Twilight of the Gods (Universe in Flames Book 8)

by Christian Kallias

  Kvasir made a throaty noise and Chase started to worry when he spoke.

  “Thor, letting them use the Mjölnir’s hyperspace corridor isn’t against regulations; you could get us to Droxia in a fraction of the normal time.”

  Only the tattoos around Thor’s eyes lit up brightly at the sound of Kvasir’s voice.

  “Very well, but you’re slowly running out of favors, I hope you know that.”

  Kvasir nodded and looked down.

  “If that is all Cap—” Thor corrected himself. “Chase, I’ll be waiting for your transmission when you’re ready to leave. My fleet will open a large enough hyperspace corridor to encompass your entire fleet so you can get to Droxia faster.”

  “Thank you, Thor. Out of curiosity, how fast would that be?”

  “From the moment we enter the corridor, less than an hour. We could get there slightly faster should you like me to treat this jump as urgent.”

  Chase’s purple eyes involuntary flashed. “As a matter of fact—”

  “About forty minutes then.”

  2

  Shortly after Thor teleported back to his ship and the fleet jumped to hyperspace, Daniel entered Chase’s ready room.

  “Impressive stuff that Asgard hyperspace technology,” said Daniel pointing toward the beautiful yellow and green light show happening outside the ship.

  “It sure is,” said Chase semi-absently.

  “Are you okay?”

  “No, far from it. I can’t believe Adonis is gone. We don’t even have time for a proper burial.”

  “That’s pretty much what our lives have been lately. Always extinguishing fires, never having time to stop, contemplate and regroup. I’m sorry though, I know how much he meant to you.”

  Chase nodded. “I think it’s my fault.”

  “I seriously doubt that.”

  “I’ve been replaying that entire day in my head just now—”

  “And?”

  “And if I hadn’t defied Admiral Zenakis, maybe things would have turned out better.”

  “And maybe they wouldn’t have. Plus that Admiral is an asshole; he abandoned us in the middle of the battle just because you defied his command, a command you had given him as a sign of good faith in hoping to build on a relationship. If you ask me, it’s a shame his second in command didn’t execute him for treason.”

  “Isn’t that a little harsh?”

  “I don’t think it is. If the positions had been reversed, he’d have done it to you.”

  “Of that I have no doubt, but we’re better than that. At least I hope we are.”

  Daniel stayed silent, not sure he needed to add anything. Eventually, when he saw Chase wasn’t going to add anything, he continued.

  “But you’ll be fine, right?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I just hate myself for not being able to save him.”

  “Don’t do that to yourself, Chase. You can’t be responsible for every living being, even though I know that’s how you feel most of the time. This is a war none of us ever wanted, and we’re right in the middle of it, and as sad as I am by the loss of Saroudis, in war there are casualties. Nothing we can do about it. He and the entire crew of the Destiny are neither the first nor the last people to lose their lives. We’ve lost thousands of souls defeating Gaia 2. Even the Olympians had some casualties.”

  Chase was all too aware of that, and as much as he tried to keep a straight face, he couldn’t help but frown.

  “I— I don’t know what to tell his wife and daughter. I’ve been trying to draft a holo-message, even though nothing I say will matter. They’ve lost him forever.”

  “No message to the relative of a fallen soldier is supposed to convey anything but grief. But he was a great, courageous man and his sacrifice ensured that Earth and billions of lives were spared. At first it won’t be a comfort to them, but they’ll at least be proud of him. Like we are.”

  Chase swiped a forming tear from the corner of his eye before it could fall down his cheek.

  “Perhaps I should talk to them in person.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea; let me do it.”

  “Why?”

  “They haven’t met you, Chase, and perhaps they’ll blame you, especially Alexandra. I know her a little; we had a long chat on Alpha Prime—” Daniel stopped and looked pensive for a moment. “That feels like a long time ago, even though it wasn’t. We don’t have time for life stuff anymore now, do we? It’s one emergency after another, and today doesn’t look any different.”

  “That’s for sure, and yes, the days ahead are shaping to be busy and dangerous.”

  “Business as usual, then.”

  Chase chuckled.

  “Thanks, bro.”

  Daniel winked. “Anytime.”

  CHASE WAS on the observation deck, lost in deep thought as he gazed outside of the ship. The Asgardian hyperspace corridor looked even more mesmerizing than the ones from the Earth Alliance. Chase was so engrossed in the lightshow and his own thoughts that he barely heard Oryn approach.

  “You wanted to see me?”

  “Yes, thank you for coming.”

  “You looked as if you were in some sort of a trance. Is everything alright?”

  “Nothing to worry about; I find hyperspace calming and it usually helps me meditate.”

  Oryn looked out the viewport as well. It didn’t have the same effect on her as it did Chase, but she had to admit it was a pretty sight.

  “I see. What can I help you with? I suppose you’d like my help when we arrive at Droxia? I’m not really sure how I feel fighting my own kind just yet.”

  “Not exactly, hopefully we have enough of a fleet to repel the Furies. Information on the situation is scarce so I’m not even sure there will be physical engagement of any kind, though we never know. But I’ve got this covered with Argos and my son. However, since we still have a few minutes before we enter Droxia’s orbit, I thought you and I should visit your real father.”

  Oryn’s eyes flashed blue for a second before she lowered her gaze.

  “Is there a problem, Oryn?”

  “I— I just don’t know what I’m going to say to him.”

  “I understand how you feel, but right now this might be the only time we have left— well before things might escalate quickly, and I promised Zeus I’d bring you to him. Perhaps then he could lend us more ships too.”

  “What does one thing have to do with the other?”

  Chase scratched the back of his head.

  “Well— Zeus’ condition to enter the war as a full-fledged ally was for me to bring him back his lost daughter.”

  Oryn blinked rapidly. Before she could say anything, Chase continued.

  “I know how it looks, and I won’t lie to you, the reason I wanted to get through to you was mostly to get Zeus’ support. But I’m really glad to have you as an ally, now.”

  “Let’s make one thing clear, though. I’m not fully defecting just yet. Right now I’m fighting to get back at Arakan for what he did to my mother. When this is taken care of, when his heart stops beating inside my hand, we may go our separate ways.”

  Chase didn’t like the sound of that. But right now he had accomplished his primary objective and receiving the entire Olympian support in the war against the Furies was more important than a single Fury ally. Though he had to admit he was starting to like Oryn more and more now that they weren’t trying to kill one another at every turn.

  “Right. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  Oryn raised an eyebrow.

  “That’s a human saying; it means we’ll deal with that when the time comes. Shall we go?”

  Chase could see reluctance written all over her face but eventually she nodded in agreement. He put his hand on her shoulder and they teleported away.

  A LOW-RANK FURY whose name Arakan didn’t even care to memorize came to report on the beginning of the attack on Droxia. As expected, the overwhelming forces the Supreme Commander
of the Fury had sent were well on their way to burst through their defenses and the world should fall within the hour. Arakan had given the fleet’s admiral orders to destroy both ships and inhabitants. It was time the Fury’s return into the universe was felt and for fear to strike at the hearts of everyone who would dare oppose them.

  “I don’t understand why you are fixated on destroying this world. It offers very little strategic value,” said the shadowy character once the Fury foot soldier left.

  “I thought we agreed that you’d stop pestering me when you disagree with my plans. I’m not your puppet. As for the strategy, you’re wrong. Cutting the Alliance’s main supply of quadrinium is a sound move, one that will slow down their current expansion in terms of fleet power.”

  “That was true when the Obsidian weren’t fully committed to their part in the Alliance. Now that they are, the quadrinium can be obtained from them.”

  “Yes, but they’ll have to split their stockpile and try to re-establish new routes to deliver them. Now go away.”

  “Your pride blinds you, my old friend.”

  Arakan rose from his throne and pointed an accusing finger at the shadow. “Let’s make one thing clear: we’re not friends!”

  “You’re pissed because your daughter betrayed you, and that’s understandable.”

  “We don’t know that just yet.”

  “Perhaps you don’t, but my spies tell me otherwise.”

  “What spies? You’re a figment of my imagination; one I wish I could make go away.”

  “Believe what you will, and if my presence really upsets you, why don’t you drink from your precious drug and make me go away? It seems to dull you in the process, like a cattle animal ready to be slaughtered, which is what will happen to you if you don’t start to heed my advice.”

  “Silence!”

  Arakan’s rage boiled into a moment of madness, and he fired a huge fireball at the shadow, who didn’t even try to dodge it. The energy-based attack went through him as it would a hologram, before destroying three quarters of a wall behind it.

  The shadow shook its head. “There, there now. Is that any way to reward me for only having your best interests at heart?”

  “I do not know what you’re up to, but I don’t think my interests are your main priority. Perhaps they serve a purpose for now, but I’m not a fool, you know? If you’re real, and I must stress out the if, then like everyone in this wretched universe, you’re doing this to further your own agenda.”

  “Think what you will, Supreme Commander,” said the shadow with no small amount of sarcasm, “but you’d be wise to listen to me before it’s too late. There’s so much I can do to protect you from your own paranoia.”

  “I don’t need your protection. As the Droxians are about to find out, and then the rest of the universe: nobody can stop me!”

  “Very well, your ego is obviously in command at the moment, and like everyone else before you, you’ll soon discover that it will cost you dearly. Pride is not something a leader should embrace blindly.”

  Arakan shot a deadly look toward the shadow before turning his back and returning to his throne. He had enough of this apparition. At first it kept him company, but over the last few days Arakan simply was fed up in having to explain his every move.

  “YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?” exclaimed Argos.

  Cedric tried his most charming smile, even though he doubted that would work with Argos.

  “I’d like you to build me a clone of Spiros, but ideally one that’s just a shell. We have Spiros’ consciousness stored in this,” said Cedric showing the old spherical tech Ryonna had brought back from the asteroid base.

  “Let me get this straight; somehow you’ve managed to save a living consciousness to a technological device. That sounds an awful lot like an AI to me. I thought the plan was to get rid of all of them, not keep building more.”

  “Gaia assured us that once the transfer is reversed, he will be 100% biological. He won’t be another AI. That’s why I came to see you. If we uploaded his consciousness into a machine, then we would not have that conundrum about creating yet another AI.”

  “I don’t understand why Chase hasn’t reduced that tin can into recycling yet.”

  “That’s because you have very little patience. If it wasn’t for Gaia—”

  Argos slashed two fingers in the air and pointed them an inch away from Cedric’s face.

  “Don’t you dare finish that sentence. I don’t care what good the tin can has done. We almost lost everything because her backup alter ego wanted to control Earth and probably the universe after that. We came within two inches from losing it all because of her existence. The only logical thing to do is to destroy the last of Gaia and be done with it. And I don’t understand why we even have to debate this; the damn thing wants that fate for herself.”

  “Be that as it may, I think Chase isn’t ready just yet.”

  “I am! Just tell me where she is and I’ll send her to the electronic equivalent of heaven. Won’t take long either.”

  “Not without Chase’s permission.”

  “Yeah, speaking of that—”

  Cedric swallowed hard.

  “What about it?” he said, his voice almost trembling.

  “Was Chase informed of this?”

  “He’s kinda busy, but I have his full support. I know he will say yes.”

  “What you know is of no consequence as far as I’m concerned. Get his okay first and come back to me then.”

  “We can’t wait.”

  Argos’ face stiffened.

  “Why not?”

  “We’ve detected a data leak from that tech,” said Cedric pointing to the sphere. “I tried seeing Chase a minute ago and he’s no longer on the ship.”

  “He must have gone to Olympus. I guess you’re going to have to be patient.”

  “You don’t understand. So far the redundancy algorithm is keeping the data from being scrambled, but in a few hours, Spiros will be gone.”

  “He’s already gone!”

  “No! Not if we act fast, Argos, please!”

  Argos exhaled deeply and stared intensely at the relatively small human. Since it didn’t look like Argos was about to say anything, Cedric insisted.

  “Look, I suppose you can’t make a clone in minutes.”

  “That’s for sure.”

  “So the sooner you start the better chances we have to be ready by the time it’s time to transfer Spiros’ consciousness into the clone body. How fast can you build him a clone?”

  “It takes days.”

  “That’s too long—”

  “Tough luck then.”

  “Can’t you make one faster, even with side effects?”

  Argos cracked his knuckles, which made Cedric take a step back.

  “This doesn’t have to turn violent,” said Cedric in fear.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, fool. Snapping a finger is all I would require to repaint this room with your innards.”

  That didn’t seem to reassure Cedric in the least. “Okay—”

  “Look, it may be possible to make a clone in a few hours, but its genetic makeup won’t last long. He might only end up living a few days, and when its DNA starts unfolding at the seams, it will result in an extremely painful death.”

  “Can’t you just build two clones, one in accelerated mode and one the right way? You’d have the good clone ready for another consciousness transfer before the fast-grown clone bites the dust.”

  “I suppose that could work. But listen to me well little man; I won’t allow you access to the clones without my brother’s full endorsement of your ludicrous attempt to save an old fart that I’m not sure deserves to breathe one more day.”

  “He’s the one who upgraded the weapons on our ships, the reason why we can now obliterate those monstrosities of behemoth class Zarlacks and why we can hold our own against the Furies. He deserves that we try at least.”

  “That’s your problem; as far as I’m
concerned, we already have that technology.”

  “Look, Chase will back me up,” said Cedric taking two affirmative steps toward Argos, trying to appear confident and somewhat in charge.

  Argos smirked. “Growing a pair, that’s good. Just remember, one snap of my fingers.”

  “You wouldn’t dare. Chase would kill you if you hurt me.”

  Argos chuckled. “I have no doubt he would. Now go away, little man; I’ll grow your clones, but you better not be wasting my time with this. I’ve got training to do.”

  Something in Cedric’s eyes sparkled.

  “Then it’s in your best interest to bring him back.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Spiros is the one who created the training facility with the graviton engine allowing you Furies to train at high gravity levels. Before things went to overdrive, he was working on a contained black hole mod to push the training to a whole new level. But he never finalized it. Thanks to you though, he could. I’m sure you’d love to be able to power up and lower the gap in powers you currently have with Chase.”

  For a moment Cedric wondered if he had gone too far. Even though Argos was on their side he still had a temper.

  “What part of ‘I’m going to grow your damn clones’ didn’t you understand? Now get out of here before I change my mind.”

  WHEN ORYN and Chase materialized in Zeus’ temple, Zeus rose from his throne with a mixed expression of surprise and relief. He took a few hurried steps toward them but slowed his pace when he saw hesitation in Oryn’s eyes.

  “You have no idea how glad I am to see you,” said Zeus.

  “I would say the same but, don’t get me wrong, I still haven’t fully accepted the fact that I’m your daughter.”

  Chase stayed silent.

  “That’s understandable. And we have a lot to talk about.”

  “I’m not sure we can stay for a lifetime session of catching up, though.”

  Zeus didn’t insist, and for the first time since their arrival, he looked at Chase.

  “Thank you for bringing her back to me.”

  Chase nodded. “We’ve lost a few of your ships and people.”