Heretic

by Philip C. Quaintrell

  While the Terran had been babbling on, Malekk had been working on the next layer of defence, ensuring that the infection remained trapped inside a maze. Above all, he had to maintain control of the host’s body.

  Enjoy what freedom you have. You will go no further.

  Malekk opened his eyes and found himself on the bridge once more. Only seconds had gone by, conserving the power of the starrilliums. The console flashed with an alert, informing him that the shuttle was ready for departure. Using the same technique as before, Malekk attempted to upload the Gomars’ coordinates into the Starforge’s navigational array. His anger quickly rose to the surface, unchecked as it was, when an error code displayed, denying him access to the array.

  A message popped up across the glass, sent by the cube, notifying Malekk that he could not use the Starforge to open a wormhole and transport him to the designated planet. The cube went on to detail how the energy levels inside the station are to be kept at optimal levels to give the Vanguard immediate access, should he require it. Should Malekk fail, that is.

  Malekk raged, throwing his hands into the air and vying to destroy everything in sight. The Gomar were far from their current position and he was keenly aware that there were others hunting the Gomar down. Malekk turned on his heel and stormed out of the bridge, only pausing to throw a chair clear across the three-tiered chamber. He knew that should he come across any of the mercenaries on his way to the hangar, they would surely die an agonising death.

  Chapter 17

  Captain Fey walked side-by-side with Ambassador Telarrek, along the promenade that overlooked the central park, where the seven thousand survivors were now mingling with the hundred thousand new refugees. The park, which was usually spacious and full of green, was filled to bursting with people of every ethnicity and age greeting one another. The habitat they occupied was certainly massive by anyone’s description, but it simply wasn't designed to house this many people.

  “It’s cramped,” Fey observed, “but damn if it isn't a great sight.”

  “I too wondered if we would ever see this many humans again,” Telarrek replied, somewhat absently.

  “Has there been any breakthrough with the autopsies?” Fey desperately wanted to know why the Shay had attacked them.

  “Possibly. They are keeping me in the dark, most likely because of my close ties to you. I will be leaving later today. I have an appointment with the Highclave in person.”

  “In person?” Fey knew how rare those particular meetings were.

  “I have hopes that they have been discussing the possibility of a new world for you or at least a more appropriate habitat.” Telarrek’s long neck never once arched over to meet the captain’s eyes.

  “Or perhaps they have news of Naydaalan and Kalian.” Fey noticed the smallest of quivers on the Novaarians top lip. “You are worried about him, about Naydaalan.”

  Telarrek sighed, imitating a human all too well, and looked down at her. “I have many children, scattered throughout the Conclave and achieving their own goals in life. We may not see each other as often as we would like, but our lifespan offers such opportunities.”

  “But Naydaalan isn't in the Conclave…” Fey had shared many conversations with the Novaarian, and often forgot he was an alien.

  “The distance is hard to comprehend, but the dangers lying in wait are not. The Terran Empire could hold secrets it does not want to relinquish.” Telarrek’s lower arms braced the railing, while they stopped to take in the view of milling humans.

  “From what I've heard he’s quite the accomplished warrior. He must be if the Highclave allowed him to accompany Kalian.”

  Telarrek responded with a sharp grunt - a Novarrian agreement. “I am sure they are both watching each other’s backs. Enough of my worries.” Telarrek waved his left, upper hand. “How is everything here?”

  “I haven't been back more than a day,” Fey replied, straightening her back. “Commander Holland informs me that two more people have committed suicide. The first lost her family back on Century. The councillors had been working with her but…” Every death weighed on her more than she could admit.

  “And the other?” Telarrek always tried to share the burden.

  “Jonathan Vincent, one of our biologists. He lost his wife when Professor Jones attacked us on the Gommarian.” Fey could name every person who had died since they arrived in the Conclave. “I’ve already discussed with Captain Holt about the serious need for councillors and placing people under suicide watch.”

  “Losing your whole world, your cultures and history…” Telarrek’s slender shoulders sagged. “It’s no wonder so many find it hard to go on.”

  “Losing Earth and Century is devastating. The magnitude of that loss will probably take years to fully comprehend, but it’s not what drives us to despair. We’ve lost so much, but it doesn't override our instinct for survival or hinder our ability to look forward. Losing the people closest to us hurts. The ones who felt like a part of us.” Fey turned to look up at Telarrek. “That’s when it’s real.”

  The two continued their walk along the promenade until Captain Holt came into view. He was standing in the corner of the railing, staring up at the transparent dome that sheltered them.

  “Quite the view, isn't it?” Fey followed his gaze to the looming planet that watched over them. “That’s Arakesh, the Raalakian homeworld.”

  Jed had yet to take his eyes from it. “It’s an alien world. I'm just a little…” The captain turned to see Fey and Telarrek, who towered over them both. “Stunned, I suppose.”

  Fey glanced at Telarrek and remembered what it was like when aliens were still a new sight. “This is Ambassador Telarrek. He is our representative in the Conclave.”

  “A No-vaarian?” Jed replied.

  “Correct.” Telarrek bowed until his golden eyes were level with Jed’s head. “I offer greetings of peace, on behalf of both the Novaarians and the Conclave.”

  “Thank you.” Jed was clearly still uncomfortable with aliens.

  “I remember when your crew disappeared, Captain Holt. My own crew, that of the Valoran, attempted to locate you many times, but now we know how impossible that task was.”

  Jed’s brow furrowed in response. “You remember? I don't understand.”

  Fey explained, “Telarrek and his crew observed Earth for centuries before contact was made. There’s every chance the Paladin flew right past them and you didn't notice.”

  “You were there the whole time? That’s… no weirder than the rest of this, I suppose.” Jed looked up at the alien planet. “I'm sure you can imagine how many questions me and my people have, but as the captain of the Paladin, I have to know what the Conclave plans on doing with my ship.”

  Fey looked up again and saw the swollen vessel glide between the habitat and Arakesh.

  “It will remain close by for the time being,” Telarrek assured. “A more thorough inspection may be required, to ensure the renegade Shay has not left behind any surprises.”

  “Well, we can't stay here.” Jed waved his arm across the view of the park. “I’ve been told that camping supplies are being brought in.”

  “A temporary measure,” Fey cut in. “In the meantime, I should probably introduce you to the council.”

  Jed put his hand up. “Before I meet anyone else I need to go over the details with you one more time. I haven't been here all that long and everywhere I go I hear about this Kalian Gaines. I need details, Li. I need everything.”

  “Then perhaps it’s a good thing Ambassador Telarrek is here.” Fey cupped the Novaarian’s lower elbow. “He has been through everything with us and has a far better memory than I.”

  Naydaalan slowly circled the alien contraption that enthralled Kalian. He remained standing, his arms supported by rests and connected to the larger machine via tendrils of nanocelium that appeared to link directly with the suit. Naydaalan wondered if they went through the suit and actually pierced Kalian’s skin. The human’s head was c
ompletely hidden within the mask that hugged his face and under his jaw. Almost every inch was covered in tubes and wires that extended upwards and into the strange machine, which faded into the darkness above.

  With his rifle tucked closely to his chest, Naydaalan’s slender fingers remained close to the trigger at all times. If there was a hint of subterfuge he was prepared to open fire on the giant ALF, who stood as still as any inanimate object beside Kalian. Every now and then the Novaarian would hear the scurrying of metallic feet in the shadows, accompanied with hisses of steam and the clunking of machinery. Most of the ancient ship was hidden in darkness, but it certainly wasn't asleep anymore. Since the real ALF had shown himself, more and more of the surroundings came to life.

  Using his sharp, golden eyes, Naydaalan observed the beads of sweat that ran between the edge of Kalian’s mask and the top of his nanocelium collar. Whatever he was experiencing right now, it was exerting a particular amount of physical exertion on him. With no signs of distress, however, the Novaarian was content to keep watch, for now. His father, Telarrek, hadn't expressly told him to protect Kalian, but the human’s importance had been implied - as they always were in their conversations. Naydaalan knew his father couldn't bring himself to ask his son to sacrifice his own life for Kalian’s, but he was more than just an extension of the Conclave on this mission; the Highclave was expecting him to keep the human alive, though he suspected there was one or two on the Highclave who wouldn't mind seeing Kalian dead.

  Having seen some of what Kalian could do, Naydaalan realised that his mandate to protect the human wasn't entirely required. Since arriving in the hostile Terran Empire, it had been Kalian who had delivered them from certain death.

  Without warning, ALF’s body came to life with an alarmed expression, causing Naydaalan to raise his weapon and take aim.

  “Incoming!” ALF’s warning came only a second before the massive ship was shaken, raining dust from the darkness.

  Naydaalan corrected his footing and looked up at ALF. “What is it?”

  “Shifters!” ALF placed one of his hands on the ancient console, beside Kalian, and released a flurry of nanocelium strands into the hardware.

  “Shifters?” Naydaalan was forced to reach out and balance himself as the ship was shaken again.

  “You encountered them outside Albadar. Nanocelium left behind by Savrick to trap and destroy any wayfarers. They can become ships, monsters, anything required to eliminate the intruder.” ALF held out his free hand, palm-up, and projected a hologram from within. Naydaalan could see three sleek, black ships diving around the mountain and firing upon them. “I am bringing my defences online, but it will take some time while so much power is diverted to Kalian.”

  “Then wake him up. Bring him out of it.” Naydaalan took a step closer, as more weapons fire shook the ship.

  “I cannot. He’s at a crucial stage. If his mind can't comprehend the changes that need making now he might never advance.”

  Naydaalan groaned, which coming from a Novaarian sounded more like a growl. He ran towards the thick double doors while replacing his helmet and activating his suit, ready for the harsh environment.

  “What are you doing?” ALF called out.

  “Retrieving the Advent. I will hold them off while you bring your weapons online.” Naydaalan heard the hiss inside his mask when the atmospheric stabilisers kicked in.

  “It’s suicide, Naydaalan. Those Shifters are made of nanocelium and your ship doesn't have the firepower to stop them.”

  Naydaalan checked the setting on his rifle. “Then you had better work fast.”

  The doors slid apart - a mechanism that could only be activated by ALF - demonstrating that despite his protests, the AI was happy for Naydaalan to play the part of the distraction. It wouldn't be the first time ALF had sacrificed the lives of others for those he considered more important.

  Having already alerted the Advent, the ship tore through the dark sky and flew low over the lava fields. Naydaalan’s Novaarian reflexes easily timed the distance and speed of the ship, allowing him to jump - aided by the built-in jets - and catch the edge of the extended ramp on the side of the ship. Four strong arms worked to get him inside as fast as possible until he reached the bridge.

  A direct hit to the port side dropped the Novaarian into the chair and almost dipped the Advent into a river of steaming lava. Naydaalan took immediate control, via the holographic domes, and took the ship into a vertical rise, avoiding the next two attacks by metres. The ship switched to attack mode and straps flew out of the chair and braced him in his seat, as maneuver after maneuver would have him flattened against the walls.

  Naydaalan wanted to give verbal commands to the ship, but the G’s exerted on his body prevented any words from escaping. While his upper arms worked the controls, his lower limbs redirected power throughout the ship. As ALF had said, the Advent possessed no weapon capable of destroying the Shifters, but it had some damn good thrusters. With the weapons taken offline, life support dropped to critical and artificial gravity disabled, all available power was pushed into the engine and the thrusters.

  The Advent zipped through the gaps in the Shifters’ pattern, with only inches between them at times, and continued to rise and dive in and out of the thick cloud bank. Another direct hit on the undercarriage had alarms blaring between his arms, flashing in red. The hull had been breached and a portion of the thrusters destroyed.

  Where was ALF’s support?

  As if on cue, the array was activated when ALF made contact with the ship. How the AI had broken through the Advent’s protocols without Naydaalan accepting the call, he didn't know.

  “I'm going to need more time to get my weapons online.” ALF sounded unreasonably calm.

  Naydaalan was forced to slow down the ship’s ascent in order to verbally respond. “I only have another two maneuvers, maybe three, before they can anticipate my pattern.” His voice was strained and his chest hurt with every breath.

  “It doesn't matter anymore,” ALF replied, cryptically. “You need to get back here, now.”

  Naydaalan, a soldier born, didn't question the command, but instead killed the throttle and let gravity pull the Advent back down until it was pointing towards the planet’s arid surface. Two of the Shifters were flying up towards him, while the third continued its attack on ALF’s ship. The Novaarian brought the ship’s thrust up to maximum yield and weaved between the weapons fire. It wasn't enough to dodge the actual Shifters, however. The nanocelium ship cut through the port side of the Advent’s hull, shearing the metal away and damaging the ship beyond all repair.

  It took everything the Novaarian had to level out again. The Advent skimmed the jagged ground and lakes of lava, as it hurtled towards ALF’s ship at the base of the mountain. The consoles protested their continued use and erupted in sparks and blinked out of existence. One last alarm informed Naydaalan that the engine had lost power, as a good part of it had been cut away by the Shifter. In moments the Advent would lose its momentum and collide with the ground, turning the ship into a ball of scrap metal.

  Naydaalan felt the ship rise under his weight, the rocky ground slipping away. The Novaarian peered out of the viewport in wonder, as the volcanic surface dropped away from the Advent. Moments later the ship began to slow down, despite being no more than a collection of rooms with half of a broken engine attached to it. The hull creaked and groaned under the invisible strain of whatever was slowing it down. The massive doors to ALF’s ship were close enough to make out the details when the entire bridge peeled away in an explosion of sparks and wrought metal, exposing him to the outside world. The glass monitors cracked and shattered, along with the viewport, forcing Naydaalan to cover his visor.

  Through all the chaos and destruction, not one object touched the Novaarian. When Naydaalan opened his eyes again, the whole bridge had been torn away, including his chair. Before he could question the extraordinary event, the warrior’s floating body was pulled towards ALF’s sh
ip, as if he were floating in a vacuum. The tall doors parted at the same moment his feet once again touched the ground. Behind him, the Advent dropped unceremoniously to the ground in a cloud of dust.

  The Shifters were closing in.

  Naydaalan hurried into the giant cuboid, hearing their buzzing engines speeding over the lava fields. With one last bewildered look at the ruined Advent, the Novaarian returned to Kalian’s side and the doors sealed them in.

  “What is happening?” Naydaalan asked through laboured breaths.

  “I believe Kalian has become aware of the situation.” ALF was striding around in the shadows, activating unseen machines. “Quickly now.” ALF signalled for Naydaalan to join him.

  The Novaarian was gripped by the AI’s strong hands and thrust against the wall, where multiple straps jumped out and fastened him in place. Naydaalan instinctively attempted to struggle, but the nanocelium binds wouldn't give an inch.

  “I’m afraid I don't know exactly how the next few moments are going to unfold,” ALF explained, “but I'm very good with probability.” The giant AI tore a small hole in Naydaalan’s suit, just above the elbow on his upper arm. “I’m going to attach an intravenous line that will connect you in part to my ship.”

  Upon hearing this, Naydaalan increased his struggling and roared. The prick hurt for a moment, but the black line that ran out of the wall and into his arm was alarming.

  “Don't worry, it isn't the same thing you witnessed with Professor Jones - I just need to make you appear as if you’re a part of the ship, or things could get very messy…” ALF returned to Kalian without an explanation.

  Naydaalan stopped his fighting when the noise from the machine, attached to Kalian’s head, increased in pitch. Kalian physically shuddered and his hands gripped the ends of his rests until the knuckles were white. The Novaarian could hear the human shouting from inside the metallic mask.

  “What’s happening to him?” Naydaalan shouted over the sound of the machine.