I checked my watch. “No, they are not expected to arrive at the corridor for another four days, and then it’s a dice roll to see when they will actually be in communication again.”
“I understand. The appearance of the Undulon and the Blutencer has raised some deep concern amongst the Council, Destota. We fear that with the appearance of these ancient allies, we may soon face some ancient enemies as well.”
“More ancient than Phelbs and Vandorians?” I said with a chuckle.
“We are concerned about the number of aliens in this galaxy.” He said softly. “There is an alarming amount of extra-galactic beings here, and all of them are far more advanced than we are. We have won the battle against the Gilbaglians, but how long before their overlords, these Meyges, appear?”
“According to the accounts given by the Gilbaglians, and by all appearances, the Cetoplin sealed them across the corridor in the Andromeda galaxy.” I replied. “But I do agree that we should consider the possibility that we are beset by enemies on all sides. Humanity is not exactly in a strong position.”
He nodded gravely. “Destota, we need to change that. What is your opinion of us pulling back and establishing a stronger border along the Gilbaglian frontier?”
I shrugged. “We’ve shown that we are pretty able to knock them back any time we want. I find it premature to end the fighting with them, even for a short time.”
“I’m not suggesting we end the fighting. I’m simply suggesting we bottle up the location of the fighting.”
“That is a good, defensible idea.” I thought a moment. “But I would request that you allow the Night Stalkers to remain free for actions against Gilbaglian interests. That way we can keep them defensive.”
Wingell chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of ordering you to stay out of the action, Colonel. But we need the heaviest ships in the fleet to guard Earth.”
“Oh?” I asked, turning back to him. “Why is that, exactly?”
Wingell was silent for several steps, and finally another voice added: “Because, we have made an accord.” I turned the other direction to see the young Chancellor Wrathe appear. “And humanity will be reuniting on Earth.”
I raised a brow. Technically possible, since there were only a few million Vandorians, and most of us staffed the four-hundred or so ships of the battle fleet. But there were Trillions of Phelbs, most of them civilian.
“That will lead to overpopulation, will it not?” I asked.
“The Sol system,” Wingell began, using the designation given to humanity’s home star during the age of space travel. “Has been designated human territory, along with Falsun, and two neighboring star systems. Science teams have been heading out the last few months to establish new colonies, and we have made great use of the City Carriers to relocate large sections of the population. We are enjoying excellent colonial growth right now.”
“So, there are no more Phelb or Vandorian…people?” I asked, somewhat unsettled by that idea. “I have encountered several members of the Phelb armed forces that do not like us, in fact, one tried to murder me fairly recently.”
“Yes, we know. Private Melbur. He is currently imprisoned at Riker’s Island on Earth.”
I had no idea where that was, so I didn’t pass comment.
“There has been some resistance at the higher levels as well. Many Phelb still hold that Vandor is the enemy and we should not be giving aid and comfort and…blah blah.” Wrathe said, waving a hand. “This sort of unrest isn’t uncommon, even though this is the first time a diverged species is reuniting.”
“So why is all this coming around now?” I asked.
“The Undulon, actually.” Wingell said. “They, as you know, spend a lot of their time surveilling and hiding from the galaxy at large. They’ve agreed to monitor the Gilbaglians, in exchange for our protection. They declared that our military strength is second only to the Cetoplin, and their might was equal to the Meyges. They are afraid of the Meyges as much as the Blutencer were, apparently they waged war with the Cetoplin, who beat them senseless and forced them into a peace treaty.”
I raised my eyebrows. “And yet the Gilbaglians beat the Cetoplin?”
There was a meaty smack on the deck behind me. I whirled and spotted an Octopus, that is, a Blutencer, snaking its way across the deck towards us. “After the peace treaty disarmed the Cetoplin and ushered in an era of peace, all became complacent.” Its translation device declared. Watching the boneless creature slop its way across the floor was disturbing to me. “The Meyges abided by the treaty for more than a million years. Then, when it seemed like everything would last into eternity, the Cetoplin decided on a venture to this galaxy to discover more. When they were occupied, the Meyges began to rearm rapidly. They did so in an isolated area of the galaxy. We, and by we, I mean the Blutencer and the Undulon, lodged a formal protest against the actions with the Rule, to which the Meyges stated their concern for the Cetoplin expedition bringing new enemies, which seemed to be sound advice at the time.”
I nodded. “Soothing lies are still lies.” I agreed.
“Yes. So, when the Chapeaux, one of the less desirable creatures in the coalition, decided to venture to this isolated area, they contracted a pathogen, which within the span of half a century, wiped them out. Their parasitic nature made the transmission of the pathogen quite simple. At the time, we viewed it as a devastating situation of nature. Until then Undulon convoys were struck. And then Blutencers were killed enmasse.” The creature’s suction cups made weird noises on the deck, but I was absolutely enthralled by it’s story. “Eventually, when the Rule was dissolved and the species disbanded, the Undulon and Blutencer decided to maintain our alliance and…as humans say, sneak out the back while everyone else was fighting. We slipped through the corridor and witnessed the battle between the Shipmaster and the Premier as the Meyges dissolved the last of their alliance, and we witnessed the order the Meyges left for the Gilbaglians to destroy humanity. Which is why we decided to stay on Earth, to help where and when we could. Humans were sometimes taken from their homes for testing to verify your genome was advancing in the correct directions, and you didn’t regress into a hominid form.”
I stopped in my tracks and nearly stepped on the creature. It stopped and regarded me with a massive, creepy eye. “Are you telling me you personally witnessed these events?” I frowned. “And that the so called “alien abductions” actually happened?” I’d read extensive information on the subject while we were on Earth, it was a fascinating period of history where people were convinced that aliens were taking them from Earth and experimenting on them. I’d dismissed it as fiction.
“Mortality is a little bit of an obsolete concept amongst our people, Colonel Valentine.” It…he? Ugh. Replied. “We live many millions of years. We are not immortal but both Undulon and Blutencer outlive Human, Gilbaglian, Meyges and Cetoplin, although the Cetoplin can live several hundred-thousand years, also.”
And here I thought living three to four hundred years was a long time. This was starting to go above my pay grade. “M…uh, Mike?”
He chuckled. “Yes, we did adopt human names. We thought it would ease and calm humans if you did not have to try and pronounce our names, which can be upwards of twelve syllables.”
“Right.” I replied. “How likely are the Meyges to make it into our galaxy? And if they do, what are our chances against them?”
“Oh my.” He replied, slopping his way forward once more. “The odds after all these years appear slim. We’ve heard nothing. They are alone in their galaxy with total control now, after all, which is the definition of ruling the galaxy the way so many totalitarian people often wish. As for your chances against them, I would say they are your equal on the technological scale, and you are no match for a Meyges in hand to hand combat.”
I raised a brow, taking offense. “You’ve never seen me in unarmed combat.” I said with some heat.
“Indeed, I have not. However, you are not nine feet tall and you do
not weigh a ton, either. Nor do you have mechanical armor.”
Fair point, I conceded silently.
“However, your species does have an alarming ability to survive against all odds. But please promise me something, esteemed human leaders?”
“What would that promise be, Mike?” Wingell asked.
“Please instruct those in charge of your culinary delights to stop eating my people. We are fully aware that we are crunchy and taste good with ketchup, but we are sentient life forms, and prefer not to be eaten.”
Wrathe paled and I smirked. Being from Earth, he had certainly eaten Octopus before.
“We will immediately inform the people of Earth.” He said quickly. “And please accept our deepest apologies for the misunderstanding.”
Mike chuckled. “Ignorance is understandable for such a young species. After all, to us, you all just evolved from slime a week or so ago.”
Chapter Fifteen
---
Shadow of Eternity
On station at Cesspool
Being called slime hadn’t improved my mood, but the envoy left me at my quarters and I sank into the bed with a heavy sigh and had just closed my eyes when the communications activated. “Colonel Valentine?”
It was Dawes. “What.” I replied tonelessly.
“Sir, we have received a message from the Shockwave.”
“I’m on my way.” I replied, my fatigue and pain forgotten. I pushed myself out of bed with less effort than I expected and hustled back to the bridge, forgetting for a moment that I was supposed to be resting and recovering. I arrived on the bridge to an entire delegation of the now allied species. The Undulon, weird looking, were going over the communications equipment, using some kind of evil black magic to pull more details, saying they could do some equally strange black magic to get more information as it was stored in the background radiation of…the…um…
Well…
Magic. It was definitely magic, I decided.
Hey, I don’t see you making insane calculations when you’ve been shot, blown up, beaten, and barely escaped death, give me a fucking break.
Anyways, where was I?
The Undulon had created an intensely precise star map and used some of their own deep space beacons to set up an instantaneous relay to the dreadnought, which was situated on the other side of the galaxy at this point.
“Captain Jones,” Mallory said. “I am relieved to see you in one piece; did you experience any issues?”
“Only that there is not much in the way of fuel out this close to the galactic edge,” She replied over the large bridge display. “We’ve had to backtrack a couple of times.”
“Is the hologram still active?” Mallory asked.
“I am alive and well,” The Hologram replied, and the Blutencer made a startled sound.
“DV-988?” Mike fairly shouted. “Could it be you?”
“Why, if it isn’t my old friend, Rexquili…”
Since this is my story, I’m going to interrupt this one. I am so not going to even try to explain how to say the Blutencer’s name. His name is fucking Mike, okay. Mike. They were right that humans did not have enough brain power to say their names properly, and this human is completely okay with that.
“Why, if it isn’t my old friend, Mike!” The hologram shouted back. “It is so wonderful to see you well after all these years! And Prefect Laxious, my Undulon friend! If only Shipmaster and Premier were here, it would be a true reunion! Oh…I’ve made myself sad.” It looked down at the deck.
I winced. “Captain Jones,” I said. “May I inquire the status of Major MacKenzie and the Night Stalkers aboard your vessel?”
“They’re annoying the shit out of me being bored, Colonel, otherwise they are fine. No major injuries.” She replied, then looked at Mallory. “We’ve located a planet with a small Type-G main sequence star about fifty light years from our position. It’s weird because it shouldn’t be there.”
I raised a brow at my wife when she looked at me. “That is odd.” She agreed. “Sensor data?”
“None yet. We haven’t scanned the space around here yet, we don’t want to expose ourselves.”
I looked at Prefect Laxious, the Undulon. “Sir, do your people have any assets in that area?” I asked.
The strange creature shook its head. “None of our races have ventured to the corridor since it was closed. We are fearful of the Meyges.”
These Meyges guys were starting to piss me off, and I’d never even met one.
“Green light to proceed to the planet.” Mallory said. “If no one has been there, logically there should be no one there.” She looked at me and I nodded. “Colonel Valentine green-lights a surface expedition as well, Captain, send MacKenzie.”
“Aye, ma’am.” Jones replied smartly. “Am I to assume that the…modifications to our comms will continue thanks to our new…friends?” She raised her brows.
“Yes,” Laxious replied. “We’ve sent a computer program to your ship to modify your communication systems. We will modify your ship properly when you return, but for now this allow your people to communicate in real time.”
“Thank you,” Jones replied. “It is appreciated.” She signed off and I turned to look at Dawes and Antillon, then frowned at their clasped hands.
“It isn’t against the rules,” Antillon said quickly. “Sir.”
I frowned harder, then shrugged. “Oh whatever. I want a situation room readied for when MacKenzie’s crew arrives on that planet. I want to see what they see.”
Antillon nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll have it ready within the hour.”
I turned away and Mallory was standing at my side. “Our duty shifts are over.” She whispered in my ear. “Get the hell off my bridge before I restrain you.”
“I may enjoy that.” I whispered back, and made her cheeks turn a flattering shade of pink. I winked at her and then headed back for my cabin.
---
I only stayed in our cabin for a shower and use of the massaging chair that I had argued against, and now reveled in. It helped the soreness leave my body, and after a quick workout of two hundred push-ups, I was feeling more like Colonel Valentine than a guy who had escaped the jaws of death once more.
That seemed to be getting closer and closer. The only real relief was that so far, our enemies were no physical match for me or the other Night Stalkers. The Gilbaglians were a match for the normal Phelb Infantry soldier, but against Vandorians they were no match against even one of our teenagers.
I headed out of our cabin and went straight to my office, where I caught up on a handful of briefings and reports that I needed to read. I was deeply engrossed…okay, bored, with a report from Lieutenant Antillon when the door chimed.
“Enter.” I said absently, not bothering to glance up. The door slid open, then closed a moment later. I never heard anything, and I realized that a few moments later. I looked up and saw Lieutenant Duchessa Venlent-Wrathe standing at attention in front of me.
I take that back: Major General Duchessa Venlent-Wrathe. She’d gotten a promotion when she’d been promoted to lead the Marauders after MacKenzie had been transferred into my unit.
I sat back, propped one foot up on my desk and tapped my teeth with a stylus. “It seems counter-productive to salute me when you outrank me, General.”
Slowly lowering her hand, she glanced down at the deck, probably at the formal Phelb uniform of dull grey. “Sir, I would never assume to outrank you.”
“Sit down, General, what can I do for you?” I asked in my most reasonable tone. I really wanted to rail at her and scream and tell her what I thought of her not coming to rescue Kelis and the others when they’d been trapped in the catacombs under Vatican City on Earth.
She responded by reaching up to her right shoulder, removing the rank pin and putting it on my desk. I tilted my head and then nodded, pulled the velcro rank patch off of my service uniform, and placed it on the desk next to hers. It was an ancient custom when officers neede
d to speak frankly to each other without professional repercussions.
Sometimes, after all, the only way to get your differences out was to scream at, cuss out, or punch out another officer.
“Now you can say whatever you want to me.” She said with a cool tone.
“Oh good,” I replied, moving back to my previous leg-up position. “I think you’re a monumental failure as an officer, a coward, and generally just a piece of shit.” I tossed the stylus onto my desk, end over end. It clattered off the polished surface and landed on the deck near Venlent. She flinched.
“I didn’t have a lot of choice to come and get you…”
“I don’t care about me.” I replied. “No matter what my wife says, your duty is to the mission first, and to me second. What infuriates me is that you didn’t come and get the intel that Kelis had. They nearly died of starvation while you waited on the orbital for ‘help’.” I shook my head in disgust. “You’re lucky Mallory was here and not me, I’d have shot you for desertion and for relieving Vearse of command.”
She looked down again. “I made a bad choice.” She admitted finally. “Okay? I don’t know what you want me to say. I screwed up, I was letting my emotions guide me, and I didn’t think.”
“And you think that you can waltz in here and take command?” I demanded. My body language must have been screwed up as all hell, snarling and angry while I relaxed in my chair. “Just because the Phelbs made you a General, Venlent, you’re a Vandorian. And what’s worse…” I finally leaned forward, placing my leg back on the floor. “You’re a Vandorian turncoat.”
She sighed and didn’t speak for a long moment, and when she did, her voice shook. She was crying. “I made a mistake.” She repeated. “And I have to live with that every day.” Her green eyes turned back up at me and blazed with emerald fire. I realized that I was finally about to get the truth of why she had remained on that orbital. “I stayed because I had strong feelings for you. I knew that I could not be objective, and I would fail if I attempted to lead your rescue myself. I let these feelings get in the way of my judgement and I made the mistake of forcing Vearse to stay because I did not want to lose him, too.” She did not look away. “Despise me all you want, Colonel Valentine. I did turn coat, but you can ask my husband, he watched me execute all of his personal guard when his shuttle intercepted mine.”
Requiem of a Nightmare Page 17