Fury to the Stars (Universe in Flames Book 2)

by Christian Kallias

  “That’s normal, Chase.” Saroudis smiled. “Every man becoming a father will ask himself that very question. It’s the cycle of life: we are born, we live, we make children, and we die.”

  “I suppose so.”

  The commodore cleared his throat. “Well… I’m sorry to change the subject but I have some bad news.”

  Chase straightened up. “I’m listening.”

  “Preliminary investigation of the accident seems to show criminal intent.”

  A chill ran down Chase’s spine. “Sabotage?”

  “Or terrorism. It’s too early to tell, though we already received confirmation of another suspect explosion in Asia, in another building the Alliance built. We knew there might be resistance to the fast-paced changes we applied to Earth society. We faced similar problems ourselves at one point in time.”

  Chase sighed. “Yeah. I could see how a death count like the one they just had could also be quite a motivator to recruit distraught people to rebel against any new system.”

  “Especially people who lost people close to them—family members, dear friends. I heard of a faction that was greatly upset at the steps we took to reduce meat farming.”

  Chase plopped down into his chair. “Right there, you see, that I don’t get. Meat production, especially cow, was responsible for more than half the pollution on their planet, not to mention most of these animals were treated appallingly.”

  “Ignorance is bliss.” The commodore shook his head. “We can’t blame the humans for information they didn’t have, at least not clearly.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, when the lobbies—be it fossil fuels, agricultural, or any other ones in power—most of them made damn sure that the majority of people on Earth were unaware of the true impact their business practices had on the environment. Instead, they made it seem like they were going green—like doing a magic trick, the art of misdirection, if you will. Attract attention to something else, so you can do an entire other thing in the meantime.”

  Chase frowned. “That doesn’t make it better.”

  “I never said it does, but by presenting a distorted truth to the people, you can control them with greater ease. That’s what was happening on Earth before. If you remember, we pointed the finger at fossil fuels when we arrived because that’s what the Internet seemed to pick as the main reason for pollution on Earth. Only when we made deep scans of their atmosphere did we realize that this was not the case. It was only a ruse to mask yet another problem from the eyes of the public. Why do you think we haven’t put so many restrictions on fossil fuels? Sure, we replaced the largest, more dangerous processing plants, and we’re trying to remove the nuclear ones to avoid natural catastrophes when something goes wrong. But planes are still flying, cars are still running.” He leaned forward. “That’s because their impact wasn’t hurting the planet nearly as much as the meat industry was.”

  Chase nodded thoughtfully. “At least with the synthesizers, they can experience the taste of meat without having to squander and pollute their own world now.”

  “Yes, I agree. And I must admit their meals are nothing short of delicious. Granted I haven’t tried many, but the pizza in particular is extraordinary.”

  Chase smiled, recalling his very first taste.

  “However,” continued Saroudis, “there will always be people who don’t want a substitute to anything, and, to a certain point, I can understand that. That’s why we are reducing and not banning this area of their agriculture. We are, however, making sure the animals are living under top conditions. No more farms and hangars where the poor things were squeezed together and unable to see the sun shining in the sky.”

  Chase thought back to the attack. “So we have to watch for underground movements and possible terrorist cells in the near future?”

  “I think it was unavoidable, yes.”

  Chase stayed pensive for quite a while. While it was in his nature to condemn needless violence at face value, he couldn’t help but feel sympathetic to their cause. How would he feel if someone swept in and changed his entire way of life, only to have millions die in the process? The rage, although the means were unacceptable, could be understood.

  Just then, the ship started to tremble.

  “Lieutenant Commander?”

  Chase realized he was entering a dangerous state and quickly quieted his mind. The trembling stopped almost immediately.

  “Sorry, Commodore.”

  Saroudis looked concerned. “Still having issues controlling your abilities?”

  “That was more an experiment I was trying.”

  “Do not conduct experiments on my ship!” Saroudis exclaimed. “No offense, but seeing how quickly unstable you can become, judging from the state of your quarters the last time you lost control, and the overall damage it had created in that entire section of the ship, I will have to ask you to refrain from doing this onboard this or any other ship for that matter."

  Chase didn’t answer.

  “Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant Commander? I am not making a suggestion here.”

  “Yes, Commodore, perfectly clear. And you’re right, it would be easier to brainwash or at the very least convince people of ideas if they had lost someone close. I’m sure there are plenty of potential volunteers on the surface of the planet right now who fall under this sad category.”

  “We knew that all along. We have been through this before the Alliance was created in our part of the universe. If history is to repeat itself, there will be more acts like these. I hate to use that word, but we must be prepared to deal with the fallout of all that has happened. Humans are not strangers to acts of terrorism; this could be a prelude to a dark phase for this world.”

  Chase’s face tightened. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking right now?”

  “That the accelerated speed at which we made Earth evolve might result in an even faster, darker, and stronger counter-response and that our own technology might be used against this world in the process?”

  “Exactly,” Chase agreed. “Our arrogance in thinking we could control evolution, supervise them and make sure they avoided our own mistake, was a huge delusion.”

  “I think it’s too early to tell. After all, these could be isolated occurrences. But should there be more acts like these, on a bigger scale, then yes, I am worried about the exact same thing. I do think, however, that we acted the best way we could under the circumstances and I do not regret any of our actions. They were made with the best intentions.”

  “I, on the other hand, am not as sure, even in that regard.”

  “I’m surprised to hear that coming from you, Chase. After all, you have been talking with the gods of Olympus—surely they were guiding us towards the right path.”

  Chase stared down at his hands. “Are they?”

  “I cannot believe what I’m hearing!”

  “Look, Commodore, I’m sorry. This day has been a lot to take in and my thoughts are all over the place at the moment. But I do not believe in gods. Even Aphroditis herself said that god is a concept, and that they are simply more advanced beings. So for the time being, I am more than happy getting advice on how to face some of our predicaments. However, I do not like the idea of being someone else’s puppet. Sarah told me about the strength of the mental grip Argos had on her mind. How she felt powerless to do anything; a prisoner in her own body, she said.”

  “What does that have to do with this?”

  “I’m just thinking, making a parallel with how humans were deceived by their leaders and invisible factions, that perhaps the Olympians are using a different approach to reach a similar goal. Control.”

  Saroudis frowned. “Didn’t Aphroditis say that she was acting in defiance of the rules of her people?”

  “Yeah, and that also raises a flag in my book. Look, Commodore, I’m not trying to bring you down, I just have these doubts and questions rushing in my head right now and I thought vocalizing them would help a little. Bu
t this is all theoretical at this point. I’m just coming to the realization that blindly following one’s advice, or in this case more like an order, is not so different from what we fear might be happening on Earth. How am I different and better if all I do is follow Aphroditis’ every desire? Who’s to say her end game is in alignment with what we want for ourselves?”

  The commodore shook his head.

  “We’re getting ahead of ourselves here, and I, for one, dislike projecting too much into the future. Furthermore, I prefer to tackle problems one at a time. I understand your doubts; not only is it human, Chase, but it is sane to raise these questions. Just make sure they don’t prevent you from doing what needs to be done when the time comes. What I mean by that is not being a puppet; it’s thinking of the bigger picture. We are trying to survive, and survival might also mean doing things we’re not always comfortable doing as human beings. That is, when one has a conscience, and it’s clear yours is bothering you right now, and that’s understandable under the circumstances. But take what I’m telling you for what it is. We did our best, and we will continue to do our best for ourselves and for the people of Earth and every other living being currently in jeopardy in the universe. At the very least, we are aligned on the side of light, aren’t we? We are trying to make things better, and that alone is the reason I can find sleep these days.”

  “You’re right,” Chase said quietly. “Somehow I doubt I’ll get any sleep for the time being, but you’re right. We are doing our best. I just hope it results in a favorable outcome.”

  “If only life was that easy, Chase. But on the other hand, if it was, perhaps it would be a dull experience.”

  “Right...” Chase flashed him a weak smile. “But damn would I love me some dull right about now.”

  C H A P T E R

  XVI

  It had rained all morning, as if somehow the weather had guessed Sarah’s mood. She and Chase had just walked into the cemetery. She liked that it rained; it made her tears less visible. Even though it was perfectly normal to feel sad for the loss of her uncle, she didn’t like to show vulnerability. Probably just the soldier in her, she thought.

  Chase held her hand, and from time to time he gave her fingers a little squeeze. She was grateful he’d come, even though he didn’t know her uncle. It was good to know she could count on him nonetheless in this time of grief.

  The past few days had been really hard, and they had definitely taken a toll on Sarah’s psyche. She tried to push the memories of torture away, tried to simply stay sane. No living beings should be subjected to such treatment. And to come back only to find more grief awaiting her had made matters that much worse. She felt extremely vulnerable right now. Perhaps more so than ever before in her life.

  At least the pregnancy had been a positive thing amidst that dark and painful state she was in. Something to look forward to. She glanced at Chase out of the corner of her eye. At least she had him, and soon they would be a family. That thought was particularly prominent lately, but it was also accompanied with fear. Fear that the world she would bring this new life into was in utter chaos. She knew it was useless to over-think things and project. After all, life had a way of presenting a reality that was unlike what one had imagined one’s life would be. Still, it was human to do so. Weak and perhaps useless, but human nonetheless.

  Most of her family had made it to the ceremony, to say goodbye to Uncle Peter. As she gazed out over their familiar faces, she got lost in her own thoughts, remembering all the good times they’d had over the years.

  “You okay, sweetie?” inquired Chase.

  “I don’t know.” She tried to force a smile. “But don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

  Chase didn’t know what to say. He had lost crewmates over the years, even a couple of friends. He remembered how it hurt to say goodbye. And while he had never lost a direct member of his biological family, the loss of his adoptive parents had been tough. So while he didn’t exactly know if he could relate truly to what Sarah was feeling at the moment, he had a pretty good idea.

  But just the thought of her suffering so much sent him on a dangerous path of hatred. He was quick to close his eyes and focus on his breathing. But the rage still lingered there, just beneath the surface. All of this—the attack, the tragic loss of too many to count—was because of his family. Earth had lost millions of lives, Sarah her uncle—all because of Argos, a brother he didn’t recognize or want to have. If they hadn’t looked almost exactly alike, he at least could have denied his existence and fraternal claims, but it was clear they shared a very similar if not near exact DNA. Perhaps they were even twins… His blood ran cold at the thought. They couldn’t be, could they? Argos looked so much older than Chase. But even Daniel had mentioned how Chase hadn’t seemed to age a day in the last decade.

  What did it all mean?

  When Chase opened his eyes, he no longer was in the cemetery and it had stopped raining. Instead, he stood in a deserted place—dark and dry—with winds blowing black sand all around. In the distance, some spiky mountain chains appeared, and on top of them, three planets or perhaps moons hovered in the night sky.

  “Now what?!” Chase cried out in exasperation.

  A deep, male voice answered. “We need to have a talk, Chase.”

  Chase turned around to see a tall, muscular man standing there. He glowed like Aphroditis, but unlike her, his aura seemed more oppressive, radiating orange light all around him. He had short, bluish-grey hair and looked older than Aphroditis, despite somehow radiating both health and the energy of youth.

  “And who might you be?”

  “My name is Ares.”

  Chase struggled to keep control of his ever-dwindling temper. “That name supposed to mean anything to me?”

  “I guess not,” the man mused. “After all, it’s been a long time since your people have stopped worshipping us.”

  “An Olympian, then.” Chase openly hesitated. “How come I’m not speaking with Aphroditis right now?”

  “Because what we must talk about, she can’t help you with.”

  “Look, I appreciate you summoning me into another vision, but right now is not a good time.” Chase thought anxiously about Sarah and the funeral.

  “Worry not about this.” Ares dismissed his fears. “No matter how long our talk takes here, only a few minutes will pass in your reality.”

  “Still, not really in the mood.”

  “Defiant, arrogant, blind... I really wonder what Aphroditis sees in you.”

  Chase let the words bounce right off of him, at least, that’s what he wanted Ares to believe. Inside his head was another story altogether. A fierce anger was stirring deep in his soul. It was only an intense fear of the repercussions that made him bury them back down.

  “That’s not bad,” Ares commented. “You’ll need more of that control if you’re to use your powers efficiently, or the next time you face Argos, he will destroy you.”

  Chase looked the Olympian straight in the eyes. “What are you here for, Ares? What do you need to tell me that couldn’t wait until after the funeral?”

  “My timing is of no consequence. And it’s not so much what I must tell you, but more what I must teach you.”

  “Teach?”

  “Yes, you need to learn how to gain total control of your powers. And while you have already made a good deal of progress, I am here to train you further.” He stepped forward with a grand, introductory flourish. “First things first. As I have already told you, my name is Ares, formerly the god of war.”

  “Formerly?”

  “Let’s just say we don’t hold to titles such as these now that we don’t have the same number of followers as we once did. Though Aphroditis’ questionable intervention on Earth has stirred the curiosity in many Earthlings regarding our existence… Some have already started worshiping her, in fact.”

  “I see.” Chase steered him back on target. “So you want to teach me to wage war?”

  “War is part of l
ife, as you know full well. Aphroditis and I don’t always see eye to eye, but I don’t take orders from her. When she defied our father, I decided to see what she was up to. On the other hand, if our father knew it would piss him off, so at least there’s that.”

  “I see that family feuds also run in Olympian’s families. Maybe we’re not so different after all…”

  The man laughed hard.

  “Let’s just say my view of war and violence isn’t really well accepted by all Olympians.”

  “You sound like a hoot,” Chase said flatly.

  “And you’re a Fury, alright.”

  “Part Fury.”

  “If you say so.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Look, I’m not here to become your friend and chat with you. Let’s get started, shall we?”

  “Started with—”

  But before Chase could finish the sentence, Ares had disappeared from sight, reappearing instantly behind him. As he turned around, the Olympian kicked him so hard in the neck that he flew in the air and landed face first in the black sand. An intense pain radiated from the point of impact all the way down his spine.

  As he got up, Chase spat blood on the ground. He could feel anger flowing in every part of his body now. He quickly got up and faced Ares, a look of determination in his eyes.

  “You’re gonna pay for that cheap shot. I wasn’t ready!”

  The former god laughed. “Typical excuse, not being ready… Do you think you will ever be ready for what’s to come? Like, ever?”

  Chases anger grew even stronger.

  “Before I kick the shit out of you even more, I want you to be mindful of how you are feeling right now.”

  Chase fumed. “I am pissed, angry, and I want to kick your ass. Is that mindful enough?”

  Ares smiled calmly. “Yes, you are. And in that state, you can try and hit me until the end of days, and you will fail.”

  “Let’s see about that shall we?”