Nemesis

by Christian Kallias

  “You don’t understand how it feels to tell people about my visions and to see how it affects their future decisions…the consequences they may face, the future being remolded, sometimes it feels like I did more harm than good. I’m not talking only about you and your brother here. I’ve—I’ve single-handedly ruined Zeus’ life, among others.”

  “I think you’re exaggerating a little. You’ve been through so much to ensure we defeat the Furies, at least you can get some comfort from that, couldn’t you?”

  “And now the Spectres are coming without the one race that could stand up to them.”

  Argos had a hard time reconciling with this concept. Had there been a potential future where he defeated Chase and the forces of light, and where that future could be a better one? No, no matter how he looked at it, he refused to accept that this could be true.

  Aphroditis closed her eyes. “I—I’m tired, Argos. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll sleep a little longer.”

  “Yes, get some rest. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up later.”

  Argos kissed Aphroditis on the forehead and left the room, his heart heavy. Her words echoed in his mind and imagining himself as the head of the Furies, defeating his friends and family, was not something he enjoyed.

  Argos willed himself to put that image aside. He thought about the fact that seemingly only the Furies could stop the Spectres. If that were true, then what would happen next?

  These thoughts caused him to shiver and he had to consciously will himself to shrug them away. Times were dark enough without the need to add more doom and gloom. Whatever was coming, there was no choice other than for him and Chase to fight it head-on.

  Ares materialized in front of Argos, which made Argos jump.

  “Damn, Ares. You’re the last person I expected to see, and you almost gave me a freaking heart attack.”

  “Sorry about that. The rumors of my demise have been widely exaggerated.”

  “Apparently so. It’s good to see you, and even though I’d love to hear how you’re still here, something tells me you’re longing to see your sister now.”

  Ares nodded.

  “She just fell back to sleep. I can tell she needs it, but I’m sure you won’t mind waiting by her side until she wakes up.”

  “I don’t mind. It’s good seeing you again, Argos. We’ll catch up later?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Ares walked through the door of med-bay five as if it weren’t there.

  Thor exited Altair’s office of the Earth Alliance’s headquarters and walked to the nearest window to gaze outside.

  My father used to love Midgard.

  Midgard had once been an intricate part of the Asgardian’s world. But when Olympians had taken over protecting the humans, Odin had decided that challenging the Olympians for control over the planet was too dangerous. It could have had disastrous repercussions for the stability of the region.

  In hindsight, Thor’s father had made the right decision. If Asgardians and Olympians had been enemies, the second and last Fury War could have turned out differently.

  His father had always been a wise man. One that Thor didn’t think he could replace as the King of Asgard. But soon he would be crowned in place of his late father.

  “Hey there,” said a familiar voice.

  Thor turned around and smiled at his friend, Poseidon.

  “It’s good to see you,” said Thor

  Poseidon hugged Thor.

  “Likewise,” said Poseidon. “I wish it were under better circumstances, though. I—I heard about your father. I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Thor’s facial tattoos flashed once and died down.

  “Thank you.”

  “Shouldn’t you have stayed on Asgard?”

  “I needed to report back to Altair.”

  “You could just as easily have done that via holo-transmission.”

  “I know…I guess I also needed to clear my head.”

  “I can understand that. Do you know who killed your father?”

  “From the security footage, it seemed to have been a Spectre. A very powerful one, too.”

  “I was afraid of that. I suppose you ordered a full investigation?”

  Thor nodded. “Hasn’t yielded any results yet. Our systems were tampered with.”

  “In what way?”

  “Footage in several areas of the temple has been deleted beyond recovery.”

  “Why do you think that would be?”

  Thor shook his head. “Could be a number of things. Perhaps the Spectre’s doing. Or perhaps…” but Thor let the words trail.

  “A traitor?”

  “The thought has crossed my mind, but I’m having a hard time accepting that.”

  “I’m sorry, didn’t want to burden your grief.”

  “Don’t worry, you haven’t. My father always loved this place, so it’s fitting that it’s my first destination after his passing. How did your encounter with the Spectre go?”

  “It almost cost Athena her life. I guess my intense training paid off. But luckily for my niece and me, he wasn’t nearly as powerful as Tanak’Vor. That much I could sense.”

  “Well, I guess that’s good news. But…”

  “I know, while this one was weaker…what about the next ones, right?”

  “Something tells me we’re about to find out and soon.” Thor nodded, his facial tattoos resuming their usual neutral shine.

  Tar’Lock and Talon entered Altair’s office.

  “Please, gentlemen,” said Altair, “have a seat.”

  Tar’Lock nodded. “Thanks, Altair. This is Captain Talon Epizon. He’s the reason I’m still breathing. Well, so are you, obviously.”

  Altair looked at Epizon. “Nice to meet you, Captain. And the reason we’re all breathing is your ingenuity in escaping the spider ship and sending that distress call. The rest, well, we were fortunate Athena also picked it up.”

  Talon nodded without saying a word.

  “Please, sit,” said Altair.

  Tar’Lock sat, but Talon didn’t.

  “I’d rather stand if it’s all the same to you,” said Talon, his voice cold.

  “Absolutely. As long as you don’t mind that I do.”

  “It’s your office.”

  Tar’Lock clicked nervously.

  “Why did you want to see me, Tar’Lock?” said Altair.

  “Well, we wanted to come by and extend our thanks for answering our distress call. If you hadn’t come when you did…”

  “You shouldn’t have troubled yourself for that. Even though you left the Earth Alliance, which was your right, you’re still a friend. I’d hope you’d also answer a distress call of mine if you ever got one.”

  “Absolutely,” said Tar’Lock.

  “I don’t want to sound rude, but I actually have some important plans tonight. Was there anything else?”

  Tar’Lock clicked rapidly. “There is. I would like to know if your offer to have Captain Epizon assume command as a captain of an Earth Alliance destroyer still stands?”

  “What?” barked Talon, obviously taken by surprise. “What are you doing Tar’Lock? I don’t want this.”

  Altair looked at Talon then returned his gaze to Tar’Lock.

  “What’s going on here?”

  “Captain Epizon resigned his commission with the Star Alliance shortly after arriving on Earth. I think it was a mistake. As you told me when I stepped onto the Hercules, the Alliance needs good captains, especially now, and I think Talon would make a terrific one, even if he doesn’t seem to realize it just yet.”

  Altair’s gaze shifted to Talon. “Are you sure you don’t want to sit, Captain?”

  Talon grimaced but eventually sat in front of Altair. Fire was burning in his eyes.

  “I sense some tension. Perhaps before we continue this discussion, we should clear the air?” proposed Altair.

  “And perhaps Tar’Lock should focus on his problems instead of meddling in the affairs of oth
ers,” Talon retorted.

  Altair steepled his fingers together and pressed them to his lips.

  “I’m not sure why you’re here. What’s clear; however, is that you haven’t discussed this among yourselves. As I said earlier, I do have plans, so let me tell you what I think. I’d love for the both of you to rejoin the Alliance. Tar’Lock is correct, with the impeding threat from the Spectres looming on the horizon, we could use good captains. And you’ve proved yourself incredibly resourceful surviving a spider ship against incredible odds. I commend you both for that. However, I sense some animosity on your part,” said Altair, pointing one of his fingers toward Talon. “Then again, I know I’m not very popular with ex-Star Alliance officers.”

  “You can say that again,” snorted Talon.

  “Talon!” Tar’Lock exclaimed.

  Altair raised a hand. “That’s alright, Tar’Lock, I’d rather Captain Epizon spoke his mind.”

  “Since we’re being frank, I’d rather let a gun do my talking,” said Talon.

  Tar’Lock clicked nervously. “I’m sorry, Altair, this was a mistake, and it’s all my fault. I think we should go.”

  “No, that’s alright,” said Altair, calmly. “I’ve checked the captain’s Star Alliance records before the two of you came in. I can see why he’d like nothing more than to shoot me where I stand. We all know that on some level, I certainly deserve it for my past actions when I was leading the Obsidian Empire.”

  Talon made a threatening rumbling noise in his throat.

  Altair grabbed his service blaster and slid it across his desk to Talon. “Do what you need to do, Captain.”

  Talon looked at the blaster as Tar’Lock clicked in rapid succession. Talon slowly grasped the blaster and then pointed it toward Altair’s head. His hand was shaking.

  “Are you crazy!?” shouted Tar’Lock. “Put that down!”

  Talon ignored Tar’Lock as his gaze locked with Altair’s. There was a mixture of pain, sadness, and extreme anger in his eyes.

  “There’s nothing I can do to bring your family back, Captain. The only thing I can say is that I truly wish I could turn back time. I stupidly, though somewhat unwillingly, allied myself and my empire with the enemy, and every morning when I wake up, I am faced with the fact that millions died because of my lack of foresight in doing so.”

  “That’s all well and good, but then why give me your gun? Do you have a death wish?”

  Tar’Lock watched in horror as the two males squared off.

  “Not particularly, no. I’ve accepted the fact that my life now is about making amends and trying to save people rather than enslaving or killing them. I know that won’t bring back your family nor will it appease my conscience. That’s a burden I’ll have to live with for the rest of my days, and if that’s my destiny, then potentially for just a few more seconds. But you know what? I have no control over that. All I can say is I’m sorry for the part I’ve played in your tragic loss. I didn’t fire the shot that killed your family, but my ships did, and for that, I am ready to accept any and all consequences. Whether you shoot me dead today or another grieving widower does tomorrow, that’s the price I’m willing to pay in my quest for redemption. So…by all means, Talon, if you think it will make you feel better, or if you think that’s what your loved ones would want you to do to honor their memories, then by all means, take that shot.”

  There was a long pause, and it felt like the oxygen was being sucked out of the room.

  “Please, please, Talon, don’t shoot him,” said Tar’Lock. “He just saved our lives risking his and an entire crew no less.”

  “Stay out of it, Tar’Lock,” Talon replied. “This is between him and me.”

  “He’s right,” said Altair.

  “How can you be okay with the prospect of dying?” asked Talon.

  “We all die, Talon. Sooner or later. I try to better myself with every moment that’s given to me. If I get more time, I’ll do my darned best to do more good. If my life ends here, then at least I die knowing that I’m doing my best here and now, even if that wasn’t always the case.”

  Talon’s hand shook harder.

  “You’re nothing like I expected you to be.”

  “I get that a lot. I’m not your enemy, Captain. I’m only trying to do some good in this world. That’s all.”

  Talon took a deep breath and slowly rested the gun in front of him. Tar’Lock released a very long sigh of relief.

  “I’m sorry for even pointing that at you, Altair. You’re not the monster I thought you were when I stepped in your office. I think I need to do some soul searching of my own. If anything, you’ve triggered that, and I’m thankful for it, as well as for your risking your life to save ours.”

  “You’re perfectly welcome. But let me ask you this: would you be interested in doing your soul searching while commanding an Earth Alliance starship?”

  Talon’s eye widened. “You’re still offering me a command? After this?”

  “After what? Nothing happened. As a matter of fact, you strike me as someone who can think on his feet and not let emotions overtake his sense of logic. That’s a strong pitch for a captain, and exactly the kind of men I’d want at the commands of our starships. We could use you, both of you, actually.”

  “Could Tar’Lock be my first officer?”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “Wait, what?” said Tar’Lock. “I don’t have the right military training.”

  “You’ll do fine,” said Talon.

  Altair smiled. “I agree. Your heart is in the right place, and you’ll have a captain teaching you the ropes, I’m sure.”

  They all rose from their chairs.

  “So, what do you say…” added Altair. “Captain Epizon, should I find you a ship?”

  Altair extended his open hand.

  Talon grasped it and shook. “I think I’d like that very much.”

  “Good. Welcome to the Earth Alliance.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Asrak’Vor received a transmission on the bridge of the spider ship. The holo-screen came to life and the face of the Spectre whom he had tasked with investigating the lack of progress from Ergon’Kar filled the screen.

  “Report.”

  “I found him, frozen in space. I can tell from his wounds that he engaged in a tough battle.”

  “Is he dead?”

  “He would be if I hadn’t reached him when I did. I put him in a healing chamber, but I can just as well terminate his life if that’s your wish.”

  Asrak’Vor despised failure, and the thought of killing Ergon’Kar lingered in his mind. But they had already lost a ship, adding to the tally of manpower they couldn’t afford to lose, at least not until reinforcements from their dimension arrived. Even though the Spectre hated rewarding failure, this time he decided not to let his anger and thirst for revenge dictate his actions. Instead, he used logic.

  “That won’t be necessary.”

  Asrak’Vor could feel multiple sets of shocked eyes peering at him from the shadows of the dimly lit bridge. The crew wasn’t used to Asrak’Vor showing mercy of any kind.

  “Very well, Master. Will there be anything else you need me to do in the area?”

  “No, come back aboard, we have work to do.”

  “Thy will be done,” said the Spectre as he saluted Asrak’Vor.

  The communication ended, and Asrak’Vor walked away from his chair and into his ready room.

  Shortly after, his first officer arrived.

  “What is it I can do for you, Zanon’Zar?”

  “I’m surprised you spared Ergon’Kar.”

  “As am I. But I see his survival as a sign that he may still have a role to play. We’ve lost enough people today.”

  “I didn’t think you cared much about signs and portents.”

  “Usually, I don’t. Though we lost a ship, we managed our primary objectives. We have the necessary material to start building the gate as well as recovering something tha
t was ours.”

  Zanon’Zar nodded. “It won’t be easy to assemble the gate. Now that the Earth Alliance knows of our presence, they will patrol every system looking for us.”

  “I know…that’s why it was important to recover Ashra’Lur. The moment she wakes up, she’ll take care of the Earth Alliance for us.”

  “You seem to have quite a bit of faith in her.”

  “Why wouldn’t I? Technically, she’s of my bloodline.”

  Even though she represents way more than that.

  “If that will be all,” said Zanon’Zar.

  “Actually, no, before the scout ship was destroyed, did you receive any subspace transmission from them?”

  “Yes, we have. It contains the sensor data on the new prototype shields they were equipped with.”

  “And?”

  “And the technology is viable. As a matter of fact, the scout ship held its own against the biggest Earth Alliance dreadnought. Should we use Loki’s pentalium to upgrade our fleet to the same shielding technology? That would give us a considerable advantage over them.”

  “But then we wouldn’t have enough of the material to create the gate.”

  “We can always attack the Asgardians and steal their stockpile.”

  “And incur more losses. Not to mention that the technology may not be as efficient against their own fleet.”

  “So that’s a no for using the new shield tech?”

  “Only for the time being. We must conserve what limited resources we have, and if we’ve learned anything these past few days, we can’t overextend ourselves. Bringing more ships and troops to this dimension always was and remains our top priority. When that is done, we can wipe out the Asgardians and use the advanced technology to crush the Alliance.”

  Chris didn’t expect to find anyone in the mess hall this late at night. But a lone woman sat at one of the tables with a half-eaten pizza in front of her. A powerful aura emanated from her body.

  “Who are you?” he asked as he approached the woman. “I don’t remember seeing you around here before.”

  “I haven’t been here for long. My name is Nyx. If you see Ares, tell him I’ll kick his ass for leaving me here on my own for so many hours.”