The Omarian Gambit: A Pax Aeterna Novel

by Trevor Wyatt

  "Rina, you would have a much easier time if you just relented." He shoves his food to the side and and picks at it, looking into the bottom of our mess trays, only bothering to look up at a me after this ridiculous suggestion. "What do you care about an accelerator spare charge when you know we've stocked plenty of replacements?" His eyes narrow with the laughter rising in his throat. The inhuman sound of AI that doesn't need to breathe mimicking a laugh at the pleasure derived from taunting me? I mean, I've come to love Jrelo as part of my crew but I can't help but shudder a little at the odd sound. But then again, I can’t believe that the AI is pretending to eat, either. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve asked before. What’s with the food? What’s with the laugh? His answer? To put his shipmates at ease. Plus what else is he going to use his credits for if he can’t use the molecular resequencer to make a tasty treat that he isn’t going to eat?

  Jrelo looks normal, he's more than a functional member of our crew, and he's a better mechanic than the last fool we had. I even kind of enjoy that he's taunting me now...though neither of us will admit. I keep the cringe off my face when he laughs and find myself smiling instead.

  Then, well...that's when Davan shows up.

  "If Rina wants every stock piece operational, you know she's right." Davan's words sound terse, however, and there's no hint of mirth in his voice. He's interrupting because there's something of note that he needs to say.

  I swallow my smile and put a more professional face on. I know I'm overcorrecting because, come on, how wrong is it that my captain is what gets the seat of my uniform sticky every night? I don't want to feel that way. I don't even necessarily agree with him on many things, not having been an Earthborne and having his expansionist philosophy driving him. I'm a colony baby and because of that, well, I have more of a duty-first perspective rather than thinking homeworld first. I have nothing much I cling to as I didn't come from Earth or have much of an attachment to my home colony, and that's why I'm on this crew. I am attached to doing my duty, serving Earth in the Armada, and serving on this ship allows me to do just that. Davan clings to honor and a hope for something recaptured, gained stronger. That's why he's hear and like that's why I probably can't stop thinking about him when I'm in my bunk.

  I know, I know, but you should see him right now.

  He's tall, even for an Earthborne human, easily many inches above six feet. His broad shoulders are part of a solid frame of masculinity. His muscles are highlighted in his uniform. Davan's got a chiseled jaw sharper and more defined than some of the complex machinery that keeps us flying in space. He's got a voice that will make your stomach heat up just hearing it. Of course, I try to never let on that I notice any of these things. I have a job to do, a job that I do very well under him.

  Yeah, I just don't actually get under him...because that would be wildly unprofessional. Also, given the chance, I might want to do all manner of wild things to Davan that would make showing up for work the next day hard, and not just because I'd hopefully have difficulty walking.

  I shake my head, clearing out the mess of thoughts, and trying to ignore how my eyes want to wander on Davan as I can tell he's considering something. "Has there been an issue with our current course?" I ask, knowing we've haven't had to deal with any unpleasant Outer Colony factions in quite some time. Calling our work uneventful seems unfair, but the truth is that there's quite a bit of paperwork and communicating back to Armada Command to our work. Galactic bureaucracy has to be conducted by someone, I suppose, and we all enjoy our jobs.

  Davan's lips purse for a moment as he inhales. "No, but there's an odd reading." He sits at the head of the table, lifting the fork to his own plate and taking a few bites, swallowing some of his rations, before continuing. "Rina, we'll be investigating whatever these readings might indicate. You are to redirect our course to conduct this inquiry."

  "Yes, Captain," I say, nodding to him. I want to ask a thousand questions because, well, we never have readings that are anything but normal. I pause and look at him.

  The faraway look in his eyes and the way his empty hand is tensed into a fist tells me that Davan's ready for action.

  "What do you think it is?" I go ahead and ask.

  "I think we have to investigate to find out what it is," Davan says, his voice deadpan.

  I swallow, and he watch Davan's fist open and his head shake. "But it could be more future colonies. It could be...other life in the galaxy."

  "Wow," I say. "Davan, do you think it really could be? I mean, based on the number of years we've been exploring and expanding, and no one has found anything yet..."

  Bringing his fork to his face, Davan shrugs, but I know he's not as nonchalant as he seems. "It seems possible. Perhaps even probable."

  Jrelo, who attends crew dinner with a full tray despite not eating, stands up. "I guess I will get to replacing one of plenty of replacement parts following this investigation. Probability could indicate other biological sentient lifeforms, or it could be simple machine error in your readings. Where are the abnormal readings coming from?"

  I press several buttons to engage the commscreen to pull up recent data in here, and Davan swipes in his finger so biometrics can access his panel. "This nebula," he indicates far corner of a very expansive galactic map. "So we will stop off to replace any parts at Edoris Station, spare or otherwise, that need it, because we're going far."

  I don't have the need for any smug satisfaction at the moment, however, because I'm too intrigued by the possibilities. Other life in the galaxy!

  Davan

  Rina Sanders is an efficient first officer. She looks around the table, wanting to go chart us a new course, but finishes her meal. I know Rina doesn't want to appear over eager. That's probably a natural reaction she has to having been one of the youngest first officers in the Armada, always wanting to remain professional to a fault. Still, a pushy AI mechanic, me the stoic captain, and a bubbly crew of fifteen people who haven’t had shore leave for at least three months meant that despite her rigidity, Rina was just too good at her job to not acclimate briskly.

  I recommended her for the position because I wanted someone hungry to do well. Rina was born on a colony. She's the realized potential of the post-nuclear war space expansion that was necessary for all of humanity.

  In the early days of the post-nuclear horror, when those with money fled the Earth, they dreamed of a day when their progeny would roam the stars. When the pursuit of science would outweigh that of survival.

  Well, it took at least a hundred years, but people followed. Oh, they followed. First the well-off. Then those looking for a new life. And they brought back and sent home resources.

  And the Homeworld rebuilt itself.

  But none of these thoughts keeps me from laughing at how, the instant the colony borne is out of the dining bay, there's an extra jaunt in her step.

  "Discovery of additional lifeforms," Jrelo interrupts my thoughts with a dispassionate drawl, "would lead to a commended success on your record, assuming you can utilize and report the data. Do you then believe you will accept a prestigious but non-active role in New Washington? Or even Earth?"

  "As if," Mandy, one of the crew, says with a spoonful of carb ration in her mouth. "They'll never take Davan's ship away from him." She grins at me. "Isn't that right?"

  I sigh, losing my appetite and wanting to shuffle off to CNC as much as Rina wanted to. "Not if I still have a say in it," I answer honestly. I scratch the back of my neck. "But we're all talking about something that hasn't happened yet. Ever. So it is pretty cocky to assume we're going to do it."

  "How much information have you shared with Command?" Kevo asks. He is another member of the crew, and because I make it a habit to be on a first-name basis will all of my crew, I know that he's got schemes in mind already.

  Of course, I do, too, because the answer to that? I have emergency data scheduled to send when necessary. When we engage faster than light speed travel, well, then it will be enough time for us to g
et farther out than any other ships and make sure that the discovery is ours. This is as good a time as any to rise. "I have maintained well within protocol," I offer. I can hear a few reactions as I head for CNC, but I'm already engaging my comm to contact Rina.

  "Report?"

  "New route engaged." I hear the excitement in her voice. "Approval for large distance light speed travel is all that remains...and then your location data for emergency services will also send." She keeps any of her opinions to herself, as I'm certain she must have some about my choice to send location data when we can't be followed by non-medical ships. All assigned fleets aren't going this far out. Medical ships could save us, but no other crew is finding what I am.

  Whether it be a new ally, a possible threat to engage, or just a prime new colony to forge ahead on, this is mine.

  I round into the cockpit and Rina stands to receive me. "Briefing is ready for crew, Sir," Rina says.

  I look over the materials she has on the abnormal readings. Bio-energy, possible communication technology, and signs of inorganic materials in the outer nebula all suggest that another civilization could be present.

  The AI was right. This could be big for my career. New Washington is exactly the kind of place I'm probably supposed to want to work up to, but I am at home on my ship. So Mandy is right. I don't intend to let anyone take me out of the sky and land me in a station or behind a desk with some Admiral’s stripes. If I have to do paperwork, it is going to be among the stars. Out in space. With my crew. We had a few issues with our last mechanic, and we got approval for our AI mechanic, Jrelo, and I just don't need to fuck up a good thing. We all work really well together, and I don't need some upstart rolling aboard The Mariner and deciding he knows better. I worked hard to get to the top and if there's going to be a big discovery, it is mine. It belongs to this crew. My vectors found the parameters. Rina will get us there.

  "Crew, briefing in five," I say over the intercom.

  If there's anything to come of this, our investigation will make it happen.

  Rina

  "Okay, but will the dicks be green too?" Mandy, Keva, and Uxor forgot to turn off their comms.

  Davan and I are listening to them discuss the possible genitalia of little green men, and we both gave each other the wide eyed "don't let on we can totally hear this conversation" look before I finally can’t handle it. I'm about to burst into laughter at the discussion of possible cock configurations when Davan clears his throat loudly.

  "Captain," Uxor says, and I can almost hear the blush on his face. I mean, I'm not the only one who finds the Captain attractive, but Uxor, who does the hospitality duties and related maintenance for the ship, let's just say he avoids being in the same room with Davan as much as possible or his whole face flushes around him.

  "There's some kind of a joke to be made about probing," Davan says. The way he's grinning right now makes me hyper-aware of my cheeks heating up. "But suffice to say, I understand that we all leave our comms on from time to time. Davan looks at me.

  Umm, so what is that supposed to mean? I gulp, grateful to be able to head to my quarters for the night while the crew apologize for discussing possible alien equipment.

  I vacillate between thinking about starting the investigation officially tomorrow and about the possible meanings of what the Captain could have meant. Did I read too much into him looking at me?

  The sinking feeling in my stomach isn't just the light speed drive activating. It is the thought that he might know about the upgrade to my holographic generator I made in my quarters. I studied as a hologram engineer while I was training for pilot school at the Academy, and I made a certain hologram of my own with modifications...well, let's just say it is a good thing my quarters are soundproofed. I know a lot of people have program modifications to their personal holoprojectors. Modifications that they use for self-gratification, but I took an old idea about masturbation melded with a new one. I have a hologram of the Captain that is capable of both forms of simulated activity and stimulation. The last time I used it, did I leave the sound engaged on my comms? I fucking hope not. It isn't like I'm going to ask and that's just about the most embarrassing thing that I can think of.

  So much for professionalism!

  I can't imagine that Davan would ever say anything about it if he knew. I mean, it would mortify me, and it is so wildly inappropriate. But then again, he and I listened to the alien dick FAQ while someone else's comm was engaged.

  Fuuuuck.

  I get to my quarters, clearing my throat and checking in with the CNC crew before I turn in.

  I undress and get into bed. I inhale and shut my eyes, clenching them shut. Some things, the more you do them, the more you get used to them. Not so much the case with sleeping before a mission. It is vicious to the entire human body when you know you’re going into something unknown that humanity may never have potentially seen before.

  I don't want any distractions from sleep tonight. I’m so exhausted lately. We’ve been in space for a long time. It is the longest stretch of duty that the crew of The Mariner has ever engaged in. I do my final checks of the crew in my personal tablet. The green shining lights counting down the status indicators remind me that, if I need to, I can disengage the FTL drives and shut this mission down if I feel the need to.

  Everything seems fine, however, and I let myself be excited for just a moment before that sinking feeling hits. I squeeze my eyes shut as the green numbers disappear, and the sleep pulls within every part of my body.

  Not even this can dampen my enthusiasm, however, for starting the investigation officially tomorrow. I know that Davan is excited, too, and that gets me more excited than I can admit to you anyone but you!

  Davan

  I hate the idea of Rina spending another night with that hologram of me instead of with the real me more than I hate the idea of cleaning a hyperdrive with a toothbrush. Right. Forgot to tell you. I know about the hologram. I discovered when she left her own comm engaged, well, I don't need her to have her hormones in overdrive.

  We tend to not tell anyone at the Academy what happens to prolonged contact with the opposite sex when your out in space for months on end. Sure, there's duty. Exploration. Conflict. Protecting the Union. But after you’ve been through a few different systems, pretty much the only thing your body thinks about is fucking.

  I don't know if I have the heart to tell you that my real cock? Well, I've got twice the inches on the impressive equipment she envisioned. Who would think the consummate professional that studied holo-engineering would use it in such a filthy way? Rina does a very good job remaining professional with me. I could never have been certain before that she was attracted to me, but after witnessing that about a week ago, well, now I know. Now I see her attraction to me everywhere. I want to act on it often, but there's no time for that now.

  Not when we’re on the verge of a discovery unimaginable 500 years ago.

  I mean, this is exactly the wrong time, but I can totally feel blood rushing to my cock. Fuck, I'm some kind of idiot to think about Rina's soft, curvy body covered in a sheen of sweat because she's imagining me inside of her. But I'd be blind and stupid if I didn't.

  Tomorrow's investigation is what I should focus on...after sleep. I should be thinking about nothing right now, but I'm so distracted, I open my eyes for a second and see the double and triple vision of my ceiling in my quarters. Clamping my eyes shut, I attempt to clear my mind of all the thoughts.

  Because no one should be hard and distracted at the same time.

  I let my mind fall into blackness against black. I hear thoughts and ideas passing through my mind without consequence or meaning.

  A single voice permeates my thoughts for a moment, but it doesn't hurt. "You'll find us," it says.

  I don't know what to think of that. I should probably not be at ease to hear that.

  Rina is waiting outside my quarters. Not being Earthborne, she's not as affected by the prolonged exposure in space as I a
m. Her body is more comfortable with space, having evolved further to handle more. Still, I see the slightly glassy look in her eyes that tells me she's struggling too with too little sleep and too much stimuli.

  "The crew is ready, and I'm ready to begin prepping our exploratory equipment at your call, Captain." Rina's smile is begging to lift the corners of her mouth.

  I give her a wide grin. "Let’s see what we're going to find!" I pat her on the shoulder and start walking towards the meeting deck.

  The crew files in, one by one – the toll of no shore leave showing. But I can tell Rina, like me, is too excited to wait another day to view our findings and explore what they could mean.

  "Captain Davan and I selected the criterion we did as our parameters for discovery of possible other colonization sites." She pauses, knowing that part of what we're looking at involves bio-forms.

  Rina doesn't share my thirst for conquest, and I know that the history of nuclear war has certainly left me wanting to resolve tensions with diplomacy, not violence. But expansion isn't the kind of thing a man lets go of. That's why I don't trade in New Washington or shuffle paperwork or train there. No, I'm a ship captain because I want to explore.

  "Yes," I say with a nod.

  "We look for bio-form and inorganics because it means intelligent life could be building their own civilization there, or have an established one. We must be cautious and open-minded as we seek to discover what lies ahead. We know that there's a chance we'll discover false readings. They happen. But today we'll seek to discover what no one else has."

  The crew starts to cheer. I can't blame them.

  And then the entire ship quakes. Shakes like nothing I have felt in space. Our lights flicker, our comms emit a strange sound, and then everything stops and returns back to normal.

  "What the-" I can't even finish my sentence when I see what's before the deck, and see what reads on my comms.