Three Square Meals Ch. 107

"The Maliri are winging their way to us as fast as they can," Niskera said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Alyssa informed me that in two days' time they will be in range to transmit those new schematics... by the third day, their fleet will arrive at Trankara."

"By that time, we will have three more fleets ready for battle," Thandrun said, in his rumbling voice. "Although it might be prudent to hold those ships in place at the shipyards and delay committing them to battle until the new shields have been installed."

Niskera slowly shook her head. "I understand that you wish to preserve as much of our forces as possible, but we must start repulsing the Kirrix invaders."

The Fleet Warden sighed and nodded. "I know, my Queen. We must do what we can to prevent the suffering of our citizens... It just pains me that our hand is being forced."

"We must never allow the Republic to be this exposed again, Thandrun," she said, her glowing eyes narrowing with anger. "Our people are paying the price for the Senate's indecisiveness and lack of preparation."

His slab-like face broke into a smile. "With you in charge, my Queen, I have a feeling that will never be a problem."

The intensity of Niskera's answering gaze unnerved Thandrun, until he realised she wasn't looking directly at him, she appeared to be staring off into the distance. A chime at the door drew his attention and he stomped over to the door, glancing at the holo-display to see who it was. Tapping the rune by the frame, the door yawned open, admitting Associate Bhaken. The younger Trankaran strode inside, his eyes widening when he saw the Glowing Queen.

Bhaken wavered for a moment, fighting the urge to drop to his knees, as he knew such overt deference troubled Niskera. "Revered Queen," he began, settling for a sweeping bow. "I wish to inform you that we have docked at Vulkamduhr Shipyards. The Star Forges are ready for your inspection."

She gave the Associate a grateful smile. "Thank you, Bhaken. We had best not keep the workers of Vulkamduhr waiting."

Niskera left the command room with Bhaken and Thandrun, her honour guard forming a defensive cordon around the Glowing Queen as they left the Bridge and made their way to the elevators. Niskera was lost in thought, so her escorts stayed silent so as not to disturb her, watching the runes on the deck counter change as they descended. When they reached the lowest level of the Kerhom's Anvil, the group strode out through the broad airlock into a cavernous docking bay.

A stocky Trankaran wearing runed ceremonial robes was waiting for them, an entourage of a dozen Forgemasters arrayed around him. His eyes widened when he saw Niskera and just like his fellow craftsmen, he dropped to his knees with a look of awe on his blunt features. "By the Great Maker..." he murmured in a low rumble, before prostrating himself before her.

The Glowing Queen hurried over and crouched down beside the elder Trankaran. Niskera gently lifted his chin and said in her rich voice, "Please arise, Forgelord Onahm. I should be the one bowing before you; I am not deserving of such an honour."

She offered him a hand and helped him to his feet, unsettled by the way one of the most respected men in the Trankaran Republic was staring at her in wonder.

"You are the prophet of the Great Protector and you have already proven why he chose you," the Forgelord rumbled, unable to stop staring at the warm light that pulsed from the glowing lines spiralling around her body. "You broke the deadlock of the Senate and ended months of shameful bickering in but a single day. More importantly, you healed the divisions between our rock-brethren, rallying them to fight the Kirrix; now the halls of Vulkamduhr ring with the glorious sound of metal being forged into machines of war. You do yourself a huge disservice by downplaying your impressive accomplishments, Queen Niskera."

"I have only tried to serve our people in the manner in which they deserve," she said quietly, humbled by his effusive praise.

He gave her an enigmatic smile. "I always expected great things from you and you have not disappointed."

Niskera gave him a shy smile in return, inclining her head respectfully. "I would be unable to face the shame should I ever disappoint you, Forgelord."

Onahm turned and gestured with his grey paw, the granite-like skin showing cracks with age. "Come, let me show you what you have wrought with your diligent service to the Republic."

They walked across the Docking Bay and through high-ceilinged corridors lined with massive buttresses. Glowing amber lines ran up the walls and pillars, illuminating the majesty of Vulkamduhr with their warm glow. Long windows gave a panoramic view of the bright white sun that powered the star forges, the filters allowing Niskera to view the blistering ball of energy without being blinded. Incredibly powerful thermal shields protected the shipyard, ensuring that the intense heat of the solar rays would not burn Vulkamduhr to a crisp.

The corridor rose into a ramp and when it levelled off, the windows now lined the opposite wall. This view was no less spectacular, allowing Niskera to see the first of the star forges. An ancient relic from a time long-past, it was shaped like a vast ring, with numerous inner circles formed from an enormous framework of glistening black metal. Ore was channelled into hoppers above the ring, where it was dropped into superheated plasma, the bubbling magma-like liquid then funnelled into the upper levels of the star forge itself. Slowly emerging from the star forge was the armoured superstructure of a Trankaran battleship, the blazing red vessel shrouded in a shimmering heat-haze.

"All six are running at full capacity... a first in my lifetime," Onahm said, a mix of powerful emotions shining in his eyes as he glanced at Niskera.

"Do you have everything you require to maintain that pace?" Niskera asked, staring at the colossal warship inching out of the star forge.

He nodded, turning back to gaze at the imposing ship. "We have been receiving shipments from every corner of the Republic. Your Senators are working diligently to meet our every demand."

They turned and carried on walking along the corridor. The next room contained the cooled outer shell of a Trankaran cruiser, the angry scarlet now muted to the familiar dull rust-red of all Trankaran warships. Hundreds of Trankaran engineers were at work, the bright flare of plasma torches illuminating their blocky frames as they installed all the external components. A dozen anti-grav barges and hover-trucks packed with crates and equipment made their way in an orderly queue to the cavernous assembly area, where the rest of the ship components were waiting for installation. Cranes and grav-hoists swung 20-metre-long Fusion Beams into position along the flank of the warship, while gigantic propulsion systems were winched into place at the rear of the vessel.

"Have you had any difficulties with compatibility?" Fleet Warden Thandrun asked, as he watched a spherical Power Plant being lowered into the hull. "Ashanath vessels are so different from our own."

Forgelord Onahm shook his head. "None whatsoever. It was as simple as removing one Power Core and simply replacing it with the upgraded version." He smiled as he looked at Niskera and added, "That two such radically different species should develop technology along similar lines would have seemed extremely improbable, but for your explanation of our shared origins. To think that we were all once servants of the Great Maker..."

"And now we stand together as friends and allies of the Great Protector," Niskera said with a smile. "There is a pleasing symmetry in all the Maker's children uniting under one banner once again."

A ringing chime pealed out three times, the sonorous notes echoing down the corridor. The engineers in the assembly room beyond all broke from work at once, walking with heavy steps in their magnetic boots as they traversed the hull of the cruiser. They gathered in groups and began walking towards the exits on the far side of the huge hangar, their excitement obvious to the spectators even on the far side of the room.

"The workers are assembling," the Forgelord said, gesturing down the corridor.

They set off again, continuing along the gallery until they reached a broad passageway that turned right into the centre of the shipyard. As she walked through those antiquated halls, Niskera immersed herself in the spiritual magnificence of Vulkamduhr. It had been a broken ruin when her people had reclaimed it nine millennia ago, but with great sacrifices and dedication the facility had been lovingly restored to its former glory. Niskera had often tried to imagine the Great Maker walking these halls with his Favoured Ones, but now she pictured John with the Maliri, and a felt a shiver run down her spine.

Onahm had been watching her and noticed her involuntary shiver. "Nervous, my Queen?"

She shook her head and smiled. "I never felt closer to the Great Maker than during my visits to Vulkamduhr. Now this holy site feels like a bridge between the halcyon days of the ancient past and a glorious new future that fills me with hope."

He looked around, then closed his eyes for a moment as he walked, matching her pace with his measured tread. "I always considered Vulkamduhr to be a testimony to the resilience of the Trankarans; that we were able to rebuild and recover from so much darkness." The Forgelord slowly reopened his eyes and smiled at Niskera. "But I believe I prefer your interpretation."

Reaching a T-junction, Onahm turned left, guiding them deeper into the facility. After only a few more minutes they reached an imposing set of doors that were layered in elaborate Trankaran runes. The guards at the doors opened them, revealing a dimly-lit corridor that brightened noticeably at the end. This hallowed place felt steeped in history and Niskera found herself holding her breath as she walked towards the balcony at the end of the tunnel. Had another Glowing Queen walked this path before her? The thought made her skin tingle.

Reaching the low parapet wall, she looked out over the huge meeting hall, row upon row of Trankarans arrayed before her. The sheer numbers were staggering and must have included every worker in Vulkamduhr, each and every one waiting for a glimpse of their Queen. Shrugging off her outer robe, Niskera held her bared arms aloft, palms held upward. She stood silently, letting them gaze at the pulsing light that matched the beat of her heart.

Hearing the sudden intake of breath from tens-of-thousands was like listening to a sharp breeze whistling over the mountaintops of the Khurduirthen range on Trankara. Niskera could see the stunned expressions on the workers' faces as they stared at her in open-mouthed amazement. Row after row dropped to their knees a second later, accompanied by a rumbling crash that sounded like an avalanche.

"Rock Brethren of Vulkamduhr, rise and heed my words... for I come to you with great tidings!" Niskera called out as she lowered her arms, the clever harmonics of the chamber making her voice resonate to every corner of the cavernous room.

As the shocked workers slowly rose to their feet, she continued, "The story of our people began with the Great Maker, who shaped us and gifted us with life. For millennia we have mourned his departure, wishing his return while we sought to rebuild what was lost. But the Great Maker did not abandon us... his lasting legacy to our people was a gift of glorious self-sacrifice. It has been revealed to me that he laid down his own life to defeat Ranagon the Despoiler and ended the War of the Heavens, saving us from extinction!"

The Trankarans in the room looked stunned at this revelation and Niskera even heard a shocked inhalation of breath from the Forgelord behind her.

"Mourn the Great Maker, for he has earned our eternal gratitude; we would not exist without his benevolence... but rejoice as well, for we are once more in the time of the Gods! The Great Protector has arrived in our moment of greatest need and chosen me to act as his prophet. No longer will our people be forced to stand alone against the horrors that lurk in the far reaches of space. The Favoured Ones have rallied to the Great Protector's cause and travel the stars once more; he has sent the Maliri speeding to our aid!"

The audience hall echoed with even louder exclamations of wonder that quickly turned into joyful cries of relief.

Niskera raised her glowing arms again to focus her audience's attention. When the gravelly murmurs from the crowd faded away, she continued, "The Republic was facing oblivion, but we must stand strong to repulse the foul Kirrix that besiege us. We have been given incredible gifts of new technology by the Great Protector and more are on their way; soon we will be building vessels that will leave our enemies quaking in fear!"

There was a round of stirring cheers, deep rumbling voices raised in thanks to the Great Protector.

The Glowing Queen nodded. "Yes, you are right to praise the Great Protector for our deliverance, but there are others for whom I reserve my deepest respect and gratitude..." A hushed silence descended on the throng of Trankarans as they waited for Niskera to reveal who it was. "It is you, my Rock-Brethren!" she called out, her rich voice enchanting every soul in the room. "The vessels you build will shield our citizens from harm and hurl back the Kirrix invaders! Every blow of your hammer is a righteous blow for the preservation of our people!"

Her audience stared at her in astonishment, having never been spoken to with such sincere deference before. That the Glowing Queen would hold them in such incredibly high regard stirred the crowd, the workers standing tall with their heads held high, a fervent gleam in every eye.

"On behalf of the millions of Rock-Brethren whose lives you save with the dust worn from your hands, I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Niskera knelt by the low balcony, her head bowed with respect. "To be in the presence of the saviours of the Republic is the greatest honour of my life."

Her declaration was met with stunned silence as the Trankaran workers gaped at their Queen kneeling humbly before them. What started as a low rumble with the crowd chanting her name, built into a deafening roar, the jubilant cries rolling in waves across the parapet. Niskera slowly rose to her feet and smiled at the elated Trankarans, thrilled to see the spirits of her people rising so high. She gave them a parting wave, then turned and stepped away from the balcony to face her companions. They all wore similar looks of wonder on their faces, even Forgelord Onahm, whose cloudy amber eyes were widened in awe.

Niskera walked over to him and said softly, "Thank you for allowing me to speak here today, Forgelord. It was an honour I will never forget."

His expression softened and he lovingly cupped her cheek in his hand. "I have never been more proud of you, my daughter."

***

John, Alyssa, and the five Nymphs watched the holographic image floating in the Medical Bay, the results of the full-body scan displayed before them. Rachel was currently examining Jade, having repeated this same procedure with her patient's four Lenarran sisters.

Rachel frowned as she stared at the exotic alien girl, her glowing eyes narrowing with concentration as her focus shifted to the Nymph's chest. "Alyssa was right... there is something different about you, Jade."

John squeezed the Nymph's hand, then asked quietly, "What is it?"

The doctor brushed her fingers across the control panel and four more images appeared, each one a representation of the Nymphs' crystal hearts. The five holo-scans zoomed in to the microscopic level and now they could all see what uniquely differentiated Jade from her sisters. There were tiny glyphs interwoven throughout the crystalline structure, the strange symbols unfamiliar to everyone in attendance.

"I didn't do that did I?" John asked warily, staring at the bizarre glyphs. "Those aren't Progenitor runes... or at least they're ones I'm not familiar with."

Rachel hesitated, glancing at him as the soft glow faded from her grey eyes. "I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that question yet. As you can see, the glyphs are impossible to observe with the naked eye, so I missed them during my initial autopsy. This is the first time I've examined anyone this closely using my abilities. I would have assumed these markings across her heart were to be expected in all Nymphs, except that her sisters don't have them."

Alyssa brushed her fingers through Jade's dark-green hair. "Either John put those runes there subconsciously... or someone else did a long time ago."

"So if it wasn't done by John, it must have been Mael'nerak who inscribed them," Jade said, glancing down at her chest.

"It all depends what type of glyphs they are," Rachel murmured, lost in thought.

John glanced at Alyssa and said, "Could you call Dana please? It's possible she knows some Progenitor runes that I'm not familiar with."

"She's on her way," the blonde replied after a brief pause.

It didn't take long for the redhead to join them in the Medical Bay, Dana giving them a bright smile as she entered. "Hey! So what's all this about crazy runes on Jade's heart?!"

"Take a look for yourself," Rachel replied, gesturing towards the holo-image. "Do they look familiar to you?"

Dana squinted at the tiny lines of strange glyphs, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Wow... they are weird."

"I can't read them," John said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "They don't look like Progenitor runes to me, but I wanted a second opinion."

The redhead suddenly froze, her eyes widening. "Holy shit!" She pointed frantically at a twisted crescent overlaid by four diagonal slashes. "I've seen that symbol before!"

"Progenitor script?" John asked, staring at the strange glyph.

She quickly shook her head. "No! On the computers in the Underworld!"

Rachel stared at her incredulously. "But that was an Achonin facility! Mael'nerak annihilated their empire 72,000 years ago!"

Dana gave her a helpless shrug. "Yeah, I know! It's fucking crazy... but I swear it's the exact same rune!"

John gently stroked Jade's hand, his expression troubled. "But why would you have Achonin glyphs inscribed on your crystal heart?"

The Nymph looked up at him, her emerald eyes wide in astonishment. "I have absolutely no idea, Master."

He glanced around the room at the rest of the girls, but they looked just as bewildered as he was. His gaze settled on the stunned brunette and he asked apprehensively, "Are they dangerous to Jade? Should I just try to remove them as a precaution?"

Rachel darted a worried frown at the scanned image. "There's so many unknowns... they could mean anything." After a moment's pause, she continued, "Perhaps Irillith might be able to learn the Achonin language? She was able to decode and start translating the Vulkat archive."

Alyssa tilted her head to one side as she listened to the Maliri hacker's telepathic voice. "Irillith wasn't even able to make a connection to the computer systems in the Underworld. Whatever coding formats the Achonin used are totally incompatible with our tech."

Dana shot John a rueful frown. "I only saw a handful of icons on those strange curved displays in the control room. I had a good look around, but that was the only place I saw any form of writing."

He brushed the backs of his fingers over Jade's chest. "Well it looks like they'll have to remain a mystery, at least for the moment. Unless anyone has a better idea, I'm inclined to just leave you as you are for the time being. You've survived this long without any problems and I'm worried what might happen to your memories and personality if I try to remove them."