Heretic

by Philip C. Quaintrell

  “What did Esabelle hope to achieve?” Roland had stopped drinking his beer. “Earth still got wiped out. Humans are on the endangered species list and, oh yeah, she’s dead.”

  Li’ara tensed, unsure of how Sef would react to Roland’s loose words. Sef had come to see Esabelle as a friend and mentor, closer to that of an older sister. As a testament to his self-control and mental discipline, Sef remained perfectly still, giving nothing away.

  “Even though she had convinced twelve of them that there was a bigger threat than humanity, they were unable to stand against Savrick. It’s hard for us to understand the kind of hold he had over them. He was seen as a father and an overlord. When Sef attacked us in the capital, after Savrick introduced himself to the Conclave, he wasn't trying to kill us. Esabelle had tasked him with getting Kalian to safety, but Kalian didn't give him the chance. On the Helion, it was the beast who killed all those aboard, not Sef. On Naveen, he had been tasked with destroying ALF by Savrick, but his intention was to get us to safety. It took him months to find a way onto the capital after the Helion crashed.”

  Roland sighed, taking it all in. “And since then he’s been jacking into every security console he can...” The bounty hunter looked away, as if something had occurred to him. “Did Esabelle see you, when we were in the capital?”

  Yes. We spoke briefly while you were entering a vehicle. It was Esabelle who charged me with locating the Gomar, when they were taken.

  Roland shook his head. “That’s going to get old, real quick. Wait a minute, when they were taken? Esabelle knew that the Conclave would discover the Gomar and take them?”

  Sef smiled. It is easy to forget how old one such as Esabelle was. After so much time, she had become very good at seeing patterns and interpreting data on a vast scale. Predicting future events was second nature to her.

  Li’ara tried to assess Roland’s take on it all, but struggled to read the bounty hunter; he had spent a lifetime perfecting that poker face.

  Roland looked up. “Rackham, what’s the ETA on our intercept?”

  “Three hours, nineteen minutes and eleven seconds.”

  “So you were looking for Gor-van as well?” Roland got up from the couch and stood in front of the wall of weapons. “Does he know where the Gomar is being kept?”

  Li’ara was happy that Roland had accepted Sef’s version of events so quickly. She could only hope that others would too, since it had taken herself at least two months. Roland was of a simpler mind, however, and didn't trouble himself with big picture stuff, but preferred to get lost in the present, usually by drinking or shooting something.

  “It took some time, but eventually we came across others who were hacking into Conclave systems. After more digging, it turned out they were all freelance, and being paid by the same person under a false name and a shell company.”

  “That sounds like Gor-van,” Ch’len commented.

  Li’ara nodded her agreement. “They were all searching for some kind of black site. At first, we thought it was a facility on one of the planets, but it turns out the black site is a planet. It’s been removed from any public star charts and is entirely uninhabited.”

  “I take it since you happened across Gor-van’s secret, little hideaway, you haven't got any coordinates?” Roland had started servicing his Tri-rollers on the kitchen counter.

  “We had an earlier opportunity to capture him, but Sef came across a communication that suggested he was setting a trap for you on Byzantial. So we thought, why not rescue you and get the coordinates at the same time.” Li’ara couldn't help the smug expression that crept across her face.

  Roland looked at Ch’len. “A rescue that involved you taking control of the Rackham.” The Ch’kara appeared somewhat sheepish at the statement. “We’re gonna circle back to that…”

  “It was Ch’len who managed to fire a tracking beacon onto Gor-van’s ship.” Li’ara didn't know why she was defending the ignorant, self-obsessed little alien.

  Roland snapped the Tri-roller back together again. “So I've been recruited, have I?”

  “I wouldn't say that.” Li’ara knew better than to give him an inch.

  “I would, since you left your stolen vessel back on Byzantial, and my ship is being used to track your prey. And since I'm the captain of this ship, that probably makes me the leader of this secret team. So here’s what we’re gonna do; we board Gor-van’s pissy little ship, I’ll torture him for the coordinates to the black site, and then, we go kill Kel-var Tionis on our way to the Gomar.”

  “Wait, what?” Li’ara stood up. “Kill Kel-var? We don't have time for that. The Gomar are pivotal in defending against whatever comes next, and it is coming.”

  “Yeah I get all that, but I've sort of been telling people that I’m coming for Kel-var. It’s gotten around that I’m going to kill him so... I kind of have a reputation to uphold.” Roland’s casual behaviour infuriated Li’ara. “It’ll be a short detour, I’m almost sure of it. In the meantime,” he looked at Sef, “try not to move around too much, because your girth will literally wreck my ship.”

  Li’ara rolled her eyes and made to leave, though where she was going to go on the small ship, she didn't know.

  “Aren't you going to ask about him?” Roland added casually.

  Li’ara stopped and waited in the doorway. Using Sef’s network, she had discovered that Kalian never returned to the new habitat in the Arakesh system. Wherever he was, it had been so secretive that no one was talking about it out there. She knew he was alive though, and that they were each doing what needed to be done. Her investigatory skills were essential for helping Sef look in the right areas, while Kalian was no doubt learning more about his power, which would be essential for when the war started, and Li’ara could feel that one was coming.

  “I get the whole working in the shadows thing, I get why you wouldn't tell me you’re alive, I’m a dick, but not telling Kalian… He kinda spiralled after that. He boarded the Sentinel and never came back.”

  Li’ara turned to face him, with Sef close by her side. “Come back from where?”

  “The last I heard before we left, ALF agreed to help the Conclave build a Starforge. The original plan as I heard it was to send Kalian through it, back to the Terran Empire to search for clues.”

  Li’ara knew well of the Starforges now. There had been a lot of chatter about it after the incident in the Helteron Cluster. The scale of the weapon, and its ability to transport hundreds of ships instantaneously across the stars garnered a lot of attention. The information had been kept from the masses until very recently, when the Highclave personally announced the ‘new’ invention and the construction project to place them on every world.

  “Did he go?” Li’ara couldn't mask the trepidation in her voice.

  Roland shrugged. “I have no idea. I've been hunting down Protocorps members searching for any trace of you.”

  Ch’len waddled past. “There was a lot of torture…”

  Li’ara clenched her jaw, holding onto that sense of duty that had gotten her this far. “Kalian always finds himself where he needs to be.”

  Chapter 15

  Kalian held his arm out to stop Naydaalan from firing his weapon into the dark, a darkness that quickly gave way to an eight-foot biped. Ignoring his own instincts to attack, Kalian waited until the figure stepped into the light. He had to know. What was ALF really? A part of him had always believed that the AI was more than he would have them believe.

  “Kalian…” Naydaalan was eager to take up a better position.

  “Wait.” Kalian expanded his awareness and was shocked at what he felt.

  The towering biped walked into the light, revealing a naked body, amalgamated from nanocelium and human flesh. The similarities to Malekk and Professor Jones were uncanny, but somehow the figure standing before them appeared older as if the nanocelium and the flesh had joined together a long time ago. The lean biped puffed out its chest and looked down on the two of them with the face
of ALF.

  Kalian could feel the nanocelium teeming through his ancient veins and flowing over the skin, which had turned a putrid shade of green with patches of grey. His beard and shaggy hair were part organic, part mechanical tendril as if robotic worms were writhing throughout the hair. Shining blue eyes connected with his own, though they were clearly being illuminated by artificial lights, behind the retinas.

  His overall size was unusual - Kalian was forced to crane his neck to see all of him. The real ALF was much taller than any Terran or human, but every part of him looked to be proportional. There was no sign of any genitals, however, but only a collection of nanocelium strands which continued up his torso and across his arms and neck.

  “You’re…” Kalian looked from the holographic ALF to the physical one. “You’re one of them.”

  “No,” the physical ALF replied, his voice somewhere between human and machine. “I am something else. Something more.” A hand, almost twice the size of Kalian’s, was held out in the manner of a handshake. “I can show you.”

  “What is this?” Kalian aimed his question at the hologram, the ALF he knew. “WHAT IS THIS?”

  An electromagnetic pulse surged from Kalian’s body, along with a small amount of telekinetic energy. It had been a while since his emotions had got the better of him and produced an outburst like this. Naydaalan was pushed back, but he remained on his feet, even if his weapon was now useless. The hologram of ALF fluttered, threatening to disappear altogether, but the physical version stood defiantly with his hand out.

  “This is where all roads converge, Kalian.” The physical ALF seemed to have taken over. “The answers you have been seeking. The knowledge that has eluded you every step of the way.”

  Kalian took a breath and glanced at Naydaalan to make sure he was okay. “How could you know me?” He spoke directly to the physical ALF. “Technically we’ve never met.”

  “Indeed we have not.” The towering figure spoke with all the same mannerisms as the hologram. “Incidentally, I thank you for bringing me back to me.”

  At that moment, Kalian felt his suit shift before a low-level charge of electricity built around his waist. The hologram of ALF blinked out of existence and a small rectangle of nanocelium ejected from Kalian’s suit, dropping to the floor. Tendrils broke off from the physical ALF’s foot and wrapped around the exiled piece of nanocelium until its shape was lost and the fragment was absorbed. ALF blinked slowly and smiled as if satisfied with a good meal.

  “Now I’m whole again!” ALF rotated his neck, imitating a human with a stiff neck. “And now I know you even better…”

  “What are you?” Kalian could feel the tingling sensation building in his spine, ready to unleash every destructive ability he had.

  Once again, ALF held out his hand. “You've come a long way to find the answers. There’s no turning back now.”

  Kalian looked at the outstretched hand. “What are you going to do?”

  ALF’s fluorescent eyes bored into Kalian. “I'm going to show you everything…”

  Ignoring Naydaalan’s words of caution, Kalian gripped the larger hand and squeezed. Something sharp pricked his palm and he tried to pull away from the immediate pain, but countless strands of nanocelium flew from ALF’s forearm and wrapped around Kalian’s own, holding him firm at the elbow.

  An organic and blinding ball of plasma was taking shape in Kalian’s hand, ready to pulverise ALF’s face when everything changed. The dark interior of the giant cube melted away, replaced with brilliant sunshine and an endless, rich blue sky. Two giant moons loomed on the horizon, the second, furthest one, was a broken shell of its former self. Kalian blinked hard and looked around, searching for Naydaalan or ALF, but neither accompanied him to this new place. Taking a step forward drew his attention to his feet and the crisp, green grass that lay under them. How long had it been since he had stood on grass in his bare feet?

  The sound of birds, or something approximating a bird, flew overhead in a blur, leading him to the greater landscape that surrounded him. Forests, as far as the eye could see, dominated the view over rolling hills. The trees weren't anything like those on Earth, or even Century, but far taller and thicker, with incredible roots. Mountains lay ahead of him, at the end of the valley, where Kalian could see the reflective surface of a lake that sat at the base.

  A warm breeze blew past him, bringing with it a sweet aroma, and the distinct smell of smoke. Following his nose, Kalian turned around to see a whole camp of humans, men, women and children. A few dozen tents decorated the field, with its inhabitants milling around, preparing food and tending small fires. The children ran around the tents, playing and chasing one another. The sight brought a smile to Kalian’s face, despite his entire lack of understanding. He had been inside enough virtual worlds - a few of which had existed inside his own head - to know that this couldn’t be real, but the scene was no less heartwarming.

  Taking a stroll through the camp, Kalian took note of their appearance and the tools they used. Most were close to being naked, with only small strips of animal hide and crude jewellery covering their body. The men and women were covered in colourful tattoos, forming intricate patterns Kalian had never seen before. Their tools were just as basic as their clothing and shelter, with spears and clubs resting against logs and tents.

  A woman took note of his arrival and presented him with a large bowl of water and a welcoming smile. Kalian didn't know what was going on, but he gladly took the bowl from her with a smile of his own. The reflection that greeted him in the water was not his own, a revelation that caused him to drop it. Terran instincts reached out to grip the bowl with telekinesis, but there was no reaction, no feeling in his spine or extrasensory awareness. He was human again.

  Kalian bent down and picked up the bowl, using what water remained to look at his face again. The ageing features of ALF looked back at him, blue eyes and all. With one hand, he explored this new face, feeling the grey beard and thick hair that covered his head. Kalian’s new body was lean and well defined, like that of the physical ALF he had just met.

  Before any questions could be asked, a shadow fell over the entire camp, encompassing the field too. Kalian looked around to see shock and fear on the faces of the tribe's people, who quickly ran for the shelter of their tents, with only a few men picking up their spears. Kalian craned his neck and saw the very thing he had felt within the volcano; a massive cube with eight corners cut off. The sky thundered and boomed as it broke through the clouds, descending over them with ominous intent. Panic had taken over the camp now, all of them seeing something new, but obviously not natural.

  The giant ship skirted over the top of the camp, blowing all the fires out and creating havoc, before gliding into the distance and dropping into the dense forest. Its unceremonious landing could be felt for miles, as the ship had gained some distance by the time it came to a stop. Birds took flight across the entire canopy, rightly fleeing the unnatural intruder.

  “What is it, Father?” A young man with dark hair braided down to his legs appeared by Kalian’s side, his spear in hand.

  Kalian was still on the back-foot and didn't have a reply ready, shocked as he was to be addressed as father by anyone.

  Another young man came running up by their side. “It is Raggadak! The gods of above have come for us!”

  The man who had addressed Kalian as father looked back at the forest with wide eyes and revelation, taken in by the other man’s understanding of events.

  “Father!” A boy no older than twelve ran over to them with a spear in his hands.

  Kalian accepted the spear, going along with the strange series of events. He had no idea where he was or more specifically when he was.

  “We should leave!” The man who had warned of the gods was already turning to run and collect his family.

  The two boys looked to Kalian, or rather ALF, their father, for direction. Kalian was about to speak when he suddenly lost control of his new body, and he became a p
assenger, seeing through ALF’s eyes instead of controlling him.

  “No…” ALF turned back to the forest, where a small dust cloud had risen into the air. “I want to see it.”

  Kalian desperately wanted to gain control again and turn the entire camp around and run. He didn't know what was going on, but the giant cube hadn't landed to make friends. The cubes only destroyed from Kalian’s experience.

  “Come!” ALF set into a sprint and ran for the tree line with his two sons in tow.

  Once inside the forest, it became apparent how different the forna was in comparison to anything Kalian knew from Earth. The roots moved of their own will, worming in and out of the ground, as well as coiling up the trees that were as thick as houses. The leaves ranged in every size from that of a human hand to a car. Kalian would have liked to have stopped and taken the alien world in, but his feet were not his own, and ALF ran and ran, never showing any sign of tiring, as did his sons. They lept and ducked the evermoving roots with ease, proving that ALF’s advanced age was not a hindrance.

  The first sign that they had neared the cube was a fallen tree, which had damaged two others close by and littered the ground with foliage. The tree itself lay firmly in the mud, sunken halfway under its own weight. The three hunters dropped into a practised crouch and slowly rounded the fallen tree, their spears ahead of them. The cube was sitting amid the wreckage of devastated trees and flattened roots, its height almost touching the canopy. ALF broke from his crouch, unable to concentrate in the shadow of something so unnatural. Kalian could feel a sense of wonder and curiosity rising inside him that wasn't his own. There was a healthy amount of trepidation in there too. ALF held out his spear to the side and warned his sons to stay back.