by M. R. Forbes
Good Intentions
Chaos of the Covenant, Book Six
M.R. Forbes
Published by Quirky Algorithms
Seattle, Washington
This novel is a work of fiction and a product of the author’s imagination.
Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 by M.R. Forbes
All rights reserved.
Cover illustration by Tom Edwards
tomedwardsdesign.com
Acknowledgments
THANK YOU for still reading! I guess I must be doing something right. :)
THANK YOU to my beta readers for helping make Good Intentions the best it can be.
THANK YOU to my wife for helping make me the best I can be.
1
“We have entered FTL, my Queen,” Keeper said, bowing his head to Abbey.
“Just like that?” Abbey replied. “I didn’t feel anything.”
“The Covenant does not rely on disterium for faster-than-light travel,” Keeper replied. “It has its own, alternate technology.”
“Oh yeah?” Gant said. “What kind of tech are we talking about?”
“Traversable wormholes.”
“Are you kidding? Even if it was possible, do you know what the power requirements would be?”
“Yes. It is possible, small furry creature. And yes, I am aware of the power requirements.”
“The name is Gant,” Gant said, annoyed. “You’re saying you have enough power on board?”
“The Covenant is fueled by a combination of exotic fusion reactions and advanced energy stores collected from gamma rays. To put it in a perspective you might understand, take all of the potential energy of the Earth’s Sun, and place it into a battery the size of this room. There are eight such cells on board.”
Pik whistled. “That’s a shit-ton of juice.”
“Yes,” Keeper agreed. “It is. A large portion of the active energy was being diverted toward the Focus to maintain the containment field, leaving only critical systems operative. When the field was shut off, main power was restored throughout the Covenant, including to my central nervous system.”
“That big blobby thing?” Pik asked.
Keeper looked at the Trover. “Yes,” it said flatly. “That big blobby thing is my central cortex. It, and I, am the brain of the Covenant. An advanced artificial intelligence.”
“Like Ruby?” Pik said.
“Who is Ruby?” Keeper asked.
“Oh, you’ll meet her later,” Pik said. “She’s a synthetic human. She’s great. And pretty.”
“I have not met a synthetic human from this galaxy before,” Keeper said. “That would be interesting.”
Abbey turned her head, looking back at the Focus behind them. Energy was still flowing to it, along with the restored Blood of the Shard.
“Speaking of containment fields,” she said, pointing at one of the dead Asura soldiers nearby. “What the frag?”
“It is a long story, my Queen,” Keeper said. “But you’ve already discovered the effects of the juxtaposition.”
“Juxta-huh?” Pik said.
“The Asura come from a place they call the Veil. It is a parallel multiverse that sits between the fabric of what we understand to be the connected universes created by the One. While the practical definitions and algorithms have yet to be fully determined, the most basic understanding is that for this universe to exist, the Veil must exist with it. What is truly astonishing about the Veil is that it should be vacant of intelligent life or living organisms of any kind. The bonds are tenuous, and many of the regions unstable. Somehow the Asura have made a home there.”
“And found their way here,” Abbey said. “How?”
“The crystals,” Keeper said. “The Darkstone in particular. The resonance of it alters the landscape of space and time itself, pulling the phase of the Veil closer to the phase of our universe. The Asura are drawn to the Darkstone, and the juxtaposition allows them to cross from one side to the other. Once a route is opened up to them, they are difficult to control unless they are contained, and even then they can be a struggle to eradicate, as you have witnessed.”
“You talk about them like they’re pests,” Abbey said. “But it sounds more like they’re intelligent life forms who wound up getting stuck here.”
“They swarm toward the Darkstone like it is a narcotic. They follow its call without reason or logic, even directly into death. They are unable to participate in diplomacy because of their need. Is that intelligence or instinct?”
“Fair enough,” Abbey said. “Are there others on board?”
“Most likely,” Keeper replied. “Though they will be struggling to stay organized without their General. I can provide a tool that will keep them in phase and allow you to track them down.”
“Bug hunt?” Pik said. “I like it.”
“We’ll get to that,” Abbey replied. “How long until we reach the Extant?”
“Ninety-four Earth hours,” Keeper replied.
“I knew it was far, but that’s a long way.”
“Especially as we are traveling at three times the speed of a disterium drive,” Keeper said.
“Take me back to the others. I want all of us to regroup. Ruby, can you hear me?”
There was no reply.
“Ruby?” Abbey said again.
“Our comm signals don’t reach down here,” Gant said.
“My apologies,” Keeper said. “If you provide me with security keys I can create a relay that will enable ship-wide communications using your systems.”
“Just like that?” Gant asked.
“My creator is the One who made this entire galaxy and stocked it with life forms, including yours. Your technology is impressive in relation to the age of your kind but rudimentary to that of the Covenant.”
“Did he just call us stupid?” Pik asked.
“What about a map of the ship?” Abbey asked. “It would be helpful to know what’s what around here.”
“As you command, so it will be done. I can upload a schematic of the Covenant to you once I can connect to your tactical network.”
“Thank you,” Abbey said.
“Of course. If you follow me, I will return you to your soldiers.”
Abbey and the others followed Keeper out of the Focus Room, to a new section of the corridor she hadn’t seen on her way in. They circumvented the shaft the Asura had been using to move around the ship, returning to the center on the same level, not all that far away.
“Why don’t our comms reach very far in here?” Abbey asked.
“The Covenant is shielded from most traditional frequencies,” Keeper replied.
“Why?” Gant asked.
“It is a long story. Perhaps I will have time to share it during the journey. Here we are.”
They entered the Core. Abbey was immediately taken by surprise at the sight and size of the central cortex, pulsing with energy and throbbing like a living thing. She stared at it for a few seconds before noticing the rest of the Rejects nearby.
“Queenie,” Bastion said, smiling as she approached them. He walked toward her, his shoulder slumped and caked with blood.
“You’re hurt,” she said.
“It’s nothing. I just can’t move my arm, and it hurts like a mother.” He smiled, reaching out with his good arm. She embraced him for a moment before backing away and greeting the others.
“Pudding. Uriel. You’re injured as well.”
“I would have been healed by now if I still had the Gift.”
“Cherub, can you?” Abbey said. “Both of them?”
/> “Of course, Queenie,” Jequn said. “Imp, pull down your lightsuit.”
Bastion raised his eyebrow. “Here?”
“Don’t be an ass, just do it.”
He unhooked the clasps and shifted it off his shoulder, grimacing as he did. Jequn stood in front of him, putting her hands on his wound. Her palm began to glow, and he opened his mouth as the Gift started putting him back together.
“Nerd is pretty banged up,” Phlenel said.
Abbey moved to the youngest member of the crew. He was on his back, unconscious. He looked like shit.
“He will survive,” Keeper said. “The Covenant’s medical bay can heal damage like this.”
“So can I,” Abbey said, leaning over him. “Pudding, help me get his armor off.”
Phlenel moved to her side, assisting her in getting his lightsuit clear of the wound. A jagged cut had torn the flesh of his stomach, and it was still bleeding heavily. Abbey put her hand on top of it, closing her eyes as she sent the Gift out, asking the naniates to put him back together. They didn’t resist, extended from her palm and into his flesh, seizing control over cells and instructing them to reproduce more rapidly, to accelerate the healing process. Abbey could feel her hand warming up as they did their work, and within minutes he was whole again.
Erlan opened his eyes, looking up at her. “Queenie. You’re alive. Or I’m dead. And you’re dead.” He convulsed in fear. “I’m not dead, am I? You’re not dead?”
“Just like a nerd,” Benhil said.
“Nerd, relax,” Abbey said. “You’re fine. We’re both fine. Alive and well.”
He calmed down again. “You saved my life.”
“Not really. According to Keeper, you weren’t going to die in the first place. I just sped things up a bit.”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
Abbey stood, glancing at the Rejects surrounding her. Jequn was healing Uriel’s arm, and everyone else was back in one piece. She was grateful for that.
“Just to get you all up to speed,” she said. “The asshole that was commanding the bugs on the ship is dead. The Focus is back to its original state. And we’re in FTL, on our way to the Extant.”
“What?” Uriel said, leaning away from Jequn and making a face. “Are you fragging crazy?”
“There are still some bugs left to squish though,” Pik said. “So at least we won’t be bored on the way.”
“Not at all,” Abbey said, responding to Uriel. “The Republic needs reinforcements. The Nephilim are keeping slaves. I intend to free them and bring them back to the Republic with us, along with as many ships as we can hold.”
“You have the Focus,” Uriel said. “You can tear every ship in Thraven’s fleet to shreds.”
“The Focus was never intended for violence. The Shard gave it to the Seraphim so they could continue his mission of building life in the galaxy. It was the Seraphim who sullied it with altered naniates.” She paused, her expression changing. “But you know something about that, don’t you?”
Uriel lowered his head. “I’m not responsible for it if that’s what you’re suggesting.”
“It isn’t what I’m suggesting. Was it Charmeine?”
Uriel shook his head. “No. She was against putting the Omicron into the Focus, but Azrael overruled her. They couldn’t think of another way to stop the Nephilim. At least that’s what she told me at the time. It was a long time ago.”
“You can’t blame them for peeing in the pool if it was the only way to win,” Bastion said. “We might end up having to do the same.”
“I hope not,” Abbey replied. “You’re right about that part. My problem is that the Seraphim knew what they were doing would be temporary. They passed the burden forward, on to the individuals they were supposed to be helping to support. And now that the Nephilim are back and ripping the galaxy apart, most of them are nowhere to be found. In part, because they killed a large portion of their own kind trying to turn the Gift into a weapon.”
“But Lucifer had already turned it into a weapon,” Uriel said. “Were we supposed to stand there and take it?”
“You were supposed to have faith,” Keeper said. “The Covenant is a promise of protection.”
“From the One?” Uriel asked. “He allowed the Shard to be killed. He allowed the Nephilim to come to be. He allowed them to feed on our creations. Is that your idea of protection?”
“You two can argue your theology some other time,” Abbey said. “I didn’t bring up the Focus to start a fight, only to point out that we can’t use it as part of the war effort. Not directly. Not if we want to keep it pure.”
Keeper was silent. Uriel stared at the floor.
“Anyway,” Abbey continued. “By hitting the Nephilim on their home turf, we can take them off-guard and use their assets against Thraven, the way Thraven is using our assets against us. We can increase the overall strength of our resistance and at the same time reduce the potential for Nephilim reinforcements. By the way, does this thing have any offensive capabilities?”
“Not exactly,” Keeper said. “The drones were initially intended for taking environmental samples from nearby worlds. They were repurposed to protect the Covenant.”
“And we knocked most of them out,” Bastion said.
“My Queen, if you can provide me with your keys, I will enable your communications across the Covenant.”
Keeper approached the Core, putting his hand on it. Tendrils reached out and wrapped around his fingers, holding him to the bundle.
Abbey recited the security keys. Keeper didn’t move, but a moment later his voice came out of her communicator.
“I believe it is functional,” he said.
“Ruby,” Abbey said. “Do you copy?”
“Queenie,” Ruby replied. “I read you. Sensors just began tracing you again. I’m glad you are alive. I was worried.”
“Can you worry?”
Ruby hesitated for a moment. “Yes, I suppose I can. Perhaps it is a residual effect of having Charmeine’s configuration stored on my memory chip?”
“Maybe,” Abbey said.
“I am picking up the others’ TCUs now as well. You are all clustered near the center of the ship. Are you well, Queenie?”
“We’re fine. Keeper, can you upload a map of the Covenant?”
“I am still familiarizing myself with your system,” Keeper replied. “It will take a few minutes to encode in a compatible format.”
“How are you synchronizing?” Gant asked.
“I have bypassed the security protocols in that one’s system.” Keeper pointed at Pik.
“Why me?” Pik asked.
“It was the first system to accept the passcode combinations I was attempting. Your security is poor.”
“Oh.”
“Wait a second,” Abbey said. “Keeper, stop. I get that you’re an advanced AI, but you claim to be serving me, right?”
“My function is to serve the Light of the Shard,” Keeper replied.
“Then you don’t hack into my team’s systems without my fragging permission, okay?”
“Apologies, my Queen. I have ceased integration.”
“That’s enough with the ‘my Queen,’ too. Call me Queenie, or DQ.”
“DQ?”
“Demon Queen,” Pik said. “I like it.”
“I do not understand the meaning?”
“We came from a prison planet called Hell,” Benhil said. “Well, some of us. Well, I guess now we’re in the minority in this outfit. But that’s the root of it. Demons, get it? Abbey’s the boss, which makes her the Demon Queen.”
“Yes, I understand the origin. It is fitting in that context.”
“So glad you approve,” Abbey said. “Resume integration of your systems with ours. This ship is too big to be wandering around without a map.”
“As you command, so it will be done.”
“You can just say ‘aye, Queenie,’ or ‘yes, Queenie,’ or ‘roger’ or ‘affirmative.�
� I’m not that into long-winded formality.”
“Aye, Queenie.”
“Better. Ruby, once you’ve received the map, meet us wherever the control center happens to be. That’s where we’ll be headed next.”
“Roger, Queenie,” Ruby said.
“Nerd, do you want to head to medical?” Abbey asked. “I’m sure Keeper can show you the way.”
“No thank you, ma’am,” Erlan replied. “I feel great thanks to you, and I don’t want to miss anything.”
“I don’t blame you,” Abbey said. “I’m glad you’re all safe. Although, now that I think of it, I did order you all to leave.”
She turned to each of the Rejects, glaring at them.
“Uh. Sorry?” Bastion offered.
“It’s my fault, Queenie,” Gant said. “I wouldn’t let them leave.”
“Bullshit,” Benhil said. “It was my idea.”
“It was not,” Pik said. “You-”
“It was my idea,” Jequn said. “I told them we couldn’t go.”
“I wanted to go,” Uriel admitted, lifting his head and smiling. “Your Rejects were too damn loyal to leave you here to die.”
“Or if you were going to die, we figured we might as well die with you,” Bastion said. “Are you going to court-martial us?”
“Seeing as how you don’t have ranks, that might be difficult,” Abbey said. “I appreciate that you stayed, but I can’t let your disregard for my command go unpunished. Give me some time, and I’ll think of something.”
“I don’t like the sound of that,” Benhil said.
“Maybe the threat of punishment is the punishment?” Bastion said.
“Trust me, Imp,” Abbey said. “It isn’t.”
2
“Good morning Hayley,” Olus said, as the younger Cage entered the mess of the Mangrove.
“Good morning, Captain,” Hayley replied, offering him a smile before heading over to join the crew of the freighter on the chow line.
Olus watched her go with a balanced mix of calm and trepidation. Hayley had been much more cheerful since they had spoken to Abbey, but at the same time, he was sure she was worried about her mother. After all, Abbey was rushing headlong into the thick of danger while she would soon be hiding out with one of the most powerful civilians in the galaxy.
