“Go on then, explain it to me.”
Gordon squared his shoulders, cleared his throat, and said, “The family Everhart is introducing the concept of breeding facilities to be placed in areas around the planet below. An intense breeding program, that ensures the continuation of our way of life. The creation of slave labor where no monetary compensation is given, except to care for the slaves and see that they are in good health to carry out tasks for their owner.”
“What is the slave’s purpose, why do we need such a concept – how would you reply to a question like that?” Moyah asked.
“To further ensure the High-Born way of life – to make living easier. With no compensation, the Great Houses can retain lucrative worth in maintaining slaves, over paid labor.”
“And?”
Gordon thought for a moment, and then said, “Because whichever Great House has the most wealth, controls the larger assets in the Union.”
“When it all comes down to it Gordon, money talks. No Great House would dare pass up the chance to obtain more of it,” Moyah said stepping forward, but remaining in the shadows she eyed the people in attendance. “Look at them gathering there. They are like ants swarming the dead. All out for a piece of what he had. They will get none of it. I’ll see to that.”
“Are you sure the Union will go for your idea?” Gordon asked stepping up next to Moyah.
Forgoing Gordon’s question, Moyah asked, “Do you believe the Union has the best interest of their constituents at heart, that they would forgo money to ensure prosperity for humanity?”
Gordon drew his eyes to his feet, unable to offer a defense of the other families in the Union.
“When is the Union meeting taking place?” Moyah asked.
“Tomorrow morning, Milady.”
After thirty-five years of preparing, plotting and biding her time, Moyah was less than twelve hours away from putting her plan into action. “Are the construction sites prepared and awaiting orders?”
“Yes, all seven requested sites are ready to begin building on your order. Though I’m compelled to ask, why Dalnaspidal, Scotland? Surely there was a better location for the seventh site.”
“No, it has to be there, in that exact spot... do you understand?”
Gordon didn’t miss a step, and replied, “Yes, as you command Milady.”
Moyah didn’t like yes men, but she did admire Gordon’s loyalty. If everything she prepared for went as planned, humanity’s last best hope would begin within a matter of weeks.
The next morning was long, and it didn’t help that Moyah hadn’t slept at all the night before. She wore her chamber clothes, a long yellow silk gown with matching slippers – her hair was woven atop her head. She’d drank several cups of coffee since early dawn, but even they didn’t steel her nerves. Am I acting too fast, she wondered.
Her grandfather’s body still laid in state, until his funeral the following day. She hated to act before there was a chance to put him to rest, but if Rothchild taught her anything, it was to take action quickly, and worry about the consequences later.
Fidgety, no matter what Moyah did, she could not get comfortable. She’d sit in a chair, but would get up because it was too soft, or refrain from sitting on the sofa because it was too hard. The lights in the room were either too dark, or too light. She couldn’t get comfortable. Worrying consumed her. I am acting too fast. The longer she had to wait, the more she couldn’t control her anxiety. Pouring another cup of coffee, she stood in the center of the apartment. The back of her head thrummed, and the warm liquid churned her stomach. The future might be certain, but she was hesitant. What if I made a mistake, I could forever change the future and with it, any hope. One misstep, and Moyah could unravel time like a roll of yarn, she floundered, and sat, her stomach in continuous flip-flops.
She wasn’t sure if she was being bold, or brash. But there wasn’t time to consider – there wasn’t time to withdraw. The future was in motion and she couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it.
When the com-system chimed, Moyah almost dropped her cup of coffee. She slid it across a tabletop on her way to the com device. “This is Moyah Everhart,” she said upon pressing the activation button.
Gordon’s somber voice came back across the link, and he said, “The meeting is in recess until I’ve had time to speak with you Milady.”
Moyah’s mouth bled dry, and she had to force out her words. “Has something gone awry?” she said.
Gordon sounded strained – his voice tired when he spoke. “They have accepted your proposal, as you knew they would,” he said and paused for a long breath and then continued. “But they have a concession.”
“Name the concession,” Moyah said, though she already knew what Gordon was going to say.
“House Lexor wants to name the Orlanders to lead a security force to keep the peace. Lord Rodrick Lexor has also proposed the activation of a new surveillance system to monitor activity. He’s calling it...”
“ORACLE,” Moyah said under her breath.
“That, that’s right. How did you know that Milady?” Gordon asked, baffled.
The ORACLE system would become the watchdog of the High-Born. In the years to come it would give House Lexor more and more power and make them the master of secrets. It was at that moment that Moyah understood what she was doing. She had been obsessed with stopping the monster Uklavar, that she didn’t stop to think of all the lives she would have a hand in killing. All the people who would die because of the Orlanders and the ORACLE system. Can the means justify the end? She asked herself. Do I have that right...? All she would have to say was no, and the endless deaths caused by ORACLE would never happen. But that wouldn’t stop the beast from awakening, it wouldn’t stop the fact he would be coming to Earth. A defenseless Earth.
Just one simple word, one word... The seconds ticked away in eternity. The moment could not be avoided, no matter how long she postponed... no matter how long... no matter how long.
“Milady?” Gordon’s voice seemed distant and ethereal. “Milady, what should I do?”
Moyah drew a cleansing breath, but it weighed heavy on her chest. When she released the air from her lungs, she said in a low almost silent reply, “Tell them I agree.”
“At once,” Gordon replied before the com-link went quiet.
Moyah pressed her hands down flat on the counter in front of her, holding the weight of her upper body. You got what you wanted, she told herself. How does it feel?
If history was going to say one thing about Moyah Everhart, it would be that she failed the future. She had that one second in the palm of her hand, that one second to change everything, and she refused. She examined her hands, the palms open out in front of her and she waited, waited to see the blood appear on them. Yes, I got what I wanted. An army to fight a monster and blood on my hands.
Deep Inside Kepler 369 aka the Planet Shin’nor’ee
The Expedition of the Lady Da’Mira Tannador
October 9, 2442 – Earth Time
Colin McGregor’s fingerhold on the side of the rockface slipped. The more energy he expelled, the greater the pull from the unseen force that surrounded the spaceship, COSMOS. Though it appeared that Da’Mira had no fear, considering she leaned in toward the ship as if she was going to try and jump aboard.
COSMOS was encircled by a blinding light that kept it suspended in midair. Although antiquated it looked completely functional. The lights from the main cockpit were fully illuminated. The ship’s gravitational engines pulsated bright blue, and if Colin didn’t know any better it almost looked as if the vessel was in flight.
“Da’Mira, you’re getting to close...!” Colin warned. “Shouldn’t we wait until we know what’s going on?”
“He’s right Milady,” Jonna shouted. “We need to get a team together and figure out what is going on here.
Da’Mira didn’t reply. She moved further and further away from Colin and Jonna – one step away from going over the edge. At the threshold
of the abyss, the glow around the ship strengthened. Colin turned his head – the power of the light scorched his flesh. He held a scream, clamping his teeth over his bottom lip. A thunderous echo clapped through the cavern, and the rockface violently shuddered, it rained chunks of dirt and rock down on the trio.
Obsession had overtaken Da’Mira and so did all reason. Her poor judgment left Colin with one option. Releasing his grip from the rock wall, he grabbed Da’Mira with both hands and jerked her back toward him. She screamed something, but Colin couldn’t hear her – and to be truthful, he didn’t care.
As he and Da’Mira fell backward, Colin shoved Jonna ahead of them and the three landed to the rock floor below. A rusty metallic flavor invaded Colin’s mouth, and he realized he’d bit his lower lip on impact. An intense pain cut through his ribs and he drew a staggering breath, resting his face on the cool cavern floor.
Moments later the tremor subsided and the pulsating around the ship went calm. The light from the cavern dimmed, and the drumming lessened.
Da’Mira sprang to her feet, and she shouted, “What did you do that for!”
Colin rolled to his back, arms across his chest, he regarded Da’Mira but did not answer.
“I was almost there. I could almost reach it!”
Colin still didn’t offer a defense, he laid on the cool rock, staring at the dark cavern ceiling.
“Well, don’t you have anything to say?” Da’Mira demanded.
“No,” was Colin’s only reply.
“You bastard, I should have never brought you along on this.”
“Begging your pardon, Milady, but Colin saved your life,” Jonna said.
“You don’t have to defend me, girl,” Colin said. “I can do that myself.”
There was a long moment of silence, and Colin took several calming breaths.
“Well?” Da’Mira said.
“Well, what?” Colin replied.
Da’Mira’s face reddened, and she said with a throaty reply, “Aren’t you going to defend your actions?”
“Yes,” Colin said.
“Well...?”
“I saved your life...”
“You’re infuriating,” Da’Mira said turning back toward the COSMOS chamber.
Cautious, Jonna said, “Milady...?”
Colin sat up and eyed Da’Mira.
“I know what you’re both thinking,” Da’Mira said swirling back around. “That I’ve gone mad.”
“The thought had occurred to me.”
“Colin,” Jonna snapped positioning herself between Colin and Da’Mira.
Colin pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the sharp pain in his back. “I meant no disrespect,” he said. “But insanity runs rampant with the High-Born. I didn’t want you to throw your life away...”
“That was not my intention,” Da’Mira confessed.
Colin studied the worrisome look on Da’Mira’s face. Her glistening eyes reminded him of the crazed fever that infected members of his clan. Like those who struggled daily, not knowing if they would live from one day to the next, so was her plight – trying to make meaning out of life since Uklavar woke. “If you don’t mind enlightening us, tell us what you’re thinking,” he said.
Her voice calm, Da’Mira explained, “Nothing has made sense since the Origin chamber. It makes even less sense now that we have discovered COSMOS. But the answers to everything might be on that ship. It called to me. Maybe because my ancestor was its pilot, I don’t know. All I want are answers, something to tell us what is happening. We... I need to get on that ship.”
“It’s not that simple Milady,” Jonna said.
“Let’s pretend the Highlander doesn’t know what the hell is going on, because I don’t. And explain it in simple terms,” Colin said.
“I won’t pretend to understand what I’m about to say, Professor Long would, God I wish he were here,” Jonna said looking back and forth between Colin and Da’Mira. “But I don’t think this planet is a planet at all.”
“What do you mean not a planet?” Colin asked scratching the back of his neck.
“Several hundred years ago a man named Freeman Dyson proposed the idea of a megastructure encompassing a star. An artificial planet, a Dyson Sphere,” Jonna surmised. “I think this planet is something like that.”
“That’s insane,” Colin said.
“Even if it wasn’t, COSMOS isn’t a star,” Da’Mira said.
“No, but the ship’s power output might rival that of a star,” Jonna said. “And it could have created a gravity well, and the planet formed around it.”
Colin threw his hands into the air, and he waved off Jonna and her assumptions. Her idea was far beyond him. He stood on a planet. There was rock beneath his feet, air in his lungs and gravity pulling him down. “You’re making this up,” he said. But even he heard the worry in the tone of his voice.
“Go on Jonna,” Da’Mira said. “Finish your hypothesis.”
“Look, this is all speculative. Professor Long needs to make a conclusion.”
“Yes, but Charles isn’t here, and you are. So, finish your thought.”
“A Dyson Sphere is a manmade structure, that encompasses a star. But COSMOS is putting out some serious juice. We might be looking at something totally different, something that defies the laws of science.”
“So, you don’t know,” Colin blurted out.
“No, I don’t know,” Jonna snapped back. “But if I’m right and we make any attempt to get into that ship, we could tip the balance and destroy this entire planet.”
“What do we do now, go back?” Colin asked, though secretly that was his vote.
“We can’t go back. Not yet,” Da’Mira said. “Jonna might be right, but I have this feeling that we have to stay here. The answers will reveal themselves.”
Colin wanted to rage forward and demand they go back. He’d not stayed with Da’Mira to wait until the answers came to them. His sister was out there with that crazed beast. He should be looking for her, not sitting on his ass. He surprised himself when he didn’t start making demands. The galaxy was a huge place, and his sister could be anywhere. Finding her would not be a simple thing. “If we are going to wait for answers, then we must set up camp,” Colin said. We should also alert Charles of our findings and see what he thinks.”
Da’Mira stood silent for a long moment eyeing Colin. Her face brightened, and she smiled with her eyes. “You’re right, Colin,” was all she said.
“We should send Navaho and Van back to the surface,” Jonna said. “They can lead the Professor back down here.”
“Aye, with more provisions. We are running low now, and it’s hard to tell how long we will be down here.”
Suddenly, the ground began to shake. It knocked the trio off their feet and slammed them to the ground. The giant stalactites broke free from the ceiling dropping like giant spears. They stabbed the surface causing the ground to splinter releasing plumes of superhot steam into the air.
“Jonna... look out!” Da’Mira cried.
Colin jerked his body to the left, but it was too late for him to act. Jonna lay flat to the ground, motionless, a stalactite pierced her back – her body lay in a pool of crimson, her eyes stared ahead, and her soft unblemished skin quickly turned gray.
Colin slammed his fist to the ground, and he held in a roar. He eyed Jonna through waterlogged eyes, the rage swelled in him. He hesitated, thinking of his sister... seeing her face in Jonna’s. He struggled to breathe, the air lodged in his throat and he had to force a breath into his lungs. He just needed a moment, but before he could have time to collect his thoughts, lightning struck throughout the chamber. It spiderwebbed across the ceiling sending static electricity throughout the cavern.
Da’Mira cried out.
Colin wheeled around, the steam that had released itself from deep in the planet had manifested, taking form and shape of bipedal beings – apparitions. They swirled around Jonna’s lifeless body like slithering snakes. Colin scrambled to hi
s feet reaching out for the girl, but the phantasms kept him at bay – shoving both he and Da’Mira back. The lightening intensified and washed out his vision.
“What’s happening?” Colin shouted. Da’Mira folded into his arms.
Jonna’s body dissolved and faded into a mist.
“She’s gone...!” Colin shouted in dismay. He held Da’Mira close, grimacing at the continuous flash of lightening shimmering off the cavern walls. His heart thrummed in his chest as if it were trying to break free. The intoxicating events, overwhelming.
Da’Mira jabbed a finger toward the entryway leading to the COSMOS and yelled, “Look!”
An apparition of mist and light in the form of Jonna, turned toward them. She offered a pleasant smile but vanished through the entryway of the ship seconds later.
“What in the hell is going on?” Colin shouted and just at that moment everything went silent. The lightning storm stopped, the magnetic pull from the COSMOS lessened and he and Da’Mira stood there, only the sound of their breathing filled the air. She looked up into his eyes and they shared a quiet second.
“Are you alright Milady?”
Da’Mira took a half step back, she rolled her tongue over her lips. The blood rushed from her face and her eyes dulled. She looked back where Jonna had been before and drew a nervous breath.
Colin took a step forward. His gut instincts told him to be ready for something to happen. He wanted to reach for his generational sword, but it had been broken off inside the horned beast when he escaped with his sister, and now only the hilt remained. Instead he clenched his hands into fists and stood ready.
Da’Mira joined him, her actions were that of a frightened pup. She was one of the strongest women he’d ever met, but strength didn’t mean you couldn’t be afraid. He admitted to himself he was scared of what was going to happen next and stood steadfast prepared for anything.
“What do we do now?” Da’Mira asked.
Colin rolled his shoulders in defeat. He didn’t have the answer and held a reply in his throat. No matter what he said, he would be wrong. “Perhaps we should collect the others and return to the surface. Spencer will need medical attention.”
Origin Equation Page 6
