Shadow of the Blue Ring

by Jerome Kelly

  “Thank you miss Cavallera,” Ravenn said proudly, “and miss Kaydenne Melina too, well done in your victory at the Systems Gala last year, a most impressive feat. I watched the entire thing and I was rooting for you the entire way.”

  “Thank you general,” Melina beamed.

  “So what will you do now you are retired from the military,” James asked, “will you be looking to live a slightly quieter life now?”

  “I’ve got myself a nice little place down near the resort of Carpara in the south,” Ravenn replied, “my wife and I are moving down there in just a couple of days. It’s one of the most serene and peaceful places on the planet, the perfect place to start afresh. I may even have some real time to spend with my daughters and the grandchildren for the first time in what seems like forever.”

  “Well you’ve definitely earned your retirement,” said James, “I wish you all the best with everything you do in the future.”

  “And the very same to all of you three,” said Ravenn, “but I must get back to the party, I’m sure there are many more well-wishers queueing up for a turn to say their part.”

  With that, Ravenn made his way back into the crowd and onto the next group of people who were clamouring for his attention. The party had now got into it’s full swing, the music had started up in the background, it had a very classical Earth feel to it, and many of the guests had made their way to the dance floor with their partners for the evening. James could feel Isha giving him an indication that she wanted to join them.

  “Come on,” she urged him, “might as well join in with the rest of them.”

  James was not much of a dancer but Isha seemed to know what she was doing, Melina disappearing back into the crowd as they did so. It was mostly slow dancing so he didn’t have to exert himself too much which was a relief, at least she would not show him up. He was just glad to be relaxing, holding Isha tight to him as they slowly swayed to the music among all the other couples. He let his thoughts leave him and relaxed, this was what he had been waiting so long for.

  “So, are you glad we came?” he asked as they continued their dance.

  “Of course,” Isha said quietly, “I’m just glad to be away from everything back home. I’m still… not convinced about Earth.”

  “I know it doesn’t quite have the same appeal as the other alliance worlds but we are improving all the time,” James reminded her, “we’ve got the Second Chance Academy on Mars now remember, that alone is a big step in the right direction.”

  The Second Chance scheme had been an idea of admiral Davidson’s, a massive academy on the newly settled planet, Mars, that was taking the unemployed, homeless, minor criminals and many others with few prospects in life and giving them a second chance to achieve something in a brand new society on a new planet. James had given his full support to the plan back when it was first proposed and his influence had helped sway a fair few of the other captains in the fleet to do the same.

  “I know,” said Isha, “there have been some massive improvements in the last few years, I just feel a little homesick sometimes, I miss my friends back home.”

  “Maybe we can visit once we get a bit more time to ourselves,” James suggested, “you’ve spent so long on my world, perhaps we could spend some time on yours for a while.”

  “That would be great,” Isha smiled at him, “I haven’t seen home in far too long.”

  James had only briefly been to Anduria. Despite being married to an Andurian woman, he had seen very little of the world his wife had been born on. From what he did know, it was a world with many remarkable natural features and it would be an excellent place to take a holiday, assuming they ever got another one after this week.

  Drawing his thoughts back to the present, he noticed there was a little disturbance at the door. Two officers in Tolian military uniforms had come through the door to the immense dislike of the bouncers outside. To James’s surprise, one of them was headed right for him.

  “James Tavarez?” he said as he approached.

  “Yes?” James replied, “is there something you need?”

  “I have an urgent message for you,” the officer said, “it’s from an admiral Jamerson, he says he’s a superior of yours.”

  Typical. Just so typical of the admirals to pick this time to try and get hold of him. Jamerson knew he was at this party and was due to be on Churo for the whole week. Just what could have possibly happened to make him change his mind like this?

  “Can you tell the admiral that I’m currently occupied,” James said irritably, “I made it very clear I was not to be disturbed while I was down here.”

  “Admiral Jamerson insists this is urgent, he wouldn’t chase you down here otherwise,” said the officer, “I am simply passing on the message that you’ve been summoned by Jovan Artennes, the head of the Freedom Alliance council. He says this is a calling that you can’t ignore.”

  Jovan Artennes? That was Tasos’s father, probably the most important man in alliance space. What could he possibly want with James? Why would he just summon him out of the blue like this?

  “This could be serious James,” Isha said nervously, “if Jovan Artennes wants to speak to you then you can’t ignore this, something big must have come up.”

  “Fine, I guess I’ll just go and see Artennes then,” James huffed.

  The commotion had drawn the attention of many of those around them, not least one familiar face who was pushing through the crowd in their direction.

  “Is it true?” Asked a very confused looking Tasos Artennes, “my father has actually summoned you?”

  “Tasos Artennes!” Isha said sternly, “don’t you have some nerve.”

  “Isha?” Tasos looked a little awkward on seeing her, “it’s erm… good to see you again… And James, how have you been all this time?”

  “I’ve been coping,” he replied, “and how about you? What was that little display back then?”

  “You don’t remember what Kaydenne told you earlier?” said Isha, “Tasos decided to ditch Kaydenne when he returned to Tolis. She was devastated you know, really broke her heart. You didn’t even go to say goodbye to her when you sent her away either did you?”

  “It wasn’t my choice,” Tasos contested, “I couldn’t go against my father’s wishes. He will not let me date an Andurian girl, he’s strict when it comes to the Artennes bloodline. He said he wont let the bloodline be watered down with foreign blood.”

  “You would have thought an Artennes would be more open minded,” Isha said sternly, “we’re all the same race on the inside, there was no reason for you to end it like you did, you could have fought for her, she was really taken with you.”

  “Look I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Tasos answered her, “you have to understand how it is for someone in my situation. I don’t get to choose these things for myself.”

  “You’re twenty four,” Isha reminded him, “if you can’t control your own life by now, how do you expect to become leader of the council one day. You disgust me.”

  James quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the scene before she got out of control.

  “What was that for?” James asked her, “was that really necessary?”

  “I’m sorry but I wont let anyone hurt my cousin and get away with it,” Isha said angrily, “that little brat wont last ten minutes in charge of his people with his attitude.”

  “Just leave it,” James said, “come on, lets just get this meeting with the council over with, if we’re lucky we might get back before the end of the week…” James turned back to the messenger again, “. . . I’m assuming some kind of transport has been prepared to take us to Tolis?”

  “Actually the council ship is in orbit now,” said the officer, “the council have seen fit to come out here themselves to find you, they feel it is in the interest of all parties involved.”

&n
bsp; Something about the whole situation seemed wrong, the council ship never left Tolis except when there was to be a very high profile meeting of the alliance council on one of the respective alliance worlds. For them to pick up everything and come to Churo just to speak to James was a surprising move indeed. Something must have come up that had them seriously worried.

  “A shuttle is waiting for you on the pad next to the grand hall,” the officer continued, “if you would kindly wait there for myself and my colleague to join you, there is one other person who has been summoned too. Do you know where we might find admiral Kaldun Ansare?”

  “No need, I’m right here,” Ansare appeared out of the crowd, word obviously travelling quickly through the crowd, “I hear you’re looking for me?”

  “Yes, you and captain Tavarez have been summoned by lord Jovan Artennes,” the officer repeated, “if you will both follow me, we will take you to the shuttle now and… Tasos, your father has not summoned you.”

  “I want to come along anyway,” Tasos insisted, “if there is trouble in the alliance then I want to know about it.”

  “Very well,” the officer did not seem convinced but did not fancy arguing with someone of Tasos’s stature within the alliance, “then if you three could please follow me, I will take you to the council.”

  James left his award with Isha who had decided to remain behind at the party alongside Melina, it was likely that she didn’t want to have to spend any more time around Tasos than was necessary. After waiting so long to have some time away from work alongside her, they found themselves separated again. Fate was not being kind to either of them and Isha had not looked in the slightest bit impressed by this turn of events.

  James, Ansare and Tasos left the grand hall alongside the council’s messengers and made their way down to the shuttle. It was a shame to be leaving after only having been there for a couple of hours. If they were very lucky, the meeting would be over quickly and there was a possibility they might catch the last few hours but James was not going to hold his breath. For him the night was over.

  “Unusual move this, don’t you agree?” Ansare said as they strapped themselves into the shuttle, “the council ship just leaving Tolis and coming out here to meet us. You have any idea what this might be about?”

  “Hell if I know,” James sighed, “I just hope it’s all worth it, if I’ve been pulled out of my week off for some minor council concern, I will not be happy at all.”

  “The council doesn’t call people up like this for minor concerns James,” Tasos reminded him, “my father will have a good reason for bringing you here tonight, he’s been looking uncomfortable for a few days now so I can assure you both, there is something going on behind the scenes right now.”

  “Well I suppose that’s a start.”

  The grand hall and the city of Lahara were now little more than specks in the distance as the shuttle rose up and out of the atmosphere, once more returning them to space. After a few minutes, a large ship became visible in the distance, a ship that was larger than anything James had ever seen in his life. It had incredibly thick armour plating, multiple rows of broadside guns and it looked like it could take on an entire armada by itself. It was a very intimidating presence.

  “That’s the council ship,” said Ansare, “I’ve never been there before but I hear it’s quite magnificent inside. They build it out of the dead husk of the old Vulian Leviathan, apparently they never bothered to salvage the ships they lost at Tanchanis so the council simply recovered all the dead ships and used the materials to rebuild some of our fleets.”

  James definitely noticed that some of the ship’s design looked Vulian in nature. On the subject of the old enemy of the alliance, alongside the Colossus, admiral Jamerson’s ship, a Vulian capitol ship was drifting there too.

  “This can’t be good!” James exclaimed, “why would there be Vulians here?”

  “If they were becoming hostile again we would know,” said Ansare, “but if they’re involved somehow then I can see why the council wants you here. You’ve beaten them once before and Darien knows what you’re capable of.”

  “I really don’t fancy having to do it all again,” James could not face having to lead another offensive against the Vulian empire, it had almost killed him last time and others had not been so fortunate, “hopefully it’s for something minor and it will all settle down in the end.”

  The shuttle set down in one of the council ship’s many hangar bays. James could clearly see the unwelcome figure of his superior, admiral Robert Jamerson, head of the British division of the Earth Nations Fleet, waiting for him. He was a man in his late thirties and of a medium build with light brown hair that was just starting to recede slightly. He looked a little flustered, although it was fairly normal for him to appear that way. He did have a particularly stressful job.

  “Captain Tavarez, I apologise for bringing you here at such short notice,” he said hurriedly as the group stepped off the shuttle. James was hardly sure he sounded sorry at all.

  “Really?” James said irritably, “you had to pick this time to call me out? I booked this time off with you personally and I made it very clear that I was not to be disturbed by anyone. What is going on here?”

  “It was not I who called you here James,” said Jamerson, “the call came from lord Artennes himself. I’m sure Tasos here will have reminded you just how important a call from the head of the council is. It is not something you can ignore.”

  “He’s right, my father is the most powerful man in the alliance,” Tasos agreed, “if he calls you up in person then there is nothing you can do to get out of it.”

  “Well I guess we should just get on with it,” James resigned himself, “take us to the council then.”

  The three of them followed Jamerson through the doors into the ship and through it’s many corridors. It was no short trip, the ship was massive and it took them a good few minutes to reach the council chamber. The council chamber must have been one of the largest rooms on the ship, a huge circular, silver room with a large table in the middle, the dignitaries of each council race sat in their respective positions around the sides. At the head of the table, the delegation from Tolis was sat, lead by a man James assumed had to be Jovan Artennes. He shared some of Tasos’s looks, his hair blond, his eyes the same green colour but his features a little darker, his age really showing through, likely from the stress of having to rebuild the entire alliance almost from scratch. Slowly, James, Ansare and Tasos made their way up to the council table, Artennes shooting a disdaining look towards Tasos as they did so.

  “James Tavarez…” Artennes began, “. . . it is good to finally meet you. I regret that our paths have not crossed before now. Unfortunately, recent events have not allowed for such happenings.”

  “No offence, lord Artennes…” James began, trying to hide his irritation but not doing a very good job of it, “. . . but I really hope that you have a good reason for calling me here. I’m supposed to be off duty at the moment and I personally booked the time off with admiral Jamerson.”

  “I understand your frustration captain Tavarez,” Artennes said calmly, “however I can assure you, this is a matter of the utmost importance and it is well worth your time. The balance of peace in the galaxy is very fragile at the moment and despite the hard work that all of our people have been putting in over the past years, things remain on a knife edge. We have a very dangerous situation arising that threatens to tip this balance of peace. We have to do something about it.”

  “Tell me what’s happening,” said James, “and what does any of it have to do with me?”

  “With the rebuilding efforts in the alliance almost complete, the members of this council have resumed their goals of re-charting the galaxy and exploring the great unknowns of space once more. Just last week, the Churian government sent a group of ships into the uncharted region of the Blue Ring sector, that large
area of space bordering the Valoran and Muiran sectors. Shortly afterwards, all contact with the ships was lost. They dropped straight off the grid and no explanation has been forthcoming about what happened to them.”

  “I heard about this,” said James, “I also heard that your government had sent warships into the region to try and recover the Churian teams.”

  “We did indeed,” said Artennes, “however, we have now lost contact with those two warships that we sent into the region. Just as before, they dropped off the grid with no explanation forthcoming as to what happened to them. In addition, not five hours ago, three Naisan patrol ships went missing just off the Stenness system.”

  “The Stenness system?!” Ansare exclaimed, “that’s barely a two hour journey from Naisus itself!”

  “Which is why we also called you here tonight admiral,” said Artennes, “your government has asked that you and the rest of the Naisan guests at tonight’s celebration return to Naisus with all haste.”

  “Something about this doesn’t feel right,” said Ansare, sounding worried but maintaining his cool, “I’m sure there is more to this that you are letting on.”

  “Yes, there is, and that is where captain Tavarez fits into this,” said Artennes, “this is a dangerous and precarious situation we find ourselves in and we need someone to discover the nature of these disappearances before things get out of hand, someone who has experience in this kind of dealing.”

  “Let me guess…” James began, “. . . you want me to head out there and go looking for your missing ships? Surely this should be a job for a search and rescue team?”

  “The last groups to go in were our search and rescue teams,” Artennes reminded him, “we have lost contact with any ships that we have sent into the area and we need to find out what has become of them. We need to know if something in the region caused them to have a major power failure or, more likely, if something attacked them. If it’s the latter then we must know who is responsible and how to counter them.”