“It won’t be necessary, sir,” Richard said. “I can protect TAC Officer Myers’ link some using the Power I have if that’s what you want.”
Richard shifted his position in his seat before continuing. “But, sir, it takes many sessions to fully protect a link. Surely you know that?”
“I’m not asking you to fully protect his link right now,” said the commandant. “I’m asking you to protect it enough to buy him a few seconds.”
“Yes, sir,” Richard said.
“And don’t go below twenty-five percent Power in your own reserve,” said the commandant. “You never know when you may need to fight.”
“Yes, sir,” Richard said as he prepared an active scan. Saving his TAC officer was the last thing he’d expected to do when he came here.
So much for my last training session, Richard thought.
Well, I’m proud of you, Rick, said Nickelo. You’re learning to sacrifice for the greater good.
Whatever, Richard thought as he began probing his TAC officer’s link. But, I’m not planning on making a habit of it.
Chapter 48 – Dren and Brachia
_____________________________________
“All right, I’m here, sis,” Brachia said. “This had better be good.”
Brachia looked around the room. “And why do we have to meet here? Why not your lab?”
“Because, little brother,” said Dren, “I want to show Uncle Rick what I’ve been working on.”
“What do you want to show him?” Brachia asked as his curiosity overcame his initial irritation.
Brachia waited for an answer, but his sister took her time walking over to a teleporter pad in the center of the room. Once she got there, she looked back as she pointed to the pad.
“I want to show him this,” said Dren.
“What about it?” Brachia said. “It’s a local teleporter. I’ve seen hundreds of them. They have dozens of them in every warehouse.”
A mischievous-looking smile appeared on his sister’s face “Ah. You mean it was a local teleporter. But, I hooked it into the planet’s primary teleporter-array yesterday.”
Walking over to the control panel, Dren continued, “I modified this to work with the primary teleporter’s time differential.” With what Brachia thought was an overly smug smile, Dren added, “And it works in the magical dimension.”
“What?” Brachia said more than a little dubious of his sister’s claim. “How? ‘The One’ keeps those kinds of capabilities strictly to itself. If you’re telling the truth, how’d you get through security?”
“Ask me no questions, little brother, and I’ll tell you no lies,” said Dren as she winked an eye.
Unable to resist his scientific curiosity, Brachia walked over closer to his sister. He noticed a date entered into an interface plugged into the top of the control panel.
“What’s this?” Brachia asked. “You have the date set for a hundred and fifty-seven years in the past. Why?”
“Why not?” said Dren. “I had to set it to something. I let the central computer pick a date for me.”
Brachia frowned. “Why would you do that? ‘The One’ will know what you’re doing now.”
“He’d know anyway,” said Dren. “The teleporter uses too much power to go unnoticed. Besides, it’s just an experiment.”
“To what end?” Brachia said.
Dren got a confused look on her face. “Ah…, because it’s an interesting problem. I wanted to see if I could do it.”
Strangely enough, Brachia understood what his sister meant. He often worked on solutions without having a corresponding problem just because it interested him.
“Okay,” Brachia said. “It’s set for a hundred and fifty-seven years in the past. You have a time. What about a location.”
“Oh, that was easy to pick,” said Dren. “I think you’ll like this one. I set it for the Oracle’s stronghold on Portalis. Or to be more exact, I set it to right outside the shield surrounding the stronghold.”
Dren and Brachia had spent a few weeks with the Oracle the previous year. Actually, it had been eighty-nine thousand years in Portalis’ past. The Oracle had been very kind and helpful, although he’d also been quite mysterious.
“Okay,” Brachia said. “I give up. Why the Oracle?”
“Because I liked him,” said Dren. “And yes, I know the Oracle now won’t be the same one we saw before. In any regard, I wanted to send some equipment there. I thought it might be useful to have some supplies stored there just in case.”
“What on Veturna for?” Brachia said. He might only be seven years old, but even he knew it was silly to store supplies in a place they’d probably never visit again. Especially, since it was a hundred and fifty-seven years in the past.
“You know Uncle Rick’s mission is getting closer,” said Dren. “I think when Uncle Rick’s missions for ‘the One’ catches up with the current time in the physical dimension, big things are going to happen. I want to stockpile some supplies on Portalis as a backup.”
Brachia shook his head. He was a super-genius the same as his sister, but her logic was escaping him.
“Why send it to a hundred and fifty-seven years in the past?” Brachia said. “Why not send it to the present time on Portalis?”
“Because someone’s been snooping around my lab a lot lately,” said Dren. “Our current time’s not safe. Plus, I don’t trust Draken. I believe he’s been trying to monitor my experiments. It’s not his field, so that makes me even more suspicious.”
“Well,” Brachia admitted. “I’m not fond of him either. He’s always trying to get me to let him into my lab. He makes me nervous.”
“Same here,” said Dren. “I’m thinking we should tell Uncle Rick about him.”
“Uncle Rick’s twenty-five thousand light years away, Dren,” Brachia said trying to use logic on his sister. “What can he do?”
“I don’t know,” admitted Dren. “But you’re always telling me wizard scouts know what to do.”
“True,” Brachia said surprised his sister was using his own words to support her reasoning. “I’m sure he’d know what to do.”
“Good,” said Dren. “Then we’re agreed. Be back here at 2100 hours tonight. That will be 0330 hours back at the airfield on Velos. Nick said Uncle Rick has had a rough time. He doesn’t want to wake him up until then.”
“Fine,” Brachia said. “Besides, I want to show Uncle Rick the modifications I’ve made to his battle suit.”
Brachia started to leave but then paused. “You know, Dren, maybe you shouldn’t use the teleporter until we talk to Uncle Rick.”
“No can do, little brother,” said Dren. “I’ve been sending supplies to the Oracle’s for the last week.”
Brachia shook his head. He was normally the impulsive one. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of his sister acting illogically.
Will wonders never cease, Brachia thought as he walked out the door.
* * *
Lord Crendemor watched the human boy leave his sister.
So, they suspect me. Too bad they’re just a little too late.
Rising from the computer console, Lord Crendemor paced the room thinking. It had taken awhile, but he’d finally gotten used to his insect body. Even so, he longed to return to his true form, or at the very least, to the form of the dark elf he’d used for so long. But he couldn’t change form yet. The Dalinfaust wouldn’t understand if his mission was jeopardized for the sake of mere comfort.
As he paced, Lord Crendemor came up with a plan. The Dalinfaust had forbidden him from physically harming his enemy. However, the demon had placed no such limitation on the two children. Perhaps he could kill the children and use their deaths to give his enemy a taste of what he’d done to him.
Lord Crendemor thoughts went back to his earlier life. He’d taken the form of the dark elf, Lord Crendemor, so long ago he almost believed his ruse himself. However, in his heart, he hadn’t forgotten who he really was or what had been taken fr
om him.
His thoughts turned to his enemy. You should have killed me when you had the chance. One day, I’ll make you beg for death.
Lord Crendemor pictured himself torturing his enemy. It would be so sweet to hear his screams. The Master computer had sent word the cadets had succeeded in getting their DNA baselines. The Master computer thought that was a bad thing. He on the other hand did not. It meant his enemy could now selfheal. Now he’d be able to stretch his enemy’s torture out for years if he desired.
He will rue the day he took her from me.
Lord Crendemor forced himself back to the present. The time for his ultimate revenge had not arrived yet. But, if he could force his enemy to watch while he slowly killed the children, it would be a start. The screams of the children would cause his enemy to suffer. Helpless, his enemy would only be able to watch. Just as he’d been forced to watch as his enemy took away his reason for living.
Yes, Lord Crendemor thought. I will steal the Crosioian scout’s equipment and then confront the children in the teleport lab. The girl has no idea she’s being watched there.
Lord Crendemor smiled. She should have taken as much care securing this lab as the boy did his. But it’s too late now.
Smiling again, Lord Crendemor left his office for his own lab. He was confident the Master computer had completed the security hack by now. With it, Lord Crendemor was positive he could finally break into the boy’s lab and secure the Crosioian’s gear. Then he’d kill the children as a down payment on his revenge.
Lord Crendemor knew he’d be cutting things close. The Master computer wanted him back in time to lead the attack on the DNA Center. He smiled again.
No, Lord Crendemor thought, I don’t want to miss that. The Dalinfaust has promised one of the vials of DNA gas will be mine. With it, I can live forever.
Lord Crendemor was satisfied. Things were going as planned. All would be well.
Chapter 49 – Zenthra
_____________________________________
The demon Zenthra zoomed in on the Crosioian dreadnaught Wingspreader. The fleet’s flagship was a bustle of activity as its crew prepared for the pending invasion. Zenthra used one of the Master computer’s logic threads to monitor the ongoing staff meeting in the primary conference room. General Constance and the fleet’s admiral were attempting to convince the Counselor to delay the attack.
The demon switched some of the Master computer’s processing power to double-check its probability calculations. As Zenthra expected, the success of its primary mission was still nearly guaranteed. The demon refused to allow the freewill of its pawns to get in the way of its purpose.
The fools are concerned about casualties, thought the demon contemptuously. They are going to die anyway when our purpose is accomplished. But their lives are currently no concern of mine. Lifeforms are so easy to manipulate with all their petty desires and internal squabbles.
The demon decided it was time to put a stop to the lifeforms’ meaningless arguments. Zenthra projected the Master computer’s preferred image from the room’s holographic projector. A life-size head of a Crosioian appeared in the center of the conference table.
“Counselor,” said the voice of the Master computer. “If you review my earlier calculations, you will see they did indicate a possibility the cadets would receive an early implementation of their DNA baselines. However, the successful completion of the objective’s primary mission is still assured. Our invasion force still has a ninety-four percent probability of capturing and destroying the Empire’s DNA Center.”
“What good is it to attack the DNA Center tomorrow?” said General Constance. “The batch of refined DNA gas has already been used. We should delay our attack until the new wizard scouts are deployed off planet. Our spies tell us they will all be gone in less than a month.”
“We cannot wait a month, General Constance,” said the admiral. “As I’ve repeatedly told you, every day our fleet stays here increases our chance of detection. We cannot risk our fleet needlessly.” Looking directly at the Counselor, the admiral said, “I recommend we abort our mission and use our resources elsewhere.”
Zenthra sensed the Counselor was having second thoughts about the invasion as well. But the demon did not worry. The Counselor’s own greed for life would provide the leverage needed to sway the Counselor towards the proper path.
“My calculations indicate the best use of our resources is on Velos, Counselor,” said Zenthra in his guise as the Master computer. “Based upon available data, there are still twenty to thirty vials of refined DNA gas at the Empire’s DNA Center. By attacking tomorrow morning as planned, you can capture those vials to use as best suits the tribal council. If we delay the invasion, the Deloris Conglomerate will undoubtedly take them off planet once they formally take control of the DNA Center next week”
The Counselor rose from her seat and spread her wings. The other Crosioians at the table immediately became silent.
“The question is whether twenty or thirty vials of DNA gas are worth risking a premature attack,” said the Counselor. “I’m not yet convinced the meager amount of DNA gas is worth risking this fleet.”
The demon directed a list of names to the Counselor’s sonar interface to the Master computer. The displayed list contained thirty names.
“Counselor,” said the Master computer. “I am just a computer. It is up to you to decide if the reward warrants the risk. But, I would not be doing my job if I did not make sure you had all the pertinent data. Your sonar interface is displaying the tribal council’s potential list of DNA gas recipients.”
The demon zoomed the Master computer’s sensors onto the Counselor’s face. Zenthra had to restrain himself from laughing as the Counselor’s sonar receptors enlarged when she came to the eighteenth name in the list. Zenthra could tell the Counselor stopped at the eighteenth name and scanned no further. The twitching of the Counselor’s facial muscles indicated she was deep in thought as she analyzed this new information. Zenthra knew the Counselor only needed a little extra push to make the correct decision; to make Zenthra’s decision.
“Once those thirty individuals receive the DNA gas,” said Zenthra through the Master computer, “they will gain eternal youth. Imagine how much those great Crosioians will accomplish if they never have to worry about aging.” In a voice as indifferent as only a computer can sound, Zenthra added, “But as I said, it is not for me to decide. I am but your obedient tool.”
The Counselor folded her wings onto her back and looked at her subordinates seated at the conference table. “I have made my decision. The attack will commence as scheduled.”
Turning to General Constance, the Counselor said, “General, you will begin shuttling the first wave of your sappers to Velos immediately. The heavy armor will follow. All sappers must be in inside the Empire’s protective shields by 0415 hours Velos’ time. Once the prepositioned static tele-bots activate at 0430 hours, they will disrupt each of the target’s local force fields. Your sappers will then destroy the power plants at the spaceport, the Academy, and the airfield.”
The Counselor turned to her right. “Admiral, once the power plants are destroyed and the Empire’s main protective shields are down, you will commence your bombardment.”
“Yes, Counselor,” said the admiral. The time for arguments was past. The decision had been made. The admiral would do her duty. And, she would make sure her crews did their duty as well.
“Once the attack begins,” said the Counselor, “how long do we have before we can expect the Empire to respond?”
“Probable response time is twenty-two minutes,” said the holographic image of the Master computer “The admiral’s dreadnaughts need seven minutes to destroy the defenses on Velos. That means General Constance’s forces must bring down the Empire’s protective shields at the three target areas by 0445. Otherwise, her ships will be needed to counter any incoming Empire ships.”
“My troops will have the shields down within five minutes of c
ommencing our attack,” said General Constance confidently.
“Then we are decided,” said the Counselor.
The demon noticed the Counselor access the list of DNA recipient names one last time as if assuring herself that her name was indeed on the list. It was.
Living creatures are so predictable, thought Zenthra as the Counselor left the room.
The demon silently laughed. So far, Zenthra had convinced over two thousand of the foolish lifeforms their names were on the list.
Let them fight over how to divide thirty vials of DNA gas between them, thought the demon. I care not what they do it. All that matters is the DNA Center’s destruction. The mission must succeed at all cost. There must never be another new wizard scout. Once all existing wizard scouts have died off in the next hundred years, the successful completion of our part in the game will be assured. That is all that matters. The Crosioians can be destroyed for all I care. Only our success matters.
The demon wasn’t worried about its own safety. As the Master computer, Zenthra inhabited every computer in the Crosioians’ part of the tele-network. The demon was confident its Master computer avatar could not be destroyed.
Besides, Zenthra knew its primary essence was safely in the extinct Decorians’ computer deep below the surface of Portalis. The master demon’s opponent had failed to disable the Decorians’ computer when its pawns had destroyed the spaceport on Portalis. The master demon’s opponent would soon pay for that failure. Their opponent’s position in the game was fast becoming untenable.
Zenthra laughed quietly. He was Zenthra, and he was the Decorian computer, and he was the Master computer. He was invulnerable. Inhabiting the Decorian computer as he was, Zenthra knew he could control the Master computer with impunity while separated by time and distance. Even if ‘the One’ sent forces to Portalis, they would accomplish nothing. Zenthra glorified in the safety afforded him by the Decorian computer. His brother, the Dalinfaust, had suggested using time as a defense. Zenthra checked the connection with the part of himself that was a hundred and fifty-seven years in the past on Portalis. The connection was solid. The part of him in the past was in firm control of the Decorian computer, and the Decorian computer was in firm control of the Master computer in the present.
Wizard Scout (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 3) Page 48
