Caleb stepped forward, not in intimidation but rather vehemence. “But who are the Anaden? What are they, to be so powerful they can oppress you? If you want us to help you, we have to know.”
Mesme morphed and shifted until it presented the humanoid form it had taken on Portal Prime when they first met.
They are you, and you are they.
Caleb’s expression conveyed unmitigated shock. He growled a single, stunned word. “What?”
Humans are the genetic recreation of the Anaden, Aurora a recreation of their beginnings.
It, and you, were designed and spawned so we might study the enemy until we understood its nature, and in so doing decipher how the Anaden evolved into the host of monsters and tyrants they have become.
It was our hope that if we accomplished all these things, we might discover a way to defeat our enemy. The enemy of all sapient beings.
Silence hummed in the ghostly night air for endless seconds.
Finally Alex sank against the dais table with a dramatic sigh. “Well, fuck.”
Abysm
Aurora Renegades Book Three
* * *
BACK COVER BLURB
In the quest to be the masters of their own fate, will humanity rise to become liberators or follow the path of their ancestors into darkness?
Alex Solovy and Caleb Marano risked everything to learn the hidden purpose behind the Metigen’s multiverse portal network, but nothing could have prepared them for the answer. Humans are a genetic recreation of the Anaden, the dictators and overlords of the master universe. Aurora is a recreation of their origins, created by the Metigens in a desperate gambit to understand the nature of their enemy, and so find a way to defeat them. Instead it may turn out that history always repeats itself….
Aurora’s future hangs in the balance as the Earth Alliance goes to war with itself over the right of synthetics and Prevos—human/AI hybrids—to exist. Terrorists sow chaos in a wave of bombings and assassinations targeted at any and all who shelter Prevos. The next evolution of the human species will not be so easily defeated, however. Prevos, their friends and lovers, and all those who believe freedom is the better path forward meet malevolence with ingenuity, despair with hope, violence with fortitude.
But they must move quickly to win the day, because the true enemy is closing in faster than anyone realizes, and they—humanity, the Metigens and the trillions the Anadens enslave—are all running out of time.
CONTENTS
Part I
Miriam’s War
Part II
The Space In Between
Part III
Spiral
Part IV
Gravitational Collapse
Part V
Dewdrops & Flower Petals
Part VI
Consonance
Part VII
Natural Selection
PART I:
MIRIAM’S WAR
“What is a rebel? A man who says no.”
— Albert Camus
1
MESSIS I
Earth Alliance Orbital Station
Messium Stellar System
* * *
“This is not a mutiny.
“This is not a military coup d’état.
“This is not an insurrection.
“This is a counterinsurgency. We are not the traitors—we are the defenders. We are the resistance.
“The Earth Alliance military exists to defend the people against threats from without and within. I swore an oath to defend you forty-seven years ago. It has been my greatest honor to do so ever since, and I do not intend to stop today.”
Miriam Solovy’s tone grew more measured; no need to be a firebrand, right? “The Biological and Neurological Integrity Assurance Act, or BANIA, is unconstitutional. More than this, it is inhumane. It violates our most fundamental precepts of justice, fairness and liberty. It demands the imprisonment of people not for what they’ve done, but for what they are.
“Yes, I said ‘people.’ Whatever the propaganda being pushed upon you may claim, Prevos are first and foremost people. Humans. Individuals. Enhancing ourselves with cybernetics and eVis over the last two centuries did not mean we ceased to be human, and neither does increasing one’s mental acuity with the quantum processing of an Artificial.”
She paused to smile to herself, hoping the act reached her voice. “Let me tell you a story. A story about the Metigen War.
“When all seemed lost and we were on the verge of being overrun, four individuals risked their lives to defeat the enemy and save us from annihilation. They risked their lives to become the first Prevos, fully aware the untested, unproven augmentation could kill them in any number of ways. Then they risked their lives to go out on the battlefield and fight alongside our military personnel. We won the war because of every infantryman, pilot and Marine, but we also won it because of these individuals.
“This information was classified until now, but perhaps it should not have been. Perhaps we should have awarded them medals in public ceremonies for all to see. They certainly deserved it. And you deserve to know they are not devils, but heroes.”
Miriam’s gaze darted to the left, triggered by a burst of activity near the entrance of the command center.
Three MPs blocked her view…until Alex stepped through the doorway. Behind her Caleb talked quietly with one of the officers.
Alive, yet again. Re-emerged from the void, yet again.
Relief surged through her, strengthening her resolve as she resumed the broadcast. Her daughter was not only the greatest reason she fought to protect the Prevos but the greatest reason she believed it was right to do so.
“We gave these individuals full control and command of our militaries and our defenses. Do you know what happened? They used these tools in ways your leaders could never have accomplished to protect Earth. To protect Seneca. To protect Romane. They used them to crush the Metigen fleet into surrender.
“Then they relinquished control and went back to their lives, asking for nothing in return. Not power. Not medals, leadership roles or any other reward.
“Yet now we want to imprison those Prevos and others like them. We want to reward heroism and sacrifice with a cage. All because we are afraid.”
More movement on her left demanded her attention. Richard went up to Alex and embraced her in an enthusiastic bear hug. A delightful jealousy flared in Miriam’s chest. She wanted to do that—and she would, very soon. She breathed in.
“But the better instincts of us as humans tell us to react to fear with courage, openness and a willingness to learn and adapt. The history of human progress is one of growth, of discovery and advancement and of never standing idle. This is merely the latest chapter. So I ask you to listen to your better instincts and reject fear in favor of tolerance.”
She steeled herself. What she’d conveyed thus far was all very nice—and true—but now came the real purpose of the speech. Now words must transform into deeds.
“Now I speak directly to the military personnel under my command, to every Earth Alliance officer and enlisted across the galaxy. Our counterinsurgency is a legal one, and it is also a moral one. We are defending our Constitution and our citizens. We will be an aegis shielding those who now find themselves under siege from their own government.
“Prime Minister Winslow’s attempts to order you to enforce BANIA are illegal. You are not required to obey illegal orders—you know this—whether they come from a prime minister, an admiral or your squadron commander. Instead, I will give you orders you can obey with pride and a clear conscience:
“Protect the people. Protect those who are innocent of actual wrongdoing. Refuse to assist in the enforcement of BANIA, but do it in a peaceful, non-violent manner. Simply stand your ground. No one, not a solitary soul, needs to die in this dispute, but if arms are taken up against you, defend yourself and the civilians in your care as you must.
“I do not want to fire a single shot at my fellow serv
icemen. But I will not allow the Earth Alliance military to fall to illegitimate, unlawful forces, and per our Constitutional duty, the Earth Alliance military will not allow the government to fall to those same forces.
“Godspeed to you all.”
She ended the broadcast without fanfare, not betraying in her expression or her bearing any of the residual anxiety which still churned her stomach, and immediately turned to Admiral Rychen.
“Winslow won’t hesitate to act. Watch the local traffic closely—Admiral Fullerton is in her pocket and will likely try to wrest authority over Northeast Command from you amid the confusion. I’ll leave it to you to make certain he doesn’t succeed. Richard has an eye on the rest of the network. We ought to learn who among the other admirals and generals are siding with us soon enough.”
She didn’t wait for a response before pivoting to where Alex now lounged against the wall beside the wide viewport, arms and ankles crossed like she was attending the most casual of gatherings.
Miriam strode toward her, but stopped a meter away and adopted a scowl. “You’re alive, I see.”
Alex shrugged. “Kind of self-evident, yep.”
“You should have told me what you were planning to do before you left.”
“You would’ve tried to talk me out of it.”
“Yet I doubt I would’ve succeeded. Since you’re here now, you’ve been back on this side of the portal for at least a day. Why didn’t you message me? It’s been four months.”
“Heard you were busy. Didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Yes, well….” Miriam pursed her lips, and Alex’s began curling up in response. With a sigh she reached out and drew her daughter into her arms, grateful beyond words to feel the gesture returned in full. Heart beating, skin warm, ten fingers and all the necessary limbs intact. All was well in the world.
Except it really wasn’t.
She backed up to regard Alex, keeping her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Alex flinched and pulled away. “Why not?”
It probably had been the wrong thing to say, or said in the wrong manner. Miriam worked to soften her tone—to lessen her daughter’s ire and to lessen the blow to herself from saying the words aloud. “Because you shouldn’t have to hear your mother called a traitor. I didn’t want you to see any of this.
“I hate that you’ve been gone for four months, but now, honestly, I wish you’d stayed away another one.”
“You think I care what some svoloch politician says about you? What you’re doing is incredible. And it was a great speech. Hell, I was moved.”
The last part was delivered in a teasing tone, and she relaxed; part of her had worried Alex would be disappointed in her somehow. It seemed foolish in retrospect. “I did try.”
“Do you think it will work?”
Caleb joined them then, and Miriam accepted a quick hug from him before responding. “It won’t prevent bloodshed, if that’s what you mean. Will it bring me the support of the people I need to pull this off? Will it win over the hearts and minds of the rank and file, of the masses? Maybe. I’m not a politician or a public speaker. I’m not…” her chin dropped “…I’m not exactly a charismatic figure. This isn’t what I do.”
Alex smiled. “Sure it is. You do what is required in the circumstances, right? You always have.”
The cryptic insinuation reminded Miriam where Alex had been these last months. “I suppose I do. What did you find?”
“Through the portal?” Alex’s gaze drifted to Caleb, and they exchanged a weighty look. “We can talk about it later. You have a counterinsurgency to lead right now.”
That was true enough. Off to her left an officer hurried up to Rychen, and they conferred in hushed tones. She fought the urge to rush over and hear the news this instant. Was the officer corps falling her way or abandoning her in droves?
Futzing to and fro like a schoolgirl wasn’t going to change the answer, so she imposed calm on herself and refocused her attention on Alex. “Very well. But answer one question for me: can anything you’ve learned help me here and now? Is there anything I’ll later wish I had known today?”
Alex’s expression grew uncommonly solemn, and Miriam realized her daughter looked tired. Strained. Concern flared, but discovering the reason for the strain would take longer than she had at present.
“Just know it’s vitally important for you to get this one right. I mean, of course it is, clearly. But if we—people, all of us—head down the wrong path now, it will have grave consequences beyond the obvious. You need to win this fight. We need to be the good guys.”
2
MESSIS I
Earth Alliance Orbital Station
Messium Stellar System
* * *
“Why didn’t you tell her?”
“Tell her humanity’s ancestors are the worst mass murderers in the history of the cosmos? That they’ve run roughshod over entire galaxies, killed untold trillions, committed genocide on countless species and are now the most reviled, feared beings in the multiverse?”
Caleb sank into one of the chairs scattered around the small breakroom an officer had directed them to. “Yeah. That.”
“Somehow it didn’t strike me as the pep talk she’d be hoping for. It hardly provides the inspiration needed to keep fighting.”
“But it does.” She sensed him watching her as she wandered through the room searching for…she wasn’t sure. “It’s the best and most important reason to keep fighting.”
“Which is what I did tell her. That she seriously, no-shit needed to win.” Alex massaged her face with her hands, trying to revive herself a bit. Projecting a bright, spirited persona for the benefit of her mother had been draining.
“I want to stay here for a while longer—talk to Richard and find out more details on how screwed up the situation really is, then try to catch a few minutes with Mom if I can. You should go see Mia and reassure yourself she actually is doing well.”
“You don’t want to come with me?”
“I already know Mia’s doing well.” She forced a smile and tapped a fingernail to her temple. The deluge of information had begun as soon as they traversed the Aurora portal and had yet to cease: data, news, images, random thoughts from random Prevos. There were so many of them now. Much of the information was out of order and lacking context, the product of the streams of consciousness of multiple Artificials and a neural web which had grown beyond measure.
Twenty-six hours after arriving, she still wasn’t exactly sure what she did and didn’t know. But she could fake it sufficiently on the fly until Valkyrie got it all sorted.
“Right.” Caleb stood and went over to the corner where he’d dropped his pack a minute earlier. “I’ll catch a transport. I should be back in the morning.”
“Do you want to take the Siyane?” Please say no.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. You may need it.”
You have no idea how true that is, do you? “Hopefully not, but I might. If I decide to come to Romane later tonight, I’ll let you know so we don’t pass each other.”
For a second she thought he was simply going to walk out—his stance briefly shifted toward the door—then he came over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t go to war without me.”
Her smile remained in place until he was out the door. Then she collapsed into the chair he’d vacated and curled up, dropping her head on the armrest.
It would be the first time in months they’d been apart for more than a few hours, and his departure evoked an array of sensations…no, they were called emotions when she inhabited only a corporeal body.
Sadness. She already felt the hollowness in her chest his absence carved.
Relief. It was exhausting hiding the constant, relentless urge to slip into the walls of the ship.
Disquiet. She recognized he’d left troubled in his own way, yet he had kept it to himself.
Weariness. She hadn
’t slept properly in ages, mostly because the hours he slept provided the best opportunity for her to explore her other perception free of guilt.
Instead of attempting to improve on any of those conditions, she closed her eyes and dove into her elemental realm.
Space welcomed her into its embrace. Warm, lit by Messium’s sun. Hectic, excited by the churning of purposeful activity all around her.
The station had no enclosed docking bay for visitors, and the Siyane was secured to an external docking module. Rows of vessels extended above and below her. New ships, designs she’d never seen. Adiamene hulls gleamed subtly in natural, gracefully flowing contours.
Atoms pressed against her, displaced by a vessel departing overhead. This wasn’t the void, and the atmosphere of the planet below could still be felt here, ten megameters above its surface.
She drifted along with the motion of the station as it rotated to show her the stars, the sun and the planet again in turn. The structure and the space surrounding it vibrated and hummed with enterprise. Humans rushing to and fro to effect a revolution.
It was vital, meaningful work to them…but the atoms didn’t care. They would remain here long after the people and their artificial constructs were gone.
The punch to her shoulder registered as a dull thud, far away and disconnected from her elemental body, but it was delivered forcefully enough to draw her attention. Alex reluctantly pulled her consciousness inward, winding down Valkyrie’s quantum pathways like a vid streaming in reverse.
She opened her eyes to find Kennedy leaning over her, peering at her from no more than twenty centimeters away. “There you are!”
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