“I am working as diligently on that as I am able,” Armonto replied, “but you know how long it takes for slythru to gestate. If that blasted fool Zarrod hadn’t gotten the fleet destroyed, we could be seeding them throughout half the Empire by now. Each mothership fostered enough of them to infect hundreds of thousands. Now, we’re having to start from scratch, locally, I might add. If our hatchery should be discovered…”
“We’ve got most of the city’s law enforcement infected or in our pockets,” Casgor said. “Discovery is the least of our worries. Though Zarrod’s incompetence set us back a great deal, he did manage to do one thing right before flushing it all away. How much longer before Princess Glorianna is ready to do what we need of her?”
“Not long,” the shadow replied. “The slythru Zarrod infected her with is slowly regenerating. Already my influence with her is beginning to take root. Before long, she’ll fully be my puppet, just like all the others.”
“In the meantime, we have to continue to rely on the Skyborns to influence the government in our favor,” Armonto said. “Has Hasatan reported in yet?”
“Yes,” Casgor replied. “He was not too pleased that he did not know about our planned attack on Mourdock. But I explained to him the boy was never in any real danger. It was only meant to look like the Evenstars tried to have him killed to weaken their position in the council. Of course, none of us could have predicted that stunt he pulled off jumping onto the shuttle. Or that our friend here would attempt to blow him up.”
“I gave him ample time to escape,” the shadow said. “If I’d really wanted to kill him, he’d be dead. Despite Hasatan’s training, young Skyborn is still not the warrior he should be.”
“Nor the man we need him to be,” Armonto said. “I recently heard some drivel about how with enough time, effort, and patience, anything can be accomplished. I’m beginning to wonder how many more of those three attributes we must continue to develop in Mourdock Skyborn before we begin to see a return on our investment.”
“Let Hasatan worry about that,” Casgor said. “We have more pressing concerns at the moment than where young Lord Skyborn fits into the plans of our benefactors.”
“Agreed,” the shadow said. “We are very close to striking a crippling blow against the Empire. Once it crumbles, our victory is all but assured. Nothing must interfere with that.”
“What are our orders?” Armonto asked.
“Continue gestating slythrus for me,” the shadow replied. “And find a way to destroy that Earthship.”
Armonto nodded. “Already in the works,” he replied.
“And you,” the shadow said, turning to Casgor. “Do what you must to ensure the Evenstars’ offensive measure dies in the council. But more than that, I want you to handle the Earthman and his lot.”
“What do you mean?” asked Casgor.
“This child is nothing without those who support him,” the shadow said. “Once we remove his ship from his possession, he will only have those he trusts to help him. I do not wish to give him that comfort. I don’t care how you do it. Get rid of his companions in any way necessary. Particularly the Rognok.”
Casgor sighed with annoyance. “I will see what I can do,” he replied.
“Very well,” the shadow said as it turned and headed for the door. “Stay focused. This fight is almost won.”
When the shadow was gone, Casgor looked at Armonto. “Do you believe him?” Casgor asked.
“Has he ever given us reason to doubt him?” Armonto responded.
“I harbored far less doubt before Zarrod’s bungle,” Casgor muttered. “It seems as if none of our plans are working out quite as we’d hoped.”
“Plans must adapt to the circumstances we find ourselves in,” Armonto said. “The Lords of the Void are not omnipotent. They do realize everything is not yet in their power to control. We must simply trust that they know what they are doing. And that means, trusting their emissaries.”
“Things seemed far simpler before this Earthman showed up.”
“Which is why it is so important that we destroy him.”
Casgor nodded. “Any ideas on how best to do that?”
A hint of a smug smile appeared on Armonto’s face.
“Oh, a few,” he said.
Chapter 37
Jack emerged from the teleportation platform on the top floor of the Redwater tower, only to be greeted by a virtual army of Evenstar guards and fearsome looking security-bots. After the attack, it seemed like the tower had transformed into more of a military base than a place to live. Jack could see the Redwater security ships patrolling around the tower from the window in the level’s reception lobby. As he approached the first checkpoint, two security-bots aimed their arm cannons at him as a uniformed Evenstar guard watched him from his station behind the shielded barricade.
“Identify yourself,” the guard said.
Jack fished out his datapad from his pocket and called up his I.D. so the guard could scan it.
“What’s your purpose here?” the guard asked.
“I just came to check in on Amadeus Evenstar.”
“Lord Evenstar is not receiving any visitors,” the guard replied.
“I just… I just wanted to see if he was okay,” said Jack.
“If you wish to see Lord Evenstar, you must call the Redwater administration offices and schedule an appointment.”
“But—”
“I must ask you to leave now.”
Then, another guard approached, putting his hand on the shoulder of the one who was denying Jack entry. Jack recognized the man as the guard who’d kept Amadeus and him from flying out of the window when the Evenstar apartment depressurized during the attack. “It’s okay,” the guard told his compatriot. “This man saved the lives of Lord and Lady Evenstar. He can gain access whenever he likes.”
The guard at the barrier frowned but nodded in consent and lowered the shield.
“Earthman,” said the other guard with a bow. “I am Sergeant Surior, newly appointed temporary head of Evenstar security.”
“Yeah, and saver of my butt,” said Jack with a smile. “Thanks for catching me.”
“And thank you for saving Lady Kimlee as you did,” Surior replied. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so gallant in my life.”
Jack felt uncomfortable with the high praise that was being awarded to him, but he just nodded and accepted it. “My ship did most of the work. I was just kinda along for the ride.”
“If you say,” Surior replied with an approving smile. “Still, I don’t think I know of anyone brave enough to leap out of the top of a supertower. What brings you to us today?”
“I wanted to check in and see how Amadeus and Kimlee were holding up,” Jack said. “I haven’t really gotten to talk to them since… well, you know.”
Surior nodded. “Of course,” he said. “Please, follow me.”
Jack followed the Sergeant down the hallway, glancing at the security-bots as they marched around on patrol. “Wow,” said Jack. “Lots of robots around.”
“After Dorshyre’s betrayal, we’re relying more heavily on security-bots until we can properly vet all our guards,” Surior replied. “No one but the guards who survived the attack are being trusted to be close to the Evenstars at the moment, and the ones we have stationed here are people I’ve hand-picked.”
Jack nodded. “So, uh… how is Amadeus? In your opinion.”
Surior frowned. “He’s taken the deaths of Lord Eudox and Lady Nataylia hard,” he said. “The Legacy has fallen into his hands now, so he’s trying to keep on a brave face for those back home, but I can tell he is in pain at his loss.”
Jack felt sad for Amadeus. He knew what it was like to lose a parent. Jack was still not over the death of his mother.
“Here we are,” Surior said, stopping in front of a door flanked by two security-bots. He entered a keycode at an access panel and the door opened. Surior escorted Jack inside. Amadeus stood in the living quarters of
the dwelling, facing a wall with a large visual display on it, partitioned into various images of different Elder representatives who were attending the video conference.
“How many times must I say it?” Amadeus said, his voice thick with frustration. “Nothing has changed. It is important now more than ever that we push forward and have this vote as scheduled.”
“Surely, we could accept Casgor’s offer to delay the vote,” said one of the Elders. “Your parents deserve a proper funeral on Redwater, Amadeus—”
“Lord Evenstar,” Amadeus corrected. “As hard as it may be to get used to, I am now the patriarch of this Legacy. And Casgor’s magnanimous offer is just another tactic to give him the time he needs to steal more votes away. I do not intend to give him such an advantage.”
“There is a time for politics, Lord Evenstar,” another Elder said, “and there is a time for family. You have not even given yourself the opportunity to mourn. News of your parents’ deaths has rocked your homeworld. Your people need to see you and Kimlee—”
“There will be plenty of time to mourn after the vote!” replied Amadeus testily. “You know how important my father believed this to be. How would I honor his memory by letting it fall apart in favor of empty ceremony and tradition?”
“But Lord Evenstar—”
“Enough ‘buts,’” Amadeus said. “My father was killed in an attempt to stop this measure from passing. Of that I am convinced. And I believe you all know whom I suspect was behind it. I will not allow the Skyborns to benefit from their scheming. Use the sympathy over my father’s death to your advantage. Guilt your compatriots who knew him into siding with us. I don’t care what it takes. Get me my votes.”
The faces of the Elder representatives looked sad and disappointed at Amadeus’s words, but they all seemed to accept them. “As you wish, Lord Evenstar,” they each said, before terminating their calls.
When the conference was over, Surior cleared his throat. Amadeus turned at the sound, his frustrated expression giving way to an exhausted smile when he saw Jack. “Lord Evenstar,” Surior said, “Earthman Jack Finnegan to see you.”
“Thank you, Sergeant,” Amadeus said. “You can go now.”
Surior bowed and took his leave. Jack looked at Amadeus, who appeared disheveled and worn. He seemed to have aged overnight, looking nowhere near as youthful as he had when Jack had first met him.
“How ya doin’, buddy?” Jack asked.
Amadeus sighed and wearily sat down on a couch. “My parents are dead, my coalition is hanging by a thread, and I can’t even take the time to bury my mother and father because if I leave now, Casgor and the Skyborns will undo everything my family has been working for. So to answer your question… I’m horrible.”
Jack frowned. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Amadeus smiled. “You saved my sister’s life,” he said. “You’ve done more than I could ever have asked of you already. If I were all alone now… I don’t know what I’d do.”
Jack moved over to the couch and sat down beside Amadeus. “How is Kimlee?” he asked.
“About as well as can be expected,” Amadeus said. “She’s the first born, so it should be her leading the Legacy, but she’s stepped away, so it falls to me to rule the Redwater. While I’m dealing with that, she’s down in the Ebella Overlook moping. I guess I can’t blame her, though. What happened was traumatic enough without falling from the top of our tower. I just… I just wish she would help me. Dealing with everything, in addition to trying to hold the votes together to pass this offensive measure, is killing me.”
“You seem to be doing okay,” Jack said. “Judging from the way you handled those guys on the call.”
“I’m barely scraping by,” Amadeus muttered. “I’m just so angry. I want to wring the neck of every blasted politician too cowardly to stick by his convictions – which is pretty much all of them. At this rate, by the time the vote comes up, the best I’ll be able to hope for is a tie, and if that happens, it goes to the Directory for a tie-breaker. When that occurs, Casgor will kill it, and the Skyborns will have won. My father believed this measure to finally mobilize and take the fight to the Deathlords was the key to the Empire’s survival. I can’t let him down by allowing it to fail. I won’t.”
Jack nodded. “I understand,” he said, “and I think you’re doing the right thing.”
Amadeus looked at Jack. “You do?” he asked.
“There was a time not too long ago when I was in a similar situation,” Jack said. “Everyone I’d come to depend upon was dead, and I was all alone. I didn’t know what to do. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep, you know? When tragedy strikes, it’s easy to lie down and let it consume you. But if you’re willing to fight back and take control and not allow it to rule your life… you can do great things. And that’s what you’re doing right now, dude.”
Amadeus sighed. “I don’t feel like I’m doing great things,” he said sadly. “I always felt like I was such a disappointment to my father.”
“How can you say something like that?” Jack asked, surprised. “He obviously loved you.”
“I know he did,” Amadeus replied. “But I never felt like I was the type of child he really wanted. Kimlee felt the same way about herself, especially after her engagement ended. Most Legacies have their children study to become Paragons, but I never had that type of talent. Mother used to say I was too stubborn to free my mind.” Amadeus chuckled at that. “So I studied law instead. I studied politics. I decided if I couldn’t be a Paragon, I’d at least strive to be a good leader. Someone my father would be proud to leave his Legacy to. But there is quite a disparity between study and implementation, and I fear I may not be up to the task.”
“You seem like a good leader to me,” Jack said.
“Being a good leader and being a good politician are two very different things,” Amadeus said. “My father was both. Me… I have too little patience and too much pride to wheel and deal like one must to play the political game here in the capitol. You saw how those Elders looked at me. They’re used to the gentle touch, and I’m acting like a steel fist.”
“Kimlee knows how to schmooze,” Jack said. “If you two were to work together, maybe she could help win you the votes you need?”
“I agree,” Amadeus said. “She’s more like my father than I am. With her help we might be able to win the support required to pass the measure. Unfortunately, she’s withdrawn from the world when I need her most.”
Jack scrunched up his face, as one does before doing something he knows is going to be incredibly unpleasant. “If you want… I can talk to her. Try to get her to come around?”
Amadeus looked at Jack, intrigued. “You’d do that?”
“Sure,” Jack said. “You think she’d listen to me?”
“You saved her life, Jack,” said Amadeus. “She’d probably hop on one leg and bark like a puphound if you asked her.”
Jack nodded. “Well, let’s go see if that’s the case.”
Amadeus escorted Jack through security and down to the eighth level of the Redwater tower, stopping in front of two decorative doors with an engraved sign above it which read Ebella Overlook. “She’s in there,” Amadeus said.
“Aren’t you coming with?” Jack asked.
Amadeus shook his head. “It will go better if it’s just you,” he said. “She likes you, you know.”
“I thought that was all just fun and games?” said Jack.
“Not anymore,” Amadeus said with a smile before patting Jack on the shoulder. “Good luck, my friend.”
Amadeus turned and began heading back to the teleporter, Sergeant Surior and a small army of security-bots in tow. Jack looked at the doors and sighed. He felt nervous, though he knew he shouldn’t, especially after all he and Kimlee had recently been through together.
He looked around the room as he entered. It was dimly lit, stretching out quite a way to either side, the wall facing the entrance a solid window.
The room was littered with various historical displays and kiosks, which reminded Jack of something one might see while taking a tour of a museum. Kimlee was the only person in the room. She was sitting on the floor, her forehead leaned up against the window. Security-bots were stationed all around, and they carefully monitored Jack as he began his approach.
“Hey,” Jack said.
Kimlee turned and looked at him. Her eyes were red from crying, but she smiled when she saw him. “Jack?” she said. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check in on you.”
“That’s sweet of you,” she replied. “Care to join me?” She patted the floor next to her.
Jack sat down and looked out the window. Below was a marvelous courtyard, filled with grass and bushes and trees with flowering blossoms. A large statue of a woman was at its center, surrounded by fountains, with a majestic plaque which had the words “Ebella Morningdew, Savior of Omnicron” engraved upon it.
“Wow,” said Jack. “It’s beautiful.”
“I know,” said Kimlee with a smile. “I begged my father to try to get the supertower plot near the Ebella memorial when the capitol moved here. He had this room overlooking it designed just for me. He knew how she was my favorite Hero of the Empire. I’d come down here whenever we’d visit and just stare at that statue, trying to imagine what it would have been like to be her.”
“Who was she?” Jack asked.
“The hero who defeated Edvard the Undying and brought down the Twilight Empire,” Kimlee said.
“Wow,” said Jack. “Was she a Paragon?”
“No,” replied Kimlee. “She was just a girl. Clumsy. Unassuming. Nothing really special about her. She worked as a servant in Edvard’s estate here when Omnicron was the capitol of his Empire. Somehow, she was able to get his attention and break through his cold demeanor. Edvard fell in love with her. The stories go he came to love her so much, he offered her immortality, as well.”
“So she played him, huh?”
“Oh, no,” replied Kimlee. “She loved him, too. Very much.”
Earthman Jack vs. The Secret Army (Earthman Jack Space Saga Book 2) Page 41
