His Right Hand
- Chapter 1 -[]
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3117
The Obeedah system experienced an EMP the likes that hadn't been seen in decades. A JumpShip materialized in its wake breaking into reality. Its core was ruined by the super jump but the matter had required it. On board, systems began to transmit IFF signals and significant orders. A DropShip detached and was escorted by a number of pocket warships. News had been sent to the colonies of a strange occurrence that required attention. A Manei Domini that was not blessed with technology and had brought information that seemed improbable had appeared. His story unbelievable. His claims almost heretical and blasphemous. The information on data chip one hundred percent verified by the AI Aegaeon on the planet. The situation required a more human touch and Spector Precentor Mot had made sure of this. A super HPG signal was sent to the colonies summoning Spector Precentor Sigma Zaphkiel, Heres Domini himself.
Six days later Zaphkiel's DropShip landed and he made his way to Mot's office. There he entered and Mot upon seeing him kneeled.
"Precentor Sigma Zaphkiel, welcome to Obeedah."
"Arise my filii. The news you sent me was fantastical. Impossible."
"There was more I didn't include in the message to you. The nature of it might cause a schism and required your hand Heres Domini."
"Show me as you have been cryptic with this incident."
Mot brought up the recordings that had been hand delivered to him by Deback. The one of interest had been analyzed by the AI Aegaeon started to play. A multitude of voices came over the speakers. One of Corden, a few no recognized, and another that everyone knew when heard.
"Blessed be those who follow Blake! Let his wrath be unleashed on the abominations of this world! We bring Blake's final judgement and we do not find it wanting!" Static followed then a lone voice said. "Blake's will be done!"
Zaphkiel was visibly shook. He had it played at least three more times.
"You were right to keep this under lock and key. What does Aegaeon say."
The AI popped up on the holographic projector in the form of Appolyon. Zaphkiel was shoken again because he wasn't around this new invention much. Mot on the other hand passed it off as it was a daily occurrence.
"The sound recording index TM34134 has been approximated to 96% accurate voice match with The Master. After accounting for radiation and distortion, the percentage drops only slightly. It puts it in at..."
"Enough Aegaeon, please bring up the Ramus the guide interview." said Mot
A man in primitive clothes is in front of a board with a marker. In it he is sketching out formulas on KF Drive theory. There are formulas that had never been seen and some others of recent discovery that Ramus added onto. Other Word scientist looked dumb founded as the man went on and on talking about other possibilities and the nature of the Turbline system. Then he sketched a formula that was a possible solution to return to the system with other various ideas.
"Protect that man Mot. In fact have a medical team go over him. See if he has cancer, genetic defects, anything that would endanger that mind. He might not believe in Blake, but he serves him in other ways! Also have him brought the file on the Manassas warship misjump and Interconnectedness Unlimited. We might gain further insight into those situations with that man."
"Yes Heres Domini. Do you wish to see Deback."
"Yes I do Mot, I have heard and seen everything you sent me. Is there anything else that you have kept from me for security?"
"There is one other thing that came thru our spies just today. There is information about a Republic Paladin named Kendricke. He arrived back at Terra in a JumpShip that was cobbled together and had an unknown amount of refuges from a system called... Turbline. If the republic is trying to put up a huge ruse, then they have gone to extensive lengths to move a populace, mame one of their own Paladins, destroy expensive equipment, AND know about our bugs in Stone's office. We are already getting reports and hints that Stone is going to step down. No one knows this unless you have the bug we have there. I am certain Deback is the real thing."
"But the Republic had Vapulas' and Naamah's codes. Then miraculously Corden's code is known and here we have this so called Right Hand of Corden."
"If the Republic had Corden's code they would be here right now. You know Devlin Stone despises us and would make head way to Obeedah and Taussen with out a second thought. In fact I see him making the move to let others including the Regulans know."
"For now. Have some of deep cover agents move into this populace and see what they can find. We must verify everything first before we even act. I will speak with Deback and we will see how much conviction he really has."
"Yes Heres Domini. Praise Blake."
Deback remained in his quarters despite the door being unlocked. When they had taken him to the infirmary, he expected some kind of cybernetics to be implanted in him. Instead they looked him over and gave a proper bill of health. So he remained in isolation for a month. The only visitor was the AI Aegaeon from a projector. The conversations they had were of the nature of the Word of Blake. There was some form of semi interrogation to see what was truth or not, but Deback was unperturbed. What the handlers had done to him was nothing compared to what he had faced here thus far.
So Deback took advantage of his time with Aegaeon when not being quizzed and learned more about reading. The AI was ecstatic to do something different other than analysis and maniputation of numbers. It dove into teaching this unknown quandary how to read the symbols to make sounds. Together they worked on the Word of Blake and more comprehension to the faith was adopted. Then one day a knock came to the door and a cybernetic covered man entered. The AI winked out.
"I am Spector Precentor Sigma Zaphkiel. You must be Adept Alpha Deback."
"I am and I think you are the one known as Heres Domini?"
"You are correct. Now that the pleasantries are over, I am here to make a decision. You have brought much information and fantastical stories. The tales of Corden, the Turbline system, and of course these night haunts. You have Mot and that AI convinced that what you have told us has happened. Why should I believe you? With the Republic hunting for us we can not just take some piece meal fantasy concocted by some juvenile lightly. What would you have us really believe? One of our own made someone the likes of you Manei Domini? I don't think so."
Deback thought and thought. He almost had no anwser. He experienced the situation himself on Trubline. Saw it all. Brought the towns from the brink of hopelessness after Corden's sacrifice. Brought the messages that Corden had told him to bring. And this man didn't believe him. It angered him and his blood boiled.
"How DARE you! I have suffered what none of you have suffered. Living on cushions here in the afterlife watching the inner sphere as you eat cake! Corden and I bled to bring a world into the Word and you piss on his memory. I delivered Turbline from the edge of despair when Corden sacrificed his life to free believer and none believer alike. You..."
"You will not raise your voice to me Adept."
Deback back handed Zaphkiel in the face. The response from him should have been one of violence, but was actually one of bemused surprise. He looked into Deback's eye and saw the fires of conviction. The man wouldn't back down and the fanatism was engrained. He smiled.
"I will speak about the Iron Father for I am his Right Hand. I will speak of the man that gave me faith. I will speak of the Manei Domini that saved my life, thousands of others, and gave it as The Master would have wanted. He took a leap of faith in me. He could have killed me or left me to rot in a chamber on his DropShip. Instead he showed me compassion and humanity. He brought me into the Blake's fold and it has brought a planet to the light. A back water world with no technology on it worth a damn and yet he acted. More than to say about the pitiful excuses of Manei Domini I see here."
That got a response from Zaphkiel. He grabbed Deback by his robe and lifted him up off his feet.
"How dare you mock us. We follow the words of The Master and wait for the sign. We wait here in the afterlife to fulfill The Promise when it comes."
"Yet Corden and I acted on The Masters words too. You should have heard Corden and his lessons. He knew and met The Master in person and yet no one here alive has. The only thing you have is words, recordings, and a facsimili in this AI."
"You would die for the Word?"
"I would die for The Word, The Master, and the Iron Father. You take Corden's memory in vain. For that I should kill you."
"You could not frail. You have no..."
Deback produced a night haunt dagger and already had it at Zaphkiel's throat. The blade had severed some wires and skin as it was positioned in a killing stroke. Zaphkiel merely brought his other hand up to the wound and brought it up to his vision. Blood was on his true hand's tips. Deback had been disarmed yet he still had something of absolute deadliness. He could have been dead yet he wasn't struck down. He lowered Deback down to the ground.
"I have the means to die at my own hand to prove a point Zaphkiel. Corden would have been disgusted what he found here with the Manei Domini sitting on their hands. Yes we can follow the words of The Master. But we can also act on them. Such as bringing those lost to Blake's light into his fold. I am proof of that. You and I must make a leap of faith as Corden did with me and as did I jumping here. There have been so many leaps of faith made that I lost count ever since I met Corden. How we do that I am unsure."
Deback pulled the night haunt knife away and reversed the grip. He then offered it to Zaphkiel.
"Kill me if you must. But the followers of the Word need our help. I did what Corden told me to do and I made the jump here. Do not let his actions go in vain Heres Domini. I beg you."
Deback then sat down and awaited the mans decision. Zaphkiel looked over the knife. The edge was impossible in what it had done. He ran his true hand over the edge and it started shaving off metal that was normally impervious. There was something unnatural about the weapon and needed to be looked into. He then looked at Deback.
"There has been only one other Manei Domini that was given the title and honor quickly in his life. Precentor Vapula and even then his defection to the Republic has been questioned if he truly was one of us."
"Corden postulated that The Master ordered him to do that in order help the Third Transfer."
"That has been speculated on too. In the end we really do not know. But I know this. He didn't have the fire you have Phantom Adept Alpha Deback. Right Hand of Corden."
Zaphkiel put his hand on Deback's shoulder.
"I give you my blessing to be one of us and you will be blessed with what should be proper of someone of your position. You have convinced me enough."
He handed the night haunt dagger back to Deback.
"You being here is going to shake the foundation of the Word of Blake. There are different sects and interpretations of Blake's message. Even The Master's teachings and predictions have their own sects. I foresee followers of Corden in the future coming from you child. Will you be able to handle it? Will you be able to lead these sects in the correct direction in the eyes of Blake?"
"I gave meaning to those that were lost on Turbline. Thousands of them. I have learned much from Corden and those that called themselves The Guides. Maybe you can teach me a thing or too."
"HA HA HA!!!" Zaphkiel laughed out loud in great amusement. "Yes, I would like to do that. Perhaps you can teach me a thing or two. First we should get you a true eye and arm at the very least. Now, tell me more about Corden..."
Deback emerged from medical a few weeks later. His true arm was a rudimentary one. Nothing like Corden had. The medics had determined that to install a true eye, that more extensive facilities would be needed. Zaphkiel was planning on heading back to the colonies with both Deback and Ramus. The trip would take awhile and so a patching of technology was in order to make him more presentable. The itching though at the base of his stump was unending. A week later he boarded a DropShip and was heading out to the JumpShip that would take them to the colonies. Already the wrecked super jumped JumpShip was being dismantled and recycled.
During the journey Zaphkiel and Deback had extensive discussions on the existance of the word. The colonies had been founded in a nebula system near the Filtvert Coalition. From there the colonies had prospered and built cities of industry, research, and religion. Ship yards had been constructed in the various asteroid belts in the systems and the ability to produce war and JumpShips was there. All that was lacking was the material to construct the jumpcores. Which highly interested Zaphkiel about the Turbline system. The fact that it was a word converted one was even more glorious.
Technology had not progressed much though compared to what the jihad had produced. The amount of tech and knowledge from outside the colonies did help maintain and keep the same operational tech level. The AI produced on Obeedah had been a break thru that had helped automate factories and other such places. Allowing mankind to train further warriors and study the word even further in depth.
The Word was now lead by a conclave and to be only over ridden by Heres Domini when needed. There were three factions that now existed. True Believers, Toyamas, and Masters. The two that survived the jihad were of course were the aforementioned. But the Masters came about from the martyr, The Master. They tried to interpret his writings, interviews, orders, visions, and actions. Mostly Manei Domini were in this faction as Deback had come to know.
The journey was long but they made it the colonies without being detected nor any kind of misjumps. A journey that took 23 jumps. When they landed, Zaphkiel made their was to the capital and to the meeting of the conclave. Matters had to be settled before anything else could progress.
The conclave room was quiet as Zaphkiel presented the evidence that had been brought back with him. Evidence of what had transpired on Turbline had taken hours to go over. Deback himself was there to testify to what he had witnessed and took numerous questions on end. Then Corden's final transmission was played. When it finally ended the room erupted into a roar as the different factions shouted at each other. Each one saying that The Master was indeed there and others saying it was utterly fake. Zaphkiel let the ferver continue till it started to die down and then he spoke.
"Precentors of The Word of Blake. Toyamas. Masters. True Believers. I knew the final recording would upset everyone. The transmission itself was analyzed by one of the AIs we have created. One that we have regarded as full proof and trust worthy. It has concluded that the transmission itself falls into a 96% verifiable source before applying certain filters due to a nuke and other interfence that changes it to another percentage."
"There are a few things that could have caused this transmission. One, it could be a ploy by the Republic of the Sphere. If that is the case, then Deback is an agent and needs to be executed on the spot. I do not believe this. I have personally interviewed him. Looked over the material from the original hard form. We also have a KF drive savant in our midst that was essentially delivered to us. Why would the Republic just give us this kind of man? I don't think this is the case."
"Two, it might be a manifestation of Corden's VDNI or his psychological break down causing a feed back. It might be possible that his mind could have transmitted his thoughts across the VDNI link. His hallicinations that Deback cited could have come over the radio in the final moments. Remember Adept Tau Corden was in The Masters precense in his own life. However in all our recorded history of using the blessed VDNI. Nothing like this has ever happened."
"Three, it was in deed The Master speaking to Corden. Lets not forget the dreams that Primus Adrienne Sims had of the demon animals and that we linked to the arrival of the clans. Prophecy is not beyond Blake, Primus Adrienne Sims, and The Master. Precentor Obeedah Mot fully believes the transmission is real. The AI has come to its own conclusion that it was The Master. Its subroutines send it into a infinite loop whenever it tries to analyze it. Faith is something AI can not be beholden by it, but yet here... It is being postualated it is capable of it."
"Regardless of what we believe. The concensus amoung our analysists is that this is NOT the sign of The Promise. We won't be fully mobilizing or anything for this factor. What does the room say?"
The discussion went on for hours. Multiple breaks were taken and others had to be rotated in and out due to exhausion. In the end the council was dead locked that was either a manifestion of Corden's psyche or a true message from The Master. Deback was just glad to not to be cut down regardless and he himself wasn't sure what Corden's visions were. He would in time come to his own conclusion. The next day the conclave met again with everyone present.
"Welcome back, Precentors. Since we did not make much head way yesterday other than Debacks status as innocent and a true witness to what has happened. We are now presented with a situation. We have a system of converts that needs our aide. It also has resources of germanium just waiting to be exploited and from what I have been told. The largest deposits ever! The only problem is getting into the system. The misjumps that occur separate the jump core from the JumpShip and crews suffer bodily displacement depending where they are in the ship. This Ramus the Guide has already postulated ways to get back in. We will need to muster sacrificial JumpShips in order to test his theories. In other accounts he is making head way into other theories and confirmed how to improve JumpShip technology. This will rapidly increase our safety margins of travel thru uninhabited systems."
"Then there is this."
Zaphkiel produced a night haunt dagger.
"This here is from the turbline system. This is what I am told is a night haunt tooth mounted on a dagger. This very weapon has shaved metal from my true hand. It also has the ability to pierce dermal armor and even damage mech armor. The beasts that this thing comes from also has spines and claws that are of almost mystical nature that this warrants investigation. But this much must be said. These night haunts must NEVER leave that system. The danger that they present is almost to the point of extermination. I have spoken to Deback and the threat is contained to one of the continents where our brothers reside. There are other continents on Turbline and although not confirmed. There is a high chance of these things living there too. Some of our scientists are working on ideas on how to contain and study these things."
More debate went on in the council. Requisition of old JumpShips came about and plans on how to do the actual mission put forth. How long it would take made for some difficulty. Some of the shadow fleet would have to be recalled from hiding. Mechs and material from Taussen would have to be secreted to the colonies in preparation. A couple of years on this matter. The testing of jumping into Turbline would be the unknown factor.
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