Equilibrium of Terror: Part 1 (Splintered Galaxy Book 3)

by Eddie R. Hicks

  “I know all about you because of her,” Jainuzei said. “I know how you murdered her husband, how you fraternize with the Hashmedai. Then you locked her up like a caged animal to fend for herself as you unleash the wraith upon this world.”

  Wraith huh? Much easier to say than psionic zombie, that’s for damn sure. “So that’s what you call these things? Ya know that’s fucked up, right? A science project using humans to produce these things.”

  “Humans, Linl, Aryile, any species can become touched by the wraith. But only humans have the genetic structure necessary to produce a wraith strong enough to survive the accession process.”

  Thanks for the intel. “Why are you telling us this?”

  “Because I truly believe that you and I are the same, Jake,” Jainuzei stepped out of his cover and slowly walked out in the open. “Alisha is drawn to me, as she was to you in the past. We are both warriors who were pushed away by the women we loved due to our commitment to our cause during a time of war. The difference is, I saw the true path the gods laid out to me, you did not. I cannot blame you for that however, the gods never had their word spread to Earth, not during the time you became a lost soul, wandering around aimlessly, with no guidance, unable to see the path in the distance, Alisha too along with the entire human race.”

  “Whatever, pal,” Jazz said.

  “Oh, but it is true, this is why you were led astray by the Hashmedai who don’t follow the path, the ones that would rather embrace their evil ways rather than accept change. I do not blame you for Jason’s death, and continue to ask Alisha to forgive you. But such a thing will never happen, not while you remain who you are. And so, I ask you Jake, follow us, drop your arms, let me take you in, cleanse your mind and show you the path you are supposed to follow. The path I follow, the path the Celestial Order follows, the path Alisha now follows, the path Hannah guides us all on.”

  “What?”

  Jazz didn’t know what to think, was this man telling the truth? Alisha? A follower of the order and Hannah? These were the two people he risked himself to come back for during the invasion of Earth. They were the only people he gave a damn about in life, even after they split. If he was telling the truth, this officially made Alisha and Hannah the enemy. Had things gone his way, had he not failed, he could have brought them to the empire during his escape from Earth. This all could have been avoided.

  Jainuzei laughed at Jazz’s silence, what he said hit him hard, and he knew it. “Alisha believes in our cause now, she is one of us, and you can too, she will forgive you and accept you as a friend once again,” Jainuzei continued. “And I know this is what you want, Alisha and Hannah as an enemy is something you can never live with or accept.”

  No, no, no, this is fucked up man, totally fucked up!

  “The Jazz wishes to be with Hannah and the Alisha,” Emelia’s voice echoed in his mind. “The Jazz only needs to follow the Jainuzei.”

  “Jazz. I don’t care if you believe in our gods or not,” said Vaishea. “But his gods and mine are not the same, don’t listen to him.”

  “Do not resist,” Emelia spoke to Jazz.

  Emelia’s words bored into Jazz’s mind, he felt compelled to do what she asked. Get up and make friends with Jainuzei.

  But only briefly, his mind and body was still his to control.

  … … …

  ►► Imperial Palace, Paryo

  ► Uemaesce system

  Kroshka was awoken from her sleep, with a strange urge to walk toward an Aryile man named Jainuzei. But such a thing would be impossible, for she was dozens of light years away from whoever this man is. Her pendant rested on the nightstand next to her began to glow brightly, generating enough light in her dark chambers to illuminate her bed and everything around it.

  “Do not resist.”

  “Emelia.” Kroshka whispered to herself as she held the pendant in her hands.

  Emelia may have taken Jazz as a host, but the gem she originated from was still in Kroshka’s possession.

  Jazz’s control of his body was his and his alone.

  Kroshka could sense the annoyance in Emelia’s thoughts the longer she held onto the pendant.

  … … …

  ►► Radiance R&D complex, Rasi

  ► Barnard’s Star system

  “It would seem my words have fallen on deaf ears,” Jainuzei said.

  “Oh, I heard ya,” Jazz said. “I just don’t give a flying fuck.”

  “So be it,” Jainuzei said calmly, drawing his rifle.

  The two feuding men returned to the weapons fire exchange, Jainuzei focusing on tactics with his attacks. Jazz focusing on vengeance, anger, and jealousy. He was going to get himself killed, something Vaishea wasn’t going to allow if she had any say in it.

  Vaishea looked toward the opened upper doors the transports used to escape. There was a power box next to it supplying energy for the force field, keeping the atmosphere out and the livable atmosphere inside. Her rifle pointed upwards toward the box, her targeting display zoomed in giving her a closer and accurate shot, then, she fired.

  The force field shut down, filling the entire lab with the hostile and extremely cold air and a down fall of snow from the blizzard. An alarm began to sound prompting everyone to grab environment suits, something they already had done, though Jainuzei lacked a helmet to his combat armor. A wave of mist poured into the labs from the above doors because of the cold air hitting the warm air. Like a waterfall, it all came down and enveloped the entire lab reducing visibility to a minimum.

  Vaishea got up from her cover and signaled to Jazz to follow her toward a maintenance ladder leading toward the upper transport doors. Ice and snow started to crystallize and build up all along the ladder as they climbed up it, both needed to take extra care not to slip and fall back down. The fall might not kill them, but should they fall into Jainuzei’s lap, well that might complicate things, wherever Jainuzei had ended up. Hopefully frozen like the wraiths below them.

  CHAPTER 28

  ►► Lyonrian structure, Oyuri

  ► Barnard's Star system

  The situation on Rasi was starting to look like the situation on Oyuri, in which both settlements quickly became over run by the wraith, their victims who did not suffer major brain trauma ended up joining their ranks. Order members on Rasi all were evacuated on transports heading toward the Pelican.

  The spread of the wraith was not part of the order’s plan. The original plan was to acquire tens of thousands of humans and have them all converted. That was why it was deemed necessary for the order to push the human race into the arms of Radiance. As the sixth member, they would have been given free access to the union especially worlds like Rasi as it was new and needed its population to expand. One by one, humans would have started to vanish, joining the ranks of the wraith, then when the time was right, the celestial ascension was to start.

  Jazz’s intervention followed by Odelea’s premature activation of the Lyonrian ruins, forced the hand of the order. They had to push forth with their ceremony now, or risk losing all their progress when the Radiance Union found out and glassed both planets to contain and eliminate the wraith, along with most of Telinei’s research, the ruins, everything.

  Hannah foresaw many possible futures how this could end, with the current path they were on. This was one method that provided them a chance to attain victory despite the problems. The celestial ascension must happen soon.

  Hannah entered the computer chamber within the ancient structure. She didn’t wear an environment suit, she didn’t need to, breathable air and comfortable temperatures followed her wherever she pleased. She was surrounded by a legion of wraith all under her command. She saw Sinzihea’s unmoving body on the floor and placed her fingers on her to check for a pulse. There was none. The psionics teleporting the wraith to the surface were probably suffering the same fate as they landed, unless they were strong and quick and teleported back out. No matter, it was more biomass for the wraith to add to their c
ollective.

  Hannah’s hand touched the side of one of the computers. It triggered the structure they were in to rock violently. The land that buried it parted, revealing a glowing dome shaped structure, with five towers all around it. It started to rise up high into the dark and eternally eclipsed skies. From the surface, you would see a floating temple of sorts hanging directly within the center of an eclipsed red dwarf star.

  Hannah and her entourage entered the box shaped room afterwards making a surprise appearance to Eicelea, Vynei and Odelea who were all grouped around the oval shaped wormhole generator. Ella while in possession of Avearan’s body was there too, though she just hovered above the generator. Hannah wandered how far Odelea would have gone to interfere further with the order’s plans. Stoarior, Tym and Livie were quite cunning in using Odelea, while keeping it a secret, not even Hannah with her clairvoyance saw this coming.

  Hannah extended her finger, pointing directly at them while her minions of wraith encircled them waiting for the order to strike. “Unwanted guests!” she shouted.

  Vynei began to shoot them, a futile act as they all immediately started to heal from the massive holes ripped into their bodies. Make them suffer or end it quickly? Decisions, decisions, decisions. Hannah began to laugh briefly as Eicelea, Vynei and Odelea ended up running into the wormhole along with four wraiths.

  “No!” Hannah shouted.

  Ella descended from her hovering stance and used her mind to shut off the wormhole connecting to one of the worlds in the Morutrin system.

  “We cannot afford to lose any more! Especially the human ones,” said Hannah.

  A disk-shaped pad appeared seemingly out of thin air while Hannah walked up to the now dormant wormhole. The pad had three slots on it. One of the slots was filled by the gem Chloe had dropped. It was slotted into it via a telekinetic hand. One created by Hannah’s mind. In an unwilling trance like state, Ella placed her gem onto the second slot.

  One last gem to go.

  Seven rangers along with Torval and Dalhakei entered from the sea of wraith around Hannah and Ella. In his Hashmedai hands was a gem just like the previous two that were slotted in. He placed it in the last slot. One by one all three of the gems start to flash as the wormhole generator commenced a complex power up sequence. Faint white light started to emit from the oval gateway.

  “Nivrui and Aviuheart’s essences are here,” said Hannah to herself. “All that remains is Emelia. Jazz is her host, he will be drawn here soon enough so long as this he and his gem are in this system.”

  Something wasn’t right, Hannah could feel it. Did Odelea tamper with it? Can’t be. She wouldn’t have had enough time. Hannah placed her ear toward each of the gems, one by one she was able to tell which ones were the right ones and which one was the wrong. Torval’s was, “Wrong... it’s not Emelia’s gem.”

  “I assure you my associates plundered this from the palace!” Torval said.

  “Kroshka’s or Y’lin’s?”

  “Y’lin’s as I recall.”

  “Wrong! All wrong! You fools took the wrong one!”

  “We didn’t know it would make a difference! How were we supposed to know when you were on Earth?” he said. “Your dreams, they were so cryptic.”

  “Each gem is unique,” Hannah said, “attuned to the minds of the goddess.”

  Both Torval and Dalhakei exchanged odd glances at Hannah’s mention of the word ‘goddess’. Dalhakei corrected her. “Goddess? You mean the gods.”

  High pitched laugher ejected from Hannah’s mouth. “You fools. You still haven’t figured it out yet have you?”

  “Hannah.” Dalhakei sounded concerned.

  Hannah held onto the disk device holding the three gems, placing it close to her chest, holding it like she once held toy stuffed animals as a child while she explained. “Nivrui, Aviuheart and Emelia, we’ve been fucking with you all the whole time. Do you really think it was the gods who had you on this path?” She laughed even more. “Since the dawn of the order it was the goddesses speaking to you all not the gods.”

  Dalhakei lifted his staff up toward Hannah to defend himself. “Wait. No, no, no,” he said.

  “Every bit of guidance? Goddesses at work! My existence, my purpose, the celestial ascension.” Hannah removed the incorrect gem Torval brought, and threw it at him, before continuing her speech. “I admit, we are here way too early. More humans were needed, the Hashmedai were supposed to secure that by forcing the humans to join the union, thus providing us with an endless supply of them! But no, this won’t be enough, and non-humans just aren’t reliable with the tasks we have planned!” She stepped closer to the two now petrified men and revealed. “I’m here to kill the gods. The wraiths are the tools that will make it happen, ironically weapons created by the gods themselves!”

  “No!” Dalhakei cried out again.

  “Yes!”

  “Heretic!”

  “The irony! Radiance called the order just that! If you don’t like this, then go back to praying to your gods along with the union!”

  “Stop her.” Dalhakei ordered his ranger escort. “She worships the evil ones!”

  All seven rangers lifted their rifles toward Hannah, she smiled at them. They all lifted their rifles toward their faces, and shut down their shields in the process.

  “Emelia may be missing, but Nivrui and Aviuheart have blessed me with their gifts,” Hannah said to Dalhakei and Torval. “Bow down and embrace the goddesses.” None of them did as she asked but just looked ominously at their mind controlled escort. “Have it your way!” she shouted, triggering all seven rangers to blow their brains out.

  Hannah’s new-found powers forced Dalhakei and Torval to remain still, paralyzed. Dalhakei’s staff fell to the floor as a result.

  “Dalhakei,” she said, looking at his staff. “That’s a gift from the goddesses, one that allowed you and Fahia to temper the minds of those to walk the path.”

  “A curse,” Dalhakei muttered. “Oh gods, please forgive me!”

  “Torval,” Hannah said, stroking the side of his face, moving her head in close to whisper in his ear. “Play with me.”

  Dalhakei’s staff levitated into the air then launched forward, landing into the hands of Torval while her mind forced Dalhakei to lie down on his back.

  “Rules of the game are simple!” she said to Torval “Smash his head in with the staff and I guess how many hits it takes until he dies! I assure you, I didn’t foresee the results as I did not foresee this mess! Ready?”

  “No please don’t,” Torval said. His body was forced to step next to Dalhakei’s head.

  “I’m guessing…” said Hannah, “fifteen? Okay, ready, set, go!”

  Regardless if he liked it or not, Torval raised the staff upwards and his body was forced to entertain Hannah in the game she suggested. Smack, smack, smack, Torval rapidly pushed the bottom of the staff down slowly pulverizing Dalhakei’s head while he screamed in agony. Blood started to splatter and spray upwards across Torval’s pants.

  “Okay stop!” Hannah demanded after fifteen strikes were made.

  Torval held the staff above in a tableau, ready for another strike the moment Hannah demanded one, if she demanded one. She walked over to Dalhakei and checked vitals. The old man was surprisingly still alive and breathing, barely.

  “Aww, I was wrong!” she said then faced Torval. “Okay, okay, twenty! No thirty! Go!”

  The savagery continued, this time, Hannah allowed Torval to use his full Hashmedai strength and speed. Thirty continuous strikes smashed into Dalhakei’s face. His eye sockets shattered first, then later his fore skull. The withered skin on his head ripped apart, exposing the crushed bones that were on the inside. A pulp of mush and blood, was all that remained of Dalhakei’s head, and that was at the twenty-one thrust mark, there were nine more hits to go. Hannah slowly raised her hands and slid them through her long black hair, there was a level of excitement and bliss as Dalhakei’s blood started to splash across her face. Han
nah’s face, eyes, moans, and the quivering of her body mimicked that of a woman having a soothing orgasm.

  Splash, splash. The final sounds of the staff pulverizing Dalhakei’s face in. Hannah stopped Torval and whispered. “You are amazing.” Her hand gripped his chin and pulled his face toward her. Like Torval, Hannah’s face was dripping red with Dalhakei’s splattered blood. “New game, find me Jazz, bring him here so that Emelia can leave his body. Also! Find Kroshka’s gem, I don’t care if you have to kill her to get it. Do you understand?” Torval nodded in a fearful manner, like a man who angered his deity and knew he was to be punished. “Good!” Hannah shouted. “Bring my mommy too! I want her to see what I’ve done in life!”

  … … …

  ►► Burred Linl ship, Derkurio

  ► Morutrin system

  Why would you do that? Phylarlie thought while she stood watching the mysterious doorway into another world glitter.

  Ella somehow managed to activate it, then walk through without saying what she was planning. Phylarlie was now divided between following her through, or hiding in cloak hoping the pirates wouldn’t spray bullets in random directions. Through the strange oval shaped doorway, she could see three people wearing Radiance made environment suits. They looked scared, terrified at Ella’s presence as she floated upwards, ignoring them.

  The pirates footsteps got closer as they continued their room by room search, it would only be a matter of time before the light being generated by the gateway would attract them into this room and keep them in it by pure fascination. They’ll probably also see Ella as well and try to kill her, damn it.

  She turned away from the doorway to another world and looked down into the halls. The pirates came at a stop at a room next to the closest four-way intersection in the halls. The flashlights fused to the tops of their rifles lit the way up for them in the darkened halls. Oddly enough, they were accompanied by two other men, an Aryile wearing Radiance combat armor, and a Hashmedai in a space suit, or was he human? His eyes glowed, but nowhere near as bright as her eyes would be, and he had several human features.