Tales of Reign

by M E Wise

  “Crap! He can hear us?” Ben cracked up. “Itou is that you?” Jim searched wildly around. “Behind you!” Sang Ben in a childish way.

  “Ben’s long gone friend! What game are you playing?” Big Jim finally found the monitor with our connection. “How are you on my network?” He began slapping monitors bringing the picture quality up dramatically!

  “Ben!” He was completely taken back! “The one-and well new only!” Ben joked. “You got better!” Jim was amazed at the obvious lack of Halfer in Ben’s new face. “How the fuck did you get better!” He said angrily.

  “Calm down old friend.” Ben mellowed the tone. “One thing at a time. What is happening to Green Acres Jim?”

  “I can’t talk about that!” Jim covered the sides of the monitor. “This is all bad.” Jim now was terribly close to the monitor. “You’re a wanted criminal Ben. Wherever you are stay there!” He looked about wildly. “But first…” He motioned someone to the screen. Ben’s face went cold. “Pap’s!” Ben muttered softly.

  “My son!” Ben’s father cheered quietly. “I came looking for you, son!” Ben sat back stone-faced. “Son, your face? You look unreal-amazing! It’s true then?” He asked happily. “You’re at this Tri-Utopia!” He pointed to a child’s drawing nearby and tore it free for us to see. His father’s eyes filled with tears. “I miss you, boy.”

  “I miss you too Pap’s. I’ll figure it out. I’ll get you.” Ben turned quickly to me. I looked back unnerved.

  “The messages come randomly about the future and the symbol of new life!” He held up the sign shaking with excitement. “We must go. We must go now!” Interjected Big Jim. “Stay where you are Ben Itou.” Jim smacks the screen hard with something heavy. Then again to finish the monitor off.

  Such an innocent gesture lead to such calamity. This repeating pattern in our unfortunate history is wearing thin. Ben stares hard at the black screen. I stand awestruck as he suddenly storms toward the elevator. I understand his anger and I can definitely understand his concern. I don’t know what can be done. The Halfer’s weren’t registered out in the trans-Neptunian space. They left that behind. That life followed our escape back to them and something had to be done about it.

  Sovereign Chapter 9

  Exodus

  The kiss goodbye still stung on my lips. Dae argued hotly but I didn’t relent on letting her come with us. Myself, Ben and Squiggy loaded Hermes in his frame onto the Hermes77 and trekked for Sol space. This was an entirely fool hearted mission. Ben was a man possessed though and if I had not joined him I would have woke to the Aries barreling out to space. He would have died out in the vastness of the great abyss without the ability to phase jump.

  “Can’t we do this faster?” Ben challenged again. “It doesn’t work that way. You can’t possibly phase jump without plotting and signature coordinates.” I explain.

  “Damn it Reign!” He blurted. “I’m a pilot and a thieving trader; not a patient listener!”

  I waited for a moment to see if he intended to add to this declaration. He didn’t. Such an odd proclamation. “The device charges while we set or align where we need to go next. It’s very dangerous and our size limits our jump lengths.”

  “So, we should have taken a Mor’h craft and we would already be there.” Ben folded his arms and reclined back in the pilot’s seat.

  “No. The bell craft can’t jump much farther than our craft. We would need a much larger vessel with more mass and it gets very technical.” I looked for a scapegoat. “Hermes you can explain.”

  “Craft known as Ku’Gel are no longer in common or operational use. They once gave the Mor’h the galaxy on command.” Methodically delivered the Sal personality. “As our population declined we no longer desired mass transport. Bell craft became the only modus of transport.”

  “Still doesn’t mean we can’t go faster!” Ben griped.

  “Mass is attracted to mass. Like magnets drawn to magnets. The device that creates a singularity between two gravitational signatures like stars or artificial signatures like the array need a measured mass to funnel unsupported stress…” Ben interrupted Hermes. “Blah, blah, blah! Get my robot friend a beer! And with the Aries attached why aren’t we getting a bigger signature?”

  “Your insular knowledge is insufficient to root the answer.” The Hermes collective responded. “Did that thing just call me stupid?” Ben flew into dramatics. “I made you! You’re wearing my frame android!”

  “Enough Ben!” I had listened long enough. “We have no reason to believe anyone is in danger. The girl we saw in the live feed was playing as normal. We won’t go one system closer if you continue to assault us with your bull fodder!”

  “It’s bullshit bro.” Ben recoiled. “No one says fodder.” He quieted.

  With the tension broke I accessed the local grid and began plotting the next jump. We drifted slowly in a blue suns light. “We are two weeks into a three-week trip. That’s shaving off significant time from my first trip here. Twenty minutes to next gravity gate.” Ben looked confused. “The engine is cooling.” I said leaving the panel and heading for the lab where I receive messages.

  “Fine. Leave then.” Ben chided me. “Fine. Act like a child.” I bit back.

  I know how frustrated he must be. So many things could be gnawing at him but I can’t tolerate the nonsense. Maybe this is some part of the Mor’h genes crawling forward. I missed my wife and the life I had now outside of all this drama. I hadn’t given returning to the Sol System much thought under the tension even when the council tried to convince me it was necessary. We had done enough there I thought. More than enough.

  The message screen popped up with several unread links. I saw two from Dae and another from S’lei. I chose Dae first of course. Her beautiful face lit up the holo.

  MESSAGE:“I still don’t understand why this couldn’t be observed from here. And I can’t believe you let that little shit bully you into supporting him. I’m going to wring his neck when I see him next. You hear me Ben!” She threatened across the distance. “I love you Reign. My husband. Find your way home safe. Or I’ll…” She stalled. “Just come home.” Then blew a kiss.

  MESSAGE: “S’lei came to the Cresche for the first time unexpectedly. I think she is very concerned for your wellbeing. I still think she is a queen.” Dae laughed and pulled at her red hair. “It’s been near two weeks now and I miss you so much. I got your message too! I love you too. Whatever you have planned I hope it works.” She began to log off but stopped. “Oh! S’lei said she will be watching. It was kind of portentous.” She smiled. “Been brushing up on my verbiage.” She smiled longingly. “Love you.”

  MESSAGE: UR GENCY: S’lei had the holo screen centered for once. “Reign-child. I hope you well. Do not fear what cannot be changed. The new ones are not your fault. Do not let it color your sharing or end your seasons!” She was becoming a great deal more expressive. Her color shifted deeply. “I will be watching closely. Our links not far.”

  Dae was right, S’lei had an unusual air about her. They both would be surprised that I brought stunners with us just in case. I am not looking to hurt anyone but given the haste in Ben’s quest I could see things getting out of hand. Maybe I should test it out on him. The thought is quite funny! What did S’lei mean by links not far? I left the cabin to belt down for jump. “You’re a lucky man Reign. Always remember that.” Ben said with a wink. “Thank you for this.”

  We strapped in and the countdown chimed as increments of measurement declined. The flash sent us drifting in a familiar nebula. I could see the green hue transforming all of the colors around me. This is where we stalled and Ben expired. I look to him and he has no clue. I won’t remind him. This nebula was lit by two stars. The binary system glowed with pronounced color ranges. This system only held four planetoids. One was well within the life range.

  “Ten minutes to phase jump.” Hermes dictated. “Why such a short shift,” I investigated. “That jump will barely make a difference.”
I kept the inquiry quiet, not to rile Ben again.

  “This system has two histories. One we share, another we don’t.” Hermes acted strangely. He ticked the star chart on screen with his alloy hand. “Carnimor’h.” He pointed. I asked nothing else and went back to my cove.

  

  Pluto’s Belt loomed in the distance. Three weeks to the hour were spent in this tight vessel with Ben pacing, ranting and then pacing some more. “What’s the plan Ben? Or at least what do you want to happen?” I asked Ben as he sat blankly looking at the past.

  “I want my father.” Ben said quickly. “I will sneak in, in the Aries. It’s stealth plating will let me stroll right in. I’ll board in an unassuming airlock, find Pap’s and then escape. We rendezvous around Neptune’s dark side.” He stated confidently.

  “Now what would you like to really happen?” My questioning response was met with a grin.

  “It sounded really good though.” Ben looked around the room out our limited outfit. “Any suggestions?”

  Squiggy never said much. I often thought something was wrong with him but maybe his caste didn’t focus on tangled statements. Hermes was too busy working the flight path to move us through the array. Then it hit me as I watched Hermes work the controls. “They don’t know you Ben! Not anymore.” He looked surprised. “I keep forgetting it myself!” Ben laughed.

  “You can take the Aries as planned. Newly coated in Mor’h black opalescence and the stealth paneling, you can dock like any other shady trader. Take Hermes on silent. I will wait with Squiggy for you to give us the all clear of the passing patrol. We come in and get you and jump away!” I said proudly displaying a swashbuckling mystique I had never dug into.

  “That’s ridiculous.” Ben said. “But much better than what I thought of. So I’m in.”

  We made preparations on both vessels and even though Hermes objected I handed his remote to Ben. We needed one good night’s rest and then with all the luck in the universe we could pull off something great!

  

  After what felt like hours of empty COM Ben finally replied. “We’re docking.” He said auspiciously. “Had some paper trouble. But I have been there and done that. They thought Hermes was a toy! The fake vehicle IFF we made got us by unchecked. Glad they didn’t visualize us.” He laughed, then went serious again. “I’ll message back soon. Itou out!” He was taking himself way too seriously for my liking. I’m hoping his ego doesn’t run amuck.

  I began using the array to link with probes and cameras again. From this distance it was a breeze, no linking was necessary. The trans-Neptunian region is where Green Acres called home. The Halfer Haven on few maps was now on every Orbital Guard tour map. I found Ben wearing a hooded jacket over his vacuum suit walking out of an airlock. I followed him through multiple corridors, he was avoiding eye contact. After several minutes he made the bizarre.

  I follow him on a surveillance camera as he approached Big Jim’s freight car. Jim turns to see Ben and panics. Ben is trying to calm him down but they are drawing onlookers. The silent cameras aren’t helping with my tension. “Ben speak to me!” I sternly ask. “Repeat, answer your COM.” I’m not good at calling communications. I want to link but I’m afraid I am to nervous and may spoil a sharing or cause links with unwanted bystanders. I see Ben’s father come into frame. It’s a very touching scene. They embrace many times as Pap’s continually touches Ben face. Suddenly the many risks feel almost worth it.

  Out of nowhere everyone is panicking and running for cover! “Get us moving Squiggy!” The Hermes77 lights up and is much faster than any vessel in this region of space. We climb to a launch speed and begin our deceleration breaking our cover. I’m still watching the links. Shots are punching through the plexi glass and barriers protecting everyone from the cold of space. Air jets out in white plumes from all angles!

  I changed views with a probe that was stalled outside. I can see people running for airlocks and climbing into probes. I see Ben and his father working toward the Aries location. I made sure my vacuum suit was sealed and ready in case we take fire. I check the viewport ahead. I can now see the lights of Green Acres and untold scurrying craft zooming in all directions. Something began blocking lights and refracting like glass. It was a ship and it was large. “Message incoming on several frequencies.” Voiced the rare spoken Lo’Mor’h.

  “Open the COM Squiggy!” I directed. Still no communications from Ben. I hope they’re safe.

  “This is the SPEAR Advanced Cruiser Liberty: Under special assignment and Orbital Guard jurisdiction, Green Acres has been declared a terrorist organization. For such crimes as harboring known fugitives and operating beyond government or corporate licensure you are hereby ordered to surrender for detention. Any non-compliance can and will be considered aggression and met with deadly force!”

  “Shut it off!” I screamed. The message began to repeat. As we grew closer I could see slits for manned craft open and multiple single pilot craft pour out of the Cruiser. Tiny slices of light dotted the side of the jet black javelin shaped craft, making it noticeably more visible. We both were at a similar distance.

  “Shots…” Ben’s COM rang out. “Shots were fired inside…” His COM was distorted. “They advanced from inside.” Then I see him on the holo blocked off from the airlock to the Aries. “Hold on brother! I’m coming.” I squawked. If the shots came from inside, then the Cruiser is pursuing the fleeing vessels and haven’t detected the Hermes77 yet. “Piggy back the Aries Squiggy!” I yelled. His Lo’Mor’h face was confused. “Mount that ship with ours!” I clapped my hands together. He seemed to get the picture.

  The greater asteroid hid our approach. Squiggy piloted very well; a commonality that would seem the glue of his and Ben’s relationship. I braced myself in the soon to be joining airlock. The two vessels slammed together the docking clamps froze shut. I pumped the nearby joining seal out anyway and my geometric helmet sealed with a swish. We were losing atmosphere! I opened the first door and felt the temperature change was extensive even in my vacuum suit. I pounded the second set of doors. The atmospheric lock needed to be overridden.

  I was so focused; unlike the first time I had been in the Sol system under such direst. I smashed the sequence to clear the lock and fell into the Aries below. “Ben!” I yelled. “Ben I’m on the station in the Aries!” Ben’s head popped up from cover as the airlock above closed. Several others hid with them. “Into the ship now!” I ordered.

  “I couldn’t leave them!” Ben cried. His father’s stare fixed on me. “Mr. Itou get your son in that vessel!” I said with urgency. He nodded and tugged on Ben. I ushered two more into the cargo hold of the Aries. “Benjamin focus and get them into suits!” Ben’s eyes were glassy. “Are you hearing me Ben? Their lives are in your hands!” Squiggy came through the airlock I had been through with a gush of air. His loyalty is encouraging and in his small vacuum suit he looked almost the part of hero.

  “Hermes! Where is the Hermes unit?” I searched around and saw the unit face down ahead. I ran to it and there was no visible damage. I powered the device with the manual switch. The eyes flashed on and the unit sat up quickly! “Processing. Forced remote shutdown. Online.”

  The unit stood. “Hermes report.” I addressed the collective machine. “Human screamed, pointed the remote with eyes closed and shut down the Duraframe.”

  “Fuck Ben.” Cool under fire isn’t his thing I guess. “Get to the Hermes77 and begin the jump sequence anywhere! Fastest timetable.” He moved swiftly but mechanically to the Aries airlock.

  “Halt!” Came a firm amplified voice ahead and to my left. “Do not move.” I looked up and the man was huge. Standing near six and a half feet tall. His armor was pristine and the fabric holding it together looked very close to a vacuum suit. This armor was designed for size and to frighten. Some parts shimmered and hulked on his shoulders and legs beneath the knee. An armored collar rounded the whole of his torso protecting his neck. His head had a COM headset an
d mouthpiece, all sheathed in a tight fitting black hood. He held a gun as large as my leg in his hands. None of this was as threatening as his over developed musculature. Something was not normal about this man.

  “I said do not move Mortalien!” He ordered as I looked around. Then suddenly he collapsed.

  I turned to discover Squiggy had come to my aid and link stunned the giant encroacher. “I wasn’t sure that would work!” I laughed. “Wasn’t going to get blown away if it didn’t.” His small hand reached for mine as bullets cut through his chest. Two more SPEAR guard came from a nearby causeway. I felt an intense rage! I stunned the farthest with my wrist stunner and hurled myself into the closest guard. He was just as physically imposing as the last.

  My impact barely stumbled him. He grabbed me by my waist and hurled me further away from the airlock. I did however disarm him, breaking my stunner in the same process. If I use my sharing to stun him, I may collapse under the panic. That can’t happen! The only choice I have is to test my durability against his. I stood to confront him and he laughed at me. This further enraged me. I approached quickly and was punched to the ground hard. His blow was like a landslide. I kicked for a knee and landed solidly. He seemed to walk it off. I stood again.