by G. P. Hudson
“Such an operation would require six to nine Earth standard months to complete,” said AI.
“So we can’t take them back with us, anyway,” said Jon. “Not if we are sticking to our schedule.”
Jonas leaned back in his chair, grunting his disapproval.
“If the ships are automated,” said Colonel Bast. “Would control be possible through a Chaanisar brain chip?”
“Excellent question, Colonel Bast,” said AI. “The answer is yes. With a few modifications, the Chaanisar could control one or more of these vessels telepathically through their brain chips.”
“Admiral, I must object,” said Tallos. “The Chaanisar already have a good thousand ships. We cannot give them another three thousand. It would be too dangerous.”
“Dangerous to whom?” Bast said icily.
“To Diakus,” said Tallos. “How do we know you won’t turn those weapons on us?”
“We are not your enemy, General,” said Bast.
“The Chaanisar have been our enemies for centuries. Are Diakans supposed to simply forget the rivers of Diakan blood the Chaanisar have spilled?”
“Now hold on a second, Tallos,” Jon said angrily. “You know as well as I do that those Chaanisar were under Juttari control. These Chaanisar are not.”
“So?” said Tallos. “What if their allegiances change?
“Why would that happen?”
“Why? Give them an additional three thousand ships and I will show you why. With a fleet of over four thousand ships, they would become very powerful. Who’s to say they would not want their own empire?”
“We are loyal to Admiral Pike,” said Bast. “We would never betray his trust.”
“Perhaps you would not betray him, Colonel. But can you say the same of the rest of the Chaanisar?” said Tallos.
“Yes, I can,” said Bast.
“Forgive me if I am not convinced, Colonel. How long have your Chaanisar been free? A little over a year at most?”
“That is correct.”
“You are like lost children. You do not know which path you will end up choosing. Yes, you have been loyal up until now, but will you remain so? How can we be sure?”
Jon didn’t like where Tallos was taking things. He knew that Tallos had never fully accepted the free Chaanisar, but it didn’t give him the right to question their loyalty.
“I think we are all getting ahead of ourselves here,” Jon said. “Let’s take this one step at a time. First, we need to equip the ships with jump systems. Then we can think about how they should be deployed. With any luck, we’ll find the Builders, and they’ll help us defeat the Erinyie before that.”
“Yes, that would be the ideal outcome,” said Tallos.
“It would be, but let’s not forget one thing,” Jon said, looking at Tallos. “The Chaanisar wear the UHSF uniform. They serve alongside their human brethren. They are not a separate fighting force that will shift allegiances when it suits them. Nor are they an alien race with its own agenda. They are human. They were lost children once, but they have found their way home.”
A broad smile formed on Jonas’s face. Had the old Reiver developed a soft spot for the Chaanisar? Colonel Bast, on the other hand maintained his usual stoic demeanor, mirrored by the other Chaanisar present. The Diakans were no different, their large, unblinking eyes betraying no hint of emotion.
“As you wish, Admiral,” said Tallos, bowing his head slightly.
“There’s also the small matter of the Empire,” Jon continued. “They may develop a jump system of their own one day. On that day, they may decide that we are ripe for conquest. These ships would prove extremely useful in such a scenario. There may even be a case for establishing colonies out here. We’ve discovered many welcoming planets along this journey. One day we could send colonists to populate them. These ships could serve to protect those colonists from the Empire, or whatever other threat may show up.”
“Well defended colonies could act as a strategic buffer against Empire expansion,” added Tallos.
“That’s right. We can’t ignore the fact that we’ve just been handed a foothold in this region of space. It may prove quite valuable one day.”
“Agreed,” said Tallos.
“After these ships are fitted with jump systems, the facility could resume manufacturing. AI, where did the Dvorkan AI obtain the materials needed for all these ships?”
“Most of his time in this system was spent building the infrastructure required to get to this stage. The planets in this system are uninhabitable, but they are rich in the necessary raw materials. The Dvorkan AI established several mining operations capable of generating all the materials required.”
“Do you control these mining operations?”
“I do.”
“Incredible,” said Jon, shaking his head. “He created an impressive operation. It’s too bad he went nuts. He could’ve been an excellent addition to the team. Not to mention a companion for you, AI.”
“I have no need for companionship,” said AI.
“No, of course not,” Jon said, rolling his eyes. “I’m assuming that you can leave copies of yourself here to look after the jump system retrofits?”
“Of course, Admiral. There is no need for you to delay your mission any longer.”
“Then it’s settled. We’ll finish recharging our jump systems, and resume our voyage. We’ll reassess the situation when we return. Any objections?”
The faces on the wallscreen looked back at him in silence.
“Very well. Dismissed.”
Chapter 40 39
With the jump systems charged, the battle group resumed its journey. The ships jumped another two hundred light years without incident, and settled in for the jump system’s standard twenty-four-hour recharge period. They had traveled three thousand light years since the last Diakan jump gate. A few thousand light years more and they would reach their destination.
For now, they would spend a much deserved twenty-four hours of rest. Jon took advantage of the lull to speak with Miira, and learn more about the Builders. She had stayed true to her word, presenting Chief Engineer Simmons with schematics for a system capable of cloaking the Freedom. Even with the schematics, it would take some time to build and test. But Jon was hopeful that they could have one operational by the time they returned to Earth.
Miira sat across from Jon in the conference room, her large frame shifting uncomfortably in the not quite big enough chair. She seemed nervous, which always seemed odd to Jon, considering the way she towered over him.
“Based on my studies, the Builders entered a period of sleep upon returning to their home system,” said Miira. She avoided eye contact. He had noticed before, but disregarded it, deciding it was more a sign of her nervous nature, than one of deception.
“Sleep? You mean they’re hibernating?” said Jon, finding the idea more than a little absurd.
“Not exactly. I believe that the word ‘sleep’ is used symbolically.”
“I don’t understand. Symbolically in what way?”
“I think the Builders have left.”
“You think they moved to another region of space?”
“No, I think they’ve gone to another galaxy.”
Jon was taken aback. “Another galaxy? That sounds a little farfetched, don’t you think? Even if they could travel to another galaxy. A big if, mind you. Why would they?”
“I don’t believe they were from here in the first place,” said Miira, seeming to gain more confidence. “Just like the Erinyie are not from this galaxy.”
“The Great See’er said nothing about another galaxy. She referred to them as one of the first races. Why would she call them that if they weren’t from our galaxy?”
“The term ‘first races’ could be used symbolically, too. Perhaps your Great See’er does not know where they were from.”
“She’s not my Great See’er. Anyway, she’s usually pretty good with this sort of thing. But I’ll humor you. What makes
you think this?”
“Archaeological evidence.”
“That could mean anything. Can you be more specific?”
“It is the culmination of my studies. Would you like me to catalog every source I have ever consulted for you?”
“No, of course not.” Jon smiled. Miira seemed to come out of her shell when sharing her research. He liked that. It was her playground, and she was queen of the hill. “Okay, you’re the expert, how did they do it?”
“How did they do what?”
“Travel from another galaxy to ours, and back?”
“They built the jump gates for the younger races of this galaxy. But these jump gates are not the limits of their abilities. I believe they have their own jump gates capable of linking galaxies together.”
Jon struggled to wrap his mind around what she just told him. “Do you mean to tell me that these Builders have some kind of intergalactic empire?”
“I do not know if they would consider it an empire. Their influence spans galaxies. As does the Erinyie’s. The Builders are the light. They bring hope, and progress. The Erinyie are the darkness. They bring hatred and despair.”
Jon rolled his eyes. “I thought we were talking about alien races, not mysticism.”
“I am merely quoting the descriptions found in the ancient texts.”
“Do you believe them?”
“I believe that the Erinyie seek to dominate the universe, while the Antikitheri seek to nurture it.”
“Interesting. I’ll tell you what I think. I don’t know about the Builders, but if the Erinyie support the Juttari, then they are evil enough for me. What I’m getting from all this is that they are at war with each other, on an intergalactic scale. Correct?”
“Yes. They have always been at war. They compete for influence among the younger races of the universe. Sometimes they even intervene, as is the case with your people.”
“The Erinyie intervened alright. Now we just need to get the Builders on our side. So, you’re saying that when we get to their region of space, we won’t find them. Instead we’ll find an intergalactic jump gate?”
“And a guardian.”
“What the hell is a guardian?” Jon said in frustration. The story just kept getting more complicated.
“It protects the intergalactic gate. If we find the guardian, we have found the gate.”
“Wonderful,” Jon said sarcastically.
“The guardian will not let us pass unless it thinks we are worthy.”
“How does it make that decision?”
“I don’t know.”
“How is it you know everything else, but not how to get the guardian to let us through?”
“There is scant information on the guardian. You must understand, nobody really knows what is out there. No Dvorkan could have traveled that far.”
“Then how do you know that any of your information is correct?”
“I believe the information was seeded in our culture, as well as yours, and the other younger races. I have studied several sources from alien races who ascended to the Empire. Every race seems to have some version of these stories. The Builders left them knowing that when the time came, we would uncover their clues, and seek them out.”
“That kind of makes sense, in a weird way. Without the jump system, we would not have the means to reach their space. But they left us the jump gates, and they must have known that one day someone would figure out how to use the jump gate technology, and install it onto a ship.”
“It is logical,” said Miira. “A race would just need to be advanced enough to understand how.”
“Okay. If your research is correct, we need to first find the guardian, and then convince it to let us enter the intergalactic gate.”
“Yes.”
“How do we find the guardian?”
“You do not find it. It finds you. At least that is what the mythological accounts state.”
“I thought you said you used archaeological evidence?”
“Myths are often used in archeology. They aid greatly in the interpretation of the archaeological record. Think about it. Wouldn’t races like the Erinyie and the Antikitheri be looked on as gods, or demons? Their abilities would seem like magical powers to our primitive societies.”
“I guess they would. Do you have a lot of myths about the Builders?”
“Yes. Which is why my research fell into ridicule. Nobody believes they really existed. They are portrayed as magical beings in our mythology. Often, they appear as gods. I believe that magic was merely advanced technology. In studying all the old stories, I filter out the talk of magic, and try to decipher the actual historical account.”
“Interesting. How accurate do you think your research is?”
“I don’t really know. This will be my first opportunity to test it.”
“That’s fair. We will head to our destination and hopefully we’ll find this guardian.”
“I think we can do better than that. Based on my research, I believe that the gate is in a system dominated by a red giant star.”
“That should help narrow things down. AI, is there a red giant star within the region of space where the Builders are supposed to reside?”
“Yes, Admiral. There is one red giant identified within those search parameters,” said AI.
Jon smiled at Miira. “Send the coordinates to Commander Henderson.”
“Yes, Admiral.”
Jon opened a comm with Henderson. “Commander, AI will be sending you a new set of coordinates. Adjust our heading accordingly.”
“Understood,” said Henderson.
“Now we just need to answer the guardian’s riddles,” Jon said to Miira.
“What riddles?”
“It is a story from our own ancient mythology. A sphynx, which was a type of winged monster, stood outside a city and asked each traveler a riddle. If the traveler answered incorrectly, he would die.”
“I see. There is no evidence that the Builder’s guardian will ask us riddles, or kill us.”
“Then how will it know if we’re worthy?” Jon said with a chuckle.
“Are you mocking me?”
“No, not at all. It’s just a joke.” Jon made a mental note that despite her size, Miira did not have thick skin.
“Forgive me. I’ve been ridiculed so much that I am quick to take offense.”
“Don’t worry about it. Wait until you meet my friend Seiben. Now there’s a guy who can’t take a joke.”
Miira smiled. “I look forward to seeing your planet.”
“So do I, Miira. So do I.”
Chapter 4 1 0
“Smaller circles, child,” instructed Breeah.
Anki let the weighted balls of her lariat belt drop to the floor, as beads of sweat stung her eyes. She wiped her brow with her free hand, and looked back at her mother in frustration. “I cannot make them any smaller.”
“Yes, you can,” said Breeah.
“It is not possible.”
“It is. If I can see them, then so will your opponent.”
“Show me a soldier on this ship who can stop my lariat.”
Breeah laughed. “Is that what you measure your skill against? I need to take you to your grandfather’s ship, so you can compare skill against other Reivers. Perhaps you need to see a Kemmar again? Or an enemy Chaanisar soldier? Do you think they will be so easy to overcome?”
“No, they won’t, because they will be armed with energy weapons. My lariat will be useless against them.”
Breeah exhaled slowly. “We wear the lariat belt around our waste so that we are always armed. Is an energy weapon preferable? Of course. If we have one, we use it before we use the lariat. When the Diakans attacked us in our quarters, you used your darts. They are ranged weapons, and you used them exceptionally well. They are also preferable. But what if you do not have access to any other weapon? You will always have your lariat belt, and another important advantage. Surprise. Your opponent will not expect your weapon, no
r your expertise. These advantages have saved my life in the past, and they may save yours in the future.”
Anki stayed quiet, even though she felt the anger pulsing through her body.
Breeah studied her with a mother’s knowing eye. “You must make your circles smaller. Observe.”
Anki watched closely as her mother stepped forward, letting her own weighted lariat belt hang loosely from her hand. Despite her frustration, she always appreciated a demonstration of her mother’s ability. She always marveled at how her face instantly changed, the muscles in her jaw tightening, her eyes turning to steel. She was no longer her mother, but a Reiver warrior, as lethal as a coiled viper.
Anki paid close attention to her mother’s arm, watching for the slightest movement that would telegraph her strike. Anki noted how her breathing eased, how her body relaxed, yet remained poised for action.
Without warning, her mother burst into action, and the lariat became a blur. Anki knew not to follow the weapon. It would be futile to try. Instead, she zeroed in on the shoulder, elbow, and wrist, just as she was taught.
Large movements are the mark of a beginner. To the trained eye, they are like screams, shouting out their intent. As one advances in ability, those movements become smaller, and smaller. Her mother’s movements, for example, were practically imperceptible. They were all in the wrist, and even then, they were no more than tiny flicks. Yet through those tiny movements, the weighted balls swung at sizzling speeds, with enough force to crush a man’s skull.
One might expect her to put on an acrobatic display, throwing her body around in a demonstration of her prowess. But that was not the lesson she tried to teach. Instead, she casually walked forward. Her lariat established a menacing perimeter, however, threatening injury, and even death, to anyone foolish enough to approach.
Moments later, as effortlessly as her display began, it came to a stop. The warrior left her face, and her mother returned. “Do you see?”
Anki crossed her arms in front of her chest and said nothing. She knew her mother was right, but did not want to admit it.