The Last Heroes

[Macavity116]

It's been one year since Chapter 1 of The Last Heroes was posted. I've never had an AAR go on for this long, and I've got a newfound respect for you long-haul writers. I know my stories tend to be on the longwinded side, @Nikolai has had plenty to say about my 50-page chapters in the past. But just how longwinded were they? Well, let me show you...

The Last Heroes is my first story to run for more than a year... but it is not my longest story. The Stormbreakers will keep its crown as my longest work by sheer wordcount. Behold! Entries in the Stormbreaker Universe ranked by wordcount/time to completion:

1. The Stormbreakers	(370,988 words/10 months)
2. Faith in Chaos	(253,679 words/6 months)
3. The Last Heroes	(228,657 words*/1 year)
4. My Father's War	(124,959 words/2 months)
5. After Everything	(113,985 words/9 months)
6. All Our Sins Remembered	(65,075 words/3 months)
7. The Legend of Whetu Kealoha	(62,612 words/2 months)
8. My Sistership	(12,662 words/2 weeks)
9. On the Crossroads of Past and Future	(4,411 words/1 day)
10. Childhood Memory	(2,951 words/1 day)

*Yes, I included the unreleased final chapter in the wordcount. This is the final figure.

To avoid the curse of "celebrating too early" I'll cut the post short here. As always, I am deeply grateful for all of you, the people who read these stories. Thank you for making the past year so worthwhile. I really hope you'll join me for the final chapter next week.

 

[Macavity116]

<=== Chapter 45: The Stormbreakers

Envoi ===>​

Chapter 46
Journey’s End

​

Inez was lying flat on her back in a field of mud, the wind howling above her. The only thing she could feel was her own heartbeat. Each pulse of blood sent waves of pain across her body. It was overwhelming. She could sense what was happening around her, but not really make sense of it all. Inez was very nearly blind and deaf.

Exhausted and broken, Inez knew she was finished. She could not form any coherent thoughts aside from the realization that she was not going to escape death a second time. Somewhere above her, she could hear voices.

“Get behind me!” Cetla shouted.

Then there was a series of gunshots. The sound of each blast hurt so much, Inez felt as though her eardrums would burst.

“Nezzie’s down!” Called out another voice. “Come on, we’ve gotta help!”

Inez recognized the voice. It was David Sepulveda. She dared to let a little hope work its way into her soul. Inez turned her head to the left, something that was very painful to do, and opened her eyes.

A horrible scene met her gaze:

Cetla was hunched over on his hands and knees, blood leaking from half a dozen punctures in his armor. The five remaining Stormbreakers were huddled behind him, shielding themselves from Cassandra. The eleven-year-old girl was walking backwards slowly, following Akira and pointing a laser pistol at the Stormbreakers.

Further away, several members of the rescue team broke from cover and started racing toward Akira. David, Lawrence, and Emma were all visibly wounded, but they charged headlong across the field, closing the distance toward Akira. Cassandra spun on her heels and fired the laser pistol wildly in their direction. All three fighters dove for what little cover there was in the open marsh.

Inez felt a torrent of emotions. She just could not understand why Cassandra had suddenly turned hostile like this. She wanted to scream “Why!?” but her answer came quickly. A noise from somewhere behind Inez caught her attention. Out of the corner of her eye, Inez saw Akira quickly turn around and point at something. Cassandra mimicked Akira’s movement, swiveling on the spot to fire on someone just out of Inez’ sight.

Finally, Inez got to see her sister’s face.

Cassandra looked different. Her eyes were clouded over and glassy, as though she were dead. The young girl shuffled around the battlefield like a zombie, not even bothering to look down the sights of her weapon… almost as though someone else was aiming the pistol for her.

Cassandra was under Mind Control.

The realization washed over Inez, dampening the intense pain she felt.

Before the fight began, Cassandra was afraid of dying, of being hurt and killed. But this… this was infinitely worse. Akira was, by means of telepathy, forcing Cassandra to fight against her friends. Inez and Cetla were both wounded, and given time, others could be hurt as well.

Inez was not the only person to realize this. David Sepulveda yelled out:

“Don’t shoot the kid! She’s bewitched! Go for the Paradox!”

David, Emma, and Lawrence were making another attempt to reach Akira. Moving swiftly, they bounded out of cover. Akira directed Cassandra to shoot at the incoming rescuers. All the while, the Paradox was still backing away, retreating toward the treeline where Rafi Bakir and his Space Rangers were laying down cover fire for her.

I’ve got to get up. Inez told herself.

Inez lifted her arms, trying to clamber back to her feet. Waves of mind-numbing pain rippled out from two points on her body: her upper right arm and the right side of her ribcage. Fighting against the ache of two gunshot wounds, Inez sat up and found the Shadowkeeper beside her.

“Hold on, Inez! I’m coming to you!” David yelled. “Richtofen! Cover me!”

Emma threw herself behind the wrecked tailfin of the Skyranger and fired her plasma rifle at the False Jericho. Akira turned and raised a telekinetic shield between herself and the attacker. Plasma bolts deflected and flew in random directions, forcing many of the fighters to duck for cover again.

At that moment, David sprang out of cover and started running toward Inez.

“Sniper!” Corder screamed.

Too late. There was a loud crack, a flash of red light, and then a crimson bolt struck David squarely in the center of his forehead, passing through his skull and continuing on its grim journey. David dropped his weapon and his eyes widened for just a moment before he fell forward into the mud. Varian, Corder, and Kingi all turned to open fire on the Space Rangers while Maui and Ninu ran to the spot where David fell.

Again, Akira directed Cassandra to attack the Stormbreakers. This time, however, Cassandra hesitated a moment before complying.

She was resisting.

Seeing that her sister was still in there somewhere, Inez forced herself back to her feet. It did not matter if she lived or died. The only thing Inez cared about now was getting to Cassandra and separating her from the Paradox. Inez staggered forward before breaking into the fastest pace she could, her feet slipping in the mud.

“Nezzie’s up!” Ninu cheered. “She’s not dead!”

Inez swore. The surprise was spoiled. The False Jericho rounded on her, preparing to fight. But in that moment, her concentration finally broke!

It all happened in about three seconds.

First, there was a flash of green light, brighter than the sun. Inez jammed her eyes shut, as did everyone else.

Next, Inez picked up on the sound of rushing water, or was it air? Something was racing very quickly to be somewhere else, that was certain.

Finally, every person in the immediate area, including Inez, was filled with an overwhelming sense of impending doom.

This time, Inez knew what had happened. She knew what was coming and leapt out of the way, crashing painfully to the ground as the Emerald Avatar made itself known.

A translucent green entity, shaped vaguely like a Human woman, stood in the place where Cassandra had been moments ago. She flickered and wavered as though constantly phasing into and out of reality. Instead of eyes, the Emerald Avatar had two points of vivid starlight set in its otherwise blank face, each as bright as the sun, forcing Inez to look away.

Inez knew the Emerald Avatar had a habit of attacking everyone around it indiscriminately. She needed to get clear and leave her mother as the only viable target. But just as Inez scrambled to her feet and prepared to run, a voice spoke, projecting itself into her mind telepathically.

We’ll take her together.

Inez turned back. She saw the Emerald Avatar briefly nod it’s head towards her before it launched itself at Akira. In a moment, Inez understood.

Cassandra was lucid. She was in control.

“Varian! Get those rangers off our back!” Inez raised her voice. “We’re taking the Paradox!”

Inez followed her sister into the fright, ducking under a bolt from Rafi’s laser sniper rifle as she went. Behind her, Cetla slumped forward and collapsed, leaving the five remaining Stormbreakers without cover. In a desperate final action, Varian led his team in a charge against Rafi and his Space Rangers. Emma and Lawrence joined them.

Inez and the Emerald Avatar reached the False Jericho in seconds. Akira pointed one hand at the ground and lifted it, conjuring a shimmering Psionic construct. An obelisk materialized in front of Inez, blocking her way. Green Soulfire erupted in the empty space between Akira at the Emerald Avatar as they met. Akira dodged around the Avatar’s first strike and followed up with one of her own. She conjured a shimmering ball of green light and hurled it toward the Emerald Avatar.

Meanwhile, Inez had gotten around the Obelisk. Her body strained and groaned as though her bones would simply fall apart, but Inez pressed through the pain and got behind her mother. She raised the Shadowkeeper, aiming at what appeared to be the False Jericho’s hooded cloak, but was really the backside of the Prometheus Device, hidden beneath a hologram.

“Director! Behind you!” Rafi Bakir shouted from the treeline.

Akira whirled around to face Inez, who swore and tried to doge, but it was too late. A telekinetic pulse hit Inez like a speeding car, throwing her painfully to one side. Rafi ducked behind a fallen timber as gauss slugs sailed over his head.

“This site’s getting hot!” Rafi called to his men, “Get ready to break cover and move.”

No reply came. Instead, a high-pitched scream sounded to Rafi’s right. He looked around just in time to see Varian break into the treeline, gunning down a Space Ranger. Rafi leapt up and drew his gauss pistol. Varian spotted him and did the same. Both men raised their weapons and fired almost simultaneously. Varian gasped, stumbled and fell over backwards, crashing into a bush and out of sight. Rafi took a step forward, firing two more rounds into the place where Varian had fallen.

The sound of his own gunshots downed out the noise of two more Stormbreakers thundering through the undergrowth. In less than a moment, Corder and Kingi ambushed Rafi, forcing him out of the woodline entirely. Caught out of position and unable to use his laser sniper rifle, Rafi had no choice but to retreat, running toward Akira’s position.

Inez struggled to stand up. This time, she knew several of her bones were broken. It hurt to breathe and a sharp pain radiated from her right hip. Her right arm hung useless at her side, so she clutched the Shadowkeeper in her left. Inez was painfully aware of the fact that with only one working hand, she would not be able to reload her weapon. In front of her, the Emerald Avatar and the False Jericho were still fighting, trading Psionic attacks back and forth. A short distance away, Inez could see Corder and Kingi grappling with Rafi in a bloody melee.

Akira spotted Inez and reacted. A jet of green light shot through the air and struck the body of David Sepulveda. For a moment, Inez could have sworn she saw the body move. Then, something strange separated itself from David. A spectral entity seemed to emerge from within David’s body, head and torso first. A moment later, a dark green creature, shaped like a Human, was standing beside David’s remains.

Inez had read about Spectral Ghosts when she was a child, but no amount of reading or television could prepare her for the real thing. The Ghost seemed to constantly shift in color, from green to blue to yellow and back again. It was shaped exactly like Akira, but had none of her features.

The Spectral Ghost pointed one finger at Inez. It was about to attack.

Inez was not sure why, but after everything that had happened in the past 48 hours, she genuinely could not see this thing as a threat. She knew, right away, that her mother created this creature just to keep Inez busy while she fought the Emerald Avatar.

“You’re not even real.” Inez said to the Spectral Ghost. “You can’t hurt me, can you?”

A bolt of lightning shot away from the Ghost and hit Inez in the chest, just over her heart. If there was any pain, Inez did not notice. She turned away from the Ghost and started hobbling toward Akira once more. The Spectral Ghost gave chase, striking Inez with two more Psionic Volts, both of which she ignored.

As she moved to rejoin the fight, Inez noticed something.

There was a ring of people surrounding the scene of the Skyranger crash. Far more people then there should have been. She could see members of the rescue party: Ted Navarro, Munkustrap, Sergeant Rella, and Jay. She also spotted several UN Space Rangers, their weapons pointing harmlessly at the ground. Finally, there were about four hundred new soldiers on the scene: Partogans, Levakians, Amadii, Vanians, Taiidan, Ozkox, Vaygr, Scyldari, Blorg, Kel-Azan, Praku, Voor, Tobari, and Kelt. Nobody was fighting. The guns were silent. Many of the GDF soldiers were attempting to triage the wounded. Inez could see Varian, Cetla, Eerabik, and Emanuel being treated by medics. Even further away, Inez could see a Partogan Marine Frigate coming in to land near the bunker where the alien children were hidden.

Aside from the two skirmishes playing out in the center of the ring, the battle was over.

In front of Inez, the Emerald Avatar and False Jericho were locked in combat. Telekinetic blasts went off between them like artillery strikes, kicking up dirt and mud. Corder, Kingi, and Maui were taking on Rafi together. His power armor made him a hard target, and a dangerous fighter. As Inez approached, Rafi slugged Corder in the face, grabbed her by the throat, and threw her onto the ground. As she fell, Corder hit Maui as well, knocking him down. Inez changed course, limping towards Rafi, but it was not necessary.

Kingi gripped his own rifle by the barrel and swung it, striking Rafi’s outstretched arm. No power armor could save him from the sheer force of Kingi’s strike, and Rafi screamed as his arm broke! Rafi fell to his knees, yelling in agony. Kingi adjusted his footing and swung his rifle again, striking Rafi’s head and putting an end of the Space Ranger.

Akira saw the demise of her final supporter and screamed. She lashed out at the Emerald Avatar, causing it to stagger under the weight of unseen force. Then Akira looked around, observing the gathering crowd for the first time.

“Mother!” Inez shouted. “It’s all over. Your dream is dead.”

The False Jericho turned to sneer at Inez. The hologram flickered, revealing the true face of Akira Robinson for just a moment. Inez knew she would not be able to stand up for much longer; it was sheer willpower keeping her going at this point. The will to save Cassandra, to save her friends, and put an end to all of this.

“Nothing is over!” Akira replied. “You’re wrong!”

“How would you know!?” Inez retorted, staggering closer still. She was about fifty feet away from her mother now.

“Because so many people adopted my dream, it’s become ingrained in Human culture now.” Akira replied. “Even if you destroyed the Prophets and scattered their ashes across the Galaxy, someone will reproduce them, and use them to lead Humanity to its rightful destiny!”

Green Soulfire appeared in Akira’s hands, enveloping her arms. Inez drew closer, as did the Emerald Avatar. Out of the corner of her eye, Inez spotted Ninu slinking through the mud on her right.

“In the next century and those that follow, Humankind will only continue to advance and grow stronger.” Akira said. “The Ethereals saw our potential over a hundred years ago, and look how far we’ve come as a species since then! The Galaxy will be helpless against our kind. We can ensure Earth is never threatened again by dominating the Cosmos!”

Inez was losing physical strength. She was now dragging her right leg behind her and it hurt to hold the Shadowkeeper, but she kept her wits about her as she drew nearer still.

“That might be true.” Inez said. “But you forget: The Galaxy is vast and full of wonders. How many friends and allies have we made in the past century? How many of them are here now, not as conquerors but rescuers and liberators? Humanity is not in danger now, and we gain nothing by making enemies of the Galaxy, especially the friends who fought and bled alongside us.”

Inez reached her mother. The Emerald Avatar and Ninu stood alongside her.

“Empires aren’t built by making alliances!” Akira countered. “If we don’t grow strong and powerful, Humanity will die out!”

Inez raised her Shadowkeeper, pointing the weapon directly between Akira’s eyes.

“The kind of power you’re talking about is temporary, easily undermined, and based in a kind of evil only some people would go along with.” Inez seethed. “Look around. How many Humans saw what you were doing and decided to join the aliens against you? We don’t want to hate our neighbors… we don’t wake up each day thinking about how to dominate and conquer and oppress! We just want to go home, live out our lives, and be with our friends and family.”

Akira brought her hands together, Psionic energy building up between her palms.

“You are so naïve, Nezzie.” Akira hissed. “Shoot me and you’ll set Humanity back fifty years, but you won’t stop it.”

Inez, Ninu, Akira, and the Emerald Avatar all moved at once. Ninu fired his laser pistol at Akira. She deflected the laser bolt and sent it off at an angle. The Emerald Avatar fired a beam of light from its eyes, setting the right-hand gauntlet of Akira’s Prometheus Device on fire. At the same moment, the deflected laser bolt struck the Emerald Avatar. The Psionic creature fell backwards and the transformation reversed.

Cassandra collapsed into the mud, clutching at her stomach and wailing in pain. Inez saw this and flinched, holding still for a moment too long. A bolt of lightning jumped from Akira’s hand and hit her squarely in the head. Inez fell backwards and hit the ground so hard that her hip broke a second time. Inez screamed from the agony until her throat hurt.

Somewhere on her right, Ninu recovered. He took aim again and fired his laser pistol as fast as he could pull the trigger. Akira deflected several bolts but her Prometheus Device was damaged. Two shots got past her defenses: The first one impacted the backside of the Prometheus Device, shutting it down for good. As the hologram started to fail, the second laser bolt hit Akira in the stomach, roughly around the same point where Cassandra had just been shot.

The hologram finally died away, leaving the true Akira Robinson doubled up, clutching at the bloody wound in her gut. She snarled and kicked Ninu as hard as she could. The little lizard flew ten feet away and landed in the mud. He did not move.

Several members of the watching crowd had seen enough. Gunfire sounded as a number of soldiers opened fire on Akira. She raised her hand to deflect the blow, but the Prometheus Device was no longer working. Without a Psionic Amplifier, Akira’s powers were drastically reduced. Gauss rounds and plasma bolts hit the Skyranger wreckage behind Akira. She ducked, and in that moment, Inez seized her final opportunity.

Unable to walk, Inez kicked out with her left leg and found her mother. Akira lost balance and fell to the ground. Screaming from the pain of doing so, Inez tried to roll over into a position where she could shoot Akira. Realizing what was about to happen, Akira jabbed with one hand, punching Inez in the face. Akira grabbed Inez’ left arm and pinned it, trapping the Shadowkeeper.

Desperately, both women wrestled and fought for control of the Shadowkeeper. Inez refused to let go of the handgun, clinging onto it for dear life. Akira turned Inez over, climbed atop her, and wrapped one arm around Inez’ throat, pushing her daughter’s face into the mud. With the other, she made one final attempt to grab the pistol.

Facedown in the mud, Inez could see and hear nothing. Both the mud and her mother were suffocating her at the same time. Inez felt her left arm being twisted into a painful position; she could not be able to hold onto the weapon much longer. Desperate and dying, Inez took one final gamble.

She let go of the Shadowkeeper.

Inez released the handle of the weapon, and it came free into Akira’s hands. But at the last second, before the weapon stopped touching Inez’ hand, she hooked her index finger around the trigger guard. With all of her remaining strength, Inez violently jerked her whole body.

The Shadowkeeper went off with such force that it felt like a small bomb detonated on Inez’ back.

At once, the force pressing Inez’ face into the mud was lifted. Inez was able to raise her head and breathe again. She could just barely hear a rattling sound behind her. All around, soldiers were approaching. A few of them were calling out for medics. A sudden pressure on Inez’ back and legs told her that Akira was crawling off her. Slowly, wracked by pain, Inez sat up.

Akira was hunched over on her knees, both of her hands clutching at a bloody wound on her chest. The Shadowkeeper was half-submerged in a muddy puddle on the ground, and Akira was struggling to breathe. She looked up, taking in the scene around her. All three of the Prophet-class cruisers were down. The GDF had arrived in force, and all of the soldiers loyal to her were dead, dying, or surrendered. The bodies of Rafi Bakir, Sidney Beauclair, and Klaus Eberhardt were laid alongside the other Space Rangers, while GDF soldiers triaged the alien children and rescue party.

Akira’s face was pale.

“I… I failed.” Akira’s voice was weak, breathless. “I couldn’t build a perfect future.”

“Fail? No, you didn’t.” Inez replied. “Humankind can survive anything the Galaxy throws at us now… because have friends and allies offworld… We’re strong because we are not alone, and the future looks bright… brighter than it ever has before.”

Akira wheezed, attempting to gulp down air, but something seemed to be wrong with her lungs. Finally, a group of GDF medics reached Inez. They started to spray Inez’ injuries with a Nanomedikit, but then turned to one another, asking what should be done with the Akira…

However, they would not need to answer that question.

Akira turned her head to face east. The sunrise filled her vision. Most of the great yellow disk was clear of the horizon, resulting in a genuinely beautiful Christmas morning on the Florida coastline. Ocean waves crashed onto the sandy beach, spraying white foam over the glistening water. Inez looked away from the sunrise at her mother. She saw the sunrise filling Akira’s eyes for just a moment.

Then, Akira heaved her chest once more, trying desperately to fill her lungs with air, but it was no good. Her face lost all of its color, and the deep blue light in her eyes seemed to dim. Akira Robinson slowly slumped forward, coming to rest on her side. Inez reached out and took her hand. Partogan medics set to work on Inez’ many injuries, but she had eyes only for Akira, who was writhing and shaking in the mud, gasping for air, eyes wide.

Inez did not move. She watched her mother die.

Sometime later, Inez did not know when, someone pulled at her arm. Akira’s hand, now ice cold, slipped away. At lost last, after a day and a half of desperate fighting and surviving, exhaustion took its toll on Inez. She fell backwards, the world became dark and silent.



…

…

…



“And then what happened?”

“The Galactic Defense Force took control of the scene. The alien children were taken offworld, and are safely aboard a Taiidani mothership now. I heard the first family reunions have already happened.”

“What about the Space Rangers who sided with the Paradox?”

“Most of them are dead. Those who remain are in UN custody, but Bl- uh, Secretary-General Robinson says he’s willing to hand them over to the Galactic Council for trial.”

“And what of the former Stormbreakers?”

“Well, Chihiro has reunited with her husband, and she’s been making Hyperwave calls, trying to gather the entire Robinson family in one spot to figure out who’s alive and who’s dead. Tsubaki Endo and Jane Kelly are acting as Blake’s liaisons to the GDF. Axiom and Dyeunda Zeil took command of the force sent from Orlando, the one occupying Canaveral now. Oh, and a bunch of GDF officers got together and declared Kanti Divakar temporary Galactic Custodian.”

“Divakar? The Vanian?”

“They see her as neutral and unbiased. Above petty politics because of her background: The Vanian Homeworld was destroyed in the last war, and she’s spent the past fifty years leading her people in the search for a new planet.”

“I see. Last question: Where are Subjects Two and Three?”

“I left them with a babysitter.”

“The Emerald Institute is interested in those children, Miss Espinosa.”

“I am Cassandra’s legal guardian. Depending on how things shake out, I’ll be taking Isaac with me too.”

Inez Espinosa narrowed her eyes at Administrator Variis. In the aftermath of the previous few days, this Taiidani man from the Sentry Array had become the new Director of the Emerald Institute. He leaned back in his chair and looked out of the window. The two people were in an office building, located in the town of Port Canaveral, a few miles south of the battlefield. Out of the window, Variis and Inez could see the remains of an Old World luxury cruise ship. It was rotting in its drydock, abandoned for the past eighty years.

Variis shook his head.

“There is much rebuilding to be done.” He said. “Rest assured the Emerald Institute will extend whatever help is necessary for your family, your planet, and your species.”

“Thank you.” Inez finished.

She left the building, taking great care to walk slowly and to avoid sudden movements. Only a few days ago, the local Gene Therapy Clinic had repaired her shoulders and ribs. Her hip was repaired too, but the Gene Therapy workers told Inez the hip repair was “just a patch job” and eventually Inez would need to have a total hip replacement surgery. She was still very stiff. Thankfully, it was a short walk from the Institute’s new field office to her destination. The Port Canaveral Gene Therapy Clinic was built right on the shoreline, so patients could see the ocean whenever they wanted.

Inez went from room to room, checking in on every member of her rescue party. Everybody was wounded during the fighting, some narrowly escaping death like Inez. All twenty-nine rescuers had been shot at least once, others suffered from broken bones, smoke inhalation, plasma burns, and various combat related injuries.

Varian had lost an eye. During the final few moments of conflict, he just barely managed to dodge a Gauss slug from Rafi Bakir, but the grazing hit still did catastrophic damage. When Inez went to see him, she found the young Stormbreaker sitting up in bed, testing out eyepatches and glass eyes.

Her father Emanuel woke up to find his right arm amputated at the shoulder. To save him from bleeding out during the battle, Corder and Navin had placed a tourniquet on his arm. By the time Emanuel reached the clinic, his limb was beyond saving. He took it in stride, talking to anyone who would listen about his plans for a cybernetic arm.

Cetla was perhaps the most seriously injured survivor. When the situation took a bad turn, he had allowed his comrades to use his body as a shield. The giant reptilian was shot fifteen times with different types of weapons. Five days after the battle, he was still in surgery.

Only one of the twenty-nine rescuers perished. David Sepulveda lost his life at the height of the battle. His body was separated from those of Rafi, Klaus, Polly, Sidney, and Yassen. At Inez’ request, David’s body would be repatriated to Mexico and buried in his hometown.

One rescuer was missing: Eerabik. Three days after Akira’s death, several Baterra machines stormed onto the beach outside of the clinic. Eerabik was out there at the time, testing out her newly repaired wing. The machines pushed past Karfu, seized Eerabik roughly, and then dragged her away. The Ozkox senator screamed and protested, and Inez could hear Eerabik’s demands for release until the moment she was dragged aboard a Baterra starship. By the time someone responded to the commotion, the Baterra starship was long gone. In fact, they were all gone. As if responding to a signal, every Baterra warform and vessel suddenly broke away from the GDF and disappeared into Hyperspace. Since then, nobody has seen or heard from either Eerabik or those strange machines.

There was one person Inez desperately wanted to see, but had not gotten the chance until now. Cassandra was avoiding her. Inez knew why. She had gotten the story from Emanuel. Cassandra felt terrible about shooting Inez and Cetla, and was too ashamed to meet her sister face to face. Today, however… this would be resolved…

It was around midday, and the beach was beautiful. A balmy wind kept the atmosphere warm and refreshing, while winter sunlight glinted off the many starships high above. White foamy waves crashed against the beach while Gene Therapy staff kept a watchful eye on their patients, many of whom were relaxing on the sand behind the clinic.

Inez was here on the beach today for a scheduled meeting. This had been arranged yesterday. When she arrived, Inez found her father having a conversation with several people, a mix of rescuers and clinic staff.

“I saw on the news.” Emanuel was saying, “The Galactic Council voted to honor the peace agreement Secretary-General Robinson signed with Queen Marka before she died. On top of that, the UN General Assembly and the other Galactic powers are going to open negotiations about the reconstruction of all the planets that were devastated by this war.”

“I hope they makes them focus on Amadiio.” Claws of Honeydew sighed. “Those poor birds are still brainwashed by that Psionic weapon. They’re tripping over one another, desperate to chain themselves to Humanity.”

“I’ve heard my people have already submitted a petition to the Galactic Council.” Cetla said. “Our droids are servitors, first and foremost. Even in war, the old “mandatory pampering” protocol takes precedence. If Amadiio becomes a Micore Protectorate, their people will be given the proper care and treatment they so desperately need.”

“If your people have any droids to spare, could you send a few to Earth?” Emanuel joked. “I know I said I didn’t mind parting with an arm, but a servitor droid with, what was it? Mandatory pampering protocols? That sounds really good right about now. I’ll take one for my new house, and one more for the kids living in it.”

“Kids?” Corder repeated. “What kids?”

“That’s the reason I wanted to talk to you, Dad.” Inez spoke up, announcing her presence. “Did you bring Cassandra?”

Emanuel called her name, and Cassandra came running up from the beach. An exhausted-looking nurse tried to keep pace with her, but fell behind. Once she reached the group, Cassandra’s nurse lifted the front of her shirt and re-applied a medical cream to Cassandra’s belly. Her midsection was badly burned and scarred, marking the place where she was shot by a laser pistol during the battle.

Meanwhile, Cassandra spotted Inez. Her face turned red and she looked at the ground. Inez looked around and realized the person she was waiting for had not arrived yet. She asked Emanuel to wait a moment, and then knelt down to Cassandra’s level. (a movement that was still very painful to do)

“Hey Cass… are you okay?” Inez said.

Cassandra sniffled. Then she threw herself at Inez, wrapping her sister in a big hug.

“I’m sorry Nezzie!” Cassandra sobbed. “She made me do it! She took me over!”

Inez reached up and patted Cassandra’s head, shushing her.

“It’s okay, Cass. It’s okay. It’s not your fault, I know it wasn’t you.”

Inez and Cassandra held onto one another until the people Inez was expecting finally showed up.

A doctor carrying a clipboard joined the group. Another doctor, this one a woman, joined him. His companion was carrying the baby known as Subject Three in her arms. She used a small floppy hat to shield the baby from sunlight.

“Are you Inez and Emanuel Espinosa?” The first doctor asked.

“We are.” Inez replied.

She stood up, making sure to keep ahold of Cassandra’s hand.

“We’ve finished our evaluation of the boy.” The doctor began. “Some of the crew of the starship Confucius referred to him as ‘Isaac’ so that’s the name we used. We’ve determined that Isaac is mostly healthy, but slightly undernourished. We’ve given him both a feeding program and a gene therapy treatment to get the little man back to full strength. At your request, Miss Espinosa, we have conducted a full genetic tree analysis, comparing him to all data we have on hand. This is the young man’s family tree.”

The doctor handed over a slip of paper.

“I see that you also filled out a request with UNICEF, asking for the right to become this boy’s legal guardian.” The doctor continued. “I’m afraid there’s no point in you doing that.”

At once, Cassandra, Emanuel, and several members of the rescue team reacted angrily.

“Hold on!” Emanuel protested. “Inez is competent! So many of us can vouch for her!”

“Nezzie’s already a good sister!” Cassandra added. “She can be a mom, too!”

“Any Micore droid can give Espinosa a caregiver evaluation.” Cetla chimed in. “She will be deemed fit for child-rearing, I assure you.”

The doctor raised his hand for silence. Then he pointed at the family tree printout:

“Isaac’s biological mother was Akira Robinson.” He said. “Following her death, we attempted to reach out to all of the young lad’s living relatives. As it turned out, Miss Espinosa is his closest living family member, both physically and biologically, as the next closest relative is located in Northeast Palestine. Under UN law, she does not need to file for guardianship. She gains protective custody of the child immediately. Doctor Bellgreen, please return Isaac to his sister now.”

Inez reached out to take Isaac from the doctors, dropping the family tree document. Cassandra scooped it up to see the truth for herself:

Isaac Freeman

Born: January 20, 2086 – Berlin, Germany

Mother: Akira Jaqueline Robinson

Father: Rafi Marwan Bakir

“So you’re half-siblings, then?” Emanuel mused. “Over twenty years apart. What a household this is going to be.”

The group celebrated. Isaac looked around and laughed at the people making noise around him. Seeing a baby giggle served only to lift everyone’s spirits a little more. Corder came around and tried to nuzzle Isaac with her furry snout. The baby wriggled about and seemed to just lose himself in joy.

Inez, Cassandra, and Emanuel felt their hearts grow light for the first time in days. But this feeling was not to last. A shadow fell over the group. Isaac looked up and spotted the cause, pointing with his whole hand at the sky.

Kanti Divakar was flying overhead. The old Vanian sailed through the sky in silence, her magnificent white feathers made her seem as fluffy as a cloud. Peering down, the old Stormbreaker spotted her comrades, folded her wings, and dove.

“Divakar!” Ninu greeted her warmly as she landed on the beach. “I saw you on Xenonian News last night. Are you really going to be Galactic Custodian?”

Kanti shrugged off the comment and called for the group’s attention. Inez looked at the old bird and saw Kanti’s beady red eyes were welled up with tears. The kind of dark atmosphere that follows bad news slowly seeped across the ground and brought silence to the rescuers.

“Everyone…” Kanti said. She took a deep breath. “It… it’s time. We found Jericho.”

…

December 31, 2086
Port Canaveral, Florida

That night, after the sun went down, there were two gatherings on the beach at Port Canaveral. Hundreds of Humans, aliens, and hybrids gathered around a massive structure made of timber, watching and cheering as someone shot fireworks into the sky. Blue, green, and red colors exploded into the sky over Port Canaveral while those below cheered. Rescuers, Stormbreakers, GDF soldiers, Americans, and friendly UN forces raised their drinks and toasted to the final victory together.

Meanwhile, at the northernmost end of the beach, a smaller and more solemn gathering was taking place. All surviving members of the Robinson family, plus a small entourage, gathered on the shore near the jetty, a large man-made pile of boulders that extended roughly six hundred feet into the ocean.

Blake, Chihiro, Himawari, and Randall were here. Standing beside them were Varian’s father, George. Himawari was standing between all three of her surviving children: the oldest, Varian, then his eleven-year-old brother James Patariki and his seventeen-year-old brother Eraka Patariki. The two Partogan boys wore green ribbons on their hands in memory of their father, Amako.

Standing close to the Robinsons were the four members of the Espinosa family. Inez held Isaac in her arms, feeding the baby from a bottle while Cassandra watched, her eyes wide. Emanuel held onto Inez’ shoulder with his one remaining arm. Inez looked out to sea, her eyes on the far end of the jetty. Lawrence Ridge, Mason Sharp, Maui Ririnui, and Ruunhan Somtaaw moved slowly across the narrow spit of boulders, carrying the body of Akira Robinson between them.

They had waited almost a full week to do this; waited for the Emerald Institute to finish their autopsy and genetic testing of the corpse, which proved beyond all shadow of a doubt that the Paradox was truly dead. In the intervening days Beak of Lavender, Plume of Maroon, and Claws of Honeydew set to work building a pyre. The trio of Saiiban flew back and forth from the jetty to the forested swampland that formed Cape Canaveral’s southern border. The project took two and a half days.

Navigating the jetty by flashlight, Lawrence found the pyre first. They could have just tossed Akira’s remains onto the pyre like a trash bag, but for some reason, Blake, Chihiro, Inez, and Emanuel had all vetoed the idea. They even stood their ground after others protested. The only one who seemed to understand was Ruunhan, who came from a society were family ties were viewed as having supreme importance:

“Enemy or not, the Paradox was their family. She should have that one last modicum of respect.” Ruunhan said.

So, the foursome gingerly placed Akira’s body onto the pyre, making sure to cross her arms over her chest before departing. Before leaving the jetty, Ruunhan ran her hand across Akira’s face, making sure her eyes were closed.

Once everybody was back on shore, Blake spoke these words:

“It’s time to build a new world. A new future… without her shadow hanging over us. This is the end, yes. But it’s also a beginning.”

Slowly, Blake nodded at Cassandra.

The young girl stepped forward, away from the group. Cassandra stood alone on the shoreline, the ocean water lapping at her bare feet. Cassandra raised both of her hands to her chest, where a green light slowly illuminated near her heart. Cassandra pressed her hand to her heart for a moment, and then pulled it away. A small green flame was siphoned out of her chest and came to rest in her outstretched palm. The green Soulfire grew brighter and stronger, until Cassandra was holding onto an emerald fireball. She cocked her hand back and threw the Soulfire. The verdant flame sailed through the starry night sky in a high arc before landing atop the funeral pyre.

From this distance, it was impossible to see anything aside from the shimmering green fire as it enveloped the pyre. The group stood in silence, watching. Against the inky backdrop, the jade flames looked like a large star on the horizon. Then, after a few minutes, Cassandra lifted her empty hand, and then closed her fingers into a fist. At her command, the green Soulfire extinguished itself.

It was over. Akira Jaqueline Robinson, the Paradox… was truly gone.

Without speaking a word, the group turned to leave. Cassandra jogged to catch up with Inez. As they moved to join the larger group of people, everyone felt as though they had a spring in their step. The atmosphere became warmer and friendlier.

The party was massive. A mix of electric lamps and old-fashioned torches lit the perimeter of the beach and neighboring park with a mystical orange glow. In the center of the space was a second funeral pyre, this one massive, nearly two stories tall. Everybody who was someone could be found here tonight.

Jay Lansing, his husband, and his son all tackled Inez in a group hug. Cera Roberts was smitten with Isaac and wanted to hold him. Lawrence Ridge decided to wait before telling Inez he had her guitar case. Bradley Marrah pressed a mug of spiced cider into Emanuel’s hand. Corder, Cetla, Maui, Kingi, and Ninu all grabbed Varian and insisted he join them for a drink. Varian agreed, asking if they wouldn’t mind calling him by his true name from now on instead.

“Victoria, I’m gonna get you so drunk, you won’t remember your name at all!!” Corder declared.

Mason Sharp gathered a group of Ancient Americans and some Saiiban, including Beak of Lavender and Plume of Maroon. Together, they were all singing a tune Ted Navarro make up on the spot:

“Time flows ever on

Till all is dead and gone

the wind passes by

Like death’s lullaby

But old soldiers never die,

Never die, never die,

Old soldiers never die,

They simply fade away.”

Ruunhan sat close to the fire, drinking alone. Navin Soban joined her, bringing the four UN soldiers who defected at the last minute. Sergeant Rella, Shen Cai, Tahmin Ashkani, and Dmytro Rybak greeted Ruunhan in an expectant way, and she perked up, wondering if Navin had found four new crewmates for the Ashoka.

Munkustrap, Claws of Honeydew, and Emma von Richtofen met their new boss. Director Variis praised both fighters and said the Emerald Institute had big plans for their careers. Dyeunda Zeil and Kanti Divakar shared drinks and laughed together, listening to a group of GDF officers explain their plan to install Kanti as the next Galactic Custodian. Tsubaki Endo listened with rapt attention as George Farshtey told stories about Victoria. Jane Kelly insisted George keep talking and handed him another beer. Chris Wright, Randall Murphy, and Himawari Robinson raised a glass in memory of Sophie, Marcus, and Amako.

Further away, just outside of the circle, Blake Robinson and Chihiro Tachibana watched the humble victory celebration play out.

“You know… there’s going to be one helluva mess to clean up in Berlin when we get back.” Chihiro told her husband.

“I know.” Blake sighed. “All of the military forces in the Galaxy are worn down. There’s going to be unrest, piracy, new threats we haven’t even imagined yet. We don’t know what the Baterra did to Eerabik or the stolen samples of the Beast Virus. Sooner or later, we’ll have to confront all of those problems.”

Chihiro let out a laugh. It was a soft chuckle, very reminiscent of her girlish giggle from almost a century ago.

“I was talking about the people of Berlin, partying at though we just liberated Earth.” She said. “Do you remember those days after the last war?”

“I do.” Blake said, smiling. “Parties all over Earth. Took the British over a year to clean up the mess in Sheffield. Once we get back to Berlin, we need to-”

Chihiro grabbed her husband’s arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Slow down. Let’s stay here for a little longer, with our friends old and new.”

At that moment, a series of birdcalls, high and shrill, caught everyone’s attention.

Saiiban and Vanian soldiers flew over the beach, carrying on their mournful cries. One bird broke from the formation, folded her wings, and disappeared into the darkness. All eyes turned to a dirt path, one that led through the tall grass, connecting the beach to the rest of the city. Four lumbering shapes could be seen approaching.

Shipbreaker Karfu, Cetla, Axiom, and Munkustrap entered the beach, carrying a wooden casket between them. Moving slowly, they placed it in front of the massive funeral pyre, just in front of a small niche built into the structure, which was the right size for a casket.

Kanti landed atop the pyre with a clatter. While avians circled above, the hundreds of people on the beach started forming into a line. Two by two, people filed past the casket. Inez and Cassandra were among the first to view the body within.

Jericho was nestled in a bed of white blankets. If her face was not so pale and cold, the old woman could have been fast asleep.

“I thought Jericho was the woman who became a god.” Cassandra sniffled. “Didn’t she come back once already? She can come back again, can’t she? She’s not really gone… is she?”

“She…” Inez tried to simply tell the truth, but there was something about this moment that made her pause.

The little girl, peering over the casket lid, taking her final glance at the woman who delivered not just Humanity, but the Galaxy from annihilation. Mourners all around her, doing the same. It was a moment that would stay in Cassandra’s memory forever. Inez found she just did not have the strength to break Cassandra’s heart right here and now. And perhaps, Inez held out just a little hope that the answer she gave carried some tiny fragment of truth:

“Jericho’s not really gone. She left behind all of this.” Inez said, gesturing to the beach, to the people, to the sky and stars and moon above. “All of this was her gift to us. Now… we have to honor that gift, and care for it as best we can. This is how we start our new lives.”

Inez took Cassandra’s hand and gently led her away from the casket. As she rejoined the crowd, Inez spotted Secretary-General Robinson. He was watching her in a way that said he overheard the conversation.

Finally, once everyone had their chance to see Jericho, the time came to say goodbye.

Karfu, Cetla, and Corder put their shoulders to the casket and pushed it into the niche at the bottom of the funeral pyre. Standing inside of it, Inez had an even greater appreciation for just how massive the structure was. In those few moments before the fire was lit, Blake leaned over to Inez.

“Tell me, what do you plan to do after this? You and your family must be looking to start new lives like everyone else here.” He said.

“We are.” Inez replied. “Dad, Cass, and I just haven’t… you know… hashed out any details yet.”

“Well, Miss Espinosa.” Blake said. “My offer still stands. I think you should come to Berlin. I want you to have a place in my government.”

Inez gasped.

“You… you’re messing with me!” She hissed in a low voice. “No way! Are you serious?”

“Does it not seem that way?” Blake replied with a mischievous grin that mimicked Chihiro’s expression. “You and I think the same way. Jericho and so many others sacrificed everything to save this world from Akira and give it back to us. We need to cherish and protect both the Earth and the people who live here… regardless of their species. The problem is I am a very old man, Miss Espinosa, and I’ve seen what happens when old men like Etienne cling to power long after their day has ended. It is not my duty to preserve the old ways or to guard against the inexorable forces that will transfigure and transform the universe around us. My duty is to prepare the next generation for the day when they must take the reins. You, your sister, your brother, my grandchildren, the people you fought alongside today… you are the next generation. The ones who will carry on after my story is over.”

Blake reached into his coat pocket and produced a small lapel pin. It was emblem of the United Nations of Earth, set on a blue field. When he turned it over, Inez could see the word “DIPLOMAT” stamped on the backside.

“When I became Secretary-General,” Blake said. “I struck a deal with the Security Council. They were desperate for me to take the top job, and were willing to give me what I asked for. So… I asked for the power to appoint my own cabinet without General Assembly approval. They granted me that power for just one month. I have only a few scant weeks to build the government that I want with no interference. Inez Espinosa, when I look at you and your siblings, and I see the future of Humankind. Come to Berlin, help build that future.”

Inez reached out and then hesitated. She looked over at her family. Cassandra was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, silently mouthing the words “Say yes! Say yes!” Cradled safely in Cassandra’s arms, the baby Isaac was staring at Inez with his mouth hanging open. In the dim light, his eyes shone deep blue, the exact same color as Inez’ eyes. Emanuel put his hand on his hip and just smiled. Finally, she took the lapel pin and attached it to her blouse.

“Welcome aboard, Under-Secretary-General Espinosa.” Blake said.

“Nezzie, we’re going to start our new lives now?” Cassandra asked.

“Yes.” Inez replied with a little laugh. “We’re finally going to make our own future.”

Ninu stepped out of the crowd, holding one of the wooden torches used to illuminate the meeting place. He waited until everyone had backed away from the funeral pyre, then tossed the torch into a pile of kindling at the bottom. The two-story wooden tower quickly erupted into flames.

A column of red and orange fire rose up into the air, mesmerizing Cassandra and Isaac. In seconds, it towered high over the beach, burning so brightly that the stars above faded from view and Inez’ shadow was cast out into the ocean, extending hundreds of feet behind her. Inside the burning tower, the casket could no longer be seen. It was lost to the flames.

But then… something incredible happened.

Starting at the base of the tower, working its way slowly up, the flames began to change color. Orange became blue. Red became purple. Inez gasped as she watched an indigo inferno swirl around the funeral pyre. Many of the younger people were confused, they had never seen something like this before.

However, the seven veterans of the War in Heaven knew different. Blake, Chihiro, Tsubaki, Dyeunda, Kanti, Axiom, and Jane looked into the blue Soulfire and bowed their heads in respect, saying farewell to an old friend.

Inez put her arm around Cassandra. Over the noise of the blue fire, she could hear the growing noise the city of Port Canaveral. Thousands of people were chanting together, counting down from fifteen. As each second ticked away, the Soulfire grew brighter and taller, the blue flames reaching dozens of feet into the sky, swirling about like an ethereal tornado.

Untold numbers of people on the streets counted down from five, marking each second until the New Year. When the hour struck, a great roar rose up from both the city and the beach. There was cheering, whooping, and celebrating! Fireworks thundered across the sky in colors of blue and yellow.

Down below, at the moment of the new year, Jericho’s funeral pyre collapsed. The Soulfire was extinguished for the final time, and a cascade of blue sparks rose up from the beach. Inez, Cassandra, and Isaac looked up to watch them go. The siblings gazed into the heavenly blue constellation, shimmering and glittering.

Isaac felt full of wonder, and reached out to grab the stars in his tiny hand.

Cassandra felt very small, and put her arm around her older sister.

Inez felt the warmth of her siblings, the growing love and affection she felt for them, the deep loss and sorrow for everyone who could not be here tonight. She also felt... deep beneath it all… a newfound sense of hope for whatever the future would bring. And in that wondrous moment…

She found peace.

<=== Chapter 45: The Stormbreakers

Envoi ===>​

 

[Von Acturus]

That was one phenomenal finish to a phenomenal story, part of a phenomenal series!!

A climatic battle, the death of Akira, the final goodbye to Jericho, seeing the heroes pause and look to the future with hope and peace in their hearts... Beautiful!

I'm just left with a nagging doubt:

You weren't planning on killing Cassandra... Or were you? That would've been some next level cruelty!

Regardless, a spectacular chapter! Many congratulations for this and all other of the Stormbreakers stories, I have enjoyed reading them very much and I hope you are suitably proud on the vibrant and fascinating world you created!

 

[Macavity116]

<=== Chapter 46: Journey's End

Envoi

​

Now that the war was over, it was time for everyone to move on to the next part of their lives. In a sign of the times to come, all of the alien children were quickly returned to their families. Civilian ships overwhelmed the GDF flagship near Earth as word of the rescue got out. It took nearly two days of frantic work, including genetic testing, record reviews, background checks, and interviews, but eventually every child was matched to either a biological relative or an adoptive family. When it was done, the mothership commander ordered his crew to rest for a week.

With their last hope of victory destroyed, the few surviving Humans who supported Akira were driven out. Blake’s new administration swept to power with near-revolutionary fervor. The Human supremacist policies of Pascal Etienne were scrapped, along with the discriminatory Sol Invictus policy. On Blake’s order, the Internal Security Office was dismantled and replaced with a new incarnation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. New war crimes tribunals became the order of the day for Blake’s fledgling government.

About two months after the end of hostilities, the Hiigaran Empire, Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth, and United Nations of Earth signed a peace agreement that formally ended the war. The Robinson Administration agreed to pay reparations in exchange for a promise to withdraw GDF Forces from Human territory. Hiigara and Aoraki agreed to cooperate with each other, rebuild the Galaxy, and to slowly bring the UN back into the Galactic Community. Crucially, Secretary-General Robinson promised to return the Third Hyperspace Core… as soon as it was found.

To this date, the missing Core has not been located.

The relationship between Aoraki and Hiigara broke down less than a year after the war ended. The two nations could not agree on several key points, most crucially of all: the fate of Amadiio. There was no way to reverse the effects of the Divine Enforcer; the Amadii people were brainwashed and subservient to a now-dead master. The Hiigarans lobbied hard for the planet to become a part of their own empire, while the Partogans supported a proposal for a different plan. Eventually, the Galactic Council sided with Aoraki.

Millions of Micore Droids were dispatched to Amadiio, on a mission to rehabilitate the inhabitants. One year later, the robotic servitors are still there, deprogramming the Amadii people in a gentle and patient way. The Hiigarans, outraged, have reduced their diplomatic ties with the Partogans and are demanding Aoraki surrender its one remaining Hyperspace Core.

Amidst all of this, Blake Robinson fought to keep the UN stable. He reformed the General Assembly by empowering the colonies. Every planet with a Human settlement and space station bigger than a starbase was granted a seat on the General Assembly. The UN government underwent a massive expansion, and is enjoys a much stronger commitment to democracy than ever before.

Finally, Blake kept his promise to pay the Stormbreakers a massive bounty for their role in bringing down the Paradox. Varian, Corder, Ninu, Kingi, Cetla, and Maui each received a small fortune for their efforts.

After the New Year, the Rescuers of Cape Canaveral and their friends parted ways.

The Stormbreakers shared a group hug, one that included Inez and Cassandra amongst their number. Before the team broke up, Corder gave her mission patch to Cassandra and promised to visit. At least once a year, she keeps that promise.

Ninu returned to Kelta and reconnected with his family, discovering a clutch of eggs hatched in his absence. He simultaneously became an uncle and grandfather, all while receiving a hero’s welcome from his people. When a neighbor expressed doubts about such a little lizard standing up to fight the Paradox, Ninu introduced that person to his friend. Cetla immigrated to Kelta, happy to live among his fellow reptiles. He and Ninu stay in very close contact with one another.

Corder, like the other six Stormbreakers, received a massive paycheck from Blake Robinson for her services. She retired from bounty hunting and tried to settle down in the Levakian kingdom of Paku Nui, but she was always ready and willing to travel across the Galaxy if it meant reconnecting with old friends. To Corder, a half-lioness, the team was her Pride.

Maui returned to his family and split his new fortune with them. The Ririnui family relocated from the Outer Limb to the Galactic City on the Angel Moon. Once settled into their new homes, Maui paid for his younger siblings to attend one of the best schools in the Galaxy. While living on the Angel Moon, Maui regularly crosses paths with some of his old friends.

Kingi considered returning to Assuria, but once he saw how much money Blake was willing to give him, Kingi moved to Rotorua instead. He fell in love with the grand city of Hokianga and its multispecies culture. Kingi could have retired on that money and spent the rest of his days in comfort, but he found the retired life to be very boring. Kingi got into contact with old friends and is working with them now.

Victoria never used the name “Varian” again. Using her share of the reward money from her grandfather, Victoria travelled to the best Gene Therapy Clinic on Earth and completed her transition. Afterward, she had a vast fortune leftover and no idea what to do with herself. Victoria travelled to the Angel Moon, at first for a vacation to clear her head; but while she was in the Galactic City, she met the former Stormbreaker Kanti Divakar.

Kanti and Victoria formed a strong relationship and quickly became friends. That was how Victoria ended up in the Galactic Senate chamber to see Kanti’s rise to power. The Senate was forced to elect Kanti as the new Galactic Custodian after the officers of the GDF made it clear they would not accept anyone else as their leader. Kanti devoted her administration to post-war reconstruction and the prosecution of war criminals. The Vanian exile, now a Galactic leader, offered Victoria a job in the newly-created Galactic Police. Together, Victoria and Kanti are investigating the abduction of Eerabik and attempting to find out what the Baterra are plotting to do next. Kingi joined GALPOL shortly after it was founded and has become Victoria’s right-hand man.

Victoria feels as though she has finally found her calling, partially because she receives regular messages of support from her parents and grandparents.

Lawrence Ridge could not stay in America. His home country held many painful memories for him. Inez offered to let Lawrence move in with her, and he agreed. The two remain friends, and he regularly shows up to political events to support Inez. Nowadays, the two are very close.

Cera Roberts never left Florida. She joined the efforts to rebuild Orlando and help the victims of Akira’s final attack. She eventually joined a charity organization dedicated to the task and fell in love with one of the men who joined it. Cera married her sweetheart and the couple put down roots in the city. They are still in Orlando today.

Jay Lansing returned to Michigan. With help from his husband and son, Jay buried his father at Belle Isle on the Detroit River. Jay lives in Detroit and earns a living as a motivational speaker, travelling around the world to tell about his experience at Cape Canaveral.

Karfu and the surviving members of Grey Phoenix scoured the battlefield for months. They found and salvaged the remains of both the Kakama and the Niagara. Since Mutons consider spacecraft to be religious objects, Karfu guarded both vessels jealously and devoted herself to restoring both ships to working order. When Blake Robinson celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Rescue at Cape Canaveral, Karfu shocked the world by flying the Niagara directly over the parade. Karfu and Axiom are gathering a collection of starships, preparing for the day when all Mutons depart Earth and start their quest for a new Homeworld.

Ruunhan Somtaaw and Navin Soban staged a hasty exit from Earth. Without Hahli’s privateer contract, the crew of the Ashoka were back to being pirates. Everyone seemed to know Ruunhan was on the wrong side of the law, but there was an unspoken agreement among the Rescuers to give her a “fair head start.” Ashoka is still plaguing the Outer Limb Trade Routes to this day, but rumors abound, claiming the Galactic Police have a direct line of communication to Ruunhan herself.

Randall Murphy and George Farshtey stayed with Himawari Robinson as she mourned her husband. Together, they took Amako Patariki’s body to the planet Aoraki, where he was buried with other members of the once illustrious Patariki family. Himawari has not remarried, but she is getting her strength and drive back. Recently, she found a job in her old profession; and has been doing archeological digs in Arcadia Bay.

Christopher Wright was the first historian to publish a book about the Rescue at Cape Canaveral. His account of the event is considered definitive. Chris pushed back hard against the idea that Akira caused Jericho’s death, instead saying: “Jericho was not killed by anyone. She simply decided it was her time to go.” Chris lives in the New United States, where he is documenting the reconstruction of America.

Randall Murphy was devastated by the death of his daughter, as was Himawari. They found Sophie’s body and buried her a short distance from the Kennedy Space Center. Randall would have wandered aimlessly into history if not for the Robinson family. Randall found a network of people who cared for him and wanted to support him. Eventually, Randall was able to return to his profession of piloting starships. He now operates a luxury cruise liner, giving tours of the most beautiful stellar phenomena in the cosmos.

George Farshtey came out of hiding and tried to return to his old job at Yutaka Yamamoto University. When the school refused his application, George founded his own school. Located on a custom-built space station in the Polaris System, Hiawatha Academy is the first educational center to offer classes specifically for children born with the Gift. In fact, one of the very first students at Hiawatha Academy was Cassandra Espinosa.

Cassandra was flourishing. She finally got the new life she wanted and was living it to the fullest. She spent most of the year at Hiawatha, coming back to Berlin for the summer months and bringing a cadre of girlfriends with her. By pure good fortune, she also reconnected with three of the children she lived with at Bannack and Canaveral. Nakula, Ishwar, and Din were abductees, taken from Rotorua two years ago. Now they were Cassandra’s classmates and closest friends, to the point Inez accused them of being her sister’s “partners-in-crime.”

Emanuel, like Cassandra, embraced his new life. Thanks to his daughter’s new job, he was able to become a stay-at-home dad for Cassandra and Isaac. Emanuel eventually got a cybernetic arm to replace the one he lost, and he needed it! Isaac and Cassandra were both Gifted, and it was clear they would grow up to become forces of nature.

And finally, there was Inez herself. She had come a very long way since that cold morning in Detroit when all of this began…

…

Just over a year after the Rescue at Cape Canaveral, snow was falling on Detroit.

Opal Anward stepped out of the Binary Fusion building and shivered. She was waiting for her father to pick her up from work, just like always. Opal walked to the park next door and paced around in the snow, trying to keep warm. She shivered again, trying not to think about how her house was going to be just as cold, if not colder than it was out here. The repairs were still not complete, as the Reclamation Agency had done serious damage to the place while attempting to capture Inez.

A movement caught Opal’s eye. A motorcade of black cars came to a stop on the far side of the park. A man dressed in a black business suit stepped out of the lead car and started walking directly toward Opal. She panicked, fearing a rich client had ordered her kidnapping. The man said:

“Pardon me for interrupting you, ma’am. Are you Opal Anward?”

“Uh… yes.” Opal squeaked.

“Please come with me.” He said. “The Under-Secretary-General would like a word with you."

Opal was guided into the middle car, a stretched limousine. When she sat down, she spotted a powerful-looking woman dressed in a business suit. It took a full ten seconds for Opal to recognize her old friend.

…

Inez Espinosa is currently employed as a member of Secretary-General Robinson’s cabinet. Her full job title is: “Under-Secretary-General for Reclamation.” She is responsible for running the Reclamation Agency, a peacekeeping organization. Reclamation Agents are scattered all over UN territory, supporting communities, aiding reconstruction, and running counterterrorism operations.

On her orders, Reclamation set about dismantling everything Akira tried to create. Inez investigated the Human Supremacist movement and orchestrated several daring raids. Ringleaders were arrested and tried. Criminal conspiracies were unraveled, and Inez quickly made new allies in the Reconciliation Commission. Only recently, Blake Robinson met Inez in her office and offered her the post of Deputy Secretary-General. She has not given an answer yet. She is happy where she is right now, and does not want to climb higher in the ranks. Inez worried she could become as bad as her mother, if not worse, were she given more power.

Inez stays in touch with many of her old friends. She frequently offers to help Kanti, Victoria, and Kingi with GALPOL investigations. Inez visits Cassandra at Hiawatha once a month and sometimes goes to see her old friend Opal in Detroit. Inez was outraged to hear that the repairs to the Anward home took so long and used her clout to speed things along.

Sometimes, on those rare slow days, Inez will open up the instrument case in the back of her office and strum away at her guitar. If the weather is good, Inez will find a bench in the Tiergarten and entertain people outside of the Reichstag. She has a good reputation with the people of Berlin, be they Human, alien, or Hybrid.

…

On the one-year anniversary of the Rescue at Cape Canaveral, Inez, Cassandra, Isaac, and Emanuel traveled to Jericho’s memorial to pay their respects.

However, that memorial was not located in Florida…

For the first few days of the new era, no one attempted to extinguish Jericho’s funeral pyre. A few of the locals said it would be disrespectful. Instead, a few firefighters stood by to watch the fire slowly burn down to embers. However, the fire strangely refused to die out. For six days, a single yellow flame continued to flicker brightly in the coals. It was rained on a few days after the New Year, yet the funeral pyre continued to burn.

The locals thought it was a miracle.

Floridians started trying to keep the fire alive for as long as possible. People brought timber and paper, feeding the Eternal Flame. Someone built a shelter to protect it from storms. The story of the Eternal Flame spread, first across the planet and then through the Galaxy. Pilgrims flocked to Port Canaveral, sparking rumors that the Cult of Jericho would be revived.

Before long, it was decided to do something about it. Inez, Karfu, Axiom, and the Robinson family made and carried out a plan:

Axiom and Karfu dispatched a group of Mutons to Port Canaveral. Under protection from the Reclamation Agency, they recovered the Eternal Flame and transported it the Hawaiian Island of Kauai.

The Eternal Flame was placed at the Second Hyperspace War memorial on Kauai. The memorial is an identical copy of the mausoleum in which Jericho was born. Over one hundred veterans of the Second Hyperspace War are entombed within its walls, including several Stormbreakers.

Jericho’s memorial is right beside her mother’s grave.

The Eternal Flame is still there.

…

The Espinosa family stood in front of the flame and held a respectful pause. Inez kept a close eye on Isaac, smiling a little. The toddler waddled around the scene, babbling nonsense words at his sisters with a wide smile. Cassandra twisted her hair with one hand and held onto Inez with the other. Emanuel stood off to one side, looking at his three children, full of pride.

Inez took a deep breath, ready to lead her family out of here and back into the light.

“Is everyone ready?” Inez said. “Time to go.”





THE END.

<=== Chapter 46: Journey's End

 

[Von Acturus]

Beautiful epilogue. It's nice to see everyone happy and at peace with themselves and the world for a change. Inez seems to be doing a good job with power, not forgetting her friends and roots but also not letting her mother's legacy of abuse of power and fear control her.

The Stormbreakers are happy and settled (as much as any of them is capable of settling down), galactic politics is heading towards a more peaceful future, rocky though the road to lasting peace may be, and Akira's murderous ideology seems destined to be consigned to the dustbin of history.

But...

What about the Baterra? Is Eerabik prisioner or like Palpatine has she faked a kidnapping to further her mysterious plans? Is a Contingency coming or do the Baterra have other plans?

The Stormbreaker saga may be finished (and what a saga it was!) but the story lives on! Thank you for this series of wonderful works!

 

[Macavity116]

That was one phenomenal finish to a phenomenal story, part of a phenomenal series!!

Thanks so much, and thank you for reading!

I'm just left with a nagging doubt:

You weren't planning on killing Cassandra... Or were you? That would've been some next level cruelty!

Oh, it was worse. In the original draft: Cassandra inflicted mortal wounds on her sister. Inez would have outlived her mother by only a few minutes and then die of the wounds she received in Chapter 45. Cassandra was going to have to live with the knowledge that she killed her own sister. Hiawatha Academy would have been a self-imposed exile for Cassandra instead of the heartwarming ending it is now.

That is the cruelty I decided to remove.

But...

What about the Baterra? Is Eerabik prisioner or like Palpatine has she faked a kidnapping to further her mysterious plans? Is a Contingency coming or do the Baterra have other plans?

Poor, poor Eerabik. Not only was she abducted by the Baterra, the Contingency-controlled machines managed to get control of the Beast Virus sample she had on her person. The Contingency will someday strike the Galaxy, but it will take a slightly different form compared to what we're used to in Stellaris.

Of course, none of our characters will live to see the 2400's. (the default start year for Stellaris End-Game Crisis) They should be safe unless someone did something stupid enough to trigger the Contingency early...

... I wonder... weren't there a few moments in earlier chapters that suggest the Ghost Signal is already active?

The Stormbreaker saga may be finished (and what a saga it was!) but the story lives on! Thank you for this series of wonderful works!

It never ends, the story always goes on, even if we don't get to see it. Thanks for reading, and I'm so happy to know you enjoyed.

Don't forget to check back on New Year's Eve for the End Credits and Fanart Showcase video!

 

[HistoryDude]

Well, there is now peace.

Cassandra managed to break free from Akira's mind control, and it looks like there will be a more peaceful galaxy.

I think that I understand Akira's philosophy now. Still, that was a result of mind control, and that means that she died under the effects of mind control. Will that carry over into whatever afterlife exists?

It is finished. I loved this series, and Akira was honestly the best part. Farewell, Paradox - may you Rest In Peace.

It's nice that everyone of our protagonists who survived got a happy ending.

I suspect that Hiigara and Aoraki's conflict could form a new tale, as could the reconstruction of Earth. Still, this tale is over - it is finished. I'll miss this series of AARs a lot.

 

[Macavity116]

I think that I understand Akira's philosophy now. Still, that was a result of mind control, and that means that she died under the effects of mind control. Will that carry over into whatever afterlife exists?

That's a scary thought. Made even scarier by the Robinson family's spiritual beliefs: Blake may be atheist, but he was comfortable letting Chihiro pass along her Shinto beliefs to her children. Shinto does not place a lot of emphasis on afterlife, but it is said that spirits separate from the body on death. According to Chihiro, Akira's afterlife will look like one of two options:

• Akira becomes part of the family Kami (ancestral spirit) offering spiritual assistance to her descendants, or
• Akira becomes an Obake (a type of Yokai) and visits the physical world by shapeshifting into an animal.

I'm not sure if Akira would take her damaged mindset into the afterlife. It would probably make her even more tragic if she does.

It is finished. I loved this series, and Akira was honestly the best part. Farewell, Paradox - may you Rest In Peace.

It's nice that everyone of our protagonists who survived got a happy ending.

I suspect that Hiigara and Aoraki's conflict could form a new tale, as could the reconstruction of Earth. Still, this tale is over - it is finished. I'll miss this series of AARs a lot.

Thank you as well. You breathed a whole new kind of life into this series all the way back in Faith in Chaos. It has been the greatest privilege and pleasure having you along for the ride.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Thank you for this momentous journey. With the eternal quest for power, someone (human or another species) will start another galactic war to further their dream whatever it is. Will someone go back into time to cause ripples that turn into tsunamis and restore Akira? Thank you again for sharing your vision with us. What is the next project?

 

[Macavity116]

Thank you for this momentous journey. With the eternal quest for power, someone (human or another species) will start another galactic war to further their dream whatever it is.

Thanks so much for reading. Even though the story is over, the universe continues on.

Will someone go back into time to cause ripples that turn into tsunamis and restore Akira?

Thankfully, backwards time travel is not possible in this Universe, but the Emerald Institute is still around. The old Time Core could be reverse-engineered. Who knows?

Thank you again for sharing your vision with us. What is the next project?

Well the last, final, and ultimate word in the Stormbreaker Universe will be posted tonight at 9pm. The End Credits and Fanart Showcase video will go live then, and will be linked here in a corresponding post.



As for a next project? No idea. I've batted around over a dozen ideas for future Stellaris stories but they're all just that, ideas:

• Put a Ring On It
  • Two of the greatest architects must compete against one another for the right to design a stylish ringworld for a self-indulgent Galactic dictator.
• The Restaurant at the End of Everything
  • An industrious businessperson attempts to open a tourist attraction near a black hole, only to find out that he will have to face stiff competition.
• It Followed Me Home
  • A xenophobic alien, commander of a science vessel, tries to figure out what to do with a giant Space Amoeba that has mistaken his ship for its mother.
• It Belongs in a Museum!
  • A local artifact hunter finds himself on the wrong end of GALPOL after he is accused of stealing a priceless relic. On the run, he must prove his innocence.
• Grand Theft Stellaris
  • When The Empire collapses, a group of military operatives is tasked with a dangerous mission: stealing the former imperial flagship and transporting it to a Starbase controlled by the newly founded successor state.
• Who Says You Can’t Go Home?
  • A group of Soldiers, light-years from home, are informed that the empire they serve has collapsed and no longer exists.
• A Coldwar Affair
  • Two spies, each loyal to a different alien empire, must hide their secret romance from their superiors.
• Raiders of the Lost Galatron
  • Seeking the payoff of a lifetime, a team of professional criminals attempts to steal the Galatron out from under the Galactic Emperor’s nose.
• The Scyldari Job
  • Law enforcement agents from GALPOL attempt to track down a group of thieves who robbed the Mega-Art Installation.
• Against All Others
  • The Galactic Custodian attempts to step down from power, only to discover no member of the Galactic Community will allow them to do so.
• A Good Fixer-Upper
  • Due to a horrific miscommunication and a miscalculation of value, a small child sells his Homeworld to aliens for 50 tree leaves. Now these hapless overlords must figure out what to do next.
• A Dignified End
  • Follow the general of an assault army on the final day of an interstellar war. When he receives the order to withdraw his forces from the enemy planet, the General promises he will be the last of his empire’s troops to leave the battlefield.
• Children of Gaia
  • A group of alien schoolchildren are travelling through space on a field trip when something goes horribly wrong. Shipwrecked on a newly terraformed Gaia World, the kids must survive on a strange new world without adults.
• The Prodigal Brother Returns
  • A man tries to get in touch with his twin brother, who works as the Prime Minister of an interstellar empire. Along the way, he discovers a plot by a neighboring species to kidnap his sibling.
• Travel Journal of the Interstellar Honeymooners
  • A newlywed couple decides to spend their honeymoon traveling the Galaxy, visiting as many cosmic wonders as they can.
• Challenge of the Master Builders
  • Two empires compete against other to build the biggest Megastructure.
• Planetfall
  • A spacefaring species settles a new Homeworld many years after losing their original one.

 

[Von Acturus]

Those are awesome ideas! Some are more Stormbreaker-like and others seem like prime material for some Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fun! I'd love to read these.

 

[Macavity116]

Happy New Year everyone! Here is my final gift to you: the End Credits and Fanart Showcase video half an hour early!

One last time, let me say: THANK YOU FOR READING! The past five years have been the best, and I would totally do it again.

 

[Arithmetician]

Congratulations!

And while Eerabik may have disappeared for now... I’m sure that, “Somehow... Eerabik will return."

And those are some very amusing story ideas!

 

[Macavity116]

Congratulations!

And while Eerabik may have disappeared for now... I’m sure that, “Somehow... Eerabik will return."

And those are some very amusing story ideas!

"Somehow, Senator Eerabik returned." If I ever pull that story out of the oven, it'll be one heckuva feast.

Some of those story ideas are pretty out there. But you know what? Some of the story ideas that actually made it into Stellaris were pretty out there too. Nothing is ruled out.

 

[HistoryDude]

And so it ends for the last time.

I'll need to watch the video later - I'm catching up on posts from my hiatus now.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Please let us know when the next project begins.

 

[Macavity116]

Please let us know when the next project begins.

A Coldwar Affair

 

[Macavity116]

Thank you everyone for voting The Last Heroes for AAR of the Year!

As I always said, I never had any expectations for these stories, I was just out to have fun while telling a story. Your votes and support are the best sendoff this story could have gotten, so I cannot thank you enough!

 

[filcat]

Right. Further house-cleaning.
Have to tie the loose-ends that are left behind. The farewells.

---

“Is everyone ready?” Inez said. “Time to go.”

THE END​

In our headlights, staring, bleak
Beyond systems, moon’s ice
Hyperspace, overspeed
Our crushed plans and my cries

Lonely stars invite
Pulsars’ light, they keep on flashing
Flashing by

And we keep cruising into the night
It's a late goodbye
Such a late goodbye
And we keep cruising into the night
It's a late goodbye


These tales, hot upon the pages
And we crossed that line
Space becomes lonely when the stories finish
And we crossed that one time

Screaming map signs, staring wild novas
Keep on flashing
Flashing by

And we keep cruising into the night
It's a late goodbye
Such a late goodbye
And we keep cruising into the night
It's a late goodbye


The end grins from ear to ear when it sees the words have left us
Points at the flaming sky and then we're playin' hide and seek
I can't breathe easy here 'less our trail's gone cold behind us
'Til then the new tales emerge we stare at horizon grown old and weak


And we keep cruising into the night
It's a late goodbye
Such a late goodbye
And we keep cruising into the night
It's a late goodbye

Spoiler: Kudos macavity116

[*]​

---

[*] It took forever to decide upon the piece for the end, since this song was planned to be used on one of own AARs, but the promise was made, more than three months ago, therefore the own-selfishness had to be overcome;
so, here it is, for The Last Heroes, and the end of the Stormbreakers saga:

Appropriated from Late Goodbye of the album Signs of Life by Poets of the Fall (2004).
Also used as the ending song in May Payne 2: The Fall of May Payne (2003).