by A. K. DuBoff
“Maybe that’s all it is.” She wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know. The rhetoric reminds me of the anti-Tararian government messages in the Outer Colonies. They’re calling our presence on Earth an ‘invasion’ or ‘occupation’. It’s pressuring the political leaders to take a step back. Seems to be a planet-wide sentiment now.”
“You might be reading too much into it. I didn’t want to be overly pessimistic before, but I expected there to be a bigger scene when you were making first contact—or at least immediately afterward.”
She drummed her fingers on the chair’s armrests. “Honestly, I’d expected a bigger reaction then, too. I guess I should be happy that the peace lasted longer than we expected.”
Ryan nodded slowly. “Your approach of stunning everyone worked.”
“Until the shock wore off. And now they’re wondering if we’re an enemy in disguise.”
“The people on Earth have every right to freak out about alien contact. And to be angry that we didn’t help them sooner, and all that. Even so, on the planetary scale, they have everything to gain from befriending us and making sure that the relationship goes smoothly. Unrest at the local level? Sure. But as a planet, there’s not a lot to be gained from protests.”
“That’s why this new situation is concerning.”
“I must admit, coupled with the timing, it is strange,” he said. “Seven months is quite a while to wait before getting up in arms. And it’s also odd that the situation on Earth is beginning to deteriorate just when the protests are ramping up on the other worlds again.”
“I have this sinking feeling that it’s connected.” Raena shook her head. “First the protests, then the media campaign, and now my Dad getting shot at…”
Ryan bit his lower lip. “I can’t rule out the possibility that the same organizations behind the disruption on Duronis and other planets might be trying to take advantage of the tenuous situation on Earth.”
“Maybe. But why? What would they hope to gain?” Raena’s brows drew together in thought. It didn’t make sense. Unless… She met her husband’s questioning gaze. “Wait, what if this has something to do with the alien tech we’re trying to find?”
“Isn’t that a bit of a leap?”
“Maybe not. We know there were Tarans searching for the Gate tech. We took out Victor Arvonen, but others were no doubt working with him—and it’s possible that those people are connected to the Coalition. After all, we know that the Coalition is very well-funded, and a Lower Dynasty like Arvonen would certainly have had the financial resources to fund the Coalition’s operations.”
“That’s true,” Ryan said. “And the ancient treaty referenced Earth, so if this group heard about that, it’s conceivable that they’d want to investigate the planet for themselves to try to get their hands on more alien tech.”
“Could they be manufacturing this civil unrest as a distraction?” She thought through the possibility.
The logistics of it were tricky. Not many Taran ships had visited Earth, so organizing worldwide protests would be difficult. However, as the unrest accelerated, more Taran ships had been deployed to help strengthen interplanetary relations. Insurgents could have slipped in.
They exchanged concerned glances.
“We can’t let the protests deter us,” Raena said. “We need to get access to that hidden tech before the shadow faction—if they are, in fact, after it.”
“You can’t just go in there and start digging without permission. That would make us the invaders they claim us to be.”
“I know.” She smoothed her skirt over her thighs. “I’ve been thinking it through, and I have a solution, but no one is going to like it.”
“Isn’t that what your dad said when he suggested bringing Earth into the fold?”
She smiled. “Yes. And he was right.”
Ryan braced. “What do you have in mind?”
“I think we need to tell Earth’s leaders the truth.”
“About…?” His face dropped. “You don’t mean the Erebus?”
She nodded. “We can’t build future relations on a lie. Conditions are already unstable, and that would be the end of it. I can’t think of another excuse for why we need to do so much underground investigation.”
“Can’t we just say we’re doing… ‘restoration’?”
Raena raised an eyebrow. “By digging up some of the most revered sites in human history?”
“Not my finest suggestion,” he admitted. “But there has to be something we can say other than, ‘We’ve been semi-invaded by a race of transdimensional, god-like aliens, and we think you might have something hidden on your planet that can help us fight back’.”
“That’s not exactly how I’d put it.” She leaned forward, “But think about it. Nothing sounds cooler than ‘we’re fighting a powerful enemy and we think Earth holds ancient secrets that could win the war’.”
He squinted. “Is ‘coolness appeal’ really the issue here?”
“No, but yes. What’s a more universal trait than the desire to feel valued? What the truth—or a version of it—offers is a genuine way to make my little backwater homeworld feel like the most valuable planet in the entire Taran Empire. Moreover, the individual nations of Earth will all want to be the special ones offering this incredible solution.”
“Are you sure it will work that way?”
“Can never be certain about these things, but I think it has a better shot than other approaches.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay, I’ll run it by the High Council.”
— — —
Jason anticipated the meeting with his father before the official summons came. He’d been keeping an eye on the spaceport activity to see when his father’s transport ship returned, and he was ready to head to the High Commander’s office the moment Wil stepped foot on Level 1.
As suspected, his father beckoned to him as he walked by Jason’s office. “Let’s debrief.”
To his surprise, though, his mother wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
“She’s tending to some trainee issues at the moment,” Wil replied to Jason’s quizzical look. “It’s okay. I can catch her up on the situation later.”
They settled into the High Commander’s office in their customary seats.
“So, how’d it go with the Aesir?” Jason asked.
“A nonstarter, in many ways. Just when I thought we were going to begin properly working together, they pulled back. I wish we had more reliable allies.”
Jason shrugged. “They haven’t outright betrayed us, so there’s that.”
“True. They have always shown up when we’ve needed them the most.” His father shook his head wearily. “Still, it feels like a lopsided relationship when I know for a fact that they’re holding back.”
“It’s annoying,” Jason agreed. “I don’t know what to suggest.”
“At this point, I’m going to wait for them to come to us. Like any relationship, the interest needs to be mutual if it’s going to work. I won’t keep chasing them.”
“Fair.”
“There is another tentative ally we’ve been neglecting,” Wil continued. “The Aesir suggested we approach the Lynaedans about the power core matter.”
“Hmm, that’s an intriguing proposition.” Jason thought back to his previous dealings with the Lynaedans. Like the Aesir, they were somewhat insular and regarded themselves as a distinct branch of Tarans. However, the Lynaedans were still full members of the Taran Empire in all respects, which made for a complicated dynamic.
“You’re probably the most acquainted with them of all the senior Agents at this point,” his father said. “Do you think they’d be open to discussing a manufacturing deal?”
“Not if it’s presented that way. They don’t like the idea of being a contractor working for someone.”
“How, then, do you suggest we approach this?”
The Lynaedans were regarded as the ‘tech heads’ of Tarans, embracing all manner of cybernetic modific
ations and artificial intelligence. Many of their advancements could be seen throughout the Empire in everyday medical technology, starships, and communications consoles. Most notably, they were the only subculture within the Taran sphere to actively cultivate new sentient AIs, which had proved to be vital allies for various research and military endeavors. Likewise, Lynaedans had developed the original CACI non-sentient computer intelligence commonly found as a central operation system on ships and within facilities, which had been modified into several ‘clone’ lines with various specializations.
They were a brilliant people, but they didn’t hold outsiders in high regard. Jason had been nurturing a handful of contacts within the Lynaedan leadership for the past two years, but he couldn’t call any of them more than professional acquaintances. However, any ‘in’ was better than nothing at all.
“We need to frame any deal with the Lynaedans as a partnership,” Jason said. “Deception doesn’t go over well. If we want their help, then we need to lay it all on the table.”
“I’m not keen on sharing the details of our military position with a group of civilians,” his father replied.
“They’ve been reliable throughout our collaborations on bioelectronic interfaces. This is an opportunity to build on that foundation.”
Wil nodded. “You seem to have a good handle on the situation. Would you be willing to take point on this?”
“With what, specifically?”
“Negotiating a production deal with the Lynaedans—and, potentially, further research into the Erebus’ power core technology.”
Jason’s pulse quickened. “I’m flattered, Dad, but negotiating those kinds of deals isn’t really in my wheelhouse.”
“I know for a fact that you took numerous contract law courses as a part of your Agent training, and you received very high marks in all of them.”
“Well, yes.” Jason didn’t have a good comeback to that. Obviously, class assignments weren’t the same as being in the field, but saying as much would be tantamount to asserting that the TSS Agent training program wasn’t sufficient to prepare its graduates for real work. He didn’t believe that in the slightest, so it was only reasonable to hold his own training in equally high esteem. It’s all about confidence. I know what to do. I just have to do it.
When his father continued looking at him expectantly, Jason yielded with a nod. “Okay, I’ll take the lead. But, it would be great to have someone come along who can provide an experienced set of eyes on the documents accompanying the deal. And you know the tech better than anyone, so I’ll leave the design review to you.”
“Of course. I’ll find someone from the Legal team to accompany you who can sit in on the meetings and review everything.”
“Sounds good. I’ll do my best.”
Wil looked him over, his hands folded on his desktop. “What happened, Jason?”
“What do you mean?”
“When you were younger, you were always confident. Oftentimes, overly so. Now, you seem to frequently second-guess yourself.”
“I realized that bravado was overrated.”
“It’s more than that. You seem… unsure.”
Jason stared at his hands in his lap before shifting his gaze up again. “We’re not as strong or powerful as we like to tell ourselves. There’s no reason for me to blindly think that I can do everything.” He’d learned that the hard way recently as he’d helplessly watched Tiff killed before his eyes. We can only do so much.
His father softened. “That’s true, in many ways, but maintaining humility shouldn’t mean doubting the skills you know you possess.”
“Negotiating alien power core production deals is not my expertise.”
“Granted, this particular situation might not be the best example,” Wil admitted. “The fact remains, though, that you’ve been exhibiting more doubt in the past several months than you did in all the years leading up to now. I had expected a rough patch after what happened with Alkeer, but I’m getting concerned that you’re not moving past it.”
An unexpected flush of resentment surged through Jason. ‘Moving past it’? I lost my best friend! He managed to bite back the initial reaction and remain silent, but he could feel the heat on his face.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” his father hastily said, clearly picking up on the shift in his mood. “I know better than most how some scars linger. However, it’s important to recognize when something is keeping us from moving forward.”
“I don’t know what to say to that, Dad. I got slapped in the face with the fragility of life. How is it not a good thing that I’m more careful and considerate now?”
“You’re right, that is a natural consequence of growing up. I appreciate that transition in your outlook, and it does ultimately make you a more seasoned officer.”
“Okay, then.”
“Nonetheless, there’s a difference between being realistic and pessimistic. You must remain objective about your capabilities without being unduly self-deprecating—and I assure you, you’re a more capable negotiator than you’re giving yourself credit for.”
Jason tapped the armrest of his chair. “If you say so.”
“I think this Lynaedan mission will be good for you. A chance to hone different skills, and maybe you’ll discover some things about yourself in the process.”
He appreciated his father’s attempts at a pep talk, but this one wasn’t going to land, no matter what was said. Once Jason’s mood soured, only time would bring him out from the funk. “All right. Send me the specifics about what you need from the agreement, and I’ll try to make it happen.”
“I know you will.”
With his orders in hand, Jason left his father’s office to prepare for a visit with the Lynaedans.
Showing up at the planet with zero warning wasn’t advisable, so Jason elected to put in a call to the planet’s government representative. His relationship with her wasn’t particularly longstanding or deep, but she’d never refused to speak with him when requested. Those previous communications with the Lynaedans had been an important mission at the time, but the stakes paled now in comparison to what the Taran Empire was facing.
Jason’s first interaction with the Lynaedans had been two years prior, where he’d gone to meet with the reclusive group of Tarans about getting their help to design and manufacture a new line of bioelectronic interface devices. The Aesir’s technology Archive contained numerous devices intended to function in concert with telepathic abilities, which limited their application. By working with the cybernetics-savvy Lynaedans, the TSS had hoped to develop an interface solution which would allow non-Gifted people to interact with the technology, as well.
While most modern Tarans had moved away from having physical modifications to their bodies, the Lynaedans had leaned heavily into augmentations, blurring the line between biology and machine. Back on Earth, Jason would have called them ‘cyborgs’, but his limited interactions with Lynaedans had shown them to be creative, life-loving people who viewed their physical changes as an extension of their true being.
He appreciated their perspective, even though it didn’t align with his own. Maintaining a level of physical autonomy was something he valued, so modifying his physical self to be in constant contact with wireless technology links was counter to those ideals. In discussions with his parents he’d learned that was a widespread philosophy among many Tarans—that technology was a necessary convenience, but it should be viewed as something that could be set aside at a moment’s notice. To make that technology more integral made it more than a tool, and that threatened to overthrow the natural balance and sense of self.
In Jason’s dealings with the Lynaedans, he’d learned that they actually considered technology to be a means of keeping themselves more open and honest with each other. Their augmentations allowed them to detect deception more readily and to be in a constant state of connection with others’ perceptions. ‘Truth’ was easy to decern under such analytical circumstances.
Those cultural quirks would make this negotiation surrounding the Erebus’ power core a challenge, but Jason was cautiously optimistic that the goodwill he’d gained through his previous work would at least get him a fair audience to hear out the potential deal.
Jason settled on the couch in the living room of his quarters and placed the call.
After several seconds, the screen resolved into a video stream of a dark-haired, middle-aged woman, her mouth set in a pensive line.
“Hello, Ambassador Greggor. How have you been?” Jason greeted.
“Agent Sietinen, I’m surprised to hear from you. I am well,” she replied. “To what do I owe call?”
“I’d like to meet with you to discuss a new collaborative opportunity—to expand upon our relations of sharing technology.”
She tilted her head slightly. “An intriguing proposition.”
“One best discussed face-to-face. Would you be available for me to make an impromptu visit?”
The ambassador momentarily got a faraway look in her artificial, silver-irised eyes, which Jason knew from experience was an indication of her communicating with others through the shared neural net.
“Yes, we will speak with you,” she said after a several second pause.
“I’ll head over now, if that works for you. I can be there in six hours.”
“That is agreeable. We will see you then.”
Jason ended the call. Now I just have to convince them to make this deal.
— — —
A tight knot of anxiety had settled in Lexi’s chest. All morning, as she worked at her desk on the ground floor of the Alliance office, she hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that everything was falling apart. Her thoughts were focused on Kira’s and Leon’s recent behavior. I thought we were a team. What was so sensitive that they’d keep me out of the loop?