by Marcus Sloss
“And there he goes,” Willow said on my private channel. As a squadron broke off from the main force.
I swapped my six engines to maneuver mode so I could spin on a dime in zero-g.
Donald Larkin was a mad man and his ability to dodge incoming fire was pretty stellar.
“Radio not working, taking out the side objectives if you can hear me,” Larkin said and I grunted at his clear transmission.
Fine, he was a far better pilot than I was and he already broke down the shields of a side turret Beetheus had constructed. Oh, damn, the other pilots with him were just as talented. The squadron of seven was dodging incoming fire while tag-teaming low priority targets.
Um… so much for my fucking plan. Yet, it was working.
I charged forward. Small turret fire crashed into my shield until I bobbed and weaved.
Beetheus was already shifting positions to bear his big guns on Donald’s squadron.
So much for me dying a glorious death in a mad charge.
“Tally ho!” I cried out in joy my turrets smacking fire into the big ship’s shield. That shiny bitch was locked on to Donald and friends.
Three massive arcs of energy tried to hit the group. They knew. The bastards knew. The squadron spread and then coalesced in a synchronized reaction.
This is what training could do. The moment the next beam was ready, the group of orbs fluttered in random directions again avoiding a growing orb of certain doom.
Sure this meant they were taking smaller fire from the turrets, but those weren’t cracking shields right away. No wonder why Goldie was so damn confident.
They’d used the simulator to practice this over the last three days at thirty-day compression.
The small constructs meant to help Beetheus were exploding in showering displays of white light. The blue racing beams of fire illuminated the void as the battle intensified.
While I marveled at their amazing maneuvers and deft controls, I managed to shimmer through Beetheus shields.
My weapons erupted into the massive spaceship stitching scorch marks down the side of the spaceship. A defensive turret exploded and a repair bot met its doom under my fire.
I reached the Xgate release bay and poured unrelenting energy into the wall. Beetheus knew his forty percent had gone to zero and I almost made it into the interior of the ship when he reacted. With far more energy than we had he bolted to leave the solar system.
“I despise humans!” Beetheus said as he fled.
“Surrender and you can live,” I responded with rapid discourse knowing time was limited. “I have been told no clone wants to suicide.”
“Ha! You will never catch me. These stupid buoys can track -”
With enhanced optics I watched our buoys become magnetic mines. They left their grid to cling to the fleeing vessel. At that moment Beetheus realized it was all a ploy to get him to run. If he stayed and fought, we would have died in droves.
The mines latched near the energy section of the ship and detonated.
I saw an implosion of energy as everything was being sucked in before the big release.
That was our cue to haul ass back for Earth. The explosion was so massive we feared for our lives even with the distance of space.
When the energy did wash over us we had two hull breaches and red washing over two ship icons. Then it was my turn. My shields flickered, my fighter shook, and I worried I was dead, but somehow the shields held.
When the battle calmed there were four dead.
Donald Larkin was one of them. Sure he disobeyed my orders, but the man was a god on the controls. His team had performed miracle work up here. He died to an unlucky fragment. All that skill and charisma ended by a random vectored hunk of metal.
We won the day though. The amazing training, smart tactics, and a dumb opponent tended to work in your favor. This was a half mind, I could only imagine what a true divine could do.
Thankfully I would get a long, long time to deal with that.
When the battle calmed I moved the fleet into a search and destroy mission. I didn’t think the cloned orb would have survived, but I wanted to be certain. So we blew everything we could find into itty bitty bits.
I noticed we needed to head back or our mind orbs would disconnect soon.
My heart ached and I felt sad. Yet I knew Donald would want us to celebrate his life and this victory.
“For the community!” I proudly shouted over the comms.
“For the community!” came the boisterous reply.
“Loose formation. We’re heading home,” I ordered and set my flight mode to travel.
This was it. This was our defining moment. Beetheus let us get close, confident in his ability to flee. Goldie predicted he would never calculate the buoys were a decoy, and so ended the mothership’s reign over Earth. Long live humanity, long live Bastion Nation, and for the community.
When our idle conversation died down so we could manage our reentry I knew one thing for certain. I was going to enjoy a well-earned hundred years of time off from fighting. Except for when I dealt with foreign nations. Or simulations, always room to improve. Eh, there were probably some pesky Nigerians to kill. Who was I kidding? War was in my nature.
CHAPTER 22
TWO MONTHS LATER
We were walking the zoo in the city of Larkin. A majestic new build in northern Florida that we designated our new capital. This particular section of the zoo was for Earth animals. Unlike a normal zoo with small cages and ugly fencing, we did clear exteriors and elevated walkways through enclosures.
The bench I sat at had a great overview of some elk munching grass. The interior of the enclosed space was cold with the munching animals blew frosted breaths. The simplicity of being an animal was so basic. I wanted to watch it in peace for hours while I contemplated the meaning of life.
However, life tended to climb on their fathers. Mary chased after Karen, and Peter was telling on them to Perci. Mark was indifferent as he was watching the elk peacefully with Willow. Nancy and Everly were trying to get the kids off my shoulders, but I waved them down. Daddy could be a climbing tool for now.
I lived for the moments where the kids were being kids as much as the silent moments of reflection. This is what life was all about, and the time we spent in each other’s company was exactly what I dreamed of.
The kids went bounding off down to the next exhibit, their endless energy fresh and invigorating.
Perci tucked up to my side and said, “The Chinese called. They’re complaining you’ve forgotten about them.”
“Ugh. Fuck the Chinese. So sick of them. No, we’re not sharing shit with them. Daxstar literally is on edge as it is. There are too many divisions with humanity. Our reign is supreme and we don’t need the Chinese,” I scoffed.
Of course, I said this within earshot of Mark who started asking Willow why I hated a fellow human nation. The answer was simple, the shits had already tried to steal tech a few times. They were a bug under our boot at the moment; squashed at a whim if we ever needed to, and I didn’t want that dynamic to change.
The last two months had been marvelous. Our economy boomed as we expanded, built, and adapted. Personally I’d never been happier. I spent my mornings exactly like this one. Doing things with my family. I held a court slash meeting session from noon to dinner. That was it. You either got me then or I told you to pound sand. Family time and personal work time was everything to me.
Not everything was sunshine. I never found my parents. So many were gone, so many people vanished. While we wanted answers, for many there’d never be closure. Only the reminders we held of those we lost.
My eyes noticed a slight waddle to Nancy’s walk.
There were some swelling bellies and achy backs as my wives started to show. I was so doomed. Like so, so doomed. The four kids were a monstrous tasks. The funny part was every time Uncle Jevon would watch my little ones with his wives, they were handed back with gulps. Yup, he was going to have double tha
t. Me, I was going to have twenty one little ones running around.
Ultrasounds were solid, mommas were healthy, and life was almost stress-free. What did we do now that life had reached a new normal?
We shopped a lot and when I realized I had unique furniture tastes I started woodworking. Also, screw tavers, those aliens made my work look like shit. But they were happy to keep making my chairs, and I was happy to keep trying to best their work. Eventually, I turned to dressers because I wanted a win.
Longoria and Everly opened a seamstress shop. One of the best in Bastion for creating maternity wear for alien bodies. We had to de-automate a lot of things. Honestly, technology without restrictions would lead down a path were a hand-sewn dress would never happen due to costs. The two of them were busy and they tended to work more than I did, especially when Longoria would teach her nightly class on history. Longoria and I grew closer to the point she moved in with the family. It just felt right and nobody complained. I would visit her and Everly at work and sit in a comfy chair just to be near them.
Me, I ran a bouncy house. Hell yeah, I did. I got to boss around little kids that weren’t mine. It was about as amazing as it sounds. Shouted at kids in my dad’s voice without having them run crying to me was fabulous. The bonus was all the hot moms coming in for me to zone out on. The nudity thing had shifted to a lingerie society; flimsy undercovers was the happy teasing medium. Yeah, I found my non-wartime calling for sure.
Perci was busy running the government with me during the day and then doing all the paperwork when I went off to the bouncy house. To be honest, we had a million things going on with Bastion Nation that were beyond any single person’s capabilities. Perci loved the work and on occasions, I would deflect from my fun to help her catch up.
Nancy was back to being the mounamine Queen. She organized daycares, schools, and all things child-related. She was the stern momma with a soft spot. It was harder to gauge her success because the door was ever revolving. The mounamine were due to start having offspring next week and once that happened it was going to be a huge societal shift. Which would be a precursor to humanity’s effect with the virum. In the coming days I knew I would be getting a stand-in at the bouncy house of funporium so I could help Nancy.
Willow tried to be here. She really did, but war was her wheelhouse. Today was the first time she made a morning family trip in two weeks. Why? Africa. Ha! As if anyone expected that shitshow to suddenly be a bastion of choir boys and girls after the end of times. Nope, oddly enough Daxstar wanted their power stripped and then stuck into Gpad rules. So that's what our military was doing. Pacifying Africa into a new era. South America was next and my lovely lady was not going to slow down in her demonix body. Her victories were swift, her mercy unyielding, and the results always impressive.
That left Jill for the last. We actually didn’t grow closer. Not sure what it was, but we stayed cordial and split family time with Mary. Deep down I think she didn’t like being a mistress, but based on her swelling belly we were committed. She was a wonderful mom and a good friend I would fuck on occasion. She opened a nail salon, which for a lot of species was a highly desired thing. I was happy for her success and was always positive when we were together.
Onix hadn’t been seen in a while, but his tracker showed him hunting in the snowy north for big game. Most of the crew returned into the community and left the service. We had fought for what felt like forever. I did the same so I couldn’t blame them.
All the friends, aliens, and strangers I met since the start of the containment were living the best lives they could. I’d stop and chat often. Sometimes for hours. We visited Torrez, Dedric, Tina, Jevon, and the list kept going of the people we stayed close to. BBQ was a common evening theme and the castle above ground had a fabulous cooking pavilion that was open to many fine folks that were considered family. Life was at its best and I couldn’t be happier. Which caused me to stifle in laughter as I gazed upon the elk.
The funniest part of this zoo was I had given it to Willow and Everly to create. Yet, the community adopted the project and animal lovers took it over. Which was fantastic for the animals and the attraction aspect. I loved visiting parks, zoos, old human cities, and more with my family in the mornings. It was all I ever hoped it would be.
Mark had finished his conversation from Willow’s side and hustled to catch up to me when I left to find the three wild youngsters.
“So Eric,” Mark said questioningly. While the younger siblings called me Dad, he remembered his father clearly. I was fine with Eric. “I… I’m confused.”
“Oh yeah, shoot,” I replied.
“General Willow said -”
“Just Willow to you Mark,” Willow interrupted.
“Willow said the Chinese are a potential threat,” Mark said with a grumble from being corrected.
“And your confusion?”
“Well, I don’t see them as a threat based on what Willow told me and -”
“And that is how it must stay. The confusion part?” I asked.
“I was getting there. What about the gate-gods as the Hawaiian’s call them?”
“Ah, the crux of the issue looming in the back of everyone’s minds. I really need to censure some of the stuff that comes out of Hawaii. They seem to be splintering themselves into two camps. Old America and Gate worshipers. Sad really. No one wants to isolate humans,” I said with a pause.
Perci butted in and said, “It is monitored and that was put out as anti gate-god messaging. So we’re on top of it, your grace.”
“The enemy will return one day. When? Who knows? The rebel divines are still playing games in that VirtaBox with half the damn population. At first, I thought they were idiots; that was until I joined their gaming. Twenty four hours convinced me to let them keep playing out the future in a simulation. The results in the space battle showed there was merit for virtual practicing to real applications. And no that doesn’t mean you can spend all day in video games,” I paused our walk and put a hand on his shoulder. I gazed to see Sammie watching the other children and my wives around me listening.
“And what is the plan?” Willow asked for Mark.
“To live every day to our fullest. To enjoy each other’s company. The plan is to be human, even with our flaws, and we will be in the best place we can. Bastion is a growing home we’re proud of; Earth a beacon of freedom that will be defended with all our hearts. Mark, I hope one day when those Xgates flare back to life you’re ready to help protect your family. I know I’ll be at your side to keep those we love safe.”
Mark shuffled his feet and Perci slung an arm over his shoulder. The kid was tall for his age and Perci was always vertically challenged. Nancy held a hand up to join the conversation and stood in front of Mark.
“What your… adopted father is trying to say is,” Nancy paused to lock her blue eyes to mine. “That the plan is to live the best happily ever after type of life we can. The whole time we grow and build our blossoming love we plan on how best to defend what we cherish.”
Mark sighed and said, “When I grow up I want to defeat the aliens who killed my father. But for now, I am happy I have a loving home.”
I ruffled his hair which he hated.
“That’s the spirit, now go get your brothers and sisters.” He sped off and I raised my voice. “This deep talk brings out my cravings for bacon ice cream,” I said and he screeched to a halt.
“Um... Sir, do you promise to teach me all the amazing things about bacon?” Mark asked.
“Bacon absolutely,” I said, rushing to join him. “But first, let me tell you all about chickens!”
THE END
SERIES AFTERWORD
So. I was reading over a portal book and I realized I didn’t like them. Their take on portals anyways. Not to say other portal books are bad, merely I felt the portal systems were always too static. How stupid easy is to encase a stargate? Or to camp the opening with a pit for explosive and on and on my mind went into the hypothetica
ls. Ergo the roaming 4 sided portal, which to me, as the author, was implemented by Goldie at some point in the origin story.
I can relate to Eric Yang. More than I care to admit. Eric is everything I want in an MC. Compassionate to family, ruthless to his enemies, and skilled in his chosen profession. There are things at play with me that prevent me from delving deeply into PTSD. Could I have shown him struggling more, of course. Did I want to? Not really. In the end we’re reading books to escape things that bring us down, not roll in them.
Is there a book 5 coming? No, probably not. Is the universe Eric lives in closed, certainly not. The Xgates returning leaves many doors open, but Eric’s story is closed in his happily ever after. There was a huge cast in this series. Obviously not all of them were given an in-depth finale moment. Well, rest easy and know they are happy. That is undoubtedly true as I’d like to believe, and know, a peace time generally leads to doing things you enjoy instead of losing those you care about. Plus it’s a lingerie DD society. Fuck yes!
Audio is in the works. I intend to do books 1-4 and you get it cheaper if you already bought the books. Keep an eye out if that is your thing. Oh shit! I forgot this part. Visit me on facebook. I always got free audio codes to other books. Friend me then ask for a code.
My writing. Okay, I get the fact I am not Michael Crichton. Do I study his work? Yup. Do I want to improve? You better believe it. I still hate typing contractions. I just cringe at them in typed form. Yet, that is how people talk. I had to go back to book one and clean it up. Not often you get to hear this side but writing isn’t a cake walk. It has many struggles to it that drag on your soul when people shit on your work. That’s their opinion and it helps motivate me to improve. Sort of.
What really gets me back to the keyboard after a bad review is a good one. I’m beyond guilty of this myself where I chug through books and suddenly the series is done and I haven’t left a single review. Book 1 if you can please and thank you with priority on book one. I loved reading about Eric. The concept was refreshing. For the Crew. For the Community. I think that is enough words. Silly amazon and their word limits. Click here for book 1.