by Ivan Kal
It was going to need to be enough.
* * *
Adrian looked over his battle map of the system. Some of Vorash’s forces were pursuing the Gatrey forces that hadn’t surrendered, and the rest were guarding and shepherding those that had surrendered in the orbit of the third planet, the gas giant. The Herald was scarred up, its hull burned and twisted, holes punched through it, but it was standing. All the Sovereigns were standing. Against such a massive force, they had showed themselves well.
The Sovereigns held in the high orbit of the capital, and assault ships were already under way from the Erasi ships to help secure the planet. The defenders had mostly surrendered. A few defensive stations were still hostile, but the Erasi were the ones dealing with that.
Adrian was just glad that his daughter was fine. Even though he knew how capable she was, he couldn’t help but worry a bit. Her report was interesting, but he would wait to speak with Lurker of the Depths about that.
His teacher had promised to tell him something he had discovered about the Sha, and Adrian suspected that it had something to do with how he had defeated Valanaru. In the end, his gamble had paid off, but now they were going to need to make sure that the Erasi would honor their deal. A bit of deft diplomacy and hand twisting was going to be required, he knew, but that was going to be a job for other people–Tomas and the twins, perhaps.
Adrian was done with this chapter of his life. He had greater things to worry about. Now, he needed to focus on getting his fleet ready and then go out, to find the containment and the Enlightened.
He realized that watching Vas as they neared his territory was going to be both interesting and dangerous, which meant that he needed to tell Anessa about him.
He did not look forward to that conversation.
Interlude VIII
~Five hundred years ago
Vorash looked out of the window of his office, the morning fog of Gena Prime had settled over the city. He didn’t see anything, only grey mist. Somehow it fit with his mood perfectly. He heard a chime at the doors, and a moment later someone entered.
“O’fa?” A voice asked.
Vorash turned and saw Skmeh, his most trusted advisor. It was strange how in a single moment Vorash had realized that the man before him is the closest thing to a friend he had left. He had no family, no children. His entire life had been absorbed with the Erasi. He had always wished to help his people, to right the mistakes of the past. Yet he had fallen in step behind his brother, following him, as Garash changed from the man who cried when he couldn’t save his people, to the man able to burn entire worlds with no remorse.
“My brother is dead,” Vorash whispered.
“I know, O’fa,” Skmeh said. “Are you alright?”
“He died in battle against Shara Daim’s allies. An empire barely a hundred years old.”
Skmeh remained silent for a few moments, and Vorash turned back to the window gazing into the mist.
“He will be avenged O’fa.” Skmeh said.
Vorash chuckled not bothering to turn around. “Why? The ones that killed him did so in self-defense. It was Garash and Valanaru who attacked them, it was them who provoked them, them that killed their people. Why should he be avenged?”
“O’fa Valanaru has called a council meeting,” Skmeh said changing the topic.
“Of course she had, they failed. Now she will spin it in her own favor, and eventually gain even more support and influence,” Vorash turned looking Skmeh in the eyes.
“O’fa?” Skmeh said leaning back at the look in Vorash’s eyes.
“I tried to change Garash’s mind. I tried to tell him that this was not what we had intended when we created the Erasi. But he did not want to listen. And now he is gone, and I am alone,” Vorash closed his eyes in pain. “We cannot continue like this. The Erasi were never supposed to be this. I will change it all Skmeh. My brother failed, he lost his way. But I will not. I will make sure that all of this never happens again.”
Skmeh looked stunned, at a loss for words.
“It will take time, but you and I, Skmeh. I vow by all that I hold dear. We will do this, we will make the Erasi what they had always supposed to be.”
Chapter Forty
Two months later – Sol
Adrian sat across from Lurker of the Depths, it was the first chance they got to sit alone and discus in depth what had happened during the battle with Valanaru. Adrian knew as much as was written in the report. But he was certain that there was more, the feats that Valanaru had achieved put her power well beyond what even Adrian could achieve.
The influence of her mind had been felt through the inhibitors inside the Pillar. And she had literally dropped the assault force to the ground without even targeting them with her mind. Yet, Lurker of the Depths had defeated her.
Adrian wanted to know how.
It was why they had met today. Lurker of the Depths had invited him to finally tell him about what he had discovered about the Sha, as well as to tell him what really happened with Valanaru.
“Her mind was broken.” Lurker of the Depths told him. “She was losing control over her emotions. But even unhinged as she was at the end. She was powerful. If she hadn’t been stopped...”
“But how did you stop her? If Ryaana’s report is right, then she was incredibly powerful.” Adrian asked.
Lurker of the Depths didn’t respond immediately, and Adrian could see him hesitating.
“What is it?” Adrian asked.
Finally, Lurker of the Depths spoke. “The Sowir were not wrong about the song of the Universe. It was the People who had been wrong.”
Adrian frowned, he did not expect Lurker of the Depths bringing up this again. Long ago, the Sowir had believed that they could hear the song of the Universe, that they were chosen by it. They had always been a telepathic race, and once they had found others, the ones that had no telepathy of their own, they couldn’t hear them in the song. They hadn’t believed that these other races were like them, to the Sowir they were on the same level as animals. And so they had committed genocide, wiping out two intelligent races.
They would’ve wiped out more, had they not been stopped by the Empire. And once Adrian had spoken to them, to Lurker of the Depths, he had told them that what they were hearing and feeling all of their lives had been nothing more than a feedback of their own telepathy. It was what the People had believed, they had even found a way to shield a mind from the effect.
“Lurker of the Depths... We know what the song your people heard was.” Adrian said slowly.
Lurker of the Depths waved him away. “We were wrong about many things, our beliefs first and foremost. But the song itself, it is not what you think it is. It is a vibration of the Universe. Of the Sha. It is how I defeated Valanaru.”
Adrian frowned. “Explain.”
“The Sha is what makes all of reality, but we are not fully submerged in all of it. I’ve found a way to submerge myself more deeply, to bring all of my being into it. To do so, is to pass into the reality where thought alone is energy enough to bend Sha to your will.”
Adrian was taken aback for a moment, his mind thinking furiously. He remembered Seo-yun’s theories and things slowly started to fall into place. Energy was required to use the Sha. Yet Enlightened could do feats that would require energies equivalent to small suns. It was not impossible that they simply had that much energy available to them. But if they could actually touch the Sha in the same way that Lurker of the Depths had discovered to... then they wouldn’t need such massive amounts of energy.
Adrian scratched his head, if that was all there was to it, then he too would be able to match them.
“You are going to teach me how to do that,” Adrian said.
A wave of amusement flew out of Lurker of the Depths. “And so, I am your teacher once again.”
* * *
Aranis went through the motions of training inside the Sha training room in the Sentinel Headquarters. Maintaining his cover as
Vas meant going through the motions, and as a part of Sentinel Ryaana’s team, he was expected to train. It was the middle of the night cycle, so he was alone, but he still went through the exercises. He had found that it did much to help him think.
The strength and the ability of Lurker of the Depths had surprised him, had terrified him. The Enlightened hadn’t believed that it was possible for anyone who hadn’t been affected by the artificial life form as they had to achieve what the Sowir had.
Aranis had debated killing him while he could, as he was certain that he could surprise the Sowir. But he didn’t want to risk it. He had never been the best telepath, as it was Loranis who had always been the best at that. He had excelled at understanding the Sha and affecting his surroundings, not other beings.
Aranis, however, did not want to enter a situation he was not certain he would get out of, and that was the biggest problem. He had never felt that way; he had never needed to worry about whether he would survive a conflict or not.
Yet he had to, as he was the integral part of the plan. The others might be able to step into his place, but they didn’t understand the Sha as he did. It had to be him; he had to do it.
He kept punching the bag as he kept one sphere flying around him in a stable orbit. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice someone enter the room until he heard someone speak.
“Good form,” a voice said.
Aranis turned around, the sphere swiping in the direction of the voice.
The Lord Sentinel caught the sphere easily and then bounced it on his palm.
“Lord Sentinel,” Aranis said, drawing Vas back out. “I didn’t see you there. I apologize.”
“It’s fine, and you may call me Adrian. I won’t be Lord Sentinel for much longer anyway.”
Vas tilted his head in confusion, but then remembered that Ryaana had mentioned as much.
“You need to dip your shoulder a bit more,” Adrian said.
“What?” Vas asked, not following.
“Your punches–you have good form, but you need to dip your punches a bit.”
“Oh, I’ll do that, thank you, Lord–ah, Adrian,” Vas said.
“Come on, I need to burn some energy off. Let’s spar,” Adrian said and moved to the center of the room.
Vas frowned. “Uh… I don’t think that I can offer much of a challenge to you.”
Adrian quirked his eyebrow at him, then nodded. “You are right–no Sha, then. It wouldn’t be fair with it.” Adrian winked at him and put his arms up.
Vas narrowed his eyes but put his arms up as well.
Adrian made the first move, coming in low. Vas blocked the strike and attempted a counter, only to have Adrian twist away and slap him across the shoulder.
“Too slow,” Adrian said.
They started again, dancing, one against the other, with Adrian slapping Vas each time he made a mistake–enough that Aranis had started to peek through.
Vas became faster, but still he couldn’t match Adrian in combat skills. Not without allowing more of Aranis to come to the surface. Then, as Vas attempted a direct punch to the head, Adrian grabbed his arm and threw him across his back and to the floor.
“Good, good,” Adrian said. “You need practice, but you have potential.”
Vas stood slowly. “Thank you.”
“So, has Ryaana spoken to you about my little project?” Adrian asked.
“Yes,” Vas answered. “Something called the Nomad fleet. It wasn’t supposed to happen for a few years yet.”
“Well, we are accelerating the timetable a bit. I wanted to see if you were still interested.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good,” Adrian replied. “We are going to need every capable person we can find. It is why I wanted to see your talents. With some training, I’m sure that you will be an asset.”
“I still don’t know much about this project. What are we going to be doing, if it isn’t a secret?” Vas asked, curious.
“Oh, we will be searching for and then fighting the Enlightened,” Adrian said casually.
Aranis froze for a moment. He stared at Adrian, not daring to react. He quickly went through Vas’s memories, trying to see if he had ever heard the term before Aranis had taken over. He could find nothing.
“The Enlightened?” Aranis asked slowly, making an effort to keep his voice level.
Adrian frowned at him, and then his eyes widened. “Sorry. I’ve been surrounded with the people in the know for so long that I just forget sometimes that there are those who are not. Don’t worry. All will be revealed in time.” Adrian smiled at him, then left the room.
Aranis could do nothing but gaze at the door he walked out of for a long while. He had begun thinking about going back, letting the other know about Lurker of the Depths. But now… He needed to know what this Nomad fleet was–and what Adrian had planned.
Chapter Forty-One
Sol
Ryaana walked through the Mars city slowly, thinking all the while.
It had been two months after the end of the war, and she still felt exhausted. Not only because of what had happened, the people she had lost, but also because she had realized just how alone she was. Mending the relationship with her mother had made her realize just how precious and needed that connection had been to her, and she realized just how few such relationships she had outside of her family.
It was a sad number: one. Vas was her only friend, and she had known him for just over a year. Yet they had spent most of the year in combat, watching each other’s backs. It had drawn them closer. He was the closest thing she had to a best friend, and he hated people. He preferred to be alone, watching those around him with interest, but rarely wanting to interact with anyone.
She liked that about him much of the time, but not always. There were times when she wanted companionship, wanted someone to talk to. Vas was unsociable at best, and the only other person she could have any kind of meaningful conversation with was her father. Neither worked for all situations.
Which was why she was walking through the city. She finally reached a house in the part of the city where military personnel had their homes. She checked the door, then rechecked her implant to see if she had the right one, then took a deep breath and announced her arrival with her imp.
A few moments later the door opened, and a short redhead stood there looking at her with surprise on her face.
“Hi, Marie…” Ryaana said lamely. “Look, I know that I kind of blew you off, but–”
Marie smiled, then reached for Ryaana’s hand and pulled her inside.
* * *
Adrian sat Anessa in a chair in their home, the palace on Shara Radum.
“What is it, Adrian?” she asked, almost annoyed.
Anessa had just a month prior announced her stepping down from the position of Kar Daim, passing it on to the twins, who now shared the title. The Shara Daim had met the news with joy–which, as much as Anessa tried to deny it, had hurt her pride, though only a little bit. Regardless, she had been extremely busy with the transfer of power.
And now that they finally had a minute to themselves, Adrian had no more excuses not to tell her about the Enlightened among them, as well a few other things.
“I have something to tell you… And you are going to be mad at me, but I want you to remember that you love me and would probably regret it if you killed me, okay?” Adrian said.
Anessa sighed audibly and leaned back in the chair.
“I’m listening,” Anessa said calmly.
“Well, first, Axull Darr is kind of technically not dead, and he gave me a fleet of ten thousand warships that are equivalent to Sovereigns or better,” Adrian said in a single breath.
“Axull Dar? Not dead?” Anessa asked, truly surprised.
Adrian raised a finger. “Technically not dead.”
Anessa narrowed her eyes at him. “Technically not dead?” she repeated.
“Technically,” Adrian said, emphasizing the w
ord with a serious expression and a nod of his head.
Anessa closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them again to look at him. “This is not the part I am going to want to kill you for, is it?”
“Uh, no…” Adrian hesitated, taking a step back.
Anessa leaned forward in her chair. “Well then?”
Adrian clasped his hands behind his back, took a deep breath and started speaking.
“Remember, you love me,” Adrian said.
“Spill it,” she snapped.
“For over a year now I have known that one of the Enlightened was posing as a human in the Empire.”
Anessa’s eyes widened, and she looked at him in shock. “One of the Enlightened, Adrian?”
“Yes, I believe that he–or she, as Axull Darr says that gender doesn’t really matter to them because they…” One grim look from Anessa, and he returned to the matter at hand. “Anyway, yes, one of them has assumed a human form and is living in the Empire.”
“And you know who it is?” Anessa asked.
“Yes,” Adrian answered.
Anessa waited, and Adrian waited as well.
“So who is it?” Anessa said.
Adrian shuffled his feet, and then finally sighed. “Ryaana’s second, Vassily.”
Anessa only reaction was to grip the chair she was grasping strong enough to crack it.
“You…are telling me…that you knew one of the Enlightened had attached himself to our daughter’s team…and that you did nothing?”
“Well, not nothing,” Adrian said glibly. “I’ve been watching him as closely as I could without revealing that I know.”
He saw the punch coming. He didn’t move.
* * *
