by Marcus Sloss
Jevon had a battle report to share. Two tanks lost, eight injured, and two dead. The Hells Angels had a hell of an end of the world party going. Drugs, actual prostitutes, forced prostitutes, and a large population of people reveling in the party. Shit, there were ten thousand alive under their care. Jevon showed me past battles of them crushing enemy alien forces in intense engagements with the Hells Angels using alien machines of war. If they were not drunk bikers constantly high on cocaine, I would have simply used their base as an expansion.
Even their base had started to build a defense on top of defenses as they dug down. The core leadership locked themselves away below after their main defenses were swept over. We had mining equipment that cracked their hiding holes open and octosuits dropped to obliterate the last of the resistance. 9359 survivors were hauled back and given new Gpads. Good, we needed additional pools of survivors like that.
Torrez requested to use the new mole people to mine Aspen. I approved with guards setting the castle defense for now. Might as well put them on the front lines instead of using mounamine or crixxi. Heck, a lot of humans had wanted to mine for income. With the building printers in full swing, we suddenly had a lot of unemployed people. Another issue to work on.
The president had a message from Teton Fortress. There was a request for a citizen exchange. A chunk of humans were wanting to swap each way. I was surprised she was allowing this, mainly because it would work in our favor. Those who moved would give vital insight into what Bastion was. That information was probably being repressed if Teton was working the same way old earth had. Then I saw the tally. Eighty-three thousand requesting to immigrate, sixty wishing to emigrate. Uh…
*Note - Willis - I allowed this to reach you because we need the workers. I approved it with your signature while you slept. Bastion can accommodate hundreds of thousands now, millions and more with its expansions given time. Teton Fortress is struggling with air purification, sewage processing, and other issues only solved by using advanced tech. They should improve this rotation but not expand. I may have overridden their video systems and shown the integration welcome video for five hours.
That sluggero. He was something else. I clicked the double confirm and a notification said the new arrivals were already settling in. Yeah, I guess that worked. What was next?
Willow sent me a message, synthetic shopping was amazing. She was sorry about Slister on behalf of all of us. Derek has since retired to be there for his family and Norm as well as Tina were in mourning.
She shifted to better news. The zoo as a concept was a huge hit. People were risking random Xgates on sleds to do their shopping. I thought about this and frowned. We had put out that if someone wanted to shop outside an allotted time they could travel to a random Xgate. I was thinking like Mansion to Xgate 201 in northern Denver. Not on a new solo flying sled to Chicago or wherever. Willow didn’t have anything negative to say about it so I kept reading.
We would have an amazing attraction soon, fit for all ages and species. She went on to mention Onix was pissed, not kind of. He beat the shit out of the new momma cat. Willow said to keep reading before I got frustrated. That girl knew me well. Momma cat took the walloping for all of a few minutes until she turned the tides. Now, Onix is hissing from inside the castle where momma cat - named Thea kept him in check. The kittens were in the forest having fun living there.
Everly went next. She started by telling me a thousand new trees had been purchased. She said the number may sound huge but imagine a forest and then picture only eleven hundred trees. She had a point. She went on to say lots of soil was being scraped off farm fields and deposited on the western section of the cavern floor. Trees were getting proper homes and that jungle was going to use every square inch. The crixxi, pandarin, and even the fairies were happy. The desolate area by the gate saw a small alcove of trees for the fairies, the second type of jungle went up with a promise to build deeper when expansions were done.
Nancy was shaken up, she said she was at Sammie’s side and grieving over Slister. I wanted to scream but held it in. Her brief note said she would update me later. I had wished for more but understood why she was so short.
Perci said she was having to do a lot of the sudden wedding planning. The auctions were ending right after our delayed nuptials because someone lost an arm… again. Hey, okay that was fair. The sluggeros were saying she didn’t need to bother personnel shopping and they had it under control. She mentioned that we had low bids on lots of auctions for new contracts. So many that we even if we didn’t win them all we would be overflowing with new alliance members. Perci still wanted to do some shopping with our own money for the castle after the wedding festivities. Something about a princess has certain tastes. Whatever that meant.
Sally sent a message updating me on our automated manufacturing. There was a lot to sort through. Like so much I started to skim read. Mainly because I had no clue what a circumosclator of refinement did. My understanding was our own needs were going to be met. Instead of buying pre-done items, we would be trading for raw materials instead and in-house production performed.
The Gnet was expanding as disguised Gtowers were being dropped in a widening array. The reality was sinking in. Humanity had not fared well during these days. Our population of billions was probably in the tens of millions. At least still living freely on Earth, who knew how many were digging in exposed mines ripe for the pillaging. Those who managed to weather the storm were a mixed bag. Mostly bad leadership doing what it took to survive. A few good stories. We accepted all that would wear the security device.
Bastion was going to be a new beginning for a lot of people. I could only hope our ways were the right one. Ideas stolen from millions of years of experience. Hopefully, time wouldn’t judge me and my people would forgive my mistakes.
My eyes shifted to my regrown arm and I saw the gross effect of the rebuild. I decided a nap would be warranted. So I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
∞∞∞
My desire to wear acrium at my wedding was vetoed. She had me in a tuxedo which I fidgeted in. A lot. The bow tie was never right, the front not dressed properly. The shine of my black shoes were not bright enough and constantly in need of rubbing on the back of my pant legs. You know, the completely normal jitters a man had before an eternity of marriage.
Even if I was without armor I had opened a long thin box from Longoria and found a nitrogen blade. So let me be completely honest, I realized a sword for a gift was badass. I also may have diced the bed posts into little chunks immediately upon getting the blade in my hands. There was just something internally riveting about swinging a sword. The weapon hung on my hip as I did a final inspection.
I was with Jevon and Torrez in an apartment suite getting ready. The venue was being held in a part with a stage that we were about to fly down to.
“You ready?” Torrez asked us.
“Yup,” I said letting my jitters fade. “Are they ready ready this time, or need us to wait?”
I asked knowing the ladies had had delays, which was fine. We just watched some local news. Yup we had that now. The best part was there was limited slant since it was actual journalism! Torrez gave a firm nod confirming this was the real deal. Torrez pointed to check with Jevon.
“You know it,” Jevon added.
We walked out of the room, across the balcony, and onto the flying platform. The lift dropped down for a lovely park filled with green grass. A stage was decorated in alien flowers purchased from the grand market.
I was not sure how they wanted to do a harem wedding. Honestly I was confused about how it worked from the get go. We had been winging our relationship as time went by.
Perci that fiery little minx had died her hair a bright white. I guess she was tired of people mistaking her for her mom. Four lovely ladies were in varying wedding gowns, even Everly wore a customary human dress. Dedric stood behind a podium and as my entourage approached there was a sermon given. Not overly religious. Mos
tly Dedric rambling about love, the desire for families to support each other, and a long trailing speech on how a family was what we made it to be.
In this case, he was spot on. When the speech wrapped up we were given a card to read in unison.
“On this day, I, Eric Spencer Yang, solemnly take my family members in accordance with a marriage document filed by Perci Yang, as a binding commitment. I will embrace, cherish, and support those I lovingly welcome as a family through ups, downs, good, and bad times. Till death do us part.”
When we echoed our statements the gathered crowd flung confetti and there was a lot of kissing. I want to rush my wives off but instead, I ducked behind the stage. Jevon and I swapped suits for tuxedos. And he went to the groom spot and I the best man slot while we waited for Becca and Sarah to arrive.
Which shocker, they were late for the big moment. His wedding was the same as mine. A long sermon, shared nuptials, and then some rowdy kissing.
My smile never left my face the entire joyous occasion. Even with the recent events trying to bring me down I moved forward with my life and adjusted. I can safely say we never flew an animal hauler into combat ever again.
INTERMISSION
Seetheus screamed in the small room. His furious anger boiling out in radiating waves. The orb hummed aggressively trying to release his frustration. There was no soothing the supreme leader of the divine. He was beyond rational words. That Ovinious parading around as a fish had played them all. There was a minor rebellion among his own loyalists at having to run the grand market.
No one wanted to do grueling grunt work. Mixing with the violent species was beneath all the divine in general.
Which was why Goldie, as he referred to himself, was stuck on the worst assignment in the universe. Garbage sorting. The quiet peaceful rebellion was turning into a war with a simple act of requesting work off.
He knew this was the opening move in a long term strategy.
Seetheus never expected to have to suddenly rally his loyalist to do menial work. If the next moves were what he was expecting them to be he feared the outcome. This was a war Seetheus knew his forces were stretched too thin to combat. To add to the problem the generals Seetheus would control were no match for the Owlvini Alliance. The moment Ovinious vanished from work his anger had been boiling.
When he left the room he shouted. The doors jetting automatically to avoid him. He arrived in the command room to rejoin his two most loyal advisors. Kovrinous and Marqunious were rolling around a table trying to figure out what the rebellion would do next.
All the known figures had retreated into hiding. Their sudden disappearance had been the trigger of his rage. He needed answers. The fact the enemy had run to ground did not bode well.
“Okay, I should be a little better. Repeat what you were saying Marqunious,” Seetheus said joining the others.
“We have lost another three hundred planets. As in, guardianships have vanished from being able to report to the containment gates. Each had a similar message. New orders not understood, requesting authorization codes, and then a reply stating authorization codes were being manually delivered. When the codes arrived there is static followed by a loss of signal,” Marqunious said, isolating a section of space. “We theorize the enemy is using this black hole here to portal launch their suicide ships to nearby star systems. Each attempt has been successful.”
Marqunious thrummed sadly from having to be the bearer of bad news.
“Why are we not pushing updates?” Seetheus asked in a tired voice.
“We are but… it’s like they knew to expect our reaction to their action. We program them to not let any ships close for updates. Only direct updates from the constructs connected to the portal network. Well, they hacked those ships who we pushed test updates to. Flew them into suns. Another thirty three containment ships lost. There was a flaw in the update… the who and the how are unknown at this time. We were careless in who had access to the files because… This was never expected, our foe is crafty.”
Anger vibrated over the three divine orbs. They stared in silence at the rendering of the universe. Kovrinous started playing with the map. He noticed something that caused Seetheus to also pay attention to. This was not the only black hole.
Kovrinous was an expert on energy modulation. Converting raw power into the divine’s containment portals was a breakthrough that made the entire process possible. The black hole near the center of the universe, the first of its intentional kind, was in rapid flux. Seetheus noticed instantly that this perplexed Kovrinous.
“Thoughts?” Seetheus asked the expert.
An irritated hum radiated through the being. There was no face to twist from the being that was clearly deep in thought. Only eyes to show what he was looking at. Even those were not needed. The scientist was seriously perplexed to the point Seetheus asked him a second time for his thoughts.
“The enemy, for at this time I fear that is what they are, is far more prepared than we are. They have had eons to construct plans while we were forced to maintain the current cycle of expansion and containment. My thoughts?” Kovrinous asked.
“Yes do share,” Marqunious said.
Additional agitation washed over the orb. “They are using my advancements in power to leapfrog to our containment ships before we can. We would have to shut down operations to do what they are doing. They are not playing by the same rules. Look, all these system jumps were used from this black hole. That pattern of energy absorption and manipulation is also seen here. The black hole by this orbital. As if a thousand portals were -”
Seetheus interrupted after coming to the conclusion that was inevitable. “We must flee, now.”
“I am confused,” Marqunious said.
“Fool, when you start a war, the best way to win is by removing those who can mount the best defense. They’re coming for our home,” Seetheus said. “Where are the rebels now?”
“They were making up for Ovinious’s shortcomings for needing a day off. They volunteered to replace all the complaining workers. They should be… They vanished. But to where? How is that possible? Oh dear, I concur, time to flee,” Marqunious said racing for the door.
The three orbs exited the council room bouncing off each other in their hurry. They sped by a mob of concerned divines demanding answers to their questions. He could only tell them to run for safe havens so many times as he fled. Their blank expressions saddened him that they were not catching onto the danger he was expressing. Seetheus didn’t have time to explain why they were being told to leave. He didn’t care that the others were too dense to listen when they reached a private shuttle.
When all three were on board they detached from the orbital in a small portal jumper.
Their flight for safety was not a moment too soon.
Space around the orbital ripped open as portals spawned into existence. Ships the size of the moons materialized through the openings. Thousands of small craft rapidly ejected out of the aircraft carriers. Seetheus groaned at the sight. He knew what was happening.
The orbital would fall, the contracts binding them were gone in this very moment. Their words dissolved with this single act of violence. The only saving thought Seetheus had was all those he abandoned to their deaths would be reborn on Arixon. Eventually.
The shuttle generated a portal and Seetheus fled the only home he knew for ages.
The portal shot them out over a blue planted with splotches of a red terrain. Seetheus and his advisors were gods here. Their fleets, while not divine gate guardians, were armadas capable of fighting for the orbital.
“Do we defend the grand market?” Kovrinous asked.
“Of course not. It is lost, it was lost the moment we spread our forces too thin. No this will be a war where we target their infrastructure while protecting ours,” Seetheus said in an even, dejected tone. He knew how to wage war. The others were always so naive that wars were about more than a single battle. “We are no longer in control of the universe. W
e have our infrastructure and they have their facilities. The eternal civil war has officially started and we’re not ready for it.”
“But we have billions of beings devoted to our cause, and nearly infinite resources,” Marqunious said with a positive vibration. “Our network is so vast we will win with time.”
“Of that I have no doubt, if we closed the wormholes. You saw how easily they hopped into a system and laid waste to ancient defenses that have stood for eons. The problem is the enemy has too many ways to reach us quickly with fighting forces we’re not prepared for,” Seetheus said, highlighting the aircraft postured over the world. “There are defensive structures here over this planet. You may think this force mighty, but it is lacking. The orbital had a few thousands ships and turrets. All probably destroyed, and this armada is mostly powerful ships with thousands of containment gates inside. This is not a carrier fleet. And then the ground war has always been on the side of the Owlvini. Their alliance are superb fighters, the mighty species have sided that containment is evil. We will struggle even with our advantages.”
“I can fix this. I can remove the wormholes powering the Xgate. It will not be easy to redo but in a time I can reactivate the blue?” Kovrinous asked.
“You certain?” Seetheus ask.
“Yes, take me to the planet. I need to but touch an active Xgate. I did design a safety feature in, just be thankful I am alive,” Kovrinous said.
The shuttle raced for the ground. There was a determined silence.
“What happens next?” Marqunious asked
“We give up,” Seetheus said and both orbs were shocked into silence. “Not winning our civil war. We quit trying to contain new species. We have to prepare here, we have so much amassed resources here. We will use some time to build a proper counter armada. We do not need the blue portals like they do. When the time comes that we’re ready we go back to fighting. We use the blue portals to rally our side and fight across the worlds to eliminate our foes. When they are gone, there is only one side left. We reconquer the universe to establish order and peace. As it must be.”