Homebound - Epilogue (complete 04/08/05)

[Mercenary]

Now complete under the ******

--------

Epilogue

Tor sat quietly, his gut twisted tight with an unusual sense of nerves. Anxiety manifested itself with constant fidgeting and getting up to wander around the room, where over a Jazura previously he had met with the ancient. The Mohrabas had, in an unusual move abandoned the station for the clandestine meeting, but this just served to intensify Tor's uncertainty. In his mind he wondered how the Gate Keepers would react to the vast Mohrabas war fleet poised to unleash retribution on the Khaak. Was he about to unleash an even greater power into the universe than the Khaak, to bring more violence or would he consigned the Mohrabas species to an inevitable annihilation.

There was no comfort in the silence, he had never felt so alone and the weight of responsibility dragged down his spirit into a murky darkness. That he had found where his true heart belonged deepened his uncertainty he was doing the right thing. If the Khaak broke through then none of them would survive and there would be no happy ever after.

He glanced down at his time piece and breathed out slowly. The stazura had passed and he tried to calm his anxiety by reassuring himself that the ancient was a busy person and with all the gates in the universe to keep an eye on, he was entitled to be late.

These thoughts barely lasted more than a few sezuras before he reached the conclusion that the presence of the war fleet had deterred the ancient from keeping his word. He glanced down at his time piece and spent long moments watching the sezuras slip away.

"So many species waste time watching what little they have pass them by."

Tor's head snapped around so fast he felt several muscles strain.

"I was wondering if you'd turn up at all."

"We have monitored you. Although we do not wish to see the Khaak utterly destroyed, it is our desire to see them contained."

"Why not destroyed?" Tor felt perplexed and that the viciousness of the Khaak had no place in the universe.

"Every sentient life form has a place in the universe, and in time even the Khaak may understand the meaning of the word peace. We have to give that opportunity or we will become no better than them."

"And in the meantime, what of the species that are now extinct because of them?"

"We are masters of the gates and we have protected all those that have come close. Allowed them to become strong again so they can once more resume their place in the universe."

"Don't you find that you're simply perpetuating war?"

"We make every effort to ensure that peaceful species are allowed to co-exist and find enrichment in the encounter. Sometimes, we make an error in judgement."

Tor gave the figure of the ancient a shrewd and thoughtful look.

"So will you re-align the gate?"

"It is already done."

"Then let's hope the Mohrabas don't get wiped out, or I might get pissed off and come looking for you."

There was a laugh, a low deep rumble that felt that it would shake the floor. When it stopped the ancient spoke softly without any hint of concern.

"There are few species that would dare to threaten us. But I might take you seriously if it was not for the fact you are dying.

"That's not stopped me in the past."

"The ancients are comprised of many learned species. Finding the one I belong to would take longer than you have left to live. But there is a race that could help you, in more ways than one, if it should come to it."

"They can stop me from dying?"

"More than that, but consider this. You've already met one."

The ancient faded and left Tor alone once more in the silence of the station. He contemplated the ancient's words and memories of the encounter surfaced. The thought of co-habiting with Corricel in silicon caused him to smile briefly and then shake his head as he muttered.

"She'd be unbearable."

He walked out of the room and into the deserted command center. As instructed by the Mohrabas before they left he approached the comms console and touched the transmit pad.

"This is Tor Grall. The gate is open."

In the view screen he watched the lead Destroyer's engines flare and move forward. It vanished a few sezuras later in the familiar swirl of the jump activation. Tor turned and was filled with the sense of uncertainty that did not fade as he made his way down to the Defiance.

**********************
Two jazuras after the gate had been realigned the Titan Trinity Fame nosed its way into the Mohrabas sector. It was the first and only Destroyer to make the jump.

Liann was watching sector movements when the Argon capital vessel emerged. She overcame her surprise when noticing two fast moving Mohrabas Destroyers on an intercept course. She switched channels and hailed both ships.

"The new arrival is designated friendly. Request all warships to stand down."

There was a long pause and the Destroyers gave no sign of changing vector. She was about to retransmit the message when the reply came.

"Acknowledged."

She stared at the display and watched the speed of two Mohrabas destroyers slow but remain on an intercept vector with the new arrival. Their weapons systems registered that they were fully charged. Liann switched channel and hailed the Argon ship.

"Trinity Fame, this is Diplomacy Station Alpha. You are cautioned that the Mohrabas do not take kindly to large warships in their space. Please state your purpose."

"Liann, it's Tris. I need to talk to Tor is he here?"

Liann gave a brief look of surprise before she smiled and re-opened the comm channel.

"He's here. You'd best position yourself near the station. I'll send a shuttle to pick you up."

Twenty mizuras passed before Tris stepped in the security zone of the silicon mine. New Mohrabas designed fighters lined the dockside their pilots sitting side by side with members of the station crew who had opted to remain behind. Broden met her with a big smile on his face.

"Well look at you, Captain's uniform, things must be going well."

"We have our up's and down's. How're things with you?"

"On the whole well. And better for seeing you again."

Tris smiled.

"The war?"

Broden's smile faded and he appeared pensive. It was only a brief pause and Tris felt uncomfortable and wondered if the conflict was not going too well. He smiled again and gestured that they proceed to the shuttle lift.

"We all hoped for a quick victory and I have to remind myself that the Mohrabas are still learning the art of war, only they get a bit carried away sometimes."

"Carried away?"

"The Mohrabas have a tendency to overstretch themselves with a series of quick victories, and have been caught out in retaliatory counterstrikes that split the supply and communications chain. Fortunately the majority manage to make a tactical withdrawal to safer systems."

"Can the Mohrabas sustain the losses?"

"Not in capital ships, but they are masters of construction. Mobile factory units move from asteroid to asteroid extracting all the ores and silicon needed, while supply ships deliver other essential items to the shipyard facilities." Broden pressed his hand to the touch pad and they waited for the lift to arrive. "If there was time I'd take you out to show you the operation. It's quite something to see the factory units moving a sector behind the battle front. Even when moving the shipyard is turning out new fighters, all controlled by AI until they can get pilots."

"What about food and other essentials?"

"It has proven to be a problem. Most of it's being shipped from the homeworld as they've met limited success in cultivating and rearing their favourite food stuff in carefully controlled off world environments."

The lift doors opened and Broden gestured for her to go in first.

"An opportunity for more meatsteaks." Torrisha commented and moved forward.

"They're already taking everything we can produce, and we have a second cattle ranch being built at the moment."

"Mobile?"

"Of course, but stretched so it can get through the gates."

Tris shook her head, the idea of mobile factories was not new, but was often let down by the practicalities and forces involved. Space was not a forgiving place should a minor defect manifest itself. Her mind drifted back to a more pressing question.

"How's Tor?"

Broden frowned this time there was a deep sense of sadness reflected in his eyes.

"Dying. The doctors are just amazed his heart's lasted as long as this."

"They've still not found a cure?" Tris felt surprised, she could not see how after two jazuras they had still come up with no solution.

"No, not yet. Though their engineers have developed a cryo-stasis unit to slow the decay and preserve him the way he is for jazuras. Which in itself is amazing, considering they've not been able to manufacture an artificial heart to replace the one he's got."

Tris could sense a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"I take it, he's not keen on stasis?"

"Would you want to be kept on ice indefinitely? Woken up after all the people you once knew are dead and buried?"

"Not really." Tris questioned in her own mind if she was doing the right thing asking Tor for the loan of the Defiance.

The shuttle lift arrived and the doors open. They stepped out in to a familiar corridor that led to the command centre. After a brief silence while they strolled along Broden spoke again.

"I'm guessing your visit isn't for social reasons?" He glanced at her.

"I need to ask Tor a favour."

"He'll be pleased, I don't think he likes being cooped up for too long."

"That doesn't surprise me." She smiled at the thought of Tor being confined to a sick bed.

"He only came back from the front line five wozuras ago and already he's becoming insufferable." Broden gave a warm smile.

They stopped outside the office door and Broden lightly touched the pad. The door opened to a well illuminated office. Tris half expected a medical bed to have been installed with heart monitors pulsing away, with Tor lying on it looking pale and drawn with tubes hanging out of him. Instead she noticed he was standing by the bar with a drink in his hand talking to a blond haired woman.

For a moment she felt a twinge of jealousy but shook it from her mind. She made the choice to return to the core sectors and the life she once had. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt resentment lurking for the woman Tor had gone to such lengths to rescue.

"Tris, come in. It's good to see you again." Tor beamed and moved towards her his arms outstretched in greeting.

She instantly knew the moment he moved that the usual bounce and energy had gone. When he drew closer the gaunt paleness in his face was obvious to see and for the first time in a long while she forgot the regulated conditioned behaviour of a detached Argon Captain of the Fleet and moved forward into the embrace.

There was an old familiarity with the warmth and gentle strength to be found in his arms, and for a while she found herself unable to let go. Yet when she broke free and looked at the smile on Tor's face the haunting fact that this would be the last time hit her. She took a deep breath and fought to compose herself with a smile. She had witnessed the death of those around her often enough to have become cushioned to it, but this time it took all her effort to bury the emotions.

A hand gently landed on her shoulder and she glanced over to Broden. There was something in his expression that made her think that he knew exactly what she was feeling. He spoke quietly.

"Drop by the office before you leave. I'm sure Liann would like to say, hi. Tor, Nye. I'll catch up with you later." He turned and left.

Nyeshta moved across the room and gave Tor a quick peck on the cheek. She gave a friendly smile to Tris.

"We always seem to meet in unfavourable circumstances. I'd like to think had times been different we could have come to know each other as friends." She held out her hand.

Tris was momentarily disarmed by the comment and simply nodded before shaking hands. Nyeshta moved away and glanced at Tor.

"If you need me I'll be reviewing the Defiance upgrades."

"Thanks." Tor smiled and watched her leave.

When the door closed Tris commented.

"She's very pretty."

Tor nodded and stepped to one side gesturing for her to take a seat.

"So they made you Captain in two jazuras. That must be a new record?"

"There are a lot of new captains in the fleet these days. The Khaak attacks are keeping the fleet stretched which means new ships are being deployed all the time, mostly with new and inexperienced crews." She dropped onto one of the sofas and Tor lowered himself into the seat opposite. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered how long the doctors predicted Tor would last. "The worry is the Xenon are also preparing for invasion, already they've made several major assaults into race controlled sectors. Fortunately they've been repelled, but that's because the various governments have allowed Capital ships to be bought by legitimate private enterprises."

"Capital ships in the hands of business moguls? Let's hope they don't try to form monopolies by eliminating the competition."

"It's caused a few concerns amongst the less affluent businesses. The government has made assurances that the use of defensive craft to harm a competitor or gain commercial advantage will result in the seizure of all assets and imprisonment of the entire board of directors." Tris smiled as she remembered the news item and internal memos which circulated through the military heirarchy before the decision was officially announced. "But I think businesses have more to fear from a group of pirates called the Yaki than from government."

"So how can I help?"

Tris gave a wry smile.

"I need to borrow the Defiance."

"To fight the Khaak, Xenon or Yaki?"

"None of those. It's for a search and rescue mission."

"My favourite kind."

"We will provide the crew and supplies." Tris responded quickly to Tor's comment.

"No."

"I don't know if you've taken a look at yourself recently, but you're in no state to travel."

"So my doctor keeps telling me." Tor closed his eyes and released a long breath.

For a heart stopping moment Tris wondered if Tor had suddenly expired, he looked paler and greyer than when she first walked in.

"Tor?"

His eyes opened slowly.

"Too much excitement for one day. I have a journey to make, it will be a long journey. The Defiance is the only ship suitable and Corri is the only AI I trust."

"Broden tells me you could go into stasis while they work on your new heart."

"As my doctor says, I will only get one chance for the replacement to work. And the revival process in itself could kill me long before they get a chance to fit the new one. Besides stasis only slows decay it won't stop it completely."

"So where will you go?"

"To find the race that provided the technology at the core of the Defiance."

"Why?"

"An ancient told me they were the only ones that can help me. And before you ask how I expect to find them before I die, then I have a stasis unit in the ship with a new synaptic interface into the main systems. Now tell me about this ship you want us to find?"

"Didn't you say you'd die when being revived."

Tor gave a feint smile.

"The creature we found had been dead a long time before he was brought back."

Tris gave this statement a long considered thought before saying.

"Are you chasing immortality?"

"No, but I've instructed Corricel that if we don't find them within five jazuras that she's to let me go."

"Five?"

"For a ten jazura round trip. What about this ship?"

Tris felt the hint of persistence in Tor's voice. She reluctantly pulled out a small data disc and placed it on the table.

"We want to know what happened to an explorer ship called Liberty Pride. It was on a secret deep space mission in the frontier sectors and discovered an uncharted gate. Relay probes gave us updates for some time before they stopped. From the last message we think they may have encountered another alien race, possibly Khaak, possibly something else. Maybe even the race you're looking for. With everything else that's going on we don't have the resources to find her. If it's the Khaak then the ship to find out needs to be something special. Which is why I've come to you."

"Everything's on the disc? Star charts, gate locations?"

"Yes."

Tor smiled, he was going on another adventure. In the back of his mind he also knew the stasis unit would not sustain him for more than a few tazuras.

"I'll leave as soon as the ship's ready."

"You don't have to." Tris started but Tor cut her off.

"I'd prefer it this way. A fitting end for me, and Corri is more than capable of finding the ship. Anyway if we discover our aliens, I'll be coming home again." He gave an encouraging smile.

Tris felt as though her guts had knotted themselves and she stood up slowly, judging it to be an appropriate moment to leave. Deep inside she felt helpless and lost, emotions threatened to surface and in a calm professional manner she said.

"Thank you for your help, and I hope you find your aliens."

Tor forced himself to his feet and saluted with a pale smile. He offered his hand and she took it, with a slow bow he kissed the back of hers and stood straight.

"Take care of yourself Tris. And remember you'll always have a special place in here." Tor put his hand over his heart.

"It's a good job they're not cutting it out then." She smiled and then turned and left with a stinging sensation filling her eyes.

**

A stazura later and Tor waved from the doorway of the Defiance, a broad smile on his face. The entire crew stood on the docking bay. As he disappeared inside his physician followed him in. Fifteen mizuras later Gyles stepped on to the dockside his expression was grave. The Defiance disengaged from the dock side and gracefully drifted through the hanger and out towards the exit.

Tris was standing beside Broden and was surprised when he suddenly spoke to Gyles.

"Well?"

The doctor shook his head and walked away.

[KiwiNZ]

That is a cool way of tying in the beginning!! Excellent read and just such a shame that this will be (for now) the end of the story. You are opening up so much again! I hope you'll find the motivation at some point to continue this story, it is a master piece!

Looking forward to the next part!


"consigned" - I think that should not be past tense.

[skullhead]

The Great Final chapter(s) to a great series.

Mercenary your stories are the best I have ever read on these forums.

[Medic279]

Epilogue - a bittersweet moment of realisation that this is the end.

Looking forward to the final wrap-up. Good stuff (as always)

Matt

[Gandalf The White]

erm what have I missed? last i saw was chapter 22 when he was escaping from the pirate station??? what have i missed???

[Graf_Grau]

A nice touch to wrap things up. I cant wait to read the whole thing again from "cover to cover"

[therjw]

nice one merc
@Gandalf The White num 22 was the last chapter in the story

[Gandalf The White]

hmmm still feels like a massive gap though somehow

[Gandalf The White]

yeah just read chapter 22 still seems abit of a gap to me. it's good merc but feels like a large gap.

[Skyman]

Well, somehow I believe there is more of Tor Gralls story to come.

Merc, I will give you until I retire, (which is not so far away) and if you have not continued the story to the end that I Know, is in your head, then I will finish the story in my head, while I lay in my bed at night, waiting for sleep to come.
I can't do it at the moment, because my head is full of my own story.

I cannot thank you enough for the pleasure your story has brought me, suffice it to say, you have my gratitude.

[Mercenary]

yeah just read chapter 22 still seems abit of a gap to me. it's good merc but feels like a large gap.

Between the end of the final chapter and this part only a brief few tazuras have passed. Just enough time for Tor to recover from a few serious hangovers...

The next section however will leave a big gap in time, nearly 2 jazuras to be precise. And anyway, who wants to read about battles and war and stuff??? ....

[Jenantar]

uhm.... yeah.. who whanna read about those trivial stuff..?

All in favour for reading those crappy things raise your hands!


:

Uhm.... It seems there are some folks here interrested in that part as well.

=P

Well. You have one a really good Story that deserves respect. In my opinion its the best story ever using the license of this game. ^^

And its too bloody good to be dropped without you feeling a gap in your own life Merc. So I bet you will return at some point after the new x-game have come out and given you some more creative material for further scribing away. ^^

Hopefully you will always be thinking on this project when working on others so you will eventually come back here. ^^

[Jenantar]

And I just have to say the thing that everyone already knows and believes in.

YOu are a freakin good author Merc!

No doubt about. Not even the crew of X2 - the threat could have com up with this story.

I salute you man *bows down deep in respect*.

Well... I have to stop with my ranting before I get banned for being psycho. =P

CYa!

[X-Periment]

Just a short first half as the second involves a time jump of, oh, a couple of jazuras....


*****

Epilogue

Tor sat quietly, his gut twisted tight with an unusual sense of nerves. Anxiety manifested itself with constant fidgeting and getting up to wander around the room, where over a Jazura previously he had met with the ancient. The Mohrabas had, in an unusual move abandoned the station for the clandestine meeting, but this just served to intensify Tor's uncertainty. In his mind he wondered how the Gate Keepers would react to the vast Mohrabas war fleet poised to unleash retribution on the Khaak. Was he about to unleash an even greater power into the universe than the Khaak, to bring more violence or would he consigned the Mohrabas species to an inevitable annihilation.

There was no comfort in the silence, he had never felt so alone and the weight of responsibility dragged down his spirit into a murky darkness. That he had found where his true heart belonged deepened his uncertainty he was doing the right thing. If the Khaak broke through then none of them would survive and there would be no happy ever after.

He glanced down at his time piece and breathed out slowly. The stazura had passed and he tried to calm his anxiety by reassuring himself that the ancient was a busy person and with all the gates in the universe to keep an eye on, he was entitled to be late.

These thoughts barely lasted more than a few sezuras before he reached the conclusion that the presence of the war fleet had deterred the ancient from keeping his word. He glanced down at his time piece and spent long moments watching the sezuras slip away.

"So many species waste time watching what little they have pass them by."

Tor's head snapped around so fast he felt several muscles strain.

"I was wondering if you'd turn up at all."

"We have monitored you. Although we do not wish to see the Khaak utterly destroyed, it is our desire to see them contained."

"Why not destroyed?" Tor felt perplexed and that the viciousness of the Khaak had no place in the universe.

"Every sentient life form has a place in the universe, and in time even the Khaak may understand the meaning of the word peace. We have to give that opportunity or we will become no better than them."

"And in the meantime, what of the species that are now extinct because of them?"

"We are masters of the gates and we have protected all those that have come close. Allowed them to become strong again so they can once more resume their place in the universe."

"Don't you find that you're simply perpetuating war?"

"We make every effort to ensure that peaceful species are allowed to co-exist and find enrichment in the encounter. Sometimes, we make an error in judgement."

Tor gave the figure of the ancient a shrewd and thoughtful look.

"So will you re-align the gate?"

"It is already done."

"Then let's hope the Mohrabas don't get wiped out, or I might get pissed off and come looking for you."

There was a laugh, a low deep rumble that felt that it would shake the floor. When it stopped the ancient spoke softly without any hint of concern.

"There are few species that would dare to threaten us. But I might take you seriously if it was not for the fact you are dying.

"That's not stopped me in the past."

"The ancients are comprised of many learned species. Finding the one I belong to would take longer than you have left to live. But there is a race that could help you, in more ways than one, if it should come to it."

"They can stop me from dying?"

"More than that, but consider this. You've already met one."

The ancient faded and left Tor alone once more in the silence of the station. He contemplated the ancient's words and memories of the encounter surfaced. The thought of co-habiting with Corricel in silicon caused him to smile briefly and then shake his head as he muttered.

"She'd be unbearable."

He walked out of the room and into the deserted command center. As instructed by the Mohrabas before they left he approached the comms console and touched the transmit pad.

"This is Tor Grall. The gate is open."

In the view screen he watched the lead Destroyer's engines flare and move forward. It vanished a few sezuras later in the familiar swirl of the jump activation. Tor turned and was filled with the sense of uncertainty that did not fade as he made his way down to the Defiance.

**

Creamy.

BTW, I am an ITF Member, and if I become Moderator, then your reality will be compromized if you hurt me!

[Al]

Nice one Merc.

As for the missing battles, I feel that could easily be made into another short(ish) story just to keep you out of trouble.

Al

[Gandalf The White]

so what's next story then merc?s

[Mercenary]

Cheers all,

And now finally completed under the *****

All I have to do is think of all those extra gaming hours I can dedicate to X3...

[KiwiNZ]

Excellent finish! Loved every moment of it, very emotional and while kind of final also very open!

I'd love to say 'looking forward to the next chapter' but I guess that won't happen anytime soon. Hopefully once X3 is out you will find the unbearable urge to continue

Thanks heaps for these years of first class readings!

May I ask that you send me the document so I can add it to the others on the site?

Hope to see you pop in (semi-)regularly and keep up up-to-date with your new stories.



"It was on a secret deep space mission in the frontier sectors and happened on an uncharted gate." - that is kind of missing something, right?

[Medic279]

A good wrap Merc but I get the feeling that there could be more to Tor's story. There's certainly the interest here for more but I guess you deserve at least a small break Simple truth is that most of the readers here have, I imagine, become very much attached to Tor over the years and I for one have no wish to see him exit from the X-universe and the Traders Tales.

Anyway keep writing and posting links to your stuff here - I'm sure the moderators won't mind if it's not X-related (for the time being of course). A talent should not go unpractised...

Matt

[Mercenary]

Hi Kiwi,

Just edited the line to say 'discovered' rather than use the expression 'happened upon'. (should have been 'upon' rather than 'on' in the first draft.)

Also sent an email with a .pdf file of the complete story. Cheers for hosting all these years

It's been a lot of fun writing the stories and there's scope for so much more. Needless to say I will pop by every now and again, not just to catch up on the latest X3 development but to see how other stories have progressed.

A big thanks to everyone's support and feedback over the years.


Merc.