by M E Wise
“I see. I still would prefer free passage.” I struggled between repressed disappointment and my mission. “I have asked. Any trespasses now will be on your government.”
“I am, and we are very aware of your intentions without or without our permissions Reign.” She looked concerned. “You have clearance but I cannot guarantee safe passage. The Mortalien Crisis is more than a name; it is an idea.” The strong woman in front of me had all of the characteristics I admired in Humans and with those the chains that keep them where they are.
“I must return with the news of our exchange. I have people who rely on it.” I said astutely.
“Reign!” The Premiere stopped me before I signed off. I looked to her with a questioning gaze. “What is it like? Being out there away from all of the formality.” She was completely entranced.
“I move without fear. We feel it but we do not lead with it.” My words fell on the choir.
“God’s speed Reign!” The Premiere said as I signed off.
Reign Eternal Chapter 9
Folk Dissonance
The fire rose high in the pit tonight. The heat could color your face if you sat staring into it for too long. A Tri-Utopia hollowed relief now stood atop the obelisk in the center. Flames danced casting shifting shadows and light over the bronze veneer of the emblem. Little Tengoku stirred with heated debate about the coming transgression into the Sol system.
Stoking the fires of conflict was never my goal. The combined might of the Tri-Utopia was a designer Hermes77, two Aries diplomatic transports and the Castor. Risking any of these people was something I would never do if not for the dire stakes. Our council wasn’t keen on the idea either. There was no distinct divide, only a tired collection of people who had moved on from the Sol system and its constant prejudice. Most of these families were united by the Halfer condition. Some simply found themselves in the middle of a rescue effort and were scuttled to safety farther away than they had hoped. Doctor Diana Drakos was one such person who had hoped Mor’h was only a stop in a long line of travels leading home to Earth once more.
“This wasn’t my first choice!” Dr. Drakos echoed loudly over the fire. “I would have never chosen to sit out my life on an alien planet with no way home!” Laine always sheepishly tried to calm the easily roused Doctor but never found the foothold for it. Diana shook off her efforts like shaking a moth from her hair. “Don’t Laine. We have more than paid our way! It’s only right that we have a home to go back to.”
“Pardon me Di; but you were on Mars, an alien planet with no way home but in a coffin! That is, if the sweeping Tekkers didn’t find use for your corpse.” Dae was angry at the outburst.
Doctor Drakos shook with anger. “You, you have no right to hold me here! To keep us here.” She pointed to Faith and Troy seated together by the hearth. She turned to Laine and pointed firmly at her. “My wife has a choice! These kids have a choice!” Di charged an electric sentiment of a small few. “I helped with your problem, now help with ours!” She stressed staring dead at me.
“We do have a choice.” Faith spoke out from under her hood. “And we aren’t kids, I am more than old enough to stay where I feel safe and wanted.” Laine clutched her mouth at Faith’s words.
“Me too Diana!” Troy trumpeted Faith’s declaration. “This is home for us!” He looked to Faith.
“See! This is some damned cult!” The Doctor raged. Laine abandoned any hope of quieting her now. “You sweep in from out of the sky and play the hero; save the helpless and carry them to the better way! Lead them by some lofty words as empty as clouds and then separate the dissenters as the loyal proles get their place by your side.” She stormed over and thrust her finger into my face. “It’s Orwellian bullshit!”
“Says the woman who wants a War of the Worlds so she can catch a ride back to Earth! Only H.G. Wells’ little invasion will be the SPEAR becoming big brother! If you want quotes…” Dae yelled and placed herself between the Doctor and I. “…Reign pulled you from certain death! Quote me. Now you want everyone to head back into the fire for you. For what? So you can go back without some militaristic madman like Gorgon Pri eventually storming your home because you don’t work for him or you helped Halfers live longer.” Dae was intense. Some of her angry was misplaced for fear of my leading the venture though. “That’s the level of bigotry we are dealing with here; I knew Pri on the Stonewall. He was a sadistic beast then and rightfully imprisoned.”
“Isn’t that where you met him!” Dr. Drakos made a cock-eyed glance at me.
Dae paused dumbstruck for a second. Suddenly Dae slapped Diana hard across her left cheek. Everyone hushed around the fire. “He shouldn’t die for the likes of you. He is better than you in every way.” Dae sat ice cold next to the fire as the good Doctor rubbed her face and held her own ground. I reached for Dae’s hand and it was shaking violently.
“Death is not a goal. If Gorgon can be taken with little conflict, then that is the best outcome. I would be lying if I said this wasn’t dangerous. We all know this.” I stood from my seat and Dae walked away from me to join Ben and Rasha. Kasai sat cross-legged on the smooth stoned floor closely braced against his grandmother Ahleea’s legs. Hermes stood sentry, his lights were lit well; Brigs and Ja’Tivi beside him. “This is not a draft. You all have a right to safety and if you choose to remain safe here, there will be no conscription or recourse. But I cannot do this alone.”
“I dream about Pri’s death more often than I care to say.” Taiyou added. “I only regret being too old to fight him!” He finished passionately with a fist.
“We know the risk bro.” Ben Itou spoke with quiet confidence. “One day that berserker could find his way here and I don’t think Mor’h would stand a chance.” He took a moment and walked toward the fire. “Even if he doesn’t in my generation, if his kind dominate Sol, more like him will invade our home.” Rasha smiled at her husband with tender pride. “I won’t wait for that to happen. Our son will grow up never knowing that fear!”
These few outspoken people were the core of our colony, the fellowship that held us together. Dae’s every concern was for my life but she knew any future without Pri is safer. “There will always be men like Pri.” Dae’s eyes shimmered with the flames and her tear traced face shined. “I only have one Reign. We all do. Why must this sacrifice be the same few over and over again?”
“I will return. That is a certainty. The only uncertainty is whether Pri lives or dies.” I felt this in every cell of my body.
“Your hubris rivals my own.” Doctor Drakos scoffed. “Let’s hope your efforts support that, for your own sake and ours.”
“Skeptics litter the field after the shots stop firing.” Brigs dwarfed Diana as he made his way to the fire. “You can question many things but we will be prepared.”
He warmed himself a moment and cleared his throat. “We have developed a light armor to cover our vacuum suits.” He motioned for Ja’Tivi to come forth. The once casteless Lo’Mor’h carried a new confidence from his time with Brigs. “You see.” Brigs worked gear that Ja’Tivi was wearing. The armor was dull like the Aries craft and sectioned in layers thinly covering the anatomy of the torso, arms and legs. “Dalia found a weave of fibers that when layered could stop bullets with ease. We then took some stealth armor ideas from our craft. Both races!” Brigs smiled. “Found a lighter version of material here in Mor’h’s archives.”
“The Fyte’Fyt facility had some nice samples we could work with. It just so happens that my little friend here may have had a little time with this line of work.” Ja’Tivi turned his head to stare upward at Brigman. There was a respect there. “We went back and recovered said samples and this here was our outcome.” They nodded to each other and Ja’Tivi walked a good distance away from our group. Brigs pulled his sidearm. “This will be loud!” He fired several shots into Ja’Tivi’s chest to no effect.
“Seriously!” Dr. Drakos yelled. “You could have warned us.” She made a quick retreat passed Ja’Tiv
i toward the basin and the elevator a good walk ahead. Brigs kept his line of fire on her and glanced over jokingly to Dae, who for the first time was in full support of Brigs.
“You wouldn’t!” Laine barged off after Dr. Drakos, bumping Brigs as she charged by.
Everyone settled from the brief startling. “My apologies. But as you can see Ja’Tivi didn’t flinch. The fibers disrupt and displace the impact over a much larger area while the stealth material secures the wad. It’s brilliant.” Brigs recovered a spent wad from the ground and one from Ja’Tivi’s torso. “You good buddy?” He oddly expressed concern for his new battle buddy. Ja’Tivi acknowledged his condition was good. “Further, they cause a bit of feedback when tracked. Bouncing the signal all over, giving false echoes and such.”
“Can a crew be outfitted in this same wear? And in what frame of time?” I was impressed.
“The crew! The town. Hell even Hermes has an armor of the same material I’ve been working on in my spare time. I made efforts when you first came to me about facing SPEAR.” Brigman was entirely serious. “I served with the first generation of these warriors. They’re studs! Bred for war. We can’t fight them head on in single combat and survive so I gave us the ability to fight and move.” He paced to stop half between Dae and myself. “Reign comes home or neither of us will.” He assured Dae. She was heavily shadowed by the giant of a man.
Lights were coming on across the dwellings with the shots fired. “There’s no need for alarm!” Mayor Taiyou called loudly. “Please go back to resting!” He lauded pleasantly. The people trusted him. “We all should rest on these things tonight.” His advice was well received.
“Volunteers can find the roster sign up tablet at the glass tower!” Brigs announced. “We will allocate and coordinate accordingly.”
Dae and I waited as everyone said their goodnights and made for their homes. I sat a few seats removed from her on the curved bench. “Remember…” I smiled with a childish taunt, “When we had a moment up there? On that platform.” I drew her attention to the now tiered levels of dwellings. She shook her head but confirmed the memory. “Yes.”
“I think it was where the landing pad is now. It’s clear if you want a second go at it!” I jested.
Dae gave me a questioning look. “You think you are so charming don’t you!” She challenged. “Watched a bunch of movies and holos about heroes and the women they wooed. And now you think that a sunset is waiting for us to ride off into it like nothing can happen to the stars of the film.” She was obviously still embittered.
“We will always have De Braga!” I joked further. “Mor’h has no horses so I suggest a short flight!”
Dae chuckled a little with my comment. I slid over to put my arm around her. The fire lit her red hair as I always imagine it. “Let’s go to our tower and find some space for us to share.” She was receptive but still upset. “Tonight is ours.”
Hermes walked around in the morning sunlight shifting the limbs of the matrix controlled android frame. “The weight is not a problem.” The collective stated quickly. The stealthy looking armor hid the greatly shined and discolored areas of the duraframe. “The weight?” Brigs scratched his scruffy face. “Aren’t duraframes designed to carry loads?”
“Hermes is not his frame Brigs. He’s five retired minds in a metal suit!” Ben shook his head while tweaking some collection of nodes he had been interfacing with Hermes. “Let’s try this again.” Hermes stopped moving for another fit of the hardware.
I wasn’t sure what to make of the efforts they were putting into Hermes new gear. The collective was not battle proven in the frame. Neither were any of the minds who made up the collective militant. Strategists would be a stretch! The duraframe was like some slouching track runner; hardly menacing to a soldier the size of Brigs. Safer to say by the look of it, it would outrun you before fighting you.
Hermes’ lights cycled on the angular head and down the vertebrae of the duraframe. A second column of lights ran from the abdominals up. “Now that is awesome!” Ben held up a fist-bump for Brigs but sized up the request and pulled back. “Can you link with the drones now?” Hermes cycled again and two drones rose from the ground nearby. “Hermes you are officially trouble.” Ben celebrated. Hermes made fists and hidden stunners rose from the back of each wrist. “Say it.” Ben demanded.
Hermes turned his head at a half turn to Ben. “Make my day!” Ben burst into laughter.
“You forgot punk.” Brigman also broke into deep laughter. Ja’Tivi grinned oddly.
I walked around the new Hermes unit with the modifications. “If only there were more.” I spoke quietly. “Hey! We got three out of one, plus five in that one; Hermes is now seven times more effective than a duraframe alone!” Ben defended his automaton. “Not what I meant, but you are right. Great job men.” I congratulated them as a special bell craft was lowering to the leveled ground near Brigs’ glass tower. There were only a few bell craft that carried the Tah’l, this was one. “Were you expecting anyone?” Brigs asked cautiously.
I didn’t answer and walked toward the craft about fifteen meters away. The rear exit began to slide open and S’lei’s two Lo’Nar made their way from the craft and then two more Lo’Mor’h followed closely behind. S’lei gracefully exited the craft and the sun stirred a reaction in her coloring. The desert hid most of her scent but a stronger scent poured forth from behind her, musky and masculine. S’lei stepped aside and waited as Gi’Ger boldly emerged from the craft.
“Greetings!” I chortled happily. “What do I owe this occasion?”
“S’lei has come with me to ask for your support.” Gi’Ger measured his linguistic expression. I sensed their links for anything to be alarmed about. There were none. Neither of them however invited a link either, whatever they wanted they meant to speak it. S’lei looked closely to the modified Hermes. “S’lei…” I motioned for her attention, “If you are concerned about these changes you could have just discussed them with me later.” She didn’t ignore me but she continued to stroll around looking at the armors and weaponry we had strewn about for inventory and maintenance.
“We are not concerned about the path forward to protect our existence.” Gi’Ger eased the momentary tension. “My path wishes to cross with yours and merge.”
I was stalled in my tracks for a moment. Ja’Tivi walked by me briskly to join Gi’Ger. Brigs and Ben were both listening and watching carefully. “I’m not sure what is going on here!” I was uneasy too. Gi’Ger placed his hand on Ja’Tivi’s shoulder like an offspring. “Forgive my conceit. I was also unsure of your intentions.” Ja’Tivi was a mole!
“Am I getting this straight; Ja’Tivi was playing us?” Brigs postured defensively. Ben followed.
“No, no!” S’lei gestured anxiously. Her movements were long and sweeping. “Gi’Ger hasn’t learned subtlety! I am here for that reason.” She was assuring but I was still confused. “What is it you are trying to explain here Gi’Ger?”
Gi’Ger stood tall and the sleekness of his robes seemed to flow from his person like a second skin. The red and purple variegations in his exposed parts spread in new patterns in the sunlight. “Ja’Tivi was here in my place; what he knows, I now know. Like your way of learning to fight Reign.” Brigman took a very noticeable step forward. “Your warrior…” Gi’Ger motioned to Brigs, “and my warrior…” he motioned to Ja’Tivi, “have built a camaraderie.”
The tension wasn’t lessening. “Your request Gi’Ger.” I asked politely but impatient. S’lei looked at me softly. “Tongues are not our way. Please listen dear one.” She again was the consummate diplomat. “It wasn’t malice Reign. I am no warrior, I am a keeper, a protector. Yet I protect nothing. This function must change with the season.” Gi’Ger seemed almost ashamed. Ja’Tivi looked to his master in silent concern. “I would join your cause. My roots are restless with the changing earth. I cannot rest. I must act or I may wither in my complacency.”
“Join me? Joi
n us?” I was shocked. “Your numbers are too small. The Mor’h can’t risk the loss!”
Gi’Ger smiled thinly. “You and yours are small in number.” He drew our attentions to what we already knew. We were doing everything we could to present a force but we had a hit and run squad at best. Gi’Ger pulled a tablet from his robe. Brigs jumped a little at the concealment but used restraint. He turned the device over in the palm of his lengthy hand. A Ku’Gel diagram of light rose from the device like a miniature ornament of alien power. “Only a few have access to the past. I am one. I cannot front the fight but I can be near.”
Brigs laughed out loud. “Now that could come in handy!” Ben stared wide-eyed like a child.
I felt a surge of relief. “How does this work then?” I asked with a new sense of purpose in the impromptu meeting. “Let’s convene in the Able Garden.” S’lei pointed toward the second garden of the Cresche. Gi’Ger looked to the tower like a monk would at a cathedral. The Cresche has a monumental place in their history and future. His entire existence for all I knew was to receive new life from this white tower through the network stretching miles to the Rootworks. He had never spoken of ever being here and from his frozen visage, this was the first time he had ever been this close.
