Tran Morgik (The Dwarf is Back)

Tran Morgik

‘Welcome onboard our humble project, Greg.’
‘Thanks Ben.’
‘How was the shuttle flight?’
‘As bad as ever.  At least with the new drives the travel time has been halved.’
‘I think that you know most of the team that we have down here.  Doctors Ryan and Prescott from the Mars project that you worked on last year.’ 
‘Hi.’
The two nodded.
‘Doug Alexander from OneCorp.’
‘Yes, we’ve met before during ‘78.’
‘Hi Greg.  Have you solved the Venus equation yet?’
‘Close but no cigar.’
‘John Reins from one of our more secret government departments.’
‘Ben makes it sound like I’m some kind of CIA assassin, when all I am is an accountant really.  All projects have a bean counter, Greg.  I’m sure that you are well aware of that.’
Greg smiled, ‘It’s the only way to make accounts look sexy or so I hear.’
‘I’ll have to tell the wife that.’
‘Why don’t I show you around, Greg.  Thank you gentlemen, we’ll be back in a while.’
‘How far have you got with the project?’ asked Greg as they walked down the connecting corridor to Research.
‘I.C.E. is almost there.  We’ve got a long term suspended coming out this morning.’
‘I.C.E.?’
‘It was one of Doug’s ideas and stands for In Cranium Entertainment.  Don’t ask but we kind of went along with it.  Would you like to see the subject?’
‘Yes, I would.  Devon was telling me that you’ve had delays with the project.’
‘You’ve spoken to Devon?’
‘I caught up with her at Mars Central before I took the connecting flight back to Jupiter.’
‘I wish she hadn’t put a negative on it.  Then again you’re probably aware that there was a problem with the mission to Altair.’
‘Just what I heard on the news casts.  Mission failed with the loss of the crew.’
‘Yes, well…What went out into the public arena wasn’t exactly the truth…The ship got to Altair on schedule, all systems ok.  The Landsing Speed Drive is everything we could have wanted, it makes the new power plants on the shuttles look like outboards.’ 
‘So, it got to Altair.  Not lost on route then?’
‘No.’  Ben looked around the corridor and then leaned closer to Greg.  ‘The ship reached its final destination point and the crew were brought out of stasis.  All the readouts said that it was a success.  We were about to make the announcement when we realised that things weren’t quite right.  We didn’t have communications from them, but we put that down to a technical that would be cleared within a day.  Then a couple of hours later we got the readings from their bio-suits.’
‘And?’
‘Bizarre.  It was the only way to describe it.  The other word was scary.’  Ben rubbed at his eyes behind his glasses.  ‘I’ve seen a lot of things in my time, same as you.  It scared the hell out of me.’
‘What were the readings?’
‘I…We checked and double checked all the systems and decided the readings were wrong.  We launched again.’
‘I didn’t know there had been a second mission.  How did you keep that quiet from the media.’
‘It wasn’t easy but we had no choice.  The project would have come to an end and let’s face it, we need to be out there.  We have launched three in all.’
‘Three!’
‘You have to understand that there were no malfunctions of any kind being reported.  Everything apart from the loss of contact with the crew was a success.  We changed the communications set up on the third and that’s when…Look, you have to understand that we thoroughly re-checked over an over the systems on the second launch.  The end results were exactly the same as the first, we lost the mission.’
‘To have gambled the lives…Altair had better be worth it.  What information did you get back on the third that has so frightened you?’
‘We put real time surveillance feeds all around the ship.  The crew had no idea that they were there.  We could have been facing sabotage by an agent or agents unknown.  You understand that, don’t you?’
‘Yes.  It wasn’t sabotage though, was it?’
‘The human mind can’t handle stasis, Greg.  What we learned was that…it goes inwards and feeds on itself.’
‘Inwards?’
‘You have to give the mind something to work with but I don’t need to tell you this, do I?  That’s why you’re here.  Everything slows in stasis but the brain still works through.  They’d de-evolved into primal minds.  The crew fought and killed each other out there.  Some were personal friends of mine.  Tracey was one of the greatest bio-techs on any planet, I can’t imagine a worse fate for her.  She would-,’
‘How could they have all died?  The basic human mind set is aggression in the first instance for conquest but then cooperation and reproduction take over.’
‘That wasn’t the pattern we saw.  What we witnessed was the destruction of flesh.  Twenty Eight people bit and gouged each other to death in front of our eyes.  It took three days.’
‘What you are trying to tell me is that over sixty people have died because of the lack of real sleep.’
Ben nodded, ‘At its most basic level, that’s pretty much it.’
‘Everything I know says that this is wrong.  There has to be another explanation.  The human brain is more resilient than this.  I need to see your documentation on the missions along with the evidence you’ve gathered so far here.’
‘Of course but you will come to the same conclusion.  Then you will see that I.C.E. really is the answer.’
‘I’d like to draw that conclusion for myself.  If it is the right one, then we’ll have reached it almost independently.’
Ben took off his glasses and cleaned one of the lenses with his handkerchief.  ‘Yes, of course.  I will take you to where we are at.  We have coded the dreams to the survival instinct.  We can adapt them to each subject.  It gets the best response that way.  We have to crack this if mankind is ever to go out beyond our own solar system.  If we don’t move forward then it would be the end.  We have to crack this…We have cracked this.’
They continued on to Research.
Ben nodded to one of the white coats.  ‘We’re here to see Cameran Brown.’
‘Everything is looking good,’ said the tech.
‘We’ve given him stasis of six months and have pandered to his interest in fantasy.  Would you like to see the file before we bring him out?’ asked Ben.
‘How long does it last?’
‘About ten minutes but six months in stasis.’
‘Have you been successful before?’
‘Cameran is the first to undergo the full six months.  The others have gone to five months with no problems.  They have returned to full mental function within an hour.’
‘Why don’t we just send machines?  We could send generation colony ships after that.’
Ben looked at Greg and then shook his head, ‘We can’t.  Altair has to be a manned flight.’
‘Why?’
‘We can’t tell you that,’ said Doug.
Greg suddenly understood, ‘You’re trying to make contact.  There’s life there.  That’s why you’ve continued to risk the crews lives.’
Doug cocked his head to one side, ‘Welcome to the real project.  There might be life out there waiting for us.  We’ve received low level emissions from there over the years that could be a voice in the dark.’
‘Machines couldn’t handle the workload of an alien contact,’ said Ben.  ‘We need to be there face to face for this one.’
‘Yes, I understand that.  But, you’ve already tried and failed.  If your subject here passes the testing then you are ready to launch number four and survive the journey.  So, why do you need me.  I.C.E. is there and you’re ready to go.’
‘The results need independent verification.  This has come from the President of Humanity.’
‘‘Seconded by the President of OneCorp.’
‘You’re the authority on sleepers,’ said Ben.  ‘We need you to sign off the results.’
‘How long have I got to examine all your data and confirm or…annoy you.’
‘Less than a week.’
‘Ok.  Let’s have a look at Cameran’s dream.  I’ll take the full immersion tour with instant release if I need to get out quick.’
‘The impreg’s are not harmful.’
‘Let me be the expert on this one.’

* * * * * * * * * *

The old Orc leaned down and took a hold of the Dwarf’s chin and pulled his head up. 
‘Wakey, wakey, Dwarven scum.  Remembered yer name today have yer?’
‘I -,’
The Orc slapped him across the face and then snapped to attention with his eyes glazed, ‘Prisoner will wait fer permission to speak.’  The Orc blinked for a moment and then leaned closer, ‘Course, yer can always scream whenevers yer wants.  Makes me heart warm and brings tears to...well, yer eyes anyway.’  The Orc laughed, ‘What’s we gonna do with yer?  Yers that has no name but a spy all the same.’
‘A spy,’ mumbled the Dwarf and shook his head.  He rubbed at his temple with his manacled hand.
The old Orc shook his head sadly, ‘Best part of six months you and I have played this
game.  Yer rations was cut last month so I’ve been feedin’ yer part of me own...I just wanted yer to know that I kind of thinks of yers as a friend.’  The Orc kicked the Dwarf in the stomach.  ‘Not a very good friend, but we’s had a lot of fun together.  Well, I’s ‘ave... Still, all good things.’
The Dwarf gasped for air but made no other move.
The old Orc gazed down and frowned, ‘I reckons that yer ‘bout done in.  You really don’t even know who yer is, do yer?’  He picked up the wooden plate of porridge that he had brought with him and pressed it into the Dwarf’s face.  ‘Yer used to hate that...Nothing from yer now though.  Guess yer lost the will.  Tomorrow then and I’ll make it real quick fer yer.  No need to fret on it.’
The Orc moved to the cell door and looked back at the Dwarf.  ‘I’m called Jodaks.  Never had a real friend before.  Sorry, mate.  I’m gonna really miss yer, yer knows.’  He left the cell and closed the door quietly behind him.
The Dwarf sat motionless in the darkness for an hour...
He ran his hand up to his face and touched the sticky mess there.  He looked at his fingertips and saw that the white foodstuff had mixed with a darker substance.  ‘Blood,’ he whispered.  ‘I’m bleeding...Beaten.’  He shook his head and frowned, ‘Who is bleeding?  I am bleeding, but...’  He looked to the wall to his left and slowly crawled to it; the manacle dug into his right wrist.  He ran his left hand over the stone and rested his head against one of the blocks,  ‘You’re Dwarven stone.  I’ve met you before.  Was it yesterday?’  He ran his hand over its rough surface and closed his eyes.  ‘I don’t believe that I’ll be here tomorrow so this is goodbye.  Remember me...me...when I’m gone.’  He continued to run his hand over the stone and suddenly felt grooves scratched into the surface.  ‘You’ve been hurt.’  He eased his head back and peered at the wall.  Scrawled into the stonework were the letters “T”, “R” and “A”.
‘Tra ?’ asked the Dwarf of the stone.  He looked down and saw a rusty nail.  He picked it up and sniffed at it.  ‘Stone harmer.’  He glared at the nail and then the anger ebbed from him.  He weighed the piece of metal in his hand and then passed it to his right.  He ran his fingers over the carved letters.  He looked at the palm of his left hand and saw a rust stain.  He looked back at the letters... ’I did this?’  He shook his head, ‘I did this.’
Suddenly, there was the sound of booted feet running down the passageway outside...Quickly, they faded away.
‘Tra?’  He raised the nail and ran it through the grooves as he traced the three letters.  When he had finished he paused the nail over the next clear place.  He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the stones.  ‘What should I write?  What should come next?  T.R.A....T.R.A....T.R.A....T.R.A....N.’
He opened his eyes and set to work on carving an “N” into the stone.  When he had finished he leaned back and looked at the word.  ‘Tran,  Tran?’
Suddenly, there were booted footsteps in the passageway outside the cell door.  Keys rattled upon a chain and one was banged home.
‘Tran?’ whispered the Dwarf.  He ran his finger over the letters.
The door swung open and light from a torch spilled in.
An Orc guard ambled into the cell with an unlit candle in one hand and a plate in the other.  ‘I thought I’d bring me dinner down here and let you watch me eat it.  Real meat or at least it was once.’  He put the plate on the table and set the candle before it.  ‘Kind of me or what?’  He struck a strike and set it to the candle.
‘Tran,’ said the Dwarf and shook his head.  He continued to stare at the letters.  He looked down at the manacles.  ‘Tran is chained.’
The Orc kicked the door closed and sat down behind the table.  ‘Would you like a sniff of this good meat then?’
Tran inserted the nail into the lock mechanism and wriggled it.  The lock gave and the metal dropped to the stone floor.
‘What are yer doin’ over there, Dwarf?’  The Orc stood up and started to cross the cell.
Tran looked back at the wall.  ‘Nart,’ he whispered and his eyes opened wide.  ‘Nart,’ he said a little louder.
‘Is that yer name then little fella?’ sneered the Orc.  ‘Strange name more like a -,’
Tran gave the Orc a sideways glance; his eyes glinted evilly in the light of the candle.
‘Here now!  Don’t yer looks at me like that,’ said the Orc and reached for his sword.  He looked down in horror as he found that he was not carrying one.
Tran moved to all fours and crawled towards the Orc.
‘Yer just keeps yersenn over there or I’ll kick yer teeth in.’
‘Nart,’ growled Tran.
The Orc swallowed hard, ‘I was only havin’ fun with yer.  Yer didn’t take it personal did yer, mate?’
‘I, Tran Morgik.’
‘Course yer is.  Now that you knows who yer is, yer can sign the scroll to claim yers spied on us.’
‘I Tran Morgik shall carve my name...into your worthless hide until you scream out the name of this foul place that I have found myself.’
Suddenly, the Orc reached down to his boot and pulled a dagger free.  He held it out before him, ‘Old Jodaks should ‘ave done yer weeks back.  Soft he be...in the ‘ead.  Still, save him the trouble of removin’ the light from yer eyes.  Reckons he wouldn’t ‘ave done it anyway, yer the only one that ever listens to his prattle.’
Tran shakily climbed to his feet.
The Orc stepped back behind the small table.  ‘You makes much more of a move and I’ll ‘ave yer!’
Tran walked up to the table, leaned forward and blew out the candle.
Darkness...
‘Here now, little fella.  Call out so I can place this blade in yer.’
‘Nart.’
‘Where was that?’
‘Nart.’
‘What are yer doing over-,’
‘Nart.’
‘You steps back.  I knows that yer right close.’
‘Nart!’
‘Give me backs me dagger...On second thoughts keeps it.’
Suddenly, the cell door opened and the Orc ran out into the semi-lit corridor and struck the opposite wall.
‘Nart!’ cried Tran and flew out of the darkness and planted the dagger square in the Orc’s back.
Both collapsed to the stones.
Tran picked himself up and leaned heavily against the wall.  He reached down and pulled the dagger free and gripped the handle tightly.  His breathing sounded loud and ragged to his ears.  ‘I remember,’ he breathed at last.  ‘I remember.’  There was body in his voice now.  ‘The Dwarf is back,’ he growled.
He pushed himself away from the wall.  ‘The Dwarf is back,’ he cried.  He looked at his blood-covered hands, ‘A little older and a great deal thinner.’  He edged along the passageway.
Suddenly, a door at the far end of the passage opened and a second squat figure stood beyond it.
The Orc guard caught sight of Tran and drew a curved sword.  ‘Prepare to die, short shaft,’ he called and advanced with malice upon his features.
‘Nart,’ whispered Tran.
The Orc stopped and cocked his head to one side.
‘Nart!’ said the Dwarf a little louder.
The Orc took a step back as he caught sight of the bloody dagger in the Dwarf’s hand and the madness in his eyes.  ‘Yer holds yersenn there till I calls fer help.’
‘Nart!’ cried Tran and launched himself with all his strength down the passage towards the Orc.
The Orc’s eyes opened wide in surprise and then he was back peddling towards the safety of the doorway.
Tran threw the dagger just as his strength left him.  He stumbled and fell.  He struck his head upon the uneven flooring.
Darkness...
Tran opened his eyes and stared into those of the Orc in the doorway.
The Orc and Dwarf made no move.
Tran blinked.
The Orc did not.
Tran regained his feet and walked determinedly towards the doorway.  He bent down and pulled the dagger from the Orc’s chest and pushed it into his belt.  He deftly searched the corpse’s pockets and retrieved three copper coins.  He tried to lift the sword but could not; his strength had all but gone.  ‘You should have known that we’re made of rock.’
Tran stood up and wiped the sweat from his brow.  He listened intently but there was no sound of approach.  He sniffed at the air and caught the lighter smell of outside and followed after it.
Tran followed dimly lit passageways and ever the smell of outside grew stronger until at last he could see daylight spill down a set of stone steps.
He planted his feet firmly upon the base step and looked up at the back of an Orc guard high above.  Slowly, he took each step in turn until he was right behind the sentry.
‘Nart,’ whispered Tran.
The Orc turned around and his eyes opened wide in surprise as he caught sight of the Dwarf.
‘Express my gratitude at the hospitality shown me-,’
The Orc reached for his sword.
Tran took a hold of the Orc’s tunic and pulled.
The Orc flew passed him and bounced down the steps.
‘On second thoughts, I think the message is clear enough.’
Tran climbed up the last few steps and looked quickly about at the barrow ground.  He began to cry.  ‘I never thought I would be glad to see the open.’  He grabbed a clump of grass and rubbed it against his nose and inhaled the sweet smell.
Tran wept...
When he could cry no more he stood up straight and glared down into the darkness.  ‘Now then boys.  You and I have a few scores to settle.’  He felt a sharp pain in his ribs...’Guess it’ll have to wait though.  Your lucky day.’
Suddenly, he heard the alarm call and several shouts from the Orcs.  ‘Time to run.’  He staggered away from the opening and headed towards the nearest barrow at a fast walk.  He crossed the flat grassland and began to strain as he clambered up the near side.  He reached the top and sat down heavily and gathered his breath.
He rolled into a lying position and peered at the opening.
Orcs spilled out, ten toes or more in number.
Tran slid a little way down from the ridge on the far side.  He rolled down the grassy slope and came to a halt at its base.  He picked himself up and looked at the overgrown pathway that ran passed.  ‘No chance,’ he whispered.  ‘Short legs and no strength.’  He turned and studied the fallen stonework that had once sealed the entrance to the sacred place.
Tran sniffed at the darkness.  ‘Death,’ he breathed.
‘Over ‘ere ‘en!’ shouted a voice from the other side of the mound.
Tran looked quickly around and shook his head.  ‘For a choice,’ he sighed.  He held his breath and scurried into the darkness.
Tran moved deeper into the barrow as the voices drew near.
Suddenly, something caught at his foot and he fell face forward...
Thud.
‘In ‘ere, must be.’
‘No way.  Yer can go in if yers a feelin’ he be there.  More as like somethin’ dead waitin’ to taste yer.’
‘Gets in there and shuts it!’
‘Shuts it yersenn!  No way.  He off and scurried towards that village.’
‘I...I reckons yer could be right.  These stones are already reclaimed so he not pull ‘em down.  No point in wakin’ dead to ask a direction or two, I always say.’
‘Yeah.  Always fond of that sayin’ of yers.’
The Orcs hurried away.
Tran sat up and felt at his ankle and rubbed hard at it.
He waited for his eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness which was even greater than that which gathered in his cell.
Tran turned and looked over his shoulder and caught sight of the stone slab.  He forced himself to his feet and tested his ankle.  ‘Nothing broken.’
He looked at the empty slab and his eyes opened wide, ‘Robbers!’  He shrank in on himself as his voice echoed inside the chamber.
There were a number of possessions scattered upon the ground, one in particular caught his attention.  Tran picked up a candle and flint.  ‘To light the way of the dead.’  He looked back at the opening and took a deep breath.  He struck the flint and a flame arched from its surface.  He set it to the candle and tried again.
Suddenly, the chamber burst into blinding light.
Tran threw his arm over his eyes and cried out in pain.  After a few moments he peered under his arm and blinked several times.
The walls seemed to have been smoothed until they were all but mirrors.
He caught sight of a tableau in one corner that depicted a Knight on horseback locked in battle with a very large dragon.  A name had been scrawled underneath the dragon.  ‘Hasperak,’ said Tran and frowned.  He ran his fingers along the lines that made the dragon.  ‘Hasperak.’
He looked to the floor and found an old axe.  He picked it up and felt it’s weight.
‘I knew that you wouldn’t have left me,’ said a voice from behind him.
Tran cocked his head on to one side.
‘Never had a friend before.  They though old Jodaks was a mental for looking after you but keep you fed as best as I could I did.  Didn’t want to lose you, yer knows.  Where are we going to go too?  It will have to be a long way away from here because they won’t let up until they have us.  What have you got there?’
Tran gripped the shaft of the axe tighter.  ‘Nart,’ he whispered.
‘That your name then little fella?  Strange kind of a name, still it’s your own.  We don’t really get a choice on names, do we.’
‘Nart,’ whispered Tran again and a grin spread across his face.

* * * * * * * * * *

‘The dream’s violent,’ said Greg as he removed the headset.
‘It needs to be.  To keep the human spirit questing forward there has to be an edge, I thought…Still, we are approaching this from different perspectives.’
‘Why doesn’t he know his own name in the dream?’
‘A puzzle, something for his mind to work out.  All this is like doing a giant crossword on a shuttle journey.  Boredom will turn the mind into self destruct mode.  We are simply covering as much as we can.’
‘That’s not what I meant.  Why isn’t it name coded to Cameran?’
‘The dreams aren’t really important-,’
‘How are the readouts?’ asked Greg urgently and moved to the tech.
‘Gradually coming back out,’ said the tech.  ‘Rhythms looking good.  Everything matches what we have had on the shorter sleeps.  Everything aok at this point.’
‘Eyes are opening,’ said Ben.
‘Can you take him back under?’ asked Greg of the tech.
‘Why?  We have focus.  Come on Cameran, bring it home.’
‘Nice to have you back Cameran,’ said Ben.  ‘What’s the weather been like out in the green world?’
‘Put him back under,’ said Greg.
Cameran’s eyes moved to look at Ben and slowly focused on him.  ‘Nart,’ he whispered.
‘Cameran, focus on us.  Bring it back in,’ said Ben.
‘Nart,’ said Cameran a little louder. 
‘Bio’s are changing,’ said the Tech.
‘You boys should have brought me in long before this.  You’re key coding to the wrong event here,’ said Greg.  He touched a comm link on his collar.  ‘Number sixty nine has just gone deep six.  Lock this place down.’
‘Cameran, this is Benjamin Brown, your brother.  Come on bro’, come on.’
‘The dwarf is back,’ breathed Cameran and a grin began to spread across his face.

Extended Version

‘My comms down,’ said Greg.
Cameran had managed to break free of the chairs restraints and was walking slowly towards his brother with no sign of brotherly love.
‘I don’t understand,’ said Ben.  ‘He should be fine.’
‘Cameran.  Do you know who I am?’ asked Greg.
Cameran turned and looked towards him.  His head leaned to one side as if he was giving it his best attention.  He turned back towards his brother and moved forward.
‘Cameran…Tran Morgik of the Iron Hills.  You know me.  You know my name.’
‘Nart,’ said Tran and turned to face Greg.
‘We have unfinished business you and I,’ said Greg.  ‘You see before you nothing more than the human form of what I have become.  You know my name.  Do you not remember it?  You know my name.’
‘Hasperak,’ breathed Tran and took a step backwards.
‘Do not fear me.  We are brothers in our cause against the orcs.  As you want them destroyed, so do I.  Through our common enemy we are friends.  I appear before you as human because I have no wish to bring fear to you or to fight a battle with one such as yourself.  You and I are friends that have not yet formed the bond of friendship.  Come, there is much we must discuss.  Let these beings live, for now.  If they do not do as we wish then I myself will toast their souls.’
Tran grinned and nodded.
‘Gentlemen, by your leave,’ said Hasperak in human form.
Ben bowed low.  ‘We hear your words master of the flames.’

6 months later.

‘Greg.’
Greg opened his eyes but couldn’t gain focus.
‘Greg.’
The voice was familiar, rounded, intelligent.
‘Ben?’
‘Yes.  How are you feeling?’
‘Like I’ve been hit by…Where am I?’
‘Your vision will come back to you soon.  It’s the effect of stasis.’
‘I know what the effect is from.  I’ve already figured what you’ve done to me.  What I want to know is where…You’ve turned me into the embassador, haven’t you?’
‘You proved to us what a superior mind you had.  It was the only way to make this work.  We’ve had a briefing from them.  They really want this contact.  They are peace loving the same as us.  We can learn so much from them.  You will be their honoured guest and then after a couple of weeks you’ll be on your way back.’
‘What was real?’
‘What-,’
‘What was the last real thing that I did?’
‘You saved my brother.  You saved us.’
‘No.  You put me under before that.  That was a dream that I’ve been programmed with.’
‘I…We got you onboard the shuttle.’
‘No.  Devon.  It was Devon.  She must have spiked my drink and you boys came and picked me up.’
‘She didn’t want too.  She really cares about you.’
‘I really care about me too.’
‘Does it really matter at what point we got you?’
‘If you had done this the proper way, I could have explained a few things to you about imbedded messaging.’
‘You are fine.  All the readouts say so.’
‘Good to know.  What do these Altarian’s look like?’
‘Tall and slender.  No hair.  No gender bias as far as we can see.  Communication more mind than oral.’
‘Do you have a picture you can show me?’
‘Yes.’
An image of one of the Altarian’s appeared.
Greg smiled and shook his head.
‘What?’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Greg.  ‘The dwarf is back,’ he whispered.
‘What?  I didn’t hear that.’
‘Nart,’ breathed Tran Morgik.