CHAPTER XXXIX: REDEMPTION - PART TWO

Ligris met the Great Mandras of Gog in the heart of the city at the Mourner’s Shrine. The actual building was the Kohlan Cathedral which was shattered when Bassam Omenga destroyed the city with his seismic charges five years ago. On that fateful Day of Destruction those left alive and wounded were taken to the Kohlan Cathedral which was the only visible landmark left in the city. It too had be shaken but had not entirely crumbled. Large sections of the once magnificent spires were torn away and all artistic glasswork had shattered, yet the building’s foundation remained solid and the walls were cracked but not broken. It was there that the remaining Grynds gathered and it was there that the city mourned for months without end.

Even as reconstruction began immediately, the Grynds would meet daily at the Kohlan Cathedral and mourn those that had died. In all, 140,000 people out of 200,000 people had perished- seventy percent. For the thirty percent that lived, their lives were now shattered as well. All caused by one man- a Bura named Bassam Omenga.

Mandras was but a poor civil servant back then, but he quickly organized the reconstruction efforts and went to great lengths to make sure that the wounded and dying were taken care of. His first task after the Day of Destruction was to reinforce the Kohlan Cathedral and stock it with food, water, and medical supplies. He personally tended to every person there day-after-day as the rubble was being sifted through.
Mandras would later be elected as the leader of Gog and became Great Mandras, the Builder.

It was only fitting, after the city came back to life and new construction started, that the Kohlan Cathedral remain as the city’s symbol of eternal remembrance- a tribute both to the living who kept it operating and the dead who were mourned there. Instead of rebuilding the Cathedral the Great Mandras had ordered that it be kept the same as it was on the Day of Destruction as much as possible. All the missing parts of the structure were replaced by ultra-thick lectro-transparent walls and roofing. The interior was re-floored and the faces of the dead covered the walls in great holomorphic displays. All Grynds and visitors alike could come to the Mourners Shrine and see and hear those affected. Not far from the Mourners Shrine Bassam’s massive craneship Scaffaw was preserved as well- to show that there was justice in the galaxy and that Bassam could no longer harm people in the future. It gave the Grynds great relief to see the giant bird caged in the heart of the city.

Ligris knew this, he was the Grynd’s eternal hero for capturing the terrorist and delivering him up into their hands. Forever, Ligris name and image were carved into the Mourners Shine walls. But now, Ligris had come to ask the impossible of the Grynds- the release of Bassam Omenga. Ligris was emotionally distressed about this and it showed on his face as he walked with the Great Mandras to the Fountain of Life that sat at the Shrine’s center. They sat down there by the gentle showers of the fountain to discuss why Ligris had come to Gog with such urgency.

“Great Mandras” spoke Ligris respectfully, I am here to ask you to do something that goes against every moral fiber in your being, but I do not ask this for my sake but for the sake of an entire world-Elysia. The Sith have developed a Superweapon capable of destroying all life on Elysia and with it all hope in the galaxy for peace. Please try to understand, this weapon is already on its way here.” Mandras looked down silently at the floor and knew that Ligris was here in this Shrine for a purpose. Without looking up Mandras said, “Speak on, I am listening.” Ligris’ heart was being torn apart as he tried not to look at the tens of thousand s of dead lining the Cathedral’s walls but he said with conviction, “I am sorry to even suggest this, but since the Whills have no way to stop their world from being destroyed by this impenetrable weapon, then the last resort is to turn to someone who thinks like the Sith, someone as evil as the Sith, but someone who might possibly be able to save the Whills.”

At this, Mandras interrupted and stared at Ligris in disbelief, “You want access to Bassam Omenga? You came HERE to GOG to tell me this?” Mandras was burning up in rage after five years of constant torment knowing what that savage animal had done to his people and yet coming from Ligris his words were shattering Mandras heart just as effectively as the seismic charges Bassam had placed all those years ago. Mandras started to rise to his feet, but Ligris begged him to hear him out. “You are a great hero to the Grynds Ligris, but do not overstay your welcome”, Mandras said as a courtesy to Ligris.

Ligris then rose to his feet and pointed to the walls of the Mourner’s Shrine. “Will you forever mourn these dead and forsake the living? Yes, Bassam Omega deserves to die a million deaths and should never be released from prison, but he may be the only chance the Whills have of survival and they have millions of people. I do not want to ask the forgiveness of the unforgiven  nor do I ask you to forget the lives of your people who perished that day, but I will tell you this… when the Whills ARE destroyed, the Sith will come with a vengeance and conquer every people and species in the galaxy. They will come to Gog as well and they will tear down this Shrine as they butcher your people out in the open. The only person who stands in their way is Bassam Omenga, whether you like it or not. Will you at least give me the final honor of speaking with him at Dandau? It is my last request and you will never see me again.”

The Great Mandras was shocked and angered at the same time, but he knew in his broken heart that Ligris would never ask this if it were not true. The Whills were the Founders of Light and if they perished, so too will countless millions in the galaxy. Bassam Omenga was already being forgotten by the Grynds and yet they would certainly never forgive him for his crimes against all life- but if he were turned loose on the Sith then maybe millions of lives would be spared. It was now up to Mandras to decide as the fate of the galaxy rested in his hands. Rising up, Mandras said with great urgency, “follow me.”

Ligris followed Mandras to his diplomatic Cedes luxury speedmaster and ordered the driver to take them to Dandau Prison-immediately! The Grynd driver nearly fell over when he heard that location. No one was allowed into Dandau- not in all the five years since the “Day of Destruction”. But the driver did not ask why, he simply did his duty and took them to the Main Gate of Dandau. “Wait for me here,” instructed the Great Mandras as the driver nervously looked out at the high security facility that was even now training their guns on the speedmaster as vicious black and gray two-headed Dibra Death Hounds patrolled the inner yard in packs. Beyond them there was a large Main Building and atop that the Main Tower which was sixty feet tall.

The Great Mandras and Ligris approached the Main Gate, which immediately set off alarms at the facility. The prison spot-scanner had never imaged an unauthorized civilian before and even though the Great Mandras showed his identification disc, the scanner paused for a moment before alerting the prison’s giant Zux Z-4 supercomputer that the Great Mandras was here with the hero bounty hunter Ligris to see Bassam Omenga. There was a brief pause and then the spot-scanner replied officially, “no one is ever allowed to see the prisoner and that includes you Great Mandras.” “Is that right?” asked Mandras. The spot-scanner confirmed, “Positive Great Mandras, Penal Code 004 of the Dandau Prison System approved by yourself upon the prison’s completion: No one shall have access to Bassam Omenga except the authorities entrusted to keep the prisoner incarcerated at all times. No one at all, ever… until such a time as the prisoner naturally expires. It is a Basic Foundation Law as well, found in the Articles of the Reconstruction Act.’

Undeterred, the Great Mandras said, “So it is Law, right?” The spot-scanner confirmed, “Affirmative.”

Mandras reached for his channet even as the prison’s remote guns were trained on him and Ligris. “Well, the beauty of the law is that it can be changed”, spoke the Great Mandras with his own authority. Reaching the city Capitol Building, Mandras ordered a probe com carrier sent over to Dandau Prison right away.

Within minutes the probe com carrier arrived and the Great Mandras spoke, “ As of this day I, the Great Mandras, am amending the Basic Foundation Law under the Articles of Reconstruction Act and Penal Code 004 of the Dandau Prison System. The terrorist identified as prisoner 001 of Dandau Prison is hereby granted permission to receive special visitors upon approval of the Great Mandras- so I declare it, so it is law.” The probe com carrier was then sent to the Gog Supreme Justice Center and entered into the High Court HC-8 computer for immediate implementation.

After ten minutes had passed, the Great Mandras returned to the Dandau spot-scanner and requested permission to enter the Main Gate with Ligris as his approved visitor. The Zux Z-4 supercomputer was required by law to update its files every .0005 seconds and once Mandras had amended the law and code, the Z-4 had no choice but to let them in.

The heavy Lectrobar Main Gate opened as the Dibras were stopped by their command impulse collars. The auto-guns still operated, following the Great Madras and Ligris all the way up the outer yard and up the steps to the Main Building where a single repulsor lift was located- roughly fifty feet. Ligis and Mandras entered the building unescorted as the Z-4 activated the single repulsor lift, which slid open. As Ligris and Mandras entered the repulsor lift, the corner spot-scanner watched them intensely for any suspicious movements. Bassam’s cell was ironically located 300 feet underground! Yet through the use of elaborate sunlight reflectors and mirror systems actual sunlight reached into his cell to blind him! Bassam must be convinced that he was topside as the temperature was kept hot all year round in his holding bay.

Finally, after plunging thirty stories underground, the repulsor lift came to a halt and slid back open. This time an armed Gog PST (Prison Security Team) awaited them with weapons drawn. They were armed with, of all things, Sith weapons: KA-47 Hailstorms, Heat Daggers, Thermal Detonators, and Dibra Death Hounds. The Dibras could be found on many worlds, but they were bred on Tirahnna.

The Great Mandras couldn’t help but inquire why Grynds were using Sith weapons. “On whose authority were they purchased?” The PST Team Leader responded casually, “Your‘s, Sir, when you authorized the prison to use any and all useful weapons to prevent the prisoner 001 from escaping.”  Ligris immediately asked, “ who would be stupid enough to sell Sith weapons to the Grynds?” The Team Leader vaguely recalled that it was some outcast JunKar criminal that operated off the guideways in an old ISR-1099!
Ligris smiled, but Mandras didn’t know why.

Carefully, both Ligris and the Great Mandras were searched and scanned. They were both ordered to strip down to just their shirts and shorts while the rest of their belongings and clothes were crated and marked for storage until retrieval time. “This is outrageous“, Mandras complained. The Team Leader answered back professionally, “Yes it is Sir, but it is YOUR law.” Mandras looked amazed, “It is???”

After this, they were led into Bassam’s holding bay and could see his rotating cell and the light shifters. The temperature was a miserable eighty degrees and Bassam was holed up in a dark corner against the wall. It was unclear if he was awake or asleep, but there definitely was no movement in the cell. Mandras and Ligris both noticed Bassam’s sacred Orban and free floating clothed worship levitator. Mandras inquired why the objects were out of the cell. The PST Team Leader spoke harshly now, “So that he can’t worship Sir, he’s a filthy animal anyway who doesn’t deserve to even breathe.” By now Mandras and Ligris were aggravated and the Great Mandras stood up and told the ruthless PST Team Leader and his armed party to leave the holding area after unlocking Bassam’s cell.” The PST reacted almost violently and dared to ask, “on whose authority?” The Great Mandras turned around and yelled, “On MY authority as ruler of Gog, now GET OUT, all of you- you are ALL relieved of your duties and I want this facility evacuated immediately.”

Reluctantly, and with great anger the Team Leader lowered a handle on the wall and the Lectrobars stopped humming as they slid open. He hit another control and all the light shifters went black before he headed out with his fellow PST members. Before leaving, Ligris asked the Team Leader to please kill all the lights in the room and leave the door unlocked. The Grynd complied, but thought poorly of both his “great” leader and the “hero” of the city.

Bassam Omenga had listened and watched all this activity with silent interest. Now that the lights were off and the bars open he was free to move about. But he couldn’t as his legs were too weak and his overall health was bad. Yet he cleared his throat and said from the darkened corner, “Why have you come here Great Mandras and bounty hunter Ligris? Do you personally want to see me suffer or do you seek to set me up to be killed by the PST guards?”

Ligris was about to speak, but decided on another course of action. He reached over and took the sacred cloth from the levitator and wrapped the sacred Orban in it. Slowly he walked over to Bassam’s cell and knelt in front of him. He spoke not a word but made eye contact while handing the sacred Orban over to Bassam. Ligris then said in a low voice, “I wrapped it in sacred cloth so as not to touch the sacred Orban with infidel hands".

Bassam’s single right eye looked into Ligris’ eyes and then down at the sacred Orban. A tear ran down his right eye as he embraced the sacred object and quickly opened up the holo-rings inside. He chose a scripture at random from the middle ring and placed the tip of his finger on it. A holomorphic projection came and it was of two riders on white hursas. The audio enhancer read out loud the sacred scripture, “With a mighty wind a deliverer will come in the Time of Our Trouble.” Bassam was overwhelmed with emotion and spirituality. He eagerly inquired what had sent them here.

Ligris told Bassam what the Sith had done to Elysia and how they were planning to send an impenetrable weapon to kill all the Whills and rule the galaxy. Bassam listened intently for he hated the cursed Sith, but in the end he asked what all that had to do with him. His planet was uncharted and well beyond the Outer Rim Markers.

Ligris spoke up as Madras listened and watched Bassam with some curiosity. “You once said that a Thumper could penetrated anything, is this not true? Bassam replied with great pride that, “ with the exception of Viktalen , yes, all other materials could be penetrated with a Thumper.” Ligris then challenged him, “What about thirty-six feet of solid obsidian armor with superior hyper-plating. Bassam thought on this for a while and then said, “it is of no consequence, yes, it can be done with the right rammer and enough force.” Ligris inquired further, “What about the outer hyper-plating?” Bassam just sighed and said that “a simple field dampening liquid would render it useless.” “What kind of liquid?” Ligris probed. Smiling, Bassam reminded Ligris of his old ISR-1099 and its liquid crytium tanks. Ligris had contemplated using them against the Slayer, but his simulations always predicted that the flow would not be concentrated enough and would only spread ultra-thin over wide areas leaving the hull largely unaffected.

Mandras then spoke up. “Tell us, Bassam, if we offered you a release based on your help in penetrating this Sith weapon, would you agree to stop terrorizing other worlds for their disrespect of your beliefs?” Bassam said that his war was a just one according to the sacred Orban and that he was commanded by it to wage war against all infidels.

“So you remain unrepentant?!” Madras shouted. “I told you this was a waste of time Ligris.” But Ligris was not convinced. “You say that it is your religious duty to defend the Orban and wage a holy war. Well, your “Time of Our Trouble” is on its way. After the Sith kill the Whills then your world will come under attack too and the Sith will destroy your world as well. If they can build one of these Superweapons then they can build more. Who will deliver your world from them? In their eyes you are just as corrupt and evil as you see them. Even worse, they consider your people animals to be slaughtered. I offer you a supreme chance at redemption and in return the Whills would certainly help your world. The Whills are the only true source of freedom in the entire galaxy. Will you just stand by and let them perish? Instead of destroying a world, why not save one with all your expertise. The Whills need it, I need it, and even the Grynds need it as the Sith will surely come here too.”

Ligris was exhausted and frustrated. He urged Madras to rise and leave this place- all hope is lost.

But as they approached the holding bay door, ready to leave this forsaken place, Bassam urged them to come back. “You NEED me to kill the Sith for you? What will I get in return?” Bassam bargained. Ligris answered immediately, “What you need most right now, redemption in the eyes of the entire galaxy. What is more important than that? Or do you want to rot here in Dandau the rest of your natural life?”

Bassam thought on it for a moment and then said in a weak voice, “bring me my levitator unit and goggles. I will need some food and new clothing as well. Have the Scaffaw refueled and all critical systems online within one hour. I will take up this challenge, but you must update me on the galaxy, the Sith weapon, and everything that will be needed in this operation… and of course, once we get the Thumper I will lead this holy war against the Sith.”

Madras and Ligris got the levitator to Bassam and hoisted him up onto it as Bassam put on his anti-glare googles. The Great Madras helping Bassam Omenga? The universe must really be ending.

Or perhaps Madras had simply stopped mourning the dead and decided to help the living as he once had five years ago…