‘That was a special case,’ Elden answered her. ‘The Protectorate is technically part of the Foundation. If you do this, then the Protectorate will be withdrawing from that deal.’
Amanda looked up at Ylena. ~This is it, the point of no return,~ Amanda messaged Ylena.
~And the Ormond Dynasty stands united with Earth, we’re the Terran Alliance now,~ Ylena answered her with a nod.
~Very well,~ Amanda responded with a smile. ‘We understand,’ Amanda said aloud.
Elden looked up at Ylena as well. ‘Are you sure, Ylena?’
Ylena stood. ‘Those Dragons killed hundreds on Sol Prime. We drove them off and away, but it was crystal clear to us that as devastating as that attack was, it was a diversion. This was planned, and the Crux clearly have enough Dragons to throw some away to get what they want. This threat cannot be ignored, and it is our honour to join with our Earth friends to form an Alliance.’
‘I understand,’ Elden answered, his voice sounding a little more solemn. ‘As the honourable representative said, though, there is procedure and protocol to follow. Not least of which being that Nexus applicants must have at least five systems in their territory to have their own seat in this chamber, and much more to sit beside the Dynasties you see before you.’
‘I am aware of that restriction,’ Ylena said.
‘This is preposterous,’ Ember Xol called out. ‘Where has the Earth been these last ten thousand years? Protected by the Nexus, that’s where, and now you want to throw that in our faces, withdraw from the Foundation, take over some of their territory, and join the Nexus?’
‘Will the population of Earth be made aware of the Nexus and the galactic community?’ Sortheen of the Valk asked.
‘No,’ Amanda answered. ‘The Riven of Earth will continue to be left alone to develop at their own pace.’
‘That is absurd. How can a planet be a part of the Nexus when its inhabitants are unaware?’ the Valk ambassador asked.
‘Earth is a Foundation planet, are you planning on taking over more Foundation planets?’ the Palashain ambassador asked. ‘Are you going to stand for this, Elden?’
‘Order, order,’ Elden called out, shouting the ambassadors down until eventually, the chamber calmed down. Amanda stood in the centre of the room still, shaking slightly and clasping her hands before her to keep them steady as the adrenalin that was pumping through her system began to fade. She took a breath and waited, looking up at the ambassadors and the Magic that was flaring all around them as they talked silently through their mental Links.
‘We clearly have much to discuss, but the Terran Alliance will be subject to the usual rules about joining the Nexus,’ Elden explained before he looked down at her. Amanda looked back up and waited to see what he would say next. She knew that her announcement about the Terran Alliance would be a shock, even to Elden who was, to the best of her knowledge, supportive of Earth.
‘This meeting is at an end, we will reconvene after lunch to discuss the other matters,’ Elden said and rang the golden sphere once more. She wasn’t sure what Elden’s feelings on this were, but she guessed he didn’t like it. She nodded to him.
He, in turn, pointed behind him, indicating they should meet as the noise in the room rose up once more as the ambassadors started to discuss the events in the meeting with their aids and each other.
Amanda pointedly ignored them and walked back to where Valerya and Aris stood. Moments later, Ylena and Rane joined them.
‘Elden wants to see us in his office,’ Amanda said to them.
‘Understandable,’ Ylena said. ‘Well done, by the way, Amanda. You handled yourself well out there. Don’t let them intimidate you.’
‘I won’t,’ she smiled back at the Ormond matriarch.
Ylena smiled. ‘Let’s go and see what Elden wants.’
Next Steps
Red City, Axia, Proxima Centauri
‘Welcome,’ Elden said as he guided them into this office. It was a large room in the sphere where the previous Council meeting had taken place and was easily big enough to fit them all in with lots of room to spare. He guided them over to a nearby conference table and indicated that they should sit.
‘I’m sorry to surprise you like that,’ Amanda said to him, offering him a thin smile.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Elden answered. ‘I’ve had worse surprises than that in my time.’
‘You handled it well,’ Ylena agreed.
‘Thank you,’ Elden replied.
‘They didn’t seem to like what I had to say very much,’ Amanda suggested.
‘Are you surprised?’ Elden asked.
‘I guess not.’
‘They didn’t like it because you’re suggesting change. A change to the status quo. It was never going to go down well. It was a shock to me as well, even if part of me expected it to happen one day.’
‘You did?’
‘Of course. Earth was never going to stay isolated forever, and when Crystal told me about the Archons breaking free, I knew it was just a matter of time.’
Ylena was nodding.
‘You know Crystal?’ Amanda asked.
‘We’ve been working with the Sentinels for thousands of years,’ Elden explained.
‘Aaah, yes, Rane mentioned that,’ Amanda cut in.
‘Good. No, I knew this would happen, which is why certain precautions have been taken.’
‘Oh?’ Amanda said.
‘Axia is well populated and busy, but that is only because it’s the hub of the Nexus. Most of the other planets around Sol are, at most, sparsely populated with only small colonies if they’re inhabited at all. This is not an accident. This was done partially to keep people away from Earth and keep it isolated, but also because we knew that eventually, this situation would happen, and you would seek membership in the Nexus.’
‘What are you saying?’ Amanda asked.
‘The systems rim-ward of Sol — Tau Ceti, Wolf, Epsilon Eridani, Sirius, Procyon etc, they only have a few small colonies on them, and I’m open to any proposal for them to join the Terran Alliance. You’ll need to visit them, see if they wish to join your Alliance, of course, but if they do, at least you will be able to join the Nexus.’
Amanda sat there in a state of mild shock for a moment, unable to answer for a few moments until eventually, she got her emotions under control.
‘Are you serious?’ Ylena asked.
‘Entirely,’ Elden said. ‘The Foundation, as you know, has been supportive of the Earth for as long as I can remember. Earth is the homeworld of the human race, and we want the best for it; we always have.’
‘That’s incredible, thank you,’ Amanda said finally, finding her voice.
‘Save your thanks. These systems are not a part of your Alliance yet, and needless to say, I might require some favours from the Alliance in the future,’ Elden added.
‘Of course,’ Amanda said, knowing a silly grin was already spreading over her face.
‘Keep me informed,’ Elden added.
‘We will,’ Amanda agreed with a smile.
‘We will keep you in the loop as to what’s happening. You have my word,’ Ylena stated.
‘Thank you,’ Rane added.
‘Go on, get out of here,’ he said and rose from the table. Amanda followed Ylena and Rane in offering Elden her thanks for such a generous offer, and before long, they left the office.
‘I can’t believe what just happened,’ Amanda said.
‘Elden and the Foundation have been supporting us since day one, and I knew they were working with the Sentinels, so part of me isn’t surprised,’ Ylena explained. ‘But even so, this is huge.’
‘Do you think these systems will join us?’ Amanda asked.
‘Honestly, I don’t know. They are sparsely populated, though, nothing like Axia, or Earth for that matter.’
‘Actually, there is one that I’m fairly sure we can bring in very quickly,’ Amanda added.
‘Sirius,’ Rane suggested.
‘That’s right,’ Amanda smiled.
‘Aaah, the Wraiths,’ Ylena added.
‘I think that should be our next stop,’ Amanda suggested. ‘I’ve been wanting to see Astrid for a while, and this would be the perfect chance.’
‘So, if we bring Sirius in, what happens to the Wraiths?’ Rane asked.
‘What do you mean?’ Ylena enquired.
‘You mean, do they become a part of the Alliance? Like, part of the Alliance’s armed forces?’ Amanda suggested.
Rane nodded. ‘They’re a highly trained group who would be invaluable to us as a new Alliance joining the Nexus. We could certainly use them.’
‘I agree,’ Ylena concurred. ‘My biggest worry surrounding this new Alliance is how the other Dynasties will react. Historically, they do not like new factions joining up, and there have been all kinds of claims of attacks against the younger Dynasties and groups when they first joined, and not all of them make it.’
‘You think that will happen to us?’ Amanda asked.
‘I would be shocked if it didn’t. They dislike new applicants to the Nexus at the best of times and in the least offensive of circumstances. Our timing and the Earth’s location in the heart of the Foundation is sure to upset most of them.’
‘Although, ironically, Elden and the Tempus Dynasty doesn’t seem to be one of them,’ Valerya stated.
‘You’ve already been attacked once,’ Ylena said to Amanda. ‘That will almost certainly have originated from one of the Dynasties who didn’t like the idea of an Earth Magi stepping up.’
‘That was my assumption as well,’ Amanda sighed. She couldn’t be entirely sure, but the whole attack didn’t feel like a Nomad action. The thought of the Dynasties being so opposed to her that they would actively attack her was a disquieting idea, but it did seem the be the case.
‘Another reason to bring in the Wraiths,’ Rane suggested.
‘You might be right,’ Amanda agreed.
‘I’m positive of it,’ Rane said. ‘Besides, I’d love to see Astrid again.’
‘Rane, go with Amanda; Valerya and Aris to Sirius. Let’s see if Astrid will join up. I’m heading back to Sol Prime. When you know her answer, come back to Sol. We have a lot to arrange.’
‘I need to report back to the Magi Council for a start,’ Amanda added.
‘Of course, maybe we can bring Trevelyan to Sol Prime.’
‘Sounds good,’ Amanda agreed. ‘Let’s gather our things and meet at the Arkady.’
Rane nodded, and moments later, they were all Porting off to other parts of the Nexus Spire.
Sirius
Canis, Sirius System.
The Arkady banked around the moon Canis as it orbited the lone colonised planet, Sirius Alpha. Amanda had been here many times, but that had been hundreds of years ago when Astrid had been setting up the Wraiths. Since then, to the best of her knowledge, the Wraiths had become one of the more in demand mercenary companies in the Foundation and even in some of the surrounding Dynasty sectors. But it had been a long time since Amanda had seen Astrid, and she guessed anything could have happened in the interim. Rane seemed sure she was still running the company, though.
The ship approached the northern pole of Canis, and the huge, five hundred meter, roughly circular blast doors that spanned the pole.
Amanda reached out through her long unused Link to Astrid, sending a pulse of Essentia along it to her.
Tense moments passed as she waited for Astrid to answer. Nearby, Rane, Valerya, and Aris sat on the bridge, watching Amanda to see how this would play out.
~Amanda,~ a voice intoned in her mind as the Link opened. Amanda recognised the voice right away. ~By the Aether, what are you doing here? It’s been centuries.~
Amanda smiled, apparently much to the relief of her companions who all seemed to relax. ~Astrid, it’s good to hear your voice again.~
~And yours,~ Astrid said. ~Is this a social visit?~ she asked as Amanda noticed the blast doors on the moon begin to part and light start to flood out of the gap.
~Not really, although it will be good to see you again. No, this concerns matters that should be a concern to all of us. We need to talk.~
~Well, that sounds ominous. But, of course, come in. You should be receiving docking instructions shortly,~ she said and closed the Link.
Docking info did indeed appear on the main viewer, and she exchanged information with someone from the moon’s operations centre as the Arkady dropped towards the door.
Passing through the portal, they found themselves within a huge hollowed out shaft that cut through the middle of the moon. Amanda knew it went right through to the south pole, where a similar set of blast doors sealed off that entrance as well.
As they passed through the entrance, they phased through an Aegis that held the atmosphere within the moon, and then the outer doors, followed by a set of inner doors, begin to slide shut behind them.
Amanda reoriented the ship so that it was dropping belly first, to match the direction of the artificial gravity in here. It now felt like they were dropping down the shaft rather than flying along it, and she could make out the endless walkways that ringed the shaft. She spotted docking bays with starships inside, more blast doors leading to who knew what, and various people walking this way and that through the complex until the ship lowered itself onto a platform, not too far down the shaft from the entrance.
Bumping down to the pad, Amanda led Rane and the others off the ship and onto the ramp. Amanda paused for a moment partway down when she saw a row of soldiers dressed in black tactical gear on each side of the wide walkway leading to the side wall of the shaft.
They were all carrying Essentia charged weapons and armour, and Amanda also spotted two Magi on either side at either end of the two rows.
Her hesitation didn’t last long though as she spotted Astrid standing a short distance away between the two rows of troops, her hands clasped behind her back.
She also recognised one of the two people standing slightly behind her to either side as Officer Malax, one of the earliest recruits to the Wraiths. He was a major once upon a time, and she wondered if he’d advanced in rank somewhat by now.
Amanda smiled at her friend, who smiled back and began to walk forward. Amanda continued down the ramp and approached her.
‘It’s been too long, Red,’ Astrid said as they drew closer. ‘I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you.’ She wore black, like everyone here. It was a simple fitted stealth suit with tactical webbing that held a gun and a few other items.
‘Sorry, Trid, I just got caught up with events back home,’ she answered.
Astrid eyed her for a moment, and then stepped forward, grabbing her and pulling her in for a hug. ‘Don’t leave it so long next time!’
Amanda hugged her back. ‘I won’t, you can guarantee that.’
‘Is that right?’ Astrid answered, pulling away slightly.
‘Let’s just say, we have a lot to talk about,’ Amanda explained.
‘Fair enough,’ Astrid answered, before looking over her shoulder. ‘Rane, how are you doing, you little wild-child?’ she said before stepping over and hugging her, too.
‘I’m very well. This is impressive,’ Rane said, waving at their surroundings.
‘I’m a businesswoman these days,’ Astrid answered. ‘Who’d a thought it, hey? Me? Making deals and running a company?’
‘Scary,’ Amanda answered.
‘Hey, I had to grow up sometime. So, you going to introduce me to your friends?’ Astrid asked, gesturing towards Valerya and Aris.
‘Astrid, meet Valerya and Aris — Dragon hunters.’
‘Dragon hunters? You sure you picked a challenging enough target?’ Astrid quipped.
Valerya shrugged.
‘Well, whatever, if you’re friends with Red and Rane here, you’re welcome on Canis.’
‘Thank you. You run this place?’ Valerya asked.
‘I do. Started it a few hundred year
s ago, and it’s grown into a bit of a monster,’ Astrid said as she started to walk towards the shaft wall, indicating they should follow her. ‘It was my baby, but these two miscreants here helped me get it started,’ waving to Amanda and Rane as she spoke.
‘The Wraiths are one of the more sought-after mercenary companies in the sector these days,’ Rane explained. ‘We use them, the Foundation uses them, and I’m pretty sure some of the Dynasties use them, too.’
‘Right on the money,’ Astrid agreed. ‘We’re kept very busy.’
‘What do you do for your clients?’ Valerya asked.
‘All sorts. We do lots of escort duty, security details, as well as infiltrations, and helping in various military capacities. We have teams that specialise in all kinds of work, from assassination to bodyguards.’
Rane looked over at Amanda as she messaged her through their Link. ~I hope she joins. The Wraiths would be perfect for the Alliance.~
~Agreed,~ Amanda answered.
‘Impressive,’ Valerya complimented her.
‘Thanks. Let’s head down this way. I think there’s a meeting room along here somewhere…’
Amanda turned to Malax, the man who had been standing with Astrid and was now walking along the corridor with them. ‘Glad to see you’re still keeping Astrid in line, Major,’ she said. He was an older looking man with a bushy moustache and a serious expression on his face. He was all business, if she remembered correctly.
‘No one’s been good enough to kill me yet, Miss Page. And it’s General now, not Sergeant Major.’
‘General? You mean you run this thing now?’
‘He wishes,’ Astrid interrupted.
‘I look after the Riven troops,’ he grunted.
‘Aaah,’ Amanda said. Malax wasn’t a Magus, so it sounded like he was in overall charge of the Riven members of the Wraiths, but Astrid, being an Arch Magus, outranked him, at least, when it came to members of the Wraiths, anyway.
‘Aaah, here we are. This will do,’ Astrid said and opened a door part way along a corridor. Amanda walked in and found a seat while her friends followed suit, sitting around the table. Astrid also took a seat. ‘So, what’s so secretive, Red?’
Star Magi: A Space Opera Fantasy Adventure (Star Magi Saga Book 1) Page 19
