An Empire is Born (Maraukian War Book 3)

by Michael Chatfield

  Distractions cost lives and he needed his people focused.

  On the VCF Osdal, the troopers had a chance to think about their future if they were to become mergers.

  This was why many of them, even if they had passed the general selection, were hesitant to make the final step.

  Mark looked at them all. “Follow me.” He walked away.

  All followed him to the medical facility.

  The mergers all stood between the different nanite vats while the candidates moved to the nanite vats.

  “Once you enter the nanites vats, you will be rendered unconscious. This is to make sure that there are no complications with becoming mergers.

  “We will start to turn you into the merger, altering your brain and your biological systems. Then, once the main component is completed, it will be up to you to decide the upgrades that you want to add to your body.

  “You will have a greater access to knowledge and the different ways that we have altered our bodies as a template. It will not be a slow process and it can take a few days to be completed,” Mark said.

  Someone raised their hand.

  “Jones?” Mark pointed to them.

  “Sir, I thought that the people on the engineering team and Captain Chen were good after just a couple of hours?”

  “This is because they did not go through a full transformation right away. Instead of changing their body in one go, their nanites are slowly changing their body part by part until they can become full mergers. Instead of taking days, it will take months, but it will cost less resources. They don’t need the heavy-duty upgrades to their body and internal systems that mergers need. For them, the increased speed at which they can access and assimilate information is all that they required,” Mark said.

  Jones nodded in understanding.

  “Any more questions?” Mark asked.

  No one seemed to have anything else that they wanted to say.

  “Very well. Samples will be taken from you all, in case in the future you want to, say, have children, then it will be possible for you to do so. Of course, this is optional, but I suggest you do it, even if you never use it,” Ava said.

  The others nodded as Mark sent a covert look over to her, wondering what might have happened on the family front if they weren’t both mergers.

  Their relationship was still complicated but Mark knew that his walls and defenses against her continued advances and actions were falling.

  It might not be official but she treated him as if they were already going out. Although he might protest out loud, they both knew that he didn’t mean it.

  All of the candidates agreed before they got into the nanite vats. The mercury-like liquid, which was millions of nanites, covered them as they were sent into an induced coma.

  “Time we started,” Mark said.

  Each of the mergers took one nanite vat and started to work on the person inside. It took a few hours before they were able to finish with the first person. The different mergers started to wake up and then go through with changing their own bodies.

  The mergers had already moved to the three candidates who they hadn’t been able to work on before.

  By the end of the day, the mergers watched over the fourteen vats where nanites swirled around and moved rapidly as the mergers inside went to work.

  Mark looked over the next generation of mergers. With it, they would double their numbers and they could start building up the Vanguard.

  Still, there was three weeks of training to throw them through and they would need to make their own armor. It was too costly or time-consuming for the fabbers or the other people in the VCF Osdal to make.

  Otherwise, they would need to make them in the Yard and as they were already so busy, that would be impossible. No, this was something they could do, and would be helpful for them to learn.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The Yard

  Ark Orbit, Emarl System

  12/3555

  Esamai’s almost daily talk with Jerome had been put to one side for now. She tucked Tyler away in a carry cot at the edge of the room. He slept well after his mid-day feeds and this was her time to get things done. To manage the Yard and to sort through the daily tasks. She sat in the large comfortable chair and read over all the reports. She’d been very pleased with the outcome of everyone working together. Even if it was taking awhile to get them all on the same path and toward them in Emarl, it was coming together and it showed more so now. She’d been glad that, although it hadn’t been the main purpose of the buoy system to relay messages, it had certainly come into its own now.

  The eight different Skill Schools were underway. Using the students to help build the place allowed them hands-on training right away and to work with a team of people from all over Tricticus. It would still be a number of months until people were ready to move onto intern jobs with the different locations in space, from the Yard, station to mining operations. The more people they could get trained, the more they could teach and the cycle would be ongoing.

  A few really bright minds were shining through and teachers noted several names on their radars for various tasks. So long as everyone passed, their prospects within the company were good. Esamai liked this more than anything: the fact people could learn, and make themselves and their families better. Not once had she ever turned anyone away, even if finding them a job had been harder on her.

  A couple of pings alerted her. It was time. She moved her chair to the center of the room and clicked Accept. This had taken some organization too, but one by one, the faces that joined her in the room smiled.

  A meeting of all the core leaders. “Good to see you all today.”

  “How’s the streams looking?”

  Quickly she checked each was on the same length and that there were no major delays. “We’re all looking good.”

  The men around the room before her were the VCF’s most influential leaders, though she knew their new system for picking out those right for the job would eventually kick in: Hall, Mark, Nerva, Ortiz. Moretti, she knew, was watching over them all. And a few new faces she’d not seen before. There was a tag over one she didn’t outright know, Cilo Farus. His position made her do a double take. He was bringing up the Aegean Gardens from the Hellenic systems. Quickly accessing the main details, she smiled. That kind of station held a lot of interest for her, filled with retired legionnaires and their families. She planned to get better acquainted with Farus as soon as possible. Retired or not, the legionnaires on there would make excellent teachers.

  Mark coughed and all eyes looked to him.

  “We’re in constant contact. This is more to voice opinions and thoughts than anything. Our lines are secure and your opinions matter.”

  Esamai listened carefully as each of them gave their report to Mark, and then he dished out orders to what their next steps to be. She was here just to catch up, and listen if plans had changed.

  General Ortiz and the other freighters were close enough now that they would be waking up the EMF ships in the next month. This would be interesting. These men and women were asleep, completely unaware that their world had grown a thousand times or that the threats they now faced were so much deadlier.

  However, Esamai had seen and heard about them from Jerome and Mark and believed these troopers would choose the right path.

  The first to waken would be by Ortiz himself, the EMFC Doomsday, and from there, he hoped the influence of himself, Nerva, and Mark would be enough to sway the thoughts and actions of the others. This imminent task was the most important. Esamai knew Jerome downplayed this to her a lot. But the truth of the matter was they needed those troopers.

  When the men in the room had finished with their exchange of positions and their forward movement, Mark turned to her. “Please, Esamai, report for the Yard.”

  Esamai knew that Jerome had been hearing her talking about the projects, but this was her first face-to-face.

  “Group one is doing well. Fabber productio
n is up 50% and they’re looking into ways to improve those numbers. Group two is in full production—got a whole lot of full sets of armor and weapons completed. Group three is moving on with producing Gorgon tanks and group four with the new fighters and drones. Group five is struggling the most. They’re working on freighters. All five groups are reporting we’re running low on resources, need more fabbers to produce, so we’re pulling all that we can together and buying in materials as we can.”

  Mark nodded. Everyone was working beyond their job descriptions. “Thank you, Esamai.”

  Jerome spoke next, his gaze never leaving hers. His words struck home. “I want to talk some more about what can go wrong.”

  When she looked to Mark, she thought she noticed his eye twitch. But she could see that Jerome needed to say this.

  “We’re all focused on these tasks, for this mission to be ready and we will be. But the Maraukians have already proved that they’re jumping the gun, so to speak. The Ramesh system is the latest to take that hit. According to our good friend Mr. Moretti,” he gave him a nod, “the legate from that planet is in defense and so far, the system is holding.”

  Esamai could see Mark’s questions, yet he let Jerome carry on.

  “The point is at the moment we’re spread very thin. It will be another few months before we’re all together and these plans have fortified. Predict what could go wrong and we’ll conquer that as well, but without that forethought…” He let his thoughts trail off.

  It was only a minute before Mark spoke.

  “Jerome’s right. Let’s ask one of Charles’s people to start some predictive movements. Over the years, the Maraukians have seemed to hit randomly, but we know they’ve something behind them. I think with what they’re already pooling together, by studying them, we’ll have enough to see their real patterns, alongside that from the legion.” Mark glanced to Nerva and Farus, who agreed.

  “The information is all there. He should be able to work with it. Anything new I’ll send over as soon as we get it.”

  Esamai had thought for one brief moment how much easier it might be to manage everything as a merger. Then, no sooner had the thought crossed her mind, had she pushed it back. Tyler’s gurgling drew her attention.

  “All right, looks like we’ve covered everything. If there are no more questions, I think we’re done here.” Mark looked around. No one said anything for some time.

  “Good day.” Mark cut the channel as the faces disappeared.

  Esamai moved over to Tyler, who was starting to move around again.

  “Jerome is requesting a channel with you,” Esamai’s NIAI said.

  “Connect him,” Esamai said.

  Jerome’s official bearing was gone as a gentle smile appeared on his face, looking at Esamai and Tyler. “He’s growing,” Jerome said softly.

  Esamai turned to him, her emotions showing for the first time. Meetings aside, now it was her time. She moved to the vid screen and, tugging the blankets aside, showed Tyler’s little face off more. “He’s just like you,” she said. “Soon as he’s eaten, he just wants to sleep.”

  “Are you doing okay?”

  She met his eyes with hers. “I miss you, and I’m more than sure Tyler wants to get to know you.” Watching her husband’s reaction to those words alone hurt. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “I…” Jerome reached out. “I had to go. I know you understand that. I can’t wait to see you both again.”

  Esamai smiled. She knew all of his decisions were not made lightly. “I am worried for our future, but I won’t be as worried with you by my side.”

  “I love you.” He placed his fingers to his lips and blew her a kiss. “I’ll be with you soon. We all will be.”

  Esamai blew him a reciprocal kiss. “We both love you.” Then she winked. “Does that mean we can have a party?”

  Jerome chuckled. “Anything that makes you happy.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  VCF Osdal

  In Transit to Emarl System

  12/3555

  Jerome signed off from Esamai with a heavy heart. Seeing his son that much bigger was killing him on the inside. His hands curled into fists before he let out a frustrated sigh and let them relax again.

  He had stood beside Mark through it all. From battles on Sacremon to Indalia, they had shed blood together, lost too many people, lost Tyler and Alexis. Jerome thought he’d even lost Mark for some time.

  When he saw him, he thought that he would just go back to being a trooper, but now—now he didn’t know. His home, his family life was just passing him by. These were the times he should be with his wife and son. Jerome’s heart ached, and nothing he was doing here was helping.

  The biggest thought that Jerome was having at the moment was all those what-ifs: What if anything cropped up now? What if Emarl got attacked? What if another system near them got attacked? What if they went to attack the place where the Maraukians command signals were coming from? What if he didn’t make it back? Tyler would grow up without his father.

  “I don’t think I can do that. I’ll defend my home, but if I’m fighting somewhere else, my mind is going to be focused on back home. Then I’m just a danger to the troopers around me,” Jerome said aloud.

  It felt as if a pressure left him as he’d finally been able to make a decision that had been plaguing him for so long.

  Jerome stood and moved to find Mark. He would probably be with Ava, going over their latest plans. Jerome winced. He’d known Ava for only a short span of time but come to respect the princess of Crisidium. She was not only strong but an amazing warrior, a perfect match for Mark if ever there was one. Yet, he’d also seen how much Mark pushed her away. It stung for him to know his brother forcefully pushed away a woman who was willing to accept him and all of his flaws, and that he, too, wanted to be with her, but his history stopped him.

  Jerome knew that most of the women Mark had been with had betrayed him in some way, or died. The last woman he thought he might have a chance with was killed on Osdal. After that, he didn’t let anyone get too close.

  Jerome was about to knock on the door when Mark opened it from the inside.

  “Come on in.”

  Jerome hesitated for a split second before he entered Mark’s office.

  Mark was also training the upcoming merger candidates at the same time, so he would only come out of the simulation for a short period of time before jumping back in to watch over their progress.

  Any time outside the simulation was precious and it wasn’t to be wasted. Though he would always make time for Jerome if he needed it.

  ***

  “What do you need, or were you trying to raid my Coheleans?” Mark laughed.

  Jerome smiled, but it was weak and tense.

  Mark waited, knowing that whatever Jerome was thinking wasn’t simple. A few moments passed before Mark couldn’t take it. “Will you just spit it out?”

  “You know I’ve always got your back, right?”

  “Yeah, of course.” Mark nodded.

  “I’m not a fighter anymore,” Jerome finally admitted. “Hearing you were in dire straits on Indalia tore at me. To only just get you back and then lose you again—I couldn’t do it. I had to be there to get you out safely. We all did.”

  Mark could see the pain on Jerome’s face, and he knew the decision that was coming for him would change his life forever. But even in their meeting today, he’d seen the way his friend had watched and looked over at his wife. It was a meeting that he wouldn’t forget due to Jerome’s words, but also the underlying facts with them. She wasn’t just looking out for all of them; she was also doing all the extra work to protect Jerome and baby Tyler.

  Jerome took a few moments before continuing. “Tyler’s growing.”

  Mark felt the emotions, the pressure that Jerome had been under for the last couple of months.

  “Tyler’s growing, and I’m missing it. I’m missing the early stages of his life because of war.
I can’t do this”—Jerome waved his hand around the office—“anymore. When we reach Emarl, I’m staying.”

  Jerome seemed to wither and look at his hands, unable to meet Mark’s eyes.

  Mark didn’t say anything but stood and walked over to Jerome, patting him on the shoulder. “Don’t lower your head. This is your life and your decision. You have to do what is best for you. That is what I said four months ago and that’s what I mean,” Mark said, comforting his friend.

  Jerome seemed to agree partly but he didn’t raise his head, feeling as if he had stabbed his brother in the back.

  Instead, Mark was relieved. He could take on all the hell if he knew there was someone he could protect. When he joined the EMF, he had taken the pain so that Tyler might be safe, but in the end, he hadn’t been able to keep him alive.

  Jerome had a family, he had a place, and Mark didn’t want some sense of guilt or imagined debt pulling Jerome into this fight.

  “The decision is yours. You’ve a future, a life. You need to make the most of it.”

  Jerome stood so that Mark wasn’t towering over him. The two of them locked eyes, their emotions all tangled up as they looked at each other, brothers through thick and thin.

  “I won’t stop worrying over you, or the others. They need you just as much as I do. Esamai needs help. The Yard and everything in the Emarl system is growing so fast. Doing that and raising a son—she’s doing it now but I can see she’s pushing herself beyond her limits.”

  “Jerome, you don’t have to defend it to me. I understand and I acknowledge that this is something that you have to do and I respect your decision,” Mark said, reassuring him.

  Jerome seemed to deflate, as if hearing just the thing he needed to. “If you’re going to listen to the one other thing I have to say, let it be, don’t miss what’s right in front of your eyes. Listen to me, Mark. You have something right here that’s beyond most guys’ understanding. You have one of the most amazing women I’ve ever known at your side. Don’t let that slip away.”