The Second Book of the Alienbutt Saga. The Rise of Mr Fluffy. Part 54.

Wickede sat reading the reports Snoodgrass had just brought him. All along the border of Ick space, the Federation had been quietly pulling their forces back. Snoodgrass's still extensive spy network had reported the same operation all along the front lines of Ashia Minor.
“Well, it looks like the Federation are wanting all their forces ready for a new offensive. Any clues yet on where?” Wickede asked, looking at his friend, who sat slumped in a chair opposite him.
“They are forming up well back from the front and my spies say that millions of new robotic units are being brought up, but no hint yet as to where they are going to strike.”
Wickede shook his head. “Any hints from the book?” he asked, more in hope than anything else. Over the last few weeks, when all expected secrets to be revealed, the Book of Ick had gone silent, refusing to give any hints about what was to happen.
“Still nothing there, but Nifty is flying in, should be here in an hour or so. She's requested an immediate meeting, so I've ordered her to be escorted straight here and cleared your appointments for the rest of the day. From what I heard from Ramboe, she wasn't in the best of moods when she left his station, and a good few security officers needed medical attention.”

Further conversation was cut short as the door opened and one of the monks of Ick came in, excited.
“We have found a passage in the Book!”
Both Wickede and Snoodgrass sat up in their chairs and Wickede motioned the monk to continue. The Book of Ick was frustrating, as most of the time it was pure gibberish. Only at allotted times did a passage appear making sense, and then quite often it was cryptic.
“Brother Drick found this just now,” he said excitedly. “After the blacke spider has caught its prey and cast the sun in their eye to smite all but the fist it starts the end. Thy enemy shall pull back and gather for a final time. A great battle will rage and many will be lost. As the battle rages all thy fate will be decided. A nexus will appear to force thy path, beware all is lost if your path is not true.”
Snoodgrass stood up excited. “We know the Fist is Jee, so Blackarachnia must have gotten to the Orders high council. The Federation are withdrawing and preparing for a new offensive, a final battle.”
He looked over at Wickede, his face grim. “Order all fleet to be ready to move within an hour’s notice. For good or bad, it ends soon. There was a mention of Alienbutt. He was supposed to be here at the end and he’s on his way,” Wickede said grimly.

Brother Drick looked troubled. “What does the last bit mean though, a nexus forces thy path? The book gives a direct warning, which is unheard of.”
“Maybe it will reveal more? We must react to what it has told us. Let us know if you get anything else out of the book,” Wickede said as he prepared to leave the room and take charge of the fleet. Brother Drick stood looking at the passage in the book. The last line worried him. It was a line that they had found a few times over the last couple of days, often unconnected to anything else. The book was sending a warning to them, but they didn’t know what it was warning them about. Alienbutt was the nexus and his return would aid them; it didn’t make sense even for the Book.

To be continued.
All images are mine.