Shadow of the Blue Ring

by Jerome Kelly

  “So how far along is she?” Markova asked.

  “Who?”

  “Don’t play stupid with me miss,” Markova said aggressively, “Isha, how far along is she?”

  “Oh… I… wait, how did you know?”

  “The signs are unmissable, I knew as soon as she came onto the ship. I’m assuming from the way that you’re sneaking around that James doesn’t know about this yet and that you two are trying to keep it a secret?”

  “Look… she’s just a little freaked, thats all,” said Melina, “James is in a high pressure situation and if he finds out that his wife is pregnant, it could jeopardise the mission. You know he takes risks and acts rashly to protect people he cares about, we just want him to be able to focus on the mission and not do anything stupid. I’m sure you understand.”

  “Yes, I understand,” Markova said with a hint of resignation, “I know all too well what our fabled captain is like when people he cares about are put in danger. Ok then young lady, I’ll keep your secret, if only to stop James from having to hear about it from someone other than Isha. Any sign of complications and I want you to bring her straight to me.”

  “Thank you, and I will do.”

  That went better than she had anticipated, she had thought the secret would be out as soon as Markova had spotted her but she had lucked out this time. Isha was not too far along so the obvious signs would not show for a few more weeks but with Andurian women showing the symptoms of pregnancy earlier than with Human women, there would be clearly noticeable signs for everyone to see. Exiting the medical bay, Melina made her way up to Isha in the captain’s quarters to hand over the test.

  “It’s positive,” Isha sighed as she stared at the two lines on the stick that she was holding, “you were right, I’m six weeks along.”

  “Your medical chief knows too,” said Melina, “she said she saw the signs as soon as you came aboard. She hasn’t told anyone yet though.”

  “This is bad,” Isha said with her head in her hands, “there is no way James wont find out, I just don’t know how to tell him without endangering the mission. We’ve seen the lengths he went to to get Amario back from Valdor that time, imagine what he would do if he saw the same threat against his wife and unborn child.”

  “I dread to think,” Melina shuddered, “I would definitely wait until we get back to Valoran space before telling him though. If these Hunters attack us again, he will act recklessly to protect you and that could put everyone at risk.”

  She had a very good point, it was either tell James now and endanger the mission or hold off on telling him and risk him finding out from someone else. It was not an easy choice. James’s greatest attributes could sometimes be his greatest weakness and others had used them to their own advantage before. That said, Isha would not have had him any other way.

  “So then…” Melina began, “. . . I guess we need to start picking out names. Have you though about what you’re going to call her? Or him?”

  “I really haven’t thought about it,” said Isha, “this all happened so suddenly I really wasn’t prepared for it.”

  “But will you choose an Andurian name or a Human name?” Melina asked, “remember, your son or daughter will be a child of two worlds and that has never been an easy thing for anyone.”

  “I don’t know, maybe one of both,” said Isha, “I guess Earth names aren’t all so different from our own really.”

  “I guess not,” said Melina, “well anyway, I got your anti-sickness meds, they should keep you in top shape for a few weeks until the pregnancy starts to advance. Hopefully we’ll back back home by the time things get that far.”

  She would be well enough to carry out her duties and make herself of some use on the mission, at least for a while anyway. Once things began to progress, she would be out of action for a long time, she would have to take a leave of absence from the fleet and it would affect James and his captaincy too. There was no going back though, Isha had absolutely no intention of terminating. This baby was going to happen, it was what she had been wanting for a long time now.

  * * * * *

  James had never seen a city like the Adean capital before. It reminded him of some kind of medieval city, all constructed out out reddish-grey stone and with old-style architecture. While the many transports, shuttle bays and vehicles around them told them that they were indeed in the middle of a very technologically advanced culture, it was very much like a clash of the time zones. Adean was a very unspoiled world too, there were lush forests and large oceans made up of clear and unpolluted water. The locals had done a good job of keeping their world in a very pleasant condition. The air was also very fresh and cool. It was a refreshing change from some of the overly warm alliance worlds.

  Ansare had set the Mantis flyer down on one of the shuttle pads close to the senate building, one of the largest and grandest structures in the city. Several Adean soldiers were present on the pad, likely for security reasons, but none of them had shown any hostility at all towards James’s crew. Kalmar would likely be on the scene any second now to take them to their meeting with the senate.

  “It’s a strange place to find the leaders of such an advanced civilisation,” Morelli noted as she observed the unusual city. The senate building was on an area of high ground so they had a fantastic view for miles around, right to the edges of the city. Despite the unusual surroundings, James had to admit that it was quite beautiful.

  “It could have simply been an old city from many thousands of years ago that they decided to re-colonise,” Ansare suggested, “or maybe the Adeans simply like to keep things simple and not waste resources on fancy constructs or lavish cities.”

  “I’m guessing Jaiden would have gone crazy for this place,” said Morelli, “I’m sure she would have loved the chance to explore a city like this.”

  James would have loved to have brought the entire crew along to sample the atmosphere of a newly found world but the reality was that this was a solely diplomatic meeting and Kosare was not known for her diplomatic skills. At least with Saavoy and Ansare he had capable speakers to back him up and Morelli was a far more mature individual these days, he would be able to rely on them diplomatically should he need them.

  The group wasn’t kept waiting for more than a few minutes, Kalmar soon arrived on the scene, his shuttle setting down on the landing pad next to the Mantis flyer. He was quick to disembark his shuttle and make his way over to them.

  “Captain James Tavarez, welcome to Adean,” Kalmar said, shaking his hand, “it’s good to finally meet you in person.”

  “Likewise, captain Kalmar,” said James, “we are honoured to be the first alliance representatives to visit your world.”

  “It’s a shame our paths have not crossed before,” said Kalmar, leading them from the shuttle pad towards the senate building, “our people could have done with having more friends on our side over the past few decades, especially with the Hunters occupying our region of space. Regardless, the leader of the senate, lord Cirian Gera, has agreed to meet with you regarding the presence of your people within our region and the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate chain of events that have taken place involving your people.”

  “So what exactly does he want us for?” Saavoy asked, “is he proposing some kind of alliance? Or maybe some mutually beneficial arrangement between our people?”

  “I have no idea,” said Kalmar, “lord Gera did not reveal his intentions nor what he intended to discuss with you when you arrived. The leaders of the senate are normally very private about their operations. They are strong and able leaders who will always do what is right by the people of Adean but they are frustratingly secretive sometime. The only way you will know exactly what they want from you is to meet them in person.”

  Kalmar lead James and the rest of the group up the steps to the entrance to the massive senate building. Inside, it was complet
ely different, the halls made up of a shining white marble complete with many stone sculptures lining the sides. The Adeans were clearly more than just a race of stealth warriors boasting cutting-edge technology, they had a real talent for art and craftsmanship too and their many works of art were proudly displayed throughout their centre of government. James had to admit, the Adean city was a cultural marvel on a par with the cities of Churo.

  The central chamber of the senate was a massive circular room, similar in some ways to the central chamber of the council ship, raised rows of seats around the sides with a large space in the centre. An ageing man was waiting for them in the middle of the room, his hair white, his skin lining with age and clad in grey and dark green robes. He did not look overjoyed as they arrived but he beckoned them inside anyway.

  “My lord, I have brought you the off-worlders just as you requested,” Kalmar said with a bow, “I present to you captain James Tavarez of the Evening Star and his crew.”

  “Thank you, captain Kalmar, you may step aside,” the Adean lord said, not looking in the least bit thankful at all, “so you are the new arrivals to our region of the galaxy that I have heard so much about. Allow me to introduce myself, I am chairman Cirian Gera. I am the head of the senate of Adean and the leader of this proud race.”

  “It’s an honour to meet you,” James said, trying to sound as confident as he could. He wanted to make a good impression if he was going to be the first person from the alliance to meet with the leaders of this world. Artennes would certainly not have chosen him as his representative for first contact, not with his reputation.

  “When captain Kalmar informed me that a third group of your people had entered the region, I decided it was best to make contact with your people rather than simply observe the events from afar,” Gera continued, “he assumed that you had come here searching for those ships that had come before you. I also believe that he informed you that there is a strict code among those within the imperial fleet. Our captains are not permitted to divulge information to outsiders about certain… secrets that we would do well to keep hidden.”

  “What kind of secrets?” James asked, “I’m assuming that you must have some information for us on this subject otherwise you would not have invited us here.”

  “Since coming into this region, I’m sure that you have realised that there is more than one race occupying this area of the galaxy,” said Gera, “we Adeans are the guardians of this sector. We are not hostile, we are not aggressive and we are not unfriendly to those who bear us no ill will. However, thirty-five years ago, we made contact with an alien race, the ones we call ‘The Hunters.’ We have no idea who they are, only that they they have had us locked in a costly war for over three decades now. Ever since that time, we have sworn to defend this region and the rest of the galaxy from this menace and also to protect the many secrets that this region holds. Secrets that the Hunters wish to take advantage of.”

  “So you have no idea where the Hunters came from?” Ansare asked, “they just showed up out of nowhere?”

  “No, we do not know for certain where the Hunters came from or where they are striking from,” said Gera, “the only thing we know is that they came from somewhere on the other side of the Blue Ring nebula and we have been at war with them ever since. With our numbers, our stealth technology and the tactical expertise of some of my best captains we have been able to hold the Hunters at bay for the most part. Unfortunately, those of you who came before could not.”

  “We came across one of your scout ships alongside the derelict Tolian cruiser that we were sent out here to find,” said Morelli, “when we went aboard, it’s databanks were wiped clean. Was this your people’s doing?”

  “We were simply trying to stop the Hunters from finding any clues regarding the secrets that lay hidden within this region,” said Gera, continuing to talk in riddles and not giving anything away.

  “I’m not quite understanding all of this,” said James, getting the distinct feeling that Gera was being a little evasive about these subjects that were clearly touchy for his people, “are you going to tell us about these secrets or not?”

  “I will tell you, but first I need you to understand why we do what we do. Those Churian ships that came out into this region were searching for an ancient Jaiytid device. It is a weapon that my people refer to as ‘The Shadow Bringer.’ We do not know the true extent of what it can do but we do know that it is a weapon of incredible destructive power, possibly even enough to destroy and entire world. The Hunters are searching for this weapon and it is our job to make sure they never find it. We wiped the databanks of the Tolian warship to prevent any information stored there from falling into the hands of the Hunters, both regarding the Shadow Bringer and also regarding your alliance.”

  “So you erased those files to protect us,” said James, “you didn’t want another race drawn into your conflict?”

  “Correct,” said Gera, “the information within the ship could have lead the Hunters straight to your home planets, resulting in a devastating surprise attack that could have crippled your alliance. Had we known of their presence in the region earlier, we may have been able to stop the Hunters from destroying them but we were not fast enough. All we could do was erase the information to ensure that the Shadow Bringer will not fall into the hands of the Hunters.”

  “Have you thought about finding and using the weapon yourself?” Morelli asked, “surely if you could find it before them, they could never use it against you.”

  “Unfortunately it is not that simple. You see, the weapon was divided into four pieces by the Jaiytids at the end of the war. They feared what it could do if it was to be used so they split it up, hoping that the pieces would never fall into the wrong hands. Furthermore, the Hunters already possess one piece of the weapon, the most important piece, and it was us who allowed it to happen. Thirty five years ago, an exploration team sent to chart the systems in the Blue Ring nebula stumbled upon a Jaiytid ruin inside of which we found the weapon, at least most of it anyway. It was mostly intact but three major components had been removed which left the weapon as little more than an empty husk. That was all until the Hunters ambushed us, taking the weapon for themselves and triggering the war between our two races. Fortunately, the Hunters cannot use the weapon because there are still three components missing and they do not know of the location of these pieces. As a result, they are scouring the region looking for them as we speak. We, however, do know of the location of one of them and all that we can do for now is to ensure that the Hunters cannot find it. As long as it remains hidden, Adean remains safe.”

  “So where do we come in with all of this?” James asked, “you must have brought us here and told us all of this for a reason.”

  “We simply wish to warn you,” said Gera, “we do not want your people to continue to fall victim to Hunter attacks, nor do we want your people to think of us as hostile. We are not your enemy and do not wish to be your enemy. We want you to deliver this information to your leaders so that you may be better prepared should the Hunters enter your region of space. As for us, you must allow us to continue as we have done these past decades, we cannot allow our work to be disturbed.”

  “Our leaders will never accept this,” James warned him, “Artennes does not take any nonsense. As soon as we inform him of the Hunter threat, he will send a battle fleet out here to try and engage them and it will result in a full scale war. One that we may not survive.”

  “Then that is his choice,” said Gera, “we must warn you though, we will continue to go about our business as guardians of this region. If your leaders send their forces in, we cannot assist you.”

  “Why not help us though?” James asked, his frustration growing by the second, “a common enemy has to unite everyone who they would threaten. The Freedom alliance is made up of ten strong races, you would make it stronger if you joined us. We could defeat the Hunters if we worked toge
ther.”

  “I am sorry,” said Gera, “we cannot help you. Do whatever you can to prepare your alliance should the Hunters take their search to your region but we must go on as we have done these past decades. We must continue to protect the Shadow Bringer and ensure the Hunters never find it. That is my final word on the matter.”

  James wanted to protest but Kalmar stepped in to stop him.

  “He is only doing what he believes to be best for our people,” he said quickly, “come on, I’ll take you back to your shuttle.”

  There was a strong feeling of disappointment among the group. James had hoped that the senate might have wanted to help out in the fight against the Hunters but all they had done was give them a warning and send them on their way. Hardly helpful at all. Still, at least they had found out one thing. The Churians had been searching for this weapon, the Shadow Bringer, an ancient and powerful weapon built by the Jaiytids. The council would certainly have some explaining to do once James presented this information to them. He only hoped that their motives for finding it were for exploratory and scientific purposes rather than military ones.

  “Well that was pretty much a dead end,” said Morelli, “maybe we should go back to Artennes and the council, we’ve done everything they asked us to do out here. We found the missing ships, we found out what they were looking for and we know who was responsible. Maybe it’s best to leave this region as it is, we can’t make much of a difference out here.”

  “No, we can’t go back yet,” said James, “we know that Artennes would want to deal with the Hunters with military force and things could get very messy if he tries. We still haven’t fully recovered from the Vulian occupation yet, we are in no position to fight a full scale war against an enemy like this.”

  “Well we know we can’t fight them alone,” said Saavoy, “we need backup, either from the alliance or from the Adeans and we know that the Adeans aren’t exactly in the mood to help us out.”

  “I do wish the outcome of your meeting had been different,” Kalmar added, “I had hoped that the senate would finally agree to take definitive action but Gera is not going to be swayed. He is following the course that he believes is is best for our people.”