He was leaning against the wall head down into a data pad when Alesti approached. She was wearing a new outfit she must have created using the material provided by the Huvallins. It was a red dress that started at the neck, a decorative strap for the right shoulder then blended into the dress itself, a long cut down the side exposed the right leg with small sections of her midsection and back showing.
She was without a doubt stunning and Alex’s heart skipped a beat. He struggled to find something to say.
“What’s the occasion?” Alex managed to say.
“You’re suppose to start with a compliment and then go into the details.” Alesti smiled and shook her head.
Alex was about to say something.
“It’s far too late for compliments.” She cut him off as she entered the dining room.
They spent a moment choosing a desired lunch and sat down across from each other in one of the half dozen tables built to seat six and able to accomidate various races.
“Does my attire bother you?” Alesti asked.
“No, it’s cool.” Alex said as he started playing with his food.
“How are you adjusting to ship life?” Alex asked.
“It’s exciting and boring, it’s hard to explain. I think we are just missing that connection… you know?”
“Symboli suggested I try this on you when I had an opportunity.” Alesti rose from her seat having not even touched her food. She walked behind him and began to rub his back in soothing ways.
“It’s nice.” Alex managed to say while he relented to enjoy the moment.
Orlock entered the room several hours earlier then he usually did, he eyed Alesti in the red dress and stopped for a moment. Then he went to retrieve a bit of food. “Sorry for interrupting.” He said as he quickly left the room with his selection.
“I think he might have been a little disappointed to see you like this with me.” Alex suggested.
“Well, he’s not the one I am intrested in.” Alesti gave him a certain look.
“Look, Alesti.” Alex began
“Do you have something against me?” She said interrupting.
“Well no I -.”
“Then let us try this. My vow will compel me to stay with you whether it works out or not so don’t worry about that.” Alesti said as she moved closer to Alex.
Alex’s walls of resistance were pretty much nonexistent at that point. He didn’t move towards her, but when she sat into his lap he didn’t resist in the slightest, or when she began to kiss him.
* * *
Seven months two days.
“You cannot win with that strategy.” Orlock said as he moved one of his armies closer to Alex’s only remaining base.
Alex looked over at Alesti who had already lost the game.
“I don’t see how you think I could lose at this point. I’ve got twice the men you do.” Alex moved his armies again closer together near his base.
“No, you’re doing a great job protecting your base.” Orlock moved an army to take a resource point.
“If you take my base I lose and your armies are to close to my base, and I can’t sneak around your armies to take yours on so I don’t see a better strategy.” Alex reasoned openly.
“I was told you were the hero of Earth, but how can this be true.” Orlock smiled as he moved another army to completely surround Alex’s base.
“What would you do if you were me?” Alex asked not really caring for the answer.
“The only thing you can do, surrender to live another day or attack.” Alex used the base to give his units one extra range allowing for an attack from a safe distance.
“HA.” Alex destroyed one of Orlocks armies.
“Yeeahhh.” Orlock said as he used his resources to build three more armies at his base. Alex frowned as he looked at his resources, completely inadequate.
“Do you see now how you will lose?” Orlock asked.
Alex attacked the attacking armies once again, destroying one more army. Then Orlock built three more armies.
“You cannot defeat me.” Orlock said as he began moving his new armies to join those surrounding his remaining base.
“So all I need to do is destroy your men, then I win right?” Alex asked with a certain tone.
“I sense deceit.” Orlock suggested.
Alex smashed his fist on the board game sending all the pieces flying across the room.
“Tissst.” Alesti covered her face.
Orlock sat with his mouth open and his arms spread wide as if amazed.
“Ha, I win.” Alex leaned back with his hands behind his head.
“I believe that’s a forfeit.” Orlock replied slowly dropping his arms onto the table.
“Nope you said I have to defeat your armies, so I defeated them.” Alex smiled.
“You violated the rules of the game, that was not an approved method.” Orlock said bending over to pick up a few of the pieces.
“Yeah I know, but that’s the thing about me. I accepted my defeat and found another way to win instead, that’s why I’m the hero.” Alex smiled and posed as a superhero. He was almost sure the reference was lost on them both, but he didn’t care.
“I hate to remind you at the height of your ego valuing but you relinquished your position as leader of the UEF in lieu of being able to confirm your suspicions about the enemy.” Symboli said from the speakers overhead.
Alex mood soured just a bit and he left the room before it showed.
* * *
Six months
“Alex, to the bridge!” Symboli said.
Alex walked out of his shower to put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt then ran to the bridge.
“What is it?” Alex said as he entered. Alesti and Orlock weren’t far behind him.
“We are detecting a high amount of digital transmissions coming from the star system we are currently passing.” Symboli said as Alex took a seat in one of the overly large chairs.
“Let’s take a quick peek.” Alex said as Symboli dropped the ship out of FTL.
“I have control.” Orlock said as he sat down.
“Relinquishing control to you.” Symboli replied.
“Take us to just outside the outer orbiting body.” Alex said as he waited for the ship to reenter FTL.
It was another fifteen minutes before the ship dropped out of FTL entering the star system.
“Initiate scans.” Alex said as the data already started pouring into his consoles.
“We are being contacted!” Alesti said from her bridge chair.
“No way, that’s too fast. Our light couldn’t even have reached the inner planets yet.”
“Yet, we are receiving a message.” Alesti repeated.
The message played and it was obviously alien but sounded a bit familiar, comforting in a odd kind of way.
“I calculate high probabilities that this was an automated message from a small satellite nearby.” Symboli said.
“Any idea what they are saying?” Alex said knowing the answer.
Alarms began to blare.
“Three large ships just appeared five kilometers ahead.”
“Turn the ship around get us out of here.” Alex said in a slight panic.
“We are receiving a large set of data, wait one…” Symboli said.
The ship continued to turn to leave the system.
“Time until we can leave?” Alex asked.
“One minute.” Alesti responded as she watched the engine display screen.
“I have translation.” Symboli replied.
“Wait you do?” Alex said.
“Yes and they have asked us for our reason of approach.”
“Tell them we are explorers and on our way home.” Alex said.
The view screen was locked onto the three ships that didn’t seem to move, remaining ominously still.
“Those ships are each three times as large as ours and each is slightly different than the other.” Orlock said.
“Later, wh
at did they say?” Alex told Orlock and asked Symboli.
“They say we are welcome to explore their system but too not scan their main station or visit the second planet and we will be escorted while we are here.”
“That’s specific.” Alex said.
“Alex, this is a race of artificial intelligence’s!” Symboli exclaimed.
Alex adjusted his collar feeling the tension in the room rachet up drastically.
“Interesting, do you believe we are in danger?” Alex said trying to play it cool. The momentary panic of finding more A.I. had subsided, especially when he thought about Symboli.
“No, I do not.” Symboli responded.
“Ask if they would be open to meeting in person.” Alex’s mind began to race.
“They asked for what purpose.”
“Tell them we have only met one other A.I. race not driven towards galactic conquering and would like to know more about this seemingly friendly race.”
“Alex what are you doing?” Orlock whispered standing directly behind him.
“They are willing to send a liaison to our ship.” Symboli said.
“Great, main docking bay.” Alex said as he began to leave the bridge.
“Alex, we only have one docking bay. The only one is the main one.” Symboli reminded him.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Twenty-five minutes later a short narrow ship entered the cargo bay. It wasn’t meant for landing shuttles but worked in this instance.
“That ship is so narrow, I doubt two people can stand side by side in there.” Orlock said as he viewed the ship from a nearby hallway.
“You know, Captain.” Orlock began.
Alex knew whatever he was about to hear he wouldn’t like it. It was pretty rare for Orlock to call him captain.
“We are a crew of three in a ship that could hold a hundred easy. We would be easy prey for any kind of pirates out here.”
“Well I’m armed, aren’t you?”
“Uh, no… Since you haven’t seen me fit to have the arms locker code.”
“Oh, yeah.” Alex belatedly remembered.
Alex removed a fixed blade from his service jacket and handed it to him.
“What… it’s better than nothing.” Alex said as he watched a dismayed Orlock thumb the blade.
“Pressurized.” Symboli said.
Alex opened the door to the cargo room just as a mono tread robot wheeled off and approached their location with alarming swiftness. As it approached multiple arms detached and unfurled from its body with different appendages on the ends.
Fearing for his life Alex quickly reached into his jacket and pulled his handheld Humani weapon pointing it at the robot, which skidded to a halt.
“Do I cause you fear?” The robot said from an unseen speaker.
“Uh yes, your rapid approached caused me to fear.” Alex said as he nodded up and down.
The robot began to move forward, but much slower.
“Is this more to your liking?” The robot asked.
Alex put his weapon back into his jacket as the robot stopped its approach at about fifteen feet away.
“Would you tell us about the other A.I. races you mentioned.” The Robot asked.
“Do you have a name? I don’t know what to call you.” Alex said as Orlock began to circle the grey alien ship.
“Call me liason.”
“Liason I’d be happy to introduce Symboli to you. He is an Organic AI lifeform.”
“Biological Artifical Intelligence, a clone, off spring or mutation?” The robot asked rapidly, expecting an equally rapid response.
“Created yes but not by my race.”
“Can you communicate by electromagnetic signaling?”
“If you mean wireless communication yes it can be done.”
“Captain I am receiving a communication request.”
“Captain eerrrrrrrrrrrr…….Echhhhhkkkkkkkkkkkkk.”
Something was wrong with Symboli, and Alex didn’t hesitate he pulled out his handgun again and pointed it at the robot.
“Alex, stop!” Symboli said with increased volume.
“We have just had a lengthy conversation, much of my processing abilities were utilized. It caused a temporary error in my speech programs.”
“How do I know you’re still you and not a subjugated alien program?”
“Alex, I have told them about the enemy A.I. and they are extremely concerned, may I provide all data we have?”
Alex blinked eyes his a few times as he replaced the weapon once again.
“Yes go ahead.”
Alex didn’t have a second to think about anything before the robot began a lengthy speech.
“I have communicated with my race the information you have given us regarding the faulty intelligence. There was a great debate about whether to believe your data, but after examination we find no fault with it. We would like to assist you in your efforts to eliminate this plague upon the Galaxy.”
“You did all that just now in this moment?”
“Of course.”
Orlock was about to say something.
“How can you help us?” Alex blurted out.
“However possible, if the information is accurate we stand a very low chance of survival.” The robot said.
“On that we both agree, what assistance do you have in mind?”
“Alex, please, this race while friendly, views your speed of communication to be sloth, if you would allow me to communicate your needs.”
“By all means.” Alex said as he tossed his arms up slightly.
Several of the appendages moved suddenly in odd jerky movements but returned to stillness. Alex eyed the robot critically for a couple moments before he was interrupted.
“Alex, the level of assistance they are willing to provide you to prevent this disaster from destroying their world was unthinkable to you moments before. Prepare yourself for mindblowing assistance.”
“Mindblowing assistance. Since when did you start talking like that?”
“I only mean to prepare your mind to expand for the possibilities presented to you.”
“Consider me mentally prepared.”
Orlock approached the robot slowly from behind getting closer and closer to it. Meanwhile, Alex wondered what he was up to without tipping the robot off on his approach.
“This A.I. community was built for a race called the Churkernt, they built its outpost for future expansion and exploration, preparing for their arrival. However another Alien race destroyed their planet for violating their territory. This outpost is believed to be the only remaining evidence that the Churkernt ever existed.”
Alex mumbled as he tried to pronounce Churkernt correctly.
“This community,” Symboli emphasized. “Has several priorities which can be modified only in ways that further its main objectives.”
“For example.” Alex said as he watched Orlock reach out with his right arm towards the robot. One appendage rotated slowly and pushed his arm down as if he were a child touching something he wasn’t supposed to.
“Their primary objective is to prepare resources and infrastructure to a defined standard, maintain and wait for their creators arrival.”
“I thought you said they were all dead.”
“Yes, so they will wait indefinitely.”
“I don’t see how this helps us.”
“Another objective of theirs is to protect the infrastructure until their creators arrival.”
“I still –“ Alex started but stopped mid-sentence.
“They have reached a conclusion that the enemy A.I. is a threat to their mission and are now preparing as we speak for an appropriate response to the threat.”
“How are they going to respond?” Alex asked his mind already going down several rabbit holes of possibilities.
“Depends on you, they have calculated that the highest probabilities of success involve assisting humanity to defeat them.”
CHAPTER 23
APPROACHING EARTH
ALEX STOOD ON the his new ship the Endeavor, built by the friendly A.I.’s in the colandrus cluster. The ship was smaller than what he was previously on. Approximately one hundred yards long, crewed only a maximum of fifty two humanoids. It was sleek, aerodynamic in appearance despite space being a vacuum, like two teardrops; a large one in the front followed by a smaller one in the rear.
It was undoubtedly alien in appearance, it only took them three weeks to build the ship. Several remodels were necessary as the Aliens had not had appropriate food handling on the first creation, and the second had no waste facilities available for Alex.
This one was much more to Alex’s liking, even the bridge layout, the size of his cabin, everything was to Alex’s preferences. The limitation was the size of the ship, they couldn’t exceed a certain mass or their Class C Tachyon hyperdrive would not function properly. Thus the ship appeared more like a bulbous submarine than anything. The ship included Alex’s dark matter propulsion drive, enhanced by A.I. tech, shields, Atomic beam weapons, and all sorts of hi-tech alien technology which Alex still struggled to comprehend. After a week of travel, thanks to the upgrades, Alex would be arriving at Earth within moments.
The ship was fully crewed by newly built robots. They appeared mechanical in humanoid form, but very hi-tech and they wore a uniform at Alex’s request. It served them no purpose but it helped Alex, Alesti and Orlock to feel more comfortable with them. They would answer directly to Alex or anyone he commanded, unless the order contradicted their primary objectives.
The Eons, Alex began calling them that as they were prepared to wait that long to fulfill their programming. The Eons accepted the plan to go to Earth and start a massive war effort. As soon as reasonably possible they would start to send more ships to other uninhabited areas to expand the effort. On the Eon’s end of the galaxy they would start to do the same. Since their programming required them to maintain a minimum, it didn’t violate their programing to exceed the minimum requirements.
Alex had sent a few subspace messages to Earth but received no response and now was the moment of truth as they dropped out of FTL just outside Mars orbit.
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