Shroud of Eden (Panhelion Chronicles Book 1)

by Marlin Desault

  Proconsul averted his gaze and continued. “Except that, trillions of these tiny carbon spheres containing antimatter are released in a stream. When the spheres reach their target the charge is, as you point out, neutralized to allow the matter and antimatter to come in contact with each other.”

  “Good God.” Scott rubbed his forehead, amazed that he hadn’t grasped the concept earlier. “A discovery so revolutionary that, in two centuries on Earth, we never rediscovered it. We’ve been so intent on improving our directed energy weapons that we overlooked a far greater destructive power.” He sagged in his chair as the full impact of the idea came over him, and his tone grew serious. “A weapon like that would have destructive power beyond words, but your ancestors overlooked one circumstance that renders this device useless, at least to you.”

  Wimund shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “You’ve uncoverd our one weakness.”

  Scott sat up and locked his gaze with the Proconsul. “You didn’t have to mention it. It’s painfully obvious. You’ve evolved into a society in which your people are incapable of any act of dominance.” He weighed his words carefully. “Over the generations, you’ve bred a society incapable of aggressive acts. No Niobian would loose the power of this weapon on another human being.”

  Wimund exhaled a deep breath. “Our ancestors did not realize the extent to which we would take our aversion to non-dominance, and how that would leave us defenseless even as we possessed the most powerful weapon Earth could devise.” His voice went somber. “Scott, you must see that those who govern Earth would sacrifice Niobe and her people to get Prometheus. We are condemned by what we have become. We cannot allow this machine of destruction to fall into the hands of those who would turn it against us, yet we cannot use it to defend ourselves.” Wimund pleaded. “If the Panhelion takes Prometheus from us, we are defenseless.”

  “You became defenseless when you bred the last instinct of dominance out of your society,” Scott countered. “Did you never think of destroying it when you realized you were powerless to use it?”

  “We just ignored it until we found a use for it. An errant planetoid approached Niobe and we used Prometheus to deflect its orbit. Niobe has suffered a few such encounters in its history. One even caused a mass extinction, leaving us with no land animals.”

  “Yes, that was explained to me when I arrived.”

  Proconsul grew earnest. “So you see, we are at the mercy of Earth’s rulers. That is unless we have a friend to help us, one who can express dominance over others—one who is not fettered by our fatal Tradition.”

  Proconsul stood motionless for several seconds. He gazed deep into Scott’s eyes. “Scott, might you be the friend we need in this desperate hour?”

  Momentarily at a loss for words, Scott gaped at Proconsul. “You’re asking me to take up arms against my own people?”

  Niobian Orbit

  -

  Aurora

  ~~~

  Scott trained his sidearm on Marie as Klaas brought Pegasus smoothly alongside Aurora. Like a giant leech, a tunnel telescoped out from the strike cruiser, binding the two ships together and allowing free transfer between the two crafts.

  On board Aurora, a Marine escort led Scott and his two crewmembers to the combat deck, where they met Poland Tanner. Years before, he and Tanner were both on the fast track to senior command. Tanner now commanded the Panhelion’s most powerful starship, a command Scott had wanted, but after his court-martial, he was grateful to get command of even a small corvette. Tanner, with an aura of authority, sported a splash of gray hair, and dressed in the captain’s uniform of a Defense Command captain.

  Tanner greeted him with a salute.

  Instinctively, Scott returned the courtesy.

  “Ambassador Drumond, welcome to the Aurora. I’ve ordered my staff to make your stay with us as pleasant as possible.”

  “Thank you, Poland, a pleasure to see you again. I’m chartered to extend greetings to you from the Proconsul of Niobe and to give you this.” He handed over a doc-projector containing Proconsul’s message. With a nod toward Marie he continued. “I’ve also brought a prisoner.”

  The captain of the Aurora raised his hand and motioned to a nearby Fleet-Marine captain.

  The Marine’s biceps bulged as if they would split his sleeves if he flexed his arm. He was, Scott suspected, an officer who likely led his men in endless one-arm push-ups.

  Tanner smiled graciously at his ambassadorial guest. “Security will take Lt. Zirkel. Ambassador, if you would join me in the conference room, I’d like to discuss the Niobians.”

  They sat on opposite sides of an oval table as Tanner studied the message from Proconsul. “If I discard all the diplomatic niceties, I see one item that concerns me. They claim to have some sort of defensive capability. Is this true?” He glanced at Scott over the top of the projected message on the desktop.

  “It is.” Scott related the story of how the Niobians were descended from a group of scientists that left Earth five generations earlier. “The Proconsul of Niobe confirmed that when his ancestors left Earth they took with them a breakthrough weapon named Prometheus. It’s a device based on technology lost to Earth and never rediscovered.”

  “A device? You mean a weapon? Is it a directed energy weapon or some type of thermonuclear device? Panhelion technology, both offensive and defensive, has improved significantly over the last centuries.” Tanner’s smug look grated on Scott.

  “Neither. Similar to a beam weapon, but it doesn’t use atomic particles. Rather, the stream is composed of spherical carbon molecules.”

  Tanner leaned back with a smile. “You must be joking. A beam of carbon molecules? If you mean fullerenes, they’re ancient technology, and a stream of them would be a rather anemic weapon. Our hull would have no problem deflecting a stream of carbon molecules.”

  “Don’t be so quick to dismiss it.” Scott lifted his head and cast an annoyed gaze at Tanner. “The molecular spheres contain antimatter. When the spheres reach their target, the matter-antimatter annihilation releases tremendous energy.”

  Tanner crossed his arms. His smug look vanished. “We’ve always been able to stop nuclear weapons by destroying them with our directed energy beams before they could reach us, and up to a point, directed energy weapons are blocked by our magnetic and electrostatic shields.”

  “Your shields are no good against Prometheus. The molecules will take on a neutral charge as soon as they encounter your shields. A thousand bursts of energy will overpower the shields and punch right through your hull. This ship would look like a sieve after such an encounter.”

  “Then we intercept the stream of molecules with our beam weapons.”

  Scott shook his head. “Your particle beams would scatter the fullerenes, creating a shotgun effect. You’d be deluged with trillions of carbon spheres containing antimatter. When they detonate, the released energy will crush any part of your ship that wasn’t vaporized first.”

  For all Tanner’s intelligence, Scott realized with dismay the man simply refused to comprehend the power of this weapon.

  Tanner’s eyes narrowed, and his lips thinned at the discussion. He dropped his gaze to the document projected in front of him. “You’re saying we are defenseless against this... this Prometheus? God, for all the Panhelion’s technological advances, we find ourselves at the mercy of a technology two centuries old?”

  A chime sounded before Scott could reply.

  “Excuse me a moment.” Tanner swiveled his head toward the portal and rose from his chair.

  The Captain of Security entered. “A message from the prisoner.” He handed Tanner an e-document.

  Tanner projected the document in private and studied the message. “Well, it seems your prisoner has something important to tell me.” Tanner nodded to the guard. “Please bring Lieutenant Zirkel to me.”

  A few minutes later, the guard escorted Marie into the room. Her shoulders hunched, she threw a defiant glance toward Scott. Her hands bo
und by electronic shackles linked to a belt around her waist, she stood before them with a haughty, chin-up pose. “Are these really necessary?” Her hands twisted in the cuffs. With her palms toward Tanner she said, “I’m unarmed and not a threat.”

  Tanner studied her for a moment. “You’re accused of murder. For the time being, you’ll have to endure them. Now, what do you want to tell me?” His interest piqued, he momentarily arched his brow.

  Marie leaned forward and squirmed to sit as best her fettered condition would permit. “I know a great deal about the Niobian defense capability, but with Drumond present I can’t tell you anymore than that. You must contact Admiral Camus. He’ll authorize my release. If we can speak in private, you’ll understand what this is all about.”

  “Scott, if you’ll excuse me. I’ll have some refreshments sent in while I talk to the prisoner in the ward room. When I’m finished, I’ll be back.” Tanner rose and left with Marie.

  In less than twenty minutes, Tanner rejoined Scott. “Ambassador Drumond, I’m sorry to tell you that you’re under arrest. Our Fleet-Marine guards will escort you to secure quarters, where you will be confined until I have further instructions. Commander Van der Meer will also be confined. However, given your status as Ambassador, I’ll make sure you have comfortable accommodations, and if you need anything let the guard know. My instructions are that you be treated with all the courtesy due your ambassadorial status, even though I understand you have only a temporary appointment to your diplomatic post.”

  Scott pushed himself up from the table and gave Tanner a scowl. “May I know the reason for this outrage?”

  “Scott, please don’t make this anymore difficult for me than necessary. But to answer your question, I’ve received orders from my HQ to place you and Commander Van der Meer under arrest.”

  “That’s it, orders? Admiral Camus gave you this order? I remind you, temporary or not, I am the ambassador to Niobe, appointed by the Panhelion Senate. Admiral Camus has no authority over me,” Scott bellowed in outrage. “Camus is interfering in affairs of state and usurping power reserved to the Senate to boot.”

  A sobering thought dawned on Scott. “And Lieutenant Zirkel?”

  “Mister Ambassador, I have my orders,” said Tanner in an authoritative voice. “As for Lieutenant Zirkel, she’ll remain in confinement as well.”

  “This is absurd.” Scott jabbed his finger at Tanner. “I demand you allow me to send a message to the Panhelion Senate and to Admiral Delmar.”

  “Sorry, Ambassador, I can’t let you do that.”

  “Camus’ orders as well?”

  Tanner replied with a terse yes.

  “At least let me contact the Proconsul of Niobe,” Scott protested. “He’s expecting my explanation as to why the Aurora is here, and if he doesn’t hear from me your situation will become considerably more complicated.”

  “Don’t trouble yourself, Ambassador Drumond. He’ll find out soon enough. Admiral’s orders forbid me to allow you contact with anyone outside this ship.”

  Scott slapped the table. “Camus can’t get away with meddling in the diplomatic affairs of the Panhelion. As soon as the Senate hears of this they’ll strip him of his rank, and you’ll go down with him.”

  “No doubt,” Tanner agreed with a sigh. “But Ambassador, I have written orders. I’ll leave the finer points of the debate to be settled later by Admiral Camus and the Senate.”

  “Just following orders, Poland? That’s no excuse. Your orders are illegal and won’t stand up to either a Senate or a military inquiry. If you carry them out you’re leaving yourself open to court-martial.”

  With his fury spent, Scott marched silently in front of the Fleet-Marine guard through the gangway to his confinement. As the portal hissed to a close behind the retreating guard, Scott studied his new prison—comfortable, and judging from its size, it likely belonged to one of the senior officers. The bulkhead was decorated with a huge display showing an image of the Horsehead Nebula. On a desk in the corner, he tried a terminal only to discover it disconnected.

  Frustrated by far reaching events beyond his control, he paced the room. Tanner’s lack of concern about the revolutionary nature of the Niobian weapon could only mean he knew the Niobians wouldn’t use Prometheus against his ship.

  A dark thought crossed his mind. If Admiral Camus had ordered the arrest of a Panhelion Ambassador, the situation foreshadowed an even greater danger. Camus had always shown himself to be a careful man. He had to know the Senate would never allow him to get away with imprisoning a member of the Diplomatic Corps.

  Only one thing could prompt Camus to defy the Senate, and that, Scott reasoned, meant the Panhelion faced a catastrophe. He must find a way to get word of his arrest and of the disaster about to befall the government of Earth to Admiral Delmar and the Senate.

  Niobian Orbit

  -

  Aurora

  ~~~

  The light from the overhead panels on the far side of the room changed from dark gray to pale blue, waking Scott from a fitful sleep. The hue and increasing brightness simulated an Earth sunrise, stimulating human circadian rhythm into a day cycle. His experience on the Targelion told him the same blue-white glow lit the compartments of day-watch crew throughout Aurora. Through the porous bulkhead panels, warm air drove away the cool of the night.

  Now roused, his ears picked up on a subtle difference in the sounds echoing through the ship. Pumps whirred and the clang of metallic tools accumulated as the morning wore on.

  Under the watchful eye of the Marine guard, a mess steward arrived and placed breakfast on the table.

  Scott took his time eating, all the while cursing his isolation and worrying about Ariela. At the sound of the portal chime, he glanced up from his plate and shoved himself away from the table. He arrived in front of the portal just as the door slid open.

  He reacted to the familiar form before him with a broad smile. “Blyds... Blyds Gatura, what in the name of infinite truth are you doing here?” He clapped his hands on the burly forearms of his former second-in-command of the Targelion.

  “Well, what about you?” The nut-brown face grinned back at him. “A living contradiction: an Ambassador and a prisoner. I have to say, you always did have a knack for mucking things up for yourself. The last time I saw you was after your court-martial. God, what a mess you were, drowning yourself in rum and self-pity.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Scott grabbed Blyds by the arm and steered him into the room. “I’m grateful to you for helping me out of that mess, and for persuading Admiral Delmar to give me a second chance.”

  Blyds looked Scott up and down. “Well, some favor I did you. Look at you now, a brig rat.”

  “For a brig, the quarters are nice.”

  “They should be, they were mine until you showed up.” Blyds chuckled.

  Scott pointed to the table. “Sit down. I’ve got to know, what the hell is happening back on Earth?”

  Blyds arched his eyebrows. “You’ve heard about the encounter Demos had in the Coma Berenice’s Cluster?”

  Scott shook his head. “Nothing. What about it?”

  “Demos ran into an ambush. Belligerent aliens. Barely got away with their ship intact.” Blyds took a deep breath and stared down at the table. “Admiral Camus sent Vesper to support them, but it doesn’t look good for her either. The Coma Berenice’s aliens are on a planet orbiting a star designated as CB2. From the battle reports I saw, the bad guys have beam weapons that outgun our best weapons. Vesper is limping her way back home as we speak.”

  Scott jumped up from the table. “Hellfire hadrons. The first encounter with bellicose extra-terrestrials occurs, and I’m cooped up here. Can you get me out?”

  “That’d be tough. Camus wants that weapon, the one the Niobians have, and you’re in his way. He ordered Tanner to get it any way he can. And that means whatever the losses to the Niobians or to the company of Fleet-Marines Tanner has waiting to fly down to Niobe and take it.” Blyds focus
ed an intense stare on Scott. “How tight is your relationship with the Niobians? I mean, can you get that thing for us? If you can, that may be your ticket out of this mess.”

  “I could get it with some diplomacy, but it may be too late.”

  “How so?”

  “When you mentioned that the CB2 aliens had ambushed the Demos with superior weapons, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place.” Scott sat back, his brows pinched and low. “Now I understand why Camus had me arrested.”

  “And that is?”

  Scott put his hand on Blyds’ shoulder. “Don’t you see? Camus is going to stage a coup. He’s going to somehow take power from the Panhelion Senate. He’ll set himself up as the sole military and political authority on Earth. He needs a crisis, and my guess is he’ll use the threat from the CB2 aliens to justify his power grab. Eventually, the Senate has to find out he’s arrested a member of the diplomatic corp, but he doesn’t care. First, he had to take me out. If I had gotten the Niobian weapon, he knew I’d turn it over to Admiral Delmar. Then his chances of persuading any Senator who doesn’t support him would be the square root of minus one.”

  “Yeah, imaginary.” Blyds tossed his head back and sniffled a laugh, then a puzzled look crossed his face. “Camus can’t get away with a coup.”

  “He will if no one stops him, especially if he has Prometheus.” Scott thrust a finger at Blyds’ chest. “When he has it, he’ll say that only he can stop the CB2 aliens from taking over our solar system and the settlements. And if he actually has Prometheus, he’ll be right. Not only will he use it to stop the aliens, he’ll use it to enforce his power over Earth. We’ve got to stop him.”

  Blyds narrowed his eyes. “Whew, you’ve got some imagination, Scott. You don’t have any proof. I can’t... I mean, I won’t join a mutiny on what you’ve told me so far.”

  “Blyds, I have to ask you.” Scott rose to his feet and extended his hands. “Is Tanner loyal to Camus? Can he be turned to help us?” He searched his friend’s face for any sign of agreement.