January 12, 2112
Catharine Darcrose
The light faded, but not all the way. Some remained tucked far away and around a corridor. Cathy's eyes adjusted. She saw something new. No longer was she burning from the claustrophobic underground ruins and the heat it stored. This new place was colder, with no wind, and far more open. She was definitely somewhere else, transported and maybe not even on the same planet, as if that were possible. From first glance, she figured it could be a storage warehouse, given the stacks of containers in front of her. However, they must be old, maybe even forgotten; webs and dust covered them like sheets.
Sighing, Cathy gazed at her cyberwatch, tinkering through the settings. She pulled up her location. "Error. Location unknown," it read. Dumb technology. Never helpful when you really need it to be. Even so, she messed around with the cyberwatch for another minute, knowing full well nothing helpful would come from it. She was right, per usual. Though she always wanted to be sure. Then something did catch her eye - the date. January 12, 2112. That couldn't be right, given it was December 31, 2111, only seconds ago, right? Leave it to technology to go haywire.
"I guess the adventure continues," Cathy whispered out loud and began walking past the containers through narrow alleys between each stack.
"That depends on you." A voice caught her off guard only moments after she started moving. She pulled her gun, light on, pointing it at a man, an omelic man, lounging against a seat-sized metal crate.
She didn't fire. "Not many can sneak up on me like that. Who are you?" Cathy hissed with impatience.
The omelic, with his hands up, was laughing. "Aren't you just a friendly one?"
"And you're too calm for comfort."
"Well, this is my home. I don't know about you, but in my place I like to relax, let my guard down. You know, have a few drinks and unwind."
His place? Cathy asked herself. Why would I be teleported to his place?
The man continued. "I got a splendid idea. Let's play carpenter. First we get hammered. Then we nail each other."
Cathy snorted at the crude remark. "Instead, how about you don't be an ass?"
He was uproarious with laugher. "You're right, that's me - the asshole. People that know me, know that my metaphorical verbal filter is nigh-nonexistent. But here we are, meeting for the first time. So maybe… just maybe you can let that one slide? No? Yes?" He squinted his eyes and bobbed his head from side to side. "Tell me I didn't push you away already."
She let out a breath. "You sound better with your mouth closed."
He was unaffected by her insult and laughed, even though she wasn't. "So you do have a few jokes in you. I was beginning to think you'd be boring. If only you knew how much of that I've had to deal with lately."
"And I thought you'd be less welcoming. Most omelics would be."
"You would know, wouldn't you?"
She shot him a sideways glare. "Excuse me?"
"You know, I feel that we got off on the wrong foot. I mean, not that you can really get on the right foot… you being an intruder, me being… you know. Sorry… I'm starting to ramble too much. Let's just start with your name. Is that cool with you, girl?"
With each sentence, this omelic became more irritating. Then again, she was trespassing, although unintentionally. "Catharine Darcrose. But you can just call me Cathy."
"Jeez. Not a last name that just rolls of the tongue," he chuckled, "though a very human first name. But me, I'm Castle."
"And what kind of name is Castle?"
"A code name meant to keep what I used to be concealed," he snickered, "and to make me feel all warm and special inside."
His joke did not land with Cathy. "If you say so."
"Where do you think you are right now?" Castle, now more direct, stood up and paced around Cathy.
She didn't let him escape her sight, keeping her weapon ready and guard up. "You said your home, if I recall."
"I did, didn't I? Guess I really blew that one, huh?" He stopped and stretched his back. "Leave it to Castle to spoil the surprise."
"Not really. Only saying your home isn't exactly what I'd call precise coordinates. So, you want to tell me where on Omulice we are?"
"Omulice? Oh, you poor girl. You really are just a lost puppy."
Impatient, Cathy raised her weapon. "Where, then?"
Castle noticed but kept his cool, and his tone was calm. "You didn't stumble here on accident, did you? In spite of my previous comment about you being a lost puppy - which you still are - I can tell you're a woman who lives life with a plan. There's a reason you came through that portal."
"If you must know, I'm searching for the Brotherhood of Relics."
"Are you, now?" he chuckled. "Why would you be searching for a group that doesn't exist?"
"I have no doubt that they exist. It is my mission and duty to find them, and I will see it through."
"And what makes you so sure?"
She replied, "James Stone."
Castle reacted to the name with his eyes. Cathy knew he had heard that name before. He started to clap. "Congratulations are in order. As it happens, you succeeded in your mission."
"Wait a seco-- No! You're the cult known as the Brotherhood of Relics?"
"Yes… I'm the brotherhood, me… just me… by myself." He laughed at his sarcastic remark. "Look girl, let's get one thing clear, the brotherhood isn't a cult; it's a creed. And secondly, if you really knew anything about us, you would've recognized the markings on my gear. But you didn't."
"When I went through that starportal, I honestly didn't expect I'd be warped right into your lair. Hell, I didn't even think portals existed until just now. So how was I to know what to expect?"
"We wouldn't have that starportal lying around for no-odd reason."
"Then what is all this dust? It's like you have never been down here."
"I haven't really. Well, none of the brotherhood really has. It's where we keep old and unused tech."
"The teleported is unused?"
"I mean you… you were the first person to use it in, ah… a very long time. Still, we detected its activation, and they sent me to inspect the situation. You're lucky it was me. None of the others are as charismatic as I am… probably due to the whole we-like-to-stay-a-secret-thing that the brotherhood stands by. It's a whole thing, I guess."
"You don't seem to endorse that ideal so much."
"What can I say? I like the limelight."
Cathy let out a small laugh. "Look, this has been fun, but I came here with purpose. I have people to answer to."
"Most do. In the meantime, you should come with me."
Cathy was hesitant to follow. "How do I know I can trust you?"
Castle passed her by. "An outsider should never trust someone from the Brotherhood of Relics, much less myself. But you aren't an outsider. Anyone who was able to come through the starportal is someone truly special."
"Special? No. It isn't that. It was my mission to find you. All I did was my duty."
Castle gestured her along to his side. Cathy allowed herself to fall in by his side as they walked past the items and storage crates. Castle beamed. "I don't think you get what coming through that starportal entails… human. Then again, that wouldn't be entirely accurate, would it?" Castle stopped to face her.
Cathy's pulse increased. "Wait, I--"
Castle was cheerful. "Cathy, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I don't know why you would hide such a glorious part of yourself behind makeup. Omelics are the greatest species in the galaxy, so why would you pretend to be human?"
Cathy took a breath. "I'm human--"
"No use lying. Only omelics that descend from the brotherhood ancestors can go through the portal and come out the other side. All our technology requires you to have the right gene marker, which you most certainly do."
"You didn't let me finish. You're right and wrong. My mom is human. My biological father… not so much."
Castle was silent for a moment, staring at her. His eyes looked her over from head to toe in disbelief. "The child of a human and omelic." His eyes widened. "I've heard such a thing is possible. Never… never had I actually seen someone of such a heritage. How interesting. Your dad… who was he? He must've been a descendant of our ancestors, lucky for you."
"He's no one to me. He forced himself on my mom, and I was the result. Can't complain much, since I now have a life to live."
Castle didn't stop staring. "I admit, you have my interest. When did this happen?"
"I was born October 3, 2082, so subtract nine months."
"That couldn't have been long after humans joined the ranks of interstellar species."
"About a year or so. My mom was a diplomat at the time and traveled to many worlds. I never cared to know all the details and put my mom through that memory again, but it would've happened during that time."
"So you mean to tell me you spent your entire life pretending to be human." Castle dropped his hands in awe.
"Only my mom and dad knew of my secret. My mom had skin makeup developed to hide my real skin color. My family was always home schooled, but I had special lessons to learn Omelic history and culture. You're the first person I've ever told that to."
Castle's hands went up, highlighting his smile. "Well, I'm just an approachable guy… someone you can put your confidence in." He hesitated. "I must say, you've got quite the family."
"Which I why I must finish this mission. I need to. Because then, and only then, will I be allowed to search for my lost sister."
Castle waved her on. "Come. Let's give you a guest-of-honor treatment, courtesy of a great brotherhood knight - me."
"A knight, huh," Cathy observed. "You aren't true knights like the knights on Omulice."
"You're right. We aren't. It's really just turned into a title at this point, and nothing more - a keepsake from our roots."
Castle led Cathy up a staircase of floating steps, glowing green over elegant silver. Spiraling up, the staircase took them up a tower, and soon windows were visible.
"You mentioned that you sought the brotherhood out. I'm curious as to why," said Castle.
"The chief admirals have requested me to give the Brotherhood of Relics a message."
"How about this: Upon our next meeting, I shall bring it up to the other knights."
Cathy hid a smile. "I would be very pleased."
A glow of red in the next window caught Cathy's attention. Drawn to it, she stopped to peer outside.
The air and sky lit up with a ray of fire, thick and focused. It impacted a Wersillian star cruiser and tore a crater directly through the hull. Seconds later, the ship exploded into pieces, sending heaps of flaming metal into the atmosphere. Then it moved to another and another, destroying every last ship attacking the place.
What are the Wersillian Legion doing here? Cathy thought. "That is one powerful defensive weapon the brotherhood has." Cathy marveled at the power.
"Yes, she is."
Cathy's heart jumped to her throat, and her eyes darted to Castle. "She?"
"She's an ace just like myself and another knight, Ghost."
Cathy was stone-faced. "That's no mere ace. That is a living god."
Glued to the window she watched as chunks of debris smashed into the shields of the sky. However, her mind was not on the scene, but on the revelation. Seeing such power chilled Cathy to the bone.
If that was ever released against the ARW, how would we ever hope to survive?