CHAPTER XXXVII: REDEMPTION - PART ONE

The constant humming of the Lectrobars and brightness of the ceiling light shifters were enough to drive someone insane; unless, of course, one specialized in insanity. Such was the life of the imprisoned galactic terrorist Bassam Omenga who had been wanted in both Rims for crimes against all species of life.

Bassam was a Bura, who naturally preferred to live underground in huge cities that basked in the dark light of the Black Sun his people worshipped. But the topsiders of other worlds had mocked his mysterious uncharted world and its fable underground lifestyle. They regarded the Buras as filthy animals and even dared to mock their religion and its Holy Book, the sacred Orban.

For that, the infidel worlds had paid dearly. Buras were the best tunnelers in the galaxy and used massive ground moving machines called Thumpers to dig deep entrances into their hollow world. Bassam was so angered over the mockery of his people, planet, and religion that he ruthlessly set out to destroy entire topsider population centers by constructing his massive craneship Scaffaw (Bura, meaning White Wind) that was designed to carry a slung heavy Thumper to destinations just outside of the topsider’s world cities.

Once a target city was spotted, the Scaffaw would safely land a suitable distance away and then lower the Thumper to dig a deep tunnel into the ground where giant seismic charges called Mega Tremblars were placed. Once detonated, these caused entire nearby cities to crumble into broken heaps of debris and mass graveyards under the intense underground shock wave generation that broke the very foundations of those cities. Bassam watched from his loitering ship as entire city skylines vanished in minutes in massive debris clouds.
No infidel world would dare mock the Orban after such widespread terror had threatened both Rims.

The only worlds that were not affected were Elysia and the core Inner Rim worlds which respected other religions and the cursed Sith who had sufficient weapons and planetary defenses to fight Bassam. The Dark Master Lord Rexor openly mocked the Orban and challenged Bassam to approach Tirahnna. He also stated that once TaBora was found and defeated he would personally order all Buras to live topside while the Sith sealed off their underground cities and destroyed their digging machinery forever.

Bassam had became a wanted fugitive and terrorist. The poor Rim worlds affected directly by Bassam had placed a bounty on his head of 500,000 Yaros to the first person to catch him dead or alive.

Ligris had taken up the challenge and after a fierce battle with the Scaffaw, Ligris forced Bassam back down to Grynd, Bassam’s last target. A violent battle ensued in what was left of the capital city Gog and Ligris eventually triumphed after putting out Bassam’s left eye with a heat blade. Bassam was captured and held on Grynd these past five years.

Instead of executing the killer of over two million people and species, the Grynds decided to torture him for the rest of his life. Buras couldn’t stand to live topside and exposure to natural sunlight burned their sensitive eyes.

The Grynds went to great lengths to make sure Bassam was kept miserable every day.

His cell was a covered in a bright reflective chromium material with ceiling light shifters that kept Bassam forever trying to move into a tiny dark corner of the hold that the shifters avoided to torture him. On certain days natural sunlight was also left to shine in the holding bay. It was a daily game the Grynd PST (Prison Security Team) guards liked to play.

At random, the light shifters would temporarily blind Bassam while he crawled around searching for the dark spot the Grynds left for him. Bassam got little rest and, removed of his weapons, could do nothing against the Lectrobars. His craneship Scaffaw was placed on permanent display inside of the reconstructed Grynd capital of Gog while his Thumper was never found (it had been space jettisoned and destroyed prior to Bassam’s capture).

Bassam’s left eye was removed and a small plated bio-patch was surgically secured in its place. Bassam was denied his anti-glare goggles, his sacred Orban, and his clothed levitator unit used for daily worship. Even Bassam’s cell was on a rotary mount which kept him from attempting to pray in the direction of TaBora, beyond the Outer Rim. He was held in solitary confinement in a custom prison reserved for him alone. Dandau prison.

At Dandau, no one was ever allowed to visit. No news of the outside world or galaxy was allowed. The light shifters were only turned off at night to allow Bassam to sleep for five hours. No one at the facility pitied him and anyone that was suspected of developing compassion for him was rotated out of the facility.

Yet Bassam believed that he was a blessed man and held true to his values. He was not repentant concerning any of the cities he had destroyed on a dozen worlds, and the great loss of life he personally caused. He did, however, miss his great craneship Scaffaw that was said to be on display at the heart of the rebuilt city. He learned this from an engineer that had built his cell. The Grynd wanted him to know that he had been defeated and generations of Grynds would always remember that whenever they saw his preserved ship. For a thousand years they would remember. But already, after just five years most Grynds had lost interest.

So the tale of the lone Bura turned into a near-mythical story as Bassam refused to disclose the location of his uncharted world. No other Bura had come to his rescue and no other Buras had ever been sighted anywhere between the Inner and Outer Rims. After five years imprisonment even Bassam himself was becoming a forgotten legend

But not to Ligris who was at the moment being escorted by a group of Blue Diamond Mk.II star fighters towards Grynd in his new I.S.T.R.-2000 Illustra, custom-made by Inter-Stellar and given to him as a gift for saving Elysia. 

Ligris loved his new ship almost as much as he loved little Kailen. The Illustra was much larger than all his previous I.S. craft and was all curves! The curved nose dipped fifteen degrees giving Ligris excellent take-off and landing visibility while the slender elongated body no longer supporting two long drooping wings but beautiful curved deltas with under-slung podded SynGena Ion Plasma thrusters. The curving tailless aft section held a row of neat sub-light engines and the ship had a highly modified hyperdrive unit that would make even Kailen jealous. Better not mention that to her though…

The Grynds had no real star fighters, only sub-light transports that now spotted the incoming Whill Blue Diamond Mk.IIs escorting a large unknown starship towards Gog. The captains of those ships reported the news to the capital and at once the Grynd leader the Great Mandras wanted to know why no official contact had been made with his people regarding the Whill entry into Grynd airspace. The Great Mandras linked to the lead Blue Diamond Mk.II and demanded to know by whose authority he was entering Grynd and heading for Gog.

Ligris intercepted the transmission and broke in before the Diamond leader could answer. “Great Mandras, it is Ligris and I humbly request an audience with you in Gog at the Mourners Shine. It concerns a matter of great urgency and requires your personal attention.” At this, Mandras was elated. The hero Ligris was here on Grynd and approaching the capital. Eagerly, he responded with joy, “Welcome back Ligris, the city is yours, I will meet you personally at the Mourners Shrine will great haste”.

Ligris acknowledged his welcome and came into view of the re-constructed city of Gog. He was amazed at how fast the city had been re-constructed and improved upon, but then the huge Scaffaw came into view at the heart of the city. It was a notorious monument to destruction, but the Grynds had preserved it as a constant reminder of how they overcame the destruction and caught the terrorist responsible with Ligris’ help. Ligris could see that the giant ship was in excellent shape, shielded by a protective field dome; in fact, it looked the same as it did five years ago. Ligris wondered if the starship might even be able to fly. If so, it too would be needed for an impossible task. The Grynds weren’t going to take the requests well and might order Ligris off the planet forever for asking forgiveness for the unforgivable.

Ligris set down in Gog’s small spaceport while he ordered the Blue Diamond Mk.II star fighter escorts to  return back to Elysia. Their presence might make matters worse once Ligris made his requests known. This mission was his alone.

The Blue Diamonds departed as the Illustra landed. Unarmed Grynds by the hundreds met Ligris ship, parked out in the open which made Ligris feel uncomfortable. The Grynds were absolutely jubilant at the return of their hero. But Ligris only felt heartbroken.

How would he dare ask for the release of Bassam Omenga and his starship Scaffaw? How does one ever justify using evil to fight evil? Ligris would try at the Mourners Shrine; for there alone, he stood the best chance at pleading his case.