Chapter 139: Chapter One Hundred Thirty Eight

Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 154 of 365. Sol standard year]

Days after of Crash landing/ 3

Uninhabited Island /Beach near crashed escape Capsule 20045

Galactic Standard Time / 1900

Jinn leaned against the outer stonewall by the opening to the inner dome. When the people learned about the hole Jinn had come through, they started to sound scared. Locke and Chief Tomkin had spoken about air channels, air volume, and how much air the dome could hold. That had shut up the people panicking and then Locke said he could make it safer. Tomkin had taken over then and spoken of setting up a guard rotation within the space between the domes. After that, the Swarmers were discovered to be eatable and they had supper. Al and Tomkin had taken a few of the poles and set them up, lighting up the structure Locke had made.

After a short meal. Jinn had volunteered for a shift. As he had done so, he had eyed the team he had come with, they had all gotten the hint. And it seemed that Chief Tomkin had as well. He had nodded along before looking at one of his team. That was hours ago, and most of them were moving towards him now.

All of the Civilians were in bunker rooms that Locke had made, all around a pillar he had raised at the center. He was happy that they could talk here without the people learning what they didn’t need to know yet.

“So, let’s talk about what we’re going to do now,” Tomkin said with a scroll on his face.

Jinn just nodded, looking around at the people around him. From his team of Al, Sara, and Paige, Locke stood by Jinn’s right. Next to him, Sara and Xordig were talking to each other with glances. Jess, Burt, and Sk’p rounded out the gathering with Tomkin nearest to the door.

“Right, we can’t stay here. That explosion tore up the forest for a good mile. I see a lot of battles ahead of this place. And this fort won’t hold for long under an assault,” Xordig said bluntly. He looked at Locke and shrugged. “Not that this wasn’t amazing! But something with real force behind it will break through the walls.”

“Yeah, I know. It was all I could do to make it so it could ride out the blast wave. I might be able to make it heavier, maybe another dome or two but the weight might bring it down on its own. Best I could do,” Locke said as he held up his hands.

Jinn looked at Xordig and saw Racha look at him. He was sure that Xordig was like Racha, Special Services. But were they alone? And were any of them with their VIPs?

“And I bet those things we ate are just the tip of the mountain around here, aren’t they?” Tomkin asked with a dry voice.

“I’ve found that if you stay at the edge of the island, it’s not so bad. You need to move but still. The interior is a lot worse,” Burt said bluntly as he looked down.

Jinn raised an eyebrow as he looked at him, and he wondered what the man had seen. From the giant insects to the Plant Beast, there were monsters here. And that wasn't counting and the Titans formed the False Plants. He almost didn’t want to know what Burt had seen here on his own.

“Look, I expect that most of you know what Chief Duncan sent us out for by now,” Jinn said as he crossed his arms. He looked around at the group and only Sk’p and Jess looked confused. He eyed Al and Racha before sighing. “Thought so. So then he’s like you Racha?”

Xordig looked like he was about to argue when Racha just chuckled.

“Yes, he is. I’m only breaking cover because we have to. We don’t do this,” Racha said with a hard tone in her voice.

“What’s she mean? What are she and Xorggy?” Sk’p asked as he starched his head.

“Special Service agents guarding a group of Ancients. We think it’s more important than just a treaty signing. But they probably don’t know what it is,” Locke said with a shrug. “Well, me and Jinn do.”

“The nova!? Ancients?! On our ship!?” Jess exclaimed in shock.

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Sk’p looked at Xordig, his eyes wide. The way that Xordig moved and fought suddenly made a lot more sense to him. He had only seen a Service agent once, and that was enough to know that all of them were killers you didn’t want to mess with. But then Sk’p heard the word ‘Ancient’ and his heart stopped.

“Those people!? And they were under Service protection!? This is so bad!” Sk’p said as he staggered backwards, hitting the outer wall and sliding down. He put his head in his hands and tried to think, get out of the mental spiral he was falling down. A hand on his shoulder caused him to look up at Jess. He saw her hand on his shoulder and that the others had all gathered around him. Sara was reaching into her medical bag to help him. He held up his hand and chuckled. “I’m good, just spiraling. This is so bad.”

“What is it Sk’p?” Jess asked, a note of worry in her voice.

“I’m a combat pilot. Once, I flew against a pirate fleet that attacked a trade convoy. An Ancient Crosier came in to collect some goods from the convoy. They destroyed all the pirates in moments. A fleet of over five cruisers, dead in under a minute! Only those who surrendered aboard the ships they boarded survived. My captain even had to argue about that. The Ancients came because one of their traders was killed by the fleet. They’ll start a war if they think the Federation crashed the ship!” Sk’p exclaimed.

“What are you talking about!? All those deaths just to kill a few!?” Jess asked, aghast.

Sk’p felt terrible, but he could see the logic someone would need to order that. He was about to say something when Racha snorted. Sk’p looked up and saw Racha and Xordig with unreadable expressions on their faces.

“I’ve seen a few people in the government who would do that. More Brass than sense. The kind that doesn’t care at all about collateral. And that’s another reason to finish our mission,” Racha mused as she looked around.

Xordig only snorted and shook his head. “And there are enough war hawks on our side, think about theirs. This is even worse than I thought.”

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“It’s not as bad as you all think. When I ‘dashed’ up to escape the blast, I saw our target. A few hours that way, hard walking but we can make it,” Jinn said and looked around.

Sk’p could see a strange glint in the man’s eyes. “And you’ve got a plan, don’t you?” Sk’p asked and Jinn just grinned.

“It’s got a few moving parts, but yes. How far can you raise the stones, Locke?” Jinn asked and Locke blinked.

“I think around five hundred feet in either direction. Why? Wait,” Locke said as he looked at Jinn.

Sk’p could see Locke’s eyes widen and then the man grinned.

“Oh, you crazy madman! Make a series of domes like this. With a walkway for the group to move?” Locke said with a grin.

“Should keep them safe. Part two is a fast group that leads the way to our target,” Jinn said and looked around, his face hard to read. “Look, with what’s out there, I expect trouble. The group that left from our crashed site should go, and most of you should stay here.”

“And there’s the fact that this is the Iron Islands,” Burt said, shaking his head.

Sk’p felt his heart freeze as he slowly looked at Burt. The way the man said that it bothered him a lot. All he knew was that sounded like he had heard of this island, and that set off all his alarms.

“And for those of us that weren’t raised on this planet?” Xordig asked with a low growl in his voice.

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Burt looked around and tried to think of how to say this. “Look, I only heard this third hand when I was in the Mountain Realm once. It was from this old guard who said he was a Traveler in his youth. And he was drunk when he spoke about it. So there’s that.”

“Just tell us the bad news, please. None of this stepping around it,” Racha asked with a note of depression in her voice.

“A long time ago, a pirate ship came here. Something killed the captain, and some of the crew escaped. They went back to their port, and then a fleet came here. Something destroyed that fleet, and why they came is something the pirates keep quiet. But since then, when Pirates get strong, they try and attack the Iron Islands. Either in fleets or alone. There’s something that draws them here, something they want. And I guess that this Yard-Ship of yours is where it is,” Burt said bluntly.

As Tomkin and Al started to screech, Burt saw Racha go pale in shock. Xording looked as bad as her, while Jess and Sk’p both stared at him. Sara looked at Paige who nodded while Jinn and Locke looked at him hard.

“And he heard this where?” Jinn asked.

Burt actually chuckled and looked away. “Well, after that story he kinda passed out. I had to go, a convoy I was a part of left half an hour later. Never saw him again.”

“So all you have is a story you can’t know if true. About Pirates that keep coming to attack this island. And we have no idea what is killing them beyond what we know now?” Locke said with a strange look on his face. “A game that’s never been beaten before then…..”

“And has been played over and over again, with no challenger ever winning,” Racha said, a note of finality in her voice.

“Then we’ll be the ones to end it!” Jinn said with a laugh as he threw his arms up.

Burt just shook his head and looked at him with a somber look.

“A lot of the captains had the Power Jinn. I don’t want to say we’re marching to our deaths, but we might be,” Burt said as he at Jinn.

“Did you say ‘We’? You’re coming with us?” Jinn asked and Burt shrugged.

“Eeeh. Pirates are usually slavers and the like. Better to die trying to live than that,” Burt said bluntly.

“Most pirates in the stars? They only think of strength. We’re going at this with our minds open. We know the tech, what to expect, and what it might have. Plus unlike them, we’ve got Al!” Jinn said with a smirk.

Al looked at him before grinning. “Yeah! I’ll be able to hack into the ship’s network if it’s got one still up! With time, I should be able to turn off the defense systems if that was what killed these pirates!”

Brut blinked and then looked at Al, his mind racing. If the thing that killed them was a still active security system, then that changed everything. And if this ship was half as good as they said it was, then he had to come along. He had to get their alliance for his home, it might change so much!

“So we have a plan? Xordig, you’ll stay here. I need you to help me guard these people. Locke stays too with Salgo. I want Jessie to go with your team,” Tomkin said as he looked around. His eyes landed on Sk’p and sighed. “I can’t order you to go son, but I’d like it.”

“Roy and his special cargo should stay here with his friend. He’s got a thing for kids so he’ll help keep them calm,” Jinn said as he looked at Tomkin who nodded.

“Yeah, I’m up for that! Think it’s a pirate model? Those things are usually remolded on the inside,” Sk’p said, putting his hands behind his head.

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Outside the dome, three small shapes ran through the wasteland. They stayed in the darkness and did everything they could to keep out of sight. The one at the back suddenly threw a dart on a rope that impaled a green flying worm. The worm was pulled down and died when the thrower used a small axe to slice its head off.

“Why’d you do that? This isn’t a hunt anymore!” The middle one complained.

“We need some more food, you know that! And the elders are going to force us to stay in the Hall for a while now!” The one at the back said as he put his kill away.

“Stay down! You were right to do that, but look around! We need answers!” The one at the front was ordered.

“Yeah. But what could have happened here!?” The one at the back asked.

“I don’t know! But it’s big! This is gonna be bad. I think the local Alphas were both killed. Think the Hive to the north will try for this place?” The one in the middle asked.

“Keep calm! We need to find the source…. What the hell!?” The one at the front said as they came into view of the dome.

For a few moments, the night was silent. Then the Front one held up his hands and made gestures, and the other two went around it.

A few minutes later the two came back to the Front, and both were silent.

“What is that thing?” The Front asked after a few moments.

“Large sir, at least one hundred feet wide. No opening on ground level at all,” The Last one said with a shocked tone.

“No signs of this being made at all sir. It’s like this just came out of nowhere. I think it was made before whatever this wasteland is from happening. It’s just… the trees sir. Some are against this thing,” The Middle one said.

The Front one walked over and put his five-fingered gloved hand on the stone wall. For a second he did nothing but stare before he stepped back. “A Power caused this. And that one is still feeding power to it.”

“What?!? But who!? Wait, some of the newcomers?!” The Middle one cried out in shock.

“This is impressive. I wonder if the Boss will speak to letting us talk to them. It would be something,” The Last one said.

“MOVE! THE POWER USER SENSED ME!” The Front one barked and in a moment, the three had despaired.

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Jinn sighed and shook his head as he looked at the others around him. So we have a plan we all agree with then?”

Suddenly Locke went still and slammed his hand onto the wall. “Someone’s out there! Right out there where we are!”

Jinn reacted before Locke finished talking. He jumped upwards before ‘dashing’ to the ceiling, then he pushed off. He landed just below the hole and then shot out the dome. In the air, he looked, seeing the island as the sun set. The sun still caste enough light that he could see a good distance, maybe a good thousand feet. As he started to fall, his eyes caught sight of figures disappearing in the distance. For a second, he almost went after them, but he didn’t, there would be no point. They were simply too far for him to reach. They most likely knew this place, even after the destruction here. And that was probably why they were even here. From what he could see, they were humanoid at least, with clothing. That made Jinn think that these things were civilized. That meant that they could talk to them, and maybe not walk into another war before they had a defensive poison.

One them stopped and looked back at him. Jinn’s eyes weren’t able to see the beings face, but he had a feeling the being was watching him. He just stayed silent, not moving as the figure took stock of him. After a moment the figure disappeared from sight, using something like Jinn's 'Dashing'. As the sun fully set, Jinn only sighed and shook his head.

Without a word, he fell back down into the dome’s interior. Another two dashes and he was back with the others.

“Well, what was it?” Racha asked with a hard tone.

“Three figures, I couldn’t catch them. They were too far away, and they could ‘Dash’ like me,” Jinn said with a shrug.

Burt looked at him, blinking in shock. “Three humanoids? I don’t…… I’ve been on this island for a while. But I’ve never even seen signs that there are others here. Where could they be hiding?”

Jinn just shrugged and looked at Racha, wondering how she was taking this new data.

“Another group besides us on the island? They might have been hit by the explosion. Bad,” Racha muttered before she looked at Tomkin. “Sir I recommend that we triple the guard. None of the people that are going should take more than one rotation. And how far away is it exactly Jinn?”

Jinn looked at her and sighed. “Three, maybe five hours. That’s if we don’t run into fire fights along the way. So there’s that.”

“Or if those people don’t attack us. Or are the reason so many pirates died,” Burt mussed as he looked around at the others.

“Yes, there’s that. But we can handle this! All we need to do is get to the ship and take it! If it has weapons, we can use them to defend ourselves. We just need to keep our moral up. Go in slow once we make it there and use everything we have!” Racha declared.

Jinn looked around and saw the others all had grins on their face and he chuckled. Racha had a skill at this, and he wondered if it was something she was taught.

“She’s right! Go get some sleep. Locke? Make a way up to the top and lower the top dome down so people drop into a killing field. I’ll watch up there for a bit,” Jinn said and Locke nodded as he touched the outer wall.

“Everyone else? Get some sleep! We depart at first light!” Racha said with a smirk. As the others left, Racha stayed back and looked at Jinn.

“Those people you saw….. if they were people. They can’t have been hit by the explosion, at least all of them,” Racha declared.

Jinn only nodded, having figured that out already. But there was one question that really bothered him. “Yeah. They have to have a hidden dwelling. But is it near the Yard-Ship?”