Echoes of Guardians

by C. S. Harte

  “You don’t? The Commonwealth owns the communication relays across colonies. If the masses stay huddled in the dark, ignorant of the truth, Fleet and the Chancellor will always be in power. You actually believe an alien species can transform its shape into anything it wants? Or that they can take over the minds of humans? The most outlandish story is that the invasion has already happened. All humans are now Mimics, and we just aren’t aware of it yet.” The voice laughed heartily.

  Given all that happened to Jonas in the past few days, the idea of a Mimic invasion seemed plausible. Too many stories. Not enough ways to tell fact from fiction. He needed to regain his memories. Someone wanted me to forget something important. And they went to great lengths to hide it, including killing my crew on the Endurance. I need to remember what happened on that ship.

  “I’m Shad, by the way.”

  “Jonas.”

  “I know who you are, Jonas Barick.”

  Here we go again. My traitor story.

  “You’re worth a lot of credits right now. Fleet increased their bounty to 10 million the other day.”

  Jonas smirked. Maybe I should wait until it reaches 200 million credits, then turn myself in. At least I won't be indebted to anyone anymore.

  “I would watch my back if I were you. There’s no shortage of people who would do anything for that bounty.”

  Everyone says that to me, lately. Jonas lay back in bed. “Shad, you seem like a smart guy. Why are you in the Pirate King’s prison?”

  “My son borrowed money from King Tycho for his transport ship. He couldn’t pay back the debt."

  “So Tycho put him in prison?”

  “No, King Tycho allowed him to pay off his account by working security for him.”

  “I don’t understand.” Jonas raised his eyebrows. “That’s your son’s story. Why are you in prison?”

  “I’m getting to it.”

  Jonas rubbed his face. “I regret asking,” he mumbled to himself.

  “I’ll skip the middle parts. Long story short, my son saw something he shouldn’t have.”

  “That something involves the Pirate King?” Jonas sat up straight again. Doing so seemed to help with his headache.

  “Yes.”

  Jonas heard soft crying through the walls. “Where is your son now?”

  “He committed suicide not long ago.”

  “I’m sorry.” Jonas frowned. “But why are you here then?”

  “My son told me what he saw. King Tycho scanned my mind and confirmed it.”

  Do I want to know what they saw? Jonas shook his head. I can’t get caught up in other people’s problems.

  The droning sound of his prison force field disappeared. Jonas turned his head to see Whisper standing at the entrance. He rose from his bed. “Are you ever going to explain to me what is going on? Why did you break me out of a Fleet prison just to put me in this one?”

  “Come with me.” Whisper walked away. “We will get you the answers you’ve been seeking.”

  Jonas sighed. You could also just tell me right here, right now. He caught up with her.

  Whisper lifted his shirt. “I see that your healing biomod is working properly.”

  He looked down at his worm scar. It appeared faint like years had passed since he received it. “Are you working for Tycho? Who is he to you?”

  Whisper laughed. “If I didn’t know any better, I might have guessed you sounded jealous.”

  A flush crept across Jonas’ cheeks. “I wish I could tell you it was love at first sight, but this — whatever you want to call it — hasn’t been fun for me.”

  “Jonas, I can’t promise to always be faithful, but I can always promise it’ll be fun,” she said with a wry smile.

  Is that flirting? Jonas shook his head. “You’re changing the subject. I’m trying to figure out if I can trust you.”

  “Didn’t I tell you not to trust anyone, including me?”

  “Then why am I following you?" Jonas stared at his feet. "Where are you taking me?”

  “You have no choice. Where else would you go? An unknown amount of people are after you. I suspect you won’t last long without King Tycho’s protection. As to your second question," she turned around and winked at him, "I’m taking you to the person responsible for your freedom.”

  “Why is King Tycho helping me? What’s his interest in all of this?” He paused for a breath. “In you?”

  “I suppose you could say Tycho and I have a mutually beneficial relationship. He is potentially a great enemy should we cross him. He also knows I am a great enemy should he cross me,” she said with a grin. “Thus, we keep on each other’s good side.”

  They exited the castle via the same tunnel and sewer system they entered, walking in the dim light and the uncomfortable silence. Things have deviated far from Jonas’ ideal plans. His fall from grace meant he could never achieve his dream of being a Fleet Admiral. He may never again have the resources to solve the mystery of his sister’s disappearance. Uncertainty paved his future path. Am I to be a mercenary now? Be indebted to the person who freed me from a traitor’s fate? Jonas clenched his fists and ground his teeth. Someone needs to pay for taking my life away. Adrenaline coursed through his veins.

  “Jonas!” Whisper slapped his chest. “You’re making too much noise sloshing through the water.”

  He glared at Whisper. Lael. Or whatever her name is. Always answering a question with more questions. I hate that… He felt his heart beating out of his chest. Jonas inhaled a deep breath and shook his head. I need to get my mind off her.

  They continued in silence for a few kilometers.

  “Did you ever figure out who kidnapped me when I first got to Caldia? Or perhaps why they did it?”

  “No. No one has seen them before or know who this Lord Raven is. Don’t worry. We’ll find them and make them pay.”

  He tried to wipe the image of Whisper kissing Tycho from his mind.

  They reached an exit out of the sewer.

  “We’re here.” She pointed up and climbed the ladder first.

  Jonas followed. As he peeked his head out of the sewer, he saw cherry blossom petals falling, thick as rain, layering over the ground like a carpet. They were in an enclosed courtyard. A massive sakura tree dominated the center of the space. It’s beautiful and peaceful here.

  “Hey… Jonas…” Whisper called out.

  Jonas turned in her direction.

  “Look.” She pointed at the dozens of soldiers in white combat suits surrounding them. “No sudden movements, OK?” Whisper motioned for him to raise his arms.

  “I need to stop following you.” Jonas groaned. “I thought we were seeing the person who freed me? This isn’t the welcome I expected.”

  “They’re not very trusting people.” She shrugged.

  “I can see that.” He sighed. “Don’t they know who you are?”

  “I’ve never met them,” Whisper said dryly.

  “What?” Jonas yelled. “Why do you keep doing this to me?”

  15

  The soldiers closed in on Whisper and Jonas.

  “Are we going to let them take us without a fight?” Jonas clenched his fists.

  “Yes,” Whisper said calmly.

  It took all his resolve to not charge the closest soldier. Jonas shifted his weight to the balls of his feet. I’m tired of people controlling my life.

  The soldiers held up their guns. “Stand down, or we’ll shoot.”

  “Jonas, stop!” Whisper stood between Jonas and the guns. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m not going back into captivity anymore. I’m tired of running.”

  “Everyone, please lower your weapons,” said a delicate, feminine voice.

  Jonas pivoted to see the rainbow-eyed girl from the Dante, standing behind him. How is this possible? Did she make it off the ship? The tension drained from Jonas’ face.

  The soldiers lowered their weapons.

  “Are you Nume?” Whisper asked.


  She nodded. “You must be Whisper. Or do you prefer Lael?” Nume smiled.

  “Either is fine.” She bowed. “I’m glad to meet you, finally.”

  “Please come inside.” Nume gestured toward the door.

  Whisper walked inside first.

  Jonas stood frozen. A moment ago he experienced an intense rage that nearly forced him into a reckless act. When the anger subsided, he wondered how it came to be in the first place.

  “Hello Jonas,” Nume took his hands into hers. She stared up into Jonas' eyes, holding her gaze as if examining every feature of his face.

  Jonas could not look away from her mesmerizing eyes. The pigments in her irises seemed to shift and brighten, changing in color with each darting movement. “We’ve met before, haven’t we? Were you on the Dante before it exploded?”

  “That is a difficult question to answer.” She shivered and held herself. “May we go inside where it is warmer?”

  “Yes, of course.” He nodded and followed. Jonas entered a simple family room, about 10 by 15 meters. One corner had a kitchenette which hardly seemed adequate to feed the number of troops protecting her. An old sofa sat in one corner, a wooden dining table in another. Family portraits of people who looked entirely unrelated to Nume hung on the walls.

  Whisper strolled around the room looking at each painting.

  “Who are the people in the photos?” Jonas picked up a frame.

  “I don’t know.” Nume twisted a knob on the stove.

  The floor began to vibrate then tremble.

  Jonas watched as the walls separated from the ground. “We’re on a decktram... Where are we going?”

  Whisper moved next to Jonas and pressed her palm down on his shoulder. “She’s about to show you.”

  The decktram brought them to an underground base. Jonas and Whisper followed Nume down a series of hallways. More soldiers wearing white combat suits patrolled the corridors. Some suits looked more battle-worn than others based on the scrapes and scratches. Every soldier stood to the side and nodded their head at Nume whenever she passed.

  She’s their leader. But why? She looks like a kid.

  Nume brought her guests into a conference room. Seated inside was one person and one Katok. The person was a young woman in her early twenties with dark brown, wavy hair. She had a circular face and a short stature. Contrasting her in height was a Katok. Even while sitting down he was taller than anyone standing in the room.

  Jonas paused at the sight of the Katok. He had never been this close to one. They were an imposing species, with long gangly limbs, blue skin, and an average height of three and a half meters.

  “He doesn’t bite,” Nume steered Jonas into a seat.

  Whisper leaned against a wall behind him.

  Nume moved to the woman and kissed her on the forehead. She did the same to the Katok when he lowered his head.

  Jonas watched her interactions closely. There was a reverence in how they treated her, an odd sight given how young Nume looked. She couldn’t be more than 16-years-old. Is she royalty? I don’t see a crown and the last monarchy dissolved centuries ago when the Commonwealth formed.

  “Jonas, Whisper, this is Kovat, our resident engineering genius. He used to be a Fleet engineer. Kovat was the lead scientist and architect of many Fleet ships. He pioneered numerous technological advancements and has been a great ambassador to humans. Without him, mankind might never have entered the era of faster-than-light travel which is what ushered humans into our great colonial expansion. And unfortunately also what caught the attention of the Mimics.”

  Whisper walked to Kovat and placed her palms over his eyes.

  He did the same to her.

  “Tell him, that it’s nice to see him again,” Whisper said to Nume. “The torch blades and the telewarp technologies have been my favorite of his inventions.”

  Nume nodded then paused for a moment and smiled. “He also sends his greetings. Kovat says he thinks of you often.”

  You’re an Entrent… Jonas gawked at Nume.

  “Yes. I am.”

  “You can read my thoughts?” Jonas’ eyes widened.

  “Yes. I can.” Nume grinned. “Before we get to that…” She moved to the other young woman in the room. “This beautiful lady is Alyana Harrow.”

  “Indeed, I am beautiful.” Alyana displayed an ear-to-ear grin.

  “Indeed,” Nume continued, “Alyana has the remarkable ability to fly any ship. I owe her many debts for the multiple times she has saved me.”

  Alyana cheeks flushed. “Not a big deal. Rainbow eyes over there takes me to all the fun and exciting places.”

  “Always happy to meet a fellow pilot.” Jonas stood and extended his hand. “I’m…”

  “Jonas Barick,” Alyana finished his sentence. “You were the Acting Captain of the CMS Endurance assigned to survey the Telmun sector when you warped right into a tebuan’s nest of bad times and even worse luck.”

  How do they know what happened on the Endurance? Wasn’t every record wiped clean? Jonas rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m unable to remember my time on the Endurance.”

  “I know, another Entrent went inside your head and made a galianian salad with your memories. Then, because the Commonwealth is infested with spineless kuhol snails, they branded your candy butt a traitor. And by the way,” Alyana winked, “I’m a big lover of candy butts.”

  Jonas raised his eyebrows. “Um…”

  Whisper slapped her thigh and laughed. “I like you, Al.”

  Alyana grinned. “Well, I like you too. Anyone that can look that good in your outfit is someone I would like to spend some time with.” She made a purring sound.

  What is going on? Focus Jonas. Nume just told you she’s an Entrent. She could restore the memories of my time on the Endurance.

  “Yes I did, Jonas. I am an Entrent.” Nume sat next to him. “But I cannot bring your memories back. At least not yet. By Entrent standards, I am a child.”

  You also look like a child.

  “My biological age is 16. That is the age I entered the Entrent Transformation Chamber. My body will forever remain and appear 16 as with most other Entrents. However, in terms of my abilities, my Entrent age is 5, the number of sol-years since my transformation. There are many skills I’ve yet to learn. Kovat says it will take decades for me to develop to my full potential.”

  “If I understand you correctly, you’re saying you can’t restore my memories.”

  Nume held Jonas’ hand. “I promise to help you. But it will take me some time.”

  Jonas pulled his hand back. “Who are you, again? Why have you brought me here?”

  “Jonas!” Whisper shot a cold stare at him.

  “This is getting good,” Alyana put her feet up on the table.

  “It’s OK, everyone.” Nume stood. “Let’s start from the beginning, from the story of the Endurance.”

  “That’s another question.” Jonas raised his voice. “Every record on the Endurance was wiped clean. How do you know what happened there?”

  Nume’s eyes turned navy blue. “It is true, what you say. All records were wiped. Every crew member, deceased.”

  “Then how do you know?” Jonas’s hands shook.

  “Because I was there.” Nume turned away.

  The rage inside Jonas quieted for the moment.

  “I was there not as a crew member, but as the Entrent you rescued. I owe you my life, Jonas Barick.”

  Jonas shook his head. “You were there? Please...” He approached Nume.

  Kovat stood.

  “It’s OK, Kovat. He won’t hurt me.”

  Jonas ignored Kovat. “I need to know what happened on that ship. Why was I branded a traitor? Why did they kill my crew? Please…”

  “I can feel your pain, Jonas.” She held his face in her hands. “To fully answer your question, we need to go back decades, possibly longer. As knowledgeable as I am, I do not have all the answers you seek.”

  “Just help me understand som
ething.”

  Nume nodded. “The Commonwealth currently has more than one enemy. There is the Mimics invasion in the Alpha Quadrant. That news, understandably so, gets most of the attention. But the Mimics have been here long before. Decades, possibly centuries. They have evolved to be more cunning and insidious. Making matters worse, an unknown ally is aiding them. We believe this traitor is someone very high in the Fleet chain of command. Perhaps more than one faction within Fleet or the Commonwealth Parliament.”

  “This is madness!” Jonas walked away. “What you’re telling me is not possible. Why would anyone in Fleet or Parliament help an invading alien species?”

  “We do not know their motivations yet. They are like a black hole. We know they exist because of the effects they have on the surrounding space. Take you for example.”

  “What about me?” Jonas faced Nume.

  “You discovered something while surveying the Telmun sector. Something dangerous to them. Which is why they went to great lengths to erase that knowledge, to erase you.”

  “What?” Jonas pulled at his hair. “What did I discover? How are you so confident in knowing I was framed?”

  Nume lowered her head. “Because I was the one who framed you.”

  16

  Jonas’ jaw dropped. He stared at Nume with a dazed look. A cold chill crawled up his spine. “Say that again,” he said in a calm, but measured voice that belied the rage erupting inside him.

  Alyana covered her mouth to mask a gasp.

  Whisper stood frozen with her eyes trained on Jonas, ready to stop him from doing anything rash.

  For nearly 2,000 nights, right before sleep carried his mind into an abyss of nightmares and before he lost his sanity in the void of solitary confinement, Jonas thought about the people responsible for his downfall. He tried to picture the faces of those who turned his promising life into its current wretched existence. His thoughts then drifted to their motivations. How could someone be so cruel as to snuff out the light in another man’s future? Jonas thought about this moment — what he would do if his accusers ever set foot in the same room and the violence he would inflict upon them.

  His dreams — shattered.