Chapter 7: Zahura

"Are you sure this is the right path to take?" Quran said, looking out the port window wall taking in the view as they left the atmosphere of Zuhura. The shimmering stars danced against the silky velvety blackness of space.

"I think, you need to make up your own mind before we get there. Besides you're the one who will have to make the negotiations with the other worlds." Elrod said matter-of-factly, reclining in his Grav-Hammock, preoccupied with the data that danced in front of him.

Quran glared over his shoulder at him, a little annoyed but not surprised by his usual bluntness. Rubbing the rough sandpaper-like hairs emerging from his chiseled jawline. "Yeah, I guess your right" he mumbled turning back to the window. "You know, no matter how many times I make these trips off-world, it's always breathtaking," Quran said spreading his arms wide.

"I'm sure it is…if you're into that sort of thing." Elrod responded, with dry interest. His hands were moving like a maestro leading an orchestra of numbers, formulas, and diagrams.

Rolling his eyes, Quran made his way towards the center of the room.

"They didn't spare any expense," Quran said, admiring the splendor of the room. The craftsmanship and attention to detail were exquisite, breathtaking even in the void of space. Quran thought to himself as he took in the enormous suite. The walls were crafted into decorative swirls that kept one's eyes entertained with its intricate interlocking patterns. It took many painstaking hours to create such art out of the metal of the ship. He wasn't a stranger to such adorning, but this was ultra-high class to the point of being excessive. With pride, he noticed the crimson and green banner decorated with seven stars that surrounded four hands with fingers intertwined. The banner slightly swayed from the enhanced artificial breeze, the smell of native spices and oils filled his nostrils, reminding him of their homeland. Closing his eyes, inhaling deeply, taking in the rich ambrosia of smells. A faint rhythm of percussions supported the rich soulful mezzo-soprano voice singing her tragic tale of betrayal, sacrifice and victory filled the room. Even though the excess was a bit of a put-off, it did take some of the edge off. The stress that had been slowly building within him since he was given the assignment.

"Still hard to believe that we are going to take this step," Quran said finally after a moment of silence between the two.

"It's the best course of action, the only action to take really. If we wait, they will come and take it." Elrod answered.

"So, the science is solid" Quran asked.

"Yes," Elrod answered "It's beyond solid. Every model has been 98.4% accurate, the speed increase depends on the mass of the object of course." Elrod continued, motioning a section of the data away from the main bed of stream of information, to focus on the diagram that now floated between him and Quran. "When the gates are built with the material, not only are the wormholes more stable, but objects that pass through can dive deeper into the dimensional flux moving faster than we thought possible." Elrod said, "What used to take years would now take mere months, in some cases days." He continued, "Just the stabilization of the wormholes alone is worth many fortunes."

Quran looking at all the details and formulas not knowing what it all meant but understanding the bottom line.

"We all know that this will mean war," Elrod said at last. His enhanced eyes met Quran's gaze. "It's just part of the process of independence. It's a price I feel like all of us are prepared to take." he finished.

"You seem so sure."

"You need to be," Elrod said standing up walking towards the suspended data.

Quran sighed turning away, again looking out the port window, their homeworld now smaller as the Scow continued its course.

"I will be ready" he answered, "You know I will be."

"I know" Elrod answered, stretching a bit. "You always are, I know you understand how important this is. These moves will put our sector in the driver's seat for generations, we can pull away from F.U.W influence. We could build an empire."

"The irony isn't lost on me old friend," Quran said turning to Elrod flashing his broad smile. "Our people were throwaways; they couldn't wait to get rid of us. We left the Earth sector to find our own, yet still under the shadow of the F.U.W."

Brushing off a speck of dust that made its way on his sleeve, while walking around the isolated data Elrod made his way to a specific section. Waved his hand over the section to generate several faces. Quran focused on the images a flash of recognition flashed across his face, trying to hide it he tried to keep the conversation moving.

"These are the others? When did this information come in?" Quran questioned. "I thought it supposed to be all hush-hush until we arrived."

Elrod smiled for the first time,

"Supposed to be, but I got curious."

"Seems like all the heavy hitters will be there," Quran said, reaching up, grabbing one of the images.

"I figured she would grab your attention." Elrod said playfully, "I was almost surprised they chose her…Almost." He finished in his usual obnoxious tone. "Looking at the players here, your role is to make the arguments of why we should break away." Standing near his lifelong friendship with his arms tucked behind his back. His tone was again monotone and measured.

"You will also have to convince the other systems of the sector the benefit of supporting us." Elrod continued, "This meeting could make or break our little… Uasi as they are calling it, without this support it will make things harder," he said flatly.

"If they won't comply?" Quran questioned shrugging his powerful shoulders.

"Then, we make them." The voice rumbled like the grinding of old rusted gears, originating from the far side of the room. Elrod and Quran looked towards the incredibly broad figure of Matunaag. They weren't aware that he was awake and listening.

"I'm hoping it does not come to that," Quran said.

"We all know it ultimately will, don't we? One way or the other, sooner or later blood will flow; I mean you didn't invite me on this." Matunaag paused waving his tree trunk of an arm like a game show host presenting a prize. "…little cruse for the ambiance," he continued with a sniff. shifting in the grav-hammock Quran was surprised the hammock was able to compensate for his massive bulk. On a human scale Quran would be considered big. Compared to the size of Matunaag made him feel like a scrawny prepubescent teen. Standing at almost 2.3 meters, without his deadly Shaka class Zulu armor. "I trust you will figure it out," standing up from the hammock making his way to one of the inner rooms of the cabin, "Do me a favor, just keep it down, will you," ducking his head and turning his shoulders a tad to enter the room, obviously the ship built without the dimensions of a being of his size in mind, Quran thought to himself as the door silently closed behind the giant of a man.

"Again, that's your job, you're the great negotiator of the sector, remember?" Elrod said patting him on the shoulder as he walked through the shimmering data as it dissipated like a group of disturbed fireflies. Making his way back towards his Grav-hammock. "We will go over it more a little later, I'm still compiling data from my sources, so I can prepare you properly." Sitting in the chair, brushing the small wrinkles out of his pants. Looking back at Quran his eyes shimmered an emerald hue.

"I'm going to connect to the dark vortex now and do more investigating, I suggest you get some rest and try not to get into trouble." He said, his voice starting to sound like echoes in the void as his consciousness done into the vortex. The Hammock conformed to his small wiry frame as he got comfortable.

Well, If I am going to be one of the players, whose actions may cost the lives of billions, upon billions of living beings. I will have to at least look at the part. He thought, again rubbing the rough bristles on his face. Deciding to wait to cut the new growth for another day or so. The trip to the sub-world would take two full days. Scows were luxurious, but not the fastest mode of transportation.

Finding himself back at the port window all the new facts weighed heavy upon him, to break away from the F.U.W. has never been done before…not successfully anyway. With the new technology, along with the allies they hoped to establish. He thought maybe, just maybe they would stand a chance.