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From my ship I walked six feet or so, then held up my gauntlet. I tapped a button that was near the palm, and a circle on the palm of my gauntlet flickered, then projected a map of my current area. The projection was a light blue and somewhat hard to see in the white, but turned towards the dark grey color of my ship made it easier.

I tapped a command into my gauntlet now, then heard a corresponding beep in my helmet. My gauntlet, along with my helmet, were both fitted with a pinging system that could locate any objects that gave off specific waves or frequencies.

Watching the map spin slowly above my palm, I waited for the pings to start. All around me was pure white, aside from the occasional patches of grey earth, where Jessit's miners had been digging into the surface.

One ping sounded, and I looked closer at the map. I saw it rotate slowly, the flat landscape around me in grid form. I heard a second ping, that saw the same ping appear on the gridded map. Northwest my mind registered.

I turned, letting the map collapse as I lowered my hand, and began to walk. The wind howled past me, scraping its chilled teeth at my skin tight gear. As I was going down, I saw the slopes of the dig site progressing as I made my way, and further down I could see the various tunnels that branched into the planet.

Keeping on my downward trek I saw that Jessit's miners had cut out the largest section of the dig site first, then gradually made smaller digs into the planets surface. I remembered that Voayar was home to large beasts that were native to the freezing climate, but as I went down and into the site, I saw no such creatures.

* * *

The descent into the dig site didn't take long, and as I walked onto the bottom-most level I could hear the pings in my helmet coming with a quick frequency. I held up my gauntlet and let the map flick into shape, and saw the pings coming from the west now, at a quicker pace. I looked west, and saw the entrance to a tunnel.

Putting my arm back to my side I walked in the direction of the tunnel. The wind whistled past me again, as if to remind me where I was. The tunnel wasn't far off, and as I got nearer I heard the pings picking up again.

At the mouth of the tunnel I flicked on the light on my helmet without breaking my stride. The dark cave gained some illumination, although it wasn't much. I walked further into the tunnel, and soon felt the ground slope downwards. It was cold in the tunnel, but not as cold as it had been on the planets surface. As I walked down the pings quickened in pace, and the the tunnel started to to widen out.

I looked from side to side as the tunnel got wider still, then watched a cavern fold into view in front of me. I slowed my pace and stopped, then looked down. A good drop to the floor of the cavern below. I judged it to be about thirty feet, but looked back up to observe the cavern in front of me.

But cavern wasn't the right word. "No," I said aloud. It was more like an underground temple. I saw the wide stretch of cavern floor, and then, in the near distance, I could see a temple-like structure. It stood high in the air, and I could see a set of stairs stretching up. Looking closer, I could just make out a dull red glow.

"That must be my mysterious rock," I thought aloud.

Looking back down I saw there were deep scratches and scores in the rocky wall, and as I crouched down to examine it, I quickly decided the wall looked more than manageable; scattered across the floor of the cavern were small lights.

Leaving my helmet light on, I turned around and let a leg hang over the wall until I found purchase. I swung my other leg over and hung onto the edge of the wall with my hands, then looked down. I could just make out more indentions in the wall, and as I started downwards, I moved slowly, making sure I had a hand and foothold before continuing.

The pings in my helmet picked up as I made my way down, and as I paused to look down again, I could make out the floor of the cavern. I found another foothold and moved down, then moved down again.

I felt my feet touch the cavern floor, then I turned and walked from the wall. I started across the cavern floor, and turned off the light on my helmet. Holding up my gauntlet I switched the mapping system off, and the pings in my helmet stopped.

* * *

Walking across the cavern, the only thing I heard were the taps of my boots on the ground under me. I walked past the lights that illuminated the floor, and as I got closer to the temple I noticed the designs on the walls, stairs and the two columns. I looked at them as I got closer, and wondered who had built the temple.

I tabled the thought as I reached the foot of the stairs, then started up them. I could see the mystery rock more clearly now, and as I headed up the stairs the glow that surrounded it grew brighter. But then, I was almost a quarter of the way up the steps, when I heard the voice.

"Tebin," the voice was soft.

I stopped and put a hand to my gun, but my mind suggested it wouldn't do me any good to shoot at disembodied voices.

"The is site is sacred," the voice said.

"Where are you?" I turned, resuming my trip up the steps again.

"Or it was sacred," the voice continued, as if it hadn't heard me.

"Where are you?" I repeated. I took my hand off my gun, and kept moving up the stairs.

"Stones mark the site," the voice continued.

As I saw the top of the stairs, and then the stone, the voice said, "It was long ago, before the age of Those Who Knew."

I was at the top of the stairs now, and I looked at the stone. It was shaped like a prism, and dark in color. But the voice had one more thing to say.

"The sacred site, which is sacred no longer, now lies in ruin. Do not travel the same path as the site."

I looked at the stone. It's dark color seemed almost evil, and as I at it more closely I saw there were faint red lines dancing across the stones surface. It wasn't much bigger than the palm of my hand, and it wasn't stone. I reached out to touch it, and felt the smooth surface of something that was like metal, but wasn't. What is this thing? I asked myself.

Taking a hold of the stone I paused only for a moment, but took it from the pedestal it sat on. It came away without resistance, and I took a step back, holding it stone out in my hand, as if I was offering it back to the pedestal. There wasn't any rumbling deep within the cavern though, and when the ceiling didn't crack and threaten to rain down on me, I stepped away from the pedestal and went back down the steps.

I put a hand to my helmet and tapped on the long-range communicator, then waited for the beep. After a second the beep came and I said aloud,

"Black Echo Nine to North Sector, Nurin-Veyga Six." I waited for a response as I began to walk from the cavern and back to the wall I'd come down.

My reply came after a moment, and in response I heard,

"Black Echo Nine we read you, over. Go ahead."

"Black Echo reading," was my reply, "Let General Carver know that I've recovered his stone from planet Voyar and I'm making my return trip now."

"Black Echo Nine were reading you, ov-" but I heard the static chirp, and then transmission cut out.

"North Sector I didn't get that, repeat," I said. I was just halfway across the cavern now.

"-Nine-" more static, "-Acknowledgment of mission-" another chirp.

"North Sector repeat," I strained to hear them now. But my reply was only static. "Dammit," I took my head from my helmet, then reached behind me to tuck the small prism-shaped stone into a leather pouch on my belt. Putting my hand back to my helmet I made to make contact with the Nir, but the AI apparently had the same idea as me.

"Master, the Red Horizon's scanners have gone on the fritz, and it appears the long-range communicators area offline as well."

"I know," I replied, "I lost content with the North Sector just now. Are you getting anything at all on the scanners?"

"Only a heat signature, in the same cavern as you are in," Nir said. As if to back up the idea of an extra body with me, I heard a low growling sound come from my right.

"Fuck," I put my free hand to my gun now and pulled it now, thumbing back the hammer. "Are you getting anything else?" I asked.

"No master," replied the AI.

"Alright keep on the scanners until I get back up there," I said.

"Yes, master," Nir said.

I took my hand from my helmet now, and put both hands on my gun.

I heard the growl again, then saw a shadow on the edge of one of the lights on the cavern floor. I kept my hands on my gun and watched the spot where I'd seen the shadow, but moved for the wall of the cavern.

More movement, closer this time, made me put my gun up as I kept towards the wall. I heard the growl again, and then saw eyes. There weren't more than twenty feet away, and were bright gold.

"Come on," I said quietly to myself. Another growl was my reply, and as I saw the shadow crept across a pool of light, I shot.

The shot echoed through the cavern and lit up the area directly in front of me. The shot elected a whine from whatever creature was in front of me, and the eyes disappeared. I lowered my gun slightly and walked forward, towards the pool of light where I had seen the creature.

I discovered it was a Dushog, a dog-like, snow-dwelling creature with a long snout and wide eyes. It was big, I snapped on my helmet light for a quick look, and saw it could have been a large cub.

Snapping my light off I went back to walking for the wall, and put a hand to my helmet.

"Nir, are you reading me?" I asked.

"Yes, master," the AI said into my helmet.

"Are you picking anything else up on the scanners?" I asked.

"Nothing, master," replied my bodiless pilot.

"Good," I holstered my gun, "I'm heading back up, take a look at the scanners, but get the ship ready to go."

"Yes, master," was my answer.

I took my hand from my helmet and went from a walk to a steady jog, and closed the distance to the cavern wall.

* * *

Up the cavern wall and down the tunnel again, I stepped into the thick snow and was greeted by a gust of cold wind. I let out a breath that fogged the air in front of me, and I tapped a small button on the neck of my chest piece. I heard the locking ring disengaged with a click, and I pulled off my helmet. I took a cold breath, tasting the frozen air, then I pulled my helmet back on. I checked the pouch on my belt, finding the strange prism secure, then looked up.

As if he'd read my mind, Nir was lowering the Red Horizon into the mining site. I knew the ship couldn't land within the site, but as I went up the slope that lead out of the site, the Red Horizon's cargo bay opened and came close enough for me to jump a short distance, and reach my ship.

"Nir, lets go!" I called out. My response was the sound of the Red Horizon's engines flaring, and as I started for the stairs as I felt my ship jump as the engines gained full power.

Up the stairs and in the cockpit I pulled off my helmet, set it on the control board, and looked at the scanners. They were fine now, and as I sat down I wondered what had caused the temporary lull in their functionality. Maybe it's your strange new prize my mind suggested.

"Maybe," I said aloud. I ran a hand through my hair as I tapped the navigation map, setting a course for Nurin-Veyga Six.

After a moment the Red Horizon jumped for its course to my home planet, and I left Nir in charge of the ship as I exited the cockpit, and went to the armory. Through the armory door I pulled off my belt and took out the strange metal prism, and set it down on the table. Pulling off my E.A suit and boots, I hung the suit back on its rack, set the boots underneath, and pulled on the flight jacket and pants I had left in the armory before arriving at Voyar.

Turning back to the table I left my belt where it was, unstrapped my gun and laid on the table, then looked at the dimly glowing prism. I picked it up in my gloved hand, turning it one way and then the other.

I held the prism in my hand, giving it another look, then turned and left the armory. I went to my quarters, and there I set the the vague object on the table that was near my bed. I sat down on my bed, then pressed the com button that was nearby.

"Nir, wake me up when we get back to Nurin-Veyga."

"Understood, master," came the reply, and I nodded.

• * *

"What did the temple look like?"

"Old," I said.

"Carver looked at me, his eyes just peering over the top of the strange prism that I had recovered from the the temple cavern on Voyar. "Old?" he repeated.

"I can't think of any architecture that I could compare to what I found in the tunnel," I said in a mild voice. I had just arrived back on Nurin-Veyga, and not ten minutes after landing in the North Sector, I was on my way to Carver's office.

"None?" he asked me. He set the prism down on his desk, his hands were gloved to match his formal military attire, and folded his hands under his chin.

I thought about it. "Maybe Alqwun," I said after a moment. "The steps were fairly smooth for being underground, and the pillars had some ornate detail paid to them."

"That could make sense," Carver said with a nod, "The Alqwun were big temple builders a few centuries ago, before they apparently vanished."

"Did they build as far as Voyar?" I asked.

"Maybe," Carver held up a hand.

I nodded. There was a moment of silence between the two of us, then Carver stood up from his desk, and indicated to the prism. "Take that with you," the General said, "And come with me."

"And go where?" I asked. I stood up and picked up the prism. I was dressed in my flight jacket, black pants and my boots.

"To speak with Father Berik," said Carver.

I followed Caver out of his office and down the hall to the lift, which we took down.

"Father Berik," I repeated the name.

"You'll most likely know him as the Hierarchy," Caver said. He put his hands behind his back as the lift went down. "Head of the Church of Theocracy?"

"That Father Berik," my mind made the connection suddenly, "Is that the same Berik who lead a group of Church radicalists to overtake House Orthain and kill Lord Temsh Orthain?"

"The same," Caver nodded. The lift doors opened in front of us, and we stepped out. I followed Carver down a short hall that lead to the rest of the North Sector. "So you might be wondering why he's on Nurin-Veyga as opposed to the Church on Rextin Tal."

"I'm curious," I said.

"He's here for a good reason, I'll assure you," Carver said. He walked with a stiffer step that usual, his clean and smoothed black military dress uniform helping to impress that step, then continued with,

"Father Berik is here with a small part of his personal congregation, but coincidentally, its concerning the prism I had you recover." Carver and I walked through the doors that lead to the rest of the North Sector. We were greeted with a light, warm wind as the mild talk of soldiers and workers who went here and there.

"What concern does he have with this object?" I held up the item in question.

"That's why he's here," Carver said. We walked down the North Sectors main road now, and up ahead I could see a small group of figures, all standing near a small shuttle that had wide wings. Most figures were dressed in dark grays, but the figure who seemed to to in charge was dressed in black robes, and carried a staff.

"That must be Berik," I said.

"The one with the staff?" Carver replied. I glanced at the General, who nodded. "That's the one."

As we approached the shuttle and the small group, I heard a small click and glanced at Carver. The General, without breaking his stride, had taken what looked like an oversized knife hilt from his belt.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Holo-blade," Carver replied. Still without breaking his step he held the blade out to me, then reached into his dress jacket. "You'll need this," Carver added.

"Will I?" I reached behind me to tuck away the mystery prism, and took the "holo-blade" that Carver was offering me.

"Yes," Carver withdrew a second thing from his jacket, and held it in his hand. We were close enough to the staff holder and his group to where I could see their faces. "That's not the real Berik," Carver said.

"What?" I looked at the General.

"Just wait," he said. "And follow my lead when I say."

I kept up with Carver as we closed the distance between ourselves and the newly-arrived congregation. We came nearer and the staff holder, who Carver said wasn't the real Father Berik, turned. I saw his face, an old one covered in a thick, grey beard and a hood. His congregation turned with him, there were six of them, all dressed in long robes.

"Berik," Caver kept the holo-blade in his hand as he stepped past me looked the older man who carried the staff.

"Carver," Berik turned, tapping the ground with his staff. "Good to see you again," he glanced at me, but looked back at the General. "Where might the object be?"

"Here," Carver glanced at me. I glanced back at him, and he nodded.

I reached behind me, holo-blade still in hand, took the vague prism from the pouch on my belt, and held it out to the assumed-fake Father Berik.

"Ah," the staff holder smiled, and held out his own hand. "My many thanks, General."

But it was in that moment I saw what Carver meant by fake. Father Berik leaned forward to take the prism, but his eyes, they were light blue, flickered.

"Now," Carver's voice was a monotone as he took a step forward, engaging his holo-blade at the same time, and swung. I stepped back as his swing carried across the short gap between himself and "Father Berik" and dug into the bearded mans face.

I took another step back and tucked the prism back into the pouch on my belt, and around us the fake Berik's congregation all made a collectively displeased sound. I brought my holo-blade up and engaged it as Carver kicked away the fake Berik. The blade in my hand emerged from the hilt, and without pausing to think, I took a swing at the nearest congregation member.

My blade came through the air to strike the man, his smooth face now taking on a look of anger, and the weapon sliced through skin, then metal. Metal my mind registered that wasn't right, and as I stepped back and let the body fall I heard Caver's own holo-blade sink into his second kill.

Now the four renaming congregation members came froward, all brandishing small knives, and I backed up. One came close enough and I swung, catching the android-man across the chest and making him step back. I saw the clothing tear and a spark flicker. I saw metal, and the other three were advancing. But Caver had moved on from his second target, and now took a long step, stretching his arms, and ran one of the humanoid androids through. I pulled my gun now held it up, firing. The android took my shot to its head and stumbled back, flailing its arms as it fell down. Carver's target hit the ground on its face, and without wasting a second the General swung his blade and sent the last synthetic android to the ground.

When the last body was on the ground, Carver snapped his weapon back into the hilt, and clipped it onto his belt. I turned to look at him, and he caught my eye.

"Now we need to get to Rextin Tal," he said.

"To find out if Berik is okay?" I asked. I snapped away my own holo-blade, and held it out to Carver.

He shook his head before saying, "You hang onto that. It's about time I gave you one of your own anyways. And yes, we need to make sure that Father Berik is alright. If he's being impersonated by humots," Carver paused to glance at the android bodies, "Then we'll need to let him know."

"Should we take my ship?" I asked. Caver took a step away from the bodies and I followed his lead.

"It's faster than mine, thats for sure," he nodded.

We began to walk and the General held up a com to his mouth, and called for his squadron. After a moment they picked up, and Caver said,

"Rouge Eight Actual, I want you and your men to guard the the North Sectors main gate until Captain Tebin Luthow and I have arrived back from Rextin Tal. We're leaving as I speak, and if I get one call or transmission about something gone wrong, you will take full blame when I return. Is that understood?"

Carver's response was a more than immediate, "Yes, sir," over the communicator.

"Inform Squadron's One through Eight that their to do that same, and the same punishment goes for the leaders. One call, and no one walks away without getting shouted at."

"Understood General," was the second immediate reply, and Carver finished with,

"Thank you Temish."

Clipping the communicator back to his belt, Caver glanced at me and said,

"I hope your up for a bit of diplomacy on Rextin Tal."

"Should I be?" I asked.

"I'd expect it," Caver replied. We were walking back inside of the North Sectors offices now, and as we went down a hall a squadron of soldiers stopped to salute the General. Carver gave them a less than hearty salute back, then said, "Father Berik is the head of the Church of Theocracy. I'm assuming you know what a theocracy is."

"System of government where the priests call the shots and rely on God for help," I said. We were at the lift now, and the doors slid open.

"That's how the entirety of Rextin Tal is run," Carver said with a huff. "By a fucking Theocracy. And Father Berik serves as almost all of the planets leader."

"Almost all of the planet?"

"There's a small part that he doesn't have control over," Carver paused, then smirked, "I'm sorry, a part that "Thanos" doesn't have control over. Priests and their gods. Anyways, when we get there Father Berik will more than likely be unnerved by the fact that were saying he's being impersonated by androids with skin, because Thanos wouldn't allow that to happen."

"I take it that you and Berik have a history?" I asked.

"A bit of one I won't lie," Caver held up a shoulder, "But that's beside the point. When we get to the Church, all we need to tell Berik is that someone is masquerading is him, but in android form. We'll find out if he has any enemies, and go from there."

"Sounds good to me," I said.

"And one more thing," Caver said as the lift doors opened.

"Which is?" I glanced at him as we headed down the hall.

"Don't let him see that prism of yours," the General paused, then said, "When I say that Berik I have history, I mean that I have... ties, should I say, to the Trah-Ar Brotherhood."

"You used to be a part of the Brotherhood?" I asked.

"When I was younger," Carver said. We were going through the doorway that lead to the landing platform now, and Carver continued with, "But that's a story for another day. We'll need to make haste to Rextin Tal. Father Berik has enemies already, and I'd hate to see that list grow any longer."

"Then let's get moving," I tapped on my gauntlet, and the cargo bay of the ship came down to admit us.