Last of the Chosen (Spirit of Empire, Book One)

by Lawrence P White

  Her words took a moment to sink in. “You mean . . . a coup?” he asked with a gulp.

  “Yes. A disgusting word, is it not?”

  “Maybe, maybe not. Empires sometimes get what they deserve.” He rose to face the woman and the cat. “I would assume both of you represent the Empire and stand to lose everything, but emperors and empires are often corrupt and deserving of what they get. In other words, rebellions can be legitimate.”

  Daughter bit her lip. “Agreed. This one is not, but I cannot prove it to you. I will tell you, though, that rule by the Royal Family is the choice of all represented governments. The Empire is well managed, and reasonable prosperity prevails throughout. Otis, can you add anything?”

  “My people support the Empire, Mike.” He paused before adding, “To the death.” He paused again to let the words sink in, then continued. “The Empire represents fairness, at least the most fairness that can be achieved among such a diverse group of peoples. That fairness is assured by and through the Royal Family, and only them. Without the intervention of the Royal Family, my people would no longer exist. Our story is long; let me just say that because of what the Royal Family did for us thousands of years ago, we Protectors and Guardians have dedicated our lives to their protection and the protection of the Empire. Just as you trusted me in our fight against the Chessori, you can trust me in this. Rule by the Royal Family in conjunction with representative government, our Imperial Senate, forms the basis of our Empire and is the best system of government our civilization has come up with. It works.

  “Speaking for the common folk of the Empire, I tell you that if there has, in fact, been a coup, its leaders will have to force their will upon us, and they will fail. The Empire will cease to exist, chaos will reign, and there will be more suffering than you can possibly imagine.”

  Mike shrugged. “If these people can’t force their will upon your empire, they’ll just be thrown out, and the Royal Family will be reinstated.”

  “If there’s a Royal Family left to reinstate,” Otis answered grimly.

  “Mike,” Daughter said, taking control of the conversation again, “the Royal Family has been in power for many centuries. Not because they hold all the power or all the wealth, but because the people wish them to rule. The Royal Family enforces peace and prosperity through the rules of law established by the Imperial Senate. Our entire lives are dedicated to helping member races maintain the highest possible level of civilization. That is not to say the galaxy is a peaceful place; it is not, which is why we have armed ships and Protectors. But with the Royal Family at the helm, the galaxy is more peaceful than any other system we have so far devised. If a coup has indeed been attempted, the single most important step would be to remove the Royal Family from power. The only way to do that is to kill them. To kill all of them,” she spat out angrily, her lower lip trembling. She wiped at a tear, demanding, “Do you follow so far?”

  “I guess so. It makes sense if the family is so loved.”

  “Do not confuse love with need,” she said, lifting her chin in defiance. “The Royal Family is not loved. The Family remains royal only because some of its members are born with certain traits, certain gifts that our people desire in their leadership, traits that have not surfaced elsewhere. Not only is it not loved, the Family is in constant danger. The Protectors have purpose.”

  “So what does all this have to do with us, with me?” Mike asked. “What is it this Empire needs from me?”

  “Mike, there are two others aboard this ship whom you have not met. One is Mildred, a nanny. The other is Alexis, an infant and member of the Royal Family. Depending on the results of certain tests, Alexis will, most likely, one day become Heir. She must survive at all cost.”

  Mike gulped, a foreboding look in his eyes. “Heir to what?” he asked, afraid to hear the answer.

  “Heir to the Empire, of course,” she responded, watching him carefully.

  “Wait a minute.” He stood up and leaned toward her, his arm pointed toward the doorway. “Do you mean to tell me that the future leader of your entire civilization, your Queen or Empress or whatever you call her, is on this ship?” He looked around the room for traces of gaudiness or luxury, then it hit him – the understated elegance. His initial surprise and delight at the sheer size of his suite and its accouterments, in view of the fact that it was on a ship, lent support to her claim.

  But something was far from clear. She had told him to think big. “Uh, just what are we talking about with this Empire of yours? How big is it?”

  “A thousand worlds would fill only one small corner.”

  Mike paled. “And Resolve?”

  “A royal yacht, Mike. The Heir’s personal ship.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding! Where are her parents?”

  “Jornell was her father. I am her mother. To answer your next question, yes, she may one day be Queen.”

  He felt small all of a sudden as he thought about thousands or maybe millions of civilizations spread across the galaxy. He envisioned ships crisscrossing space effortlessly in the same way cars sped across the deserts of his ancestors. His thoughts narrowed as if he was wading through quicksand, focusing on just a few words at a time. A thousand worlds. Heir to the Empire! Why was this woman called Daughter when she was a mother? And they wanted his help? What could they possibly need from him? He looked to Otis for guidance, then to Daughter. He was about to speak when she interrupted.

  “I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe, Mike, including kidnapping an Earthman. I would do it again if necessary. If you are not the man for us, I will do it again.”

  He pursed his lips in thought. What could she possibly need him for? Then a reason coalesced in his mind with a resounding click. He asked Jake what the name of Daughter’s parasite was. Jake, in a huff, declined to answer, so he asked her.

  She tensed and rose to pace the room for a time, and Mike made sure he stayed out of her way. Eventually she settled onto the edge of the couch again and faced Mike with her hands folded in her lap. Her back was ramrod straight, and he sensed, correctly, that he was in for another lecture.

  “Parasite,” she stated with precision. “Thank you for reminding me who you are and where you come from.” She looked away briefly, then raised her chin and leaned toward him, meeting his gaze squarely. She spoke softly. “I stunned you and gave Jake to you without your consent. I would gladly change places with you, as would most others in my civilization. Mike, there are not nearly enough ‘Jakes’ to go around. Even among the most powerful and wealthy, they are exceedingly rare. I have always wished for a Rider, but it is forbidden me. Otis and his people have chosen against Riders, but for them the choice has been physiological. The process of communication with Riders slows them down and makes them less effective Protectors when speed and timing are of the essence. Otis cannot accept Jake. You provided the only ‘vessel’ into which Jake could transfer.”

  She rose to her feet and turned to pace again. “If Jake could be considered a commodity, then you have received the single most valuable commodity known throughout the galaxy. In reality, no value can be placed on Jake and his people because they cannot be bought or sold. They go only to those of their own choosing.”

  Mike lowered himself carefully to the couch, sensing that she was just getting warmed up, and he was right.

  She stared into his eyes for a time, but she didn’t find what she was looking for. She turned her back to him, then turned to face him again, stepping to the couch to stand before him with frustration clear in her tone. “At this point in your relationship, Jake is simply a Rider. Have you considered what it’s like for him to be in your body? He didn’t have the usual choice in this either. And what did he get? A semi-barbaric Homo sapiens, probably not a top-of-the-line specimen, someone not of the Empire, someone who does not want him. Well, let me tell you something.” She leaned into him, her hands turned into fists resting on her hip. “If you are half the man I hope you are, the day will come
when Jake is not simply a Rider. He will be much more, so much more that you will be forever grateful to me for providing him.”

  Mike felt himself inching his way deeper and deeper into the couch. This slim young woman was really laying into him, and he suspected she was just getting warmed up.

  She leaned into his face, placing a hand on the armrest beside him, her nose inches from his. She had not raised her voice. “At the very least, Mister Carver,” she continued, “I guarantee that the day will come, if it has not already, when Jake is smarter than you and me both. He remembers everything, he will be a source of guidance and information to you, he will protect you, he will heal you, he may even become your friend if you give him half a chance, but he will never, ever control your life. You, on the other hand, completely control his. Who’s gotten the better deal?”

  Mike had inched his way as far as he could into the couch. She stayed right in his face, waiting for an answer. All he could think of was why she was called Daughter; she acted more like his mother. She had made him feel like a real creep, and she might be right – Jake hadn’t necessarily gotten the best deal here. The part about Jake not having a say in his host . . . well, that hit home in a big way. “Uh, I guess I owe you an apology,” he said.

  She stood up with closed eyes, hugging herself as if she was cold. “Men,” she said with distaste. “Must you be the same in every species?”

  She started for the door. He stood up angrily and shouted to her back as quickly as Jake gave him the words, “What did I do now? I apologized!”

  She continued walking to the door, but turned to him just before leaving. “You are no longer one being, Mike Carver. Stop thinking like one.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and left.

  His thoughts turned inward, embarrassed before Jake, not knowing what to say. So he said nothing, just waited for Jake to read his mind, still not certain exactly how much Jake had access to.

  >Apology accepted, Man,< Jake responded.

  Chapter Five: The Net

  “So where do we go from here, Otis?” he asked the Great Cat.

  “That depends on you. We have a couple of problems we could use your help on.”

  “I think you mean Jake’s help, don’t you?”

  Otis hesitated before answering, studying Mike. He apparently found what he was looking for. “I’m no diplomat, Mike. I’ll tell you how it is. You’re right, you probably can’t help, but Jake can. We need you as a vessel for Jake. Can I make it any more clear?”

  “Finally, something that makes sense around here. Go ahead, Otis. Jake’s listening.”

  “Jake, and you too, Mike, at the moment we’re hiding. We’re alone, we’re incapable of defending ourselves, and we have no idea what we’re up against, but we can make some good guesses. We destroyed the last Chessori ship, but that doesn’t mean the threat is ended. More will come. Because of that, time is of the essence if we are to make our escape, but we cannot and will not rush our preparations. The Chessori might be waiting even as we speak, ready to pounce the moment we show ourselves. We have placed Resolve into its lowest energy state in order to limit the power reflections of its drive, reflections the Chessori could use to locate us. We have not moved since coming here, and we will not move again until we can defend ourselves, repair the navigation computer, and head to a destination of our own choosing, not theirs.

  “You know that Jornell was killed. Has Jake told you that he was the only pilot left aboard the ship?” Mike’s stunned look answered better than words. “The Chessori killed our regular pilots and nearly everyone else during the initial attack that took place on their world. The Protectors kept the family alive, and Jornell brought us this far, but now we’re stuck. There is a computer virus in the navigation program that caused us to end up here instead of Triton, our intended destination. We can’t leave your system before it’s fixed.”

  Mike couldn’t believe his ears. With an uncertain, half smile on his face, almost afraid of the answer, he asked, “Where’s here?”

  “About a thousand miles west of where we picked you up and two hundred feet beneath the surface.”

  Mike computed for a moment, then jumped to his feet. “We’re sunk in the Pacific Ocean?” he yelled.

  Otis took great pains to explain, which struck Mike as possibly unusual for a cat. “No, we are not sunk. We’re hiding. The water reduces and scatters the energy reflections from our power plant, making it difficult for the Chessori to find us. Also, their weapons are useless underwater. At least ours are, and we believe theirs to be useless, as well. We’re safe as long as we remain here.”

  Otis paused to let Mike assimilate this, then continued. “My mission, Jake’s, and yours, too, if we can find a use for you, is first to protect the Heir. Beyond that it gets a little more complicated. If a coup has indeed occurred, the Empire needs the Heir. Nothing takes precedence over protecting the Heir, but the Heir serves no purpose unless we can restore her to the throne. To do so, we need to fix Resolve and get out of here. As Daughter said, will you help?”

  >I want to help, Mike. I know I can. Just give me a chance. Let’s both help.<

  “You’re asking me . . . no, you’re asking me and Jake to save your whole Empire?” he demanded of Otis, overwhelmed.

  Otis shrugged, then grinned his toothy grin. “Why not? Do you have more pressing demands on your time . . . or your life?”

  “Otis, Jake cannot fly this ship without my help. What makes you think I’ll be able to help?”

  “Resolve flies itself. Crewmembers interface with the ship through a mental plug-in. They join together within a computer network that links everyone to each other and to the ship. We believe you are capable of accepting this link, which will let Jake into the net to do his job. You may even be able to help him. I, too, could plug-in, but only with others of my race on the net. We would drive each other crazy if you and I linked together. I’ll do my part from outside the net, probably by operating a weapon manually.”

  “What about Daughter?”

  “She is not psychologically adapted to the link, nor is she permitted by custom. Neither is Mildred.” He shuddered. “Jornell didn’t even consider Mildred. You’ll understand when you meet her. Jake, and maybe you, are all we have. Without his help we are probably stuck here. The Heir will not be adequately protected with me flying Resolve by myself.”

  “Why don’t you fly the ship while Daughter and I work the guns?”

  “You’ll understand after you’ve seen the net. It’s amazing what you can do within the net. Jornell was a reasonably good pilot, surprising given his high position in the Empire. I hope some of his skill has transferred to Jake. Even if it has, we’ll be severely limited in our ability to defend ourselves and the Heir.”

  Otis did not leave him with many options. “As ridiculous as it sounds, suppose Jake can fix the ship and fly it. Where do we go from here?” He suddenly felt butterflies in his stomach. “Are you saying I get to go out into space? Are we talking about other stars, other planets?”

  “At the very least. Much of what Daughter and I have told you is speculation. We are quite certain, however, that our ship and our mission were sabotaged on Triton before we left. The Chessori are not operating alone in this, Mike. We can trust no one, including our own people, until we learn where this treachery begins, where it ends, who leads, and whether there has, in fact, been a coup. I will insist on a careful process of finding answers to those questions.”

  “How much say do you have in what we do?”

  “Daughter is in charge. She is responsible to the Queen and to the Empire for our success or failure. But I am the Heir’s Protector. While I do not lightly cross swords with her, I cannot be overruled in matters relating to protection of the Heir.” He paused to let Mike think about that. “An interesting arrangement, eh?” he added with his toothy grin.

  Mike smiled in return. He liked Otis, liked him a lot. They had developed a unique kinship during the battle, and if nothing els
e, they were pretty good at charades, having communicated absolutely clearly without exchanging a single syllable.

  “Hey!” he said, “We were a pretty good team the other night, weren’t we.”

  “Welcome to the ranks of Protector. You handled yourself well in spite of the mind weapon projected by the Chessori.”

  “What mind weapon?”

  Otis froze, then stared long and hard at Mike. “You felt no disabling effects during the fight, no unusual sounds in your head?”

  “Well, I found the explosions pretty distracting. Other than that, just normal desert noises and some unusual insect sounds. Did I miss something else?”

  “The Chessori used their mind weapon on you, on all of us. It appears to be a natural weapon, probably inbred. Some sort of ‘psi’ projection is created and focused by their minds. When activated, it is debilitating to all creatures except themselves. We encountered it for the first time at the treaty conference and repeatedly since then during battles in space and the battle here on Earth. You say you felt nothing?”

  “So that’s why Jornell and Daughter seemed to be stumbling around in pain. I thought it was kind of stupid of them at the time. Maybe . . . maybe that was the cicada sound I heard. It might explain why the Chessori are so easy to kill. The one I tackled was basically defenseless, and the others tended to stand up like sitting ducks before firing their weapons. Maybe their primary defense is this mind thing.”