by Richard Fox
“This is what I saw on Takeni, one of the last few worlds we Dotok found after our home world was taken by the Xaros. This ship you see was once … ours, one of the many colony ships that set out from our home world hundreds of years ago.” The video rewound to the moment the ship exploded. The image zoomed in, and the outline of a Xaros drone that had survived the explosion was clearly visible.
“We don’t know how, or why, the ship is fighting beside the Xaros. It was intercepted on the edge of our system and destroyed with great cost to our planetary defense forces. Our navy detected more ships—many more—just beyond the edge of our system. This fleet is on course to Takeni, my home. We have but a few days until it arrives.
“My people’s only known colony is on that world. We do not have the time to evacuate them to the colony ships we still have in orbit, nor do we have the capability to open a jump point and get them to safety. I ask that the Alliance send a relief effort to Takeni, save what we can and learn about this new Xaros threat.”
“Ibarra, you’ve never seen this before? Xaros allies?” Valdar asked.
“No. It’s always been just the drones. For thousands of years since this war started, it’s always been the drones,” Stacey said.
“Then why this change?”
Stacey shrugged her shoulders.
“You cannot expect us to risk so much for a minor population center.” A pod rose above the rest and floated toward the dais. Inside was a “man” with short dark hair and a patrician face.
“Here we go,” Stacey said. “That’s the Vishrakath ambassador, an empire of dozens of systems on the edge of the galaxy. And if he’s speaking, that means it’s time to argue.”
“Our numbers on Takeni are few, that is true.” Pa’lon made his way to the edge of the dais, addressing the Vishrakath directly. “If the act of saving so many intelligent beings isn’t enough for you, then consider the intelligence value of what we may learn. The Xaros are a formidable threat. Why would they seek aid?”
“Perhaps the better question is why your species is fighting beside them,” the Vishrakath said.
“We lost our home world to the Xaros. We owe them nothing. There has never been a recorded communication with the Xaros. What we all just witnessed is a fundamental change in the paradigm. Why? Why are the Xaros in need of help?” Pa’lon asked.
“He’s smart, appealing to cold logic of the longer war than the emotion of saving his family,” Stacey said.
“Family? They have such a thing?” Valdar asked.
“The Dotok are mammalian, clan-based. Not that different from us.” Stacey traced a symbol in the air and a picture of Pa’lon and his family inside an adobe home appeared in front of Valdar. The Dotok children were covered in short tan hair; the youngest one in its mother’s arms had white spots running up and down its arms and legs.
“How many … how many children are on that planet?” Valdar’s heart twisted as he recognized the look on Pa’lon’s face, so similar to Valdar’s own emotions from family photos—love.
“Chuck?” Stacey asked.
“There are 97,822 recorded Dotok on the planet Takeni. Recent losses in battle have not been measured,” a neutral voice said from the control panel.
“There’s no way I can fit that many on Breitenfeld,” Valdar said. He looked up. “He said something about a colony fleet. How many ships do they still have? How many can they evacuate?”
“That information is not available,” Chuck said.
“Lafayette, the jump engines can extend their reach beyond my ship, correct? How far into space can it go? Can we take other ships with us?” Valdar asked the Karigole.
“Sir, you can’t be serious,” Lowenn said.
“The energy demands would be enormous, but I could bring two or three more vessels the size of the Breitenfeld through an established wormhole … in theory,” Lafayette said.
“Where’s the microphone in this thing?” Valdar asked.
“Captain,” Lowenn said, “we can’t risk the ship for this. Earth needs it, the crew. The Xaros are coming back, remember?”
“I don’t remember asking you,” Valdar said. “How do I speak to Pa’lon, to them all?”
Stacey’s lips pressed into a thin line. She turned away from her former commander.
“Lowenn’s right. There’s nothing on Takeni that can help Earth. The Dotok can send information back here long enough for us to figure out why that ship was fighting beside the drones,” Stacey said.
“What? You said Pa’lon was the reason any of us are alive. Now you want to just hang him out to dry?”
“I’m being pragmatic, sir. Focus on the long war. If you go to Takeni now and lose everything, Earth will be that much weaker when the Xaros return. If you manage to save some of them, then the Earth gains almost nothing.”
“Pa’lon managed to save an ember of humanity. We can at least try to do the same for him,” Valdar said. “Let me talk to them.”
“I’m going to regret this,” Stacey said. “Chuck, wide address.”
The edge of their pod turned yellow and rose next to the Vishrakath pod.
Stacey nodded to Valdar, who took a deep breath.
“Send us,” Valdar said. The discussion between Pa’lon and the Vishrakath stopped. “I am Captain Isaac Valdar of the Atlantic Union strike carrier Breitenfeld. I lost my family to the Xaros.” The pod rose higher as it spun slowly, looking out across the assembled species of the Alliance. “If there is a chance we can save innocent lives, we will take it. Send my ship to Takeni. We could not save our own families, but we can save those on Takeni.”
“Your ship possesses a jump drive,” the Vishrakath said. “Manufacturing such a device is difficult, time-consuming and worth more to our efforts than every Dotok in this Alliance. What’s more, Earth guards the only Xaros jump gate we could conceivably utilize. Your ship should return to your home world, protect that asset we risked so much to acquire.”
“Billions of humans died so you could get that gate. Who the hell do you think you are to dictate what should happen to something we sacrificed for?” Valdar’s pod rose level to the other ambassador’s. He saw his angry face displayed on the giant hologram and forced himself to calm down.
“This display of yours is precisely why our probe had to trick your species into saving itself. Throwing away resources for something as useless as emotional triggers will not change the projected outcomes in our conflict with the Xaros.” The Vishrakath spun his pod away from Valdar.
“Then you should know why my emotional triggers will tell you where to shove your projected outcomes!”
“Oh god, I’ll never hear the end of this,” Stacey said, her face in her hands.
The Qa’Resh’s human mask formed over the dais.
“We will put the matter to consideration. Given the importance of the Xaros gate on Earth, all ambassadors have the right to vote. Vote for, or against, sending the human ship to Takeni,” she said. Her face vanished.
Two lines, one red and the other green, appeared above the dais. Unique red and green symbols popped under each line as ambassadors cast their votes.
“Each ambassador has their own symbol. We can see who’s with or against us on this,” Stacey said. “Chuck, Earth votes for the motion.” A green wire diagram of Earth added to the tally.
“Steuben?” Stacey asked the Karigole.
“I would be a shame to my namesake if I voted against this mission,” Lafayette said. He spoke in his native language and a circle-of-fire symbol added to the green column.
As more and more symbols came up, the votes in the red column were decisively ahead. A last few votes trickled in, then stopped. The Alliance had voted against the mission by almost two to one.
“We’re asking them to risk their own safety by losing the gate on Earth,” Stacey said. “I’m not surprised by this.” Her head sank to her chest.
“Damn it,” Valdar said. He looked at Pa’lon, on the dais staring up at the tally in
disbelief and horror.
The tally vanished, replaced by the Qa’Resh woman.
“We thank each ambassador for their participation. The mission is approved. Coordinates to Takeni will be sent to the Breitenfeld’s jump AI and she will leave once the engines have recharged,” she said.
Stacey looked up, as shocked as Valdar by the pronouncement.
Pods rose from field. Angry ambassadors converged on the dais, the conversion fields translating each species’ outrage into shaken fists and shouted words that Valdar could comprehend.
The Qa’Resh’s hand waved in front of her face and all the pods but Valdar’s vanished.
“Why?” Pa’lon asked.
“The vote is for consideration, not decision,” the Qa’Resh said. She looked at Valdar and cocked her head slightly. “We believe you can succeed, Captain Valdar. But our support comes with two caveats: you will discover the nature of the Xaros’ allies and return that information to us, and the Breitenfeld’s jump engine will not fall into Xaros hands. Saving civilians is secondary.”
“A captain always goes down with his ship. We will succeed or I will die trying,” Valdar said.
A slight smile cracked across her face.
“We like you. Your determination has done much for us. Perhaps you will save the Dotok and become an inspiration to those species with such a concept. Hurry back to your ship. The Dotok need you. Gott mit uns, Captain Valdar.”
“Gott mit uns,” he said.
The Qa’Resh vanished.
CHAPTER 15
On the great pyramid of Anthalas, Xaros drones circled the apex. Fifty drones formed the first clockwise orbit around the pyramid. The second, counterclockwise orbit was twice that number. Rings of drones stretched beyond the horizon, alternating orbits flying so close that they blacked-out the sky. The General would have nothing less as his honor guard.
The General stood over twenty feet tall, its feet deign to touch the surface as he floated around the apex. Tight links of chain mail made of the same writhing metal as the drones enveloped its humanoid body. His shape was an affectation, a remembrance of its old form when it was constrained by flesh and blood. Red plates of armor hovered over the chain mail, shifting around it. One armor plate was affixed to its chain mail, a blank face mask with two eye slits that glowed with white light.
The General waved its hand over the Shanishol control panel, ephemeral fingers stretching through the armor, caressing the controls. It read the DNA presence of something that should not have been possible, something anomalous: humans.
The presence of a species that should have been extinct was beneath his concern. Such things had happened before during his long march across the galaxy. But their presence combined with the delay …
The General’s body collapsed into a burning star and shot away from Anthalas with a blaze of light. Its beam of light sped toward the system’s Crucible gate and it opened a wormhole harmonic that it thought wouldn’t have been needed until his army stretched from one side of this galaxy to another.
It reformed, floating in a dark abyss. Strands of stars formed around the General as the Keeper brought its consciousness to bear.
You are early. That means you have failed. The Keeper’s words resonated from the growing star field.
“I have not failed. There is an anomaly that we must address with the others. Wake them.”
You have failed to cleanse this galaxy before our arrival. I will not disturb the rest to hear your excuses.
“The eradication of the infestation of all intelligent species remains on schedule. There is an anomaly that could jeopardize everything. I will speak with the others.”
No. If you are contaminated by imperfection, I will not risk exposing them to you. Speak of this anomaly.
An image of Earth came into being beside the General. Recordings of television programs and waveforms from radio broadcasts orbited around the planet.
“My drones scoured this world with little effort not too long ago.” The image changed to show Ceres in its new orbit around Earth with the Crucible. “Acceptable for our needs. The drones built a gate as per their programming. My attention wasn’t required. All reports sent by the planet’s caretakers during the construction were insignificant. The gate should have come online by now … but it hasn’t.”
Stellar activity. Seismic disruption to the world that rendered the planet undesirable. I fail to see the relevance.
“The caretaker presence on an artifact world observed this.” The images changed to show Hale and his team atop the great pyramid, Eagle fighters dogfighting with the Toth and crystal-clear images of the Breitenfeld. “The ship matches others the humans had when we cleansed their planet. They never attempted to colonize other stars. There is only one possible way that ship was on the artifact world: the humans must have captured Earth’s star gate before it was completed.”
You bring me conjecture. I require facts.
“The speed of light is a constant and a constraint. The nearest gate won’t receive the final caretaker transmissions from Earth for years. One fact you should have grasped is that when the humans left the artifact world, they did not use our gate. They have jump drives that rip a whole in the fabric of space time. Jump drives that can cause the same disaster that drove us here in the first place.”
The Keeper remained silent. The star field it chose to represent its intelligence wavered as it ran calculations.
There was no indication of this capability when your army cleansed the infested world?
“None. They were primitives.”
They must have help.
“Yes. What’s more, the humans took something from the artifact world. Something that might have aided our final objective.” Drone footage of the sphere merging into Yarrow played, then cut as a quadrium round knocked the drone offline. “The artifact world held an intelligence unknown to us, a remnant of an ascended species.”
You knew this but you did nothing more to secure it? Stars around the General burst into supernovae as the Keeper’s anger grew.
“My role is to cleanse this galaxy, not pick through the ashes. Do not be so fixated on base matters, Keeper. The humans are an anomaly, one I wish to erase now. Awaken the Engineer. I require our jump gate technology. One jump of enough drones and the anomaly will be removed.”
No.
“The risk is minimal.” Light flared from the General’s eye sockets as his patience waned.
No. The risk exists. The technology is forbidden. Handle the anomaly within your means.
“If I send drones to Earth from the nearest gate right now, it will be some time before they even arrive.”
I am pleased to know you are capable of carrying out your function. Do not return until this matter is resolved.
The Keeper’s star field pulled away, leaving the General in darkness.
The General raised a finger, and a star map of the Milky Way galaxy appeared before him. Most of its drones were on the leading edge of the cleansing tide, but it kept a sizable reserve at the star system where the Keeper and the sleepers would finally arrive. He directed a force of three hundred million drones through the Crucible gate system to a world the humans called Bernard’s Star.
The invasion force would build him a command vessel, then set off to Earth. He would be there to grind the humans into extinction.
CHAPTER 16
A Toth command shuttle, the same that nearly collided with Durand’s fighter on Anthalas, burst through a wormhole. Scorch marks from Xaros beams scarred its surface and its remaining engine flared out as fuel lines ruptured.
The overseer within the shuttle would have sighed in relief, if he still had lungs. He sent a distress signal and waited for the nearest Toth ship to come to his rescue.
The shuttle tumbled through space as the Toth home world came into view over and over again. The opal blue oceans filled ancient impact craters, each ringed by Toth cities that spread from the coastlines like an infection emanating
from an untreated wound. The Band, the space station that circled the entire equator, was as busy as ever, creating new warships for the Toth fleet, receiving and processing raw material from the far reaches of the system.
A rune flashed on the overseer’s control panel, a transmission from an overseer from a much weaker, and poorer, corporation. The overseer didn’t answer the hail, letting the insult of not even bothering to reject the call hit home.
He may not have returned with the Omnium as contracted, but he hadn’t returned empty-handed.
A new hail came in, one of the overseers that backed the expedition. Now he was being treated with respect. A mechanical arm attached to his tank opened a channel.
“Kren,” the other overseer addressed him without mentioning his corporate rank, a mark of contempt, “you left with a much larger ship. Explain.”
“Greetings, Stix. There were some Xaros complications on Anthalas. I’m afraid we’ll have to write off the cruiser as the cost of doing business,” Kren said.
“Unacceptable.” Kren heard the new voice, and the nerves within his tank coiled together in fear. “You assured the board that you could recover the Shanishol's Omnium technology without Xaros detection. You put up the bond. Consider it forfeit.”
The controls on his ship were overridden and a hologram of five overseers filled his escape pod, each with tanks more ornate and elaborate than Kren’s. The tank in the middle was covered in filigreed platinum and embossed with precious gems. The overseer inside twisted, no doubt anticipating just which of Kren’s corporate holdings it would plunder first. The Chairman would go for his clone banks first; she’d grown hungrier and hungrier as age left her remaining body parched for fresh minds to consume.
“Wait … wait, Chairman Ranik. I’ve brought back something potentially more valuable than the Omnium. Something that will make us all richer than Doctor Mentiq and all the pleasures he keeps on his glorious world. Look at this,” Kren said as he opened a freezer unit in the wall of his shuttle, revealing the body of Lieutenant Bartlett.