by CJ Williams
Gimi was sympathetic. “Well, that’s true. But that’s not what I meant. You were abandoned on a planet far from home. Look at what you’ve accomplished. Could that little farm girl from Kansas have done the same?”
“I just did what I had to,” Carrie said. “I was trying to stay alive.”
“You were doing much more than that,” Gimi stressed. “You’re carrying out our father’s last wish. I’m so impressed by my baby sister who goes fearlessly from one battle to the next, fighting a war all by herself. The question is what now? What are your plans?”
Carrie took a deep breath. “My plan was to send you back on the Jandy with the guardsmen who came with me. You have to go to Japurnam Five and register your vote. That’s assuming Germander can get Jandy operational.”
“Let’s not worry about that,” Gimi said. “Frankly, I like your Booker yacht. I’ve never seen that style so I’m going to make one for myself. I gather that you borrowed my replicator.” Gimi’s voice sounded like she had caught Carrie after a naughty prank.
“That’s true. I hoped you wouldn’t mind. What about my ship then? I chartered the captain, a man named Germander.”
“I know. I met with him a few moments ago. We’ll give him some money and he can go on his way.” Gimi suddenly looked wistful. “I’ve been hiding here,” she confessed. “I didn’t know what to do, but meeting you, knowing I have such an amazing sibling, has inspired me.”
“How do you mean?” Carrie wondered aloud.
“I’m not sure. We need to give that some thought. I met the guardsmen you brought. They seem capable. We could give them a yacht of their own and tell them to turn pirate.” Gimi chuckled. “Just imagine them in Kkoli’s territory causing trouble.”
“That would be effective,” Carrie agreed. “It might help keep attention off me, as far as that goes. But you need to reach Japurnam Five in the next five weeks. Then we get another year to find Luke. And I’m not sure my two guardswomen would want to go with the others.”
“I understand. I’ll go back to Japurnam Five and vote, but then I’m coming back here. I have a project going on that still needs tending. I’ll show you in a little while. And I could use your guardswomen for that, by the way. Or did you plan to take them with you?”
“No,” Carrie admitted. “I think my mission is best done solo. If you can give them a home, I would be grateful.”
“You still haven’t said what you’re going to do,” Gimi prompted.
“A couple of things,” Carrie replied, trying to put her vague plans into words. “First, I have to send updates to Luke and Roth. I meant to do that once I got here, but it never happened because Sadie took off. They may have given up on me. Now that I have Booker, I can let them know what I’ve learned and that I’m okay. I’ll tell Luke about the vote and ask him to come here, but until we can stop the Bakkui, I doubt he’ll consider it. That’s still my top priority too. I have to find out what’s going on in the middle of Bakkui space. Something doesn’t make sense.”
“How do you mean?” Gimi asked.
Carrie wasn’t sure exactly. “Well, now I know the Bakkui started with the Second Family; a rogue project that morphed into something deadly; far worse than intended. That was a long time ago. Now they’re spreading outward in the galaxy, away from the core of the Nobility hierarchy.”
“That is what I know as well.”
“We’ve been sending out reconnaissance drones for over two years; hundreds of thousands. We have a good idea where the Bakkui have been. Every system they touch, they destroy.”
Gimi nodded sadly. “It is evil on an unimaginable scale.”
“But now, some of those planets are being repopulated. Who would do that? Would someone move their family to a planet that had been wiped out by the Bakkui?”
“Of course not. They might return.”
Carrie shook her head. “I suppose it could be a real estate scam, but that seems farfetched because these are whole planets. Whoever is settling there must know what happened. So if they know, why are they doing it? Do they have a deal with the Bakkui? Or have the Bakkui themselves been harnessed for some type of bloodthirsty expansion? That would be terrifying. That’s what I mean when I say I have to find out.”
“I have bad news for you, then.” Gimi said. “I have no doubt that King Kkoli is behind it. Not the original destruction by the Bakkui, but I am certain that his family has linked up with them. I don’t have proof, but I believe it to be the case.”
“I need proof. It’s the big question; who, what, why, where,” Carrie said, ticking off her fingers. “My mission is to get those answers and send the information to Luke. It’s his call what to do then. If I can prove there is a central planet, then he may push for interdiction. Or, he may not. Like I said, my job is to gather intelligence and report.”
Gimi sighed. “That’s a big task for one so young. I never even left the palace grounds until I was much older than you. It’s hard to comprehend how you’ve come so far when you know so little. I want to keep you here forever and teach you more about your abilities and your family. But I don’t think you will stay.”
“I would love to,” Carrie said. “I never had a big sister to give me advice. But we don’t have the time; either of us. That gets back to my original reason for seeking you out. Sadie said you may have information about all this, or know where I should look.”
“I understand,” Gimi said. “You have already learned most of what I know. Beyond that, I would encourage you to go to Jontu Four. I believe it’s a staging point for the Second Family. Many of the military officers that come here on leave are from there. At the least, it would be a starting point.”
“That’s helpful,” Carrie said. “I’ll go there next.”
Princess Gimi held out a cautionary hand. “Keep in mind, this planet that we’re on, Ebene Three, is the last one before you get into what is considered Bakkui space. Jontu Four is well across that border. I won’t stop you from going, but I’m sure you realize the damage your capture could cause. Please be careful.”
“I promise,” Carrie said. She had already weighed those considerations. True, it was a risk, but not knowing what the enemy was doing was worse.
“Very well,” Gimi said. “Before you go, however, I want to show you my own project. It’s not directly related to your goals, but maybe it will make you feel better. Would you care if we fly there in Booker?”
“Not at all,” Carrie said, rising to her feet.
Once they were settled in Booker’s cockpit, Gimi gave directions. The yacht took off gently and rose above the nearest mountain range before heading south at a leisurely pace.
When they arrived, Carrie was impressed. A giant man-made niche was carved out of one of the mountainsides. The result was several acres of level ground nestled against the solid rock. Gimi told Booker to land near a reviewing stand.
After they exited the yacht, the princess led Carrie up a flight of steps to a platform that overlooked the field. In the center of the stage was a podium.
A thousand feet away, against the side of the mountain were thousands of people. Gimi took a flag from the podium and waved it above her head.
A shrill, haunting cry erupted from the crowd before the mass, as one, started rushing toward the podium. It was a fearsome spectacle to behold.
“Don’t worry,” Gimi said. “This is one of their exercise routines.”
The noise had an undulating tone that was harsh, but with a musical undertone. It wasn’t a haphazard charge; they were running across the ground in long, evenly spaced lines. Each person ran with their arms spread wide with about eighteen inches between fingertips from one person to the next.
As they got closer, Carrie gasped. “They’re kids!”
“Yes,” Gimi said. “Orphans actually. They’re my children now.”
In perfect unison, the adolescents ran at full speed toward the stage. When those in the lead reached a point five feet from the platform, the entir
e group came to a screeching halt and they all stood at attention, already aligned in a perfect formation of columns and rows. The piercing musical note, however, continued. A deep pounding background noise came from the boys grunting in cadence.
The music changed and every child began an exercise demonstrating a mastery of advanced martial arts. In unison, they performed kicks, thrusts, and punches, swiveling on their toes, jumping into the air, and reversing their posture. It was like watching an exquisite ballet of unarmed combat.
At least that’s what Carrie thought, initially. After five minutes, the dancers—or fighters, Carrie wasn’t sure how to think of them—produced steel swords from hidden scabbards. They twirled the blades side to side, over their heads, and thrust them savagely at unseen enemies. Carrie was amazed that they didn’t chop each other’s ears off.
With a suddenness that was startling, the song ended. The swords disappeared and the children stood at attention once more. Gimi began to applaud and Carrie enthusiastically joined in.
“I want you to meet some of them,” Gimi said. She led Carrie down the steps and into the first few rows.
“Where do they come from?” Carrie asked.
“That’s what I wanted to show you. Their planetary origins are varied, but all are located in Bakkui space. However, for all of them, the last planet they were on is where you’re going to investigate; Jontu Four. They are refugees, although they arrived here as slaves.”
“What?”
“As I’ve explained, this planet is a vacation spot, mostly for the military that operates under the auspices of King Kkoli. That’s one reason I picked this planet. I’m hiding in plain sight. I know they are looking for me, but no one has searched for me here, in the heart of his territory.”
“That seems dangerous,” Carrie said.
“Perhaps. But my point is, when his officers come for vacation, they often bring a few of the children. They keep them collared, use them as personal servants, and for other less savory duties.”
“That’s despicable!”
“I know, but it’s the reality of the situation. I can’t change it. Not for the time being. Anyway, when they go back to their posts, they almost always leave the children behind. When I heard of it, I started taking them in. That was a long time ago, of course.”
Carrie looked across the sea of young faces. “There must be over five thousand children here.”
“There are,” Gimi confirmed. “You’re looking at almost seven thousand. I call this my academy.”
“That’s remarkable,” Carrie said. “You’ve filled an academy with seven thousand rescued children. That’s so sad but so wonderful. You should be proud.”
“I am. But not of myself, I’m proud of these youngsters. And this is only the age group of eight to sixteen. The academy has thirty-six thousand children. They range in age from two to twenty-nine. By the time they’re thirty, we have hopefully prepared them to make it on their own.”
Carrie was astounded. “Thirty-six thousand! You’re building an army!”
Gimi smiled. “We’ve already built an army; these youngsters are just the newest recruits.”
“What do you mean?”
“Over a hundred thousand children have passed through our gates. Those who want a normal life go with our blessing. That is our goal. But in spite of the counseling we give them to go elsewhere, tens of thousands of our graduates have spread into Second Family territory. They find jobs, some raise families, but they listen and from time to time, report back. The background briefing you received from my AI on Japurnam Five was the result of their work.”
“What’s your ultimate goal?” Carrie asked.
Gimi shrugged. “Like you, I don’t have a specific plan. I want to resist Kkoli. I was afraid that he was going to win, but your arrival gives us one last chance. Until we have a plan that promises victory, I can’t use my children or they’ll suffer retribution. I wanted you to know about them. These are lost souls, not unlike yourself when you arrived on Japurnam Five. My dream is that you can stop the flow of new arrivals.”
Carrie was astonished by the young faces that reflected such incredible determination. She walked through several rows, clasping their hands, asking each child a question or two. Their answers had a certain consistency:
“I love the princess.”
“I miss my family.”
“I want to stay here.”
Each child was lovely and unique, and each one stole Carrie’s heart. She was totally impressed by Gimi’s accomplishment and said so.
“I wanted to share this with you,” Gimi said. “I hope they will bring you some comfort as they do me. But all of these children are but one teardrop from an unending tide of misery, thanks to the union between the Second Family and their Bakkui issue.”
Carrie looked across the tide of young faces. “It breaks my heart to see them, but strangely, they make me feel more determined. One way or another, I promise to help the Warlord stop this evil.”
“Who is the Warlord?” a young woman in the row asked.
Carrie wasn’t sure what to say at first. But then she realized it didn’t matter. The important thing was to give the children hope.
“The Warlord is my older brother and the youngest son of King Peyha. He is fighting the Bakkui at the edge of the galaxy. When I last saw him, he was winning. Someday soon, he will come here and proclaim victory after defeating that mechanical evil.”
The children roared enthusiastically and Gimi gave Carrie a warm embrace.
When the cheering finally died away Carrie shook herself mentally. It was time to move ahead.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she said to Gimi. “These kids inspire me more than I can say. But time grows short. We need to head back and get you outfitted with a yacht of your own.”
*.*.*.*
Germander was relieved when told that he was being dismissed from any future responsibility for Carrie’s party but also a little disappointed. “It’s been a wild ride, Highness,” he said. “But I would not have missed it for the world. Of course, I will praise your generosity for as long as I live.” He nodded at the chest of gold coins, a bonus given to him by Princess Gimi. The cash removed any of his lingering misgivings.
With mutual good wishes, and a promise to check on Carrie’s old pub if he ever returned to Japurnam Five, Germander lifted into the sky in his beloved Jandy and quickly disappeared from sight.
Germander was not the only one who had been busy. Noin had prepared new yachts for the princess. Sitting on the flight line were two new versions of Carrie’s yacht, one that mirrored Booker and another that was a stretch version. Gimi had adjusted the basic design for her proposed pirate escapade. It was now big enough for a couple dozen guardsmen…as long as they got along.
Carrie’s guard captain, now soon-to-be space pirate, also wished her well. Carrie shook hands with each man of her former retinue and watched them depart.
Carrie started to bid farewell to Choego and Sunchall, but Gimi intervened. “I know you are in a hurry, but now we both have fast ships. I have a few days to spare and I cannot, in good conscience, let you go without spending a little time to teach you a few things. We’re going back to the academy for a week. Then, I promise, we will both be on our way.”
The delay heightened Carrie’s anxiety, but at the same time, it was a welcome offer. In the short time she’d been with the princess, Carrie had been amazed by the woman’s talent in so many areas.
“All right,” she said. “I will put myself in your hands. Teach me well, big sister.”
*.*.*.*
More than once during the following days, Gimi’s capabilities left Carrie astonished. She felt that she hadn’t made any progress, but Gimi pushed ahead, promising that at least some of the lessons would sink in. Sunchall spent time with her as well, honing her combat skills.
Gimi tried vainly to impart the necessary skills for Carrie to adjust the programing of an AI, a skill known to very few
of the Nobility. All AIs shared a basic kernel that functioned as the core module of the operating system. This included security and other restrictions to keep faulty programs from interfering with the core functions.
Carrie managed to tweak a couple rudimentary AIs on her own, but modifying anything higher than a level-ten AI required more expertise than she could muster.
Booker was a different case. He was simply a computer program. His coding was locked to her implant and she had fun experimenting with the personality interface. In the end, however, she followed Gimi’s example and left it turned off.
At week’s end, Carrie was more confident. Considering the task before her, she still felt like a leaf in the wind, but at the very least, she could take care of herself physically and had a better understanding of AI technology.
The one thing she wanted to do, but never had the time, was to learn more about her own implant. Gimi gave her a few basics, but Carrie was fascinated by Gimi’s ability to use that most important tool. Gimi explained it was a crucial part of being a royal, especially a member of the First Family.
Carrie enjoyed bonding with her two guardswomen and, of course, with Gimi. It had been a long time since she had close girlfriends. In the evenings, they chattered like schoolgirls and appreciated each other’s company.
Tears fell from all but Gimi on the day of departure. Her years of wisdom gave her more perspective and she teased Carrie for being such an infant.
After the last hug and promises to somehow meet again, Carrie stepped into Booker’s cargo bay and gave one last wave of farewell to her friends. The cargo door slid closed and the yacht rose slowly from the mountain hideaway.
The parting brought back memories of her bar on Japurnam Five. That had been a period of transition and healing, a point half way up the stairs between her old life with the Alliance and her current one as an exile, a royal, and now she was setting out to be a spy; a covert operative as Governor Lindsey would say. This would be a new chapter in her life.
“Destination?” Booker inquired.
“Let’s head out to M87, or Jontu Four, as Gimi calls it.”