Equilibrium of Terror: Part 2

by Eddie R. Hicks

  Queenea groaned and signed. “Why?” she asked angrily, for her report was beyond anything the other students were writing.

  “As I said, read the report on that data crystal. What you produced was well written, don’t get me wrong. But it veers heavily on the side of heresy.”

  “I said nothing in it that would upset the gods!”

  “It’s based on papers written by High Scholar Telinei, a wise man who many believed sided with heretic thoughts,” Coritea said as she sat back down at her desk, keeping her four eyes on her data pad that she held in front of her face. “I will not talk about this any further, the decision has been made, read the notes to understand why.”

  Queenea stormed out of the classroom, muttering an expletive in the native Aryile language. She had no plans on reading the contents of the data crystal, for she knew that tapping into the source of aether would be the key to bringing the union into a new level. Yet they failed her, denied her advancement, condemning her future career to be limited as there were no repeats in university. And for what? She mentioned Telinei’s name, nothing more. It was no secret that the university wanted to distance themselves from him as much as possible and cut off those that read his works.

  Perhaps this is why Odelea never published anything new since Earth, she thought as she waited for the train to take her back home and admit defeat to her family.

  Radiance Council delegation chambers, Aervounis, Luminous system

  Ary Ienthei, Ary Dienei, and Ary Faviea were the three top candidates running to become the next Aryile council representative. All three of them sat side by side in front of the wide Radiance council table the five-member council sat at, awaiting the final judgment call. Two of them were to be selected for the final stage, elections, the one that won the popular vote amongst all Aryile would be selected to be Gonvilei’s replacement.

  Ienthei loathed the idea that his stepfather, Dienei, made it this far with him also running. It wasn’t so much that the council allowed two people from the same household to run, but rather that Dienei choose to do it in the first place. Why couldn’t he just let me go ahead and do this? He has many career options in life, I have none, I have to get this!

  “Now, as for my replacement,” Gonvilei said with a haggard voice.

  “Yes,” Byikanea said. “All five of you all equally showed great promise however, there can only be two runners selected for the election.”

  Byikanea nodded to Gonvilei, giving him the go ahead to officially announce who the five voted to advance to the election stage.

  “Ary Faviea,” Gonvilei said, “and Ary Dienei.”

  Ienthei held back his anger and the overwhelming desires to rage and shout saying that he should have been chosen. Ienthei was younger, and that’s exactly what they need, even Gonvilei and Marchei himself said so. Dienei however, he killed his father Jainuzei, shot him in the back as he left their home and was never charged with it, or so his mother Marrea told them. She was quite the deceitful woman, one of the reasons his father wanted out of the relationship no doubt. Dienei had blood on his hands and he was now one election away from becoming a council member.

  Worst part is mother probably wanted him to win more than I did, Ienthei thought.

  “Congratulations,” Byikanea said to the two selected. “May the gods light shine upon you during election time.”

  “Sorry you didn’t make it,” Marchei said to Ienthei. “But history was still made as you are the youngest person to make it this far, you should be proud.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Ienthei muttered.

  Dienei nudged Ienthei with his elbow. “Don’t look so down,” he said to him. “At least someone from our household still has a shot at getting elected.”

  Veromacon, Aervounis, Luminous system

  Ienthei’s commute of shame was over as he and Dienei entered their home. Nightfall had started to appear and slowly enveloped the floating city of Veromacon. Dienei during their travel back home did nothing but mutter false words of hope and pity. Arguing that it wasn’t the end of the galaxy, arguing that when it was time for him to step down or retire he can try again and run.

  Ienthei was half tempted to push him in front of the rapid transit train as it pulled into the station. Only half tempted. He wished he had been fully tempted, for at this point he had nothing else to live for. The genetic enhancements his parents supplied allowed him to be a natural leader, a politician, someone to lead the union. This was supposed to be his moment, now what was he to do? Lead a business? Lead a starship? He was beyond that, he was smart enough to do so much more. Until Dienei took it away, like how he took his father away and now his mother’s love.

  I hate this man! Inside their home Ienthei could see his mother consoling his dear sister. No further words needed to be spoken, she failed university. The gods had forsaken the two of them.

  “This is not something I wanted to see on such a great day for me,” Dienei said to Queenea and Marrea as they sat on the couch.

  “Were you both nominated?” Marrea asked as she turned to face the two.

  “No,” Ienthei said, his voice was pure bitterness. “We both weren’t.”

  “I made it,” Dienei said. “What’s wrong with her?”

  Marrea looked at her daughter and brushed her blonde hair back. “The university.”

  “Gave me a failing grade for my paper.”

  Dienei sat with the two on the couch as Ienthei moved into the kitchen. His body yearned for his caffeine fix that he’d neglected to supply for the day. A beverage dispenser on the wall began to light up as it detected Ienthei’s presence. He verbally requested a glass of Piuash and the machine carried out the order as he placed an empty glass into the dispenser. Freshly squeezed, cryogenically stored fruit and vegetable juices poured into the glass in the form of a thick turquoise fluid. A shot of caffeine was added afterward completing his requested drink.

  A large gulp of it went down into his mouth as he listened in on what the rest of his household had to say about the day’s events. “I told you not to write such sacrilegious talk,” Dienei said to Queenea. “Veromacon University is already under a lot of pressure because of the actions of Telinei and Odelea.”

  “Odelea?” Marrea asked.

  “One of Telinei students who also played a role in speaking for Radiance during contact with the humans.”

  “I thought people saw it as a noble thing she did.”

  “That was until the Radiance fleet protecting Earth was obliterated,” Dienei said. “The families of those men and women lost wished we had left Earth alone.”

  “And Odelea was seen as the one that went out to speak for us.” Ienthei added his thoughts from the kitchen.

  “And as I said, she had ties to the heretic Telinei” Dienei said. “This is why I told you it was a bad topic. I wish I had something more comforting to say but I don’t, you brought this upon yourself.”

  The two twins possessed the same hateful glare as they looked at Dienei at the same time. “You can’t be serious!” Ienthei shouted in defense of his dear sister.

  “Mother?” Queenea said looking at her.

  “I’m sorry, he is correct,” Marrea said to her. “And you didn’t pray for success either.”

  Queenea got up from her rest and moved to the upper level of the house in a rapid pace as she cursed in Aryile repeatedly. Ienthei groaned as he finished his drink and overheard Dienei and Marrea change the subject instantly, and spoke of Dienei’s nomination and how grateful she was he made it.

  It only confirmed Ienthei’s suspicion. His mother only seemed to care about the success of Dienei’s life and nothing else. Dienei grilled his dear sister and his mother Marrea did nothing about it, all the while Marrea said nothing to comfort Ienthei for losing. She issued no words that it was wrong for his stepfather to take away what he, her son fought for. It was at that moment Ienthei’s realized, there was only one person in their household he cared about and cared about him in return. And she wa
s upstairs very possibly crying for the first time in years.

  Ienthei left his glass on the counter, and proceeded up into the bedroom he shared with his sister. The lights were off, his Aryile eyes struggled to make out what was in front of him as he entered, he could only see light from the outside world as it beamed through their third-floor window. Queenea was somewhere in here, he could hear her, but she had the lights off for a reason, probably because she didn’t want to reveal the fact she was in tears.

  “Brother . . .” Queenea said as she heard him enter and sit next to her on the bed. “I’m sorry that . . .”

  “He won . . .” Ienthei finished her sentence. “I failed to make it as you might have heard.”

  “This is not the news I needed to hear, I needed good news.”

  “The gods have forsaken us . . . we’ve done nothing wrong.”

  “The council twists the teaching of the gods to suit their needs . . .”

  “If the gods exist at all . . .”

  “If they don’t then the council is leading our people down a path to nowhere.”

  “I don’t understand how I could lose when they all said they wanted someone young.”

  “More twists they just don’t want you, they probably know that you would push to have my research made a reality if you won the election.”

  “They must be.”

  “Removed.”

  “Yes.”

  “Too much corruption, too many lies, too much reliance on the word of the gods.”

  “And now he has a chance of becoming a part of that . . .”

  “This can’t happen!”

  “If the gods truly exist they’ll stop at nothing to make sure we don’t succeed in removing the council.”

  “Then let’s do a test, let’s plan something.”

  “Something big.”

  “Any signs of things not going our way.”

  “Then the gods are working against us.”

  “No resistance then.”

  “There’s no such thing as the gods.”

  “Or they want us to succeed.”

  “Either way we shall get.”

  “Our answers.”

  “Hold me dear brother,” Queenea said as she stood and walked in front of the window. “I need to focus, and think of a plan . . .”

  Queenea woke up the next morning to the sound of her data pad beeping. There was a new message waiting for her. She crawled out of the bed she shared with Ienthei, and sluggishly walked toward the table where her data pad rested. Her fingers flicked across the touch screen and loaded the message.

  Her mouth twisted at the discovery of the sender of the message, Za Iey’liwea the Rabuabin council representative. She was extending an invite for Queenea to dine with her during second meal in the downtown district of Veromacon. Queenea’s hand shook and rocked her sleeping brother, forcing him to wake up.

  “Dear brother, wake up.”

  “Arg, what is it?” he said finally.

  She shoved her data pad in his face forcing him to read the message Iey’liwea wrote her. “What can you tell me about her?”

  “Why would . . .”

  “. . . she be contacting me?”

  “You lost your chance to advance in the university, I lost my nomination bid.”

  “There’s a connection, she wants something.”

  “We have nothing to offer but our curse of failing.”

  “Perhaps she wishes to mend our situation.”

  “Then she’ll want something in return, which brings us back to the question of what can we give her?”

  Queenea once again faced the data pad as she began to type a reply as Ienthei rolled over in the bed, and covered his face with the blanket. “I’m going to see her. Will you accompany me dear brother?”

  “I can’t bring myself to leave home,” he groaned from beneath the blankets. “Go without me.”

  “Don’t forget about what we spoke of last night.”

  “They will pay.” He uncovered his face. “This I assure you.”

  Queenea left promptly to bathe and get ready for the day ahead. She chose the color of red glitter to decorate the scales on her neck as she slipped into something more causal for the trek to the downtown core. Her mother called out to her as she made it downstairs and headed toward the exit, another bowl of fruit was prepared for first meal, another bowl she’d have to walk away from.

  “Queenea,” Marrea shouted to her. “I’m sorry if I hurt you last night.”

  Queenea stopped before the front door; she had no further words to say to her other than. “I need to go.”

  “Do not hate anyone for it; it was the will of the gods, nothing more.”

  Downtown Veromacon, Aervounis, Luminous system

  Downtown Veromacon was located on the central floating section of the city, the very same one that held the Radiance council towers and various other government buildings. The train ride there was unique one for Queenea as she rarely travelled to this part of the city. The raised tracks that the train traveled across stretched out between the many residential condos and high-rise towers as it plowed toward the several stations it stopped at to let people on and off. The train traveled so near some of the condos that Queenea could catch a glimpse of residents as they stood on their balconies attending to the plants they had growing on it. Other people were seen coming up for air in their small swimming pools in which all balconies had.

  Space ports provided parking space for small ships and transports, every few seconds one could see a ship fire its engines up and fly off into space while another zipped down from the skies to land. It had been years since Queenea and her dear brother went into space, neither of them as she remembered were particularly fond of cryostasis however.

  Condos were replaced with commercial buildings as the train ventured deeper into the downtown area. The council towers were seen off in the distance, the tallest structure in sight. Holographic advertisements appeared on the sides of some buildings, promoting new opportunities awaiting those that settled on newly colonized worlds such as Rasi and Oyuri. The train pulled into the station Queenea had waited to arrive at since boarding. It was a disk-shaped building, it ceiling was made out of transparent aluminum. The sunlight that beamed through it was intense, one of the few buildings that required air-condition to keep the temperatures a comfortable thirty-two-degrees Celsius for the Aryile people.

  Queenea stepped off the train and grinned at some of the Aryile and Linl businessmen that gave her lustful stares as she walked past. She half expected them to approach and attempt to get to know her, perhaps offer her dinner. But they wouldn’t because most men didn’t have the confidence needed to speak to a stunning woman like her, her mother made sure her looks were top of the line. A blessing and a curse.

  Queenea double-checked the address on her data pad, she was indeed on the right path as she walked through the busy streets. Everyone around her wore expensive business attire; some had tiny holograms that followed them displaying the projection of someone they were speaking to, most likely business partners or co-workers. People who weren’t of the Aryile or Javnis race carried tiny portable air conditioners to keep their bodies cool, small silver and gold square shaped devices that clipped onto the sides of one’s shirt or blouse.

  Several restaurants came into view as Queenea turned the corner. A Linl establishment was located on the second floor of a nearby skyscraper. She shuddered slightly as she entered, it was slightly chilly, more so than she was used to. Twenty degrees according to her data pad, Linl room temperature. It wasn’t industry standard within the union, but as she could tell by the clientele dining on their second meal, Aryile and Javnis rarely visited this place.

  Iey’liwea sat alone at table next to a large glass window; it provided a fantastic look at the busy streets Queenea had just trod during her trek there. Iey’liwea grinned as she saw Queenea approach and take a seat with her.

  “You probably have a lot of questions,” Iey
’liwea said as the two looked at their data pad menus.

  “A list that’s being growing for the last nineteen hours.”

  “As you may know outside of being on the council I have business dealings with several corporations throughout the union.”

  “So I’ve read.”

  “Have you read about Souyila Corp?”

  “I haven’t.”

  “It’s a new power distribution company I helped found. It plans to supply power to newly built cities and reactors for the next generation of union starships.”

  “Why is that? Xenethereal crystals give us our power needs.”

  Iey’liwea stopped as she saw the server approach to take their orders. He was a young Linl man, one or two years into his adult life, and couldn’t keep his eyes off Queenea’s chest. The two placed their orders, roasted vegetables for Queenea, spicy cream soup for Iey’liwea. As the server stepped away Iey’liwea continued to speak. “Xenethereal crystals can only be found on the Vorcambreum home world, and the supplies for them are starting to get low. Every ship built, new colony established uses them. Humans aren’t helping as we gave several to them.”

  “I thought we withdrew support for them?”

  “We did, but credits talk. If a human business were to offer several billion credits, we will sell to them regardless.” Iey’liwea looked up to the clear bright skies through the window. “Long story short, we’re going to need a new source of power.”

  “So the union is facing a power crisis?”

  “It won’t be today, tomorrow or within the next ten years, but it will happen,” Iey’liwea said, returning her sights to Queenea. “We on the council know of this and have been working to keep it silent while we figure out a new plan. That’s where you and your report on aether comes in.”