The Road to the Queen
Bani's face hardened on the way to the queen. Deep lines of worry etched across the rugged explorer's features.
"A major offensive all of a sudden... What the hell does that mean?"
"Didn't we have those nightmares in the Echoes of the Dead?"
"We did. Nostalgic dreams, but if you hadn't saved us, it would've been bad."
Bani gave a bitter smile as he fiddled with the locket on his chest.
"Nahibi said the nightmares there were caused by the xenoforms' waves converging."
I continued calmly.
"You said there hadn't been any recently. After the massive invasion in Sector 11, the xenoform numbers dropped, diluting the wave density. But if it's been observed again lately..."
"Means their numbers are building back up."
Bani finished my thought. His voice was heavy.
"Exactly. A lot."
At my confirmation, Bani let out a sigh.
"Like the nightmare from eight years ago repeating?"
"Possibly... A storm on the scale of that invasion, or bigger. Not saying it'll happen right now, but better safe than sorry."
I spoke with conviction. It wasn't mere speculation. It was a conclusion drawn from Nahibi's words and my comprehensive analysis of xenoform behavior patterns honed over years as a soldier. "Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
Bani nodded. No more questions. He understood and accepted it.
It was time to part ways.
We transferred our luggage to the large transport bioform that Mebi had arrived on, heading into Queen Silia's domain. Not a mechanical ship, but something ambiguously organic—resembling a flower bud, if anything. Its writhing outer skin was grotesque yet mystical.
Bani stood alone at the Night Raven's hatch, seeing us off.
"Take care, Kal. Lydia. And... Eve."
"Bye, Uncle! See you later!"
Eve waved. Lydia's eyes welled up as she waved too.
The transport's entrance sealed, pulling away from the Night Raven. Escorted by the xenoform legion, we warped into the deeper abyss and vanished.
Left alone, Bani surveyed the empty bridge.
The boisterous child's laughter, Lydia's nagging, and my heavy talks with Kal—without them, the space felt vast and deathly silent.
He stroked the white plate Eve had made, placed by the pilot's seat. A pass among xenoforms.
"A major offensive..."
Bani gazed out the viewport. The wreckage of the destroyed Hound fleet stretched before him. Soon, such scenes would unfold across the stars.
Bani turned the Night Raven's nose. Not toward the Federation. Not to the safe rear lines either.
To Bani, the war between the Federation and xenoforms was distant reality. His reality stopped at that house on the plains. In the memory of Lina and Jaig laughing.
He had one task: to complete the route he'd devoted his life to.
He opened the locket pendant and gazed at the photo of his wife and daughter.
"Let's go see it through. For those who cheered on this dream."
The old explorer's eyes reignited. The Night Raven's engines traced red contrails into the starlight and disappeared.
Squelch. The sensation underfoot felt alien. Not hard metal decking, but stepping on the inner wall of a living creature.
"Never thought I'd live to ride one of these alive."
Kal tapped the writhing walls. In the military, he'd only seen them storming ships or broken husks. Seeing one calmly ferrying passengers felt strange.
'Never imagined getting an escort from xenoforms...'
"Oh my, the interior is... very eco-friendly. Organic. Too sticky."
Lydia grimaced, fussing with her skirt. She fretted over slime staining her fine dress.
"Lydia! Look at this!"
Eve grabbed a dangling vein-like cord and swung back and forth like a swing.
"Eve! That's dangerous! Get down... wait, is it?"
Lydia started to scold but hesitated. Eve wasn't a normal child... Even if the cord snapped, Eve wouldn't get hurt. And above all, Eve looked so happy.
"Kyahaha! Fun!"
"Eve. Don't do that dangerously."
I pulled Eve down and ruffled her laughing hair.
"Okay!"
Eve immediately dropped the cord at my words.
Mebi led the way. Vine lower body gliding smoothly across the floor.
I picked up Eve and asked Mebi ahead.
"Where are we headed now?"
Pride colored Mebi's voice.
"Garden of Knowledge?"
Mebi gestured into the air. Space rippled, a black veil draping the corridor as the vista of the Garden of Knowledge unfolded vividly before us.
"......!"
It was a massive aerial garden. Not on the planet's surface, but islands floating above the clouds. Connected by enormous roots and stems.
Most striking was the gigantic tree at the center. Towering through the clouds toward space. But it wasn't green. Red crystals embedded in bark, leaves, and trunk, writhing tentacles.
Corrupted nature. Horrific yet majestic, overwhelmingly visual.
Whale-sized xenoforms swimming leisurely around the great tree evoked a mythic scene.
"Sooo huge!"
Eve's eyes sparkled in awe.
"The queen's in that giant tree thing?"
"Never seen a tree that big."
I stuck out my tongue in amazement. That size made it an ecosystem unto itself.
"A god?"
Mebi continued coldly. Contempt gleamed from behind the veil.
Mebi pointed at the hologram's massive tree with a vine tendril.
Just as it seemed concluded, Mebi's tone suddenly flared.
Mebi halted, kneeling like a priest, arms raised skyward in chant.
The veil lifted slightly, revealing Mebi's eyes—not a rational scholar's, but blazing with fanaticism and blind devotion.
Mebi's body trembled.
Mebi prostrated fully. The corridor's air chilled instantly.
Lydia clutched my arm in fear. Even I shuddered at Mebi's fanaticism. Was this the xenoforms' essence?
The rational, composed Mebi devolved to such worship before queens.
I looked down at Eve in my arms.
Eve stared blankly, unphased or unfamiliar with Mebi's display.
'Eve... what do you think of them? What does being queen mean to a xenoform...'
Unease flickered, but I masked it.
"Mebi. Keep guiding."
I spoke flatly. Mebi sprang up as if nothing happened.
Mebi resumed elegant priest form, leading ahead.
But that fanatic gaze lingered, etched deep in my mind. We walked the long corridor of the unfolding Garden of Knowledge in silence.