“No argument there,” Gavit replied. “You’re just super tight right now.”
“You only say that because you’re just jealous I shot down more fighters than you.”
“And I got more bombers and credit for two capital ship kills. Thank you very much.”
“Still a lower count than me. Go wave your dick at Deniv if you’re talking capships.”
“You’d like that wouldn’t you.”
“Hey,” Marda snapped. “There’s a child present. Keep it clean.”
Chrisvian stopped and looked at Marda for a moment with a twisted grin then went back to pushing his toys around, making little sputtering and squealing noises as he went. That little idiosyncrasy had always puzzled Marda. The toys were meant to look like hover cars, with tiny recessed wheels underneath, and she’d never seen a hovercar that would make such noises.
Watching her son play, she couldn’t help but cancel out the conversation around them. Yes, she’d sent him away for his own safety, and would do so again if she felt that he was in danger, but this was his home. She looked around: it was their home. The Wolfsbane had taken a beating, but had come out of it all. Their crew quarters looked none the worse for wear, and with the Wolfsbane returning to dry dock she had plenty of time to change her mind.
Blazer squeezed her hand. “What are you thinking about?” he whispered as the other couples continued to talk animatedly about kill stealing or something.
“Just about this place, our home.” Marda felt her stomach rumble and put a hand to her mouth just in case. “Sorry, must be something I ate.”
“You too?” Chris asked. even Alieha nodded.
“Babies.” Chrisvian cooed and went back to playing with his cars.
“What babies?” Marda asked with a chortle.
“Tummies,” he went on, his two annura-old vocabulary still limited despite his impressive mental powers.
Marda saw an image in her mind of her belly. From the look on the faces of the other women present, so had they. “Chrisvian, honey. What do you mean?”
Chrisvian sat back with a pouty look on his chubby face that he hadn’t made it clear. “Babies in tummies. Saw them.”
“That’s impossible, I have blocks in,” Alieha stammered setting her drink aside. Arion just sat there with a stupid smile on his face. “I mean, I thought we all did.”
Chris shook her head, and so did Marda.
“Okay, at least the men do, right?” she asked, digging her nails into Arion’s shoulders. “Married can cost me enough contracts, pregnant, oh man.”
“Ow!” he yelped. “Yes, I do. I mean I didn’t mess with my blocks,” he explained and Chrisvian started laughing.
Marda pulled away from Blazer to sit with their son, a sudden concern fillinf her. “Honey, did you do anything to Daddy, Uncle Arion, Uncle Gavit and Auntie Alieha?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head.
“Oh, good.”
“Told bots to go.”
Marda felt her eyes go wide and she bolted for her bathroom. She dove straight for her medical case and tearing it open, retrieved her medical scanner. She took a calming breath and scanned her abdomen. The scans were conclusive. She walked out in a haze and scanned both Chris and Alieha before taking her seat. She felt flushed and just stared at Chrisvian as he played and smiled at them all. Blazer looked to her with such concern, as did everyone else. “I think Chrisvian deactivated our blocks. We’re all pregnant.”
“What?” all but Blazer asked.
“How, why?” Gavit stammered.
Chrisvian just fit him with a goofy grin and images from one his favorite holo-programs flowed into everyone’s consciousnesses. It was two cartoon characters, their wedding, then pregnancy, and finally their baby.
“Buddy,” Blazer said in a calm voice. He couldn’t even hide his happiness when he looked back at Marda. “You really should let people decide when they want to have babies.”
“Wedding, then babies,” Chrisvian replied, defiant. “When babies come?”
Everyone looked back to Marda. She just sat there, staring at her psionic son. She’d never once thought of this happening, never considered he could be this powerful so young, or that he might ever do something like this. Realizing that everyone was staring at her, she shook herself from her reverie. “I’d say we’re all a little under two tridecs along.”
Arion plucked the drink from Alieha’s stunned hand and downed the remains in a single gulp. “Guess you won’t be having any of these for a while.”
“I wasn’t planning on this, not now,” Alieha stammered.
Chris just looked back at Gavit with a crooked grin. “No wonder I outflew you. Babies must make me fierce.”
Marda felt Blazer’s arms around her before he scooped Chrisvian into the embrace. It felt good, it felt right. She looked at the rest, Chris motioned Gavit towards the hatch and whispered something in his ear that made him flush. Arion had taken Alieha in his arms, giving her soft kisses of assurance. A smile crept across her lips as she rested her head on his chest. No matter how many contracts it would cost her, it seemed that even Alieha might see herself as a mother. “One big happy family,” Marda cooed. “With lots of cousins for you to play with,” she said tousling Chrisvian’s feathery hair.
Shuttle GFSB-001, Xoth System
He’d lost it all - all the glory and honor he’d earned, every opportunity at a breeding contract, every chance to escape the bondage of his birth: gone. Taken from him by that accursed Wolfsbane and those thrice-damned midnight blue Splicer-5000s. He’d never overcome the stain of what they’d done to him: the loss of his fighters, his squadrons, his carrier, his career. They’d reduced him to flying an antiquated hyperspace-capable launch, his companion the abomination behind him.
The smell of the creature drove him to distraction. The need to fly through hyperspace had nearly driven him mad with its backwards physics and impossible to navigate featureless landscape. He felt his sanity slipping away each hour he plodded through it. He had only one goal now. Get home, get back to the nearest MegaStation, return his precious cargo.
He heard it slithering behind him again and shook. It wanted contact, to touch him. He’d heard rumours aboard ship that whatever was inside that tube had been fed poor performing crewmembers. He’d never believed them. And well he shouldn’t have.
It didn’t want to eat him, but just to have contact with another living thing. As its tentacles wrapped around him and he saw Alpha Station come into view, he could only see one thing, those damned midnight blue Splicer-5000s. The creature engulfed him once again and his hatred for them, for taking everything from him, swelled. He didn’t care what it took, or how many generations he doomed into service. He’d find them, and he’d destroy them.
The End
For Now
The Adventure Continues in Spiral War Book 6:
Shattered Pantheons
About the Author
Growing up in Tucson, Arizona, SJ Schauer, formerly going by the pen name SF Edwards dreamed of flying and storytelling. He honed both of these loves into parallel careers as an Aerospace Engineer and Science Fiction writer.
SJ’s journey took him to the US Space and Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge, where he was an instructor throughout his college career. After college, SJ went straight to work at NAVSEA Port Hueneme working in the shipboard self-defense department. For three years he travelled the world and ensured the protection of American service members across the globe. For the next ten years he worked at Edwards Air Force Base as a developmental and operational flight test engineer on numerous aircraft programs.
SJ has recently returned to his hometown of Tucson, AZ with his three sons, one of whom is afflicted with a severe lifelong disability. The boys are his greatest joy and he works hard to make sure that they will become responsible, capable young men.
In 2016, years after developing his writing skills and honing the universe of his Spiral War series, SJ placed first in
the Space Opera: Writers Summer 2016 Flash Fiction contest, as judged by Peter F. Hamilton, and placed second in the Spring 2016 contest as judged by David Farland.
Like my page on Facebook: facebook.com/spiralwar
Visit my website: www.spiralwar.com
Time and Measure Conversion Factors
Time:
1 pulse = 100 centipulse/cents = 0.48 minutes
1 hectapulse/hect = 100 pulses = 0.8 hours
1 cycle = 30 hects = 1 day
1 decacycle/decle = 10 cycles
1 tridecacycle/tridec = 30 cycles
1 annura = 390 cycles = 1 year, 25 days
Distances:
1 metra = 100 centimetra = 1 foot = 0.3048 meters
1 kilometra/kimet = 1000 metra = 0.19 miles = 0.30 kilometers
Dramatis Personae
Universal Confederation of Sentient Beings (UCSB):
Monstero Nach:
Tadeh Qudas- Telshin (M), Squadron Leader
Que Dee- Synthetic Sentient Representative
MC Gemerin Squadron Master Chief
Blade Force (Special Operations Rescue Team):
Schan Vaughnt- “Blazer,” Anulian (M), Energy Gatherer, Team Leader
Arion Scotts- Anulian (M), Self-healer, Heavy Weapons/Vehicle Driver
Marda Sciminder- Anulian (F), Medium, Combat Medic
Usha Gokhead- Drashig (M), Computer/Intel Specialist
Gavit Markus- Anulian (M), Dropship/Jet-Sled Pilot
Matt Talkerna- Anulian Matt, Sniper/Navigation
Chris Anit- Anulian (F), Engineering/Security/ Infiltration
Eggedon Bichard- Cortherian 3-Stripe (M)(Spec), Communications/Surveillance
Enerian Zithe- Anulian (M) Lycan, Heavy Weapons/ Enforcement
Meaden Rudjick- Anulian (M) Elf, Recon/Infiltration
Priest- Lodran (M), Combat Medic
Hallet- Rimdook (F), Combat Medic
Nilin Zanreb Anulian (M), Energy Gathere, Combat Doctor
Explosions (Special Operations Ship Capture Team):
Trevis, Dibtel,- Tomeris Males,
Gadcon, Roilin, Ribtin, Dosher
Telsh, Lindil Tomeris Females,
Porc, Nash- Nerzain Males,
Kink Ller- Nerzain Females,
UCSBS Wolfsbane:
Daro Sardenon Anulian (M) Lycan Captain
Otli Vetter Drashig (M) XO
Savis Dane Anulian (M) Marine Commandant
Alieha Tedare Anulian (F) Classified
Sidlee Sardenon Anulian (F) Chief Botanist (civilian)
Sovereign Krale Bewnik (M) Battle Forensic Analyst
Dorik Sprewg Anulian (M) R&D Engineer (civilian)
Ilange Rokmas Anulian (F) R&D CFO (Chelot)
Tred Vetig Anulian (M) Feral Bomber Pilot
“Spanks” Anulian (M) Griffclaw Commander
Deniv, Tentri Surviving Original Nip Tails
Bodian, Ashgo
Galactic Federation:
Olwen Kimmet Terran (F), Fleet Admiral
Dwayne Watts Teran (M) Ship’s Captain
Juan Hernandez Teran (M) Commander VF-143
David Bradley Terran (M) Commander VF-259
Vince Cliff Terran (M) LT Commander VF-259
Anthony Nerant Terran (M) Pilot
Benjamin R Decko Terran (M) CCIF Commander
Greg Carroll Terran (M) LT JG CCIF XO
For more, see the Expanded Dramatis Personae on www.spiralwar.com
Spiral War Historic Timeline
Confed Date
Event
Location
26,000 PCD
Sirians Round up and Kidnap 95% of Neanderthal Population on Earth
Earth
10,000- 6000 PCD
Ancient Wars, cultural and language seeds laid throughout known galaxy
Galaxy Wide
~4200 PCD
Sirian Nommos Expedition to Earth is Turned back by the Pharad after contact is made with the West African Dogon tribe
Earth
3280 PCD
Great Death
Anul/Catranul
60 PCD
Vedekian War Machine begins its advance into the Core Worlds
Core Worlds
40 PCD
Donvarion Empire reestablishes contact with core world races
Core Worlds
0.001
UCSB Born: Member Races: Anulian, Donvarion, Drashig, Lodran, Otlian, Breshig, Shinekian
Donvarion System
597.306
Articles of Federation Signed, Galactic Federation Born
Earth
600.001
"Core" Established as new Confed governing world,
"Core"
618.276
First GF Starship Enters Hyperspace
Sirian System
781.375
First contact with Galactic Federation
Smegrish
782.091
UCSB declares war on Galactic Federation
"Core"
947.164
GF Alpha Station Comes online, first of the GF Mega Stations
Xoth System
Table of Contents
(Untitled)
TITLE
UCSB DATE: 999.109
UCSB Date: 1004.306
UCSB Date: 1004.321
UCSB Date: 1005.004
UCSB Date: 1005.006
UCSB Date: 1005.009
UCSB Date: 1005.084
UCSB Date: 1005.109
UCSB Date: 1005.118
UCSB Date: 1005.119
UCSB Date: 1005.121
UCSB Date: 1005.122
UCSB Date: 1005.124
UCSB Date: 1005.129
UCSB Date: 1005.178
UCSB Date: 1005.179
UCSB Date: 1005.188
UCSB Date: 1005.191
UCSB Date: 1005.195
UCSB Date: 1005.225
UCSB Date: 1005.226
UCSB Date: 1005.228
UCSB Date: 1005.241
UCSB Date: 1005.250
UCSB Date: 1005.255
UCSB Date: 1005.281
UCSB Date: 1005.293
UCSB Date: 1005.312
UCSB Date: 1005.322
UCSB Date: 1005.335
UCSB Date: 1005.375
UCSB Date: 1005.376
UCSB Date: 1005.377
UCSB Date: 1005.379
UCSB Date: 1005.383
UCSB Date: 1006.007
UCSB Date: 1006.011
UCSB Date: 1006.013
UCSB Date: 1006.015
UCSB Date: 1006.016
UCSB Date: 1006.018
UCSB Date: 1006.022
UCSB Date: 1006.023
UCSB Date: 1006.026
UCSB Date: 1006.029
UCSB Date: 1006.035
About the Author
Time and Measure Conversion Factors
Time:
Distances:
Dramatis Personae
Spiral War Historic Timeline
(Untitled)
Hell's Razer Page 55
