by H. G Ahedi
FALL OF TITAN
REALM BOOK I
H.G. Ahedi
Contents
Acknowledgments
1. The Orias
2. Distant cousins
3. Nemesis
4. Sector 1001
5. The Unexpected Visitor
6. DNA Never Lies
7. The Rogue Planet
8. Justice is arbitrary
9. Alternatives
10. Disagreements
11. Judgment day
Poseiden
About the Author
A note to readers
First edition published in 2020.
Copyright © H.G Ahedi 2020
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the authorization of the Author.
All characters in this publication are fictitious, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or scenarios is purely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-0-6487798-4-1(eBook)
ISBN: 978-0-6487798-5-8 (Paperback)
Book cover concept by H.G. Ahedi
Book cover designed Rebecca covers (fiver.com)
Edited by Shannon Burns
Proofread by Diane Orton
Created with Vellum
For Dad, always
Dedicated to my nephews
Parampreet & Harshmann
Acknowledgments
Shwetha D’Souza
Diana Orton
Mellissa Webb
Christina Abdel shaheed
The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.
* * *
Arthur C. Clarke
The Orias
Saturn
The silence in space was always uncomfortable for Argon Keston. But today, he didn’t know if it was the silence or the reason he was out here. For the third time, he checked the environmental controls. The temperature was normal, but he still felt cold. He rubbed his hands together and surveyed the beautiful auroras projected on the viewscreen. He admired the colors dancing around his ship. It was an extraordinary sight, and yet he knew that within seconds of opening the airlock, deadly gases would kill him.
Atlas was one of many squadron ships. The semicircular spacecraft was ten feet wide and fifteen feet long. Her weapons were located at the edges. The pilot’s cockpit was in the elongated section, which emerged from the middle. Three other fighter ships just like her hid in the vast rings of Saturn. Monitoring. Waiting.
Argon was a young, slender man who was quiet and gentle with kind green eyes and thick brown hair. He was amiable and innocent-looking and preferred to keep a well-trimmed beard, which made him look a bit more mature.
Today, for the first time, he wore the uniform of the Imperial Command: a black half-sleeve t-shirt with navy-blue trousers and a high-neck maroon jacket. All his life he wanted to command his ship and fly into the unknown, but today he was getting the first-hand experiences of the dangers of space. Wearing this uniform, he actually felt the burden of being a fighter, a leader, someone responsible.
Argon moved back and forth, waiting for the signal. It had been six hours. Too much time had passed.
It had all begun two months ago on just another day on Titan. Lieutenant Adrian Olson and his team had been conducting a routine survey of the perimeter. Unexpectedly, they’d detected an unusual energy signature, and there it was: an unidentified spacecraft.
Adrian had hailed the ship immediately. But the alien ship had been beyond communication range and had disappeared within minutes. Two weeks had passed, and the unknown visitor had reappeared with two of its friends, this time closer to the perimeter.
Their arrival had sent a wave of excitement through the citizens of Titan. They’d tried to contact the three ships, welcoming them to their home. But the outsiders had remained silent. The ships had drifted close to the perimeter and began scanning. Alarms had gone off, and Titan’s patrol ships had been dispatched. The alien ships had quickly disappeared but had left a sense of restlessness in their wake.
Argon wanted to believe they were explorers, but he did not. These aliens frightened him. He felt as if the cockpit of Atlas turned colder. He recalled the meeting on Earth with the Imperial Command. Some believed invasion was inevitable, while others sought more diplomatic methods.
He wondered about their choices. Did they have any? Could today be the beginning of an interstellar war that would change their lives forever? Would they survive? Would he see his family again? No one he knew had experience with war. For generations that had lived in peace, interstellar war was a frightening concept. But leaving Titan or any other colonies undefended was not an option.
Since their first appearance, the crew of Titan had kept looking for signs of the aliens, and the Imperial Fleet remained on standby. Days passed, and things began to settle down. Everyone thought they would never come back. Argon wished it too, but his wish was not granted. Twelve hours ago, Adrian had detected the unusual energy signature again. Like it or not, it had begun.
Admiral Jacob Donavan was in charge of the fleet, and his priority was to take a diplomatic approach. He wanted to communicate with the aliens. Argon’s squadron was a backup if things went south. Argon wasn’t sure the admiral’s plan was going to work. In fact, no one knew if anything was going to work. They had limited ships, resources, and fighters. The admiral had full confidence in the fleet. But Argon didn’t think he was qualified for this mission.
Argon had just finished training as a pilot, and before he could think about his future, these aliens had appeared, and he’d been appointed as the squadron leader. He was surprised; he thought Byron Thames, his best friend, would have been a better choice. But the decision wasn’t his to make.
A large asteroid drifted in front of his viewscreen. As if they were a family, three small asteroids followed the larger one. The gaseous cloud surrounding the ship dispersed momentarily, and Argon saw the perimeter. A vast security system built by his ancestors to protect Earth and other colonies like Titan. At this distance, it looked like a glowing chain of stars.
He looked to his left and saw a small yet powerful ship belonging to Byron Thames. Not too far away from Byron’s ship was another craft. It appeared almost like a ghost, flooded in the gases of the planet’s rings. Argon knew Micah Dew was out there, waiting. He was surprised he had remained silent for so long. To his right was the fourth ship. Its pilot, Clio Ranger, was a patient, quiet, intelligent young girl.
Argon’s eyes drifted toward the panels. Adrian hadn’t contacted them. Maybe it was a good sign. But he knew they were out there.
Suddenly, the silence was broken. “They’re here. Be ready. The fleet is approaching the gates,” a voice crackled on the radio.
Straightening up in his chair, Argon was about to power up the engines, but he stopped. The admiral had told them to power down their ships. He thought this would help them remain undetected. Personally, Argon thought the aliens wouldn’t care. He thought they were here for something, searching for something. Their scans bothered him. One day, he would have his answers, but today, he would settle for defending his home.
Titan, Deck 1, Bridge
“Well?” asked Commander Anastasia Waters. She stood in the middle of Titan’s bridge with her legs apart and her arms folded. The perimeter glowed brighter than any stars she could see. Her big black eyes remained glued to the viewscreen. Anastasia was an athletic long-legged woman with thick, wavy hair tied up neatly in a bun. She wore bellbottom trousers, a black body-fit sleeveless top, and a navy-blue turtleneck jacket. She was the commander of Titan, one of the most powerful
space stations built by man. But at the moment, she felt powerless. Imperial Command had ordered her to stand back, and not join the fight. She was to wait and watch the fleet engage the enemy and she didn’t like it.
Lieutenant Commander Adrian Olson turned. “The energy signature has reappeared. But this time, it’s stronger.” The second in command of Titan, was a short-statured man with pale-white skin, deep-blue eyes, and auburn hair.
“What do you mean?” asked Anastasia.
“Their ships emit a peculiar energy signature. When the first ship appeared two months ago, the energy signature was detected because we were surveying that section of space. Otherwise, we would never have known the ship even existed.”
“And this time?”
“It’s the same energy signature, only stronger.”
Anastasia nodded.
The bridge was a disc-shaped hall. Two doors opened into elevators that connected it to the ten decks of the space station. The lights dimmed. An alarm went off. Anastasia lowered herself into her chair and crossed her legs. Her eyes remained fixed on the viewscreen. Waiting. Anticipating. Part of her wanted to join the fight; another part told her to obey orders. She felt as if she were fighting herself.
Lieutenant Evan Weeds sat opposite Adrian and was busy monitoring communications and operations. He was a stocky man of average height with a round face, a sharp nose, and thin dark-brown hair.
To Anastasia’s right, Titan’s tactical officer, Lieutenant Edward Ward, stood with his arms crossed. He watched the movements of the fleet on the screen like a hawk.
Anastasia gently tapped her feet and swirled. The scientists were huddled together near the science station. From experience, Anastasia knew that if Dr. Chris Kent had found something, he would have told her already. He would have told the entire quadrant. “Anything, Doctor?” she asked despite knowing the answer already.
Dr. Kent turned. “Nothing yet.”
Anastasia raised her eyebrows, and without a word, she turned back to the viewscreen.
“Commander, the signal is gone, and a cloud has appeared,” Adrian announced in an edgy tone.
All of Anastasia’s breath left her. The viewscreen glowed. She leaned forward to see a vast cloud of purple and blue raging through space.
“It looks like a storm,” muttered someone.
“Lieutenant Weeds, contact the Freedom,” Anastasia ordered.
“Yes, Commander.”
“Can you see the cloud?” Anastasia asked Admiral Donavan.
“Yes,” Jacob’s calm voice echoed on Titan’s bridge.
“I think we should call for reinforcements.”
“Don’t worry. We can handle this. Our priority is to make contact.”
“We’ve tried that before and failed,” said Anastasia.
“I know,” Jacob replied. “But we should try again.”
“I insist that we call reinforcements or let Titan . . .”
“No. We cannot defy the orders of the Imperial Command.”
“Fine,” Anastasia replied reluctantly. “Good luck, Admiral.”
“Thank you. You never know. We might make some friends today.”
Or our worst enemies, thought Anastasia. The purple storm disappeared, and ten ships appeared beyond the perimeter.
The computer announced, “Spatial anomaly Orias detected. Alert. Alert. Spatial anomaly Orias detected. All officers report to your stations. All officers report to your stations. All civilians return to their quarters or remain in secure locations.”
“Orias?” asked Anastasia.
Adrian turned to face her. “Well, we had to call them something. Since I detected them first, I thought I could name them.”
“What does Orias mean?” asked Evan.
“In mythology, it means ‘noblemen of hell,’” Adrian replied calmly.
The bridge became silent, and all eyes fixed on him. Anastasia was fond of her crew’s quirkiness, and often indulged them. Another time, Anastasia would have laughed her heart out, but today was not that day.
“How many times have I told you to stop reading those stupid books?” muttered Evan. His eyes met Anastasia’s. She tried not to smile.
“Ahem. I-I thought it would . . . be interesting and funny,” explained Adrian.
“It’s not,” Anastasia told him.
“Commander,” said Dr. Kent. “Our initial scans show no humanoids or any signs of life on those ships.”
All heads turned toward the doctor, but Anastasia couldn’t look away from the viewscreen. “Drones?” she asked as ten Earth ships flew past Titan.
“The alien ships have the same energy signature as the cloud but no engine or life signs that we can detect. But something tells me they’re more than just drones.”
Anastasia twirled on her chair. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a hunch. Since we’ve never encountered these . . . Orias before, our technology may not be advanced enough to detect them.”
“You mean you don’t know,” said Adrian.
“Not at this point.”
Anastasia turned her attention back to the screen.
“Commander, we’re ready,” said Cyr Storm, Titan’s engineer. “The shields are up and at full power. All systems are ready to go. The weapons are fully powered, and we have enough fuel in case we have to head back to Earth.”
Cyr’s words gave Anastasia some comfort. “Excellent.”
“Commander, the fleet is nearing the gates of the perimeter,” announced Evan.
“When the fleet is ready, open the gates,” Anastasia instructed.
Never had Anastasia thought she would be thankful to have the perimeter to guard their home. It had been built before her time, and she’d always thought it was a pain. All her life, she’d hated taking approval for what she loved to do: explore space. When she’d been captain of Marion, she’d had to go through tedious procedures involving long and detailed paperwork. It was frustrating when bureaucrats tried to control the tiniest aspects of her projects.
A female voice broke the silence on the bridge. “Emmeline to Commander Waters. Emmeline to Commander Waters. Are you there? Commander?” Emmeline was an enthusiastic astrophysicist cadet who worked under Dr. Kent.
Anastasia felt Dr. Kent’s eyes on her, but she ignored him. She pushed the green button on the small screen on the hand rest of her chair. “Yes, Emmeline.”
“Commander, has the anomaly disappeared?”
“You mean the cloud?”
“Yes.”
“Yes. It’s gone. The alien ships are here.”
“Warn the admiral not to engage the alien ships if the cloud appears again,” said Emmeline. “I repeat: do not engage the alien ships if the clouds return. It’s—”
“Lieutenant Weeds, relay the message at once,” Anastasia said. “Emmeline, explain?”
“It’s a theory. I think the cloud is a gateway. My scans . . .”
“A gateway?” asked Anastasia. “To where?”
“I don’t know!”
Freedom
Jacob sat silently on the bridge of Freedom. He had received Emmeline’s message. That girl knows her stuff, he thought. But she’s naïve and needs to learn a lot.
His chair was in the middle of the small bridge. His crew moved around the bridge effortlessly, preparing for battle. The computer made announcements from time to time. A continuous alarm echoed in the background.
The admiral didn’t take his eyes off the viewscreen. He was a hefty man with black eyes and short, curly hair that was beginning to turn gray. A snake tattoo ran down the back of his neck and disappeared into his uniform. As the biggest member of his family, he’d been nicknamed “the giant.” He lived by two rules: enforce the law and stay in control.
Freedom, the ship he commanded, was just like him, old and stern. It was a medium-sized craft, roughly fifty meters long and twenty meters wide. Loaded with powerful phasers, torpedoes, and multiphasic shields, it was one of the best ships in the fleet. The c
raft had withstood the test of time. It had helped discover and study numerous nebulas and explore uncharted planets and solar systems. It had also helped set up new space stations and carry food and medicine. Most of all, Freedom had been successful in finding three new homes just like Earth. Jacob had felt dejected when they’d had to return to Earth report to the Imperial Command and reassess their plans. Then the Orias had appeared, and everything had changed.
For the last decade, Jacob had used Freedom for exploration. The last time he remembered using the phasers was to blast an asteroid. Today, he might use it to begin or end a war.
Freedom was followed by a small group of ships. Jupiter and Marion were fine ships, almost of the same size, but they were more powerful than Freedom. The rest of the ships were smaller and equipped with the latest technology and weapons.
Having nine other Earth ships did not give Jacob any comfort. Most of them had been standing in the space dock two weeks ago, and their commanders had never left the solar system. His attempts to gather more ships with experienced commanders had failed. Prometheus was the nearest ship and his greatest hope, but it was in a part of space affected by an ion storm, which was likely to interfere with communications. Since he’d never heard back, Jacob didn’t know if Captain Lockhart had received his messages.
The viewscreen of Freedom displayed the glowing perimeter ahead. In front of them was a magnificent sparkling vertical web of white and blue color. It reminded Jacob of a magical web in a children's story he’d read to his granddaughter. The princess powered the web telepathically, and it had kept her kingdom safe from monsters that lurked in the darkness beyond its borders. Today, the perimeter that separated Jacob from the Orias appeared no different.