As William closed the distance, Connor emulated pulling a pin out of a grenade and threw at him. William went down with his best version of a zombie scream and continued to crawl after Connor as if he had no legs.
The “crawler,” as Connor called it, was the most terrifying version of the zombie chase for him. Alex never knew why; he could casually walk away from the biting mouth and grasping claws, but for some reason, Connor was even more afraid of it. Later, when Alex asked William why it was so scary for Connor, William had said, “Because that’s the point in the chase when he finds out that the monster will never stop coming.”
Alex smiled at the thought from all those years ago and found himself wearing a similar smile now, while staring out over the lake. Tears rimmed the boy’s eyes as the feeling washed over him that he would never be able to share those games with the man again and that his brother was still out there in the galaxy, alone and struggling, while Alex was safe with their mom.
Marlena came out of the house then wearing a thick wool robe and carrying a steaming cup of coffee, joining her son on the porch.
“Good morning,” she said, her soft voice betraying a hint of concern for him.
“Good morning, Mom.”
“What’s the matter?” She read his emotions like she was reading a book.
“I miss him,” Alex said, choosing to not elaborate on who he meant, not wanting to see his mother cry again.
“Me too,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper.
The boy and his mother stood leaning against each other, sharing a moment of silence for the one they had lost. The small waves lapped against the shore of the island below the deck, and as they listened to the rhythmic song, they both lost themselves in memories.
After a minute, Marlena broke the reverie by clearing her throat.
“You’ve been cooped up in this house for days, why don’t you go into the city? You can take the boat and walk around.”
“I guess so.” Alex shrugged.
“Don’t give me any of that. Just go and try to enjoy yourself. You know, the people here know who you are and what you did in the Eagle Nebula. They all think of you as a hero.”
“Really?” Alex asked, feigning surprise as he tried to hide a grin.
“Yes really. All the schools are out this time of year; why don’t you go see if you can make some friends?”
“Okay, do you want to come with me?”
“I can’t, I have a conference with the 3rd and 5th fleet commanders later regarding where to deploy ships to help the more distressed colonies.”
“That sounds awesome. Have fun!” Alex quipped with a smile.
Marlena shrugged. She knew there was a lot of work in leading the Independents and accepted the role gracefully. Deep in her heart she understood that she was the most qualified person to lead and she accepted the role, knowing that if she wanted her children to know real freedom in their lifetime, she would have to continue to fight.
Alex spent the better part of an hour showering and getting dressed for town. It had been a long time since he’d worn anything but a single-piece uniform and was glad that his mom had picked him up some civilian clothes.
His room in this house was not entirely unlike his room back in Healdsburg, before it exploded. He had two captain’s beds and a desk between them. The room even had children’s toys put away on a shelf, which made Alex miss his brother. His mom had obviously designed it to feel like home, and had clearly been waiting for a long time to be able to bring her sons there.
He picked out a pair of white plaid shorts, white tennis shoes, and a T-shirt, which had a snug fit. It was a little cold out on the water, so he also elected to grab a gray hooded sweatshirt before walking downstairs and out the back door.
The dock was a short walk from the deck down a flight of wooden stairs. Moored there was a large black and red speedboat, which he grinned at as he went about untying the ropes before climbing aboard. Alex had never driven a boat in his life, but found an option for general watercraft on his OMBI that he unlocked.
It still surprised Alex that the OMBI no longer required him to use points to purchase any upgrades; instead, it had a long green bar across the top of the display. The bar diminished slightly when he unlocked the boat and then slowly began to expand back out to the edges of the virtual display. The change came after Alex removed the fourth inhibitor chip during the battle of the Eagle Nebula.
The point system and battle statistics had been a function of that chip, along with the ability for the UEDF to alter the wearer’s perception. In that battle, Alex had been unable to see the rebel ships as anything but Gortha fighters. He could sense the alterations in his own mind, which prompted him to have the inhibitor removed. It had all been a revelation to Alex about the lengths the UEDF would go to manipulate its soldiers, and the civilian population for that matter. William had always told him that the media was a propaganda machine, but until recently Alex never took any of it very seriously.
Piloting the speedboat as if he had been raised living near the water, Alex set a course for the harbor on the far side of the lake and sped along, enjoying the feeling of mist and wind in his face.
~ ~ ~
Marlena watched the low clouds engulf the mountains around Lake Amsvartnir as she listened to the boat pull away from the dock. She had been enjoying her son’s company every day, but was glad to see him off exploring, hoping that he would get some enjoyment out of socializing in town.
It had been more than six weeks since they came out of their slipstream jump to Aeris VII. After the fact, Alex told her that Skoll’s slipstream lost a lot less time in between jumps than Tizona’s; they resolved to use his drive when traveling together in the future. The more time that passed between jumps, the more time they would miss in between. Marlena had been jumping through slipstreams so much in her role as leader of the rebellion that she had only actually aged about three years of the last six that had occurred.
She understood the effects of folding time and space well, having studied it at length during her days as a military pilot. No matter how much understanding she had or preparation she made, she never felt comfortable with the perception that the people around her were aging almost twice as fast as she was. When she first saw Alex again, it had felt like the ten-year-old boy he was should have aged about three years, which she had been ready for; the sixteen-year-old boy who greeted her came as a shock. Her kids grew up too fast under normal circumstances and she was not happy about the idea of them growing up any faster than that.
Marlena walked through the quiet halls of her home from the kitchen, where she had started a fresh pot of coffee, to the study where she had many documents and monitors displaying a variety of statistics. From ship repair progress to patrol schedules, the information scrolled across the screen, giving her, the leader of the Independents, as much information as possible to make informed decisions.
She spent a lot of time in her study when she was on the planet, giving most of her attention to the details of the war, often thinking about the man who sat in a similar study, more than eight thousand light years away. She put the thought out of her mind before it could consume her. She knew that the house she imagined was gone, and so was the man.
Turning her focus to war assets, she began reading the updated numbers:
UEDF Assets:
Fleet 1 (28 active Battle Frigates, 6 Anubis Squadrons)
Fleet 2 (25 active Battle Frigates, 5 Anubis Squadrons)
Fleet 6 (20 active Battle Frigates, 4 Anubis Squadrons)
Fleet 7 (20 active Battle Frigates, 4 Anubis Squadrons)
Fleet 8 (25 active Battle Frigates, 5 Anubis Squadrons)
Independent Assets:
Fleet 3 (18 active Battle Frigates, 2 Anubis Squadrons)
Fleet 5 (24 active Battle Frigates, 4 Anubis Squadrons)
The balance of power didn’t inspire confidence in Marlena. She knew the UEDF had other assets as well, including more than o
ne hundred and sixty OMBI-enhanced soldiers from the OMBIcademy who were about to graduate. Her data didn’t show minor vessels, like RA Fighters, or orbital defensive structures. But she knew those figures read like the fleet numbers.
In a head-to-head military engagement, her fleets were severely outgunned. However, she knew that the EMC would not risk that kind of an engagement yet. When fleet 3 had defected with her after the 2115 incident, Harruhama sent fleets 4 and 5 to destroy them. The battle group commander of the 5th fleet had known Marlena as an honorable soldier and a friend, so when it came time to attack, the 5th fleet defected as well. The battle turned quickly and regrettably; the entirety of the 4th fleet was destroyed in the process.
Before her meeting with her commanders, she updated the list of assets to include the Tizona and Skoll. The former was possibly stronger than any two squads of Anubis fighters combined, especially with Marlena piloting the modified ship. The latter was possibly stronger than any ten Battle Frigates, the way it moved fluidly throughout the battlefield. Alex was an amazing pilot, and the battle of the Eagle Nebula had turned very quickly when he joined in; Black Squadron, the preeminent battle group of the UEDF, went down in under two minutes.
Noticing the time, Marlena activated her communication console and saw that the Independent Council of Colonies (ICC) had already convened. They had been waiting patiently for her; she never missed a session when she was on the planet to participate.
“Greetings, Captain Mercer, are you ready to begin?” asked the friendly voice of Nathaniel Watson, Commander of the 3rd fleet.
The Independent Council of Colonies was the military body of alliance between the outer colonies. It was led by Marlena and four other members including the two fleet commanders of the 3rd and 5th fleets, an elected civilian representative of Aeris VII and the former captain of the Colonization Freighter Andromeda, Armando Velez.
“I apologize if I was late, Commander Watson. Let us begin.”
“No apology necessary, Captain. How are things with your son?”
Marlena smiled as she replied, “Nice of you to ask, Commander. Our reunion has been wonderful.”
“Glad to hear it. Now that we’re all here we have two major items and two minor items that need to be resolved. Commander Clarke, go ahead.” Commander Watson said taking the lead.
The commander of the 5th fleet began, “Thank you, Commander; also, I have to say, it’s nice to see you back planet side, Captain Mercer. We are spread thin defending seventeen colonies with only forty-two frigates total, between the 3rd and 5th fleets. With the addition of Atmos XI, we are unable to heavily fortify the Capital with more than five frigates and two Anubis Squads.”
“That is not a problem with Skoll and Tizona both on Aeris VII. But if we go off world, we will be vulnerable here,” Marlena chimed in firmly.
“We’re trying to develop an early warning system for vessels entering the system using your communication array, but it’s slow going. We have also begun to develop orbital defense systems like the ones they have around Earth to discourage any direct assaults,” Commander Clarke said, reading from his notes.
“Well, keep at it. Send me the engineering documents for both systems and I will see what I can do to help,” Marlena offered.
“Thank you, Captain,” Commander Watson said before changing the subject. “The second subject is the status of your other son.”
“Connor is being monitored by my agent in the OMBIcademy; we are biding our time to wait for the opportunity to retrieve him,” Marlena explained.
“I’ve been reading a report about the Skoll’s ability to slipstream quickly and accurately. Is it possible, in your opinion, to use it to retrieve Connor?” Commander Watson asked, genuinely concerned.
Marlena was shaking her head before Watson finished his question. “I don’t believe so. The orbital defenses around Earth make that kind of a mission incredibly dangerous.”
“I understand, Captain. Keep us informed about your progress and we will continue to focus on defensive strategies in the meantime.”
Marlena was glad that her commanders were sensitive to her situation. She knew none of them would make plans for a counterattack against the UEDF until both of her children were safe. Not that anyone in the ICC was eager to go to war against Earth, only that they all knew it was just a matter of time until Earth ran out of resources and Harruhama would attempt to seize the colonies, by any means necessary.
“Captain Velez, please inform Captain Mercer what you told me before she arrived,” Commander Watson said.
“Thank you, Commander. Good to see you alive and well, Mrs. Mercer,” Velez said delightedly.
“Good to see you the same, Armando,” Marlena smiled.
The two had become acquainted during the voyage between Earth and Aeris VII. After the incident of 2115, Captain Velez and his wife were so appreciative of her rescuing them, they had been instrumental in electing Marlena as leader of the ICC.
“I received a report two weeks ago from the Dytopa II Colony in the Omega Nebula. Apparently a man named Dr. Arminus has discovered a very large metallic object in the ground near the city of Tiberius Falls,” Velez said, the sense of excitement evident in his voice.
“What is it?” Marlena asked eagerly.
“They have no idea, but the low-altitude, monster storms on that planet made it impossible to investigate until they clear up. It could take months. I will send you the reports as I receive them.”
“Monster storms?” Marlena inquired, “Are they that bad?”
“It is my understanding that it is a literal term. The report of the wildlife on Dytopa reads like the stuff of nightmares,” Velez stated with a shutter.
“Forward me the report on the structure and the wildlife report,” she began. “I’ll try night to read it too close to bedtime.”
The ICC commanders shared a chuckle despite themselves.
“If that’s all, Captains?” Commander Watson asked after a moment. “Representative Gellar, your item?”
“Thank you, Commander, and welcome back to Aeris, Captain Mercer. Congratulations on the retrieval of your son. I look forward to meeting him the next time you come to Sapphire,” Brenda Gellar began sincerely.
Marlena wasn’t watching the console just then, but she could tell by her tone that Representative Gellar was smiling.
“Thank you, Brenda.”
“I also wanted to express my condolences for the loss of your husband. We received word two weeks ago about his passing. I am deeply sorry, from the way you spoke of him he sounded like a great man.”
“He was. Thank you very saying so,” Marlena said quietly, the edge of pain evident in her voice.
“Moving on to business; we have intercepted encrypted long-range messages from Sapphire’s internal network. Someone has been accessing our data and transmitting information. We assume that the EMC has a spy, probably more than one snooping around our systems. We have been unable, thus far, to break the encryption, but I wanted you all to be aware of it.”
“A good spy wouldn’t make a mistake like that,” Marlena remarked insightfully. “I would assume that it’s a ruse to keep our focus on the network security instead of something else.”
“Why would a spy even alert us to his presence then?”
“Perhaps it’s to test our awareness, preparedness, or response. I strongly recommend giving the EMC agent as little data as possible and perform any investigations covertly.”
“That is why you’re our leader, Marlena,” Representative Gellar said, sincerely.
“Is there any other business?” Commander Watson cut in.
Commander Watson went down the list, making sure each member of the ICC had a chance to include any parting remarks. Hearing none, he adjourned the meeting, leaving Marlena alone with her thoughts.
The idea of a spy reporting back to Earth troubled her, especially considering how spread out her fleets were. Unable to act immediately on it, however, she went back
to reading the reports on her table, finding that she was very curious about just what a “monster storm” entailed.
~ ~ ~
The trip by boat to the shore only took Alex about ten minutes once he got up to speed. He’d found an open dock, secured his lines and disembarked.
Sapphire City was nothing like Alex expected it to be. Every building was designed with a similar architectural theme: the maximum efficiency of the materials used to produce them. Every structure was like an art work designed to create a sense of wonder that such a thing was possible. There was not a superfluous archway or column; no flare for its own sake.
Even the houses that dotted the shore of the lake were built with this theme in mind. Alex couldn’t find one home that had an unnecessary feature in its design. Back on Earth, when they would drive anywhere, William would always show Connor and Alex what he meant by “the integrity of a building” when he would show them numerous little window shutters on homes that were there just for looks. He called it “lazy superfluous architecture” and was all too happy to point out that those shutters were unnecessary in their climate, didn’t close, and even if they could close, would only cover about half the window.
Alex could see a lot of his stepfather’s vision in the structures that surrounded him. The thought that the man hadn’t survived to see his vision manifested in an entire city made Alex wince. He shook the thought away, letting himself relax and take in the city.
The streets were bustling with activity, people walking and driving small, three-wheeled vehicles that were enclosed with a bubble-like dome. It occurred to him that the only roads on Aeris were inside the city and small highways that led to other nearby towns and mining communities, so the need for larger street vehicles was almost non-existent. He had seen heavier mining vehicles flying low over the lake on his way in and realized that these streets would never see the heavy tires of a semi-truck.
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