You have our attention.
Goddamn right we do.
The disparate reactions of others on the bridge seemed to indicate a few of them were receiving the communication as well, but not most. She instantly knew the other Prevos heard it, and she was cognizant of Rychen gesturing in great animation to her mother. It stood to reason the military and political leadership were part of the audience. A quick glance at Caleb confirmed he too was a recipient of the aliens’ declaration. The aliens would doubtless know precisely who mattered and who, in their view at least, did not.
She hadn’t realized the level of affectation Mesme’s ethereal voice had carried until now. This alien’s tenor was toneless, flat and ascetic.
She answered the alien, for it didn’t occur to her that anyone else might answer in her stead.
“We have more than your attention. We have our boot on the throat of your forces. They buckle to their knees before us.”
What are your intentions? We are open to discussing terms.
If others were endeavoring to respond—the politicians, her mother, anyone—they were being blocked. She had the floor.
“We intend to destroy every last one of your machines. If you want to annihilate us, you will have to come fight us yourselves. But you don’t do that sort of thing, do you? The blood you’d get on your wispy, angelic little hands would be too much for you to bear. It might threaten your precious vainglory, your tshcheslaviye.”
Do not imagine you understand us. You understand nothing.
“And you understand far less about humanity than you imagine. We have defied your attempts to control us through terror. We don’t tremble in fear before you—we stand up and fight. And though we are so very flawed, when it counts we are capable of rising above those flaws. Are you? Something tells me you aren’t. It’s a handy skill—you should look into it. Because when we do, we are powerful beyond measure.”
Believe what you will. If you agree not to—
“Oh, and one more thing you don’t seem to understand: we have beaten you. So drop the condescending tone. We heard enough of your terms last time to know we want no part of them—I’d have expected you to pick up on that a bit sooner, but no matter.
“Instead, here are our terms. Withdraw all your ships through the portal and do not return. To ensure you do not return, we will blockade the portal. Any ship you try to send will be shredded into a thousand tiny pieces before it completes the traversal.
“Furthermore, you will cease your meddling in our universe. You will cease your observation of our universe. We are no longer your experiment to play with. We control our own destiny from this day forward.”
You demand much. What do we receive in recompense?
“We’ll stop kicking your ass long enough for what’s left of your machines to slink back through the portal.”
What else?
Sure, why not. “We’d like an explanation. What the hell makes you believe you have the right to exterminate us? What is this really all about?”
You are dangerous—far more dangerous than you recognize. You must be contained.
“How do you know? We never threatened you, not once.”
How we know is irrelevant.
“Let me guess—it’s ‘not our concern.’ I’ve heard that before. Fine. Those are our terms. You have one minute.”
Devon: Hey, I piggybacked off their broadcast. Everyone hearing them heard you. It was quite a show.
Alex: Damn straight it was.
A brief pulse came in from her mother.
I approve of your terms.
She turned to allow her gaze to sweep across the bridge and settle on Caleb once more. He stood leaning against the left wall not too far away, shaking his head at her, a dashing, immensely kissable smirk on his lips. Hers curled up to match—
Very well. We cast you adrift to do as you will, with this one warning: do not come looking for us.
Whatever. “Depart. Now. We will track you to the portal, so do not attempt to leave any ships behind for future misdeeds.”
We have no interest in whatever becomes of you. Aurora is no longer our concern.
Farewell.
As soon as she sensed the connection retreating from her head, she spun to Rychen. “I mean it—we need to follow them all the way to the damn portal. Send all the scout and reconnaissance ships, and maybe a couple of cruisers for added intimidation. Shove them back through that portal if necessary then lock it down.”
“With pleasure.” He was laughing as he began issuing orders.
Her focus shifted to the viewports. Lit by fire and explosions for what felt like days, for the first time since she had arrived the stars began to shine. They teased her, flickering in and out in a playful dance amongst the strewn debris and sailing ships.
The remaining swarmers docked into the remaining superdreadnoughts, then in a blink they were gone.
Is it over?
I think so, Valkyrie.
We won in spectacular fashion, didn’t we?
Yes. Yes, we most certainly did.
57
SENECA
CAVARE, MILITARY HEADQUARTERS
* * *
BREAKING NEWS: EARTH ALLIANCE PRIME MINISTER BRENNON NEWS CONFERENCE
“I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY both overjoyed and heartbroken. The terms of the aliens’ surrender was a complete and unconditional retreat from our galaxy, and I can now confirm that retreat has occurred. We will maintain a steadfast watch on their portal, and if they should seek to return in the future they will fail. You—every man, woman and child—may sleep soundly tonight, no longer burdened by the fear your home will come under siege with the daybreak.
“The cost of this victory was enormous. Though we try, it may be beyond our ability to measure. More than fifty million people died across thirty-nine worlds. Three hundred thousand of humanity’s brave soldiers gave their lives defending our worlds and earning this victory. The damage to our infrastructure is counted in quadrillions. Rebuilding will take years. But we will rebuild.
“Today we stand united. For while we have lost much, we are stronger now than we were before. This is not an Earth Alliance victory or a Senecan Federation victory—it is a victory for all humanity. When faced with extinction, we put aside our differences and joined together to fight side-by-side. We fought as one for all life, because all life is precious.
“Let us now open a new chapter in the story of the human race. Let us embrace this new dawn and usher in a shining era of peace and prosperity. Let us rebuild, renew and reclaim our place among the stars.”
Gianno muted the news feed and turned to Vranas, who had taken up a relaxed posture in the chair beside her. “Good speech. Good sentiments. I wonder how long they’ll last.”
Aristide took a sip of his scotch. “Perhaps longer than we suppose. People are war-weary. They’re tired of being frightened and desperate, so they’ll embrace peace with relief, for a time. Brennon’s a good man, and I believe a sincere one. But of course he’s just one man, and inevitably the power grabs and manipulations of the political machine are sure to drown him out.” He laughed dryly. “And us.”
“A lot of the pesky details of what peace actually looks like were not addressed in the treaty. We’ll need to be careful.”
“Oh, of that I’m confident. Regardless of Brennon’s intentions, the Alliance Assembly and their multitude of agencies will be coming for us, assuming peace means reunification.”
Gianno arched an eyebrow. “I assume it does not?”
“It does not. A truth they will hopefully learn without the need for excessive bloodshed.” He sat his glass on the table and massaged his jaw. “So what are we going to do about Noetica? The potential is too great to shut it down, but the dangers are considerable.”
“For now, Commander Lekkas and STAN are working with the other Prevos to optimize the reconstruction efforts—and frankly, we need their help. The task is simply too overwhelming for us mere humans. Their a
ccess to the defense grids and military weaponry has been revoked…we think. We’ll try to keep the technology under seal, as I anticipate the Alliance will, but the reality is it’s a matter of time until it gets out. It’s too powerful to stay hidden for long.”
“And then we face a whole new world of problems.”
“Then we face a whole new world.” Gianno stared out the window a minute before giving the Chairman a smile. “But that’s a challenge for tomorrow. Tonight I think we’re safe enjoying our victory.”
Vranas chuckled as he stood. “It was a close one, wasn’t it? Where are you off to now?”
She shut off the news feed and the other screens still open around her office. “I’m going to go home, kiss my husband and hug my son and daughter-in-law, then sit down on the floor and play with my grandchildren.”
EARTH
SEATTLE
Noah paused to take a long, deep breath before entering the hotel suite. He was a little winded from not-quite-running here from the levtram station…and he needed to ready himself for whatever awaited on the other side of the door.
He was so royally fucked.
He opened the door to find an empty main room. The info screen in the lobby said she hadn’t checked out, but she could be at EASC or out celebrating like the rest of the galaxy or…. He headed toward the bedroom.
“Kennedy?”
She emerged through the doorway as he arrived, eyes narrowed in questioning and a sweater wadded up in her hands. On the bed behind her a duffel bag sat open. She was packing to leave. But she wasn’t gone yet.
A smile bloomed as he reached out for her—but she backed away from him. Whatever initial delight may have shown in her expression vanished beneath a guarded stare. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you. Also, I’m staying here. At least, I think I am.”
She gazed at him for another second then whipped around, went over to her bag and began stuffing the sweater haphazardly into it. “Stay here as long you want. I need to get home.”
Dread pooled in his gut, and he cursed himself for having reverted to glibness. Her response sounded like the beginning—and possibly the end—of a rather abrupt goodbye. “Okay, um…you might have heard, we took out that wacko general. Saved a bunch of people, too, including Caleb’s sister and niece.”
Her earnest if not particularly productive packing ceased, but she didn’t look up. “I heard. Good for you.”
“Don’t be like that. I thought you’d be glad I went to help Caleb, for Alex’s sake if nothing else?”
Her chest heaved in a full-body sigh, and she finally turned to face him. “I am glad you did—but I hate how you seemed so damn gleeful about it. You positively sprinted out the door, not so much as a wave over your shoulder as you left.”
“And I regretted it afterward. Not helping Caleb, but leaving without….” He raked a hand through unkempt hair. “Look, Blondie. This place, these people? They’re never going to be my gig. I am not my father. I’ve lived a different life than him. A touch of respectability isn’t going to turn me into him, and I hope to hell you aren’t expecting it to. Yes, I was angry with you for forcing a reunion—but I understand why you did it. Yes, I was uncomfortable at EASC among all those military stiff-shirts—but it doesn’t mean I’m uncomfortable with you. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to be with you.”
Centimeter by centimeter the mask she’d been admirably exhibiting broke. Its absence revealed…vulnerability. Oh, boy.
“I don’t want you to be your father, I truly don’t. Your father’s an insufferable ass. It just…” her head shook weakly as she glared at the ceiling “…it hurt, all right? I didn’t know when or if you were coming back. And I did not care for how it felt. I can’t…I won’t be toyed with.”
“Oh, I know you won’t. But I did come back—and you won’t believe what I went through to get here.” His throat worked as all attempts at bravado failed him. “To get to you.”
She eyed him warily. “Tell me.”
He gave her a ragged laugh. “Let’s see. I bribed someone a thousand credits to get inside the spaceport on Krysk. Got into a fistfight in the spaceport. Bribed someone else twelve thousand credits to get onto a departing ship—which, seeing as I don’t actually have twelve thousand spare credits, was a bit dicey.
“Spent forty hours crammed into the below deck on a cargo ship which was far slower and far, far, far less swank than Alex’s ship with some two hundred other people, one restroom and nothing but old, off-brand energy bars for food. Arrived in Seattle to get groped by no less than six separate security guards and threatened with arrest twice before I finally made it to the hotel.”
She didn’t respond for several excruciating seconds. “Why didn’t you comm me?”
“You would’ve yelled at me.”
“Damn right I would have.” Her face scrunched up in fading anger; it was so damn adorable. “So you did all that to…get back to me?”
He dared to take a step toward her. “As fast as I could.”
“I think I believe you, if only because you clearly need a shower.”
He took another step. “Yep.”
“And clean clothes.”
One more. “Without a doubt.”
“And—”
His mouth was on hers before she could finish or even really start the thought. In the greatest grace of his thus far semi-charmed life, her arms wound around him to drag him closer to her and, not too much later, the bed.
NEW BABEL
INDEPENDENT COLONY
Olivia sipped on a martini and surveyed the throngs of travelers from her table by the window. The buzz vibrating in the air was no less frenzied than it had been on her previous trip through the spaceport, but now it hummed in excitement rather than panic. The aliens were gone and the war was over and everyone knew it. Even the worst sort of criminals and thugs might be accused of displaying a little giddiness.
No one would accuse her of appearing giddy on the outside, but she was quite pleased by the possibilities the future now held. Opportunities abounded, and she wasn’t one to waste time. Hence the trip.
Aiden slipped into the chair opposite her. “How long until our transport departs?”
She offered him a reticent smile beneath the glass hovering at her lips. “Forty minutes.”
“Time for a drink, then.” He beckoned the server over and ordered a whiskey sour.
They were heading to Romane. Prior to the Metigen War, conducting their brand of business on the independent colony had been a delicate affair. Government regulation was light but the standard of living had become so high criminal syndicates were forced to operate with extreme discretion. For the next several months, however, those in power were going to be so busy trying to maintain order and restore basic services they were unlikely to notice the details of underhanded dealings and a spiking shadow economy.
Though the colony had suffered extensive damage in the final alien attack, its cities had not been destroyed nor its population decimated. Restoration efforts stood to be a substantial undertaking for Romane itself, but its central location and still robust infrastructure meant it would also serve as a forward base of operations for rebuilding much of the eastern half of settled space. It was now the place to be, for businesspeople and criminals alike.
Aiden’s drink arrived, and he raised it in her direction. “A toast. To the future.”
She obliged him with a clink of their glasses.
After a sip he sat his glass down to regard her in apparent thoughtfulness, a rare open and possibly honest mien for him. “I must say, Olivia, we have worked together extraordinarily well these last weeks. We’ve accomplished far more than either of us could have alone.”
“We did. I’m glad I came to you.”
“Spending more time with you carried its own benefits above and beyond the work of course. You realize it doesn’t have to end. I know you reacted negatively in the past when I raised the prospect of mergi
ng our operations, but the circumstances have changed. It’s a new world, and to fully capitalize on it we need our combined resources.”
Olivia leisurely swirled the olive in her drink. Part of her had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but deep down she’d known it would from the time she’d walked into his office and proposed their alliance. It was the price, if a regrettable one, to be paid.
She met his gaze. “Despite my inherent reluctance, I find I am compelled to acknowledge the wisdom of the idea. The strength and reach of our combined organizations will be able to wield unparalleled power across the galaxy. Such a conglomerate can rebuild civilization atop the ashes in its own image—which was after all the goal.”
On seeing the relief and predatory excitement in his eyes, she rewarded him with a more indulgent smile and extended her hand across the table. “Shall we seal the agreement over a handshake until permanent arrangements can be made?”
“With pleasure, Olivia dear.” He grasped her hand and shook it formally.
Given her habitually elegant mannerisms it wasn’t difficult for her to run her fingers along his palm to his fingertips as she withdrew it.
“This will make our business on Romane so…so much…” Aiden cleared his throat “…easier.”
She took a sip of her martini and watched him idly as he frowned and brought a hand to his chest.
The virus transferred from her fingertips to his was far subtler in operation than the one used by Uttara on Atlantis. At the Trade Summit they had wanted it to be obvious Minister Santiagar’s death was premeditated murder, and the virus used was tailored to ensure that outcome. In this case, the forensics of the virus mimicked an accidental failure of several critical cybernetic subroutines. A somewhat rare occurrence, but his body contained multiple untested and unsafe enhancements for which such failures were not unheard of.
His face had taken on a flushed hue; beads of sweat trickled down his temples. “Olivia….”
“I’m sorry, Aiden, but I did tell you never to ask me to merge our organizations again. You should have heeded the warning. But you are correct. The addition of your outfit’s resources to my own will enable me to expand significantly in the coming months. Don’t fret—I’ll take good care of your assets.”
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