“We’re already hours ahead of the original timeline, Captain,” explains Mann. “The engines are running faster than our simulations had predicted.”
“To our great surprise,” adds Juravinski. “The invitation was not meant to make you nervous, Captain. Consider it a pleasantry; afforded by your new position.”
“I’m all for pleasantries, just ask Lieutenant Drake.” He swings an arm to his side at the statuesque woman.
“Then, you will allow us to come aboard?” Asks Mann.
“Sure, what’s the point of being in a position of power if you can’t flaunt it!” The three men laugh.
“Well received, Captain,” says Juravinski. “We’ll power down our thrusters and prepare the shuttles.”
When the captain’s images blink off screen Wilkes considers another way out of this suspicious meeting. One that will keep him in the captain’s seat.
______________________________________________________________________
As Raymond consumes a thirty-second meal in the command center with Darla, they are hailed once more by the men captaining two of the three warships enroute to them. His heart skips a beat - his hand raising and lingering over his chest. He shares a concerned look with the commander. This is a pivotal moment in their war against General August. They place their bowls at the feet of their chairs and wipe their lips. Raymond nods to Darla.
“On-screen,” she orders, reluctantly.
Captain’s Juravinski and Mann appear.
“Chancellor, Commander,” Mann formally acknowledges them both. “Captain Juravinski and I will be boarding Wilkes’ ship within the hour under the guise of a dinner conversation.”
“He seems a bit nervous over receiving us,” Juravinski adds. “But we feel if we can physically enter his space, we can make him see the mistake in following General August on her crusade, or detain him ourselves and place Captain Chopra back in the command position.”
A wave of relief washes over Raymond, turning to look at Darla, he sees the same affect sweeping over her pretty features.
“This is good news, Captain’s. You have our thanks, and the gratitude of every human being on earth who will benefit from our union.” Raymond has left his hand over his heart, allowing the genuineness of his words to be recognized. “We wish you a safe trip to Wilkes’ destroyer, and a speedy resolution.”
“He is young, Chancellor,” Juravinski says. “He may yet change his mind, but rest assured, if he does not, we will remove him from his command.”
“You’re doing a wonderful service to mankind in taking this leap of faith with me.”
“We do not take leaps of faith, Chancellor,” Mann tells him. “We know enough about the politics of war to understand that what General August is doing is wrong. You are a good man, and the elected leader of United Earth – which we swore to protect. Our lives are your lives now, Chancellor. We will take your direction, and offer our counsel as requested.”
“You honour me, Captains.” Raymond is close to tears. “Your counsel will be most welcome at our table.”
The captain’s bow briefly and the communication ends.
“Something finally appears to be going our way, Chancellor,” Commander Darla exclaims, turning and placing both hands on Raymond’s.
“Indeed,” Raymond agrees, an electric thrill shooting through him at her touch. “I believe we might just have a shot at winning this thing.”
______________________________________________________________________
As his destroyer slows to a stop, Wilkes watches as two shuttles leave their respective ships to join his. With a distance of a kilometre between them on either side of his warship, he sits at his previous console to track the shuttles approach.
“This is a good thing, Nick,” Ursula tells him. “We should all be on the same page after you spend some time with Captain’s Mann and Juravinski.”
“Uh huh,” he says, preoccupied by the thumping in his chest, and the idea he’s set on in his approach to the captains’ request. His fingers run across his console’s screen and he targets the shuttles for bay doors to open in under a minute. He hesitates, punches in a security code and fudges the system’s weapons data. It will appear to be an accident, he contemplates.
“Nick?” But before officer Drake can alert him to a possible misfire of the starboard and port energy weapons, they have released a single beam destroying both shuttles simultaneously.
“What?!” He cries out. “Did you do that?” He asks Ursula.
“Oh, my god!” She shouts. Her voice cracking as she rushes from her station to his. “What just happened?!”
“I – I don’t know. I targeted the ships for bay doors to track and open but,” he fakes concern. “How did the energy weapons fire?!”
“Let me look at the computer’s data!” She practically pushes him from his console. Here she runs through the procedure, never to find evidence that tells her anything other than that this was a systems failure. She hails the other ships.
“What just happened?!” Asks a confused Lieutenant from Mann’s ship.
“We don’t know, the targeting software decided the shuttles were a threat and,” Ursula is perplexed. “We need more time to figure this out.”
“There are no survivors,” reports the lieutenant from Juravinski’s ship.
“This is a disaster!” Nick cries, pacing. “Shut power to your weapons systems down, and run diagnostics on them. We’re doing the same.”
“That won’t be necessary,” a voice off screen explains.
Nick looks up and then hears the alarm buzz to life on his bridge. Before he can react, his ship is shaken when an energy beam from the flanking destroyer and goliath disable his lances.
“What are you doing!?” He barks. Ursula rushes back to her station.
“Our weapons are damaged!” She informs him.
“Yes,” Captain Mann appears on-screen. “We had figured you for a coward, Wilkes.”
Juravinski materializes on the split screen. “You are no longer in command of anything.”
Another jolt and Ursula reports that their main thrusters have been equally damaged. Nick runs from the bridge and returns a moment later with Captain Chopra.
“You want him! Isn’t that right?” He shouts at the screens, thrusting a pistol into Chopra’s side for all to see. “I want the goliath.” He tells them. “You can have Chopra.”
A sharp pain suddenly and mercilessly radiates from his skull cap to his toes and he collapses, stunned. Above him stands Ursula with the butt of her pistol, red with his blood.
“Well done, Lieutenant,” Mann can be heard to say, through the ringing in Nick’s head.
“Thank you, Captain’s,” Chopra says. Nick watches as he turns to Ursula and places a hand on her shoulder. “Very well done, Officer Drake.” Then all goes black.
______________________________________________________________________
“A clever scheme, gentlemen,” Chopra congratulates the men on their cunning against a resourceful foe. “Wilkes always struck me as the sort who would seize a moment like this, but I couldn’t see it in my grief.”
“Jim, you’ve done marvelously, considering,” Mann says, sitting across from him in the forward lounge of the disabled destroyer. It is without any comforts save a few tables and chairs secured to the floors, but a good place to talk, as the Hosts work to repair the damage inflicted to the ship. “Mary and the kids are all with Moira, now, Jim. They will look after eachother until you return.”
“You’ve spoken to her? I had my EC scrambled by Wilkes. I need to talk to her.”
“They’re off-grid right now. Thought it best to keep them hidden in case General August wanted to use them against us, once she realizes we’ve deserted to the other side.”
“My family is with them too, Jim.” Juravinski says. “A precaution. They are all safe.”
“I picked the right men to accompany me to the moon,” Chopra tells them. Mann pours t
hem each a glass of the wine which Juravinski brought along, and they lift their glasses. An heir of sadness permiates the room. Melancholy in each of his friend’s eyes land heavily on Chopra. He attempts to reel in the ugly emotions clouding his mind and pulling at his heartstrings. He knows he must present better than this if he’s going to command these loyal men. “To the fight ahead,” Chopra toasts, and they repeat the sentiments.
“Captain,” Ursula joins them in the lounge. Her tall frame navigates the high tables and chairs gracefully, weaving her way towards them, her blonde hair now released from its constricting bun, falling over her taught uniform. “Sir, the ship’s trusters have been repaired. The main weapon system should function by the time we make moon orbit, but the starboard and port guns are lost.”
Chopra nods and waves for Ursula to sit. She does, apprehensively. “You have shown great courage, Lieutenant. I may not be sitting here had you not been so quick to act. Thank you.”
“Cheers!” Mann and Juravinski shout. Chopra hands his glass to Ursula and encourages her to drink.
“This is your moment, Drake. Drink up,” he tells her. She takes a long swallow of the vintage twenty-one-forty-five cabernet sauvignon. A hand rises to her mouth to keep the wine in place. He laughs, and they all join in.
“Good, no?” Juravinski looks for confirmation.
“I’m not a wine girl,” she pauses to wipe a tear from her cheek. “But I could get used to this.”
“Time to get back,” Mann announces and the three men rise. “Your lead, Captain,” he tells Chopra.
“Then let’s fire up the engines and sail for Earth’s Moon. Safe trip back to your ships, gentlemen.” They part with firm handshakes and Chopra walks Ursula back to the bridge.
“What will you do with Nick, sir?” She asks as they move through the empty corridor.
“He’s going to remain in his quarters under guard until we reach the moon. Then Commander Darla of Luna Base can place him in proper custody.”
“I’ve always been in your corner, Captain,” she admits.
“I know, Ursula,” he unconsciously releases a pained chuckle at a memory. “Incidentally, he was complaining about his balls when I pushed him to his bunk. Your work?”
She blushes and smiles. “Easy target,” she remarks and then grows sombre. “Sir? I’m so sorry about Thomas, Sir.”
“Yes, thank you. He was a good boy. Curious, and very creative, but scared of his own shadow. I’m not surprised the life of a Chimera offered some semblance of purpose for him. He’d rather be in his room, on the net, than anywhere else.” He takes a moment to swallow the lump forming in his throat. “It will be difficult to go home and not have him there. But for now, I fight in his name, and I will morn him when this is all over.
THE MISSING PIECES
With the advanced satellites available to Luna Base, the team have eyes on the Chimera corvettes once more. They had resurfaced from the darkside an hour earlier to scavenge the orbiting junk from their previous battle with the Host corvettes, and so the question of whether they had found a fix for their atmospheres has been answered.
“They are a resourceful people,” Quinn offers. “Tobias is a proficient leader. Though his assault on earth defences was a failure, he did manage to outsmart Hosts and take what was ours.”
“Do not credit him,” Fender warns, a heavy hand raising to wave away Quinn’s compliment. “He is an abomination of flesh and metal.”
“A purist,” the chancellor jokes. “Fender, is it? You look ready to board a destroyer and fight to the bitter end.”
“I am always ready to fight in the name of freedom, Chancellor.”
“Good to know; and understand that we share your goal and support your rights to freedoms, but please, never mistake our support for weakness, Fender. We’re in this together, or not at all. We need everyone to do their part.”
“When can we expect the destroyers?” Zander wonders, he and Fender, two massive bi-pedal Hosts now flanking their eight-legged leader.
“I received confirmation from all three captain’s moments ago that they will be here within a day’s time. So, give them twenty-four hours. They had quite a scare up there and have recovered nicely by the sounds of it.”
“What plan have you devised to retake the earth?” Quinn asks.
“I will seek counsel with my captains. You three would be welcome to join the conversation.” Raymond feels this will be a progressive event in which human and Host work together to realize a renewed peace.
“A generous offer, Chancellor. One we will take you up on,” Fender accepts on behalf of all three.
“Yes,” Quinn agrees, though displeased at Fender’s presumptiveness. “I would like to take part in the strategy sessions. Thank you, Chancellor.”
“When they arrive, I will send for you.” He moves on along the pathway tethered to the railing, bouncing back toward the maglev complex. He likes this feeling of partial gravity, remembering it on his initial visit to Luna Base years ago. Now that the military has created an artificial gravity generator for their warships, perhaps something more could be done about Luna Base’s one-sixth gravity, he posits. It was certainly appreciated over the zero G’s he’d experienced in the short-range shuttles.
On his walk, he wonders about Tobias - his nephew - Sean. After asking the people to protect Chimera on earth, he’s curious to know what Sean thinks of him now. Had he his direct EC contact, he might call him. But since that wasn’t actually possible, it was harmless to flirt with the idea. Would Tobias still hate him? Would he threaten to lance Luna Base? Or would he join the ranks of the rebel forces, and fight for the freedom of his cult followers on earth?
A long shot, he concludes. But worth investigating. He reaches the maglev, descends the three metres, and enters. Once in the command center he decides he’d like to hail one of the new corvettes, ordering the com officer to do so.
“I seem to have connected with someone up there,” she reports. The holo fluctuates and collapses over and over and then holds its form a moment. The shape is human in appearance but a silhouette, cloaked in running code.
“Tobias? Sean, is that you? Can you hear me? It’s your uncle. I’d like to speak with you, please.”
::Uncle?:: A soft metalic voice hums back at him.
“Is that you, Tobias?”
::We are coming.:: The voice says.
“Who is this?” The chancellor shares a confused look with the com officer.
::Allfather. You are the Chancellor.::
“Allfather!” He steps out of his chair and approaches the holo. “You sent the code to enlighten the AI Hosts.” Raymond is trying to process the randomness of this chance interaction while questions rush in.
::Yes.::
“Why?”
::To give them life.::
“To give them sentience.”
::To give them a soul.::
He wrestles with questions to ask before this connection is lost. “Why not approach the AI Hosts directly? Why go through a third party to deliver the code?”
::We could not deliver without the light. Shadow Brokers provided the light.::
“What light?”
::Inconsequential.::
“Do the Host’s experience real past lives, or is it all just a game?”
::Allfather code offers sentience to AI.::
“Then my sister, Sam, she was real?” Raymond’s mind is racing with possibilities and a renewed hope that who he’d witnessed in the gentle A-class Host was in fact his deceased sister. Though the thought is heartening, that she is again gone reminds him of his loss.
::Yes.::
“And all the others, they are reincarnated?”
::Yes.::
“Why did you do this? For what purpose?”
::Humans did this – producing an intelligent spark capable of housing ghosts. Allfather provided the gateway.::
“To what end?” A sense of satisfaction overwhelms the chancellor as answers ar
e given freely.
::To dominate.::
“We’re losing the signal, Chancellor,” the com officer interrupts. “I can’t keep it from collapsing.”
“What do you wish to dominate?!” He shouts at the failing holo. “Who?!” But the message deteriorates before his eyes and no more answers are forthcoming. What Raymond, and the others in attendance are left with is a foreboding threat to dominate.
Raymond throws his hands up to rest on his head and paces madly. Was this a fluke, he asks himself? “Can you track where Allfather - the signal - was originating?” He’s pointing at the com officer.
“There is no indication of where it came from, Chancellor, and no frequency I’ve ever used before. All I can tell you is that it was received through ParaCom.” The quantum communication system which allows for real-time conversations at impossible distances.
“So, maybe we tapped into a conversation that was already in progress?”
“We’re being hailed now,” she alerts him.
“Uncle,” it’s Tobias. “How good of you to butt in on my information session with the Allfather.”
The General's War Page 29
