by Isaac Hooke
According to the mass media, all told, nearly a billion human lives were lost, including the infected and those killed in the fighting. The projected damage to the cities of the world was estimated at close to a quintillion standard dollars. A massive toll on both accounts, if proven correct.
The Argonaut provided escort to the mothership during its journey, along with hundreds of human destroyers from all the governments of Earth that had decided to tag along: they wanted to ensure that the vessel threw itself into the sun as promised.
In a couple of days, the mothership neared the corona, and Surus began the final preparations.
“I just received a transmission from Surus,” Fret said. “She’s finished sabotaging the engines, and is disabling all weapon and vessel launch systems at this very moment. She expects to evacuate the mothership shortly.”
“Ms. Bounty,” Rade said over the comm. “You’ve made certain that the destroyers with us aren’t going to shoot down Surus when she emerges in her escape craft?” He definitely didn’t feel like having to spacewalk out there to rescue her.
“They have agreed not to fire.” Ms. Bounty was residing in the shuttle hanger bay, awaiting his order to launch. By then the Artificial had completely repaired the damage she had sustained during the mission.
“All right, well, all we can do is wait then,” Rade said.
The designated craft emerged shortly thereafter. It was a troop pod, with trailing tentacles. Unsurprisingly, it struggled against the gravity of the sun.
“Ms. Bounty, you have permission to launch,” Rade said when it became obvious that the destroyers weren’t going to shoot down the pod.
The shuttle emerged, and latched onto the pod shortly afterward by activating its magnetic mounts. Then it reversed course to begin the long climb back.
Ms. Bounty came over the line: “Surus is seeping into the deck. You will be talking to her momentarily.”
Rade waited a moment. “Surus?”
“I have returned,” Surus said.
The shuttle released the dead weight of the alien pod and continued back to the Argonaut. Rade had the ship adjust course slightly to lessen the time needed for the return trip.
When the vessel was finally aboard, Rade said: “Lui, update me on the mothership’s course.”
“They’re approaching the point of no return,” Lui said. “So far, their engines and weapon systems have remained offline. And no troop pods or other craft have launched from the ship.”
“Shaw, start pulling us back,” Rade said. “I want to get as far away from those weapons before they come back online.”
“You got it,” his favorite astrogator said.
The destroyers similarly reversed course.
A few hours later Lui announced that the mothership has traversed the point of no return.
“So it’s done, then,” Rade said. He tapped in Surus, who had returned to her usual quarters in the cargo hold. “The mothership has passed the point of no return. You might want to inform our destroyer friends.”
“I already have,” Surus said.
“Any news on what happened at the Mahasattva homeworld?” Rade asked. “And how this mothership was able to leave that world in the first place? Or are your contacts in the fleet keeping mum?”
“Apparently the human fleet guarding the Mahasattva world has been converted,” Surus said. “Your government has declared the system off limits. The United Systems has already dispatched warships toward the system.”
“You think it’s going to be another alien war?” Rade asked.
“No,” Surus said. “My contacts tell me the negotiators will press for peace. The Mahasattva will be given the entire system as a concession, and allowed to engage in space travel, as long as they agree to never enter human space again.”
“You think they’ll hold to such an agreement?” Rade said. “Given your unique insights into the Mahasattva mind?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” Surus said. “They sincerely believed that they were helping humanity by invading your homeworld. They believed they were enlightening you. And that is a terrible belief for another race to have. Especially a race as powerful as they are.”
“So the Mahasattva are yet another danger humanity has to look out for in the years to come,” Rade said. “In addition to the Phants, and some of the other species we’ve dealt with, like the Quantus.”
“They are indeed,” Surus said. “Which is why I plan to stay with you humans for quite a long time yet.”
THE RETURN TRIP to Earth passed slowly for Rade. Near the end of his duty shift, Lui informed him that the mothership was about to enter the corona and burn up.
Rade accessed the external camera to view the event. Shaw did likewise. But she also raised a noise canceler around herself and Rade.
“So we’re about to watch as yet another threat to humanity is destroyed,” Shaw said.
“Yes,” Rade said. The ship was merely a small speck against the backdrop of the sun, the blinding light from the perpetual nuclear explosions reduced to a simmering glow by the photochromatic filters of the camera.
“You really want to return to Earth?” Shaw said. “When we have a starship at our command, and the galaxy at our fingertips?”
“I want to stay for at least a little while,” Rade said. “And help with the rebuilding. I feel I owe humanity that much, considering that clones of myself did most of the damage.”
“You owe humanity nothing,” Shaw said. “You had nothing to do with the creation of those clones. Besides, there won’t be very much for us to do. Before I left, the repair swarms had already begun their work. Just tap into video feeds from Paris, Marseille or even Lyon, and you’ll see.”
“And what about your vineyard?” Rade said.
“George Stanley is leading the restoration efforts,” Shaw said. “My parents are helping as well, oddly enough. And one of the nearby farmers has produced a working 3D printer, and he’s printed up some repair drones for all the nearby estates.”
“Nice of him,” Rade said. “Wish he would have told us he had that printer before we went all the way to Aubagne.”
“I doubt he would have had the raw materials you needed to make the emitters,” Shaw said.
“Probably not,” Rade said. “Anyway, we’ll stay on Earth for as long as we’re needed. And in due course we’ll return to the stars. Our true home.”
“I don’t think the stars are necessarily our true home,” Shaw said.
“Why not?” Rade said. “It’s one of the main reasons we both signed up to the Navy all those years ago: we wanted to see the galaxy.”
“That might have been true at some point,” Shaw said. “But today, my home is wherever you are. And that can be Earth, a colony world, or a starship. It doesn’t matter, as long as you’re there. You, and my children.”
The surface of the sun flared and the small speck that was the mothership vanished.
“So it’s done,” Rade said.
“You think we’ve seen the last of them?” Shaw asked.
“No,” Rade said. “But for some reason, I’m not all that worried. With you at my side, I can face anything.”
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If you’d like to read about the team’s previous encounter with the Mahasattva, be sure to check out the Alien War trilogy: Hoplite, Zeus, and Titan.
postscript
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about the author
USA Today bestselling author Isaac Hooke holds a degree in engineering physics, though his more unusual inventions remain fictive at this time. He is an avid hiker, cyclist, and photographer who sometimes resides in Edmonton, Alberta.
acknowledgments
THANK YOU to my knowledgeable beta readers and advanced reviewers who helped smooth out the rough edges of the prerelease manuscript: Nicole P., Sandy G., Amy B., Lance W., Myles C., Lisa A. G., Gregg C., Jeff K., Mark C., Jeremy G., Doug B., Jenny O., Bryan O., Lezza M., Gene A., Larry J., Allen M., Gary F., Norman H., Eric, Robine, Noel, Anton, Spencer, Trudi, Corey, Erol, David, Charles, Walter, Lisa, Ramon, Chris, Scott, Michael, Chris, Bob, Jim, Maureen, Zane, Chuck, Shayne, Anna, Dave, Roger, Nick, Gerry, Charles, Annie, Patrick, Mike, Jeff, Lisa, Jason, Bryant, Janna, Tom, Jerry, Chris, Jim, Brandon, Kathy, Norm, Jonathan, Derek, Shawn, Judi, Eric, Rick, Bryan, Barry, Sherman, Jim, Bob, Ralph, Darren, Michael, Chris, Michael, Julie, Glenn, Rickie, Rhonda, Neil, Claude, Ski, Joe, Paul, Larry, John, Norma, Jeff, David, Brennan, Phyllis, Robert, Darren, Daniel, Montzalee, Robert, Dave, Diane, Peter, Skip, Louise, Dave, Brent, Erin, Paul, Jeremy, Dan, Garland, Sharon, Dave, Pat, Nathan, Max, Martin, Greg, David, Nancy, Ed, David, Karen, Becky, Jacob, Ben, Don, Carl, Gene, Bob, Luke, Teri, Gerald, Lee, Rich, Ken, Daniel, Chris, Al, Andy, Tim, Robert, Fred, David, Mitch, Don, Tony, Dian, Tony, John, James, David, Pat, Jean, Bryan, William, Roy, Dave, Vincent, Tim, Richard, Kevin, George, Andrew, John, Richard, Robin, Sue, Mark, Jerry, Rodger, Rob, Byron, Ty, Mike, Gerry, Steve, Benjamin, Anna, Keith, Jeff, Josh, Herb, Bev, Simon, John, David, Greg, Larry, Timothy, Tony, Ian, Niraj, Maureen, Jim, Len, Bryan, Todd, Maria, Angela, Gerhard, Renee, Pete, Hemantkumar, Tim, Joseph, Will, David, Suzanne, Steve, Derek, Valerie, Laurence, James, Andy, Mark, Tarzy, Christina, Rick, Mike, Paula, Tim, Jim, Gal, Anthony, Ron, Dietrich, Mindy, Ben, Steve, Paddy & Penny, Troy, Marti, Herb, Jim, David, Alan, Leslie, Chuck, Dan, Perry, Chris, Rich, Rod, Trevor, Rick, Michael, Tim, Mark, Alex, John, William, Doug, Tony, David, Sam, Derek, John, Jay, Tom, Bryant, Larry, Anjanette, Gary, Travis, Jennifer, Henry, Drew, Michelle, Bob, Gregg, Billy, Jack, Sandra, Libby, Jonathan, Karl, Bruce, Clay, Gary, Sarge, Andrew, Deborah, Steve, and Curtis.
Without you all, this novel would have typos, continuity errors, and excessive lapses in realism. Thank you for helping me make this the best military science fiction novel it could possibly be, and thank you for leaving the early reviews that help new readers find my books.
And of course I’d be remiss if I didn't thank my mother, father, and brothers, whose untiring wisdom and thought-provoking insights have always guided me through the untamed warrens of life.
— Isaac Hooke
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Table of Contents
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty
twenty-one
twenty-two
twenty-three
twenty-four
twenty-five
twenty-six
twenty-seven
twenty-eight
twenty-nine
thirty
thirty-one
postscript
about the author
acknowledgments