1:2:5 Middlethem (Part 1)

Noise. Dissident humans surrounded them, squeezing by as they went about their day. Magpie led the way back to the main chamber. They were only a few rungs down on the spiral from the surface but the ceiling hung high above them and the floor even further below.
“Thirteen levels.” Magpie dangled his head over the edge, holding tightly to the railing that followed the interior curve. “All hand carved over the years too.”
“It’s beautiful.” Char joined him as she looked up and down into the darkness both times. “So, how far down is this Null fence?”
“You see that structure there?” Magpie closed his human eye to minimise the doppler effect and pointed to a platform in the centre of the spiral four levels below them.
“Kind of. It’s a bit dark.” Char squinted.
Lore tapped the frame of their glasses. While they too couldn’t quite make out the platform, the map on their lens confirmed it to exist.
“That’s Amnesty square.” He paused. “That’s what the humans call it anyway. It’s a place where humans and Sat’Mach can trade things they shouldn’t have without facing the ramifications that would normally come attached with such a trade. Of course there are limits like no illegally obtained goods can be traded there and, for the most part, it works well. The crime rate has dropped significantly since we introduced that.”
“We?” Lore turned from the spiral to Magpie.
“There’s no official police force down here. Just the two governing councils; the humans and the Sat’Mach. Seems as we clones are neither, we’re seen as a neutral party and, given our skills, we took to maintaining order.” Magpie straightened his armour with pride. “I think we do a fairly decent job keeping the peace.”
“Fair enough but the sword/shield was stolen from a museum so…” Lore started but was again cut off by Magpie.
“While the rule is enforced, we can’t oversee every trade. Most trades that involve stolen items are reported but this one probably wouldn’t have been because if it’s stolen from the surface, it’s not really stealing.” Magpie laughed.
“Plus, if you think about it, Blue was only returning what was stolen from the Sat’Mach in the first place.” Char added.
“Exactly. Blue has a reputation for bringing Undulia down here so none of the Sat’Mach council will meet with them so they have to work through fences.”
“Speaking of Undulia, we better send her a message or something so that we don’t get the same reputation.” Lore patted themselves down for a communication device.
“Here, you can borrow mine. Military guild use CC01 but, if I’m remembering correctly, Undulia’s direct line is CC10.” Magpie removed the emblem from his armour.
Lore tuned it to the appropriate frequency and waited.
“Listen here and listen good. I want you standing out there and that’s final! UNDERSTOOD?” It was definitely Undulia’s channel.
“Well, that’s no way to speak to a superior officer.” Lore nearly threw up in their mouth.
“Loren.” Undulia went from drill sergeant to melted civilian in an instant. “I… I… How?” She stammered and stuttered in a moment of fluster before recomposing herself. “How goes the hunt?”
“We’ve made contact with a group who fancy themselves to be the law around here and they have records of Blue’s entire stay in this hel hole.”
“You wouldn’t be talking about the Null-Neighbourhood watch would you?” Magpie was nodding his head.
“Unfortunately, yes. Freaks the lot of them but useful when pressed. Folded on one of their own and I had barely started.” Lore considered turning the act down when they thought they heard Undulia giggle with glee at the thought of torture. “We’re going to be heading in deeper but so far, so good.”
“Will you be needing backup?”
“Not yet. I want to enjoy this. Savour the moment. I’ll call you as soon as I need you and not a moment before. Understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Loren out.” Lore’s neck spasmed as they closed the channel and returned the communicator to Magpie. He reset it to the clone’s channel and returned it to his armour. “That should have bought us a little time.”
“Come on then.” Magpie was already marching ahead.

As they delved deeper into the Conglomeration, nulls became less common and Sat’Mach more so; while they didn’t seem phased by Magpie, the locals gave Lore and Char a wide berth. No matter how densely populated the area was, it was as though there was a two metre forcefield surrounding each of them. Lore and Char looked to one another but shrugged as they tried to keep up with Magpie’s extreme pace. Despite not being able to see it when they started, getting to the fence’s platform didn’t take as long as Lore had expected. They took their first step off of the solid stone of the spiral and onto the chain-linked, wooden platform; it was an unfortunately familiar feeling. They were the only ones on the platform.
“Where’s this fence then?” Char took a seat.
“They’ll know.” Magpie looked to his wrist before sitting. “Give them five – ten minutes.”
True to his word, five minutes later, a cloaked figure joined them. Lore couldn’t even make out a human under the fabric. The cloak knelt before Lore and Char wordlessly before acknowledging Magpie and leaving.
“Was that them?” Char turned to Magpie. “What now then?”
“You’re lucky. They’ve just granted you an audience with the council.” Magpie rose and gestured toward the bridge the figure had left over.
“These our tickets then?” Lore held up their wrists. A chain stretched between them.  Much to Char’s surprise, she too had been bound.
She looked down at her own. “How’d they do that?”
“Mysterious ways…” Magpie chuckled.
“Or a quick spritz of a mild numbing agent before slapping them on.”
“You just have to ruin the magic…” Magpie shook his head before hurrying them along. “If I’m not allowed to dawdle, you two aren’t.”

A long stretch of corridor wait ahead of them. Both walls were lined with the locals creating a furry insulative layer, warming the walkway. All eyes were on them as they followed in Magpie’s footsteps. At first they were just following the usual progression of the hall but as they continued deeper, the locals standing guard began to act as living funnels, forcing Lore and Char to follow their path. They had been snaked from passage way to passage way but now, they felt their journey coming to an end; hundreds of locals had come to guide them but now two stood in their way. The way forward was blocked and so had their escape. A set of double doors parted and a force behind Lore pushed them in to the room whilst holding Char back. What little light the doors allowed in was quickly snuffed as they slammed shut. The echo told them that the room was mostly empty and on the large side but apart from that, it was tight lipped. Lore tapped away at their glasses hoping to activate something to help them see. Their map flashed up showing the empty room around them.
“The Renegade.” A gruff whisper circulated the room. It seemed to travel all the way around the perimeter before reaching them making looking at the source of the sound difficult. “I’ve anticipated this day for some six years and I must say,” The whisper grew louder but not in volume, in proximity, “you are not at all what I was led to expect.” Lore stood completely still and waited for the voice to speak once more. They closed their eyes, what little they could see was replaced with inky blackness. Their heartbeat increased as they stood and listened. The voice exhaled suddenly. “You must be very bold or very stupid to put yourself at such a disadvantage.” Lore felt something buzz past their ear. Their head jolted to the side.
It was just what they needed. Eyes still closed, a larger member of the Sat’Mach lumbered towards them from their right. His leg injured, crutches in both hands. Lore turned to face the vision. “I’m sorry if I disappoint.”
“Disappoint is perhaps the wrong word.” Lore’s vision became reality as the figure made his way to where they had seen him stop. “Intrigue perhaps but not yet disappoint.”
Apart from the darkness, something had felt wrong from the moment Lore had heard the voice in the shadows. “Your English is impressive but I should like to hear your mother tongue. There’s an old saying on Earth, ‘When in your house, we speak your language and when in my house, we speak mine.” Lore paused. “Or words to that effect, it’s a second hand memory from a cube.”
“While that is a nice sentiment, I would like this to be a productive meeting not a language learning exercise.”
“Next time perhaps.” Lore smiled into the void.
“Perhaps. Now, tell me, why are you here?” There was a soft thud as the Sat’Mach lowered himself to the floor.
Lore had so many questions buzzing around their head but for the moment, they thought it best to answer his requests. “I came here to meet with Doctor Tolan and collect an artifact. I didn’t know why until I was already here.”
“And yet you seem to be spending more of your time with Undulia.” His tone was accusatory.
“One of my objectives was to ensure that she didn’t find out what I was really doing here. I have no allegiance to her.”
“Then why did you communicate with her before coming to meet one of the Middlethem?”
“She gave me twenty six hours to complete my work here in the Conglomeration before she got involved. I was reporting in to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid when I didn’t return in that time.” Lore gesticulated wildly in the darkness.
“And why would you do that? To save all of the harassing to yourself?”
Lore choked in shock. “I did what I did to limit the harassment. I don’t mean anyone any harm. I just wanted to pass through without ruffling too many feathers. If I found the shield then I found it, if I didn’t, I could at least give Undulia a convincing lie before leaving.”
There was a deafening silence between them. The room was, for the moment, devoid of light and sound; a vacuum, kept from perfection by the breathing sounds of its occupants. Lore waited for what felt like an eternity before reintroducing sound.
“Might I know your name. You gave me a new one but you never told me yours.”
“I am Rhu’Anui. I am the oldest of the Sat’Mach council.”
“Well, Rhu’Anui, I am Lore.” They paused. “And I am here to help.” The sentence felt risky as it left their mouth but hopefully the message would carry well.
“Time will tell.” Rhu’Anui reached into a satchel that balanced on his crutch and removed a small medallion. “Why would you hide your mission from Undulia. You two are on the same side.”
Lore scoffed. “If she knew the truth, my ship would have never been allowed to land.” Lore looked to what they thought was the door, thinking about Char. “Should I be worried that you’ve separated me from the others?”
“Your responses will answer that for you.” Rhu’Anui’s response didn’t fill Lore with confidence.
“What do you know about the city?” They went with a safe question next.
“We know more than those who dwell in it like to think we do. We know that their residents are not happy and that they are starting to get suspicious of The Protectorate. We know not why.”
“I…My creator? Visited this planet ten years ago to establish an experiment. The colony has been completely disconnected from humanity since then. My credentials are ten years out of date in Undulia’s system. Right now, I’ve got multiple warrants out for my arrest all across Protectorate space.”
“So you must hide from Undulia lest she find out.” Rhu’Anui held the medallion in his hand, turning it over in his palm. Lore nodded at him. “Then I put to you two choices: Lie to her and leave now or…” He sat, thinking of the words English counterparts. “You can make true your opening remark, join us, help us and perhaps we can help you.”
Lore responded instantly. “What sort of help are we talking about?”
The light level increased slightly as the doors flew open once again. Char was forced through this time. Incidentally, Lore had guessed wrong as the doors were on the opposite wall to the one they had thought they were on. Char jabbed at their side, lighting the area immediately around her until she came across Lore, sat cross legged on the floor, staring into the dark. She quietly joined them.
“I’d ask you refrain from doing that.” Rhu’Anui asked calmly.
“Sorry.” Char lowered her shirt. “You alright?” She whispered to Lore. They nodded, not that she could see.
“I’m sorry for binding your hands but I didn’t want to take any chances. Your soldiers sing your praises despite never meeting you which could be taken either way but Tolan’s kin has vouched for you so we thought you were worth the risk.”
Lore looked to Char confused, “I can understand not trusting the clones. I’m not sure about them myself but you value the word of a child more highly than them?”
“For a human born, they are most enlightened. Their gift has served us well but it has its limitations. They have helped avert many a disaster and even predicted your arrival.” Rhu’Anui slid across a sheet of paper. Neither Lore nor Char could see it. “I will avert my eyes so you may look at it.” He shuffled. “You may turn on your light.”
Char lifted her top and jabbed her side. A flare of golden light spread across the page, unveiling a detailed drawing of Lore and Char, sat in the darkness, hands bound and illuminated by a golden glow. “This is now.” Char flipped the page. The other side was a polar opposite. White replaced the black, showing the two of them standing alone in the tundra of Illia with the same golden light surrounding them. There was a glowing circle around Lore’s neck. Lore turned the picture over and saw the same circle glowing in their lap, obscured by the golden glow. “Well, at least we know we get out of these cuffs.” The light faded as Char once again dressed herself.
“So how can we help?” Lore smiled.
“My people once ruled The Conglomeration and all of the surface land. We formed an alliance with the humans; we protected their city from the bhioch and they let our people be. Then, they needed more space for their oxygen and food farms; we compromised and agreed to protect those too. Now they are completed, we have been forced to dig new tunnels and travel further and further for our hunts. Trips that took mere hours now take days and the new hunting grounds bring with them new predators. Our children have lost out on that because we compromised.” Rhu’Anui slammed his crutch into the floor. “There are those among us that are preparing for a reclamation day. I believe you are aware of Blue’s efforts for their cause.” He chuckled. “The folly of youth. Smart to contract a human to steal from their own but it is not the right way. If they’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves in the middle of two wars.”
“What is it you want from us then?” Char moved her hands towards Lore’s lap.
“The way the youth are going will start a civil war that will inevitably spill into the human city. While I do think we need to be more proactive in reclaiming our rightful place on the surface, an all-out war with the humans is not the way to do it. Balance between our ideals needs to be found.”
“And we come in where?” Char moved in closer.
“The shield Blue had stolen was a piece of our living history. It was the shield of our most revered chieftain. Passed down from generation to generation. Whomever wielded it led out people. It has been updated and repaired over the years, new additions strengthening and restoring old craftsmanship. Its current owner is unknown. Blue sold it to one of the Middlethem and, thankfully, they are yet to sell it. I would like you to ensure it doesn’t make it to Sat’Mach hands until we’re ready for it. As members of the honoured middle ground, you would hold the power to decide our next step. The power to avert the war that doesn’t have to come.” He paused. “And while I doubt you would expect it, I am willing to reimburse you for your time.” He threw the amulet to them. It landed in Lore’s lap with a soft thud.
It had a thin, braided cord with a small, metal clasp. Lore passed it around their fingers before coming to the amulet itself. It was small enough to fit in the palm of their hand; in the darkness, they could only feel the ridges of whatever decorated its surface. Lore dug their nail in and as they did, it began to glow with a faint white light. Lore held it between themselves and Char. They still couldn’t quite see the symbol on the amulet so Char raised her shirt for the last time and illuminated it properly. Lore returned it to their lap and finally, they could see. On both sides a raised triquetra sat alone on the pewter surface.
“I’m sorry.” Char shouted out to Rhu’Anui.
“It’s fine. I had already turned. Although your concern is appreciated.” He sounded smug. It took them a moment to realise why.
Lore tapped at the picture. “They knew.”