“And what of the humans?” asked the Senfo commander.
“We became aware of the humans shortly after our arrival, but we did not consider them a threat as they had no mastery of advanced technology and were fragmented in numerous competing states. We did not bother to monitor humans until the day we detected an intense energy burst from their planet.”
The committee looked towards the senator, who didn’t know what the Screen was referring to. But it was his aide who had the answer. “The nuclear explosion, when India and Pakistan went to war. That’s what you picked up.”
“We detected multiple high intensity explosions coming from your planet and returned to investigate,” said Drou. “We were shocked how far humans had advanced in their technology. We continued observing your world and became fearful when humans learned to explore the stars. A species that developed so quickly had the potential to become very powerful. So we interfered with the first attempts by humans to leave their star system. After only a few attacks, the humans solved our worries by prohibiting themselves from leaving their system.”
The Quix commander stood up. “You demonstrated advanced technology. Why did you not simply attempt to quash the human race?”
“Although we were confident we could conquer the humans, we were unwilling to risk ourselves on such an endeavor.”
“Why?” asked the senator.
“Our race is dying,” revealed Drou. “Due to extended exposure to harmful chemicals to adapt our new home to our needs, our genetic blocks were affected. Over successive generations, we have produced less offspring.”
“Is that why only elder Screen serve as soldiers?” asked Hendestaun.
“Yes. Our youngers are too valuable to risk serving in the military. They must focus on procreation. Only those past the age of mating are permitted to serve our military. We have exhausted our scientific knowledge trying to solve our breeding problem.”
“We could have helped you,” said the Senfo commander. “You only had to establish friendly diplomatic relations with us. Instead, you interfered with our own progress. How many of our people died because of your fear?”
“We cannot change what has been done,” said Drou. “You have decimated our military and now occupied our homeworld. You are in the position to dictate our future.”
The committee members looked at one another. Senator Mulgen then spoke up. “We have much to consider. You’ll be taken back to your cell until we’ve reached a decision.
“What of the Roberts and the Olson?” asked Drou.
“What about them?” said Hendestaun.
“Their names are poison among my people,” said Drou. “If you value their lives, you will ensure that neither ever set foot on the Screen homeworld.”
“You are in no position to make threats,” said Xex. Mulgen nodded to the guards who took the Screen away.
Julie, Kevin, Bret, Chris Anne, and Doctor Myers were seated in the cafeteria on Luna by the large transparent wall that gave a view of the moon’s landscape. In the distance was PHOENIX, docked with Luna Station. Station engineers were working with PHOENIX’s engineers in downloading the vessel’s schematics. Work was just commissioned to build shipyards around Earth and Mars. PHOENIX’s schematics would be utilized to build a new generation of TERRA starships, as well as retrofit the five capital ships currently in service.
“Did you hear they’ve designated Ruby Sector an interspecies haven?” Bret asked everyone.
Myers had heard the news. “They offered the alien crew members on PHOENIX the chance to relocate until arrangements could be made to return them to their homeworlds, but they all refused. It seems they consider PHOENIX home.”
“I doubt TERRA likes the idea of aliens remaining on one of their ships, let alone their flagship,” Chris commented.
“TERRA’s going to have to adapt. Things have changed” said Julie. “We’ve thrust them into a relationship with aliens. They’re going to have to live with it.”
“I heard the Academy approached you to become the new superintendent,” said Bret to Julie. Although Admiral Vespia had assigned Julie and John to continue commanding PHOENIX, it didn’t stop the heads of TERRA’s other divisions in approaching the pair to join their ranks. Julie knew it was nothing more than using them to attain prestige.
“I spoke with Professor McLeeland,” said Julie, referring to the interim superintendent. Mortino, like many of the upper ranks of TERRA, had been dismissed from his position. Admiral Vespia was cleaning house and filling those positions with people loyal to her. “I made it clear my place is on PHOENIX with John.”
“I got offered to head the communications station in Madrid, but I said no,” said Bret. He looked at Kevin. “What about you? What juicy positions have you been offered?”
“It doesn’t matter,” replied a somber Kevin. “I’m resigning my commission.”
The news took everyone by surprise. “Why?” asked Chris.
“I have my personal reasons. Reasons I don’t want to discuss.”
“Does the captain know?” Myers asked, referring to John.
“No, but I need to talk to him,” said Kevin. “When’s he due to return to Luna?”
“He’s taking care of some business on Earth,” said Julie. “I’m not sure when he’s due back.” Julie suspected the reason Kevin was resigning had to do with his Holocaust heritage. She wanted to talk him out of resigning, but felt it wasn’t her place to do so. Kevin had confided in John about his secret, and she felt that only John could talk to Kevin about his decision.
On Earth, it was a clear sunny day in La Habra, California. John stood in an open field with X by his side. A shuttle sat behind them, manned by John’s personnel escort of Earth Security guards.
John looked at the foundation slab ahead of him. It was all that remained of his childhood home. X told him everything that happened when the bot and Admiral Johnson escaped here from TERRA’s security force.
John took X’s hand and they walked to the foundation, where John took a seat on it. X hoisted itself on the foundation and they both looked out in the field.
“Nothing’s changed here,” John commented. The area was exactly as he remembered, as if time had no effect here.
“The house is no longer here,” X reminded him.
John smiled at the bot. “I can still picture the house. Guess I don’t want to accept it’s gone.”
“That is understandable,” said X. “Will you be making arrangements to rebuild it?”
“No.” John had thought long and hard about it. Despite how he felt being back on Earth, the truth was this wasn’t his home anymore. He didn’t belong here. His place was in space, on the PHOENIX. “We’ll put the land up for sale. Someone else deserves to make a history here.”
“I will contact the local real estate bureaus to submit bids for the property’s sale,” said X. “But I would recommend locating Nicole and consulting her first. She may want to rebuild the house.”
John was caught off guard. He didn’t realize X wasn’t aware of Nicole’s death. But how could it have known?
John put his arm around the bot. “Nicole’s gone, X. She passed away a couple of years ago.”
X rotated its upper body as it looked out to the field for a few moments. Its ocular sensor then focused back at John. “This unit is disheartened to hear of Nicole’s passing.” It put its hand on John’s leg. “I am sorry for your loss. May this unit inquire how she died?”
“It’s not important,” said John. He wanted X to remember Nicole as she was alive. It didn’t need to know the violent method of how she died, or that it was Admiral Johnson who killed her.
Besides, John needed to find Admiral Johnson. With all the attention surrounding John, it was easy for him to put off locating the admiral. He still wasn’t sure what he would do to Johnson when he found him. So much had happened to John, but he was still angry at the admiral for taking his sister. He still believed Johnson had to pay for what he did. John just
wasn’t sure what he would do.
“If you intend to sell the property, then this unit concludes you will be returning to the starship PHOENIX,” said X.
“That’s right,” confirmed John.
“Then you have no further need for this unit,” said X.
“No, you’re coming with me,” said John. “You’re all the family I have left and I want you with me on PHOENIX. I need you, X.”
The bot considered John’s words. “This unit finds your explanation without logic, but satisfactory. This unit will not fail in its duties to you.”
John patted the bot on its hull plating. “You’ve never failed me, X. But…I need to know one thing. When Nicole left, did she say anything to you?”
“You query is open ended,” said X. “Is there specific information you are looking for?”
“Did Nicole say why she left?” asked John.
“Nicole stated she had business to attend to,” replied X. “She stated it was this unit’s top priority to care for you while she was away.”
“I see,” said John.
“This unit did inquire with Nicole why she was leaving,” said X. “Nicole stated it was to ensure your future.”
John couldn’t help but smile. He had been right about his sister all along. Despite her falling into drug use, she still put his welfare above hers. She left so John could have a chance of fulfilling his dreams.
John hoped off the foundation. “Come on, let’s get out of here.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Admiral Vespia was looking around her new office, an office that once belonged to Admiral Donalds. It was much bigger than her old office on the other side of Armstrong City. She chuckled as she imagined Donalds sitting in his cell.
Her desk beeped, alerting her. “Admiral Vespia,” came the voice of her bot assistant.
“Yes, Morris?”
“Captain Roberts and Captain Olson are here.”
“Send them in.” Despite being the head of TERRA now, Vespia had to wait in line for an audience with the two captains. But she was patient. She needed to clear the air with them before they resumed command of the PHOENIX.
The two young captains entered and Vespia put on her best smile. “Captain, captain. Good to see you again. I know you’ve been busy meeting with government officials and the media and appreciate you taking time to see me.”
“Admiral Vespia,” said Julie. John said nothing, and Vespia recognized his body language he was on guard.
“Since you two will be commanding TERRA’s flagship, I wanted to meet to clarify what my expectations are of you. You both accomplished so much, but have a lot to learn about working in an organized fleet.”
“Really?” said John. “You’re actually going to sit there and say we’re inexperienced after everything we’ve done?”
“Let me be clear, captain,” said Vespia. She quickly realized pleasantries wasn’t going to work on John. “You’re only in command of PHOENIX because it serves my interests. If circumstances were different and people wanted your head, I would have gladly accommodated them and thrown you in prison for the rest of your life.”
John looked at Julie. “I was getting worried, but I’m glad to see TERRA’s still behaving like the self-serving entity we always known it’s been.”
“Admiral, we have no problem serving TERRA,” said Julie. “But make no mistake, we’re not going to blindly follow orders because you threatened us. If we would have done that John would be in the reserves and I’d be a museum guide.”
“If I wanted someone to blindly follow orders I’d have replaced you with one of the capital ship commanders,” said Vespia. “I’m aware of how important you are, but you still have to prove yourselves to me. You haven’t worked with anyone in TERRA and I need to know what you’re capable of.”
John rolled his eyes. “Let’s see, we formed alliances with several alien races and defeated the Screen. Yeah, our track record sucks.”
“Your defiant attitude isn’t going to keep you in command of PHOENIX very long,” warned Vespia.
“Go ahead, remove me from command,” dared John. “You don’t think I know you’re in a fragile position yourself. Half of Congress wants you out of TERRA.”
As John and the admiral argued back and forth, Julie wandered over to the table by the window. She saw a picture of a young man in a pilot’s uniform sitting in a frame, with the word Kory written on the bottom. She picked it up and stared at it. There was something familiar about it, something she was told long ago.
“Who is this?” Julie asked, interrupting John and Vespia.
Vespia saw Julie holding the frame and her demeanor changed, her face becoming soft. “That’s my son.”
Her son. Suddenly, it clicked for Julie. “You and Admiral Johnson.”
“Huh?” asked John.
“Remember John? Admiral Johnson told us about his son Kory. He was a pilot who sacrificed himself to the Screen.” Julie looked back at Vespia. “You were his mother.”
The admiral sat down behind her desk, as if all the fight had been taken out of her. “Oliver never forgave me for what Kory did. He threaten to make TERRA pay.”
That comment struck another cord with Julie. “It was you. You sent Chief Sandoval to spy on the EXODUS Project.”
Vespia didn’t reply, which was confirmation to both John and Julie that she was the one who sent Thomas Sandoval to the project.
“If it was you, why didn’t you try to stop the launch? Sandoval didn’t try sabotaging the ship until after we left,” said John.
“I sent Agent Sandoval to the project to watch Oliver and make sure TERRA didn’t learn of what he was doing,” explained Vespia. “He was my best agent, but he was also a patriot. He would have never accepted that I wanted the EXODUS Project to succeed.”
“Because you also wanted TERRA to pay for what happened to your son,” added Julie.
“A shame, isn’t it?” said Vespia. “It took the death of my only child for my eyes to open to what TERRA stood for.”
“So you used Sandoval,” said John. “Made him think he was gathering information so you could shut down the project.”
“I knew that Sandoval had died, but you never listed his manner of death,” Vespia pointed out.
“We discovered he was the saboteur,” said Julie. “But he never told us who he was working for.”
“I always believed that whoever sent Sandoval to the project should be held accountable for all the deaths he caused,” said John. “But knowing why you sent him and what you it cost you….I guess no one ever needs to know about this.”
Vespia nodded to John. “Thank you, captain,”
“I’m not doing it for you,” clarified John. “Enough people have been hurt because of him. I don’t want to risk you being removed as head of TERRA and replaced with someone who wants to maintain the status quo. You might be willing to change, and I’m willing to give you that chance. I only ask one thing.”
“Which is?” asked Vespia.
“Where is Admiral Johnson?”
“My dear, have you not been told already?” said Vespia. “Admiral Johnson is dead. He died six months after you left the solar system.”
Julie looked at John for his reaction, but he exhibited none.
“From?” asked John.
“I don’t know,” admitted Vespia. “All I do know is he received around the clock care at a hospital in Sydney, but my intelligence never discovered what he was suffering from.”
John considered telling her, that Admiral Johnson had suffered from dementia. But he held back. He didn’t know if it was out of compassion or not wanting to explain the circumstances how he knew about the admiral’s condition.
“I’m sure Oliver would be proud of what you both accomplished,” said Vespia.
“Yeah,” muttered John. “Is that everything, admiral?”
“For now,” said Vespia. “I think we both know where we stand. You’re dismissed.”
John left her
office, but Julie remained behind. “You lost your husband and son.”
“So I did,” replied Vespia.
Julie looked around the opulent office. “I hope it was worth it.” Vespia didn’t answer until Julie left.
“I hope it was too.”
Julie caught up to John, who was sitting by a fountain in the large waiting area. She took a seat next to him and put her arm on his shoulder. “You ok?”
“I thought I’d be happy that he’s dead,” said John. “But I’m sad. I guess in some way he was doing what he thought was right to keep the project alive. I can’t forgive him for what he did to Nicole, but in some weird way I understand why he did it. Does that make any sense or am I sounding crazy?”
“Not at all. Deep down I think you want to forgive him, but can’t because he took your sister,” said Julie. “Despite what he did, you still want to see the good in him.”
“I made a promise to myself that I would get revenge, but I honestly don’t know what I would have done if he was still alive.”
“Maybe it’s best you don’t know that answer,” reassured Julie. “He’s gone. Let’s leave it at that.”
She was right. Admiral Johnson caused so much pain for John. Now that he was dead, John needed to leave him in the past along with those he lost and move forward with his life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Chief Davers was more busy since PHOENIX returned to the solar system than any other time since becoming head of security. He had to keep constant track of the people coming and going from the ship. Almost every part of the ship had been invaded by TERRA officers or their consultants, getting as much information about the ship and its secrets. On top of that, the chief had been notified that an additional five thousand people would be joining the crew, which required him to redo his security schedule and request additional personnel.
“Another three requisitions have been uploaded to our server,” said Davers’ assistant as she walked in his office. The chief quickly brought them up on his holographic DAT and shook his head in frustration.
Fury Of The Phoenix (Exodus) Page 14
