Chapter Eighteen

DeLeon System

Friday

The lights switched off, one by one, and the light blue ship fell into darkness. Slowly, painfully, the structure that was space dock slid away, taking over an hour to move completely away from the craft. When the dock structure was well clear, a bright blue glow began at the rear of the brand new ship, its six, four hundred thousand kilojoule hyperdrives coming to life for the first time. She was called Invincible, the latest in a line of ships by that name, the last an aircraft carrier of the old British Royal Navy on Earth.

Invincible was the first of her class, a battleship designed for standoff bombardment. Alone she could put an entire system under siege and along with her escorts, she could destroy one. Her foredeck bristled with Texas Instruments heavy disruptors, three turrets of four each, and firepower enough to vaporize a planet in a sustained barrage.

“Ahead slow,” Captain Lesley Joh ordered.

“Aye, ma’am,” Helm said. “Ahead slow.” Invincible moved under her own power for the first time, past a row of docks that housed her sister ships, the last framing Inviolable, next to reach completion sometime in the coming week.

“Comms, advise San Francisco and Rommel we are preparing to jump in five minutes.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

Her escorts, San Francisco the destroyer and Rommel the frigate, fell into formation on the two-mile long battleship, the three, along with their replenishment ships made up the newly formed 38^th Rapid Deployment Unit.

The idea behind the new units that would come online as the rest of the Invincible-class battleships were delivered to the Navy was to be able to move a small, high-firepower unit to trouble spots without the logistical nightmare of moving a battle group.

A battle group, twelve warships and twice as many supply craft, had extensive basing requirements and required an extraordinary amount of supplies. The rapid deployment units would be small in comparison. The new battleships were largely automated, requiring a relative handful of crew, and the new GE hyperdrives were sealed, low-maintenance units, as were the disruptor batteries. The Attila-class frigates and the Sirat City-class destroyers also carried less than half the crew of their older counterparts and their maintenance routines were negligible. The three-ship unit had only two replenishment ships tagging along, allowing them to stay on station much longer than a conventional force.

The RDU was also very maneuverable, compared to the ungainly fighter carriers and their frigate and destroyer screens. While every warship could jump vast distances, the differences were great when it came to in-system maneuverability. The Empire learned that lesson when many a battle force was lost to the smaller, more maneuverable ships of Earth Guard during the War of Unification. Even the huge Invincible could maneuver with her escorts, obviating the need for a large protection force the carriers demanded.

38^th RDU was a lean, powerful fighting force, and it was also newly minted Captain Lesley Joh’s first major command. She’d had commands before, coming from the pocket cruiser Dog Star, but this was her first command of a multi-ship unit. As she looked out over the foredeck at the twelve TI heavy disruptors, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Helm, set course for Balek and engage,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” and the blue glow at the stern became exponentially brighter, as it did on her escorts. For the first time, the unit operated as one as Invincible and her escorts began the run toward a jump point.

Hyperion City, Balek

“Hey, Rol,” the old man pulled on the other’s sleeve.

“What do you want, Gorm?” The elder Kemmor said as he downed another shot. “I can’t listen to your gossip today.”

“This is no gossip, Rol,” Gorm insisted. “I have friends on New Sirat, and they say Shiianec Yoshi’i found the Savior.”

“Are you reading that tabloid trash on the Galactic Net again?” Rol Kemmor motioned to the bartender for another shot, and one for Gorm, hoping that the man would change the subject. “The Savior was killed twenty years ago at the Centennial Jubilee. I was at the funeral on Sirat at the time. Don’t tell me she is alive.”

“This is the truth, Rol. Pik heard it too, right Pik?” Gorm looked to the bartender for help.

“I might have heard it from you, Gorm. Who can tell with all the bullshit you spread,” Pik said as he put another load of dirty glasses in the recycler.

“But can you imagine if it was true?” Gorm persisted.

“Where has the Savior been hiding?” Rol Kemmor joked.

“On Earth,” Gorm replied, Rol and Pik laughing louder.

“And she was living in Sedona, just like she was a hundred and twenty years ago; right, Gorm?” Kemmor teased.

“That is the reason they built the Sedona Dome after the war,” Gorm insisted. “President Lexington had to hide the Royal Family and that was the best place to do it. Hide in plain sight. I’ll bet the old NoahCorp executive mansions are still under there too.”

Pik just chuckled and walked into the stockroom and Rol laughed louder. “You’ve got a good imagination, old man,” he said. “The Royal Family, alive and well under the Sedona Dome. It’s ludicrous.” Kemmor knocked back another shot.

“What if it’s not?”

“Come on, Gorm, be serious.”

“I am serious, Rol. Your boy believed me when I told him about Battle Group Victorious and the Frontier. He lives in New York and he’s sophisticated, not like you, you nasty old bugger,” Gorm spat.

“Hyperion City is the biggest freight depot next to Io Station and getting information about ship movements is easy to do, but I don’t believe you know anything about what goes on in the Temple on New Sirat.” Rol looked at him sourly. “If I buy you another shot, will you promise to change the subject?”

“You’ll believe me when the Empire is in control of the Galaxy again. The people will rise up and . . .”

“Shut up, Gorm.”

New Sirat

They sat in the Royal Gardens, the orange sun of New Sirat shining brightly, giving the pastoral setting a rusty hue. There were several Priest Attendees and handmaidens seated on cushions, attentive to the extreme, should either the Savior or High Priest make a command in the form of the slightest gesture. The two principals sat in ornate, high-backed chairs, jeweled and gilded; a gauzy canopy attenuated the harmful radiation from the afternoon sun.

“So, you plan an uprising; do you?” Connie asked him as she looked across the meadow at the two troopers standing guard at the perimeter of the Palace Grounds. “How do you propose to deal with the Galactic Navy?”

“We have our resources, your Highness. There was much confusion after the war and there were units of the Imperial Navy that did not follow Renkin when he pledged his allegiance to Vanessa Lexington,” Yoshi’i explained.

“The Galactic Navy is a modern force, Shiianec,” Connie said. “Even an Imperial Battle Force would be overwhelmed almost immediately.”

“The Navy is spread fairly thin throughout the galaxy,” Yoshi’i said. “Have you heard three battle groups are patrolling the perimeter? It would take two days for them to engage an enemy and then only two of the three could respond. It is a certainty President Lexington would not pull Victorious off station; don’t you think?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Shiianec. I don’t involve myself in matters of the military,” Connie said as she made a gesture with her left hand. One of the young priests stood and poured a glass of mango juice from a pitcher and brought it to her. She did not acknowledge the act or the young man’s presence.

“Indeed, the Princess Mia and the Revered Mother would be the ones to speak with on that subject. Unfortunately, they are on the Frontier with your grandparents.” Yoshi’i saw Connie’s eyes go wide with that. “You might not involve yourself, Savior, but you do keep aware of the machinations of government, don’t you?”

“Let’s just say I have a curious nature,” she smiled and sipped her juice. “How do you plan to break the news to the Faithful?”

“That has already begun,” he advised. “And the pilgrims have already started to arrive here.”

“Have you made a formal announcement?”

“There is no need,” Yoshi’i shook his head. “A rumor has been started.”

“You’re kidding; right?”

“Not at all. It will spread quickly; it already has. Immigration Control has registered pilgrims from twenty systems already. In a few weeks, the Old Worlds will be buzzing with the news of your deliverance from the clutches of the Earther President.”

“You’ve been watching too many war vids, Shiianec,” Connie chuckled. “Don’t you think people will make the connection? I’m a model, a pretty famous one who lives too fast. That is not the image you want the public to have of the Savior.”

“You can change that image.”

“But what incentive do I have to do so?” She took another sip. “I enjoy my life.”

“You would be the omnipotent ruler once again, Savior. You would have the power of life and death over the galaxy.”

“Somehow, I don’t think you are prepared to cede that much power to me, Shiianec. Somehow, I don’t believe I would be permitted to utter one word to the people who would be my subjects. You want to have the power of life and death over the galaxy and you want me to be the figurehead for that power. You would be content with any member of the Royal Family, but now that you have me it’s perfect, isn’t it?”

“You are the chosen one, Savior. The Right of Rule makes specific mention of you, and you are our greatest religious icon.” Yoshi’i bowed his head subconsciously and then looked up at her and smiled. “And you are correct, the Old Worlds will not unite behind an old priest many see as a zealot, but they will unite behind you.”

“Do you think the people deserve an unwilling and impotent leader?”

“I am very willing, Savior.” Yoshi’i laughed. “As you said, you will be a figurehead, and a figurehead only has to look like a leader.”

“The people will ask questions, Shiianec,” Connie warned. “In my previous life, I was a ruler who walked among the people. They will not allow me to stay in seclusion for long.”

“The people’s attention will be focused on building a new Empire.”

“The people of the Old Worlds are too used to the freedoms they have been given under the Constitution. They will not allow the Palace to infringe upon them as was done in the Old Empire; they are not the sheep they were for twenty thousand years. Regardless of their love for me, if you try to take away freedom of speech and freedom of the press, they will march on the Palace. It is easier to control people who have never known freedom than those who have had it taken away. You will not succeed.”

“Yes, I will, and you are already helping me,” he said.

“I’ve seen the VidBots,” Connie said nonchalantly. “Have you released the recordings yet?” There was a VidBot hovering about fifty meters away, recording the scene without audio. The masses would never hear the Savior arguing with the High Priest.

“No, but we will in time. I am grateful you agreed to play the part so readily,” Yoshi’i said honestly. He knew she was not an ally, but she was helping him inadvertently.

“I’m not playing the part, Shiianec. I lived the part for a century. This is part of who I am, although I don’t want to be like this anymore. I had no childhood after my mother brought me to Sirat, did none of the things most teenage girls did, and I never was able to take a husband. I’ve crossed two of those off the list and one day I’m going to do the third when I find the right guy. I’m not devoting another life to the Empire.”

“But you can have it all once again, Savior.”

“I don’t want it. I want to be able to have fun if I want, to get gutter-crawling drunk if I want, or to sleep a weekend away. I don’t want eager teenagers watching my every movement lest they miss some obscure demand and bring shame upon their families and pain upon themselves.” She looked over at the young people who averted their eyes quickly. The words their most revered religious icon was saying were unbelievable and Connie could tell they were shocked. “Look at them, Shiianec,” Connie said as she threw her hand in their direction. “They are terrified I will have their tongues removed if they speak of what I am saying here.”

“That is their place,” Yoshi’i countered. “It was my place when the Empress Gia ruled the Empire. They bring great honor to their families being chosen to attend the Court and the work is arduous, but I became the High Priest because I worked hardest and studied longest, and never made a mistake.” His words were more for the youths than Connie.

“I wish I could say that,” Connie said. “I ruled the galaxy for a hundred years and I made a bunch of them.”

One of the handmaidens giggled, but a look from Yoshi’i silenced her. “Get out of here, all of you,” he ordered and the young people departed quickly. “I see what you are trying to do, Savior, but it won’t work.” He gave her a nasty smile. “You will not gain my trust and then corrupt our children with the things you have learned in Los Angeles and on Risi.”

“Don’t be paranoid,” Connie waved him off as she pulled a pack of Camels from the pocket of her robe. She looked to see if the children were gone before lighting one. “Oh, that’s so good.” She took a long drag of the filterless cigarette.

“It is a dirty habit, far beneath a member of the Royal Family.”

“Spare me,” Connie said, taking another drag. “You sound like Gia.” She looked over at him, a small smile coming to her lips. “Can I see them, Shiianec?”

“See what?”

“Your little navy,” Connie said. “I’d like to see it.”

“That is out of the question.”

“It would be a morale booster for the troops,” she offered. “And I promise I won’t say anything to corrupt their morals.”

“Why?”

“I told you, I have a curious nature. Look, if these people are willing to die for me, I might as well let them see who they’ll be fighting for.”

“Why would you want to do that? It runs counter to everything you’ve said.”

“Because soldiers are soldiers, they do what they’re told. They don’t know the circumstances that brought me here. They’ll hear whatever you want them to, and they will fight because the Savior has returned to reunite the Empire. I don’t have a problem with them because they are serving honorably. It’s just their leaders who are misguided and are willing to squander their lives in folly. Arrange a tour of the Fleet, Shiianec. They deserve to see the person they are going to die for. You owe them that much at the very least.”

“Do I have your word you will not try to stir unrest among the Navy?”

“I will be the person you want me to be.”

“I will see what I can do, your Highness.”

Aboard Attila

“That’s impressive,” Jaq Kemmor said. Attila had just jumped into the Zeta System from Navla and most of Battle Group Victorious was deployed a million kilometers ahead. Eight of the twelve warships, plus the three science vessels, Lance, and the four mega-transports all hung in high orbit around Zeta Prime.

“Indeed, Mr. Kemmor,” Yar agreed. “A battle group is the most powerful fighting force ever assembled by mankind.”

“So, you come from a long line of naval officers, Commander. What’s it like for an officer to be part of a discovery such as the Navlans?”

“I am honored to be part of it, Mr. Kemmor.” Yar cast a wary look at the VidBot that seemed to follow Kemmor everywhere since he boarded a few hours earlier. The reporter was making the rounds of all the ships in the group, he would be aboard Attila until Yar, and his people, went aboard Victorious for Admiral Johnson’s party.

“Many of the officers in the group see the Navlans as a threat to our way of life, how do you feel about it, Lieutenant Commander Yar?” Kemmor asked.

“Everyone has a right to live, Mr. Kemmor, as long as they live in peace and abide by the laws of the Republic. If they choose not to, then it is up to the Navy to see that they do.”

“What if the Navlans want to start their own republic? Do you think they have a right to establish their own government?”

Yar laughed. “That’s a question for the diplomats and the politicians, Mr. Kemmor.”

“Have you been aboard the Explorer ship?”

“No, sir, Attila has been assigned to picket duty patrolling the nearby systems. As you know, our position is classified and we stay vigilant for any ships that might inadvertently come too close to this sector.”

“I see,” Kemmor looked disappointed. Attila had not been anywhere near the action, performing the mundane duties of carrier escort. What Kemmor really wanted to know was what was happening aboard Lance. That was the real story or the NSP Admiral would never have granted him access to the Navlans. The aliens were to keep him occupied, but he was determined to get aboard the old cruiser tonight, when everyone was at the party and only skeleton crews aboard the ships of the group. “Thank you for your time, Commander.”

New York

“Would you please come into my office,” Admiral Renkin’s voice came out of Lisa’s console. She rose, smoothed her uniform and walked to the door.

“Specialist Gross reporting as ordered, sir,” she said when it slid open. There were two men in business suits in the office with Renkin. The Admiral sat behind his desk while the men stood. Both of them showed her ID pads.

“These men are detectives from the New York City Police Department,” Renkin explained. “They have some questions for you regarding the disappearance of Justin Travis.”

“You ordered me not to socialize with him, sir,” she replied.

“But you were seen boarding the 1-Train together after work the night he disappeared,” the younger and darker of the two detectives said. “You might very well have been the last person to see him.”

“He had to go uptown,” she said, looking to Renkin. “I got off at 59^th Street and walked to my apartment.”

“Did he say where he was going?” The older man said.

“No, sir.”

“And you haven’t heard from him since?”

“No, sir.”

“Are you telling us everything, Specialist Gross,” Renkin asked her.

“Yes, Admiral.”

“You’re dismissed,” he said and she did an about face, returning to her desk.

It’s time to go, she thought as she sat. They’re getting too close. Opening the drawers of her desk one by one, she put the few personal belongings she had into her bag. When her shift ended at 1730, she would walk away from New York and not look back.

Aboard Victorious

Rock music blared through the mile-long flight deck and people danced together throughout its length. A few of the romantically linked congregated near the aft force field, gazing at the unhindered view of space from the edge of the deck as they held hands and whispered sweet nothings.

“This is some party, Admiral,” Taglich said when she caught up with him.

“If you’re going to party, you have to do it right. I’m an old hippie,” he said, finishing his beer.

“A what?”

“A hippie,” Johnson repeated. “1960s United States; sex, drugs, rock and roll, flower power, free love?”

“The Sexual Revolution!” Taglich said, seemingly happy she remembered the obscure lesson in Earth History class. A hundred and fifty years later, it was all the sixties and seventies would be remembered for, that and disco. “You did all that stuff?”

“It didn’t kill me, which is surprising to this day. Thank God the Progenitors gave me a new liver,” he joked.

“Hey, you old bastard,” Arizona Peregrine said. She was feeling no pain, but not yet at the wobbly stage.

“Maybe you should get some sleep,” Taglich offered.

“Maybe you should shut up,” Zona spat before turning back to Johnson. “You’ve got some nerve telling me that bullshit about my father.”

“I don’t care if you believe it or not, young lady. Why don’t you get some coffee?”

“Because then I’d sober up, and I wouldn’t be able to say what I have to.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t say it,” Taglich said.

“Shut up. Look, Admiral, or whatever you are. I know you’re using us all and we can’t do anything about it, but at least you could be honest with us. You don’t have to make up hurtful things in order to get a rise out of us. I know you take particular sadistic pleasure in fucking with me, but . . .”

“Why do you think he named you Arizona?”

“Because it was where First Contact happened, you dolt,” she hissed.

“It also happens to be the location of NSP Headquarters,” Johnson told her. “It was where you were conceived.”

“You’re lying.”

“Call them,” Johnson said. “Ask them.”

“They’re in the nebula until . . .”

“Call from aboard my ship.” He pointed to the black ship sitting among the Hawk fighters. “We have comm gear that can penetrate the radiation of the nebula.”

“Then what about the black ships? Why was daddy so scared of them?”

“Because he knew who they were, Arizona.”

* * *

“How in Hell did we let this happen?” Mia was incensed after Connie brought her up to speed concerning the children and Gia. “Grandpa knew Renkin was using them all?”

“Yes, we got wind of it a few weeks ago,” Connie said.

“At least there is an adult with them,” Mia was far from happy but now only simmering. “Although my sister isn’t the one I would have chosen.”

“Little Connie is there too and she will know how to handle things. Gia will look after the children and everything will work out.”

“Aren’t you the least bit concerned about this?” Mia asked of Kim who nursed a glass of wine.

“No,” she replied casually as she sought out another piece of sushi. “Little Connie can handle herself.”

“I don’t believe the two of you,” Mia threw up her hands. “That crazy old priest has our children and you act as if it was just a day in the park.”

“Is this how you relax, Ms. Travis,” Winchester asked with a smile.

“Mind your own damn business, ass.”

“Mia is having separation anxiety,” Kim said, using her chopsticks to load her plate again.

“Shut up.”

“Are you enjoying yourself, Captain?” Connie asked him, trying to divert the subject.

“Yes, Madame Secretary,” he said. “Group Victorious has not had a reason to party since a time before the cruise ship incident.”

“We might not have another for a while,” Connie said.

* * *

“Even if what you say is true,” Arizona persisted. “Why tell me? Did I do something to you?”

“Because I want you to come to work with us, Arizona. I want you to finish what your father started,” Johnson said.

“I’m no killer,” she hissed.

“We’re not killers. Most of the people who work for NSP are scientists and engineers. People like your mom and dad. Did they tell you they met there?”

“They said they were teaching at ASU until a few years before the war.”

“Many who work at NSP also teach at Arizona State University. You can too, if you want. I’m hoping Susan will take a position on the faculty as well.” Johnson smiled at the blonde who seemed surprised. “You are uniquely qualified, my dear.”

“I’ve heard about Special Projects,” Zona said. “My father told me that . . .”

“Your father was perpetuating the myth, sweetheart,” Johnson said. “The stories about NSP were largely fiction, intended to scare people, to keep them from looking at things too deeply. Granted, we have taken care of some problems that have arisen over the past twenty years.” He gave them a sinister smile. “But our main motivation is research. We also supervise sensitive research such as Dr. Jacoby and Dr. Chen’s projects. Covertly, of course,” he added.

“What did my father do?” Arizona was interested now.

“He was studying the black ships, of course,” Johnson smiled. “I’d like you to take over his work. It has lain dormant for almost thirty years.”

“What made him stop?” She asked.

“Yes, Admiral, do tell.” Taglich also was in rapt attention.

“Bill Peregrine was sure they knew he was looking for them. He said they started coming to him at night, in his head when he slept, telling him to leave them alone. He got used to it at first, but then he met Wendy Atkins and fell in love. When your mother became pregnant, Bill got worried they might do something to Wendy or you,” Johnson said. “He got us some good intelligence from Imperial space before the war, and during too, using the TeleVid show as cover.”

“What was he like back then, Admiral? What were they both like when they were young?”

“I don’t know, Arizona,” Johnson admitted. “I only met them once. You would have to ask Captain McHenry.”

“Kim?”

“Her husband. He was there at the time.”

“I can’t give you an answer now.”

“I don’t want one now. Many things can change between now and then,” Johnson said. “Many things probably will.”

Aboard Invincible

“Bring us into a standard orbit over Hyperion City,” Joh ordered and the ships took up a Delta formation. A shuttle from Port Control departed from the surface and rendezvoused with the huge battleship and a Balek Security patrolman arrived on the bridge.

“Good morning, Captain,” he said. “We were not expecting you.”

“I’m sorry for the surprise, sir. We were detailed to freighter escort duty at the last minute,” she replied with a smile. While the Republic was united, Balek was one of the Old Worlds and the Navy generally received a cool reception here. He held out a form and she put her thumbprint on it.

“Thank you, Captain Joh,” he said. “Are you from the Old Worlds? It sounds like a Spacer name.”

“Yes, sir. I was born on Myoria. My mother was the commander of 3^rd Expeditionary Force when the Imperial Navy was the authority in the galaxy. It runs in the family.”

“Too bad the Imperial Navy never had ships like this,” he said, looking around at the new paint and equipment. Invincible smelled new.

“She’s the class ship of the Navy’s newest line of battleships,” Joh said proudly.

“How big is she?” The patrolman looked out over the foredeck.

“Two miles,” Joh replied. “Ten million tons and handles like a Star Spyder too.”

“Amazing,” the patrolman said, still awestruck.

“I’d love to give you a tour, but duty calls.” Joh said, indicating the hatch. Outside, a Galactic Shipbuilding Super Freighter bearing the logo of Eras Haulage was taking up position with the replenishment ships, within the Delta formed by the warships.

“Have a good trip, Captain.” The patrolman waved before stepping out of the hatch and into the airlock.

“The shuttle is clear of the formation, Captain,” Helm said.

“Take us out of orbit, ahead dead slow until we are clear of Balek’s gravity well.”

“Aye, ma’am,” And the formation moved as one, the main computers on all of the ships taking commands from Invincible. They would race toward the jump point together and come out together, more than a parsec away. This would be repeated until they reached the Frontier.

Aboard Victorious

“And what do you want?” Mia hissed at Taglich.

“I’m getting something to eat. It’s a party, why don’t you lighten up?”

“I can’t lighten up around you. I can’t lighten up, period.”

“I heard about your children,” Taglich said. “I’m sorry they got mixed up in the political bullshit.”

“I knew it would happen,” Mia confessed. “When we found grandma and grandpa, and we saw how they operated, when I saw how Ethan McHenry operated, well I knew we were destined to it. Hell, Kim’s daughter got mixed up in the business when she was in college and Kim worked with grandpa when she was sixteen.”

“From what I gather, you have lived very well. Maybe you should look on the upside of things,” Taglich offered.

“What upside?”

“The Admiral seems certain they will be safe and your sister is with them.”

“If you knew what I did about the Priesthood, you wouldn’t say that.”

“Do you believe the Admiral would willingly put the people he loves in such great danger?”

“If it served the greater good, probably,” Mia shrugged. “He brought the rest of the family out here, didn’t he?”

“What about your husbands, yours, Kim’s, and your sister’s?”

“They do the thinking,” she said as if that made all the sense in the world. “They are all scientists in one form or the other. Ethan is whatever he wants to be, he’s just that intelligent, my husband Brad is an archeologist/anthropologist, and Per, Gia’s old man, is an engineer. Ethan works at NSP full-time, but the other two also teach at ASU. I do too when I’m not playing games for grandpa.”

“Was the Right of Rule correct, Mia?” Taglich asked her. “Are you all still in a position of power in the galaxy?”

Mia laughed and then became serious. “I heard we didn’t exist in your past, Susan.”

“No, you didn’t. You died in the war your mother started.”

“What did the Right of Rule in your past say?”

“I wouldn’t know. The religion of the Spacers was outlawed after the War of Unification. All the copies of the Right of Rule were deleted from databases by Presidential decree,” Taglich replied.

“Interesting.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I don’t know, Susan. We just do what we feel is the right thing.”

“We, or the Admiral?” Taglich asked.

“He’s not as big a tyrant as he seems. Grandma keeps him in line,” Mia laughed.

“Hello, ladies,” Jaq Kemmor said happily. He’d just come over on the shuttle from Attila.

“Why are you so happy?” Mia’s mood, after having thawed with regard to Taglich, became frosty again. Taglich’s wasn’t far behind.

“I am the one who will break the news of the Navlans to the Republic. Why wouldn’t I be happy?”

“Have you been annoying the troops on all the ships?” Taglich smiled and Mia grinned.

“Hey, it’s a good story and I have a bunch of good B-roll. Makes for good pictures this far out from inhabited space.”

“When is Admiral Johnson going to lift your broadcast ban?”

“I’m going to talk to him now. It looks as if he’s properly lubricated.” Kemmor looked to Johnson who was dancing with the Secretary.

“He’s in a good mood, don’t ruin it,” Mia warned.

Kemmor waved and set off across the flight deck.

Balek

The passenger terminal was abuzz with the news of the arrival and departure of the Navy’s newest battleship when Lisa stepped off the transport from Earth. She walked directly to the ticket counter and booked passage on a liner heading to Ovell. Paying with a credit card from a fictitious account, she took a seat near the departure gate and turned her attention to the TeleVid tuned to the local news.

* * *

“Rol,” Gorm said as he burst through the front door of Lazuli’s. “You’ll never believe what happened a few hours ago.”

“Great Space, Gorm,” Kemmor growled. “You’ve been breathing too many plasma fumes.”

“Invincible was here.”

“So?”

“She’s the Navy’s newest battleship, just slid out of space dock this morning.”

“So, they’re probably on a shakedown cruise,” Kemmor said and tossed back another shot. “We’ve both been on enough of those.”

“They say she picked up a freighter. She’s on escort duty, Rol.”

“So-fucking-what?”

“They say the freighter was headed for the Frontier,” Gorm insisted. “It’s heading for Winchester’s group and whatever your boy is chasing out there.”

“Jaq is out there?” Kemmor seemed to come out of his stupor.

“Yeah, don’t you remember? He was going to find out about the Wilshire boy for Lora. I hear he hired a pilot, a good one, to take him out there.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Kemmor said. “Lora’s boyfriend.” He fell back into thought.

“Daddy?” Lora Kemmor said from the door. “It’s time to come home now.”

“I’m coming, Lora,” he replied, tossing his card to the bartender.

“See you tomorrow, Rol,” Pik said, returning the card after scanning it.

“I’m gonna find out more tonight,” Gorm said as he bounced along beside his friend.

“Daddy needs to rest now, Gorm,” Lora said sweetly.

“Yeah, see you all tomorrow,” Rol said, waving as the door closed. He steadied himself against his daughter as they set off down the grimy street.

Aboard Lance

“Shit,” Kemmor muttered as he scampered through the hatch and across the deck.

Instead of talking to Johnson about his broadcast rights, he’d hid aboard a Shore Police shuttle bound for Lance. He was in fear of discovery as the shift change took place and all of the patrols assembled on the flight deck. He was breathing heavily as he crawled into an unused ready room. It was then he noticed the silence.

The old ship was almost empty, save the Navy security people aboard, all of the scientists and engineers aboard Victorious for the party. He scrambled out of the room when he heard the shuttle depart and waited to see where the troops would be assigned. Kemmor cursed again when he saw the three groups of two would be continually patrolling. It made his job more difficult, but he decided to follow the two that were heading toward the command and control spaces.

The sailors’ footfall masked Kemmor’s as they fairly marched down the trialloy decks and he was able to stay close behind. He had to find cover when they stopped at an elevator bank and waited for the car to arrive. They took it up nearly to the bridge and Kemmor waited an appropriate time before sending for the car and getting off one deck below.

Moving as quickly as he dared, Kemmor made it to the nearest gangway and took the stairs up to the next deck. His timing was good enough and he could hear the sailors far ahead of him by this point. He guessed he was in the crew berthing section and he followed the corridor down to the next bulkhead. It formed a ‘T’ at the bulkhead and Kemmor took a right, noticing the color of the walls had changed from white to caution red. At the dead end, he came upon a sign next to a hatch that was dogged closed.

Temporal Control

“What the . . .” Kemmor was no scientist, but he knew about the obscure field of temporal physics, he’d interviewed several scientists on the subject, but all assured him time travel would remain in the theoretical stage for a long time. They said the technology required had yet to be discovered.

“I guess they were wrong,” Kemmor muttered as he turned to the VidBot. “This is INN’s Jaq Kemmor, reporting from inside the cruiser Lance. I slipped aboard this ship during a party for the people who work out here, all supposedly supporting the diplomatic effort with the Navlans.

“Here is proof,” he pointed to the sign. “Proof that Navy Special Projects Division is conducting time travel experiments out here.” The VidBot recorded dutifully as he opened the hatch and stepped inside. One of the huge temporal field generators was already in place on its footings. Kemmor moved closer to it and the bot followed, hovering in a position to give the best resolution of Kemmor and the sign.

Temporal Field Generator

Authorized Personnel Only Beyond This Point

“I am moving back out of the Temporal Control area and heading up the gangway to what I think is the bridge,” he said over his shoulder to the bot. He arrived on the next deck up and here the walls were painted green. He found another sealed compartment and this sported another sign.

Transporter Control

He heard the squealing of the rat like creatures as the door swung open and he activated the light on the bot to reveal the cages. The rats became agitated and hissed at him.

“From what it looks like in here,” Kemmor went on. “I’d say they have found a way to transport matter from one place to another through space.” It was then he heard the low growl of a dog over the din of the rats.

“I’d say you’re in big fucking trouble,” the Navy SP who held the leash of a large Belgian Malinois said. “Shut off the bot and come over here, pal.”

Aboard Victorious

“Hello, Lieutenant,” Lor Roggin said, extending a hand to the tall girl with the long red hair and giving her a smile.

“Blair Whitney, sir.”

“Whitney the Witch?”

“Don’t tell me that has made it here already,” she covered her face with her hand.

“The Navy folks are talking about it planetside, Lieutenant,” Roggin confessed. “Mind telling me what you did to earn the nickname?”

“I’m sorry, it’s classified,” she said. “I wish the nickname was too.”

“Well you don’t seem like one to me,” he said, handing her a glass of wine.

“Thank you. Seem like what?”

“A witch,” he smiled.

“No, just a woman. What do you do here?”

“I’m with the Lance crew. I help the scientists.”

“So we can’t tell each other about what we do aside from generalities,” Whitney said.

“Well, I was a history teacher before I came here,” Roggin offered. “I can tell you all about New York City teenagers.”

“I studied history in a way, when I applied to the Academy. I traced my lineage back close to a thousand years. I found out we go back to the British Islands on Earth and every generation had a sailor. I’m the first officer,” she said proudly.

“Your family must be proud,” he said.

“They are, my dad especially. I know he wanted to send a son to the Academy and he thought he never would until I got the itch for space. Well, not a son,” she laughed. “But he’s proud anyway. Do you have any family?”

“No, mom and dad were killed in an accident on the highway when I was ten. They were both emigrants to Earth and I had no close family. I was brought up in an orphanage.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said genuinely. They both looked up to see a Navy Shore Police shuttle land on the flight deck.

* * *

“You broke the rules, Mr. Kemmor,” Johnson said when they brought him to Winchester’s cabin.

“The people have a right to know what you are doing. This affects everyone,” Kemmor spat.

“The people will know what I want them to know. Unfortunately, they will learn nothing more from you.”

“Are you going to kill me?”

“Undoubtedly. It was a mistake to allow you to come here.”

“The President allowed me to come here. I’d suggest you check with her before you toss me out an airlock.”

“What dividend would that pay, sir?” Johnson asked him. “There would be no sport in spacing you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’d figure a reporter like you is full of good intelligence you would never reveal willingly.” Johnson gave him an appraising look. “You know, it once took me two weeks to kill a man.” He saw Kemmor’s eyes go wide. “Yup, I took him apart piece by piece and he told me his entire story so I would kill him quickly. I finally agreed when I had his intestines piled up on his chest.”

“You can’t . . .”

“Oh no? Who’s going to stop me?” Johnson looked around before settling his gaze back on Kemmor. “How much are you willing to tell me so I kill you quickly?”

Table of Contents

Chapter Seventeen

The New Imperial Palace, New Sirat

Thursday

“Aunt Gia, what are you doing here?” Justin said when Gia and Nathan were escorted into the Royal Chambers. “Hey, Nate.”

“What did you do, Justin?” Gia asked of her nephew.

“Nothing, honest, Aunt Gia. They grabbed me too.” Justin put up his hands in surrender. “Don’t worry, grandpa will be here soon enough with the Navy.”

“Grandpa is busy,” Gia said. “No one’s coming.”

“What about Uncle Ethan?”

“He’s working with grandpa, Kim and your mother too. We’re here for the duration,” Gia said, shaking her head. Two priests entered and fell to their knees in a ceremonial bow.

“Welcome to New Sirat, Empress,” Yoshi’i bowed but stayed standing. “I will show you to your quarters.”

“You took my son and me in front of a class of schoolchildren,” Gia said. “Don’t you think that was a bit foolhardy, Shiianec? The authorities will investigate.”

“No, not at all, Empress. Once the Savior and the Princess Katherine are here, we will reunite the Empire. The false government in New York will be helpless against us.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Gia laughed sadly. “Do you know how many could die? Wasn’t there enough killing in the last war?”

“What’s he talking about, mom?” Nathan asked of the woman he no longer knew.

“Twenty million souls come to me every night, Shiianec Yoshi’i,” Gia said, unable to hold back a tear. “Can you live with the ones who will visit you?”

“The Progenitors . . .”

“The Progenitors see us as pets, Shiianec, lab rats or creatures of amusement. They don’t care how many of us die during our machinations in search of money and power. We are the ones who bear that burden, priest.” She said the word as a curse. “I condemned more than twenty million people to die and the Progenitors don’t care. I am the one who hears the screams of the millions of innocents when I close my eyes.”

“Do you deny the Right of Rule was written by the Progenitors, Empress?” Yoshi’i countered. “Do you deny the appearance of the Savior was predicted twenty thousand years beforehand?”

“The Right of Rule is evidence of their interference in the natural course of things; that’s all.”

“But why does it say the Song Dynasty, the one begun when the Savior, your grandmother, took the throne, will rule until the Universe collapses upon itself?”

“They were wrong, obviously, Shiianec.”

“Maybe not, Empress,” Yoshi’i held up a finger. “The Royal Family was not destroyed twenty years ago, but has been living in seclusion on Earth. Mind you that of all places you chose to hide, you did it in a place a mere three-hour train ride from New York, the Capitol of the Galaxy. I believe your family has a great deal of influence with President Lexington and take an active hand in galactic affairs.”

“I’m a housewife, mother, and the president of the PTA at Del Rey Middle School in the Greater Phoenix School District, period.”

“You are Empress Song Gia Tan, ruler of the Galactic Empire.”

“The Empress died twenty years ago.”

“The Monarchy will live again when the Faithful learn of you. They will rise up and you will rule again.”

“And how many will die?”

“That is up to President Lexington, Empress.”

Aboard Victorious

“This is getting out of hand quickly, Rick,” Connie said as they walked arm in arm on the observation deck. “I feel as if we’re beginning to lose control.”

“I’m beginning to wonder if we ever had it,” he replied, pointing to a particularly beautiful nebula in the Orion arm. “Lexington is playing this well, my dear.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said of the stellar phenomena and then turned to her husband. “Yoshi’i has Gia and Nathan, you know.”

“He’ll have Little Connie and Kathy soon too, if Vanessa is doing what I think she is,” Johnson mused.

“She wants us out of the picture; doesn’t she?”

“Probably, darling, but she also wants us to deal with the bugs. By the time we get this sorted out, she will have dealt with the reactionaries on New Sirat and the children will be in her hands,” Johnson said.

“But they have Gia too,” Connie offered.

“Yes, they do, and that was something President Lexington didn’t count on. Justin is a smart boy,” Rick said proudly.

“Do you think he maneuvered Yoshi’i to abduct Gia and Little Nate?”

“Probably; he’s a little conniver.”

“What will you do about Mia? She’ll be insane you let most of the family fall into the hands of the priests.”

“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t have let it happen,” Johnson explained. “What do you think would happen if Yoshi’i mistreated them in any way? There would be an uprising all right. The people of New Sirat would march into the Temple and drag him out by his ankles. They’d hang him from the nearest tree.”

“What will it do to Gia?”

“Gia is stronger than everyone thinks. Besides, if I’m right, she’ll have Little Connie with her. We’ll handle this.”

“We’ve been pushing our luck for a long time,” she offered.

“I think the Progenitors have a soft spot for us,” he smiled.

Aboard Lance

“I need to know about the Admiral, Mia,” Arizona said. “The whole truth.”

“I told you . . .”

“He volunteered to be the first test subject. Johnson wants to test this thing tomorrow.” Zona looked at her watch. “Today,” she corrected. “And from what I understand, he wants us to transport him to the surface and back,” Zona said.

“He’s not that crazy,” Mia shook her head.

“I suppose you know about the aliens.”

“You know?”

“James told me,” Arizona admitted. “What is his deal, Mia? What does Johnson want to do?”

“He wants to hit them hard, first here, and then take this boat back in time and take out the Explorer ship if they are not successful,” Mia said.

“Dirk isn’t ready for . . .”

“Then he’d better get ready,” Mia spat. “Grandpa won’t take his shit.”

“Grandpa?” Arizona raised an eyebrow.

Mia just shrugged. “We are NSP, Arizona,” she said.

“The Royal Family?”

“NoahCorp.” Mia let that sink in. “We couldn’t keep that name when we came to Earth, not after Jackson Ellingson did what he did. Lexington thought of Navy Special Projects and began the myth twenty years ago,” Mia said, drawing a look of disbelief from Peregrine.

“Think about your Earth history for a minute,” Mia continued. “The Savior was the daughter of Kim and Ethan McHenry. The McHenrys, along with Kim’s parents, the Johnsons, founded NoahCorp long before they knew Earth wasn’t alone in the galaxy, long before First Contact and the Empire.”

“But how can they still be alive, let alone look so good?”

“The Progenitors, Zona.” It was all Mia would give by way of explanation.

“Johnson denied . . .”

“Don’t believe everything the old goat says. Much as I love him, he can be a devious bastard. Do what he says and make sure Jacoby stays in line. If it’s as close as grandpa says, he won’t tolerate any lip from Dirk.”

“Can you talk with them?”

“Who, the Progenitors?”

“Yes,” Zona nodded.

“No. They only drop hints when they’re preparing to mess with us. Conversation with us would be like us having a conversation with a rat or mouse,” Mia explained. “We think . . . grandpa thinks this has become a game with them and our family proved more resourceful than they expected, and they are keeping us around for amusement.”

“You flatter yourselves.”

“How many hundred and eighty year old people do you know?” Mia countered. “My so-called twin is a hundred and fifty. The Progenitors must have done that for a reason.”

“What about you?”

“I’m thirty eight.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Thirty eight in human years,” Mia joked. “Kim’s been counting in dog years.”

“Damn right,” Kim said as she walked over. “How’s it looking?”

“Grandpa wants to be the test subject tomorrow,” Mia told her.

“Figures,” Kim shrugged. “You’d think he’d learn after all these years.”

“And the Admiral is your father,” Zona said, trying to get the relationships straight.

“Yes, but I try not to admit it sometimes,” Kim smiled and turned to Mia. “Will Chen be ready?”

“Bet your ass,” she said confidently.

“Good, the new hyperdrive control units will be here tomorrow. I’d like to do flight tests with them by the beginning of the week,” Kim said.

“You’re getting like the old man, you know,” Mia joked.

“Getting?” Kim laughed. “I suggest you check out the owner’s manual for this barge, because you’re going to be the one doing the flying.”

“They are alike,” Zona said to Mia.

“Yeah, devious and pushy.”

Navla

“I am sorry, Mr. Balenn,” Connie said. “But the system you were interested is part of a Navy Test Range. The President advised me the place would eventually be used for barrage training.” She looked for any indication Balenn was affected by this news, but he remained passive. “On the bright side,” she went on. “The President has offered to give you a place called System 50003. The conditions are very similar to the place you found and it will be far enough away from the Navy to ensure your safety.”

“That is a shame, for our first choice bore a close resemblance to our homeworld.” Balenn just shook his head sadly. “I will have to speak with our council. Would you have the sensor data from this new system?”

“Of course,” Connie said as she pulled a data disk from her bag. “I had commander Gillig give you everything he had.”

“Your support is truly appreciated by my people, Madame Secretary,” he said, accepting the disk. “Would you have any sensor data from our first choice?”

“I suppose it would still be aboard Attila, Mr. Balenn, but it is probably classified. You know how the military is with their information.” Connie smiled.

“Yes, my people are very familiar with the military. We will be in touch, Madame Secretary.”

“Of course,” Connie nodded. “Advise Commander Gillig when you need me.”

“Thank you, Ms. Wasserman.”

New Sirat

The ship landed and the fanfare began. The three women looked through the port astonished. “The good thing is they look happy to see us,” Mel Snow said.

“They’d better be,” Connie hissed. She popped the green contacts out, revealing her turquoise-blue eyes.

“Shit, Connie,” Mel said. “Where did you get those eyes?”

“My dad,” she smiled. “And stop looking at me like that.”

“If you will come with us, Savior.” One of the guards came forward and guided them to the hatch.

“You could have at least brought my robes,” Connie hissed. “This,” she indicated her skin tight, bright yellow mini-dress, “is not proper attire for the Savior.” Kathy and Mel looked at each other, confused.

“Apologies, Savior, but we were detailed to this duty rather quickly,” the man said with a bow. “We did not have time to assemble the proper . . . amenities.”

Connie stubbed out the cigarette. “Let’s get this over with.” She stepped out of the ship and the crowd fell silent, her attire taking them completely by surprise. They knew the face, and the eyes, for her image graced prayer books in almost every home on New Sirat, but they were not prepared for the clothes; the revealing clothes that cast the Savior in a whole new light. It was then they made the connection she was indeed the model almost every young man in the galaxy fantasized about. And the silence persisted.

“I’ve never see you kill a party like this before, sweets,” Mel said as she came up beside Connie.

“They were expecting a God. I’m a letdown,” Connie grinned.

“You look good doing it though.”

“Let’s hope we still have our looks when we leave here.”

Aboard New Britain

“They’re talking about it?” Gillig had become frustrated with the Navlans and their slow, deliberate manner with everything that they did. “These people don’t go to the head unless they have a committee meeting about it first.”

Connie laughed at that. “That may be true, Commander. But I think we caught them off guard.”

“Did they take the disk?” Gillig asked hopefully.

“Yes.”

“So if we’re right, they’ll agree to move without much debate.”

“That’s what we’re hoping, Commander. When will Mr. Yar be finished?”

“A few hours at most. He’s got Whitney the Witch with him,” Gillig laughed. “That’s what they’re calling her now. She’s going to be stuck with that call sign for the rest of her career.”

“I just hope the Navlans don’t figure it out until it’s too late,” Connie replied. “If they discover our subterfuge, they might alert the bugs and we’re not ready for them yet.”

“I gather you don’t think the Navlans are innocent anymore, Madame Secretary.”

“I don’t know, but the Admiral is right. We have to be ready in case they’re not. The fact they wanted to see the data Attila gathered also has me doubting their innocence.”

“What about the reporter? If we have to kill these people, we don’t need him telling the sentimentalists back home. I don’t need to be put on trial for war crimes.”

“Admiral Johnson is the ultimate command authority out here and he bears full responsibility,” Connie assured him. “If we have to kill these people, I want all of our thought processes documented. I want to be able to show the people back home we did everything possible to avoid any killing.”

“So that’s why there hasn’t been more input from New York,” Gillig said, making the connection. “If this all goes to Hell, it’s Johnson’s ass and Lexington can blame a rogue NSP commander. People will believe it.”

“If this all goes to Hell, Admiral Johnson won’t be coming back, Mr. Gillig. None of us will.”

Aboard Attila

“That’s the last of them, Commander,” Whitney said. “I just hope the Navlans fall for it. We have no idea what the communications mean, or even if they are data at all. We could have recorded gibberish and these emitters might be broadcasting the same thing. We can’t construct low-grade jump points, so they’ll know it as soon as they get here if they check for them.”

Yar put a hand on her shoulder. “You worry too much, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir, I do.”

“Bridge, Yar,” he said.

“Aye, sir,” came the reply.

“Prepare to jump. Set course for Navla and rendezvous with New Britain.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”

“What if the Navlans find out, Commander?” Whitney asked.

“Then they find out and we go from there,” Yar soothed. “For all we know, they are monitoring our every move. You’ve gone above and beyond, Blair. There is nothing more you can do.”

“Yes there is, sir,” she said and then sighed. “Permission to speak frankly, sir?”

“Go ahead.”

“I think we’re making a mistake. We should be checking out the system the Navlans wanted. We should find out more about that repeater so we’ll know how to intercept and jam their transmissions if we have to. If I could get a look at that repeater, I might be able to figure out their technology, maybe figure out what the transmissions mean.”

“I’ll bring it to Commander Gillig’s attention.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

“Don’t thank me,” Yar laughed. “If there is anything I know about the Navy, you’ll be in for more work. Get some sleep; you probably won’t once this goes off.”

Aboard Lance

“Are you ready?” Johnson said when he arrived in the transport bay.

“I advise against this, Admiral,” John Chen said. “We should run some more tests.”

“I thank you for your concern, but I just might need your gizmo in a little while and we don’t have time for more tests,” he said. “What do I have to do?”

“Are you sure you want to do this, grandpa?” Mia asked him.

“I’m not looking forward to having my molecules scrambled and reassembled, but we’re in the home stretch. I need to know if this works and I won’t ask anyone else to test it.”

“It’s my gizmo, as you put it, and I should be the one to test it,” Chen said.

“You’re too valuable, Doctor,” Johnson said. “If something goes wrong, you’re the only one who can fix it.”

“Mia and Cyn can fix it,” Chen protested. “I’m going with you or no one is going.”

“Suit yourself, but let’s get it over with,” Johnson ordered. He and Chen took their places where the floor was marked with an ‘X’.

“Powering up,” Cyn Pera said. “All systems show green.”

“Beginning transport,” Mia said.

“It’s begun,” Arizona said to Winchester as they appeared at the hatch. Jacoby was right behind. “Chen is going too.”

“Crazy bastards,” Jacoby muttered as Johnson and Chen disappeared.

“Do you have them, Mr. Roggin?” They all heard Mia say.

Zeta Prime

“We have them,” Roggin said, taking his first breath since the transport began. “How do you feel gentlemen?” Johnson looked at Chen and both seemed to take stock of the other.

“I’m okay,” Chen said.

“So am I,” Johnson agreed. “Bring us back, Mia.”

“Aye, sir,” she replied, her voice full with pride.

Aboard Lance

“They did what?” Srinavassa asked when he arrived with Kim who’d fairly dragged him over from Victorious.

“I want a full medical scan, Doctor. I’d order a psych scan too, but the old man is nuts to begin with,” she said it with a smile. “I want you to report any anomaly; I don’t care how small.”

“Yes, Captain,” Srinavassa said.

“I’m fine, Kim,” Johnson protested.

“Me too,” Chen added, but her look silenced them both. Arizona, Cyn, and Mia added their support to Kim and it was settled. Winchester and Jacoby intelligently remained silent.

“How long before I can test your gizmo, Dr. Jacoby?” Johnson asked menacingly as Srinavassa urged him toward the hatch.

“I’ll give you a report when you are finished at Medical, Admiral.”

“See that you do,” Johnson said as Kim pushed him after Srinavassa.

Jacoby turned to those that remained. “Okay, so I’ve been an asshole,” he shrugged. “But I need your help or the Admiral will tear me a new one.”

“I never thought I’d see the day,” Arizona said, clutching her heart mockingly.

“You owe John an apology,” Pera added.

“Are you going to listen to me?” Mia asked.

Jacoby just nodded.

Winchester started to laugh but thought better of it. He was not the one the three women were angry with and wanted to keep it that way. They marched Jacoby back to his lab, leaving Winchester alone in the transport bay. As he looked at the markings on the floor, he felt himself looking over the edge of a cliff into an incomprehensible void.

“One step the wrong way . . .” he said aloud.

“Is your imaginary friend in town, or are you talking to yourself,” Taglich asked from the hatch.

“Just wondering what you and your mentor are getting us into,” he said.

“You know all you need to, Captain,” she replied. “We’re going to kill the bugs; that’s all that’s certain.”

“How long have you been working with them?”

“NSP?”

“Who else?”

“Not long. I was . . . drafted.”

“Johnson said you were a spy and you tried to kill him.”

“And you want to know the truth, right?”

“Yes.”

“Will you believe it?”

“Maybe, but I don’t think Johnson is being completely forthcoming. He has a bigger agenda than just the bugs.”

“I was a spy, and yes, I did try to kill him,” Taglich said. “It was before I knew we were working toward the same end.”

“Why does he trust you?”

“Because I gave him no choice, James,” she smiled then, putting her hand on his cheek. “I have intelligence on the bugs that he . . . we desperately need.”

“How do you know something NSP doesn’t?”

“I can’t tell you that.” She turned away from him. “Please don’t ask me.”

“Why shouldn’t I? I’m going to take a battle group to war in a little while and I’d rather the reason be more than your say-so.”

“It would have happened sooner or later. Be glad it’s sooner and with my help.”

“Why, do you come from a time that is later?” She spun on him but said nothing. “Don’t act so surprised, Susan,” Winchester laughed. “We are about to prove humans can travel in time and the only way you can know so much about the bugs is if you came from the future. Either that, or you come from the same galaxy as the bugs and the Navlans.” He thought he saw her eyes moisten when she looked up at him.

“It will take a hundred years for the war to break out, or at least it did in my past,” she said. “We chose to ignore the evidence and the Republic paid the price.”

“I can’t believe I ignored the Navlans,” Winchester protested.

“You didn’t encounter them in my past, James. The time travel tests went according to schedule and everything was packed up and taken back to Cygnus. Lexington scrapped the project in my past.”

“How bad was it?”

“Only Earth and Alpha Centauri remained when I left. The Republic was gone and we were hanging on for our lives. It was only a matter of time before the bugs broke though and it would all be over.”

“I can’t believe they defeated the Navy,” Winchester shook his head.

“Did you hear Whitney’s recording? They’re here and they are massing their forces for attack. When they attacked, they came from everywhere, James. They’d infiltrated all our systems using their cloak technology and we never knew they were there. Most of the Navy was destroyed before they knew what hit them.”

“Can we penetrate their cloaks?”

“We will in a few days, when the new hyperdrive controls arrive from NSP Headquarters,” she said. “They’re taking my information and writing the new software for the sensors now. They’ll ship the disks on the same transport as the other stuff. Lieutenant Whitney has helped immensely as well.”

“I’m sure I’ll lose her to Johnson when this is over,” Winchester mused. “He has a habit of appropriating all the good people.”

“He appropriated you, didn’t he?” Taglich chuckled. “Are you serious about Arizona?”

“As serious as I’ve been about anyone in a long time.”

“That’s a shame,” she shrugged, and then looked up at him. “Not that it means anything anymore, but you had a distinguished naval career in my past. I learned about you in the Academy. If we all survive this, Ms. Peregrine will be a lucky woman.”

“Did I . . . I mean, did we . . .”

“I’m not telling you, one way or the other.” Taglich smiled. “My past has changed enough since I’ve been back the odds are probably even for either possibility. Just be the man you know you should be and everything should work out well for you, James.”

“If we survive this,” he said.

“Well, yes, but it’s so much more interesting this way.”

New Sirat

“It was your prick that got us into this; wasn’t it, you little pervert?” Connie had him backed up on the sofa that was covered with a lion skin.

“Connie, easy,” Gia said, wanting to cover Nathan’s ears.

“They set me up, Connie, I swear,” Justin pleaded.

“Your mom is going to kill you,” Connie promised as she lit a cigarette.

“There is no smoking inside the Palace,” one of the Priest Attendees said and Connie whirled on him.

“If you don’t want me turning into a homicidal maniac you’d better find me an ashtray and bring me a glass of wine. If you are not back in thirty seconds I will have you taken to the courtyard and executed.”

“Y-yes, Savior,” and the young man disappeared.

Connie turned back to her family to find them staring at her incredulously. “I guess I developed a knack for this,” she said with a weak smile. She wondered how many people she did have executed in her previous life. But then again, I didn’t smoke in that life either. Two handmaidens entered, bowed and put an ashtray on every horizontal surface in the room. Another gave Connie a glass of wine. She took a sip and waved the girls away.

“Can I talk to you privately, Connie,” Justin asked. “You seem to know how to get them to do what you want.”

“If you keep it up,” she wagged a finger at him. “I’ll have you shot too.”

“I think we should concentrate on getting out of here,” Gia said.

“I agree,” Mel Snow said for the first time. She’d been unusually quiet since they arrived. “These religious nuts give me the creeps.”

“Your friendship with the Savior is not a guarantee of a long life, Ms. Snow,” Yoshi’i said as he entered. “I see you haven’t forgotten how to handle the staff, Your Highness.”

“Why haven’t I been given my robes, Shiianec Yoshi’i?”

“You seem to have quite a different attitude from the rest of the Royal Family, Your Highness.” Yoshi’i considered her in the sexy dress and high heels; cigarette and wine glass in hand. “However you have picked up some bad habits along the way.”

“I also think you are misguided, Shiianec, but I respect the traditions I personified for a hundred years. I will not disgrace them. I request you provide me with proper garments. As for my bad habits,” she continued. “They will be kept out of public view.”

“I am grateful for your understanding, Savior.” Yoshi’i bowed. He snapped his fingers and two Attendees appeared at his side. A whispered command and they left on their duties. “Your rooms will have an ample supply of garments.”

“Thank you, Shiianec,” Connie bowed. “May I have some of your time later today? I would like to speak with you of this situation so we may minimize the . . . stress to either side.”

“As you wish, Savior,” he bowed again, and then to Gia. “Empress.” He left them alone once again.

“I think Yosh likes you Connie,” Justin said.

“It does appear so,” Kathy agreed. “You do make a good Empress.” She ran to the window and looked down on the Royal Gardens. “I could get used to being a Princess.”

“Am I a Prince, mom?” Nathan asked.

“You’re a prince to me, honey,” she gave him a loving smile before turning to Connie. “You’re not seriously thinking of going along with this, are you?”

“I think we should go under the assumption all of our conversations are being monitored,” she replied. “But there is no use in being antagonistic toward them. They are treating us quite well and I meant what I said about respecting their beliefs. After having Mel as a roommate in college . . .”

“Oh, you never had so much fun in your life until you met me.” Snow tossed a pillow at her. “Do they really believe you are their long lost Savior?”

“Indeed,” Connie grinned.

“Can’t they tell that through DNA tests? I mean, it should be easy enough to figure out you’re not . . . You are, aren’t you? How come you never told me?”

“I didn’t know until recently. I have no memory of it.”

“Yeah, right, you made that little boy shit himself without even trying and you sure knew the right things to say to the Head Penguin.”

“Hey, Mel,” Justin said. “Read this.” He tossed her a pad.

“What is it?”

“The Right of Rule,” Connie said. “It’s the basis for everything that was Empire.”

“Yeah, I was reading it before you all got here,” Justin continued. “We rule. We are the legal rulers of the galaxy. Can you believe that?”

“We were, Justin,” Gia said. “I was the last Empress and it’s going to stay that way.” She looked to Connie. “Unless your cousin has plans to rule once more.”

“Let’s see what Shiianec Yoshi’i has in mind,” Connie said.

Aboard Victorious

“So that’s it from our end,” Mia said. “We hope to have Jacoby up and running by Wednesday.”

“Commander Gillig?” Winchester said.

“Lieutenant Commander Yar has finished preparing the new system if the Navlans ever decide to move there,” Gillig said. “Ms. Wasserman and I come to the same conclusions with regard to the Navlans.” This got a raised eyebrow from Johnson. “They are involved with the bugs somehow.”

“They were too interested in the first system,” Connie added.

“Does anyone have anything else to add,” Johnson asked.

“I believe Ms. Whitney has something,” Gillig said.

She looked around the table, she felt the fear rise, and then she remembered Taglich’s advice. We’re all on the same team. “I think we should investigate the second planet of System 49986 further, Admiral Johnson,” she said. “If I could get a look at their technology, maybe I can rig a jamming device.”

“So you want a squad of my Marines to go in on a suicide mission to get you pictures of their transmitter? You’ve got to be kidding me, nugget,” Colonel Ker said. “Admiral, you can’t expect . . .”

“I can expect anything I want, Colonel,” Johnson said. “Would a first hand look be better for you, Lieutenant?”

“Are you actually considering this, Admiral?” Ker continued to protest. “They will spot a runabout landing before we even touched down. We can’t afford to start a war before we are prepared.”

“We don’t need a runabout, Colonel,” Mia said. “We can transport a squad to the surface of a planet and bring them back safely. Admiral Johnson and Dr. Chen proved that this afternoon.”

“Are you saying I’m going in with the Marines, Admiral?” Whitney asked him.

“No, I’m saying we’re going in with the Marines.” He looked to Taglich who just nodded and stared off into the middle distance. “How many can you transport, Mia?”

“I can get eight of you in one shot. At least that’s what John thinks.”

“When do you want to do this, Admiral? I’ll be taking four of my best people and I’d like to prepare them,” Ker said.

“I didn’t think you’d miss out on it, Colonel,” Johnson chuckled.

“If these bugs are as bad as the Captain says they are, I want to see what they’re made of before I have to kill them.”

“Let’s pray we can get in and out without them noticing us,” Taglich said absently. “The more we know about them, the easier it will be to kill them from afar.”

“Thursday, people,” Johnson said, looking at them all. “I want Lance ready to leave in seven days.”

“What about Jacoby?” Mia asked.

“We’ll do a run through on the way back,” Johnson said. “And then we’ll do a test with the rats on Friday.”

“I’ll try not to wreck the thing while you’re gone,” she said with sarcasm.

“I’m sure you’ll fly her with the skill and panache you usually exhibit, my dear.”

“I just got the simulator program today. I’m working eighteen hour days as it is, how the hell do you expect me to learn this and keep that wimp Jacoby focused, you old ass?”

“I’m sure Captain McHenry and Ms. Peregrine will be happy to take up your slack for a while.” He smiled.

“You know, there is usually a crew of fifteen thousand in one of those old ships. What makes you think I can fly her solo?”

“Because Captain McHenry’s husband is providing the new hyperdrive controls, sweetheart.”

“And what are you doing about my son?”

“Connie and Kathy are handling it,” he said nonchalantly.

“If I call Bradley right now, will he tell me the same thing?”

“We’ll talk privately, Mia,” Johnson said, his voice telling her no more argument would be tolerated here.

“I believe there is one more piece of business, Admiral,” Yar said.

“Ah, yes,” Johnson smiled. “But this is Captain Winchester’s command.”

“Thank you, Admiral,” Winchester stood. “Attention to orders. Lieutenant, junior grade, Blair Whitney, will you please stand and come to attention.”

“Yes, sir,” she said as she rose.

Winchester handed a box to Yar who also stood. “Would you do the honors, Commander?”

“Yes, sir,” Yar said with a smile.

“By order of the President of the Galactic Republic and the Secretary of the Navy, it is my duty to order your promotion to the rank of Lieutenant,” Winchester said, nodding to Yar who placed a third pip on each shoulder board. Winchester saluted and she returned it. “Congratulations, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said. This had been unexpected and she thought her knees would buckle.

“So, when’s the party?” Johnson asked.

“Excuse me, sir?” Winchester looked at him strangely.

“Captain, your people have been working like idiots for two weeks and I’m going to be working them even harder very shortly. I think they deserve a party; don’t you?”

“I think it’s a great idea, Admiral,” Whitney replied. “Tomorrow’s Friday by the way.”

“Tomorrow afternoon we’ll clear the flight deck, Captain Winchester,” Johnson said. “I think we can accommodate most everyone who wants to come.”

New Sirat

“You look as you did a century ago, Savior,” Yoshi’i said as he bowed.

Connie returned it but not as deeply. “Hopefully, I am a little wiser, Shiianec, and I may impart some of that wisdom upon you.”

“Do not think you can deter us from our purpose just because you choose to dress traditionally and profess respect for the Right of Rule.” Yoshi’i wagged a finger at her.

“If I know anything, I know the Priesthood is a single minded organization. Nothing I say, nothing any of us say, can deter you from your goals. Unfortunately, that was the reason for the downfall of the Empire. The Priesthood and the Admiralty became stagnant, the Monarchy was stagnant, and the Earthers won the war long before the Empire ever realized there was a problem. The Earthers won the war the day of First Contact, because they were young and energetic, and they were free. The leaders of the Empire ruled for life, the priests, the admirals, and the Emperors. For twenty thousand years, things remained the same, and that was the reason the Empire didn’t stand a chance against Earth.”

“Maybe it was the fact we were betrayed by the Earther we thought a Savior?”

“But you had no choice, Shiianec, because the Progenitors said so in the Right of Rule and you have no choice but to obey. For twenty thousand years, the Priesthood had made it so. When my mother brought me to Sirat she did not have that predisposition and she knew the Empire was on the verge of the Great Fall. She devised ways to allow Earth, and later Earthspace, to enjoy relative freedom, she told me how Earth was the future of humanity and that it was our job to nurture her, and let her grow strong. My mother knew war would come and Earth had to be strong enough to win when it did.”

“Our intelligence says you don’t remember your past life, Savior,” Yoshi’i said.

“But my mother does and so do my aunts, and grandma and grandpa. They told me what they did in order to protect humanity and what we sacrificed. That is why the Progenitors allowed us to come back, so we could continue our work,” Connie explained. “I should be dead twenty years already. I lived to be a hundred and six. There is no human way I should be a twenty six year old woman but I am. Think about it, Shiianec. It is the Progenitors’ will I am this way, that grandma and grandpa and Kim, that all of us are this way.”

“It was the mistake we made with the Empress Yung Hii, to clone you to perpetuate the myth you were a God,” Yoshi’i countered.

“You could have told the masses the truth, that I was just a regular little Earth girl who had no idea what was going on around her. You wouldn’t have had to resort to the pretense,” Connie said calmly. She gave a wave of her hand and an Attendant appeared with a glass of wine, as if she’d never left the throne. It caused Yoshi’i to do a double take.

“Maybe the Progenitors wanted you to came back to us in this way. For someone who has no memories of her days as the Supreme Ruler of the Galaxy, you take to the role extremely well. Maybe our intelligence was flawed,” Yoshi’i mused with a sinister smile.

“Your intelligence was good enough to arrange this little family gathering. Why don’t you use your intelligence and rethink this operation of yours? You’re going to get someone killed and you’re taking the chance of setting humanity back hundreds of years.”

“Why don’t you take this opportunity to reread the Right of Rule, Savior, and you will see Empire is the only course for humanity.”

“Maybe I will, Shiianec. Good evening,” Connie said. Yoshi’i bowed deeply and an Attendant followed her back to her quarters. The walk seemed to take forever and she dismissed her ladies, preferring to undress herself. This is how it was supposed to be, how it must have been when Mia Kim and Gia Tan were small, she thought. The memory of children’s voices echoing through the Palace came back to her. It was a happy time.

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