SHADOW EMPIRE

by Drew Avera

  Ilium lifted his chin and inhaled, caught off guard by the other man’s audacity to pry into his business. “Your personal items were delivered to your stateroom. I wanted Stavis to notify me when it was complete,” he said.

  “Great. Do you mind if I go and unpack my things?” The man’s tone was brittle.

  Ilium nodded. “Of course. Get settled in. Would you like to grab dinner together this evening?”

  Quino shrugged. “I suppose. I’m just not sure how to tell when it’s evening without any windows on this ship,” he said with a smile.

  Ilium returned a smirk and lifted his hand in an overemphasized shrug. “I’ve tried to get windows installed, but Headquarters said it would degrade the integrity of our hull when traversing the Keys. I told them the view would be worth it, but they can’t be reasoned with.”

  Quino laughed and it came across as genuine. “Roger that, sir. Perhaps we can make another attempt to sway them in the future?”

  “We can chat about it over dinner,” Ilium replied. “I’ll meet you at three bells in the ward room.”

  “Three bells?” Just as the question escaped his lips, a single bell chimed, ringing at a pitch close to piercing.

  “That bell was for the half hour mark,” Ilium said. The next will be a double chime marking the hour, but the staccato strike of the bell is counted as one. When you hear six dings in three sets of two, then that will be chow time.”

  Quino looked puzzled. “I hadn’t noticed the bells before. I don’t think they did them on my last ship,” he said. “I’ll see you three bells, Captain.” Quino turned and left the bridge. Ilium watched him leave, recognizing the fact his new XO just revealed himself without realizing it.

  You fucking idiot, ilium thought. Every ship uses the same bell system. At least now I know my suspicions about you are well founded. Ilium pulled his monitor towards him and opened a message for Stavis. He typed and sent his message. “Meet for dinner?”

  After a few seconds, a response followed. “I’m not sure a dinner date is appropriate, sir.”

  Ilium smiled, responding with, “Not even with the new XO as a third wheel?”

  “Three bells?”

  Ilium laughed. You know me too well. “Always.”

  Twenty-Nine

  Brendle

  “I just thought you would want to know what’s going on in case you can hear me,” Brendle said softly, holding Anki’s hand as she appeared to sleep peacefully. “The rogue missile gave us quite a scare. It’s not common for the Greshians to miss a target, much less allow a stray missile to go undetonated. My people may not be compassionate, but at least they want the people who die by their hand to be purposeful.”

  Anki’s breathing was the only response to his words and it made Brendle feel alone. Despite the warmth of the space, her hand felt cold in his. Cold like death. He shook the thought from his mind, refusing to dwell on the dark thoughts ruminating in his mind.

  “Pilot, can you try to warm her up more?”

  “Her core temperature is slowly rising. I don’t want to risk overheating her by being too aggressive with the treatment,” Pilot responded.

  Brendle swore under his breath. “Her hand is cold to the touch. I’m sure you can adjust the treatment by a couple of degrees and it not harm her.” The words spilled from his lips painted in agitation. He hated this part of his personality, but unsurprisingly it was the part which made things happen in high-stress situations.

  “I think Pilot makes a good point, Captain,” Deis said as he stepped into the room. “Luthians are not responsive to temperature in the same way as Greshians. It is better to exercise caution.”

  “Indeed,” Pilot interjected. “Fine. I just want her comfortable. I want her to get better. I want her back.”

  “We know,” Deis said, taking a seat next to Brendle. “We all want the same thing.”

  Brendle looked away, trying to hide the expression contorting his face, a mixture of fear and anger and sadness putting him on the verge of tears. It took every bit of his control to not let them fall, for his weakness, his vulnerability to be exposed. In many ways he was afraid to reveal it, not just in sadness, but in love. The only emotion he was comfortable displaying was anger, and it was a learned trait from his childhood, courtesy of his father. “Thank you,” he said finally as the silence grew awkward.

  The smell of a cold ship caked in oil and grease flooded his nostrils as he inhaled. He knew it was because the cargo bay doors were open, but it reminded him of his last stand on the Telran before Ilium put him off on the moon to die. After several months of relative safety, that final moment as a Greshian naval officer still sent chills down his spine. Seeing Anki like this, and smelling the odor of a warship brought to mind his worst fears and unrelenting memories.

  “I wanted you to know that our trek to Pila will be delayed by half a day due to a detour to avoid the Greshian ship you warned us about,” Deis said. His voice was soft, but carried with authority.

  “I imagined that might be the case. I felt the ship adjust in heading,” Brendle replied. “I just hope the delay does not cast Anki into a worst situation.”

  “She will be fine. The medically induced coma will aid in preventing further degradation in her condition.” Deis placed a hand on Brendle’s shoulder, but Brendle could not face him. He was too caught up in the minefield of his thoughts to compose himself properly.

  How did I get to this point? I’m an emotional wreck today. “I appreciate you saying so.”

  “Deis is correct. The primary purpose of the coma was to lower brain activity and regulate her condition. She is no more changed from her previous condition than could be helped. This is a lifesaving means of treatment,” Pilot said.

  “Thank you again. That information is appreciated, but it far from settles my mind. This is just something I need to work through myself. I’m sure I will feel better once she is with a doctor.”

  “I understand,” Deis said. “Malikea and I will be in the cargo bay if you need us. We are preparing for landing on the planet by making room for more supplies. I will make a list of items to procure tonight if you have any requests.”

  Brendle nodded, but sat silently, his jaw clenched as he fought back tears and thoughts of losing the love of his life. Regardless of the truth in their words, until he could speak with her again, he was overwhelmed with thoughts that she was fading from his life. It made him want to do anything to not let go. But was it worth pushing the other part of his family away in the process?

  He heard Deis’s footsteps as the Lechun man walked away. Once again in silence, Brendle wiped a tear from his face and held Anki’s hand tighter. “I promise you I will never let go.” His words echoed in his mind and he hoped she heard them as loudly as he did.

  Thirty

  Anki

  Her mind flooded with images of devastating destruction as Carista placed a hand on her forehead. Anki, powerless to move, witnessed the end of the largest scale war in the universe. Her eyes affixed to three warring sides. She recognized one, the Greshian Empire, its mighty warships raining fire and destruction on thousands of worlds in the name of power and control. The other two sides were more mysterious, shadows lurking as each empire grew in power, and very much capable of the horrors inflicted by the Greshians.

  “Who are these people?” She asked through staggered gasps. Terror caused her heart to race, and she wanted to look away. But how do you close your eyes to your thoughts?

  “This is the future, Anki. This is what will come if they find me.”

  “Find you? I thought you were dead?” in her mind, Anki looked at Carista, focusing on the girls’ face and not the war waging behind her. She realized as she focused that she and Carista stood on a moon much like the one where she met Brendle. It could only be a coincidence, she thought, or it could be many moons are similar. When she canted her head, she saw the crashed Luthian transport she used to escape the Seratora and she knew it was one and the same. “What’
s going on?”

  “The beginning and the end of the war is here for you,” Carista replied.

  “I’m to come back here?”

  Carista shook her head, her innocent eyes never departing Anki’s gaze. “No. You must not return here, or you will die. You must not enter the final battle.”

  Anki felt Carista’s fear flood into her, matching her own. “I still don’t understand. How can I avoid fate?”

  A tear fell from Carista’s eye, reflecting the light of the battle. Anki could see the flames of destruction in the single tear streaking down the young girl’s face. “You can’t avoid fate.”

  More confused than before, Anki sucked in a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “I can’t do both,” she replied, “I can’t avoid coming to this war if I am meant to be here.”

  Carista pulled her hand away, transferring them back to the distant planet in which they originated. “Who you think is your enemy, is your friend. Who you think will be your friend, is your enemy. Do no fall victim to their manipulations. The future of the galaxy depends on your making the right decision.”

  “And what is the right decision?” Anki asked.

  Carista turned, looking out over the horizon. Softly she whispered, “That is why I’m sorry. Because I can’t tell you.”

  “Can you at least tell me who the woman was? She had a gun to your head. Is she part of this?”

  Carista nodded. “She is, but I don’t know who she is. I just see her every time I come to this place.”

  Anki looked around, noticing the clouds rolling away and peace restoring to the landscape. “And what is this place?”

  “The lost world.”

  Thirty-One

  Hespha

  Seeing T’anoi’s grave did little to curb the emotions flooding through her mind. She craved closure, one that would not be necessary had she not given into the temptation that power over CERCO provided. For all his faults, T’anoi did what was right for their people, not just the corporation he headed. Was it possible he saw something she didn’t recognize until it was too late? Was she responsible for killing a man who was her biggest advocate? Based on how alone she felt now, the answer had to be “yes.”

  “I’m sorry, T’anoi. I thought we were doing the right thing. I thought that, by seizing control of CERCO, we could take the battle to Greshia and defend our world against their threat. I thought you were dragging your heels on developing the weapon.

  “I thought a lot of things.

  “But now I see the truth, or at least a version of it I did not notice before. The board is sending me away to find the rest of the clones we believe existed during your development of Carista. If I find them, who will control them? If I turn them over to the board, I have no guarantee that they will honor their word and allow me to run CERCO. If I refuse to turn them over, I know I will not have control of CERCO as I will be declaring war on the corporation we helped build. I just don’t know what to do.”

  She stood over the gravesite and felt an ushering of wind flowing through her hair. She doubted it was an answer, but as the wind kicked up, a quartz crystal display on his tombstone fell over, drawing her attention to it. As she bent down to pick it up, she felt a slight ridge formed on the otherwise smooth surface. Looking closer, she recognized the line went completely around it, giving the illusion of a crack, but perfectly smooth.

  “What is this?” She tugged lightly on both ends, pulling the two pieces apart and finding a tiny data chip attached to the center of the quartz crystal. Her heart fluttered as she realized she’d found something. What it was, she was unsure, but she knew one way to find out.

  “If this is an answer from beyond the grave, then I’m going to give up drinking,” she said to the tombstone with T’anoi’s face embossed on the surface. It was the closest thing to looking him in the face she had. “Also, thank you.”

  Hespha walked back to the vehicle and climbed in, immediately grabbing the mobile computer mounted on the console and inserting the data chip into a reader. As she waited for the quartz to be read, she remembered her late-night revelation regarding the pills, how two sides of a capsule contained something inside. She wondered if it was her subconscious drawing conclusions on something she already knew. Regardless, as the data began populating on her screen, she knew whatever the crystal contained was bigger than her. It was something that could potentially change CERCO’s future.

  A prompt screen asking for a password appeared and Hespha typed in each password she knew T’anoi used; birthdays, historical events, even names of projects she knew he had worked on, but none of them unlocked the file. She blew a strand of hair out of her face and bent her neck, causing the vertebrae to pop, relieving the stress building up in her shoulders. The chronic issue plagued her for most of her adult life, and coping with it was as frustrating as narrowing down T’anoi’s passwords. She finally reached the end of his known usage and moved into common events they both shared; her birthday, anniversary, but none worked until she remembered a date that still haunted her that they both shared, the date of her miscarriage.

  Typing in the date pained her emotionally. She hated thinking of what she and T’anoi lost. In many ways, it was the beginning of the end. But as the screen changed, it was also what allowed her access to the files. “I can’t believe you, T’anoi,” she said as she scrolled down the screen containing numerous links. Most of them were generic; financials, properties, but towards the bottom a name appeared that caught her eye. “Bethanie”. It was going to be the name of their daughter.

  Hespha’s finger hovered over the link for several moments. What she would see gave her pause. Why would T’anoi have a file named after their deceased child? It was years ago, before the weapon project fell into their laps to distract them from the pain of their loss. Before the project tore them apart. Maybe that’s what I’m missing, she thought as she clicked the link and held her breath.

  Thirty-Two

  Ilium

  Ilium walked into the ward room as the third bell chimed. He meticulously maintained the same schedule from day to day, barring any unforeseen circumstances. He found comfort in it, much like a child found comfort in the consistency of having both parents around. Once that is disrupted, inevitable chaos forms, at least in Ilium’s mind. He considered himself lucky that his schedule went unhindered since taking command of the King Slayer. Of course, the latest development regarding Commander Quino threatened his streak, but he was optimistic that everything would work out. Especially since he put Stavis in charge of the investigation. If anyone on the ship would do what was necessary, it is Lieutenant Stavis, he thought.

  “Good evening, sir,” Stavis said as she stood from her seat at the table at his approach.

  “Good evening, please sit,” Ilium replied, feeling uncomfortable with the extra effort she put into displaying respect. Stavis did the same with Captain Crexon when he was still alive. It was just her way, but Ilium could not help feeling like he did not deserve it. “I thought Commander Quino would be here already.” What he did expect, though, was punctuality from a subordinate. Even if that subordinate was number two in command of a fleet ship.

  “He notified me that he is running behind.”

  Ilium lifted an eyebrow. “It’s not like he was on the bridge running the ship. What, did he have trouble finding a place to hide his bomb?” shaking his head, Ilium felt a rant on the verge of fluttering from his tongue. “I swear, some people think the universe revolves around them.”

  Stavis’s eyes widened as he spoke nonchalantly about what they found. But he soon realized it wasn’t his words, but movement in the reflection of her eyes that prompted the response. He turned to see Quino walking towards them casually. The gait of someone without a sense of urgency. Someone who lacks military disciple, Ilium thought as he turned back, leaning towards Stavis.

  “Do you think he heard me?” Ilium whispered. Stavis shook her head. Thank the gods.

  “Captain. Lieutenant,” Quino sa
id as he pulled his seat out from the table. “I’m sorry I’m late. I lost track of time walking around the ship. She’s much larger than any I’ve previously been on.”

  “Yes, I imagine she is,” Ilium replied. “But, you found your way here, so I guess that means I don’t have to send a search party after you.” He fought to keep the sarcasm at a minimum, not wanting to trigger any hostilities before the investigation ended. If anything, Ilium wanted to milk the bastard for as long as possible, to delay the inevitable. Tossing his sorry ass out into the dark.

  Quino laughed. “Not yet, I didn’t venture too far. I stayed on the same level as my state room for the tour. I figured it would be easier to find my way back if I didn’t have to navigate any ladder wells.”

  Fucking amateur. “That’s not a bad decision,” Ilium replied. “My first time on a ship, I found myself spending the night in an enlisted berthing because I had no idea where I was. The next day I asked a sailor for help. I was embarrassed and I’m sure he thought I was an idiot.”

  “As the enlisted often do when we make a mistake,” Quino interjected with a smirk.

  Ilium nodded. “Indeed. At least I was taught how to find my way around with the bulkhead maps in the passageways. Once I learned how to read them, I’ve had an easier time adjusting to new ships. With that said, I still keep to the same proximity for my daily routine. I think I’ve only gone down to engineering twice since coming on board.”

  “Into the bowels of hell? I’m not ready for that yet.” Quino leaned back in his seat and looked around. “What are they serving today?”

  “It’s a special occasion, so they are serving Gru and Mar to celebrate our new XO,” Stavis replied happily. Ilium looked at her, impressed by how she could mask what she felt for the man, knowing he was up to no good. Of course, explaining his situation to her seemed to bring her on to his side, but if she was that good at hiding her thoughts about Quino, Ilium wondered if she could do the same to him. He shook the paranoia from his mind and rejoined the conversation.