Goddess of the Galacticide Episode 69 - Divine Audience
You have to tell the Goddess, had Baaii said.
Cha Dzeeny shook his head. He hadn’t talked to her in an orbit. But Baaii was right, of course; he couldn’t just go to a useless administrator like Terg; this discovery had to be dealt with from the top.
The Goddess’ retreat was smaller than the hall of the diin. Cha Dzeeny had assumed this choice was based on not quite knowing how tall the diin would grow, not to represent an order of seniority.
It was not a small building by any means, though. The foyer was a barren hall with high ceilings, unfurnished except for a security desk and two rows of seats for human colonists waiting to see the center of their universe. There used to be devout believers, petitioners, and people like Cha Dzeeny, probably the least welcome—bringers of bad news.
Cha was the only one waiting. No one, it seemed, sought to meet Linuka Omga anymore. Or dared.
Restless clacks broke the silence. The large alien behind the security desk got relieved by one of his brethren shuffling into the foyer from the inner hallway. There was no obvious protocol, and the two speeder-sized lifeforms did not seem to greet or even acknowledge each other. Just like in the rest of the colony, the dark, multi-legged hulks handled internal security. The human checkpoint had been outside the building; at least there the personnel was recognizable, could exchange banalities, complaints about the humidity, or a smile.
The more time he spent waiting in the foyer, the clearer it became that both potential meeting outcomes would be disturbing. If Linuka Omga knew about the diin’s roots forming some sort of network with the local flora, then the question became why she would allow it? Or—worse—was it part of the plan? If the multi-aware woman they called the Goddess did not know about it, who was in charge of this colony? Maybe the fact that the hall of the diin was the tallest building right in its center was not a coincidence then, and the dark, tree-like alien was the true master of Green Wave.
He sighed. Cha was Head of Security, and likely part of the plan, but without a clue what this plan was, or what it had evolved into. Leaving the waiting area, going home, re-thinking his approach of revealing their discovery, crossed his mind. It wouldn’t be a panicked rout, but a tactical withdrawal, regrouping to push the offensive when a better opportunity presented itself.
“Cha Dzeeny?” said a soft, melodic voice with a sensual timbre.
Alas, a machine. The remnant core who sneaked up on Cha looked like any other he had seen, but at least she picked her voice well. He missed the rasp in Baaii’s voice; ever since the spores had fixed everyone, the tiny predatory growl in her speech was gone. The spores also hadn’t announced the keewuu Remnant core sneaking up on Cha, and he scolded himself for relying too much on the world’s innate bio-connectivity for situational awareness.
He stood. “Yes.”
“The Divine is ready to see you now. Have you reviewed the protocol guidelines for the audience?”
Divine? Cha had been a Royal Guard, and all kinds of formal protocols required for meeting the galaxies’ most powerful individuals had been drilled into him, but he had never met a ‘Divine’. That part was new.
“I have.”
Cha had held Linuka Omga in his arms. There were alien entrails on her suit. There was blood on his hands.
He shook his head to get rid of the image. To make sure this was not misread as a ‘no’, he repeated: “I have.”
“Excellent. Please follow me.”
The hovering AI body led Cha into the main room, referred to as the living room in the protocol texts, but it was more like a hangar-size hall. When he saw it last, it had been empty and almost nothing had been added since, except for a small group of plushy sectionals and a few randomly distributed tables. Just like in the foyer, there was a complete absence of decoration or insignia. This wasn’t a hangar-sized living quarter; this was a hangar, plain and simple.
As symbolically as casually, Linuka Omga sat in its center, on the edge of a sectional, her legs angled, her body hunched, like someone who wanted to sit and rest, but also expected an attack at any time.
Linuka’s mother, Cha’s mistress for many orbits, had been the most paranoid person he had ever observed. Did these Omga traits now manifest in the Divine?
“Commander Dzeeny,” she said without turning. “I am sorry we kept you waiting.”
Cha had not been a guard commander in many orbits, but it was comforting to hear not all their personal bonds were cut by Linuka Omga’s ascension.
He bowed. “My Shaajis.”
Old habits died hard. The first thing he said was a breach of protocol. He clenched his fists.
“I will not take up too much of the Divine’s time.”
“You have news for me.” Without gesturing, she added, “Take a seat.”
Cha chose a sectional in front of her, not too close, but in her field of vision, and let himself slowly sink into the plush while attempting to maintain a straight posture. She was motionless, and her eyes appeared glazed over, solid dark gray. The Divine was consulting other realities. Did she know what he was going to say? Had this already happened to her many times?
He was a Royal Guard. He tugged his legs under the near-shapeless piece of furniture, sat up straight, and reported as plainly as he could.
“My revered Shaajis, the frequency of intrusions by Green Wave’s antagonistic plant structures, the vines, has increased again. Scans and visual observations indicate a radial network of vines centering on the hall of the diin. More cause for alarm, and for my being here, is the fact that the diin’s root structure and Green Wave’s vines have connected. The vines have typically been aggressive and destructive when they reached into the colony, but the network they formed with and around the diin appears silent, almost peaceful.”
Cha wasn’t sure when Linuka’s eyes had cleared from the multiversal fog, but bright blue irises fixated him now. His report got the Shaajis’ attention. The Divine had not known. Or she hadn’t known that someone else knew. She stood up so fast and fluidly that he almost missed it. Cha also got back on his feet. Was she upset?
“Peaceful,” said Linuka Omga. “Who else have you reported this to?”
“No one, Shaajis.”
“Not Terg?” she asked. “Why not?”
“Shaajis, he is… “ Useless was the word, but he needed to give a better explanation. “He is technically the diin’s offspring. Maybe that’s a limited human perspective, but I didn’t want to report something like this to a family member.”
“You respect family.” It didn’t sound like she was asking, and Cha didn’t know where she was going with this.
“Commander Dzeeny, I thank you for bringing this to me. I ask you not to speak to anyone else about this matter.”
“My partner Baaii Fij performed the scans and confirmed the visual observation, but no one else will be informed, my Shaajis.”
“Baaii,” said the Divine. Had he made a mistake with this disclosure? But what was the point of trying to keep secrets from a multi-aware being?
“It is good to hear I can still rely on our staunchest protectors. You protected Sya Omga and me, and Baaii protected my sister.”
She sat back down and could hardly finish that last sentence, as if drifting off again into her multiversal realms. Cha remained standing, and when her eyes glazed over again, wondered if the audience was over.
Two or three passes went by in silence.
“Shaajis?”
“I have one more thing to ask, both of Baaii and you. My sister, the prophet, will return to this world soon. Her journey was long and arduous, and I would take great comfort in knowing she could find much needed rest here in the colony—in safety.”
“I will have extra security forces—”
“I want Baaii and you to look after her. You will move into her residence and live with her for the time being. Baaii’s familiar face and your reassuring presence will put her mind at ease.”
The prophet returned. And they were to move in with Vriishany Omga, live with her? What would Baaii say?
“You wondered about your purpose, Commander Dzeeny?”
There was ice in the Divine’s voice when she added: “This is it.”
Goddess of the Galacticide continues on this website with new episodes each Tuesday.
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