YES. I DO BELIEVE THE DUST IS SOMETHING THEY ENGINEERED AND DISPERSED. THEY MUST HAVE RUN INTO TECHNOLOGY SIMILAR TO THE GHOST DRIVE IN THE PAST. Which was a bummer, because he had been very excited about it. It also made him concerned. What had they been doing all these years? Yes, there were some advancements, but before the war, developments had gone on a stand still. Why had they been so blind?
Can we break it down? Race silently asked Luna.
NOT IN ANY PRACTICAL TIMEFRAME, she replied.
That means– Race stopped the thought before it finished. He had an idea of how to give them time and to complete the mission while there was still a Spectral Empire left. “All right, Luna just informed me that we won’t be able to solve the issue with the dust in any practical amount of time.”
Cory grimaced. “That’s what the computer and Shasta just told me. Captain, the dust around here is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s a cloud of trillions of nano-machines that self-replicate. But they have little ghost drives of their own, each tuned to a different frequency that randomly changes every few seconds. They produced a jamming effect on the ghost drive. And because of their different settings and random changes, I can’t jam them. At least, not right now.”
“Why don’t we just use an EM pulse to clear a nice little hole for ourselves to sit in?” suggested the science officer, Lieutenant Toni Prentice.
“It would work for approximately ten seconds before the buggers repopulated the space around us,” Cory replied. “While we could keep blasting the space around us with EM pulses, the Zar’dakens are bound to notice. Either the pulses or the blank spot.”
“Wonderful,” Race muttered. He gestured to the two of them. “I want the two of you to work together to find a solution to this problem. Doubtless, it would be nice to know here soon. In the meantime,” he said, turning his attention back to the rest of the bridge crew, “does anyone have any ideas on how we can continue our mission now?”
“We could use the scrambler,” Rael suggested.”
“That would work for the sensors, but it won’t work for line of sight, which we would be in from those moons and guardian ships,” Commander D’trace said. “It’s painfully obvious that the good old ship isn’t of Zar’daken make.” He turned thoughtfully to the busy Cory and asked, “Do you think the scrambler would work on those nano-ghost drives?”
His monkey Spectral, Thavis, peered at him from over his console. NO, Thavis said, so all could hear him. THE NANO-MACHINES DO NOT HAVE SCANNERS OR SENSORS. THEY SIMPLY ARE.
“Any other ideas?” Race asked. He was really hoping someone would speak up because that idea he had earlier was becoming even more and more obvious but was crazy.
“Do you have an idea, Captain?” Rael asked, a little knowingly.
“Yeah,” Race said, sagging in his chair. “I don’t like it much, though, and was really hoping that someone would have a better idea.”
“Well, what was yours?”
Race sighed. He gestured vaguely at D’trace. “As he said, the Hail Mary sticks out like a sore thumb. We can’t get close. Only a Zar’daken ship can. Which means we need to hijack one.” Silence met his announcement. Race glanced around at all their surprised and grim expressions. “See? It’s a stupid plan. Someone got something better?”
Their expressions went from surprised and grim to thoughtful and grim. “If we want to complete our mission in a timeframe that still has the Spectral Empire in it, I think that’s the best plan we got.” Evens spoke for everyone.
“Might I suggest that we go after a merchant vessel instead of a warship?” Lieutenant-Commander Milo West suggested. “They are usually defenseless ducks and thus we would have the upper hand.” He then grinned like a little boy “We can be like pirates.”
Race inwardly groaned. It looked like they were stuck with his stupid plan.
Chapter 14 – Taken
Cassiana
Prime World Kinair
Kinair System
Spectral Empire
Trying to take that nap was pointless, Cassiana thought as she pulled herself off the bed. She had decided to risk Sam’s wrath and try, because she had seen it as a way to escape her feelings of dread. Problem was, she had tried so hard to get some rest that she was more exhausted now than she had been at the start. The little bit of sleep she did manage to get had been riddled with nightmares of running from something that laughed evilly. It wanted to kill her, wanted to rip her apart while she still live, and wanted to laugh at her pain. She had put her all into running, but she had grown tired. Blind to her surroundings, she had tripped on just about anything. An itching burn along her nape had told her that her pursuer was close enough to end it all, but it thrilled at the hunt. Like a demented cat, it had played with her.
Cassiana didn’t like it when her dreams were so vivid. Especially about something so horrible.
After scrubbing her face, Cassiana realized that she was alone in the bedroom. Panic swirled through her and she quickly hurried to the other half of the suite in search of the others. Her panic was drowned by relief when she saw that she wasn’t alone. Her friends had simply gone to the balcony and were each drinking a beer. The late-afternoon light declared it too early for the nightlife parties to begin, something that Cassiana regretted. A party would distract her from the dread that had become her best friend lately.
Following their party-tonight ritual, Tressarah and Samkara drank a beer or two before heading out. That way, as they explained it, they had enough liquid courage in their systems to truly enjoy themselves. The slight buzz made them feel adventurous enough to start dancing. The actual dancing would keep them energized all night long. They’d also drink water throughout the night instead of alcohol because they already had some.
Opening the sliding door to the balcony, Cassiana joined them. They greeted her as she sat down in the remaining chair. “Decided to give up on napping?” Breeanna asked with an understanding expression.
“Had trouble too?” Cassiana asked in answer.
Breeanna shrugged. Samkara gave them both a look over the lip of her beer. “I told you two not to sleep.”
Breeanna and Cassiana both shot her a glare. “Unlike you, some of us need to sleep in order to relax,” Breeanna pointed out.
“Didn’t look all that relaxing,” Samkara replied. Neither Cassiana or Breeanna had a rebuttal. “Would you like a beer, Cassiana?”
“Yes, actually.”
“You’ll find some in the door of the fridge.” At Cassiana’s look, Samkara shrugged. “Better we use it than letting it go to waste, wouldn’t you think?” Cassiana rolled her eyes but went back inside to get it. Sometimes Sam had a somewhat skewed, yet practical, idea of what was right and what was wrong. It took Cassiana a moment to locate the beer bottles. Once she did, she twisted off the cap and threw it away before rejoining her friends.
“So, what clubs are we hitting tonight?” she asked, taking a tiny sip of her beer. Despite her wish to banish the dread and the memory of her dream, she knew that a fun night of dancing would take better care of it than alcohol. She didn’t relish the thought of losing swaths of memory in the flood of drink it would take to banish either annoyance.
“We were just discussing that, we’re kind of stuck between going to O’Shellon’s or Macklin’s. Both have great reviews,” Samkara said.
“I know nothing of either of them,” Cassiana began, “but O’Shellon’s sounds cool. We could go to the other one later.”
“I knew there was a reason I liked you,” Tressarah said, taking a swing of her drink.
Cassiana shot her a mock glare as she took another sip. “And here I thought it was because I amused you,” she said with a sigh.
“That too,” Tress said with a grin. Breeanna and Samkara laughed and Cassiana couldn’t keep herself from smiling.
“When are we getting ready to head out?” Cassiana asked.
“About five-ish. That will give us time to enjoy our drinks and a light sn
ack,” Samkara answered.
That gave them more than an hour. Cassiana settled back in her chair and nursed her drink, listening to the others. As the evening shadows lengthened, Cassiana began to notice that her friends were getting sluggish. It started subtly enough, but a parade of yawns went by before they started to settle more comfortably in their chairs. Bree had gotten so comfortable as to be asleep. Tressarah couldn’t keep her eyes open, though she fought against it. Her beer slipped out between her nerveless fingers. Cassiana felt that the trap she had sensed before had sprung shut. She put her mostly full beer down on the table, but was terrified that her arm felt laden.
Across from her, Samkara was staring at her beer. Her eyes looked like they would close at any time. Cassiana moved to get up, but besides a slight shift of weight, she didn’t get very far. But it was enough movement to attract Samkara’s attention. Slowly, the fiery-haired girl turned from the empty bottle clutched in her hands to Cassiana. “Dru …” she barely managed to say before slumping in her chair. The bottle fell out of her hands, hitting the cement with a high thunk. Cassiana tried harder to stand up. This time she managed it, but she had to cling to the table to keep her balance. The world was spinning. Cassiana had never been drunk; the fear of losing control was too strong to chance it. She would drink enough to feel a light buzz, but she had never felt like this.
Samkara’s right, the beer must have been drugged. B – but why? she wondered, squeezing her eyes shut. She desperately needed to call for help, but first she needed to gather her strength to let go of the table and walk. Thinking she had it, she pushed away from the table, then fell back into her chair as her legs gave out. Not good, she thought. After a moment, she wondered why something was ‘not good.’
Opening her eyes, she saw blurry figures approaching her friends. They were picking the girls up and taking them out of Cassiana’s line of sight. Panicking, Cassiana managed to shake her head.
“Hey, now, it’s okay,” someone soothed near her ear, causing her to shiver. The light, fruity scent of ferais berries gently teased her senses. “We won’t leave you behind. Here, drink some more of this. It will make it easier for you, less confusing,” the voice said, and Cassiana’s slow brain registered that it belonged to a man. A fact made clearer by the sight of the masculine arm that reached around her and the hand that picked up her bottle of beer. He brought it to her and Cassiana shook her head. She shouldn’t drink it. She couldn’t remember why, but she shouldn’t drink it.
“I can’t,” she managed to say.
He chuckled at her. A part of her thought it sounded nice. She bet his laugh would be even nicer. “Why not?” he asked her, and it sounded so reasonable.
But something still screamed at her that it would not be a good idea. She needed to fight. Scrambling to explain why she couldn’t without sounding rude, because she didn’t want to offend him—her mother had taught her better than that—Cassiana said the first thing that came to mind. “I don’t drink with strangers.”
“Ah, smart,” he said, humor coloring his tone, but his small praise made her want to smile … if only she could figure out how. “My name is Alecbran, though I prefer Alec. What is yours?” he asked courteously.
“Cassiana,” she replied, because she saw no reason not to and it was polite … and she wanted to.
“Well, Cassiana … Cassi” She liked the way he said her name. Even when he shortened it. Tressarah would say that she was ‘man drunk.’ The thought made her blush slightly. Alecbran continued to speak, drawing her attention back to him. “We are no longer strangers. Have a drink,” he said, offering her the bottle again.
He had a point and she couldn’t think of any more excuses. She no longer wanted to, the warning against it was fading in her drifting state. His arms were around her, seeming to hug her, as he gently guided the bottle to her lips. She drank what was offered and her companion praised her. The more she drank, the more he praised, and the more content she felt. Eventually, Alecbran took the bottle away and Cassiana tried to mutter a ‘thank you,’ but sleep overwhelmed her.
***
Talis’talklen
Prime World Tershore
Tershore System
Spectral empire
It is good to be home, Talis’talklen ses-Ky thought, walking down the hard-packed dirt road that served as the main thoroughfare for Council City, also known as just the City. While most cities on other worlds had to mix together pavement, the Telmicks didn’t. The gray soil of Tershore was such that with enough traffic, it would harden to something that served just as well. To his right, down another ‘road’ was a well. Around it grew lush blue-gray bushes and grasses. The stone buildings lining the thoroughfare were a darker gray than the road. The awnings that draped from their fronts and sides were callbacks to the days when the city had been tents, a small stopping place for traveling clans. But then the Empire had come, offering to trade, and a few of the clans had decided that they would do better being merchants. They built the city into something more permanent than a collection of tents. And they had thrived, the ships they could build were fast and able to withstand the odd attack by a mercenary clan. The wares they sold were fascinating and from the far reaches of the Empire. Of course, those products that came from the farthest reaches from Tershore were now ridiculously expensive because of the war.
Other than a few complaints, life continued as it had for centuries since the City had been built. The merchant clans would try to convince their fiercer brethren to put down the chromatic weapons and find something to sell and trade. But there were only so many things that could be traded. And buying and selling didn’t give the same rush as the hunt. Tershore may look bland to those not used to her gray colors, but those who knew how to look could see the dangerous beauty. Tershore’s great plains hid dangers that would paralyze strangers. Creatures that haunted the dreams of those who insisted that they had conquered the world; creatures that hunted those who were weak.
Telmicks were not weak. They spent their lives, their existence, proving to those creatures and anyone else that they were the most dangerous thing out there. From an early age they would train and study and learn from the survivors. It had always been thus, and thus it would always be, wealth and predictability be damned. The empire as a whole was learning the truth of that. The Legion Fleet, for all its advances in technology, all its wealth, all its strength, had become predictable. And now it was rapidly losing control. For all their attempts to turn the tide, the Zar’dakens refused to be turned.
And now, as one of the last systems untouched by the Zar’daken scourge, Tershore had to decide what to do. Which was whyTalis’talklen was in the City. The Council of the Clans had been called and all would come, merchant and mercenary. Whatever decision would come from this meeting would affect the future of all Telmicks. All wanted a voice, so all would be there.
Flanking Talis’talklen were Saffa’tauta and Kifen’alusa. Both paced silently behind him, watching the crowds, noting which clans were already present. In turn, they were noted as well. A few more blocks from the Council hall, a Telmick male suddenly blocked their path. His skin was pale gray where the dust wasn’t caked to him. His tattoos were erratic in their placement, so twisted as to be unintelligible. Everyone in the street stopped and stared at him distrustfully. Even fearfully. Some drew warding symbols before them. Others just backed away. Most were frozen.
The deranged Telmick turned slowly in a circle. He saw and didn’t see the people around him. Someone muttered what the Telmick was, Derga. It meant three things and none of them respected: deranged, soothsayer, ‘word blackener.’ No one wanted to be, or even called, a ‘Derga.’ They were cursed. As such, no one wanted them in their clan. No one wanted to touch one and risk the curse themselves. Common practice was to ignore them. But sometimes that was hard, like now, when one stood in your way in a crowded street.
Talis’talklen made to move around the Derga but that caught the deranged soothsayer’s attenti
on. He began to speak and Talis’talklen found that he had to listen. Everyone within hearing distance had to. A Derga spoke and others had to listen. Maybe it was morbid curiosity, maybe it was some power the cursed possessed. Talis’talklen had often heard that all Derga were better speakers than even great orators.
The rumors were true.
“Telmicks have always lived apart. Always we have lived on the edge. Wanting to be part of something, yet distrusting it. Always serving our own ends as a survivor does. The end of that course is soon,, the Derga declared, as he continued to slowly turn in a circle. “Soon we will serve another’s purpose. And at the end of that, either we will find freedom or we will find the True End.” The Derga smiled then and it sent a chill down everyone’s spine. None would admit it, though. Fear like that was a weakness. A predator could smell such. And the Derga’s smile widened as if he had. It was surreal; he was a frail, malnourished being who most did their best to ignore. But now he could have been a beast of legend for how he had them all in his grasp.
“Worry not, my brethren, only one of us will make the choice. All will follow the one who is bitten by, yet kills, the J’liongos. Our path into the Great War shall be decided then.” The Derga’s smile fled from his face, his hands fell, and he scurried away. People shoved each other to get out of his way. For a moment, people just stared after him. Then, uneasily, life continued as if the strange declaration hadn’t happened.
But it had, and it would disturb the whole City by nightfall.
Talis’talklen and his companions continued on their way like everyone else. “Can you believe that drek?” Kifen’alusa muttered to Saffa’tauta.
“No, honestly,” Saffa’tauta replied. “He mentioned the J’liongos and everyone knows that beast is a myth.
“They used to exist,” Talis’talken said, and he felt his companions stare at him. “Though I will admit it has been many years since any have been seen.” Which to him didn’t mean all that much. The J’liongos had always been a rare predator of the plains. Its abilities and rarity made it nearly mythical. To humans, the J’liongos looked like a mix between a dragon and a cat. It was said to be able to blend into is surroundings to the point of being invisible. Its fangs were filled with a highly toxic venom. In legend, all the great leaders of the past had been in a fight with a J’liongos. If bitten, they only had lived long enough to complete their task.
Defender of the Empire: Chaos Page 11