by G. P. Hudson
Ilthos didn’t like the cleric’s answer. He preferred to deal in facts. The clerics were all the same. You ask them a question, and they answer with a maybe. It wasn’t that he questioned the Great See’er. That would be heresy. And heresy was not tolerated by Diakus. The See’ers had guided their people through the ages. Their visions allowed Diakus to rise in the galaxy. But these new visions… they were increasingly unsettling. Was it possible? Could Diakus actually fall? And these humans. Of all the creatures in the galaxy, how could these meek humans rise to power? The idea was preposterous. Did I just call the Great See’er preposterous? I must control my thoughts. I must take care lest my thoughts become words, and my future dust.
Ilthos looked at the rest of the Diakans assembled. “Captain Pierce has accepted our authority. Although the crew may want to return to their home system to defend against the Juttari, I believe they are disciplined enough to follow their orders.”
“The ship is short staffed. This may work in our favor,” said Ketkos, Major Ilthos’s second in command. “Their extra duties will prevent them from pursuing rebellion.”
Ketkos had fought with Ilthos for years, and was the only other Diakan present to have served during the liberation of Earth. If he could trust anyone at this table, it was him. “Agreed. The extra duties we’ve been performing will encourage them to see us as part of the crew. For that reason we need to refrain from interfering with command decisions, unless the decision directly endangers our mission.”
The Diakans nodded their agreement. Major Ilthos turned back to the cleric. The Juttari action was troubling. The Juttari had always been devious, and their theft of the jump system technology was not surprising. Could they successfully intervene? The prophecy was as much of a threat to the Juttari as it was to Diakus. Perhaps even more. For Diakus there was hope, as one of the timelines ensured continued prosperity. For the Juttari, however, there was no hope once events took shape. Their only option was to terminate the threat. How can the fate of one man hold so much in the balance? “You are certain, the Juttari intervention has not yet altered the outcome?”
“No, Major. Not yet,” said the cleric.
“But that can change?”
“Yes, Major. It is imperative that we succeed.”
“We will succeed.”
“Can we be certain that he is still alive?” said Ketkos.
“He is alive. The Great See’er has seen as much,” replied the cleric.
“Then we proceed as planned,” said Ilthos. “By Her Will, we will locate Captain Jon Pike.”
“By Her Will,” the Diakans replied in unison.
Chapter 5
Jon peered at the city below as his shuttle coasted toward its destination. The battle for New Byzantium had left a lot of wreckage in its wake, so much so that the place began to remind him of Earth. The construction bots were out in force working on repairs, but it would be some time before everything returned normal. How much time did this planet have before it would have to fight for its survival again?
The city pulsed with activity nonetheless. Throngs of people filled the streets. Vehicles of all sizes zipped to and fro. The airspace around him had returned to its normal state of congestion. Ships buzzed by his shuttle from all sides, often coming perilously close to a collision. While each ship’s navigation computer ensured no mishaps took place, it still made him cringe. It only took one malfunction. One attack. With so much reliance on technology, it was no wonder that electronic warfare often preceded a planetary assault.
Nearing Government House, the shuttle began its descent. Thankfully the old building had been spared during the fighting, and maintained its magisterial stature. The ship began to vibrate as the landing thrusters fired underneath him, easing the small craft onto the landing pad. Once safely on the pad, the steady hum and vibration ceased as the engines cycled down. Jon rose from his seat, waited for the hatch to open, and stepped out. Wary sentries eyed him as he emerged. Security had been increased significantly since the attempted coup and the grounds now swarmed with armed guards.
An alert looking woman in civilian clothes approached. Jon instantly noticed the subtle bulge of a weapon hidden under her jacket. No doubt a member of the Prime Minister’s new close protection detail, known simply as The Guard. The Prime Minister used to rely on the military for protection, but that changed after the coup. The Guard was created to protect the Prime Minister and was answerable only to the Prime Minister. They would’ve been handy a few weeks ago, Jon mused.
“Captain Pike?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Lieutenant Yang. I’ll be escorting you to see Prime Minister Sallas.”
“Understood. Lead the way Lieutenant.”
Yang turned and strode toward the door. Jon spotted several more plainclothes Guardsmen keeping a close eye on him as he entered the building. A few more patrolled inside. The Guard had been hastily assembled after the failed coup. Its members were all handpicked from the special forces by General Calledonius himself. Each Guardsman’s loyalty was above reproach, and their bravery was second to none.
It was a good idea, albeit a controversial one. Some senators openly questioned the wisdom of such a move. In essence, the Prime Minister now had his own elite military unit, answerable only to him. But in the aftermath of the coup, these objections were easily dismissed. New Byzantium faced an existential threat, justifying extreme measures. In the end, it wasn’t just the Prime Minister who was at risk, but the entire parliament. Those outspoken senators were probably upset that they didn’t get their own elite unit. They continued to rely on military protection, just as before.
The military, however, was in much better shape now. Calledonius wasted no time rooting out and arresting coup supporters. In doing so, he produced a surprising amount of evidence. Jon wondered how long he had actually known about the coup. There was no doubt that it did wonders for his career. Calledonius was now the supreme commander of the New Byzantium armed forces, a position he might never have attained under normal circumstances.
They reached the Prime Minister’s office and Lieutenant Yang announced their arrival over her comm. Two Guardsmen stood stoically on either side of the entrance, their eyes fixed on Jon. The double doors swung open, indicating that Jon remained a welcome guest. Inside, Prime Minister Sallas stood smiling, his hand extended toward Jon.
“Welcome Captain,” said Sallas. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise,” said Jon, shaking Sallas’s hand.
Sallas gestured to one of the over-sized couches. “Please, sit down.”
Jon nodded as he took the seat directly across from Sallas. Lieutenant Yang took her cue and closed the door as she left.
“I understand you’ve found more of your crew,” said Sallas.
“Yes, our recent searches have been surprisingly successful. Thanks again for letting us use New Byzantium as a base of operations.”
“No need to thank me, Captain. It is the least I can do.”
“Nonetheless, it’s been helpful. We have now rescued over ninety percent of the Hermes escape pods.”
“That’s great,” said Sallas, smiling. “It must be getting crowded up there.”
“That’s an understatement, but we’re managing.”
Sallas nodded, and became more serious. “How is Colonel Bast?”
Jon frowned. “Unfortunately there’s been no change in his condition.”
The Prime Minister shook his head. “That’s terrible. Is there any hope that he’ll pull out of it?”
“Doesn’t seem likely. A psychotic break was a known risk of removing his brain chip. We were hopeful that his condition would change. Doctor Ellerbeck has tried everything. Nothing has worked. The Doctor believes that the rest of the Juttari augmentation is working to counter her treatment. Sadly, it is becoming evident that there is only one option left, we’ll have to reinsert the brain chip.”
“Can Elizabeth do that?”
“Yes. Doctor Ellerbeck believes th
at once she implants the chip again, it will regulate the Colonel’s brain processes and eliminate the psychological side effects.”
“I still don’t understand it. Everything seemed to be going so well at first.”
“It was, until the nightmares started.”
“Nightmares?”
“Yes. That’s how it started. But they quickly overtook his conscious mind, causing delusions. Then he became violent. Believe me, the last thing you want is a violent, delusional Chaanisar.”
“I would rather not share that experience,” said Sallas, with a frightened look on his face.
“Sedating the Colonel proved quite the challenge. He almost single handedly filled the sick bay with injured Chaanisar and Marines.”
Sallas shook his head. “And all this stems from his childhood?”
Jon nodded. “Mostly. The things that were done to them as children are unspeakable. But the Juttari brain chips suppressed the effects of the psychological trauma.”
“So when you removed the chip, it opened the mind’s floodgates.”
“Exactly. A lifetime of horrors rushed in, overwhelming Colonel Bast.”
Sallas looked confused. “But you must have expected this.”
“As I said, it was a risk. The truth is we didn’t know what would happen. We had hoped that the chip had better dealt with the trauma, eliminating any adverse reactions. But we couldn’t be certain until Dr. Ellerbeck performed the procedure. Colonel Bast willingly accepted the risks.”
“I suppose you won’t be removing any of the other Chaanisar brain chips now.”
“No. Unfortunately they’re staying.”
“That’s awful. I know Elizabeth, I mean Dr. Ellerbeck, is devastated.”
“We’ll just have to figure something else out.”
Sallas nodded reassuringly. “Have you had a chance to see the Seibens yet?”
“Not yet. I’ll be visiting them after our meeting. It was kind of you to take care of their living accommodations.”
“It was nothing,” said Sallas, waving a hand. “The least I could do. The man almost died trying to save me.”
Jon laughed. “He almost died due to his own stupidity. Nonetheless, it is appreciated.”
“You do know that I am willing to assist every member of your crew as well, Captain. Citizenship, land, a place where you can all call home.”
“Yes, the offer is very generous.”
“But?”
“What do you want in return?”
“I want many things, Captain, but nothing in return for my offer. You saved me and you saved New Byzantium. For that, you should be rewarded.”
“Prime Minister Sallas, you do know that we were only trying to save Dr. Ellerbeck, right? If she hadn’t insisted that we take you as well, you’d still be sitting in that jail cell. The coup would have succeeded, and we’d be far away from here by now.”
“And I am eternally grateful to Dr. Ellerbeck for insisting you help me. Look, Captain, the truth is that you stayed to help defeat the coup. New Byzantium needs you. We are alone and surrounded by enemies.”
Jon sighed. “Prime Minister, we are but one ship. I don’t see how much difference we can make.”
“One ship possessing miraculous technology.”
“Even with the jump technology, we are still just one ship.”
“Then share the technology with us.”
Jon frowned. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” said Sallas, his eyes widening. “Imagine a fleet of jump ships. We could stand up to the Corporations and the Kemmar Empire.”
“It’s not as simple as that,” said Jon, shaking his head. “The technology could also end up in the hands of the Corporations, or worse, the Kemmar Empire. Then what?”
“You think we would give the technology to our enemies?” said Sallas, looking offended.
“You wouldn’t, but others might. I can’t take that risk.”
“You think there are still traitors in my administration?”
“Don’t you? Do you honestly think the corporations have no spies operating here? How about profiteers? How much do you think someone like Stumpf would pay for this technology? I would think that someone could become obscenely wealthy if they sold this information.”
“I see your point,” said Sallas, looking pensive. “Perhaps there is another solution.”
Here comes another sales pitch, thought Jon. “I’m listening.”
“From what I understand, you cannot return to Earth. Your actions against the Diakans on the Hermes have essentially turned your crew into fugitives, correct?”
Jon nodded.
“The Chaanisar members of your crew cannot return to Earth either, because they would likely be treated as war criminals. Nor do they wish to return to the Juttari.”
“That is accurate.”
“What if I offered you political asylum, as well as citizenship?”
“I don’t understand. What good is political asylum?”
“Think about it. One day, either Space Force, the Diakans, or the Juttari will find us. They all possess jump technology, so it is only a matter of time until they show up here. Once they realized you were here, and discovered what happened on the Hermes, they would demand your arrest. Diplomatically, it would be difficult to resist such a request, unless we have already granted you political asylum.”
“I see where you’re going with this, Prime Minister, but you’re missing one key detail. We won’t be here anymore. We’ll be long gone when that happens.”
“Really? And where would you go?”
“Anywhere we want.”
“Not true. If you stayed in the colonies, you would eventually be found. You can be sure that the corporations know of your existence now.”
“Then we would leave the colonies,” said Jon, growing frustrated.
“So you’re saying you would leave human space behind? What would you do? Go live on an alien world somewhere? Find an uninhabited planet, and start your own colony? Or just wander around in that spaceship of yours, looking for adventures?”
“Maybe we’ll become raiders,” said Jon flippantly.
Sallas laughed. “Captain, don’t you see that New Byzantium is your best option? You can have a home here, and you won’t have to worry about the Diakans.”
Jon sneered. “You think you can take on the Diakans?”
“Captain, I have no intention of going to war with the Diakans, and I would think that diplomatic relations with New Byzantium would be more important to the Diakans than your arrest.”
“Which brings us back to my original question, what do you want in return? I already told you that I’m not going to give you the jump technology.”
“Fight for New Byzantium.”
“With all due respect, Prime Minister, we have no intention of joining your military.”
“You don’t have to. Captain, what if we created an independent fighting force?”
“We are already independent.”
“Yes, but you are alone.”
Jon took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. “Prime Minister, you yourself suggested the name Ronin, remember. Masterless samurai, and all that. No master means we only answer to ourselves. We rather like it that way.”
“I’m not suggesting we change any of that. The Ronin of feudal Japan did not have a lord, but they still took sides and fought in wars. I am asking you to take our side.”
“We are going around in circles, Prime Minister. As I said before, we are only one ship.”
“What if we created a force, loyal to New Byzantium, but independent in all matters? You would have access to New Byzantium’s resources and could build more ships. You said yourself that your ship is already crowded. Wouldn’t more ships make sense? You could recruit new members from our population and military. You wouldn’t have to share the jump technology, but you could build new jump ships.”
“Warships take a long time to build. They would never be ready in time.�
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“What if you took existing ships and retrofitted them? I’m sure you could do that relatively quickly.”
“Perhaps. I’d have to look into it.”
“I’m sure it can be done. Your ships could then protect New Byzantium, and New Byzantium would grant you citizenship and political asylum. Everyone would benefit.”
“And who would we ultimately answer to? You?”
“No. You would be truly independent.”
“You are talking about creating a parallel military, with no oversight. Do you have any idea how dangerous that can be?”
“No more dangerous than the threat of Kemmar slavery, Captain.”
“Wouldn’t you need to get parliamentary approval for something like this?”
“Let me worry about parliament. I have a majority, and these are desperate times. You’d be surprised at how many things a government can do in a climate of fear. We’ve already created The Guard. This would simply take the idea one step further. I don’t think anyone can argue that such a force would greatly improve our chances of survival.”
“It is an interesting proposition.”
“I do have a couple of demands, however.”
“Go on?”
“First, you must personally command the new force.”
“Why me?”
“Because I believe in you, Captain. From what I’ve heard and seen, you are a man of character and principles. I know you will do the right thing.”
Jon nodded. “What is the other demand?”
“You must release your Diakan prisoners.”
Chapter 6
“Tobias, why aren’t you in bed?” said his mother as he walked toward her.
“The banging woke me up,” he said, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
His mother sighed. “It woke me up too. Somebody’s at the door. What would someone want at this ungodly hour?”
“Maybe it’s daddy?”
“Toby,” she said, her hand gently stroking his hair. “It’s not daddy. We talked about this. Remember?”
“Yes, but maybe they were wrong?”
His mother shook her head, as sadness filled her eyes. “I wish they were.”
