In another report, Patterson was able to see a bright side of things. Hiroshima—the one city that would never have recovered a second time from an attack of epic proportions—remained unscathed and untouched as she opened her arms to survivors of Tokyo. Berlin too stood tall and actively assisted anyone who asked for help. Once dead airways were now beginning to fill with calls for help and those answering them.
The true tragedy in all this was that of Moscow, or what very little remained of the Russian capital. Only rubble and ash lay where once the mighty and landmarked city once stood; the blast and ensuing shockwave had seen to the complete destruction of everything else. From the city itself, there were no survivors, no remains to be exhumed from the ash. Only the outlying communities still stood, the ones miles from the outskirts of the city; and they too showed much of the carnage. It was here that mankind had made a near triumphant stand—these proud people had fought so hard that the Husk had responded by eradicating them.
Most of the reports read the same: destruction, desolation and despair. But amongst the agony of near-defeat were more stories of hope and triumph. All was not lost indeed; he was certain that people would learn from this experience and take with them a new lease on life and understanding of their place in the galaxy. Nothing would ever be the same again—Patterson himself had changed dramatically in the past few months himself. No longer was he of the mindset of Country and Flag First; now he saw the big picture and how his previous actions had affected that picture. Pangs of regret formed in his heart for his involvement in the Project Star Child, killing many to make Aen. “For the greater good” had been the words echoed in the halls of the Colorado Mountain facility to help those involved deal with the obvious moral dilemmas they faced each and every day. Now, those same words rang hollow. At some point, Patterson knew he would have to face the truth about Aen publicly and would do it without lying or hiding behind the usual “need to know” line. His place in history was set already, but how he would be remembered was yet to be written, his legacy was far from secure. Patterson sat back in his chair and lit his cigar, letting the smoke roll around his mouth and face to soothe him, and relaxed for the first time in a while. For now, there was little he could do to change the past and even less he could do that would affect the future so he decide for the moment to take time to finally rest.
Himalayan Mountains, Mount Kailash, Tibet -
Four Days After Victory
It took a few days for the monastery to empty out all its temporary guests—a group of Husk were cornered at the base of the mountain by Ifierin and had dug in for a long fight. The battle was anything but long however; the Husk were leaderless and overwhelmed by the ferocious and unrelenting attack of the Imperial elite soldiers. After a firefight that lasted less than a day, the remainder of the delays were for cleanup of the mess left behind.
After the quick exodus of its guests, the only ones remaining behind were Sara and Krista; their departure would be much different than the descent down the winding mountain road. Standing with Nyun in the courtyard of the monastery, they reflected on what had transpired in the past few days and shared rare smiles as they watched a transport shuttle descend from the heavens, flaring brilliantly like a flaming comet, to retrieve them. Sara had taken her time to think about the offer her father had told her of, but after much deliberation and arguing with herself endlessly, she had decided to accept the appointment bestowed to her by the Empress. Now, she was to be whisked away from her broken world to the Empress’s ship above to learn her new duties. Her life had gone from a shattered hell to a wondrous world of endless possibilities!
“You have been given a great gift,” Nyun spoke softly. “Your trials of the past years have moulded you to be perfect for this role. Fate chose you for this long before the Goddess did.”
“I wish that I could see it the way you do, but the pain of everything is far too fresh in my heart.” She replied. “Maybe someday I can look back on it that way and see what you do now, but by then, I fear most of this will be but a long-lost dream.”
The ship had finished its entry and the fiery glow of the entry burn began to fade from its hull as it spun off its nose dive downwards and turned towards them. It amazed Sara how easily these ships maneuvered around the air, given the fact they had no wings to support lift like Earth planes. The shuttles looked like a flattened tube; narrower on the nose and wider in the rear with the main engine sunken into the aft section and were anything but flashy although quite effective for their purpose.
“A generation may pass before it is truly known how much was sacrificed to get to this point, my dear Sara,” Nyun said to break the silence. “But there are many more hurdles to overcome before we can stand alone against such monsters; the Earth is vulnerable for now and we will need the Lyarrans more than we know.”
“We need Aen more than we know.” Krista replied. “Without him, none of this would be possible.”
“There is little I can offer to relieve you of your anguish,” Nyun said kindly, “But know that his future—had he lived—did not lie with us on Earth. His was a destiny that was for more than this world could offer, and it is a shame that his life ended without seeing it through.”
No more words were spoken between the three as they watched the shuttle get closer and closer until it finally hovered overhead. They all felt a bit of dizziness as the engines drives were gravitational based and messed slightly with the human body’s perception of balance in close proximity. Slowly, the ship lowered itself and settled a few feet away and the side hatch opened as a striking female soldier exited. Her blue hair flowed in the wind as her equally rich blue eyes zeroed in quickly on the women.
As she approached, Nyun bowed his head in respect and waited in the bow until she spoke.
“You are Sara?” the creature’s English was broken and nowhere as refined as the Empress’s. “I am Council Lyxia; I’m here to take you to her.”
Lyarran Vessel Lyarra’s Fire -
Four Days After Victory
“I realize the reasons why you chose her,” Caretaker’s voice droned. “But I hope you know the far-reaching implications of such a decision. Her appointment may be accepted blindly by the humans for now as they stumble around in the wake of this disaster, but soon their questioning nature will show itself and they will pick her apart for all her faults.”
It had hardly been a few minutes since his reactivation, and Caretaker had reached far and wide throughout the Imperial network to see what had transpired since he was unceremoniously jettisoned from the Amarra. Aen was dead, the Dark Light crippled, the Husk destroyed, and most alarming was the quick appointment of the Council of Terra Sol. Realizing he was questioning the decision of the Empress herself was a noteworthy risk, as it was positive that no one else would show her what she needed to know. Two thousand years of studying the human race made him the foremost expert the Lyarran Empire had.
“Do not think my decision to reactivate you comes as a favor or that I made such a decision lightly,” Iana replied, staring at a chart map of the known and explored galaxy. The image was live time; millions of sensors scattered amongst the stars fed info back to her to create such a display. It was staggering the amount of raw data being streamed to the Lyarra’s Light to run this map. “There are many who called for your decommission—Council Lyxia included—but for the moment I have thought you to be of some value.”
“And for that, your Excellence, I am extremely grateful.” The AI cooed.
“As for Council Sara Foster, my reasons for such an appointment are mine and are not up for discussion. Terra Sol needs a leader that has been tempered and forged in the fires of this ordeal—she alone fits that bill and she will help lead this world to great days ahead. Your place is to not question me, but to provide guidance in the ways of the people of Terra Sol; nothing more. I hope I am being clear on this.”
“Very clear, your highness.”
“Good, I am glad we have an understanding then. Please replay journal entries of Council Ameia from before she allowed herself to be captured until the last entry before her passing. I want to know and understand why she did what she did.”
Caretaker did not reply; he just tapped into the sound system of her chamber and began to play back the requested information along with holo-logs if available. Iana remained fixated on the map, but listened intently to the files being played for her. Ameia had been a devout believer in the prophecies—the only drawback to her appointment to lead this mission—and held to those beliefs until the waning hours. As the years progressed, her logs revealed a more desperate need for finding the Harbinger on Terra Sol, convinced it was this lonely planet where the mighty warrior would be birthed. As her logs played on, it became apparent that blind faith twisted her to create the plan of desperation that ensued to force fate’s hand and create Aen; what she did was wrong, but was what was needed at the time.
It was the final log entry that roused Iana’s full attention; just the pitch and timbre of the Paxyn’s voice gripped her heart and made her take notice. In the image was Ameia, but not the one she remembered so vividly. Obviously it had been made following her exit from the human facility she had been held captive in for so long and the image showed as such. This was a being that was beaten down and broken in body and spirit, hanging on by a thread of strength that was fraying by the second. She was emaciated—skin and bones and frail as could be. Her voice was weak and full of anguish; she had survived her ordeal, but wouldn’t last much longer. To Iana, it was hearing the last confessional of one of her precious children; Ameia knew she was dying at this moment and was bearing her all.
Iana listened intently to Ameia’s confessions of pride and guilt, watching her blame herself for all that went wrong with the mission to Terra Sol. She expressed her doubts that the Harbinger would be ready to face the coming storm as his soul was broken beyond measure. The trauma he endured physically was overcome in an instant, but the emotional scars he would bare would hold him back.
“Find him the love he craves, the love he needs.” The log replayed. “For without it he will not be what you need him to be. Had I the time to teach him, I would help him overcome the pain he carries so close. I touched the power in his mind, and forgive me, Goddess, but it was tremendous and unmatched by anything I have ever experienced, like a hypnotic drug that your mind cannot shake loose of. He is more the weapon then described; be wary of who’s hands he falls to. I leave him in the capable hands of Caretaker; I know with its adaptations it will be an excellent teacher and emissary for the Empire. I hope I have done you proud, Goddess, but I fear I have failed to deliver fully on my promise.”
“Pause message!” Iana spoke suddenly, unable to listen to the ghostly voice of her child. Ameia was wrong—she hadn’t failed at all. She had delivered the most precious gift of all time—the Harbinger had been exactly what the prophecies had foretold. One of her longest-serving Councillors had delivered on her promise in finding the last child of the prophecies, even if she did manufacture his “birth” to get it to happen. She looked at the frozen image of Ameia and sadness gripped her heart; this child gave her all for the cause and now there was nothing to show for it.
She was amazed at the courage it must have taken to finally do such an act. The years alone on the strange planet must have added to the desperation. Iana reviewed the files; seeing the timeline of each expedition member’s death. Some passed in ancient battles with the humans as they fought side by side to curb the threat of tyrants in the “Dark Ages.” Some passed from injuries sustained in exploration of the planet. Two simply disappeared, cutting out their locator implants and blending in to the ever growing populace of the planet as they lost the conviction to continue their initial quest. Iana closed her eyes and concentrated to see if she could feel them—she instantly felt their presence on the planet below while making sure they didn’t feel her efforts to root them out. Ameia thought she was the last, but unfortunately she was wrong.
Looking back at the frozen image of the Paxyn woman, Iana felt the anguish in the eyes of Ameia. She had done all she could to wait, but when she realized there was no more time with the discovery of the threat of the Husk she acted. She unknowingly had saved the planet she fell in love with and the people on it she grew to admire so. In creating Aen, she had sent a message to the dark corners of the galaxy that the human race was here and was a force to be reckoned with. In an act of desperation, Ameia had played the role of the humble hero.
“You didn’t fail me, child,” she mumbled to herself. “I am so proud of what you did out here and I will ensure your name is never forgotten.”
Lyarran Vessel Lyarra’s Fire -
Four Months, Six Days After Victory
“I worry the lack of security down there,” Bryx grumbled endlessly. Four months had passed since they first arrived at this lonely planet to save them; four months as a castaway from the warmth and luxury of home. His mind was always rolling, constantly looking in corners for danger towards his charge. Guarding the Empress was difficult and ten months away from such a grand Empire made it easier for schemers who coveted the throne. Now he had to not only worry about those might be scenarios and guard her fiercely on board her ship, he now had to make sure her safety was paramount on the dust ball planet below as she was intent on appearing there for the inauguration of the new planetary government.
“It just isn’t feasible for you to be safe during this ceremony; why can’t we set up a holo-link for your attendance?” he continued in his deep growling voice.
“Because it is my wish to attend in person; and seeing as I am Empress, I think that what I want should be done,” she said back to him with a small hint of annoyance in her voice. Iana had not come across the galaxy to Terra Sol to help save and rebuild what had been lost to merely sit back and attend such a momentous occasion remotely! The very mention of her not being able to be down there for the festivities angered her. She was proud of what the humans had accomplished in the last few months; along with the newly arrived Imperial repair crews they had made great strides in re-establishing critical infrastructure and making what was destroyed not so long ago new. Fusion plants replaced fission plants as the energy crisis of the past was just that—the past. The remains of the shattered coastal areas had been swept clean; bodies were dealt with in the proper customs and ceremonies and the rubble cleared to cleanse the pain of what had been lost. An orbital defense array had been started, but was a few years away from completion. Terra Sol was at a critical time in its new life, and her being there for this night would further cement the strengthening bond that had been formed with the Empire. And mostly, she wanted to go! It had been too long since she could be a part of such an event; too long had she succumbed to the wishes of her “handlers” and stayed where it was safe. Tonight she would witness history first hand and have the time of her life while she was at it!
“And besides old friend, with the small personal shield you and the Guild cooked up for me I highly doubt I will be in any real danger.”
“Still, I must voice my concern and protest this action,” Bryx quickly answered. “There still may be those in the population that hold resentment to outsiders and may view you in the same light as the Husk which tormented them.”
“I am going, Bryx, like it or not—and I will not have this discussion a second longer! I have been held captive on my throne for ages and I have learned from Aen’s example that life needs to be lived. This discussion is over, am I clear on this?”
It was the closest he had seen her to losing her temper in over a thousand years and he wasn’t too eager to push the envelope further. He simply hung his head in acceptance of her wishes and nodded in agreement; in the end, her wish was truly his command. She was correct in the fact that he and others had more than pressured her to stay away from public functions; the loss of her would be noth
ing short of devastating for the Empire. He thought it was best to change the subject quickly as to not push his luck in a losing effort.
“How has the child fared in her studies?” he growled in a softer tone, referring to the teaching of young Sara Foster, newly appointed Terra Sol Council. For the past few months she had been working closely with the Empress and the other Imperial Fleet representatives. Unlike most children her age, the human had absorbed the information and knowledge being thrown at her with a thirst he had never seen before. Any doubt Bryx had about her being the right one for the job had been thrust away quickly.
“Young Sara is an amazing creature—fascinating, really!” Iana spoke proudly. “After all she has been through, she moves forward in her life willingly, instead of cowering in pain from all that has struck out at her. Her will has been forged in the fires of tragedy and despair; she is the perfect representative of Terra Sol and will serve them well in the Council.”
Iana was immensely proud of her new protégé and it showed in her smile as she spoke about her. It would always be a secret that she had selected Sara on a whim to honor Aen, to have his blood stand for the people he fought so hard to protect. It was a whim that felt more than right at the time, but now as she helped the young human the Empress could see that it was a whim well worth acting upon. Indeed, Sara Foster had been through a lot—more than most her age—but those experiences had shaped this child and poised her to be the voice of reason the Council needed more of. Iana was convinced that there would be no backing down from the other Councillors when push came to shove in this child, her resolve would be unbroken as she would stand against all that would be wrong and unfair.
“She will sit beside me in tonight’s banquet and address Terra Sol for the first time as its Council. It is she who shall introduce the newly appointed government, it is her voice that shall usher in the new ways for her world,” she said smiling.
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