Chapter 946: The Setting Sun

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Chapter 946: The Setting Sun

"So why do we say the prayer, Father?"

"Because we don't know if they're listening."

"Who?"

"The Sleepers."

"..."

"...Once, long, long ago, so long ago that the people who knew the truth of the stories have been lost themselves, there existed a race that built wonders. Things both great and terrible. And then they disappeared. They left behind them a great emptiness; the worlds they once had owned, left silent and filled only with death, and devices waiting for... Something."

"Where did they go?"

"No-one alive remembers. All we know is that they are gone, but sometimes still watching."

"So we pray?"

"That's right. As we cross the Void, we pray. And we hope that if they're listening, they will show mercy."

"What happens if..."

"No-one will ever know. Sometimes, ships just... Vanish. No-one ever finds them. They step off the Path, or they are seen and their presence rejected... We don't know. But as we don't want to join them, repeat with me..."

"We walk the Path before us, quiet and with eyes downcast."

"Let our steps not disturb or offend."

"Let the next lamp remain lit, that we who follow the Traveler before us may keep within the road you allow."

"Let us cross in silence, in respect."

"Let not our tread awaken those who Sleep, nor intrude upon their dreams."

"Allow us to pass in peace, that we may go and trouble them no more."

"This we ask in the Traveler's name."

"..."

"Father, what would happen if they woke?"

"We don't know. They were beyond our understanding. We pray for peace, son. And we pray that we never have to find out how their dream ends."

-----

Begin Log Entry 1164937

Single ship, designate Pilgrim-376.

Jump space capability minimal. Unarmed. Multiple life signs / six species detected.

Course indicators consistent with Traveler's Road. No deviations detected.

Digital sentences aboard ship rated Class 2-B. No combat capability.

Unrestricted passage along current course permitted.

End Log Entry 1164937

End of Line

-----

You heard our song?

No, we are not in distress, we are out here for a reason.

No, no. You haven't upset us. Its just the translators turned your inquiry into "Do you need assistance?" Those words have very special meaning to us. That's why we weep. But that is a story for another time.

We sing our song to calm the spirits of the restless ones who sleep nearby. Oh yes, they were dangerous. Beings capable of great wrath, hate and rage. Yes, we fear them, for their anger is a thing of legend, the will of the malevolent universe made manifest.

No, they will not harm you unless you disturb their slumber, or intrude upon their works. Yes, we can tell you the parts of space to avoid, lest you inadvertently incur their wrath.

You show wisdom. Many have sort out their works, seeking to take knowledge from them instead of earning it themselves. Yes, your home system is close to their territory. No, building weapons to defend against them is not going to help, they are the tide, and we but grains of sand on the beach.

What can you do? You heard us singing, join us if you will. The song is easy, one we feel in our souls. You heard it, or you wouldn't be here.

Yes, it is a song of mourning, and of joy and love. And above all, hope. Hope that we will one day see our dangerous, terrifying friends rise and join us in brotherhood once more.

Sing, and we will tell you about them, those who beings who were brother to demons and brother to gods. We shall tell you about our friends, the Terrans.

-----

Welcome to my humble home. What is it that I do here, kneeling in the dirt? I tend to a humble garden, where I grow herbs, grain, fruits, and vegetables.

Your guard is about to step on my tanakaberries.

Oh, you are gracious, telling them to move back and to watch their feet.

Much more gracious than my last guests.

A gift? For me?

I like gifts. I even like surprises.

Sometimes the person who delivers the surprise even survives.

Oh.

Oh.

Depart, and leave me to my meditations of the Madness of Sam-UL, the Wisdom of Sam-UL the Man, and the strength of Herod the Twice Born. - Digital Sentience Guardian, speaking to Grenklakail Archeological Team Seven, 3,806 Current Era.

-----

LEXICON ACCEPTED AND ASSIMILATED

YOU ARE NOW UNDERSTOOD VIA CONTEXT AND DIRECT TRANSLATION

YOU ARE A CLASS-IV CIVILIZATION

WE WELCOME YOU TO TERRAN CONFEDERACY OF ALIGNED SYSTEMS SPACE, IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN WELCOMED BY OUR ALLIES.

HOPEFULLY YOUR CURIOSITY CAN BE SATISFIED BY VIEWING THIS SITE.

WE WISH PEACE, BOUNTY, AND HAPPINESS UPON YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE.

WELCOME, TRAVELER.

BEFORE YOU LIES A GREAT GRAVITY SHADOW

AN ANOMALY THAT EXTENDS INTO HELLSPACE AND STRINGSPACE THEMSELVES FOR [3.5 LIGHT YEARS] YET ONLY REACHES OUT LESS THAN [ONE LIGHT MINUTE] IN N-SPACE DESPITE HAVING THE GRAVITATIONAL STRENGTH OF SEVERAL SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES

THIS GRAVITATIONAL ANOMALY IS YOUR DESTINATION.

DATABANKS OF HISTORICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, AND MEDIA ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO YOU, WITHIN CLASS-IV CIVILIZATION AND CLASS-III WEAPON PROGRESSION LEVELS.

WE HOPE THIS GIFT BRINGS HEALTH, SUCCESS, HAPPINESS, AND PEACE TO YOU.

WE OFFER THIS GIFT IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SIMPLE QUESTION: DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE.

WELCOME, PILGRIM...

TO THE LOCATION OF TERRASOL - Final Record of Grenklakail Archeological Team Seven, 3,808 Current Era.

-----

Nakteti stared at the astrogation chart displayed on the holotank. Low-Rez, barely 180p, but it used colors other than red to denote star types.

The Terran Tomb Worlds were thousands of systems, hundreds of light years in every direction from the rough center. The astrogation charts she had in her possession, from before Shade Night and the Terran Xenocide Event, before even the Big C3 and the PAWM War, all labeled the rough estimates of defenses of each system.

The sheer weight of defenses made Nakteti shake her head. Not even the Core Systems of the Unified Civilized Council were defended with as much firepower as the least colony world.

Mass drivers that launched projectiles the size of a skyraker. Shoals of missile launchers with auto-replenishing and regeneration ammunition hoppers. Energy weapons. Drones. Stellar coronal mass compressors.

Things that she recognized the words of but had no idea what they could do.

"These worlds are death traps," Nakteti said. "Even discounting the fact that there was nobody to do final cleanup after the Flashbang, the sheer weight of the defenses means any invader will only cause enough trouble to require the automated systems to reload."

Magnus nodded from where he was peeling an orange. It was his third try.

Surscee had taken his other two. She sat on a nearby work station, her knees and ankles crossed primly, dressed in a long dress with a high collar. She was smiling at her brother, twitching her fingers, which were surrounded by a gold nimbus.

"Worse case scenario, an explorer lands, gets swarmed by shades, his shuttle or ship takes off from the surface, and then flees back to his homeworld and then you've got shades everywhere again," Nakteti mused. She shook her head. "I cannot be sure that any being in the far future, however centuries it may be, even knows of the shades."

Nakteti held tight to her gripping stick, moving slowly around the holotank. "I cannot even be sure that every species, every star nation, now present will still be around."

She shook her head.

"No. If you had told anyone thirty years ago that the Lanaktallan Unified Council would fragment into dozens of micronations and the Lanaktallan have fought wars over Nebula-Steam sash awards, they would have turned you over to mental hygiene," she said. She turned and looked at the viewport, which was showing an energetic blue-white star.

"Any threats I can see now have no realistic chance of toppling the entire Confederacy," she said softly.

Magnus split the orange in two and handed his sister half.

"But threats I can see now are not threats of the future and my eyes may not see what is truly there," Nakteti mused.

"What shall you do?" Magnus asked, using the point of his knife to dig the seeds out of the pulp of the orange.

"I shall split the trail here. Head up to two other regions of space. The ones most likely to survive in one state or another on this side of the Confederacy," she said. She hummed, staring at it. "They've got a border of surveyed, but empty stellar systems. There's some singularity and neutron star geography that helps."

"The Verprit systems and the Kelkark Systems will make good stopping points," Nakteti mused to herself more than anyone else.

Magnus had caught an apple his sister had tossed him and was now peeling it with the cruel looking knife he held in his hand, flicking the curled peel into the air and catching it with an open mouth while Surscee giggled.

The byplay didn't bother Nakteti. She was used to the twins little games.

She had once asked Lady Keena which one was born first, which was the dominant twin.

Lady Keena had replied that it depended on the phase of the moon, who managed to dominate the other over breakfast, and what color modesty clothing Surscee was wearing.

She had been confused then, now she understood.

Between the two Terrans, the dominance games were never ending.

"I'll still take this path to the edge of old Terran Space, to the Tomb Worlds," she said softly. "Confederate vessels use a path through Terran Space to head for the base of the spur."

She turned and looked at the Digital Sentience that ran the ship when they were in n-space.

"We'll go to the outer gas giant and drop two more station builders," she said.

The digital sentience, Watchful Code 993149, who referred to himself as "Chuck", just nodded.

"Once we lay these three paths, I have new plans in store," Nakteti said.

"To seek our red skies?" Surscee asked.

Magnus held out a thick apple slice to Nakteti, who took it and popped it in her mouth as she nodded.

"Red sky at night, sailors take fright," Magnus said, splitting the last 2/3rds of the apple and tossing the smaller piece to Surscee.

Nakteti just nodded, chewing and staring at the astrogation chart.