“Well, I gave him my word.” Jessie defiantly crossed her arms over her chest.
“A word that you have no legal authority whatsoever to enforce,” Morwyn replied, far more drily than he had wanted to. Infinite help him, would he ever be happy once they were back on Central Point and he no longer had to worry about Jessie’s safety and well-being. Back on Covenant headquarters, there would be people far better suited for that task.
Jessie looked away from Morwyn for a moment and there was a brief flash of anger at his words. Her tone had lost none of its fire when she spoke again. “What would I have to do in order to have that authority?”
“An agent of the Covenant would be allowed to strike such a bargain.” Both Chord and Marla Varsin, who, thankfully, had been until this moment silent, chimed in at once.
“Then on your Covenant’s Truths, I want to swear the oath of service. Right here and right now.” Jessie didn’t budge or look away from Morwyn as she said this. Truth be told, Morwyn was begrudgingly coming to admire Jessie Madison a great deal. She had saved Private Phaël, displaying a courage that would no doubt be quite welcome in the Covenant.
There was a long silence on the bridge as Morwyn pondered what he had just heard. And while it was true, he could not just have her swear the oath of service without knowing who or what she was serving. “I can see that you are serious about this, Jessie Madison. So here is my final offer. You are going to read the Covenant’s Truths and I will expect both Chord and Doctor Varsin to aid you in this task. If, after having done that, you still wish to swear the oath of service I will allow it.”
“What about Kendric Loc?”
“As a show of good faith, I will honor your bargain.” Morwyn did not like the brief smile shared between the three women gathered before him. “However, he is your responsibility. He will be under close watch and should he do anything remotely out of line, I will send him to the brig to face justice when we reach Central Point and hold you personally accountable. Is this clear?”
“Perfectly. Thank you, Captain.”
“You are welcome, Jessie Madison,” Morwyn replied, feeling far less resentment toward the compromise than he had thought. He reminded himself to congratulate Jessie later on her remarkable progress with Pax Common in the past seven days.
Jessie, Phaël and Doctor Varsin were about to step off the bridge when Morwyn raised his hand to stop them. “There is one final matter I would like to discuss.”
This part would not be easy. “Private Phaël, when Lizbeth Harlowe showed me the doctored footage of you sabotaging the ship, I trusted the images shown without question.”
“A foolish thing to do, Captain Sir.” Phaël at least had the good judgment to keep her tone as respectful as was possible for her.
“And for that I am sorry. I let my opinion of your past affect my judgment of your present. It was indeed a foolish thing to do and . . .”
Before Morwyn could complete his sentence Phaël cut him off. “Captain, my people were harmed by the Pax Humanis, but not by you. I could just as easily have regrouped with you, so it would seem that we are both guilty of the same crime.”
There was yet another long silence on the bridge. It was Morwyn who broke it. “I know that trust is a valuable thing, Private, and I hope that one day it will be something we can share.”
“The seed cannot be rushed into becoming a tree,” Phaël replied, then looked to Jessie. “But right now I want to help my new friend.”
“Captain, this unit would like to thank you,” Chord said once they were alone on the bridge. Morwyn turned to face the Machina.
“What for?”
“This unit can remember everything it was forced to do under the commands of Mikali. It did things that under normal circumstances would have been impossible. This unit appreciates that, despite all this, you did your best to protect this unit and the crew.”
“Think nothing of it, Chord.” Morwyn was glad that he had not been forced to choose between sparing Lizbeth Harlowe or putting down Chord. Part of him knew that he would probably have chosen to save the Humanis over the Machina.
“This unit trusts you, Captain Soltaine. And in the proper spirit of said trust . . .” Chord turned its back to Morwyn and there was a loud click and whir as a panel at the base of Chord’s neck parted open, revealing a glowing green switch.
“What are you showing me, Chord?” Morwyn examined the green switch closely.
“That is the manual shutdown to this unit’s shell. Should a similar situation arise once more, this unit would like to know that someone like Morwyn Soltaine can protect others and this unit by doing the right thing.” The compartment closed and Chord turned around to face Morwyn.
Morwyn walked over to Chord and offered his hand. “Chord, you have my thanks and my trust.”
“This unit is pleased to hear that.” Chord shook Morwyn’s hand firmly.
Lizbeth Harlowe, who had been silently watching the exchange, put her palm on her heart as she watched this play out. “Now THAT, Captain, is a most lovely display of friendship, if ever I have seen one.”
CHAPTER 37
DOMIANT
Lick your wounds, learn from your defeat, and know when to play the part of the meek. The cosmos will present you with a chance to make those who have bested you suffer. That is the way of vengeance.
—From The Road of Strength by Gengis Suun
27th of SSM–11 1445 A2E
“You are in deep trouble, my boy.” It was clear by both Lucky’s accent and stance that the old Wolver was from the world of Perse, which the rest of Wolver heretics serving the Pax Humanis called home. Living out their meaningless lives in their polluted and domed cities.
Domiant could not help but openly display his contempt. “Please be quiet. Your very presence offends the air I breathe.” Despite his words, Domiant kept both his shackled hands on the table in front of him.
Lucky gave Captain Morwyn a sideways glance and stepped away from the table. “Keep digging your grave with that smart mouth of yours, kiddo.”
Domiant gave Lucky a hateful sneer. “It looks like you’ve already got one foot in yours, old man.”
“For someone who offered me his surrender you seem to be remarkably uncooperative.” Captain Morwyn’s nose was bandaged and Domiant held back a smile as he saw him wince and rub his sides. Presently, Sopherim, Mikali, Zanza and himself were all being detained in the brig. That he and Sopherim were both followers of the Living Green was the only reason they weren’t being forced into carbon sleep.
“I was unaware that my cooperation was required.” Captain Morwyn and Lucky had both taken him to the cantina in shackles, as if he were some common criminal.
“It couldn’t hurt your case,” Morwyn replied glibly.
“What do you want then?” Domiant asked, before adding with no small hint of maliciousness, “And more importantly, what do you have to offer?”
This answer seemed to satisfy Captain Morwyn, who pulled up a seat and sat himself down within arm’s reach of Domiant. “Information. How did you know about my vessel and Jessie Madison?”
That was indeed quite the question and one Domiant was not certain he wanted to answer. However if he gave the Captain nothing, then he would gain nothing in return. “Have you ever heard of the Syndicate, Captain Soltaine?”
“I was stationed on Ambrosia, so yes.”
“Good, that will save me from having to endure the company of your Perse-bred mutt over there for any extra time.” Domiant nodded toward Lucky, who only let out a humorous snort.
“Don’t think your little jabs are going to get a rise out of me, pupling.” Lucky slipped a vapostick between his lips and blew out a heavy ring of cinnamon-smelling smoke in Domiant’s face.
“You were saying?” Morwyn kept his eyes on Domiant.
“Captain, your v
essel’s name is on the Elusive Frequency. We were contracted to secure your ship and all the cargo on it.” Domiant gave his neck a crack.
“So there will be others, is what you’re saying?”
Captain Morwyn had no idea what he was dealing with, and it delighted Domiant to no end. “I can guarantee it.”
Morwyn leaned back in his seat and looked to Lucky. “Are you buying any of this?”
Lucky exhaled another long steady stream of smoke before answering. “Every last word, Captain Sir.”
“So am I.” Morwyn tapped both his index fingers together for a moment before speaking again. “And what do you suppose the next crew is going to do when they find out we captured your vessel and uploaded all of your computer data into our own?”
“What do you suppose will happen to you the next time this happens?” It was Domiant’s turn to lean back in his seat. “And trust me, there will be a next time.”
Morwyn let out a sigh. “We’ll just have to make more room in the brig.”
“I know your Covenant’s laws. I don’t have to tell you anything, Captain Soltaine. I also know that you are duty-bound to transport myself and my crew back to Central Point, in order for us to have a fair and just trial.” Domiant leaned forward and gave Morwyn a coy wink. “And I also know that it is an incredible distance to cross, with plenty of opportunities for my competitors to catch you off guard between here and there.”
Morwyn stood up and straightened his Covenant uniform. “Infinite willing, the next time I lay eyes on your hateful face will be when I deliver you to the proper authorities on Central Point.”
Lucky walked over to Domiant and helped him to his feet.
“You are woefully ill-equipped to deal with any of this, Captain,” Domiant said. “I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you realize it.”
Morwyn considered Domiant’s words, then gave them a dismissive shrug. “Fair enough, I look forward to proving you wrong, once more.”
“So, brother. What is our next move?” Sopherim asked the moment Lucky had left the two of them alone in a separate holding cell.
“I am shocked you would even hear me out after this entire debacle, sister.” There was no masking the frustration he felt at having been beaten and captured.
Sopherim rose from her cot in the corner of her cell and gave Domiant a long stare. “You are my brother, Domiant. We defeat the odds together or not at all.” When she spoke there was sisterly warmth to Sopherim’s voice that was almost alien to him.
“One thing is certain, Sopherim. I am not returning to Uldur to face Elvrid justice. I would rather die in the void.”
All of Sopherim’s sisterly warmth was suddenly lost and once more she reverted to her stoic and icy demeanor. “Do not let me hear you speak such words of defeat. I will kill you myself if you do.”
Domiant conceded the point. “We cannot trust Zanza, Mikali or Kendric Loc for that matter. So I say hump them all and let us look out for each other.”
“We are blood, you and I.” Sopherim liked what she was hearing. “As it has always been and will always be.”
“So, for the moment, we cooperate when asked to, while giving them just enough resistance not to raise any suspicions, and we wait. These agents are not the best the Covenant has to offer.” Domiant offered Sopherim a vulpine grin, one that was returned to him in kind. “The road is long to Central Point, and somewhere between here and there, they will make a mistake, and we shall capitalize on it.”
“The will of the Green is the Will of the Green.”
“Spoken like a true Elvrid sister.” Domiant laid himself down in his cot. Allowing for a moment of relaxation. There was nothing but time on his hands now. Time enough to observe and cook up his next move. This game between him and Morwyn Soltaine was far from over. It would only end once Domiant had broken him and proven to him that his was the superior mind and will.
Honeyed thoughts of sweet vengeance brought warmth to his hateful heart.
CHAPTER 38
JESSIE
The greatest blessing that the living cosmos has gifted us is that of connection and relationship. Imagine the infinite, now imagine having to experience all of it alone. We are indeed fortunate in the friendships and love we find along the grand stage that is our life.
—Icarius Odenshaw
27th of SSM–11 1445 A2E
“Breathe in, breathe out.” Floating weightless, secured to the hull of the Jinxed Thirteenth by a diamond wire tether, Jessie did as she was told. Floating next to her, Phaël did the same, taking in a long deep respiration, holding it then exhaling. Her body was so comfortably limp.
“You remind me of a cat.”
Phaël opened her eyes, glaring at her, and for a moment Jessie thought she might have accidentally offended her. “There is no greater insult to a Wolver than to call them dog.” Her face softened as she shot Jessie a friendly smile. “Cats, however? Well, the Great Huntress is often portrayed as one.”
This was Jessie’s first zero-g bath, as she and David had been so fond of calling it, since longer than she could remember. The days where she could let her guard down and enjoy the feeling of safety had been an eternity ago. “I never thanked you for saving me.”
Phaël shrugged dismissively. “Machina Chord and my mates did most of the heavy lifting on that.”
A moment of silence passed between the two as they gazed at the gas giant, Moria. Its mixture of greens, blues and purples intermingling in a perpetual storm playing out like a private show for them and them alone. Somewhere in that gas storm were the destroyed remains of the Moria Three mining facility, the station that had been Jessie and her late husband David’s home and prison. It was the last remnants of anything that linked her to the Earth that was gone, erased, no more. Only she, her child, and the road that was the rest of her life remained. Yet despite all this, Jessie’s jaw dropped in wonder as she looked past the rim of Moria only to see a veritable endless sea of stars before them in the distance. All known gods, the cosmos was so, so beautiful and she did not know if she could possibly ever appreciate the sheer majesty of it enough.
“Jessie Madison, if my eyes can look on this sight today, it is because of you,” Phaël said, breaking the silence of the moment.
“I . . .” The image of the hole in Niko’s chest, the incredible ease of the deed, flashed before her eyes, and Jessie began to tremble. “I could not do anything when David was killed. I could only watch as a machine broke him limb for limb and then tossed his body away into the void as if he were some worthless piece of trash. But he was not. He was . . . we were . . . partners and . . .”
Phaël rested her hand on Jessie’s shoulder. The gesture comforted her. “Jessie . . .”
Jessie continued, unable to stop. She needed to say this. “I could have fallen, I could have been hurt, I could have lost my child. But I did not, because you held that lunatic at bay. You took all of his punishment. You protected us.”
“No, we protected each other, as it had to and should be.”
“My husband once said that the cosmos is very, very vast. And we are all tiny living parts of it. Our lives are almost insignificant when compared to the stage on which they are played out.”
“He sounds like the bard Icarius Odenshaw,” Phaël cut in, then waited for Jessie to continue.
“I am certain they would have gotten along just fine.”
“I believe it was by the Will of The Green that our paths did cross on this vast stage.” Phaël took Jessie’s hand and brought it to her chest. “With your permission Jessie Madison, I name you my Seft sister. From here to the Infinite’s end, I will stand by you and your child. With my dying breath I will protect you both.”
Jessie was taken aback by the incredible gesture. She had not expected so much warmth, and for a brief moment did not know how to accept it. She took Phaël
’s hand and brought it to her chest. “Phaël Farook Nem’Ador, in the spirit of your words I accept your offer and swear to do the same.”
“Do not worry,” Phaël added after a long moment. “This does not mean we are wed.”
Jessie burst out laughing and took Phaël in her arms, embracing her tightly. In her worst nightmares, Jessie had dreamed that she would awaken from her long slumber only to be crushed by solitude and grief. Doomed to wander alone and friendless. And though this would not be the last time, Jessie was sure of it, she was glad that the universe had proven her wrong.
And while she had no idea what a “Seft sister” was, she could only assume that it meant a sort of familial bond. It was yet another blessing Jessie had not thought she would experience. The Jinxed Thirteenth was far from being the ideal environment for a pregnant woman and her unborn child, but she now had a friend and was no longer alone. For the time being at least, she was safe.
Jessie Madison pulled away from Phaël, their hands coming together and fingers interlocking as they both turned to gaze once more at Moria. The gas storm displayed a mesmerizing and breathtaking swirls of colors, all of it a blessing to their new friendship. It was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Jessie suddenly burst out into fits of grateful laughter, and Phaël quickly joined in until soon neither one of them could stop. Together they floated, enjoying the feeling for as long as they could.
LEXICON
Ador: Ador is one of the rare nations of the cosmos with a population that is incredibly mixed. That being said the nation of Ador has not, until recently, known any lengthy period of peace. Formerly a province of Argent, Ador endured countless horrors under the yoke of its former rulers. Ever since earning its freedom during the Liberation War, Ador has made it a point to have their nation be an active participant in the galactic theater.
The Adoran Liberation War: Ador as a nation had been under the yoke of tyranny since its birth. Its former rulers were the baron princes of the Nation of Argent, who oppressed and subjected their subjects to countless horrors. The baron princes of Argent were secretly offered backing by the Pax Humanis fleets. In response to this, Warlord Valtros, united the interfighting Adoran mercenary fleets under his banner, challenging the rule of Argent and offering freedom to anyone who sided with his cause. The ensuing civil war lasted seventeen years. In the end the Liberation armies stood victorious, installing a new democratic Parliament. To this day many Adorans still hold a massive grudge against the Pax Humanis for offering support to their former Argentine oppressors.
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