Equilibrium of Terror: Part 1

by Eddie R. Hicks

  The hallway that led Eicelea and Vynei away from the airlock placed them high above the atrium. She looked down through the railings of the balcony and saw scores of people marching to or from the departures or arrivals sections of the spaceport. Many of them tugged their luggage behind them on anti gravity trolleys. Holographic advertisements played, promoting the services merchants in the spaceport or planet side had to offer. The center of the atrium had a small garden with thinly shaped trees rising from the grass. A group of Aryile and Linl children played as their parents watched on from seats nearby.

  An elevator took Eicelea and Vynei to the lower levels while an automated message played over the intercom revealing that a travel ship had docked ready to take people to Courelia, the city on the surface they planned to make their new home. As they walked toward the ship across the glistening white floor, Eicelea noticed a series of holographic screens listing travel information for all the long range transports the spaceport was supposed to handle. There were transports scheduled to depart to Morutrin Prime, Lejorania Sanctum, Aervounis. Earth: the human home world as she remembered, was listed as well. Keyword ‘was’ as all transports listed to travel to or from Earth were cancelled. Regardless it was indeed an interesting thing to see. Much had changed in the galaxy since they had entered cryostasis in Morutrin if flights to the human home world were a reality. She would have to read up on history to learn exactly how much had changed in the last thirty years.

  The transport they boarded was a civilian version of the transport ships typically used by the Radiance forces. The layout was similar, the only major differences being the removal of cryo tubes in the back and that the transport itself was twice the size. As expected the moment they stepped aboard the transport, their bodies started to float once again. They took a seat in the back, strapping their seat belts on.

  Gravity slowly took hold as the transport entered Rasi’s gravitational pull, though it was less than it was on the spaceport, almost forty percent less. The blackness of space remained partly visible through the cockpit’s forward windshield despite crossing the terminator into daytime. The only major source of light was the large arcology in the distance shining its bright lights off the feather like snowflakes falling from the sky.

  The transport’s doors swung open as they landed and everyone began their exit into the city side spaceport. There was a lineup of six families waiting to board the transport Eicelea and Vynei exited. Eicelea asked Vynei to claim their belongings from a nearby check in as the contents of the cargo hold should have been brought down planeside by now. He handed the clerk a small data crystal and upon scanning it, a hologram displayed the IDs of both Vynei and Eicelea. An anti gravity cart with two large boxes was soon presented to him.

  “Evidently, they did not design this place with Vorcambreum in mind,” Eicelea said with her head tilted way up at a directory map she couldn’t see. “Vynei,” she shouted. He stepped over with their belongings in tow, picked up the tiny woman, perching her on top of his shoulders. Much better, she thought. “Thank you, now let’s see here,” she read the holographic directory at her new-found height, searching the confusing map for their next destination, “temporary housing is three levels down.”

  “Temporary housing? I hate that.”

  “As do I, but rent here is rather exorbitant. We will need a roommate to assist in covering the costs and such.” She pointed toward a wide brightly lit corridor. “The elevators are that way.” Vynei was about to place her on the floor when the back of her heel smacked him. She had no intention of walking, not while her body weighed less on this world. “Come now, let us be hasty!”

  “Do I really have to—?”

  “Yes! As I said this place clearly was not designed for my species, you really think these legs can handle a trip like this? There is much walking to do after we leave the elevator!” He began to walk in the direction as instructed, carrying her and their two cargo boxes. “Consider this practice in case I’m injured during an archaeological dig, it will be you that will be tasked with the duty of carrying me out to safety.”

  “What if raiders attack and I’m the one injured?”

  “Then it will be quite clear I hired the wrong bodyguard.” She lowered her head, avoiding hitting a low hanging pipe on the ceiling. “Now, less talk, more walk.”

  Chapter Two

  Imperial capital, Paryo, Uemaesce system

  Yominv Crossblade’s yellow eyes opened to the elaborate decorations lining the walls of his bedroom. Pictures of cities and forests from Earth hung from the walls, while grey sculpted statues of Radiance scholars and a wide selection of Hashmedai made swords rested on his cabinet tops. The skyline of the imperial capital projected into his room via the wide window of his hi-rise condo along with the burgundy morning sunrise.

  He lifted his head away from his pillow as he stared, with a soft smile, down at the gorgeous naked woman who had been lying next to him the whole night. She didn’t care that his eyes were yellow, or that his hair was turning grey or that his pale skin and hands were on the path to withering. These are the best women, he thought. Loyal to him and his perverse needs, for the right price of course.

  His hand brushed across her deep pink hair, causing her eyes to open revealing their deep red color, he missed the days when his eyes were like that. She shot him a grin then lifted to lick the sides of his neck while brushing her breasts against his chest. What was her name again? Lise? Or was it Halesca? He couldn’t remember nor did he care.

  “A great sight to witness, this time of day,” Yominv said to her, avoiding dropping her name.

  “Did you miss me?”

  “I missed a lot about last night.”

  “What did you miss the most?” she asked as she grabbed hold of his hands, guiding them toward her flawless birthing hips. “Was it this?”

  “No,” a voice called out from underneath the bed sheets. “It was this.”

  Yominv felt a cold pair of soft hands glide across the right side of his leg, up across his belly stopping shy of his arm. Out from the blankets, his second bedroom partner from last night appeared. Long blue hair covered her whole back, she had tanned cream colored skin and she crawled closer toward him on all fours, before brushing the side of her tongue against his cheek.

  “Oh, that’s right,” he said as both women rested on either side of him. “Will you be joining me for first meal?”

  “Maybe. What do you have to offer?”

  They continued their embrace with him as he held onto them and pondered if it was even worth having them stay longer. He’d already had to give them four bottles of Taxah red wine, and had their standing with the empire increased enough for them to continue to live in the high-end district of their city for another six months.

  “On second thoughts,” he said. “Let’s keep in touch. I may require your services in the future.” He felt their cold bodies move away from his as they began to gather their clothing scattered across the floor next to the bed. “Enjoy the wine ladies.”

  Playtime was officially over.

  An hour after Lise and Halesca left, and Yominv had taken a quick bath. The tub was smaller, to his disappointment when he first moved into this suite so sharing it with the ladies of the night he frequently brought up here was not an option. Sure, he could just move to another suite that had a larger tub, but those places lacked the view this suite had to offer. A view that he made sure to stare at every morning for at least five minutes as he entered the kitchen and dining area.

  Like his bedroom, the kitchen and dining area had a wide glass window peering out over the never ending and heavily populated city. Ships flew high in the skies in single file, either heading to space, or toward other parts of Paryo. Down below, people on the streets appeared like tiny insects as they made their commute to whichever career the empire had assigned to them at birth.

  Five minutes were up and he stepped away from the glass. Before he turned away he stared at the reflection of himself
wearing a maroon colored bath robe. He began to prepare his first meal for the day. First he removed a chunk of succulent Hevir steak from his cryo food storage cabinet. He then used a razor sharp harmonic knife on the deep red and brown meat, slicing it into thin strips. A plasma heated stove top provided heat to a square shaped frying pan where a generous block of creamy Hevir butter melted and bubbled ferociously, releasing steam as it turned from light orange into a golden brown. He carefully placed the cuts of Hevir steak and used a small utensil to send tiny tidal waves of the sizzling butter over the meat, searing it with each stroke of his hand. Various green herbs were tossed in. They were hard to get as Hashmedai weren’t able to digest plant foods, though the essences extracted during the cooking process produced flavors few of his people experienced.

  He cracked two Ratiz eggs and dropped them into a second heated pan where they sizzled and popped releasing an aroma Yominv couldn’t help but lower his face toward to take in.

  Soon his meal was complete. A plate of butter seared Hevir steak and Ratiz eggs, a first meal dish inspired by humans. With his stacked plate in hand he took a seat at a small dining table at the center of his kitchen and dining area. As he dug into his meal, he loaded a small projection in front of him. It displayed text written in the human language, a book called the Art of War by an ancient human named Sun Tzu. According to his research the knowledge within the text contained some valuable tactics when it came to warfare, so much so that humans to this very day read and studied its ancient knowledge. The humans even named a battleship after the writer of this book. And meals like the one he was having made it possible for him to know his enemy in its purest form.

  He patted his mouth clean with a towel after he finished his meal. A quick flick with his hands switched the holographic window into one listing his appointments, messages, and notifications. One message caught his attention. One where he thought he had lost his opportunity weeks ago. A group of warriors had returned from the frontlines, fighting in the war without end against Radiance. They were waiting for further instructions aboard his ship, the Scathing Hand, a destroyer in orbit.

  A dossier loaded, displaying three muscular brothers, one dressed in guardian combat armor, the other two in warrior exosuits. He stared at the projection, going over their service record with the empire, their lengthy list of kills, their undying loyalty, and the mention of their father, a soldier who was killed during the invasion of Earth. Yominv began to compose a written message to the three brothers in question.

  Scathing Hand, Paryo orbit, Uemaesce system

  The airlock doors slid open allowing Yominv to float through into the dimly lit corridors. He wore his uniform, that of a Hashmedai ship captain as he swam his body through the circular, gravity free corridors. The crew all showed him respect as he floated past them, deeper and deeper into the interior of the ship until he arrived at the galley.

  Inside, several Hashmedai ship personnel and ground combat warriors hovered next to their tables, consuming their floating meals, or drinking via cylindrical enclosed water bottles with a small lip on the side. Yominv’s eyes locked onto the three brothers gathered around one table close to the entrance. They all had light blue skin, with white hair. The oldest brother Iekia being the guardian had his braided and tied back into dreadlocks. Another, the middle child Gorar, had his hair short, while the last one, the youngest judging by his youthful looks, kept his hair shoulder length. Yominv recalled his name was Tenery.

  Three pairs of glowing red eyes tilted toward Yominv as he approached their table, their drinking and laughter came to a halt seconds later, waiting to hear the words the brave captain wanted to say to them as per his message.

  “Captain,” Iekia said.

  “You three have served the empire well,” Yominv said.

  “We were born to do just that,” he said.

  “Have you been assigned to a new ship?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Excellent,” Yominv said, taking a seat. “Let us talk.”

  “For the record sir,” Gorar said. “We three only work together so whatever task you assign us we must all be a part of it.”

  “It’s the reason we’re so successful, who else but three brothers would make such an effective team?” said Iekia as his hand reached toward his drink.

  “I have no intention of splitting the three of you up,” Yominv said. “But, the task I have in mind is a dangerous one, one that could have the three of you split up regardless, at the hands of the enemy.”

  “That’s what all our commanding officers say before a mission, yet we still talk and drink together and we still copulate with women,” Iekia said.

  “If the rewards are great,” Tenery said. He was softer spoken than the other two. “We will join in any task you wish us to take.”

  “Oh, your imperial standing will increase to the highest tier if you accept,” Yominv said. “This I will see to personally.”

  Iekia leaned his head closer to Yominv. “What is the mission?”

  “It’s classified for now but know this, an old enemy will be slain.”

  Yominv heard a beep go off in his ear communication implant. “Captain,” a voice transmitted to him seconds later. He’d have to continue this talk later, but judging by the grins growing on the three brother’s faces, he had got them interested.

  “Think about it,” Yominv said. “If you are interested, report to Captain T’esih, she will provide you with further instructions.”

  Yominv promptly pushed his hands down upon the table, forcing his body to slowly float upwards as he went to swim his way back out into the corridor. His finger tapped the side of his ear to take the message incoming message.

  “Yes, what is it?” Yominv transmitted back.

  “We found it.”

  Yominv exited the elevator floating onto the bridge of the Scathing Hand which was fully staffed sans him. The shimmering white sight of Paryo was visible via the bridge’s forward windows as the planet glistened in the morning sun. He floated toward his central captain’s chair while asking. “Where is it?”

  “Adrift near Hagil,” Neviana the shipboard psionic spoke from her monitoring station. “It must have gotten caught in its gravity as it lost fuel.”

  Neviana had gotten back from a scouting mission from one of the inner and warmer planets in the system. As such she wore psionic robes that were slightly more revealing due to the hotter temperatures on the planet in question. It consisted of grey strapless crop top and long hanging loincloth.

  Yominv had never noticed how fit her figure was until now. He had to stop himself from fantasizing what it would be like to bed her, as an important mission was at hand. “Set a course at once. Order all ships in the area to leave right now.” He pushed a sequence of buttons on the terminal mounted to the arm of his chair. A small three-dimensional projection appeared displaying a gas giant and a line representing the Scathing Hand’s estimated trajectory toward it. “Excellent work tracking this everyone, the timing couldn’t have been better.”

  Oyuri, Barnard’s Star system

  Oyuri was the Javnis word for ‘fire’. An appropriate name for one of the two most populated planets in the system as Rasi was the word for ‘ice.’ Oyuri was a tidally locked planet and the closest one to Barnard’s Star. Much like with Foicanta, one side of the planet always faced the star becoming a rocky desert, while the other side was shrouded in the cold darkness of space. Unlike Foicanta however, there was no ring of green between the sun baked side of the planet and the eternal night side as Oyuri was devoid of water, or breathable air for that matter, Sulfur dioxide made up most of the atmosphere, released from the volcanoes dotted across the planet’s surface.

  A moon orbited the planet, and like the planet itself it was tilted, locked on the day side of the world creating a perpetual solar eclipse across a small region of the yellow colored planet. From space, it appeared as a blackened circle with tiny glowing lights, emitted from a few volcanoes. Star systems like
this weren’t commonplace within the Radiance Union. Outside of scientific study or exploiting resources, planets like this and Rasi were left un-colonized apart from having a small orbiting station. Oyuri was more than enough to prove how cool and dim Barnard’s Star was, as although it was the closest to the star, the average surface temperature of the bright side of the planet was no higher than thirty degrees Celsius. On most worlds in this system, Barnard’s Star appeared in the skies as small glowing object, barely strong enough to provide enough to light to blanket out the sight of space with the atmosphere of the planet. One could still make out a few stars in the skies if they looked carefully enough. Oyuri was the only planet that got enough sunlight to light up the ground. On every other planet in the system including Rasi, the sunshine resembled a bright moon in the skies rather than a sun.

  Radiance’s presence in the system served one purpose, to study the ruins of the Lyonria. The Linl knew of the Lyonria since ancient times as ruined cities littered the surface of a planet in their home star system. Ancient Linl astronomers saw these worlds and ruined cities with their telescopes and pondered what it would be like to explore them, and find out who built them. It was for this reason that the Linl people worked tirelessly over the centuries to build ships and to expand into space. As time went on, the Linl discovered that the Lyonria were a spacefaring race, one that had colonized this section of the galaxy and quite possibly more. Ruins were not only found in their home system but in Alpha Centauri, Morutrin and now Barnard’s Star.

  The surface of Oyuri was littered with artifacts and the remains of Lyonria cities, Rasi had several as well, though there were obvious signs that Oyuri was the primary world in this system.