Evolution's Essence

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  “How badly did they fuck up, Laddie?”

  “Enough that if my people do live, I’m willing to doom them in light of recent information. Get. Out. Now. You have ten minutes and eighteen seconds before the explosion from the gateway reaches you.”

  “ABDUL!” Jake roared as he could be heard running to the bridge of the Dorgenox. “FTL back to the Sapphire Nebula now! Oliver’s detonating the gate. Calculate and go! No I don’t know why. The lad will explain himself later…”

  “End call.” Oliver did it while the captain issued orders. He then activated his Valek and activated an explosive package he snuck into the gateway and the superheated oval ripped itself completely apart. It was a spectacular display. Then he contacted his private study back home and shredded the generator that took weeks to design, build and assemble. A generator that would make the actual portal using the gateway’s fuel harvested two days ago. “All that work, now useless. Tammat, you and the Archivers have serious explaining to do when I’m done trying to calm myself. Know I’m far from happy you let me have hope just so you could try your ultimate weapon. You’ve got much to account for and if I’m not satisfied with answers then it will be the Creelin government responsible for hiding serious information that would have doomed us all. Breaching the alliance. LEAVE!” his shout made everyone jump. When he raised his voice, people heeded. Usually he was calm, but he was so mad at that moment he eclipsed Renee’s worst day.

  The one dream taking almost a quarter of a century was ripped beneath him.

  Archiver Tammat bowed “We will await your contact, Oliver. Personally, I wanted to tell you everything, but most voted against telling you. Fearing you wouldn’t give us a chance to use our weapon. And between us…” The Creelin touched something on his robes that erected a block from all prying eyes and ears. “Everything this Keptl has said thus far is true. You also visited me and gave the same warning and deadline for revival. I’m sorry for breaching your trust. You will receive a private burst of information with a list of all the names in favor of full disclosure and those of the military faction wishing to use our weapon regardless if Solarians still live or not. Do not take it out on my people. Only the highest inner circle of Archiver knew about the time limit you, Reten and your brother imposed. I understand you hurt, but please do not harm anyone.”

  “If you don’t leave, I will hurt everyone for him.” Renee growled. “We fucking trusted you and you didn’t have the balls to tell us the enemy that threatened everything in this universe couldn’t be killed! Invincible invaders! What the fuck is wrong with you old fuckers. Apparently age has made you complacent. Leave us the fuck alone till we have time to cool off. When we’re ready to talk again we’ll let you know. Till then buzz off!”

  The Creelin Elder bowed before leaving in a brilliant flash of light.

  By the time Oliver turned around, he found White Blossom had returned to the smooth look. “Are you still willing to talk?”

  “To an old friend I’ve thought dead for so long? We have too much to talk about. I’ve much to show you with my brood’s alterations.” She looked around the stunned room. “Come! All of you are welcome in my hive. Especially you Melanie.” White Blossom grinned and scooped the thin woman into a warm embrace. “You brought back my oldest friend. There is much to discuss. I will have a feast prepared.” The Keptl decided warmly.

  Chapter 9

  “Sparky?” Renee snapped her fingers after calling his name several times and the Drake blinked and met her gaze.

  The emerald Drake took a deep breath, sides expanding wide. “Sorry, but what did you say?”

  “Before we go I want to know why you feel so strange. It’s affecting me too you know.” Renee crossed her arms under her bountiful breasts.

  “I do not know. I’ve never felt like this before, but it because of her.” Sparky pointed his angular head at White Blossom and his movement didn’t go unnoticed. The Keptl gently put Melanie back to her feet and her clawed feet clanked on the bridge surface to approach and stare at him with the same level of curiosity. “Renee, she is Keptl, but I do not feel the need to sink my teeth in her throat. Look, I’m not even brightening in my scales.”

  “What a powerful mind you have. I can barely sense you. What are you, Creature?” White Blossom knelt to get as close as possible without seeming to be a threat.

  “I’m a Drake. My people feel an instinctive urge to rip apart your kind, but I don’t feel the need to kill you.”

  “No one has ever bypassed my mind before. How did you enter me without trying?” White Blossom wasn’t put out. She was excited meeting something new and unique. The feeling rolled off her like a child visiting a candy shop for the first time.

  “Sparky’s people are naturally telepathic. It’s how they evolved to communicate. Their telepathy has no equal.” Renee explained.

  “Did they evolve near the Feral perchance?” White Blossom queried. Sparky and Renee nodded as if one mind. “Then it makes sense. You must be able to sense the madness and feel the need to end it. You must be able to tell I’m much better than Feral. I best keep you from my food then. If you kill Feral, you’ll ruin my food.”

  “You keep Feral Keptl?” Renee asked incredulously.

  “I eat those left behind when Feral Queens try to kill and steal from me. They stupidly let me feed by warring with me and keep me strong despite this soft world. What I wouldn’t give for a primal, volcanic world that is heavy with boiling oceans again.” White Blossom said wistfully.

  “You’ve got plenty of Goliaths, why don’t you leave? Surely they have FTL capability too.” Oliver spoke while many prepared to disembark.

  “She can’t.” Melanie voiced. “The Feral basically put a net around this system to keep her from leaving. Where she goes, they’ll follow and it takes time to relocate. Time the Feral would use to kill her before she grew a new hive as strong at that one.” She pointed outside to the living mountain. “The Feral may be mad, but they aren’t stupid. They attack us just enough to keep White Blossom trapped on this world. Right where they want her.”

  “Melanie is correct.” The Keptl stood. “Mantiv, when you sent me here before going Feral yourself, you probably did it in desperation to see me safe. At the time you likely didn’t have time to think I’d rather prefer a hotter and more primal world so I’m not stuck with growing soft.”

  “I would apologize, but Mantiv died the day Reten did. My mind was wiped clean and I’ve become Oliver Void. I would be happy to give you a new home to your liking, but first I need time alone to think. My whole life to this point was ruined by misinformation. I’m not an irrational person, but I’m understandably upset. I’m the last true Solarian.”

  “I know what it is like to be last too, My Friend. While Melanie was gone to find her people… my childrens’ minds are gone. Fifteen years ago my daughters didn’t reach back to me when I accumulated enough power to show them new genetic attributes I’ve developed. I’m the last true queen.” White Blossom said with a heavy heart. “I would like to show you how I vented my rage as Garrak helped me when I couldn’t find my children anywhere.”

  “Oh no, White Blossom… I’m so sorry!” Melanie hugged one of the thick legs with new tears.

  “Fifteen years was around when the swarm started showing up with the secondary brain.” Vikki announced stoically. “We are sorry for your loss, but if you had daughters, why don’t you have more?”

  “It takes too much out of me. When I lay a new Queen’s egg my power depletes greatly and I cannot move well for a year. With all the attacks I get, caring for a young queen would kill me if I do not keep my strength. I’m too proud to surrender. What I want is a new, safe home and to eliminate the Feral scourge. But I cannot do it alone… alright, enough pitying.” White Blossom slapped her cheeks with claws. “Mantiv… I mean Oliver to vent your frustration go play with one of the moons in the sky. I like to make moons make funny shapes. Do as you wish. If you promise to give me a new home I’ll let
you destroy the moons. You always like smashing worlds together if I recall. I need to check my old memories, but I got that impression.”

  He nodded and as he flew out of the opening White Blossom made on the bridge, Nova and the Ligers had their collars make armor to grow wings and thrusters to fly away with their master.

  “What do you mean by ‘check your old memories’?” Renee just knew she was about to learn something interesting.

  “When Oliver was Mantiv, he found a way to let me know I’m the oldest living creature in the universe. Near a billion years by now. That is too many memories for any individual to keep and be fresh and long ago I hated relearning things I knew I know I learned so I made nodes that keep all my memories safe. I’ve amassed a lot of memories and… well wouldn’t you rather see them yourself. Reten could see my memories in the nodes. Come. Come. I have much to show my new guests.” Psionically White Blossom picked herself and Melanie up and flew outside, taking care to not hit anyone or thing.

  “Ma, shouldn’t you go be with papa?” Vikki spoke softly. “His heart must be breaking?”

  Renee sobered. “It is, but he really wants to be alone. His whole hope just got destroyed. He really wanted to meet his brother and get answers that way. But like as it always happens, things don’t go according to plan. But I can’t believe the Creelin betrayed us so greatly. If Melanie’s distress didn’t arrive and the rest of this didn’t happen… the portal would open and we could have potentially let out an unstoppable plague with no cure. We know your father has a way with gadgets and weapons. If his original personality with eight plus million years couldn’t find a solution, I can’t even imagine what this enemy would be like. It makes me feel the Feral Keptl must seem downright cuddly next to that level of insanity.”

  “I see your point, Ma. I think I ought to call Soifon and Izzy and lock down this system. Since the gateway plan is shot to hell, we have a surplus of interstellar warships and being this deep in Keptl controlled space will be just a matter of time before our Psionic signature brings the swarm. Even for Papa, moving a planet will take time.”

  “You do that. I’m going to check on the health of the Humans here and learn more from our gracious and open hostess. Sparky?”

  “I’ll not let you go anywhere alone. Someone has to keep you in line while Oliver…” a massive surge of energy could be felt through the entire world. “lets loose some aggression. And I’m with you in giving space. But not for too long. You are his balm.” Sparky lowered a shoulder and Renee climbed up between the four wings that didn’t have to blur under the reduced gravity.

  He and the rider flew outside where White Blossom and a flabbergasted Melanie looked over the horizon where a moon was being literally ripped apart, smashed together and given shape in complex patterns from so far away. Oliver was over a kilometer away swimming in the ocean among the Ligers floating on the brownish water. A lack of salt on the strong breeze proved this ocean was freshwater. The air was clean and perfect for Solarian and Human alike to breathe.

  “He’s… He’s…” Melanie sputtered.

  “Yummy. I know.” Renee winked and watched the show.

  “No, he’s really a Solarian. They are really powerful enough to rip worlds apart.”

  “Mel, he’s merely playing around.” Renee said with a glance. “If he wanted to he could reach the sun over our heads from here and crush it while yawning. So can I for that matter.”

  “You’re pulling my leg right?” fear etched the blonde’s thin face.

  “Mantiv certainly could and did. On many occasions. In fact he much preferred making stars. Reten though loved destruction too much to be healthy.”

  “Who doesn’t like things that go boom.” Renee laughed three times. “So where are the Humans, Whitie? I need to prove none are infested and are unaltered in any way for the record to prove you are genuine to the Empire.”

  “I hold no objections and I did Read you, remember?” the Keptl offered a small smile. “This way.” And led the flight. Behind Sparky’s tail flew dozens of Terra Warriors close to a group of Medics and biologists. Every once in awhile the individuals looked over a shoulder to find the mood broken and altered in shape.

  During the flight Dragoons with armored bodies and blades over the edge of their wings swooped in for a closer look. Strangely not a single one gave off a threatening vibe. Below, in the trees and in glades an assortment of Keptl looked up and some actually waved of their own volition.

  About the time the hard shelled hive’s edge came into view nearly three hundred Humans standing among Keptl as if it was an ordinary day were detonating small Kinetic spheres in the air in excitement to see a rescue party. Behind them was an enormous entrance easily able to allow even the largest Behemoths in five at a time with room to move and not worry about being stomped on.

  Soon as three men saw Melanie they all yelled “MOM!” and ran to hug her. A man followed after the reunion and planted a lingering kiss as a show of how much she was missed.

  A Hunter in beaten up armor laughed “You did it Melanie, but what in hell is causing all that power. My hair is standing on end.”

  “That would be my pissed off personal sex-machine.” Renee said as Sparky landed and stared into every Keptl eye and sniffing the air. “How are you feeling, Big Guy?”

  “A queer feeling, but still I do not feel the need to kill any of them.” The Drake projected as she dismounted while others landed.

  “Alright, listen up!” Renee raised her voice and everyone went quiet. “I know there is a shit-load to shovel, but know I’m Queen Renee of Fire from Andromeda. You folks can catch up later, but right now I need everyone to line up shoulder to shoulder for a medical scan and telepathic test to verify none of you have been screwed with.” When the group blinked she raised her power enough to let her eyes glow. The threat got the group to move and follow orders.

  Medics did a scan while Renee used her Valek to take dozens of blood samples at a time with her bracelet, closed her eyes and moved on. When she finished she looked at those in white. “Any physical abnormalities?” all heads shook or said the group was in perfect health. “Good, their blood was clean too.” To the group. “Any one of you ever been infested before.”

  “Um… Queen Renee right?” she dipped a chin to a rather burly man. “White Blossom’s brood can’t infest us. Her connection to them cleans their blood. Their higher brain functions don’t corrupt like Feral blood. Her brood don’t have spores. I’ll prove it.” He pulled a knife from his boot and walked up to a Defilier of all things. “Hey Strong-spitter, can you give me a little blood?” the thickly armored insect blinked big black eyes and barely nodded before a proboscis extended from its mouth and spat a was a thick, almost brown blood on the knife and everyone watched the man use the same knife to cut his naked torso and smeared the blood. “I’ll be fine, really. White Blossom’s brood only is lethal to the Feral. Their blood is like acid to the enemy. Then again, Defilier blood has remarkable antibacterial and clotting properties for us and themselves. Defiliers here are the Medics of the hive. And they love to paint what they see. They don’t really talk, but they love to listen, especially to music. Strong-spitter here loves late twentieth century Rock.” At this the Defilier nodded with enthusiasm. “See! Just talking about it gets him excited.”

  Renee approached and lifted her armored hand to activate her scanner and used her chip to read the results. “Indeed the blood does have antibacterial properties as well as clotting, but it is also seeking parasites in your body. Yet it isn’t taking over your cells like a virus like regular spores. Hmmm, well then, since it doesn’t seem to affect you, I’ll close that wound.” Eyes widened as her Valek closed and sealed the wound in seconds. “In five hours you won’t even notice a scrape.”

  “Thank you, Ma’am.” He grinned.

  “Warriors!” Those of Terra turned. “Take your long lost brothers aside and debrief them. The rest of you split up into groups as you will and bring these people
up to date and hear their stories. Record everything all the time so nothing is missed. I have a meeting. Queen to Queen.” White Blossom nodded with a giddy grin. “So where would you like to do this?”

  “I thought you would like to visit my chamber and access my old memories. It may help to understand why I had Mantiv stop trying to open space to find his people. How I met him. Why I’ve never met Creelin till today. How I survived this long. You let me in your mind earlier, it is fair I give the same courtesy.”

  “Fair is fair.” Renee shrugged. What she didn’t say was she really wanted to know about just how terrible these invaders to get such a reaction out of the other ancients. “Lead the way.”

  Sparky stuck close as Renee followed White Blossom inside the gargantuan hive. Just as Melanie described, it was a living creature, like an oyster or clam. The walls felt like cool skin. A low thump in Renee’s heightened hearing told of a distant heartbeat circulating blood. Likely many hearts considering the overwhelming size. The ground was somewhat dirty till they came upon a murky puddle White Blossom used to wash her six legs. Shrugging, Renee and Sparky followed and from then on the floor was clean. Scents weren’t too bad, but she didn’t have Oliver’s or Sparky’s nose. The entire time White Blossom chatted away, pointing down hallways that led to different areas and even nesting grounds. All the while her chip was connected to scanning micro-drones cataloguing the hive’s maze of a structure so she didn’t get lost.