Intrinsic: Book One of the Terran Cycle

by Philip C. Quaintrell

  Soon, he thought, soon it would all be over. With the last Terran finally dead he could rest, they all could. And with the prisoners from the Laronian ship they would have enough breeding partners to start again. The programs Elandar had run showed that his DNA combined with a female human DNA would produce a complete Terran zygote, with no primitive throw backs from the human mother or father. He reasoned that their superior genes simply overwhelmed the human DNA to create the perfect Terran. With this new world, he could lead them into the golden era that ALF had prevented them from reaching. He had no intention of being some overbearing god like the Criterion had. He would make things right, the way they should have been. He would free Esabelle and send the Gommarian into the nearest star. If they went deep enough into the galaxy, they could survive what was coming; he would make sure of that.

  But first, he would have his revenge.

  Kalian heard the grating rock as the solid door parted into the ground behind him. He could feel the very human presence of Li’ara as her physical body displaced the atmospheric molecules around her. The feeling reminded him of the way a shark could detect other organisms in the water. To this effect he now found his memory to be as easy as entering a word into a search engine. With his current thought he was presented with all the information he had ever seen or heard about sharks; this one being a comparison of their ampullae of Lorenzini and his ability to detect the electromagnetic fields of other beings. A quick introspection showed that he now possessed similar but biologically different electroreceptors either side of his nose.

  Feeling her unease, he reduced the pressure beneath him and slowly descended back to the desert sand. It felt natural to him during his meditative sleep to float with his legs crossed, it felt great to finally understand why he often woke up above his bed and to have control of his telekinesis. He was on his feet by the time she reached him when he noticed the words on The Wall behind her. As the door closed, the sentence came back together where he read:

  THE STARS ARE YOUR BIRTHRIGHT

  HERE BEGINS THE PATH HOME

  WE ARE FOREVER

  The lines were separated by the karyotype of the very DNA that made up his every cell. When had he learned to read Terran? He was grateful for the use of the subconducer but felt unsure of the way it changed whole parts of his mind and uploaded anything it liked. Of course, when he thought about it, it was ALF. The AI had a way of making you feel like you were speaking with just another human being, but the truth was far more terrifying. Despite only being the third of a whole, he was still an engineered god with capabilities even Kalian couldn’t comprehend. Conversing with him felt to Kalian like he was only seeing the surface of ALF, that there was far more going on behind the hologram and the words.

  Following his gaze, Li’ara inspected the door herself before giving him a questioning look.

  “Apparently I know Terran.” He explained.

  “You understand the hieroglyphs?” Kalian read the words out loud for her. “A little pretentious.” They both shared a laugh and Kalian couldn’t remember the last time they had.

  “I guess there are some similarities between us and them.” Kalian replied.

  Li’ara turned and gave him a coy smile. “You mean between you and me?” It took Kalian a moment to understand her meaning, she saw him as a Terran now. He judged from her expression that this wasn’t something she was going to let come between them. After all, the differences were only on the inside. “I mean you’re not exactly human anymore, now you’re just another alien.” She gave him a playful smile and he decided to go with it.

  “Well technically, I’m the human and you’re the caveman in this scenario.” They both laughed as Li’ara pushed him away. Why hadn’t he spent more time making her laugh? He loved the sound of her laugh but he remembered not long ago that he didn’t think her capable of it. She did have a pretty big UDC stick up her ass though. He preferred this new Li’ara; she was more relatable and didn’t give him orders every two minutes; and she smiled. But he couldn’t deny that other side to her wasn’t useful, she had saved his life time and again.

  “Here, a gift from ALF.” Li’ara handed Kalian a small transparent piece of what felt like plastic. She turned her head and tapped her ear, where he saw an identical object. “This way we’ll all be in communication when Savrick arrives.” He agreed with the idea and placed it in his own ear. When he was finished he found Li’ara a lot closer. Her emerald eyes had a slight gloss to them and he was reminded of the moment they shared when she told him about her father. He felt guilty then for not seeing how she was coping with it all. He had been so wrapped up in everything Terran.

  “Li’ara...” His next words were interrupted as his armour emitted the life size hologram of ALF.

  “He’s here!” They briefly regarded the AI before looking into the cloudless midday sky. “You need to get inside now!” Before he finished his warning, the sun was momentarily blotted out, as the mass of the Helion dropped out of sub space almost within the atmosphere. The great ship continued its momentum, revealing the blue sun again. It reminded Kalian of an ancient cruise liner with two extensions either side like a pitch-fork. Kalian altered the structure of his eyes to cycle through the different wavelengths. Now he could see further with greater detail as the light of the star no longer impeded his vision. Now he could see six other ships, smaller with their greater distance, of Novaarian design. Each one appeared as a replica of the Valoran with their overreaching arcs that came to a fine point.

  “Where did the Novaarian ships come from?” Kalian ignored Li’ara’s puzzled look.

  “I ordered the closest available ships to regroup here. I informed them that the Helion had been captured by the same enemy that attacked the Conclave. Each of those ships possesses the weaponry to eliminate a target from space, useful to us I think. I will liaise with them and await the opportune moment.” Kalian knew the Novaarians would think their orders came from High Charge Uthor. Another testament to ALF’s power: that he could manipulate entire fleets to his will. Kalian focused on the present danger.

  “We need to get inside, now.” They both turned to run back to The Wall. The door had already parted as Li’ara entered the square lift, alone. Kalian stopped just short of the door, knowing ALF would anticipate his decision. Before the two halves came back together he saw Li’ara whip around with a stunned expression.

  “Kalian!” She ran at the closing door but was too late. He put his hand against the rock and felt the nanocelium moving as the lift descended at an incredible speed. His thoughts of Li’ara were swept away as he heard the sonic boom in the distance. ALF remained by his side while they watched the dark ship approach. It was all angles with four chunky engines on the back; it looked to be about four times the size of the Fathom. Extending his senses, Kalian could feel the nanocelium that made up the ship.

  “You sticking around to help me fight?” ALF grimaced at Kalian’s words.

  “Sadly your armour is not capable of housing the required emitters for hard light.”

  “So you’re just here to cheer me on then?” The A.I wouldn’t miss his sarcasm.

  “I calculate that my presence will likely anger him further. If I can unhinge him, he will become unfocused. That might be your only advantage.” ALF emulated a very human sigh. “You are not ready for this encounter, Kalian. You could train for another century and you still wouldn’t be ready.”

  “Feel free to stop talking now.” The A.I’s lack of confidence in him was evident, and unfortunately well founded. Kalian knew he wasn’t ready, but he was choosing to stay. ALF looked somewhat apologetic at his last remark.

  “How many are there?” Kalian wondered if ALF was asking because he didn’t know or because he wanted to test him. Either way, Kalian pushed into the craft ignoring the density, temperature and chemical composition of its make-up. Inside, he found four complex structures each with unique brain waves. Unlike Li’ara the waves they emitted felt guarded beyond his explo
ration. One of the four had a very different feel altogether.

  “There are four, but one of them is... complicated.” He focused on the individual in question. After a moment’s probe Kalian knew what he was examining, the goliath. The giant’s brainwaves were pulsing on a lower level like that of an animal. His biological framework had been altered in almost every cell. He was teeming with dense structures of nanocelium.

  The craft touched down with miniature landing-feet under its body, kicking up desert sand as it did. Kalian was now standing directly between the craft and The Wall. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He felt the sensation in his spine swell at the impending danger but gained comfort from the power he knew it gave him.

  Soon after the ramp descended the four armoured beings exited the ship with the goliath bringing up the rear. They crossed the short distance, like the four horsemen of his own personal apocalypse, until there was only twenty feet between them. Kalian watched the central figure look from him to the hologram of ALF. The same laugh that resounded inside the council chamber now filtered through his helmet. Using some internal control, Savrick’s head piece separated into its sections and folded into his armour. His twin braids fell across his chest and he regarded Kalian and ALF with glee.

  “We are not worthy...” Savrick said mockingly with a half courteous bow. “The all-powerful, all-knowing, ALF! You should see what I left of your precious Criterion; nothing but a broken, hollowed out shell.” He scanned Kalian from head to foot. “Ever the teacher I see. You look to be a Terran now, boy.” Kalian felt his armour paled in comparison to the bulky Gomar equivalent.

  “And I see you are still slaughtering people by the millions, Savrick.” ALF appeared unfazed by the sight of his oldest enemy, but Kalian knew the hologram would project whatever he wanted it to.

  “Billions actually, and I won’t stop until the very last one is dead at my feet.” Savrick looked Kalian in the eyes with deadly intent. “But how many of those deaths can be attributed to you?” He practically spat the words at ALF. “You made yourself a god, the creation becoming the creator. It’s the oldest story in the book, the never ending cycle of life. How many choices have you made and failed to make that ended with the deaths of so many? You chose to repress us and we made you pay for it. You chose to start again with them, and we made them pay for it. If you had stopped your little science team from returning, I wouldn’t even have known about the humans. The only reason they were given the chance they had was because the Terran pilot deleted the navigational logs. You can imagine my frustration at the prospect of searching an entire galaxy. They died slowly...” Kalian felt his anger rising to the surface at the sight of Savrick’s vicious smirk.

  “You have so many excuses for the destruction you have left in your wake.” ALF was starting to look a few orders of magnitude above pissed off. “Everything you have ever done was because of her.”

  “Be careful old machine, my wrath has not been tempered in my years of sleep.” Savrick began to pace at what Kalian knew to be thoughts of his wife.

  “It was an accident, Savrick. I did not mean for T’lea to di-”

  “NO!” Savrick’s scream ended the hologram and Kalian felt the emitters in his waist short out. “You do not get to say her name!” Like a caged animal Savrick paced the sandy ground shaking his head.

  Without ALF Kalian suddenly felt very alone. He pushed his awareness down and felt Li’ara deep inside the Outpost. At least she was safe, for now. How had events changed so much that he was now protecting her instead of her protecting him? He focused back on the present when he realised Savrick had stopped pacing and was watching him intently.

  “It’s distracting isn’t it?” Savrick said. “To be so in tune with the universe that you don’t know where it ends and you begin. I was a hundred and two by your standards when I first connected to it all.” He tapped the chest plate of his armour and Kalian knew the armour was the source of his strength. Without it the Harness would render him as powerless as any human. “You are lucky to be so young. But your fate will be no different from those before you.” Kalian had heard enough of his pointless monologue. He could feel the power building in him, making him bold.

  “What are you going to do, threaten me to death?” Before Savrick could reply he went on. “You say ALF made you the way you are, his actions, your reaction. Well you made me who I am. You ran me from my home. You’ve pushed my kind to extinction. You removed all my choices and put me right where you see me now. I might be tiny to you immortals, but I will end you.” Savrick mulled over his words while looking into the faceplates of his companions. Kalian knew his words to be true, ALF had created the Terran culture and Savrick brought it down, Savrick had forced Kalian into becoming a weapon and he would bring him down, it was the cycle of life as Savrick put it. He had to believe that, if he was ever going to see Li’ara smile again.

  “Perhaps, but first, let us put that training of yours to the test.” Kalian didn’t like the look of Savrick’s devious smile. “Lilander...” the armoured Gomar standing next to him stepped forward as the helmet came apart to reveal a woman with cropped blonde hair. Like all the people of her genetic disposition she was beautiful, but deadly. “And this you might know by a different name, I simply call him the beast.” The goliath stepped forward with heavy feet. The head gear fell apart with a decompressing sound.

  The content was not what he expected.

  He was faced with the stark white face of a bald man, if it could be called a man. The eyes were larger than normal but then again so was everything else about the beast. Its eyes were a black abyss with microscopic white dots, shot-gunned across the surface. The domed head was covered in cracks of grey and black that ran down into its facial features. Everything about it looked strong and enduring, but twisted as if nature had never intended this creature to exist. Its face was a blank slate, devoid of expression.

  There was something about that face, something familiar. He ran the face through his memory like an image search. He was startled by the results he found. If he cleared up the face of its cracks and reduced it to normal size with the addition of long flowing hair, it would be the Avatar. Kalian mouthed the name as the revelation hit.

  “Yes, the wisest of us all.” Savrick regarded the giant like a trophy.

  “What did you do to him?”

  “Improved his personality...” With that the beast and Lilander launched at Kalian. His reaction was instinctive from what felt like years of training hardwired into his muscles. With nimble agility he leapt into the air using the bulk of the beast as a pivoting point for his hands. His telekinesis kicked in, giving him the extra lift to overcome the beast’s great height. The monster continued its rampage as Kalian somersaulted over him, only to be intercepted by Lilander.

  It felt like a Mag-car had hurtled into him at fifty miles per hour. Reality tumbled around him before he met the hard desert below. He had just enough time to encompass his body in a tight layer of telekinetic energy. To that effect, he pushed up from the ground almost immediately with no pain. He created a low level connection with the nanocelium in his suit and found the plating around his chest and back had increased in density to compensate for any weak points in his barrier.

  Lilander was on him before he could get his bearings. Her movement was calculated, with every blow surgically executed. He was able to counter most but his telekinetic barrier protected him from the rest. He might not have felt the pain but her blows were hard enough to knock him around, not to mention the mental drain he experienced on his barrier. He knew at least four of his counters struck her ribs and face but she remained relentless in her attack. In a move he thought was more luck than skill, Kalian forced Lilander onto her back. He applied a downward force of telekinetic energy and pinned her in place. He could feel her power fighting him, almost lifting him off the ground.

  Two thunderous steps told Kalian the beast had covered the thirty feet between them. Lilander took advantage of his
lack in concentration. He felt her telekinetic push reverse and bring his face over her own; she followed with a sharp elbow to his jaw. He collapsed on top of her and tasted the blood in his mouth. He heard the echo of ALF’s voice chastising him for not switching off his pain receptors. Before he could remedy the situation, a large hand gripped the back of his neck. The beast threw him like a pebble over the surface of the oceanic desert. Kalian lost count of how many times he skidded across the sand before coming to a stop.

  He rolled onto his side, just in time to see the helmeted, unnamed Gomar approach The Wall. The ancient door reacted explosively to the wave of his hand as the rock blew out into thousands of shards. Without slowing his stride, the unnamed Gomar entered the lift ignoring the flying debris. Kalian felt his gut tighten at the thought of his destination.

  Li’ara!

  Without thought of the beast or Lilander, he launched into a sprint from his prone position. He covered half the distance before a super heated ball of plasma hit his right shoulder blade. In his rush he had lowered his guard, focusing his telekinetic energy into his movements for the additional speed. He travelled a further five metres before landing face-down in the sand, his armour taking the brunt of the destructive force. He could feel the nanocelium rapidly reconfiguring to repair the damage while the plasma continued to melt the plating down.

  “Li’ara can you hear me?” When he got no reply, Kalian pressed his finger onto the earpiece and asked again.

  “You shouldn’t be talking to me, you need to focus!” Li’ara’s voice rang though his head in perfect clarity.

  “The Outpost has been breached; one of the Gomar is inside.” There was a pause before she replied.

  “ALF can see him on the monitor. We can handle him Kalian, just stay alive.”

  He managed to crouch on all fours, with sand across half of his face and blood dripping from his left eyebrow. He considered tissue repair before deciding the cut wasn’t worth the energy. Kalian felt the electromagnetic field of the beast affect reality like a tidal wave, and knew he was out of time. He managed to disconnect his pain receptors before the mighty boot of the goliath connected with his ribs and stomach. He lost his sense of direction and gravity as he rolled across the cracked desert floor. He felt no pain but a quick internal check showed a hairline fracture on his third rib on the right side. He was suddenly very thankful for his armour.