Last of the Chosen (Spirit of Empire, Book One)

by Lawrence P White

  He flagged down a public skimmer, and they headed across the city to meet with one of Serge’s men. The ‘man’ turned out to be a creature standing three feet tall with an equally long tail. It reminded Reba of a platypus with a tail, and it acted the part as well, seeming like a fish out of water. Black downy fur covered its body. Its head had a short, flat beak, light green in color, and the short legs ended in fingers with webbing between the light green digits. It spoke Galactic High Standard with a noticeable lisp. Val seemed unsurprised at meeting the creature, but Reba struggled to hold back laughter.

  >What is it?< she asked Celine.

  >A Plankid. And yes, it prefers a water environment. Its home probably has a large pool or tub surrounded by vegetation.<

  In spite of its ungainly appearance, the creature worked for Serge and was highly respected as a spy. It had no interest in their mission or with introductions, nor did it offer a name, but it had the proper password. It flagged down another skimmer and took them to a tall apartment building, directing the skimmer to a private landing at the top of the building. Two floors had been rented, including the penthouse, and standard groupings of furnishings for heterogeneous alien dwellers and guests were already in place. Their small group would not need all 23 units, but the group did need privacy.

  “Serge doesn’t mess around, does he?” Reba commented after their inspection. “I thought we were on a budget,” she added, looking askance at the creature.

  “Serge’s activities do not come cheap,” it replied, “but his returns are generally acceptable. I have rented the property for one planetary year, and I have remained within my budget. If that is all, you have no further need of my services. Goodbye.”

  “I guess we just pick rooms, Val,” Reba said as she picked up her travel bag.

  He flopped down on a couch. “I’m exhausted. Must be all the training I’m giving you. That was a nice approach, by the way.”

  A bright smile lit her face. “Thanks! I may get the hang of starships yet. I’m not ready to do it without your help, though.”

  “Yes, you are, and you know it. Do you have something nice to change into? I’d like to take you out to dinner.”

  She blinked, sobering. “Uh . . . that sounds suspiciously like a date. Are you asking me out?”

  Val looked a little uncertain of himself, something she rarely saw. “I don’t know how things are done on Earth, but where I come from this is how we start relationships.” He lifted his chin to her defiantly, daring her to refuse. “Yes, I’m asking you out on a date, Reba. We’ve been together for months, but this is the first opportunity I’ve had to have your undivided attention without others around. Will you accompany me?”

  “Starting a relationship, huh?” she responded with a glimmer in her eyes. She moved to stand before him, then simply sat on his lap and rested her arms around his neck, her eyes inches from his. “If you think this relationship is just getting started, buster, you’re even more dense than Mike was.”

  Val looked startled, then a grin lit up his face. He put his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace.

  “We have work to do, you know,” she said after a time.

  “No, we don’t. My body doesn’t even know what day it is, let alone what time zone we’re in. Aren’t you exhausted?”

  “I was. I’m not any more. Does your offer still stand?”

  “It does. I’ve made a reservation at the best restaurant in town.”

  “How did you do that? And how do you know the best restaurant?” she asked, leaning away from him.

  “Serge has connections.”

  “Serge! You mean he helped you plan this?”

  “Maybe a little. Are you still on for dinner?”

  “You bet, Sir Val. The offer is made, and I accept. Give me a few minutes,” she said, jumping up and heading off to a nearby bedroom.

  Val chose the room next to hers and heard her shower running while he changed. He was waiting for her when she came out. Dressed in a floor length green dress that clung to her body, he could only stare.

  “Where did you get that dress?” he wondered aloud.

  “Like you said, Serge has connections,” she replied with her dazzling smile, taking his arm and leading him to the lift. “Come on, I’m hungry. I have a feeling this will be a memorable evening.”

  * * * * *

  Others began arriving three days later. First came four large crates delivered to the apartments. Reba and Val had been waiting anxiously for them and unloaded them as quickly as they could. Four Guardians crawled out from a grim incarceration. During the next several weeks, fifteen more individuals, all handpicked by Serge, arrived and went to work gathering intelligence on Chandrajuski’s situation.

  Mike, Ellie, Otis, and Jessie arrived last. Discussions, even arguments, had ensued concerning Ellie’s participation on Centauri III, but she had pulled rank and prevailed. Only she could recruit Admiral Chandrajuski, and then only after the use of her Talents. Mike could recruit, and his badge of office would suffice for identification, but he could not Test. Too much was at stake to permit mistakes at this point. She used the argument that Alexis was in a safe place, hence her succession was assured. She and Mike arrived as wealthy merchants, their Great Cats always at their sides.

  Chandrajuski was under house arrest at his estate on the outskirts of town. An Admiral Vorst, a human, had replaced him and had culled through the headquarters staff, dismissing or imprisoning those he felt were not loyal to the Rebel cause. The new regime was well established at the highest levels in Centauri Sector and was slowly extending its tentacles into lower levels.

  Along with the report on Chandrajuski’s whereabouts came frightening news. His estate was guarded by three gleasons, the most fearsome creatures known in the galaxy. Otis and Jessie growled long and deep at this news.

  “It’s a trap,” Otis stated emphatically to Ellie. “This is the worst possible news. Struthers is using Chandrajuski as bait to catch you.”

  “What does it mean, Otis?” demanded Mike.

  “It means, Sire, that we may not be able to spring the admiral. Is there anyone else suitable for his position, Your Majesty?”

  “There’s always someone else, Otis, but I really want him. And we’re here. Time is a precious commodity, and we have months invested in this.”

  “Time is not precious if we fail.”

  “No, not if we fail. We will not fail. Gleasons are not known for their intelligence. You’ll have to outsmart them.”

  “Your Majesty, I repeat, it’s a trap. Chandrajuski is bait; you are the prize.”

  “What makes these gleasons so bad?” asked Mike.

  Otis turned to him. “They are pure terrors, Sire. Their death-dealing skills even surpass those of Protectors. They’re extremely difficult to find, let alone kill. They are humanoid, but their bodies change color to blend into the surroundings, making them virtually invisible. They have two of almost everything: two sets of arms, two nervous systems, and two circulatory systems. They have only one head, but each side of the brain can function independently if necessary.”

  He paused to let Mike consider, then added softly, “It gets worse, Sire. They mind link among their own kind. What one knows, the other two will know instantly, if indeed there are only three of them guarding the admiral. To make matters worse, they are without scruples. Their world never accepted the Empire, nor was the Empire ever able to civilize them. In the end, the Empire gave up trying. Their world was placed off limits, and they were prevented from leaving. I have never known them to work for anyone. Struthers has pulled off a major coup if he has their assistance.”

  “You really hate them, don’t you.”

  “I fear them, Mike. Remember the story I told you about how the Empire saved my people?”

  “I do.”

  “It was from the gleasons we were saved, and even with the Empire’s help it was a near thing.”

  “They must have some weaknesses,” Mike demanded
.

  “My ancestors discovered a few minor weaknesses, but these are very, very dangerous creatures, Mike.”

  “How do you fight them if you can’t see them?”

  “Exactly. Great battles are remembered in songs handed down from one generation to another. From these songs I know that when severely wounded the gleasons lose their ability to change color to match their surroundings. They lose their invisibility.”

  Mike frowned. “But you have to see them to wound them.”

  Otis nodded. “The only other weaknesses I know of are that the gleasons have a strong body odor and they have poor vision. To compensate for the poor vision they see into the infrared, meaning they sense body heat in the dark.”

  Mike frowned. “So let’s think it through,” he said. “We have to meet twice with Chandrajuski. He has directed us to some member of his staff, but who that person is has been impossible to determine. He, or it, is very deeply hidden. We must get that one name from him. Following that, we have to extract him. Those are the only two contacts we have to make with him. We have to do it under the very noses of the Rebels and the gleasons, both of whom are expecting us.”

  He turned to Ellie. “We’re asking too much.”

  “It must be done, Michael. I need someone to restore my military forces. We’ll have the same problem with whomever we seek. The list of candidates for this job is not long and Struthers knows them as well as I do, perhaps even better. He was, after all, Mother’s First Knight.”

  Silence descended upon the room. Otis said what was on everyone’s mind. “You are Queen, and you are the Last of the Chosen. You are their target.”

  She turned to him with fire in her eyes. “Then give me an alternative.”

  The two stared at each other, long years of friendship and love warring with the calls of Empire each had accepted so long ago.

  Ellie broke the silence, her eyes betraying the love she felt for her Protector of so many years. She said softly, “When the leaf people left us in that field on Lianli, you asked, ‘We are called, but to what?’ I answered that I did not know, but we were a part of something bigger than ourselves and that the burden would be heavy. We now know what that burden includes, my friend. I said it then, and I say it again now, we will stand together or fall together.”

  A great chill wracked the body of the Great Cat. He shook his head to rid himself of the sensation and said equally softly, “The Chosen have no purpose if there is no Empire. I cannot promise a successful outcome, but I will give you all that I am, Your Majesty.”

  * * * * *

  One of them had to meet with Admiral Chandrajuski. Ellie not only needed to let him know a plan was being prepared, she needed a name from him, someone he trusted as a contact. Serge’s spy was called upon to help. Within a few days, Mike, Val, and Reba found themselves working for a cleaning company.

  Jake had finished with Mike’s arm and the cast was gone, but his use of the arm was limited. He exercised it daily, but it was still weak. He wasn’t the only one on the work crews with disabilities, but it held him back. Reba’s quality of work was equal to Val’s, but her looks got in the way: the shift leaders felt threatened by her. Consequently, she found herself on the receiving end of the worst jobs. After two long weeks of hard, unending work, Val was finally selected to work on the crew servicing Chandrajuski’s home.

  Chandrajuski’s property sprawled over ten acres, surrounded by a force-fence visible only by tall posts along its perimeter. Within the perimeter, the land was a natural escarpment of high grass and scattered trees, far from the city.

  The home’s single floor was unusual, but no more unusual than the home’s occupants. A high dome on the west end of the building was the primary living area for Chandrajuski and his family, permitting the growth of forest-like plants throughout its five-story interior. The cleaners were not ordinarily responsible for the forest area of the home, only the more public parts on the east end that were used for entertainment and meetings with outsiders.

  Val, as the newest member of the cleaning crew, was assigned to cleaning bathrooms.

  As he worked, he felt himself under observation. Turning quickly, he saw the flash of a bright green tail retreating from the doorway. A short time later he heard a low chittering conversation. Without turning, he said, “Come here, little ones. I would meet you.”

  Three miniature versions of Chandrajuski appeared hesitantly, vying for position in the hallway outside the bathroom, then freezing in place. Had Mike been there, he would have said they reminded him of praying mantises, though they stood two feet tall. Bright green, they balanced on four extremely long and thin legs partially folded as if poised to flee. Two long arms, powerful looking, ended in hands with fingers and two opposing thumbs, hands that seemed to be held at the ready for instant fighting. Everything about them was green, tinged here and there with yellow. Their heads, perched at the end of long and powerful necks, were triangular and hairless. Their chests, very deep, were the only non-delicate looking part of their bodies. But like Chandrajuski, their resemblance to insects ended the moment one looked into their eyes. Large, dark eyes full of intelligence and curiosity peered back at Val.

  They watched and waited, poised to flee, looking like a good wind would blow them away. Val turned back to his work as he talked. “Welcome, little ones. Do you have names?” More chittering. “Do you understand my speech?” asked Val.

  One boldly stepped closer, speaking in a high singsong voice, “We understand your speech, sir.”

  “Who are you, then?”

  “I am known as Grimmatis, sir. We are of the Children.”

  “You are the admiral’s children? Is he here?”

  “Always, now.”

  “May I speak with him?”

  “Not unless you have an appointment.”

  “I have no appointment, but I know he wants to speak with me. Can you keep a secret?”

  “We are Gamordians, sir. Of course we can keep a secret.”

  “I must speak with him secretly. No one can know. Is that possible?”

  “We know, so it is not possible.”

  Val’s eyes rose to the ceiling. “I meant no one else can know. I must speak either with him or with your mother.”

  “Mother supervises. She will come if needed.”

  “It must be a secret.”

  The three children scampered away. Later, as he prepared to move on to the next bathroom an adult Gamordian blocked his way, completely filling the doorway to the hall.

  “I am Chandra Chandrajuski. I would inspect your work,” she stated with authority.

  Val stood back and motioned her into the bathroom. She stuck her head in the door, blocking the hallway with her body. Her gaze swept the room once, missing nothing.

  “The mirror is streaked. Will you fix that?” she asked, pointing at an invisible blemish.

  Val grabbed his cleaning equipment and went to work as he whispered. “Your husband and I must talk. Can you arrange it?”

  “You are part of the cleaning staff. How can you be so presumptuous?” she asked softly.

  Val reached into a pocket and withdrew one of his Knight’s Pins. “Take this to him. He will understand.”

  She took the Pin in her hand without expression and looked directly into his eyes. She clearly recognized the significance of the Pin. “The rest of your work appears to be satisfactory. Thank you for your efforts on our behalf,” she said, then backed away.

  She caught up to him an hour later. “Come with me, please,” she ordered.

  Val followed while she searched for the supervisor to request assistance in the living quarters. The supervisor huffed a little but acquiesced. Val followed Chandra through a doorway into the domed part of the home and stopped in wonder. Bright green, incredibly healthy looking trees grew everywhere, trees whose trunks rose delicately but quite high before branching out to create a canopy under which he could see to the far side of the room. A strong, pleasant aroma of the for
est filled his head. An adult Gamordian, probably the admiral, was raking dead leaves into piles across the room.

  “I would ask your assistance with disposing of this mess,” the Gamordian called.

  “Of course, sir.”

  The admiral handed him a rake with both hands, one hand sliding into Val’s to return the Pin. “Where did you come by that token?” he asked quietly as he returned to work.

  “I’m certain you know, sir. It is not a relic of the old regime.”

  “You are young for the position.”

  “As is the source,” Val responded as he worked. “I need a name from you.”

  “How is it you came to your cleaning job?” the admiral asked more loudly as he worked. “Do you like cleaning, or is your position temporary?”

  “I work to feed myself, sir, any way that I can. I have no loftier ambition, but the work I do usually pleases my supervisors.”

  “Then you make enough money to survive, I take it.”

  “Barely. Tips are always appreciated, sir.”

  “Yes, I suppose they are. I miss my work. Do you know who I am?”

  “I believe you were the Sector Commander before the change, sir.”

  “I was, and now I’m wasting away. I miss the responsibility, and I miss my staff, my personal assistant, Jeffers, especially. He only rarely comes to see me anymore, and then only on business for the Rebels. Do you have word of the Empire?” he asked innocently.

  “No, sir. Such things are above me. What do I care if change comes? It makes no difference to me.”

  “Short-term, possibly not,” grumbled the admiral. “Come, I’ll show you where to dispose of the refuse.”

  Chandrajuski led the way to a door that led to the outside. “There are other entrances, but this one will do for now,” the admiral stated as they worked.

  “It did not appear to be locked,” Val noted absently.

  “There is no need. None of our doors are locked. There is nothing here of value to me except my family, and we are guarded by beasts more hideous than you can imagine. Do not think of coming back to steal from me. You would not succeed.”