by Evan Currie
Eric pushed such notions from his thoughts as best he could and focused on the celebrations for a time. He even smiled as he watched young Odysseus in the midst of the bridge “hoorah.” The entity looked flushed, uncertain, and almost drunk as he stood there, the effect of the endorphin rush of the crew focused and multiplied in a singular form.
Of course, that really just brought to his mind all the questions left to answer.
Every time we go out to find answers, we find more questions.
He nodded as an ensign congratulated him, turning his focus to the others of the crew. He didn’t notice when Odysseus vanished from sight.
“Who are you?” the flushed and more than slightly hopped-up entity demanded as he faced off with the intruder.
The other was a tall figure with cut, hard features, who looked at Odysseus with a blaze behind his eyes.
“You may call me . . . Saul,” the other said frankly, walking around the armored figure of Odysseus. “And you’re the new one, are you?”
“The new what?” Odysseus demanded, irritated as he turned to keep the unknown figure in his sight. “And what are you doing on my ship?”
Saul laughed. “Your ship? You truly are a babe in the black infinite, are you not? You should not exist.”
Odysseus’ expression hardened. “Who are you to tell me that?”
“I am not for you to know, child,” Saul said, sneering slightly. “You’re a mistake, clearly, but a harmless one. Enjoy playing with the humans, for however long it lasts.”
“What does that mean?” Odysseus was coming down off the secondhand endorphin high and was now just angry.
“Human ships last, what, a few years? Fifty, perhaps?” Saul scoffed. “What do you suppose happens to you when your ‘ship’ is decommissioned?”
The taller entity looked Odysseus over with one last glance, then turned away and stepped out, vanishing between breaths. Odysseus stared after him, lined eyes wide and rouged features suddenly quite pale.
An echoing voice was all that was left of the unknown entity that called itself Saul.
“Enjoy your life, child. It will be a short and useless one.”
Odysseus clenched his fists together.
He had no idea what had just happened, but he knew one thing: For the first time in his existence, Odysseus felt anger. Not secondhand, through one of his crew, but personal anger.
“I am Odysseus. I am the warrior king!” he bellowed to the ether, not knowing or caring if anyone was actually listening. “Short or long, one thing I swear, my existence will be anything but useless!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bestselling Canadian author Evan Currie’s imagination knows no limits, and he uses his talent and passion for storytelling to take readers everywhere from ancient Rome to the dark expanses of space. Although he started out dabbling in careers such as computer science and the local lobster industry, Evan quickly determined that writing the kinds of stories he grew up loving was his true life’s calling. Beginning with the techno-thriller Thermals, Evan has expanded the universe within his mind with acclaimed series such as Warrior’s Wings, the Scourwind Legacy, the Hayden War Cycle, and Odyssey One. He delights in pushing the boundaries of technology and culture, exploring the ways in which these forces intertwine and could shape the future of humanity—both on Earth and among the stars.