The Impossible Future: Complete set

by Frank Kennedy

  James found himself in love with the moment. Maybe skulking was not the worst idea after all. He could tell these three anything, and they’d follow. He might offer nothing, and their fealty was guaranteed. But the truth, for the moment, might be a tad problematic.

  “As for the one who will kill you,” Trayem Hadeed said, “I see two potential prospects, but only one who seems made for the purpose. Think on it, James. You’ll know who.”

  James packaged the information with care.

  “My source is unimpeachable,” he said. “I believe him as I would the Jewels themselves. We share common interests. I also know my brother will have an accomplice.”

  “Who?” Nya said.

  “I have a list of suspects.”

  Joakim blew poltash smoke and smiled with satisfaction.

  “Admiral Kane. Valentin’s right hand.”

  “No. Kane poses no threat as long as he commands Lioness. Plus, he owes his title to me. Kane knows if Valentin falls, he assumes control over the military. No, Kane is smart. He’ll mourn for a day then celebrate moving out of Valentin’s shadow.”

  Bartok sighed. “It must be someone high in the chain of command. Have you examined all his senior officers?”

  “Yes. They’re under suspicion. Col. Miguel Lennox is a favored officer. Those two have a strong relationship. But Lennox was badly injured on Euphrates, burned over ninety percent of his body. He’ll need four to five days in medpod for total restoration. It seems the immortals don’t recover from everything in fifteen minutes.”

  The group shared a boisterous laugh, which Bartok cut short.

  “But they do recover. And that’s a problem for us.”

  “Not for me,” James said.

  “To my point, Brother James. You could incinerate him with your breath. Yes. But you would need witnesses to explain why such an extreme was necessary. In order for the immortals to remain under our control, they would have to see his death and know it was proper. Self-defense? A public execution? Regardless of the form, you must convince them as you have convinced us.”

  “Possibly,” Nya said, “but they owe their liberation and their home world to us. I think they will come around. Admiral Kane will set them straight.”

  “Careful,” Joakim said between puffs. “We and our children are mortal. If they turn their rifles on us, they destroy us, or we unleash our Berserkers and destroy them. Either way, we won’t survive. Sooner or later, the Guard will come with overwhelming numbers. Speaking of which, Brother James, you seem unbothered by Valentin’s state of emergency war preparations.”

  “No,” James said. “I’m not concerned. Yes, the Guard will eventually find its way here, but not in the next two days, as my brother fears.”

  “How can you be certain?”

  He found the question peculiar. “Joakim, am I not the first day and the last day?”

  “Ah. Yes, of course, Brother James.”

  “I’ve seen the future of our empire, and I know the fate of the Chancellory. The Jewels have shown me the path.” He grabbed Joakim’s pipe and inhaled a massive cloud of smoke. It was sweet and subtle; he understood why it might be addictive to some. Still, he intended to outlaw it after he realigned JaRa’s leadership.

  “I intend to use this war emergency as cover for what needs to be done. I am currently reconstructing the events on Euphrates and Tamarind to demonstrate Valentin’s incompetence. A public display will erode support among his troops, but it won’t be enough. However, his war emergency will look foolish when there is no war. Then an attempt will be made on my life and the lives of my family. We will stage this attack, of course. Several of his officers will be arrested. They will confess to their crime, and I will reduce them to ash.”

  The three co-conspirators sat speechless, pondering the audacious plot. Did they see James’s brilliance? Did they buy it?

  Bartok whistled. “A remarkable, if convoluted plan, Brother James. Obviously, we would need to sort out the details; but even if this were viable, how long would this take us? If Valentin is conspiring to kill you, he could strike at any hour. Yes?”

  “I know my brother. At the moment, he is of one mind. Military preparation. He won’t bother with me so long as I don’t interfere. He’ll wait until after the battle is fought. Or, perhaps he’ll use the battle itself as cover. Either way, the battle will not materialize. This is when we strike.”

  “Of course,” Nya said, “we will support any options you choose. We are indebted to you for our lives and our freedom, Brother James. You gave us self-determination, love, family, and a home of our own. We can’t forget: Despite his prior loyalty, Valentin is not a chosen of the Jewels.”

  Bartok sighed. “Indeed. A brother who stands at one’s side needs little effort to extend his blade. We are with you, James. But I cannot leave this meeting without asking the question on all our minds. James, are you certain the relationship with your brother cannot be saved?”

  James took a second puff and returned the pipe to Joakim.

  “Yes, Bartok. It’s the logical question. I’ve spent hours – no, days - contemplating. I’ve examined the issue from every angle. The best way I can express it is to explain what Valentin and I used to mean to each other. It’s through those emotions that I know our split is permanent.

  “In the first weeks after we met, Valentin and I loved each other to a depth I can’t put into words. You must understand, our love was founded in blood. We fought to the death. I rose from that duel to become the god I was designed to be. Valentin rose from the dead and saw the truth of his existence. We bonded as reborn creatures bent on the slaughter of every human who defied us, or simply had the misfortune to be born with lesser genetics. Every time we killed, we grew stronger, and our love grew deeper. While Sister Rayna was my sexual passion, Valentin was my emotional passion and my guide. For all the Jewels showed me, none was an expert on the Guard like Valentin. He taught me strategies that proved vital and gave me crucial insight into the mind of the Chancellor.

  “The three of us wreaked havoc without so much as a scar. But our efforts were not sustainable. We realized the need to be practical. To establish goals and objectives, especially after rescuing you lot. Our passions turned to procedures and deliberate military strategy. In short, we learned discipline. Somewhere along the way, Valentin rekindled his love of the soldier he was before we met. He loved me still as a brother, but more as a leader to be followed.

  “He was weakening long before realignment. Destroying so many Carriers at once diminished his resolve and deepened his conscience. His loves his army more than me. He loves those children who he believes he’ll spend eternity watching over. Yesterday, when I returned from Euphrates, Valentin humiliated me. He dared to suggest the future would be in his hands. No. Valentin plans to murder me. And that means he is a threat to every hybrid. So, to answer your question: My brother cannot be saved. More to the point, he should not be saved.”

  Joakim tapped off his pipe. “Then the matter is sealed. His death will be difficult, but we’ll see it through under your leadership, Brother James.”

  “We will, Joakim. Now, all of you, back to your families. Sleep in peace. Tomorrow, we begin.”

  53

  S AM WASTED TIME. EVERY INSTINCT told her what had to be done, yet she resisted. She stared at the thimble-sized cube on her nightstand. “You’ll know the solution soon enough,” the visitor insisted when Sam asked how to make it work. The man in gray, who refused to give his name or his purpose, disappeared into the night hours ago, leaving Sam physically ill. The sounds of war preparation echoed outside, with occasional barking of orders and passing rifters. Once, she peeked out the front door. Children raced past in black and bronze body armor, weapons holstered. Inside, Sam fought against the delusion of a miracle. “He will come. Wait for him,” the stranger said.

  Saying Michael’s name out loud crippled her spirit. He wasn’t coming; no insane fantasizing could make it true. The old saying about “mov
ing Heaven and Earth” would have been an understatement for the journey he faced. She prayed he didn’t get himself killed trying to find her. And if he did, Sam never wanted to know. The pain would be more than she could bear.

  By the early-morning hours, after many attempts to sleep, Sam realized her options dwindled to nothing. She was hiding from immortals wrapped in war fever, prepared to kill invading Chancellors. If she showed her face, she’d likely become a target for their rage. How soon before James or Rayna decided to be rid of her?

  She grabbed the cube and pressed it for the hundredth time. It flexed when she squeezed it between her fingers. It contained no mechanical part, was odorless, and regained its form lying in her palm. She surrendered at last to instinct and placed the cube on her tongue. She closed her lips and her eyes.

  The cube dissolved. No taste. No warmth. No chill. No reaction at all. What was supposed to happen?

  In a blink, Sam left Aeterna.

  This new world was spectacular but silent. She stood in the center of a wide avenue looking up at gleaming cylinders and towers. These magnificent structures, taller than anything still standing on either Earth, reflected the light of a white-hot sun and the beautiful glass features of their neighbors.

  The wonder of this place lasted only until a palpable tension roiled her belly. Yet the fear wasn’t her own. She looked around and saw the residents of the city, much taller humanoids who observed her with suspicion. They clustered in small groups, lowering their oblong heads to avoid direct eye contact.

  No, she thought. It’s not me they fear.

  A shadow fell between Sam and the sun. She swung about and looked into the baleful eyes of a bald-headed man, easily nine feet tall. His arms, way too short for his thorax, motioned Sam to follow.

  She had no choice. He was terrified, and he needed her.

  The other citizens sidled away to give these two a wide berth as they entered the atrium of a skyscraper. Inside, the details blurred. Sam focused more on her guide, a man who dreaded his fate and wanted someone at his side before his life ended.

  Sam heard no words, but within minutes she understood everything about this creature. He was appointed to the task because no one else would step forward. Time was running out; the people had all but given up hope of a miracle.

  She never saw them enter a lift or scale the great structure, but within seconds, she stood next to the creature on the highest floor. A wall of windows provided a panoramic view of a mountainscape.

  The great room filled with soft blue light. There was love here, but also rage. The creature touched her mind with a single word.

  J’Hai.

  Not his name. Their name.

  Their people.

  Another creature entered, and Sam was instantly terrified. It was more than her guide’s fear. Something told her she was about to look into the face of death.

  The new presence was also J’Hai but taller, broader, more confident. The creature approached wearing a smile and the aura of a yellow halo around his body.

  Both J’Hai reached out to each other with open arms, the larger bearing a ferocious smile which translated into betrayal and slaughter. Nonetheless, they hugged.

  Their lips didn’t move, yet they spoke.

  One begged. One demanded.

  One spoke of hope. One spoke of conquest.

  One apologized. One laughed.

  One offered a trade. One demanded sacrifice.

  One spoke of their mother. One spoke of their father.

  Sam understood everything and reached out to her guide, pleading with him to surrender before it was too late. But he didn’t hear – or perhaps he never did. The other, more terrifying figure seemed unaware of her presence.

  The encounter turned in a flash. A wall of light mutated into clouds of flame. The poor creature who met her on the wide avenue whirled end-over-end on the flames and disappeared through shattered glass.

  For a flicker, Sam thought the beast that remained touched her mind. But as quickly, she reappeared elsewhere.

  The wide avenue was as crowded as before, but now the bodies of these humanoids lay crumpled and rotting in the sun. A tiny craft landed at the end of this avenue. A family of these creatures emerged, their grief bringing Sam to her knees.

  Their tears became her tears. They reached out for her until seconds later, when their attention pivoted to the mountains. Sam saw more of the enemy cloaked in a familiar yellow aura.

  The monsters unleashed tornadic storms upon the city. The family retreated to its craft but was unable to take off. Sam saw their horrified, resigned faces. They spoke to her.

  J’Hai’Nyon.

  J’Hai’Kyn’So.

  J’Hai’Cacc.

  J’Hai’Z’Luc.

  She listened and offered the only reply that made sense.

  “I’ll try,” she told them.

  The radiation storm splintered her genes to every corner of the world, lost to memory.

  And then, someone handed Sam a poppy in bloom ...

  She awoke on the floor of her habitat dome.

  Sam sat up and uttered the first words she remembered.

  “J’Hai no more. J’Hai pursue. J’Hai reborn. J’Hai avenge.”

  A million years of loneliness grabbed Sam’s heart and told her a story of decay, arrogance, acceptance, resistance, and treachery. The images, the emotions, and the senses overwhelmed her, as if the greatest encyclopedia in the universe were dumped into her mind at once. Her head throbbed, she vomited, and then she cried for a very long time.

  It wasn’t possible, and yet it was the only truth that mattered. For reasons Sam did not comprehend, the Jewels decided she would be their messenger. They wanted her to change the equation.

  “It’s happening again,” she whispered. “It won’t happen again.”

  She dressed, dried her tears, and brushed her hair. Assuming this would work at all, she needed to appear confident.

  When Sam left her dome, the first light of dawn crept over the highlands to the city’s east. She knew who to see but wasn’t certain where to find him. So, Sam did the only reasonable thing to move the process along: She approached armed immortals.

  In the low light, they didn’t pay attention to her at first. Four of them – two boys, two girls, ages nine to eleven – huddled together, motivating each other. They didn’t need to be afraid. They would live forever and keep coming at the enemy, even if they died for a short while. She heard the terror in their tone, but it was vaunted by the naïve certainty of victory over superior forces.

  “Excuse me,” she said. “Where might I find Admiral Valentin?”

  They recognized her, of course, and even offered fleeting smiles. She recalled speaking to a couple of them in the food production line. But the young zealots in them took over. They grabbed their holstered blast rifles and aimed.

  “What do you want with Admiral Valentin, Chancellor?”

  “My name is Samantha Pynn, and I am your Ambassador to Earth. I have important information for the Admiral. Can you take me to him?”

  The boy who first addressed her stepped forward in a provocative manner, his eyes probing and deeply cynical.

  “You were a tool to use against the enemy. Everyone says so. How do we know you aren’t an agent for the Chancellors?” His eyes widened. “You’re probably giving them intelligence about our … oh! Are you an assassin?”

  Sam directed her attention to an older girl who appeared to roll her eyes at the boy’s melodramatics.

  “Henri, how can she be passing along intelligence?” The girl said. “She has no stream amp. She peeled potatoes with us yesterday.”

  “A good disguise, Linnea. Don’t trust people who try to blend in.”

  “OK, Henri. Fair enough. I propose we take her to Admiral Valentin. If she is trying to betray us, he’ll be thankful we arrested her.”

  “But we have live-fire drills in twenty minutes. We can’t be late.”

  Sam grinned. “Then let’
s be quick. I’ll run if I have to.”

  The idea of these children facing a Guard onslaught horrified Sam. Perhaps this new body armor would keep them intact for a while, but what reasonable chance did these kids have against battalions of peacekeepers?

  Henri turned to his brothers and sisters.

  “Linnea, you come with me to escort the prisoner. If Admiral Valentin is upset, we’re the ones who take the heat. Maren, Otto, report to the drills.” Though Henri was the smallest of the four, he apparently outranked them, as all three fell in line. “Come,” he told Sam. “If you cause trouble, I’ll blast you.”

  She followed them at a jog. They entered the industrial sector and led her into Haven, the former UG troop transport used now for weapons production. Inside, a dozen immortals in their standard-issue bodysuit lined up at the Recon tubes to be fitted into their armor. Others, now looking like formidable albeit smallish soldiers, checked in at a weapons depot and armed themselves. At the center of it all, Admiral Valentin operated from a dais surrounded by holowindows. Henri and Linnea brought their prisoner to him.

  “Admiral,” Henri announced. “Permission to speak, sir.”

  Valentin, in full armor, seemed annoyed by the distraction.

  “Quickly, Sergeant. What is it? You are due at drills.”

  “Samantha Pynn, sir. We found her roaming the city. She demands to see you.”

  Those words caught his full attention. Their eyes locked for a few seconds before Valentin turned to Sgt. Henri.

  “Thank you, Sergeant. I’ll handle this. Both of you to drills. Now.”

  Neither Henri nor Linnea said anything as they ran from Haven. Valentin stepped through the holowindows and lowered his voice, scanning in either direction.

  “I thought you were confined to quarters,” he said. “I can’t guarantee your safety anymore, Samantha.”

  “I know. They’re coming. And I realize you’re busy. Valentin, give me two minutes. You won’t hear anything more important all day. Maybe ever. Please.”

  He gritted his teeth and looked to his right.

  “Col. Joosten,” he shouted. A soldier Valentin’s age, and therefore one of the first in the line of immortals, rushed to the Admiral’s side.