“Sir?” said Henderson.
Jon understood his XO’s concern. The Var were close enough that there was a substantial risk of the nuclear blast hitting his ships. Their situation was desperate, however. “Do it.”
“Yes, Sir. Nukes away.”
The jump bombs hit, immediately destroying several of the Var warships. Others were left visibly damaged, the hulls gaping as they vented debris into space. Some of the Var ships lost their shields, while others held, glowing bright white. An indication that they had at least lost some integrity. The fleet continued to advance, and their guns continued to fire. The nuclear blast had the adverse effect of further weakening several Freen ships, which the Var opportunistically targeted to hasten their demise. As the Var continued to close the gap, the option of a fourth nuclear strike was taken off the table.
“Shields below ten percent,” said AI. “Failure is imminent.”
On his tactical screen, Jon noticed something peculiar. The Chaanisar were breaking off and accelerating, heading straight for the second Var fleet. Jon opened a comm with Colonel Bast and Colonel Steeg, and their stern faces appeared on his comm display. “What the hell are you two doing?”
“It is the only way,” said Bast.
“What do you mean?” said Jon. “Why are you breaking formation?”
“We intend to sacrifice ourselves to destroy the enemy.”
Jon was stunned. “A suicide attack?! No. Out of the question.”
“Forgive us, Admiral,” said Colonel Steeg. “But we respectfully must disobey your orders.”
“Unacceptable. There must be another way.”
“There is no other way, Admiral,” said Bast. “You know as much. It is the least we can do, after all you have done for us. It has been an honor.”
“Sir, something is happening to the star,” said Henderson.
“On main viewscreen,” said Jon, wondering what else could go wrong.
The viewscreen reoriented to focus on the systems red giant star, which at first glance looked like it was becoming even larger. But Jon quickly realized that it wasn’t the star itself, but the Cenobi panels surrounding it. They seemed to be expanding, pulsing outward. Suddenly, a flash of blinding light burst forth from the panels, and everyone on the bridge shielded their eyes. The viewscreen went dark in response.
“Report,” said Jon. “What happened?” Before anyone could reply, Jon noted that the ship had stopped shaking. The Freedom had been taking fire from all sides, now everything had gone quiet.
“Unknown, Sir,” said Henderson. “But the Var fleets are gone.”
“Gone? Where did they go?”
“Your enemy has been destroyed,” said a booming voice that Jon knew belonged to the Cenobi.
“I don’t understand,” said Jon. “Why have you helped us?”
“It was not you that we helped, Jon Pike. We could not allow the Chaanisar to sacrifice themselves.”
Jon tried to wrap his mind around why the Cenobi had intervened. Did they still hope the Chaanisar would join them? Clearly, that was part of their reasoning. The only question now was whether the Cenobi would allow the Chaanisar to leave.
“Jumpspace disturbance detected,” said the computer. “Enemy vessels identified. Initiating jump bomb strike.”
Long black cylindrical ships started appearing in the system. The mere sight of them sent icy fingers clawing up Jon’s spine. The Erinyie had arrived, and Jon did not doubt that they were here to dish out some payback for the two destroyed Var fleets. It wasn’t long before his suspicions were confirmed. Silver beams of plasma immediately burst forth from the fearsome black ships, toward the Cenobi satellites around the red giant star.
The Cenobi panels began to glow, taking on the color of the Erinyie beams. It soon became apparent that they too were shielded. But these shields seemed capable of withstanding the powerful Erinyie weapons. Energy surged around the panels, and they began to pulse outward in slow, rhythmic beats. Blinding light enveloped the panels, as the Cenobi harnessed the star’s power. Jon watched in awe, fascinated by the marvels the Cenobi were capable of. At one point he was confident that the Cenobi were sucking up the energy from the Erinyie weapons too. The sheer power the panels had amassed defied comprehension.
The panels pulsed one last time, and the energy shot forth like a roaring river through a bursting dam. It raced through space, consolidating into a tight beam, and striking one of the Erinyie warships. The sinister black ship, feared by the inhabitants of at least two galaxies, was no match for the focused power of a red giant star. Its shields were no more than a speed bump, as the beam punched past and bore into the enormous ship’s hull. Fissures formed along the entire length of the tubular vessel, with white light peeking through until the vessel lost all structural integrity and was obliterated.
The Cenobi moved quickly onto the next Erinyie ship, just as more of the deadly black ships appeared. They came in staggering numbers and spread out around the Cenobi star, each one adding its firepower to the assault. In turn, the Cenobi panels pulsed faster, harnessing even more of the star’s power. The Cenobi fired again, and this time multiple beams lanced out at the dark horde surrounding them.
“It’s like watching a war between gods,” said Henderson, standing almost paralyzed, mouth agape.
Jon almost agreed with him but caught himself. “Not gods, Commander. Just aliens. Extremely powerful aliens, but nothing more.”
“Yes, Sir,” said Henderson, snapping back to reality.
“Make sure you all understand that,” Jon said loudly, addressing the rest of the bridge crew. “Despite how advanced they are, these are aliens. Not gods.”
“Jumpspace disturbance detected,” said the computer. “Antikitheri signatures identified.”
Chapter 9
Jon watched the Antikitheri ships appear in awe, still not used to their great size. They spanned enormous lengths, their hulls stretching out for many kilometers. Rigid, glowing prongs protruded from their bows. Through experience, Jon knew how lethal those prongs were. He couldn’t wait to see those weapons brought to bear on the Erinyie.
But he quickly realized that something was wrong. The tremendous Antikitheri ships were not pointing their weapons at the Erinyie. They aimed them at the Cenobi star.
Jon’s fears were realized when white light erupted from the glowing prongs and stabbed out at the Cenobi satellites. More Antikitheri ships steadily appeared, each one adding its firepower to the attack, targeting the Cenobi.
“What the hell is happening here? Why are the Antikitheri and the Erinyie combining forces?” Jon said in frustration, unable to grasp the enormity of the events unfolding before him. He didn’t expect an answer. No one could know the motivations of these beings. Jon then considered the Freen, and Commander Booch. If anyone knew what to make of this, he might. Jon opened a comm with Booch, whose birdlike features soon appeared on his display. “Can you explain any of this, Commander?”
“What is there to explain?” said Booch, his black eyes scrutinizing Jon yet avoiding direct eye contact.
“Why are the Antikitheri siding with the Erinyie against the Cenobi?”
“The Cenobi are unclean. They are unbelievers. Self-absorbed.”
“The Cenobi destroyed the Var. They saved us. How does that make them the enemy?”
“This is not their conflict. They have neither chosen light, nor darkness. They should not have intervened.”
“I don’t understand. Are you saying you would have preferred us destroyed by the Var?”
“We would die in defense of the light. It is a noble death. The Cenobi are not noble. They serve only themselves. Their intervention is a provocation.”
“How so?”
“The Cenobi have never interfered in this eternal conflict. Their actions here are unwelcome by both Antikitheri and Erinyie.”
“So, the Antikitheri would rather side with the Erinyie, than accept help from the Cenobi?”
“It is as
it should be.”
“Okay, whatever. Pike out.”
Booch disappeared from Jon’s comm display, and he turned his attention back to the battle. The Cenobi satellites were now pulsing at blistering speeds, pumping massive amounts of energy from the giant red star. They produced incredibly destructive energy beams, which shot out in all directions, targeting Erinyie and Antikitheri alike. The Antikitheri ships proved no more capable of withstanding the weapon than the Erinyie, and the Cenobi destroyed ships from both sides indiscriminately.
Jon watched it all with little pity. There was no life on any of these ships, be they Antikitheri, or Erinyie. No life as he understood it, anyway. Each of these races had evolved beyond their corporeal form. They had abandoned their bodies long ago, to exist inside their technology. No matter who won this battle, no matter how many ships destroyed, no lives would be lost.
However, Jon and his people had no such luxury. They died real deaths. It was an insurmountable obstacle. How could they defeat an enemy like the Erinyie if the Erinyie couldn’t die? If the Erinyie truly inhabited technology, like the Cenobi, then the only answer was eradication. But the Erinyie controlled multiple galaxies. Defeating such an enemy didn’t seem possible.
Then there was the Antikitheri. The Builders. The entire reason for this quest. What were their motivations? Jon would never have dreamed that the Antikitheri would team up with the Erinyie under any circumstances. Yet here they were, fighting side by side. Could they ever be trusted? What if they turned on humanity one day? What then? Did they expect humans to worship them like the Freen? What if humanity refused?
Turning his attention back to the battle, he began to see that the Cenobi satellites were not impervious to the powerful assault. They had absorbed the Erinyie attack without much difficulty, but the tide was turning. The combined firepower of the Erinyie and Antikitheri took its toll, and the satellites started to lose integrity in rapid succession. With the Erinyie and Antikitheri sending in a seemingly endless stream of warships, Jon wondered how long the Cenobi could hold out.
The computer answered his unspoken question. “Jumpspace disturbance detected. Cenobi signature identified.”
Gigantic Cenobi vessels arrived in mind-numbing numbers. Each ship was a spherical polyhedron, with an almost innumerable number of flat planes. As they appeared, they formed a perimeter around the star and added their firepower to the conflict. Three godlike races, scrapping it out. The entire spectacle defied comprehension.
Jon had seen enough. He became convinced that the longer they stayed in this system, the higher the chances of their destruction.
“Commander Henderson, what is our jump status?” said Jon.
“The jump system is recharging, Sir. Our last jump depleted its energy stores.”
“Has it recharged enough to jump us out of this system?”
“No, Sir. Not yet.”
Jon studied the ongoing battle. All sides seemed wholly preoccupied with it. “How many of our ships are still capable of FTL travel?”
“All seven battle group ships have functioning FTL engines. Only eleven Freen ships have undamaged FTL engines.”
Jon frowned. The Freen had lost many ships in this battle, and several more had sustained considerable damage. While he didn’t want to leave anyone behind, he didn’t think they should stick around either. He could think of any number of scenarios that wouldn’t turn out well. Making up his mind, he again opened a comm with Commander Booch.
“How may I serve the Foreseen,“ said Booch as he flashed on Jon’s display.
“We need to leave this system,” said Jon. “I understand several of your ships are incapable of FTL travel.”
“That is correct,” said Booch.
“I don’t want you to leave anyone behind, Commander, but we need to return to our galaxy. You’ve done enough already. You don’t have to accompany us the rest of the way. Tend to your people.”
“We are your Honor Guard.”
“I understand, but-”
“We are the Foreseen’s Honor Guard. We share your path. Those ships incapable of travel will remain. The rest will follow.”
Jon was about to argue but realized there was no point. Commander Booch’s code of honor dictated his actions, and nothing Jon said would change that. “Very well, prepare to enter FTL. We will leave this system immediately.”
Chapter 10
Witness the treachery of the Antikitheri, said the Cenobi through Colonel Bast’s brain chip. These are your allies. They are no different from those who enslaved you.
I do not understand their actions, said Bast. But they have not enslaved us.
They seek your servitude. Your subjugation. You would be no different than the Freen.
The Freen are not slaves either.
Their bondage is invisible to them, but they are shackled all the same. As are the Var, and the Juttari. Neither the Antikitheri nor the Erinyie value freedom. Enlightenment. Growth.
I am not so sure, said Bast. The Antikitheri built the jump gates in our galaxy. If all they wanted was servitude, why didn’t they subjugate the races there? Why did they leave and allow the younger races to evolve on their own?
The Antikitheri and the Erinyie seek to dominate. The Antikitheri drove out the Erinyie and considered your galaxy pacified. They thought it firmly within their sphere of influence and turned their attention elsewhere. Do not mistake their actions. They do not value your freedom.
And you do?
We Cenobi offer enlightenment. Nothing more.
That doesn’t sound like freedom either, said Bast.
The concept is an illusion.
How so?
We all serve. The Cenobi serve the cause of enlightenment. We seek to understand and master the great mysteries of the universe. As such, we are free of those who would control our minds and our actions. The Antikitheri and Erinyie serve the causes of light and darkness respectively. In reality, they seek only to dominate. You so-called free Chaanisar once served your Juttari masters. Now you serve Jon Pike. You call this freedom since you believe you chose your service freely. This too is an illusion. The events of your life led you to this end. You had no choice over your abduction as a child. No choice over the augmentation of your body with alien technology. Nor did you have any choice in your liberation.
We couldn’t choose, objected Bast. We were controlled by the Juttari. Once emancipated, our actions were of our own choosing. We chose to kill our Juttari masters. We chose to save the Hermes crew from the Kemmar prison planet. We chose to ally ourselves with Jon Pike.
You deceive yourself yet again. You sought to have your brain chips removed. That was the only reason you helped Jon Pike and his crew. Your circumstances dictated your actions. This is not freedom. This is necessity. Survival. As it should be.
Perhaps. Yet how do you explain our continued loyalty?
It is no different. You seek to survive. The Juttari threaten that survival. You need to defeat them, and their masters, the Erinyie, to ensure your continued survival. Up until now, Jon Pike has proven to be the best option in that struggle. Hence your continued loyalty. But these are trivial matters.
Bast was stunned. Trivial? How can you say that?
Is it not obvious? Were you to join us, all these worries would disappear. Nothing could threaten you again. Not the Juttari. Not the Erinyie. Not the Antikitheri. You would know the only true freedom, that of enlightenment.
The Erinyie and the Antikitheri seem to be doing a good job of threatening you now.
No. This is no threat. They cannot harm us. They are merely expressing their displeasure.
Displeasure? This is why the Antikitheri fight alongside the Erinyie?
They do not welcome our involvement in what they consider their affairs. They see us as potential competitors. We do not recognize their exclusive domain in these matters. They are trying to persuade us differently.
Are they succeeding?
They are irrelevant. We do no
t compete with them. We follow the path of enlightenment. Nothing more. Nothing less. We will take whatever steps are necessary, regardless of opposition. Join us and rid yourselves of the darkness. Join us and transcend all boundaries.
We cannot, said Bast. We still have much to do.
Why insist on bearing these burdens? Enlightenment will rid you of these concerns. You and your brethren will be healed. Freed from the darkness. Is that not what you truly seek?
Bast could not dispute that point. The Cenobi knew how to pinpoint a raw Chaanisar nerve. Their collective trauma haunted all of them. It was the real freedom they sought. Freedom from their torment at the hands of the Juttari. Freedom from the memory. Freedom from the constant fear that it would happen again. But merging with technology couldn’t be the only solution, as the Cenobi would have them believe. They were still human, despite their experiences, and they would fight for that humanity to the end. As I said, we still have much to do.
Very well. When you are ready, we will be waiting. Know this, Children of Darkness. There are greater forces at play in the universe. Greater than the Antikitheri and the Erinyie. Greater than us. Tread carefully.
Children of Darkness? The Guardian called us that? Is he Cenobi as well?
Bast waited, but there was no response. It seemed their conversation was over for now.
Chapter 11
A mix of horror and rage gripped Emperor Kriss as he studied the holographic presentation. An entire Dvorkan planet lay in ruins, and none of his generals could explain why. Taking a deep breath, Kriss tried to calm himself. He had to be careful now more than ever. His every reaction would be scrutinized. He had to keep his emotions under control, lest he face the same fate as his father. “Who is responsible for this atrocity?”
“The enemies are unknown to us,” said General Dak, the highest ranking general in the Dvorkan armed forces. Several lower-ranking generals stood quietly behind him, all of them watching the emperor closely. The holographic display switched to show a fleet of alien warships approaching the planet. “This video was taken just before the attack and transmitted to Central Command. We possess no information about this race. We do not know who they are, or where they came from. They are a complete mystery.”
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