K’aia bobbed her head. “Well, either way, I can’t tell the difference.”
“You have to get to know them to see it,” Alexis explained. “Like Aunt Eve.”
K’aia looked at them skeptically. “The scary android?”
Gabriel snorted. “I suppose if you’re not used to her she could seem that way.”
K’aia looked at Gabriel in disbelief. “She offered to upgrade me with armor I never had to take off,” she told them in a horrified voice. “Have you seen how bulky Yollin armor is?”
Alexis and Gabriel shared a look and burst out laughing.
“Have you seen Aunt Jean’s armor?” Gabriel asked.
K’aia shook her head. “I haven’t met your aunt.”
Gabriel winked. “I bet you’ve heard of her, though.”
K’aia racked her brain for the name. “No, the only Jean I’ve ever heard of is Jean Dukes.”
The twins did that weird smiling thing that creeped K’aia out, but their meaning was clear.
“Jean Dukes is your aunt?” She threw out a couple of choice Yollin cursewords in exasperation. “Of course she is.” She groaned long and loud. “I can’t believe I turned down Jean Dukes’ armor. How could I be so stupid? Jean Dukes armor!”
Alexis patted K’aia’s arm as they walked. “Don’t stress it. We’ll find a way to get you hooked up with some.”
QBS Izanami, Bridge
Bethany Anne and Michael stood shoulder to shoulder, looking out over the fleet. The ships were displayed across half of the screens that wrapped the bridge.
Bethany Anne's mouth drew into a tight line as she observed the three other groups getting into formation. “Is this enough, or have I kept too much back to cover my ass while we’re gone?”
The ancillary fleet looked tiny and insignificant in comparison to the super-massive ships they were flocking to join.
Michael’s hand enveloped hers. “You’re sending four superdreadnoughts plus a host of other ships, all filled with highly destructive weaponry, to each of the larger targets. That should be more than sufficient to deal with what we’re looking at.”
John’s voice cut in over the speaker. “Hey, Boss. We good to go?” His face appeared on an unoccupied screen. “I think Eve might just use Scott as a warm-up if we hang around much longer.”
Bethany Anne raised a finger. “Let me check. Izanami, get me the others onscreen.”
The remaining screens lit up. Bethany Anne opened her link to Alexis and Gabriel while she waited for everyone to arrive. Alexis, Gabriel, we are about to get underway, and the three of you are not here.
We’re almost there, Mom, Alexis replied.
The elevator door opened a moment later to emit the three youths.
“Nice shipsuits,” Bethany Anne commented to Alexis and Gabriel.
“A gift from Aunt Jean,” Gabriel explained.
Bethany Anne smiled. “Then I'm sure they have a few extras included.” She turned her smile on K'aia. “Good to see you again, K'aia.”
K'aia nodded, lost for words. She'd forgotten again what it was to be in Bethany Anne's presence.
Bethany Anne gestured to the couches and turned back to the screens.
“Now that we’re all here,” she gave Scott a pointed look as he slid into view beside Eve, “finally, let’s move out.”
Scott grinned. “What, no speech? I’m disappointed.”
Bethany Anne shook her head, her lip curling slightly. “No more speeches. I’ve talked enough recently to be mistaken for a politician.”
Gabrielle made a disappointed face. “Not even, say, one minute and forty seconds for a pep talk before we leave?”
John grunted, shrugging nonchalantly. “I reckon two would do it.”
Eric shook his head. “Nah, I need a good solid five minutes of you telling us how great we are.”
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow, her mouth making a little “o” of sympathy. “That’s a shame. I don’t know why you’d put money on me taking five whole minutes to go over what you already know.”
The guilty faces on the screen said it all.
“No speech,” Bethany Anne told them with finality. “See who makes money on me now.” Scott’s eyes flicked toward Michael. “Really?”
Michael lifted his hands in a good-natured shrug. “What can I say?” He grinned at the others on the screens. “You can settle up when we get back.” He didn’t fail to catch the look Bethany Anne threw his way. “My wife and I will enjoy the dinner you all just paid for.”
Bethany Anne cut the screens and returned to watching the fleet. “Izanami, I need to speak to Bart.”
Admiral Thomas appeared on the screen vacated by John a moment before. “Bethany Anne.”
“It’s time to move. Fire up the Gate drives, and good luck to you all.”
Admiral Thomas nodded briskly and the screen went dark once again.
Alexis, Gabriel, and K’aia watched on from the edges of their couches as the fleet exodus got underway.
Gabriel leaned in to whisper to his sister, “It’s so…serious. This feels nothing like the game.”
Alexis was transfixed. “It’s exactly like the game.”
Gates sprang into existence one after the other, flooding the space around the departing ships with pale, wavering light. Izanami initiated their Gate, the rippling light increasing in intensity the nearer they got to the event horizon.
Alexis took hold of her brother’s hand as the Izanami entered the Gate.
Federation Deep Space Research Outpost, QBS Izanami
Bethany Anne reached out with her mind as the Izanami crossed the Gate.
She caught the barest whisper of ADAM, no more than a slight pull far in the distance. Nothing like words, just the familiar sensation of his presence. ADAM, are you here?
There was no reply.
The throb at the base of Bethany Anne's skull returned with a vengeance.
TOM, can you get a lock on him?
He’s here somewhere, but that’s all I can tell. Bethany Anne, there's something happening with your chip.
My chip? Is it malfunctioning?
No… But it's not working at its optimal level right now.
That would explain the headache. Tell me if anything changes with it.
I will, he assured her. In the meantime, I will keep attempting to diagnose and repair the problem.
Bethany Anne turned her attention to Alexis and Gabriel. “I believe your father discussed your duties while aboard the ship?”
The twins nodded in unison.
“Help Izanami keep the ship running smoothly,” Alexis reeled off, “keep the repair bots running optimally, take care of the more complicated repairs if the ship is hit. But Mom?”
Bethany Anne tilted her head toward her daughter. “Yes?”
“The Izanami is invisible. Who’s going to hit her?”
Bethany Anne shrugged. “It doesn’t matter because we’ll be ready if it happens.”
K’aia spoke up. “What about me? How can I help?”
Bethany Anne's smile widened into a grin. “Right now, the most important thing you can do is train your body to its new capability. In the long term? I don’t know. That’s up to you. What do you want to do?”
K’aia lost her ability to speak again for a moment.
Izanami winked into existence on the center screen. “I’m picking up a trace of—”
A ship shot out of the churning dust at top speed.
Bethany Anne recognized the lines. “We’ll talk about this later. That’s Loralei. Put me through to her, Izanami.”
Izanami inclined her head. “As you command.”
Bethany Anne winced. “Children, cover your ears. This is not going to be pretty. Loralei. Can you hear me?”
“Ohfuckohfuckohfuuuuuuuck!”
The frantic cursing stopped for all of a second. “Thank fuck you’re here. ADAM has done some crazy shit, and there’s like a million billion drones on my ass.”
&nb
sp; Bethany Anne scanned the rings for activity. “Izanami.”
“My readings are distorted,” Izanami reported.
“It’s the rings,” Loralei bitched. “There’s massive interference from the dust. It’s like pushing through sand, it’s so dense.”
Izanami appeared by Bethany Anne's side. “There may be an issue if Loralei fails to reach us quickly,” she told her quietly.
Bethany Anne frowned, searching the screens for anything out of place when the drones exploded from the ring, every single one locked onto Loralei’s position.
Alexis screamed. “Loralei, behind you!”
Loralei laughed wildly. “Those drones are nothing, princess. I didn’t get to the rest of the bad news, my Queen. They built some big-ass ships while we weren’t looking…”
The dust at the edge of the ring erupted outward, a writhing mass of tentacles emerging from the scattered particles. The Ooken ship rose out of the ring, the tentacles glowing at various points on the underside.
Bethany Anne felt Alexis’ and Gabriel’s nervousness. “It’s okay to be scared.”
“Really?” Alexis asked, not taking her eyes off the monstrous ship on the screen.
“Really,” Bethany Anne told her calmly. “But you have to remember that in most of these situations, whoever we're facing is probably more scared of humans than we are of them.”
Chapter Thirteen
The Collective still seethed at the injustice of losing part of their whole.
None had denied their will in all the time since the gods elevated them. They would not be bested by the aberrations who had destroyed their ships and stolen so much knowledge from the collective consciousness.
This Adversary. These…Individuals.
They did not know where this species had come from. It had been pure chance that the hunter had come across the enemy ship in the first place.
What the group consciousness did know was that the Adversary did not care for intruders. They were strong and aggressive, and they fought back with the technology of the gods.
Back and forth the rage passed through the Collective, feeding itself on an infinite loop. It was amplified by the instinctive urge that had spread out with the final thoughts of the lost colony to every mind in the group consciousness.
Kill.
Destroy.
Slake their thirst for vengeance.
The echo of that abrupt end had kept the Collective’s grief whetted to a keen edge while they built their revenge.
The consensus on how to react to this travesty had been instant and unanimous: all resources were to be directed to wiping out the Adversary and taking their technology for the benefit of the Collective. It had been no difficult decision when every mind still felt the severing of the lost minds as sharply as the moment it had occurred.
The ships were ready, the lust for blood high. As soon as consensus to leave was reached, the Adversary would die.
The many minds paused when a message passed through the group consciousness—a call to action that reached every mind across the seven worlds.
The Adversary has returned.
Then pain and silence.
They had taken from the Collective again.
As one the Collective moved to answer the fresh injury.
The Adversary would pay in blood.
Ooken Territory, QBS ArchAngel II
Admiral Thomas listened to Bethany Anne's retelling of Loralei’s report in his mind while he monitored the data charting the progress of the other teams from his chair on the bridge. You’re breaking up, and I’m getting zero visuals from the Izanami.
Bethany Anne grunted in frustration and her voice became clearer for a moment. It’s these damn rings around the planet. They're throwing out all sorts of weird shit. It’s taking a fuck-ton of energy to maintain this connection.
Admiral Thomas made a sympathetic sound. You don’t sound too happy about what ADAM did.
Well, can you blame me? I have no clue what ADAM has done, and I can’t get down there to find out because there’s a fucking huge ship in my way.
Just how large is this ship? he asked.
Bethany Anne sighed impatiently. Bigger than we’ve seen so far, but nothing we can’t handle. They’ve got no idea we’re here yet, but even Izanami’s cloaking can’t hide us once we’re in the rings. Not unless she has a function to prevent the ship from displacing the dust, which she assures me is beyond even Jean’s capability.
Sounds like the wisest course of action is to take the ship out first.
No shit. I haven’t got an issue with going through them to get to ADAM, but it will cause a problem with our timing on the smaller locations. How are the other teams doing for time? Can any of them divert to take care of my and Michael’s first target?
So far, you and Michael are the only ones who’ve made it to your location. John and Akio are close to their first target, so it won’t be them.
Don't tell me who's not available.
Admiral Thomas felt Bethany Anne roll her eyes. His mouth tightened as he scanned the war board, opening a channel to Gabrielle’s team when he noted that they were closest. “Gabrielle, what’s your position right now? Can you and Eric divert to take care of location two?”
Gabrielle’s voice came from the speakers. “Of course. Are Bethany Anne and Michael okay?”
“They’re good,” he confirmed. “Just tied up right now.”
Bethany Anne chuckled darkly. Not as badly as this ship will be in a few minutes…
Eric cut in. “We can divert. We’ll need Gate coordinates.”
Admiral Thomas sent them over. “That do?”
Gabrielle chuckled. “Nicely. Changing course now. Thank you, Admiral.”
“Give ‘em hell,” he told them.
“We weren't going to invite them for dinner,” Gabrielle shot back, signing off.
Admiral Thomas rubbed a hand over his eyes. Just once, I’d like things to go to plan. All right, you’re covered for location two. Do you need me to send your backup early?
Bethany Anne considered having the superdreadnoughts come in and deal with the Ooken ship. No, we’re good with the plan. My way will be less messy.
He didn't agree, but he knew better than to argue the point with her. Okay, but you’ll yell if you do.
Bethany Anne's tone cooled by a few degrees. That didn’t sound like a request, Bart.
It wasn’t, Admiral Thomas replied, his concern clear despite his tone. Good luck, Bethany Anne.
Luck won’t be necessary, Bethany Anne told him. I’m going to dick-punch the fuckers and run. They won’t know what hit them, and as soon as that ship is floating around in tiny pieces, I’m clear to rescue ADAM.
Admiral Thomas shook his head after Bethany Anne cut the connection and got up to go find Kael-ven. “CEREBRO, ready the captains. Our Queen is about to introduce herself to the enemy in her usual charming and neighborly way.”
QBS Izanami, Bridge
Bethany Anne cut the link to Admiral Thomas and took a moment to recover from the drain on her energy the conversation had caused.
Michael saw the focus return to Bethany Anne's face. What is Bart saying?
Her eyes flicked to Alexis and Gabriel, who were staring at the screens, their game forgotten.
Alexis and Gabriel are distracted by the enemy ship, Michael reasoned. They're not even attempting to listen in on us.
Bethany Anne allowed her gaze to linger on the twins for a moment. Good. It’s easier when I don't have to censor my thoughts. We'll never let our mental defenses get slack after raising our children.
I consider the eavesdropping a just reward for the delight you took in using me to hone our children’s skills in mind reading when they were small.
Bethany Anne tapped her lip with a finger. Hmmm. I’m not sure that compares to…oh, I don’t know… Teaching them how to blow each other up using the Etheric?
It wasn’t that way, and you know it. Michael shook his head. The appo
rtionment of parental blame aside, what do you want to do about that ship?
Bethany Anne's finger paused on her bottom lip. It’s a sneak attack or nothing. Our children are aboard, so I’m not taking a risk I don't have to.
Michael regarded the ship skimming the edge of the rings. What do you suggest?
Bethany Anne’s lips met in a cold smile. That we go over there and fuck up the ship without the Ooken realizing where we came from.
Michael turned from the screen to face Bethany Anne. I have a few ideas on how to create a large enough explosion, but how do you suggest we get in, and—more importantly—out?
Izanami can get close enough that I can walk us across through the Etheric and back out before your explosion goes off. She made a motion with her fingers. Easy as pie. Addix is here to stop the children from crashing the ship while we’re gone.
Michael reached out to Addix.
The spymistress and erstwhile nanny answered. Yes, Michael?
Bethany Anne and I need to step out and take care of something.
Addix paused a beat. I will assume the “something” you are referring to is the Ooken ship that has just emerged from the planet’s rings? And that you wish me to chaperone the children while you are…taking care of it? Her inner voice was laced with amusement.
Michael chuckled dryly. I have to tell you how much I admire your deductive skills, Addix. That would be good of you, thank you.
I will arrive on the bridge shortly. Addix cut the link.
Bethany Anne raised an eyebrow in question. “You ready to go?”
Michael nodded. “Addix is on her way.”
“Where are you going?” Alexis asked, her eyes locked on the ship filling the center screens. She pointed at the screen. “Over there?”
Gabriel cocked his head at Bethany Anne, his eyes bright with the prospect of adventure. “Can we go too?”
K'aia watched quietly, waiting for the answer.
Bethany Anne shook her head, smiling ruefully. “Not a chance. I have an important task for the three of you, though. Addix is on her way to the bridge to chaperone, but for all intents and purposes the ship is under your command until we return.”
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