“You look like you’ve seen a ghost General?” he poked at the stunned man.
“You… you… you’re….”
“Dead?” Aen finished his sentence. “Been getting a bit of that lately. Don’t think your man Wilson quite understood it either before he died.”
“He’s the one?” Patterson gasped at Sara. “The one behind all of this?”
“Your part in this, is to listen.” She said pulling out a chair for him. “Sit down and shut up. There’s a lot to cover and less time to do it in.”
As he did, Aen began to go over what was transpiring throughout the Empire and the uncovering of the plot to take the throne; though he strategically left out any mention of Iana being alive or involved in any part of it. Over the next ten minutes, Aen laid down what he thought the General needed to know to be involved as an ally to the cause. It wasn’t easy to sway him, especially when Aen discussed the usage of the Zeus in the plan.
“Not gonna happen.” Patterson pouted. “This ain’t your personal ship, boy; despite all that’s been done to you, we don’t owe you that much. This ship is far too important to be lost in a fight that don’t involve us way out here.”
“Then you haven’t heard a word I’ve said.” Aen fired back. “Everyone in the damn galaxy is involved, whether they want to be or not. Once Myril sits on the throne, how long until she turns her attention to the wealth of riches in the Sol system?”
“Even if all this hubbub and nonsense is true,” Patterson whined in protest. “The ship ain’t ready and probably won’t be for a few years. We can’t get the damn engines working; fucking scientists don’t know what’s wrong and can’t get their heads out of their asses to figure it out.”
“That’s where my bargaining chip comes in.” Aen smiled and placed a four inch opaque crystal cube on the table.
“What in Sam Hill is that shit?” the General barked.
“The AI from the Amarra.” Aen answered, leaning in. “Knowledge and computing power beyond your wildest dreams; a way to make this ship become more than it was intended to be.”
“That little thing is the Caretaker?” Patterson laughed. “I call bullshit on you son! Nice bluff but you got no cards to play here.”
“A poor analogy.” The AI spoke, startling even Aen. “And if you want to continue the poker tribute I would say that we have all the chips in our favor now.”
“How is it talking?” the General demanded. “Is this some kind of trick?”
“My you are a dull one.” Caretaker quipped. “Your desk is an interactive computer display and the instant my core matrix made contact with it I bypassed your sorry excuse for a security system and entered Zeus’ system. At present time I have downloaded over half of your files and corrected one hundred and seventy four critical software errors in thirty eight different systems; including a fatal flaw in the long term feasibility in your life support system.”
“It’s been on that table for less than a minute and it is gone through half my ship’s system?”
“To correct you, General Patterson, I have complete autonomy throughout the entire ship now; so to dumb it down for you I am one hundred percent in what I would say, is more MY ship then yours now.”
“Get it out of there!” he scowled at Sara as he stood above her in a threatening manner.
To Aen’s surprise, Sara didn’t take the bait and stayed calm despite the General lording over her. She simply smiled at him and turned back to Aen.
“Told you.” She chided Aen.
“Sit down Patterson and listen.” Aen ordered. The old man pondered his position and after a moment did as he was told. “I am not taking over your ship, but I do wish to count it in my arsenal when all hell breaks loose. If those reactors can do what Sara says they can do, then it won’t be gone long from Earth and will be back before they could miss it.”
“Interesting.” Caretaker interrupted. “I believe I found the reason for the engine malfunction. It lies in an algorithm error and a slight structural oversight; at best guess we could have it online in nine months, twenty-two days, eighteen hours…”
“We get it.” Aen stopped it from continuing.
“You mean to say that this computer solved in five minutes what the best minds of our planet couldn’t in over a year?” Patterson was shocked to ask.
“Technically it was four minutes and seventeen seconds.” The AI snipped back proudly. “I could show you the errors but according to your file the equations are far beyond your comprehension.”
“What’s the deal?” Patterson sighed in defeat and frustration.
“I give you Caretaker on loan.” Aen offered. “It gets you up and running and makes the needed adjustments and improvements to this ship and the rest of your fleet along with the entire defense network. In exchange, the Zeus is made available for when I need it; and make no mistake General I will need it. Oh and of course when the dust settles, you will return the AI to me unharmed and unaltered.”
“Do I have a choice?” the old man asked.
“I could simply take Zeus from you, make the necessary adjustments and claim it as my own as I dump you and your crew out the airlock as I speed away with your most prized possession.” Aen added.
“When you put it that way, it makes the decision that much easier.”
“It kinda does; doesn’t it?” smiled Sara as she and Aen rose from their chairs. The meeting was obviously over.
Aen let her wrap her arms around him and felt her tense for what followed. He looked up at Patterson who simply marvelled at the crystal cube on his desk. It was time to go, but Aen had one more message for his old adversary.
“It might work better if you plug his core in place of your current computer core. Less chance of it getting lost.”
Patterson nodded in agreement and carefully palmed the precious cube. “What do we do in the meantime?” He asked, never taking his eyes off the AI’s core. “I mean while we wait for your call.”
“Prepare for the worst, train your men, and be vigilant. War is coming General Patterson, and this test will make the Husk look like a trip to the beach.” Aen replied.
The General looked up to ask another question, but his visitors were gone without a trace. He let out a gruff breath; it wasn’t the first time Aen had left like this before and not the first time he had given a warning of impending doom. A chill went down his elderly spine as from his vantage point he could see her shuttle depart from its dock; Aen had been right about the Husk and look what they had done to humanity. He could only imagine what lay in store now.
“I have erased all logs and traces of this visit from both the ship’s records and the station’s docking records.” Caretaker piped up. “This conversation never happened, and if ever questioned Aen died five years ago in your professional opinion. They were never here; right?”
“Who was here?” Patterson asked in agreement.
“Good doggy!” the AI answered sarcastically. “Keep this up, and you and I will get along just fine; just fine indeed.”
—
Himalayan Mountains; Mount Kailash
“You gave them what?” Iana screamed.
They had just rendezvoused with the others back in Tibet a half hour ago and were prepping the stolen Guild vessel for departure when Sara debriefed the others on what had been discussed in the General’s office. All had been fine, until Sara got to the part where Aen had given them Caretaker’s core matrix and left. Lyxia and Iana exploded in rage and disgust, but both for different reasons. Lyxia still didn’t trust humanity with such an advanced piece of technology; it was bad enough they had built the Zeus but now you add the most advanced - and annoying - AI in the Empire and they could become dangerous beyond comprehension. Iana was angry because Caretaker seemed to be an integral part of their plan, and without them an already difficult operation seemed impossible.
“I cannot believe you did that!” she screamed again. “Now what do we do? How do we navigate and stay one step ahead witho
ut it?”
Aen smiled; a seemingly odd gesture considering what was happening around him but he also knew they were freaking out without knowing all the facts. So instead of defending himself, he simply let them yell and pout and wait for reality to smack them on the back of the head.
“I am glad you feel so strongly about losing me.” Caretaker piped up at long last, causing Aen to chuckle at its timing. “But I assure you I am most certainly not in the possession of the humans.”
Iana was at a loss for words, Sara’s jaw dropped, but it was Lyxia who instantly turned back to Aen with fists cocked and a look of anger on her face.
“I am getting tired of the constant surprises!” she grumbled through gritted teeth at Aen. “The last few days I have gone through the entire spectrum of emotions and I can’t take it anymore. Now explain why he is here, yet you said you left him there.”
“Quite simple, if I may explain.” The AI offered. “Aen did, and yet did not give me to General Patterson to help advance the completion of the Olympus project. He gave them a fragment; a download copy of myself that will render assistance yet give them no direct access to the vast networks and knowledge I am connected to. In a way, we have given them a child version of myself; and one that I can monitor, control and even erase at any time.”
Lyxia hung her head and closed her eyes before stepping forward and embracing Aen; burying her forehead into his chest as he sat on the crate. He didn’t expect the move, but returned her embrace and whispered comforting words to her. It had been rough for her and he could tell she was wound as tight as could be. Aen made a mental note not to drop anymore surprises on her for a while.
“You could have let me in on this.” Sara murmured.
“It had to be believable.” Aen apologised. “If you knew then you would focus on the secret and not your hatred for the man. Without the familiar sting to your words, the crafty old bastard would think something was up.”
“I get it, I just wish you would trust me.” She said with disappointment. “I wish you would trust all of us.”
She was right, and Aen knew it. Spending so long lost within himself, he had forgotten what it was like to trust and love. He kissed the top of Lyxia’s head and nodded to his daughter and Iana in agreement. To them he looked calm and in control, but inside he was full of turmoil and strife; Aen was as broken as the day he crashed the Amarra into the Husk ship. His emotional state was a mess as the traumatic experiences of his birth haunted his every waking moment. But now was not the time to give into the pain, the part of him that had grown without his past to hinder him was on auto pilot as he had to stay strong and focused.
“A mistake I will not repeat.” He said with remorse. “Going forward from this day, all of you will know everything before we do it; for what lies ahead is much more dangerous than where we’ve come from.”
Lyxia pulled back and smiled; the same nervous and honest smile Aen remembered from their holo-conferences. It was genuine emotion and it calmed the storm within; she seemed to know exactly what he needed.
“I trust you.” She said. “And I think it’s time we know the rest of the plan; and your reasoning for such dramatic measures.”
The others agreed and pulled up crates to make themselves as comfortable as possible; Lyxia sat beside Aen and held his right hand within hers the whole time. Aen started with the attempt on his life at the Brink, then his trip to the home world of the Prophets along with the puzzling messages they gave him to his questions; this part raised a bit of a fuss as Aen had found something others had searched for forever in religious expeditions. After deflecting the questions to where the planet was, he continued on with his discovery of the plot to take the throne when he had lain waste to the den of the Forgotten on Ryas, and then the meeting with Bryx that led to the faux assassination and all the way to hiding here on Earth. Then the messages stumbled upon by Caretaker that led to the discovery of the two surviving crew of the Amarra and their connection to the newly named incumbent Myril. And to the best of his ability, he told them of his attempts to trace the webs of deceit back to the real cause of this; the Guild itself.
They were quiet for a good few minutes; Aen had given them a ton to digest. Iana was saddened by some of the revelations that until now were unknown to her. Aen could tell she felt betrayed; the Guild raised her and it was a betrayal that cut deep. Sara had the look she always had when she was thinking; it was what had made her excel as a reporter before the Husk. There were holes in his theories and he knew she would help him fill those in. Lyxia, well she was stunned at some of the names of her crew that he had mentioned as conspirators. A few were even officers that she hand-picked for the job herself.
“That’s why you wanted to know the history of the Guild.” Iana whispered.
“And it’s why I still have much to do as we return back to Havyiin. After all, those of you here in the Council have a coronation to attend.” He added.
“Like hell I’m going to see that treacherous bitch get what she wants!” Sara scowled.
“That’s not what you are attending for.” Aen scolded. “You need an alibi for what will happen there; being in attendance grants you plausible deniability.”
“So what’s the plan?” Asked Lyxia
“Did any of you listen to my little performances?” Aen asked with disappointment. “The whole time I have pulled the rug out from them at every new step they had planned so meticulously and I will do it once more. This time, I will make the loudest statement of all on the biggest stage.”
“And that statement is?” asked Sara.
“Why I’m going to show the entire Empire what is really happening around them, and I am going to kill Myril to prove the point!”
—
Mars Orbital Range; Terran Council Transport
Lyxia was tired, but there would be time to rest on the shuttle ride back to the Dark Light once they were able to board her own vessel back at the Mars docks where it had been for months now. In her hands, she had a list of names identifying the conspirators aboard her ship, and had cross referenced it twice to be sure none of her personal guards were on it; she breathed a sigh of relief that they weren’t. They were an hour away from the docking ring, and her guest had passed out from exhaustion soon after they left Terra Sol.
Caretaker had lifted the inter-solar communication blackout; explained as the result of severe solar storms; and she had been in steady contact with Axyn. He knew the Terran Council was aboard and ‘hitching’ a ride to attend the funeral and coronation festivities. If there were few stops and delays, they would arrive a few days before it all went down; just in time to get a good seat for the show. Axyn had asked if she wanted the ship prepped for departure, but was puzzled that she had declined the offer. All she gave him for an explanation was that there was something vital to do upon her arrival before any of that could be done.
So now she could relax, if not for a little bit in the small cabin at the rear of the shuttle reserved for emissaries and dignitaries. Humans knew how to treat their guests, as the room was more plush and comfortable than she could have dreamed. As she settled down on the bed; armor still adorned; she looked over at Sara fast asleep on the ‘couch’ and smiled. In some strange way, Lyxia saw her friend in a new light these last few days and began to appreciate her even more than before. She only hoped Sara wouldn’t resent her for the relationship she was pursuing with Aen; after all, he was at one time her father.
Closing her eyes, she lay back on the bed and thought back to that epic kiss the two shared. Five long years she had waited to taste him, and the rush of energy he filled her with in that moment was intoxicating. Her very cells had been reenergized by the contact with his skin; like a painkiller before the battle surgeon went to work, she felt like she need more to keep going. Then it hit her; if the kiss was that amazing, then when they finally mated, it may take her days to recover.
“By the Gods.” She whispered lustfully out loud.
“Could y
ou please not have sex with my dad in your dreams with me in the room?” Sara blurted out immediately. “I’m ok with the two of you being an item, but that is just a bit icky.” She giggled.
“So you think we are an…..item?” Lyxia asked with her eyes still shut; trying to hold the last thoughts tightly.
“It’s hard to read those eyes.” Sara said, propping herself up on an elbow. “But he used to look at mom like that; you know, before he got all turned into the savior of humanity and all.”
“I’m sorry.” Lyxia sat up. “This must be hard for you; I hope you don’t think less of me now.”
“If mom was still hung up on him, I might be upset with you both.” Sara smiled. “But she found happiness and you both have the right to be happy too. Besides, he isn’t exactly my dad anymore if you haven’t noticed.”
“He will always be your father, Sara.” Lyxia corrected her friend. “From the day you were birthed to the day you take your final breath and even in the afterlife he will always be your father, no matter what he has become at the hands of others. Above all others, it is you who has captured his heart; it is you who are is legacy, not his actions now.”
“Thanks sweetie!” Sara grinned ear to ear and settled back down on the couch. “I needed that.”
“As I needed your words of approval.” Lyxia replied as she lay back once more. She couldn’t wait to be out of this armor and in her own bed once more. To feel the soft sheets on her naked skin and the cool air embracing her as she slept. And hopefully, she would get to feel that in the arms of her lover; after all, she had waited long enough for it.
ELEVEN
Lyarran Vessel Dark Light;
Neptune Orbital Range
“We have eyes on the shuttle now.” The tracking officer announced. “Ten minutes until docking.”
“Clear the shuttle bay and open the doors for their arrival.” Axyn ordered.
This had been too long of a strenuous assignment; he promised himself to enjoy the next time he was on the battlefield that much more after having to run a star ship for a few months. The political bullshit that came with the job was stifling, and the old battle hardened veteran had to resist pounding certain whining individuals into the floor on more than a few occasions. But at last Lyxia was in sight and would soon be back in charge of this circus; he just had to make sure the next few minutes went by without a hitch.
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