“So you started a rebellion.”
Nisi arched an eyebrow at her; did she amuse him? “There was already a rebellion, tiny and desperate though it was, when I came to it. Sadly, the brave souls who began it are all gone, leaving me to honor their legacy by growing the resistance into something more.”
“Gone?” She frowned. “What about regenesis?”
“Back then the resistance had but a single lab, and a rickety and spartan one at that. It was destroyed in a Machim attack, as was everyone at the base.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was more millennia ago than I care to dwell on, though part of me continues to mourn the friends I lost. On bad days more than good ones, as is the way of such things. Now, I have naturally invited the four of you here for a reason, but first let me apologize for the inconvenient trip. Secrecy is our most paramount and constant concern. It tempers every action we take.”
Alex wandered over to the window and peered down. “Where are we?”
“You can never know the location, I’m afraid. As I said, secrecy.”
“Can I ask what the energy generation beneath us is? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Actually, I believe you have seen something like it, albeit on a much smaller scale. It’s a Zero Drive.”
The drive on Felzeor’s capsule had only been a few centimeters in size. This apparatus was immense.
Nisi’s expression bordered on smugness. “I’m sorry, did all of you believe this was a building? On the contrary. It is a starship.”
Her jaw dropped. “Chush’ sobach’ya. Where can I get one?”
Caleb laughed behind her.
I know, I know. He’s a terrorist, and we’re in the opening hours of a war for the survival of humanity and liberation of pretty much everyone else. I still want one.
We win this thing, and we’ll get us one, baby.
It’s a plan. What was that about earlier, with Nisi?
I’m honestly not quite sure.
“Perhaps another time.” Nisi’s lips drew in tight. He’d opened the meeting with congeniality, but it could be her irreverence had begun to irk him. “To business, shall we? Your victory at the Provision Network Gateway will provoke a war, and my people will have no choice but to play a role in it.”
Miriam squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Our war is with the Machim leaders who set out to annihilate our universe, and by extension with the Directorate that ordered their actions. I have concerns regarding the tactics you use, but the circumstances are such that I would welcome your assistance—but I am not demanding it or pleading for it. Your role will be what you make it.”
“The circumstances being that you know nothing about our society, political structure, customs, varied alien species or technology.”
The muscles in Miriam’s jaw flexed. Barely. “I wouldn’t say nothing, but far less than I’d like, yes. There is no denying we are newcomers to this place, while you have lived—” another twitch “—some thousands of years in it.”
Ugh, enough with the alpha wolf dominance games. Alex grumbled loudly and stepped up to Nisi even as her mother took a quiet step back. “I’m sorry, Danilo, but don’t you want the Directorate taken out? Isn’t it the entirety of your purpose?”
“The entirety of my purpose is freedom, Ms. Solovy.” His eyes ran across them in turn, and he exhaled ponderously, as if coming to an unpleasant decision.
“I cannot say this to the other anarchs, but I have never believed we could succeed in unseating the Directorate. The institution and its Primor members are vastly too powerful, enjoying unlimited resources at their disposal, and we are infinitely too few and too weak.
“My purpose these last millennia has been two-fold: firstly, to give a home to those who felt freedom’s call, a place where they could live as they wished and conduct a life of meaning.
“Secondly, I have worked to build a universe-spanning network of spies, operatives, information caches and other resources. A network designed and crafted so as to be of maximum strategic value when the pivotal moment arrives at last and the fulcrum upon which the cosmos will turn emerges.”
Alex regarded Nisi curiously. “And you believe our fleet is that fulcrum?”
Nisi smiled. The effect was surprisingly impactful—charismatic, thoughtful, a touch mysterious. “After the dramatic battle at the Gateway, it has without question proved its worth. I have no doubt it will be necessary, even indispensable for victory in the coming war.
“But, no, Ms. Solovy. Your fleet, formidable though it may be, is not the fulcrum I have prepared for and long sought.”
The anarch leader settled his piercing gaze on Caleb. “He is.”
RUBICON
AURORA RESONANT BOOK TWO
* * *
BACK COVER BLURB
“We are you—the you that you could have been.”
The Anaden Directorate has ruled Amaranthe for millennia, subjugating species and galaxies in a neverending quest for control and order. For as many millennia, the anarchs have rebelled, defiantly claiming their own freedom yet without hope of winning it for everyone. Now, an alliance with humans offers a tantalizing chance to at last defeat their immortal masters. But can they trust an ally who looks suspiciously like the enemy?
Humanity is the genetic recreation of the Anadens, but genetics aren’t everything. Humans like to make their own destiny, and they have overcome great challenges to achieve unprecedented peace and prosperity. But have their trials prepared them for the enemy they now face?
“The battle for the heart and soul of Amaranthe will be joined, and we must be unafraid.”
Amidst the chaos of an escalating war, Caleb’s bond with the mysterious diati grows ever more powerful, even as Alex’s forays into the hidden dimensions of the universe lead them to unfathomable places. But when the anarchs are pushed to the breaking point and the AEGIS fleet is dealt a devastating blow, Miriam Solovy must find a way to defeat a foe wielding superior technology, firepower and numbers, or else more than one civilization will be lost.
CONTENTS
PART I
FOR EVERY ACTION
PART II
THE DOPPLER EFFECT
PART III
TRANSCENDENTAL DISARRAY
PART IV
SHATTERSHOT
PART V
SECRETS, LIES & SPACETIME MANIFOLDS
PART VI
LAWS OF MOTION
PART VII
ILLUMINE
PART VIII
LIFE, INTERRUPTED
AMARANTHE
YEAR 6143
12TH EPOCH PROPER
PART I:
FOR EVERY ACTION
“The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can,
and keep moving on.”
— Ulysses S. Grant
1
MACHIM FLEET FABRICATION CENTER
MILKY WAY SECTOR 46
* * *
CAPTAIN BROOKLYN HARPER LANDED IN the Machim Fleet Fabrication Center server room face-to-face with a hulking orb of mechanical death. A weaponized appendage extended out from its shiny black casing to lock the sights of a plasma cannon on her forehead.
“Halt, intruder.”
Of all the bloody timing. She snapped her left arm out to knock the cannon off-kilter. At the same time, she pressed the trigger on her far smaller weapon, held close in at waist height in her other hand.
The laser from her Daemon tore through the metal casing with relentless efficiency, and after a jerking shudder the drone promptly exploded.
“Dammit!” Brooklyn threw her arms over her face in a protective cross and dropped to a crouch as metal fragments shot in every direction and the few heavier, larger pieces that remained intact thudded to the floor.
The ensuing racket echoed once through the cavernous room before being absorbed by thick, insulated walls.
Sotiras: Are
you injured, Human?
“I’m fine.” She shot a quick glare at the shapeless lights trembling in the corner as she stood and lowered her arms.
Sotiras: But there is—
Alexis Solovy (Siyane): “Shit. Sorry, Harper. It showed up the same second you did.”
HarperRF: “Noted. Tell the Kat to watch the door and tell me where to go.”
Sotiras: I am right here, Human. You may tell me yourself. Also, I should note—
Alexis Solovy (Siyane): “Sotiras, please watch the door for additional incoming security. Harper, take the third aisle down to the large vertical enclosure.”
The Kat spun off toward the entrance, and Brooklyn took a step back to see which aisle might be the third one. She jogged down it until she met what was either a wall or a very tall block of hardware. It was unmarked and seamless.
HarperRF: “Is this what I’m looking for?”
Alexis Solovy (Siyane): “Yep. At 1.8 meters height, cut out a rectangle up to 2.1 meters height, all the way across.”
She gripped her blade hilt, brought it up to eye level and activated it. The plasma sliced cleanly into the material, and a few cuts later a section of the covering fell away. She propped it against the equipment to her left while her eVi filtered the bright white glow coming from inside the opening she’d created.
The interior contained a circuit of some kind. Hyperfine traces of darkness divided the light in a rigid, ordered pattern. Deeper inside, beyond the circuit, lay stacked slabs of a translucent onyx mineral.
Alexis Solovy (Siyane): “Okay, see the junction? The thicker cluster near the bottom right? Stick the bypass module to it.”
Everything looked like a ‘cluster’ to her. She palmed the small bypass module and started moving her hand from the center downward and to the right.
Alexis Solovy (Siyane): “Down farther. Over a little more—there.”
Suspicious of what could result from of her ignorant tampering, she exercised proper caution as she positioned the module in front of the thickest grouping of traces and applied pressure to it, then drew her fingers away. To her surprise, it stayed where she’d put it. The traces appeared virtual to her eyes, but apparently they had some physicality.
Alexis Solovy (Siyane): “And we’re set. Wedge the section you removed back in place as best as you can. Hopefully they won’t find our handiwork until it’s too late. Sotiras, as soon as she’s done, get her out of there and back to the Saratoga.”
Her blade had done precise work, and the rectangular piece of metal fit perfectly in place. Once she nudged the last corner a touch to seat it, no glow escaped to betray the seams.
Sotiras: Security reinforcements are approaching.
HarperRF: “Ready.”
Pinpricks of ethereal light encased her to blot out the surrounding walls, and she arrived on the bridge of the AFS Saratoga two seconds later. The purposeful sounds of a full bridge mid-mission were briefly jarring after the tomb-like silence of the server room, but not unwelcome.
Brigadier Malcolm Jenner greeted her with a nod from the command overlook, then turned toward a grouping of tactical screens…then back, wearing a frown. “Um, Harper….”
“What?”
He pointed to her left shoulder. She craned her neck around to see a four-centimeter shard of drone jutting out of the back of her upper left arm. The material of her tactical suit had sealed around the metal to staunch the bleeding, so the extent of the damage wasn’t immediately apparent.
Residual adrenaline and automated eVi injury mitigation routines masked any pain, but she grimaced anyway. “Hell.”
I did try to inform you that you were bleeding. The Kat hovered closer and more confidently now, here in the safety of the bridge.
“Whatever.” She returned her attention to Malcolm. “What’s our status?”
“Waiting on the go-ahead. Your job’s done, though, so get to Medical.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but then it occurred to her she might have additional, less obvious shrapnel embedded god knew where. “Fine. But for the record, this does not count as a ground incursion. You still owe me a real mission. Sir.”
He gestured to the lift, staring pointedly at her until she pivoted and headed in its direction.
She was halfway there when the pain kicked in.
AFS SARATOGA
The Machim Sector 46 Fleet Fabrication Center sprawled across nearly three megameters of space in a lengthy orbit around a distant blue giant star.
A central structure sat at the center of an immense labyrinth of latticed assembly lines, not dissimilar to the Presidio’s design. Machim battlecruisers in various stages of completion hung in four rows down the primary production lines. Smaller semi-enclosed adjunct structures assembled a host of smaller components, which were ferried by ring channels to the production lines. Mechs buzzed through the facility like ants scurrying over an anthill.
Was there a single living creature at the facility, Malcolm wondered?
The Anadens were reported to be wary about synthetic intelligence, so presumably someone was on site to ensure the mechs and the lines’ operational ware didn’t get unruly. But it didn’t seem as if there were many. He started to reflect on how it would keep the body count low, but if they were Anaden even that wouldn’t matter. The notion of an enemy who perpetually came back to life was taking some getting used to.
The mission kicked into gear then, saving him from twisting his brain into knots over the matter.
Alexis Solovy (Siyane): “I’m patched into the security system. Referencing the mission Tactical Grid, trip sensors are located at:
Q1 S 21° E z -12°
Q1 N 67° W z 41°
Q2 S 35° W z -80°
Q2 N 26° E z 54°
Q3 N 19° W z 61°
Q3 S 11°W z -3°
Q4 S 84° E z -59°
Q4 N 25° E z 22°
“Each trip sensor is linked to four proximity mines. They’re outfitted with failsafe triggers, so EMPing them won’t do any good. You’ll have to shoot them from a distance or something.
“The force field barrier is powered by three generators located inside the barrier at Q3 NW 6° z -9°. I’ve got a couple of authorization codes a disguised ship or two can use to get inside.”
Commandant Solovy (AFS Stalwart II): “Our first priority is to take out the force field. AFS EW-08, when I give the order, project the false cargo ship hull and proceed through security using one of the authorization codes Alexis provides. Once inside, target the generators using negative energy missiles, then stealth and keep clear of the blasts.”
Commander Lekkas (AFS MA-Primary): “ESC Flights Two and Four, stage yourselves in range of the trip sensors and be prepared to neutralize them the instant the generators blow.”
Acknowledgments scrolled up the screen to his left alongside auxiliary chatter.
Commandant Solovy (Stalwart II): “EW-08, proceed. All ships, combat alert status.”
The fleet was situated too far away from the target for Malcolm to be able to see the electronic warfare craft’s progress. However, a stealthed companion provided a visual feed, and Malcolm monitored the disguised ship on a second screen as it approached the heavily guarded entrance gate.
An electronic warfare craft was an unlikely choice for an infiltrate-and-destroy mission, but in this case it was the correct size to pull off the disguise, being close in size to a standard Anaden cargo ship. It also wielded the best holographic projection capabilities, making the disguise believable. Nevertheless, the small, precision negative energy missiles it now carried constituted its entire payload and stretched its loadout capabilities to the maximum.
The vessel proceeded through the gate without incident and adopted a trajectory that would ostensibly take it to the hangar at the central structure—then it vanished behind a cloaking shield. Three long seconds later, multiple explosions erupted near the center of the facility.
The visible force field flickered a
nd died in sync with a spike in activity as the Fabrication Center went on alert. Outside the perimeter, a series of smaller detonations cascaded in a bubble surrounding the facility.
Commander Lekkas (MA-Primary): “Trip sensors neutralized.”
Commandant Solovy (Stalwart II): “All ships, proceed according to your assignments.”
Rampant, comprehensive destruction was the objective of the mission today. Fighters swarmed in to engage the automated defenses, which included drones as well as far more robust turrets spaced throughout the facility. Sabres followed the fighters in, accompanied by a complement of frigates for protection, and began firing on the unfinished battlecruisers.
Lacking active shielding, the hulls crumbled under the onslaught from the Sabres’ powerful railguns.
But it wasn’t going to be enough to destroy the ships under assembly. They needed to destroy the Fabrication Center’s production capabilities, or else the Machim would just start building new ships here tomorrow.
Malcolm eyed the long row of adjunct structures stretching beneath the length of the facility. “Proceed on a N 13° E z -2° vector. As soon as we’re in range, target the individual units sequentially from west to east.”
Brigadier Jenner (AFS Saratoga): AFS Tripoli and AFS Caracas, with me.”
Lt. Colonel Londe (AFS Tripoli): “On your left flank, Saratoga.”
Colonel Torres (AFS Caracas): “On your right.”
Admiral Rychen (EAS Virginia): “EA 12th (NW) Regiment will take care of the central structure. Advise active Rifters to handle the prodigious debris soon to result.”
Defense turret fire plinked off the Virginia’s shields in harmless pinpricks as it unloaded its arsenal on the boxy edifice at the heart of the facility. It began to come apart in large, jagged chunks.
Aurora Resonant: The Complete Collection (Amaranthe Collections Book 3) Page 42
