Timeless E-Book

Craig Gaydas

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

The Consortium has been shattered. Mankind has nearly been eradicated, and Caelum is close to civil war.

With the galaxy in disorder, the Insurgents are out of allies and time. Despite the assistance of the ancient collective known as the Twelve Timeless, they are failing.

Even worse, Nathan is drifting ever deeper into a darkness he never experienced before. He is losing a little piece of himself with every death of someone close to him.

Can he become the man he needs to be to save the universe... and himself?

Leseprobe

Timeless

Book 3 of the Cartographer

Craig Gaydas

Copyright (C) 2015 Craig Gaydas

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2019 by Next Chapter

Published 2019 by Next Chapter

Cover art by http://www.thecovercollection.com/

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

“Now I stand, the wolf before the sheep…and they do not fear.” - Calypso

“Prey on the weak and you may survive. Prey on the strong and only then will you truly live.” -Vanth

“When consumed by darkness there is nothing left but to look for the light.” -Grillick

“A weapon’s story is written in blood.” -Cantrell

“Time is on my side, yes it is.” -Rolling Stones

“Time and tide waits for no man.” -Geoffrey Chaucer

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the readers and fans. This series was a journey, one that I almost did not take. I do not consider this book to be the end of that journey. Will there be another? Only time can reveal that answer.

Return to Basics

The boarding ramp extended toward the ship. Once it locked into place, the dock doors of the Astral Spirit lowered. The interior lights from the ship illuminated the outline of a lone figure in the doorway. Hark-Kalech stood ready, prepared to greet him. It had been a long time since Calypso stepped foot aboard the Consortium flag ship and he smiled when he glanced at his former Council of Five colleague.

“Welcome aboard,” Hark-Kalech beamed. “It has been a long time.”

Calypso reached out and shook his hand. “Indeed, my old friend. I assume by your warm reception that the task is done?”

“Yes,” Hark-Kalech let go of his hand and his smile faded when he saw the look of unease on Calypso's face. “Is something wrong?”

Calypso ran a hand through his flowing red hair and frowned when it came back moist with cold sweat. “It's the Insurgents. It seems they are not as disorganized as I had originally suspected. They seem to have a few tricks up their sleeves.”

Hark-Kalech narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Calypso opened his mouth to respond but heard a noise coming from the bridge between the two ships. It sounded like someone dropped a coin on a metal surface. He looked back toward the darkness and saw nothing except an empty corridor. The dimly lit hall was illuminated by the light coming from the open doors of their two ships, but it was faint at best. It would be difficult to see an army crossing the shadows.

“Calypso?” Hark-Kalech was looking at him with concern.

“Sorry my nerves must be fried,” he replied. “What I meant was that they seemed to have found new allies. The forces of Xajax have joined the decimated ranks of what was left of Embeth's loyalists among the Defense Fleet. I assume after Corvus' failure on Vaire that the Hydrophants will not be far behind.”

Hark-Kalech shrugged. “Once we merge the Consortium's forces with the Ascended, Nathan can rally an entire galaxy to his cause and it will not make a difference.”

“Perhaps you're right, but I prefer to take no chances,” Calypso replied. He started down the hall but stopped when the hairs on his neck stood at attention. He suddenly felt colder for no reason at all. The temperature was a bit cool, but nothing like the iciness that wrapped around him like a shroud. An overwhelming feeling of being watched overtook him, despite the fact they were alone in the hallway. He found his gaze drifting toward the bridge, but the gloomy corridor remained empty. He shrugged it off as simple nerves.

“Shall we adjourn to the meeting room to discuss our next move?” Calypso asked.

Hark-Kalech swept his hand in an arc, motioning for Calypso to follow him. They entered an elevator that stood at the end of the hall. When Calypso turned around to wait for the elevator doors to close, he saw the docking bridge in the distance. A shadow passed before the open doorway and he froze. Squinting, he struggled to make out a shape in the gloom, but the only thing he observed was the light wafting in from his ship. After several seconds passed, he chalked it up to the light playing tricks on him.

When the elevator doors closed, the shadowy figure dropped from the roof of the corridor. He landed softly, almost cat-like. His wings folded tightly against his back attracting the surrounding shadow to him like a magnet while he surveyed his surroundings. He crept toward the hallway while the shadows followed him as if they were his children. As he moved through the empty halls, he marveled at his luck. No crowds made it easier for him to work. His primary objective was discretion. His mission was simple; get in and get out unseen. Calypso's skittish behavior amused him. The shadowy figure had been well briefed on Calypso's ability to sway his enemies with hypnotic charm, and he took great joy in unnerving him.

He reached behind him and removed an eight-inch jagged steel blade out of the sheath. Its hilt had been carved into the shape of a scorpion, a gift from the desert nomads of Verillion 5. The blade was black, like the shadows. The little bit of light which did manage to penetrate the gloom reflected the deadliness of the ebony blade. It was coated with the essence of Moonweed, the most poisonous plant growing in the badlands of Epsilon Prime. His blade had one purpose and one purpose only—assassination. He was an artist. His art was murder.

Moro smiled and drifted toward the elevator.

Time Travel for Dummies

Observation Room- Gordian Knot-Earth Date July 13th, 2014

Sam entered the room and dropped the book on the table. The thud sounded more like a gunshot. The book was thick and as heavy as it looked.

“So are you going to tell me what's going on?” I asked.

Sam tugged at his earring and chuckled dryly. “I assumed you were as confused as you appeared.”

I seated myself at the table. “You could say that.”

Sam seated himself across from me. “I guess I should start from the beginning.” He opened the book and started fingering through the pages. “This is Kell's journal. Anything anyone ever wanted to know about time travel, wormholes, and the universe in general is contained in this book.”

“How did you get it?” I asked with a hint of suspicion. “Did you just happen to find it at the local library?”

Sam smiled. “I am beginning to pick up your skepticism.”

“Good because I was trying to lay it on pretty thick,” I replied.

Sam laughed. “To answer your question, I will have to revisit our time in that cave in New Mexico. Your life wasn't the only one changed that day.”

“What do you mean?”

Sam ran his hand over his face and sighed deeply. It only took one look at his weary face to understand that his story would be a long one. “After the rope went slack, I became concerned,” he explained. “Of course, like an idiot, I ran into the cave without a flashlight, expecting the rope to guide me to you. I smashed my head on a low hanging rock, knocking myself out.”

I knew the story. Satou explained it to me shortly, not long after I was abducted from New Mexico. I remember laughing about it at the time, but judging by the serious look on Sam's face, I decided to bite my tongue for now.

“I don't remember how long I was out. What I do remember was waking up outside the cave,” he continued. “I ran home and called the police. My mother was pissed because I was supposed to have been home three hours prior.” He looked at me and smiled. “Don't worry, when I told her something bad happened to you she forgot about our scheduled grocery store trip, so she wasn't so angry in the end.”

“Gee, that makes my heart all aflutter,” I quipped.

Sam ignored my verbal jab. “Anyway, the police investigation determined you had died in a cave collapse.”

“What?” I cried. “That's ridiculous!”

Sam held up his hand. “It's not so ridiculous when you analyze the facts. The cops found your end of the rope buried underneath a collapsed wall.”

“But that's impossible,” I interrupted. “There was a doorway in the wall. Didn't they see it?”

Sam fixed me with a stern look. “Are you going to let me finish or are you going to keep interrupting?” When he saw I wouldn't offer a retort, he nodded. “Good. I didn't buy their conclusion for two reasons. Number one was the fact that the rope went slack, but when they found your end of the rope, it was located in the center of the collapse, as tight as can be. Number two: Someone dragged me out of that cave. I certainly didn't walk out of there in an unconscious daze.”

“You're right,” I agreed.

Sam looked confused. “You knew, didn't you?”

I looked at the floor and nodded. “His name was Madoc. He was the Explorer's League Medical Officer. He told me the story not long after they took me aboard their ship.”

“I went back to the cave the next day, hoping to find something the police didn't.” Sam closed the book and tapped the cover with his index finger, deep in thought. “Every day I went back until school started.” He stood up and walked to the window. With his back to me, he continued. “I had no idea what I expected to find. Perhaps I expected to find you crawling out of the cave, coughing up dirt balls and begging for water. Maybe I expected your ghost to spring from the cave and tell me how terrible I was at jungling in League of Legends.” He lowered his head. “I made it a point to visit the cave every chance I got but, of course, nothing changed. No Nathan phantoms floated from the caves. Hell, not one stone in the collapse was out of place. It was like the place had been frozen in time ever since that day.”

“I'm sorry Sam,” I offered weakly.

He held up his hand and waved it dismissively without even bothering to turn around. “Don't apologize for my ADHD because eventually it panned out. About six months after you had been declared dead, I took a stroll down to the cave after school. I was chipping away at the collapsed wall with nothing more than a flashlight and a thick wood walking stick, thinking about how badly you wanted to break through. You had a rock hammer, I had a walking stick. I figured it would take me twenty years to bust through the wall, but I didn't care. The cave was the only thing tying me to your memory.”

“But something happened,” I interjected.

Sam nodded and turned his head. He stared at me from the corner of his eye with a smile on his face. “You could say that.” He turned and looked at me. He ran his hand through his goatee before continuing. “This trip to the cave was different. One of the stones in the wall looked as if it had been tampered with. I chipped at it with my stick and it broke off, causing a book to fall from the hole.” He cast a glance at the book. “When I opened it, a note fell out.”

“A note?” I asked.

Sam approached the table and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. He placed it on the table and slid it across to me. It had yellowed with age and was torn at the corners. I unfolded it and read its contents.

Sam,

I have been keeping my eye on you since Nathan's disappearance. Your relentless poking of the security barrier is quite literally the most maddening thing I have seen in a long time. I have left clues for you all over the place, but you seemed focused on a rock wall for some ungodly reason. I am not sure what you hope to accomplish. Perhaps you think you can beat the wall to death with a stick? It is because of your maddening behavior that I hid my journal in the wall. I am personally running short on time and if I waited for you, we would experience another Big Bang before you discovered it. The Explorer's League has forced my hand. You must follow my instructions to the letter, Sam Wells. The fate of the universe may depend on it. Several years from now, the Earth will face a war unlike any it has experienced before. We must stop it at all costs. Grillick is on his way. He will meet you at this very spot in two weeks. Bring the book. All will be explained.

-Kell

I folded the note and passed it back. “Kell was a big ray of sunshine, huh?”

Sam chuckled. “At the time I happened to agree with you. Until I met him, that is.”

My eyes widened. “You met Kell?”

“Several years later, but that's another story for another time.” He took the note and slipped it in his pocket. “To make a long story short, I went back to the cave two weeks later.”

“And Grillick was there?” I was so engrossed in the tale that I didn't realize I spoke out loud. It wasn't until Sam frowned that I knew I had interrupted him again. I tossed him an apologetic smile.

“Yes and no,” he responded. When a confused look crossed my face, he clarified his remark. “When I showed up, there was a mailbox staked in the ground in front of the cave with a sign that read: 'Please deposit any journals in here'. So I did what the sign said and deposited the book.”

“Yeah that sounds like Grillick,” I grumbled. “What happened next?”

“Well that's the thing,” Sam explained. “I didn't know what to do next so I waited.” When I looked at him like he sprouted a second head he held up his hands. “What else was I supposed to do? The note said 'all will be explained'. A mysterious mailbox erected in a remote cave didn't explain a damn thing.”

“Good point,” I conceded.

“I was there about fifteen minutes before a voice came from the cave. I followed it to the collapsed wall. Waiting there for me was a…” he paused and looked at me. “Well I guess I don't have to explain what Grillick looks like. Anyway, he was sitting on a rock tapping his foot impatiently. After scolding me for standing outside, waiting like an idiot instead of entering the cave, he finally explained things.”

After several minutes passed without clarification, I held up my hands. “And what were these 'things' he explained? Don't keep me in suspense like that!”

He turned to the window and drew in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “Prepare to have your mind blown.”

New Mexico Redux

“The book you just deposited into my mobile containment unit was of utmost importance in maintaining the stability of the universe.”

Sam turned and looked toward the entrance of the cave. “Mobile containment unit? It's just a mailbox.”

Grillick's face darkened. “Mailbox? Your kind is so infuriating. Humans have no eye for science. They have no ear for knowledge. They only have tastes for self-gratification.”

Sam turned and shrugged. “That still doesn't take away from the fact that it's a mailbox.”

Grillick shoved his hand into his beard and scratched furiously. After several moments, he ceased scratching and hopped off the rock. “Anyway, I didn't come here to debate the difference between the two. I am here because there is dark work underway up there.” He pointed to the sky. “You're friend, Nathan, will need your help if he has any hope of success.”

Sam's demeanor turned serious. “Nathan? So he is still alive?” A look of relief washed over him. “What do you need me to do?” Grillick looked past Sam, toward the entrance. When Sam followed his gaze, he noticed the mailbox was no longer present. “What the hell…?”

“Calm yourself Sam. It's still there, just shrouded. To wandering eyes it is nothing more than a shadow against the stone.” Grillick paced uneasily before scratching at his beard again. “In eighteen years, Earth will have their first official contact with the Consortium. When that happens, you will need to come back to this spot to retrieve the journal.”

“Why me?” Sam asked. “Why at that time?”

“Because you will be employed by a company called Synthicon at that time,” Grillick explained. He began pacing back and forth, rubbing his hands furiously. “I won't go into great detail about the role the company plays in Earth history, but I will tell you this. You will befriend someone by the name of Solomon Corvus. Your skills in bioengineering and cybernetics will have no equal within the company. Your ability in both fields will eventually catch his eye. When that happens, all will be revealed.”

“That's it?” asked Sam. “All will be revealed.” Sam waved his arms in the air melodramatically. “What happens then? Do I team up with Nathan to save the world like some sort of intergalactic Batman and Robin?”

“Nothing as dramatic as that, my dear boy,” Grillick squeaked. “Let us just say that only time can reveal to you what I cannot.” Grillick stretched and emitted a bellowing yawn. “That's about it.” He moved a rock, revealing a digital panel with a numbered keypad. After pushing four of the buttons, a section of the rock wall slid aside like a door. Sam stopped him before he could walk through.

“What the…?” he stuttered. “Hey, wait a minute. Where are you going?”

Grillick stopped and turned. “Oh yeah right, I almost forgot.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of golden hoop earrings. He shoved them into Sam's hand.

“What are these for?” Sam asked with a puzzled look.

“You will need these as you travel through the time holes,” Grillick replied. “They will make sure you get to where you want to go.” He turned to walk through the doorway but stopped again and slapped his palm against his forehead. “Oh how stupid of me. I almost forgot this.” He reached into his jacket and retrieved a circular object which resembled a compass but was slightly smaller than a Frisbee. Instead of directional markings, it had a clear screen, which lit up with icons when touched, sort of like an iPad. Many of the icon markings were unrecognizable to Sam.

“What's this?” he asked.

Grillick scratched his chin and cocked his head and examined Sam's ears. He pointed to the earrings. “You will need to eventually get your ears pierced to wear those. A clip-on set had been created but kept falling off the wearer during travel, which resulted in undesired consequences.” He scrunched his face with distaste. “Explanations of their use are located within the journal but basically they are to help with guidance through the worm holes. This on the other hand,” he tittered and shoved the Frisbee-looking thing in Sam's hand, “is your navigational system. It really is quite simple. All you need to do is plug in your receiving point, month, and year and step through the nearest worm hole.”

Sam looked at the items like they were venomous snakes. “Worm holes? Time holes? Are you seriously telling me that I can travel through time with these?”

Grillick stopped scratching his chin and narrowed his eyes. “If necessary,” he replied curtly. He turned and passed through the doorway.

“Wait!” Sam called. “How do I use these things?”

Grillick walked out of sight, but his voice echoed off of the cave walls. “It's all in the journal. Trust me.”

“Oh yeah?” Sam Grumbled at the empty cave. “Trust goes both ways.”

The Frisbee

Sam removed his backpack and laid it on the table. He unzipped it and produced the Frisbee-sized disc and laid it next to the pack.

“Is that it?” I asked. Sam nodded and slid it across the table toward me. I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. When he described it to me, I expected it to look like a Frisbee, but as I studied it, I thought it looked more like a metal pancake with a television screen in the center. The object had no bent edges one would expect from a Frisbee. I traced a finger across the glass, and the screen sprang to life. A picture of a planet filled the screen. It looked like Earth with the exception of a yellow ring around it, similar to Saturn. The planet also seemed to be mostly water with one large continent filling about a quarter of the surface. “What the heck is this?” I asked, pointing at the planet.

Sam stood and craned his neck to see what I was looking at. “That was the last planet I traveled to. The Oculus stores information from prior use and bookmarks it, kind of like a web browser,” Sam said with a smile.

“The Oculus?” I repeated with a raised eyebrow.

“That's what Grillick calls it: 'The eye of the universe' he said.” Sam smiled and spread his arms wide for dramatic emphasis. He reached over and took it from me. “Anyway, to answer your question, that is the planet Gliese.” His smile faded.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

“It's located in the same galaxy as Shai's home planet of Drith.”

I winced at the name. It was hard to believe his name still inspired strong feelings of anger and hate. But when I remembered the corpse of Deena, it was no longer so hard to believe. “But what's special about this planet?” I asked, nodding my head toward the Oculus.

Sam shrugged. “Maybe something, probably nothing,” he responded mysteriously.

“That answer was about as useful as a fart in a blizzard,” I replied sourly.

He shoved the Oculus in the backpack and an uncomfortable look came over him. It was like he had suddenly been stricken with a bad case of gas. He stood up and threw the pack over his shoulder. “As the current Cartographer these objects were meant to be passed to you, but Grillick and I agreed it would be best if I held onto these just a little while longer.”

“Oh?” I responded with a hint of irritation. “Why's that?”

Sam tossed me an anger-deflecting smile. “Don't worry, it's nothing negative. Circumstances created unforeseeable changes. Stuff happens. In the meantime, I will continue working the time holes, stabilizing them as best as I can. Don't worry though: I will make sure all of the journals are updated so when your time comes, you will have all the information needed.”

“Why does it suspiciously sound like you have just been nominated as the new Cartographer?” I asked.

Sam hesitated and his eyes drifted to the floor. “Because it's true.”

My eyes widened with surprise. “So where does that leave me?”

Sam's eyes drifted slowly from the floor and a dry smile crossed his lips. “Your role is much bigger than you think.”

Sam's eyes twinkled and he tugged at one of his earrings. Suddenly, I realized the meaning behind his mysterious statement. “You have seen my future,” I gasped.

Sam frowned. “I can't discuss it so I will neither confirm nor deny your statement.”

Frustration settled in and I was ready to explode on Sam before I realized the truth in his words. He couldn't risk me changing my decisions based on the information. The time line had been getting screwed with enough lately. It didn't need my help in making it worse. I decided to drop the subject. Sam wasn't going to tell and I wasn't completely convinced I wanted to know.

“So what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Am I like the equivalent of the school janitor now?” I asked with a hint of irritation.

Before Sam could reply, a knock came from the door. Sergeant Cantrell popped his head in the door with a sour look on his face. “Grillick wants to see you, Nathan.”

“For what?” I asked.

Cantrell's face soured more, if that was even possible. “Do I look like a messenger boy?”

“Yeah, you kinda do since you came down here to deliver a message,” Sam quipped.

Cantrell's face turned a bright red and for a brief moment, I thought he would burst into the room and throttle Sam. He managed to maintain his cool, however, and the scarlet flush faded. “The meeting is in the lab,” he growled and slammed the door.

“It seems the always pleasant Cantrell demands your presence in the laboratory,” Sam chuckled. “I suppose we can pick up where we left off another time.”

I stood up and approached the door. My hand was on the handle when Sam called out.

“Nathan, wait a minute.”

When I turned, Sam stood and placed his palms on the table. “Going forward, no matter what happens, always follow your heart.”

I walked out the door and hesitated before heading to the lab. The door closed behind me and I realized Sam was attempting to convey a message about my future without actually telling me.

Follow your heart.

Reunion

When the announcement came over the loudspeaker I rushed to the observation room. In the distance, the Stellar Horizon approached us carefully, preparing to dock. I recognized the angular design of the vessel and realized the ship had been one of the Defense Fleet vessels that Embeth confiscated during his defection. I felt a little safer knowing I would be travelling inside a fully armed battleship.

I accompanied Grillick to Docking Bay 7. Grillick insisted on greeting his guests personally. “My projects have been backing up on me,” he explained on the way. “However, I always strive to greet one of the Timeless. To do otherwise would be considered rude, especially when it comes to Vigil. He is the cantankerous sort, ya know.”

The door to the docking bay lifted, and we stepped inside where Kedge and Lianne were waiting. Kedge dropped a hand on my shoulder and smiled. Lianne grabbed me and hugged me tightly. After the initial shock wore off, I returned the hug.

“It's good to see you again,” Lianne beamed.

“You look like you gained some weight. What have they been feeding you in this place?” Kedge quipped. “And the second question is: where can I get some? I'm starving.”

“It's nice to see you with your own ship again.” I smiled at Lianne.

“I can't say I enjoyed the company,” She tossed a sour glance toward Kedge. “But yes, it's nice to have my own command again.”

It appeared Lianne still did not forgive Kedge for her father's murder. I believed her anger was misplaced, but it wasn't my place to argue the point. I hoped that over time she would find it in her heart to forgive him.

“Vigil is aboard conducting diagnostics on Gard,” Kedge said. “He is infuriatingly impatient.” He glanced at Grillick. “I'm sorry we have to cut this reunion short.”

Grillick held up a single hand in understanding. You forget I have had to put up with Vigil for centuries.” He turned and handed me the voltaic chain gloves. “I'm sure you won't need these, but it never hurts to be safe.”

I slipped the glove on and tightened the bracelet. “Thanks. The best defense is a good offense I suppose.” I already had two mini-turrets attached to my belt and a hand cannon strapped to my waist, but I recalled the power of the chains from the battle on Vaire, and I had to admit I felt a tad relieved to have it by my side again.

Grillick was staring at me through wide eyes, like a puppy longing for its master. “I guess this is goodbye for now,” he said. “I'd be remiss if I didn't let you know how much I have enjoyed your company. For far too long, I have had to deal with grumpy mercenaries, cantankerous sundry clerks, and emotionless robots. You are welcome back any time.”

“Thanks, that means a lot. I have enjoyed my time here.” There were solemn times as well, such as Deena's funeral, but I kept those to myself. That was a personal pain I stored for future use against my enemies. There was no sense in rehashing them here. I turned to Kedge and Lianne. “Okay, I'm ready.”

We boarded the ship and Lianne made her way to the bridge. Kedge accompanied me to the guest rooms that were located in the barracks wing. Kedge explained that the ship came equipped with a crew of fifty. Only a handful of them were science officers and engineers while the rest were soldiers. The Stellar Horizon was a ship designed for one purpose—battle.

Once we entered my room, I parked myself at a desk situated in the corner. I dropped my weapons in the drawer. I removed a thin book, no bigger than a spiral notebook, from my backpack, as well as a stylus, and set them on the table. Kedge seated himself across from me and focused his bionic eye on the items.

“What's that?” he inquired.

I cracked a smile. “It's a digital journal Grillick gave me. He had it lying around his lab and he had no use for it,” I explained. “He assumed I would get more use out of it.”

Kedge let out a dry chuckle. With the mechanical cover across his throat, the sound reminded me of marbles rolling around inside a tin can. “Journalizing your exploits, young adventurer?”

I shrugged coolly. “I guess you could say that.” I tapped the book lightly with my index finger. “But I believe it's more than that. I feel this is an important point in the history of the universe, and I wanted to capture as much as I can. My hope is that one day my journal would be added to the Archives.”

Kedge frowned. “Since the Archives are located on Caelum, I guess the realization of your dream would depend on whoever emerges on the winning side.”

“I know,” I said softly. My voice barely carried across the table and Kedge had to crane his head forward to hear me. “Meta will never voluntarily add anything of mine to the Archives.”

For a long time he studied me in silence. Unease filled his good eye and he squirmed in his seat. Either he had to use the bathroom or something bothered him. I hoped for my sake it was the latter because from what I could see, the room didn't come equipped with a bathroom.

“What's the matter?”

“I'm afraid I come bearing some bits of bad news. I know you have been through much lately. I also understand you have been busy and may have missed the news regarding some recent events,” he replied. “Meta is dead.”

“What?” I matched Kedge's frown with one of my own. “How?”

The news should have shocked me, but it only piqued my curiosity. I looked at it as a situation which required a potential change in strategic decision. In battle, unexpected news is soon followed by defeat. Expect the unexpected, Vanth's voice whispered from the shadows.

“He was assassinated by Hark-Kalech in a bid for power. If you believe the rumors, that is,” Kedge replied.

“But you don't?” The sentence was more of a statement than a question.

“I've been around a long time. The Consortium had been an enemy of mine for centuries. Despite our…shall I say…disagreements, they always conducted themselves in an honorable manner. Backstabbing is extremely unlike them. In all the years of our animosity towards each other, there has never been an assassination among their ranks. Some of them died on the battlefield, others passed of old age, but not once has one been murdered for something as trivial as a 'power grab'.”

“So what do you think happened?”

“I'm not sure,” he admitted. “But we may find out soon enough. Varooq and Hark-Kalech took over leadership duties in the interim. This is the first time since the early days of the Consortium that one who is not of Meta's bloodline has ruled the Consortium.”

“Is there another to take over?” I inquired. “In the bloodline, I mean.” During my days among the Consortium, Satou spoke of the bloodlines and ranks of ascension. Only those who descended from the Civet bloodline could reign over the Consortium.

“Meta did not have children,” he admitted. “Rumors swirled that his wife was barren. Others stated he impregnated a Caelumite chamber girl.”

“What do you think the Council will do?”

“Good question,” he responded with a thoughtful rub of his chin. “Perhaps golden eagles will descend from the sky and deliver an heir from the heavens, where he will be crowned by one of the gods.”

“I take it from your snarky comment that you have no idea.” I grumbled.

“I believe in being pragmatic.” He winced and rubbed his chest, as if he had a sudden onset of indigestion. “Whoever was behind the assassination had a great deal to gain, which means I'm sure an answer will present itself soon.”

It was my turn to rub my chin. “Well a lot of people have a lot to gain with the destabilization of the Consortium. Come to think of it, everybody involved in this conflict stands to gain from Meta's death.”

“True—” Kedge clutched his chest suddenly and fell out of his chair.

Alarmed, I burst out of my chair and rushed to his side. By the time I reached him, he was already propped up on one knee. I didn't know what to do so I just stood by his side with my arms outstretched, ready to catch him if he fell again. He stood and waved me off.

“What the hell was that?” I exclaimed.

He let out a couple dry, hacking coughs before easing himself in the chair. “I said earlier that I had come with some bits of bad news. Meta's death was only part of it.”

“So what's the other part?”

Kedge smacked his lips together as if he had just eaten something sour. He looked at the floor and rubbed his hands together briskly. Even though I couldn't see it, I heard the bionic whirring of his false eye focusing on the ground while he hesitated.

“What is it?” I prodded.

After picking at the metal plate in his throat for a few minutes, he looked up slowly. “I'm afraid the cybernetic implant surrounding my heart is nearing the end of its life cycle.”

“So replace it,” I responded, as if the answer had been so simple. The sullen look on Kedge's face caused me to rethink my statement.

“I can't. If I remove the implant, what's left of my organic heart will die which means it wouldn't take long for the rest of me to follow.”

“You have been around so long you are practically a god,” I stated, as if just saying it certified him as a deity.

Kedge grunted and shook his head. “I'm no god, Nathan. I'm just an old man with a grudge.” Despite being centuries old, he didn't appear older than fifty Earth years. However, the more he spoke about the subject, the more he seemed to age right before my eyes. Wrinkles filled his face and his hair grew lighter, going from a pewter gray to polished silver. “I'm afraid to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm not the immortal you believe me to be.”

I waved my hand dismissively, thinking he was messing with me. That was until I realized he wasn't smiling. His lips formed a tight, straight line and he focused his serious look on me. I didn't even realize I had been sweating until I ran my hand through my hair. I winced at my damp palm. “What are you trying to say?”

He drew in a deep breath and his chest rattled. It sounded like an angry rattlesnake ready to strike at prey. He let it out slowly before answering.

“Nathan, I'm dying.”

I opened my mouth several times, but the words wouldn't come, so I simply sat there stunned. The man who I viewed as ancient, one of the few survivors of Mars was dying. What do you say to that? With all the cybernetic implanted technology, I thought he would live forever.

“Isn't there anything we can do?” I surprised myself with the level of concern in my voice. There used to be a time when I considered this man an enemy. I blamed him for the deaths of Madoc and Crag'Dughai on Xajax, but eventually, I realized my anger had been misguided. His impending death shouldn't have concerned me as much as it did.

He moved toward the door and coughed dryly. “Yeah, perhaps you should pray to that God of yours.” He stepped through the door and it slid shut behind him.

I stared at the door for several minutes wondering what life would be like without Kedge. It had to have been a shining example of irony. One day I hated him for his actions, the next day I was trying to figure out how to move forward without him. Life seemed to be funny like that.

I was interrupted from my silent brooding by a beeping noise coming from the wall. I looked around to see a digital panel flashing next to the window. It was no bigger than an iPad screen, but I could find no visible buttons to use to switch it off. I tapped the screen like a spaz before it finally stopped beeping, and an image of Lianne appeared.

“Hello Nathan, I hope I didn't disturb you. I apologize for running off on you, but being a ship's captain keeps a girl busy.” She smiled warmly. “We should be landing on Gliese in a few hours, but I wanted to issue a word of caution.” Her smile faded. She looked around quickly and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Vigil is on the warpath. I overheard his conversation with the Prophet. Apparently we will have to wait at the docking bay for a while before he is able to see us.”

“The Prophet?” I asked.

“He is the leader of the Order of the Sun,” she replied. She must have noticed the concern on my face because her expression softened and her smile returned. “Don't worry yourself. I have confidence the meeting will go well.”

“It's not that, it's just—” I stopped myself and ran my hand through my hair. Thinking about Kedge's imminent demise was rather depressing and I really didn't want to dump my burdens on Lianne at the moment. She had enough to worry about between running the ship and calming Vigil. It wouldn't be fair to pile this on her. “Never mind, it's nothing. I'll be okay.”

Her smile faded and her eyes narrowed as they bored into me. Eventually she realized I wouldn't reveal anything further and her expression softened. “Get some rest, Nathan. If Vigil is still furious when we land, you're going to need it.”

The screen went dark. My thoughts were racing between Kedge, the upcoming meeting and everything Sam told me. There were so many thoughts swimming though my head that the room started to spin. I climbed into bed and closed my eyes. Even though I was exhausted, my mind was already engaged in overdrive. My body was hot and flushed, and it felt as if it were on fire. All I could do was toss and turn. Frustrated, I finally stood up and went to the window.

Space was a dark thing, especially if you have never seen it up close and personal before. Today, however, it seemed much darker than before. It was probably my imagination running wild, coupled with my dark thoughts, casting a shadow over everything. We were passing a dark, dreary planet, seemingly devoid of life. The surface reminded me of Earth's moon, but with more pock marks than a twelve year old suffering from a severe acne problem. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Everything I looked at seemed to be through a pair of depression sunglasses.

I went back to bed. It was the only thing I could do short of jumping out the window in a fit of insanity. I closed my eyes and forced myself to think of happier times. I found myself thinking of a family vacation we took when I was eleven. In a fit of generosity, my father decided to take us to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It was the first time in a long time we were together like a true family. My parents were all giggles and smiles that week, and it was probably the happiest time in my life. I smiled, but when I closed my eyes, the image of Disney World was replaced by Deena's corpse as they loaded her onto the transport skiff. I sighed with frustration.

It was going to be a long night.

Moro

The two figures stepped into the room and closed the door behind them. Moro clung to the wall and slid among the shadows, inching closer. Between him and the room stood an open doorway. The smell of cooking meat drifted into the hallway. As he approached the door, he could hear the sound of raised voices, and one of them was getting closer.

“There wasn't an ounce of fat on that meat. It tasted like charred cardboard. Someone should shoot the cook.”

A burst of laughter erupted from inside the room. Heavy footsteps approached the hall as the meat critic made his way closer. Despite Moro's immersion among the shadow, the person would have to be blind to miss a seven foot tall, winged assassin. He had to think fast. There was nowhere to hide in the open hallway. When he looked up, he spied an opportunity. The ceiling sat about six feet above him with steel girders running parallel to each other. With a scowl, he shoved his dagger into its scabbard and spread his wings. With a burst of wind, he was airborne.