by Gary Caplan
“Yes, something like that,” Sheppard said. “I am doing it to recall some of what happened at QB7. It may not be completely helpful, but I should get some enlightenment.”
“Well, I think I can help. Why don’t you just lie down on this monitoring bed and be comfortable, Robert,” Grey said.
“Yes, I would rather lie down, of course,” Sheppard replied with a chuckle. “I would rather not cause a commotion when my clothing’s life-sign monitors send odd readings to the medical monitoring computer or have a med team be dispatched to investigate when I don’t respond to my commlink.”
Dr. Grey looked over at Commander Bell, one of the other physicians. “Connie, would you help with monitoring the commodore from time to time? I think he may be at his ‘telepathic meditation’ for several hours.”
Commander Constance Bell was a very capable physician. She was also a gorgeous brunette, and Sheppard knew that Grey was creating one of his arrangements again knowing Sheppard was not married—although in space, most of the captains could be considered married to the ship.
“No problem, Elijah, I would be glad to take turns monitoring Commodore Sheppard.”
“Oh, one question before I commence,” Sheppard said, looking at Dr. Bell. “Has the Varlon Nanotechnology finally been removed from the medical systems? Those torpedo attacks containing the nanobots caused some allergic reactions in the crew, if I recall correctly from an earlier report.”
“We have done a good cleaning job, as far as I can tell, Sir,” Bell replied. “I think the medical diagnostic systems were most affected…that is, before the entire ship seemed to be restored.”
“That’s right, Robert, the ship is clean now,” Grey added. “The report Bell made during the QB7 events was that the Varlon nanobots were causing havoc, but after the restoration event, they seemed to stop being a problem.”
“Well, I’m going to meditate on that very event,” Sheppard said. “Earlier I did not have the time, but I hope I can now glean some additional information from remote sensing and other techniques I will attempt…or at least get some peace of mind.” Sheppard began to focus on his Star Knight meditation.
* * *
In the meantime, Ares had been playing a game of Kosho, a Tyrian game reminiscent of a cross between basketball and soccer with a few small trampolines. As with several other sports, there was a yearly tournament among ship, task force, and fleet. After the practice, Ares soaked in a tub of hot water in the spa area of the main exercise facility complex onboard the Phoenix. For the most part, the water would be recycled. She realized she was being indulgent, using water to rub soap onto her skin and then to rinse it off. As she stood naked for a moment, she noticed a bruise; she did not worry, however, as she healed rapidly due to her genetics. She essentially had a perfect body, yet she worked to not flaunt that with others.
Ares stood, walked a few paces, and grabbed a towel, drying off the beaded water. She wrapped herself in the towel before she passed some of her teammates in the exercise facilities’ changing room as she headed for her clothes container. She was not the only transhuman in the fleet or in the sport. The Phoenix team was mixed; not all were human like her. Some species had senses or agilities or strengths as good as or better than hers, but not usually all aspects together.
“Good game, Diana,” Lyra Darani said, smiling. Commander Lyra Darani liked to play Kosho, as well, but she was not on the Phoenix’s official team, which had been cobbled together as the construction of the Phoenix was finished only three months ago. She was a fairly good player, and as a Quarlusian, she was the only one of her species onboard who tried to fit in with other groups. She had played against Ares’s practice group today.
“Thanks, Lyra; I aim to win,” Ares replied. “If you really like Kosho, you could join the team. Just ask Benson; as coach, he could arrange it.”
“I will think about it,” Darani said as she continued to dress.
Ares continued changing back into her nonduty clothes. Originally, she had thought the Quarlusian, Darani, was a security risk, since she was of the same race of shape shifters sent by the Varlon to sabotage Star One. A group of Quarlusians had worked with some Androsynths sent by the Accad, and both groups had sabotaged Star One and assassinated senior officers and ministry staff. Ares headed back to her quarters. On the way, she would pick up a quick meal in the galley and then head to the bridge to continue her work.
* * *
On the bridge, Captain Wilder was reading and organizing his briefings from the crew and reports of the other captains in Task Force One. He knew several ships were in position and were using long-range sensors or linking with the hyperspace COMNET system to better locate the Star City. The Talcon ambassador was observing the officers and had even been helping plot probable intercept courses for the Star Cities.
“The information you provided us with is somewhat different from the telemetry we have obtained,” Wilder said.
“The Star Cities I am familiar with are not the same class as the ones approaching; you have scanned data from one passing your sensor stations at the galactic rim,” Renjir said. “This is larger and from my home galaxy. I was there only as a child; that was decades ago. I now live in a planetary system in the irregular galaxy those of you from Earth call the Magellanic Cloud.”
“You mentioned it is larger and a different class than what you are familiar with,” Wilder said.
“Yes, Captain Wilder, these Talcon Star Cities seem to be multicolony facilities, which means there has been a migration from the home systems,” Renjir replied. “I cannot speculate as to why, although usually such an exodus is because of excessive population growth or perhaps stellar instability.”
Wilder nodded, taking in the Talcon’s explanation.
“Sir, the battlecruiser Nautilus in task force four has a long-range reading on the Star City,” Sterling said. “I was just updated by Fleet Captain Sherman.”
“How far is that from our maximum trans-light velocity?” Wilder asked.
“It’s one thousand, six hundred, and fifty light years from our present position; that’s going to take us approximately three days to reach, Sir, with the augmented engines,” Commander Zachary stated.
“The Star City is still moving right, so it could be less or more if it changes course,” Wilder replied.
Acting Commodore Sherman used his interlink. “The Nautilus is under one hundred light years from the Star City and is the closest to it. I will order Captain Grant to set a matching course and follow the Star City until the Phoenix and the equivalent of at least three task forces can rendezvous with the Star City.”
Wilder looked around the bridge as Ares and others took their stations and other officers shifted out. “I think we may need to shift into two-duty shift mode as we approach the Star City,” Wilder stated. “Mr. York, make a log notice.”
“Aye, Sir,” York replied. “I will make the necessary duty adjustments.”
Wilder nodded at York as he watched Ambassador Renjir Felkestaar observing his crew. This Talcon was an officer in his people’s space navy and evidently enjoyed being on the bridge. Ambassador Felkestaar had moved over to the science section and was conversing with Commander Andor, who alternately spoke to the Talcon in his native speech and in the Alliance standard language, which was composed of the languages of the founding members. Unlike other more formal ambassadors, this Talcon was friendly and getting along well with the Phoenix crew.
“Yes, our science division is large for a starship with military activities,” replied Andor to a question the Talcon had asked in his language. “And yes, we do have a large bridge crew, because manual actions sometimes became necessary during battle or if there were shield failure; in addition, although this happens rarely, interlinks and other computer interface devices might not function properly due to potential Varlon jamming.” Renjir nodded and then asked another question in Talcon. It seemed Renjir was still practicing his Alliance standard and seemed more at ease sp
eaking to an android, and Andor seemed to enjoy practicing his Talcon. Renjir eventually began conversing with Commander Taylor as well.
“Yes, essentially I am in command of inter-task force science projects for Task Force One, and Commander Andor, who is a degreed science officer, is in charge of science department administration. Of course, both of us also perform the science officer bridge duty tasks.”
“Now that we will be running a two-shift day again, only one senior science officer will be on duty at a time,” Andor said. “The three-shift period may allow some overlap, since scientific results and procedures occur at all times.”
“I have noted onboard the Indefatigable and at Star One,” Renjir said, “that, on the whole, artificial intelligences such as yourself, Commander Andor, are not given excessive responsibility, whereas perhaps my people sometimes give our AI’s too much responsibility.”
“Interesting,” Andor said. “True artificial intelligences in the Alliance have to serve a token twenty-one years and, upon passing requirements, are given citizenship. It is done that way because most biological life forms are juvenile citizens of their home worlds and, after certain amounts of time, are granted full citizenship privileges; for most humans and their colonies that age is usually between eighteen and twenty one.”
Renjir nodded. “I understand; your citizens do not want to grant instant rights, as they themselves do not obtain full rights and privileges until they are of appropriate age.”
Acting Commodore Sherman walked on the bridge and moved over to Ambassador Felkestaar. “I just wanted to thank you, Sir, for coming with us to help ensure a good first contact outcome with the Talcon in the Star Cities,” said Sherman.
“Of course I want to help; I also want to visit some fellow Talcon and see one of the Star Cities. And perhaps have some good Talcon food,” Renjir said with delight and with what appeared to be a smile when he mentioned food. Before Sherman could say more, one of his officers came to take him back to the command alcove.
“I guess we’re alike in that I, too, like to eat local or ethnic food from my home world,” Taylor interjected, “although I would like to try some of your Talcon-style cuisine.”
“Then perhaps I can arrange that. Oh, and please call me Renjir; I am not as formal as others, and it would be my pleasure to introduce you or any interested crew to the Talcon cuisine.”
“Feel free to call me Sharon. I understand you spent some time with your science directorate during your career.”
Wilder half listened to the muted banter of the officers and the ambassador as he finished reviewing a report. He felt sorry for Commander Andor just for a moment as Mr. Andor looked on while Sharon Taylor and Renjir started talking about science and food. Andor, like most other Class 3000 androids, had only one name attached to the rank he earned. Wilder also noticed that no one had yet sent a message to Star One or updated the location of the Star City, probably because Sheppard was doing some Star Knight discipline in the med bay. “Commander York, arrange to send a coded message to fleet command at Star One,” Wilder said. “We have located the Talcon Star City.”
* * *
In Sheppard’s state of mind, he was getting images and seeing and hearing things that, for the most part, related to his interest. He was in a trance state, yet he could sense the occasional presence of Doctor Bell, Doctor Grey, or one of the medical technicians when they came to check the monitors that would send alarms to the doctors’ commlinks or interlinks.
As he went deeper, using retrocognition and enhanced memory recall disciplines, he began to see clearer images of the events that had transpired at Quellus Borealis 7. His consciousness moved back to the time just after the Accadian supreme leader Kra’ag used his starship’s antimatter weapon to shear his ships apart. The leader was in a single Jiyarr base ship, not an actual Accadian-designed ship. Its defenses and weaponry were even more powerful than those of the Varlon H class. Sheppard recalled information from the Betellians, another of the nonaligned civilizations, that the Accad had acquired a task force of Jiyarri ships. The Betellians had been attacked by both the Varlon and Accadian ships. That made them anxious, as they were fairly peaceful while building their Dyson Sphere constructions around two star systems. They had undergone damage but were able to repel the fleet sent against them.
As Sheppard’s mind’s view became larger, he saw space and stars and then felt as though he were floating in space. Originally, he and Sharon Taylor had entered an escape pod and were moving away from the Phoenix as Wilder decided to heroically stay with the ship, thinking he was going to die, tried a last ditch attempt to ram the Phoenix, using lateral thrusters, into Kra’ag’s ship, the Kadjiah. His mind’s eye was viewing the shattered remains of his task force when he heard strange music that reminded him for a moment of Monteverdi’s “Domine Ad Adjuvandum” and various bits of other inspiring music. He saw what appeared to be a large star-like object appear, and then he felt the echo of a greater ascended beings’ passage. It was a Protren; now I see the signs, thought Sheppard. But why did it come? What was its purpose? Was it more to restore the planet and the Calyx facility? Then Sheppard saw the ships and the planets reform and renew, and his own ship resurrected like a phoenix from the fiery plasma of its death.
Then things began to distort and white out as the brilliance and light engulfed everything. As Sheppard awoke in the med bay, he had a better idea of what had happened. His task force and even planetary systems and even probably the few remaining damaged Varlon had been improved because they were rebuilt by a being taking no sides, with virtually perfect knowledge, and such a builder would naturally build or restore things to a more perfect or ordered version.
CHAPTER 5
THE ARCHON
Azura Jin Kra’ag, supreme leader of the Accadian forces in seven galaxies, waited patiently for a particular member of the Jiyarr Archon higher than himself to respond to his communication link. The Jiyarr had created the Accad as their warriors, and over time, some Accads had acquired membership status in their ruling body known as the Archon. The Accad looked like a cross between a crocodile and something human, with greenish-gray hide and a short, partially snake-like snout. They were originally genetically engineered workers and soldiers for the Jiyarr. The Jiyarr were also reptilian, but more raptor-like, with more elongated necks, and they were less brutish looking.
A special array of communication stations linked to the home galaxy had been set up using natural and Jiyarri-made wormholes in hyperspace. This system would allow for ultra-fast connections, the wormholes bypassing the intervening space. This reduced a potential delay in communication between New Accadia and other Accad- or Jiyarri-controlled regions.
Lord Solg sat on the inner council and was in his own right as powerful as the Jiyarr Emperor Sujar, who was in the leading family. Lord Solg’s image appeared in the chamber as the connection aligned; there would be minimal delay in communication, even at the vast distances between the senior Archon members. Kra’ag was relieved he was not presently in the same room with Lord Solg. Several of the Jiyarr on the Archon had psionic abilities and Solg’s telepathic abilities could reveal Kra’ag’s worries about his lack of complete success. Lord Kaglar, another Jiyarr, and Kra’mog, an Accad—both members of the Archon—were also present with Solg for the communication. The Jiyarr were dressed in what amounted to pastel-colored robes, and Kra’mog, one of the few other Accad in the Archon, wore military attire and an awards sash.
As was customary, the senior-most individual spoke first. “I have received your sample of Quellien source crystal, and it is pure,” Solg said.
“I am happy that you agree with me on its purity,” Kra’ag said. “Now can we agree on the ships you can send to represent its value?”
“We know you still have more Quellien crystals from the sample report,” said Kaglar. “Perhaps we can come to an arrangement.”
“Unfortunately, there are problems—not with the quality, but with the removal of additio
nal Quellien crystals,” Solg replied.
“I am not sure what you mean, Lord Solg,” Kra’ag said.
“It relates to the preservation committee of the Archon. They decided not to pursue further mining of that system,” Kra’mog said with a slight sneer.
“What…? It is a rare find; I’m sure I can take the system,” Kra’ag said, his voice becoming louder. “I will need only the other Jiyarr ships to deal with the Calyx guardians who have returned.”
As you know, Lord Malbane and I are on the preservation committee, and Malbane supports leaving those particular crystals alone,” Solg said. “It is not necessarily because the Calyx have returned as guardians but because he and some others in the Archon wish it so.”
“As the Archon wishes,” Kra’ag said in resignation.
“That site is a dimensional nexus, and the crystals there have a protective and support purpose,” Kaglar said. “What you are not aware of Archon Kra’ag is that there are areas where there are zones of weakening in the dimensional planes, and certain configurations of Quellien can stabilize such regions.
“Unfortunately your mining removed the Quellien the Caylx had used to stabilize that region. If you should find another similar source of Quellien,” Solg said, “be careful where you take your samples, and do not attempt to destroy such a planet. I will transmit a safe extraction procedure— one that will not disturb the key crystals. Now, if you find a less pure source, all the better, as then we will not have the preservation committee edict to deal with.”
Kra’ag lowered his head slightly. “Then, how many, Jiyarr, Kadjiah-class ships will you give me for the rest of the crystals I have?” asked Kra’ag.
“As they are pure, they have great value; perhaps forty more starships of the Kadjiah class.”
“Excellent; I will need them, since the Talcon have sent two Star Cities to the galaxy I am planning to take control of. Mor’ag and I have identified the only notable threats of the local space-faring civilizations, and we have plans in action to deal with them.
