When they arrived, the Eternal Wanderer was undergoing a pre-launch check. They would be leaving the following day, so it was necessary to make certain that all was well. Bral technicians were crawling all over the ship, making certain that the hull and steering oars were all well. Meanwhile, the larder was re-stocked, the weapons magazine re-filled, and all magical devices cross-checked.
Blaise and Hypathia walked over to Ville, Phantom and Meridian, who were discussing the contents of a large collection of papers. Sitting on a crate, trying to remain inconspicuous, was Cohmot. Hypathia walked over to the neogi.
"I want to thank you again for the information," she said. "You don't know how much destruction this will prevent."
"Prevent for one group it will," Cohmot said, "but for neogi will make worse. Justified is it to kill one people and let another be spared?"
Hypathia paused for a minute.
"We must choose the path that serves the most people the best," she finally said.
"Please majority your path might," Cohmot said, his ice-blue eyes narrowing, "but correct path does that make it?"
Hypathia couldn't answer. For a neogi, Cohmot was unique. During his brief stay with the Wanderer, he had proven that even the neogi can be thoughtful beings, however infrequently.
"The Conorg will keep your asteroid safe," Hypathia said. "I have seen to that."
Hall walked over to the two, listening as he came.
"Acceptable that is," the neogi said with despair. "Want to escape the wars forever I want!"
"You have done your part to stop them," Hall said. "Let others handle it from here."
"Just wish do I, that..."
Cohmot's sentence was cut off by an explosion several yards away. A black hammership had appeared near the dock and was firing at the Wanderer.
Onestar emerged from another group of people and started to yell commands. Hall called out to all available spellcasters to prepare a magical assault on the attacking ship.
Arrows flew between the two ships. One of the Wanderer's battle doors opened to reveal a huge ballistae. One bolt flew from it, striking a crew member on the hammership. The bolt continued to fly beyond the hammership, taking its impaled victim with it.
"Illeria!" Onestar cried, "Dimension Door! All of you!" he added, pointing to a collection of the Wanderer's crew members, "you're with me!"
Illeria emerged from the crowd and opened a door to the Hammership. Onestar ran through, followed by a mob of yelling crew members. The hammership was taken by surprise, so the continual rain of arrows on the dock slowed for a few moments. It was long enough for Hall to arrange the spellcasters into a row.
"Concentrate on the aft saloon," he called. "NOW!"
At once, a wave of magical arcs - fireballs, lighting bolts, disintegrates, and ice storms - smashed into the hull of the hammership. A huge hole developed on the side of the ship, exposing the inner chambers. On the main deck, Onestar and the others grabbed onto something to ride out the shock, then resumed their melee.
Onestar had only his katana with him, but that was all he needed. A pile of injured humanoids began to develop around him. Tabatha Cherna also had several kills to her name. Fighting from the hatch to the cargo bay, the tabaxi moved like lighting. The humanoids couldn't even scratch her she was so fast. With her two swords flying in wild circles, and her feline teeth glaring, Tabatha fought hard.
Onestar faced the captain of the hammership. His katana now darkened with the blood of many foes, the samurai faced the leader of his attackers. The captain wore a long cloak, with a hood which covered his face. Onestar took one swing, then another. Within seconds, the captain fell to the ground. Onestar rolled the body over, looking at his attacker. His eyes opened in shock.
After a few minutes, two ships from the Bral guard emerged and forced the hammership to land on the docks loading platform. The hammership was broken and crumbling. Clearly they had underestimated their prey.
Bit by bit, the crew from the Wanderer escorted their prisoners through the huge hole in the back of the downed ship and onto the dock. Kath came running from another chamber...
"Capt'n," he said, holding a small scroll, "you might find this interesting."
Onestar took the scroll and read it. It was a contract to destroy the Eternal Wanderer, by none other than Tee-Ess'Arr. Onestar snorted, crumpled up the paper, and threw it to the ground.
"...somehow this all makes sense." The samurai looked around to see if anyone was hurt, when he saw several people gathered near Cohmot. Onestar rushed over there, parting some of the people to get through and see.
Hall looked down at Cohmot. Several arrows were in the neogi's body, and his brown blood was slipping onto the dock. Hall gently placed his hands under Cohmot's head and lifted it.
Cohmot managed a slight smile.
"Escaped forever... after all... did I," he whispered, then breathed his last breath.
Somehow, everyone gathered suddenly felt very sad.
The Calla Maraine left early the next morning. Some last minute, hasty good-byes were made, and the blue squid ship vanished into the black sky. Hall and Belieth paid one short, final visit to the Golden Loom and Corowin Willowleaf, then returned to the Wanderer. Onestar signed a few papers, finished some business with the Seekers, and gave the go-ahead to launch. Slowly, the ship began move away from the Rock of Bral. Before leaving Spiralspace, however, they had one stop to make.
Once again, Hall stood on the large, moss-covered rock were he had spoken with Cohmot just a few days before. The Wanderer rested in a clearing nearby, while the crew watched silently as a large, black, silken bag slowly sank into a pool of water near the now abandoned cave that had been Cohmot's home.
Hall had given the neogi a eulogy. He only hoped that there were others like him, with the courage to stand up for what they believed in. Cohmot refused to accept the wicked ways of his people, so he fought back, in his own, silent way. Everyone could take some comfort in knowing that during his last days he had given Hypathia enough information to foil the neogi in Solaris for a decade. When the bag had vanished beneath the water, some of the women threw flowers into the water, then walked away. Even Kath and Karamon were surprised that they could feel sorry for a neogi, but they were quick to point out that Cohmot had died for what he believed in: His was an honorable death. Armas had cast a special spell on the neogi's lifeless body. No one would ever disturb his spirit. Cohmot would find, in death, the peace he could never find in life.
As the crew started back for the ship, Onestar approached Hall.
"You outdid yourself, Hall," Onestar said quietly. "That was quite a speech."
"Thanks," Hall said, as the pair started back for the Wanderer. Several crew members were scattered about the ground around the ship, making sure that all was ready.
"It still seems pointless," Hall said. "All he wanted was peace."
"I know," Onestar agreed. "It is sad. Eventually people like him do make a difference, but at what price?"
"That's a question Cohmot will never have to answer," Hall said finally. Belieth stood on the gangplank, wearing her new, purple velvet dress. Crystal was beside her, wearing a flowing, light blue gown. They looked absolutely stunning.
"Mine's on the right," Hall said, "yours is on the left."
Onestar just laughed quietly.
A few minutes later, the entire crew was gathered on the Wanderer, and the great Dreadnought was ready to fly. Onestar looked at the star charts for several minutes. The bridge was dead silent.
"Are you certain about this?" Hall asked.
"Yes," Onestar said finally. "The captain of that hammership was one of Colicor's personal guard. They were hired by Te-Ess'Arr to attack us. The two of them must be working together, and the implications of that are too horrible to contemplate. I have to know what is going on."
At that he turned and started for his office. Crystal was waiting for him at the door, and as he entered, she followed him.
"Liftoff," Hall called. Eloelia willed the Eternal Wanderer aloft, and within minutes it was free of the asteroid.
"Where to?" Meridian asked, even though he knew the answer.
Hall paused before answering:
"Omnispace."
The End of Book V . . .
. . . but not the end of the adventures . . .
