by Craig Gaydas
“We have had some unexpected events happen which you may not be aware of,” Ibune interjected with a somber tone. She reached up and rubbed the moon tattoo on her forehead, like she was trying rub out an oncoming headache. “Scribe is dead. We no longer have the means to gather inside information from the Consortium.”
The news caused my guts to twist into a knot. The Timeless were ancient, but they were mortal, a fact I sometimes overlooked. I looked at the nameplate engraved on Scribe's chair and wrestled with the knowledge that he would never sit there again. I had hoped to pick his brain once the war was over because, as the chronicler for The Timeless, he had witnessed, and even been a part of, countless wonders throughout the universe. Now I would never get that chance. My rage toward Calypso blazed unlike ever before.
“I am not so sure we can rely on Mortem,” Embeth replied. “He is a loose cannon.”
“That's an understatement,” Vayne added. “He is one card short of a Carratta deck.”
Vanth stood at the back of the room, hidden amongst the shadows. I directed my words toward him. “You once told me 'it doesn't matter the reason for the fight, it only matters that I fight'. I am choosing to fight with the tools that are available. Do you choose to fight?” Without waiting for an answer, I pointed at Vayne. “Do you?” I circled the room with my finger extended, pointing at each one of them, asking the same thing. Do you? I ended at Ibune, who simply stared at me with her usual cool demeanor that could wash away a structure fire.
After several minutes, she surveyed the room. The makeshift committee aboard the Gordian Knot consisted of myself, Vanth, Vigil, Vayne, Lapiz, Embeth, Ibune, and Grillick. Not much of a committee, I lamented. Moro and Sam were missing in action. Horus, Menjaro, and Mortem were on the planet's surface, conducting a sweep and clear. Arcturus and Cantrell were in the shuttle bay, preparing Kedge and the fallen mercenaries for their respective funeral rites. The Twelve Timeless had been reduced to the Eleven.
“I do,” replied Ibune. “Up to this point, we have always chosen the path of caution because we feared the costs.” She folded her hands in front of her and rubbed her thumbs together. Her brow furrowed in deep concentration. “Gliese was a powerful ally of Calypso's, and despite his appearance of disinterest, their fall will be a crippling blow to the power of the Consortium. The loss of Gliese combined with the withdrawal of Vaire from the Consortium has reduced their ability to trade effectively for resources and weapons.”
“They still have powerful allies,” Vigil chimed in. “We also cannot discount their defense systems.”
“The road to the Akropolis leads through Halcyon City,” Embeth divulged. “There is no way around it since it completely surrounds the temple, providing the final defense mechanism required with repelling any type of air or ground invasion.”
“Halcyon City?” asked Ibune. “Tell us more about this defense system.”
Embeth turned to Grillick. “Do you have a digital charting system in here?”
Grillick nodded and slid aside a panel in the wall revealing a series of buttons and a keypad. He pushed a button and a slab of clear glass rose from the center of the table.
“Can you bring up a map of Caelum?” asked Embeth.
Grillick punched at the keypad and the glass illuminated with a detailed topographical map of Caelum. Embeth zoomed in on a particular area near the Akropolis, a close up of the east side of Halcyon City. Embeth pointed toward a structure that appeared to be a bundle of crystals floating in midair. I strained to see if there was some sort of pole or wire supporting the structure, but there was none I could see.
“These are Nyx Colloids,” explained Embeth. “There are thirty located throughout the city and they are evenly distributed to thoroughly protect the Akropolis.” He zoomed in close on one as he spoke.
“They look like they're floating,” I commented.
“That's because they are,” he explained. “They are actually living entities which feed on sunlight and are as ancient as the planet itself. Years ago, the High Prince discovered a way to 'tame' them when he found out they have effective self-defense mechanisms.”
“What do they do?” I asked.
Embeth frowned. “In summary, they emit a high intensity, cone-shaped energy beam, concentrated over an area that covers roughly three yards, when a hostile entity approaches. A control hub inside the Akropolis relays messages to the Nyx Colloids. Commands are relayed to them from the control panel, identifying who is and who isn't considered an enemy.”
“In short, they basically fry your ass,” Vayne added in his usual poetic manner.
“That's great…living death crystals,” I muttered. “Anything else we need to be aware of?”
Embeth shrugged. “The rest is pretty basic stuff. The Defense Fleet patrols the Akropolis grounds. When I was a part of the Council, we had three divisions which contained thirty soldiers each.” He zoomed in on the Akropolis. “Laser turrets are deployed at the north, east, west, and south quadrants. If an invading force breaks through that, then they would have to contend with the final defense mechanism of the Akropolis.”
“And that is?” I asked.
“They would have to deal with Zytran.”
“What the heck is a Zytran?” I inquired.
“Zytran is a 'who', not a 'what,' ” Embeth clarified. “Centuries ago, not long after the Lumagom attack, High Prince Lioni gathered together the finest engineers on Caelum to construct a nearly impervious defense system. Despite the victory, the Lumagom inflicted heavy damage on the Akropolis and it was the closest anyone had ever come to toppling the Consortium. The only thing that prevented a Lumagom victory was the strength of Lioni's allies. That was when he decided it was time for an upgrade in the defense department.” Embeth rotated the map and zoomed in on a statue which loomed in the main courtyard. The statue was approximately twenty feet high and carved into the likeness of a Caelumite soldier. The feline feature of its face had been unmistakable. The statue had one foot propped up on top of a boulder and it held a trident over its head as if to throw it. “This is Zytran,” Embeth continued. “He is activated from the same control panel as the Nyx Colloids.”
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered. “Do you mean to tell me that this thing comes to life?”
“Exactly,” he replied bluntly.
“Orbital defense system…check. Formidable ground defenses…check. Living disintegration crystals…check. Big ugly golem defense system…check and mate,” Vayne muttered.
“Vayne was always the cynical one,” Ibune offered with a smile. When she looked at me, her eyes filled with sympathy. “Even though he fails to put it eloquently, I'm afraid he has a point. Caelum would detect our fleet approaching and activate every defense system at their disposal.”
“We might as well just announce our arrival with trumpets and fireworks,” Vigil grumbled.
“Even though Mortem's army is extremely powerful, they are not invincible,” Grillick sighed. “Even if they survived the Nyx Colloids, they would not make it past Zytran.” He looked over at me apologetically. “I'm sorry Nathan, I know you have your heart set on this, but we need to come up with another plan.”
“What if we bypass their entire security system altogether?” a voice called from the doorway.
All heads turned toward the door. Sam leaned against the doorframe with a smug look on his face. Moro stood beside him with a sour look on his face. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he looked nauseous.
“Nice of you to join us,” I squawked sourly. Despite my surly demeanor, I was elated to see Sam alive and well. I was even happier to observe the Oculus strapped to his wrist.
“How do you propose we bypass it?” Ibune asked. Although doubt blanketed her words, intrigue had been written all over her face.
“With this.” He held up the Oculus. “There is an open wormhole on Caelum that has been needing repair for some time.” He tossed a guilty look toward Grillick. “I'm afraid I procrastinated on that
one.”
Grillick smiled broadly, revealing yellowed teeth beneath his bushy beard. “I like where you're going with this.”
“Wait a minute,” I interrupted. “Even if we had access to the wormhole on Caelum, I thought you could only bring four living beings through safely? I like our odds if we bypass their security, but I'm sure they still have a potent defense force within the Akropolis walls. Four people won't be enough.”
Grillick's smile faded and he ran his hand through his beard. His brow furrowed as he descended into deep thought. “That does present quite a conundrum.”
Sam appeared unperturbed. “It's not a conundrum at all.” He strolled into the room and sat in seat next to me. “As a matter of fact, it is an advantage.”
“An advantage?” asked Ibune.
“Mortem's soldiers, in technical terms, are not living beings,” Sam explained. “If my calculations are correct, I should be able to bring through as many of them as we want.”
Moro slid into another chair, looking less pale. “What about our little trip?” he grumbled. “I had to hold on for fear of falling into some godforsaken black hole somewhere. How do you propose to have a hundred soldiers hang on without getting lost in the twisting nether of space-time?”
Sam shrugged. “I suppose the easiest way would be to join hands in a daisy chain as we travel between the wormholes. It's not efficient,” he admitted, “but it's the best method available.”
“Okay, suppose this works as you believe it should. Where is Caelum's connecting wormhole?” Sam looked confused so I clarified my question. “There has to be a wormhole somewhere that connects to the planet, correct?”
He nodded. “The connecting wormhole is located on Xajax.”
Xajax. The target of my first exploration mission with the Explorer's League and the location where I first met Kedge. The irony would have been comical if the situation hadn't been so grim.
“Your plan is sound, but you do realize there is one problem, right?” asked Vigil.
“And that is?” responded Sam.
“You will have no support,” Vigil explained as he rattled off counterpoints by tapping each of his fingertips. “You will have no air support, no ground support, no heavy weapons; no reinforcements whatsoever.”
“Three hundred Spartans worked with less,” Sam countered.
“I am aware of Earth's legends,” Vigil said dismissively. “There are no choke points on Caelum. You will battle their defenses with your backs against the wall.”
“So are you saying we should do nothing?” I asked angrily.
“Absolutely not,” he countered with a raised hand. “I am simply stating facts.”
Embeth, who had been strangely quiet during the verbal sparring, finally spoke. “I know I haven't been the greatest tactician in this fight, but I have to agree that this is our only option. The time to strike will never be greater.” He shook his head in resignation. “There are no more allies to be had.”
I turned to Ibune, another who had remained oddly quiet during the exchange. “Let's do this!”
A faint smile appeared on her lips and she nodded solemnly. I wasn't sure if I was imagining things or it was simply a trick of the overhead LED lighting, but it seemed like the tattoo on her forehead grew brighter. “I concur. The chance to strike at the heart of the Consortium will never be greater.” She turned to Sam. “Make whatever preparations needed, as we will make our way to Xajax.” She turned toward the door.
“Wait a minute!” I called after her.
She turned and eyed me casually. “Yes?”
“Sam is not going to do this alone,” I stated. “I'm going with him.”
Ibune and Sam exchanged a glance. “Would this create a problem with traversing the wormhole, Sam?”
Sam shook his head. “Two living beings should be no problem at all.”
“Then three should be no problem,” she replied with a smile. “I will go as well.”
A collective gasp sprang from the people in the room. “Surely, you cannot be serious,” Grillick squawked.
Her smile faded. “Why wouldn't I be serious?”
“W-well you are…um…y-you see it's like this…,” Grillick sputtered.
She held up her hand to quiet him in a gesture of mercy. It was painful watching Grillick stutter his way through a sentence. “I am not some fragile flower ready to wilt at the first sign of danger. There is no need to tuck me away in some far corner of the room.” Her eyes scanned the room, stopping at each of us. “Do you forget who rescued The Timeless from the brink of destruction?” Grillick lowered his head. Her eyes fell on Vigil and he looked away as her words grew angrier every second. “I pulled you from the wastelands our universe had become.” She patrolled the room as she spoke. She stopped next to Vanth. “I trained you in the arts of survival.” Vanth looked down to hide the shame written on his face. She moved to Vayne and stood before him. “Who showed you the ways of the universe and the treasures contained within?” Vayne did not look away, but it was difficult to read his expression underneath the helmet of goggles. “I am more than capable of handling my own affairs.”
“I'm sorry, Ibune, I meant no disrespect,” Grillick apologized.
She brushed him off as if he were a bothersome fly and headed toward the door. Before she stepped through, she turned to us. “We will reconvene on Xajax. Sam, send me the coordinates of the wormhole and I will meet you when ready.”
Sam nodded and she walked out the door. He exhaled deeply before standing. “I guess I should start planning our strategy.”
“I will contact Mortem,” offered Grillick with a sour look on his face. “I'm not sure what worries me more; his response or the repercussions of what we are about to unleash.” He glanced at me on his way out the door. “You better get some rest. You are going to need it.”
Eventually, everyone filed out the door, leaving Sam and I alone in the room, staring at one another. I glanced at the Oculus strapped to his wrist. “You do realize I was about to suggest this very same tactic before you came busting in here, right?”
“Busting?” Sam frowned with a shrug. “I thought I was simply choosing an opportune time to make my entrance.”
“Maybe so,” I said with a chuckle. Sam made his way to the door, but I placed a hand on his forearm. “Wait a sec, there is something I want to say.”
Sam turned to me and cocked an eyebrow. “Make it quick. I have an invasion to plan.”
I drew a deep breath. I wasn't sure how to say what I was about to tell him. He had been portal hopping for some time now and his experience traveling around space would come in handy. I had no idea how he saved Moro and I made a note to file that question away for a later time. Despite these facts, I still yearned to finish what I had started.
“I want to be the Cartographer again.”
Sam didn't smile nor did he grow angry. As a matter of fact, he remained emotionless, which led me to question whether I would have been better off had he hugged me or blew up on me. I had a difficult time with countering an emotionless response.
“Yes…no…maybe so?” I commented.
“It is long past due for you to take over,” Sam admitted. “With that said, I am hesitant to 'throw you to the wolves', as they say. I believe it would be a mistake to hand the responsibility over right before taking on such a dangerous mission.”
Although his statement made sense, it angered me nonetheless. “Hand the responsibility over? I am the Cartographer! It's not your responsibility to hand over.”
Sam seemed taken aback by my outburst. “I'm sorry if I made it seem that way. Grillick and I figured it would be best if we waited for the distraction of war to pass before training you completely on all that is involved with the duties of the Cartographer.” Sam must have noticed I was about to offer another argument and he stopped me by grabbing my arm as his expression hardened. “I'm not sure what you think, but I am not here to steal your thunder. We all have a job to do and mine is to make s
ure I get our group to Caelum safely.”
I pulled away from his grasp and rubbed my temples. I felt the beginning pangs of a headache forming. “Perhaps you're right.”
He relaxed and let go of my arm. “There is one thing that needs to be done before we leave.” He looked at his watch. “Come with me, you should be there.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“You will see.”
Sam escorted me through the halls of the Gordian Knot toward a section I had never been to before. It was located on the far end of the ship, just past the cargo bays. When we entered the room located at the end of the corridor, I panicked. There was no wall at the far side of the room and I found myself staring into open space. It wasn't until I looked closer, did I realize a window separated us from space. In the center of the room was a torpedo shaped tube with a large black flag draped over it. I recognized the tail end of the comet which represented the Explorer's League logo stitched on the front. Surrounding the tube, four on each side, were Embeth's soldiers, adorned in the golden armor of the Defense Fleet and holding rifles across their chest. Each soldier faced the flag-covered tube. Before I could ask what was happening, Embeth entered the room, followed by Ibune, Grillick, and Cantrell.
The soldiers stood at attention, stared straight ahead and switched the rifle position to their shoulders. Ibune and Cantrell moved behind the soldiers and waited. Embeth produced a hollow silver tube and handed it to Grillick.
“Normally, this honor is reserved for the commander of the Defense Fleet, but since you are the captain of this vessel, I hand the honor over to you.”
Grillick nodded somberly. I elbowed Sam and leaned in. “What's going on?” I whispered.
“Kedge's funeral,” Sam whispered. “Embeth has made him an honorary member of the Defense Fleet. He will receive an official ceremony followed by a space launch, which is customary for fallen soldiers and senior members of the organization.”
I returned my gaze to the flag-covered object in the center of the room. What I thought had been some sort of decoration, actually contained Kedge's body. I was torn between touching it and running from the room completely because I wasn't sure if I was ready for reality to settle in yet.