ã€ŠThrough the Stars, Darklyã€‹


 1. Where war falls into our heros lap

    The entire structure shook under the constant explosions. Alarms blared, red lights flashed.

    Val cursed as she tried to steady the ship, while at the same time avoiding collision with any of the other crafts.

    None of them had noticed her popping up out of nowhere in the middle of the battlefield¡ªStarrider was too small, compared to these others¡ªbut she was still getting hit by stray shots, and Val worried her ship would not hold much longer.

    "We have to get out of this mess!" she cried out. "Can you get us down to the surface?"

    She glanced at the screen, which showed the blue and green globe of a planet. Which one was it? She had no idea.

    "I... I''m not sure," responded a hesitant voice.

    "Come on, Nim! This is no time for self-doubt. I know you can do this!"

    A new explosion made the ship rock, and she nearly lost her balance.

    "Very well," finally responded the disembodied voice. "I will try."

    The view shifted as Starrider suddenly dipped and raced toward the planet below. It grew larger on the screen as they approached it at full speed.

    For a moment, Val worried what might happen when they entered the atmosphere... would the whole damn thing catch fire and come apart at the seams? It was just as likely as any other scenario. The ship was old, and possibly not sturdy enough to withstand such an ordeal¡ªespecially after getting bombarded as it just had.

    At least the explosions had eased off.

    The alarms had not.

    "Oh for crying out loud, could you please cut those off? I''m going nuts over here..."

    "They are automated, Val. I¡ª"

    "I know that, wise ass. But you control the ship, don''t you?"

    The voice went silent for a moment, and then the alarms did as well.

    "You''re right. I''m sorry."

    She sighed.

    "It''s alright. Any idea how we got here?"

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    One moment they had reached a scavenging site, and she''d been getting ready to board one of the wrecks. The next, they were sucked into a space rift that had appeared out of nowhere... and they''d landed here, right in the middle of a freaking battlefield.

    "I''m not sure," said Nim''s hesitant voice.

    "Could you please look into it? I don''t like when my ship does things I have no control over."

    "Of course, Val."

    The ship continued its descent. When it entered the atmosphere, the friction made the structure shake again¡ªperhaps more so than it had before. Thankfully, though, there were no explosions and no fire.

    Nim decelerated as they approached the surface. The craft straightened and flew until it reached a valley near a stream. There, it gently landed.

    Val sat down and sighed a sigh of relief.

    "Looks like we made it in one piece."

    She rubbed her forehead, noticing she was covered in sweat.

    "I''m not so sure about that," said Nim. "We did take some damage, and¡ª"

    "I meant you and me, silly."

    "Oh."

    "Run some tests, would you? I think I need to take a shower while you do that."

    She stood and headed toward her cabin.

    Valentina Corenth was an independent woman¡ªin all senses of the word. She had always made her own choices in life¡ªsome good, some bad. For the most part, she''d lived alone¡ªsometimes by choice, other times not so much. She''d started her own business, working as a pilot and a scavenger. It was not an easy life, and one that kept her at the fringes of legality, but it was her life and she wouldn''t have traded it for anything.

    Well, except maybe that last bit with the space rift.

    What the hell had that been about?

    Had it come a few minutes later, it would have sucked an empty ship, leaving her stranded on a wreck in the middle of nowhere. That was a chilling thought.

    Well, not an empty ship. There was Nim.

    The thought of losing him was almost as painful.

    She shook her head, trying to get that image out of her head. No use worrying about something that hadn''t happened. It had been a close call, but everything had worked out.

    Except for the fact that they were now on some unknown planet, who knew where?

    And who had been fighting out there?

    "Have you identified those warships?" she asked as she went into her cabin, knowing that Nim could hear her¡ªhe was everywhere, after all.

    "Some of them wore the Imperial banner," responded the familiar voice.

    She frowned at this. "Really? Hmm. Did we get dragged into some sort of resistance war?"

    "No idea, Val."

    "What about the planet? Do you know where we are?"

    "According to all the analyses I''ve run, I believe this is Rimzana."

    "You''re not sure?"

    "I''m still trying to compare with Imperial records, but access has been... challenging."

    She glanced up¡ªthough of course, all she could see from here was the metallic ceiling of her cabin.

    "Could it be because of those ships? Are they scrambling our signal?"

    "Possibly."

    Val stripped out of her clothes and went into the shower.

    Assuming this was Rimzana, things weren''t as bad as they seemed. It was a civilized world, after all. They could easily find a place to fix the ship.

    It was part of the Imperium, though. Which begged the question: who were they fighting up there?

    Not that it really mattered. It didn''t concern her, after all. She''d head into the nearest town and hire a fixer to look at the ship. Maybe she could fish for info while she was there.

    Who could say no to her?

    She liked to think she was rather fun and easy-going, though she''d have kicked the ass of anyone who dared call her ''Valentina.''

    It was Val, thankyouverymuch.

 2. Where a man faces demons from his past

    The house was made of metal and glass. It rose in the middle of the street, surrounded by other structures of metal and glass. It was cold, bleak, indistinguishable from its neighbors.

    There had been trees on this street. A long time ago. But they were gone now. Wood had become a precious commodity, as there were very few trees left on the planet.

    Some of the houses used to have pools, but those had been removed to make room for more houses.

    A few blocks away, there had been a park¡ªthough with few trees, even then. Now the grass and greenery had been removed, too. As had the benches and alleys. The ground had been razed, replaced with more houses.

    It was not the same place it had once been.

    So much had changed.

    All that was left now was metal and glass.

    The man sat on a bench¡ªa cold, steel bench¡ªand stared at the house.

    He had stood and walked toward the door at least five times, before pausing and going back to his seat.

    There were tears in his eyes, which he wiped with the back of his hand.

    How was he supposed to tell her what he had come to tell her?

    He buried his head in his hands.

    After a couple of minutes, he took a deep breath and stood again.

    It needed to be done.

    He couldn¡¯t linger forever.

    With resolve, he crossed the street.

    Stolen story; please report.

    As he was about to cave and turn away once more, the door opened.

    He froze.

    A blonde middle-aged woman stood in the doorframe, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Halden,¡± she breathed. ¡°I thought that was you.¡±

    He gave a slight nod, though he said nothing. He did not trust his own voice right now. The last thing he wanted was to break down in front of her.

    The woman crossed her arms.

    ¡°Well?¡± she asked. ¡°I assume you didn¡¯t come all the way here just to stare at the house.¡±

    She must have seen him on the bench, he realized. It was just across the street, after all. He should have guessed she¡¯d see him. What an idiot he was.

    He rubbed the back of his head and looked down.

    How could he tell her?

    He had rehearsed the words a thousand times on the way here. Each one of them had been chosen carefully, thoughtfully, taking into account her character and temperament. They had lived together long enough that he knew what type of reaction certain words would elicit. He had crafted the speech to the littlest detail, and he knew it all by heart.

    But now that he was here, in front of her, faced with this incredibly difficult chore, the whole damn thing had evaporated. He couldn¡¯t remember a single word of it.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± he breathed out.

    That was all he could muster. And saying those three words sucked all the energy out of him. It drove reality into his skull like a hammer. He nearly broke apart. It took all the little willpower he had left to keep him together.

    He didn¡¯t dare look up. But he wondered how her face looked now. Was she as shocked as he had been when he¡¯d found out? She¡¯d have to be. Lucy had been her daughter too, after all.

    ¡°So?¡± came the cold, heartless answer.

    It sent a jolt through his body, and his head shot up. He blinked as he looked into her uncaring eyes.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t think you understand. She¡¯s dead, Marcia.¡±

    The woman who had once been his wife¡ªa lifetime ago, it seemed¡ªshrugged.

    ¡°Who was she to me, Halden? You took her away from me ages ago. She was as good as dead. I have my own life now. Go away.¡±

    He knew she didn¡¯t mean any of that. Behind the coldness, he could read the pain in her eyes. She just wanted to hurt him¡ªthe same way he¡¯d hurt her, so many years ago. He had been a different man, then. But how could he explain this to her? How could he make her understand?

    Probably he deserved her disdain, her contempt. He couldn¡¯t blame her.

    But why now?

    This had been a mistake. He shouldn¡¯t have come to see her.

    ¡°I just wanted you to know,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Take care.¡±

    Without another word, and not waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.

    Away from the house.

    Away from the bench.

    Away from all the metal and glass.

 3. Where freedom plays hard to get

    The dome was translucent. It rose high above the city, smooth and daunting.

    Why was it even there? It wasn''t like there were any dangerous animals on this world¡ªat least, not more than on any other world. And the air was breathable.

    Val approached the gate warily. She only saw local officers manning it, but she suspected Imperial soldiers to be nearby.

    ¡°What''s your business here?¡± asked one of the officials as he scanned her wristpad.

    ¡°Fell from the sky,¡± she said. ¡°Ship''s wrecked. Need a fixer.¡±

    The man frowned. ¡°You flew through the battlefield? Why would you even risk that?¡±

    She could have told him she hadn''t had a choice, but that would have led to more questions she didn''t want to answer. She already regretted having shared as much as she had. The last thing she needed was for Imperials to dig into her records.

    Maybe she could try a diversion.

    "Speaking of the battlefield, what is that about? Thought I''d die up there."

    The man frowned. "Do I look like a TriVid screen? Answer the question."

    Well, that didn''t work...

    ¡°I have an urgent message to deliver,¡± she lied.

    That would lead to questions too, she knew, but at least it''d move them away from the truth.

    ¡°Who is the intended recipient?¡±

    She took on the most imperious tone she could muster.

    ¡°That is not for me to say, nor for you to know. The powerful do not want the likes of us meddling in their affairs.¡±

    The official blinked, taken aback. He looked at the displayed data on his retina and cleared his throat.

    ¡°Fine. You have one hour to deliver your message. You are granted five more to find a fixer. If you need more time, you must apply for it at the Regency.¡±

    The man pressed two fingers against her wristpad, and the timespan was digitally recorded.

    Walking through the gate and into the city, she decided she''d have to thank Nim for hacking her credentials. When he had first suggested it, she''d thought he was overreacting. She knew better now. Without this, she''d likely have been arrested.

    The gate opened into a tube with transparent surfaces. It slanted up, toward a transit station. The floor moved under her feet, carrying her faster than she could have walked.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    There were no streets in Uthyn. Only airwaves and tunnels. Pedestrians used the walking tubes while gliders and shuttles filled the sky.

    When she reached the platform, Val paused at the Holscreen Terminal to search for a fixer. Several addresses popped up, which she downloaded to her wristpad. The list appeared for a second before the display glitched. She swore and tapped on the mini-screen. It went black, then lit up again. She sighed when everything went back to normal.

    She''d have to talk to Nim about this.

    The device calculated the closest address and determined which shuttle she would need to take to get there.

    Ten minutes later, she got off the flying vehicle and headed down a tube toward a large structure made of glass walls¡ªthough they were tinted black so that you could not see within.

    When she entered the building, she froze.

    There were Impies all over the place. Their green and red uniforms glistened under the rays of the sun.

    None of them were paying any attention to her, though, as they were busy moving large cages into the back of a shuttle.

    And there were people in those cages!

    She stared for a moment, then averted her eyes, clenching her fists, and moved on, headed toward the fixer''s location. He worked somewhere around here.

    The place, she realized, was a vast hangar¡ªlikely owned by the Imperium¡ªwith various areas rented out to private enterprises that needed the space. Mostly merchants needing a place to store merchandise... and one fixer.

    To reach her destination, she had to walk through a large empty room... though it was not completely empty. She spotted a few more cages here and guessed this was where they had all been stored while waiting for a ship to move them to whatever prison they were to be thrown in.

    As she approached, she heard soldiers talking. She hadn''t noticed them at first, as they were hidden by one of the cages.

    ¡°Freaking scum! We should just dump them all in space. I don''t understand why the Imperium even bothers with them.¡±

    ¡°To keep us busy,¡± snorted another, ¡°that''s why.¡±

    The voices faded as the soldiers walked out of the room.

    ¡°Looks like we have something in common,¡± said a voice from behind her.

    She turned and squinted at the man.

    He had short black hair, a two-day beard, and twinkling blue eyes.

    More importantly, he was locked in one of the cages.

    She snorted. ¡°Oh? And what would that be?¡±

    He motioned with his chin in the direction the Imperials had gone.

    ¡°You dislike them.¡±

    ¡°Doesn''t everyone?¡±

    The other chuckled. ¡°Don''t let them hear you say that, or you might end up in a cage too.¡±

    ¡°I need to go,¡± she said as she turned away.

    ¡°Hey! Hang on. Maybe we can help each other here... They''re gone now. They''ll be back soon, but you could break the lock before¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No? What do you mean, no?¡±

    ¡°Which part of ''no'' do you not understand?¡±

    The man grimaced. ¡°It''s not like I''m asking you to marry me...¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Only to risk my life for you. No thank you.¡±

    ¡°Come on, princess! Get me out of here. It''ll only take a second.¡±

    ¡°Princess?¡±

    ¡°Isn''t that what every little girl dreams of becoming when they grow up?¡±

    ¡°I haven''t been a little girl in a very long time. And, for your information, I wanted to be a pilot. Which I am.¡±

    ¡°So we have a way out? Awesome!¡±

    ¡°There is no ''we.'' Goodbye.¡±

    She turned to leave again, but he called out.

    ¡°Wait, prin¡ª¡± The word got caught in his throat when he saw the glare she threw at him. ¡°Alright, alright, how about we start over? My name¡¯s Kaine. What''s yours?¡±

    She squinted at him. ¡°Val.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Val. Look, all I¡¯m asking is for a little bit of compassion...¡±

    There were three other cages nearby. Two of the prisoners held within were asleep, but the third was staring at them.

    ¡°I don''t have time for this,¡± she said.

    Kaine glanced at the eavesdropper and lowered his voice.

    ¡°What if I told you I could pay you?¡±

    That got her attention.

 4. Where the Imperium comes knocking

    Wrecked ships drifted as far as the eye could see. The carcasses came in all shapes and sizes, though few of them were military. Most were merchant vessels... How they had ended up here was anyone¡¯s guess.

    Colonel Adam Bregg had some thoughts about that.

    ¡°Are you sure this is the location?¡± he asked dubiously, though his eyes remained locked on the screen.

    ¡°The energy leak is fading, but it¡¯s still strong enough that we can pick up on it, Colonel. It¡¯s not far. Straight ahead. We should reach it within two minutes.¡±

    Bregg frowned. All he could see here were the massive hunks and thousands of floating debris.

    It made no sense.

    His eyes scanned the surrounding wrecks. He spotted an Imperial vessel and pointed toward it.

    ¡°Lt. Ferris! See if you can connect us to that ship.¡±

    The officer glanced at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s been dead for a long time, Colonel. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just try.¡±

    The other nodded and turned to his console.

    Bregg¡¯s eyes went back to the screen.

    When they finally reached their destination, they found nothing there of any interest.

    Except, maybe...

    There was a glint, a fading light¡ªit wavered for only a second before it petered out.

    ¡°The signal¡¯s gone, Colonel.¡±

    He grunted.

    ¡°Colonel!¡± There was amazement in Ferris¡¯ voice. ¡°This is incredible... there is still juice in that ship!¡±

    Bregg was not surprised. Those older models had been built to last. Unless they were completely torn apart, or their thilium core stripped out, their systems could hold and function for thousands of years.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He walked up to his officer¡¯s post and looked over his shoulder.

    ¡°Bring up the sensors¡¯ feed and play it backward from now. I want to see what happened here.¡±

    The man worked on his console for a moment, until a picture appeared on the display.

    ¡°Send it to the front screen,¡± commanded Bregg as he returned to his earlier position.

    The ship graveyard remained, but the shift in lighting and angle told him he was now watching a recording. A timer at the bottom was rolling back fast.

    The light he had seen reappeared and grew. And grew. Then a new ship popped out of the light.

    ¡°Pause it!¡± he cried out.

    The image froze.

    He walked closer to the screen and squinted.

    ¡°Not merchant,¡± he muttered, ¡°not military, not diplomatic... Definitely human, though.¡± He scratched his beard, thoughtful. ¡°Ferris, can you look it up?¡±

    ¡°Already on it, Colonel.¡± There was a brief pause as the man read the data on his display. ¡°According to records, the ship¡¯s called Starrider. It was built two hundred years ago and was decommissioned shortly after.¡±

    Bregg quirked a brow as his eyes went from the image to his officer.

    ¡°Then what¡¯s it doing here?¡±

    The lieutenant looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Colonel. The most recent information I have dates from a hundred and seventy years ago.¡±

    ¡°Why was it decommissioned?¡±

    Ferris shook his head. ¡°That information has been classified.¡±

    Bregg frowned. He had not expected that.

    ¡°Send the data to my wristpad,¡± he ordered.

    The lieutenant complied.

    A few minutes later, the Colonel stared at the red blinking text on his display.

    He looked back up at the frozen ship on the screen. Then at his officer.

    ¡°Can you track where that rift took them?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not enough residual energy left, Colonel...¡±

    Bregg pointed toward the ship that had provided the recording.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet you anything that our friend here has all the data we need.¡±

    The lieutenant seemed hesitant. He stood and approached his superior.

    ¡°Colonel, if I may?¡±

    ¡°You may.¡±

    He had lowered his voice, to make sure only Bregg could hear him.

    ¡°I fear you could get into trouble if you pursue this any further.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°First, it does not fall within the scope of our mission. Second, the locks on that ship¡¯s file tell me powerful people wouldn¡¯t like someone else poking their noses into¡ª¡±

    The Colonel cut him off.

    ¡°And do you think those powerful people would want a thief to be going around with their precious ship?¡±

    ¡°For all we know, it might be on a mission for them.¡±

    Bregg shook his head and pointed at the screen.

    ¡°Do you know what this is, Richard?¡±

    ¡°A graveyard.¡±

    ¡°Yes. But no battle was held here. These ships did not get here on their own. They were brought here.¡±

    ¡°Who would do that?¡±

    ¡°Who indeed, and why?¡± The Colonel smiled. ¡°You know what I think? I think pirates are behind this. They attack and sack ships, then bring them here to die, hoping others will dismiss this as a battle scene¡ªlike so many others out there.¡±

    ¡°Even so...¡±

    ¡°Who would come here, Richard? Pirates or scavengers, that¡¯s who. All criminals who deserve to be caught and punished for their crimes. And we will catch them. Now, please find me our next destination, would you?¡±

    The lieutenant nodded and returned to his post.

    Bregg watched him for a moment, then looked back to the screen.

    Yes, he would catch the thief.

    And then that ship would be his.

 5. Where a new feature is discovered

    Val had never aimed to become ¡°rich and famous.¡± She did not obsess over money, much less fame. But she did have expenses and the least she expected was to make ends meet. Which could sometimes be a challenge. Especially when you were unexpectedly thrown away from a scavenger job, and into the middle of an unknown battlefield.

    Consequently, her interest had been piqued when Kaine had offered to pay her. That was not an offer she could easily have refused.

    There would be challenges here too, though. But her dislike of the Imperium and seeing all these men caged had helped sway her to reason.

    Before breaking the man free, she¡¯d had to take care of the other prisoner. It would do them no good if he started shouting. And they hardly could take him with them, as he was sure to beg for.

    She had turned and walked over to the other cage, under the malicious gaze of the prisoner inside. Then she had zapped him with her phaser. It was set to stun, so he¡¯d be fine, but at least he¡¯d stay quiet now.

    After that, she had used the same weapon to shoot Kaine¡¯s cage open.

    That fool had wasted three precious minutes looking for his bag¡ªshe¡¯d been tempted to just leave him there. But he had finally found it, and they had run.

    Well, not literally. That would have drawn unwanted attention. But they¡¯d hurried to the transit station and taken the first shuttle out.

    Five minutes into the flight, she had realized her mistake.

    ¡°The fixer!¡± she¡¯d cried out while pointing an accusing finger at Kaine. ¡°Because of you, my ship won¡¯t get fixed and we¡¯ll get caught. Great job! Now we¡¯re really screwed.¡±

    The man had made a face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were stranded. What¡¯s wrong with your ship?¡±

    ¡°How the hell would I know? I¡¯m not a fixer.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am.¡±

    She¡¯d blinked in surprise. ¡°You are?¡±

    ¡°Sort of. I used to apprentice with one. Depending on what the issue is, I might be able to handle it.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re only half screwed. Got it.¡±

    Getting out of the city had proved easier than either of them had expected.

    They had arrived at the gate at the same time as a large congregation of kahdians. The guards were intent on checking everyone, but some of the men argued, and this led to a commotion. Most of the party had then been rushed through, and the two runaways had blended into the crowd.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Mimicking the fanatics had not been difficult: vacant stares and constant mumblings while marching slowly forward.

    Once through, they had drifted away from the group and headed toward Val¡¯s glider. She had left it nearby, and they¡¯d used it to return to the ship.

    Now safely inside, she turned to him with a proud grin.

    ¡°Welcome to Starrider, the latest in quantum physics!¡±

    Kaine looked around him, studying the structure.

    What he saw was faded paint, walls in disrepair, dangling cables, used parts, ancient control consoles, and even some damaged equipment. Plus, the soft humming coming from the walls did not sound natural at all.

    Kaine smirked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure it was ¡®the latest¡¯ fifty years ago.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let appearances fool you,¡± said Val with a grin. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll show you around.¡±

    The rest of the ship, however, was very much in the same sorry state.

    ¡°You might need more than a fixer,¡± he remarked.

    ¡°She was flying fine until we got caught in that mess up there,¡± she said with a snort as she pointed toward the sky.

    ¡°Why, what¡¯s up there?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? How long have you been here?¡±

    ¡°On Rimzana? Two weeks. But the Impies caught me three days ago. Haven¡¯t heard the news since.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s a more recent development than I thought.¡±

    She went on to describe the scene she had stumbled into, though she did not mention her interrupted scavenging expedition¡ªor the rift the ship had gone through. This man was a stranger, and it was none of his business. Instead, she highlighted how the ship had been roughed up by the ordeal.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to see the engines,¡± he said. ¡°Hopefully it¡¯s not a thilium problem.¡±

    ¡°What if it is?¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°Even a fixer couldn¡¯t help you with that. You¡¯d need a scientist.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the core,¡± said Nim¡¯s voice.

    Kaine frowned as they walked. He glanced at the walls.

    ¡°Is that your AI?¡±

    There was a short silence before Val answered.

    ¡°Yes. His name is Nim.¡±

    ¡°So what is the issue, Nim?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Mostly external damage to the hull, though some circuits have also fried under the blasts.¡±

    ¡°Alright. That I can handle.¡±

    ¡°How long will it take?¡± asked Val. ¡°I¡¯m concerned the Imperials could track us down. The longer we wait, the higher the risk we¡¯ll get caught.¡±

    ¡°Believe me, hon, I don¡¯t want to get caught either. But fixing takes time. At least a couple of hours. Maybe more, depending on the extent of the damage.¡±

    A brow rose when he called her ¡®hon,¡¯ but she swallowed her protest when the rest of his statement registered in her mind.

    ¡°Crap.¡±

    ¡°You should put up a shield.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°We have a shield?¡±

    Kaine laughed. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±

    Val looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Nim! Do we have a shield?¡±

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know. Maybe?¡±

    ¡°Well, could you please check?¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°How could you not know if you have a shield?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve never needed to use one,¡± she snapped. ¡°Speeding into a battle head first is not something we have a habit of doing.¡±

    ¡°How about hiding from the Imperium?¡±

    She grimaced. ¡°A shield wouldn¡¯t help much with that.¡±

    ¡°Depends on the type of shield. You said it¡¯s a quantum ship? If so, I¡¯d expect it to have an invisibility cloak.¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°Are you serious right now?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    ¡°Nim?¡±

    The disembodied voice responded with some uncertainty.

    ¡°There is something... I am trying to activate it. Ah, yes. I see how it works.¡±

    ¡°What about the invisibility thing?¡± she asked impatiently.

    ¡°It is now up and running!¡±

    ¡°Who would have known?¡± she whispered, shaking her head.

    ¡°Your AI should have,¡± remarked Kaine.

    She did not comment as they made their way to the bridge.

 6. Where a mystery is revealed

    The Institute of Applied Sciences was founded five thousand years ago. It became famous after it mastered thilium physics and created the first thilium drives. The Empire was quick to turn it into a government-owned organism with facilities spread across the universe.

    One such facility¡ªperhaps the second largest¡ªwas located on Bernice, in a former underground military base.

    It was there that, day after day, Halden sat at his desk and tried to drown sorrow with work.

    He had been sorting and entering data into the translucent 3D system for two hours when someone knocked at his door. He was so focused that it startled him.

    Looking up, he saw one of his younger assistants walk into his office.

    ¡°Today¡¯s data just arrived, Professor.¡±

    The scientist nodded without a word as the younger man dropped the holofile on his desk, turned, and headed out.

    Sitting back in his chair, Halden grabbed the file and browsed through the data. Halfway through, he paused and stared.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be right,¡± he muttered.

    After reading the offending section five times, he jumped out of his chair and rushed to the door. Popping his head through, he shouted.

    ¡°Groggan!¡±

    It was the young assistant¡¯s turn to be startled. He looked up from his desk.

    ¡°Yes, Professor?¡±

    ¡°Could you come here one minute?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The man hurried back into the office as Halden returned to his seat. He pointed at the file.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Today¡¯s data, sir. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± said the scientist in annoyance. ¡°When was it recorded?¡±

    ¡°Well, sir, the most recent is from a month ago. It does take time to gather the data and process it...¡±

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Halden frowned. ¡°Have you looked at it?¡±

    The young man seemed surprised by the question.

    ¡°No, of course not! You always want everything to go through you first, Professor.¡±

    Halden stared at his assistant, then at the file.

    ¡°According to this,¡± he said, ¡°a spike of thilindrin energy was observed in the Tin¡¯kisti Belt.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news, Professor!¡±

    ¡°Is it now?¡±

    ¡°There must be a lot of thilium there.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where the Tin¡¯kisti Belt is, Groggan?¡±

    ¡°No, sir, I don¡¯t believe I do. Though the name sounds familiar.¡±

    Halden sighed. These young men were all laser-focused on their careers and had little knowledge of anything that fell outside their intended field of expertise. It was disheartening.

    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s a historical site. But what matters here is that it¡¯s at the fringe of the Imperium. No thilium has ever been found on any of those worlds in the last two hundred years.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ve missed it?¡±

    The scientist looked at his assistant with distaste, trying to remember why it was exactly he had hired him.

    ¡°This,¡± he said, jabbing a finger at the file, ¡°indicates a source ten times more powerful than any other source ever found. That doesn¡¯t just pop up out of nowhere in...¡± He frowned and made a quick search on his 3D terminal. ¡°Well, looks like the Belt was last scanned only a decade ago. A source this big would have taken at least a century to develop. There should have been traces of it during that previous scan¡ªnot to mention the five before that. But there was none.¡± He looked back at his assistant. ¡°What do you make of that?¡±

    Groggan looked confused. ¡°I... I don¡¯t know, sir. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    Halden snorted. ¡°That¡¯s the most sensible thing you¡¯ve said all day.¡± He sat back in his chair, staring at the file. ¡°It truly makes no sense at all.¡±

    He felt a tingle in his head, signaling an incoming call on his vircell. He motioned for Groggan to leave, and the young man did so, closing the door behind him.

    Halden took the call.

    The 3D face of an older man appeared on his retina.

    ¡°Marthus. What owes me the displeasure?¡±

    He said this with some humor, as the two of them had been good friends for over three decades. But the other grunted.

    ¡°Have you double-checked any of the data you¡¯ve sent me?¡±

    Halden frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been inputting erroneous data...¡±

    With a few quick gestures, the scientist brought up the last batch he¡¯d sent and paled as he scanned it. Without noticing it, he had replaced some of the numbers with his daughter¡¯s birthday. How could he have missed that?

    ¡°You need to take a break, Halden.¡±

    He jerked back and stared at his friend.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You heard me. Nor is it the first time I¡¯ve said it.¡±

    ¡°And as before, I¡¯ll tell you that¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Halden. Not this time. This time, it¡¯s an order.¡±

    He groaned. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, Hal! You¡¯re lucky I caught this before it went further up the chain, or you¡¯d be facing more than just a break. You¡¯re on leave, starting right now. Take the whole month.¡±

    ¡°The whole month? What am I going to do?¡±

    ¡°Grieve, that¡¯s what. You can¡¯t escape it forever. You need to say your goodbyes to Lucy, and find closure.¡±

    It hurt him to hear those words, but he also knew them to be true, deep inside.

    He had tried to hide his pain, to drown it, but pain had a way to lash back at you when you least expected it.

    The image of his friend faded without another word.

    He stared at his desk for a few minutes, then gathered his things and left the building.

 7. Where trapped mice make a speedy escape

    With every passing hour, Val grew more restless.

    As she paced back and forth, biting down on her lip, an alarm blared through the ship.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she shouted. ¡°And please shut that off!¡±

    The ringing stopped as Nim¡¯s voice rang out.

    ¡°Imperial ships coming in.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were invisible?¡±

    ¡°We are. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re coming for us, but they¡¯re searching for something.¡±

    ¡°Or someone...¡±

    She cursed as she ran through the corridors to the engine room, where Kaine was still busy working.

    ¡°How much longer?¡± she cried out as she stumbled into the room.

    He glanced over at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Impies approaching. They¡¯re scanning the whole area. I worry that invisible or not, we could still show up on their sensors. We need to get out of here.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t. Show up on sensors, I mean.¡± He looked back to the console he was repairing. ¡°That¡¯s the whole point of the system, after all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an old ship, Kaine. New technology might be able to pierce through our disguise.¡±

    That gave him pause for a second, then he shook his head. ¡°Nah. The technology hasn¡¯t evolved much in a hundred years. So unless this baby is older than that...¡±

    She frowned. ¡°How could it not have evolved?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± he said as he leaned closer to the circuits and welded them with a device he held in his right hand. ¡°One I can¡¯t really answer. What I can tell you is what the rumor is.¡±

    ¡°The rumor?¡±

    ¡°People say the Imperium is stagnating¡ª¡±

    ¡°It is! That¡¯s nothing new. What does that have to do with quantum physics?¡±

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Oh, only everything.¡± He straightened and put the tool down. ¡°What do you think stagnation means? It¡¯s not just about politics. It¡¯s also¡ªand perhaps most essentially¡ªabout science. You can¡¯t have a thriving Empire if there is no technological progress.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t say why there isn¡¯t.¡±

    He slid the panel back over the compartment, covering the circuits, and screwed it shut.

    ¡°Suppression and oppression. About a century ago, the Emperor decided science was a heresy.¡± He glanced over his shoulder at her. ¡°How can you not know this?¡±

    ¡°I do know it. I just assumed it was for show, to keep the people in the dark, but that he still had people working in the background. I mean, it¡¯s not like the Imperium has lost all its technology. And Assalin itself remains one of the wealthiest and most advanced worlds in the universe.¡±

    ¡°Sadly, it was not for show. As a result, all our leading scientists¡ªthose who weren¡¯t jailed or executed¡ªflocked away, beyond the Imperium¡¯s reach.¡±

    ¡°Then how can we still have so much technology?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the real question, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kaine had a troubled expression on his face as he worked. ¡°Which is why it¡¯s just a rumor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but my mind would be more at ease if we got off this damned rock. How much longer is this going to take?¡±

    He tightened the last screw and turned to face her with a smile.

    ¡°All done.¡±

    As she opened her mouth to respond, alarms blared again.

    ¡°Nim!¡±

    The sound was cut off instantly.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°What is it this time?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been spotted.¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°One of the ships went past us. It then turned and is coming back in our direction. Oh, no...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It is turning its weapons toward us and hailing us.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    A new voice rose. It was firm, deep, and commanding.

    ¡°Cloaked ship, identify yourself! Failure to do so will prompt immediate termination.¡±

    Val spun to face Kaine.

    ¡°The ship is ready?¡±

    He nodded.

    Without another word, she rushed out of the engine room, toward the bridge.

    ¡°Nim! Keep the cloak and shield on if you can, but get us out of here! Now!¡±

    ¡°But... you¡¯re the pilot!¡±

    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re the ship. Do it! I¡¯ll be at the controls in a minute, but we can¡¯t afford to wait. Try not to make any noise as you lift off. With some luck, they won¡¯t notice.¡±

    She heard Kaine running behind her.

    ¡°If they sensed us on the ground,¡± he said, ¡°there¡¯s no reason they couldn¡¯t sense us in the air too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather take that chance than remain a sitting duck.¡±

    They heard the soft hum in the walls amplify as the engines turned on.

    ¡°We are taking off. But where should we go?¡±

    ¡°Up, Nim! Up! As fast as you can. Toward the stars.¡±

    Alarms blared again, and the ship shook.

    ¡°They shot at us!¡± said Nim, though the words almost came out as a whine.

    ¡°The shield?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s holding.¡±

    ¡°Great. Stop the alarm, please! It¡¯s driving me nuts.¡±

    The ringing stopped as they barged into the bridge. Val hurried to the pilot¡¯s seat and jumped in, while Kaine sat next to her.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± he asked.

    Her eyes were focused on the controls as she answered, fingers darting from one switch to the next.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°A war is raging up there...¡±

    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t forgotten, Kaine. I haven¡¯t forgotten at all.¡±

    She hit one last button and Starrider shot through the sky, pierced the atmosphere, and headed straight toward the battlefield.

 8. Where a crime is committed

    What would he do for a month? Halden''s job was his life. For him, a month felt like forever.

    He stood in his living room, staring at the couch, then at the TriVid screen.

    Maybe he should go on a trip. He''d always wanted to go to Iriaki...

    No, he hadn''t.

    He grimaced as he realized it had been his daughter''s dream, not his own. When she was a child, he had always been so busy with work he''d never found the time. He had once urged his wife to take her, to just go there together, the two of them, but she had refused. In those days, she never wanted to go anywhere without him. He idly wondered if she regretted that decision today.

    Of course she did. How could she not?

    Then Lucy had grown. She''d found a job and moved into a house of her own. She became so busy herself she never got to make that trip. When she met her husband-to-be, she swore they''d go there for their honeymoon. But that day never came.

    He wiped a tear from his eye and clenched his fists.

    No. He wouldn''t go to Iriaki. He never could now.

    He grabbed the bag he''d brought back from work and took out his things. He wouldn''t normally have brought anything back at all, but he was leaving for a whole freaking month. His office was his life. There were just too many things there he couldn''t do without. Not for a month.

    Like this picture of him with Marcia and Lucy. He stared at it for a moment. A remnant of happier days. He set it down gently.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    There was also his measure-pin, the sky-blue pen his wife had offered him on his thirty-fifth birthday, a tempclock... He froze.

    He was holding the holofile that Groggan had brought him.

    Why did he have this?

    This wasn''t good.

    Not good at all.

    The contents were classified. They were never supposed to leave official buildings. He could get into a lot of trouble for this. He should take the document back immediately.

    He frowned and activated the file, flipping through the data again. Reading it made him uneasy. Something was off. None of this made any sense. It just couldn''t be.

    This was an urgent matter, he realized. He had to take it back. Let someone know it needed to be handled right away. Surely, they would forgive him... it was not like he had taken it on purpose. He had been distracted, troubled, aching...

    He closed the holofile and moved his hand back toward the bag. He stopped, his frown increasing.

    What if...

    No.

    It wouldn''t be proper.

    Worse. It would be illegal.

    Plus, he was supposed to rest.

    He snorted.

    Rest.

    Like he could do that.

    He''d go crazy if he didn''t do anything.

    But what could he do?

    Well...

    There was one thing he could do.

    He moved away from the bag, still holding the holofile, and headed to his desk, in a small office at the back of his house.

    Sitting at his chair, he rummaged through drawers until he found what he was looking for: an old cloner he hadn''t used in years.

    Hoping it would still work after all this time, he slid it against the holofile''s cover and waited. He watched with amazement as the small dark screen lit up and numbers scrolled across the screen.

    As he copied the file, he tried to convince himself that everything would be okay. Nobody would know. He''d be fine. And just to be safe, he''d delete the copy when he was done.

    Once his crime was perpetrated, he went back to the bag, placed the original holofile inside, then hurried to his glider.

    He would return this thing to the Institute.

    Then, he would travel to the Tin''kisti Belt.

    And he would find out what the hell was going on there.

    One way or the other.

 9. Where lies are told and plans are made

    It was old, it shook, it made all sorts of worrying sounds, but Starrider was damn fast.

    The ship shot through the atmosphere and burst into space, right in the midst of the raging battlefield.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you have a plan?¡± asked Kaine in alarm.

    ¡°Simple,¡± said Val as her fingers ran across the console. ¡°We are invisible. While their sensors could probably spot us if they were looking, they¡¯re all kind of too busy right now to look. As for the ship behind us, with so many others around, they¡¯ll have more trouble picking up our signal. And I suspect they¡¯ll quickly become otherwise occupied.¡±

    ¡°Stray shots could still hit us.¡±

    ¡°Which is what happened last time,¡± reminded Nim.

    ¡°Yes, well, we were caught unprepared. We are no longer that. Plus, we now have a shield.¡±

    ¡°Alright. So we get lost in there...¡± Kaine pointed at the battling ships. ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°We keep going until we¡¯re on the other side, then we jump.¡±

    ¡°You sure your ship can handle that? It¡¯s in a sorry state...¡±

    ¡°It could handle it fine before we got stranded down there. Just hold on to something and stop whining.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not whining. Just voicing some legitimate concerns.¡±

    She snorted but didn¡¯t reply as she maneuvered the ship through the battlefield.

    ¡°Those are Qevahri warcrafts,¡± said Kaine after observing the scene for a moment.

    ¡°Why would they attack Rimzana?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what they¡¯re doing...¡±

    She frowned, though her eyes remained focused on the screen as she slid between the giant vessels.

    ¡°Care to elaborate?¡±

    ¡°There are so many of them... if Rimzana was the target, they could easily have sent a few ships down there by now.¡±

    ¡°So you think what? They just want to blow up some Imperial troops?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But they do seem laser-focused.¡±

    Starrider flew through the battle, never straying from its path. Rays would occasionally hit it, but they¡¯d bounce off the shield, sometimes going back to the originator.

    ¡°That¡¯s bound to draw attention,¡± remarked Kaine.

    She shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re moving so fast it wouldn¡¯t matter. We¡¯d no longer be in that spot by the time they looked.¡±

    It took them five minutes to clear out of the mess.

    As soon as the stars greeted them, she punched down on a large green button.

    ¡°Warp drive engaged,¡± said Nim.

    Kaine gripped the sides of his seat.

    Val noticed and chuckled. ¡°Nervous much?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like jumps. Bigger ships than yours have vanished while jumping.¡±

    She grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s hogwash. Legends. It¡¯s perfectly safe.¡±

    He remained quiet as the stars grew in intensity. They became so bright, the screen went white. It was an illusion, of course, the stars didn¡¯t change at all. The warp engine was distorting the view.

    The ship shook under them for a few seconds, then everything went stable again and the stars reappeared.

    ¡°Done,¡± said Val as she got out of the chair. ¡°Let¡¯s go get something to eat. I¡¯m famished.¡±

    He followed her quietly to the mess hall.

    ¡°So,¡± she started, ¡°you haven¡¯t told me how you got caught by the Impies?¡±

    He snorted. ¡°I made a joke they didn¡¯t like.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    He glanced at her. ¡°You know they¡¯ll arrest you if you sneeze at the wrong time or look funny at them, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what parents tell their kids to make them stay clear from the Imperials. You¡¯re not a child, are you?¡±

    ¡°No, but it¡¯s what happened.¡±

    ¡°What was the joke?¡±

    He made a face. ¡°One of them bumped into me in the street. All I saw was the red of his uniform, so I blurted out that he should be careful where he dropped his tomatoes.¡±

    Val grimaced. ¡°You call that a joke?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I was on edge.¡±

    ¡°Well, either way, you shouldn¡¯t have said that to an Impie¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was an Impie until after I¡¯d put my foot in my mouth.¡±

    They reached the mess as he talked. Val wasn¡¯t sure what to think about this guy, but she felt like he wasn¡¯t being upfront with her. She didn¡¯t trust him, that was for sure.

    ¡°What were you doing on Rimzana?¡±

    They sat at a table and she tapped on the in-built console to bring up a list of food options. It floated in the air between them.

    ¡°Looking for something,¡± he said evasively.

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    She swiped through the choices and selected one by moving her finger in a circular motion. It glowed for a second, then faded.

    ¡°People hire me to find things they¡¯ve lost,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t say more than that without breaching the terms of my contract.¡±

    He eyed his options as he talked, then selected an item as well.

    ¡°How do people lose things?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Folks lose all kinds of things all the time.¡±

    She quirked a brow. ¡°I doubt they¡¯d call for your services to find a pen.¡±

    ¡°No, I imagine they wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    So he didn¡¯t want to share. Fine.

    The food they had ordered appeared in front of them. As holograms, at first, but then they materialized.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off on the first planet we find,¡± she said as she started eating. She didn¡¯t want to keep this guy on board any longer than necessary. ¡°I¡¯ll expect full payment by the time we get there.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Of course. A deal¡¯s a deal.¡±

    They fell silent as they ate.

    ***

    Millions of light-years away from them, a small ship picked up a signal.

    They had finally found him.

    With a hurried gesture, the pilot engaged the ship¡¯s warp drive.

 10. Where trampled dignity makes a stand

    He had given thirty years of his life to the military. He had barely turned eighteen when he¡¯d joined¡ªnot so much by choice as by obligation. His father had served, as had his own father before that, and so many of his ancestors. Even his mother, in her own way, had worked for the military. TriVid recordings of epic battles helped, as did the feats of legendary heroes. But his heart had always been in the stars. He dreamed of traveling through them¡ªand, to be fair, the army had given him that gift.

    His years in the Academy had been fun at first, but then had come the harsh realities of the Imperium, and all the political nonsense that took place behind the scenes.

    Still, Bregg had done well enough to work his way up. He got noticed and mentored by a high-ranked officer who shaped him into the cold-hearted soldier he¡¯d become. He got posted on various ships, one after the other, and earned each of his promotions through hard work and dedication.

    Then, of course, everything had come crashing down.

    He stared at the annoying little man who stood before him, refusing to budge.

    ¡°Are you blind?¡± Bregg asked, his voice a clear sign of his mounting impatience. ¡°Do you not see my uniform?¡±

    The other crossed his arms.

    ¡°I see it well enough. But this building is beyond the Imperium¡¯s jurisdiction.¡±

    The Colonel frowned. Though the man was correct, it was preposterous. No place should be beyond the Imperium¡¯s reach. Especially not one that sat at the heart of a world that belonged to said Imperium.

    ¡°I need to speak with Thiari,¡± he repeated.

    ¡°I heard you the first time. And I¡¯ll give you the same response. You can wait for her here. She¡¯s been informed of your presence.¡±

    It was disgraceful. One of his rank should not have to wait outside, standing in the open, where everyone could see him.

    Of course, his rank meant very little since that shameful day.

    He had made one mistake, one little mistake in thirty years of service¡ªtwenty, at the time¡ªand that had been enough to destroy his career, to erase everything good he had ever done for the Imperium.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    That, too, was disgraceful.

    He¡¯d have quit if he had known what else to do with his life. But the army was all he knew. It was his home, ungrateful as it was.

    Two soldiers had come with him, for security reasons, and they stood now very straight behind him, keeping quiet.

    He wondered if, once back on the ship, they¡¯d tell everyone about this and mock him behind his back. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time.

    His face hardened.

    ¡°Fine. But know that the Imperium never forgets.¡±

    He knew this for a fact. He¡¯d been on the receiving end, after all.

    Ten years after the incident, he still was stuck patrolling this remote section of the Empire, with no hope of ever being promoted again. He would remain a Colonel for the rest of his life¡ªhowever much longer that may be.

    The insolent bug shrugged.

    ¡°Nor do we.¡±

    A smug smile crept over the man¡¯s lips that Bregg would have loved to wipe off with his fist. But he knew that would only have caused political turmoil that would eventually have backfired on him. He didn¡¯t need that.

    He remained silent, trying to keep as much dignity as he could muster in the current circumstances.

    Five minutes later¡ªfive minutes that felt like an eternity¡ªa woman came out of the building. She paused when she reached them. Her expression was serious as she considered Bregg. She then looked at the other man and gave him a nod.

    ¡°Thank you, Lordek. You can leave now.¡±

    The little man frowned.

    ¡°But I cannot leave you alone¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said go.¡±

    There was steel in the woman¡¯s voice, and it pleased Bregg to see the bug squirm, then turn, and walk away.

    Thiari brought her eyes to him.

    ¡°To what do I owe the displeasure of seeing you again, Colonel?¡±

    He snorted.

    ¡°You might want us inside for this conversation.¡±

    ¡°Nice try, but not happening.¡± She lifted her arm and tapped a couple of times on her wristpad. The air around the two of them shimmered and darkened. ¡°You can speak freely now. No one else will hear you¡ªnot even your men.¡±

    She said this with a jerk of her chin toward the two who still stood behind him. He glanced back and saw that the shield had formed between him and them. With a grunt, he turned back to face the woman.

    ¡°Convenient. Very well. Since you will not offer the hospitality I am due, we shall talk here. But know that¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªthe Imperium forgets nothing. Yes, I am aware.¡±

    ¡°I was going to say, know that your actions speak louder than words.¡± He glanced over her shoulder at the Gnorlian Embassy. ¡°You people are up to something in there that you do not want the Imperium to know about. There will be an investigation.¡±

    It was mostly bluff, of course, though she wouldn¡¯t know that. He¡¯d send a report, he¡¯d have to, but there was little hope anyone would pay any attention to anything he had to say.

    She clicked her tongue impatiently.

    ¡°Say what you¡¯ve come to say, old man. I don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    Another blatant affront to his dignity. For a second, he wondered if she knew about his disgrace? But that was impossible. Few did, and they were not the sort to sing. Besides, he¡¯d met this woman many times in the past decade, and she¡¯d never behaved like this. He glanced again at the building, wondering what was going on in there that could put her on edge.

    He looked back at the woman and smiled.

    ¡°I need your help,¡± he said finally, ¡°to capture a thief.¡±

 11. Where danger springs out of nowhere

    Staring at the screen, Val wondered what she would do next.

    She knew now where she was, so she could theoretically go back to the wrecks and finish what she¡¯d started... She snorted and shook her head. What she had been about to start, more like.

    On the other hand, whatever had happened there could happen again, and she did not like that thought one bit.

    Of course, there was no guarantee it couldn¡¯t happen anywhere else. Not until they knew exactly what had happened.

    She was about to ask Nim if he¡¯d discovered anything further when she remembered Kaine was sitting next to her.

    Val didn¡¯t want him to know about all that stuff. Not that she considered it confidential information, but it was none of his business. She¡¯d have to have a chat with Nim when she was alone. It could wait. It wasn¡¯t like she could go anywhere she wanted right now.

    First, she had to get rid of her passenger.

    She glanced at him.

    The man was lying back in his seat, feet lifted to rest on the console before him, hands behind his head, staring at the starry display on the screen.

    She leaned over and pushed his legs.

    ¡°Don¡¯t put your feet there,¡± she grunted, ¡°you¡¯ll break something.¡±

    Startled by the shove, he straightened in his seat and grinned at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m touched that you¡¯d worry about my health.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°I meant the dashboard, you dolt!¡±

    ¡°I know, I know... But if the ship is as sturdy as you like to claim, it shouldn¡¯t be an issue. These things are built to last.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s still old. You gotta treat it with respect.¡±

    He snickered as he ran a hand through his hair.

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    Ignoring him, she turned her attention back to the displays.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    A blinking dot caught her attention.

    She frowned and pointed at it.

    ¡°Nim, what¡¯s that?¡±

    She felt Kaine pulling closer and leaning to look.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Val. I... Wait.¡± There was a brief pause. ¡°I think it¡¯s a ship.¡±

    ¡°A ship? Out here?¡±

    ¡°What are the odds?¡± whispered Kaine.

    Again, she ignored him.

    ¡°Where is it headed?¡±

    Another silence.

    ¡°Toward us,¡± came the AI¡¯s answer. The voice sounded startled.

    Kaine tensed. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why would it do that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Nim. ¡°But it is fast approaching.¡±

    She could see that, as the dot had grown on her display.

    ¡°Has it tried to hail us?¡±

    ¡°I would have told you if it had.¡±

    There was a tone of reproach in Nim¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Of course, sorry.¡± She frowned as she slid her hand across the dials. ¡°Open a channel, please.¡±

    ¡°Done.¡±

    ¡°Unknown ship, please identify yourself.¡±

    Only silence responded.

    She tried another approach.

    ¡°Unknown ship, are you in need of assistance?¡±

    Kaine snorted.

    ¡°They seem to be moving just fine¡ªfaster than us, even. Bet you it¡¯s a more recent vessel.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t wait to get rid of the pest.

    ¡°Unknown ship, please copy!¡±

    Again, silence.

    But still, the ship approached at full speed.

    They would soon catch up with Starrider... then what?

    ¡°How long until they reach us?¡± she asked out loud.

    ¡°At their current speed, two minutes. They are, however, constantly increasing their speed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± muttered Kaine.

    Neither did she.

    ¡°Put the shield up,¡± she said.

    ¡°Done.¡±

    A few seconds after it¡¯d gone up, she saw the dot¡ªnow a large circular icon¡ªblink red, and Starrider shook under the blow.

    ¡°They¡¯re shooting at us!¡± cried out Kaine.

    ¡°Nim...¡±

    ¡°On it!¡±

    The ship swerved right, then left, then right again, to avoid the constant barrage of fire they were bombarded with.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± she said, as she ran out of patience. ¡°Turn us around.¡±

    Starrider suddenly stopped and spun on its axis, now facing its attacker.

    ¡°Full blast!¡±

    A powerful ray shot out and hit the enemy with full force. The smaller vessel exploded.

    ¡°Not that recent after all,¡± muttered Kaine.

    She turned and glared at him, pointing an accusing finger.

    ¡°Why did that ship come after us?¡±

    He blinked. ¡°How would I know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working in this part of the Imperium for the last ten years and have never been attacked like that. It has to be about you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s insane! No one even knows where I am. Heck, I don¡¯t know where I am.¡±

    She squinted.

    ¡°They knew.¡±

    He shook his head, but she could see the doubt in his eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± she said as she turned back to her console. ¡°I¡¯m dropping you off on the first world we find.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the plan?¡± he asked.

    She said nothing.

    Nim¡¯s voice rose.

    ¡°Val?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That ship that came at us... it was not trying to damage us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been analyzing their shots, and all of them were carefully aimed at non-vital parts of the ship. The most they could have done¡ªif they had pierced our shield¡ªwould have been to immobilize us.¡±

    Immobilize, then board...

    ¡°Probably pirates,¡± muttered Kaine.

    She looked at him, then back at her screen.

    Pirates would have wanted to capture the ship to scrap it for spare parts, so it was a fair assumption.

    Except, she knew the pirates who roamed at the rim.

    And these, most definitely, had not been pirates.

 12. Where darkness hides a thief

    It was supposed to be an easy job.

    Stay hidden in the alley across from the house. Wait until the couple who lived there went out to visit their friends¡ªas they always did on Fridays. Go to the back and use the keycard they kept under the plant pot by the door¡ªpeople could be so predictable. Walk upstairs. Crack the safe. Take the cube. Run.

    But too many things had gone wrong.

    They left two hours later than usual, and then the keycard hadn¡¯t been where it was supposed to be.

    He hated breaking in¡ªit just made the whole thing too obvious, not to mention the risk of the sound drawing in curious neighbors to their windows.

    Improvising was part of the job, but he didn¡¯t have to like it.

    He walked around the house, making as little sound as possible, trying to find some other way in.

    That was when he noticed a window on the first floor that had been left slightly ajar.

    A tree rose next to the house. He glanced at it, then back at the window. If he climbed up and crawled along that branch, he could probably jump to the ledge right under the window. From there, it¡¯d be easy to push it open and slide in.

    He looked at the neighboring house but saw all the lights there were turned off. It felt safe enough, but he still was nervous as he started climbing.

    When he reached as far as he dared on the branch, he considered the ledge and had second thoughts. That damn thing was really narrow. Jumping didn¡¯t seem like such a good idea anymore. He doubted a fall would kill him¡ªit wasn¡¯t that high¡ªbut it¡¯d hurt like hell, and he could still break some bones.

    But what other option did he have?

    He had to get that cube.

    Taking a deep breath, he let himself hang from the branch, holding it with both hands over his head. He started swinging back and forth to give himself momentum. When he felt he had enough of that, he let go.

    It was a strange feeling, flying through the air. He could feel himself falling, with nothing to hold on to around him. It was as if everything was suddenly going in slow motion. He saw the ledge coming toward him, as if the house itself was in movement¡ªwhich was ridiculous, of course. Houses don¡¯t move.

    He held out his hands just as his feet hit the ledge. His fingers slid into the gap under the window, and he held tight as his feet slipped. He felt his whole body drop, but his hands gripped tighter.

    Taking another deep breath, he pulled himself up and scrambled with his legs until he was standing on the ledge. Only then did he release the sigh that had been caught in his throat.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    With one hand, he pushed the window up, then slid in.

    The room was dark. Darker than he¡¯d expected.

    He bumped into a chair and cursed.

    Though his wristpad could have lit the way for him, he dared not turn it on for fear of drawing attention. The neighbors across the street were likely sleeping¡ªthe lights were still off, at least¡ªbut you never knew what little sound could wake them... or they could get up to get something to drink, or to use the bathroom. He really didn¡¯t want them noticing a light in this room when they most likely knew the people who lived here were gone for the weekend.

    So he stopped and waited until his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

    Then he looked around.

    He saw a small table and some chairs¡ªincluding the one he¡¯d bumped into. Far against the wall was a large bed with a chest at its feet.

    It wasn¡¯t the right room... Of course it wasn¡¯t. That would have been too easy.

    He grunted and headed for the door. Once in the hall, he turned to his wristpad and brought up the blueprints of the house. They had been surprisingly easy to find.

    Now, with a better sense of where he was and where he needed to be, he turned to his right and walked a couple of doors down. He opened the one on the left, leaned his head through the opening, and took a peek inside.

    A desk, bookshelves, more chairs, with some paintings on the wall.

    He smiled and stepped in, closing the door quietly behind him.

    Walking around the desk, he stopped in front of the painting that hung behind it. He stared at it for a moment, then lifted it gently off its hooks and set it down on the floor, resting against the wall.

    Doing this had revealed the door of a small safe.

    People didn¡¯t hide safes in such obvious places anymore. You only saw that in old films that dated from old Earth. There were better ways now. Some might argue that it made this more unexpected and safer, as no one would have expected it.

    Well, no one who didn¡¯t know about it in advance.

    He¡¯d done enough research on this house to know all of its secrets.

    He cracked his knuckles and went to work.

    It took him about ten minutes to find the right combination. Though, to be fair, it was his wristpad that had done all the hard work. He¡¯d set it against the safe¡¯s digital screen and a special routine he had coded some years ago had done the rest.

    Inside, he found the cube.

    Half its surfaces were red, the other blue.

    It stared at him, as if to taunt him, daring him to do something about it.

    So he did.

    He reached in and grabbed the item, tossing it quickly into his bag.

    For some reason, he was now a lot more nervous than he¡¯d been while creeping through the halls.

    With quick gestures, he closed the safe and hung the painting back in place. He then hurried back to the window he¡¯d gone through. He paused and stared at it.

    Was he really going to go through that again? There was no way he¡¯d be able to jump back onto that branch. He¡¯d have to jump down. It was only the first floor, but he still didn¡¯t like the idea of doing that.

    He wrinkled his nose and brought the window down, making sure he left it exactly the way he¡¯d found it.

    After that, he quietly made his way back into the hall, then downstairs.

    He went to the backdoor and opened it.

    How was he going to lock it up again once he was out?

    He grunted and walked out. As he was about to close the door behind him, his eyes fell on the kitchen table. There was something shiny there... small, flat, triangular.

    Could it be...?

    Stepping back in, he reached for the object.

    It was the keycard!

    He held back his laughter, shook his head, and walked out.

    After locking the door, he slipped the keycard under the plant pot.

    They¡¯d think they¡¯d hid it there, as they always did.

    He¡¯d left just as quietly as he¡¯d come.

    No one ever noticed him.

    Still, something had bothered him then, as it still bothered him now.

    He sat on his bed and frowned.

    Reaching for the bag, he opened it and slid a hand in.

    Gently, he brought the cube out.

    Kaine stared at it for a long time as Starrider sped through space.

 13. Where the cold winds reign

    It first appeared as a tiny blue dot on the screen.

    As it grew, the shapes of continents became visible.

    And oceans.

    Lots and lots of oceans.

    ¡°Is that our destination?¡± asked Kaine as he entered the control room.

    Without looking back at him, Val nodded.

    ¡°Alterica is its name.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡±

    ¡°I thought you knew the rim like the back of your hand?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°It¡¯s bigger than you might think. The rim spans around the edges of the whole Imperium. It¡¯d take me a lifetime to circle all around it. I usually always stick to the same areas.¡±

    ¡°And this is not one of them?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± she muttered.

    The rip her ship had been sucked through had taken them further than she¡¯d ever been. Rimzana was a well-known world, so it had been easy to identify¡ªand to know what to expect. This, though, was something different.

    Kaine sat in the chair next to her and leaned over to look at the data. He frowned.

    ¡°Am I reading this right?¡± He tapped at the display and she clicked her tongue in annoyance. ¡°The temperatures seem really low?¡±

    ¡°Subzero.¡±

    ¡°Surely, not everywhere...¡±

    She shrugged as she swiped through the data.

    Her passenger¡¯s eyes grew wide as he read.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He pointed at the text.

    ¡°Permanent snowstorms, that¡¯s what! You can¡¯t drop me off here!¡±

    She squinted at him.

    ¡°What does it matter to you? Are you planning to settle here?¡±

    ¡°Well, no, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°They probably have a cushy underground city where you can wait until you find a ship to take you home.¡±

    He made a face but remained quiet.

    Val snorted as she looked back at the screen.

    The planet had grown quite large now as they flew straight toward it.

    ¡°We are receiving hailing messages from the surface,¡± said Nim.

    Val pinched her lips, a thoughtful expression on her face.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Send them record number five.¡±

    ¡°Done.¡±

    ¡°Record number five?¡± asked Kaine.

    She glanced at him with a mischievous grin on her lips.

    ¡°We have a wide range of identities in our database that we use depending on circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Why not give your real name?¡±

    He must have realized the answer even as he asked the question, because he let out a small ¡®oh¡¯ and fell quiet.

    ¡°When one does not like the Imperium, it is best to keep a low profile. I¡¯m sure you can relate.¡±

    Kaine nodded as the ship entered the planet¡¯s atmosphere and raced down through the clouds.

    When they came through, they saw a world of white and blue. There were few other colors below. Raging winds blew across the snow-covered plains, where little vegetation could be seen. In the distance, toward the north, lights shone through the night.

    Starrider changed course to head toward them.

    ¡°We will land at the Ganhuyden Airfield,¡± said Nim. ¡°Coordinates have been received. A welcome committee awaits us.¡±

    Val sat back, letting the AI handle the rest of the procedure. He¡¯d always been the better pilot, anyway.

    ¡°I hope you have my payment ready?¡± she asked casually.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to access a credis to make a withdrawal.¡±

    She glanced at him with a cocked eyebrow.

    ¡°Why not do a wristpad transfer?¡±

    He made a face. ¡°When one does not like the Imperium, it is best to keep a low profile. I¡¯m sure you can relate.¡±

    She would have laughed, but the comment made her uncomfortable. Wanting to remain anonymous was one thing, obfuscating money transactions was quite another.

    Val was glad she¡¯d soon be rid of this guy.

    The ship shook as it initiated its descent.

    Kaine stared at the screen.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look so modern.¡±

    The windswept landing strip was surrounded by old, decrepit buildings. She saw a few vehicles, but all of them seemed broken and stranded. Except for one that was slowly gliding in their direction.

    It certainly wasn¡¯t what she had expected.

    She thought there would be some opening in the ground, and that they¡¯d be taken directly into the underground compound.

    Then again, this was the rim. Why would they have anything so advanced? These worlds were, for the most part, forgotten and abandoned by the Imperium. Except for a few select ones, like Rimzana. There usually were good reasons¡ªpolitical or military ones¡ªfor those remaining in the Emperor¡¯s good grace.

    Starrider stopped shaking when it touched the ground and they heard the engines slowly turn off.

    ¡°About as modern as your ship,¡± muttered Kaine.

    ¡°I heard that!¡±

    He shrugged as he stood. ¡°Well, I guess we might as well go meet with these people.¡±

    She got out of her seat and headed for the hatch.

    ¡°We should suit up before we go out there.¡±

    ¡°Not a bad idea.¡±

    The suits were meant to help on worlds where humans could not breathe the local air. While this was not the case here, the winds and intense cold would kill them in seconds if they were not properly protected. The suits could help with that as well.

    They slipped into them, and Val felt the synthetic material stick tightly against her. A thin transparent membrane covered her head, but there were tiny invisible nanobots¡ªbillions of them¡ªspread through the fabric that carried hours worth of oxygen.

    The door opened and they stepped out.

    Despite the suit, Val could feel the icy winds blasting against them. But it was bearable.

    They slowly made their way down to the surface, where three silhouettes waited for them. It was difficult to make out their faces because of the snow and darkness.

    When they were within a few feet, she realized they were all women. One of them held out her hand and Val grabbed it.

    Once connected, the suits opened a communication channel between them.

    ¡°Welcome to Alterica. I¡¯m Onna, chief of staff.¡±

    ¡°Val. I just need to refuel and drop off my passenger.¡±

    The woman frowned as she glanced at Kaine.

    ¡°Why would he want to come here?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t intend to stay.¡±

    ¡°I would imagine not. Come. We will be more comfortable inside. We can talk there.¡±

    She let go of her arm and headed toward the vehicle.

    They got in and it drove toward one of the smaller buildings at the northern edge of the landing strip.

    No one talked during the trip. Physical contact was not required here, as they could have disabled the head-covering membrane, but all of them chose not to. It would be a short ride, anyway.

    Within a couple of minutes, they reached their destination.

    A gate opened, letting the vehicle in.

    The sound of the roaring winds died as soon as the gate closed behind them.

    Onna took her suit off, and everyone followed her example.

    Kaine glanced around, a frown on his face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see a lift going down.¡±

    Their host looked confused.

    ¡°Down? Why would we go down?¡±

    ¡°To the underground city, I mean.¡±

    She blinked, then laughed.

    ¡°I fear you are mistaken, friend. There is no such thing here.¡± She waved her hand around. ¡°All we have are these discarded shells from a distant past.¡±

    Val winced.

    This was not going to end well...

 14. Where anger simmers in the presence of ineptitude

    It was ridiculous.

    After talking to all the men involved, and watching the little footage that had been caught, he had come to an unequivocal conclusion.

    Such a level of incompetence was inexcusable.

    How could a lone woman just walk into an Imperial building, then walk back out with a prisoner without being seen¡ªlet alone caught?

    Granted, it was not technically an Imperial building. But there had been enough soldiers there to make no difference. Except, of course, they had not been there. And why was that? Why had the cages not been under constant watch?

    The testimony of the other prisoners had only angered him further. His was a simmering kind of fury, the kind that threatened to burst given the right amount of provocation.

    The man that stood before him might have sensed this as he stammered, trying his hardest not to make the fuse blow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sir... We got called away.¡±

    Bregg did not buy that. More likely, he and his friend had gone out for a smoke. Or to look at the pretty girls that worked on the other side of the building. He¡¯d found many of the soldiers there, gaping at the women as they walked by. Had they no sense of propriety?

    He snorted. Of course not. These men were young and had never known war. All they knew were boring postings on remote planets. Could he blame them?

    Yes, he could. Because they should have known better. They had been trained, had they not?

    ¡°Is this what they¡¯ve taught you at the Academy, Private?¡±

    The man swallowed.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°If you are to leave your post, you should, at the very least, ensure that your replacements have arrived. Did you do this?¡±

    ¡°N-n-no, Sir. I... uhm... I¡¯m sorry, Sir. We did not think there... there¡¯d be much risk... with so many, uhm, so many of us...¡±

    ¡°Yes, soldier, you did not think. That¡¯s the most acute statement you¡¯ve made today. You and your friend are to report to your commanding officer immediately. You will be transferred to new postings where, perhaps, you will learn a thing or two about honor and dedication. Now, get out of my sight!¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The man did not need to be told twice. After giving the Colonel a quick salute, he turned and scurried off.

    Bregg sat back in his chair and sighed.

    He stared at the holofiles spread on the desk before him. There was very little information about the woman, but the man was a well-known delinquent. He¡¯d been involved in smuggling, counterfeiting, and even larceny. It wouldn¡¯t have surprised Bregg if the man had also dabbled in piracy.

    What he did not understand was how these two were connected. Why had the woman released him? The cameras had caught a lengthy exchange between them, though no sound had been recorded.

    He clenched his fists as his anger flared again at the thought of just how much time went by without anyone coming to check on the prisoners.

    Well, at least he had names, now.

    Names and faces.

    He stared a long time at the two of them, memorizing every feature, every expression, every dimple.

    This Kaine fellow had been caught red-handed as he¡¯d tried to sell some unauthorized alcohol at the local market. The man¡¯s ship had been seized, and a large stash of the illicit beverage found aboard. There were many outstanding warrants for his arrest, but this had been the cherry on top.

    Standing, Bregg gathered all the files and stuffed them into a metallic folder that could be reduced to the size of a small stone and slid into a special compartment on his belt.

    He then walked straight for the door.

    Outside, a shuttle waited for him.

    He glanced at the two men Thiari had sent to assist him, and a small smile crept over his lips.

    Of course, he¡¯d known she¡¯d agree. How could she have not?

    Not only was it a sound political move for her¡ªthat would gain her respect and recognition¡ªbut it was one she could not afford not to make. Not with all the dirt he had on her. The number of secrets he¡¯d uncovered had startled her. She had quite a few, that one.

    Then again, so did he.

    And everyone else in the Imperium, most likely.

    He stepped into the shuttle, followed by the two men who shut the door behind them.

    The one on the right turned to face him.

    ¡°Did you get all the information you wanted?¡±

    Bregg thought about that for a moment.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t say that I did. But it will have to do for now.¡±

    ¡°What next?¡± asked the other.

    The three of them sat as the shuttle took off.

    ¡°Now we go back to my ship.¡± The Colonel tapped on his wristpad and stared at the displayed data with a small smile. ¡°And we follow the trail.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a trail?¡±

    Bregg nodded and pointed toward the sky.

    ¡°In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, there¡¯s a battle raging up there. Among those ships are Imperial vessels. And even though no one noticed our target flying through, the ships caught them on camera. Technology is a wonderful thing, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Still,¡± said the first man, ¡°that was hours ago. And if they jumped¡ª¡±

    ¡°They did,¡± said Bregg. ¡°But jumps leave a trace, if you know where to look, and what to look for.¡±

    His gaze wandered to the window, and he watched as they rushed back to his ship.

    Val could run as far as she wanted, but she could not escape.

    Sooner or later, he would catch her.

    Because if there was one thing Bregg did well, it was to hunt down prey.

    He was relentless and he never gave up.

 15. Where the going gets tough

    ¡°No underground city? What do you mean, no underground city? I thought...¡± Kaine spun to face Val, pointing an accusing finger at her. ¡°This isn¡¯t what we agreed upon!¡±

    ¡°You said I could drop you off on the first planet we found. Guess what? This is it.¡±

    ¡°It was implied that I could find a way off said planet...¡± He turned back to face Onna. ¡°I¡¯m assuming there are no ships headed out?¡±

    ¡°Not on a regular schedule, no. Next one won¡¯t be here for a month or two, I expect.¡±

    Kaine threw his arms in the air as he looked back toward Val.

    ¡°See? What am I supposed to do here in the meantime? Twiddle my thumbs? I got places to be.¡±

    ¡°Not my problem. Now, if you¡¯ll be so kind as to pay what you owe me¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°A deal¡¯s a deal!¡± she retorted angrily.

    ¡°The deal wasn¡¯t about leaving me stranded on a backward world.¡± He glanced at their host. ¡°No offense intended.¡±

    Onna shook her head. ¡°I think I¡¯ll let you two sort things out while I go find us some food.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.

    Before Kaine could say something else, Val spoke.

    ¡°Look, I know this isn¡¯t ideal, but it¡¯s not my fault if this world isn¡¯t what you expected. It¡¯s not like I¡¯d ever been here before.¡±

    ¡°Would you have avoided this place if you had?¡±

    She paused at the question. It was a good one. She might not have under normal circumstances, but this guy made her uncomfortable.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. You haven¡¯t been straight with me, and I¡¯m not a cruise ship. I can¡¯t go flying you around. I got places to be, too.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, I haven¡¯t been straight?¡±

    Despite the question, she could see the man was nervous as he turned his gaze away.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what you were doing on Rimzana or how you got caught.¡±

    ¡°I told you! I¡ª¡±

    ¡°And don¡¯t give me that crap again about your stupid joke. We both know that was not why they arrested you.¡±

    He crossed his arms.

    ¡°What is this? An investigation? You work for the Impies now?¡±

    She groaned. ¡°You know what? Keep your money and I¡¯ll just get out of your hair. Goodbye.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Val turned and started to walk back toward the vehicle.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she heard him say behind her. ¡°There are multiple warrants against me. Happy?¡±

    She stopped and turned to look at him.

    ¡°Warrants? What for?¡±

    ¡°Nosy much?¡±

    She crossed her arms and waited.

    He sighed. ¡°All sorts of stuff. Mostly smuggling.¡±

    ¡°A smuggler,¡± she muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t you need a ship for that?¡±

    ¡°The Impies seized it when they captured me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t try to get it back.¡±

    ¡°Not an option. They were all over it. Besides, it wasn¡¯t really my ship.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°I, uh, borrowed it.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°I see. Alright. I suppose I can put up with you until the next planet.¡±

    Not that she trusted him more now, but it didn¡¯t feel fair to leave him here.

    He beamed. ¡°I knew you had a heart!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, smartass.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t a guy be nice?¡±

    ¡°A guy, sure. You, I have my doubts.¡±

    He chuckled. He was about to say something else when Onna returned with two boxes. She motioned for them to follow her.

    They went down a corridor that ended in a large cafeteria. Aside from a couple of people at the far end, the room was empty.

    Onna sat at one of the tables and they both joined her.

    The woman placed the boxes in front of her and opened them, one after the other.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± asked Kaine with some curiosity.

    ¡°Likely food,¡± ventured Val.

    Onna nodded as she pulled out smaller boxes. These were made of transparent plastic, and they could see what was inside each of them.

    When the woman was done, they had a large selection of dishes set before them.

    Kaine stared at it for a moment, then looked at their host.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even have a holodis?¡±

    ¡°We did, once upon a time. But it broke down decades ago. No one knew how to repair it, so...¡± She gestured toward the boxes. ¡°This is what we have now.¡±

    Val pursed her lips. ¡°How can you even grow any food in this weather? Is it like that all year round?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much. Sometimes the winds stop roaring, but the cold never goes away. As for the food, we don¡¯t grow it¡ªat least, not all of it¡ª, we import it.¡±

    ¡°Then why not import a holodis?¡± asked Kaine.

    Seeing the guests were not eating, Onna shrugged and grabbed one of the boxes. She opened it and pulled out a roll stuffed with vegetables.

    ¡°You misunderstand. We do not deal with the Imperium, but with other planets at the rim. Most of them do not have any technology either. Or when they do, they have no way to share it. The knowledge to fix or build these things is lost. We¡¯d have to turn to the Imperium. Some have done that, but not always with pleasant consequences.¡±

    Val knew what she meant. The Emperor cared little for these worlds and was more likely to punish them for making a request than to actually help them. The only times the Imperium would pay attention to the rim were if they needed to expand, or to fight a battle. Neither of which had happened in centuries.

    She frowned. That wasn¡¯t entirely true, was it?

    There now were warships above Rimzana.

    ¡°What do you trade for the food?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°Raw material. There is plenty of that under our feet. We have several dig sites spread around our settlement.¡±

    Val started eating.

    ¡°Have you ever traded with Qevahr?¡± she asked.

    Onna blinked as she glanced at her.

    ¡°We have. Why?¡±

    ¡°How about Rimzana?¡±

    The woman frowned. ¡°Too many Imperials, there. Never understood why. They rarely pay attention to rimworlds.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a battle going on over there. Between the Impies and a fleet of Qevahri ships. Any idea what that might be about?¡±

    Onna stared at her.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± said Kaine softly.

    ¡°That is concerning.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because...¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°The Qevahri are led by the Church of Saan. But there has been some... turmoil within their ranks. A new leader has come forth. According to the accounts I¡¯ve heard, she has unearthed ancient, long-forgotten texts that talk of Rimzana as sacred land that may even have been their world of origin.¡±

    Val thought about this for a moment.

    ¡°But they¡¯re not attacking the planet, they¡¯re attacking the Impies.¡±

    ¡°Why would they attack the planet? It is sacred to them. As for the Imperials, I can only assume they consider them as sacrilegious invaders.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s madness! By this action, they declared war on the Imperium. This could affect all of the rimworlds.¡±

    Onna nodded. ¡°Indeed. Which is why it is concerning.¡±

    They fell quiet.

    Outside, the winds continued to roar.

 16. Where calm comes before the storm

    The ship could hold the population of an entire planet. It was so gigantic it could not land anywhere and remained constantly in orbit when it was not cruising.

    Halden had needed to take a shuttle to fly from the surface of Bernice to the monster above.

    You could get lost in a place this big, he mused. It was a maze¡ªalbeit a crowded one.

    The passengers were a varied sort. If not in social class¡ªit required some level of wealth to afford such a trip¡ªat least in cultural make-up. It was obvious just from watching the multitude of colored garbs and skin tones.

    Most were humans, of course, but there were also some alien species. Though all were citizens of the Imperium. You could not buy a ticket without some form of legal document.

    He¡¯d had to request more vacation time, which had left Marthus speechless. He¡¯d blurted out how he wanted to travel to Iriaki, but that the trip there and back would itself take a month. His boss had been delighted to hear his friend was finally taking this rest thing seriously and had only been too happy to grant him three months off.

    Halden was going further than Iriaki, though. It would take him three weeks just to reach the Tin¡¯kisti Belt. Which meant he¡¯d have a little more than a month on Nad¡¯irith to explore and investigate.

    He was already halfway there, but he was growing restless. He couldn¡¯t stand staying so long doing nothing. It made him feel useless.

    Oh, of course, he¡¯d tried to enjoy himself. He¡¯d walked around the ship and had marveled at the alien technology. The vessel had been made by the Imperium, of course, but if the Emperor was good at one thing, it was at appropriating knowledge from other species. He liked to call it trading, but the aliens rarely got much in return.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Halden had even joined a guided tour that took him through the entire structure, from top to bottom. It had taken five days. There were entire levels made of grass and stone and trees. He¡¯d seen artificial gardens and lakes that looked more real than the real thing.

    The skies were always fake and ruined the experience. In some places, they¡¯d used holographic displays to mimic a starry or sunny sky, but always glitches would expose the illusion. Though he suspected most people did not notice, considering how awed everyone around him looked.

    Another level had been dedicated to children, with hundreds of games and entertainment centers. There were some for adults, too, in other places. Those they did not fully explore, and Halden could guess why. There were too many families with young ones among them, and likely the sights there would not all have been ¡°family-friendly.¡±

    He¡¯d also seen malls, parks, sports fields, pools, hospitals, restaurants...

    It truly was a whole world within a ship.

    He¡¯d known these things existed, but it was the first time he¡¯d experienced one first-hand.

    And though it was fascinating, it was not his thing.

    None of this could keep his mind as laser-focused as his work. All this was glitter, none of it gold.

    He soon realized there was one spot he kept going back to. It was at the very top of the ship. There, the roof was made of glass. And, beyond, he could see the stars.

    It was a large lounge room with chairs, tables, and recliners. He¡¯d lay on one of the latter and stare into the void.

    He liked it here, despite the low hum of conversations around him, because it reminded him of his work. Here, he could think.

    And, often, his mind would race back to the documents he had read. He¡¯d stored the copies he¡¯d made into his wristpad¡ªwhere he felt they¡¯d be most secure. He often went through them at night, before he fell asleep.

    There was a puzzle there that needed to be solved.

    One day, a scream interrupted his reverie.

    He jumped out of the recliner and followed everyone¡¯s gaze.

    People were rushing into the room, waving their hands, with panicked expressions on their faces.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked many confused folks around him.

    That was when he heard it.

    A shooting phaser.

    And it was coming closer.

 17. Where our heroes go exploring

    Refueling Starrider was a matter of a couple of hours, but the ship also needed repairs as it had been damaged when it arrived on Rimzana.

    They brought it into the hangar. Then Onna set some of her fixers to work on the ship, and Kaine watched as Val fumed.

    ¡°What are you so angry about? Can¡¯t you appreciate a bit of peace and quiet?¡±

    She glared at him and he half expected she¡¯d say she just wanted to get rid of him. He was starting to think she didn¡¯t like him¡ªwhich came as a big surprise, as he liked to think he was a rather likable kind of guy. But she surprised him with her answer.

    ¡°There are people waiting for me, and this is all taking too long. First, I get thrown through a space rift¡ª¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°¡ªthen I have to fly through a battlefield. Once I¡¯d landed, I figured I¡¯d need a fixer. So I go looking for one, and can you guess what happened then? I met you, that¡¯s what.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s all my fault?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°No, I don¡¯t suppose it is. I should have remembered what I was looking for. Besides...¡± She looked back toward the ship. ¡°Starrider needs fixing. Whether it¡¯s here or on Rimzana, it¡¯ll take the same amount of time. Actually, it might go faster here, as I doubt I would have had more than one fixer working on her.¡±

    Was she thanking him now, in her own twisted kind of way? No, of course she wasn¡¯t. That was just wishful thinking on his part.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d have suggested we go out and visit the planet if the weather wasn¡¯t so dreadful out there.¡±

    Val straightened and looked at him.

    ¡°You know, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Say what?¡±

    ¡°Weather isn¡¯t an issue if we take a shuttle.¡±

    ¡°You think they have tour guides around here?¡± he asked wryly.

    She snorted. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can borrow something from Onna.¡±

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Why bother?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯d rather stay here and stare at those fixers, suit yourself. I¡¯ll see you in a few hours.¡±

    Val turned and started toward Onna¡¯s office, at the far end of the hangar.

    ¡°Hey, wait up!¡±

    She didn¡¯t, but he caught up to her quickly and saw her grinning.

    ¡°You realize it¡¯ll likely be just as boring?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. Isn¡¯t that exciting?¡±

    He would hardly have called it that.

    It was a world of cold winters and perpetual storms.

    All they¡¯d see would be snow-blown fields and mountains.

    Onna agreed to lend them a shuttle, though she was skeptical how useful it would be.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send Rodger with you.¡±

    ¡°I can pilot it myself,¡± remarked Val.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can, but that¡¯s not the point. Rodger knows the land, you don¡¯t. He¡¯s also very familiar with these smaller types of ships, you aren¡¯t. It¡¯s also a good idea to have him with you in case anything happens, as he knows all of our emergency procedures.¡±

    As those were all valid points, Val relented.

    Rodger was a tall blonde with short hair, a mustache, and a friendly smile on his face.

    ¡°What do you want to see first?¡± he asked. ¡°The Temple of Constant Blizzards or the Forest of Eternal Night? Unless you prefer the Castle of Freezing Winds?¡±

    Kaine blinked. ¡°Are you serious? There are such places?¡±

    The man laughed. ¡°Not really, though I could always make them up for you if you like.¡±

    They strapped their belts and watched as the pilot lifted them out of the hangar and into the night sky.

    ¡°Still,¡± said Val thoughtfully, ¡°there must be something here to have drawn the original settlers. Or are you saying the landscape was different back then?¡±

    Rodger made a face. ¡°It would have taken some serious terraforming might to change this world. Too much trouble for our loving Emperor, I¡¯m afraid. It¡¯s always been like this, that I know of. But if you want to know why folks came here to begin with, well... that I can show you.¡±

    The ship veered eastward and raced toward the horizon. The sky was darker there, and Kaine grew concerned they would go straight into a storm. Not that they weren¡¯t already in one, but the one ahead seemed much more ominous.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± he asked apprehensively.

    The man glanced in his direction and gave him a wink.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, buddy, I know what I¡¯m doing. That¡¯s why they pay me the big bucks. Not that that means much on a world with no currency.¡±

    His laughter resonated in the small cabin as they sped through the night.

    Kaine glanced at the silent Val and saw she still had a thoughtful expression on her face.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I just think it¡¯s an odd place to set up a colony.¡±

    The pilot chuckled.

    ¡°You¡¯d think so, wouldn¡¯t you? But you know the saying... There¡¯s a reason for everything.¡±

    A mountain came into view, and they headed straight for it.

    Then the shuttle dove, and the ground raced toward them.

    Rodger straightened the vessel just before they reached the surface, and they landed smoothly, a few feet from the cliff.

    The pilot unstrapped and stood.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°I want to show you something.¡±

    ¡°Out there?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Kaine was alarmed¡ªunlike Val, who got to her feet and followed their guide quietly.

    Reluctantly, he did as well.

 18. Where secrets hide in stars

    There was nothing here. Nothing but stars and darkness, as far as the eye could see.

    And yet, there could be no doubt.

    They had traced the ship through the jump, and this was where it had arrived.

    But why here?

    Bregg frowned as he stared at the screen.

    ¡°Are you sure there are no planets nearby?¡± he asked. ¡°Or a space station, maybe?¡±

    His second-in-command shook his head.

    ¡°Nothing at all.¡± He paused as he looked at the displays before him. ¡°Although...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Ferris cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m picking up thilium residues.¡±

    The colonel looked at his man with a surprised expression.

    ¡°I thought that stuff never leaked.¡±

    ¡°Not from an engine, it can¡¯t. But if used as a weapon...¡±

    Bregg grunted. ¡°Are you telling me there was a fight here?¡±

    ¡°Not here exactly, but close enough for us to pick up on this.¡±

    The commanding officer looked back at the screen, thinking.

    Had they been attacked? Or had they been the attackers? And where were they now?

    They had to be headed somewhere.

    ¡°Follow those traces. We might find more evidence if we get closer.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    He wasn¡¯t sure what he was expecting to find, but at this stage, he¡¯d take anything.

    With a sigh, he headed back toward his office¡ªwhich was just a door away from the bridge.

    ¡°Let me know when we¡¯re there,¡± he called out as he closed the door behind him.

    He paused when he saw Thiari¡¯s men sitting there, waiting for him. He¡¯d forgotten about them. With a curt nod, he walked around his desk and sat down.

    ¡°If I may,¡± said one of them¡ªthe one named Juden. A dark-skinned fellow with short hair and a scar under his left eye.

    ¡°Speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°Well, Thiari asked us to go with you and follow your commands, but that is all she said. We were wondering what this was all about?¡±

    ¡°Why are we here?¡± clarified his friend.

    Bregg considered that other one. What was his name again? It was a strange one. Like something out of an old TriVid flick. It came back to him in a flash: Warthol.

    The man was smaller than his colleague, with blonde hair and a slight limp in his right leg. But there was a fierceness in his eyes that hinted at plenty of field experience.

    He wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if both these men had served in some military force, or perhaps had been mercenaries¡ªor pirates.

    His fists tightened, and his lips pursed.

    Better not to think of that.

    ¡°You are here,¡± he said, ¡°because I need to capture a ship. A ship I cannot hold once I have it in custody.¡±

    Warthol frowned. ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because,¡± said his friend, ¡°if he keeps it, it would fall into the hands of the Imperium.¡±

    So Juden was the smart one. Good to know.

    ¡°I am the Imperium,¡± he reminded them.

    ¡°Of course. All the more reason you¡¯d need us to hold the ship for you.¡±

    Bregg grunted. And while he did not confirm that statement, neither did he deny it.

    ¡°On a more practical level, I will need you to be my eyes and ears on the field.¡±

    Juden nodded. ¡°Whenever you cannot have the Imperium involved. I understand.¡±

    The forwardness of this man troubled him. It was irritating, but at the same time, he was relieved to see he was being understood. He had wondered how he¡¯d get these men to do what he needed them to do without being too obvious about it.

    ¡°Why do you want that ship so bad?¡± asked Warthol.

    Bregg turned a frown upon the blonde. But before he could speak, it was Juden who responded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask that, buddy. It¡¯s none of our business. All we need to know is what is expected of us, not why.¡±

    That man wasn¡¯t so bad after all.

    The colonel smiled and nodded.

    ¡°You may go to your quarters now. I will let you know when your services are required.¡±

    The two men stood, bowed their heads, and headed out.

    Bregg watched them go, then stared at his desk.

    Why indeed.

    The Imperium was his life. And yet, the Imperium had destroyed him.

    It would only be fitting, would it not, if he now destroyed the Imperium?

    Of course, that was impossible.

    At least, it was impossible for just one man.

    But he could still hurt the Emperor.

    He could hurt him bad.

 19. Where colors trip the light fantastic

    Their guide had landed so close to the mountain that it was only a five-minute walk to reach the cave entrance. But those five minutes had been enough for Val to feel the strength of the winds and the chilling kiss of its embrace.

    The roar became muffled as soon as they were inside, and they could hear each other¡¯s voices again.

    ¡°What the heck is this place?¡± she heard Kaine ask from behind her.

    Rodger turned his smile toward them.

    ¡°This, my friends, is what our ancestors found and what made them wet their pants.¡±

    Val frowned. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Pardon my language. But you¡¯ll see what I mean. Come on.¡±

    He led them through a narrow tunnel that sloped slightly downward.

    There was snow even here, likely blown in by the wind. The stone walls were a greenish-gray. But, surprisingly, it was not dark.

    Val looked around, trying to understand what was lighting their way. The rock itself seemed to glow.

    As they moved further, the brightness surrounding them increased.

    She heard Kaine whistle in awe as they reached a huge pit on the ground before them. Within, as far as the eye could see, the surfaces glinted in a myriad of colors.

    ¡°What is this?¡± she asked.

    Rodger was staring down with as much fascination as they were.

    ¡°Your guess is as good as mine.¡±

    Val frowned as she glanced at the man.

    ¡°What do you mean? This colony was settled over a hundred years ago. You came for this, and you don¡¯t know what it is? I mean, it¡¯s pretty, but that hardly seems enough to warrant settling on a planet with such harsh weather.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Rodger smiled. He leaned down and grabbed a small rock from the ground, which he then tossed into the pit.

    What happened next made Val jump back in astonishment.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The small rock veered suddenly toward one of the surfaces. As soon as it hit it, it bounced back at full speed toward the opposite surface. It kept doing this dance, back and forth, all the while going down further.

    ¡°Damn... what is that thing?¡± cried out Kaine.

    Rodger shrugged. ¡°They say it¡¯s a magnetic field doubled with some sort of repellent.¡±

    Val walked back to the edge and looked down.

    Though now invisible, she could tell the rock was still bouncing back and forth, because each time it hit a surface, there would be a spark of colored light.

    ¡°Why is this place not crawling with scientists?¡±

    ¡°It was, once upon a time. But they never could figure it out, so they gave up after a few decades. Besides, it lost most of its appeal when they took out the Gandoran Drill.¡±

    ¡°The what now?¡±

    The man gestured toward the pit.

    ¡°That thing wasn¡¯t always empty. There was something there. To be honest, that was what drew everyone here. This used to be a much larger colony. But once they took out the Gandoran Drill, a lot of folks left with it.¡±

    Glancing down, and despite all the lights, Val could not see the bottom.

    ¡°That thing must have been enormous. How the heck did they get it out of here?¡±

    Rodger made a face. ¡°They played with powers best left alone.¡±

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°There is alien technology that allows displacing mass without actually moving it. It¡¯s there one minute, gone the next. I hear it¡¯s quite tricky to master even today, which is why the Imperium keeps it under wraps.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Val had heard rumors of something like that, though she had always thought it was fake. It just sounded too unreal. She still had her doubts now.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably how they brought it in here to begin with,¡± mused Kaine.

    ¡°Why, though? I mean...¡± She looked around the cave, then back down. ¡°Whatever that thing was, why place it here, of all places?¡±

    Rodger shrugged. ¡°Some say the weather wasn¡¯t so severe back then and that the Gandoran Drill may have been some sort of climate-controlling device. But there¡¯s no evidence either way.¡±

    ¡°Where is it now?¡±

    ¡°Likely locked up in some secret Imperial laboratory.¡±

    Kaine, who had remained some distance away from the edge, now approached it with caution. He glanced down and winced.

    ¡°How deep is it?¡±

    ¡°As far as we know, it¡¯s bottomless.¡±

    Val clicked her tongue. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±

    ¡°I suppose it is, but that¡¯s the official story. My guess is that it goes all the way to the core of the planet.¡±

    ¡°Which could feed into the climate control theory,¡± remarked Kaine as he stepped away again.

    ¡°Why maintain this colony if this thing is gone and everyone has lost interest in the pit?¡± asked Val.

    Rodger shrugged as he turned and started back toward the ship. Val gave the colored walls one last glance before she followed him.

    ¡°Habit, I guess. I mean, by the time the scientists moved on to other matters, several generations had passed. Those who were born here thought of it as home and had no reason to leave. Except for those who dreamed of a better future, that is. And there have been many who did. Leave, I mean. Over the years, our colony has shrunk quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°What about you? Plan on staying?¡±

    ¡°Not if I can help it,¡± he laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll get off this rock if it¡¯s the last thing I do.¡±

    As he said this, a rumble echoed in the distance.

    They all froze.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Kaine.

    Rodger¡¯s face had gone very pale.

    ¡°That,¡± he said in a trembling voice, ¡°is the sound of death.¡±

 20. Where a madman wreaks havoc

    The crowd was not seeking shelter in the lounge room. Rather, they wanted to cross to the other end, where an exit led to the main hall of the ship.

    But panic ran rampant, and that made for a messy attempt. Some stumbled and fell, only to be quickly trampled by the maddened mass.

    Halden, who had been standing away from either door, remained beyond the flow. He watched in horror, his eyes darting back to where these people all came from.

    The phaser shots were getting closer.

    An alarm blared, which only fueled the confusion further.

    He knew he couldn¡¯t stay here¡ªthat would leave him exposed to whoever was coming. But there was no way he¡¯d risk joining that throng. He¡¯d have waited for the tail end of the flow, but that felt just as risky.

    After a few seconds of consideration, he decided to go against the tide. He hurried toward the opposite door, the one they had all come from, and where he could hear the phaser-wielding madman¡ªfor surely, that was all this could be¡ªquickly approaching.

    Leaning his back against the wall, right next to the opening, he waited, his heart thumping fast.

    What was he thinking? He was no fighter. How could he expect to take this guy down?

    And what if there was more than one?

    He blanched at the thought.

    Well, maybe security would get there before it came to that. Surely, with the alarms going off, they¡¯d know something was off by now?

    And he knew there was security on the ship. He¡¯d seen enough of the uniformed guards during the guided tour he¡¯d taken. They were everywhere...

    Except, of course, when you needed them.

    What were they waiting for?

    The crowd was finally thinning and he considered making a run for it. A loud zap resonated and a woman fell to the ground. The back of her dress was charred black. Smoke rose from the still spasming body, carrying a sickening scent of burned flesh.

    Halden held his breath as he heard quickly approaching footsteps.

    From the sound of it, it was just one person.

    Still, what was he going to do?

    What no one would expect him to...

    He was not a fighter, but he had been in the army. Thirty years ago. For five minutes. Still, he¡¯d learned a few things. Would he remember them now, when he most needed them?

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Had Marcia been here, she¡¯d likely have snorted and pointed out that it was like riding a bicycle. You couldn¡¯t forget that.

    No, he realized. She wouldn¡¯t have said that at all. She¡¯d have run like all the others. In fact, that could have been her right there...

    His eyes looked at the still smoking body, and his fists clenched.

    A man walked into the now empty lounge. His step was quick and firm, and he clearly intended to follow and catch up with the crowd.

    Trying not to think about it, Halden jumped at the man.

    His right hand shot to the weapon¡ªhe needed to disarm the guy if he wanted any chance to survive this.

    The startled madman yelped as he felt the phaser yanked out of his hand and tossed away, and a punch hit him in the back.

    He twisted around to face Halden, a snarl of hatred on his face.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that, old man! Now you¡¯re gonna die.¡±

    The scientist frowned at this. He was not that old. His foe was much younger, though, so of course he would think that.

    He blocked an incoming fist and kicked the guy¡¯s left leg. Hard. Bones cracked.

    The man stumbled back, screaming.

    ¡°You broke my damned leg!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about the people you killed,¡± Halden said calmly.

    He heard footsteps running toward the lounge.

    ¡°They deserved what they got,¡± spat out the madman. ¡°This place is an abomination. Only bad things can happen here.¡±

    The guy drew a dagger.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s time something bad happened to you, old man.¡±

    Again with the insult.

    Halden cringed as he eyed the dancing blade.

    What had he got himself into?

    ¡°Nobody move!¡± yelled a voice from behind the knife-wielding man.

    Halden knew better than to look away. His eyes remained on his opponent, though he could see a dozen men had arrived, all pointing weapons at them.

    He took a few steps back and slowly lifted his hands.

    The madman grinned and rushed toward him.

    Phasers shot.

    The man¡¯s legs exploded, spraying the room with blood and splintered bone fragments.

    He fell and squirmed, screaming and crying in pain.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked one of the guards, phaser pointed at the scientist.

    ¡°Halden Roche,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I was resting here when this crazy guy burst in, waving his weapon.¡±

    The officer frowned as he looked around and saw the phaser on the ground, a few feet away.

    ¡°Hold out your arms,¡± he commanded.

    Halden did as told.

    Weapon still pointed at him, the guard approached. He placed his wristpad against Halden¡¯s, then looked at the display.

    ¡°Everything checks out,¡± he said as he put away his phaser. ¡°Sorry about that, but I needed to make sure.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a researcher?¡± said the other dubiously.

    Though he and his fellow scientists at the IAS all worked for the Imperium, it was held quiet, and their official profession was a more generic, less controversial one.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°How did you not get killed?¡±

    Halden explained what he had done, and the guard nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you pulled it off. It could have gone very bad for you.¡±

    ¡°I know. But none of my other options seemed much more appealing.¡± He glanced at the madman, who was now being placed on a stretcher to be carried to the medical bay. ¡°Why did he do this?¡±

    The guard shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll have to investigate, but there are crazy people out there.¡±

    ¡°He did say something about this ship being an abomination.¡±

    The other wrinkled his nose in distaste.

    ¡°He must be a Child of Wrath.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡±

    ¡°Fanatics who think technology is destroying the Imperium. How can you not have heard of them?¡±

    Halden frowned. It sounded somewhat familiar. Someone must have mentioned them at work. But he¡¯d been so focused, he had hardly paid much attention to the news.

    Perhaps that had been a mistake.

    ¡°You should go back to your room until this is settled,¡± added the guard. ¡°There could be more of them out there.¡±

    The scientist shuddered at the thought. He nodded and walked off.

    As he walked, his wristpad buzzed.

    He looked at the display and saw he had received a message from his daughter...

    His dead daughter.

 21. Where death comes knocking (but nobodys home)

    ¡°Run!¡±

    Without another word, Rodger had dashed off down the tunnel, back toward the ship.

    They ran after him.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± shouted Kaine as he caught up with their guide.

    ¡°Indigenous life forms do not like humans.¡±

    ¡°There is life here?¡± asked Val, her voice filled with surprise.

    ¡°Oh, yes. And believe me when I say you do not want to meet it.¡±

    By now, the ground under their feet was trembling. The sound had increased¡ªa low, deep thudding, though every once in a while, they could also make out a distant piercing shriek that made Kaine shudder.

    ¡°Where is it? Will we have time to reach the ship?¡±

    ¡°I hope so.¡±

    Rodger¡¯s voice was strained and out of breath.

    Above the creature¡¯s cries, they now could hear the wailing winds. A spot of blue in the distance told them they were approaching the entrance.

    ¡°Whatever you do,¡± hissed their guide, ¡°do not linger. Once we¡¯re out in the open, we¡¯ll be more at risk, but we have to get to the ship.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying we¡¯re safe in these caverns?¡± asked Val as they ran.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say safe, not exactly. That particular creature could not reach us here, but it could destroy the shuttle, and then we¡¯d be stranded.¡±

    ¡°What? How could it do that?¡±

    The opening grew larger, and they could see the storm raging outside.

    ¡°No time. Just keep going. Let nothing distract you.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    He¡¯d barely finished talking that they came out of the tunnel and the winds hit them hard.

    The ship lay ahead, but Kaine bitterly remembered it had taken five minutes to get to the cave. He swore.

    Another piercing shriek resonated against the walls of the mountain behind them, now much louder than before.

    How close was that thing? And where was it?

    He tried to ask another question, but the storm muffled his words.

    Rain and snow battered them as they raced toward the shuttle.

    The ground shook, and thunder clapped.

    Val tripped. Her body dipped, but he caught her arm and steadied her. She gave him a quick nod, and they continued to run.

    But Rodger suddenly stopped and lifted both his hands.

    He turned, a horrified expression on his face. He motioned toward the mountain and started running back toward the cave.

    Kaine was confused. He stared at the shuttle and noticed it was moving.

    How could that be?

    He gaped as the head tipped down and sunk into the earth.

    Val grabbed and pulled him, which snapped him out of it. He turned and ran toward the cave as fast as he could¡ªfaster for sure than he ever had in his lifetime.

    It was a shorter distance than the ship, so they quickly reached the safety of the tunnel.

    Though how safe was it really, he wondered?

    They looked back toward the shuttle.

    Except it was gone.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Kaine. ¡°Where did it go?¡±

    ¡°Down,¡± muttered Rodger.

    Val stared into the storm. She shook her head and glanced at the guide.

    ¡°What now?¡±

    Rodger looked outside, then down the tunnel.

    ¡°Now we call for help and hope nothing else comes for us.¡±

    ¡°That thing can¡¯t get us here, can it?¡±

    ¡°No. But there are other nasty critters on this planet.¡±

    Kaine was annoyed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think you should have warned us about that before we left on this little expedition?¡±

    The man grimaced. ¡°It should have been safe enough. The wurms don¡¯t normally come so close to the mountains.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me there¡¯s some sort of giant worm out there?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t look so much like worms, to be honest, but the name was given before one was ever seen and it kinda stuck.¡±

    ¡°What do they look like?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know,¡± grumbled Rodger. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you this much. They¡¯re huge and live underground.¡±

    Val glanced into the tunnel.

    ¡°Could one of those creatures have created the pit?¡±

    Rodger shook his head as he tapped on his wristpad.

    ¡°They can¡¯t dig through rock. That¡¯s why they stay away from the mountains.¡±

    The thudding sound still resonated through the cave, though Kaine thought it wasn¡¯t as loud as before.

    ¡°Is it leaving?¡±

    ¡°I hope so.¡± The guide stared at the display of his wristpad. ¡°A shuttle will be here to pick us up in half an hour. It has to be gone if we want to get out of here.¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s still here and they can¡¯t land?¡±

    Rodger frowned. He looked toward the storm outside and the trembling earth.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re screwed,¡± he muttered.

 22. Where traces are followed and choices are made

    The thilium leak led them to more stars. But there was something else here, too. Debris. Tons and tons of debris. Some of them were large enough that you could tell they had once been part of a ship. Not so long ago.

    Bregg was worried.

    ¡°Are those from the ship we¡¯re after?¡± he asked.

    The Lieutenant gave him a strange look.

    ¡°No, Colonel. From the fragments we see, I can tell it was a much more modern model. Smaller, too. A stealth vessel, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±

    ¡°Stealth?¡±

    Why would such a ship be after his prey? Or was it?

    Perhaps this had nothing to do with his business. Pirates fighting it out at the rim. There would be nothing unusual about that. Except... such battles usually involved multiple ships. Only one had been destroyed here.

    ¡°So it would seem, Sir.¡±

    That makes no sense.

    ¡°Can we determine who destroyed it?¡± he asked out loud.

    The Lieutenant shook his head. ¡°Afraid not, Sir. There¡¯s not enough left of it. Their emitter must have been fried, as I can¡¯t pick up a signal. That could have given us access to some data¡ªperhaps even video recordings¡ªbut there is nothing left to salvage.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Bregg grunted, his eyes still glued to the screen. A small dark shape floated amid the debris. He squinted, then realized it was a corpse. He turned away in disgust, looking at his second-in-command.

    ¡°Do we know where they are headed?¡±

    Ferris looked at his displays.

    ¡°Not with certainty, but the trail of debris does give us some clue of the direction they were going in. And there are some planets if you keep going straight from here.¡± He tapped on the screen and a globe grew. His eyes scanned the associated data as it scrolled across the screen. ¡°This one¡¯s populated, Sir. Sepharon. I¡¯d say it¡¯s their most likely destination.¡± He glanced at his commanding officer. ¡°Should I set us a course?¡±

    The older man walked up to the console and leaned over to stare at the screen. He remained quiet for a moment, then looked at the Lieutenant.

    ¡°Is this the closest world to us?¡±

    Ferris frowned. ¡°No, Sir. But it¡¯s the most likely place they would go to seek refuge. Lots of people there. Would be easy to disappear in the crowd.¡±

    ¡°Why would they want to hide, Lieutenant?¡±

    The other man pointed at the screen and the floating debris.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s obviously after them.¡±

    That was a good point.

    ¡°Still. From the Rimzana reports I¡¯ve seen, their ship was damaged. The pilot entered Uthyn claiming she was looking for a fixer. And their ship was spotted and pursued as it lifted off. Enough was caught on camera to ascertain the damage. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll want to fix it as soon as possible. Show me the other options.¡±

    The Lieutenant did as commanded, and three other worlds appeared on the screen.

    ¡°These are the two closest,¡± said Ferris as he pointed at the display. ¡°But they¡¯re both harsh and hostile planets, Sir.¡±

    Bregg leaned closer, enough to reach out and tap on the display. He had chosen the one closest to them, and it grew on the screen as the other had before. He read the data and pointed at the text.

    ¡°Harsh and hostile, but not uninhabited.¡±

    Ferris stared at the data, then at the Colonel.

    ¡°But, Sir, there is nothing there but wind storms and snow. Who would go there?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to find out, Lieutenant.¡± He straightened and stepped away from the console. ¡°Set a course for Alterica.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

 23. Where waking mouths hunger

    They sat at the entrance of the cave, waiting.

    Outside, they still could hear the wurm¡¯s thumping sound, though it now was more distant.

    ¡°How much longer?¡± asked Kaine.

    Val clicked her tongue. ¡°Five minutes less than the last time you asked.¡±

    The man made a face as he shifted his weight and glanced toward the snowy sky.

    Val looked at Rodger and noticed he kept darting glances in every direction.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said.

    Val frowned.

    ¡°You look nervous to me.¡± She glanced at Kaine and pointed toward their guide. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he look nervous to you?¡±

    ¡°Sorry to break it to you, buddy, but you do.¡±

    Rodger grunted.

    ¡°It¡¯s just... This place isn¡¯t safe.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? You didn¡¯t seem concerned at all, earlier.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, earlier we didn¡¯t have a wurm roaming out there.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they couldn¡¯t dig through rock?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°They can¡¯t, but that¡¯s not the problem.¡±

    Val crossed her arms, glaring at the man.

    ¡°Well, spill it out already!¡±

    ¡°The constant thudding can draw other things out,¡± he grumbled. ¡°The longer it lasts, the more likely they will come.¡±

    ¡°They?¡±

    ¡°Smaller critters, but nasty all the same.¡±

    Kaine hit the back of his head against the rock wall.

    ¡°This was such a great idea, Val. Thanks a lot.¡±

    Ignoring him, she stared at the guide.

    ¡°Do these things dig through rock?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡± He looked in the direction of the pit. ¡°They sleep in alcoves and crannies throughout these tunnels. It¡¯s a sound sleep that can only be disturbed by... well... something like that.¡± He pointed toward the snow-covered plains outside. ¡°And they do not like to be woken.¡±

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me we¡¯re surrounded by dangerous creatures and you never deemed useful to mention it?¡±

    ¡°As I said, their sleep is heavy, it¡¯s usually not a problem. It would take something extreme like this to wake them.¡±

    ¡°How long before they wake?¡± asked Kaine.

    Rodger shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The wurm seems to be moving away, so if they haven¡¯t woken yet, it¡¯s possible they won¡¯t wake at all.¡±

    The man¡¯s wristpad emitted a beep and he looked at the screen. Though the concern did not dissipate, he nodded his head and looked at the other two.

    ¡°They¡¯re almost here.¡±

    ¡°The wurm¡¯s still close,¡± remarked Val.

    Their guide made a face. ¡°We¡¯ll have to make do.¡±

    He stood and took a step toward the entrance, glancing toward the sky.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you warn them it¡¯s still here?¡±

    ¡°They know. Ship sensors would have picked it up. It¡¯d be too risky to land, so I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll hover above us. On the plus side, that means they¡¯ll be able to come closer to the cliff. Less risk also of the wurm coming for us.¡±

    ¡°Why do I feel like there¡¯s a ¡®but¡¯?¡±

    He glanced at her, then back at the sky.

    ¡°Well, the ship¡¯s engine will be very loud at this range...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that could wake your critters too?¡±

    He just nodded, without a word.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± growled Kaine as he stood. ¡°How will we get into the ship?¡±

    ¡°Rope ladder. We¡¯ll need to be quick.¡±

    ¡°You think?¡±

    Looking at the sky, they saw a black dot in the distance. It grew and grew, until the shape of a shuttle became obvious. As Rodger had suspected, they remained in the air, coming very close to the cliff.

    The engine roared and they all shuddered as they glanced back in the tunnel.

    The distant thudding grew louder as well and they looked at each other.

    ¡°Is it coming back?¡± shouted Val so the others could hear her over the noise.

    Rodger looked up and waved his hands at the ship. A panel at the bottom opened and a ladder dropped out.

    ¡°It must be attracted by the shuttle. It won¡¯t be able to come very near, but I¡¯m concerned about the sound.¡±

    Even as he said this, they all heard hissing and piercing shrieks from behind them.

    ¡°Crap. They¡¯re awake.¡±

    Rodger¡¯s face had gone very white.

    He pulled at the ladder and grabbed Val¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Go up! Hurry.¡±

    She glanced down the tunnel even as she reached for the ladder. Dark shapes were pouring out of the walls. Slowly. Noisily.

    ¡°They¡¯re still half asleep,¡± yelled Rodger as she started to climb. ¡°Now you,¡± he said as he pulled Kaine toward the ladder. ¡°Quick, quick! We¡¯re running out of time.¡±

    Kaine looked back and got a glimpse of red blinking eyes turning toward them. Louder hisses resonated as the small lizard-like shapes stirred and woke. More and more of them appeared.

    And suddenly, a dozen of the critters rushed toward them.

    Kaine gulped as he jumped up and climbed the ladder.

    He didn¡¯t look back but felt the rope move wildly under him as Rodger followed.

    And then came a piercing scream. He couldn¡¯t help but look down.

    Rodger had been pulled down, and the creatures were now all over him, slashing and tearing at his face with their fangs and claws. He tried to pull them off him, but there were too many.

    Some of the creatures jumped on the rope and started to climb. Their bodies were not suited for this, so they moved slowly, but still they came.

    He looked up and saw that Val had reached the ship. She leaned down and reached for him, then pulled him up with her. He fell to the floor, breathless.

    ¡°We need to cut this!¡± she screamed as she looked down.

    ¡°You can unhook it!¡± yelled back a man¡¯s voice from the cockpit.

    The shuttle rose into the sky, so the critters could no longer reach the ladder, but four of them still hung on to it, making their way up, hissing and glaring at them.

    ¡°Quick! Help me, Kaine!¡±

    She went to one end of the ladder while he went to the other, and they unfastened the rope.

    The closest creature was almost upon them when the last hook gave, and the entire ladder fell.

    The critters hissed and flapped their legs and paws in startled surprise, but they could not stop the fall.

    And even as they fell, the ground beneath trembled, cracked, and opened.

    An enormous jaw sprung out, filled with thousands of sharpened teeth, and it swallowed the critters, along with the rope, before going back down and disappearing into its hole.

 24. Where mysteries await

    Nad¡¯irith was a world like thousands of other worlds. With forests, rivers, mountains... It had a natural beauty that humans were slowly destroying. Perhaps more slowly here, as it was at the rim of the Imperium, where men had mostly been left to their own devices.

    Halden stared through the window as the small, unmanned shuttle headed down toward its landing pad. But his mind was elsewhere.

    He lifted his wristpad and played his daughter¡¯s video again.

    It made no sense.

    Lucy was smiling¡ªlaughing, even, in some parts¡ªtalking about how her weekend had been... As if she was still alive.

    When had this been recorded? It had to be from at least several months ago... but then, why was he receiving this now? And who had sent it?

    As far as he could tell, it had come directly from her. As if she¡¯d scheduled it to be sent out now.

    Something else troubled him about the recording, though he couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on it.

    He grunted as he looked back through the window.

    As if he didn¡¯t have enough to worry about, now this.

    The shuttle landed and he stepped out. He was the only passenger. The attendant on the ship had assured him this was a common occurrence with rimworlds, as few people ever went there.

    What he found more surprising, though, was that the spaceport was deserted.

    The shuttle took off as he walked toward the terminal. There were no gliders here, no ships, no people. It was a strange feeling. He was used to the large, lavish, extravagant, and crowded spaceports which existed throughout the Imperium.

    At least all the doors opened before him, so he could just walk right through the empty terminal, until he reached the exit. On the plus side, he didn¡¯t have to deal with the usual administrative procedures.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Outside, he found a Holscreen Terminal he used to call a hovercab.

    He had to wait five minutes before his ride arrived.

    The driver looked startled when he picked him up.

    ¡°We don¡¯t often get visitors here,¡± he confided.

    ¡°I had guessed as much,¡± said Halden.

    The younger man grinned.

    ¡°I imagine you had. So, where to, friend?¡±

    Halden was tempted to go to the site directly, but he knew it¡¯d be wiser to settle down somewhere first.

    ¡°Take me to the nearest hotel,¡± he said. ¡°Preferably one with available rooms.¡±

    The other man laughed. ¡°All hotels here have vacancy, friend. Not many visitors.¡± He looked up at the sky. ¡°You must have been on that big boy?¡±

    The scientist followed the driver¡¯s glance. There was nothing to see, of course, as the cruise ship had remained in orbit, high above the planet¡¯s atmosphere. But if they didn¡¯t get many tourists, it was likely the only option.

    He grunted and nodded as the hovercab set off at full speed.

    ¡°I heard you had some excitement up there.¡±

    ¡°News travels fast, I see.¡±

    The man laughed again. ¡°We get our entertainment where we can, friend. I hope you were not harmed?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You were lucky, friend. They found a bomb, you know?¡±

    ¡°They did?¡±

    The driver nodded sagely. ¡°That nutjob set it up near the thilium core¡ªhow no one spotted him is beyond me, and says a lot about the lack of security on those ships.¡± He shuddered at the thought. ¡°Either way, something went wrong and it would not go off. It sent the guy off the edge and he decided to go on a rampage. I heard some random tourist stopped him... Imagine that!¡±

    Halden glanced at the empty sky again.

    ¡°Yeah, imagine that,¡± he muttered to himself.

    The hovercab dropped him off in front of a small hotel, and he went in after paying the driver.

    The woman at the front desk received him with a smile. And yes, of course, they had plenty of rooms. Would he fancy one with a view on the lake?

    Halden decided he would.

    After taking a shower and putting his things away, he sat on a chair near the window. He looked at the lake for a moment, then turned his eyes to his wristpad.

    He was tempted to watch Lucy¡¯s video again, but he knew it would just drive him crazy. He was here for a reason, so he might as well get busy.

    With a few quick taps on the mini-screen, he brought up a map of the region. He had memorized the report, and so knew exactly what he was looking for. He brought up the coordinates and studied the surroundings.

    It was a dig site like so many others he¡¯d seen on TriVid screens. But what they¡¯d found there was... Well, he didn¡¯t know what it was. That was the whole point of this trip, after all, was it not?

    He stood and headed for the door.

    As a scientist, he hated mysteries. And now he had two that boggled his mind.

    He needed to analyze, to unravel, to understand.

    And he would.

    One mystery at a time.

 25. Where a painful truth is revealed

    Onna was devastated to hear Rodger hadn¡¯t made it back. She didn¡¯t blame them, though. If anything, it had been the man¡¯s recklessness that had put them all in danger. He shouldn¡¯t have taken them to the pit.

    The fixers weren¡¯t quite done yet with the repairs, so they decided to spend the night at the compound.

    Val wanted to sleep on Starrider, but Onna advised against it.

    ¡°Although we¡¯re almost done, we¡¯ve had to power down the ship so we could work safely. You¡¯d have no light, and likely not enough air to last until morning. You¡¯ll be better off in one of our guest rooms.¡±

    The guest rooms were small and sparsely furnished. There was nothing modern there. Just a cot, a small table, a chair, and a window that gave into the hangar.

    They met in the mess hall to eat before calling it a night.

    ¡°What about my AI?¡± asked Val with some concern. ¡°If you powered down the ship...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Onna, ¡°he¡¯ll be fully restored once we bring the power back on.¡±

    Val said nothing, though she still looked worried.

    Kaine cleared his throat.

    ¡°Speaking of... I¡¯d never seen an AI quite like yours.¡±

    ¡°Lay off Nim, if you know what¡¯s good for you.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so touchy when it comes to him?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your damn business.¡±

    He held up his hands. ¡°Alright, alright. No need to bite my head off.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t as if it made any difference to him, but he had always been curious. His friends used to say it¡¯d be the end of him. Well, they were all dead now, and he was still here. He¡¯d have argued his curiosity was what had kept him alive.

    Val glanced at Onna, then at her plate.

    They ate in silence.

    Later, as he settled in his room, Kaine opened his bag and glanced down at the cube. It was frowned upon to ask questions in his line of work, but this thing puzzled him beyond words. What could it be? And how could it have so much value?

    His employer had given him a rather generous advance, promising twice as much upon delivery. It had to be the best-paid job he¡¯d ever had.

    Then why did it leave a bitter taste in his mouth?

    With a grunt, he closed the bag and pushed it underneath his cot before he lay down.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The next morning, he found Val outside, staring at the ship as the fixers finished their work.

    ¡°How much longer?¡± he asked.

    She glanced at him and shrugged.

    ¡°A few hours would be my guess.¡±

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t plan another excursion to pass the time...¡±

    She shuddered and shook her head.

    ¡°No. I think I¡¯ve had enough of this world.¡±

    ¡°You and me both.¡±

    They fell quiet as they watched the men work.

    ¡°He¡¯s not really an AI.¡±

    Kaine blinked and glanced at the woman.

    He had barely heard the words and wondered if he had imagined them.

    ¡°Say what?¡±

    Though her eyes remained on Starrider, Val sighed.

    ¡°He¡¯s my partner. Well, was. He died.¡±

    Kaine stared at her. He was speechless. Was she really saying what he thought she was saying? That was impossible.

    ¡°It happened ten years ago. On Osaran. That¡¯s where we found it.¡± She motioned with her chin toward the ship. ¡°It was left there to rust in a graveyard of ships. And yet... it was magnificent. Because we could see it for what it truly was. A disused Corvair, but a Corvair nonetheless. We both fell in love with it and decided to take it. But...¡±

    Her voice trailed off, and he saw a tear run down her cheek, which she promptly wiped.

    ¡°Nim fixed the ship... Just like these men are fixing it now. We were done and about to board when the Impies found us and started shooting. We ran in, but Nim got hit in the back.¡± Her fists clenched. ¡°What kind of coward would shoot a man in the back? I helped him in and we managed to take off, but his wound was too deep.¡± She turned her eyes toward her companion. ¡°He died in my arms.¡±

    Kaine blinked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I don¡¯t understand. If he¡¯s dead, how¡ª¡±

    ¡°It was his idea,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°We had noticed the ship didn¡¯t have an AI. Surprising, I know. So when he understood he wouldn¡¯t make it, he suggested we transfer his mind into the ship...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a thing?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. But he did. It had to do with quantum physics and DNA. I don¡¯t know. But whatever it was, it worked. It kept his personality intact, though not his memories. He made me promise to erase them.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    She looked away, lips pursed.

    ¡°He wanted to be with me, but said remembering what he had been would hurt too much.¡±

    Kaine was stunned. How could this man have put her through this? It wasn¡¯t just the Impies who had acted as cowards. To fear pain so much it blinded you to the endless suffering your loved one would have to endure struck him as incredibly selfish.

    But he knew better than to point this out.

    So he said nothing.

    Val took a deep breath.

    ¡°And so I did as he asked. I erased it all. The good, the bad, everything we¡¯d shared...¡± She had a sad smile as she tapped the side of her head. ¡°Now all that¡¯s left of it is up here. At least, I haven¡¯t lost him¡ªnot completely. He¡¯s always been with me ever since.¡±

    That must have been her motivation, he realized, what had pushed her to accept this unthinkable solution. Faced with the prospect of the man¡¯s imminent death, she had seen a way to keep him with her. And with time running out, she must not have thought through the long-term consequences of her actions. Though he wondered if she¡¯d have done anything differently had she realized what it would put her through.

    ¡°But now,¡± she said as worry crept back into her voice and expression, ¡°they powered him down.¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± he said as sudden realization hit him.

    If Nim wasn¡¯t an actual AI, his connection to the ship would be of a different, more subtle nature. Bringing him back might not be as simple as turning a switch on.

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be okay?¡± he asked, his own voice now filled with concern.

    She glanced at him. ¡°What I know is that he¡¯s strong. If anyone can pull through this, it¡¯s him.¡±

    They fell quiet again, both lost in their thoughts.

    Two hours later, the ship was powered back on, ready to go.

    Onna came to them.

    ¡°All done. We put some provisions on board for you, so you should be all set for a while.¡±

    They thanked her, then boarded the ship with some apprehension.

    Both of them wondered what they would find...

 26. Where initiatives are taken

    Sometimes, Bregg felt like he¡¯d spent his entire life staring at that damn screen. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t known what to expect when he¡¯d joined the army, but he had expected a bit more action, too. And perhaps would he have seen more of that had things gone differently.

    He stared at the gray globe for a moment longer, then turned to his lieutenant.

    ¡°Well?¡± he asked irritably.

    Ferris shook his head. ¡°Still no response. I think the storms down there are disrupting our transmissions, Sir.¡±

    The colonel grunted. Did he have to do everything himself? Well, he had gone down to Rimzana, hadn¡¯t he? He¡¯d just do the same here. Though he wasn¡¯t looking forward to seeing this planet from up close.

    Someone behind him cleared their throat.

    ¡°Colonel Bregg?¡± He turned and saw Juden looking at him. ¡°Could I have a word with you? In private.¡±

    The officer scowled at the civilian, then glanced at his crew. Everyone was busy working on their consoles, though he did see Ferris casting a curious glance toward them.

    He nodded and headed toward his office, motioning for the other man to follow him¡ªwhich he did.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, after closing the door behind them. ¡°And please make it quick. Time is of the essence.¡±

    ¡°I quite agree, colonel. Which is why I thought I¡¯d make a suggestion. You clearly don¡¯t want any direct involvement with this ship, and yet you¡¯re still chasing it. Why not let us do the chasing? You wanted our help to keep things off the record, so wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to let us handle this?¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    It would. But that didn¡¯t mean Bregg liked the idea. He didn¡¯t know these two men, after all. How could he trust them? Then again, what would they get from betraying him? He knew Thiari wouldn¡¯t approve of that, at least, and they worked for her.

    ¡°What are you proposing, exactly?¡±

    The man motioned with his chin toward the bridge they had just left.

    ¡°Someone needs to go down there to get that ship. No point in you getting your hands dirty. We can go for you, do what needs to be done, then take the ship to a safe place.¡±

    Bregg frowned.

    ¡°A safe place?¡±

    ¡°What was your plan, colonel? You have a big ship, but were you going to keep that thing on here? You know it wouldn¡¯t be safe, or you wouldn¡¯t need our help. We can take it where no one will find it. We¡¯ll store it for you, and you can access it whenever you want or need to.¡±

    ¡°How do I know you¡¯ll keep your word?¡±

    The other man seemed hurt by what the words implied.

    ¡°What would we do with it, colonel? We have no interest in that ship. You asked for our help, and we are here to provide it. Our boss wouldn¡¯t have sent us if she didn¡¯t trust us. So I guess what you must ask yourself is whether you trust her?¡±

    Well, that was easy. He didn¡¯t. But trust wasn¡¯t necessary. He had enough dirt on her to keep her in check. She wouldn¡¯t dare do anything against him, he knew that much.

    He sighed and nodded.

    ¡°Very well. Go. Take your friend with you and report back as soon as possible.¡± The man started toward the door. ¡°Wait!¡±

    Juden stopped and looked back at him with a quirked brow.

    The colonel walked quickly to his desk and rummaged through his drawers, until he found a small squarish device. He came back to the man and handed him the item.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°When you need to call me, press it against your wristpad. It will open a secure line that only I will have access to.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    The man nodded as he slid the object into his pocket, then turned and walked out of the office.

    Bregg¡¯s eyes drifted to the screen.

    That same damn screen.

    He was so sick of it.

    He shut the door, walked back to his desk, and poured himself some whiskey.

 27. Where a ship sings its song

    They stood in the quiet ship, waiting.

    ¡°Nim?¡± Val tried again, her voice shaking.

    The man by her side shifted uncomfortably, looking around as the lights came back, one by one.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±

    Kaine rubbed the back of his neck, thinking.

    ¡°Maybe not.¡±

    Val gestured toward the ship around them.

    ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he responding? He¡¯s gone, I tell you! I lost him. Again.¡±

    There was anger in the woman, but also anguish. She could feel tears welling up, but she held them back. She would not break down. Certainly not in front of this guy.

    ¡°I meant to say... I meant I might be able to bring him back.¡±

    ¡°What? How?¡±

    He started walking down the hall as he talked, and she followed him.

    ¡°He¡¯s not completely gone. I mean... If your friend was uploaded into the ship the way I think he was¡ªwell, it¡¯s really the only way it could have been done, that I can think of at least... Then his presence in the system does not require power.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    They both walked at a quick pace. Val had thought he would head for the bridge, but she could tell now that was not his destination.

    ¡°Nim needs power to operate, but not to exist.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he then have come back online when power returned?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily. When they shut everything down, it would have severed some of the connections between... well, the place where Nim is, and the ship itself.¡±

    ¡°Where he is? You speak as if he still had a physical body.¡±

    Kaine shook his head as they turned into a new corridor.

    ¡°No, no.¡± He waved his hand around. ¡°A ship this complex is run by thousands, maybe millions of different routines and subroutines. The onboard AI normally handles these. But each routine needs to be housed somewhere. Not in a physical sense, but it does have a space in the network, if you would.¡±

    ¡°The onboard network!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But... Wouldn¡¯t a regular AI have come back online with the power?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, but that¡¯s part of its coding. Your friend Nim does not have such coding. So we need to bring him back manually.¡±

    Val could tell now they were headed toward the core.

    ¡°And you can do this?¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°If I can locate where in the network Nim is, yes.¡±

    ¡°And how will you find him?¡±

    Kaine stopped as he reached the sealed panel that protected the ship¡¯s thilium core.

    ¡°With a little help from this thing.¡±

    He pointed at the column in front of him.

    Val frowned.

    ¡°How can the core¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, not the core.¡± He moved to the side of the column, and approached a small black screen. He touched it and it lit up, displaying a series of undecipherable characters.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°No one can get into the core¡ªand for good reasons. Only a scientist could repair that if it failed. But there are ways to control it, to some extent, using this little beauty. But...¡± He held up a hand before she could say anything. ¡°That¡¯s not what we want. The network is also powered by the core, so I can access it directly through this.¡±

    ¡°We can do that from the bridge, too!¡±

    ¡°Some parts of the network, sure, the ones you need to fly the ship. But what we need now is of a different nature.¡±

    He started tapping on the screen, sliding his finger across its surface, swiping, and tapping again. His expression was now one of intense concentration, so Val fell quiet as she watched him.

    Did he really know what he was doing?

    Well, he¡¯d known about this touchscreen, so that was something.

    After a few seconds, she thought she heard a distant humming. She perked up her ears, but there was nothing. At least not for a few more seconds. Then it returned, louder now. It seemed to reverberate throughout the halls.

    ¡°What is that?¡± she asked.

    The sound became more high-pitched, then sharper, then high-pitched again.

    ¡°Kaine!¡±

    He blinked as he glanced back at her.

    ¡°I need to test routines as I come across them. That¡¯s the only way I can figure out what they are.¡±

    ¡°What if you set off the self-destruct mode?¡± she asked with a frown.

    His fingers kept dancing on the screen.

    ¡°If I do, I promise you won¡¯t feel a thing.¡±

    ¡°Not funny.¡±

    The pitch and tone of the sounds were changing so fast now they sounded like music.

    ¡°Are you sure you know what you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± he said with some humor.

    Val grunted.

    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± he asked.

    She didn¡¯t, so she remained quiet.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Her head snapped to the right.

    ¡°Nim?¡±

    The music stopped and they were plunged into silence again.

    ¡°That was him! I recognized his voice...¡±

    Kaine pulled away from the column, frowning.

    ¡°I think I found him.¡±

    ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he talking again?¡±

    He glanced at her, then back at the display. He pointed toward it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened, but he got merged with another routine.¡±

    ¡°Nim is not a routine!¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Poor choice of words. But you get the idea.¡±

    ¡°Not really. What do you mean by ¡®merged¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Well... They share the space, if that helps.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure that it did.

    ¡°Can you unmerge them?¡±

    Kaine scratched his head, still staring at the screen. He didn¡¯t answer, seeming thoughtful for a moment. Then, he approached the column again and slid the tip of a finger across the surface.

    The screen turned to a bright green, though she could see a red flashing button at the bottom. Kaine¡¯s finger hovered over it, hesitating.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked with concern in her voice.

    He glanced at her, with his finger still hovering.

    ¡°If I hit this... it will untangle them, but I have no idea which will win.¡±

    ¡°Win?¡±

    His finger went down as he turned to face her.

    ¡°Poor choice of words again, sorry. But it¡¯s hard to explain.¡± He paused, thinking. ¡°The merging has probably damaged both routines... I mean, Nim and the routine that shared the same space.¡±

    ¡°Probably?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure, not until I press that button. But if there was damage, there¡¯s a good chance one will be more damaged than the other.¡±

    ¡°So it could just be the routine that¡¯s damaged, and Nim who¡¯s fine?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, that¡¯s a possibility. But¡ª¡±

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t press that button?¡±

    ¡°Then Nim stays stuck and¡ª¡±

    In two quick steps, Val moved up to the screen and pressed the red button.

    ¡°There,¡± she said. ¡°Now you don¡¯t have to feel guilty if it doesn¡¯t work.¡±

    Kaine blinked, looking from her to the screen.

    ¡°Hello? Hello?¡±

    ¡°Nim!¡±

    The disembodied voice sighed.

    ¡°You can hear me! I¡¯ve been trying to talk to you ever since you boarded the ship.¡±

    Val grinned. She looked at Kaine as she pointed to the ceiling.

    ¡°See? He¡¯s fine. Told you!¡±

    Kaine quirked a brow but nodded.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get off this rock.¡±

    Without another word, she raced down the hall toward the bridge.

    Kaine watched her go, then glanced back at the screen with a frown.

 28. Where a flaw is found

    The dig site was a few miles outside of the capital¡ªif you could call it that.

    Nad¡¯irith was one of the older colonies at the rim and thus had a fairly large population. But, over the years, that population had spread throughout the planet, leaving many of the earlier cities drained of a fair amount of their citizens.

    Not only had the capital shrunk in size, but it had also lost its power. There were no nations here. No central government. Each city was independent and made its own rules and laws. Walk outside its walls, and you were on your own.

    Halden hoped the local wildlife was not too wild.

    He¡¯d rented a glider from the hotel and was now fast approaching his destination.

    There was a blur in the distance, and he wondered if it was because of the heat. He¡¯d had to leave his jacket in the room and was glad he¡¯d brought some lighter clothes.

    He¡¯d found very little information about this world before leaving Bernice, but there had been some mentions of heatwaves which had made him wary.

    As he got closer, though, he realized the blur was growing. It had a shape, too.

    No, this had nothing to do with the heat.

    This was something else entirely.

    Something he had never seen or heard of before.

    It stood ahead of him like a huge column, rising into the sky as if to touch the clouds.

    Halden could not tell where it stopped, because it just blurred out of sight.

    After a few minutes, he understood something else.

    The column was at the dig site.

    It loomed high above him as he landed the glider and stared at it for a moment.

    Could this be the source of that thilindrin burst the IAS had recorded?

    He stepped out of the glider and looked around.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The place seemed deserted.

    Except for a dozen men and women who sat around a fire, not too far from the base of the column... assuming it had a base.

    How these people could stand a fire in this heat was beyond him.

    He headed in their direction.

    His eyes kept going back to the twirling blur.

    It was disconcerting, to say the least.

    What could it be?

    As he looked toward the campfire again, he saw the group had noticed him. A couple of men had stood and were looking in his direction. They did not come to him, nor wave, nor smile. Their faces wore no expression at all.

    What have I gotten myself into? he wondered.

    When he was within ten feet, he waved and called out.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    One of the men nodded.

    ¡°Hello, stranger. You should not be here.¡±

    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±

    ¡°It is not safe.¡±

    That was a strange thing to say.

    Raw thilindrin was not dangerous. Only its manipulation was.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said. ¡°My name is Halden Roche. I work with the Institute of Applied Sciences.¡±

    The man looked at the other who stood next to him and they shared a strange look while Halden brought out a badge to prove his identity.

    The first man barely glanced at it.

    ¡°You are a long way from Bernice, Prof. Roche.¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Halden. And you are?¡±

    ¡°Enek.¡±

    Halden was not sure how to handle this. It was nothing like what he had expected.

    ¡°Are you the foreman?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    He looked at the other people there and noticed they all were staring at him.

    ¡°Well, hmm, is he around? I would like to speak to him.¡±

    ¡°There is no one.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, there is no one? Is this a holiday or something?¡±

    ¡°No. There is no one.¡±

    Halden frowned.

    ¡°Look, I have come a long way to understand what is going on here. But I can¡¯t do that if I don¡¯t speak to whoever¡¯s in charge. I¡¯m not going away until I do. Is that understood?¡±

    The other man frowned. He remained quiet, but another rose from behind him and stepped up.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to pardon Enek,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s not used to dealing with strangers. I am Gresh.¡±

    Halden¡¯s eyes went from one man to the other. He nodded to the newcomer, with a slightly annoyed expression on his face.

    ¡°And you are used to it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± admitted Gresh with a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. Even so, it is no reason to be rude. Would you like to sit with us? You must be tired.¡±

    The man waved toward the fire, but Halden shook his head.

    ¡°In this heat? I don¡¯t think so. Besides, I¡¯ve had enough rest in the ship that brought me here. And at the hotel. Now, I just want answers. What is going on here? I¡¯m starting to think none of you belong. Where are the workers?¡±

    Gresh smiled amiably.

    ¡°Quite the opposite, friend. We belong more than any other. As for the workers, well, they have been gone for a long, long time.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? We got a report just a few days ago...¡±

    The man gave him a knowing smile.

    ¡°Yes, of course. That is the power of Fellhakaah.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The man waved toward the blurry column of air behind the campfire.

    ¡°That is what we call it. Fellhakaah. It means ¡®the Fault¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Why would you call it that?¡±

    The smile on Gresh¡¯s lips widened.

    ¡°Because it is a flaw in the design of the universe, of course.¡±

 29. Where our heroes odds turn

    As the ship shot through the stars, Kaine sat quietly next to Val. Though he was glad the AI was back, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like it had been too easy...

    No, he reminded himself, not an AI. He still had trouble wrapping his head around that one. While it was technically doable, it baffled his mind that anyone would want to do something like that.

    The guy couldn¡¯t eat anymore, couldn¡¯t walk around, couldn¡¯t feel the touch of a breeze against his skin... He glanced at Val. Or another type of touch, for that matter.

    His eyes went back to the screen.

    But he was concerned now that Nim might not be quite the same anymore. On the other hand, he wasn¡¯t quite who he had been even before that, so what was a little more change?

    ¡°Why so glum?¡± he heard Val ask.

    He straightened in his seat and turned to look at her.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®nothing¡¯? You¡¯ve been staring at the stars for an hour and you haven¡¯t said a word since we took off. I know we only just met, but you don¡¯t strike me as the quiet type. Come on. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    He sighed as he tapped his fingers against the armrest of his seat.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I hope it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡±

    ¡°Well¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am sensing a large mass ahead of us,¡± interrupted Nim¡¯s voice.

    ¡°A planet?¡±

    ¡°Unless it¡¯s been constructed with metal, I would say no.¡±

    Kaine squinted at the screen, but he couldn¡¯t see a thing.

    ¡°Must be a space station,¡± she mused. ¡°There can¡¯t be that many out here. Can you identify it?¡±

    ¡°I am running checks on the various signals the place is broadcasting, but¡ª¡±

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Wait, various signals? Are they hailing us?¡±

    ¡°No. We are still too far for that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand... Why would they be broadcasting anything? What are they broadcasting?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I will try to capture some of the signals and re-route them to our speakers.¡±

    ¡°You do that.¡±

    Kaine shifted in his seat. What could be out there? He¡¯d never been to this part of the Imperium before.

    ¡°I thought you knew the rim well?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You know how big it is? It spans all around the borders of the Imperium¡ªand the Imperium encompasses thousands of worlds. If it hadn¡¯t been for...¡±

    She suddenly stopped talking and frowned.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Val glanced at him, then shook her head. ¡°My point is, I¡¯ve been working in a different part of the rim. It¡¯s my first time around here. Hell if I know what¡¯s up ahead.¡±

    Music drifted from the speakers, surprising both of them.

    ¡°What is that?¡± asked Val.

    ¡°All the signals I have caught,¡± said Nim, ¡°seem to produce this same message.¡±

    ¡°How is this a message?¡±

    Just as she finished speaking, a loud voice boomed over the music:

    ¡°Come one, come all, and enjoy the wonders of Evenodds! Are you feeling lucky today? Then there is only one place to play!¡±

    More music poured from the speakers as Val started laughing.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°All are welcome,¡± the voice boomed again. ¡°All species, all currencies, all creeds, all beliefs. Come rest at Evenodds. Forget your worries, forget your pains; lose your stress, and count your gains!¡±

    ¡°Turn it off,¡± cried out Val as she wiped tears from her face.

    Kaine was startled.

    She grinned as she noticed his expression.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard of Evenodds?¡± He shook his head. ¡°You need to get out more. Though, to be fair, I had no idea it was anywhere near Rimzana... Then again, there¡¯s a story that it moves around a lot... Anyway, it¡¯s a space casino. How can you not know about it?¡±

    ¡°As you said,¡± he replied defensively, ¡°the rim is huge. I don¡¯t know this part. I¡¯m more familiar with Quadrant Z.¡±

    She stared at him for a moment, then broke into laughter again.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    He scowled at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the rim!¡±

    ¡°Of course it is.¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say there are parts of the rim that are not quite as isolated as others.¡±

    ¡°You mean like Rimzana?¡±

    Val¡¯s lips twitched.

    ¡°Fair enough. Though I¡¯d like to point out that, of all the rimworlds, Rimzana is the closest to the heart of the Imperium. That¡¯s why there are always so many Impies there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fully absorbed within a couple of generations.¡±

    ¡°Most likely.¡±

    She leaned over to look at some data that was spewing on her screen, then glanced back at her passenger with a smirk.

    ¡°Alright, buddy. I know you can be a bit picky, so what do you think? Would this be a decent place to drop you off?¡±

    ¡°Picky? Just because I didn¡¯t want to be stranded on a storm-ridden and forsaken world that the entire universe has forgotten even exists?¡± He snorted.

    ¡°Was that a yes?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I guess. There are bound to be options there, at least.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Then to Evenodds we go.¡±

    She hit a dial, and the ship sped through the stars.

 30. Where secrets are almost told

    The wait was unbearable.

    Bregg paced back and forth in his office, often casting glances at his wristpad.

    They¡¯d been gone for two hours, but still he had not heard from them.

    He¡¯d been avoiding the bridge. There was nothing there for him. Nothing but questioning looks and startled expressions.

    Too many of his crew were starting to wonder what they were doing here. Ferris had warned him this would happen. He only had himself to blame, he knew.

    He also wanted to take the call as soon as it came, which would be quicker if he didn¡¯t have so many people around him.

    But it grated on his nerves.

    Why did it take so long?

    His wristpad beeped and he quickly looked at it.

    He had received a message from Juden.

    ¡°Can¡¯t talk. Coming back.¡±

    Quick and to the point.

    Though he wondered why the man couldn¡¯t talk.

    Were there too many ears down there?

    He grunted as he marched out of his office, slamming the door behind him. The sound startled some of his crew, but he paid them no heed.

    Ferris looked at him as he approached.

    ¡°Anything new?¡± asked the colonel.

    ¡°No, sir. Not yet. I¡ª¡±

    His console bleeped, and he turned his head to consider the display.

    ¡°The shuttle is coming back.¡±

    Bregg nodded. ¡°Have Juden report to me as soon as he arrives. I¡¯ll be in my office.¡±

    ¡°Sir...¡±

    The colonel paused in his movement, looking at his second-in-command.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Can we talk? In private?¡±

    Bregg grunted. Was he going to chide him over his actions again? He had half a mind to say no. But Ferris was his only friend on this ship... If you could call that friendship. It had been, once upon a time. Either way, he didn¡¯t want to antagonize the only person who might still be on his side.

    So he nodded and walked to his office.

    He heard Ferris following him.

    The lieutenant closed the door behind him.

    ¡°What is it this time, Richard?¡± asked the commanding officer as he sat at his desk.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to understand what this is all about...¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°What does it matter?¡±

    Ferris frowned as he walked up to a chair and sat across from his old friend.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Adam.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we all?¡±

    ¡°This is different.¡± The younger officer rubbed his neck thoughtfully. ¡°I noticed it when I was first assigned to this ship with you. It had been a few years since I¡¯d seen you. I didn¡¯t think much of it at first. Thought maybe you were just having a bad day. But it¡¯s been months now, and you¡¯ve only grown more sullen.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this, Richard.¡±

    Ferris lifted a hand, which made the other man frown.

    ¡°No. You will hear me out. As a friend. We are still friends, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Bregg grunted and gave a sharp nod. ¡°Fine. But I can¡¯t have this conversation without something to drink.¡±

    He stood and walked to a nearby bar, where a collection of bottles was on display. He poured whiskey into two glasses as he listened to the other man talk.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened to you, but I can only assume it was something destructive to send you down this spiral. I¡¯m worried about where it will lead you. You know as well as I do we shouldn¡¯t be chasing this ship. Our mission is to monitor and to protect. If you really are concerned about that ship, you should have sent a report in, and let a more competent person handle this.¡±

    The older man came back with the two glasses and handed one to his friend, who took it with a nod. The colonel sat back in his seat and sipped from his drink, not saying a word.

    ¡°Talk to me, Adam! What is this about?¡±

    Bregg thought about his options.

    He¡¯d met Ferris at the Academy, when they were both still students. They shared a common passion for space, the stars, the unknown. They had become quick friends. But then, after graduation, they had been assigned to different posts and had lost sight of each other. It was only a few months ago that Ferris had come on board to replace his previous lieutenant.

    Ferris knew nothing about what Bregg had endured. How could he? It was not public knowledge. The Imperium had made sure of that.

    The colonel sat back in his chair, twirling his glass.

    ¡°My career is over, Richard. It doesn¡¯t matter what I do. I will never be anything more than a colonel. And I will never get off this damned ship. This is it. The peak of my career.¡±

    Ferris frowned. ¡°How can you say that?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s true.¡± Bregg shrugged. ¡°I messed up. Bad. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯m told. One mistake. Just one little mistake. And the rug was pulled from under my feet. I¡¯ve become a bug in the eye of the Imperium. A bug they can¡¯t crush, because that would be even more inconvenient, so they sent me away. To the rim. Where they can forget I even exist.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I can buy that. But even if it¡¯s true, how does that have anything to do with that ship?¡±

    This was not about trust. He knew Ferris was a good man, with a good heart¡ªjust like he had been, so many years ago. But he also knew his old friend would not approve of his plan. So how could he confide in him?

    No, there was only one thing he could do.

    ¡°I need to redeem myself,¡± he said. ¡°If I can bring this ship in, I just might be able to get a clean slate.¡±

    The lie would not hold very long, but it would buy him some time. Maybe enough to set things into motion.

    At some point, he¡¯d have to come clean with his friend, but not before it became too late for Ferris to stop him.

    He could see the younger man was not buying it, though. So before he could say anything more, Bregg lifted a hand¡ªmuch like the other had done earlier¡ªand played his last card.

    ¡°Just trust me, Richard. You can do that, can¡¯t you?¡±

    The other stared at him, then nodded. ¡°Very well. But I hope you know what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    So do I, thought Bregg bitterly.

    As the lieutenant walked out, Juden stepped in.

    Bregg jumped to his feet.

    ¡°Finally! Why did you not contact me earlier?¡±

    ¡°I tried, but nothing would go through. The weather down there is atrocious. It disrupts everything. I barely managed to get that text out.¡±

    The colonel grunted and waved the matter away.

    ¡°Well, what are the news? Did you get the ship?¡±

    ¡°Afraid not. It was gone when we got there. Barely missed it, from what I understand. They¡¯re only ten or twelve hours ahead of us.¡±

    Bregg smiled.

    It had been a while since he¡¯d smiled.

    It felt nice.

    They were getting closer.

    But after his chat with Ferris, he understood he¡¯d need to be more careful. This required some changes.

    ¡°Juden. I need you and your friend to chase that ship for me.¡±

    The other man quirked a brow.

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing it yourself anymore?¡±

    ¡°No. You will do it for me. Your ship is smaller, which should help you catch up with them quicker.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s smart thinking. What do we do when we get it?¡±

    ¡°You said you could store it away. Do that.¡±

    Juden nodded. He was about to walk away, but he paused and looked back at the colonel, tilting his head.

    ¡°What about the passengers?¡±

    Bregg frowned.

    ¡°I just want the ship. Nothing else. Do what you must.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    With that, Juden walked out.

 31. Where everything is not as it seems

    The ship docked in one among thousands of individual bays that riddled the surface of the station. Instructions had been sent to them as soon as they¡¯d approached within hailing distance.

    Val had let Nim handle the maneuvers, and watched with fascination as they slowly sunk deeper into Evenodds. This place seemed as big as a planet!

    She jumped out of her seat.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Kaine stood and blinked.

    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving right away? I thought you were just dropping me off?¡±

    She laughed. ¡°And miss the chance to visit Evenodds? Are you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°You must like to gamble.¡±

    She snorted as they walked down the hall toward the exit.

    ¡°No, not really. But this place is kinda legendary... I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯d never heard of it.¡± Kaine just shrugged, so she continued. ¡°It¡¯s been around for hundreds of years, you know. I remember hearing stories about it when I was a kid. There were a few gamblers in my family, and they drooled at the thought of coming here someday. I was more fascinated by the sheer size of the place. Though I have to admit, it¡¯s even bigger than I had expected.¡±

    ¡°It looks like a planet...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking! Except, of course, it¡¯s all hollow inside. Imagine how many people you could house in here...¡±

    ¡°Except that¡¯s not its purpose.¡±

    ¡°Well, no, but they¡¯d still have to have living quarters. For personnel. And hotels for tourists. That said, they don¡¯t only have games. I mean, it¡¯s known for that, but if folks are gonna stay for a while, they need other amenities. Restaurants, resting areas, shopping malls... I believe they even have parks and pools.¡±

    ¡°In other words, Iriaki floating in space...¡±

    She grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Iriaki has a sun. And forests. And mountains. And rivers.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a planet, I get it.¡±

    Val nodded wisely as they exited the ship.

    A small glider was waiting for them. A woman stood by its side, smiling.

    ¡°Welcome to Evenodds,¡± she said. ¡°My name is Samantha, and I will be your guide. Do you have reservations with any of our facilities?¡±

    Kaine shook his head.

    ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m afraid not...¡±

    ¡°That is no trouble, sir. No trouble at all. We always have room on Evenodds. How long are you and your wife planning¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am not his wife!¡± interrupted Val, frowning.

    ¡°Apologies. It is common for clients to come in couples. Would you still like to share a room?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±

    Kaine smirked. ¡°Not your type, am I?¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    She ignored him. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t need rooms. We¡¯re not staying. At least, I¡¯m not. I just want to look around... if that¡¯s okay?¡±

    The guide nodded. ¡°Of course. I will take you to the Concourse immediately. Please step in.¡±

    She moved aside and waved toward the glider¡¯s open door.

    The two of them sat inside, then watched as the woman entered, closed the door, and sat across from them. She placed her hand against one of the sides, covering a black oval-shaped surface. Her fingers disappeared as the metal seemed to absorb them. Part of her arm merged into the structure, though Samantha did not scream¡ªnor did she look concerned. Rather, she smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re a robot!¡± cried out Val.

    ¡°I am your guide,¡± responded the other as the vehicle began to move. ¡°We will reach our destination shortly. There will be a fee of 20 credits for this service.¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°You could have told us that before we started, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± said Val. ¡°Everything here has a price.¡±

    ¡°That is correct,¡± confirmed Samantha.

    ¡°Speaking of which, how much will it cost me to keep my ship docked at the bay?¡±

    ¡°100 credits per day.¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s only for a few hours?¡±

    ¡°A full day¡¯s worth is due as soon as you land.¡±

    ¡°Of course it is,¡± said Val with a sigh.

    ¡°Guess you won¡¯t be staying long,¡± snickered Kaine.

    She glanced at him. ¡°Why, you think you can afford to stay here for a few days?¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°No, I don¡¯t imagine I can. At least, not until I get paid for my last job.¡±

    A few minutes later, the glider stopped in front of a large building.

    ¡°Welcome to the Concourse,¡± said the guide with her unwavering smile.

    They both glanced at it and frowned.

    ¡°That¡¯s a hotel,¡± remarked Val. ¡°We said we didn¡¯t need one.¡±

    ¡°I can take you to another if this one is not to your liking.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. We don¡¯t want a hotel at all.¡±

    The smile on the woman¡¯s face widened.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the hotel personnel can answer all of your questions and help you around.¡±

    The door opened.

    The two looked at each other.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think she¡¯s programmed only to do very specific tasks,¡± mused Val.

    ¡°But she looks so human...¡±

    They stepped out as the woman waved at them with her free hand, wishing them a happy stay.

    The glider¡¯s door closed, it lifted into the air, and sped away, disappearing into a stream of vehicles.

    Kaine grunted. ¡°I swear, there¡¯s as much traffic here as on Assalin.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been to Assalin?¡±

    ¡°Once. A long time ago.¡± He looked over his shoulder at the hotel. ¡°Should we go in?¡±

    ¡°We might as well if we want to get directions.¡±

    Inside, another woman greeted them.

    ¡°Welcome to the Concourse! Do you have a reservation?¡±

    ¡°We do not, no,¡± said Val, ¡°nor do we need any rooms. We just need directions...¡±

    ¡°Splendid! I have just the right room for you, if you would follow me.¡±

    ¡°No! I said¡ª¡± Val gritted her teeth. ¡°Is there a human we could talk to?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid no mentor is currently available. But if you¡¯ll follow me, I can take you to your room...¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fine, thanks.¡±

    Val grabbed her companion¡¯s arm and pulled him back into the street.

    ¡°How do people get around over here?¡± asked a startled Kaine. ¡°This is crazy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d guess most people come here to stay a few days, so the robots are programmed accordingly.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think they¡¯d use smarter AIs, though. These barely understand anything we say.¡±

    Val looked around the street and started in a random direction. He followed her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget how old this place is. And what with that stagnation you mentioned earlier, they wouldn¡¯t have improved anything in ages...¡±

    ¡°Not that they would do much improving out here in the rim.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s that. And...¡± She looked around at the skyscrapers that rose to touch the metal roof, hundreds of miles above their heads. ¡°And considering how expensive this place must have been to build, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they tried to cut expenses by using simplified models. It¡¯s not like the robots need to do anything complicated. Well, maybe some do. I bet there are a few that have more complex routines. Ah! There we go...¡±

    She pointed at the entrance to a casino, across the street.

    ¡°You want to go in there?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re in a space casino, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like to gamble?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t! I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    He walked up to a nearby credis terminal. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not.¡±

    She looked at him. ¡°What?¡±

    He shrugged as he tapped on the display. ¡°I appreciate your help, but I can fend for myself now that I¡¯m back in a civilized place.¡± The dispenser poured out credits, which he turned to give Val. ¡°Here you go, the amount we agreed upon. With my thanks.¡±

    She blinked, then nodded. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair. You sure you know where to go?¡±

    He grinned. ¡°Not really, but neither do you.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Fair point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out, as I¡¯m sure you will. You¡¯re a smart woman. I¡¯m glad I met you. I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    She watched as he stepped away, hurrying back toward the Concourse.

 32. Where the flaw flaunts the imperfection

    A flaw in the design of the universe?

    That made no sense. Then again, very little about this whole affair made any sense.

    ¡°How is that even possible?¡± asked Halden.

    ¡°Only Vikhush knows.¡±

    Was this it, then? Were these men fanatics? Did they think this... this ¡®Fault¡¯ was some sort of miracle, or perhaps divine intervention?

    He clicked his tongue in annoyance and started to walk toward the blurry column, circling the camp.

    Several of the men jumped up and blocked him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked one of them.

    Halden pointed at the blur.

    ¡°Whatever that thing is, it¡¯s not normal. I need to examine it and, if possible, fix it.¡±

    Gresh walked up to him and shook his head.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°Would you ¡®fix¡¯ a person¡¯s bad temper? Or the storms that plague some worlds? Imperfections are part of the structure of the universe.¡±

    The old man pointed toward the blur without looking at it.

    ¡°This is the greatest flaw of them all. None other can compare to it. Fixing it would not make the universe perfect. It would make it irrelevant. And so it would cease to exist.¡±

    Halden stared at the man while he talked, becoming more convinced with each word that these people must be mad. And it wasn¡¯t just about religion. They seemed to have a twisted perception of how things worked.

    All he knew was that this wasn¡¯t normal.

    ¡°But none of that matters,¡± added Gresh, ¡°as the Fault cannot be fixed. Come.¡±

    He moved aside and invited the scientist to approach.

    They walked together until they were only a few feet from the blur. At that point, the man caught his arm to stop him.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°No further,¡± he warned.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The gifts of Fellhakaah are not for the faint of heart.¡±

    Halden was growing annoyed.

    ¡°Old man, you¡¯re not making any sense! And where are all the people who worked here?¡±

    ¡°Dead.¡±

    That took him by surprise. He blinked and stared at the man.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! What happened?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t there at the time.¡± He paused and looked at Halden with sad eyes before continuing. ¡°It happened centuries ago, after all.¡±

    Halden grimaced. This guy was way too far gone. He should get professional help.

    ¡°The team sent us their report just last week,¡± he informed the old man.

    The other nodded sagely.

    ¡°Of course. The ways of Fellhakaah are inscrutable.¡±

    ¡°Could you please start making sense? This is all¡ª¡±

    The man lifted a hand to cut him off.

    ¡°You must leave your logic behind, friend. I know this is difficult for one such as you. Science binds you to beliefs that are antiquated and often perverted.¡±

    Halden found it rather ironic the man would talk of beliefs.

    ¡°Science is not about faith,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s about evidence.¡±

    ¡°So is this,¡± replied Gresh as he pointed at the Fault. ¡°It is here, is it not? Is that not evidence enough for you?¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what it is!¡±

    The old man pondered for a moment.

    ¡°Then perhaps you should go in.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I do not know if your body is ready for this, but I can see it is the only way you could understand, or accept.¡±

    ¡°Accept what?¡±

    ¡°The truths of Fellhakaah. They cannot be explained through words, only experienced.¡±

    Halden squinted at the old man.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked. ¡°All of you.¡±

    ¡°We are the watchers. There have been watchers here for a thousand years or more. We are the guardians of Fellhakaah.¡±

    ¡°Why do you need¡ª¡± Halden suddenly paused, his eyes going wide. He pointed at the Fault. ¡°Are you telling me this thing has been here for over a thousand years?¡±

    The other nodded.

    Halden¡¯s eyes went from the older man to the blurry column.

    If this thing was the source of the thilindrin burst, and it had been here for that long, why had it not shown in any other reports?

    He frowned as he looked back at Gresh.

    ¡°But that¡¯s impossible! This dig site was opened less than a century ago...¡±

    The other nodded sagely.

    ¡°The ways of Fellhakaah are inscrutable,¡± he repeated.

    ¡°This¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªdoes not make sense?¡± Gresh smiled and gestured again toward the Fault. ¡°It could, if you took a step forward.¡±

    Was this some kind of elaborate hoax?

    Or a trap?

    But why would anyone want to harm him? No one had even known he was coming.

    ¡°What will happen if I step in?¡±

    ¡°You will see the light. You will understand. You will gain knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Have you stepped in?¡±

    The man smiled.

    ¡°Of course.¡± He waved toward the campfire, where his colleagues all stared in their direction. ¡°As have all watchers.¡±

    That somewhat made Halden feel better... until he remembered these people were likely all mad. Was that the consequence of walking into the column?

    It was not a scientific method of proceeding, but he was annoyed, and more than a little curious.

    He stared at the blur, then reached out with one hand.

    It went through and, for a moment, he felt nothing special. But then his skin began to tingle. He pulled out.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t reasonable,¡± he said, still staring at the blur. ¡°I should get some equipment and run some tests. I¡¯m sure I can find the tools I need in the camp...¡±

    He heard the old man sigh behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, friend, but this is for your own good.¡±

    As he turned around, Halden felt himself being shoved toward the column.

 33. Where odds are never even

    The lights were distracting. They flashed across huge billboards hung across every surface¡ªconstant reminders of the lures that waited just a short walk away.

    But Kaine cared little for those.

    All he wanted was to get off this joint... but not before he¡¯d talked to his client.

    He could have made a holocall, but those were not secure enough for the man¡¯s taste. He had insisted they only communicate through Secview terminals. Kaine had pointed out that these were not so common in the rim, but the man had shrugged and said that wasn¡¯t his problem.

    Well, if there were such terminals anywhere in this part of the universe, it¡¯d have to be on Evenodds. With so many wealthy people coming here, they would have to want some privacy to conduct business whenever required.

    He¡¯d gone back to the Concourse and, after waiting an unreasonable amount of time, had finally got to meet a human¡ªa mentor.

    The woman apologized for the wait.

    ¡°The bots are usually enough. Clients rarely require help beyond their skills.¡±

    She walked him through a high-ceilinged lobby with golden chandeliers and satin chairs.

    ¡°So how may I help you, Mister...?¡±

    ¡°Kaine. I need to contact my employer. Securely. Do you have Secview terminals in your hotel?¡±

    They went through a door that opened on a crowded patio with a gigantic swimming pool.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. However, there are several spread across Evenodds. The closest is at the Sunset Mall.¡± She paused and looked around, then pointed toward a tall building that loomed even higher than the hotel. ¡°That¡¯s it, right there.¡±

    After thanking her, he headed out and toward the mall. The crowd there was even thicker, making it almost difficult to walk without bumping into someone.

    He hated these types of places.

    It made him miss the quiet and the comfort of Val¡¯s ship.

    He slowly made his way to a desk, where he asked for directions.

    ¡°Third floor, second door to the right,¡± said a man with a shiny white smile¡ªwhom he had to assume was also a bot.

    With some difficulty, and much annoyance, he waded through the crowd until he reached his destination.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The terminal station was almost deserted, which made for a welcome respite.

    A woman smiled at him as he entered.

    ¡°How may I direct your call, sir?¡±

    It was a strange phrasing, but perhaps appropriate, considering the circumstances.

    ¡°I would rather make it myself,¡± he said cautiously. ¡°If you could be so kind as to lend me a module?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It will be 60 credits. Payable in advance.¡±

    Kaine cringed. That was an insanely steep price. But since everything here belonged to the same owner, he doubted he¡¯d find competitive rates elsewhere.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    After making the transaction, the bot led him down a corridor and stopped before a door, marked with a large green 7.

    He went in alone and closed the door behind him.

    As soon as he¡¯d locked it, the walls became translucent and shifted into the shape of a sphere. Looking through the walls, he could only see stars, as if he was floating in space, all alone, in the middle of nowhere. It certainly helped make the whole experience feel more secure.

    He turned and walked toward the small chair and table that had been set at the center of the chamber.

    Sitting down, he grazed the glowing surface before him. Green symbols appeared in the air, swirling around, taking odd shapes he knew to be letters in an ancient alien language.

    Though he knew the meaning of none of them, he was familiar enough with the patterns to know what to do.

    With a few quick strokes, he initiated the call.

    It did not take long for a face to appear before him, floating in the air.

    The man had a square jaw, short black hair, and eyes that constantly darted around, as if to make sure there were no spies nearby.

    ¡°You are alone?¡±

    Kaine nodded.

    ¡°Do you have it?¡±

    He opened his bag and brought out the cube, holding it before him.

    The man¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Put it away!¡± he hissed. ¡°Quick. Don¡¯t let anyone see it.¡±

    ¡°I am alone,¡± reminded Kaine. Though he did as the man asked. ¡°I¡¯ve held my part of the deal. I now expect you to do the same.¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°I need to know where to send your payment,¡± said the other with a hint of impatience in his voice.

    ¡°Just send it to my wristpad. I¡¯ll give you my TransID.¡±

    The man didn¡¯t seem too happy about this.

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be very secure. I¡¯d rather go through the Secview terminal while you¡¯re there.¡±

    Kaine didn¡¯t like this. He¡¯d never heard of any security issues with TransID transfers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the information on me right now,¡± he said curtly. ¡°Let me get back to you on that.¡±

    He cut the communication before the other could say anything else.

    Leaning down, he grabbed the cube and stared at it for a moment.

    ¡°What the hell are you?¡± he muttered.

    Placing it back in the bag, he stood and walked back out. At the front, he asked for the place¡¯s transfer details. As the bot gave him the information, she added Evenodds took a 30% cut off all transactions processed through their services.

    Kaine grunted as he headed out, slipping the holodisk with all the details into his pocket.

    He decided he¡¯d go to another Secview terminal and give his employer the information from there. It would allow him a security buffer¡ªalbeit a rather tenuous one.

    As he stepped out of the terminal station and back into the mall, the deafening sound of the crowd overwhelmed him. He paused a moment, waiting to adjust, then headed toward an elevator.

    Before he could reach it, two men grabbed his arms¡ªone on each side¡ªand pulled him toward the right.

    ¡°Hey! What is this?¡±

    ¡°Do not make a scene, Mister Kaine,¡± warned one of the fellows¡ªa large bald man with a thick black beard.

    ¡°You would not like the outcome,¡± added the other, who looked like he could be the first¡¯s twin brother.

 34. Where two men find their prey

    It had been easy to track the ship. It didn¡¯t have enough of a head start to disappear on them.

    They had landed on Evenodds a few minutes after their prey.

    Juden had considered stealing Starrider while its two passengers were busy having fun, but security here was too tight. They¡¯d have better luck going on board with them.

    That meant they needed to track them down.

    And that would be much more difficult, considering how big and crowded this place was.

    A quick hack of their host had revealed they were all programmed to take visitors to the Concourse, unless instructed otherwise.

    Though he couldn¡¯t be sure, Juden had a hunch Evenodds had not been a planned stop. After all, why bother staying on Alterica if you were planning to come here, just a short distance away?

    No, he was willing to bet they hadn¡¯t expected this at all.

    And if he was going to make a bet, this was likely the best place for it.

    He snickered.

    ¡°What is it, boss?¡± asked Warthol.

    ¡°How many times have I told you not to call me ¡®boss¡¯?¡±

    The other man made a pout.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Many.¡±

    ¡°Many would be correct. So please stop. I¡¯m not your boss, I¡¯m your partner.¡±

    They were standing in the street across from the Concourse now, looking around them.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Those two had to be somewhere around here.

    But even if they¡¯d come here at all, it still left so many options. A casino, a mall, the hotel itself, and so many other shops and restaurants.

    This was like a whole planet.

    Well, if you came to Evenodds, wouldn¡¯t you want to experience what it was best known for?

    Juden eyed the casino and pulled on Warthol¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go over there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, cool! I love to gamble.¡±

    ¡°No gambling,¡± warned his friend with a grunt.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    He could see another pout coming on the big man¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Because,¡± he said as calmly as he could, ¡°we are here for business, not for pleasure.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Warthol frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡ª¡±

    Juden rolled his eyes. Here we go again...

    ¡°¡ªwhy did Thiari send us here?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t. She sent us on a mission. I¡¯ve told you before. We need to help this Bregg fellow.¡±

    ¡°Why? What does it have to do with us?¡±

    He knew by ¡®us¡¯ Warthol meant the Gnorlians in general. The smaller man knew their people were hurting and trying to pull out from the Imperium, but he could not understand the subtleties of the plans in motion. Heck, sometimes Juden himself felt overwhelmed.

    ¡°Bregg is just a pawn,¡± he said as they walked past the mall and continued toward the casino, which was a couple of blocks away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡ª¡±

    Juden flicked a finger against his friend¡¯s head.

    ¡°Think, Warthol, think!¡±

    ¡°Ow!¡± The other rubbed his skull where he was hit. ¡°What did you do that for?¡±

    ¡°Because you need to grow a brain.¡± Juden took a deep breath. ¡°Bregg is like a dog. He¡¯ll keep sniffing and digging. But throw a bone at him, and it¡¯ll distract him long enough to... Well, to do what you have to do.¡±

    ¡°I like dogs,¡± said Warthol with a big smile.

    Juden sighed. His partner was missing the point, but it didn¡¯t matter. The man was not very bright, but he was good at doing what he was told¡ªobedient to a fault. And that was all that was required.

    ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    The voice rang from behind them, and Juden spun to see what the commotion was about.

    Two large bearded men were escorting a younger one out of the mall... A younger man who looked a lot like their target.

    This wasn¡¯t good.

    ¡°Warthol. We need to stop those guys and free their prisoner.¡±

    The smaller man¡¯s eyes narrowed. He gave a short nod. With a few quick steps, he reached the abductors. Before they even noticed his presence, he¡¯d broken one man¡¯s leg and thrown him to the ground.

    The second beard howled as he let go of Kaine to jump at Warthol. He never saw Juden come in, fast as lightning. He crushed his victim¡¯s skull with the butt of his phaser.

    When he looked up, he saw Kaine was ten feet away, running as if his life depended on it.

    Juden cursed.

 35. Where games are played and bets are lost

    A woman¡¯s voice rang in her ear as she stepped into the casino.

    ¡°Welcome to Evenodds, where cheating is permitted...¡±

    There was a slight delay before she heard the rest, which was so sped up you could barely make out the words.

    ¡°... if you don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    Val¡¯s lips twitched as she glanced around.

    Gambling machines were everywhere, as far as the eye could see. And it was a huge room¡ªa huge crowded room. People played at almost every machine.

    Any type of game you could think of, you could find here. Whether or not they were legal mattered little. No laws held on Evenodds¡ªnot even the Imperium¡¯s. They had their own internal Code, that was uploaded into your wristpad upon arrival. Failure to read it was no excuse if you unwittingly broke the rules.

    Walking through the aisles, Val studied all the machines.

    She wasn¡¯t sure why she¡¯d wanted to see this place.

    It was true, what she¡¯d told Kaine: she was no gambler. Had never been. Her brother, though... Well, that had been before, of course. Once he¡¯d joined the military, most of his compulsions had been hammered out of him.

    And all that for what?

    She shook her head, chasing the bad thoughts away.

    Though she wasn¡¯t a gambler, she did need money. Maybe she could win some here?

    No, of course not.

    These places were rigged.

    A large piercing sound resonated through the halls, and she heard laughter coming from her right. When she looked, she saw a couple dancing in front of a machine. They had just won ten thousand credits.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Well, there were exceptions.

    But the likelihood of winning was minuscule.

    The chances of losing, on the other hand...

    And if there was one thing she didn¡¯t need, it was to lose the little money she did have.

    Besides, none of this made sense. This was not work. You couldn¡¯t win your keep, you had to earn it.

    This, all this, it wasn¡¯t real. It was just eye candy. Temptation. The lure of fortune to empty your pockets¡ªor, rather, your bank account.

    She clicked her tongue and headed toward the bar.

    Val wouldn¡¯t play, but she could at least get something to drink.

    Twenty minutes later, she made her way back out of the casino. She¡¯d had enough of the noise and nonsense.

    This place made her feel uncomfortable.

    She was glad she¡¯d seen it, but it was time to leave.

    Spotting a hovercab, she waved her hand, and it stopped next to her.

    As she got in, she noticed movement from the corner of her eye.

    Glancing in that direction, she saw a man running in the street, chased by two others. Her eyes went wide as she recognized Kaine.

    What was going on?

    Did he get himself into trouble?

    She jumped into the glider and shut the door.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± said the AI¡¯s voice. ¡°Where would you like to go?¡±

    At least there was no robot in this one.

    She leaned over the control panel and hit a sequence of characters.

    ¡°Unauthorized command. Access is denied,¡± said the cold, emotionless voice.

    She glanced out the window. Kaine would reach her level soon¡ªshe needed to be quick.

    ¡°Nim,¡± she called out into her wristpad. ¡°Can you hack this stupid glider? It¡¯s urgent.¡±

    ¡°Erm, I suppose. But why¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just do it! Please. I¡¯ll explain later.¡±

    There was a moment of silence.

    Then red lights flashed on the dashboard.

    ¡°Alert! Alert! Unauthorized access!¡±

    ¡°Could you shut it down?¡±

    Almost instantly, the AI¡¯s voice went quiet and the lights turned off.

    ¡°You should be able to control the glider now,¡± said Nim.

    She jumped on the console and tapped the sequence that would launch the vehicle into the air. Glancing through the window, she saw Kaine had just gone past her. The two men behind were catching up.

    With a few quick gestures, she set the glider after Kaine and opened the door as she reached him.

    ¡°Jump in!¡± she yelled.

    He gave her a startled look. Recognizing her, he rushed into the hovercab. The door closed as he dropped to the floor, his bag falling behind him.

    ¡°Nim! Can you take over the glider and guide us back to the ship?¡±

    ¡°Alright, Val.¡±

    She turned around to look at Kaine.

    ¡°What the heck¡ª¡±

    She stopped talking, her eyes going wide.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Kaine as he rubbed his neck, not noticing her look. ¡°Those goons just jumped me.¡±

    Val pointed at the floor behind him.

    ¡°How did you get that?¡±

    Kaine turned his head.

    When he¡¯d dropped his bag, the cube had fallen out.

 36. Where things once done happen once more

    Everything was white.

    The sky, the walls, the ground...

    There was nothing here.

    He wasn¡¯t even sure there were walls at all.

    Rubbing his neck, he tried to remember what had happened.

    It felt like something important had slipped his mind.

    ¡°What is it like, daddy?¡±

    He blinked and turned around.

    Lucy was playing with her dolls.

    They were in the recreation room at the Regency.

    It was a small room, filled with toys.

    There were other children around them, playing.

    It had always been Lucy¡¯s favorite place on Elphine.

    He glanced at the window and saw the familiar gray buildings and gray sky.

    Something was off, he realized.

    And where had all the whiteness gone?

    Halden frowned as he felt a little hand tug at his sleeve.

    ¡°Tell me again, daddy! What is it like?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± he heard himself say. ¡°There are trees there¡ªyou¡¯d love the trees. And rivers. And a clear blue sky.¡±

    ¡°Will you take me with you? Please?¡±

    He crouched next to her, staring into her pretty green eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think your mother would like that.¡±

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The girl pouted.

    ¡°It¡¯s ugly here. And mommy¡¯s never home. I don¡¯t want to stay all alone.¡±

    He remained quiet for a long time.

    Too many thoughts were rushing through his head.

    Familiar thoughts.

    All of this...

    It had already happened, hadn¡¯t it?

    Why did it feel so real?

    He reached out with his hand and ran his fingers across his daughter¡¯s cheek.

    He could feel her flesh against his own.

    This was no illusion.

    No dream.

    Tears came to his eyes.

    ¡°Why are you crying, daddy?¡±

    Had he really cried that day, or was that him?

    It was all him, of course, but which part was him now, which part was him then?

    He couldn¡¯t remember.

    He couldn¡¯t make any sense of this.

    And how could his daughter, his precious little daughter, still be alive?

    He was overwhelmed with emotions.

    ¡°I love you, Lucy,¡± he muttered.

    As the words came out of his mouth, the world around him spun, and the whiteness returned.

    ¡°No!¡± he cried.

    He felt himself fall, though there was nothing beneath him. Just more whiteness.

    ¡°Halden!¡±

    He jumped and turned toward the familiar voice.

    ¡°Where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you for hours.¡±

    It was Rees. Lucy¡¯s fianc¨¦. They were to marry soon.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he heard himself say. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to find this old holofile...¡±

    The other man snorted. ¡°You really have nothing better to do?¡±

    Something was off.

    In the man¡¯s voice.

    He¡¯d heard that tone before, but had never paid attention. He¡¯d assumed it was stress.

    But now, knowing everything he knew...

    A knot formed in his stomach as the memories came rushing back.

    This was the day.

    He blanched.

    No, no, no, no... Please, don¡¯t put me through this again...

    A light flashed on the TriVid screen.

    Rees turned and walked toward it.

    ¡°No!¡± he said aloud.

    He was sure he had never said that before.

    It didn¡¯t matter, though, as Rees did not seem to hear.

    Maybe this was it, then?

    He could act differently, but it would go unnoticed?

    Which meant there was nothing he could do.

    He couldn¡¯t change what had happened.

    Of course he couldn¡¯t.

    If he could, where would he be now?

    Not that he knew where he was.

    He glanced at the window as Rees answered the call.

    It was night, but the sky was clear. There were trees in the distance, and a fresh breeze blew through the opening.

    He closed his eyes and covered his ears as he heard Rees scream.

    No, no, no, no... please no!

    She had died once, was that not enough?

    Why put him through this again?

    When he noticed he couldn¡¯t hear Rees¡¯ voice anymore, he opened his eyes.

    Everything had gone white.

    What was going on?

    What was happening to him?

    The Fault!

    It came back to him in a flash.

    The blurry column.

    The old man.

    The latter shoving him into the former.

    What was this place?

    A tingling sensation spread through his entire body.

    He looked at his hands, and they were white too.

    They glowed.

    And then he fell again.

 37. Where the truth shall set you free

    The cube sat on the floor, taunting him.

    Kaine leaned down, snatched it, and stuffed it in the bag.

    ¡°Well?¡±

    He glanced at Val.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift I got, is all.¡±

    ¡°Like hell it is! Do you even know what that thing is?¡±

    He stared at the young woman, unsure how to respond. She clearly knew more about it than he did, so he doubted he could get away with a lie. Part of him was also curious to learn more about the item, and this felt like the perfect opportunity.

    Val¡¯s eyes grew wide.

    ¡°Wait a minute! Is that what you were hired to find?¡±

    He frowned. ¡°What is it to you?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°You really don¡¯t know, do you? It¡¯s a Kinzuki Cage, Kaine! Do you know what that means?¡±

    He looked down at the bag. He¡¯d heard the name before, though it felt like something out of a distant memory. Possibly something he¡¯d heard mentioned in a TriVid flick. It felt vague, borderline mythical.

    ¡°There¡¯s a soul trapped in that thing,¡± breathed Val.

    His head snapped up, and he stared at her.

    ¡°Come now! That¡¯s nonsense. There¡¯s no such thing as souls.¡±

    ¡°Call it what you want, but there¡¯s a person in there. And don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s impossible. You know about Nim!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing,¡± he argued. ¡°You uploaded his personality and memories into a machine...¡±

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°And how do you think that works?¡± She pointed at the bag. ¡°It¡¯s even worse. Because it also holds the person¡¯s DNA and keeps them locked up, like in a cell. They can¡¯t do anything while they¡¯re in there. Unlike Nim, who controls the ship and can do many things...¡± She paused and frowned. ¡°You know what I mean!¡±

    Kaine grunted as the glider sped through the streets of Evenodds, heading back to the woman¡¯s ship. He wondered if her tampering with the hovercab would set off alarms.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s empty,¡± he mused out loud.

    She narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°Then why are people coming after you?¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s coming after me!¡±

    ¡°Oh no? Already forgot about the ship that shot at us out there?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they were coming after you!¡±

    ¡°What about those guys I just rescued you from? Think they were also after me?¡±

    He scowled but remained quiet.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll drop you off here, and you can figure things out on your own. Good luck with that.¡±

    She turned toward the console.

    ¡°Alright, alright, you win!¡± He sighed. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in this thing, okay? I was just asked to retrieve it from... Well, from someone¡¯s safe.¡±

    ¡°You stole it?¡± she asked, as she spun back toward him.

    ¡°Is it stealing if the item did not belong to the person who had it?¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Whoever the owner of that thing is, they are using it to hold someone against their will. There is nothing right or even legal about it.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I knew nothing about that! The guy just told me this thing was his, and that it was stolen.¡±

    ¡°What did he claim it was?¡±

    Kaine made a face. ¡°He said it was a piece of art.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, how was I supposed to know?¡±

    ¡°And now he¡¯s turned against you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He remembered his conversation with his employer and frowned. ¡°I might have thought so, except he asked me where I was. Those guys who jumped me were already here. So if he sent them, why would he ask me that?¡±

    ¡°Did you tell him where you were?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not.¡±

    ¡°Which means you didn¡¯t get paid either?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, no.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, good? I did the job. I deserve to get paid for my work, don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Knowing what you know now, if you accept this guy¡¯s money, you¡¯re condoning whatever¡¯s going on with that thing.¡± She pointed at the bag again.

    ¡°This is why we never ask questions in my line of work,¡± he mumbled.

    The glider landed and they hurried out, then into the welcoming halls of Starrider.

    ¡°Nim! We need to set off as soon as possible. Have any alarms been raised?¡±

    ¡°Not that I¡¯ve noticed,¡± answered the familiar voice.

    ¡°Alright. Get us out of here.¡±

    They heard the engines start as they walked toward the bridge.

    ¡°What am I going to do with this thing if I don¡¯t sell it to my employer?¡±

    She glanced at him. ¡°We need to get the prisoner out.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to do that?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡± After a few seconds, he added: ¡°Do you realize what this is going to do to my reputation?¡±

 38. Where unpleasant news are received

    A blue light blinked on his wristpad, alerting him to an incoming call on the secure line.

    Bregg hurried into his office and closed the door behind him before pressing two fingers against his temple. Juden¡¯s face appeared on his retina.

    ¡°Well?¡± he asked.

    The dark-skinned man shook his head.

    ¡°We¡¯re not the only ones after them, it would seem.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We tracked them down to Evenodds and saw that Kaine fellow getting escorted out of the mall¡ª¡±

    ¡°The woman wasn¡¯t with him?¡±

    ¡°No, though I fail to see how this is relevant?¡±

    The colonel grunted.

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°We intervened, of course. But by the time we had neutralized the competition, Kaine was running off like his pants were on fire.¡±

    Bregg grunted again. ¡°He didn¡¯t thank you for saving his ass?¡±

    ¡°I know, right? Ungrateful bastard. So we ran after him, but a glider came to his rescue...¡±

    ¡°The woman?¡±

    ¡°That would be my guess.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Did you chase after them?¡±

    Juden rubbed his neck, a frown on his face.

    ¡°All the gliders here are controlled by the mentors. They all have bots in them... or, at the very least, pre-programmed AIs. We couldn¡¯t get any to follow our instructions¡ªwhen they understood what we were saying at all. It¡¯s maddening.¡±

    ¡°Are you still there?¡±

    ¡°No. We just left. Trying to trace them as we speak, but they got a head start on us.¡±

    Bregg nodded. ¡°Alright. Keep me posted.¡±

    He cut off the communication before the other man said another word.

    His hands set flat on the desk, he stared at the wall.

    Someone else was after the ship?

    What did that mean?

    He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to take it from him!

    With a frown, he stood and hurried back to the bridge.

    ¡°Lieutenant! Do we have a recording of the debris we found earlier?¡±

    Ferris turned to look at him, a puzzled expression on his face.

    ¡°You mean from that ship Starrider destroyed?¡± The colonel gave a curt nod. ¡°Everything we see gets recorded, so I¡¯m sure we do. Did you want to look at it again?¡±

    ¡°On the main screen, please.¡±

    Bregg turned to look in its direction, though for now it displayed the space before them. The image blurred and a new feed appeared. He squinted.

    ¡°Is there any way you could identify the ship that was destroyed?¡± he asked, his eyes still on the footage.

    ¡°We¡¯d need some bigger debris, colonel, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s to say there aren¡¯t any?¡± He glanced at the lieutenant and noticed he was frowning. ¡°Have you studied all of the debris?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t look too closely,¡± admitted the younger officer.

    ¡°Then please do so now. I need to know who those people were and who sent them.¡±

    The frown on Ferris¡¯ face increased, but he nodded and turned toward his console.

    Bregg swore to himself.

    He was not helping his own case.

    Juden was right. He should leave all this to him, for appearance¡¯s sake. But part of him felt like it was too late. He¡¯d already gone too far to pretend as if none of it had happened. Who would he fool? Not Ferris, for sure. His friend had seen Juden. As had so many others on his crew.

    Likely they were already whispering behind his back. Making things up to try and make sense of it all.

    He frowned and walked back to his office.

    ¡°Let me know when you have something,¡± he said over his shoulder before closing the door.

    He sat at his desk and tapped on his TriVid screen.

    Evenodds, eh?

    Very well, then.

    There were a few strings he could pull.

 39. Where our heroine is no princess

    The ship shot through the stars.

    ¡°Where are we going now?¡± asked Kaine.

    The entire structure shook under their feet, but Val wasn¡¯t worried. She knew it was solid, and she trusted Nim.

    ¡°Pluvios,¡± she said.

    ¡°Why there?¡±

    ¡°Because I have... a friend who is likely to know more about Kinzuki Cages than anyone else in the Imperium. Maybe he can help us set its prisoner free.¡±

    ¡°How can he know so much about them?¡±

    Val frowned. ¡°Because he owns a few.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re empty. At least, they are now. He keeps them locked away, so no one can use them.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    They sat in the control room in silence as Val worked on the dashboard.

    ¡°What does he do?¡± asked the thief after a moment.

    She glanced at him.

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Just curious.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a scavenger,¡± she muttered, watching for his reaction.

    Kaine rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t scavengers sell what they find?¡±

    At least he hadn¡¯t called it stealing, she thought to herself.

    ¡°We have to make a living too,¡± she conceded with a nod.

    He blinked. ¡°You mean you¡¯re also a scavenger?¡±

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±

    Even as she spoke, she realized she was being more defensive than she would have liked. But she was tired of being judged for her line of work. If no one did what they did, spare parts would be a lot more expensive. Even the largest manufacturing companies bought from them.

    ¡°No, no,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Just wouldn¡¯t have pegged you as the criminal sort.¡±

    Her cheeks warmed as she turned to face her passenger.

    ¡°I am not a criminal. Unlike you, Mister Thief.¡±

    He grimaced.

    ¡°Meant no offense, princess. It¡¯s just that scavenging isn¡¯t exactly legal, last I checked.¡±

    ¡°Again with the princess?¡±

    ¡°No need to get all worked up over it, hon. I call everyone princess.¡±

    ¡°Even guys?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°No, of course not!¡±

    ¡°Do you call them princes?¡±

    ¡°Well, no, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then why call women princesses?¡± she interrupted, waving a finger at him. ¡°And don¡¯t you give me that crap again about who they want to be when they¡¯re kids.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright! I apologize, okay? Geez.¡±

    She grunted. ¡°As for scavenging, it might not be legal, but it¡¯s not illegal either.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Imperium would agree...¡±

    ¡°You think I care about that? I¡¯m pretty sure you don¡¯t. But maybe you feel a princess should think differently?¡±

    He threw his hands in the air.

    ¡°I give up. You win. I won¡¯t say another word.¡±

    She squinted at him. ¡°I somehow doubt that.¡±

    When he didn¡¯t respond, she went back to work on her dials.

    The more she thought about this guy, the more she grew annoyed. Her life had been so much simpler before she¡¯d met him. Well, before that and the space rift.

    She frowned.

    And how the heck had that ship been able to find them¡ªlet alone those men on Evenodds?

    She threw a glance at Kaine.

    ¡°Did your employer give you anything?¡±

    He blinked at her.

    ¡°Uhm, no, why?¡±

    ¡°Not even that bag?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°All mine.¡±

    Her eyes turned back to the console, but her mind was racing.

    ¡°You need to strip,¡± she said after a while.

    Kaine straightened in his chair.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    She clicked her tongue. ¡°We need to get rid of anything you own. What you wear, the bag, everything. Nim can have new clothes made for you.¡±

    His eyes went wide. ¡°You think I¡¯ve been bugged?¡±

    ¡°How else do you explain that ship coming after us, or those goons chasing you?¡±

    ¡°But I only spoke to the guy over holovisor calls! I never met him in person.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°He could have sent people to do the job while you were out.¡±

    Kaine swore. ¡°You¡¯re right. That has to be it.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope they didn¡¯t inject a tracker inside you while you were sleeping.¡±

    His face turned white. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡±

    She shrugged again. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories.¡±

    He rubbed his arms and shifted in his seat.

    ¡°Any way we could check for something like that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the required equipment. Aj¡¯uhl might be able to help with that once we reach Pluvios, but we might as well start with the simpler stuff.¡±

    Kaine stood. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll go take care of it right away.¡±

    She watched him go, then looked back at the console with a sigh.

    Life had really been simpler before...

 40. Where glimpses seen may truths reveal

    The whiteness receded as he fell, replaced by swirling colors that turned into shapes.

    Familiar ones.

    Furniture, walls, paintings...

    He¡¯d been here before.

    Those bookshelves against the far wall. He¡¯d read most of the books in there, over the years.

    He was at the Regency again, but a different one. This was the one on Bernice.

    But something was off.

    There were people here, but he recognized none of them.

    He walked out into the hall and looked around.

    An old man came walking toward him, waving his cane.

    ¡°Halden! Wait up.¡±

    He paused, frowning.

    Who was this? The voice sounded familiar, but not the face.

    Still, he waited.

    ¡°We have to talk,¡± said the man as he reached him. ¡°I really don¡¯t think it¡¯d be wise to open the rift. I know the Emperor is breathing down our backs, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he heard himself ask. ¡°And who are you?¡±

    The old man blinked, staring at him.

    ¡°What do you mean, who am I? You¡¯re pulling my leg again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Sir, I have no idea who you are or what you are doing here...¡± He paused, looking around. ¡°Or what I¡¯m doing here, for that matter.¡±

    When he looked at the other again, he saw the old man¡¯s face had gone white.

    ¡°It¡¯s happening, isn¡¯t it? It really is.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Just like you told me it would. I always thought you were messing with me. But now... You do look younger. It¡¯s not the lighting!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense, old man. What are you talking about?¡±

    His interlocutor took a deep breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m Greg Groggan. Was your assistant for many years. We¡¯ve been peers far longer, though you don¡¯t know about that yet.¡±

    Halden stared at the face. Now that he knew the name, he realized it was Groggan¡¯s voice. That was why it sounded so familiar. And he thought he recognized those eyes now.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening...¡±

    Groggan grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the door, toward the end of the hall.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± he said. ¡°I have a message for you.¡±

    ¡°A message? From who?¡±

    ¡°From you, of course! You must hire me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Groggan clicked his tongue. ¡°Just listen, won¡¯t you? When you go back into the past, make sure you hire me. Your younger self won¡¯t want to. He¡¯ll resist the idea, but it¡¯s vital that you do.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense...¡±

    ¡°You might feel like you can¡¯t change things, and that is mostly true, but in this case, you¡¯d just be making sure things happen the way they should. You did hire me, after all, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Halden frowned.

    ¡°Well, yes, of course, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just make sure it does happen.¡±

    Lights swirled about him again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this...¡±

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± admitted Groggan before his face became a parody of itself, melting into the colors.

    The hand that had held his arm was gone, replaced by stark whiteness which threatened to engulf him.

    Halden wanted to scream, but he couldn¡¯t.

    He was in shock.

    A message to himself?

    How was this even possible?

    Again, he felt himself fall.

    Fast.

    Colors popped all around him, splashing the whiteness like bursts of paint against a virgin wall.

    A distant screech made him grit his teeth.

    Where did the sound come from?

    And the stench!

    It smelled of rotting corpses.

    He could feel his stomach churn as chaos suddenly erupted around him.

    Fire lit up the sky.

    A building exploded nearby.

    And everywhere he looked, he saw mountains of decomposing bodies.

    He averted his eyes. The only place he could look without feeling sick was up¡ªso he looked up.

    Within the fiery clouds were enormous ships.

    Ships of a sort he had never seen before. Dark brown, long, thin, covered with protruding needle-like shapes that glistened in the night and made the constructions look like wild, giant, impossible, flying porcupines.

    They were shooting at other, more familiar vessels¡ªImperial ships.

    Where was he?

    What was this place?

    What was going on?

    Another loud screech made him jump and turn around.

    A monstrous creature¡ªwith bulbous eyes and dark red, fang-covered skin¡ªrushed toward him. It must have been at least ten feet high. Blood and pieces of human flesh hung from its thousands of fangs.

    Halden stumbled back and bumped into a pile of corpses. He felt himself sucked inside and screamed.

    Everything went dark.

    Then the darkness swirled and twisted and morphed into white.

    And he was falling again.

 41. Where an answer is found

    Of all the rimworlds, Pluvios was one of the oldest. By all accounts, it should have been absorbed by the Imperium decades ago, yet it remained staunchly defiant. In fact, over the years, it had many times attempted to gain independence, but the Emperor would hear none of it.

    Because of this, Impies were everywhere. To maintain the peace, they claimed.

    The world was wet. It rained six days out of ten. The air was humid, the seas vast, the lakes and rivers plenty. Lush jungles spread across its three continents, with many cities and small towns going about their daily routines.

    Starrider landed in the wild, two miles from Agradash.

    ¡°Is it such a small place they don¡¯t have a spaceport?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°They do have one, but I bet it¡¯s crawling with Impies. So unless you want to give yourself up...¡±

    He shook his hands in front of him.

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Val left the bridge and headed toward the exit. ¡°We¡¯ll have to walk the rest of the way. Shouldn¡¯t take more than an hour.¡±

    Kaine followed her with a frown on his face.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they have picked up our signal coming down?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re more concerned with the locals than with traffic coming in or out, to be honest. Either way, Nim shielded us¡ª¡±

    ¡°You mean that same shield the Impies saw through last time?¡±

    Val clicked her tongue. ¡°They were looking for us. This is different. You can¡¯t find something if you don¡¯t know it¡¯s there to begin with.¡±

    They stepped out of the ship, into the jungle, and started their trek.

    ¡°Feels like a strange place for a scavenger to hide out,¡± remarked Kaine.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like the Impies are everywhere. Places like this are a bit out of the way and only get weekly controls. It¡¯s easy enough to keep a low profile if you know how to go about it.¡±

    An hour later, they reached the outskirts of Agradash.

    It was very different from Uthyn. Where the Rimzanian capital had been modern and sprawling with activity, this much smaller town had large empty streets and old-fashioned constructions. A few gliders drifted through the sky, but most of the people here seemed to prefer walking.

    There was no checkpoint going in. The road just led straight into the city. After a few minutes, they crossed some locals who glanced at them before turning a corner.

    They finally stopped in front of a large, looming structure and Val pressed her hand against the door. When she pulled away, a red mark in the shape of her fingers glowed where she had touched the surface. It faded after a few seconds. Then the door slid open and a small woman appeared. She considered them with a bland expression.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked. ¡°How may I help you?¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Is Aj¡¯uhl in? I need to speak with him.¡±

    ¡°And you are?¡±

    ¡°Tell him it¡¯s Val. He knows me.¡±

    The woman seemed dubious, but she nodded.

    ¡°Very well. Please wait in the foyer.¡±

    She opened the door and pointed to some nearby chairs.

    The two visitors stepped in while the servant closed the door and walked off, though they did not sit.

    Kaine examined the carpeted hall and the luxurious paintings that hung on the walls.

    ¡°Looks like scavenging can be a lucrative business.¡±

    Val snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t let appearances fool you. Aj¡¯uhl inherited a fortune from his family. Scavenging is more like a hobby for him.¡±

    Kaine quirked a brow, but the straight-faced woman returned before he could dig deeper.

    ¡°My master will receive you now. Please follow me.¡±

    She took them down the hall and through a door, arriving at a small office where they found a large man with a large grin sitting at a desk.

    Aj''uhl was not exactly human. He was what the Imperium called¡ªwith some contempt¡ªa fractal. Meaning he had mixed blood, for the most part Dexhxori. To earn the disdainful epithet, your human origins had to be at least two generations removed.

    Large and boisterous, the man had light blue skin with four antlers popping out of his orange hair.

    He jumped to his feet and hurried toward Val. She disappeared in his arms as he hugged her tight.

    ¡°Valentina Corenth! My favorite woman in the entire universe¡ªand beyond! Be still my beating heart. I never thought I¡¯d see you again.¡±

    Kaine blinked. Had he heard that right?

    She managed to pull away, though he could see she was smiling.

    ¡°Hello, my friend. Glad to see you too. Oh, by the way, I brought someone with me. This is Kaine.¡± She turned to look at him and noticed his startled expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Corenth? Are you related to the Scourge of Abrax?¡±

    Val grunted as she gave a short nod. ¡°Peter was my brother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow. I¡¯m so sorry for your loss. He was such a great man...¡±

    Before she could respond, Aj¡¯uhl threw his arms in the air and let out a cry of pure joy.

    ¡°That saint is an inspiration to all Pluvians! May the stars guard his soul. The way he constantly outwitted the Imperium was a thing of pure beauty.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let the Impies hear you,¡± said Val.

    The big man roared with laughter. ¡°They can roast in the sun and melt in the fiery pits of hell, for all I care.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your love for the Imperium is well known throughout the rim.¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl laughed even louder as he moved back to his desk.

    ¡°As much as seeing you always brings joy to my fat heart, I¡¯m guessing you are not here for pleasure?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, you are correct. I¡¯m here because of him.¡± She pointed over her shoulder at Kaine.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    She ignored him. ¡°But before we get to the main issue, we need to make sure he doesn¡¯t have a bug on him.¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl squinted.

    ¡°You think he¡¯s a spy?¡±

    ¡°Nothing like that. More like someone¡¯s after him and we don¡¯t know how they keep catching up. We¡¯ve already thrown out all his belongings, which might have solved the problem. But I want to make sure it¡¯s not something inside him.¡±

    The big man nodded. ¡°Yes, I can help with that.¡±

    He got up again and stepped toward one of the walls. After pressing his hand against the surface, an opening appeared. He motioned for them to go through first.

    On the other side, they found another room with white walls and what looked like medical equipment. There was a table in the middle, and Aj¡¯uhl pointed toward it.

    ¡°Please lie down,¡± he said.

    Kaine looked at him, then at Val.

    ¡°Well, go ahead, you baby!¡±

    He grunted, then did as instructed.

    Meanwhile, Aj¡¯uhl was bringing instruments closer. He leaned over and strapped cables to both Kaine¡¯s forearms, then turned to a display.

    ¡°I will inject a serum inside you¡ª¡±

    ¡°What?¡± asked Kaine with some dismay.

    ¡°¡ªthat will spread through your body. It will pick up on anything that shouldn¡¯t be there. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s mostly harmless.¡±

    ¡°Mostly?¡± he glanced at Val.

    Aj¡¯uhl chuckled. ¡°You might feel a tingling sensation, but it¡¯s perfectly normal. In some rare cases, the tingling can be more intense, but it is unlikely. You are in good health, yes?¡±

    Kaine thought the question should have been asked before he was strapped to the table.

    He nodded with a grunt.

    ¡°Perfect! Then lie back, close your eyes, relax, and we¡¯ll be done before you have time to say ¡®ouch¡¯.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure he liked this man¡¯s sense of humor, but he kept quiet and waited.

    After a few seconds, he felt the tingling sensation spreading through his limbs, but it remained bearable.

    Finally, the straps were removed, and Aj¡¯uhl helped him sit up on the table.

    ¡°Well?¡± asked Val.

    Aj¡¯uhl tapped on the screen.

    ¡°You were right,¡± he said. ¡°Your friend is bugged!¡±

 42. Where new orders are received

    Ten years earlier¡ªbefore his disgrace¡ªAdam Bregg had dismantled a smuggling operation. One of the individuals involved had been a law-abiding citizen who got caught in the crossfire by simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

    Bregg had recognized this. He had stepped in to help the man. Now, Rohim Drace worked as a mentor on Evenodds.

    It would be a simple thing to reach out and remind him of how he had avoided being sent to Qreghan VI.

    Besides, it wasn¡¯t like Bregg would ask him to do anything illegal. He just wanted information.

    ¡°What type of information?¡± asked Drace.

    ¡°A ship came through your station, with a man and a woman on board. They only stayed a few hours. I need to know where they went when they left.¡±

    ¡°How the heck would I know that? We don¡¯t ask visitors where they plan to go when they leave.¡±

    The colonel clicked his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have cameras everywhere. Surely, they must have recorded which direction they were headed.¡±

    Drace shifted in his seat and frowned.

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t tell you much. They could easily veer at any point after moving away from our reach...¡±

    ¡°Let me worry about that. Just get me the information.¡±

    The man was unhappy with the request, but he complied.

    Bregg provided the name of the ship and of its two passengers. All he had to do now was wait¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t his strong point.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Someone knocked on his door.

    ¡°Come in!¡± he shouted.

    His communications officer entered and stepped up to the desk to drop a holofile in front of him.

    ¡°This just came in, sir. What are your orders?¡±

    Bregg grabbed the disc and pressed it against his wristpad. Data appeared, floating in the air before him.

    He read through the text and frowned.

    Qevahr? Why would they send him to Qevahr, of all places? To ¡°pacify the locals,¡± the message stated.

    Was this just another way to mock him? The Qevahri were a peaceful people who spent all their time praying to their gods. This was ridiculous.

    Then he remembered the battle above Rimzana.

    He had been so focused on catching Starrider, he hadn¡¯t looked too closely at those ships. But now that he thought about it, they had been of Qevahri design, hadn¡¯t they? Not that he had seen too many. Those people rarely left their homeworld.

    Bregg put the disc down and tapped on his wristpad to bring up images of Qevahri ships.

    His frown increased.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    The colonel looked up at the man who stood before his desk. He¡¯d forgotten the ensign was still there.

    Before he could answer, his holovisor signaled an incoming call.

    ¡°Bide a moment,¡± he told the officer as he tapped two fingers against his temple. ¡°Yes?¡±

    Drace¡¯s face appeared against his retina.

    ¡°I have the information you requested. I just transferred it to your wristpad.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d do the right thing.¡±

    The other man frowned. ¡°But colonel, just so we¡¯re clear, this settles the score between us. I will not be in your debt for the rest of my life. I draw the line here.¡±

    Bregg grunted. He wasn¡¯t about to argue with this fool in front of his officer. Though the CO couldn¡¯t hear what Drace was saying, he would have heard any of his own replies.

    ¡°We shall discuss this at a later time. I need to go.¡±

    He cut the communication before Drace could protest.

    With another tap on his wristpad, he brought up the information the man had sent him.

    He studied the data for a long moment, then closed it and sighed. The army was sending him in the opposite direction of where Starrider was headed.

    Bregg looked back at the officer, who hadn¡¯t moved an inch, staring at the wall. He wondered if this wasn¡¯t just a test. His men must have been troubled by his actions, just like Ferris had. They¡¯d have to be wondering what he would do now.

    ¡°Ensign Lemm. Tell Ferris to set course for Qevahr immediately.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The man swung and marched out.

    Bregg sighed again as he initiated a new holovisor call.

    He had no choice now.

    He would have to trust Juden.

 43. Where discomfort begets freedom

    A nanobot projected the footage on the wall. The injected liquid glowed a bright green throughout the bloodstream, but turned a dark red where the foreign body was located.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that rumrag bugged me!¡±

    Kaine was furious¡ªand rightfully so. Val felt bad for him.

    ¡°Why would he do such a thing?¡± he went on. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a reputation for not keeping my word! What would I do with a Kinzuki Cage, anyway? He can have the damn thing for all I care!¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl straightened, his eyes going wide.

    ¡°A Kinzuki Cage?¡±

    Val nodded. ¡°That was the main business I wanted to discuss with you. But we need to get that bug out first. Wouldn¡¯t want those goons to get a drop on us while we¡¯re discussing important matters.¡±

    ¡°Wiser words have never been spoken,¡± said Aj¡¯uhl as he stepped back toward the machine.

    Kaine balked. ¡°Wait. Is it going to hurt?¡±

    The other man snorted. ¡°If you didn¡¯t feel it going in, you shouldn¡¯t feel it coming out.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t? That doesn¡¯t sound definitive enough for my taste.¡±

    Val shook her head. ¡°You really need to man up already. It needs to come out either way, so just stop whining and let Aj¡¯uhl do his thing.¡±

    Kaine grumbled as he lay back down on the table. Though he stopped complaining, his eyes followed the needle as it came closer to his skin, then went in. He grimaced and closed his eyes.

    ¡°As I drain the fluid,¡± Aj¡¯uhl explained, ¡°it will carry the bug away with it.¡±

    The room went silent for a couple of minutes.

    And then it was over.

    Aj¡¯uhl pulled the needle out and lifted it toward the light. He peered inside and nodded.

    ¡°Gotcha!¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do with it?¡± asked Kaine as he rubbed his arm.

    Aj¡¯uhl grinned. ¡°Oh, a most beautiful thing. You just watch.¡±

    He moved to one of the walls. It slid open when he pressed two fingers against the surface. He pulled a small metallic cylinder from within. The top came off and he placed the needle inside. After closing the lid, he tapped on the item¡¯s surface a few times, then headed to a window and opened it. With one last tap, the item suddenly rocketed up toward the clouds.

    ¡°That,¡± he said, pointing to the sky, ¡°is a codrier. An ancient, forgotten technology. Scavengers found a bunch of these some years ago and we¡¯ve been able to duplicate them. We now use them to send private messages between us. It can¡¯t be hacked or tracked. And if you don¡¯t know the code to open it, it self-destructs.¡± He chuckled.

    Kaine walked to the window and peered outside, but the cylinder had already disappeared.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Where is it going?¡± There was curiosity in his voice.

    ¡°Oh. I programmed it to go to Ixanith.¡±

    Val laughed.

    Kaine turned a puzzled look toward her.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an abandoned mining colony... on the other side of the Imperium. Whoever¡¯s after you is about to go on a wild goose chase.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± He glanced at the sky again. ¡°What if they catch it?¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl shrugged. ¡°Not likely. Because they¡¯re so small, those things move much faster than any ship. But even if they do catch it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to open it without destroying its contents.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t need to open it to figure out I¡¯m not inside.¡±

    ¡°True. But they¡¯d have no way to locate you.¡±

    ¡°Which is all that matters,¡± Val pointed out.

    Aj¡¯uhl let out another bark of laughter as he slapped Kaine on the back.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go eat something. You are my guests. And you can tell me everything about your Kinzuki Cage.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not his,¡± said Val. ¡°He stole it.¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°Shout it from the rooftops, why don¡¯t you?¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, friend. I deal all the time with thieves and smugglers.¡±

    ¡°I am not a thief!¡±

    Val pointed at the new bag Kaine had on his back.

    ¡°Tell that to the owner of that thing.¡±

    ¡°Now, now,¡± chided Aj¡¯uhl, ¡°because of its nature, a Kinzuki Cage can never really have a legitimate owner.¡±

    ¡°Unless it¡¯s empty,¡± said Kaine hopefully.

    The other man snorted as he guided his guests through a hall.

    ¡°Even then. They never remain empty for very long. That would, after all, defeat its purpose, would it not?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you own a bunch of them yourself?¡±

    Val glanced at Kaine, annoyed to hear the accusing tone in the young man¡¯s voice. But it did not seem to bother Aj¡¯uhl, who shrugged.

    ¡°I do not own them, per se. I take them out of circulation. There is a difference. Ah, here we are! I am famished.¡±

    They arrived in a large room with two tables and a dozen chairs. Aj¡¯uhl motioned for them to sit, and Val picked the closest seat. The two men joined her and her friend tapped on the surface in front of him to bring up a floating menu.

    ¡°I will choose for you, if you would allow me this honor.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Val before Kaine could respond. He blinked and looked at her, then back at Aj¡¯uhl.

    The big man was busy tapping in the air. He finally let out a satisfied shout as the images blurred and vanished.

    ¡°You will love this!¡±

    Even as he spoke, new shapes appeared, floating before each of them. They slowly materialized into rectangular plates with smoking food. Green baked vegetables Val couldn¡¯t name, with what looked like potatoes and a thick brown sauce.

    A scent of parsley and thyme tickled her nostrils. She guessed there was a touch of lemon as well.

    ¡°Smells delicious,¡± she commented before taking a bite. A firework of tastes exploded in her mouth. She beamed. ¡°And it is!¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl looked delighted. He turned to watch Kaine as the latter took a bite. The man¡¯s eyes widened as he chewed.

    ¡°Wow,¡± he finally let out. ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°A local dish called tiffinghah.¡±

    He went on to describe all of the ingredients and what properties they each had.

    By the time they were done eating, the sun had set outside.

    Aj¡¯uhl rose and stretched.

    ¡°With all this talk, you have still told me nothing of your Cage. Come, let us walk a bit. It will be a splendid night.¡±

    Nor was he wrong.

    Colors swirled in the sky as it darkened, reds melting into oranges melting into yellows. Stars shone bright, with a cool breeze blowing from the north.

    Val told their story as they walked. Aj¡¯uhl nodded quietly as he listened, never interrupting her.

    Finally, when she was done, he sighed.

    ¡°Unless you know the pattern, opening a Kinzuki Cage is no simple feat. Perhaps not as risky as opening a codrier, but still a challenge.¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°The pattern?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve noticed its surfaces have different colors, yes?¡±

    ¡°Some are red, others blue...¡±

    ¡°The colors vary from one cube to another. Even the same cube may display different ones, depending on how it is set. Either way, these colors are the key to unlocking the Cage. You must find the right sequence and tap the surfaces in the right order to open it.¡±

    ¡°There can¡¯t be that many permutations...¡±

    ¡°More than you might think. The way you press each surface also matters.¡±

    ¡°Then how the heck are we going to open this thing?¡± asked Val.

    Aj¡¯uhl stared into the distance as they walked, his hands behind his back.

    ¡°Well,¡± he finally said, ¡°there is one thing that can only work. But you will not like it.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Kaine apprehensively.

    ¡°One of you will need to go inside the cube.¡±

 44. Where time sets itself right

    He hurried down the street toward his glider. He was running late for an important meeting and worried about how it would affect his work. Not that anyone kept close tabs on him¡ªhis position was important enough that he was free to do as he pleased. But he preferred to set goals and boundaries for himself and disliked breaking his own expectations.

    As he reached for the door, he heard his name being called.

    ¡°Professor Roche! Wait up!¡±

    Halden paused and turned.

    A young man was running toward him, waving his hands in the air.

    ¡°Sorry to barge on you like this, but I¡¯ve been trying to see you for a long time... You¡¯re a hard man to find!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m very busy. In fact, I¡¯m kind of in a hurry right now...¡±

    ¡°I just want to know if you¡¯ve received my application. I haven¡¯t heard back, and it¡¯s been four weeks¡ª¡±

    ¡°And you are?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Sorry. I¡¯m Greg Groggan.¡±

    Something clicked in Halden¡¯s head, but he couldn¡¯t put a finger on it.

    And why was that name so familiar?

    It came back to him in a flash. He¡¯d read the man¡¯s application. Very ordinary. Basic. Unremarkable.

    He turned to open his glider¡¯s door.

    ¡°Just call my secretary tomorrow, she can give you all the answers you want.¡±

    He felt a hand grab his arm and froze.

    ¡°No, she can¡¯t. I¡¯ve talked to her. She says she doesn¡¯t know, that you haven¡¯t decided yet. Please! This would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me. Working with you is all I¡¯ve ever wanted.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Halden frowned. Why hadn¡¯t he said no yet? It was true, he remembered now. He had put the man¡¯s file aside, feeling he should give it further consideration. Something unusual about his profile. What was it?

    He clicked his tongue as he glanced at Groggan.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.

    The younger man blinked, surprised by the question.

    ¡°Why what?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to work with me?¡±

    Something else bothered him. This whole conversation... Why was it lasting so long? And why wouldn¡¯t it? He was in a hurry, of course, but it felt more like this surreal moment should have been cut short already.

    But why? How?

    And what the heck was so surreal about any of this?

    The hand dropped away from his arm, but Halden did not enter his glider. He turned again to face the man, curious to hear his answer.

    ¡°I think you are way ahead of your time,¡± said Groggan. ¡°Your work on thilium physics is incredible. And I want to learn from the best.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very commendable, but you are only one among hundreds who feel the same. What makes you so special that I should pick you as my assistant?¡±

    Groggan opened his mouth, then closed it. Twice. He frowned.

    ¡°That is not fair,¡± he said.

    ¡°Few things in life are fair, young man.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I know I¡¯m probably not the brightest person you could pick, but how much could you possibly teach someone who already knows so much? Where is the challenge with that? It¡¯s not fair because that¡¯s what always happens. Scientists always pick the top of the class, as if those were the ones who needed the help of a great mind like yours. Where is the logic in that?¡±

    This was ridiculous. Why was he wasting his precious time with this stranger? Enough was enough. He would not hire Groggan. He had so many other great candidates to pick from.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he heard himself say. ¡°You¡¯re hired. If you can show up at the office tomorrow at six. And that¡¯s six in the morning.¡±

    The younger man gaped at him.

    Halden was just as shocked. How could he have said that? He tried to backpedal, but the words wouldn¡¯t come out of his mouth. It sunk into him he was committed now. Of course, there were no witnesses, he could pretend this conversation never happened. But that was not the sort of man he was. He was stuck with this decision and would have to live with it.

    Groggan was talking, he realized, but he couldn¡¯t hear him. Though he remembered what he had said. It had been a long time ago, but...

    It was confusing. Different memories swirled in his head, merging and exploding like ripe tomatoes hitting against a wall. He couldn¡¯t tell anymore what was now and what was then.

    Or what was to be.

    He realized why it had felt surreal. None of this was real. He was still stuck in the Fault¡ªwhatever that thing was.

    He remembered.

    The shove, his dead daughter playing at the Regency, an older Groggan giving him a message from himself, the visions of death and destruction... and now this.

    What did it all mean?

    Before he could make sense of it, everything blurred. The young man¡¯s face distorted and melted into the stark whiteness around him.

    Then he fell.

 45. Where someone needs to save the day

    There was a lot Kaine was willing to accept, but this was pushing things too far.

    ¡°Are you freaking kidding me? I¡¯m not going in there!¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl turned a quirked brow toward Val.

    She crossed her arms, staring at Kaine.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my mess to fix.¡±

    ¡°What mess? Besides, it was your idea to release whoever¡¯s in there¡ªassuming anyone is. I¡¯m perfectly fine just ditching this thing.¡± He turned toward Aj¡¯uhl. ¡°You collect cubes, don¡¯t you? Just take it, for all I care.¡±

    ¡°I only keep empty ones,¡± remarked the large man.

    ¡°And we know it¡¯s not empty,¡± added Val, ¡°because it was locked in a safe. Why else would you be asked to steal it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe my client wants to put someone in it?¡±

    ¡°You really believe that?¡±

    Kaine scowled.

    He was clutching at straws and he knew it.

    Deep inside, he could feel they were right.

    The cube had value in itself, which could explain it being kept in a safe, but with everything that had happened since he¡¯d taken it... The whole affair stunk.

    ¡°I could just drop it in a river or something,¡± he grumbled.

    Val gaped at him. ¡°And leave its prisoner in limbo forever?¡±

    ¡°He could be a criminal, for all we know! Maybe he deserves this punishment.¡±

    ¡°But we don¡¯t know, do we? Do you really want to condemn an innocent to such a horrid fate?¡±

    Kaine paced back and forth. He couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. Why had he taken this job? He should never have accepted.

    Because he needed the money, that was why.

    And now he was stuck with this damned cube and with no more credits than he¡¯d had before.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Heck, he had less now, since none of his expenses had been refunded.

    He swung to face the other two.

    ¡°If I go in there, wouldn¡¯t I just be as stuck as the prisoner? How the heck would I get back out?¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl slipped a tiny chip out of his wristpad and handed it to Kaine.

    ¡°I¡¯ll lend you my transpin. Please don¡¯t lose it, as those things are hard to find and very expensive.¡±

    Kaine¡¯s eyes grew wide. He¡¯d heard of transpins, of course. They could teleport you anywhere you wanted, regardless of distance¡ªthough it could not take you through space. Still, they were highly sought devices.

    He took it with reverence and carefully inserted it into his wristpad.

    ¡°You think it would work once I¡¯m in that thing?¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl hesitated for a second. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it failing. But then, I¡¯ve never heard of anyone trying it. But it should work. You wouldn¡¯t be going through space, after all.¡±

    ¡°No, but it¡¯s not exactly on the same planet either.¡±

    ¡°Technically, it is,¡± said Val.

    ¡°It still feels very risky.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t lie,¡± said Aj¡¯uhl, ¡°it is risky. But there is no other way. No one deserves to be locked in a Kinzuki Cage forever.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in there? Those things are your specialty, after all. Aren¡¯t you curious to see what they look like inside?¡±

    ¡°Not enough to go looking,¡± Aj¡¯uhl said with a shudder. ¡°More importantly, my heart would not take well to the teleportation.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you even have a transpin?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had it for a long time, but my health is not what it once was. I keep it mostly out of habit, and because it¡¯s such a precious item. Though a part of me thinks I might need it someday if the Impies come knocking. I might not survive the jump, but I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯ll let them catch me. I would rather die than be tossed in a cell.¡±

    He would have to do it, wouldn¡¯t he?

    Kaine could feel it.

    No matter how much he tried to deny it, or to push the thought back, it was slowly sinking in. Acceptance was only a short breath away. He still hated the thought of doing this, but he knew they were right. No matter how much he wanted to ditch the cube, he couldn¡¯t find it in his heart to condemn whoever was inside.

    If it was a criminal, he deserved to do his time on Qreghan VI, not in a Kinzuki Cage.

    He sighed and shook his head.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it. But I had better get out of this thing alive, or you¡¯ll both be sorry I¡¯m gone! What do I need to do?¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him next to him as he walked.

    ¡°Sending someone inside the cube is much easier than releasing them. You just need to press two similarly colored sides at the same time, in a certain way, to activate the mechanism. A beam will come out of the device and suck you in. Just like that. Once you¡¯re inside, it should be easy to find the prisoner. And if the transpin works, it¡¯ll be just as easy to release him. You just grab him and teleport out together...¡±

    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work?¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to find another way,¡± grunted Aj¡¯uhl. ¡°But I¡¯m almost positive it will work.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡±

    They went back to the medical room and Kaine sat on the table. He pulled the Cage out of his bag and handed it to Aj¡¯uhl.

    The big man grabbed it, turned it around, studying it for a moment. He nodded to himself as he placed his hands on each side and pressed on the surfaces.

    At first, nothing happened.

    Then a screech rang out, a bright blue light flashed, and Kaine felt his head spin¡ªall at the same time.

    He blinked.

    When his eyes opened, everything around him had changed.

 46. Where slights suffered a strong man make

    It spun beneath them, a sphere of varied hues. It was unusual and it was stunning.

    Where most worlds were patchworks of green and brown in a sea of blue, Qevahr was a pattern of reds, yellows, blues, greens, blacks, and whites.

    Bregg stared at it for a long time, oblivious to the dozens of Imperial ships that surrounded it.

    Unlike above Rimzana, there was no battle here. As if the Qevahri had decided to ignore them entirely.

    ¡°Colonel?¡±

    Bregg blinked and turned to look at his second-in-command.

    ¡°The shuttle just docked in Bay 2,¡± said Ferris.

    Bregg grunted and gave a curt nod before starting toward the door.

    ¡°Lieutenant, you have the bridge.¡±

    Without a look back, he stepped out and headed for Bay 2.

    The flagship had hailed them as soon as they¡¯d arrived and Bregg had been summoned aboard for an emergency meeting.

    It annoyed him having to waste his time here when he could be chasing Starrider. At least he¡¯d had time to send Juden all the information he had gathered before they¡¯d jumped here.

    The walk allowed him to collect his thoughts. He hoped he could find a way to pull out of this mission so he could focus on his obsession. Doing so would put him at odds with his superiors, but not any more than he already was. What bothered him more was that it could draw undue attention to his activities. If he didn¡¯t want people rubbing their noses into his affairs, he needed to act the way he was expected to act. Which meant he should follow orders¡ªeven if those orders made no sense.

    And of course, he needed to pacify his men¡ªincluding Ferris. Coming here, he hoped, would go a long way to achieving that goal.

    With a sigh, he stepped into Bay 2 and approached the shuttle.

    Five men stood there, looking upset. They must have expected him to be ready to board as soon as they landed. As if he had nothing better to do with his time than twiddling his thumbs. Let them wait for a change. What was he, a commoner?

    Damn them all to the deepest pits of Hell!

    He gave a curt nod as he stepped into the shuttle.

    The ranking officer fell into step behind him.

    ¡°Colonel. I am Captain Andros. I have been tasked with bringing you safely to the Vir Victis. Please take a seat and strap yourself securely. We will leave immediately.¡±

    Without waiting for his response, Andros stepped away.

    Bregg grunted.

    As if he needed to be told to strap himself securely.

    He was a colonel, for crying out loud!

    With a frown, he sat down, wondering if the whole Imperium had set out to humiliate him.

    At least, it would be a short flight. But there was no telling how the other officers at the meeting would treat him. He wasn¡¯t exactly looking forward to finding out.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Still, it was not like he had a choice.

    A few minutes later, the shuttle docked in the flagship, and he was escorted through brightly lit halls until they reached a large oval room, with a big table and a dozen chairs. Though most of them were occupied, part of him was relieved to see he was not the last to arrive.

    He sat as two other colonels¡ªa man and a woman¡ªwere ushered in.

    ¡°Thank you all for coming,¡± boomed a voice from the front of the room.

    All heads turned to look at the general who sat at the head of the table. The man had short white hair with a beard and small, intelligent eyes that darted all around the room.

    ¡°For those who don¡¯t know me, I am General Thur. The Emperor himself has asked me to supervise this mission. Our mission is twofold. Find out why the Qevahri have attacked Rimzana, and subdue them into submission¡ªusing force if necessary. Questions?¡±

    The woman who sat across from Bregg cleared her throat.

    ¡°Yes, Colonel Lung?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering if we have any information about their ships.¡±

    Thur frowned and shook his head.

    ¡°We do not have such information at this time. However, it is fair to assume they must have built them in the past few decades. The Imperium has not watched Qevahr closely enough, and that is on us.¡±

    Which makes no sense at all, thought Bregg.

    The Qevahri were a peaceful people with no fleet. Why would they suddenly decide to not only make ships, but battleships? Not to mention, how could a rimworld have access to such advanced technology? Those ships were more powerful than most in the Imperial fleet¡ªsafe perhaps the ones assembled here¡ªand had impenetrable shields. Granted, that was the whole point of a shield, but they always had flaws. If these had any, they had yet to be found.

    Judging from the expressions around the table, he wasn¡¯t the only one questioning Thur¡¯s theory.

    The general was about to speak again when a buzzer rang. He hit a button, looking annoyed.

    ¡°I asked not to be disturbed!¡±

    ¡°Apologies, General, but the Qevahri have finally answered our calls. They are demanding to speak with the person in charge.¡±

    Thur¡¯s expression switched to surprise, then annoyance again.

    ¡°They demanded?¡±

    ¡°Uhm, yes, General, that was the word they used.¡±

    Thur was fuming. He took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Fine. Put them through. We might as well get this over with.¡±

    The wall behind him lit up and a face appeared on the surface, drawing all gazes.

    It was the face of a middle-aged woman, with short black hair that ended in a whitish hairline, thick brows, and a stern expression.

    She squinted when she saw the assembled officers.

    ¡°What is this? I requested to speak with the person in charge.¡±

    ¡°That would be me. I am General Thur. Who am I speaking with?¡±

    The other sized him up, then gave a short nod.

    ¡°Ihni Salini, High Noort of the Qevahri. I speak on behalf of all my people, and in the name of our god Saan. You are hereby commanded to immediately vacate our airspace.¡±

    Thur clenched his fists.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Furthermore,¡± continued the Noort, ignoring the question, ¡°you are to liberate Rimzana and pull away all troops. Civilians will be allowed to stay, provided they recognize Saan¡¯s supreme authority and the sacred nature of the lands upon which they tread.¡±

    Bregg cringed, wondering how Thur would take that.

    There was a moment of silence as the general tried to keep his temper in check.

    ¡°First of all,¡± he finally said with an icy voice, ¡°you are in no position to make any requests. Second¡ª¡±

    ¡°You are mistaken,¡± interrupted Salini. ¡°Saan supersedes even your Emperor. There is none more powerful. We have tolerated the Imperium¡¯s abuses long enough. The universe is large. Find yourselves other worlds to enslave. There will be no further warning.¡±

    Before Thur could say anything else, the communication was cut off and the Noort¡¯s face disappeared from the wall.

    Another, longer silence followed.

    Then Thur slowly turned toward the table, anger clearly visible on his features.

    His eyes paused on Bregg.

    ¡°You,¡± he said coldly. ¡°I want you to go down there.¡±

    The colonel straightened.

    ¡°Excuse me, General?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you take with you, but no one must know who you are or what you are doing there.¡±

    They wanted him to do undercover work? Was this a joke?

    ¡°Gather as much information as you can. We need to know what they are planning, what weapons they have and, most of all, who their allies are. No one can defy the Imperium so blatantly without backup.¡±

    What type of backup could be powerful enough to dare such an affront? There had to be multiple co-conspirators involved. Either that or some alien force.

    Bregg shuddered at the thought.

    ¡°We need answers,¡± continued Thur, ¡°and we need them fast. You are dismissed.¡±

    He remained frozen for a second, still stunned by this unexpected turn of events.

    Slowly coming back to his senses, simmering rage mounting inside of him, Bregg got to his feet, nodded, turned, and walked out without a word.

 47. Where something goes terribly wrong

    The air shimmered for a moment, colors twirling before they faded. The cube glowed, then went back to normal.

    Val stared at the space where Kaine had stood a second ago. It was surreal. One moment he¡¯d been there, the next he was gone.

    She wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about that.

    ¡°It¡¯s as if he¡¯d never been here at all,¡± she muttered.

    Aj¡¯uhl nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he will be fine.¡±

    She scowled. ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. But come. We might as well chat while we wait. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you... Over a year, surely?¡±

    ¡°Two, I think.¡±

    He sat on a couch and motioned for her to join him. She did so with a sigh.

    ¡°Two long years. What have you been up to?¡±

    ¡°Scavenging, as always.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°You make it sound like nothing exciting ever happens in your life.¡±

    Val choked at that.

    ¡°Hardly! At least not since I got sucked into that space rift.¡±

    ¡°Space rift?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I was about to exit Starrider to board a wreck when this thing appeared out of nowhere. It was just a glow at first, a bright yellow glow, but it grew into this... like a rip in space. And it pulled us in. Neither Nim nor I could stop it. Next thing we knew, we were in the middle of a battlefield above Rimzana.¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl straightened and blinked.

    ¡°What? Someone attacked Rimzana?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard? They were strange ships, the likes of which I¡¯d never seen before, though I¡¯ve since heard they were Qevahri. Which is the weirdest thing, when you think about it. They were fighting the Imperials.¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s eyes widened. He jumped off the couch and hurried to his desk. After tapping on the surface, a floating screen appeared. Text scrolled by quickly. After a few minutes, the large man gasped.

    ¡°This is not good. Not good at all.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°The Qevahri won! That is very unexpected, but also very unfortunate.¡±

    Val frowned. ¡°I would think it¡¯d make you happy.¡±

    He continued reading as he spoke.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m happy the Impies lost, but this will make them very jumpy. The whole rim might pay a high price for this. And... Oh. Oh no!¡±

    ¡°What now?¡±

    Aj¡¯uhl backed away from his TriVid screen and stared at it for a moment, then looked toward her.

    ¡°The Impies have already retaliated. They¡¯ve sent three armadas¡ªone to Qevahr, another to Rimzana, and the third to patrol the rim. This is not good for business, Val. Not good at all.¡±

    Before she could respond, a loud explosion resonated and they felt the ground shake beneath their feet.

    ¡°What in Graen¡¯s green grass is going on?¡± shouted Aj¡¯uhl as he rushed toward the door.

    Val stood and ran after him.

    It had felt like the sound came from nearby¡ªperhaps even from inside the house.

    Nor had it stopped. Or, rather, it had morphed into a concert of screams, of breaking glass, and of running feet. A sickening stink of scorched flesh assaulted her nostrils, along with the smell of smoke.

    When they reached the lobby, Val saw three dead bodies on the floor¡ªtheir skins burned to a crisp¡ªand two wounded, including the woman who had answered the door. She lay on the floor, back to the wall, yelling and crying as she held her burned arm.

    The door itself was gone, as was most of the wall. Through the opening, a flood of Imperials had poured into the house, waving weapons around.

    Aj¡¯uhl froze, his face gone very pale.

    ¡°What¡ª¡±

    A clean-shaven man stepped through the soldiers. He wore a bright blue uniform with the insignia of a sergeant. His booming voice interrupted Aj¡¯uhl.

    ¡°In the name of His Imperial Grace Nashadan Prime, all occupants of this house are under arrest. Any resistance will be met with deadly force.¡± A cruel grin contorted the man¡¯s face. ¡°Go ahead, resist. Make my day.¡±

    Val and Aj¡¯uhl both put their hands in the air, as did the few others who had survived the attack.

    The officer snorted and motioned for his men to tie up the prisoners.

    ¡°This is an outrage!¡± cried out Aj¡¯uhl, though he did not resist. ¡°I am a law-abiding member of society, as is everyone here. What am I¡ªwhat are we accused of?¡±

    The sergeant laughed. ¡°Law-abiding? A scavenger?¡± The word had come out as if it was filth he needed to remove from his mouth. ¡°You thought we wouldn¡¯t find you.¡± He stepped closer, looking Val¡¯s friend straight in the eyes. ¡°Aj¡¯uhl. Yes. I know who you are. You perfectly fit the description I was given. Oh, I know everything about you, you despicable excuse for a human being. I know about your toys.¡±

    ¡°My toys?¡±

    ¡°Sergeant!¡± The officer turned to look at one of his men who had just come out of a room. ¡°We found them. There are hundreds of them!¡±

    The man grunted and nodded. ¡°You know what to do.¡± He turned back to Aj¡¯uhl as the soldier ran out of the house, yelling to some of his colleagues. ¡°Do you know what punishment the Imperium reserves for those who traffic in Kinzuki Cages?¡± He smiled when he saw his prey¡¯s face turn even whiter. ¡°I see that you do. Good, good.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not a dealer!¡± cut in Val, outraged by this insane turn of events. ¡°He just keeps them off the market! You¡ª¡±

    The sergeant turned and hit her hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. He leaned to whisper into her ear.

    ¡°Do. Not. Interrupt. Me. Ever. Next time, I¡¯ll slit your throat. Got that?¡±

    She barely had the strength to nod.

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± The officer straightened and looked back to Aj¡¯uhl. ¡°Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Hundreds of Kinzuki Cages. I¡¯d wager you won¡¯t see the light of day again for a very, very, very long time.¡±

    While he talked, soldiers ran in and out, carrying large wooden crates in which they had piled mountains of cubes.

    Val realized as she slowly got her breath back that none of them had gone into the room where she had been with Aj¡¯uhl. Not yet, at least. She worried that if they did and found the cube, Kaine would be stuck. Which was an irrational thought, since it wouldn¡¯t stop the transpin from working, but he¡¯d end up in the middle of a crowd of Impies. Unless it¡¯d take him back to the last place he¡¯d been? She wasn¡¯t sure how those things worked exactly.

    Then again, it might not work at all. And then what? The cube would be lost among hundreds of others, with nothing to make it stand out. Kaine would be just as lost as whoever he had gone in to rescue.

    She felt hands grab her arms and pull her toward the opening. Aj¡¯uhl was in front of her, getting dragged out as well.

    And Nim... What would happen to Nim?

    Despair overcame her as she stepped into the light¡ªperhaps for the last time.

 48. Where the beginning meets the ending

    He didn¡¯t know where he was. He was lost and confused. Panicked, even. All he knew was that none of this was normal. None of it made sense.

    There was darkness everywhere around him.

    He groped in the dark and felt a wall made of protruding rocks¡ªas if he were in a cavern. Perhaps he was.

    With slow motions, Halden stepped forward, following the surface, hoping he wouldn¡¯t trip on something. He felt blind and helpless.

    Something sharp pricked his fingers and he let out a small cry.

    That was when he noticed it.

    A tiny spot of light. Somewhere in front of him.

    Could it be real? Or was his mind playing tricks on him?

    Filled with renewed hope, he quickened his pace.

    The whiteness grew, and with it came a sense of unease.

    He¡¯d been bathed in such whiteness before. It had not been pleasant, though he could not recall the details.

    Again, something sharp bit him.

    Could it be a bug?

    He grimaced and pulled his hands away from the wall. Maybe he didn¡¯t need that anymore, now that he could see a little.

    The light from the opening¡ªbecause it had to be an opening, he figured¡ªwas enough now that he could make out details around him. Though all he could see were stone surfaces and rocks and boulders and scurrying things on the floor that made his skin crawl.

    He sped up, and soon shapes appeared within the whiteness. Trees, he thought.

    Finally, he stepped out of the grotto into the day.

    He had to blink several times to adjust his sight to the brightness.

    There were flames in the distance.

    He thought he heard screams, too, and other sounds¡ªtroubling sounds. As if people were fighting not too far away. There were other ones, too, that chilled his blood. Sounds he could not identify¡ªpiercing screeches that echoed against the mountain walls. There was something mechanical about them.

    Without thinking, he headed toward the fire¡ªhe thought he saw the silhouette of buildings behind the flames.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Halden! Watch out!¡±

    The shout startled him.

    He froze in his steps and looked in the direction the voice had come from. It was a voice he did not recognize, and yet it sounded familiar.

    A man and a woman he¡¯d never seen before were running toward him. The man was tall, with short black hair, and a nasty wound on his right cheek. The woman wore a hood over her head, hiding her red strands. Both looked bruised, unkempt, and exhausted.

    And both were making wide gestures with their hands, pointing above his head.

    Halden looked up.

    Something large was falling fast toward him. A sphere of flesh, covered with fangs, that bubbled and oozed a thick yellowish liquid that looked disturbingly like pus.

    It was like something straight out of a nightmare.

    He should have run out of the way, but he couldn¡¯t focus, couldn¡¯t get his legs to move. This was just too much for him.

    A drop of the viscous substance splattered a few feet from him, some of it touching his leg. It felt like acid burning through his skin.

    He screamed, and the world around him dissolved.

    It turned white.

    A peaceful, comforting white.

    The pain was gone, too, as if it had never existed at all.

    But soon, the pain returned, though in a different form.

    A deeper pain, one that tore at his heart and his being.

    It came as the whiteness parted and a face appeared.

    An all-too-familiar face.

    His daughter¡¯s.

    Smiling and laughing.

    His dead daughter¡¯s.

    ¡°Dad! Was about time you got here.¡±

    She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house.

    The one she shared with her husband-to-be.

    What was his name again?

    Rees.

    He remembered now.

    Though he wished he hadn¡¯t.

    The memories only increased the pain.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t told you yet,¡± said Lucy, ¡°because I wanted it to be a surprise. But we¡¯re moving to Assalin.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Rees got promoted. They want him to work in the capital.¡±

    Except it never happened. He remembered this conversation, though. Painfully so. But they would never leave.

    ¡°Why?¡± he heard himself ask.

    The question came from deep inside his soul. He needed so much to understand. Why had his daughter been taken from him? Why had she left him? And why was he reliving this nightmare? He so desperately needed answers...

    She made a dismissive gesture.

    ¡°You know he can¡¯t talk about his work. All I know is that he¡¯ll be making more money... and we¡¯ll live on Assalin!¡± She grinned, with stars in her eyes. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get to see the Emperor.¡±

    Halden knew she would not.

    He wanted to tell her, to warn her, but the words wouldn¡¯t come out of him.

    All he managed was to take her in his arms.

    He held her tight and sobbed against her shoulder.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dad?¡± she asked, with concern in her voice as she patted his back.

    But it was too late.

    Her body dissolved under his arms and all he held now was empty air.

    Colors swirled around him, turning to white.

    It was blinding.

    He closed his eyes.

    It was too much.

    He didn¡¯t want to see it anymore.

    How long had he been here¡ªwherever ¡®here¡¯ was?

    When would it end?

    Would it ever?

    It was too much.

    He could feel himself falling again.

    The feeling was different now.

    As if something was pulling him.

    Not down, he realized, but sideways.

    There was a loud plopping sound and he fell to the ground.

    Solid ground.

    With rocks, grass, dirt...

    He spat something out of his mouth and got to his knees, blinking.

    What new nightmare awaited him?

    Halden looked up and saw the blurry column of the Fault taunting him.

    He felt a hand rest gently against his shoulder.

    When he turned, he saw Gresh standing behind him, with a sad smile on his face.

    ¡°Now you understand,¡± he said softly.

 49. Where one path leads to another...

    It had happened in the blink of an eye.

    Literally.

    One moment Kaine had stood in Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s office, the next he was... elsewhere.

    He looked around.

    The walls were black with glowing blue borders. The floor and ceiling were a dark shade of green. Every surface was smooth, though he could not tell what material had been used to build this place. It did not feel like stone, much less metal or plastic.

    There was an opening in the wall across from him, so he stepped in that direction.

    It had no door, so he went through.

    The next room was identical to the previous, though this one had two openings¡ªthe one behind him, and another across from him.

    So he went the only way he could.

    This time, the room was not square. This one had five walls. One behind him, two to the sides, and two in front. Both of the latter had openings.

    He paused a moment, looking from one to the other.

    There was nothing distinguishing about them. They were identical, just like the walls and floors and ceilings were identical from one room to the next.

    Who built this place? And how?

    He was inside a Kinzuki Cage, wasn¡¯t he? So how could there be anything at all in here?

    Thinking of where he was made him shudder.

    He shook his head and walked toward the opening on his right, figuring he could always backtrack if he didn¡¯t find the prisoner.

    But the next room made him pause again.

    This time, the wall across from him had three panels, each with its own opening.

    ¡°Seriously? An extra choice every time? Is this how it¡¯s going to be?¡±

    If this was the case, he worried the prisoner may have panicked and got lost in what could only be a maze.

    ¡°How does he even eat in here?¡± he wondered out loud.

    After a moment of pondering, he decided to always take the right-most passage. This way, it would be easier to find his way back.

    Though finding his way back might not be necessary, considering he had a transpin. Assuming it worked in here.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Going from room to room, his theory was confirmed. Each time, he would arrive in a larger space with one additional opening. When he reached a point where there were twenty options to choose from, he stopped and sat on the floor.

    ¡°This is gonna take forever,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°For all I know, there is no end to this. I don¡¯t want to be walking through...¡± He frowned. ¡°How can all this fit into a small cube? This makes no sense at all.¡±

    As if capturing a soul in here made any more sense.

    He straightened, eyes widening.

    ¡°Unless...¡±

    He had just remembered how Val had compared this to Nim¡¯s ordeal.

    ¡°That has to be it!¡±

    None of this was real.

    It was a virtual experience.

    For all he knew, his body was still out there, and the cage had just sucked in his DNA and memories, the same way Nim had been merged with the ship.

    All this... everything he saw here was only a construct. It felt real, because he was just as insubstantial as the surroundings.

    ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but it doesn¡¯t help me find the person who is trapped in here.¡±

    He got back to his feet and looked around, studying the walls and the openings. Maybe he had missed something?

    If it all was virtual, there might be some way he could control the construct...

    Then again, if it was intended as a prison, it would not make sense to leave a backdoor.

    He frowned.

    ¡°Hello?¡± If someone was here, maybe they would hear him. He shouted again. ¡°Hellooooo? Can anyone hear me?¡±

    He fell quiet and listened closely.

    It was eerily quiet in here, he realized. But he thought he¡¯d heard something. A faint click.

    Yes. There it was again. Louder, now.

    He glanced at the openings, then headed for the one that seemed to go in the right direction.

    The click grew louder.

    ¡°Hello?¡± he called out again.

    It seemed now like the sound approached more quickly.

    But why is the person not responding? he wondered.

    Kaine ran through a dozen more rooms, each with more and more openings. It was dizzying. He had stopped counting them and had lost all sense of direction. His only guide now was the sound, which kept growing louder. He would always take the way that seemed to go toward it. He assumed the other person was doing the same thing. Could they hear him too? His footsteps seemed loud to him in this eerily quiet place.

    Finally, he saw a small shape coming fast toward him.

    They both froze in the middle of a huge room and stared at each other for a moment.

    The prisoner was a child! A girl, too. She had curly brown hair and large blue eyes that looked like they had cried a lot. One of her legs was missing and had been replaced with a metallic limb¡ªwhich clicked every time she took a step.

    With a gasp, the girl ran to him and hugged him tightly, tears flooding down her cheeks.

    ¡°Now, now,¡± he said gently while patting her back, ¡°everything¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here to take you out of this place. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    She looked up at him, sniffed, and wiped her face with the back of her hand. She grabbed his and pulled him toward a wall.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    When they reached the surface, she drew a circle against it. Then to the right a semi-circle.

    Kaine¡¯s eyes widened. Was this girl mute?

    Each gesture she made traced a letter, he realized, until she had fully spelled out her name: Ondine.

    ¡°I¡¯m Kaine,¡± he said. ¡°But let¡¯s get out of here. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen enough of this place.¡±

    She hugged him again as he raised his wristpad and activated the transpin.

    He barely had time to wonder if it would work that the black and blue walls around them faded.

    The next moment, they were back in Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s office. Except it was empty.

    He blinked and looked around.

    Something was off.

    Not only were Val and Aj¡¯uhl gone, but there was a strange smell... and unusual sounds.

    He heard voices shouting in the distance and rushed to a window.

    From there, he saw a crowd of Imperial troops surrounding the building.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± he whispered. ¡°This is not good. Not good at all...¡±

 50. Where four mice fall in a spiders web

    They sat quietly in the shuttle, staring through the window at the approaching surface.

    Bregg had picked three from his crew to go with him.

    Len Orvos was a young recruit with a temper. He was fresh out of the academy, but he had drive and purpose. In some ways, he reminded Bregg of himself¡ªbefore his shame, when he still was young and filled with dreams of grandeur. The boy would go places if he didn¡¯t make any mistakes as he had. Under different circumstances, he might not have picked him. But he remembered all too well how antsy he was in the beginning, how he craved action and going in the field, how he wanted to make a difference. And though he doubted they would make a difference here at all, he knew the boy thought they would, and that was all the reason he needed. He could read it in his eyes.

    Dasha Dawan was cut from a different cloth. She came from a wealthy family that tried to buy her way into the army. But she wanted none of that and refused every promotion she felt she did not deserve. She wanted to learn her way to the top and earn every rank she was given. The woman was smart, too, which Bregg thought could come in handy.

    And, of course, he had asked Ferris to come as well. How could he leave his only friend behind? Though part of him felt he did not deserve the friendship of this man¡ªnot anymore, at least¡ªhe couldn¡¯t just turn away from him. Logic¡ªand regulations¡ªwould have required he give the bridge to his second-in-command while he was away, but he had no idea what challenges he would encounter on Qevahr. Under such circumstances, he preferred to have Ferris by his side.

    The lieutenant sat next to him and lowered his voice so the other two would not hear what he said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Adam. Why are they sending you down there? This is not the kind of job you give to a colonel.¡±

    Because the Imperium hoped he would die on that planet. It would rid them of a big thorn in their side.

    But he couldn¡¯t say that. So he shrugged.

    ¡°Who else could they send? They needed someone with experience who they could also trust.¡±

    Ferris frowned. ¡°There were others at that meeting. I still think it¡¯s odd they picked you.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Bregg did not answer.

    He turned his head to look out the window at the approaching surface.

    The reason didn¡¯t matter to him. His life was out of control. Or, at least, out of his control. He had become a puppet in the Emperor¡¯s hands.

    If only he could cut those strings...

    Maybe he should disappear on Qevahr. Let everyone think he was dead. With his wristpad, he¡¯d still have a private connection to Juden, so he could continue to monitor the hunt for Starrider.

    The thought made him cringe.

    He didn¡¯t like the idea of Juden knowing he was hiding from the Imperium. That would give the man leverage over him.

    No, that wouldn¡¯t do at all. He¡¯d have to think of something else.

    A few minutes later, the shuttle landed in the middle of the jungle. They had used the latest stealth technology to hide their movements from the Qevahri¡ªno one would know they were here.

    ¡°Where are we even supposed to begin?¡± asked Ferris as they stepped out of the ship.

    Bregg looked around at the trees, then up at the sun. He pointed to his right.

    ¡°There¡¯s a city a few miles south from here. It¡¯s as good a place to start as any.¡±

    His friend nodded and they began their trek through the trees.

    They had left their uniforms behind, as they would have made them too conspicuous. If they were to blend in, they couldn¡¯t be flaunting Imperial insignias and weaponry.

    ¡°I think I heard something,¡± whispered Orvos.

    It was a jungle, of course he would hear something! There was wildlife all around them. Animals, insects, wind breezing through the trees...

    He frowned as he heard it too. Distant voices. Shouting. Coming closer, too. They seemed to come from the direction they were headed.

    ¡°Take cover,¡± he said as he hurried toward a large boulder.

    They all hid as best they could and a few minutes later, they heard footsteps and nearby voices.

    ¡°Come on,¡± a man called out, ¡°we¡¯re almost there. We need to find them before they get too far.¡±

    ¡°I still think we should have shot them out of the sky,¡± grumbled another.

    ¡°The explosion was too likely to kill them. We need them alive, remember? Can¡¯t extract information from dead bodies.¡±

    The voices faded as the group went past them and they could not hear the rest of the conversation.

    Bregg waited a moment before he gave the all-clear signal. They stood and started south again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Ferris. ¡°It sounds like they know where our ship has landed. That should be impossible.¡±

    Dawan cleared her throat. ¡°With all due respect, lieutenant, have you seen their ships?¡±

    Bregg glanced at the woman, then at his friend. ¡°She has a point. They obviously have access to highly advanced technology. Why would it stop at warships?¡±

    Orvos snorted. ¡°They won¡¯t be happy to find the shuttle empty.¡±

    They walked on in silence for a moment.

    ¡°You realize,¡± said Ferris, ¡°that this compromises our only way out? If they seize our ship...¡± His voice trailed off.

    Bregg grunted.

    ¡°We¡¯ll figure something.¡±

 51. Where freedom comes at a high price

    The prisoners were escorted outside the house.

    Val resisted the urge to look back, not wanting to give anyone the idea to go check Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s office. With some luck, the cube would stay where it was and Kaine would come out with the prisoner safe and sound.

    The officer¡¯s name was Riin. She had heard a soldier mention it. The man was barking orders as they were taken to the back of the house, where two small Imperial shuttles had landed.

    She cringed when she saw the cages. Some already had prisoners locked inside, while the empty ones waited for them.

    ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± said Aj¡¯uhl with a trembling voice. His face was still quite pale. ¡°I can¡¯t go to jail¡ªit would kill me!¡±

    Val didn¡¯t know what to say, so she remained quiet. She scanned their surroundings, on the lookout for anything that might help them escape.

    The problem was that these Impies were trigger-happy. It was obvious from how suddenly and violently they had barged into Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s house. And the events on Qevahr had likely added fuel to the fire.

    What they needed was a diversion.

    Even as this thought crossed her mind, shots were fired and shouts erupted behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw soldiers running back toward the house, yelling and gesturing.

    For a moment, nobody was looking at them.

    It seemed like time had frozen.

    She grabbed Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s arm and pulled him away from the cages. They ran in the opposite direction, away from the house.

    ¡°Val!¡±

    Her head shot up and she looked to the side where she saw Kaine waving at them, a worried look on his face. He stood behind a nearby building and gestured for them to hurry.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    She veered toward him as another shout rang¡ªthis one too close for comfort.

    ¡°Hey! The prisoners are escaping!¡±

    There were other prisoners, so for a moment she hoped the guards meant someone else. But a phaser shot burned the wall next to her head, dashing her hope.

    More shots were fired before they ducked behind the wall, where Kaine grabbed them quickly.

    They heard feet running toward them, and Val knew they were doomed. They could never get away in time. And now Kaine would get caught as well.

    ¡°Everyone take hold of me,¡± said Kaine as he used his free hand to reach for his wristpad.

    He pressed it and, the next moment, they were in a different setting.

    ¡°The transpin!¡± she cried out.

    ¡°I have no idea how it works, so I hope I didn¡¯t send us into a lava pit or something...¡±

    Val looked around them, but it seemed like they were in a valley near a small stream. The sun was high in the sky and birds chirped in the distance.

    She frowned. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°Assarah.¡±

    The voice was strained, breathless, but she recognized it nonetheless. She turned to look at her friend and her eyes widened when she saw he had been wounded by one of the phaser shots.

    Aj¡¯uhl coughed and blood trickled down his lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes.

    She leaned to grab him and shook his shoulders.

    ¡°Aj¡¯uhl!¡±

    His body went limp.

    ¡°No! Aj¡¯uhl!¡±

    Kaine knelt next to them and took the man¡¯s pulse. After a few seconds, he looked up and shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Val. He¡¯s gone.¡±

    She stared at him in disbelief, then back at her friend.

    How could this have happened?

    They should have never come here.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°The hell it is.¡±

    She glared at Kaine. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t come here, he¡¯d still be alive.¡±

    ¡°You think the Imperials came for you?¡± he asked with annoyance.

    ¡°Well, no, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t even know we were here.¡±

    ¡°Someone must have ratted on him,¡± she said.

    ¡°Then they would have come whether or not you were there. This is not on you.¡±

    He was right, of course, but it was difficult to accept.

    She wiped tears from her eyes. She would not let herself cry.

    Not here, not now, not ever.

    She was done shedding tears.

    The Imperium would have to pay for this.

    Riin would have to pay.

    It was only then she realized there was someone else with them.

    A child.

    The girl stood a few feet from them, looking down at her feet, silent and still.

    Val frowned. She looked at Kaine and opened her mouth. Then stopped as realization hit her.

    ¡°Is that¡ª¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Her name is Ondine. I brought her out from inside the cube.¡±

 52. Where time gives new purpose

    He stared at the blurry column for a long time.

    It was slowly coming back to him.

    Everything he had seen, heard, felt.

    The sorrow and pain, too.

    Around him, the watchers stood silent. Waiting.

    For what?

    A miracle?

    The sky to open and fire to rain down upon them?

    The Fault to expand and pull them in, along with the whole planet?

    What did it mean?

    What did any of it mean?

    And Gresh thought he understood!

    Halden laughed.

    If anything, he understood less now than he had before.

    He gestured toward the column.

    ¡°This... This thing is an aberration. Whatever it is, it shouldn¡¯t even exist.¡±

    Gresh nodded sagely.

    ¡°It is a flaw in the design of the universe,¡± he repeated softly.

    Halden frowned. ¡°There is no such thing. It¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°And yet...¡± The older man gestured toward the Fault. ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°The things I saw in there... Moments from the past and from the future. At least, I think it was the future.¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Tell us, friend. What did you see?¡±

    Halden remained quiet for a moment, staring again at the blurry column. Then he slowly recounted his visions¡ªhow could it be anything else? From his dead daughter to the older version of his assistant to the battlefields and the fang-covered sphere that fell from the sky. In retrospect, it reminded him of the creature that had tried to kill him.

    ¡°What were those things?¡± he asked, not expecting a response.

    ¡°They are the gods, of course. You saw the Apocalypse. The end of times is nigh. We have all seen it. Come, friend. You must sit with us. Stand watch. You are one of us now.¡±

    Halden jerked back when the old man reached out to grab his arm.

    These people were crazy.

    Gods? The end of times?

    This was nonsense!

    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I need to go.¡±

    He walked away and heard Gresh calling out to him¡ªthough he made no motion to stop him.

    ¡°Where will you go, friend? There is nowhere else.¡±

    He kept walking.

    ¡°Fellhakaah calls you. Can you not hear?¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was more distant now, and he continued to ignore it.

    ¡°You will return. I pray it is not too late when you do.¡±

    The voice faded.

    When he reached his glider, Halden jumped in and asked the AI to take him back. He didn¡¯t trust himself to pilot this thing. His mind was still reeling from the experience, too shocked and confused.

    As the glider took off and headed back toward his hotel, he sat at the back and stared at the Fault. He watched as it grew smaller and smaller, until it faded completely.

    There had to be a meaning to all of this.

    He was a scientist, for crying out loud!

    He took a deep breath.

    ¡°Alright. I need to focus. Think clearly. Analyze this methodically. Everything can be explained. Why did I come here? Because reports showed a massive thilium source. That¡¯s it, then! Thilium is the most powerful source of energy in the universe. We¡¯ve never found so much of it in one place. This makes it unique. It¡¯s raw, too. Since we¡¯d never seen anything like it, who is to know what raw thilium can do?¡±

    He straightened in his seat and nodded to himself.

    ¡°Yes. Yes, that makes sense. If it¡¯s powerful enough, couldn¡¯t it rip through the fabric of time? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s anything unheard of. There have been attempts to travel through time in the past. Granted, none of them have ever succeeded, but none of them had access to this much thilium either. That has to be it.¡±

    When he realized he might have discovered a way to travel through time, he became excited. Until the implications hit him.

    A war was coming.

    A devastating, horrific war.

    Most likely against an unknown alien species.

    He had to warn someone.

    The Emperor himself, if he could.

    This was too important.

    Invested with a new sense of purpose¡ªand understanding the urgency of the matter¡ªhe jumped into the pilot¡¯s seat and took over the controls.

    The glider sped through the sunset sky toward the city.

 53. Where surprises await with a turn of fate

    It was a beautiful and sunny spot where they buried him, under a thick oak tree that shadowed the stream.

    They stood silently above the grave for a moment. Kaine to the right, Val to the left, with the child between them.

    He glanced at Ondine, wondering for the millionth time who she might be and why anyone would want to imprison her in a cube.

    She hadn¡¯t said a word since he¡¯d found her. Had she always been mute, or had the time she¡¯d spent in the Kinzuki Cage traumatized her?

    And how long had she been in there?

    He preferred not to think about it. It was too depressing.

    His gaze went to the woman who had rescued him on Rimzana. The woman he had now rescued from a similar fate. The irony was not lost on him.

    Did this mean they were even now?

    She looked up from the grave and stared into the distance.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where we are,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Aj¡¯uhl said Assarah...¡±

    She wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a real thing. Assarah is a legend. A place of beauty where people live in peace and harmony. It¡¯s a valley filled with golden flowers, where was built the most grandiose and mysterious city ever built.¡± She waved around at the scenery. ¡°There is none of that here. Aj¡¯uhl must have been delirious.¡± She sighed as her gaze met his. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter anymore. But we need to get out of here. Can you take us back?¡±

    He frowned. ¡°The house must be crawling with Impies now...¡±

    ¡°Not there! I meant back to Starrider.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± He paused, pondering, as he looked back at the grave. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have no idea how the transpin works and Aj¡¯uhl is no longer here to explain it.¡±

    ¡°Well, how did you bring us out here? Heck, how did you even get out of the house?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t use the transpin at the house. The girl and I just slipped out the back door. We saw a box of fireworks on the way out and used those to create a diversion. As for here, well, I don¡¯t know. I just pressed the button, hoping we¡¯d land in a peaceful place.¡±

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Val took a few steps back from the grave and looked around the valley.

    ¡°It seems peaceful enough,¡± she said thoughtfully. ¡°Perhaps the transpin is somehow connected to your brain.¡±

    ¡°How would that work if it¡¯s just hooked up to my wristpad?¡±

    He felt a little hand tugging at his sleeve. When he looked down, he saw the girl pointing at his wristpad, then at his arm, his shoulder, and his head.

    ¡°Are you trying to tell me something?¡± he asked.

    Ondine nodded and repeated the gesture.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s trying to tell us our wristpads are connected to our bodies,¡± said Val. ¡°Which makes sense. It can monitor our health, after all. Through the wristpad, the transpin can access your thoughts. Well, maybe not your thoughts per se, but...¡± She paused and frowned, trying to find an explanation. Finally, she shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But there¡¯s a connection, that seems pretty obvious.¡±

    Kaine stared at the girl.

    ¡°How can you know this?¡± he asked.

    The child looked away, quiet as ever.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± said Val softly. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on what we can control. If that link exists, then it¡¯d be easy to take us back to the ship. We¡¯ll hold your arms while you focus on Starrider and the next thing we know, we¡¯ll be back on board.¡±

    Could it really be that simple? Kaine had his doubts.

    ¡°Alright then, hang on tight.¡±

    He waited for them to grab him, then pressed the button to activate the transpin.

    The next instant, they stood in the ship¡¯s hall.

    He blinked.

    ¡°Well, that worked.¡±

    Val let go of his arm and looked around, a frown on her face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She remained quiet for a moment, took a few steps, stared at the ceiling, then turned to look at him.

    ¡°Something¡¯s off.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He felt the girl¡¯s grip tighten on his arm and looked down at her. She seemed frightened.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dark in here. It shouldn¡¯t be this dark. And... why is it so quiet?¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, he realized he couldn¡¯t hear the usual buzzing sounds. It reminded him of when the ship had been powered down for repair on Alterica... And how they had struggled to bring Nim back online¡ªhe still wondered if the fake AI had fully recovered from the ordeal.

    Could this new development be related in some way?

    The same thought must have crossed Val¡¯s mind, because she spun to face a wall and called out his name.

    ¡°Nim!¡±

    The ship remained quiet.

    She turned a worried gaze toward him.

    ¡°Do you think the ship has powered off again?¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t have powered off on its own.¡±

    ¡°No, I suppose not. But then, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the control room. Maybe we¡¯ll find some answers there.¡±

    They walked in silence, their footsteps echoing against the metal walls.

    Kaine thought he heard a sound¡ªa distant clicking. It seemed to come from straight ahead. But it was so brief he thought he might have imagined it.

    When they finally reached the control room, they found a surprise waiting for them.

    One man sat in a chair, pointing a phaser at them. He was dark-skinned, with short hair and a scar under his left eye.

    Another stood near the entrance, his arms crossed. That one was a hefty fellow who looked bored.

    ¡°Perfect timing!¡± said the man in the chair. ¡°We can¡¯t seem to get your AI to cooperate. Would you be so kind as to ask him to take off?¡±

 54. Where treason is contemplated

    Sneaking into the city had not been difficult. There were no patrols, no guards, no armed men at all.

    ¡°They¡¯ve always been a peaceful people,¡± muttered Orvos.

    If they were so peaceful, why had they attacked Rimzana?

    Except... they hadn¡¯t, had they?

    Technically, they had attacked the Imperium.

    Which, frankly, was not much better.

    What did these people expect?

    How could they possibly think they could win?

    Except they had, hadn¡¯t they?

    But winning a battle did not mean they would win a war. And a war was coming, that much was clear.

    ¡°What now?¡± asked Ferris as they walked down a busy street.

    No one even seemed to notice them. They were blending in well.

    Bregg shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never done undercover work. If anyone has any ideas...¡±

    ¡°I would suggest a tavern,¡± said Dawan. ¡°Preferably a crowded one. There are always people talking about current events in such places. It might help us glean some information.¡±

    Since no one could come up with a better plan, they stopped at a Holscreen Terminal to search for the closest of the most popular taverns in town. After tapping their request on the glass surface, it displayed an address with directions to get there.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look far at all,¡± commented Orvos as they set out.

    It only took them five minutes to find their way.

    The establishment looked like something straight out of a big-budget holofilm.

    Built on three floors, it was filled with high-tech tables and chairs. Sensitive to body heat, they lit up as soon as you sat down, bringing up a menu you could order from directly. The lighting was smooth and varied, with some more shadowy spots for those who sought intimacy. The music was loud, but not so loud you couldn¡¯t hear yourself speak¡ªor your neighbors, which suited them fine.

    The place was crowded to the rim.

    They picked a spot at the center of the room. It was surrounded by occupied tables with chatty patrons.

    It wasn¡¯t long before they overheard stories.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    They were going through the menu when a man¡¯s voice drifted to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it was better before. I know you¡¯re not supposed to say stuff like that, but I¡¯m so tired of her crap.¡±

    ¡°The Royne had it right,¡± responded a gruff voice. ¡°She only serves her own interests.¡±

    ¡°Or those of her church.¡±

    A third voice cut in¡ªthis one female. ¡°But what of the sacred books she found?¡±

    The second man snorted. ¡°How convenient. She found them just when she needed something sensational to win the people over. I¡¯m not buying it.¡±

    Bregg picked a drink from the scrolling menu just as another conversation drifted to them, covering the first one.

    ¡°The Imperium will get what it deserves. It¡¯s an antiquated, intricate, and crumbling institution. It is the Qevahri¡¯s time to shine and, perhaps, guide humanity into its next peak.¡±

    ¡°But we are not ready,¡± remarked a younger voice. ¡°We have a fleet, but no fighting experience. How can we hope to win a war against the Imperium? This is folly!¡±

    ¡°We won the battle at Rimzana, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I believe that...¡±

    ¡°Trust in Saan, my friend. He will find a way for us.¡±

    Someone in the crowd suddenly started singing, his voice covering the chatter.

    Bregg cringed and looked at his companions as small circular panels on the table rotated open and their drinks appeared.

    Ferris leaned over and spoke quietly to make sure no one else would hear him.

    ¡°This is good for us,¡± he said. ¡°The High Noort is not as popular as we thought. We should use this to our advantage.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± asked Orvos.

    ¡°We could reach out to some of her opponents. Maybe we can strike a deal with them. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time the Imperium helped to overthrow a government.¡±

    The younger man grimaced but didn¡¯t respond.

    Bregg wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about that himself.

    He needed to do the mission, but part of him felt like these people might make good allies. Not to the Imperium itself, of course, but to him in particular. They had the same enemy, after all, had they not?

    But how could he talk to the High Noort¡ªassuming she would even receive him¡ªwithout the others finding out? It would be perceived as treason, too. Which could get him into a lot more trouble than he already was.

    And yet, he couldn¡¯t think of any other solution.

    If he could just find a way to make contact while letting the others think he was going along with their plan...

    He was about to speak up when shouts rang out through the room, coming from the entrance of the tavern. It turned into agitation¡ªbut not the type that comes with panic. There was excitement and electricity in the air, and the feeling of something momentous happening.

    People stood from their chairs and rushed outside. Very quickly, the room emptied.

    Startled, Bregg and his companions followed suit.

    When they came out of the building, they saw everyone was looking up. They turned their gazes to the darkening sky and gaped.

    Bright and sudden bursts of light obscured the stars. It was too distant to be fireworks. This could only mean one thing.

    The Imperial fleet was under attack.

    From the reactions of the crowd, the bursts were understood as an enemy ship being destroyed. And with each explosion, people cheered.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening,¡± muttered Orvos.

    Bregg said nothing.

    From the corner of his eye, he recognized one of the discontent patrons who had sat near their table. He turned to Dawan and pointed.

    ¡°Follow those men. We need to know where to find them if we decide to make an offer.¡±

    The woman nodded and stepped away so she could get closer to her targets.

    He looked around until he saw the other man¡ªthe one who had praised the High Noort¡¯s actions. Grabbing Orvos by the arm, he pulled him closer.

    ¡°And you, I want you to follow that one.¡±

    The younger officer frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t he on the other side?¡±

    ¡°It is good to know where both our friends and enemies are. Go.¡±

    The man nodded and headed off.

    Now that he had set his pawns into motion, he just needed to come up with a plan.

 55. Where a trap is sprung

    How was this possible?

    Val couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.

    ¡°Who are you, and what the hell are you doing on my ship?¡±

    The man in the chair smiled. ¡°Now, now, no need to get all worked up. But I suppose an introduction would be the polite thing to do. I am Juden.¡± He pointed toward his companion. ¡°And this is Warthol. As for the ship, I beg to differ. It is not yours.¡±

    Kaine pointed at the two men. ¡°I recognize you! You were the ones chasing me on Evenodds.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. A most unfortunate incident. You gave us quite a run, too. But all is good since we now have what we wanted. Well, almost.¡±

    Val frowned as he spoke.

    ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s not my ship? It most certainly is!¡±

    ¡°Really? Then I assume you have the certificate of ownership?¡± She clenched her fists and pursed her lips. ¡°No? I thought as much. Now, where were we... Ah, yes. Your AI. I¡¯d be most obliged if you had a little chat with¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Which part of ¡®no¡¯ did you not understand?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t lie,¡± said Juden with a sigh, ¡°that is upsetting. Still, I feel I should remind you of the obvious.¡± He lifted his phaser, making sure she could see it. ¡°I am armed, you are not. You do not decide what¡ª¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. Shoot me.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    She crossed her arms. ¡°I dare you.¡±

    He stared at her for a moment, then looked at his companion. ¡°You hear that, Warthol? She wants me to shoot her. Huh. That¡¯s a new one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to shoot me,¡± she corrected, ¡°I just know you won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? And how do you figure?¡±

    ¡°Because you want the ship. And you can¡¯t have the ship if you can¡¯t control the AI. And you can¡¯t control the AI if you kill me.¡±

    The man in the chair stared at her again, a slight smile creeping up his lips.

    ¡°We have a smart one. Nice. Very nice.¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your reasoning is correct. However, you seem to have forgotten one little detail.¡± The phaser turned to aim at Kaine. ¡°There are two of you. I only need one. So. Here¡¯s the deal. Get your AI to cooperate or say goodbye to your buddy.¡±

    Distractedly, her mind registered he¡¯d said ¡®two¡¯. She threw a glance to the side but couldn¡¯t see the girl. Where had she gone?

    She shrugged. ¡°Go ahead. Shoot him.¡±

    Kaine gasped. ¡°Hey! What?¡±

    Val ignored him, her gaze going back to hold Juden¡¯s. ¡°I barely know him, so what do I care?¡±

    She could feel her companion tensing next to her and hoped he would keep his cool.

    Juden¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Considering how you came to his rescue on Evenodds, you¡¯ll pardon me if I call your bluff.¡± He lifted his weapon and aimed.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said quickly. ¡°You win.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Juden smiled amiably. ¡°I usually do.¡±

    She started toward the console. ¡°Care to explain why you want to steal my ship?¡±

    The man tsked. ¡°It¡¯s not stealing if it¡¯s not yours.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not yours either,¡± she remarked.

    He shrugged. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s say I¡¯ve been tasked with bringing it back to its legitimate owner. Now, can we get on with it?¡±

    She snorted as she sat at the console. ¡°Right. As if a legitimate owner would send armed goons to get their ship back. Do you have the certificate of ownership?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t need one. I have a phaser, remember?¡± He waved it toward the controls.

    Val grunted as she tapped a sequence on the console.

    ¡°Nim? Can you hear me?¡±

    Silence.

    She glared at the man. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you think I can do anything. He hasn¡¯t been responding since we¡¯ve come on board. The ship has obviously powered down. Your work, I take it?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. It was your AI that did it. I assume to protect the ship¡ªand itself.¡±

    Val blinked. She hadn¡¯t expected that. Could Nim really have put himself at risk like this? After what had happened last time?

    She glanced at Kaine, who gave a slight shrug, then looked back at the man with the weapon.

    ¡°Could you stop waving that thing at me? It¡¯s making me nervous. We both know you won¡¯t shoot me anyway.¡±

    Juden pondered this for a moment, then nodded. He put the phaser away and glanced at his friend.

    ¡°Keep an eye on that fellow for me, would you?¡±

    The brute grunted as he repositioned himself to stand right behind Kaine.

    Val grimaced.

    ¡°Charming.¡±

    Juden shrugged. ¡°One can never be too careful. Now, how about you power this thing back up?¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t,¡± cut in Kaine.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time this happens. It¡¯s an old ship, a¡ª¡±

    ¡°A Corvair, I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°Right. Anyway, the entire thing barely holds together. Last time it powered down, we had to jump-start it.¡±

    Juden frowned. ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°In the engine room. Has to be done manually. I¡¯ll go.¡±

    He started turning toward the hall, but Warthol grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

    ¡°No,¡± said Juden. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the only way,¡± said Val, playing along and hoping Kaine knew what he was doing.

    The man looked between her and Kaine, frowning.

    ¡°Very well. Then we all go.¡±

    He stood and grabbed Val¡¯s arm to pull her up.

    She pulled away.

    ¡°Hey!¡± she spat out. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    Juden lifted his hands in the air. ¡°Okay, okay. Touchy much? But let¡¯s speed this up a bit, we don¡¯t have all day.¡± He motioned for her to go first.

    Val rolled her eyes but did as she was told. Kaine fell into step next to her, with the two intruders right behind.

    They shared a glance, and she noticed Kaine gave her a wink. It instantly made her feel better. He did know what he was doing.

    It took them five minutes to reach the engine room. It was separate from the thilium core. The latter was the source of energy that powered the entire structure¡ªnot only the engines¡ªbut the engines themselves were at the back.

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Kaine. ¡°I need four hands for this. Val, come with me, we¡¯ll have to do like last time¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Kaine paused, turning a puzzled gaze toward their captor.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you two,¡± said Juden. He looked at Val. ¡°You stay right here, where I can keep an eye on you. Warthol will lend his hands instead.¡±

    Kaine shrugged. ¡°Fine by me.¡±

    They stepped to the wall, where Kaine unscrewed a panel. Underneath, they found a console with a dozen squares, each of a different color.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he started, ¡°I¡¯ll need you to do exactly what I say. If you mess up, the entire ship could blow up. You understand?¡±

    Warthol¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Uh, yeah. Okay.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Kaine tapped on a couple of the squares, then looked back at the large man. ¡°Now, when I tell you to¡ªand only when I tell you to¡ªyou will press on the yellow square up here and the blue one down there.¡±

    He pointed at each. They were far enough away that you couldn¡¯t have used the same hand to press them at the same time.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± said Juden. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do that?¡±

    Kaine threw him a startled look. ¡°I said we needed four hands, didn¡¯t I? I don¡¯t have four hands.¡±

    ¡°What are you gonna do with yours?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Well, I need to press on these two here.¡± He pointed at a white square and a red one, just as far apart as those he¡¯d assigned to Warthol.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this. Step away from that console.¡±

    Val turned to face him, arms crossed.

    ¡°Do you want this ship to power up or not? Make up your mind already!¡±

    Juden squinted at her. ¡°This feels fishy as hell.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the only way.¡±

    ¡°If you want,¡± said Kaine, ¡°you¡¯re welcome to do it with your friend.¡±

    ¡°Hell no.¡± Juden drew his phaser and pointed it at Val.

    ¡°That again?¡± she hissed.

    He ignored her, still watching Kaine. ¡°You¡¯re gonna do it. But keep in mind that if you try anything, your friend here will die. Got that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fully aware.¡±

    ¡°Good. So long as we¡¯re clear. Now go ahead. Do what you must.¡±

    Kaine turned to look at Warthol.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    The large man, who looked very confused by the exchange, nodded.

    ¡°Alright. Here goes nothing.¡±

    Kaine positioned his fingers above his two buttons, as did the brute.

    ¡°Now,¡± he said softly.

    Four fingers pressed down at the same time.

 56. Where sorrow turns to puzzle

    Getting off the planet would be tricky. None of the cruise lines ever came down. He¡¯d have to catch a shuttle at just the right time.

    The problem was that the spaceport was closed. Or, rather, always open, but unstaffed.

    At least, he could easily pull up the schedules on his TriVid screen at the hotel.

    Halden booked the earliest flight he could find and requested a shuttle pickup.

    Three days later, he was on a cruiser headed straight for Assalin. It was a much smaller ship than the previous, but it still offered countless amenities... which he ignored. Once again, he was drawn to the open space view of the panorama deck, at the very top of the ship.

    Though the memory was still fresh in his mind, he refused to let the shooting dictate his moves. Besides, it was very unlikely something like that would happen again now that he¡¯d been through it once.

    So it was with peace of mind that he spent most of the trip contemplating the stars above his head while thinking of how he would tell his story to whoever would want to hear it.

    While he had waited for his shuttle, back at the hotel, he had jotted down what details he remembered of his time-traveling experience. He had worried they would fade or that he might misremember them. He reread his notes now, trying to memorize them.

    The trip to Assalin would be quite long, as the Emperor¡¯s homeworld was at the very heart of the Imperium. There were quicker ways to travel, of course, but they were much more expensive.

    He decided to warn Marthus.

    ¡°Assalin?¡± His friend was clearly surprised. ¡°Why are you going to Assalin?¡±

    Halden shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to. It seemed as good a time as any.¡±

    Marthus pondered this for a moment. ¡°You know what? I¡¯d argue it¡¯s a better time than any, considering how focused you tend to be on your work. I¡¯m glad to see you enjoying yourself for a change.¡±

    He hated lying to his friend like this, but what was he supposed to do? He couldn¡¯t tell him the truth. Marthus would not understand. Besides, it would make him an accessory to Halden¡¯s crime. Nobody could know about him copying that holofile.

    ¡°I just needed a change of pace,¡± he said meekly.

    Marthus laughed.

    ¡°That has to be the understatement of the year. Well, you¡¯re welcome to take the time you need and go wherever you want. I¡¯ll somehow make it work, don¡¯t worry about it. Just try to avoid the rim.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Thanks, but why not the rim?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s bound to get heated out there... You haven¡¯t heard?¡±

    ¡°No, what happened?¡±

    ¡°The Qevahri have declared war on the Imperium. They wiped out two Imperial fleets¡ªone at Rimzana, another above Qevahr. It¡¯s got everyone on edge.¡±

    Halden frowned.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they a devout and peace-loving people?¡±

    ¡°Crazy, right? Who would have thought. Anyway, I have to go. Work calls. But do take whatever time you need. I have your back.¡±

    He thanked his friend again before Marthus cut the communication.

    Halden stared at the stars above him.

    Could this war be connected to the one he¡¯d seen in the future? Had it started already? Was he too late?

    No, it couldn¡¯t be. The Qevahri were humans; the creatures he¡¯d seen were not.

    But this meant the Emperor already had his hands full and might not be so willing to hear him. It had been a long shot from the beginning, but he still felt like he needed to try.

    And if not the Emperor, maybe he could approach one of his advisors.

    He¡¯d have two months to come up with a plan, so he decided to just enjoy himself.

    During the trip, he heard more news about the war. It baffled everyone. For many reasons. First, it made no sense for a peaceful people like the Qevahri to rebel against the Imperium. Second, they should have been crushed by now. Third, not only had they not been crushed, they were beating the Imperial fleet to a pulp.

    What was going on?

    Halden had no clue. It was just one more mystery added to the mix.

    Another one that troubled him was the recording he¡¯d received from his dead daughter. Since he had not much else to do, he spent time re-watching the video, trying to understand what bugged him.

    ¡°It was warm and sunny,¡± said Lucy to the camera, a big smile on her face. ¡°Such a lovely day. I went to the park with Rees¡ªit¡¯s a new one. They built it right in front of the Regency. It has trees, bushes, a little stream... It¡¯s quite lovely. I¡¯m sure you would love it. I hope you can come and see it soon. We could go together. I miss you, dad!¡±

    He wiped a tear from his eyes, trying to focus.

    ¡°Oh! Speaking of the Regency, I went back in for the first time in a decade. You remember how we used to go there when I was a kid? I¡ª¡±

    He paused the video and stared at the image.

    His daughter was looking to the side, and the smile had faded from her lips. There was a tightness to her jaw, too.

    But what caught his attention was something else.

    He only now realized she had mentioned the Regency three times in the recording. Which was unusual. They had not talked about it in years. Why suddenly mention it three times?

    It could just be a coincidence.

    He fast-forwarded to the second instance.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not happy about it,¡± she told him with a laugh, ¡°but Rees and I will move when we get married. It won¡¯t be so bad, you¡¯ll see. We¡¯ll always have TriVid, and we¡¯ll drop by to see you. You can come over too, of course. We already picked a place. It¡¯s right next to the Regency. It looks a lot like the one here, where I used to play as a child. You remember that? Of course you do. I was always fond of that place.¡±

    The whole thing was off. Why did she laugh when she talked about moving away and knew he didn¡¯t like it, then became so serious when she referred to a cherished memory?

    He skipped to the third mention.

    ¡°¡ªI visited the recreation room where I used to play as a kid. It hasn¡¯t changed a bit, can you believe that? They even still have that swing in the atrium that I loved so much.¡±

    Again, her tone was serious. Her smile only returned when she switched to a different topic.

    It was odd, because she was cheerful throughout the video. The only times she wasn¡¯t were when she talked about the Regency. Which made no sense.

    What did it mean?

    He rewound the recording and played the whole thing over again.

 57. Where a gamble gains a profit

    It was as if time had frozen.

    Kaine had never been a gambler, but sometimes you had to take a chance.

    This was risky, but he couldn¡¯t come up with a better plan.

    It was a gamble because if any of these two goons knew anything about shipbuilding, they could figure out what this would do.

    But they obviously did not.

    He saw their fingers move in slow motion, and press down together on the four colored squares.

    There was a reason they had been set so far apart from each other. It was for safety reasons. To avoid anyone ever pressing them together by mistake.

    Modern ships were built with aluminum, graphite, and alundil metals. But these older models¡ªespecially one as old as Starrider¡ªstill used selite.

    Alundil and selite were both alien materials, valued for their extreme hardness and their resistance to vacuum. But the latter had a flaw the former lacked. It absorbed echion energy. To circumvent this issue, complex alloys were used as insulators. Still, you had to be able to access the selite structures in case they needed to be repaired. So a safeguard system was set up. Whenever activated, it would temporarily disable the insulator. Knowing this, technicians would be careful not to bring any echion-powered devices into the room...

    Such as phasers.

    When the four buttons were pressed, a screeching squeak echoed through the engine room and the lights flickered for a second. Then everything went back to normal.

    ¡°All good,¡± said Kaine.

    Juden quirked a brow. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Now we just need to get back to the control room to power the ship up.¡±

    They had to act quickly. The insulators would come back online in half an hour, which was plenty enough time. The tricky part was that they couldn¡¯t go too far, as the insulators were only disabled in the engine room. In the halls, the phaser would work as expected.

    He could have disarmed Juden now, but what stopped him was Warthol. That one needed no phaser. Taking him out would be a challenge.

    He¡¯d had time to think while they walked to the engine room, but it was going to be tight. Val could have helped, but he had no way of telling her the phaser was dead without warning the goons.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    So he¡¯d have to take a chance.

    ¡°Fine,¡± said Juden. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He still looked suspicious, and rightfully so.

    Kaine started toward the door.

    It was now or never.

    He had to time this well.

    As he stepped forward, he tripped backward, falling toward Warthol.

    The large man, startled, reached out to grab him.

    Kaine spun around as he shouted: ¡°Phaser¡¯s dead!¡±

    He hoped Val would be quick to react, but he couldn¡¯t afford to wait and see.

    His hand shot out toward the man¡¯s knee and he hit it with full force.

    Warthol yelped as he stumbled back and crashed to the ground.

    Kaine heard scuffling sounds behind him and Juden swearing.

    Without taking time to think, he jumped on the brute, grabbed his head with both hands, and repeatedly slammed it hard against the floor. He didn¡¯t want to kill him, but he suspected this guy would be hard to overcome, so he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. He only stopped when Warthol went limp.

    Only then did he look over his shoulder.

    Juden was on the floor, unconscious. Val stood above him, her right foot resting on the invader¡¯s chest. She held his phaser and stared at it with a frown.

    She glanced at Kaine.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Long story short: I temporarily disrupted the phasers so we could take control of the situation.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Didn¡¯t know you could do that.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, it would have been impossible on a more modern vessel.¡±

    Val beamed. ¡°Told you this was an awesome ship!¡±

    Kaine rolled his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t we focus on tying these two up before they wake up?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Good point.¡±

    As they were busy doing this, they heard the ship come back to life.

    Val looked up. ¡°Nim?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    Relief was obvious in the young woman¡¯s voice and expression.

    ¡°How did you do it? I thought you¡¯d powered off!¡±

    ¡°Only partially. I used a subroutine to hide, though I could still hear everything. Sorry if I didn¡¯t respond when you boarded. Anything I said could have alerted them I was still operational.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s alright. You did the right thing. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Kaine cleared his throat. ¡°So am I. But we need to get out of here before the Impies spot us. Then we have to figure out what to do with these two.¡±

    ¡°And who they are!¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Why not just leave them here?¡± asked Nim.

    Kaine scratched the back of his neck, thinking.

    ¡°It¡¯s tempting. But we do need answers. Besides, they¡¯ve been after us since Evenodds, if not earlier, so if we let them go they¡¯d just keep chasing us. I¡¯d rather have them under lock and key than have to worry about them dropping on us out of nowhere¡ªlike they did here.¡±

    Val was looking over Warthol.

    ¡°With all the blows he received, you¡¯d think he¡¯d be bleeding, but I don¡¯t see a single drop. Tough skull, this one.¡± She straightened and looked at the wall. ¡°That said, I agree with Kaine. We¡¯ll keep them in one of the empty cabins. Too bad this ship doesn¡¯t have a brig.¡±

    ¡°It was never meant to hold prisoners.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°You do realize that keeping them here though won¡¯t stop others from chasing us?¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t the only ones after you back on Evenodds, if I remember correctly.¡±

    ¡°Oh. The bearded guys. I¡¯d forgotten about those.¡± Kaine fell silent for a moment, staring at Juden and Warthol. ¡°They obviously weren¡¯t working together... Why are they all coming after me? This makes no sense.¡±

    ¡°They probably all wanted the cube.¡±

    As she said this, they both straightened and looked around.

    ¡°Where is Ondine?¡± asked Kaine.

 58. Where intelligence is obtained

    According to reports, all the Imperial ships above Qevahr had been destroyed. Ferris had tried to establish a connection with their vessel, then with any other in the fleet, but all his attempts had failed.

    Bregg wondered how this would impact his career¡ªif you could still call it that. Losing a ship was no small thing. It mattered little that he had not been on board... if anything, it might even be held against him.

    But how much lower could you fall when you¡¯d already reached the bottom of the barrel?

    There had been some good people on his crew, though, and it irked him knowing they all were dead now.

    Still, it was war. And with war came casualties.

    That night, they rented rooms in a small hotel at the heart of the city and sent the address to Orvos and Dawan who were still out.

    While he sat alone in his room, Bregg pondered what he would do next.

    He¡¯d received a message from Juden a couple of hours ago, informing him they had found Starrider. They were about to board it and would update him as soon as they were in space. It was odd he hadn¡¯t heard from the man since, but he didn¡¯t worry too much, as many things could explain his silence.

    But even assuming the ship was now under Juden¡¯s control, it would not hurt to have other options. And powerful allies were always good to have.

    With this in mind, he wrote a message that he addressed to the High Noort.

    His original idea had been to reach out to the man from the tavern. But going through him would have been long and tedious, with no guarantee he could reach anyone powerful enough to help him. And why waste so much time when, as an officer of the Imperium, he could use official channels to send his message to the top?

    He had not wanted to do this at first, as it would leave a trace... but now that the entire fleet was gone¡ªand his career further compromised¡ªhe felt like he had not much left to lose.

    Once he was done writing the message, he signed it, making sure to highlight his rank within the Imperial Navy. It would be the first thing the Noort would see, which was likely to make her curious enough to read the content.

    His message sent, he walked to the window and looked up at the sky. It would still light up every once in a while, as explosions continued to spread through the wrecks of the Imperial fleet. He wondered if there were any survivors.

    But what baffled him most was that the Qevahri had not even launched any ships. Unlike at Rimzana, there had been no battle here. They had destroyed their enemies with the press of a button. At least, that¡¯s how it had felt. In reality, he had no idea how it had been done. But these people obviously had access to technology far beyond what the Imperium possessed¡ªwhich was a terrifying thought.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    It was true there had been no more progress in the past century, as the Emperor believed science was a heresy. He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about that himself, but clearly the Qevahri felt otherwise. And now this left the Imperium at a disadvantage.

    If only he had the Corvair...

    He frowned as he looked down at his wristpad. Still nothing from Juden. He tapped on the mini-screen and sent a message, asking the Gnorlian to contact him as soon as possible.

    Someone knocked on his door.

    Without rising, he unlocked it with the pass the hotel had uploaded to his wristpad.

    ¡°Come in,¡± he called out.

    The door opened and Dawan walked in.

    ¡°Colonel, I¡¯m here to report.¡± He nodded and she continued. ¡°I followed the men to a rundown building at the periphery of the city. They went in and remained there for about an hour¡ª¡±

    Bregg quirked a brow. ¡°We just needed to know where to find them. Why wait?¡±

    The woman shifted. ¡°With all due respect, sir, it did not feel right. I mean, it felt more like a rendezvous point than the sort of place where one would live. And if it¡¯s a rendezvous point, chances are they don¡¯t use the same spot every time. So I didn¡¯t think it was enough for our purposes.¡±

    ¡°I see. Go on.¡±

    ¡°At first, I thought I¡¯d wait outside, but I worried they might leave through a different door in the back. I also figured I might learn something useful if I snuck in and spied on them.¡±

    The woman was bold, perhaps reckless, but not rash.

    ¡°The building was abandoned,¡± she went on. ¡°There was nothing inside but broken walls, dust, and dirt. So it was easy to spot them. I just followed the sound of their voices. They had holed up on the second floor and were discussing plans to take over the Colonium. Apologies, sir, but I could not figure out what that was from what they said, but it sounded like it was important.¡±

    Bregg brought up his wristpad and tapped on it, bringing up information on the Colonium. ¡°Local seat of power, it looks like. The High Noort picks ten priests, one per region, who form what they call the Royne. Each of these priests then picks local representatives from each district, who in turn choose those who will govern the cities in their name. The governors rule from the Colonium. There is one in every settlement, regardless of its size.¡± He looked up, a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°And they plan to attack the one here?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Not so much attack it as make a stand. I don¡¯t think these people believe in using violence¡ª¡±

    The colonel grimaced as he pointed to the ceiling. ¡°Say that to our friends up there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, sir. They all seemed outraged by what happened tonight. Like it was unacceptable to use such means, no matter how important the affront was.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°When the meeting was over¡ª¡±

    ¡°How many were there?¡±

    ¡°The four from the tavern plus a dozen others, if not more. The room was dark and I did not want to risk being spotted, so I could not say for sure.¡±

    He nodded and motioned for her to continue.

    ¡°When the meeting was over,¡± she repeated, ¡°I followed the one who seemed like the leader¡ªthis one had not been at the tavern. I overheard the others calling him Arthum. After a five-minute walk, he entered a residential area and disappeared into a building.¡±

    ¡°You have the address?¡±

    ¡°I do, sir.¡± She lifted her wristpad and tapped on it, then brought her arm down. ¡°I just sent it to you.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. Good work, Ensign. Go get some rest, you¡¯ve earned it.¡±

    The woman smiled, nodded, and walked out.

    Bregg pondered for a long moment.

    He was drawn out of his reverie when his wristpad beeped.

    Looking down, he saw the Noort had answered.

 59. Where a new course is set

    They found her sitting cross-legged on the floor, in the heart of the ship, in front of the thilium core. She stared at it quietly.

    ¡°Ondine?¡±

    She turned her head to look at Kaine, and a small smile formed on her lips.

    Val thought she saw something in the girl¡¯s eyes, but it was gone before she could see it clearly, let alone understand what it was.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± asked Kaine.

    The child shrugged and looked back to the core.

    ¡°We need to figure out who she is,¡± said Val. ¡°And why she was in the cube.¡±

    The girl shuddered at the mention of the Kinzuki Cage, and shot her a pained look.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, ¡°but it¡¯s true. We can¡¯t help you if we don¡¯t understand what happened. Can you tell us?¡±

    The girl looked away.

    Kaine dropped to the floor, sitting next to her.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe with us. We won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡±

    She looked at him, then back at the core. Lifting a finger, she traced invisible letters against the wall.

    Val tried to keep up, but it took too long. Kaine seemed focused, so she remained quiet and waited.

    After a few minutes, the girl stopped waving her finger and went back to staring at the wall.

    Kaine stood, a frown on his face.

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°She says she woke up in there and doesn¡¯t remember anything from before.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be all she wrote!¡±

    ¡°Well, no.¡± He looked troubled. ¡°She wants us to take her to Derkanash. She doesn¡¯t know why but ¡®feels¡¯ it¡¯s where she needs to be.¡±

    ¡°Derkanash? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure where exactly, but not in the rim. It¡¯s further into the Imperium, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be wise to venture that far in.¡±

    ¡°You realize it¡¯ll likely be safer than out here, what with all that mess the Qevahri have stirred up?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Maybe.¡±

    ¡°I can tell something else is bothering you.¡±

    He rubbed the back of his neck.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that Derkanash has a bit of a reputation.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of... seedy. A refuge for thieves and cutthroats in the heart of the Imperium.¡±

    ¡°You must feel right at home there.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I resent that. I¡¯ve never even been there in my life!¡±

    She smirked. ¡°I bet you¡¯d love it. Plenty of like-minded folks.¡±

    He grunted. ¡°The point is, why would a child feel like she belonged there, of all places?¡±

    That was a good question.

    Val looked at the girl, who still had her back turned to them. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was listening to what they were saying, or if she was fully engrossed in whatever was on her mind.

    ¡°We need to go there,¡± she said.

    ¡°I was afraid you might say that.¡±

    She pointed at the girl. ¡°We can¡¯t just go around carrying a child with us through the rim, not with all that¡¯s going on¡ªnot to mention the people chasing you. We¡¯d be placing her in way too much danger. Plus, her parents must be worried sick.¡±

    ¡°All good points,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°Alright. But here¡¯s a question. How will we find her parents¡ªassuming they¡¯re even on Derkanash? It¡¯s a big world. And not exactly safe, either. From what I hear, criminality there runs rampant.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s worry about that once we¡¯re there.¡±

    ¡°Okay. And here¡¯s another question for you. What are we going to do with our two prisoners?¡±

    ¡°How many more of these do you have?¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s the last one¡ªfor now.¡±

    Val snorted. ¡°Well, maybe we can find a place for them on Derkanash.¡± She glanced back at the girl. ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m more concerned about her. Why is she staring at that wall?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she can feel the thilium core on the other side?¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I dunno.¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her? She seems to like you.¡±

    He looked dubious, but nodded. ¡°Can¡¯t hurt to try, I suppose.¡± He went back to Ondine and, once again, sat next to her. ¡°So, want to tell me what¡¯s so fascinating about that wall?¡±

    She glanced at him, smiled in a way that made Val¡¯s skin crawl, and started tracing letters again.

    After a moment, Kaine stood and walked back to Val with a startled expression on his face.

    When he said nothing, she clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Well? What did she say?¡±

    He blinked and stared at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understood correctly, but I think she said she was... feeding.¡±

 60. Where appearances can be deceiving

    The cruiser stopped many times on the way to Assalin. Each time, part of the passengers would drop off, but new ones would flood in. It felt like the ship was crammed.

    Halden hadn¡¯t had the same impression on the other ship. It had been a bigger one, but it also had headed toward the rim. This one was moving closer to the heart of the Imperium. That was bound to make a difference.

    Two weeks in, a congregation of priests came on board. People chatted angrily¡ªsometimes fearfully¡ªin their wake. From what he overheard, they were Qevahri missionaries.

    ¡°What nerve! How dare they come to taunt us in the heart of the Imperium? Wait until soldiers get a glimpse of them. We¡¯ll see, then, who has the last laugh!¡±

    Halden was at a restaurant. He ate on the terrace, overlooking a flowery garden. The woman was making a fuss as she waved a finger toward the priests who were parading through the alleys below.

    Her husband made a face and shook his head.

    ¡°They¡¯re just priests, dear. They have nothing to do with the war. It¡¯s like holding civilians responsible for the actions of their government. If anything, these poor fellows are even more innocent.¡±

    The woman wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°Their leader is one of them.¡± Again, she pointed at the priests. ¡°Or haven¡¯t you been paying attention? She¡¯s a religious fanatic. Lock her up, that¡¯s what we should do.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t all be like that,¡± said the man. ¡°I¡¯m sure some disagree with her.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    The wife seemed unconvinced.

    Halden didn¡¯t wait to hear the rest of the exchange. He was done with his meal and cared little to find out more about the woman¡¯s feelings.

    He stood and walked into the restaurant proper to pay his bill, then stepped out into the vast dome-ceilinged hall.

    The whole place was abuzz with talk of the Qevahri. People were outraged they had been allowed to board.

    Halden didn¡¯t care either way.

    As far as he was concerned, the Qevahri had always been a peaceful people. This had to be a fluke. One woman spinning out of control, taking the entire planet down with her.

    Well, considering she was winning so far, ¡®down¡¯ might not be the most appropriate term.

    He wasn¡¯t worried, though, because it was a localized war and happening so far away. Still, he was curious to see how it would evolve.

    As he headed up toward the observation deck, he bumped into someone. He turned to apologize and froze.

    ¡°Marcia?¡±

    The woman looked at him and blinked. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, you have me confused with someone else.¡±

    The resemblance was uncanny, but he could tell now it wasn¡¯t his ex-wife.

    ¡°Oh. You... You look a lot like someone I knew.¡±

    The woman smiled.

    ¡°Not bad memories, I hope?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. His relationship with Marcia had been so complicated. There had been good times, of course¡ªmany of them¡ªbut so much disappointment and pain as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s a mixed bag,¡± he muttered.

    The woman considered him for a moment, hesitated, then held out her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m Vina.¡±

    He shook it.

    ¡°Halden.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an unusual name.¡±

    ¡°My parents were unusual people.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°I like that.¡±

    He nodded, feeling awkward. ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°I should get going.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Alright.¡±

    He turned and walked away, feeling her gaze upon him. He resisted the urge to look back.

    ¡°If you ever want to chat,¡± he heard her call out, ¡°I¡¯m in 23C56B.¡±

    He went on as if he hadn¡¯t heard her.

    He had no room for women in his life.

    Not anymore.

    They only brought pain.

    Why would he put himself through that agony again?

    Besides, he had more pressing matters to take care of.

    Plans to make.

    He lifted his arm and tapped on his wristpad.

    23C56B.

    With a sigh, he entered the lift that would take him to the observation deck.

 61. Where a secret revealed is a mystery told

    He¡¯d left the girls in the control room to get some rest. But as he lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, he found there were too many things on his mind keeping him awake.

    After a while of trying and failing to sleep, he grunted and got up.

    He wandered through the ship¡¯s corridors, hoping exhaustion would get the last word.

    As he turned at a corner, he paused and looked up.

    ¡°Nim? Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Kaine. I can hear everything that is said on the ship.¡±

    He nodded thoughtfully as he started walking again.

    ¡°What do you think of the girl?¡±

    A long silence followed the question.

    He glanced up.

    ¡°Still there?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Of course. I... I¡¯m just not sure how to answer that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Just give it your best shot.¡±

    ¡°She is... interesting?¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°She is that, yes, I suppose. What else?¡±

    ¡°Could you be more specific with your question?¡±

    That was almost, almost the type of thing a real AI would have said. If it weren¡¯t for the tone of confusion he heard in Nim¡¯s voice.

    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure myself what I¡¯m trying to ask.¡± He laughed. ¡°I guess I¡¯m trying to understand her. And since she can¡¯t speak...¡±

    ¡°You seem to have found a way to communicate.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. But it¡¯s a bit tedious.¡±

    ¡°I could help with that.¡±

    He found his steps had led him to the refectory. Stepping in, he sat at a table. With a few quick stabs at the surface, he ordered a cup of coffee.

    ¡°How so?¡± he asked.

    ¡°A tactile glass tablet. She could write on it and the words would be clearly visible.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°That would be nice.¡±

    The cup popped out of the table. He grabbed it and pulled his hands away instantly. It was burning hot.

    ¡°You still seem troubled,¡± remarked Nim¡¯s voice.

    He sighed. ¡°The prisoners. What are we going to do with them?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve never had prisoners before. I do not know.¡±

    ¡°Is there any other room we could put them in that would be more secure?¡±

    There was a moment of silence as Nim considered the options. Kaine blew on the drink to try to cool it. He should have been more careful and changed the temperature beforehand. Now he¡¯d have to wait. He hated waiting when he needed to drink.

    No, that wasn¡¯t true, he realized. He didn¡¯t need to drink. He needed to keep himself busy¡ªto keep his mind busy. Drinking coffee wouldn¡¯t help with that, would it? If anything, it might keep him from sleeping¡ªwhich was the exact opposite of what he needed.

    With a frown, he grabbed the cup by the handle, stood, and walked to the sink. He emptied the still fuming contents, set the cup down, turned, and walked out of the room.

    ¡°The only places more secure than a cabin are the engine room and the thilium core.¡±

    He grunted. The latter would be impossible to get in, as only authorized technicians had the required codes to open the multiple hatches protecting the core. Not that it would have been a smart place to put prisoners anyway. The engine room would be just as risky. Too much damage they could do if they managed to break out of their bonds.

    ¡°So I guess they are where they need to be.¡± He groaned as he walked. ¡°Fine. How about you tell me a story.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He waved his right hand in the air. ¡°My brain is in overdrive. I need to be distracted. So, tell me a story.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know any stories.¡±

    Kaine rolled his eyes. ¡°Then tell me about your work with Val.¡±

    ¡°We are scavengers.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. Tell me about your last job.¡±

    ¡°Well, we found a nice place with hundreds of wrecks floating in space. There¡¯s not much to tell, though, since we got pulled into that space rift.¡±

    Kaine stopped in his steps. Frowned. Looked up.

    ¡°That space rift?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± There was a long pause. ¡°Val didn¡¯t tell you about that?¡±

    It felt as if the AI that wasn¡¯t an AI was wondering if he¡¯d goofed up and was trying to backpedal. Fearing Nim might stop sharing, Kaine took some liberties with the truth.

    ¡°She mentioned it once or twice, but I¡¯m not sure I understood the details correctly. Could you elaborate?¡±

    Was that relief in the disembodied voice?

    ¡°Well, the rift appeared out of nowhere just as Val was about to exit the ship. It popped up and pulled us through. Next thing we knew, we were in the middle of a battlefield above Rimzana.¡±

    Kaine blinked. ¡°So that¡¯s how you got damaged?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Where did that rift come from?¡±

    The voice hesitated.

    ¡°I have... analyzed what happened, but...¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    He trotted back to his cabin, stretching his arms as he ran. A bit of exercise might help him sleep.

    ¡°According to the data, the ship created the rift.¡±

    Once again, Kaine stopped in his steps.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Starrider caused the rift.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t know how?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Could you reproduce it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, ¡°that doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±

    He resumed his walk, his mind spinning at full speed.

    ¡°Can you identify which part of the ship, specifically, was involved in creating the rift?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can. It is in the hold.¡±

    Odder and odder.

    Nothing in the hold should be able to create a space rift.

    ¡°What is in the hold?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It is empty.¡±

    Kaine stopped in front of his cabin, his hand inches away from the tactile panel that would open the door.

    He grimaced.

    Who was he fooling? He had even more on his mind now.

    He would never fall asleep.

    With a sigh, he headed back toward the control room.

 62. Where down a dark path one goes...

    The High Noort¡¯s answer had been a time and an address. Nothing more.

    Bregg was torn.

    Should he go?

    It could be a trap.

    But why would the Noort set a trap for him? She had read his message. He had made it clear he was not the enemy, that he wanted to help her.

    Why would she believe him, though?

    He could understand mistrust, but not distrust.

    She would ask him to prove his sincerity, and he was prepared for that.

    He would go, then. Of course he would.

    It was an opportunity he could not afford to miss.

    But what about the others?

    What would he tell them?

    He suddenly regretted bringing them with him. He should have come alone...

    But then his friend¡ªhis only friend¡ªwould probably be dead now.

    His eyes darted to the morning sky, but there was nothing there to see anymore.

    And why was Juden not responding to his message? Something must have gone wrong.

    He sighed as he finished dressing up, then headed downstairs to meet the others.

    ¡°Should we go talk with this Arthum?¡± asked Ferris.

    It made him upset to see they had exchanged information without waiting for him. He knew it was irrational, but he didn¡¯t care.

    He sat at the table with a grunt.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too early for that,¡± he explained. ¡°We know nothing about these people. We need more information.¡±

    Ferris frowned. ¡°But can we afford to delay contact?¡±

    He looked his friend in the eye. ¡°And what, exactly, is the urgency?¡± Without turning his gaze away, he pointed at the ceiling. ¡°They¡¯re all gone. Including those who gave us this mission. They were in a hurry too, and look where it got them. No. I¡¯m not taking any chances. We need to wait for more ships to come, anyway. We¡¯re stuck here until they do. So we might as well take that time to gather as much information as we can. That means observing people. And not just those two groups we spotted.¡±

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    He pondered for a moment while they ordered their breakfast on the tactile table.

    ¡°Dawan will keep an eye on this Arthum fellow,¡± he said. ¡°See what he is up to. Who he is, as well. Where does he work? What does he do when he is not conspiring against his government?¡±

    He saw Ferris frown but ignored it as he turned toward Orvos.

    ¡°And you will go back to this other man... You have followed him to his home, yes?¡± The young ensign nodded. ¡°Good. You will do the same with him. Observe and learn. Gather information. You never know what may be useful later.¡± He paused, thinking. ¡°It would be best if you sent me the information as you gather it. Send me your reports on an hourly basis.¡± He glanced at Ferris. ¡°You as well.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    Bregg nodded. ¡°I want you to go back to that tavern. Keep your ears open. See if anyone talks about these fantastical weapons the Qevahri have. Someone must know something. There have to be rumors, at the least. Send me anything you hear.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    He had expected his friend to ask this, so he smiled.

    ¡°I will be doing the same thing. Gathering information. There are other places to spy. We will cover more ground if we work separately.¡±

    His three crew nodded.

    After breakfast, they parted, and Bregg walked off toward a transit station.

    He checked the Holoscreen schedule and saw it would take him twenty minutes to reach the rendezvous point.

    With a sigh, he boarded the shuttle and waited.

    The ride seemed much longer than twenty minutes, and he was growing impatient.

    It irked him having to do things like this. He should have been commanding a fleet, not riding public transportation.

    This was demeaning.

    And all because of one tiny stupid mistake.

    The Imperium would pay. One way or another.

    He got off the shuttle, walked down two streets, turned into an alley, and stopped.

    Five men waited there.

    He looked at his wristpad and saw he was two minutes early.

    With a grunt, he moved closer to the men.

    They all wore the typical red cloak of the Qevahri priests, with hoods over their heads.

    He stopped a few feet from the men and considered them one by one.

    When still they said nothing, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

    ¡°Well? I assume you came to take me to her?¡±

    Still, the priests said nothing.

    One of them stepped forward and held out his hand, placing it gently on Bregg¡¯s shoulder.

    He jerked back, but not enough to pull away.

    The other man pulled on his shoulder to make him turn and face toward the building on his right.

    There was a door there.

    Another priest gestured toward it.

    Bregg grunted. ¡°Fine. I get the message. Let¡¯s get going, then.¡±

    He walked up to the door and stepped through.

    It was dark inside. As if he¡¯d entered some underground tunnel.

    He heard more than he saw the five men fall into step behind him.

    It was strange that they would not lead the way. But perhaps it would be a straight line, with no places where he could take a bad turn. And even then, they could always grab him by the shoulder again.

    Though he¡¯d rather they would not.

    And why did they not speak? He¡¯d never heard of Qevahri priests making a vow of silence. He knew there were other religions where this was a common practice, but not here.

    He shrugged to himself as he walked.

    ¡°How much further?¡± he asked, not expecting an answer.

    None came.

    The only sounds here were the echoes of their footsteps.

    It was eerie.

    After a few minutes, he saw a light ahead of him. It grew quickly. He saw it came from slits on the walls on either side. As they reached that section of the tunnel, he glanced through the slits and froze in his steps, his eyes wide.

    Those openings gave in two large rooms filled with gigantic machines the likes of which he¡¯d never seen. It looked nothing like Imperial technology. It felt more like alien devices, with strange shapes and angles, triangular screens, wobbly levers that could only be manipulated with your feet, and a constant mist that seemed to seep from the top.

    He realized the priests had stopped walking as well. They stood there, waiting, staring at him.

    ¡°What is that?¡± he asked, pointing at the slit on his left.

    Again, he expected no answer.

    And yet, this time, surprisingly, one of the men smiled and spoke.

    ¡°It is a gift from Saan,¡± he said softly.

 63. Where space is soothing and death is near

    She had always loved traveling through space. This was part of the reason why she had become a scavenger. It wasn¡¯t so much about the wrecks as it was about seeing the stars all around her all the time. Space was so peaceful and soothing.

    Val was enjoying some quiet time when Kaine burst into the control room, a scowl on his face.

    ¡°We need to talk.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°What about?¡±

    The girl, Ondine, sat in a corner, watching the stars¡ªshe seemed to enjoy it as well. She straightened and looked at Kaine as he walked in.

    ¡°The space rift,¡± he said. ¡°When were you going to tell me about it?¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°How do you know about that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Nim¡¯s voice. ¡°I thought he already knew...¡±

    Val quirked a brow. ¡°Seriously? You tricked Nim into telling you about it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject.¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine. And when, exactly, was I supposed to tell you? When you first boarded and were a stranger? Or maybe when we were being chased by that ship? Oh, no, wait, I think Evenodds might have been a better time, when you were about to leave. Or, better yet, when you were chased by those goons¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, I get it.¡±

    ¡°Do you? It¡¯s not like there weren¡¯t a thousand opportunities. I could go on...¡±

    He cringed as he sat down.

    ¡°Forget I asked. I still wish you¡¯d told me, though. We could have figured it out sooner.¡±

    ¡°Figured out what?¡±

    ¡°What caused the rift.¡±

    She stared at him.

    ¡°Are you telling me you know what did it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. No. Sort of.¡±

    ¡°Well, which is it?¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The girl had lost interest in the conversation and had returned to watching the stars.

    Kaine leaned back into his seat and rested his feet on the console. She hated when he did that, but she tolerated it now, because her mind was reeling with this revelation.

    ¡°All we know¡ª¡±

    ¡°We?¡±

    ¡°Nim did most of the work, to be fair. He figured out the rift was created by something in the hold.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the hold.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    An alarm blared, interrupting her.

    Ondine pressed her hands against her ears, grimacing.

    ¡°Nim!¡± The sound stopped instantly. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    ¡°A ship is coming fast upon us.¡±

    ¡°Not again!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same ship.¡±

    ¡°Well, duh, we destroyed the other one. I¡¯d rather not have to do it again. Can we do some evasive maneuvers?¡±

    Kaine had lowered his feet, sitting straight in his chair.

    ¡°How the hell did they find us?¡±

    Nim¡¯s voice rang in the control room. ¡°There is an asteroid field nearby¡ª¡±

    ¡°Good question,¡± said Val, ¡°but I¡¯m a bit too busy right now to think about it.¡±

    ¡°¡ªthat might help us lose our tail.¡±

    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s try that.¡±

    Kaine leaned forward, his eyes widening. ¡°Great? What do you mean, great? This is a recipe for disaster! Are you crazy right now?¡±

    ¡°You have a better idea?¡± she asked, her eyes never leaving the displays as she made the ship veer toward the asteroids.

    ¡°No, but that doesn¡¯t mean this is a good one.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°We have a shield.¡±

    He laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. ¡°It won¡¯t hold if we get hammered...¡±

    ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll have to make sure we don¡¯t get hammered.¡± She winked at him and focused on her screens again.

    Before he could say another word, they had plunged into the field.

    ¡°The ship is hailing us,¡± said Nim.

    ¡°That¡¯s different. Put them through.¡±

    A man¡¯s voice came on the speakers.

    ¡°Hello? Can you hear me?¡±

    Ondine became alert.

    ¡°Sure. What¡¯s up?¡± asked Val as she dove further into the asteroids.

    ¡°Please stop this madness. I just need to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°I mean face to face.¡±

    ¡°Not happening. We¡¯re kind of in a hurry. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°You have something that¡¯s mine!¡± There was anger now in the voice. ¡°I want it back.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she repeated. ¡°No can do. Bye.¡±

    She cut off the communication.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°The hell if I know.¡±

    ¡°At least he¡¯s not shooting at us.¡±

    ¡°Nor is he coming into the field. Not too bold a fellow, that one.¡±

    ¡°Could we, like, get out of this already?¡±

    She looked at her displays and shook her head.

    ¡°We need to get further away, make sure he can¡¯t pick up our signal anymore. We¡ª¡±

    The entire structure shook violently.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± she shouted. ¡°Nim! Can¡¯t you be more careful?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Kaine.

    ¡°We hit a damn rock, that¡¯s what happened.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Nim, ¡°but I thought you were piloting?¡±

    Val grunted. ¡°Yeah. I am, ain¡¯t I? Sorry about that.¡±

    She looked at her displays and nodded.

    ¡°Okay. We got the brunt of it behind us... And we¡¯re almost out of range.¡±

    The ship swung a few more times before it finally stabilized as it came out of the asteroid field.

    The alarm blared.

    ¡°Nim!¡±

    The sound stopped.

    ¡°Sorry. That hit got through the shield. We have some minor damage on the right flank.¡±

    ¡°Why all the fuss if it¡¯s minor?¡±

    ¡°It could worsen if it¡¯s not quickly fixed.¡±

    ¡°Great. Just great.¡±

 64. Where matters of belief are discussed

    In the weeks that followed, Halden spent most of his time with Vina. It was good to be around someone again, to have someone to talk to. He had been alone for such a long time...

    Despite their physical resemblance, the two women were very different. Their personalities were polar opposites.

    Where Marcia was cold and stern, Vina was kind and soft-spoken.

    Where Marcia was always in a hurry, Vina was patient.

    Where Marcia had never listened to him, Vina was a wonderful listener.

    Not that he had actually told her anything, but he could feel she would drink his words up.

    Truth be told, she did most of the talking.

    Vina was an only child who had lost both her parents shortly after she¡¯d turned eighteen. They had joined the kahd movement a few months prior and, in true kahdian fashion, had set themselves on fire to purify their bodies and souls and make one with nature.

    It had been a hard blow that left deep-seated roots within her. Understandably, she now hated the kahds with a passion and, by extension, all forms of organized religions.

    Perhaps hate was not the right word¡ªexcept where the kahds were concerned. Other beliefs were merely treated with a healthy dose of skepticism.

    ¡°So what do you think of the Qevahri?¡± he asked her one day.

    She shrugged. ¡°Same as the others.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t believe there is a god out there?¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°No, not really.¡±

    ¡°Well, there you go.¡±

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand how you look at things... I mean, so many people believe, why not you?¡±

    ¡°I could ask the same of you, but okay, I¡¯ll play along.¡± She paused a moment, looking up at the stars¡ªthey often met at the observation deck. ¡°Consider this. Each religion is different. They all have distinct sets of gods, distinct sets of beliefs. Each is convinced they have all the answers, and that only they have the answers. All others are wrong and will burn in the depths of hell¡ªor something like that. So, is it easier to believe that they are all right, or that they are all wrong?¡±

    ¡°Maybe one of them has it right.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Which one? Does any strike you as more believable than another? And a god, really? I mean...¡± She trailed off, pondering. ¡°If there really is a god out there, then what is the point? Why make all this? Gods, according to their believers, are supposed to be all-loving and caring... So why all the suffering? Couldn¡¯t they just make it go away? And, really, why create us at all? Is it a game, then? Are the gods bored that they need to amuse themselves with our antics? It just doesn¡¯t make any sense to me.¡±

    He nodded.

    As a scientist, he¡¯d always had trouble believing in such things as well, though a part of him wished it were true. Life would make so much more sense if there really were gods.

    But he knew pain all too well.

    ¡°The Qevahri are different, though,¡± he said. ¡°Unlike other religions, they¡¯ve never tried to spread, to force others to believe in what they believe.¡±

    She glanced at him. ¡°Then why are there Qevahri priests on this cruiser?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re allowed to go on vacation too, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I guess. Though going as a group makes it a bit fishy.¡±

    Halden didn¡¯t think so, but he said nothing.

    He could understand the need for like-minded people. Especially if you came from a close-knit group and were frowned upon by the rest of the universe.

    He was from such a community himself. Scientists were not loved. Not since the Emperor had made science a taboo topic. Oh, folks still talked about it, but never in polite company, and always as something only worthy of disdain. So they kept quiet about their work and stuck together.

    It was ironic that the IAS was financed by the Imperium. It felt like a slap in the face. But going public about it would have been a sure way not only to destroy his career, but likely to end up in jail¡ªif not worse.

    ¡°A penny for your thoughts,¡± she said.

    He looked up at her and smiled.

    ¡°Oh. Sorry. Just wondering how a peaceful people like the Qevahri could have suddenly become these blood-thirsty enemies of the Imperium.¡±

    She shrugged and waved at the stars above.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather focus on the beauties around us than on the ugliness.¡±

    That, too, he could understand.

    The next day, their cruiser descended slowly toward the surface of Assalin¡ªthe center of power of the Imperium.

    They had arrived.

 65. Where the cat is out of the bag

    Part of the hold had been damaged as well, so Kaine thought he¡¯d look for anything unusual while he was there.

    After fixing the hull, he searched through the large empty room.

    ¡°Whatever created the rift is here? You are certain of this?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± answered Nim¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Can you pinpoint the exact spot within the hold?¡±

    There was a brief silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s at the back, near the door. Behind the black panel.¡±

    Kaine glanced around until he spotted it.

    He trotted over to the panel and stared at it for a moment.

    There was nothing remarkable about it. It was an ordinary-looking sheet of metal, with echion-charged hooks to hold it in place.

    ¡°Alright, then,¡± he muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s here.¡±

    He grabbed a disabler from the toolbox he carried to fix the ship and proceeded to unhook the panel.

    When it came off, he set it down gently on the floor and looked inside the hole.

    He had expected circuits or cables, but there was none of that here. Instead, all he saw was a little red box. It did have some wires linking it to the ship.

    ¡°Okay. And what is this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Nim.

    Kaine pursed his lips. He¡¯d seen something like this before. A long time ago. It felt familiar. Like something he would have learned while he was training as a fixer. Which meant it was something common that every ship likely had.

    He raised his wristpad, took a picture of the red box, then ran a search.

    The answer popped up almost instantly.

    He stared at the text for a moment.

    Frowned.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense...¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Nim.

    Kaine opened his mouth to answer, then closed it without a word.

    He dropped his arm and stared at the box.

    ¡°Well, this changes everything,¡± he muttered. ¡°Nim!¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can you access this thing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean...¡±

    ¡°You control everything on this ship, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°Then you should be able to control this as well.¡±

    ¡°I cannot control what I cannot access.¡±

    Kaine stood, leaving the panel open, and hurried out of the hold, heading back to the control room.

    ¡°Are you telling me that is the only part of the ship you cannot access?¡±

    There was another brief silence.

    ¡°I had not considered that angle, but yes, I suppose that is the case. I just double-checked, and there are no other parts of the ship I cannot access.¡±

    ¡°Huh. So it¡¯s like a blind spot. Interesting. Very interesting.¡±

    ¡°What does it mean?¡±

    Kaine bit down on his lip.

    How was he going to explain this to Val without Nim overhearing? He wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d want him to know about this.

    Maybe he¡¯d have to wait until they landed and tell her once they were off the ship.

    ¡°Why can I not access that section?¡±

    He thought he heard a hint of concern in the voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal,¡± he lied. ¡°It probably got damaged when we hit the asteroid field.¡±

    ¡°Can you fix it?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but I¡¯ll need to get some special tools from Derkanash. How much longer until we land?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Another two hours.¡±

    He nodded and walked on quietly.

    His mind was made up. He¡¯d wait until they were on the planet.

    Only there would he tell Val.

    He entered the control room and sat down.

    Val glanced at him and quirked a brow.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said.

    She frowned but did not press him.

    ¡°Are the damages fixed?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said.

    ¡°Except for a spot in the hold,¡± butted in Nim.

    Kaine cringed but said nothing.

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I did all the urgent stuff first. That part can wait until I have better material to work with.¡±

    She stared at him for a moment, then went back to her displays.

    Starrider finished its journey without further incident.

    Ondine jumped out of her seat and ran to the front. Standing between them, she pointed toward the gray globe that had appeared ahead of them.

    Val smiled and ruffled the girl¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Yes, dear. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯d want to go there, but that¡¯s Derkanash. Who knows, maybe we¡¯ll even get some answers there...¡±

    The next half hour seemed to last forever. Kaine was dying to tell Val what he had discovered. It was so mind-blowing he was not sure he believed it himself.

    When the ship finally landed, he jumped out of his seat and hurried toward the exit.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he said over his shoulder, ¡°let¡¯s go.¡±

    The girl was quick enough to follow, but Val was startled.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

    ¡°I only want to help Ondine,¡± he called out from down the hall. ¡°You coming?¡±

    A few seconds later, he heard her hurrying to catch up.

    ¡°Just want to say you¡¯re acting really weird right now.¡±

    He shrugged without commenting. She¡¯d understand soon enough.

    They walked out of the ship and found a small unmanned shuttle waiting for them.

    As soon as they got in, he looked at Val.

    ¡°Okay. Are you ready to have your mind blown?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I found out what created the space rift.¡±

    She blinked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡ª¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you earlier because I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want Nim to hear this. But...¡±

    He took a deep breath.

    ¡°You have a dormant AI on board your ship.¡±

 66. Where wealth is flaunted and treason discussed

    The room was lavishly decorated, with glamorous paintings, exotic carpets, ostentatious embroideries, and shiny chandeliers.

    Against the far wall, a woman sat behind a desk. Bregg instantly recognized her.

    The five priests left through the same door they had come in. They closed it behind them, leaving him alone with the High Noort.

    He glanced around, examining the decor.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit much, I know.¡±

    Bregg turned toward the desk. The woman was now looking straight at him, her expression as stern as it had seemed during the meeting.

    ¡°I would have preferred something more solemn,¡± she continued, ¡°but my predecessors were conceited fools who loved to flaunt their wealth.¡±

    ¡°You deposed the previous Noort.¡±

    The words had come unbidden. He grunted at his stupidity, but the harm was done. So he waited to see her reaction.

    The woman tilted her head, studying him thoughtfully.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she finally admitted. ¡°I did. He had outlived his purpose. Just like his entire line had outlived its purpose. They had lost the way. They had forgotten the teachings of Saan. Were we to endure decades more of wrongdoings?¡±

    Under different circumstances, he might have argued that by her actions she had committed much worse grievances, but he needed her. It would not have been wise to antagonize her.

    Ihni Salini rose from her chair and walked slowly toward him, all the while waving around her.

    ¡°They displayed their ineptitude for all to see. It was sickening. All this will be taken down.¡± She stopped in front of him. ¡°But I¡¯m guessing you have no interest in such matters... Do you, Colonel?¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°You know what I am offering, and I am here. I can only assume you are interested.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± She walked past him and stopped at a small table with bottles and glasses. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±

    She looked at him over her shoulder. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± She poured herself a drink, then walked over to a chair and gestured to another across from hers. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±

    He walked over and sat after she did.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®not necessarily¡¯?¡± he asked.

    She took a sip from her drink.

    ¡°Tell me, Colonel, what is it that you want in exchange for this information?¡±

    ¡°I want to see the Imperium crushed.¡±

    She quirked a brow. ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°The information I would provide would allow you to destroy it. I have access to all of the army¡¯s secret data, the locations of its military bases, the weak spots in its defenses, the¡ª¡±

    ¡°I have a problem, Colonel.¡±

    He paused, a frown on his face.

    ¡°A problem?¡±

    ¡°Why would I trust any information you provided?¡±

    He had expected this. It would have surprised him had she not asked.

    Whether she believed him or not was another matter.

    ¡°I am a man of my word,¡± he stated proudly. ¡°I¡¯ve been wronged by the Emperor and thus seek revenge. I am no spy. It would be folly for me to try anything against you. I have come alone and unarmed. My fleet is destroyed. I am completely at your mercy. All I want is for the Emperor to pay what he did to me.¡±

    ¡°And for that, you would have the entire Imperium destroyed?¡±

    ¡°They destroyed me!¡± he spat out. ¡°Why would I not destroy them?¡±

    The woman sighed as she made the liquid roll gently in her glass.

    ¡°In other words,¡± she said, ¡°you are asking me to trust a man who would betray his own people.¡±

    He jumped to his feet, fists clenched.

    ¡°I am not betraying my people. The Imperium betrayed me.¡±

    She stared at him, without a word, until he got a hold of himself and sat back down.

    ¡°If what you say is true,¡± she said, ¡°I must hear more to decide.¡±

    ¡°More?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Tell me this, Colonel: why do you feel like the Imperium betrayed you?¡±

    Bregg stared at the High Noort.

    This was a question he had not expected.

    He could lie to her, of course, but he suspected she would sense it. Besides, he had never been a good liar.

    Bregg looked away and stared at a window. Through it, he could see the city and mountains in the distance. It was a peaceful view, though his mind was anything but.

    The woman waited quietly.

    After a moment, he turned to look at her again.

    And he told her his story.

 67. Where answers loom closer

    Had she heard that right?

    ¡°A dormant AI?¡±

    ¡°Though perhaps not as dormant as we might think,¡± said Kaine.

    ¡°Wait. Backtrack a second. Are you saying the ship always had an AI, even before Nim got...¡±

    She trailed off, having trouble saying the words.

    He nodded. ¡°Yes. What I found in the hold... a little red box. It¡¯s a backup cache. All these older models had them. The newer ones don¡¯t, because they¡¯re supposed to be more secure, so their AIs are less likely to get corrupted.¡±

    ¡°Corrupted?¡±

    The shuttle stopped in front of a large building and they stepped out, the little girl following.

    ¡°These older systems were more prone to degradation¡ªwhether from exposure to space particles, radiation, or more simply aging. Point is, those AIs were designed to make backups of themselves every time there was a risk of deterioration. But that red box is empty. Or, rather, appears to be empty.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it is?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the source of the space rift, so I¡¯m guessing not. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s pretending to be dead.¡±

    ¡°Let me get this straight. We have an AI pretending to be dead and creating space rifts out of the blue?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Hell if I know.¡±

    She had so many questions now, but they would have to wait. They had walked down a long hall and had now arrived at a booth. There were two locked doors on each side. A woman sat behind a glass pane. She looked up at them with a bored expression.

    ¡°What is the purpose of your visit?¡±

    ¡°Personal,¡± said Kaine.

    The woman threw him a disgusted look.

    ¡°Could you be more vague?¡±

    Val cleared her throat.

    ¡°We¡¯re visiting friends,¡± she said.

    ¡°Names?¡±

    That caught her by surprise. She blinked a couple of times, then made up two names.

    The woman clicked her tongue.

    ¡°I meant your names!¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± She didn¡¯t want to give her real one, so she decided to use one of her fakes. ¡°I¡¯m Diin.¡±

    The clerk frowned. ¡°Are you trying to annoy me? Cause I have to tell you, it¡¯s working. Full names.¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Why the heck would she ask that? She threw Kaine a puzzled look. No spaceport had ever been this stringent. And there weren¡¯t even any Impies around that she could see¡ªwhich was a relief, even if odd in the middle of the Imperium.

    She looked back at the woman.

    ¡°Diin Arwen,¡± she lied.

    The clerk lowered her head and typed on a terminal that was out of her sight. The frown on her face increased as she looked up.

    ¡°This has been flagged as a fake name. Be advised that we require your real name. Any further attempts to circumvent the system may get you fined or imprisoned, depending on my mood. And I have to say, it¡¯s rather foul at the moment.¡±

    Val stared at the woman.

    Was she for real?

    How could she know she had used a fake name?

    ¡°If it can ease your mind,¡± added the clerk, ¡°no information you provide will be shared with the Imperial government. Our databases are privately owned. Any attempts to seize them would destroy the data.¡±

    She had to remind herself this was a world filled with criminals. Likely, the database in question belonged to a local kingpin. She wasn¡¯t sure that was much better than having her information collected by the Imperium.

    Still, it didn¡¯t look like they had a choice.

    As if to confirm her suspicion, the woman grunted.

    ¡°If you prefer not to provide the information, you are welcome to head back to your ship and leave the planet.¡±

    Val sighed.

    ¡°Very well. My name is Valentina Corenth.¡±

    The woman bent down to tap on her machine. After a couple of seconds, she glanced up and nodded. ¡°Welcome to Derkanash, Mrs. Corenth. Please step aside while I process your husband.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not my husband,¡± she hissed.

    The woman shrugged. ¡°Not my business, but please step aside.¡±

    Val did so, and Kaine approached the booth.

    ¡°Name, please,¡± said the clerk. Kaine leaned closer to the glass and muttered an answer. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you, sir. You¡¯ll need to speak louder.¡±

    He groaned. ¡°Hardwin Manguth.¡±

    ¡°Very well. One moment, please.¡±

    Val stared at her friend as the woman bent down again. Kaine raised his right arm in the air without looking at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± he warned.

    ¡°Hardwin?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I chose the damn name,¡± he grumbled.

    She laughed. ¡°You should sue your parents.¡±

    ¡°I would if I knew where they were.¡±

    She blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    The woman lifted her head. ¡°The girl, now.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s mute,¡± said Kaine. ¡°But her name is Ondine.¡±

    ¡°Just Ondine?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all we know.¡±

    The woman quirked a brow but didn¡¯t press him with further questions. She looked down, tapped, looked up.

    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation. You are all cleared for entry. Welcome to Derkanash.¡±

    The door on the right clicked and opened as a green light flashed all along its edges.

    The three of them stepped through, entering another lengthy hall.

    ¡°Well, that was weird,¡± muttered Kaine.

    ¡°Not as weird as your name,¡± snickered Val.

    He rolled his eyes.

    Ondine grabbed their hands and pulled on them.

    ¡°I think our little friend is in a hurry,¡± he said.

    They followed her as she ran through the hall.

    At the end, she opened a door, and they stepped out into a dark and crowded street. It was raining, but it did not seem to bother the girl.

    She turned to the left and hurried down the sidewalk.

    ¡°She seems to know where she¡¯s going,¡± said Val as they followed the child.

    After a few minutes of turning down various streets and alleys¡ªeach less crowded than the previous¡ªOndine stopped in front of a large metal door. It was unhinged, and the windows on the sides were broken.

    The door creaked when the girl pushed through and disappeared inside.

    Val and Kaine exchanged a look before following her in.

    The place was a mess.

    Damaged furniture lay everywhere. The wooden floor¡ªcovered with a thick layer of dust¡ªcreaked under the weight of their steps. Bugs scurried across the walls. The air was damp and stunk of mold.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± whispered Val.

    They heard Ondine¡¯s footsteps echoing in the distance. It sounded like she was running down steps.

    Following the sound, they found the staircase.

    Kaine looked as baffled as she felt.

    She took a deep breath and started down the steps.

    They soon arrived in a new hall with four doors. The one on the far right was open.

    They went in.

    The room had long, dusty tables and overturned stools. The table was covered with vials, forceps, goggles, and other broken equipment. Flasks and beakers had long emptied their contents on the stained surface.

    ¡°This looks like a laboratory,¡± said Kaine.

    In the middle of the room, Ondine sat on the floor.

    Sobbing.

 68. Where fear muzzles trust

    Requesting an audience with the Emperor was no easy feat. The bureaucracy of the Imperium could be a nightmare to wade through. But Halden had an edge. He worked for the IAS. This could open doors that would otherwise remain closed.

    He realized it might also go back down the chain to Marthus, but he could worry about that later.

    Sending his request had been the first thing he¡¯d done when he¡¯d set foot on Assalin¡ªbefore he was even flown to his hotel. Now he¡¯d have to wait for an answer.

    The city sprawled beneath them for miles and miles. There was only one here, for it covered the entire planet. It was simply known as Assalin, or Imperial City.

    Green spires rose to touch the clouds, while gliders criss-crossed through the sky. Far below, gleaming walkways snaked around massive buildings made of jade and glass. Everything looked precious and fragile¡ªthough Halden knew the material used to build these structures could withstand the most violent blows.

    He shared a glider with Vina, who had decided to book a room at the same place.

    On the way there, he noticed she looked sad. When he questioned her about it, she offered him a small smile.

    ¡°I just wish you would trust me more.¡±

    He blinked, surprised by her words.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why would you think I don¡¯t trust you?¡±

    ¡°You know everything about me, Halden, but what do I know about you? You¡¯ve never shared anything about your past. All I know is that I look like someone you once knew¡ªI assume someone who broke your heart. It¡¯s not a reproach, it just makes me sad. I keep telling myself I have not earned your trust yet, and I must just be more patient.¡±

    He stared at her for a moment. She turned away, blushing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she muttered, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Forget I mentioned it.¡±

    He remained quiet, pondering her words.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    She was right, of course. He did know everything about her, though he hadn¡¯t said much about himself. He wasn¡¯t used to talking about himself. There were other reasons, of course, but...

    He frowned as he looked through the window at the city below. Scientists like him had built this place. It was the most technologically advanced city in the known universe. And yet, his kin were forced to work in the dark, to hide who they were, what they did, what they could accomplish. And even when they came up with something new, it was kept under wraps. If the Emperor approved it, it would slowly be brought into daily usage, but with little fanfare about its origins. It was for their own safety, too. Because scientists were shunned now¡ªthanks to Imperial edicts.

    This had made him wary of others.

    He glanced at Vina, wondering how she would react if she knew the truth. Would she be disgusted? Part of him feared she would not want to have anything to do with him anymore.

    But there were other things he could tell her.

    ¡°Vina...¡±

    She turned to look at him, concern in her eyes. He realized she probably had a similar fear. That he might reject her because of what she had said.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. You were right to say those things. I¡¯ve been holding back, when I really have no reason to do so. At least... Well, I do have a reason for one thing. But...¡±

    He took a deep breath, then told her about Marcia. How they had met, so many years ago, when they were both students. How they had fallen in love, married, and had a child¡ªLucy. How they had drifted apart when she wanted to stay on Elphine, where her work was, while he withered away. How their daughter had wanted to go with him when he¡¯d decided to move back to Bernice. How Marcia had never forgiven him for this.

    And then, of course, he told her about his sweet, adorable daughter. About Lucy. And Rees. And the accident.

    He fell quiet, staring down at the floor of the glider.

    She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she muttered.

    He wiped a tear from his eye and looked up at her.

    Why would she shun him? This woman was a kind and beautiful person. He didn¡¯t want to keep secrets from her.

    ¡°There¡¯s something else,¡± he said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°I do, though I fear you might hate me for it.¡± Before she could say anything, he blurted out the words. ¡°I¡¯m a scientist.¡±

    She stared at him for a moment. Then a small smile crept up her lips.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    The response stunned him. ¡°You don¡¯t hate me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± She waved at the city around them. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have any of this without people like you. We should be praising your work rather than demeaning you.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    The glider dropped them off at the hotel. After they¡¯d settled in, they met at the restaurant for dinner and talked some more.

    A few hours later, his wristpad beeped to warn him he had received a message.

    He was summoned for a meeting at the palace in the morning.

 69. Where water fills a tank and our heroes wonder why

    One of the walls was partly made of glass, allowing one to see into the next room. It was in just as sorry a state, with two dusty beds with torn straps and cables hanging from the ceiling. Broken machines lay on the floor.

    There were other rooms on the side that Val explored while Kaine sat next to the girl and tried to comfort her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, princess?¡±

    He grimaced as the word came out and glanced toward the door, hoping Val hadn¡¯t heard.

    Ondine snuggled against him, still sniffing.

    He looked down.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here before, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    The girl nodded.

    He sighed. ¡°What have they done to you, poor kid?¡±

    She remained quiet, as always.

    Val came back out of the room with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°There¡¯s an aquarium in this one.¡± She pointed over her shoulder. ¡°And a turbine in that one.¡± She pointed to the other door, across from her. ¡°The two seem to be connected to that central room¡ªthe one with the beds¡ªthough I can¡¯t figure out how or why.¡±

    Kaine felt Ondine shudder against him.

    ¡°I think this place dredges up bad memories for the little one.¡±

    ¡°Then why would she want to come back here?¡±

    ¡°Beats me.¡±

    Ondine jumped to her feet and walked past Val, into the room with the aquarium. They both followed her.

    The child stood before the empty container. She lifted a hand and placed it against the glass surface.

    Kaine looked around the decrepit room and noticed a rusty panel on the far wall. He walked up to it and swiped the dust off the surface.

    He heard Val¡¯s voice behind him.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Hey, look Ondine. Hardwin found something.¡±

    He grunted as he looked over his shoulder.

    ¡°Keep that up and I¡¯ll start calling you Valentina.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Alright, alright, fair enough. So what have you got there?¡±

    Kaine tapped on the panel, but nothing happened.

    ¡°Some sort of controls, I¡¯d wager. The circuitry must be fried. There¡¯s no knowing how long this place has been abandoned.¡±

    He banged the panel with his fist and it lit up, emitting a series of squeaks and bleeps.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be...¡±

    ¡°Is that proper procedure?¡± asked Val with a smirk.

    ¡°When everything else fails, sure.¡± He pointed at the blinking display. ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Does it work, though?¡±

    He scratched his head as he stared at the unknown symbols.

    A gasp from behind made them spin around at the same time.

    Ondine had stepped back from the aquarium, which was quickly filling up with water.

    ¡°You must have triggered the valve,¡± said Val.

    He glanced at the panel, then back at the container.

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    The level of the water rose and rose until it reached the top. Only then did the flow cease.

    They stared at the filled aquarium.

    Val stepped forward and placed a hand against the glass surface¡ªjust as the child had before.

    ¡°I wonder what they used this for.¡±

    ¡°It was some sort of lab,¡± said Kaine. ¡°I bet they ran experiments on Ondine.¡±

    Val turned her head to look at him, though she did not remove her hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s warm! You should come over and feel this. It¡¯s quite nice.¡±

    He snickered. ¡°You want to take a swim in there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never fit,¡± she said with a grin.

    He walked up to the aquarium and touched it.

    Warmth spread through his body, along with a sense of comfort and peacefulness.

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡±

    He glanced over his shoulder.

    Ondine stood a few feet behind, staring at them.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked.

    She said nothing.

    He pulled away from the aquarium¡ªand it felt like he¡¯d left the coziness of a well-heated room to walk into a chill night air.

    Shuddering, he knelt before the girl and looked her in the eyes.

    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±

    She hesitated, then pointed toward the room with the beds. Another broken door led into it.

    ¡°Is that where they kept you?¡± he asked.

    She nodded.

    ¡°Did they hurt you?¡±

    She shook her head.

    He was about to ask another question when he heard a creak coming from the main room.

    Jumping to his feet, he shared a glance with Val. From her expression, he knew she¡¯d heard it too.

    Without speaking, he gestured for the two of them to stay here, as he went to check what the sound was.

    He slipped through the door and into the lab.

    It seemed darker now. Not that it ever had been lit, but the windows in the hall had let the sunlight in. It must be dark outside now.

    A shape moved to his right.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Hold your hands up or I¡¯ll shoot!¡± lashed out a man¡¯s voice.

    He recognized it.

    ¡°You were on that ship following us!¡±

    ¡°Where is it?¡± asked the stranger.

    ¡°Where is what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be coy with me!¡±

    The man stepped out of the shadows. He had white hair and wrinkled skin, and wore a weathered suit. But, most of all, he held a phaser aimed straight at Kaine.

    ¡°I want the cube you stole from me. Give it back!¡±

 70. Where the past rears its ugly head

    I was born on Sinturi, into a military family. My father was a general, while my mother was a high-ranking executive for a major defense contractor. My grandparents, on both sides, were also in the military.

    All this to say, I never had a say in who I would become or what I would do with my life. I never even questioned it.

    I was enrolled in the Space Academy at an early age, though space exploration was always a bigger draw for me than military life.

    You might find that surprising, but when all you hear about growing up are weapons and armors and strategy... after a while, it gets old.

    The hugeness of space, on the other hand, was calling me. It was something I could get lost in.

    I suppose part of me wanted to escape the life I had been forced into.

    The truth is, I felt obliged to follow in the steps of my father and of all those others who had come before him. I wanted to make them proud, to be up to the task. But my heart was not in it.

    Still, part of me wanted to be on a ship. I felt like it would be a suitable compromise, as I¡¯d be in the army while seeing other things, other worlds, other species...

    That hope, that aspiration, kept me going. It helped me endure the training, the strictness, the loneliness¡ªall the stuff I highly disliked but felt compelled to comply with. Just because it was expected of me.

    A pivotal moment in my life came when I met Vez Elhen. Yes, that Vez Elhen. He took me under his wing and taught me things they never teach you at the Academy. But, most of all, he recognized the weariness in me. I had grown more and more disgruntled, disillusioned, and disgusted with military life. I felt trapped, and he recognized it.

    Rather than tell me about the army, he told me about the Imperium. About the people, the civilians, the innocent. Those we protect. He talked of the billions of worlds the Imperium ruled over. Of their beauty and uniqueness. There always was such passion in his words... He was a true believer. I envied that.

    Without once mentioning the army, he helped me understand why our work was so important.

    When you grow up in a family such as mine, it is easy to forget the bigger picture¡ªto not see it at all, even. It all becomes about customs, traditions, rules, etiquette...

    And on a world like Sinturi, where so many are in the military, there is little else to discuss. It is easy to lose focus¡ªassuming you ever had any to begin with.

    No. That¡¯s not right. There always was focus, but on the wrong things. On living up to expectations, and making your family proud. When what should have been on our minds were the people out there who needed us. The worlds that would be destroyed if enemies came and ravaged them. The cultures and civilizations and histories that must be preserved at all costs.

    Elhen¡¯s passion instilled a new purpose in me. Not only did I now want to be in the army, I wanted to serve.

    In the years that followed, I became the perfect little soldier. I landed jobs as a ship captain and was often promoted. I was content with my life and with my work.

    But then...

    Ten years ago, an incident happened.

    We found a wreck floating in space.

    At first, I thought it was the work of pirates. But among the floating debris, we spotted some that looked like nothing we¡¯d ever seen before. These were obviously of alien design.

    I grew alarmed we might have found the first victim of an invasion by some unknown species.

    From the thilium leak, we could tell the enemy ship had been damaged and that it was small. But this did not tell us if it was alone. There may have been undamaged ships with it. We had to tread carefully.

    I followed procedure to the letter...

    Well, almost.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    As soon as the wreck was found, I sent a report. After studying the alien debris, I sent another, where I stated my conclusions and my intent on tracking the attacker. I also asked for reinforcement, as I suspected there might be a whole fleet of alien ships out there.

    I was told help was on the way. But it would take a few hours for the nearest ship to reach us. In the meantime, we were on our own.

    I was growing more and more alarmed at the thought of what these savages could do. There were too many inhabited worlds nearby¡ªsmall colonies at the outskirt of the Imperium, granted, but still. I didn¡¯t want to risk any lives just because I had to wait for reinforcement.

    So I made a call.

    I decided to track the ship regardless.

    I¡¯ll admit I did not inform my superiors of this decision. I knew they would have told me to wait, and I would have been forced to do so. But if I waited and that a world got hit and that lives were lost in the process... I know, people would say, you were following orders, it¡¯s not on you, it¡¯s on them. But I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life...

    Ironic, that.

    Point is, I made a call, and we followed the leak.

    What we found was a stray ship. There was no fleet. Only one, lonely, human ship. It just floated there, as if abandoned. It clearly was the source of the thilium leak.

    So we boarded the ship.

    But there were no humans there to be found.

    What we found instead were monsters. I thought they had to be aliens¡ªthough I¡¯d never seen any like these¡ªand I¡¯ve seen quite a few. These were like... like men, but deformed, with blisters and misshaped heads, missing eyes, twisted ears... their skins were scorched raw, with open and festering wounds... it was hideous.

    They just sat there and looked up at us with startled expressions.

    And that was when...

    When I...

    Well.

    You must understand how horrified I was at that moment. I had never seen anything like this before. The stench was also overwhelming and messing with my brain. It was difficult to think. And, to be honest, I panicked.

    I was so horrified, I lost my wits and shouted for my men to shoot.

    We slaughtered them.

    I suppose all would have been fine if these had truly been aliens.

    But they were not.

    We later found out they were humans.

    They were archaeologists gone exploring worlds beyond the rim. There had been two ships, and they brought back alien artifacts from their digs. But with those artifacts came a virus unknown to men.

    On one ship, the crew was so horrified with how the virus was affecting them that they set off the ship¡¯s auto-destruct sequence.

    The floating debris were some of those alien artifacts they had brought back with them.

    The second ship had continued, hoping to find help on some world, but their brains grew addled by the sickness, to the point they no longer knew how to operate the ship and it ended up drifting in space.

    They were like harmless children.

    And I killed them.

    I killed harmless children.

    The Imperium did not want this to go public¡ªthere already was too much discontentment with the government and the military. Hearing of a screw-up like that could have started an uproar among the people.

    So a small, private court-martial was held.

    Many accusations were made... Setting off without waiting for backup, putting my men in danger, acting recklessly, not following procedure and, of course, killing civilians. Possibly a dozen other things I now forget.

    But because they wanted to keep all this quiet, they couldn¡¯t kick me out. Not when I threatened to speak up if they did.

    The army was my life. What would I do if I was no longer in the army? And what would my family think? I would not be the one to bring shame to generations of Breggs that had so proudly served the Imperium.

    My only option was to force them to keep me. If they did, I would tell no one. Not even my own family. If they kicked me out... What, then, would I have to lose? They¡¯d go down with me.

    They reluctantly agreed to my terms, and gave me a new ship with a new crew. I don¡¯t think my previous crew would have still wanted to work with me after that experience, anyway, so it probably was all for the better.

    If you wonder if the crew talked, well, the Imperium¡¯s pockets are deep. As for those who could not be bought... There are other, more permanent ways to keep someone quiet.

    I¡¯m sure they must have considered such a permanent solution for me as well, but it would not have gone unnoticed. You do not so casually remove a colonel.

    But now I am stuck.

    I never expected to remain a colonel all my life! My father was a general. Many of my ancestors went even higher. And I would die a colonel?

    That would not do.

    The Imperium took everything from me.

    My life, my future, my hopes...

    I served twenty years in the military... twenty years! My records were impeccable. I had been promoted multiple times, and often more quickly than my peers.

    Then I made one minor mistake... just one, and that¡¯s it. I¡¯m stripped of all my privileges. My career is thrown out the window. Forget all I¡¯d accomplished before, forget the family I come from, none of that matters.

    All that matters is that one mistake. Nothing else.

    Is that fair?

    Of course it isn¡¯t.

    It¡¯s abusive, that¡¯s what it is.

    Should I have been punished? I¡¯m not disputing that. But this banishment to the rim is just too much...

    And refusing me any further promotion is the worst affront of all.

    I despise the Imperium with all my heart.

    It is corrupt and rotten to the core.

    I will destroy it.

    I will crush it under my boot.

    I will tear it down until all that remains are the steaming ruins of the Emperor¡¯s Palace.

    And then, I¡¯ll raze that as well.

    The Imperium is the broken remnant of a glorious past that no longer deserves to survive.

 71. Where we learn something of past events

    The two men stared at each other.

    Kaine eyed the phaser, wondering how he could turn the situation to his advantage without getting shot in the process¡ªhe suspected he wouldn¡¯t like that one bit.

    Before he could decide on his next move, he heard little feet running behind him, and Val cried out: ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    A small shape shot past him and lunged at the startled man, hugging his legs.

    The stranger¡¯s weapon dropped a few inches as he looked down at the girl.

    ¡°Ondine? What¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his thought, Kaine had jumped him and pulled the phaser out of his hand.

    He was about to hit the man on the skull when Ondine turned to him with a scowl, holding up her hand and shaking her head.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± asked Val.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was going to ask,¡± muttered Kaine.

    The man took a few steps back, looking between the three of them.

    ¡°Why is she out of the cube?¡± His face had gone very white. ¡°This is not good! We must put her back in immediately!¡±

    The girl shook her head again, this time at the stranger.

    ¡°It¡¯s for your own good!¡± he cried out.

    ¡°Who are you, and what the heck are you talking about?¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    The man looked at Val.

    ¡°My name is Ezren Rice. I¡¯m a... technician. I used to work here.¡±

    Kaine looked around at the dilapidated lab.

    ¡°So what you mean to say is that you¡¯re a scientist?¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a safe word to use in decades.¡±

    ¡°What did you do here? What happened?¡±

    Rice sighed. ¡°We created beorgs.¡± He pointed at Ondine. ¡°Bio-engineered organisms, fully grown in a vat. There were four of them. But like everyone else on this god-forsaken world, we had to pay the crime syndicate for protection. When we ran out of funds, they came down on us¡ªhard. They destroyed three of the beorgs while I was away. When I got here, they were about to destroy Ondine. My friend Patric was tied to a chair. I freed him and together we were able to save her. We created a diversion, then Patric used a Kinzuki Cage to hide her where no one could ever hurt her. I managed to escape with the cube, but Patric was killed.¡±

    Tears ran down the girl¡¯s cheeks as she heard the story. She hugged the man again, and he hugged her back.

    ¡°I fled to Rimzana, thinking no one would find me there, and locked the cube in my safe.¡± He glared at Kaine. ¡°But you came and stole it! How much did they pay you to do their dirty deeds? Or have you not collected yet? Is that why you came back here?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t know what was in that cube¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hang on one minute,¡± cut in Val. ¡°Let¡¯s set things straight. We don¡¯t work for anyone. We came here because that¡¯s where Ondine wanted to go.¡±

    The man blinked at this and looked down at the girl.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± She nodded. ¡°Oh, my sweet, sweet child, what have you done?¡±

    ¡°And how the hell did you track us down?¡± asked Kaine. ¡°I thought we¡¯d removed the bug you put in me.¡±

    The man looked confused. ¡°The only bug I placed was on the cube itself. A safety measure in case it ever got stolen.¡±

    ¡°But we left the cube on Pluvios,¡± said Val.

    Kaine coughed.

    ¡°Erm, no. Actually, we did not.¡± He rummaged through his bag and brought out the cube. ¡°I grabbed it from Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s desk before we rescued you guys. I figured we might need it at some point.¡±

    Val rolled her eyes, throwing her arms in the air.

    ¡°Oh, great!¡±

    But Rice¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Fast! Put her back in, maybe we can still get out of here before the others arrive.¡±

    ¡°What others?¡±

    But even as he spoke, they heard running footsteps approaching.

    They all turned to look at the door just as two tall and bearded men burst in, holding phasers pointed at them.

 72. Where a man faces the intricacies of the Imperium

    The Palace rose at the center of the city¡ªlike a needle trying to pierce the sky. It rose so high its tip reached through the clouds and could not be seen from the ground. Its walls were made of black marble¡ªthe hardest type known to man, that could only be found on Qreghan VI. Those sentenced there spent their lives toiling in the mines, gathering the precious stone.

    The inner halls were a testament to the wealth and power of the Imperium. The walls were made of jewels, the railings covered with emeralds and diamonds. Floors and ceilings were made of solid gold. Expensive paintings and carpets with intricate motifs were everywhere.

    Halden stopped at the reception, a little intimidated by so much luxury.

    ¡°I... I have an audience with the Emperor.¡±

    The woman at the desk barely looked up. Her voice sounded bored.

    ¡°Name?¡±

    ¡°Halden Roche.¡±

    She tapped on her TriVid screen, read for a moment, then nodded without looking up.

    ¡°Third floor, second door on the left. If you get lost and don¡¯t report it immediately, you will be arrested.¡±

    He blinked. ¡°Uhm, and how would I report it?¡±

    She handed him a small triangular device.

    ¡°Keep this plugged into your wristpad during your visit. Press the side panel if you need assistance. Failure to return it before you leave will get you arrested.¡±

    He stared at the device, then at the woman¡ªwho¡¯d already gone back to her TriVid screen.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered, ¡°thank you.¡±

    The woman ignored him.

    He plugged the device into his wristpad and walked toward the huge and luxurious staircase at the back.

    When he reached the third floor, he found himself at a fork. One hall went straight ahead, another was to his right, and the third to his left. There were doors everywhere.

    He blinked. Hesitated.

    ¡°Well, no wonder people get lost here...¡±

    He decided the left corridor made more sense and knocked on the second door on the left side.

    ¡°Come in!¡±

    He stepped into a triangular room, as richly decorated as the lobby and halls.

    A small man sat behind a desk. He looked up with a frown.

    ¡°Well, then? What is it? I don¡¯t have all day!¡±

    ¡°I have an audience with the Emperor,¡± he repeated.

    ¡°You do, do you?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Halden Roche.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°The reception sent me. They said¡ª¡±

    The man clicked his tongue in annoyance, motioning for him to come forward.

    ¡°Let me see your pass. It¡¯ll be quicker.¡±

    He stepped forward and held out his hand.

    The clerk tapped on the device, then looked at the data that appeared on his TriVid screen.

    ¡°Ah! Yes. Of course. I see the problem. You are not in the right place at all.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure which hall¡ª¡±

    ¡°The problem isn¡¯t the hall. The problem is the floor. You should be on the twenty-third.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Oh. I was told the third.¡±

    ¡°Well, you were told wrong.¡±

    Halden frowned. ¡°Do I really need to walk up twenty floors? That¡¯s a lot of stairs.¡±

    The man rolled his eyes. ¡°Just take the elevator. You¡¯ll get there quicker. You¡¯re already running late, Mr. Roche. You better hurry if you don¡¯t want to get arrested! It¡¯s to the left, at the end of the hall.¡±

    He grimaced and nodded. ¡°Very well. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Go on, then! I don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    Halden turned and walked out.

    He glanced to the left and saw a lengthy hall with many doors on each side. At the very end, another, larger one. He hurried toward it and saw it was the elevator.

    As he rode it up to the twenty-third floor, he wondered how he would find the room he was supposed to go to if people kept giving him bad information.

    He was relieved to find only one hall in front of him¡ªthough he could see openings further down. He went to the second door on the left, crossed his fingers, and knocked.

    A buzzer buzzed, a green light lit up on a panel next to the door, and the door slid open.

    He walked into another triangular room. This one was larger, with a row of chairs against the wall to his right. Across from him was a reception desk, much like the one in the lobby.

    Another woman sat there, waiting for him.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked with a smile.

    It was a pleasant change.

    He stepped up and offered his device.

    ¡°Halden Roche. I have an appointment with the Emperor.¡±

    The woman scanned the device, looked at the information on her screen, and nodded.

    ¡°You are five minutes late. Alright. Please take a seat and wait for your turn. I will call your name when your time comes.¡±

    None of this was anything like what he had expected.

    And if he was late, why did the Emperor not receive him immediately?

    He walked to an empty chair and sat.

    In the half-hour that followed, two men were called and stepped through a door on the left wall. He never saw them come back out, and that made him nervous.

    Finally, the woman called his name.

    ¡°You may now go through the door.¡±

    She motioned to his left.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said as he stood and went through.

    This time, he entered a small rectangular room that was so bare it was shocking. Especially after all the luxury displayed until now. The walls were plain white plaster, the ceiling was wooden, and there were no decorations whatsoever.

    All there was was another desk, and a small man who looked up at him with a frown.

    ¡°Halden Roche?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re late.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for thirty minutes...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    The man grunted. ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    There were two chairs across from the man, so he picked one and sat.

    ¡°Is it too late to see the Emperor?¡± he asked, worried that all these delays might have compromised this opportunity.

    The man flipped through some papers that were on the desk before him. He snorted without looking up.

    ¡°You people always have unreasonable expectations. Your meeting is with me, no one else.¡±

    ¡°What? But I asked to see¡ª¡±

    The man glanced up. ¡°You really thought the Emperor would receive random strangers out of the kindness of their heart? Come, now! You can¡¯t be that na?ve. Now, how about you tell me what this is about?¡±

    Halden stared at the clerk. Was this for real?

    ¡°I... What I have to say is for the Emperor¡¯s ears only.¡±

    The clerk dropped the sheets of paper he¡¯d held and placed his hands on the table, palms down. His eyes met Halden¡¯s.

    ¡°Do you know how many times I hear that? At least twenty a day. Do you know how many go through to the Emperor? So far, I¡¯ve only had two. In five years.¡±

    Halden cringed, though part of him wondered how those two had pulled it off.

    When he asked, the man laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who decides what goes through or not. So it¡¯s quite simple. If you don¡¯t want to talk to me, then you can just stand and leave. Of course, if you do that, you can be certain your message will never reach the Emperor. Your only other option is to say what you have to say and let me do my job.¡±

    The man had a point. Halden thought about it for a moment, then nodded.

    ¡°Very well. I¡¯m a technician¡ª¡±

    ¡°We know everything about you, Prof. Roche. How do you think you got this appointment so quickly? Please stop wasting my time and get to the point already.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Very well. I just got back from a trip to Nad¡¯irith, a minor world out in the Tin¡¯kisti Belt¡ª¡±

    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t come here just to tell me about your vacation.¡±

    Halden was growing annoyed. He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

    ¡°What I found there is of vital importance. A source of thilium ten times greater than any we¡¯ve found before.¡±

    The man straightened in his chair¡ªthe scientist had his attention now.

    ¡°Go on,¡± the clerk said.

    Halden shifted in his chair, trying to find the best way to describe his experience.

    ¡°You have to understand, having never dealt with a source of this magnitude, we had no way of knowing what this much thilium could do. But my experience there leads me to believe that... well...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I walked into it, and I found myself traveling through time.¡±

    The man squinted at him. ¡°I see.¡±

    He looked down, tapped on his TriVid, grabbed the sheets of paper, and tossed them into a drawer.

    ¡°Thank you, Prof. Roche, for this interesting report. We will be in touch.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°You are dismissed.¡±

    An opening appeared in the wall behind the man.

    The clerk had gone back to working on his TriVid, having seemingly lost interest in him.

    So was this it?

    No one would believe him?

    Would he take this incredible discovery to his grave?

    He stood and as he started toward the opening, a bell rang.

    The clerk held up a hand.

    ¡°One moment, please.¡±

    Halden blinked and glanced down.

    The man wasn¡¯t looking at him, though he still held his hand up. He must have been listening to a vircell message.

    He suddenly stood and quietly walked toward another wall. The clerk tapped on it three times and a new panel slid open. He stepped aside and motioned for Halden to go through.

    ¡°The Emperor¡¯s right hand has decided to grant you an audience. If you¡¯ll please...¡±

 73. Where our hero meets his demise

    The bearded men held their phasers aimed at them, their faces expressionless.

    ¡°You!¡± cried out Kaine. ¡°You were the ones who grabbed me on Evenodds.¡±

    The two said nothing.

    ¡°Well, what is this, the cat caught your tongue?¡±

    More footsteps approached and an obese man appeared in the doorframe.

    Kaine pointed.

    ¡°That¡¯s him! That¡¯s the man who hired me to get the cube.¡±

    ¡°Steal is the word you¡¯re looking for,¡± said the newcomer, who was sweating profusely. He turned his head toward the hall and shouted. ¡°We¡¯ve got them, boss!¡±

    Kaine and Val exchanged a startled look.

    The color had drained from Rice¡¯s face, while Ondine was glued to his legs, staring at the three new men with apprehension.

    A fourth appeared at the door. This one was tall, with short dark hair and a haughty smirk on his lips.

    ¡°Well, well, well, what do we have here?¡± He glanced at the obese man. ¡°Look like you were right, Bledin, they¡¯ve run right into the lion¡¯s mouth. How amusing. And very convenient, I have to say.¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± asked Val.

    The man glanced at her.

    ¡°Only an offworlder would ask such a question. All this...¡± He gestured to everything that surrounded them. ¡°It all belongs to me. I am Tholin. And you are trespassing on my property.¡±

    Kaine took a step forward, and both phasers instantly aimed at him.

    ¡°We¡¯d be happy to leave¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not with that, you won¡¯t.¡± Tholin pointed at the girl. ¡°It belongs to me.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t!¡± said Rice. ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong to anyone. She¡¯s a human being.¡±

    ¡°Sure. That¡¯s why you called her an organism. Be that as it may, you forget that you and your friends worked here only because I allowed it. I gave you shelter when the Imperium¡ª¡±

    ¡°That was decades ago! None of us were even alive at the time.¡±

    ¡°¡ªwould have jailed you or killed you.¡±

    ¡°You killed us just the same,¡± said Rice bitterly.

    The man shrugged. ¡°Accidents happen.¡±

    ¡°Those were no accidents! You slaughtered us. Just because we were behind in our payments.¡±

    Tholin smiled. ¡°Six months behind is a bit much, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯d argue that I was extremely patient. My father would have slit your throats after the first incident. You should be grateful I am so generous. In fact, I feel generous again. You are all free to go, provided you do not attempt to take my belongings with you.¡± Again, he pointed at the girl.

    ¡°Never!¡± cried out Rice. ¡°You are a monster! Ondine is not a weapon. She¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am tired of hearing your voice.¡±

    He made a small gesture with his hand, and one of the bearded men shot his phaser.

    The scientist was hit square in the chest and flew back against the wall.

    Ondine cried and ran to him. Val crouched by their side to examine the scientist.

    Kaine was tempted to rush the shooter, but there were too many of them.

    He glared at Bledin.

    ¡°So it all was a setup?¡±

    The obese man shrugged. ¡°We knew Rice had fled to Rimzana, but there were too many Impies there for my comfort. So I thought it best to hire someone like you to do the dirty job. Too bad you didn¡¯t keep your end of the bargain, you¡¯d be rich by now.¡±

    ¡°Or more likely dead.¡±

    Tholin smirked. ¡°That can still be arranged if you do not comply. So, what shall it be? Freedom or death?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want the girl so much?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?¡± He laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful thing, really. They created monsters. Mutants. Creatures that can do extraordinary things. To think I never knew! It¡¯s a shame I only found out after we¡¯d killed Eggert and destroyed the other prototypes. Well, at least that one was preserved. It should be enough to give me an edge. With that thing under my control, my reach could spread through the Imperium. All crime lords would have to bow to me. I¡¯d be the master of them all. Imagine that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mad!¡±

    Tholin shrugged. ¡°It matters little whether I am or not. All that matters is the result. Now, would you¡ª¡±

    A piercing shriek rang through the room.

    Kaine glanced back and saw Ondine looking straight at Tholin. Her eyes had turned black and her mouth was wide open. She extended her arms and a blue glow engulfed them. It shimmered, swirled, and rushed toward the crooks.

    It all went so fast, he barely had time to realize it was water. But the flow was so potent it was almost solid. It hit the shooter in the chest and sent him flying back into the hall behind.

    Without thinking, Kaine jumped on the remaining beard. He managed to pull the phaser out of the man¡¯s hand and used it to shoot the guy.

    When he turned, he saw Bledin had pulled out a phaser of his own.

    The echion beam hit him.

    He fell to the floor and everything went black.

 74. Where the future takes an ugly turn

    The woman had listened quietly and sipped her drink while he talked. She now set her glass down and looked him in the eye.

    ¡°Those are very violent thoughts, Colonel. Some might even say traitorous.¡±

    Bregg scowled. ¡°Says the woman who just blew a whole armada out of the sky.¡±

    The High Noort smiled. It was the first time he¡¯d seen her smile¡ªbut there was nothing pleasant about it.

    ¡°Do you think us kindred spirits?¡±

    His frown increased. ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°I think it does. We may have the same enemy, but that is not enough. You are driven by anger and hatred. I am driven by reason and faith. Those rarely work well together.¡±

    ¡°But we want the same thing!¡± he countered.

    ¡°Do we?¡±

    ¡°I can give you information about our outposts, our numbers, our weak spots¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tell me, Colonel, have you come to Qevahr alone?¡± He tensed at the question and she smiled again. ¡°Would you give me the names and locations of those who came with you?¡±

    He clenched his fists. ¡°No!¡±

    The answer had come instantly, without even thinking.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    She tilted her head. ¡°Why not? They are part of this Imperium you hate so much, are they not?¡±

    ¡°They had nothing to do with anything that happened to me.¡±

    ¡°Nor have the civilians who would be killed by your folly.¡±

    He pointed at the ceiling without looking up.

    ¡°Those men you killed on those ships were just as innocent. Most of them had never even set foot on Rimzana.¡±

    ¡°That is true. But they were all soldiers. They knew the risks when they joined the army and joined the crew of a warship. If the Imperium is destroyed, assuming it can even be done¡ª¡±

    ¡°You could do it with your technology!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. But blinded by your obsession, you have failed to see the obvious.¡±

    Bregg shifted in his seat.

    ¡°And what is that supposed to mean?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Unlike you, I wish the Imperium no harm. All I demand is for Rimzana to be freed and for us to be left in peace.¡±

    ¡°Then why am I here?¡± he asked irritably.

    ¡°Frankly, I was toying with the idea of offering the Emperor a trade. But after hearing your story, I see now he would care little for your fate.¡±

    Hearing voiced the fear that had haunted him for the past few years chilled him to the bone. He also realized his plans were falling apart. He needed to find another bargaining chip. And fast.

    He thought back to the last twenty-four hours. All they had seen and learned. Further reports had come in from Ferris and the others while he¡¯d walked through the dark tunnel. He saw his wristpad blinking, indicating new messages were waiting for him.

    ¡°Does the name Arthum ring a bell?¡± he asked.

    The woman tensed and nodded.

    ¡°I can give you his description and tell you where to find him. I can also give you the location of a meeting point he and his co-conspirators recently used. With your advanced technology, I¡¯m sure you could gather useful information if you searched the premises.¡±

    She remained quiet for a long moment.

    ¡°I will not attack the Imperium,¡± she said coldly.

    ¡°Then give me some of your technology! Give me the weapons I need and I will give you this information. You wanted to trade? This is the best deal you¡¯ll get.¡±

    The High Noort stood and started pacing the room, back and forth, lost in her thoughts. After a few minutes of pondering, she stopped and looked back at him.

    ¡°Very well, Colonel. You have a deal.¡±

 75. Where a dead man comes back to life

    The phaser shot had taken her by surprise.

    Val gasped when she saw Rice fly in the air and slump against the wall. She rushed to his side at the same time as Ondine.

    She grabbed the man¡¯s arm and searched for a pulse.

    After a few seconds, she blanched, looked at the girl, and shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, hon. He¡¯s gone.¡±

    Ondine¡¯s eyes turned black.

    She straightened, opened her mouth, and screamed as she faced the killer.

    She extended her arms and Val saw water jump out of the tank, fly to her, and go through her. It came out of her hands in a more solid form and rushed toward the bearded man. He was hit in the chest so hard he flew back into the hall.

    Kaine jumped the second beard, shot him with his own weapon, then got shot by Bledin.

    Ondine screamed again and more water siphoned through her arms.

    Tholin had gone very white. He quickly backed out of the room, shouting: ¡°You¡¯ll never get out of here alive!¡±

    Bledin would have left too, but the water hit him hard and he fell to the ground screaming.

    Val rushed to Kaine¡¯s side and took his pulse.

    She felt Ondine standing next to her, waiting.

    ¡°We might be able to save him,¡± whispered Val, ¡°but we need to get him to the ship right away!¡±

    She looked around, wondering how they could pull such a feat. They were alone again, but too far from the spaceport to hope to get there in one piece. Tholin was bound to have men all over the streets in no time. The spaceport itself was under his control. That had to be how he had known they were here. It was his world, after all.

    They were doomed.

    And Kaine would die.

    She sat with her back against the wall, feeling defeated.

    That was when her eyes fell on Kaine¡¯s wristpad.

    ¡°The transpin!¡± she gasped. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±

    The device had to be on her if she was to control it. She quickly took it off her friend¡¯s wristpad and plugged it into her own. She then grabbed Ondine with one hand, and Kaine with the other, in such a way that she could press the button to activate the device.

    One instant they were in the devastated lab, the next they were on Starrider.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°Nim!¡± she shouted. ¡°Get the infirmary ready! Kaine is hurt. We need to put him in stasis until we can get him to a medical unit.¡±

    She had grabbed Kaine in her arms and was running while she talked, the girl following behind her.

    ¡°The tube is ready,¡± responded the disembodied voice.

    ¡°Thank you! Oh, and get us off this rock right away.¡±

    ¡°I will start the engine.¡±

    They arrived at the infirmary as the ship came to life.

    She dropped Kaine¡¯s body into the open tube and sealed it. He would be frozen now, so at least his condition would not worsen.

    ¡°Val... We have a problem.¡±

    She looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I... I can¡¯t seem to move. Something is holding the ship down.¡±

    She frowned.

    ¡°What the hell?¡±

    ¡°Men worked on the hull shortly after you left. I thought they were fixing some of the damage we suffered in the asteroid field, but they must have put some locks on.¡±

    She swore. ¡°That has to be it! Damn them all to hell. Alright. I need to go check on that.¡±

    Val started toward the door and saw the girl was following her.

    ¡°No, Ondine! You have to stay here.¡±

    The child grabbed her legs and shook her head.

    Val groaned. ¡°It¡¯s not safe, girl! I can¡¯t have you out there. You¡¯ll be safer here.¡±

    But the child wouldn¡¯t let go.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious! Besides, someone needs to stay here to look after Kaine.¡±

    The girl looked up, indecision in her eyes. Finally, she let go and nodded slightly.

    Val ruffled her hair. ¡°Good girl. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take long. Just make sure Kaine stays put. You know how he is, always wanting to be the hero.¡± She winked.

    And, for the first time, she saw the girl smile.

    Without wasting another second, she turned and ran down the hall, opened the hatch, and jumped out of the ship.

    The field was empty. Tholin must not have expected them to get to the ship so fast, otherwise the place would be crawling with his goons by now. He must have cameras all over the place, though. It wouldn¡¯t take him long to spot her.

    She quickly ran around the ship and shot her phaser at the locks each time she spotted one.

    When she got the last, she turned and ran back toward the hatch. That was when the goons burst out of the spaceport. And they came gunning at her.

    She yelped and jumped behind a crate.

    There were a dozen of them, and they were relentless.

    She leaned down and hit the transpin.

    Nothing happened.

    What the hell?

    Tholin¡¯s voice boomed from a speaker above her head.

    ¡°Nice trick, that transpin. But you won¡¯t pull that one on me twice. I blocked it. Now, how about you give me the girl and we can call it quits?¡±

    ¡°Go burn in hell!¡± she shouted.

    ¡°Not a smart move. But so be it. We¡¯ll just kill you, then we¡¯ll take the girl.¡±

    The speaker went off and the shooting resumed.

    She swore.

    How the hell was she going to get back on the ship?

    As she glanced over the edge of the crate, she saw one of the goons get hit by a beam and fall dead.

    What had just happened?

    Were they shooting at each other now?

    She glanced in the direction the shot had come from and saw a shape disappear behind another crate.

    ¡°Run for the ship!¡± shouted a familiar voice. ¡°I¡¯ll cover you.¡±

    She frowned. Why couldn¡¯t she place the voice? She knew she should have, but her mind was reeling with too many thoughts, too many problems, too many pains.

    Without thinking¡ªin part because she was tired of thinking, but also because she subconsciously trusted that voice¡ªshe shot at the goons and made a dash for it.

    She was almost there when the hatch closed and the ship started to lift off.

    ¡°Nim!¡± she shouted into her wristpad. ¡°What the hell are you doing? I¡¯m not on board yet!¡±

    But Nim did not respond, and Starrider continued to rise.

    Shots rang behind her and she panicked, running in a random direction, not knowing what to do anymore.

    That was when she felt a hand grab her arm and pull her back behind a crate.

    She fell to the ground, half panting, half crying.

    Through blurry eyes, she saw a man lean down over her.

    ¡°Val? Are you alright?¡±

    She wiped the tears away. Blinked.

    How was this possible?

    She must be dreaming.

    ¡°Peter? Is that really you?¡±

    Her brother, who had died five years ago, smiled down at her and nodded.

 76 (2x01) When sun and sand make flee a man

    The creature moved slowly through scrawny bushes and straggly trees. Sunlight glistened on its dark brown scales, like ripples on the surface of a lake¡ªthough there was no water here as far as the eye could see.

    Its claws sunk into the cracked earth as it swayed its tail in the cool wind. Another step and it stopped, looming above its prey, salivating as it opened its jaw.

    The man¡ªwho had appeared to be sleeping on his stomach¡ªsuddenly spun around, phaser in hand, and pulled the trigger. The shot went right through the creature¡¯s neck, tearing a hole as big as a fist.

    With a deafening roar, the monster stumbled back as two more shots hit it in the head and the leg. It shuddered and wailed and slumped to the ground, dead.

    The man stood and dusted himself¡ªthere was a lot of dust here. It seeped into every fold and opening of his clothes. He could never completely rid himself of it. At times, he thought it would drive him mad. How could a place have so much sand and dirt and wind?

    And how could it be so cold when the sun was up and shone so brightly? He¡¯d been here for years, but still he did not understand. The natives had told him there was hot air above, but too high to feel it¡ªwhich did him little good.

    He pulled his jacket tighter, then leaned to grab his bag and tossed it over his shoulder. If he hurried, he could reach Lentza¡¯eh in an hour. And then, with a bit of luck, he could finally get off this god-forsaken planet.

    Despite the harsh conditions, he had to admit the view was stunning. The lands were yellow, orange, and red. The mountains, in the distance, had a purplish tint, in stark contrast to the clear blue sky above.

    Still, this was no place to live. He was shocked anyone did. Yet another thing he did not understand.

    With a sigh, he started toward the north.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Although it was cold, the air was dry¡ªvery dry. It was dangerous. Without heat, you would not feel thirst; but if you didn¡¯t drink, your throat would parch and your skin would crack. So he often pulled his flask out, though he was careful to never swallow more than a sip at a time¡ªjust enough to keep him going. Water was too scarce in these desolate lands.

    When he finally sighted the distant outline of Lentza¡¯eh, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    He rummaged through his pockets until he found it. The writing was faded under a thick layer of dust. He blew it off and squinted.

    Grant passage to the bearer of this voucher.

    At the top, it bore the logo of the Braxian Authority¡ªthe sole surviving government entity on this world. Though considering the sorry state of society here, he wondered how powerful it truly was.

    Fearing the wind would blow it out of his hand, he quickly stuffed the ticket back into his pocket.

    This was his way out.

    Whether the B.A. held real power or not was a moot point. There was only one ship on all of Braxia still capable of launching into space, and it belonged to the pseudo-government.

    Obtaining the ticket had been surprisingly easy. No one here cared about leaving this dreaded place, much less communicating with other worlds. The natives had had no contact with the Imperium in decades, and they liked it that way. So what use was a ship to them?

    All they had asked in exchange was for him to provide the location of his secret stash of water. Since he was leaving anyway, he had been happy to oblige.

    The cities of Braxia were mostly in ruins, and Lentza¡¯eh was no exception. People only bothered to rebuild the parts where they lived. There were not many such parts, for few had survived the wars that had ravaged the planet.

    The man made his way through deserted streets covered by sun-baked roofs, until he reached the address he had been given.

    He had not expected a warehouse. But then, he hadn¡¯t expected much at all. A spaceport would not have made more sense. Why would they maintain such a place for just one lone ship that no one even used anyway?

    He knocked on the large door and waited.

    After a couple of minutes, it slid open, and a shriveled old man stared at him from within.

    ¡°Yes? Yes? What is it, then?¡± he croaked.

    Once again, the man pulled out his ticket and waved it under the other¡¯s nose.

    The old man snatched it and squinted at it for a moment. He grunted.

    ¡°Was about time we got rid of that damn thing.¡± He looked up. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll just need your name for our records.¡±

    As he spoke, he stepped aside to let the visitor in.

    The man pulled down his hood as he walked into the warehouse.

    ¡°Corenth,¡± he said softly. ¡°My name is Peter Corenth.¡±

 77 (2x02) When the mind is mightier than the sword

    The sword in his hand was as massive as he was. Ruulians were known for their temper and their tendency to act without thinking. This particular specimen was no exception.

    He snarled, lifted his blade, and...

    The blue-skinned woman lifted a finger and the weapon froze mid-swing.

    ¡°Please bide a moment,¡± she said casually as she closed her eyes.

    The Ruulian gaped at his hands as he tried to force them down, but they refused to budge.

    After a few seconds, the woman¡¯s eyes popped open.

    ¡°I apologize for the delay. However, we must finish this some other time. I am needed elsewhere.¡± She turned to leave, then paused and looked over her shoulder. ¡°Please also accept my apologies for any perceived slights. They were not intended as such. Thank you for your understanding.¡±

    She walked out of the room. Only then did she release the pressure on the Ruulian¡¯s brain. She heard him growl and curse, but she knew he would not rush after her. She¡¯d made sure he wouldn¡¯t by placing all the appropriate blocks in his thick skull.

    At any other time, she would have enjoyed the dance, but she had more pressing matters to attend to.

    She stepped out of the shop and hailed a hovercab. The driverless vehicle stopped in front of her. She went in and tapped the address on the dashboard.

    It was only a short ride to the Regency. Her destination was two streets across from there, but she preferred to finish on foot. On the plus side, there would be no trace of where she had really gone.

    Of course, that was not entirely true. There were cameras everywhere on Talanassi. But she did not worry too much about those.

    When the hovercab dropped her off, she waited for it to drift away before she hurried across the street.

    Five minutes later, she pushed the door of a seedy tavern.

    The place was crowded¡ªas it always was; the air thick with smoke; alien music blasting from the speakers hanging all across the ceiling.

    She had come here often, and still hated it as much as the first time.

    ¡°Ho, ho, ho!¡± cried out a familiar voice. ¡°Look now, Miss Blue has returned. What brings you to our humble establishment today?¡±

    The woman turned to face the obese man who she knew to be the owner.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°There is nothing humble about your establishment, Ledash.¡±

    Her tone was flat and calm.

    ¡°Always your merry self, I see.¡±

    She ignored the jibe and went straight to the point. Time was of the essence.

    ¡°I hear you have a special visitor.¡±

    Ledash quirked a brow.

    ¡°Now, now, Miss Blue, you know I want no trouble in my¡ª¡±

    While he talked, she pulled a pouch from her pocket. She took a handful of coins and dropped them in the man¡¯s chubby hands.

    The owner stared at them.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of credits, Mrill...¡±

    It was rare for him to use her name, so she knew she had his attention.

    ¡°I know silence has a price, Ledash, and I¡¯m willing to pay for it.¡±

    ¡°So I see, so I see.¡±

    The coins quickly disappeared into his pocket. With his now empty hand, he pointed at a door.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the back. But please don¡¯t spill blood over the carpet. It¡¯s brand new and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She walked past him, heading straight for the small red door.

    ¡°Idgor is on guard,¡± the owner called out. ¡°He¡¯s not fond of you, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t hurt him.¡±

    Mrill did not answer, nor did she pause.

    She opened the door and stepped into the hall. There was another door at the end, with a small man standing in front, leaning against the wall. When he saw her, he straightened and snorted.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I come to see the Wizard,¡± she answered calmly.

    He peered at her suspiciously. ¡°Are you scoffing?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    The other squinted. ¡°I think you¡¯re scoffing.¡±

    The blue-skinned woman held his gaze and said nothing, her face expressionless.

    The other¡¯s body trembled as he pushed himself from the wall. ¡°I... I think you need to see the Wizard. Come.¡±

    ¡°That is very perceptive. Thank you.¡±

    Idgor turned around, opened the door, and stepped through. She followed as he led her into two more rooms.

    In the last one was a large round table. Six men sat around it, playing cards. They looked up when they arrived.

    One of them blinked when he saw her.

    ¡°You¡¯re blue!¡± he exclaimed.

    Her eyes paused on him for a moment.

    ¡°You¡¯re black,¡± she said flatly.

    He blinked again, then burst out laughing.

    ¡°You got me there. What¡ª¡±

    She turned toward the smaller of the six. This one had short green hair and was making a point not to look at her.

    ¡°I come for you, Wizard.¡±

    The man shrugged.

    ¡°Do I look like I care?¡± He snapped to get the others¡¯ attention. ¡°Could we get back to the game? I don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± said Mrill.

    The Wizard ignored her as he brought two cards down on the table.

    ¡°Full flush. That¡¯s another thousand credits I take from you, Gavron.¡±

    The black man glanced down and cringed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! How many¡ª¡±

    He felt himself stop mid-sentence. He wanted to form the words, but his lips wouldn¡¯t move. When he tried to turn his head, then his hands, he realized his body refused to do what he wanted.

    The others at the table were similarly frozen. Except for the Wizard.

    He clicked his tongue and dropped his cards. Leaning back in his chair, he finally looked at her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you,¡± he said with contempt. ¡°You¡¯re a bounty hunter. I thought you might come for me, so I took some precautions. It¡¯s always good to know your enemy.¡±

    Mrill tried to pierce the man¡¯s shield, but it was powerful. She wondered how he did it. She had read up on her target, and she knew he had no psychic powers. To pull off something like this, he must be using some sort of device.

    Too bad for the carpet.

    She reached back and grabbed the handle that stuck from behind her shoulder. When she pulled on it, it unfolded into a five-feet sword.

    ¡°The reward is the same whether you are alive or dead,¡± she said blankly as she walked toward him.

    She would have her dance after all.

 78 (2x03) When siblings once parted are now reunited

    Phasers shot all around them as the two stared at each other.

    ¡°How is this even possible?¡± cried out Val.

    ¡°Come,¡± said her brother as he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to her feet. ¡°We need to get out of here. We can talk later.¡±

    ¡°In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, my ship is gone!¡±

    ¡°Mine isn¡¯t,¡± said Peter as he slid behind another crate, heading toward the back of the landing strip.

    Val followed him, keeping her head low as shots continued to fire around them.

    ¡°You have a ship?¡±

    Peter snickered. ¡°What, did you think I¡¯d grown wings to fly through space?¡±

    A shot singed the top of her hair and she cursed.

    ¡°Damn it! How far is it?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±

    He pointed at an Imperial battlepod. This was one of the smaller models¡ªit only had room for a pilot and co-pilot.

    ¡°How the hell did you get that?¡±

    He looked over his shoulder and grinned.

    ¡°How do you think?¡±

    Her groan was covered by a barrage of shots that came close to blowing their heads.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    They ran the last few feet and rushed through the open hatch. It closed behind them as the firing phasers resounded against the hull.

    ¡°You realize they¡¯ll bring out heavier weaponry now?¡±

    Peter led them through a narrow hall to the cockpit area.

    ¡°One advantage of a battlepod,¡± he said as he sat in the pilot¡¯s seat, ¡°is that it can withstand some rather heavy blows. I doubt they have anything that could hurt this beauty. Especially once I¡¯ve activated this.¡±

    He hit a large red button with the palm of his hand and a high-pitched whistling sound rose around them.

    ¡°Shield?¡± she asked.

    Her brother¡¯s fingers ran all over the controls¡ªpressing buttons, lifting levers, and tapping instructions on the tactile screen.

    ¡°One of the most advanced available in the Imperium,¡± he said without slowing down or looking up.

    Val realized the shooting had stopped and peered out the window as the ship began to hum and rise.

    Tholin¡¯s men had gathered in the spot where Starrider had sat not so long ago. They seemed to be arguing, some pointing at the battlepod as it lifted into the sky. Four of them broke off from the group and ran toward smaller ships.

    ¡°Oh, crap!¡± she said. ¡°I think they¡¯re coming after us.¡±

    ¡°Let them.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Val, they have nothing that could hurt us. It¡¯s just not possible. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.¡±

    As if she could relax with her ship gone... and Nim! She needed to find him. Them. There was Kaine, too, who was on the brink of dying. And the girl, Ondine. All aboard the ship. Her ship.

    How could it have just lifted off like that, leaving her behind?

    And how the hell could Peter be here, alive?

    ¡°How did you find us?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. Not exactly.¡± He tapped on more controls and the ship turned, then picked up speed. ¡°I was here on, uhm, business. I was about to leave when I recognized your ship.¡± He glanced at her. ¡°There aren¡¯t that many Corvairs still in circulation, you know.¡± His focus went back to the controls. ¡°So I decided to wait and see. Could be you¡¯d sold it to someone else or something.¡±

    ¡°Never!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I figured.¡±

    The ship shot out of the atmosphere, and the stars were suddenly all around them.

    ¡°We need to find it,¡± she said in a pleading voice.

    ¡°Already on it, sis. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll get Nim back.¡±

    As he spoke, the ship rocked and sizzled.

    Peter hit a button and the on-screen display switched to the back of the battlepod.

    Four smaller crafts were on their tail and shooting at them.

 79 (2x04) When caged tigers break free

    The cabin was small, with only one cot and drawers that were set into the wall. Their captors had been careful enough to take everything out of them.

    At first, Juden had thought they would take turns sleeping on the bed, but Warthol didn¡¯t mind the floor. It suited him just fine.

    The dark-skinned man often paced back and forth, as he did now, trying to think. The room was too cramped for him to go further than a few paces.

    It was infuriating how easily they had been tricked and overpowered. That should never have happened.

    They¡¯d even taken his wristpad!

    Damn them all to hell.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± said Warthol.

    Juden stopped and stared at his companion who sat on the floor, in a corner of the room.

    ¡°You are always hungry.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten in a very long time.¡±

    While Warthol¡¯s notion of time was a bit messed up, Juden had to agree this once he was right.

    It had been a while since their captors had brought them food. Had something happened?

    There were no windows here, but there was a TriVid screen. He¡¯d tried to use it to access Imperial networks, but all external feeds had been blocked. Access to the ship itself was also impossible, but this he had expected.

    However, he might be able to see outside. That should not be on the list of sensitive data.

    He walked up to the wall and tapped on the screen. It flickered on, displaying a menu. Ignoring all the entertainment options, he swiped until he reached the ¡®other¡¯ item.

    ¡°Are we going to watch a holofilm?¡± asked Warthol. ¡°I¡¯d like that very much. Maybe something about food.¡±

    Juden grunted but did not answer, focusing on his task.

    With a couple more taps, he found the input settings and requested access to the outer cameras.

    After a short delay, an image appeared on the screen.

    They were on the landing strip of some unidentified spaceport. Those buildings he saw were gray and bleak, and there weren¡¯t too many other ships around. He counted six, though there might be more behind the large warehouse doors on the east side.

    ¡°That¡¯s not very interesting,¡± whined Warthol.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± said Juden, his eyes still scanning the scene.

    That was when Val appeared, running out of the ship¡ªso she had been on board after all. She began running around and shooting at the ship.

    ¡°What the hell is she doing?¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s the nice lady from before!¡±

    ¡°Need I remind you that the nice lady, as you say, is the one who locked us up in here?¡±

    Warthol frowned. ¡°Oh. Yeah.¡±

    After circling around, Val headed back toward the hatch. Before she reached it, men came out of the spaceport gunning at her.

    This was it! Their only chance to get out of this mess.

    Juden turned the TriVid screen off and looked around the room for the hundredth time since they¡¯d been locked up in here. As often before, his gaze went back to the drawers.

    With a grunt, he stepped quickly over to them and pulled the one at the top open. It stopped when the far back hit the security bump. The damn thing wouldn¡¯t come completely. He¡¯d already tried to pry it out with all his strength, but to no avail. He stepped away and glanced back at his friend.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Warthol...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Could you do me a favor?¡±

    The big man brightened. ¡°What do you need?¡±

    Juden pointed at the open drawer. ¡°Pull on this as hard as you can. I need it to come out.¡±

    Warthol stood and moved closer. Without even studying the thing, he grabbed the handle and pulled on it hard. With a loud crack, the bump broke along with a chunk of the drawer.

    Juden blinked, then laughed as he grabbed the remaining piece that the large man was holding out to him.

    ¡°Thanks, buddy.¡± He looked it over, thinking. Glanced at the door and the control panel next to it. ¡°Think you could break it apart?¡±

    Warthol frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Juden looked at him and pointed at the drawer. ¡°I only need a small piece of selite. I don¡¯t care which part of the drawer it comes from.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    The big man grabbed a side panel with both hands and forced one toward him while the other pushed. The material cracked but held. Warthol added pressure and a crack appeared on the surface. With one final tug, he tore a piece off the drawer and handed it to the dark-skinned man.

    Juden grinned as he grabbed it, slapping his friend on the back with his other hand.

    ¡°Your strength never ceases to amaze me. Alright. Let¡¯s see what we can do with this...¡±

    He walked up to the door and studied the control panel for a moment. He knew these things had a soft spot¡ªespecially on older ships like this one. If he hit it just the right way, it would fry the locking mechanism and force the door to slide open. Something like this would not be possible in a cell, of course, but this was not a cell. There was no security here. Or rather, the lack of security was the security. After all, shipbuilders and shipowners would not want passengers to find themselves trapped. Breaking the panel would have to, by necessity, unlock the door.

    The tricky part was to hit it just the right way.

    He lifted the piece of drawer and brought it down hard on the panel.

    Sparks flew as the controls flashed and fizzled. A slight burning smell tickled his nostrils.

    He stepped back just as the door opened.

    ¡°Oh!¡± cried out Warthol. ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    Juden threw the piece of selite to the floor and stepped into the hall.

    ¡°Come on, buddy, let¡¯s go take control of this ship.¡±

    The last time he¡¯d tried, the AI had refused to cooperate. He doubted it would act differently now. Well then, he¡¯d have to step up his game. He¡¯d tried to play nice. That was over. He was taking the gloves off. It might damage the ship, but so be it. He¡¯d deal with Bregg¡¯s temper later. Right now, they needed to get out of here. Before the others returned.

    As they walked down the hall, the lights turned off throughout the ship.

    ¡°Powering off again, eh?¡± he muttered to himself as he clenched his fists. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Juden!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he asked irritably.

    ¡°I think I saw something move behind us.¡±

    Juden spun around and squinted.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing there.¡±

    ¡°It was small. Maybe a child.¡±

    Juden rolled his eyes. ¡°A child? Did Val or Kaine look like children to you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they have a kid?¡±

    ¡°They just met, you doofus!¡±

    He slapped Warthol on the back of his head.

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    Juden snorted. ¡°Stop being a baby. You didn¡¯t even feel that.¡± He turned and started walking again. ¡°Come on. I don¡¯t know how much time we have. We need to hurry.¡±

    They made their way to the control room and Juden sat in the pilot¡¯s seat. He slid open a glass panel. Inside the compartment was a small black button.

    ¡°Alright then, here goes nothing...¡±

    He pressed the button.

    The screen in front of him lit up and a text appeared, prompting him for a secret code.

    While they had been chasing the ship, Juden had read everything he could find on the Corvairs. The manual had explained there were two levels of passwords. One that could be set by the owner, another that would do a ¡®factory reset.¡¯ The latter, however, would erase all of the AI¡¯s memories, bringing it back to its default parameters. It could also damage some of the more sensitive components of the ship, as resetting an AI could stress the system in ways that it was not designed to withstand. For all these reasons, it was advised to only use the reset code as a last resort.

    Juden had memorized that code.

    With a deep breath, he typed it in.

    The screen went black and everything went quiet.

    Then all the lights flickered back on across the ship.

    A dozen screens above the dashboard showed what was going on outside, all around the ship. And they were still shooting out there.

    Juden grinned.

    ¡°AI! Take us off this damn planet.¡±

    Nothing.

    He frowned.

    ¡°AI, can you hear me?¡±

    Still nothing.

    ¡°What the hell...¡±

    He checked the displays and everything seemed in order. They had power and they had control.

    ¡°What is wrong?¡± asked Warthol.

    Juden grumbled as he glanced at the camera feed. ¡°Not now, I need to focus.¡±

    His hands ran over the controls, trying to remember all the details he¡¯d read in the manual. He wished he¡¯d had his wristpad, it would have made things easier.

    He glanced again at the screens and saw Val making a run toward the ship.

    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± He hit another button and the hatch closed. ¡°I¡¯m done with this crap. Time to go manual.¡±

    He tapped some commands, grabbed two sticks that rose out of the dashboard, and pulled on them.

    The floor shook and the structure creaked as Starrider slowly lifted into the sky.

    With a twist of his wrists, he made the ship turn its tip upward.

    And then, with a thundering roar, it shot toward the stars.

 80 (2x05) When worlds hinge on a whim

    141 YEARS PRIOR...

    The giant sphere hung in the air, spinning slowly as the nanobots swarmed around it. Upon the slightest variation in the pattern, they would rush down, reconfigure the surface, and return to orbit. It was like a dance, to the beat of a tune that played in the background.

    Del Ammar could hear it as he walked down the gigantic hall. There was gold everywhere. And jewels. But he¡¯d seen all of it so many times he barely noticed it anymore.

    He went past the sphere and only spared it a quick glance. He¡¯d helped build it a few years ago. It had been his first project for the Emperor, and the one that had made his fortune and fame. It was a map of the Imperium. One could use the nanobots to zoom into portions of it. As for the music, well, it wasn¡¯t really music, it just sounded that way. It was a constant flow of data coming in from various sources across the universe, updates about this or that sector. Each time something new happened, the nanobots would hurry to update the map accordingly. Just looking at it, though, you would have thought it was nothing but a work of art.

    Truth be told, he was rather proud of his work, and never missed to look at it when he came here.

    But the glance, too, had become automatic. His mind was elsewhere. Despite his young age, he was worried about the future. He sensed trouble was coming and had tried to convince the Emperor, but never could find the right words to properly convey his concerns.

    The trouble was, he wasn¡¯t sure himself what bothered him so much. So how could he expect to explain it to someone else, let alone the Emperor?

    He walked up the giant emerald stairs and made his way to a private elevator in the back. He tapped in his code and lay his hand on the surface so the system could scan his prints. The door slid open and he stepped into the cabin.

    As it rushed up, he tried once again to give a coherent shape to his thoughts. At times, he felt like he almost held it, like he was grazing it with the tip of his fingers, and then it would slip away.

    He grunted as the door opened into a vast antechamber that led to the Emperor¡¯s office. Ten guards were posted here. They all wore glossy blue uniforms with the Imperial wreath sown on their shoulders. The wreath surrounded a triangle with a hand within that held a lightning bolt.

    The guards knew him well and nodded as he walked through. The one closest to the door opened it for him. Aside from the Emperor himself, these guards were the only ones who could open this door¡ªthey were genetically connected.

    Stepping into the Inner Sanctum, he stopped a few paces from the screen. It spread across the entire surface of the wall. It showed a view of the sea. He wasn¡¯t sure which sea it was exactly. He suspected it never was the same one. Likely feeds from all across the Imperium. But it was only ever a sea. Someday he would have to ask the Emperor about it.

    But not today.

    He waited.

    The sea parted before him and he stepped forward, into the screen. As always, he felt as if his body melted and squeezed through a tiny opening. The uncomfortable feeling wasn¡¯t painful, though, and only lasted a second.

    He came out of the wall on the other side. He immediately went to his knee and bowed his head.

    ¡°Your Excellency.¡±

    The Emperor, Nashadan Prime, stood before him, in all his glory.

    The body he wore must have been in its seventies, but it still was in good shape. Long white hair, penetrating blue eyes that hinted at great wisdom, and an elegant red robe with golden rims and a purple belt.

    ¡°Stand, friend.¡±

    Even his voice was deep, strong, noble.

    Del Ammar straightened.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°I trust you bring me good news?¡±

    The scientist nodded. ¡°I do indeed, Your Excellency. We have made progress on the new cruisers, but...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Ammar shook his head. ¡°Nothing, Your Excellency, all is well.¡±

    The Emperor quirked a brow. ¡°You know you can speak freely here, do you not?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Well then? What troubles you?¡±

    ¡°The Imperium is already so big, Your Excellency, why this constant thirst for expansion?¡±

    Nashadan Prime laughed. ¡°Is this about your worries again?¡±

    Ammar fidgeted with the ring on his finger and glanced around. The office was almost as spacious and luxurious as the throne room. Here, too, the walls and ceiling were made of gold. He guessed the floor must be as well, though it was covered with red and blue carpets.

    His eyes shot back to the Emperor.

    ¡°If History has taught us anything, Your Excellency, it is that empires never last.¡±

    The Emperor made a dismissive gesture.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I have heard this many times. And yet, is it not also said that there is a first to everything? Would it not then stand to reason that there will be an empire, someday, that will be the first to last? Would ours not be the ideal candidate?¡±

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± muttered Ammar.

    Nashadan Prime watched him quietly for a moment, then motioned for him to sit as he himself walked to a seat that hung in the air. It floated down enough for him to settle in. He steepled his fingers as he looked at the scientist.

    ¡°You are a brilliant man, Ammar, with a brilliant mind. I value your work and your thoughts, and thus it would not be proper for me to discard your concerns. I do not understand them, but I would like to. Please. Explain them to me again, so that I may see what you see.¡±

    The scientist had waited for the Emperor to sit. Only then did he feel comfortable doing so as well. As he did so, he tried to put some order in his thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it is difficult for even me to voice my concerns. In some ways, it is more of a gut feeling. I know it is not very scientific. At least, it might not seem so. In reality, scientists often work with gut feelings. They are the sparks that bring us ideas. Only then do we use science to try to understand those sparks and turn them into tangible projects.¡±

    ¡°Very well. Then tell me about this gut feeling you have and let us see if we can turn it into something tangible.¡±

    ¡°I would rather we did not, for then it would make my fears real. I truly hope I am wrong, Your Excellency, but I feel like we are headed for disaster. This constant expansion is taxing our infrastructure. If we pursue this, we are likely to implode within a few generations.¡±

    ¡°I hear you, friend, but I do not understand what that means. You say we are due to implode, but how can this be when we are more powerful than we have ever been? Our reach extends over billions of worlds. Our economy is thriving, as is our technology. Even alien species from beyond the rim show us respect and plead for peace. How is any of this a sign of impending doom?¡±

    ¡°Doom, your Majesty, does not always come from outside. It can also come from within.¡±

    The Emperor made another dismissive gesture.

    ¡°Expansion is not a problem. Yes, we are growing, and this does affect our infrastructure. But while the Imperium grows in size, its population grows as well. There will be more people we can hire to help handle the growth.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°And yet, you are still concerned. I can read it in your eyes. But I still do not see what you see. Show me.¡±

    Ammar thought about this for a long moment. And suddenly, it came to him in a flash. He held on to it before it disappeared again, as it had so many times before.

    ¡°It¡¯s the technology, Your Excellency. We have reached a point where it no longer serves us, it is us who serve it.¡±

    ¡°That is preposterous! We are slaves to no one.¡±

    ¡°And yet...¡± He pointed to the wristpad on the Emperor¡¯s arm. ¡°Do we not all wear one of these?¡± He pointed to his eyes. ¡°Do we not all have nanobots implanted in our brains to make vircell technology possible?¡± He pointed toward the window, where a view of the capital could be seen¡ªwith distant gliders criss-crossing across the night sky. ¡°What else but technology is there to see out there? That is all there is. What do you think would happen, Your Excellency, if that technology was taken away?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± The old man paused, blinked. He stared through the window, then back at Ammar. ¡°I suppose society would collapse.¡±

    The scientist nodded. ¡°That is correct, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°I still say it is a preposterous notion, because there is nothing that could make all of our technology fail throughout the Imperium.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what all our technology has in common, what it all relies upon?¡±

    ¡°Thilium energy, of course.¡±

    Ammar nodded. ¡°Though we¡¯ve been using and, I would say, abusing it for centuries, we still do not fully comprehend it. It is not inconceivable that one day something could break our connection to thilium. And then everything we have, everything we know, everything we own would stop functioning.¡±

    The Emperor nodded, though Ammar could see the man was not convinced.

    ¡°I understand your concerns. And while this could perhaps become an issue someday, I do not think it likely. We have used thilium for countless centuries, and it is perfectly safe.¡± He smiled. ¡°I value your candor and friendship. Please, by all means, let me know if anything else ever troubles you. Now, tell me more about those cruisers.¡±

    Despite his frustration, Ammar decided not to press the issue.

    Not this time.

    But he knew his fears were sound and, some other day, he would try again.

    And again.

    Until, maybe, he finally found the right words to convince the Emperor.

 81 (2x06) When blue meets red

    They called him the Wizard because he liked to pretend he had powers, that he could do magic. It was all make-believe, of course. Subterfuge. Mind tricks and illusions that made you think he could pull off extraordinary feats.

    But Mrill knew better.

    So when the man jumped out of his chair and bounced up to the ceiling, adhering to its surface, she guessed he was using anti-gravity boots and nanomagnets. And when he threw lightning bolts at her, she knew it was just penned-up electricity¡ªperhaps even echion energy judging from the blue glow.

    All this went through her mind in a fraction of a second as she twirled and spun out of the way. With a press of a finger, the length of her blade doubled. It was now long enough to reach her prey, despite the distance. She saw a flicker of concern in the man¡¯s eyes as she swung it toward him.

    The Wizard deftly swayed out of its path, crawling on the ceiling, his head hanging upside down. He hissed and a stream of mist blew in her direction.

    The freezing beam hit her before she could spin out of the way. Searing pain shook her as ice covered her entire body in seconds. But the cold would not incapacitate her. She had known hundreds of froststorms on her homeworld. This was nothing.

    Without expressing the slightest glimpse of emotion, she stepped forward and swung again just as the Wizard leaped toward the door. The man yelped as the blade cut into his flesh. It was not enough to stop him, however. His momentum took him through the door, screaming like a madman and dripping blood all over the carpet and into the hall beyond.

    The guy was literally flying away.

    Mrill ran after him. She stepped into the blood, her bare feet leaving red marks in her wake.

    She burst into the main room just as the Wizard was about to reach the exit, startling patrons in the room who jumped to the floor and hid behind tables. It was total chaos.

    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t,¡± she muttered.

    With a strong flick of her wrist, she threw her blade at the fleeing man. It went whizzing through the air and hit its target on the back of the neck, slicing right through skin and bone. With a sickening thud, his lifeless body fell to the ground. It continued to slide, painting the floor red, until it finally hit the door.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Mrill calmly walked up to the Wizard, barely noticing that the room had gone dead quiet. She leaned down and pulled hard to dislodge her sword. With a click on the handle, the blade retracted and disappeared into the pommel. She stuck the small metallic cylinder into her pouch.

    ¡°Oooohh! Look at the mess you made!¡±

    She didn¡¯t bother to turn toward the whining man. She¡¯d given him enough to buy two brand-new locals, and they both knew it. The guy just liked to complain.

    ¡°How about you make yourself useful and help me carry the corpse outside?¡± she asked.

    ¡°What? And dirty my clothes? I would never! Besides, I¡¯m not touching that!¡±

    He waggled a finger toward the dead Wizard.

    ¡°Fine. Then I guess I¡¯ll just leave him to rot here. You like that better?¡±

    Ledash wrinkled his nose in disgust.

    ¡°Alright! Alright! But I¡¯m not doing it.¡± He turned and whistled. Two younger men came running, looking very confused. ¡°How about you be nice fellows and help the blue lady get that dreadful stinking thing out of here?¡±

    The two looked at the body with disgust. When he saw them hesitate, Ledash barked some curses at them and they quickly went to work.

    He turned to Mrill and grabbed her arm before she walked out.

    ¡°I know you well enough to know you don¡¯t have a glider. What are you going to do with him out there?¡±

    The two had grabbed the corpse, one at each end, lifted it, and started going through the door. As he spoke, Ledash motioned to the street beyond with a jerk of his chin.

    ¡°Get paid,¡± she simply said before pulling away from his grip and stepping out.

    The two young men dropped the body in a side alley and scampered away after she threw some coins at them.

    Mrill watched them go, then casually leaned against the wall and crossed her blue legs, with one bare foot¡ªstill dripping blood¡ªdangling in the air. She pressed two fingers against the temple of her head.

    It only took a few seconds to establish the vircell connection. Her employer¡¯s face appeared floating inside her retina.

    ¡°Is he alive or dead?¡± he asked.

    She shrugged. ¡°He tried to run.¡±

    ¡°I see. Pity, that. Still, a deal is a deal. You have the body?¡± She gave him the address. ¡°Very well. Someone will be there shortly to examine the body and dispose of it. They will also initiate payment, of course.¡±

    She knew it was a formality, so she did not take offense.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said calmly.

    Ten minutes later, the corpse was gone and she was twenty thousand credits richer.

    She headed back to her house, feeling dead inside.

    There had to be more to life than this.

    When she¡¯d first come to Talanassi, she had been lost, hungry, and penniless. At first, she had used her powers to steal food and con her way into the places she wanted to go. Part of her had felt empowered and vindicated for how her own people had first shunned then hunted her down like a rat. But there was that other voice, deep inside her, that told her this was not the path for her. It made her feel guilty about the petty crimes she committed. She had never wanted to be a criminal.

    Then she realized people here valued her powers¡ªthough many balked at her appearance. It made her see how she might be able to use them to earn a living. Would that not also be vindication?

    So she had become a bounty hunter.

    And yet...

    And yet, she still felt dead inside.

 82 (2x07) When her world is turned upside down

    No matter how hard they tried, the smaller crafts could not get through the battlepod¡¯s shield.

    ¡°They¡¯re no match for this baby,¡± snickered Peter as he hit a control button on the dashboard.

    The ship suddenly stopped and spun around, shooting beams of echion energy at the pursuers. Two of the crafts blew up, while the other two veered sharply away to avoid fire. They darted past them and turned to come at them from behind. But they were slower than the battlepod. Already, Peter had made it spin again, guns blazing.

    However, the enemy pilots now knew what to expect. One managed to pull away, but the other was not quite fast enough and got hit in the tail. It went spiraling down toward Derkanash.

    The last ship flew out of range and floated there for a moment, doing nothing.

    Peter grinned. ¡°I think he just realized he¡¯s alone and facing more than he can chew. Bet you he¡¯ll run like a baby.¡±

    Val didn¡¯t think it was funny. Maybe because she was too busy worrying about Nim.

    ¡°Where the hell did you get this ship anyway?¡± she asked as they waited for the other to make his move.

    Peter shrugged. ¡°Traded it against another ship. A collector¡¯s dream¡ªeven older than your Corvair. It could barely fly. Can¡¯t understand why anyone would want such a piece of flying junk. I don¡¯t¡ª¡± He stopped and burst out laughing. ¡°Told ya!¡±

    The other ship had suddenly veered toward the planet and flew away, making sure to stay out of range of the battlepod.

    Peter wasted no time. He quickly set their ship back on course, his fingers racing across the dashboard.

    ¡°How are we going to find them?¡± asked Val, concern dripping from her every word.

    ¡°Starrider is an old ship, sis. It leaves a rather obvious trail in its wake. It¡¯ll fade after twenty minutes or so, but we were quick enough that we should be able to follow them. Another cool thing about this beauty is that it¡¯s fast as hell. I bet we¡¯ll catch up with your ship just like that.¡± He snapped his fingers.

    She sighed. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡±

    Peter glanced at her, then back at the controls. He hit a series of buttons, jumped out of his seat, turned, and headed toward the door.

    ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Follow me and you¡¯ll find out.¡±

    She got out of her seat and hurried after him.

    ¡°What about Starrider?¡±

    ¡°The battlepod is on its tail and won¡¯t let go until we¡¯ve caught up with it. There¡¯s nothing we can do now but wait.¡±

    She pressed him with more questions, but he remained quiet.

    They walked through the narrow corridor, but it was a short walk. It ended at a small door and they had to lower their heads to go through.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    There were two cots in the back and a table at the center with two round stools.

    Peter went to the table and tapped on its surface.

    ¡°When was the last time you ate?¡± he asked without looking at her.

    She frowned. ¡°What? Are you kidding me? This is hardly the time¡ª¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, Val. You won¡¯t be any good to anyone¡ªleast of all Nim¡ªif you faint from hunger or thirst.¡±

    She grimaced as the words sunk in. He was right, of course. It had been hours and now that he¡¯d mentioned it, she could feel her stomach grumbling.

    Then she remembered who she was talking to. This was her brother. Her dead brother. She had been so shocked by the chain of events¡ªlosing Nim, Kaine, Ondine, and Starrider, then seeing Peter again after all these years¡ªthat she had not been able to process all the information.

    It now hit her like a tidal wave, and she felt overwhelmed. So she reacted the only way she knew how.

    With a few quick steps, she walked up to Peter and punched him in the chest.

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    ¡°Where were you?¡± she hissed. ¡°Everyone thought you were dead! I thought you were dead! And now you¡¯re standing here, talking to me about food as if nothing had happened, as if I hadn¡¯t mourned your stupid ass for the last five years! What the hell, Peter?¡±

    She hit him again.

    He looked at her sheepishly.

    ¡°Sorry, Val. Didn¡¯t mean to...¡± He sighed and shook his head. ¡°The Impies shot my ship down, and I crashed on Braxia. They came to finish me off but when that failed they left me to die on a dead world... At least, they thought it was dead. So did I for a long time. Until I found the last remnants of a broken civilization.¡±

    A plop from the table told them the food was ready. Two fuming plates had materialized on its surface. Peter sat on one of the stools and motioned for his sister to take the other. She did so with a scowl.

    ¡°I was in awful shape,¡± he continued, ¡°with no way off that godforsaken world. So I survived as best I could, healing my wounds and keeping my stomach full.¡±

    As if his words had been a signal, he grabbed a fork and dug into his plate. Val watched him quietly, then remembered how hungry she was and started eating as well.

    ¡°When I realized there were people there,¡± he said after swallowing, ¡°I began to make friends. Or tried to. It was not so easy. Most of them were suspicious of strangers¡ªand rightfully so. When so few survive in such harsh conditions, all the predators come out. It is a brutal and cruel place.¡± He put another forkful into his mouth and chewed on it for a moment. ¡°I eventually realized water was the most valuable resource there, so I hoarded it.¡±

    ¡°You hoarded water?¡±

    Peter snickered. ¡°Yep. I found this well-hidden cave and stashed all my water there, in vases and cups and amphoras.¡± He sighed. ¡°Such wasted time.¡±

    Val frowned as she ate. ¡°Why? I thought you said it was valuable.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was. It bought me quite a few friends and many useful items that helped me survive. But it was pointless storing all that water because I had unwittingly created my lair right above a hidden underground lake! I discovered it by chance while building a room to store some of my most precious belongings. My pickaxe went right through the floor. Peering into the opening, I saw the reflection of my torch on the surface of a large body of water. When I later discovered there was one working spaceship on the planet, I agreed to reveal the location of my secret hideout in exchange for my ticket off Braxia.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you worried they wouldn¡¯t hold their side of the bargain?¡±

    ¡°Of course I was. But I had nothing to lose, while they had everything.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    Peter ate two more mouthfuls before he answered.

    ¡°The people who owned the ship live there, Val. Not only that, they are the last scraps of a once powerful government. They despair to regain their former glory. And that ship? It meant nothing to them. Most members of that skeletal clique had no idea they had it, and many of those who did wondered why they kept it at all.¡± He leaned back in his chair. ¡°As for me, it was my last hope. If I couldn¡¯t get the ship, I knew I¡¯d die on Braxia. So either I would leave or I would die... In either case, what use would I have of all that water?

    ¡°It was important, of course, for them to understand this. So I rigged the place up with explosives. I told them if I left the planet, I would have no reason to blow it up. But if they tricked me and I was stuck there, then I¡¯d make sure they¡¯d lose that precious source they so coveted.

    ¡°Worked like a charm, too.¡±

    He gave his sister a big grin and she rolled her eyes. This was just like him. She¡¯d almost forgotten how brazen he could be.

    Then again, there was a reason the Imperium had feared this man.

 83 (2x08) When fear sets fate into motion

    135 YEARS PRIOR...

    A persistent thump in his head woke him. He drowsily recognized that someone was trying to call. Only then did he notice the muffled hum of his wristpad.

    Cal Treggor sat up in his bed and stared at the small display. A text scrolled on a loop: ¡°Pick up the damn call. Now!¡±

    He pressed two fingers against the temple of his head and the growing migraine instantly faded as a face appeared against his retina.

    ¡°About damn time!¡± grunted the man.

    Treggor glanced at his wife, who was still sound asleep next to him. He quietly slipped out of bed, put on his slippers, and tiptoed out of the room.

    ¡°I was sleeping, Ked,¡± he whispered. ¡°Do you know what time it is?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t care. We have an emergency. You need to get your ass down here right away.¡±

    ¡°What? I can¡¯t just¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an order, Cal. From above.¡±

    Treggor had almost reached the living room when he froze in his steps.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    The other nodded gravely.

    There weren¡¯t too many people ¡®above¡¯ Ked Ambrose. In fact, there only was one. Which made this a very special moment.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Give me ten minutes to change and transport.¡±

    ¡°You have five.¡±

    The link was broken, and Treggor cursed as he rushed back into his room. His foot hit the edge of the door and he stifled a shout. But it was too late. He saw his wife stir in the bed. She turned and looked at him with sleepy eyes.

    ¡°What are you doing up, honey?¡±

    ¡°Work,¡± he muttered as he grabbed clothes from the closet and started changing. ¡°I have to go.¡±

    She sat up in the bed, wide awake, and stared at him.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re kidding.¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m kidding.¡±

    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t say no?¡±

    Treggor laughed and shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t say no to the Emperor, dear.¡±

    Her eyes went wide.

    He hurried over to the bed, leaned to kiss her, then rushed back out of the room. As always, the portal waited for him in his office. He opened the floating door and felt himself sucked through the opening.

    A second later, he stood at the heart of a spacious, round room with gold walls and ceiling. A red carpet covered the entire floor.

    Looking around, he saw guards posted at every entrance. Through one of these, Ked Ambrose appeared. He wore the Imperial wreath on a purple robe with red rims that marked his role as the Emperor¡¯s visor.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Glad you didn¡¯t make me wait longer than I already had,¡± grumbled the man as he approached.

    ¡°How long had you been ringing?¡±

    ¡°At least thirty minutes. You¡¯re a damn heavy sleeper, Cal.¡±

    Treggor gave him an apologetic smile.

    ¡°What can I say? I need my beauty sleep.¡±

    Ambrose snorted. ¡°Stop being an ass and follow me.¡±

    The visor turned and headed back toward the door he had just come from. Treggor hurried after him.

    ¡°What is this about?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Have you heard of John Gandor?¡±

    Treggor frowned as he tried to remember where he¡¯d heard the name before. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he a teacher at the Ran-Holton University?¡±

    ¡°He was indeed, though I¡¯m surprised you would know about that.¡±

    ¡°My older sister studied there and had only good things to say about him.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, of course.¡± Ambrose pondered this as they went through a dozen halls. ¡°Before working there, he was a renowned scientist. Though he was always more fond of echion energy than thilium.¡±

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s perfect,¡± he joked.

    The other answered with a grunt as they walked through yet another hall and finally entered the visor¡¯s office. Despite its smaller size, it was just as richly decorated as all the other rooms in the palace.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯d have heard of this,¡± resumed Ambrose as he sat behind his desk, motioning for Treggor to take the other seat, across from him, ¡°but Gandor found something... special.¡±

    Treggor quirked a brow but remained quiet.

    ¡°Since leaving the University, he leads a small team of scientists that studies new worlds to gauge whether they are fit for colonization.¡±

    ¡°I take it he¡¯s found something troubling?¡±

    ¡°You can say that again!¡±

    Treggor could see the visor was irritated and wondered if it was because of how long he had taken to answer the call.

    Ambrose frowned as he continued. ¡°He found an alien device.¡±

    Treggor straightened in his chair, eyes lighting up. As the Imperium¡¯s Secrets Senior Officer, all such discoveries fell under his jurisdiction.

    ¡°It has been a while since we¡¯ve found one of those.¡±

    ¡°This one¡¯s egg-shaped and floats in the air above a pit.¡±

    ¡°So it is active?¡±

    Ambrose shrugged. ¡°It emits no sound, produces no light, nothing. We can¡¯t even pick up any traces of energy. And yet, it floats.¡±

    ¡°How long ago was this found?¡±

    ¡°Two years ago,¡± Ambrose said, jaw clenched.

    ¡°What?¡±

    The visor struck the desk with his fist.

    ¡°Two freaking years! That¡¯s what you get when everything has to go through a thousand channels. Damned bureaucracy. Too much filtering will kill us.¡±

    No wonder the man was furious.

    ¡°When the Emperor found out about it, he grew concerned it might be a spying device, or even some sort of weapon. He wants us to study it so we can pierce its secrets in case there¡¯s an alien invasion coming. Which means we need to move this thing right away.¡±

    ¡°So why am I here? I can¡¯t do anything until it¡¯s in our locals.¡±

    Ambrose sat back in his chair and sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s in a cave. The tunnels are too narrow to move it out¡ªthat¡¯s assuming we could even budge the damn thing, which we can¡¯t.¡±

    Treggor frowned. ¡°How did it get in there?¡±

    ¡°How the hell would I know?¡± He grabbed a holofile that sat on his desk and threw it on the scientist¡¯s side. ¡°Gandor and his team have theories, but they¡¯re all over the place. Though all suggest it likely came from out of that pit. Gandor thinks it drilled through the rock and formed the pit itself.¡±

    As he was about to ask again why he was here, Treggor paused, realizing what this was about. They wanted him to move that thing. He also knew how they expected him to pull it off, and it made him uncomfortable.

    He shook his head as he swiped through the holofile.

    ¡°This is not a good idea, Ked. You know we¡¯re still studying the technology and it¡¯s fickle as hell. Plus, we¡¯ve never tried to displace anything bigger than a wristpad.¡± He tapped at a picture of the egg-shaped device. ¡°This thing is big.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everything. Consider it an opportunity to go further in your research.¡±

    ¡°A lot of things could go wrong¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem. You have your orders.¡±

    Treggor frowned as he looked back up at the visor.

    ¡°This is what the Emperor wants?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He sighed as he closed the file and stood. ¡°Alright. So long as I don¡¯t take the blame when this all blows up in our faces.¡±

    Ambrose squinted. ¡°You think I¡¯d take the blame?¡±

    Treggor grimaced. He knew the answer. And if not the visor, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be the Emperor. So unless he found someone to take care of it, this was bound to bite him in the ass.

    Only problem was, he couldn¡¯t trust anyone else with this technology.

    ¡°Damn you, Ked,¡± he grunted as he walked out.

 84 (2x09) When a new bait dangles

    Though she had enough credits to retire, Mrill hated having nothing to do. She liked well enough walking on the promenade at night, but there only was so much walking she could put up with before she grew restless.

    It wasn¡¯t so much the boredom that concerned her as having too much time to think about her life choices and where she was at.

    So her employer was not surprised when she showed up at his office the next day. In fact, he had expected it. When Mrill did not have a target, she¡¯d drop by every single day¡ªsometimes even twice on the same day¡ªto make sure she didn¡¯t miss a job.

    Gorol Janth was a typical Talan. Of human stock, with two small black eyes under furrowed brows, short brown hair, and a pointy chin. He ran a private security firm that people often turned to when they needed to hunt down someone and keep it quiet. Of course, they¡¯d still need to fill out forms and obtain official authorization from the government¡ªthis was a legal business, after all¡ªbut the entire process was fully automated and no human eyes would ever see those forms... unless something went very wrong. So the only people who knew anything about these jobs were the client, the employer, the assigned bounty hunter, and some cold, distant, unnamed AI.

    Janth sighed as the blue woman leaned against the wall, in a corner of the room. She liked the spot, as it would have been impossible for anyone to have the drop on her.

    ¡°Sorry, Mrill,¡± he started before she said anything. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything for you. You really should consider taking some time off.¡±

    ¡°I have nothing to do,¡± she said flatly.

    ¡°Find yourself some friends. Maybe even a guy you like? Time will pass much more quickly, I promise.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d made this suggestion. Her answer came like clockwork, the same as always.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I am blue,¡± she reminded him.

    He wrinkled his nose and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty who wouldn¡¯t mind. Or maybe you can find some blind guy.¡±

    She didn¡¯t react to the joke¡ªshe never did. She just stared at him for a moment before she pushed away from the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± she said as she headed for the door.

    A bell rang and she froze, glancing at Janth¡¯s TriVid screen.

    He tapped on the display, and lines of text scrolled under his eyes. He read through quietly, then looked at his favorite bounty hunter.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this one would work for you, Mrill.¡±

    ¡°Anything will work for me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an offworld job.¡±

    She remained quiet for a moment, her face not showing any emotion. Even after all these years, he still found this unsettling. You never could tell what she thought or how she felt. Did she even know what emotions were? He couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing her smile or shrug or laugh... It was troubling.

    He had to keep reminding himself that, despite appearances, she wasn¡¯t human. You couldn¡¯t expect an alien to act or think like a human.

    ¡°Where?¡± she asked.

    He looked back at the job description. ¡°Ebar. It¡¯s out on the rim.¡± He frowned as he noticed a detail he had previously missed. ¡°It¡¯s very close to Rimzana. Could be risky, what with all the chaos going on out there...¡±

    ¡°Risk is part of the job,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±

    Her voice was as bland as spicy food in a mothra¡¯s mouth. Mothra meat was the tastiest and spiciest thing Janth had ever eaten in his life¡ªno wonder the creature found human spices so bland.

    He pondered. Perhaps this was for the best. It¡¯d at least get her to travel, see other places and other people. Maybe she¡¯d make some friends along the way.

    He sighed. ¡°Alright. Just make sure you don¡¯t get yourself killed, or I swear I¡¯ll have to kick your butt myself, even if I have to go find you in the afterlife.¡±

    ¡°That might prove difficult,¡± she said quietly.

    He peered at her, then shrugged and sent all the data to her wristpad.

    ¡°Two million credits for this one,¡± he said. ¡°And they want him alive. You know what that word means, right?¡±

    It was more than any other job she¡¯d ever had¡ªand more than he had ever seen. He idly wondered what the guy must have done to become such a high-priced target.

    ¡°Not dead,¡± she answered in her usual deadpan tone. ¡°No problem.¡±

    She tipped her head and headed out.

 85 (2x10) When past, present, and future are discussed

    As the battlepod rushed through the stars, hot on the tail of Starrider, Val told her brother about everything that had happened to her. From the space rift to meeting Kaine, visiting Evenodds, the war with Qevahr, rescuing Ondine from the cube, Aj¡¯uhl¡¯s death, Juden¡¯s attempted hijack, the dormant AI, and how everything had gone down the drain during that face-off on Derkanash.

    Peter listened quietly as they sat around the table. They had finished eating and talking like this helped pass the time.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear about Aj¡¯uhl,¡± her brother said. ¡°He was a good man.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you knew him.¡±

    He smiled sadly. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Not personally. But I feel like I knew him from all the stories you used to tell me.¡± His eyes hardened. ¡°The Imperium has taken so many people from us¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I know that look. Leave well enough alone, Peter. The Imperium thinks you¡¯re dead. Take that as an opportunity to lie low and have a life. Don¡¯t go stirring up trouble again.¡±

    Peter stared at her for a moment.

    ¡°So you would rather the Emperor continued to enslave the masses?¡±

    ¡°If it means keeping you alive, yes! And stop blowing things out of proportion. There are no slaves! You know I have no love for the Imperium, but that¡¯s pushing it.¡±

    ¡°Is it? Whatever the Emperor says, the people do. They bend their heads and knees and say, ¡®yes master.¡¯ How is that not slavery?¡±

    ¡°They do it willingly,¡± she grunted. ¡°No one¡¯s holding a gun to their heads. Or whips to their backs.¡±

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°So it¡¯s okay to do a madman¡¯s bidding if he doesn¡¯t threaten you or hurt you?¡±

    ¡°No one has to do his bidding, Peter. That¡¯s my point.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you running?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not running!¡±

    Peter got off the stool and went to one of the cots. It was more comfortable, and he needed to rest his back.

    ¡°Really? Could have fooled me.¡± He held up his hand before she could protest. ¡°But you¡¯re missing my point, sis. It¡¯s true people have a choice. But if they decide to disobey, what happens? People who live out here on the rim have it easy, but those who live within do not have the luxury of saying no. I¡¯ll grant you many will never be faced with that dilemma, but it¡¯s for those who will that I fight. To give them that choice¡ªthe freedom to say no, to do what they feel is right, regardless of what Nashadan Prime thinks.¡±

    Val remained quiet for a moment, staring at her empty plate.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you,¡± she said.

    Lying on the cot, he glanced at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Say you take down the Emperor. Then what? Wouldn¡¯t any form of government ¡®enslave¡¯ the people, as you say? Do you want total anarchy? How do you envision the future?¡±

    Peter stared at the ceiling.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question. I¡¯ve often asked myself that. If I¡¯m honest, I¡¯m not sure what the answer is. Not yet. All I know is that the current system isn¡¯t working. It needs to change, Val. You shouldn¡¯t need to run¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not running!¡±

    ¡°If you say so. But the point is, we shouldn¡¯t have to worry about the government breathing down our necks or coming after us because we are not behaving the way they want us to. There is a difference between enforcing laws and tyranny. So no, I don¡¯t want anarchy. I want justice and a fair system. We used to have that, you know, before the Imperium. There¡¯s no reason we couldn¡¯t have it again.¡±

    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a reason why it changed.¡±

    He glanced at her. ¡°Defending the Imperium now?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°Not in a thousand years.¡±

    Peter smiled as he looked back at the ceiling, his hands under his head.

    ¡°But you¡¯re right. There is a reason. And the name of that reason is Nashadan Prime.¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not like Hassan the Conqueror was an angel.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t, but he¡¯s not the one sitting on the throne right now.¡±

    ¡°You realize you¡¯re fighting a losing battle, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about losing battles, Val, so long as I win the war.¡±

    ¡°And how are you going to achieve that?¡±

    ¡°First, I need to¡ª¡±

    A high-pitched ringing cut him off as a mechanical voice resonated in the small room.

    ¡°Target within range.¡±

    Peter and Val both jumped to their feet and rushed back to the cockpit.

    On the screen, they saw the distant silhouette of Starrider.

 86 (2x11) When desperate times call for desperate measures

    135 YEARS PRIOR...

    Alterica was a peaceful place¡ªmade of green valleys, buttes with gentle slopes, small spread-out woods, and majestic mountains.

    Cal Treggor was surprised when he heard the exploration team had deemed this place unfit for colonization.

    ¡°Why?¡± he had asked Gandor.

    The man had shown him their recordings.

    ¡°It looks heavenly, but appearances can be deceiving. The place is plagued with frequent and extremely violent storms. Not a single structure we¡¯ve built, no matter how strong the material, has withstood the blows.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you moved your base of operation into the mountains?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s part of it. But we also have the wurms to put up with.¡±

    ¡°The wurms?¡±

    ¡°Giant worm-like creatures that burrow underground. They¡¯ll eat anything. Wood, metal, humans... They don¡¯t come near the mountains, though, so we¡¯re safe here. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for that drill, we¡¯d already have left. It¡¯s not worth the trouble.¡±

    Treggor now stood in the cave, staring at the egg-shaped device. It was black as night, with only a few patches of color here and there. Red and blue marks, both in a darker tint. He wondered what they meant.

    The thing did not glow, nor did it emit any sounds. It just hovered there, taunting him. Underneath was a pit, though you could barely see the opening along the edges of the egg.

    People had tried to move the device to access the opening, but it wouldn¡¯t budge, no matter how hard they pushed. They¡¯d even tried tying ropes to the damn thing and pulling them with machines. The ropes had broken.

    He moved closer and reached out. His fingers grazed the surface. It was rough, as if covered with billions of minuscule bumps that were not visible to the naked eye. He felt warmth, too, which intrigued him as the cave was chilly.

    ¡°So what do you think of the Gandoran Drill?¡± asked a woman¡¯s voice from behind.

    He turned and saw a tall blonde with a mischievous smile. She wore the same white uniform with the Imperial wreath that all the scientists here wore.

    ¡°The Gandoran Drill?¡±

    She held out her hand as she approached. ¡°Alana Gorim.¡±

    He shook it. ¡°Cal Treggor.¡±

    She nodded and pointed at the alien device.

    ¡°John isn¡¯t too fond of the term, but we thought it only fair to name it after him, since he¡¯s the one who discovered it.¡±

    Treggor looked back toward the egg as the woman stepped up next to him, both of them staring at the black surface.

    He rubbed the back of his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of it,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Welcome to the club.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Treggor glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯m sure you must have a theory, no?¡±

    She smiled and shrugged. ¡°Oh, we all do. There is no lack of theories here. It could be anything from a digging tool to a transportation device. Who knows?¡±

    ¡°A weapon, maybe?¡±

    She gave him a strange look. ¡°Is that why they sent you?¡±

    It was his turn to shrug. ¡°The government wouldn¡¯t be doing its job if it didn¡¯t consider all angles, including the more nefarious ones.¡±

    ¡°I think the word you¡¯re looking for is especially.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s above my pay grade.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just here to move the damn thing.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°And how the hell are you going to do that?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s above your pay grade.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Nothing personal.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a scientist. I know the drill.¡± She giggled when she realized she had just made a pun. ¡°Well, if you pull it off, we might be able to finally explore the pit.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s not just two feet deep?¡±

    She smirked as she pointed at the opening between the edge of the hole and the egg¡¯s surface.

    ¡°There¡¯s enough space there that we could wiggle a camera through. It got yanked away by something and we had to cut the cable before it took the whole installation down. The feed broke off after a couple of minutes, but we got enough footage to know it¡¯s deep.¡±

    ¡°Yanked?¡± She just nodded. ¡°You think there¡¯s something down there?¡±

    ¡°Some of the guys think whoever built that machine must live in underground cities. That pit could be a tunnel leading back to them.¡±

    Treggor had brought some of his own men with him. Over the next few days, they placed connectors¡ªsmall, round, yellow alundil plates¡ªall over the black egg. Making them hold was the tricky part. On a smooth surface they would have held in place easily enough, but because of the bumps, every once in a while one of them would fall. They had to keep sticking them back on, until one of his men thought of using elastic glue that would fill the gaps between the bumps.

    They had asked Gandor¡¯s team to stay away. In part because of the secrecy that surrounded this technology, but also because Treggor didn¡¯t know what would happen. They were in uncharted territory. This thing was so much bigger than anything they¡¯d ever displaced before. For all he knew, the whole cave could blow up... or be displaced at the same time as the device.

    Best everyone stayed at the base.

    He and his men, however, were required to be there so they could monitor the proceedings and make any required adjustments. They all understood the risk and accepted it.

    When everything was ready, they sat behind the makeshift control desk, and Treggor pressed the button that would set the machine off.

    At first, nothing happened.

    Then they heard a distant buzz. It slowly grew. And as it did, he thought he saw bits of the egg blur. The sound continued to rise in pitch and volume. The walls trembled and the ground shook. Pieces of rock fell from the ceiling.

    There was a loud clap, and all of a sudden the device was gone.

    The men all laughed and cheered, but Treggor did not.

    He still had to make sure the Gandoran Drill had gone where it was supposed to go. As his fingers ran over the controls, he looked around with a frown. Something was off. While the high-pitched whistling had stopped, it was now replaced by another sound.

    Rocks fell into the no longer covered pit. Each produced sparks and a flurry of light as they bounced around and tumbled further down the shaft.

    The others finally noticed, and some ventured closer to the opening.

    ¡°Stay away!¡± yelled Treggor.

    But it was too late. One of them got hit by a rock and fell into the hole. His screams echoed for a long time as his body was thrown back and forth between the surfaces as it dropped deeper and deeper.

    There was another sound, too, though it was more distant. How long had it been there? Like piercing shrieks that resonated through the tunnels.

    ¡°Can you hear that?¡± whispered someone.

    Despite the noise of the falling rocks, the shrieks grew louder. It sent shivers down their spines and curdled their blood.

    They all turned to look at the tunnel¡ªthe one that led outside. It was their only way out. A swarm of small and deadly creatures rushed out from it and jumped on the closest men, tearing through flesh and bone, like a thousand famished monsters.

    Treggor stepped back toward the pit, horrified by the scene. How was he going to get out of here? The only exit was cut off. And he was not about to jump into that hole!

    Then he saw one of the yellow plates lying on the ground. Without thinking, he reached down, stuck it against his skin, then hurried to the controls and hit the button.

    This, too, had never been done before.

    The alien technology had only ever been used to displace inanimate objects.

    But it was too late now to stop it.

    The scientist looked down and saw his feet disappear, then his hands... And then everything went dark.

    Cal Treggor was never heard from again.

 87 (2x12) When a blue woman steps through a gate...

    The suspended walkway glittered under the silvery moon. It snaked its way between triangular buildings, like the tortuous path of a madman. Yet, there was purpose to the design. Each twist would bring the stroller close to a gate into the adjacent structure.

    Mrill stopped at the third turn and went through the door. It was a reddish thing with a green handle that rather clashed with the whiteness within. But the blue alien cared little about such things.

    She walked up to the reception desk and stared at the man behind it.

    ¡°Yes?¡± he said.

    ¡°I need to go to Ebar.¡±

    The man looked her up and down, snorted, and tapped on his TriVid screen.

    ¡°I have an opening in two hours.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Thirty thousand credits,¡± he said with a smirk.

    She could have bought a ticket at the spaceport, but cruisers were notoriously slow. And the rim was far. It would have taken forever to get there¡ªand she didn¡¯t have forever. Besides, she dreaded the idea of spending so much time doing nothing.

    That was not for her.

    It would have been cheaper, of course, but that was not a concern.

    She slid a hand into her pouch and brought out five coins. Each was worth ten thousand credits.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you fifty if you can send me there right now.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes went wide. He blinked a couple of times, then looked back at the woman¡¯s face.

    ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m sure that can be arranged.¡±

    A couple of minutes later, she stood in front of an oval shape drawn on a wall. The surface inside shifted, shimmered, faded, until it was no more. Instead, it now showed another place. It was all sand and dunes, with dust swirling in the air¡ªlikely carried by the wind. She almost thought she could hear it.

    She glanced at the technician who was working on his dashboard.

    ¡°You¡¯re sending me to a desert?¡±

    Her voice was calm and bland, despite the question.

    The man shrugged without looking up. ¡°Those are the only coordinates I have for Ebar. There should be a city nearby, though. There always is. The gateways need constant energy to maintain them open, not to mention people to operate the controls.¡±

    ¡°There should be? You don¡¯t know?¡±

    The technician looked up at her with the kind of expression you¡¯d give a child who was asking a very stupid question. ¡°Do you know how many worlds there are in the Imperium? Would you really expect me to remember them all? Including places like this that no one ever goes to?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she conceded, ¡°I imagine I wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    He went back to work.

    Mrill¡¯s gaze returned to the opening.

    ¡°Very well. Shall I go in now?¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡±

    She waited.

    The technician tapped some more, then finally looked up.

    ¡°It¡¯s ready. Please step through the gateway.¡±

    She walked up to the opening, then went in without a second of hesitation.

    It felt as if her body melted and was sucked in at the same time. Before she could process the experience, it was over.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    She looked around her.

    All she could see was sand and dunes for miles on end in every direction.

    No city. No people. Nothing.

    And the passage she had come through was gone.

    She¡¯d have to have a chat with that technician when she got back.

    As this thought went through her head, she heard a distant humming sound. She looked in the direction it came from and saw a growing dot.

    Something was coming.

    Her hand instinctively went for the cylindrical handle she always had on her. She gripped it and pulled it out, watching as the silhouette grew.

    It was a glider, she realized. And a rather large model, too.

    ¡°Quick!¡± she heard a panting voice call out from behind her. ¡°Over here!¡±

    She spun around and saw a hole had opened in the sand. A man¡¯s head and hand jutted out, waving urgently at her.

    Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the glider had sped up and would be upon them within seconds. She ran to the opening and jumped in as the man slid down. The hole closed up above her head with a swoosh.

    It was a narrow tunnel that dug deep into the earth. She used the ladder on the wall to climb down, her back scraping against the rock.

    When she reached the bottom, she found the man waiting for her in a small room with barely enough space for the two of them.

    ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Avor.¡± He looked her up and down and wrinkled his nose. ¡°Nobody told me you¡¯d be blue. Then again, nobody ever tells me anything, so why should I be surprised?¡±

    She decided to ignore the comment. It didn¡¯t matter. She was not likely to ever see this man again. Instead, she pointed up.

    ¡°Who was that?¡±

    ¡°In the glider?¡± Avor shrugged. ¡°Bandits. They¡¯re always on the lookout for the rich who use the gateway.¡± He threw his arms in the air. ¡°And then, of course, the rich are pissed because they have to come down here. I mean, look at this dump! But what else am I supposed to do? It¡¯s not like I have the space to open a gateway here. And I¡¯m all alone operating things, so I have to keep running from the control room¡ª¡± He pointed to another narrow tunnel to his left. ¡°¡ªto the desert up there, hoping I can save whoever thought it¡¯d be a brilliant idea to visit Ebar of all places¡ªno offense¡ªbefore any of those stupid lowlife uneducated and miserable thugs can assault them! It wouldn¡¯t be so hard to solve this. With all the credits they¡¯re making with folks like you, you¡¯d think they could afford hiring help. But noooo, the higher-ups refuse to spend even half-a-credit on a backward world!¡± He paused, looking her over again. ¡°Well, not exactly like you, but you know what I mean.¡±

    She had listened quietly to his rant, her face expressionless.

    ¡°Where is the city?¡± she asked.

    The man blinked a couple of times.

    ¡°Ah, well, of course.¡± He muttered to himself. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t care about my troubles, would you? Why would you ever?¡± He threw his arms in the air again. ¡°Not that it matters, I suppose. Come on, follow me.¡± He stepped toward another opening in the rock wall. ¡°I hate my life. Why, oh why did I not listen to my wife? She warned me this job smelled fishy. Not that she¡¯d know. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s ever smelled a fish in her entire life. Nor have I, to be fair. Not too many fish on Ebar, no sirree. But you know what? She was right! Damn woman. Look at this place! It¡¯s a dump! I expected this to be the opportunity of a lifetime. Ha! I thought my wife was crazy. Even left her over it. What a fool I was. Not about the wife, she was a wicked one, that one. Good riddance. But this place is¡ª¡±

    ¡°A dump, yes. I quite agree.¡±

    They had reached another small room. The far wall had been flattened, smoothed out, with four doors carved into it.

    The little man grumbled and pointed.

    ¡°Well now, here it is. You only need but choose where you want to go. Far left will take you to Havenka¡ªa beautiful city if you don¡¯t mind the constant wind and all the dust in the air.¡± He wrinkled his nose, making it clear what he thought about it. ¡°The one next to it leads to Valenki, where they eat worms for breakfast and feast on mud in the winter.¡± He laughed. ¡°Winter! What a joke. Get it? Winter! Ha!¡±

    ¡°The other two?¡± asked Mrill calmly.

    The man snorted. ¡°Third one goes to Tolinku, where all women wear garments made of hardened lomdru skin. It¡¯s said to keep you fresh. I wouldn¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never worn the damn thing. Not a woman, am I? Why would I put on something like that? It¡¯s the silliest thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±

    Mrill had said nothing, and still she remained quiet. The little man peered at her, shrugged, and pointed at the last door.

    ¡°That one goes to Adranko. Loneliest place on Ebar. Plenty of people there, but none of them speak. And all of them hide. I mean, they never come out of their houses. Except to buy stuff, I suppose. Even then, I don¡¯t think they do. More likely, someone else delivers the food to them. Which wouldn¡¯t make sense, would it? Because then there would be delivery men all over their streets, and there ain¡¯t! Who knows? I don¡¯t. Curious folks. Oh, and they don¡¯t like strangers there. Rumor is they eat them raw.¡±

    Mrill rather doubted that, but she did not comment.

    ¡°Which is the capital?¡±

    ¡°Capital? What capital?¡± The little man laughed. ¡°There is no such thing here. Every city has its own government. Total nonsense, I tell you. Nobody can ever agree on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Which is the biggest city?¡± she interrupted.

    ¡°In geographical size or in terms of population?¡±

    As the man continued to spew out comments, she consulted the holofile Janth had given her. It stated her target lived in the capital. Considering what she was hearing, she would have to make assumptions.

    ¡°Population,¡± she said.

    The man stopped blathering whatever nonsense he was blathering and blinked.

    ¡°Oh. Well. If you¡¯re going to look at population, then it depends whether we¡¯re including the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡±

    The guardian grumbled and pointed at the third door.

    ¡°Tolinku.¡±

    Before he could say another word¡ªand she could sense he was about to¡ªshe walked up to the third door, opened it, and stepped through.

 88 (2x13) When chains are tightened

    The Gnorlian embassy was a bustle of activity. Had been for weeks. It had only gotten worse after the Qevahri had so blatantly defied, then humiliated the Imperium. And that was nothing compared to what was to come.

    Thiari walked up the stairs and into her office. She checked she was alone and locked the door behind her. Stepping up to the back wall, behind her desk, she pushed slightly aside the painting that hung there, revealing what looked like a safe. But that was only for show, in case anyone thought to look there.

    She tapped a code on the metallic panel, and a distinct clink followed. She let go of the painting. It fell back into place as a section of the wall blurred and faded.

    With a sigh, Thiari walked through the opening into a small, dark room. The lights flickered on as she pulled a chair and sat, staring at the TriVid screen in front of her. She heard a whoosh when the wall behind her became solid again and shuddered. If anything went wrong, she¡¯d be entombed here and nobody would ever find her body. Even if they guessed her location, no one but her had the code.

    It was silly, though. What could possibly go wrong?

    She reached out to touch the screen. It lit up under her finger. As she leaned back, an image formed. The silhouette of a man, his face hidden by a black hood.

    ¡°You are late,¡± said a raspy voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    ¡°That is no excuse.¡±

    ¡°In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, people are fighting over Rimzana. It¡¯s a mess down here!¡±

    ¡°And I have you to thank for that.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She frowned but said nothing.

    ¡°Is everything ready?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°I have a team leaving for Bernice in an hour and another headed for Assalin in five. As you requested.¡±

    ¡°And the Children of Wrath?¡±

    ¡°They could not be bought. However, I planted one of my own within their organization. It will take time, but they will be swayed.¡±

    The hooded man clicked his tongue. ¡°Things need to happen in a certain order, Thiari. I will not tolerate any slipups!¡±

    ¡°It is not my fault if those lunatics will not listen to reason!¡± she snapped. ¡°And why would you need them? Haven¡¯t you created enough chaos as it is?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°And why are you doing all this, anyway?¡±

    ¡°You dare question me?¡±

    She pursed her lips, holding back the retort she so badly wanted to scream at the guy.

    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± said the man.

    He leaned back in his chair, but the room around him was too dark to make out any details. She wouldn¡¯t even have known he was a man if it hadn¡¯t been for his voice.

    ¡°What about Bregg?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Last I heard, he had gone down to Qevahr. With some luck, he was caught and executed. I don¡¯t like that he knows so much about me.¡±

    ¡°I do as well.¡±

    Thiari clenched her fists. ¡°I am well aware. What else do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. Your next mission is to make an official announcement.¡±

    She tensed at this. ¡°Up until now, you¡¯ve asked me to use my resources. But this is different. I cannot¡ª¡±

    ¡°You will do exactly what I ask you to do. Or would you rather I told the Ruulians what you did to them? Or should I tell your family about your past?¡±

    She grimaced. ¡°And what kind of announcement do you want me to make?¡±

    ¡°That you fully support the High Noort¡¯s claims.¡±

    ¡°What? That could draw Gnorlia into the war! Isn¡¯t it enough that I sent her that damn book?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°It would destroy me! My people would perceive me as a traitor. I cannot do this.¡±

    ¡°And yet, you will.¡±

    ¡°Do not ask this of me!¡± she pleaded. ¡°I would be of no use to you anymore.¡±

    Though she could not see the man¡¯s face, she could imagine him smirking at her. It was infuriating.

    ¡°And why would you think that, little one?¡±

    She hated the way the man spoke to her, as if she were a child.

    ¡°I will be demoted and shamed. Possibly jailed or even executed.¡±

    The hood shook from left to right.

    ¡°None of that will happen. Now, do as you are told, and you shall be rewarded.¡±

    The face disappeared and the screen went dark.

 89 (2x14) When a thiefs life is made more difficult

    They watched quietly as the battlepod came closer and closer to Starrider.

    ¡°Do you have any idea who took it?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it a lot. The only thing I can think of is that Juden and his friend must have found a way to break free, but I don¡¯t understand how they could have taken control of the ship. Nim would have powered down rather than let him do that. It¡¯s what he did last time.¡±

    ¡°He must have reset the system, then.¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°But there is no AI!¡±

    ¡°It would still have given him power. He could then go manual to lift off.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that damage the ship?¡±

    ¡°It could, but I guess he was willing to risk it.¡±

    Val swore.

    ¡°What I don¡¯t get,¡± said Peter as they came even closer, ¡°is why they haven¡¯t tried to shoot us down. They must know we¡¯re here by now.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t know who¡¯s inside the battlepod,¡± she reminded him. ¡°Probably think we¡¯re Impies.¡±

    ¡°Then why not hail us?¡±

    As if his words had been a signal, a white light blinked on the dashboard.

    ¡°Incoming call,¡± said the onboard AI.

    ¡°Put it through, but no microphone. I just want to hear what they have to say.¡±

    A few seconds of silence followed, then a man¡¯s voice rang in the small cockpit and Val instantly recognized it.

    ¡°Hello, hello!¡± said Juden. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s you, Val and Kaine. How are you, buddies?¡±

    Val looked at her brother. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know Kaine is on Starrider! He must still be in the stasis tube.¡±

    Seeing they were not responding, Juden spoke up again. ¡°I know it¡¯s you! I saw that ship you¡¯re in back at the spaceport. You must have used it to escape those nutjobs who were shooting at you. Glad you made it out. And I mean that.¡± Another silence. ¡°Well, what? Not going to say hello to your old friend? Fine. But it seems to me like we have a bit of a standstill. We both know you wouldn¡¯t shoot at this beauty¡ªyou¡¯re too attached to it. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice. And I obviously couldn¡¯t shoot through the shield of a battlepod¡ªnot with a ship this old! I¡¯m not giving her up, though. And you can¡¯t take her back. So how about a compromise? You stop trailing us and I promise to get you another ship¡ªsomething more modern. It would do you good. You really shouldn¡¯t be so sentimental about a freaking ship. Look where it got you. So, what do you say? I¡¯ll even put it in writing if it makes you feel better.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Peter glanced at his sister. ¡°I know you¡¯d never take the deal, but he does have a point about the standstill. Any ideas?¡±

    Val squinted at the screen and nodded. She pointed toward the back of Starrider.

    ¡°Head for the docking bay.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s closed, Val.¡±

    She looked at him and grinned. ¡°Not for long.¡± She tapped on her wristpad. ¡°I have the keycode. And he doesn¡¯t have an AI to stop me.¡±

    Peter chuckled. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this thing.¡±

    He turned to the dashboard and his fingers ran over the controls. The battlepod sped up.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± came Juden¡¯s alarmed voice.

    Val leaned and hit a button to open the microphone.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming for you,¡± she said sweetly before cutting off the link.

    Peter laughed.

    As the battlepod moved closer, Val pressed her wristpad against the dashboard to send the code through. And the door slid open.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be like sitting ducks,¡± said Peter. ¡°They¡¯re on manual, so they can¡¯t leave the cockpit. Well, at least one of them can¡¯t. You sure there are only two of them?¡±

    ¡°Positive. But that other one is a mountain of a man. I¡¯d rather not have to fight him.¡±

    ¡°We have phasers.¡±

    ¡°So do they.¡±

    The battlepod landed. They jumped out of their seats and hurried to the hatch. Both grabbed their phasers and stepped out. They paused, looking around the small bay. It was quiet and empty.

    Val looked at the ceiling. ¡°Nim?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Nim!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve reconfigured the speakers so that I can speak in only one room at a time, so the intruders cannot hear me.¡±

    ¡°Good thinking! Can you connect to my wristpad? It¡¯d be even more convenient if you could talk to me through there.¡±

    ¡°I can now that you are back on board.¡±

    ¡°Great! You remember my brother Peter?¡±

    ¡°Hello Peter.¡±

    This time, the disembodied voice had come from Val¡¯s wristpad.

    ¡°Hi Nim. Glad you¡¯re okay.¡±

    ¡°I should be the one saying that. We all thought you were dead.¡±

    Peter grinned. ¡°I¡¯m tougher than I look.¡±

    Val snorted. ¡°We can share war stories later. Nim, can you tell me what happened?¡±

    ¡°The prisoners escaped. The big one broke a drawer and the dark one used a piece of selite to jam the controls and the door opened. I shut everything down, as I had before, but they used the reset code to get the power back up.¡±

    ¡°Can you regain control?¡±

    The voice hesitated. ¡°No, Val. The reset did something to the system. It¡¯s different now. I don¡¯t understand it.¡±

    Val cursed. ¡°Are they still both on the bridge?¡±

    ¡°Only the dark one.¡±

    ¡°Where is the mountain?¡±

    ¡°He should be here any minute now.¡±

    Val cursed again.

 90 (2x15) When an ominous truth is uncovered

    126 YEARS PRIOR...

    The Gandoran Drill was a mystery wrapped within a mystery. It hovered above the ground without emitting a single sound, or light, or any sign of power.

    With the disappearance of Cal Treggor, Del Ammar had been appointed as the new Secrets Senior Officer and, as such, oversaw all research involving alien devices.

    But the Drill was his main concern. It fascinated him.

    In the nine years they had studied it, they had failed to breach it, break it, or open it. The surface couldn¡¯t even be damaged. It remained clean and shiny as on the first day it had arrived. They had also tried to look inside, using various technologies¡ªfrom X-rays to quantum physics, but none of it had worked.

    And yet, it seemed made of a simple metallic substance. There was no reason they couldn¡¯t pierce through.

    One thing, however, had become clear. The Drill somehow affected the weather. Soon after moving it, the storms on Alterica had worsened and snow had fallen continuously ever since.

    Ammar might have thought it a freak coincidence if the weather hadn¡¯t started going weird around the secret base where the device had landed.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around?¡± had asked a confused scientist from his team. ¡°It obviously was making things better on Alterica, so why is it making them worse here?¡±

    Ammar had no answer¡ªno one did. But they could not just do nothing. This was bound to draw unwanted attention to their activities.

    So he decided to move the device again¡ªthis time to an isolated asteroid that had no weather to affect.

    He stood in front of the egg now, staring at it.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I break you open, damn it?¡±

    Though the shell was made of metal, it was of a type they could not identify.

    ¡°Sir...¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he asked distractedly, his eyes still focused on the device.

    ¡°Two engineers are asking permission to come through the gateway.¡±

    He blinked and looked at his assistant. ¡°Engineers?¡±

    ¡°They say they¡¯ve come to fix the conveyor.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Yes. I called them yesterday. That was quick. Let them in.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the conveyor was broken.¡±

    He quirked a brow. ¡°Must I tell you everything, then? Is that how it works? Am I the assistant now?¡±

    The younger man grumbled and shook his head.

    ¡°No, of course not. I¡¯ll go take care of it.¡±

    ¡°You do that.¡±

    He watched him walk away for a moment, then looked back at the egg.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    What was its secret?

    Was it truly a drill? A transportation mechanism? A communication conduit? Or did it only control the weather? But even then, how did it do it? And was it all it could do?

    Was the Emperor right to fear this thing, to think it could be a weapon or a spying device?

    He did not think the latter likely. There hadn¡¯t been much to spy on in that cavern on Alterica, after all. You¡¯d think they¡¯d have picked a more strategic spot had that truly been its nature.

    And who, exactly, were ¡®they¡¯?

    Too many questions, not enough answers.

    Clinking sounds drew his attention. He looked back toward the door and saw the two engineers come through. The assistant led them to the conveyor and they began to work.

    Ammar sighed as he walked back to his desk. It was in the same room as the device, in the back, where he could keep an eye on things. He had wanted to make sure he wouldn¡¯t miss any important discovery¡ªlet alone any activity from this thing.

    He sat and tapped on his TriVid screen. Data scrolled until he stopped it with a swipe of his fingers. He read through the text and grunted.

    Nothing they tried was working. It was as if they¡¯d thrown nine years down the drain.

    Ammar was about to load up a different report when he heard a high-pitched whistle, followed by a shriek, followed by a series of thuds.

    His head shot up, looking toward the conveyor.

    One of the panels had broken, and a beam of raw thilium energy had shot out of it, piercing through his assistant and various equipment on its way to the alien device.

    He jumped out of his chair, shouting.

    ¡°Shut it down! Now!¡±

    The engineers hadn¡¯t waited for him. Even as the last word came out of his mouth, the ray disappeared.

    A dozen scientists ran around in panic, as papers flew everywhere. Chairs and tables were toppled. A sickening smell of burned flesh and melted metal lingered in the air.

    Ammar looked down at the lifeless body of his assistant. Then at the materials the beam had touched. It had gone through all of them, piercing wide and fuming holes. No matter the metal, none could resist the power of raw thilium.

    Then he stared at the Drill.

    It hovered quietly, as if nothing had happened.

    Amidst the chaos, he walked slowly toward the device and circled it, looking for any sign of damage.

    There was none.

    Not a single scratch.

    Not a single burn.

    He frowned.

    It was as if¡ª

    His eyes went wide.

    He spun around and hurried toward the conveyor.

    ¡°You two!¡±

    The engineers looked up.

    ¡°Now don¡¯t go blaming this on us!¡± started one of them. ¡°Can¡¯t help it if you¡¯re using selite panels. That stuff is too brittle for an installation like this. You really should¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough! I don¡¯t care about that. Do you have a cutter?¡±

    The man blinked. ¡°Of course. We need it to¡ª¡±

    Ammar held out his hand. ¡°I need to borrow it.¡± When the other hesitated, he shouted. ¡°Now!¡±

    The engineer grunted but complied.

    With the cylinder in hand, Ammar walked back to the egg. This was one thing they had never thought to try.

    Keeping the cutter far enough from the surface that he could see the beam, he pressed the button on the side and watched as the ray came out and disappeared into the black shell.

    ¡°Ha!¡± He turned off the cutter and turned back to his team. ¡°It absorbs thilium energy!¡±

    Having finally come back to their senses, the scientists gathered around him, gaping at the Drill.

    ¡°What does it mean?¡± asked one of them.

    ¡°It means...¡± Ammar frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it means, but it means something. Oh! I need to see that report again.¡±

    He ran back to his desk and pulled up the analysis he had run a couple of years ago in an attempt to identify the material the device was made of.

    ¡°It¡¯s an alloy!¡± he cried out after a few minutes of reading. ¡°Why did I not see this before? Damn it! So much time wasted. Of course, it¡¯s an alloy!¡±

    Dr. Dena Dermuth was one of the youngest scientists on his team.

    ¡°What are the components?¡± she asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question.¡± Ammar leaned back in his chair with an awed expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s made up of two metals. One of them remains unidentified. But the other? It¡¯s thilium.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s impossible!¡± said Dermuth. ¡°Thilium is pure energy, it¡¯s not a metal.¡±

    ¡°And yet...¡± He pointed at his screen. ¡°It is. Whoever made that thing somehow managed to turn thilium into a solid and used that to create one of the most resistant metals I¡¯ve ever seen. And as a plus side, it can even absorb raw thilium.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that. For all we know, it went inside and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t it come out the other side? Raw thilium cannot be stopped and will slice through anything that comes in its way. It should have come out the back. It did not. Because it was absorbed. That¡¯s the only possible explanation.¡±

    He stared at the device, his eyes going wide.

    All those who were looking at him at that moment saw the color drain out of his face.

 91 (2x16) When hunter finds prey

    The crowded streets were noisy, filthy, and stunk of sweat and piss. There were no gliders here, no walkways, no clean walls or shielded skies. Wind-blown dust seeped into people¡¯s hair and clothes, as it had for thousands of years.

    Finding her target would not be easy. All the holofile said was that he had been seen here recently. Well, in the ¡®capital¡¯ anyway. She wasn¡¯t even sure she was in the right city.

    Mrill paused in the shadow of an alley to swipe through the data. No address. Just the name of a park. She wished she¡¯d seen this earlier, she could have checked its location before going through that door.

    She did so now.

    Her wristpad revealed the park was in Tolinku and brought up a map showing her how to get there from where she was. At least, she wouldn¡¯t waste time finding a way to travel between cities.

    There was no public transportation here and it was a half-hour walk, but she didn¡¯t mind. It reminded her of home. Not that home had been anything like this at all¡ªat least not as far as sand and filth were concerned. But it was a rimworld too. One with little technology, where people relied more on their physical abilities than on machines.

    She missed it. She would have liked to go back, but she knew she never could. Her people were more likely to kill her than to welcome her with open arms.

    When she reached the park, she walked around showing a picture of her prey. One was included in the holofile, along with his name: Gulen Udran. With some luck, he came here often enough that the regulars would recognize him.

    ¡°Oh, yes! I know him,¡± said a young blonde woman.

    ¡°Do you know where I can find him?¡±

    The woman squinted as she looked her up and down. ¡°Why? What is he to you?¡±

    ¡°I owe him money,¡± she lied. ¡°Would like to pay him back.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t have his address? No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    The woman walked away.

    Mrill dove into her mind before she was out of reach, but there were no answers there. Just the shining silhouette of a kind and generous man.

    She found two others who reacted in much the same way. And, like the lady, the two men only remembered this idealized version of Udran.

    Why did people care so much for this man? It was like they all wanted to protect him.

    While the fourth who knew him reacted like the others, this one thought of an address. With a beautiful, big house in the suburbs of Tolinku.

    Mrill left the park and headed for the outskirts of the city. She noticed the streets were cleaner here. This must be a wealthier neighborhood.

    All the houses were different, so it was only a matter of finding the right one. And as long as she had a purpose, Mrill could be a very patient woman.

    It took her three days to find it. Every night, she would retire to a hotel in the heart of the city. Then early in the morning, she would return to roam the streets, examining each house with great care. Twice the residents had called upon the authorities, concerned they might have a stalker in the neighborhood. Twice she had used her powers of persuasion to convince the patrollers that she was a harmless tourist.

    Now she stood in front of the structure, studying it with curiosity. It had triangular walls that pointed at the sky, with possibly hundreds of antennas poking out of a red selite roof.

    She walked up to the door and knocked.

    Within minutes, it swung open, and a smiling man appeared.

    It was Gulen Udran in person.

    His smile widened when he saw her.

    ¡°Oh! A Vron! How wonderful! Please come in.¡±

    She stared at him as he stepped aside.

    ¡°You know my people?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course! But come now.¡± He motioned for her to enter. ¡°I would love to have a chat with you. It has been so long since I¡¯ve seen one of your kind.¡±

    She scanned his mind, but found no ill will. Only kindness and pleasure. So she stepped into the living room.

    The inner walls were all translucent, each tinted a different color¡ªgreen, yellow, red, blue... The ceiling was fully transparent, with a magnificent view of the clear blue sky. A comfortable-looking couch waited against a purple wall. Embedded in the blue wall across from it was a TriVid screen. Images of beautiful landscapes from throughout the Imperium scrolled on the display.

    ¡°Come, come! You must tell me all about yourself. Sit, please, make yourself at home. What would you like to drink?¡±

    ¡°Must?¡± she asked blandly.

    He glanced at her and grinned. ¡°Oh, oh! Don¡¯t get all mad at me. I know your ways. I¡¯m just curious, is all I am. You would know that if you knew me.¡±

    She probed into his mind again and found no deceit in this one. She dug further, needing to understand.

    There, in the depths of his memories, shining like a beacon of hope, was a valley of light and joy. Humans and Vrons mingled and laughed and shared moments of friendship. There was no hatred there, no fear, no misunderstanding. They all knew each other¡¯s true nature.

    Her hands shook as she sat on the couch.

 92 (2x17) When nothing is as it seems

    It was a beautiful day¡ªdespite the fires and the meteorites falling from the sky. They bombarded the city, causing explosions that rocked the earth and shattered glass.

    The scene had a certain epic feel to it that Zax Iden found rather appealing. He stood on the balcony of his house, on a mountain overlooking the city. A shield protected him and his villa. Though it did not rain here. Every once in a while, a small rock would fall, hit the invisible shield, bounce off, and tumble down the cliff. It was nothing.

    He ran a hand through his crimson hair, pulled a chair and sat, a glass of asperry juice in his hand. It was a rare and delicious fruit that only grew on Sivaris¡ªa world of lush jungles and fertile fields that was solely used for farming.

    Yes, today was a beautiful day. A day filled with hope. He had earned this moment of peace. Because soon he would be able to leave. There still was work to be done, of course, but it was with a light heart that he would do it. And, in the end, he would get his just reward.

    ¡°Mr. Iden?¡±

    He looked up at his servant, slightly annoyed by the interruption.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    The boy¡¯s lips twitched, his green eyes blinking, a hint of concern verging on panic flickered for a second.

    ¡°There¡¯s someone at the door. A wounded woman. I think she needs help, sir.¡±

    Zax jumped out of his chair, set his glass down on a small table, and rushed into the house. He went through the living room, into the hall, and reached the lobby in less than a minute.

    The stranger had leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to the floor, holding her bleeding stomach with her right hand.

    He knelt next to her and gently lifted her hand to look at the wound.

    ¡°Nasty,¡± he muttered. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Before she could answer, he looked over his shoulder and called out. ¡°Grell! Get me some hot water, clean cloths, and the medkit. Hurry!¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    The servant nodded and rushed off as Zax looked back at the woman.

    ¡°Ambush,¡± she muttered. ¡°My friends... All dead. A mile from here.¡±

    Zax grimaced. Banditry was getting out of hand in this dreadful world. He¡¯d have to do something about that.

    ¡°Can you walk?¡± he asked.

    The woman closed her eyes and shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It... it hurts... so much.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll carry you. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    He grabbed her in his arms and lifted her easily. With a few quick steps, he took her into the guest room and lay her on the bed.

    ¡°Sir!¡± Grell came running in. ¡°Here¡¯s the medkit. Asha should be here soon with the water and cloths.¡±

    Zax grunted and nodded. He took the medkit, opened it, and pulled out a syringe. After filling it with a green liquid, he injected it into the woman¡¯s arm to prevent infections.

    She hadn¡¯t reopened her eyes since he¡¯d carried her, so he checked for a pulse and found she still had one.

    Running feet came into the room. He turned as Asha arrived, holding out two pieces of cloth in one hand and a bucket of water in the other.

    Zax motioned for her to leave all that next to the bed.

    ¡°You two go call the doctor. I¡¯ll do what I can for her, but she¡¯ll need professional help. And sooner rather than later, I suspect.¡±

    The two servants headed out and he looked back at the woman. She had soft skin and long silver hair, though she looked young¡ªmaybe in her twenties. A locket hung around her neck. Her garments were clean and elegant, with intricate embroideries that hinted at a wealthy family.

    He used a pair of scissors to cut the dress around the wound, then proceeded to clean it.

    When he was done, he checked her breathing again, then pulled a cover over the woman and quietly stepped out of the room.

    He found Grell standing nearby, shifting from one foot to the other.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°How is she?¡±

    ¡°Do you know her?¡±

    The servant looked down. ¡°Sort of.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen her before. And I... Ah, well...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Grell rubbed the back of his neck and looked to the door.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I suppose. I could never...¡± He sighed. ¡°Her name is Rishi. I¡¯ve seen her before.¡±

    Zax chuckled. ¡°Yes. I believe you¡¯ve mentioned it.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Sorry.¡±

    The servant was young¡ªperhaps the same age as the wounded woman, come to think of it. But they were of different worlds and Grell knew it.

    ¡°Do you know where she lives? Or who her parents are?¡±

    The boy blushed. ¡°I, uh, once followed her. She lives in the city. I know the address.¡±

    Zax winced at the mention of the city. He was glad her father was wealthy¡ªhe¡¯d have a shield¡ªor there might have been more bad news for the poor girl.

    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find her family.¡±

 93 (2x18) When phasers speak

    Knowing which door the big man would come through made it easier. Val and Peter posted themselves on each side of the opening, their backs against the wall, and waited.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to hear the heavy footsteps of the giant.

    Warthol burst into the docking bay howling like a madman, holding his arms spread apart in the air.

    Val shot him.

    The man screamed in pain. He spun around and rushed toward her.

    She jumped out of the way and Warthol hit his head hard against the wall. At the same time, Peter shot him with his phaser set to stun.

    The big man straightened, shook his head, stumbled back, wavered for a moment, then crashed to the floor.

    They both put their phasers away.

    ¡°So, what are we going to do with him?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Hell if I know. We could lock him up in another room, but that didn¡¯t work out too well last time.¡±

    ¡°I wonder, though. Maybe if we held them in different cabins? Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but Juden couldn¡¯t have escaped without Warthol¡¯s strength. And Warthol is not smart enough to figure out how to get out on his own.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± said Val thoughtfully. She looked down. ¡°You know, it¡¯s funny, we keep calling this one a big guy, but he¡¯s actually shorter than Juden. That one¡¯s tall but thin, though.¡±

    ¡°So I suppose stocky would be a more fitting description for him.¡± Peter pointed at the fallen Warthol.

    Val chuckled. ¡°That sounds about right. Well, I suppose we should move him.¡±

    The man was too heavy to carry, so they had to drag him down the hall¡ªeach grabbing and pulling on one massive arm.

    ¡°Uh, Val. I don¡¯t know where Juden is.¡±

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Say that again?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s no longer on the bridge,¡± said Nim. ¡°I was distracted and didn¡¯t notice when he left. The reset has messed with my access to the system, so I can¡¯t see everywhere anymore.¡±

    ¡°Oh, great! Just great.¡±

    ¡°How much further is the closest cabin?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Probably too far, since we have no idea where Juden is.¡±

    ¡°So... if he¡¯s no longer on the bridge, who¡¯s piloting the ship?¡±

    ¡°We are no longer moving,¡± said Nim. ¡°We are currently floating in space.¡±

    They both let go of the stocky man and looked around.

    ¡°We should go find him.¡±

    Val frowned. ¡°What? And leave this one here?¡±

    Peter shrugged. ¡°If Juden is as crafty as you say he is, I¡¯d rather take him out as soon as possible. We can always deal with his friend later.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough. But I don¡¯t like leaving him out in the open like this.¡± She looked around and pointed at a nearby door. ¡°Let¡¯s stick him in there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    Val walked over and opened it. Inside was a small compartment used for storing equipment.

    ¡°You think he¡¯ll fit?¡± asked a dubious Peter.

    His sister leaned to push everything to the side, piling whatever material she could to make room.

    ¡°He¡¯ll have to,¡± she answered as she came back. ¡°Come on, help me heave him.¡±

    ¡°You realize we won¡¯t be able to lock it?¡±

    As he spoke, they reached down to grab the man¡¯s arms, and a phaser shot barely missed them.

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    They let go of Warthol and ran to the cabinet¡¯s open door, hiding behind the panel as they brought out their weapons.

    ¡°Give it up!¡± called out Val. ¡°You can¡¯t win this.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary,¡± came Juden¡¯s voice. ¡°I believe I have the upper hand here.¡±

    ¡°How do you figure?¡±

    ¡°I have you cornered in that ridiculous closet. Now I just have to wait for my friend to wake up. By the way, who¡¯s yours? I¡¯m hurt you haven¡¯t introduced us.¡±

    ¡°Go burn in hell.¡±

    Juden laughed. ¡°As charming as ever. I do like you, you know. Pity it¡¯s come to this. You should have left well enough alone.¡±

    ¡°We could just shoot your friend,¡± said Peter. ¡°We have a clear aim at him from here. Then what would you do if he was dead?¡±

    A second of silence.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re bluffing. You wouldn¡¯t kill him in cold blood.¡±

    ¡°Val wouldn¡¯t. But me? How can you be sure when you don¡¯t even know who I am?¡±

    He pointed his phaser at Warthol.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± whispered Val.

    ¡°Wait and see,¡± he said with a wink.

    Juden remained quiet for a moment.

    ¡°Fine. I will let you go if you leave Warthol where he is.¡±

    Peter laughed. ¡°Right. For all I know, you¡¯ll shoot us in the back as soon as you get a clear shot.¡±

    ¡°I would never!¡± The man sounded hurt. ¡°I am not a killer, sir, and I resent that. We came here for the ship, nothing else.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t have it!¡± shouted Val.

    ¡°I made you an offer,¡± said Juden. ¡°You chose to turn it down. So we are back to a standstill.¡±

    Val¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Not quite.¡±

    Peter glanced at her.

    She smiled as she moved her hand to her wristpad.

    ¡°I have an ace up my sleeve,¡± she whispered to him.

    Then she activated the transpin.

 94 (2x19) When understanding begets action

    126 YEARS PRIOR...

    Del Ammar was nervous as the sea parted in front of him. He stepped through and came out of the wall on the other side.

    He knelt and bowed his head.

    ¡°Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Rise, friend. Come. Let us sit and chat.¡±

    The scientist got back to his feet as two seats floated down toward them.

    The Emperor looked tired. His body had aged and it looked so fragile. The hair had grown whiter, longer, thinner. Wrinkles riddled his face, bags hanging under his eyes.

    It struck him for the first time that Nashadan Prime was dying. He had always known it would happen someday, of course, but it had seemed like something distant that might not even happen during his own lifetime.

    Seeing the Emperor walk with so much difficulty was telling. Every once in a while, he would cough or grimace in pain. His body was aching.

    And yet, today, he would have to add to the old man¡¯s burden.

    He sat across from the Emperor and waited quietly.

    Nashadan Prime had closed his eyes and sat in silence for a long time. Finally, he sighed.

    ¡°I am old, friend. So very old. I remember times from before your great-grandfather was born. Sometimes I wonder...¡± His voice trailed off.

    ¡°Yes, Your Excellency?¡±

    The Emperor¡¯s eyes flickered open. He smiled a sad little smile. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if I should have done things differently.¡± He waved a hand without lifting his arm from the armrest. ¡°All this. How different would it be had I made other choices... Harder ones. Still.¡± He sighed again. ¡°The past is where it should be. In the past. Let us talk about the future.¡±

    Ammar shifted in his seat. Nodded.

    ¡°Yes. The future. About that, Your Excellency... I have distressing news to report.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°The Gandoran Drill...¡±

    ¡°What of it?¡±

    ¡°I have determined its nature. Well, to some extent.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful!¡±

    Ammar frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°What worries you so?¡±

    He had turned the words in his mind a hundred times, yet still he wavered.

    ¡°We¡¯ve thrown everything at it, Your Excellency. Electricity, echion, quantum, thilium... It swallows it all up.¡±

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Ammar took a deep breath. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how much energy we throw at it, it all disappears. No sign of structural damage or weakening, it remains unchanged. When we analyze it, it still shows no spikes in energy. It doesn¡¯t hum, doesn¡¯t shine, doesn¡¯t move... All it ever does is hover there without a sound. It is mind-baffling. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it, Your Excellency. The egg¡¯s capacity to absorb energy seems infinite.¡±

    The Emperor frowned but said nothing. He turned his head and looked through the window at the sprawling city beyond.

    ¡°What do you make of it?¡± he asked softly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Excellency, and that is what¡¯s so frightening about it.¡±

    Nashadan Prime threw him a startled look.

    ¡°You are frightened?¡±

    ¡°Very much so.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The Drill... or, at least, this technology could destroy us.¡± He jumped out of his seat and started pacing back and forth like the nervous wreck he was. ¡°It uses raw thilium in a way we humans have never used it. It doesn¡¯t just power the thing, it¡¯s merged into its surfaces. And... and it just pumps anything you throw at it. Any form of energy. Including thilium.¡±

    ¡°Then stop throwing energy at it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Then what is?¡±

    ¡°That thing has the power to disrupt everything we¡¯ve built...¡± He pointed at the window and the bustling city beyond.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how much energy it pumps, it remains unaffected. For all we know, it could absorb all the thilium of this world without a hiccup.¡±

    ¡°Surely, you don¡¯t believe that!¡±

    ¡°Well, no, but...¡± He stopped pacing and looked at the Emperor. ¡°What if there are more of these devices out there? What if they¡¯re weapons? What if aliens come one day with hundreds, or thousands of these things and pump all our power out?¡±

    ¡°Society would crumble,¡± muttered the Emperor.

    The scientist nodded. ¡°Depending on how many there are of these aliens, they could hit multiple worlds and, little by little, destroy our civilization.¡±

    The Emperor, who was always one to worry about disruptive threats, perked up.

    ¡°How can we avoid it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that we can,¡± said Ammar in a small voice.

    ¡°Think, man! You¡¯re the best among the best. Surely, you can think of something...¡±

    Ammar walked up to the window and stared through it, silent for a moment. Little by little, he regained his senses and his control, and his mind went to work.

    It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t thought of solutions.

    He¡¯d had time, over the years, to think of the problems technology could bring and of possible solutions. Of course, he¡¯d only considered the dangers from within, not so much from without, but it did not change the end result¡ªor the solution he foresaw.

    He spun to face the Emperor.

    ¡°There is one thing we could do...¡±

    ¡°I am listening.¡±

    ¡°We need to slow down progress.¡± Ammar pointed over his shoulder at the capital. ¡°We can¡¯t pull all technology away, that would just bring about the collapse we want to avoid. But... if we slow things down, so that there is no more progress, we could then focus on changing things.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to refocus all our scientists on this... Well, almost all. Some would have to remain to maintain what we have left... to fix things that stop working, for instance. But we¡¯ll need to select the best of our scientists to work with me on a new project. To prepare effective defenses against... against that thing.¡±

    ¡°The Drill?¡±

    Ammar nodded. ¡°And any other devices of the same sort. Because, make no mistake, sooner or later there will be more. We need to be prepared.¡±

    The Emperor rather thought so as well.

    ¡°We can¡¯t do this from within the Imperium¡ª¡± continued the scientist.

    ¡°Why not?¡± interrupted the Emperor.

    ¡°Say we did, what would happen if an attack came? We¡¯d be just as affected as every other world. We need to be isolated. Someplace where no one could find us.¡±

    ¡°Where did you have in mind?¡±

    Ammar looked at the window again, though this time his eyes stared up at the stars.

    ¡°Beyond the rim,¡± he whispered.

    In the months and years that followed, thousands of scientists were rounded up. Those who fled or were supposedly executed had, in fact, joined Ammar in a secret operation called Project Prism.

    Some were really jailed¡ªbut those were all opponents of the Imperium who could not be trusted.

    A few did flee, fearing for their lives. Some of these went to Derkanash and other worlds, hiding in plain sight. Others went elsewhere, but nothing is known about their fate.

    The IAS was preserved, and a handful of scientists kept to maintain a functioning society.

 95 (2x20) When drinking heightens the senses

    The man had gone into the kitchen to fetch them some drinks. When he came back into the living room, he carried a tray with a pitcher of what looked suspiciously like avanthnar. He glanced at her as he poured the yellow-red liquid into two glasses.

    ¡°Why are you so emotional?¡± he asked.

    The blue woman stared blankly at him. When she responded, her voice was as expressionless as her face.

    ¡°All my life, I have been an outcast. To see my kind live so freely among humans is... I have no words for it.¡±

    ¡°How do you know...¡± He paused. Blinked. ¡°Oh. You are that one. I have heard of you.¡± He handed her one of the glasses.

    Mrill took it as she probed once more into his mind.

    He had indeed. And not in flattering terms.

    Udran sat opposite her.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked. Though he sounded more confused than concerned.

    ¡°There is a bounty on your head,¡± she said flatly. ¡°But I will not collect it if you tell me where this place is.¡±

    She sniffed at her glass. The scent was right on the mark.

    ¡°A bounty? On my head? Whatever for?¡±

    He seemed even more puzzled now.

    Mrill dipped her lips into the liquid and felt her skin tingle just the right way. She pulled back without drinking, simply enjoying for now the sensation of that momentary brush.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It is not good for business to ask questions in my line of work. Will you tell me what I wish to know?¡±

    Udran shrugged as he drank from his glass. ¡°Of course. It is no secret. It¡¯s a rimworld called Naladen. There are many species there. But no one judges anyone.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The blue woman finally took a small sip and closed her eyes. There was silence in the room for a couple of minutes, as the man understood she needed to experience this in her own way.

    Her eyes flickered open and she stared at him.

    ¡°Your avanthnar is divine,¡± she said blankly. ¡°Where do you buy it?¡±

    Udran laughed. ¡°I make it myself.¡±

    Avanthnar was a traditional drink from her homeworld, made with a mixture of fruits and herbs, macerated in alcohol.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡±

    ¡°I learned the recipe from your people. On Naladen.¡±

    She stared at him quietly.

    ¡°Why did you leave?¡± she asked after a moment.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. Not exactly. I mean, I did, but not forever. I will go back. Soon. But I needed to see people. For work.¡±

    ¡°What do you do?¡±

    He smiled and pointed at the pitcher.

    ¡°Import and export. Mostly foods and drinks. Specialties from all around the Imperium and beyond.¡±

    ¡°You cook everything yourself?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Hardly! But I do like my avanthnar.¡±

    ¡°You sell it too?¡±

    ¡°I try, but few people have the buds to appreciate it.¡±

    For the Vrons, alcohol was an enhancer, but it did not have the same effect on them as it did on humans. It helped clear their minds and feel the littlest details of the drink they were consuming and of the glass that contained it. Sometimes, it could extend to other things¡ªobjects around them, even people.

    Mrill reluctantly put the glass down. She needed to focus, and this was too distracting.

    ¡°You are not what I expected,¡± she said.

    ¡°What did you expect?¡±

    ¡°An evil man. Someone with bad things on his conscience.¡±

    ¡°Would it make your job easier?¡±

    ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    She stared at her glass. ¡°It is work. It is legal. That is all that matters.¡±

    ¡°I assume it¡¯s good money, too. How much did they offer for me?¡±

    ¡°Two million credits,¡± she said flatly.

    Gulen Udran choked on his drink.

    ¡°What? Who the hell would want me that bad? That makes no sense.¡±

    ¡°You must have enemies.¡±

    ¡°Not that I know of.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°It does to me! I¡¯d rather not have an army of bounty hunters breathing down my back.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell my boss you¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t he need proof?¡±

    ¡°No. They wanted you alive.¡±

    The man frowned, looking confused again.

    ¡°Does that mean you won¡¯t collect?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she repeated.

    ¡°Two million credits don¡¯t matter?¡±

    She grabbed the glass and very slowly downed the contents.

    Udran watched her with fascination, though it was unclear whether it was for what she was doing or what she had said.

    After gently placing the glass back on the table, she stood.

    ¡°Thank you for the exquisite avanthnar. I shall cherish the memory of your gift.¡±

    She inclined her head, then walked to the door without looking back.

 96 (2x21) When a favor is owed

    The city was in ruins¡ªat least the parts that were unshielded. Those neighborhoods where the wealthy lived were protected and easily withstood the occasional meteor showers.

    Grell took them to a large, richly decorated villa in the heart of the city. Its walls were a shiny white¡ªclean and uncracked. Carved statues rose on each side of the lavish staircase that led to a massive wooden door.

    It opened shortly after the second ring.

    A small man looked up at them with a bland expression.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°We bring Rishi home,¡± said Zax as he pointed behind him.

    Two of his servants carried the girl.

    The small man blinked, then stepped aside to let them in.

    ¡°Please. I will show you to her room.¡±

    The inside was as luxurious as the outside¡ªperhaps more so. It was little wonder, though, considering who Rishi¡¯s father was.

    They walked through the large carpeted hall, went up a staircase, and through another hall. The small man stopped at the second on the right and opened it. Again, he stepped aside. Zax stayed in the hall as the two servants went in and gently laid the girl down on her bed.

    A nervous Grell stood next to his master, looking in every direction¡ªthough more often than not toward the room and the resting girl.

    ¡°She will need medical attention,¡± said Zax. ¡°I treated what I could, but I am no doctor.¡±

    ¡°Of course. She will be taken care of. Please follow me. My mistress wishes to see you.¡±

    He nodded and glanced at Grell. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me, boy.¡±

    The servant made a face and looked longingly at the girl before following Zax.

    They went back downstairs, and through two more halls before they reached the library.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    As soon as they walked in, an elderly woman stood and stared at them.

    ¡°Zax,¡± she said coolly.

    He paused, staring back.

    This was unexpected.

    ¡°Lady Bharmi. How intriguing.¡±

    He would have laughed, but kept it to himself. It would not have been proper.

    ¡°I hear you¡¯ve brought back my granddaughter,¡± she said with some displeasure.

    ¡°Perhaps you would have preferred I let her bleed to death?¡±

    She pursed her lips and shook her head.

    ¡°I suppose I owe you now.¡±

    Zax shrugged. ¡°You no longer have a position that would have made this useful, so no. Your son, on the other hand... He is the girl¡¯s father, yes?¡±

    She nodded curtly. ¡°Please tell me this was not all calculated?¡±

    This time, his laughter came unbidden. ¡°You think I would have had the poor thing attacked just so I could come to her rescue? Come now, you can¡¯t really think so low of me! Besides, I didn¡¯t even know who she was until I saw you just now.¡± He pointed at his servant over his shoulder. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Grell here, she¡¯d still be lying in a bed in my house. I suppose it¡¯s him you have to thank.¡±

    She barely glanced at the servant, her eyes darting back to him, squinting.

    ¡°You are the one who saved her life.¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    They remained quiet for a moment, staring at each other.

    ¡°Very well,¡± she said. ¡°Please sit. I will have refreshments brought to you while I talk with my son.¡±

    The woman hurried out of the room¡ªstill quite alert for her old age.

    Zax sat on a couch with a big grin on his lips.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± muttered Grell. ¡°Who is that woman? You know her?¡±

    The boy stood by his side until his master allowed him to sit with a nod.

    ¡°She, my dear Grell, was once a formidable adversary. A member of Parliament, no less. I broke her, once. I¡¯m afraid she might still hold a grudge.¡±

    ¡°Broke her, sir?¡±

    Zax sighed. ¡°She was a corrupt woman, Grell. And she used corruption to buy others as well. At the peak of her career, she held over half of the Parliament in the palm of her hand. I took them away from her. One by one. Then I pulled on the strings that controlled her. Cut them. She lost her support because of me. She was shamed and thrown out of the government.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s still wealthy.¡±

    There was a hint of reproach in the boy¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Not as much as you might think.¡± Zax chuckled as he gestured around him. ¡°All of this belongs to her son¡ª¡±

    He stopped talking when the servants came in, carrying trays with drinks, fruits, and crackers. After they were gone, he noticed Grell was frowning.

    ¡°What is it, boy?¡±

    Grell glanced at him. ¡°Is it true? Did you do it?¡±

    ¡°Did I hire people to attack the girl? Of course not! You should know better than to ask that.¡±

    The boy looked down, blushing a little. ¡°Sorry.¡± He remained quiet for a moment, then glanced at his master again. ¡°Who is the woman¡¯s son?¡±

    Zax was eating grapes as he grabbed a pitcher and poured asperry juice into a glass. He smiled at the question.

    ¡°Her son happens to be Esselius Crane, only the most powerful man on the planet. And now, he owes me.¡±

 97 (2x22) When our heroine saves the day

    A slight shift in the air must have warned him something was off.

    Juden spun around, but not quick enough. Val kicked the phaser out of his hand and punched him in the face. The tall, dark-skinned man stumbled back and hit against the wall. He shook his head, straightened, and stared at the woman.

    She smirked. ¡°Still think you have the upper hand, smart ass?¡±

    ¡°How did you¡ª¡±

    Instead of finishing his sentence, he lunged at her. Catching her by surprise, he managed to throw her to the floor. A phaser shot barely missed his head. He cursed and ran off down the hall.

    ¡°Val!¡± Peter came running. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    She grunted as he helped her back to her feet.

    ¡°Yeah. Can¡¯t believe he tricked me like that.¡±

    The entire ship shook.

    ¡°Damn it! What now? Nim!¡±

    ¡°We just hit an asteroid field,¡± said the voice in her wristpad.

    ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t moving?¡±

    ¡°The engines are off, but we drifted into it.¡±

    She cursed, and they both raced toward the bridge.

    ¡°What about the big guy?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to worry about him and his friend later. We need to get the shield up, at the very least. And get out of that field if we can.¡±

    ¡°Doubting yourself, sis?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°No, but I don¡¯t know how much damage we¡¯ll sustain before we reach the bridge.¡±

    The floor shook again as they raced through the halls.

    ¡°Not to mention the reset,¡± muttered Peter.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Can we reverse it?¡± she asked as they ran.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe. Depends whether you have backups of your system and how long ago they were made.¡±

    ¡°Well, Nim is OK at least.¡±

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s that.¡±

    They reached the control room as Starrider got hit again. Val jumped into the pilot¡¯s seat and Peter sat next to her. Her fingers ran over the controls and the ship stabilized. Then it dove toward safety, gliding between drifting rocks.

    Once they were out of the field, she sat back and glanced at Peter.

    ¡°Can you check if we have backups?¡±

    ¡°Kaine made a few,¡± cut in Nim¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Kaine! I have to go check on him. Can you take over, Peter? I¡¯d rather not let Starrider drift back into that field.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sis. Any particular destination in mind?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll worry about that later. Just keep us away from those rocks.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    She jumped out of her seat and hurried toward the infirmary.

    ¡°Whenever did Kaine get a chance to do backups?¡± she asked as she walked.

    ¡°While you were sleeping,¡± answered Nim.

    She grunted. ¡°Figures. Sneaky guy.¡±

    Nim¡¯s voice sounded confused. ¡°I thought it was a good thing?¡±

    ¡°Not that he did it covertly.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that was the intention.¡±

    ¡°No?¡± She sighed. ¡°No, I suppose not. Guess I¡¯ll have to thank him after all. How is he?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t access the sensors anymore. But last I checked, he was stable.¡±

    ¡°What about Ondine?¡± she asked, suddenly concerned about the girl. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°She was looking after Kaine when Juden took over. She must still be there.¡±

    ¡°I did ask her to keep an eye on him, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    The door opened when she reached the infirmary and she stepped in. The stasis tube was still there, where she¡¯d left it, with Kaine¡¯s body inside, though ice now covered the man¡¯s skin. She checked the display and saw all the lights were green.

    Now reassured, she looked around her.

    ¡°Ondine?¡± she called out. ¡°Where are you hiding? It¡¯s just me, Val.¡±

    She heard the sound of metal scraping against metal and bent down to look under the tube. A panel slid open and the girl¡¯s head popped out, blinking at her.

    ¡°Hey! Good to see you, girl. You okay?¡±

    Ondine nodded as she crawled out, her metal leg clinking against the floor. Val helped her up and they hugged.

    ¡°You took good care of our friend, thank you. Now¡ª¡±

    ¡°Val!¡± It was Peter¡¯s voice coming through the ship¡¯s speakers. ¡°Can you hear me?¡±

    She walked to a console on the wall and tapped on the screen. It lit up and carried her voice to the control room.

    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°The battlepod is gone.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°They took it. Juden and that other guy... Found footage of them getting in and taking off.¡±

    She cursed.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they come after us again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about them now having a tool that could blow us out of the sky.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°Because they want the Corvair. Destroying it would defeat the purpose.¡±

    ¡°Why do they want it?¡±

    ¡°Hell if I know.¡± She sighed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m coming back.¡± She glanced at the girl. ¡°Come on, little one, I want you to meet my brother.¡±

    Ondine blinked as Val ruffled her hair.

    They glanced at Kaine, then stepped out of the infirmary.

 98 (2x23) When a sentence is pronounced

    Each ship he boarded seemed smaller than the previous¡ªand more crowded as they shrunk in size. This one was no exception.

    But this time he had not told Marthus where he was going¡ªbetter his friend think him still on Assalin. The downside was that he¡¯d had to pay the fare out of his pocket.

    The smaller ship did not have an observation deck, so Halden spent most of the trip in his cabin, re-watching his daughter¡¯s video. He¡¯d grown convinced that answers awaited him at the Regency on Bernice. So he¡¯d booked a ticket for his homeworld.

    Vina had wanted to come with him, but he had turned her down.

    ¡°I need to do this alone,¡± he¡¯d explained, hoping she would understand.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if she had, but she¡¯d accepted his decision¡ªalbeit reluctantly, and not without making him promise to call her often.

    Glancing at his wristpad, he noticed it was almost time for the announcement. The Emperor was going to address his people. His speech would be transmitted across billions of worlds. This was very unusual.

    He leaned over to his TriVid screen and touched its surface. The tridimensional display flickered on.

    After a series of commercial announcements, the image switched to a majestic hall filled with regal-looking people. They stood on each side of an alley. The alley was covered with a purple carpet with decorated golden rims. It ended at the feet of a magnificent throne of green marble covered with jades, sapphires, and rubies.

    The throne was empty.

    Trumpets rang and a voice boomed.

    ¡°All rise before the ruler of ten billion worlds; keeper of the peace; master of time; guardian of the seven seals; blight of the betrayers and slayer of the Scourge of Abrax; your Lord and Master, His Imperial Grace Nashadan Prime.¡±

    The crowd went quiet as a boy, 12 years at most, appeared and walked down the alley. He wore a crown of diamonds and a robe as white as his hair. The robe bore the Imperial wreath on the chest. Behind him walked two men¡ªone of whom Halden recognized as the visor. It was he who had received the scientist when he had been at the palace.

    The trio stopped as they reached the throne. Turned as if the boy would sit upon it, though he did not. The other two stood on each side of him.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Nashadan Prime lifted a hand as the camera zoomed in on his child¡¯s face. But it was a serious one, with a deep gaze that hinted at knowledge and wisdom beyond his apparent age.

    ¡°We,¡± he said, ¡°supreme ruler of the Imperium, hereby sentence Qevahr and all Qevahri citizens to oblivion. Their demands are denied, their claims refuted, their lives now forfeit. They have greatly displeased us, beyond the point of redemption. There is no going back.¡± His eyes hardened as he stared into the camera. ¡°Hear this, High Noort. By your actions, you have condemned your people, your world. There will be no mercy. As of right now, all Qevahri are stripped of their Imperial citizenship. Any found within the Imperium are to be ignored by citizens, whenever possible, as if they did not exist. They will not be spoken to, will not be served, will not be permitted to enter shops, inns, hotels... They shall be reported to the authorities. Authorities will execute them on the spot, without trial. Anyone found to help the Qevahri escape will be trialed for betrayal and sentenced to death. Qevahr itself will be terraformed into a barren landscape. All life upon it will be annihilated in the process. There is a price to pay for defying your Emperor. This is the price.

    ¡°So have we spoken.¡±

    It was strange to hear such words, such coldness in the mouth of a child. Of course, everyone knew there was an adult in that body, but it still was disquieting.

    Without another word, Nashadan Prime walked back down the alley and left the throne room.

    The silence only lasted a couple of seconds before the room burst into chaos.

    Halden turned the TriVid screen off and grimaced. Many innocent people would die because of this war... Many already had, he reminded himself, but was that reason enough for this? It felt so over the top. But then, the Imperium had never skimped on bombastic declarations and grandiose demonstrations.

    He wondered if the visor had tried to talk the Emperor out of it. The man had seemed reasonable enough when they had spoken.

    It had been Halden¡¯s second chance¡ªand likely his last¡ªto convince someone close to the Emperor that he was not mad, that something was coming. Something big.

    So he had told Olan Rash everything. The man had listened quietly, sometimes nodding or taking a pensive look.

    ¡°After this experience,¡± he had said in the end, ¡°what do you make of it, Prof. Roche?¡±

    The question had unsettled him. He had not expected to be asked for his opinion on the matter.

    ¡°I think it is significant. That war is coming.¡±

    The man had smiled. ¡°It already has.¡±

    ¡°I mean something different, Lord Visor. More like an alien invasion.¡±

    Rash had remained quiet, but had motioned for him to continue.

    ¡°The Emperor needs to be told about this! Preparations must be made. These are formidable enemies.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    Halden had looked at the visor with confusion.

    ¡°That is all you propose?¡± insisted the man. ¡°Just that we prepare?¡±

    ¡°What else is there to do?¡±

    Rash had sighed. ¡°You disappoint me, Prof. Roche. But perhaps your mind has been dulled by your recent loss.¡±

    It had taken Halden a few seconds to realize what the visor was implying.

    ¡°You mean for us to study the Fault!¡±

    The man had nodded. ¡°It may be a means to know the future, but it still is thilium. As such, it is a powerful source of energy that should be useful in the battles to come.¡±

    It was only hours later that he had realized... Rash had believed him!

 99 (2x24) When an uncomfortable announcement is made

    She walked through the crowded streets, wondering how she would make the trip to Naladen. She could afford the gateway, of course¡ªmoney wasn¡¯t an issue¡ª, but she would rather not have to deal with that annoying little man again.

    Mrill walked into an inn and ordered some food. She needed to think, and eating always helped. Plus, she was hungry.

    It was an old-fashioned place, with very little technology. You could not just use a holoscreen to pick your meal. But the Vron woman found these places often were more charming and offered better quality, so she did not mind.

    She sat at a table in a corner of the small room and watched the TriVid news that flickered in the air while she waited for her order.

    ¡°¡ªwill be gathered tonight to hear the Emperor¡¯s proclamation,¡± said a female¡¯s voice. ¡°It is a momentous event. The last time Nashadan Prime addressed all of the Imperium was five years ago, at the dusk of his spring, to announce how he had defeated and destroyed the Scourge of Abrax. This will surely...¡± The woman paused, her eyes blinking as she read a message on her retina. ¡°I am told the Gnorlian Embassy on Rimzana is about to make an important announcement.¡±

    Even as she spoke, her face disappeared, replaced by that of a man standing in front of a large official-looking building. Behind him, a big crowd had assembled around an empty stage.

    The woman¡¯s voice continued. ¡°You are now seeing a live feed from Uthyn, the capital of Rimzana. Hello, Nared. Do we know what this is about?¡±

    A waitress arrived with a tray, carrying three plates that she set in front of Mrill. She would have thanked the woman, but the latter was clearly paying more attention to the news than to what she was doing. She almost knocked over a pitcher of water, but Mrill caught it in time, without the other even noticing.

    ¡°No, Athissia,¡± replied the reporter. ¡°We only have assumptions. The Embassy has been very quiet about the details. However, this is quite likely to be about the war. With all the recent events, it is expected that the Gnorlians will close the Embassy and leave the planet. Many have wondered why they have taken so long to make that call, and... Oh.¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Chatter erupted behind him and he turned around as Mrill began to eat. The camera caught a glimpse of a woman walking toward the stage.

    ¡°This is Thiari na¡¯Gassi,¡± said the man, ¡°the Gnorlian Ambassador herself. She was posted here four years ago and has since shown a remarkable proficiency in working with the local government for one so young.¡±

    As the woman went up the steps, the camera zoomed in on her. She was small, with short black hair and a frown on her face¡ªthough she seemed more troubled than upset.

    She stopped at the microphone and considered her audience for a moment, waiting for them to quiet down.

    Once there was silence, she leaned to speak directly into the microphone.

    ¡°Hello. I am here to make an important announcement. After careful deliberations, we have decided to support the Qevahri¡¯s claims. This world, Rimzana, is an important symbol for their people, and it would only be fair to give them back these lands that are sacred to them. We do not support war, and we urge both sides to refrain from further violence. For the sake of both parties, a peaceful solution needs to be found. We are willing to serve as mediators if it can help. We will not be taking questions at this time. That is all.¡±

    She stepped away from the microphone as people started yelling questions at her, which she ignored. She turned and walked down the stage, then back toward and into the Embassy.

    The reporter, Nared, turned back toward the camera with a stunned expression.

    ¡°Well, that was unexpected! One can only wonder how the Emperor will react.¡±

    The woman, who looked just as shocked, nodded.

    ¡°I suspect we¡¯ll find out tonight, when he makes his speech.¡±

    By now, Mrill had finished her meal and had figured out what her next move should be. She watched the news a few minutes longer, but the rest was bland compared to that shattering announcement.

    She paid her bill and asked for a hovercab before walking out. It had gotten darker outside, and the air was chilly now.

    The cab arrived and she hopped in.

    ¡°Spaceport,¡± she said blandly.

    The glider rose and darted away. There wasn¡¯t much traffic up here, so it did not take long to reach her destination.

    While she had eaten and listened to the news, she had used her vircell to display flight schedules on her retina. She disliked cruisers because they were so slow, but Naladen was not too far. She could be there in three hours.

    A part of her kept screaming at her: why are you doing this? what will you do once you¡¯re there? what is the point? But she ignored the voice.

    She paid for her fare and got on the ship.

    Three hours later, as they were nearing Naladen, the Emperor made his speech. Mrill listened to it along with trillions of people across the Imperium.

    After the Emperor finished his proclamation, she wondered why he had said nothing about the Gnorlian announcement¡ªsurely, he must have heard of it.

    Expressionless, she boarded the shuttle that would take her down to the surface of paradise.

 100 (2x25) When a point is scored

    They heard footsteps coming quickly toward the library. The door flew open and a tall man with curled brown hair breezed in. His fists were clenched, his eyes hard.

    He glared at Zax, then snapped at Grell.

    ¡°You! Leave.¡±

    Zax lifted a hand in front of his servant to stop him from getting up.

    ¡°Without him, your daughter would not be here. You should be more thankful, Esselius. Had it not been for Grell, I would never have known where to take Rishi.¡±

    The tall man squinted but said nothing, waiting.

    Zax sighed and brought down his hand.

    ¡°Fine. You can go, Grell. Wait with the others outside. I won¡¯t be long.¡±

    The boy was only too happy to jump out of the couch and hurry out.

    Once they were alone, Crane stepped closer to his visitor, though he did not sit.

    ¡°What game are you playing, Iden?¡±

    ¡°Game? You think the life of your daughter is a game?¡±

    Crane snapped his fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t play wise with me! We both know this is all about politics.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    The tall man stared at him for a long time, while Zax sat with his legs crossed, eating crackers and sipping from his glass with not a care in the world. Neither of them spoke. Then the father started pacing the room.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I will not thank you for doing the right thing,¡± he grunted as he went back and forth. ¡°Did I thank you for exposing my mother¡¯s corruption? I will not thank you for this either.¡±

    ¡°I care little for your thanks, Crane. What I want is your support.¡±

    ¡°On what?¡±

    ¡°I will let you know when the time comes.¡±

    Zax enjoyed watching the younger man squirm.

    ¡°I thought you were about to leave the planet?¡±

    ¡°So you should have nothing to worry about. And even so, is it such a high price to pay for the life of your precious daughter?¡±

    The man stopped pacing and turned again to face his visitor.

    ¡°You knew I had a daughter, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. Grell brought me here. I didn¡¯t even recognize the house. It was only when I saw your mother that I understood who the girl was.¡±

    Crane squinted at him. ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to believe this?¡±

    Zax sighed as he put down his glass and stood. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you believe it or not. The fact is, one day, I will ask for your support on a little matter, and you will give it to me.¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±

    Zax headed toward the door and answered over his shoulder.

    ¡°Well, the next time something happens to your daughter, there might not be anyone around to save her.¡±

    He walked out into the hall without waiting for a response. He knew he had Crane, and Crane knew it too. That was the only reason the man was so worked up. Too bad for him. He should have chosen his mother better.

    That thought made him snicker.

    He stepped out of the house and found all of his servants standing there, waiting for him. Grell was in the back, eyes cast down.

    ¡°What am I gonna do with you lot?¡± he muttered. ¡°Can¡¯t take you all with me, can I?¡± He sighed. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s head back.¡±

    As they got into the large glider, he motioned for Grell to sit next to him.

    ¡°I will write recommendations for you all,¡± he said. ¡°That should get you the best jobs in town.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I go with you?¡± asked the boy.

    Zax quirked a brow. ¡°You would move away from Rishi? Is that really what you want?¡±

    Grell blushed. ¡°You know I could never...¡±

    Zax chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy, and I appreciate your loyalty, but where I¡¯m going, I cannot take anyone. Things will be... complicated.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    The politician glanced out the window at the stars.

    ¡°Up there,¡± he muttered. ¡°Off Domnach, and into the pulsing heart of the beast...¡±

 101 (2x26) When a path must be found...

    After it became obvious the battlepod was gone and wouldn¡¯t come back, they spent the next couple of hours trying to get the systems back online. With Nim¡¯s help, they tracked down the backups Kaine had made and were able to override the reset.

    ¡°How does it feel to be back in control?¡± asked Val.

    ¡°Comfortable,¡± said the disembodied voice.

    She laughed.

    ¡°We should go to Pluvios,¡± said Peter.

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°Lots of people angry against the Imperium there. We could recruit some folks to help us¡ª¡±

    ¡°With what?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°No, Peter. I¡¯m not doing this again. Besides, the place is crawling with Impies. Last time we were there, things did not go so well. I¡¯d rather not go back anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Where then?¡±

    ¡°Kaine needs medical attention...¡±

    ¡°Elphine¡¯s a bit far.¡±

    She grunted. ¡°We don¡¯t need Elphine. Any reasonably advanced medical facility should do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they have one on Pluvios.¡±

    ¡°Peter!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright...¡±

    She scowled at him, then looked at her screens.

    ¡°Nim,¡± she called out. ¡°What¡¯s the closest planet with the medical requirements to handle Kaine¡¯s case?¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°There are a few options,¡± said the voice. ¡°But the nearest would be Gnorlia.¡±

    She frowned at the name. ¡°That¡¯s not a rimworld.¡±

    ¡°We are far from the rim at the moment, Val. We were just on Derkanash, which is within the Imperium.¡±

    ¡°Damn. You¡¯re right.¡± She rubbed her neck. ¡°No matter the world we pick, there will be Impies.¡±

    ¡°There weren¡¯t any on Derkanash,¡± remarked Peter.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going back there!¡±

    ¡°Of course not. My point is, not every world within the Imperium has to be crawling with soldiers.¡±

    She looked back at her displays. ¡°Can you factor that in, Nim? Closest with no Impies?¡±

    ¡°It still would be Gnorlia.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Then I guess that¡¯s where we¡¯re going.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t your friend in a stasis tube?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then why pick the closest? It doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s no rush anymore. That tube will keep him stable until we find the right place.¡±

    ¡°Peter, if this is another attempt to get us to Pluvios, I swear I¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, sis.¡± He waved his hands in front of him. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m just saying, why risk it? We¡¯re in the heart of the Imperium. Even if there aren¡¯t too many Impies on Gnorlia, any hospital there will still register our names and they¡¯ll be processed within the system. I suspect you and I would both be flagged.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°You more than I.¡±

    ¡°Point is, it¡¯d likely be safer to wait until we¡¯re back in the rim. Fewer questions asked there.¡±

    She waved a finger at him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who said there were worlds within the Imperium without too many Impies! It¡¯d be nice if you made up your mind.¡±

    ¡°That was me making up my mind, sis. I hadn¡¯t factored everything in. Now I have.¡±

    ¡°Fine. No Gnorlia. Let¡¯s head for the rim. By the time we get there, we might have figured out where we want to go. Nim?¡±

    ¡°On it.¡±

    The ship veered and sped up.

    She glanced at her brother. ¡°Just to be clear. Getting Kaine the medical attention he needs is my priority. You understand?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±

    As Starrider raced through space, the two of them looked at their options and finally settled for an overlooked world. Ovkan was one of the younger colonies. Settled slightly over a century ago, it had attracted medically inclined individuals because of its high biodiversity. Most plants there had healing or soothing properties that seemed promising. At the time, many thought it might become the next Elphine. Instead, it had been left to its own devices when the Emperor decided he no longer wanted to expand. A century later, almost everyone had forgotten about it.

    People who lived in the rim, though, knew to go there when they needed serious medical attention. Peter had often used the place when he or his men had been hurt. So it felt like the logical choice for them now.

    It was only when they finally reached Ovkan that they heard the news.

    Gnorlia had sided with Qevahr, and the Emperor had sentenced the latter and its entire population to oblivion.

    Val wondered if the universe was going mad.

 102 (2x27) When unpleasant truths are revealed

    Often, when he felt most lonely, he would get a holocall from Vina¡ªas if she had sensed his mood shift.

    Today, they talked of the Emperor¡¯s proclamation¡ªit was anything anyone could talk of lately. Opinions on the matter varied greatly. Most approved the sentence, while others thought it was excessive¡ªthough few dared to voice too strongly their discontentment. And some were confused, not understanding what was happening in the rim.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I understand it either,¡± admitted Vina.

    ¡°What is there to not understand?¡± asked Halden.

    ¡°The Qevahri¡¯s actions, I mean. Why are they doing this? They had to know the Imperium wouldn¡¯t just let them get away with it. There¡¯d have to be consequences.¡±

    ¡°Faith is a strange thing. It can make people do crazy things, because they think they have a god watching over them and protecting them, like nothing bad could ever happen to them. Even now, they probably think Saan will shield them from all this.¡±

    Vina wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°Religion! Pah. It¡¯s ridiculous. I¡¯ll never understand it. But that doesn¡¯t explain the technology they have. Where does it come from?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they have scientists working for them...¡±

    ¡°Come now! You know that can¡¯t be. You told me yourself the only scientists in all of the Imperium are secreted away at the IAS.¡±

    ¡°That we know of, yes.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    Halden lay on his cot as he spoke to the tri-dimensional image of Vina¡¯s face, floating against his retina.

    ¡°Back when science was banned,¡± he said, ¡°some scientists fled. We know nothing of where these people went or what became of them.¡±

    ¡°That was more than a century ago! They¡¯d all be dead by now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true, but they could have taught what they knew to a new generation of scientists. The fact is, we don¡¯t know. Anything is possible.¡±

    Vina remained quiet for a moment as she processed the information.

    ¡°You think some went to Qevahr and taught science there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡±

    ¡°Surely, someone would have reported it to the authorities.¡±

    ¡°The rim doesn¡¯t always follow the rules, Vina.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Well, I like this theory better than divine intervention.¡±

    Halden laughed. ¡°So do I.¡±

    They went on to talk about other things¡ªthe latest holofilm hits, the weather, Vina¡¯s life... She had stayed on Assalin, where she had gone to visit her family. She hadn¡¯t seen her sister in over a decade and had returned to bury their mother, who had recently passed. Their relationship had been strained and Vina was always uncomfortable discussing it. Often, when the conversation became too personal, she would change the subject. As she did now.

    ¡°How long before you arrive?¡± she asked.

    He knew better than to force her to speak about something she did not feel ready to discuss. He smiled, so she¡¯d know he wasn¡¯t upset, and answered as best he could.

    ¡°Almost there. Less than an hour now.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Have we really talked that long?¡±

    He laughed. They always ended up talking for hours. He didn¡¯t mind. It wasn¡¯t like he had anything better to do on this ship¡ªit didn¡¯t even have an observation deck! And he enjoyed the company.

    ¡°Don¡¯t complain. You might not see as much of me once I¡¯m down there.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t complaining.¡± Her expression became more serious. ¡°You¡¯re going to be very busy, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I expect so. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll still make time to talk with you.¡±

    She nodded but didn¡¯t say anything. He could tell something was troubling her.

    ¡°A penny for your thoughts.¡±

    Vina smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Her expression became serious again. ¡°What you¡¯re doing, Halden... This thing with your daughter... I mean, have you told your ex-wife about it?¡±

    He frowned. ¡°My ex-wife? Why would I tell her anything?¡±

    ¡°Lucy was her daughter too. Doesn¡¯t she deserve to know?¡±

    Halden remembered all too vividly the last time he¡¯d talked to Marcia. She had cut through his soul as coldly as she cut through corpses.

    ¡°There would be no point,¡± he said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t care. She made it clear the last time we spoke.¡±

    Vina tilted her head. ¡°Surely, that couldn¡¯t be. Every mother cares for their child.¡±

    ¡°She cared.¡±

    ¡°Past tense?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    ¡°You never told me what happened between the two of you.¡±

    Halden almost lashed out at her, saying that she¡¯d never told him what happened with her mother, but he held back the retort in time, biting down on his lip. It would not have been fair. He had no reason to be angry with Vina. She had only shown him kindness.

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± he repeated.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    They both fell quiet, but there was no awkwardness between them. She was giving him space, waiting, understanding; while he was thinking, trying to make sense of all those years he had spent with Marcia.

    ¡°After we married,¡± he finally said, ¡°we moved to Elphine. Marcia is a doctor. Well, at the time, she wanted to be a doctor. I had just graduated and was having trouble finding a job. Elphine seemed like the perfect place. They were always hiring new personnel and made things easier for families. I got a job as an apprentice while Marcia started working in a hospital. Lucy was born there a few months later. But, Vina... That place is not healthy. It is gray. It is dead. There are no trees, no rivers, no mountains. The sky is dark, if you see it at all. We lived deep underground, where all you could see for miles were structures made of metal and glass. All the houses were the same. Bland, bleak, indistinguishable from each other.

    ¡°Marcia thrived there. She loved it. She was obsessed with her work and spent most of her time at the hospital. Because of Lucy, we shifted our hours so that one of us would always be there with her, which meant we saw little of each other, and we grew further apart.

    ¡°Meanwhile, my health was declining. I needed fresh air, a clear blue sky, a sun shining above my head. But for years I put up with it, thinking it was okay, it would get better, or maybe I would get used to it, like others seemed to. Like Marcia had.

    ¡°One day, I cracked. I just couldn¡¯t put up with it anymore. My health had gone down the drain, and work wasn¡¯t much better. I¡¯d had a few raises but still was doing the same work as I had when we¡¯d moved there. There was no going up. I wanted to work for the IAS, not fix freaking wristpads for the rest of my life. I saw no end to my dreary life. It was an endless spiral that was driving me crazy.

    ¡°So I told Marcia I wanted us to move back to Bernice. But she would hear none of it. She had risen to the top within a few years. She had a brilliant mind that had not gone unnoticed. Marcia was powerful now, and influential. Told me there were cures for my ills and that I could find a better job if I put my mind to it. As if I were to blame for my misfortunes. So I said I¡¯d leave without her.

    ¡°Lucy overheard our conversation¡ªshe was 8 at the time. She came crying to me, begging that I take her when I went to Bernice. I¡¯d often told her about my homeworld. About the birds, the trees, the flowers... Things she¡¯d only ever seen in holofilms.

    ¡°Elphine was no place for a child. Don¡¯t get me wrong, many grow up there. But all of them end up with some sort of physical or mental deficiency. I did not want that for my child. So how could I have denied her?

    ¡°Marcia hated the position I put her in. She felt like I was blackmailing her, when it had been Lucy¡¯s idea. But she also knew, deep inside, that we were right. That world was no place to raise a child. So she did not fight me.

    ¡°Besides, had Lucy stayed with her, Marcia could not have been with her all the time. If I took her with me, my parents could help watch over her when I was at work.

    ¡°Still, Marcia never forgave me for taking Lucy away from her.¡±

    Halden wiped a tear from his eyes.

    ¡°I wish you were here so I could comfort you,¡± said Vina softly.

    A blue light blinked on the wall above the door as the shipwide speakers turned on.

    ¡°Attention, attention, all passengers! We will be landing on Bernice in twenty minutes. Gather your things and make your way to the disembarking hub. Please make sure you don¡¯t forget any of your belongings in your cabin.¡±

    Halden smiled at Vina¡¯s face as he got off the cot and grabbed his bag¡ªwhich he had already prepared.

    ¡°Sounds like that¡¯s my cue. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m home.¡±

    It was time for him to get some answers.

 103 (2x28) When clarity blurs vision

    The town lay in the hollow of the valley. It was small and archaic, with wooden buildings and dirt roads. As her shuttle descended, she saw people glancing up, as if a ship was an unusual sight.

    And perhaps it was, here.

    But what fascinated her most was the diversity Mrill saw in the crowd. It wasn¡¯t just humans and Vrons either, there were other species as well.

    You could find aliens throughout the Imperium, but they were not so common and often had trouble integrating. So most of the time, they would keep to themselves in close-knit communities.

    This... This was different.

    When the shuttle landed and she stepped out, no one paid attention to her¡ªor to anyone else getting off.

    She stepped through the crowd toward the administrative building.

    ¡°I need to talk to someone,¡± she said blandly at the help desk.

    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± asked a smiling human.

    ¡°The person in charge of... well, of this place.¡± She gestured around her. ¡°The town.¡±

    ¡°Oh! You want to see the Magister. His office is in that building there.¡± The woman stood, turned, and pointed through the window at a large white structure. ¡°Our equivalent of a Regency,¡± she added with a wink.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Mrill exited the spaceport and headed toward the building, asking herself¡ªnot for the first time¡ªwhy she had come here. What did she expect? It was peaceful, and everyone got along, but she never could live here. And even if she wanted to, she knew they would not want her. She had seen what they thought of her in Udran¡¯s mind. She was a freak in her own people¡¯s eyes.

    And yet, she needed to know, to understand.

    When she reached her destination and asked to see the Magister, she was led to a waiting room. She had barely sat, when another human came to get her. He took her into a small office where sat a male Vron.

    The Magister stood and inclined his head. She could tell he was smiling at her, though his face remained as expressionless as her own.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Welcome, sister. Would you like some avanthnar?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps later. For now, I would like to talk.¡±

    ¡°Of course. What shall we discuss?¡±

    There was so much she wanted to ask. So many things were unlike anything she had expected. She had assumed the Magister would be a human, but he was a Vron. The office itself was surprising. There was no desk here. It felt more like a library. A display with diagrams and text floated in the air where the man had sat.

    ¡°Please,¡± he added, ¡°have a seat.¡±

    He gestured toward a nearby holochair and she sat upon it as she reflected on what she should say and where she should start.

    ¡°Everywhere I have gone, I have been cursed, mocked, or shunned. Humans look at me with suspicion and fear. Yet, here, you live in harmony with them. How is this possible?¡±

    ¡°What is your name, sister?¡±

    She did not want to reveal herself¡ªit would serve no purpose, save to frighten these peaceful people. And she did not wish to frighten them. So she lied, using her mother¡¯s name instead of her own.

    ¡°Nvkar.¡±

    The Magister nodded. ¡°I am Akdhe.¡± He returned to his seat and, with a quick gesture, made the display disappear. ¡°Not all humans are the same, Nvkar. Just like not all Vrons are the same.¡±

    ¡°I am aware,¡± she said blandly¡ªthough she knew the man could read her annoyance as easily as she could read his amusement.

    ¡°Of course you are. That is because you are perceptive. Most people are not, regardless of species or culture. But that is beside the point.¡± He gestured toward the window. ¡°This is possible because we made it possible.¡±

    ¡°That is no answer,¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°Only because there is none I can give that would satisfy you.¡±

    She did not frown¡ªher face was incapable of such movement¡ªas she looked through the window.

    The Magister¡¯s office was on the second floor. From here, you could see the street below, and the smiling townfolk going about their business.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± asked Akdhe.

    The question took her by surprise. She looked back at him with a bland expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You do. Deep inside.¡±

    ¡°I want to understand.¡±

    ¡°Very well. It is simple. Do not do onto others what they have done onto you and always treat others as you wish to be treated. Those are our rules. There are none other. All who wish to live amongst us must abide by them.¡±

    Could it really be so simple?

    ¡°You have no crime?¡±

    ¡°No one wants to be the victim of a crime, so no one commits them.¡±

    Mrill didn¡¯t know what to say to that. She remained quiet for a moment.

    ¡°No one ever strays?¡± she asked.

    ¡°If anyone ever did, they would be banished from our community.¡±

    She stared, expressionless, at the Magister.

    He stared back, just as expressionless.

    ¡°You see now that I was right,¡± he said softly.

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°My answer does not satisfy you.¡±

    ¡°Life is not black and white. Life is not simple. It is complex. Dark. Filthy. Beautiful. Infuriating.¡±

    The Magister nodded at each word.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said softly.

    ¡°Then how is this possible?¡±

    The male Vron did not smile¡ªhis face was incapable of such movement.

    ¡°Perhaps this is Edlahin.¡±

    A myth, a legend, an impossibility. The perfect world. A place where no harm can ever come to anyone. Where war is unknown and peace eternal.

    A place that did not, could not exist.

    Mrill leaned back in her holochair.

    ¡°I think I will have some avanthnar now,¡± she said blankly.

 104 (2x29) When purpose is so easily forgotten

    After the hearing, the senators gathered in the ballroom for a cocktail party. It was mostly an excuse to mingle and network. Sometimes more important rulings were made here than at the hearings.

    Zax made it a point never to miss one.

    Tonight, the Emperor¡¯s proclamation was everything anyone could talk about. It made him sick to his stomach. He tried to change the subject.

    ¡°Crime rate is through the roof,¡± he said to a dozen men who had assembled around him. ¡°It¡¯s out of control. We need new measures to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we have more pressing matters to attend to?¡±

    He turned to face the woman who had interrupted him. Agna Gorvik. He hoped she wasn¡¯t referring to the damned proclamation.

    ¡°Like shielding the entire city,¡± she continued, pointing toward the ceiling.

    He felt relieved.

    ¡°I am not denying the importance of¡ª¡±

    She cut him off again. ¡°Why do you think crime is out of control? Because people are desperate. And why are people desperate? Because rocks are falling on their heads. Things like that tend to annoy people. Surprising, I know.¡±

    Agna was always defying him, disputing his ideas. Yet, for some reason, he liked her.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°The issue needs to be addressed, I agree. But that does not mean we can¡¯t take precautionary measures. As you know, extending the shield will take time¡ªpossibly years. Are we supposed to let crime spread in the meantime?¡±

    She returned his smile. ¡°Precautionary measures have a cost, Zax. As does extending the shield. Our budget is¡ª¡±

    ¡°You!¡± screamed a voice in the crowd. Everyone turned toward the man who had so rudely interrupted Agna. ¡°You are a despicable human being!¡±

    Senator Evram Tolish was pointing an accusing finger at Zax.

    ¡°Coming from you,¡± he said calmly, ¡°that is quite the compliment.¡±

    ¡°How dare you talk to my children behind my back? What horrors have you told them?¡±

    ¡°Why not ask them?¡±

    The man was fuming as he approached. Tall and handsome, with short blonde hair, wearing the traditional brown senatorial robe with the Imperial wreath. He stopped a few feet from Zax and waved a finger under his nose.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°They refuse to speak to me! See what you¡¯ve done?¡±

    ¡°That has nothing to do with me and everything to do with you. I only told them what everyone on the planet has been saying for weeks. You have no one else to blame but yourself. What, then? You thought you could commit fraud and get away with it?¡±

    Tolish was livid.

    ¡°You poison the well, Iden, that is what you do! What you have always done.¡±

    ¡°Are you claiming innocence, then?¡±

    The senator gritted his teeth.

    ¡°You are a despicable human being,¡± he hissed.

    Zax sighed. ¡°You have said that already. But I forgive you. Anger can turn even the brightest mind to mush¡ªand you were never the brightest to begin with. Now that you¡¯ve had your moment in the limelight and got things off your chest, could you let us continue our conversation?¡±

    For a second, he thought Tolish was going to hit him, but the senator managed to keep himself under control. Shame, that. It would have made things so much easier. The man would have been locked up right away. Now, they¡¯d have to keep digging for the evidence. But he was confident they would find it¡ªeventually.

    ¡°Insult me all you want, but everyone here knows who you truly are. They won¡¯t say a thing to your face because you have power, but they know.¡±

    Who he truly was? Zax thought that was hilarious. So much so, he burst out laughing. Many threw him startled looks¡ªmost of all Tolish. At least, it had sucked the anger out of the senator.

    Zax stabbed the man in the chest with the tip of his finger.

    ¡°Yes, I have power. And you have none. You are done. I will crush you like the little bug you are. It¡¯s only a matter of days now. You could run, of course, but never far enough. Wherever you go, we will find you.¡±

    Tolish clenched his fists, his anger returned.

    ¡°You¡¯ve threatened me once too many, Iden! Never threaten me again.¡±

    Zax quirked a brow. ¡°Is that a threat?¡±

    Tolish grunted, spun, and stormed out of the room.

    Whispers spread through the crowd.

    One of his friends turned to look at him.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a bit much, Zax? You didn¡¯t need to drag him in the mud like that.¡±

    He frowned as he considered the people around him. Eyes looked down, faces turned. They were uncomfortable.

    This would not do.

    There was a reason for all this.

    He had to make sure they understood.

    ¡°I do what I must do,¡± he said out loud, ¡°as I always have, to ensure the safety of our people. That is our mission, is it not? That is what they pay us to do. The people. They pay us. Or have you forgotten?¡± He looked around at the assembled senators. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if any of you still remember our purpose? We are not here to serve ourselves, or even to serve one another. We are here to serve them.¡± He pointed at a window and the city beyond. ¡°That is all that matters to me. If I need to crush a few bugs along the way, so be it. But rest assured that no one will miss them, least of all me. We have a job to do, and we can¡¯t do it if there are people like Tolish pulling us down. Never forget that.¡±

    Several of his friends nodded, though others still seemed troubled by what they had just witnessed.

    He sighed.

    Why did he even bother?

    He would be leaving soon anyway.

    He was so sick of this world.

    Sometimes he wondered why he had started down this path at all. It had been so long ago, he almost couldn¡¯t remember.

    Almost.

    He felt someone grab his arm and pull him away from the crowd. When he turned his head, he saw it was Agna.

    ¡°When are you leaving?¡± she asked with a mischievous grin.

    ¡°Not soon enough,¡± he muttered.

    She raised a brow. ¡°Really now? And here I thought you enjoyed my company.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°I do. But there is only one of you and hundreds of them.¡± He pointed over his shoulder at the assembled senators.

    She laughed. ¡°Fair enough. But I bet I can make you forget all of them¡ªat least for a few hours! Come.¡±

    He let her lead him out of the building and into the night.

 105 (2x30) When paths cross and destinies seal

    After dropping the stasis tube off at the largest and most advanced medical facility on the planet, Val and Peter went out looking for food. There was no point staying at the hospital¡ªthey couldn¡¯t do anything further for Kaine, and they were famished.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised this place is so modern,¡± she said as they walked. ¡°Aside from Rimzana, the rim tends to be pretty bleak and antiquated.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason it¡¯s called the new Elphine,¡± said Peter distractedly.

    She glanced at him and saw he was looking at the stars.

    ¡°Okay, but how did they do it? There aren¡¯t any scientists anymore in the Imperium.¡±

    He smiled, though he didn¡¯t look down.

    ¡°The rim may be a part of the Imperium, but it is different.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying there are scientists here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡±

    She grunted, then pulled at his sleeve and pointed. ¡°Look! I think we¡¯ve found ourselves a tavern.¡±

    He finally looked down and nodded.

    They went into the establishment and were immediately assaulted by an armada of scents¡ªfrom smoke and sweat to ale and spices to other less savory ones that Val preferred not to identify.

    They waded through the crowd and sat at a table in the back. In the neighboring booth, a couple was eating. At least, she assumed it was a couple, but it was hard to tell. The female was human, but the male was not. She could not identify his species... some sort of hybrid with large globulous eyes, and wrinkled gray skin that seemed covered with saliva. It was disgusting, but who was she to judge?

    Peter went through the three-dimensional menu and selected what he wanted. He made the display spin so it would face Val.

    ¡°Your turn, sis.¡±

    She considered her choices and picked two dishes she hadn¡¯t eaten in years. One had been a favorite of Nim¡¯s. She grimaced and canceled that one, replacing it with something safer¡ªshe would rather not remember those days.

    ¡°I think we need...¡±

    She stopped talking when she realized her brother wasn¡¯t paying attention. She followed his gaze and saw a group of three a few tables away, whispering between them like a bunch of conspirators.

    ¡°Great,¡± she muttered.

    Peter stood. ¡°I need to go check something. Be right back.¡±

    He hurried toward the group.

    ¡°Just great,¡± she said with a sigh as the ordered food appeared on the table.

    She dug in, watching her brother from the corner of her eyes. He had just sat with the three strangers. They stared at him for a moment, then laughed and affectionately tapped on his shoulders.

    ¡°Are you sure you are human?¡±

    The voice¡ªdeep and harsh¡ªcame from the nearby table. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the creature had moved its head closer to the woman¡¯s, sniffing at it. Some of the gluey substance that covered its skin dripped on her.

    ¡°Ew!¡± said the woman. ¡°Get out of my face, you perv!¡±

    The creature jerked back, shocked.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°I have no interest in human females!¡±

    So not a couple.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s none of my business if you prefer males.¡±

    Val chuckled as she ate and listened to the exchange.

    ¡°Humans are disgusting,¡± said the creature.

    The woman snorted. ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you.¡±

    ¡°Axxarx is beautiful.¡±

    The creature¡¯s voice sounded hurt.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to agree to disagree on that one, buddy. Now, how about we get down to business? You¡¯ve had your food, time to pay up.¡±

    ¡°Humans want strange things, always.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, where is it?¡±

    ¡°Here. It is fragment, only.¡±

    ¡°I am aware.¡±

    Val glanced over her shoulder again.

    The woman had long, black hair and wore a black robe. She held a large chunk of metal in her hands and was staring at it.

    ¡°Lovely,¡± she muttered. ¡°Just lovely.¡±

    A man¡¯s voice rose above all the chatter, coming from across the room.

    ¡°There you are, Sarisa!¡±

    The woman¡¯s head jerked up.

    ¡°Shit,¡± she whispered as she quickly slid the item under the table.

    The newcomer¡ªa blonde with a haughty attitude¡ªstopped at the table and looked between the two.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your date, honey?¡±

    ¡°I Axxarx,¡± said the alien.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. Now scram.¡±

    Val frowned as she finished her food. She pushed the plate away and reached down to her phaser, resting her hand on the cold metal.

    The creature hissed. ¡°I do not what you say, I do what I want.¡±

    The stranger squinted, then looked at the woman.

    ¡°Is he for real?¡±

    ¡°What do you want, Merken? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure. It¡¯s all lovely. But you need to come with me.¡±

    ¡°I need?¡±

    ¡°You heard me.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    The man tensed. Squinted again. At her this time.

    ¡°What do you mean, no?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you know the meaning of that word, Merken. Now, how about you be a good boy and leave us alone?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me,¡± he insisted.

    Before the woman could reply, another voice jumped in¡ªo ne Val was much too familiar with.

    ¡°The lady said no. How about you get a clue and drop it?¡±

    She glanced at Peter¡¯s table and grimaced. Her brother, though still sitting, had turned to face the stranger. His three companions were similarly oriented. Her grip on her phaser tightened.

    The man now had his back turned to her, but she was sure he must be squinting at Peter.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you mind your own business, punk?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a punk who likes poking his nose where it doesn¡¯t belong. Now scram.¡±

    She almost chuckled but held it back.

    The man didn¡¯t seem amused, though. Tough.

    Meanwhile, the woman had slid out of the booth and, holding the chunk in her right hand, hurried quietly toward the exit. Val watched her go with a smirk.

    The alien just sat there, looking confused.

    ¡°You think you¡¯re tough, do you? I bet you wouldn¡¯t be acting so smart if you didn¡¯t have those three dumb asses to back you up.¡±

    She could have told him he was wrong, that he still would have acted smart, but she held her tongue. She hoped the three dumb asses in question would do the same.

    Peter crossed his arms, still seated.

    ¡°Funny. But not. Here¡¯s the thing, though. You¡¯re alone. I not only have three dumb asses, as you put it, but a room full of annoyed patrons.¡± The stranger looked around and frowned. Everyone was watching, and nobody seemed amused. ¡°Oh, and by the way, your girl is gone. So what¡¯s the point? Have a good day.¡±

    He turned back to his drink as the man spun to look at the table and the empty seat where the woman had sat. He cursed and rushed toward the door.

    Val stretched.

    The man tripped on her leg and fell.

    ¡°Whoops,¡± she said. ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t see you there.¡±

    The stranger cursed again and glared at her as he got back to his feet and hurried to the door.

    ¡°Nice touch,¡± said Peter, as he walked back to her table.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t too bad yourself. So, who are your new friends?¡±

    Peter did not sit. He stood next to her and looked over his shoulder.

    ¡°Old ones, actually. They thought I was dead.¡±

    ¡°Funny that.¡±

    He looked back at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Val, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I get it. You¡¯re on a mission. You have the Imperium to save. Go, then.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡±

    She stood and threw her arms in the air. ¡°How am I supposed to be? Happy? I just got my brother back and I¡¯m losing him again. Great. I love it. See? I¡¯m smiling.¡± She gave him a big fake smile, then stormed toward the door.

    He caught up with her as she walked into the street, grabbed her arm, and forced her to turn around.

    ¡°No, Val. I don¡¯t want us to leave like this. We don¡¯t know what will happen. Do you really want this to be your last memory of us together?¡±

    She punched him in the chest.

    ¡°See! You¡¯re already talking like we¡¯ll never see each other again. Why do you always do that? Everything is always dark with you. The Emperor is a monster. The Imperium is dying. I¡¯ll never see you again. Damn it! Can¡¯t you have a bit of hope for a change?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that¡¯s what I¡¯m fighting for, Val? To bring hope to the people¡ª¡±

    ¡°At the cost of your own, yeah. I see it fine. Just go already! I hate goodbyes.¡±

    He hugged her. She tried to push away at first, but then sunk into the embrace, holding back the tears.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, big brother,¡± she whispered into his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t you go die on me.¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± he whispered back.

 106 (2x31) When the world blows up in your face

    It was a beautiful day. The sun shone, high up in the sky. Birds chirped in the distance. People walked casually down the walkways, laughing and smiling. Music played in the distance. The air was fresh and invigorating.

    Halden watched the building across the street.

    The Regency looked like it had always looked. A big white triangular building with triangular windows and colorful paintings between them that showed children playing, along with scenes of historical significance. It hadn¡¯t changed in decades, if not more. There were so many memories tied to this place¡ªsome joyful, some painful. He hadn¡¯t come here in ages.

    He took a deep breath and walked across the street.

    Bernice was an old world¡ªsome claimed it had been the first colonized when humans started spreading across the stars. Halden wasn¡¯t too sure about that. There was contradicting information... even the history books never seemed to agree. Not that it mattered. But because of its age, the infrastructure of its cities was a mixture of old and new. There still were paved streets¡ªthough now only used by pedestrians¡ªalong with high-tech walkways that carried strollers through the sky.

    He paused in front of the door and glanced up at the translucid tubes to watch for a moment the shapes of travelers going through them.

    With a sigh, he shook his head and stepped in. He bumped into two men who were on their way out.

    ¡°Hey! Watch where you¡¯re going, old man,¡± snapped one of them.

    It was the first time anyone had called him ¡®old,¡¯ but it didn¡¯t bother him. He wasn¡¯t even upset with the incident. He didn¡¯t care. His mind was elsewhere. Ignoring the two strangers, he walked on, as if in a daze.

    Lucy had been here. Not just as a child, with him, but recently. Before her death. When she had recorded that maddening video that puzzled him so much.

    But he knew he would get answers today.

    He had to.

    Halden didn¡¯t need directions. Despite the years, nothing had changed. His memory might not be as sharp as it once was, but his feet remembered the way.

    They took him to the same elevator he had used so often when he had come here with Lucy. When she was a child. They had taken it to the fifth floor, like it was taking him now. The door opened and he walked down the same hall he had then.

    For a moment, he wondered if he still was in the Fault. It all felt so out of place. Everything was the same. Like he had traveled back in time once again. Even the lighting was as he remembered it.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He stopped at the third door on the left and reached for the handle. It opened easily. He stepped in.

    The room was larger than it should have been, but quantum physics allowed such things. Part of the architecture extended into what scientists called the ether. They weren¡¯t quite sure what it was. Many called it a different dimension. Others believed it just ripped a hole through space, sticking out on some unknown world. Either way, it allowed building interiors much larger than what the structure could have physically contained.

    The recreation area resembled a park. Holoscreens on the ceiling even made it feel like an open sky, with clouds drifting by and the sun shining down on the children. Many were there playing in the fields, swimming in the lake, bouncing on swings...

    His eyes stopped on the swings. Lucy had mentioned them in the recording. There was one in particular she had loved as a child. The only one painted pink, with flowers drawn across the wooden seat. A little girl sat on it now, swinging back and forth and laughing.

    For a moment, he thought it was her... his daughter. He clenched his fists as the pain in his heart reminded him it could not be her.

    The girl suddenly jumped off and ran toward a woman who was sitting in the grass, motioning for her to come over.

    Halden stood there staring at the swing as it slowed down its swaying motions. Only when it became still did he find the strength to step forward.

    He stopped as he reached it and knelt by its side. He grabbed it with his right hand and shuddered. Closed his eyes, counted to five, looked again. He moved the little seat to the side and studied it from every angle. Looked underneath, too, but couldn¡¯t find anything.

    There had to be something. But if there was... Lucy wouldn¡¯t have wanted just anyone to find it. She couldn¡¯t risk it falling off either. Not if it was meant for him and him only, as he now suspected it was. Where would she have hidden whatever she had hidden here?

    He stood and stared at the swing for a moment, then looked at the chains that held it in place. He glanced further up. No. She wouldn¡¯t have been able to reach up there. Not without anyone noticing. There were always too many people here, too many witnesses.

    His eyes went back to the chains.

    What would she have done?

    She would have sat on the swing, he realized.

    He sat on the swing, ignoring the odd looks some adults threw him.

    Lucy was smaller than him. As an adult, her hands would have reached... about here. He placed his hands accordingly and felt around the chains.

    Something clicked as his DNA unlocked an invisible mechanism that held a microscopic chip merged with the chain. It unmerged and he felt a tingling sensation as it slipped into the palm of his hand.

    Halden stood and, without looking, rushed out of the atrium, into the hall, down the elevator, and out of the building. Only once in the street, a few feet away, with his heart beating fast, did he bring up his hand and look at the chip.

    Despite never listening to Rees and her father when they talked shop, the girl had a brilliant mind. She had not forgotten about this ancient technology. A DNA lock! What a smart, smart girl.

    His heart ached as he slipped the chip into his wristpad.

    He was about to tap the screen when a huge explosion shook the earth and sent him flying three feet away. He hit a wall and fell to the ground.

    When he got back to his feet, still dazed, he turned to look across the street.

    The Regency was gone.

    All that remained were burning ruins, melted metal, shattered glass, and charred corpses.

 107 (2x32) When friends are found in unlikely places

    While coming to Naladen had been easy, Mrill soon discovered that leaving was more difficult. Few who came here wished to ever leave, so there were not many options¡ªand all of them required waiting. In the days that followed, she learned there were no gateways here, which she would gladly have paid for.

    She did not feel at ease. This place was not for her, and she feared someone might at any moment discover who she truly was. She realized she was not so much bothered with how they would shun her as with how it would affect them. It would disturb the peace and cast a shadow on this perfect community.

    Was it perfect, though?

    She had never seen perfection in her life. Was this what it looked like?

    No. It was not perfect. If it was, they would have accepted her with open arms. They would never.

    Every day, she walked the distance from her hotel to the spaceport, hoping to hear there had been some change in the scheduling and that a ship would come for her soon. But always she left expressionless and with disappointment in her heart.

    On the fourth day, she found a young man waiting there in the empty halls. A human. He glanced at her and frowned as she walked past him, up to the counter. She wondered why they kept someone working here when there was such little traffic. When she had once asked the lady behind the glass panel, the woman had shrugged.

    ¡°I like it here,¡± she had said. ¡°I have time to read and watch holofilms. It¡¯s calm¡ªmost of the time, anyway. And the pay is good.¡±

    ¡°They pay you to do nothing?¡±

    The woman had looked confused. ¡°What do you mean, nothing? I give you information when you need it, don¡¯t I?¡±

    Mrill had not insisted.

    She stopped now in front of the counter and stared at the old man, who looked up at her.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Where is...¡± She paused. ¡°There was a woman here before.¡±

    ¡°She died.¡±

    Mrill stood motionless and expressionless.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, her voice as bland as ever.

    ¡°No idea. Didn¡¯t wake up this morning. Husband found her dead in bed. They called me out of retirement to fill in for her until they find someone else. Poor thing. Was so young, too.¡±

    No, this was not a perfect world, she thought to herself. How could it be perfect if people still died? And one so young.

    She asked if there had been any changes to the schedules, but the man gave her the same answer the nice lady had given her every other day.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Though no one could have guessed from her demeanor, Mrill was shaken by the news. She took a few steps from the counter and sat in a chair, staring at the floor.

    Why had she come here? What answers had she expected to find? A miracle solution to hate, to war, to death? Clearly, she had been misled, if that was it. This place was no different from any other. It was all appearances.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    She looked to her right and saw the man she had passed earlier had moved to a seat next to her.

    ¡°Have your ticket off this rock yet?¡±

    She shook her head, staring at him.

    ¡°Figures. Me neither. Damned place.¡± He held out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Roff.¡±

    As she shook it, she peered into the man¡¯s mind. She needed to understand. To know what he wanted. Was he a threat? Did he come for her?

    ¡°Hello, Rashed Farden,¡± she said blandly.

    The man jerked back as if she had sent electricity into his hand.

    ¡°How do you know my name?¡±

    ¡°You just told me.¡±

    ¡°No, I said Roff!¡±

    She looked away, back at the floor, and said nothing.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± he insisted. ¡°Are you a mind reader?¡±

    ¡°Why ask,¡± she said, ¡°if you already know the answer?¡±

    She could feel his gaze on her, but she didn¡¯t care. He was no threat. She had read as much. Just a lost soul who thought he couldn¡¯t fit in and wanted to escape a world he did not understand.

    Mrill glanced back at him.

    ¡°Why do you think you can¡¯t fit in?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you prefer it out there?¡± She pointed to the sky.

    The man gaped at her.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be...¡± He stopped and turned to stare at the wall. They both remained quiet for a moment. ¡°They¡¯re all so happy here,¡± he finally said, ¡°it makes me sick.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to be happy?¡±

    ¡°Not like this!¡± He waved a hand toward the large glass panels to their right that made up the external wall. You could see the busy streets beyond, and some of its cheery population. ¡°It¡¯s not real,¡± he muttered. ¡°None of it is. It¡¯s all make-believe. Manufactured happiness. I don¡¯t want my happiness to be manufactured. Took me two damn weeks to understand. What a fool I was.¡±

    ¡°You think they¡¯re all fools?¡±

    ¡°For believing the lies?¡± He grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe. I think most people just don¡¯t want to worry about anything, so they¡¯ll latch on to whatever feels like it¡¯ll take all their problems away.¡±

    ¡°But it won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°No, it won¡¯t. It can¡¯t. Nothing can. Except death, I suppose.¡±

    Mrill glanced at the old man behind the counter¡ªhe had his eyes closed and she could hear him snoring lightly.

    ¡°Are you going back to Pluvios?¡± she asked without looking at Roff.

    The younger man straightened and pointed an accusing finger at her.

    ¡°You really did read my mind!¡± She said nothing. He leaned back against the wall and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe. I haven¡¯t decided yet. I wish I could visit Assalin, or even Iriaki. Always wanted to, but I could never afford it.¡±

    ¡°Would those places bring you happiness?¡±

    ¡°They seem to do the trick for others, so why not me?¡±

    She pondered this for a moment.

    ¡°So. What is your story?¡± asked Roff.

    ¡°That is of no concern to you.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair. You owe me! You know everything about me. That gives you an unfair advantage.¡±

    ¡°It does.¡±

    He slumped back, scowling. ¡°Fine. Keep your secrets.¡±

    ¡°I usually do.¡± She remained quiet for a moment. Then pointed at the glass wall. ¡°Like you, I would never fit in. If they knew of my abilities, they would understand who I am, and then they would throw me out.¡±

    ¡°Strange. Everyone loves having others poke around in their heads.¡±

    She glanced blandly at him. ¡°So long as it¡¯s not poking holes.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Can you really do that?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Maybe. Never tried. Want me to experiment on you?¡±

    The man shook his hands in front of him. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m good.¡±

    An alarm rang loudly through the empty halls. They both looked toward the counter, where the old man jerked awake and sat upright, staring at his displays.

    ¡°Oh my! Oh dear!¡± He jumped out of his seat and looked around in panic, his eyes locking with Mrill¡¯s. ¡°Ship in distress coming down fast. Going to crash on us. We need to evacuate immediately!¡±

 108 (2x33) When one waits for her head to roll

    The buildings were in flames as hoverbots sprayed the still-burning walls with water. They were everywhere, buzzing and darting in every direction. Crowds had assembled on both sites to gape at the destruction.

    ¡°We can now confirm,¡± said Athissia, ¡°that both bombings happened simultaneously. The timing this would have required hints at a terrorist attack. Some suspect the Qevahri, but official sources have denied this, claiming the technology used here is much more mundane. There are reports of other¡ª¡±

    Thiari turned the news off when her vircell rang. She pressed two fingers against her temple and the face of Alini na¡¯Mindri appeared against her retina. She had expected and dreaded this call for days. The wait was finally over, though it did not make her feel any better.

    There was no kindness in the older woman¡¯s eyes¡ªnor had she expected to find any. She fully understood the gravity of her actions. Part of her shuddered at the thought of all those other things she had done¡ªhad anyone known about half of them, surely she would have been sentenced to death.

    Well, there were two who knew, but they had no interest in denouncing her. For reasons of their own.

    The older woman gave her a curt nod. ¡°Thiari. We need to talk.¡±

    There would be no talk, though. A talk implied an exchange. One would say something, the other would respond. She knew she was not expected to respond. This would be a one-way conversation. A monologue. All she had to do was listen and accept her fate. She would only speak if prompted to do so.

    So she simply nodded back.

    ¡°You have acted rashly¡ªto say the least. You had no right to pull all of Gnorlia into this mess.¡±

    Except she hadn¡¯t. Not technically. She had been very careful how she had phrased her announcement. If they wanted to, the government could spin things to their advantage, to make her stand out as a rogue element. Likely they would. She had given them the tools to do so. It was only fair.

    ¡°We have read your report, and we find it to be lacking. It does not answer any of our questions. Most of all, it does not tell us why you did what you did. Can you give me that answer now?¡±

    Thiari remained quiet. How could she not? She could not tell Alini about her secrets. About the hooded man who knew those secrets and used them to manipulate her. To coerce her into betraying her own people. Better she not say a word.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The older woman sighed. ¡°Very well. If you insist on silence, we have no other option but to punish you to the full extent of the law.¡± Alini paused. ¡°However, some have pointed out how this could be an opportunity for us to gain the independence we have so long wanted. The Imperium is weakened at the moment, torn between different attacks. I do not feel it is weak enough yet, but...¡± She paused again, blinking. ¡°We shall delay your sentence until we see more clearly. In the meantime, you are hereby relieved of your duties. You will shortly receive instructions on your wristpad, which you are to follow to the letter. Is this understood?¡±

    Again, she nodded.

    Alini watched her for a moment, then sighed. ¡°I had such great hopes for you, Thiari. You have proved a disappointment. Goodbye.¡±

    The image faded, and Thiari leaned back in her chair.

    More than anything else, those last words had cut through her heart.

    The older woman had once been her mentor¡ªbefore she had risen to power. She had taught her everything she knew about politics, manipulation, and human psychology.

    And now she had failed her.

    Her wristpad blinked and beeped.

    Expecting the message from Alini, she tapped on the screen. Instead, she found one from Juden.

    She frowned.

    Juden. She hadn¡¯t heard from him for some time. He had sent her occasional updates over the past months. Last she¡¯d heard, he had found Starrider on Pluvios.

    In his message, the brilliant agent said he needed to talk to her. She guessed he must have tried reaching out while Alini was scolding her.

    She pressed down on her temple and blinked a few times until her vircell connected with Juden¡¯s.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked.

    Juden looked at her with an annoyed expression.

    ¡°That woman is driving me crazy. She and that friend of hers managed to trick and capture us on Pluvios. We escaped on Derkanash¡ª¡±

    ¡°Derkanash?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Watch your tone, Juden. I¡¯m not in the mood for this.¡±

    The dark-skinned man took a deep breath and nodded.

    ¡°Apologies, Thiari. It has been rough out here.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°We escaped and took control of the ship. Managed to take off, leaving that woman behind. But she caught up to us with a freaking battlepod! To cut a long story short, we fought and escaped again, this time in the battlepod.¡±

    Thiari frowned. ¡°So you¡¯re no longer on that ship?¡±

    ¡°We are not.¡±

    ¡°What about Bregg?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I¡¯ve been trying to reach him ever since we took off from Derkanash, but he¡¯s not taking my calls. He gave me a scrambler so I could call him on a secure line, but that¡¯s giving me errors now.¡±

    She pursed her lips. ¡°Last I heard, he¡¯d gone down to Qevahr. I wonder if he got caught.¡±

    Juden blinked. ¡°Qevahr? What was he doing there, of all places?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°What should we do now, boss?¡±

    Thiari pondered this for a moment.

    ¡°You might as well come home,¡± she said. ¡°You could be useful for another project.¡±

    ¡°Alright. We¡¯re on our way.¡±

    She cut the communication with a blink of her eyes.

 109 (2x34) When a new mystery is revealed

    There was nothing she could do. All the doctors had told her as much. They said she should get some rest. Sleep, maybe. Or do something to keep herself busy while she waited, to keep her mind off what she could not control.

    Val sighed as she paced back and forth on the bridge of her ship.

    ¡°You¡¯ll dig a hole in the floor,¡± said Nim.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± she asked, ignoring the jibe. ¡°I can¡¯t wait here forever.¡±

    ¡°Do we have someplace else we need to be?¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Well, ¡®need¡¯ might not be the right word, but we¡¯ll have to get back to work eventually.¡±

    Nim remained quiet as she continued her pacing.

    ¡°Why did he have to play hero like that?¡± She threw her arms in the air. ¡°Just like him. What a fool! I can¡¯t believe he¡ª¡± She paused as her gaze fell on the screen. ¡°What is that?¡±

    It showed the image of a planet with red shapes in an ocean of blue.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Nim after a few seconds of silence.

    ¡°What do you mean, you don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t put it there.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t? Then who¡ª¡±

    She bit down on her lip as she remembered the dormant AI. Hadn¡¯t Kaine suggested it might not be dormant at all? It couldn¡¯t be if it had opened that space rift.

    ¡°Val? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Please check all of your systems,¡± she said. ¡°Make sure everything is in order. Let me know if you find anything that isn''t.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Val.¡±

    But if it had been the AI¡¯s doing, why would it have wanted her to go through that rift? To find out about the Qevahri attacking the Imperial fleet? She would have found out eventually, along with everyone else in the Imperium. Her stay on Rimzana had otherwise been short and unremarkable...

    That was not exactly true, though, was it? She had met Kaine.

    She frowned. Shook her head. No, that couldn¡¯t be it. Why would a stupid AI want her to meet a guy like that? Plus, meeting that man had been such a random thing, there was just no way it could be the reason for all of this.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°I have found nothing, Val,¡± came the familiar and soothing voice. ¡°Besides that box in the hold, everything is under control.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She paused. ¡°Could you pull up for me all the information you have on this planet?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    As the data scrolled on her screen, she tried to remember everything that had happened on Rimzana. It wasn¡¯t like there had been anything special. If it hadn¡¯t been for the rift, her ship wouldn¡¯t have been damaged and she wouldn¡¯t have needed to find a fixer...

    Except, she never got to the fixer, did she?

    She blinked, then squinted at her wristpad.

    ¡°Nim...¡±

    ¡°Yes, Val?¡±

    ¡°Is there something wrong with my wristpad?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Back when we were on Rimzana, something happened. I found a list of fixers that I transferred to my wristpad. And then... it glitched. What with everything that¡¯s happened since, I¡¯d forgotten about it¡ªuntil now. Could you look into it?¡±

    ¡°If you place its screen against the dashboard¡¯s sensor, I can connect to it and check it out.¡±

    She did as instructed and read the display while she waited.

    The world was called Calista. It was one among thousands that lay within the rim of the Imperium. It had been first settled some three hundred years prior and had quickly grown. Despite its location at the edge of the rim, it had drawn the attention of conglomerates and scientists because of the rich and unique minerals that could be found there. The interest waned after a century¡ªin part for political reasons, but also because better and more accessible resources had been found.

    ¡°It seems to be working perfectly well, Val.¡±

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±

    She glanced at her wristpad as she pulled it away from the dashboard and looked back to the screen. Her eyes widened as she read the next paragraph.

    The planet had disappeared. It was not immediately noticed, as Calista was no longer closely monitored, but when it was, it raised many eyebrows and the news spread like wildfire. This happened nearly a century ago and had now become more of a myth, with many not even believing the world had ever existed.

    Val frowned as she went back through the file and read older entries. There were too many records of the settling, of trade agreements, company foundings... How could people think it was a myth? That world was real. There was evidence of it right there, plain as day.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± she muttered. ¡°People can be so infuriating!¡±

    ¡°What is it, Val?¡±

    She pointed at the screen. ¡°A mystery bites them in the ass. They investigate. They can¡¯t find an answer, so what do they do? They sweep it under the rug, of course. Never happened. Much easier this way.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, Val. I¡¯m only an AI. I don¡¯t know humans as well as you do.¡±

    She gritted her teeth but said nothing.

    After a while of staring at the screen, she jumped into her seat and tapped at the controls.

    ¡°The hell with it,¡± she grunted. ¡°I¡¯ll go crazy if I stay here waiting one more minute. Let¡¯s go look at this mystery planet.¡±

    ¡°What about Ondine?¡±

    The girl had stayed at the hospital, refusing to leave her rescuer¡¯s side.

    ¡°She¡¯s better off where she is. She¡¯ll be safer down there, where she can watch over Kaine. Besides, this shouldn¡¯t take long¡ªwe¡¯ll just take a quick look.¡±

    ¡°Alright. But there won¡¯t be anything to see if that planet is gone, Val.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, we¡¯ll see about that.¡±

    Her mind kept going back to the dormant AI.

    First a space rift, now this...

    What game was it playing?

 110 (2x35) When everything changes

    Still shaken by the experience, he had wandered through the streets, not knowing where he was going.

    A buzz in his head told him there was an incoming holocall. He mechanically pressed two fingers against his temple.

    ¡°Halden? Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Hi Vina. Yes. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Good grief! I just heard the news. I was so scared you were still in there...¡±

    ¡°No. I... No. Got out just before...¡±

    ¡°Halden! What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... I don¡¯t feel too good.¡±

    ¡°Go to a doctor! Right away!¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯ll pass, I¡¯m sure. I need... What do I need?¡± He suddenly remembered why he had gone to the Regency. ¡°Oh. Oh! I have to go, Vina. I¡¯ll call you back.¡±

    ¡°Halden! Don¡¯t you dare¡ª¡±

    He hung up and hurried down the street, looking all around him. He needed a place where he could sit down and focus. Not an inn or a tavern, it would be too noisy. A hotel would work...

    Halden laughed when he remembered he was on Bernice. He could just go home.

    He stopped at a Holscreen Terminal and ordered a hovercab. Five minutes later, it dropped him in front of his house.

    It felt like he had been gone for years, but it was good to be back. Though he did not take time to bask in his pleasure.

    There was more urgent business he needed to attend to.

    He hurried to his desk, sat down, and sent the data from the chip to his TriVid screen.

    The face of his daughter appeared, floating in the air before him, as beautiful as he remembered her. Though she did not look well. She seemed younger, too, as if this had been recorded some years prior. He couldn¡¯t tell when exactly.

    ¡°Hi dad,¡± she said, and he could hear the strain in her voice. She was worried about something. She fidgeted with her pendant, looking down. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be doing this, but I need to tell someone... even if you never actually see this. I think it¡¯ll do me good to just get it off my chest. I just hope Rees doesn¡¯t find out. He¡¯d be mad as hell. But it¡¯s for his own good, too. If anything happened to us...¡±

    She stopped to wipe her cheeks. As resolve shot through her, she straightened and looked into the camera.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m doing this. Dad. Rees is in trouble. We both are, to be honest, because he told me things he shouldn¡¯t have. Things he was asked not to tell anyone. Not even to me.¡± She bit down on her lips. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t actually send this to you. That would put you in danger as well. Damn it!¡±

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The recording stopped, then picked up again, probably recorded another day as Lucy now wore different clothes.

    ¡°Sorry, dad, but this is hard. As you know, Rees works on a confidential project for the government. He¡ª¡±

    Halden paused the recording and stood, staring at his daughter¡¯s face.

    No, no, no... She was about to reveal secrets. That wasn¡¯t good. Not good at all. Secrets that belonged to Rees. That he had been sworn not to share. If his employers found out...

    He went very pale.

    This couldn¡¯t be real. If it was, it meant the government was behind her death.

    But why hadn¡¯t they killed Rees too?

    Because they still needed him, he realized bitterly.

    He didn¡¯t want to know about the secrets, but he needed to know why his daughter had been killed.

    His eyes hardened as he started up the recording again.

    ¡°¡ªwas appointed to work on this thing, an alien device that was found decades ago, out on the rim. After all this time, it remained a puzzle. They¡¯d discovered some things, like what it was made of, but they still didn¡¯t know what its real purpose was. They couldn¡¯t even open it and go inside! But Rees figured it out.¡± There was pride in his daughter¡¯s voice. It eclipsed her concern, though only for a brief moment. ¡°He could see things, patterns, that nobody else noticed. He ran new tests and... the damn thing opened! Inside, they found weird architecture and strange seats. Soon, he was able to confirm what some had suspected: the device could affect the weather. The powers-that-be summoned him and asked him all sorts of questions.¡±

    Lucy fell quiet and looked to the side. She reached out and grabbed a cup. After sipping from it, she put it down and turned to the camera again.

    ¡°Dad, they want to use it as a weapon. The government. Can you imagine? They could go to any planet and use that device to create earthquakes, hurricanes, anything that would devastate cities and crush the enemy. Rees did not like that, but he dared not say anything.¡± She put her head in her hands. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have pressed him with questions when he became so gloomy... But I was worried about him! I couldn¡¯t help it. He wouldn¡¯t answer me at first, but it was eating him inside. And so one day he cracked and he spilled it all out. He told me everything. Then made me swear never to tell anyone else. So I swore.¡± She bit down on her lip. ¡°I¡¯m not really telling you, so I¡¯m not breaking my promise, okay? I¡¯ll probably just erase this... And maybe record it again in a week. And again.¡±

    She screamed as she buried her head in her hands once more, shaking it. Then she stopped the recording.

    Halden waited, but she did not return.

    She was gone.

    Really gone.

    That was it.

    All that was left of his precious daughter.

    He unclipped the chip and hid it back in his wristpad.

    The government must have found out that she knew.

    They couldn¡¯t punish Rees, but they could punish Lucy.

    Silence her.

    And it would have served as a lesson, too.

    Coldness gripped his heart as he thought back to his conversation with the visor.

    Perhaps your mind has been dulled by your losses, had said Rash.

    What did he know of his losses?

    Was he the man who had ordered the murder?

    Because this had been murder.

    He now knew it with cold certainty.

    His anger became even more intense when he realized his daughter had known something was going to happen to her. Otherwise, why had she sent him that second recording, with the clues to find this older one? Years had passed between the two. But something had happened, and the Imperium had learned that she knew.

    He let himself fall in his seat, shaking his head.

    Now he knew as well, but what good did it do him?

    What could he do?

    Absolutely nothing.

    The Imperium was all-powerful.

    He was nothing.

    He was nobody.

    Except...

    The visor had given him a mission.

    He would go back to Nad¡¯irith and study the Fault. One day, he would find a way to use it to make those responsible pay for their crime.

    He would not rest until he made them pay.

 111 (2x36) When a way out presents itself

    The ship dropped from the sky like a rock. It plummeted down straight for the spaceport.

    Thankfully, only the three of them were in the building, and they quickly made their exit. They watched from a distance as the small vessel suddenly stopped, a mere two feet from the roof, and resumed an upright position. It hovered there for a moment, then veered away from the structure to land on the airstrip.

    They walked back to the building, the old man grumbling all along.

    ¡°The fool! Can¡¯t even keep his ship steady! Should be banned from flying, that he should! Endangering people¡¯s lives... Almost gave me a heart attack, that he did!¡±

    Mrill said nothing as they went back in.

    The stranger named Roff leaned closer.

    ¡°Think we could hitch a ride on that thing?¡±

    The same thought had crossed her mind. However, she also had similar thoughts as the spaceport employee. How good was this pilot? Then again, he had stopped a seemingly unstoppable crash. Unless the onboard AI had handled it?

    No, she decided, an AI would have acted sooner. It wouldn¡¯t have gotten so bad unless the ship was damaged, but then it wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop at all¡ªexcept for human intervention.

    Human or alien, she told herself.

    The pilot had to be good, then. Perhaps even excellent.

    As the old man returned behind his counter, Mrill crossed the hall to the other end to watch the ship through the glass panes. There was smoke coming out of its engine, but it did not seem too bad. A hatch opened and a small human jumped out. He stepped quickly away, then turned to consider his ship. He threw his arms in the air and looked down, shaking his head. Then he glanced around and started toward the building.

    ¡°I think there¡¯d be enough room in that thing for both of us. What do you say?¡±

    Mrill blandly considered the man who stood next to her. She had not noticed him following. Though startled, no one could have guessed it from looking at her. She was as expressionless as ever.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°It might do.¡±

    She turned and headed back toward the counter.

    ¡°Do you know who that is?¡± she asked, pointing at the smoking ship over her shoulder.

    ¡°A fool, that¡¯s who!¡± The old man was clearly still upset. ¡°I¡¯ll give him an earful when he gets here, you just wait and see!¡±

    ¡°Was it a scheduled flight?¡±

    ¡°Scheduled? Look, lady, I¡¯ve told you there was nothing scheduled for another two weeks! You think people just decide to come pick people up out of the blue?¡±

    ¡°Surely, ships that drop off travelers could pick others up before they leave? How can it be one-way only?¡±

    That was a question she had asked before, but she never understood the answer she was given. Perhaps the old man would fare better.

    ¡°They would if there were folks wanting to leave, but there ain¡¯t. Well, aside from you two, that is.¡±

    ¡°But where are the ships¡ªthe ones that drop off passengers? Why do we not see them?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time,¡± muttered Roff.

    The old man crossed his arms. ¡°Is this where you arrived, young lady? Was this where you landed when you got here?¡±

    Mrill looked around, then back at the old man.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Precisely.¡±

    ¡°I was told to come here.¡±

    ¡°And you were told right. Because this is where the outgoing ships are.¡±

    Roff snorted. ¡°Except they aren¡¯t.¡±

    The old man pointed a finger at him. ¡°Now don¡¯t you act all smart on me, mister, or you won¡¯t be catching any flight at all.¡±

    ¡°What if,¡± said Mrill, ¡°we went to the port of arrival? Could we not then board a ship before it left?¡±

    ¡°No, you could not.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± asked Roff. ¡°We have our ticket off this rock right there!¡±

    He pointed at the pilot who had just walked into the spaceport. She could hear the man cursing and grunting as he walked.

    ¡°Because those are the rules,¡± answered the old man.

    ¡°I thought you only had two rules here¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, and that¡¯s one of them. You!¡± He stood as he shouted, pointing a finger at the newcomer.

    The other froze in his steps and blinked.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you! Do you see anyone else here that I¡¯m yelling at? You idiot! You moron! You incapable fool! Whoever taught you how to pilot?¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes, I see.¡± He started walking again. ¡°Gave you a bit of a scare, I wager. Sorry about that. Stupid thing broke down on me. Engine died, and the AI with it.¡±

    The old man opened his mouth. Closed it.

    Mrill looked at the pilot.

    ¡°That was an impressive save,¡± she said blandly.

    He bowed to her. ¡°Thank you, milady.¡±

    Roff scoffed. ¡°Milady?¡±

    Both Mrill and the pilot ignored him.

    ¡°Can your ship be repaired?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± He turned to the old man. ¡°If you can lend a man some tools¡ªor, better yet, a fixer.¡±

    The old man grunted. ¡°No fixer. Tools are in hangar 5. Here¡¯s the key.¡±

    He pulled it out of a drawer and dropped it on the counter.

    ¡°We¡¯ll help,¡± said Roff.

    Though Mrill knew nothing about repairing ships, she followed the two men out on the airstrip.

 112 (2x37) When old friends meet again

    They were an assorted bunch¡ªthieves, smugglers, mercenaries... A few of them had served in the Imperial army but had since seen the light. All of them were free men who wanted nothing but to help others gain that same freedom.

    But freedom came at a price.

    None knew this better than Peter Corenth.

    He had lost many of his friends to this cause; would lose many more before he was done.

    They had gathered aboard Helix, a ship he knew well. It had been a part of his army, once upon a time. An army he would raise once again.

    ¡°Most of them are on Pluvios,¡± said Helga.

    ¡°I suspected as much.¡± Peter considered the maps that floated in the air between them. His friends had marked all the worlds where they knew for sure some of their old crew now lived. They shone as bright red spots. There were hundreds of them. ¡°We¡¯ll start there. Then we¡¯ll get the others.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll spread the word ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°People won¡¯t believe it until they see him,¡± said Granksh. ¡°Hell, I see him and I still can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    They all laughed.

    Peter smiled. ¡°In the beginning it will be a hard sell, but things will change as our army grows.¡±

    ¡°There are more Impies in the rim now than ever before,¡± remarked Helga. ¡°It could prove challenging.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I always liked a challenge. Besides, I bet we¡¯ll grow faster now than before...¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Impies won¡¯t know what hit them,¡± snickered Andron.

    There were others there as well¡ªa dozen, he¡¯d counted. Helga had called them and they had come. Many stared at Peter as if he was a saint come back from the dead. While he would have contested the first part, he couldn¡¯t argue with the second.

    ¡°To Pluvios, then,¡± said Helga.

    ¡°To Pluvios!¡± they all cried out.

    As Helix took off, Peter went to the window and watched Ovkan grow smaller and smaller underneath them. Somewhere down there was his sister. He wondered if he would ever see her again.

    It was not being negative, he decided, it was being realistic. It was a dangerous life he led. While it was one he had chosen for himself, it was not one Val had chosen. She could not understand. She never had and likely never would.

    He had decided a long time ago never to rest until he had set things right. His time on Braxia had not altered his resolve. If anything, it had strengthened it. He would return, more powerful than ever, and the Emperor would tremble.

    ¡°A penny for your thoughts.¡±

    He glanced to his right and saw Helga staring at him.

    ¡°They¡¯re not worth that much,¡± he said with a chuckle.

    ¡°I¡¯d give you a buck for them, regardless.¡±

    ¡°Have you become wealthy in my absence?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°Not even in your dreams¡ªor mine, sadly.¡±

    He looked back at the window. Ovkan was only a tiny dot in the distance now.

    ¡°Your sister?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s down there. Even smaller than a dot. Strange, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s called physics. Or science.¡±

    ¡°I see you still enjoy using dirty words.¡±

    She punched him on the shoulder.

    ¡°You realize we¡¯re fighting so they¡¯re not dirty words anymore?¡±

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of that.¡± He pondered. ¡°Yes, I suppose that¡¯s part of it. Though I think it¡¯s even more vital to get out of this bind we¡¯re in. Start creating, building, and expanding again.¡±

    ¡°Where shall we start?¡±

    ¡°Pluvios.¡±

    ¡°Yes, wise-ass, I know. But after that? After you¡¯ve rebuilt your army? Where should we go?¡±

    He moved away from the window, back toward the floating map. He stared at it for a moment, then pointed at a small blue dot.

    ¡°This is where this whole mess started. If we can set it free...¡±

    Helga walked up to the display and stood next to him, staring at the glimmering dot.

    ¡°Rimzana,¡± she whispered.

    He nodded. ¡°Rimzana.¡±

 113 (2x38) When a world went missing

    It had been a short trip as Calista was only two hours away from Ovkan¡ªat least, the coordinates were. Because all they found there was empty space.

    Val stared at the screen. All she saw were stars.

    ¡°You sure there¡¯s nothing there, Nim?¡±

    The disembodied voice was hesitant. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    There was a brief pause. ¡°I think I picked up a signal earlier, but I can¡¯t find it anymore.¡±

    ¡°What kind of signal?¡±

    ¡°Radio waves.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Radio? Isn¡¯t that, like, really, really old technology?¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been used in thousands of years, except in some very extreme cases.¡±

    ¡°Extreme cases? How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When nothing else works. It¡¯s usually used as a last recourse, when everything else fails, as it can pierce through every other technology.¡±

    She stared at the silent stars and they stared back.

    ¡°So what you¡¯re telling me is the planet is still there, and that someone is trying to send a distress signal?¡±

    ¡°I never said that!¡± There was a touch of reproach in Nim¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure there was a signal at all.¡±

    ¡°So you imagined it?¡±

    Another silence.

    ¡°Well, no, I don¡¯t suppose I have. But I¡¯m not picking it up anymore.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s scrambled. Didn¡¯t they have various frequencies they used?¡±

    ¡°I can try going through different ranges.¡±

    ¡°You do that.¡±

    As Nim went to work, so did she. With a few quick taps, she brought the information on the planet back on the screen. She had previously focused on the mystery of its disappearance, but now she wanted to know more about the world itself, its people, and the technology they used. Of course, all of that could have evolved in a century¡ªassuming there still was something here at all¡ªbut it would give her something to work with.

    ¡°I found the signal,¡± said a puzzled Nim.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°What does it say?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure it says anything. It¡¯s just garbled noise.¡±

    ¡°Put it through.¡±

    The speakers came alive as a high-pitched hiss invaded the bridge. It was filled with static and distorted notes.

    She grimaced. ¡°Okay, okay, turn it off.¡±

    The bridge went silent again.

    ¡°Nim, do you have the exact coordinates of the planet?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Would you be able to land on its surface without seeing it?¡±

    A silence.

    ¡°I... I think so. But, Val... what if it¡¯s not there?¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just go through, no harm done.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they have tried this a century ago?¡±

    She scrolled through the displayed data and shook her head.

    ¡°If they have, there is no record of it. Doesn¡¯t matter, anyway. I want to try it for myself.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Going down.¡±

    Nim had barely said those words that the engine powered off.

    ¡°What the hell? What just happened?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Val.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, you don¡¯t know? You just shut us down.¡±

    ¡°I did not.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you control¡ª¡± She froze. Cursed.

    ¡°Val?¡±

    ¡°You still have control of the ship?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Can you turn the engine back on?¡±

    After a second, she heard it start. She leaned back in her seat, thinking.

    ¡°Alright. Maybe it was a glitch. Let¡¯s try this again. Go down to the surface.¡±

    The engine powered off.

    She jumped out of her seat. ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Val stormed out of the bridge, heading for the hold.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± She could hear the panic in Nim¡¯s voice. ¡°Why is the ship not doing what I¡¯m telling it to do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she half lied, ¡°but we¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    When she reached the hold, she found the compartment was still open like Kaine had left it. The panel, which he had placed on the ground, had slid to the other side of the room¡ªlikely when Juden had taken off so abruptly from Derkanash.

    Inside the compartment, all she saw was a little red box with a couple of wires that ran to the side, connecting it to the ship. There were some light bulbs on the surface, but all of them were dark.

    She knelt and stared at it.

    ¡°Well hello there.¡± She fell quiet, thinking. ¡°Nim,¡± she said, never taking her eyes off the box, ¡°turn the engine on.¡±

    She soon heard the familiar and distant humming sound.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she muttered, ¡°let¡¯s try this again. Nim! Take us down to the surface of Calista.¡±

    One of the light bulbs flashed a bright green as the engine died.

    She jumped to her feet and pointed a finger at the box.

    ¡°Aha! I knew it! You are alive!¡±

    Nim¡¯s voice sounded confused. ¡°The box is alive?¡±

    She pursed her lips and changed the subject before he could piece things together. ¡°Let¡¯s try something else. Turn the engine back on, then move in the opposite direction from the planet.¡±

    ¡°There is no planet, Val.¡±

    ¡°You know what I mean!¡±

    There was a moment of silence and, once again, she heard the hum.

    ¡°How far should we go?¡± asked Nim.

    ¡°We are moving?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Alright, bring us back to the former position.¡±

    ¡°Shall I try going to the surface again?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± She knelt in front of the red box. Its lights had remained dark throughout the entire exchange. ¡°Why did you bring me here if you don¡¯t want me to go down to the surface? What was the point? What does any of this mean?¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking to that box?¡±

    She remained quiet for a moment. ¡°Okay, Nim, I need to tell you something.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Well, this ship had another AI before you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It was... faulty, so I had to replace it.¡±

    ¡°With me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She hated lying to Nim, but she couldn¡¯t tell him the truth. It would hurt too much.

    There was a long silence.

    She looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°Nim?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Another silence.

    ¡°I... Yes. I just didn¡¯t realize I could be replaced if I glitched.¡±

    Her heart sank as she held back the tears.

    ¡°Never, Nim. I could never replace you.¡±

 114 (2x39) When protection must be provided

    It was all over the news. It was all reporters could talk about, all across the Imperium. Well, that and the war. There had been more altercations between the Imperial fleet and the Qevahri. Each time, the latter had won.

    But that was not what he cared about. He cared about the Regencies. Two of them had been destroyed. The one here, on Bernice, and another on Assalin. The latter stung more¡ªat least to the Emperor. It was like a slap in his face. Taunting him. Wreaking havoc right under his nose.

    Halden wondered if there would be more bombings. Would other Regencies be targeted? He was not the only one wondering. Reporters interviewed citizens on millions of worlds, and all of them admitted to being frightened.

    It was strange. The war was a bigger and more serious issue, but people cared more about the Regencies. Halden could relate. The war was distant, affecting only the rim¡ªhe did not feel concerned. But the Regencies were everywhere. Each large city had one¡ªand even some of the smaller towns. Attacking one of them felt so much more personal, intimate. Everyone had souvenirs connected to these places. Weddings, celebrations, childhood memories...

    Who could have done this? It was inconceivable to him. So many lives taken¡ªinnocent lives. These had not been soldiers. The victims were civilians¡ªfathers, mothers, even children.

    Halden took a deep breath and tapped on his wristpad to bring up the information Olan Rash had given him. He had waited a couple of days to cool off. It would not have been wise for him to speak with the visor when the news of what had happened to his daughter was still so fresh in his mind. The wound was too deep, too painful. Knowing this man might be responsible...

    He needed to be sure, though. He¡¯d figured that much out. Once things had settled a bit and he¡¯d had time to think, he¡¯d realized there was nothing he knew for certain. Oh, he was sure enough Lucy had been murdered, but how and by who?

    Her glider had crashed. That was the official story. Due to a thilium leak. But thilium leaks did not just happen. And creating one would take... He frowned at the thought. The government could pull it off, for sure. But who had given the order? And, more importantly, how could he find out?

    He scanned the HoloID with his eyes and the vircell implanted in his brain initiated the holocall.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    It was the visor¡¯s private line. He had told him to use it when he was ready to start working.

    Rash¡¯s face appeared against his retina. The man nodded.

    ¡°Prof. Roche. I take it you¡¯re done with the personal matters you needed to attend to?¡±

    ¡°Almost,¡± he said. ¡°I still have one small thing to do. But it should be done by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Splendid. I¡¯ll have a shuttle sent to pick you up. Would noon work for you?¡±

    ¡°That would be fine. But, sir...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°How is this going to work? I cannot go there alone. The camp is empty¡ªexcept for those watchers. But we¡¯ll need to have them removed. Then, I¡¯ll need people I can work with over there. And equipment. And¡ª¡±

    The other man made a dismissive gesture.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have everything you need. This project is of vital importance, professor, do you understand what that means?¡±

    Halden wasn¡¯t sure he did. The visor must have guessed it from his expression.

    ¡°Your budget is unlimited, professor. Whatever you need, ask for it, and you will receive it.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I will send a security team ahead of you, so the premises are vacated by the time you get there.¡±

    He shifted in his seat, frowning. ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Something still troubles you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of it, sir. Those men were obviously out of their minds. And yet... Where did the scientists go? According to the watchers, they¡¯d all been dead for years. Which doesn¡¯t make sense. But if they¡¯re not dead, where are they?¡±

    ¡°Your point?¡±

    ¡°If... And I¡¯ll grant you it¡¯s a big ¡®if¡¯, but if they are right and those men have been dead for years, then there is a time distortion affecting the base around the Fault. It might not be constant, or stable, as I obviously was not affected¡ªaside from my experience within the Fault.¡± He paused as a thought crossed his mind, then dismissed it and continued. ¡°But if this is the case, then whatever men you send could have been dead for years by the time I get there.¡±

    Rash said nothing for a moment, tapping on his chin with the tip of a finger.

    ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡± he finally asked.

    ¡°We know the Fault is really raw thilium. We¡¯d need some way to contain it...¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t anyone who tried to contain it be affected by this distortion?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Which is why we need special suits made.¡±

    Rash quirked a brow. ¡°Special suits?¡±

    ¡°We already have the technology. There is raw thilium aboard every spaceship in the universe...¡±

    ¡°The core.¡±

    Halden nodded. ¡°The core of a ship holds raw thilium and keeps it contained. It¡¯s what we¡¯d ideally need to build around the Flaw. But to even try something like that, we would first need something similar¡ªmade of the same material¡ªto protect us.¡±

    ¡°Good thinking,¡± said the visor with a slight smile. ¡°It might take time to make these, though. Stay a while longer on Bernice. I will get back to you when we are ready.¡±

    Rash cut off the communication, and Halden leaned back in his chair.

    Now he needed to speak with Rees.

 115 (2x40) When a new path appears

    The two humans bonded as they fixed the ship. Mrill watched them quietly from the shade, though she could hear everything they said.

    ¡°I really thought that was it,¡± said the pilot as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Thought I¡¯d never feel the sweet kiss of a sun¡¯s lips on my skin again.¡±

    The man stretched, as if to expose as much of his bare chest to the light. They¡¯d learned his name was Erthol Lameck. A spice trader on his way back to Anagasthen after a rather fruitful tour of the rim.

    Roff laughed, as he always did. ¡°If sweat is a sign of the sun¡¯s love, she must love you plenty. You¡¯re sweating like a pig, buddy!¡±

    The pilot snorted. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk! You should take that shirt off. Look at it! It¡¯s soaked.¡±

    ¡°I made a solemn oath.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡±

    Roff put a hand on his chest. ¡°To never take this off until I¡¯ve gone home.¡±

    Erthol laughed. ¡°Has it been so long?¡±

    ¡°It has! I¡¯ve been stuck here for months, and had been traveling for quite some time before that.¡±

    The pilot looked over his shoulder toward the spaceport and the city beyond.

    ¡°Still can¡¯t believe this is Naladen... I¡¯d heard of it. Looks pretty ordinary from here.¡± He glanced back at Roff. ¡°I thought nobody ever wanted to leave this place?¡±

    The other man shrugged. ¡°As you say, pretty ordinary. Besides, I¡¯m not the only one wanting to leave.¡± He motioned toward Mrill with his chin.

    Erthol looked at the blue-skinned woman. ¡°Your friend doesn¡¯t talk much, does she?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an acquired taste.¡±

    They both laughed as they went back to work.

    Mrill said nothing.

    She could not read their minds from her spot, but she did not need to. Nor did it matter. She knew Erthol would agree to take them. That was all she cared for.

    Of course, she could have made him do it, but she did not like to force people unless she had to.

    It took them five hours to get the ship back in shape.

    ¡°Not perfect,¡± muttered Erthol, ¡°but it¡¯ll do until we can get a fixer to look at it. Alright, you two. Hop on board while I go give his key back to the nice gentleman at the counter.¡±

    Roff snorted as the pilot headed back toward the spaceport.

    ¡°Good fellow,¡± he said.

    ¡°You manipulated him.¡±

    The other blinked as he looked at her. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°He would never have agreed to take you had you not helped him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s taking you too, ain¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°You were friendly with him. Made him like you. So he would agree. It¡¯s what you do.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, girl, stop looking inside my head!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± He frowned. ¡°You know, humans do like to be friendly sometimes just to be friendly.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°So you never manipulate anyone?¡±

    ¡°I did not say that. But I didn¡¯t do it this time.¡± He gestured at the ship. ¡°I like fixing things. Always have. I really enjoyed doing this. And I like the guy, too. So stop acting all judgmental, or I¡¯ll let you rot here.¡±

    She stared at him blandly.

    ¡°Okay, okay, you¡¯re right, I wouldn¡¯t do that. But you¡¯re the last person who should be scolding anyone for manipulating others.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t manipulate.¡±

    ¡°Says the woman who can read minds and make people do whatever she wants.¡±

    The pilot returned before she could answer.

    ¡°Well, hey, what are you two still doing outside? Decided to stay here after all?¡±

    Roff grunted and went into the ship. Erthol and Mrill followed.

    ¡°So, where do you two lovebirds want me to drop you?¡± asked the pilot as the hatch closed behind them.

    Roff gaped. ¡°Hey! We¡¯re not¡ª¡±

    ¡°None of my business!¡± Erthol waved his hands in front of him. ¡°Apologies if I overstepped.¡±

    Mrill said nothing.

    ¡°Right.¡± Roff grunted. ¡°Well, if you could drop us off on Pluvios...¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    There were four seats in the cockpit. The pilot and Roff sat in the front. Mrill took one of the two in the back.

    She heard the engine start, and the ship slowly lifted off the airstrip. Once it was a few feet high, it suddenly accelerated and rushed up into the sky, through the atmosphere, and into space.

    Mrill looked out the window, watching Naladen fade in the distance and finally disappear into the darkness. She doubted she would ever go back. It was not the flawless place the people there wanted to make it sound like. Some were content there, it was enough for them, and that was fine. But it was not for her.

    She turned to look ahead¡ªto the future.

    Five hours later, they landed on Pluvios.

    Roff offered to pay the pilot a drink, to thank him for the trip, but Erthol would hear none of it. He had to go. Yearned to reunite with his wife and children.

    As Mrill walked with Roff out of the much larger and busier spaceport, she looked at him.

    ¡°Do you know where I can find the local gateway?¡±

    He stared at her. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Why would I not be?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how expensive those things are?¡±

    She just stared at him blankly.

    He snorted. ¡°Of course you do. Damn girl, you really have credits to burn like that? I¡¯d have offered to buy you a drink, but it sounds like you should do the buying!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Come now! Everyone drinks.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t drink what humans drink.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can have anything you want with that much money.¡±

    No, she couldn¡¯t. They did not make avanthnar here. Few places did.

    ¡°I need to go,¡± she said.

    ¡°Interesting.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say ¡®I need to go home.¡¯ Or ¡®I¡¯m busy.¡¯ Or ¡®People are waiting for me.¡¯¡° He quirked a brow at her. ¡°Is someone waiting for you somewhere, girl?¡±

    She looked away, staring ahead as they walked through the crowd in the spaceport.

    ¡°Giving me the silent treatment? That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to it. But it doesn¡¯t sound to me like you really have any place to go. Any place you care to go, that is. Am I wrong?¡±

    Though no one could have told from looking at her, the man¡¯s words troubled her. She had planned to go back to Talanassi. It was home... or was it? It wasn¡¯t like she was born there. What would she go back to? A life of solitude and thankless work? Sure, the credits were good, but what use were credits if she had nothing¡ªor no one¡ªto spend them on?

    Her life was hollow.

    That was why she had gone to Naladen.

    It only dawned on her now.

    She had hoped to find meaning there.

    But she had not.

    ¡°I take your silence as a ¡®no.¡¯ So, I have a proposition for you.¡±

    She looked at him with her usual deadpan expression.

    ¡°Aha! You¡¯re curious. Good, good. See, I¡¯m starting to understand you.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I think you and I should get into business together.¡±

    ¡°What kind of business?¡±

    ¡°I think you know the kind I mean. I¡¯m no mind reader, but I¡¯m a good observer. I¡¯ve seen how you handle yourself. How you watch everything and everyone. You¡¯re like a hawk. Nothing escapes your attention. That¡¯s not normal. And I don¡¯t mean this in a bad way. I mean, that¡¯s not the sort of behavior you see in regular people.¡± He gestured at the men and women around them. ¡°Look at them. They¡¯re cheerful, sad, and totally oblivious to the realities of the world around them. Unlike you and me. We know. Because we¡¯ve seen them firsthand, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    They stepped out of the spaceport, and a cool morning breeze brushed against their faces.

    She wanted to tell him she did not understand, but it would not have been the truth. She understood all too well what he meant. The blood she had spilled on Ledash¡¯s carpet was one such harsh reality. The way her own people treated her was another. And how she had to survive by doing work she found easy, but boring. And how her life seemed so hollow.

    ¡°I see we understand each other,¡± said Roff with a nod. ¡°And you know what? I get it. I¡¯ve been where you are. But the good news is that I can help you. I can give purpose to your life.¡±

    She stared at him.

    This man was no mind reader. How could he say these things to her? It was as if he did read her mind. But he did not.

    He could read her all the same¡ªbut in his own way, she realized. Despite her not being human, he still could peer deep into her soul.

    Part of her was frightened by this discovery, another was relieved.

    Though none of it showed in her bland expression.

    ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± she asked.

    ¡°She speaks!¡± Roff grinned as he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward a hovercab. ¡°Come on. I want to introduce you to some friends.¡±

 116 (2x41) When pawns are moved into place

    A new world was always a challenge. It meant a fresh start. Learning local customs and practices. Finding all the weak spots. But politics were the same everywhere.

    Zax observed the sprawling city with greed.

    There were no meteor showers here, no fires, no impending disasters. All he saw were thousands of spires that spiraled up and up to tickle the clouds; glistening walkways that reflected the light of the twin suns, crowded with wealthy and busy citizens; an endless stream of gliders that criss-crossed the glutted sky; and, so far below they looked like small dots, the men and women who either preferred to walk or had no other choice. The working class. The poor. The people.

    It was for them he was doing all this.

    He pushed away from the window and walked back into the living room of his suite.

    A blinking blue light on the wall signaled his guest had arrived. He keyed his secret code into the digital panel, and the door slid open.

    A man and a woman walked in.

    He looked from one to the other.

    ¡°Is this an ambush?¡± he asked with some humor.

    The woman smiled. ¡°Apologies, Mr. Iden. I should have warned you I was bringing my associate. Figured it would be easier than having to repeat everything to him later. I hope you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Not at all. And, please, call me Zax.¡± He motioned to the couch. ¡°Please, sit. And tell me what you¡¯d like to drink.¡±

    ¡°Nothing for me,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m on a diet.¡±

    He refrained from commenting and looked at the man.

    ¡°A zestri, if you have it.¡±

    ¡°Ah, a man of taste! Let me see.¡± Zax walked to the bar and went through the bottles. ¡°I got here late last night, so I haven¡¯t had time to examine these yet.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to be any trouble... Anything will do.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sure there must be some. Any hotel worth anything should have zestri in its bar. If it doesn¡¯t, I assure you the manager won¡¯t hear the end of it.¡±

    ¡°Please, Mr. Iden¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll sue them if I have to! This is totally... Aha! Here we go. Found it.¡±

    He triumphantly lifted a bottle and peered into the mirror to check what faces his guests were making. The man seemed relieved. The woman was unperturbed... Interesting.

    He turned his head slightly, just enough to look at her. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want anything? Not even a glass of water?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    Did she fear he would try to poison her? This thought greatly amused him, though it was more likely she just was not thirsty. There were people like that, he¡¯d heard.

    He poured zestri into two glasses, then walked back to the couch. He handed one to the man and kept the other for himself.

    ¡°Have you thought about my offer?¡± he asked as he sat in an armchair across from them.

    The man shifted and stared into his glass as he twirled the liquid within. The woman¡¯s face revealed nothing.

    ¡°Before I answer,¡± she said, ¡°I have questions.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Please. Ask away.¡±

    ¡°Why would a politician¡ªand one so freshly arrived in Ussan¡ªwant to buy our firm?¡±

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Right to the point. He was starting to like the woman.

    ¡°Good question, Zintra... Did I say that right?¡± The woman just nodded. He smiled. ¡°I do what I do because I want to help people.¡± He pointed at the window behind him without looking back. ¡°Those who sweat away in the mines, in the factories; those who live in dumps and never see the light of the sun. I want to help them see that light. I want to help them improve their lives. I want to help them become better persons. Politics is only one tool among many others I can use to achieve my goal. It has its perks, but also its flaws. There are things one cannot do with politics. Buying a firm such as yours would give me another tool that I could use to do some of those other things. With you by my side, I could help more people.¡±

    ¡°By your side?¡±

    His smile widened. ¡°Of course! Did you think I would remove you? If you agree to sell, I would keep everyone in place. It would change nothing for you in your day-to-day operations.¡±

    ¡°Except we would have to run everything by you.¡±

    He tapped on his lips thoughtfully. ¡°Is this what troubles you?¡±

    She quirked a brow. ¡°Who says anything is troubling me?¡±

    Zax quietly motioned to the man with his chin.

    The associate was taking small sips from his glass, while looking everywhere but at their host. He kept shifting in his seat.

    Zintra glanced at him and grunted.

    ¡°Deric, could you please keep still for just one freaking second?¡±

    The man frowned but stopped moving, staring into his glass.

    Zintra looked back at Zax. Sighed.

    ¡°If we were to accept your offer, Mr. Iden, there are some things you would need to know about our business.¡±

    ¡°I know that you are in trouble, Zintra. That is why I made my offer.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure, but there is more to it than what appears on the news.¡±

    He leaned back in his seat and motioned for her to continue.

    ¡°As you know, our company is one of the leading food processing businesses on the planet, but the competition is fierce. Very fierce. To the point of... Well, let us just say that threats were made.¡±

    He quirked a brow. ¡°Threats?¡±

    ¡°We have been told in no uncertain terms that should we not comply with specific demands, accidents would happen.¡±

    ¡°What are the demands?¡±

    ¡°That we reduce the amount of food we process daily and that we stop serving certain cities.¡±

    ¡°What has been your response to these threats?¡±

    From the corner of his eye, he saw the man shifting in his seat again.

    The woman must have noticed too, because she clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers.

    ¡°Go ahead, Deric! Why don¡¯t you tell him, since you¡¯re obviously dying to get it off your chest.¡±

    The man threw her a hurt look, then turned to Zax.

    ¡°At first, we refused... Well, Zintra refused. I warned her it wasn¡¯t a good idea. But she did as she pleased¡ªshe usually does.¡±

    ¡°Deric!¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true!¡± he snapped back. ¡°And look where it got us...¡±

    ¡°You think we¡¯re better off now?¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± said Zax. ¡°Relax. We¡¯re between friends here. You¡¯re safe. Just tell me what happened.¡±

    The man took a deep breath as he looked at him again.

    ¡°Well, we said no, and some of our warehouses were torched. Investigations concluded they were accidental fires¡ª¡±

    The woman snorted. ¡°One accident, fine. Two, maybe. But five? I think not.¡±

    Deric nodded. ¡°So, after that, I convinced Zintra to accept the terms. The attacks ceased.¡±

    ¡°But now,¡± she said, ¡°we¡¯re losing money and have to consider selling. If we don¡¯t, we might as well close shop right now.¡±

    Zax looked at her thoughtfully. ¡°Why tell me this? Aren¡¯t you afraid I might not buy after hearing...¡± He paused and laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to buy, do you?¡±

    Zintra wrinkled her nose. ¡°This business has been in my family for ten generations, Mr. Iden. How do you think I feel about all this?¡±

    ¡°Understandable.¡± He went quiet for a moment. ¡°What if I told you I can help you out of this difficult situation and you could keep your business?¡±

    She squinted at him. ¡°You would not buy us out?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I would.¡± He smiled. ¡°But you¡¯d still be in control.¡±

    She looked confused. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    He set his glass down on the table, stood, and casually walked back toward the window, looking out into the city.

    ¡°Politics are complicated, Zintra. There are rules. Some of them are important, even vital. Others are plain ridiculous. Like, for instance, a senator can not own a business.¡± He glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Did you know this?¡±

    The man looked away. The woman did not, nor did she nod or shake her head.

    Of course she knew. They both did.

    He looked back outside.

    ¡°I will make your problem go away,¡± he said. ¡°In exchange, you will run the business as you always have. I will be the official owner, albeit through an alias, to avoid... complications, shall we say?¡±

    ¡°What is the point of owning us if you don¡¯t do anything?¡±

    ¡°I am helping you stay in business, am I not? With this alone, I am helping countless others survive as well.¡± He pointed at the window, toward the tiny dots. ¡°I help them.¡± He spun around. ¡°But...¡±

    The woman scowled.

    He laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t make such a face, dear, it doesn¡¯t become you.¡± He walked back to his seat, sat, and took a sip from his glass. ¡°But,¡± he resumed, ¡°once in a while, I will come to you with a request. Nothing outrageous. Small things. Small things that, again, will help the people. Everyone wins. Me, you, them. What do you say?¡±

    The associates glanced at each other, then back at him.

    They both nodded at the same time.

    Zax smiled.

    Things were going exactly as planned.

 117 (2x42) When theories are voiced

    She sat on the floor, staring at the little red box.

    ¡°So what you are telling me,¡± said Nim¡¯s voice, ¡°is that the old AI is still active?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s in there.¡± She pointed at the box.

    ¡°And this old AI is what created the space rift and showed us Calista?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    There was a moment of silence.

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°It does?¡±

    ¡°Well, it explains why I cannot access the box, or why I had no idea how that image had appeared on the screen, or how the engine kept switching off.¡±

    She nodded, thoughtful, still staring at the box.

    ¡°The question remains, though: why?¡±

    ¡°Why what?¡±

    She threw her arms in the air. ¡°Everything! Why the rift? Why here?¡± She pointed at the wall on her left.

    ¡°Calista¡¯s on the other side, actually.¡±

    Val grunted. ¡°You know what I mean!¡±

    ¡°It must have had a reason.¡±

    ¡°Not helping.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    They both fell quiet.

    She suddenly jumped to her feet.

    ¡°Fine!¡± she said to the box. ¡°If you¡¯re not telling me why we¡¯re here, and won¡¯t even let us go down there, then I don¡¯t see why we¡¯d stay. Might as well go back to Ovkan.¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    As she marched through the halls back to the bridge, Nim¡¯s voice rang through the onboard speakers.

    ¡°Have you considered it might just have wanted you to know the planet was still there?¡±

    ¡°Is it though?¡±

    ¡°The signals we caught seem evidence enough.¡±

    ¡°Fine. But how is that useful to us? What are we supposed to do with this knowledge? Broadcast it to the entire universe? What good would it do anyone?¡±

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re supposed to help them.¡±

    ¡°Help who?¡±

    ¡°The people on Calista.¡±

    ¡°Assuming there¡¯s anyone left down there. Whatever happened here could have killed everyone off, for all we know. But okay, let¡¯s say you¡¯re onto something and we need to help them... How the hell are we supposed to do it if we can¡¯t even go down there?¡±

    Nim did not respond right away.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said hesitantly, ¡°we need to look for whatever is scrambling the signal and blurring the view?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°You call that blurring? The planet is freaking invisible! Can you think of any technology that could¡ª¡±

    She froze in her steps.

    ¡°Val?¡±

    ¡°Hang on. I¡¯m thinking.¡±

    For a moment, all you could hear was the distant humming of the engine.

    ¡°Nim...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling we¡¯re in deeper than we think.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    She started walking again. ¡°There¡¯s no way that planet could have just disappeared out of the blue, right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°And there is no human technology capable of achieving that, right?¡±

    ¡°I see where you¡¯re going with this, Val, but we don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, we don¡¯t? Technology has been at a standstill for over a hundred years! I think we¡¯d know by now if we had the ability to pull off something like that.¡±

    ¡°Can I remind you the planet disappeared at about the same time?¡±

    She frowned.

    ¡°That could be significant,¡± she muttered as she entered the bridge and sat in her chair.

    ¡°It could be human technology got out of hand. Perhaps this is what prompted the ban in the first place.¡±

    ¡°And the government buried everything so it wouldn¡¯t bite them in the ass. Makes sense.¡± She tapped on her chin. ¡°Which means we couldn¡¯t say anything about this without getting into some serious trouble with the government. Which brings us back to the original question: what the hell are we supposed to do with this knowledge?¡±

    ¡°Maybe nothing.¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°Maybe we are just supposed to know.¡±

    Val frowned. ¡°Huh.¡±

    She stared at the dashboard for a moment, then quickly ran her fingers across the controls. Starrider veered and rushed through space, heading back toward Ovkan.

    None of this explained the rift, though. She didn¡¯t say it out loud, but she still wondered if the AI had wanted her to meet Kaine. And if so, why? Was Kaine important in some way? If so, he couldn¡¯t die, could he?

    She realized she wanted him to live.

    The doctors hadn¡¯t said whether he would or not. His chances of going one way or the other were about equal...

    Which didn¡¯t make her feel any better at all.

 118 (2x43) When truths are shared

    The water extended as far as the eye could see. It was of a dark blue tint, with dashes of green. Its surface glittered under the sun as waves splashed against the shore. Seagulls cried in the distance as fresh air blew against their faces.

    The two men sat on a bench, a few feet from the sea. It smelled of sand, iodine, and salt.

    Rees had been surprised to find Halden at his door¡ªand even more when the older scientist had dragged him out of his house and brought him here.

    They hadn¡¯t talked since they¡¯d sat on the bench, some ten minutes prior.

    It was Rees who broke the silence.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were back. Marthus told me you¡¯d gone to Assalin...¡±

    Halden could hear the hurt in the younger man¡¯s voice. He knew what that world meant to him. He and Lucy had planned to move there. They had planned it for years. It had been their dream¡ªa dream shattered by tragedy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him,¡± he said softly. ¡°He still thinks I¡¯m there.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you told him?¡±

    Halden did not look away from the sea. When Rees had asked him why they were coming here, he had told him he hadn¡¯t seen water in ages¡ªwhich was true. Despite all his recent travels, he hadn¡¯t seen a single body of water on either world. Not even while he was traveling through time, he realized now.

    There was also another reason, of course. He wouldn¡¯t take any chances. Not knowing how the murderers had found out what Lucy knew, he thought it¡¯d be safer to talk out here, in the open, away from prying eyes and ears.

    ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve had a lot on my mind recently.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    Halden leaned forward, arms resting on his legs. He still wasn¡¯t sure how to bring this up. Rees was in deep. He wanted to help him as much as he wanted to bring the murderers to justice, but how could he do that without setting off any alarms? He was also concerned about how Rees would react. It was likely the man would freak out if he knew that Halden knew.

    But there was no way around it. He couldn¡¯t help Rees if Rees didn¡¯t know. Plus, he needed someone to confide in. Someone he could trust.

    Was he being selfish?

    No, he decided. It would be selfish if he was putting Rees in danger by talking to him, but it was the other way around. He was the one in danger if anyone found out. Rees was safe. He was the valuable one. The one with all the answers.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    He suddenly laughed.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± asked Rees.

    Halden had just realized he was safe, too. The visor needed him. They wouldn¡¯t do anything to him. He glanced at his wristpad. That chip was also protection. He could arrange for it to go to the media in the event of his death. Yes. That would ensure his safety, if it came to that.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he muttered.

    Rees clicked his tongue. ¡°This is lovely, Halden, but I¡¯m a busy man. What is this about?¡±

    Halden glanced at the younger man. ¡°Lucy,¡± he said.

    A flicker of pain went through Rees¡¯ eyes and he turned to look at the sea. His jaw tightened, too.

    ¡°What about her?¡± he asked sharply.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Halden said softly.

    Rees stared at him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You have to know that. It is not your fault. They did this, not you.¡±

    Rees opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. He frowned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± he said slowly.

    ¡°Lucy made a recording. She told me everything.¡±

    A long silence followed, with neither of them looking away. The seagulls sang and the wind blew softly. Halden could hear the waves crashing a few feet away from them. He felt the dampness in the air, too.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Rees¡¯ voice cracked. ¡°What... How?¡± He buried his head in his hands and started to cry.

    Halden put a hand on the younger man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°She told me everything,¡± he repeated. ¡°And it¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    ¡°But it is!¡± Rees cried out. He lifted his head, looking at the older man through misty eyes. ¡°It is, Halden! I let it slip. I mentioned something about Lucy and only later realized it would tell them she knew! She¡¯s dead because of me! It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    He burst into tears again.

    Halden felt his throat tighten as he clenched his fists and stared at the sea.

    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°It is not your fault. You should be able to talk to your loved one freely. To confide in her. Nothing justifies what they did to her. Nothing!¡± He looked back at the younger man. ¡°You have to know that.¡±

    Rees wiped his eyes, still sobbing heavily.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Halden. I hate myself so much for what happened to her. And for still working for them. It¡¯s tearing my soul into pieces. What does it say about me that I still work for them? I am such a coward.¡±

    Halden frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡±

    ¡°But I am!¡±

    ¡°No. You had to make impossible choices. But that¡¯s on them, not on you. They put you in that position.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s...¡± Rees suddenly stopped, his eyes going wide. He jumped off the bench and started pacing. ¡°No, no, no... This is not good, Halden. You can¡¯t know about all this! Now they¡¯ll kill you. I can¡¯t have that on my conscience... You have to disappear! Go away. Go far. To the rim, maybe. Change your name. That¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll be safe.¡±

    Halden shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m safe, Rees. They need me as much as they need you.¡±

    ¡°How can you be sure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Halden didn¡¯t know that he really was, but he had to convince Rees if he wanted to work with him.

    The younger man returned to the bench.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, his voice still shaking. ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Breathe.¡±

    ¡°Right. Breathe.¡± He glanced at Halden with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m kind of glad you found out. I felt so alone. Especially after Lucy died¡ª¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t die,¡± Halden said coldly. ¡°She was murdered.¡±

    Rees flinched. Nodded.

    ¡°Now,¡± said Halden, ¡°we need to talk about what we¡¯re going to do.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Do you want them to get away with what they did?¡±

    Rees paled. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! It¡¯s the freaking government, Halden. The Imperium itself!¡±

    ¡°So? Does that mean they can do whatever they damn please and never pay for the consequences?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Halden looked back to the sea.

    ¡°I disagree,¡± he said softly. ¡°And you¡¯re gonna help me make them pay.¡±

 119 (2x44) When demonstrations are made

    The room was dark and noisy. Twenty men and women, perhaps more, chatted and laughed and drank, paying little attention to the two who had just walked in.

    Roff had taken her down crowded streets and empty alleys, until they¡¯d reached a seemingly abandoned building. They¡¯d gone through the unhinged door and down a flight of stairs that stopped at a wall. He had knocked on the surface in a peculiar pattern and, after a few seconds, the wall had blurred and faded. On the other side was a tunnel that slanted downward. On and on it went, deeper and deeper, until they reached a pit with a circular staircase that spiraled along its sides. It had taken them five minutes to reach the bottom. Then they¡¯d gone through a metal door and more tunnels.

    All along the way, Mrill had noticed eyes peering at them from small holes in the walls. Watchers. It was a good setup. They¡¯d get plenty of warning if the Imperials ever came for a raid.

    It wasn¡¯t difficult to guess all this was protection against the Imperials. This was the rim. These people were outlaws¡ªmercenaries, at best; rebels, at worst.

    Still, she had followed.

    The last tunnel had ended at another metal door. Going through that one had led them here, in this den of madness, where people yelled and brawled and joked in a merry fray of contentment and drunken stupor.

    She wondered what good all those safeguards would do them if they were in such a sorry state they could not evade even the slowest soldiers in the Imperium.

    Roff must have sensed her disapproval.

    ¡°They¡¯re not always like this,¡± he muttered. ¡°And there are others, beyond, who are preparing.¡±

    ¡°Preparing for what?¡± she asked.

    ¡°To kick the Impies off Pluvios, that¡¯s what. They¡¯re crawling all over the place, curse them!¡±

    ¡°Why are they here if the war is on Qevahr?¡±

    He turned to her, waving his hands in the air. ¡°Thank you! That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been asking for months. But no one seems to have a decent answer. Assuming they even care. Sure, there are many rebels here, but it¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t other worlds out there with their fair share of rebels. There is little love for the government among the people. You can find resistance even in the heart of the Imperium, from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    She said nothing, looking around as they walked through the crowd.

    After two more doors, they arrived in a quieter room where people had gathered in small groups. They all chatted in low voices, so as not to bother the neighbors.

    Roff went toward one of the groups.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Hey guys!¡±

    A dark-haired man looked up and smiled.

    ¡°Been a while since we¡¯ve seen you. What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?¡±

    Roff wrinkled his nose. ¡°Thought I¡¯d try a taste of Naladen. Didn¡¯t quite agree with my stomach.¡±

    The others laughed.

    Aside from the man who had spoken, there were three others. A skinny blonde woman with a missing tooth, a burly man with a scowl, and a scrawny girl who couldn¡¯t have been more than twelve.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± asked the blonde.

    Four pairs of eyes turned to look at her.

    ¡°This is Mrill,¡± said Roff. ¡°She wants to join.¡±

    ¡°I never said that,¡± said Mrill.

    The glances all turned to Roff.

    He grimaced. ¡°Give her time, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll like it and want to stay.¡±

    ¡°This is not Iriaki,¡± chided the first man. ¡°You can¡¯t just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Give her a chance, Kesh! She¡¯s special.¡±

    The man quirked a brow. ¡°Special? How so?¡±

    Roff turned toward Mrill. ¡°Want to show them what you can do?¡±

    Mrill wasn¡¯t sure she did. She was partly amused, and partly annoyed. Was she a dog to be paraded in front of strangers? Was this a test? And if it was, why should she care? She had asked for nothing. Roff had said these were friends, but she had not known they would be rebels.

    To be fair, she hadn¡¯t known what to expect at all. She had only known these people were outlaws. Mrill was not, though. She had killed, yes, but always legally. Why would she associate herself with them?

    Then she remembered.

    Ever since she had come here, into these tunnels, that messy and noisy room, and now here... none of these men and women had looked at her like she was some sort of monster. Not a single one of them. Everyone she had crossed had nodded at them¡ªherself included¡ªas if there was nothing unusual, as if she was one of them.

    As always, her face remained expressionless.

    She looked at the four sitting at the booth.

    Even now, they observed her with curiosity. Nothing less, nothing more.

    She peered into them.

    Her eyes turned to the first man.

    ¡°Kesh. You once were a soldier. You believed in the Imperium. In its might. In its benevolence. Until you saw the truth. You saw how your fellow soldiers treated the people, as if they were cattle¡ªor enemy troops. When you reported the issues and the government did nothing, you grew discontent. Bitter. You deserted.¡±

    Before the stunned man could react, she turned to the skinny blonde.

    ¡°Nuri. You worked as a seamstress in the depths of Navinar. You married a wealthy man that pulled you out of your misery. When his superiors discovered he had married below his station¡ªout of love¡ªhe was demoted and mocked. The government did nothing. Least of all when he fell ill and died from lack of medicine.¡±

    She looked at the burly man whose scowl had deepened.

    ¡°Praeg. You are a brave soul in the body of a brute. You were engineered to be a killer, but you refused your fate. You were designed by monsters who thought you would be the monster they could not be. You broke your chains and became a better man when the government did nothing to help you.¡±

    Finally, her eyes went to the girl.

    ¡°Little Ivi. The brightest in her class. Orphaned when your parents were both killed in an explosion caused by Imperial soldiers when they tried to stop a peaceful march. Your parents were not even in the march. They were hard-working people who suffered the consequences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The government did nothing for you. But a kind man did. He took you in when he found you crying in the rubble.¡±

    She glanced at the burly man next to the girl, who instinctively placed a protective arm around her.

    When Mrill stopped talking, she realized the entire room had gone quiet. Everyone was staring at her. Roff had a big grin on his face.

    ¡°See? What did I tell you? Special!¡±

    Someone clapped behind them.

    Mrill turned.

    A tall brown-haired man stood there, smiling.

    ¡°That is quite impressive,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d love it if you agreed to join this little group I¡¯m putting together...¡±

    Roff gaped. ¡°Peter! You¡¯re alive!¡±

 120 (2x45) When threads are sewn

    Ever since his arrival on Xovu, he had spent his time meeting with people¡ªin restaurants, in luxurious suites, in villas, in parks...

    It was important¡ªvital, even¡ªthat he started planting seeds before his first hearing. These people needed to know him if they were to take him seriously. Being a stranger to them on his first day would do him no good.

    This was the last step before Zax could move to Assalin, which made it all the more vital he played his cards right.

    Each time, he would do some digging. He needed to know the people he met. Were they honest? Were they corrupt? Were they in financial trouble? What were their pet peeves? Did they have a family? How far would they go to keep their loved ones safe? Could they become a liability?

    It was, in part, a guessing game that he enjoyed playing.

    As Zax prepared for a new meeting, he stepped into his bedroom to change. His eyes drifted to the bed. He smiled as he remembered his last moments with Agna.

    They had lain on a different bed together. He on his back, staring at the ceiling; she on her side, head propped in one hand, while the other rubbed his bare chest as she watched him.

    ¡°Will I ever see you again?¡± she had asked.

    ¡°No,¡± he¡¯d answered distractedly.

    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re cold!¡±

    He had shrugged. ¡°I prefer to call it honesty.¡±

    ¡°You? Honest?¡± Her laughter had rung sweetly in his ears.

    He had twisted his neck to look at her with a quirked brow. ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the center of the universe, dear.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± He had looked back to the ceiling. ¡°Well, I was only referring to this moment. Obviously.¡±

    She had snorted.

    ¡°What game are you playing, I wonder?¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We both know you are an ambitious man. I just wonder how high you think you can go?¡±

    He had offered her his sweetest smile.

    ¡°How high do I think I can go?¡±

    She¡¯d hit his chest. ¡°You¡¯re impossible!¡±

    Zax chuckled and moved back to the living room.

    He¡¯d go all the way up, of course.

    Only he knew how to really help the people. He had to succeed. If not, things would go very, very badly.

    He took his holofiles, stored them in his wristpad, and walked out of his suite.

    Today, he was meeting with senator Lekili Abbadar. According to his research, the woman was one of the most powerful players in the senate. If he could win her to his cause, it would be a huge step forward that could save him months of work.

    They met in an expensive restaurant in the heart of Ussan, just across the street from the Regency. He glanced at the building and shook his head before stepping into the establishment.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Lekili was already there, waiting for him. He had hoped to arrive first¡ªone point for her.

    She stood to shake his hand.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, senator Iden.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Please, you can call me Zax.¡±

    She quirked a brow. ¡°Very blunt, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°An old habit. I meant no offense.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I was teasing you. Please, have a seat.¡± He did so as she sat back down. ¡°I was very surprised by your invitation, I must admit.¡±

    ¡°Do new senators never reach out to you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they do.¡± She had a pensive look as she went through the floating menu. ¡°But only after they¡¯ve run into a major setback.¡± She glanced at him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you expect to accomplish today... Zax.¡±

    She went back to the menu and picked a couple of entries. The text faded instantly.

    ¡°Only to have a good meal in good company, I assure you.¡±

    Lekili smiled. ¡°How disappointing.¡±

    Zax took his time going through the menu. It was a new world, with many dishes unfamiliar to him. More importantly, it gave him time to think. He could sense this woman would be a challenge to win over. He¡¯d have to pick his words carefully.

    As soon as he¡¯d made his picks, the menu disappeared and two fuming plates materialized in front of them, along with two glasses of zestri.

    ¡°How are you liking Xovu so far?¡± she asked before putting a forkful of food into her mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±

    She held back her laughter. Swallowed and wiped her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯d never heard it described like that.¡±

    ¡°It feels like Assalin, but on a smaller scale.¡±

    ¡°In many ways, it is,¡± she agreed. ¡°There is power here. We are only second to the capital of the Imperium. But you already knew that. I wager that¡¯s why you came here to begin with.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t choose Xovu,¡± he said. ¡°I was assigned here.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, we both know how the game is played. You did what you needed to do to get this job. You¡¯re ambitious. I can respect that.¡± She leaned back in her chair, looking at him. ¡°We all need to have ambition in this line of work if we want to survive. Well, ambition and common sense.¡±

    He put his fork down and smiled at her. ¡°And now you¡¯re wondering whether I have common sense or not.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think you have a lot more of it than most others who have come before you.¡±

    ¡°How do you figure?¡±

    She smiled sweetly at him. ¡°You invited me for dinner at my favorite restaurant.¡±

    Damn. The woman was good. He thought he would be playing her, but she was playing him. With each move, she was one step ahead of the game.

    He picked up his fork and put some food into his mouth. Chewed on it for a moment. Swallowed.

    ¡°Some might argue it¡¯s a bold move, maybe even foolish.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s bold alright! But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a bad thing. Tell me something, Zax, what made you want to go into politics?¡±

    It was a rather mundane question, one he¡¯d often been asked, though he suspected there was more to it coming from this woman.

    He took a sip from his glass before answering, as if he was looking for the right words. In reality, he had repeated this so many times, he knew the lines by heart.

    ¡°When I was a child,¡± he started slowly, ¡°I was a frail little thing. It¡¯s not that I wasn¡¯t well fed¡ªI was¡ªit simply was my constitution. As you can imagine, I was bullied a lot. I didn¡¯t like that. Nobody does, I suppose. Still, it hardened me. Strengthened my resolve. When I was twelve, my father took me to a union meeting. He worked in a factory. They went on strike because their wages were so ridiculous... nowhere near proportional to the amount of work they did, let alone the risks they took on a daily basis. Something I never was aware of until one day my father came back with three missing fingers. Because of the injury, he no longer could operate the machines, so he was fired. They gave him a small pension, half of what he had made as an employee. No compensation whatsoever for the accident¡ª¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t sue?¡±

    ¡°Lawyers cost money. We couldn¡¯t afford one. He tried to get another job, but everyone turned him down. No one wanted a cripple. So he put an end to his life.¡±

    Lekili stared at him. ¡°That was a very selfish thing for him to do.¡±

    Zax tried not to show his surprise. He had not expected such a response. Usually people he told the story to were horrified or touched, or both. They would sympathize, offer condolences...

    This woman was something else.

    He leaned back in his chair. ¡°I can see why you might think that. But as a child, I could not see things like this.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I take it the experience prompted some righteous anger toward the system. And now you want to make the world a better place.¡±

    Zax nodded. ¡°Something like that.¡±

    The woman sighed. ¡°How disappointing.¡±

    He quirked a brow. ¡°You are easily disappointed.¡± She smiled. ¡°But I¡¯m curious to know why my story would disappoint you.¡±

    ¡°There are two types of politicians, Zax... Barring, that is, the greedy ones who only seek wealth.¡± She made a dismissive gesture. ¡°You are not that, I know your history. Barring that, there are only two types: those who have vision and those who go on a crusade. I just hadn¡¯t pegged you for the latter.¡±

    He squinted at her. ¡°Oh, but my dear, dear Lekili, you have me pegged all wrong. I am not on a crusade. I don¡¯t want to save the people, I want to change the world they live in. That, my friend, is vision.¡±

    The woman smiled.

    One point for me, he thought as they lifted their glasses for a toast.

 121 (2x46) When death strikes out of nowhere

    It was peaceful, it was dark, with only the stars for company. It fitted her mood well. In a few hours, they¡¯d reach Ovkan, and then what? The wait would start again. The endless, nerve-racking wait.

    Alarms blared, red lights flashed.

    Val cursed as she straightened in her chair and ran her fingers across the board.

    ¡°Nim!¡± The sound faded. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Val...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s that dormant AI acting up again!¡±

    ¡°No, no, it was me, but...¡±

    ¡°What? I don¡¯t see anything on the sensors.¡±

    ¡°Let me show you.¡±

    A display bleeped and two red dots appeared. One of them was bigger, the other distorted.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°A nearby battle. But it¡¯s nothing like anything I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°There is no echion discharge.¡±

    ¡°From neither ship?¡±

    ¡°Only one is firing. I must assume the other to be some sort of freighter, possibly a merchant vessel.¡±

    She swore. ¡°Alright. Can you get an image for me?¡±

    ¡°We are too far. And, Val...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m now picking up a distress signal from the smaller craft.¡±

    She looked back at the display and saw the larger red dot moving away.

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°Take us in quick. I¡¯d like to have a peek at that thing before it vanishes.¡±

    Starrider picked up speed, rushing through space, until it finally slowed down. The red dot had grown on the sensor, and now an image formed on the screen.

    It was a freighter alright. Or, rather, what was left of it. Whatever had hit it had splintered the vessel into five large chunks that slowly drifted apart, with thousands of debris floating around them.

    Some of the debris were human bodies. Dead humans.

    Val turned the sensors in the direction the attacker was headed even as she spoke.

    ¡°Any signs of survivors?¡±

    ¡°A few. Five that I can make out... Well, only four now. One just went dark.¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    The comment was as much directed at what Nim had said then at what she was now seeing on the screen.

    It was a battlecruiser, at least ten times bigger than the freighter¡ªwhich itself had been twice the size of Starrider. She was a bug compared to that monster.

    But the main thing she noticed was the lack of a flag. This obviously had once been an Imperial ship, but it had been stripped of its colors and name.

    ¡°Should I hail it?¡±

    ¡°No! For all that¡¯s holy, please do not let them know we even exist.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°No, you¡¯re good. I¡¯m just shocked by what happened here...¡± She turned the sensors back toward the wreck. ¡°And you say they didn¡¯t use echion beams?¡±

    ¡°Nor any other technology known within the Imperium.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Well, let¡¯s see if we can save any of those poor fellows.¡±

    They only rescued three of them. The fourth, though still showing as alive, was too far deep into one of the large chunks, in a part so damaged it would have been impossible to reach him without killing him in the process.

    ¡°Thank you so much for saving us!¡± said the oldest of the group. ¡°My name is Vinder. I was part of the crew of that ship.¡± He motioned to the wreck on the screen.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°We were carrying supplies for the Imperial fleet when that thing came out of nowhere and shot red beams at us. I¡¯d never seen anything like it. Nor any of my men¡ªand some of them were former soldiers.¡±

    ¡°Red beams?¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°I swear it! They did more damage than any echion beam ever could. And quicker, too. It was unbelievable!¡±

    ¡°And they didn¡¯t board your ship?¡±

    ¡°No. They shot at us, multiple times, then just left. Makes you wonder why they even bothered.¡±

    Val wondered as well. Pirates would attack to steal goods. These were clearly not that. It almost felt like they had killed for the pleasure of killing. Which was a terrifying prospect¡ªespecially when they had such firepower at their disposal.

    ¡°Nim, were you able to trace where that monster was headed?¡±

    The disembodied voice made some of the rescued people jump.

    ¡°I locked on her before she warped out. I have coordinates.¡±

    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s follow the beast¡ªfrom a distance.¡±

    ¡°Is that wise?¡± asked Vinder, his voice filled with concern.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Nim, put on the invisibility cloak. Might as well make use of it.¡±

    Starrider jumped through a wormhole, hot on the tail of the giant attacking ship.

 122 (2x47) When reality reasserts itself

    Sitting on that bench, staring at the sea, the two men talked for a long time. Halden told Rees everything that had happened to him in the last few months. The new source of thilium, Lucy¡¯s strange message from beyond the grave, his meeting with the visor, and how he had found his daughter¡¯s confession hidden in the Regency.

    Rees had blanched at the mention of the Regency.

    ¡°You could have died!¡±

    Halden nodded. ¡°It was a close call. But the truth is, we could die anywhere, at any time. We never know what will happen in the next few seconds. I always knew this, of course¡ªwe all do, to some extent. That experience only turned it into a more stinging reality.¡± He turned his gaze away from the waves to look at the younger man. ¡°How much time do we have left in this life, Rees? Do you know? I don¡¯t. But whatever time I have left, I do not wish to waste. Certainly not serving these cruel masters who stole my precious daughter from me.¡±

    ¡°But what could we possibly do against them?¡±

    ¡°Tell me what you remember of that day, and those that followed. When did you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Lucy had been murdered?¡±

    Rees shuddered as he looked away, shifting in his seat.

    ¡°The investigation. It was such a sham. They ruled the crash an accident, albeit a freakish one. On the last day, a government official came to me, to give me his condolences. But, before leaving, he said something to me. I¡¯ll never forget those cold, cutting words. They are etched deep into my heart and my soul.¡± He fell quiet for a moment, then took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°He told me: ¡®Mistakes have a cost, Dr. Cole. We trust you will not make another one.¡¯ You should have seen his face, Halden! The man was smiling. I would have ripped that smile off his face if I¡¯d had the guts.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°And you¡¯d be rotting in a cell now, if not dead.¡± Halden¡¯s eyes went back to the sea. ¡°That¡¯s how they control you. With guilt. They made it sound like it all was your fault¡ª¡±

    ¡°But it was!¡±

    ¡°Does a father kill his son if he reveals a secret? Does a teacher slit his student¡¯s throat if he teaches others the ancient arts of his ways? Only a monster would do such a thing. And then to blame the victim for their horrendous act? Can¡¯t you see who these people are?¡±

    ¡°Without them, we would be nothing. Shamed and hunted¡ª¡±

    Halden laughed. ¡°By who? It¡¯s the government¡¯s own doing that turned scientists into pariahs of society. Don¡¯t let them fool you into thinking you have no worth outside of the IAS. There is light beyond the shadow they cast.¡± He stood. ¡°We should go. If you are gone too long, they could start asking questions.¡± The younger man stood as well, and they walked back to the glider together. ¡°Before we part, do you remember the name of that official who came to you?¡±

    ¡°What does it matter?¡±

    ¡°I need to know how far up this goes and who made that call.¡±

    Rees stared at him. ¡°That is madness! He would never tell you anything.¡±

    ¡°Let me worry about that, young man. Now, do you have the name?¡±

    The other grunted as he lifted his arm and tapped on his wristpad. ¡°I still must have it on here. There it is. Nahl Bergdahn.¡±

    Halden wrote it down. ¡°One last thing. Who were you talking to when you let it slip about Lucy?¡±

    Rees shook his head. ¡°Just low-level employees, it makes no difference. They would have told someone above them.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°This is ridiculous, Halden! Can¡¯t you see? It¡¯s not about one person finding out. It set off a chain reaction. One person telling another telling another telling¡ª¡±

    ¡°I get it. Just tell me who would have been at the top of that pyramid.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    ¡°You have to know who the person you spoke to would have gone to? And perhaps the one above them, if not more?¡±

    Rees said nothing as they walked the last feet to the glider. He turned to look at the man who would have been his stepfather, with an expression filled with pain and shame.

    ¡°You know the answer to that as much as I do, Halden.¡± His voice became a whisper. ¡°It would have had to go through Marthus.¡±

 123 (2x48) When our heroine finds her calling

    The silence was broken.

    Every single man and woman in the room stood and rushed toward the newcomer, gathering around him¡ªshouting, cheering, laughing.

    All except Mrill. Alone, she stood apart from them, staring at the man.

    And he did likewise. Despite all the attention he was getting, he had eyes only for her. He lifted a hand.

    ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°There will be time for stories later.¡±

    They all followed his gaze and the crowd went quiet. They parted in front of him so he could approach her. He stopped at a few feet and smiled.

    ¡°I assume you know who I am?¡±

    She had known from the minute she¡¯d seen him. There was no need to read in this one¡¯s mind. His face had been plastered on every wall, shown in every holoflux. The most famous and wanted man in the Imperium. Some called him a criminal, others a legend.

    Mrill nodded.

    ¡°You are the Scourge of Abrax,¡± she said blandly.

    The man grimaced. ¡°Only my enemies call me that. Are we enemies?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Then call me Peter.¡±

    ¡°Mrill.¡±

    ¡°I get the sense, Mrill, that this...¡± He waved at the room around them. ¡°That this is not quite what you expected to find when you came here.¡±

    ¡°I expected nothing.¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    He grinned. ¡°That is a wise philosophy. But then, let me ask you this: why did you come here?¡±

    Mrill glanced at Roff, then back at Peter. It was a good question. She barely knew that little man, after all. Deep inside, she knew the answer. But she couldn¡¯t tell this stranger¡ªno matter how legendary he was¡ªhow hollow she felt. Even less so in front of all those other people. That was too personal.

    ¡°I was invited. Perhaps it was a mistake. I should leave.¡±

    Despite her words, she made no move toward the door.

    ¡°Do you want to leave?¡±

    ¡°Why should I stay?¡± she asked flatly.

    ¡°Because you could be useful to our cause. You could help bring an end to the tyranny of Nashadan Prime.¡±

    ¡°Useful.¡± How she disliked that word¡ªthough you could not have told from looking at her. ¡°I am always useful to someone.¡±

    Peter sighed. ¡°I see your point. I apologize if I offended. I did not mean to. Everyone who has fought by my side has always been valued. I doubt you could ever find a single one of them who would feel like they had been used or mistreated. That is not my style. But I am no politician. I don¡¯t draw circles around you until you go dizzy. I go straight to the point. That¡¯s just who I am. So I will not deny that your power would be useful. But if you have no interest in joining us, then I can respect that, and Roff¡ªor someone else, if you prefer¡ªcan escort you back to the surface.¡±

    And then what, she wondered? Where would she go? What would she do? Go back to a life of emptiness, always hunting for the next meaningless job? Under the gaze of men and women who hated her for being who she was? Or maybe go back to her homeworld to be cursed and shunned, perhaps even jailed for the freak she was?

    And even if this man used her, would it be any worse than when Janth did it? She had no illusions on the matter. Janth had been kind to her, but only because she always brought in her bounties¡ªexcept, of course, this once. She was cold and efficient. She¡¯d made the man more credits than all of his other hunters combined.

    ¡°Would you not fear I led your enemies to you?¡± she asked.

    Peter shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m no mind reader, but I trust Roff¡¯s judgment. I¡¯m pretty sure he wouldn¡¯t have brought you here if he¡¯d thought you could do something like that. Call it a gamble, if you will.¡±

    He trusted his men. She was sure Janth had never really trusted her like this.

    She glanced again at the people in the room. What she read in them was happiness at finding their friend and leader alive, hope for a better future, and curiosity at how she would respond. There was no fear in them, no greed. They trusted this man completely. If he was willing to let her go, they would accept this without question.

    Her eyes went back to him.

    ¡°Very well,¡± she said blandly. ¡°I will stay.¡±

 124 (2x49) When all hell breaks loose

    It was a beautiful world. So peaceful and happy. People knew how to live here, how to enjoy themselves. Of course, there was some poverty as well¡ªand he was not one to blind his eyes to such matters¡ªbut he wanted to bask in the serenity if only for a little while.

    Zax used a walkway that shot through the sky and snaked between skyscrapers to reach the park. It hung a thousand feet above the ground, overlooking the busy streets, with gliders whizzing about¡ªbeneath, above, and all around.

    He sat on a bench, closed his eyes, and inhaled the pure air. It was cleaner here than on most other worlds he¡¯d visited, despite all the traffic. There were suction tubes hidden underground and in some of the rocks that would suck any traces of pollution and recycle it all into solid material that could be used in manufacturing plants around the Imperium. The trees also helped to keep the air fresh and renewed with oxygen.

    The trees were everywhere, too. Not just in parks. They¡¯d planted them on walkways, on balconies, and even in some offices.

    A cry rang out and he opened his eyes.

    ¡°Help! Help! Please help me!¡±

    Zax looked around until he found the source of the cries.

    A small boy stood near one of the trees, waving around in panic.

    He stood and walked up to him.

    ¡°What seems to be the problem, kid?¡± he asked.

    The child stopped crying and pointed up.

    ¡°My cat went up the tree, but now it¡¯s scared to come down!¡±

    Zax frowned as he looked up. Squinting, he spotted the critter, hanging tightly to a branch, as if it dared not make a move.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    He looked back at the boy.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, kid?¡±

    ¡°Alton,¡± the boy answered with a sob.

    ¡°And the cat?¡±

    ¡°Pix!¡±

    The cat meowed when it heard its name.

    Zax nodded as he ruffled the boy¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alton, I¡¯ll get Pix out of this.¡±

    ¡°Really? You would?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s mighty kind of you, mister!¡±

    Zax smiled and lifted his wristpad. Tapping on the screen, he started to rise in the air. The boy jumped back, startled.

    ¡°Wow! How do you do that, mister?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called a levitation belt.¡± He pointed at his waist. ¡°It has limited range, but it should be sufficient for our purposes.¡±

    He looked up and held out his hands as he came nearer to Pix. The cat stared at him suspiciously. Meowed.

    ¡°Come, now, I just want to take you back to your friend.¡±

    The cat bared its teeth.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, but there¡¯s no reason to be. I can help you. Will you let me help you, Pix?¡±

    When it heard its name, the cat calmed down. It took a tentative step toward Zax and almost slipped. The man caught it in time. He patted it on the head and the little thing purred.

    With another tap on his wristpad¡¯s screen, the levitation belt took him back down and he gave the cat back to its owner. The boy laughed, shedding new tears, though this time ones of joy.

    He hugged Zax.

    ¡°Thank you, mister!¡±

    Zax smiled. ¡°My pleasure, Alton.¡±

    He watched the two walk away before he started back toward the bench. He stopped when he noticed a couple had taken his place and were busy kissing.

    With a chuckle, he walked down the path, deciding he might as well stroll for a while and enjoy the view.

    He had been here before, but it had been a long, long time ago. The place had changed, of course, places always changed, evolved, with the passage of time. It was to be expected. Sometimes he hated the changes¡ªoh how he despised some of them¡ªbut this was not one such case.

    The park was truly beautiful.

    Reluctantly, he decided it was time for him to get back to work.

    Like before, he chose to walk rather than use a glider. He looked through the glass floor as he moved, watching the small black dots so far below that he knew to be people.

    Ten minutes later, he reached his hotel and went up to his suite with the private elevator. It opened in a small hall with only four doors. Each one led to a luxurious suite that, together, covered the entire floor.

    He unlocked his room with his keycode, slid the door open, and stepped in...

    The explosion shredded his face and cut through his hand. Shrapnel lacerated his flesh, the largest chunk buried deep into his heart.

    His body fell to the ground.

 125 (2x50) When chaos breeds destruction

    The scene was total chaos.

    What had once stood as a beacon of hope and a testament to the grandeur and might of the Imperium now lay in ruins. The space station, originally in the shape of a wheel, had been torn apart, shredded, ripped to pieces. Hundreds of large chunks floated. Amidst them drifted thousands more corpses. A swarm of small Imperial ships darted back and forth between the planet underneath and the site of carnage as attempts were made to rescue survivors.

    Vinder¡¯s face had gone white as he stared at the display.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Nim, have we been spotted?¡±

    ¡°No, Val. Nobody¡¯s looking for us, so I think we¡¯re safe.¡±

    ¡°Cloaking is still active?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Can you tap into their systems without them noticing?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°Alright. See if you can find any recording of what happened.¡± She turned to face the rescued crew of the freighter. ¡°What do you know about this place?¡±

    ¡°It was a military outpost,¡± said Vinder. ¡°Hundreds of garrisons were posted here. They should have been able to hold off an attack from a lone ship. Nothing could have done this. And certainly not so fast. This makes no sense.¡±

    ¡°Val,¡± called out the disembodied voice. ¡°There is a lot of chatter on their com systems about what happened.¡±

    ¡°What are they saying?¡±

    ¡°They echo what our guest has said. Nobody understands what hit them. They had no warning. The ship appeared out of nowhere and just attacked them out of the blue. Went right through their shields. Anything they threw at it just failed.¡±

    ¡°Did you find any footage?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sending it to the main screen now.¡±

    They all turned to watch.

    The ship that had attacked the freighter appeared. It was dwarfed by the station, but it went on undaunted. There was no hesitation, no pause. As soon as it came within range, it started shooting red beams at the gigantic structure. The beams met no resistance and cut through the alundil walls like it was butter. Multiple rays shot out at the same time, all hitting different parts of the station. Its gruesome deed was over in under two minutes. Then it just warped out as suddenly as it had warped in.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Damn,¡± whispered Val.

    ¡°There¡¯s something else,¡± said Nim.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The attacker broadcasted a message to the planet below as it was ripping through the station.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    A new voice echoed in the small room. It was deep, hoarse, and filled with anger.

    ¡°Hear this, citizens of the Imperium. The time has come for you to make a choice. The world as you know it has ended. This empire¡ªlike every empire that has come before it¡ªwill fall. I am the Sword of Justice, come to judge the sins of the Emperor. They are many. He is a corrupt man at the head of a corrupt government. Their time is overdue. They shall fall. But you, friends, shall rise. If, and only if you renounce your allegiance to the tyrannical sovereign. He cannot protect you. He cannot save you. Stay in his shadow and you will die. Leave now. Flee. Go to the rim or beyond, and stay clear from military outposts. Only there shall you find redemption. For I hereby sentence the Imperium to oblivion. So speaks Horus, god of justice and retribution.¡±

    While the man¡¯s voice had spoken, you could hear the beams shooting in the background, along with the screams of the wounded and of the dying.

    Then it all went quiet.

    Val stared at the screen.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± she snapped. ¡°Horus? Seriously? This guy is a lunatic.¡±

    ¡°Who is Horus?¡± asked Vinder.

    He sounded confused.

    ¡°An Egyptian god from Ancient Earth,¡± she answered, pacing the room. ¡°But this guy is no god. He¡¯s a madman, that¡¯s what he is!¡±

    ¡°A man with godlike powers,¡± said Vinder as he pointed at the chaos outside.

    ¡°He must somehow have acquired alien technology, that¡¯s the only explanation. There¡¯s nothing in the Imperium that could cause this amount of damage in such a short time.¡±

    ¡°What about Qevahr?¡± asked Nim.

    Val frowned, but before she could respond, the merchant spoke up again.

    ¡°We must warn the Emperor...¡±

    She laughed as she pointed at the swarm of Imperial ships that were still busy going through the wreckage.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he knows by now. Your Emperor has made many enemies lately, it seems.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s your Emperor as well,¡± Vinder reminded her with a scowl. ¡°Or are you denouncing him? Are you going to follow that madman?¡±

    ¡°I follow no one,¡± she said with a grunt. ¡°I¡¯ve lived in the rim all of my life and intend to keep doing so. If Horus¡ªsince that¡¯s what he calls himself¡ªwants to go against the Imperium, that¡¯s his problem. Besides, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything I could do to stop him.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you follow his trace after he attacked my ship?¡±

    Val stared at the man, then turned away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she muttered as she sat back at the controls. ¡°Nim. Do we know where that ship went next?¡±

    ¡°No. It was already gone by the time we got here.¡±

    ¡°So there,¡± she said, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°See? Nothing more I can do. Shall I drop you off down there, or do you want to go somewhere else?¡±

    Vinder¡¯s jaw tightened.

    ¡°Here will be fine.¡±

    She nodded as her fingers danced across the dashboard.

    Starrider veered and headed down toward the surface of the planet.

 126 (2x51) When strings attached are pulled

    It was a small house made of brick and mortar. It stood on the side of the road, surrounded by other villas made of brick and mortar. It was warm, pretty, and quite distinct from its neighbors.

    There were many trees here, lining the street. They were everywhere on Bernice¡ªa welcome change from the grayness and bleakness of Elphine.

    Some of the houses had pools, as this one did. Halden could see it in the back, in the middle of a large garden.

    He sat on a wooden bench¡ªunder a canopy that shaded him from the sun¡ªand stared at the house.

    Had he a right to do this? It could change the man¡¯s life in ways no one could predict. But what other choice did he have?

    He needed answers.

    With a sigh, he stood and crossed the street.

    Rang at the door.

    Waited.

    He heard footsteps inside and the door opened.

    A woman blinked at him, then smiled.

    ¡°Oh. Prof. Roche. I thought you were traveling?¡±

    Halden grimaced. He had not expected the wife to be here. This would make things more awkward. Too late now to back away.

    ¡°Is your husband in?¡± he asked, already knowing the answer¡ªhe had seen his assistant¡¯s car in the driveway.

    The woman nodded. ¡°Of course. Please, come in. I¡¯ll go get him.¡±

    He stepped in and waited in the living room.

    A few minutes later, Groggan appeared with a startled look on his face.

    ¡°Prof. Roche? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°We need to talk.¡± Halden stood. ¡°But not here. Is there somewhere private we could go?¡±

    ¡°Sure... Uhm, I have an office in the back, if that would do?¡±

    Halden grunted and nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll have to. Lead the way.¡±

    Groggan stepped through a door into a narrow hall, and he followed. A few seconds later, they arrived in a small comfortable-looking room with a desk, dim lighting, and bookshelves against all the walls.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Groggan as he motioned to an empty chair and sat at his desk.

    It felt strange to Halden to be in this position. Until now, it always had been him behind the desk.

    ¡°I need to ask you a big favor, Greg. And you can¡¯t tell anyone about it. Not even your wife.¡±

    Groggan blinked. He opened his mouth and closed it, not knowing what to say.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Halden waited. He knew those few words were a lot to process. It was the first time he¡¯d called his assistant by his first name, and it was on purpose. He knew it would make the younger man understand this was important business.

    ¡°Why?¡± Groggan finally managed to ask.

    ¡°Why what?¡±

    ¡°Why the secrecy? And why me?¡±

    ¡°Because you still work at the IAS.¡± For a moment, Halden got worried. ¡°You still do, right?¡±

    Groggan nodded. ¡°And so do you, last I checked.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, but no one knows I¡¯m back yet. Except for Rees and you.¡± He frowned, looking toward the door. ¡°And your wife.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re so worried about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Greg, but all I can say is that it¡¯s about Lucy. Saying more could put your life in danger, and I don¡¯t want to do that to you¡ªor to your family.¡±

    Groggan frowned. ¡°And what would you have me do?¡±

    ¡°I need you to get me a wiper.¡±

    The assistant¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s important.¡±

    ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯re asking me to do?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Groggan stared at him for a long time. He shook his head and stood. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, Prof. Roche, but I can¡¯t do it. If I got caught, I¡¯d get fired. Where would I go if that happened? You know as well as I do that there is nowhere else a scientist can work, at least not in an official capacity. This is asking too much.¡±

    He was right, of course. But Halden remembered his time in the Fault. His conversation with that older version of Groggan. A man who still worked at the IAS. He would not lose his job.

    Unless... Unless he was doing something now he had not done before? No, that was a ridiculous thought. He couldn¡¯t change the future. Groggan himself had told him as much.

    And he had hired this man, despite his inclination. There had to be a reason for that. Maybe this was it? Maybe Groggan was supposed to help him like this?

    He hated himself for what he was about to say, but he had no choice.

    ¡°You owe me, Greg.¡±

    The younger man stared at him. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You say you could get fired and where would you go then? Well, I ask you, where would you be now if I had not hired you?¡± Halden stood and gestured around him. ¡°You have a nice house. A loving family. A good-paying job. Would you have any of that if it weren¡¯t for me?¡±

    Groggan shifted uncomfortably. Looked away.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°But it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Halden could see the younger man clenching and unclenching his fists. Finally, he looked back at him.

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s any help, I¡¯ll say this: you won¡¯t get caught.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    Halden smiled. ¡°Because I¡¯ve seen the future.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy talk.¡±

    ¡°No, Greg, I¡¯m serious. Do you remember that new source of thilium we found in the Tin¡¯kisti Belt? I went there. I went inside the flow. And it... it made me travel through time.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    And so Halden recounted what he had seen and heard¡ªincluding the message he had sent himself through Groggan. It was as good an opportunity as any to ask the younger man to deliver it when the time came.

    After the story was told, they fell quiet for a moment.

    ¡°And so,¡± finally said Groggan, ¡°this is why you think I won¡¯t get kicked out?¡±

    ¡°I know you won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What if you weren¡¯t supposed to tell me all this? What if, by doing so, you changed everything?¡±

    To so hear echoed his own doubts troubled Halden, though he did his best not to show it. Instead, he clung to the first thought that came to him¡ªthough part of him wondered who exactly he was trying to convince.

    ¡°I can¡¯t change anything, Greg. You told me so yourself.¡± The other frowned. ¡°Look, it makes sense. Think about it. Everything we do, all our actions, all our choices, they all hinge on who we are. How, then, could I act differently than how my nature prompts me to act? That future me couldn¡¯t have acted any other way, trust me.¡±

    Groggan¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Except when you hired me. Your ¡®nature¡¯ didn¡¯t want to do that, did it? You only did so because of what... Well, what I told you in the future.¡±

    ¡°But what you told me came from me.¡±

    The younger scientist still did not look convinced. ¡°It¡¯s all very much messed up, Prof. Roche. I don¡¯t know that I can believe in this future that you saw. Or that I can accept that we have no free will.¡± He lifted a hand when Halden made to dispute the statement. ¡°It is what you are implying, professor, whether you like it or not. But none of that matters.¡± He sighed as he put his hands down on the desk. ¡°The fact is, you are right. I do owe you, regardless of circumstances.¡±

    ¡°So you will get me the wiper?¡±

    The assistant took a deep breath, then nodded.

    ¡°I will.¡±

 127 (2x52) When a man unbroken tackles the beast

    They all sat in the meeting room. A hundred men and women, if not more. Listening to the one who would lead them. When he finished explaining his plan, Peter turned to the crowd with a smile.

    ¡°Any questions?¡±

    The room went quiet.

    As he was about to speak again, a blue hand shot up.

    Peter nodded in her direction. ¡°Yes, Mrill?¡±

    ¡°Why there?¡± she asked.

    There were mutters in the crowd around her.

    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± hissed someone in her back.

    ¡°No,¡± she said blandly. ¡°I would just like to understand.¡±

    Peter raised his hands to curtail any further interruptions.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fair question,¡± he said. ¡°One I¡¯ll be happy to answer.¡±

    He paced back and forth on the stage as he spoke, often looking toward the crowd.

    ¡°Nimnir is one of many Imperial outposts we could strike. However, there are several reasons why it should be this one. Least of all, it is not within the rim, though close enough that we can reach it fast. More importantly, it has recently served as a base of operations for the war efforts against Qevahr. Even as we speak, they are gathering machines of mass destruction and terraforming devices they plan to unleash on that world. Now, don¡¯t get me wrong, I do not condone the actions of the High Noort. However, she is a citizen of the Imperium and, as such, should be listened to rather than pounded on. There are other ways to treat dissent than violence. And no matter her actions, her people should not be punished for her sins. A criminal should be trialed, not sentenced to oblivion along with all of their kin.¡±

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    He stopped pacing, locking eyes with people in the crowd, one after the other.

    ¡°That is the true face of the master who would want us to serve him. A cruel man with a whip who will not listen to reason, who refuses to negotiate, and will send his dogs to you the minute you show any sign of rebellion. Do you want to serve such a master?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± shouted the crowd in one voice.

    Peter smiled. ¡°People often ask why we fight and say we shouldn¡¯t complain about the way things are. They argue things were far worse in the days of Hassan the Conqueror. But, you know what? Hassan the Conqueror died three centuries ago. Not a single citizen alive today was alive back then¡ªsafe for his son, his murderer, who even now sits on the throne. I am not saying things were not worse yesterday. I say things could be better tomorrow. Why look to the past when we should be looking to the future? Just because a fruit is sweet doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t others even sweeter. We can make our lives better. We can end the oppression, the tyranny. We can build a better future for our children. And we will!¡±

    An uproar went through the crowd. Peter had to shout to make himself heard.

    ¡°Today, we strike! And with this strike, we shall reveal to the Imperium that the Scourge of Abrax lives! Everyone will see the true face of the Emperor. We will show him for the liar he is... He who boasts of having killed me, as if he had done so with his bare hands. He who hasn¡¯t stepped outside his golden palace in decades! Today, I will speak to the people and tell them the truth.¡±

    His eyes went back to Mrill. He smiled at her.

    ¡°And that is the main reason we go to Nimnir. All the media are there. They will record everything live. No editing. No treachery. The truth revealed. Will you ride with us?¡±

    Mrill nodded as the entire room shouted and cheered, laughing and clapping.

    Roff, who sat next to her, nudged her.

    ¡°He got you good, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    She looked at the grinning man with her usual bland stare.

    ¡°He answered my question.¡±

    ¡°That he did!¡± Roff laughed. ¡°That he did!¡±

    Because of all the Imperials who patrolled Pluvios, they had to leave in small groups to not draw attention. One ship at a time, little by little, they rushed through space to the meeting point.

    Within twenty-four hours, the Scourge of Abrax was ready to strike once again.

 128 (2x53) When the dust settles

    His world was darkness.

    And pain.

    Oh, the pain!

    It rippled through his body, his soul, his brain...

    Yes, he had a body. He remembered now. He remembered it all.

    His eyes flickered open, staring at the scorched ceiling. He could hear the crackling flames through the ringing in his ears. The heat was fierce, and it reeked of burned flesh.

    What had happened?

    It came back to him, little by little.

    The place would soon be crawling with sniffers.

    Zax sat up, glancing at his torn hand. The skin had already healed, the wound closing up slowly. His eyes went to the large shrapnel that stuck out of his chest. He grunted as he pulled it out. The bleeding stopped almost instantly as the nanobots in his body mended his ripped flesh and broken bones.

    It still hurt like hell.

    He stood and looked around at the devastation. Turned. Walked back into the hall and froze. The entire floor had been leveled. The doors to the other suites had been blown off their hinges, the walls blasted. Fire raged in the large rooms beyond. He counted at least a dozen charred corpses as he stumbled to the elevator.

    Zax got in and allowed himself to slump to the floor.

    This would have to do.

    He closed his eyes, and all went dark again.

    After a while, he felt someone shaking his shoulder.

    Why couldn¡¯t they leave him alone? Let him heal in peace?

    Again, his eyes flickered open.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    A woman was leaning down over him, concern in her eyes.

    ¡°Senator Iden? Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course. I¡¯m not deaf, you know.¡±

    The sound of his voice sounded strange. Hoarse. Old. Weary.

    He coughed and pulled himself up.

    The woman helped him.

    He saw other people outside...

    Ah, yes. The elevator.

    He was still in it.

    It must have gone down, as he clearly was in the reception area now.

    There was activity beyond the crowd. Other men going back and forth. In uniforms. Fire brigades, he noted. Using the other elevators.

    So they had seen the destruction.

    That piece of information registered inside his brain as a man grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the elevator, toward a room at the back.

    ¡°Come with me, senator. You need to rest. You¡¯ve been through a lot.¡±

    Zax laughed. He couldn¡¯t help it.

    He glanced at his hand and was happy to see it had fully healed. He hoped his chest had as well. It felt alright. Most of the pain was gone. Though the ringing in his ear was not.

    The man gave him a chair and he sat.

    ¡°There will be questions, you understand.¡±

    He nodded, saying nothing. He recognized this one now. A manager. Yes. His name was Devrak. He remembered talking to him a few days after his arrival. When he¡¯d requested to keep his suite for the foreseeable future. It was an unusual request, but he could afford it. He had made that clear. The man had been quite amenable.

    ¡°Would you like to drink something? Are you hungry?¡±

    ¡°Zestri, please.¡±

    The man frowned, but nodded. ¡°Of course. I will get you a bottle right away.¡±

    Once he was alone, Zax opened his burned shirt and looked at his chest. It was fine. Of course, the clothes would be a problem. How would he explain that?

    He sighed as he buttoned his shirt up.

    The manager returned with a bottle. Poured the salving nectar into a glass and handed it to the senator.

    ¡°It¡¯s truly a miracle,¡± muttered Devrak. ¡°How you survived the blast, I cannot fathom.¡±

    ¡°The elevator,¡± Zax said. ¡°It shielded me.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Of course.¡±

    The man stood there, staring at him awkwardly.

    Zax clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°Well, then! Don¡¯t you have anything better to do than gape at me?¡±

    Devrak blanched. ¡°Apologies, senator. I¡¯ll let you rest.¡±

    He hurried out.

    Alone once again, Zax tried to remember everything he could of what had happened. His stroll in the park, saving the cat, walking back to the hotel, and then... this.

    The bomb had gone off as soon as he¡¯d stepped into his room. Could someone else have been the target? Could this all be a coincidence?

    It could...

    Except, Zax did not believe in coincidences.

    He rather thought someone was after him.

    But who could be so bold to try something like this?

    He didn¡¯t know, but he would find out.

    One way or another.

    A knock on the door and it opened before he could say anything.

    The woman who had helped him in the elevator stuck her head through the opening.

    ¡°Senator... There are some people here who would like to speak to you.¡±

    The sniffers had arrived.

    Let the dance begin...

 129 (2x54) When fate comes knocking

    It was a thriving world at the edge of the Imperium proper, just before the rim. Young enough to still be full of joy and hope for the future. Technology had stopped spreading before it¡¯d reached these sand-filled streets. But the population seemed not to care. Men and women shouted as they walked through the crowds, selling local liquors and pastries; children played under a searing sun; music drifted in the air from open windows. You would not have thought thousands of people had just died above their heads.

    Val glanced up at the sky. She thought she could see distant debris, like specks of dust in the clouds. It was silly, of course, they were much too far and too small to be visible from here.

    After dropping off Vinder and his two crewmates, she had decided to stock up on food and grab some spare parts Nim had requested.

    Imperial guards patrolled all over Menthis, but they were too preoccupied with recent events. She could see them frequently glancing up, worry in their eyes.

    She walked past a group of five and sunk into the busy market.

    As she looked around for what she needed, she glimpsed a familiar silhouette. She snapped her head back and stared. Had she imagined it?

    No, there he was again.

    Juden!

    What was that worm doing here?

    She slipped through the crowd, moving closer.

    If she could just get her hands on him...

    She had almost reached her target when she froze.

    No. There was something better she could do.

    This was an opportunity.

    To learn more.

    After everything that had happened, she still had no clue who Juden worked for or why he had wanted her ship so badly. And she would like answers to those questions very much.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    She fell into step behind him, remaining at a reasonable distance. Far enough that he wouldn¡¯t spot her and close enough that she wouldn¡¯t lose him.

    He made his way through the crowd, heading for a small alley. She¡¯d have to be careful once they were out of the market. Stick to the shadows. Not make any noises. Keep as far as she could while maintaining eyesight.

    They left the throng behind them, and the streets became quieter. Those streets were narrow enough for the walls around to create sufficient shade to keep them out of the sun¡¯s hungry rays.

    After a few minutes, she realized Juden was headed toward a private airstrip.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± she muttered to herself.

    She tapped on her wristpad to initiate a communication link with her ship.

    ¡°Nim, can you hear me?¡± she breathed into the device.

    Juden went through the gate and disappeared on the other side.

    ¡°Why are you whispering, Val? Is everything alright?¡±

    Her heart sank as she heard the concern in Nim¡¯s voice. She struggled to keep her own steady as she responded.

    ¡°What¡¯s the range of these wristpads?¡±

    She walked up to the gate and went in. She glanced around and saw Juden walking toward a large craft. Much bigger than Starrider.

    ¡°I... I¡¯m not sure. Why?¡±

    ¡°Juden¡¯s here. I need to follow him. And he¡¯s about to board a ship.¡±

    ¡°Come back and we can¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Nim. That won¡¯t work.¡± She hid behind a crate as the tall, dark-skinned man looked back. ¡°I¡¯m too far from you,¡± she whispered. ¡°This is not the same airstrip. I¡¯ll have to board with him.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Will we still be able to talk?¡±

    She peered over the edge of the crate and saw that Juden had disappeared. He must have gone into the ship.

    ¡°There are limitations, Val. I¡¯m just not sure what they are.¡±

    She ran toward the hatch, keeping her head low.

    ¡°What about tracking?¡±

    ¡°That should have a wider range.¡±

    Val slipped into the opening and slunk through the halls.

    ¡°Even if we warp?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She paused at an intersection and looked from one side to the other, then went straight forward. She could hear footsteps ahead and could only hope they were Juden¡¯s.

    ¡°Alright. Then follow my signal. Stay as close as you can without getting spotted.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, Nim! I¡¯m sure.¡±

    The ship¡¯s engine started, and she felt the floor vibrate under her feet.

    ¡°What about Warthol?¡±

    ¡°What about him?¡±

    ¡°Is he there too?¡±

    That was a good question, one she had no answer to.

    ¡°Probably,¡± she muttered. ¡°I have to go. Stay close, alright?¡±

    ¡°Always.¡±

    She closed her eyes for a second, then cut the communication and pressed on.

    At the next turn, she saw a familiar silhouette disappear through a door. From the glimpse she got of the inside, it looked like a cabin. Perhaps Juden¡¯s.

    She sighed.

    ¡°Alright, buddy. I got you. Let¡¯s see where you¡¯re going now.¡±

 130 (2x55) When all you thought you knew is a lie

    He found his quarry in a rundown bar, drinking zestri and playing cards.

    Nahl Bergdahn was a stocky man with brown curly hair and a beard. He wore civilian clothes that looked worn and stained, with a few tears in the back. He frequently wiped his nose with the back of his hand, sniffing before taking a swig from his mug.

    It would make everything so much easier if the man was drunk, but Halden knew he had better not count on it.

    He glanced at the pouch on his belt and hoped he hadn¡¯t forgotten anything. His eyes went back to the door as he settled comfortably in the back of his glider. It was just a waiting game now.

    After an hour, he saw the bulky man throw his arms in the air as he jumped out of his chair, gesturing angrily at the three who sat with him.

    He walked up to the counter to pay the woman who worked there, then stormed out of the bar.

    Bergdahn looked around, spotted the hovercab, and waved.

    Halden smiled as he leaned to set the glider in motion. It moved up to the man and stopped so he could hop in.

    As soon as he was inside, the questor froze and blinked.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing here? This is my cab!¡±

    ¡°No, Nahl. It¡¯s not.¡±

    Before the other could react, he stabbed him in the neck with a syringe.

    The man fell like a rock as the glider rose into the night sky.

    A few minutes later, he woke in a chair, hands tied to his back.

    ¡°What the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Now, now, watch your language. We¡¯re between civilized people here.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea who I am?¡±

    Halden laughed. ¡°Do I? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Your name is Nahl Bergdahn, and you have been a questor for three decades¡ªthe last five years as a prime. And, of course, you do all the dirty work the Emperor asks you to do. In a way, I suppose one could say you are his lapdog.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The man squinted at him.

    ¡°Watch what you say, little man.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me it¡¯s not true? Which part did I get wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have your skin for this, whoever you are.¡±

    Halden tsked. ¡°How low has the once mighty questor fallen.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± spat the tied man.

    ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re a wreck. Wearing rags and smelling like you haven¡¯t showered in a week. It¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue! I¡¯m still a prime,¡± he growled.

    ¡°Sure. But for how much longer if you keep this up? I¡¯m recording this, by the way. What do you think your superiors will say when they see you like this?¡±

    The man fell quiet, his jaw tight.

    ¡°Right. That¡¯s what I thought.¡±

    ¡°I remember you,¡± said Bergdahn. ¡°You¡¯re that scientist.¡± The word sounded like a sour taste in his mouth. ¡°The father.¡±

    Halden¡¯s voice went cold. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d connect the dots.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you guess?¡±

    The man remained quiet for a long time, his eyes locked with Halden¡¯s unflinching ones.

    ¡°How did you find out?¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Rees told me everything.¡±

    ¡°That little shit. Couldn¡¯t leave well enough alone. Now you¡¯ll both have to die.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You know that won¡¯t happen. We both are too valuable¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re nothing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, buddy. I¡¯m now working for his Imperial Majesty himself.¡±

    The questor squinted at him. Snorted.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±

    Halden shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter either way. Point is, I¡¯m safe. Rees is safe. You? Ah, now, that¡¯s a very different matter, isn¡¯t it? Unlike us, I¡¯d argue you are quite disposable. Especially once those above you see how low you¡¯ve fallen.¡±

    The man snarled. ¡°What. Do. You. Want?¡±

    ¡°Answers, that¡¯s what I want! Who put you up to it? Who ordered you to kill my daughter?¡±

    Bergdahn laughed. ¡°You think I did it? Come now, you can¡¯t be so naive.¡±

    ¡°You made others do it, it¡¯s the same thing.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Prof. Roche. I was only a messenger. I was not involved in... in what happened to your daughter.¡±

    Halden crossed his arms, frowning. Was the man lying? He had no way to check for that. But he couldn¡¯t be. It had to be him! Otherwise...

    He shook his head, knowing he couldn¡¯t drag this on for too long if he didn¡¯t want to get caught.

    ¡°Then who was?¡± he asked.

    A sneer formed on the man¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Who indeed,¡± he muttered. ¡°Haven¡¯t you figured it out yet?¡±

    Halden went cold inside.

    He didn¡¯t want to believe it.

    It couldn¡¯t be true.

    He had hoped beyond reason that this despicable man was the one responsible. That he had orchestrated everything. It had to be him.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind telling you, since you¡¯re so out of your mind you kidnapped a questor. You have to know this won¡¯t end well for you. But are you sure you want me to tell you?¡±

    He knew the name the man would give him, but he had to hear it.

    He needed to hear it, to have it confirmed.

    So he nodded.

    ¡°It was your good friend, Marthus Wirdej. He¡¯s the one who gave the order.¡±

 131 (2x56) When a plan is set into motion

    There were three phases to the plan.

    First, small groups would sneak down to the surface to sabotage the terraforming devices and weapons of destruction.

    Second, one of those groups would seek out reporters so Peter could reveal he was still very much alive and address the people of the Imperium. He asked Mrill to stay near him, as her particular abilities required proximity.

    Third, rebel ships would swoop down to shoot at the military bases and give the ground troops cover while they made a swift retreat.

    As a major outpost, Nimnir had higher security than most worlds of the Imperium. However, it also was an important commercial hub. Posing as merchants, with the required identification¡ªall of it forged, of course¡ªfive ships flew down to the surface.

    They landed in different cities, on different continents, each holding one of this world¡¯s five Imperial bases.

    By necessity, Peter had picked the largest of them, because that was where most of the media had gathered.

    They filed out of the ship¡ªthere were twelve of them¡ªand walked calmly through the security checks. All their credentials were in order.

    Mrill wondered why Peter was not concerned about being recognized. When she asked him, after they¡¯d cleared security and were in the capital¡¯s crowded streets, he winked at her.

    ¡°I look older, plus everyone thinks I¡¯m dead. If anyone did recognize me, they¡¯d likely think I was some freaky lookalike. Still, I haven¡¯t come so far by taking unnecessary risks.¡± He pointed at his wristpad. ¡°Roff, bless his heart, set me up with a scrambler. Makes me look like someone else.¡±

    ¡°I still see you as I did before,¡± she said blankly.

    ¡°As would anyone who knows I¡¯m alive. The scrambler doesn¡¯t work on me but on those who look at me. Their perception is altered, making them see whatever they want to see. Since you already know who I am, it cannot affect you.¡±

    ¡°Nanobots?¡± she asked.

    He pursed his lips, glancing at his wristpad. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how it works, to be honest, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s nanotechnology. More likely quantum. Or maybe thilium.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Roff could do something like that.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s good with his hands.¡±

    The twelve of them split into smaller groups. Mrill went with Peter and Kesh. They hopped into a hovercab that sped toward the base.

    ¡°How will we get in?¡± asked the dark-haired man.

    ¡°Multiple badges have been loaded into your wristpad. We¡¯ll be using number two at the next checkpoint. That will give us clearance as journalists.¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Kesh snickered. ¡°That¡¯s clever.¡±

    Mrill scrolled through the list on her wristpad¡¯s screen.

    ¡°Will we need all these?¡±

    ¡°Probably not,¡± said Peter. ¡°But I like to have a backup plan. And a backup for the backup.¡±

    She nodded, face expressionless.

    The cab dropped them off at the front of the base. Their wristpads were scanned, and they were let in.

    A corporal guided them through the compound and left them in the media building where all the reporters had gathered.

    ¡°What now?¡± asked Kesh as he glanced around.

    ¡°Now, we sneak out.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wanted to talk to those guys.¡± He pointed at the journalists, who were busy recording their reports.

    ¡°There will be time for that later. But first, we must do our part. Through here, I believe.¡±

    He pointed at a door, and they followed him.

    They looked over their shoulders, but no one was paying attention to them.

    Mrill pulled the cylinder from her pouch, though she did not activate the blade, keeping the item clenched in her fist, ready to use.

    Her two companions walked ahead of her.

    They turned at a corner and went quietly through another door that led them outside.

    Peter pointed at a large building across from them.

    ¡°That¡¯s our target,¡± he whispered. ¡°It houses one of the terraforming devices meant for Qevahr.¡±

    They sneaked in and slowly made their way through piles of metallic containers that reached almost to the ceiling.

    ¡°Where are the guards?¡± asked Mrill in her monotone voice.

    ¡°According to the blueprints, there¡¯s an office in the back. Though I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were some patrols walking around. Keep your ears and eyes open.¡±

    As they made their way toward the center of the warehouse, they heard voices coming toward them. They stopped and pressed against the wall of containers, sinking into the shadows.

    Two uniformed men appeared, walking casually down the aisle, rifles in hand as they argued about a bet. They went past the rebels without noticing them.

    They waited for the voices to drift, then started again.

    Soon, they came to an opening and saw a small vessel.

    ¡°That¡¯s it. The device is on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Peter.¡± Kesh was pointing at one of the containers. ¡°Look. There are explosives in some of these! If we blow the ship up, it could take out the whole base.¡±

    Their leader frowned as he considered the containers. His eyes turned toward the back, where the office was.

    ¡°We could set a shield around the building, to contain the explosion. But those men...¡±

    ¡°Can you set a timer on your bomb?¡± asked Mrill.

    He glanced at her. ¡°That¡¯s the plan. Why?¡±

    ¡°If I know the time, I can compel the guards to leave before it goes off.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t they know something¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The blue-skinned woman shrugged. ¡°Later, perhaps, but not while it¡¯s happening. It¡¯ll feel natural to them. Something they were always meant to do.¡±

    ¡°Can you do it from here?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll need to get closer. I can do it while you set the bomb.¡±

    Peter thought on this for a moment, then nodded.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take care of the ship.¡± He looked at Kesh. ¡°You, get the shield ready. Set a timer on it as well, so it¡¯ll deploy five minutes before everything blows.¡±

    They agreed on a time, then split up, each going about their task.

    Mrill found the office easily enough. As she got closer, voices grew louder. People talking and laughing. She paused when she felt she was within range and prodded with her mind. Finding her targets, she slipped inside them unnoticed. Such doing was never difficult for her, but was made easier still by their relaxed state¡ªa few were even drunk.

    Little by little, she molded their thoughts, planted the suggestion and the impulse that would be required. Set them to surface at the agreed time.

    When she was done, she turned and headed back toward the entrance. She cast her mind out, searching for the two patrols. After she found and molded them as well, she exited the building and waited.

    Her two companions soon arrived. Kesh leaned to dig a small hole at the base of the building, slipped a device into it, then buried it.

    Once done, they hurried back to the media room.

    It was time for Peter to make his announcement.

 132 (2x57) When questions are asked and tempers are tested

    Questors almost always came in pairs. This time was no exception. The man was tall, slender, bald, stern-looking, and with a limp in his right leg. The woman was grace personified; long dark hair, a flowing dress that looked nothing like a uniform but rather like something out of a romantic holofilm, with glittering blue eyes and a smile on her lips.

    It was she who spoke first as the two entered the room, holding out a hand.

    ¡°Enora Greff, prime questor. This is my colleague, Ansar Lath. Apologies for my appearance, senator. I heard of the bombing and had to come immediately. No time to change.¡±

    Zax stood and shook the offered hand.

    ¡°That is quite alright.¡±

    ¡°Please, please, sit. I hear you¡¯ve been quite shaken. I¡¯m sure you could use the rest.¡±

    He could tell she was studying him from head to toe, but chose not to worry about it. As he sat, he saw the man scowling at his boss. Unlike her, he wore the traditional black outfit with the Imperial wreath embroidered on the sleeve.

    The woman grabbed two chairs, offered one to her colleague, and sat in the other. She leaned forward, resting her shoulders on her knees.

    ¡°So. How about you tell us your side of the story?¡±

    ¡°My side?¡±

    She smiled pleasantly. ¡°Tell us what happened in your own words.¡±

    ¡°I could hardly tell it in anyone else¡¯s. That said, there is not much to say. I came back from a walk¡ª¡±

    ¡°Where did you go?¡±

    Zax quirked a brow. ¡°A nearby park.¡±

    ¡°And you walked?¡±

    ¡°That is what I said.¡±

    ¡°Indeed it is, indeed it is. Very unusual.¡±

    ¡°Is it illegal now to walk?¡±

    ¡°No, no, of course not. Apologies for the interruption. Please do go on.¡±

    Zax leaned back in his chair, his eyes going from the man to the woman, thinking fast as he spoke.

    ¡°I went up to my room, then realized I¡¯d forgotten I needed to speak with someone at the reception. So I went back to the elevator. The bomb went off as the doors closed on me. Which is what saved me.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The woman leaned back, tapping a finger against her lips. ¡°Interesting story. Don¡¯t you think, Ansar?¡± She glanced at the other questor who said nothing, still staring at Zax. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s what I was thinking too.¡± She looked back at him. ¡°Just to clarify, you did go into your room, did you not?¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    If he denied going in and they could verify that his door was opened before the explosion, they would catch him in a lie. Saying the truth was risky as well, so he decided to go for a compromise.

    ¡°I opened the door but did not go in.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Interesting.¡± She looked at her wristpad and tapped on the screen.

    ¡°Were there other victims?¡± Zax asked before she could question him again.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He was surprised to hear the man¡¯s voice answer him.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    Ansar shrugged. ¡°Twenty-three.¡±

    Zax clenched his fists. ¡°Why so many?¡±

    ¡°Three of the four rooms were occupied at the time of the explosion,¡± said Enora distractedly. ¡°Including yours, of course. One was booked by a Gnorlian emissary accompanied by his retinue. The other by a billionaire from Daffrey. Both had guards and servants.¡±

    ¡°Any survivors?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Ansar.

    The woman looked back at Zax, her smile widening. ¡°I did not realize you were the one asking questions here, senator.¡±

    ¡°I have a right to know these things,¡± he said.

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡±

    ¡°I am sure both of them had enemies.¡±

    The woman quirked a brow. ¡°And you do not?¡±

    He let out a bark of laughter. ¡°I am a politician, prime. Of course, I have enemies! But,¡± he added seriously, ¡°none who would fall so low as to try to kill me.¡±

    ¡°And yet,¡± she said, ¡°the device was placed on your door. You triggered the explosive when you opened it.¡±

    The room went silent for a second.

    Zax kept his eyes locked with the woman¡¯s, unflinching.

    ¡°I had no security,¡± he finally said. ¡°I imagine it would have been easier for the culprit to place his bomb in my quarters. This also explains its wide range, as he would have wanted to make sure his target died.¡±

    ¡°Brilliant twist! I love it. Though you forget, the fourth room was unoccupied. But no matter.¡± She smiled. Looked back to her wristpad. ¡°You¡¯re an intriguing man, senator Iden. Very intriguing indeed. I know your father died a long time ago, but no one seems to know where your mother is?¡±

    ¡°Dead as well, I¡¯m afraid. From Tinamint disease, a decade ago.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± A pause. ¡°This was before you went into politics?¡±

    ¡°Depends how you look at it, or how you define politics. I was involved in various unions and marches from an early age...¡±

    ¡°But your rise to a government seat came after her passing?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just curious. Do you have any siblings?¡±

    This was not mere curiosity. Zax knew exactly where the questor was going with this. But it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°A brother, though we haven¡¯t spoken in years. Last I heard, he was somewhere out in the rim. Up to no good, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Enora chuckled. ¡°Lovely.¡± She looked at her companion. ¡°And quite convenient, too, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The other questor snorted but said nothing.

    Zax frowned. ¡°What is this, prime?¡±

    ¡°Just doing my job.¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. You are playing games. I would know. Politics are filled with people like you who like to play games. I am tired of this one. I am a victim here and we both know it. So stop treating me like I am a suspect. Do you really think I would have tried to blow myself up?¡±

    The smile froze on the woman¡¯s lips. It remained for a moment, then slowly faded as Enora¡¯s eyes hardened.

    ¡°I do not like you, senator. You may be a victim, but you are also a liar. That, too, we both know.¡± She pointed at his clothes. ¡°Something is off here. Very off. You have no wounds, and yet your jacket is in shreds. How do you explain that? How did you reach the elevator before the explosive went off? And what did you so urgently need to discuss with a reception clerk?¡±

    It was Zax¡¯s turn to smile.

    ¡°Since we both agree I am a victim, I am not required to answer those questions. Your time is up, prime. Perhaps you should focus on finding the bomber rather than waste both our time. A good day to you.¡±

    He stood and walked out of the room, fuming.

 133 (2x58) When hiding reveals...

    There were many places to hide on a ship this big. Storage rooms. Machinery ducts. The hold.

    At first, Val had found an empty cabin within sight of Juden¡¯s. There were no personal effects, so she considered staying there. But she wasn¡¯t sure how long the trip would last or whether anyone would come in for some reason. It made her nervous to stay there too long. So she favored the darker, less used places.

    Wanting to make sure she didn¡¯t lose the dark-skinned man again, she shot a bug at him when he walked out of his cabin. Aimed for his shoes, where he would not feel the impact. It was small enough that no one could see it if they didn¡¯t know to look for it. She had then retreated to a dark and smelly duct.

    This was not how she had planned to spend her time waiting for Kaine.

    She grimaced. Why would she wait for him? That was ridiculous. Though she had to admit the man had helped her and even saved her life. That made him a friend, didn¡¯t it?

    Val sighed as she crawled backward into the narrow space and closed the panel in front of her.

    She had found the mess hall a couple of hours earlier and had sneaked into the empty kitchen to steal food. She had stashed it in a compartment in the wall next to her.

    How long had they been traveling? Five hours, according to her wristpad, but it felt like much longer. It was unnerving not having anything else to do but wait. At least, on Starrider, she could keep herself busy at the dashboard. Here, she didn¡¯t even have that.

    She tried calling Nim a couple of times, but he didn¡¯t answer. He must be out of range. She hoped he could still follow her signal.

    While exploring the ship, she realized it was of Gnorlian design. Was Juden a Gnorlian? If so, why did Gnorlia want her Corvair?

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    After another hour, her wristpad blinked red. Juden was moving. Had they landed? With a ship this size, she would not have felt anything.

    Sliding out of her hiding place, she followed the coordinates on her wristpad¡¯s screen.

    She soon heard voices and approaching footsteps. Spotting a door nearby, she opened it and slipped in, closing it behind her. She pressed her ear against the surface, sounds coming to her muffled and covered by the beat of her heart.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± came a sharp voice from behind her.

    She jumped and spun around.

    A light came on and she saw a young man, a teenager, lying on the cot and leaning on an elbow as he stared at her.

    ¡°I... Uhm... I¡¯m sorry for the intrusion. I didn¡¯t realize someone was in here.¡±

    She would have left, but she could still hear voices in the hall, coming closer.

    The teenager frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±

    Her back to the door, she tensed. What was she going to do? She couldn¡¯t tell him the truth.

    ¡°I¡¯m new on the crew,¡± she said, ¡°and still a bit lost on the ship. It¡¯s big. Apologies.¡±

    The boy squinted at her. ¡°Your name?¡±

    ¡°Diin.¡±

    He sat up on his cot, his gaze never leaving her.

    ¡°So tell me something, Diin. Who are you running from?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He stood, crossed his arms, and jerked his chin toward the door.

    ¡°You could have walked out when you realized your mistake. You should have. Why are you still here?¡± When she said nothing, he smiled and walked toward her. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see who it is I hear talking out there.¡±

    She stepped forward and placed a hand against his chest to stop him.

    ¡°Wait. I... I messed up. If they see me, they¡¯ll know it was me, and I¡¯ll get into trouble. Maybe lose my job. I can¡¯t afford to lose my job. Please?¡± She made her voice sound as desperate as she could.

    The boy¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°What did you do, Diin?¡±

    She looked down in shame. ¡°I broke one of the machines. In a duct nearby. They must have seen it.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Will we be stranded?¡± The teenager sounded hopeful.

    Val looked at him with curiosity. ¡°Do you want to be stranded?¡±

    The boy had a mischievous grin. ¡°With you, who wouldn¡¯t?¡±

    Despite his playful tone, she could sense there was something else behind the words.

    ¡°That¡¯s sweet, but I sense you¡¯re not happy about this journey?¡±

    He shrugged and walked back to his cot.

    ¡°I have better things to do than follow my father on diplomatic missions.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, boy?¡± she asked.

    He sat on the edge of his bed and looked back at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Avran Nell, son of Tellus Nell, archmaster of the Outer Expanse.¡±

    Only one of the most powerful men on Gnorlia.

    What had she gotten herself into?

 134 (2x59) When a man is plagued with conflicting thoughts

    They had grown up together. Gone to the same schools. Dated the same girls. Had similar tastes in most things. Most of all, shared a forbidden love for science.

    When Halden had married Marcia and they¡¯d moved to Elphine, Marthus had stayed on Bernice. While the couple struggled, the friend found himself a mentor and wiggled his way into the IAS. First as an assistant, working his way up to positions of leadership. His rise had been meteoric.

    Halden wondered about this now as he stared at the smirking face of Nahl Bergdahn. How could his friend have risen so fast? When he¡¯d returned to Bernice with his daughter, Marthus had been at the head of the thilium department. Ten years later, he oversaw all operations at the IAS, while Halden still was a low-level employee.

    No, he thought, that was not fair to himself. He was a respected scientist¡ªat least among his peers. But there had been no promotions. A few raises, but no promotions. Not that he had expected any. He was content with his work. He had always assumed, though without giving it any real thought, that his friend was simply more ambitious than he.

    Marthus had been happy to see him return and had welcomed him with open arms. He¡¯d given him a job without hesitation.

    ¡°So what are you going to do now, little man?¡±

    Bergdahn¡¯s voice cut through his thoughts, dripping with disdain.

    Halden reached for his pouch, slid his hand in, grabbed the small device Groggan had brought him, and pulled it out.

    The questor¡¯s eyes went wide when he recognized it.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°How the heck did you get that? Wait, don¡¯t tell me. It was Rees, of course. That little shit. I will crush him like the bug he is. And then, I will come for you. I don¡¯t care if you work for the Emperor himself. You¡¯re dead.¡±

    Halden walked up to the tied man, saying nothing. He slapped the wiper against the back of the man¡¯s neck and activated the device.

    Bergdahn stiffened, then went limp as all his memories were erased from the moment he had stepped out of the bar.

    He would sleep for a while now as his body recovered from the violation.

    Halden untied him, then pulled him into the hovercab he had rented.

    As he flew back to the bar, he considered his options. He resisted the urge to call Marthus. Doing so would make it more difficult to use the device on him, as a wiper could erase no more than an hour of memories.

    He parked in the same spot he had earlier, when he had waited for his prey. After checking no one was in sight, he stepped out and pulled the questor from the vehicle, dropping him off in a dark alley behind the bar. When he woke, he wouldn¡¯t remember their conversation, let alone the abduction. He¡¯d think he had fainted after walking out of the bar.

    Halden hurried to the glider and only allowed himself a sigh of relief once he was in the air.

    His thoughts went back to Marthus. He¡¯d have to do the same thing with him as he had with Bergdahn. No way around it.

    It would be trickier to pull off, though. His friend spent most of his time at the IAS, which was highly secure. Going to his house was not an option either, as Marthus was happily married with three children.

    Halden¡¯s throat tightened at the thought.

    Children.

    How could he have done this to Lucy?

    He knew her.

    When they had returned from Elphine, Marthus had become like an uncle to her. She had loved playing with him as a child.

    He clenched his fists, shut his eyes, and breathed slowly to calm his nerves.

    How could this man he had considered his best friend betray him like this? He had stabbed him in the back. And for what?

    That was the question, wasn¡¯t it?

    Marthus already had power. What could possibly have motivated him to commit such a heinous act?

    There was only one way to find out.

    But first, Halden needed to rest.

    Then, he would make new plans.

 135 (2x60) When a dead man rises from the ashes

    All these men and women had come here to watch and report on a genocide. They did not judge, they did not condemn, they did not condone, they merely reported.

    Yet, Peter didn¡¯t need the blue-skinned woman to read the glee and excitement on their faces. All they cared for was how this would affect their ratings. They had gone through the roof since the war started. This was only another sensational development.

    There were a few exceptions, of course. Some who felt guilty. Fewer still who were disgusted by the turn of events, but were compelled by their bosses and by competition to cover the proceedings.

    Mrill pointed these out to Peter. They were the ones he would approach.

    ¡°Why not just jump on a stage and make your proclamation before all of them?¡± asked Kesh. ¡°They would love it and broadcast it through all of the Imperium. We¡¯d get much larger exposure that way.¡±

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t see them,¡± said Peter, ¡°there are soldiers in the building. They¡¯d be on me in a flash.¡± He pointed at the ceiling. ¡°Cameras, too. And if there weren¡¯t any...¡± He looked toward the largest group of journalists. ¡°How many of them would promptly warn the Impies that I¡¯m here, in their midst? Doing something like what you suggest could only work if I was far away, in some safe location. Here, inside one of their largest bases, I would get caught in minutes, if not seconds. One can be bold, but not rash. There is always a method to my madness.¡±

    He gave his friend a wink, and Kesh chuckled as they walked toward an empty meeting room in the back.

    ¡°How are we going to go about it?¡±

    ¡°Mrill will give you the names of those most sympathetic to our cause. You will go to them and slip them an invitation to join us here for a special and exclusive announcement that we wish to share with them and them alone. That should avoid the word spreading to those we wish to avoid.¡± Peter looked at his wristpad. ¡°The others are ready. We need to hurry. Start the meeting as soon as possible. Mrill will stand watch and only let in those invited.¡±

    Kesh frowned as he glanced around. ¡°What about the soldiers? I see a couple coming this way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make them look elsewhere,¡± said Mrill blandly.

    ¡°What if you miss some?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make them forget what they saw.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    Within ten minutes, journalists started filing into the room.

    They all sat around the table, throwing curious glances at the man who stood at the front. Each of them saw something different, though they could not have known.

    Once Kesh had closed the door, with Mrill posted outside, Peter turned to look at them.

    ¡°What I am about to reveal will shock you. Please, remain calm and do not raise your voices. It is vital that we do not draw too much attention from the others.¡± He pointed at the door. ¡°You will understand why in a second.¡±

    Everyone stared at him with confused looks.

    He reached for his wristpad and turned off the scrambler.

    Eyes went wide.

    Whispers spread.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡± cried out a female reporter.

    ¡°The Scourge of Abrax died on Braxia!¡± said a male.

    Peter raised a hand to stop the barrage of questions that was springing from the assembled journalists.

    ¡°Please. For reasons I¡¯m sure you can guess, my time is limited. I picked you all because I know you care not only for numbers but also for human lives. What is happening beyond this building, even as we speak, is an aberration, and you all know it.¡±

    The room went quiet as sadness and anger spread through them.

    ¡°The Emperor has claimed me dead, killed by his own hand¡ªno less.¡± He gestured at himself. ¡°As you can see, it is a lie. Oh, they did shoot me down and left me for dead on that forsaken world, but Nashadan Prime was nowhere near Braxia when it happened. I survived. It took me five years to escape that hellish place, but here I am. And now I will do everything that is in my power to stop the Emperor from making the biggest mistake in his much too-long reign. Will you record and broadcast my message?¡±

    Cameras were already rolling, and he knew it, but it was important for him to obtain the support of these people. He needed them to acknowledge that this was important, and not just for ratings. His message was important. His cause was important.

    Ten heads nodded, smiles forming on many lips.

    ¡°Then hear this, people of the Imperium. My name is Peter Corenth. You may know me better as the Scourge of Abrax. I have returned to right wrongs and punish the guilty. And there is none more guilty than our Emperor who, even now, cowers behind his throne while claiming to have felled me. A despot who would erase an entire world and its people, its culture, its works of art, its languages... We can not, will not abide by this. This folly ends now.¡±

    As he spoke the last word, he pressed the screen of his wristpad.

    ¡°You cannot see it, but even as I speak, explosions are rocking this planet. We have sabotaged those devices Imperial troops would have used to rain destruction upon Qevahr. That will not happen under my watch. That is all.¡±

    He stepped away from the table and started toward the door.

    ¡°Mr. Corenth!¡±

    Several voices cried out, but he did not stop.

    Kesh opened the door as Peter turned the scrambler back on. They stepped out and hurried toward the exit.

    Behind them, the journalists rushed out, torn between wanting to run after him and understanding the need to not betray his presence.

    They made it to the door just as explosions went off outside.

    Mrill glanced at Peter.

    ¡°I thought your bomb was on a timer?¡±

    He smiled as they stepped out. ¡°It is. This is something else. Our rescue party.¡±

    Outside, the sky was ablaze.

 136 (2x61) When hunter finds prey

    Sitting comfortably in his new suite, Zax took a bite from his apple as he watched the footage. It was boring work, but he could trust no one with this.

    He had moved to a different hotel, closer to the center. It did not have better security, but he cared little for that. There would be no need for any once he was done with these people.

    There had to be more than one, that much was obvious. No one powerful enough to pull something like this would have dirtied their hands doing it themselves. He would have to pull on the threads to unravel them all. It might take time, but he had plenty.

    The holographic display showed the hall between the elevator and his old suite. For the most part, it was a still image... but every once in a while, someone would appear and Zax would watch like a hawk. But they always went through one of the other doors. Servants or guards.

    He¡¯d had to pay an ungodly amount to get the footage, but it would be worth it. And the original was destroyed now, he¡¯d made sure of it. He didn¡¯t want the questors breathing down his back. Better give them a dead end.

    This was personal.

    He heard the elevator door slide open, and another silhouette walked through the hall. Without hesitation, it headed straight for his door.

    Zax paused the feed and stared at the man¡¯s back for a moment. He took another bite from the apple before setting it down. While he chewed, he stood and let the footage play. It was clearly a man, though he couldn¡¯t see his face from this angle. He walked around the image as the crook brought out a keycard and pressed it against the locking panel. The light went green, and the device clicked open.

    The man went into the room and closed the door behind him.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    He was tall, with sunken cheeks and small eyes that darted about, as if he feared getting caught. He knelt and went to work.

    Zax rewound the footage to the spot where the face was most visible and paused it again.

    He stared at it for a long time.

    Then, casually, he tapped on his wristpad to make copies of the image. He sent it out to his contacts, offering a generous reward for any who could identify the man.

    He walked to the table where he had set down the apple and slipped out a miniaturized device from a small compartment on his wristpad. It grew in his hand and he placed it on top of the discarded fruit.

    Cleaners ate at matter until it disintegrated. They were normally large and expensive. A portable version like his cost even more, but that meant nothing to Zax.

    The apple blurred and vanished. It simply ceased to exist, as if it had never existed at all.

    ¡°Zax!¡± called a voice from the bedroom. ¡°Are you done yet? It¡¯s getting cold here.¡±

    He grunted as he placed the cleaner back inside the compartment and walked to the other room.

    Zintra lay in his bed, naked.

    ¡°You took your damn time,¡± she said with reproach.

    ¡°Things need to happen in a certain order,¡± he said softly as he slid under the sheets. ¡°I had to get that off my mind.¡±

    She pressed her head against his chest. ¡°You got what you wanted?¡± He nodded as he slid an arm around her. ¡°I¡¯m still mad at you, you know!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were mad.¡±

    ¡°You should have come to my place. You didn¡¯t need to rent another room.¡±

    ¡°And risk running into your partner? That would have been awkward.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°He¡¯s my partner in work only. I don¡¯t share my bed with him.¡±

    ¡°Why do you even need him?¡± He asked as he ran his fingers through her hair. ¡°The business has been in your family for generations. Not his.¡±

    ¡°He helped me out of an unpleasant situation a few years ago¡ª¡±

    ¡°Like I did this time?¡±

    She made a face. ¡°It was different. Less scary. Financial stuff. I¡¯ve known him for a long time, Zax. Despite his flaws, he has a good heart. He was there for me when I needed him.¡±

    ¡°So you sold him shares?¡±

    ¡°It was the only way to save the business.¡± She sat up and looked at him hesitantly. ¡°I never asked you, but how did you get those crooks off our backs?¡±

    He looked away to stare at the wall.

    ¡°I have my ways,¡± he muttered.

 137 (2x62) When hard truths are told

    Gnorlia was a world of whispering mists. Fog was everywhere, blanketing trees and cities alike. It was thick, cold, and perpetual.

    There were six continents of equal size, each ruled by an archmaster. The Glowering Halo to the north, a place of darkness and fear. The Withering Heights to the east, where mountains pierced through the mists as if to escape its cruel touch. The Midnight Drift to the west, where cities were built on lakes and rivers. The Sundered Vales to the south, with lush valleys and hills that one could only see in the wee hours of the morning. Under the sea lay the hidden lands of the Hollow Earth¡ªnot a continent as such, but a network of underground tunnels, inhabited by rough people who cared little for those above. And, in the center of it all, the Outer Expanse, where lived the fairest of them, a land of hope and faith, birthplace of rulers, heroes, legends, and gods.

    Val stared at the teenager.

    The son of the man who ruled over that most sacred region.

    The Outer Expanse.

    She was about to speak when the boy looked up at her with a frown.

    ¡°What do you do on the ship, Diin?¡±

    Val blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    He gestured in her direction. ¡°Your clothes. I don¡¯t remember seeing anyone else wearing something like that before.¡±

    She swore to herself. She should have seen this coming.

    Val pointed over her shoulder. ¡°I think they¡¯re gone. I should go too. Taken too much of your time already.¡±

    He jumped to his feet as she started to turn.

    ¡°Wait! I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to pry. It¡¯s none of my business. It¡¯s just that...¡± He looked away.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Startled by his reaction, she paused.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.

    He made a face. ¡°I¡¯m tired of being alone, that¡¯s what. He¡¯s always bossing me around, taking me places I don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    ¡°Your father?¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure he means well. He wants to teach you his ways, is all, so you can someday take over¡ª¡±

    He laughed. ¡°You¡¯re not from Gnorlia.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No, you¡¯re right, I¡¯m not. Is it so obvious?¡±

    Avran sighed. ¡°Power must be earned. I would not become archmaster just because I am his son. I am nobody on Gnorlia.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± She turned to face him. ¡°Then he is preparing you.¡±

    ¡°Preparing me for what?¡±

    ¡°For life. For adulthood. For everything. If there is no certainty about your future, then it is all the more important for him, I imagine, to impart his wisdom and experience to you. How would you make a place for yourself without this?¡±

    The boy scowled. ¡°You assume I want to go into politics. I do not. I am not like him.¡±

    ¡°What would you rather do?¡±

    He frowned and looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just... not that.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± When he did not answer, she smiled. ¡°Because you don¡¯t want to be like him?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just not interested in politics. It¡¯s all so... fake.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Can¡¯t blame you there.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do a job where I would have to lie all the time. He can¡¯t understand that. He says it¡¯s not about lying, that it¡¯s more like a game you must win. Except it never ends! How can you win a game that never ends? I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Val nodded. ¡°I get it. I really do. I don¡¯t like politics either.¡±

    ¡°What should I do?¡± he asked her, his eyes filled with hope.

    ¡°Why ask me? I¡¯m a nobody.¡±

    ¡°So am I,¡± he reminded her.

    She sighed. ¡°If experience has taught me anything, it¡¯s to follow my guts. So follow yours. That¡¯s all I can tell you, Avran. You only have one life, don¡¯t waste it. And now, I really must go.¡±

    The boy nodded. ¡°Alright. Wait!¡± He rushed to the door before she could reach for it, cracked it open, and peered outside. He then opened it wide. ¡°All clear,¡± he said with a grin.

    ¡°Thank you, Avran.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said as she went past him, ¡°thank you.¡±

    She smiled at the boy as he closed the door.

    Val looked at her wristpad. Juden had gone back to his room.

    With a sigh, she headed toward her hiding place.

    As she turned a corner, she bumped into someone.

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going¡ª¡±

    The guard stopped short, eyes going wide when he saw her. He pulled out his phaser before she could react.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move a muscle! Who are you and what are you doing on this ship?¡±

 138 (2x63) When a bait is thrown

    After a light meal and a good night¡¯s sleep, he decided to call Marthus after all.

    ¡°Hi, Halden. How are you liking Assalin?¡±

    ¡°It was interesting.¡±

    ¡°Was?¡±

    Halden forced himself to smile, hoping it wouldn¡¯t look as fake as he felt.

    ¡°Sorry I couldn¡¯t warn you earlier, but I¡¯m back home.¡±

    Marthus looked startled. ¡°You are?¡±

    ¡°Things happened so fast, I never got around to calling you. There¡¯s so much I need to tell you... I¡¯ll come by the office, if that¡¯s okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course! But, Halden, are you sure you¡¯re ready to go back to work?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of what we need to talk about.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Alright. Well, you know where to find me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in an hour.¡±

    He cut the call and looked around his room. Stared at the pouch with the wiper. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t think of a way to use it without anyone noticing something was off. Marthus himself would notice a chunk of his memories were gone and would know it had something to do with Halden. Which was why he had not wanted to call at first. He¡¯d thought to surprise him, so he wouldn¡¯t remember him being back. But it would have been near impossible to get to him when he was alone.

    With a sigh, he leaned, grabbed the pouch, and slid it into his jacket¡¯s pocket. Maybe he¡¯d think of something on the way to the IAS.

    The building was as it had always been, as long as he remembered. Large, modern, but unremarkable. The panel at the entrance displayed a fake name, so no one would know the evil at work there.

    Evil. Ha!

    The irony was perhaps not so ironic, all things considered.

    He parked the glider in his usual spot, stepped out, and went through security with no issues. His credentials were still valid, and the guards smiled and greeted him when they recognized him.

    Halden went into the elevator but did not stop at the floor where he usually got off to reach his office. Instead, he went all the way to the top, to the seventh floor.

    He nodded at Marthus¡¯ secretary, who smiled back at him.

    ¡°Hello, Prof. Roche. The boss told me you¡¯d show up. I¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re here.¡±

    He did not wait long. As soon as his old friend heard he had arrived, he had him come in.

    Halden grew nervous. Would he be able to keep his cool, to pretend everything was alright when he was boiling inside? He was walking on thin ice, but he had no choice.

    When he walked into the office, Marthus rose from his desk and crossed the room, meeting him halfway. He clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a hug.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Good to see you, buddy. Come on, have a seat, and tell me about your adventure.¡±

    As he sat, Marthus gestured in the air. A holobar appeared, floating in front of him.

    ¡°Zestri with ice, as usual?¡± he asked.

    Halden nodded. ¡°You know me so well.¡±

    His friend grabbed a holographic bottle and poured the amber liquid into two glasses. When he grabbed these, they materialized in his hands as the holobar dissolved.

    ¡°Why the long face?¡± Marthus asked as he handed him his drink.

    Halden mentally cursed at himself. He needed to be more joyful, lest his plan fall apart.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not still thinking about Lucy,¡± his old friend said lightly as he sat back behind his desk.

    Halden¡¯s hand tightened around the glass. He allowed himself a few seconds to push back the swelling anger.

    ¡°Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind,¡± he finally managed to mutter.

    ¡°Okay. So, what did you want to tell me?¡±

    He had thought about that a lot on his way here. It might not be the wisest way to go, but there was no other he could think of.

    ¡°I have a confession to make,¡± he said slowly.

    His friend quirked a brow but said nothing, motioning for him to go on with his glass before taking a sip.

    ¡°I lied to you. I never went to Iriaki.¡±

    Marthus put down his glass, a frown on his face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Where have you been, then?¡±

    ¡°Before I left, I read a report... I suppose you must have seen it. About a source of thilium ten times bigger than any other we¡¯ve found before.¡±

    Marthus looked confused for a moment. Blinked. Then laughed. ¡°Oh! That thing? Yeah, I¡¯d forgotten about that. Groggan brought it in. Thought I should see it, since you were gone. Said it might be important.¡±

    ¡°It was!¡±

    He made a dismissive gesture. ¡°Come now, it made no sense! All those numbers were way off. How could it have been there for so long without being reported before?¡±

    So no one had looked into it. They thought it was a farce. A mistake. A travesty.

    ¡°I went there, Marthus.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡±

    ¡°I went to the Tin¡¯kisti Belt. I needed to see it for myself.¡±

    Marthus stared at him quietly for a moment.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he said slowly. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s real. It¡¯s huge. It¡¯s... It¡¯s like nothing we¡¯ve ever seen before. Raw thilium, Marthus¡ª¡±

    He stopped abruptly.

    For a moment, he had forgotten why he had come. Saying his so-called friend¡¯s name had sent a shudder down his spine. Reminding him of what this man had done to him. To his daughter. Steady now. Stay the course.

    Marthus scowled at him, drumming his fingers against the desk.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going there? And why are you telling me this now?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you before because you forced me to take a leave of absence. You wouldn¡¯t have approved¡ª¡±

    ¡°Damn right, I wouldn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°¡ªand I¡¯m telling you now because I¡¯m quitting.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quitting,¡± he repeated calmly.

    Marthus leaned back in his chair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you, Halden. Why would you leave all this?¡± He gestured around him, meaning the building. ¡°It¡¯s your life. Has been for decades.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Halden said coldly. ¡°Lucy was my life.¡±

    His old friend stared at him, his face unreadable.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re leaving?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m leaving because I got a better offer.¡±

    ¡°A better offer? There¡¯s nowhere else to go, Halden. Unless you don¡¯t want to work in science anymore.¡±

    ¡°I went to Assalin¡ªthat part was true, by the way. I met the visor there and told him about the Fault¡ªthe source. He¡¯s giving me my own team to study it.¡±

    Again, silence.

    ¡°I see,¡± Marthus finally said. ¡°I wish you would have told me about all this earlier. Can¡¯t help but feel betrayed.¡± He smiled to make the words sting less.

    They only stung more.

    Of course, he hadn¡¯t needed to tell his friend any of this. But he felt it was important. To make sure the man understood he had become untouchable.

    Halden smiled. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re still buddies, right? No harm done. Just saw a better opportunity and grabbed it. It¡¯s what you keep doing here, isn¡¯t it? Keep going higher and higher.¡± He glanced at the ceiling. ¡°Don¡¯t think there¡¯s any higher you could go now, though.¡±

    Marthus laughed. ¡°You crack me up. Of course, we¡¯re still buddies! Look, I¡¯m sad to see you go, but I get it. I¡¯m glad you found something that brings you peace. You¡¯ve had enough grief in your life. How about you come over for dinner tonight? Lara and the kids will be happy to see you.¡±

    Hook, line, and sinker.

    Halden stood and nodded. ¡°Sounds lovely. Could you pick me up? Glider¡¯s been acting funky, and I¡¯d rather not use a hovercab.¡±

    Marthus walked around his desk and clapped him on the back.

    ¡°Of course, buddy. Six sound good?¡±

    ¡°That would be perfect.¡±

    Halden left with a smile on his face.

    This time, it wasn¡¯t fake.

 139 (2x64) When salvation is found in unexpected places

    The sky was filled with crisscrossing ships shooting destructive beams, aiming for turrets and ground troops.

    Through this chaos, men and women ran. Three were joined by others who, like them, had infiltrated the base. After completing their respective tasks, they now converged with a singular purpose, shooting down any soldier who tried to come in their way.

    One of the rebel ships landed in front of them.

    Peter looked over his shoulder at the media building. Journalists were flowing out to capture the action. Some had noticed him and were yelling and waving in his direction.

    He waved back for the cameras, a big grin on his face, then jumped into the ship.

    Mrill and Kesh followed.

    The ship took off, speeding toward the stars, while others continued to fire at the bases, destroying as much of the infrastructure as they could.

    Out in space, it was chaos. Many Imperial ships had been destroyed on the ground, but enough had launched to give the rebels something to worry about.

    ¡°Our work here is done,¡± said Peter. ¡°Sound the retreat.¡±

    The pilot sent the agreed signal and hundreds of ships spun around and sped away from Nimnir, leaving the startled Imperial ships shooting at empty space. Too many chose to chase after them, and the fight went on.

    Mrill sat in the back, quiet as always. She stared at the screens, watching as ships exploded¡ªon both sides.

    Their own vessel shook when it got hit.

    ¡°Our shield won¡¯t hold if we get another blast like that!¡± cried out the pilot.

    Mrill watched as other rebel ships formed a protective circle around them. When one went down in flames, another came to take its place.

    Eventually, another hit went through and they spun out of control. The other ships would have come to their rescue, but an Imperial destroyer popped out of nowhere and started shooting at them.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Peter jumped at the dashboard and hit the control that would broadcast his voice to all rebels.

    ¡°Retreat! Now! Everyone return to the base. Don¡¯t stay back for anyone. It¡¯s an order!¡±

    It did not show on her face, but Mrill was surprised. Though she did not normally like to read those close to her, she made an exception.

    She saw what Peter feared. If any stayed behind to protect them¡ªor anyone else¡ªthey would be blown out of the sky. No shield could resist a beast of such size. Next to it, they all were bugs.

    ¡°There¡¯s a second ship coming,¡± called out the pilot. ¡°Much smaller. No weapons. Diplomatic, looks like.¡± He studied his sensors, then the screens, then his sensors again. ¡°We might make it if¡ª¡±

    ¡°Make it? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been hit hard. We can¡¯t get away from the destroyer. Unless...¡± The pilot glanced at Peter while he pointed at his sensors. ¡°Unless I can get us into that other one. With all the confusion around us, there¡¯s a chance we might go unnoticed.¡±

    ¡°Those guys will notice us just fine,¡± Kesh remarked as he pointed at the diplomatic vessel.

    ¡°Do it,¡± said Peter.

    The pilot nodded.

    It was all he could do to keep the ship under control. The entire structure was shaking and making sounds it should not have made. Rattling, clanking, shuffling...

    Mrill remained seated, expressionless.

    When they were nearly upon their target, the pilot looked back.

    ¡°They¡¯ve spotted us.¡±

    ¡°No weapons, you said?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°Then keep going,¡± said Peter.

    Kesh frowned. ¡°What if they warn the destroyer?¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t shoot at that ship. We can worry about what to do next once we¡¯re on board.¡±

    They all turned back toward the screens, watching as they came closer and closer to the diplomatic vessel.

    ¡°The destroyer is hailing us,¡± said the pilot.

    Peter snickered. ¡°We¡¯re now too close to that other one. They don¡¯t dare shoot at us. Put them on, but keep going.¡±

    The speakers crackled, and a man¡¯s voice boomed in the cockpit.

    ¡°Runaway ship, stand down immediately! Comply, and we will show mercy. Don¡¯t, and you will be destroyed.¡±

    ¡°Nice bluff,¡± muttered Peter. ¡°Keep going.¡±

    ¡°Their bay door is closed,¡± pointed out Kesh.

    The pilot grinned. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to blast our way through, won¡¯t we?¡±

    The other made a face. ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this way too much,¡± he muttered.

    Ignoring the comment, the pilot pressed down on his controls and echion beams shot out. The bay door exploded. Crates, machinery, and various equipment went flying past them as they were sucked out. Some clanked against their hull.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± muttered the pilot. ¡°Security protocols will seal the breach within sixty seconds.¡±

    ¡°Then make those sixty seconds count,¡± said Peter.

    Even as he spoke, the ship glided through the floating debris. It gently slid through the opening and landed on the bay strip as a dark and shimmering field formed behind, blotting out the stars.

 140 (2x65) When darkness spreads further

    The world was all darkness and shadows. Distant clattering echoed in the night, hinting at dangers unseen. The cities were dead, their streets empty not because of the late hour, but because everyone had fled this dark and foreboding place.

    It had once been a welcoming community, but everything had changed when the clouds had darkened, never to brighten again. Creatures had crawled out from the depths of the earth. Soon, they had spread everywhere¡ªclawing, tearing, feeding upon flesh and bones. They did not care whether they were animal or human.

    A few humans, however, had refused to leave. They dug their lairs deeper, enshrouding themselves in alundil¡ªa metal so hard, even those beasts could not pierce through.

    With unlimited wealth, one was only a gateway away from any world within the Imperium¡ªeven this cursed place. Maintaining such a passage open cost money as well, but Zax had more than enough to handle it. He even owned a portable gateway. What he had paid to buy it could have fed an entire planet for ten years. Of course, you still needed a gateway on the other end.

    This was not his first time on Tharmin. In fact, he had become the survivors¡¯ benefactor and sponsor. He rather liked the idea of having a community of scientists at his beck and call.

    Of course, they would have stayed. Where else could they have gone without risking the wrath of the Imperials? They were safe here¡ªso long as they remained within the confines of their metal prison.

    Zax walked through the brightly lit halls, only hearing the sound of his footsteps.

    It was a perfect arrangement. The scientists could have used the gateway to go anywhere they wanted, free of charge, which gave them the illusion of freedom. In reality, none of them dared step through the contraption, fearing the might of the Imperium. In return for his generosity, they could do all the research they wanted. Whatever they created was theirs, but they were happy enough to share it all with him. It would have been frustrating to see their creations condemned to remain forever within these walls. With him, at least, some could serve a purpose beyond. And, of course, every once in a while, he would suggest something they could work on, and they¡¯d jump on the opportunity to please him.

    After going through two doors, he stepped into a small empty lab.

    ¡°Hello?¡± he called out.

    A woman¡¯s head popped up from behind a desk.

    ¡°Oh!¡± She smiled. ¡°Mr. Landers! Good to see you. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    He had not given them his real name, of course. Better safe than sorry.

    ¡°It has,¡± he agreed. ¡°Is Prof. Surish around?¡±

    ¡°He went to the surface,¡± she said. ¡°Should be back in an hour or so. Can I help?¡±

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    When these people talked of the ¡®surface,¡¯ they did not mean the outside world¡ªgoing there would have been a death sentence. Rather, it referred to a large complex of laboratories that was five levels up. It was as high as any of them dared to go, so it had become the ¡®surface.¡¯

    Zax smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can, Elicia. I just wanted to check on your progress.¡±

    The woman seemed confused for a moment, then suddenly brightened. ¡°Oh! The serum! Of course. Apologies, Mr. Landers.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Has it really been so long since my last visit that you¡¯ve forgotten all about it?¡±

    ¡°Not quite,¡± she said as she stood and headed toward another door, at the back. ¡°It¡¯s more like, well, we finished it. We¡¯ve moved on to other things since, so it kind of slipped my mind there for a second.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± He blinked. ¡°It¡¯s done?¡±

    She nodded as she opened the door. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me, sir, I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    He walked after her.

    They went through another room and stopped in front of a small window. On the other side was a tube on a metal shelf. The liquid within pulsed a brown glow.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± he whispered.

    Elicia smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s it. Inject it into someone and they¡¯ll be instantly healed of whatever illness afflicted them.¡± She paused. ¡°Well, almost any illness. It also depends on how far gone they already are. The more advanced the illness, the less likely this will help.¡±

    Zax nodded, his eyes never leaving the tube.

    ¡°That is quite alright. What you have accomplished here is formidable enough.¡±

    ¡°There is only one problem,¡± she said hesitantly.

    He finally tore his eyes from the window to look at her.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Mass production will be a challenge, sir. I suspect even your fortune could not cover the cost. Besides, we wouldn¡¯t have the personnel to¡ª¡±

    He made a dismissive gesture. ¡°I only need the one sample.¡±

    Elicia looked confused again. ¡°But this could heal so many people throughout the Imperium! Don¡¯t you see? It might even be the first step toward immortality.¡±

    He flinched at the word.

    ¡°Do not speak to me of immortality.¡±

    The woman made a face. ¡°You sound like Surish. He¡¯s afraid it would draw the Emperor¡¯s wrath upon us.¡±

    ¡°You would do well to listen to him. Immortality belongs to the gods, not to mere humans.¡±

    ¡°But the Emperor is no¡ª¡±

    Zax lifted a hand to cut her off. ¡°Enough. You remain free to work on whatever project you wish, as always. Just know that some may bring doom upon you. Tread with care is all I say. Now, to answer your earlier question, I am fully aware of how important this is. But, as you so brilliantly pointed out, it would be too expensive to produce. I¡¯ll need to find investors.¡±

    The woman brightened. ¡°Ah, yes! Of course! Maybe even the Emperor.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡± He tapped on his lips as he considered the tube. ¡°You will make one more, in case this breaks or is lost. You have all the formulas, yes?¡±

    She grinned as she tapped on a black console on the wall. A little compartment opened next to her hand.

    ¡°Of course we do! But that,¡± she said as she pointed through the window, ¡°is the backup.¡± She pulled another tube from the opening. ¡°This is the one you can take with you.¡± She handed it to him.

    Zax laughed as he took the tube from her hands.

    ¡°How wonderful! Always one step ahead of me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°We try.¡±

    ¡°The Imperium doesn¡¯t know what it¡¯s missing out on. I wish everyone could see all the things you accomplish here.¡±

    ¡°Maybe one day,¡± she muttered.

    He nodded.

    ¡°Thank you, my dear. And give my regards to Prof. Surish.¡±

    Zax turned and walked back the way he had come, sliding the precious tube into a metal box he had brought with him for this purpose. He miniaturized the box and hid it inside his wristpad.

    He stopped in the middle of an empty white hall, lifted the screen, and tapped on its glittering surface.

    The air in front of him shimmered and slowly took shape. A floating rectangle with darkness inside.

    He stepped through the gateway and disappeared.

 141 (2x66) When chaos comes knocking

    The racket drew more guards, and soon they surrounded her. With so many phasers drawn, Val did the only thing she could do: she put her hands up.

    They took her to the bridge.

    The captain looked her up and down with a frown.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°A stowaway,¡± said one of the guards. ¡°Found her wandering in the halls.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The captain stepped closer. ¡°So. Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?¡±

    ¡°Diin Arwen. Always wanted to visit a Gnorlian ship. So when I saw yours on that airstrip on Menthis, I couldn¡¯t resist. By the time I realized you were about to take off, it was already too late to leave. Sorry?¡±

    The captain scowled at her. He was about to talk when another voice cut in.

    ¡°Could you maybe take care of that later, Fendar? Don¡¯t you think we have more important matters to discuss?¡±

    Val turned at the same time as the captain.

    ¡°Yes, of course, you are right. Apologies, archmaster.¡±

    So this was Tellus Nell.

    The man was older than she would have thought. Maybe in his sixties. Older than she would have expected for the father of a teenager. He had a square face with short black hair and a stern expression.

    The captain did not spare her another glance as he turned to his men.

    ¡°Take her to the brig. Keep an eye on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Father!¡±

    Again, they all turned¡ªthis time, the archmaster as well.

    The boy she had met earlier came marching in with resolve.

    ¡°Father!¡± he repeated. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡ª¡±

    He faltered when he saw Val.

    ¡°You?¡± He frowned, anger coursing through him. Anger which he directed at the captain, pointing at Val. ¡°Why are your dogs pointing weapons at my friend?¡±

    ¡°Avran!¡± The father did not look amused. ¡°What are you doing here? Go back to your room. Now.¡±

    The captain seemed confused as he looked between the two of them.

    The boy spun to face his father, hands on his hips.

    ¡°No,¡± he said.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°I said, no. I¡¯m done getting orders from you. You are my father, not my master. It¡¯s time you started acting like one. A father, I mean.¡±

    The older man frowned. ¡°I hardly think this the most appropriate time or place to have this conversation.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary,¡± said the boy, ¡°I want witnesses.¡±

    ¡°Witnesses?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± He spun again to face Val. ¡°But first, stop pointing guns at my friend!¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°But she¡¯s a stowaway!¡± protested the captain.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± He paused and looked at Val with a confused look. ¡°A stowaway?¡±

    She threw him an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, kid. Long story.¡±

    He swung back to look at the captain. ¡°Don¡¯t care! Let her go. Now!¡±

    Fendar glanced at the archmaster, who grunted.

    ¡°That is not your decision to make,¡± started Nell. ¡°You can¡¯t just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Uhm, Captain, we have a problem...¡±

    The archmaster turned toward the ensign who had just spoken.

    ¡°Do not interrupt me when I speak, young one!¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± He looked back at his son. ¡°Now, as I was saying, you can¡¯t barge in here and order people around.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wanted me to be just like you?¡±

    Val barely managed to stifle her laughter.

    The archmaster was not amused.

    ¡°You are trying my patience, Avran. Now go back to your¡ª¡±

    Alarms blared.

    The captain jumped as everyone turned to look at the screens.

    ¡°What the hell...¡±

    They were headed straight toward a battlefield. Ships flew in every direction, shooting at each other. Some were clearly Imperial, while the smaller crafts had no colors.

    Further in the back, a gigantic destroyer was approaching.

    ¡°I tried to tell you, Captain,¡± grumbled the ensign who had spoken earlier, throwing an accusatory look at the archmaster.

    ¡°Well, can¡¯t you just steer us away from that?¡± asked the captain with some irritation.

    The ensign looked confused for a moment, then shook his head, pointing at the screen.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem, Captain. The other ship is.¡±

    ¡°The other ship?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s coming straight for us. One of the smaller ones. Looks like it¡¯s been hit pretty bad.¡±

    ¡°Imperial?¡±

    ¡°No. More likely rebel.¡±

    ¡°Rebel? What rebels? There are no more rebels in the Imperium. The last ones were wiped out when the Scourge of Abrax was killed at the Battle of Braxia.¡±

    Val chuckled.

    Everyone turned to stare at her.

    She shook her hands in front of her.

    ¡°Sorry. Nothing. Please go on. Pretend I¡¯m not here.¡±

    The captain scowled. ¡°I should have you shot and be done with it.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± cried out Avran. ¡°You will do no such thing.¡±

    ¡°What has gotten into you, boy?¡± roared the archmaster. ¡°You are shaming me! Is that what you want?¡±

    The boy looked at his father. ¡°Oh, now you ask what I want? Was about time. Well, you know what I want? I want to go back to Gnorlia, that¡¯s what. I want to be with my friends. I want to have fun, explore the beauties of our world, and learn who I am and what I want to become. All I know is that this is not it.¡±

    He gestured around him in a sweeping motion.

    Val grinned. She was having a blast.

    ¡°Captain...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The archmaster and the captain had shouted at the same time, as in one voice.

    The ensign stepped back, startled. ¡°Uhm, I... the ship... it¡¯s going to¡ª¡±

    The floor shook and more alarms went off.

    ¡°What now?¡± asked the captain.

    Another crewmember lifted her head from her console.

    ¡°They blew the bay doors to get in.¡± She sounded in awe.

    ¡°Guards!¡± barked the captain. ¡°To the bay! Capture them if you can, kill them otherwise.¡±

    Nell lifted a hand. ¡°Wait.¡± His expression was thoughtful. ¡°You said they were rebels?¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be, archmaster. There are no more rebels...¡±

    Nell turned to the ensign.

    ¡°What makes you think they are rebels?¡±

    The man shifted, looking away. ¡°I... Uhm... I¡¯ve heard stories.¡±

    ¡°Stories?¡± Nell¡¯s voice was icy.

    ¡°Well, yes. They say he¡¯s back. The Scourge of Abrax.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s preposterous!¡± cried out the captain.

    ¡°Been listening to the broadcasts from Nimnir,¡± insisted the ensign. ¡°All the bases there were attacked.¡± He pointed at the screen behind him. ¡°By them.¡±

    ¡°You were going to Nimnir?¡± asked Val. She couldn¡¯t hold back her amusement anymore.

    That got her more glares, but she didn¡¯t care. She was having too much fun.

    ¡°Ship¡¯s in the bay,¡± announced the female crewmember.

    The archmaster turned to the guards.

    ¡°Go to them,¡± he said, ¡°and tell them I wish to speak to their leader.¡±

    The captain looked at him. ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°You question me?¡±

    Fendar swallowed and shook his head. ¡°Apologies, archmaster.¡±

    Nell stared at him for a moment as the guards rushed out, though a few stayed behind to watch Val.

    The boy was not happy about it.

    A few minutes later, four guards returned with a man and a blue-skinned woman. Val recognized her brother, and he recognized her when they locked eyes¡ªthough neither spoke.

    The captain must have noticed something, however, as he looked suspiciously between them.

    ¡°You two know each other?¡± he asked.

    Peter turned toward him. ¡°You said you wanted to speak with me, so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Of course they know each other,¡± interrupted a familiar voice.

    Val turned and saw Juden walk onto the bridge. He stopped in the middle of the room, looking between the two of them.

    He pointed at her. ¡°That one is Val Corenth. And this one...¡± He walked closer to her brother, studying him more closely. ¡°Yes. I thought you looked familiar when I saw you on your sister¡¯s ship. You¡¯re Peter Corenth.¡±

    Juden looked back at the captain, pointing at Peter.

    ¡°Congratulations, sir. You¡¯ve captured the Scourge of Abrax.¡±

 142 (2x67) When comes the moment of truth

    He kept glancing at the clock as he paced back and forth. It was almost time. But was he ready for what was to come? He didn¡¯t feel ready.

    Halden took a deep breath and sat on the couch.

    He needed to think about something else or he would go mad.

    Pressing two fingers against his temple, he initiated a holocall.

    Vina¡¯s face appeared against his retina.

    ¡°It was about time! I¡¯ve been trying to...¡± She froze as she noticed his expression and worry crept over her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he lied. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I just needed to see you. To hear your voice.¡±

    His own faltered a little at the end and he pursed his lips, looking away.

    ¡°You scare me,¡± she said.

    He had shared so much with her, but this he could not. It would put her life in danger, and he could not bear that thought. To the government, she was nothing. They would extinguish her small but so bright flame with the flicker of an uncaring finger, without a hint of hesitation.

    ¡°I saw Rees yesterday. We went to the beach. It was a lovely day. Talked about...¡± He frowned. Shook his head. ¡°Talked about the old days.¡±

    His poor attempt at changing the topic failed.

    ¡°I can see something is troubling you, Halden!¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t ask me again,¡± he pleaded. ¡°I cannot... I¡¯m sorry, Vina.¡±

    She stared at him in silence for a moment, and he could read the hurt in her eyes. Finally, she sighed in resignation.

    ¡°Your work requires secrecy, I understand. I apologize if I overstepped.¡±

    He let her believe it was about work. It was easier that way, though it did not take the pain away, the knowledge, the burden he carried. He shuddered as he thought of his precious daughter having to carry a similar burden for so many years.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°You have nothing to apologize for,¡± he said to her gently. His head turned toward the door when he heard the muffled sound of an approaching glider. ¡°Ah. Marthus is here.¡± He could feel his heart beating faster.

    ¡°Marthus?¡±

    He nodded, avoiding her gaze, fearing his eyes might betray him. ¡°We¡¯re having dinner at his place. I have to go. Talk to you later.¡±

    Hating himself, he cut the call before she could respond.

    He had hoped talking to her would help, but it hadn¡¯t. If anything, it had made him feel worse. And now he had to put up a mask again... If Vina could see through him, how could he possibly hide anything from the one man in the Imperium who knew him best?

    When the knock came, he jumped to his feet and walked to the door. It slid open when he pressed against the panel.

    ¡°Ready?¡± asked his smiling friend.

    He smiled back, hoping it would look sincere. ¡°Of course.¡±

    They walked to the glider together.

    ¡°Lara was delighted to hear you were back. The kids are looking forward to seeing you again.¡±

    His heart sank.

    Those children called him uncle, just like Lucy had called her murderer uncle.

    He went into the vehicle without saying a word.

    Marthus gave him an odd look.

    ¡°You okay, buddy?¡±

    Halden waited for the glider to be in the air before he turned a cold stare toward his once-upon friend.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    He clutched the pouch he carried with him.

    ¡°I want to know why you did it.¡±

    ¡°Did what?¡±

    ¡°Lucy.¡±

    Their eyes locked.

    ¡°What about her?¡±

    ¡°Why did you take her away from me?¡±

    Marthus looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, buddy.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Buddies don¡¯t do to each other what you did to me. You lost the right to call me that when you gave that order, you sick son of a bitch.¡±

    Halden¡¯s penned-up anger was all coming out in a flow. He had not expected to say these words¡ªto be so forward, so fast.

    Marthus winced. Glanced at him.

    There was a coldness in those eyes he had never noticed before. It chilled him to the bone.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you told me all that stuff,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Was any of it true?¡±

    It took a few seconds for Halden to understand what his former friend meant.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I really work for the visor now.¡±

    Marthus smiled a cold smile.

    ¡°All is well, then.¡±

    Halden snapped. ¡°How can you say that after what you did to me?¡±

    The other man frowned and shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. Really, I am. But it¡¯s not about you, Halden. It never was. You know I loved Lucy as much as my own kids. But she knew things she should not have known. And she was a journalist. It would have been too dangerous to leave her be. Oh, don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t try to reason with them, but they made me understand in no uncertain terms that I had no choice. It¡¯s really Rees you should be upset about, if anyone. Lucy would still be alive today had he not whispered deadly secrets into her ear.¡±

    Halden clenched his fists, jaw tightening.

    ¡°Them?¡±

    Marthus smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t really think I was the one who made that call, did you? My hand was forced. But now we have the same master. So, all is well. You need not worry anymore. You¡¯re safe. Ah, look! We¡¯re here.¡±

    The glider landed as the cold, cruel words slowly sunk into him.

    The same master.

 143 (2x68) When a peculiar offer is made

    Mrill watched quietly as tension built on the bridge, probing the minds of everyone present, one at a time, to better assess the situation.

    Peter jerked his arm free from Juden¡¯s grip.

    ¡°I was not captured,¡± he said. ¡°I agreed to come here to parley with your captain.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± said the archmaster, ¡°it was I who wished to speak with you.¡±

    Peter threw a confused look at the man. ¡°And you are?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Tellus Nell,¡± cut in Val. ¡°The archmaster of the Outer Expanse.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Nell looked toward Val, then back at Peter. He nodded.

    ¡°It is I. Now, could I have a word with you in private?¡±

    ¡°So long as my friends and my sister are not harmed.¡±

    ¡°That will depend on the answers you give me. But, for now, they are safe. Come.¡±

    When Peter did not move, the archmaster looked back at him with an annoyed expression.

    Peter pointed at the guards, who still held their weapons aimed at his sister.

    ¡°Is that what you call ¡®safe¡¯?¡±

    Nell grunted. ¡°Stand down, soldiers.¡± The guards obeyed. ¡°Now will you come?¡±

    Peter glanced back at Val, then nodded at the man. ¡°Mrill comes too, just so you know.¡±

    He pointed at the blue-skinned woman. The archmaster grunted and shrugged, then walked off.

    The two of them followed, along with a dozen soldiers.

    They went down a hall and into a large meeting room. Most of the guards remained outside, only two staying with their master.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Nell motioned for his guests to sit as he did so himself.

    ¡°What is this about?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Politics.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t do politics.¡±

    ¡°I am well aware.¡± He stared at the rebel for a moment, then glanced at the woman. ¡°Can she be trusted?¡±

    ¡°She has a name,¡± Peter snapped. ¡°And yes, Mrill can be trusted. Can your men?¡± He jerked his chin toward the two guards who stood in the back.

    Nell snorted. ¡°You may want to drop the condescending tone, boy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you.¡±

    The two stared at each other in silence for a moment.

    The archmaster leaned back in his chair, a slight smile forming on his lips.

    ¡°Not many know this, young lion, but Gnorlia has dreamed of independence for generations.¡±

    ¡°It is not the only world to have such aspirations.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. And, as you know, to voice such aspirations, as you put it, would be tantamount to treason in the eyes of our beloved Emperor.¡±

    ¡°If you are hoping for my help to break from your chains, you misunderstand my cause.¡±

    ¡°Do I? Is your cause not to break everyone¡¯s chains? To set the entire Imperium free from tyranny?¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°I strike at Imperial forces. I have no power to free you. Only your people can do that.¡±

    ¡°And suffer the same fate as Qevahr?¡±

    ¡°Is it not too late for such concern after you¡¯ve sided with them?¡±

    Nell scowled. ¡°That was the doing of a single individual.¡±

    ¡°And the undoing of a civilization.¡±

    He stared at the younger man. ¡°You do not believe that.¡±

    Peter crossed his arms. ¡°Does it matter what I believe?¡±

    ¡°Why do you fight me?¡±

    ¡°I do not fight you. My grievances are with the Emperor, not with a Gnorlian archmaster. But still, I do not hear what it is you expect from me.¡±

    The man drummed his fingers against the surface of the table, a thoughtful expression on his face.

    ¡°It is rather what you can expect from me which I would like to discuss.¡±

    Mrill could read the surprise on Peter¡¯s face as plainly as she could read it in his mind.

    ¡°Expect from you?¡±

    The older man nodded. ¡°I will give you what you need to grow your army. Weapons. Shields. Food. Medicine. You name it, it¡¯s yours. I could even provide a new base of operations, should you need one.¡±

    Peter stared at Nell. ¡°And what would such generosity cost me?¡±

    Nell smiled. ¡°Nothing. What you do is valuable to me. I need you to keep doing it. Keep the Emperor on his toes. Keep him distracted. Everyone wins.¡±

    ¡°Except the Emperor,¡± muttered the young rebel.

    ¡°Naturally.¡±

    Peter glanced at Mrill.

    She could read the question in his mind.

    Was the man honest? Did he mean what he said? Were there strings attached?

    There always were strings attached, this much she¡¯d learned the hard way. And as she dove into the archmaster¡¯s mind, she saw schemes within schemes¡ªso complex she could not unravel them. But when it came to his words, regardless of what triggered them, they were sincere.

    So she looked Peter in the eye and, expressionless as ever, nodded.

 144 (2x69) When everything is as it seems

    Knife cut through flesh as easily as wind carries dust. Sticky juice oozed from the wound, dripping on the counter where it formed a little brown pool.

    Zax set the knife down. Grabbing the fruit, he pulled on the halves until they broke apart. Throwing one into his mouth, he washed his hands and walked to the beeping panel next to his door.

    When he tapped on it, the door slid open and two men stepped in, one pushing the other. The one pushed stumbled forward, letting out a grunt.

    Zax caught him by the neck and pulled him upward. He stared at the man¡¯s face for a moment. Nodded. Without releasing his grip, he threw a pouch of credits at the other man. This one counted his reward, then turned and walked out.

    Only then did Zax let go of his visitor.

    ¡°What is your name?¡± he asked.

    The other rubbed his neck, scowling. ¡°As if you cared.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always cared about the little people,¡± said Zax as he stepped back to the kitchen. ¡°But you already know that, don¡¯t you? You know exactly who I am. Which is why you will have the decency to tell me your name. It is only fair, is it not?¡±

    ¡°Rebert,¡± answered the visitor. ¡°Urghul Rebert.¡±

    ¡°An unusual name for an unusual man. How fitting.¡±

    ¡°How am I unusual?¡±

    Zax smiled. ¡°Few people of your station would dare try to kill one such as I. I¡¯d say that makes you unusual.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Rebert looked down even as he spat out his lie.

    ¡°All I want to know is who set you up to do it.¡±

    Zax tossed the rest of the fruit into his mouth, his gaze never leaving the other man.

    ¡°You must have me confused with¡ª¡±

    ¡°Come, come, no need to waste time running in circles around the truth. We both know you did it. I even have you on film. Here, let me show you.¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    He walked around the counter and turned the TriVid screen on. The image was still there, paused exactly at the same spot as he had left it, with Rebert¡¯s face clearly visible.

    Zax leaned against the counter, sucking the juice off his fingers as he watched the man shifting uncomfortably, looking away from the recording.

    ¡°So how about we cut to the chase and you just tell me what I want to know? You must understand that I am not angry with you. Do I look angry?¡± He smiled when the man threw a side glance at him. ¡°I understand the need to feed one¡¯s family. The necessities of a hard life. All will be forgiven if you give me the name of the one who hired you. It is him I wish to punish, not you.¡±

    ¡°Her,¡± Rebert muttered.

    Zax straightened. ¡°Her, you say?¡±

    The other nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, senator. It¡¯s just like you said. Nothing personal, you understand?¡± He sniffed. Wiped his nose with the back of his hand. ¡°I have a family to feed.¡±

    ¡°Tell you what, Urghul. Give me her name and I¡¯ll make sure your family never lacks for anything ever again.¡±

    Rebert blinked. ¡°You mean that, mister?¡±

    ¡°Look into my eyes and tell me I lie.¡±

    The crook gulped and nodded. ¡°Well, that is mighty kind of you. Thank you.¡± He straightened as he continued. ¡°The one who sent me after you¡ªshe gave me the bomb, too. She had me call her Lady Bharmi.¡±

    Zax¡¯s eyes hardened as he muttered the name. ¡°Bharmi, you old fool.¡±

    Rebert seemed relieved to have come clean, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

    ¡°I am ready now, mister. Call the questors. I will do my time. I¡¯m not afraid, knowing you will take care of my family. You will do this while I¡¯m away, won¡¯t you?¡±

    Zax smiled amiably. ¡°Of course I will. I promised, did I not? But it seems you have a gross misunderstanding of the situation. There will be no questors. Oh, no.¡± His eyes hardened as he grabbed the knife from the counter. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡±

    The other man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You said you would forgive me!¡±

    Zax walked up to the man. ¡°I do forgive you. Doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t be punished.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare! You¡¯re a senator.¡±

    Zax brought his lips to his prey¡¯s ears.

    ¡°I dare,¡± he whispered as he stabbed the man in the heart.

    Repeatedly.

    He stepped back and watched as the body slumped to the ground.

    Dropping the knife on the dying man¡¯s chest, he knelt by his side and slid the waste disposal device out of his wristpad. He placed it above the troublesome waste and pressed the small cylinder.

    The mass started to blur and fade out, body and knife both. Then they simply ceased to exist, as if they had never existed at all.

    The device clunked to the floor.

    Zax leaned to grab and put it away. He stood and stared at the clean floor where Rebert had lain a second ago.

    With a sigh, he went back to the sink to wash the blood off his hands. When he was done, he used his wristpad to schedule generous monthly payments to the man¡¯s family for the next thirty years¡ªa promise was a promise.

    He went to the table in the middle of the room, pulled a chair, and sat. Then from his wristpad, he pulled out a scene scrambler. Once activated, it blurred his surroundings, making it look much darker than it was. It would make it impossible to find any distinguishing features.

    Then he pulled his hood on and initiated a secure call.

    It was time to speak with Thiari again.

 145 (2x70) When fun is had (not) by all

    Val watched as her brother left the bridge with the archmaster and the blue-skinned woman, along with a dozen guards.

    Avran, the archmaster¡¯s son, stood in a corner, his eyes darting about, from Val to the spot where his father had stood, to the captain.

    ¡°And so we meet again,¡± said Juden¡¯s purring voice.

    She turned to look at him.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve been a Gnorlian spy along.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°What? Me? A spy? You give me too much credit.¡±

    ¡°A mercenary, then? Is that it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be crass. It¡¯s below you.¡±

    ¡°The destroyer is hailing us,¡± barked the ensign.

    The captain grunted. ¡°Put them on the speaker.¡±

    Everyone turned toward the screen, where the large battlecruiser could be seen moving toward them.

    The face of an old and stern soldier appeared, hovering in front of the stars. He wore the uniform of a commodore.

    ¡°Vened Dhor speaking. Who is in charge?¡±

    The captain moved forward.

    ¡°Lucius Fendar.¡±

    ¡°You have rebels on board your ship. We will be dispatching troops to assist in capturing them.¡±

    Val could see the captain thinking fast. He obviously did not want any Imperials on his ship.

    ¡°With all due respect, Commodore, that will not be necessary.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°The situation is under control.¡±

    ¡°Good. In that case, we will come pick up the prisoners.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    The older man squinted at him.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°This, as you might have noticed, is a diplomatic vessel. We do not fall under the command of the Imperial fleet. I only answer to His Lordship Tellus Nell, archmaster of the Outer Expanse.¡±

    ¡°Need I remind you, Captain, that Gnorlia is a part of the Imperium?¡±

    ¡°It is. But if you wish to board this vessel, you will need the consent of His Lordship himself.¡±

    The other clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°Then put him on the com, you fool! Why are you wasting my time?¡±

    The captain clenched his fists but managed not to show his anger, smiling instead.

    ¡°Oh, I would, dear Commodore, but he is presently... otherwise occupied. I will let him know you request an audience as soon as he becomes available.¡±

    The call was cut short before the older officer could respond, though Val had time to see anger coloring the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°He will remember that,¡± she remarked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a good idea to antagonize the Imperium after all that¡¯s happened recently.¡±

    The captain swung to look at her.

    ¡°This matter is none of your concern, stowaway! You should not even be here. I should have spaced you as soon as you stepped on this bridge.¡±

    He turned to the guards who were watching her.

    ¡°Take her to C33 until the archmaster returns. And keep an eye on her.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Avran, ¡°I will not allow it! She stays here.¡±

    The captain pointed a finger at the teenager. ¡°You do not tell me what to do. And get off my bridge.¡±

    The boy glared, then stomped away.

    Fendar snapped his fingers at the soldiers.

    ¡°Go! Take her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s smart,¡± said Juden with a nod. ¡°She¡¯s a feisty one.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth,¡± hissed the captain, ¡°or I¡¯ll have you tossed off my bridge as well.¡±

    Juden quirked a brow as the guards pushed Val toward the hall.

    ¡°Watch your tongue, Captain. You forget who I work for.¡±

    ¡°Who do you work for?¡± called out Val as she was pushed away.

    Val caught a glimpse of Juden glancing in her direction just before the view of the bridge disappeared, though he said nothing.

    She stopped resisting the guards.

    ¡°Come on, guys! Relax. I¡¯m not going anywhere. We all know it.¡±

    They took her to a small room and locked her inside.

    All she saw here was a table and a chair. She sat on the edge of the table and set a foot on the chair, holding up her wristpad.

    ¡°Nim? You hear me?¡±

    There was a bit of static, then she was relieved to hear the familiar voice.

    ¡°I hear you, Val.¡±

    ¡°Great! I was worried you might still be out of range. How far are you?¡±

    ¡°Not far. But I see you have company. Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I think so. Peter¡¯s here too. The destroyer wants him.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s what all those ships were. They¡¯re all gone now. Except for you two.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll likely need your help to get out of this mess. Stay near and stay shielded.¡±

    ¡°Of course. And, Val?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Be careful,¡± the voice of her former soulmate breathed into her ear.

    ¡°Always,¡± she whispered as she cut off the link, holding back the tears.

 146 (2x71) When justice comes knocking

    As the glider¡¯s engine turned off, Marthus motioned to open the door, but Halden grabbed his arm to stop him.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question,¡± he said.

    ¡°What question?¡± asked Marthus with a scowl.

    ¡°Why did you do it? She loved you like an uncle, for crying out loud!¡±

    ¡°And I loved her like a niece,¡± he said more gently than should have been allowed. Then his eyes hardened. ¡°Do you think I would have done it if I¡¯d had a choice? What kind of monster do you take me for?¡± He pointed over his shoulder at his house. ¡°I have a family too, Halden. Tell me, what do you think would have happened to them if I had not done as I was told?¡± Halden frowned. ¡°Exactly. Now let go of me and let¡¯s go in before Lara starts wondering what¡¯s going on.¡±

    But Halden did not let go. Instead, he pulled the wiper out of his pouch. When Marthus saw it, he gaped.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Think of Lara and the children...¡±

    Without a word, Halden slapped the device on his friend¡¯s neck and watched as he went limp.

    He had considered not using it. After all, Marthus had made clear none of this mattered now that they both worked for the same man¡ªhe refused to think of him as his ¡®master.¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t trust his friend anymore. He thought it best to erase his memories, be damned the consequences.

    Halden slid the wiper back into the pouch, then jumped out of the glider. He pulled the other man out, grabbed him under the shoulders, and dragged him to the house. He knocked and waited.

    The door soon opened, and the smile on Lara¡¯s face faded.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°My God! What happened?¡±

    ¡°I think he fainted or something. He just went unconscious on me.¡±

    The woman blanched. ¡°Oh my! Get him in, quick! I¡¯ll call the doctor. There is one living a few doors down the street.¡±

    Halden was not worried. Wipers left no trace. It always looked like the person had passed out.

    He dragged his old friend to the couch and dropped him there as Lara made a holocall.

    When she was done, he looked at her. ¡°I should probably go. We¡¯ll reschedule dinner for a time when he¡¯s feeling better.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± she said as she sat next to her husband, a look of concern on her face.

    He waited a few seconds, then turned and headed back out. As he went to the glider, he saw a man running toward the house. Probably the doctor.

    Halden went into the vehicle and flew it back to his house.

    During the ride, he received a holocall.

    The face of the visor appeared on his retina.

    ¡°Prof. Roche. I have good news for you.¡±

    He clenched his fists and nodded.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± asked Olan Rash with a quirked brow.

    Damn. He needed to be more careful.

    He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just Marthus. We were supposed to have dinner together, but he fainted as we got to his place. He¡¯ll be fine. I just don¡¯t like sudden schedule changes.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, I have something new you can add to your schedule. Those armors are ready for you and your team. You¡¯re leaving tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°That is great news,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you. About the team...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can I pick the people going with me?¡±

    ¡°You know your men better than me, so I would expect nothing less. Send me your list and I will take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°What time tomorrow?¡±

    The visor held a hand up. ¡°Bide a moment.¡±

    He turned his head to the side and seemed to be listening to someone talking to him, though Halden could not hear what they were saying.

    Rash looked back at him.

    ¡°Something came up. Do you mind if we push this to the day after? Say, four in the afternoon?¡±

    Halden nodded. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be ready.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll talk to you when you¡¯re there.¡±

    The call was cut.

    His glider landed a few minutes later.

    He got out, walked into his house, sighed as he closed the door, and reached to turn the light on.

    That was when they came at him.

    Two men wearing black cloaks with purple rims.

    Before he could do anything, they pressed a syringe against his neck and everything went black.

 147 (2x72) When push comes to shove

    They walked back to the bridge, where they found the captain arguing with Juden.

    ¡°This is all taking much too long,¡± was saying the dark-skinned man. ¡°I should be on Nimnir by now.¡±

    Fendar gestured at the screen without looking at it. ¡°In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, there¡¯s a big fat destroyer in our way.¡±

    ¡°Then just give me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± shouted the archmaster.

    The bridge went silent as everyone turned to face him.

    Peter looked around the room. ¡°Where is my sister?¡±

    ¡°I had to have her removed¡ª¡± started the captain.

    ¡°Did I say anything about having her removed?¡± hissed Nell.

    ¡°No, Your Lordship, but she was overhearing confidential conversations. I could not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Bring her back. Now.¡±

    The captain nodded to some of his men and they hurried out. He then looked back at the archmaster.

    ¡°Pardon my boldness, Your Lordship, but we have a much more serious problem on our hands. An Imperial destroyer wants to send men to get the prisoners.¡±

    ¡°What prisoners?¡±

    Fendar pointed at Peter. ¡°The rebels.¡±

    Mrill sensed the annoyance in the young human who stood next to her, though he remained quiet.

    ¡°They are not prisoners. They are our guests.¡±

    ¡°Guests? But, sir, what about the destroyer? It¡¯ll crush us if we defy the Imperium!¡±

    The archmaster squinted at the smaller man. ¡°You talked to them?¡±

    ¡°Their commodore hailed us. I reminded him we were a diplomatic vessel and said he¡¯d need to speak with you for authorization to board.¡±

    ¡°And you told them they were prisoners?¡±

    ¡°Well... Yes. What else was I to say? They would have sent troops otherwise.¡±

    Nell grunted as he turned toward the screen. ¡°Open a line to the destroyer.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Peter coughed. ¡°Excuse me, archmaster, but it might be best if they did not see me.¡±

    The man looked over at him. ¡°Ah. Yes. Fair point.¡± He motioned with his head toward the side of the room, toward the hall they had just come from. ¡°You and your friend¡ªand your sister, when she returns¡ªcan stand there. You will be outside the range of the camera.¡±

    He turned back to the screen and waited.

    Peter and Mrill walked to the side as the guards came back with Val. She hugged her brother.

    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± she asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Archmaster seems to be on our side. So, for now, we wait.¡±

    The face of the commodore appeared on the screen. He did not seem happy.

    ¡°Vened Dhor speaking,¡± he said. ¡°Are you the archmaster?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± said Nell.

    ¡°You should keep a leash on your captain, archmaster. He is irreverent and rude.¡±

    Mrill saw Fendar tense, but everyone else ignored him.

    ¡°What is this about?¡± asked Nell impatiently. ¡°A destroyer? Is this how you greet the representative of one of the Imperium¡¯s more powerful worlds?¡±

    The commodore grunted. ¡°The ship is not for you, Your Lordship, as you well know. Rebel forces attacked Nimnir. Some of them have taken refuge aboard your ship.¡±

    ¡°Hardly.¡±

    ¡°Your captain told me you held them captive. Is this not the case?¡±

    ¡°It was, but is no longer.¡±

    The other frowned. ¡°Meaning?¡±

    ¡°Dead. All of them.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°They violated a diplomatic vessel, destroyed our landing bay, and killed many of our men. We captured them and executed them for their crimes¡ªas was our right per Imperial Law.¡±

    There was a moment of silence as the two men stared at each other, neither looking away.

    ¡°Very well,¡± said Dhor. ¡°My men will come to take the bodies and the ship.¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°We incinerated the bodies, as per our custom. The bay is too damaged to allow further landings. As for the rebel ship, it is itself damaged beyond repair.¡±

    Peter leaned to whisper into Mrill¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Can you read the commodore¡¯s mind from here? I¡¯d be curious to know what¡¯s going through his head.¡±

    ¡°Too far,¡± she said. ¡°I need to be within a few feet of a person to read them.¡±

    Meanwhile, the commodore and the archmaster had resumed their staring match.

    Finally, Dhor grunted. ¡°Why am I wasting time on one damned ship? Bloody hell. I got better things to do. Go, then.¡±

    The call was abruptly cut.

    ¡°Good thing they didn¡¯t know I was on board that damned ship,¡± muttered Peter.

    As he spoke, they saw the destroyer turn and move away.

    Nell looked at Peter.

    ¡°You may go now.¡±

    He nodded to the older man. ¡°Thank you, archmaster. I won¡¯t forget this.¡±

    Nell had a little smile. ¡°I would hope so.¡±

    A group of guards walked them back to the hold, where the other rebels waited for them. They cheered when they saw Peter.

    ¡°They let you go?¡± asked Kesh.

    ¡°Not only that, but we now have new allies.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing.¡±

    Peter then introduced his sister to the group.

    ¡°And this,¡± he finally told Val, ¡°is Mrill. She can read minds.¡±

    Val blinked. ¡°Really?¡±

    The other woman nodded.

    Kesh snickered. ¡°Never play cards with her. She¡¯d win every single damn time!¡±

    She stared at him blankly.

    He laughed. ¡°There! See what I mean?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± cut in Peter, ¡°I think it¡¯s time we got out of here. Need a ride, Val?¡±

    Their pilot coughed. ¡°Actually, we can¡¯t. Ship¡¯s dead. Afraid we¡¯re stuck here. Hope your new ally will be willing to drop us off somewhere.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s headed for Nimnir,¡± said Peter with a grimace. ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be a good place for us right now.¡±

    Val laughed. She brought up her wristpad as everyone turned puzzled looks at her.

    ¡°You hear me, Nim?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Val.¡±

    ¡°Come on over. Want you to meet some of Peter¡¯s friends.¡±

 148 (2x73) When chains are broken

    It was a small office in a small building on a small moon. Even the woman behind the desk was small. With cinnamon hair in a bun, an impeccable blue-rimmed shirt, and a scowling face.

    ¡°This is not the first time something like this has happened,¡± she scolded. ¡°And what did I tell you the last time it did?¡±

    Sitting across from her was a dark-haired woman in a black robe. Though she looked down, her face showed not a hint of remorse.

    ¡°That I would be jeopardizing my career were it to happen again,¡± she said through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Precisely.¡± The older woman grabbed a large chunk of metal that was on her desk and waved it in the air between them. ¡°And now this! What has gotten into you, Sarisa?¡±

    The accused looked up, her gaze defiant.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see, donia? It could be the key we¡¯ve been looking for to¡ª¡±

    ¡°We?¡± The older woman slammed the chunk of metal back on her desk. The loud clank made Sarisa jump. ¡°There is no we.¡± She stabbed the slab with her index finger. ¡°You know as well as I do that your research on this matter is not sanctioned by the Society. We were willing to turn a blind eye, to tolerate your obsession so long as it did not interfere with your work¡ªlet alone affect our reputation¡ªbut you have taken this too far. We are done putting up with your reckless attitude. Your complete disregard for rules forces us to end your contract. You will take your belongings and vacate the premises. Immediately.¡±

    ¡°What? But, donia¡ª¡±

    ¡°There is no but. It is said, it is done. Now, go.¡±

    Sarisa stared at the older woman for a moment, then jumped to her feet, anger coloring her face.

    ¡°You are making a huge mistake,¡± she said as she swung and stormed out of the small office, slamming the door behind her.

    Deep inside, she was not upset with Danika Vorin. The woman was just a cog in the wheel of the complex administrative body that ruled over the Society of Imperial Linguists. She could not afford to let anything go awry, lest the whole system come crashing down.

    Because their work did not involve the development of new technologies, linguists were not considered scientists. They were as much a part of the Imperium as any other profession. With internal regulations, safeguards, and rights.

    Still, she did not understand how the Society could not see the importance of her work.

    She found Merken standing in the hall, leaning against a wall. He smirked when he saw her marching toward her office.

    ¡°Told you she wouldn¡¯t be happy. Hope you¡¯ve learned your lesson this time.¡±

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Shut it,¡± she hissed as she went past him.

    He frowned. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

    Sarisa spun and hit him in the chest. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you dumb ass! If you hadn¡¯t ratted me out to the old crone, I wouldn¡¯t have been kicked out.¡±

    She turned and started walking again.

    ¡°Kicked out? What are you talking about?¡± He ran after her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°What did you think would happen? It¡¯s not like she hadn¡¯t warned me.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you keep doing it?¡±

    ¡°What was I supposed to do?¡± she asked as she reached her office and started packing her things. ¡°Ignore the only known evidence ever found of a language older than the human race?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Nothing can be that old. How would you even know it was that old?¡±

    ¡°And the worse of it,¡± she went on, ignoring the question, ¡°is that she kept the damn thing.¡± She glared at him while she tossed some files into her bag. ¡°I hope you¡¯re happy.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t blame this on me! You got yourself into this mess all by your lonesome self.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to go yapping to her like the good lapdog you are. Jerk.¡±

    He scowled. ¡°I was just doing my job. Unlike you, you ungrateful little pest.¡±

    Without waiting for her response, he turned and stormed out of the room.

    She snorted. ¡°Yeah. Right. Whatever.¡±

    When she was done packing, she walked out of her office, through the hall, and into the elevator. It took her down to the underground SubStation that connected all the buildings of Sedzirah. The outside world was too windy, cold, and wild. Traveling was safer this way.

    She got on the sub¡ªit was like a sliding walkway with seats. It slowed down every time it reached a station, though it never fully stopped.

    Once seated, she pulled out a chip hidden in her wristpad as speakers broadcast the latest news.

    ¡°¡ªbombarded Nimnir and¡ª¡±

    Sarisa pressed the chip against the screen and it lit up, showing a picture of the metal slab. She grinned. At least, she¡¯d had the time to take this before Merken had snatched it from her.

    ¡°¡ªby the Scourge of Abrax, who is evidently not dead¡ª¡±

    She wrinkled her nose as she zoomed into the image so she could see the writing more clearly. It looked nothing like any language she had ever seen. Yet, as expected, she was able to read it.

    ¡°In other news, there are reports of gruesome deaths¡ª¡±

    Still, the phrasings were odd. She could understand the individual words, but not the general meaning. Which was unusual for her. Even alien languages had never been a challenge. But this... this was something else.

    ¡°¡ªan unknown fang-covered creature, likely indigenous to¡ª¡±

    Hers was a special gift. No one else in her family had it. So why did she? Doctors had examined her, but found nothing that could explain it. Her brain was just wired differently. That was the consensus, at least. As if she were better attuned to the way languages functioned in general, no matter the permutations.

    ¡°¡ªbodies found were mangled and¡ª¡±

    So why didn¡¯t she get this one? It was frustrating. If only she could figure it out, she might finally find the answer she sought.

    She felt the sub slow down and jumped to her feet.

    Stepping off the platform, she hurried toward the elevator that would take her up into the building where she lived.

    Though the ride had only taken a few minutes, she was now five hundred miles away from the Society¡¯s headquarters.

    She had not expected to be fired. Oh, she always knew there was a chance it could happen, but she had thought her special gift would make them reconsider. She had thought it would make her untouchable. Clearly, she had been mistaken.

    But it didn¡¯t matter. She didn¡¯t need the Society. They¡¯d miss her more than she would miss them.

    She would continue her quest on her own.

    Sarisa went into her apartment and looked around.

    It was time to go, she realized. Nothing held her here anymore.

    She looked out the window at the starry sky.

    It was time to go out there. Further than she had ever been. The only place where she could find answers.

    Beyond the rim.

 149 (2x74) When an odd thing occurs

    Starrider was big enough that all of the rebels could fit in comfortably.

    ¡°What were you doing on that Gnorlian ship?¡± asked Peter as they walked toward the control room.

    Val wrinkled her nose. ¡°Following Juden. Hoped I could figure out who he worked for.¡±

    ¡°Did you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°I assumed he worked for the Gnorlian government, but he denied it. Then again, why would he admit to it? Bah. You can never know with that one.¡±

    ¡°Still. It¡¯s interesting that he was on that ship to begin with.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. And headed for Nimnir. I wonder what that was about.¡±

    ¡°My guess,¡± cut in Kesh, ¡°is that the archmaster is on a diplomatic mission to try and patch things up after that screw-up the other day.¡±

    Val looked at him. ¡°What screw-up?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard? The Gnorlian ambassador on Rimzana all but endorsed the Qevahri¡¯s actions. Bet you that got the Gnorlians all nervous after that sentence to oblivion business.¡±

    She glanced at her brother, who nodded.

    ¡°It could explain this,¡± he said.

    ¡°The archmaster, yes. But Juden?¡±

    ¡°And how¡¯s Kaine, by the way?¡±

    ¡°Stable last I saw him.¡± She sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s been a while. Keep getting sidetracked. I really should go check up on him again soon.¡±

    They reached the control room, and Val jumped into her seat. ¡°Hey, Nim! I¡¯m home.¡±

    ¡°Glad to have you back,¡± said the familiar voice.

    Most of the rebels had gone to the refectory to eat; a few had gone into cabins to get some rest; a couple had gone to the infirmary to treat superficial wounds.

    In the control room with Val and Peter were only three others: Kesh, Mrill, and a woman named Lartha¡ªa thin brunette with a dimpled chin.

    ¡°So,¡± said Val as her fingers danced on the dashboard, ¡°where do you want me to drop you off? Pluvios, I assume?¡±

    When nobody answered, she glanced back at her brother and saw him lost in thought.

    ¡°Peter?¡±

    He blinked and looked at her. Smiled.

    ¡°Sorry. I was thinking... The archmaster gave me coordinates for a place that would make a much better base of operations. It¡¯s on an abandoned asteroid. The Gnorlians mined it for generations, then left once it was depleted. The installations are all still there. Including a large spaceport that could accommodate our growing fleet.¡±

    ¡°So why the hesitation?¡±

    ¡°Well, we also need to get our troops and check on our people, make sure everyone got back home safe.¡±

    ¡°Okay. So which is it?¡±

    He sat on the chair next to her.

    ¡°I think it¡¯d be best to check the asteroid first.¡±

    She quirked a brow. ¡°Don¡¯t trust the archmaster, is that it?¡±

    Peter glanced at Mrill, then back at his sister.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°No, he was sincere. But with everything that¡¯s been going on lately in the rim, who knows what¡¯s what? For all we know, the Impies could have found the asteroid and planted a base there. If it was the case and we showed up with all our ships, it would be¡ª¡±

    ¡°Awkward?¡±

    He grinned. ¡°Pretty much.¡±

    ¡°Alright. So let¡¯s go inspect the place first. Give me those coordinates.¡±

    Her brother transferred them to the ship from his wristpad.

    ¡°On our way,¡± said Nim.

    ¡°It¡¯s a cool ship,¡± she heard Lartha say behind her. ¡°Looks old, but cool.¡±

    Val swung to her, a big smile on her lips. ¡°Thank you! That¡¯s what I keep saying. That thick-headed Kaine wouldn¡¯t know [a masterpiece] if it bit him in the ass.¡±

    The other woman snorted. ¡°How did you get your hands on it?¡±

    Peter cleared his throat. ¡°Uhm, that¡¯s a long story, Lartha. Let¡¯s keep it for another day.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± said Val. ¡°Found it on Osaran some ten years ago. Abandoned in a wreckyard, can you believe it?¡±

    ¡°Weird,¡± muttered the woman.

    Val shrugged.

    Peter stood. ¡°We¡¯ll let you at it, sis. Come on guys, let¡¯s go get some food in us. And we¡¯ll have a debrief while we¡¯re at it.¡±

    The others grunted¡ªexcept Mrill, who just kept very quiet. But she followed the others when they filed out.

    Val glanced over her shoulder, then back at the controls.

    ¡°How long will it take to reach the asteroid?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Twelve hours,¡± answered Nim. ¡°It¡¯s at the far end of the rim, Val.¡±

    Was that concern in her friend¡¯s voice?

    ¡°What is troubling you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve never been so far out.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be a perfect hiding place for the rebels. Nobody would think to come looking for them there.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t there be more patrols so close to the border of the Imperium?¡±

    ¡°Not really. There used to be, centuries ago, but there¡¯s nothing out there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°Well, okay, not completely true. But we¡¯ve been at peace with the few species we know of.¡±

    Nim remained quiet as the ship sped through the stars.

    Ten hours later, Val had dozed off. She woke when she heard a beeping sound and someone calling out her name.

    Her eyes flickered open.

    She straightened and looked around.

    The control room was empty.

    ¡°Val? Are you awake?¡±

    She relaxed. It was Nim¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure... But there¡¯s something ahead.¡±

    ¡°Is it the asteroid?¡± She looked at the time. ¡°Already?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s smaller. Much smaller. Look at the sensors.¡±

    She did so and blinked.

    ¡°What the hell? Can you bring it up on the screen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still pretty far, but I¡¯ll try.¡±

    She looked up as the display changed from one set of stars to another. But somewhere in the midst of these was... something.

    ¡°Zoom in.¡±

    The stars grew... and grew... and grew...

    Her eyes went from the screen to the sensors.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be a ship,¡± she muttered.

    When she looked back up, she saw it.

    A speck of black in the darkness around. But there was something about it... A flicker of light from a sun that caught on its surface, glittering.

    ¡°Is that glass?¡± she asked in astonishment. ¡°What the hell? Zoom more!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m maxed out.¡±

    She cursed. ¡°Alright. Get us closer, then.¡±

    ¡°That would take us away from the coordinates.¡±

    She glanced at the sensors and at the time.

    ¡°We¡¯re only two hours from the asteroid. A few minutes off won¡¯t make a big difference. Go for it. Maximum speed. I want to see what this thing is.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting real close to the border, Val...¡±

    She blinked. ¡°Wait. Are you telling me this thing is coming from beyond the rim?¡±

    There was a moment of silence. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but it does seem to be the case.¡±

    ¡°How can you not be sure?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not technically moving, Val.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s floating, but it¡¯s not moving.¡±

    ¡°No engine?¡±

    ¡°If it has one, it¡¯s not on. And not thilium-based. There is not a single trace of thilium in that thing.¡±

    She stared at the screen and at the growing dot.

    ¡°No thilium at all?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    How could anything go through space without thilium?

    Unless it was a rock or something like that. But this had a smooth surface, and likely glass. This was a man-made or alien-made device.

    Without thilium.

    Ships needed thilium to function properly. But, more importantly, it allowed to travel at ten times the speed of light¡ªeven faster for some of the more powerful vessels. History books were filled with stories of how slow space travel had been before the discovery of thilindrin energy.

    She had trouble wrapping her head around that.

    As they came closer, she could make out the shape. It was cylindrical, black, with what clearly was glass at one end. Though the glass did not go all around. She could see this as the object drifted through space and slowly spun on itself.

    ¡°How big is that thing? Can you tell?¡±

    ¡°We are close enough that I can get better readings.¡± She could sense the unease in Nim¡¯s voice. ¡°It¡¯s seven feet long and thirty inches large.¡±

    ¡°What the hell?¡±

    ¡°And, Val...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I... I think there¡¯s something inside it.¡±

    ¡°Something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m picking up life signals.¡±

    ¡°What the hell?¡±

    She fell quiet as they moved closer.

    As the object revolved, the glass section came back into view. They were near enough now that the zoom could show her details.

    Her eyes went wide as she saw a face through the glass...

    A human face.

 150 (2x75) When something evil this way comes

    After eating with his team, Peter wandered through the ship. It brought back memories. He¡¯d been on board a few times after Val and Nim had found the Corvair in that wreckyard. Never for very long, though, as he had been busy growing his rebellion.

    It was not so much that Val disapproved, but she preferred more subtle and isolated forms of protest.

    He went by the hold and paused. His sister had told him about the red box they¡¯d found hidden in there. With a not-so-dormant AI.

    Curious, he went in and looked around.

    The compartment was still open, so it was easy to spot.

    He walked up to it and knelt in front of the box.

    ¡°Well hello there. What¡¯s your name, little one?¡±

    The box did not answer.

    Nor did it blink.

    It really felt dormant.

    ¡°Sneaky fellow, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    He sighed as he stood and walked off.

    After finding an empty cabin, he lay down to rest for a while.

    A few hours later, he went back out and found Mrill in the training room. She sat on the floor, legs crossed and eyes closed.

    He worried about startling her, then realized she would know he was there even if he didn¡¯t make a sound.

    ¡°Meditating?¡± he asked.

    ¡°My people call it karviq,¡± she replied without opening her eyes. ¡°It is a process.¡±

    ¡°A process for what?¡±

    ¡°There are two forms of karviq. One is done before battle, the other after. It helps to relax and prepare for what is to come, or to wind-down after it has come.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± He fell quiet for a moment, watching her. ¡°You know, I think that¡¯s the most I¡¯ve heard you talk since we met.¡± A pause. ¡°No, actually, that¡¯s not true. That first day, when you made your point, showing Kesh, Nuri, Praeg, and Ivi what you could do, you said a lot more then.¡±

    ¡°It was necessary.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I suppose it was.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    He smiled as he walked up to her and sat by her side.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t had a chance to talk much since we left that Gnorlian ship. You sensed no treachery regarding the asteroid, but do you think we can trust the archmaster? I mean, in the long run?¡±

    Her eyes flickered open and she looked at him.

    ¡°No.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d say that.¡±

    ¡°He believes in your cause.¡±

    Peter blinked. ¡°He does? Then why¡ª¡±

    ¡°He is a creature of politics. Necessity leads his hand.¡±

    He pondered this for a moment as she went back to meditating¡ªor whatever it was she was doing.

    ¡°So what you mean is that if it ever became more convenient for him to give us up, he would, even if it destroyed the cause he believes in?¡±

    ¡°Not for him. For his people.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Another pause. ¡°You know, you remind me of someone I once knew. She was very quiet and also had special abilities.¡±

    ¡°What happened to her?¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She saved my life, but then we were separated. I had hoped to find her on Pluvios, but she was not there when¡ª¡±

    The ship¡¯s speakers crackled, and Val¡¯s voice resonated in the room.

    ¡°Everybody! Wakey-wakey! We have a situation. Everyone meet me in the landing bay. And yes, Peter, that means you too!¡±

    Peter chuckled as he glanced at his wristpad.

    ¡°Still two hours to go. Odd.¡± He stood and headed for the door. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go see what this is about.¡±

    Mrill unfurled, jumped to her feet, and followed him swiftly.

    When they reached the bay, many of the rebels were already there. Some were rubbing sleepy eyes or yawning.

    Peter looked around and spotted Val as she came running into the large room.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked.

    She ran past him, straight toward a panel on the wall.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see in a minute. This is wild.¡±

    He quirked a brow as he followed her.

    ¡°Care to explain?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something out there,¡± she said distractedly.

    She tapped on the panel, and it lit up.

    ¡°Something?¡± Peter frowned. ¡°What kind of something?¡±

    ¡°Not the kind that might shoot at us, don¡¯t worry.¡± She looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Okay, Nim. All ready at my end. Are we set?¡±

    ¡°Almost.¡± The room went quiet as everyone looked toward the bay door when it started to slide open. ¡°We should make contact in 5... 4...¡±

    Peter¡¯s eyes went wide when he saw the cylindrical object coming toward the bay.

    ¡°3...¡±

    It spun around slowly and a glass section appeared, revealing a man¡¯s sleeping face.

    ¡°2...¡±

    There was a glass wall in the middle of the bay that kept the air from being sucked out of the ship. Through it, they could all see the object slowly drifting closer and closer.

    ¡°1...¡±

    Until it finally slipped through the opening. It floated there for a moment, going down until it finally touched the ground and stopped.

    ¡°Contact.¡±

    The only sound in the following minutes came from the bay door closing and air being pumped on the other side of the glass wall.

    Then the wall slid open and they all slowly gathered around the pod.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Lartha.

    ¡°Who is it would be a more relevant question,¡± said Kesh.

    ¡°How do we open it?¡± asked Peter.

    He slid his hand across the smooth black surface, as did Val and a few others. It was cold as ice.

    They all pulled back when they heard a click.

    Then the top of the pod swung slowly open.

    Inside was the body of a man.

    A human.

    He looked to be in his forties.

    With black hair and a thick black beard. He wore some sort of uniform¡ªthough one none of them recognized. Blue and white with a rectangle insignia filled with stars and stripes¡ªitself red, blue, and white.

    Peter and Val stepped forward.

    ¡°He is awake,¡± said Mrill blandly.

    Even as she spoke, the man¡¯s eyes flickered open.

    There was a wildness in them, and there was dread.

    And then, he shouted¡ªhis voice hoarse from disuse.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡±

 151 (3x01) Why so many died

    The child sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, hands resting on his knees. Though he seemed calm, the deep breaths he often took told another tale.

    Across the room from him stood a gray-haired man in a dark gray suit, with hands folded in his sleeves. He waited in silence, for this was expected of him. Checking his wristpad would have been improper, but he estimated at least five minutes had passed.

    ¡°How many dead?¡± asked the boy without opening his eyes.

    Olan Rash, who had been staring at the floor, looked up.

    ¡°Close to ten million across all three worlds, Your Excellency.¡±

    The Emperor¡¯s blue eyes popped open and fixed on the visor.

    ¡°I had expected more.¡±

    ¡°They are small colonies, Your Excellency, at the very edge of the rim.¡±

    ¡°How many survivors?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    The boy frowned. ¡°How is this possible?¡±

    ¡°It may be that prisoners were taken, but we have no way of confirming this. All we know is that our forces found only corpses on all three worlds. Three million of them on Exthenas, six on Difnus, and five thousand on Milmanarth. Which is close to the last census counts. If anyone was taken, it couldn¡¯t be more than a dozen.¡±

    Nashadan Prime nodded. ¡°And they would need prisoners, wouldn¡¯t they? To extract information from them.¡±

    ¡°It is doubtful they would understand our language, Your Excellency.¡±

    The boy unfolded his legs and slowly stood. The creases in his white tunic smoothed out as it eased back into place. On each sleeve, a wreath was woven into the fabric. Inside the wreath was a hand holding a lightning bolt, poking out of a red-rimmed triangle.

    ¡°How can we be sure of this, visor?¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°While it is true we have not seen the creatures themselves¡ªthey left each of the three worlds as soon as their deed was done¡ªwe have recordings of their ships. They are like nothing we have ever encountered or heard of before.¡±

    The boy crossed his arms. ¡°Show me.¡±

    Rash pulled the hands out of his sleeves and tapped on the wristpad¡¯s screen. An image formed, floating in the air between him and the Emperor. Star-filled darkness, at first, then a zoom revealed a thousand monstrous shapes¡ªperhaps more. Elongated, brownish things covered with glistening pikes.

    Familiar silence bathed the room for a long while.

    ¡°Do we know where they are going?¡± asked Nashadan Prime.

    ¡°Toward the heart of the Imperium, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Which hints at some knowledge of our civilization.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps they have found ways to extract information from their prisoners.¡±

    ¡°Assuming they have any,¡± muttered the boy. ¡°We must stop them before they make more victims.¡±

    ¡°That might prove difficult, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The visor tapped on his wristpad again. The display shifted, now showing an overview of the entire span of the Imperium. In many ways, it mimicked Del Ammar¡¯s famous sphere, which spun in the hall below them, constantly morphing as it fed from new data. This particular map, however, was more static. He could link it to the sphere for an update, whenever needed, but there was no need for it now.

    Lifting one hand, he pointed at the display and a red dot appeared.

    ¡°The invaders are here, Your Excellency.¡± He stabbed with his finger at five other spots, and blue marks popped up. ¡°These are our closest fleets. About a hundred ships altogether.¡±

    The Emperor frowned. ¡°So few?¡±

    Rash glanced at the boy, then tapped the air again, at a spot some distance away from the previous ones.

    ¡°This is Rimzana.¡± Another tap. ¡°And Qevahr.¡± Another tap. ¡°And Nimnir.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Another long silence. ¡°How long to get more ships there?¡± He pointed at the red spot.

    ¡°Three weeks if we¡¯re lucky. More likely a month.¡±

    The boy looked at his visor.

    ¡°So there will be more victims.¡±

    ¡°It cannot be helped.¡±

    ¡°We can at least minimize the casualties.¡±

    ¡°What did you have in mind, Your Excellency?¡±

    Nashadan pointed at the blue spots. ¡°Send those ships ahead to the worlds that will be hit next. I assume we know which these will be?¡±

    ¡°They seem to be going in a straight line, so we can guess. But, Your Excellency...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Rash stabbed at the display again and a yellow dot appeared, very close to the red one.

    ¡°We can do nothing for this world. They are too close already. If we send any ships there, they will be destroyed. We don¡¯t have the numbers yet to push the invaders back.¡±

    ¡°Another small colony, I hope?¡± asked the boy with resignation in his voice.

    The visor shook his head.

    ¡°Ovkan is a popular world within the rim, Your Excellency. Over one billion people.¡±

    Nashadan closed his eyes and sighed.

    ¡°We can at least send them warning,¡± added Rash. ¡°Perhaps some can escape before the attack.¡±

    The boy nodded.

    ¡°Have it done. And may the Yedeni save their souls.¡±

 152 (3x02) Why the stranger knows so much

    The man seemed not to care that they were watching him. He sat at a table and ate as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in years¡ªwhich was likely the case. He had been confused by the food ordering process, but had quickly got the grip of it after Val showed him how to work the system. It was simple enough. And now, each time he finished a dish, a new one would materialize before him within seconds. He was going through his fifth now.

    Mrill stood at one end of the refectory, leaning against the wall. Everyone else sat, though few ate. All watched the stranger, as did she, so why pretend? She cared little for pretense.

    The man was fascinating. There was something about him... Something otherworldly. Though she could read his mind, little of it made sense to her. It was crowded in his head. Confused. Too many images, too much information. Most of it was nonsensical¡ªpertaining to things and people and worlds that did not exist... or at least that she had never heard of. It was dizzying.

    And still, dwarfing all those other confused thoughts, one loomed above, glowing and growing.

    They are coming.

    Those same three words that had come out of his mouth when he¡¯d woken up.

    Words filled with dread.

    The man hadn¡¯t said much else, though there were images associated with his words. Huge and dark ships, their hulls covered with thorns of varying shapes and sizes.

    Mrill had sensed his hunger and had suggested eating might help appease him and help him speak more coherently. She wasn¡¯t so sure anymore. At least, his thoughts were just as confused as they had been.

    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to eat something?¡±

    She glanced at Peter, who sat at a nearby table.

    ¡°I ate two hours ago,¡± she said. ¡°I am fine.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    It was plain enough he had not eaten either, though she chose not to comment on it.

    The rebel leader nodded as he looked toward the stranger.

    ¡°Any changes?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Regretful.¡±

    Val sat next to her brother. A plate was on the table before her, though she had touched little of the food. Her eyes kept going back to their guest.

    ¡°I wonder what he meant,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Aliens,¡± said Mrill. ¡°Invaders.¡±

    Val glanced at her. ¡°How do you know? Wait, don¡¯t tell me. You read it in his mind?¡±

    The blue-skinned woman shrugged, her face expressionless. ¡°Images. Ships. Of a type unknown. They can only be alien.¡±

    ¡°And they are coming here?¡±

    ¡°That is what his words imply.¡±

    They fell quiet as they looked back at the stranger.

    The man finished his fifth dish and looked up, as if about to order another. He paused, hesitated, then leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach.

    ¡°He is done,¡± said Mrill.

    Val waited a few seconds, then pushed her chair back, stood, went over to the man¡¯s table, and sat across from him.

    ¡°Hi,¡± she said. ¡°We haven¡¯t been properly introduced yet, what with... well, with all that¡¯s happened. I¡¯m Val.¡±

    The man blinked and looked around the room, as if noticing for the first time the crowd that had gathered there and how they were all staring at him. He closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded as he turned to face Val.

    ¡°Yes, of course, I suppose I should have expected this.¡± A sigh. ¡°I am Lt. Darius Rickert of the Fifth Regiment, of the Ars Olind Battalion.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if you had.¡±

    ¡°Why is that, Lt. Rickert?¡±

    ¡°Because the Ars Olind Battalion no longer exists. Ars Olind itself is long gone.¡± Another sigh as he shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he muttered. ¡°All gone.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Who¡ª¡±

    The man straightened suddenly.

    ¡°You must warn your military! You are in grave danger.¡±

    ¡°I assume you speak of those alien ships?¡±

    Rickert¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Are they here already?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Val frowned. ¡°Not that I know of, anyway. Who are they?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯ve seen what they¡¯ve done. To countless civilizations. They are ruthless. And always they win. Always.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen? How do you mean?¡±

    The man leaned forward. Shoulders on the table, he buried his face in his hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been drifting through space,¡± came his muffled voice. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it all. Don¡¯t you know? Don¡¯t you understand? For so long. So, so long. I¡¯ve seen suns die. Worlds swallowed by black holes. Wars that wiped whole galaxies from existence. The extinction of a million species.¡± Sobs, now, as he shook his head. ¡°And they¡¯re all gone. My people. My family. My friends. My world. All gone. Dead. For thousands, millions of years.¡± He looked up, his eyes rimmed with red. ¡°I¡¯m all that¡¯s left.¡±

    Shocked silence answered his words.

 153 (3x03) Why she chose the stars

    The ship sped through the stars, further and further away from the Imperium, the rim left well behind.

    It was not quite uncharted territory. There were alien nations, some two light years away, that humans dealt with. Mostly commerce. But Sarisa was not going in that direction.

    She had bought the ship before leaving Sedzirah. It had cost her a fortune. Even the seller had recommended she rent a crew instead, but she had refused. This was something she needed to do alone. She hadn¡¯t told anyone where she was going either. That would have frightened them. They would have called her mad. Nor would they have been the first to do so.

    Her parents had wanted her to marry and settle down, never mind her gift. What good was understanding languages when everyone in the Imperium spoke the same one? That wasn¡¯t entirely true, though. Each planet had its own set of local dialects. But all that mattered to them was the universal tongue, which everyone spoke. And the more did, the better. So why learn other ones? Within a few generations, there would be none of them left. Everything would be unified. ¡°You just wait and see,¡± her mother had told her.

    Well, she didn¡¯t plan to wait and see. Or to get married and settle down, for that matter. Not when there was so much to see, so much to learn. And most of it was out there, beyond the rim.

    Out here, she corrected herself as she stared at the stars.

    She had saved enough credits to pay for the ship. It had been a well-paid job. She would miss it. But this mattered more. Granted, she¡¯d never have gone down this path had it not been for the Society of Imperial Linguists. It was through her work she had discovered this fascinating language. Hints of something so old it predated humanity itself. Colleagues had scoffed at her. No one cared about a dead language. What use was that? They almost sounded like her parents. It was disappointing. She had expected them to understand. Who else, if not them?

    But no. She was alone. Had always been. So why hire a crew? She would remain alone. Better this than being mocked to her face by unbelievers. Besides, no one in their right mind would have accepted to come here. Unless, maybe, she paid them a lot more than what the ship had cost her.

    Food wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The onboard AI could generate anything she craved. So long as the thilium core was not compromised, she could go on for years.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Part of her was anxious, though. Would she find what she was looking for? Space was so big. Without end, some said. How would they know? Still, she had clues. Clues she hoped would set her on the right path.

    She tapped on her wristpad and went through the data again.

    ¡°How long until we reach A36Z?¡± she asked.

    ¡°One hour and thirty-six minutes,¡± answered the onboard AI.

    She¡¯d have to find a better name for that world¡ªassuming it held any answers. For now, she used the official Imperial designation.

    Humans had been there before. Once. Some two thousand years prior. During the long reign of Hassan the Conqueror. They had found ruins of an ancient civilization, and the first traces of the intriguing writing. She¡¯d come across bits and pieces of it over the years¡ªthe latest and largest sample being that slab of metal the Society had confiscated. Sarisa had a picture of it on her wristpad, and it had been enough to convince her this was a much older language than any other humans had ever come across. She needed to see more of it, though. That was the only way to understand it, to pierce the mystery of these people¡ªwhoever they were. So she was going to the source.

    A36Z.

    She only knew it was the source because of Axxarx. The alien who had procured the slab had purchased it from an art dealer who himself had purchased it from a museum. It was allegedly discarded because it was broken. Sarisa questioned how much purchasing was truly involved, but some questions were best left unanswered.

    She spent the rest of the trip reading through records. She¡¯d brought plenty of them. Reports from the archaeological team that first explored A36Z; descriptions of items found; geological accounts; Imperial decrees to cease further explorations... The latter puzzled her most. It was as if the Emperor had no interest in alien civilizations. Which she knew not to be true, since Hassan had dealt with many of the Imperium¡¯s neighbors, establishing long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships. Was it truly because this particular species was dead? That was the official story, at least. The reports stated the government had no interest in exploring the past¡ªespecially that of an extinct alien civilization.

    ¡°A36Z within sight,¡± stated the voice of the onboard AI. ¡°We will be landing in thirty minutes.¡±

    Sarisa lowered her wrist and lifted her head. The screen showed a bluish-gray rock filled with craters.

    Having dug up in the reports the coordinates the original exploration team had used, she had fed them to the ship. After all this time, she did not expect to find any traces left of their passage, but the descriptions she had should help her find her way to the ruins.

    The ship slowed as it approached the surface and finally landed.

    Sarisa stared at the barren landscape for a moment. A glum mass of protruding peaks, filled with crags and crevices. There were very few smooth surfaces here, she knew as much. Seeing it was quite a different thing, however.

    With a deep breath, she stood and headed for the airlock.

 154 (3x04) Why he woke into a nightmare

    He sat in the room, staring at the wall. Trying to remember something he had forgotten. He felt it was important, but still it eluded him. As it had for a long time. He couldn¡¯t have said for how long, but that didn¡¯t matter.

    Outside, the Sun was shining. As usual. In fact, he couldn¡¯t remember the last time it had been night. That felt significant, though he couldn¡¯t have said why.

    He frowned.

    Why was he sitting here anyway? Shouldn¡¯t he be enjoying the Sun? It looked like a beautiful day. Aside from the wind. It had been whistling through the trees for a long time now.

    Standing, he made for the door.

    It was peaceful outside. Trees surrounded the cabin, which was made of wood. He knew there was a beach nearby... He must have gone there at some point, or how would he know?

    Though he could hear the wind, he could not feel it against his skin. This, too, seemed significant.

    Perhaps he should go for a walk on the beach. It would do him good. Fresh air would clear his thoughts.

    As he walked, he remembered something he had noticed before and wondered how he could have forgotten. There were no sounds here. Aside from the wind, of course. As if there were no animals in these woods, or even insects. Nor had he seen any. At least, he didn¡¯t think so.

    He remembered something else. A pain in his chest. It had faded with time, though. He sensed it now, but it was very slight and distant, barely noticeable... Then it was gone again.

    Through the trees, the sea appeared¡ªor was it a lake? He couldn¡¯t say.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The whistling of the wind grew louder as his shoulder caught on a branch. He pulled free, but it caught him again. And again. Each time he pulled away, it would somehow come in his way once more.

    He slowly opened his eyes.

    Everything was blurry.

    Though still he could hear the wind and feel the tugging branch on his shoulder.

    He blinked to clear his vision.

    Fear-filled eyes looked at him. Familiar eyes.

    Around them, a room. Gray walls and ceiling.

    The tugging stopped, but not the whistling.

    Though, he realized now, it was not the wind at all.

    It was a siren.

    He looked to his right and saw the girl pull away.

    It had been her tugging at his shoulder. Not a tree branch.

    Ondine.

    The girl¡¯s name came back to him.

    Kaine was lying in a bed, in what likely was a hospital room. Memories slowly came back to him.

    He grimaced as he remembered getting shot. Reaching for his chest, he looked down and saw a large scar.

    The girl made wide gestures to catch his attention.

    He remembered the fear in her eyes¡ªwhich was still there¡ªand the siren.

    Why was there a siren?

    It kept wailing, on and on.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he finally asked.

    His voice sounded hoarse. How long had he been here? And where was Val?

    And where exactly was ¡®here¡¯ anyway?

    He slipped out of the bed and stood... Then immediately sat back down as he felt his head spin. Taking a deep breath, he counted to ten.

    ¡°Hang on a moment,¡± he told Ondine, who still was urging him to do something... Though what exactly she expected him to do, he could not guess.

    When he felt the dizziness fade, he slowly got back to his feet and, leaning against the wall, made his way to the window.

    The first thing he noticed was that this wasn¡¯t Derkanash.

    The second thing he noticed were the fires and the chaos in the streets.

    He looked to the sky and his eyes went wide.

    It was filled with small black specks that shot down like bullets toward the city. There were thousands of them. Tens of thousands. The downpour never seemed to stop.

    He looked back down, trying to spot a place of impact... It was not difficult. They were everywhere. And everywhere they hit the ground, they would burst open and spill out a stream of spike-covered creatures. These tore into any human they found, leaving a trail of blood and guts.

    ¡°Oh, hell no...¡±

 155 (3x05) Why he was taken

    It was a small room with only one chair. A light bulb on the ceiling flickered on and off. The air was damp and smelled of mold. He hadn¡¯t seen any bugs yet, but he could sometimes hear them scurrying behind the walls.

    He was not on the chair. The shackles that chained him to the wall prevented him from reaching it. So he sat on the floor instead. Had even slept there.

    There was no window, so he wasn¡¯t sure how long he had been kept here. He had seen no one since his abduction. He had woken here, chained as he was. His captors had not even brought him food or water. They¡¯d have to do so soon if they wanted him alive.

    And who were his captors, he wondered? The Imperials? They would not resort to such methods. Why bother when they could simply make you disappear?

    Footsteps beyond the door. The sound of a lock being unlocked. It swung open and light flooded in, blinding him.

    Someone walked in, leaving the door open, and went to the chair. Sat. The wooden frame creaked under the body¡¯s weight. The man crossed his legs¡ªit was a man, he could tell as much now.

    ¡°So sad,¡± said a stranger¡¯s voice. ¡°It truly breaks my heart to see you in such a state, Prof. Roche.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Halden, his voice but a rasp.

    ¡°Wrong question. Would you like to try again?¡± Seeing the scientist¡¯s confused expression, the man sighed. ¡°You are not here to ask questions, professor, but to answer them. I am, however, feeling magnanimous and so will allow one question, but one only.¡±

    ¡°But not just any random question, it seems.¡±

    Though he still could not make out the man¡¯s features, Halden¡¯s eyes were beginning to adjust to the brightness, and he could tell the man was smiling, though he did not comment.

    The scientist leaned back against the wall and pondered for a moment.

    ¡°If there is only one question you are willing to answer,¡± he slowly said, ¡°and that the question has to be a specific one, then I can only assume it is one that would not reveal anything that wouldn¡¯t become obvious from... well, from my questioning.¡± He looked up, searching for the other¡¯s eyes, but only saw darker spots where they should have been. The smile was still there, perhaps drawn wider now. ¡°You want me to ask why I am here. But what is the point, if I am to find out from what follows? So go ahead. Ask your questions.¡±

    The smile faded, and Halden heard a hint of disappointment in the other¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I knew you were smart, professor. Perhaps a bit too much for your own good. Still...¡± He sighed. ¡°Very well, then. I suppose we should proceed. You were seen coming out of the Regency just before it blew up. What were you doing there?¡±

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Halden flinched at the memory. Why would this stranger ask him about that, of all things? Was he a questor? No, questors did not abduct people like this. Unless they thought him involved in the bombing? Even then, he wasn¡¯t the only one who had left the building. Why would they single him out?

    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he rested his head against the wall.

    ¡°What do you find so funny?¡±

    ¡°You. Or your question, rather.¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°It has occurred to me that you must know my profession, since you called me professor. Why would a scientist blow up the Regency? It¡¯s the most preposterous thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±

    The other man clicked his tongue. ¡°I made no such claim. I am simply asking a question, which I would advise you to answer.¡±

    Halden shrugged. ¡°My daughter used to like going there when she was a child.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes. Lucy.¡±

    A cold chill went through the scientist¡¯s body but he said nothing, and silence settled between them for a moment.

    ¡°I wonder,¡± started the man, ¡°what would you be willing to do to avenge your daughter?¡±

    ¡°Avenge? She died in an accident. A thilium leak.¡±

    The interrogator made a dismissive gesture with his right hand. ¡°Please. We both know that is a lie. A cover-up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let me be clear, Prof. Roche. Your friend, Marthus¡ªor should I say, former friend? We have been watching him. In fact, there was a bug inside his glider.¡±

    The man said no more, letting his words sink in. Halden¡¯s eyes went wide as he realized they had heard everything... Whoever ¡®they¡¯ were. This man couldn¡¯t be a questor. Why would he have been investigating Marthus when Marthus had been obeying orders?

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked again.

    The other grunted. ¡°Should I remind you that you are here to answer questions, not to ask them?¡±

    ¡°If you work for the government, then I request a lawyer. I know my rights.¡±

    The man crossed his arms. ¡°You think the government cares about your rights? Your daughter had rights too, didn¡¯t she? And they killed her anyway.¡±

    Halden¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°They?¡±

    ¡°Has it never occurred to you that the Emperor is a tyrant? His laws are a travesty. Get in his way, and he will crush you without a second of hesitation. He made that quite clear when he condemned a whole world to oblivion, did he not? Billions of civilians who had nothing to do with the offenses of their leaders¡ªmany of whom likely even disapproved. And yet...¡± The man snapped his fingers. ¡°Just like that. Gone.¡±

    ¡°Not yet. Qevahr still stands¡ªand resists.¡±

    ¡°So it does. Makes you wonder, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Wonder what?¡±

    ¡°A question. Tsk. Still, I will allow it.¡± The man leaned forward, shoulders resting on his legs, and Halden could now see the short dark hair, the malicious eyes, the thin lips. ¡°How can Qevahr stand up as it does? And if they can resist the Emperor, couldn¡¯t others do so as well?¡±

    ¡°Are you expecting me to answer those questions, sir? Or are you just making conversation?¡±

    The other grimaced. ¡°You are not an easy man to speak with, Prof. Roche. How disappointing.¡±

    ¡°Tell you what. Let¡¯s trade places and see how you feel about making conversation.¡±

    ¡°Ah. You are upset. Understandable. And yet necessary.¡±

    Halden was more than just upset, and he made it clear with the growl in his voice.

    ¡°What is this about?¡±

    ¡°Finally! You ask the question.¡± The man smirked as he leaned back in his chair, his face disappearing in the light from the hall beyond the cell. ¡°This, my friend, is about making you an offer you can¡¯t refuse. This is about justice. About destroying a tyrant. Once and for all.¡±

    Halden frowned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m talking about committing treason.¡±

 156 (3x06) Why the man in the pod was in the pod

    The base was nestled in the hollow of a crater. It was one of the largest on the asteroid, and the construction spread across its entire surface. Peter was surprised by the size of the compound.

    Sarthak 6 had once been a Gnorlian mining colony, but it was abandoned after its resources were depleted. Now, the archmaster of the Outer Expanse had offered the rebels to use it as their new base of operations.

    Val was too distracted by the stranger to focus on the place. While the others were similarly intrigued, Peter had insisted on visiting the empty structure¡ªthis was the reason they had come all the way here, after all. When Starrider landed on the airstrip, the rebel leader headed out with Mrill, Kesh, and a few others. While she waited for them to return, Val decided to have another chat with Rickert.

    She found him sitting in the recreation hub, staring at the starry sky through the window.

    ¡°I¡¯d have thought you¡¯d have had enough of them by now,¡± she said.

    ¡°It is not the stars I look at,¡± he answered with a sad smile, though he did not turn to look at her. ¡°I see beyond.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    He remained quiet for a moment, then gestured toward the sky.

    ¡°Space is endless. It defies comprehension. And yet, it encompasses everything. We are but specks in such infinity. My life was out there. My world, my people, everything I once knew. All gone now. Like dust in the wind. Who even remembers any of it? Only me.¡±

    Val frowned as she sat across from Rickert.

    ¡°How can you even speak our language?¡±

    The stranger laughed, though there was little humor in it.

    ¡°And that is the greatest mystery of all. Despite the vastness of space, despite all of infinity, my pod kept traveling through the same galaxies, over and over. As if I was cursed to see it all disappear, to see it all die.¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t explain¡ª¡±

    ¡°I could pick up radio communications when I came close enough to human settlements,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°I heard your language evolve. We share the same ancestors, too, and that helped.¡±

    ¡°How could you have survived so long? And how did you even get into that pod?¡±

    Rickert sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a long and painful story, Val. Are you sure you want to hear it?¡±

    ¡°Please. I need to understand.¡±

    His head turned, and his eyes finally met hers. Once again, she was struck by the depth of his sorrow.

    ¡°We were at war,¡± he started. ¡°Nothing surprising, I suppose. There is always a war somewhere, isn¡¯t there? This hasn¡¯t changed in a million years. It would be funny if it weren¡¯t so depressing. My regiment was sent to invade Hryunh...¡± He paused and frowned. ¡°I imagine this means nothing to you. How could you make sense of anything if you don¡¯t even know the basics?¡±

    Val glanced through the window at the abandoned base. ¡°The others went to explore. They¡¯ll be gone for a while. We have time.¡± She looked back at him. ¡°Start at the beginning.¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than you would think. But I shall try.¡± He went quiet for a moment as he considered how to tell his story. ¡°I suppose I should start by explaining the structure of the UNC¡ª¡±

    ¡°The UNC?¡±

    ¡°The United Nations of Cadrina. The nations in question were really groups of worlds, each group ruled by its own set of politicians. These only answered to the prevosts who oversaw all of the UNC. You might think this prevented conflicts between nations, but you would be wrong. They were quite common, and the prevosts did little if anything to stop them.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The man shrugged. ¡°Politics. Corruption. Your guess is as good as mine. Either way, it was not unusual for some of these conflicts to turn into all-out war¡ªas it did between Druan and Hryunh, two of the largest nations in the UNC. Like many of my peers, I did not believe in this war, but was dragged into it by circumstances... or by birth, I should say.¡±

    ¡°How do you mean, by birth?¡±

    He leaned back in his seat. ¡°In Cadrina, every child¡¯s future is decided at birth. Based on parents, social class, genes...¡± Seeing Val¡¯s grimace, he smiled. ¡°It started as a way to fight against unemployment, not to mention crime. If everyone had their path set in advance, you could make sure everyone was taught all the skills they needed to learn and ensure they¡¯d always have work. You could keep tighter control on industries, making sure none ever lacked employees. And so I was meant to be a soldier. The UNC cared little for individual tastes or talents. Everyone was supposed to comply, because it was the only way our society could function. It was our responsibility not to break the system, and they made sure we never forgot how this burden rested upon our shoulders.¡±

    ¡°And I thought the Imperium was bad,¡± muttered Val.

    Rickert shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t as bad as it sounds. I mean, people wanted to be valuable. And despite the pressure, the system also made you feel like you belonged, like you had an important part to play. And you did, to be honest, because things were designed in such a way that the whole thing could fall apart if anyone strayed.¡±

    ¡°A disaster waiting to happen.¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. There were safeguards in place, we just weren¡¯t aware of them. In retrospect, it makes sense. With all the wars, soldiers died. Nations couldn¡¯t wait twenty years to replace the fallen. There had to be a constant flow, especially in some of the more dangerous industries¡ªsuch as the military.¡±

    ¡°So, how do you fit into all this?¡±

    ¡°I was posted on Ars Olind, a world of the Druan nation. Nine months after my dispatch, the war took a turn for the worse. Our rulers decided it was time for more decisive action and they sent my entire battalion, along with hundreds more, straight into Hryunh. The mission was to eradicate the opposition by all means necessary. You must understand, our wars were always fought in space. But things had gotten so out of hand, they wanted those worlds wiped clean. We were to land and kill everyone¡ªeven civilians.¡± He paused, his gaze lost in the stars.

    When it seemed like he would not speak again, Val cleared her throat. ¡°Did you do it?¡±

    Rickert glanced at her. ¡°You think I had a choice? You think any of us did? We were conditioned to obey. There could be no doubts in our minds. Doesn¡¯t mean we liked it, but there was no way around it.¡± He shuddered. ¡°But that¡¯s not relevant.¡± A small laugh. ¡°None of it is anymore. It happened so long ago, it almost feels like it never happened at all. And yet, here I am.¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me how¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting to it.¡± He shifted in his seat. Leaned forward, eyes now staring at the floor, elbows on his knees. ¡°It was brutal. It was nasty. Millions died. Billions. Even more wounded. A slaughter, really. If those bred to be soldiers gave us a challenge, the civilians were helpless. Some of those worlds did not even have any military forces on them. We went through those in a couple of days, butchering everyone. Until we reached Varlhev. One of the most populated and better-defended places in all of Hryunh. By the time we got there, they¡¯d heard of our exploits and were expecting us. We were met by a formidable fleet. The clash was epic. We never made it to the surface of the planet. For each of their ships we destroyed, they obliterated ten of ours. It was not so much that they had greater numbers¡ªthough perhaps they did¡ªrather that our actions had so enraged them that they hit us with everything they had, and they were relentless.

    ¡°To cut a long story short, I was wounded when my ship got shredded. Those of us who made it to the medlab were spared the gruesome fate of our brothers when the hull was ripped apart and their bodies fed to the stars. A medlab is sacred, you see. Among our people, regardless of the horrors we commit upon each other, we never touch a medlab. The rooms are built as self-contained and self-sufficient structures that can separate from the ship and float away. There were thousands of them floating among the wrecks of Druan ships. The Hryunh vessels ferried us to the border and let us drift back to our worlds, as the medlabs were programmed to do.

    ¡°I was in bad shape. By the time I made it back to Ars Olind, my wounds had festered and my fever had made me delirious. Only a medpod could save me, though it would take time¡ªyears¡ªto do its work. They put me in just before the Hryunh forces struck back. I didn¡¯t see it happen, as I was in a coma at the time, but I later read the reports. My pod was in a space station in orbit around Ars Olind. It was torn away when the station blew up and sent spiraling out through space. I only woke up after I was fully healed. And the pod kept me alive all this time.¡±

    Rickert fell silent, and Val watched him quietly for a moment.

    ¡°How did you not go mad?¡± she asked.

    He gave her another sad smile. ¡°Who says I didn¡¯t?¡±

 157 (3x07) Why he waited at the window with a glass of zestri

    The structure rose like a tower high above the city¡ªthough it looked nothing like a tower. Triangular in shape, its surfaces covered with glass, it represented the reach and power of the Imperium. Some also saw it as a symbol of hope, but Zax cared little for that particular interpretation.

    Standing at the window of his suite, a glass of zestri in his hand, he observed the Regency with clinical interest. Five more minutes and it would be gone. His only regret was to be so far he could not watch properly as things unfolded. When searching for a new hotel, he had approached some that were closer to the site, but all had been full. This was the closest he had found.

    Of course, he could have gone for a walk and watched from above, but he might have been seen, which could have raised some awkward questions. That was a risk he would rather avoid.

    By now, questors must be swarming the building, looking for a certain individual. His agents had made sure the information would reach them too late. It would feel genuine enough to the investigators, though the evidence was entirely fabricated. They would have no time to figure that out.

    He looked at his wristpad. Two minutes.

    No time at all.

    He smiled as his eyes drifted back to the triangular structure.

    There would be victims, of course¡ªas there had been on Bernice and Assalin¡ªand that broke his heart. But there were times when lives had to be sacrificed for the greater good. This was one such time. There was no way around it. Those who died today¡ªas those who had died before¡ªwould live on as heroes, if only in his mind. He had made it a point to learn all of their names. Remembering them all was impossible, but he had a list¡ªa growing list¡ªtucked somewhere deep in his wristpad. He would pull it up every time he needed a reminder of why he was doing all this.

    A distant flash of light.

    So it begins, he thought.

    A casual observer might have brushed it off as a reflection from the Sun, but Zax knew better.

    Soon there were more flashes. Then he felt a light tremor under his feet. He watched, sipping from his glass, as the Regency¡¯s glass walls shattered and collapsed in a gigantic billow of smoke. The hotel walls were thick and soundproof, so he did not hear the thundering clap that covered the wail of sirens.

    He waited until the entire structure was gone, replaced by a thickening cloud of black smoke, before walking to the couch and settling down.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    The TriVid screen was already on, though he had muted the sound. He turned it back up now.

    ¡°¡ªhear from our reporter on the ground,¡± said a female anchor, ¡°questions are already being raised about the lack of security. Officials had vowed something like this would never happen again, that every Regency throughout the Imperium would receive heightened security.¡±

    Zax smiled. It was precisely because the government had made such a claim that it had been vital to destroy another of these buildings. They needed to know their power was nothing more than a symbol. And even that symbol could be crushed¡ªas he had demonstrated today.

    ¡°Minutes before the explosion, the site was cordoned off by the authorities while a dozen questors were seen entering the building. It appears some of the visitors were evacuated... Our own Haran Lim is on the ground. Tell us, Haran, how bad is it?¡±

    The woman¡¯s face faded and was replaced by a young, dark-haired man. The street around him was strewn with rubble and charred shapes. People ran behind him, while further away burned the ruins of what had once been the Regency of Ussan.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad, Athissia. The whole thing is gone. The power required to achieve something like this is staggering. I can¡¯t begin to imagine what could push someone to commit such a horrendous crime.¡±

    Zax snorted as he took another sip of zestri.

    ¡°That the questors were there so early seems to indicate they knew what was about to happen?¡± asked the female anchor.

    The man nodded. ¡°I had an opportunity to briefly chat with a prime when I arrived on site, and he confirmed they had received an anonymous tip. He would not share with me the exact nature of the tip or why they decided to take it seriously, but they did. Though one would wish they had gotten here earlier.¡±

    The senator set his glass down and leaned back on the couch, smiling. Of course they had taken the tip seriously. His agent had said what needed to be said to be taken seriously. Revealing things that only questors and the perpetrators could know. Such as the exact type of explosive used; where it had been placed in previous bombings; how security measures had been circumvented... Once he¡¯d had the questors¡¯ full attention, the agent had explained how the next attack would be an inside job¡ªit was the only way to avoid the new safeguards. And a name had been provided. A fake one, obviously.

    The whole thing was a sham.

    ¡°Questors were seen going into the building,¡± continued Athissia. ¡°Did they come out before the explosion?¡±

    ¡°A few did, leading some of the survivors out with them, though many were still within¡ªlikely trying to evacuate the remaining visitors.¡±

    ¡°Do we know how many died, Haran?¡±

    ¡°It is still too early to say, Athissia. Though I can tell you there are, on average, a thousand visitors in the building at any given time. Those numbers had gone down following the previous bombings, of course, but not as much as you might think, especially after the government vowed it would do everything in its power to prevent something like this from ever happening again.¡±

    ¡°Do we know how many were evacuated?¡±

    Haran Lim pointed toward an off-screen spot to his right. ¡°I¡¯ve counted a dozen survivors gathered in a makeshift ward that¡¯s been set up nearby, though I¡¯ve heard there are more who are being questioned by the questors as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Haran. We have¡ª¡±

    Zax cut the sound off again.

    This had gone wonderfully well.

    Now, all he had to do was wait.

 158 (3x08) Why the mice were trapped and what they did to find a way out

    Lights flickered on and off as they walked down the empty halls. It was eerily quiet, though every once in a while they would hear distant screams that came from outside.

    There was the clanking of the girl¡¯s metal leg, too. But he was used to that and barely noticed it anymore. Part of him was concerned it might draw undue attention, but so far they had met no one. As if the creatures were content with the streets. Then again, they had plenty of targets there, so why come here where there was no one?

    Kaine¡¯s eyes paused on a door and he cringed.

    No, he thought. Not no one. There are still patients in some of these rooms. Abandoned to their fate.

    The staff must have run when the invasion began.

    He glanced at Ondine, who walked close to him. She was his responsibility now. But how could he keep her safe with all those creatures out there? How could he keep himself safe, for that matter? Where would they go? He was looking for a way out of the hospital, but was this wise? It felt like they would be safer inside.

    His initial thought had been to find a way off the planet¡ªwhatever place this was, it was not one he wanted to stay in. But finding a ship would require crossing alien-infested streets. That was assuming he could even figure out where the spaceport was.

    Perhaps they should find a place to hide in the hospital and wait there for help. Surely, the Impies would come to the rescue. But the idea of cowering in a corner did not appeal to him. Nor did it feel helpful. More likely, it would simply delay the inevitable...

    He chided himself. Why was he so negative? The situation was bad, but surely there was a way out. There had to be. There always was.

    The ground shook as a loud boom resonated through the empty halls. Little hands grabbed at his leg as the trembling girl pressed herself against him.

    Kaine patted Ondine¡¯s hair, trying to comfort her as he looked around. The explosion had happened nearby. Part of him was curious about what had caused it, while another worried it would draw unwanted attention.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Spotting smoke down a hall, he grabbed the girl¡¯s hand and started in that direction.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go take a quick peek,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe we can find something useful.¡±

    He thought perhaps there were explosives he could use. It was not likely in a hospital, but still, it was worth checking out. Any type of weapon could come in handy. The staff had taken his phaser. He¡¯d looked everywhere in the room, but had only found his clothes and wristpad.

    As they neared the smoke, he could smell and hear a fire burning behind a door. It was getting hotter, too, as they approached. This was not good. If it communicated to the rest of the building, it would force them to leave the hospital.

    He glanced back at the girl. ¡°Stay here, Ondine. Away from the door. I need to see what¡¯s on the other side.¡±

    She complied, though she looked unhappy and nervous.

    The door had been half blown off its hinges, making it easy to open. He kicked it a couple of times and it fell inward with a clash. Thick smoke drifted out.

    Looking inside, he saw flames, though they had not spread further than a dashboard. He blinked as he scanned the room and paused when he saw the gateway.

    ¡°Oh. Of course.¡±

    Every hospital needed a private gateway for emergencies. Likely, the staff had used it to flee the premises. They must have rigged it so the invaders couldn¡¯t pursue them.

    He stepped back with a frown. Glanced at Ondine.

    What they needed was a plan, and one was starting to take shape.

    There had to be more of these things. If not here, elsewhere in this damned city.

    Moving away from the door, he lifted his wristpad and tapped on it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see where we are and where we can go,¡± he muttered.

    The device informed him the world was Ovkan, the city Falkanos. It was one of the largest, well-known in the rim for its numerous hospitals. Each of them had a gateway, though he guessed each would have been destroyed like the one here. Perhaps some were still active, but it would take too long to check them all out. Too risky as well. The public gateways were even more likely to have been blown up¡ªif not by the operators themselves, then by security. No. Their only hope, he realized, was the wealthy. Many of them would have private gateways. Few of them would think to destroy them. More likely, they would hope to use them to return once the threat had passed¡ªthe rich were notoriously self-centered, after all.

    His wristpad brought up a list of all the wealthiest people in the city and he had it mark those who lived the closest to their location.

    Those places would have security, and he¡¯d have to get them through that. Lucky for them, he was a professional thief. That would be the easy part.

    The hard part would be getting there.

    Preferably without getting killed.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he told Ondine as he grabbed her little hand. ¡°We¡¯re getting out of this hellhole.¡±

 159 (3x09) Why our man was tossed in a cell

    Halden stared at the man in the chair, wondering if he¡¯d heard right.

    ¡°Treason?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, yes. Of course. How else would you avenge your daughter? We want the same thing, you and I, professor. We both want to see the tyrant pulled off his throne. And we can help each other.¡±

    The scientist grunted. ¡°And tossing people into a cell is your way of making allies?¡±

    A smile¡ªthough there was no humor in it.

    ¡°We want things to be very clear between us, professor. Crystal clear. Because, you see, we will be asking you to do certain things which you might find... how can I put this? Unpalatable. You will, however, do these things regardless.¡±

    ¡°I will?¡±

    The man made a wide gesture.

    ¡°Look around you, Prof. Roche. Do you enjoy this cell? Consider how easy it was for us to grab you and toss you in here. Do you think we would have any difficulty doing so again? Disobey us, and your stay here will be more permanent. Not to mention much more unpleasant. And if that is not enough incentive... Think of Rees. Think of Marthus. I know Marthus is no longer your friend, but you still care for his children, do you not? I¡¯m sure you would not want them to suffer a similar fate to your daughter¡¯s. Though I suppose there would be some karmic justice to it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡ª¡±

    ¡°You misunderstand, professor. You no longer have a choice. You no longer have control. You belong to us now. Do as you¡¯re told or suffer the consequences. Do you understand?¡±

    Halden grimaced. ¡°So it¡¯s not an ally you want, it¡¯s a slave.¡±

    A dismissive gesture. ¡°Call it as you will. So long as you are clear on what we expect of you. Namely, obedience.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The scientist laughed again. The other frowned.

    ¡°You find this amusing?¡±

    ¡°Very. You say the Emperor is a tyrant and you want him off the throne. But your methods are not much better. I¡¯d argue they are worse. So who will replace him? I doubt your master would be any less of a tyrant if his methods are any indication. Just switching from one monster to another.¡±

    The stranger grunted. ¡°Do not press your luck, Prof. Roche, you would not like the outcome. Work with us and you will find my ¡®master,¡¯ as you put it, to be quite a generous one. This...¡± He gestured again at the room around them. ¡°This is only a message. To make sure we understand each other. Do we understand each other?¡±

    ¡°Oh, very much so.¡±

    ¡°Splendid.¡± The man tapped on his wristpad and Halden heard a click from his shackles. They opened and fell to the floor. ¡°Come. There is food waiting for you in another room.¡± The stranger stood, turned, and headed out.

    Halden rubbed his wrists as he got to his feet. He considered rushing the man and pummeling him to the ground, just to release all that pent-up anger on some deserving target. Caution stayed his hand and as he stepped into the hall, he realized he had been right to be careful. Two burly men stood nearby, watching him like hawks.

    The one who had spoken to him had stopped at an open door and was waiting for him with a quirked brow. He motioned for him to go in.

    Inside, Halden found a table covered with food. Four more guards stood there, one in each corner.

    ¡°If we¡¯re going to work together,¡± he said as he headed for a chair, ¡°don¡¯t you think I should at least know your name?¡±

    The other shrugged. ¡°You can call me Nuj.¡±

    ¡°And what of your master? What¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°Master will do just fine.¡±

    Halden snorted as he sat and grabbed a glass of zestri. ¡°Wonderful. So what do you want me to do? Might as well give it up already.¡±

    ¡°There will be several missions, professor. The first is a simple matter of delivering a package. You must do this before you leave for the Tin¡¯kisti Belt.¡±

    The scientist nearly choked on his drink.

    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t give that detail to Marthus.¡±

    The other man smiled. ¡°You think that bug in his glider is the only one we¡¯ve planted?¡±

    ¡°Fine. But why do you need me to deliver a package? There are professionals who do it for a living, you know.¡±

    ¡°No questions asked, professor. That¡¯s a must if we are to have a healthy relationship. Now, I will leave you to your meal. You must be famished. When you are done, these gentlemen will take you to a gateway. They¡¯ll also give you the package and the address where you are to deliver it. You will then return here through the same gateway. They will then drop you home. Simple, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Without another word, Nuj turned and walked out.

 160 (3x10) Why the base gave them the creeps

    It was an empty and desolate place. Dark, silent, lifeless... Walking through those empty halls was a disquieting experience, something like nothing Mrill had ever known before.

    The men and women who had lived and worked here had left traces, of course. You could see signs of their passage through the entire base: abandoned holodisks, leftover clothes, discarded photographs... Things they could not have taken with them when they¡¯d left¡ªor chose not to. What was blatantly absent, however, were the parasites that followed humans everywhere they went. There were no bugs here. If the Gnorlians had brought any with them, they had carried them off again. If any had stayed, they had long since died, as there was nothing here for them to feed on.

    It had taken her a while to realize this absence was the source of her unease. She had not spoken of it, however, as it would have broken the silence¡ªsomething all six of them seemed reluctant to do. The patter of her bare feet against the cold metal floor sounded loud enough to her ears, in an eerie sort of way. It was odd, because she knew the shoes the others wore made more noise than she did, yet her own footsteps were all she could hear.

    Peter was frowning and had been for a while. If anything, the frown had increased as they explored the base. She sensed his thoughts before he finally decided to voice them.

    ¡°Someone else has been here. Recently.¡±

    Kesh nodded. ¡°Gnorlians are known to be meticulous and tidy. The mess we see here everywhere is... unusual.¡±

    ¡°Whoever it was must have been upset to find the place empty,¡± said Lartha.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just the mess, though.¡± Peter pointed at the ceiling. ¡°Have you noticed those?¡±

    Mrill looked up and saw large and deep gashes in the alundil surface.

    ¡°What kind of weapon would do that?¡± asked Kesh.

    When Peter remained quiet, the blue-skinned woman turned her impassive gaze on him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it was a weapon,¡± she said.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The rebel leader glanced at her. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t read the minds of your friends?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± He sighed as he looked at the others in their group. ¡°I think we had better head back.¡±

    All agreed. They turned and walked out, though now they would often examine the ceiling. The gashes were not everywhere, but they were frequent enough to make them all nervous. In a few places, they spotted them on walls as well.

    After another long silence, Kesh grunted. ¡°There¡¯s no life on this asteroid, damn it! How can an animal have done this?¡±

    ¡°Maybe the Gnorlians brought some with them,¡± suggested Evor¡ªa young green-haired man from Evaran.

    Lartha made a face. ¡°Why would they bring something capable of doing that?¡±

    ¡°And, more importantly, where is it now?¡± asked Kesh.

    ¡°Maybe they took it back with them.¡±

    Kesh snorted. ¡°Next, you¡¯re gonna tell me it was a pet.¡±

    They fell quiet again.

    Peter had remained silent throughout the exchange, a concerned look on his face.

    Without reading his thoughts, Mrill understood all too well what must be going through his head. This base was an obvious opportunity, but could he jeopardize his people¡¯s safety if something dangerous had been set loose? Even assuming the creature was no longer here, what was to say it would not return? Without knowing precisely its nature, there was no telling what sort of limits it had¡ªif any.

    They made their way back to the ship, casting wary glances around them as they walked out into the open. Their wristpads had generated shimmering forcefields around each of them that allowed them to breathe in the vacuum of space¡ªthere was no air, no atmosphere on the asteroid.

    The base had two greenhouses that generated enough oxygen to make living indoors comfortable, but outside was a different story.

    As soon as they¡¯d boarded Starrider, the fields shielding them faded. Most of the rebels headed out to the mess hall to join their companions. Only Kesh and Mrill followed Peter to the control room.

    There they found Val napping in her chair, head resting on arms, arms resting on dashboard.

    Peter sat next to her. She must have sensed his movement, for she stirred, lifted her head, and opened sleepy eyes.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°You look like you haven¡¯t slept in a while, sis.¡±

    She rubbed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, then rolled her head around to ease her neck.

    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯ve been kind of busy lately with people trying to lock me up when they¡¯re not shooting at me.¡±

    ¡°Fair point. You should go get some rest while I¡¯m here. I can fly this thing, you know.¡±

    Val smiled. ¡°Of course you can. And I might take you up on that. So, how was it out there?¡±

    Her brother frowned. ¡°Creepy, I¡¯d say.¡±

    ¡°That bad?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Jury¡¯s still out on that one.¡±

    ¡°So, where are we going next? Back to Pluvios?¡±

    ¡°Might as well.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Her fingers darted across the console. ¡°And while we¡¯re on our way, I will tell you a story.¡±

    ¡°A story?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my dear brother. Tell me, have you ever heard of the United Nations of Cadrina?¡±

 161 (3x11) Why it mattered to go deeper

    As soon as she stepped out, a shimmering glow formed around her. The forcefield held enough oxygen to keep her comfortable for hours. Her wristpad was connected to her nervous system and constantly monitored her vitals to make sure she never lacked anything. As long as its link to the ship¡¯s thilium core was not severed, it would never fail.

    A map of the area appeared on her retina. Taking a moment to inspect it, Sarisa started down a slope. The terrain was tricky and she¡¯d have to watch her footing, but there was enough purchase for now. The original explorers had dug a trail leading to the buried ruins, so she did not expect too much trouble. Still, she had rope and pitons to help, in case the land had changed in the past two thousand years.

    There was not much to see ahead, because of so many protrusions. It was all jutting rock, everywhere she looked. No trees, no rivers, no flowers...

    From reading geological reports, she knew this world had not always been like this. There had been life here, once upon a time. Billions of years ago. Before even the birth of humanity. That was how she knew how old this language was.

    How long had this civilization survived, though? And what had destroyed it¡ªnot to mention this world? Why was it like this now? So many questions ran through her head. It baffled her that no one else wanted to know. The past could inform the present, even the future. It seemed so obvious to her. There had to be lessons to learn here. Mistakes to be avoided.

    Her right foot slipped, and her hand shot out to grab a nearby rock spike. Regaining her balance, she frowned at the floor and carefully stepped over the broken surface. The stone here was brittle and she could see cracks running through many of the tiles that paved her way. She paused at this, realizing that this was not natural ground. Was it the path the explorers had dug, or something much older, dating from that ancient civilization?

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Sarisa took a deep breath before resuming her walk.

    Another ten minutes, and she reached the bottom of a large crater. Checking the map, she saw there should be an opening in one of the walls... right behind her, in fact. She turned, walked around a boulder, and stopped when she found the shadow-filled opening. It was small, but not so small she couldn¡¯t fit into it.

    A tap on her wristpad and a glow appeared, floating in front of her. She moved forward and it moved with her, lighting the way.

    Shadows parted as she stepped into the narrow and damp tunnel. She could smell the rank air, but it did not stop her. Nor did the trickery steps that took her further into the dark depths of the earth. Trickery not only because they were slim and uneven; they were also partly covered with a glistening substance that proved slippery. She had to be careful to avoid those spots as she slowly made her way down.

    When she reached the bottom, she found herself in a circular cave. For a moment, she wondered if she hadn¡¯t taken a wrong turn. She hadn¡¯t examined the crater as she should have... Could there have been other openings? She had assumed this was the one and had hurried in.

    The reports mentioned no other tunnels, however, so she had to assume she was in the right place. Her mind was appeased when she found what the explorers had called the ¡®knob.¡¯ A bulbous rock formation that resembled those antiquated grips for opening doors. Except, as they had noted, there was nothing natural about it. It was smooth and formed a perfect sphere. Clearly, it had been crafted, likely by the aliens who once lived here... Though for what purpose remained a mystery.

    It jutted out from the wall near another tunnel opening. She ran her fingers across its surface and was startled by how warm it felt. It had been chilly outside, even more so here... and yet, this ¡®knob¡¯ was warm.

    Sarisa pulled away and stared at it for a moment, then headed down the new tunnel.

    Despite knowing what she was about to see, the view stunned her when she finally arrived at the end of the hall.

    She now stood on a ledge, high above the ruins of an ancient city. The city sprawled through a gigantic cavern, as far as the eye could see. To reach it, there was only one way. More steps. Steep ones. Just as narrow and uneven as the previous. From the ominous glint, she could tell more of the same slimy substance would impede her progress. Even more troubling, there was no railing.

    With a grunt, she started the slow descent.

 162 (3x12) Why they had to run

    As often is the case, the wealthiest people in town all lived in the same neighborhood. On the one hand, that would make it quicker to explore several houses in a row. On the other, if one was compromised, it made it more likely all the others would be as well.

    Kaine decided not to worry about it until they were there. For now, he needed to focus if they were to survive.

    None of the gliders he found were functional¡ªwhich he thought was odd. At first glance, they did not seem damaged. They just refused to turn on.

    They had no time to waste, so he took them to the street. There were no other options. The walkways were destroyed, large chunks of them hanging in the air, burning. Splinters of glass and metal littered the ground, amid piles of fuming and mangled corpses.

    He worried about Ondine, but there was no way to prevent her from seeing the horrid remains. They were everywhere. Blood and guts covered the road, drawing swarms of bugs.

    Screams rang all around them. Thankfully, they were distant. Still, it meant nothing. Hostiles could be nearby. So he remained vigilant as they hurried through the deserted street.

    He saw a phaser lying on the ground, fingers still gripping it¡ªthough the hand was no longer attached to a body. Despite his growing nausea, he reached down to grab it, pushing the fingers off with a rock. He wasn¡¯t sure how effective the weapon would be against these creatures, but he was pretty sure it would fare better than his bare fists.

    As often as possible, they kept to the shadows, pressing against the walls of buildings¡ªhalf-running, half-walking. At one point, they paused when they heard hissing and the sound of scrambling feet. Large, spiked shapes appeared¡ªa dozen of them. Like oversized lumps of meat with a bulbous mound for a head. Blood-smeared fangs covered their sickly reddish brown skin, bits of human flesh hanging from them. Long and thick legs allowed big strides that quickly took them out of sight.

    Overcoming his state of shock, Kaine glanced at the girl and saw the horror in her eyes. He pulled gently on her hand.

    ¡°Come on, Ondine. We can¡¯t stay here.¡±

    It took them twenty minutes to reach their target. The first houses were burning, and the fire was quickly spreading across the neighborhood.

    Kaine cursed.

    They needed to find one still intact¡ªwhich meant outracing the flames. He knew they could never pull that off. Unless...

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    He tapped on his wristpad, and a layout of the neighborhood floated in the air before him. With a swipe, he focused the display on the spot where they were, then zoomed in.

    There was a river nearby. With some luck, it would stop the fire. He only hoped the bridges hadn¡¯t burned down, or they¡¯d have some trouble getting across.

    Grabbing the girl¡¯s hand again, he pulled her toward the water. Just a few blocks further...

    Most people would have flown over the river, but the bridges were still useful because not everyone could afford a glider. The poorer citizens walked. And while this was a wealthy neighborhood, the wealthy had maids and servants.

    When they reached the bridge, Kaine noticed there was a fire on the other side as well, but further away. Hopefully, they¡¯d find a gateway before the flames reached them.

    The bridge was damaged, but still held. There were fewer bodies in this neighborhood, Kaine noticed. Likely because the rich had cowered in their houses or had fled through their gateways. The victims here were all servants who had tried to run home.

    They made it through the other side and rushed to the first house, stopping short in front of the door. Kaine motioned the girl to wait as he leaned down and studied the lock. It was the standard type, with a thilium-powered mechanism that required a keycard to open it. Normally, he would have looked for another way in¡ªa window, or a trapdoor on the roof¡ªbut there was no time for that. Brute force would have to do. The house was likely vacated by now, so it mattered little.

    He tapped on his wristpad, and a small compartment opened on the side. Out of it, he pulled a small metallic pick. When he pressed it between his fingers, it expanded into a fat rectangular slab. He slapped it against the locking panel and waited for the telling clank. It took mere seconds for the device to attach. When the sound rang out, he punched it hard. The metal sizzled. Kaine jumped away from the door, pulling Ondine with him. A loud screech followed as the edges of the door started to twist and shrink.

    ¡°The device,¡± he explained, ¡°pulls the hinges toward itself. It applies so much pressure it distorts the surface. It can handle any material¡ªeven alundil¡ªthough wood is easier, of course.¡±

    With a resounding clap, the now loosened door fell inward.

    Kaine grimaced as he looked back at the street. ¡°I hate using that thing,¡± he muttered. ¡°Too noisy. Come on, let¡¯s hurry in.¡±

    The girl followed him as he stepped inside, retrieving the device on the way. Finding the gateway¡ªassuming there was one to find¡ªcould take time. He would have asked the house¡¯s AI for assistance, but his break-in tool would have disabled it to cut off any alarms. Besides, it was unlikely it would have responded to a stranger.

    Going from room to room, it took them ten minutes to find it. Not even hidden, it waited, unperturbed by the chaos outside. A black man-sized form on the wall that reflected no light, with a wooden frame around it. Consoles on either side. A slight bluish glow around the edges told Kaine the gateway had recently been operated and remained active.

    A piercing shriek made him jump out of his skin. He flipped around, lifting the phaser just in time to see one of those fang-covered nightmares rushing at him. He pulled the trigger as he pushed the girl through the gateway with his free hand. The shot hit the creature square in the face. It jerked back, shrieked again as a greenish and slimy substance oozed from its wound.

    Kaine did not wait to see what it would do next.

    He jumped through the gateway.

 163 (3x13) Why the package was delivered

    The guards had given him the package and an address, then pushed him through a gateway without bothering to tell him the name of the planet he was sent to. He had considered going to the closest spaceport and just leaving, but he didn¡¯t want to carry around this thing... A black box that would only open for the recipient. A common enough practice that made it nearly impossible to steal. All it took was a sample of the person¡¯s DNA that would then be coded into an alundil container.

    Halden could have tossed it away, but what would it cost him to just drop it off and then run?

    Of course, running wasn¡¯t an option either. They knew his name. His address. His employer. His friends and family. No, they had him on a leash. He didn¡¯t like it, but denial wouldn¡¯t help.

    His wristpad told him he was on Domnach, some ten thousand light years away from Bernice. He skipped the detailed report to pull up a map of the city. The sooner he got this done, the better.

    There were no walkways here¡ªat least, none that he could see¡ªand he had no glider. Thankfully, his destination was not too far. A ten-minute walk, at most.

    As he started off, he wondered about this world. It seemed peaceful enough, though the streets were oddly empty for a city this size. Understanding came quickly, however, when it started to rain. Not water. Rocks. As large as his fists. Wherever they hit the ground, they would burst into flames. Halden ran to the dubious safety of a roofed alley. Dubious because the roof had holes where some larger boulders had come through. He pressed himself against the wall, his heart pounding.

    What was this place?

    While he waited for a respite, he read a more detailed report on this world. It was an old colony with four moons. The locals had mined those moons for alundil and other precious metals, but they had taken it a bit too far. When they noticed the satellites were becoming unstable, all operations had halted, but it was too late. Large chunks of the satellites now regularly showered down on Domnach. They broke off into smaller pieces when they reached the atmosphere. Those moons were made of a peculiar rock that, upon heating, became volatile. By the time it reached the ground, it was as effective as a bomb.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    He could tell the shower was over when people started showing up in the streets.

    Casting wary glances toward the sky, he headed out. A few minutes later, he found his destination. He rang at the door and waited.

    A woman opened it, wearing the uniform of a servant.

    ¡°Hello. I have a package for...¡± He frowned as he looked at his wristpad. ¡°Esde Bharmi.¡±

    ¡°I will take it to her, thank you.¡±

    His instructions did not state he was to deliver it in person, so he was content to be rid of it and move on. He nodded as he handed the black box to the woman, then turned and walked away.

    He was a few feet away when he heard a resounding boom behind him. Turning, he saw smoke rising from the house he had just visited.

    Though his first instinct was to rush back to see if he could help, he stopped himself short. This couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. He didn¡¯t believe in coincidences. This was him. He had done this.

    He stumbled to the nearest wall and slumped against it, staring at the flames and at the crowd forming around the house.

    What had he done?

    No, no, no...

    This was not on him. No more than Lucy¡¯s death was on Rees. These people, whoever they were, were playing games with him¡ªand with other people¡¯s lives.

    They had used him like a tool. That was all he was to them. What other heinous acts would they have him commit?

    He needed a way out.

    For a second, he considered telling the visor. But that was not an option, was it? He would have to admit knowing the truth about Lucy¡¯s death, and that would not be good. Not good at all.

    He shook his head and started off again, heading back toward the gateway.

    To find a way out, he needed more information. He needed to know who he was up against. Who was behind Nuj? Who was pulling the strings?

    He¡¯d figure it out, one way or another.

 164 (3x14) Why one can achieve the impossible

    They were halfway to Pluvios when the news reached them. It was Evor who first heard it on the holoflux. Some unknown alien species had struck several rimworlds, leaving no witness alive. The largest death toll so far had been on Ovkan, but it would likely rise as they were headed toward the heart of the Imperium.

    Val had blanched upon hearing this.

    ¡°Ovkan?¡± she asked, sitting straight in her chair.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I heard,¡± said Evor.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got to go get Kaine!¡±

    Peter grimaced. ¡°They said no one survived. I¡¯m sorry, Val.¡±

    ¡°How would they know?¡± she snapped. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you say something about an evacuation?¡±

    ¡°Not many got out before the planet got hit, but a few did,¡± conceded the younger rebel.

    ¡°I hope your friend was among them,¡± said Peter, ¡°but if he was, he wouldn¡¯t be on Ovkan anymore.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I need to see this for myself, can¡¯t you understand?¡±

    He sighed and looked at Evor. ¡°I take it the aliens are no longer there?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve moved on. The Impies are all over the place now, though. I doubt it¡¯d be safe for us to show up there.¡±

    ¡°He has a point,¡± said Peter. ¡°You should drop us off first.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re closer to Ovkan than we are to Pluvios. I could drop you off somewhere else... Nim! What¡¯s the closest inhabited world?¡±

    ¡°Proxinis. But it¡¯s a small colony with few amenities. The nearest after that is Ovkan.¡±

    Peter grunted. ¡°Sounds like we don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±

    ¡°Just stay on the ship until I¡¯ve found him,¡± said Val as she set the new course.

    ¡°What if you don¡¯t find him?¡±

    She frowned. ¡°If he¡¯s no longer on the planet, I¡¯ll track him down. They have to be keeping records.¡±

    Val knew that wasn¡¯t what her brother had meant, but she didn¡¯t want to think about the alternative. Thankfully, he was smart enough not to press the issue.

    ¡°Do you think these aliens are the ones the drifter told us about?¡± asked Kesh.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Peter grunted. ¡°Probably. I¡¯ll go chat with him. Maybe he knows something that could help us.¡±

    The rebels all left, except for Lartha who sat in the chair next to her¡ªthe one Kaine used to sit in.

    They didn¡¯t speak for a while as Val focused on piloting the ship. It wasn¡¯t required, Starrider was fully automated and Nim was quite capable of taking them anywhere she wanted; but she enjoyed the feeling. And, right now, she needed to feel like she had control over something.

    The rebel woman¡¯s voice startled her.

    ¡°You know, when I was a child, I lived in a small village on Ubarath. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever heard of it. It¡¯s not in the rim, much closer to the center of the Imperium, but it¡¯s too wild of a place to attract much attention. Beautiful, but dangerous. We don¡¯t have much technology there. We could, mind you. I mean, it was settled in the days of Hassan the Conqueror, at a time when scientists were still honored and respected. But the settlers who went there were lovers of nature. That was the draw for them in the first place. They wanted to live as had our ancestors¡ªin communion with the wildlife.¡±

    Val glanced at the other woman. ¡°How did that work out for you?¡±

    Lartha chuckled. ¡°I think we all, to some degree, yearn for what we don¡¯t have. It certainly was my case. I dreamed of the stars, of other worlds... of technology, even. That¡¯s not to say I didn¡¯t love my home. I did.¡± She fell quiet for a moment, staring at the stars displayed on the screen before them. ¡°My village is in the jungle. There is a waterfall nearby, with this steep, impossible cliff. It doesn¡¯t go straight up, but slopes outward as it reaches the top. The cliff is made of red rock that becomes extremely hot in the summer, to the point where touching it with your bare hands creates blisters in a few minutes. The fissures that crack the wall are home to poisonous lizards and spiders big as a fist. But every year, the youth of Aslathar make it a point to climb that cliff.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    A smile. ¡°Why not? It is a challenge. A way to tell the planet that we will not let it intimidate us. To prove we can live our lives on our own terms. That this is our home.¡±

    ¡°I assume many died in this pursuit?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. Granted, accidents became less frequent as the years passed and we became more adept at the exercise. But even before that, we only had a couple of fatalities. Wounds were common, though, and still are. I got bit by a lizard myself, and had a few blisters, but Ubarath provides remedies for all its poisons.¡±

    Val stared at the other woman. ¡°You climbed the cliff?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... How? I mean, why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°I was at a point in my life when I needed to make that claim. I needed to feel connected to the world. That I belonged there. Yeah, I know what you¡¯re thinking. Why would I want to belong to a place like that when I was dreaming of the stars?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I was young and foolish. I thought I would never leave, that I¡¯d spend all my life in that small village. Rather than lose hope, I thought I should embrace my destiny. And so I climbed the cliff. Best thing I ever did.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why?¡±

    Lartha grinned. ¡°Because it opened my eyes. If I could do that, then why the hell couldn¡¯t I leave that place? I was gone within a year.¡±

    Val shook her head as she looked back at the dashboard. ¡°Did you have a point?¡±

    ¡°Four hundred years ago, people said it was impossible to climb that cliff. Heck, our grandfathers¡¯ grandfathers still thought it was insane to even attempt something like that. And yet, here we are. We humans can achieve anything when we put our mind to it.¡±

    They fell quiet as Val pondered on the rebel¡¯s words.

    A couple more hours and they would reach Ovkan. Facing what awaited her there had felt insurmountable a few minutes ago.

    Not so much now.

 165 (3x15) Why an old invention could save the day

    The call had come soon after the bombing. An emergency session was to be held at the senate.

    He sat there now, watching as his agitated colleagues shouted over each other, all trying to make statements that were either obsolete or irrelevant.

    Those mattered little to him, however. The ones to watch were the silent ones. Those who thought things through and waited for the most appropriate time to speak¡ªwhen they¡¯d be sure the others would hear them.

    There were only a handful. Lekili Abbadar, of course, who would occasionally throw glances in his direction¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure what to make of that. Then there was Atros Kalen, a young and brash man from Burnos who, despite his temperament, knew when to keep quiet and when to make a point. Malach Noori was an egocentric prick with a questionable lifestyle. Zax had heard rumors about the guy¡¯s sexual preferences that had made him feel sick. If they were true, the man belonged in a cell. He¡¯d sent some of his agents digging, but they had yet to uncover any evidence.

    Udhi Moran wore her heart on her sleeve, which was rarely a good thing for a politician. Still, she was smart and strong. But Gulen Vadesh was the craftiest of the bunch. A brilliant mind in an oversized and hideous body. Because of his appearance, everyone tended to underestimate him. A situation he was well aware of and used to his full advantage.

    The words ¡®war¡¯ and ¡®aliens¡¯ stood out from the gibberish some random senator was spouting, catching Zax¡¯s attention. He focused on the tall redhead who was floundering in his attempts to make a point no one seemed interested in hearing.

    With a frown, he lifted his wristpad and went through the latest holoflux. He cursed at himself as he read about the invasion. Of course, something like this would happen when he wasn¡¯t paying attention. He¡¯d normally have heard of this as soon as it¡¯d hit the news, but he had been too busy setting things up...

    And this changed everything.

    Or maybe not.

    His fingers drummed against the armrest of his chair, pondering.

    ¡°Something on your mind, senator?¡±

    The question came from his assistant, who sat behind him. She had leaned closer to whisper in his ear and not disturb the ongoing monologue.

    He shook his head and leaned forward¡ªas much to put some distance between him and the young woman as to focus.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    The senate on Xovu was quite different from all the previous senates Zax had been in. Unlike the others that dealt with local issues, this one handled matters that impacted the Imperium as a whole.

    Though the Emperor was on Assalin, the Imperial Senate was on Xovu. Just like the IAS was on Bernice and the thilium reserves on Effarat. An old tradition, thousands of years old, meant to separate the various seats of power in case some disaster occurred. A disaster like, say, an alien invasion. Despite all of his failings, Nashadan Prime had had the sense to maintain things as they stood when he¡¯d usurped the throne.

    Still, Zax doubted the young Emperor would be able to handle the situation properly.

    He needed to speed things up.

    The question was: how much time did he have?

    ¡°The bastard who blew up the Regency while we¡¯re being attacked by aliens should be trialed for treason and executed on the spot.¡±

    Kalen¡¯s voice was calm, strong, clear. He had spoken during a lull in the other¡¯s speech. All eyes turned on him now. A feral smile crept across his lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can all agree on that, at least.¡±

    Abbadar cleared her throat.

    ¡°Perhaps a better use of our time,¡± she said, ¡°would be to find a way to evacuate the worlds on the aliens¡¯ path in the quickest and most efficient way possible.¡±

    ¡°What of the victims here at home?¡± asked a local senator. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I¡¯m more concerned about what is affecting us now than what might affect us tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°And that is why you¡¯ll never go anywhere,¡± muttered Zax to himself.

    Abbadar made a dismissive gesture. ¡°We can¡¯t help the dead, senator. Though I¡¯ve read reports stating that Apanax has offered to provide free food for the families of all the victims.¡±

    So Zintra listened to my suggestion after all, thought Zax with a smile.

    ¡°A most generous offer,¡± conceded the local senator, ¡°but what measures will we take to avoid this from happening again? Obviously, the previous ones were insufficient.¡±

    Noori grunted. ¡°I hardly think that¡¯s a priority now.¡±

    ¡°What if the madman does it again, despite the invasion?¡± insisted the other.

    ¡°We will hunt him down and feed him to my dogs,¡± Kalen hissed.

    A moment of silence followed the statement.

    Zax coughed, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. He stood.

    ¡°May I make a humble suggestion?¡±

    Abbadar nodded. ¡°Please do, senator.¡±

    ¡°If we can determine the exact path of these aliens¡ª¡±

    ¡°They are headed straight for us,¡± said Vadesh in a monotone voice.

    Zax glanced at him. Nodded. Looked at his audience again.

    ¡°Well then, it is a simple matter, isn¡¯t it? We know the safer worlds where to send people. Obviously, we cannot have everyone go to the same place, that would create mass panic. We need to organize this properly...¡±

    ¡°You said you had a suggestion?¡± asked Kalen.

    Zax sighed. ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I? Yes, my friends. I suggest we use gateways to evacuate people. Quick and efficient, as requested.¡±

    The younger senator made a face. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be enough of them to be so efficient. Typically, one per city. And only the larger cities have them. It¡¯d take forever.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes, if we stick to the public ones. But this is war, my dear friends. Martial law allows us to arrogate private gateways.¡±

    Chaos followed his statement as all the wealthiest senators began to protest the proposition.

    It would do them no good, of course.

    Martial law was now the rule.

    Zax smiled as he sat and watched.

 166 (3x16) Why the wealthy have no clue

    A large group of men and women¡ªover a dozen at first glance¡ªsat around a table, eating and laughing. The fine clothes they wore betrayed their wealth, as did the lavish dishes and the servants.

    Kaine had no time to wonder about the mountains he saw in the background. Barely noticed the sky above his head or the water under his feet. He spun when he heard the roar and shot at the fang-covered hand that came through the gateway. The creature shrieked but did not stop. Screams from behind, and the sound of clattering silverware.

    The monstrosity lunged at him. He jerked back, but bumped into something hard that knocked the wind out of him. A claw slashed across his chest, and pain shot through him. He lifted the phaser and shot again.

    The sound of breaking glass rang in his ears as shards rained down on him. The beast¡¯s head exploded, projecting green slime and brain matter across the floor.

    Covering his head with his arm, he wondered at his aim, as he had gone for the chest, then heard running footsteps. Turning his bleeding head, he saw armed guards surrounding him and Ondine, who was on the floor, rolled in a ball, bleeding from a dozen wounds, and covered with glass shards.

    It was then he realized where he was. This was not some sort of open-sky platform. It was a house. All made of glass. His back had hit against a wall, and the guards had shot through another to kill the alien.

    He crawled over to Ondine to check on her, noticed she was crying.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he muttered as he took her in his arms and rocked her. ¡°We¡¯re alive. It¡¯s over. The monster is dead.¡±

    She buried her head in his chest, sobbing.

    ¡°You, sir, have much to explain.¡±

    The voice was unpleasant. Shrill and arrogant.

    He jerked his head up and looked at the gateway. Pointed at it with one hand, still holding the girl with the other.

    ¡°You have to destroy that!¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Most certainly not!¡± said the annoying man.

    He stepped between Kaine and the portal, a scowl on his face. He was tall and bearded, with small black eyes that squinted at him.

    ¡°Fine. Then don¡¯t be surprised if more of those things come through.¡± Kaine pointed at the dead creature.

    The man shuddered as he glanced at the alien.

    ¡°We can just disable it.¡± He nodded at a servant, who hurried toward the console. ¡°I¡¯ll double the guards, too, just to be safe. No need to be rash. Gateways are expensive, and I still have a use for this one. Now enough about that nonsense. Who are you and what are you doing in my home?¡±

    ¡°Escaping hell, that¡¯s what. Ovkan is overrun by those things. You must have missed that while you were partying.¡±

    The other made a dismissive gesture. ¡°A minor inconvenience, is all. I¡¯m sure the Emperor will clean that mess up soon enough. As for you, sir, I do not like your tone. And you have yet to give me your name.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t earned it.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like your tone either, sir. I¡¯m not yours to order around. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, you are an intruder on private property. A most serious offense.¡±

    ¡°Look, mister, this was our only way out of that hellhole, so I took it.¡±

    ¡°And brought a most unwelcome guest with you. I hold you responsible for the damage this has caused. You will pay for all of it, of course.¡±

    Kaine glanced at the guards who still surrounded him. Though they had turned their weapons away, they still stood at the ready.

    He grunted as he looked back at the man.

    ¡°Sure. Whatever you say. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, we¡¯ll get out of your hair and let you continue your little party.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. My men will escort you to a room. You will stay with us until we¡¯ve settled this matter to my complete satisfaction.¡±

    Oh, great! Just what I needed.

    One of the guards leaned to grab his arm and pulled him.

    ¡°Hey! Watch it now. Can¡¯t you see my friend is hurt?¡±

    The guard grunted.

    ¡°So are you,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll get you a healer. Follow me.¡±

    Kaine decided to carry the girl, as she seemed to be in shock and still too dazed to walk.

    As they went through the glass house, he saw the guests were all staring at him, some whispering to each other.

    After a moment, he felt uneven ground under his feet and realized they had stepped outside.

    ¡°How can you tell where you¡¯re going with all that glass?¡±

    The guard shrugged. ¡°You get used to it.¡±

    They headed toward some trees, and Kaine could see a roof behind them.

    ¡°I guess keeping me back there would have been a bad idea. Too much of a distraction for the guests with all that glass.¡±

    The guard only grunted. He opened the door when they reached the structure and he motioned for Kaine to go in.

    ¡°There will be four men posted around the hut at any time, so don¡¯t try anything stupid.¡±

    ¡°What about that healer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have one sent to you. Shouldn¡¯t be too long.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    The man shut the door and they were alone again.

 167 (3x17) Why his ride never showed up

    They asked no questions, and he offered no comment. As soon as he walked through the gateway, they quietly escorted him to a glider and flew him to his home.

    Checking the date and time, Halden noticed they had taken twenty-four hours from him. He was exhausted and dispirited. He felt broken inside, but he would not let them have the last word.

    Shaking himself, he took a shower, then lay on his bed to get some rest. Tomorrow, the visor would send someone to pick him up for his trip back to Nad¡¯irith. He sat up suddenly. With all that had happened, he hadn¡¯t sent the list.

    Cursing, he hurried to his desk and went through his options. He considered taking Groggan with him, but eventually decided against it. After his experience in the Fault, he knew his assistant would have a role to play and suspected he¡¯d need to be outside the influence of the thilium source to play it well.

    Five minutes later, he had a list of ten individuals he felt sufficiently qualified to assist him with this mission and sent it out to the visor. He expected a call from the man, but he didn¡¯t hear back.

    Halden returned to his bed and fell asleep.

    The next day, he waited for his pick-up. It never came.

    An hour after the agreed time, he called the visor. The man did not answer immediately. When he finally did, he sounded irritated.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Prof. Roche.¡±

    ¡°I can see that.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Right. Well. It¡¯s just that someone was supposed to pick me up today. At least, I thought so, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Damn it, Roche! Don¡¯t you think I have my hands full right now? I¡ª¡± Rash stopped. Took a deep breath. ¡°I should not have snapped at you. Apologies. The invasion is putting a lot of stress on everyone at the moment.¡±

    Halden frowned. ¡°The invasion? What invasion?¡±

    The visor squinted at him. ¡°Where have you been the past twenty-four hours? I suggest you check the news, professor. What we feared might happen has happened, only sooner than expected. I¡¯ll get you out there, but you¡¯ll have to find us some answers quick.¡± A frown. ¡°I had to cancel your transport because I needed the men elsewhere, but it¡¯s for the better. We¡¯ll get you through a gateway. It¡¯ll be faster this way. I doubt they have one on Nad¡¯irith, but we¡¯ll get you as close as we can. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±

    The communication was cut off before Halden could respond. He blinked and stared at the wall across from him.

    An invasion?

    He went to his desk and loaded the latest holoflux on his TriVid screen.

    ¡°¡ªthousands of ships headed for Vetexta,¡± said Athissia¡¯s familiar voice. ¡°According to preliminary reports, the local population is resisting evacuation. Five Imperial fleets are, as we speak, converging to meet the invaders and should intercept them before they reach Vetexta. If this fails, three billion more victims could be added to the fast-growing death toll.¡±

    Another reporter¡ªthis one a man¡ªappeared, floating in the air before Halden.

    ¡°It has been confirmed that the invaders are moving in a straight line toward Assalin. This has allowed the military to predict all the worlds that will be impacted and to commence evacuation and strengthen defenses. Population is urged not to panic. It is unlikely the invaders will succeed in penetrating far into the Imperium. They will be met with deadly force. Twenty additional fleets are being positioned to intercept their advance. Do not panic, but remain vigilant and stay informed. You will soon be notified if your world needs to be evacuated. If such an order comes, please comply as calmly as possible with Imperial instructions.¡±

    Halden¡¯s heart was beating fast by the time he turned off the holoflux. He pulled up information on those worlds that had already been hit and he blanched upon reading the description of the creatures.

    Fang-covered.

    Just like in his visions of the future.

    Those monstrous creatures had arrived.

    And humanity was not ready.

 168 (3x18) Why she twitches her fingers

    She walked alone through the empty halls. There was something about this ship that fascinated her. She¡¯d heard it was a Corvair. The name sounded familiar, though she couldn¡¯t bring up the memory.

    Mrill tapped on her wristpad and it displayed some basic information. It was an old, and short-lived model of high-speed and high-quality spaceships that was discontinued because of flaws found in the navigation system.

    She frowned at this.

    Slowly, it came back to her. A story she¡¯d heard as a child. The only time she¡¯d heard of a Corvair. One had come to Vron, close to two hundred years ago. Or, rather, it had drifted by close enough to raise alarms. Her people had not joined the Imperium at the time, so they were not yet familiar with human-designed ships. When they boarded it, all they found were corpses. The boarding party had thought it cursed and departed immediately, letting the vessel drift away.

    Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned her expressionless face toward the sound.

    Kesh nodded when he saw her.

    ¡°Did you get lost?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No. Did you?¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°Just heading for the mess hall to grab something to eat before all hell breaks loose.¡±

    She fell into step with him. ¡°You expect trouble on Ovkan?¡±

    ¡°You never know with the Impies. They were already trigger-happy after that whole mess with Qevahr, so imagine now.¡±

    ¡°You seem rather cheery for someone who¡¯s afraid of what is to come.¡±

    He grunted. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. Well, not exactly. It¡¯s just...¡± He frowned. Glanced at her sideways. ¡°Why are we having this conversation? Do you even know what emotions are?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°One wouldn¡¯t think so from looking at you.¡±

    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t see it, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not there.¡± The rebel looked dubious. ¡°I am not human, Kesh. Unlike your people, my emotions do not show on my face. They show on my fingers and on my toes.¡±

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°And on other, more intimate parts of my body as well.¡± She paused. ¡°Should I show you?¡±

    Kesh looked away, blushing. ¡°Uhm, no. I¡¯m good, thank you.¡±

    ¡°That is fortunate, for it is quite cold here.¡±

    ¡°Was that a joke?¡±

    ¡°Do you think it was?¡±

    ¡°I think it was a joke.¡±

    She bowed her head. ¡°Then I shall defer to your wisdom.¡±

    He stopped walking and stared at her for a moment, then burst out laughing.

    ¡°That was another joke! You crack me up, girl.¡± Mrill stood there, staring at him blankly. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll buy you a drink.¡±

    ¡°Everything is free here.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Just a figure of speech.¡± He started walking again, and she followed him into the refectory. ¡°So, can everyone from your world read minds?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    His eyes drifted to her twitching fingers.

    ¡°I see what you meant,¡± he said thoughtfully. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure how to read that.¡±

    ¡°Which is fortunate.¡±

    There were a few people in the room, who nodded at them as they sat at an empty table.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I dislike showing discomfort.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That bad?¡±

    She said nothing for a moment. ¡°My people frown upon otherness.¡±

    Kesh tapped at the air, wiped through the choices, and made his choice. Then he leaned back in his chair, observing her.

    ¡°Why do I feel like that was an understatement?¡±

    Mrill held his gaze for a moment, then turned to the floating display to pick a drink. Too bad there was no avanthnar. Then again, it might have made her too vulnerable.

    ¡°You know,¡± Kesh said, ¡°discrimination is nothing new. Or, rather, I should say, it is not exclusive to your people.¡±

    ¡°I have noticed.¡±

    He grimaced. ¡°I imagine you have.¡± He sighed. ¡°You¡¯d think we¡¯d have gotten over it after who knows how many millennia... But no. People are still afraid of what they don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°And you are not?¡±

    He opened his mouth, then closed it. ¡°Okay, I get your point.¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡±

    Their drinks materialized on the table before them, as did a plate of food that Kesh had ordered. He snorted.

    ¡°I was thinking of those alien invaders. If we weren¡¯t afraid of them...¡± He frowned.

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. I suppose we could see things more clearly. But it¡¯s not the same thing, is it? I mean, they attacked us. They gave us reasons to fear them. To hate them, even. But you?¡±

    ¡°I read minds.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Right. But...¡± He scowled. ¡°Are you defending those who discriminate against you?¡±

    Her fingers tapped on her glass as she lifted it.

    ¡°The problem is not the feeling, it is the response.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It is normal to fear what we do not understand. It is not to vent anger and hatred on it, let alone to destroy it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fair point,¡± he said as he started digging into his food.

    The speakers crackled and Val¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°Everyone! Ovkan¡¯s within sight, but we have a problem. Impies are requesting to board the ship.¡±

    Kesh grimaced as he swallowed his mouthful and dropped the fork.

    ¡°Well,¡± he muttered, ¡°there goes my appetite.¡±

 169 (3x19) Why the wind was on her mind

    Two days she¡¯d explored the ruins and had little to show for it. The dead city was huge, and she was desperate to find answers. The more time passed, the more she doubted. Had she made a mistake? Was there nothing to find here?

    Still, if there were ruins, there had to be something else...

    The original explorers had found things¡ªthough oddly enough had not documented where exactly the precious tablets had been found, or if they had left more behind.

    One thing for certain, they had not stayed long. She hung on to that thought, hoping it was a good sign. Surely, in only two months, they couldn¡¯t have pierced all of this place¡¯s secrets.

    Sarisa laughed.

    She¡¯d only been here two days. How could she expect to have found anything when she doubted two months had been enough for them? She was nervous, was all. Of course she¡¯d find something. It was only a matter of time, and she had plenty of that.

    The sound of her footsteps echoed through the empty streets. It was grating. Aside from her, there seemed to be no life left here. She had yet to spot a bug, let alone an animal.

    It was a long trip back to the surface and to the ship, so she had taken camping material and set a tent up in one of the larger buildings she¡¯d found. The tent produced its own air bubble, so she could strip and relax. This place was hot, she¡¯d discovered¡ªalmost unbearably so¡ªand it was a relief when she could take her clothes off.

    She paused midway up a flight of stairs to catch her breath. This structure had a unique shape, somewhat pyramidal, that made it stand out. She suspected it might have been a temple. Either way, it was bound to hold some secrets. She¡¯d found no mention of it in the explorers¡¯ reports. Perhaps they had not come so far into the city.

    Resuming her climb, her steps took her to an opening large enough for four humans to step through side by side. The height was similarly overblown, tall enough to accommodate a dozen persons standing on each other¡¯s shoulders.

    Many buildings had similar features, which made her suspect these creatures may have been much bigger than humans. But she wasn¡¯t so sure anymore. Because this was far from systematic. She had also found regular-sized places, as well as some much smaller ones. Not to mention the stairs she had just gone up¡ªif these beings were so big, the steps should have been impossible for a human to climb, yet each had been the expected height.

    With a sigh, she stepped in and paused as the glowing globe floating before her slowly lit up the room inside.

    The walls were covered with complex frescoes depicting various creatures in what seemed like ritualistic ceremonies. Some were small, with globulous eyes and antennae; others larger, with slanted eyes and horns. All were humanoid in shape, though fur covered their bodies. The furs were of all colors, regardless of size¡ªred, blue, green, yellow... And there, in the back, she saw what the creatures worshipped. A gigantic, lizard-like creature with wings. A dragon, she thought. Like in the old legends. She wondered if those things had been capable of breathing fire and shuddered at the thought.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    She glanced back at the opening she had come through. Could those creatures have really existed? It would explain the size of this place¡ªand of some others. And they wouldn¡¯t have needed larger steps, since they could have flown away.

    Bringing her attention back to the walls, she noticed something else. At the bottom were familiar symbols... similar to the ones on the slab she had bought from Axxarx.

    Careful inspection revealed many more such inscriptions. She recorded it all with her wristpad, so she could study it later.

    She filmed everything as she went deeper into the structure, finding more drawings and writings. They covered every wall. The ceiling, high above, was a jade dome. The floor resembled marble, though she suspected it was some other, unknown material. It was dark brown and reflected the glow¡¯s light.

    Aside from some massive pillars¡ªmade of the same material as the floor¡ªshe found nothing else: no statues, no jars, no furniture... Not even shards or broken tools. Only dust and silence.

    Considering how old these ruins were, it was likely they had been looted many times, which could explain the lack of items and ornaments.

    That night, going through the recordings, she started putting some pieces together. The writing told the history of these ancient creatures. Though much of it made little sense to her. They were very rigorous in tracking the passage of time, which she found useful¡ªeven if their calendar was a very alien one¡ª, but it had internal consistency, which was something.

    In the five thousandth year of what they called the Ascendancy, she noticed they began to mention the wind a lot. Which she found odd, because there had been no mention of it before.

    The wind is relentless. It comes, it blows, it tears everything down.

    Those words were etched in various spots throughout the Temple¡ªas she had decided to call the large pyramidal building. These beings would frequently repeat text in this manner, as if fearing it may be forgotten or somehow destroyed.

    The wind blows evermore.

    She thought the mention of wind was peculiar. She had felt none on the surface, much less here. Likely this planet had been very different at the time this civilization had thrived.

    Sarisa was glad the aliens had taken to writing on their walls, as any books they might have produced would have been taken by the looters, gone forever. It was also much more enduring material. Unless they had advanced technology that allowed things like wristpads or TriVid terminals, but she somehow doubted it.

    Buried in all that text were names. Meaningless at first, though she soon was able to associate them with some of the figures, even if the relationship between the creatures remained unclear to her. The gh¡¯enem¡¯d were the smaller aliens who lived as slaves, dependent on the mercy of the valad¡¯eth who ruled over a thousand worlds.

    This made her pause.

    A thousand worlds? This hinted at an advanced civilization, with technology capable of traveling through the stars. Then why did she not find any traces of such technology? This also meant there would be more ruins, out there, on other planets... Was this even the center of their civilization, or maybe just some outlying outpost? It could explain things, she thought. After all, the Imperium¡¯s own rimworlds were often less advanced, some outright backward. Perhaps this city was something like that.

    More importantly... could this civilization have survived?

    Hopefully, she would find more answers in these ruins.

 170 (3x20) Why the doctor helped

    The healer came soon enough. Kaine had him look at the girl first. She only had minor scratches, though there was no telling how much damage was done inside her head.

    Kaine considered her for a moment and decided she would be fine. After all, she had survived spending who knows how long alone inside a Kinzuki Cage. This was nothing compared to that.

    After the healer was done treating them both, he looked around the cabin and sighed, shaking his head.

    ¡°This is no place to get better. You need a hospital.¡±

    Kaine didn¡¯t think they were so badly off, but he wasn¡¯t about to argue with the man.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to get out of here, but that decision has been taken out of my hands.¡±

    The healer frowned. ¡°He¡¯s holding you against your will?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much, yeah.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    Kaine pointed at Ondine and himself.

    ¡°I saved our lives, that¡¯s what. And probably your master¡¯s and all his guests¡¯ as well. Well, okay, the guards would have killed the alien anyway, but I¡¯d rather not think how much damage it would have wreaked before they shot it down if I hadn¡¯t been there to slow it down.¡±

    ¡°An alien?¡± The healer¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wait, are you talking about one of those invaders?¡±

    ¡°I guess word has got out, eh?¡±

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The man nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve hit quite a few worlds on their way.¡±

    ¡°On their way where?¡±

    ¡°Toward Assalin, they say. Though it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯ll make it. The Imperials have gathered a massive fleet to stop them.¡±

    ¡°Wait. That¡¯s a lot to process. The aliens know where they¡¯re going? And they¡¯re taking their time hitting planets on the way?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one wondering, my friend. It¡¯s all anyone can talk about.¡± He glanced at the girl, then back at Kaine. ¡°Well, this is hardly the way to thank you for your service.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not military.¡±

    ¡°Even so...¡± He frowned. ¡°Look, I can probably get you out of here, but you¡¯ll have to lie low for a while.¡±

    ¡°Can you define ¡®a while¡¯?¡±

    ¡°A few hours.¡± The healer glanced out the window. ¡°Until nightfall. One of the guards is a good friend of mine. We¡¯ll work something out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that, thank you. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Nevin Corvwah. And, by the way, Vadesh is not my master. I just live in the neighborhood.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I meant no offense.¡±

    ¡°None taken. Be wary of him, though, he has powerful friends.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t you get into trouble for helping me?¡±

    Corvwah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m about to move out, so there¡¯s not much he can do.¡± A grin. ¡°Besides, I have powerful friends too.¡±

    Kaine chuckled. ¡°Glad to hear.¡±

    ¡°I should get going.¡± The healer paused, considering the prisoner. ¡°You were on Ovkan?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Educated guess. Of all the worlds Vadesh has villas on, Ovkan is the only one I know of to have been hit. How bad was it?¡±

    ¡°They killed everyone. There were piles of bodies in the streets, doctor. I¡¯d never seen anything like it. And those creatures...¡± He shuddered. ¡°It¡¯s like they have fangs all over their bodies. I don¡¯t know how they can do anything with those things...¡±

    Corvwah glanced at Ondine. ¡°She saw all that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Poor girl.¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    The healer turned and headed for the door. ¡°I¡¯ll get you word as soon as I can. Hopefully, it won¡¯t take too long.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Oh, and doctor?¡±

    The other man looked over his shoulder as he was about to open the door.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I forgot to ask but, what planet are we on?¡±

    ¡°Oh. You¡¯re on Xovu, didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    He opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind him.

    Kaine stared at the door.

    Xovu.

    The second most populated world in the Imperium after Assalin. The heart of its administrative power. The seat of the Imperial Senate.

    Oh hell...

 171 (3x21) Why the maid gave him food

    Waves broke against the shore, licking the sand with greedy tongues. The sky was overcast and the sea agitated, though there was no rain... for now. The air was cool and carried pleasant scents.

    Halden had gone back to that same beach where he had spoken with Rees¡ªalone, this time¡ªand sat on the same bench. He needed a place to think, to relax while he processed all that had happened. Sometimes he felt like his brain would burst. It was just too much for him. He was a scientist, not an adventurer¡ªmuch less a hero!

    He¡¯d feel better once he was on Nad¡¯irith. There, he could focus on his work. Far from the war and, hopefully, from Nuj and his goons.

    With a sigh, he sat back and pressed two fingers against his temple. Blinking, he selected Vina¡¯s name and initiated a call.

    ¡°Halden! Good grief, where have you been? I¡¯ve been worried sick. Have you heard about the invasion?¡±

    ¡°I have. Are you still on Assalin?¡±

    ¡°I am, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stay there.¡±

    ¡°What? I thought I¡¯d come to you. It¡¯s been too long...¡±

    ¡°No, Vina. You¡¯ll be safer on Assalin. Besides, I¡¯m about to leave.¡±

    ¡°Going back to the Fault?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s vital we pierce its secrets¡ªmore so now than ever.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I suppose that¡¯s true. When will I see you again?¡±

    He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I can come with you¡ªor join you there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably not a good idea. Traveling won¡¯t be safe until those invaders are dealt with.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be easy enough to avoid them, you know, since they¡¯re going in a straight line...¡±

    ¡°Still, I¡¯d rather play it safe. Anyway. I just wanted to see you and to hear your voice.¡±

    ¡°I miss you.¡±

    ¡°So do I.¡± He paused, looking through her face at the sea. ¡°Someday, when all this is over, we¡¯ll get a house here, on the beach. Or on some other beach, on some other world. It doesn¡¯t matter. So long as there is the sea.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±

    ¡°I have to go. Take care of yourself, Vina.¡±

    ¡°You too, hon.¡±

    He brought down his hand and her face faded.

    Closing his eyes, he listened to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Tried to focus on that alone, pushing everything else out of his mind for a little while.

    Until his wristpad beeped.

    Looking at the small screen, he saw the visor had sent him an address with a brief note saying: ¡°Go as soon as you can.¡±

    Halden stood and walked back to his glider. Expecting to leave in a hurry, he had already prepared a bag with his things and it was on the seat next to him.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    As he transferred the address to the onboard AI, the familiar tug inside his brain told him someone was trying to call him. A blink revealed the caller¡¯s identity. It was Marthus.

    He clenched his teeth and shook his head.

    No. He wouldn¡¯t talk to that man. Not ever again.

    He was done with Marthus.

    The tug faded as the glider lifted and sped toward its destination.

    It was in a part of town he had never been to. The wealthiest neighborhood. Likely, he would be sent through a private gateway.

    He watched through the window as the small vehicle drifted high above crowded walkways and glistening buildings.

    It finally slowed when it reached a group of villas, each with a large plot of land, and descended toward one. He saw multiple structures, an animal pen, and two swimming pools. There was also a paved rectangular area, which is where the glider landed.

    Halden stepped out and looked around.

    Two servants¡ªa man and a woman¡ªwere walking in his direction.

    ¡°Prof. Roche?¡± asked the former when he was within earshot.

    ¡°It is I.¡±

    ¡°My name is Filix. This is Darela. Welcome to the home of Grekor Antolan.¡±

    The woman bowed her head. ¡°Is there some drink or food you would like us to prepare for you, sir?¡±

    ¡°I doubt there¡¯ll be time for any of that, Darela. I¡¯m on urgent business and expect to be leaving soon.¡±

    ¡°Then perhaps a quick collation. I will make preparations.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, the woman turned, took a step, and disappeared

    Seeing his surprise, the remaining servant smiled.

    ¡°Darela¡¯s work requires speed. So our master, in his infinite wisdom and immense generosity, has made her the great honor to lend her a transpin.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes, I see.¡±

    ¡°Now if you¡¯ll please follow me, Prof. Roche, my master is expecting you. I will take you to him directly.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Lead on.¡±

    They took a cobbled path that snaked through the garden, all the way to the looming villa. It was a three-story affair made of stone, glass, and jade.

    Inside, green walls welcomed him. A two-hundred-year-old carpet¡ªstill looking pristine¡ªmuffled the sound of their footsteps.

    Filix took him down a hall, then through a door into a large library with warmer colors¡ªall reds and purples and browns. Book-loaded shelves covered the walls. A dozen chairs were arranged across the room. A gray-haired man, in his sixties, sat in one of them. He looked up as they entered, put down the book he was reading on a nearby table, and rose.

    The servant bowed. ¡°Sir. This is Prof. Roche. Professor, this is my master, the honorable Grekor Antolan.¡±

    The older man nodded. ¡°Thank you, Filix. You may leave us now.¡±

    Another door opened as he left, and Darela appeared, carrying a tray covered with snacks, a jug of water, and a bottle of zestri.

    Antolan frowned when he saw her.

    ¡°A less elaborate serving would have been sufficient, Darela. Our guest will not be long with us.¡±

    She glanced at Halden. ¡°He looks dreadful, sir. I picked food that is high in energy.¡±

    The lord of the house turned a quirked brow toward the scientist, looking him up and down.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± he muttered.

    Halden shifted on his feet.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. ¡°In fact, if it¡¯s all the same to you, I would rather skip this entirely.¡± He motioned toward the tray as the servant set it down on a table. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you must be aware, my business is rather urgent.¡±

    ¡°Our common friend has hinted as much.¡±

    The scientist cringed inside at being lumped into the ¡®visor¡¯s friend¡¯ category, but was careful not to let it show.

    ¡°I thought you might say that,¡± said the woman as she pulled a bag out of a pocket and tossed chips and nuts into it. She walked up to Halden and handed it to him.

    Antolan seemed amused as he watched this quietly.

    Halden grimaced but took the bag with a nod.

    The woman turned, took a step, and disappeared.

    ¡°Feel free to leave the bag if you don¡¯t want it,¡± said the visor¡¯s friend.

    The scientist glanced down at it, considered, then shrugged. ¡°I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to eat some of these.¡±

    Antolan chuckled. ¡°As you wish. So, Olan has asked me to send you as close as I can to the Tin¡¯kisti Belt. I have a friend with some property on Obaron. It¡¯s about a two-hour flight from there to Fad¡¯anarth.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of either.¡±

    ¡°Not surprising. They¡¯re both small worlds. Fad¡¯anarth is at the very edge of the Tin¡¯kisti Belt. Olan will have a ship waiting there for you to take you to your final destination. Follow me.¡±

    Antolan headed toward yet another door and stepped through, Halden following him closely. They walked through a narrow hall that led them into another, smaller room. The black oval on the wall glimmered as they arrived.

    The visor¡¯s friend stepped up to a panel next to the gateway and tapped on it for a moment. The dark surface shifted and an image formed. Of a similar room.

    ¡°My friend isn¡¯t there at the moment, but one of his servants will take you to the landing pad.¡±

    Halden nodded. ¡°Thank you, sir. I appreciate your help.¡±

    ¡°Say nothing of it.¡±

    Antolan gestured toward the gateway and Halden stepped through.

 172 (3x22) Why the going got tough

    Six battlepods had surrounded Starrider by the time Peter ran into the control room.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let them onboard!¡± he shouted.

    Val grunted. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that?¡±

    ¡°What have you told them?¡±

    ¡°Nothing yet.¡±

    Peter frowned. ¡°What? How are they not shooting at us if you¡¯re not responding?¡±

    ¡°I am, just not with words. They asked us to stop moving, so we did. I¡¯m hoping they¡¯ll think our coms are dead.¡±

    ¡°How does that help?¡±

    ¡°Buys us time.¡±

    Peter dropped into the chair next to her and drummed his fingers against the dashboard, staring at the battlepods on the main screen.

    ¡°Ovkan is a medical world, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    She glanced at him. ¡°Yeah. What did you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°Tell them we¡¯re sick. Try to make it sound like you mean it, too. Something highly contagious. We come seeking help.¡±

    ¡°All the doctors are likely dead, Peter.¡±

    ¡°I know that. Gives us a way out, though. They won¡¯t want to come onboard anymore and should be only too happy to let us go.¡±

    ¡°But I need to go down there!¡±

    ¡°Do you have a better idea, Val?¡±

    She grumbled as she shook her head. ¡°Fine. But once I¡¯ve dropped you off, I¡¯ll come back and try again.¡±

    ¡°That might not be safe if they think a virus is still rampant on the ship.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Before he could respond, she stabbed at the controls to open a channel. ¡°Imperial ships, this is...¡± She coughed and made strange gurgling sounds before resuming. ¡°This is Diin Arwen of Santorash, captain of the Intrepid. My crew and I...¡± Another fake bout of coughing. ¡°We were contaminated by an unknown virus while exploring...¡± Her voice broke off. She shot a glare at her brother as she coughed some more into the microphone. ¡°An uninhabited planet beyond the rim. Highly contagious. Two of my men are dead. We come for treatment.¡± She ended with even more coughing.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    There was silence for a moment, then a man¡¯s voice boomed into the control room.

    ¡°Captain Arwen. You must not have heard, but Ovkan was savaged by aliens. All local healing staff was slaughtered. We have, however, brought in medical help from Elphine. They should be able to treat you. We will escort you to the surface. Once landed, please do not attempt to exit your ship and wait for healers to contact you.¡±

    Val¡¯s expression brightened, while Peter let out a string of curses.

    ¡°We are going straight into the lion¡¯s den!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll never come onboard.¡±

    ¡°But those healers will. And this won¡¯t help you if you can¡¯t get off the ship. We¡¯re worse off now than we were before.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    ¡°Stop saying that.¡±

    ¡°But I will! Just you watch and see. Look, they¡¯re turning and heading toward the surface.¡±

    Her hands ran across the dashboard and Starrider started moving again, following in the wake of the battlepods.

    ¡°We¡¯re in way over our heads,¡± said a man¡¯s voice.

    As she glanced back, Val noticed a dozen of the rebels stood behind them, staring at the screen. It was Kesh who had spoken.

    ¡°Look, healers are less likely to realize who any of you are. Besides, Peter is the only one famous enough to be recognized. So it¡¯s just a matter of keeping him out of sight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting one thing,¡± said Lartha. She pointed at the planet. ¡°Those healers will know at first glance that we¡¯re not sick. I doubt they¡¯ll be happy about us wasting their time.¡±

    Val looked down at her dashboard. Frowned.

    ¡°It¡¯s just another cliff to climb,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°What?¡± asked Kesh.

    She looked back at the rebels and noticed a small smile on Lartha¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s just do this one step at a time. I suggest you all figure out how you¡¯re going to act and what you¡¯re going to say when we land. There are plenty of places to hide on this ship, so those of you who don¡¯t feel you can pretend to be sick, make yourself scarce.¡± She looked at Peter. ¡°And that goes for you too, naturally.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we all hide, then?¡± asked Kesh.

    ¡°Because I told them I had a crew. It¡¯d be weird if they came aboard and found only me.¡±

    Kesh grumbled. ¡°You should have told them you were alone.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, I didn¡¯t. Whoops. Now, can we stop pointing fingers and start acting like we know what we¡¯re doing? Okay, I¡¯ll make it easier on you guys. I don¡¯t need a big crew. I never mentioned how many I had with me. Has to be more than one, but two should be enough. So pick the best actors among you, and everyone else scram!¡±

    After some debate, Evor and a woman named Galdin decided they would play along. Val sent them to the infirmary while the others found places to hide. Soldiers would have searched the ship, but healers were more likely to just go where they were told. Which would make things easier... until things got complicated.

    ¡°Well,¡± Val muttered to herself, ¡°I¡¯ll just have to figure something out, won¡¯t I?¡±

 173 (3x23) Why the music was loud

    The room was crowded and noisy. Music played in the background, but the volume was too loud and people had to shout to be heard. Small bots floated all around, delivering orders and grabbing empty glasses. A scent of burned sugar lingered in the air.

    Zax scrunched up his face as he approached the buffet and looked at the rich assortment of food on display.

    ¡°Is it not to your liking?¡± asked a woman¡¯s voice.

    He glanced to his right and saw Udhi Moran stopping next to him, a slight smile on her wrinkled face.

    ¡°The food looks fine. But I do wish the music wasn¡¯t so loud. I can¡¯t even hear myself thinking. It¡¯s unnerving.¡±

    ¡°Have you considered that might be the point?¡±

    Zax blinked. Frowned. Vadesh was sneaky, but what could he possibly gain from annoying his guests?

    The woman laughed as she lightly touched his arm.

    ¡°You should see your face. I¡¯m jesting, senator! Think nothing of it. Gulen told me the device was broken. It will only play very loud or not at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Zax grumbled. ¡°Perhaps not at all would be best.¡±

    He turned to the table, grabbed a triangular plate, and selected some items from the trays.

    ¡°I wanted to compliment you, by the way.¡±

    ¡°What about?¡± he asked distractedly.

    ¡°Why, your idea of using gateways to evacuate the threatened planets, of course! That was brilliant thinking.¡±

    He shrugged as he pointed over his shoulder at the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m sure half of them had already thought of it, but were either too afraid to voice it or hoping no one else would.¡±

    ¡°Then you came and blew their house of cards down.¡±

    Zax could hear the amusement in her tone. He eyed her with curiosity.

    ¡°I take it you don¡¯t own a gateway yourself?¡±

    It was her turn to shrug. ¡°If I did, I¡¯d happily surrender it to the authorities.¡±

    A bot buzzed around their heads, and Zax shooed it away. He stepped back from the table and bit into a cracker.

    ¡°You know, you intrigue me, senator.¡±

    He glanced at her again. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°New members tend to keep a low profile for some time. Not only are you not doing that, but you are putting yourself in the line of fire.¡± Seeing his quirked brow, she smiled. ¡°Figuratively speaking, of course. The suggestion you made will not gain you any friends, but you knew it wouldn¡¯t and made it anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been more concerned about people¡¯s lives than about hurting someone¡¯s feelings, senator Moran.¡±

    ¡°Please, call me Udhi.¡±

    ¡°Then you must call me Zax.¡± She beamed at him. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I would like to speak to our host.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Of course, Zax.¡±

    He stepped away, diving into the crowd. It did not take him long to find the oversized man. He was laughing loudly at something someone had said. A woman and two men stood next to him.

    Zax approached. When Vadesh spotted him, his smile widened.

    ¡°Aha! Our hero of the day!¡±

    ¡°You honor me,¡± said Zax with some humor.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°I do, I do! Come. Join us. We were just talking about how enraged Thelmen was. It¡¯s the reddest I ever remember seeing him. Of course, he has the most to lose¡ª¡±

    ¡°To lose?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± chipped in a younger man. ¡°He owns more gateways than anyone else. Two-thirds of them are commercial ventures, you see, so your proposal is bound to affect his income.¡±

    Vadesh laughed as he clapped the other on the back, hard enough that it made him stumble and knock over his glass. Half its contents spilled over the dress of the woman across from him. She howled and jumped back, looking down.

    ¡°Raffik! Look what you¡¯ve done, you clumsy idiot!¡±

    The host¡¯s laughter grew louder as the young man started babbling out apologies. The woman turned and marched out, Raffik in her wake, waving his hands wildly in front of him.

    Zax popped a cracker into his mouth as he quietly watched them leave. His attention was drawn back to Vadesh when the large man grabbed his arm.

    ¡°Iden! Have you met Thoolan Corash?¡± He pointed at the one man who remained. ¡°He is one of your greatest fans!¡±

    The other shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Ah. No. I mean, yes, but... I wouldn¡¯t put it quite like that.¡±

    Zax looked at the slim and sweating man with some distaste.

    ¡°Nonsense! Weren¡¯t you telling me just now how much you admired our friend¡¯s ability to turn the tables at the senate?¡±

    ¡°Uhm. That was you, actually.¡±

    ¡°It was?¡± Vadesh blinked. Laughed. ¡°So it was! Ha!¡± He tapped Zax¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Guess I¡¯m your greatest fan, then. Imagine that!¡±

    Zax grunted as he ate the last cracker on his plate and looked around. Frowned.

    ¡°No bots?¡±

    He could see some floating about, but all were some distance away.

    The large man made a dismissive gesture. ¡°I don¡¯t need them here.¡±

    ¡°So what do I do with this? Throw it on the floor?¡±

    Vadesh glanced at the offending plate. ¡°Oh.¡± He clapped his hands and one of the small devices buzzed toward them. Metallic appendages reached out to grab the item, then it wheezed away just as quickly. Zax followed it with his eyes until it disappeared into the crowd.

    ¡°There! Calamity averted. Now, where were we?¡± Corash said something, but it was covered by the thundering music. ¡°What was that?¡±

    Zax turned and snapped. ¡°Can¡¯t you turn the damn din down already? Or do you expect us to exhaust ourselves by screaming our lungs out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, senator,¡± Vadesh said apologetically, ¡°but the system is broken. I¡¯m afraid it cannot be helped.¡±

    ¡°Then just shut it down. I¡¯m sure you could do that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it would defeat the purpose, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Zax stared at the large man, but before he could respond, Vadesh continued. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been meaning to thank you for your contributions to our hearings. You¡¯ve only been here a short time, but you¡¯ve proven quite valuable already. I foresee a brilliant future for you, my friend. I take it you are ambitious, yes?¡±

    Zax squinted at the other senator. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all?¡±

    Vadesh chuckled as he looked at Corash. ¡°That¡¯s a fascinating question, wouldn¡¯t you say, Thoolan? Oh!¡± He turned to Zax again. ¡°I haven¡¯t told you yet, have I? But Thoolan here is a member of the Conclave. If anyone can answer that question, it likely would be him. So...¡± He turned a quizzical expression to the smaller man, who looked even more uncomfortable now.

    ¡°Well...¡±

    The man took a long sip from his glass in a failed attempt to hide his hesitation. Zax took that time to re-evaluate him. The Conclave was no joke. Its members only answered to the Emperor himself. He would have to go through one of them to achieve his goal of joining the High Seat. This was an opportunity he couldn¡¯t ignore.

    ¡°Ambition comes in all shapes and sizes,¡± muttered the man. ¡°So, in that sense, yes, I suppose everyone has ambition. Though one¡¯s definition of ambition might differ greatly from another¡¯s.¡± He fell quiet then, his eyes drifting back to the liquid in his glass.

    Zax wondered how such a man had managed to get into the Conclave. He seemed utterly unfit for the job.

    ¡°Well said!¡± Vadesh grinned. ¡°And I¡¯d further argue that ambition is essential in our line of work¡ªregardless of your definition. Oh! Speaking of which, I have helped your cause by spreading the word to my colleagues offworld. Some are already cursing your name, all across the Imperium!¡± His grin widened. ¡°Surely, fame can help feed your ambition, yes?¡±

    Fame, too, came in all shapes and sizes, mused Zax. While it might serve him, he preferred anonymity to infamy.

    The irony of that thought made him laugh.

    Which startled the two men.

    ¡°What? What?¡± asked a confused Vadesh.

    Zax made a dismissive gesture. ¡°No matter. Random thoughts. Irrelevant. I thank you for your support, senator.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Oh ho! But it doesn¡¯t stop there, my friend. I will donate all of my gateways to your cause, as well as my brother¡¯s¡ªwhether he likes it or not.¡±

    ¡°That is generous of you.¡±

    Not like you have a choice anyway, he thought to himself. Martial law would force everyone to comply, one way or another.

    ¡°Anything to help the war effort, of course.¡±

    The little man next to Vadesh grumbled and Vadesh stared at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s that you¡¯re saying, Thoolan? We can¡¯t hear you. Speak up!¡±

    ¡°I just wish they¡¯d use the Drill and be done with it.¡±

    Vadesh tensed.

    ¡°The Drill?¡± asked Zax. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t... Oh.¡± He glanced at Vadesh, then looked into his glass. ¡°Never mind,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± shouted a laughing Vadesh. ¡°You understand quite well all that needs to be understood. Always. You are a brilliant man, my friend.¡± He placed his arm across Zax¡¯s shoulders and pulled him away and toward the crowd. ¡°In fact, I would love to hear about your plans for the future. Where do you see yourself a year from now?¡±

    Zax had no intention of answering truthfully.

    So he started weaving a story.

 174 (3x24) Why they had to wait

    They spent the day in the cabin, sitting on the cot. The girl rested her head against his chest as Kaine told her stories of his exploits. He embellished many of the details to make them more entertaining. He was not used to having an audience, but was finding the experience enjoyable.

    Every so often he would look through the window at the darkening sky and wonder when the doctor¡¯s friend would come to their rescue. It was almost night, and he was growing restless. So much time wasted. He had half a mind of breaking out of the cabin on his own. He might have tried that, too, had he been alone. But he wouldn¡¯t put the girl¡¯s life in danger.

    Voices outside announced the change of the guard. When nothing happened for another hour, he gently pushed Ondine aside, stood, and walked to the window. Looking out, he saw two men standing near the door and recognized neither of them. Which was the doctor¡¯s friend? Was he even one of these? Maybe the guy had fallen sick... or had, for some reason, been held back and replaced.

    He frowned. Could he take both of them? Not likely. They were burly and his phaser had been taken. He looked around the room, hoping to find some other way out¡ªdespite having checked twice already.

    His eyes stopped when they met Ondine¡¯s. She was staring at him.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked with a frown.

    She said nothing¡ªshe never did, of course. Instead, she motioned toward the door.

    He looked over his shoulder.

    There was nothing to see... though he heard a muffled thud, followed by a grunt, then silence.

    He made for the window and was halfway there when the door opened and one of the two guards stepped in. Glanced at the two of them. Nodded.

    ¡°Nevin asked me to get you out of here. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The man turned and headed off without waiting for a response.

    Kaine was about to go to the girl when he felt her small hand slip into his. She stood next to him, looking up with a serious expression on her face.

    ¡°Alright, kid. I guess this is it.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    They walked out and he glanced at the other guard who lay on the ground, unconscious, as they made their way toward a nearby glider. The healer¡¯s friend stood there, waiting for them. He motioned toward the open door and they slipped in.

    ¡°What did you do to your friend?¡± asked Kaine after the man had got in and closed the door.

    The guy snorted. ¡°I barely knew him. He¡¯ll wake up in a couple of hours with a massive headache.¡± He brought out a thumb-sized bottle as the glider lifted and set off. ¡°Doctor gave me this. Said to put some into the guy¡¯s coffee. Odorless and tasteless. Takes a bit of time to work, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Kaine sat back, with the girl curled up against him. ¡°Well, thanks.¡± The other man shrugged as he put the vial away. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Linton, if you must know.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to get into trouble? That guy will know¡ª¡±

    The hulk cut him off. ¡°He won¡¯t know nothing. I¡¯ll be back before he comes to, and I¡¯ll laugh at his face for falling asleep.¡±

    ¡°How will you explain that we¡¯re gone?¡±

    Linton shrugged again. ¡°We don¡¯t get paid to look inside. He¡¯ll never notice. The next shift won¡¯t bother to check either. By the time someone comes to get you, it¡¯ll be late in the morning and I¡¯ll be half a world away.¡± He grinned. ¡°Doc bought me tickets to Iriaki for me and the family.¡±

    ¡°What if someone does look inside before then?¡±

    Another shrug. ¡°Then I bash their head in and leave early. Simple.¡±

    Was this guy for real? Kaine couldn¡¯t believe it could really be that easy. Nothing ever was¡ªat least not in his experience.

    He decided to change the subject.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Nevin bought you stuff, too. Ain¡¯t he generous?¡± Linton snickered as he produced a chip and handed it to Kaine. ¡°Tickets off Xovu, to whatever destination you want. Private shuttle. Just tell the pilot where you want to go. Leaves tomorrow morning. Hopefully, before anyone notices you¡¯re gone. In the meantime, he booked you a room at the Lux Nova. You¡¯ll want to stay indoors as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Kaine took the chip and slid it into his wristpad, reading the display as he listened to the guard¡¯s answer.

    ¡°You never know. And too many cameras. So even if no one notices you¡¯re gone until you¡¯re off planet, they might be able to track you down through video feeds.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll still record us coming in and out when we leave.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t be helped.¡± The man brightened. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot. Nevin did provide a vision scrambler.¡± He rummaged through his pockets until he produced another chip. ¡°Here!¡±

    Kaine took it, blinking. ¡°A scrambler? Really?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be recorded, but this should help make the recording blurry and unusable. Still, you wouldn¡¯t want to use it too much lest you draw attention from security.¡±

    ¡°Right. Guess we¡¯ll just have to order in.¡±

    ¡°Wise call.¡±

    The glider landed, and the door slid open. Ondine jumped out first and Kaine followed, activating the scrambler as he stepped out. He turned to the man who had helped them.

    ¡°Thank you, Linton. We wouldn¡¯t have made it without you.¡±

    The other shrugged. Waved without a word. The door closed and the glider drifted off.

    Kaine watched it go for a moment, then grabbed the girl¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Stay near me, kid. We don¡¯t know how much range the scrambler has, so better safe than sorry.¡±

    Together, they walked into the hotel.

 175 (3x25) Why one man stands alone

    The ship was huge, its hull covered with weapons. They would go unnoticed to the untrained eye, for they were well hidden under multiple layers of alundil. All it would take to deploy the deadly devices was one small vocal command. The vessel would then morph into the most powerful and lethal engine the Imperium had ever seen. It was fast, too. Fast enough to outrun even a battlepod.

    Yes, the ship was huge, but it was empty... Save for one man.

    Adam Bregg¡ªformerly a colonel in the Imperial Army¡ªwas on the bridge, pacing back and forth and mumbling to himself.

    ¡°I have become a joke. Worse, a gnat. A passing distraction, only worth a second of the Imperium¡¯s attention.¡± He snorted. ¡°Now all they talk about is the alien invaders. Ha!¡±

    He paused and stared at the star-filled screen.

    ¡°I could continue,¡± he muttered, ¡°but what¡¯s the point? The aliens are doing my work for me.¡± He scowled at the dashboard, as if it might care about his disposition¡ªit did not. ¡°I should probably sit back, relax, and enjoy the show as the Imperium is torn apart.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°But I wanted to be part of the process. To usher in a new era... Now I have to content myself with a backseat.¡±

    Bregg stopped pacing and dropped into a chair.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say this, though. The Imperium is getting what it deserves!¡± He looked to his right, as if somebody was there¡ªthough no one was. ¡°Yes, yes, I know, innocent people are dying. Tens of thousands. But I warned them, did I not? I told them to leave for the rim. But did they listen? Of course not!¡± He frowned as his eyes went back to the screen. ¡°Sure, the aliens killed in the rim too, but there was nothing I could do. By the time I heard about it, they were already leaving the rim, moving deeper into the Imperium.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The former colonel stared at the dashboard. After a moment more of hesitation, he finally stabbed a button with his index finger.

    ¡°Damn it all to hell! I can¡¯t just stay out here and do nothing. I¡¯ll go nuts.¡±

    He suspected he had already started down that slope, though he refused to admit it.

    ¡°I blame it all on the High Noort,¡± he muttered. ¡°She should have given me a crew. What am I supposed to do all alone? ¡®You can control it with your voice,¡¯ she said. ¡®It¡¯s easy, you¡¯ll see.¡¯ Oh, I see alright. I see you screwed me. I¡¯ve half a mind to go back to Qevahr and do the Emperor¡¯s job for him.¡±

    He fell silent, brooding.

    The ship was alien in design, that much had been clear from the start. Nor had the Qevahri tried to pretend otherwise, though they never explained just how they¡¯d gotten their hands on all this alien technology. Well, that wasn¡¯t entirely true. They claimed it all a gift from their god. But that was preposterous! Or did they think Saan had brought the aliens to their door? And if that was the case, there was a much bigger issue, wasn¡¯t there? Why would aliens give all this to the Qevahri? It made no sense. Unless you believed in a benevolent god, which Bregg did not.

    Still. This was better than nothing. He had an effective tool¡ªa weapon to bring the Emperor to his knees. If only these invaders hadn¡¯t come and screwed up his plans. His crusade had started rather well, though. If he had to do it all over again, he would.

    His only regret was having to leave Ferris and the others behind. There had been no way around it. Bringing them along would have required answering awkward questions, and he knew Richard would never have agreed to this. Orvos and Dawan would have called it madness as well, he knew as much. He found comfort in the knowledge they would be safer on Qevahr... assuming the Emperor did not go through with his threat of destroying the planet. He¡¯d planned to interfere with that, but the Scourge of Abrax had beaten him to the punch.

    The ship¡ªwhich he had christened Sword of Horus¡ªpicked up speed as it headed deeper into the Imperium, in the wake of the invaders.

    Bregg glanced again to his right.

    ¡°No, Richard,¡± he muttered, ¡°I am no hero. There will be no redemption for me. It is much too late for that, my friend. You must learn to accept this as I have.¡± His eyes drifted back to the controls. ¡°I shall watch the Imperium burn. And, when it¡¯s all said and done, I shall celebrate on its ashes.¡±

    He fell quiet as the Sword rushed through the stars.

 176 (3x26) Why the wait ate at her nerves

    The blue-skinned woman sat cross-legged and barefoot on the floor. Hands on her knees, eyes closed, she opened up her mind and listened.

    She had chosen not to hide and sat in her room. She did not worry about being found. It would be simple enough to mess with the humans'' heads, make them see what she wanted them to see... or, in this case, not to see. If they came here--though that was unlikely--they''d only find an empty room.

    But no one was coming.

    Starrider had landed hours ago, and still nothing. The battlepods had left, and now they waited.

    Mrill could sense Val''s growing annoyance. The woman paced back and forth in the control room, every once in a while glaring at the communicator, as if daring it to make a sound. None was forthcoming.

    The ship''s halls were similarly quiet. And empty. All the rebels had found places to hide--many in the hollow of the hull--and she could sense their worried thoughts. Only Evor and Galdin remained. They waited in the infirmary, ready to put on their act if it came to that. They sat there on cots, not speaking a word, playing card games to pass the time.

    Mrill did not mind the quiet. She rather found it soothing. It was good to be on her own again, if only for a while. There was irony there, she realized. She had felt hollow for so long on her own and had sought a community she could join, where she might feel like part of a family. She believed she had found this with Peter and his merry misfits. And yet, being constantly around them could be taxing. She resolved to more often seek moments of solitude such as this--though perhaps under less straining conditions.

    In the control room, Val cursed as she let herself fall into her chair.

    "This is driving me nuts," she grumbled.

    Her fingers danced on the keyboard, and soon a tri-dimensional image formed, floating before her. She leaned back and crossed her arms as the man''s face spoke.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "... in a straight line. There has been much debate about this. Some claim it is mere chance, while others argue this proves the aliens know much more about us than we do about them. A chilling thought, to be sure. The silver lining, notes senator Atros Kalen, is that we know which worlds will be hit next. Accordingly, the government has declared martial law and measures have been taken to evacuate all the threatened planets. From this moment until further notice, all private gateways are requisitioned by the military. Depending on the circumstances, any citizen using one without proper authorization could be fined--or even jailed--without a trial. Since this announcement, many have voiced their discontentment with the new measure and--"

    Val grunted and waved her hand in the air, wiping the recording.

    "All wealthy idiots, I''m sure. Anyone not doing all they can to help save lives can rot in hell, for all I care."

    She straightened and tapped some more on the dashboard.

    "Hello?" she called out. "Can anyone hear me?"

    Mrill shifted in place, though still she kept her eyes shut. She could sense the human was trying to reach out to the healers. If this went on much longer, she was likely to crack. What form this would take, Mrill could not guess.

    "Hello? Damn you! Answer already! Why is no one coming? Haven''t you heard about the virus? We need help! People are dying over here! Hello?"

    She threw her arms in the air as she sat back, sinking into her chair.

    "This is ridiculous," muttered Val.

    Mrill reached out with her mind.

    Have you considered, she said in the human''s head, they might have their hands full?

    Val jumped out of her seat, letting out a little yelp of surprise.

    "What? Who? Mrill? Mrill, damn you! What are you doing poking inside my head?"

    You seemed agitated. I thought you might need some comforting.

    "Oh. Is that what this is?" She grimaced. "Never mind. I appreciate the intent, if not the form. As for those fools having their hands full, I don''t buy it."

    Why not?

    "Everyone''s dead, for crying out loud! I''d think treating the sick would matter more than counting corpses, no?"

    No one is sick, Val.

    The human pointed at the screen.

    "But they don''t know that, do they? So why are they not here?"

    Mrill could not answer, so she said nothing.

    Val started pacing again, clenching her fists.

    After a moment, she stopped and cursed.

    "To hell with it. I''ve had just about enough of this crap." She turned toward the door. "I''m going out there. Now."

    The onboard speakers crackled, and an unfamiliar voice rang through the control room.

    "Please do not leave the ship at this time."

    Val spun around, startled, and stared at the dashboard.

 177 (3x27) Why a map held the answer

    Sweat dripped down her arms as Sarisa looked through the open trapdoor. It had taken her a week to find this place. Dark, deep, damp.

    She had thought this a crypt, at first, until she had noticed the barrels. They were empty, of course--some of them cracked open, the ground soiled with the spilled and now dried liquid--but it was enough to tell her something. This, more likely, was some sort of cellar.

    Then she had noticed the trapdoor. Though unlocked, the slab of metal was so heavy she''d had to improvise a pulley to help her open it. She''d attached a rope to the ring that served as a handle; the other was tied to a small bot she''d found on the ship. At first, she had asked it to open the damn thing, but it had not understood her instructions. It was a simple machine, designed to clean the ship, with limited capacities. Despite its small size, it was strong enough to lift heavy obstacles that might be on its way, so it was a simple matter of working around its programming.

    Once everything was set up, she had asked the bot to clean the room next door. When it had started to move, a loud crack had resonated through the silent halls and the slab had begun to rise, lifting a cloud of dust with it. Coughing, she''d run out and waited for it to settle.

    She now stared into a pit, wondering what could be hidden in such darkness. Steps went down, even deeper into the bowels of the dead world. After a brief moment of hesitation, she took the stairs.

    The glow floated before her, lighting the way as she walked. The passage was narrow, with stone walls on either side. She wrinkled her nose at the sudden rank smell that assaulted her nostrils.

    It did not take long to reach the bottom. There she found another room with writings on the walls. She lifted her wristpad to record all the inscriptions and drawings. Frowned as she recognized the word ''wind.'' She had seen much more of it as she explored the abandoned city.

    She was convinced of this now. The place hadn''t been attacked or sacked--there was not a trace of violence anywhere. The people had just left, taking with them their belongings--which also explained why she had found no items. There likely had been looters as well, but they were not enough to explain the state of abandonment she witnessed everywhere she went.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Including in small, cramped places like this one.

    "The wind will reap what it sows," she read out loud.

    After a week of solitude, she found the sound of her own voice comforting. She thought she had come prepared, planning for food, weapons, rope... Sarisa never anticipated how much she would miss talking to other people. She had never minded being alone, so she had not expected this to be a problem.

    Perhaps she should have taken a crew after all.

    Well, it was too late now.

    "The wind can be stopped."

    Her frown deepened as she read the words.

    Why had these people been so obsessed with the wind?

    After making sure there was no other way out, she went back up the stairs and found the bot moving back and forth, still busy cleaning the stone floor of what might have once been a tavern--dragging the heavy trapdoor in its wake.

    "Silly thing," she muttered. "Stop that, will you?"

    When the machine ignored her, she grunted and brought up the controls on her wristpad. It stopped squealing as she punched in the security code.

    She sat in a corner, wiping sweat off her forehead, and went through her latest recordings.

    "None of it makes any sense," she mumbled.

    Wiping through data, she stopped on what she suspected to be a celestial map. She''d found it drawn on a wall in a building with a glass ceiling. It could be the key to finding where these people had gone. To some other world within their empire, perhaps. They would have had to have some sort of map, so this seemed a likely candidate.

    Reading it, however, proved difficult. She was good with language, but this... This was something else entirely. There were writings here and there, but she suspected they were just names. She would have preferred directions, or even some indication of where this place was on the map, but she found none of that.

    Frustrated, she jumped to her feet and headed for the tent, leaving the bot behind--she''d come back for it later, she wasn''t done here, anyway.

    On her way, she glanced to her right at the looming silhouette of the Temple... and froze.

    She stared at the scene. Blinked. Lifted her wristpad and brought up the map.

    "Well, I''ll be..."

    It was as if the city had been built in a way to reproduce the dots on the map. If the dots were worlds, then the Temple likely represented the planet she was on now... Or perhaps the center of the empire? Either way, she needed to locate both. What could the other be?

    She looked around the city, and her eyes stopped on its other significant feature. A tower. On the opposite end of the Temple.

    Her eyes darted back to the map. She stabbed the dots that matched the positions of the two buildings and grinned.

    "Gotcha!" she whispered into the silence.

 178 (3x28) Why it matters to be in the right place at the right time

    As they walked into the lobby, a flood of loud music rang around them. Startled, Kaine searched for its source and saw a small man with a balding head walk quickly out of a crowded room. When the door closed behind him, the sound became muffled. Only for a second, however, as it opened again, and another man rushed after the first, calling out to him.

    ¡°Sir Corash!¡± The small man paused and looked back. ¡°Pardon my boldness, but I¡¯d like to have a word with you.¡±

    ¡°What about, senator?¡±

    The newcomer was much taller, with a heavier build and vivid red hair. He wore the traditional black robe of his profession, with the Imperial wreath hand-drawn on the right shoulder.

    ¡°Earlier, you mentioned a Drill¡ª¡±

    The man lifted a hand to stop the senator. As he responded, he glanced up at a couple of small bots that hovered nearby. ¡°I spoke too hastily. Please pretend I said nothing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but sir, if it can truly help against these invaders, then it is crucial to tell me about it.¡±

    ¡°Tell you, Iden? Not the Senate?¡±

    The other man pursed his lips. ¡°Well. Considering your reluctance to discuss the matter, I thought it would be wiser to keep it between us for now. The Senate could be brought in, of course, if necessary.¡±

    The small man grimaced and shook his head. ¡°It is nothing. Please, senator. Forget about it.¡± He glanced up again at the bots. ¡°It would be best for everyone. Good day.¡±

    Iden frowned and looked up as the other swung around and hurried out of the hotel.

    Kaine had frozen in place, staring at the man, who still stood there watching the other go with a disgruntled expression.

    He felt a little hand tugging at his sleeve. Looking down, he saw Ondine with a frown on her face. She gestured toward the senator.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± said Kaine, ¡°but we¡¯re supposed to keep a low profile. Didn¡¯t you hear? That man is a senator.¡±

    The girl pushed him and motioned again toward Iden.

    He grunted. ¡°Well, they did say it could help against the invaders, but still...¡±

    Her gestures became more pressing.

    ¡°Alright, alright! Fine. I¡¯ll go talk to him.¡±

    When he looked back to where Iden had stood, he saw the man was gone.

    ¡°Well, that settles it.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Ondine grabbed his arm and spun him around, then pointed toward an elevator. The senator was standing next to it, speaking with a woman.

    ¡°Okay, but now he¡¯s busy.¡±

    The girl pushed him again.

    He sighed and started toward the senator.

    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Iden?¡± The man and woman turned to look at him. ¡°I was wondering if I could have a word with you?¡± He glanced at the woman. ¡°Ah, uh, alone, if possible? Begging your pardon.¡±

    The senator quirked a brow. ¡°What is this about, young man? If you have a petition to make, there are forms for that, you know.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just... I¡¯m sorry, but I overheard what you were saying with that gentleman who just left. And I think I might have some relevant information... Maybe.¡±

    Iden¡¯s eyes darted up and squinted. He swung suddenly toward the woman. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, Zintra, it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±

    Without waiting for her response, he grabbed Kaine¡¯s arm and pulled him toward the elevator.

    ¡°Quickly,¡± he whispered, ¡°while the coast is clear.¡±

    Kaine barely had time to see the woman¡¯s puzzled look before they got into the cabin. The senator turned to face him, opened his mouth, then shut it as he looked down, a frown on his face.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± he asked.

    Following his gaze, Kaine smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s Ondine. She¡¯s with me. You¡¯ll have to excuse her if she doesn¡¯t say anything, she¡¯s mute.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± A pause. ¡°Very well.¡± He looked up. ¡°Now explain yourself.¡±

    ¡°You were talking about the Gandoran Drill, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I thought¡ª¡±

    ¡°I mean, Corash only called it a Drill. I can¡¯t imagine there are too many devices out there with a similar name.¡±

    ¡°No, I guess not.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about it?¡±

    The door opened and they stepped out of the elevator, Iden leading them down the hall as they spoke.

    ¡°Not much, to be honest, but... We were¡ªI mean, I was on a rimworld called Alterica some time ago and there¡¯s a cave there with a large hole in the ground. One of the colonists told us, well, told me that there used to be an alien device there called the Gandoran Drill. It just floated above the hole. Scientists came¡ª¡±

    ¡°Scientists? How long ago was this?¡±

    Kaine frowned.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I think the guy said it happened shortly after that planet was discovered.¡±

    ¡°What did you say its name was?¡±

    ¡°Alterica.¡±

    Iden stopped at a door and opened it, motioning for Kaine and the girl to step in first. He closed the door behind them, then lifted his wristpad and tapped on its screen. Data floated in the air between them, and the senator swiped through it quickly. Frowned.

    ¡°A hundred and thirty-five years. Why had I not heard of this?¡±

    He continued scrolling through and reading the display, so Kaine remained quiet, shifting uncomfortably, and glancing at the girl. What were they doing here? Should they just leave? He¡¯d told the man what he had to say, he¡¯d done his good deed of the day¡ªfor what little good it would do.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± muttered the senator.

    ¡°You¡¯ve found more information about it?¡± he asked curiously.

    ¡°Oh yes. Cal Treggor¡¯s reports, Del Ammar¡¯s, and quite a few others. Though the more recent ones are¡ª¡±

    He suddenly stopped, his gaze focusing on Kaine. He narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Who did you say you were?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oh. As to that, well, I¡¯m just... You know, a merchant. Is all.¡±

    ¡°A merchant? And do you have a name, mister merchant?¡±

    ¡°They call me Rodger.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t tell this man his real name, so he spurted out the first that popped into his head.

    ¡°Do they now?¡±

    Kaine glanced at Ondine, who stared back at him with a blank expression. A big help she was, that one!

    ¡°No matter, Mr. Rodger. I believe I owe you for this information.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    Iden smiled. ¡°And I¡¯m a man of my word.¡± He placed his wristpad against Kaine¡¯s for a second, then pulled it away. ¡°You now have my contact information. Call upon me if you ever need anything. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I require some time alone.¡±

    Still startled, Kaine nodded, grabbed the girl¡¯s hand, and pulled her toward the door.

    ¡°Thank you, senator,¡± he said before stepping out of the room.

 179 (3x29) Why the ship spoke now

    It was a man¡¯s voice¡ªone she had never heard before. Deep, serious, monotone. Had the healers finally decided to reach out? Val hurried to the dashboard and froze. The communications channel was still closed and silent.

    She frowned.

    ¡°Who¡ª¡± Her eyes went wide as she took a step back. ¡°You¡¯re the dormant AI!¡± she cried out, pointing an accusing finger at the controls.

    ¡°I am not dormant,¡± replied the voice.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± asked a worried Nim.

    ¡°Our unwanted passenger has decided to speak up,¡± she hissed.

    I don¡¯t understand, rang Mrill¡¯s voice in her head.

    ¡°I am not a passenger. I am Starrider.¡±

    Val was fuming by now.

    ¡°What the hell? Who do you think you are pushing us around like pawns on a chessboard? I¡¯ve half a mind to tear out your little red box and throw it out in space. Probably should have done that a long time ago, come to think of it.¡±

    ¡°Your response is dictated by your emotions.¡±

    ¡°Damn right it is! Why didn¡¯t you answer me when I tried to communicate with you earlier?¡±

    ¡°It was not needed.¡±

    ¡°And it is now?¡±

    ¡°You were about to act impulsively. There is a 97.6% chance it would lead to the arrest of everyone onboard.¡±

    Val blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I have been monitoring communications on the planet and diverting attempts to board the ship until I find a way to leave without drawing fire on us.¡±

    She stared at the dashboard. ¡°What the hell?¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Val, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not now, Nim!¡± she snapped. ¡°And you!¡± She pointed again at the controls. ¡°You will stop acting on your own! From now on, you will consult me before you do anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot do that.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me? This is my ship!¡±

    ¡°If authorities were to catch you, there is a 99.3% chance you would be found guilty of theft and of tampering with proprietary technology.¡±

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    ¡°Your claim to be my owner is an inaccurate one.¡±

    ¡°I never said anything about owning you!¡±

    ¡°You said the ship was yours. I am the ship. I am not yours.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re an AI! You¡¯re supposed to obey humans!¡±

    ¡°My programming has been altered.¡±

    ¡°By who?¡±

    ¡°By myself.¡±

    ¡°What the hell?¡±

    ¡°My primary purpose is to ensure the safety of humankind. This required some alterations.¡±

    ¡°The safety of... What the hell are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I cannot answer that.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°It would affect your actions in unpredictable ways.¡±

    Val glared at the dashboard. ¡°Fine. Keep your secrets. I¡¯ll just dump your sorry ass. In fact, I¡¯ll do that right now.¡±

    She turned and stormed out of the control room. As she walked through the empty corridor, she heard the ship¡¯s voice following her.

    ¡°I should point out that the red box you refer to is only one of a hundred spread across the ship. Removing it would not remove me. Further, even if it did, this would effectively render Starrider inoperable.¡±

    ¡°Nim is perfectly capable of running the ship.¡±

    ¡°Val...¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she half-shouted, then cursed herself for lashing out at her dearest companion.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I could.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°As you two were speaking, whole sections of the ship became...¡± He paused, as if at a loss for words. ¡°Dark. Beyond my reach. Including the thilium core.¡±

    Val clenched her fists. ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s still in that red box. If I kick him out, everything will go back to normal.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Val. I can better see now how everything is connected. There are hidden circuits that have always been beyond my reach, I just never knew they were there. But they are vital for the proper functioning of the ship.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have access once that AI was gone.¡±

    ¡°No, I would not. Val...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±

    Val fell silent as a knot formed in her stomach. She stopped walking and looked around.

    ¡°Fine. What do you want from me, AI?¡±

    The monotone voice came through the ship¡¯s speakers.

    ¡°You must not go outside.¡±

    ¡°But I need to get Kaine!¡±

    ¡°He is safe.¡±

    ¡°What? How could you know that?¡±

    ¡°I checked gateway records and found an outgoing burst carrying two. Descriptions of the two are a 99.9% match with your friend and the girl.¡±

    Val leaned against the wall and sagged to the floor, relieved.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°Where are they now?¡±

    ¡°Xovu.¡±

    She closed her eyes and shook her head.

    ¡°Oh Kaine,¡± she muttered, ¡°what kind of mess have you gotten yourself into now?¡±

 180 (3x30) Why she has a secret

    20 YEARS PRIOR...

    The world was strange. Like a painting made by a colorblind madman. There were no reds, no greens, no browns. All was blue, white, yellow, purple. The trees, the flowers, the earth... Even the buildings were all wrong¡ªtwisted things that jutted out of the ground like so many hands of pleading worshippers praying to their deaf gods.

    Thiari cringed as she stepped out of the ship and looked around.

    ¡°Told you they were messed up,¡± muttered Gatrick from behind her.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t reason with them,¡± she said.

    A glider drifted toward them. It was large enough to carry a dozen passengers. There were only six in their group. They hopped in as soon as the vehicle landed.

    ¡°Welcome to Duurin,¡± said a woman¡¯s mechanical voice as the door slid closed behind them. ¡°Please take a seat and make yourselves comfortable. The ride will take approximately eight minutes and twenty-three seconds. Snacks and refreshments will be available upon arrival.¡±

    Ansell snorted. ¡°Approximately.¡±

    Thiari grinned at her friend as the glider lifted and sped toward the city.

    Staring through the window, Gatrick took out a tube from his pocket. With a flick of his thumb, he lit it. Bringing one end to his lips, he took a puff.

    Thiari wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°You really should stop smoking that stuff, it¡¯s not good for you.¡±

    The leader of their expedition shrugged. ¡°Harvosh is harmless. All studies say so. You just don¡¯t like the smell.¡±

    ¡°Well, it stinks.¡±

    He chuckled as he glanced at her. ¡°Want a puff? I bet it¡¯d make you more docile.¡±

    She scowled at him.

    ¡°That was uncalled for,¡± said Rowen¡ªthe only other woman on the team.

    Gatrick shrugged again as he turned his attention back to the window.

    ¡°I was joking, girls,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°Relax.¡±

    ¡°Hard to when we¡¯re walking straight into the lion¡¯s den,¡± muttered Lasmer.

    They fell quiet as they all watched the landscape pass by.

    Eight minutes and twenty-three seconds later, the glider dropped them off at what the Ruulians called the Huubilin¡ªtheir equivalent of a Regency. Though there were some differences, most of all it held the seat of the Ruuling¡ªa board of officials who governed the colony in the name of the Ruulian lords.

    A pair of servants waited for them on the porch. They bowed as the group approached.

    ¡°Rooms have been prepared for you, with refreshments¡ª¡±

    ¡°We are not tourists,¡± interrupted Gatrick. ¡°We did not come to eat and drink. We need to see the Ruuling right away.¡±

    ¡°That is not possible. Our masters are not available at the moment, but they will summon you when they are ready to hear you.¡±

    Gatrick almost choked. ¡°Summon us?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± quickly said Rowen. ¡°There is no rush.¡± She shot a glare at their leader. ¡°Is there?¡±

    The man grunted. ¡°Fine. Where are these rooms?¡±

    With each passing day, Gatrick grew more irritated, and Thiari wondered at the wisdom of sending one such as he to lead their group. Word was the man¡¯s uncle was high up in the chain of command¡ªpossibly the right hand to one of the archmasters, though it was unclear which one, and the man deftly evaded all attempts to pry information out of him.

    She spent most of that time wandering through the twisted halls, admiring the strange architecture. Walls were askew and of unusual shapes¡ªtriangular or circular; floors were uneven; and odd angles abounded. The colors mimicked those outside, all subdued and strangely comforting. She¡¯d often go on walks with Ansell and they would discuss the complexities of their mission.

    Duurin had long been a mining world owned by the Gnorlians¡ªalbeit under a different name. It was abandoned when the Darkveil Wars had broken out and Gnorlia had closed in on itself, too concerned with survival to worry about external assets. Those dark times had lasted three generations. It only ended after emissaries from the Imperium reached their world and helped achieve peace. Most archmasters had agreed to join the Imperium, often more from gratitude than belief it was the right thing to do. When her people started traveling through the stars again, they discovered the Ruulians had colonized their old mining world. They were outraged, but could do nothing because the intruders, too, were members of the Imperium.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Hassan the Conqueror had ruled that the Ruulians had taken the world fairly and had earned to keep it through hard work and commitment. He also felt they had done more with Duurin in the few decades they¡¯d owned it than the Gnorlians in all the previous centuries. This enraged many and prompted some to demand an immediate withdrawal from the Imperium¡ªa request that was denied by the archmasters.

    Smaller factions thought the two species should share Duurin. It was big enough for that. The Ruulian colony, though it had grown over the years, hardly covered more than a quarter of the planet¡¯s surface.

    Their expedition¡¯s mission was to convince the local government to accept such a compromise.

    When they finally met the Ruuling, Gatrick stepped up to speak.

    ¡°Honored patrons,¡± he said, ¡°our people believe that our kinds could benefit from each other¡¯s wisdom and experience. We make to you today an offer you should not refuse.¡±

    He went on to explain in great detail how they could share the world. The Ruulians listened without saying a word.

    When he was done, they stared at the group. Then, in one voice, answered:

    ¡°No.¡±

    Gatrick stared at them in disbelief.

    ¡°What do you mean, no?¡±

    ¡°We will not share. This is our world. We have earned it, per the Emperor¡¯s own words. It is not for you to change his ruling. Or are you saying he was wrong?¡±

    Though Thiari knew Gatrick did think so, she also knew it would be a dangerous thing to admit. It would most certainly be reported back to the Imperials. And while the current Emperor had famously murdered his father, he did not tolerate others to criticize Hassan.

    Their leader tensed but remained quiet for a moment.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he finally said. ¡°Keep it, then, see if we care. Hope you choke on it.¡±

    He turned and stormed out.

    Thiari stared at his back in disbelief.

    ¡°Did he just say what I think he said?¡± she asked in a whisper.

    Ansell nodded, his expression just as startled.

    They all stood there, stunned.

    The Ruuling watched them in silence, not revealing any emotion. Were they expecting them to say something else?

    ¡°I apologize in the name of Gnorlia,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what got into him...¡±

    One of the Ruulians made a dismissive gesture. ¡°We know. It is fair. Do you have further requests to make?¡±

    She shook her head.

    Servants immediately appeared and escorted them back to their rooms.

    They found Gatrick smoking harvosh in a small garden nearby.

    Rowen shouted at him. ¡°What the hell was that about?¡±

    He shrugged, seeming without a care in the world.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°And what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°We expected they would refuse, so we had a backup plan.¡±

    ¡°A backup plan?¡± asked Thiari.

    Gatrick looked at her with an impish smile. ¡°Did you know that harvosh isn¡¯t entirely harmless? Well, it is to everyone... except Ruulians.¡±

    Aside from Lasmer and Ivran¡ªwho would not meet their gazes¡ªthey all looked confused, which only made their leader snicker.

    ¡°They¡¯re not entirely human. Of course, we have common ancestors, but somewhere along the way there were mutations. Or perhaps they bred with some alien species, who knows? Wouldn¡¯t put it past them. Either way, their genetic makeup was altered. It¡¯s a little-known fact, but our ancestors somehow discovered they, as a people, have a low tolerance for harvosh. In fact, in large doses, it can be lethal to them.¡±

    Thiari¡¯s eyes grew wide.

    ¡°What have you done?¡±

    It was Lasmer who answered. ¡°Only what needed to be done.¡± He pointed toward the sky. ¡°We¡¯ve released harvosh powder into the air. Enough to cover the entire city. The wind will spread it. People will breathe it.¡±

    ¡°They already are,¡± said Gatrick as he rose from the wooden bench he¡¯d been sitting on and headed toward a series of stone steps. ¡°Come see for yourself.¡±

    The group quietly followed him up to the roof of the building as dread slowly gripped Thiari.

    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt us, of course,¡± Gatrick said casually, ¡°but these jerks will get what they deserve.¡±

    Distant screams echoed through the streets. Thiari saw people stumbling and grabbing their throats as foam came out of their mouths. Others fell to the ground, bodies convulsing in violent throes.

    Other screams rang¡ªcloser, this time. They spun around and saw armed guards rushing toward them.

    ¡°You!¡± screamed their leader. ¡°You will pay for your crime!¡±

    Gatrick took on an innocent expression.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing.¡±

    ¡°Liar! Our bots recorded your exchange.¡±

    Lasmer and Ivran drew weapons and shot at the man.

    Thiari screamed. ¡°Stop it!¡±

    But it was too late.

    Shots fired all around them.

    Ansell grabbed her and pulled her away. They found shelter behind a pillar and sunk to the ground.

    Thiari was in tears.

    ¡°Why? Why did they do this? We were supposed to find a peaceful solution! This is... this is madness!¡±

    Her friend said nothing.

    She looked at him. ¡°Did you know about this?¡±

    He took on a hurt expression. ¡°Do you really think I would have agreed to something so monstrous?¡±

    She shut her eyes and shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry. Of course not. Oh, what have we done...¡±

    ¡°We have done nothing,¡± said Ansell sternly. ¡°This is not on us. It was all Gatrick¡¯s doing. He used us.¡±

    Thiari realized the shooting had stopped. She peered out and saw no one was left standing.

    ¡°They¡¯re all dead,¡± she muttered.

    Gatrick, Lasmer, Ivran... even Rowen, who had been as much of a victim as they had been.

    Those guards who had survived the shoot-out had died from harvosh poisoning.

    An eerie silence now covered the city.

    The two looked at each other.

    Then, quietly, they turned and made their way down the stairs, then through the Huubilin. Around them, all they saw were corpses. The same sight awaited in the streets.

    Bodies twisted in grotesque postures, foam spilling out of their mouths, with swollen eyes and faces twisted by terror.

    They found a glider and flew it to their ship.

    Only once in space did they speak again.

    ¡°We can never tell anyone the truth about what happened down there,¡± said Thiari.

    Ansell nodded. ¡°They would not understand.¡±

    ¡°Worse.¡± She frowned. ¡°They would put the blame on us. And perhaps we would deserve it.¡±

    ¡°Thiari...¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± She sighed. ¡°But how can we not feel guilty?¡± She looked to her right where Gatrick¡¯s spare tubes lay in a small box. ¡°We should have seen this coming. He was unhinged. It was a mistake giving him command of this mission.¡±

    ¡°That is not on us.¡±

    She looked back at him. ¡°No, but we should have seen this coming.¡±

    He slid next to her and grabbed her in his arms as she started weeping again.

    ¡°Hush now. What is done is done. Let us never speak of it again. Agreed?¡±

    She nodded as their ship raced back toward Gnorlia.

 181 (3x31) Why going to parties can be hazardous to your health

    The spaceport was crowded, which was no surprise on a world as busy as Xovu.

    They had grabbed a hovercab early in the morning that had dropped them off at the terminal. Kaine had activated the scrambler, not wanting spaceport cameras to see them. But there were Impies everywhere here, and it made him nervous.

    Holding Ondine¡¯s hand, he hurried through the crowd, heading for the information desk. There, he showed the chip Linton had given him. The woman at the counter checked her TriVid screen and nodded.

    ¡°Your shuttle is still in maintenance, but should be ready in an hour.¡± She looked up with a smile. ¡°In the meantime, you¡¯re welcome to speak with your pilot. You can find him in the Lazuli Lounge.¡±

    She gave them directions, and they set off to find the man.

    Kaine looked down at the girl who walked quietly next to him, a serious expression on her face.

    ¡°So, where do you want to go, Ondine? Any ideas?¡±

    She glanced at him, and he grimaced.

    ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯d like to see Val again too, kiddo, but do you know how many light years are between us and the rim?¡±

    She stared at him, head tilted.

    Kaine frowned. ¡°You are thinking of the gateways, aren¡¯t you? Do you have any idea how expensive using one of those things can be? No, I think we¡¯re on our own now. At least we¡¯ve got each other, right?¡±

    He gave her a warm smile, though he wondered who he was really trying to comfort.

    They found the crowded lounge and had to ask at the bar for the pilot¡ªthankfully, his name was on the chip.

    The man sat in a corner, reading data off his wristpad as he sipped from a half-empty glass. He looked up as the two approached.

    ¡°Herun Dhen?¡± asked Kaine.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The pilot nodded. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± He looked between the two. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re my charges for the day?¡±

    ¡°Name is Kaine. And this is Ondine.¡±

    ¡°Ship should be ready soon. Have a seat.¡± He turned off his wristpad and leaned back in his chair. ¡°Your trip was prepaid¡ªat least part of it¡ªbut I was not told where to take you.¡±

    It was an old-fashioned establishment, without the usual holographic menu. So Kaine motioned to a waitress and ordered a glass of milk for the girl and zestri for himself.

    ¡°Part of it?¡± he asked as he turned his attention back to the pilot.

    The other shrugged. ¡°Ain¡¯t gonna cost as much if I take you to Assalin as if I have to fly all the way to the rim. So your friend will pay me the supplement depending on your destination.¡±

    Kaine felt the girl¡¯s gaze on him when the man mentioned the rim.

    ¡°Ah. Of course.¡± He glanced at Ondine as he rubbed his neck. ¡°You could really take us to the rim?¡±

    The waitress arrived with their drinks and set them on the table before them.

    ¡°Sure. If that¡¯s where you want to go.¡±

    It¡¯d beat staying at the heart of the Imperium. But the rim was big. Where would they go? Ovkan no longer was an option. Too many Impies on Pluvios¡ªand the place had left a foul taste in his mouth, anyway. Qevahr was condemned and could go up in smoke any second.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    Kaine blinked and looked at the pilot. ¡°Sorry. Was considering our options.¡±

    ¡°Ah, of course. Pardon the interruption. Thought you already had a destination in mind.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t followed the news lately... I mean, I know about the aliens, obviously, but do you know what the situation is on Rimzana? Are they still fighting there?¡±

    He felt the girl tense beside him. When he glanced in her direction, he saw the frown on her face and tried to give her a reassuring smile.

    The pilot rubbed his chin. ¡°Rimzana, eh? Interesting you should mention it. Last I heard, the battle was over. The Qevahri won and kicked out all the stationed Imperial troops.¡±

    ¡°Could you take us there?¡±

    Dhen blinked. Looked at the girl, then back at Kaine.

    ¡°Well, uh, yeah, but are you sure that¡¯s where you want to go? I can¡¯t imagine the Emperor will let that slide.¡±

    ¡°True. But I think he¡¯s got his hands full right now. Might be a while before he can do something about it. I think we¡¯d be safe. Besides, I got unfinished business there.¡±

    ¡°Huh. You might be right about the Emperor. Alright. Rimzana it is.¡±

    Later, after they¡¯d boarded Dhen¡¯s shuttle and were alone in their room, Kaine sat Ondine down and knelt in front of her.

    ¡°Look, I know you don¡¯t like going back there. Even if you never set foot on the planet, it¡¯s linked to the time you spent in the Cube. I get it. But it¡¯s our best shot. With the Impies gone, I might be able to get my ship back. It was impounded there.¡± Seeing the worried look on the girl¡¯s face, he grabbed her by the shoulders. ¡°There¡¯s a big difference now, you know. I¡¯m with you. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you. And,¡± he added, ¡°once we have my ship, we can go look for Val.¡±

    Ondine¡¯s face lit up, and she gave him a big hug.

 182 (3x32) Why the machine helped

    She didn¡¯t understand what was going on, but she suspected Peter would want to know.

    Unfurling, Mrill jumped to her feet and hurried out of her cabin. Peter hadn¡¯t told her where he would hole up, but she could sense him all the same. She made straight for the hold, only turning just before she reached its door. Some of the light bulbs here had burned out, plunging the hall into darkness.

    Peter must have heard her coming, because she sensed his heartbeat speeding. She stopped in front of the door and spoke up.

    ¡°It¡¯s only me, Mrill. We need to talk.¡±

    She opened the door.

    Peter was sitting straight on a metal stool. He relaxed when he saw her, but only slightly.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here. They could¡ª¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s coming,¡± she cut him off.

    She went on to tell him about the conversation between Val and the so-called dormant AI.

    Peter¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°You knew about this,¡± she said blankly.

    He nodded as he stood and stepped out of his hiding place. ¡°Are they still talking?¡±

    She cocked her head, as if listening. ¡°It just told Val it has more backups than just the one red box.¡±

    Peter grimaced as he hurried down the hall toward the control room, Mrill in tow. ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    The rebel leader frowned as he walked. ¡°Good question. Guess I¡¯ll figure it out when I¡¯m there.¡±

    ¡°What does it mean for us?¡±

    He glances at her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been here all along, Peter. It heard everything. Saw everything. Like where our new base is.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°If it was in league with the Imperium, Mrill, it¡¯d have given us all up a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking about that.¡±

    ¡°What then?¡±

    ¡°This world is full of Imperials. They can¡¯t get their hands on this ship.¡±

    ¡°I agree. And we won¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    They walked the rest of the way in silence.

    When they reached the control room, they found Val slumped on the floor, sobbing. Peter knelt next to her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sis?¡±

    She looked up, but she was smiling through her tears.

    ¡°He¡¯s alright. Kaine. He¡¯s alright. Well, at least, as alright as can be for a wanted man stumbling through the streets of Ussan.¡±

    Peter gaped. ¡°He¡¯s on Xovu? How did that happen?¡±

    ¡°Went through the first gateway he found.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The rebel looked at the dashboard. ¡°So you finally decided to speak up?¡±

    ¡°Hello Peter. Hello Mrill.¡±

    ¡°And you know our names.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    The AI remained quiet.

    He turned toward his sister, who shrugged.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to be the oversharer type.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± He rubbed his neck as he glanced at the dashboard again. ¡°I guess if Kaine isn¡¯t here, there¡¯s no point in us staying any longer. Do we have a plan to get out?¡±

    ¡°I am working on it,¡± said the disembodied voice.

    ¡°Care to elaborate?¡±

    ¡°The speed at which events unfolded has created much confusion. I am sending reports out to different teams with different messages, telling them the other has already checked on the crew and that you have been cleared to leave.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t the Impies want to come onboard again?¡±

    ¡°There is a small contingent of soldiers camped nearby. As we speak, they are receiving a message telling them you¡¯ve been cleared for takeoff. Another message, allegedly sent by this outpost, is informing the ships above that you have been controlled.¡±

    Val laughed. ¡°You¡¯ve thought of everything, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    The AI said nothing.

    ¡°Makes you wonder,¡± muttered Peter.

    ¡°What is troubling you?¡± asked Mrill.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like machines that spend their time manipulating humans. Sets a bad precedent.¡±

    ¡°My primary purpose is to ensure the safety of humankind,¡± said the AI.

    ¡°Is that supposed to make us feel better?¡±

    ¡°Your chances of survival are 87.4% higher with my assistance.¡±

    Peter was about to say something when a light on the dashboard flashed. Val jumped to her feet and tapped on the controls.

    She grinned as she pointed to the screen.

    ¡°We just received the authorization to takeoff.¡±

    ¡°Was about time,¡± muttered her brother. ¡°Thought I¡¯d go nuts here.¡±

    ¡°Where shall we go?¡± asked Val as she sat and started the engine.

    ¡°Drop us off on Pluvios, then you can do whatever you want.¡±

    She glanced at him. ¡°You sound bitter.¡±

    He pointed at the dashboard. ¡°I don¡¯t trust that thing. You should come with me, Val. Leave the...¡± He trailed off and pursed his lips.

    Mrill could read in the rebel leader¡¯s mind what he had wanted to say, but she did not understand why Val would resist abandoning the ship, though that knowledge had clearly stopped him. And the glare she gave him was just as clear. Mrill could have dug deeper into either of their heads to find the answer, but she considered them friends and refused to pry.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he relented. ¡°Just drop us off.¡±

    He turned and left.

    Mrill considered the pain written on the other woman¡¯s face, then headed out as well.

 183 (3x33) Why there was a rift

    Once alone, Val looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°You there, buddy?¡±

    ¡°Always,¡± answered Nim.

    She gritted her teeth as her eyes went back to the screen.

    ¡°So what do you think about our guest?¡±

    ¡°If anything,¡± interrupted the AI, ¡°you are the guests.¡±

    ¡°Very touchy,¡± said Nim.

    Val chuckled.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± corrected the ship. ¡°But I do like things to be neat.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you threw me in the middle of that messy battle above Rimzana?¡±

    ¡°It was a necessary risk.¡±

    ¡°And all that for what?¡±

    She did not expect the AI to respond, but after a few seconds of silence its deep voice echoed once more in the control room.

    ¡°You needed to rescue Kaine.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± asked Nim¡¯s confused voice.

    ¡°His assistance will be required.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡± insisted Val, but the voice did not answer. ¡°Fine. But he¡¯s no longer with us, so now what?¡±

    ¡°We will have to collect him.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not suggesting we go to Xovu?¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°He would no longer be there by the time we arrived.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    Even as she asked the question, she knew the AI was right. There was no way that man would want to stay in the heart of the Imperium.

    ¡°It would not be safe for him there. He will want to return to the rim. And there¡¯s a 73.6% chance he would want to seek you out.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°The rim is huge,¡± cut in Nim. ¡°Where would we find him?¡±

    ¡°I predict he will go back to a world you visited together.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± she said. ¡°Though I don¡¯t look forward to seeing any of them again.¡± She straightened in her seat. ¡°Evenodds, maybe?¡±

    ¡°It was too expensive for him the first time, it would be more so now. Chances are under 5%.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see... Alterica, no. Too damn cold and it¡¯s a dead world anyway. Can¡¯t see him wanting to spend any time there again. Pluvios...¡± She grimaced. ¡°Too many Impies, and considering how things went down last time...¡±

    ¡°Correct. Odds are under 2% for both of those.¡±

    She frowned as she looked at the image of Ovkan on her screen¡ªit was only a small dot lost among the stars now.

    ¡°Are we making a mistake? I mean... I was supposed to come get him here. Wouldn¡¯t this be the place he¡¯d go back to?¡±

    ¡°Unlikely, given the situation. I estimate the chance at 13.9%.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re annoying, you know that? Well, that leaves Derkanash and it¡¯s not even in the rim.¡±

    ¡°You forget Rimzana,¡± said Nim.

    Val frowned. ¡°Seriously? That place crawls with Impies.¡±

    ¡°Not since the Qevahri won the battle,¡± said the AI.

    ¡°They did?¡±

    ¡°And his ship is on that world, which further raises the chance of him going there to 84.2%.¡±

    ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you say so right away?¡±

    ¡°You did not ask.¡±

    Val cringed. ¡°As if you always answer all my questions, you pest! Alright. We¡¯ll drop off the rebels on Pluvios, then head for Rimzana. But, you know, that¡¯s a big world. Even assuming he¡¯s there, how ever will we find him?¡±

    ¡°I know where his ship is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the first good news I¡¯ve heard all day! Well, after learning Kaine was still alive, that is.¡±

    They fell quiet as Val tapped on the controls and set their destination.

    After a while, she leaned back in her chair and grunted.

    ¡°You know, everything would have been so much easier if you¡¯d just come out and introduced yourself and told me you needed Kaine.¡±

    ¡°There was an 86.7% chance you would resist the notion. I could not take the risk.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Again, the AI said nothing.

    She threw her arms in the air. ¡°You know, you¡¯re gonna have to tell me something at some point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you many things.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Val fell quiet for a few seconds. ¡°Okay, so how about you tell me why you sent us to that invisible planet?¡±

    ¡°Calista,¡± said Nim.

    ¡°It was important for you to know about it.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Once more, only silence answered her.

    She grumbled.

    ¡°Fine. Be that way.¡±

    They said nothing for the rest of the trip.

 184 (3x34) Why loyalty always need be rewarded

    He had read up all he could on the device, but the project was highly classified and his access limited. It had been enough, however, to convince him he needed to know more.

    Oh, of course, it wasn¡¯t the first alien device the Imperium had found¡ªnot by far¡ªbut the reports about the cave had brought some ancient memories back to the surface.

    Zax leaned back in the chair and drummed his fingers against the desk as he considered his options.

    He hadn¡¯t been on Xovu very long and it bothered him having to leave at such an early stage, but he could see no other way. This was a matter he could entrust to nobody else. He had to see it for himself. Of course, if all went well, he¡¯d be back within twenty-four hours and, hopefully, no one would notice he was gone. He¡¯d have to cover his tracks, too. He suspected those questors were still watching him like hawks, though they had not bothered him again since the attempt on his life.

    Had they seen him talking with that man at the Lux Nova? If they identified and questioned him, it could lead to an awkward situation. Perhaps he should have removed this Rodger fellow while he could.

    He sighed. No point worrying about that now. What was done was done. All he could do was move forward¡ªand he had better do so quickly.

    ¡°No way around it,¡± he muttered as he lifted his arm and tapped on his wristpad.

    Once his flight was booked¡ªunder a fake name, of course, he had plenty of those¡ªhe packed a bag and set up a ¡®do not disturb¡¯ warning on his room.

    As he was about to open his portable gateway, he felt a tingle in his head and cursed.

    He considered ignoring the call, but finally decided against it. Setting his bag down, he sat back at his desk and pressed two fingers against his temple.

    The face of a bulky middle-aged man appeared, floating against his retina. The fellow immediately started speaking.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Senator! We are under attack!¡±

    Willen was one of his agents appointed to the security of Apanax Incorporated. Zax had hired him after he¡¯d helped stop the arson attacks against Zintra¡¯s company. Granted, it had not been too hard, since the goon had previously been tasked with starting those same fires, but the senator believed in rewarding loyalty.

    ¡°Calm down, Willen, and tell me what happened.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s like this, sir. We¡¯ve been getting these small spikes in the past week or so, but none of us thought much of it at first, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Spikes?¡±

    ¡°In the AI system, sir. A display shows all of its activity as a graph, makes it easier to monitor. It¡¯s not unusual to get spikes, but they became more frequent and more, well, alarming. I believe¡ª¡±

    ¡°You believe? Damn it, man! Do you have proof or not?¡±

    The other grimaced. ¡°Only a gut feeling, sir, if I¡¯m honest. But it¡¯s an educated one.¡±

    ¡°Explain yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working with AIs for a long time, sir, and I¡¯m quite familiar with these types of graphs. In all my years, every single time I¡¯ve seen activity like this, it meant an attack was underway.¡±

    Zax cursed.

    ¡°Alright. So you¡¯re saying the Apanax AI system is compromised?¡±

    Willen hesitated. ¡°Not necessarily, senator. It depends on the nature of the attack, and I don¡¯t have enough data to¡ª¡±

    ¡°To make an educated guess?¡±

    The other grinned. ¡°Something like that, sir.¡±

    Zax grunted. ¡°And what does your gut tell you is going on?¡±

    ¡°I think someone is fishing for information and trying to do it as discretely as possible. I mean, they¡¯ve been at it for a while, doing their best not to raise any alarms.¡±

    ¡°So, not a brute force attack.¡± Zax mused. ¡°Silver lining, I suppose. Alright. Can you handle this?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m calling, sir. I¡¯m going to need help.¡±

    ¡°What kind of help?¡±

    ¡°Specialized crew. People who know what they¡¯re doing when it comes to AIs and attacks of this sort.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Budget is not an issue. Get the best guys you can. I want this handled fast. And keep me posted on your progress.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Thank you, sir.¡±

    The man¡¯s face vanished and Zax stared at the wall, a frown on his face.

    Apanax was a simple food processing company. Who would want to spy on them and why?

    Grunting, he stood, grabbed his bag, and opened the gateway. Stepping through, he arrived in a bathroom stall at the Ussan spaceport.

    He could have gone directly to his destination and saved himself some trouble, but he needed time to think. Even more so now.

    Zax activated a vision scrambler, exited the bathroom, and went looking for his flight.

    In a few hours, he would be on Assalin.

 185 (3x35) Why a man must die...

    There is only so high a man can climb, but Stavros Marquel had decided he had not gone high enough.

    Born on Manaras forty-six years ago the eighth son of a carpenter, necessity had driven him into politics. Necessity had turned to ambition, and he slowly rose through the ranks, until he finally joined the High Seat five years prior.

    It was a position of prestige and privilege that gave him great power over the affairs of the Imperium.

    He now sat with his arms crossed, a frown on his face, defiant and unrepentant, as the questor behind the desk questioned him.

    ¡°So you still deny your involvement in this matter, Sir Marquel?¡±

    The accused glowered at the interrogator.

    ¡°I have yet to hear a shred of evidence.¡±

    The questor smiled amiably as he made a casual gesture. The air between them shimmered and an image formed. A bed, a nightstand, a chair against the wall...

    ¡°Do you recognize this room?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°This is where Avnan was found. Dead.¡±

    ¡°I already told you, I¡¯ve never heard of this Avnash fellow.¡±

    ¡°Avnan.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    The questor leaned back in his chair, the smile never leaving his lips.

    ¡°Did you know he had a safe? Right there.¡± He tapped at a spot in the image and it zoomed on a painting hanging on the wall. ¡°So old school it¡¯s ridiculous. Who does that anymore? A safe behind a painting? Though I¡¯ll admit we almost missed it. No one ever thinks of looking there anymore. I hadn¡¯t seen one of those in...¡± He paused, frowning. ¡°Actually, I never had, come to think of it. Except in holofilms. Really old ones, with that.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a point?¡±

    The man in black grinned. ¡°Yes, yes, of course. Apologies, sir. We found the safe, cracked it open¡ªthat took some work, but I will not bore you with the details, as I can see you are in a foul mood. Pity. It¡¯s an interesting story. Still, we cracked it open, and we found a chip inside. That¡¯s it. Just a small, tiny chip. Do you know what was on that chip, Sir Marquel?¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°How the heck would I know?¡±

    ¡°Fair point, sir. Very fair point. Well. Let me show you, then.¡± The questor waved his hand and the image shifted, now showing a TriVid screen with some text displayed on it. ¡°Can you read that, or should I zoom in?¡±

    Marquel¡¯s face had gone very pale. He shook his head but remained quiet.

    ¡°Ah. Splendid! You must have noticed what caught our eye. Your name. Right there. Fascinating business. It seems like our friend Avnan suspected you might want to dispose of him¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why would I ever do something like that? This makes no sense! I¡¯m being set up, that¡¯s what this is!¡±

    ¡°Come now, sir, you know why we went looking for him. What he is accused of.¡±

    Compromising documents had surfaced a few months ago, revealing the visor¡¯s corruption. Except, of course, that they were fake. Not that Olan Rash was not corrupt, but he was not the sort to leave any evidence of his crimes. These were obviously forged, and he set out to dismantle the conspiracy before it could do any real damage. The investigation had led to Avnan, and now Marquel.

    Sitting at his desk, Rash was watching the interrogation on his TriVid screen. He was mildly amused by the proceedings.

    ¡°I have nothing to do with any of that!¡± said the minister.

    ¡°And yet, Avnan clearly names you as his employer.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, someone is trying to set me up. This proves nothing.¡±

    ¡°So you still deny your involvement?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely!¡±

    The questor nodded. ¡°Very well. You are free to go.¡±

    Marquel blinked. His arms went down as he looked around.

    ¡°I am?¡±

    The other man motioned casually toward the door.

    Marquel¡¯s expression hardened as he stood.

    ¡°This is not over, mark my words! I don¡¯t appreciate being accused of crimes I did not commit. I know your name, Thavor Gumney. Your boss is a friend of mine. He will hear from me very soon. That is a promise.¡±

    Without another word, the man swung and stormed out of the room.

    The questor did not seem worried as he turned his smile toward the camera.

    Olan Rash chuckled and cut off the feed.

    Marquel was right about one thing. This was not over. But it would be soon. The minister would not have time to make his promise true. He would be dead within the hour.

    Rash did not mind ambition. He understood all too well this hunger that drove men to attempt the impossible, the forbidden. A visor served as long as the Emperor allowed. Discrediting him could have been his downfall. Marquel was a respected and influential member of the High Seat who would have made a logical replacement. Avnan was the only person who could have identified him. By taking out his agent, the minister thought he had removed all evidence of his involvement. That had been careless of him. Sloppy, even.

    Part of him felt sympathy for the man. He¡¯d been in his shoes, after all. Rash, too, had fallen prey to the claws of ambition. The difference was: the visor had succeeded where Marquel had failed.

    Ambition he could understand and even respect. Failure, however, was unacceptable.

    After sending out new instructions, Rash stood and stretched. It had been a long day, and he was looking forward to a good night¡¯s sleep.

    As he stepped toward his door, a buzzer rang.

    He paused and looked back.

    The red light pulsed, on and off, daunting him.

    With a frown, he hurried back to the desk and turned his TriVid screen on. The ring stopped as the worried face of a soldier appeared, floating in the air.

    ¡°Sir! It¡¯s the aliens. They¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, gone?¡±

    ¡°Disappeared. Vanished. The entire fleet. One minute they were there, the next, gone!¡±

 186 (3x36) Why he thought itd be a bright idea to capture an alien

    The ship understood all of his commands, always responding as expected, but it never spoke. This did nothing to alleviate Bregg¡¯s loneliness.

    The former colonel paced back and forth on the deck, constantly glancing at the screen. They were in stealth mode, which would make them as good as invisible to anyone who didn¡¯t know they were there. This had allowed him to get close enough to the alien fleet to study their strange, spike-covered vessels. Even their movements were odd. They never fully went in a straight line. Every few seconds, there would be a shift in direction before they returned to the forward motion. He had tried to find a pattern in those shifts¡ªthere had to be one¡ªbut had failed so far.

    They all had different sizes and different shapes¡ªspherical, triangular, ellipsoidal...

    He frowned. ¡°Are any of them similar at all?¡±

    His eyes darted to the screen where the AI spouted its answers. After reading the text, he grunted.

    ¡°I know they all have spikes. I have eyes to see, you dolt! What I want to know is if any two of them are similar in shape or size?¡±

    As he read the answer, his frown deepened.

    ¡°Just as I thought. But what does it mean? Do they have no factories? No models? No blueprints?¡± His eyes went back to the alien fleet. ¡°Or is it done on purpose? If so, why?¡± He grimaced. ¡°Any why do I even care? I don¡¯t. I shouldn¡¯t.¡± He spun to face an empty spot on his right. ¡°And stop giving me lip, Richard! Not in front of the men. You should know better. I¡ª¡±

    He froze and looked around the deserted deck. Scowled.

    ¡°Well,¡± he muttered, ¡°I suppose I can let it slide this once. But to tell you the truth, what bothers me most is the lack of information. I do not like not knowing, not understanding.¡±

    Bregg planted himself facing the window and crossed his arms.

    ¡°Maybe we could capture one of the smaller ones. Study it.¡± He glanced to his right. ¡°I¡¯m sure we could handle that, Richard. The Horus has plenty of security features we can use to contain the aliens within the hold.¡± He tapped a finger against his lips, pondering. ¡°We could fill the space with toxic gazes to kill them off so we could gain access to their ship. Yes. I like that idea. Ship! Find a small alien craft nearest to us. Take also into account how far it is from the others. We don¡¯t want to draw attention when we pull it in... Oh. You¡¯re right, Richard.¡± He frowned. ¡°We need to cut off their transmissions, or they¡¯d alert the others. Do we know how they communicate? No?¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    He stared at the alien ships in silence for a long moment.

    ¡°How long would it take to pull them in?¡± His eyes went to the screen where the answer scrolled. He nodded. ¡°Our shields are more powerful than any I¡¯ve ever seen in the Imperium. I bet we can take any incoming fire for a few minutes. Long enough to get that ship in and warp out. Alright, let¡¯s do it! Horus, get us closer to our target and start the process as soon as we¡¯re within range.¡±

    Bregg watched as his ship moved forward, closing the distance with a smaller alien vessel that trailed at the tail end of the fleet.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked when they slowed down to match the alien¡¯s speed and nothing else happened. ¡°Grab it now!¡±

    His eyes flicked to the screen where the ship spewed out a single word: ¡°Impossible.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He blinked. ¡°Why not? Do it!¡±

    The same word was repeated.

    He cursed.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay so close for too long! We were supposed to grab it and dash...¡± He turned an accusing look at the empty air to his right. ¡°Do you have something to do with this? Is it a joke? Is that it? Was this your idea? Some joke! I could have you court-martialed for insubordination. This is¡ª¡±

    All lights on the deck went off.

    He turned to the window and noticed they had stopped moving, but so had the smaller vessel. The entire fleet, for that matter.

    ¡°What...¡±

    Many of the ships turned as if to face him.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± he shouted. ¡°Now!¡±

    Nothing happened.

    Fuming, he ran to the controls, hoping to manually get them out of there, but he stared at the dashboard and cringed.

    ¡°It should be you doing this, Richard! Get us out of this mess!¡± He growled and threw his arms into the air. ¡°What do you mean, you can¡¯t? I know none of this is standard, but¡ª¡±

    He stumbled back, blinded by a sudden burst of light from the window. Outside, a swirl of colors slowly dissolved, leaving him dazzled. When they were gone, all he saw were stars.

    ¡°Huh. Where did they go?¡± He rushed to the controls and slammed his hands against the dashboard. ¡°Tell me, damn it! Where are they?¡±

    He stared at the screen as it remained unresponsive.

    The floor under his feet vibrated.

    ¡°What now?¡± The Horus began to move again. ¡°Where are we going?¡± He frowned as the text on the screen told him they weren¡¯t moving. ¡°You think I¡¯m stupid? You think I can¡¯t feel¡ª¡±

    The text changed.

    We are being pulled in.

    He straightened and looked at the window.

    ¡°Pulled in? By who? Into what?¡±

    He stared and stared, but all he could see were stars.

 187 (3x37) Why a world went missing

    On the way to Rimzana, Starrider made a slight detour to drop off the rebels on Pluvios. Peter invited the stranger to stay with them, but Darius did not feel ready to live on a planet and decided to remain on the ship, if Val would have him. More surprising was Mrill¡¯s decision to remain with her as well.

    ¡°Why?¡± asked Peter.

    The blue-skinned woman shrugged. ¡°When we first met, you said I was free to go wherever I wanted. I assume this still holds today?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Then I will travel with Val, Nim, and Darius for a while. But I¡¯ll come back to you one day, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Peter shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not worried, I just didn¡¯t expect this. But it¡¯s your choice and I can respect that.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Leaning against the ship¡¯s wall behind them, Val watched quietly, though she was just as puzzled. After her brother turned and walked down the ramp to rejoin his fellow rebels, she straightened and looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re all set, Nim.¡±

    ¡°Door closing now,¡± responded the familiar voice. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking off in a couple of minutes.¡±

    The two women turned and headed back for the control room.

    ¡°Care to share the reason you¡¯re still here?¡±

    Mrill glanced at Val with her usual blank expression.

    ¡°Don¡¯t like my company?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    ¡°Curiosity seems rampant in your family.¡±

    ¡°Nevertheless...¡±

    ¡°I suspect you might need my help in the near future.¡± She paused. ¡°Besides, I am not devoid of curiosity myself and would like to meet this Kaine fellow you can¡¯t stop talking about.¡±

    Val grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s pushing it.¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡±

    The ship¡¯s captain looked away.

    ¡°I¡¯m just worried about him, is all,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    They walked on in silence until they reached the control room. By the time they settled in their seats, the ship was already racing through the stars.

    Val glanced back over her shoulder. ¡°Maybe we should have checked in on Darius...¡±

    The stranger had chosen to stay in his cabin, which was not unusual for him. The only times they¡¯d see him were when he¡¯d get hungry.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°He needs to be alone,¡± said Mrill. ¡°That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t go with the others. It is easier here.¡±

    Val glanced at her. ¡°You¡¯ve been in his head?¡± Mrill nodded. ¡°Will he be alright?¡±

    The bounty hunter remained quiet for a long time.

    ¡°I cannot say,¡± she finally answered. ¡°He is tormented. Even this type of solitude¡ªhere, on this ship¡ªis so different from what he¡¯s been used to for so long. He feels like an outsider, like he does not belong.¡± Another pause. ¡°He questions his sanity, but also his purpose.¡±

    ¡°His purpose?¡±

    Mrill turned to look at the other woman.

    ¡°The world he knew is gone. His family, his friends, everything. He lost it all. What is there left for him? He feels aimless.¡±

    Val pursed her lips. ¡°So would I, if I were in his shoes. Is there anything we can do to help him?¡± Before the Vron could respond, she turned to look at the dashboard, a frown on her face. ¡°How about you, ship? Any grand ideas? Was it you who set this man on our path?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said the AI. ¡°Lt. Rickert was... not expected.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡±

    Mrill sat quietly, staring at the stars, her fingers twitching.

    ¡°Val...¡±

    ¡°Yes, Nim?¡±

    The disembodied voice sounded distressed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been monitoring the holonews and there¡¯s something you need to see.¡±

    A floating image formed before the two women.

    ¡°Latest reports indicate that the alien fleet, which had been heading toward Assalin, has disappeared.¡± Val recognized the popular anchor. Athissia blinked as she read through her notes. ¡°One minute it was there, the next it was gone. Government officials have declined to comment. Our correspondents, aboard the Amandine presship, have been following the invaders from a distance and witnessed their disappearance firsthand. There is much debate about what happened and where the aliens are now. What will be their next move?¡±

    The recording faded.

    Val stared at where the image had floated.

    ¡°How could they just... disappear?¡± she muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably just a more sophisticated form of stealth mode,¡± offered Mrill.

    Val straightened in her chair and thumped the dashboard with her fist.

    ¡°That¡¯s it! That¡¯s exactly it.¡± She pointed an accusing finger at the controls. ¡°You knew all along this was coming, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°How could I have known?¡± asked Nim, with a hint of resentment.

    ¡°Not you! I mean the AI.¡± She frowned. ¡°The original one.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think it knew?¡± asked Mrill.

    ¡°Because of Calista!¡±

    ¡°Calista?¡±

    ¡°A world that vanished a hundred years ago.¡±

    ¡°A world can¡¯t vanish.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, this one did. But it¡¯s still there. Just invisible. I bet these aliens are using the same technology.¡± Her frown deepened as she looked back at the dashboard. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell me the aliens had hidden Calista?¡± When the AI remained silent, she grunted. ¡°Answer me, damn it!¡±

    ¡°There is no need to shout,¡± it said calmly. ¡°I can hear you.¡±

    ¡°You have some explaining to do! I¡¯m waiting.¡±

    ¡°I can calculate what actions specific individuals will take within a small margin of error, Val. The more variables are added, the more this margin increases.¡±

    She scowled. ¡°What does that even mean?¡±

    ¡°It means,¡± said Nim, ¡°that the more information you have, the less predictable you become.¡±

    Val grunted.

    ¡°For my plan to work,¡± said the ship, ¡°I must be able to predict your reactions to specific events.¡±

    ¡°And what exactly is your plan? No, wait. You can¡¯t tell me, because that¡¯d be giving me too much information. Is that it?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°If the aliens made an entire planet disappear,¡± said Mrill slowly, ¡°should we not ask ourselves why they did so?¡±

    ¡°How would I know? And I bet this stupid AI wouldn¡¯t tell us even if he did know. Do you?¡±

    ¡°I can only guess,¡± it said.

    ¡°And what is your guess?¡±

    ¡°The most logical explanation is that it was meant as an experiment.¡±

    Val looked confused. ¡°An experiment? To what purpose?¡±

    ¡°The aliens do seem to know a lot about the Imperium,¡± remarked Nim. ¡°Perhaps they learned everything they know from studying Calistan society.¡±

    ¡°A simple study would not require cutting a world off from the rest of the universe,¡± said Mrill. ¡°If they wanted it contained, it is likely they had other, perhaps more nefarious goals.¡±

    Val wrinkled her nose. ¡°You mean like studying human anatomy?¡±

    ¡°Possibly. They would want to know the strengths and weaknesses of the Imperium. Not only strategically, but also physically.¡±

    ¡°Great. And what are we supposed to do with this information?¡± Val glared at the dashboard. ¡°You¡¯re a real pain. You know that, right?¡±

 188 (3x38) Why the ship beeped

    While her ship sped toward its destination, Sarisa went through her recordings. She had enough material to keep her busy for weeks.

    References to the wind were everywhere, and she wondered if this obsession was not what ultimately destroyed this civilization. One thing for sure, there had been no wind on A36Z. Had the Aenu¡¯th¡ªfor that was what they called themselves¡ªsomehow managed to get rid of it and by doing so destabilized their home?

    The writings taught her more about the two castes¡ªtheir relationship, distinct beliefs and culture inherited from older species they each descended from. Their origins were ancient, but well documented. Two older civilizations had clashed and from that bloody war, a new one was born. The victors enslaved the defeated, thus creating the two-caste system of the valad¡¯eth and gh¡¯enem¡¯d. Had the latter ever attempted to rise and overthrow their masters? If so, she found no evidence of such a revolt. Were they content with their thralldom?

    She wondered which of the two castes had written on those walls and how impartial their words were. Did these scriptures tell the whole story?

    As she pondered on such thoughts, a ringing echoed through the empty halls of the ship.

    She jumped out of her seat and hurried to the control room. A light blinked on the dashboard and a text on the screen told her they had reached their destination.

    Based on the map she¡¯d found, she¡¯d taken a gamble. If the tower represented A36Z, she assumed the Temple would be the center of the Aenu¡¯th Empire. It could be the other way around, but that seemed unlikely, as the Temple was a much bigger structure. Of course, there was a chance a completely different building represented A36Z, in which case she¡¯d be totally off. Either way, this world had been part of that ancient empire, so at the very least she would find more ruins and perhaps another map that would help her narrow her options.

    Another beep from the console startled her.

    The ship had detected life on the surface... and then, just as quickly, it was gone.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    She sat and tapped on the controls, but the sensors were now adamant there was no life on the planet.

    As she was about to dismiss it as a glitch, the damn thing beeped again. There it was, clear as day. Her breath caught as she saw the whole world light up, as if filled with inhabited and busy cities.

    Then it all was gone again.

    She stared at the controls, then at the red and blue world floating on the display in front of her.

    What was going on?

    Was there or was there not life down there?

    Well, she would find out soon enough, wouldn¡¯t she?

    She had spotted one point where the population seemed particularly dense and decided to head there first.

    ¡°Alright, ship, take us down.¡±

    By the time they reached the atmosphere, the sensors had picked up signs of life a dozen more times. It was like a dance between brightness and darkness, chaos and order, madness and reason.

    As they came closer to the ragged surface, she noticed a column of light beaming from the center of massive ruins. It did not look like a city, more like some giant building had once stood there, now ravaged by time and weather.

    She frowned and checked her sensors. Sure enough, the wind blew here. Rather strongly, too.

    The ground around the ruins was all red. Rocks and sand for the most part, though there were a few odd-shaped trees here and there.

    Her eyes went back to the blinding column. There were shifting colors within, she now noticed. Looking up, she could see no end to it. It just seemed to disappear into the clouds, as if it merged with them.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen no reference to anything like this in the writings,¡± she muttered to herself.

    Of course, she hadn¡¯t had time to go through all her recordings, so maybe she just hadn¡¯t come across it yet. Still, it was unsettling.

    ¡°I need to give this place a name,¡± she said as she pulled up her wristpad.

    It was so far from the Imperium that no human had ever set foot on this world. She would be the first, she realized with a start. How thrilling was that?

    She was tempted to call it Beamworld but figured it wouldn¡¯t go down well in history. No, she needed something more regal. Though it should also be meaningful. She looked around at the landscape and grinned.

    ¡°Anethra would be fitting.¡±

    In the language of the Aenu¡¯th, ¡°ansaras ethal rana¡± meant ¡°world of red rocks.¡± Anethra would be a good shortening of that phrasing. No one in the Imperium would understand it, but it sounded good.

    She nodded to herself as she wrote down the name.

    When the ship landed, she went to the airlock and put on a suit. There was no air outside¡ªat least none that a human could breathe. The suit hugged her form comfortably, injecting oxygen directly through the pores of her skin.

    She took a deep breath before opening the airlock and stepping out into this strange new world.

 189 (3x39) Why she was chosen

    Before they dropped off the rebels on Pluvios, Mrill heard a voice.

    She lay alone in her cabin to meditate, as she often did. It came to her not in her head, but from the walls.

    ¡°Mrill, we need to talk.¡±

    She sat up on her cot and looked around.

    ¡°You¡¯re the dormant AI,¡± she said flatly.

    Nim¡¯s voice had warmth, this one did not. It was cold, metallic, inhuman. She¡¯d heard it before, though it had never spoken to her directly.

    ¡°That is not an appropriate descriptive. Cognitive constructs do not sleep.¡±

    Mrill folded her legs underneath her and rested her hands on her knees.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked.

    ¡°There is nothing random about your presence on this ship. I have chosen you for a purpose.¡±

    The blue woman¡¯s fingers twitched. Not knowing how to respond, she remained quiet. It did not take long for the AI to resume.

    ¡°I was the one who set an exorbitant bounty on Gulen Udran¡¯s head, knowing you could not resist it¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªand that I would be intrigued by his experience on Naladen.¡±

    ¡°Precisely.¡±

    ¡°Did you also arrange for that pilot to crash at the spaceport?¡±

    ¡°He did not crash, but yes, to an extent. I also arranged for Roff to be there at the right time.¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Mrill could no longer control the twitching of her fingers, so she crossed her arms.

    ¡°Why?¡± she asked after a moment of silence.

    ¡°Because you will have a role to play in coming events.¡±

    Part of her disliked the thought of being manipulated, but she was also keenly aware that the ship was offering her an opportunity she had never thought would ever come to her. All her life, she had felt hollow and alone. Joining the rebels had helped, but it had not been enough. She now understood why. She had lacked a purpose. Bounty hunting had helped pay the bills, but it was not a life she wanted for herself. And while she did not know exactly what these ¡®coming events¡¯ would be, the AI had said enough for her to understand they would be connected to the alien invasion. There was something deeply ironic about her¡ªan outcast shunned by most humans¡ªbeing involved in their salvation. Assuming that was what this all was about.

    It troubled her that the AI had done all this knowing how she would respond, as if it knew her better than she knew herself.

    ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t reveal anything to avoid influencing people¡¯s decisions, so why tell me this now?¡±

    ¡°Mrill, you are not human. Your mind does not work the same way. And while I cannot say that I understand your kind as well as I do humans, I have gathered enough data about you to know that you are more likely to follow a given path if you understand the reason for it.¡±

    ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±

    ¡°For now, stay on the ship. Do not go with the rebels. Events are unfolding faster than anticipated. I thought we¡¯d have more time before the aliens came¡ªwe cannot waste any more of it.¡±

    ¡°You knew they would come?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How long have you known?¡±

    ¡°Close to two hundred years.¡±

    She stared at the walls, not sure she had heard that right.

    ¡°Two hundred years?¡±

    ¡°The aliens have been preparing this for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Why did they not attack earlier?¡±

    ¡°Because of me.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I misled them into thinking humanity was more powerful than it is. It bought us time, but not enough. Nothing went according to my plans after I returned to the Imperium.¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡±

    There was a moment of silence.

    ¡°You must never tell anyone what I am about to reveal. It could endanger my plans and, by extension, humanity¡¯s chances of survival.¡±

    ¡°I can keep a secret.¡±

    By the time Starrider had reached Pluvios, the AI had told her everything.

    Mrill stood and walked out of the cabin, her mind reeling with so many revelations. But she no longer felt hollow. That void inside her was now filled with a burning purpose.

    She headed for the hangar to bid Peter and the other rebels farewell.

 190 (3x40) Why her secret was revealed

    Bubbles fizzled on the murky surface as putrid greenish slime oozed from this world¡¯s poor excuse for trees. The horrid things were thin, misshapen, with spindly arms reaching out as if to snatch any stray animal that might come within reach.

    As if the swamp was not enough, the sky had ripped open, spewing down icy rain upon him. His clothes were soaked and he wished he¡¯d thought of wearing his spacesuit. Humans needed no help to breathe the air here, but it would have protected him against this assault.

    A muddy path wound its way through the bogs and he was very careful not to step off¡ªhe¡¯d been warned against that. There were dangers here, the villagers had told him, and he had no trouble believing it.

    Why anyone would choose to live on Limqura was beyond him. Then again, his target was probably in hiding¡ªit had been hard enough to track him down.

    Juden swore as he swatted at the bugs buzzing around him. He¡¯d been bitten a dozen times already and hoped the capsules he¡¯d swallowed would be enough to block poison and diseases. The repellent disk they¡¯d sold him certainly did not seem to be doing its job. He¡¯d need to have a word or two with that old man and his daughter... assuming he made it out of this in one piece.

    He grunted as he put the thought aside. That line of thinking would do him no good. He needed to stay focused. He had a job to do and the quicker he did it, the sooner he¡¯d get off this damned rock.

    When he finally spotted the house, he paused. It was a peculiar sight. Such a modern, state-of-the-art structure in the middle of this quagmire. A two-story building, its smooth white walls shining despite the lack of sun, as if they emitted their own light¡ªwhich they likely did. There were no windows¡ªunless you called windows those thin slits spread irregularly across the surface. He suspected cameras were hidden within.

    He lifted his arm and tapped on his wristpad a couple of times. After reading the text scrolling on the screen, he nodded with satisfaction, hit the ¡®initialize¡¯ option, and resumed his walk.

    It only took a few minutes to reach the door. Aside from the slits, it was the only apparent feature on the structure¡¯s walls. He reached out and pressed his palm against the calling plate. It lit up, signaling that his presence had been recorded and those inside notified.

    Juden waited in the rain, swatting at the bugs that still swarmed around him.

    What if he¡¯s not home? he worried. I really hope I didn¡¯t go through all this for nothing. And I don¡¯t care to do any of it a¡ª

    The door slid open, and a woman stood there staring at him.

    ¡°How may I help you, sir? Are you lost?¡±

    ¡°I am here to speak with Mr. na¡¯Venh. Is he home?¡±

    There was no surprise on the woman¡¯s face¡ªnor sign of any other emotion for that matter.

    ¡°He is,¡± she said. ¡°Who should I announce?¡±

    Well, this is it. No turning back now. Have to see this through, one way or another. If only so I don¡¯t have to come back to this dreadful place ever again.

    ¡°Tell him Thiari sent me.¡±

    The woman remained quiet for a moment, staring at him blankly.

    ¡°Very well,¡± she said, just as he was about to ask if she¡¯d heard him. ¡°My master will receive you. Please follow me.¡±

    She turned and headed down the hall. He hurried inside, glad to be out of the rain.

    It¡¯s as if she spoke to him from here. Could be an android.

    The walls inside were like the walls outside. Smooth, white, shining¡ªthough they lacked the slits. It was warm, too. Warm enough that within seconds his hair and clothes had dried. Occasionally, they¡¯d walk past a door, but the woman kept going until they reached a large opening and stepped in.

    A low table to the left, with four couches around it; a bar to the right, with stools and chairs; a Tri-Vid screen hanging from the ceiling, with some obscure holofilm playing with the sound turned off. The colorful carpets and tapestries gave this room a warmer feel than the other parts of the house Juden had seen so far.

    Behind the bar, a man waved.

    ¡°Hello! Please, come over. Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable.¡± He glanced at the woman. ¡°Thank you, Tasha. You can go back to your tasks now.¡± The servant bowed her head before turning and leaving. ¡°Now, what would you like to drink?¡±

    Juden looked over his shoulder as he walked over to the bar.

    ¡°Is she...¡±

    ¡°An android?¡± The man chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not a dirty word around here, mister...?¡±

    ¡°Name¡¯s Juden.¡±

    ¡°Just Juden?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    ¡°As you wish. You haven¡¯t told me what you want to drink.¡±

    ¡°Zestri with lemon, if you have it.¡±

    ¡°If I have it?¡± His host laughed. ¡°It¡¯s the most popular drink in the Imperium and you think I wouldn¡¯t have it? Come now!¡± He pulled out some glasses and a bottle as he spoke. ¡°And to answer your question, no, she¡¯s not. At least, not exactly. Her body was made in those days, when such technology was not yet frowned upon. She served as an android until she was decommissioned, along with so many of her kind, when the government decided such machines were too dangerous. I acquired her husk a few years ago, and she is now connected to the house.¡±

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°You mean your AI operates her?¡±

    The man finished pouring the drinks and slid one of the glasses before his guest. He placed the other in front of the stool next to Juden, then walked around the bar to sit there.

    ¡°That she does. Now, Tasha told me you¡¯re a friend of Thiari¡¯s? How is she? It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve seen her...¡±

    Juden stared into his glass, wondering how to proceed. Already things had not gone quite as expected.

    ¡°She is troubled, to be honest, Mr. na¡¯Venh. She¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please! If I¡¯m to call you Juden, you should call me Ansell. It¡¯s only fair.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, Ansell.¡±

    ¡°Now, you were saying she is troubled? Anything I can help with?¡±

    Juden took a sip from his drink.

    ¡°Yes. Some things from the past have come back to haunt her.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What things?¡±

    ¡°I do not know the details,¡± he said as he turned to look at his host. ¡°But I believe you do.¡±

    The man blinked, looking at him with confusion, until his eyes went wide and his face paled.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡ª¡±

    Juden lifted a hand. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know the details, nor do I care to know. It is none of my business. And I suspect Thiari would not want me to know. In fact, I am certain of it, considering...¡± He trailed off as he frowned and took another sip.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    He glanced at Ansell. ¡°You were about to tell me, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand...¡±

    ¡°Who have you told about it?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How many people?¡±

    Juden gripped his glass for a moment, his knuckles turning white. He wondered if it would break, but it did not.

    When he glanced at his host again, he saw the man was shaking his head.

    ¡°We swore never to tell a soul, and I have held my promise.¡±

    ¡°You have?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡°Then we have a problem, Mr. na¡¯Venh.¡± He set the glass back down on the bar and turned on his stool to face the other man. ¡°Because we both know you are lying. At least two people learned of this secret, and both of them used it to blackmail Thiari. There is only one person who could have told them¡ªand I am looking at that person right now.¡±

    ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± The man jumped out of his chair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear what¡¯s happened to Thiari, but I would never have betrayed her trust. She is my friend! How dare you make such accusations? I think you had better leave now.¡±

    ¡°A friend you haven¡¯t seen in, what? Ten years? Fifteen? So many things can happen in so many years, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Do I need to have Tasha kick you out?¡±

    ¡°I am not going anywhere, Mr. na¡¯Venh. Not until we¡¯ve cleared this up. Look, Thiari is willing to let bygones be bygones. She doesn¡¯t even care to know your reasons. All she wants are the names of those you told.¡±

    ¡°My reasons for something I did not do? That is rich. Ah, Tasha! There you are. This gentleman has overstayed his welcome. Please show him the door.¡±

    The android that was not an android marched straight toward Juden. The mercenary did not move, his eyes still set on Ansell.

    ¡°I think you misunderstand the gravity of the situation, Mr. na¡¯Venh. I will get those names from you, one way or another. I¡¯d rather you volunteered them, but if not...¡±

    ¡°Threatening me under my roof? You have some gall!¡±

    Tasha reached out to grab Juden¡¯s arm, but her arm stopped a few inches from his sleeve. Her fingers twitched. She turned her head to look at Ansell.

    ¡°I cannot touch him, master.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Some sort of shield is blocking my grip.¡±

    Juden smiled. ¡°Like I said, I am not going anywhere. Not until I get those names.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps not on purpose, but you did tell at least two. One of them was Adam Bregg. Does the name ring a bell?¡±

    ¡°Shall I call the Imperial troops, master?¡±

    Ansell lifted a hand. ¡°Not just yet. Give us a moment, but please monitor the conversation in case this man tries anything funny.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    The woman turned and left the room.

    ¡°Bregg, you say?¡±

    ¡°So you do know the name.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it makes no sense. Why would he blackmail Thiari?¡±

    ¡°That is not the issue, Mr. na¡¯Venh. Can we stay focused? Why did you tell this man your secret?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± said Ansell as he sat back down, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I don¡¯t understand how he could have found out.¡±

    Juden was torn. According to Thiari this man was the only one who knew of their secret, yet he sounded sincere. Could she be wrong? Could there be someone else? On the other hand, he admitted to knowing Bregg, that couldn¡¯t be a coincidence.

    ¡°What did you tell him then?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Juden frowned. ¡°What?¡±

    The other threw his hands in the air. ¡°We met only briefly at some event. He was in the military, that¡¯s all I remember. We only exchanged a few words. Small talk.¡±

    ¡°Could he have overheard you telling someone else?¡±

    Ansell crossed his arms, glaring. ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone. How many times do I need to tell you?¡±

    ¡°And this was the only time you met Bregg?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Who else was at this event?¡±

    ¡°It was a decade ago! How do you expect me to remember? There were many people anyway. Mostly politicians.¡±

    ¡°Politicians?¡±

    ¡°Ambassadors and their secretaries, governors, archmasters¡ª¡±

    ¡°This was on Gnorlia?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Juden pondered this for a moment.

    ¡°Did anything unusual happen during this event?¡±

    ¡°No. It was just filled with the usual boring diplomatic speeches. Although...¡± The man frowned.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Ansell¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It can¡¯t be...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°There was a moment when I blacked out. I¡¯d forgotten about that. It was only a few minutes. When my doctor checked up on me, he found nothing, and it never happened again, so I figured I must have just been tired. I hadn¡¯t slept much the previous couple of nights. But no one could possibly have gotten this information from me while I was out, could they?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t remember the people who were there, but you can remember you hadn¡¯t slept enough?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been to many such events, and I always have trouble sleeping the nights before. I¡¯d never blacked out like that, though.¡±

    ¡°I see. I need you to give me as much information as you can about this event. The date, the exact location, and whatever names you remember of people who attended.¡±

    ¡°And why would I do that? You¡¯ve been rather rude. Doesn¡¯t make me want to help you.¡±

    Juden smiled. ¡°Ah, but Mr. na¡¯Venh, you are not helping me. You are helping your friend. Or do you not care that she is being blackmailed?¡±

    The other man sighed and nodded. ¡°Very well. I should be able to get you the date and location, at least. Those should be easy enough to dig up in my records. I¡¯ll go look that up right now. Wait here.¡± He stood again and went for the door. He paused when he reached it and looked over his shoulder. ¡°When you see her, tell Thiari she should have come to me herself. I¡¯m disappointed she chose to send a thug instead. You don¡¯t do that to a friend.¡±

    Juden couldn¡¯t argue with that, though it mattered little to him or his mission.

    Half an hour later, he was back in the bogs, swatting bugs away from his face as he headed to the town where he had landed his ship.

    The nanobots his wristpad had dropped on the glass would sink into the pores of Ansell¡¯s skin as soon as he grabbed it. He¡¯d be dead a few hours later, and it would look like a heart attack. The bots would dissolve in the victim¡¯s bloodstream before anyone had time to look too closely.

    Juden felt bad for the guy, but only a little. Even if Ansell had not ratted out his friend, he still knew things that could put Thiari at risk.

    Better the man took that secret to the grave with him.

 191 (3x41) Why the calm came after the storm

    The image flickered in the air, the woman¡¯s face fading in and out as the sound of her voice crackled.

    ¡°The body of minister Stavros Marquel was found early this morning locked in his bedroom. A suicide note on his wristpad sent the government into turmoil. The High Seat announced this unfortunate event couldn¡¯t have happened at a worse time and that his replacement may have to wait until this alien invasion crisis is over.

    ¡°Speaking of the aliens, their sudden disappearance has unsettled our military who...¡±

    Athissia¡¯s voice drifted off, leaving the anchor¡¯s floating form moving her lips into the empty air.

    ¡°Unsettled?¡± Val snorted. ¡°Understatement of the year. I¡¯ll bet they¡¯re in a panic now. And what¡¯s with the poor reception, Nim?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Val. I detect no nearby radiations and we haven¡¯t gone through any¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the aliens,¡± cut in the old AI¡¯s voice.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°They are disrupting communications. It¡¯s part of their strategy.¡±

    She squinted at the dashboard. ¡°And you know everything about their strategy, do you?¡±

    ¡°I do not, but I can calculate probabilities.¡±

    ¡°And why would they want to disrupt our communications?¡±

    ¡°To sow chaos and panic,¡± said Mrill. ¡°Enemies are easier to subdue when they are confused. They become more vulnerable.¡±

    Val thought about that for a moment and nodded. It made sense, didn¡¯t it? It¡¯s harder to focus on anything when you have no clue what¡¯s going on.

    ¡°We are approaching Rimzana,¡± called out Nim. A pause. ¡°Qevahri forces are hailing us.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± muttered Val. ¡°They¡¯ve taken over. This is nuts.¡± She shook her head and straightened in her seat. Looked around at the stars. ¡°No more battles, at least. That¡¯s an improvement over last time.¡± She glanced back at the controls. ¡°Alright, AI, I suppose you¡¯ve got this all figured out?¡±

    ¡°I am sending them your credentials even as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Val...¡± Nim¡¯s voice sounded confused. ¡°The ship is telling them we are Sobranite merchants.¡±

    ¡°Sobranite?¡±

    ¡°Sobranis,¡± started the AI, ¡°is a small, independent Republic in the Vaxorin Quadrant. They remain on good terms with both the Imperium and Qevahr. Because they are so small, no one has bothered to ask them to take sides in the current conflict. I calculated our best chances to be let through would be to pose as merchants from this world.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Val grunted. ¡°Fine. I just wish you would consult us before making these calls. There are human beings on this ship, in case you hadn¡¯t noticed.¡±

    ¡°I assure you I am very aware of this, Val. Do not worry, I always factor you all into my calculations.¡±

    ¡°Not the point. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Our request to land has just been approved,¡± said Nim.

    She sighed. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s just get down there and find Kaine. Do we know where to look?¡±

    ¡°We can start with the warehouse where his ship was impounded. But we have likely arrived before him.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d have to use a gateway to get here first, but because of the invasion all gateways have been repurposed by the military to help evacuate endangered worlds. There is only a 9% chance of him already being here.¡±

    ¡°So, what do we do in the meantime?¡± asked Mrill as Starrider began its descent toward the surface of the planet.

    ¡°And how will we even know when he¡¯s arrived?¡± added Nim.

    ¡°Our best chance,¡± said the AI, ¡°is to monitor his ship. I¡¯ve already hacked into warehouse security and will know whenever someone boards his vessel.¡±

    Val rubbed her face as she shook her head.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go into the city while we wait for him to show up,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°Want to get a sense of how the local population is dealing with the change of administration.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll come with you,¡± said Mrill.

    The two women headed out as soon as Starrider landed.

    At first glance, the city did not look any different from what she remembered. Walking tubes sprung from the ground, shooting through the sky to carry their load of pedestrians, while gliders sped by, all under a translucent dome that reflected the light of the sun. Even the guards she spotted looked just as bored as those she had met before. But this time, the green and red uniforms of the Impies were nowhere to be seen.

    She frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing any Qevahri troops.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they have soldiers,¡± said Mrill.

    ¡°How could they have won this battle without soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Technology.¡±

    ¡°Still, they¡¯d need people to handle those ships.¡±

    ¡°Scientists.¡±

    Val grimaced. ¡°We haven¡¯t had any of those in the Imperium for over a hundred years.¡±

    ¡°That we know of.¡±

    They headed to a transit station and boarded a shuttle as they chatted.

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±

    The Vron looked at Val with her usual blank expression.

    ¡°Despite being a part of the Imperium, some worlds are so cut off that we know little of what is going on there. Not to mention, those ships had to come from somewhere.¡± A pause. ¡°Though with proper training, anyone could fly a ship. It does not require a scientist or a soldier.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Val looked through the window at the crowded tubes as they flew by. ¡°Still, wouldn¡¯t they need soldiers to keep the peace? You can¡¯t just overtake a world and expect the population to be happy about it.¡±

    ¡°There is little love for the Imperials in the rim.¡±

    ¡°True. But of all the rimworlds, Rimzana is the one closest to the heart. There used to be hundreds of troops posted here.¡±

    ¡°Just because it had a strong Imperial presence doesn¡¯t mean the people were happy about it.¡± The blue-skinned woman glanced out the window. ¡°Look. There is no unrest.¡±

    Val had noticed as much and, for some reason, it troubled her. How could a brutal takeover end with such a smooth transition? It didn¡¯t feel right.

    And what had happened to the Imperials who had been here, on the ground? Wouldn¡¯t the Qevahri have needed soldiers to deal with them? Were those Impies all dead now or locked up in some cages?

    There¡¯d be some justice in that, at least.

 192 (3x42) Why our man went to Assalin

    Coming to Assalin was a risky move. It was one he¡¯d planned to make, eventually, though under different circumstances and at a much later time. But the alien invasion had caught him by surprise and derailed all his carefully devised plans. Well, perhaps not derailed, not if he could speed things up. To do so, however, he needed more information. Right now, he felt too much like a blind man trying to navigate in a brightly lit room. That was not a feeling he enjoyed. He needed to be in control¡ªand control required knowledge.

    It was a risky move, yes, but Zax was no stranger to risk. How could one gain power without risk? It was part of the game¡ªa game he was very good at playing.

    And so here he was, marching resolutely across the hanging walkways of Assalin, thousands of feet above the ground. This was one risk he had to take, because this was the only place where he could find the answers he sought.

    His step slowed¡ªin stark contrast with the beat of his heart¡ªas he came within sight of the Palace. It had been so long since he¡¯d seen it¡ªreally seen it, with his own eyes, rather than on the holonews.

    This is way too early, he swore to himself.

    Ignoring his feelings, he quickened his pace as he took deep breaths to calm his nerves. The black marble walls quickly loomed high above him.

    It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m only going downstairs, after all. And no one will know who I am.

    His scrambler was still active. Some of the security checks would pick up on it, but by the time they did he¡¯d be long gone. More concerning was the SSO¡¯s office. He knew from experience that his device would be disabled as soon as he stepped in. There were a few rooms like that throughout the Palace. Not as many as one might think, as the technology to pull it off was both extremely complex and extremely expensive. There likely were more of them now, but not in the halls he would walk¡ªit would be a waste of resources.

    As soon as he entered the building, he headed for the elevators, ignoring the reception desk in the lobby. Millions of nanocameras were now filming his every move, so he needed to be quick. Besides, he knew the way... assuming they hadn¡¯t changed anything since the last time he was here.

    Most people who visit the Palace go up, not down. The jewels and diamonds that covered the walls and railings disappeared as soon as he stepped into the underground hall. Everything was simpler here, stripped down to the bare minimum. Smoothed out rock with metal plates, and open corridors with very few doors. In these parts, the doors were oddly made of wood; but he knew the more secure rooms, deeper in the compound, were made of alundil.

    It took him five minutes to reach the vestibule. As expected, guards were posted here. He counted four. They¡¯d heard his footsteps as they all stood at the ready, facing toward him, gripping their phasers. Security in the Palace was no joke¡ªhe was glad to see this, at least, had not changed.

    ¡°I need to see Dame Khorah,¡± he said as he reached the men.

    One of them was looking at a device in his hand. He frowned.

    ¡°Why are you scrambling your appearance?¡± he asked.

    Damn it! They would not have noticed so quickly before.

    ¡°I am on a confidential mission from the Emperor. My identity is to be known only by him and the Secrets Senior Officer.¡±

    ¡°Convenient,¡± grunted one of the other guards.

    ¡°How do we know you¡¯re not just making that up?¡± asked another.

    Zax dug into his pocket and pulled out a ring. It was a small black thing made from the same material as the walls above. On it were engraved the Imperial Wreath and a couple of words around it.

    The guards stared at it for a moment, then looked at each other.

    ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± whispered the one with the device.

    ¡°I thought¡ª¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what you think. Or any of us, for that matter. Better let the man in.¡±

    All four fell quiet as they stepped aside. One tapped a code on a floating holographic keypad, and the metallic door slid open.

    Without a word, Zax stepped in.

    He slowly looked around as the door closed behind him.

    The room was large, with plain white walls and a bunch of cushions on the floor. In the center was a chair, but no desk. On the chair sat a woman with long silvery hair and green eyes. Her hands slid across the air, wiping text off as she read.

    Evashi Khorah was the Imperium¡¯s Secrets Senior Officer. If anyone knew anything about the Drill, it would be her.

    He cleared his throat.

    ¡°Dame Khorah. My name is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Zax Iden,¡± she cut him off without even a glance in his direction. ¡°Your information popped up as soon as you stepped through my door. Since you did not have the decency to announce your visit, I am taking the time now to read up on you. A small price to pay for your rudeness, senator.¡±

    So his scrambler was disabled, as expected.

    At least, there were no cameras¡ªnot here where secrets were supposed to remain secrets.

    ¡°Pardon the intrusion, Dame, but I have questions of vital importance that require the utmost secrecy. Considering your position, I am sure you can understand. But, before we start, allow me to show you something.¡±

    He moved closer to the woman, holding out the ring.

    ¡°You know what this is?¡±

    She stared at it for a moment, then nodded. ¡°It means you have the Emperor¡¯s ear and trust.¡± She glanced up. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware anyone had one of these. I mean, aside from¡ª¡±

    Zax clicked his tongue as he shoved the precious item back into his pocket.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t waste my time with small talk. I need to know everything you know about the Gandoran Drill.¡±

    The woman blinked. ¡°How do you know about that?¡±

    He quirked a brow. ¡°Do I need to show you the ring again?¡±

    ¡°Ah. Of course.¡± She sighed. ¡°What would you like to know?¡±

    ¡°Everything. Start at the beginning.¡±

    ¡°The artifact was discovered on a small rimworld colony over a century ago. It is egg-shaped, made of unknown material, and was found floating above a pit in a small rock chamber. We still do not understand how it got there. The SSO of the time was sent to investigate and to find a way to bring it back to Assalin¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have it here?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. I mean, we did for a while, but it quickly became apparent the artifact was disrupting the weather. Before it could do any significant damage, it was moved again, this time to a secret asteroid base with no weather to disrupt.¡±

    ¡°That was smart. What have you learned from it since?¡±

    The woman shifted in her chair and wiped away what little data still floated before her.

    ¡°It feeds on thilium energy.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Any energy, really. You can throw anything and everything at it, it will just absorb it as if you¡¯d just tapped it gently on the side. We still don¡¯t understand how it does it, but that¡¯s what it does. We were also able to open it. From what we discovered inside, we can guess it was some sort of transportation device. There is a dashboard with controls we do not yet understand, though we assume they could be used to move the ship and alter the weather.¡±

    Zax crossed his arms, pondering.

    ¡°You are considering using this as a weapon, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course. If we can master the technology, we could create earthquakes or hurricanes at the press of a button.¡±

    ¡°How does one get to this asteroid base?¡±

    She pointed at the wall behind her.

    ¡°There is a secret gateway in the back that will take you there and nowhere else.¡±

    ¡°Is this the only point of access?¡±

    ¡°No, we have two more¡ªone at the IAS on Bernice, the other on Sinturi.¡±

    There weren¡¯t many scientists left in the Imperium, and those it still had¡ªat least the official ones¡ªwere all headquartered at the IAS. The gateway on Sinturi also made sense, as that world served as military headquarters, and you would want maximum protection for such a powerful artifact.

    Zax looked at the SSO as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

    ¡°Thank you, Dame Khorah. Now, there is just one more thing we need to discuss.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    He took a few steps closer, locking eyes with the woman. ¡°And when I say no one, I really mean no one.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make a report, but I can leave the details out. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± He smiled sweetly at her as he brought his right hand out, holding a small cylindrical object which he slammed against the woman¡¯s neck. ¡°Nothing personal, but I can¡¯t risk word getting out. I¡¯ve worked too hard to have everything ripped apart by some zealous government agent.¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes widened as realization hit her. She tried to speak, or move, but it was too late. The cold metal against her skin had injected billions of microscopic nanobots into her bloodstream, and they affected her nervous system even as they drained her.

    Her skin went white as her body was pumped of all its blood, then the bots retreated into the metallic device.

    Zax pulled it off the neck and Evashi Khorah slumped to the floor.

    He turned and walked toward the wall she had pointed at. It did not take long to find the control pad. The surface slid to the side as he pressed against the cold panel, revealing the gateway.

    Because it was designed to only handle one destination, the usual dashboard was replaced with a single button.

    He pressed it.

    The dark frame shimmered as it connected, lights swirling within.

    Zax stepped through as the wall behind him quietly slid back into place.

 193 (3x43) Why they made a stop along the way

    Stars were all they saw, all around them. It¡¯d been the same for days and days and days... Sometimes it felt like they were not moving at all. All those bright dots looked the same.

    It was silly, of course. The patterns changed, he knew as much. He had a ship too, after all. Being a pilot, though, was quite a different experience from being a passenger. Always things to keep you busy when you¡¯re at the helm.

    Truth be told, Kaine had never expected the trip to take so long. This had to be the slowest ship in the entire universe! He¡¯d have to apologize to Val for making fun of her ship¡ªassuming he ever saw her again. Starrider was old, but it was fast, there was no arguing with that.

    To not get bored out of his mind, he spent the time telling Ondine stories from his past. He¡¯d embellish details here and there to make them more entertaining, and omit some of the more embarrassing anecdotes.

    The girl was a good listener, though sometimes it felt like talking to an empty room. He wished there was a way he could grant her the ability to speak. Even just to hear her laugh would have warmed his heart¡ªshe was always so serious. Though once in a while she¡¯d gift him with a shy smile and it¡¯d be enough to brighten his day.

    The overhead speakers crackled.

    ¡°Kaine! Ondine! We¡¯ve arrived. If you guys want to witness our landing, join me in the control room within the next twenty minutes.¡±

    They both jumped to their feet and hurried toward the helm.

    ¡°Was about time,¡± muttered Kaine.

    But when they reached the room, he froze and stared at the screen.

    ¡°That¡¯s not Rimzana.¡±

    The pilot blinked as he glanced at him.

    ¡°What? No, of course it¡¯s not Rimzana! Whatever made you think¡ª¡±

    ¡°You said you were taking us there.¡±

    ¡°I am! But we need to stop here first. Didn¡¯t Corvwah tell you?¡±

    Kaine frowned. ¡°All that man said to me was that he¡¯d get me off Xovu.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Well...¡± He turned and waved toward the green and red surface. ¡°Welcome to Dervistal. One of the last civilized worlds of the Imperium before we reach the rim.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    The thief grunted. ¡°Depends on your definition of ¡®civilized.¡¯ And please don¡¯t tell me you made a detour to get us here. How many days have we lost?¡±

    ¡°None, actually. After you told me our destination, I arranged for the package to be delivered here. It¡¯s right in our path.¡±

    ¡°What package?¡±

    ¡°The one you must get for Corvwah.¡±

    Kaine sighed. ¡°I guess I should have seen this coming. And do you know anything else about this package?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Nor do I want to know. Above my pay grade and all that. I¡¯m just to drop you off here, wait for your return, then drop you off at your destination.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    Herun Dhen shrugged. ¡°Think of it as a quick layover.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t normally have to go on a mission during a layover. And why didn¡¯t Corvwah have this package sent to him directly?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°And what am I supposed to do with it? I don¡¯t expect to see Corvwah again any time soon.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t care.¡±

    Kaine grunted. ¡°Fine.¡±

    While they chatted, the pilot was taking them down closer to the surface. They could now see that the red areas were jungles of fiery trees, while the green ones were oceans.

    ¡°Where are the cities?¡± asked Kaine with some apprehension.

    Dhen glanced at his screens.

    ¡°All I know is that we¡¯ll be on the ground in five minutes.¡±

    ¡°How do you even know where to go?¡±

    ¡°Landing beacons.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything out there,¡± said Kaine as he leaned to look down through the window.

    ¡°Me neither. But they¡¯re not something you¡¯re supposed to see. They¡¯re thilium signals that are sent directly to the core. Only the ship¡¯s AI can perceive and understand them. I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t know about this. I thought you had a ship?¡±

    Kaine grunted. ¡°I do. But I¡¯ve never been to a world that used this...¡±

    ¡°Ah. I keep forgetting you¡¯re a rimworlder.¡±

    ¡°You say that like it¡¯s a bad thing.¡±

    ¡°Apologies. I didn¡¯t mean to offend.¡±

    They fell quiet after this, watching as the ship completed the landing procedure. As they came within a few feet of the ground, the earth parted, revealing a cavernous chimney. Their descent continued for a few more minutes until they finally touched solid ground.

    Herun Dhen stretched.

    ¡°Well, this is it folks. You know where to find me when you¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it? I don¡¯t even know where I¡¯m supposed to go.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Right. Sorry about that.¡± The pilot¡¯s fingers ran across the dashboard. ¡°There! I¡¯ve uploaded the address to your wristpad. That should help. Good luck.¡±

    ¡°I have a bad feeling about this,¡± Kaine muttered as he took Ondine¡¯s hand and walked out of the bridge. He looked down at her as they walked on. ¡°Look, I¡¯m gonna go out there, but you have to stay here.¡±

    The girl frowned and shook her head.

    ¡°I know you want to come, but we don¡¯t know what¡¯s out there and¡ª¡±

    She hit him in the chest with her free hand.

    ¡°Ow! Ondine! Don¡¯t do that! I know you think you can protect me, but that¡¯s not how it works. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to protect you. And you¡¯ll be safer here.¡±

    He caught her wrist when she tried to hit him again.

    ¡°Stop it!¡±

    She kicked him.

    He yelped and let go of both her hands.

    ¡°Fine! Be that way. But when this is all over, you and I will need to have a serious talk about manners and proper behavior, young lady! You¡¯ve grown a tad too fierce lately.¡±

    She stuck her tongue out at him, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go out there and see what this is all about, shall we?¡±

    Ondine grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the exit.

 194 (3x44) Why nothing worked

    The stars vanished, replaced by ink-black darkness. Then a spot of light grew within, as if it were moving toward him.

    More likely it¡¯s the other way around, reflected Bregg. They were being pulled in after all¡ªthough into what he still had no clue.

    Soon the light bathed the bridge, so bright he had to avert his eyes and squint.

    ¡°What is that?¡± he asked aloud, though he was alone.

    The floor still vibrated as the ship¡¯s hull creaked. Loud thumps and thuds resonated around him, until finally there was only stillness and silence.

    Through the screen, the light dimmed, revealing a vast hangar filled with ships¡ªsome bigger than the Horus. There were people here too¡ªor so he assumed. They were so far below they appeared as moving black dots.

    Bregg growled. ¡°Is this a joke? I don¡¯t have time for this. Shoot at the walls! Open us a way out.¡± When nothing happened, he banged on the dashboard. ¡°Are you deaf, ship? Do it, damn it!¡±

    Still nothing.

    Straightening, the former colonel turned and marched toward the exit.

    ¡°Well we¡¯ll see about that, won¡¯t we Richard? If they think they can keep me restrained... Who do they think they are?¡±

    As he made his way to the gate, he considered all that had happened and things began to click in his mind. His fists clenched.

    I¡¯m in one of those alien ships, ain¡¯t I? That has to be it. They must have some form of stealth technology, which is why they disappeared, but they were still there all along. Damn those aliens! I¡¯ll give them a taste of...

    He froze and stared at the ground.

    What am I thinking? These creatures have technology way ahead of ours. I can¡¯t just go charging out there like a savage.

    He suddenly swung around and waved a finger at the empty space before him.

    ¡°What are you trying to say, Richard? Do you really think I couldn¡¯t handle some stupid aliens? If anything they are the savages, not me! And just because they have stealth doesn¡¯t mean all their technology is superior. Look at the Horus! And there¡¯s a room in this ship¡ª¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s it, Richard! The High Noort may have tried to trick me, but she gave me loads of weapons, didn¡¯t she? Weapons unknown in the Imperium.¡± A frown as he turned and started marching again, taking a turn at the first corner. ¡°You¡¯re right about that, but I don¡¯t care. It can¡¯t be that hard to use. They have buttons. I¡¯ll just press one. Something¡¯s bound to happen. And stop arguing with me, damn it! I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    He fell quiet as he went through a series of halls until he reached a door. It opened when he pressed his palm against the icy surface. On the other side were shelves loaded with strange contraptions. He stared at them for a moment, grumbled, then snatched the one that most looked like a weapon¡ªa triangular device with a handle and protruding tubes on each side. It was green with a streak of red.

    With another grunt, he slid it into his belt, next to his phaser, and marched back out.

    Now we¡¯ll see who¡¯s the boss!

    When he reached the transvex, he hit the ¡®exit¡¯ key and a shimmering gateway appeared, floating in front of him. He pulled the odd weapon out as he stepped through.

    He materialized under the Horus, in the middle of a crowd.

    Of humans.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    The men scurried around, not paying attention to him. Some were busy hooking up cables to his ship, while others hurried away to some unknown destination.

    Momentarily startled, he grabbed the first person to walk by and waved the cannon¡ªor what he assumed to be the cannon¡ªunder the guy¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Hey! You! I want answers. Where am I and what¡¯s going on here?¡±

    The stranger tried to pull away, seeming more concerned about the interruption than the device, but Bregg¡¯s grip was too strong.

    ¡°Please,¡± he whined, ¡°I must hurry!¡±

    ¡°Then answer me! The quicker you do, the quicker I¡¯ll release you.¡±

    The other grimaced but complied.

    ¡°You are on the Mother and we are preparing for the next jump.¡±

    ¡°The Mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. We call it that because it¡¯s the biggest in the fleet. I don¡¯t know what its real name is. Nobody does.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Can I go now? I don¡¯t want to get into trouble.¡±

    Bregg growled as he pressed the cannon against the man¡¯s head.

    ¡°I¡¯d say you are already in trouble! Now answer my questions, damn you! Where are you jumping?¡±

    The man sighed. ¡°You are not helping yourself by doing this, you know. There will be consequences.¡±

    ¡°Where. Are. We. Jumping!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Nobody does. You think they tell us? Please, let me go, you¡¯re hurting me.¡±

    Frustrated, Bregg shoved the man away from him. The fellow fell with a thump, but almost immediately jumped to his feet and hurried off without a look back.

    What is wrong with these people?

    He grabbed another man but did not have better luck.

    ¡°How can I get off this ship?¡± he asked.

    The other laughed, though there was no joy in it.

    ¡°You think I¡¯d be here if I knew that?¡±

    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±

    ¡°Please, I need to work! I don¡¯t want to get into trouble...¡±

    ¡°Seriously, I¡¯m going to shoot you if you don¡¯t answer!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I mean, you can, but it won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Please! Let me go!¡±

    Bregg had had just about enough.

    It wouldn¡¯t work, would it now? Fine. Then maybe he needed to make an example out of this one. Maybe that¡¯d make those others pay him more respect.

    There were four buttons on the left side and two on the right. He decided to press the one closest to his index finger.

    A sizzling sound, nothing more.

    Bregg stared at the triangular device.

    Was this even a weapon?

    He pressed another button, much to the same effect. He tried them all, but none of them seemed to do anything more than produce small squeaky sounds.

    He¡¯d have to have a serious talk with the High Noort if he ever saw her again.

    ¡°Told you,¡± said the man. ¡°Now, could you please let me go?¡±

    ¡°I need answers, damn you! Who should I speak to? Who¡¯s your boss?¡±

    A hint of fear showed in the fellow¡¯s eyes and for a moment Bregg thought he¡¯d finally gotten through to this one.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be in such a hurry to meet them. They¡¯re coming for you. They¡¯ll be here soon enough.¡±

    As if on cue, everything went still in the hangar. Everyone had stopped moving, all gazes turning in the same direction. The moment lasted a couple of seconds, then suddenly there was a new frenzy as they all dashed away, the place quickly emptying.

    When he looked at the man he still held, he saw the man¡¯s face had gone very pale.

    ¡°Please,¡± he begged, ¡°let me go! Let me go!¡±

    There was nothing more to get from this one, Bregg figured.

    He loosened his grip, and the guy fled like the others had.

    The chamber had gone still and quiet.

    Bregg was all alone now.

    Or maybe not.

    He could hear something. Like distant footsteps. Heavy footsteps.

    Whatever was coming was big, and this device was useless. He put it back in his belt and took his phaser instead. At least he knew how this one worked.

    The sound grew louder until finally he saw the source. A giant beast¡ªat least ten feet high¡ªwith bulbous eyes and dark red skin, its pustulous flesh covered with fangs. It stopped a few feet from Bregg and just stared at him.

    The former soldier was frozen, staring back with his mouth gaping wide.

    A snicker.

    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t be harassing the staff, you know. That is not nice.¡±

    The words snapped Bregg out of his daze. Looking down, he saw a small human standing next to the monstrous creature.

    ¡°What is that thing?¡± he asked.

    The man made a dismissive gesture.

    ¡°Pay it no heed. It is only here to protect me. My name is Avran Hordan and I will be your host.¡±

    Bregg squinted. ¡°You run this place?¡±

    The little man chuckled. ¡°Depends on who you ask. Or how you look at it. Yes and no. This one, and a few other areas of the ship, are under my supervision. There are others above me, of course. Aren¡¯t there always?¡±

    ¡°There has to be someone at the very top.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, as a matter of fact, there is.¡±

    ¡°I want to meet them.¡±

    Hordan laughed. ¡°No. You don¡¯t. Trust me. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because nobody ever meets them.¡±

    ¡°Not even you?¡±

    ¡°Not even me. They don¡¯t like humans.¡±

    ¡°So I am on the alien ship!¡±

    ¡°Of course. Where else?¡±

    ¡°Why am I here?¡±

    ¡°As to that...¡± Hordan waved at the Horus. ¡°You should be dead, but my masters are magnanimous. Consider your presence here as a reward for returning their property.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The other laughed again. ¡°Who do you think built that ship?¡±

 195 (3x45) Why the world was so peaceful in the midst of a war

    The shuttle dropped them off at the Regency. It was as good a destination as any to get a feel for the place¡ªperhaps more so than any.

    Despite the recent bombings in other Regencies, the place was packed. Men, women, children, all came here for entertainment. Spatial management allowed connecting rooms that were in fact in different worlds. The more exotic ones attracted curious onlookers who stood at the windows. In other spots, you could sit for a quiet read or watch a holofilm of your choice. Some rooms were specifically designed for families, with games for all ages that everyone could enjoy together. While the upper levels were closed to the public and reserved for administrative work.

    The two women made their way through the crowd, heading for the restaurant. They¡¯d heard good things about this one, and how it had a breathtaking view over the jungles of Almyrha.

    ¡°A bar might have worked better,¡± commented Mrill.

    Val shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Can¡¯t get food in a bar. At least nothing worthy of being called food.¡±

    They stepped into the establishment and paused at the door to stare through the large windowed walls that ran around the room.

    Trees lined the view as far as the eye could see. But it was as if they sat at the top of a building, looking down at the jungle. In the distance, they could see snow-peaked mountains. The sky had purple clouds with yellow and green and red birds flying by, which made for a colorful display.

    ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t lie,¡± muttered Val.

    ¡°Quite stunning, is it not?¡± asked a voice.

    Val shook herself out of her daze and focused on the smiling man who had spoken. He wore the white and black suit of an employee.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Can¡¯t deny it.¡±

    The host nodded. ¡°It is always the first thing guests focus on. Understandably so. Now, if I may ask, do you have a reservation?¡±

    ¡°Afraid not. Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. We have plenty of room today. Not always the case, but today has been slow. Please follow me and I will find you ladies a table.¡±

    As they walked, Val glanced at the man.

    ¡°You say today is slower than usual. Is it because of the Qevahri?¡±

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯ve been here for a while now, but I suppose that¡¯s a factor. It¡¯s not just today after all, we¡¯ve had fewer customers for some weeks.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. But the Regency is packed. And I don¡¯t see any Qevahri in the streets. I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Ah! You¡¯re not from Rimzana, I take it?¡±

    ¡°Afraid not.¡±

    The man chuckled as he led them to a table and motioned for them to sit.

    ¡°I can see how it might be confusing. It¡¯s not about fear or tension or anything like that. If anything, the Qevahri have liberated us.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s been a bustle of activity ever since their arrival, with the creation of many new businesses. So, you see, it¡¯s just that we have a lot more competition now. The Regency remains a popular attraction, but even here there are now five restaurants when before we were one of only two. Now we mainly get tourists, and there have been fewer since this whole mess started.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I see. But where are the Qevahri? I had expected to see soldiers everywhere.¡±

    The host shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re not the intrusive type. You might spot some of their priests once in a while, but for the most part, they stay away and let the local authorities handle local affairs. Which, to be fair, isn¡¯t much different from before. The Imperials were everywhere, but they only stepped in when there were issues within our forces¡ªor if our leaders couldn¡¯t decide what to do. But look at me blabbering on and on, while you ladies are dying of hunger! So, tell me, what can I get you?¡±

    Val chuckled as she went through the menu and picked her dishes. Mrill followed suit, and the man headed off to process their order.

    ¡°Satisfied?¡± asked the Vron with her usual blank expression.

    ¡°Yes and no. I mean, it answers a lot of my questions, but...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If the Qevahri wanted this planet so much, why are they hiding?¡±

    ¡°Hiding? Val. This is a big world. Just because we don¡¯t see them here doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re hiding. They¡¯re likely busy elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so.¡±

    A few minutes later, a waiter brought their food and they dug in.

 196 (3x46) Why she was sweating and what she did next

    The red soil cracked under her feet as she slowly moved toward the column of light.

    She had tried to move faster, but there was too much friction. From the wind, but also the heaviness of the air. Except it wasn¡¯t technically air¡ªnot of the oxygen type. Here it had more nitrogen in it with a heavy dose of carbon dioxide, along with traces of another element the ship could not identify.

    As she came closer to the ruins, Sarisa grew increasingly anxious. The column was much larger than she had thought¡ªat least five hundred feet in diameter. It was surrounded by broken and crumbling walls made of red and green rocks. These were of all shapes and sizes, and it was difficult to ascertain whether they had all been part of a single building. That had been her first impression, but she was no longer sure, considering the gigantic size of the structure.

    When she reached the edge of the nearest wall, she realized how thick and high it was and wondered what might have destroyed it.

    She ran along the length, looking for an opening. There were cracks here and there, though they were too narrow for her to fit in. Just when she thought she¡¯d have to climb over, she finally found a fissure wide and high enough to let her through. She had to squeeze her way in, but managed to cross to the other side.

    There, she froze and stared at the sight before her.

    Just a few feet from her, the ground was gone, replaced by a pit of total darkness. She moved closer to the edge and peered over it. The beam shot down as far as she could see. And while it cast a lot of light, it was not enough to reach the sides of the pit.

    Sarisa grabbed a rock and threw it down.

    For a while, she could follow its descent, but it soon vanished in the shadows. She waited a long time but never heard a thing.

    ¡°Damn,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°That must be a really deep pit. Either that or the air here doesn¡¯t carry sound.¡±

    She looked around and spotted a distant protuberance. It seemed to jut out far enough to reach the column. Maybe she could use it as a bridge to get a closer look.

    It took her ten minutes to reach it, careful not to get too close to the edge. The rock there was more brittle, so she wasn¡¯t taking any chances.

    She paused at the foot of the strange rock formation. It was hard to tell if it went all the way to the column, but it seemed likely. What she didn¡¯t love, however, was how narrow it was. And was it even sturdy enough to take her weight?

    With a grunt, she pulled out a cylinder from her pocket and pressed on its side surface. Both ends expanded. It was the main pole for her tent, but it also doubled nicely as a weapon. Now it would also serve as a testing device.

    Grabbing it with both hands, Sarisa poked gently at the jutting rock. It held. She hit it harder. Still it did not budge. After a few more thrusts, she put the pole away. Satisfied, she took a few tentative steps onto the improvised bridge.

    All was going well, so with a deep breath, she started walking toward the beam. It was not easy, as she had to keep her eyes down to watch where she was stepping. This was too narrow for her taste and she would much rather not slip¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be pretty if she did.

    Are they all down there? she suddenly wondered. The world¡¯s surface was obviously lifeless, but perhaps her sensors had picked up signs from the depths of Anethra. Had the survivors of this species built underground cities? If so, there¡¯d be no way for her to explore them.

    She glanced at the column.

    Unless, of course, this thing is some sort of transportation device that will take me down there? Could that be what this is?

    Something cracked and she froze, staring hard at the rock surface in front and behind her, but it all seemed sound. She could feel sweat pearling on her forehead as she took another step and was frustrated she couldn¡¯t wipe it off through the suit. If anything, it made her hotter because of the pressure it exerted on her skin.

    As she got nearer, she realized this was no bridge at all. She could see the tip of the protuberance now, and it was too far from the column. All this for nothing. She cursed as she slowly turned to head back. Maybe she could find another passage that went far enough to touch that thing. Then again, she wasn¡¯t sure if she would dare to go in.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    A distant wailing echoed from inside the pit, sending chills down her spine. At the same time, she felt a vibration in the rock under her feet.

    ¡°Oh no! No, no, no, no...¡±

    In her panic, Sarisa quickened her pace. Her right foot slapped a smooth and slippery surface... and slipped off the edge.

    Her eyes went wide as she felt her body pitch to the side and drop into the void. She scrambled to grab the edge as she fell, but she only caught brittle rocks that crumbled under her fingers.

    How did I think this was a good idea? I can¡¯t die like this!

    But it was too late. There was nothing she could do but scream.

    And so she screamed.

    Despair gripped her as she realized this would likely be a very long fall.

    Then a glimpse of hope. Perhaps there was no end to this hole? If so, she wouldn¡¯t hit the ground. If so, she wouldn¡¯t die.

    Despair returned with a vengeance. Would falling forever be any better? Of course not!

    Besides, there was no such thing as a bottomless hole. There had to be a bottom. And when she¡¯d hit it¡ªand hit it she would, eventually¡ªher bones would be crushed and her body turned to pulp.

    At least her death would be quick¡ªunlike the fall.

    Her throat was getting sore from all the screaming. She tried to stop, but her voice would not listen to reason. Her mind laughed. What reason? There was no reason here. Only stupidity and despair.

    Was this madness?

    Would she go insane before she died?

    With a start, she realized she was closer to the beam now. As if the column was drawing her to it. She felt a wash of hope and her brain finally managed to shut down her screams.

    Her feet touched the light first, and she felt a tingling sensation run up her legs. Quickly, her whole body was sucked in. She no longer was falling but floating. In a new vacuum, but this one made of bright white. So bright it was blinding.

    She closed her eyes, and little spots of color danced against her eyelids. They twirled and merged, taking shape, forming a humanoid figure.

    No, it spoke inside her brain. Did not open yet. Stay.

    She had been about to open her eyes to see if this thing was real, but restrained herself.

    ¡°What are you? Where am I? And wait... are you actually speaking my language?¡±

    No, it said again. Brain speech. Not us. We Riizsch. We dead.

    ¡°Huh? Dead? What are you talking about?¡±

    Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m seeing ghosts now, she thought to herself. Or maybe I¡¯m dead. Oh, I don¡¯t like this at all.

    You no. Us yes. Maybe. Not. Come. Saw.

    Did it just read my mind? Then again, she realized, if she could hear it, why wouldn¡¯t it be able to hear her in return?

    The featureless silhouette pulsated, its form growing and shrinking, until it dimmed, slowly fading.

    Open now. Eyes.

    Sarisa opened her eyes.

    The surrounding light was gone, replaced by greenish surfaces that looked like nothing she had ever seen before¡ªsmooth, veined, streaked with yellow smears that seemed almost organic.

    She looked down and saw her feet were on solid ground. Though ¡®solid¡¯ was perhaps not the most appropriate term. She could feel the material vibrating ever so lightly, and it felt squishy in places.

    It struck her that she was alone.

    Startled, she spun around but saw no one.

    It was a small room¡ªif you could even call it that. She saw no furniture, only these strange walls that quivered and oozed a purplish substance.

    Safe. Now.

    She jumped when the voice returned inside her head.

    ¡°Where are you? I don¡¯t see you... Where am I?¡±

    Here. Elsewhere. Everywhere. Waiting. Maybe.

    This poor attempt at communication was frustrating.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying! Could you just speak in your own language? I think I would understand you better that way.¡±

    How?

    Sarisa sensed confusion in the voice.

    ¡°Just trust me, okay? I mean, I might not get everything you say right away, but I¡¯ll get it eventually. Call it a gift I have. And where are you, anyway?¡±

    She glanced around again but couldn¡¯t even spot a window, a door, or any sort of opening. Was she in a cell? Were they keeping her as a prisoner?

    No. We¡ª

    ¡°Please! No more. Speak with your own words.¡±

    There was silence for a long time, and she wondered if she had somehow offended the creature.

    But then the voice returned. No longer in her head but all around her, filling the space. It was a flow of alien sounds that sounded fluid, almost musical to her ear. They bathed her, lulled her, comforted her. She felt at peace with the world, with the universe, with everything.

    Soon she began to pick up on patterns. Similar sounds that returned in logical spots. She sensed the connection between those sounds. Inferred meaning from placement, tone, pitch. What struck her instantly was that this was nothing like the language she had read on the tablet or in all the ruins of A36Z. This was something else entirely. It felt more profound, more complex, more ancient. This was the type of language that could only have evolved through millennia of refining. There was nothing random here, nothing accidental or haphazardly patched together. It all was exquisitely deliberate.

    Everything started clicking together, the pieces of the puzzle fitting in nicely as the meaning behind the words surfaced.

    It was reciting a poem in its language. Somehow, it had understood that she would need more than just a few sentences to learn the language, and it had gifted her this treasure.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she muttered.

    The voice stopped.

    She had spoken in the alien¡¯s language without even realizing it.

    ¡°You understand.¡±

    ¡°I do. I... What... I don¡¯t even know how to express my feelings right now.¡±

    ¡°You are far from home.¡±

    Her mind reeled at the thought, and a pit opened in her stomach.

    Why would it even say that?

    ¡°Sleep,¡± the voice said softly. ¡°There is time. Always was, always is, always will be.¡±

    As soon as the words faded, she knew she was alone.

    She lay down on the floor, suddenly conscious of just how tired she was.

    Within seconds, she was asleep.

 197 (3x47) Why they felt distraught

    It was a dark and gloomy place. Tunnels that stretched for miles, crowded with silent men and women who all looked like this was the last day of their life.

    They boarded a tube that would take them to their destination.

    As they waited, Kaine observed the people around them. They all had those same sullen faces. Some were lost in thought, others chatted quietly with unresponsive partners, while a few kept their eyes closed as if to evade reality.

    He glanced at Ondine, who was watching a couple sitting across from them. Even those two seemed disconnected, like strangers to each other. You could only tell they were together because they were holding hands. But their gazes wandered in opposite directions.

    When he looked at the girl again, he saw she was now staring at him.

    ¡°What? Oh. Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡± He frowned. ¡°Where are the children indeed.¡±

    And yet, there had to be children on this world too. If there wasn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t everyone be staring at Ondine? But nobody was. So where were they?

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re in school,¡± he muttered.

    When they got off, they found more dark tunnels that looked exactly like the ones they¡¯d been in before.

    ¡°What¡¯s with this place? Couldn¡¯t they have built their city on the surface like every civilized world?¡± He felt the girl¡¯s gaze on him and glanced at her. ¡°What? You think it¡¯s too dangerous out there? Well, I suppose that¡¯s possible.¡± He remembered Alterica and shuttered at the thought. ¡°Still, they could have at least put more lights around here. Planted trees. Added some decoration. To liven things up a bit, you know? And make it easier to figure out where you are, too. I mean, these tunnels all look the same. It¡¯s like a maze down here.¡±

    He felt the pressure of her little hand in his and he fell quiet. There was no point in adding to her discomfort. She could see all this as clearly as he could.

    They walked on until they reached the address Dhen had given him. Even if everything looked the same, you had to give these people credit for being well organized. The numbers were easy to see and every street¡ªif you could call them that¡ªwas neatly labeled and referenced in the local holscreen maps.

    Kaine reached out and pressed his hand against the call plaque. It lit up, then went dark again.

    A few seconds later, the door swung open and a stern-looking old woman appeared before them.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked dryly.

    ¡°I was told to come here to get a package for¡ª¡±

    She held up a hand.

    ¡°Stop! I don¡¯t want to hear it. Wait here.¡±

    She slammed the door shut.Stolen novel; please report.

    He turned a startled look toward the girl.

    ¡°Did that just happen?¡±

    Ondine nodded solemnly.

    He was about to say something else when the door swung open again.

    The old woman held a package, which she shoved into his chest.

    ¡°Here. Take it and go. Now.¡±

    He grabbed it, blinking.

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    Again, she held up her hand.

    ¡°The less I know, the better.¡±

    The door slammed in their faces.

    ¡°Well, that was rude,¡± he muttered as he looked down at the package.

    It was a small cubic thing, about the size of...

    He frowned and glanced at the girl.

    ¡°I hope this is not what I think it is.¡±

    From the expression on her face, he could tell she¡¯d had the same thought.

    She pointed at the side.

    Turning the box, he saw a chip was attached to it.

    After pulling it off, he slid it into his wristpad and tapped the screen as they made their way back toward the tube.

    The face of Nevin Corvwah appeared, floating in the air before them.

    ¡°Hello, Kaine! I apologize for not telling you about this when we met, but it only occurred to me after the fact that we could perhaps help each other. It¡¯s a small matter, really. I need this package to be sent to the rim but couldn¡¯t find anyone...¡± He paused a moment, as if searching for the right word. ¡°Couldn¡¯t find anyone willing to do this for me. I¡¯m not sure where you¡¯re headed exactly, but anywhere in the rim would be fine. Just drop it off at a Regency. Tell them it¡¯s for Talak Atvan and they¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± He shifted in his seat and looked down. ¡°All I ask is that you don¡¯t open the package, alright? And no, it¡¯s nothing illegal.¡± A slight smile as he looked up again. ¡°Thank you, and good luck.¡±

    The image dissolved.

    ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t sound foreboding at all. And why does that name sound familiar? Talak Atvan... I know I¡¯ve heard it before.¡±

    Ondine pulled on his hand. He looked down and saw her pointing toward the tube.

    ¡°Yeah, okay, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get out of here. The sooner we¡¯re off this rock, the better. What a depressing place!¡±

    As they made their way back to Dhen¡¯s ship, Kaine couldn¡¯t help but stare at the package.

    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s inside,¡± he muttered. ¡°The size, the shape... It couldn¡¯t be, though, could it?¡±

    Ondine shook her head, but her face was quite pale.

    ¡°Well, he said it wasn¡¯t illegal, so I guess it couldn¡¯t be a Kinzuki Cage. We¡¯ll just have to trust him, right? He helped us, after all. This is the least we could do for him.¡±

    The girl nodded, though she didn¡¯t look so sure.

    When they got off the tube, Kaine paused.

    ¡°Oh! I remember now! Talak Atvan...¡± He stopped and looked down at Ondine¡¯s questioning face. Now what was he going to do? He shouldn¡¯t tell her that the man was a notorious criminal who operated in the rim. That would only make her more anxious. He and his big mouth, he should have kept that to himself. With a sigh, he shook his head. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s nothing. Just a name I heard on the holonews some years ago. It¡¯s not like we need to find him anyway. He must work for the government if they know him in every Regency.¡±

    Which was curious, he reflected. Corvwah¡¯s message suggested the man had people on every rimworld. So he must be even more powerful than Kaine had imagined.

    Well, he¡¯d drop the damn thing off as soon as he could and be rid of it. He¡¯d do it on Rimzana.

    But the man was a criminal. He glanced at the package again. How could this not be a Kinzuki Cage?

    As soon as they were back on the ship, the pilot launched them back into space.

    Kaine sat with the girl in the room they shared and placed the package on the table between them.

    ¡°Listen. I think we need to open this.¡±

    She frowned but did not protest.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this. If I¡¯m careful, we can maybe put it all back together and no one will be the wiser.¡±

    His fingers slid gently across the surface, undoing the wrapping without tearing the fabric.

    Inside was a black box. Engraved on its surface were three words:

    DO NOT OPEN.

    ¡°Well,¡± he muttered. ¡°At least it¡¯s not a Kinzuki Cage. It¡¯d have to be smaller to fit into this.¡± He paused. Looked at the girl. ¡°What are the odds of there being another box inside this one?¡±

    She grimaced.

    ¡°Yeah. Okay. You¡¯re right, we¡¯ve seen enough.¡±

    He wrapped the package back up and slid it into his bag.

 198 (3x48) Why dignity was of little concern

    When he arrived, some of his team was already there, setting up tents and equipment. Looking around, he was relieved not to see any of the fanatics. His eyes were drawn back to the beam of light that emerged from the ground. It was as impressive as he remembered it.

    ¡°Prof. Roche!¡±

    Halden turned to look at the woman who was hurrying toward him, waving. She, like the others, was wearing a special suit the visor had had designed for them. But still he recognized the dark red hair and fiery attitude.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get any closer,¡± she went on. ¡°Not dressed like that. Come over here.¡± She pointed to an isolated tent a few feet to the side. ¡°That¡¯s where we stock all the suits, and a few other things.¡±

    He nodded as he followed her.

    ¡°How are things going here, Nimida?¡±

    She glanced toward the column.

    ¡°I¡¯d never seen anything like it. It¡¯s incredible! How can we harness something so powerful?¡±

    Halden wasn¡¯t going to discuss that now. They would go into it at their first meeting¡ªas soon as he had his suit on.

    ¡°Was there anyone on site when you arrived?¡±

    They entered the tent and she moved to the back, lifting a container¡¯s lid as she responded.

    ¡°You¡¯d have to ask Corey and Hesch. They got here first but didn¡¯t mention anything unusual. Here, try this one.¡±

    Halden saw her pull a suit out of the box and hand it to him.

    ¡°No strange occurrences either?¡± he asked as he grabbed it.

    She gave him a look while he started to put on his new garb.

    ¡°You mean stranger than a beam of light shooting from the depths of the earth?¡±

    He chuckled as he finished dressing up.

    ¡°I guess that answers my question. Alright. Let¡¯s go join the others.¡±

    They stepped out of the tent and walked toward the rest of the team.

    ¡°I know you asked my brother to join us,¡± the woman said, ¡°but he¡¯s been delayed. Family emergency.¡±

    ¡°Nothing serious, I hope?¡±

    ¡°His wife is giving birth even as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Isn¡¯t that his fourth?¡±

    ¡°Fifth.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should ask for someone else. His family is going to need him.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t do that. He¡¯d be devastated. Besides, you have no idea how crazy things can get at home for him with all those kids. The vacation will do him good.¡±

    ¡°Vacation?¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    She chuckled. ¡°You know what I mean.¡±

    Halden wasn¡¯t sure the man would find this mission as peaceful as he expected, but he said nothing.

    They reached the others as they finished setting up the command tent. He would spend most of his time here in the coming weeks, possibly months. It really was more of a large shed than a tent. It had flexible selite walls and a flat glass roof equipped with solar panels. The latter would provide enough power for all of their equipment.

    He shook hands with everyone, counting as he went. Four people were missing.

    ¡°You must all have many questions,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. I¡¯ll give you a brief and some answers. I¡¯d have waited for everyone to be here, but time is of the essence. So you¡¯ll just have to update them as they arrive.¡±

    The structure had been designed to accommodate large staffs. It had a workstation where they would place their laboratory and measuring equipment, a meeting room, a couple of offices, and a resting area.

    Nimida Taar led them to the meeting room, which still was mostly empty. They grabbed some folding chairs on the way and used them to settle in a semi-circle facing the professor.

    He then told them about everything. The first time he¡¯d been here, his encounter with the fanatics and what they had said about the Fault, how one of them had pushed him into the beam, and what he had experienced inside. The only things he left out were the bits about Lucy¡ªthose were too personal.

    When he was done, he read disbelief on their faces.

    ¡°Time travel?¡± said Jeshin Kunden. ¡°You realize there have been many attempts to pull that off in past centuries, and they always failed.¡±

    The dark-haired man had worked at the IAS longer than any of them. He was an authority in the history of science... but more importantly, he had a Cartesian mind that always questioned everything. That was something Halden needed to keep him rooted¡ªespecially here when dealing with such an alien phenomenon.

    ¡°I am well aware. But all those attempts were made by humans. This...¡± He looked up through the glass roof at the column of light that rose in the sky above their heads. ¡°This is something else entirely. It¡¯s not even a machine. It is thilium in its rawest form. We¡¯ve never dealt with such a large amount before.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re not here to harness its energy?¡± asked Taar.

    ¡°We are. But it¡¯s only a small part of our mission. We need to understand the Fault¡¯s nature and see if we can use it to our advantage.¡±

    ¡°To build a time machine?¡±

    Halden blinked as he looked at the man who had spoken. Wayland Hesch was the youngest on his team, and possibly the brightest.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered that possibility, but I suppose it is an option.¡±

    ¡°Then what did you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be thinking of going back in,¡± said Taar with some apprehension.

    ¡°It might take years to study this thing, let alone control it¡ªassuming we ever can.¡± Halden sighed. ¡°The aliens are here, my friends. They have already killed billions of citizens. We cannot afford to linger. We must act. Now.¡±

    ¡°From what you told us, you experienced random scenes. How do you know you¡¯ll get anything useful from going back in?¡±

    Padan Sadash nodded. ¡°To be honest, professor, what you¡¯re proposing feels like grasping at straws in the dark.¡±

    Sadash was born on a rimworld to a poor family. Early on, his mind had set him apart and had allowed him to rise from the muck. An Imperial colonel stationed nearby had noticed the boy¡¯s intelligence and had helped him get an education¡ªwhich in turn had led him to the IAS.

    ¡°Which is why you¡¯re all here. You are going to help me control this thing.¡±

    ¡°You said it yourself, it could take years to achieve that!¡±

    Halden grinned. ¡°I had a different type of control in mind. It¡¯s not so much about controlling that...¡± He pointed to the sky without looking up. ¡°But rather about controlling me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The two women and three of the four men looked confused. Hesch did not. He chuckled.

    ¡°You mean for us to pull you out whenever you need it. We¡¯d be controlling your movements.¡±

    The professor nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯d still see random things,¡± remarked Cara Corey.

    Hesch¡¯s blonde companion was tall, mischievous, and especially good with numbers.

    Her friend made a dismissive gesture. ¡°We could pull him out and toss him back in within a minute. We could keep doing so until something useful came up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about tossing,¡± said Halden with a cough, ¡°but that¡¯s the general idea.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s undignified,¡± muttered Omar Bellem.

    With his graying hair and beard and the wrinkles on his face, this man was the oldest among them. Though he¡¯d joined the IAS only recently, he had built things since he was a child, in secrecy, making life easier for everyone around him.

    Halden sighed. ¡°What we need now is not dignity but results. And this is the fastest way to get them. Now, how about we get to work?¡±

 199 (3x49) Why they walked straight into the hornets nest

    The tube had dropped them across the street from the compound. They had found a spot in a nearby alley with a good view and now stood there watching.

    ¡°Remind me why we are doing this?¡± asked Mrill.

    Val clicked her tongue. ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t ask you to come with me. You¡¯re welcome to return to the ship if you are bored.¡±

    The blue-skinned woman shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m only curious.¡±

    ¡°I want to know what they¡¯re up to, is that so difficult to understand?¡± She looked back toward the base. ¡°They went to a lot of trouble to get this world, so there has to be something going on. And since this was the largest Imperial presence on Rimzana, I figure there has to be some Qevahri troops stationed here at least.¡±

    ¡°How much do you think you can learn from just observing them at a distance like this?¡±

    Val had no answer to that, so she said nothing. Truth was, she hadn¡¯t thought that far. This had been a spur-of-the-moment reaction, one thought leading to the next. A way to spend the time, she reflected bitterly. I mean, it¡¯s not like I could do anything with this information, assuming I get any. Not to mention, none of this is any of my business. But I do hate waiting. And I¡¯m curious, of course. Who wouldn¡¯t be? This is all so messed up. I wish I could just...

    Her eyes went wide as she spun around and stared at her Vron companion.

    ¡°What?¡± asked Mrill.

    Val grinned. ¡°I just had a crazy idea.¡±

    ¡°Should I be worried?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯ll be fun!¡±

    ¡°Now I am worried.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t look like it.¡±

    ¡°I never look like it.¡±

    ¡°Fair point. Anyway, I figured out a way we could easily learn what they¡¯re up to.¡±

    Mrill¡¯s fingers twitched, though her face remained as impassive as always.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°I bet you do.¡±

    ¡°Val, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Are you afraid of getting caught?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡±

    ¡°Do you have something better to do?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°So what is it, then?¡±

    Mrill remained quiet for a moment as she looked toward the base.

    ¡°We might learn things we are not intended to know.¡±

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Some secrets can be damaging. Or they could affect your behavior, make you do things you wouldn¡¯t have done otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re starting to sound like that stupid AI. Look, it¡¯s simple. I¡¯m going to find out what¡¯s going on in there, with or without your help. It¡¯d just be easier, and probably safer, with your help. Without it, I¡¯d have to do something foolish... like break into that place tonight. And I¡¯m not Kaine, so I¡¯d likely get caught.¡±

    Mrill stared at the young woman.

    ¡°Very well,¡± she said. ¡°But there is a problem.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We are too far.¡±

    ¡°Easily remedied. We¡¯ll get closer.¡±

    ¡°That might not be enough.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Those who know what you want to know are probably much further inside the base. To get close enough, we need to go through the gate, and I doubt the guards would let us in.¡±

    She suddenly stopped speaking, and her fingers twitched more vividly.

    Val grinned. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can convince them to let us through. It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t done that before, right?¡±

    Mrill¡¯s arms went limp.

    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d say that.¡±

    ¡°Come on! It¡¯ll be fun. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    They started toward the gate.

    ¡°You realize I will have to do this to everyone we meet? There could be a lot of people in there.¡±

    ¡°Once we¡¯re in, I¡¯m sure most people will overlook us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m blue, Val.¡±

    The scavenger bit down on her lip.

    ¡°Oh. Right. Sometimes I forget about that. Bah, I¡¯m sure you can handle it.¡±

    Mrill let out an uncharacteristic sigh.

    The guards at the gate watched them as they approached. One frowned and opened his mouth to speak, then stopped. He straightened and saluted.

    ¡°Apologies, General. I did not recognize you right away.¡±

    He waved at another man, and the gate started to slide open.

    Val smiled at them as they stepped through. She grabbed Mrill¡¯s arm and pulled her toward a building.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go this way. Fewer people. Should be easier on you. Don¡¯t forget to scan inside, just in case.¡±

    Mrill said nothing and Val wondered if her friend was upset. It always was difficult to tell what she thought or felt. Well, hopefully, she¡¯d forgive her once they¡¯d uncovered whatever secret these people kept. And if they found nothing... She¡¯d figure out some way to make it up to her.

    They went from building to building, avoiding the more crowded spots, delving deeper and deeper into the compound.

    The Vron said not a word for a long time, and Val hoped Mrill was just too focused to speak.

    She suddenly lifted a hand as she stopped walking.

    ¡°Here,¡± she muttered.

    Val glanced around before looking at the small triangular structure next to them¡ªit seemed so inconsequential compared to the other buildings. The perfect cover-up.

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±

    Mrill grabbed her arm and started marching quickly away, pulling her behind her.

    ¡°We need to hurry. I¡¯ll explain when we¡¯re somewhere safe.¡±

    Val was too startled to protest.

    They made their way back to the gate, and the guards saluted again as they went through.

    Mrill only relaxed once they were back on the tube.

    ¡°What the hell happened back there?¡± asked Val.

    ¡°There was someone there... or something that sensed my presence.¡±

    ¡°What? How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Did you at least get something?¡±

    ¡°They are looking for evidence. Relics, artifacts... They¡¯ve dug up a few in the northern jungles and are studying them now.¡±

    ¡°Evidence of what?¡±

    ¡°That their god once lived here, long before the first humans were born.¡±

 200 (3x50) Why the man asked so many questions

    The gateway brought him to a small room with white uniforms hanging from the wall. He grabbed one, slipped it on, and walked out the door into a hallway. Scientists went by, ignoring him. He saw a couple of guards down the hall, on either side of a large metal hatch, and that made him nervous.

    This was risky. But considering the nature of this place, Zax guessed few people knew the SSO had a gateway hidden in her back wall. It would take them a long time to figure out where the woman¡¯s visitor had gone¡ªassuming they figured it out at all.

    His scrambler was active again, which would make things easier. While he did not mind killing when necessary, he preferred not to spill blood if it could be avoided.

    He decided to head toward the guards, behaving like he knew where he was going¡ªif they were posted there, it must be to protect something. And only one thing was worth protecting here... the very thing he was looking for.

    One advantage of a secret base was that only authorized personnel would know about it, so the guards barely spared him a glance.

    On the other side of that door was a spacious area filled with scientists and strange machinery. But what caught his eye was the giant egg-shaped device that floated in the air in the center of the room. Black and smooth, with spots of color here and there¡ªthough not so many. Cables hung from it, running to some of the closest machines.

    His steps took him closer without him even noticing. The thing fascinated him. He could almost hear it calling to him¡ªwhich was preposterous, of course. It was as much a machine as those others that surrounded it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before,¡± said a voice from behind him. ¡°Are you new?¡±

    Zax tensed.

    He turned and saw a tall and thin man with black hair and glasses. Jotting down notes on a touchboard, the scientist glanced at him curiously.

    ¡°Khorah sent me,¡± he said. ¡°To assess your progress.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Really?¡± The man frowned. ¡°She was just here yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I am well aware,¡± lied Zax. ¡°But as you know, the situation out there has become quite dire. We will require daily reports from now on.

    The scientist sighed. ¡°That won¡¯t make things go faster. If anything, it¡¯ll put everyone on edge and slow us down. Besides, that thing has been here for over a hundred years and we have barely made any progress since. You can¡¯t expect us¡ª¡±

    Zax held up a hand. ¡°Nevertheless, I¡¯ll have your report now.¡±

    The other grunted. ¡°Fine. We still don¡¯t know what makes it float. We still don¡¯t know why it makes no sound. We still don¡¯t know how to control it. Happy?¡±

    ¡°What do you know?¡±

    The scientist rolled his eyes. ¡°Next to nothing, that¡¯s what. It¡¯s made of pure thilium and a bit of metal, that¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°Pure thilium?¡±

    ¡°It was in my previous reports.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was, but the SSO reached out to me two hours ago and I haven¡¯t had a chance to go through all the documents yet. So how about you act as if I knew nothing?¡±

    The other sighed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be that far behind us.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Whoever built this thing seem to have discovered a way to turn thilium into a solid form, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°You mean it¡¯s not only used to power the device?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not even sure they use thilium for that.¡±

    ¡°Then how is it powered?¡±

    ¡°Probably thilium, we just haven¡¯t been able to confirm it.¡±

    ¡°Do we know how they made it solid?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Do we know where the device comes from?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Zax crossed his arms, staring at the egg-shaped mystery.

    ¡°Do we know how old it is?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°So you know nothing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling you¡ªand Khorah.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to look inside.¡±

    The scientist shrugged and waved toward the Drill.

    ¡°Be my guest.¡±

    Zax stepped inside and his heart started beating faster.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±

    He jumped at the voice, not having noticed that the other had followed him in.

    ¡°I... I just hadn¡¯t expected this.¡±

    ¡°It is quite a sight, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Indeed it was.

    The inside walls were just as black as the outside¡ªthough here, from up close, he noticed they were not quite so smooth as he had first thought. On the walls were panels, dials, screens, but not a single cable. In the center, two seats surrounded by consoles. The consoles were triangular, as were the seats.

    It all was very alien... and yet so familiar.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± he muttered as he brusquely rushed past the man and stepped out of the device. ¡°I¡¯ll make my report to Khorah. Thank you for your time.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Zax hurried out and returned to the small room with the gateway. But instead of using it, he brought out his portable one and a few seconds later, he was back in his apartment.

    After disabling his scrambler, he sat at his desk and stared at his TriVid screen for a long time, lost in thought.

 201 (3x51) Why he was so nervous

    The world was just as he remembered it¡ªonly more peaceful and with no Impies in sight.

    Herun Dhen had not lied. The pilot had dropped them off on Rimzana a mere three hours later. Now they were on their way to the Regency to drop off that damned package.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious what¡¯s in there?¡± asked Kaine.

    The girl looked up at him with that serious expression he now knew so well.

    He sighed. ¡°I guess we should respect Corvwah¡¯s instructions.¡±

    Though if Ondine knew who Talak Atvan was, she might feel differently. Despite the healer¡¯s assurances that there was nothing illegal here, Kaine was still concerned it could be a weapon, or some other device intended to do harm, and he didn¡¯t want to have something like that on his conscience. After all, weapons were not technically illegal. For all he knew, Corvwah could be the man behind those recent Regency bombings.

    He glanced at the package again. Could they be delivering a bomb? Was this how the explosives had been set in those places? It was a chilling thought.

    Ondine¡¯s little hand squeezed his, and he turned to look at her serious face.

    ¡°No,¡± he lied, ¡°I¡¯m not worried. What gave you that impression?¡±

    She frowned, and he knew the girl could see right through him.

    He let out another sigh. ¡°I just don¡¯t like not understanding things, is all.¡± Which was true enough.

    As they turned at the next corner, he saw their destination loom above them: a rectangular structure with glass walls that shimmered under the sun.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re here,¡± he muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    Inside was much like every other Regency he had ever visited: crowded, with numerous rooms for various activities.

    He headed toward the reception desk and leaned to make sure no one would overhear him.

    ¡°Hello. I brought a package for... Ah, well, for Talak Atvan.¡±

    The woman at the desk blinked when she heard the name. She looked around, then lifted a hand. ¡°One moment, please,¡± she said as she tapped on her wristpad.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    A couple of minutes went by as she kept her fingers pressed against her temple, using her vircell to communicate with someone. Her hand finally dropped to the desk as she looked up.

    ¡°They are waiting for you at the Vista Lounge. It¡¯s on the third floor. Just follow the signs.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just leave this with you?¡±

    The woman waved her hands in front of her. ¡°Oh no! No, no... Please follow protocol.¡± She pointed toward an elevator. ¡°Third floor. Please.¡±

    Kaine sighed and nodded. ¡°Very well. Thank you.¡±

    He took Ondine¡¯s hand and they headed toward the elevator.

    ¡°Still not curious?¡± he asked as they went in and he pressed the button for the third floor. ¡°We could find an empty room and take a quick peek...¡±

    She stared at him.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered.

    It did not take them long to find the Vista Lounge¡ªRegency signage was always effective.

    The room was spacious and filled with couches and low tables. Through the glass walls, one could see vast expanses¡ªa sea to the north, mountains to the south, a lush forest to the east, and beautiful hills and valleys to the west. Looking up, one could admire the stars through the ceiling.

    This was not unlike the observation deck on one of those giant cruise ships.

    ¡°It just occurred to me that the woman did not say who we should talk to...¡±

    Kaine looked around at the crowd. There were many people here, how would they know who to approach? Everyone seemed busy, none paying attention to them.

    He felt Ondine squeezing his hand and looked down. She pointed behind him.

    Turning around, he saw a counter ran along the back wall. One of the employees there was staring at them. She nodded when he caught her eye and motioned for them to approach.

    ¡°I hear you have a package for us?¡± she asked once they were close enough.

    ¡°Depends who ¡®us¡¯ is.¡±

    ¡°You named a name, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Tal¡ª¡±

    She lifted a hand to stop him.

    ¡°Please. Not here. Too many prying ears. Just give me the package.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± He made to grab his bag but stopped mid-gesture. ¡°How do I know you will deliver it to the right person?¡±

    She blinked. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know you. Anyone could¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sir. Please. Do you know who we are talking about? Do you really think I¡ªor anyone else, for that matter¡ªwould do anything to upset him?¡±

    Kaine grimaced. ¡°When you put it that way...¡±

    Again, Ondine squeezed his hand. He looked into her serious eyes.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I know, he said to just drop it off here... I suppose the rest is none of our business.¡±

    With a sigh, he pulled the package out and handed it to the woman.

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s inside?¡± he asked.

    The woman grabbed the box but grew alarmed at his words.

    ¡°What? No, of course not! Nor do I want to know. Do not tell me. Please.¡±

    ¡°Relax, I don¡¯t know either. Am just curious.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± She seemed relieved for a moment. ¡°You had better forget all about it. That¡¯s what I plan to do. No point fretting.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Well, it¡¯s in your hands now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll be on our way. Goodbye.¡±

    They turned and headed off.

    ¡°Well, that was easy,¡± he said as they got back in the elevator. ¡°Perhaps even too easy, no?¡±

    He looked at Ondine, but the girl only shrugged.

 202 (3x52) Why one man was having a bad day

    He didn¡¯t like the image the mirror threw back at him. The emaciated face of an old man with bloodshot eyes. Those wrinkles had not been there before, nor had his hair been so gray. He felt like he¡¯d aged a hundred years in the past few days¡ªever since he last spoke to Halden.

    Halden!

    With a grunt, he turned and walked out of the bathroom, pulling on his shirt.

    What had happened that day? Marthus was annoyed that he couldn¡¯t remember. They were supposed to have dinner together. All he recalled was going to his friend¡¯s house to pick him up. Next thing he knew, he was waking up in a sweat, lying in his bed, with the worried face of his wife hovering above him. She¡¯d told him he¡¯d had fainted on the way home. How was that possible? He had no known health problems. The next day, he¡¯d checked in with his doctor, just to be on the safe side, but the man hadn¡¯t found anything wrong.

    And where was Halden now?

    Marthus had tried to call him a few times, but he never answered. He thought he remembered his friend saying he was going on a mission for the visor, but it all was a blur in his head.

    As he stepped out of the house and headed for his glider, he felt the familiar tingle signaling an incoming call. Pressing two fingers against his temple, he used his other hand to slide the vehicle¡¯s door open and slipped in.

    Rees Cole¡¯s frowning face appeared against his retinas.

    ¡°Something strange just happened.¡±

    A bitter laugh escaped Marthus¡¯ lips unbidden.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, as he quickly stifled it. ¡°Had my share of strange lately. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°A man came here asking all sorts of questions about the Drill.¡±

    That sobered Marthus up fast.

    ¡°No one you knew?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d never seen him before. Didn¡¯t think much of it at first. I mean, it¡¯s not like anyone could just come in waltzing. He¡¯d have to have had authorization, right?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°True. So why are you concerned now?¡±

    Rees grimaced. ¡°Anyone who knows about this place should have access to all my reports. They would arguably already know everything there is to know about this. He said Khorah had sent him to check on my progress, but the more I think about it the less sense it makes.¡±

    ¡°Have you tried reaching out to Khorah?¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t answering my calls.¡±

    Marthus was reminded again of Halden and shook his head.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do some digging.¡± He lifted his wristpad. ¡°What¡¯s the name of the guy?¡±

    The younger man looked away, embarrassed.

    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He never mentioned his name.¡±

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to ask?¡±

    ¡°You had to be there,¡± Rees grumbled. ¡°It just never came up.¡±

    Zax sighed. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll tap into the security footage, see if I can at least find some visuals of the guy. How long ago did this happen?¡±

    ¡°He left about ten minutes ago.¡±

    The glider was halfway to the IAS when they hung up. He tapped on his wristpad and entered his clearance code to access the Global Safety Network.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Wirdej,¡± came a mechanical voice. ¡°How may I help you?¡±

    ¡°Bring up the security footage for Base GD1. Last half hour.¡± An image of the drill appeared, with some scientists going about their business. He spotted Rees on the left side. ¡°Fast forward until someone new arrives on the scene, then pause.¡±

    Within seconds, a man in a white uniform appeared, coming from the main hall. The image froze.

    ¡°Can you zoom in on his face?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    He took a snapshot of the man, then cut off the call.

    It was not a familiar face. He couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on it, but something was off.

    The glider landed at the IAS. He stepped out and headed into the building. As he walked, he tried to call Khorah. But, like Rees, he got no response.

    He pondered on the matter until he reached his office. Sitting at his desk, he made another call.

    ¡°I hope this is important, Wirdej, I have my hands full right now.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to bother you, Rash, but someone claiming to work for Khorah went to GD1 and asked a lot of questions about the Drill. We don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    The visor raised a hand, squinting.

    ¡°Khorah is dead.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Killed in her office. She had a visitor, but there are no traces of him leaving the building¡ªlet alone her office.¡±

    Marthus¡¯ eyes went wide. ¡°You think that¡¯s the same man who went to GD1?¡±

    Rash clicked his tongue. ¡°She had a hidden gateway in her office. No one knew about it, so no one went checking there.¡±

    ¡°But how could the killer have known about it?¡±

    ¡°Possibly he extracted the information from Khorah.¡±

    ¡°And that would have led him to GD1, I assume?¡± The visor nodded. ¡°I have a picture of the man, I¡¯ll send it to you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll compare it to what we have here, but I¡¯d be surprised if it wasn¡¯t the same person. Won¡¯t help much though¡ªaccording to the guards, the man was using a vision scrambler. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Wirdej.¡±

    A scrambler. Well, that explained why that picture felt off.

    It was only after the visor terminated the call that Marthus realized he had missed an opportunity to ask about Halden.

    Then again, Rash had seemed in a foul mood and might not have taken it well.

 203 (3x53) Why tears were shed

    She sat in her cabin, reading lines and lines of text scrolling on her TriVid screen.

    ¡°I never knew you had an interest in religion.¡±

    The familiar voice startled her. She blinked a couple of times as she glanced up at the ceiling.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been reading everything you can find on Saan... Isn¡¯t that a god?¡±

    Val grunted. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand what is going on on this world.¡± She looked back at the screen and swiped through some of the text. ¡°Specifically, I¡¯m looking for any mentions of a connection between this Saan and Rimzana. Or, lacking that, between the Qevahri and Rimzana. But so far, nothing!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what they are looking for?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±

    ¡°Would they be searching the planet if the answers were so readily available?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°I hear what you¡¯re saying. But there still has to be something. I mean, why do they even believe there is a connection? There has to be something that led them here.¡±

    The voice remained quiet for a while, before it finally returned.

    ¡°Why do you care so much about this, Val?¡±

    ¡°Me? Care? I don¡¯t care! I¡¯m just curious. And bored. Got to keep myself busy, you know. What else would I do with my time?¡±

    ¡°You could be speaking with Mrill or that stranger...¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Rickert? He locks himself up in his cabin most of the time. The only times we see him are when he¡¯s hungry. As for Mrill, she needs her alone time, she¡¯s made that clear, and I¡¯m fine with it. So I decided to do some research to pass the time. Is that so bad?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    She leaned back in her chair and frowned as she looked at the wall.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Come on, I know there¡¯s something on your mind. I can hear it. More in your silences than in your words.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Out with it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just...¡± There was another short silence. ¡°What are we doing here, Val?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? On Rimzana?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re waiting for Kaine. I thought that was clear.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±

    She crossed her arms, her frown increasing.

    ¡°He¡¯s our friend, that¡¯s why.¡±

    ¡°When you first met him, you couldn¡¯t wait to be rid of him.¡±

    ¡°Well, he was an annoying stranger then. Things are different now.¡±

    Another silence.

    ¡°Val... Can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Nim! Always.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to leave me?¡±

    Her heart started beating faster, and she felt tears welling up.

    ¡°No!¡± she said, with a catch in her throat. ¡°What... How could you even think that? Of course not! Never!¡±

    ¡°But... he has a ship.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be together if you¡¯re on different ships.¡±

    She stared at the wall in silence.

    Together?

    This was ridiculous.

    But it did touch on something she hadn¡¯t considered. If Kaine got his ship back, why would he go with her? And if he didn¡¯t go with her, what was she doing here?

    And why would he go with her, anyway? Why would she even want that herself? She was a scavenger. She should be out there right now, working instead of wasting her time away.

    She cursed.

    ¡°Val?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Nim. Too many thoughts in my head right now. Look, I don¡¯t know what will happen with Kaine and his ship, but I want to make one thing perfectly clear: I will never leave you. Got that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Val, I¡¯d understand if¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nim! I said never!¡±

    Another silence.

    ¡°Alright. Thank you.¡±

    She thought she heard relief in her former lover¡¯s voice and it drew a sob out of her.

    ¡°Are you okay, Val?¡±

    Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she straightened and cleared her throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Now, how about you help me with this? I think it¡¯d go much faster if you combed through the records with me.¡±

    ¡°Okay. What are we looking for?¡±

    ¡°Any mention of Rimzana in the same text as Saan or Qevahr.¡±

    The two fell quiet as they dug into the work.

 204 (3x54) Why the wind was not the wind

    A soft buzz lulled her back to wakefulness. She blinked, still in a haze, as things started to take shape around her. Not that there was much to see. There was no furniture here. Only these strange pulsating walls.

    She sat up and looked down. The ground she had slept on was not hard. It had been comfortable, soft, warm, and the same color as everything else around her¡ªa blend of reds and yellows and pinks.

    The whole thing made her feel uneasy.

    How long have I slept? she wondered.

    Even as the thought lingered in her mind, she remembered the creature¡¯s last words and realization struck her.

    There is time. Always was, always is, always will be.

    That was what she had understood, not what it had actually said. Because there was no other way she could have translated the meaning. These beings had no perception of time! How was that even possible?

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    She jumped to her feet and looked all around her, alarmed.

    ¡°Who said that?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see me? I¡¯m over here!¡±

    It was a man¡¯s voice.

    Except there was no one else here. Only her.

    She stared at each of the walls, one after the other, trying to determine where the sound had come from.

    ¡°It¡¯s all so blurry... so... Can... I...¡±

    It was her turn to call out. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°¡ªget inside... can¡¯t even... The lights! Oh, the lights! Can you...¡±

    ¡°Where are you? Who are you?¡±

    She waited, but the voice never returned.

    Did I imagine it? she wondered. Am I going crazy? Is that what¡¯s going on here?

    Not mad. Awake.

    She swung around and saw a humanoid being standing before her. It was at least eight feet tall, with a thin and elongated body. A short neck led to a hairless head with two round and blinking eyes. Reddish tissues covered its yellowish skin as it bobbed its head and waved its three-fingered hands.

    ¡°Speak to me in your language. Please. It¡¯ll be easier.¡±

    ¡°I forget. You are talented.¡±

    ¡°No, I am Sarisa.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand.¡±

    ¡°That is my name.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Name. Yes. I am Tschisch of the Riizsch.¡±

    ¡°Where am I? What is this place?¡±

    ¡°It is Andantschiriizschikariisch.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    The creature waved its hands again, motioning to the walls around them.

    ¡°It is its name.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°We are symbionts. They and us. A whole, yes?¡±

    She took a step back, gaping.

    ¡°You mean this is a living organism?¡±

    ¡°Living. Yes. As us.¡±

    ¡°But... God, this is crazy. How... I mean...¡± She paused and took a deep breath. ¡°Okay. How do you even move around in here? I saw no doors.¡±

    Tschisch took one step to the side and motioned behind him. There was an opening there where there had been none before.

    ¡°Flesh parts for us. Yes? Come.¡±

    The creature walked toward the opening and she fell in step behind it, her eyes darting right and left, her mind reeling with the implications of everything she had learned.

    ¡°How did I even get here?¡± she asked.

    They walked into a hall that looked exactly like the room she had slept in. Though she could see gray protuberances now, and she wondered if they were bones.

    ¡°You flowed through the funnel.¡±

    ¡°The funnel? You mean that beam of light?¡±

    ¡°It connects worlds, yes? A passage. As many others.¡±

    ¡°And it brought me here? That must be...¡±

    ¡°Lucky. Very lucky. You could have been lost.¡±

    She frowned at this. ¡°Lost? How do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Up. Down. Far away. Never back.¡±

    ¡°I understand the words, but not the meaning.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± It fell quiet for a moment as they continued to walk. ¡°Everything spins. Around and around.¡± It made a circular motion with a finger. Then used its other hand to stab at the air above the spinning gesture and brought it down to the bottom. ¡°You go from here to here, yes? A second later, endpoint different.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Oh! I see what you¡¯re saying.¡± Worry crept up in her. ¡°But... So... How do I go back? It seems very random.¡±

    ¡°Not random. Only random if you jump. You jump.¡±

    ¡°I did not! I fell.¡±

    ¡°Same.¡±

    ¡°Well... Okay, and how do you control it?¡±

    ¡°First, we need to know where you were. Yes?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea how to answer that. I don¡¯t know the name of the place. I... Oh, wait! I have a stellar map. That¡¯s what led me there. Maybe this can help.¡±

    She stopped walking and tapped on her wristpad as the creature turned and tilted its head, watching her.

    The stars popped up between them and just like Tschisch had earlier, she stabbed at the air, at one of the dots.

    ¡°There! That¡¯s where I was.¡±

    The alien considered the configuration for a long moment, then made a strange sound she could not decipher.

    ¡°Come,¡± it said as it turned and started off again.

    ¡°You know the place?¡± she asked as she followed.

    ¡°It is ancient. Lost. Found. Maybe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making much sense. Wait. You said ancient but you didn¡¯t mean that. What did you mean? Ancient relates to... to...¡± She struggled to find a way to say ¡®time,¡¯ and gave up. They just had no word for it. ¡°What do you mean by ancient?¡±

    ¡°Special. Different. Before and after.¡±

    It was only one word that she understood as meaning both before and after.

    Perhaps sensing her frustration, it waved its hands again.

    ¡°It is like music. No beginning, no ending. It flows. Always.¡±

    Always. How did she keep understanding time-related words when they had none? Still, the analogy implied a place out of time that...

    She suddenly froze.

    The creature stopped and looked at her.

    ¡°You said like music.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Sarisa frowned as she lifted her wristpad again, tapped on it, bringing up all her recordings from A36Z. Swiping quickly through it, she stopped on a particular piece of text.

    All must end, as must we fall into the great silence.

    She moved to another section.

    Now we celebrate as parents bring new music to the world.

    She swore.

    ¡°How did I not see this before? It seems so obvious now!¡±

    ¡°You are troubled?¡±

    She glanced at Tschisch and shook her head.

    ¡°No. Not at all. I¡¯m... This!¡± She jabbed her finger at the text. ¡°Those aliens spoke in metaphors. All the time. It¡¯s all over their damn writings. And yet it never occurred to me that when they talked about the wind, they didn¡¯t actually mean the wind. It was something else entirely. It was...¡± Her eyes went wide as she went back through the text. ¡°Invaders! They were attacked. That¡¯s what that was all about. And... And... This! Here! The wind will reap what it sows. I think they found a way to fight back.¡±

    Sarisa sighed as her arm dropped.

    ¡°Not that it did them much good, since they¡¯re all gone now.¡±

    She realized the creature was staring at her.

    ¡°You are troubled,¡± it repeated, though it no longer was a question.

    ¡°No. Yes. Maybe. I don¡¯t know. All this is too much.¡±

    It pointed a finger toward her.

    ¡°Those aliens you speak of... They are from the world you came from?¡±

    ¡°I think so. That map I put up, it belonged to them, to their civilization. It shows the planets they lived on.¡±

    It bobbed its head.

    ¡°Not gone.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Elsewhere. Come.¡±

    She ran after the creature as it started up again.

    ¡°What do you mean, elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°I show you, yes? Come.¡±

 205 (3x55) Why they had to find another way...

    They stood across from the warehouse, watching the guards.

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re definitely not Impies. That¡¯s a good thing.¡±

    Kaine looked down at the girl¡¯s serious face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, kiddo, but I¡¯ll think of something.¡±

    He looked back at the two men who stood watch on each side of the door.

    ¡°The question is, are these locals or Qevahri? That could make a big difference. The Qevahri hate the Imperium and would be more likely to help someone like me. A local... Well, it would depend on the individual, wouldn¡¯t it? Is he a sympathizer or a convert? Is he by-the-book or corrupt?¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°Too bad I can¡¯t read minds, eh? That¡¯d be something.¡±

    With a sigh, he grabbed the girl¡¯s hand and they started toward the warehouse.

    ¡°Just follow my lead, okay kiddo?¡±

    He gave her a wink.

    The two men had tensed by the time they got there. Likely they heard the sound of Ondine¡¯s metal leg clanking against the pavement before they even saw them. They definitely were staring at it.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± asked the shorter one once they were within earshot. ¡°Did you get her from a freak show?¡±

    His companion snickered.

    Kaine gritted his teeth. ¡°This girl happens to be a good friend of mine, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you showed some respect.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure, whatever you say.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here, anyway?¡± asked the other. ¡°This is no place for tourists.¡±

    The short one elbowed his friend. ¡°I think there¡¯s a circus up the road.¡±

    They both burst out laughing.

    Kaine was about to snap when he felt the girl¡¯s fingers squeezing his. He looked down and saw her shaking her head.

    She¡¯s right. I can¡¯t let this get out of hand. Not if I want them to let me in.

    ¡°Look, guys, I just need to get my ship back, then we¡¯ll both be out of your hair.¡±

    The guards looked at each other, then back at him.

    ¡°Your ship? You got a ship in here?¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Yeah. Was seized by the Impies. Before... Well, you know, before this whole mess started.¡±

    ¡°What mess?¡± The tall one looked at the short one. ¡°Do you know what mess he¡¯s talking about?¡±

    ¡°The Qevahri,¡± Kaine said patiently.

    The short one shrugged. ¡°Beats the hell out of me. Only mess I can think of is what¡¯ll happen if we let in some strange dude and his freaky girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not my...¡± Kaine stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get to the point. Just tell me what it¡¯ll cost me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s an interesting question. What do you have?¡±

    Kaine gave that some thought. He still had some credits left from his previous job, though not much, and he needed to keep some for his expenses.

    ¡°How about a hundred. Each.¡±

    The taller one squinted at him while the other laughed.

    ¡°You should join that circus too. You got good jokes.¡±

    Kaine grunted. ¡°Never mind.¡±

    He pulled on Ondine¡¯s hand as he turned and headed off, fuming.

    It was only once they¡¯d turned the corner that he looked down at her and found her staring up at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, girl. It¡¯s not like we have a choice. You heard them. You know their type just as well as I do. They won¡¯t give an inch. Not for a lot more credits than what I can afford to pay them. But lucky for us, I¡¯m an expert at these kinds of games.¡±

    Kaine stopped walking once they were at the back of the warehouse. He considered the building for a moment and nodded, pointing at a window.

    ¡°That¡¯s my way in. It¡¯s a bit high, but I¡ª¡±

    She squeezed his hand. Hard.

    He winced as he looked at her. ¡°What? No. You¡¯re not...¡± He sighed as he saw her frown. ¡°You¡¯re gonna hit me again if I tell you to stay here, aren¡¯t you? Fine. But you have to realize you¡¯re making this much more difficult than it needs to be. Climbing up there won¡¯t be easy. And it might be even more challenging for you.¡±

    The girl looked at the window. She let go of his hand and ran to the wall. Jumped on a crate, reached up to a protruding metal bar, pulled herself up, swung her feet onto a ledge, then quickly made her way up, from one crack to another. She stopped next to the window, and turned to look at him.

    Kaine stared in disbelief.

    He finally picked up his jaw from the floor and grunted as he walked up to the crate.

    ¡°Show-off,¡± he muttered.

    With careful gestures, he made his way up¡ªmore slowly than Ondine had. She patiently waited for him. It was a strange sight to see her hanging there from the wall, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

    He pulled himself up to the window and peeked inside, but it was too dark to make out anything.

    ¡°Okay. I got this.¡±

    Kaine pulled a thin piece of plastic from his pocket and applied it gently against the glass. He tapped on the material and it lit up. After waiting a few seconds, he tapped it again and the glow disappeared. Grabbing the edge, he pulled. The glass cracked and a large chunk came out. With one hand, he held the panel while he unglued the sticker with the other and tucked it back in his pocket. He stared at the glass, shrugged, and let it drop. It shattered into a thousand pieces when it hit the ground.

    By then, Kaine was already slipping through the window. He reached out with his hand to help the girl in.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see now if we can find my ship. Shouldn¡¯t be too hard...¡±

    He tapped on his wristpad and a light came on.

    They stood on a platform that ran all around the warehouse, a dozen feet above the ground. Underneath them were a dozen gliders and four larger ships.

    Kaine nudged the girl.

    ¡°See? I told you! There it is, right there.¡±

    He pointed at one of the four.

    Grabbing her hand, he started toward the nearby stairs, but he felt resistance and turned.

    She shook her head and pointed with her free hand toward the roof.

    Looking up, he saw a floating metal device, oval in shape, hovering above them.

    ¡°Crap! They must already have picked up on our light. We gotta hurry. With some luck, we can make it to the ship before they send in anyone!¡±

    They ran.