Aeolus Investigations Set 2: Too Cool To Lose: The Continuing Evolution of Lexi Stevens

by Robert E Colfax

  Ron, if not exactly following Lexi’s thoughts to the degree Jis was, was doing his own furious thinking. While we’re doing this, let’s try to reach Hrassi on Grammin. Hrassi was the first of the semi-aquatic Grammin they met when they rescued her from a pirate ship they encountered subsequent to Lexi’s kidnapping by bounty hunters. Over the course of returning Hrassi to her homeworld, they became friends. How do we do that? Ron inquired.

  Recall how she looks, Ron. Think about her. That’s how we made contact with you. Jis, of course, has never met her so I’ll still be driving on this side. After ten minutes of trying, the group gave up. Lexi said, I don’t think it’s a signal strength problem. I think it may have to do with tuning. We need the Barossa Channel. Ron, we’re going to break the connection on this end now and head back.

  One of them, Ron couldn’t tell whether it was Jis or Lexi or both, sent, We might spend the time being naughty again. You can be naughty with us tonight. Then the connection went down.

  The cruiser got them back to Earth in time for dinner. Although they usually ate in the mess room with the crew of Glaurang, tonight they sat around the small kitchenette table on Urania. “Ron,” Lexi said, “I want you to take Glaurang with the new crew to Grammin and bring back volunteers and the Barossa Channel. On the trip out, have the engineers convert a section of the ship into a habitat suitable for them.”

  “What do you have in mind, Lexi? I mean, I can see what you have in mind, but are sure you can make it work?”

  “Honestly, no. And I wouldn’t even consider it if I could build my own Channel. But I can’t. I have to assume it was built, that such an unlikely device couldn’t occur naturally, but the technology is beyond my current understanding. Remember though, I didn’t have the Wraix tech or the Wraix equipment the last time I studied it. Even if that doesn’t help, it doesn’t mean I can’t build an amplifier for it. It might not do anything. It might fry the brains of my Grammin volunteers. But if it works, my military advisers should be pleased. Very pleased.”

  “Lexi,” Jis began, somewhat hesitantly for her, “we know a ‘friend’ made the Rose for us. You know more about it than you do the Channel. Can you build a second Rose from scratch?”

  Lexi looked at her, a strange expression on her face while she considered the question. Finally she said, “Possibly. Why? Do you need a spare?”

  Jis laughed, “No. I don’t think so. Just curious. Back to the current topic. Believe it or not, after my coronation, I was able to convince the representatives of every single Accord world to build Grammin habitats in their capital cities. I was relatively surprised. I didn’t realize I was that persuasive. They believed me when I told them you discovered a semi-aquatic human race that preferred to remain unknown. They also believed me that we would eventually want to be able to host these people in an environment they would find comfortable. I can’t think of a convincing reason for wanting those embassies built unless I sensed we would want a communications group.”

  Ron, remembering the meeting in Jis’s office the day prior to her coronation, when Jis asked him what his decision regarding Grammin’s anonymity would be when Lexi needed them, said. “We’re going to need to have them come out of hiding and join the Accord. If this works, we’ll need Grammin crew members on every ship of the fleet.”

  “Perhaps not every ship,” Urania said. “It depends on our battle plan. And, once again, it must be strange being you, Jis. You planned this out three years ago.”

  Lexi was thinking through the implications of what they were about to do. “Geena is already stationed on Earth and I have a feeling that is going to be permanent. Urania and I will stay here and give Dad a hand. I want the carcass and the guts from our Kreesh specimen transferred back to the hold on Urania. We’ll up the priority of building an enclave for the Grammin in the WASP building and I’ll work on upgraded environmental suits for them. And I think we’ll start Jis on the hulk-meds while you’re gone, Ron.”

  “Go ahead and start Jis on it, but give me the serum before I leave, kiddo,” Ron said. “Send the counter-agent with the medical team on board just in case. I’ll give the Marines a heads up that I’m testing a new medication and could become dangerous. If they need to restrain me they should be in battle armor.”

  Chapter 61

  Grammin

  A year after making their presence known on Earth, they had Earth operations moving along as well as could be expected. In some cases, better than they expected. It would be several days before Glaurang could be readied for a trip to Grammin. Not only did much of Lexi’s lab need to be transferred, there needed to be discussion with the military echelon concerning Glaurang’s crew. Unless it was a life or death situation, Lexi had no intention of making any decisions that were legitimately that of her military command. She came to Earth for help. She was not about to step on any toes.

  Ron used that time to meet with the group planning Glaurang’s remodel. Early on, before the first battleship design was finalized, Lexi imported Lee Szwar from Cardin’s Paradise. Lee was the architect the team worked with during Urania’s first remodel. The woman, in Lexi’s book, was amazing. Lee thought, lived, and breathed form and function. Although her forte was the design of luxury yachts, she threw herself into the design of warships with, if not exactly enthusiasm, then at least keen interest. Her modifications to the battleship and cruiser designs were approved by the military. While they initially thought of them as ‘fluff,’ they did admit the crews would like them. The changes were such that they wouldn’t impact the production schedules so there was no downside. Lee volunteered to accompany Ron to Grammin to oversee the design of the Grammin habitat. Ron gratefully accepted.

  Grammin knew the Accord was gearing up for war. More specifically they knew that their king was one of the people leading the Accord. After what Ron and Lexi accomplished while on Grammin, no one there was surprised that Lexi, consort of King Ron, was serving as Marshal. Message drones were dispatched to them on a regular basis. In fact, they had all the data provided to Accord member-worlds, including the specs of both Glaurang and the new warships being built. About the only thing they hadn’t been told was that they were now a member-world too. Because they were otherwise kept in the loop, Ron and Lexi expected that Glaurang suddenly showing up in their skies would cause only minor consternation. They were right about that.

  What caused more consternation was Ron transporting into the council chamber even though he alerted them to expect him. In the first place, the last time Ron was on Grammin, Lexi had yet to develop transporter technology. Second, was his lack of an environment suit. The hulk-meds, which Ron took and adapted to without incident on the trip out, were also new since his last visit.

  There was a little bit of risk in starting the hulk-meds without Lexi, who was already enhanced, being present. Even without taking the DNA modifying serum, he was the most powerful human on the ship. If the meds caused him to run amok, it would have been bad. Ideally, Lexi would have been on hand to help subdue him if needed. Since she wasn’t available, he placed a squad of Marines on call 24/7, authorized to subdue him with anything short of lethal force. Fortunately for him, as well as the Marines, nothing untoward happened. Now, with the meds having run their course, he could live in this otherwise oppressive environment, in complete comfort, for the rest of his life if he needed to. Grammin knew standard humans could survive on their world. It just would be extremely uncomfortable for them. Ron showed no signs of environmental stress at all.

  “Ron, we’ve discussed your proposition in council,” Danu said after Ron presented his position to the gathered councilors. Danu was Ron’s uncle and, until Ron unexpectedly showed up on Grammin, expected to be king when his mother, Queen Abree stepped down. He was now Ron’s regent. Ron had already informed them that he had not only exposed their existence to the Accord, he had joined the Accord on their behalf.

  In hyperspace, Grammin was not much more distant from Earth than Ackalon. If Earth succumbed, it was
an even toss-up which of the two worlds the Kreesh would target next. One side effect of the hulk-meds was that they enhanced both his marginal telepathy and his minor Rose of Light abilities. It felt strange, but the announcement that he betrayed their secrecy and brought them into the Accord as a member world seemed to be universally accepted with mental shrugs and thoughts of “whatever.” That was unexpected.

  There was no enthusiasm, but by the same token, no anger or rage. “We know what is going on in the Accord,” Danu said. “You’ve kept us informed every step of the way, for which we thank you. We are all, even Abree has come around, extremely comfortable with the current arrangement having you as our absentee king. Our people are comfortable with that arrangement as well. Understand, one of the things we disliked about the Accord was that those worlds never got anything done. Now you and Lexi are running the place. I know, you claim not to be, but facts are facts, nephew.”

  Abree added, “They turned control over to Lexi Stevens. The two of you are forcing massive change on those worlds. You’re controlling that change. In the process, you’ve revitalized the entire Accord. We are well aware of this. We’ve increased the number of spies we fund by six hundred percent. Even before this current crisis, shortly after we met her, we began funding people on Earth. What I’m getting at is that none of us want you to abdicate the throne. Our people have been fully informed concerning the threat we face from the Kreesh. The general consensus is that as our king, you will continue to feel a certain responsibility for our welfare. I know you would whether or not you’re officially king, but it comforts my people.”

  Ron understood their reasoning. Danu, whether king or regent, was doing the job of leading Grammin and its colony world Graplin admirably. Ron didn’t want to be king to these people. He knew Lexi didn’t want to be Chief Councilor of Ostrieachia either. And neither of them wanted to run the freakin’ Accord. Sadly, they didn’t have a choice in any of those situations. At least once the Kreesh were out of the picture, and, he supposed, the freakin’ pirates dealt with, they could step down from running the Accord. He could abdicate to Danu and there was a good chance Lexi could resign from the Ostrieachia One World Council. They seemed to be doing pretty well without her.

  “If we can’t stop the Kreesh, Lexi is prepared to sacrifice Earth in order to buy the more distant worlds of the Accord extra time to prepare defenses,” Ron said grimly. They had to understand what his position as Lexi’s second-in-command meant. “I support her decision. You probably have thirty, possibly forty, years before the Kreesh get here, but we’ll discard Grammin too, whether or not I’m the king, if we have no other choice. The Kreesh could be here in as few as twenty years if they choose you before Ackalon.”

  Danu nodded, his expression grim. “We know. We can’t retool our shipyards in time to contribute to the defense of Earth. We intend to focus on the new light cruisers. Our populations just aren’t large enough to staff battleships. The plans will need to be modified to accommodate our special needs as well. We’re working on it, though.” He managed a smile. “Who wants to have the most antiquated ships in space, after all.”

  Ron nodded. “That’s been a common theme. I brought plans modified to accommodate Grammin physiologies with me. Study them. Feel free to make changes.” It was Ron’s turn to smile. “I don’t think you’ll want any. I also have Glaurang’s holds and flight deck filled with prefab shipyard parts for orbital shipyards. That should help. We did something similar setting up Earth. I think you’ll find it much easier to build spaceships in space than in your caves.”

  Danu smiled. “We knew that you would want us to join the Accord since you first alerted us to the Kreesh problem.”

  Ron smiled. “Yes. I assume your spies have reported that the Accord worlds have all built Grammin-friendly environmental enclaves in their capital cities. That was Jis Boc Seckan’s doing. It’s time to staff them. Lexi needs to borrow the Barossa Channel. She’s working on a faster-than-light communications system based on your telepathic abilities. If she gets it working across interstellar distances, we’ll want a communications group on every planet and a Grammin team on Glaurang at a minimum and possibly on all of the command battleships.”

  ***

  “There is one other thing we would request of you while you’re here,” Danu said. There were just four of them in Queen Abree’s sitting room. “Before you return, Hrassi and I would be honored if you would officiate at our abient.”

  Ron’s face broke into a huge smile. “You’re getting married!” he exclaimed.

  Completely straight-faced, Hrassi said, “Of course not. We’re being abiented.”

  Chapter 62

  Musings on Life

  Lexi sat in one of the command chairs on Urania’s control bridge, sipping a cup of coffee, musing about life in general. She had always been smart and determined, even as a child. Losing her mother when she was four left her responsible for her father. She was sure he would have disagreed with her assessment, but tell that to a four-year-old. Maybe that was where her determination and drive came from. She laughed silently remembering how her sense of responsibility, and yes, maybe her sense of adventure, led to her stowing away on board the starship owned by Ron and Geena.

  Something Ron said years ago was true. Urania, giddy with having her first friend in Lexi, let her overdo on the educator. Geena’s comment at one point was true as well. Lexi didn’t know whether or not she was a genius before using the educator, but yes, the educator changed her. As Geena said, she became a super genius.

  Four years ago, she was a student on Earth. Just one year ago, she reluctantly became the de facto leader of an eight thousand year old, space-threading civilization. Now, she was building a fleet of advanced warships more powerful than the Accord believed possible. If they weren’t powerful enough, if her efforts failed, the Kreesh would swarm through the Accord, destroying all life on every planet they reached. She made it her job to stop them.

  Lexi and her whole team believed their lives were being manipulated. Of course, the first question was by whom or what? The theft of the Rose of Light, on the day she was born no less, brought Ron and Geena to Earth twenty-four years later. Lexi already knew where to find the gem, making its recovery simple once she joined the team. They speculated the Rose was left there by the mysterious manipulator for Lexi to find. She didn’t think anyone else followed that thought through to its logical conclusion. That theory implied Ron was brought there for her to find as well.

  If she hadn’t acted on her growing attraction to the man and seduced him two days before he left Earth, probably forever, the Rose would have remained lost. She would have never used the educator. And yes, the educator did more than educate. Repeated use permanently supercharged the user’s brain. The telepathy inducing Barossa Channel would have remained in the hands of a pirate collector on an alien moon and Grammin civilization would have collapsed. Ostrieachia would have fallen to the Unity pirates. The Kreesh would soon be eating everybody. Yes, the Rose of Light was incidental. It all started with Ron, the man she now loved more dearly than life itself.

  For the first time ever, she took that thought even farther. If this wasn’t about forcing her evolution by having artifacts tossed in her path, if instead it was matchmaking on an unbelievable scale, then what did her children have in store for them? Of course, children could be just another incidental. It really could just be about the artifacts and what was happening to her and Ron.

  Ron left four days ago on his mission to recruit the Grammin. Glaurang was creeping through hyperspace at far less than his normal speed in order to give Ron’s hulk-meds time to run their course before he arrived there. She fervently hoped that his mission would be a success. She hoped that, assuming she could build an amplifier for their telepathic talents, the Grammin could do what she needed them to do. Telepathic contact across interstellar distances was not something even the strongest of them was currently capable of. The last time she held the Barossa Channel was
before she had the scientific knowledge of the Wraix. She hoped that added knowledge would help her understand how the thing worked or at least give her the ability to build instruments to understand how it did what it did.

  She sighed softly. Precognition could be a bitch. If you assumed what you saw was the future and it never happened, what did that mean? Then factor in that sometimes the future you perceived proved out. It was Jis, when the team first told her about the Grammin, who perceived they would be needed by Lexi although Jis didn’t know why. In Lexi’s mind, it had to be because she now needed faster-than-light communications. She didn’t doubt there could be a technological solution for that. She just didn’t know where to start.

  She got up to replicate another coffee as she continued her musings. The damned Wraix had been thinking about manipulating time. The Kreesh did the rest of the Accord a favor by wiping that particular race off of the star charts. Wraix strongly suspected there were alternate timelines. They likened them to threads of probability. Their researches were still in the most primitive stage at the time they lost everything to the Kreesh. If they were right, that might mean every precognition was a true glimpse of a future, including the very vivid one she and Jis shared several years ago in which they viewed the lifeless cinder of the world that had been Ackalon. That thought was horrifying.