wishing for something that you desire the most usually has a price to it. I would very much prefer that you survive this ordeal. Your contribution to this overall operation is far more significant than you realize."

Fengge put his hand to his heart. "I give you my word that I will come back unscathed. I won't do anything to jeopardize the lives of those marines, I swear."

"See to it. Head to the shuttle and get yourself suited up."

"Thank you, and good luck."

Shira said nothing else. She appeared to be getting ready to leave the room herself. It was as the captain of the Lifen had suggested. Soon, the operation would fall into full swing. With Fengge, he momentarily paused as he considered what Shira told him. Was he making a mistake by doing this? Only time would tell....

 

*******

 

"Just like being back on Earth during its annual 'Muck Dusters,'" Fengge said as he took a good look at his suit.

"Yeah, but this suit is a little bit different," Zalika explained. "With the civie TT-100 suits, you can handle what's going to be thrown at you in a vacuum. You have a computer guidance and small thruster packs just in case you end up free-floating in zero gravity."

The interior of the Goshawk looked partially packed. It consisted of several marines, at least eight in total. The equipment that the marines used was daunting and incredible. They wore a heavy thick brown armored power suit. Their bodies looked like walking tanks due to their bulkiness. It protected every inch with only a small visor to see their faces. Even the paleontologist couldn't believe it. Most of them had some sort of long arm that was strapped to their sides. The weapons appeared to be a heavy caliber machine gun and laser emitter connected into one frame. One seemed to be wielding some sort of large-caliber weapon, possibly a grenade launcher. Another had a smaller rifle on a large sling arm. All these guns had an ammo belt connected to a disk drum on the marine's backs. A vast computer network connected to each person's visor. The suits alone could easily handle the outside vacuum of space with little issue.

Fengge looked at himself again. He wore a white and gray suit that covered his entire body. He had a small pack behind his back. Dark gray magnetic boots kept him clamped to the deck. On his right hip was a pair of small devices. On the top of his head was a helmeted visor. It provided an enclosed atmosphere if he chooses to do it. On his left hip was a holstered pistol. The interior of the shuttle consisted of the main compartment where the marines sat together facing one another. Their backs almost pressed to the bulkheads. There was a set of doors on each side to allow grappling and forced boarding entry. The front compartment was where the cockpit resided. The rear room led to other facilities if needed. Inside, the comms would radio and echo to indicate the constant communication traffic in the task force. The lack of gravity, once again, put Fengge in a state of queasiness.

With Fengge and the marines were two Itreans. Both of them appeared to be of the Aksren variety. One wore red and green wrap armor that covered her entire body and tail, with the exception of her head. Fengge knew this to be Bekra, the one that Shira mentioned earlier. She carried a foldable two-barrel assault rifle of some sort with a large box magazine. The other almost didn't seem to be Aksren. She had the nose and head crest of an Aksren, but her pointed nose seemed more rounded. She had green and red feathers that protruded from the top of her head and her wrap armor was greener. On each of her hips were two pistols of unknown design, including other sorts of detachable devices.

"I think I know how to adjust the controls," Fengge said, looking at his wrist computer. "It's pretty much like the other suit that I use. I got to admit, though, I feel odd with this tiny pistol compared to what you guys got."

"Tiny man with a tiny pistol," one of the marines said. It was the one with the grenade launcher.

"Will this be enough to fight against what we're going to face?"

"No," Zalika replied. "Won't do anything to save you in a firefight."

"Then why give me a gun?"

That was a preview of Gabatrix: Relics. To read the rest purchase the book.

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