Secrets of the Ancients – The Dark Gate, Part 1
The Crew crosses over into the Vargr Extents in search of Seven’s archive.
This chapter is based on Kay’s and Carl’s notes from our October 8, 2023 session. Since we are scattered around the country, we use Discord for voice communications and the Roll20 online virtual tabletop to connect with each other.
Continued from: In the Emperor’s Name
Location: In the Pixie system, Regina Subsector.
Date: 357-1110
Morning.
Fig has had more dreams, off and on. Something in the Pixie system is important to us and our mission to thwart Seven. An arms cache perhaps, or Ancient supplies that may be really important in the battle ahead.
Fig spoke with Arisa about these dream segments, as he had about the ones before.
The cache is on Pixie, a vacuum world, in the wilderness area owned by an Imperial Knight for mineral concession. Records show that it is uninhabited and hasn’t been accessed in a long time; it is in rough terrain with deep canyons.
The Far Hunter is gonna get a big workout on this trip, being just jump-2. It will make for a long trip. We really need a jump-3, but such is life. The Skylark 2 would be faster, but last we heard it was back on Alell, still disassembled. We could call and order it re-assembled, but that would take time too. Jump-2 it is. Arisa could requisition a ship from the Imperial Navy, but we really DO NOT want to enter Vargr space in a military ship.
But that discussion/resolution is for later... First, the cache.
We put together a landing party: Kipenzi, Fig, Arisa, and Leon. According to Fig, the cache has been here since the Ancient war, but repurposed for Grandfather’s agents. Fig was looking for a specific bulky artifact, so we will be taking the launch for the cargo space. Leon will be piloting it.
We need vac suits, weapons, grav lift, packs, x-ray scanner, and button cams and hope to find some of them in the cache.
Leon set the launch down near a natural looking cavern. Med and Sam, on board the Far Hunter, could watch us from our button cams.
We went into the cave with a grav lift to carry any heavy items out with us.
In the back of the cavern, the cave wall had a flat surface. Fig pushed his hand through the rock; it rippled, and there’s a teleportation portal in there.
We went through. Sam and Medicus back on the ship lost the camera feed when we stepped through the teleporter.
There was air in there. Our suit sensors showed a breathable atmosphere, but hot with impurities. We could hear fans coming on.
The chamber was mostly spherical with huge metallic ribs on the walls that pulsed with dull red light. Our radio link to our ship cut off. Part of the room was reminiscent of Uncle Vlen's hunting lodge those many months ago. It was crammed with lots of gadgets and such, Imperial and Vargr items, personal docs, and clothing.
There was a rack of Ancient shimmersuits, enough for each of us. They were an all-body covering, elastic to fit, with face-mask and gloves. It has 8 hours’ worth of oxygen before recharging, and can withstand the pressure of 1,000 atmospheres and radiation. The suit’s armor can handle all laser hits completely and all other hits at one-quarter damage; it adds strength and dexterity to the wearer. It also has meson communications tech; comm that goes through anything and can’t be tapped.
We also found disintegration gauntlets for each of us that look like wrist bands; with practice one can perform surgery and use as weapons; and it will ignore all armor, recharge indefinitely. This is what the Droyne Warriors were using when they took off Fig’s first prosthetic arm on Fulacin.
Fig found what he was looking for, a large cylindrical, somewhat radioactive, apparatus. It activated and projected a holographic interface at his touch, and started displaying stellar data. It’s a star trigger, a device that can cause a star to flare or explode. This is what One Seven Four was working on in our Ancient recall. Fig wants to take it since it may be the only thing that can destroy Seven when we find him.
Sadly, there were no teleporting grav lifts... Too bad we lost those.
There was a lot of Imperial tech stuff, not just Ancient gear. Clearly this cache had been restocked as the years/millennia went by.
We found some grav belts of Imperial style. Kipenzi found some human clothing in her size to exchange for her prison suit, Trader’s style.
We also found ID document equipment (forgery kit).
Kipenzi stepped out to communicate with the others in the ship and tell them what we found.
Sam came in to use the forgery kit and found that it is better than anything he had ever seen. He made us documents that will pass muster in the Vargr Extents. It took half a day to do it, but they were perfect.
We made multiple trips, so that everyone has a visit or two (IDs need photos) to get clothes and the basics. We DID NOT loot the place; it was set up for the long-term usage and we were not going to make it unusable. We picked up maintenance and repair supplies and equipment, stuff to help us blend in and survive the upcoming trip and encounters.
1800
We got everything we needed out of the secret base. We headed out and it took us 10 hours to get out to the jump point.
Loaded, fueled, and hopeful. Off we go on a long series of Jump-2 hops to get coreward. Following the recent war, lots of Vargr ships are now making their way as pirates so we had to be especially careful.
358-1110
We jumped out for Boughene.
359-1110
Medicus turned 44. We had a wild and crazy celebration.
365-1110 1500 New Years Eve
We arrived in the Boughene system, 100 diameters out from the gas giant.
While heading for the gas giant to refuel, we were hailed by the Navy and discover it’s under Imperial interdiction. The gas giant is off limits due to a naval operation examining the wreckage from the Alahir. They wouldn’t let us refuel there.
They warned us that the system is on the verge of being declared an Amber Zone.
We’re hailed by a TAS reporter, Janter Riles, TAS news stringer.
He asked, “Do you have any information on what is going on here?”
He offered 10k credits for information as to why the Imperium suddenly has such an interest in an obscure gas giant.
Our answer: “Nope, sorry, we just got here.”
We headed for the planet, 4 days away, for fuel.
001-1111
New Year’s Holiday in transit to the Boughene high port.
004-1111 0600
Docked at Boughene High and began refueling.
There is some news of interest on the TNS news feed:
¶ A spokesman reports that 90% of the Vargr forces have been dealt with, but admits that a small core remains to threaten shipping in the region. Ω
011-1111 1100
Arrived in the Feri system.
We docked at the high port and bought refined fuel. Kipenzi looked for a Jump-3 trader for Arisa to requisition so we can travel faster, but no success. Maybe down the line, if not here.
012-1111 2359
Jumped out to Beck’s World.
013-1111
Fig’s 40th birthday. He had Medicus run a test on him, and he’s determined that Fig’s new cloned body is effectively 20 years old. Well, that’s something to celebrate!
019- 1111 1400
We arrived in the Beck’s World system and picked up the TNS Feed:
We ended up refueling at the gas giant; there was no reason to go planet-side unless we had to. The starport is still rebuilding from the landslide that wiped out the University of Regina facilities and we were not exactly welcomed the last time we were there.
020-1111
Jumping out for Kinorb.
027-1111 1500
We arrived in the Kinorb system.
Kinorb is a Garden world; low population; it’s a piracy target due to being next to the border with the Vargr Extents. The old naval base was abandoned, but there are still retired naval personnel and their families who moved here. There is a trading post operated by the Vargr.
When we arrived we got a notice that a former supply depot on another planet in the system is being raided by Vargr corsairs.
Fortunately we were on the far side of the system at the second gas giant. Not our circus, not our monkeys.
028-1111 2358
We jumped out for Pandrin.
035-1111 1700
We arrived in the Pandrin system – Welcome to the Vargr Extents.
We encountered the Pandrin Enterprise, a 1,000-ton ore courier inbound from the gas giant’s moon; they were friendly and chatting, tells us to keep your eyes open.
We asked them about a system with the basic description we are hunting. Garden world, gas giant with three moons. They didn't know of one, but it has to be out there someplace.
We refueled at a gas giant, and we picked up an auto beacon with a bounty on lost cargo:
A shipment of robots was sent to Daeksuzaethukue but never arrived. Director Kung of Walker Robotics offers a MCr1 bounty for any information that leads to the retrieval of the cargo.
Such a trivial thing in the big picture that we now inhabit...
We spent some time deciding which way to start in our search.
We could go spinward to Ougzdaelzoerrgh:
Formerly a relatively minor Vargr world, settled by outcasts and runts, Ougzdaelzoerrgh recently became another Imperial foothold in Uthe subsector. The Vargr of this planet have signed a contract with Oberlindes Shipping Lines, allowing the company to use their world as a supply depot and trading post. A relatively high-tech Class B starport sits in the middle of a coal-powered city.
… or coreward to Ghisaersae:
This is a Vargr agricultural colony, with a population of some seven million (65% Vargr, 45% human) scattered thinly over the whole planet; each tiny village is surrounded by hundreds of kilometers of farmland. The planet has invested heavily in Walker Robotics agri-mechs.
There were more gas giants and water worlds to spinward, which was a tie breaker. Oberlindes may have information about the systems in the sector as well.
036-1111
We jumped for Ougzdaelzoerrgh.
043-1111
We arrived in Ougzdaelzoerrgh and docked at the high port. We visited the Oberlindes office and were surprised to hear that they have orders to help us.
Talking to Oberlindes, they are ready to help us however they can. They told us there is a corsair base in Ghisaersae, darned good thing we didn't go that way.
Ghisaersae contains a corsair base with five 200-ton corsairs and a Giselle class ship. It is run by a raider who takes in bribes and has arrangements with corporations. Traders gassing up at the corsair base have to pay 500,000 credits for fuel or be attacked.
They also told us a bit about the 40th Squadron, the pocket empire that we will be passing through.
The surviving ships of the Ngoerrgh Togzekhz fleet fought their way back to Vargr space in the aftermath of the First Frontier War. There, they carved out their own pocket empire in the midst of a Vargr civil war.
The 40th Squadron should have collapsed. They lacked the industrial base or internal coherency to
build an empire. They had a lot of suspiciously good luck and help from the Zhodani. The Zhodani were eager to have a semi-stable threat to the Imperium right on the Regina border.
The 40th Squadron has been a formidable fighting force despite their comparatively low population and lack of an industrial base. Over the centuries, they have become well organized and self-disciplined. Their Uthith fleet was able to take Beck’s World and Yorbund during the 5th Frontier War. They welcome traders and have made several trade contracts with Oberlindes.
It helps that Oberlindes has a 66,000-ton cruiser to help when negotiations don’t go well.
They keep piracy down and the 40th Squadron territory is much safer than the nearby Triad cluster where governments rise and fall on a regular basis.
Our Ancient artifact is radioactive so we get a shielded cargo container. Sam created documentation and labeling for it as “reactor fuel”.
Oberlindes actually gives us cover by contracting us to deliver cargo to the 40th Squadron area, so we have manifest documents for any inspections. We actually look like we are merchants, instead of a basically empty hold with a radioactive container.
As for the systems in the sector, we are looking for a system with a gas giant that has three moons, and a verdant planet in the system. The Oberlindes folks didn't have any real definitive information, just the standard system data that has been around for a while.
044-1111
We left for the Forrodhkhokh system.
051-1111 0900
We arrived at Forrodhkhokh’s only gas giant; it has more than 3 moons; it is not our target. We are filled up and met by two corvettes and one corsair; they hailed us by name.
The corvettes are commanded by an officer named Rrurrkho. The image of a silver-furred Vargr female in naval uniform flashed onto our screen. She said, “I am Commander Rrurrkho of the 40th. By order of Aethgors, you are to cut your engines and stand down! No harm will come to you… if you cooperate fully.”
She has orders to escort us to Daeksuzaethukue. She has two 800-ton corvettes and a 400-ton corsair, so there was no argument. She also wanted to board our ship.
As they were approaching to come on board, we put on the shimmersuits under our clothing. Disintegrator bracers too, UNDER the sleeves, allowing attack and at least some defense. We safely stowed away our other Ancient gear.
She and a squad of Vargr marines boarded the Far Hunter. She has a quiet charisma and her crew has crisp naval discipline. At first she assumed we’re weapons merchants and was surprised we’re not. We could tell she thinks we’re more than we appear. She had orders to find us and to escort us to Daeksuzaethukue. That was one system we planned to check out anyway.
She works for Aethgors, one of the most powerful leaders of the 40th Squadron, one of the Council of Captains. Her task group wasn’t the only one looking for us and she had descriptions of all of us except Arisa. She left the eight marines on board the ship, camping in our cargo bay, to make sure we behaved ourselves.
052-1111
We finished refining our fuel and jumped to Kousuesi at midnight.
059-1111
Jumped into the Kousuesi system near the inner gas giant, with marines onboard to be sure we do as told.
Kousuesi is a water world, low population, E-class starport, no cities of any size, just a few islands and fishing rafts with Vargr. There is some industry cracking hydrogen for Squadron ships. Their main export is food sticks made from fish. The system has four gas giants.
060-1111
We jumped out for Daeksuzaethukue.
067-1111 0800
We arrived in the Daeksuzaethukue system as directed. On the plus side, we now know this is NOT the system we are looking for, no slugs here or neon in atmosphere.
The planet below was a glowing golden world, a nice world, beautiful even. Above the starport was a grav platform, the palace of Aethgors, prince of the Vargr. It is TL 14-15 (Rhylanor level tech), it would be very expensive to build and maintain all of the way out here.
1000
After docking in one of the palace’s eight bays, we were escorted to the throne room.
We were all wearing shimmersuits under our regular clothes, and carrying no visible weapons. We had the disintegration gauntlets, that look like bracers or jewelry, worn under our sleeves.
They were treating us like VIPS, so far so good.
The 40th Squadron does not practice inheritance, nor do family connections count heavily. They have no aristocracy and no nobility save the navy. To rise to the rank of leader, one must be a masterful commander and tactician, blooded in a thousand silent engagements amid the stars. Good way to run a military unit.
Aethgors’ palace is half pirate’s den, half naval college. There are elements of sybaritic luxury here – looted treasures, dens where we could glimpse Vargr curled around strange hookahs, banquet tables groaning under the weight of food – but underlying it all there is a steely discipline and devotion to their leader. Any of these Vargr, it was obvious, would die in a heartbeat for Aethgors.
As we entered, Aethgors turned to us. The intensity of his physical presence is like a blow. His eyes burned with conviction and intelligence, reminding us instantly of the primordial Vargr from the pocket universe.
He greeted us with, “So, you are the Chosen Ones of the Chosen Ones, eh? Sit! Eat! Let us talk!” exposing a mouth of needle-sharp fangs.
We sat and mostly listened. He had much better food than on the ship. We paid close attention to the sector display, particularly the Zhodani locations.
He talked about the Chosen Ones... OMG, a Wackadoodle state religion...
The Church of the Chosen Ones is an influential sect amid the worlds of the 40th Squadron. The religion has little hold among the navy crews, but is popular among the ground-folk. They believe Vargr were chosen by the Ancients to be their successors.
The CHURCH asked the council of captains to find us... ARGH!!!! He does not know why, but really wants to.
He doesn’t think much of Chosen Ones, “the Ancients don’t care for Vargr or anyone else.”
The church asked the council to find us, and he did, and he wants to know why we’re here for Oberlindes. From time to time, he looked at a readout on his armrest before he reacted. Some sort of truth device.
He came across as ruthless, honest, and strong. Arisa and Kipenzi spent time looking at the astro data for Zhodani movements.
Fig asked Aethgors what he thinks of the Church, should we trust them?
He’s not a friend, but doesn’t oppose it, unless you count our interview with him as opposing them.
Arisa said to Fig, we should trust him.
Leon mentioned Prof Ujinka’s paper on the Ancients, as info on Ancient artifacts may explain the Church’s interest. He talked about the history of pre-species stories and the source of Vargr and Humaniti. The son, Thirty-Two, was with the Vargr, but Seven has an Archive here somewhere, so Thirty-Two is probably not around anymore. The Church may be working with him.
Feels like a VERY BIG CHOICE here, both paths leading to trouble. Gotta see what the church has to say, but not in private...
Continued in The Dark Gate, Part 2
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