Evolution's Essence

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  “Of course not. I was just coming for a closer look. I’m not patient as is well known.” Isabella smiled slowly as her first grandchild came into her arms. “He’s perfect.”

  “Izzy,” she turned to her sisters wanting to come for a look after hugging their own family to them was gone a few hours. To the others it was a long absence. “Can we…”

  Renee gushed at how much her family changed while gone and listened to many conversations at once. All her grandchildren were beautiful, many now fully grown. Their mothers especially fawned over them.

  It lasted a few hours till Renee said “It has been a long day and I’m going to bed. We’ll catch up more tomorrow. After we catch up on our absences we’ll head to the gate and open it soon as everything is prepared.

  Chapter 8

  “My Queen, awaken.” Said the deep voice of the AI for the fifth time and actually penetrated the fog of sleep. “My Queen…”

  “Shut it, Laxus. I just got to sleep.” She groaned.

  “It is an emergency.” That got the redhead’s attention.

  She rolled over and couldn’t think straight when opting for clothes and merely found herself in sturdy armor. “What kind of emergency is it this time?”

  “My sensors detected a distress signal five galaxies away from a scouting vessel called the Raptor Marquis. According to Empire records that ship disembarked Earth two hundred and forty three years ago.”

  “Have you pinpointed the ship?”

  “Of course.” The AI wasn’t allowed to do more than speak in her bedroom. It never got easier when the program put a holographic representation next to the bed. “And I’ve already prepared your morning coffee.”

  “Smartass.” The program laughed gruffly as she reached beside the bed table and lifted a fresh steaming cup of java and sipped to find it flavored just the way she wanted. “What are the details of the ship? Crew count? FTL drive schematics and where they are in current space. While you tell me, inform all Med Bays and on duty Medics to expect injured.” She slimed out of bed, not unsurprised to be alone. Oliver very likely wasn’t even onboard. He already warned he’d sleep some, but then rendezvous with the gateway and run diagnostics to find if there were any errors. A quick casting of telepathy showed neither he nor his Pride were in the citadel and confirmed the issue.

  “Personnel are notified. Shall I initiate a jump to the nearby distressed vessel?”

  “Not till I know where they are, what shape they are in and the nature of the old mission. Two centuries is too long for a scouting mission to be missing without some form of contact.”

  “I see your perspective. You suspect it is… as the humans call it, a Trojan horse scenario?”

  “Are they in Keptl controlled space?”

  “Thirty light years outside current Creelin maps of that galaxy.”

  “Only thirty?” She snorted. “Then ready the cannons too. It is far too fishy. When I give the go, after jumping over do a scan and if there is any Keptl signatures you’ll blow it immediately. Now about the ship?”

  As she stepped outside the bedroom Laxus stood and walked beside her as she tried waking up. “According to Empire records the Raptor Marquis had a simple mission, locate the Keptl home world and study if Keptl rapid evolution is any different than what was found in the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. It was crewed by thirty xeno biologists and a hundred Marines with two Class One Hunters. The ship had reinforced plating and onboard weapons capable of planetary penetration despite the diminutive ship size being a quarter of a kilometer long. The FTL and subspace drives were, at the time, Galicom’s best. Judging by my estimates, the ship would have been capable of multiple trips back and forth from Empire space. A maximum of twenty times. Also of note, the vessel had excellent hydroponics capable of growing Inferno trees to harvest and refine Fire Fruit for Booster Oil for enhanced and smoother FTL capabilities.”

  “So they were hunting Keptl, stopped communication for over two centuries, were way off target since you already know the home world is fifty eight galaxies away. And now the distress signal gets picked up. Better inform our warriors to accompany the medics. Rather than cannons. Spin up pinpoint impact rounds. We need to recover the ship now that I’m thinking straighter. Need to make sure if there was tampering, we know what was compromised. If there is any uninfected Humans aboard, we best not vaporize the whole ship. Notify me when teams are ready.” She continued drinking as the AI disappeared.

  She was reaching the throne when the quiet Stone was coming for her. “Mrs. Void, can I be relieved of duty for a few weeks?”

  “I never appointed you my guardian, Stone. You, Steven, Visor and Breena didn’t give me an option when I took my position over the academic area of the Empire. We both know I’m too cautious and volatile for anyone to try and kill me. Besides, Laxus was primarily designed to keep the queen safe as long as she’s in the city and I’m not planning to leave it anytime soon. But now I’m curious as to why…”

  “Breena and I are going to have another child again.”

  “Already! I unfroze her reproductive cycle not even a week ago… well since we were at the star eruption in my experience that is.” Renee smiled wryly. “Damn, you’re not trying to compete with my lover are you in virility?”

  “Maybe a bit.” Stone offered a ghost of a smile.

  Renee softened. “Alright, you’re off the hook, but I have one condition.” The tall black man cocked his head. “I miss my friend back on the Dorgenox. It’s been eleven years and you haven’t changed since you lost Satellite. I’m ordering you and Breena to go to the Neo predatory farm Isabella established on Zerika and form a new bond.” His mouth opened. “Un Ah Ah! I’m talking.” He knew that straightforward tone and closed his mouth. “Either retire or never come back to my hall. You belong to Terra anyway. You wouldn’t even get out of bed if you don’t feel I’m protected. I’m just a distraction from your misery.” She tapped her head. “Believe me, I know exactly what you feel without your partner. I’m a powerful telepath if you forget. I feel your hollowness every time you enter my bubble of influence. Satellite left you when he protected me before Oliver finished repairing Laxus’s defensive protocols. You need a new partner because you’ve lost your edge that day. I hate saying it, but you either heed my advice or…”

  “We love it here, but we’ll do it. I’m not going to let him worm his way out of something we enjoy” Breena had said as she listened to the edict over by the many tables where people enjoyed each other’s company. Hundreds quietly conversed in the hall. Stone didn’t know Breena was there too, but he still grimaced. “With a babe on the way, we’ll have time to raise a Neo Companion and get back our real edge.”

  “But…”

  Isabella had also been listening way off to the side with her new grandson, her firstborn son and the new female to raise her voice “Hmmm, perhaps you two would like to participate in an experiment I’m conducting. You’d make great candidates.”

  “Experiment?” Breena ventured hesitantly.

  “Yes, as you both know Beasts were engineered by my ancestors as an unequaled source of concentrated protein our higher functioning brains need to support our advanced Psionic prowess and physical attributes. Just as my Ligers were engineered to work like a Keptl Queen who controls the swarm. I’ve gained approval for a selected group to test modified Beasts my sister Angie has been working on for me to have higher reasoning and be able to bond to our primary food source without them trying to hunt we bipeds. After all, no animal modified from Earth can compete with any Beast except as a distraction or meal. Imagine if one of you were bonded to a Tortoise. Its shell alone when it throws itself is highly durable. Or maybe even use a Salamander? Thunder Lizard? Fire Wyrm? Angie is certain Beasts will replace my Neo Predatory farms in five years. With a Beast, the two of you have a less likely chance of losing a companion as easily again. Since you both belong to me anyway and are among the few on loan to important government protection detail, why not j
oin the test group since you’ll be on leave for a time? I can fit two more of your caliber into the test group easily. Just decide what Beast you want, steal an egg and have it modified before it hatches.”

  Laxus appeared and Renee said “You discuss logistics elsewhere. I’m busy… Are teams in position?” The realistic program nodded. “Teleport fifty kilometers away and do as discussed.”

  In an instant the battleship-city vanished from its current point in space and appeared three galaxies nearby where the distress signal originated. Renee watched the screen shift and rolled her eyes as bright red dots appeared packed inside the scout ship. Close to five hundred signatures were detected and counted. But oddly a lone blue signal pulsed before her visual erupted in hundreds of bright, pinpoint condensed psionic lasers that punctured through the erected shield, hull and passed right on through the other side to dissipate harmlessly after a thousand kilometers in empty space.

  “All Keptl life signs neutralized. As you suspected, My Queen.”

  “Good, you avoided ship systems so the shield is preventing the atmosphere from venting… and the Human signature remains alive. Pull the ship into docking and have all on alert. We don’t want the Keptl to revive as they’ve been doing lately. That secondary brain has been rather burdensome.”

  “Yet an ingenious evolutionary advancement in design. If the brain ceases to function the secondary affects cellular repairs and basically revives the creature. Quite an evolutionary leap indeed.”

  “You sound like your grandfather, Sammy.” Renee winked as her grandson piped up. “I want you personally to check up on the human and figure out how the hell he survived with a ship full of Keptl aboard. From where I last saw, he’d have to be in stasis somewhere in the cargo area. Do a thorough mental scan and report to me your findings. If he sold out his crew send him to Vikki for judgment and public execution if you find an inkling. Also find if he has any living relatives.”

  “She. My scans indicate the individual is female.” Laxus corrected. “And she is in stasis, buried under much debris and excrement. When I fired on the ship her readings didn’t fluctuate. No spike in her pulse or adrenal secretions. All readings remain steady.” Samuel nodded before kissing his beloved and vanishing from the room.

  “When the mess is cleaned up, use Olly’s nanite material to patch the ship and send in a science team to retrieve any viable data. We lost over a hundred crew and didn’t know till today. Figure out her identity and contact next of kin for everyone else, Laxus. Best to give closure even after so long.”

  “The scout ship will dock in two minutes. Living relatives compiled and contacted, My Queen. Accessing the ship manifest was rather simple. The distress signal was simple to attach to and enter the rudimentary computer systems aboard.”

  “When it is docked and secure, teleport us to Olly’s nearby coordinates. Anything else I need be aware of?”

  “Just that your father and the Dorgenox also went with your consort. Captain Jake Dorgen seemed rather excited as they departed an hour before I roused you.”

  “As expected. Papa finally might find answers to some burning questions. Might as well finish my brew and get started dealing with being queen again.” She yawned as the holographic aid stopped projecting. “Who’s first?!” her voice carried and the hall quieted more as the first petitioner left their seat to gain an audience.

  Samuel along with all other security personnel drew swords as the large scout ship riddle with fist size holes passed through the transparent, blue tinted force field. His eyes lowed and it was also reflected as his blade brightened too. Medical teams stayed back with scientists he knew. It seemed that the ship’s sensors detected atmosphere as the shield bubble surrounding it winked out and thick streams of blood poured out the bottom from holes. Unlike his mother and grandparents, he could be infected by Keptl spores, but it would take time if he couldn’t find a female Solarian to expel the invasive blood from taking over in time. Like himself, the security teams malleable clothing was in armor mode.

  Soon as Laxus sat the ship on the ground Samuel effortlessly cut out a hole through the ship’s bridge window and entered to use his chip to scan the large bodies, target the secondary brain already closing gaping head wounds and sent slicing waves to destroy them from regenerating.

  Other teams entering at different points did likewise.

  Then Samuel felt the barest shift and knew the city teleported as ordered.

  Killing took ten minutes because the Keptl were so tightly packed it was hard to maneuver. A handful of Defilers, two coiled Dragoons, dozens of Lisks and more than a hundred Trackers filled the bloody ship. Soon as all cellular readings flat lined Samuel and others telekinetically extracted the carapace covered carcasses and put them into a pile. Microbe scrubbers misted around the ship to neutralize all contaminants while someone lit the carcass pile afire. It was the fastest way to safely get rid of the bodies.

  Samuel and medic teams moved to the cargo area while engineers used nanite material to patch up all the holes while others gained access to the scout ship’s computers. Samuel’s sense of smell was much greater than average and though his helmet was on, like his grandfather’s suit, he could still smell everything. The cargo area was fouled and covered in mushrooms on top of excrement that fed bugs which in turn sustained the Keptl. Needless to say the ship was a foul mess.

  Some more time passed till they located the stasis chamber. After a steam of water was used to clean the surface, the visual of a youthful blonde woman under a clear top laying down could be seem. A needle in her neck had kept her alive and unconscious. Otherwise she liked asleep. The needle sustained her body’s nutrients and kept her calm and rested.

  A male Medic said “All my readings indicate she is in good health, but has been in this chamber for seventy five years, eight months and eleven days. Nanite redundancies have kept muscle atrophy to a minimum, but she is space born and will be unable to stand in eight gees like the rest of us. She’ll need isolation till she gets spliced.”

  “She’s not going anywhere till I read her mind and touch her core. We need absolute proof she isn’t a Keptl sympathizer.” Stated Samuel.

  “Hey, Cuz!” from the front of the ship Blake yelled.

  “Yeah?” he replied.

  “You’re not going to fucking believe it.” His cousin, now full grown too came in the back, eyes wide. “Stars, I can’t believe it either.”

  “Spit it out, Blake.”

  “I just scanned the last few logs the crew left and…” the man shook his head. “Stars… this blows my whole mind.”

  “Tell me what you found before I slap the back of your head.”

  “Oh right, being a dad makes you more irritable. Sorry.” Blake took a breath. “Never would have believed it myself, but the crew has been living alongside a Keptl colony for over a hundred years.”

  “Bullshit. I don’t have time for games. I must hurry up and return to…”

  “Sam, listen.” Blake grew serious. “This research group was attacked by a Goliath during a Keptl battle between two Queens. Have you ever heard Queens fighting before?” Samuel’s silence and the room of people doing the same spoke volumes. “Two Keptl groups going against each other isn’t in any of my records. Yet when the Raptor Marquis was set upon, a Goliath from the planet they surveyed came up behind and attacked the other Goliath.

  “By then the ship was dead in space. The crew was up there for two days before the wounded Goliath gently grabbed this ship, put it in its mouth and landed on the surface. From the rapid vid sequence recorded on the logs I scanned, a Queen with a white shell rather than black waited patiently outside the airlock for two weeks patiently using telepathy to coax those inside to come out rather than rip the ship to pieces as they would normally do… Stars… Sam, for over a hundred years the researchers lived among Keptl.”

  “Inform grandmother immediately.”

  Renee’s voice came to their coms behind and under the skin of their ear.
“Laxus just informed me, Boys. Revive the woman and collect all the data. Someone splice her the heavy gravity therapy and bring her to me as soon as she is coherent. Understood?” they confirmed the order.

  The stasis was opened and the woman injected with the solution before the needle was removed from her neck. Before the waking shot revived, Samuel touched her slumbering mind and core of her being to be figuratively floored. “Stars… it isn’t falsified data. This… Melanie” gesturing to the blonde covered in cool mist from stasis meeting the warm city air. “did live among them. In fact she believes them to be friends.”

  “Then why was she alone and covered in Keptl shit?” Blake wondered while wrinkling his nose.

  “I better let Grandma hear it from her mouth.” Sammy cleared his throat. “Wait to wake her till the therapy on her physical structure is complete.”

  “It’ll take six hours to strengthen bone density and her vascular system.” Said the administering Medic.

  “Keep her guarded at all times and find me a half hour before she wakes. I’m going to catch up on what the hell they were up to all this time. I’ll be with my Match and son if you need me.”

  Up in the throne Renee shook her head after doing a read of the woman. It was difficult when thoughts are muddled by stasis, but it was enough to make her mind spin as she switched the holographic view from the cargo interior of the Raptor Marquis to outside where a brightly glowing oval floated in empty space.

  The gateway burned brightly from all the heat and material it absorbed. Light given off the enormous ring reflected off the surface of a large sailboat starship she was born on and mostly grew up in.

  Outside those two floating objects there was almost nothing. What looked like the few stars were actual entire galaxies. Just a few hundred in view. The area of space located was far from any nearest form of aid. The vastness staggered the mind. The nearest object was a rogue planet five million light years away. This was the endless desert of space. No viable light or useable resource anywhere to sustain any form of life.