Page 267 - The Chronicles Ser2 (6-10)

be learning for many days ahead. In the mean time she set to helping the Eloi and the others recover
the infrastructure that had been damaged or lost. As she learned more about the Terran race’s
history between her time and the present she became resolute that she wanted to return to the
Human community in the Unity in some way. When she found out about Arthur she got far more
enthusiastic. What Arthur didn’t know was she had found the ring he’d hidden when clearing out the
cottage. She had kept it with her on a chain around her neck. She was physically still around the
same age as him now, so wanted her survival kept secret until it was safe for her to return back. She
put all of her efforts into obtaining that goal. It was about two days later that The ARCADIA entered
the system. It was a massive construction vessel. It would probably have been capable of
constructing another planet; but was here mainly to manufacture all the supplies that the Trask
would need. The Endeavour looked like a tiny mouse by comparison…

…Much to the Surprise of the Eloi on the platform; word had come through from the battle
front that some of the enemy had been captured. They were not Gantrax as had been feared; rather
a similar natured “Hive Mind” race that had somehow arrived in this region of the Third Galaxy. They
were actually denizens of a tract of Subspace. They were acting on impulses that would secure their
survival in a hostile realm. If one of their “queens” was lost then the entire colony destroyed itself. It
was an inherited imperative that was genetically programmed into them. It was hoped that
examining the creatures might lead to some means of constructive communication; possibly even
some kind of peace treaty or such. The message stated that the captives had been placed in stasis
and were in transit to the Platform. The Nimbob were extremely interested in this news and Umala
asked for some more Nimbob vessels to rendezvous with the Platform. She would see to it that their
genetics people had a presence and skills handy.
“Zyra; we have had a recent communication from the Unity ship Saratoga, they say that they have
found out about one of the Gantrax’s origin species that has been found in a stasis pod. They want
you to look at the biological data they have on it. Apparently your home world once had such
creatures on it” Shiv announced. Zyra; who had been going over the medical reports from the crews
of the other ships, looked up and took the pad from Shiv. As she looked her eyes widened; and she
mouthed the words of the report
“Shiv; I know these creatures. They aren’t actually from our world; they came from a moon in a
system close to ours. They were the last few of a colony of survivors from a dying world. They were a
peaceful race; and just wanted to live out their last days in the company of other intelligent life. We
and they; were unaware of any others of their kind anywhere else. I believe only one other survived
from that colony. It is in stasis on a distant outpost. It had asked to be placed there; some kind of
religious mumbo jumbo. As a sort of sentinel; for the lost souls of its peoples. Can we establish a link
back to the long distance array in my Galaxy?” Zyra asked
“I don’t see why not; with all the extra help we now have it seems we have spare communication
capacity. The Nimbob are adept at adapting and improving technology. I’ll see that it’s done; why
are you asking?”
“Oh; I think I could persuade the director on Lunaris to obtain that “Sentinel” If we could only
reproduce the transport system Bexar and Zuul devised; but more stably. Then we might be able
to…” Zyra started saying. Shiv smiled and did a wink
“I’m way ahead of you. I wonder if their species have males and females” she chuckled. “But if they
are from the same time period as the expansions… I could see that it would be an advantage to get a
working history of the Galaxy back then. I too have the same Historical interest” and she sent an
order to the array staff.

The stasis pods and their occupants arrived with a Lingva battleship that had wounded
aboard. The Captain was relatively young Lingva male; and from Zyra’s experience; his species
looked remarkably like the Flutvarn males she had seen. The Lingva were one of the few races that
did not have a Matriarchal society. There were some marked differences between the species; but
outwardly they seemed very Flutvarn like. Their moods and temperament were entirely different.