Endgame
Page 8
After docking, they gathered their travel bags and then wove through the pedestrian traffic to the docking location of the Conquest. Viewports on the outer wall of the concourse provided the first glimpse of the vessel as they approached.
“Holy shite,” Kira whispered as she took it in.
Though significantly smaller than the Guard’s dreadnoughts, the Conquest lived up to its infamous reputation, with sleek lines that managed to be both breathtaking and menacing. The hull had a unique iridescence to it, like all TSS ships, which lent perfectly to the tapered, sculptural shape of the vessel. The most distinctive feature, however, was an ateron band wrapping around the perimeter of the ship from nose to aft, which Kira suspected was the energy relay for the TK weapon. Considering that they had a planet-sized problem, the super-weapon was the correct tool for the job.
“Have you ever had command of a joint op with the TSS before, sir?” Kira asked while they approached the gangway.
“No. But, between us, I always wanted to.” His eyes were bright with the kind of excitement a child might display before receiving a long-awaited birthday present.
Were it anyone else, Kira might have mistaken his enthusiasm for being power-hungry. Having glimpsed inside Kaen’s mind, though, she had no doubt that this was a dream come true for him—a career aspiration finally come to fruition, even if only for a few hours.
“I can’t say I’d want the responsibility of being in command of a ship this size,” Kira replied.
“I wouldn’t want a command full-time,” Kaen agreed, “but I don’t think anyone who works for a space fleet hasn’t fantasized at least once about captaining a ship for a day.”
She smiled back. “All right, you have me there.”
In Kira’s case, her fantasy had begun at the age of seven. At the time, her fantasy ship had been purple and included a cocobera petting zoo. She had never shared that with a soul, and she wasn’t about to start now—especially with Ari on the prowl for new blackmail material, after her stunt the prior month.
At the top of the gangway, a sentry was standing guard, dressed in the dark gray uniform of the TSS Militia—the non-Agent division of the organization.
“Colonel Terence Kaen and Captain Kira Elsar, reporting for duty,” Kaen stated.
The sentry saluted. “The captain is expecting you, sir. The Command Center is to your right.”
Kaen and Kira saluted back and then headed in the direction the sentry had specified.
The interior was a significant step up from the furnishings on the Raven, though still utilitarian by TSS standards, based on what Kira had heard of their equipment. Viewscreens placed in intervals along the length of the corridor depicted starscapes, complementing the warm-hued lights inset in the ceiling. They stopped at the open door to the ship’s Command Center.
Kira’s jaw dropped when she saw the design through the open doorway.
A transparent platform extended from the entry door into the center of the spherical room. Five bar-height black seats were arranged in the center of the main platform, with four around the perimeter and one at the center. Two control consoles faced outward at the front of the Commander Center a step down from the central platform. The entire room was wrapped in a continuous, spherical viewscreen with holographic augmentations, displaying the surroundings of the Conquest.
The control consoles were occupied by Militia officers, and a single TSS Agent stood next to the central command chair—recognizable by his all-black uniform with knee-length coat.
The Agent turned to evaluate them with his bioluminescent teal eyes, complementing chestnut hair. He was much younger than Kira expected—no more than early- or -mid-twenties—and strikingly good-looking. Kira had heard about a magnetic quality to TSS Agents, and he certainly had it in spades.
“Welcome aboard the TSS Conquest,” he greeted, cracking a smile.
“Sir.” Kaen strode into the Command Center, and Kira followed. “I’m Colonel Kaen, and this is Captain Elsar.”
The Agent turned his attention to Kira. “The Captain Elsar from the Gaelon incident?”
“You heard about that?” Kira asked, surprised.
“You destroyed a dwarf planet using only your mind. News about that sort of thing gets around—especially considering you’re not in the TSS.”
Kira blushed. “Oh.”
The private exchange was suddenly interrupted by a powerful presence. “I was fascinated to learn about Valtan telepaths,” the Agent said—stronger, even, than what Kira had experienced with the Trols. There was warmth and assurance to his mental projection, unlike the aliens’ blind thirst for power. “Why did you choose the Guard over the TSS?”
“I was rejected from the Agent track, and the Guard had more advancement potential than TSS Militia,” Kira replied. The exchange was faster than any telepathy she’d ever experienced—taking only a fraction of a moment to convey the thoughts.
“That may be worth revisiting,” the Agent said, then severed the connection. He turned his palm upward in the Taran custom for greeting new acquaintances. “I’m Jason Sietinen. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Kira did a double-take.
“Sir, um…” Words failed her.
“Please, call me Jason,” he said. “There have been too many Agent Sietinens to differentiate.”
“Kaen will do for me,” the colonel said.
“Kira works,” she said. “I’ve always preferred first names with my own team.”
Jason smiled. “Maybe that comes from being acquainted with others’ minds. The TSS has never been much for formality.”
“I imagine that was particularly interesting growing up in your family,” Kaen commented.
“Actually, my sister and I grew up on Earth,” Jason revealed.
The colonel nodded. “Ah, that’s how the Sietinen heirs avoided the spotlight for so many years.”
“Came as quite a shock when we were brought into the Taran fold at sixteen—especially finding out about our lineage. Raena clearly took more readily to it than I did.”
Kira shrugged. “You have command of the Conquest. That seems to be embracing it, from where I stand.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so. But considering TSS Headquarters’ proximity to Earth, I haven’t ventured far from home.”
“I know what it’s like to come from a world outside the core Taran society,” Kira said. “You always have ties to home in one way or another.”
Jason turned serious. “The Elvar Trinary has the backing of the Taran Empire. We’ll eliminate this threat. Trust me—we’ve faced worse.”
“Don’t underestimate the Trols,” Kira warned.
“Never,” Jason assured her. “Whatever they can throw at us, I’m confident, with our combined resources, we’ll come out on top.”
“Very much looking forward to working with you,” Kaen said.
“Likewise. I’ve never understood the distinction between the Guard and TSS,” the young Agent said.
“Remnants from times past,” Kaen mused.
Jason nodded. “I suspect so. More changes are coming in the near future, I can only imagine.”
Kira mentally rolled her eyes.
Kira returned her attention to the goings-on in the Command Center. Kaen had apparently just asked about their flight plan.
“Transit time to intercept is five hours,” Jason was saying. “You’re welcome to get settled in while we get underway.”
“Only five hours?” Kaen asked. “It’s much further than that from the closest navigation beacon.”
Jason gave him a quizzical look. “The Guard’s ships aren’t equipped with independent jump drives?”
“With what?” Kira questioned.
The Agent let out a long breath. “We aren’t reliant on the SiNavTech beacon network to jump. I thought the new tech had been rolled out on a wider scale.”
Kaen frowned. “I’ve heard of independent jump drives, but the Guard doesn’t have any ships with those nav consoles, to my knowledge.”
“All the more reason for us to start working together, I guess,” Jason said with a shrug. “Anyway, we’ve set aside quarters for you, if you’d like to rest on the way over.”
Kira looked down at her travel bag in hand. She was coming up on a full day without sleep, and the prospect was tempting.
Kaen picked up on her cue. “You go on, Captain,” he said.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll see you when we arrive.” Kira nodded to the two commanders and then turned to go.
“I was wondering if I might get a tour of the ship…” Kaen asked while Kira was on her way out.
CHAPTER 8
Between a tour of the Conquest, a nap, and his general excitement, the five hours of transit time flew by for Kaen.
As they made the final approach for the intercept with the Trol ship, Kaen settled into one of the ancillary seats at the center of the Command Center, with Jason in the center and Kira to his left. Kira still seemed mystified about being at the center of the action, but Kaen couldn’t imagine having anyone else along. If the op went sideways, he wanted to have the one person who’d ever initiated contact with the Trols at his side.
A front section of the wraparound viewscreen was set to a magnified image of the void ahead. At the limits of visual range, a dull, spherical mass was coming into view. With minimal light of its own and no stars nearby, the sphere would be almost invisible, were it not for the enhancements offered by the holographic overlay.
“Well, it doesn’t look so bad from this distance,” Kira quipped.
Jason didn’t look convinced. “Wait until we’re right up next to it.”
“I have no intention of getting that close, after what happened to the fleet in Gaelon,” Kaen stated. “Captain Elsar, see if you can make contact.”
“We’re kind of far out, sir,” she replied. “But I’ll try.”
Kira focused ahead at the image of the Trol ship, getting a faraway look in her eyes.
It’s amazing how she can do those things, Kaen thought from the seat next to her. We’d be lost right now if it wasn’t for her.
Jason sat quietly, gazing at the image out the viewscreen while Kira set about her task.
After a minute of intense concentration, Kira’s attention returned to the inside of the Command Center. “I dunno, sir, it’s weird.”
“Can you be more specific?”
“Eh.” Kira frowned at the image of the Trol ship. “I didn’t exactly get through to them, but it wasn’t a lack of contact, either. The easiest way to describe it is that they were ignoring me. But… the presence wasn’t like I experienced before, on Gaelon.”
Kaen’s brow knitted. “What do you mean?”
“There were more of them.” She shook her head. “No, that’s not the right way to put it. Communicating with Reya or Nox was like talking with a single presence. The contact on Gaelon was like hearing a chorus—distinct voices speaking together. But this ship here… it’s like there are layers. I guess the best analogy would be a song. They were contributing to the same piece of music, but playing different parts in the harmony. Players, instrument groups, sections, all adding up to one orchestra. Only it was out of tune.”
“In that case, is there a conductor?” Kaen asked.
“Not that I’ve been able to identify. Everything I’ve observed indicates that they’re falling into whatever role is necessary. Even though there are individual minds, they work together as one, which means they must have some sort of governance. We saw that central column thing in Gaelon, so I can only imagine this mammoth thing has something like that, too. Target that regulating hub, and the orchestra won’t know what song they’re supposed to be playing.”
“What do you think?” Kaen asked Jason, remembering it important to acknowledge there was another powerful telepath on board.
The young man crossed his arms. “I can glean a sense of what Kira is talking about, but the form of telepathy these beings use is unlike anything I’ve encountered before. Since Kira has an established rapport with them—friendly or not—I’m inclined to have her take the lead.”
“Um, all right…” Kira said hesitantly.
Kaen didn’t blame her for being a little shocked that a senior TSS Agent would be deferring to her for such matters, but it remained that Kira’s abilities were unique suited for this particular situation. As long as he had his way, Kaen would prefer Kira handle the telepathic matters and just let Jason control the ship’s TK weapon—if and when it came time to use it.
If there’s a way to get through to them and open a dialogue, this is a chance to learn about a fascinating culture unlike any other, Kaen thought to himself.
He caught Kira’s gaze, bidding her to open a private telepathic link.
“Sir?” she questioned in his mind.
“Is there any chance of making meaningful contact? Do they just need time to warm up to you?”
“My honest assessment, sir, is that they think we’re a lower lifeform unworthy of their attention. I don’t think any amount of outreach will make a difference,” Kira replied in his mind. “I’m also painfully aware of the ticking clock while this system-killer ship marches toward my homeworld.”
“We won’t let it get there.” Kaen severed the connection.
“We’re coming into attack range,” a Militia officer, who’d been introduced as Rianne, offered from her station at the front of the Command Center.
The spherical target took up half the front viewing area without artificial magnification. They were twice as far back as the Guard fleet had been from the dwarf planet in Gaelon; Kaen hoped it was far enough.
Jason admired the sight. “Real aliens… this is the kind of thing we’d watch movies about when I was growing up.”
“I assure you this is very real,” Kaen stated.
“No doubt. It’s a shame that our first contact with these beings has been so adversarial,” he replied.
“They’re still ignoring my attempts to make contact,” Kira said.
Jason pursed his lips. “I can’t get through, either.”
“It sounds like they don’t want to talk. I recommend we take them out while we have the opportunity,” Kaen stated.
Jason inclined his head. “That is what we came here to do.” A narrow pedestal rose from the deck in front of him, topped with two metal handholds. When it was at the appropriate height, he gripped the cylinders. “Now I know how my father felt.” He didn’t elaborate.
Stars, let this be the right move. Kaen nodded. “Proceed.”
The TSS Agent focused on the image of the sphere on the viewscreen. A low ru
mble shook the deck, and an electrical hum filled the air.
Kaen’s pulse quickened, knowing the TK weapon was being charged. It didn’t look like anything from his vantage, but he could sense the immense power in the air. This young man in front of him had the ability to focus the very foundational energies of the universe—and Kaen had the privilege of witnessing it.
After building for nearly thirty seconds, a beam of white light shot from the Conquest toward its mark. At that distance, it would only take one second for the beam to strike.
Kaen watched it, heart in his throat. He braced for the impact. This is the only way.
The beam simply fizzled out of existence. No explosion, no vaporization… nothing. The Trol ship was unscathed.
“What happened?” he demanded.
Jason sat in stunned silence for a moment. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Charge was sufficient,” Rianne reported. “There are traces of radiation near the target impact site but no damage.”
“Was there a shield?” Jason speculated. “It should have cut through anything they had, but…” He shook his head.
Kaen didn’t like the implications of the young Agent being at a loss for what the aliens could have done to deflect the weapon. By all accounts, the concentrated energy beam should have been unstoppable.
“I don’t think it was a shield,” Rianne replied to Jason’s question. “I think the structure… absorbed the blast.”
Kaen’s stomach dropped. “What?”
“The radiation is now dissipating around the outer shell of the ship. I’m reviewing the readings from the moment of impact, and it’s like the shell is modulating to an opposite frequency to cancel out the energy beam. That, or…” She faded out before gathering herself. “Another possibility is that it somehow diffused the blast into subspace.”
“You’ve got to be foking kidding me,” Kira muttered, slumping in her chair.
Kaen wished he could join in her reaction, but he needed to maintain decorum on behalf of the Guard. “Can you fire again? It may only have been a one-time trick.”
Jason looked uncertain. “I can try.”