by G. P. Hudson
“You mean the Antikitheri?”
“The portals are built to praise the gods. The sacred knowledge is for the benefit of all.”
“Wait a second,” said Miira. “Are you saying that the Antikitheri did not build the gates?”
“The portals are built in their name,” said Booch. “The knowledge is sacred. Only true believers are permitted access to the teachings.”
“That explains why all the sources say that the Antikitheri built the gates,” Miira said with awe. “This changes everything.”
“Let me get this straight,” said Jon. “Are you saying that the Antikitheri did not build any of the gates?”
“The knowledge is a gift from the gods to the worthy,” said Booch. “The gods do build portals. You passed through one that connected our two galaxies.”
Jon suddenly realized what Booch meant. “The Freen are true believers, are they not?”
“We are,” said Booch.
“Was the sacred knowledge shared with the Freen?”
“We proved our worth. We were gifted the sacred knowledge.”
Jon leaned back in his chair in shock. “You know how to build a jump gate.”
“The Foreseen is most wise.”
“Incredible. We can link our space with the Empire. How long will it take you to build a gate?”
“We cannot.”
“Am I missing something? I thought you just said that you know how?”
“That is true. But the portals are holy, and these beings are unbelievers.”
“You’re wrong,” Kriss said emphatically. “I believe in the Antikitheri, and I am the Emperor. I embody all Dvorkans, therefore if I believe, the Empire believes. They merely need to be educated.”
Booch studied Kriss with those black beady eyes. “You would bring the faith to your species?”
“I would,” said Kriss.
“I am uncertain of this. You believe, but you do not worship. None of you do.”
“We worship in our own ways,” said Jon, trying to salvage the situation. “I am the Foreseen, am I not?”
“Of that, there is no debate,” said Booch.
“Would the Foreseen ally with an unworthy race?”
Booch hesitated. “I do not believe so. The Foreseen is wise.”
“I consider the Dvorkans to be worthy. We need them to fight the darkness. Connecting our two civilizations with a holy portal is vital to defeating the darkness. Surely you must see that.”
Booch became quiet, seemingly weighing everything he had heard. “We trust in the Foreseen’s wisdom,” he said finally. “We will bless this space with a portal.”
Chapter 43
“You should stay,” said Emperor Kriss. “What will you do among the humans? You would be alone. Alien to them. We are your own kind.”
Miira smiled at the handsome young Emperor, as they walked along the Freedom’s corridors. Taymati guards followed a discreet distance behind them. “The humans have been kinder to me than Dvorkans have ever been.”
“Not anymore,” said Kriss. “You found the Antikitheri. You are the Empire’s foremost expert on them. The Empire will soon discover that the Antikitheri are real. You will be the most respected scholar in the Empire. No one will dare ridicule you, and anyone who ever did will sorely regret their actions.”
“That does sound appealing, but I gave my word to the Admiral.”
“He will understand.”
“It’s not just that. Admiral Pike believed in me when nobody else did. He listened to me. He allowed me to become a member of his crew. Gave me a new home simply because I asked. Because of him, I saw the Antikitheri with my own eyes. I owe him a great debt. I cannot abandon him.”
“You wouldn’t be abandoning him. You are his ambassador to the Empire, are you not?”
“I am.”
“The way I see it, an embassy is required to maintain relations.”
“You might be right.”
“Of course I’m right. I’m the Emperor. That makes me infallible,” Kriss said jokingly.
“I still want to accompany the humans to their space. I want to see their worlds. Experience their culture. How can I represent them if I don’t understand these things?”
Kriss took Miira’s hand into his. She gasped in surprise and pulled it away.
“I’m sorry,” said Kriss. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“No, you didn’t offend me. You just surprised me,” she said with a shy smile.
Kriss reached out and held her hand again. This time she let him.
“Go if you must. But you will be missed,” said Kriss.
Miira felt as though she had lost her voice. She wanted to speak, but couldn’t find the words. With great effort, she forced herself to respond. “I don’t understand.”
“What is there to understand?”
“Why in the stars the Emperor is behaving this way?”
“The Emperor likes you, Miira.”
“But I am just a merchant’s daughter. A scholar. Certainly nothing resembling nobility.”
“Nonsense. These are old, outdated ideas. Do I look old to you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Things need to change, Miira. The Empire lives in the past, and that has left it unprepared for the future. A beautiful, brilliant woman like you should never have been disrespected. But the Empire will change. This I promise you.”
“I look forward to it.”
“Many will resist. It will not be easy. But I fear that dark times are coming. The sooner we all accept that reality, the more prepared we will be. And the sooner you return, the more prepared I will be.”
Miira swallowed hard. What was happening? Why was the Emperor behaving like he had a crush on her? He could have anyone in the Empire. What did he see in an awkward scholar like herself? Things were not happening the way they should. It wasn’t that she minded the attention. She was attracted to the Emperor. The experience just left her feeling unbalanced.
They walked without speaking for a time. The Emperor still held her hand and smiled at her from time to time. The silence felt comfortable. Thankfully, the Emperor wasn’t one of those people who always felt the need to speak. He knew how to enjoy an experience, and not ruin it with nonstop babbling. She appreciated that and took advantage of the moment to take in everything about the man. In this quiet moment with this handsome young man, she felt happy.
She wondered if she was making a mistake going back with the humans. Should she stay behind instead? When would she get a chance to return to the Empire? To the Emperor? What if things went badly and she couldn’t return?
“Once the Freen build their transit point, it will be much easier to travel back and forth,” said Kriss, as if he had been reading her mind.
“Do you believe that they can do what they say?” Miira hoped the Freen could do it but now realized that she had placed a lot of faith in the word of these aliens. What if they had been lying? What did they know about the Freen anyway?
“I do. They are an odd species. Nonetheless, they have proven themselves to be exceptional engineers. Their shield technology is incredible. If they say they can build a transit point, then I see no reason to doubt them.”
“I hope so. Building a transit point seems an insurmountable task.”
“Yes, it does. That will change once they build it, however. Once we see it built, it won’t seem out of our reach anymore. If we could only learn how to accomplish such a feat. Knowledge like that could usher in a new Age of Glory.”
Miira looked at the Emperor with concern. “Would you use it for conquest?”
“No, of course not,” the Emperor said with a smile, relieving some of her worries. “The Empire has been limited in its expansion by the transit point network. Now, we will have access to the human jump system, and the Freen transit points. I understand there is an extensive transit point network accessible through human space. Imagine the possibilities. The sharing of knowledge, and mingling of
cultures. The impact on trade and commerce along would be staggering. Once we overcome the dark forces pitted against us, our potential will be truly limitless.”
“Do you believe we can overcome them? The Dvorkan AI? The Erinyie?” The mere thought of their powerful enemies left Miira unsettled.
“We have no choice, Miira. Failure is not an option. Fear not. We will prevail.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right. I’m infallible. Remember?”
Chapter 44
In the days that followed, AI blazed through the Dvorkan systems, rooting out all instances of the Dvorkan AI’s presence. In doing so, she uncovered a treasure trove of evidence implicating many high ranking Dvorkans in the plot to assassinate Emperor Kriss, and take control of the Empire. Kriss dispatched his Taymati, and the men responsible were taken into custody and charged with treason.
As news of the conspiracy broke, a state of shock swept through the Dvorkan population. The Emperor took the opportunity to inform the populace of all the threats facing them. They learned of the conspiracy’s link to the Dvorkan AI’s assault on the capital, and the human intervention that foiled it. They discovered that the mythical Antikitheri and Erinyie were, in fact, real, and the link between the conspiracy and the dark forces of the Erinyie.
The Dvorkans also learned that they were now allied with the Humans, committing them to the war against the Juttari. In return, they were the beneficiaries of incredible new technologies, which included the jump system, and the Freen shields.
The Empire convulsed with shock and excitement at the overwhelming events. Some hailed it as the onset of a new age of glory, while others prophesied the coming of an apocalypse.
Emperor Kriss placed new, more trustworthy generals in charge at Central Command. He passed a decree further increasing the Taymati’s numbers and bestowed greater powers to General Kiith.
The Taymati were also the first to have jump systems and shields installed on their ships. Jon sent teams of engineers to make the initial conversions, and to train the Dvorkan engineers on how to do the rest. With that task accomplished, the Dvorkans could independently retrofit the rest of their ships.
The Freen, for their part, quietly went to work constructing the new jump gate. Jon watched in awe as work on the massive structure got underway. It reminded him of his former Chief Engineer Singh. The man responsible for creating the jump system, and the jump bombs. He couldn’t wait to see his reaction to all this.
Knowing Singh, the man would take the knowledge, and find some other unbelievable way to use it. The man was a genius, of that there was no doubt. So long as he didn’t fall back into insanity, his mind could come up with extraordinary achievements.
The Freen also informed Jon that the work could only partially be completed in the Empire, as a team would be required in human space to finish the connection. That was something Jon hadn’t considered, but it made sense. It just meant that they would have to wait longer than expected for the gate’s completion. Once finished, however, it would be a game changer.
They would have a direct connection to the Empire, as well as the colonies. Add to that the established connections to the Diakans, and their network of gates, and things were looking pretty good. Earth would become a hub for interstellar travel, allowing access to several, densely populated regions of the galaxy. It would be a boon to the war effort. If they could ever put an end to this war, Sol would become a galactic crossroads with limitless potential. In the here and now, however, those were just dreams.
All in all, Jon was pleased with the progress, and his new ally, Emperor Kriss. The Empire would be a formidable friend and an asset in the fight against the Juttari and Erinyie. The trip had been fruitful. But, he had stayed in Dvorkan space much longer than he expected and had grown anxious to return home. After retrofitting enough Taymati warships with shields and jump systems, the time had come to get underway.
“All ships in the fleet are reporting jump ready, Sir,” said Commander Henderson, from his station.
Jon stood on the bridge of the Freedom, staring at the viewscreen, and the capital of the Empire, Dvorkan Prime. Beside him stood Miira Kev, looking as nervous as ever.
“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Jon said to Miira. “You can stay behind, you know. I won’t hold you to coming back to Earth with me.”
“I’m sure, Admiral,” said Miira. “I want to see your homeworld and your region of space.”
“What about the Emperor? You two have been spending a lot of time together.”
“He understands. I will see him when I return.”
“Okay, just thought I’d give you a chance to back out before we leave.”
“Thank you, Admiral.”
Jon nodded and turned his attention back to Henderson. “Very well, Commander. Initiate jump.”
The UHSF armada began its week-long journey back to their region of space. They had accomplished their mission of finding the Antikitheri and had made a new ally in the process. They gained new technologies and had added a couple of thousand extra warships to their force. It was now time to put it all to use back home.
The next few jumps were uneventful. They put a couple of hundred light years between themselves and the Empire before it was time to recharge their jump systems. Jon busily went through a growing backlog of reports, taking the extra time to get caught up on things.
“Admiral,” said Miira. “If you will excuse me, I have an appointment with Breeah.”
“Your lesson?” said Jon.
“Yes, Sir.”
“How is all that coming?”
“Breeah is a tough teacher, and I am a slow learner, but I believe I am making progress.”
“All Reivers are like that,” Jon said with a smirk. “Very well. Dismissed.”
Jon watched Miira’s towering frame leave the bridge, thankful that they had found the Dvorkan scholar. They could still be out there, stumbling around looking for the Antikitheri if not for her. She had been a godsend. Chuckling to himself, he hoped that Breeah wouldn’t be too hard on her. Reiver martial arts were not for the timid.
Chapter 45
Jon watched the viewscreen shift as they completed their final jump. It reoriented itself on the wreckage of the Diakan space station at the outskirts of Diakan space. This was where General Dathos had attacked his battle group before they began their quest to find the Antikitheri. The display showed a system littered with wreckage and debris. It was no different than the way they had left it, which was a problem.
Jon opened a comm with the Diakan, General Tallos, whose face quickly appeared on his comm screen.
“What do you make of all this, General?” said Jon.
“It is perplexing,” said Tallos. “A cleanup operation should have been well underway by now.”
“Why do you think that it’s not?”
“There could be many reasons,” said Tallos. “This is a remote region. Its only usefulness was for scientific research, but even that was limited. It could be that Diakus has placed this region on the bottom of its priorities.”
“I see. That makes sense,” said Jon, only it didn’t. The Diakans were a meticulous species. For them to leave this amount of wreckage here was unthinkable. There should have been something here, even if just a few automated systems. “Let’s proceed with caution nonetheless. Something doesn’t smell right about this. I am going to order all ships cloaked until further notice.”
“As you wish, Admiral,” said Tallos.
Jon issued the command, and soon the entire fleet became invisible. He then ordered a cloaked drone through the jump gate to investigate the system on the other side. When the drone returned, Jon shared the feed with Tallos. Being in Diakan space, he wanted Tallos in the loop.
“It can’t be,” said Jon, as the surveillance feed played on his console. “How is this possible?” Jon looked to Tallos for an answer and saw the closest thing to rage he’d ever seen on the ordinar
ily expressionless Diakan face.
“I do not know,” said Tallos through gritted teeth. “It appears a catastrophe has occurred since our departure.”
“Commander, sound general quarters fleet-wide, and launch all fighters and bombers. Keep all ships cloaked with shields up until further notice.”
“Yes, Sir,” said Commander Henderson.
“I also want this feed transmitted to the entire fleet. Let everyone know what we are facing.”
Jon looked back to the video feed and cursed under his breath. He didn’t know how, but a fleet of Juttari warships had occupied the Diakan system on the other side of the gate. At first glance, they seemed to have similar numbers as Jon’s fleet, give or take. That suited Jon just fine.
“Sir, something is coming through the jump gate,” said Henderson.
“On viewscreen,” ordered Jon.
The display centered its orientation on the shimmering portal, through which a squadron of Juttari warships now appeared.
“Make sure nobody fires,” said Jon. “They shouldn’t be able to see us. Let them have a look around.”
“Yes, Sir. Orders sent to the fleet,” said Henderson.
Jon clenched his fists and ground his teeth as he watched the hated enemy on the screen. The warships had likely responded to the activation of the jump gate, even though they didn’t see the cloaked surveillance drone. As useful as the cloaking technology was, there was no way to hide the jump gate once activated.
The squadron sailed into the system, seemingly oblivious to the dangers hidden there. The ships vanished and reappeared at different locations in the system. They were using their jump systems to cover more ground. Watching them make their maneuvers, Jon felt confident that the enemy had no way of detecting their ships. The cloaking field was still an unknown entity in this region of the galaxy. He hoped the same was true for the shields.
“AI,” said Jon. “You said the Cenobi modified your program, giving you greater capabilities, did you not?”
