“The last I heard before we left, ALF agreed to help the Conclave build a Starforge. The original plan as I heard it was to send Kalian through it, back to the Terran Empire to search for clues.”
Li’ara knew well of the Starforges now. There had been a lot of chatter about it after the incident in the Helteron Cluster. The scale of the weapon, and its ability to transport hundreds of ships instantaneously across the stars garnered a lot of attention. The information had been kept from the masses until very recently, when the Highclave personally announced the ‘new’ invention and the construction project to place them on every world.
“Did he go?” Li’ara couldn't mask the trepidation in her voice.
Roland shrugged. “I have no idea. I've been hunting down Protocorps members searching for any trace of you.”
Ch’len waddled past. “There was a lot of torture…”
Li’ara clenched her jaw, holding onto that sense of duty that had gotten her this far. “Kalian always finds himself where he needs to be.”
15
Kalian held his arm out to stop Naydaalan from firing his weapon into the dark, a darkness that quickly gave way to an eight-foot biped. Ignoring his own instincts to attack, Kalian waited until the figure stepped into the light. He had to know. What was ALF really? A part of him had always believed that the AI was more than he would have them believe.
“Kalian…” Naydaalan was eager to take up a better position.
“Wait.” Kalian expanded his awareness and was shocked at what he felt.
The towering biped walked into the light, revealing a naked body, amalgamated from nanocelium and human flesh. The similarities to Malekk and Professor Jones were uncanny, but somehow the figure standing before them appeared older as if the nanocelium and the flesh had joined together a long time ago. The lean biped puffed out its chest and looked down on the two of them with the face of ALF.
Kalian could feel the nanocelium teeming through his ancient veins and flowing over the skin, which had turned a putrid shade of green with patches of grey. His beard and shaggy hair were part organic, part mechanical tendril as if robotic worms were writhing throughout the hair. Shining blue eyes connected with his own, though they were clearly being illuminated by artificial lights, behind the retinas.
His overall size was unusual - Kalian was forced to crane his neck to see all of him. The real ALF was much taller than any Terran or human, but every part of him looked to be proportional. There was no sign of any genitals, however, but only a collection of nanocelium strands which continued up his torso and across his arms and neck.
“You’re…” Kalian looked from the holographic ALF to the physical one. “You’re one of them.”
“No,” the physical ALF replied, his voice somewhere between human and machine. “I am something else. Something more.” A hand, almost twice the size of Kalian’s, was held out in the manner of a handshake. “I can show you.”
“What is this?” Kalian aimed his question at the hologram, the ALF he knew. “WHAT IS THIS?”
An electromagnetic pulse surged from Kalian’s body, along with a small amount of telekinetic energy. It had been a while since his emotions had got the better of him and produced an outburst like this. Naydaalan was pushed back, but he remained on his feet, even if his weapon was now useless. The hologram of ALF fluttered, threatening to disappear altogether, but the physical version stood defiantly with his hand out.
“This is where all roads converge, Kalian.” The physical ALF seemed to have taken over. “The answers you have been seeking. The knowledge that has eluded you every step of the way.”
Kalian took a breath and glanced at Naydaalan to make sure he was okay. “How could you know me?” He spoke directly to the physical ALF. “Technically we’ve never met.”
“Indeed we have not.” The towering figure spoke with all the same mannerisms as the hologram. “Incidentally, I thank you for bringing me back to me.”
At that moment, Kalian felt his suit shift before a low-level charge of electricity built around his waist. The hologram of ALF blinked out of existence and a small rectangle of nanocelium ejected from Kalian’s suit, dropping to the floor. Tendrils broke off from the physical ALF’s foot and wrapped around the exiled piece of nanocelium until its shape was lost and the fragment was absorbed. ALF blinked slowly and smiled as if satisfied with a good meal.
“Now I’m whole again!” ALF rotated his neck, imitating a human with a stiff neck. “And now I know you even better…”
“What are you?” Kalian could feel the tingling sensation building in his spine, ready to unleash every destructive ability he had.
Once again, ALF held out his hand. “You've come a long way to find the answers. There’s no turning back now.”
Kalian looked at the outstretched hand. “What are you going to do?”
ALF’s fluorescent eyes bored into Kalian. “I'm going to show you everything…”
Ignoring Naydaalan’s words of caution, Kalian gripped the larger hand and squeezed. Something sharp pricked his palm and he tried to pull away from the immediate pain, but countless strands of nanocelium flew from ALF’s forearm and wrapped around Kalian’s own, holding him firm at the elbow.
An organic and blinding ball of plasma was taking shape in Kalian’s hand, ready to pulverise ALF’s face when everything changed. The dark interior of the giant cube melted away, replaced with brilliant sunshine and an endless, rich blue sky. Two giant moons loomed on the horizon, the second, furthest one, was a broken shell of its former self. Kalian blinked hard and looked around, searching for Naydaalan or ALF, but neither accompanied him to this new place. Taking a step forward drew his attention to his feet and the crisp, green grass that lay under them. How long had it been since he had stood on grass in his bare feet?
The sound of birds, or something approximating a bird, flew overhead in a blur, leading him to the greater landscape that surrounded him. Forests, as far as the eye could see, dominated the view over rolling hills. The trees weren't anything like those on Earth, or even Century, but far taller and thicker, with incredible roots. Mountains lay ahead of him, at the end of the valley, where Kalian could see the reflective surface of a lake that sat at the base.
A warm breeze blew past him, bringing with it a sweet aroma, and the distinct smell of smoke. Following his nose, Kalian turned around to see a whole camp of humans, men, women and children. A few dozen tents decorated the field, with its inhabitants milling around, preparing food and tending small fires. The children ran around the tents, playing and chasing one another. The sight brought a smile to Kalian’s face, despite his entire lack of understanding. He had been inside enough virtual worlds - a few of which had existed inside his own head - to know that this couldn’t be real, but the scene was no less heartwarming.
Taking a stroll through the camp, Kalian took note of their appearance and the tools they used. Most were close to being naked, with only small strips of animal hide and crude jewellery covering their body. The men and women were covered in colourful tattoos, forming intricate patterns Kalian had never seen before. Their tools were just as basic as their clothing and shelter, with spears and clubs resting against logs and tents.
A woman took note of his arrival and presented him with a large bowl of water and a welcoming smile. Kalian didn't know what was going on, but he gladly took the bowl from her with a smile of his own. The reflection that greeted him in the water was not his own, a revelation that caused him to drop it. Terran instincts reached out to grip the bowl with telekinesis, but there was no reaction, no feeling in his spine or extrasensory awareness. He was human again.
Kalian bent down and picked up the bowl, using what water remained to look at his face again. The ageing features of ALF looked back at him, blue eyes and all. With one hand, he explored this new face, feeling the grey beard and thick hair that covered his head. Kalian’s new body was lean and well defined, like that of the physical ALF he had just met.
Before any questions could be asked, a shadow fell over the entire camp, encompassing the field too. Kalian looked around to see shock and fear on the faces of the tribe's people, who quickly ran for the shelter of their tents, with only a few men picking up their spears. Kalian craned his neck and saw the very thing he had felt within the volcano; a massive cube with eight corners cut off. The sky thundered and boomed as it broke through the clouds, descending over them with ominous intent. Panic had taken over the camp now, all of them seeing something new, but obviously not natural.
The giant ship skirted over the top of the camp, blowing all the fires out and creating havoc, before gliding into the distance and dropping into the dense forest. Its unceremonious landing could be felt for miles, as the ship had gained some distance by the time it came to a stop. Birds took flight across the entire canopy, rightly fleeing the unnatural intruder.
“What is it, Father?” A young man with dark hair braided down to his legs appeared by Kalian’s side, his spear in hand.
Kalian was still on the back-foot and didn't have a reply ready, shocked as he was to be addressed as father by anyone.
Another young man came running up by their side. “It is Raggadak! The gods of above have come for us!”
The man who had addressed Kalian as father looked back at the forest with wide eyes and revelation, taken in by the other man’s understanding of events.
“Father!” A boy no older than twelve ran over to them with a spear in his hands.
Kalian accepted the spear, going along with the strange series of events. He had no idea where he was or more specifically when he was.
“We should leave!” The man who had warned of the gods was already turning to run and collect his family.
The two boys looked to Kalian, or rather ALF, their father, for direction. Kalian was about to speak when he suddenly lost control of his new body, and he became a passenger, seeing through ALF’s eyes instead of controlling him.
“No…” ALF turned back to the forest, where a small dust cloud had risen into the air. “I want to see it.”
Kalian desperately wanted to gain control again and turn the entire camp around and run. He didn't know what was going on, but the giant cube hadn't landed to make friends. The cubes only destroyed from Kalian’s experience.
“Come!” ALF set into a sprint and ran for the tree line with his two sons in tow.
Once inside the forest, it became apparent how different the forna was in comparison to anything Kalian knew from Earth. The roots moved of their own will, worming in and out of the ground, as well as coiling up the trees that were as thick as houses. The leaves ranged in every size from that of a human hand to a car. Kalian would have liked to have stopped and taken the alien world in, but his feet were not his own, and ALF ran and ran, never showing any sign of tiring, as did his sons. They lept and ducked the evermoving roots with ease, proving that ALF’s advanced age was not a hindrance.
The first sign that they had neared the cube was a fallen tree, which had damaged two others close by and littered the ground with foliage. The tree itself lay firmly in the mud, sunken halfway under its own weight. The three hunters dropped into a practised crouch and slowly rounded the fallen tree, their spears ahead of them. The cube was sitting amid the wreckage of devastated trees and flattened roots, its height almost touching the canopy. ALF broke from his crouch, unable to concentrate in the shadow of something so unnatural. Kalian could feel a sense of wonder and curiosity rising inside him that wasn't his own. There was a healthy amount of trepidation in there too. ALF held out his spear to the side and warned his sons to stay back.
The cube walls were just as Kalian had seen outside the volcano. Cogs and swirling patterns of bronze layered every side, all interlaced with alien languages that blended together. ALF cautiously stepped towards it and with his spear, jabbed the metallic wall. Nothing happened. In a typically human way, ALF lowered his spear and felt the need to touch it now that he was still alive after spearing it. Kalian had seen something similar when Savrick came across the cube on Hadrok. That inbuilt curiosity and need to explore were one of their species greatest traits, but also a fatal flaw. Savrick was testament to that.
Kalian felt the overwhelming urge to pull away and leave the cube alone. But ALF continued to feel the edges of the alien languages that made up the sides. The nanocelium was ice-cold to the touch, but the material was clearly something ALF’s tribe had never come across before, having yet to master any kind of metal. He wrapped his knuckles against the side and enjoyed the unusual sound it made. As his wonder grew, so too did his caution fade away.
The web of massive cogs began to shift directly in front of ALF, and the man jumped back and raised his spear. The entire wall continued to move until a hole the size of his head appeared at eye-level. ALF waited with his spear raised, standing between the cube and his sons. Kalian knew what was going to happen next and desperately wanted the three of them to run. Everything felt so real that Kalian could easily forget that none of this was actually happening, or at least it had, making this a memory and the fate of ALF and his sons already sealed. He still wanted to flee.
ALF frowned when nothing happened and narrowed his vision to try and probe the darkness inside the hole.
“Father…” his youngest son pleaded.
ALF didn't look back but shook his head as he slowly approached the hole. What happened next surprised even Kalian, for he had been sure that ALF was moments away from placing his arm inside. Instead, a tight bundle of dark nanocelium, similar to a coiled muscle, shot out of the hole and slammed into ALF’s face.
Everything froze.
Kalian found himself standing in the forest, but as himself, not ALF. In front and beside him were ALF’s two sons, except that both of them were somewhere between seven and eight-foot tall, even the youngest was more than a head taller than him. Kalian suddenly felt very small inside what he had already considered a giant forest. He moved around them and found the scene in which had just been living. ALF was suspended a foot off the ground with a thick branch of nanocelium hugging his entire head, revealing only a slither of his grey hair at the back. His spear was halfway to the ground when everything had frozen, and his arms were outstretched as if he was in agony.
“I had to take you out there.” ALF, in his old holographic form, was standing beside Kalian, wearing his usual white robes. “You wouldn't be able to comprehend what happened next from inside that mind.”
Kalian was beginning to understand. “Finish it.”
The scene played out as it had, with the sons screaming for their father, as he was consumed by more and more tendrils of nanocelium. The wall opened up until the space was large enough to pull ALF’s entire body inside. Within seconds his body was completely covered in snaking strands of nanocelium and taken into the darkness. His two sons threw their spears at the cube, which rebounded harmlessly, and ran back into the forest, shouting at the tops of their voices. The wall closed up behind ALF and became whole again as if the entrance had never been there.
“That man…” Kalian could feel the weight of knowledge bearing down on him. “That’s what you are, now.” He flicked his head away, indicating the cyborg-like creature he had met inside the cube.
ALF nodded, but remained silent, allowing Kalian to work through it.
“When is this? Where is this?” Kalian moved away from ALF and held his arms up at the alien environment.
“When is hard to say exactly. This day took place before the Terran Empire existed, long before in fact. I wasn't really keeping track of time back then, it was inconsequential to my kind. Both of my kinds,” he corrected. “It’s most likely around the time the first creatures on Earth were leaving the oceans and learning to walk. As for where…” ALF put his back to the cube and waved his hand across the tree line. Proving the lack of substance in the reality, the forest was wiped away, leaving a beautiful view of the horizon and the dual moons. “You already know the name of this planet, o
r at least the name its inhabitants gave it.”
Kalian was silent for a moment, taking in the vista. “Evalan…”
“Yes. It was in a galaxy far from the one you now call home.” ALF clasped his hands within his robes. “Though not entirely identical to you, the people born on this planet were the first to carry your genetic code, the same code that formed the foundation of the Terran and later humanity on Earth. These people are the very first of your kind, Kalian, your true ancestors.”
“Evalan. This is our real home?” Kalian had the urge to explore every inch of the virtual planet.
“It was…” ALF looked away, his shame clear to see.
“What happened here? What did you do?” Kalian had no doubt in his mind that ALF was responsible.
“I did as I had countless times before, on countless planets. I did as my people have done for longer than there have been stars in the sky…”
“Which is?”
“Feed.” ALF met Kalian’s eyes. “I was a scout. When I discovered Evalan I was commanded to sample the native life in all its biological forms. Should I find the planet rich in our requirements, I would send for them, and we would all be nourished.”
“Them?” Kalian had heard that a lot since his life among the stars. The ominous they who pulled all the strings, controlled the cubes and hunted down humanity. And now ALF was one of them.
“The whole. I am only a part -”
“Of the whole.” Kalian finished the sentence he had heard so many times from the hologram. He had no idea until now what that really meant.
“Yes. They have been given many names by many races across the universe and throughout time. None of those people ever lived to pass on the name, however. They have been feeding and growing for longer than you can imagine, their knowledge and power surpassing everything in existence. Until then…” ALF turned to face the scene surrounding the giant cube.
Events had changed now, with the cube opened up, allowing them to see inside, where the human who shared ALF’s appearance was being consumed. Tentacles of nanocelium burrowed into every part of his skin, causing blood to trickle out of every fresh orifice. His right leg twitched until it changed colour, becoming grey and layered with dark veins.
The Terran Cycle Boxset Page 114
