by John Walker
Deep Dive
Legacy War
Book 5
John Walker
Copyright © 2018 John Walker
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
DISCLAIMER
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This story contains explicit language and violence.
Blurb
The terrorist threat of the Tol’An intensifies, forcing humanity and their allies to attempt a desperate experiment in order to gain the upper hand. They know there are additional Orbs somewhere in the galaxy. Finding them is the trick but if they can establish a connection with their own devices, they just might be able to pinpoint their locations.
As they board the Gnosis to attempt their plan, they tighten security and plan for the worst. But not every contingency can be accounted for nor every enemy clearly seen. While the Gnosis is in hyperspace, they are stuck until they emerge, leaving plenty of time to find success and opposition in places where they least expect it.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
Prologue
Beaumont Dulain knew how to influence people. He’d been playing the game his entire adult life, navigating through seas he had no business embarking on. A few forays burned him, but he learned from those mistakes, and having ascended to his current position, the head of the most influential intelligence agency in human history, he considered himself victorious.
Any further up the chain would’ve dulled his efficiency, his usefulness. He was right in the middle of the action, able to make things happen and alter the course of his entire species providing he remained subtle enough. That became the real trick. As they acquired more and more information about the threats abroad, gentle nudges on policy became less effective.
The AIA could push as hard as it needed to. The precedent was there from previous moments where direct action was required to stop a catastrophe. Unfortunately, each time they did so, it revealed a little more of their underlying structure and the way they operated. That made Dulain nervous.
If those in charge discovered too much, they might question the methods. Plausible deniability and intentional ignorance ruled the day but if they were forced to see it, they would feel compelled to act. The balancing act to keep things in step became annoying after the first Tol’An attack.
Dulain wondered how long the events of the universe would leave them to their planning and the answer came when the Pahxin sent their own intelligence officers to Earth. They arrived under the guise of helping to contain the growing terrorist threat but that unto itself became suspicious.
If they really wanted to help, they could’ve just sent information. Dulain considered this notion as he sat in a conference room, waiting for the two agents to arrive. They didn’t have to show up here. That tells me they’re interested in spying on us, on discovering our secrets and potentially, getting their Orb back.
There was no question among the highest echelons of authority in regards to the Orb the Gnosis took from the Tol’An. It had been stolen from the Pahxin research facility, as surely as theirs would’ve been taken from Gamma Alpha had the terrorists not underestimated human military capabilities.
Possession proved to be nine-tenths of the law though and as humanity began to cooperate, the lines between their relationship would start to blur. Eventually, the Orb would likely return home but until they solved a lot of problems, Earth intended to keep both of them right beside each other.
Dulain had been pushing for the higher ups to allow him to test a theory, to put the Orbs onboard the Gnosis and send it into hyperspace again. Cassandra Alexander had had a psychic episode when they were bringing the second one home and he was convinced they’d be able to do so again.
All the scientists believed that the race who built the Orbs interfaced with them through some kind of mental connection. The only way the human researchers managed to do the same thing was while flying through hyperspace. Since they could not simulate that environment, they needed to try it directly and for a sufficient amount of time to matter.
But no one wanted to risk an Orb by putting it on a spaceship, let alone both of the devices. Dulain figured they’d come around eventually but until then, he was forced to either watch them flounder or push harder with his influence. Neither felt right and he’d been biding his time.
Perhaps I waited too long. The thought came to him as he considered the agents about to enter the room. They were there for a reason and he believed it was because humanity had yet to solve the problem. Maybe we really do need the help. If we’re going to solve this thing, I can’t stand on something as flimsy and stupid as pride.
There was a point of contention there, a sense that he had failed. Dulain found it annoying because everyone on each team was doing fantastic. The Gnosis vastly exceeded its original purpose and the crew proved to be stunning. Yes, they’d experienced some loss but considering the odds and what they fought against, it was a shock they hadn’t suffered worse.
The door opened, a human guard allowing the two Pahxin representatives to enter. They were wearing identical uniforms, white fitted jackets with gray slacks and matching shoes. The male looked older, with lines on his pale features and graying hair. His blue eyes looked tired but his posture remained ramrod perfect.
The woman might’ve been forty, though she had a timeless quality to her. Dark red hair was carefully arranged in a neat bun and her green eyes were a little too jade in color to be natural on Earth. She wore a severe expression that made her look like she’d been doing her job for a long time.
Dulain stood. “Welcome to Earth,” he said, “if you haven’t been already. I’m Beaumont Dulain of the Applied Intelligence Association.”
“Hello,” the male spoke first. His command of English surprised Dulain. He only carried a slight accent. They’re quick studies. “My name is Kelda Pelen and this is my associate Tierna Mauch. We have come with new information which must be considered by our two nations. I’m afraid it would be considered bad news.”
“Have a seat.” Dulain gestured to the other chairs. “And don’t worry, I’m accustomed to hearing terrible things. It comes with the job. I’m sure you can both relate. So what’re we talking about? The Tol’An? The Kalrawv Group? Someone new? I don’t have a compiled dossier on every threat in the universe quite yet.”
“We can share a great deal of information then,” Tierna said. Her accent was a little thicker. Kelda came at this from a point of pride. He didn’t want to seem weak because he didn’t understand an inferior language. Somehow, they must’ve been mind-dumping to be so good at it. They hadn’t known about humanity for that long. “But we are here to talk about the Tol’An.”
Kelda looked grim. “They are desperate to get their hands on the remaining … Orbs as you call them. We have to combine our efforts to stop them, to discover the locations. Though this can be tricky. There are s
ix total devices and we know where four are. You have two here and the Tol’An hold two. The final remaining, are totally unaccounted for.”
“We need a method to find them,” Tierna said. “The Tol’An have mobilized their forces and are scouring parts of the galaxy but that is far too much space to cover. We are hoping for a more elegant solution.”
Dulain grinned. “I might just have you covered there. Our scientists discovered a connection to the Orbs, a mental interface option. This happened while in hyperspace as we returned the stolen object to Earth. I’ve been pushing to attempt an experiment, to see if we can replicate the results, but I’ve so far been denied.”
“Why?” Kelda asked.
“Too risky and no clearly defined goal.” Dulain shrugged. “But if we can suggest that the Orbs are connected, that we might be able to discover the locations of those devices, then I say we’d have a good reason to put them on a ship and send them hurtling out into space. Of course, we’d want them to head to a safe location …”
“I’m not sure our home world would be a wise choice at this point,” Tierna said. “Security is a concern. It would be better to arrive in an out of the way location, somewhere we can control the area completely. I’d recommend we send a ship or even a small fleet to that space so they can secure and hold it until the arrival of the Orbs.”
Dulain nodded. “I like it. Now we just have to convince our superiors, both our side and yours. How hard do you think it’s going to be?”
“Not difficult at all,” Kelda replied. “If they do not let us take care of this, then we run the risk of the Tol’An finding the other Orbs. With four of them, they will be in a good position to come here and steal what you have. Depending on what they’ve been doing with the knowledge they’ve picked up, we may find ourselves outmatched.”
“They’re really that powerful?” Dulain shook his head. “I don’t know. We’ve had ours for a while and yeah, we’ve managed to create some wonders but everything we did required resources … a lot of resources. We were hampered by our ability to gather enough. It wasn’t until we met you guys that we were in a good place in that regard.”
“Once you spread beyond your borders,” Tierna replied, “you will have access to limitless opportunities. Much of the universe remains untouched by anyone. Those sparsely charted areas are home to everything an enterprising group needs to build an armada and outfit it with state of the art weapons.”
“And the Tol’An know it,” Kelda added. “That’s how they’ve been so successful. Never mind the fact they were educated by our people and taught everything they need to know to build a real revolution.”
“Don’t feel bad, we’ve done the same thing to ourselves plenty of times.” Dulain sighed. “Tell me something, do you know if these things can be used as a powerful energy source? Are they able to be weaponized?”
Kelda nodded. “Absolutely. If they chose to sacrifice one, they could likely devastate a continent on your planet. It would be uninhabitable for generations, too. But the good news is that the Tol’An do not want to destroy us. They want to rule. They believe their doctrines are the proper way to live.”
“They also want us to prepare for the eventual arrival of the progenitor race … or something like it.” Tierna rolled her eyes. “We’ve intercepted reports that suggest they’re under the impression the original creators of the Orbs, or their destructors, will return and cause extreme damage to us.”
“We’ve seen some evidence of their work,” Dulain said. “I’m sure we sent it to you?”
“Yes, we witnessed the dead planets.” Kelda scowled. “Technology run amok. Some of these old civilizations became absolutely obsessed with their own creativity. We’ve found the ruins of many such places, all lost to the sands of time. None of them learned the greatest lesson, that of temperance.”
Tierna added, “Even the Tol’An are guilty of this. They grasp at technology they do not understand, seeking artifacts and other items which are too dangerous for any group to hold onto. For example, we confiscated a destructive device, a bomb you’d call it. We’d never seen such technology before and upon further investigation, it could’ve destroyed a moon.”
“Not damaged it,” Kelda said. “Destroyed it. Total, complete obliteration. Imagine what that would do to a culture … to an entire world. Such disregard for the sanctity of a planet makes us leery of what we’re dealing with and how far they will go. We had hoped to rehabilitate the Tol’An supporters but it is becoming obvious we do not have that option.”
“Zealots aren’t good about changing,” Dulain replied. “Okay, so we’ve got our objectives. Find the loose Orbs, discover the two that the Tol’An are holding and take them down. I know I’m simplifying, but that’s about it, right? We don’t have a fourth problem that I’m unaware of?”
“There are neutral factions that may become problems,” Tierna said. “We are negotiating with some of them to remain out of the fight or to help even. The Gaelirans in particular are interested in helping. They are not pleased by the attack on their neutral station. Though they aren’t committing to military action, they are willing to donate resources.”
“That’s a start.” Dulain considered what they might be able to offer. His briefing suggested the neutral group had worked on a wide variety of interesting technology. Perhaps they could help locate the Tol’An base. That would be a huge help. “I’m glad to hear we’re compiling allies.”
“We have been busy,” Kelda replied. “We have a meeting later which I believe we should prepare for. I would like to work out the specifics so we can pitch your idea and lend the full support of our government to it. I believe our two divisions can learn much from one another, provide support. Let us work together to fix this problem once and for all.”
Dulain smiled. He went into the meeting without a clue of what it was about. That always annoyed him but this time, it worked out wonderfully. A better outcome couldn’t have been predicted regardless. These were the allies he needed to get the job done. Pursing his lips, he cleared his throat. “I can’t wait.”
Chapter 1
Captain Desmond Bradford sat on the bridge, leaning back as the Gnosis entered its final approach to Earth. The ship held up well considering all the required repairs they went through on their last assignment. Engineering really went above and beyond, especially considering the circumstances.
He was willing to bet that everyone on board held their breath before they went into hyperspace. After fully charging the generators and breaking atmosphere, they were thrilled to note that all the seals held. They safely made it into orbit and beyond. Technicians from the Pahxin vessel Stalwart returned home and together, both ships plotted a course for Earth.
When they didn’t explode upon entering hyperspace, Desmond allowed himself to relax and even took some down time. He slept for a good seven hours before returning to duty. Though he received a reasonable briefing from the away team while the repairs were underway, it wasn’t until after they got some rest that he got a real rundown from Commander Vincent Bowman.
He explained the one personnel loss in Sergeant Lawrence Gorman and discussed the species which had essentially copied their consciousness into a complicated machine. It allowed them to interface with their technology, including a ship some distance away but they had a range. They could not leave their home so they took sport on those who visited them.
Gorman destroyed the device, likely the thing that the Tol’An happened to be there for. Desmond couldn’t see how the terrorists intended to use such a thing. It wasn’t exactly a weapon and had they received it, they may well have endured the same curse that the builders did. Such a thing didn’t seem tactically sound.
Though maybe if used in moderation, they would never have to risk actual personnel to conduct combat operations. Desmond considered the use case and couldn’t deny the benefits. They could keep backups on a different device, ensuring they never actually lost their best people. Okay, so it could’ve be
en pretty dangerous.
Though, the Tol’An engineers would’ve had to break the thing down to figure any of that out and he didn’t think they were capable of it. Not quickly at least and certainly not in a time frame that would’ve made any difference to their conflict with the Pahxin and humans. Frankly speaking, they probably would’ve unleashed hell on the universe by freeing those things.
This is the danger of hunting for ancient relics.
Vincent joined him, rubbing his eyes. The loss of Gorman weighed on him and Desmond had ordered him to take some extra time off. As the commander sat down, it was clear he’d returned to some semblance of his normal self. He went about reading his reports, checking in with various departments.
“You okay?” Desmond asked.
“Yes, sir. Thanks.” Vincent chewed his lip for a moment. “I know it wasn’t my fault. The sergeant … He was hurt already. I don’t think he would’ve made it out of there even if he hadn’t … made the choice he did.”
“It’s hard to admit stuff like that,” Desmond said, “but essential. You need to remember it though. Don’t pay it lip service. Talk to one of the doctors if you need to but if for a moment, you start feeling particularly guilty, you have to get some help. Believe me, I know from personal experience.”
“I get it.” Vincent nodded. “Believe me, I won’t lose myself in this. It’s not my first time losing someone but in the fact I looked him in the eye before he made the call? That was new. Then, I just had to get everyone else back safely. There was no time for regret or worry in the moment. Just action.”
They’d been through the conversation before but Desmond found a little reinforcement never hurt. He let the topic drop and went back to his own duties just as their pilot, Lieutenant Commander Zach Caplan, cleared his throat. “We are dropping out of hyperspace in less than a minute.”
