Where is the threat? Bio’bo demanded as her emotions went icy cold and her body became visibly rigid.
Not here, she said, staring at the bright flare of Essence that did not diminish. I don’t think it’s in this star system. But whatever it is, it is a monster…and I know we have nothing that can match it.
4
May 27, 128885
Stugarrata Nebula (Tovok Kingdom)
Kappa Temple
“What is it, Responder?” Mak’to’ran asked on the desert plains where Cal-com had built him an Obi-wan-esk solitary dwelling where he could train in private away from the Vargemma and the Elcee.
“Specify,” it replied in V’kit’no’sat, which Mak’to’ran still used when alone despite his now normal Star Force language skills that he’d had all in his former empire mentally download.
“The Essence rush that remains steady in the sky. What is its source?”
“It is beyond the Temple.”
“On the exterior?”
“No. Far beyond. It comes from the Galactic Core.”
Mak’to’ran turned and looked at it once again, shining in its invisible light on the other side of the Temple…or so it appeared. “How is that possible? Essence diminishes quickly with range.”
“This is true, but the large amount being emitted in the Core is of such a potent nature that it persists in the void longer than normal.”
“How can you determine its location?”
“My database includes only one potential source for such an occurrence. I cannot determine if it is of another nature, but if it is a match, then it can only occur in the Core where the Galactic Gateways are.”
“What is it precisely that you surmise I am seeing?”
“A Hadarak Colonization Spore.”
“Define it,” Mak’to’ran said, still looking at the distant, yet constant Essence Rush.
“It is their primary mechanism for seeding a new galaxy with their leadership. It is a living vessel with the mass of a star in which an invasion force is carried along the Gateways. The Essence required to move it with sufficient speed to arrive at the destination galaxy before the inhabitants die from lack of resources is immense, and can usually be seen across the expanse of the departure galaxy.”
“How many Wardens does it carry?”
“None.”
“Does it carry minions?”
“No.”
“What then does it carry?”
“The leadership only.”
Mak’to’ran turned his gaze back to the red obelisk. “Can the leadership fight?”
“Once they are within their natural environment it is believed they can, though the Founders have never engaged them directly, so I cannot satisfactorily answer that question.”
“Why are the leadership not vulnerable upon arrival?”
“The Spore defends them.”
“The transport is combat capable?”
“It is the most dangerous asset the Hadarak possess. The Founders have never been able to successfully engage one.”
“Does it possess Essence weaponry?”
“Yes. It also possesses such mass and conventional weaponry to make it resilient against the Heidoor long enough for the leadership to get established. They will then create the other Hadarak forms from pieces of the Spore as it is cannibalized to supply immediate forces necessary to establish a foothold. If needed, once the foothold is established, other reinforcements can use the Gateways to support the new Colony. Without a foothold they would quickly die if the arrival area is guarded.”
“Are most Gateways guarded in galaxies the Founders and the Hadarak do not possess?”
“The Gateways are the largest gravity wells, and such large wells are the primary residences of the more massive Heidoor. They are never unguarded.”
“This Spore will then go into battle upon arrival?”
“Undoubtedly.”
“Are the leadership in this galaxy fleeing it?”
“They do not flee. They multiply and expand. Growing a Colony Spore is a massive expenditure that requires millions of years, with variability options depending upon available resources.”
“Then this Spore was grown long before the galactic purge began?”
“Yes.”
“Why would they send it now when this galaxy is not fully under their control?”
“It is fully under their control. They do not inhabit all of it in order to avoid attracting the Apocalypse Monsters, but they are in full control of it. The Temples are placed in the areas where they choose not to inhabit, but the galaxy is fully theirs to prune as they see fit.”
“It will not be pruned this time, Responder.”
“Until the Founders return the Hadarak will not be overcome. Any attempt to fight them is futile.”
“We are about to disprove that,” the Era’tran said reflexively, then glanced back at the Essence Rush as a sense of the stupidity of his words flowed over him. The Hadarak were so unconcerned with Star Force and the V’kit’no’sat that they were launching an invasion of another galaxy and splitting their resources to do so. Either the Hadarak were underestimating Mak’to’ran’s new empire, or they were more formidable than anyone was imagining.
“Please supply relevant data for analysis.”
“The major combat has not yet begun,” Mak’to’ran said dismissively. “How long will this Essence Rush last?”
“Years. Obtaining the necessary speed cannot be done quickly with such mass, even with Essence enhancement of biological gravity drives.”
“Will it not pass beyond the effective gravity field long before then?”
“The Core of the galaxy has many gravity wells. Launch is conducted off the strongest, then the others that are passed by are used to add speed before the galactic field cluster is left behind. When that occurs, the Essence Rush will disappear and the Spore will become ballistic until it reaches the cluster field of the destination galaxy.”
“Do you know where this one is going?”
“Not until the other Temples relay their positioning data. When all are combined, we will have accurate tract analysis.”
Mak’to’ran huffed. “Are you saying the Temples act as a sensor array for these large Essence Rushes?”
“Affirmative.”
“Can you track the smaller ones?”
“Dependent on range, yes.”
“Can you detect Lurker combat?”
“The size of the Essence Rush is the determining factor, as well as the potency.
