Captain Fey cleared her throat. “Thank you, ALF. I would like to start by thanking you for the hospitality your collective races have shown us so far. You could have expelled us from your territory immediately after events on Naveen but, instead, you helped to bring more of us together.”
Kalian was only half-listening to the captain until he realised what she was about to ask.
“I think we can all agree that the habitation on Ch’ket is not suitable for the long term. I humbly request that you consider my people for membership in the Conclave and provide us with a planet or even a moon upon which we can reside.”
There was silence in reply from the Highclave. This was a subject they had no doubt discussed previous to the meeting and made a decision. Kalian could hear the captain’s heart rate increase as she clamped her fists by her sides.
“Denied.” Surprisingly it was Elondrasa who answered. “There are still too many unanswered questions that put your people apart from ours. You have kept too many secrets that cannot be ignored. There are eleven Gomar in our possession that you informed us were all dead after Naveen.” Kalian was about to protest when Elondrasa held up her hand to silence him. “There will be no negotiating on their behalf. The Gomar will be staying in our custody for the foreseeable future.” The Novaarian paused to ensure there would no further interruption from Kalian. “The most sophisticated artificial intelligence in existence was omitted in your report, Kalian. Surely you do not require a history lesson on the potential dangers AI pose? Granted that ALF here appears to be confined to your suit, but his ability to remotely control nanocelium and manipulate our communication systems is a threat we cannot dismiss.
“And then there’s the matter of Esabelle, daughter of Savrick. Another Terran, alive and living on your ship without our knowledge. It would appear her actions, and that of Roland North’s, were in the interest of the Conclave, but that does not excuse the level of destruction they caused on the capital or the mere fact that she and you, Kalian, are capable of that level of destruction. You are dangerous, and there are too many mysteries surrounding your kind. Since your arrival, our people have suffered one attack after another. The secrets of your past continue to emerge and haunt us.” Elondrasa appeared pained by her own speech.
“So you need more answers before you can accept us?” Kalian knew what to do, even if it was partially for selfish reasons. “I can get you more answers, councillors. I might even be able to uncover the truth behind the appearance of these cubes and why they are working against us.”
“Kalian...” Captain Fey met his eyes with a pleading expression. She knew what he was suggesting.
“What are you suggesting?” Lordina asked.
“You fear what ALF is. A machine smarter than all of us that can think for itself and determine its own future. But he has proved after thousands of years that he is loyal, and that he only wants for my people to thrive.” Kalian didn’t believe any of it himself, but he had to convince them. “In helping us, he can help you. ALF can offer the Conclave a new way of living. He has the knowledge to usher in a golden era for your people. The secrets of the Starforges can be yours, councillors. Instantaneous travel across the stars and a new weapon against our unknown enemy. I ask that you build a smaller Starforge, just big enough to fit a single craft through, and let me journey back to the Terran Empire. The connection between the Terran and the cubes is all that stands in our way to uncovering the truth.” Even posing the plan to the Highclave allowed Kalian to put thoughts of Li’ara to one side. He needed this.
“You wish to leave Conclave space entirely?” Ch’lac asked. “You would travel across the breadth of the galaxy to uncover these truths... alone?”
“I would.” Kalian looked at the councillors defiantly. “Think about it. You take none of the risk and it has the possibility of revealing all the answers we’ve both sought after since the destruction of Earth. Let me go...” Kalian tried to hammer it home that they were in this fight together, but he would place himself in danger rather than them.
The Highclave looked to one another in silence, clearly uncomfortable at being unable to discuss the matter privately first.
“We will consider it,” Brokk announced on behalf of the group.
“I can offer far more than just the Starforges.” ALF remained at Kalian’s side while addressing the council. “I have spent millennia studying the intricacies of subspace. I will show you how your ships can communicate beyond its borders.” The AI was sweetening the deal. “You five sit where you do because of the technological advancements you bring to the Conclave. With my help, the humans will be responsible for the next step in your people’s advancement.”
Ch’lac appeared more excited than the others, looking at each of his fellow councillors in quick succession. The translucent gas cloud surrounding his face became increasingly distorted with each turn of his head. Lordina sat back with a delicate hand cupping her jaw. ALF’s offer would have serious effects on her culture. The Laronians possessed the largest stores of Intrinium and right now she didn’t know if it was even required to power a Starforge.
“I would be more interested in the nanocelium’s ability to heal any wound.” Brokk’s black eyes bored down on Kalian, before shifting to Captain Fey. “After Professor Jones attacked the Gommarian, some of the crew were administered with a small dose of nanocelium; you stated that yourself, Captain Fey. Our scans upon entering the new habitat show that they are still inside their bodies, continuously healing them. We were not aware that they had a biological application.”
ALF stepped forward. “I designed them to help the Gomar before they rebelled. They were unable to heal the same way as a Terran, so I prolonged their life as best I could.”
Kalian detected another lie from the old machine. ALF had never wanted the Gomar to live, even before the war. They were imperfect; an anomaly that he hoped would die out with evolution.
“Prolong?” Nu-marn interrupted. “They cannot offer immortality?”
“No,” ALF stated flatly. “Eventually the nanocelium will be excreted in every way the body expels unwanted waste. There were some instances where the Gomar were able to live for centuries, however.”
“It wouldn’t matter anyway.” Kalian wanted to drop the topic and get back to convincing them he should leave. “The Gommarian is gone, and with it all the nanocelium is was made of. I’m fairly certain it can’t be replicated with the Conclave’s level of technology.” He looked to ALF to confirm his statement.
“The refinement process would be too complex...” the AI added.
Kalian didn’t like the way the Highclave met one another’s eyes. They were hiding something now. The only nanocelium they could have access to would be the exo-suits on the Gomar prisoners, but there was no way they would be able to prise them apart. Kalian tried to think of anywhere else they might have gotten their hands on some nanocelium. Was it possible Protocorps had produced some, or the cubes had created some for them?
Before any other councillors could say anything, Elondrasa raised her hand to silence them all. “These matters will be discussed at a later date, and at length. For now, this council agrees that there are forces working against us, both internally and beyond our borders. The steps you have taken to expose them have been extreme and at great cost, to both yourselves and us. Since you are not part of this Conclave we cannot arrest any of your people for the measures they have taken. Protocorps will take the brunt of our justice system in the coming days while we discuss how our two peoples can move forward. The Highclave thanks you for exposing this threat. You are free to return to Ch’ket.” With that the images of the councillors faded, leaving the companions alone on the empty ship.
“I think that went well,” ALF remarked with his usual poorly-timed humour.
“How so?” Captain Fey asked. “We still have no planet to call our own and we have been rejected from joining the Conclave. The hoops they would have us jump through are becoming ridiculous.”
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“True,” ALF continued. “But nobody was arrested for all the mayhem we caused, despite our best intentions, and I’m allowed to leave with you.”
“Yippee,” Kalian replied dryly. He turned to leave the domed ship, confident in the seed he had planted in the Highclave’s mind.
Naydaalan stepped out of the shadow of the archway. “I’m picking up a report from the habitat.” His upper arm was pressing against the holes that formed his ear. Kalian could detect the wireless communication device implanted in the Novaarian’s ear canal. “The Rackham has vanished and Roland North cannot be accounted for.”
Kalian didn’t care much; the bounty hunter was probably looking to get drunk. He knew there should be some feeling of guilt with how he reacted to Roland’s news, but Kalian couldn’t get past his anger. Savrick’s rage began to rise inside him, filling him with the urge to destroy anything and everything. Perhaps some of the old Gomar’s characteristics were worth keeping.
“Kalian...” Elondrasa’s image was displayed in her chair again, alone this time. “For the purposes of leverage, the council can only claim to know so much, but we have thoroughly reviewed everything. We accept now that this threat is real, and I apologise for our lack of action. Li’ara Ducarté died a hero. If circumstances were different, the entire Conclave would celebrate her life today.” With a sorrowful expression, Elondrasa disappeared.
Kalian blinked hard to keep the tear in his eye. Li’ara was a hero. One day the galaxy would publicly recognise that fact and celebrate her life, he knew it. To him, she would always be something more. Li’ara would always be the first person he ever loved...
The dimming light of Veridian’s sunset cast the luxurious lounge in orange stripes as it filtered through the open blinds. Roland had sat patiently in the armchair with his back to the setting sun, casting his image in shadow. The butt of his Tri-roller sat on the armrest with his finger poised over the trigger, the barrel aimed at the entrance to the lounge.
The bounty hunter breathed slowly to control the animal in him that begged to be unleashed when he heard the apartment’s door open. It closed quickly, telling him that only one person had entered. Kel-var Tionis walked into the lounge, completely unaware of Roland’s presence in the dark. The Shay’s expensive robes came to a sudden halt when Roland deactivated the weapon’s safety gauge. He didn’t wait for introductions.
A brilliant bolt of blue energy ignited the room for an instant before blowing a hole in Kel-var’s leg. The Shay dropped to the floor in agony, screaming out for help.
“They can’t hear you, pal.” Roland got out of the armchair and slowly walked over to the terrified Shay. “You should know, you had this little getaway designed personally. Nice and private like...” With a heavy boot, Roland kicked Kel-var in the shoulder, rolling him onto his back. “We’re gonna play a game. Let me explain the rules first. I’m gonna ask you questions and you’re gonna give me answers. If I think they’re bullshit or you’re withholding information, I’m gonna cut off a body part. So I suppose the first question is; how many body parts do you consider expendable?” the bounty hunter pressed his boot into the Shay’s throat.
Kel-var squirmed under his heel, wriggling to get free while hitting Roland’s boot with both hands.
“I caaag...” his words were garbled under the pressure.
“A friend of mine died because of you and your dipshit cubes.” Roland was getting angry at the thought of Li’ara.
He could still feel Kalian’s hand around his neck, easily squeezing the life from him. A part of him had wanted it. The impact of the explosion that killed her still echoed in his mind, much like the explosion that killed the children when he was still an operative. Roland’s whole world was that of explosions and death, often caused by him. It was all he knew. For just a moment he had hoped Kalian would relieve him of it all.
Kel-var stopped struggling and activated something on the control panel built into his arm. Roland kicked him again, afraid that the Shay was enacting some safety protocol he hadn’t previously discovered. Instead, the holographic emitters in the wall came to life with stilled images of the AI chamber on the capital. Roland relinquished some of the pressure under his foot, taking in the images. The incredibly thick door that protected the cube had been torn from its hinges and almost bent in half. The explosives Li’ara had taken into the chamber weren’t nearly powerful enough to damage that door.
Roland couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The Shay had to be making it up as leverage to save his life. But that door... he had only ever seen two people capable of denting something like that, and neither of them was anywhere near the capital at the time. Roland didn’t like being played for a fool. He dropped to one knee, bringing his full weight to bear on top of Kel-var’s chest. The heated barrel of the Tri-roller pressed under the Shay’s jaw, eliciting a small yelp.
With a menacing smirk, Roland whispered, “You and I are going to have a little chat...”
Volume Three
“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”
William Shakespeare
Prologue
254 years ago…
Captain Jedediah Holt stroked the smooth, dark skin along his jawline. He always liked to have a clean shave before a mission, whatever it might be. Start how you mean to go on, he thought. Relaxing into his high-backed chair on the command bridge, Jed surveyed his officers with pride. They had been hand-picked, each and every one, to be a member of the Paladin’s crew. They might not be the first or even the second ship, to make the trip to Century - Earth’s sister world - but their cargo was just as precious. As well as the crew, the Paladin’s swollen mid-section now housed a hundred thousand people, families, all.
Jed looked past the busy bridge crew and took in the vista of stars that lay beyond the curving viewport. The edge of the starboard screen was aglow with the orange aura of the sun. If the Paladin tilted any further in that direction, the aura would intensify into that of a blinding light, capable of cooking them all in their seats. The captain knew it was an unnecessary risk to keep the heat shield powered down, but he trusted his helmsman, and he wanted to see the universe break its ancient rules when they activated the Solar Drive.
The ability to travel faster-than-light wasn’t new technology, but it also wasn’t old technology. There weren’t many captains who had taken expeditions across the stars and the Paladin was one of a handful of ships to make the journey to Century. During his service in the United Defence Corps, Jed had been privileged enough to break the light barrier while on tour, but never as captain, and never with so many lives on his shoulders.
“Captain.” Samantha Vale, the Paladin’s first officer, handed Jed a Datapad filled with readouts from the ship’s various chiefs.
His reverie broken, Jed focused on his commander’s stony expression. “Something on your mind, Sam?”
Samantha Vale had been under his command for seven years prior to their recent promotions on the Paladin. The Commander had gladly accepted Jed’s offer to be his first officer when he was made captain, only a few weeks earlier, though he had sensed some regret on her behalf.
“No sir,” she replied curtly.
“Come on, out with it.” Jed looked up at her from his seat. “You’ve been sulking since The Hub handed us our orders.”
With an insulted expression, Sam’s mouth parted, but the commander held her barbed retort and straightened her back. “I have not been sulking, sir.”
“Could have fooled me…” Jed knew his smirk would only piss her off more.
The commander sighed. “Permission to speak freely, sir?”
Jed expressed his mock confusion. “Do you have any other way of speaking to me?”
“When you told me we were going to Century I thought it would be to do some deep space exploration. Check out the territory and neighboring solar systems. Root out any separatists that may have found a stronghold in the system…”
“Something exciting,�
� Jed stated, reading between the lines.
“I didn’t think we’d be taxiing a bunch of colonists from Earth to Century,” Sam explained.
“That’s what the Paladin was designed for,” Jed argued. “It’s an Arc ship.”
“I didn’t know that when I signed on…” Sam looked away, clearly embarrassed.
“You should have done your homework.” The captain wagged his finger at her.
“I didn’t sign on to be the commander of the Paladin. I signed on to be your X-O.” Sam wouldn’t look him in the eye.
It was Sam’s loyalty that had earned her the promotion in his eyes. Jed knew he could trust her with his commands and his life. He wanted to treasure these next few years working so closely with her, it wouldn’t be long before Commander Vale became Captain Vale.
“We’re going to help with the colonising of Century for a while,” Jed said. “It won’t be forever. Eventually we will be tasked with mandates like exploration, but for now, we get to just enjoy a bit of easy street.”
“Captain Holt?” Helmsman Maloy turned from his station to face Jed and Sam.
Before giving the helmsman his full attention, Jed looked up at Sam and waited for her response. The commander replied with a smile and a nod of concession. Captain Holt had seen more action than her, and he knew when to enjoy an easy command.
She will understand that, in time, he thought.
“What is it, Maloy?” Jed faced his helmsman.
“We’re getting some error codes in our navigation array. I’ve tasked an engineer to look into it, but I wouldn’t advise activating the Solar Drive until it’s fixed.”
The Terran Cycle Boxset Page 93