Goddess of the Galacticide Episode 72 - Everyone Has Secrets

Episode 72

“It’s not a tree.”

Cha Dzeeny and Baaii turned around. The Prophet. How did she get around the only connection between the main residence and the annex?

Vriishany Omga pointed at the door, still closed.

“I don’t like locked doors in my house. It reminds me of my childhood in the palace. I also don’t like to be alone. I’m sorry I startled you.”

“My Prophet,” said Baaii, “it’s us who need to apologize. We didn’t mean to lock you out.”

Cha could not help but ask: “How did you—?”

“Every house I lived in had secret passages. Everyone has secrets, and so do you. You didn’t want to share your dreams.”

“You… have similar dreams, my Prophet? Of temples and trees?”

“It’s not a tree! It’s the diin. He has been in my dreams for some time now, for every single spin. It always feels like he is calling me. That’s why I need to see him.”

“The diin?” asked Cha. “Are you certain, Prophet?”

“He isn’t calling me in my dreams,” said Baaii. “I just wonder what he's doing in the Goddess temple.”

“That’s how it started for me. But after a while, the dreams become more intense, and the calling, the longing, increases. I really have to see the diin now. And since you dream of him, you should come, too.”

“To the diin?” asked Cha. “I wouldn’t even know how we communicate with him. Isn’t the gas language toxic?”

“He uses a translator with me.”

“One of the aliens?”

“No, one the Remnants built.”

Cha bit his tongue. Translation technology for direct communication between the aliens and humans existed, not some clunky, multi-step process with spit on the floor. Vriishany Omga was right—everyone has secrets—and most humans were not supposed to hear them.

Secret passages, secret contacts, secret communications. The diin was at the center, reaching out to the Green Wave ecosystem, the Prophet, and now even to lowly human security. Was this part of the plan? Or simply the spores of Green Wave weaving an ever tighter network between all living beings on the world? Or was there a second plan in motion, one beyond the Goddess’ goals? One she didn't know about?

“I don’t feel comfortable simply walking in on the diin, even in your revered presence, my Prophet. I believe we should see the Goddess, tell her about these shared dreams, and ask for her guidance.”

“If you believe my sister will see us, I’d love to talk to her,” said Vriishany Omga. “Let me get dressed in my ceremonial robes, and then we can leave.”

***

No place in the residence or annex felt private anymore. Baaii made Cha pull up the speeder in front of the residence, both seated in the driver section. She looked around as if she were checking a spaceship cockpit for leaks.

“We don’t have much time before the Prophet joins us,” said Baaii. “What are you doing, Cha? The Goddess gave us one clear order—keep the Prophet away from people and wait for further instructions. And now we’re driving her through the checkpoints to seek an audience?”

“I don’t like it either. But would you really rather talk to the diin? Last time we met this alien, it was a little twig stuck on the hallway floor. What is he now? We don’t know. The Goddess, Linuka Omga, is family to the Prophet; she is someone we know.”

Not too long ago he would have said “trust”, but secrets sow paranoia, and it was just as permeating as the magiis spores.

“I… just don’t know, Cha. I feel this is bigger than us. Not appropriate for us to meddle in.”

Cha saw the Prophet approaching from the corner of his eye. He gave Baaii a tight hug.

“This is bigger than us, my atso. But if that diin wanted to avoid attention, it should've stayed out of our dreams.”

He opened the driver’s compartment, jumped out, and slid the passenger door out of the way for the flowy grace that was Vriishany Omga. The spores told on Baaii’s misgivings, but he nodded to her in reassurance, and they went off to the Goddess residence. Everyone had secrets, but no one could keep them, at least not on this world.

***

“Have you been summoned?”

Cha knew the faces at the outer security checkpoint. They looked tired enough to hide any surprise about their boss paying an unscheduled visit to the Divine.

“The Goddess requested immediate updates about changes in the security situation at the Prophet’s residence.”

They looked at each other. How would they check the chain of such orders, as they were supposed to?

“You’re the boss. Pull right up in front. But don’t be disappointed if the aliens send you away.”

“I won’t be. Everything else alright here?”

“Quiet day, boss. No one around, not even the workers. Big briefing at the hall of the diin one spin ago, but ever since it’s been like that.”

***

Not only the winged workers were missing from the colony center. The security desk in the foyer was unguarded. Nobody in sight—as soon as one cleared the main entrance, they could walk straight to the Divine’s living room.

“Is it always like this?” asked Baaii.

“No, never. Revered Prophet, would you please take a seat over there while I sign us in?”

He mouthed to Baaii: “Get the automatics.”

***

Baaii reappeared, both long weapons slung over her shoulder as casually as possible, taking up the rear, not to alarm Vriishany. They were supposed to protect her. Should they drive her back to the residence? She’d be safer there. But what if the Goddess was in danger herself? Could they afford to waste time? Why not alarm the security outside? The colony? Questions would be raised. Secrets would be revealed too broadly, too early. Everyone had secrets. Cha wanted to reveal the ones he found to the right person—if that person existed.

“Let’s go.” He pointed toward the archway leading to the Divine’s refuge.

He had walked only five paces past the security desk when he froze. A green smear on the polished stone floor. He had seen this liquid before, despite its coloration not being native to this world. A searing beam had cut open the hulking figure in the mist, and its entrails showered the Shaajis and his team. The canyon drop on that strange planet across the inter-galactic void. He had forgotten the world’s name. He had forgotten all about it until now, including that the aliens and the humans didn't use to shed their blood for the same side.

“It’s blood from one of the large aliens.” He pointed to a smaller hallway branching off to the right. “More drips over there.”

“Maybe they did something wrong when they took the sample,” said Vriishany.

Baaii handed Cha one automatic, and he smiled inside. When forced to choose between keeping the Prophet at ease or arming her partner for the fight, her priorities were clear.

“What sample, my Prophet?”

“That’s where they took my blood, too. There is a lab, right through this corridor.”

A lab next to the Divine’s quarters, samples taken from the Prophet. Nothing made sense.

“Baaii, take the Prophet and secure her in the speeder. Wait for my return, or leave if any threat emerges.”

She opened her mouth.

“We can’t keep her safe while securing the Goddess’ quarters. Protect her—and send me the checkpoint guards as backup.”

She kissed him.

The spores still lingered on his lips when Cha moved along the corridor wall, automatic at the high ready. Frequent drips ended in a pile of gore in front of a sliding door leading to the left. Whoever wounded that alien out in the foyer must have hunted it down to finish it. Cha could not imagine even the massive alien being able to survive after losing so many innards. The door was smeared with green ooze and it didn’t fully close, held open less than a hand’s width by a black, twisted branch. The alien’s body must be right behind it, and whoever killed it probably was, too.

The branch ended in a gnarly grabbing appendage, holding a matte black piece of technology.

Cha had forgotten the name of the world where they fought the aliens, but he remembered the powerful weapon that could cut these mighty warriors in two.

He shouldered his automatic, picked the strip beam out of the alien's claw, and balanced it on his hip, pointing its business end at the door, his hand frantically searching for the trigger mechanism.

Goddess of the Galacticide continues on this website with new episodes each Tuesday.

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