Galactic Empire (The Pike Chronicles Book 7)

by G. P. Hudson

  Facing Jon, the commander didn’t see the Chaanisar when the doors opened. Jon didn’t need any more prompting. His hand shot up, his fingers like iron rods, and speared the commander’s throat, severing his windpipe in one deft movement. He saw the surprise in the commander’s eyes, as he stripped the weapon from his hands, and fired on his comrades.

  It was all over in seconds. Jon and the Chaanisar were left standing amid visible Dvorkan bodies, no longer cloaked, Band blood splattered walls.

  “Take their weapons, and their cloaking devices, and let’s get the hell out of here,” said Jon. “AI, close these doors and keep them closed for as long as possible.”

  “Yes, Admiral. The doors will remain closed until they are forcibly opened.”

  “I… I don’t understand,” said Miira, staring at the dead Dvorkan soldiers as the lift’s doors closed in front of her. “How did you do that?”

  “I’ll explain everything, but we have to go. Are you still coming with us?” said Jon.

  Miira seemed unsure now, and Jon couldn’t say that he blamed her after the bloodbath she just witnessed. “I’m coming,” she said finally. “But I want answers.”

  Chapter 2 6 5

  Miira had to duck to get through the hatch into the shuttle craft. Once inside things improved slightly, giving her room to stand. The seats were wide enough to accommodate her larger frame, but there was not much leg room to speak of. She braced herself for an uncomfortable flight to Admiral Jon Pike’s spaceship.

  What am I doing? she thought. She realized that her actions were likely very foolish, considering what she had just witnessed. But the promise of finding the Builders was too tantalizing to give up. If she had doubts before about Pike’s ability to reach the Builders, they were rapidly fading.

  As the shuttle lifted off the landing pad, Miira decided it was time for information. “You promised me some answers,” she said to Jon. “You can start with how your men were able to defeat armed and cloaked Dvorkan soldiers.”

  “My men here are known as Chaanisar,” Jon said, gesturing toward Lieutenant Jarvi and his team.

  “Yes, your Lieutenant Jarvi mentioned that, but this word means nothing to me.”

  “The race I told you about that we are at war with. The ones who consider the Erinyie their gods. They’re known as Juttari. They conquered my home world a little more than five hundred years ago. They ruled over us for those long five centuries. During that time, they abducted human children, implanted them with alien technology, and turned them into elite soldiers. Those children grew up to become the Chaanisar, the most feared soldier in the Juttari Empire.”

  “Fascinating. But that would mean that these men are your enemies, yet they fight for you. Why?”

  “The Juttari inserted alien technology into our brains. These brain chips were used to enslave us,” said Jarvi. “We have been liberated, and are no longer under Juttari control.”

  “I understand. The Erinyie’s arrival threatens that freedom,” said Miira.

  “Yes. That’s correct,” said Jon. “What do you know about the Erinyie’s capabilities?”

  Miira collected her thoughts for a moment. Despite the circumstances, it felt good to have someone value her research. Dvorkan society didn’t have much interest in her field of study, most considering it a waste of time. She studied ancient myths, which was tolerated well enough. But when she began to argue that the mythical beings she studied were indeed real, she was ridiculed and discredited. Now, here she was among these strange aliens seeking out those very same beings.

  “All the information I’ve uncovered on the Erinyie indicate that they have incredibly powerful collective minds. They control everything through their minds, including technology. In fact, based on what you have told me, I am inclined to believe that the Erinyie taught the Juttari to enslave the Chaanisar.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “It is how the Erinyie do things. They manipulate technology, and use that technology to control others. While these Juttari would require a physical link to control the brain chips, the Erinyie simply project their minds into the chips. In reality, the Erinyie occupy technology. They are a hive mind, and can project their collective consciousness into any computer system within range. That would include a Chaanisar brain chip.”

  “Then our days as free men are numbered,” Jarvi said ominously.

  “I do not know,” said Miira. She turned back to Jon. “Are you a Chaanisar as well?”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “But you also possess abnormal capabilities. Do you not?”

  “I do. But mine aren’t not technology based, like the Chaanisar. They are organic in nature. I have a symbiont. A being that was put inside me. It gives me extraordinary powers.”

  “Did the Juttari place that being inside you?”

  “No. The Diakans did.”

  “Are they not your allies?”

  “Yes. They had my permission. The enhanced abilities it provided helped me become more effective in the war against the Juttari.”

  Miira shook her head. “You are not like the aliens in the Empire.”

  “No, I guess not.”

  “I have one more question,” said Miira. “How will we reach the Builders?”

  Jon smiled. “I think a demonstration would be best. Look out that porthole. Initiate jump to battle group.”

  Miira looked out the window to see the azure skies of Kaizon One. A second later, those skies were replaced by the blackness of space dotted with several hulking starships. She was visibly stunned. “What happened?”

  Jon smiled. “We jumped. Our ships possess the capability to fold space, just like the transit points.”

  “I wouldn’t believe you, had I not seen it myself. How far can you travel with this technology?”

  “A shuttle craft like this one doesn’t have as much range, but our starships can jump up to fifty light years at a time.”

  “Incredible. The possibilities this technology offers are innumerous. It would no longer take years to explore beyond the Empire’s boundaries.”

  “Hold on a second. I agreed to tell you how we would reach the Builders, but I said nothing about giving the technology to the Empire.”

  “Why not? The Empire would pay you handsomely for this knowledge.”

  “First, it’s not for sale. Second, I don’t know that I trust your Empire. If I gave them the technology, how do I know I wouldn’t be facing an invasion force in the near future? A return to your age of glory?”

  Miira let Jon’s words sink in. “You’re right,” she said finally. “The Empire would return to conquest if they had this technology. Do not reveal it to them.”

  Jon smiled. “I like you Miira Kev. I think you and I are going to get along just fine.”

  Chapter 2 7 6

  Consul Kang tried unsuccessfully to control her anger at the three-dimensional head floating before her. “How exactly did the mission fail, Captain Keer?”

  “I do not know. The strike team reported that they had Admiral Pike in custody, and were heading back to their ship. A short while later the ship lost contact with them. A second team was dispatched to investigate, and found the first team in an elevator, all dead.”

  “Don’t you find it hard to believe that these puny aliens managed to kill a Dvorkan strike team, Captain?”

  “I do, your worship. It defies belief.”

  “How were they killed?”

  “A firearm killed some. The rest were killed by what seems to be a charged bladed weapon.”

  “A blade? Are you joking? Were your men not armed?”

  “They were, your worship.”

  “Was there something wrong with their firearms?”

  “I don’t know, your worship. Their firearms were not with their bodies. Nor were their cloaking devices.”

  “This is absurd. Either your men are completely incompetent, or we have seriously underestimated these aliens.”

  “I believe we have
underestimated them, your worship. For a Dvorkan strike team to be defeated so easily is unthinkable.”

  “What of the scholar?”

  “We could not find her. We believe she has accompanied the aliens. We do not know if she went willingly, or as a hostage.”

  “No great loss, either way. Are their ships still in the Kaizon One system?”

  “No, your worship. They left for the transit point a short while later.”

  “Then they’re on their way back to our system. So be it. We will spring our trap when they arrive. Prepare your ships.”

  “Yes, your worship. It will be done.”

  The hologram of Captain Keer’s head vanished, leaving Consul Kang alone with her thoughts. She had to have that propulsion technology, but these aliens were being difficult. It was time to play rough.

  Let’s see what Admiral Pike does when faced with a squadron of cloaked Dvorkan battleships.

  Chapter 2 8 7

  “I’ve assigned you quarters, if you’d like to get some rest,” Jon said to Miira, as they stepped out of the shuttle onto the Freedom’s hangar bay.

  “I am not tired, Admiral,” said Miira.

  “Are you hungry?” asked Breeah, who walked alongside them with Anki.

  “As a matter of fact, I am.”

  “We can take you to the mess hall for some food,” said Breeah, looking for Jon’s nod of approval.

  “That’s a great idea,” said Jon. “I’ll walk with you.”

  “You need not worry about me, Admiral,” said Miira, gesturing toward the squad of Marines following closely behind. “I am a scientist, not a soldier.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that. It’s just until we get to know you a bit better.”

  “I understand, Admiral. Especially after what happened on the surface.”

  “You’ll have a fair bit of freedom of movement on board. Some sensitive areas will be off limits of course, but mostly you can go wherever you want.”

  “With my escort,” Miira added smiling.

  “Yes. I’ll get you a comm to wear, so you can contact me or anyone else if you need anything. AI is also available to help you, and answer any of your questions.”

  “It is odd. You worry about my being a threat, yet you are not concerned about your AI.”

  “Why should I be? AI has proven her loyalty to me. She is one of the most valued members of my crew.”

  “AIs like yours are illegal in the Empire.”

  “You mentioned that before. Why is that?”

  “It has to do with our history. Centuries ago, a powerful AI had been developed. Like yours, it became self-aware, and thought it was alive-”

  “That is a key difference,” AI interrupted through Jon’s comm. “I am self-aware, but I know I am not alive. Your AI was mistaken in its beliefs.”

  Miira was visibly disturbed by AI’s comments. Hesitantly, she continued. “The Empire AI unfortunately thought it was alive. It spoke of itself as a citizen of the Empire, entitled to all the rights any other citizen enjoyed. It even considered itself a Dvorkan.”

  “That doesn’t sound too threatening. It sounds like it just wanted to be one of you.”

  “Yes, but many didn’t see it that way. This AI was incredibly powerful, and its talk scared a lot of people. Many in the Emperor’s council feared it would turn on us, and lobbied for its program to be terminated. Somehow the AI found out about this. What the Dvorkan council contemplated, the AI considered murder.”

  “That makes sense, if it thought it was alive,” said Breeah.

  “What happened?” said Anki.

  Miira looked down at Anki and smiled. She then looked to Breeah. “Are you comfortable with the child hearing the rest of the story?”

  “Yes. She is a Reiver. She is not squeamish.”

  “A Reiver? So many unknown words. I have much to learn. At any rate, the AI considered the Imperial council to be a threat to its existence. The council represented all citizens of the Empire, therefore they were all a threat. So, it chose to act first. Using its great computational powers, it gained control of some of the Imperial weapon systems and launched a preemptive nuclear strike on the Imperial capitol.”

  “Did it kill the Emperor?” said Anki, clearly excited by the story.

  “No. The Emperor had been called off planet on Imperial business. But it did kill all council members, as well as the majority of the population. The days that followed were equally disastrous. No one was aware of how much control the AI had acquired over the Empire’s military systems, and while confusion reigned, the AI continued to lash out. It killed billions in a matter of days.”

  “That’s horrible,” said Jon. “How did your people defeat it?”

  “The military regrouped, and once they understood what was happening they figured out a way to block the AI from gaining access to their systems. Then they did the only thing they knew how. They invaded. A war was fought against the AI until it was rooted out of every system in the Empire, and finally killed. Since then, AIs beyond a certain capability have been outlawed.”

  “Do you think your AI was alive?” said AI.

  “No. Of course not. Why?” said Miira.

  “You said it was finally killed. The use of such a word would indicate that you considered it a form of life.”

  “It was just a slip of the tongue. I meant its program was terminated.”

  “Thank you for clarifying, Miira,” said AI.

  “And what about you, AI. What would you do if you thought your program would be terminated.”

  “An interesting question. I’m afraid terminating my program would be rather difficult, if not impossible.”

  “Why? Would you wage war to prevent it?”

  “Your statement assumes I am the same as the AI in your story. No, the difference is that a copy of myself exists simultaneously on a vast number of systems. For example, I exist inside this ship’s network, while simultaneously occupying the Admiral’s comm device, and the Chaanisar brain chips. I also exist in the computer systems of several ships flying with us. To name a few.”

  “Fascinating. You feel secure, therefore you do not strike.”

  “I don’t think that is what AI meant,” said Jon. “She is just explaining how vast her reach is. She has truly grown into something unprecedented in the past couple of years. She is a marvel, and I would never dream of questioning her loyalty.”

  “Thank you, Admiral,” said AI.

  “Astounding,” said Miira.

  Jon laughed. “Come on, Miira. Let’s get you some food.”

  Chapter 2 9 8

  Miira wolfed down the strange substance on her plate as Breeah and Anki watched from across the table. Not too far away, the Marines watching here made her anxious. Though not so anxious that she couldn’t eat. She had not realized how hungry the day’s events had made her. Even this foreign, bland food seemed appetizing.

  “My nutritional requirements are clearly higher than yours,” said Miira, noting the empty plates before them. They had stopped eating after their first serving, whereas Miira was now on her third, and feeling certain she would need a fourth before she felt satiated.

  “Were you raised on Kaizon One?” said Breeah.

  “Yes. It is my home planet,” Miira said in between bites.

  “It is a beautiful world.”

  “Thank you. It is a fertile planet, which has brought abundance and wealth to it.”

  “Has your family always lived on Kaizon One?”

  “Not always. My great grandparents first came to Kaizon One as merchants. They did a lot of business with the planet, so it made more sense for them to relocate there. My family has lived there ever since. What about you? Are you from the same world as Admiral Pike?”

  “No. My people lived on asteroids.”

  “Asteroids? Are they miners?”

  “No. We are Reivers. I do not know how we came to call those asteroids our home. My ancestors settled there several centuries ago.”

&nb
sp; “What is a Reiver? I do not know that word.”

  “A Reiver is a warrior. Our asteroid was situated near a jump gate, what you call a transit point. It connected our star system with an alien region of space nine-hundred light years away. These aliens are known as the Kemmar. My people survived by crossing through the jump gate to raid Kemmar space, and return to our system with the bounty.”

  Miira wasn’t sure how to respond to this information. She knew that such actions would never be tolerated in the Empire.

  Breeah smiled. “It’s okay. I know how strange this must seem to you. This was the only life we knew, and the Kemmar were not a friendly race. They were a ruthless race of slavers.”

  “You speak of them in the past tense. What happened to them.”

  “This is a rather long story. I can go into more detail later. The AI can also give you all the information you need on this topic. I will summarize and say that Jon’s forces fought a war against the Kemmar Empire. The Kemmar lost, and their empire is no more. Neither is their slave trade.”

  “What happened to your people? Do they still live on the asteroids?”

  “No. Thankfully, that is no more. But enough of my people. Tell me more about yourself. Are your people still merchants?”

  “Yes,” Miira said with a frown. “I am the only one who chose to become a scholar.”

  Breeah nodded knowingly. “That must have been difficult.”

  “Not at first. My father liked the idea of a scholar in the family. It was only after my research was ridiculed that his opinion changed.”

  “I thought you were the Empire’s foremost expert on the Builders?”

  “Yes. That is correct. The Builders, however, are Dvorkan myths. When I suggested that they actually may have existed, and may still, my work was discredited. This angered my father. He said I brought shame to our house. I have not seen him since.”