Chapter 95: Chapter Ninety Three

Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 153 of 365. Sol standard year]

Days after of Crash landing/ 2

Uninhabited Island / Ruins / Galley Overlooking Scholar’s Rest

Galactic Standard Time / 0715

As Rodolphe absorbed what Bryce had said, he could find fault in it. He looked down at the darkened stairs and swallowed. Turning around to look at Yogix and Bryce, he smiled at them. “Let’s save this for later, for now, let’s see if there are any other ways out of here.”

“Right,” Bryce said before he walked towards the window. “I’ll take this way, you two do the others!”

Yogix stared as Bryce walked away, waiting until he was ten feet away before speaking. “That is the most unusual person I have ever seen.”

Rodolphe only laughed a little and shook his head. As much as he wanted to argue, if he had only known Bryce by what he saw he would think the same. it took knowing the little things about him that made Bryce stand out. But for now, he would keep the secrets that Bryce kept and not say anything. “Yeah, the man’s got his reasons. But let’s work and talk shall we?”

“Of course! What do you want to know?” Yogix asked and Rodolphe looked right at him.

“Your history, and why you were making those weapons when we found you all,” Rodolphe said and Yogi sighed.

“That. Well to cut through all the fat as we say, my people are at war. And the war is with those who worship the Builders of this place. Plus they attacked first,” Yogix said softly.

“What happened to cause it?” Rodolphe asked, looking right into Yogix’s eyes.

Yogix looked back and took a deep breath. He had to tell him everything right, the whole truth plus everything he knew for sure.

“To put a long story short, we’ve been trying to break into this place for years once we had a place of safety. My order, The Scholars, is charged with remembering as much of the ancient past that we can recreate. And we found a way to find ‘weak spots’ in the wall,” Yogix said with pride as he looked at Rodolphe.

He had to make a good impression on this man. He seemed to be like Rogix and he probably didn’t want to hear any rumors. And he had the pleasure of being there when it happened. “They’re not human, well their bipeds. Bapid cats. It took ages to even figure out how to understand their language. And there was always tension. But then once we could talk, everything exploded.”

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Rodolphe looked at the wall, running his hand along it as he listened. So far what Yogix was saying was what anyone would do. There were even those who worshiped the Ruin Builders back in the wider galaxy. But a war over breaking into this place against those who worshiped the Builders?

“What was the spark? I mean you do practice freedom of Religion, right? Did your diplomats insult the religion of the other side? These Felines??” Rodolphe asked. He could see that happening, there was always news of planets in the Federation denying entrance to other planets due to insults between the rulers.

“We do, but it wasn’t religion. Well, some think of it as such,” Yogix said as he looked down, stopping walking as if in shame.

Rodolphe nodded before turning, seeing just what Yogix meant.

“Oh……... You all wanted revenge against the Builders for capturing your ancestors, didn’t you?” Rodolphe asked, his voice emotionless.

“Well yes. Most of us do. But recently a cult formed. It was based on the belief that the Builders were looking for successors. But then we know the truth now, don’t we?” Yogix asked with a bitter laugh.

“Hard to accept, isn’t it? That everything that you believed in was a lie?” Rodolphe asked with a bitter tone in his voice.

Yogix only looked at him for a few seconds before his mouth dropped open in shock. “This happened to you, didn’t it? Not the Builders but finding out you believed a lie?”

“Yeah,” Rodolphe said with a sigh as he turned around and resumed walking. Looking over his shoulder he smiled bitterly. “That’s why I’m technically not a civilian.”

Yogix only looked at him before nodding. “Ahhh.”

“Yeah….. hello,” Rodolphe said as he stopped. With a grin, he moved the bone key under the depression he found. A door opened a foot away and swung towards the wall.

“So what is this?” Yogix asked as he pointed towards the doorway.

“Let’s find out!” Rodolphe said with a smirk. With two steps he was in front of the doorway and looked in. Beyond the doorframe was a large antechamber. There was another door to the right, but it was the large computer that took up most of the room.

Rodolphe only looked at the computer as Yogix came to stand behind him.

“Is that a computer? Wasn’t it ‘the bigger the system the slower it was’?” Yogix asked and Rodolphe only chuckled.

“That was a human system back when you all crashed. But these beings, I think the size is cultural. It makes as much sense as anything,” Rodolphe said with a shrug.

And as Bryce could hack and mine data from this, this was a good find. With the data that was within this thing, they might have a chance to get out of here. All they needed was one way back to the place they had crashed onto. Get back to the others, punch Jones, and let the boss know about the Ruin.

“And this would be able to help you all? Show you the way back to your people” Yogix asked.

Rodolphe looked at Yogix, trying to think. If the Spirit was still in one piece, then these people would be helped so much. From the shops to make vehicles to carry them to safety, to the medical suites to heal them. The Spirit was the one thing that he saw that could get these people all the help that they needed. But then with how he didn’t know how the ship crashed, that might be a problem. Then again, with how big it was and the few tricks he knew were built into it, there might still be a chance help could come. He heard that the ship had a Quantum locator within it, at least the Company knew what direction to search in.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“If this can’t show us how to get back. We could always try and go back the way we came, but there’s a problem with that. We were chased down into here,” Rodolphe admitted and winced as he looked away from Yogix.

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Yogix looked at Rodolphe in shock. These three had weapons that were almost like Skills and crossbows. Plus as far as he had seen the weapons had an unlimited amount of ammo to use. just what kind of monster could have chased them down here!?

“What kind of creatures could even dream of hunting you all!?” Yogix asked shock and horror in his voice.

Rodolphe just shrugged. “First there were these lizard things when we were getting food. Then as we ran away, we came across these other creatures. They chased us from across a river and then, we ran into a cave and fought them off. Then there’s this giant snake…..”

“Oh,” Yogix said as he paled in horror. The tales of the Great Serpents of the forest caused were the source of many children’s nightmares. All the stories of the death, how whole villages were destroyed. They were only tales now, but they had been the reality for over fifty years. But with time, effort, and study they had found the monster’s lair. With the First Army they raised, they had killed them all and smashed their eggs. Many heroes died, but they had peace. And it was from that victory that they had found the Passage to the other Prisons. They had grown over the years, and then the War.

“You okay?” Rodolphe asked.

Yogix blinked and came back to himself, realizing he had fallen to the floor. Looking around he had found Rodolphe looking at him with concern. Smiling he reached and grabbed Rodolphe’s arm, letting the man pull him up.

“My apologies, but well. Our founders had problems with serpents for many years, generations even. The idea of a Monster Serpent has become part of our culture, a symbol of Death. How, strong was it?” Yogix asked.

“The first time we saw robots from this place they ignored us. They just flew over our heads, and then we hid from the snake. It chased us, and the bots either ignored it or were destroyed. So I would say, very strong or smart,” Rodolpe said with a shrug.

“But it’s not here, right?” Yogix asked with a touch of fear in his voice.

Rodolphe looked away. “Yogix...... The idea is that the doorways act like teleportors. That means any door could lead it here.”

Yogix felt his heart beat heavily as he took in what he had heard. Something that powerful could attack any of his people’s realm. It could be hundreds of miles away, and it could be in their heart within minutes. He had to find a way to get back, they needed to mount an expedition to map this place! If they could make forts to defend their rear, then they could deal with the War. If they could find another corpse of the Builders, then the Felines might stand down.

“FOUND ANOTHER DOOR HERE!” Bryce called out from the window wall.

Yogix looked at Rodolphe as they looked towards Bryce before Zane yelled.

“DOOR TO THE RUIN IS BLOCKED! WHAT NOW!?” Zane bellowed.

“Everyone get over here now! But not you guys by the door to the corridor!” Rodolphe’s voice echoed off the walls.

Yogix looked at him as the others came at his call. Part of him was hoping that this was nothing but a dream, but no. This was reality, everything had changed and now he had to deal with it.

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As Zane walked over, he looked at Rogix and shook his head in awe. After cutting free the metal square, he pushed it in front of the door on his own. The other soldiers had reacted like he had done this before, but Zane was shocked. If only his people on his lost homeworld had been able to do that, they could have lived! With the power of Electricity like Rogix, they would have been able to handle the Drop Troops!

“So that power, think anyone could learn it?” Zane asked nonchalantly.

Rogix only laughed and nodded. “Yes! I’ll teach you the meditation myself, but if you can personally awaken? That’s on you!”

“So no way to tell if someone has the ‘spark’ to awaken?” Zane asked disappointment in his voice.

“No, not for lack of talk,” Rogix said with a snarl.

Zane stayed silent as they walked over to the others, all of them by a doorway they had opened.

“Okay people, listen up! We’ve got three jobs to do!” Rodolphe barked as he looked over the group. “Through number one is a staircase down! Zane that’s on you, go see how far to the next door. Bryce, number two is another computer, see what you can take from it. I’ll check number three Bryce found and see if it comes out where we needed it too. Let me and Yogix go first, then we’ll try and see what those doors lead to. But only after I go first!”

“And what of my people?” Rogix asked with a hard tone.

Zane looked at Rogix as Rodolphe looked at him with a hard look. “Can you fight on a narrow ledge with that axe?”

Rogix looked at him for a moment. Then he walked over to the open door and looked into it. He stepped back and then looked at Zane with a shocked look. “And you can fight on that?”

“Point and shoot!” Zane said with a grin as he raised his rifle.

“Okay. My people will stand by here, and if anything comes through we’ll scream,” Rogix said.

“I never said I was going through the third door. I’ll be here too if that door doesn’t work out. And if something comes I’ll be next to you,” Rodolphe said.

Zane only shook his head with a smirk on his face. Rogix hadn’t been expecting that and looked at Rodolphe as the man walked to the door.

“Might I make a suggestion?” Yogix called out suddenly.

As everyone looked towards him, Yogix continued. “Not that I’ve worked out everything about these doors, but I think we’re overlooking something.”

“And that is?” Bryce asked and Yogix grinned.

“Just that the next chamber pass the walkaway might be what we’re after. Should we not check?” Yogix asked.

Rodolphe looked at him, opened his mouth then closed it. Rubbing his chin he looked at the others.

“You know, that makes sense. Doesn’t it?” Rodolphe asked.

Zane stared at Yogix, chuckling. He looked at the man and saw a marking on his arm and he chuckled a bit. He just shook his head. He made a lot of sense. With the way the doors were, there was nothing that said he was wrong. And really

“So I’ll check the door at the end of the corridor, everyone else stays here. Watch for anything that might attack,” Rodolphe said before running towards the door.

Zane looked at Rogix and chuckled as he saw that his new friend looked a bit mad.

“The man means well,” Zane said quietly to Rogix.

“But he acts like he’s in command. Why?” Rogix growled as they watched Rodolphe and Yogix walk to the door.

“I don’t know. But you’re mad that you’re not taking the risks yourself. Am I right or not?” Zane asked and Rogix looked away.

Zane just sighed and shook his head. He got it, really he did. But Rodolphe was right, best to put one person at risk. And the only three of the group who knew anything about this technology to even guess were the deckhands.

“From what I got from him, he and his group aren’t a real army. More like a family with a goal. He’s probably falling back into his habits from that life,” Zane said with a shrug.

“Wait, a family? What goal would they have?” Rogix asked in shock.

Zane only shrugged and shook his head. “That’s why he’s not a civilian. And that’s his choice to make about telling.”

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Rodolphe looked at the door and swallowed. Part of him was hoping that this would let them go where they wanted to go. And Yogix was right, the next galley might be what they were after. But then this place, nothing about it made sense to him. Why would the Builders waste time with teleporting doors of all things? It did let them design this place how they wanted, but was that it?

Shaking his head, Rodolphe put the bone key under the scanner. As the door opened, he took a deep breath.

“Wait for me!” Yogix called out as he ran over to the door. Smiling he spoke before Rodolphe could. “You’ll need someone who knows what to look for!”

Rodolphe looked at him and almost spoke before sighing. “Fine, let’s go.”

As Yogix led the way into the hallway, Rodolphe looked around. So far this mostly looked like the other hallways he’s seen in this Ruin. The only thing that made this different was it was a lot smaller, with only four windows each five feet wide. And they all looked out into a darkened chamber with a wooden door at the end.

“We’re here! This is one of the rooms in the Scholar’s Rest!” Yogix said with a laugh.

Rodolphe looked at the doors and shook himself, he hadn’t expected that this would happen. He was frankly in shock. “I’ll get the others.”

Leaving the chamber, he waved at the others as he walked towards them. At least the deckhands would be able to rest tonight.”

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Embix sighed as he walked through the back hallways. His invention should have worked, everything was there! And it didn’t hurt anyone! Sure one of the pieces of his machine shot and almost hit Teacher Adonlis, but really! How was he to know that would happen? “And of course, I need to meditate at the Window.”

He didn’t want to think anything bad, but really! Most of the others who did even worse in the Smith didn’t get sent here. And really, was it because he was an orphan? The Academy had started to take a turn the worse the closer they came to the Conference. He understood why, but really! Why did the Vice have to become power-mad while the Headmaster was away? But then the time at the Window would let him review his notes. He had to have made an error in the construction of the steam chamber. That was the only reason for the pressure build-up and explosion.

As he walked towards the door he heard what sounded like muffled talking. He scowled as he looked at it, why did those scum have to always bother him? After everything that had happened, even when he beat them they still tried to beat him up. Why, they weren’t even in the same class for the Ship’s Sake!

Those slime only like to try and create better weapons, with no ideas for other uses for their works. He always tried to make things that had futures beyond the military and they hated him for it! To make matters worse, all of them were from the First Founding, and none of them had even seen the Front like he had!

“Alright you hull breakers, let’s dance!” He bellowed as he ran into the chamber. He kept his head down and ran, a hand before him ready to hit the window. But he kept running and he saw his shadow before him! Moments before he hit the wall, he stopped and looked behind him.

He saw a few soldiers, General Rogix and Master Yogix. But it was the three others and their strange devices in their hands that took his attention. But then he wondered where he was Slowly he looked around and saw that he was in the Devil’s Realm!

He went still and looked straight at Master Yogix, pulling the hood off his head as he looked at his elder. “Master Yogix, how are you here!?”