The Exxar Chronicles: Book 01 - The Erayan

by Neal Jones

  Gabriel mulled all this over for a minute, then asked, "Can you put this thing back together, good as new?"

  Garrett hesitated. "I honestly don't know. We've been careful in making sure that we document every step of the disassembling process. However, because we haven't been able to identify a third of the elements used in the construction materials of the raider itself, as well as the technology that powers it, I couldn't guarantee that this would work like it's supposed to."

  "Just do the best you can and keep me updated on your progress."

  "Yes, sir." Garrett sighed as he watched the commodore navigate the maze on his way back to the bay's entrance.

  ( 2 )

  Federation President Skaela Enkaro reclined in his chair and watched the streaks of white and silver outside his viewport. His personal quarters aboard the Llaur Rihaad were spacious, with far more room than he thought was necessary. The ship was a Nova class starliner, a cross between a military warship and a luxury cruise vessel. The living room of the president's cabin was large enough to accommodate a dinner party of thirty guests. The kitchen was staffed with a cook and two waiters. The bathroom had its own Jacuzzi, big enough for six, and the galactic size bed in the master bedroom could hold four, with plenty of space between each. Enkaro's massive oak desk sat in one corner of the living room, even though a separate room had been provided for his office. The president preferred to be near the large viewport that spanned the rear wall of the living room.

  He was alone at the moment, and he had ordered his kitchen staff to take the day off. They would be arriving at Exxar-One in three hours, and Enkaro wanted some time to himself, to gather his thoughts and meditate. His speech was nearly finished. All that was left was to write a good closing paragraph. Enkaro preferred to write his own speeches, even though there was a member of his staff available for that reason. But the president hated having everything done for him, and he only enlisted Mister Dynlee's aid after the first couple drafts were finished. Sy'im Dynlee was an excellent writer and editor, and he was also good at research. He would take the draft and fill in whatever holes were needed, as well as some general polishing here and there. Enkaro would then read it over, make a few final changes of his own, and it would be done. Right now, however, he was suffering a bad case of writer's block.

  Enkaro wanted this speech to be different, to be more than the "usual horn tooting" as his vice president once put it. And Edmond was right. Exxar-One was a crowning achievement for everyone involved, the highlight of Enkaro's current term in office, and while it stood as a beacon of peace and hope it also represented the blood, tears and sacrifice of those who had given their lives on the battlefield as well as during the starbase's construction. The Beta Erendii War had cost so many so much, and Enkaro wanted to honor that in his dedication.

  In a way, this ceremony wasn't about Exxar-One at all. It was about bringing an end to one of the bloodiest and longest conflicts that this quadrant had ever seen. But how to do that in a way that wasn't predictable or overly romantic? A dozen other speeches had already been delivered on this subject in the last decade, beginning with President Phrast's. Ambassador Zar's appeal to Parliament regarding the building of Exxar-One had been particularly moving and eloquent. Enkaro wanted something fresh, something original, and yet something that would echo those sentiments which had been stated before.

  The president sighed as he rose and walked to the kitchen where he began making a cup of tea. Skaela Enkaro was a man living in his twilight years. There wasn't anything noble or commanding in his plain, wrinkled features, but there was a light in his eyes that hadn't dimmed one bit since his early days in Parliament. His homeworld was Indravia-426, a small planet in the core systems of the Federation. He was a member of the Progressive Party, one of the two primary political parties of the Federation. Progressives – or "progs" for short – were idealists. In the matter of politics, most of them believed that the entire galaxy would, one day, rest under the umbrella of the Interstellar Federation of Peace. Progressives believed in a government that was in place to serve the people, not vice versa, and ever since the election of '58 the prog party had managed to wrest control of Parliament from the Foundationalists, a.k.a. the "founders". Founders believed in the status quo, and the party as a whole was reluctant to upset the applecart. "Don't fix what isn't broken" was a common line that was always spouted sooner or later during election season.

  It was because of the founders that the cold war between the first and second Chrisarii wars had lasted as long as it did. Parliament and the nine presidents before Phrast were reluctant to stir the hornet's nest, even though said hornets didn't hesitate to leave the nest every few years to create some minor skirmish along Federation borders. The election of '58 wasn't quite a landslide victory, but it was enough to get Phrast into the center seat, and when the next Chrisarii incident arose she pounced like a cat that had been keeping a close eye on the mousetrap. She succeeded in getting a majority of Parliament behind her, and the Beta Erendii War officially began. But, as often happens in the course of galactic war and politics, public opinion changed once the conflict passed its third anniversary. Apparently the Federation people wanted a short, victorious war, and most weren't prepared to batten down the hatches and ride out a long storm. Taxes were raised, a draft was reinstated, and many civilian industries were co-opted for the war effort. By her eighth year in office Phrast knew that she wasn't going to be re-elected, so she gritted her teeth and did what was necessary to bring an end to the war.

  And she succeeded, but only by the skin of her teeth. Enkaro had watched all of this from his seat in parliament, had remained faithful to his party leader and voted for all of her initiatives. He had applauded the work of Ambassador Zar during her efforts to open a dialogue with Ambassador Vorik in the latter years of the war, and it was primarily for his open and vocal support of Exxar-One that his name was put on the ballot for the election of '68. After his win, Enkaro had visited Exxar-One's construction site on numerous occasions to receive progress updates in person, served numerous state dinners where Zar and Vorik were honored guests, and he strongly believed that the peace treaty with the Chrisarii would usher in a new era for the entire quadrant.

  However, the peace treaty and Exxar-One were just the beginning. It was Enkaro's hope that the Chrisarii Alliance would one day become full members of the Federation, and that their allies would also eventually join, thus expanding the Federation's territory by twenty percent or more. The overall goal was to provide a lasting and stable peace to this quadrant, a balance that had not yet been fully achieved because of the combined threat of the Chrisarii, the Jha'Drok Emperium and the Khazar Dominion. Until now, those three foreign powers had been the source of most of the conflicts of the last century. But now that a treaty had been signed between the Federation and Chrisarii governments, one third of the enemy had been eliminated. Should Enkaro win the upcoming election, one of his goals for the next term would be opening a dialogue with the Jha'Drok, and, after his achievements regarding the Chrisarii and Exxar-One, he had no doubt that Parliament would back him at least eighty percent, if not a hundred.

  Skaela returned to his chair and sipped his tea. He stared at the words on his terminal screen, rereading the last two paragraphs. He thought some more, then set his cup and saucer down. "Computer, begin recording." A soft beep signaled that the computer was listening. "Even though we have come so far in such a short amount of time, the battle is far from over. This new alliance will stand only as long as we are willing to fight for it. You have all heard me say this before, and I will say it again. This station represents a new era for all the empires of this quadrant. The seeds that we have planted today will bloom tomorrow, and our children will grow up in a time where Federation and Chrisarii are living side by side in a lasting peace. Together, we will change the landscape of this quadrant in ways that could never before be imagined. I now dedicate Exxar-One as monument to both the past and the future. This moment in hist
ory will never be forgotten." Enkaro paused. "Computer, halt recording."

  The president scowled and then used his keypad to delete the last two lines. He reread the paragraph once more and then sighed. The doors that served as the entrance to his quarters opened with their customary hhiiissss and Vice President Edmond Brouchard crossed the threshold. He walked to the desk and handed Enkaro a compad.

  "These are the latest security updates from Krael Zar. There are a few minor changes, but nothing of great importance. Everything is as ready as it'll ever be."

  "Thank you." The president took the pad and set it aside without a glance.

  Brouchard lowered his tall, lean frame into a nearby easy chair and folded his arms across his chest. He could see from Enkaro's expression that the president hadn't finished his speech. "You really should let Dynlee do that for you while you get some rest. Things are going to be very hectic once we arrive."

  Enkaro glowered at Brouchard over the top of his terminal screen. "I have had all the rest I need, thank you. And I'm almost finished." But after a few moments he expelled a frustrated sigh and stood. "Maybe you're right. Computer, save this file and exit." He tapped another command into the keypad, transmitting the file to Dynlee's personal computer. The president turned to the viewport and folded his hands behind his back. "I'm really looking forward to this visit, Edmond."

  "I know," the other said dryly, rising to join Enkaro. "You've talked of nothing else for the last two months."

  Skaela laughed softly and nodded. "I just can't believe that it's really happening. There's a part of me that doubted this day would come."

  "I never did," Brouchard replied. "In all the years I've known you, Skaela, you have completed every task you set your mind to, and I have ceased being amazed by your political prowess."

  "And you, sir, have not lost your gift of flattery." Enkaro reached for his tea.

  "I'm being serious. I still can't believe you found enough votes among Parliament to approve your education reform bill. I was certain that would never pass."

  There was a distinct gleam in Enkaro's eyes as he said, "I always get what I want, Edmond, and that includes this election. I intend for my legacy in office to be one that history will never forget." He suddenly winced, and drew a hand to his chest. Brouchard stepped forward, but Enkaro waved him off. "I'm fine. This new heart is still working out some of its kinks."

  Edmond frowned. "I told you you should have brought Doctor M'Itor along."

  The president settled into his chair and exhaled slowly. "You know how the press is. They already have the public thinking that I'm standing at death's door, and I've got a good twenty years left in me. I need to stand strong and proud on this tour, and having my personal physician following my every move is counterproductive." In truth, however, Enkaro was cursing himself for not having M'Itor on board. He'd awoken late last night with some minor pains in his chest, but after a cup of Earl Grey they had passed, and he had no trouble falling back to sleep. Just now, though, the pains had returned and this time they felt stronger, much sharper than last night. He sipped his tea and took several deep breaths, waiting for the trial to pass.

  The vice president was not fooled and he tapped his commlink. "Brouchard to Doctor Guyer."

  "Don't you dare, Edmond!" Enkaro scolded.

  "Guyer, sir. Go ahead."

  "I need you in the President's quarters immediately. Bring your diagnostic kit with you."

  "On my way. Guyer out."

  "This is for your own good, Skaela, and you know it. You've put yourself under a lot of strain working on that damned speech. Maybe if you'd have let Dynlee write it and spent these last few days resting you wouldn't be having those pains."

  Enkaro sighed but said nothing. As usual, Edmond was right. The president had put off writing the speech because of more pressing responsibilities, but he'd promised himself he would work on it during the trip to Exxar-One. However, he hadn't planned for writer's block, and the chest pains were just a symptom of stress, nothing more. The last two years had been particularly difficult for Enkaro, mainly because of election preparations, and after this trip he would be heading to Athq Prime for vacation. Edmond had insisted on the two-week rest period, and had even gone so far as to make sure that Skaela would have no access to a computer of any kind. The most he would be allowed to take with him – besides the usual travel accessories – would be a few selections from his personal library. At first, Enkaro had balked at idea of a vacation, especially just as he was about to launch his campaign for re-election, but as the date grew closer he began to see the wisdom in his vice president's plan. Now he was looking forward to the rest, and couldn't wait for a chance to get caught up on his reading.

  The doors opened and Doctor Guyer entered. He strode briskly to the desk and cleared a space for his medkit. "What's bothering you today, Mister President?"

  "My chest. I'm having some...pains."

  Llaur Rihaad's CMO activated his scanner and walked around the desk. He held the device a few inches from Enkaro's chest. "On a scale of one to ten, how sharp?"

  After a pause, the president said, "Seven."

  "HHhmmmm." Guyer frowned at the readout that appeared on the scanner's display.

  "What's the matter?" Brouchard said, hovering near Guyer's right shoulder.

  The CMO gently pushed Brouchard aside and reached for a hypodermic needle. He selected a vial, checked the label and then filled the hypo. After injecting its contents into Enkaro's arm, he performed the scan once more. "Everything appears normal. Your thyin levels are slightly elevated, indicating stress. I've given you a dose of Merazine to help you relax."

  "I already feel better," Skaela said, reaching for the compad that contained the latest communiqué from Krael Zar.

  The doors opened and Narra, the Interstellar Federation's First Lady, entered. She took one look at Doctor Guyer packing up his medkit, the scowl on Brouchard's face, and her husband reading his compad, and she immediately assumed the worst. Skaela was working himself too hard and had finally done something terminal. "What's going on? Skaela, what's the matter?" She hurried to him, and had Guyer not stepped back when he did she would have pushed him aside.

  "I'm fine, Nar. Just a few chest pains caused by stress. Everything's fine. The doctor has been kind enough to give me a relaxer."

  Narra smiled and patted her husband's hand before she turned to face the CMO. "He's all right?"

  "He's fine," Guyer assured her. "I would also advise taking a nap before we arrive at the station."

  "I will make sure of it," Narra replied. She glanced at Brouchard. "I'm sure that all business regarding this visit has been discussed, rehashed and discussed some more. No details have been omitted, so there's no point to talking about the latest security measures one more time. Please leave so that we may get our rest."

  "Of course," Edmond said, bowing his head to Mrs. Enkaro to show his respect. "I will come for you when we have docked."

  "Thank you, Edmond," Skaela said.

  Doctor Guyer had already departed, and after Brouchard left, Narra faced her husband.

  "Come with me," she said, pulling his gently to his feet. "I see that you've had your tea so you should fall asleep in no time. I could also use a nap after that late lunch. Eseru spoils me with his roast laqq breast."

  "And you spoil me," Skaela murmured before kissing his wife on her cheek.

  Together, they disappeared into the bedroom and didn't wake until Edmond summoned them two hours and forty minutes later.

  ( 3 )

  Gabriel squared his shoulders and adjusted his sash once more. Major Saveck, stoic as ever, waited calmly beside the commodore. Ambassadors Zar and Vorik were positioned to Gabriel's left, and the rest of the senior staff was fanned out behind the quartet. Behind the senior officers was the honor guard, twice as large as the one that had been in place for the ambassadors. Everyone was dressed in his or her best, and Gabriel was mentally reviewing the day's schedule of events as he abs
ently tapped one finger against the side of his leg. He had stayed up late last night, going over every detail of Enkaro's visit one last time, and if it hadn't been for Karri's insistence of an alcohol free dinner, he probably would have passed out at his desk much later than he did.

  Karri had been patient for these last few days, but Marc could see that her tolerance was wearing thin. She'd been waiting in his quarters when he came home, with dinner on the table. She hadn't needed to say anything except to ask how much of the chicken casserole he would like in his first serving, and he caught her meaning loud and clear: he'd been ignoring her since their arrival at Exxar-One. When this was all over, when the Llaur Rihaad was a speck on the galactic horizon, Karri was going to ask The Question.

  Is this relationship going to continue, or are we ending it now?

  The problem wasn't that Gabriel didn't have an answer. He had decided long ago that it was time for him and Karri to part ways. It would be much easier for both of them since the Dauntless wasn't going to remain in the station's spacedock indefinitely, not to mention the fact that the commodore was going to have his plate full for the next several months. No, the problem was much more complicated, and Marc had finally come to a partial realization of why. He didn't want to break up with his girlfriend, and the fact that he couldn't explain to himself why was driving him crazy.

  Hence the late nights and the empty bottles of Scotch.

  Gabriel was fairly certain that he wasn't in love with Karri. He was also certain that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with her, and because of his new command, the situation and politics surrounding Exxar-One, and the aforementioned fact that the Dauntless would be out on patrol for weeks at a time very soon, Marc was sure that ending the relationship on amicable terms made sense. Not only that, Karri understood this as well. It had been part of their initial agreement when they began their affair, and nothing had changed since. Karri wasn't going to be upset or severely emotional after hearing Marc's announcement, and the door would be left open for further "encounters" should the opportunity arise in the future.