A Clash

Of Aliens

The Human Chronicles Saga

#13

an Adam Cain adventure

by

T.R. Harris

Published by

Copyright 2016 by T.R. Harris

All rights reserved, without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanically, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Novels by T.R. Harris

The Human Chronicles Saga

The Fringe Worlds

Alien Assassin

The War of Pawns

The Tactics of Revenge

The Legend of Earth

Cain’s Crusaders

The Apex Predator

A Galaxy to Conquer

The Masters of War

Prelude to War

The Unreachable Stars

When Earth Reigned Supreme

A Clash of Aliens

Battlelines (coming June 15, 2016) Click here to order

Jason King – Agent to the Stars Series

The Enclaves of Sylox

The Drone Wars Series

Day of the Drone

In collaboration with George Wier…

The Liberation Series

Captains Malicious

Contents

Prologue

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Epilogue

Prologue

Adam Cain was pissed.

J’nae, the Queen of the Sol-Kor, hadn’t been by to see him in nearly two weeks, and when she finally did, she came carrying two five-foot-long broadswords.

“I wish to test your prowess with this weapon,” she announced, handing one of the swords to him.

Adam knew for a fact that the Sol-Kor didn’t use broadswords, so he was confused as to where she would have found a pair of medieval weapons, let alone why she would expect him to have any expertise in their use. But he didn’t complain. At least she still found him relevant enough to make the effort. If she grew bored, or found that his usefulness had been exhausted, he could very well wind up as an appetizer at the next royal banquet.

Of course, after this sparring session, he might end up on the buffet table anyway, as finger-food already cut up into convenient bite-size pieces.

Gripping the proffered shiny sword by its leather hilt, Adam discovered it was surprisingly light in the reduced gravity of Kor. “I wasn’t aware the Sol-Kor used such weapons,” he said as he took a couple of practice swings for balance and feel.

“They are not, yet I was allowed to practice with them during my own captivity. They helped to develop my coordination and spatial awareness. In addition, from the archives we have available, there are countless references to these swords being used as weapons of war throughout Human history.”

“Not for the past thousand years, J’nae, not since we invented guns. So don’t be too disappointed at my skill level.”

“We shall see about that.”

Adam grimaced at J’nae’s thinly-veiled accusation…

During the early days of his captivity, the Queen had visited often, either engaging in hours of conversation—she did most of the talking—or in sparring contests to test the limits of Human endurance and combat skill. Not one to reveal his hand too early, Adam tried to hold back, at least initially.

J’nae already had experience with a Human fighter. Ensign Mac MacTavish had attempted to beat her senseless back at the portal farm. From Adam’s observations, that episode had looked to be more of an experiment rather than a fight, at least on J’nae’s part. She had shrugged off the vicious attack without a second thought. Her regenerative cells instantly repaired any damage the huge Englishman might have caused.

As a result, when she first went up against Adam, she instinctively sensed his conservative strategy and wailed on him to an inch of his life. After that, he didn’t hold back. To his credit, he did manage to get in a few good licks of own, but just like with Mac’s earlier attack, she suffered no long-term—or even short-term—effects.

Still, the earlier episodes had left her leery of any claims he made regarding combat skill.

Those earlier bouts had been pure fistacuffs, but now she was bringing in exotic weapons to test him. An escalation? Or a sign of her need for more stimulation in their interactions? Either way, Adam sensed his future had definitely taken a turn for the worse.

Studying the sword J’nae had kept for herself, Adam noticed it had no protective gear or blunted edge, being just as sharp and deadly as his own. That can be a problem, he thought, seeing that of the two of us, only I can be killed.

As the pair separated in the wide space of his stone-floored and multi-columned living quarters, Adam wondered how far she would let this go. Was she planning to end his life here and now, or did she still believe him to be entertaining and useful?

He was soon to find out.

J’nae struck first, whipping her sword in a short circle and coming at him from his left. The movement was swift, yet he managed to counter the strike to a loud clash of ringing metal, backing away behind a nearby column and out of reach.

J’nae stutter-stepped towards him, sweeping around the stone column in a smoothly choreographed motion, bringing her blade in low this time. Adam worked his sword against hers at the last moment, sending both blades clanging against the stone floor.

Each of the Queen’s strikes had come at him at full speed and with purpose. If not blocked, they would have sliced him in two.

She didn’t appear to be playing around.

Adam raced across the space between columns and ducked behind another. He had to use whatever cover he could, knowing that to stand toe-to-toe with the Queen wouldn’t be his smartest move. He peeked around the barrier and saw J’nae approaching, almost casually, with a wide grin on her face.

Overconfidence? That might be something he could use…

Doing the unexpected, Adam bolted out from behind the column and charged, his sword above his head, crying out in a primal growl…just moments before dropping to his knees and executing a perfect slide into second base. J’nae had lifted her own sword in a high defensive posture, leaving the lower part of her body exposed. Adam slid under her on the polished floor, unleashing his blade at the Queen’s unguarded legs.

All his blade contacted was air.

Adam rolled and came up on one knee, blindly thrusting his long sword forward, back in the direction where he’d last seen the Queen. He looked up as she dropped back to the floor, having jumped two meters into the air to avoid his swipe at her legs. Now she had to suck in her gut to keep from being impaled by Adam’s desperate defense.

J’nae stepped back, momentarily regarding her opponent. “As I suspected,” was all she said, before lunging forward again, lashing out at him with wide, wild arcs.

Adam sprang to his feet, recklessly throwing his blade at the Queen’s incoming blows. The force of their meetings sent him stumbling backwards, barely able to bring his sword into position before another strong contact was made. Then she changed tactics, coming at him with a forward thrust, the tip of her blade heading straight for his heart.

The pain was like fire as the razor-sharp edge of the Queen’s broadsword slid across his left side, slicing through his shirt into a six-inch length of flesh. He grunted with pain, clenching his teeth. But he didn’t have time to assess his injury; the Queen was already moving in for the kill.

A flash of metal high above him, he looked up to see the seven-foot-tall alien lifting her powerful weapon high above her head, both hands propelling it downward with all her strength right at his head. Adam lifted his sword, grimacing with pain as the movement stretched the skin along his left side, tearing open his wound even more. But he did manage to place his blade between his head and the incoming leading edge of the Queen’s weapon.

The impact was incredible, forcing the flat of his own sword to slam into the side of his head. It kept the slicing edge of J’nae’s weapon from filleting him from head to groin, but he fell back, landing hard on the stone floor, where he quickly rolled to his right and rose up on one knee.

J’nae was lifting her blade again, readying for another savage descent towards his head. But then she did the unexpected. Spinning to her left, she brought her sword toward him along a wide arc, level with his neck.

Out of pure desperation, Adam thrust out his blade, feeling his teeth vibrate as metal contacted metal. The bottom edge of J’nae’s sword slid along the length of his weapon, creating resonating harmonics not unlike fingernails on chalkboard. Then came a clang as the Queen’s sword came to a rest only inches from his hands, having been blocked by the extensions of his hilt guard.

The faces of the two warriors were only inches apart. Adam could feel the Queen’s hot breath on his, as her intense, almost insane eyes bore into him.

Slowly, both combatants shifted their sights, following along the length of Adam’s sword—right up to the point where it disappeared into the belly of the Queen.

Panicking, Adam lifted his head to look once more at J’nae’s face. She was engrossed with the entry point, an expression of shock replacing her prior look of savage insanity. Then her gaze shifted back to Adam’s wide-eyed face. Their eyes met.

“Uh oh,” Adam breathed, an embarrassed grin stretched across his face. To his surprise, the Queen mirrored the expression…just before lifting her sword and ramming the butt end of the hilt into Adam’s exposed forehead.

He fell on his back, dazed, stars dancing before his eyes, losing grip on his sword. Stunned and defenseless, Adam Cain was completely at the mercy of the Sol-Kor Queen.

As his senses cleared, he tensed even more, watching as J’nae straightened up to her full stature. At any second he expected her to lift her weapon and send it whizzing down once again in one final, deadly motion.

Rather than delivering the killing blow, the Queen smiled even more broadly and took a step back, holding her deadly sword in her right hand. With her free hand, she gripped his embedded blade and slowly pulled it from her body. No blood marred the blade, and as soon as the tip appeared, the wound had already healed. She tossed the blade aside. It clanged against the stone floor of his quarters.

Yet the battle wasn’t over.

Not until the Queen twisted her wrist, whipping her sword in a wide circle and, planting the point firmly into the floor, sent stone shrapnel flying in Adam’s direction. He blinked and turned his head to avoid being blinded by the fragments. When he looked back, J’nae was in the same spot, only now with both hands resting on the blunt end of her sword’s leather grip.

“That was…stimulating, Adam Cain,” she stated. “I thank you for that.” Then her eyes narrowed. “Yet, as I suspected, you possess much more skill with such a weapon than you originally let on. You Humans are devious creatures indeed, a fact I will have to keep in mind—always.”

Adam just shrugged. If he was considered skillful with a broadsword, then that didn’t say much for the competition she’d been facing. Even still, as it dawned on him that the match was over, Adam had to let his ego have its due; if he’d been up against a normal opponent—one who could actually be killed—he would have come out victorious. Not bad for a rookie swordsman.

J’nae looked to the wide swath of red soaking his shirt and pants. “I will have someone attend to you,” she announced, before turning away abruptly and marching towards the door. Just as she reached it, she stopped and turned. She then returned to where he still lay, reached down and retrieved his sword from behind a nearby stone column. She flashed him a smile, and left the room without another word.

********

After the medical attendant left, Adam remained on his bed, shirtless, with a large white bandage covering his wound. He stared up at the high ceiling, once again lost in thought concerning his uncertain future.

After the remainder of his strike team had been unexpectedly rescued from the portal building, he was the last Human left in the Sol-Kor universe. At first he didn’t know if that was good or bad. Fortunately for him, rather than take her frustrations out on him for the loss of the other Humans, J’nae had simply shrugged off the incident, choosing  to focus her attention and curiosity on Adam rather than engage in sadistic acts of torture and revenge.

A month and a half had passed since he’d been placed in his rather palatial prison adjacent to the Queen’s Chambers within the ugly black pyramid the Sol-Kor referred to as M-1, the seat of government for the Colony. The Queen came by often, but the visits had become less frequent recently as affairs of state took priority over playtime with her new pet. Even though he was fed regularly, allowed exercise time, and even granted limited computer access so he could keep his mind stimulated, he knew his days were numbered. And that set his mind to panicking.

His fear came not for his own welfare; he could handle whatever the Queen had in store for him. He was really concerned about the rescue team.

Adam held out no false hope that Riyad and the others would simply write him off and not even bother mounting a rescue attempt. He wouldn’t, not if the roles were reversed. And although he had no idea how Riyad would pull it off, Adam was ninety-nine percent sure that a second team of Human commandos would soon be entering Sol-Kor space, this time on a mission to bring him out alive.

As a consequence, men were going to die, and the least Adam could do was make their sacrifices mean something…by being alive when they arrived.

That was one option.

The other was to find a way to escape on his own, before any more lives were lost on his behalf.

To that end, Adam divided his time between exercising and surfing the equivalent of the Sol-Kor Internet, learning all he could about Sol-Kor society and preparing himself physically for when the opportunity presented itself. With the benefit of the Sol-Kor version of a translation bug, Adam found his Internet-like surfing expeditions to be quite enlightening, even though he’d found nothing on the computer to be of tactical value—at least not yet. But every bit of information helped. Who knew what innocuous tidbit would provide the spark for a plan?

When he wasn’t on the computer, Adam was beating himself up with an extremely strenuous exercise regime. With the light gravity of Kor, he had to work hard to maintain his strength and muscle mass. His natural Human abilities were his ace in the hole, and if he let his body acclimate to the local gravity he’d lose that advantage.

His watchers couldn’t understand his devotion to the exercise routine, not until he explained that it was part of his religion. They knew of the concept, based on their own fanatical worship of their Queen, so they left him alone after that.

Fortunately for him, most of the Sol-Kor were dumb as rocks and could be easily manipulated. However, there was a class of more-intelligent Sol-Kor, most of whom tended to hover around the Queen and her chambers.

And the Queen herself was the most intelligent of them all.

She was another Panur-like creature, similar to the five-thousand-year-old mutant alien who was himself a byproduct of the former Queen and another alien race. From what Adam had learned, J’nae had been created in the same manner, only using Panur and the Queen—his mother—for the necessary DNA material. Like Panur, J’nae had regenerative cells, allowing her to have already lived over six hundred standard years before assuming her role as the new Queen. She was also extremely fast,  unbelievably strong, and possessed a photographic memory and perfect recall.

Yet in spite of all her superior qualities, there was one thing Adam had learned about J’nae during their numerous sparring sessions that he found to be unexpected. Her own blows were not much more powerful than those of a strong Human male. To the native Sol-Kor, their new Queen was Superwoman, yet if it wasn’t for the fact that she couldn’t be killed, Adam was sure he could take her in a fair fight…if there was such a thing as a fair fight against an immortal mutant alien.

Adam’s musings came down to two major conclusions. One: if he was going to defeat the Queen, it would have to be by other than physical means.

And two: she couldn’t be outsmarted.

With that stark—and depressing—reality staring him the face, Adam smiled, feeling relief that all the signs kept pointing to the same conclusion.

He would have to escape on his own.

And the sooner the better. He was sure Riyad wasn’t sitting around twiddling his thumbs. It was only a matter of time before his best friend would make the fateful mistake that could cost him his life—and the lives of all who followed him.

Adam Cain wasn’t about to let that happen.

Adam Cain is an alien with an attitude.

His adventures continue….

Chapter 1

Riyad Tarazi was a man in a hurry.

He was also a man with a shit-eating grin on his face.

This was more than he’d expected. His friend Andy Tobias, the Admiral of the Fleet, had really come through this time…and now Riyad was gazing upon the meanest-looking personal starship he’d ever seen.

Officially classified as a Mark IV hybrid, she was a beauty, measuring a hundred meters from stem to stern and thirty at the beam, painted black with a swath of silver running along both sides. The sloping pilothouse had two forward-facing viewports separated by a narrow panel. Along each side of the hull was a huge gravity generator, rising above the main fuselage and rounded on top, before tapering down to a point toward the stern.

With a glow of light escaping through the twin viewports, the sleek vessel reminded Riyad of a yellow-eyed panther—head down silently stalking its prey, its haunches risen high above its body, rippling with muscle.

And this ship had plenty of muscle. According to the tech reports, it could reach an unbelievable nine hundred light, meaning under perfect conditions it could make the transit from Earth to the Galactic Core—a distance of around twenty-eight thousand light-years—in an astonishing thirty-three hours. Of course, that was a theoretical speed. There were too many annoying gravity influences along the way for him to really open her up.

But above the galactic plane…well, that was another story.

Looking at the ship, two words came to Riyad, and his beautiful new starship had her name: the Najmah Fahd, the Star Panther.

He needed a ship like this—a prototype—if he was to cover all his bases in the search for the mutant alien Panur, and do it in time to save Adam. His best friend was living on borrowed time. How much longer the Queen would find him entertaining was anyone’s guess, so it was imperative he found Panur as soon as possible. No one else in the galaxy knew how to access the Sol-Kor universe other than him. The mutant had invented the trans-dimensional transport portal in the first place, and Riyad had no doubt he could figure a way to get him and the rescue team back over to the other side.

That was assuming Panur would help. That outcome was still in question. But he had to be found first, and that wasn’t going to be easy, not in a galaxy as big as the Milky Way.

With the Najmah Fayd, Admiral Tobias had just helped Riyad cut the galaxy down to size, making it possible for him to cover more territory in less time.

Yet as a caveat to that, Tobias had also left no doubt in Riyad’s mind that there were forces opposed to his mission’s success, people who were content with letting the mutant genius stay where he was. They didn’t want to risk opening another channel to the Sol-Kor universe, one which they believed could be used to let the SK’s back into the Milky Way. He would have to be on guard.

Initially, he would take the newly christened Najmah Fayd out alone on his way to the planet Formil to meet with their disgraced Speaker to the Gods, Arieel Bol. She had information he needed, as well as a unique link to Panur’s companion, Arieel and Adam’s daughter, Lila. But this was just the starting point. He knew there would be many more stops along the way if he were to find the hiding place of the elusive alien mutant.

If all went well—and that was assuming a lot—he would return to California with Panur, to the grounds of the former Travis Air Force Base, where a new strike team was being assembled.

Riyad didn’t know how Panur would get them into the Sol-Kor universe, or if he’d even help at all. Yet if he did, it could be as simple as tweaking the TD-portal they already had back at Travis. Or he could come up with some completely new.

Or…none of the above. Riyad was operating in the dark.

As it neared midnight in Phoenix, Riyad prepared to step aboard his Mark IV hybrid prototype for the first time. The craft was sequestered within a super-secret area of the Union Developmental Technology Section outside the city, and he was the only person on the tarmac at the moment. The sky was clear and his spirits were soaring. He stretched out one of his trademark brilliant white smiles, soaking in the entire experience. No matter the odds against his mission succeeding, at least this part of his next exciting adventure was getting off to a great start…

********

The moment Riyad stepped through the hatch, he knew something was wrong. It took only a breath for him to identify the source of his unease, and when he did he was livid. This was a complication he didn’t need.

“Sherri! Where the hell are you?”

“Back here, claiming one of these staterooms. Damn, they’re nice.”

Riyad followed the scent of the perfume aft to one of the four staterooms, and was immediately presented with a pair of well-rounded hips wrapped in a form-fitting pink velour jumpsuit staring up at him in all their feminine glory. The woman finished placing a box under the bed before standing and turning to face him.

“Perfume a little too strong?” Sherri Valentine asked with a smile. “You always had a keen sense of smell.”

Riyad was at a loss for words. Sherri’s brilliant blue eyes seemed to glow above her high cheekbones; her tan skin stood in healthy contrast to the cascade of wavy blonde hair reaching to just below her shoulders. She was a beautiful woman, that he had to admit, but this was not the time to let himself get distracted.

“What…what the hell are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help.”

“I didn’t ask for any help.”

“I know. That’s why I’m here. You obviously aren’t thinking straight if you believe you can pull off a mission like this all by yourself.”

“Mission? Myself? How do you even know about my mission?”

“I still have my sources, sweetheart.” Then her face turned serious. “And this is about Adam. You wouldn’t expect me to sit this one out, now would you?”

“I would, and I did. You’re married now, and with a kid.”

“Married, no...miscarriage, yes.”

Riyad was taken aback. He also had his sources, yet this was the first he’d heard of his ex-girlfriend’s divorce…and miscarriage.

“I’m so sorry. I hadn’t heard. What happened?”

“Fate, I guess. But the doctors say I can still have children. And about Ricky—dude, he was a friggin real estate agent!” She rolled her eyes. “We’re talking boring with a capital ‘B.’ All he ever talked about was location, amenities, and how much square footage something has.” She cast Riyad a sexy twinkle in her eye. “Not like my two favorite galaxy-hopping alien assassins. C’mon, Riyad, a girl has to have her standards.”

Riyad shook his head. “No…this isn’t going to happen. I’m headed for Formil to get Arieel’s help. The last thing I need is for the two of you to get in a catfight over Adam again.”

“Give me some credit, Riyad. I’m over him—and you too for that matter. All I want is to help, and maybe relive some of the old glory, the old adventure. I’m not getting any younger, you know.”

Riyad couldn’t help himself. “You’ve held up pretty well from what I can see.”

“You really think so?” Sherri beamed, while reaching for the zipper of her form-fitting, powder-pink outfit. Slowing, she began to pull down on the metal tab, revealing a generous helping of tanned cleavage.

Riyad’s jaw fell open…just as Sherri promptly re-zipped the garment.

“Men…you’re so gullible.”

Riyad shook himself out of the trance. No matter how appealing she could be—at times—nobody liked Sherri Valentine, for a variety of reasons. He’d asked around. The sentiment was universal.

“No way. You’re too much of a distraction.”

“Tough lucky, buddy, you’re stuck with me. You might take a closer look at the requisition papers for this tub we’re in. They’re countersigned by Fleet Secretary Arness.”

“So what?”

“My ex sold him his house…and now his wife and I are BFF’s. You’ll see I’m listed as a co-signer on the release docs. You ain’t taking this ship nowhere without my permission.”

And that was why no one liked Sherri Valentine.

“I thought you didn’t want to live this type of life anymore?”

Sherri sat down on the edge of the bed as the smile ran away from her face. “We’re talking about Adam. He’s trapped in another universe, being held captive by a horde of flesh-eating aliens. The thought of him being stuck on the end of a Sol-Kor fork is just too much. I know you’re determined to get him back, and, well, so am I. You have to admit, my motives are pure. No one loves Adam Cain more than I do.”

Riyad studied her face. “Are you sure about this? There’s no guarantee of success.”

“I know, but it sure beats sitting around here doing nothing…or letting others fight the battles for me. And besides, you know I got skills.” The sly smile returned.

“Rusty skills…but yes.”

“I’ve been staying in practice. I won’t let you down.”

Riyad stared into Sherri’s hypnotic blue eyes and saw both sorrow and determination. He nodded. “Fine, you can tag along. But promise me that you and Arieel will try to get along. On top of everything else, I don’t need the two of you going all supernova on me.”

“It won’t be me going supernova, Riyad, that I promise. As for that alien bitch, I can’t vouch for her.”

Riyad felt a shiver run down his spine.

And so it begins…

Chapter 2

Overlord Ranor D’inos was confused. He had been called into the Elder’s presence to be assigned a task, and as yet, fifteen minutes after his arrival, he still hadn’t been informed what that task was to be. Yes, the information that had been divulged to this point was interesting, yet he failed to see how it was relevant to him.

“Yes, of course,” Ranor acknowledged. “I have heard of this mutant Panur. Most within the higher echelons of the Juirean government have heard of him. He has been the catalyst for Sol-Kor technological advances for several millennia—if the stories are to be believed. He is also the inventor of the trans-dimensional portal and the diamond crystal array detector, which to me appear to be in conflict with each other. He builds portals so the invaders can enter our space, and then a detector so they can be shut down? That does not make sense.”

Elder Synnoc nodded. He was a new Elder, having held the post for less than ten standard years. Yet despite his relatively short tenure, Synnoc had reigned during some of the most turbulent times in Juirean history. He’d assumed his station upon the death of Elder Wydor, while the Juirean people were still in the process of returning to their ancestral home of Juir after their forced exile.

It had been a traumatic time for their race, struggling to accept the destruction caused to their homeworld after the savage Kracori dropped an asteroid onto the planet’s once pristine surface. Nearly all traces of the planet’s once glorious civilization had been wiped out, even as imposters moved onto the world to assume control of what was left of their once all-powerful empire. The Juireans had created the Expansion from nothing, and then had to endure upstarts from the Far Arm playing at being the leaders of the galaxy.

Synnoc had been the Elder during all this time. When the Humans abdicated authority over the Expansion, he had been there to help lead his people back to their rightful place atop the empire they created.

And then came the Sol-Kor.

These mindless aliens were proving to be even a worse menace than the Humans, Kracori, and Klin combined. They cared nothing for alliances or colonization. They sought only food, eating advanced species such as the Juireans, as well as others. Facing this common threat, the civilizations of the galaxy had united, at least as much as was possible given their differences and volatile histories.

Elder Synnoc had presided over all this, and now he was asking for input on a matter of the utmost importance from his senior Overlord.

“The creature Panur is indeed an enigma, yet it is a fact that he has bonded more with the Humans than he has with any other race in the galaxy. As a result, he is a threat to us.”

Ranor frowned. “I thought we were at peace with the Humans?”

“A relative peace, brought about only by necessity. There can never be lasting relations between our two civilizations.”

“Why is that, Elder Synnoc?”

“Because we are too much alike.” Seeing the confusion on Ranor’s face, the Elder continued: “We covet the same things, Overlord. We are both of a similar background—the so-called savages among the enlightened, the more advanced.”

“I am confused.”

“Like us, the Humans have used the technology of the Klin to further their purposes. As a student of history, I have found that it is often the more scientifically-advanced races who are the most vulnerable. They often fail to see the full potential for their technologies, leaving that to the more primitive, pragmatic species, such as us and the Humans. Our two species have retained our animalistic traits, and use scientific advancement to supplement our primitive, warlike nature. As two civilizations with the same drive and instinct, it is only a matter of time before we clash again.”

“No offense, my Elder, but I fail to see the significance in the history lesson you have just given me.”

Synnoc grinned, keeping his teeth hidden by thin lips. “Please indulge the ramblings of a Juirean at the pinnacle of power, Overlord Ranor.”

“Of course. Forgive me.”

“The reason I tell you this is to preface what I believe to be a new threat to the Expansion.”

“What is that, my Elder?”

“A renewed partnership between the Humans and the mutant Panur.”

“I was under the impression he had vanished and is no longer a factor in galactic affairs.”

“That remains to be seen. The dynamic within the galaxy has changed quite recently. Even though we have regained control of the Expansion, thousands of major and minor members still view the Humans as the superior race within the galaxy.”

Ranor opened his mouth to protest, but a raised hand by the Elder silenced him.

“Yes, I know this is not so from our viewpoint, but nonetheless it is the opinion of a majority of the members.”

“They are not advocating returning leadership to the Humans?”

“No…not yet. However, they see recent developments as showing the prowess of the Humans and the ineptitude of the Juireans.”

“My Elder!”

“Consider…it was the Humans who recently destroyed the master portal in the Sol-Kor universe, thereby stopping all new enemy vessels from entering our space. Then there was the collaboration between Panur and the Humans to build the portal detector. And it is their fleets, along with the Panur-designed beam neutralizer, that is doing the most damage to the remaining Sol-Kor forces in our galaxy. And now to add even more credence to the belief, it was a band of Humans who recently assassinated the Eternal Queen. Even though another has taken her place, the feat itself was noteworthy. Because of all this, we Juireans are losing our…our aura, so to speak.”

“What can be done to restore our prestige, our legend?”

“I am still working on that answer. However, the reason you have been summoned this day is to help mitigate any further damage to our reputation.”

“How can I help?”

“Are you familiar with a Human named Riyad Tarazi?”

“Of course, my Elder. He is one of the notorious operatives working alongside the criminal Adam Cain.”

“Our sources within the Human government tell us Riyad Tarazi is mounting a mission to seek out the mutant Panur.”

“Is that possible…I mean that he can be found? Surely the odds must be high against such a thing?”

This time the smile on the Elder’s face nearly broke the display of teeth taboo. “If there is one thing I have learned about Humans, it is that they can never be underestimated, no matter the odds against them. I believe there is a very good possibility the Human will be able to locate Panur, and once that is done, convince him to assist the Humans again, if only initially in their attempt to rescue Adam Cain from Sol-Kor space.”

“Yes, I am aware of the stories of Cain’s capture.”

“It is believed that a new union between the Humans and the mutant could result in advances in technology that could threaten us, if the Humans decide to turn such technologies upon us. Being mirror images of each another, it is enviable for the Humans that they would do this. It is what we would do.”

“So Tarazi’s efforts must be stopped.”

“Precisely. However, the long-term threat would still remain, and that is the continued existence of Panur. Therefore, the mutant must be destroyed.”

Again Ranor frowned. “I was under the impression he could not be killed?”

“He cannot, but we believe he can be neutralized.”

“How, my Elder?”

“I will detail that in a moment. For the first phase of the operation, you will be tasked with only tracking Tarazi, not stopping him, until he finds the mutant. At that point, the next phase of our plan will be put into motion.”

“We can track his movements?”

“Yes, we can. You may find it hard to believe, Ranor, but we are being assisted in our efforts by forces within the Human government itself.”

Ranor was shocked that Humans would be conspiring against members of their own kind, and not only that, but against heroes of their race.

“Why would they do such a thing?”

“Because they feel—as we do—that Tarazi’s efforts may ultimately result in a re-link with the Sol-Kor universe. Once this is done, the invaders will be able to reenter our galaxy and resume their deadly harvesting.”

“I see that as a possibility as well. So this is my mission?”

“Yes, you are to monitor the movements of Riyad Tarazi as he seeks out Panur. He is employing a starship of advanced design, so you will be unable to maintain close surveillance on the vessel. However, once Panur is located, you must attempt to employ the techniques I am about to outline. We will rid the galaxy of the renegade alien who, through his misguided genius, is personally responsible for trillions upon trillions of deaths. But more importantly, we will prevent him from assisting the Humans in developing even deadlier technologies that could be used against us.”

“So I monitor his movements, and then attack when the time is right?”

“Exactly. You will be given the resources to guarantee success, although I must caution you against letting the Human know you are aware of his movements.”

“We have a tracker aboard his vessel?”

“Yes, and the Humans will be tracking him as well. Between our two efforts, Panur must be neutralized. After that threat is eliminated, we must turn our attentions on the Humans and their Orion-Cygnus Union. A time of reckoning is drawing near, Ranor. There have been too many distractions of late, yet there is a resolution on the horizon. Complete your mission and it will be the Humans who once again feel our wrath.”

Chapter 3

The controls of the Najmah Fahd were as nimble and intuitive as one would expect from a craft employing the latest technology and unlimited government funds. As a consequence, Riyad found it almost impossible to turn over control of the ship to the autopilot once they were out of the solar system and heading away from the plane of the ecliptic for the galaxy. The journey to Formil would take four days, and if he could have, he would have preferred to pilot her all the way there. But he also had to eat and sleep, and with Sherri’s continual harping on him to relinquish the controls, he reluctantly flicked the switch and climbed out of the pilot’s seat.

He was sending the ship away from the galaxy proper, away from competing gravity sources, so he could test its full capabilities. By traditional routes, the journey would take a several weeks, even in the Najmah Fahd, since Formil lay on the other side of the galactic core from Earth. Space between the two planets was littered with competing gravity sources, especially as they neared the core. However, steering above the galactic plane, Riyad could crank the ship up to her theoretical max. By distance, the course was much longer. By time, it was unbelievably shorter.

Riyad was mixing a herbal tea in the galley when Sherri pranced in and plopped down on the only couch in the lounge—the same place he had been planning to sit. He sat in one of the padded recliners instead.

“So Arieel is insisting on coming along?” Sherri asked out of the blue. “She’s really not equipped for a mission like this.”

“You mean she’s lacking skills?” His smile said it all.

“Fighting skills, yes,” Sherri countered. “You know she can’t seduce her way to finding Panur…or her daughter.” The last word came out like ice. She had been told that Adam was Lila’s father, and although Sherri and him hadn’t been an item for several years, it was still a sore subject. That he’d mated with an alien—a true alien—is what Riyad figured bothered her the most. Oh, and that Arieel was commonly referred to as the most-beautiful Prime female in the galaxy. He was sure that also had something to do with it.

“She just wants Lila back,” Riyad said. “She’s been cast out of the Order and is a disgrace to her race. She needs something to hold on to, to give her hope and pride, and her daughter is it. It’s a maternal thing, I guess.”

Riyad saw Sherri’s face go blank. “I’m so sorry, Sherri. That was insensitive.”

“That’s all right. Ricky and I could have had another child, but by then our relationship was already on the rocks. I’m okay…really I am.”

There was an awkward moment before Sherri spoke again. “So how are you planning on finding Panur?”

Relieved at the change of subject, Riyad was anxious to explain. “He took off with the Pegasus II. She’s a unique ship, well-known throughout the galaxy, and she uses a set of  specialized power modules. I’m hoping we can access the Library on Formil and check any references to the ship, and maybe track power mod orders that would fit the Pegasus.”

“That’s beyond normal Library references. Wouldn’t that take specialized access? The Formilians invented the Library and the universal translation bugs. They don’t let just anyone snoop around their private files.”

“That’s right, and that’s another reason why we need to hook-up with Arieel.”

“I thought you said she was an outcast?”

“She is—officially. But you can’t throw away two thousand years of fanatical religious lineage just like that. I’m sure she still has some allies in the government.”

“Let’s hope so.” Then Sherri’s face turned sullen. “Do you really think he’s still alive?”

“We’re talking about Adam Cain. I would be really surprised if he wasn’t. He has an uncanny affinity for survival. Besides, according to Mac MacTavish, this new queen has taken an interest in Humans.”

“Hopefully more than just culinary…although Adam does seem to have a way with alien women.”

Riyad snickered. “I hadn’t really thought of that before, but you’re right.”

“Still, this is a long shot—that we can even find Panur, I mean. I’m sure if he doesn’t want to be found, then we won’t find him.”

“I’ve always found him to be a cocky little son-of-a-goat, so we’ll use his overconfidence against him.”

Sherri shrugged. “We’ll see, as long as we don’t get too overconfident ourselves.”

Riyad smiled. “Fortunately, I have you along to make sure that that doesn’t happen.”

Sherri raised her right hand and extended the middle finger. “Asshole.”

“Just like old times.”

“Double asshole.”

********

The Najmah Fayd was granted landing access in the exclusive Temple spaceport next to the walled compound of the Order grounds. Although Arieel was no longer the Speaker of the Formilian Order, she was still housed in the complex, if in much more modest accommodations. After a clearing process, a transport was provided that brought Riyad and Sherri to Arieel’s new quarters.

When the door slid open, Riyad was taken aback by the absolute feminine allure of Arieel Bol. Although she was an alien, the exaggerated sensual curves, flowing jet black hair, and powerful pheromones, were universal in their appeal to most Primes throughout the galaxy. Her allure was shared by most Formilian females—and even the males—when it came to the opposite sex. Sherri had felt her own share of overwhelming unease around both Trimen O’lac—the new First Celebrant of the Order—and Convor Ton’al Ona, Arieel’s one-hundred-year-old-plus father, since deceased. The Formilians were just built that way, and although they were aware of the sexual power they had over most other Primes, they seldom used it for nefarious purposes.

Of course, Sherri had a differing opinion when it came to Arieel and her influence on Adam.

Arieel’s smile vanished the moment Sherri stepped into view. “I was not aware you were a member of the search team?”

“I am now.”

Arieel looked to Riyad. “What does she contribute to the venture?”

“Everyone just calm down. Sherri is a Human and her fighting skills could come in handy. And, Sherri, we need Arieel for her contacts on Formil—”

“In addition to the fact that we are seeking my daughter. If we find Lila, we find Panur.”

The pair stepped into Arieel’s humble quarters, which was a far cry from the palatial Speaker’s chambers. Arieel had been born and raised in the Temple. This had to be hard on her, Riyad thought.

After sitting on thread-worn couches, Riyad started the conversation.

“Any progress in restoring your status within the Order?”

“Some. I have allies arguing before the Council that relinquishing my Gift was an act of patriotism, that it has helped to secure the planet against Sol-Kor invasion. Closed minds are beginning to open, yet amongst the most devout I am still a pariah.”

“They could just give you a new one…a new Gift,” Riyad said.

“They could, but this crisis has changed more than just my status. Now that the true nature of my abilities—the Speaker’s abilities—has been revealed to the population, the mystique has vanished. Some feel betrayed that technology was used in place of natural ability to commune with our gods. The Order is losing influence and a new system is being contemplated as its replacement. There may be no Speaker position to be filled in the near future. But let’s speak of the mission at hand. You have been vague as to your plan for finding Panur—I assume for security reasons.”

“Admiral Tobias warned me that there are elements within the Union government against us finding another way into the Sol-Kor universe. They feel it best that we leave things the way they are, even if that means sacrificing Adam.”

“I agree,” Arieel said, to the surprise of both Humans. “If I was not so influenced by personal motives, I would be opposed to such a mission as well. As it is, I am willing to take the risk.”

“Then let’s act fast, before any real opposition can be organized,” Sherri said.

“Agreed.”

“We need access to the Library,” Riyad said, deciding to go for broke. “And not just the general data, but the internals, including the language banks.”

Arieel’s eyes filled with concern. “You did not mention this before, Riyad. Access to such sources is subject to the utmost restrictions.”

“I realize that, but can you get us in?”

“Alerts will be triggered, so if I do it will only be for a limited time.” She hesitated. “It will also identify me as breaking protocol, which will be seen as another betrayal of my sacred trust. It will not help my cause before the Order Council.”

Riyad and Sherri remained silent. This was a decision Arieel had to make on her own.

“I have conflicted feelings about this,” she said eventually. “Although I feel badly for what has become of the Speakership as a result of my actions, I also feel the need to unite with my daughter, if even to spend our remaining time in exile. The damage has been done to the Order…there will be no going back. So all I have to truly hope for is that Lila can be lured away from the influence of the mutant—the other mutant.”

“We have to find her first,” Riyad pointed out.

“I realize that, and that is the reason I will help—if I can. I will make contact with certain people in the data center. Their assistance will come at a high price, as there will be no shielding them from in-depth investigation. I regret what is to become of them.”

Arieel stood from the couch and walked toward a door in her small apartment. “Allow me a moment in private as I make the arrangements. I realize we have no time to waste. We must move quickly, and then stay ahead of our opponents.”

“Thank you, Arieel.”

“Thank me once I have actually accomplished something. For now, all I can do is try.”

********

Four hours later, the trio entered a low-slung building several kilometers from the Temple compound. A nervous Formilian male quickly steered them into an elevator that descended far below the surface. He seldom met Arieel’s eyes, awed by the presence of the female who had once ruled his planet and his race. As the elevator neared its destination, he spoke for the first time.

“Security has been turned off in this section of the building, and will remain so for eight minutes. Beyond that, the automatic detectors will activate. Enter through the doors across from the lift. Others have been sent on cursory assignments, so you will be alone for the designated period.”

“Your help is greatly appreciated,” Arieel said. “Are you shielded?”

“To a limited degree. Should others wish to probe deeper, I will be revealed.”

“Let us hope that does not happen.”

“Yes. I have a family to consider.”

“If that should happen, I will endeavor to provide for you and yours. I still have some assets to employ.”

The doors slid open, and the male slipped out before anything else could be said. He hurried down the corridor, leaving the trio standing awkwardly in the elevator. The doors began to close.

Together, they rushed out of the car.

There was a set of heavy metal doors across the narrow lobby, with an assortment of locks and other security devices on them. Riyad was surprised when the doors opened at the slightest touch and no alarms went off.

“Have you ever been here before?” Sherri asked Arieel.

“I have toured the facilities on a number of occasions, as new sections have been added. At times I have also been allowed to access data. It is a rite of passage in a way, since the existence of the Library and language banks are so crucial to the galaxy. We revere these institutions almost as highly as we do Mislin and Sufor. Or at least we did.” The Formilian had a sour look on her face.

Sherri carried an MK-17 bolt launcher, set on level-three. It would stun a Formilian but not kill, should they run into any trouble. Fortunately, as had been promised, the room was empty, though there was seating for several operators placed before a huge bank of sophisticated computer servers.

Riyad’s jaw fell open. “Where do we even begin?”

“Any of these consoles can draw data. Let us sit. Now, tell me, what are you seeking?”

“I’m assuming Panur went to a section of the galaxy where the Union and the Expansion are not well represented. If that’s the case, then any mention of the Pegasus would have to have been added to the local language programs. So first let’s access the translation servers.”

Arieel tapped the surface of a monitor and a series of boxes appeared on the screen. She hit one, then a sequence of two more as new data options came up. “We now have access to the language programs. This is where all the millions of languages spoken within the galaxy are stored. I will  look for references to the word Pegasus to see if it has been added to a language program over the past six standard months.”

The results came up instantaneously. They were written in Formilian, so only Arieel reacted when the data came up.

“We have success!”

“Where?”

“The word was added to the Rissen dialect, T41, four months ago.”

“Where is Rissen spoken?”

She tapped the screen again. “The Dzin Sector.”

Sherri shook her head. “Where the hell is that? I’ve never heard of it.”

“Neither have I,” said Arieel. “I will check.”

A few taps later, she was again reading the screen. “The Dzin Sector is a minor arm of the galaxy, located between the Far Arm and the Expansion Kidis Frontier. T41 is a language spoken by the Aforac, natives of the planet Opness Gaslinska Dor.”

“That’s a mouthful,” Sherri said, her eyes rolling back in her head. “Can you print out a specific location?”

“I have entered it into my translator. I can call up the reference as need be.”

“All right, we’re making progress,” Riyad said. He checked his watch. They were running out of time. “Now I need you to access the Library files.”

“Requesting what information?”

“Suppliers of the SCAC-18 fuel modules. That’s what the Pegasus runs on since Panur made the change over to his hybrid propulsion drive.”

Arieel set to work tapping the screen again. The seconds ticked by, causing Riyad and Sherri to share a nervous look. Anytime now the automatic alarms could be set off. Neither of them knew what would happen then. This was the hub of all data that circulated within the galaxy, along with the translation programs that filtered down to the trillions upon trillions of embedded language bugs, allowing for interspecies communications and interaction. The place had to be one of the most secure locations in the entire galaxy. And they had waltzed right in.

 “I have eighty-four manufacturers of the SCAC-18 fuel modules,” Arieel announced. “Their records are now available to us.”

Riyad leaned in closer. “Good, now, from the research I’ve done, as a rule these mods are used primarily in huge power plants and not individual starships. Can you isolate recent orders to only those for smaller quantities?”

“Yes. The orders are numerous and in bulk, as you intimated. There has only been one such order for a five-module quantity.” Arieel looked over her shoulder at the two Humans and smiled. “And the order came from a planet within the Dzin Sector!”

“The Aforac?” Sherri asked.

“No, the Wokan. I have the location and the name of the firm that placed the order.”

“Has it shipped yet?” Riyad asked.

“Yes…but is still en route. Scheduled delivery date is two days from now.”

“How far is it to the Dzin Sector from here?”

Arieel shook her head. “According to this data, it is beyond twenty thousand light-years.”

Sherri looked at Riyad. “Even your new starship couldn’t make it there in time.”

“Is that when the modules will be delivered to the…the Wokan company that ordered them?”

“Yes.”

“Can you find out where the modules are ultimately headed for?”

“That information is not available, although that seems highly irregular that it would not be included.”

“Bingo!” Riyad said. “Sounds like something Panur would do to keep his location and identity a secret.”

“I have recovered the reference to the word bingo, although I do not see where it would apply in this case.”

“That’s all right, my dear,” Riyad said. “I’ll explain later. For now, get the address of the company on Woken. That’s our next destination. Make sure our tracks are covered and then let’s go.”

“I am closing out the access. I need thirty seconds—”

Which ended up being twenty-nine seconds too long. Alarms blared all around them, while the lights in the room began to oscillate on and off.

“Time to go!”

They ran for the exit, yet as Riyad pulled on the wide lever on the security doors, they wouldn’t budge. They were  locked inside the main server room.

“Any suggestions?” he asked Arieel.

“Within moments, security personnel will arrive. Traditionally, we consider the integrity of this facility, as well as the eighteen redundant sites storing data, as paramount. Formilian respect relies on it.”

“So no way out?” Sherri summarized.

“None that I am aware.”

Sherri moved closer to the security panels on the doors. “If you had a…a Gift… could you override the locks?”

“Of course. They are governed by devices we have created.”

“Then help me out.”

“I do not understand?” Arieel said.

Riyad cast an accusatory look at Sherri. “I thought you had yours removed over a year ago, when you left the gang to marry Ricky?”

Sherri smirked. “I wanted to, but somehow I couldn’t make myself do it. It’s a pretty neat gadget to have if you’re not being called to participate in some wild galactic adventure at all hours of the day and night.”

“Arieel, can you help her get the doors open?”

“You have a working Gift within your body?” Arieel was aghast. She knew Adam, Riyad, and Sherri had once been equipped with brain-interface devices—Gifts as they were referred to within the Formilian religion—but she too had thought their devices had either been used in Panur’s portal detector, or as in Sherri’s case, been deactivated.

“Do you not know how to use your Gift—your device?” Arieel chided.

“Sure I do, for the basics. But not to unlock security doors like these.”

“It is all the same. Search for the control modules in the area and then identify those within the locking mechanisms. It is quite simple.”

“Maybe for you, but I haven’t used this damn thing for much more than as a fancy TV remote control for over a year.”

“Hurry, Sherri,” Riyad interrupted. “The bad guys are closing in.”

“Just reach out and feel the energy,” Arieel prodded.

Sherri accessed the brain-interface device, the pencil-size transmitter embedded under the skin below her right armpit. She could sense dozens of electronic control modules in the room. Within her mind’s eye, she saw glowing sources of light all around her, and when she looked at the double doors she saw four especially bright ones, two on each door panel.

“Command their contacts to be severed.”

“How do I do that?”

“By visualizing the event.”

“Sure…just imagine the doors openi—”

The foot-thick metal panels began to rotate inward toward the trio.

“You did it!” Riyad exclaimed. He drew his own MK-17 from its holster and slipped through the ever-widening opening.

“I don’t know how I did it…but damn!”

“Excellent, Sherri Valentine. Now please come along. Your Gi—device—may be needed again before we make our escape from the data center.”

They entered the elevators across the lobby and were headed toward the surface before any guards appeared. Whoever had made the arrangements for them to infiltrate the center had also stationed members of the rapid response force in another area of the building, thereby delaying their arrival at the site of the security breach. However, as the elevator doors slid open at surface level, the trespassers were confronted with a contingent of ten uniformed guards, armed to the teeth and with serious, determined looks on their faces…until…

Arieel Bol stepped from the elevator.

“My…Speaker…what are you doing here?” the lead security officer stammered. Although news had circulated long ago regarding Arieel’s demotion, old habits survived.

“I was guiding a tour of the facilities when the alarms sounded,” said Arieel. “I have with me dignitaries from the Union. It is all I am allowed to do these days.”

“I do not understand.”

“I have been relegated to escort duty,” Arieel explained to the shocked gathering of guards. “And now I am highly embarrassed by this apparent scheduling of a surprise security test just as I was concluding my tour. My guests have been quite irritated by the rudeness of the drill.”

“I was not aware this is a drill,” said the officer. “I received no such notification.”

“If you had, what good would your response rating have been?”

“Indeed. However, that is not how the drills are conducted.”

“Until now, apparently. As you can see, this is a much more conclusive test of your readiness, would you not agree?”

“Yes…I suppose.”

“Now, apologize to my distinguished guests and let us proceed.”

The guard looked at Riyad and Sherri, who each displayed their best expressions of disgust and anger. “I wish to apologize,” the officer began, not completely sold on the explanation, even though it came from his former Speaker. “The scheduling of such a drill was not my doing. I will certainly investigate to find who is at fault, not only for the timing of the drill, but also for not informing me of the tour conducted by our Sp—our former Speaker.”

“Apology accepted,” Riyad said, as he rushed past the guards and toward the exit from the building.

“And don’t let this happen again!” Sherri added over her shoulder. “This is no way to treat people of our status. Arieel may no longer be your Speaker, yet I will be sure to make my displeasure known to those who are in charge—”

“Zip it, Sherri,” Riyad said under his breath.

The trio stepped out into the bright daylight of Formil, heading for the official vehicle with its waiting driver. The area outside the main entrance to the center was swarming with guards and other concerned personnel. They all stopped to gawk at the presence of Arieel on the grounds. Her status might be in question within the Order, but to those beyond the walls of the Temple Complex, Arieel was still their leader, the voice of their gods. At least when she wasn’t in the process of breaking their most sacred trust and traditions.

********

The driver was a loyalist who had worked for Arieel and her family for nearly fifty local years. He drove them to the Temple spaceport without question and dropped the trio off at Riyad’s prototype starship. Arieel hugged the good-looking hunk of Formilian maleness and whispered something to him with a tear in her eye.

Riyad could tell this was a goodbye. The former leader of the planet had no intention of ever returning to her homeworld again. It choked him up some, while Sherri impatiently tapped the metal bulkhead at the side of the entry hatch, anxious to button up and be gone.

If it wasn’t for the heavy gravity of Earth, Riyad would have offered her sanctuary there—her and Lila, if that came to pass—but she would have to find another world.

When Arieel finally entered the Najmah Fayd, Sherri just grunted and activated the door lock. The three ended up on the bridge.

Riyad’s new ride didn’t require much warm-up before she was ready for space, and with no bulletins out for them—yet—permission was given to lift. Forty seconds later, the ship was beyond the outer atmosphere of Formil and preparing to engage the gravity drive—which appropriately enough was based on Panur’s upgrade of the Pegasus II.

“Give me the coordinates to Wokan, Arieel.”

Arieel was at the portside forward viewport staring down at Formil.

“Arieel…I need the coordinates.”

Without turning, she recited the numbers. After entering them into his nav computer and pressing the autopilot button, Riyad went and stood next to her.

“Nothing is forever. You may return one day.”

Arieel shook her head. “I am tired of fighting. The past several years have been hard on me and my people. I, too, had been deluded as to my supposed special powers. I was given my Gift at such a young age that I figured having such an implant was a rite of passage for Speakers. As it turned out, I was right, although it meant I was perpetuating a lie. Do not mistake me, I still believe in the powers of Mislin and Sufor. Their influence on everything around us is undeniable. Yet I thought I—and all the Speakers before me—were…different. I thought we truly did have a unique channel to the gods. Now, just like everyone else, I know the truth, that I was nothing special, just a person with an artificial device.” She hesitated, and her voice trembled. “Even if I were to return I would only continue to be embarrassed and angry all the time. I would see myself as a symbol of all that was wrong with two thousand years of Formilian history.”

“And being away…how would that be different?”

“Because I will not have to face my fellow Formilians. I cannot personally apologize to each one, so it is best that me and Lila—” her voice cracked even more “—just fade away, and let situations settle out on their own. I suspect the Order will not be able to fully explain their reasoning for such a long-term deception to an angry population.”

“You may be wrong, Arieel,” Riyad said. “I saw how those people outside the Temple walls looked at you. To them, you are still their spiritual leader. I agree that difficult times are coming, but that may be when you are needed the most. The Order created the lie, and they have been the ones who kept it going. The position of Speaker is hereditary, and so you had no choice but to become part of the illusion. Now you know better. You have credibility. You could lead your people to a new place, one without the need for individuals with so-called mystical powers. So tell them you still believe in your gods. That is very important. My people are extremely religious as well, and the past twenty years have challenged our beliefs like never before—yet I still believe, even after all I have seen.”

He paused and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. “There’s no need to make final decisions now. Once you’re reunited with Lila, you can decide what’s best…for both of you.”

Arieel leaned her head onto Riyad’s chest.

Riyad heard Sherri in the background: “Oh, brother, give me a break.”

Chapter 4

Finding Juirean warships in Formilian space was nothing unusual. After all, Formil was a top-tier member of the Expansion and the most important technological planet in the entire galaxy. Even a squadron of five Class-Fours off by themselves wasn’t out of the ordinary.

So when the Human starship lifted from the planet’s surface, Overlord Ranor D’inos was there to see it happen. Even if he hadn’t been, the tracking device was working perfectly, and for that Ranor was thankful. But when the tiny ship engaged whatever revolutionary stardrive it employed, he was stunned. He checked his screens to make sure the ship was still being followed, if only electronically. It seemed to disappear and reappear along a straight path away from Formil, pulling away from the planet at such an incredible rate that his ships were woefully underpowered to even attempt keeping up.

Navigators hunched over plotting boards, doing their best to determine a final destination. Fortunately, the Human ship wasn’t trying to be deceptive. As Ranor’s ships engaged their own gravity drives and sped out of the star system, the path of the miracle starship seemed to be aiming for the Kidis Frontier.

Guard Elite Hansi Clidus was Ranor’s second-in-command. “It makes sense that the mutant would seek shelter and anonymity within the Frontier.”

“Do we have any forces in the region that could be in waiting for their arrival?” Ranor asked. “At our top speed, the Humans will reach the Frontier fully a week before we do.”

Hansi checked the computer. “Only token units, and nothing more than a Class-Three.”

“Still, enlist them in our efforts. We may know where the Humans are going, yet if they acquire the mutant immediately upon arrival, they could be gone well before we have a chance to accomplish our mission.”

“Agreed.” Then Hansi looked down at the graphic path of the Human starship on his screen. “Such gravity-drive technology could tip the balance of power in favor of the aliens,” he said. “It seems that in nearly every category the Humans are advancing much faster than are we.”

Ranor bristled. Was his Second a supporter of the Human superiority movement? “They have had an undue advantage recently—the help of our intended target,” Ranor said curtly.

“That only refers to certain technologies. There are others—”

Sensing that he might have stepped over a line, Hansi stopped speaking and stood up straight, facing his Overlord. “I am not saying they are superior to us, my Lord.”

Ranor let his yellow eyes burn into the younger Juirean, conveying more than words could. His voice was as cold as glacial ice: “Our people have had to withstand much more dishevel than have the Humans. Even if Earth was attacked on two separate occasions, they were never required to evacuate their homeworld, only to return to total destruction. Do not doubt the power or the resolve of the Juirean people. Distractions aside, we are still the leaders of the Expansion, and by extension, the entire galaxy. The Humans maintain their tiny Union because we allow them to. That time will soon come to an end, Hansi. Be sure you know where your loyalties lie at that time.”

“My loyalties have always been with my people,” Hansi said a little too emphatically. Others on the bridge began to take notice of the conversation. “I, for one, am anxious to resume our efforts against the Humans.”

“As am I. Yet let us complete this mission first, because if we fail, the mutant Panur will provide even more advancements for the Humans, advancements which will be paid for by an untold number of Juirean lives in the coming conflict.”

“I will make the links now, and call in every unit we have available in Kidis.”

“Do that, yet stage them appropriately so they show no undue activity. We want the Humans to lead us to Panur, not to abandon their search.”

“It will be done. With your leave, my Lord.”

Ranor watched his Second move away.

I will have to watch that one, he thought. Then he sighed. I do not need this complication. I will replace him before we reach Kidis—indeed, I will make an example of him. My mission is too important for me to be distracted with such thoughts. Yes, Hansi will be replaced, and in a very public manner.

Chapter 5

The Najmah Fayd entered the Wokan star system four days later, two days after the SCAC-18 modules had been scheduled for delivery.

From his research, Riyad found that the Kidis Frontier was much like the Fringe Worlds, only more so. This was an entire arm of the galaxy, albeit a minor arm, whereas the Fringe was just thirty-six scattered star systems and twelve habitable worlds.

Wokan was the first habitable system at the entrance to the arm, so it served as a clearinghouse for everything coming into the region from both the Expansion and the Union that was destined for the primitive worlds beyond. Not much came out of the Frontier of value, with the exception of contraband narcotics and various manufactured goods routed through the region to escape high tariffs.

As the ad hoc capital of the Frontier, there was more known of Wokan than most of the other planets in the region. And one of the most interesting features Riyad learned was that there was literally no law on Wokan. In spite of this, business thrived and populations were protected through the use of huge private security companies known as Defenders. Every community and establishment employed the guard forces, which were made up of every rough and tumble species found throughout the galaxy.

Even though he was a couple of decades separated from his own wild and crazy renegade days as the leader of the Fringe Pirates, there was something comforting about the system on Wokan. No one would be looking over his shoulder to make sure he did things according to the book—there was no book. What you could afford—and impose on others—was the rule, and not by government fiat. It was all on the individual.

Of course the system wasn’t perfect—far from it. It took Riyad several tries before he located someone who could assign him a landing space. Even the spaceports were privately owned and competing with each other—to the benefit of Riyad and his team. He rented a pad in a port on the outskirts of Essen, the largest city on the planet, for the equivalent of $6.50 per day.

Planning ahead, he also contacted one of the Defender companies and hired a team of guards for the Najmah Fayd. His ship was too unique and too valuable to be left unattended while they tracked down O-Pell Energy, the company that had ordered the SCAC-18 power modules. As far as Riyad could tell, O-Pell was the largest such business in the Frontier, showing that if you supplied a product everyone needed, you were more or less left alone, just like a mail carrier in a bad neighborhood. Everyone needed to get their monthly government checks.

Once on the surface with the generators turned off, Riyad noticed that the gravity of Wokan was Expansion Standard, which left him and Sherri with a spring in their steps and a distinct physical advantage over all those who found the local gravity to be normal.

For her part, Sherri was absolutely ecstatic about setting foot on another alien world. She’d been away from the scene for a couple of years, and the boredom associated with everyday life as a Realtor’s wife had just about drove her insane. But now she stopped in her tracks and stared at Riyad, her jaw slack.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me?” she said, scanning Riyad’s outfit from top to bottom. Arieel followed her gaze and frowned at the sour expression on the face of the Human female.

Riyad had come out of his stateroom wearing a pair of blue pants with a yellow stripe running the length of the legs, a brown vest, and a white, long-sleeve shirt.

“I suppose this makes me Princess Leia, or is that honor reserved for our over-sexed alien friend?”

“I don’t know what you mean—”

“C’mon, having delusions of grandeur are you, Riyad? Or should I call you Han, Han Solo?”

“What is it you are speaking of?” Arieel finally asked.

“Just a little Earth mythology, Arieel. Riyad thinks he’s some kind of dashing scoundrel of a hero. What was Solo called…a scruffy-looking nerf-herder?”

“Who’s scruffy-looking?”

“I understand nerfs are an indigenous bovine species of Jalin IV, according to the Library?” Arieel said.

“Yeah, I’m sure they are, just like George Lucas was probably an alien placed on Earth to help acclimate the population to…well, all of this.” Sherri waved her hand at the expanse of the spaceport, having just stepped through the doorway of the Najmah Fayd. “You’re really going out in public like that?”

“You have to admit, I look good.”

“I don’t recall Han having a full black beard and a swarthy complexion.”

“His loss.”

Sherri reacted to Riyad’s brilliant white smile with a shake of her head. “Save it for the uninitiated, Riyad. Been there, done that.”

Their friendly banter was interrupted by the arrival of eight burly-looking aliens representing three distinct species. Each was over seven-feet tall and barrel-chested. They wore bandolier ammo belts of flash power packs crisscrossing their torsos, and double holsters of MK plasma weapons, along with an assortment of other defensive instruments made up of metal rods and other things with spikes. Seeing the range and depth of their personal arsenals, Riyad gained a sense of confidence that his ship would remain safe while on the surface of Wokan.

One of the aliens stepped up to the trio with purpose. He eyed the females with unabashed bravado. “Is your harem accompanying you?”

“We are not his harem,” Sherri stated defiantly.

The alien met her angry eyes with a steely indifference. “As you say.” He turned his attention to Riyad: “I am Saln Xacin, of Apex Defensive Services. Is the vessel unoccupied?”

“It is…and it will remain so,” Riyad answered as he slipped a stack of Juirean credits into the outstretched hand of the Defender. “We’re heading into town for a couple of hours. No one is to attempt entry or even to approach the craft. Is that understood?”

“It is a unique vessel. It will gain much attention—and desire—here on Wokan.”

Riyad handed him an additional two chips.

“But it will remain secure.”

“See that it does. If so, there will be a bonus for all of you when we return.”

“This is your first arrival on Wokan.” The comment was a statement, not a question. “Our reputation as Defenders here is very important. We do not get hired if we allow a breakdown in security. Your vessel will be safe, although a bonus would be appreciated.”

“I thought so. Is that our transportation?”

Saln pointed to a rusty box on wheels sitting nearby. “Yes, it is reliable and affordable. One of my Defenders will accompany you.”

“Is that necessary?” Sherri asked.

The alien regarded her for a long moment before responding…to Riyad. “He will serve as your guide and protector. The transport driver also has his own Defender.”

“It could get a little crowded in there,” Riyad commented with a smile. He pulled his lips back over his teeth when he noticed a reaction from Saln. “Sorry, force of habit.”

“I would recommend you control that…habit. It would not do for you to get yourself killed over a misunderstanding.”

“Do you realize what species we are?” Sherri asked.

Again the long scrutiny. “You could be Scarpins, or possibly even Humans. I am not sure.”

“We are—”

“We are Scarpins, you are correct,” Riyad said, cutting off Sherri’s proclamation.

Saln then turned his lustful expression on Arieel. “And you are definitely a Formilian. We see your kind rarely, and even less so the females. Will you be staying on Wokan long?”

“Only as long as necessary,” Riyad said, before taking both the women by the arm and steering them toward the transport. “Keep everyone away from my ship…and that includes your Defenders. There are special security defenses attached to the hull which I’m sure you will find very unpleasant.”

In the front seat of the electric cab was the driver, and another huge alien armed to the teeth seated next to him. As Riyad, Sherri and Arieel slipped into the back, one of Saln’s huge Defenders squeezed onto the single bench seat next to Arieel. The accommodations were unquestionably tight.

“You may sit on my lap,” the Defender said to Arieel.

“Oh, that would be more comfortable.” Arieel lithely moved onto the wide expanse offered to her. She remained there only a few seconds before forcing herself back between the Defender and Sherri.

She eyed the alien with embarrassment, as the Defender stared back at her with a satisfied grin. “Forgive me,” she said.

“There is nothing to forgive. I enjoyed it.”

“Oh my God…did you just—”

“Destination?” the driver called out.

“O-Pell Energy,” Riyad announced, anxious to change the subject.

“South or east?”

“The main operation.”

“South. That will be sixty credits.”

Riyad passed him the chips, noticing how the cab’s Defender was looking into the back at Arieel. “You may now choose to sit in the front…with me,” he offered.

“No thank you. I am content to remain where I am.”

“I am a Fasson…have you heard of us? You may be impressed—”

“Leave my customers alone, Najaz,” the driver scolded. “Save your bragging for the walkers in the Dacca Sector.”

“It is not bragging…it is a fact.”

“Can we please change the subject,” Sherri asked.

The Defender in the front seat now shifted his attention to her. “I would not be opposed to even you joining me up here…”

Sherri’s MK was in her hand in a flash, the barrel pressing hard against the alien’s cheek while her free hand held his head in place. He struggled to pull away, but Sherri’s superior strength held him firm. “I said let’s change the subject.”

“No fighting in the transport!” the much smaller cab driver called out.

“We aren’t fighting, are we? Just having a meeting of the minds.”

“Yes. I mean no…no fight. You may remain where you are.”

“I thought so.” Sherri released the Defender and settled back onto her seat. She looked over at Riyad and beamed a full-tooth grin.

“One of these days you’re going to get us all killed,” Riyad said under his breath.

“Not before I teach these aliens how to respect a woman.”

“An MK does have a way of getting respect.”

“Exactly.”

********

The rest of the trip made done in silence, the occupants taking in the glorious sights of the city of Essen. As was expected, it was a real shithole. Without any government supervision, construction was haphazard and definitely not up to code. There were short buildings and tall buildings. There were tall buildings that had toppled over onto smaller buildings, only to be modified into a blend of both from the debris. And the traffic followed no orderly pattern. He with the largest vehicle made the rules, so there was a number of tank-like transports literally barreling their way through traffic. On the thirty minute ride to the south side offices of O-Pell Energy, they witnessed no fewer than three murders as angry drivers and riders engaged in full-on shootouts with the drivers and Defenders of tanks. Most often, the tank drivers—and their security guards—won out.

O-Pell Energy was located within a walled compound guarded by several hundred Defenders. The company was rich enough to have its own security force. They displayed themselves along the tops of the wall and at guard stations located at the two entrances. The transport pulled up to one of these entrances and stopped.

“You are here,” the driver announced. “Do you wish me to wait? It will be nine additional credits her hour.”

“Yes, wait. But can’t we enter the grounds? We have business to conduct inside.”

“No unauthorized entrance. Speak with the Defenders at the gate.”

The trio exited the vehicle, along with the still grinning Defender from Apex Defensive Services.

Riyad stepped up to a window in the guard shack. “We wish to meet with someone regarding the purchase of energy modules.”

“In person? Most orders are accomplished remotely,” said the guard on the other side of the glass.

“We just arrived, and we have special needs.”

“What special needs?”

“SCAC-18 mods.”

“Are you a power source buyer?”

“Yes, for a new plant being installed off-planet. We will need quite an amount. It will be a very large order for O-Pell.”

“I doubt that,” said the guard. “This is a very large company.”

“Still, it will bring a very large commission to our representative.”

“And who is that?”

“We do not have one at this moment. Please pass along our inquiry to those inside. Then let’s see who is aggressive enough to earn our business.”

“I will do so…but I too require a commission.”

“For calling over to the main building?”

“You do not have an appointment. It is how things are done on Wokan.”

Riyad slipped him a ten credit chip. The guard looked at him and frowned. Another two chips were passed under the glass barrier before the Defender made the call.

“Your Defender must remain here. He will not be needed inside.”

A few minutes later, a small golf cart-like transport arrived driven by a creature who could best be described as a large rodent-like thing. His seat had even been cut out to accommodate his long tail, while tiny, delicate hands gripped the steering wheel.

The two Humans and Arieel climbed aboard, and without a word the cart took off for the largest of the buildings within the compound.

The structures here were different from those outside the walls. These appeared to have been built by professionals, probably imported from the Expansion. The main building was over twenty stories tall, and there were six other smaller buildings filling the compound.

They were let off at the main entrance, which featured a wide, glass-paneled foyer. A thin alien with black skin watched them enter the building .

“I am Quiss. I will be your representative for O-Pell Energy,” he said as an introduction. No hand was offered.

“I am Riyad,” said the Human, following Quiss’s lead of no last names. Of course, he might not have one. Riyad didn’t know. “And this is Sherri and Arieel.”

“Will your slaves require other accommodations while we conduct our business?”

“They are not my slaves,” Riyad stated quickly before Sherri was tempted to draw her weapon again. “They are my business associates.”

“They are?” said the alien with genuine amazement. “I have heard of such things. How…unique.” He regarded the two females before turning his attention back to Riyad. “So you require a quantity of SCAC’s. They are very rare and expensive, as you must be aware.”

“I am aware. But I think it best that we conduct our business in a more secure location.”

“Of course, please follow me. Besides, I will need access to our database to check inventory…and your credit rating.”

Riyad and Arieel followed the alien. Sherri brought up the rear, her face red and her blue eyes on fire. Riyad had been to a lot of planets in the galaxy, and he had to admit, he hadn’t seen too many that were more misogynistic than Wokan. He prayed Sherri could hold herself together long enough for them to get the information they needed. Murder might be legal on the planet, but it was still a complication he didn’t need.

They entered a large conference room and were offered seats around an oblong table with three computer terminals placed on top. Quiss activated one of the terminals.

“SCAC-18’s, you say. Used primarily in city-size power plants and specialized spaceships of the Class-Six or larger variety.”

Riyad could see the dollar signs already registering in the mind of the alien. This could be a huge commission for the skinny creature. “That is true, but I also understand they are used in specialized starships of a smaller size.”

Quiss frowned. “I have not heard of such a thing.”

“My ship employs them,” Riyad countered.

“Indeed? What is the make of your ship?”

“It is a prototype. There is no brand name.”

“Is it here on Wokan?”

“Yes it is.”

“Are you seeking modules for it alone? I understood you were here to place a larger order.” Quiss pushed away from the table, a frown on his face.

“Yes, we are. Much larger. In fact, it was because of our need for SCAC’s that my ship was built. Since there would be so many of the mods available, it only made sense.”

The alien’s expression changed. “Very good. And how many units would you be needing? And will this be on a continual basis?”

“Initially, I will need two hundred, and then a maintenance amount of forty per standard month.”

Now there was no hiding it. The attitude of the salesbeing changed dramatically. He pressed a button on the table. “Please bring a testing box for refreshments.” Turning back to them, he said, “Let me provide you with the best O-Pell can offer. We also have accommodations for a longer stay within the compound. There will be no need for you to seek them within Essen. You would not want that anyway.”

“We appreciate that,” Riyad said. “But remember, along with the bulk order I will also need to place a smaller order for my ship. I will be paying for that separately.”

“What quantity do you require?”

An attendant came in carrying a small box. Each of the visitors placed a finger inside and then the attendant left.

“Five only.”

“Five? That is indeed a very small order. Normally there would be a surcharge added, but I can probably waive that in light of the larger, bulk order.”

“That would be appreciated. Do you deal in such small quantities?”

“I am not sure. I will check.”

The attendant returned with a tray of bubbling, clear liquid drinks. The trio tested them. “Not bad,” Sherri said. “Intoxicants?”

Quiss grinned. “Mild,” he said. “They should not impair your judgement, if that is your concern.”

“My concern would be for more of them. These are delicious.”

Quiss beamed. “I am glad you approve.” He nodded to the waiting attendant, who left the room to get more of the drinks.

Looking at his screen, Quiss said, “Yes, we have on occasion supplied smaller quantities of SCAC-18 mods—in fact, just recently, as I can see.”

“Really? I thought I was the only one with a ship that required them, other than the huge carrier platforms the Juireans use.”

“There appears to be another…someone local.”

Riyad shifted over so he could see the screen. Its data was displayed in an alien language so it did him no good. “For another prototype vessel?”

“That I cannot tell. But there was a delivery made only a few days ago that was subsequently picked up. Ah…I see now. It was a brokered deal.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means an independent placed the order for delivery to an ultimate end-user.”

“What end-user?”

“That I would have no way of telling.”

“Who was the broker?” Sherri asked impatiently.

Without hesitation, Quiss answered. “Syrus Jacs…I should have known.”

“Who is Syrus Jacs?” Riyad asked.

“He is a nomad around these parts. He deals in whatever others are willing to buy. However, he does tend to specialize in exotic power sources. He took delivery of a stock of five mods two days ago.”

“I would be curious who his buyer is?”

“As would I. As I said, I would have no way of knowing that.”

“Where could we find Syrus Jacs?”

Quiss looked at Riyad with concern. “He would not be able to supply the mods for less than I can. We are the dealer. He would have to add his fees on top of that.”

“I realize that. I would just like to know what other ship uses SCAC-18’s. It can’t be a large ship, not with an order of only five mods.”

“I doubt he would be forthcoming with that information.”

“Would you mind if we asked?”

“Asked? You can ask. I can’t stop you.”

“So where would we find this Syrus Jacs?”

“He resides on Lasiter.” Seeing the blank look on Riyad’s face, he continued. “It’s about eighteen light-years from here, Z18 degrees by forty. It should be on your charts. But please, may we continue with our transaction? Discussion of Syrus Jacs and his smaller order has been a distraction.”

Riyad yawned. “Yes, it has been. But now I must impose on you. Earlier, you mentioned accommodations. My associates and I are operating on an entirely different time schedule than you are in Essen. It is quite late for us. And after these wonderful beverages, I believe it wise if we rest for a while before getting into the details of the order—the bulk order.”

Quiss looked at each of them. Then he sighed. “If that is your wish, I will make arrangements. How much rest would you require?”

“Not more than three or four standard hours. Will you still be here at that time?”

“Of course. I will not be leaving until our business is concluded.”

“Then the sooner we can get our rest, the sooner we can get back to it.”

“Indeed, and if you find you can continue sooner, please link to me. In the meantime, I will be working on the cost, taking into consideration your need for ongoing supplies of SCAC-18’s. I will make you the best deal possible—and may I add, without any annoying Expansion taxes.”

“And that is why we have come to you, Quiss. We knew you could cut us the best deal in the galaxy.”

Chapter 6

The accommodations they were provided were subpar at best, meaning that what they’d find out in town would have been atrocious. They found themselves in a single room with an open grooming station and a large single bed. With most aliens being larger than Humans, beds typically were huge by comparison. Arieel fell back on the hard, smelly cushion and took in a deep breath, her more-than-ample breasts straining at her satin blue top like a pair of perfectly symmetrical mountain peaks.

“Don’t get too comfortable, Arieel,” Sherri said. “We aren’t staying.”

“We’re not?”

“No, we’re not. That was just a ploy to get us away from the salesman so we can get back to the ship. You didn’t think we were really going to place an order for two hundred power modules, did you?”

“Not at all. I am not that naïve, Sherri Valentine. Yet we are still behind the walls of the compound. Leaving may not be that easy.”

Riyad was at the window of the small room, looking out toward the main entrance. “It’s about two hundred meters to the front gate. I can see the cab still there, but he won’t wait much longer.”

“So do we all just waltz out of here?”

“Maybe, but one at a time. That way we won’t attract as much attention. Besides, someone has to hold the cab. You first, Sherri.” Riyad smiled. “If you’re stopped you have a much better chance of bullshitting your way out of a situation. Just don’t go shooting up the place. All that would do is get them slamming the doors shut.”

“Thanks for your vote of confidence…I think. Keep an eye out.”

Sherri slipped out through the doorway.

Riyad watched as she casually approached the security gate before being confronted. He saw her point to the cab, then the gate was opened.

“Okay, Arieel, your turn.”

“I understand the term bullshit, Riyad. It is something I learned long ago from Adam. I assure you, I am just as good at bullshit as is Sherri Valentine.”

“That’s good to know. Now go prove it. We don’t have much time.”

“I am just saying that I am just as good as Sherri—”

“Please, Arieel, another time. Now go!”

As was always the case, Arieel attracted even more attention than Sherri. It was the pheromones mostly that affected a variety of species. Watching a gaggle of male Defenders descend on the Formilian, Riyad wondered if he could figure a way to bottle Arieel’s essence. If he could, he’d make a fortune in the perfume business…

Eventually, Arieel was allowed to pass through the gates. She disappeared into the back of the cab.

It was Riyad’s turn. He walked briskly toward the guard station, and even before being questioned he was speaking: “My associates…I need to talk with them,” he said in a panic. “Quiss needs vital information to complete the order.”

“You…you cannot leave. We have been instructed to keep you within the compound.”

“I just have to go to the transport. It’s right there. I’ll be right back.”

“You—”

“Open the damn gate before I cancel the order. I do not appreciate being treated like a prisoner. I’m a customer!”

“Please return quickly…” The gate opened.

Riyad hurried to the cab. He opened the rear door and slipped inside. “Hurry, let’s go!”

The cab began to move, and that was when, in the dim interior, Riyad noticed a change in personnel. It was the same driver, yet both Defenders were gone. In the front seat was a different Defender, this one pointing an MK flash weapon at those in the back seat. And at the far end of the seat, next to Sherri…was a Juirean.

********

Riyad held his tongue as he surveyed the scene. The fact that Sherri was sitting quietly with a sour look on her face spoke volumes.

“It’s set on level-one,” the Juirean announced. “I understand that will kill a Human, especially at such close range. My Defender has also been instructed to aim for the head, and he does not require the targeting computer to fire. Please relinquish your own weapon, Mr. Tarazi, and then please relax and enjoy the journey. It will not take long.”

“Can I ask what this is all about? I wasn’t aware there were that many Juireans on Wokan?”

“There are not. I am an exception. My name is Benefis Na.”

“From the white hair, I assume that’s Overlord Benefis Na?”

“Just Benefis Na, no title.”

“That’s unusual, isn’t it?”

“It is, yet I must repeat, relax. I will answer your questions once we reach our destination.”

Riyad met Sherri’s eyes, and he glanced down at her right side. Getting the message about her embedded telepathy device—with its ability to sever contacts within flash weapons, rendering them inert—she made a slight shake of her head. They were leaving the neighborhood of O-Pell Energy, and there were a lot of questions that had to be answered as to the Juirean’s involvement in the mission. They would bide their time.

Then Sherri would come to their rescue.

********

As far as Riyad could tell, all the energy weapons in the cab were Marix-Kliis Model Number 17’s, otherwise known as the ubiquitous MK-17. The company produced a variety of models, including 47’s and even 64’s. Yet the ‘17 was the most popular hand flash weapon in the galaxy. The Xan-Fi Consortium produced the longer-barrel rifles, and over a thousand years ago the two companies had come to a gentleman’s agreement not to infringe on the specialties of the other. So handguns were the purview of Marix-Kliis while rifles belonged to Xan-Fi.

MK Weapon Systems had been taken over centuries ago by various governments entities and individuals, so it was now a massive corporation with yearly profits equal to the entire gross national product of the planet Earth. Xan-Fi was smaller, but still a behemoth. When you supplied a galaxy with their weapons, that was to be expected.

Humans still preferred ballistic weapons, which only displayed their primitive nature to others throughout the galaxy. But whereas a power pack for an MK could supply five to 15 shots per charge, depending on the setting, magazines of twenty to two hundred rounds were common with Earth-manufactured weapons, and the range was considerable longer, since flash bolts had a nasty habit of dissipating over distance. Slowly, other species within the galaxy were beginning to buy into the superiority of the ballistic weapons—if they could handle the recoil. That was the primary drawback to such weapons. That plus the weight. Only certain creatures could accommodate both without shattering bone and cartilage.

But the one thing MK’s and Xan-Fi’s had in common was they all used fire control circuits designed and manufactured by the Formilians. As the undisputed wizards of electronics in the Milky Way galaxy, Arieel’s people not only ran the galactic internet in the form of the Library, but also the language database that filtered down to the translation bugs worn by every integrated species in the galaxy, and the control modules used in automatic doors, computers, navigation systems—just about everything.

Sherri’s embedded interface device was tuned to her brain waves. With a thought she could communicate with the unit, which could then link with any compatible electronic device in the area. She could command doors to open and close, lights to come on or off…and since the power packs for these weapons also contained control boards, she could command them to begin recycling, even with their discharge lines severed. As the charge built up with nowhere to go, the compact power modules would turn into miniature grenades. Riyad had noticed that many of the Defenders wore upwards of twenty such power packs on their bodies, which would create quite a mess if Sherri decided to go for broke…

Riyad had come to this point in his thoughts when the transport began to slow. He looked out the window as they approached a dilapidated building with a wide opening and about ten Defenders milling around outside. The cab entered; the sunlight cut off as a large metal door slid shut. They were inside a warehouse of some kind, along with a cadre of six more Defenders—at least those many were visible. Although these creatures weren’t wearing bandoliers, they still wore belts of MK power packs around their thick waists.

If the Juirean was curious why his captives weren’t displaying any trepidation—except for Arieel, whose eyes continually shifted from one threat to the next—he didn’t let on. He appeared calm and in complete control of the situation.

Riyad and Sherri knew better.

The doors to the cab were opened from the outside and the trio exited, along with the Juirean and his Defender. The cabbie remained in the transport, until a brilliant flash filled the interior. The prisoners looked sharply at the Juirean.

“He could talk, and that I couldn’t allow.” His tone and steely gaze conveyed a secondary message: The same could happen to you, too.

But then he grinned. “Let us convene in a more comfortable setting. There is much to talk about.”

They were led into a musty-smelling living area with four huge broken and stained couches. The Juirean fell back into a couch and gestured to a large leather chair with tape across the torn arms. “Please sit. I have many questions for you.”

“As we have for you.”

“Then let us agree to share information. I assure you that at this point I am not your enemy.”

“Then what exactly are you?” Riyad asked. “You don’t look or act like any Juirean I’ve ever met before.”

“Because I am not.” Drinks were brought in and offered, even without the benefit of a blood sampling box. The Humans hesitated, while Arieel gleeful accepted hers and began to drink. “They are safe. I have your chemistry on file,” said the Juirean.

He drained his own glass before nodding to the attendant for another. “As I was saying, I am not like other Juireans. Yes, I was born by conventional methods and then raised in a surrogate unit. I was tested and then advanced to Overlord training. My hair was genetically altered and I even graduated with my rank. Yet I always felt different, not part of the family, if you will. I was more curious—or rebellious—as they called it. I eventually left the service and struck out on my own.” He took the second glass of intoxicant, but this time began to sip at it. “Since Juireans are not that welcome in your Union, and the Expansion frowns on deserters, I found sanctuary here in the Frontier. I now deal in, well, anything and everything that can turn me a profit.”

“So what do you want from us? We’re just passing through,” Sherri asked.

“That is what I intend to find out, Sherri Valentine.”

“I suppose the fact that you know our names should be a tip-off.”

“It should. However, even without receipt of my latest data stream, I would still know the three of you. You Humans are well known within the Juirean community—you and Adam Cain. Your race once ruled the Expansion from Juir, and it was Cain who made the now famous galaxy-wide announcement that you were relinquishing control and returning to the Far Arm. As his closest associates, you also shared in that moment, as well as the notoriety.”

Benefis looked at Arieel and his grin grew even wider. “And Arieel Bol, the infamous ex-Speaker of Formil. I have seen vids of you and heard the rumors. Speaking as an off-species, I must say even now I can sense the allure of you within the room. It is quite an incredible power you have, and naturally occurring from what I understand.”

Riyad was getting impatient. He had a ship being guarded by questionable individuals, plus a new lead to Panur that had to be followed.

“So why take us captive?” he asked to move the conversation along. “Are you looking for our autographs or what?”

The grin diminished slightly on the Juirean’s face. “No, I do not seek souvenirs of our encounter. Rather, since I am a Juirean, I still possess certain information channels, and recently I received a very interesting communication. It came from a command ship that was leaving the Formilian system.” Benefis looked at Arieel. “The communication was directed at any and all Juirean units within the Frontier. They have been ordered to be vigilant of your arrival in the Kidis Frontier, claiming that the main ship and accompanying fleet would be unable to maintain contact with your experimental vessel.”

“They knew we were coming here?” Riyad asked.

“Yes. They even knew your arrival time, and later the destination.”

“Dammit, we have a tracker on board!” Sherri yelled out.

“Apparently.”

“That could only have been placed aboard back on Earth,” Riyad added.

“The communication also called for the assistance of any Human units in the area as well, although there are none that I’m aware of.”

Sherri’s mouth went slack. “They’re working together?”

“So what are these assisting units supposed to do with us?” Riyad asked.

“Simply track and observe. Codes were sent that will allow local units to access your tracking device. So why are you being tracked?”

“Hell if I know,” Riyad said.

Benefis stared hard at Riyad. “Please do not insult my intelligence, Tarazi. I am not your typical naïve creature. I am a Juirean, a former Overlord. No one goes through this much trouble without cause. I acquired you so I could learn if there is anything in your activities that could benefit me. So what is your mission?”

“It’s none of your fuc—”

“Trouble, Riyad!” Sherri announced as she stood up. The Defender stationed along the wall drew his weapon.

“What is happening?” Benefis asked, also standing.

“I’m picking up more MK’s approaching the building from all sides.”

“How…”

An explosion came from all around them and the building literally rocked from dozens of flash bolts being unleashed on the guards outside. Sensing danger to his employer, the Defender in the room aimed his weapon at Sherri. She looked back at him and smirked, shaking her head. He triggered the weapon. When nothing happened, he panicked and tried it again…and again...and again.

When he turned his attention from his defective handgun and looked up, Sherri was standing two feet away. She had to literally jump up for her right hand to connect with the left side of the seven-foot tall alien’s head, sending him spinning around several times before collapsing to the floor. Sherri bent down and picked up the MK.

She aimed it at Benefis, who had discovered by now that his own weapon was just as useless as that of his Defender. “This one will work,” she said, and as a demonstration fired a flash bolt zipping over the Juirean’s left shoulder.

“I do not understand.”

“Understand this,” Sherri said. “Your building is under attack and we need to find a way out. Either you help us or it ends here.”

“I can help! I have several emergency exits available to me.”

“Lead on, my friend,” Sherri said with a smile, waving the MK.

The Juirean rushed to the service counter in the room where the food and beverage processors were located. He reached behind the right side of the counter and activated a latch. Then he pulled the counter away, revealing an opening behind. He ducked inside.

Sherri nodded to Riyad, indicating that she sensed no flash weapons inside the hidden room. Arieel and Riyad disappeared into the opening, followed by Sherri.

Benefis reach past them and pulled the counter back against the wall. Instantly, a string of lights attached to the ceiling came on. “Follow me. This will lead to an underground garage with transportation.”

“Who’s doing the attacking?” Riyad asked the Juirean as they rushed down the dimly-lit hallway. “I thought your units were told just to track and observe.”

“Communication security is virtually non-existent in Kidis. This may be another faction looking to either capitalize on the goal of your mission, or to offer you up for ransom. It is how things are done here.”

“We have to get to the spaceport.”

“I followed you from there, so I know the location—as will others.” He skidded to a stop. “Let me try something.” He pulled out a small communication device, similar to a cell phone. Sherri placed the barrel of the MK against his chest.

“Don’t do anything foolish.”

The Juirean grinned. “I am not like others of my kind. I value my individual life. I am attempting to clear us a pathway to your ship.”

When the connection was made, the alien said, “This is Benefis Na. There are hostiles attempting to confiscate a vessel I have at the Zou Spaceport, pad forty-one. I need a force of Defenders to clear the area of everyone nearby. The hostiles may be posing as Defenders. I will pay a bonus for their elimination.”

There was a response from the other end. “That is very high,” the Juirean protested, until Sherri pressed the MK at little harder against his body. “But it is agreed. Proceed immediately. I will be there in approximately twenty minutes, if not sooner. I will be in a brown Unii. The lights will be flashing. Be sure to alert your forces.”

He broke the connection.

Sherri smiled. “Very impressive, Benefis. I like your style.”

“Save the compliments until we are safe. Now, again, follow me.”

********

Benefis was able to take his Unii transport vehicle out through a long tunnel that emptied onto a deserted street several blocks from where the battle was taking place. He sped along, eventually joining up with roads with more traffic, before using what was essentially a very fast mini-tank as a battering ram on any car or truck that got in his way. After leaving a wake of destruction behind them, they reached the spaceport a mere fourteen minutes later. Benefis flashed the lights.

A pitched battle was taking place in front of them, all centered around Riyad’s ship. The five Defenders who had stayed to guard the ship were being fired on by no less than a dozen similarly-dressed Defenders. One by one, they were falling, even as they sought shelter behind huge power boxes embedded along the side of the landing pad.

The new Defenders stepped back and allowed the Unii to rush through their line, heading for the Najmah Fayd. The tank screeched to a halt right beside the entry hatch. Sherri was the first one out. She crouched down to avoid the flash bolts that filled the air and fingered in the access code. The door slid open and she rushed inside.

Next, Arieel and Benefis ran from the transport and into the ship. Lastly, Riyad stepped out. He heard a call from off in the distance. Turning, he saw Saln Xacin yelling at him.

“You owe us our bonu—”

The level-two flash bolt to his chest, fired from an unseen assailant, ended the negotiation. With a sigh, Riyad entered the Najmah Fayd and secured the hatch.

Sherri was already seated at the controls. Three seconds later the ship lifted off the pad. Through views offered by several exterior cameras, the four people on the bridge saw Defenders fly into the air, following the ship as she climbed higher into the sky of Wokan, caught up in the gravity-well. Some would fall back to the surface, others would remain under the influence even as the ship entered space and engaged the full engines.

Riyad reached up to place his hand on the shoulder of the seven-foot-tall Juirean. “Look on the bright side, Benefis. We just saved you all that expense of having to pay the Defenders.”

Benefis continue to stare at the screen showing the rapidly shrinking globe that was Wokan. “The fee was already deducted from my accounts,” the Juirean stated. And then he sighed. “It has taken me many years to build the organization I had on Wokan. It took you less than an hour to destroy it all.”

“Maybe you should have left us alone,” Sherri called back from the pilot’s seat. “Just a suggestion.”

“Without doubt, Sherri Valentine, for what little good that conclusion does now.”

Riyad patted the alien’s back. “It’s your turn to relax now, my friend. You have just joined the winning team.”

********

“There has been a confrontation on Wokan,” Ranor’s new Second, Guard First Class Wynn O’ori, reported.

From his command seat aboard the Juirean Class-Four, Ranor could see that his new appointee was displaying the calm confidence he had hoped he would. The Juirean race was made up of stable and pragmatic creatures; bad news should be reported just as good news would, without prejudice or bias. Only then could reliable command decisions be made.

“What sort of confrontation?”

“The Humans were taken captive after leaving O-Pell Energy, and then the building in which they were being held was attacked by mercenaries.”

“Are they injured?”

“No. Apparently they escaped and have taken to space again in the advanced starship.”

“Good, then they are continuing with their mission. We obviously have them under surveillance again.”

“Yes. Units are keeping their distance and monitoring remotely.”

“Has a destination been determined?”

“They are heading further into the Frontier, yet they made such a hasty retreat from the planet that they may simply be gaining distance before charting a new course.”

“Very astute observation, Wynn. My compliments. Maintain your vigil.”

Ranor saw no emotion on the face of his new second-in-command, as should be expected. Even though he had complimented his subordinate, no such accolades should be expected for doing one’s job. Still, he knew his comments would circulate throughout the ship and the fleet, showing that he was not simply a sadistic taskmaster who had publicly executed his former Second. He was a Juirean with a mission to accomplish; nothing would get in his way, especially not incompetence or a potentially traitorous under-officer.

“Time to Kidis?” he asked the bridge.

“Three days, seven hours, my Lord,” answered a voice from across the room.

“Maintain course and speed.”

“As ordered.”

Chapter 7

“Syrus Jacs, yes I know him. Most of the independents in the Frontier know him, or know of him. That is who you seek?”

“He has information we need,” Riyad said.

Benefis shook his head. “Even for Kidis, he is a dangerous and conniving creature. He will not welcome you openly…if at all.”

“Do you know where he is?” Sherri asked.

“He could be anywhere. That is the nature of our business.”

“Who would know?”

“He maintains a headquarters of sorts on Lasiter.”

“That’s what we heard. But you don’t think he’d be there?”

“It is possible, yet we make our profits through the buying and selling of various items. This involves pick-up and delivery, and finding trustworthy assistants is very hard. Most of us prefer to carry the merchandise personally.”

“Can you get us into his headquarters?”

“We are not friends—we are competitors. I highly doubt they would grant me an audience.”

“But they know you. You would have a better chance than we would. Tell them you come with an offer Syrus won’t be able to refuse,” Sherri suggested.

“You still have not told me of your mission. Why is it important that you speak to Syrus?”

Sherri and Riyad looked at each other. They shared a common thought. The Juirean was now their prisoner, but he could also come in handy within the unpredictable environment of the Kidis Frontier. Having him on their side could be helpful.

“He recently sold a small quantity of SCAC-18 fuel modules to someone,” said Riyad. “We need to know who he sold them to.”

This time Benefis laughed out loud. “In that case, you will have to force the information out of him. Client confidentiality is of paramount importance in our business. If not, no one would trust us and business would stop.”

Sherri smiled. “If that’s what it takes, then that’s what we’ll do.”

Her matter-of-fact attitude, especially when it came to torture, made the Juirean’s face turn to stone. “I assume your casual attitude in that regard would also carry over to me?”

“If you have information we need, and you’re not willing to part with it, of course.”

“Humans are even more—notorious, might be the word—than I even imagined.”

“We do what we must to get the job done.”

“Then please ask me questions first, before assuming I would not be willing to talk.”

“That would be the preferred course of action.”

Benefis then turned to Riyad. “I was not aware it was the females of your species who are the most ruthless.”

“It’s one of those little secrets we try to keep to ourselves. Kind of embarrassing for the males to admit, but now you know.”

The Juirean continued to stare at Sherri. “I will have to shift my opinion, and my guard. Forgive me if I have offended you, Sherri Valentine.”

Sherri narrowed her eyes at the alien. “You’re forgiven…for now. But just watch yourself.”

Riyad witnessed the Juirean literally tremble under the glare of the Human female. Welcome to my world, he thought. You’re beginning to understand what we have to put up with every day…

********

 “We have to find the tracker,” Sherri was saying. Then as an afterthought: “I sure hope Andy isn’t behind this.”

“I doubt it,” Riyad said. “He’s gone through a lot of trouble and expense if he is.”

“Would not that trouble and expense have been hard for your Admiral Tobias to justify unless there was a purpose behind his efforts?” As an outside observer, Arieel could say things the others would never dream of about their long-time friend.

“The purpose, if you remember, is to rescue Adam,” Sherri barked.

“I do realize that, but do you have any concept of what a vessel like this would cost to develop and to build? Forgive me if I’ve upset you, but it would be far beyond the worth of any one individual, even Adam Cain.”

Riyad saw Sherri snap her jaw shut, unable to present a cogent counter-argument.

“It makes sense, Arieel,” he said. “But I honestly believe that it wasn’t Andy. He was granted the authority from higher up to give me the ship. He probably just jumped at the chance without questioning why.”

“Then you’re saying Secretary Arness is behind this?” Sherri said. “I know the man and his wife. I can’t believe that, either.”

“It doesn’t really matter at this point,” Riyad said. “We already knew there were people in our own government who want us to fail. This is how they hope to make it happen.”

“They don’t want us to fail, Riyad. They want us to find Panur for them.”

“And then what?” Arieel asked. Riyad could see the worry on her face. If Panur was attacked in some way, her daughter could be caught up in it as well.

“With the way they’re going about it, I doubt they want to offer him a job,” Sherri offered.

“They fear him. That is why you are being hunted.”

All heads turned to the doorway to the common room and the tall Juirean standing there. “So you are looking for the mutant who is responsible for all the evil that has taken place within our galaxy recently?”

“You know of Panur?” Riyad asked.

“Who does not? The Sol-Kor have been the subject of countless studies and reports throughout the galaxy. No advanced race is immune, even those within the Kidis Frontier. We get our news. And now I am beginning to see some logic behind the activities of your trackers.”

“And what would that be?” Sherri asked.

“They are afraid you might succeed. The mutant has disappeared, and according to most people in the galaxy, they welcome that development. Yet you seek to bring him out of the shadows. Why?”

“So he can help us,” Riyad replied.

When no further explanation was provided, Benefis pressed the issue. “Help you do what? Develop weapons to be used against my people? No, that cannot be it, otherwise the Humans would not be assisting. What is it?”

“We need him to help us rescue Adam Cain.”

“From where…from whom?”

“He’s being held prisoner by the new Sol-Kor queen.”

“Here?” the Juirean asked, pointing at the deck. “Or…there?” he gestured toward the ceiling.

“In the Sol-Kor universe.”

“There is your answer, Humans. You want the mutant to reopen a doorway to our enemy—the enemy of all within the galaxy. All thinking beings in the galaxy would be against you. You mentioned before, Riyad Tarazi, that I had joined the winning team. I understand the term, yet I believe now that I have been deceived. You are on a dangerous and potentially harmful path, and I wish no part of it.”

Sherri stood up. “No one asked you to get involved. You did that yourself.”

“Do not get too angry, Sherri Valentine. All I say is that I will not cooperate. You wish me to make contact with beings who would know the location of Syrus Jacs, who would then lead you to Panur. Now I refuse.”

“If that’s the case, then you’re just using up air and food resources. Let’s see how you like it on the other side of the bulkhead…”

“Hold on, Sherri,” Riyad said. He turned to the Juirean. “The last thing we want to do is reopen a gateway for the Sol-Kor to reenter our galaxy. You’re forgetting, I’ve been to the other side—twice—and I really don’t want to have any more contact with those animals than I have to. And it was Arieel and I who helped Panur build the array detector that’s being used to shut down the SK portals. But throughout it all, Adam Cain was our leader. Now he’s on the other side, and we owe him at least a chance at being rescued. Panur may laugh in our faces—if we find him—and not help at all. But we have to try.”

“And if he does help, and he does build another gateway, what guarantees are you offering that the Sol-Kor will not use it to come back through?”

“We’re only talking about a personal transporter, nothing that would allow starships to enter. The SK’s still have those. They’re linked to the portal arrays we haven’t destroyed yet. But they can’t come through with anything bigger than a single individual. That’s all we need Panur to do for us. We already have a dimensional portal back on Earth. He just needs to make some adjustments to it, just so we can get back to Kor and rescue our friend.”

“Who may not be alive.”

“That’s right, he may not be. But that doesn’t mean we don’t go back and check for ourselves. And once we either rescue him or not, we destroy the portal back on Earth. We’re not so stupid and reckless we’ll endanger the entire galaxy just for one person.”

Benefis scanned the faces of the other three people in the room. “I believe you believe your motives are pure, yet I doubt others will feel the same. In fact, I know they do not already. If there is even the slightest chance of relinking the two universes, they will continue to oppose you.”

“This is a one-time shot we’re taking, Benefis. And as I said, Panur may not help us, content to live out what existence he’s made for himself in the Kidis Frontier.”

“Are you positive this is where he is hiding?”

“All the evidence points to it. Your friend Syrus Jacs may be on his way to meet with him as we speak.”

“He is not my friend.”

“You better hope he doesn’t feel the same,” Sherri said ominously. “Otherwise you’re no use to us.”

“Is she always this way?” Benefis asked Riyad.

“Yeah, most of the time.”

“Then I will help, if only for self-preservation.”

“At least he’s honest,” Sherri pointed out. “Now, let’s find that damn tracker.”

********

It took all four of them six hours to locate the elusive tracking device. It was located in the portside engine room, and it was only with the help of Sherri’s ATD that she was able to detect the incongruous power signal among a slew of others.

“So what do we do with it?” Arieel asked. “If it goes silent, the forces tracking us may decide to end our mission prematurely. At least that way Panur stays hidden.”

Riyad had been thinking the same thing. “We’re going to land on Lasiter, aren’t we, Benefis?”

“Yes.”

“At a spaceport?”

“Also yes.”

“Then let’s hold off doing anything until we get there. Then we’ll stash it aboard some other ship and let the Juireans follow them. A brilliant plan, if I say so myself.”

“They will know we’ve gone to Lasiter.”

“So what? They don’t know we’re looking for Syrus Jacs.”

Sherri and Arieel looked at each other and nodded. “Okay,” Sherri said. “Sounds like a plan. How much longer until we get to Lasiter? Just knowing that thing’s aboard gives me the creeps.”

“Fourteen hours in your magnificent starship,” Benefis reported.

“How soon before you’ll start making attempts to reach Syrus?”

“I will wait until we arrive. We may find luck and he will be on the planet. If that’s the case, I would not want to forewarn him. And if not, then we will appear at his headquarters and begin our inquiry.”

“And if they won’t talk?” Sherri asked.

“Then I will leave it up to you to make them change their minds.”

Sherri made an exaggerated show of licking her lips, if only to reinforce the Juirean’s impression of her as a cold-blooded killer. “Can’t wait. This could be fun.”

Benefis shook his head, then turned and left the engine room in disgust.

********

Overlord Ranor and his four accompanying vessels entered the Wokan star system, where they met up with another nine Juirean ships that were part of the tracking operation. There were another fourteen ships scattered throughout the Frontier, and each of them had the codes necessary to track the Human spacecraft.

“Where are they now?” Ranor demanded from his Second.

“They are just now arriving on a planet called Lasiter.”

“Do we know why they have gone there?”

“Our forces have retraced the steps they took while on Wokan…” He hesitated before continuing.

“Proceed, Wynn.”

“The natives did not welcome our inquires. There were casualties.”

“Juirean casualties!” Ranor bolted out of his chair and approached the comm station in a huff.

“Only one, my Lord. Yet we were required to subdue a mob, resulting in over three hundred dead from the various security forces in service within the city.”

Ranor calmed down. Only one Juirean casualty. That was regrettable, yet the natives paid a steep price for their lack of respect.

“Perhaps it is time Juir imposes more authority in this region, and if not throughout it all, then certainly on Wokan. Once our current mission is concluded, see to it that a squadron of ten vessels is stationed here. Let us remind these creature who holds the most power in the galaxy.”

“We were able to recover some information after the riot and its aftermath.”

“What information?”

“The Humans have gone to Lasiter seeking an independent energy broker named Syrus Jacs. His operations base is on the planet.”

“Good, we are getting closer.”

“Yes, apparently they are tracking the mutant through the fuel requirements for his starship. This Syrus Jacs could know Panur’s location.”

“Set a course for Lasiter, Wynn. Best speed. And have the nearby tracking units close in a little tighter. We must be in position to act once the mutant is found.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

Chapter 8

The gravity of Lasiter was so light, and the atmosphere so thin, that all four of the occupants of the Najmah Fayd were required to wear breathing masks. Even then, the Humans could only spend an hour or so out in the open because of the low pressure. Arieel and the Juirean had no such problem, only with the thin air.

Fortunately for them, Benefis had departed Wokan with a wad of acceptable currency in his pockets, and he used some to hire a transport to take them to Jacs’ headquarters.

“So he operates right out in the open?” Sherri asked.

“We are merchants, Sherri Valentine. Granted, much of what we trade in is contraband—at least in other parts of the galaxy—but we still need to maintain a way for our customers to contact us.”

The Juirean guided them to a rather prosperous-looking section of a surprisingly clean and organized city, nearly the mirror opposite of Essen on Wokan. It was quite a bit smaller than Essen, surrounded by wide rolling hills covered in vibrant green grass and dotted with groves of leafy trees. Except for the thin atmosphere, the planet was quite appealing.

Syrus Jacs owned a four-story building with a large sign on it that spelled out something in an alien alphabet. Benefis translated: Kidis Storage and Shipping.

The foursome entered the building through double glass doors and were immediately spotted by a male receptionist, along with a pair of brawny security guards, who seemed to be focusing most of their attention on the tall Juirean with the white hair.

Sherri leaned over to Riyad and whispered: “Just in case, I cancelled their membership in the NRA.”

“Good, they don’t look too welcoming.”

“Your business?” the receptionist asked.

“His too,” Sherri whispered again.

Benefis stepped up to the counter. “I am Benefis Na from Wokan. I wish to speak with Syrus Jacs.”

“You are Benefis Na?” said the wisp of a creature behind the counter.

“You have heard of me?”

“Of course.”

“You are a Juirean,” said one of the guards as he approached the group, his weapon drawn yet held at his side.

“I am, as I have always been. Why do you look at me like that?”

“Because of Wokan.”

“What about Wokan?”

The two guards exchanged looks. “You are not part of it?”

“Part of what? Speak clearly, I am growing impatient.”

“You have not heard of the massacre your people committed in Essen?”

“No, I have not. We have been in transit and not keeping abreast of local news. What happened?”

“Juireans landed upon the planet and proceeded to slaughter over three hundred innocent Defenders.”

“Why would they do that? They had to have been provoked.”

“They were not provoked. Juireans are killers without remorse.”

The guards were just as tall and bulky as the Juirean, yet Riyad was sure they weren’t built as tough.

“You will use respect when speaking of my people,” said Benefis. “As I said, they had to be provoked. I live in Essen, so I know  Defenders can often look like an army to outsiders. Unfortunately, they sought to challenge the authority of the Juireans.”

“The Juireans have no authority in the Frontier.”

Riyad quickly stepped between Benefis and the two guards. “Let’s all calm down,” he said before his new friend could react any further. “Benefis is not part of the group who killed the Defenders on Wokan. In fact, he is as much a native of the planet as were those who lost their lives. Now, we have come here seeking an audience with your employer. We wish to make him an offer that will bring untold profit, as well as sizable bonuses for all who work for him. Can we let what happened on Wokan pass? We were not a part of it.”

“Syrus is not here,” proclaimed the creature behind the counter.

“Where can he be found?”

“That is privileged information.”

“When will he be returning?”

“That is also privileged information.”

Sherri stepped up to the counter. “Do you know, or are you just stupid and ignorant?”

The alien’s eyes grew wide. “Of course I know! I am just not allowed to give out such information.”

Sherri looked first at Riyad, and then Benefis. Both nodded. Sherri turned back to the receptionist. “I’ll ask you one more time, where is Syrus Jacs?”

“That is all!” announced one of the guards as he lifted his bolt launcher. “You will now leave the premises.”

Sherri ignored him. “Answer me now.”

Both guards took a step back, aiming their weapons, and stood awkwardly waiting for targeting confirmation that never came. When no vibration could be felt indicating a target lock, the guards pulled the triggers anyway. Nothing happened. Then the native at the counter lifted his own MK flash weapon and went through the same panicky motions.

That was when Benefis and Riyad laid out the two guards with lightning-quick blows to their heads. Not to be outdone, Sherri reached across the counter and pulled the wispy receptionist towards her by his shirt collar. She tossed him down on the floor, his back pressed against the base of the counter.

“I asked you a question,” she said. “Are you going to answer me or do I begin ripping your limbs off one at a time?”

The alien was so frightened he could only stare with shock into Sherri’s blue eyes. Finally, she slapped him to get his attention. His head snapped to one side and blood formed at the corner of this mouth.

“Careful,” Riyad cautioned. “We don’t want to kill him.”

“Did you hear that? We don’t want to kill you. Now where is Syrus Jacs?”

“Syrus…Jacs…” The alien was still recovering from the slap.

Sherri lifted her hand again.

“Syrus Jacs! Yes, I know where he is!”

“So tell me!”

“He is at the Lossen Asteroid Field.”

“Why is he there?”

“To make a delivery.”

“When is it scheduled?”

“Tomorrow, Day12.”

Sherri turned her head and looked up at Benefis. “Lossen Asteroid Field?”

“I know where it is. In your ship, only a few hours from here.”

Sherri turned her attention back to the terrified receptionist. “Are you going to report this incident to Syrus?”

“Yes…I mean no! I will say nothing.”

“Unfortunately, I’m going to have to go with your first answer. Sorry.”

She hit the alien with a closed fist this time. His eyes had already turned a cloudy gray before he toppled over onto the floor.

“Dead men tell no tales,” she said to Benefis as she stood. “C’mon, we’ve got a meeting to make.”

Chapter 9

Overlord Ranor was livid, and frustrated. He had chased the elusive Human starship all the way from Formil and had not been able to gain any ground. He was relying on advance units to provide him with updates, which was more a reaction to events rather than guiding them.

Now he learned that the Humans were on Lasiter and more than likely had already located the energy broker Syrus Jacs. With the head start they had on him, they could acquire the mutant while Ranor was still a thousand light-years away.

“They are still on Lasiter,” his Second, Wynn O’ori reported. “It has been nearly half a day.”

“Jacs must be on the planet.”

“That is a possibility.”

“If so, then Panur may be there as well. Send in covert operatives. Locate the Human ship and their whereabouts. If I have to send in backing units to accomplish my mission I will do so, but I would prefer to guide the operation myself.”

“I understand, my Lord. I will issue the orders.”

********

Two hours later, Wynn rushed into Ranor’s stateroom without announcement. The Overlord looked up from his desk, annoyed. But before he could comment, Wynn was speaking.

“They are gone, my Lord!”

“Explain…the tracker?”

“Was discovered. We located it on another ship still in the port.”

Ranor stood up. “Where are they?”

“We do not know.”

“They are going to where Syrus Jacs is to meet Panur.”

“Of course—”

“Send in what forces are necessary to extract the information from Jacs’ associates. Use whatever means are necessary. We have no time left.”

Wynn produced a handheld comm device and began barking orders. Then he spoke again to his Overlord. “After Wokan, the peoples of the Frontier should more readily succumb to our authority.”

“If not, make a point of it.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

With six warships in orbit around Lasiter, as well as an assault force of over five hundred, the Juireans met no resistance this time, either within the city or at the headquarters of Syrus Jacs. Wynn relayed the information to Ranor forty minutes after issuing the orders.

The two Juirean officers huddled over the navigation screen. “The Lossen Asteroid Field. At last we have found good fortune,” said Ranor. “It is along our path to Lasiter, and only two standard hours ahead. Prepare the fleet.”

********

The Najmah Fayd slowed as the haze of small contacts filled the nav screen. The asteroid field was huge, measuring nearly a million miles long by half that wide, the remnant of an Earth-size world that had been obliterated billions of years ago in a cataclysmic collision with a similarly-sized body. Now the mass of debris orbited a yellow star at a mean distance of sixty million miles.

“How are we going to find two ships out of all this mess?” Sherri asked Riyad.

“There’s no habitable planets in the system, so any gravity drive in the region should stand out like a sore thumb. Besides, neither ship should be expecting anything. It’s just a simple rendezvous to take delivery of a set of power modules.”

“Please use your Gift to scan for Lila’s presence,” Arieel asked Sherri. “She has the unique ability to communicate telepathically, even without the Gift, yet with one the communication can be strengthened.”

“She can do that? How?”

“I do not know how. All I know is that she is different and that it is possible. She demonstrated it to Adam and me when her and Panur absconded with the Pegasus II.”

“No kidding…wow. Sure, I’ll start scanning. And if she has a particular connection to you, you should try too.”

“I have been already, although I know not how to achieve such a state. All I am doing is calling out in my mind.”

“It must have been tough on you when she left.”

“Unbelievably so.”

The two females were in the common room, helping to clean up after a communal meal. “I lost a child, too,” Sherri confided. “It was a miscarriage, not like you.”

“I am sorry to hear that. It was my understanding that your wish for a family is what caused a rift between you and Adam. He already had a child in the past. She was taken from him as well.”

“Yeah, we’ve all had something taken away from us.”

Arieel studied Sherri’s face. “He always loved you more,” the alien said. “I realize his attraction to me was more chemical in nature than practical. The birth of Lila was completely unexpected.”

“I appreciate that, Arieel, but it’s not necessary to explain things. I’ve known Adam for almost twenty years. We had our chances long before you came along.”

Riyad’s voice blared from the PA system. “We have an incoming ship! Conventional gravity drive. This could be Syrus.”

Sherri and Arieel looked at each other. There was no joy on their faces, only concern. A moment of truth was approaching and both females were worried. They rushed to the bridge.

“Any sign of the Pegasus?” Sherri asked.

“Not yet, but you know the signal is harder to pick up. It hops through space rather than along a continual line.”

“Can Syrus detect us?”

“We’re dark, so I doubt it. I’m using maneuvering jets to get us closer.”

Sherri trembled, a reaction not missed by Arieel. “Are you okay?”

“I…I feel like I need to scratch my brain. You ever felt that? There’s definitely an itch inside there.”

“Lila?”

“Hell if I know. It’s quite annoying.”

“Please call out to her.”

“I am, if only to get this itch scratched.”

“There she is…the Pegasus!”

All four of the people on the bridge rushed to the nav screen. A signal was approaching the asteroid field, appearing as sporadic blips. Each appearance was a little closer, and the blips were coming more frequently. Then the ship steadied out, its full energy signature displayed on the screen, on a course directly for that of Syrus Jacs. The Najmah Fayd was closing fast, still in dark mode and using gas jets for propulsion.

Jacs and Panur were now only a few thousand miles apart and closing on each other at a leisurely pace.

“How do you intend to proceed?” Benefis asked Riyad.

“Not sure. I’m hoping Sherri and Arieel can contact Lila before we have to open a link to the ships. I think that would be less of a shock to both of them.”

“Lila!” Arieel cried out loud. “Please hear me.”

The itch in Sherri’s brain suddenly became a full-blown pain. She grasped her head by both hands. “Damn, what’s happening?”

The pain and the itch vanished and Sherri heard a clear yet soft voice in her mind. “Mother? I can hear you…and others. Sherri Valentine, the mind says. I detect a Gift! How can that be?”

“Lila, I’m here,” Arieel spoke again aloud.

“I hear you. You are close.”

“Yes, we can see you on our screen.”

“This is not right. Panur will be angry.”

********

Ranor stared at the screen with fire in his eyes. The data was streaming in from an inert drone within scanning range of the three alien ships. His small fleet was out of range and undetected.

“Arm the missiles. Fire in two…one…now!”

From the bellies of five Juirean Class-Fours, five oblong canisters shot out, using intensive gravity drives to propel them to incredible speeds in a fraction of a second. After the initial acceleration, the engines and all other internal electronics went dormant. A mechanical clock was counting down the time to contact, having been calculated from the data provided by the drone.

The deadly weapons streaked through space unseen. When only three seconds from their target, the electronics and engines reenergized and minute course corrections were made.

Even in that short interval from detection to contact, the occupants of the small starship were able to raise the shields. But it wasn’t enough. The first three missiles struck their energy fields and overloaded them. The two trailing missiles passed through undeterred and impacted the hull with devastating results.

The Pegasus II was pulverized. It split into a million pieces and debris streamed out into the asteroid field.

********

Sherri passed out as the incredible cry within her mind was too much to bear. Arieel cried out as well, as she too heard her daughter’s psychic scream.

Then there was silence.

Riyad was speechless, seeing the far distance flash of light…and then nothing. The contact on his screen disappeared, and within moments the individual remnants of the Pegasus II became too small to detect.

“Explain!” Benefis called out.

Riyad shook his head. “I don’t know. There was a spark right before the explosion, and then nothing.”

A beeping began to chime from the comm speakers. An incoming link.

Riyad rushed to the station and pressed the contact. An image appeared on the main screen between the two forward viewports, the face of a white-haired Juirean Overlord.

At first he didn’t speak, taking in the bridge of the Najmah Fayd and its four occupants. His gaze settled on Benefis.

“You are a Juirean…and an Overlord. Who are you?”

“I am former Overlord Benefis Na…my Lord.”

“Are you a part of my operation?”

“No, I am with the Humans and the Formilian.”

The Overlord leaned to his right as someone off screen spoke to him. He nodded. “You are a deserter. I have rarely heard of this, yet I have never met one in person. I should take custody of you, yet I am informed that since this is such a rare occurrence there are no specific regulations against such an act. I will have to introduce such regulations and then return for you.”

“I will not be available when you do.”

“The Expansion will soon be in control of the entire Kidis Frontier. You will find no place to hide—”

“Who the hell are you?” Riyad finally asked, his impatience and frustration boiling over. “Are you responsible for destroying a Union registered starship?”

“Spare me your indignation, Riyad Tarazi. Yes, I am responsible. I am Overlord Ranor D’inos. I have been pursuing you from Formil. We both know that the mutant outlaw Panur was aboard that ship, and that his sanctioning was approved by both Expansion and Union authority. It is you who are in violation. You have sought to endanger the welfare of the galaxy with your selfish mission.”

“I don’t know what you hope to accomplish. You know he can’t be killed.”

“But he can be neutralized. His body is now a frozen mass of flesh, and soon I will order my ships to engage gravity drives and send all the debris from the wreckage on a path toward the nearby star. In time, the mutant will be absorbed into the inferno, to suffer through eternity in a prison of unimaginable agony. Only fitting for all that he has done.”

Riyad didn’t know what to say. His mission was over; there would be no rescue of Adam Cain. Now he had to worry about himself.

“So what happens next?”

“As far as you are concerned, I will leave your future up to your own people. You may not find a welcome homecoming when you return to Earth, if you have the courage to do so. Now I must take my leave. We still have mopping up to do. And as for you, Benefis Na, I will not forget. Your day of reckoning will come.”

No one had a chance to respond before the link was cut.

Sherri was just now regaining consciousness.

“What did I miss?”

Chapter 10

The four occupants of the Najmah Fayd were in the common room, spread out on the couch and chairs, lost in thought—all except Sherri, who was shaking her head and sticking a finger in her ear.

“What’s wrong with you?” Riyad asked, annoyed by her constant fidgeting at the other end of the couch.

“I still have that damn itch in my brain. I thought that was only because of Lila. Now I think it’s something else.”

“You still feel the sensation?” Arieel asked, sitting up in her chair and taking notice.

“Yeah, just a little, but it’s really beginning to piss me off.”

“It is the same as when you first detected my daughter?”

Sherri stopped poking her finger in her ear. “Yeah, just a little less. You don’t think…”

“She can’t be killed,” Riyad said, also sitting up now.

“What are you speaking of…cannot be killed? Who cannot be killed?” asked Benefis.

“Arieel’s daughter.”

“She cannot be killed?”

“No, she’s a mutant, too. Sorry, Arieel.”

“That is okay, Riyad. I have come to accept it.”

“Two mutants were aboard that ship? I knew Arieel’s daughter was with Panur, but I was not aware she was a mutant. How could that be possible?”

“It’s a long story,” Riyad said as he leaned over toward Sherri. “Could she still be alive…I mean still conscious?”

“What if the outer body freezes but leaves the insides still warm, at least for a while. Eventually the whole body will…you know.” She looked over at Arieel’s troubled face, though it wasn’t looking all that troubled at the moment.

“She is still alive! Maybe we can use Sherri’s Gift to locate her body? The presence should become stronger the closer we get.”

“If we can get there soon enough!” Riyad jumped to his feet. “Everyone to the bridge, everyone except Sherri.”

********

Minutes later, Sherri was laid out on the couch in the common room, the lights dim and a comm line placed around her head.

“Can you hear me, Sherri?” Riyad asked from the pilot’s seat on the bridge.

“Loud and clear.”

“Good. Now relax and focus on the itch—on the signal. I’m going to make minor course corrections. You let me know if it gets stronger or weaker.”

“Aye aye, sir.”

Riyad veered the Najmah Fayd to the right, moving through the asteroid belt at just under ten thousand miles per hour.

“It’s getting a little weaker.”

“Okay, I’m heading back the other way.”

A few second later: “Yeah, that’s better, a little stronger…no, now weaker.”

“Making progress,” Riyad announced. “I’m getting a heading.”

“It’s steady, maybe a little stronger. Now it’s falling off again.”

“Coming to starboard.”

“That’s better. I think it’s getting stronger.”

“There’s a huge asteroid dead ahead, about half the size of the Moon.”

“Signal’s steady, a little stronger. Hurry, Riyad.”

“That has to be it. She probably landed there and the local gravity kept her body from being sucked up by the Juirean ships. Almost there.”

The Najmah Fayd began a low pass over the surface of the craggy gray ball of rock. There were high mountains and countless craters, all cast in the stark light of the nearby star.

“Signal’s strong, but now a little weaker. Back up.”

Riyad spun the ship around.

“I detect metal on the surface,” Benefis reported from the nav station. A flashing circle appeared on the screen along the forward bulkhead.

“How’s the signal?”

“Steady. You would expect it to be getting stronger.”

“Perhaps the body is freezing through more thoroughly,” Benefis offered.

Riyad looked to the silent Arieel Bol and saw her blanch. “We’ll get there in time. I promise.”

“I have a visual,” said Benefis.

Riyad could see it, too—a clump of twisted metal, a section of a hull, along with strings of wires and conduit. Riyad dropped the ship to the surface with a jolt.

“Sherri, use your thing to lock out the ship’s controls once we’re outside.”

He looked at the huge Juirean. “Sorry, but we don’t have a spacesuit that will fit you, and I’m not about to leave you alone in my ship without taking precautions.”

“I would do the same, although I believe I deserve an explanation about the strange abilities some of you exhibit.”

“You’re on. But first things first. Arieel, Sherri, into spacesuits.”

********

The planetoid had gravity—weak, but it was there—yet the dust thrown up from the landing still lingered. By the time Riyad, Sherri, and Arieel left the ship, the dust cloud was only about four feet thick, which was odd. Riyad could barely see his feet, yet his head was above the cloud with a clear view to the debris from the Pegasus II. Tiny air jets on the shoulders of their suits kept them in contact with the surface of the asteroid.

Arieel tripped over something and fell, disappearing into the dust cloud.

“I am okay.” She suddenly popped back up.

The further they moved from the ship, the clearer their path became, and soon they were rummaging through the wreckage, looking for the frozen body of Lila Bol.

“Can you help us, Sherri?” Arieel asked out of desperation.

“The signal is strong no matter what direction I move. She’s here…somewhere.”

“Over here! I think I have something.”

The two females rushed to where Riyad was lifting away a large section of hull, incredibly light in the microgravity of the asteroid.

And there was Lila.

Sherri took hold of Arieel and pulled her away. The Formilian resisted, but couldn’t break away from the Human’s stronger grip.

Lila was entangled in a cluster of razor-sharp metal fragments. Her eyes were shut and her long, black hair was frozen in a wide cascade surrounding her face. However, what caused Sherri to react the way she did was the wide sheet of metal embedded in Lila’s side, nearly severing her body in half.

Riyad pulled away the other surrounding fragments, leaving only the one in her side. He lifted the stiff body. “Hurry, let’s get back to the ship. I’ll bring Lila.”

Through her ATD, Sherri activated the aft cargo hanger door and a ramp slid out. The trio scampered up, Riyad holding Lila’s body across his chest.

Once inside, Sherri shut the door and filled the chamber with atmosphere and warmth. Riyad placed Lila on a workbench and rushed off to the bridge.

Five minutes later, the ship had lifted off the surface and engaged the internal gravity. Riyad rushed back to the cargo hold, where the two females—along with Benefis—were holding silent vigil.

Nearly all of Lila’s clothing had been blown off from the explosion, and the remarkable similarity between mother and daughter was now evident—even in Lila’s frozen state. Although only seven years old by Human time, Arieel’s daughter had grown and developed at an accelerated rate, one of the symptoms of her mutant condition. She looked more like a woman in her early twenties.

Arieel and Sherri rounded up some blankets and covered the body.

“Is this all we can do?” Arieel asked.

“I’m sorry,” Riyad said, “but I have no experience with this. I say we let her thaw out naturally.”

“What about the metal sheet?” Sherri asked.

“Leave it. If she’s anything like Panur, there won’t be any lasting damage.”

“So Panur could be like this as well, somewhere between here and the star?”

“Unfortunately, you don’t have a psychic connection with him, Sherri. Let’s pray that Lila might.”

********

Two hours later, Lila’s skin began to show some elasticity, and that’s when the itch in Sherri’s head grew stronger.

The foursome huddled around the body, which rapidly gained color with each passing minute. They watched with fascination as the metal sheet embedded in her side slowly pushed away, her skin merging and healing right before their eyes.

The sheet clanged to the deck. The itch in Sherri’s head was becoming painful again.

“Are you going to make it?” Riyad asked.

“I don’t know. This is getting serious. It got so bad last time I passed out. I can see that happening again, if not worse.”

All eyes were on Sherri now as her face turned beet red and she squeezed her eyes to slits to fight the pain. She clawed at her head, pulling on her hair in a fit of madness. Riyad took hold of her by the shoulders. “Stay with us, Sherri! Don’t give in to it.”

Sherri broke away, fell over Lila’s inert body, and began slapping her. “Wake up, you bitch! Get out of my head!”

Arieel jumped on her, but Sherri shrugged her off.

“You’re hurting her!”

“No I’m not. But she’s killing me!”

Sherri slapped the sleeping face until her hand stopped in mid-swing and the pain in her head disappeared, transferred now to her right wrist.

That was where Lila’s hand was grasping Sherri’s arm. Her eyes opened.

“I am quite conscious now. You can stop striking me.”

“Lila!” Arieel cried out. Sherri allowed herself to be shoved aside as mother fell upon daughter. “You’re alive! You’re alive…”

“Of course I am.” Then the young Formilian turned to take in the rest of the people surrounding her. “Riyad Tarazi…and a Juirean. And Sherri Valentine. I assume you recovered my body following the explosion. Is Panur with you?”

“No, he’s not,” Riyad said, stepping forward. “He still out there, floating in space somewhere. Your attackers have steered the debris toward the star. Can you help us find him before it’s too late?”

Lila sat up, placing her arms behind her for support, allowing the blanket to slip from her bare breasts. Both Riyad and Benefis gasped—even Sherri inhaled sharply. Seeing their reaction to her daughter’s naked body, Arieel lifted the blanket and draped it over her shoulders.

“I can do that,” Lila said without hesitation, “as long as he still maintains a minimum of brain activity.” She swung her legs around and stood up, the blanket falling to the deck. She strode off, her perfectly-shaped behind dancing with each step, heading instinctively for where the bridge would be located.

All eyes turned to Arieel. Then Sherri spoke: “I don’t think I have anything that would fit her.”

“Not to worry,” Arieel said, staring hard at her embarrassed companions. “I will loan her some of my clothing.”

Chapter 11

To Riyad’s immeasurable relief, four hours later the purple body of Panur lay on the same workbench in the cargo hold, though his naked body didn’t nearly evoke the same reaction as Lila’s had. The young Formilian had since dressed in a blue satin jumpsuit that fit her perfectly. It had to; it had once been worn by her mother. Since Arieel had boarded the Najmah Fayd without any preparation, she came with the clothing she’d had on at the time. So Arieel was now clad only in a white wrap around her breasts and a pair of nearly shear panties.

Riyad shook his head. Six of one, half a dozen of another, he thought. Either a naked Lila or a nearly-naked Arieel. Both were having the same effect on him.

“Do you have a gas flame tool of some kind aboard?” Lila asked.

“Like a blowtorch?”

“Something similar, possibly smaller—handheld.”

“I think so. Let me check.”

Riyad returned a few moments later carrying a small propane torch. Lila took the offered igniter and lit the flame, running it slowly over Panur’s frozen body.

“Are you sure that won’t hurt him?” Sherri asked.

“I am sure. It will hasten the thaw. I may need more gas canisters.”

It took forty-five minutes before Lila had reached the point where her flame was causing the flesh to char with each pass. However, by the time she returned to the starting point, the flesh was back to the same pasty white as Riyad remembered it to be.

Eventually, Panur’s chest began moving as he resumed breathing—which Riyad found to be a superfluous act but comforting nonetheless. When Panur opened his eyes, he locked them on Lila.

“You have brought me back. I thank you.”

“I had help.” She stepped back so Panur could scan the room.

“Seeing this gathering, I somehow feel my awakening is just the beginning of another great adventure.”

********

 “You obviously have not gone through this much trouble out of the goodness of your hearts. You want something from me. What is it?”

Panur had dressed in an oversized man’s shirt, with a belt around his waist to hold it in place. The team was on the bridge of the Najmah Fayd, the moment of truth now upon them.

“We need you to help us rescue Adam Cain.”

“Adam? He is being held captive somewhere?” Panur narrowed his eyes. “I can only conclude this has something to do with the Sol-Kor.”

“That’s right. He’s being held prisoner on Kor.”

“You returned to Sol-Kor space?”

“Yes, we did. And Admiral Tobias destroyed the master portal array for the Milky Way galaxy. By the way, why didn’t you tell us there was only one main array?”

Panur smiled. “What fun would it be if I revealed everything I know? I find it more entertaining to watch you figure things out on your own.”

Benefis spoke for the first time: “At the cost of trillions of lives?”

“A Juirean…in the company of Humans. Now that I find interesting.”

“You know you are insane, do you not?”

“Insanity is a relative term, Juirean.” Panur turned his attention to Riyad. “With the master portal destroyed and the personal units under the control of the Sol-Kor at the array locations you have yet to destroy, you need access to my universe.”

“That’s right. We still have the portal you built for Adam. We need you to make whatever improvements to it so it can link with other universes.”

“Why go through such effort?” He waved his hand in a circle. “Does this ship not employ the hybrid drive I developed for the Pegasus II?”

“Yeah, it does. What does that have to do with anything?”

Panur smiled. “The system is a combination dimensional portal and gravity drive, allowing you to jump short distances within your universe before reappearing at a new point in space. I have been thinking that the next generation would allow transit between universes, not just within one.”

“You mean this ship could become its own TD-portal?”

“Precisely.”

Riyad stood up, his face animated. “Then that’s it! We turn the Najmah Fayd into a universe-hopping starship and then jump over to get Adam away from the new queen.”

“Hold on a minute, Riyad,” Sherri said.

“How soon can you make the upgrades?”

“No…wait!” Sherri stood up. “Do you realize what you’re saying?”

“What? What’s the problem?”

“Just think for a minute. Right now the galaxy is safe from the Sol-Kor because they don’t have a master portal to send their starships through. If Panur is right—and I have no doubt that he is—then there’s a way for the Sol-Kor to turn each of their individual ships into a portal—”

“At which point they can enter the galaxy when and where they wish, and without the need for a matching portal,” the Juirean finished for her.

“That’s only if they get the technology. We just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“But what if they do?” Sherri asked. “Look, I want to save Adam as much as any of us, but this is too big of a risk. Maybe just modify the smaller portal and let us go in that way.” She looked to Panur for support.

The alien seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and not listening to the back and forth between her and Riyad. After a moment, he turned his unblinking gaze upon Riyad.

“You used the term new queen a moment ago. Please explain.”

Riyad swallowed hard. Realizing his blunder, he knew that with Panur’s infallible memory there was no going back. This was the moment he feared most.

“Adam and I…well, we kinda killed the Eternal Queen.”

Even though the mutant’s mind could work at an accelerated pace as compared to Humans, he still took his time to react. “I was not aware there was a way to kinda kill a mortal creature. You do realize she was my mother?”

“You have to understand, she had begun a campaign of indiscriminate sterilization of entire planets, regardless of a harvest or not. It was a personal vendetta against the Milky Way. We had no choice.”

“If you recall, I stopped you once before from killing the Queen. Yet you again journeyed to Kor and ended her life, a life that had continued for five thousand years. Do you realize what a loss that is?” His black eyes continued to bore into Riyad. “I see that you made it back, yet Adam Cain did not. Now you wish to remedy that situation—with my help. Now he is being held by one of the Zygotes who has assumed the title of Q—”

“No…we killed all the Zygotes, too.”

Again a pause. “If you killed the Royal Zygotes, then who…J’nae!”

“You know of her?” Riyad was taken aback. “She’s something…different. She’s the size of male Sol-Kor, but with distinctly female features. We didn’t know anything like her existed.”

“She didn’t…until I created her. J’nae is my daughter.”

Sherri fell back into a chair and slapped the console next to her. “Well fuck me,” she said. “This just gets better all the time.”

“She is your daughter?” Lila repeated, emotion thick in her voice.

“She is, yet not in the traditional manner. She is the product of my DNA and that of the Eternal Queen.”

“How…why?” Riyad asked.

“It began as an experiment—and as a contingency plan. Apparently the proper conditions have materialized that called for her ascension.”

“I don’t understand,” said Lila.

Panur glared at Riyad as if to say Now look what you’ve done!

The mutant turned his attention to the young Formilian. “For a long time, I had speculated upon a series of events that would leave the Sol-Kor without a traditional queen. So I engineered a new type of Sol-Kor female, one more along the lines of other species such as Humans and Formilians—even Juireans—yet with…improvements.”

“But only one, like an Eve character for the Sol-Kor? That’s…messed up,” Sherri said.

“She is able to reproduce at an accelerated pace, as well as determine the sex of her offspring. The plan was for her to produce an initial population of females who would then give birth to even more females and so forth. Eventually, the genders would reach parity once population stability was reached.”

“So there’s no more mass production of hungry, flesh-eating monsters?” Sherri asked. “At least that’s something positive.”

“On the contrary, Sherri, it is now much worse.”

“What do you mean?”

“Initially, you are correct. There will be a lull in Sol-Kor population growth. Yet in a very short time there could be a million females born each day, with the population growing exponentially as a result. I created a new strain of Sol-Kor that can reach sexual maturity in as little as six standard years. Once the initial threshold is met, the population will grow even faster than was possible through the efforts of the one Eternal Queen.”

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“As I said, it began as a thought experiment, and then it was completed because…well, because I could.”

“Not everything you think of should be created.”

“You’re wrong. Under the proper conditions, they should.”

“I’m not going to argue with you—”

“It would be a losing effort—”

“Stop it!” Riyad commanded. “This isn’t helping us get Adam back.” He took a step closer to Panur. “Sorry about your mother, but she was kind of a bitch. So the question remains: Will you help us or not? We’re running out of time.”

“Indeed, you are.” The mutant surveyed the faces in the room. All of them looked anxious, while Lila’s displayed an expression of pain. Panur snickered, which was not what Riyad and Sherri had been expecting.

“You think this is funny?” Sherri scolded.

Panur smiled back at her. “No, I do not. This is even more serious and dangerous than you can imagine. May I take a seat?”

“Please do. Make yourself comfortable. Do you want me to get you a pillow for your weary head, perhaps a brandy to warm your insides?”

“No, I’m fine, thank you anyway.” Panur settled into the command chair, while Sherri and Riyad sat down as well. Studying Panur’s demeanor, Riyad was pretty sure he wasn’t going to seek revenge against him for killing his mother. That was one hurdle crossed. There were more to come.

“Let me tell you why the situation has grown proportionally worse…and why it’s now imperative that I help you.”

“You’re going to help us?” Riyad exclaimed, caught off-guard.

“If I don’t, you will all die.”

“You sure have a way with words,” Sherri growled.

“Let me explain some basic truths.” He looked to Benefis. “You say I have been responsible for all the death caused by the Sol-Kor, and in a way you are correct. Yet throughout the centuries, I have regulated the technological advancement of the Sol-Kor by releasing only those innovations I wished to release, and when I wished to release them. I have so many more ideas in my head that if revealed would make the Sol-Kor invincible, now and forever. Yet I have allocated these advancements a little at a time, over five thousand years. But now comes J’nae…

“As I mentioned, she is a creature I created, designed to be essentially my clone. She is just as intelligent as I am, with the same innovative spirit…yet with a difference.”

“What difference?” Benefis asked.

“She has been held in relative isolation for several hundred years. Yes, she had access to news and research materials, yet in a very real sense she lacks real-world experience. A creature may have unlimited intellectual potential, yet if they are never exposed to a possibility, they may never think of it on their own.”

“So she’s like a child?”

“In a way. Yet when exposed to a possibility, even if it is not something that currently exists in her reality, she will think on it until she finds a way to create it for herself. Just knowing that something is possible will become a challenge for her to figure out how it is done.”

“So if we do use the Najmah Fayd to jump into Sol-Kor space, and even if we aren’t caught, just knowing that such a thing is possible will get her working on the problem.” Riyad felt his heart sink to his feet. So much for taking the Najmah Fayd into Sol-Korland.

“The sad truth is: if I can think of it, so can she. To be honest, I have known how to adapt a starship into a TD-portal for a thousand years, I just never had any need to reveal such. I also knew what that would mean to Sol-Kor growth and the subsequent demise of victim races. Contrary to your belief, Juirean, I am not a cold-blooded killer. I have used the Sol-Kor to visit countless worlds across the five universes. I thrill at the chance to meet new species, and I often regret when the time arrives for their harvest.

“As far as J’nae is concerned, one of her major problems at this time is accessing your universe. She will seek to solve this problem, and there will no holding back once a solution is found. She is the Sol-Kor, and that is her only concern. In summary: it is inevitable that she will come to the same conclusion I have, with or without our influence.”

The room remained silent as the consequences sank in. There was no avoiding the obvious: the Sol-Kor would be back, and there would be no way to stop them this time.

“Yet there is more.”

“I do not think I can handle more,” Arieel said, gripping her daughter’s hand even tighter.

“Lay it on us, Panur,” Sherri said. “My day’s a mess already.”

“As mentioned earlier, I release my innovations according to my timetable, not that of the Sol-Kor. With J’nae as the new leader of the Colony, she will be operating on her own schedule, and solely for the benefit of her people. As with the TD-capable starship, possibilities will continue to flow to her at an ever-increasing pace. And with a burgeoning population to feed and an eternity to rule, she will develop things even I have never dreamed of.”

“You make her out to be some kind of megalomaniac bent on universal domination,” Lila said.

“She is like us, Lila, immortal and of superior intellect. Her only purpose in life will be to expand her horizons. Whereas we sought to create a race of similar beings, she will be content being the one and only of her kind. She already has a trillion loyal subjects, and many more to come. She will provide them with the means to spread even further and faster than ever before.”

“Does this make you a proud papa?” Sherri asked.

“What it makes me is determined to stop her.”

“How is that possible?” Benefis asked. “You have just described…the end of time for everyone except the Sol-Kor.”

“Just as your people sought to neutralize me, I will have to do the same.”

“She’s your daughter,” Arieel stated.

“She is more my creation, a project, and as Sherri pointed out earlier, not all my creations should have seen the light of day.”

“So I was right!”

“On the contrary, I said under the proper conditions. Those conditions have not been met in J’nae’s case, thanks in part to her premature assumption of her position and the unlimited resources it affords her. For that I have Misters Tarazi and Cain to thank. Now it will be up to me to clean up the mess they have created.”

Shrugging of the insult, Riyad stood up. He surveyed the concerned faces staring back at him, before focusing his attention on Panur. “So, it looks like we’re back in…and with the Najmah Fayd.”

“Just as soon as I can make the modifications.”

Chapter 12

“There’s a ship closing on us!” Sherri called out to the distracted bridge crew.

“Juireans?”

“Nope…believe it or not, it’s Syrus Jacs. I didn’t think he stuck around after all the fireworks started.”

“He is a tenacious being,” Benefis said. “Probably looking to collect his fee…from someone.”

“We can’t let him know Panur is still alive—I mean thawed out,” Riyad said. “He may tell the Juireans.”

“He’s hailing us…what should I do?” Sherri looked to see who was going to take charge.

“We must first find out what he knows,” offered Panur. “He may have been monitoring your activities and already know of my recovery. If that’s the case, and we shun him now, he could sell that information to the Juireans. I vote that we destroy his ship now, just to make certain he doesn’t do that.”

“He may also know nothing,” Arieel countered.

“So lure him in and find out.”

“I would also vote to kill him,” Benefis added with enthusiasm.

It was Sherri’s turn to pile on: “I’m with you!”

Arieel shook her head. “What is the matter with all of you? Are you savages with no compassion?”

Sherri, Panur, and Benefis looked at each other, before the Human voiced the unanimous thought. “That’s right, we are. But this has nothing to do with compassion and more to do with survival.”

“Panur, would not you require additional supplies for your conversion of this ship?” Lila asked. “This creature Jacs had been our main source of advanced technology since our arrival in the Frontier. He may still have value.”

“I could also serve as your broker,” Benefis offered. Riyad could see the greed in the alien’s yellow eyes.

“Lila is correct,” Panur stated. “Syrus Jacs already knows our needs, and he has been trustworthy in the past. Forgive me, my Juirean friend, but I don’t know you.”

“So do I open a link or not?” Sherri asked impatiently.

“I will speak with him,” Panur said, stepping up to Sherri’s station. He nodded. “Syrus Jacs, this is Panur.”

“Panur? It can’t be! I saw your ship destroyed.”

“Ships can be destroyed, I cannot.”

“This is great news! Where are my credits?”

“They were aboard the Pegasus II.”

“So you’re saying you no longer need the modules? Unfortunately they were a special order, and I will require a thirty percent cancellation fee.”

“Or what?” Sherri cried out. Panur frowned at the Human.

“Who was that?”

“Just one of my old friends. Let me discuss the matter here for a moment.” He signaled for Sherri to mute the link. “I have been thinking…your ship, Riyad, uses a modified SCAC fuel source, and when I make the conversion it will have to be the 18’s that Syrus has aboard his vessel. We therefore need to go through with the transaction.”

“The Najmah Fayd came to me with a full power charge, so I haven’t had to think about replacement mods. How much are SCAC-18’s?”

“One hundred seventeen thousand Juirean credits each.”

Riyad was stunned. “And you need five of them?”

“That’s correct.”

“That’s five hundred eighty-five thousand credits,” Sherri announced. “Anyone have that kind of cash lying around?”

“Not aboard the Fayd,” said Riyad, dumbfounded.

“I have it on my planet,” Panur stated.

“You mean the planet where you’ve been hiding?” Riyad asked. There was something in the mutant’s tone that made him ask the question.

“No…it is the planet I own.”

“You own a planet?” Benefis asked.

“It is a small one, but yes.”

“He’s beeping us again,” said Sherri.

Panur nodded. “Syrus, we have discussed the matter and we’re willing to go through with the transaction.”

“You are?”

“Yes. However, the credits I brought with me are no more, as you can understand why. I will ask that you accompany us to my world, where settlement will be made.”

“Where is that?”

“I will not divulge that information within a link. You will have to follow us. And I must warn you, no unauthorized transmissions are to be made from your ship. If so, I will instruct the captain of this vessel to destroy you without hesitation.”

“What makes you think he could destroy—”

Anticipating the conversation, Riyad had already plotted a quick hop to a location just behind Jacs’ ship. He made the jump with weapons charged and glowing on any close-range detector.

Jacs was cut off in mid-sentence as the Najmah Fayd disappeared off his screen, only to reappear a heartbeat later, and in perfect firing position behind him. “Okay…I agree to your terms. Please lead on.”

“It is a pleasure doing business with you, Syrus Jacs.”

Chapter 13

It took two days to reach Panur’s world, and as they swept once around it in orbit, Riyad saw that it was indeed a small planet. However, its heavy core density afforded it a gravity equal to about .85 of Earth, along with an atmosphere rich in nitrogen and oxygen.

“How the hell did you end up owning an entire planet?” Sherri asked, as she too surveyed the world from space.

“It was given to me—and to Lila.”

“Given why?” asked Arieel.

Panur looked to Lila and smiled. Arieel’s daughter reacted with a small smirk of her own. “Forgive us, Mother, but Panur and I have been posing as gods.”

“Gods?” Riyad, Sherri and Arieel’s voices all blended together in a very pleasing three-part harmony.

Arieel continued as a solo: “In what manner?”

“All manners,” Panur chimed in, a rather pleased expression on his face. “I chose this world because the indigenous species has basic intelligence, a firm grasp of technology…and they already had a plethora of gods which we could infiltrate.”

“How so?”

“As we in this room are aware, gods are the creation of the worshippers, not the other way around. So when Lila and I began to demonstrate our unique abilities in person, it didn’t take long for the population to discard their old gods in lieu of some new ones—us. Forgive me, Arieel, but it is similar to what the Speakers of your world have done for two thousand years. We put on some shows…and the next thing we knew the entire species had dedicated their lives to us. They even offered legal documents handing over ownership of the planet. We didn’t ask for that, but we took it anyway.”

“And what did you expect to gain from such a…deception?”

“A place to experiment with a new race of immortals. The natives would embrace these new creatures, offering us protection, anonymity, and all the wealth we desired.”

“And how’s that working out for you?” Sherri asked, sensing from Lila’s expression that all was not well in Fantasyland.

Panur looked at Lila, and his expression changed dramatically. He looked sheepish, almost embarrassed. “Unfortunately, with all my wisdom I still have much to learn about interpersonal relationships.”

“You mean like between you…and Lila?”

“Exactly.”

Sherri’s grin was wider than Riyad had ever seen it. She was ecstatic. “You two can’t get along, is that what you’re saying?”

“I have never had to accommodate such an intellect, especially not one close to my own.”

“Equal to yours,” Lila stated.

“That is assuming quite a lot, Lila.”

“Yet it is a fact, whether you choose to accept it or not.”

“I have been alive for five thousand years. My depth of experience is far greater than yours.”

“But not your ability to comprehend and evaluate. In terms of raw ability, I am every bit your equal.”

“Or so you say.”

Lila looked to her mother. “He is insufferable.”

“And she is unreasonable.”

Sherri laughed out loud. “So what…separate beds?”

“There will be no need for such, not until he treats me with more respect.”

Arieel went to her daughter and hugged her. “I’m here for you, Lila, should you require understanding and compassion.” She looked over Lila’s shoulder at Panur, a dark gleam in her eye.

“I feel I am without allies here,” Panur said in a huff.

“I’m with you, man,” Riyad said. “Can’t live with them, can’t outsmart them either. Hell, in your case, you can’t even kill them!”

“Yet I can outsmart—”

“See what I mean, Mother—insufferable.”

“Are we going to land this tub or not?” Sherri asked with a lilt in her voice. “Or do we continue with this riveting episode of Dr. Phil?”

“Who is Doctor Fill?” Benefis asked.

********

Panur’s adoring subjects ended up being squat little creatures with huge heads and large round eyes. They were stocky and incredibly strong for their size, which was slightly shorter that Panur. Lila, for her part, had continued to grow. She was now over eight inches taller than Panur, and Riyad saw how she enjoyed leaning over him in a dominating fashion during conversations. Even between immortal mutant aliens, power games were played.

The two mutants had only been on the planet for a year, yet in that time the awestruck natives had constructed a magnificent palace for their two living gods. Apparently gold was plentiful here, and held in as much veneration as it was in most primitive societies. The building was literally covered in shiny gold, every square inch of it, except for the gold-tinted windows. Riyad had to squint against the building’s glare as they exited the Najmah Fayd and made their way over to Syrus Jacs’ ship.

The planet was called Worak-nin on the charts, but Panur had renamed it Panurland in honor of…well, himself. Lila bristled when he mentioned this to the others, seeing that her name had been excluded. Not a wise move on the part of the so-called genius intellect, Riyad thought. Even a dumb guy like him knew better.

The natives referred to themselves as Nar, and they had rudimentary electronics and wheeled vehicles powered my fossil fuels, yet no space travel. They marveled each time Panur and Lila flew their incredible starship—the one that was now a thin cloud of debris streaming toward an unnamed star eighty light-years away. The Najmah Fayd was an even more impressive craft, drawing gasps of amazement as it rested on the surface of the primitive spaceport the mutants had had constructed near their residence.

Then came Syrus Jacs’ ship. It, too, inspired gasps, but of concern rather than awe.

If ever a vessel should be classified a derelict, this was it. It was an ugly amalgamation of at least four other discarded starships, welded together along clumpy seams and confusing in its basic orientation. At first glance it was almost impossible to determine the head from the tail.

Riyad was confused. From the sophisticated look of Jacs’ headquarters building on Lasiter, the merchant-trader appeared to be very successful at what he did. Looking now at his spaceship, Riyad had his doubts.

He was waiting near the exit hatch of the hideous starship with the rest of his so-called crew when Syrus appeared. Riyad hadn’t heard the name of his race, but he found the alien to be about his height, gaunt-faced, with a scraggly crop of pure white hair radiating out from his head. He was slender, with standard arms, legs and hands. Yet it was the eyes that truly labeled him as an alien, at least to the Humans. They were two protruding sockets set on each side of his head, allowing him to look in multiple directions at the same time. Most lizards and fish used the same set-up, so Riyad knew it worked—for them. It was an odd experience facing the creature and not knowing which eye to focus on. So he focused on his narrow nose instead.

Syrus scanned the faces of the six creatures waiting for him outside his ship until he spotted Benefis. Then both eyes whipped around and pointed at the Juirean.

“I thought we had an exclusive deal, Panur? What is the Juirean doing amongst you?”

“I have no idea,” the mutant replied. “He came with the others.”

“This is my customer, Benefis. I know not what you are attempting.”

“I am not attempting anything. I am but an unwitting passenger aboard the Humans’ spaceship.”

“Humans?” Syrus looked at Sherri and Riyad, and then a moment longer at Arieel. “What are Humans doing here? I have never met one before, yet I understand they are dangerous and ill-tempered.”

“We can also hear,” said Sherri.

“Of course you can. What does that have to do with anything?”

“It means show a little respect.”

Syrus nodded, while his eyes darted to each of the others. “Indeed…ill-tempered and easily provoked.”

“Just get this jerk his credits, Panur, so he can get out of here in his piece-of-shit spaceship.”

The alien focused his eyes on Sherri as the embedded translation bug near his tiny earholes did its best deciphering the phrasing. “I understand you do not respect my vessel?”

“Sure I do,” Sherri countered. “I respect the fact that it’s still in one piece after landing. How long that miracle lasts is anyone’s guess.”

Syrus took a step toward Sherri, but then changed his mind after recalling the stories he’d heard about Humans. “My ship is a fine example of frugal innovation and adaption. It is structurally sound, incredibly fast, and powerfully armed. The appearance is as it has evolved, which also adds to its deceptive value when confronting hostile forces. You would be wise not to underestimate my ship.”

“It could use a fucking paint job.”

“Paint does not mate,” said Syrus after the translation.

“Let’s move on, please,” Panur said, stepping in. “I have a transport waiting. Please allow me—and Lila—to enter first, as appearances must be maintained for our subjects.”

********

Even though the palace was covered in gold, it wouldn’t win any awards for design innovation. It was just a huge box, five stories tall and covering the footprint of a standard football field. Five rows of tinted windows wrapped the building on each floor, yet when they entered they found most of the interior open all the way to the ceiling. Only about twenty meters to the left and right was filled with additional rooms.

Panur led them to a golden doorway that opened to an elevator.

“What’s with all the damn gold?” Sherri asked. “I should have brought my sunglasses.”

“My subjects—”

“Our subjects,” Lila corrected.

“Yes…our subjects insisted on it. You think that with the amount put into this building that the metal would be ubiquitous, yet it is not. Apparently this structure contains over two thirds of all the gold ever recovered on the planet. Nothing is too good—or rare—for their gods.”

Syrus’s mouth had fallen open at the first sight of the palace. “Perhaps I have undercharged for my products. I would gladly take the elevator door as fair compensation in lieu of future Juirean credits.”

“And then the cab would be without a door,” Panur stated. “I have more credits than I have gold elevator doors. I shall pay in credits, not doors.”

“Regrettable.”

“Syrus Jacs, I will insist that you remain on Panurland until I have developed the parts list for the conversion I will be doing on Riyad’s ship. I have much of what I need already here, yet I can think of a dozen or so items I require from off-planet. Are you agreeable to this?”

“If it means additional orders, of course.”

“Good. Now as we exit, there will be attendants who will escort you to individual quarters.”

“I wish to stay with my mother,” Lila said, to Panur’s apparent surprise.

“Of course, this being a reunion of sorts.”

Riyad could tell in both the tone and body language of the two mutants that it was much more than that. It looked as though Arieel was going to get her wish of having her daughter back at her side.

“I’ll bunk with Riyad,” Sherri blurted.

Riyad jerked his head around at the fiery blonde.

“Relax, stud, we have a lot of planning to do for the rest of the mission. It would be good to spend the time doing that while Panur works on the ship.”

“I require private accommodations,” Benefis stated emphatically.

“As do I,” said Syrus.

“They are simply sleeping quarters,” said Panur, his exasperation showing. “It was not meant to start another galactic war.”

Riyad could see the disgust on the mutant’s face as he relinquished custody of his guests—and Lila—to the waiting attendants, and marched off down the gold-lined hallway, his tiny fists clenched in frustration. He might be the most intelligent creature across multiple universes, but he still hadn’t solved the greatest mystery of all: how to make other people happy. It just wasn’t something he had an aptitude for.

Chapter 14

Unlike other starfaring civilizations, there were no diplomats, entrepreneurs, or even tourists on Kor. The Sol-Kor didn’t operate like that. They ate every race they came in contact with, all except the Salifens.

These simple-minded creatures were all throughout the capital pyramid, even tasked with supplying Adam with his daily meal—his one meal, no more, no less, and at exactly the same time every day. Routines were dangerous, especially when one had a desperate SEAL-trained Human watching your every move.

Adam had thought long and hard on what he would do if he managed to escape his chambers. He would still be in a huge structure housing a million enemies, and on a planet where only two distinct races wandered its surface. In other circumstances, he would have been able to blend in with a diverse population of aliens. Not here. He would stand out like a sore thumb—or a tasty morsel.

Another subject of planning involved his artificial telepathy device, the brain-interface unit he had buried under the skin below his right armpit. For such an intellect, Adam was surprised that J’nae had bought his explanation that not all Humans were susceptible to the Sol-Kor suppressor beam. But beyond conjuring up some sparkling balls of static electricity, he hadn’t been able to connect with any of the Sol-Kor command modules or circuits. His device was compatible with Formilian-designed units only, and not those made by the Sol-Kor. He could detect electrical hotspots, including plasma weapons. He just couldn’t do anything to affect their operation.

The Sol-Kor also pulled no punches when it came to surveilling his quarters. There were cameras everywhere, and in plain sight. He was being watched and they wanted him to know it. That still did not stop him from surveying every square inch of his prison. Stone floors, stone and metal walls, and only one doorway in or out.

He knew he could overpower any of the Sol-Kor guards outside, at least the first ten or so. But with a million more as backup, he didn’t feel that was the way to go.

It would have to be with the help of the Salifens.

There were three who rotated between serving his meals and tending to his quarters. He spoke with all of them, attempting to make friends. He called them Manny, Moe, and Jack. Being such simple creatures, they were always polite and friendly, although Adam felt this was just the way they were. They held no concern for him other than the task before them. If he dropped dead in front of them, they would just stand there emotionless until instructed to remove the body. That’s what the Salifens did—they carried things—plates of food, containers of water…or his dead body—it made no difference to them.

But they did unlock the doors on a predicable schedule.

It was a few days after the broadsword match with the Queen that Adam decided to take his interaction with the Salifens to the next level.

It was Moe’s turn, and like clockwork, the door was unlatched and the tall, smooth-skinned alien entered carrying a tray of the same brown mush Adam had been eating for the past month-and-a-half. Two Sol-Kor guards eyed him from the open doorway, as Moe sat the tray on the solitary dining table in the huge living quarters.

Adam lay on the bed, his shirt off, the bandage from the close call he had with J’nae’s blade still attached to his skin.

“I cannot eat at the table, not with my injury.”

Moe’s reaction was predictable. He blinked several times and his jaw fell slack. He looked at Adam and then at the tray of food. Then he picked up the tray and took a step toward Adam.

“No, I require a place to set the tray.”

“The space next to you?”

“No. I require a cart with wheels for the food. A cart with a long cloth covering.”

“To place the tray?”

“Yes. Now go get a cart. I’ve seen them. You have them around.”

“That is not how I was instructed to deliver your food.”

“Instructions have changed.”

“I was not told.”

“You are being told now.”

“Yes…I am.”

“Go find a cart and bring it to me. Tell the guards you have been instructed to do so.”

********

Moe left, confused but obedient. He returned fifteen minutes later with the cloth-covered cart. The guards didn’t protest.

Once the cart was at the side of the bed, Moe returned to the table and retrieved the tray of brown mush.

“Now leave me as I eat. When you return, I will be under the covers and asleep, so do not bother me when you remove the cart.”

Adam wolfed down the mush and then dimmed the lights, preparing for sleep. It was early, but the guards seldom entered his quarters, so afternoon naps were becoming more common. They helped to combat the boredom of his captivity.

He climbed under the covers, bundling much of the sheets and blanket in the form of a sleeping figure. Then, still under the cover of the sheets, he scooted over in the bed and slipped off next to the cart, ducking underneath, hidden by the cloth covering the cart.

He crouched for several minutes until Moe returned. By then his knees were cramping up. With a grimace, he began to hop along the floor when the Salifen began to roll the cart toward the doorway.

Cart and escapee made it through the doorway without incident. He assumed the guards could see the sleeping figure under the covers of the bed and so didn’t suspect he was under the cart. Whether they did or didn’t, they didn’t check.

Adam’s legs were screaming with pain by the time Moe finally reached his destination with the cart. He rested on his knees, massaging his knotted-up calves. Then he bent over even more, placing his cheek on the cold stone floor before slowly lifting the cloth curtain a couple of inches.

He could see the bases of several metal benches—no alien feet. Gaining confidence, he lifted the cloth a little more until he got a better view of the room he was in. It was a kitchen, and about five meters away was a small gathering of Salifens, and one Sol-Kor barking orders. Once the Sol-Kor stopped speaking, the Salifens dispersed, off to follow whatever instructions they’d been given.

The Sol-Kor supervisor bent down over a bench and began studying a small datapad. He didn’t have his back to Adam, facing sideways instead. But he was distracted.

Adam slipped out from under the cart, yet when he went to straighten up, he grimaced with pain. He inhaled sharply as the sensation slowly subsided.

Walking like an eighty-year-old, he slipped in behind the taller alien and wrapped his right arm around the creature’s thick neck. Linking his left arm with his right, he squeezed, feeling the crunch of bone and cartilage. After the deed, Adam slid the dead alien over to a dark recess in the kitchen and began to remove his clothing.

Sol-Kor on average were about seven feet in height, so after Adam put on the pants and mid-sleeve shirt, his hands were still hidden within eight inches of extra arm sleeve, and the pants were about a foot too long. He tucked the pant legs into his socks under a drop of the cuff, and then rolled the sleeves up to mid-arm. Even then, there was considerable excess in the chest and butt.

His Sol-Kor had been unarmed and without any headgear, so the disguise Adam now wore wasn’t much. But if there was thing he had working to his advantage, it was that he had a pretty good idea of where in the pyramid he was. His makeshift prison was adjacent to the Queen’s chambers on the ground floor. This placed it close to the main underground entrance. And being in a huge kitchen, there had to be delivery access somewhere, a place where trucks were coming and going.

Lifting a meter-square box from under a shelf, Adam held it along the side of his head and moved further back into the kitchen. There were other creatures here, mainly Salifens. Most of the time his face was hidden from them, but on the few occasions where the off-worlders got a good look at him, they simply went about their business without giving him a second thought.

He followed a thin line of the aliens. They were fulfilling their purpose in life—carrying things from one place to another. These were kitchen supplies and food packages, being supplied from the back of a large cargo truck.

Seeing only Salifens, Adam slipped along the side of the truck toward the cab. He glanced inside and found it empty. Then he heard voices coming from the right front side, opposite his location. There were two distinct individuals.

Still carrying the box, Adam crossed the front of the truck and came upon two Sol-Kor, discussing the paperwork on a clipboard one of them held.

They both glanced up as Adam approached, and turned back to the clipboard.

Then they hesitated, and looked up again.

What they saw next was the broadside of the box Adam was carrying. It slammed into their faces with all the force the Human could deliver, coupled with the weight of the unknown contents. The clipboard dropped to the floor as the Sol-Kor stumbled backward. Then Adam was on them. He swipe-kicked one, sending him falling to the hard deck. A stomp of a bare foot then crushed the alien’s skull. Meanwhile he used the elevated position of standing on the Sol-Kor’s head to deliver a crushing right jab to the broad nose of the other. The Sol-Kor’s face deformed completely, its nose receding a half inch into the face. The Sol-Kor went suddenly stiff before toppling over backwards like a cut tree.

The few Salifens who witnessed the attack stopped what they were doing to watch. Although none raised the alarm, they did sense that something was out of the ordinary. Adam rushed to the back of the truck.

“Quitting time!” he yelled, grabbing two of the Salifens by their arms and pulling them from the back of the truck. “Get out.” Then he shut and latched the back doors.

In the cab, he discovered that like all the other Sol-Kor trucks he’d driven, this one also didn’t require keys. He pressed a start button and the vehicle was ready to go. He gripped the steering wheel, pressed the accelerator, and the truck moved away from the kitchen’s loading dock.

Like traffic everywhere—except on the planet Castor—the traffic on Kor followed a designated pattern. One side of the road went one way, the other side the opposite. Since it took a lot to keep a million bodies supplied, he figured the direction with the most traffic would be incoming, so he turned into the lane with the least amount, assuming this would be the way out of the pyramid.

He was right in his assumption, and soon he was in the middle of a huge spiraling highway corkscrewing down through the mountain on which the M-1 pyramid rested. The circular tunnel was dimly lit, requiring drivers to use their headlights. This helped to keep his face hidden from curious eyes, but soon the tunnel straightened out and he could see the brilliant light of Kor’s afternoon sun flooding in through a wide opening at the base of the mountain.

He would take the first exit he could find, and then work his way back toward the portal farm. Finding a unit linked to his dimension was his best chance of getting home—and letting someone on Earth know about it—before Riyad made his move. The complicating factor was that the only portals going his way were the small private ones, and they were tied to the few remaining Sol-Kor portal arrays in the Milky Way. He would be popping into a nest of hungry flesh-eating aliens.

Of course, he would catch them off guard…all thousand or so who normally manned an array.

Still, it was the best plan he had. If he could slip in undetected and then steal a ship in his own universe, it would be easier to get someone’s attention—someone who wouldn’t serve him up for dinner if he was caught.

An exit appeared and he pulled off. This road was leading east; the portal farm was on the west side of the spaceport. He made his way to the main road that ran along the north side of the huge spaceport. He only had so much time before he would be found out—or the body of his clothes-donor was discovered. Then it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out his escape plan.

It was about an hour and a half after he’d slipped out of his room when he entered the maze of identical buildings the natives called the Farm. Although most of the portals here were used for inter-universe travel, he knew where the long-distance units were housed. He raced through light traffic until he reached the sector.

From what he understood, any working portal here could be dialed into his universe, so he pulled up to a building with a truck parked outside, and he didn’t play it safe. He bounded out of the cab and ran to one of the smaller doors bookending a large roll-up metal door.

The Sol-Kor’s nasty habit of not using locks was soon to be their downfall. Adam boldly entered the building and looked around. The five Sol-Kor in the large warehouse  turned to look at him. He was silhouetted against the glare of light flooding through the open door, so at first they didn’t react. After a quick survey of the aliens’ positions, Adam rushed forward, swift in Kor’s light gravity, and made quick work of the scaly technicians. Then he sat down at a control console and began punching buttons as Adrian Kaczynski had once shown him.

Spinning in the chair, he looked to the trans-dimensional portal sitting in the center of the huge room. Lights activated along the frame, and a light shimmering film filled the interior of the gateway. He was close.

He turned back to the panel and pulled up a list of active portals in his universe. Only three were listed, which he was both happy and sad to see. It meant the good guys within the Milky Way were shutting down all the enemy portals, but it left him with limited options. A galaxy is a huge place, and he had no idea where these portals were located in relation to Earth, or any allied planet for that matter.

He didn’t care. He clicked the first one.

The scene through the portal changed to that of a dimly-lit room with a matching control panel occupying a nearby wall. At first blush, the room looked empty.

Without a second thought, Adam sprinted to the rectangular-shaped doorway and ran through.

As was normal with TD transfers, there was a slight moment of disorientation and nausea, which quickly passed. That was welcome; it meant the transit had worked. What wasn’t welcome was what he found waiting for him off to his left, hidden from view of the portal from the other side.

“I should have had this moment recorded,” said J’nae, the Queen of the Sol-Kor. “Your expression is…well, beyond wealth.”

“Priceless, we would say.”

“Exactly! That is a much better way to describe it.”

Adam let his shoulders slump as he took in the gathering of ten armed Sol-Kor soldiers flanking their leader. They made no move toward him, waiting for instructions from J’nae.

“I take it we’re not in my universe?”

“No, you took at little jump back to my quarters. It is how all the portals in this sector have been programmed.”

“I hate being predicable.”

“How else were you to return to your universe?” The Queen’s smile was gleeful. She was really enjoying the moment. “I must say your escape from your chambers was rather clever, but it didn’t take long to discover you were missing. You actually made good time getting here—I mean to the portal farm. I am very busy these days, so I could only wait for you for so long before I would have had to turn responsibility over to High Noslead Lociss.” She turned to the stern-looking, black-armored Sol-Kor male next to her. “Now, Lociss, please return my guest to his quarters—unharmed. When I find time, I will dispense an appropriate punishment myself.”

She looked back to Adam with a pout. “Unfortunately, I cannot let this indiscretion be forgiven. You must learn that any attempts at escape will result in some rather unpleasant consequences.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“That why your punishment will be mild, although you may not classify it as so. Just remember, by comparison to future treatments, it will be. Now, back to your cage, Adam Cain.”

Chapter 15

Fanon trailed the entourage returning the alien to his room. He twisted his neck slightly to relieve the tightness in his skin, a consequence of the surgical procedure he’d undergone. So far the results had been satisfactory. For the past three weeks he’d passed himself off as a Sol-Kor, but the disguise only covered the exposed parts of this body, including the very painful limb extensions that brought him to a comparable height with the feeders. He had been assured that the procedure was reversible. This gave him hope and joy. He couldn’t imagine living out the remainder of his life with the appearance of the mortal enemy of his people. That was not part of his assignment.

However, the short, slightly built creature they called a Human was part of his assignment—plus an assessment of the current state of affairs in the Sol-Kor Colony.

So far, he’d acquired a wealth of knowledge, developments which the Scribe Council would find significant. He’d yet to transmit his findings; that was reserved for specific periods, the first of which was schedule for tonight. It would be then he would relay his analysis of the Human.

Even now, Fanon was having trouble believing both his own analysis and his observations. He prayed the Council would accept them, since they were reality. Yet sometimes reality was difficult to accept.

As a lower-ranking Sol-Kor drone known as a Durlead, he was placed outside the Human’s chambers on guard duty, along with another DL. The prior two guards had been relieved of their responsibilities, to be recycled as part of the Sol-Kor’s insatiable need for food. That was the price of failure within a Colony of cannibalistic flesh-feeders.

His shift would end in three standard hours. His heart raced with the thought of his report. If the Scribes saw the same significance with his information, decisions had to be made, and preparations. His people would enter a new phase in their long history. If all went well, it would mean their salvation, and a long-overdue settling of affairs.

********

Adam flopped back on his bed and stared up at the high ceiling. “Damn, I hate being predictable,” he said aloud. A SEAL’s advantage came from being just the opposite, doing the impossible at a time no one would be expecting it. Now he would have to go back to square one.

He shuddered. He couldn’t imagine what J’nae had in mind for his punishment, but he was sure it would be creative. He just hoped it wouldn’t lay him up for too long. He was running out of time.

********

Fanon pulled the coat tighter against his artificial skin, fighting the bitter cold of night on Kor, the wind whipping the higher elevations of the pyramid. Like all his people, he had been raised underground, in huge shelters hidden from prying eyes above. He wasn’t used to such shifts in temperature and weather as experienced by topside worlds. But now he was required to journey outside the structure, on one of the higher platforms formed by the step building modules.

He placed the communication device on the concrete surface and quickly turned it on. It would be shielded from detection, but it needed to be placed outside in order to link with the hidden relay station located in space halfway between Kor and its star called Sol. He had a lot to convey, and the conversation would be two-way, so detailed explanations would be required. He would be out here for a while, suffering as he was.

He placed a microphone around his head and then replaced the hood of his garment. It didn’t help much, and the thin layer of scales on his face didn’t offer any extra protection either. He would have to endure as best he could.

However, once he began his report, he quickly forgot about the cold. His data was received with skepticism at first, but then enthusiasm as more detail was provided. After a full hour of conversation, he shut down the device and headed for the entrance back into the black pyramid. He was nearly frozen, but he had a new assignment, a dangerous assignment, and if he was successful, he would be returning home sooner than expected.

The thought helped to warm him from the inside out.

Chapter 16

Three days had passed since Adam had made his failed escape attempt, and still J’nae had not been by to dole out his punishment. Every time the door opened, he tensed up. Was this a game she was playing with him, a form of mental torture? Was this to be his punishment? He let out a snort. Nah, J’nae enjoyed causing physical pain. When she found the time, she would be by. Until then, each snap of the lock on his door twisted his stomach into knots.

It was the same when the lock snapped late at night. He was asleep but came awake instantly. This would be like the sadistic Queen, to come to his chambers late at night when he least expected it.

He didn’t find much relief when a solitary Sol-Kor guard entered. He recognized him as one of his regulars. He was probably here to escort him to wherever J’nae would inflict his punishment.

However, they usually came in pairs, or more, when visiting the Queen’s prized yet dangerous pet.

“Dress, and then come with me,” the guard commanded.

The outer door remained open—another oddity—the second guard hidden from view. Adam wondered if he should take the chance. One guard, even two, was not a problem for him. It was the presence of the damn security cameras that gave him pause. At a moment’s notice, a hundred additional Sol-Kor could descend upon him.

“Where are we going? Do I need a tie and sportscoat?”

The alien frowned. “Formal wear will not be necessary.”

Adam tensed. The guard should not have been able to make such a statement, not at his intellectual level. Something wasn’t right.

He finished dressing and then stepped out into the dimly-lit corridor outside his chambers, the Sol-Kor following a meter behind. The second guard wasn’t there. This was his chance…

Adam spun around, whipping his right leg along the stone floor, but it made contract—with nothing. The guard had jumped, reacting to Adam’s attack with unnatural quickness. As the alien landed, Adam stepped forward with a left hook for the guard’s face. Like with the leap to avoid the leg sweep, the creature bent backward, out of range of Adam’s fist. But then the Human had his right hand balled up and heading straight into the wide nose of the Sol-Kor’s scaly face.

Again the guard moved with unexpected quickness and agility, and Adam’s fist found nothing but air.

“Are you about done?” the guard asked.

“What the fuck? You shouldn’t be able to do that,” Adam said, a little too loudly for the deserted hallway.

“Please lower your voice, if you wish us not to be discovered.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Explanations will come later. For now you must come with me.”

“Where?”

“Outside.”

Adam stared into the steady, confident eyes of the guard. There was something different about them, a depth that didn’t exist in the standard Sol-Kor soldier. Adam knew the Sol-Kor didn’t often practice deception. They didn’t need to, especially not here in their capital building on their homeworld. He had the sneaky suspicion he wasn’t speaking with a Sol-Kor, or if he was, then this was a different kind of Sol-Kor. In light of J’nae’s existence, he couldn’t dismiss that thought offhand.

“Lead on, if that’s how it works.”

“Yes. Do not deviate. Our route is specific and timed. Come.”

The alien took off at a quick pace down the corridor. He didn’t look back to see if Adam was following, though he was, reluctantly. At least he was out of his prison, and apparently in the company of an ally, something he had no idea he had, at least not in this universe.

It was night on Kor. There were still SK’s about, attending to various duties, but not nearly as many as filled the hallways during the day. The mysterious guard avoided the other Sol-Kor with choreographed skill, dodging into shelters just at the right moment, with Adam now glued to his back. The alien knew what he was doing, that was obvious.

The pair entered a deserted elevator, and to Adam’s surprise they headed up, not down toward the vast system of underground subways and vehicle tunnels. The short journey was made in silence and the door slid open after traveling only about halfway up the pyramid.

The huge room outside the elevator was empty, lit only with a few security lights. The space appeared to be undergoing some form of renovation, with construction equipment and building material scattered throughout. Adam had to trot to stay with the taller alien as he moved to one of the exterior doors.

A biting wind hit Adam as he stepped outside. He was wearing only the thin, white shirt the Sol-Kor had made for him, along with equally thin pants. On his feet were shoes made of soft plastic, with no socks. He started shivering uncontrollably within seconds of leaving the building.

“Damn, you should have warned me,” he said to the alien as he followed him further along the balcony and around the corner.

“I was not aware you weren’t provided with additional garments better suited for this weather.”

“I wasn’t, smartass, but I could have put on a couple of shirts instead of just one.”

“You will not have to endure much longer.”

The Sol-Kor stopped near the edge of the platform and pulled a small control module from his uniform.

Adam moved back against the wall, seeking a buffer from the howling wind. It didn’t help much. He wrapped his arms around himself and stomped his feet.

“I’m beginning to regret coming with you—”

Then a small hovercraft appeared over the lip of the balcony and settled on the surface about three meters away. Adam had seen something like this before, when he and his commandos had escaped from the building after killing off the last of the Royal Zygotes. He didn’t hesitate to jump in, falling into the oversize seat next to the Sol-Kor guard. Unlike the last trip he’d made in one of these hovercraft, there was plenty of room for both occupants.

The canopy came down and a blast of hot air bathed him in glorious relief. “Damn that feels good.” He looked over at the huge alien and saw a similar expression on his face.

“I agree. I am not accustomed to such cold temperatures.”

Ah, a tell.

“Where are you from?” Adam asked.

“It will become obvious with time. Yet now I must remain silent in the event we are captured. You will not be able to provide information you have not been given.”

Again…damn! That makes perfect sense, Adam thought. He truly was dealing with a different intellect, along with physical abilities he’d not seen in an alien…ever. At least an alien that wasn’t a mutant.

As the craft lifted from the platform and streaked off toward the illuminated spaceport far below, Adam soaked in the warmth of the heater, feeling more secure than he’d felt in a very long time. He was in good hands, friendly hands, even if he had no idea who they belonged to.

His attitude shifted slightly when the pilot banked the hovercraft sharply and sped along the edge of the long mountain ridgeline where a succession of eighteen Sol-Kor pyramids were perched.

“We’re not heading for the spaceport?”

“We are…just not that one. It is too obvious. There are several more nearby.”

“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you? You got a name?”

The creature glanced over at him. “As I said, in time. Remain ignorant for now, it will serve us both better that way.”

“You’re not your average run-of-the-mill Sol-Kor, are you?”

The alien shook his head. “You are persistent…and insubordinate.”

“I’ve been accused of that before.”

The pilot turned his head to stare at Adam for a long moment, steely eyes boring into him. “Well…stop it!”

********

The rest of the flight was done in silence. The planet Kor had two huge moons, and light reflecting off them cast a soft glow on the landscape streaming below them. After leaving the mountain range with the M-1 pyramid atop it, they passed over a wide plain formed by an ancient lava flow. In the distance, another mountain rose up, capped as well with Sol-Kor pyramids, yet only nine of them. The pilot passed by this mountain as well—including its accompanying spaceport—before finally descending toward a much smaller field at the base of a five-hundred-meter-tall hill with only three pyramids resting on top.

They slipped over the surrounding fence of the spaceport with only meters to spare before dropping down next to a spaceship Adam had never seen before in the Sol-Kor fleet. It was much smaller than a beamship, and at first Adam took it for an alien spacecraft, probably left here by his host. Then he noticed there were dozens of the same model ship populating the spaceport.

The canopy popped open, letting the warmth escape. If anything, it was even colder here than on the side of the M-1 pyramid. His silent escort went to the side of the ship and keyed in an access code. The entry hatch slid open and the two of them hurried inside.

“I’ve never seen a ship like this before,” Adam stated. “Would it break your super-secret code of silence to tell me about it?”

“It is a mining survey ship,” the alien answered, leading him to the bridge. “This port and pyramid complex nearby specializes in mining operations. The feeders have as much a need for raw building materials as they do for food.”

“So you’re not a Sol-Kor!”

“We are still on Kor,” the alien scolded. “Even as we gain space, we will remain under their influence for many hours. Please…do not ask any more questions, even of the innocuous kind.”

“Innocuous? Fancy word, even in translation. You know, all you’re doing is piquing my curiosity.”

“Then you will truly welcome the time when all can be revealed. But that time is not now. Sit!”

Adam sat in the co-pilot’s seat and buckled in. Five minutes later the ship lifted from the surface of Kor and angled sharply into space, passing between the two brilliant moons moments later.

The ship was challenged five times before it reached the edge of the solar system, and each time the nameless pilot provided the proper response. Adam had to smile. What were the chances of two races, located in different dimensions, both having mother stars called Sol? Maybe it was destiny that had brought them together. In any event, it was obvious only one would survive, and going strictly by the numbers, it wasn’t looking too good for the Humans.

Chapter 17

Adam excused himself after a while and went aft in search of food, a head, and a bed. He found all three, even if the food came in the form of meat strips preserved in a type of refrigerator.

He was wakened by the nameless alien after having fallen asleep for who knew how long.

“What time is it?”

“Time is relative?”

“Oh, great,” Adam said. “At lease now I have a name for you—Albert.”

“I do not understand.”

“It would be freaky if you did.”

“Again, I do not—”

“Never mind…Albert. Where are we?”

“We are nearing our destination. You have been asleep for nearly sixteen hours.”

“No shit?”

“Do you require…or do you not require…to excrete? It is an incongruous statement.”

“No, I was just shocked I’d been asleep that long.”

“And that it caused you to—”

“No, it’s just a slang term where I come from.”

The alien stood over the bed, a deep frown on his face. “Regardless, we can now share information. There is still much I need to learn of you and your species.”

“And I of you and yours.” Adam eyed the tall creature from top to bottom. “In fact, I don’t think you’re a traitor, and since there can’t be two identical species that look like SK’s, I’m pretty sure you’ve gone through some surgical procedure to make yourself look like a Sol-Kor. So…you’re a spy for someone.”

“Very efficient deduction, Adam Cain. Please, let us return to the bridge. It still requires constant monitoring until we are safely…home.”

********

Once settled back on the bridge—and after a head call, since the subject had been broached—the alien began to speak.

“My name is Fanon, not Albert as you surmised. I come from a world you have visited before.”

“Here…in this universe?”

“That is correct.”

“I’ve only been to one, other than Kor, and that was a place populated by primitive leftovers from a race the Sol-Kor harvested five thousand years ago.”

“We are called Hal’ic, and I assure you we are far from primitive leftovers, as you call us.”

“But…you guys are like cavemen, with huge clubs and wearing animal hides.”

“That is the image we wish to portray to outsiders, especially the Sol-Kor. If they knew the truth, they would come for a second time.”

“And that truth is?”

“The Hal’ic have long since recovered from the harvest—as you call it. We are now an advanced and powerful race, residing below the surface of our devastated cities.”

“No shit?”

The alien cocked his head and frowned. “Let us not have a repeat of our last encounter regarding that phrase.”

“It means that’s unbelievable.”

“That is not what the translation is revealing.”

“I know. It’s a bug in the system. But you say there’s a whole advanced civilization living underground, and only a couple of days’ flight time from Kor?”

“We were one of the first planets the feeders attacked. At that time, they did not possess their mind-influencing beam. They came with weapons of destruction from space. We had much more primitive spacecraft at the time, unable to counter their attack. After many years, the Sol-Kor won out. Many millions of my kind were taken away to be consumed. Yet many of us remained. We fled underground, presenting on the surface the appearance of a defeated race, barely able to avoid extinction. As a result, the Sol-Kor have left us alone for thousands of years, allowing us to recover fully—indeed to advance much further than we were at the time of our Dinaanic.”

“Dinaanic? There doesn’t seem to be a translation for the word.”

“A systematic killing off of a species.”

“Ah, a holocaust, or genocide.”

“You have words for such things?”

“Unfortunately we do.”

The alien regarded him for a long moment before continuing: “When last you came to my world, you revealed information that demanded verification. Since I belong to a unit of surgically-altered operatives, I was sent to provide that verification.”

“If I remember right, I said we’d killed the Eternal Queen and all her backups. Well, as you’ve probably learned, there’s someone who’s taken over, a female named J’nae.”

“Yes, I found that information to be of particular distress, seeing the obvious connection.”

“Connection? What do you mean?”

“Have you not realized the truth by now, Adam Cain?”

Adam leaned back in his chair. Any time someone asked a question like that, it was usually followed by a bombshell going off. “And what might that truth be?” he asked, drawing out the sentence with a pause between each word.

The alien smiled. “My people, the Hal’ic, come from a world we call J’nae.”

Adam squeezed his eyes shut. “And why would the Queen of the Sol-Kor be named after a planet the Sol-Kor harvested five thousand years ago?”

“It is because it is the name of the homeworld of the creature who we believe created the new queen…an evil mutant beast called Panur.”

********

 “Panur is from…J’nae, your planet? I though he was the product of the Queen and an alien race?”

“He is, and the race of what could best be described as his father is Hal’ic. But now I am confused. You know of Panur?”

“I sure do. He’s stayed at my house on Earth—the planet where I come from. We go way back.”

Fanon pressed himself harder into the back of his chair. “You are friends with the mutant?” His voice—always cold and straightforward—was now even more so.

“Not really friends,” Adam quickly amended, sensing the tension in Fanon’s voice. “He found Humans to be interesting, and I got drafted to be his research project. There’s no saying no to him when he sets his mind to something.”

“I have never met him—I do not believe any of my race has. We know of him, and the contributions he’s made to the evil that is the Sol-Kor.”

“Oh.”

Panur sure has a way of making friends, Adam thought.

“So you think he named his creation as a reference to his genetic father?”

“It is the only explanation. Beyond that, we do not know if he is aware of our advancement. This creation of his is also an enigma. We cannot see what future is in store for the Sol-Kor with her as their Queen. Yet because Panur is involved, we fear the worst.”

“I don’t blame you. I do have to say that any worst-case scenario you can imagine…it will be a lot worse than that. As you know, I’ve had a lot of contact with the mutant.”

“You said that already, assuring me that you are not friends with Panur.”

“I meant J’nae.”

“J’nae is also a mutant?”

“I thought you knew that?”

“I did not. What else do you know of her? Does she have the abilities of Panur?”

“‘Fraid so. Super strength, incredible intelligence…and the bitch can’t be killed.”

“Regenerative cells?”

“Yep. I’ve experienced that firsthand.”

Fanon slumped down in his chair. “This alters our plans.”

“What plans?”

“I am not at liberty to divulge.”

“C’mon, I thought we were being open here.”

“Not about that. Also, I do not know fully myself. Only the Scribes know, and I was not completely briefed in case I was captured. If our leaders decide to inform you, then you will know more than I. But now I wish to learn more of the Humans. I have observed you but I know very little of your race. You come from another universe, and a small number of you came to Kor and were able to kill both the Eternal Queen and her zygotes, before some of you managed to escape. That was quite a feat.”

“Fruitless, as it turned out.”

“The introduction of J’nae into the equation is unexpected.”

“To say the least.”

“You wish me to say more? Yes, she will complicate what I do know of our plans. The fact that she cannot be killed means she shall reign over the Sol-Kor forever, or until a means can be found to neutralize her.”

Adam shook his head at the alien’s obvious misunderstanding of his comment. “So what do you want to know about us? We’re fighting the Sol-Kor over in my galaxy to keep from being eaten, just like every other race they’ve encountered. Being considered food by another species can motivate people that way.”

“And yet from what I have learned, your galaxy has managed to survive, going so far as to isolate yourself from the feeders. That is what the Hal’ic are most interested in. You have also learned how to counteract the Sol-Kor mind beam.”

“You said they came to…to J’nae…before they had the beam?”

“Yes. Panur invented the beam for them. That was after they had left my planet. Over time, we learned of the beam, and like you have developed countermeasures.”

The alien paused while checking the nav readings. “We will be at my world in six hours,” he stated. He turned back to Adam. “You obviously have exceptional fighting and planning skills to have achieved what you have.”

“I wasn’t able to land a finger on you.”

“Finger? You attempted to strike me with your entire hand…and your leg.”

“I mean I wasn’t able to connect.”

“I have advanced training, and have been genetically altered to make me better able to survive such covert assignments as the one I am just completing. Once back on J’nae, I will be returned to my normal appearance, unless it is decided to send me back to Kor.”

“So not all your people can move like you can?”

“Very few.”

“Good, I was developing an inferiority complex.”

Fanon blinked several times; the translation had only confused him more. He decided to move on. “The Hal’ic have long been seeking partners with whom to unite against the Sol-Kor, and I know the Scribes feel that the Humans may be such partners. Are they deluding themselves?”

“You mean for an assault on the Sol-Kor, here in this universe?”

“Yes, on Kor, and the other primary worlds.”

Adam shook his head. “You’re asking a lot. It’s all we can do to stay one step ahead of them in our own galaxy. You do realize there are over a trillion of the bastards?”

“Yes, we know. We also have detailed information on all their pyramids, power stations, training centers, and food processing facilities. We could be valuable allies for the Humans.”

“In your universe, not ours.” Adam sighed deeply. “There’s something you have to understand about Humans: we don’t often act as a unit. We’re a race of very pragmatic individuals, each following their own agenda. On rare occasions, we do come together to fight a common enemy, but that only lasts as long as the threat is staring us right in the face. Even now there are those of my race who want to negotiate a peace with the Sol-Kor.”

“That will not work.”

“Thank you very much! I keep trying to tell them that. But if you want them to mount a major campaign to invade Sol-Kor space and engage in a long, drawn-out war in an alien universe, I think you can kiss that idea goodbye.”

“The Sol-Kor will continue to be a threat to your universe.”

“As long as they move on to other galaxies and leave mine alone, that will be good enough for us. Sorry, Fanon, but I don’t see us partnering up.”

The alien stared out the forward viewport for several moments, deep in thought. “I regret to hear that. But maybe you will change your mind once we reach J’nae.”

“It’s not my decision to make. Just look where you found me. I’m one of those who will go to whatever universe is necessary to fight the SK’s. I’m just saying that as a race, it probably won’t happen.”

“That is unfortunate. However, we can count on you to help.”

Adam went to protest, but held his tongue. The Hal’ic spy had rescued him from the Sol-Kor, expecting some favor in return. Adam would bide his time before dashing their hopes. What he needed now was a way back to his universe, or at least a way to communicate with them. There might be more personal TD-portals on other Sol-Kor worlds which would be less guarded than those on Kor. His new friends might be able to help him find one. To that end, Adam decided to try a new tack.

“I’ll tell you what, Fanon. Since you helped me out, I will use all my considerable influence with my fellow Humans to get them to help you. I’m somewhat of a hero where I come from. My opinion is respected. I can see how having the Hal’ic as allies right here in the backyard of the Sol-Kor could really give us the advantage. Let me see what I can do with my people.”

Fanon’s mood changed considerably. Although the altered scaly skin on his face didn’t allow for more than a thin smile or a frown, he did his best to display his thanks. “The Hal’ic have been waiting for a long time to find an able partner in this struggle. Not many advanced races exist in the area surrounding major Sol-Kor occupation. They have all been…harvested. Perhaps finding one in another universe is the most we can hope for.”

“Do you have way to get me back to my universe?” Adam held his breath while waiting for the reply.

“We do not—”

He exhaled deeply.

“However, we may be able to find a way.”

An inhale. “How?”

Now the lips of the alien attempted a smile. “The Sol-Kor know nothing of the capabilities of the Hal’ic. As such, we operate in the shadows. We have operatives in various locations throughout the Sol-Kor Colony. It is important that we remain hidden…until it is time not to hide any longer. If you are able to enlist the help of the Humans, we will find a way for you to contact your species.”

So a quid pro quo, Adam thought. He was okay with that. However, he was also positive the Union would not join the Hal’ic in any protracted war against the Sol-Kor, especially in their home universe. He would still make the presentation—as long as that presentation took place at the Union headquarters building in Phoenix, in the former state of Arizona, on the planet Earth.

********

Fanon entered his home star system without incident, even in a Sol-Kor mining craft. He made a number of links and then settled down in the remains of an ancient city that could’ve easily been the one Adam had visited earlier. He wasn’t sure. The planet was covered in ruins, and they all looked alike, crumbling structures overgrown by voracious vegetation.

Yet unlike the last time he was on planet, the ground beneath the spaceship began to rotate downward until it was completely below the surface. Then another panel of artificial grass and rubble swung into place over it, thoroughly hiding their entry point within seconds of landing.

The huge vehicle elevator continued to descend. Adam had no idea how deep, but the journey took a full twenty minutes. When they eventually reached the bottom, the panel on which the ship rested slid forward into a vast chamber occupied by hundreds of spacecraft, none resembling the Sol-Kor ship they were in. These were Hal’ic spacecraft, designed and built in secret by a race that had supposedly been wiped out of existence five thousand years before.

Stocky, pale-skinned natives were everywhere, hundreds of them circulating throughout the spaceport, wearing a variety of outfits—not animal skins like before. However, one dominant uniform was worn primarily by the males he saw. It was dark blue, one-piece, with white patches on the sleeves indicating rank—members of the Hal’ic military.

The Sol-Kor mining ship was finally maneuvered into a space within the vast underground spaceport and the conveyor belt stopped.

“We have arrived,” Fanon said with open joy.

“How long have you been gone?”

“Not long—on this assignment anyway—since just after you disclosed the death of the Eternal Queen. Yet because of my unique modifications, I have been to Kor four times before, one time for over a year. I was promised that after this last mission I would be returned to normal. It will be a long and painful recovery, yet I will endure it with enthusiasm.”

“Good for you…and I don’t know if I’ve thanked you for getting off Kor? Your help was completely unexpected.”

“My original assignment did not include your extraction. I was sent to observe and gather information. Only recently were the orders amended to bring you to J’nae.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

Fanon is a quick study, Adam observed.

“I wonder what changed?”

“That will be for others to explain. Now, let us depart. A delegation has already formed outside.”

The delegation consisted of five older Hal’ics dressed in high-collared tunics with sashes of white and green across their chests. The natives smiled with reckless abandon, unafraid that the baring of teeth would incite a death challenge. Adam smiled back. It felt good not having to worry about such a simple thing as a smile.

One particular dignitary stepped forward. “You may not recognize me, yet we have met before.”

Adam studied the face. He did look familiar. “You have to be the leader in the den when I was here before.”

“Correct. I am Lun Szy.”

“That was a very effective disguise. I barely recognize you now. And I see you speak my language quite well.”

“Language programs have been in use for several thousand years on J’nae. Unfortunately, there are not too many languages that have survived the Sol-Kor. When a race is harvested, it does not warrant keeping their language on file. Your language is our most recent addition, stolen I might add from the databanks of the Sol-Kor.”

“Are you in charge?”

“No…not in the least. I am a commander in our military force, covert operations. Our leaders are the Scribes. They are elders with knowledge passed down through many generations. They are sustained artificially to keep their spirit and knowledge alive.”

“How old are they?”

“The oldest is over two thousands of our cycles old. Converting time intervals to yours, that would be close to nineteen hundreds of your years.”

“You do have computers to store the knowledge, don’t you?”

“Of course. However, it is mainly for tradition and continuity that we maintain the rank of Scribe. When a species has faced the brink of extinction such as the Hal’ic have, keeping links to the past alive becomes very important.”

Adam nodded. He looked around the spaceport. “Very impressive. And all built under the noses of the Sol-Kor.”

“This is one of several thousand storage ports beneath the surface. But I am getting ahead of myself. We have an appointment with the Scribes. They are most anxious to meet you.”

Lun seemed to add significance to the word you, leaving Adam with the impression that the Hal’ic held him in some special regard. He couldn’t imagine why. Sure, he’d killed the former Queen, but all that did was open the door for the mutant J’nae to take over.

The mutant J’nae…and the planet J’nae. He knew that was going to get confusing.

The small delegation boarded an open-air electric cart with six rows of comfortable seating, three across. They left the storage port—as Lun had called it—through a wide opening and entered a rock-walled tunnel easily a hundred meters wide by fifty high. Similar vehicles scurried about, passing into and out of adjoining tunnels. All in all, it was an impressive scene, which reminded Adam of the underground cities of Castor in the Fringe. Yet the Castorian cities were overcrowded, dirty, and packed full of a menagerie of exotic alien species. These corridors were clean, the population homogenous and organized.  

The cart pulled into a narrow tunnel and continued on for another five minutes before arriving at a tall stone façade carved into the rock wall of the cavern. It was an imposing, columned edifice, appearing much older than the other structures he’d seen.

The party climbed a set of twenty wide stairs and entered the chamber through broad archways.

“Through here,” Lun directed. “This is our Convening Center. The Scribes reside here and conduct business. We will be meeting with the governing triumvirate, the three appointed decision-makers among the Scribes. As an outsider, I would not expect you to recognize what an honor this is, but for us this is a special privilege.”

“I appreciate the heads-up, Lun. I’ve been on too many worlds where something like this was left unexplained, and then punished if not respected.”

Only Lun, Fanon, and Adam entered the chamber. The rest of the silent entourage remained outside.

Adam had been half expecting what he found inside the room, after Lun’s mention of artificial means to keep the aged Scribes alive. Each of the three rested in half-shell containers, with a variety of tubes and wires connected to computers and elaborate mechanical devices. The creatures inside the high-tech hospital beds looked to be in remarkably good health considering they were each probably over a thousand years old. Granted, they weren’t going on any mountain hikes or playing pick-up basketball anytime soon, not in their condition, but they did appear to have certain dexterity within their arms and faces, and their eyes were bright and inquisitive.

“Ah, Adam Cain, it is a pleasure to have you among us,” said the Scribe in the center position. His skin appeared tanned and robust. “I am Gan Doli. To my right is Vaz Nha and on my left is Kaos Luz. If it has not been explained to you, we are the governing Hal’ic among the ninety-six Scribes still living.”

Adam bowed flamboyantly, before gushing: “It is indeed a great honor on my part to meet the Scribes of J’nae. I must thank you for instructing your most skilled and confident agent Fanon to save me from the Sol-Kor prison I was in.” At this point, Adam would kiss whatever ass he had to if it helped get him home. He was hoping he didn’t overdo it…

Gan laughed. “Your comments are appreciated, although I detect some of Lun’s contribution to the enthusiasm you display. And as for you, Agent Fanon, I find your appearance both disturbing and amusing. I understand you are to undergo a reversal procedure soon?”

“I am quite anxious to shed this horrid exterior. I get such vicious looks from those unaware of my mission.”

“Ranking Officer Lun, see to it that Fanon is given top priority. His service and sacrifice on behalf of the Hal’ic is to be richly rewarded.”

“Adam Cain?” said Scribe Vaz Nah—Adam believed that was his name—having all these new names thrust upon him was going to take some getting used to. “May I inquire as to your profession on your homeworld? Since you arrived with specialists to assassinate the Eternal Queen, I assume you have military training?”

“Yes, Scribe Vaz Nah—I hope I am addressing you correctly.”

“Just Vaz will do. We are within the inner chambers, no need to abide by formalities.”

“Yes, Vaz, I am a captain in what was once our naval forces. I now hold the same rank in the combined forces of the Orion-Cygnus Union, the stellar empire presided over by my race.”

“You are called Humans?”

“Yes, from the planet Earth.”

“You do realize the name translates into dirt, ground, and other such terms?”

“It’s been an ongoing glitch in the translation programs.”

“Do not apologize. It could also reflect a deep reverence for the ground from which your race evolved.”

Adam’s smile was genuine. “That’s possible, but knowing my people, I doubt it.”

Gan spoke again: “You are humble even within your own minds. That is to be admired. Now, continuing with the last line of inquiry: since you arrived on Kor with only limited personnel, are we also to assume that you—and those who came with you—are the most highly-skilled military operatives in your galaxy? We have assumed you would have to be such to have been chosen for the mission, and to have carried it off successfully.”

Adam smiled. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that. But it is a fact that my race does have a propensity for warfare. Others accuse us of being savages, which is why we are so good at it, I guess. Unfortunately, it is a skill acquired through countless wars against our own kind.”

“We know of such concepts, although since the coming of the Sol-Kor, we have not suffered from such internal struggles for a very long time.” Gan turned his head toward first one and then the other Scribe. Adam wasn’t sure if they shared some psychic ability, but when his attention turned back to Adam, he spoke as if a decision had been jointly arrived at.

“We wish to be honest with you, Adam Cain. The Hal’ic have grown into a highly advanced and powerful race. We number nearly two billion individuals, and we possess factories and other facilities which allow us to maintain this population and civilization well hidden from the occasional Sol-Kor fly-overs. Yet we also suffer from a fatal condition.”

Damn. Adam didn’t want to hear that. He was beginning to like the Hal’ic.

His mind began to wander. Did it have something to do with living underground for so long, or was there a disease spreading through the confined spaces? Was it something hereditary…?

When the Scribe didn’t continue, Adam was forced to pull it out of him. “What is this condition? Is there nothing you can do about it?”

“Yes, there is something we can do. And that is why we have brought you here, to save the Hal’ic race from extinction.”

********

Adam cursed his fertile imagination. All he could see now was the image of his body strapped to the table of a mad scientist as his blood was slowly drained from his body and passed along to waiting rows of Hal’ic lying on similar tables. Thousands of years without sunlight had left the aliens with a severe vitamin D deficiency, and if they didn’t get his blood, they would all die a horrible and painful death—all two billion of them.

But that was not what Scribe Gan said.

“Adam Cain, the Hal’ic people lack experience.”

Adam was momentarily stunned, both from the simplicity of the statement and from his return to reality after his flight of imagination.

“Experience? I don’t understand. In what way?”

“It is quite simple,” the Scribe said. “We number two billion, and our active military comprises nearly nine million of them, with over a hundred million more engaged in support activities. We have over two hundred thousand military starships of various kinds built and ready for action. We have the means of counteracting the Sol-Kor influencing beams. We even have advanced weaponry far beyond what the feeders possess. We are so close to Kor, and yet the evil beasts have no suspicion that we exist. For thousands of years, all the Hal’ic have done is prepare for the moment when we would seek revenge against the Sol-Kor. Adam Cain, the Hal’ic are ready. Our time has come.”

“So what’s the problem?

“The problem? Since the Hal’ic have spent our entire existence underground and in hiding, our military lacks any kind of real experience beyond what simulators can provide. We have trained and we have drilled, yet there is no substitute for real-life experience…the type of experience you have lived.”

“But you say you have simulators?”

“Yes, we do. Yet we have never been able to hold any large scale operational exercises. We have not had to change tactics in the heat of a real battle. We have not experienced battlefield injuries or the agony of seeing friends fall in combat, at least in true form. We have never had to fight…for real, not for five thousand years.”

“Those are things that can’t be taught,” Adam said quickly. “They happen as they happen and you just have to pray you can handle it.”

“That is exactly our point. Unless we’ve experienced such events firsthand, we do not know how we will react.”

“Nobody really does, not until it’s staring them in the face.”

“You and your people have thousands of years of history demonstrating how others have reacted to such tragedies and necessities of war. You may not have personally experienced them all, yet your species has. This knowledge—along with instinctive courage—is ingrained in your being. War and combat is not something you fear, because—as you say—you can handle it.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Scribe Gan. Fear is a constant in battle. I’d even go so far to say it’s a necessity. It keeps you sharp, alert, and open to options. Only a fool isn’t afraid in combat.”

“Adam Cain,” said Scribe Kaos Luz, speaking for the first time. “It is for such insights as those that we have sought you out…so you can lead our forces in a mighty confrontation with the evil Sol-Kor, to help bring eternal freedom and sunlight to the Hal’ic of J’nae.”

Adam’s jaw fell open. He looked over at Fanon and Lun; both shared his look of astonishment.

“You can’t be serious? I’m just one man.”

“What is a man?”

“That’s another word for a Human.”

“Oh, I see the correlation now.”

“Good, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true. I can’t possibly lead a nine-million strong army—as well as two hundred thousand starships—in a war against the Sol-Kor.”

“Why not?”

“Why not? Because…I just can’t. I’m not Hal’ic. Hell, I’m not even from this universe.”

“Those are not valid arguments. Is not the Sol-Kor your enemy as well?”

“They are, but we’re talking big numbers here. There’s a trillion of them, compared to your two billion.”

“Is that your major concern, that we are too few?”

“That is one of my concerns.”

“Will not your race join in our struggle? It was our understanding they would.”

Adam looked at Fanon. “I said I would try to convince them, but I can’t do that and lead your forces at the same time, not from here. I need to get back Earth.”

“The only way to return you would be to secure transfer portals currently controlled by the Sol-Kor. We can only secure those through conflict.”

Adam’s mind was racing. He was confused and desperate. Something was happening here that could turn out really good for him. Or really bad. He felt his brain wasn’t firing fast enough on all cylinders for him to tell which.

“So you would start the war even before you get any commitment from Earth to help?”

“It would appear to be our only option, if we are to gain the support of your people.”

“But…you can’t win, not in the long-term.”

“Yet, in the short-term…we have you.”

 “No you don’t. I just want to get home, and I need to do it soon. Anytime now my friends are going to show up on Kor looking for me, and they’re all going to die if I don’t get back before they make the jump.”

“And what if Kor is a smoldering wasteland when they arrive, with no opposition waiting to destroy them? Would that not serve your friends’ purposes as well?”

“Sure it would. But defeating Kor…you gotta be crazy.”

“I assure you, Adam Cain, we are not crazy. Within the space of a couple of days, the Hal’ic could unleash upon Kor a military force of such overwhelming proportions that the feeders could not possibly counter.”

“Then you don’t need me.”

“We need to you guide the invasion, to study the battlefields, to alter plans if it becomes necessary. But most importantly, we need your instincts for war.”

“And what if you do smash Kor? What about all the other goddamn Sol-Kor spread across half a dozen universes? Do you think they’ll just shrivel up and die once their homeworld is destroyed? I’ve seen the Sol-Kor in action. They are single-minded and unaffected by mass losses. They will descend upon J’nae—the planet J’nae—so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

“Then we will fight them on other fronts,” said Gan Doli. “Please realize the Hal’ic have done nothing for the past five millennia but prepare for this moment. If we all die—and the Sol-Kor die as well—we will be content with that reckoning. And if the feeders do come out ahead, their power and influence will be greatly diminished. The Sol-Kor are but one species, and look what they have managed to do. The Hal’ic are one people as well. Why can we not be the death of the feeders? The answer is: we can be…with the proper leadership. With your leadership.”

Adam felt weak-kneed, yet there was no place to sit. If he could have, he would have squatted right there on the floor. He looked at the faces of the five Hal’ic in the room. All eyes were on him.

“You know what pressure this puts on me?”

“You have apparently lived a life of pressure—and of responsibility—and you have survived. All we ask is that you guide us. Help us make the right decisions as the battle advances. Help us rid the universe—all universes—of the scourge of the Sol-Kor.”

“When are you planning to launch your attack?”

“Whenever you say we are ready.”

“And once you and your commanders have gained enough real-world experience…and we’ve captured a transit portal?”

“Then you can return home to help enlist the assistance of your people, and all the peoples of your universe.”

“And what of J’nae—the Queen J’nae?”

“She is but one creature. As our ships darken the skies of Kor, all she will be able to do is watch while her empire crumbles around her. It will be as it was five thousand years ago on the planet that is her namesake, when her people first made their deadly presence known to us. And even though she may survive the devastation, it will be you, Adam Cain, who will leave her with nothing to rule. Is that not worth your time and effort?”

Adam looked once again at the anxious faces staring at him, hope and concern in their eyes. And he smiled. Even before he spoke he knew they wouldn’t understand, but he said it anyway. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

“You had me at hello.”

Chapter 18

Syrus Jacs had departed Panurland with a shopping list of items the mutant needed to complete his conversion of the Najmah Fayd. He would be back in six days.

Within days of his leaving, Riyad was climbing the walls, growing ever more panicked with each passing hour. He had no idea how long Adam would last in the Sol-Kor universe, and now days were turning into weeks. Sherri wasn’t faring much better.

“You must leave the engine room immediately and let me work in peace!” Panur ordered. “You cannot help, and your continued presence here is slowing me down.”

“C’mon, Panur,” Riyad said, “here are two extra sets of hands. Surely we can do something to speed up the process.”

“No, surely you cannot. Now go before I am forced to take more drastic measures.”

Sherri tugged at Riyad’s sleeve. “Let’s go. He’s not going to complete the conversion anyway until Syrus gets back.”

“Obstinate little bastard,” Riyad said under his breath.

“I have extremely acute hearing, Riyad.”

“I said obstinate little bastard!” He yelled it this time.

“I heard you before. Now go!”

The two Humans ended up on the bridge, having passed by the common room and conjured up a couple of powerful drinks from the processor.

“I normally do not partake,” Riyad said as he gulped at the drink, “but that arrogant alien has me breaking my religious convictions…again.”

“Well there’s nothing in my religion that precludes me from getting shitfaced. Maybe with the binge and the hangover, time will pass a little quicker.”

“Did you do this?”

Sherri frowned as she pulled her glass from her lips. “Do what?”

“Leave a message. There’s an indicator light.”

“Wasn’t me. Check it out. That’s a priority signal.”

Riyad pressed the button and the gaunt image of Admiral Andy Tobias appeared on the main view screen between the two forward observation ports. “Contact me, dammit! I know you’re receiving my links. Answer me!” The video ended.

“I didn’t know he’d called,” Riyad explained.

“We haven’t been on the bridge for a couple of days. Should we call him? We’re still not sure he wasn’t behind the tracking device.”

“It couldn’t have been him. He’s the one who told me at the beginning that there would be forces out to stop me. He said not to trust anyone.”

“Himself included?”

“Do not go all paranoid on me, Sherri. Andy is our friend. We’ve been through a lot together.”

“So call him. He could have news about Adam.”

Riyad nodded, then punched in the security code for Andy Tobias, Admiral of the Fleet over all Union military forces. The signal was routed through the continuous wormhole comm center aboard the Najmah Fayd, before entering an intra-dimensional realm of compressed space and time. It found a matching relay close to Earth, and then established a stable and secure link with the station assigned the access code. They would have nearly an hour of continuous talk and video before the shifting of cosmic forces placed the comm slightly out of phase, requiring a new link.

Earth was located twenty-two thousand light-years away, yet the animated and red-faced image of Andy Tobias popped onto the screen instantly, glaring out at the two Humans seated on the bridge of the Mark IV-prototype starship.

“It’s about good goddamn time! I didn’t give you the most advanced starship in the galaxy just so you’d ignore my calls.”

“Sorry, Admiral, but we haven’t been on the bridge in a couple of days.”

“Where the hell have you been?”

Riyad hesitated answering. Then he said, “Just hanging out.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Andy’s thick Georgia accent became even more prominent when he was mad. “Where are y’all?”

Riyad looked at Sherri.

“Don’t look at her…look at me!”

“We’re with Panur—”

“Panur! I have a report sitting on my desk that says he was killed.”

“He can’t be—”

“Shut up! You know what I mean. So he survived, and is up and moving around?”

“Yessir.”

“Did the two of you have anything to do with that?”

“It’s what the mission is all about, Admiral,” Riyad barked back. “And we know we’ve been tracked, something that started at your end.”

Riyad saw the veins in the thin neck of the fleet admiral begin to pulse. His face was now the color of a firetruck.

“I’m not saying you knew of it,” Riyad amended quickly, before the boiling anger within his longtime friend caused him literally explode right before their eyes.

“You’re not? It sure sounds like you just did.”

“Then it had to be Arness,” Sherri offered, to Riyad’s surprise, knowing that Secretary Arness was Sherri’s friend.

“Don’t even start with me, young lady. I learned after the fact how you used Arness to manipulate your way aboard the Mark IV-prototype. And as far as that bumbling politician goes, he just signs papers. He doesn’t even know what’s in the documents. It wasn’t him.”

“Then who?”

“If I knew, I’d do something about it.” Andy’s blue eyes bore into his two long-distant subordinates. “Look, I’m glad the two of you are okay, but you can’t imagine the shitstorm you’ve caused for me back here on Earth. The Mark IV may have had a tracker aboard, but it’s my skinny ass who gave you the ship in the first place. Sure, the bad guys wanted me to so you’d lead them to Panur, but that puts my name right at the very top of the hit list when all this goes south. Now tell me, what’s going on with that mutant bastard? Is he going to help you cross over to the Sol-Kor universe or not?”

“That’s what he’s working right on now.”

“Good. Another TD portal?”

“In a way.”

Now the square jaw of Admiral Tobias became even more pronounced, appearing as if the bone were about to burst through the skin. “Are you intentionally trying to piss me off, Tarazi? If so, belay that bullshit. If y’all hadn’t noticed, we’re on the same side.”

“We are for now.”

“Meaning that what you have to tell me might change that?”

“That’s a possibility.”

Tobias turned his attention to Sherri. “Someone had better start giving me some straight talk. I control the whole got-dang military of the whole got-dang Union. Y’all don’t want to get me on your bad side.”

“It’s just that you may not believe it, Andy,” Sherri said. “It’s not that we don’t want to tell you.”

“I’ll give you until the count of three…two…”

“He’s converting the Najmah Fayd into a TD portal.”

“What the hell’s a Najmah Fayd?”

“It’s what Riyad calls the Mark IV,” Sherri explained.

“What the hell does it mean?”

“Star Panther,” Riyad answered.

“Cute. Now did I just hear right? Panur’s turning the Naja—the Mark IV—into a TD portal? What exactly does that mean?”

“It means that if he can do it, the ship will be able to slip between universes without the need of a master portal, or any outside assistance at all for that matter.”

The look on the admiral’s face was astonishing. One moment it was beet red, the next a sickly pale white. His mouth hung open slightly and he didn’t blink going on a full minute.

“Are you okay, Andy?” Sherri asked, wondering if the image on the screen might have frozen.

But then he blinked—once—while a prominent Adam’s apple pogo-sticked under  the leather-like skin of his neck.

“I’m just a simple country boy,” Andy began, “but I see all kinds of trouble that something like that could cause.”

“Only if the Sol-Kor learn how it’s done,” Riyad defended quickly.

“If you hadn’t noticed, dipshit, they also have a genius of their own, who just happens to be sitting on the throne. Now you’re telling me Panur can make your ship into an individual transit portal, meaning that with that technology, any other ship comparably equipped could do the same? Have y’all even taken the time to think this through?”

“It’s the only way we can get to Adam in time.”

“If he’s still alive. And even if he is, the risk is too great.”

“It’s Adam we’re going after, Admiral,” Sherri said.

Tobias stared at the blonde. “I know that. And y’all also know Adam and I go back long before the two of you renegades came on the scene. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize a chance to rescue him…but not this way. You’d be just one ship in an entire universe of Sol-Kor. The odds of them not getting this technology is what’s astronomical.”

“If it comes down to that, we’ll self-destruct,” Riyad said defiantly.

“Just showing up will tip your hand to the technology, and then that alien bitch will figure out how it’s done. Riyad, you’re the one who told me personally what we’re up against. Don’t do it, son. I can’t allow it.”

“Can’t allow it?” Now it was Riyad’s turn to get angry. “Dammit, Andy, this is our best chance to save Adam. He once risked his life to save me from the old queen—and with no help from the Union, I might add. I owe him the same effort. Besides, if there is a way of turning starships into TD portals, then that’s going to happen eventually, whether we hide our heads in the sand or not. It would be better if we have an invasion fleet ready before the SK’s can rig one of their own. This is going to happen, Admiral, whether you like it or not.”

Tobias stared at the two of them for several long, awkward moments. When he spoke again, his voice was low, calm. “So it’s come down to this? I didn’t want this to happen, but seeing that it has, I have nothing to lose.”

Riyad felt his ass tighten up.

“Yes, I was one of the people behind the tracker on the Mark IV.”

“What the fuck, Andy!” Sherri exclaimed.

“You backstabbing bastard!”

“Yell all you want. It won’t change the fact that I sent you out to find the mutant so we could eliminate his threat once and for all. We—the Union and the Expansion—have managed to isolate the Milky Way from the SK’s, and now you not only want to open the gate again, you want to knock down the whole damn wall! It would not be a wise tactic to allow that to happen. Riyad, Sherri, this is what we feared the most about Panur, that he’d create some new game-changing device or weapon and we’d be right back at square one. Dang, I hate always being right.”

“Well, you’re not right this time,” Sherri countered. “The Sol-Kor may get this technology, but they won’t get it from us. As Riyad said, we’re willing to sacrifice our lives to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Tobias smirked and shook his head. “Unfortunately, Ms. Valentine, so am I—I mean sacrifice your lives, not mine. The potential harm is too great for me to let personal feelings get in the way of my decision-making, unlike what y’all are doing.”

“Sorry you feel that way, Admiral, but there’s nothing you can do to stop us. Panur will be done with his conversion in a couple of days and then we’ll make the jump. We’ll let you know how things turn out—when we return safe and sound—with Adam.”

“Return to where?” Tobias asked, his voice as cold as ice. “To Worak-nin?”

“Eh…I don’t know what you mean?” Riyad stammered.

“You don’t? Let me be clearer: Worak-nin, a planet seventeen light-years past the Dinz Marker, Kidis Frontier. The place where your signal is originating.”

“How…you can’t—”

“It’s just one of the innovations built into the Mark IV. You may have found the tracker, but there was a secondary locater built into the CW comm.”

“Knowing where we are won’t help, Andy. We’ll be gone long before you can get here.”

Tobias looked off screen and then returned a moment later. “Let’s see, the Juireans are less than a day out from your location, and my fleet is just now blasting past some rock called Wokan, which doesn’t put them too far behind our mane-headed friends.”

“Fuck you, Andy!” Sherri cried out.

“You brought this upon yourself, Valentine. You can save yourselves by stopping Panur from completing his conversion. Seeing that y’all are the ones who said he still has a few days before it’s done, this looks like your only option. That, or just sit back and let my forces put you out of your traitorous misery.”

“We’re signing off now, Admiral,” Riyad said. “Let the games begin.”

“As you wi—”

Riyad cut the contact. Afterwards, Sherri and him sat in silence, drained of energy and disappointed to the core.

“I suppose now I should let you assist me.”

The two Humans spun around to find Panur standing in the entrance to the bridge.

“Come, we haven’t much time. I will have to do some creative workarounds to make the transit engine viable now without the help of Syrus Jacs.”

********

 “Two fleets? I find that…exorbitant.” Benefis Na was outside the Najmah Fayd at the base of the cargo ramp. “And now you tell me the ship is unable to be flown.”

“It will remain so until the conversion is complete. I have no choice but to continue.”

“And no other starships on the entire planet?”

“None.”

“I’m sure I will still have time to find a cave wherein I can hide.”

“Or you could help!” Sherri stepped up to the seven-tall alien, all five-foot-four inches of her. She pointed her finger up at the huge, square-jawed head. “If you hadn’t kidnapped us back on Wokan, we would have been literally light-years ahead of the game. But now we have about seventeen hours to get this bucket of bolts back into space, and with the use of makeshift parts and baling wire.”

“What is baling wire?”

“That’s what I’m going to wrap your useless body in if you don’t stop talking and get to work helping us.”

“Is it even possible? Seventeen hours. The entire left side engine is spread out on the ground.”

“Not much of the conventional engine is going back in,” Panur explained. “The starboard side engine is converted. I just need this one put back together.”

“What is it you wish me to do?”

“I need some of that gold you have been gawking at since you arrived here. It makes excellent electrical contacts.”

“Just peel it off the walls?”

“Yes.”

“May I keep any extra?”

“Benefis!” Sherri cried out. “What good is it going to do if you’re dead?”

“That is a valid point. I will now take a cart and return promptly.”

“Lila,” Panur began, “I need this generator bearing lifted into the cradle.” Sherri could tell he was still in the doghouse with Lila by his tone.

Without a word, the voluptuous seven-year-old mutant grasped the two-meter-diameter iron disk by both hands, and then to Sherri’s amazement, lifted it effortlessly off the ground. Panur quickly adjusted the cradle and the bearing slipped in with a clank. The gravity of Panurland was close to Earth’s and Sherri knew for a fact that the bearing disk had to weigh a good five hundred pounds or more. Even as the self-proclaimed Supermen of the galaxy, Sherri knew the Humans were no match for the two mutants. She shuddered, thinking that Adam was dealing with his own super-strong mutant.

“Damn mutants,” she whispered.

“Did we do something to offend you?” Lila asked. Both mutants were looking at her with hurt looks.

“Nah, I was thinking about Adam’s mutant, not you guys. You’re cool mutants.”

“I appreciate that,” said Lila with a grin. Then she moved inside the ship, carrying both the bearing wheel and its cradle with hardly a grunt.

Panur slipped in next to Sherri. “Lila is still a child when it comes to interacting with Humans. I know you despise us, but there is no need to hide your feelings.”

Sherri grinned. “You’re not as smart as you think you are. I like Lila. It’s you I have a problem with. You and your creation, J’nae. And if you don’t wise up pretty quick, you’re going to lose Lila for good.”

“I thought you would prefer that?”

“On a personal level. But let’s face it, she wouldn’t fit into normal society, and for the moment you’re the closest thing she has to an equal.”

“But we are not equal.”

“Like I said, you ain’t as smart as you think you is. Now what else can I do? I feel the hairs on the back of my neck tingling. The Juireans are getting closer.”

********

Overlord Ranor D’inos had managed to call up nine Class-Fours for the assault on Worak-nin. After the initial attack on Panur’s starship, and the subsequent steering of his remains toward the nearest star, fourteen other vessels had been released for other assignments. The nine he had left would have to do, at least until the Humans arrived a day later.

Still, there was something gnawing at his subconscious. He should have plenty of firepower to face down one Human prototype vessel, no matter how advanced the rumors indicated it to be. Yet there was Panur. He was the unknown. What could he have done to the ship that would cause trouble for Ranor and his squadron?

The Overlord also had to admit that this entire region of space was an irritant. The riots on Wokan had spread to other worlds, including Lasiter. The single Juirean base in the Frontier had been attacked by a poorly-prepared group of protesters. Little damage was caused, but it was evident that the population was upset and growing even more so. It was too soon since learning of his failure to neutralize Panur for him to turn his attention to the task of annexing the Kidis Frontier to the Expansion. The mutant had to be dealt with first, and Ranor had just learned of the even deadlier threat that Panur now posed.

Was it possible he could build a starship that, on its own, could transit dimensions? In normal times that would represent an incredible opportunity to expand living space for the Juireans, as well as all the other creatures of the galaxy. Yet these were not normal times, not with the Sol-Kor. He could imagine a time when fleets of beamships and harvesters would appear out of nowhere to subdue world after defenseless world before slipping away just as effortlessly as they had arrived. At that point, there would be no stopping them.

So now, more than even before, Panur had to be stopped. No quarter given. The world they were approaching would be ravaged, blanketed with plasma bombs and every nuclear device Ranor had in his tiny fleet. The Humans would have more; they still valued such devices as weapons of war.

“My Lord, we are approaching the outer comet field of the Worak-nin system. Time to planet: three hours, standard.”

Ranor acknowledged the report with a nod. But then the Guard commander was approached by an underling. The two whispered between themselves.

“Is there additional to report?” the Overlord queried.

“There appears to be additional traffic in the region, more than was to be expected.”

“Anything beyond one Human starship would be more than expected. Explain yourself.”

“A formation of ships is arriving from out-system.”

“The Humans?”

“No, my Lord, these appear to be local ships, local within this section of the Frontier.”

“Course?”

“That is what is so confusing, my Lord. They appear to be on an intercept course.”

Is this even possible? Ranor thought. Could the locals have already organized a counter response to my force? What are they thinking? We are Juireans!

“Initiate battle status within all ships. Charge weapons. Prepare to raise shields.”

“You cannot believe these contacts can pose a threat to nine Class-Fours?”

“I am taking no chances, not with the unrest that is growing within Kidis. Allow no mercy, Commander. We must not be delayed in reaching the planet.”

********

Syrus Jacs couldn’t believe his good fortune. One moment he was a semi-legitimate trader with limited influence, the next he was in charge of a fleet of over two hundred starships. Granted, they weren’t the most battle-worthy spacecraft; most were leftovers from both Juirean, Kracori, and Human fleets, scrounged up over the years from raids of the nearby territories. But they were crewed by an assortment of pirates, raiders, Defenders, and others who knew their way around a skirmish.

Still, there were nine first-line Juirean warships facing them, and Syrus knew the casualties would be horrific. But he had the advantage of numbers, as well as an almost unreasonable level of anger that had spread rapidly through this section of the Frontier, something that had apparently been simmering for a very long time.

For his part, Syrus was apolitical. As long as the authorities allowed him enough room to work, he was fine with whomever was in charge. Yet now he saw an opportunity to parlay this overflowing rebellious spirit into a new power base, possibly even as the first leader of the newly-formed Kidis Federation—or whatever they ended up calling it.

Of course, his first priority was surviving the coming conflict. But stopping a fleet of Juireans—if only nine ships—would go a long way to cementing his new image as a rebel leader.

Then he had to contend with the much larger Human fleet heading this way.

He made a mental shrug. He would worry about that tomorrow.

As the only ship’s captain who knew where Panur was hiding—and therefore where the Juirean were headed—Syrus was granted command by a vote of the participants. They really had no choice, otherwise they would have been a fleet in search of an enemy to attack. By that time, he knew that filling Panur’s shopping list—along with the balance of payment for their delivery—would be pointless. He would never be able to get to the planet, make delivery, and then be away before the Juireans attacked. So instead he was returning to Panur’s star system at the head of a ragtag fleet of local rebels.

He marveled at how quickly situations—and fortunes—could change.

“Send Hargo’s ships to cut off the lead Juireans,” he commanded. “Then order the rest of the ships to scatter. The aliens are used to fighting organized forces, following specific battle plans. Let them now deal with two hundred independent rogue units, each following their own unpredictable path. Engage!”

********

“Maintain stations!” Ranor screamed into the comm.

“It is difficult, my Lord,” came the reply from one of his captains. “We are being swarmed from multiple directions. Our screening units have broken off to pursue their own attackers. We cannot remain on course. If so, we become a prime target ourselves.”

Ranor understood what the captain was up against. His ship was also in a life-and-death struggle with hordes of annoying assailants. Individually, none of the rebel ships could stand against his Class-Fours. Yet in the attack swarms the captain had mentioned, the rebels had already managed to destroy five of his nine ships. On the tac screen, Ranor could see the enemy units were down to seventy-four. But following their current strategy, that was more than enough to overwhelm his remaining force.

He was still attempting to break through the screen of attackers to reach the planet, but as the seconds passed he saw the chance slipping away, especially when his own escorts were being drawn away to pursue the rebels off the course line. Within a minute, his ship would be on its own, engaging twenty to thirty simultaneous attackers at once.

The ship shuddered as his aft quarter shield dissolved. The lower level bolts from the rebels were still capable of penetrating the hull if they were not absorbed by the remaining shields.

Again the ship rocked, this time harder.

“Hull breach, my Lord. Second shield has failed.”

The Overlord scanned the status report of his ships. He only had three left, and all those—his included—were suffering damage. This left him no choice.

“Disengage, Commander. Seek the clearest path the back we came. We will return with the Humans once they arrive.”

“Will this not be too late for the mission objective?”

“That is very possible, Commander. Yet we cannot proceed. We will have to find another way to stop the mutant and his Human allies. Execute my orders.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

********

Panur had placed sensors leading to and within the star system of his sanctuary, so he was fully aware of the battle taking place a light-year way. Riyad stood next to him, watching the contact points representing the Juireans as they turned tail and ran.

“Who the hell are they?” he asked no one in particular.

“Gravity signatures would indicate a variety of miscellaneous starships, culled together from a dozen worlds within this part of Kidis.”

“But why?”

“Apparently there is a revolt taking place, and we have become its beneficiaries.”

“It would have been tight otherwise.”

“Extremely so. I need eight more hours. Unimpeded, the Juireans would have been able to stop us.”

“But that will put Andy knocking on our doorstep,” Sherri pointed out.

“Yes. Both the Juireans and the Humans are becoming annoyances.”

“Let us just finish the conversion and then depart,” said Benefis Na. Sherri knew he had stored a couple hundred pounds of gold in a storage cabinet in the cargo hold. Whether he’d ever be able to cash it in, she had no idea. But with his treasure aboard, it had secured his loyalty to the crew and the mission.

Now if they could just keep a determined admiral of the fleet from kicking their asses from here to Timbuktu.

********

 “We’re proceeding ahead,” Admiral Tobias announced. “Maintain fleet integrity after we’re gone. Admiral Nichols, you’re to assume command.”

“Good luck, Admiral. If anything, you’re going to catch them by surprise.”

“Thank goodness for government redundancy,” Tobias said. “Can’t build one experimental prototype starship without having a sister ship in waiting. Just hope we can get there before Panur completes his modification of the other Mark IV.”

Chapter 19

 “We are ready,” Panur announced without fanfare. He simply straightened up from the bulky apparatus he had been tweaking and headed for the bridge.

“No testing, no checkups?” Riyad asked.

“There is no need. It will work.”

“Benefis is still at the palace.”

“Signal him. We depart in five minutes.”

Lila and Arieel were already on the bridge, the mutant installing a new command module to sync with the TD engine, her mother hovering nearby. The two had been inseparable over the past couple days, Arieel refusing to leave Lila alone with Panur.

In the brief strategy meeting the Humans had had with Panur a few hours earlier, it was decided that Riyad’s ship couldn’t be used to land on Kor. It was too unique, too different to try to pass for anything close to a Sol-Kor ship. So to reach the planet they would need to locate a beamship to be appropriated. This also meant they’d need to find a base of operations from which to launch their covert action, as well as store the Najmah Fayd for the return trip back to the Milky Way.

Riyad suggested a planet he and the strike team had found respite on. It had crumbling cities and Neanderthal-like natives. Riyad noticed when Panur’s expression turned hard and his eyes glazed over, but then he agreed that the planet would make a good base, even if he didn’t appear overly enthusiastic about the decision. Riyad tried to evoke more acceptance of the location—since he’d suggested it—by saying the natives might even have a spare beamship lying around, the one the natives had acquired from the unfortunate Sol-Kor crew, of which Riyad and Adam had met the last surviving member. They had also been present when he became the last of his crew to die. It seemed the primitive natives of this nameless world were not to be trifled with.

If this effort failed, they would have to take valuable time trying to track down a lone beamship in the space near Kor. This would also enhance their chances of being detected. The natives of the long-forgotten world would be the rescue team’s first best hope. 

All they had to do now was make the jump.

********

 “You were going to leave me!”

The huge Juirean stumbled through the entry hatch moments before Sherri shut and dogged it. Several strips of bright yellow metal spilled from his pockets as he fell.

Sherri shook her head. “I’ve met a lot of Juireans in my day, but never one like you. Damn, Benefis, you could pass as a…a Human.”

“There is no need for insults. I have needs, just like everyone, and my needs require credits.”

“Hey, I’m not knocking it. If I didn’t already have more money than I could ever spend, I would have been right there with you.”

“You are wealthy?”

“Back off, big boy, you’re not my type.”

“All crew to the bridge,” Riyad’s voice said over the 1-MC. “We’re ready for launch.”

Sherri took the weapons station, Lila navigation, Benefis damage control, and Arieel the comm. Panur monitored the new engine control module Lila had installed, prepared to make adjustments as needed. The two mutants were the only ones who had any idea how the drive worked, or what was about to happen.

Riyad sat in the pilot’s seat, anxious to get back into space. He felt vulnerable sitting on the ground, especially on an alien world.

“You may lift off using conventional methods,” Panur said. “Your engines have been upgraded, yet they are essentially as before, only about twenty percent more efficient. The transit function is something…different.”

“That’s good to know,” Riyad said as the ship lifted off the planet Panurland in a cloud of red dust. Moments later they were blasting through fluffy white clouds, heading for the deep blue of outer space. “At least I won’t have to learn anything new…”

The ship bucked violently to starboard, before losing power and screaming back into the atmosphere. With the power down, inertia dampers were off, and the crew was subjected to tremendous pressure as they fell from orbit.

“I thought you said you didn’t need to test anything!” Riyad screamed at Panur, as he gripped the stick, trying to gain any kind of control from the increasing air flow over the outer surface. Most conventional steering was achieved by gas jets. Without power, these too were down.

“This is not a result of my engines. We have been struck with a plasma bolt.”

“From where?”

“From the other Mark IV starship located directly above us.”

“Other Mark IV! What the hell are you talking about?”

“He’s right, Riyad,” Sherri cried out. “It has to be Andy!”

“That’s just great. Do something, Panur! You and Lila will walk away from the wreckage but the rest of us won’t.”

“I am rebooting the power mods,” Lila announced calmly from her station. “Then I will route the TD function to Panur’s console.”

“That will work,” Panur stated with equal calm.

Lights flared on and Riyad felt control return to his stick. He pulled back, and the view through the viewports changed from a rapidly approaching volcanic plain to a rapidly approaching mountain range.

“I need more power!”

“No you don’t,” was Lila’s snarky reply.

“Bullshi—”

Suddenly the scenery outside shifted and they were back in space. The compensators were back online, so the incredible velocity of the transfer was barely noticeable.

“Did we just jump to another universe?” Sherri asked.

“Not yet,” Panur answered. “Just a short hop above the planet. The enemy vessel is still with us. It has as much speed as do we. Before you ask, the TD function is not a normal means of propulsion.”

“Then let’s make the frickin’ jump,” Riyad shouted. “Andy won’t be able to follow.”

“He is within our gravity influence.”

“So what—”

“Incoming bolts!” Sherri reported. “Damn, we’re going to be hit again.”

“Panur…” Lila said.

“Yes, I understand.”

********

Riyad felt like he’d been hit with baseball bat. His head was about to explode and his vision became nothing but gray. He wasn’t conscious of his surroundings, or what he had been doing only seconds before, yet he hadn’t passed out. This was something different. He studied the grayness, gaining curiosity as a black point began to appear in the center of his vision. He squinted, trying to bring the point into focus…

Then he recoiled as the tiny black dot grew to dominate his view, rushing at him like an avalanche of sensation.

He was back on the bridge of the Najmah Fayd. There was an unnatural silence around him. He turned his head.

All the others were sitting motionless, blank looks on their faces. One by one, they began to look around. Then Riyad noticed Panur and Lila. They were busy at their stations, either not affected like the rest of the crew or having already recovered from whatever just happened.

“I take it that was a trans-dimensional jump,” Sherri managed to say.

“Exactly,” said Panur, a trace of pride in his voice.

“Chalk another one up for our mutant friend,” Riyad said as the cobwebs vanished from his head.

“We have a problem,” Lila said with casual calm. Everyone froze. “The trailing ship was caught in the gravity vortex and has made the transit as well.”

“Andy followed us here? No friggin’ way!” Sherri left her station and went to where Panur was studying the navigation screen, standing next to Lila.

“The other ship escaped the gravity influence as soon as we transited,” Panur reported. “It is several light-years behind, and just now resuming controlled flight as its crew recovers from transit sickness.”

“Which way is he headed?”

“The ship is off our screens, but the last indication was your Admiral Tobias is veering off, away from our course. He appears to be confused as the proper route to take.”

“Can you blame him? I’m sure ending up in the Sol-Kor universe was the last thing he expected would happen when he got up this morning.”

“He will attempt to regain contact with us,” Benefis stated. “Being in a strange universe and not knowing how he got here, he will seek to stay close to us. Hopefully he will not seek our destruction, since we could be his only means of returning.”

“Unless he’s bound and determined to destroy us before the Sol-Kor can get their hands on Panur’s TD drive,” said Sherri. “Andy’s a dedicated soldier. He’ll gladly sacrifice himself to make sure the SK’s don’t gain the revolutionary technology.”

“Then we must stay ahead of him,” Panur said. “Please, Riyad, set a course for our pre-determined destination. Once there, we will be harder to find than we would be in space with gravity traces to follow.”

“Roger that. Let’s get this part of the mission going. The sooner we find Adam, the sooner we can hop back home.”

********

 “Did we just do what I think we just did?” Andy Tobias asked his five-man bridge crew once the strange grayness lifted.

“There are no recognizable star systems around us, Admiral.” Lieutenant-Commander Tom Paulson continued to flip through screens, doing his best to find a match. “Dammit, sir, are we in the Sol-Kor universe?”

“Looks like it, Mr. Paulson. Must have been sucked in with Tarazi’s ship.”

“So how do we get back?” asked Ensign Stevie Wyatt.

“Probably the same way we got here. But, men, that is not our primary mission.”

“Getting home is not our mission…sir?”

“It’s secondary, Ensign. Our primary mission to keep the secret of the mutant’s dimensional drive from falling into the hands of the Sol-Kor.”

“But that could be our only way home.”

“I realize that.” Tobias took a deep breath. “Listen up, everyone. Nothing has changed. If the SK’s learn how to equip individual ships with TD transit capability, our galaxy will become easy prey. Everyone and everything we know will be gone. We’ve all seen what those bastards have done just coming through huge stationary portal arrays. Imagine if they can come and go at will, anytime, anywhere.”

“Yessir,” said Ensign Wyatt. “I realize we have to do what is called for. It just takes a little getting used to.”

“I’m with you, Stevie. We’ll do what we can to get back home, but if it comes down to saving ourselves or the Milky Way…well, we’re soldiers. We’ll do our duty.”

There was a chorus of cheers and yessirs throughout the bridge.

“Now, let’s find Riyad’s ship. Anything, Tom?”

“Just gravity bips, like what we trail. That has to be them. We can’t let them get too far away or else the traces evaporate.”

“Bring us to the proper heading, Mr. Morgan. Full power when plotted. Let’s go save our galaxy.”

Chapter 20

The journey to the semi-dead world took three days from the entry point. Somehow Panur had been able to program his shipboard transit portal to place them close to Kor. Riyad didn’t ask how; he wouldn’t understand even if told.

Now they entered the spacescape of the single-star planetary system. The last time Riyad was here, the commando team was trying to avoid a persistent Sol-Kor beamship while riding in one themselves. This time he was at the controls of a Human ship—and one badass craft at that.

From orbit he was able to locate the long river canyon where they had lured the beamship into slamming into a cliff wall. There were several ancient cities in the area, but Riyad was able to recognize the one where they’d held up for a day, and where he and Adam had been taken prisoner—briefly—by what remained of the unfortunate natives.

He set the Najmah Fayd down in the same dilapidated sports stadium as before. The natives would be aware of their arrival, yet this time they wouldn’t identify his ship as being Sol-Kor.

********

 “What’s wrong with you, Panur” Sherri asked. “You’ve had a sour look on your face since we landed.” Lila stepped over to the mutant, seeking to hear the answer as well.

When Riyad, Arieel, and Benefis also gathered around, Panur felt compelled to reply.

“As you know—most of you know—I am the product of the Eternal Queen and a foreign species. My current mood is a result of the fact that it was from this world that the other half of my equation was acquired.”

“Is that a fancy way of saying your father came from here?”

“The creature who provided the DNA material for the experiment came from here.”

Sherri laughed. “So this is a homecoming of sorts? I know you gave us that bullshit story about how you were a mutant and the Queen discovered you at the time your people—” she put people in finger quotes— “were harvested. In reality, you’ve never been here before, have you?”

“I have not, yet I did take the opportunity several thousand years ago to study my ancestry.”

“What did you find out?” Arieel asked.

Panur hesitated, giving Sherri the impression he was hiding something. “C’mon, buddy, you’re among friends.”

Panur looked at her and frowned. “That I very much doubt.” But then he sighed. “I found out that this side of my family tree was quite impressive. Although just discovering space travel at the time of the Sol-Kor contact, they were an advanced, peaceful, and curious race. Their cities—such as the one we are in—were glorious examples of design and conservation. They respected their world and treated it with reverence. They lived their lives with purpose and responsibility.”

“In other words, they didn’t deserve to be eaten by the Sol-Kor.”

“They could have achieved much if not for the unfortunate circumstance of being located within six light-years of the homeworld of the Sol-Kor. This was the second world harvested. Once space travel was developed on Kor, the natives stopped eating each other and sought food sources beyond their planet. At that time there were several competing colonies, each with their own queen. She who would become known as the Eternal Queen had just assumed her position within the colony where she resided. With rudimentary space travel, her colony prospered, and she eventually consolidated all the others under her rule. She could provide the most food, coming as it did from off-planet. And the food they acquired was of superior quality, if not taste.”

“Meaning more advanced species than their own, creatures with bigger brains,” Sherri pointed out.

“But no star travel, making them susceptible to attack from space.”

“So when did you come on the scene?”

“Members of various species were brought to Kor for experimentation, to see if a new food crop could be developed. The Sol-Kor have always preferred the taste of their own flesh, yet that was counterproductive and caused conflicts between the colonies. So a hybrid race, one with Sol-Kor essence yet also the nutritional value of the advanced species, was the goal. Unfortunately, the experiments were carried out by unqualified scientists, Sol-Kor scientists. They had developed primitive space travel—that which required decades of travel to reach the nearest star—and having done so thought themselves qualified to manipulate genetics as well. Many failures preceded me.”

Panur stopped speaking and returned to his station.

“No way, buddy, you have to finish your story,” Sherri said. To her surprise, she found this fascinating. She was also acquiring a newfound understanding of Panur the person.

The mutant looked at the faces around him, and found them all engrossed in his story. He continued:

“As has happened with Lila, I also developed quite rapidly, fast enough in fact that some of my latent abilities were identified before I could be recycled.”

“You could be recycled at that time?” Arieel asked. From the look on Lila’s face, she had heard all this before.

“At that time I didn’t know what my body was capable of doing. I had my suspicions, since I never required food or rest. But along with that, knowledge and correlations just flowed to me.”

“Correlations?” Benefis asked.

“Yes. Correlations between various technologies, between chemicals, between cause and effect. I was able to see how things would work together simply by thinking about it, so I began to invent.”

“You showed the Sol-Kor how to kill more efficiently,” the Juirean said flatly, contempt in his voice.

“Not initially. I did it more for survival, as a way to gain favor. I was one of a kind, and therefore I sought approval and acceptance like any other living creature would, perhaps even more so. I began benignly. I saw a better way to travel between stars, with the gravity drive being one of my first creations. Of course, the Eternal Queen soon took notice of me after that. She was wise and realized my potential. I was given status and respect. In return, all I had to do was invent. And invent is what I do—it is what I must do. Lila can relate. With minds as fertile as ours, we seek ways to relieve the pressure of all this accumulated knowledge. The release comes through invention, from creating.”

“When did you start helping them to harvest entire planets of their indigenous life?” asked the Juirean.

“Please understand, at that time I was a Sol-Kor. I knew nothing else. I was a product of the Eternal Queen and some anonymous race. That attitude would change over time as I began to accept, and indeed celebrate, my uniqueness. But at that time I felt a responsibility to help my race, not only to survive but to thrive. Yes, I invented the gravity drive and suppressor beam, and then later trans-dimensional travel. Yet when one has lived as long as I have, you have a tendency to discount other life. They are mortal, you are not. They will soon die off, while you continue. So I began to focus more on myself and less on my adopted race. I sought out my roots, and that was when I discovered the Hal’ic, the natives of this world. I felt regret for what had happened to them.”

Panur smiled as he surveyed the faces. “I know that many of you do not realize this, but I do have feelings, emotions. There is a misconception that the more advanced and intelligent the creature, the less given to emotions they become. That is wrong. Emotions are the most stimulating events a creature like me can experience. They are what give meaning to all I achieve. Without emotions, there would be no drive to do…anything.”

“So Panur has a heart?” Sherri said.

“I do not need it to survive, yet I do need it to live.”

“Damn, that’s heavy.”

“Do I need to go on? Yes, I have feelings, and landing on the ancestral homeworld of my paternal heritage has caused them to resurface. I will recover…I always have. Now, may we move on to another subject?”

Sherri placed a hand on Panur’s shoulder. “Thanks for telling us that. Now, as a favor to us, how about using those feelings now and then…by being less of an asshole?”

“If I must.” A smile slowly stretched across the mutant’s face.

Lila pulled a seat over next to Panur. She placed her hand into his and a strange melding of the flesh occurred. Sherri cringed, before looking to Arieel in a panic.

The Formilian wore a contented look on her face. She, too, had seen another side of Panur. Whether that meant a life without Lila for her or not, only time would tell. But something profound had just happened.

Sherri stood up suddenly, catching everyone off guard.

“All right!” she called out. “Enough of all this touchy-feely crap. Let’s go out and find some of Panur’s ancestors. We have a hero to rescue.”

Chapter 21

J’nae studied the surveillance footage once again, not on a screen but in her mind. She’d already viewed the recording once, and that was all it took for her embed the images in her memory.

The Human had definitely been assisted by a Sol-Kor, which didn’t make sense. Why would a lowly Durlead help him? What could he hope to gain?

The obvious answer was there: this was no ordinary Sol-Kor drone…if even a Sol-Kor at all. Could he have been a Human spy, surgically altered to appear to be Sol-Kor? That seemed highly unlikely, given the logistics of it all. Yet if this was an altered member of some other race, one originating from within the Sol-Kor universe, that could portend even graver concerns.

Any race advanced enough to have placed such a spy within the very capital of the Colony would have long since been harvested. There should have been none left to carry out such a feat. And those races which the Sol-Kor had allowed to survive were too primitive to have carried out such and act.

Like the Salifen. They were too simple-minded to have done this.

So who was it? The simple fact that Adam Cain had been rescued, and by such means, proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that there was something out there J’nae was unaware of. This set off in her mind a cascade of chemicals and hormones which sparked her thinking to new levels. This was why she existed, to solve problems. The more complex or difficult the problem, the more alive she felt.

J’nae began to think, to categorize, to postulate. The question created a whole new category of threat for J’nae and her Colony, yet by its very impossibility an answer could be found. It had to be. Eliminate all other impossibilities, and what remained would be the truth.

There was hidden race, with advanced capabilities, existing where none had been suspected before.

Bypassing a traditional computer analysis of past harvests within the main Sol-Kor galaxy, J’nae chose to scan the data herself—once—and then complete the study within her mind. Something had survived, and was now in a position to harm the Colony, especially with their new affiliation with the Human Adam Cain.

It was an unfortunate consequence of planet-wide harvests that not all members of a species could be collected. In fact, rarely did a harvest run over sixty percent of the natives. That left millions of survivors, but by the time the effects of the suppressor beam wore off, most of those were in such poor health that they succumbed rapidly to the elements or starvation. Follow-up expeditions had found that within two years after a harvest, rarely did five percent of an original population survive, and never at the level of advancement they had been at the time of the Sol-Kor arrival.

Yet even five percent survival rate was enough to repopulate a planet, if given enough time. Periodic surveys were done of planets that had been harvested several thousand years ago to see if the population had grown significantly to warrant a second harvest. J’nae found that of all the planets harvested over two thousand years before, fifteen percent of them had undergone a re-harvesting.

As a result, this line in her research reached a dead-end. Any ancient race who could have resurrected an advanced civilization would have been subsequently re-harvested long before they could become a threat to the Colony.

Unless…

Unless it was a pre-suppressor beam race. And even before that, before gravity drive technology.

Before these technological innovations, planetary harvests were much more primitive, more time-consuming and less thorough. They involved wholesale invasions and outright battles. The bodies of dead natives were quickly collected to be processed before they went bad. Campaigns such as these could last decades, during which time nests of native survivors could have hidden from the Sol-Kor. They wouldn’t have suffered the effects of prolonged beam suppression or exposure to the elements. And when the Sol-Kor left, what was left of their civilization would continue, damaged yet still intact.

Within her mind, J’nae began to look far back into Sol-Kor history, back to the very first harvests, to the point where she happened upon a name. When she saw it, she was shaken to the core.

J’nae!

The name of the planet screamed in her brain. It was what Panur had named her, and a quick scan of the knowledge within her mind revealed why. There were ancient files available referring to the creation of her creator. He had been created in essentially the same process as she. So was this sentiment on Panur’s part, a way to keep some strange bond alive between him and his ancestors? That was a surprise, even if J’nae had to admit to having a full cache of emotions present in her as well.

Panur’s genetic material—at least half of it—came from this planet, which had been the second harvested by the newly spacefaring Sol-Kor. Being only the second, it would be expected that a vast number of the natives—Hal’ic they were called—would have survived. And yet that is not what the surveys showed.

In the five thousand years since the harvest, the race had never resurrected, a second harvest had never been ordered. This was unusual.

J’nae leaned back in her chair and smiled. It was all too obvious. The odds of the Hal’ic never advancing from beyond the point of the first harvest, after so many centuries, was not to believed.

The Hal’ic were there—Panur’s ancestors—and they had effectively hid from the Sol-Kor all this time. And only six light-years from Kor.

“That is where Adam Cain was taken,” J’nae announced to the empty room. “And that is where I will find this new threat to the Colony.”

Chapter 22

Riyad and Sherri stood outside the Najmah Fayd, in the brisk air of J’nae, scanning the rising rows of seats for any sign of movement. So far, nothing.

“We should follow the same steps Adam and I took,” Riyad said.

“From what you told me, the natives got the jump on you and gave you a concussion.”

“We’ll know what to look out for this time.”

“Do we leave the rest of them here, or do we all go?”

Riyad pursed his lips. “Let’s see…I don’t trust Benefis as far as I could throw him; Panur and Lila can do pretty much anything they want and we can’t stop them; and Arieel isn’t going anywhere Lila isn’t.”

“I don’t think that helped much.”

“I think it means it’s not up to us. Let’s go take a vote.”

********

Thirty minutes later, all six of the passengers and crew of the Najmah Fayd were standing on the scraggly green grass of the ancient sports arena, preparing to trek off into the bowels of the huge complex. Benefis had clamored for a weapon, saying he could be trusted, since he had nowhere else to go. Riyad relented, but not before telling everyone that the Hal’ic were not their enemy, no matter what transpired. These were primitive creatures who would see any intrusion—especially from space—as a threat. And it was highly unlikely that they would run into the same tribe—if that was the right word—that Adam and he had met before. Anyone they encountered could be completely oblivious as to who they were.

They moved out, Riyad in the lead and Sherri bringing up the rear. Riyad led them to the top row of seating and then moved inside what remained of the once impressive arena. He scanned the ceiling, looking for any netting placed there, like that which had entrapped him and Adam. Not surprisingly, he saw three such traps along the way and avoided them, looking into the shadows for the eyes he knew were watching them.

Sherri moved up next to Riyad, her forehead furrowed. “I’m getting some strange readings from my ATD.”

“What kind of readings?”

“That’s the problem, I’m not getting any.”

“That’s what you’d expect from a bunch of Neanderthals.”

“This is something different. It’s like a void area, directly below us.”

“So you’re concerned because you’re not picking up any electrical signals, when none should exist?”

“You missing my point.”

“What is the problem?” Panur said when the forward movement of the entourage stopped.

“Sherri’s concerned because she’s not picking up any electrical signals through her ATD—her interface device.”

Panur looked at Sherri. “Obviously this has you concerned. Why?”

“Normally I can probe about, even when I don’t find anything. There’s always enough static electricity in the air to allow me do to this. I simply ride the ambient electrical charge out to the range limit of the device and look around.”

“But something here is different?”

“Yes, it’s as if even static electricity ends about five hundred feet below us.”

“Isn’t that ground level?” Riyad asked, still not buying into Sherri’s concern.

“Not necessarily. There’s a maze of subways and other underground facilities, including old parking garages extending far below the surface. Yet, as I said, I reach a certain point and then there’s nothing, even if I’m probing within an elevator shaft, for instance.”

“You are suggesting a deliberate shielding of some kind,” Lila said, having been listening in on the conversation. “That would involve a level of technology that does not exist on this planet.”

“Could the Sol-Kor have a base here?” Benefis asked.

“Such a dampening effect as Sherri is describing is beyond the Sol-Kor,” Panur answered.

“So this is something new,” Riyad summarized. “Just more reason to be cautious.”

“I believe the time for caution has passed…” Benefis said, his voice trailing off.

They followed his steady gaze off to the left, to where what looked to be a dozen or more of the caveman-like natives were watching them from within the concrete concourse. They had appeared without a sound, holding thick wooden clubs in all their hands.

Benefis drew his weapon. Sherri stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, giving the Juirean his first experience of the natural strength of a Human, even a Human female.

“Don’t. Let’s not provoke them. Let’s see what they do first.”

Then the team noticed a second group had appeared behind them.

Both parties now stood still and silent, waiting for the other to react.

A movement came from in back in the first group of natives. Bodies stepped aside and a barrel-chested Hal’ic with a greasy, scraggly beard and an animal hide wrapped around his waist came forward.

Riyad squinted at the alien. He looked somewhat familiar, but then most of the natives had the same general appearance. Was this the leader he had met before? He couldn’t tell for sure.

“Sil-ka!” the creature spoke.

Riyad had been through this before. “No Sil-Ka,” he said, shaking his head. “Humans.”

The native leader pointed at Benefis, and then at Panur. “Sil-ka!”

Riyad shook his head. “No Sil-ka. Friends.”

The older native grunted, and then stepped in closer to Riyad. He studied him closely from head to toe, before turning back to those behind him. He barked something in their native language. Both sets of Hal’ic rushed forward.

“Don’t shoot!” Riyad said to Benefis. And the rest of you, just go along. It’s better than being clubbed into submission. Besides, I think I know this guy.”

********

To his credit—and Lila’s too—Panur allowed himself to be herded along, back down the steps, out of the arena and across a wide, cracked thoroughfare that hadn’t seen any wheeled traffic in five millennia. They descended into a musty subway station, lit only by long shafts of light penetrating through holes in a perforated ceiling. At the far end of an ancient boarding platform, the silent natives guided the team along the abandoned train tracks before reaching another set of steps leading even further below.

Riyad kept looking at Sherri, who would return his looks with curt nods. Her ATD was still experiencing some kind of interference.

Then one of their native escorts stopped at a side door in the tunnel and opened it. It was dark inside, lit only from the light steaming through the open door. Even still, Riyad could barely see ten feet into the room.

The barrel-chested native leader stepped into the room and then turned, motioning with his hands for the rest of them to follow.

Seeing that the native had entered first, Riyad followed him in.

A few second later, with all the creatures from the Najmah Fayd inside, the outer door was shut. Complete darkness filled the room.

Yet before any of them could pull out electronic lights from their utility belts, brilliant lights flashed on.

The light was painful, and Riyad had to cover his eyes with his hands momentarily to ward off the assault. But even before he could see again he realized these were electric lights shining on them, something these primitive creatures should know nothing about. Had he led them all into a Sol-Kor trap?

When his eyes did adjust, he squinted through the glare and saw that they were in a room within a room, inside glass walls and a solid ceiling. Outside he saw that the glass enclosure sat within a huge cavern and was surrounded by what could have been over a hundred heavily armed creatures—all carrying the same physical features as the primitive Hal’ic—yet they were wearing uniforms rather than animal skins.

Riyad didn’t pull his weapon. Neither did Sherri or Benefis.

Riyad caught Panur’s eye. He was grinning, with a mischievous look in his dark eyes. He seemed to be enjoying the moment.

The bare-chested native leader, who was also in the glass room, stepped up to Riyad. “Greetings once again,” he said, the English words seeming to emanate from  the lips of the Hal’ic. “I did not properly introduce myself the last time you were here. I am Lun Szy.”

Riyad looked around the room before returning his attention to the native leader. “I suppose you have some explaining to do.”

The Hal’ic in turn took in each of the members of Riyad’s group. “As do you…my friend.”

His eyes now settled on Panur. “Our infamous son returns. You should know that this room can be flooded with liquid nitrogen at a moment’s notice, instantly freezing your body. I will die as a result, yet you will be incapacitated and better able to be…managed…would be a good word. Having said that, I hope you have come as a friend and not as an enemy.”

“You know who I am,” Panur stated—not asked—the thin grin still on his face.

“The face of Panur is well known to us, as is your history as it relates to my planet. I must say, I never believed I—or any Hal’ic—would ever meet you in person. None of us have wanted to, since that event would more than likely precipitate our deaths. I am hoping that since you are in the company of this Human, your status has changed from being the most notorious creature who has ever lived…to one of trusted ally. If that is the case, then something truly miraculous has happened during your association with the Humans.”

“I come in peace,” Panur said.

Sherri and Riyad exchanged quick looks, each conveying the same thought: I can’t believe he just said that.

“That is good to know, although it will be through your actions, not your words, where the truth will be revealed.”

“Of course.”

“You appear to be amused by this event. Had you prior knowledge?”

“I had my suspicions. It would only make sense that the ancestors of my genetic father would have recovered from the Sol-Kor attack well within the timeframe allotted. For you not to have done so would be the exception rather than the rule.”

“So…why are you here, Panur…along with your assorted companions?”

“My companions are on a rescue mission, while I am here on a mission of prevention.”

“I do not understand.”

“I wish to prevent my creation, the new Queen of the Sol-Kor, from continuing with her reign. She is far too dangerous to be allowed rule over the Colony, and only I can stop her.”

********

Riyad and the others—with the exception of Panur—were moved from the glass room and given modest yet adequate accommodations within a huge underground complex—and without a security detail stationed outside their rooms. It seemed strange that the Hal’ic would grant them such freedom so soon after arriving, especially having arrived with their arch-enemy Panur, and having had very minimal contact beforehand. Even though Riyad knew he wasn’t a risk, there was no way the Hal’ic could know this for sure.

Sherri knocked on his door and then entered without waiting for an invitation.

“C’mon, I’m going to try to find someone who can tell me what just happened. And we still need to find a beamship. No matter how advanced these guys are—or if they have a whole fleet of their own—we’re not going to get too far trying to land one of their ships on Kor.”

“How’s Lila and Arieel? The Hal’ic obviously don’t know Lila’s a mutant.”

Sherri’s jaw fell open. “Well, they do now, big mouth…if they’re listening in.”

“Dammit!”

“Relax, they’re bound to find out eventually. And besides, she doesn’t have the history with them like Panur does.”

“Yeah, but letting her roam free may not be in their best interests.”

“We’ll see. Now zip up, Mister. There’s still the matter of Adam Cain to take care of.”

********

After only a few minutes of wandering the huge hallways and caverns of this particular Hal’ic community, it was apparent to the Humans that this place was only a small slice of a much larger pie. There was just too much stuff around, stuff that required raw materials, processing, manufacturing and distribution—an entire civilization hidden completely underground, right under the noses of the Sol-Kor.

As they entered into an even larger cavern, a Hal’ic officer came rushing up to them. It took Riyad to a moment to recognize him as Lun Szy, since he was now clean-shaven and dressed in a dark blue one-piece military uniform.

“I am sorry, but I was not aware you were going to set off on your own. I must ask that you not do so without an escort.”

“No one stopped us,” Sherri said in their defense.

“It is not for security reasons, but so you do not get lost. As you can tell, this is a rather large complex.”

“How many more are there like this?” Riyad asked.

“Over nine hundred.”

“Just as big?”

“Some much larger, some smaller. This is the entire Hal’ic race we are talking about…Mister Tarazi.”

Riyad had introduced all his companions to Lun earlier, yet he was still impressed that the alien had used the formal form of addressing him.

“Now, let us head back to your quarters.”

“We need a Sol-Kor beamship,” Sherri blurted out.

“A beamship? I am not…oh, you refer to a mainship. That is the staple of the Sol-Kor fleet. They are equipped with suppressor beams.”

“That’s right. We need one. Riyad said that you sometimes capture stray Sol-Kor ships that come to your planet.” She looked around and smiled. “At first I thought it sounded like quite a feat, using wooden clubs and rocks to take down a starship. Not anymore.”

“We still put on appearances while on the surface in case we are being observed.”

“Do you have any of these ships in inventory?”

“I believe so, but that is really not my area of expertise. Why do you need it?”

“We need to get to Kor.”

Lun stopped walking and turned to face the two Humans. “That cannot be allowed.”

“Why not?” Sherri and Lun were about the same height, but there was something in Sherri’s tone that caused the alien to take a step back.

“You have become aware of our existence, that is the reason. Under interrogation, you could be forced to reveal what you know.”

“Don’t worry about that. We don’t intend to get caught.”

“No one ever does.”

“If you’re not going to lend us a bea—a mainship—then we’ll find one on our own.” She paused, distracted first by something she saw down the corridor, and secondly by a thought that came to her mind. “Are you saying we can’t leave at all, even in our own ship?”

“Not at this time.”

Sherri kept looking down the corridor.

Riyad stepped forward. “I appreciate your security concerns, Lun, but we are under a strict deadline here. We really…what the hell are you looking at, Sherri?”

“I’m not sure…but follow me.” She took off in a sprint.

Several Hal’ic stopped to watch, mouths agape, as the female alien sped past at incredible speed. Besides her unexpected quickness in the light gravity of J’nae, the natives weren’t used to seeing someone—anyone—running in the halls.

After an embarrassing moment, Riyad cocked his head and grinned at Lun. Then he too ran off down the hall.

There was no way Lun could keep up with the Humans, so he didn’t even try. He pulled a communicator from a pocket and barked orders.

Riyad caught up with Sherri outside a set of large metal doors. “In here,” she said.

“In here what?”

“I don’t know, but I thought I saw—”

Suddenly they were swarmed by a dozen armed Hal’ic. “Remain where you are. This is a secure area. No admittance allowed,” announced a uniformed alien with a large white patch on his shoulder, a plasma-type weapon aimed at the two Humans.

Lun arrived at the doorway a moment later, winded from his own rapid sprint down the corridor.

“I am confused,” he said to Sherri. “You simply cannot go off like that, not around here. Such movements can cause panic since they are unwarranted except in times of emergency.”

“Sorry, but I thought I saw—”

The double doors swung open.

“What the hell’s going on out here?” a voice called out. “Wait—Sherri?”

********

“Adam!”

What followed was unrehearsed and spontaneous. All three Humans turned into a screaming mass of tears and hugs, backslaps and sloppy kisses. Lun Szy dismissed his troops with a wave of his hand and let the reunion continue, until, exhausted, the trio separated, although Sherri would not take her arm from around Adam’s waist.

“What…how…I can’t believe it,” Adam said, his own eyes glassed over with emotion.

“This is your rescue mission, Captain Cain,” Riyad announced proudly. “How are we doing?”

“Excellent…if I still needed rescuing. That part was taken care of by my Hal’ic friends. I see you’ve reunited with Lun.”

Riyad turned to the alien. “Why didn’t you tell us Adam was here?”

“You did not allow me the time. And in light of the diversity of your entourage, your intentions had to be determined first, as well as the impact such news would have on Veritis Cain.”

“Veritis Cain?” Riyad said. “What does that mean?”

“It refers to—”

“I’ll take it from here, Lun, thank you.”

Sherri frowned at Adam. “Why all the mystery?”

Adam smiled. “It’s because I’m a little embarrassed, that’s all.”

“About what?”

Adam took both his friends by their arms and pushed his way back through the swinging double doors. “I’ll show you.”

They entered a massive cavern with a ceiling that rose all the way to a series of rollway doors, supported by an awesome array of gears and pulleys. Stepping further in, Riyad and Sherri found they were on a wide, metal observation deck extending out from the rock wall of the vast chamber. Stairs led down from each side, and as they neared the railed edge of the platform, they looked down.

Covering an area extending into the dark reaches beyond their vision rested hundreds, if not thousands of starships of various shapes and sizes. They sat in neat rows, tended to by tens of thousands of dark blue uniformed Hal’ic.

Adam beamed a wide, full-toothed grin at his two stunned friends.

“What…what is all this?” Riyad asked.

“This, my friend…is my army. It seems I’m their new Veritis—their supreme commander.”

Sherri gawked at the incredible scene. “And I thought we were here to save you. Seems you’ve done just fine on your own.”

Riyad also couldn’t let the moment pass without comment. “Look at all those toys. Some guys just get all the luck.”

********

Lun Szy now stepped up to the trio. “Forgive me, Veritis Cain, but your attention is needed immediately at the monitoring center.” The tremble in the native’s voice made Adam’s stomach tighten.

“Is there a problem?”

“Long range detectors have picked up a foreign ship nearing the system.”

“Relax,” said Riyad, “that’s just Andy Tobias.”

“Andy’s here, too?”

“Not intentionally. He was kinda sucked through when Panur turned on his TD-drive.”

Adam’s mouth fell open and his head wobbled. “And Panur?”

“You’ll also be glad to hear this,” said Sherri with a sour smirk, “but so are Arieel and Lila.”

“Oh, and we also picked up a Juirean Overlord along the way, too. But he’s cool,” Riyad added.

Adam staggered back against the railing. “Anything else you want to tell me before I pass out?”

Sherri smiled. “Only that Jackie Evancho just got a divorce. I know you always had a crush on her. This could be your big chance, stud.”

“Please, Veritis Cain, they need you in monitoring.”

“Yes, of course.” As they passed through the double doors once again, Adam turned to Sherri. “You know I got her autograph once.”

“Who, Jackie’s?”

“Uh-huh. So what do you think, could a classical-crossover singer like Jackie Evancho and a guy like me—”

“No way! I’m sure she would prefer a guy who won’t go jetting off across the galaxy at the drop of a hat. You know, someone a little more reliable.”

“Like Ricky? By the way, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you put all this behind you?”

“So did I, until you went and got your ass captured.” She rolled her eyes. “If only I’d known…”

********

 “Yeah, that’s Andy all right,” Riyad said. He turned to Lun. “This is some pretty high-res equipment you have here.”

“Yes, we have extensive monitoring surrounding the system. It has been crucial that we stay aware of any activity that could potentially reveal our presence.”

“Sorry about blowing up at you earlier,” Sherri said. “It’s just that we needed the mainship so we could go rescue this dumb lug here. Looks like you saved us the trouble.”

Lun was blinking rapidly, trying to work through the terms blowing up and dumb lug as they referred to people. The translation devices the Hal’ic employed hadn’t had time to absorb all the variations of Human language. No device had been able to, not even the sophisticated Formilian computers. With the nasty Human habit of making up words as they went, there was a chance the Human language would never be fully translated and cataloged. It was in a state of constant flux and reinvention.

“What are you going to do about him?” Sherri asked, referring to Andy Tobias.

“You say he’s trying to destroy you? That doesn’t sound like Andy.”

“It’s all because of Panur.”

“Of course. In what way?”

“Your little buddy went and modified Riyad’s ship, turning it into its own portable trans-dimensional portal.”

“You mean the ship itself is the portal?”

“Yep.”

“And it can jump back and forth between universes…all on its own?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Then I don’t blame him. I probably would have done the same thing. Imagine what would happen if the Sol-Kor got a hold of that technology?”

“Yeah, we’ve heard it all before, ad nauseam. But now the ship is here, parked over at the stadium you first landed in, all safe and sound.”

“Still, that was a big chance you took.”

“Rescuing you was worth the risk.”

“I mean bringing Panur’s ship over here.”

“It’s not Panur’s ship, it’s mine,” Riyad countered.

“The point is we could be in some deep doo-doo if the Sol-Kor learn how to copy Panur’s modifications.”

“Give it a rest, Adam,” Sherri said. “Would you prefer we didn’t even try to save you?”

“Yes, I would have. I didn’t want you to risk your lives in the first place—and now this. Damn, I’m not worth it. Just think how shitty I’d feel if the Sol-Kor did get their hands on Riyad’s ship and it was all because of me?”

“Well, thanks for nothing, Mister Veritis-supreme-commander-my-shit-don’t-stink Cain.”

“Dammit, Sherri, you haven’t changed a bit, have you?” Adam looked past her to Riyad. He just shrugged.

 “Veritis Cain,” Lun interrupted. “Just the presence of this alien spaceship could raise alarms on Kor, prompting a search should it be detected.”

“Can you communicate with it?”

“I do not see why not, yet that would not be wise.”

“Then let him land and bring him down here.”

“More…guests? As a senior security officer, I must protest.”

“Look, Lun, all this secrecy stuff is coming to an end pretty soon anyway. Once the assault on Kor begins, I’m pretty sure they’ll know where we came from.”

“You’re planning on attacking Kor?” Riyad asked, astonished. “Don’t get me wrong, big kahuna, but what good would that do? They have forces spread all over the place, including multiple universes.”

“It will disrupt their operations, maybe even slow them down enough so we can attack their less-guarded facilities.”

“I have a question,” Sherri chimed in. “Why the hell did the Hal’ic put you in charge of their whole war effort in the first place?”

“Because none of their forces have been in a single live battle, only simulators.”

“And you’re going to send this army of rookies over to Kor—just to be slaughtered,” Sherri said.

“I’ll be coordinating things.”

“This sounds like something Andy would be better suited for. At least he’s been the admiral of something.”

“I am confused,” said Lun. “These are your friends?”

“Yeah, but you can’t tell, can you?”

“My point exactly.”

“Butt out, alien…this is an intervention of sorts,” Sherri growled.

“Mister Cain…the other ship.”

“Yeah, open a link.”

“I must protest.”

“Dammit, Lun, just do it. Why put me in charge if no one will follow my orders?”

“Very well, but there could be consequences.”

********

The link was sent out in a narrow beam, focused exclusively on the sister ship of the Najmah Fayd. Since wormhole communications were in use in both Human and Sol-Kor universes, Andy should recognize the signal for what it was: an invitation to open a link.

Adam stood fuming, still angry at having his two best friends gang up on him like that. Even Lun Szy had questioned his decisions.

“There has been a response,” said the Hal’ic tech sitting nearby.

“Give me the link,” Adam ordered. “Place it on speakers.”

“Andy—Admiral Tobias—it’s Adam Cain.”

The link was audio only, so for a few seconds Adam didn’t know if his greeting had been broadcast or not.

“Seriously?” said a familiar voice. “Please authenticate.”

“T.J., October, 2007. Her name was Luna.”

“Okay, enough,” came the quick reply. “How is it even possible that I’m speaking with you, Captain?”

“With the help of some new friends, I managed to get away from the Sol-Kor. I’m on the planet you’re currently heading for, safe and sound. We have you on our scopes.”

“Glad to hear that. Where’s Tarazi?” The admiral’s voice was stone cold.

“I’m here, Admiral.”

“What the hell happened to us? How did we get over here?”

“Something about being caught up in the vortex. Don’t ask me what that means. It wasn’t intentional.”

“A lot of good that does. And your ship?”

“Also safe and secure. There’s no need for you continue with your mission to destroy her.”

“As long as that ship remains in one piece, my mission continues.”

“Listen, Andy,” Adam said. “Why don’t you come on in and we’ll talk about it. Once you have all the facts, I’m pretty sure you’ll see that there’s no chance the Sol-Kor will learn of…well, you know.”

“So you acknowledge that there is a danger, and that communications could be intercepted?”

“All I know is that we can’t go around blabbing classified information over open channels. We don’t want to pull a Hillary Clinton, after all.”

There was a pause on the channel before Tobias spoke again. “It seems I have little choice. You have a better lay of the land than I do, and you mentioned having help. I assume you mean the ships that have begun to trail us into the system. We just picked them up about ten minutes ago, still pretty far out.”

Adam look over at Lun, who frowned before rushing off to another monitoring station. His reaction was almost instantaneous, barking orders.

“Andy, how many ships are you detecting?”

“Twenty…no thirty. They’re just on the edge of our scope.”

“Admiral, those aren’t friendlies, they’re Sol-Kor.”

There was only a moment’s pause before Tobias’s voice was screaming from the speakers. “Destroy that fucking ship! Do it now!”

********

 “How soon can you get here, Andy?”

“Are you going to destroy the Mark IV?”

“Yes, but we need to get you safe.”

“My ship, just like Riyad’s, is faster than anything in this galaxy. I can be there in thirty minutes if we really push it.”

“Then do it. Frankly, Admiral, I need your help.”

“Doing what?”

Adam hesitated as he looked at Sherri. “I need you to take command of a two-hundred thousand ship fleet of warships.”

Even Sherri and Riyad gasped, so it was no wonder it took Tobias a full thirty seconds to respond.

“Did you say two hundred thousand?”

“Yessir. My friends—the Hal’ic—have been preparing for this moment for a very long time.”

“I can imagine. And if I’m not mistaken, you somehow have the authority to put me in command?”

“It’s more of an abdication of my position.”

“You’re in charge?”

“Seems so.”

“Hell, it’s been less than two months since the commando team made it back through the portal. You’ve been busy, Captain Cain.”

“Yessir. But really, I need your help. The Hal’ic think I’m some kind of military genius because I killed the Eternal Queen—”

“I helped,” said Riyad.

“Anyway, they put me in charge of their fleet. Now I’d feel a whole lot better if you took command.”

“What level of experience and proficiency can I expect?”

“No real-world experience, just simulators.”

“No one has any battlefield experience?”

“No sir, none.”

“Well, that changes things.”

“Let’s face it, Andy, you’re better qualified for the job than I am.”

There was another pause on the line. “Okay, I’ll do it…but on one condition.”

“That I destroy Riyad’s ship.”

“Negative. You give me the location and I’ll do it on my way in.”

“Not a problem. I’m with you on this one.”

“I’m glad someone is.”

“But you do realize that by destroying the ship we may never get home again?”

“I’m willing to accept that. Are you?”

“Yessir.” Adam looked at Riyad and Sherri. With dour faces, they each nodded. “As are Riyad and Sherri.”

“Very good, Captain. Send out a homing beacon and the location of the Mark IV. I’ll see you thirty minutes.”

Adam looked at his friends and smirked. “Hey, the Sol-Kor are probably going to kill us all anyway, so we really aren’t losing anything.”

“Gotta love your attitude,” Sherri said. “Even if it sucks.”

Chapter 23

Adam didn’t wait for Andy to arrive before he set the ball in motion. He had the huge outer doors to the hanger bay opened, along with the doors to forty-eight similar locations around the planet. Slowly—slower than he wanted—the ships began to parade out.

Launching two hundred thousand of anything takes time, especially starships. After being shuttled onto huge conveyor belts, the ships were placed in lift-off shelters where their chemical exhaust was quickly siphoned off so as to not blanket the entire underground hanger in hot, blinding smoke. Even then, only forty ships could be launched per minute. By the time Tobias entered the atmosphere of J’nae, only twelve hundred out of twenty thousand ships had been launched from this particular location, forming up in a huge open staging area north of the city ruins.

Adam had been joined in the command center by the rest of his team, with the notable exception of Panur. As far as Adam knew, he was still locked away in the glass box, canisters of liquid nitrogen hanging over his head.

On a proximity screen, Adam watched the live image of Andy’s ship as it homed in on the broken-down sports arena where Riyad’s ship was hidden. Adam had to inhale slightly when he saw the sleek, mean lines of Riyad’s sister ship in flight.

“Damn, that’s a pretty ship,” he said.

“They can go nine hundred light under perfect conditions,” Riyad bragged, even though half-heartedly. His baby was about to destroyed.

“No shit! Sorry, man.”

“It has to be done, I guess.”

The sleek black ship with the silver swath running along both sides of the fuselage ducked through the caved-in roof of the stadium and disappeared.

“What the hell, Captain? Are these the right coordinates?”

Adam reached forward and pressed the comm button. “Yessir. We watched you enter the stadium. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? The damn ship isn’t here!”

“What do you mean? It has to be.”

“A hundred-meter-long ship would take up most of this field. It would be hard to miss. I’m telling you it’s not here. What kind of game are you trying to pull here, Cain…or is Tarazi to blame?”

“Not me, Admiral. We left the ship there yesterday.”

“Well, someone has moved it.”

Adam whipped around until he spotted Lun Szy. “Did you have the ship moved from the stadium?”

“No, Veritis Cain. No orders have been issued for such a thing.”

In a panic, Adam studied the faces of his team. They all displayed the same look of shock.

“Lun, check on Panur! See if he’s still in his cage.”

The Hal’ic officer descended on a console. A moment later he looked up, wide-eyed. “Surveillance cameras show no one is in the chamber. Panur is loose!”

“Don’t worry. He hasn’t stuck around to torment the Hal’ic. He’s taken off with Riyad’s ship. He has a nasty habit of stealing other people’s starships.”

Adam turned to Lila. “Can you contact him, I mean psychically?”

“I can, if he’s willing to respond.”

“What’s going on, Captain?”

“Give me a minute, Admiral. It looks like Panur may have taken off with the Mark IV.”

Adam was expecting a loud retort to blast from the speakers. Instead, the admiral’s voice came over calm and measured. “Well, isn’t this just great. I tried to warn y’all. But nobody listens to me anymore.”

“Lila’s attempting to contact him.”

“She’s with you and not him?”

“Yessir.”

“That’s good to know. Now we only have one immortal mutant genius to contend with rather than two.”

“Mutant? Who is a mutant…Lila?” Lun was coming unglued. With a huge Sol-Kor fleet bearing down on his planet, and the devil-himself Panur free of his cage, the Hal’ic officer couldn’t handle the idea of another mutant alien loose in his world. He stood up, trembling, spittle dripping from his mouth. He turned and ran from the room, mumbling loudly as he did so.

Adam and his people regarded the alien for a moment, before returning to their tasks.

“Lila, any luck?”

“Yes, I am in contact with his mind. Where are you?” she said aloud. “He is indeed aboard the Najmah Fayd.”

“What’s the Najmah Fayd?”

“It’s the Mark IV, Adam,” Riyad said impatiently. “Yes, if she is not destroyed, I will change the name. It means star panther.”

Adam turned back to Lila. “What’s he doing with the ship?”

“He is going to Kor to confront the Queen.”

“I heard that,” came Andy’s voice over the speakers.

“Can you get him to come back? Tell him he can have another ship to make the journey—Andy’s ship. It’s just as fast.”

“I heard that too. There no freaking way I’m turning over my ship to that bastard runt.”

“Andy, yours doesn’t have a TD-portal built into it. Let him take it,” Sherri pleaded.

“Okay, if you can get him to bring back the other one.”

All eyes turned to Lila. “He is committed, he says. And with the superior engines of the Najmah Fayd, he is only two hours away.”

“You can’t follow him, Admiral,” Adam said. “They’ll blast you out of space before you can get with half-a-light of Kor.”

“But Panur can?”

“He’s Panur, Admiral. I wouldn’t put anything past him.”

“This is a goddang clusterfuck of major proportions, Captain. Not only have y’all come into Sol-Kor space with the prize-jewel of all prize-jewels, but now it’s about to be hand-delivered to the last creature we’d ever want to even learn of its existence.”

“Maybe Panur can…I don’t know, neutralize the Queen? That way she won’t be able to do anything with the…the Star Panther.”

“That’s our only hope.” Tobias sounded exhausted. “So, do you still need me to command the largest fleet of starships ever assembled? In light of everything else that’s gone wrong recently, I actually find that idea to be, well, appealing.”

“Yessir! I definitely need you. Follow the beacon. You’re not too far away.”

“All right, I’m heading over. But be assured, Captain—as well as the rest of you—this ain’t over. Not by a long shot. Tobias out.”

Chapter 24

Andy Tobias didn’t have much to say to his fellow Humans, yet the inescapable presence of the Formilian’s powerful pheromones had their effect on the Human male. He went out of his way to hug Arieel and to kiss her hand in gentlemanly fashion, and even took extra notice of Lila, who although a stunning copy of her mother, was nonetheless a mutant.

The admiral came into the command center with his five-man crew in tow.

“I’ll be assigning critical posts to my men,” he announced, making it clear to all within earshot that Adam and his men were being cut out of the loop. “Who’s my Hal’ic counterpart?”

A native stepped up to him. He was older than most and wore a dark green uniform with three white patches on the sleeve. “I am Estor Jan. I was the former Veritis before donating my position to Adam Cain.”

Tobias reached out and shook the alien’s hand. “This is a form of greeting,” he said. “I’m glad to have you at my side. As a newcomer to your world and military structure, any and all input from you and your staff will be most welcome. I’m not here to lord over you, just to supplement your skill with my own and that of my staff.”

Adam pursed his lips. He could have never made a speech like that.

“However,” Tobias continued, “as in any chain of command, there can only be one person in charge, the person with the final say and whose orders are to be followed immediately and without question. The Hal’ic people entrusted that leadership position to Adam Cain, who has subsequently turned that responsibility over to me. As far as credentials go, I have been Mister Cain’s superior officer for going on thirty Human years and I’ve taught him nearly everything he knows. I am currently the supreme commander of the military forces for a galactic empire, having directed countless battles, both large and small. I bring to this position—that of Veritis—a skill level and confidence unmatched across two universes. I assure you, that if you follow my orders and my lead, we shall win the day. The Sol-Kor cannot possibly know what they’re facing, not only in terms of sheer numbers of warships, but also from a command standpoint. Now, direct me to my station. We have a war to win.”

After the cheering in the command center had died down, Tobias summoned Adam to his command chair.

“Son…that’s how it’s done.”

“Damn, Andy, that even got me ready to pick up a sword and storm the walls.”

Tobias just grunted. “Listen, I know you’re not to blame for what Panur and Riyad cooked up in order to mount a rescue attempt, but I do have to warn you: siding with them will not win you any favors from me. We go back a long ways, Adam. Don’t go throwing it all away because of some misplaced loyalties.”

“Panur’s taken off with the ship, Admiral. I don’t know what you think we could do about that.”

“That’s the problem. I can’t think of anything, and that’s when I begin to worry. Now, I’m going to ask you to take your little party and leave the command center. As they say, there can be only one, and at this time that’s me. I’m sure there are places around here where you can observe. Go there and do that. You just might learn something.”

“Yessir, right away, sir.”

Adam turned and hustled his people out of the loud and chaotic operations room.

“What did he say?” Sherri asked.

“He said we should take his ship and go stop Panur…at least from turning over the Mark IV to J’nae.”

“He did? I thought that would be the last thing he’d say.”

“That’s Andy for you…always doing the unexpected. Now, let’s move before the skies become filled with Sol-Kor ships.”

********

 “May I inquire?” Arieel said to Adam as they all entered Andy’s Mark IV starship—which they had come to learn was called the The Falcon—not the Millennium Falcon, just the Falcon.

“Of course, Arieel. What’s up?”

“It seems odd to me that you are telling Admiral Tobias he cannot follow Panur to Kor, yet that is exactly what you are planning for us. Is there a secret you have not told us?”

The two of them entered the bridge. Adam slid into the command chair and Arieel rested her hands on the armrest. He leaned over to her. “It’s not so much a secret as a wish. I know of a spaceport on Kor that doesn’t have a lot of security. It’s primarily used by mining ships. And with the unique ability of the Mark IV’s to hop between positions in space, I figure we might be able to get to the surface without too much fanfare.”

“And how do we stop Panur then?”

“Honestly, I don’t want to stop him. If he can subdue J’nae somehow, then I’m on his side. All I want to do is destroy the Mark IV. Once it’s on the surface—and so are we—it shouldn’t be too hard, not like it would be in space.”

“This will be extremely dangerous.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” He spoke up so the rest of the people on the bridge could hear. “Listen up, right now the Sol-Kor are probably throwing everything they have against the planet J’nae. Hopefully, that means fewer defenders for Kor. Even so, we won’t be coming into their main spaceport, but rather one some distance from the M-1 pyramid. I say we then steal a ship from that port and use it to destroy the…the Najmah Fayd—”

“Thank you!” Riyad said.

“—while it’s on the ground.”

“What of Panur?” Lila asked.

“Listen, sweetheart, I’ve met the new Queen, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that I don’t want to get in the middle of a battle between her and Panur.”

“But I could help.”

Adam looked at his daughter with concern. “I’m sure you could, but you could also do a lot to protect us.” He smiled. “After all, we’re mere mortals. Panur can take care of himself.”

“Like he did when the Juireans attacked?”

“No one was expecting that. This time he knows exactly what he’s up against. After all, he created J’nae.”

The frown might have left Lila’s face, but it remained on her forehead.

“I’ll tell you what,” Adam said to his daughter. “Once we destroy Riyad’s ship—and if the opportunity presents itself—we’ll go look for Panur.”

“I will stay with the ship when you do that,” Benefis offered.

Adam smiled at the tall alien. He’d never met a cowardly Juirean. “Look, you’re a pretty big dude. You could come in handy in a fight.”

“If I wished to fight I would have stayed with my people. I would rather negotiate my advantages than use physical means to acquire them.”

“To all of you, most of this will be pantser planning.”

“What is panster planning?” Arieel asked.

“It means by the seat-of-the-pants…or spur of the moment, so be ready for just about anything.”

“Why did you not say that in the first place?”

“Maybe I just like the sound of your voice.” Adam stretched a wide smile. “Prepare for launch. Everyone take a station. Oh, and by the way…ignore any frantic calls we may get from Admiral Tobias.”

Sherri shook her head in disgust. “I knew it!”

********

“I knew it!”

Admiral Tobias glared at LCDR Paulson. “I just had a feeling.”

“Admiral, we have a couple hundred kay of assets available. We could send some out to get your ship back.”

“No, don’t do that, Tom. Cain’s in a Mark IV. We’d never catch him in time. Besides, hopefully he’s out to correct this prior screw-up by destroying the other Mark IV.”

“Even the technology from a standard IV would give the Sol-Kor an advantage, if they ever find a way back into our universe.”

“Acknowledged. But seeing the largest space battle in history is about to take place, the SK’s may be radically different at the end of it.”

Paulson smiled. “So could we, sir. So could we.”

“What’s the latest hostile count?”

“Only about twelve thousand.”

Tobias smiled. “That’s just the initial sortie. Once they get wind of what the Hal’ic have available, every unit within ten thousand light-years will be sent our way.”

“So…we knock out their initial force and head for Kor?”

“That’s the plan. Let’s make an impact while we can. I’m afraid to say, but even two hundred grand of starships probably won’t come close to what the Sol-Kor can eventually bring to bear. And here we are with a fleet of pollywogs.”

Tobias scanned the tac screens before him. He felt like an orchestra conductor about to present the opening measure. Although most of the Hal’ic in the room had their eyes glues to their stations, they were all awaiting his orders.

He took a deep breath, cracked his knuckles and then the symphony began.

“All right, here we go. Using the planet and the star as shields, send half our forces out of the system and into a staging area beyond, in preparation for an assault on Kor. We don’t want to give the SK’s time to prepare a planetary defense. Then launch an initial countering force of only two thousand ships at the approaching units, yet continue to supplement our numbers as the battle progresses. Let the SK’s think they have us outgunned, at least at first. Once they see that the Hal’ic forces are larger, they’ll continue to commit more and more resources to the local battlefield, staying in the fight longer than they should before reassessing.  At that point, we strike Kor. Gentlemen, the results of this initial battle are pretty much a foregone conclusion, thanks to the incredible preparation that has gone into building your fleet. However, it’s all the battles to follow that will determine victory or defeat. Even so, let’s begin our season with a great big double-u.”

Tobias saw Estor Jan frown. He winked at the alien. “It means let’s start things off with a win. What can I say? If I hadn’t been a naval officer, I would have become a football coach, hopefully for the Georgia Bulldogs.”

The confused look on Estor’s face only got worse…which was standard-operating-procedure. Andy had worked with far too many aliens to expect anything else. But he also had to be true to himself, and do whatever it took to relieve the pressure building up inside—as it always did at game time.

He punctuated his cathartic pre-battle routine with an emphatic: “Go Dawgs!”

Chapter 25

The comm link was established in a heartbeat, or at least in what was symbolically a heartbeat within the chests of the two immortal mutants.

Panur was pleased to see that his image had caught his creation off guard. That meant she was still developing, still learning, and had not reached the point of prescience.

“I hope you are not disappointed, Panur,” J’nae said, “but I should have known.”

“Yes, you should have.”

“With all that has transpired over the past two months, I felt your influence had to be behind most of it.”

“You will find that, even in spite of our genius, things sometimes just happen without our foresight.”

“So…are you the one who has helped your paternal ancestors develop such a technologically-advanced civilization only six light-years from Kor? Or is that one of those events that just happened?”

“I can tell from the timing of your attack that you already figured that out. For that, I must compliment you. Even I was not aware of the Hal’ic until only recently.”

“You can thank your friend Adam Cain for that.”

“Adam? Oh…I see. His escape had to be orchestrated by an advanced race, hidden from the Sol-Kor, yet still within close proximity. That would leave only…J’nae.”

“You also made the mistake of naming me after the planet. That only confirmed my conclusions.” J’nae looked to the side. “You are approaching in a ship with a unique gravity signature. Since the last I heard you were still in the Human universe, can I assume you are in a Human ship and not one of Hal’ic design?”

Panur smiled. “It is indeed.”

J’nae narrowed her eyes. “And since there are no transit portals open between the two universes, can I also assume the ship arrived here…on its own! Incredible…and congratulations. This is indeed a remarkable advancement. It was done with a gravity vortex linked to the CW generators. That would be the best approach.”

Panur had said before that he experienced emotions, and what he was feeling at the moment was intense pride in his creation. Just as Tobias and the others had suspected, J’nae was able to invent her own trans-dimensional drive within her mind simply from knowing that it was possible.

“Why have you returned, Panur? It cannot be so you can present me with your latest invention. As you can tell—and your emotions reveal—I already know how to build one.”

“This is the only ship of its kind—at least until you direct the construction of countless more. I thought you could still learn from it…or even view it as a trophy of sorts.”

“I would surely welcome that opportunity. However, I sense deception on your part. You were content to remain in the Human universe with your cross-breed companion. Now you have invented a new way to travel between universes and have arrived precisely at the moment my ships are engaged in a major space battle with a previously unknown enemy. Coincidence? I do not think so. I believe you have come to Kor with another purpose in mind, and that purpose will not benefit the Colony.”

“I am of the Colony.”

“You were. Not any longer.”

“Will you allow me to land?”

“Yes, I will, just so I can see inside your ship. However, I do not believe I will allow you access to M-1.”

“That is understandable. Once on the surface, I will attempt to change your mind. You are my creation, and as such there is a special bond between us. I feel no such attachment to the Humans, or to anyone else for that matter. Yes, I have had my infatuations with the Humans, yet that is over. I see just how unstable they truly are. The only creature in any universe that I can even remotely relate to is you.”

“Creator—may I call you that?” Panur nodded. “Creator, I truly seek your acceptance and your support. My position here has been thrust upon me suddenly, and I am still learning. Yet, as I mentioned before, I cannot allow you to get near me. I am free now of your bonds and influence. My destiny is in the process of being fulfilled. So please land the craft in a designated area but then remain inside. And believe me when I say I know of your vulnerabilities. There will be safeguards should you decide to test me.”

“I will not test you. Indeed, I will seek your acceptance and your support.”

J’nae studied his face on the screen, studied it as intensely as anyone or anything could. Panur fought with all his might to maintain the expression, fearing that at any moment J’nae would see the truth.

She broke away. “Land at the designated coordinates, yet remain in the vessel. We will be in contact.”

“Acceptable. I greatly look forward to our reunion.”

********

Once the link was cut, Panur pre-programmed the navigation computer for a soft landing at the main spaceport on Kor. Then he went to the aft cargo bay and located a fireproof container and straps. He removed all his clothing and placed them in the container, and strapped the pack around his chest.

A monitor screen was on in the bay, and he watched as the planet Kor grew larger by the second. The ship began to slow, entering the atmosphere from a direction east of the ridge of pyramids where M-1 was located. At the proper moment, Panur opened the rear cargo door.

The bay’s atmosphere was instantly sucked out by the incredible difference in air pressure between the room and outside. And Panur’s body was also sucked out.

The ship was still over sixty kilometers above the surface. As he fell, Panur’s body began to heat up from atmospheric friction. His skin began to glow and peel off, only to be instantly replaced. Eyes, ears, nose, fingers and other extremities were burned off, replaced, and burned off again.

The air thickened and his velocity diminished some. His body cooled to where his extremities began freezing. Cold was not a friend to regenerative cells, slowing the process to a crawl; however, the temperature rose again as he neared the surface.

Panur arched his body and began gliding through the skies of Kor, making subtle adjustments to his flight path with his hands and feet as his target came into view. He was on the proper course. It would only be a matter of seconds now…

Panur’s body crashed into the upper levels of the M-1 pyramid with the force of a small meteorite, blasting a hole thirty meters wide in one of the huge rectangular building blocks. The force of the impact would have been much greater if his body had been solid, more dense. Instead he was soft and fleshy, allowing energy to be absorbed rather than passed on to the building.

For a moment after he came to rest, Panur’s body was a red and pink mass of flesh covering an area approximately eight meters in diameter, splattered over both the floor and a wall of an interior room.

Three Sol-Kor had been in the direct path of the collision. Parts of their shattered bodies were mingled with his.

The clumps of flesh that were Panur began to coalesce, drawing together to rebuild what had been broken. The entire transformation took less than twenty seconds.

Once reconstructed, Panur scanned the room for his pack. It was covered in blood—someone else’s. He removed his clothing and dressed.

By this time, reports of an object hitting the pyramid had reached emergency crews, and Sol-Kor were forcing their way into the damaged area. They weren’t looking for bodies—if there were any dead or gravely wounded, they would just be recycled. They were seeking to know what had hit the building and whether or not structural integrity had been compromised.

Inside the crash zone they found a thinly-grinning, four-foot-tall, pale-skinned creature with huge black eyes, dressed in a gray tunic and wearing odd foot coverings—called flip-flops in another universe.

They recognized Panur, and being Sol-Kor, none overreacted to his presence. They were there to do a job, and Panur was a privileged presence within the Colony.

He slipped out of the room and entered the nearest working elevator in the area of the impact damage. He headed for the ground floor—and the Queen’s chambers.

Chapter 26

Riyad swung the Falcon around to the opposite side of Kor from the M-1 pyramid and then made a finely tuned jump to within twenty-thousand feet of the surface. Adam had never flown a Mark IV before, so he had deferred pilot duties to his friend. He fidgeted in the command seat, feeling vulnerable without a control stick in his hands.

Yet Riyad was every bit the pilot Adam was, and as soon as the jump stabilized, he dipped their nose and the Falcon raced off toward the ground, anxious to find cover from any electronic surveillance in the area, such as Sol-Kor radar. 

On the journey to the planet, Adam and his team had spotted a long line of distant contacts bolting away from the planet. The admiral’s strategy was working. J’nae—the Queen—was sending everything she had on Kor to match the forces they were finding on J’nae—the planet. Eventually, she would realize just how big of a force she was attempting to defeat, and see the futility in using just her local militia. If all went according to plan, Kor would be left virtually defenseless by then, and that was when the Hal’ic would attack the planet.

They had only so much time to locate the Najm—the Star Panther—and destroy her. Of course, once the Hal’ic attacked, they might do the job for him, but he couldn’t leave that to chance. J’nae would realize the importance of the ship, and thinking long-term, might have it evacuated to a more secure location, even as she would be willing to concede Kor to the invaders.

She could always return with a million warships if need be to liberate the planet.

The small pyramid atop the low hill came into view, and as Riyad steered the ship around the eastern side of the rise, they came upon the small spaceport and its nearly-deserted landing field.

Apparently, even mining ships were being called into action. Adam wasn’t familiar with them, but they must carry suppressor beams or plasma weapons—or both—to be called into duty. He panicked briefly when he counted only nine ships remaining in port; they could be broken-down units, unable to join the fight. If that was the case, they would have to skirt along the surface in the Falcon until they found another spaceport where they could steal a ship, or made it all the way to M-1…without getting swarmed upon by defenders.

“You realize the main spaceport may look like this, too,” Sherri pointed out to him, sarcasm evident in each syllable. “Maybe we should’ve started there?”

Adam ignored her. “Set us down, Riyad, weapons hot. Be ready to disembark the moment internal gravity is cut.”

Those who needed them popped a tiny red pill into their mouths, giving them immunity to the annoying mix of gases within the Kor atmosphere. That meant only the Humans. The aliens had no problem with the mix. Hell, Lila didn’t need an atmosphere at all. In a moment of introspection, Adam found himself experiencing a flash of fatherly pride. My daughter’s a friggin’ superwoman—literally!

With Adam in the lead, the three Humans reached the hatch of the nearest mining ship long before the others. The door was unlocked—no surprise there. The surprise came when a barrage of flash bolts lit up the corridor just inside the doorway, sending the trio tumbling over each other and back out through the hatch.

“Would they be that determined to guard a derelict?” Sherri queried.

“I hope not,” Adam said as he picked himself up off the tarmac. “Anyone see what direction the bolts came from?”

“Aft, I think,” Riyad said.

“I thought it was from forward.”

Adam clenched his teeth. “Any reading on your ATD?” he asked Sherri.

“Oh yeah, I forget. You were right, Riyad. They came from aft. I have two power sources, and before you ask, I can’t access them, just see ‘em.”

“Okay, those looked to be like level-twos, so I’m going back in. There’s a cross corridor beyond the main one running forward and aft. I’ll light off some bolts as I fly past. That should keep their heads down. Then, Sherri, you and Riyad go in, following your direction to the shooters.”

“This,” Sherri said with a sparkle in her eye, “is what I’ve been missing.”

“What, getting shot at by flesh-eating aliens in a completely foreign universe from your own?”

Sherri smiled up at Adam. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Adam shook his head…and then dove through the open doorway. In the light gravity of Kor, he literally flew through the air, twisting as he did, aiming his weapon down the aft corridor and firing. In the brilliant flashes that followed his flight, he saw two Sol-Kor duck for cover.

He hit the opposite bulkhead hard, headfirst, a cluster of stars appearing before his eyes. He was barely aware of the other flashes and the shouting taking place in the ship, not until strong arms lifted him up into a sitting position against the wall.

“You okay” Sherri asked.

“Just a little rattled. Are we in control of the ship?”

“Yep, although those weren’t level-twos. They were level-ones, and Riyad got grazed by one. He’s cursing you to high heaven on the bridge.”

Adam stood up. “Let’s go. It’s still about a thirty minute flight in the atmosphere, and I don’t think it’s safe to bounce into space for a little suborbital hop. There might already be Hal’ic forces nearby.”

********

On the bridge, Riyad sat in the pilot’s seat, his shirt off, with Arieel attending to a nasty red burn along his right side. His eyes shot daggers in Adam’s direction.

“Are you okay to pilot this thing?” Adam asked.

“Just watch me.” Riyad spun around, still shirtless, and gripped the controls. As he manipulated the stick, the skin of his right arm contacted the burnt flesh on his side. The look on his friend’s face made even Adam spasm with sympathy pain.

“Here, let me do it.”

Riyad glared once more at Adam, before moving from the seat. “Level-two my ass,” he growled. He took a seat next to Sherri.

“Okay, here we go.”

The mining ship lifted off the surface—about ten feet off—before plopping back to the tarmac. Even that short drop, without compensators active, rattled the ship and crew to their bones.”

“Dammit, what happened?” Adam asked.

Sherri was at a console. “Gravity’s not working, at least not the externals. We got a little boost from the internals is all.”

“So the ship is broken?” Arieel asked.

“I can fix that,” Lila said. “I’ve done an analysis. I will return in forty-eight seconds with the engines repaired.” She rushed out of the bridge before anyone could respond.

Forty-three seconds later her voice was heard call up the corridor. “Engines ready.”

Adam tried the lift-off again. This time, they stayed airborne.

Lila stepped back on the bridge exactly forty-eight seconds after she’d left. Sherri had kept track.

Adam would have again felt a surge of fatherly pride, if he wasn’t trying desperately to keep the small mining ship from crashing into the ugly black pyramid dead ahead.

“I thought you could fly this thing?” Riyad said.

“The weight differential is different, that’s all. Just give me a minute to get the feel.”

“We’ll have found out if Clint’s Law is true or not by then,” Sherri said.

Adam blinked. “What the hell is Clint’s Law?”

“It says two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time, not without becoming stew.”

“Really, it says that?”

“I made up the stew part. I like stew.”

It was about that time that Adam felt pads beneath his feet. He pressed down on them and the mining ship began to corkscrew through the air and everyone got spun around like clothes in a dryer. Fortunately, after their first attempt at taking flight, everyone had buckled in.

Adam began to manipulate the foot pedals with the main stick, and regained control just as the peak of the pyramid passed less than three feet below. Then they were in clear air.

“Relax, everyone,” Adam began, “I got this now. Nothing to it. Like riding a bike.”

“Excuse me,” the Juirean Benefis Na said. “But is it safe now to leave the bridge?”

“Yeah, it should be,” Adam said with a frown. “Where are you going?”

“This is embarrassing, yet in all the excitement I seem to have had an accident.”

“Eek. Is that what that smell is?” Sherri asked, wrinkling her nose.

“I said it was an accident.”

“Go take care of yourself,” Adam said, and then just as Benefis left the bridge, the toxic odor reached him. That’s another first, he thought. And hopefully, the last.

The remainder of the twenty-minute flight was made in agony. No one could find a way to vent the room, not even Lila. Adam took that to mean there was no way to do it, short of opening up an exterior hatch somewhere. But they were flying at twelve thousand feet through a thin atmosphere. They would just have to wait until they reached M-1.

Chapter 27

It didn’t take longer than the first face-to-face engagement between the Sol-Kor and the Hal’ic for the forces from Kor to realize their suppressor beams had no effect on the enemy. Beamships, however, were also equipped with four banks of short-to medium-range flash weapons, along with a supply of gravity-drive torpedoes.

The leading edge of both warring parties meshed, appearing on the screens back at command as having collided. In fact, each ship was separated by thousands of miles, but at these speeds that was equivalent to mere feet when measured in time.

Another thing became quickly obvious: both sides carried about the same firepower and defensive capabilities. Ships were struck, others weren’t, with luck often being the deciding factor.

Within the first forty minutes of the battle, the Sol-Kor had lost twenty-two hundred of their twelve-thousand-ship fleet. The Hal’ic, under the command of Andy Tobias, had lost just over nineteen hundred. That was close enough to label these first engagements as draws. And yet each side kept pouring more and more assets into the fight.

At first, the Sol-Kor, in typical Sol-Kor fashion, didn’t care about the number of ships or personnel they lost, just as long as one more Sol-Kor ship than the enemy remained when the battle reached a conclusion. Seeing that this strange, unnamed enemy could be destroyed at almost a one-to-one basis, they keep coming forward, assuming that at some point the enemy would run out of ships.

Yet after four hours of even more intense combat, the Sol-Kor had lost four-fifths of their fleet, and still the enemy kept coming. None of the Sol-Kor scanners could pick up any vast reserve fleet that was being drawn from, hidden as it was beneath the surface of J’nae.

It was someone back on Kor who finally gave the order to break off the attack and pull back to open space between Kor and J’nae. When the name of the enemy planet was revealed, the news filtered throughout the fleet in a matter of minutes. Most of the lower-ranking drone types paid it no attention, yet the higher officers and commanders saw the odd circumstances and began talking amongst themselves.

Eventually, it was reported to J’nae—the Queen—with the suggestion that she make a Colony-wide address to explain this strange dichotomy.

However, the Queen of the Sol-Kor didn’t have time. Reports were coming in that the Human ship that had landed at the M-1 spaceport was empty…and that the cargo bay door had been open during landing, possibly even before.

And something had struck the building, something ballistic, with such force that it could have only come from space.

It didn’t take a genius of J’nae’s caliber to put two and two together. Panur, her Creator—and possibly even her superior—was loose in the building.

And now this news from the battlefront…

The reports were consistent. As fast as the enemy ships were lost, they were being replaced. At first, J’nae had sent what ships she had available, believing that the Hal’ic—as Panur’s ancient ancestors were called—could not possibly stand against the vast numbers of the Sol-Kor. They were of a single location, with limited resources. Surely their meager numbers would soon be overwhelmed by those from Kor.

Yet that was not the case. Her forces had only recently withdrawn, leaving only eighteen hundred out of twelve thousand intact.

Could she have been deliberately lured into sacrificing such large numbers, knowing full well that…?

In these times of turmoil, a High Noslead was always hovering nearby, ready to relay what orders she would issue. “Recall the ships, all of them,” she cried out. “Ready the planetary defenses. Inventory all remaining vessels with offensive capabilities.”

“The bulk of our local forces have already been dispatched, my Queen.”

“That I know. They are to return. Kor is about to come under massive assault.”

“From where…from whom?”

“From space, you idiot, and does it matter by whom? They will be enemy ships out to destroy all settlements on Kor, starting with this one. Now go! There isn’t much time.”

Once the Noslead was gone, J’nae went to a computer screen and pulled up a diagram of M-1. She located the nearest emergency response station to the point of the impact and opened a link.

“This is your Queen,” she announced to the startled Minlead who came on the screen. Before giving him time to respond, she was speaking. “Was there a creature—a non-Sol-Kor—at the impact site?”

“Yes, my Queen. It was reported that Panur was present. I was not aware he was within the structure.”

“He is now.” She cut the link and opened another one to the main security center. A High-Noslead answered this link. Behind him on the screen was a beehive of activity. They were not only responsible for internal security within the building, but planetary security, as well.

“My Queen, we are responding to your orders. All units have been withdrawn, yet they are fourteen hours away. Remaining defensive units number two thousand, eight hundred nine.”

“Station them at the system outskirts. Have them act as harassing units for any incoming forces. Do not waste them. Slow down the invaders when they arrive.”

“We have no reports of massive movements of ships in our direction.”

“You will. Now on to other matters. Place a shield around my chambers.”

“A shield?”

“Yes, of defenders and of weapons. Allow no one but the most senior Leads and Council members to enter, and only after specific approval from me.”

“Yes, my Queen. But I do not understand?”

“In addition,” she continued, ignoring the Noslead. “Report all sighting of the mutant Panur to me immediately. Do not attempt to confront him. Station crews with containers of liquid nitrogen with the defenders of my quarters. I have prepared and trained such crews for just such an occasion. See to it that High-Noslead Gorvus is located and placed in command of these units. He will know what to do.”

“Gorvus—yes, my Queen.”

“On last thing. There is an alien ship at the spaceport, plot seven-eight-eight. Have it flown to the eastern base pad, and then clear a path between my chambers and the ship. Keep the path clear at all times, even if we come under attack.”

“My Queen, this is all so unexpected.”

“Shall I find another High-Noslead who will follow my orders without becoming confused?”

“There is no need. I will follow your orders.”

“Good…now do so.”

A chime came from the main door to her chambers. She switched the computer view to outside in the hallway. Six armored guards had taken up position outside. One was pressing the chime.

“What do you want?”

“A delivery…of security equipment.”

Upset and impatient, J’nae marched to the door and activated the controls.

The door slid open, allowing two dead guards to tumble forward into the room. J’nae took a step back, momentarily confused. Then a small figure climbed on top of the pile of bodies. He smiled up at the towering figure of the Sol-Kor Queen.

“I’m back!”

Chapter 28

There was a tremendous amount of radio chatter on the comm line of the mining ship. Translation devices helped to sort out the mass of orders being issued. Every ship, whether military or not, was being summoned to M-1, either to be assigned planetary defensive duties or to bolt into space to form a skirmish line half a light-year away.

If the mining ship had been reported stolen, it wasn’t being broadcast over open lines, or was lost in all the chaos taking place on Kor. As a result, Adam was able to mesh with all the other vessels streaming into the area without being challenged.

Although thousands of ships had already departed the M-1 spaceport for the assault on J’nae—the planet—it was rapidly filling up again with craft from all across the planet. Adam set his crew to work at trying to spot the Star Panther from the air, but there was just too much traffic in the air and on the surface.

“I don’t see it,” Sherri said. “You would think it would stand out.”

“It should, if it’s still there. Look around in the air. It may be in flight.”

“The place is thick with ships,” Riyad said.

“Then I’m heading over to the pyramid.”

“Are there landing areas up there?” Riyad asked. “I didn’t see any before.”

“Either she’s moved it up there, or off planet. If it’s left Kor, then we’re shit out of luck.”

“Watch out!” Benefis cried out.

Adam reacted a split second later, just in time to avoid a collision with a huge beam platform rising up from below.

“This is crazy,” Adam said. “I’m going to gain some altitude.”

He steered the ship toward the pyramid, which was now about five thousand feet below him.

“There!” Arieel cried out. “On the other side, in the shadows.”

Indeed the sun of Kor was beginning to set, casting the east side of the huge structure into deep shadows. The Najmah-whatever was black with a solitary silver strip running along each side, so it was miracle Arieel had even spotted it.

“Great job, Arieel! It looks like J’nae is setting the ship up as her emergency escape plan if things go bad.”

“Does this piece of junk even have any weapons?” Sherri asked. She couldn’t read Sol-Kor, and there was nothing graphically that would indicate a weapons console.

“I do not believe there are any weapons,” Lila said. “I have studied the operations manuals and there is nothing to indicate weapons capabilities.”

Adam racked his brain for an idea, anything short of crashing the mining ship into the Mark IV. To do that, he’d have to drop off the crew and then leave one person aboard to make the ultimate sacrifice. And of course that person would be him.

Then it hit him. “This is a mining ship!”

“And your point is?” Sherri asked.

“Lila, how do they do the mining? Is it with lasers, explosives, what?”

“Primarily with gravity drills.”

“What are gravity drills?”

“They are microscopic black holes operating in pairs that are used to break apart large asteroids. From there, huge collection ships pass through the region clearing the debris.”

“Where are the controls for the gravity drills?”

“Sherri is sitting at them.”

“Do you mind taking over for her?”

“Of course not.”

Sherri grinned at Adam’s mutant daughter as they traded seats.

“I must warn you, the gravity drills are not meant for such small targets.”

“They’re not? So what would happen if we sent one down to the Mark IV?”

“Besides causing a massive shockwave that would reach us, there is a chance half of the pyramid would shatter.”

Adam looked around at the rest of the people on the bridge and smiled broadly. “I’m okay with that. Hell, why don’t we take out—”

The mining ship suddenly lurched to port, before turning on its side and plunging toward the top of the mountain ridgeline.

Sherri and Lila went flying across the bridge, not having had time to buckle in when they switched positions. All Adam could see out of the forward viewport was the darkening sky of Kor. They were dropping like a rock, and tail first.

“What happened?” he cried out.

Lila had somehow managed to grab hold of bulkhead support and was pulling herself towards a console. That’s when Adam noticed that she also had Sherri firmly in the grip of her other hand—and that her arm holding Sherri was about ten feet long, growing shorter as she drew them both towards seats with restraints.

Sherri’s head was wobbling, and there was blood on the side of her face. But her eyes were open and her hands were reaching out for one of the attached console seats.

Lila’s arms were back to normal, and she buckled into a seat at the nav station. Even at a forty-five degree angle, and fighting the effects of their falling, she was able to access a computer.

“We have been shot, apparently by a ground-based defensive bolt. Without any shields, the entire aft section of the ship is gone. We have no flight controls.” The report was delivered in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, which was what one would expect coming from someone who couldn’t die. Adam’s report would have been a little more…dramatic.

“Do we have any way of steering this thing?”

“Attitude jets are all. Four are still operational.”

‘Great, which ones?”

“I have highlighted them on your screen.”

Adam saw yellow lights appear on a graphic display of the mining ship, two on each side. He figured they were falling from their portside at about a forty-five degree angle, sliding slightly northward because of the aerodynamics of the ship. He also could sense that along this glide path was the huge M-1 pyramid.

He activated the two jets on the port side, feeling an almost immediate slowing of their descent and a leveling off of about ten degrees.”

“That’s not going to help much,” Riyad said.

“It’s something. Everyone, prepare for impact. I think we’re about to crash into the pyramid.”

Adam had to congratulate himself on his superb situational awareness. What he hadn’t figured on was that they’d land right smack dab on top of it.

Two months ago, as a result of Adam’s commando team attack on the nursery of the Royal Zygotes, the domed roof of the uppermost point of the pyramid had broken open. Weak still, the dome crumpled completely now as the mining ship crashed into it and landed nearly flat along the portside fuselage. This floor, plus four more below it, pancaked from the impact of the falling starship. At each level the pulverized debris served to slow the ship’s descent. Eventually, it came to a rest nine levels below what had once been the Zygote nursery, firmly imbedded in a cradle of jagged stone, metal, and concrete.

The noise in and around the mining ship was deafening, the twisted and deformed hull squealing in tortured agony, being battered by even more falling debris.

The forward viewport was now a gaping opening to the outside, and even as the stunned and battered occupants fought to regain their senses, large chunks of building were tumbling through, one barely missing the head of the Juirean Benefis Na. He ducked away from the falling debris well after the fact, revealing a dust-filled halo of wild white hair sticking out from his head in all directions, as if he were under the influence of some powerful static electricity field.

“How is everyone?” Adam called out. There was light in the room coming from outside, reflecting off the two huge orbs above that were the moons of Kor. One by one, a roll call was taken. Miraculously, everyone was still alive.

Sherri appeared to be suffering the effects of a mild concussion, while Riyad now had a matching bruise on the left side of the torso, along with countless cuts to his bare chest and back. Arieel’s hair covering her entire head, she flung it back with a shake, and with the hair out of the way it was revealed that the front of her outfit the Hal’ic had provided her with had ripped open and she was now proudly displaying what nature—and the universe—had rewarded her with. She seem oblivious to this fact.

Lila was unbuckling herself, looking none the worse for wear. She could have been sliced in two by the crash and there would be no way of knowing it, except maybe by her own torn garment.

Adam unfastened his own restraint buckle and climbed out of the pilot’s seat, having to stand at a thirty degree angle against consoles and twisted bulkheads. He didn’t sense any injuries at all, just a tenderness where his shoulder straps had pressed hard against his skin.

Then he noticed the smell. All eyes turned to Benefis.

“What?” the alien said. “It is a condition which I have lived with my entire life.”

“It doesn’t mean the rest of us have to.”

“Unfortunately you must, since all the grooming stations appear to be inoperable.”

“In that case,” Adam said, “remain downwind from us.”

“And which direction might that be?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll know it when it happens. C’mon, everyone, the Sol-Kor are going to be swarming all over this place as soon the shock wears off. It seems as though we’ve made the old frying pan into the fire leap. Let’s see what other trouble we can get ourselves in.”

Chapter 29

Panur and J’nae were thrown to the ground by the violent quake. Immediately, both mutants sourced the explosion and tremor as having originated above, within the pyramid.

J’nae didn’t wait around to find out what had happened. Seizing the opportunity to get away from Panur, she ran from the room through the open main doorway. Panur recovered a moment later and took off after her.

The Queen was suddenly surrounded by dozens of armored and armed Sol-Kor defenders, part of the huge security detail tasked with protecting her at all costs. Panur appeared around a corner and a dozen bolt weapons were brought to bear.

“No…don’t shoot!” J’nae ordered.

But it was too late.

Eight level-one balls of white hot plasma slammed into Panur’s body. His clothing evaporated and his back arched to an impossible degree. His skin glowed a bright red, even as his eyes became orbs of pure white energy, with beams of light radiating out from them.

He recovered somewhat, straightening his back and looking toward the shooters. Two of them fired again. Having already absorbed considerably more energy than these last two bolts, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and looked back at the stunned guards once again.

“That…my friends…is better than sex,” the tiny mutant said breathlessly. “Or so I can imagine. However, I do not have time for such sessions. Perhaps another time I could have all of you shoot me again?”

Panur shifted his attention to within the cluster of guards. He didn’t see J’nae.

He approached the defenders and they separated, giving him a wide berth. The Queen was gone, and with her unnatural speed and intimate knowledge of the structure, she could be anywhere.

Dejected and disappointed, Panur turned to the ranking officer among the guards and asked: “Did something crash into the building?”

********

 “Look, I can see it from here!”

Adam had climbed out on the very tip of the twisted remains of the mining ship and was looking down over the side of the pyramid.

“The Najmah Fayd?” Riyad asked.

“It’s right below, or more correctly, about a thousand feet below us.”

“There will be no rappelling down this time, my friend. And the conduit lines are a mess, as well.”

“I suppose we could just wait for a hovercraft to come along…again.”

Adam climbed back to the crumbling ruins which held the mining ship firmly in its grip. “Everyone grab what weapons and ammo you can. It looks like we’ve got a fight ahead of us. And sorry, Lila, but I’m going to ask you to lead the way.”

“That is a wise strategy, Father.”

Adam nearly fainted. It was the first time he could remember Lila calling him father. And he was asking her to act as a shield against enemy attack. A volcano of emotions erupted inside him. Sherri noticed him stagger and fall against the side of the rubble.

“Are you okay?”

Adam squinted up at the woman as he fought against the reality that had suddenly hit him. “Yeah, I will be.”

“What just happened?”

“It was Cassie. I suddenly realized I had one daughter who was so tender and vulnerable, and now I have another that is the complete opposite, someone who will outlive…everything. I only wish Cassie had had even a trace of Lila’s immunity to death…”

Both Adam and Sherri jumped when they found Lila standing next to them, having heard the muted conversation with her enhanced hearing. “I wish that had been so too, Father. I sincerely wish I could have met her.”

“You would have like each other,” Adam choked out.

“I would have loved her,” came Lila’s simple and sincere statement. Sensing that this subject was better left buried, Lila took her Xan-fi flash rifle and belt of power packs and darted through the nearest opening in the shattered walls of the M-1 pyramid. Everyone else followed, with Sherri and then Adam being the last ones through.

Adam shook off the unexpected emotional escapade, knowing he couldn’t afford distractions, not when entering a building full of a million desperate and determined aliens, all preparing for a fight. They would shoot at anything foreign, and the six beings who had just entered their sanctuary were the most foreign of them all.

Adam had confidence they would survive, mainly because they had Lila on their side. Yes, his daughter was a mutant, but she was a good mutant. And then he cringed, knowing that somewhere within the ugly black pyramid there were two other mutants who weren’t so good. Where they were, and what they were up to at the moment, Adam had no idea. All he knew for certain was that their paths would cross again, and when that happened, he prayed his daughter Lila would be there at his side.

Chapter 30

Although J’nae had ordered a path remain clear for her to pass to the eastern launch pad, she found that in the panic of the oncoming alien invasion—as well as the two recent strikes upon the building—discipline had lapsed. She reasoned this wasn’t deliberate, but rather the result of too many orders being barked at too many simple-minded creatures. The lower level Sol-Kor and the Salifens were confused, being buffeted back and forth between Min and Nosleads who sought to commandeer any support troops they could. Having very little will of their own, these simple creatures followed orders immediately, up the point new orders were shouted at them.

So as J’nae pressed her way through the packed corridors, she found her journey to be slower than she would have preferred, especially knowing Panur was right behind her.

Throwing caution to the wind—as well as hundreds of her fellow Sol-Kor—J’nae used her special powers to bulldoze her way to her avenue of escape. She had already written off M-1, indeed Kor itself. She would take the Panur-converted Human starship and journey to Silana, the next largest Sol-Kor settlement. There she would find another eighteen billion of her Colony, along with thousands of additional mainships. What was happening on Kor at the moment was just an annoyance, a frustrating and illogical event that could never amount to anything in the long run, no matter what the Hal’ic, or the Humans, or even Panur, thought otherwise.

Already J’nae had birthed nearly a thousand Sol-Kor females. She knew she would live to birth thousands more until her efforts were no longer needed. Her offspring would go on to create untold millions more. The Colony would survive—it had to survive—and in numbers no one could ever imagine. And it all started with her—

Without warning, J’nae was pulled back from her original path by something around her thin neck. When she landed on the hard deck, she saw Panur standing near her, his right arm returning to its normal length.

She scrambled to her feet. This time both of Panur’s arms extended out, hitting the Queen’s chest and pressing her against a wall of the corridor. The Sol-Kor around her stood in stunned silence, before quickly running off. They knew they could do nothing to stop the two mutants from fighting, so they cleared the area to let the two of them settle matters on their own.

J’nae was strong beyond compare, yet when she resisted Panur’s restraint, she found she could barely move. His body still glowed from the intake of plasma bolts he'd experience earlier. Was this giving him even more strength? Undoubtedly. She looked around the hallway, desperate for any residual Sol-Kor defender who she could order to shoot her as well.

When she could find no one to help her, the Queen extended her right leg and slammed it against Panur’s much shorter body. Yet by now, her Creator had extended his own right leg until it pressed against the opposite wall, effectively wedging the two combatants between the immoveable sides of the corridor.

“Why are you fighting me?” she groaned out. “We are of the same kind. We should be united, not divided.”

“I agree,” said Panur, his eyes still pure white from the excess energy coursing through his body. “Yet it is you who have sided with the Sol-Kor, and who will do everything you can to grow the Colony.”

“You are of the Colony as well. Why is this a bad thing?”

“Because you are still a child. You have not experienced existence beyond the Sol-Kor. We seek stimulation and knowledge, yet by allowing the Sol-Kor to consume so many other species in the universe, you take so much away from the experiences we both should be seeking. That I cannot allow.”

“You created me and placed me where I am just so I could do what I am doing.”

“You ascended prematurely, before I had a chance to expose you to different races and different realities.”

“Then you should have stayed rather than run off to the Human universe. I would have listened and learned from you. Yet when the time came for me to fulfill my destiny, you were gone. I felt betrayed and abandoned. I had to learn on my own.”

“I regret what has happened, but now I must remedy the situation.”

“You cannot kill me.”

“No, I cannot. And that is why I must take you away from here, away from the power the Sol-Kor give you, away from all the death and destruction you can cause.”

“My offspring will continue. They have been taken from here. You cannot stop evolution from happening.”

“They are few, so the time will be extended before the Sol-Kor can become a threat again. But for now, I will take you away in the starship I have modified, perhaps to a new universe that has never heard of the Sol-Kor. In time, if I allow it, I will introduce you to all the wonders and variety of life that exists so you will learn there is more than just the Colony. That will only be allowed once you have grown up—”

A cloud of white gas filled the corridor, enveloping Panur and billowing toward J’nae, still pinned against the wall. The Queen felt the pressure on her chest lessen and she twisted away, falling to the floor to crawl away rapidly through the thickening white cloud.

Her legs became useless even though she felt no pain. She pulled with her arms and hands, even stretching one out several meters to grip a recess in the wall. She retracted the limb, which propelled her quickly away from the numbing gas.

Her legs recovered quickly, but not completely. She wobbled unsteadily when she stood and looked down the corridor. There, six Sol-Kor in silver protective gear were huddled over an inert body, spraying it with more billowing white clouds from nozzles attached to black metal canisters. They continued to spray the motionless body until their canisters ran dry, and then more were supplied. Eventually the figure on the floor was nothing but a white, frozen mass, wisps of steam rising from it.

J’nae stepped near.

“High-Noslead Gorvus, excellent job subduing the mutant.”

“We were delayed by the crowd. When the corridor emptied we were able to make our way here.”

J’nae looked down at Panur’s frozen body, looking small and insignificant in its compressed fetal position. “He will thaw quickly, so maintain a vigil and keep applying the liquid nitrogen until he can be placed into the holding chamber. Then have the body placed aboard the starship outside the eastern doors.”

“I have ordered the chamber to be brought here. It should be arriving soon.”

“Good. I will be taking the mutant away in the spaceship, to a place where he can cause us no harm ever again.”

“He is not of the Sol-Kor, my Queen. He is an abomination.”

“Indeed.” J’nae looked to her loyal Noslead and frowned. “If you view him as an abomination, how do you view me? Be honest.”

Without hesitation, Gorvus answered: “You are the survival of the Colony, my Queen. You are the future.”

Chapter 31

“Got some on the right!” Sherri called out. “Any spare packs?”

“Down to my last two, but here…” Adam tossed Sherri a power pack for her MK-17. She snapped it in and resumed firing. Three more Sol-Kor fell dead as a result, while the others backed away around a corner.

“Where’s Lila?” Sherri asked. “We could sure use her about now.”

“She was clearing out the room down the way, the place where Benefis was shot.”

Adam fired at a curious Sol-Kor peeking his head around a corner. Like the proverbial cat, he wouldn’t be curious anymore.

“How’s he doing?”

“He’ll survive, although it didn’t do anything to stop his condition from flaring up again.”

“Thanks, Adam, but I didn’t need that vision filling my head.”

“I am here,” Lila announced as she sped past Sherri and Adam and rounded the corner where the Sol-Kor were blocking their way. Brilliant flashes filled the hallway, then Adam’s daughter reemerged, her skin a radiant pink, her eyes already glowing white from the energy she’d been soaking up from the enemy plasma bolts.

“Are you sure that doesn’t hurt you?” Adam asked, concerned.

“On the contrary, it is quite the wonderful sensation—incredible, as a matter of fact. I wonder why Panur never told me about this?”

“Feelings of inadequacy, I would imagine,” Sherri said with a smile.

“All right, the way is clear,” Adam said as Riyad, Benefis, and Arieel slipped in next to him. “We’re on the ground floor now, and just in time. I’m down to less than one power pack left. I wish we hadn’t left most of our real weapons on the Falcon. But let’s make one last rush for the exit. The ship should be right outside.”

After having to fight nearly every inch of the way down the interior of the M-I pyramid, the team suddenly found their way clear, only token Sol-Kor resistance around. A wide path was open to them. The Humans—and Lila—ran ahead, securing the hallway for the slower aliens. But then they came to a series of spent gas tanks, and Adam stopped, feeling the containers. They were freezing cold.

“Liquid nitrogen,” he said to Sherri and Riyad. Lila also felt the containers.

“Only recently,” she said. “And from the amount, they appear to have successfully subdued a creature at this spot. There…wheeled tracks in the frost, leading to the exit.”

“The Queen?”

Lila shook her head. “The Sol-Kor would not do this to the leader. And from the foresight put into having such a supply of the gas available, I would suggest this has been something the Queen herself planned as a contingency against Panur’s return.”

“He has been taken?” Benefis asked, already knowing the answer.

“It would appear so. To the waiting starship.”

“The one with inter-dimensional travel capabilities,” said Sherri.

“Hurry!” Adam led them further down the corridor, until there loomed before them a wide, glassed opening leading outside the pyramid.

As they burst through the doors and into the bitter cold of Kor’s rapidly approaching night, their worst fears were realized.

The platform was empty.

The team filtered out onto the vast concrete expanse, protected from the cold by the heat still radiating off the pad, the residual effect of liftoff jets. Adam scanned the darkening sky above. All he saw were the winking stars, but no streak of light indicating a fleeing starship.

J’nae—and Panur—were gone, along with the Star—the Najmah Fayd.

Adam shook his head, not from any external frustration or feeling of loss, but rather from the one loud and persistent thought screaming in his head. Finally, he let it out, releasing the words into the stiff, cold wind.

“The admiral is going to be pissed!”

Epilogue

“So what happens next?” Sherri asked, stepping up next to Adam. The Kor sun had set and the sky was quickly turning a deep navy blue, almost black, even as the twin moons coated the landscape around them in a soft, ethereal glow.

Adam continued scanning the winking stars above, trying to formulate an answer for Sherri. The Mark IV was gone, but he was searching the heavens for any sign of the first invading Hal’ic starships. They would be coming soon, which meant he and his team were vulnerable being anywhere near the M-I pyramid. He would have to lead them away from here, and as quickly as possible.

 “I don’t know what happens next,” he finally said. “Only one person really does.” He pointed into the sky.”

“God?” Sherri said, frowning.

“No, the big author in sky.”

“Oh, him.”

“Yeah,  I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what he comes up with next.”

“I hope we won’t have to wait too long,” Sherri said, also staring into the night sky. “You know how I hate waiting for sequels.”

The End…for now

Read on for an excerpt from

Battlelines

The Human Chronicles Saga #14

ComingJune 15, 2016

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BATTLELINES

The war with the Sol-Kor within their home galaxy has finally begun, spearheaded by the revenge-seeking Hal’ic, whose massive fleet of warships is commanded by none other than Admiral Andy Tobias.

In the meantime, Adam Cain and his gang are stranded on Kor, trying to survive the battering the planet is taking at the hands of the Hal’ic. But soon they’ll find their way to Silana, the second capital of the Sol-Kor, to where Queen J’nae has taken Panur, along with the prototype trans-dimensional starship the Star Panther.

It’s a desperate race to save Panur and reclaim the starship before J’nae can learn its secrets and begin construction of a war fleet capable of going anywhere at anytime…including all the way to the blue skies of planet Earth….

Prologue

Two hundred thousand starships!

Admiral Andy Tobias shook his head each time he thought of the mind-boggling number. He tried to put it in perspective. The combined fleets of the Orion-Cygnus Union and the Juirean Expansion would come in somewhere near eighty-five thousand warships. Throw in all the other miscellaneous militaries in the Milky Way galaxy and one could stretch that number to one hundred thousand.

But the Hal’ic fleet, created on one world and in secret, was twice what an entire galaxy could muster.

Tobias was just glad the Hal’ic were on his side…and that he was the supreme commander—the Veritis, as they called it—of the whole kit and caboodle.

“Admiral, mass forces are approaching Kor,” the Hal’ic liaison reported. The native had been prompted by his superiors to use Andy’s Human military rank, even though Veritis was the official position he held. “There are inadequate defensives to prevent our objectives. Shall I give the order to proceed?”

“Hold one,” Tobias said. “Any word from Captain Cain and the others?”

“None, hallon.”

He’d only been the head honcho for three days, but he knew the Hal’ic word hallon meant sir. Andy specifically requested that his translation bug keep the native pronunciation, out of respect for native military customs. Besides, the sooner he became acclimated to life on the planet J’nae, the better. It looked like he—along with the other five Human members of his staff—would be here for very long time.

“And no trace of the Mark IV starship?”

“The same, hallon.”

This made the admiral’s jaw tighten. He had told them—repeatedly—and now it looked as though his worst case scenario was being played out.

Tobias addressed Tier-Five Miszn Obli. “Proceed to Phase One. Time to first contact?”

“Eighteen minutes.”

“Any status report on the portal assault?”

“Thirty thousand ships should be arriving on station at the remaining three transit portals within the next six hours. The twenty thousand destined for the inter-dimensional cluster will take another three days to reach target.”

“Very good. Feed continuous reports from Kor to my second, Lieutenant Commander Paulson.”

The alien scooted away quickly.

Andy lifted a cup of what passed as coffee on the planet J’nae and drank the last of it cold. He hadn’t slept in going on thirty hours, and the invasion of Kor was just beginning. It was going to be a very long day.

Since having command of the Hal’ic fleet dropped in his lap, Tobias had already made an impression on the inexperienced native officers. Through a cautious release of his forces he had managed to get the Sol-Kor to commit far too many of their assets in a failed attempt to squelch the Hal’ic defenders. As a result, the home planet of the Sol-Kor was now left virtually defenseless. Tobias had to snicker. Even if it wasn’t, the prospect of warding off over fifty thousand enemy warships would have been impossible in anyone’s book. Only now it would be more of a cakewalk for the Hal’ic.

But the invasion of Kor was only the first campaign in what was surely to be a Titanic endeavor, and that was why Andy already had Phase Two underway: The isolation of the battlefield from reinforcements.

In his brief tenure on J’nae, Andy had learned of the existence of three major transit portal arrays nearby. These were the facilities which maintained contact with the other universes the Sol-Kor operated within; there had been four, until Andy destroyed the transit portal to the Human universe. In addition, he had learned of over ninety other portal arrays which were used to move ships between points within the Sol-Kor universe. He had no idea this type of portal even existed, but when one thought about it, it made sense. Journeying from galaxy to galaxy was still a long and arduous process, requiring dozens of years even with the most-advanced starships. Long ago, the Sol-Kor had made these treks and then built linking portals back to their home galaxy. Now they were able to hop around their universe with relative ease.

The Hal’ic had extensive intelligence on the Sol-Kor war machine, and as Andy scanned the numbers on his first day on J’nae, he felt like throwing up. The Sol-Kor numbered over one trillion individuals in their Colony, and each one was essentially a soldier. They also had vast manufacturing centers and access to unlimited raw material from across multiple universes. But the most sobering number of all—even though it was was only an educated guess—was the estimated eight million warships the Sol-Kor had available—if they could be accessed.

And that was why Andy had fifty thousand of his own ships heading off to destroy the portal arrays of the Sol-Kor.

If Phase Two was a success, then the home galaxy of the Sol-Kor would be on its own against the Hal’ic forces. But the galaxy was also the most-populated and settled by the flesh-eating aliens, with an estimated five hundred thousand ships available. Even then, with the impending destruction of Kor, there was a very good chance the Hal’ic could deliver a crushing blow to the Colony, at least in the near-term. It would take time for the Sol-Kor to organize an effective counter attack. The Hal’ic were better prepared, and now with more experienced leadership.

Defeating the Sol-Kor, at least in this galaxy, could be done. Then with time, the Hal’ic could build defenses against the inevitable arrival of other Sol-Kor forces from the isolated regions. The SK could be beaten, just not in this lifetime, or several more to come.

To the Hal’ic, this was an acceptable tradeoff. Their race had been one of the first to be harvested by the Sol-Kor when the invaders departed their homeworld in search of new crops on distant worlds. That was five thousand years ago, and during all that time, the survivors of that first harvest had gone on to build a thriving and technologically superior civilization beneath the ruins of their once great cities. And for all that time, the Hal’ic had planned for this moment, designing and building weapons of war to be used against the evil Sol-Kor horde. They were in it for the long haul.

Even so, their moment of destiny had been thrust upon them unexpectedly only two months before, when word was received that the Eternal Queen of the Sol-Kor was dead, having been assassinated by none other than Adam Cain and Riyad Tarazi. That was great news. But add to that, all the Queen’s potential successors had also been killed. The Hal’ic saw this as the opportunity they’d been waiting for. Ancient battleplans were dusted off, and plans set in motion.

And that was when the Hal’ic Scribes decided they needed experienced and seasoned leadership to pull off such a major undertaking. All the native warriors had been trained by simulator, without a single live battle to their credit. So after learning that one of the Queen’s assassins had been captured by the Sol-Kor, the Hal’ic rescued Adam Cain and brought the Human to J’nae, placing him in charge of their massive fleet….

Until Admiral Andy Tobias had been unceremoniously—and unexpectedly—sucked into the Sol-Kor universe. At that point, Adam deferred to the admiral’s superior skill and experience, and within minutes of arriving on the Hal’ic homeworld, Andy found himself at the very pinnacle of the single largest military fleet anyone had ever seen. It was heady stuff for the sixty-nine-year-old Navy SEAL, but now the inevitable unknowns of war were beginning to surface.

And this last bit of news from the native liaison could easily send even the best laid plans of the Hal’ic to hell in a handbasket, and in spectacular fashion.

Andy had seen it coming.

The Mark IV prototype starship—the one Riyad Tarazi called the Star Panther—was missing and now presumed to be in the hands of the new Sol-Kor queen. At first blush, that didn’t sound too serious. After all, it was just one ship.

However, the Star Panther was the only starship capable of making independent trans-dimensional transits. All other ships were required to pass through huge rips in space created by planet-based arrays, whose towers climbed over a kilometer above the surface. Because of their size and complex construction, there were very few of these portal arrays around, which made them easy to target and destroy. Currently, Andy had fifty thousand warships tasked with doing just that.

Yet the Star Panther didn’t need any such array to make the jump between universes, or even within universes. It was a revolutionary machine, which would rewrite how interstellar travel was achieved from here on out.

The thing that could spell complete and utter disaster for the Hal’ic—along with every other race in all the universes—was the fact that the Sol-Kor had the only working prototype, while Andy and his allies didn’t have a clue how to build one.

Panur—that pain-in-the-ass immortal mutant alien—had built the only working model, while leaving no instructions with the good guys on how it was done. Now the prototype was gone. And even if the Sol-Kor didn’t have the ship—which Andy wasn’t one hundred percent positive they did—their new queen was a mutant, too, and an intellectual match for Panur. Just knowing that such a thing was possible would set her on the course of building her own TD-capable starship, and then millions more just like it.

Tobias and his side were short one immortal mutant alien genius of their own, one who could connect the dots and build their own version of Panur’s Mark IV. Even as the thought crossed his mind, Andy knew that wasn’t entirely true. There was Lila Bol, Adam Cain’s half-human, half-alien daughter. She was also an immortal mutant alien genius; which it seemed to Andy were popping up everywhere these days. She had helped Panur build the first prototype; theoretically, she could show them how it was done.

Unfortunately, she was missing in action somewhere on the planet Kor, along with Adam, Riyad Tarazi, Sherri Valentine and Arieel Bol. Hell, they even had a Juirean Overlord with them, which Andy found to be exceptionally unnerving.

And now, as Admiral Andy Tobias watched the graphic of the massive Hal’ic fleet approach the planet Kor, he felt nauseous. Once the Hal’ic were through with their vengence attack on the planet, there wouldn’t be much left beyond piles of smoldering ruble. Even if Adam and his team were alive now, they wouldn’t be after the Hal’ic got done with the planet.

With the possible exception of Lila, of course.

Supposedly, the girl couldn’t be killed, thanks to something called regenerative cells. But even that fact didn’t give Andy much comfort. Finding one individual survivor out of the maelstrom to come would be next to impossible. And without her to help Andy’s side counter the Sol-Kor’s coming technological leap in star travel, even two hundred thousand warships wouldn’t be enough to stop the flesh-eating aliens from conquering everything. And anywhere they damn well pleased.

Adam Cain is an alien with an attitude.

His adventures continue….

Chapter 1

Adam Cain could smell the Juirean Overlord from fifty meters away.

It was a foul, sickening odor which stood out even on a planet full of foul, sickening odors. The alien’s condition—as he called it—was not only annoying, it was dangerous. It would certainly give their position away should any Sol-Kor with a sense of smell happen by.

And now this.

“Yes, it is definitely a cave,” the excited, white-haired alien was saying. “We can seek shelter within.”

Within was the problem. That meant a confined space with very little ventilation. Adam patted the handle of his MK-17 flash weapon, knowing that the last battery pack was spent. If not, then the fate of either him—or the Juirean—would have definitely been up for grabs.

“Are we far enough down the mountain that an attack on the pyramid would not collapse such a refuge?” Arieel asked, working her way down a series of huge granite boulders, as a small cascade avalance trailed out from her latest foothold.

Adam reached out and grabbed her arm, steadying her.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “We’re almost to the bottom. It might be just as easy to keep going—”

“Holy crap!” Sherri Valentine cried out. “That has to be the Hal’ic fleet.”

All eyes turned skyward, only to be covered by lifted arms, shielding them against the brilliant flare from above. It looked as though the entire sky had suddenly caught fire, with a vast sheet of blinding white light falling toward them.

“Hurry! To the cave!”

Benefis Na—the Juirean—along with Lila, were the first to duck inside the small, dark opening. Riyad was right behind her, with Sherri on his six. Adam and Arieel were the farthest from the entrance.

In the light gravity of Kor, Adam could have easily bounded his way the fifty meters to the entrance, but he wasn’t about to leave Arieel on her own. So he wrapped an arm around her impossibly narrow waist and hoisted her over his shoulder. She let out a grunt, but then quickly surrendered to his macho assistance. Moments later they were in the cave.

And none too soon.

The cave was about three thousand feet below the top of the mountain that served as the base for the eighteen Sol-Kor pyramids within this settlement cluster, including the huge, black capital structure designated as M-1. This was the Hal’ic’s primary target, and the combined energy of over ten thousand flash cannon bolts now fell upon the building with the force of a nuclear bomb.

The ground shuttered with such intensity that all those inside the cave were thrown to the musty floor. The ceiling gave way in another part of the cave, sending roiling clouds of choking dust racing for the exit. Adam and his team were coated in fine, gray powder, and even as the first rumbles from above began to subside, they crawled desperately toward the opening themselves and its promise of breathable air.

But then the avalance reached the level of the cave, as a torrent of boulders, rocks, mud and pyramid debris rained past the entrance. Adam pulled Arieel back inside, just as Sherri flew over them, having dived back in for the relative protection of the cave.

The river of debris moving quickly past the entrance created a tremendous area of low pressure outside, which literally sucked all the choking dust from the cave.

Sweating, even in the frigid temperature, the team scampered further into the cave, just as the entrance collapsed, casting the interior into darkness, blocking out even the ethereal glow of night from the two moons of Kor.

Be looking for

Battlelines

The Human Chronicles Saga Book #14

Available June 15, 2016

Click here to pre-order your copy of Battlelines

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Novels by T.R. Harris

The Human Chronicles Saga

The Fringe Worlds

Alien Assassin

The War of Pawns

The Tactics of Revenge

The Legend of Earth

Cain’s Crusaders

The Apex Predator

A Galaxy to Conquer

The Masters of War

Prelude to War

The Unreachable Stars

When Earth Reigned Supreme

A Clash of Aliens

Battlelines (coming June 15, 2016) Click here to order

Jason King – Agent to the Stars Series

The Enclaves of Sylox

The Drone Wars Series

Day of the Drone

In collaboration with George Wier…

The Liberation Series

Captains Malicious