by Boris Mosso
That’s how Tronius began to repeat Ebanion’s words.
—Espacians…today we will not bleed needlessly!
A groundswell of voices exploded and silenced in seconds.
—This is the way it will be, since every drop of our blood will be paid for way more than the invader can imagine! We’ll be relentless in combat, defending freedom and survival of our species and we’ll do it to the last one of us!
Each crewman only heard the Supreme Admiral’s words and the heartbeat of their own hearts. The legendary sentences echoed strongly and emotionally, after one thousand years of having been pronounced for the first and last time in war times.
—Soldiers from the Solarian System…! If at the end of the combat we live, we’ll rejoice in the victorious battle space, but if we must die, it will be fighting at the side of our brothers to the end and satisfied of having protected their lives with ours. Only that way, our spirits will be worth being received by the loving Ancestral founders in the parallel universe.
Now they all waited for the end. Each one of the crewmen grew up hearing these words since very little and they knew them by memory because of it, although not because of that they stopped from shuddering with each syllable pronounced by Tronius:
—Brothers!... I swear by our Ancestors that we won’t shed blood today in vain! Because we’ll defeat them!
A deafening cheer even shook the foundations of the enormous war spaceships.
Tronius paused, since the excitement moved him amidst the continuous cheers. He finally recovered and continued:
—My brave comrades in arms, I hope to hug you someday over Espacia’s green meadows! The Flantarts’ and Tubulars’ Captains, the Black Star and Vector destroyers! Begin the star leap maneuvers to Vintar’s Constellation immediately. Let’s not wait one more second! Ebanion, Stratias and many more, watch us today from the parallel universe! We’ll fight to be worthy of pronouncing their names! We’re going into battle and allow them to see us succeed!
In each of the fleet’s spaceship, an explosion of voices was heard again cheering at the Admiral’s words.
The ion rotors were already spinning at a very high speed in every spaceship while the Admiral spoke, afterwards, the special matter tapped a few antimatter grams in the multiphase convertor’s inductor from each spaceship, separated previously by the antimatter fractionator. Immediately, the quantum impellers were activated in every spaceship and fleet’s spacecraft.
At the forefront, the Black Star shot out towards an apex brightly lit ahead of them. The space opened and dozens of thousands of spatial spaceships followed them within five seconds, amidst thousands of intense multicolored flashes.
They crossed to Atirov’s Solar System that way, which belonged to the Vintar Constellation’s group of stars, located at three hundred eighty light years away, to reach their destination.
Chapter II
THE ENDLESS DARK OCEAN
1 - Inside the Systemic Council’s Spaceship
Lena boarded the Systemic Council’s Flantart through a hangar reserved for High Officers and distinguished spaceships’ guests, but with no special greetings. It was immediately escorted by six bulky soldiers from the Systemic Council’s Boreal guard, which didn’t even look at her on the quick and unobstructed path to the levitator. They guided them to the Council’s entire floor. They were countless departments and lounges, apart from the huge Espacian Systemic Council’s auditorium.
While the levitator glided by one of the side hallways with an outside view, a premonition made her turn towards the transparent screen which flanked at ten meters away on the left side. Surprised and excited, she watched thousands of Espacian war fleet’s spaceships crossing through a leap point, at fifteen light seconds away. It was a fleeting cluster of flashes passing through from four million and a half kilometers away.
A chill went down her back, followed by a slight pharyngeal exclamation, but suppressed, which went along with the deepest sense of rootlessness she had ever felt in her life.
By the First Counselor’s express orders, Lena’s levitator was isolated from the fleets’ official broadcasts, whereby she never heard Tronius’ shocking speech before the war fleet’s leap.
The flashes disappeared, while the guards covered in purple colorful tunics with green lines all the way down, completely ignored the overwhelming departure of the Spacian fleet, as well as Lena’s disturbed and restrained reaction.
After a little while they had her go into the huge reception hall located in the First Counselor’s private rooms, where she was informed that she would be received any time now.
Her soul had left with those faraway flashes. She reviewed the procedures developed in her spaceship seconds before the star leap from her memory. She imagined the stress and looks at each other, the orders from the flagship upon being authorized, the ion rotors spinning at incredible speeds and maybe, the striking words from the Supreme Admiral. She imagined herself sitting in her command chair, watching the dim glow from the quantum leap, while the type Supernova antimatter missiles were activated and ready for the impending launch. She imagined her robotics’ pilots going out into space with their squads to protect her spaceship, bursting amidst the battle in Atirov.
She remained that way for a while, without knowing whether to sit in one of the living room’s comfortable couch, which moved towards her without being asked, or wait standing. Finally, she began to walk with her arms crossed around the middle of the room, trying to calm her uneasiness.
A very familiar alert sound made her move her stylish figure towards the screen, sticking her face slightly at centimeters away from the frozen and transparent surface of the resistance subatomic alienation and maximum qualities.
Suddenly the quantum leaps from a new group of spaceships began, although now very close to the Council’s Flantart. She could see them being sucked at impressive speeds amongst great luminescent lights looking like enormous lightning bolts. There were dozens of quantum leaps being performed each second sharply.
She figured that a body of at least two thousand transports with refugees and fleet’s escort spaceships, achieved the maneuver in about forty seconds. A lot slower than a battle formation, she thought.
From the spaceship’s right strip, the space emptiness could be seen at its fullness, barely interrupted by one of Cratias’ rocky moons, called Elamonte. It was named as such by one of the mythological God Cratias’ sons, from which and in plain view, the huge structures from the repair shipyards and the medium spaceships’ maintenance Espacian fleet’s shipyards, were able to be seen. She didn’t see more spaceships anymore through this sidewall, and she wondered if all the others had taken off at those heights.
She turned her head and looked around her surroundings, this time paying a little more attention to the details in the rectangular room, simple decorations and light-colored walls. The high-rise ceiling and stamped with beautiful friezes related to the systemic reform, impressing at first sight. She noticed the almost complete absence of drones and technological devises; she even found some beautiful wooden couches standing on delicately and masterfully carved legs.
Along the walls you could see several tables and corner posts carved and lacquered exquisitely with dark watermarks, arranged around the room harmoniously balanced.
Her nerves got a hold of her mood once more upon noticing that the spaceship changed positions, which predicted a soon departure.
The massive multicolored Cratias’ rings could be seen better now, spreading and moving away from the gaseous giant at millions of kilometers, taking over half of the broad horizon’s vision field then.
When she looked at a glance for the orbital automated plants where they continuously built the fleet’s most modern spaceships, she was surprised upon finding out that they weren’t in the position occupied for centuries orbiting the Elamonte Moon anymore, which had the honor of being the greatest from the gaseous giant’s natural satellites and from the entire Solar System.
Suddenly, the First Counselor’s personal assistant went into the room, forcing her to refocus in her current situation.
She recognized the Officer instantly with the one she spoke with from the small transporter spaceship at the time of leaving her old Vector, congratulating herself for not offending him a few hours ago.
Lena figured that if he was there, in the First Counselor’s private department, then the Officer must have an administrative and bureaucratic high rank, plotted by high echelons of political power, or at least he was the high dignitary’s Officer of most absolute confidence.
She carefully turned on herself while the bald medium age and height man, moved as if floating and in no hurry. Wrapped in white tunics he stopped a few meters away from Lena and gazed at her in a subtle and brief greeting; then he moved his small and dark eyes away to the floor, heading then to one side of the room. There, somewhat anxious, Lena saw the First Counselor’s holographic appearing before the yellowish complexion and aquiline nose Officer. A brief dialogue was developed between them without being able to understand even half a word; she was only startled upon hearing her name amidst the incomprehensible words. She had the impression that they were talking in a very old dialect, like the ones still used in Espacia’s most isolated regions. Afterwards, the assistant approached her briefly and without waiting for further reply, he left.
—Captain Lena, the First Counselor, Lusten De Kraun, will receive you in a few minutes.
Then he walked to the side of the reception halls, disappearing instantly through a barely lit hallway which was in other departments. Lisa recently discovered that passage.
Resigned, she decided to sit and wait.
2 - Lusten De Kraun
After attentively following the war fleet’s brief star leap maneuver, Lusten De Kraun’s irritated eyes filled with silent tears, in the darkness of his private reception room. Tronius’ moving words still echoed strongly in his mind and in his spirit.
—It’s very likely that this has been our last conversation, Tronius… my dear and old friend. If you knew what I’ve always known, you would hate me for the rest of our lives…whatever could remain from them. Forgive me.
His sad musings were interrupted by a familiar voice from his personal assistant. He focused immediately upon hearing his ancient indigenous language, answering back with his persuasive voice subtly steeped in power.
—Your excellence, they’re awaiting in a holographic communication.
—Who is it?
—It’s the Espacian Foreign Intelligence Office Director. Captain Lena awaits here.
—Well, I’ll see Umbaga immediately; I’ll see Lena as soon as I finish with the Director. We need to leave as soon as possible.
—I understand your Excellency.
After a few seconds, a gentle light filled a corner in the large rooms, the dark skin Espacian’s full image appeared immediately, portraying his tall figure and intimidating presence faithfully.
He compared Umbaga’s likeness with his father’s unconsciously. It was Gotkela’s live image. The Spacian Intelligence High Rank agent, who was a vital ally during several years in the safeguarding of the plan plotted by Trivian and himself, fifty years ago. Immediately, the memory of the noble and courageous Espacian agent hurt him, becoming by dramatic experiences to the limit of death, into a truthful and faithful friend; of the few he found in his life.
Gotkela had died in the same explosion which killed Inia, forty-one years ago. He couldn’t stop from remembering the high number of priceless dead Espacians in the pursuit to keep things on the fixed path, and in all those that would keep dying.
—Your Excellency. Greetings.
—Greetings, Director Umbaga. We’ve got few minutes, I must meet Lena to inform her of your orders.
—Very well, Sir. Admiral’s Tronius’ fleet left without any other incident threatening the inner safety of the spaceships.
—It’s only a momentary relief.
—Yes, it is.
—Can we have the same easiness in Professor Trivian’s expedition spaceships?
De Kraun being uneasy, noticed that Umbaga delayed answering over one more second than usual.
—We haven’t been able to identify possible undercovers despite the effort from our security analysts; that’s already final. If there are, they must face them on their own.
The escort spaceship is already some distance away outside. One of our undercover agents is traveling inside. The main Vector will leave in a few minutes with the rest of the agents, as soon as Captain Lena Valir is on board.
—This entire matter is unfortunate. It was a big blow for the Council when you exposed the first undercover invaders hidden in your Espacian deck; it was hard not to take hasty actions, Mr. Umbaga.
—We were forced to respond harshly.
—The mission is overly important to be sabotaged or intercepted.
—That’s the reason we sneaked the agents in, who had been working with Professor Trivian. The entire group commanded by young agent Renar.
—Was it the same Renar who we saw following the spies in the Tubular a while ago, isn’t it?
—It’s unfortunate, but yes, it was him.
—It strikes me that Renar shouldn’t have been there,
—Yes, he shouldn’t have.
—That could bring consequences. Isn’t he too young to lead something of this importance?
—He’s young, but he’s talented…
—The confrontation in the Tubular spaceship should have affected him somehow. I continued the direct transmission and what I saw, was without doubt, a violent scuffle. Ultimately, a dead agent…
—Alvian… a great loss for us. The Admiral ordered his search amidst the pressing moments which were lived. The body was recovered and now we have it with us, here.
—Well. That’s how Tronius is. I insist Umbaga, is agent Renar in conditions to take on such a huge responsibility, after experiencing something like this? He destroyed one of the spies and then lost that agent right in front of him.
—It’s been hard for him, it’s true, but despite that, he’s one of our most qualified and complete agents, although he doesn’t realize that himself; maybe it’s better that way after all.
His multiple IQ ratings are very high and for the same reason, he possesses the capacity to perform several disciplines optimally, adapting to any situation that could arise. He’s also very sensible in interpreting verbal conducts and from touch and internal feelings of beings, including from other species. But what we most value is his capacity to link information acquired, with facts developing in real time in such way that he can find patterns and high complexity ties, unseen by almost everyone else. He worked as a specialized analyst before, in that strange science… well, he still does it for Professor Trivian.
—Archeological Astronomy.
—The same one… Before the beginning of this war, he was just a specialist belonging to a countless group of several scientific areas’ analysts, working anonymously in some dark offices in our Espacia departments. The truth is that nobody in the agency paid much attention to them.
But since his integration to the Professor’s group at the beginning of this war, he rapidly reached the place he holds now. Later he began adapting to it and now, has field and good tactical and weapons’ handling experience. He even knew how to operate hybrid spaceships before going into service. His younger brother taught him some years ago… something rather interesting…
—Was it his first choice to lead this mission?
—No.
—I see… Professor Trivian requested Renar to be in charge and you couldn’t oppose to it.
—Exactly, your Excellency. The Professor appreciates him very much.
—I see, I imagine Renar was investigated in depth.
—We try not to leave loose ends, your Excellency… You know how meticulous we are about that.
—Of course. Than Renar is the man in charge…
/> —I’ve been with agent Renar a few minutes ago before leaving to hangar eight. He looked compromised and motivated by the mission’s objectives.
—Correct, this journey cannot be delayed; it will be with the appointed people.
—I understand. We’re at your service for the second part of the plan. Espacia’s first agents are already stationed and nobody detected them; they’re latent in the old Lenodon’s Apex point. Now a special unit will join them, stationed in our planet’s vicinity. A highest rating military agent is at its command, called Bax the Faran; I have full confidence in him. They will reinforce the Boreal guard’s contingent who safeguards the Dormant.
—Right. Josir Vintron is one of my best Boreal’s guards Captain. The Dormant can’t be in better hands. I just hope his people comply with their part.
—Bax the Faran and his agents will be watchful to the expedition members return. I know they’ll do it very well, I would trust them with my life.
—I understand. We’ve already placed our options on the table. Now we need to wait.
—It is so, your Excellency. The subsequent phases will activate when the case requires it. It’s a well thought plan, but at the same time, extremely complex.
—That’s why we took so long to begin the expedition. The Council wanted to leave two months ago.
—Two months ago, they would have destroyed or intercepted us before exiting the galaxy. That’s why we have all the ones involved, informed about the Terilian’s incursion. A necessary evident lie. All the crewmen and passengers erroneously understand that the experience and reputable General Commander, Gobar Terilian, took off months ago in search of the object and that’s how they must believe it until the end.
—The Terilian decoy… Would they believe that story? A ten Vector spaceships’ expedition that never left?
