by J. Benjamin
She opened her eyes and both she and Alex were back in the forest on the ark. This time, both humans lay on the dirt. Mandyur stood quietly, the stars from outside the ark hanging overhead. The lion-fish aliens floated away. Still gripping her head, she turned to Alex and then to Mandyur with a hint of disbelief, just to confirm she was back. Edie and Alex pulled themselves up.
“What the fuck was that?” Edie screamed at the A’biran alien.
“What you just experienced is a vision of a potential future.”
“Of the future?” Alex stammered. “What the Hell were those things? What did you do to us?”
“Those were . . . humans,” Edie said. “But not really human at all. They were like deformed vessels. We were just occupying them.”
“Look familiar?” Mandyur asked.
“It was like . . . Oh my god. It was like the A’biran we met on the Krayasee,” Edie said. “They were balls of slime, living in a giant mega-city. But when they weren’t in their physical bodies, they were swimming in pools of nutrients. It was just like that except with . . . us? Is that what life is really like for the A’biran? The ones from the Krayasee?”
“Edie and Alex, I am afraid I haven’t told you everything. When our civilization was crushed by the Yonapi, they didn’t act alone. You see, the A’biran, unlike the Yonapi, were diverse in many ways. There were different variants of our species from colony to caste. Earlier in our history, these differences were far more pronounced and divided us. Five thousand years ago, the greatest division existed between those who looked up to the Yonapi as saviors and heroes and those who saw the Yonapi for what they truly were,” Mandyur explained.
“And the ones who refused to go along were enslaved and turned into those science experiments?” Alex asked.
“No,” Mandyur said. “The abominations you saw on the Krayasee are the descendants of the ones who put their faith in the Yonapi.”
“What?” Edie and Alex both recoiled.
“The ones who refused to go along were violently wiped out with the help of the true believers,” Mandyur said. “What you see on this Ark, are descendants of the A’biran who managed to escape or hide out.”
“But why would the Yonapi do that to those who showed them loyalty?” Edie questioned.
“The Yonapi are exploitative and malevolent,” Mandyur calmly replied. “They have no religion, no moral compass. They roam the galaxy and leech on every species they can find. If they have no use for you, they wipe you out. If they do have a use for you, they colonize your worlds, completely strip you of your essence, and control you until they get everything they want.”
“And that’s what they did to the A’biran,” Alex said.
“Yes, that is what they did to the A’biran. But for a species that can absorb the power of the stars and traverse space in living vessels, the Yonapi aren’t particularly as gifted nor as technologically advanced as one might think.”
“Oh?” Edie replied with a raised eyebrow. “Our experience tells us different.”
“The Yonapi are parasites. Their one gift is that they can seep into the minds of other creatures with ease. They can see your memories, learn your language, learn your knowledge, and record everything for permanent memory. I think a good human term would be ‘computer hacker?’”
“But what about their fusion reactors?” Alex bemoaned. “They literally grow living ships out of the ground that can move across the galaxy.”
“All of which was stolen from other species. As the Yonapi colonized more worlds, they took the knowledge with them, encoded it in their DNA, and bio-engineered their species to become more advanced as they leapt across space,” Mandyur said.
“This is nuts,” Edie said. “Even if what you’re saying is true, what the Hell do they want with us? Humans. We’ve been at space for a century and a half. We’re still getting our feet wet.”
“A very good question,” Mandyur replied. “If you’ve noticed, the Yonapi aren’t particularly good at interstellar jumping technology. Anytime they want to traverse from one point to another, they rely on previously constructed subspace nodes. The Yonapi didn’t even build the network they use to move through the stars. Based on how quickly humans caught up to speed with nuclear fusion technology, and based on the building capabilities of humans, we believe they were looking to exploit you to create new jump points.”
“Ha!” Alex exclaimed. “Interstellar jump gates? That’s rich. And we know, because two of the first three people who ever jumped through spacetime are standing right here.”
“It’s not as far-fetched as it seems,” Mandyur said. “The Yonapi lack the functionality to build such technology. They can only take what they know and teach other species how to do it. The fact that you both stand here is evidence of just how quickly humans were able to figure out interstellar jump technology, and without using an established node, as the Yonapi rely on.”
“That’s not true,” Edie said. “Last year, there were two humans who visited the Universal Crescent. Their names were Kiara and Matt. They came to the Universal Crescent, albeit through mental projection. Then, almost as soon as they arrived, they left. Admittedly because of actions on our part. The Yonapi took them away. Back to Earth, but there is no Earth node. So how did they do it?”
“If the Yonapi traveled back to Earth, that means a temporary wormhole opened, with a connection into the Yonapi node map. However short a period such a wormhole lasted, it was enough to give the humans, and their Yonapi host, an opportunity to travel directly back to your home system.”
“So what does this mean?” Alex asked. “The Yonapi are just waiting for humans to open the floodgates and set up a permanent node to our Solar System?”
“You know Dev would be the first to do it too,” Edie replied.
“That is exactly how the Yonapi found our home-world and how they wiped it out,” Mandyur said. “They waited while their true believers built the infrastructure necessary to permanently bridge our world to their network. When that was complete, it sealed the fate of the A’biran for generations to come. They will come for Earth.”
Edie took a moment to consider the gravity of Mandyur’s words. She never made a secret of the contempt she held for most of humanity. Especially after the world she left chewed her up and spat her out. Even so, she never wanted to see harm come to humans. Everything that drove her was born from a desire to save humanity from itself. But even as she considered what the A’biran said, she couldn’t help her suspicions.
“Why should we trust you?” Edie asked. “You said you’ve traveled the universe. You found our drones. You know our language. But you also nearly killed us back in the nebula. You showed us visions, but how can we be sure they weren’t lies? If the Yonapi lied to us, how can we be sure you are telling the truth? How do we know you aren’t malevolent yourselves?”
“Who are those blob-fish quail things and those angel creatures floating above us,” Alex added.
“The smaller beings are known as the Qalfrae,” Mandyur said. “They are a species that dates back hundreds of millions of years. Probably older than the Yonapi themselves. They lack the intellectual fortitude of a traditional sentient species. Yet in large numbers, they can manipulate energy to such a degree that they can open up wormholes, as you witnessed.”
“And what, the Yonapi destroyed their home-world too?” Alex asked.
“Actually, that planet was just one of many worlds of the Qalfrae,” Mandyur corrected.
“I don’t get it though. If they can build wormholes, how have they not torn themselves out of existence?” Edie questioned.
“Amazingly, what the Qalfrae lack in mental development, they make up for in their brilliant craft of spacetime manipulation. Their sequences are precise. As far as we know, they’ve never destroyed any of their worlds. Each time they travel, it is to another habitable zone,” Mandyur explained.
“Incredible,” Edie said.
“And what about those floating things?�
�� Alex demanded.
“We discovered the cosmic beings years after the destruction of our home-world. Or rather, they discovered us. They were the ones who helped the remnants of our species rebuild in the aftermath. They helped us build this Ark, and others like it. To this day, we still do not know much about them. We don’t even know if they have a home-world, as they appear to be even older than the Qalfrae. Their mental connections are unmatched even for the Yonapi. Which is why we believe they will be absolutely critical for what comes next,” Mandyur said.
“And what comes next?” Edie wondered.
“We will help you save Earth and humanity before it is too late, but we have to act quickly. We will not only save you from the Yonapi and their subservients, but we will also help Earth repair the ecological damage wrought from generations of poor development,” Mandyur said.
“And what if we say no?” Edie asked.
“Then we will return you and your ship to where we found you in the nebula. You can wait there until the Yonapi return. The choice is yours,” Mandyur offered. “But we also caution you that the situation is worse than we realized. As we speak, we believe the Yonapi are closer than ever to securing a permanent bridge to your home system. Our energy readings of Sol confirm this. If we act, we have to act now.”
“What do you think?” Alex asked of Edie. “I’m not sure I’m ready to trust these things. We’re taking a huge risk here.”
Edie looked at Alex, then to Mandyur. For the first time in her life, the self-assured renegade felt lost and adrift. “This is all so confusing. I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
Chapter 53
As Val entered the waiting area in the government complex, she could already see the uncertainty in Ty’s face. Soldiers on high alert stood in a formal row at attention along the far wall, backlit by floor to ceiling windows and book-ended by towering palms in each of the far corners of the room. Light filtered in around their silhouettes and cast their shapes across the marbled floors. The imposition of the soldiers’ presence was amplified by the look of their shadows, which seemed to grow as they stretched away from the figures, their ominously broad shoulders square before Val’s feet as she entered. Ty looked up at Val and her face lit up.
“Val!” She ran to hug her wife. “You’ve been in there for two hours!”
“I know. I’m sorry it took so long.”
“What the Hell is going on? They’re saying a bunch of people are trapped on Titan and there’s rioting everywhere.”
“I know,” Val replied.
“And what’s with all these soldiers running like chickens with their heads cut off? Are we at war?”
“No, that’s not exactly what’s going on.”
“Then what?” Ty demanded. She sensed her wife’s discomfort. Val knew more than she was letting on.
“Let’s go outside. You might want to sit down for this,” Val said. She led Ty out the main entrance of the government building, and they found a quiet spot on the grass to sit.
“I just got out of a meeting with the world leaders. The number of people trapped on Titan is actually close to a thousand. Huygens’ Landing was damaged by the shockwaves from whatever took out Saturn’s rings. Their contained environment is collapsing. Their docking bay is damaged. The nearest skippers are cargo craft that won’t make it in time.” Val tightened her grip on Ty’s palms. “One fifth of the colonists are children. They could all die.”
“Oh my stars,” Ty said. “Is there anything that can be done to save them?”
Val answered with a heavy breath. “President Stanton and Minister Endo have conceived a rescue mission. There’s only one ship that has the capability to arrive fast enough and save all the colonists before Huygens’ Landing collapses and kills everyone.”
“Which one?” Ty asked. Val didn’t answer, and after a few seconds, Ty’s eyes widened as the answer came to her. “Holy shit! Are you serious? They’re sending that thing to go get them?”
“It’s the only way,” Val said.
“Can it even carry a thousand people?”
“Ship made mostly of water-weight with eggshells that could crush a sidewalk? For the Aquarians, it would be like carrying a box of feathers,” Val explained.
“But can it even take off?” Ty wondered.
“Without issue. In fact, the Moon’s gravity will make it even easier.”
“And how are they going to get there? Whose going to fly it?” Ty asked, finally hitting the button Val feared most.
“Me.”
“What?”
“I am going to guide Minerva to Titan. I won’t be alone though. Thomas and a platoon of soldiers are coming with me.” Val gave Ty a moment to process the full weight of her words.
“I see,” Ty said. “Is there a reason they couldn’t bring back Kiara or Matt?”
“No time,” Val said. “Both of them volunteered, but they need somebody readily available who understands the Aquarian interface. There’s only one person on the Moon who fits that bill. It has to be me.”
Just a short while ago, they were preparing to start a new life, far away from all of this, the Moon, Minerva, the Aquarians, and certainly far from Saturn.
“I understand,” Ty said.
“Wait, what?”
“I don’t like it. You know how I feel about that ship and all it represents, but if this is the only way we can save those people, then so be it.”
“I don’t get it. I thought you’d be completely opposed.”
Ty put her right hand up to Val’s confused face. It had turned red from the stress of the day’s events. Val closed her eyes. “When we met on Space Station Sagan, it was your compassion and love for others that drew me to you. You’re the kind of person who would run into a burning building to save total strangers and not think twice about it. Remember our wedding? When my nephew fell into the pool, you dove in with your wedding dress still on and got him out.”
“Oh jeez!” Val said, finding a moment of laughter.
“If something happened to those people on Titan, and you could save them, and chose not to, I know you would never live down the guilt for the rest of your life,” Ty explained. “And I will never be the person to get in your way of doing what you believe is just.”
“Believe me Ty. If there was another way, I would take it in a heartbeat.”
“I know.”
They embraced. Val didn’t want to let go. Deep down, she wanted to say ‘screw the whole thing,’ hop on a spaceplane, and go back to Earth. Though she didn’t want to admit it, the thought of reuniting with Minerva scared.
“Now there’s something I need to tell you,” Ty said.
“What is it?” Val wondered.
“Do you remember when I started taking the treatments?”
“Yeah?” Val replied, “Why? What’s going on?”
“I was going to wait till we got back to Earth, but I think I should tell you now, in case the worst happens. Val, we’re going to be mothers.”
Chapter 54
Research Bay
The government of New Tokyo quickly set up command in the Research Bay, nearly wiped out during the Minerva Starscraper crisis just a few months before. The damage to the walls was repaired, and the facility retrofitted to prepare for seismic activity. On the other side of the glass wall which separated human from alien, the containment chamber had been filled with water. As the rescue team prepared Minerva for the dangerous mission, the water slowly drained, once again exposing Minerva to air.
Minister Endo watched over the busy command center, with Ty on her right side. On her left, a hologram of President Stanton watched as well.
“Have you secured a landing site?” Minister Endo asked the president.
“You mean for when they get back from Titan? We’re working on that,” the President said. “We have a couple candidate landing sights. Now it’s just a matter of negotiation with the governments.”
“Good,” Minister Endo said. “Because as mu
ch as we would like to welcome the colonists to New Tokyo, we simply don’t have the capacity.”
“Understandable,” the president replied. “And since you are providing the ship, I think this is a reasonable request.”
Minister Endo nodded. She turned to Ty. “If we could have done this any other way, we would have.”
“I know,” Ty said. “Val made the decision to do it, and I honor her decision.”
“I know right now you must be going through a lot. This was a big ask, especially after what you went through last time we were together in this bay. No matter where you are in the universe, no matter what the circumstance, New Tokyo will always be home for you and Val. No questions asked.”
“Thank you,” Ty said.
“And I also want to say something,” President Stanton added. “Nobody ever wants to admit when they are wrong, but I was wrong. Wrong about Val. Wrong about you. Wrong in how we handled our takeover of the GSF. Going forward, you have my word that the United States, and every country on Earth, will always welcome you without question. Again, please accept my deepest apology.”
Ty found herself surprised to hear a politician who was known for his hardline tactics, humble himself before not only herself, but also another world leader.
“I forgive you,” Ty replied. “I know Val would too if she were here.”
“Thank you,” the president acknowledged.
Minister Endo interjected. “Launch is supposed to begin any minute.”
Inside the Aquarian kaiju, Val was remotely anchored to the Aquarian interface, a technology she’d helped create since the Minerva Starscraper crisis. Half of her attention was with Minerva’s consciousness, and the other half was present with the team assembled for the mission. There were seven people, total. Val, Thomas, and five soldiers decked out in full combat gear and spacesuits. The living ship created a cavernous habitable space for the humans, similar to the ascending configuration when Val entered the ship last time. The air-filled walls stretched between the structural branches which held Minerva together.