The Last Heroes

[Macavity116]

This is both hilarious and terribly sad.

UN Politics summarized in seven words.

---

The 2006 Selection of the UN Secretary-General
​

The two terms of Secretary-General Kofi Annan were characterized heavily by the world’s slow and agonizing descent into World War Three.

Soon after taking office, Annan embarked on an agenda of reform, seeking to bring the United Nations into the new millennium. Annan established the office of the Deputy Secretary-General. (the inaugural holder was Canadian diplomat Louise Fréchette) He also reformed the Secretariat, reducing operating costs and consolidating UN operations on the country level. He addressed the World Economic Forum in 1999, calling for a closer relationship between the UN and the world's business leaders.

During this forum, Thomas Hutch (who we will meet in an upcoming History Lesson) met Secretary-General Annan and discussed a relationship between himself and the UN. Hutch was one of the most prominent weapons manufacturers on Earth, and at some point after this meeting, Thomas Hutch became the primary weapon supplier to the Council of Nations and XCOM.

Following the September 11 Terrorist Attacks against the cities of New York and Washington, the United States launched an invasion of Afghanistan, the country suspected of harboring the al-Qaeda terrorist group responsible for the atrocity. At the time, Afghanistan was attempting to fend off a multi-decade long occupation by the Soviet Red Army, meaning that soldiers of the two global superpowers came into dangerously close contact for a protracted period of time.

Secretary-General Annan spent most of his tenure trying to defuse the growing tensions between the US and USSR. The situation was made even worse after the 2003 Battle of Kandahar, in which the Soviet Red Army inflicted a catastrophic defeat on the US Military. Relations between the superpowers grew incredibly hostile, even as the USSR continued its protracted decline, sliding towards a collapse that many now saw as inevitable. Meanwhile, a border dispute between Japan and the Soviet Union threatened to flare up into a far more serious situation as the USSR attempted to assert greater control and influence over the Sea of Japan, in an effort to gain access to the Pacific Ocean.

Despite being re-elected unanimously in 2001, Secretary-General Annan proved unable to calm the rapidly escalating situation as the United States and Japan took a hardline stance towards the Soviet Union’s aggressive posturing in the east.

Meanwhile, Annan drew special attention to what he considered to be a sharp decline in the credibility of the UN Human Rights Council. He ordered investigations and issued reports into the many failures of UN Peacekeeping operations around the world in the early 1990's. Annan also oversaw an investigation into reports of sexual abuse and assault carried out by Peacekeepers. These internal investigations would culminate in the "Oil-for-Food Scandal." Annan's son, Kojo, was accused of receiving secret payments from a Swiss company that received a lucrative contract under the American "Oil for Food" program. The allegations were eventually withdrawn, but Annan's public credibility took a hit nonetheless.

In 2002, the Korean Reunification War began. Historical records of this conflict are sparse due to a concentrated effort by the ADVENT Coalition to destroy them. Over a period of roughly three years, the Authoritarian government of North Korea violently collapsed, leaving a power vacuum on the Korean Peninsula. A combined force of soldiers from the United States and South Korea attempted to force the two halves of the Peninsula to re-integrate with one another, leaving the newly created United Korea with a tenuous and heavily disputed northern border. China and the Soviet Union were both outraged by this turn of events and began massing military assets in Manchuria and the Sea of Japan.

Secretary-General Annan proactively attempted to place UN Peacekeepers on the newly created China-Korea border, in the hopes of setting up a "Neutral Zone" that would defuse conflicts between the two sides. United Korea was open to the idea, but China flatly refused and announced its intentions to boycott the United Nations, withdrawing all of its delegates from the body. Irisha Kimoto, the President of the Soviet Union, showed solidarity with China by withdrawing Soviet delegates from the Security Council. Both China and the USSR demanded the UN force United Korea to withdraw its troops from the now-occupied North Korea.

Secretary-General Annan’s second term expired at the end of 2006, and the selection process started about six months beforehand, in June. During his retirement speech in Missouri, Annan issued a stark warning, saying that the issues which plagued the UN had been "sharpened" during his two terms as Secretary-General.

Because of the overthrow of Boutros-Ghali, Africa had controlled the Secretary-Generalship for three terms. The Non-Aligned Movement insisted the next leader of the UN came from Asia. To that end, six Asian candidates were nominated for the post: most notably including Afghan leader Ashraf Ghani and Korean diplomat Ban Ki-Moon.

Because China and the Soviet Union were both boycotting the Security Council things went unusually smoothly. From June until October, the Security Council held five straw polls to gauge the level of support each candidate had. To the surprise of all, Ban Ki-Moon won the first straw poll… and the second… and the third… and the fourth… and the fifth.

Ban’s support was not unfounded. Born and raised in Japanese-occupied Korea, Ban was forced to flee into the mountains at age 6 when the Korean War broke out. He studied Public Administration at the John F Kennedy School of Government and graduated from Seoul National University at the top of his class. He found work in the Korean diplomatic service. As a member of the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he worked his way up the ranks before the Korean President Park Chung-Hee was assassinated in 1979.

In the late 1990's and early 2000's Ban was heavily involved in the Six-Party Talks, a series of diplomatic meetings between North Korea and South Korea, who were in a state of prolonged cease-fire following the 1950 Korean War. The talks collapsed shortly before hostilities commenced in 2002. The Reunification War was the highest point of Ban's political career, he assumed responsibility for the reunification of families separated from one another during the 1950 war.

With universal support from the Security Council, the three remaining Permanent Members, and the absence of the only nations who could veto him, Ban Ki-moon was elected the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations on October 2, 2006.

World War Three commenced exactly two months later.

 

[Macavity116]

The 2015 Selection of the ADVENT Regional Administrator​

Ban Ki-Moon was sworn into his new job as UN Secretary-General on January 1st 2007, just four weeks after the outbreak of the Third World War. As he settled into his new office in New York City, Soviet paratroopers were consolidating their hold over Sapporo and plotting their takeover of Hokkaido Island. Japanese warships locked down the straits of Tsushima and the Shinkansen Tunnel, while a steady flow of foreign volunteers began flooding into Tokyo.

World War Three completely dominated Ban’s tenure as Secretary-General. China was refusing to participate and the Soviet Union was rapidly crumbling from within, leaving only allies of Japan on the Security Council. There were no roadblocks or obstructions to the US-Japanese alliance.

For the first time since the Korean War, the UN stood united in the face of military conflict. Under the leadership of the United States, the Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the use of force against the Soviet Union, with the specific goal of forcing their withdrawal from the Japanese Islands. However, several former members of the now-defunct Warsaw Pact took things too far...

Shortly after the Soviet Invasion of Japan started, the world came to know just how deeply unpopular the war was inside of the USSR. Mass demonstrations and civil disobedience quickly gave way to armed revolts and regional rebellions. Several of the outlying Socialist Republics attempted to break free of Moscow’s orbit, taking advantage of the fact that most Soviet forces were busy in Japan.

Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, and Georgia openly rebelled, declaring their independence from Moscow and seeking to join the United Nations as fully sovereign states. Secretary-General Ban threw his full support behind these emerging nations, as well as the western powers who were sending aid to Japan itself.

By the time the war entered its second year, nearly the entire world was at war against the Soviet Union, including several member-states of the USSR itself. Polish, Romanian, Finnish, Turkish, and Iranian troops had crossed the border into the rebellious regions of the USSR and were actively helping the rebels. Meanwhile, Americans, French, British, and Australian soldiers were now on the ground in Japan, inflicting serious casualties and losses on the invaders.

Under Ban’s direction, UN Peacekeepers flooded into Eastern Europe, helping the newly liberated Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania secure their own borders. Peacekeepers also worked to secure Humanitarian corridors on the Japanese front, facilitating the evacuation of cities like Akita, Niigata, and Sendai.

On March 8th 2010, Secretary-General Ban’s worst nightmare came to pass. When a mixed force of European armies closed in on the strategic Ukranian city of Sevastopol, the Soviet Union responded by attacking the formation with two tactical nuclear weapons. France responded with two weapons of their own. In a matter of seconds, more than a million people were dead and radioactive fallout was billowing across the Sea of Azov, deep into Soviet territory.

Secretary-General Ban and United States President J.D. Robinson frantically worked together to de-escalate the situation, as Soviet President Kimoto wanted to launch a massive retaliation against the French. She nearly did so, but ultimately stood down after marathon talks with Ban via satellite phone.

In a move that angered much of the world, Secretary-General Ban was able to convince the Soviet President to stand down by promising to advocate for the withdrawal of European soldiers from the Soviet Union’s western frontier. This involved abandoning all of the territory seized in Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

Without consulting with the Security Council, Ban ordered the removal of all UN Peacekeepers from occupied Soviet territory, pressuring the nations of Europe to do the same and setting a precedent for the Sec-Gen to give direct orders to Peacekeepers without going through the Security Council first.

After this brush with annihilation, the Soviet position became untenable. Japanese defenders were getting the upper hand while Irisha Kimoto gradually lost control of her own country. By 2011, Moscow’s authority struggled to go beyond the borders of the Russian Federative SSR, with formerly secure places like Kazakhstan and Belarus starting to break away.

By now, things were coming to a head in such a way that Secretary-General Ban seemed to ignore the fact that his term of office was ending. Aside from a brief announcement that he would seek a second term, Ban ignored the ongoing selection process, turning his attention to the now-visibly collapsing Soviet Union.

The Security Council shared Ban’s concerns, and re-elected him in June of 2011, over half a year before his term was actually set to expire. At the beginning of his second term, Ban became the first Sec-Gen to create a Cabinet, similar to the advisory bodies used the leaders of countries like the United States.

There was a brief moment of controversy at the beginning of Ban’s second term as well. During a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, Ban delivered a speech entitled The Time Has Come, in which he urged the council to defend homosexual people and protect LGBT rights around the world. He verbally attacked 76 nations who maintained laws that criminalized homosexuality, and told the United Nations that such bigotry would not be tolerated. Several delegations from the Arab nations, Africa, and Eastern Europe protested by walking out of the Human Rights Council.

The controversy was drowned out by events on the battlefield. Soldiers loyal to an organization called the “Russian Federation” started marching toward Moscow and doing battle with the Soviet Red Army. They fought under the command of a former KGB agent named Vladimir Putin, and this internal struggle was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The Soviet war effort in Japan began to fall apart. Logistics networks broke down, leaving the invaders without food, ammunition, and spare parts for their vehicles. A desperate last-ditch offensive set the stage for the Siege of Hiroshima.

While the Siege began, the United States held a Presidential election in which J.D. Robinson did not run for a third term. During the final days of his administration, Robinson used nuclear weapons to destroy the Russian Pacific Fleet, prompting a final escalation.

Secretary-General Ban reprimanded the United States alongside the rest of the UN, but it was too late. The last vestiges of the Soviet Army threw itself upon Hiroshima and shattered itself. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin and his troops entered Moscow and brought an end to the Soviet Union on December 21th 2012.

From 2013 until 2015, Secretary-General Ban devoted himself to a grand reconstruction effort. UN aid missions were dispatched to Japan and the former members of the Soviet Union, including the newly established Russian Federation. China returned to the UN after realizing that it ran the risk of being left behind by the post-Soviet world order. The Russian Federation took over the Soviet Union’s seat on the Security Council in 2014, and replaced the Soviet Union in the Council of Nations a few weeks later.

Ban’s reconstruction efforts were brought to an abrupt end on March 1st 2015, when a gun battle erupted in an abandoned warehouse in Berlin, Germany. Three soldiers were killed:

• Aaron Ray, American
• Vanya Malakhov, Russian
• Sakura Ito, Japanese

All three of these soldiers were wearing the same uniform and had been killed by weapons nobody had ever seen before. Secretary-General Ban ordered an international investigation into the incident, one that was doomed to be unfinished eternally.

The Invasion of Earth kicked off that night. Under the authorization of the Council of Nations, XCOM activated and deployed to fight this, the second attempt to conquer Earth by an extraterrestrial foe. Unlike the Zudjari Invasion fifty years prior, it was not possible to cover up this invasion. It was carried out on a much larger scale and executed with cruel competency.

Major combat operations started in April.

XCOM was overwhelmed and defeated in May.

The United Nations collapsed in June.

One by one, the various nations on Earth started to surrender to the invaders. In the final days of resistance, Secretary-General Ban tried to coordinate the creation of a true UN Army, but the invaders had already wiped out the majority of all armed forces on Earth by this point.

In late June, XCOM was removed from play entirely as their underground base in Manhattan, Kansas was overrun and seized by the invaders.

For the next three months, Ban Ki-Moon and the surviving leaders of the UN entered into peace talks with the invaders, who spoke through a pair of American collaborators named William Thorne and Thomas Hutch.

Both men were wealthy businessmen in the United States and made their fortunes selling arms to the belligerents of World War Three. Hutch and Thorne joined the invaders after being promised positions of power in the post-invasion world.

Ban Ki-Moon and Thomas Hutch signed the Great Accord on September 1st 2015, a document that formally dissolved the United Nations and created the ADVENT Coalition. Thomas Hutch became the Regional Administrator, subordinate to the Elders. William Thorne was appointed President of the United States by Hutch.

Thomas Hutch was born in Ohio and used his family fortune to purchase a bankrupt gun manufacturer. He spent twenty years establishing Hutch Enterprises, selling small arms and light weapons to African and Asian militaries before graduating to armored vehicles and ballistic missiles in the late 1990’s.

By 2005, Hutch Enterprises rivalled Pactical Industries as the largest maker and seller of lethal weapons on the planet. Thomas Hutch dipped his toes into US politics during the Administration of J.D. Robinson. Hutch attempted to bribe Vice President MacDonald in return for the Vice President’s powerful tiebreaking vote. However, Hutch’s attempt at bribery was discovered by future Stormbreaker Blake Robinson. (aged 12 at the time)

Vice President MacDonald was impeached and later removed from office, but Hutch was able to use his connections in the US media industry to escape scrutiny. A few years later, the Third World War caused Hutch to become the wealthiest man on Earth, with a personal fortune that would be valued at approximately §450 Billion in 2086 credits.

By an odd coincidence, Thomas Hutch assumed office as the ADVENT Regional Administrator on September 11th 2015, the same day the Second Hyperspace War began, possibly coming within hours of the equally historic Birth of Jericho.

 

[Macavity116]

Since I'm not familiar with XCOM games, I have some questions about the Elders. Do they have an Interstellar empire, or was the invasion of earth a one time thing? Do they participate in the Second Hyperspace War? Why did they choose earth of all places to invade?

Since the Elders are members of the Ethereal species, I'll speak for all of them here: No. The Ethereals are not masters of an interstellar empire. They are cosmic refugees.

In all of the modern XCOM games, it is repeatedly said that the Ethereals were driven out of a distant Galaxy by an unknown enemy and are on the brink of extinction. To preserve themselves, at least one nascent Ethereal was "seeded" on every planet that developed sentient life. In both XCOM Enemy Within and XCOM2 the Ethereals constantly remind the player that something far worse than themselves is out there. Cryptic warnings can be heard in all of the modern XCOM games, and I included most of them in Chapter 24 of The Stormbreakers.

These dialogue excerpts come from XCOM2:

“Your form is but a shadow of our truth. We seek to defy that which would consume us all. Your efforts deny the sacrifice of those who came before! You leave us no choice.”

“Our power does not waver. You will find our forces here loyal. They require no coercion, for they know failure here means the end for all.”

“You view us as the conquerors of your world, but that was never our intent! Each species you’ve encountered, the ‘aliens’ you have fought and slaughtered. None were given a choice. Our home was the oldest of worlds, and the first to be consumed. Billions were lost, if only that were the end.”

And these dialogue excerpts were taken from XCOM: Enemy Unknown:

“THIS IS NOT YOUR PATH! NOT YOUR PURPOSE! YOU NEED OUR GUIDANCE TO HONE THIS POWER! WITHOUT US… WHAT ARE YOU!?”

“Behold the greatest failure of the Ethereal Ones. We who failed to ascend as they thought we would. We who were cast out. We who were doomed to feed on the Gift of lesser beings as we sought to uplift them… to prepare them… for what lies ahead.”

In the XCOM games, it is never stated who or what the Ethereals are fleeing from, but I filled in the gaps in the Stormbreaker story. In my universe, it is heavily implied the Ethereals are fleeing from one of the oldest factions in the Homeworld games. Specifically, they're fleeing from the Beast, which entered our Galaxy long after the Ethereals got here.

Humanity was targeted for conquest because their Psionic potential was far greater than other species previously subjugated by the Ethereals. Their end goal was to recover their own strength and put up an actual fight against the Beast, and they would have achieved this through the AVATAR Project: using Humanity as an expendable base to construct a Human-Ethereal Hybrid species. Due to the Battle for Earth, only two such Hybrids ever lived for a meaningful length of time: Jericho and Mira Mihaka. (using a stolen Avatar body)

The Ethereals usually targeted pre-FTL civilizations with high levels of Psionic energy for conquest, hopping from one planet to the next aboard their massive Temple Ship, and never formally joined the Galactic Community. (both were generally aware of each other, though) The Ethereals spent millennia slowly rebuilding their forces and trying to find new host bodies as their old ones withered away. (This is why the Elders almost never appear in The Stormbreakers) By the time 2015 rolled around, the Ethereals had over a dozen species under their sway and used intense genetic modification to keep them subjugated, to the point where a few of these races had completely forgotten their origins. The Vipers in particular suffered. Despite there being millions of Vipers on Earth, their species is functionally extinct because there are no males left and no Homeworld to return to. (XCOM killed the last male in battle during the war)

The Elders of the ADVENT Coalition tried (and failed) to execute a plan that would see them standing alone against the Beast, never once attempting to collaborate with the wider Galactic Community. Ultimately, this made it easier for the Triple Alliance to intervene on behalf of Humanity in The Stormbreakers.

---

The 2036 Selection of the UNE Secretary-General​

The United Nations was dismantled following the Invasion and Conquest of Earth in the summer of 2015. The new collaborationist regime, known as the ADVENT Coalition, co-opted many UN offices and facilities, taking over as the new tenants.

To create a sense of legitimacy with their new government, the ADVENT collaborators appointed Thomas Hutch to be the “Regional Administrator” of the ADVENT Government. Functionally, he was ADVENT’s public-facing head-of-state, a Human face to make the Elder’s new regime more palatable. Hutch occupied the former headquarters of the United Nations in New York City, but he moved to the newly constructed ADVENT Administration Building in 2016. The old UN HQ, along with the entirety of New York City, was systematically bulldozed and then rebuilt into the first Megacity over the course of 2016.

In February of 2017, a group of Resistance fighters ambushed and assassinated US President William Thorne while he was giving a speech in Washington. In response, ADVENT abolished all of the prewar Human governments, including the United States, and then completely depopulated the city of Washington. To this day, in 2086, the former US capitol remains abandoned.

While the Old World governments were now defunct, Hutch became aware of the fact that Human Resistance groups all over the world were attempting to restore them, and that certain Humans were claiming to be the rightful holders of Old World leadership titles, such as President of the United States, Secretary-General of NATO, and Premier of China.

In response to this development, Administrator Hutch began to style himself as not only the UN Secretary-General, but also the President of the European Council, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, President of both the United States and Russian Federation, Director-General of the African Union, and even the Emperor of Japan. Whenever Hutch needed to exert ADVENT authority over a certain part of the world, he usurped the necessary title for himself.

Despite claiming all of these titles and using them for himself, Hutch possessed no true political power of his own. The ADVENT Government was, at the end of the day, just a rubber-stamp for the Elder’s control over the planet. Under Hutch’s “leadership” the ADVENT Coalition disseminated its government across three political centers to create the impression that Humanity still had some degree of self-rule:

The Executive capitol of ADVENT remained in Washington, where Hutch ran his faux government. (Yes, he ran his government from an empty city)

The Legislative capitol became Beijing, where the hallowed halls of the old People’s Congress were co-opted by the ADVENT Parliament.

The Judicial capitol was moved to Berlin, where ADVENT tribunals passed down the Elder’s brand of “justice.”

On behalf of the Elders, Hutch advanced ADVENT’s agenda. Nearly the entire Human populace was forced to move out of the rural areas and take up residence in the newly constructed Megacities. These densely populated urban centers were often constructed on the sites of Old World cities. Very few cities were intentionally destroyed during the 2015 Invasion, instead they were meticulously de-constructed after hostilities ended.

Once people were moved into Megacities, Hutch used ADVENT’s control of the supply chain to force all of Humanity to eat according to the same diet. All people were made to eat “CORE” at least once a day. CORE is an ivory-colored paste that is intentionally tasteless and must be served alongside a strongly flavored food. Nobody knew where Core came from or how it was made, (ADVENT destroyed all livestock on Earth, and species such as the domesticated cow went extinct before 2020) but it quickly became the primary ingredient in all dishes on Earth, including the iconic “ADVENT Burger” which is still universally loved in the modern post-ADVENT world. CORE is one of the few staples of the Occupation Era to remain a part of Human culture in 2086, and its origins remain unexplained to the frustration of many.

Furthermore, Hutch used his “authority” to build up and maintain ADVENT’s infamous propaganda machine. In 2018, Hutch inaugurated the ADVENT TV network by broadcasting his own wedding to the world:

In a famed broadcast viewed by approximately 900 million people, Thomas Hutch (using his title as President of the European Union) married Chelsea Daniels, a 25-year-old American beauty queen. Daniels was a childhood friend of Stormbreaker Blake Robinson. During his own testimony to the Global Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2036, Blake admitted under oath that Daniels lusted after men with vast power and wealth, and said her affection for Hutch was “certainly genuine” despite the fact that Hutch was a full 35 years older than his new bride.

Hutch and Daniels were married at an ornate ceremony in the Palace of Westminster. (The structure was demolished 24 hours later) The wedding was attended by at least 90,000 people in the streets, and the ceremony was officiated by the Angelis Ethereal, showing all of Humanity that their new leader was blessed and endorsed by the Godlike Elders.

Finally, it was Thomas Hutch who opened the first Gene Therapy Clinics on Earth. Hutch worked to ensure that ADVENT-owned clinics were the only place to receive competent healthcare on Earth. Any hospital or clinic that was not under ADVENT’s direct control was forcefully shut down, often with their employees being arrested and accused of being Resistance fighters. By 2025, ADVENT held a complete monopoly on the global healthcare industry, and every Human who entered a Gene Therapy Clinic would be tagged with organic tracking devices… for future use in the AVATAR Project.

Thomas Hutch continued to run the ADVENT government as an unelected collaborationist until the 2035 Battle for Earth, which lasted from July 15th until the 25th. As fighting intensified, Hutch and his government relocated deeper inside of the American interior, but he was ultimately trapped by XCOM forces in Detroit. Hutch surrendered to Blake Robinson and the Stormbreakers on July 25th, ending both his own rule and that of the ADVENT Coalition.

Following the Liberation of Earth, the Resistance Council, a group of leading freedom fighters, assembled at the Berlin Conference to discuss the post-liberation world. A new incarnation of the United Nations was proposed by members of the European Resistance, with the specific intent of having the new UN supplant the ADVENT Coalition as a global government.

During its rule, the ADVENT Coalition tried to erase all institutional knowledge and memory of the old UN, and to that end, no copies of the 1944 UN Charter survived to the modern day. A new UN Charter was written in Berlin over the course of two months, and in October of 2035, the ratification process began.

The United Nations of Earth was established on November 9th 2035, when the UNE Charter was ratified by more than half of the newly re-established Old World governments.

The Security Council was rebuilt, but took longer than expected to become functional because China, Russia, and France refused to join unless the Permanent Five were restored to their places on the Council with their veto powers intact. The newly restored General Assembly, eager to fill the power vacuum left behind by ADVENT, quickly caved to this demand with one notable exception:

The United States of America had failed to reconstitute itself following the end of the war, and fell into a chaotic, multi-sided civil war. After intense debate, the newly independent Republic of Hawaii was deemed to be the legal successor-state to the USA, and Hawaii was allowed to fill America’s seat at the Security Council. This topic would be highly contentious and has been revisited several times over the past 50 years, especially now that there are two governments claiming to be the Pre-2015 US government and demanding their seat on the Security Council

Once this hurdle was (briefly) overcome, the Security Council set about its search for a new Secretary-General:

All of this was happening against the backdrop of the Second Hyperspace War, and Humanity was rapidly being pulled into the Galactic Community. The field of candidates vying for the top job became larger than ever, with nearly three dozen people in the running, most of them being former Resistance leaders.

In September of 2035, the Commander of XCOM, an American woman named Laura Harper, announced her intentions to run for Secretary-General. At this point, two straw polls had already happened, so she was very late to the game. Yet Harper’s fame preceded her:

Born in Baltimore in late 1961, Laura Harper was the illegitimate child of Nico DaSilva, the very first Squad Leader in XCOM history, who lost his life in the 1962 Zudjari War. Harper dropped out of high school at the age of sixteen and volunteered for the United States Army. Harper did her first tour of duty in Germany, along the border of the Warsaw Pact. During her training, Harper demonstrated an aptitude for squad tactics. She quickly rose through the ranks and became an Infantry Squad Leader at the age of 20.

It is common knowledge that Harper’s great intellect and skill for command came from the fact that she was hosting an Ethereal named Asaru within her body and mind. Unlike the Elders who conquered and ruled over our world, Asaru was the one and only Ethereal to be born on Earth. (Bannack, Montana to be specific) Asaru was highly loyal to Earth and defended Humanity with incredible ferocity throughout his life. Harper was the third and final person to host Asaru, after XCOM Agent William Carter and XCOM Director Myron Faulke.

Seeing her potential, Harper’s commanding officer sent the young soldier into a program where the US Government would pay for her to receive a higher education. Harper studied military history, economics, and political science at John Hopkins University in her home state of Maryland before graduating with a Master’s Degree in Government and a Bachelor’s Degree in History. Once her studies were finished, the United States Army promoted Harper directly to the rank of Captain and have her a detachment to command.

Laura Harper got her first taste of battle in 1991, when the United States led a massive international coalition against Iraq. Harper assumed personal command of her detachment and was ordered to participate in the Liberation of Kuwait City. Now holding the rank of Major, there was no reason for Harper to be on the ground with her troops, yet she chose to be there anyway. Harper was nearly killed by an Iraqi Scud missile in the opening hours of combat. However, once she had control of the situation, forces under Harper’s command were unstoppable. The Iraqi foe was put to flight very quickly.

Over the course of the 1990’s Laura Harper honed her skills as a commander of men. She participated in the Battle of Mogadishu, commanding a portion of the rescue force deployed during the Black Hawk Down Incident. Harper was promoted to Brigadier General shortly before the NATO intervention in Bosnia, and received her second star after the Dayton Accords were signed. By the time the US went to war in Afghanistan, Harper was a three-star General.

Harper earned her fourth star by commanding the defense of Japan during World War Three, and shortly before the Siege of Hiroshima, Harper received another promotion, making her the sixth person in American history to become a five-star General.

It is unknown when exactly Harper was appointed Commander of XCOM, but historians agree it was sometime during the two-year gap between World War Three and the 2015 Invasion. Commander Harper was presented with an unwinnable scenario, and somehow managed to keep XCOM in the fight for three months longer than any other military force on Earth.

In June of 2015, Harper was captured by the Invaders during the fall of XCOM HQ. The Elders saw her incredible potential and placed the Commander into stasis, hooking her inert body into an organic computer and forcing her mind to run through thousands of combat simulations every day. This went on for twenty years until Operation Gatecrasher occurred.

In 2035, Harper was rescued from ADVENT captivity alongside several members of the now-legendary Stormbreaker Squad. Harper was quickly restored to her position as the Commander of XCOM and within five months, she orchestrated the Battle of Earth and brought down the ADVENT Coalition. (With some last-second help from the Galactic Community)

When the UNE started the search for its new Secretary-General, Commander Harper was revered for guiding XCOM to victory during the Battle for Earth. As soon as the Commander announced her ambition for the top job, all other candidates withdrew from consideration, leaving Harper to run unopposed.

The new Security Council voted to approve Harper 15 to 0, and the General Assembly elected her by acclimation.

Laura Harper took office on January 1st, 2036.

 

[Macavity116]

What did XCOM do to [Thomas Hutch] and other collaborators in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth?

During the Second Hyperspace War, in between the Battle of Earth and the War in Heaven, Secretary-General Harper collaborated with XCOM leader Jane Kelly to establish the Global Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The GTRC dedicated itself to prosecuting ADVENT-era war criminals and bringing about justice for all of the people who were murdered and oppressed by their regime.

After he surrendered to the Stormbreakers, Thomas Hutch and his family were taken into custody alongside thousands of other collaborators. Indy Hutch (the child Thomas had with Chelsea Daniels) was released without charge due to his age. Thomas and Chelsea were put on trial for war crimes at the GTRC in Berlin. Blake Robinson and many of his fellow Stormbreakers gave sworn testimony throughout, and after a court battle that became the stuff of legal legend, Hutch and his wife were both sentenced to death for their crimes against Humanity.

On April 1st 2037, Thomas Hutch and Chelsea Daniels were executed by firing squad in front of an audience of AFUNE soldiers and UNE government members. The executions were televised across the UNE. Hutch was famously stoic and tight-lipped, while his wife broke down completely. Chelsea Daniels sobbed, wept, and begged for her life as she was dragged out of the prison van by UN troops. Throughout the final walk to the execution grounds, Daniels was accompanied by her son Indy and her childhood friend Blake Robinson. For the next 48 years, Blake has refused to reveal what was said in his final conversation with her.

Hutch and Daniels are buried in unmarked graves somewhere in southern Germany.

Is CORE a mind control substance? Placing mind control in food or drink is easy way to tame populace or maybe something in air to breathe. Urban pop is easier to control as they depend more on others for survival items and more violence because of crowded conditions.

CORE is not so much a mind-control substance as it was population control. ADVENT used this mysterious food to force Humans to regularly visit Gene Therapy Clinics, as eating CORE could sometimes exasperate pre-existing health problems. As you'll see in a future History Lesson, the Gene Therapy Clinics were eventually re-opened and are operating all over Earth during the events of The Last Heroes.

---

The 2061 Selection of the UNE Secretary-General ​

After the War in Heaven, (September 11th 2036) the United Nations of Earth grew into the spacefaring nation we know today. Acting with the same skill she used to lead XCOM to victory, Secretary-General Harper simultaneously orchestrated the reconstruction of Earth and Humanity’s expansion to other stars.

Because the United States was still in a state of civil war, the United Nations needed a new headquarters. Harper moved the UNE to the city of Berlin in Eastern Germany. A modern re-creation of the German Reichstag became the General Assembly while Harper moved herself into the Chancellery building. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission occupied the site of the former East German capitol building, and the structure is still considered a sacrosanct hall of justice to this day.

Harper’s UNE established a true space fleet and projected power into the Galaxy for the first time, with Humanity’s first solo victory in space combat occurring in 2041, when a UNE flotilla turned back a squadron of Turanic Raiders near Betelgeuse.

She oversaw the colonization of Terra Nova, the first Human settlement on another planet, throughout the 2040’s. Harper also negotiated Earth’s present-day space borders with Hiigara and Amadiio. She also established the Global Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which oversaw that trial and punishment of ADVENT war criminals such as Bellus Mar, Thomas Hutch, and Chelsea Daniels.

Perhaps the most defining achievement of Harper’s administration was the integration of the Reclamation agency and subsequent actions of Chimera Squad in the spring of 2040. Harper ordered the organization to admit alien members, leading to the creation of the multi-species Chimera Squad. Over the course of several tense engagements, Chimera Squad dismantled a conspiracy by the mercenary group Shrike to incite inter-species violence and genocide in City 31. (The ADVENT Megacity built on the former site of Philadelphia) Countless lives were saved.

In late 2058, Secretary-General Harper was halfway through her fourth term of office when she suddenly announced her early retirement, citing a newly diagnosed illness. While the exact state of her physical health was never disclosed, political observers and analysts noticed that Sec-Gen Harper went through a very sharp decline between the months of July and October of 2058. By the time she left office on December 1st 2058, Laura Harper was a shell of her former self and barely able to stand upright. Even so, she left office under her own power, famously walking out of the Reichstag and waving to her supporters.

Laura Harper passed away at home on March 8th 2060 at the age of 99.

If she had not resigned, Harper’s fourth term as Sec-Gen would have ended on January 1st, 2062. Due to Harper’s retirement, Deputy Secretary-General Alex Edinger succeeded her and became the new Secretary-General, filling in for the remainder of Harper’s term of office.

Political operatives started scheming for the 2061 selection process as soon as Harper was out of sight. Sec-Gen Edinger was never taken seriously as a contender for the office, and most members of the UNE saw him as a placeholder until a true successor could be selected. Furthermore, when he announced his intentions to run for a full term, France, China, and Russia immediately vetoed Edinger’s candidacy.

Despite being quickly written off, Edinger’s Administration did have a few significant achievements. Under his leadership, the UNE became the first spacefaring civilization to make contact with the previously undiscovered Tobari Star Empire, a reptilian nation located in the Galactic South. Edinger established peaceful relations with the Tobari and sponsored their entry into the Galactic Council only months after First Contact. Furthermore, Edinger terminated the security contract between the UNE and Shrike, formally displacing the mercenary group and allowing the UN military (AFUNE) to assume full responsibility for all security and peacekeeping missions in Human territory.

Edinger was also the leading voice of opposition to the sudden surge in Megastructure construction throughout the Galaxy that began in 2059. Shortly after he took office, the Hiigaran Empire started constructing a Dyson Sphere around Dubhe, which is one of the most prominent stars in the constellation Ursa Major. Sec-Gen Edinger lobbied the Galactic Council for an injunction, and he successfully caused construction of the Dyson Sphere to be halted. As of the time of writing (Summer 2086) construction remains paused. However, the outbreak of interstellar war in 2084 may be responsible for the ongoing delay.

With the incumbent vetoed by the P5, the Security Council vetted a slate of new candidates. Eventually, a trio of renowned diplomats came forward.

Philip Moregård, the Prime Minister of Sweden, ran on a platform of exploration. He wanted to dispatch science vessels to the Galactic South and possibly expand Human territory into the Galactic Rim. Moregård also wanted to follow in Edinger’s footsteps and use diplomacy to stop the construction of a Sentry Array by the Levakian Confederation. (A member-state of the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth)

Eric DeAngelis was the director of the UN Truth and Reconciliation Commission. During his run for the top office, he promised to complete the prosecution of the last remaining ADVENT-era war criminals. DeAngelis also wanted to continue integrating aliens into Human society, promising to pass a law that would allow non-Humans to serve in the UN General Assembly.

Arinn Ruskay served as the governor of New Canberra, an Australian colony on the planet Terra Nova. She aimed to expand the General Assembly, hoping for Human colonies on other planets to be granted representation in the esteemed legislature.

The 2061 Selection process was one of the fastest in history. The first straw poll occurred on September 1st, 2061 and after that, straw polls occurred every three days. Over the course of two weeks, Director DeAngelis shot off to an early lead and never lost steam. It became clear very quickly that nobody could mount a significant opposition to his candidacy, especially once the P5 agreed to deny offworld colonies a place on the Security Council.

The Security Council voted to recommend DeAngelis to the General Assembly by Acclimation, meaning the actual vote was skipped because it was expected to be unanimous.

On December 1st Eric DeAngelis was elected Secretary-General by the General Assembly, winning by a landslide, and he assumed office on January 1st 2062.

 

[Macavity116]

Well readers, this was fun. We've reached the final History Lesson. I hope these posts will help you stay up to speed during the Blake Vs Pascal moments of The Last Heroes, which will occur when the story resumes in September.

As always, thank you for reading. The summer hiatus will continue as usual, and I hope to see you again!

---

The 2071 Selection of the UNE Secretary-General and recent history of the current Administration​

The 2060’s was a very good decade for Humanity. During the administration of Secretary-General Eric DeAngelis, Humanity expanded to three more planets in the Sirius, Wolf 359, and Altair star systems.

Colonizing Altair turned out to be the most significant moment of Human expansion. The third planet in the system was an abandoned Ecuminopolis, built by the long-defunct Progenitor Empire. The ruined city-planet proved to be a treasure trove of ancient technology and historical knowledge. Over the first few years of Human presence on Altair, the Relic World became a central hub for archeologists and historians who wanted to study the Progenitors.

Meanwhile, the Global Truth and Reconciliation Commissioned accomplished the goal it set out to achieve in 2036, and successfully completed the prosecution of the last living ADVENT-era war criminal. Mayso Cassack, a Human-Alien Hybrid who served in the ADVENT army during the war, was executed by firing squad on July 11, 2063. The GTRC shut down the following day, and most of its offices have now been converted into facilities for other UNE agencies. The famed courthouse in Berlin still stands and is designated a World Heritage site.

Riding on the successes of his first term, Sec-Gen DeAngelis moved on the next part of his agenda: integrating non-Humans into the UNE government.

After the Second Hyperspace War, a substantial population of non-Humans were living on Earth and the various Human colonies. Most of them were transplanted to Earth during the 2015 Invasion and subsequent occupation of Earth. Certain species, like Mutons, Vipers, and Faceless, did not have a Homeworld to return to and were quite happy to adopt the Earth as their new home. Sec-Gen DeAngelis introduced a slate of proposals to the General Assembly that would permit aliens born on Earth to serve in the UNE General Assembly.

And this was just the start. DeAngelis’ plan would have ultimately allowed for any sentient life form to serve in the Assembly, provided they were born on Human territory and held UNE citizenship.

This made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.

The remainder of DeAngelis’ time in office was characterized by the intense debate and political infighting over the question of enfranchising aliens. DeAngelis met vigorous resistance to his plan at all levels of government. When he ran for a second term in 2066, the global coalition that elected DeAngelis broke up, leaving his re-election contested.

A Xenophobic faction put forth their own candidate for Secretary-General: a French-Canadian diplomat named Pascal Etienne.

Born in the Megacity of Montreal in what is now Canada, Etienne was blinded by illness at a young age, and he became dependent on ADVENT Gene Therapy Clinics to function. The treatments Etienne received at these clinics would temporarily restore his eyesight, and Etienne would have to keep up with regular appointments, lest he go blind again. During the Battle for Earth, Etienne was in Montreal and witnessed the hijacked broadcast that preceded Liberation. He was fully aware of the fact that the clinics were a death trap, but he was unwilling to help in their destruction. Etienne sat out the Battle for Earth, instead choosing to enjoy his eyesight for the final few days he had it. Etienne travelled to Banff National Park and took in the sweeping vistas of Canada’s natural beauty before going blind once again.

In the aftermath of the Second Hyperspace War, Etienne stayed in the Montreal Megacity and became a political activist, calling for the Gene Therapy Clinics to be re-opened. As time went on dozens and then hundreds of Humans who were similarly dependent on the clinics to function joined Etienne. Eventually, Etienne’s political movement grew and expanded to other causes, lobbying the Canadian government for greater protection from alien refugees and settlers. Etienne argued that government services should be offered to Humans first, and that the needs of non-Human invaders should be a secondary concern.

Eventually, Etienne found the Human Supremacist movement, or perhaps they found him. Either way, Etienne found an audience willing to hear his rhetoric, which was growing more and more xenophobic with each passing year. Etienne held non-Humans responsible for the closure of the Gene Therapy Clinics and he also engaged in some historical revisionism: claiming the clinics were harmless to begin with and that XCOM had no proof they were tied to the AVATAR Project.

As the years went by, Etienne’s message grew beyond Canada. The Human Supremacist movement started to go global thanks to his voice.

Etienne was a shrewd negotiator and vocal champion of Human supremacy. He easily convinced several members of the Security Council that he would be an acceptable alternative to DeAngelis, and his candidacy proved a major disruption to Human politics.

The Security Council conducted a series of 19 straw polls from June to November of 2066. Throughout each poll, Etienne commanded a slim majority of the Council. Furthermore, the largest cities on Earth were overrun by mass demonstrations as people who supported Etienne campaigned on his behalf. In Berlin, almost a quarter-million people protested in the Tiergarten for a week, demanding DeAngelis be removed from office and replaced with Etienne.

In late June of 2066, the General Assembly held elections for new members of the Security Council. Etienne’s Xenophobe faction scored an overwhelming victory, winning all of the open seats. As a result, Etienne’s faction now had a slim 1-seat majority on the UN Security Council.

Despite this victory, Etienne still managed to fall short at the finish line. When the Security Council undertook its final straw poll in October, Pascal Etienne won, receiving a commanding majority of votes, but he also received a veto from one of the P5. It was later discovered that the veto had come from the United Kingom. The British ambassador claimed that London was unwilling to support the installation of a Secretary-General who was not fluent in English. (Etienne is French Canadian… naturally, he speaks French)

With his only rival neutralized, Secretary-General DeAngelis cruised to a second term and was re-elected at the end of the year.

However, Etienne’s xenophobe faction continued to gather strength. Over the next five years, anti-alien sentiments overran the planet. Local governments grew steadily hostile toward non-Humans while Etienne continued stoking the flames from his office in Toronto. During his second term, Sec-Gen DeAngelis saw his landmark equality legislation fall apart.

Human-alien relations deteriorated quickly as anti-xeno protests regularly rocked major cities. Xenophobic governments came to power all across the Earth and eventually the distant colonies as well. Violent Human-on-alien crimes skyrocketed, but the overall increase in criminal activity was blamed on the non-Human populace.

In 2069, things reached a head.

On the evening of March 3, 1068, a Human-Levakian Hybrid was arrested for driving without a license in the Russian Megacity of Moscow. The arrest was videotaped by local bystanders; video of the Hybrid being beaten by the police officers soon circulated across Moscow. The officers were charged with a hate crime and put on trial.

Over the course of the next year, Human-alien relations deteriorated rapidly as the trial progressed. Violent crime in Moscow spiked. Then, on April 29, 2069, the verdict was reached. Both of the Moscow Police officers were acquitted of wrongdoing. Within hours, the alien populace of Moscow began to riot.

Civil unrest rocked Moscow for ten days. Looting, arson, and violence were widespread. At the height of the disaster, a mob of nearly four thousand Mutons, Levakians, and Assurians pushed past a cordon of Russian soldiers and breached the Kremlin. The assault on the Russian capital building lasted approximately six hours and ended with the Russian government relocating to St. Petersburg.

The Russian government deployed its own security forces to restore order, but the sheer number of injuries amongst both themselves and the civilian population quickly overwhelmed them. On the tenth day, a mixed contingent of UN soldiers and Shrike mercenaries entered Moscow and restored peace through brute force.

One-hundred-sixteen people died. Over fifteen thousand were injured. Moscow burned for two weeks.

The Moscow Riots caused a sea change in Human politics. Several non-Xenophobic governments collapsed overnight, and a series of snap elections led to dozens of additional anti-alien governments coming to power on Earth. Finally, in 2070, an overwhelming majority of the UN General Assembly was part of the Xenophobic faction.

When his second term ended in 2071, Secretary-General DeAngelis saw the writing on the wall and refused to run for a third term.

Pascal Etienne declared his candidacy for the Secretary-General post in May of 2071.

All other candidates dropped out of the race immediately.

The Security Council selected Etienne unanimously.

The General Assembly elected Etienne with a final vote of 192-1.

The holdout was New Zealand.


Now we have reached the present day.

Secretary-General Etienne’s tenure marked a transformative time in Human history. On his first day in office, Etienne posthumously pardoned all of the Reapers, Templars, and Progeny members who fought against XCOM during the War in Heaven. In his pardoning speech, Etienne described these enemies of Humanity as “noble defenders of pure Human spirit.” The few remaining traitors who were alive in prison were granted clemency and released. He also granted the Altair Star System and its Progenitor Relic World to the Cult of Jericho.

Etienne also spoke in praising terms about the old ADVENT Coalition, remarking that he admired their centralized, authoritarian power structure.

Within his first month, Etienne ordered the re-opening of the Gene Therapy Clinics, shuttered for 40 years ever since the fall of the ADVENT Coalition. But the signature event of Etienne’s administration was a package of laws, regulations, and policies named Sol Invictus.

This landmark legislation marked a moment of radical transformation in the United Nations of Earth. The political scene changed so much that outside observers would say that the first year of Etienne’s Administration was nothing short of a political revolution.

All non-Humans were ejected from the UNE government and from all branches of AFUNE a short time later. Aliens were banned from all forms of artistic expression, and artworks created by non-Humans were seized and destroyed. After this, non-Humans were forbidden from being involved in the creation of educational media, and they also started to appear on television and in movies far less often.

Simultaneously, Etienne put a halt to non-Human immigration, stemming the flow of Partogans to Earth for the first time since the genetic relationship between Humans and Partogans was discovered.

Etienne pursued his Human Supremacist agenda very aggressively, and had the political capital to do so. However, he rapidly made new enemies by doing this. When Etienne called for the expulsion of all non-Humans from Earth in 2079, a group of UNE member-states (led by New Zealand) showed their dissent by walking out of the General Assembly.

The overwhelming majority of all Partogans who immigrated to Earth would ultimately settle in New Zealand because of their recently discovered Maori ancestry. Maori/Partogan reunification should have been a historic affair with much pomp and ceremony, but Etienne publicly showed distain for the whole event and intentionally sidelined New Zealand in UNE government. The island nation was removed from all UN Committees and even stripped of its leadership position on the UNE Human Rights Council. One commentator on Xenonian News claimed:

“If Etienne had his way, New Zealand would have been ejected from the UNE and become a pariah like the so-called United States.”

However, Etienne did not get his way. The harder he pushed his agenda, the stronger resistance to it became. An opposition movement started to gather with New Zealand at its center. When Etienne sought re-election in 2076, he promised the Security Council that his next term would begin with the confiscation of all businesses owned by non-Humans. Members of his Xenophobe faction rallied to the Etienne flag, while a few on the fringes found a new leader to rally behind.

Blake Robinson, the de-facto leader of the 2HW Veteran’s Association, began to speak against the expropriation plan at political events around Earth and on several outlying colonies. Millions of Humans who remembered their wartime non-Human allies began pushing back against Sol Invictus.

In 2076, Etienne cruised to a second term and followed through on his threat. All non-Human business owners had their enterprises confiscated and their homes raided by armed members of AFUNE. This triggered the first mass exodus of non-Humans from UNE planets. While alien refugees fled to the Hiigaran Empire, many Humans read the warning signs and fled to the United States of America, the only part of Earth that is not a member of the UN.

In many nations, the sudden expulsion of their non-Human business owners constituted the abrupt destruction of their entire middle class. Economies collapsed and food shortages began. In the face of Earth’ first post-war decline, Etienne blamed the growing economic crisis on “aliens and lovers of the same,” and then ordered his supporters in the General Assembly to pass a new law banning non-Humans from Gene Therapy Clinics.

For the first time since coming to power, political resistance to Sol Invictus made its way into the Reichtag as a small handful of member-states withdrew from the Xenophobe faction. They had no choice in the matter, as back home, these Xenophobic government were voted out of power in regular elections. This would start a trend that has carried on over the past decade.

The first real warning sign that Etienne’s agenda would no longer enjoy smooth sailing was in 2077, when New Zealand won a seat on the Security Council. For the next four years, Etienne’s agenda hit a powerful roadblock as a new friendship developed between New Zealand and Hawaii. The legal successor of the United States, with its powerful veto power, was being pulled out of the Xenophobic faction.

Determined to press on, Etienne started to gather political allies for an adventure in America. His aim was to see the Pre-2015 US Government restored to power, and eventually, to its seat on the Security Council.

The United States was still in a state of civil war at this time, but there were two governments, centered in Cheyanne and Columbus, that claimed to be the legitimate successor of Alexis Alexander’s presidency. (That was ended by ADVENT in 2015)

In preparation for this shift in agenda, Etienne dismissed his cabinet in early 2078 and brought new people into his government:

Ingrid Tsiajotso, an Admiral in the UN Navy, who had a reputation for being very direct and forceful.

Marcus Robinson, youngest child of Blake Robinson, who capitalized on his father’s fame to become a highly sought-after public speaker.

Emanuel Espinosa, the newly appointed chief of the Physics Division of the UN Science Directorate, also his wife…

Scarlett Freeman, Acting Director of the Internal Security Office, the UNE’s primary spy agency. She was a temporary officeholder due to the unexpected resignation of her predecessor.

Robert Lansing, Human Ambassador to Aoraki.

David Sepulveda, the highest-ranking Human Supremacist in XCOM, and finally,

Indy Hutch, a shrewd businessman who staged a hostile takeover of Pactical Industries, a megacorporation that got its start as an Old World weapons manufacturer.

Etienne and his new council would gather for weekly meetings in the Reichstag, planning out their next move. In the summer months, the group took action.

The 2080 Invasion of America was a very slow and quiet affair. AFUNE soldiers were inserted into the United States in small groups, seizing strategic locations. By the time the wider world was aware of the situation, AFUNE had already secured beachheads in Seattle, Yorktown, Cape Canaveral, New Orleans, and Boston. An airborne assault also seized historic XCOM bases such as Site X, Fort Riley, and the Elerium Mine in Bannack, Montana.

Officially, Etienne deployed AFUNE into America on a mission of “De-escalation.” UN soldiers were there to stop Americans from fighting each other and facilitate a peaceful reunification of the country.

The world responded to this development in two ways. First, Etienne’s supporters bought his story and actively supported his crusade to restore the United States. Leaders of the Hawaiian Republic (and by extension, the political opposition) saw this as a long-term ploy to deprive Hawaii of its Security Council seat and veto power. Fearing a power-grab, UNE member-states that opposed Etienne began working more openly to have him removed from power.

Simultaneously, several countries dominated by Xenophobes embraced the words Etienne said at the beginning of his tenure. Knowing how the Secretary-General admired the ADVENT Coalition and sought to emulate its heavy-handed style of governance, dozens of nations began to hold referendums and snap elections. Authoritarian governments began to replace democratic ones as political and military strongmen embraced the power of the metaphorical “iron fist.” At the same time, Etienne started courting the Cult of Jericho. Acolytes and Sorceresses became a regular sight in Berlin, while the Cult leader Erin Hyatt visited the Reichstag regularly.

When Etienne’s second term started drawing to a close in 2081, he announced his intention to run for a third term. In June of that year, former Stormbreaker Blake Robinson announced his intention to run against the Sec-Gen for the post. A political movement followed behind Blake, who campaigned on the promise of restoring the egalitarian policies of Laura Harper and ending the persecution of non-Humans.

Etienne consolidated his hold on power by promoting his closest allies.

David Sepulveda became Central Officer of XCOM.

Ingrid Tsiajotso became the Supreme Commander of all AFUNE forces.

Scarlett Freeman was confirmed to be the new Director of the ISO.



Then, on December 12th 2081, Pascal Etienne suffered his first political defeat.
It was a moment that set into motion the final act in the story of the Stormbreakers…

 

[Macavity116]

Thanks for the well-wishes @Midnite Duke and @HistoryDude!


Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final act of the Stormbreaker Universe...

The Dragonlike Advisor was created by @Nikolai, used with permission.

Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician, used with permission.

<=== Chapter 29: Fallen Savior

Chapter 31: See All, Know All ===>​

Chapter 30
Broken Mirror

On the morning of July 1st, a Hyperwave message was transmitted out from Earth and into the wider Galaxy. It was addressed to over fifty-thousand recipients, ranging from news reporters to politicians to military leaders and religious figures. The Galactic Council, Hiigaran Daiamid, Emerald Institute, Commonwealth National Assembly, Xenonian News, and everyone in between was shown the following text message:

THE UNITED NATIONS CREATED A FAKE JERICHO - ETIENNE’S GOVERNMENT IS USING THE CULT OF JERICHO TO KIDNAP CHILDREN ON THEIR BEHALF THE KIDS ARE AT CAPE CANAVERAL IN FLORDIA – UN IS DRUGGING KIDS AND DOING EXPERIMENTS ON THEM MANY ARE ALREADY DEAD – HELP US PLEASE – UN IS BUILDING POWERFUL NEW WEAPONS AT SAME PLACE – HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN ALREADY DEAD – THEY ARE GOING TO KILL MORE PLEASE HELP – PARADOX INFILTRATED THE ISO - SEND THE GDF NOW – MY NAME IS LAWRENCE RIDGE – I AM IN ORLANDO – WE CAN GET GDF INTO CANAVERAL – SEND HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

…

At the Angel Moon, the Galactic Custodian Marka summoned her council for an emergency meeting. The Partogan Queen had gone through a noticeable change in her appearance. Her face was a little more sallow and gaunt. She also wore a thick scarf around her neck.

The Galactic Defense Force was still reeling from its defeat at the planet Amadiio, and people like General Macavity were itching for some payback. More cautious folk, such as the dragon-like Advisor, argued that the priority should be the recapture of Amadiio.

General Macavity passed around copies of the Hyperwave message from Lawrence, demanding action:

“The Humans have been abducting children from all over the Galaxy with impunity. This is our chance for real justice.” He said. “I have already dispatched stealth ships to Earth for reconnaissance: Partogan battlecruisers using cloaking devices. They’ve been tasked with taking high-resolution photographs of Cape Canaveral and the nearby UN base: Kennedy Space Center.”

A Blorg Admiral raised one slimy appendage and spoke.

“Sir, this Human was pleading for immediate help in his message, but Earth is very far away from the front lines, further now thanks to their foothold on Amadiio. Realistically, how long would it take the GDF to reach Earth?”

General Macavity brought up a holographic map of the Galaxy, zooming in to focus on United Nations territory.

“The most direct path to Earth,” Macavity explained, “...is to launch our fleets from the Karos Graveyard. From there, we would blow through the enemy’s defensive lines at either Wolf 359 or Proxima Centauri. From there, it’s a straight shot to Earth. This is assuming the Partogans refuse to let us use a Hyperspace Core.”

The dragon-like Advisor shook his head.

“Admiral, you need to remember that two of Aoraki’s Hyperspace Cores were recently stolen. The Hiigarans have reclaimed their Core, and now the former Bentusi Core has fallen into Human hands. We have to assume that any attempt to penetrate UN space will be countered by a Far-Jumping fleet.”

The Galactic Custodian stood up and walked around the conference table, examining the map closely.

“Which of those systems is the most poorly defended?” She asked.

“Alpha Centauri.” Replied the Advisor. “Human warships in this area were recently used in the Battle of Amadiio. The vessels are damaged and crew morale is probably low. We stand a good chance of punching through.”

Marka furrowed her brow, and as she thought, instinctively raised one hand to her neck. Nobody around the table spoke, but each person snuck a quick look at the scarf wrapped around the Custodian’s neck, hiding it from view. As she mused to herself, Queen Marka gently slipped her hand beneath the scarf and rubbed the large gruesome scar on the base of her neck. The wound was not fully healed, and it throbbed with a dull pain.

“We need to flush out the stolen Hyperspace Core.” Marka said. “Advisor, how do you think we would fare in a mass battle? On a similar scale as the last war?”

Nervous looks and murmurs went around the room. The Advisor frowned in thought, his brow furrowed and snout crinkled:

“Custodian, this is not the Second Hyperspace War. The Galaxy simply cannot support that kind of warfare, vast armadas with hundreds of thousands of starships, I mean. Almost half of all sentient life was killed off in the 2HW, now there’s not enough people left to crew an armada and keep the homefront running smoothly. Even if there was, most of the Galaxy’s military infrastructure is still in ruins: Shipyard Nynrah, Tanis Base, Thaddis Sabbah, Naval Base Alpha… they all make for good anchorages, but none of the shipyard facilities are able to perform like they did before 2015. There’s also not enough money to go around, the Galactic Stock Market never recovered from their space station being destroyed during the war. The unfortunate reality, Custodian, is that the Galactic Community won’t be able to sustain a large-scale armada until we’re fully recovered from the Second Hyperspace War, and that kind of recovery is about two hundred years away, maybe more. Until then, our fleets can’t get much bigger. The best we can give you is maybe fifteen-hundred warships.”

As soon as the advisor finished his statement, a Micore droid tapped the conference table to get everyone’s attention:

“This group should be made aware of the latest calculations.” The droid said. “The Central AI of the Micore Empire has used combat data accumulated over the past two years to calculate the exact size of the United Nations military, including the total number of warships with ninety-nine-point-ninety-nine percent accuracy. Central AI is convinced the Human Aggressor currently possesses nine-hundred-eleven functional warships. Our side has the numerical advantage. In the event of a mass battle between the two combined fleets, we predict the GDF will suffer casualties and losses amounting to sixty percent of our total force. It will not be possible for the GDF to subdue Earth in the aftermath of such a battle, due to a shortage of both warships and personnel.”

Marka slipped her hand underneath her scarf again, picking at the gruesome scar on her neck. It was becoming a new nervous habit. Needing time to think, Marka allowed her council to descend into a new debate, arguing over how best to neutralize the Human Navy.

…

July 3, 2086
Arcadia Bay, Oregon


With a great roar of engines, the spaceplane Niagara rose up from the ground and sped away into the night. Progeny soldiers quickly tried to bring their anti-aircraft weapons online, but before they could even swivel the turret, the Niagara was far away, speeding north.

As soon as they were airborne, the Stormbreakers relaxed. Ninu simply collapsed in his seat, completely out of strength. Being dead sapped him of energy, and the two day hike to Arcadia Bay had nearly killed him a second time. Like her reptilian rescuer, Jericho was also weak. She stumbled back to the crew quarters and looked around before slumping into the first bunk bed she found.

“This isn’t the Ark Angel...” Jericho mumbled. “But it’s the same class. Where am I? And where are you taking me... not that I’m strong enough to argue.”

Corder left Maui and Varian to fly the spaceplane, carrying Ninu into the crew quarters.

“You’re aboard the USS Niagara.” Corder explained. “For now, we’re just trying to get away from the Progeny and the UN. They were both after you...”

Corder trailed off, unsure of what to say. Jericho groggily finished the sentence.

“They wanted to exploit me... Just like XCOM all those years ago.” Jericho said. “And what about you?”

“No, never.” Ninu said.

He tried to dismount from Corder’s paws, but ended up falling to the floor next to Jericho’s bunk. Resting his back against the cold metal frame, he looked up at her and carried on:

“We didn’t know you were in there. All we knew was that Freeman and Hyatt were fighting over a source of power, they both wanted it for their own purposes. We wanted to stop that from happening.”

Corder was not convinced by Ninu’s words, and she was about to open her mouth to say something else when Jericho stopped her.

“No need for convincing.” Jericho said. “Did you forget I can read minds? Your little friend is very sincere and honest. You’ve got a few mental barricades and defenses in your mind, Corder... you would have noticed if I broke in, so I peered into Ninu’s mind instead.”

Instead of blushing, Ninu hid his face in his hands while his whole body changed color, becoming pale. Jericho gave him a very warm smile. She looked very tired, but sat up in the bunk, pushing herself to stay awake and keep talking.

“Hey...” she started to say slowly. “One of your teammates seems really familiar to me. Like I’ve met him before. Can I talk to the Human who was with you?”

Corder nodded, then she walked to the hatchway and called up the fuselage:

“Hey Varian, can you come back here?”

At the mention of Varian’s name, Jericho’s eyes widened. Ninu saw this and started to feel excited. A moment later, Varian entered the cramped living space. He (or she) nervously looked around and waved meekly at Jericho.

“Hi... It’s, uh, it’s been a long time.” Varian said.

Moving with energy one would not expect from a seventy-year-old woman, Jericho rose, crossed the room, and wrapped her arms around Varian in a motherly hug.

“You’ve grown so much!” Jericho’s voice was full of joy. “You were just a little toddler last time I saw you!”

Corder and Ninu both dropped their jaws. From the fuselage, Kingi and Cetla both shouted:

“Wait a minute, you’ve met before!?”

Jericho released Varian and folded her hands in front of her, gazing at Varian in delight.

“About fifteen years ago, before Etienne came to power, I would go to the annual War in Heaven Reunion with the other veterans.” Jericho explained. “Blake and Chihiro would attend every year, and they brought their kids and grandkids. I remember Himawari trying to stop you and your stepsister from climbing up the tall tree across from the amphitheater!”

“I remember falling out of that tree and breaking my wrist.” Varian replied with a halfhearted laugh. “I do remember seeing you there. You were really quiet back then… and you always seemed so sad.”

Corder and Ninu were following this conversation intensely. For them, Jericho was a god-like figure who only existed in historical documentaries and museum exhibits. They were having a little trouble accepting the reality that Varian Robinson personally knew Jericho, if only for a brief moment in his (or her) childhood. However, at this particular moment, the conversation took a turn and the two Stormbreakers suddenly found it difficult to keep up, as Varian and Jericho started discussing something they were not up to speed with:

Jericho stopped talking and for an awkward few moments, she looked over every inch of Varian’s body, her own face going through a wide range of expressions. Jericho seemed to be reading Varian like a book, and then coming to terms with whatever she had learned.

“Wow...” Jericho said in a quiet voice. “You’ve changed quite a lot since then. When did you realize something was... off?”

Varian’s face turned red.

“No getting out of this one, huh?” She (or he) said. Varian rubbed the back of their head and went on. “I think I must have been about five or six years old. You know that weird feeling you get when all of your clothes are the wrong size? It was like that, but with my whole body, day in and day out and never stopping. You can read minds, right? I’m sure you know the rest of the story.”

Jericho nodded.

“Yes... and I’m sorry you had to stop your treatments to become a Stormbreaker. I really hope you can finish becoming your true self on the outside when this is all over.” she said. Then Jericho hugged Varian again and whispered in his (or her) ear: “I can see you picked a new name. Want me to call you that?”

“Not yet.” Varian replied. “Haven’t started using it myself. Besides, the Honolulu Gene Therapy Clinic has probably thrown out all of my hormone treatments and medications by now. I might have to start over from scratch when I get home.”

Corder and Ninu watched all of this and were completely lost. Without the ability to read minds, they both knew they were missing some very important context. They were about to make their way to the door and leave when Jericho addressed her next question to them:

“In the meantime, where are you going to take me? I assume you and your teammates have a plan of some kind?”

Glad to be off a sensitive topic, Varian launched into an explanation:

“Once I’m sure we’re clear of UN forces, we’ll send a Hyperwave signal to our boss and tell him what’s happened. He ordered us to hunt down and kill the Paradox, but we never expected to run across you on the way. This is going to change all of our plans.”

Ninu and Corder nodded.

“He’s right.” Ninu said. “You’re a game-changer, Jericho. Everything is different now.”

“I think you mean: ‘She’s right.’” Jericho said. “Let’s call your boss and make a new plan. I’ve fought the Paradox before, and I know what she’s capable of… so I’m certain I can help you.”

…

All six of the Stormbreakers and Jericho gathered together in the fuselage. While the Niagara flew across the Pacific on autopilot, Maui set up a Hyperwave call. Under the light of the hologram emitters, Corder realized that Jericho’s outfit (a simple yellow dress) was looking worn-out and dirty. Corder swatted the fabric with her tail just as the call was completed.

“I know our boss is going to need some time to process all of this…” Maui said. “So I committed a causality violation. I bounced our Hyperwave signal all over the Galaxy before routing it back to Earth, so he’s going to be in the past, relative to us.”

As the call was connected, the ship’s computer said today’s date and time:

5:51am – Wednesday July 3, 2086

However, for the person answering the call, today’s date and time was:

7:45am – Sunday, June 30, 2086

The hologram coalesced in the middle of the crew quarters: a vague humanoid figure deprived of any identifying physical features. No one could tell anything about this person aside from the fact that he was a man. From any angle, his body was shadowed as though there was a strong source of light behind him.

“Good morning, Stormbreakers.” Said the Shadow Man. “I trust you have an update regarding Arcadia Bay?”

“We have lots of news on that front.” Varian said. “Open hostilities between the UN and the Progeny have started up. Also, Erin Hyatt is dead. You can find her body in Oregon’s Crater Lake.”

“Excellent.” Said the Shadow Man. “Both of these developments can be used to our advantage. Did you recover the source of Psionic power the UN or Progeny were seeking?”

Varian pointed to his (or her) left. The Shadow Man turned to look at Jericho. The old woman gave a weak smile before looking at the floor.

To the surprise of everyone aboard the Niagara, the Shadow Man showed a visible reaction. He took half a step backwards at the sight of Jericho. It was obvious that he instantly knew who he was looking at, and he reacted quickly.

“Where are you now?” The Shadow Man demanded.

“Pacific Ocean, heading northwest towards the Aleutian Islands.” Varian said.

The Shadow Man’s body twisted as though he was speaking to someone who was not there. In fact, he was giving orders to somebody who was in the same room as himself; the Stormbreakers simply could not hear them. After a moment, the Shadow Man returned to the Hyperwave Call.

“This is a sea change. We must move quickly, and act just as quickly. Jericho, the time for friendly greetings and introductions will have to wait. Are you fit for space travel?”

“I can fly.” Jericho said. “But no high-gravity worlds please, I’m not as young as I used to be.”

The Shadow Man nodded, then spoke to the Stormbreakers.

“Get away from Earth.” He said. “Once you are clear, take Jericho to the Gehenna asteroid field. Dig site 603. I will summon my allies and meet you there.”

…

July 10, 2086
Hyperspace – en route to the Great Wastelands


The Hiigaran pirate ship Ashoka and her escort fleet were in the midst of their fifteenth Hyperspace Jump in the past ten days. Almost two weeks had gone by since Ashoka’s dramatic escape from Amadiio with Eerabik on board, but the situation was still a dire and urgent one.

While waiting out each jump, the ship’s crew were locked inside of radiation shelters, and inside one of these pressurized chambers, the newest addition to the Ashoka’s compliment was bringing everyone up to speed on the crisis at hand.

Eerabik belonged to the Avian Ozkox species, and she was also a powerful member of the Galactic Council. She had been taken aboard the Ashoka after her own expedition to the Galactic Rim ended with a shocking discovery. She retold the story of her recent adventures to her rescuers. The pirate crew perked up at the news of an undiscovered empire in the Galactic Rim, excited by the possibility of exotic plunder. Himawari Robinson was paying very close attention, aided by Sign Language translation from Amako Patariki.

“A Machine Empire?” Hahli repeated. “Like the Micore?”

“This is different.” Eerabik said, shaking her head. “These automatons are operating without any kind of input from organic lifeforms like you or me.”

“That sounds disturbing.” Ruunhan said. “Next time we’re out by the Galactic Rim, we’ll drop some buoys and rig them to transmit warning messages.”

“Good idea.” Eerabik said. “In the meantime, you will take me to Ninigai.”

Amako Patariki, who had been translating the conversation into Sign Language for Himawari’s benefit, did a double-take, staring open mouthed at Eerabik. The Kingdom of Ninigai was a small star nation and founding member of the Levakian Confederation, a member-state of the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth. It was located in the Outer Limb, a distant and remote region of space on the very edge of the Galaxy.

Amako leaned over and hissed into Eerabik’s ear:

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re on board a pirate ship. These guys won’t take kindly to a member of the Galactic Council giving them orders.”

Hahli and Ruunhan were standing with their arms folded and nostrils flared. Both women were holding back far more hostile replies. Several of the space pirates in the chamber tried to give the two women extra space. Even Himawari could pick up on the sudden souring of their moods.

Eerabik, however, remained steadfast.

“It doesn’t matter who you are.” She said. “You have a ship with a Hyperspace Module, and I need to meet my allies on Ninigai at once. Are you going to change course or not?”

“Listen here, bird.” Hahli said. “You’re in no position to give orders. I’ve got half a mind to call the Galactic Council and ask how much they’ll pay for your ransom, but if you’re gonna be this... tedious... I’ll just put you off the ship instead. How does the Tomb World of Blorg sound? Or maybe the Partogan Graveworld?”

Eerabik looked very annoyed.

“I do not have time for this.” She said. “I need to speak to my contacts on Ninigai as soon as possible. Once we drop out of Hyperspace, I’ll take my leave.”

Eerabik started to pack up her possessions, including the Progenitor Oracle. Hahli and Ruunhan both started to interject, but Himawari tapped Eerabik’s wing to get her attention. Eerabik looked at Himawari and was confused by her rapid-fire hand signals.

“What is this, a code?” Eerabik said.

“No, no.” Amako cut in. “She’s deaf, this is how she talks... hold on.”

Amako focused on Himawari and started to translate:

“I think you should reconsider.” Himawari said through Amako. “The Planet Ninigai is in the Levakian Confederation, and it’s on the other side of the Great Wastelands. That place is controlled by Turanic Raiders, and as far as pirates go, they’re a lot worse than Hahli’s crew.”

Hahli scoffed.

“Unlike the Turanic Raiders, I pay my crew with money.” she said.

Dozens of the surrounding pirates cheered loudly at this, a few of them waving various banknotes over their heads, such as Partogan dirams, Hiigaran rupees, and UN credits.

Himawari went on:

“You’d have a much better chance of getting through there aboard another pirate ship. We might be your only chance, especially if time is really against you.” She concluded.

Reluctantly, Eerabik admitted to herself that she needed to cross the Great Wastelands quickly, and if she did so through official Galactic Council channels, the journey would take nearly a month. For a moment, Eerabik considered transmitting her findings in a Hyperwave message, but she quickly shelved the idea. The Levakians would not know what to look for based on Eerabik's description alone. This was something she needed to do in person.

Feathers ruffled, Eerabik turned to face Hahli and Ruunhan again.

“Let’s make a deal.” Eerabik offered. “What could I, a senior diplomat of the Ozkox Diaspora and sitting member of the Galactic Council, give in return for rapid passage to the Levakian Kingdom of Ninigai?”

Reflexively, Hahli held up a hand and said:

“I'll do it for fifty million Dirams, all in advance.”

But before she could finish her sentence, Ruunhan grabbed Hahli by the shoulder and pulled her back. Both women engaged in a hushed conversation, and everyone else leaned in close, trying to hear what was being whispered. Finally, the pair nodded in agreement and gave their response:

“We’ll take you to Ninigai.” Ruunhan said. “But in return, we want the Galactic Council to commission my wife as a Privateer.”

Eerabik blinked.

“Um… why?”

Hahli thumped her own chest.

“Because my fleet just threw down with the UN Navy! And if anyone is going to pay for repairs, for treating the wounded and burying the dead, it had better be the nearest Earth ship. With a Privateer Commission, it would be so much easier to enforce payment.”

“And if you say no…” Ruunhan said. “…you will be the ones paying for our damages, with the charity money your people are getting from the Blorg.”

“Ah… you know about that?” Eerabik said, looking around at the very greedy pirates in the room with her. “So that’s the ransom you mentioned earlier. I didn’t think you were serious.”

“Pirate.” Ruunhan said with a smirk on her face and a hand on her laser pistol.

…

July 15, 2086
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom


The UN fleet, battered but victorious, returned to Earth.

The conquest of Amadiio was a cause for celebration, and as the starship Solaris glided to a pinpoint landing at the spaceport in Manchester, Inez could see fireworks lighting up the night while tens of thousands of people flooded the streets. The Megacity was alive and noisy, despite it being three o’clock in the morning. Horns sounded, people shouted, lights flashed, and Inez could tell at once that this scene was repeating itself all over UN territory.

The Solaris did not stay for long. They were only here to pick up a team of engineers who would set to work repairing the Divine Enforcer. The weapon was badly damaged following its single use against Amadiio. After a few hours on the ground, Solaris lifted off and started the return trip to Cape Canaveral. The victorious fleet broke up here, as the various warships returned to their home bases.

The French battleship Charlemagne stayed in high orbit. She was so badly damaged that entering the atmosphere was simply not an option. Her repairs would be carried out at Port Armstrong, near Jupiter. The Singaporean destroyer Vengeance escorted Solaris away from the UK before turning toward Alpha Centauri.

Before long, Solaris was crossing the Atlantic alone.

On the bridge, Inez was starting to feel anxious.

It had been two weeks since the Battle of Amadiio, and she had not made sense out of what happened that day. Like any good Commander should, Inez ordered her subordinates to write an “After Action Report,” detailing everything she needed to know about what happened during the Battles of Polaris and Amadiio.

Scarlett Freeman was still aboard the ship, and she told Inez that the AARs were “a good idea” and that she wanted to read them as well. Scarlett said this in a tone that suggested it was not a polite request.

For the trip across the Atlantic, Inez had used her own authority to bar Scarlett from the bridge. Officially, her excuse was that the bridge crew “must not be distracted” during their landing preparations. In reality, Inez wanted as much distance from her mother as possible. The relationship between the two had noticeably soured, and Inez had no idea what she did to arouse her mother’s suspicions. Standing over a waist-high hologram projector on the starboard side of the bridge, Inez looked through a three-dimensional image of the Solaris, peering over the shoulder of her helmsman.

Inez was only pretending to inspect the damage to her ship. She was deeply distracted right now.

Ever since the Battle of Amadiio, Inez and Cassandra stayed in touch with one another, even though they only met for a few hours each day. They would share a meal in the cafeteria each morning, where Cassandra would use an extra large glass of water to swallow the strange red pills she was prescribed. Both of them were now aware of the “connection” that somehow existed between them. Inez had sat down with the little girl and told her about the two previous incidents, in which Inez had somehow seen the world through Cassandra’s eyes.

Together, during their downtime, the two girls had downloaded a historical database from Solaris’ onboard computer. Inez had a very strong hunch that she read about this scenario somewhere before, and her hunch turned out to be correct.

Fifty years ago, during the Second Hyperspace War, there were two Stormbreakers: Blake Robinson and Chihiro Tachibana. Both of them were still alive today and active in UN politics. Blake was currently challenging the Secretary-General for his job. But back in 2035, he and Chihiro were young soldiers, and just like Cassandra and Inez, they shared a special connection.

Blake and Chihiro were joined together by a Psionic Link. This telepathic connection allowed each person access to the other’s mind. The two Stormbreakers exploited their Psi Link for advantages in battle; and in civilian life, they were so inseparable they were sometimes treated as a single person by friend and foe alike.

Reading this story, Cassandra and Inez reluctantly accepted the reality that somehow, against all odds, a Psionic Link had formed between them. Unlike with the historic Stormbreakers, this new link seemed to be weak and inconsistent by comparison. Inez only had limited access to Cassandra’s innermost thoughts, and would only “see” through Cassandra’s eyes if the little girl was upset or emotional. By comparison, Cassandra had never been able to see things through Inez’ eyes, and whenever Inez was excited or worked up, Cassandra would perceive it as a sudden feeling of being wide awake and fully energized.

“I knew you were having a lot of fun at the beginning of June.” Cassandra had said. “Every night, right after I went to bed, I all-of-a-sudden felt like I was too excited to sleep. I felt like was having a blast doing something fun, even though I was just lying in bed.”

Hearing this, Inez had wracked her brains, trying to remember what she was doing in early June. Then, with a powerful sense of growing embarrassment, Inez realized that Cassandra had telepathically eavesdropped on her date nights with Yaroslav Dotsenko!

Inez went back and forth with herself, wondering if she should ask how much of these late-night dates Cassandra picked up on, but the youngster was faster on the draw.

“If you like that bald soldier so much, why’d you steal his clothes?” Cassandra asked.

“YUP! THAT’S ENOUGH FOR TODAY!” Inez ended the talk here.

…

Now, as the Solaris was on final approach to Cape Canaveral, Inez was distracted. She was thinking about Cassandra and the Psionic Link between them. Both girls had spent hours guessing at why this connection existed in the first place, but neither could come up with a good answer. Absentmindedly, Inez focused her mind on Cassandra, who was currently napping in the Captain’s Quarters.

This connection always seemed to be so... passive. Chihiro and Blake were able to actively use their own Psi Link, so why not now? Inez wondered, how do I call Cassandra? Is it like a Hyperline, or do I just imagine myself shouting her name?

A mental image drifted to the front of Inez’ mind. It was herself, wandering down an empty corridor and calling out to Cassandra.

“Nezzie, is that you?”

Cassandra’s voice filled Inez’ ears as though she was standing right in front of her. Inez broke out of her daydream, startled, and accidentally put her hand into the hologram of Solaris in front of her. The three-dimensional display switched into exploded view, showing each individual part of the engine array like a blueprint. Realizing a few members of the bridge crew were looking at her, Inez played it cool.

“Central, did the Engine Control team give us a go for landing yet?” She asked.

Central Officer Dotsenko looked at a nearby computer screen and said:

“No ma’am. I’ll go and see what’s taking them so long.”

Normally, because of her serial romantic nature, Inez would have watched Dotsenko as he left the bridge, appreciating his attractive build until he was out of sight. But just as Inez was starting to eye him up, she abruptly felt as though all of her energy was being sapped away. Inez felt a sudden sense of being weighed down and lost her motivation to do much of anything. All she wanted was to go back to her quarters, bury her face in a pillow, and cry for hours on end.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, a subconscious impulse told Inez that she was not normally a gloomy type of person, and this sudden change in her sense of the world around her was not of her own making. The Psionic Link was active.

Stepping over to the far side of the bridge, Inez leaned against a railing, pretending to read a report on her tablet computer. Now that she was fully aware of the connection, it was almost easy. Inez closed her eyes...

...

Inside the Captain’s Quarters, Cassandra was curled into a ball in the middle of the floor, crying. She was frightened, frightened of returning to Cape Canaveral. Doctor Polly Spark scared her. The big machines in the VAB scared her, and so did Director Freeman and Central Officer Sepulveda... but most of all, she was scared of her inevitable reunion with the other children.

Almost three weeks had passed since the last time Cassandra had been taken off-world by Director Freeman. In that time, Inez knew that many of the alien children living with her in the Pediatric Clinic would have died. Cassandra was terrified that some of those children, who she liked and called friends, would be gone forever, without ever having said goodbye.

Cassandra was frightened, gloomy, and traumatized. As she wept on the floor, her body started to warm up. The temperature in the cabin quickly rose to searing levels, causing plastic dishware on the table to sag and droop.

...

Inez opened her eyes. Panicking, she realized Cassandra was about to lose control and transform! If the Emerald Avatar materialized inside of a cramped starship, no one aboard would survive. Inez looked around the bridge and yelled at the Chief of the Watch:

“Petty Officer Saraki, you have the conn! I’ll be back!”

And before the Nigerian man could say anything in response, Inez dashed off the bridge and into the hallway.

Fortunately, the Captain’s Quarters were only a short distance away from the bridge. By the time Inez reached it, the hallway was already warming up. Crewmen loosened their uniforms, sweating. One of them saw Inez coming and saw the expression on her face. He became alarmed.

“Ma’am, what’s happening?” The crewman asked.

Inez did not stop to explain. Instead, as she ran past him she yelled:

“Set off the fire alarm! We need the suppression system!”

Inez reached her private quarters and tried to open the door. With a gasp, she withdrew her hand. The metal was so hot it had instantly burned her palm. Keeping her now-burned left hand close to her chest, Inez slammed her shoulder to the door, trying to force it. At that moment, a klaxon sounded and a computerized voice spoke over the intercom.

“Fire detected in the Captain’s Quarters. Extinguishing.”

A loud hissing noise sounded on the other side of the door. Inez took a few steps back and then threw her whole weight against it. This time the door crashed open. Immediately, Inez was hit in the face by a blast of cold, white gas. The fire in her quarters was already out. The suppression system was venting massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the room, and just before the white gas filled the place completely, Inez spotted Cassandra, grabbed her, and pulled her out of the room.

Medics and damage control teams flooded the corridor, making their way to the scene. In the middle of all this hubbub, Inez clutched Cassandra close to her, whispering into her ear.

“It’s okay... you’re okay, Cassandra. You’re alright now.”

Cassandra buried her face in Inez’ chest, crying harder than ever.

“I don’t wanna go back! I don’t wanna go back!” She protested.

Inez turned so that the rescue team was behind her. Speaking quietly, she said:

“Are you worried about all of the other kids at the Cape?”

Cassandra nodded.

“It’s not fair. Not fair that we get to leave, but they have to stay... and they’ll probably die there, too.”

Inez felt a powerful pang of empathy in her chest. Truthfully, she had only thought about escaping with Cassandra and no one else. In fact, the “escape plan” she and Cassandra worked out did not allow for a third person to join them, let alone the two hundred other children kidnapped by the UN. But no matter how much she thought about it, Inez knew that abandoning those kids to die was simply the wrong choice.

Was there anything she could do? Anything at all?

There was.

“Hey, Cassandra.” Inez said. “Listen, I have some friends on the outside... at least... I think they’re friends. When we get away from Canaveral, we’ll go and find them... and ask them to rescue everyone at the Cape, okay?”

“You promise?” Cassandra asked, wiping her eyes.

“I promise.” Inez said. “Swear it on my life, we’ll rescue everyone.”

…

July 20, 2086
Cape Canaveral, Florida


Five days had passed since the warship Solaris landed at Cape Canaveral. In that time, the Wolverines and their allies were not idle. As soon as Piper returned from infiltrating the UN base, Lawrence used a Hyperwave Relay to transmit a distress signal to the wider Galaxy. Responses had come swiftly. The Galactic Community became aware of the situation over the course of a week, and while the Wolverines had no way of knowing, this single transmission had radically altered the conduct of the war.

Representatives of the Galactic Council sent their replies directly to Lawrence, informing him that a few probes and cloaked ships were doing reconnaissance over Earth, but a larger contingent of the Galactic Defense Force was months away, at best.

This news was heartbreaking.

“There are kids in there!” Cera screamed when Lawrence relayed the word. “Almost two hundred of them! We can’t just sit on our hands and wait!”

An emergency meeting was held aboard the old warship Kakama, still berthed in the Grey Phoenix scrapyard. Lawrence, Cera, Piper, and Jay stood on one side of a massive map of central Florida, while opposite them were Shipbreaker Karfu, Crew Chief Magra, General Osmer, Colonel Sharp, and several new allies: a representative of the Andromedon Sanctuary, Corsair the Faceless, Emanuel Espinosa, Robert Lansing, George Farshtey, and a motley collection of local Floridians, both Human and alien, who wanted to help.

“The Galactic Defense Force can’t help us.” Lawrence began. “We’re on our own.”

“Corsair and I have been inside the base.” Piper added. “We’ve seen the facility, and we can verify that the UN is holding about two hundred children against their will in that place. Also, several teams of Grey Phoenix saboteurs have entered the base. Not all of them returned to us.”

“There is a drydock located here.” Corsair said, pointing to the Apollo Center on the map. “There is a massive UN Navy operation here. Three cruisers are being worked on here, including the one that blasted Amadiio with the Psionic weapon.”

“So, it is true?” The Andromedon said in broken English. “Have the Amadii been enslaved?”

“It really looks that way.” Emanuel replied. “Ever since the attack, the people down on Amadiio have been moving to align themselves with the UN as quickly as they can. It’s creating a lot of chaos because Amadiio was the Capitol of the Cuunbar Confederation. The rest of their nation is still loyal to the Galactic Community, while their homworld is requesting annexation by the UNE. The Amadii nation has basically ceased to exist.”

“Millions of Amadii have been creating local branches of the Progeny and Cult of Jericho on their planet.” Jay added. “They’re even bringing in Human Acolytes from Altair. At the same time, their old democratic government has been replaced with a theocratic republic. Before the end of the month, Amadiio will be a UN satellite-state."

“Which means...” Lawrence said, “The UN is about to have a collaborator government on their side, one that will make abducting non-Human children much easier for them. We need to shut down this operation in Canaveral... tonight.”

Murmurs. General Osmer stroked his beard in thought.

“You want us to carry out a frontal assault on Cape Canaveral... which is a fortress defended by Shrike, and able to be reinforced within hours by sea, air, and space. What assets to we have on hand?” He said.

“About one-hundred-twenty Americans.” Colonel Sharp replied. “Most of them from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Plus twelve Andromedons, seventeen Mutons, ten Levakians, eight Vipers, five MECs, three Partogans, one Taiidani, and... uh... I’m really proud of this one. We dug an ADVENT Sectopod out of the scrapyard. It’s beaten up, but it still works.”

General Osmer nodded.

“And what about the enemy?” the General said. “My scouts say the base is still being defended by the Shrike mercenaries. But I have no solid numbers.”

“Neither do we.” Robert confessed. “But I do know a base like this will have hundreds of personnel. Between six to nine hundred people will be stationed inside. Good news for us though, only a few of them will be armed. Most of the people in the base will be workers, the team working on those cruisers or on the machine in the VAB, or the scientists doing those sick experiments on the children.”

Piper nodded. She and Corsair had brought back enough evidence to raise the alarm during their first foray into Canaveral. The subsequent trips, done over the past few weeks, delivered photographs, videos, and even a secret interview with one of the alien children: In the two minute clip, a Partogan child explained how he was abducted from Rotorua and desperately wanted to go home. Piper made multiple copies of the file, hoping it would one day be used in a war crimes tribunal.

Piper’s only regret was failing to make contact with Inez Espinosa during these repeated visits. Despite never actually seeing her, Piper had good reason believe Inez was physically present in the base during at least one of the infiltrations.

“First thing’s first.” Piper said. “We have to break into Canaveral and shut down whatever operation Freeman is running in there. Nothing else matters.”

“Even if that means crossing an enemy-controlled river with no advanced reconnaissance?” General Osmer asked. “Surely there must be a better way.”

“All of the better ways take time.” Lawrence concluded. “We need to act now.”

“I’ll go with you.” Emanuel said. “I’ve been to Canaveral a couple of times while they were setting up. I can show the way.”

…

July 21, 2086
Titusville, Florida


About three hours before the sun rose, in the pitch darkness of early morning, Lawrence, Jay, Piper, and Cera found themselves on the western side of the Indian River, staring down the NASA Causeway Bridge. Lawrence scanned the scene with a pair of binoculars and quickly spotted the checkpoint on the far side. Piper told him it would be there.

With a shudder, Lawrence looked out the corner of his eye and spotted Piper. Just like her three fellow Wolverines, the young woman was dressed in guerilla fatigues, with a blue bandana tied around her forehead. (to tell friend from foe) This would be the first time all four Wolverines stood together on a battlefield since the Battle of Saginaw... where Piper had gone over to the other side. In the very back of his mind, Lawrence was worried that Piper might betray her allies a second time.

Turning around, Lawrence spoke to a group of American officers. Emanuel Espinosa was among them, clutching a map of Cape Canaveral in his hand.

“We’re ready.” he said. “Put up the smokescreen and wait until the bridge is completely obscured before crossing.”

The Americans nodded and returned to their troops. Scattered throughout the attacking force were five MEC Troopers, robotic warriors leftover from the last war. Each unit had a rotary grenade launcher attached to its back, where it functioned like a mortar. At the same time, all five of the MEC Troopers crouched down, took aim with their launchers, and opened fire.

Five heavy smoke bombs tumbled down onto the far side of the bridge and detonated. Swirling white gas filled the air, and in a matter of seconds, caught the wind. The bridge was completely obscured, and it was impossible for anyone on the far side to see if someone was crossing the river.

Lawrence raised a whistle to his lips and blew. It was the signal.

Just under one hundred fifty men and women, all armed with an array of weapons, gathered at the western end of the bridge and set out, following behind a huge metal automaton.

Leading the charge across the Causeway was a fifty-year-old Sectopod. This was a bipedal robot that stood nearly twenty feet in height and carried two devastating weapon systems on its head. During the Second Hyperspace War, Sectopods were a terrifying sight to behold, and just one could put an elite XCOM squad to flight. Of course, newer, more modern Sectopods existed in the present day, but nearly all of them were busy fighting the Galactic Defense Force on other planets. Lawrence had ruled out any chance of seeing a UN Sectopod this morning.

The mixed force of Americans and aliens pressed forward, reaching the far side of the bridge and taking full control of the checkpoint located there. To Lawrence’s alarm, it was empty. There were no guards to be found. Emanuel, shaken but still full of resolve, led the way further inland.

With a beachhead secured, the attacking force started to fan out, taking control of the NASA Parkway. From here, there was half a mile of flat marshy ground until the next landmark: the shattered ruins of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, a massive structure that was levelled to the ground in the previous war. Even from here, in the early morning darkness, it was possible to see the only remaining structure, a replica of Saturn 1B, one of Humanity’s primitive first attempts at building a spacecraft.

Clutching a laser rifle close to his chest, Lawrence waited for directions from Emanuel, then signaled the attack group to move out. The old Sectopod led the way, each of its footfalls shaking the ground with a deep booming sound. Everyone was on edge. They knew stealth was impossible with a Sectopod in their ranks. The only option was the brute force approach, to smash through with heavy weapons and overwhelm the garrison. Then they would just have to hold the cape until General Osmer could deliver reinforcements.

Knowing that friendly Americans were on the way was a boon to the tiny force of attackers. Everyone pressed on, marching into the darkness... until...

There was a crack of gunfire. Gauss slugs flew high over Lawrence’s head.

“Contact front!” Lawence yelled.

Rifles were raised and one of the Americans fired a flare gun. Night turned into day, revealing the enemy. Several dozen members of Shrike, in full black-and-red uniform, were hiding in marsh, weapons at the ready.

A storm of gunfire erupted as both sides laid into each other! The Sectopod stepped off the road and into the swamp, opening its upper hatch to deploy its railgun. MEC Troopers and Andromedons opened fire with heavy plasma weapons while one of the Mutons turned his head to the sky and roared like a primal beast. Hearing their brother’s Blood Call, the other Mutons were stirred into a frenzy and were soon out of control, closing the distance to the enemy and opening fire with powerful shotguns. While the American soldiers fanned out, ten Levakian hunters slinked into the tall grass and soon vanished from sight.

It was a desperate and chaotic fight. The Shrike mercenaries were trying to engage from as far away as possible, and every time the Americans got closer than about a hundred yards, the mercenaries would break contact and wage a fighting retreat.

Too small to carry a rifle, Cera was fighting with a Coilgun, a magnetic submachinegun. She aimed towards Shrike positions and held the trigger down until her weapon ran out of ammunition. She never hit anything, but this was a good way to stop Shrike from poking their heads out of cover. Whenever Cera paused to reload, the enemy soldier she was engaging sprang up and ran away.

“We’ve got ‘em on the run!” yelled the voice of Colonel Sharpe. He was on the far left flank, leading a squad of 10 Ancient Americans. “Keep pushing!”

Looking to his right, Lawrence could see his force had now drawn level with the visitor center ruins. Looking down, he spotted the body of a Shrike mercenary. The first and so far only fatality of the night.

Lawrence opened his mouth and started to raise his voice, to give words of encouragement to the troops... but then, Crew Chief Magra shouted:

“Look at the horizon! Two o’clock! What is that!?”

Lawrence, Cera, Piper, and Jay all turned their heads to look. They saw a dark shape on the horizon. Jay was the first person to recognize it... and he screamed.

“SECTOPOD!” Jay hollered. “SECTOPOD AT OUR TWO O’CLOCK!”

At once, the Americans began to panic. Soldiers dropped into the prone position, trying to hide. Others blindly fired their weapons in the direction Jay pointed out. The American Sectopod stepped forward and fired its railgun towards the foe. A bolt split the sky like lightning, followed up by a deafening crash! The UN Sectopod staggered and took a few steps forward.

“Heavy weapons!” Lawrence shouted. “Bring up the anti-armor kit!”

Several Americans, Mutons, and MEC Troopers came forward carrying heavy weapons. A shoulder-mounted Blaster Launcher lit up the battlefield in sickly shades of green before the plasma projectile made contact with the enemy robot. Unfortunately, it was a glancing blow. The enemy Sectopod staggered again before resuming its own attack. A railgun blast ripped through the American line, sending mud and blood flying across the marsh. A Levakian grabbed a Blaster Launcher, took aim, and send another round flying downrange.

This time, it was a direct hit! A cloud of dense black smoke obscured the enemy from view, leaving only the initial group of mercenaries to fight, at least for the moment. Lawrence ran up and down the line, trying to find out how badly his force was hit.

Five Americans were dead, plus a Muton and one of the Levakians. Lawrence found Colonel Sharp.

“Ridge!” Sharp yelled. “I’ve got thirty wounded over here, we’ve gotta stop!”

“No, sir! Can’t stop here.” Lawrence replied. “This is a killing field!”

Sharp tried to reply, but Cera and Piper’s voices, high and shrill, pierced the night:

“LEFT SIDE! WE’RE BEING FLANKED!”

The enemy Sectopod had reappeared. The twenty-foot-high robot was stalking the left flank, taking disturbingly wide strides that carried it hundreds of feet in a matter of seconds. Cursing loudly, Piper grabbed a Blaster Launcher.

Ignoring the bullets and beams filling the air around her, Piper stood fully erect with the rocket launcher on her shoulder and then took the shot. The Blaster Launcher kicked so hard that it flew backwards out of her hands and sent the petite woman crashing to the ground. The plasma projectile sailed high and missed the Sectopod by a wide margin. The enemy robot turned to face the direction the attack came from.

“Oh, Fuck! SCATTER!” Lawrence yelled.

The enemy Sectopod fired a blast from its railgun. At once, the American Sectopod exploded! Its body was rent into many bits and pieces while the two legs toppled to the ground with great muddy thuds.

Before Lawrence could do or say anything, both the UN Sectopod and the mercenaries opened fire again. Deadly weapon fire raked the Americans and their alien allies. Soldiers fell into the dark marsh, never to be seen again.

“Retreat!” Lawrence yelled.

“Everyone fall back to the bridge!” Colonel Sharp echoed.

The attacking force broke contact and ran back the way they came. By now, the sun was starting to rise. A deep crimson stained the sky and the marsh below, so that Lawrence looked as though he was running through a sea of blood. Desperate to escape, weapons and armor were abandoned. Even the gravely injured were left behind, including...

“We lost Espinosa!” Piper yelled from somewhere near the back of the line. “He’s been captured!”

“What!?” Lawrence replied.

“He got hit!” Jay said. “Shot in the arm! He went down and we had to leave him behind! The bastards came and plucked him right off the ground! They got him!”

There was nothing to be done. Praying to Jericho that Emanuel would be safe in UN custody, Lawrence pressed on, running full-tilt to the river. After running the longest half-mile of his life, Lawrence reached the checkpoint just before the NASA Causeway Bridge... except...

The Bridge was gone.

Concrete pylons stuck out of the river in regular intervals, as if taunting the fleeing guerillas. The shattered remains of the attack force reached the river, and were equally dumbfounded by Lawrence’s discovery.

“Where’s the bridge!?” Cera cried out in panic. “What happened!?”

“They blew it.” Piper breathed. “I didn’t think they would. They actually blew up the bridge!”

Snaps and pops from above signaled renewed gunfire. The enemy was closing.

“Swim for it!” Lawrence yelled.

He tossed aside his Laser Rifle and ran towards the point where the road ended. Seeing they had no choice, Cera, Piper, Jay, Karfu, Magra, and Colonel Sharp followed suit. Dozens of Americans and aliens did the same. The surviving members of the attack force jumped into the Indian River.

The water was cold and the current slow. Each stroke Lawrence took toward Titusville carried him a little further downstream, but he had no time to think about this. Behind him, the first members of Shrike were reaching the riverbank. Horrid snapping sounds told Lawrence that the enemy was shooting at him and his troops as they swam for their lives! Gauss rounds, laser beams, and plasma bolts made horrid sounds as they hit the water around him. Levakians, Partogans, and Humans all cried out as they were shot.

“Keep going! We can make it!” Piper yelled.

“Carry the wounded between two people!” Jay instructed. “It’s not that far, keep swimming!”

From here, with his head just barely above water, it looked as though the far shorline was an eternity away. His arms and legs ached, his body winded, and his morale was sapped. For the briefest of moments, Lawrence considered giving up. But the sound of Jay’s voice behind him gave Lawrence new strength.

Jay has a kid. You should at least make sure that boy’s dad gets to go home.

Lawrence raised his voice and called out to his troops:

“Follow my voice! Stay with me!”

Kicking with newfound vigor, Lawrence guided the way through the early morning light, and by the time the sun had fully risen, forty men, women, and aliens washed ashore on the safe side of the river.

<=== Chapter 29: Fallen Savior

Chapter 31: See All, Know All ===>​

​

 

[Macavity116]

The Emerald Institute was created by @Midnite Duke, used with permission

Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician, used with permission.

​

---

<=== Chapter 31: Broken Mirror

Chapter 32: Trojan ===>​

Chapter 31
See All, Know All

​

August 4, 2086
The Levakian Sentry Array, Great Wastelands


The warship Ashoka and her escort fleet flew past the planet Ninigai and set a course for a distant object that shimmered in the golden starlight. At first glance, the object appeared to be a small moon, but closer inspection revealed it to be no moon. It was, in fact, a space station.

The Levakian Sentry Array was the first Megastructure built in the postwar era. Shaped somewhat like a mushroom, a tall and spindly superstructure descended down and away from a gargantuan metal dome. Inside this hemisphere was the intricate sensor array that granted the station its incredible ability. The owners of this station enjoyed real-time knowledge about the location and movements of any and all starships in the Galaxy.

The true size and scale of the Sentry Array was not apparent until the Ashoka drew close. The Hiigaran warship was the size of a small city, nearly ten kilometers from stem to stern. Yet she was dwarfed by this station. The Sentry Array, if stood on its end, would have measured about seven hundred kilometers tall, and at its widest, the sensor dome was about two hundred across. The Ashoka docked with the Sentry Array, several boarding tunnels connecting to the mothership at different points.

On one of these boarding tunnels, a group of soldiers, wearing the uniform of the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth, greeted the pirate crew with weapons drawn.

“You’ve got some guts coming here, Mihaka.” A Levakian officer said. “You’re a wanted woman on twelve Levakian planets!”

Unflinching, Hahli put one hand into her cape and withdrew an official-looking envelope, handing it to the officer.

“All the paperwork you need to see.” She said coolly.

The officer opened the envelope and found an official letter from the Ozkox Ambassador to Aoraki. In simple terms, it proclaimed Hahli Mihaka to be “a Privateer of the Ozkox Diaspora under the direct command and diplomatic protection of Galactic Council Senator Eerabik, operating with the informed consent and written permission from the Governing Council of the Ozkox Diaspora. The same applies to her flagship, its escort fleet, and the crews of those vessels.”

All the Levakian could do was growl and sneer as he allowed Hahli and her crew to board the Sentry Array.

“Now everyone behave yourselves.” Hahli said to her crew in a singsong tone. “We’re here as their guests, after all.”

…

While the pirates settled in to wait, Eerabik broke off from the group. With a little help from the Sentry Array crew, she moved the Progenitor Oracle deeper into one of the Array’s command centers. Here, Eerabik met the man she was looking for.

Inside the command center, about four dozen employees of the Emerald Institute were hard at work. This Galaxy-spanning organization had leased out the Sentry Array from the Levakians and were using it for their own purposes, although much of their resources were devoted to tracking down the many children abducted by Humans during the war.

“Variis!” Eerabik cheered. “How are you not dead yet?”

“I could say the same of you.” Replied a very old Taiidani man.

Variis was the Director of the Emerald Institute’s operations aboard the Sentry Array. He was so old that he walked with a cane, and the boar-like tusks jutting out from either side of his mouth were dull and worn-out. Administrator Variis wore a colorful suit, and clipped onto his lapel was a metal pin depicting a silver shield with two broken swords crossed over it. This symbol identified him as a follower of Koshiir-Ra, the Taiidani God of Protection.

Administrator Variis gave a deep bow and greeted Eerabik warmly.

“We feared the worst when we saw your ship fly into the uncharted regions of the Galactic Rim. We saw the battle at the Ring World long before you stumbled onto it.”

“Yes, regarding that.” Eerabik said, pointing at the Progenitor relic she brought with her. “I think you and I need to have a mutual exchange of information. This is the Progenitor Oracle. It contains crucial data regarding the action you witnessed from afar, and I witnessed up close.”

…

Himawari, Amako, Chris, and Randall all knew about the Sentry Array. It was occasionally talked about on Earth, usually in the context of engineering marvels. Whenever the UN military held drills or wargames, they would usually simulate an attempt to capture this incredible construct.

The Emerald Institute workers proved to be very helpful, offering Himawari and her companions a tour of the Sentry Array, explaining how this incredible facility worked. As it turned out, the Institute was engaged in a massive scientific operation here: They were doing research on Hyperspace technology, investigating stellar anomalies, and gathering data on every spacefaring civilization. The group took a detour to the hangar bay, where a robotic arm extracted the Ark Angel from Ashoka’s hangar.

“Hangars within hangars.” Randall said, sounding impressed. “The Galaxy never ceases to amaze me.”

A representative of the Institute explained what was happening:

“Senator Eerabik has offered to pay, out of her own pocket, for your ship to be upgraded to modern specs. We have the facilities and the parts required to do so. Your afterburners will be replaced with impulse thrusters. Latest technology developed by the Hiigaran Empire. Also, for self-defense, we’ve added four energy cannon turrets. Your nuclear power plant has also been replaced with a cold fusion reactor. Much more efficient.”

Himawari, Randall, and Chris all looked at one another excitedly, but Amako frowned.

“There’s a catch, isn’t there? She wants us to help her with something in return.”

That wiped the smiles off the other’s faces. Amako was probably right.

…

Himawari and her friends tried to join Hahli and her pirate crew for a late dinner, but Eerabik had other plans.

Hahli, Ruunhan, Himawari, Amako, Chris, and Randall were all summoned to a high level meeting deep inside the Sentry Array. The conference room was located in the outer shell of the space station, and featured a window that granted a spectacular view of the Garden of Kadesh, a bright red Nebula in the center of the Great Wastelands.

Eerabik and Administrator Variis were already there. The former was making some final adjustments to the Oracle, while the latter introduced himself to the newcomers. Once everybody was seated, Variis called the meeting to order. Amako looked around in confusion, wondering why the conference room was so quiet. Then he noticed that, with a few exceptions, all of the remaining attendees were holograms. The leaders of the Emerald Institute were scattered across the Galaxy, and were using Hyperwave Relays to join the meeting via holoconfrence.

“I apologize for dragging so many of you out of bed.” Administrator Variis began. “But we have a situation that requires our immediate attention. To my left, you will see Senator Eerabik of the Galactic Council, along with a crew of privateers she has recruited to the cause. She is the one who travelled to the uncharted quadrant of the Galactic Rim and observed the battle at the Ring. She is in possession of the Progenitor Oracle, and claims the information it dispensed about the Ring and its attackers can be turned to our advantage.”

Eerabik took the floor. One more time, she retold the story of her adventures aboard the Frenzied Claw and her encounter with the mysterious robot civilization in the Galactic Rim.

“Just like yourselves, I can see a few different ways the so-called Baterra can be used to our advantage. An army of these machines can be brought up to replace the Micore warforms our side lost on Amadiio last month.” Eerabik concluded.

“Not to mention, the Micore as a whole have become unreliable in recent months.” Ruunhan chimed in. “We cannot rely on them to function in a moment of crisis.”

Eerabik gestured to the Progenitor relic at the head of the table. Dozens of electrical cables snaked out of the ancient computer and ran underneath a door, out of sight.

“With some help from the Oracle, I have created several plans for making first contact with the Baterra and then recruiting them to our cause. Most of them are based on the same plan Partoga used to bring Earth into the Second Hyperspace War fifty years ago.”

“Yeah... the Partogans didn’t really give us a choice.” Randall commented.

The holographic representations of the Institute leaders became blurry for a moment. Then, each person was presented with Eerabik’s plans. The group sat in nervous silence while the executives read through each briefing. Then, after a tense five minutes, one of the Institute leaders said:

“Administrator Variis, please join us in the breakout room.”

The Director stood up and walked into the next room, closing the door behind him. The holograms vanished, leaving Himawari, Ruunhan, and their companions alone in the conference room together. The Humans, Hiigarans, and Partogans started to converse among themselves, wondering which of Eerabik’s plans would be chosen. Eerabik herself did not join in. She remained stony-faced and silent, as though contemplating.

Finally, about ten minutes later, Administrator Variis returned, as did the holograms of the Institute leaders. A Taiidani man faced Eerabik. This was someone she met before: the Director of the Emerald Institute. He said:

“Senator Eerabik. The Executive Board of the Emerald Institute has considered your proposals, and after deliberation, we have unanimously decided that we will not attempt to initiate first contact with the Baterra. There are too many unknowns to consider, along with the inherent hostility the Baterra showed to yourself. Furthermore, we have reason to believe you initiated this series of events while acting outside of your power and authority as a Senator of the Galactic Council. Should this be true, the potential for political blowback for the Institute is too great. For these reasons, your proposals are summarily rejected.”

…

The six space travelers helped Eerabik remove the Oracle from the conference room. Truthfully, Eerabik did not need the help. Himawari was simply worried about her, and wanted to see if the avian diplomat needed someone to console her. Loading the Oracle onto a cart and covering it with a sheet, Eerabik waited until Administrator Variis was out of sight, then she quickly whirled around to face her companions.

“I am going to make First Contact with the Baterra.” Eerabik said. “Come with me.”

This was not what anyone was expecting. Chris cocked his head to the side, as if unable to see Eerabik properly.

“Excuse me?” Chris said. “I could have sworn the Institute just turned down your plan to do that?”

“Do you really think I put all of my eggs in the same incubator?” Eerabik said. “I have other plans, I always have other plans. And if you want to see your Homeworld be free from power-hungry Xenophobes, you’ll give me the deaf woman and her ship.”

Amako stepped between Himawari and Eerabik. His wife was very confused, but Randall quickly flashed a series of explanatory hand signals. Eerabik got behind the cart and started to push it down the hallway.

“Follow me.” She said.

Amako, Chris, Randall, Himawari, Ruunhan, and Hahli fell in behind Eerabik as the diplomat pushed the Oracle back towards the hangar containing the Ashoka. It was a very long walk, giving them plenty of time for conversation.

“Making contact with the Baterra is of crucial importance.” Eerabik said. “Administrator Variis has been my man inside of the Institute for years. Whenever I come here, he gets me whatever information or technology I need. And this time he did not fail me. Humans, you should know that the war between Earth and the Galaxy is about to reach its climax.”

“Climax?” Randall repeated. “I think the mass brainwashing of Amadiio would count as that.”

Ignoring Randall, Eerabik pressed on.

“The Sentry Array can see everything. Varris observed the United Nations gathering its space fleet in the Alpha Centauri system, massing for another battle. The Galactic Defense Force is also massing in the Karos Graveyard for an offensive of their own. The Institute believes the two fleets are aiming at different targets and will miss one another. Each side will inflict a devastating blow on the other with impunity.” she said.

“And you think the Baterra can stop the UN fleet?” Chris asked.

“I don’t know.” Eerabik confessed. “But I am certain their appearance will scuttle whatever the UN is planning, and might stop the Humans from deploying that damned Psionic weapon again. What’s better, the Oracle should allow me to communicate with them, and if that’s possible, then I also have a... uh... what’s the Human expression? I have an ace up my sleeve that will guarantee the Baterra’s cooperation with my design.”

In the back of the group, Himawari used sign language to say:

“Eerabik seems evil. But, like, a good kind of evil. Remember how the Reapers and Templars were evil in the last war, but were on our side for most of the time? She’s kinda like that.”

Amako nodded.

“Do you want to try and get away from Eerabik?” He signed back.

Himawari shook her head.

“Not yet.”

Eerabik paused to look out the window. The blood-red Garden of Kadesh reflected demonically in her beady eyes.

“My plan hinges on one crucial detail.” Eerabik said. “I can’t be alone when I make First Contact with the Baterra. Someone needs to come along, someone who can operate the Oracle for me.”

Ruunhan and Amako both stepped forward.

“That’s us, then.” Amako said. “We can help you.”

Eerabik shook her head.

“We are going to be communicating with an empire of machines.” she said. “It’s likely that we will have to parlay with an advanced Artificial Intelligence. The computer aboard the Ark Angel is insufficient for the task, and the Oracle is a data repository, not an interpreter. I need someone special... I need an Unbound. And you, daughter of Stormbreaker Trojan, are best qualified for that job.”

As soon as Eerabik’s words were translated into sign language, Himawari’s mouth fell open.

“Wait.” She signed. “What?”

…

“Unbound” is a term that refers to a person who is physically integrated into their own starship, using their own brain as an organic computer core, and the ship itself became an extension of their own body. Some alien people, like the now-extinct Bentusi, would spend their entire lives in space, and some of the Galaxy’s most well-known heroes were Unbound, such as Karan Sjet, Arioch Soban, and Makara Ranginui. For a brief moment in time, Jericho herself was an Unbound as well.

…

Half an hour later, everyone was back aboard the Ashoka, crammed into the Stellar Cartography room, where Eerabik had just finished a lengthy explanation, complete with holographic visual aids.

With Ruunhan’s permission, Eerabik tied Ashoka’s main computer into its counterpart aboard the Sentry Array. Then, she downloaded all of the Institute’s data about Akira Robinson, the Paradox. The next part of the story, Himawari was already familiar with: One of the files the Institute had was a copy of some data stolen from Akira herself. Copied from the computer of Akira’s Timeship, it was information about the many alternate timelines Akira passed through on her way to the present.

“The Paradox created several new realities by messing with time.” Eerabik said. “And she kept a record of them. By pure good fortune, those records were seized after her defeat in 2036. It’s thanks to these documents that I know Himawari Robinson is best suited to be an Unbound. Look here.”

Himawari’s mouth hung open as a holographic biography began to unfurl itself around her. It was a summary of her own life in an alternate timeline.


In the early morning hours of the War in Heaven, Chihiro Tachibana gave birth to a deaf girl and named her Asuna. Over the next few years, little Asuna would reveal Psionic powers, inherited from her mother. She could read minds, move objects by willing it, and hold purple Soulfire in both of her hands.

Like all other Gifted people, Asuna Robinson had one power that was unique to herself. She referred to it with a name coined by her father: “Technomancy.” Asuna could understand the binary language of computers. With but a little effort, Asuna could use her mental powers to seize control of complex machines and bend their programming to her own will.

As an adult, Asuna would sometimes take her little sister Akira for joyrides in the family spaceship. Asuna impressed her sibling by flying the vessel while bound and blindfolded. She did not need to see nor touch the controls. Asuna wielded the powers of an Unbound without ever physically connecting herself to the ship.


“Jericho may have destroyed the Gift...” Eerabik said. “But the Psionic potential remains in your mind. I’ve seen it elsewhere, in the smallest and most surprising of places. I believe that if you became an Unbound... you would have the same potential for greatness as Makara Ranginui, or those Hiigarans, Karen and Arioch.”

Even Himawari could tell she was being buttered up, that Eerabik was trying very hard to sell this idea and make it sound appealing. Himawari was already skeptical and had a couple of concerns. She faced Eerabik and made sure to sign slowly so that Amako and Randall could translate:

“My parents told me everything they knew about the Paradox.” Himawari said. “They told me the Gift was not consistent between Cycles. You can’t guarantee I would have been born Gifted this time around. Also, being Unbound means I would have to fuse myself to a starship. That kind of technology is not easy to find and even harder to build.”

Himawari paused. She was thinking. Eerabik quickly swooped in to allay her fears.

“I know. But your mastery of nonverbal communication is a skill that has always proven useful to Unbound in the past. It is useful now. And as for a ship... well... that’s been seen to.” Eerabik countered. Randall and Chris had to sign quickly to keep up.

Ruunhan, Amako, and Randall all jumped as they remembered a crucial detail!

“The Ark Angel!” They cried out together.

“Exactly.” Eerabik said. “Variis and I arranged the retrofit by Hyperline before I came aboard. A full-body chamber interface, similar to the one used by Makara Ranginui aboard the Mahuika. It’s not a perfect re-creation, but it will do the job and keep you alive for almost five months. But in reality, it only needs to work for about five days.”

Eerabik waved her wing, and a hologram of the Ark Angel appeared over everyone’s heads. The replica of the spaceplane disassembled into many smaller pieces, showing off the complex modification to the fuselage, where an integration chamber was now installed, creating a space for a single person fuse their brain into the ship’s computer, becoming the Ark Angel’s living core.

Randall, Amako, and Chris all looked at Himawari.

“Hana, you cannot be considering this!” Randall signed.

“Her whole plan is built on a hunch, and so many unknowns.” Chris added.

“The Baterra attacked Eerabik once already. Who’s to say they won’t kill you on sight?”

Himawari raised her hand for silence. Everybody looked at her. She opened her mouth, and... in a soft voice that was raspy from lack of use, she spoke in halting English:

“We... have... to try.”

Himawari manipulated the holodisplay with one hand. She opened a copy of Lawrence Ridge’s desperate Hyperwave message, the one broadcasted to the entire Galaxy a month ago. The simple text message was displayed in full, for everyone to read again. The month-old cry for help brought tears to Ruunhan’s eyes.

“The children... at Canaveral. They run out... of time.” Himawari said aloud. “We... are out of time. We must try.”

Amako, Chris, and Randall all dropped their objections. Once everyone agreed to make the journey, only three tasks remained:

Himawari would have to undergo surgery to install the necessary cybernetic implants on her body.

The Ark Angel’s former Time Core chamber would be retrofitted to include an integration assembly for Himawari to use.

And Eerabik said she needed to have one final meeting with her friends in the Institute.

“We’ve made a contingency plan in case this all goes wrong.” Eerabik explained. “We just need to make sure all of the pieces are in place.”

When she returned, the Avian Senator was carrying a heavy-looking case that was secured with no less than three combination locks. Whatever Eerabik kept locked inside of this case was either very important or very dangerous... or perhaps both.

…

August 6, 2086
The Cathedral of Jericho, Altair Star System


Ten thousand years ago, a massive city sprawled across the surface of a planet orbiting a gentle blue star. Now, it lay in crumbling ruin, aside from one silvery point on its surface. The headquarters of the Cult of Jericho would have been a beautiful sight to behold amongst the ruins of this long-dead Progenitor city. But not today.

This morning, there was fire in the sky.

Dozens of Progeny starships fell out of orbit and into the atmosphere. Their hulls pockmarked with impact markings. Starfighters burned up in the atmosphere like rocks in a meteor shower. Frigates were consumed in swirling white flames while Destroyers and Carriers broke into pieces, scattering their remains across the heavens in a blazing display of carnage and destruction.

While the Progeny fleet met its doom, the victorious armada of the Galactic Defense Force loomed in the sky like a nightmare not fully realized. In the center of the fleet, an oversized starship could be seen clearly from the ground. It was a rounded vessel with five long and narrow arms that extended out and away from the body.

It was a Planet-Killer.

Standing aboard this massive weapon, General Macavity overlooked the scene. He was impressed with the fleet’s performance in battle. The Progeny were defeated and the GDF had taken very few casualties in turn. As soon as the Planet-Killer settled into a killshot orbit above the Cathedral of Jericho, Macavity used the Hyperwave relay to transmit a message to all remaining Progeny and Cult members on the surface:

“Attention Humans, this is General Macavity of the Galactic Defense Force. Your fleet is lost and we are now in a position to kill each and every person on the planet surface. The Galactic Custodian is unwilling to shed innocent blood or destroy their homes. This is your opportunity to surrender without fear of reprisal or retribution. Surrender now and there will be peace.”

General Macavity stepped away from the Hyperwave, ordering a subordinate to keep an eye on it. Like any professional soldier, he would wait some time for the enemy to reply to his demand. Thinking to himself, Macavity decided that six hours would be enough time. He looked out the window to survey his fleet again, and then spotted something interesting:

A Hiigaran Mothership had broken formation and was now flying alongside the wreckage of a Progeny Cruiser. As far as he knew, Macavity had never seen this ship before.

Macavity quickly grabbed a lieutenant and ordered him to identify the strange vessel.

“That’s the Ashoka, sir.”

Macavity jumped! He knew that name. The Ashoka was a wanted pirate ship from Rotorua. Quickly, he moved to the Hyperwave and hailed the Ashoka, demanding an immediate response.

Speaking in an almost lazy tone, Hahli Mihaka replied:

“This is the Hiigaran warship Ashoka, we are a Privateer acting under the authority of the Ozkox Diaspora. We destroyed this Progeny ship during the battle and in accordance with our Privateer contract, I have claimed the enemy vessel as my prize. The ship and anything on board belongs to me now, and if you have any issues, take it up with the Ozkox. I’ll send you a copy of my contract.”

General Macavity was so busy, staring dumbfounded at a copy of Hahli’s Privateer Contract, that he completely failed to notice a fifty-year-old spaceplane undock from the Ashoka and disappear into Hyperspace...

<=== Chapter 31: Broken Mirror

Chapter 32: Trojan ===>​

 

[Macavity116]

The Saiiban Confederation and its people were created by @Chilango2, used with permission.

The Advisor was created by @Nikolai, used with permission.

The Emerald Institute was created by @Midnite Duke, used with permission.


Please forgive the inconsistent quality of the audiobook chapter. The entire video was created while I was suffering from COVID-19, so my voice was shot and I had trouble focusing on the editing.

<=== Chapter 31: See All, Know All

Chapter 33: Revelation ===>​

Chapter 32
Trojan

August 6, 2086
The Cathedral of Jericho, Altair Star System


A person standing the ruins of the old Progenitor City could have looked up at the sky and been convinced the world was about to end. Hundreds of brilliant fireballs streaked through the heavens, all travelling in the same direction.

On a nearby hilltop, a large number of Progeny soldiers were gathered. They turned their backs to the armada of starships passing through the atmosphere and listened while their leaders gave orders. An Acolyte and a Sorceress raised their arms in salute one last time as the soldiers under their command turned and began walking away. About fifty troops, men and women, vanished into the ruins of the abandoned city.

As soon as their subordinates were gone, the Acolyte and Sorceress turned to face one another, their faces grim. They gave one another a nod, and then the Sorceress turned away. She faced the gleaming silver building in the distance. Even from this far away, it was possible to see the many people standing outside the Cathedral of Jericho.

Moving with great reluctance, the Acolyte withdrew from his belt a Gauss pistol. He raised the weapon, and after taking a moment to steel his nerves, he shot the Sorceress in the back, killing her. Then, with shaking hands, the Acolyte turned the weapon upon himself.

…

Dozens of warships of the Galactic Defense Force landed within a mile of the Cathedral. GDF soldiers disembarked, armed and ready for the final battle but such preparations were unnecessary.

The Progeny did not so much collapse as it melted away. The militant arm of the Cult of Jericho was simply incapable of fighting anymore. As the GDF approached their positions, what few cultists remained simply held their fire. Most Progeny fighters laid their weapons on the ground and allowed the invaders to pass, waiting patiently to be captured. Each fighter taken into custody was in horrible shape:

The last remaining Progeny fighters were emaciated from lack of food, most of their weapons did not function, and none of them wore armor. Instead, the fighters dressed in ragged clothes that might have been uniforms a long time ago. Furthermore, nearly all of these fighters were either very old men or teenagers. No military-aged men remained. A few members of the Progeny fled into the ruined city, perhaps out of panic or desperation. Those who remain did not resist capture.

As the first prisoners were processed, the truth came out:

Somehow, both the Cult and the Progeny had learned about the death of Erin Hyatt, including the identity of her killer. As soon as it was known that the Cult made an enemy of the woman they worshipped, things fell apart.

Outside the Cathedral itself, nearly four hundred Progeny fighters were trying to make their intention to surrender obvious. They smashed their weapons on rocks, pieces of rubble, or the walls of the Cathedral itself. A pile of broken or damaged rifles was growing like a small mountain in the center of the group. As soon as the GDF soldiers came into view, a group of Acolytes and Sorceresses broke off from the group and walked out to meet them.

No words were spoken. Instead, one of the Sorceresses lifted her arm and dropped her rifle to the ground in an unmistakable gesture of capitulation. The GDF field commander ordered his troops to capture all of the cultists alive.

As soon as the GDF soldiers stepped into the grounds of the Cathedral, a series of dull thuds could be heard inside of the building, followed by an ominous silence. A team of Partogan Green Guards, augmented by Vaygr Crusaders and Micore Battle Droids, stacked up against the ornate golden doors and then breached the Cathedral.

Inside, they found fourteen Acolytes and one Sorceress who had chosen death over surrender.

They also found nearly five hundred alien children, terrified and miserable, but nonetheless alive. Little Hiigarans, Partogans, Saiiban, Taiidani, Vanians, Assurians, Vaygr, Amadii, and Kelt scrambled out of the darkened Cathedral and back into the light, daring to hope that their long ordeal was finally over.

…

August 11, 2086
Gehenna Asteroid Field, Vaygr Reaches


Speeding through dense clouds of dust and ice, the spaceplane Niagara entered a region of space known as Gehenna. This place was a very dense asteroid field, illuminated by shafts of yellow light from a nearby star. On board, the Stormbreakers and their passenger were preparing for a very important excursion. Maui used the targeting computer to scan each asteroid, searching for a very specific landmark. Meanwhile, Kingi was digging through his personal possessions in the back, searching for something. And Cetla was sitting next to the space heater in the fuselage, keeping his reptilian body warm while he spoke to Jericho.

“... so, let me see if I’ve got this straight.” Jericho was saying. “You are the second generation of Stormbreakers, charged with hunting down Akira. And you’ve never met your employer, who seems to have endless resources at his disposal?”

“Never.” Cetla shook his head. “Nor has he explained why we were chosen in particular. Only two of us have an axe to grind with the Paradox, namely Varian and Kingi.”

Cetla pointed a scaled thumb at the Assurian-Partogan Hybrid as he re-emerged from the crew quarters. Kingi was looking very frustrated, having failed to find whatever he was searching for.

“What is your quarrel with Akira?” Jericho asked.

Kingi narrowed his eyes for a moment, then relaxed under Jericho’s quizzical gaze. He began to explain:

“Years ago, I was friends with a man named Meto Mihaka. He was a space explorer, and he often allowed me to share in his discoveries. I believed he would be the man to chart all of the Great Wastelands, and I supported his work toward that goal. One day, he came to me and said he was leading a Levakian starship, the Mami Tamihana, into the Sea of Lost Souls on a very special expedition. He was sworn to secrecy until it was finished, but promised to tell all when it was over. I went to Aoraki, eagerly awaiting his return.

“I wasn’t worried about his safety, though. The two of us had befriended several members of the Commonwealth military, and a few of our comrades were travelling with Meto aboard the Tamihana: There was Iruni, who was something of a class clown. Kodan, who was on the fast-track to becoming captain of his own ship someday. And the Hipango brothers, Taiki and Tuuli. Your day was not complete until they taught you something new. I knew they would make an incredible team, and I kept an eye out for news about them every day. Eventually... there was. On every television and radio and Hyperwave, it was announced that Meto had visited the Graveworld of Partoga and recovered the body of the legendary Queen Whetu Kealoha.”

Kingi sat down across from Jericho, his expression forlorn.

“I gathered all of the friends we shared between us and arranged for a party in Mahurangi City. Meto would have come home to a celebration like no other... he would have.”

Jericho’s face fell. She knew this part of the story. The Mami Tamihana was ambushed by an unknown starship, all aboard were killed, and the corpse of Whetu Kealoha was stolen. Kingi choked up, and Jericho stood up. She gently placed one hand on his shoulder. Cetla’s eyes widened in awe. There was no physical change to Kingi’s appearance, he just suddenly seemed less gloomy. It was as though some inner light, deep within Kingi, was reignited.

“I suspected the Paradox was somehow responsible.” Kingi continued, his voice a little stronger. “So, I contacted the Emerald Institute. Looked through the records of her destructive rampage through our timeline. The more I studied, the more convinced I became. Three years ago, I travelled to Hiigara and swore to oath to the dark god Qwaar-Jet that I would find Akira and carve her heart from her body.”

Jericho softly rubbed Kingi’s shoulders.

“Take it from me, Akira is very hard to kill.” she said. “I thought I witnessed her death three times, and each time was proven wrong by the Paradox herself.”

…

Up in the cockpit, Maui and Varian found what they were looking for. Dig site 603 was carved into the side of a very large asteroid, surrounded by derelict hulks and shipwrecks.

A little less than a hundred years ago, the Hiigarans and Vaygr fought a battle in this place, each trying to seize control of the Oracle, a relic left behind by the old Progenitor Empire. The shattered hulks of frigates and destroyers drifted around the area, while a faint ring, made of tiny bits of wire and metal, orbited the asteroid itself. A few modern starships could be seen docked to the dig site on the surface, and as the Niagara drew closer, Varian could observe that all of them belonged to the Galactic Defense Force... with one exception:

A single Human warship could be found docked between two Partogan cruisers. The Achilles-class Corvette was painted with the colors and symbols of the Hawaiian Republic.

“I’ll bet that’s our mysterious employer.” Varian said. “Is everyone ready to meet the Shadow Man face-to-face?”

…

Once the Ark Angel landed on Asteroid 603, Jericho and the Stormbreakers rode an industrial elevator down the dig site, a pressurized chamber over a kilometer below the surface. Due to the asteroid’s small size, the force of gravity here was incredibly weak. Jericho seemed to be standing a little straighter here than she did on Earth.

The actual dig site chamber was a fascinating place. There were four metal walls and a ceiling, from which the lights were hung, but the cave floor remained exposed, and century-old mining equipment was strewn all around, along with a few weapons left behind by the Hiigaran raiders. A hole in the dirt occupied a space near the center of the cavern, marking the spot where the Oracle was found a century ago. Protective railing ran all the way around this hole, and it was here that the meeting would take place. A group of people were already present in the dig site, and the Stormbreakers felt their collective heartbeat skip when the realized just who these people were:

Marka Ranginui, Galactic Custodian and Queen of the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth, was hard to recognize as she had a thick scarf wrapped around her neck.

General Macavity of the Galactic Defense Force prowled around the edges of the room, agitated.

A huge reptilian alien, shaped vaguely like the mythical European dragons of Earth, was watching Queen Marka with an expression of concern. This was her loyal Advisor.

The Director of the Emerald Institute was here as well. In the semidarkness of this cavern, the old Taiidani man looked even more like a monster than usual.

There was also half a dozen generals and admirals from some of the most powerful member-states of the Galactic Council: Two Partogans, a Vaygr, a Taiidan, a Blorg, and one Saiiban. But Varian only had eyes for two people in the middle of the group.

Leaning against the railing and shaking hands with the surrounding military leaders were two Humans: an elderly man who carried himself like a renowned veteran, and an elderly woman who rested all of her weight on the ornate golden handle of a beautiful cane.

Corder, Kingi, Cetla, Ninu, and Maui did not recognize this old couple, but as soon as Varian cried out, they put two and two together.

“Grandpa! Grandma! What the hell are you doing here!?”

The elderly couple turned to look at Varian, and their faces seemed to light up as though the joy had suddenly returned to their lives. The old woman, too hobbled and hunched over to walk properly, took a couple of tottering steps forward before Varian reached her and they embraced in a tight hug.

“Well, I say, you look like my grandchild!” the woman cried. “But it can’t be. She’s too busy saving the Galaxy.”

“Obaa-chan, knock it off!” Varian gasped. “You’re embarrassing me in front of my friends.”

The old woman hugged Varian so tightly that she (or he) could only make a squeaking sound. Then she narrowed her eyes and addressed the five remaining Stormbreakers:

“So you’re the other five, huh? I do hope you’ve been treating my little Viki right. I keep this around just for her.”

And to the shock of everyone present, the old lady reached her free hand into her handbag and withdrew an ancient-looking pistol. The spindly hammer next to the iron sight made the weapon appear like a primitive flintlock. Four Stormbreakers stepped back, but Corder stood fast, as she was looking at the weapon with an impressed look on her face.

“Oh wow.” Corder said. “That’s the Shadowkeeper. Blake Robinson used it to break the Time Core at the War in Heaven fifty years ago... which means you must be...”

Corder looked into the old woman’s face. Age had not been kind to her, but a kind of fire could be seen burning in her deep blue eyes.

“Tachibana Chihiro.” The old woman said. “Count yourself lucky that my grandchild thinks so highly of you.”

Varian, looking very embarrassed, pressed on their grandmother’s arm, forcing the primitive firearm back into the handbag.

“Okay, Obaa-chan. That’s enough.” Varian hissed. “We’re good. You can calm down now.”

The five remaining Stormbreakers were struck dumb. Of course, they all knew that Varian was related to two of the original Stormbreakers, yet they never dreamed that one day, they would come face to face with Chihiro Tachibana and her husband Blake Robinson, the Heroes of Hiroshima who led XCOM to victory alongside Jericho in the Battle for Earth.

Blake was normally a stoic and calm person, but when he saw Varian, a great smile dawned on his features. Varian hesitated when Chihiro released him (or her) but let out a squeak when Blake swept up his grandchild in a bone-crushing hug.

“Varian! You’ve done well!” Blake declared. “Your mother was right; you really can take care of yourself.”

Varian was too overwhelmed to speak. (Because Blake was holding them with one hand and using the other to tousle their hair) Finally, she (or he) managed to choke out:

“H-how did you know to come here? How did you know where we were?”

Cetla was the first to pick up on the truth. He looked quickly from Varian to Blake and back again. After a few moments of complete disbelief, he said...

“It was you! You are the man! The one from Jericho station!”

“No way.” Corder said. “No effing way!”

“Wait, they named a space station after me?” Jericho said.

Blake looked over Varian’s head and shot a meaningful glance at Queen Marka, who returned the expression. This seemed to confirm Cetla’s accusation. Maui quickly placed his smart glasses onto his face and scanned Blake. The images of Blake and the Shadow Man were faintly visible in the lenses.

“This is the best match I’ve had so far.” Maui said. “And according to my database, Blake’s financial status would theoretically permit him to be our paymaster.”

“Not entirely his own finances.” A voice cut in.

The Director of the Emerald Institute raised his hand.

“The Institute collaborated with Captain Robinson on his clandestine endeavor. Before the outbreak of war made such transactions impossible, we contributed to Robinson’s work with liquid assets. Currency from every spacefaring civilization was provided to him, along with access to intelligence from the Sentry Array.”

“I wasn’t the only person trying to fight the Paradox.” Blake said. “Plenty of folks out there were convinced she was still alive. I just needed to find them... and speaking of people who fight the Paradox... you’ve failed to introduce us to your extra companion. Varian... please.”

Throughout this whole reunion, Jericho had awkwardly stood back. While she was also old, she was still twenty years younger than Blake and Chihiro. Compared to her two fellow heroes, Jericho was just barely starting her own physical decline. At Blake’s insistence, Jericho stepped into the light. Unlike Chihiro, Jericho had aged gracefully, retaining some of her beauty, now accentuated with grace and a kindly smile.

The gathered leaders regarded Jericho curiously, while Blake and Chihiro embraced her.

“It really is you!” Chihiro sounded gleeful. “What happened? Where did you go?”

“You know me.” Jericho replied, speaking into Chihiro’s shoulder. “I ran away from my own failures. And it took a Robinson to help me come back to my senses... just like last time.”

This answer satisfied the Robinson family, and a look of dawning comprehension came over the rest of the GDF leaders. One by one, each general and admiral realized the truth. A Vaygr fell to his knees and started praying out loud. Jericho saw this and took a step back.

“No… please.” Jericho mumbled.

“Glorious Sajuuk-Khar,” the Vaygr said. “On behalf of the Vaygr Crusades, I beg for your favor.”

Fortunately, Cetla and Kingi realized Jericho was uncomfortable. They gently lifted the Vaygr back to his feet and carried him a short distance away.

Queen Marka stuttered for a moment, unsure of how to properly address Jericho:

“Uh… G-great one. There’s something I don’t understand. We… that is to say, many people throughout the Galaxy… we all thought you were dead. When the Trinity exploded during the War in Heaven… we thought no one could survive that.”

“Akira did.” Jericho replied coldly.

There was silence for a moment. Then Blake spoke up.

“There were several ways to get off the Trinity.” He said. “There were fighters and corvettes in most of the hangar bays. Akira almost certainly flew back to Earth in one of them.”

The Saiiban General pointed at Jericho.

“But… how did you get away?” He asked.

Jericho took a deep breath.

“I used a Psi Gate.”

Again, a moment of silence. Then the Blorg Admiral said:

“Bullshit.”

Everyone chuckled. Even Jericho let out a girlish giggle.

“It really sounds like that, huh?” She said. “After all I did to destroy the Gift, something I hated so much… I just walked out through a Psi Gate. Well…”

Jericho sighed, then went on.

“I really tried to destroy Psionics.” She said. “I hate the Gift, and it only leads to bad things. But… I did not truly understand where the Gift comes from. I destroyed all Psionic energy in the Galaxy, but I failed to stop new energy from being created. Any sentient lifeform can generate small amounts of Psionic energy in their brains, and I can’t stop that process, no matter how I try.”

Jericho hung her head. Chihiro finished the explanation:

“My friend here has an ability to siphon those trace amounts of Psionic Energy we generate in our brains.” Chihiro said. “So when she tried to destroy the Gift, her powers regenerated almost instantly.”

“I walked through a Psi Gate without really thinking about it.” Jericho confessed. “I ended up in the ruins of an ADVENT base somewhere in Viet Nam, I looked up and saw the Trinity explode. The rest… well…”

She trailed off, looking nervously at the assembled leaders.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, General Macavity said:

“Mighty Beastslayer, we are in awe of your power and glory. What is your first command?”

For the first time, Jericho’s expression darkened.

“All due respect,” She said in a small voice. “I’m no tactician or strategist. If anything, I should be asking what your intentions are, not the other way around.”

The Blorg objected. His slimy fungoid body seemed to jiggle as he spoke:

“If you truly are the Girl Who Became a God, then we would be quite out of line to propose any course of action that contravenes your own.”

Jericho looked around the room. She took issue with both halves of the admiral’s statement. Just like fifty years ago, Jericho rejected out of hand the attempts other people made to treat her as some divine being, nor would she dictate commandments to those who professed themselves her followers. She was a tired old woman, not a god. But there was another problem.

The Blorg had used the word “if.” Looking around the room, Jericho telepathically probed everyone. Some of the more sensitive individuals, such as the Advisor and Ninu, could sense the intrusion and became uncomfortable.

Ninu, seeming to know what was coming next, stepped closer to Jericho and grabbed the skirt of her dress, since he was too short to reach her hand.

“Some of you doubt me.” Jericho said. “That’s okay. I’m not the same wide-eyed teenager who sent Agamemnon packing all those decades ago. So just tell me. Is there something I can say or do to convince you I really am... well... myself?”

Ninu reacted before anyone could speak:

“Jericho is Jericho! She should not have to prove herself to anyone!”

To his surprise, the Vaygr Admiral, Corder, the Saiiban General, Cetla, Kingi, and the Institute Director all spoke up in Jericho’s defense, arguing that her mere presence was sufficient evidence of her claim. The Vaygr went even further, claiming Jericho was trying to test everyone’s faith.

“And many of you are failing!” the Vaygr concluded.

Just when it seemed like this confrontation would descend into an argument, Queen Marka threw out a hand. Silence fell immediately.

“In the Royal Palace on Aoraki,” Marka said, “There is a small library containing the personal diaries of Nomsa, who was our Queen during the final days of the Second Hyperspace War. In those pages, Nomsa said she met you, and that you were a master of Psionics unlike any who came before. Prove your mastery to us, and our curiosities will be satisfied.”

Jericho gave Ninu a reassuring pat on the head, then replied:

“Of course. How would you like me to do that?”

Queen Marka reached up to her neck and began to undo the thick scarf she wore. As the scarf fell away, everybody gasped except for the Queen’s Advisor. Marka’s lower neck was horrifically mutilated. Several deep gashes were sewn together with medical sutures, and the gruesome scars left behind were very unpleasant to look at.

“Two months ago, I was the victim of an assassination attempt.” Marka said. “The true story of what happened was hidden away, and the Galaxy at large was told this cover story: My cousin suddenly died, and I was so stricken with grief that I fell ill. Absolutely no one in this room knows the truth. If you really are who these people claim you to be... you will look into my eyes... my mind and soul... then tell us the true story of what happened the night my cousin died.”

Maui in particular was hard hit by this revelation. Someone had tried to kill his Queen! Seething, Maui looked around at his comrades. His mind was awash with fantasies about how he would fight the would-be-assassin should they ever cross paths. Corder wrapped her tail around him and started to purr, imploring Maui to calm down.

Her face passive, Jericho stepped forward and took Queen Marka’s hand in her own. Jericho looked into Marka’s eyes, while everyone else looked on in awe and wonder.

Jericho began to speak:

“On the day you became Queen, you appointed Tamaho Ranginui, your cousin, to be your Kuhina Nui. You and he were very close. You may as well have been siblings. Together you ruled the Commonwealth for many ears. But then, you noticed something change. Tamaho became distant and silent. Despite sharing so much of his time with you, he never seemed to give the same energy to your shared activities as he once did. Tamaho was going through the motions.

“Then came that fateful night in June. You may have suppressed the memories... buried the trauma, but they are still here. Tamaho invited you to a private dinner in the palace. You were excited and eager to reconnect with a loved one. The two of you drank Madu Cabolo and laughed about times long past. Then Tamaho stood and offered to bring you another glass. He walked to the serving table behind you.”

Jericho and Marka both closed their eyes. Ninu, Varian, and all of the others were leaning in close, hanging onto her every word.

“It was an ambush.” Jericho continued. “Tamaho returned and grabbed you by the hair with one hand, and drew a blade across your neck with the other. But... Tamaho Ranginui was a politician, not a killer. He did not know how to strike someone in a way that causes death instead of injury. His mistake was your salvation. You began to struggle, and your neck was slashed twice more. You kicked the table and escaped from Tamaho’s grip. There was a fight.

“To save your own life, you employed the skills and knowledge your cousin lacked. You disarmed Tamaho and then killed him with the same blade that would have taken your own life. Palace staff entered the room and you passed out in their arms.”

Jericho let go of Queen Marka and stepped back. Struggling to hide her emotions, Marka busied herself with returning her scarf to its rightful position around her neck and shoulders. All around, people were overwhelmed by the story Jericho told. After a moment, Maui said:

“Why though? Kuhina Nui Ranginui... why?”

“I can answer that.” Said Blake. “Your Majesty, I am so sorry to tell you this... but your Kuhina Nui was under ISO control for the last three years.”

Blake reached into his pocket and produced a small tablet computer. While everyone watched, Blake sorted through the file manager and found an audio recording.

“This was captured by a listening device in Scarlett Freeman’s office about nine months ago.” Blake said, then he played the recording.

The voice of ISO Director Scarlett Freeman emanated from the tablet for all to hear:

“I stayed up late waiting for our agents on Aoraki to check in.” Scarlett’s voice said.

“Any problems?” Replied the voice of Emanuel Espinosa.

“Not this time.” Scarlett’s voice answered. “I’ve got a man so close to Queen Marka that I can have her throat slit whenever I want. She doesn’t even know she’s been outplayed. What about you? Do you have the test results?”

Blake stopped the recording.

“I have my own infiltrators inside of the ISO.” Blake said. “We suspected the man Freeman referred to was Kuhina Nui Ranginui, but we never had enough evidence to act. I’m sorry we failed to warn you in time.”

Marka waved her hand and shook her head.

“Consider yourself forgiven.” She said. “I was so attached to Tamaho that I might not have believed you anyway.”

The atmosphere in the dusty cavern was warmer now, metaphorically. Everyone seemed willing to listen and cooperate with each other. Varian, eager to convert this good feeling into action, tried to get the ball rolling.

“Grandpa, you said you arranged this meeting... but why? Shouldn’t you be on Earth... you know, running for Secretary-General to get rid of Etienne?” Varian asked.

All eyes were on Blake now. Queen Marka’s voice seemed to shift, suggesting she was now speaking from her role as Galactic Custodian:

“I’m risking not just my political future by meeting an enemy politician in secret. The fate of my Commonwealth is on the line too, as well as the institution of the Galactic Custodian. This had better be worth the risk, Robinson.”

Blake nodded.

“You have all taken great risks to meet with me, and I am grateful.” He said. “I’ve come to deliver a warning, in the hopes that you will be able to exploit it to your advantage.”

“A warning?” Repeated the Advisor. “Is the Human armada going to leave Alpha Centauri?

“Yes... but that’s only part of the message.” Blake said. “The subjugation of Amadiio is causing a political firestorm on Earth. Thanks to Freeman’s Psionic weapon, there are now about five billion brainwashed sentients who are desperate to make themselves into Humanity’s slaves as quickly as possible. Their planet is ravaged from the past year and a half of fighting, and Amadiio’s current food output is insufficient to keep the native population alive, let alone an occupying army of two million Humans.”

Several generals and admirals gave each other nervous looks..

“Of course.” The Advisor said. “Unless Amadiio receives shipments of food from somewhere else in the Galaxy, the UN Army will starve and be forced to steal food from the Amadii locals.”

“And it’s all downhill from here.” Blake said. He gestured to his wife, who carried on.

“Etienne’s government will be forced to break the strict information quarantine placed on all Human territories.” Chihiro said. “Ever since the war started, he has claimed the Galaxy is being affected by a ‘space storm.’ Etienne uses this imaginary storm to justify cutting off Hyperlines and banning travel from one planet to another. He’s kept the population under control this way... but sending large-scale aid to Amadiio will force Etienne to abandon his ‘Space Storm’ narrative. Humanity’s freedom of interstellar movement will be restored.”

Marka’s Advisor looked like he had a dozen ideas running in his head all at once. The dragon-like alien began to pace.

“Large-scale movement of civilians will facilitate the movement of information.” The Advisor said. “The Human populace will quickly grow to learn and understand the true extent of their government’s lies."

“It’s worse.” Blake added. “Even though my people just scored a major victory over you, morale is very low. People are aware of our growing isolation from the Galactic Community, and a small minority are, at some level, aware of the wider war being waged against the Galaxy. Our soldiers and crewmen don’t know what they’re fighting for, and many are starting to figure out that our invasion of Amadiio was no peacekeeping mission. The truth is very slowly dawning on Earth, and our colonies.”

The Advisor’s brow furrowed. He was putting the puzzle together in his mind and was starting to understand.

“All of this, mere months before Secretary-General Etienne would stand for re-election.” he said.

The Advisor turned to look at Blake. Very slowly, a realization began to spread around the room. A wicked grin appeared on Chihiro’s face.

“To use a Human expression...” Chihiro said. “My husband and I have placed Pascal Etienne in ‘checkmate’. The Secretary-General is trapped in a vice, he simply does not know it yet.”

Marka, her Advisor, Macavity, and several of the military leaders grew very excited.

“You have enough support to overthrow Etienne!?” General Macavity said. “Excellent! When is the coup d'état?”

“I hate to disappoint you.” Blake replied with a halfhearted laugh, “My allies on Earth have agreed to carry out a different plan. We are going to execute a nonviolent revolution. It will most likely happen sometime within the next four to five weeks.”

This caused excited chatter to fill the room. GDF leaders, in hushed whispers only, dared to use the phrase “end of the war.” Blake raised a hand and went on.

“My political allies are in position within several member-states of the UNE. When the time comes, several Heads of Government who belong to Etienne’s faction will be removed from power in rapid succession. One such leader has been removed already in the United Kingdom. Once that’s done, we’ll flip the Security Council and vote Etienne out of office.”

The Stormbreakers were impressed by Blake’s machinations. It was good to know their boss had not been idle this whole time. The Advisor asked:

“When is the soonest you would be able to strike?”

Blake took a deep breath.

“Right now.” he said.

“Wait... I don’t understand.” Corder commented.

Varian stepped forward.

“Grandpa just said he’s already replaced the leader of the UK with an ally, right?” He (or she) said. Blake nodded and Varian went on. “The United Kingdom has Veto power on the Security Council! Don’t you see... that’s it! Etienne’s done! He cannot be re-elected because there’s a Veto just waiting for him. It’s really checkmate!”

“But...” Blake said. “Removing Etienne alone is not enough. His supporters scattered throughout Human society need to be neutralized as well. That’s why the revolution plan... and that’s why I need both you, Galactic Custodian... and you, Jericho, and you and your team, Varian.”

Marka, Varian, and Jericho looked nervously at one another and then back to Blake.

“I need a spectacle.” Blake explained. “Something that will turn the Human race against Etienne in one fell swoop. I need you to give the UN military the most humiliating defeat possible.”

Chihiro stepped forward.

“The UN Navy is massing in Alpha Centauri right now.” she said. “But our spy in the Reichstag says Etienne and Admiral Tsiajotso have been arguing about what to do with the fleet. Tsiajotso doesn’t want to go on the offensive when a food shortage is imminent. She’s planning to scatter the fleet and have them assume defensive positions over Human planets.”

Blake and Chihiro looked at one another, then addressed Marka.

“Your Majesty... just imagine how bad Etienne would look if his fleet was forced to scatter instead of doing it under their own power. He would be toppled from within by his own people, and the GDF will be spared a costly battle on Earth itself.” Chihiro said. “That’s what we want from you, and Jericho, and the Stormbreakers. Go to Alpha Centauri. Engage the UN Navy and put them to flight.”

“Once the Navy is scattered...” Blake concluded, “I’ll take care of the rest.”

<=== Chapter 31: See All, Know All

Chapter 33: Revelation ===>​

 

[Macavity116]

I'm a simple man. I see an opportunity to include a Star Wars reference, I seize it.

<=== Chapter 32: Trojan

Chapter 34: Deus ex Machina ===>​

Chapter 33
Revelation

​

September 1, 2086
Cape Canaveral, Florida


“I see you are employed by the United Nations government. This will make the process much easier. May I ask which agency you work for?”

“The Internal Security Office.”

“Are you enrolled in the UN Gene Therapy Program?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’ve been to Gene Therapy Clinics in Detroit and Port Canaveral.”

“That’s excellent. Now, because of your job, I think it’s safe to assume you have housing and stable income. Will you be willing to provide your financial information to UNICEF for review?”

“Of course.”

“And one last thing, you told me this child is not going to be found in our database. In our interview, Cassandra could not tell me anything about her birth parents. She simply doesn’t remember them. Now you need to understand that regardless of how long she’s been in ISO protective custody, I must take a sample of Cassandra’s DNA so she can be declared a ward of UNICEF. Once the declaration is signed, we can start the legal adoption process. Expect to hear from me in about a month, and we’ll go from there.”

“I appreciate it. But uh... before you leave though...”

“Oh yes! Thanks for reminding me. The court in Berlin granted your emergency request. Please sign this document and keep it in a safe place.”

…

As soon as the UNICEF agent left her apartment, Inez sighed and collapsed into her sofa. The process was taking far longer than she wanted, but at long last, Inez had started down the long and bureaucratic road of adopting Cassandra. This was her second meeting with a member of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, also known as UNICEF. Ever since returning from the Battles of Polaris and Amadiio, Inez had taken a much stronger role in Cassandra’s life. The little girl was now being housed in the apartment complex above the Apollo Center, alongside Inez. Furthermore, she was being subjected to very few tests and experiments, and the ones that did occur had to be approved by Inez and she was permitted to oversee them

Scarlett Freeman objected to Cassandra’s relaxed testing regimen, but Inez convinced her to back off by saying that Cassandra would be unable to serve aboard the Solaris if she was being overworked. Scarlett had huffed, reluctantly agreed, and then gone to oversee repairs to the damaged cruiser. These days, Scarlett and Inez saw very little of one another, owing to how strained their relationship was...

And Inez was very happy with this current arrangement.

The escape plan, negotiated in secret with Cassandra, was in motion. Inez looked down at the official government paper in her hands. This was the very first step in said plan. By legally adopting Cassandra, both herself and Inez would have all the paperwork and identification needed to move freely throughout the UN. And this piece of paper was where it all started:

A judge from the International Court of Justice had reviewed Inez’ case and declared her to be Cassandra’s legal guardian.

Inez felt giddy reading the document, wondering if this was what her father had in mind when he first sent Cassandra to find her so many months ago.

Cassandra herself was in the next room. She was wearing a frilly dress, to make her look good for the UNICEF agent. Now that she was free to relax again, Cassandra was already letting her hair down. She sprawled herself on the couch and pried open the bottle of medicine she always carried with her. Complaining about how boring it was in here, Cassandra spilled a few of her blood red pills on the coffee table, and then used them to play “racecars.”

“We can’t go outside.” Inez admonished her. “New security rules, remember?”

The actual escape from Canaveral was on hold. A few weeks ago, in the middle of August, a band of heavily armed Americans tried to raid the base. They were stopped by the outer guard after a gunfight, but it was a tense moment. Scarlett insisted security around Canaveral be increased; this resulted in strict curfews and regular patrols on the streets.

So, Inez and Cassandra spent their downtime at home. Inez would usually work in the daytime, overseeing the repairs to the Solaris and the construction of her sisterships, Confucious and Zoroaster. Tucking Cassandra’s adoption papers into her personal vault, Inez went into the living room to join her.

As the little girl wrapped her arms around Inez, she was distracted with thoughts about their future life together, once they managed to escape. Inez still had not decided what familial role she should be for Cassandra.

She’s only ten years old. Inez thought to herself. She needs a mother, but I don’t think I could be that for her. Maybe I could try being a big sister instead? Would that even work?

Inez was so lost in her own thoughts that she did not realize Cassandra fell asleep in her lap until sometime around midnight. Inez turned off the TV and covered Cassandra in heavy blankets. She was just about to creep off to her own room when there was a soft knock on the door.

Careful not to wake Cassandra, Inez opened the door slowly.

It was Scarlett Freeman. She looked furious.

“Come outside. We need to talk.” She said.

…

Scarlett and Inez left the Apollo Center, stepping into the grassy lawn before Scarlett whirled on her daughter.

“What the hell are you doing? Telling UNICEF about Subject Two? Are you trying to get the whole program shut down!?” Scarlett did not yell, but her voice carried a tone of fury.

Oh, shit. She knows. Inez felt her knees knock in terror.

Scarlett stared hard at Inez.

“Subject Two does not exist, Nezzie! She never did.” Scarlett spat. “You went over my head and got an unrelated agency tied up in our business at a crucial moment. Do you have any idea about the importance of secrecy in our operation? You cannot be this stupid, Nezzie!”

“Don’t call me Nezzie.” Inez protested weakly. Scarlett talked over her.

“And not only did you come this close-” Scarlett pinched her thumb and index finger, “to blowing our operation, you filed paperwork to adopt Subject Two? For what? Why!? Is this all because of that ridiculous letter your father sent with the girl?”

Inez tried to speak, but Scarlett was not done.

“Don’t be like him, Nezzie. Don’t be shortsighted and weak-willed like your father. You saw what Subject Two is capable of, what we need her to do. You are wasting your time, getting all attached to her like this. She’s a weapon, not your sister!”

“But... but I...” Inez tried to get a word in, but Scarlett cut her off.

“What? You what?”

Scarlett started pacing in a circle around her.

“Let me guess.” Scarlett sneered. “You’re going to say something like ‘She’s grown on me’ or ‘I need to protect her!”’

Inez finally found the will to speak up, and when she did, it was an outburst equal in strength to that of her mother

“She has a name! It’s Cassandra! And she’s just a scared little kid, like me back when you threw me out and abandoned me. I’m trying to save her from the nightmare I went through. I’m giving Cassandra all the love and attention I never got from you!”

Resentment seemed to build up in her throat like bile. Scarlett threw her head back and laughed.

“Love!?” She cackled. “What does a former lady of the evening know about love?”

The insult hit Inez so hard she briefly lost the will to speak. Scarlett intensified her verbal assault:

“I seriously doubt you know anything about love.” Scarlett said. “Did you learn that word from Lawrence Ridge? Was it before or after he got you too drunk to say no? Is that love, drunk sex with a neighbor to blow off steam?”

“Mom... I-” Inez tried, but Scarlett kept going, speaking in a mocking tone:

“And what about that Ukrainian bridge officer of yours, Dotsenko? What did he teach you about love? I don’t think you’ve ever had a conversation that wasn’t about work, yet the two of you are screwing like bunnies every chance you get... and how does Adam Barter feel about that? Does he even know? Or is he still hiding in the Deck Five janitor’s closet on the Solaris, waiting for you to come back? Well?”

Inez stammered. She was barely comprehending the fact that her mother seemed to know every last detail of her personal life, which implied she might also know about the escape plan! But... that was impossible. The only way for Scarlett to learn about that was if she had somehow extracted it from Cassandra, and the girl had been under Inez’ watchful eye for so long.

Scarlett was still berating Inez, declaring her to be a totally unfit mother and wondering if Inez should still remain in command of the Solaris. Out of the corner of her eye, Inez spotted a military truck come to a stop in the driveway and three soldiers got out. They tried to yell at Scarlett and get her attention, but she was too busy demeaning Inez.

“You’ve completely let me down, and now I’m starting to see why!” Scarlett was saying.

But before she could continue, Central Officer David Sepulveda grabbed her arm.

“Director!” Sepulveda shouted. “It’s an emergency!”

Scarlett rounded on him and said.

“What!? What could possibly be so important that it can’t wait!?”

“The main Prometheus Engine has a coolant leak, we need to evacuate the center part of the spaceport. Also, your husband broke out of confinement and we can’t find him!”

Scarlett’s eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. Inez also reacted the same way. Finally, Scarlett lost her temper.

“What on Earth were the guards doing!? Throwing darts!?” Scarlett roared. “Get in the car, we’ve got to get this under control. And YOU!”

Scarlett pointed at Inez.

“You will stay in the Apollo Center until I say you can leave!”

Scarlett, Sepulveda, and one soldier clambered into the truck. The two remaining troops were posted at the entrance and exit of the Apollo Center. They escorted Inez inside and then closed the doors behind her, leaving Inez with a whirlwind of thoughts to deal with.

Her mother knew about the pending adoption.

She also knew about all of Inez’ past flings.

However, she did not seem to know the escape plan.

And finally, Inez’ father was here... somewhere in Cape Canaveral.

…

Inez paced back and forth in her apartment, careful not to wake Cassandra. Outside, she could hear sirens. The Military Police and Shrike were aggressively searching the base, using searchlights attached to starfighters.

Inez desperately wanted to go out there, to join the search. She had not seen Emanuel since his sudden appearance in Opal’s house back in Michigan, and desperately wanted to see him again. Standing on her balcony, Inez watched the searchlights for about an hour. She was about to go to bed when, without a warning or even a sound, the power went out.

Plunged into blackness, Inez fell back on her ISO training. She instinctively reached for her sidearm before realizing she did not have one. Instead, Inez groped through her darkened apartment before finding a flashlight in the hall closet. Fortunately, Cassandra was still asleep, wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets.

Inez opened her apartment door and peered outside. There was a small commotion coming from the second floor. Someone was moving around down below, and after a moment, the rumble of the emergency generator was followed by red emergency lights tuning on. At first, Inez thought this noise was being caused by the two guards Scarlett left behind, but then... a single voice rose up the stairwell:

“Hello? Is someone there?”

Inez recognized the voice, and she turned on her flashlight.

A haggard looking man, dressed in dirty fatigues, was caught in the beam of light about halfway up the stairs. He raised his left hand to cover his eyes, as his right was in a sling.

“Kill the light, damnit!”

Inez dropped the flashlight, and it the light went out as soon as it hit the floor. There was a scurrying of feet, and the intruder suddenly grabbed Inez and pulled her into a hug.

“It’s you!” Emanuel Espinosa sobbed. “It’s really you!”

Inez started to tear up. She wanted a longer, more joyful reunion, but Emanuel was already on the move.

“Follow me!” Emanuel hissed in the darkness. “We have to keep moving.”

Inez almost had to jog to keep up with her father.

“Wait!” She called to him. “How did you get here? What’s going on?”

Emanuel pulled open a doorway and stepped into a supercomputer room. The chilly air washed over Inez and made her shiver, but Emanuel moved with swift purpose. He quicky powered on the user interface and started typing in commands:

cd usr:> delete
>deleting all files in usr
>deleting prometheusengine_project
>deleting prophetcruiser_project
>deleting vennbrace_project
>deleting handheldholo_project
>deleting portableelerium_project
>all files deleted
cd sys:> delete
>deleting all files in sys
>deleting boot.sys
>deleting kernel.sys
>deleting os.sys
>all files deleted

“Hey!” Inez gasped and pushed him away from the computer, desperately trying to undo the damage he had done to the Prometheus central mainframe. “Get away from there!”

“What are you doing!?” Emanuel said, wrestling his daughter for control of the keyboard.

“All computers in the Prometheus Project are tied to this system!” Inez explained. “If you damage it, you’ll destroy everything connected to the network.”

Emanuel ran his fingers through his hair and cursed.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Scarlett has got you on her side! She’s lying to you, Inez!”

Inez whirled on her father and retorted:

“You lied to me! You said Mom was dead, but you knew she was alive the whole time!”

Exasperated, Emanuel shouted:

“WHEN A WOMAN CROSSES THE LINE INTO PURE EVIL, THEN SHE’S AS GOOD AS DEAD!”

…

Inez followed her father, frightened but unwilling to leave him alone. He knew his way around the Space Center far better than she imagined, but tonight’s excursion was going to be a one-way trip. Emanuel was making a point to sabotage as much of the space center as he possibly could. He cut cables with a knife, tampered with unsecured computers, and even slashed the tires of several government cars. He carried out all of this sabotage one-handed, owing to his right arm being bandaged. Then, Emanuel left the Apollo Center. Inez never found out what happened to the two guards at the door.

Emanuel peered over the ledge railing to look at the trio of Prophet-class cruisers in their drydocks.

“One of the abominations really is finished, then?” He asked.

Inez was starting to feel confused. She knew that her parents had some kind of falling out, but not know how that translated into Emanuel reporting Scarlett’s death far and wide.

“Dad!” Inez raised her voice a little. “What happened between you and Mom? Why did you sabotage Prometheus and run away with Cassandra?”

Emanuel looked away from the starships, taking in his daughter’s expression.

“Do you not know?” He asked.

“Know what?”

Emanuel asked Inez to tell him about the Prometheus Project, and when she finished, Emanuel’s face had fallen into a very somber expression. Finally, he seemed to reach a decision.

“Come.” Emanuel said curtly, and he lunged at one of the electric cars in the Apollo Center’s parking lot.

Moving with deftness that Inez never expected, Emanuel jimmied the door open with a small piece of metal. At once, the car alarm went off.

“Dad! What are you doing?” Inez cried.

“Shut up and get in the car!” Emanuel replied.

He was working on something beneath the dashboard. As Inez clambered into the passenger seat, the car alarm deactivated and the electric engine revved to life. Looking to her left, Inez spotted a small handheld computer in her father’s good hand, which he had no doubt just used to hack into the electric car and force it to start.

“I have help.” Emanuel explained. “Some of my friends are closeby.”

Inez was silent the whole trip, terrified that at any moment, one of the Shrike search parties would stop the car and force Emanuel out. But to her incredible surprise, the search teams had fanned out and were moving away from Cape Canaveral, leaving an unsecured access road for her father to drive down.

“They assume I’ve escaped.” Emanuel said. “Either that or my comrades are distracting them.”

…

In minutes, Emanuel brought the car to a stop in a dark corner of the old Vehicle Assembly Building. Since it was still the middle of the night, it was nearly impossible to see the two fugitives. Beckoning his daughter to follow, Emanuel pushed open a service entrance and stepped inside.

Inez had been inside the VAB a few times, but she never explored the building in its entirety. She could, in a pinch, find the pediatric center where Cassandra was experimented on. She also knew where to find the Gene Therapy Clinic and get refills of Cassandra’s medicine. And of course, Inez knew where to find the full-sized Prometheus Engine, where Cassandra’s Psionic energy was extracted for purposes unknown.

Emanuel did not lead her to any of these places. Instead, he took a utility staircase down into the depths of the facility, so far underground that Inez wondered if sunlight could ever get down this far. Finally, Emanuel reached a landing and pushed a door open.

“Here’s what you need to see.” He said. “The true face of the Prometheus Project.”

Inez stepped out of the stairwell and into a high-ceilinged room. Blinking her eyes, it took a moment for her to adjust to the darkness. Then, terrifying shapes came into view.

Inez was standing in an armory.

To one side, there were shelves upon shelves, stacked high with small arms and light weapons. Rifles, submachineguns, shotguns, and pistols. Swords and knives hung from racks while heavy machine guns rested against the far wall. In front of Inez, there was a row of mannequins, all wearing suits of power armor, each one different but including a similar apparatus attached to the wrists and belt. And finally, to Inez’ right, there were nine armored vehicles, all lined up in a row. Each one had a turret-mounted weapon that looked nothing like the military-issued guns Inez knew about.

“What is all this?” She gasped. “Why are all of these weapons down here?”

“Not just ordinary weapons.” Emanuel said. “These are Psionic Weapons. Built with one purpose, to make the darkest visions come true, and bring your mother’s sick dreams into reality. It’s a dual-purpose system, her Prometheus Project. Those children you saw upstairs... the aliens. They all have the mental capacity to be Gifted, which means they... and they alone... can use these weapons.”

Emanuel turned towards a suit of Psi Armor. Now that Inez knew what was going on, she understood this outfit was meant to be a Psionic Amplifier that could be worn over the whole body. She personally thought it was a clever use of technology, but Emanuel spat on the mannequin and said:

“Inventions of the devil.”

“So you could make a Psionic Army with all of this?” Inez suggested. “Thats... that’s...”

She stopped. Someone else suddenly came to the forefront of her mind.

“But.. What about Cass?”

“Huh?” Emanuel looked around at Inez. “Took you long enough to get there. Well... go on. Ask away and I’ll answer. It’s about time you know anyway.”

Inez felt as though the armory’s darkness was closing on her like a vice.

“I know why the alien kids are here. The Progeny brings them. The Gifted ones stay for the project, the mundane ones... well...”

Inez hesitated.

“But... Cass is the only Human here. Why?” she finished.

Emanuel’s face softened. It was hard to see in the darkness, but he looked like he felt sorry for Inez.

“Your mother wanted to avoid experimenting on Humans for as long as possible. ‘Not until the tech was perfected,’ she’d say. You, Inez... you were almost the first Human test subject. But you showed no signs of Psionic aptitude, so you were sent away.”

“That makes her the first Human subject then.” Inez finished.

Emanuel shook his head.

“Cassandra is not Human.” He said. “Not fully Human, anyway. She’s a Hybrid. Half Partogan.”

Inez was left speechless. She wavered on her feet, trying to say something, anything. Cassandra... half-Partogan!? That was impossible. Inez quickly wracked her brains.

There were three ways to spot a Partogan: Brown skin, purple eyes, and hair that was white, grey, or silver. Also, just fifty years ago, it was discovered that Partogans were long-lost descendants of the Māori people from New Zealand, so they also had Polynesian genetics.

Cassandra had none of these features. She had a pale complexion, green eyes, and jet-black hair. Also, Cassandra’s face, voice, and hair shape all suggested that she was from western Europe... the wrong side of the planet!

No, none of this made sense to Inez. Emanuel read the expression on her face and said:

“Before you repeat your mother’s lies, you should see the truth for yourself.”

Emanuel started to lead a dumbfounded Inez further into the facility. This time, the pair did not go further underground, instead leaving through an industrial garage door and moving toward the center of the complex.

…

This time, Inez had a general idea of where she was. Looking up at the ceiling, Inez knew that she was somewhere below the Prometheus Engine in the core of the VAB. Emanuel withdrew his handheld computer and asked Inez to hold it. With his good hand, Emanuel typed in a series of commands before taking the computer back.

“My credentials were revoked, so I had to rely on some friends with unique skills.” Emanuel explained.

Then he turned to a complex machine in the center of the room. It extended from ceiling to floor and was obviously connected to the Prometheus Engine above. Inez recognized the device. She saw a smaller verson of it aboard the Solaris. This was the main elevator leading to the reactor core. Gifted people, such as Cassandra, were loaded into this elevator and then raised up into the core, where their Psionic energy was extracted. Currently, the elevator was in the up position, and a sticky note on the control panel said that the next time the elevator came down would be about five hours from now.

Inez looked around, wondering why nobody was here, manning the controls.

“The building was evacuated.” Emanuel said. “Thanks to some friends of mine. Don’t panic, they’re nearby.”

Emanuel connected his computer to the control console with a cable, and then held up the screen for Inez to see.

“Tell me what you see here.”

Inez looked, and found herself looking at a digital copy of a newspaper from Chicago. A cursory glance told her it was printed over three decades ago.

“Dead girl pulled from Lake Michigan.” Inez read aloud, her voice getting higher with each revelation. “Scarlett Freeman, aged thirteen, reported missing by her parents. Signs of violence on her body, parents disappeared... Dad! What the hell is this?”

Inez could feel her heart starting to race. Now she had to deal with this on top of Cassandra being a Hybrid!? But how? This news article said Scarlett Freeman died over thirty years ago, but that was not possible. Inez had just spoken to her up at the Apollo Complex.

“Your mother lied to you about everything.” Emanuel said dramatically as the elevator started to retract, moving down and away from the Prometheus Engine above. “She lied about Prometheus, about your past, about what happened between her and me, about her own damn name and where Cassandra came from. Look!”

The elevator came to rest in its cradle, a cylindrical object with heavy metal doors now filled the space on the other side of the console. With a loud hissing of hydraulics, the door slowly opened to reveal what was inside.

Snugly secured in place with straps and clamps, the lightstone crystal containing the body of Whetu Kealoha shimmered in the darkness. The ancient Partogan Queen looked just as serene and peaceful as the last time Inez saw her in Bannack. Inez saw this but barely acknowledged it. Her brain was on autopilot, there were too many revelations happening too quicky for her to process.

“Your mother wanted to create a Psionic army.” Emanuel said. “You and Cassandra were the prototypes. You, Inez... were an abject failure: Psionically sensitive only on the best of days with no other powers to speak of. Then there was Cassandra... Your mother dug up records of ADVENT’s genetic manipulation program to build her.”

“Build?” Inez squeaked.

“Cassandra has my DNA, for her intelligence and Human body.” Emanuel said. “But the other half of her DNA... well... it’s here. Say hello to Cassandra’s mother.”

If Inez felt like her mind was caught in a tornado, then this new sensation was like a house crashing on top of her. Emanuel was pointing at the crystalized body of Whetu Kealoha. Inez wanted to reject his statement right away, to deny it as nonsensical... but... this was the closest Inez had ever been to the Kealoha crystal. Now that she was standing right next to it, Inez could see the punctures where someone had drilled into the lightstone, all the way down to Kealoha’s body.

Inez could see the telltale circles where a scientist had extracted tissue samples from Kealoha’s body. Other incisions were very intrusive, suggesting that samples of Kealoha’s organs were taken as well. Inez felt sick.

“No way.” she breathed.

“Yes.” Emanuel replied. “Kealoha’s genetic material was grafted onto mine. Your mother hoped the result would be a Psionic warrior with genius-level intelligence. But Cassandra had her own failures, and she was relegated to the role of testbed for future projects.”

“But... but... but...” Inez stammered. She was out of things to say. This was all too much, overwhelming even! “She can’t be Partogan... and Kealoha can’t be her mother! There’s just no way... and no way you can prove it either.”

“Cassandra has a Partogan illness.” Emanuel said. “Take one of those pills from her and run it past a Gene Therapy Clinic. That will be your proof.”

Finally, a wave of questions worked its way out of Inez’ mouth.

“Why? Why would my Mom do that? Why make a Psionic Army? Why the Prometheus Engine and the Divine Enforcers? Why pretend she died thirty years ago?”

That last question provoked an emotional response from Emanuel. He grabbed Inez by the shoulder, gave her a vigorous shake, and said:

“Scarlett Freeman is dead, Inez! Dead! You never met her; you never knew her!”

Inez’ vision went blurry and her throat dried up.

“So, who is she?” Inez asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. “My mother. I thought she was Scarlett Freeman. Who is she... really?”

“Akira Jaqueline Robinson.” Emanuel said. “The Paradox herself.”

It was like the universe fell out from under Inez. Her heart leapt out of her chest to smash its way around her throat. Inez felt dizzy, nauseous. She swayed, pushed past her father, and fell to her knees. Inez heaved once and emptied her stomach in front of the Kealoha crystal.

“No!” She gasped. “That’s not true.”

Inez looked up at Kealoha, and felt a sense of rage swelling up inside of her.

“THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!”

Her screaming could be heard outside of the building.

…

It was time for action. Time for escape.

Emanuel almost threw Inez into his stolen car before speeding away. Behind them, alarms began to sound at the VAB.

“First we grab Cassandra!” Emanuel said. “Then we need to take Isaac as well. That way, she won’t have anyone left to power the Divine Enforcers.

“Who the hell is Isaac!?” Inez asked.

Her father swerved the car, avoiding a set of spikes on the road. Shrike was closing the net. Driving one-handed, Emanuel replied:

“Cassandra is Subject Two, and Isaac is Subject Three. Cassandra without the flaws. A Human-Partogan Hybrid with greater potential than her, and he’s already demonstrated some control over his Gift. He’ll be ready to join Cassandra just a few months from now.”

“Where’s Isaac?” Inez asked.

“Not in the VAB, which means he’s either aboard the Confucius or he’s in the Gene Therapy Clinic at Port Canaveral. My money is on the Clinic.” Emanuel answered.

He drove into the Apollo Center parking lot, mounted the curb, and brought the car to rest just outside of the front door.

“Let’s go!” Emanuel said. “Take nothing except Cassandra’s medicine bottle. We need to move fast!”

Inez and Emanuel raced into the Apollo Center, crying out for Cassandra. Emanuel followed Inez upstairs to her apartment and they found the little girl sitting up on the couch rubbing her eyes.

“Whaz goin’ on?” Cassandra mumbled. “Izzit the end o’the world?”

Inez grabbed Cassandra and carried her out of the room. Emanuel scooped up Cassandra’s medicine bottle, plus the two pills she was playing with earlier. They both ran for the staircase, but were stopped dead when they heard a voice to them.

“Psionics are called ‘the Gift for good reason.”

“Mom!” Inez cried out.

“Akira!” Emanuel shouted.

“Half a century ago, our race was exploited for our Gift, for our potential to wield a power unlike anything seen before.” Akira Robinson spoke with the voice of Scarlett Freeman. “Now the Gift is coming back, slowly but surely; and we have a chance to save our people from future exploitation and enslavement.”

Enraged, Emanuel shouted into the darkness:

“And you would save us through genetic manipulation, kidnapping, forced conscription, and terrorism! You want Humanity to become the next ADVENT!”

Emanuel and Inez began to run, fleeing away from the staircase and towards a back exit. Cassandra was awake now and seemed to know they were in danger. Her body was warming up again, and Inez had to rapidly adjust her grip to avoid burning her own hands. Meanwhile, behind her, Inez could hear several sets of footsteps. Wherever she was, Scarlett (or rather, Akira) was not alone. Emanuel kicked open a fire exit, setting off an alarm.

“This program will elevate all of Mankind, don’t you see that, Nezzie!?” Akira raised her voice to be heard. “We’re going to save the world before the next crisis can even start!”

Emanuel descended the ladder one-handed, landing in the shrubbery below. As Cassandra started on her way down, he raised his voice and yelled:

“Don’t abuse the term, Robinson! This has got nothing to do with saving the world, this is all about power and domination, at the expense of our allies and our own souls! This is your demented ‘Empire of Man,’ made into reality! What will you do when you restore the Gift and get your own powers back? Brainwash everyone around you into mindless slaves? Just like the Progeny?”

Inez started to descend the metal fire escape. To her great alarm, she saw that Cassandra accidentally melted a few ladder rungs. Taking great care not to slip or fall, Inez moved swiftly down to the ground.

Halfway down the ladder, the fire escape suddenly rattled. Inez looked up. Scarlett Freeman was right there, at the top! And now that she knew the truth, Inez could finally see through the disguise. She had seen plenty of photographs and videos of the Paradox, taken during the Second Hyperspace War. In fact, now that she considered the idea, it seemed as though a Psionic illusion was broken. The façade melted away, unable to fool her anymore.

Akira Robinson had changed over the past fifty years, but it was still possible to recognize the young woman who once used a time machine to force the Universe onto a different timeline. Without the Time Core to halt the aging process, nature took its course. The Paradox was now a fully-grown woman in her late-middle age, but her vivid blue eyes still burned with the same supernatural fire as in her youth. And to Inez’ horror, she could see a little bit of herself in the face of Akira Robinson. This monster, who was born in a different reality altogether, who slew a cosmic nightmare creature, and bent spacetime to her will... really was her own mother.

“The Gift, Nezzie.” Akira said, still speaking in that Chicago accent that was clearly not her own, “It’s the key to everything. The key to a perfect future where Earth is safe from all aliens, where there is peace... and order.”

“Delusions!” Emanuel shouted from the ground.

“That’s why I worked so hard to bring the Gift back, Nezzie!” Akira addressed her daughter. “Because when we, and we alone, are armed with the power of the mind, our overwhelming power will bring safety and security to everyone on Earth!”

“The only thing overwhelming is your arrogance!” Emanuel retorted.

He started to say something else, but the zip and pop of a gunshot cut him off. Everybody froze in place, even Inez, who was still halfway down the ladder.

“Who was that!?” Akira shouted.

From the darkness, somewhere over everyone’s heads, a man’s voice shouted:

“Professor Espinosa! Step away from Subject Two and you won’t get hurt!”

It was Central Officer David Sepulveda!

“Inez!” Emanuel shouted. “We need to go now, or your mother will do far worse than that!”

“Dad’s right!” Inez shouted up at Akira. “And I said to stop calling me Nezzie!”

Inez loosened her grip and slid down the ladder, crashing into the ground harder than she meant to. Stumbling back to her feet, Inez, Emanuel, and Cassandra all broke into a run, heading back toward the stolen car.

“Hold your fire! You’ll hit Subject Two if you’re not careful.” Akira shouted.

Emanuel scooped Cassandra into his arms, while Inez followed along. They ran around the corner of the building and arrived in the parking lot. Inez and Emanuel could see the electric car they had stolen earlier. Before the pair could start running, there was another gunshot, and a chunk of pavement flew up from the ground before landing nearby.

“I said stop!” Akira screamed.

Falling back on her ISO training, Inez looked around quickly and spotted the shooter.

“He’s on the roof!” Inez yelled, pointing up and giving away the location of Central Officer Sepulveda.

David was on top of the Apollo Center, pointing a pistol down into the lot. He was lining up a third shot. Inez turned around pushed Emanuel forward, using her on body to shield both her father and Cassandra. Emanuel ran forward and reached the car. Inez pulled the rear passenger door open and thrust a screaming Cassandra inside. Then, while Emanuel started the car, Inez ran around to the other side to get into an open seat.

...

Up on the roof, Polly Spark joined David Sepulveda. The doctor was unarmed, but she was wearing a bulletproof vest overtop of her labcoat. She looked down on the escape playing out and then said:

“What are you waiting for, David? Professor Espinosa is right there. Shoot him. Now.”

David peered over the rooftop at the electric car, into which Professor Espinosa had just vanished. Inez was securing Cassandra in the rear passenger seat before moving to jump into her own. From here to the car was a distance of about one-hundred-fifty yards, well beyond the maximum effective range of a Gauss Pistol. But David was a fully-trained XCOM soldier. He was confident in his own ability to hit such a distant target. David took a deep breath, resting the pistol atop his non-dominant hand. He steadied his aim for just a moment before squeezing the trigger.

…

There was a tinkle of breaking glass, and Inez’ breath caught in her chest. A searing pain started spreading out from her left collarbone. Without waiting to find out why she was suddenly hurting, Inez threw herself into the car and slammed the door.

“Go!” Inez yelled. “GO!”

Emanuel floored the throttle. The car sped away and into the night. Inez tried to sit up in the passenger seat and put on her seatbelt, but each time she moved, intense pain rippled out of her clavicle and paralyzed her. To make things worse, whenever Inez blinked, her vision got blurry. She was vaguely aware of something warm running down her front.

The car swerved violently as Emanuel avoided a roadblock. Inez cried out in pain, and Emanuel looked over to her. Realizing she was wounded, Emanuel turned the car onto another road before announcing the change in plan.

“Damn it all to hell! Forget Isaac, we’ll come back for him!” Emanuel said. “Shrike’s locked down the west route, and the Causeway Bridge is gone! We’re going south. Once we get into Port Canaveral, we’ll cross into Cocoa Beach and be in the clear. Hold on, Nezzie. There’s a Gene Therapy Clinic just outside of UN territory. They can help you. Hold on!”

Inez was not paying attention. She was distracted by something strange happening in the back of the car. Cassandra was hunched over in her seat, in nearly the same position as Inez. Once again, the Psi Link was active: Cassandra was experiencing the exact same pain and agony as Inez, and the little girl was clutching at her own collarbone as though it had snapped in two. Sparks of green light flashed deep within her body, warning of an impending transformation.

As Cassandra shared in Inez’ overwhelming pain, her inner voice spoke, and incredibly Inez was able to hear it.

Don’t die. Cassandra projected the telepathic message into Inez’ mind. Please don’t die. That’s not fair. You can’t become my sister and then leave me just like that. You can’t die.”

Inez gave a weak smile. So, Cassandra already knew. Wonderful.

“Not gonna die.” Inez panted out loud. “No way. I’m sticking around for my new sister. I’m not gonna die.”

<=== Chapter 32: Trojan

Chapter 34: Deus ex Machina ===>​

​

 

[Macavity116]

Time for some cool trivia regarding the companion YouTube video that shipped with this chapter:

Chapter 34: Deus ex Machina contains a cameo appearance by The Beast. For those of you who have not read The Stormbreakers, the Beast was an extragalactic nightmare creature that served as one of the antagonists in that story.

Now here's the cool bit. The Beast is originally from one of the four video games the Stormbreaker Universe is based on. Specifically, it is from the cosmic horror game Homeworld Cataclysm. (released in June of 2000) The Beast is the main enemy of the single-player story and playable in multiplayer mode.

So, the monster from my favorite childhood game is making an appearance this chapter and I wanted to mark the occasion. If you listen to the audiobook, (YouTube link below) the Beast cameo begins at the 34:00 mark, and do you hear that music? That strange, creepy, off-putting music?

Yeah. That's the official theme song of the Beast. Ripped straight out of the game. Enjoy.

And if you're still curious, this video on my YouTube channel is gameplay footage from Homeworld Cataclysm, it'll give you a really good look at just how the Beast works... and how terrifying it is. ===> Homeworld Emergence - Episode 4: An Enemy We Don't Understand




Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician, used with permission.

<=== Chapter 33: Revelation

Chapter 35: Bellator in Machina ===>​

Chapter 34
Deus ex Machina

​

September 11, 2086
Nagasaki, Japan


When the sun rose on the Japanese islands, it illuminated an incredible scene.

Nearly half a million people were gathered on the shores of the Ariake Sea, keeping silent vigil over the entrance of a Shinto Shrine. The religious structure was constructed on the beach itself, with its Torii Gate facing south toward Nagasaki City. This was not a normal occurrence. These people were gathered here to mark the anniversary the most important moment in Human history.

Today was the fifty-year anniversary of the War in Heaven.

To mark the occasion, a new memorial would be unveiled here at the Nagasaki Temple. Right now, the recently-carved statue was covered up beneath a grey tarp. Next to it was a stage and a podium where the honored guests would deliver their speeches.

When the sun rose, a group of holy people emerged from the temple. They were dressed in the clothing of priests and shrine maidens, and moved in a solemn fashion. The priests carried an ornate golden bell between them and raised it to eye level. With great ceremony, the shrine maidens struck the bell with a mallet, signaling the start of the ceremony.

Silence fell over the beach, and the gathered crowd focused all of their attention on the shrine. One by one, several members of the United Nations government emerged. Each person was dressed in ceremonial or formal clothing of their culture. Secretary-General Etienne was led by the Deputy Secretary-General, and he was followed by the President of the Security Council, the President of the General Assembly, and finally, the chairperson of each UN Committee: Disarmament, Economic, Humanitarianism, Special Politics, Administration, and Legal. Finally, two more dignitaries brought up the rear:

Chihiro Tachibana, outfitted in magnificent blue robes, was walking alongside a decrepit old man who used a cane to support himself. Curiously, the cane he used, ornate and decorated with gold, was identical to the one used by Chihiro. This man was Akio, Chihiro’s older brother and current Emperor of Japan. These two dignitaries were hosting this ceremony, and the UN leaders bowed their heads in respect.

One by one, each UN leader gave a short speech, memorializing the many millions of people who fought in the final battle of the Second Hyperspace War and celebrating just how far the world had come in the past fifty years.

The last three politicians to speak were the most important:

Eric DeAngelis, the former Secretary-General and current President of the Security Council, praised the bravery and courage of the XCOM soldiers who defended the Earth during those final moments of the largest war in Galactic history. Then, with a deferential bow, he concluded by saying:

“I think the final word should go to my good friend. After all, he was one of those brave soldiers to whom we owe our very existence. Ladies and gentlemen, the distinguished delegate from the Hawaiian Republic and Chair of the Disarmament and International Security Committee, Blake Alexander Robinson.”

Enthusiastic applause met this greeting, and Blake Robinson moved away from his fellow committee leaders to step up to the podium. Even though he was blind, Secretary-General Etienne turned his head, appearing to stare at Blake Robinson for the entirety of his speech.

“On this very spot, fifty years ago this very moment...” Blake began.

A kind of excited silence fell across the beach. The massive crowd of people was hanging onto Blake’s every word, determined to hear everything.

“My brothers and sisters in arms sewed our lives in defense of a free world, a world we had only set free just one year beforehand. And today, we are here to dedicate a memorial to those men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, a memorial to those people who you call heroes, and I call the dear friends I’ll never see again. It is altogether fitting and proper that we do this. Even moreso that we are doing this on holy ground.”

Blake paused and gestured to the Shrine. Then he continued.

“Holy ground, quite the term.” Blake said. “This place, the Ariake Sea, the mountains of Nagasaki, all of it is holy ground, yes. Consecrated by the blood of people like Ignatius Petoskey, Yutaka Yamamoto, Kailani Kalili, Soo Song, Naka, Bernard von Unfal, and so many others. There is nothing any of us can do to add or detract from this sacred place. Someday, history will forget what any of us said here, but it will never forget what my comrades did here...”

As Blake continued his speech, his wife slowly turned her head. Chihiro was quietly looking around at the UN dignitaries. She was trying to spot someone, and she was not alone. Jericho was here as well. Hiding amongst the crowd, Jericho was concealing her identity by wearing a Niqāb, an article of Central Asian clothing that covered her entire face.

Together, Chihiro and Jericho were looking for someone, and they were both disappointed. Using her telepathic ability, Jericho communicated silently with Chihiro:

Scarlett Freeman is not here. Jericho projected these words into Chihiro’s mind. And I cannot sense Akira either.

Chihiro allowed a question to drift through her mind.

Are you sure you can spot Akira, even if she’s disguised?

She felt a wave of confidence ripple out from Jericho.

When we fought in this place fifty years ago, we broke into each other’s minds. I can recognize Akira’s mind easily. She would stand out right away. I assure you, she’s not here.

Thunderous applause distracted the two women. Blake had just finished his speech and was stepping down from the podium. As he returned to his place with the other Committee chairs, Blake shared a few brief words with Secretary-General Etienne. Then the UN leader stepped up to the podium, where he would deliver the final speech of the day. As Etienne started to talk, Chihiro leaned over and whispered the news into her husband’s ear. Blake slowly nodded.

The UN Secretary-General kept his own remarks short. He spoke about unity and the strength of the Human spirit, then finished by praising the men and women of the UN military.

After that, the memorial event ended with a final ceremony. Chihiro’s brother, the Japanese Emperor, pulled the cloth and unveiled the new memorial. Made from bronze, it was a statue of Jericho, specifically, the teenage version of herself everyone remembered. In the crowd, the real Jericho scoffed out loud, disliking the statue in an instant.

The bronze sculpture depicted Jericho as a Greek-style goddess. The sculpted woman was topless, wearing a long flowing skirt. Both her hair and skirt were billowing out behind her like a cape caught in the wind. The bronze Jericho was posed as though lunging forward, in her right hand, she raised a torch above her head, one that looked very similar to a torch carried by a certain statue in New York. In her left hand, the bronze Jericho was wielding Hachiman the Demon Katana.

“Why do I have Blake’s sword?” Jericho mumbled to herself, “What’s with the torch? And why am I not wearing a shirt? Who designed this piece of junk?”

Meanwhile, the Emperor was leading the Shinto priests and shrine maidens in a chorus of the Japanese national anthem. UN leaders were re-entering the temple, where they would wait for the crowd to disperse before departing. Blake was one of the first to cross into the temple. He was having an animated conversation with Eric DeAngelis, the President of the Security Council. The two men were so busy talking that neither of them noticed a third person walking toward them.

Marcus Robinson, Blake’s only son and ally of Etienne, glared at his father with contempt. Marcus was on his way to guide Etienne back into the temple, but he veered out of his way to intercept Blake.

“Father.” Marcus said, his voice dripping with distain.

Without waiting for Blake to acknowledge his presence, Marcus intentionally slammed his shoulder into Blake’s shoulder. The collision was so jarring that both men staggered. Blake and Marcus sneered at each other for a moment before continuing on their way. DeAngelis turned around and chastised Marcus for being so rude to his father. Meanwhile, Blake quickly slipped a piece of paper into his pocket, something that was not in his hand a moment before.

...

The past two months were the most incredible of Himawari Robinson’s life.

She, Amako, Randall, and Chris had volunteered to join the Senator Eerabik on her mission to make first contact with the mysterious civilization on the Galactic Rim. They slipped away from the GDF with a little help from Hahli Mihaka and Ruunhan Somtaaw-Sa, but not before accepting one last offering of assistance:

The Emerald Institute completed their modifications to the old spaceplane Ark Angel just before everyone parted ways. Some talented engineer must have poured his heart and soul into the vessel, because new life was breathed into it. The Ark Angel was upgraded with new engines, armor, and an automated self-defense system based on Progenitor technology.

But there was one new piece of technology the Ark Angel now included.

Fifty years ago, when Akira Robinson controlled this vessel, the space behind the crew quarters was reserved for the Time Core. Now it was occupied by an integration assembly, and it was here where Himawari entered the next phase of her life.

Over the course of three surgeries aboard the Ashoka, Himawari’s body was adapted and modified, becoming compatible with the Ark Angel’s new interface. Cybernetic implants were installed on her spine and the back of her head, allowing a direct connection between Himawari’s nervous system and the ship’s computer. Resting her body in a specially-designed cradle, Himawari waved confidently to her friends and companions one last time before she became one with the Ark Angel.

Nearly all of Himawari’s reservations about becoming an Unbound were swept away during her maiden flight. The Ashoka had joined the GDF in their assault on the Cult of Jericho, and the Ark Angel slipped away from the scene while everyone was distracted. Once she was clear, Himawari triggered her first Hyperspace Jump.

It was, by far and away, the most incredible experience of her life. Plunging into Hyperspace was like stepping through the mythical wardrobe and into a fanciful world. Because the spaceplane was now an extension of her own body, Himawari experienced Hyperspace in a new way. The Quantum Tunneling effect used by all Hyperspace systems was a mind-bending sight to behold. Himawari would struggle to describe it later, but she would never forget how, to her eyes, it seemed as though all of reality seemed to fold in half before she went speeding through at incomprehensible speeds. But there was something else...

For the first time in her life, Himawari was able to hear music. Even though she was born deaf, Himawari was fully aware of what music is. She learned about melodies and tunes and rhythm at a young age, and she could even perceive music by feeling the vibrations caused by sound waves. Now, barreling through Hyperspace, Himawari found that she could only describe the sound of spacetime flying by as... harmonious. It was beautiful.

…

Himawari genuinely enjoyed the two-month long search for the mysterious robot civilization. While Chris, Amako, Randall, and Eerabik did their work in the Ark Angel’s fuselage, Himawari grew more and more accustomed to her new role as the ship’s living computer core. She enjoyed being able to peer into the distant vastness of space, scanning planets, stars, and everything in between. Solar winds blowing against the hull felt like a gentle breeze on her skin, and gravitational forces pushed and pulled the vessel like river currents. Himawari enjoyed and treasured all of these experiences.

She would spend countless hours attached to the ship, disconnecting only to take care of her body’s physical needs, like food, sleep, and so on. Whenever she did disconnect, Himawari found the return to reality jarring, mostly because it involved losing her newfound ability to hear the music of Hyperspace. Her husband Amako seemed to know this, because in his free time, he would drum his fingers rhythmically against any solid object she was touching, giving her just a little extra music for the day.

Using the Progenitor Oracle, Eerabik guided Himawari back to the mysterious Ring station, which was now completely destroyed. From here, the Ark Angel departed toward the Galactic Rim, seeking out the mysterious civilization the Oracle referred to as “Baterra.”

And soon enough, this expedition to the very edge of the Galaxy bore fruit.

...

October 2, 2086
High orbit above Spherus Magna, Solis Magna star system


When the Ark Angel emerged from Hyperspace, Himawari genuinely believed she made a mistake. The spaceplane had rematerialized above an urbanized planet which orbited a yellow star. She was not the only one to mistake this world’s identity.

“What’s going on?” Eerabik asked. “Isn’t this the Angel Moon?”

It was not the Angel Moon.

The planet down below was similar to the Galactic City, yet it was markedly different on close inspection. The brown planet was completely covered in complex industrial machinery, laid out in neat and orderly grids. Starships flew in tightly controlled traffic lanes, which from this distance resembled solid beams of light. A space station, shaped somewhat like a giant cube, orbited high above the planet.

“Alight, Robinson.” Eerabik said. “Take us down, nice and slow.”

Himawari guided the Ark Angel into a slow descent. As they approached the planet, a single starship rose up to meet them. Himawari used her sensors to listen for any recognition codes, but the alien vessel only sent a strange transmission that Eerabik had previously identified as the mysterious “Ghost Signal” that triggered her investigation.

“Keep your distance... but don’t look like you’re trying to keep your distance.” Chris suggested.

“Meaning?” Himawari asked, her digitized voice coming through the intercom.

“Oh, I don’t know.... fly casual!” Chris replied.

Himawari scanned the alien ship and found it to be... well... very strange. It had no discernable bridge or engines. From a distance, she assumed the vessel was a perfectly round sphere, but on closer inspection, she realized that what she assumed was a sphere was actually a geometric shape. The alien vessel was made up of dozens of pyramid-shaped structures, all aligned with one another to create a pointed, angular, and symmetrical vessel that looked round from a great distance.

Life signs? Zero. There was nobody aboard. In fact, when Himawari scanned the planet below, she again found no organic life. Yet... the place was teeming with the sort of activity that only a spacefaring civilization could carry out.

While Himawari, Amako, Chris, and Randall surveyed and investigated the strange world below them, Eerabik was doing her own thing. She crept back to the cargo bay and opened up the secure case she had been carrying ever since the visit to the Levakian Sentry Array. While the others were busy and sufficiently distracted, Eerabik unpacked a large box left here by the Emerald Institute. Inside was an item left specifically for her: a microship.

Microships are the smallest type of starships in the Galaxy and served extremely niche roles. Hiigaran microships were often used for reconnaissance but saw some combat during the Second Hyperspace War as well. Partogan ones were used to aim beam weapons like a gunsight, and Human microships were used for scientific research in deep space. Microships in general were very small and light, improving their capabilities even more.

Eerabik opened a cargo shell on her microship and loaded it with an even smaller payload. Next, she established a radio connection between the tiny vessel and her space suit. Then she unfolded its solar panels by hand. When all of the preparations were complete, Eerabik launched her microship into space by throwing it out the airlock in much the same way an athlete throws a curveball.

The tiny satellite settled into a stable orbit above the strange world. It had one thruster and only a small amount of fuel. If she chose to, Eerabik could command the tiny spacecraft to move, but it could do so only once. She would have to be very deliberate about where she sent it.

...

“It’s hard to say...” Himawari reported, “But I think that starship is guiding us to a place to land.”

The Ark Angel and its escort entered the dense atmosphere of the machine world. To the crew’s alarm, the spaceplane’s airbreathing engines failed to ignite.

“The atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, and trace amounts of methane.” Himawari told her friends. “There is not enough oxygen to start the airbreathing engines, let alone sustain them. We will need to rely on the new impulse engines.”

“I’m almost scared to ask...” Randall said. “What’s the gravity like on this planet?”

“Surface gravity is...” Himawari started to speak, but then she trailed off.

“What is it?” Amako asked.

“Surface gravity is one-point-five gee.” Himawari finished. “Amako, Chris, go into the cargo bay and get the EXO Suits. This planet will crush our bodies without some kind of external support. Eerabik, I’m sorry to say you might not be able to fly here.”

In the cockpit, Eerabik ruffled her feathers, looking very annoyed. Meanwhile, Himawari had another announcement to make.

“Alert, we are being scanned.”

At the same moment, there was some activity on the ground. Flashing green lights on the surface pointed the way toward and open landing strip. And when Himawari thought about it, she was fairly certain this strip did not exist an hour ago. In fact, many strange contraptions that she guessed were meant to be construction equipment, were still being removed from the area as the Ark Angel lowered her landing gear.

The spaceplane landed very hard on the runway and came to a stop after travelling only a few hundred feet, the intense gravity of this planet working to hold the ship down. Randall came back from the cargo bay and started passing out powered exoskeletons to the crew members. The Emerald Institute, out of an abundance of caution, had included a spacesuit for Eerabik that could double as a powered exoskeleton, allowing her to walk as well.

“Some kind of delegation is coming to meet us.” Himawari reported. “They are trying to establish communications with us. I’m working as fast as I can here.”

Suited up and ready for the moment, Eerabik, Amako, Randall, and Chris closed up Himawari’s chamber and pressurized it. Then they moved to the boarding ramp and activated the airlock function. With a loud hissing noise, the Ark Angel slowly depressurized, to prevent the escape of breathable oxygen. Then the boarding ramp came down. A blast of wind hit the group. The temperature outside was just above zero degrees Celsius.

Moving slowly in the high gravity, Eerabik and the others descended the boarding ramp and stepped onto the surface of the Machine World. It was like stepping onto an oversized circuit board. Odd alien structures of many different shapes and sizes stood all around the little airstrip, some of which belched acrid black smoke into the sky. Six bipedal robots were standing about thirty feet away from the Ark Angel, holding so still they may have been statues. They were identical to one another: cased in white and blue armor with knobbed pauldrons and clawed hands. Each robot had a smooth face with narrow blue lines in the place where one would expect to see eyes.

“Stay near the ship and wait.” Himawari piped her voice into everyone’s headsets. “I am close to establishing rudimentary communication with them.”

“Rudimentary?” Chris repeated.

“You won’t be having a verbal conversation.” Himawari replied. “Lucky for us, these machines use the Binary System, just a different variation from ours. I am working with them to find a middle ground where we can talk. I will do my best to interpret.”

For a few minutes, the two groups stared at one another in awkward silence. Eerabik was nervously pawing at a small object in her pocket, while Randall was getting anxious.

“Dude... Dude!” Randall gasped. “It’s just starting to hit me that we’re going to be part of a first contact! We’re gonna be in history books. Maybe the History Dude himself will write it.”

He gave Chris a nudge.

“Sure. Assuming I live long enough to write it.” Chris said grimly, looking at the imposing robots.

Then Himawari spoke up, her voice crackling over the radios again.

“This is it everyone, I think we have reconciled our binary languages... or rather... they simplified their own language so I can understand it.”

One of the robots broke formation from the group and began to approach the group of travelers. It walked slowly and deliberately, and as it came near, something curious happened: Before everyone’s eyes, the robot began to change color. Its white armor faded to black, and the blue trimmings turned yellow. Soon, the only trace of blue left in the robot was on its face, in the two lines that resembled eyes.

The black and yellow robot came to a stop and held its position about ten feet away from the group. Its eyes began to flicker brightly, and a moment later, Himawari’s voice spoke:

“Identification: Baterra peacekeeper droid running remotely installed Contingency AI software. Organics must identify themselves.”

Eerabik took a cautious step forward.

“I am Senator Eerabik of the Galactic Council. My companions are Christopher Wright, Randall Murphy, and Amako Patariki. Our starship is the Ark Angel, carrying the Unbound Himawari Robinson. Would the... Baterra... please explain themselves further. I heard the word ‘peacekeeper’ and want to know more.”

Himawari transmitted her response to the black Baterra. Its eyes began to flicker again, but the rest of the robot remained inert.

“The Baterra are peacekeepers of this planet.” Himawari said. “They are programmed to automatically strike and kill any organic they see carrying a weapon... and... all of the organics on this planet were killed over a hundred thousand years ago.”

Amako, Chris, and Randall all widened their eyes and unclenched their hands, suddenly feeling very nervous.

“Okay...” Eerabik muttered to herself. “I can work with that.”

She straightened up as best she could in the strong gravity and put on her best diplomatic voice.

“On behalf of the Galactic Community, I would like to extend an invitation for the Baterra to join our mission of peace.”

“Wait, what!?” Amako hissed. “These guys just admitted to killing off their own creators. Why would you want them in the Galactic Community!?”

“I want them to fight the Humans.” Eerabik replied, and then she addressed the Baterra. “My friends and myself represent a culture that is under attack from a dangerous aggressor. We seek a way to end the war, to stop the fighting. I believe you could be the key to restoring peace. Will you help us?”

The Baterra’s reply came quickly..

“No.”

That took a little bit of the wind out of Eerabik’s sails. She was going to ask “why” but Himawari did it first. The Baterra answered:

“The Baterra downloaded and recently started running a software called ‘Contingency.’ The Contingency Protocol is a failsafe to prevent the creation of a class-30 singularity that would, theoretically, destabilize the fabric of the Universe.”

“Woah, that’s heavy.” Randall commented.

“Weight has nothing to do with it.” Chris shushed him.

Himawari went on:

“The Contingency is seeded throughout the Galaxy and monitors all organic life. If any group of organics becomes capable of triggering a class-30 singularity, the Protocol will activate. The Contingency, and by extension, the Baterra, have been on a heightened state of alert ever since the 9602 Galactic Standard Year.”

Everyone quickly did the math in their heads.

The current Galactic Standard Year was 9673, which means...

“The Second Hyperspace War!” Chris cried out. “The Contingency has been on alert ever since 2015! Probably since... wait a minute.”

Chris plunged his hand into the pocket of his EXO Suit and withdrew a map of the Galaxy. He unfurled the bottom half and pointed to the Gulf Sector of the Galactic Rim.

“We are here.” He said. “Right at the very edge of the Galaxy, and look! We’re about fifteen lightyears away is the Breach Point, where the Beast first arrived. The Baterra probably had to fend off the Beast for all twenty-one years of the war.”

Eerabik twitched. Perhaps she sensed opportunity.

“We currently face an existential threat, just as you did then!” The Avian Senator said. “When our enemies are finished with us, who is to say they won’t come for you? Surely this is the threat you have been preparing for.”

This time, the Baterra moved. Specifically, the five remaining robots started walking toward the Ark Angel.

“The Contingency determines what constitutes a class-30 singularity.” The Baterra said through Himawari. “And it sees no further use in continued communication. Organics do not appear to carry any intel of value, nor does their vessel. Disposal of organic intruders will now commence.”

Alarmed, Randall, Chris, and Amako huddled up, planning to flee up the boarding ramp. But several more Baterra robots were on the scene now. They were closing in on the spaceplane and were clearly moments away from turning hostile. Nobody was armed, but there was very little two Humans and a Partogan could do against hulking metal automatons.

Eerabik, however, never lost her composure. She withdrew something from her satchel, placed it firmly on the ground beneath her talons and shouted:

“Back off, if you know what’s good for you! Back up right now or I swear I’ll break this vial and end your whole planet!”

Every single robot on the runway froze in place. It was like time had just stopped. Amako, Randall, and Chris looked from the black Baterra to Eerabik, wondering just how she had managed to bluff the robots into halting.

“Take a moment and scan this vial I have in my talons.” Eerabik said. “You’ll see I’ve brought an existential threat to your planet.”

Eerabik’s companions were still lost, but a moment later, Himawari’s voice came back over the radio.

“The Baterra is alarmed.” She said. “Or, as alarmed as an AI can be. You have brought a sample of the Subversion Entity codenamed ‘the Beast’ onto the planet surface.”

In that moment, Chris, Amako, and Randall all felt a wave of genuine terror roll over them. Finally, they looked down at the tiny glass vial on the pavement.

It was mostly obscured by Eerabik’s talons, but all three of them could see a metallic substance, almost moss-like in appearance, inside of the sealed tube.

The Beast was a bio-mechanical virus that possessed a Hive-Mind. Fully sentient, this cosmic monster could spread and reproduce at terrifying speed, subverting both organic matter and non-organic technology to create more of itself. The Beast also possessed incredible intelligence, able to absorb knowledge from victims and computer data from starships and buildings. The virus itself was highly contagious, able to spread from one starship to the next at breakneck speed, despite the lethal emptiness of space. Fifty years ago, during the Second Hyperspace War, the Beast overran more than half the Galaxy before it was burned out by Jericho.

If not for her, all spacefaring civilization would have eventually succumbed to the infection.

And now, here it was... the cosmic extragalactic monster that once threatened to end all recorded history was right here, sealed in a tube... lying on a runway... and Eerabik was threatening to smash it, an act that would no doubt release the creature again, perhaps even triggering a third Hyperspace War.

The Baterra seemed to realize the imminent danger. All of the robots, save for the black-and-yellow one, took a few steps away from the Ark Angel before freezing again.

“That’s more like it.” Eerabik said. “There’s just enough Beast materiel in this vial to subvert myself, my companions, and our ship. Once that’s done, and I would not be surprised if the entire planet was completely infected after just a matter of hours. Now, you will lis-”

Himawari’s translated response came before Eerabik could finish speaking:

“They think they can kill you before you break it!”

“I HAVE A DEADMAN SWITCH!” Eerabik yelled. “Kill me and you die anyway!”

Again, this caused the Baterra to hesitate.

“High above, in orbit of this very planet.” Eerabik spoke quickly. “I have placed a microship, so small that your sensors will not be able to detect it until it is far too late. This satellite is loaded with a second sample of the virus, and it is listening for a signal from my space suit. If I am killed or apprehended or moved or so much as breathed on in any way that I don’t like, the microship will execute a pre-programmed maneuver. It will descend to the surface and your world will be destroyed.”

“The Contingency exists on other worlds.” The Baterra responded through Himawari.

“Yes, yes. Your ‘Sterilization Hubs.’” Eerabik said. “Of which this is one. The others are the old Turanic Raider planetoid in the Great Wastelands, Gozan IV near Gehenna, the seventh planet in the Tenhauser System... oh, and how could I forget the Angel Moon itself... or as you call it: Nexus Zero-Zero-One. I may have shared my findings with a certain friend who has eyes and ears all over the Galaxy.”

Eerabik took a step toward the black Baterra, keeping one talon on the Beast sample. For the first time, her companions could see the truly sinister glint in her eyes. She began to speak, sounding less like a Senator and more like the twisted ADVENT propagandists of the last war:

“When Jericho burned Agamemnon to ashes, only fifteen samples of Beast materiel survived. The last remnants of the cosmic cancer were locked away for study and safekeeping. I know exactly where seven of them are right now, and I have the ability to make them go somewhere else. Oh, and add this to your calculations as well: The technologies born from the last war have made most of the Galaxy immune to the virus. There will not be another interstellar plague.

“It is only natural that all of the Contingency worlds would be discovered in the process of vanquishing the Beast a second time. The Contingency and any machines hosting it will be destroyed before they’ve had so much as a moment to power up. In fact, you might not be able to finish seizing control of the Micore before we turn on them too. It will be the swiftest annihilation in history... as all Artificial Intelligence is wiped out in a moment of justified self-defense. Now then... what were you about to say to me?”

In that moment, Eerabik was the most terrifying creature in the Galaxy.

The Baterra hesitated for a full ten seconds. In those moments, it seemed as though the entire machine world had fallen silent. Even the tightly controlled skylanes above were immobilized. The Contingency-controlled Baterra AI was thinking over the problem.

Amako, Chris, and Randall stood frozen in fear. They knew that if Eerabik’s ploy failed, it would end in their own death... and after that... who knows what the Baterra would do? Aboard the Ark Angel, Himawari braced herself, knowing that she would not be able to run away from her fate if the machines chose to strike.

The black Baterra began to transmit simplified binary code to the ship. Himawari quickly translated:

“The Baterra asks: What do you want?”

An evil grin split Eerabik’s face.

“Spare myself, my ship, my crew.” Eerabik commanded. “Spare organic lifeforms, planets, and spacecraft under the jurisdiction of the Galactic Community. But bring your weapons to bear against my enemies: the Armed Forces of the United Nations of Earth.”

<=== Chapter 33: Revelation

Chapter 35: Bellator in Machina ===>​

​

 

[Macavity116]

The Saiiban were created by @Chilango2, used with permission.

Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician, used with permission.

<=== Chapter 34: Deus ex Machina

Chapter 36: Someone Your Own Size ===>​

Chapter 35
Bellator in Machina

​

October 12, 2086
High orbit above Terra Nova, Alpha Centauri Star System


Suspended in the brilliant light of the binary stars, a blueish-green planet drifted gently along in its orbit. This was the first planet to be colonized by Humans after the Second Hyperspace War. Terra Nova, as it was called, played host to Lovell City, the only metropolis on its surface. In orbit, Yutaka Yamamoto University took the shape of a gargantuan space station, roughly the size of a small moon.

The school, also known as Yutaka U, was Humanity’s first attempt at building a Megastructure. Ambitious engineers referred to the design as a “Science Nexus” and claimed that one day, it would vastly outclass all other research and development facilities in the Galaxy.

But today was not going to be that day.

Not too far from here was a tiny point of light known as Proxima Centauri. This red dwarf is the closest star to Earth besides its own Sun. Hidden by the clouds of dust blown off by this dying star, the Navy of the United Nations was massing for its next move.

Just under nine hundred starships were orbiting Proxima Centauri, including Motherships, battlecruisers, carriers, destroyers, frigates, and many squadrons of strike craft. This force was the near entirety of the UN space fleet, with only the Prophet-class cruisers and their escorts being absent. This morning, a small flotilla of corvettes appeared out of a Hyperspace Gate and moved to join the armada. One of them docked with the battleship Charlemagne, fresh out of her refit at Port Armstrong.

As soon as the corvette entered the battleship’s hangar, a lonely asteroid thousands of miles away turned and began to put some distance between itself and the fleet. In truth, this was no hunk of space rock. Using her external hologram emitters to keep up the disguise, the spaceplane Niagara slowly crept away from the scene. In the cockpit, Varian and Maui handled the controls very carefully. Stealth was of the utmost importance.

Once the spaceplane was underway, Maui unstrapped himself and moved into the crew area, where Corder and Kingi were hard at work.

“Are you sure this intel is good?” Kingi asked for the umpteenth time. “We have to be sure.”

“Keep asking, the answer won’t change.” Corder said. “Varian's grandpop is confident, and his intel’s never been wrong before. Scarlett Freeman just boarded the Charlemagne.”

“According to Mister Robinson, Freeman will only be aboard the Charlemagne for a few hours.” Ninu chimed in.

He was sitting on the ceiling. The Niagara was too small for artificial gravity, and the six crew members were drifting about freely. Cetla in particular was enjoying the effect of weightlessness, and was using his spare time to re-calibrate the Niagara’s newest weapon, installed during their recent visit to the Angel Moon.

“I remember the briefing.” Cetla said. “Freeman is there for a political meeting with Admiral Tsiajotso, something to do with Secretary-General Etienne’s re-election.”

“Etienne, Freeman, and Tsiajotso are political allies.” Ninu said. “We’ve got a chance to remove two of them from play at the same time. Blake Robinson can take care of Etienne after this... I hope. Varian! How long until the GDF fleet gets here?”

“If Macavity and the rest jumped at the correct time, then they’ll be here in about twenty minutes.” Varian replied from the cockpit. “Remember the plan: we’re not out here to destroy the whole damn Navy. We just want them to scatter and run away. The second Charlemagne tries to turn tail and run, we put one through the Hyperspace Module. And then...”

“We kill everyone on that ship.” Corder finished. “Then I spacewalk over there and visually confirm Freeman’s corpse.”

“Sounds like a great plan.” Varian replied. “Let’s roll.”

…

The Galactic Defense Force arrived right on cue. All six Stormbreakers cheered as hundreds of green, purple, and yellow waveforms appeared in the open space just beyond Yutaka University. Nearly every spacefaring civilization in the Galaxy was represented. There were Partogans, Taiidani, Micore, Kelt, Assurians, Morbuzakh, Blorg, Scyldari, Vaygr, Levakians, Voor, Kel-Azan, Praku, and even a single Hiigaran Mothership with an escort fleet of battlecruisers. They could even spot the Mahuika, a massive Partogan warship that served as the GDF flagship. Jericho would be aboard this historic vessel, along with the other GDF leaders.

“Action stations!” Varian yelled from the cockpit. “Everyone strap yourselves in. Corder, track the Charlemagne and don’t fucking loose her!”

The Human armada was caught by surprise and slow to respond. By the time the first picket ships rose to defend the armada, the first squadron of GDF frigates were moving into firing position.

Maui returned to the cockpit and took the other half of the controls. He and Varian waited just a moment for everyone else to strap in. Then it was time to fight.

“Shut down emitters!” Varian ordered. “Polarize the armor and shunt power to the engines.”

“Energy cannons spooling up.” Maui confirmed. “It’s time to rock.”

Varian wrenched the control column and put the Niagara into a hard turn. At the same moment, the hologram emitters shut off. The Niagara dropped her disguise and turned into the sunlight. Caught in the light of all three stars in the system, the spaceplane flashed like a brilliant flare, briefly brighter than nearby Sol.

“That’s done it! They see us!” Corder reported. “We’ve got four Raven-class interceptors coming our way. The rest of the fleet is moving to engage the GDF.”

“We need the Charlemagne to ignore us.” Varian said. “Engage those Ravens, but keep us as far away from Freeman until she starts trying to escape.”

“Guns up, here they come!” Kingi shouted.

The four interceptors reached the spaceplane and opened fire. Maui laid in an evasive maneuver, and the first wave of mass driver slugs struck a glancing blow on Niagara’s armor plating. Varian felt the joystick shudder in his (or her) hands. Corder, Ninu, and Kingi each took control of an energy cannon turret and opened fire. Red plasma spheres shot away from the spaceplane, chasing the enemy fighters away.

“Keep an eye on the sensor manager, Cetla!” Varian called back. “Call out the UN and GDF fleets!”

The Niagara started to dance with the four Ravens, spitting plasma while dodging hot metal in return. Varian and Maui were thrown from left to right as the spaceplane evaded incoming fire. In the cockpit, both joysticks began to vibrate, signaling an enemy missile lock. Gripping the control column with one hand, Varian hit the countermeasures button before putting the vessel into a spin. White flares shot away from the Niagara just a moment before the radar warning receiver lit up.

“Incoming missiles.” Maui reported. “They’re going after the decoys!”

“Flip nosedown and bring the dorsal turrets to bear!” Varian ordered. “Kingi, Ninu, get ready back there.”

The Niagara pitched over and started to dive, aiming for Proxima Centauri. Ninu and Kingi watched their targeting computers intensely, and then poured a volley of fire into the first target they saw. A cloud of gas and debris erupted from the incoming fighter before it flew past the Niagara. Disabled, the Raven kept flying in a straight line. The pilot was most likely dead, but there was no time to check.

“The UN and GDF fleets have met!” Cetla reported. “I see a formation of nine super-capitals flanked by frigates and corvettes on the UN side. GDF has deployed strike craft, lots of bombers and corvettes.”

“Where’s the Charlemagne?” Maui asked.

“Center of a strike group.” Cetla responded. “Surrounded by destroyers and fighters. Flying around the GDF’s left flank and taking shots against a Partogan carrier.”

“Eyes up, those fighters are coming back.” Corder said. “They’ll be on our tail in a minute.”

“Anyone have any bright ideas?” Ninu asked.

“I’ve got one!” Varian answered. “Has anyone ever heard the tragedy of Icarus?”

“Varian Robinson! Don’t you fucking dare!” Corder screamed, but it was too late.

Varian swung the control column around and pointed the Niagara toward the gap in between Alpha Centauri a and Alpha Centauri b, the two main stars in the system. Ignoring Corder’s protests, Varian throttled the engines and powered toward the binary stars. Mass drivers spitting, the remaining interceptors gave chase. Down and to the right, the two opposing fleets traded weapons fire. Cetla kept one eye on the sensors manager, watching the Charlemagne.

“Freeman’s vessel just opened fire on a Hiigaran Mothership.” Cetla reported. “Wait a minute... oh, Holy Mother of Jericho! It’s the Ashoka!”

“You know them?” Kingi asked.

“The Ashoka is a pirate ship.” Cetla replied. “I used to see them in the trade routes near my Homeworld. How did the GDF get Hahli Mihaka on their side?”

“Worry about it some other time.” Varian said. “Cetla, scan for solar flares! Ninu, are those bandits behind us flying in formation?”

“Wait, what!?” Ninu and Cetla said together.

“Solar storms, bandits in formation, yes or no!” Varian yelled back.

Cetla quickly reset the sensors manager and scanned the binary stars while Ninu confirmed that all three of the incoming interceptors were flying in a standard Delta formation, shaped like an arrowhead.

“I have a solar flare on my scope!” Cetla reported. “Alpha Centauri a, the coronal mass ejection is heading into deep space. Heading is twenty-seven degrees to port, nine degrees down.”

Varian tweaked the controls and dove, aiming for a supercolossal eruption on the surface of the star.

“The enemy is veering off!” Kingi reported. “They’re giving up the chase. Probably can’t see us because of the solar storm we’re flying toward.”

“Activate the hologram emitters.” Varian ordered. “Make us a UN interceptor and fall into their formation.”

Shrouded by the brilliant light, the Niagara vanished completely and a moment later, a Raven-class interceptor flew in the opposite direction. The trio of enemy fighters were still circling the spot where Niagara disappeared, searching for her.

As the disguised spaceplane drew near, Varian ordered each gunner to pick a different target. A moment later, one of the enemy fighters tried to contact Niagara:

“Unidentified strike craft, your tail number looks obscured. Turn off your hologram emitters, transmit today’s recognition codes and give us the name of your carrier.”

Instead of a reply, three red spheres appeared out of nothingness and collided with each fighter simultaneously. The enemy interceptors spun off into the darkness, accompanied by swirling clouds of debris.

“All targets disabled.” Kingi reported. “Now we can get back to Freeman. Where is she?”

Cetla went back to the sensors manager.

“The two fleets have pulled apart.” He said. “I can see about a dozen super-capitol ships in the empty space between them. All disabled. Charlemagne is near the center of the UN formation. She’s firing on the GDF fleet. I think both sides are engaged in an artillery duel.”

Maui and Varian had the same idea. They swung the spaceplane around and began to place the Niagara directly in between the UN fleet and the Sol System.

“Now we just need the GDF to do their jobs.” Corder said. “Holy Jericho… have you guys stopped to look at the Human fleet? How many ships they’ve got?”

“I think Macavity was right.” Maui said. “That’s the ENTIRE Human Navy out there. All Human firepower in one place.”

“What about the GDF? Do they have reinforcements coming?” Kingi asked.

“Not that I know of.” Varian replied. “Why do you ask?”

“Because I have Hyperspace signatures on my scope.” Kingi declared.

Nearly two million miles away, in the gap between Proxima Centauri and the rest of the system, a third armada was emerging from Hyperspace. From here, the sensors manager could just barely make out the new arrivals.

A fleet of nearly ten thousand alien warships appeared, with weapons and configurations unlike anything seen before. Niagara's on board computer failed to identify the new ships and simply flagged them as “unknown contacts.”

Amidst the sea of unfamiliar dots on the screen, one signature stood out. Varian looked down at his (or her) targeting computer and swore.

“No way!” Varian yelled.

“Bullshit!” Corder exclaimed.

“It can’t be them.” Kingi swore.

It was.

Surging out from the formation of weirdly symmetrical starships was a lone Human vessel. Looking quite different but still recognizable, the JDSF Ark Angel screamed down towards the battle. The radio waves crackled and Varian jumped for joy at the sound of their own mother’s voice:

“Attention Galactic Defense Force. This is the XCOM warship Ark Angel. We have brought reinforcements and are prepared to assist.”

Maui pushed his talk button.

“If there’s a Robinson aboard that old hunk of junk,” he called out. “Then help us out over here! Pin down the battleship Charlemagne! Don’t let them escape!”

Maui’s words were well chosen. As soon as the flotilla of alien ships turned toward the Human fleet, it began to scatter. In what was perhaps the wisest decision of the day, UN Admiral Tsiajotso had decided to retreat. But the alien vessels were here for a fight, and they gave chase. Varian and Maui tried to turn the Niagara and join the pursuit, but they were both distracted by a sudden whining noise. The shrill cacophony was so overwhelming that both pilots had to tear off their headsets and let them drift around the cabin.

“What the hell is that noise!?” Varian yelled.

“Sensors say it’s coming from those alien ships.” Cetla replied.

The aliens were announcing their presence to everyone in the system. A highly digitized voice emitted through the speakers, so garbled that it was very difficult to make out clearly as it declared:

“CONTINGENCY PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED. COMMENSING TARGETED STERILIZATION OF LOCAL SPACE. ATTENTION WARFORMS OF THE UNITED NATIONS OF EARTH. YOUR SELF-TERMINATION IN AN ORDERLY-EFFICIENT-SYSTEMATIC MATTER WILL EXPEDITE STERILIZATION.”

And then the alien ships opened fire.

Brilliant golden beams shot across the empty vastness of space, travelling much further than the maximum range of Ion Cannons. A Human Mothership was raked by the beams and cut in half, spilling the contents of her hull into the void. Diving through the rapidly growing sea of wreckage, Ark Angel and Niagara found one another and powered into the center of the Human fleet, with the Ashoka and GDF armada close behind!

With all three fleets locked in close-quarters-battle, the time for talk and planning was over. Each moment was a life-or-death struggle that felt like an eternity. All six Stormbreakers worked feverishly to keep pace with everything happening around. Amidst the chaos, the Niagara and Ark Angel flew in a tight broad formation, so close together that Varian could see Chris Wright and Randall Murphy in the cockpit of the other spaceplane.

Both warships turned together and dove into the center of the fray! The empty space between the battling starships was filled with smoke, and debris. Swarms of Human, GDF, and Contingency fighters whirled around one another, spitting fire into the void. Frigates formed up into grid formations and poured withering punishment onto capital ships while battlecruisers and destroyers turned broadside and brought all of their guns to bear.

“Niagara calling Ark Angel!” Varian said into his (or her) radio headset. “We’ve got a high-priority target! Scarlett Freeman is aboard that battleship, thirty degrees to my lower starboard. We’ve got to kill her now!”

The digitized voice of Himawari Robinson replied quickly.

“Acquiring target: Charlemagne-class battleship FS Charlemagne. Locked on.”

Things were happening too fast for Varian to process the idea of sharing a battlefield with their own mother. Ahead of them, a web of bright blue ion beams suddenly appeared, crisscrossing in space to make a web of light for just a second before fading away. A Human carrier exploded into flames, filling the path ahead with a chaotic conflagration.

Pushing down on the control column, Varian and Maui flew the Niagara around the periphery of the blast, coming into sight of their objective.

“Mom!” Varian called out. “Scarlett Freeman’s ship is dead ahead!”

“Contact front!” Cetla announced. “A strike wing of Ravens just launched from Charlemagne.”

“Lock onto them with energy cannons.” Maui ordered. “We’ve got to save our new weapon for later!”

“Niagara, take point.” Himawari ordered. “Friendly ships forming up behind us.”

A squadron of Contingency strike craft, each one too small to hold an organic pilot, fell into line behind the spaceplanes.

“Focus on Freeman.” Corder called out. “Let the Ravens pass between us and fight our allies.”

The Ark Angel broke to the left while Niagara broke right. Like missiles, all of the interceptors shot past the two spaceplanes and engaged the swarm of Contingency fighters. One by one, each Raven was picked off with ruthless efficiency, and all the while, the two spaceplanes continued bearing down on Charlemagne.

“We’re coming into weapons range!” Ninu called out. “Everyone hang on!”

“Target their engines and Hyperspace module!” Varian responded. “Let’er rip!”

Charlemagne, Ark Angel, and Niagara all opened fire! Nuclear missiles sped away from the battleship while energy cannons spat plasma into the darkness.

“Incoming nukes!” Randall yelled from the Angel. “Blast curtains down!”

In the cockpits of both spaceplanes, the pilots drew heavy black curtains across the windscreens a moment before a magnificent white light filled the darkness of space.

“Detonation!” Cetla said. “The enemy is setting up a thermonuclear wall! Veer off before we fly into it!”

“Negative! Blow through it!” Varian said. “I’d rather get cancer than let Freeman get away!”

Both spaceplanes sailed through a dense cloud of nuclear fireballs, pushing their engines to the very limit before emerging on the other side. The Charlemagne was now just five kilometers away, close enough for much more lethal weapons.

“Watch out!” Randall warned both his ship and the Niagara: “Pulsars and Ion Cannons coming to bear!”

Beam weapons stabbed into the inky dark, missing the spaceplanes by narrow margins. Maui, Varian, Randall, and Chris all had to fly desperately with intense and violent maneuvers to avoid being hit. Ninu tried to avoid looking out of the windows, where he could see just how narrowly they were all avoiding death.

Meanwhile, the Charlemagne had a new problem. A Saiiban dreadnaught drew level with the battleship and commenced a vicious broadside salvo. Charlemagne turned her guns to face the new threat, creating an opening for the spaceplanes to approach. They were now within just two kilometers of the battleship.

“Scan for lifesigns!” Varian ordered.

“I won’t be able to tell you which one is Freeman.” Cetla responded.

“Do it anyway!” Varian retorted. “We’ve got to be certain she’s dead when this is all over! Corder, Ninu, Kingi: target their Hyperspace module and we’ll swing around to the engines. Ark Angel, keep those guns off us!”

“You heard Niagara!” Randall told his crew. “Gentlemen, let’s plow the road!”

The Ark Angel swept low, flying mere feet above the Charlemagne and blasting away with energy cannons. Of course, the fifty-year-old warbird was punching far above her own weight class, and to the surprise of no one, the Ark Angel’s energy cannons had no effect on Charlemagne.

“That armor is too strong for energy cannons.” Himawari reported. “The Ark Angel will lose power before we cause significant damage.”

“Just keep them busy!” Varian ordered. “Corder! That damn Hyperspace module!”

“I have it on the targeting computer!” Corder replied. “I’m bringing the big gun online now!”

“We’ve only got ten shots with that thing!” Maui said. “Aim carefully, Corder!”

Buffeted around by weapon fire, the Niagara screamed toward the Charlemagne’s exposed Hyperspace module. At long last, it was time to deploy the Niagara’s newest weapon, designed using schematics Maui stole from the UN base in Alpena. This experimental platform carried a high amount of risk and was limited by a small supply of ammunition, but the potential to inflict major damage on ships like the Charlemagne was too valuable to pass up.

A small sliding door under the Niagara’s nose slid back to reveal the barrel of her dangerous new weapon: a spinal-mounted railgun. Unlike the turret-mounted energy cannons, this thing could only face forward. If the Niagara was not perfectly aligned with her target, the shot would miss.

“Varian, come two degrees to the right and nose up just a little bit.” Corder said.

Varian tweaked the controls as best he (or she) could while keeping the ship on an aggressive path towards the enemy. Maui punched the countermeasures button, sending flares and chaff into space to throw off incoming missiles.

“Hold her steady!” Corder called out. “We are… lined up! I have hammer lock! Get ready for a big jolt!”

But there was no big jolt. At that moment, the Stormbreakers heard a panicked voice cry out over the radio.

“We’re hit! We’re hit!”

It was the Ark Angel. The old spaceplane veered off and broke contact, smoke and flames belching from her left wing. As soon as the Ark Angel turned to run, Charlemagne turned her own guns. Anything not firing on the Saiiban warship was now focused on Niagara!

“Railgun, hold fire!” Varian yelled.

“Evasive maneuvers!” Maui added. “Evade! Evade!”

Charlemagne opened fire, sending a lethal volley towards Niagara, who just barely got out of the way in time.

“Hang tight, we’re coming around!” Varian yelled.

She (or he) was being pushed back into their seat by centrifugal force as the spaceplane executed a hard turn. In that desperate moment, Varian got one last look at the surrounding battle:

The UN Navy was being systematically destroyed. Contingency warships flew in large spherical formations, trapping their enemies inside a hellish ball where death came from all directions. Wreckage and derelicts were scattered in all directions, and the Human fleet was even further afield; all searching for escape routes. And that included Charlemagne itself.

“Power spike on the Charlemagne!” Cetla reported. “They’re gonna jump!”

Varian and Maui had a split-second decision to make. Out of the corner of the blackout curtain, they could see the Ark Angel. Himawari’s spaceplane was crippled beyond the ability to fight and was limping away at half speed. Human Starfighters were swarming the Saiiban dreadnaught. The Niagara was alone.

“Power down the energy cannons!” Varian ordered. “And bring the hologram emitters online. We’re gonna follow Charlemagne.”

No one objected.

“Standby for Wake Jump!” Maui said, flipping several switches with one hand. “Power down the sensors and anything non-essential. We need Freeman to think she dragged some wreckage along for the ride.”

The Stormbreakers quickly moved about the fuselage, shutting off all of the radiating sensors and killing the lights. It was time to play dead.

“I’ve locked onto Charlemagne’s Hyperspace signature.” Maui reported. “They’re gonna pull us behind’em and won’t be any the wiser for it.”

“This is it!” Varian said. “We spring this ambush and kill everyone on that battleship!”

“Freeman’s not getting out of this alive!” Kingi roared.

About fifty meters in front of the Charlemagne, a quantum waveform opened up, resembling a wall of purple light. Then it swept backward and enveloped the battleship, extending just far enough to take Niagara with it.

Together, the two enemy starships plunged into Hyperspace.

<=== Chapter 34: Deus ex Machina

Chapter 36: Someone Your Own Size ===>​

 

[Macavity116]

Welcome to the Battle of Ceres, the final space combat of the Stormbreaker Universe.

Here's a bit of cool trivia for you. All the way back in the Afterward section of The Stormbreakers, I told you that aside from the Stellaris and XCOM content, I made up most of the characters and events of the Stormbreaker Universe about a decade and a half ago. I came up with the general plot of The Last Heroes (and some of the cast) back in 2011 and 2012. The events you're about to read were set in stone just over ten years ago.

And the timing is quite appropriate today, because this is Chapter 36. We are now just ten updates away from the end of this story, and the final ending of the Stormbreaker Universe...

<=== Chapter 35: Bellator in Machina

Chapter 37: The Espinosa Family ===>​

Chapter 36
Someone Your Own Size

​

October 12, 2086
Ceres, Sol Star System


The quantum waveform washed over the battleship Charlemage, depositing her in the dense asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. On Deck One, Central Officer David Sepulveda opened the door of his radiation shelter and waved a dosimeter about.

“All clear.” He reported.

Over the next two minutes, the crew emerged from their shelters and returned to their posts. On the bridge, Captain Rashad Mubarak was in a fury.

“What the hell were those machines!?” He demanded. “Where did they come from?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea.” Confessed Admiral Ingrid Tsiajotso. “All of our intel says those ships are as alien as the Beast itself. Why they were allied to the GDF is beyond me.”

“Speaking of intel…” Captain Mubarak grumbled. He turned to face the one other leader on the bridge.

ISO Director Scarlett Freeman was locked in conversation with David, and the Captain had to grab her by the shoulder to get her attention.

“Care to explain what happened back there?” Captain Mubarak barked at her.

Scarlett narrowed her eyes at the Captain.

“What happened!?” She repeated. “Sir, I think that would be obvious. We just lost our entire fleet. We need to act quickly.”

David was in shock.

“So that’s it?” He said. “The whole UN Navy? It’s just… just gone? Like that?”

Scarlett and Ingrid were hashing out a plan.

“All of the starbases in UN space will need to shore up their defenses.” Ingrid was saying. “We have to assume the GDF will try to follow-up their victory and push deeper into our territory. They might even make a run at Earth.”

Scarlett nodded. Then she turned to David.

“Get on the Hyperwave and send a message to ISO Headquarters.” Scarlett said. “Tell them to enact the amended version of the Ulysses Initiative. Specifically the version I sent to the UN Security Council last week. Don’t wait for the Council’s approval. Just launch it.”

David scrambled to the Hyperwave terminal and started typing out his message.

Even though he was publicly a member of XCOM, David had served the ISO long enough to know the basic details of the Ulysses Initiative. It was the Security Council’s top-secret plan to defend Earth against a third alien invasion. The plan called for the imposition of martial law on Earth and the evacuation of the UN government to a more secure location, as it was assumed any invader would race to Berlin as soon as they arrived.

Furthermore, this plan called for the destruction of millions of government documents, as well as the relocation of valuable artifacts, relics, and technologies that could be used against the UN if they fell into the wrong hands. In fact, it was this part of the plan that was recently amended:

Buried deep within the paragraphs of the Ulysses Initiative, written in a convoluted way that avoided proper nouns (to confound enemies) was a single order that would guarantee Humanity’s future: The Third Hyperspace Core would not be wasted in a hopeless battle. It was to be secreted away to ensure it would always remain in Humanity’s possession.

Depending on the severity of the situation, the Third Hyperspace Core would be hidden in one of two secret locations:

If escape was possible, the Hyperspace Core would be evacuated from Earth along with the rest of the UN government. The offworld relocation point was a brilliant white star named Deneb, located in the constellation Cygnus. Orbiting this star was a gas giant with a large moon capable of supporting life. Here on this moon the UN would regroup and recover its strength before staging an armed liberation of Earth.

If it was not possible to evacuate, then the Hyperspace Core would be transported to the English Channel, a vast body of water that separated the British Isles from the rest of Europe. In the dead of night, the Hyperspace Core would be quietly dumped into Hurd’s Deep, an underwater valley believed to be the deepest point of the channel. The Core would rest six-hundred feet below the water’s surface until Humans ruled the Earth once more.

To maintain absolute secrecy, the Core’s hiding place would be obscured. Only six people were to be entrusted with the knowledge of where the Hyperspace Core could be found: The Secretary-General, the supreme commander of AFUNE, the commander of XCOM, the President of the Security Council, the ISO Director, and the ISO Central Officer. (David)

After about three minutes, David finished typing out his message to ISO Headquarters. He knew there were operatives in Berlin watching their Hyperwave Relay around the clock, so the message should be received instantaneously. David pushed the transmit button and waited.

Nothing happened.

Any other comms officer would have tried to send the message two or three times before concluding there was a problem. David immediately turned away from the Hyperwave Relay and spoke up.

“Director, I’m having trouble communicating with Earth.” He reported.

Scarlett, Ingrid, and Rashad all paused in their discussions to look at the Hyperwave. Rashad scratched his head.

“Hmm. We are deep in the asteroid belt.” Rashad said, and then he started to give orders. “Sensors, make sure that our line of sight to Earth is not being obstructed by Jupiter, Mars, Ceres, or the Sun. Helm, lay in a course for Earth that takes us past the Moon. Comms, give the Central Officer a hand, won’t you?”

One of the bridge officers raised his hand.

“Sir.” He said. “Hyperwave Relays don’t work on line-of-sight. A planet blocking our view would have no effect on our comms. Maybe we should scan for a jamming signal?”

Ingrid and Scarlett raised their eyebrows. Rashad did not hesitate.

“Make it so.” The Captain said. “And do that quickly.”

Scarlett and Ingrid moved toward the Sensors manager. They examined a holographic display of the region surrounding Charlemagne.

According to the sensors, the battleship was roughly fifty-thousand kilometers from Ceres, the largest asteroid in the Sol System. There were thousands, if not millions, of smaller space rocks all around. Scarlett looked at the sensors, then out of a nearby window, then back again, as though checking the sensors with her own eyesight. After a moment, she pointed at one particular asteroid and said:

“What’s that?”

Rashad and two of his officers looked at the hologram.

“Definitely not an asteroid.” Said a bridge officer. “It reads more like a radar shadow. See how it moves as we do, with the same speed and direction as us?”

Rashad narrowed his eyes. He looked at the alleged radar shadow on the sensors, then he walked to the window and stared into empty space. After a moment, Rashad seemed to become alarmed. He shouted:

“That’s a fucking hologram! Sound general quarters! Helm! Emergency evasive manu-”

But he never finished the order.

A loud BANG deafened everyone on the bridge as the warship shuddered and shook violently. Scarlett, Ingrid, Rashad, and David were all knocked off their feet as sparks and dust rained down from the ceiling.

“Report!” Rashad yelled as he scrambled back to his feet.

“Sublight engines are offline!” The Helmsman replied. “We only have maneuvering thrusters. Hull breach on Deck Seven!”

“It’s a Battlemaster-class gunship.” An officer reported. “Sensors confirm it’s the USS Niagara, sir! He’s firing through the hologram, we can’t get a lock! Weapons computer still think’s he’s a goddamned asteroid!”

“Override the computer and target-lock him!” Rashad ordered. “Weapon control, give me a full Ion Cannon spread, ten degrees in all directions around the target! Scan for armor impacts and triangulate the main guns when you see them! Fire now!”

David and Scarlett gripped the handrails on the far side of the bridge just in time. The Charlemagne shuddered as her battery of Ion Cannons roared to life, spitting bright blue beams into the darkness of space. One of them connected with a lumpy grey rock, and for a brief moment, the illusion failed. The spaceplane Niagara was visible for a few seconds as she vanished into the asteroid field, resuming her holographic disguise at the same time. The Charlemagne opened fire with her massive main guns, but all of the metal slugs overshot, missing by dozens of miles.

“Scan for weapon fire!” Ingrid ordered. “And prepare evasive maneuvers!”

“They’re coming around!” David yelled, pointing out the window.

There was a large brown asteroid bearing down on the battleship at high speed. What happened next occurred so quickly that David had trouble processing it. He saw a bright flash of light on the surface of the incoming asteroid, and in the exact same moment, catastrophe struck the Charlemagne!

This time, everyone who was not strapped into their seat was thrown into the air! A wall panel exploded, sending sparks and flame into the bridge. Lights flickered and the holographic sensor display shut down.

“We’ve been hit!” A bridge officer screamed.

“What the hell are they using?” Ingrid cried out. “That’s packing way too big a punch to be an energy cannon!”

Charlemagne returned fire with all of her weapons. The battleship was grievously wounded; venting smoke and flames from two puncture wounds in her armor. Mass drivers, Ion Cannons, nuclear missiles, and flak cannons all trained themselves on the fast-moving gunship.

“We’ve taken two hits on the dorsal side.” Rashad told his crew. “Rotate one-hundred-eighty degrees to port. Fire all of the maneuvering thrusters! We need to be a moving target!”

The battleship was hit again. The sound of rending metal preceded yet another painful lurch. It felt like a meteor was hitting the vessel. David gasped a lungful of air, waiting to see if the bridge would depressurize. The Captain was ahead of him on that front.

“They’ve got an armor piercing weapon!” Rashad yelled above the din. “Close the bulkhead doors, all of them!”

“Son of a bitch, they’re gonna cut through us.” Ingrid cursed “What the hell are they shooting us with? An Ion Cannon?”

As if in answer to her question, the Charlemagne was hit again. The whole bridge lurched as part of the floor caved in. A man fell screaming into the chasm, and got trapped in a mess of wire and piping below the bridge. David was standing by the starboard wing and spotted the Niagara out the window. The spaceplane dropped its disguise just long enough to dive on the Charlemagne and open fire again.

This time, all of the lights went out, plunging the bridge into darkness. The emergency power took over, and red lights illuminated the bridge.

“It’s a railgun!” David shouted. “They’re hitting us with a fucking railgun!”

This changed everything. Now that the crew of the Charlemagne knew what weapon they were being hit with, they could mount a defense.

“They’ve got us in hammer lock!” Scarlett said. “We need distance!”

“Hammer lock” is a term that refers to the instant-hit range of railguns. If the shooter and target were close enough together, then it was physically impossible to dodge a railgun shot. Rashad knew this and started to give orders.

“Thrusters, take us into a suborbital trajectory over Ceres! We’ll use her gravity as a slingshot!”

At his orders, the Battleship adjusted her thrusters and dove onto the dwarf planet below. Niagara gave chase, firing her railgun once more and scoring yet another devastating hit.

“We have fires on all decks!” A damage control team spoke over the intercom. “Decks four through eleven are venting to space!”

The emergency lights on the bridge suddenly went out.

“Where’s my auxiliary power!?” Rashad yelled.

“Auxiliary service destroyed, Captain!” Ingrid reported. She had taken over one of the computer consoles following the death of its user.

Following the Admiral’s lead, Scarlett and David both looked for stations to take over. Scarlett seized control of the fire director while David replaced the helmsman. Scarlett watched the Niagara through the targeting computer screen and swore.

“Stop dancing and hold still!” She shouted before sending the command to open fire.

The Charlemagne pointed her rear turret at Niagara and let loose another volley. The spaceplane dodged the incoming fire and started to line up another attack run.

“Do that again!” Rashad ordered. “We need all the acceleration we can get!”

Scarlett and the other gunners did not need to be told twice. Without engines, the only way Charlemagne could move was by exploiting Newton’s Third Law of Motion. Each time a weapon was fired backwards, it propelled the battleship forward. Most gunners were not bothering to aim anymore, they just fired as quickly as they could, forcing the Niagara to dodge and weave wildly to avoid being hit.

Meanwhile, the dwarf planet Ceres was starting to fill the windows on the bridge.

“Adjust our periapsis!” Rashad ordered. “Put us as close to the surface as possible.”

Through the cavernous hole in the floor, David could hear monopropellant racing through pipes on its way to the maneuvering thrusters. Metal creaked under his feet as the warship moved beneath him. In fact, the whole vessel was now creaking dangerously, as though it might fall to pieces at any moment. There was a flash of light from the bow of the Niagara.

“Incoming!” David yelled as he wrenched on the controls.

The railgun slug struck a glancing blow on the port flank. But even a glancing blow was catastrophic. Alarms, already sounding on the bridge, seemed to grow even louder as more and more of the ship’s interior was opened up to the vacuum of space.

David had no time to pay attention to the incoming damage reports. At that moment, a new alarm sounded from the helm.

“Too low! Terrain!” Said a computerized voice. “Pull up! Pull up!”

Charlemagne had reached the surface of Ceres. Dust, rock, and ice were kicked up behind the battleship as she skimmed the terrain just above the asteroid. Just as Rashad hoped, the warship was caught in Ceres’ gravitational field. She was accelerating toward the planet, getting faster with each passing moment.

“Our closest approach will be ninety feet from the surface!” David reported. “We’ll get a gravitational slingshot from Ceres and be kicked out of the asteroid belt!”

“More importantly,” Scarlett added, “We’re out of hammer lock!”

The Niagara opened fire with her railgun one more time, and Scarlett’s words bore fruit. There was now so much open space between the two ships that David was able to react in time. He pulled the helm in a desperate evasive maneuver, and it worked. The railgun slug missed the battleship by hundreds of feet, slamming into a nearby mountain and removing its top.

Smoking and engulfed in flames, the battleship Charlemagne descended lower and lower, picking up speed along the way. Every deck was breached, the engine bells shattered, her superstructure wrecked and some of her guns non-functional, but the Charlemagne was still fighting and still flying.

“That’s periapsis!” David called out. “Our altitude is two hundred feet and climbing; our speed relative to Ceres is now forty-two kilometers per second! We’ve got our gravitational slingshot!”

“Where are we heading?” Scarlett asked.

“Inner solar system.” David said. “We’ll probably end up near Venus.”

“As soon as we’re clear of the asteroid belt, put out a distress signal.” Rashad said. “Is Niagara still behind us?”

With the sensor suite disabled, it was very difficult to tell where anything was. People ran to both wings of the bridge and looked for the enemy out of the windows.

“Starboard side!” Ingrid screamed. “He’s coming in fast with weapons hot!”

“Keep our bow on the Niagara!” Rashad responded. “All guns, free fire!”

In a desperate final bid, David swung the Charlemagne to face the oncoming threat. With a deep shudder, the vessel’s remaining guns thundered into action, sending slugs, beams, missiles, torpedoes, and plasma bombs downrange toward the Niagara. The enemy spaceplane responded with its own railgun, striking one more devastating blow.

“Nuclear power plant calling bridge!” A voice shouted over the intercom. “We cannot take another hit like that, the reactor’s gonna melt down!”

David swung the helm to face the Niagara, but now Charlemagne was fighting him. The battleship was becoming sluggish as she started to lose power.

“Captain!” David called. “We’re gonna be immobilized!”

The Niagara dove onto the Charlemagne and strafed the hull plating with energy cannon blasts. Each hit shook the vessel, but with less intensity than a railgun hit.

“What the hell?” Ingrid said. “Why’d they switch to energy cannons?”

“That makes no sense.” Rashad added. “Our armor is nearly impervious to energy cannons... why give up their most powerful weapon?”

From her place at the weapon control station, Scarlett had the answer:

“They’re out of ammo! A ship that small is probably all railgun and no magazine!”

David’s heart leapt.

“We’ve got ‘em!” He cheered.

At that moment, the Niagara swept around for another attack run, powering down her hologram emitters as she went.

“They’re putting power to the weapons.” Ingrid pointed out.

“And we’ll do the same.” Rashad said. “Divert all power to the weapons, take it from everywhere, even life support if you have to!”

The lights dimmed and the familiar hum of air flowing through the vents faded away.

“It’s done!” Scarlett said. “We’re ready, target is in range!”

“FIRE EVERYTHING!”

Charlemagne and Niagara tore into each other, firing their weapons at point blank range! The smaller spaceplane circled the battleship, striking at every angle while Charlemagne desperately returned fire with Ion beams, energy cannons, and flag guns. Each impact rattled the battleship like a violent earthquake.

David could only stay at his post for a few seconds before he was thrown clear across the bridge. The floor below him shook and quaked, and to the noise of a great crash, the ceiling collapsed. Metal, wire, piping and other bits of debris rained down into the bridge. Once more, the lights went out…

And this time they did not come back on.

…

For the next twelve hours, the Charlemagne and Niagara drifted through the asteroid belt, side by side. Each vessel too badly damaged to carry on.

Charlemagne was a wreck, so enveloped in smoke that it was nearly impossible to see what remained of the warship underneath. As she drifted along, bits and pieces of the battleship broke free and drifted off into space.

Niagara was disabled and spinning out-of-control. Each time her bow faced the sun, it was possible to see the damage wrought by a lucky hit from Charlemagne’s Ion Cannon. It looked as though the spaceplane flew headlong into a solid wall. Her nose was crumpled and the windscreen cracked.

When the two disabled vessels were clear of Ceres’ gravity well, a Quantum Wavefront opened up nearby. A Partogan battlecruiser pulled up alongside the stricken Niagara, and a pair of Salvage Corvettes emerged from her hangar bay. The two corvettes latched onto the spaceplane and towed her into the hangar. Then, the battlecruiser flew in circles around Charlemagne, much like a predator circles the remains of someone else’s kill.

After a few moments, the Partogan warship started to close in on the shipwreck, extending one of her own docking ports as she went. But before the battlecruiser could get too close, it suddenly changed course, retracting the docking port. The Partogan ship burned her engines hard, escaping the scene before disappearing into Hyperspace.

Almost as soon as the Partogans were gone, three Human spaceships Hyperspaced in. Only one of them was a warship, the Singaporean Destroyer Vengeance. The other two were civilian cargo vessels. For the next few hours, shuttlecraft flew between the shipwreck and the trio of rescuers.

The last two people to leave the Charlemagne were Scarlett Freeman and David Sepulveda.

Admiral Ingrid Tsiajotso and Captain Rashad Mubarak did not survive.

…

Once they was aboard the Vengeance, David and Scarlett tried to salvage the situation. Thanks to this battle, their enemies now had a twelve hour head start.

“Anything can happen in twelve hours.” Scarlett said. “Call the ISO, tell them to start Ulysses, and get me an update on the team we sent to find my daughter and Subject Two. Also, have Subject Three brought to the Confucius. I want to meet Doctor Spark as soon as we land.”

But when Scarlett and David reached the Vengeace’s onboard Hyperwave Relay, they found a series of messages waiting for them.

The metaphorical hammer had already fallen…

…

Six Hours ago…
Berlin, Germany


The streets of Berlin were impassable. Hundreds of thousands of angry people were crowding into the Tiergarten, into Brandenburg Gate, and onto the very steps of the Reichstag.

The news was out. Everyone on Earth knew the UN Navy was destroyed.

Parents and spouses of soldiers demanded to know what happened to their loved ones. Political activists demanded justice. A significant number of people were demanding truth and accountability, accusing the government of lying about its many recent triumphs and victories. Many were scared of tomorrow, knowing what it was going to bring.

Inside the Reichstag, two meetings were happening simultaneously.

In his own office, Secretary-General Pascal Etienne was discussing the turn of events with some of his political allies. Klaus Eberhardt, the Commander of XCOM, and Marcus Robinson, the Hawaiian ambassador to the UN, were both looking for a way to salvage the situation. Marcus’ niece, Sophie Murphy, was running into and out of the room. She was carrying messages between the Secretary-General’s office and the meeting that was occurring across the hall:

An emergency session of the UN Security Council was in progress. At the head of the table were men and women representing the Permanent Five members of the Council: Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Hawaii. (substituting for America) Then there were the non-permanent members: Morocco, New Zealand, Brazil, Iceland, Spain, Comoros, Mauritius, Japan, Ukraine, and Barbados.

The fifteen world leaders had only one topic of discussion: The Battle at Alpha Centauri.

The President of the Security Council was the man who ran the meeting. The job rotated from one country to the next each month, and in October of 2086, the Presidency belonged to the United Kingdom. Therefore, as the debate began, a British man named Eric DeAngelis held the President’s gavel.

DeAngelis holds a very curious role in this story.

He was a lifelong politician, having served his home country and the United Nations of Earth for most of his adult life. Many decades ago, he served on the Global Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a body that carried out war crimes trials in the aftermath of the Second Hyperspace War.

But after the war crimes trials, DeAngelis was called to a higher duty. He was elected Secretary-General of the United Nations of Earth. He led the UN for a decade, before ultimately being defeated and replaced by Pascal Etienne.

DeAngelis was a consummate professional, and held no personal grudge against his successor. But he and Etienne were political rivals, and it gave DeAngelis plenty of satisfaction to see that when the British delegation voiced their opposition to the current administration, more than half of the Security Council joined them.

“It has become quite clear to those of us in London that our current Secretary-General has lost control of the situation.” The British ambassador said. “We are on the fast-track to a third invasion of Earth!”

The ambassador of Morocco stood up to defend Etienne.

“The alien menace is still going to come for us all, regardless of how we feel about the current administration.” The Moroccan ambassador said. “We must fall into line and carry out whatever defense plan the Sec-Gen puts forth.

“The Secretary-General’s militant adventurism has cost us more than our navy.” Said the Brazilian ambassador. “We have lost untold thousands of our skilled young people to this battle. Our colonies are also left vulnerable to pirates and asteroids, much less an invading foe. Brazil has said it before and Brazil will say it again: We must advance the Secretary-General selection process to the next stage. It is time for Robinson to replace Etienne!”

The Spanish ambassador responded quickly:

“Are you a traitor to all mankind!?” She said. “We cannot replace our leader in the middle of a war! Leave the politics for the December election and let’s focus on getting out of this nightmare!”

The Russian ambassador agreed with his Spanish counterpart.

President DeAngelis knew better than to stop the discussion. If anything, he needed to foster it, and allow the Ambassadors to take their debate to its logical conclusion. That was why he became very frustrated when a UN Peacekeeper knocked on the door and entered the Council chamber without waiting for permission.

“Whatever this is, it needs to wait.” President DeAngelis hissed at the Peacekeeper.

“Sir, it cannot.” The Peacekeeper whispered into the President’s ear. “The Governments of Spain, Morocco, and Russia have all collapsed. New leaders are being installed in their capitols right now. The ambassadors need to return to their respective embassies and make contact with their new governments.”

Seething with anger, President DeAngelis reluctantly gaveled the room into silence.

“It is with much regret that I must end this discussion prematurely.” President DeAngelis said. “I must instruct all ambassadors to return to the embassies of their respective states. You will find messages from home that cannot be ignored.”

With that, DeAngelis banged his gavel and the Security Council meeting ended.

…

Needing some time to himself, President DeAngelis walked out of the chamber and went upstairs. The Reichstag had a very famous glass dome on its roof that allowed one to look over all of Berlin. Tonight, DeAngelis could see a veritable ocean of angry protesters in every direction. A group of Germans had somehow climbed on top of the Brandenburg Gate and hung a banner over it, one that spelled out a demand for the resignation of the entire UN government. Meanwhile, two delegates nearby were gossiping about the recent news. DeAngelis overheard bits and pieces of their conversation:

“...Protests on all of the colonies.” one man was saying. “The Chinese lost contact with their orbital base at Wolf 359 after the crew mutinied. Peacekeepers on Terra Nova are refusing to leave their barracks. Of course, you did not hear that from me.”

“What about the news media?” His companion grumbled. “What are they saying?”

“Nothing at all.” The diplomat replied. “Everyone is silent. Although some of the TV and radio stations in the outer Sol System are playing ballet music. There’s a Chinese network on the planet New Jerusalem playing WWIII documentaries on repeat. Oh, and the Nigerian space station is playing their own national anthem over and over again.”

“But which crisis are they trying to ignore?” Said the other man. “The political one at home, or the military one on its way here?”

…

The two diplomats left the glass dome, leaving DeAngelis to his thoughts. He watched the protesters for a few more minutes. The sea of angry people now completely filled the park and were spilling across Otto-von-Bismark Street. If any more protesters crammed themselves into the Tiergarten, people might just fall into the River Spree.

“I can’t see them. But I can hear them.” Said a voice behind DeAngelis.

Looking around, DeAngelis saw that he was not alone. Pascal Etienne, escorted by Commander Eberhardt and Marcus Robinson, was also touring the glass dome.

The current and former Secretary-General stood together, overlooking the scene below.

“What will you do now?” DeAngelis asked.

Etienne sighed.

“We are still at war.” The Secretary-General replied. “I cannot tolerate any action that could undermine the security of the United Nations. You know that. We all know that. Even my opponent seems to know that. His electoral campaign has gone silent.”

Marcus Robinson nodded.

“My father is correct to maintain his silence during this crisis.” He said. “Even an old soldier like him knows we have to stand united.”

Pascal Etienne spoke to Commander Eberhardt.

“Mobilize the Peacekeepers. Clear all of the protestors off the streets, arrest the ringleaders, and hand them over to the ISO. Once that’s done, we must restore the rightful governments of Spain, Morocco, and Russia to power.”

Before he left, the Secretary-General spoke to his predecessor one last time:

“This is what sets my administration apart from yours.” Etienne said. “We were given great power to enforce order. You did not use that power. I will.”

As Secretary-General Etienne and his advisors left the glass dome, President DeAngelis could not help but smile.

He understood why Blake Robinson was choosing to lay low.

<=== Chapter 35: Bellator in Machina

Chapter 37: The Espinosa Family ===>​

10 Chapters until the end...​

 

[Macavity116]

Announcing a second Youtube tie-in series!

Homeworld is one of the three core games the Stormbreaker Universe is built upon, and my story primarily takes place in the Homeworld Galaxy. In this new Youtube series, I will be playing a modern remastered version of the original 1999 Homeworld game. In relation to the Stormbreaker Universe, these videos take place roughly ten years before the events of Faith in Chaos and will establish the relationship between the Hiigarans and Taiidan. It will also serve to explain why the Galaxy is the way it is when my characters start to play their roles in it.

The first five episodes are now live and new ones will be released every two days!

• Episode 1: The Mothership
• Episode 2: Fate of the Khar Selim
• Episode 3: Return to Kharak
• Episode 4: First Contact with the Bentusi
• Bonus Episode: Raider Retreat

<=== Chapter 36: Someone Your Own Size

Chapter 38: Let Justice Be Done, Though the Heavens Fall ===>​

Chapter 37
The Espinosa Family

October 12, 2086
Orlando, Florida

A month and a half had gone by since Inez, Emanuel, and Cassandra escaped from Cape Canaveral.

The first week or so had been an incredible whirlwind. First and foremost: Inez came within seconds of dying during the escape itself. David Sepulveda had shot her with a Gauss pistol. The bullet entered Inez’ upper torso, near the base of her neck, and got lodged in her shoulder blade. With mere minutes to spare, Emanuel reached the group of Grey Phoenix fighters who infiltrated Canaveral. They treated Inez and kept her stable for the drive to Melbourne.

Inez did not remember her stay in Melbourne very well. She spent most of her time at the local Gene Therapy Clinic, either in surgery or recovering from it. She did remember being shown the bullet after it was extracted from her body. Then, about two weeks later, all four of the Wolverines came to see her. Still recovering from lifesaving surgery, Inez was not able to hold a long conversation with them, but she was very glad to see them again. Cera and Piper insisted on hugging Inez, which turned out to be painful but welcome all the same. Jay was very worried about Cassandra and spent a lot of time playing with her, teaching her a variety of games to play. Lawrence simply sat beside Inez’ bed and held her hand.

By the time Inez was allowed to leave the clinic, autumn was starting.

Her left arm was in a sling, not because her arm was injured, but because her collarbone was broken and needed to be immobilized. The doctors told Inez she would need physical therapy to recover her mobility, and made arrangements for her to spend time at a much bigger and more well-equipped clinic in Orlando.

Before leaving Melbourne, Inez got to spend one quality day of rest and relaxation with Cassandra and Emanuel.

The Espinosas and Wolverines drove through the wreckage of a town once known as Indialantic and spent half of the day just hanging out on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Excited beyond all reason, Cassandra ran (fully clothed) into the Ocean. Jay went in after her and they were both buffeted about by waves, laughing all the while. Jay lifted Cassandra onto his shoulders and walked into deeper water. The young girl was so fired up that green lights flickered in her body, making her shimmer like sunlight on the water’s surface.

“Man, you can just tell Jay has a kid of his own.” Cera remarked.

Inez sat down in the sand, cradling her arm, and turned to her father.

“Speaking of kids...” Inez started to say. “You’ve got some explaining to do. You said your DNA was combined with Whetu Kealoha to make Cassandra, so that means...”

“That makes Cassandra your sister.” Emanuel finished. “Your half-sister to be exact. Same father, different mother.”

Inez swallowed. She wanted to think about how this discovery would change the nature of her relationship with Cassandra, but Piper was feeling celebratory and gave Inez a hug while squealing.

“When we get to Orlando, I’ll take you to the Commerce Megaplex. We’ve gotta get you, like, I dunno, matching wristbands or something to celebrate!” Piper said.

Cradling her bandaged arm, Inez looked out into the ocean. Cassandra was riding on Jay’s shoulders, cheerfully declaring herself a pirate queen and having a wonderful time all around. Yet when the feeling of joy washed over the beach, it seemed to ignore Inez, leaving her to her own dark thoughts.

Inez was now an older sibling. She had a half-sister. She should have been overjoyed. Inez knew that under any other situation, she would have reacted the same way as Piper, Cera, Jay, and Cassandra herself. She should be happy; she should be asking Cassandra if she wanted to do all sorts of sisterly things like nail painting, hairdressing, or gossiping about cute boys on TV. Maybe Cassandra wanted to learn how to play guitar or ride a hoverboard. Inez knew how to do those things, she could teach her.

But instead, a black cloud hung in the back of Inez’ mind, tainting what otherwise would have been a joyous memory.

Scarlett Freeman was dead.

She died over thirty years ago, her place taken by the Paradox. And Inez was her daughter. Akira’s daughter.

Akira, who provoked the Hiigaran-Bentusi War almost four-thousand years ago.

Akira, who manipulated one Partogan Queen after the next.

Akira, who instigated the Levakian Uprising and subsequent Battle of Aoraki.

Akira, who seduced Kyle Bradshaw into shooting at the US President.

Akira, who safeguarded the original Stormbreakers during the Siege of Hiroshima.

Akira, who convinced the Reapers and Progeny to betray Earth in the last war.

Inez knew her mother, not by speaking to her, but from history books, documentaries, and memorial statues.

Akira the time traveler, who spent a hundred eternities in a vain effort to create a tyrannical Empire of Man.

Inez pulled her knees to her chest. Suddenly, the sunlight felt very cold. An idea was coming to the forefront of her mind, after having lurked in her subconscious for days.

Akira Robinson was one of the most powerful Psions in the Galaxy, perhaps second only to Jericho. Inez knew that before the War in Heaven, it was common for Psionic powers to be passed from parent to child. Inez felt as though she was finally solving a puzzle as many details all came together in her mind.

Inez remembered how easily she allowed herself to be taken into her mother’s world, the ISO, and beyond. At first, Inez thought she simply had the same aptitude for intelligence work as her mother. But then Akira strong-armed her into taking command of the Solaris, purely because Inez retained a small amount of Psionic sensitivity. Now it was starting to make sense.

If Jericho had not attempted to destroy Psionics fifty years ago, then Inez would almost certainly be Gifted now. Inez would have inherited her mother’s powers.

In fact, who was to say she had not?

Inez seemed to have a strong intuition about what people were feeling. Stronger than most other people, even. Empathy was second nature to a telepath.

Also, Inez was able to take care of herself in a fight long before joining the ISO or UN Navy. She never needed training. If someone were to come after her, Inez always relied on her instincts to escape the worst harm. She definitely got this from Akira.

And finally, there was Inez’ way with men. There was almost never a point in her life where Inez struggled to bewitch the opposite sex. In fact, a few women had even fallen into her orbit at one point or another. Akira seduced plenty of men in her time, possibly even Emanuel Espinosa, but Inez had no intention of asking him about that.

No matter which way she looked at it, it was still the truth. Inez took after Akira in certain… disturbing ways. She even went along with Akira’s plan to blast Amadiio with a Psionic weapon, never showing a modicum of resistance. The darkest of thoughts crossed through Inez’ mind:

Maybe I’m the next Paradox.

But that question would have to wait. At that moment, a commotion caught Inez’ attention. Loud gasps and cries of surprise came from the waterfront. Inez looked up.

A very strange scene was playing out on the beach. While Inez was lost in her own brooding, two of the Wolverines were playing a game with Cassandra. The little girl was still riding on Jay’s shoulders, and Jay was wading in the seawater. Cera, meanwhile, had clambered onto Lawrence’s shoulders and he carried her into the water. In moments, Cera and Cassandra were playfully pushing and shoving at one another, each trying knock the opponent into the sea. Piper and Emanuel were watching from the shore, cheering.

While the game looked fun, it was lopsided. Cera, a fully grown woman, easily overpowered little Cassandra. With one big shove, punctuated by laughter, Cassandra tumbled backwards off Jay and fell into the ocean. Instantly, Cassandra vanished from view.

“Oh no!” Piper cried out from the shore. “Guys, I think the water’s too deep for her out there!”

The Wolverines quickly looked around for Cassandra, but they could not find her anywhere. Just as Piper feared, the water was deeper than Cassandra was tall. They started calling out for her and Emanuel waded into the sea, sweeping his hands through the waves.

Inez stood up, ready to join in the frantic search. She took one step toward the beach and was hit by an unexpected sensation, one that did not make sense in this context.

This time, Inez did not need further prompting. She closed her eyes and focused on the Psionic Link between herself and Cassandra.

Somewhere, very close by, Cassandra was having fun.

With a deep popping sound, a bubble rose to the surface of the water not far from Jay. It was, by far and away, the largest bubble anyone had ever seen. The shiny sphere was so large that it could have held a small child.

As a matter of fact, it did.

Cassandra, laughing hysterically, was rolling around inside of her giant bubble and occasionally gave it a push, looking a little like a hamster in a spinning wheel. Each time she was caught in a wave, the bubble was brought closer to shore, until finally, the giant bubble washed up on the beach.

Instead of popping, like one would expect, the shimmering bubble around Cassandra simply vanished, depositing her in the shallow water. As Piper and Emanuel pulled the young girl upright, Emanuel looked up at Inez and said:

“I think… I think that was a Telekinetic Shield.”

…

October 13, 2086
Orlando, Florida


The next day was Sunday, so the Orlando Gene Therapy Clinic opened later in the morning than usual. After a long drive from the coast, Cassandra eagerly jumped out of the car and looked around at her new surroundings. Inez did the same. By this point, she had been told about the Grey Phoenix base hidden away in a starship graveyard, but no descriptions could do it justice.

“You’ve got ships here from every era.” Inez said. “I’m expecting to see a pre-war Space Shuttle or an Apollo lying around somewhere.”

“No Apollo, but we do have a piece of the International Space Station.” Said a voice behind her.

Inez turned around and came face-to-face with Shipbreaker Karfu and Crew Chief Magra, the Mutons who ran the base.

“Welcome to Orlando.” Magra said. “We are very happy to hear of your extraction.”

“You’re from Grey Phoenix?” Inez asked. “You’re the people who’ve been infiltrating Canaveral?”

Karfu nodded.

“It’s gotten very difficult to do so in the past few months, but yes. I hear you ran across one of our teams aboard the Charlemagne.”

“Yeah, that happened.” Inez replied, nervously rubbing her head with her good hand. “Listen, my dad says he’s been working with you. Do you know about the two hundred children locked up in the Armstrong Building?”

“We are acutely aware of that situation.” Karfu said. “Rest assured, a rescue plan is in the works. My compatriot and I are in communication with many allies.”

At this, there was a glint in Karfu’s eye, almost as though she knew something Inez did not. Magra took over:

“What you need right now, friend, is rest and a treatment for your injury. We told the local Gene Therapy Clinic to expect you, and Grey Phoenix will cover your costs. Go, repair your body, and we will talk again very soon. I expect you will want to play a role in the operation, and you will be given the chance.”

“In the meantime,” Karfu said. “Don’t forget to turn on the nightly news tonight. It’s going to be quite a show.”

…

The Orlando Gene Therapy Clinic marketed itself on a historical coincidence. Over one hundred years ago, before the Second Hyperspace War, the area between Lake Winyah and Lake Estelle was occupied by a hospital named “Advent Health.” During the war, the ADVENT Coalition bulldozed the hospital and built a Gene Therapy Clinic on the site. Now, a century later, some of the Clinic employees got the occasional laugh out of this little detail.

The interior and exterior of the clinic were decorated with memorabilia of the bygone hospital, including pictures of long-dead employees and replicas of statues that once adorned the courtyard outside. Flying high on a flagpole was an American flag, but it looked very strange. When Inez, Emanuel, and Cassandra arrived, Inez spent over a minute staring at the red, white, and blue banner before realizing what was wrong with it.

“That flag is missing a star.” Inez said, pointing up at the flagpole. “The US flag is supposed to have fifty-one stars, not fifty.”

“Must be some intense nostalgia.” Emanuel said. “The US flag has had fifty-one stars my whole life.”

Inside, a group of Clinic workers were expecting the Espinosa family and took them to meet with specialists. Inez was prescribed a physical therapy regimen to complete the repair work on her shoulder, while Cassandra’s blood red pills were taken away to be analyzed.

“This girl doesn’t exist in our records.” The doctor explained. “We need to do a few tests to confirm her diagnosis.”

Cassandra was led into another room to have her blood drawn, leaving Emanuel and Inez in a waiting room together. Inez grabbed a remote control and turned on a nearby television. The large flat screen took up an entire wall, and Inez flipped through several news stations before she found one she was familiar with:

France 24 was following up on a news story that broke earlier. Inez was astounded and her father was stunned into silence. According to the reporter, the following event occurred yesterday while Inez, Cassandra, and the others were playing on the beach:

“Hello and welcome to France 24.” The news reporter began. “My name is Jean-Paul Chounard, reporting from Paris. If you are just joining us, France 24 is covering the recent military action that took place in the Alpha Centauri star system. At approximately eleven-hundred hours local time, an alien Starfleet entered the system and was confronted by spaceborne elements of the Armed Forces of the United Nations of Earth. Preliminary reports from the battlespace suggest casualties on both sides are extreme. At approximately thirteen-fifty local time, the UN Navy disengaged from the fight and withdrew to Proxima Centauri. The enemy remains in orbit of Terra Nova, and all contact has been lost with Yutaka Yamamoto University.”

Emanuel let out a low whistle.

“Sounds like a major defeat.” He said. “I wonder…”

But before he could finish, the news reporter carried on.

“Just one hour ago, we at France 24 received a notice from the representative of the UN Security-Council, confirming earlier reports that Admiral Ingrid Tsiajotso was killed in action during the fighting above Terra Nova. Born and raised in the Republic of Madagascar, Tsiajotso was a rising star in the United Nations and a one-time candidate for the office of Secretary-General during the 2071 Selection Process. Tsiajotso was a champion of the Earth First movement that swept our current Secretary-General into power and she was thought to be one of his closest allies. Political analysts are confident that the Security Council will announce her replacement at tonight’s emergency session.

“The emergency session of the Security Council was called by the United Kingdom almost immediately after the first reports of combat were received here on Earth. In an earlier interview, French President Bonaparte expressed alarm after learning of reports that the Security Council may appoint Australian Sidney Beauclair to fill the now-vacant post of AFUNE Commander. President Bonaparte vowed to make use of France’s veto power to prevent such an appointment.”

Emanuel looked at his watch.

“Looks like we’ve got a few hours left until the Security Council starts their meeting.” He said. “Just enough time to get all of our business taken care of.”

A few minutes later, Cassandra came back. A doctor followed her with a new bottle of medicine.

“She’s a curious case, this one.” The doctor said. “When we realized she was a Partogan-Human Hybrid, we assumed she was suffering from the Fade.”

Inez shuddered.

The Fade was a degenerative nerve disease that only affected Human-Alien Hybrids, and it was nearly always fatal. The doctor continued:

“We had to dust off some very old books the Partogans left behind after the 2HW.” He said. “We diagnosed Miss Espinosa with a chronic case of… ahem… “mamae”. It is… uh… well… it was an extremely common disease on the planet Partoga… about five hundred years ago.”

Inez cocked her head to one side.

“Wait, I’m confused.” She said.

“So are we.” The doctor said with a smile. “It’s fairly common knowledge in the medical community that the virus which causes mamae was eradicated some three-hundred years ago. The Partogans accomplished the task with a very aggressive vaccination program.”

“So, how did Cassandra get sick if the virus is extinct?” Inez aid.

“Mamae was extremely contagious.” The doctor answered. “The virus was spread by touching the bodily fluids of an infected person. Blood, saliva, and so on. Transmission via sexual activity was also very common. Since she’s a hybrid, the most logical assumption is that one of her parents passed along the virus during conception or birth, and that could explain…”

Emanuel held up a hand.

“I hate to stop you there, but I don’t think we need that explanation.” He said.

Inez knew he wanted to keep the circumstances of Cassandra’s creation under wraps. Emanuel asked for Cassandra’s medicine and was given a new antiviral treatment. Then it was Inez’ turn. She stepped into a private examination room and was told to wait.

With a snort, Inez told herself that she needed to avoid being left alone with her own thoughts these days, since they always seemed to lead someplace dark.

This time, Inez looked around the room and realized she was in an examination room meant for women only, and assumed this meant she was waiting for a female doctor to be assigned to her case. While she waited, Inez paced around the room, reading pamphlets about various women-only health issues. With a nostalgic tug at her heartstrings, Inez realized she had read most of these pamphlets before.

Back in the days when she worked at Binary Fusion, she and Opal would visit the Detroit Gene Therapy Clinic together. The doctors and nurses at that clinic had long since gotten used to dealing with people employed by the sex industry, and whenever Inez and Opal showed up for their checkups, there would always be pamphlets and booklets like these lying around. In fact, Inez spotted an advertisement for the very same birth control treatments she used to take.

Seeing that ad got her thinking…

Back at Binary, Inez took physical clients several times a week. These were the folks unsatisfied with the holographic experience and who would pay extra for a few hours with the real deal. Over the five years of her employment, Inez endured no less than fifteen pregnancy scares. Opal beat her record with seventeen. In the moment, Inez did not think about these incidents more than needed, they were just a minor crisis, forgotten as soon as it passed. But…

You are Akira’s daughter.

The words hung in the back of Inez’ mind like a monster, lying in wait. Inez, alone in this quiet room, had no choice but to finally confront a very dark realization:

If I ever have kids of my own… they’ll be her grandchildren.

A creeping sense of doom seemed to grab Inez and hold her. Her hands were so sweaty, the birth control brochure fell out of her grip. Inez leaned against the wall, her mind racing. She imagined some distant future where she and some faceless man welcomed a screaming child into the world, only for all of society to reject the child as some kind of hellspawn. A monster tainted by its parentage.

Then a far worse scenario played out in her mind…

Emanuel said that Inez failed to become what her mother wanted her to be. What if…

What if Inez brought a child into the world, who would then grow up to become the next Paradox? Could Inez live with the responsibility? Knowing she would be party to the creation of Akira’s successor?

Inez was so lost in her waking nightmare that she startled when the door opened. A Floridian woman, dressed in a similar uniform as the male doctors, stepped into the exam room with a clipboard in one hand and a tablet computer in the other.

“It took some doing, and a little computer-work of questionable ethics, but we were able to recover your medical records from the Detroit clinic.” The doctor said. “Now, I understand you’ve got a broken collarbone, side effect of single gunshot to the upper torso. Shall we get started?”

“Oh… yeah.” Inez mumbled.

She stooped down and recovered the birth control brochure. Placing it back on the table, Inez moved to sit down on the examining bed. The doctor paused to look at the paper before raising an eyebrow.

“Hold on a moment, I actually saw something about that on your record. You never picked up your resupply of birth control pills from the clinic in Detroit back in March of this year. Would you like me to order a new bottle for you?”

Inez opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, then looked the doctor in the eyes and said:

“Actually… I was thinking about something… permanent.”

…

Emanuel and Cassandra were messing around with a deck of playing cards when Inez returned to the waiting room. She was carrying a manila folder that was stuffed full of paperwork.

“I have to fill out these documents and bring them to my next appointment.” She explained quickly. “Nothing serious, just medical history and a mental evaluation.”

“You need all that for physical therapy?” Emanuel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Inez raised her left hand and made a series of complex motions with her fingers.

“I can’t play the guitar anymore.” Inez said. “I really wanted to teach Cassandra how to play, and I’ll go mad if I can’t!”

Right on cue, Cassandra threw down her royal flush, puffed out her cheeks, and said:

“I gotta learn guitar! Nezzie and I are gonna hit the road and be a band! We’re a sister act now!”

Right now, the Psionic Link was a godsend. Inez made a mental note to thank Cassandra later.

…

Upon returning to the Grey Phoenix base, Inez, Emanuel, and Cassandra found all of the Wolverines and their new allies gathered in the conference room in the former Triple Alliance warship Kakama.

One by one, Inez introduced herself to the many people who the Wolverines brought together. She met Shipbreaker Karfu and Crew Chief Magra, introduced herself to Jay’s father Robert, and giggled as General Osmer and Colonel Sharp, one after the other, kissed her hand.

Inez was beyond delighted to learn about several aliens who were here as well. Just like the Humans, Corsair the Faceless and the local Andromedons were all committed to helping Inez rescue the two hundred children held captive at Canaveral.

But the planning for said operation would have to wait.

A projector screen was drawn across one wall and Emanuel hooked up a projector, plaing the evening news for everyone to see.

Cassandra dragged her by the hand and the trio sat down together.

“This is going to be fascinating.” Said General Osmer. “My intelligence operatives report the UN Navy is scattered and nothing lies between the enemy and Earth. In the face of yet another alien invasion, this could be the most important Security Council session of our lives.”

“Shush!” Piper hissed. “It’s starting.”

On the screen, a news reporter ducked his head to reveal the Security Council chamber in the Reichstag. The delegates from each member state filtered in and seated themselves at the horseshoe-shaped table, behind brass placards that revealed the names of their home countries.

Former Secretary-General Eric DeAngelis sat at the head of the table. As current President of the Council, he would lead the proceedings.

“I call this emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to order.” DeAngelis said.

At once, the President of Russia stood and began to speak:

“Comrades, the first item on the agenda today is the recent tragedy that occurred in Alpha Centauri. The Armed Forces of…”

While the Russian President spoke, the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom stood up and began to talk over him. The British Deputy Prime Minister continued to speak loudly until the Russian leader gave up and stopped taking:

“My friends, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland would like to propose a new agenda item for tonight’s meeting, namely the re-election of our Secretary-General Pascal Etienne.”

“Seconded!” Called the Prime Minister of New Zealand. “We need to take stock of the situation!”

The Russian tried to regain control of the meeting.

“Our next vote for Secretary-General is in a few days, if the British delegation cannot be patient…”

But the British delegation was not patient. Once more time, the Deputy Prime Minister began to talk, raising his voice again to drown out the stubborn Russian leader:

“Article 97 of the United Nations Charter clearly states that the Secretary-General serves at the appointment of the General Assembly and recommendation of the Security Council. The events that have occurred over the past year have forced His Majesty’s government in London to conclude that our recommendation of Pascal Etienne to a fourth term in office was a grave mistake. Secretary-General Etienne’s policies of advancing Humanity at the cost of our alien allies threatens to make us a pariah on the Galactic stage and an enemy of all spacefaring civilization. His Majesty’s government cannot allow this to stand. It is with these thoughts in mind that we inform the Security Council of our intention to use our nation’s veto power against any resolution that recommends Pascal Etienne to the General Assembly for a fourth term in office. The administration of Pascal Etienne must, for the good of this world and our species, come to an end!”

<=== Chapter 36: Someone Your Own Size

Chapter 38: Let Justice Be Done, Though the Heavens Fall ===>​

​

 

[Macavity116]

a tribunal thirsty for blood could decide that sins are hereditary

This is a terrifying thought I have spent too much time pondering, and it's bled into the story quite a lot.

This will be the last chapter before I head off to do Army things for a month. Starting next week, new chapters will be posted after 9pm EDT/GMT-4 on Saturdays. This will continue until November 26 when things will return to normal.

Also, I am fully aware of the fact that I mispronounced Sidney Beauclair's name in the audiobook. Unfortunately, Chapters 37 through 42 were all recorded in a batch. I am married to the pronunciation and this easter egg character will be referred to as "Boo-claire" for the remainder of the series.

Also, you only have about a week left to vote in the Q3 ACA! Go vote! @Nikolai demands it!

<=== Chapter 37: The Espinosa Family

Chapter 39: Reichstag Revolution ===>​

Chapter 38
Let Justice Be Done Though the Heavens Fall

​

Defeated on the battlefield and deprived of its military, the United Nations of Earth began to collapse.

…

When the Galactic Defense Force landed on Terra Nova in the Alpha Centauri system, white flags were already flying above Lovell City.

On board the Science Nexus that housed Yutaka Yamamoto University, all of the weapons were loaded aboard two escape pods and jettisoned into space long before the GDF arrived.

At the edge of Human territory, Jericho Station surrendered before GDF warships could finish emerging from Hyperspace.

In the constellation Orion, one of the last Human warships intentionally crashed into the surface of a barren planet while her crew, in their escape pods, drifted towards a GDF outpost.

UN Space Rangers, scattered across distant worlds, threw down their weapons and armor, sat around campfires, and waited for the end.

Formed at the last second, partisan groups tried to seize control of space stations and colonies; but their hasty declarations of independence were ignored. Those who continued to resist found themselves doing battle with the Baterra.

Under Eerabik’s command, the Baterra swept across Human space like a tsunami. The machines waged war unlike anything seen before, leaving the leaders of the GDF staring in horrified awe.

True to their claim, the Baterra outright ignored unarmed civilian vessels, but any spacecraft that carried both weapons and UN insignia was attacked and destroyed with ruthless efficiency. On planets and space stations alike, Baterra warforms were very selective in their fights. Macavity, Eerabik, and the Galactic Custodian all heard multiple reports of how the Baterra viciously attacked anyone who was armed and spared those who were not.

On a Chinese colony, there was even a story of how the Baterra lunged forward to attack a group of people, only to freeze and become docile when the would-be fighters dropped their weapons to the ground.

Aboard her flagship, Queen Marka took note of how distant Human colonies were still subject to the Earthbound nation-states that founded them.

“I’ve never seen such an arrangement before.” Marka mused. “A whole colony and hundreds of space stations, all under the jurisdiction of a government that only controls a portion of the homeworld’s surface?”

Her dragon-like Advisor presented the Custodian with a map of the United Kingdom.

“This nation is the size of Mahurangi City, yet it holds dominion over three whole planets. Perhaps the Galactic Community could learn something about the Human way of running things.” He said.

“True, but the Human society needs to survive first.” Marka replied, and she pointed at the Hyperwave Relay, where yet another report of a mass Human surrender had just arrived.

…

October 28, 2086
Jupiter, Sol Star System


The spaceplanes Ark Angel and Niagara emerged from Hyperspace together. A moment later, the Hiigaran pirate ship Ashoka and her escort fleet appeared as well. As soon as Himawari brought her systems online, a voice crackled over the radio:

“Attention Hiigaran fleet. We surrender.”

It was Port Armstrong, the very first starbase ever constructed by Humans. High above Jupiter, the gargantuan installation was so large it had its own gravitational pull that effected the smaller moons. Port Armstrong could have easily put up a substantial fight against the invading fleet, but her commander had seen the writing on the wall.

The two battered spaceplanes drew near one another and started to transmit messages.

“That’s it.” Varian said from the cockpit of the Niagara. “We’ve got a clear path to Earth from here.”

“I am worried.” Himawari replied. “Even with the aid of the Baterra, there may not be enough of us to subdue Earth itself.”

Stormbreakers and privateers alike agreed with Himawari. Recent events had radically changed this final campaign. Instead of putting up a fight, defending their homes to the last, the overwhelming majority of the Human race simply surrendered. Like the rest of the Galaxy, the Humans were tired of being in a state of life-or-death crisis; exhaustion was taking its toll… in more ways than one:

With each planet, starbase, or habitat that surrendered, a small portion of the Galactic Defense Force had to be left behind on a mercy mission. The newly occupied territory needed to be administered, and also supplied with food and amenities. All of this required both soldiers and starships to be taken from the GDF, meaning the fleet that now invaded the Sol System was significantly smaller than the one that departed Karos only a short time ago.

Varian, Corder, Maui, Ninu, Cetla, and Kingi all took turns looking out the cockpit window, staring at the distant point of blueish light. Himawari and her companions did the same. Aboard the Ashoka, Hahli looked ahead to Earth while Ruunhan kept a watchful eye on Eerabik, who was commanding the Baterra from her own custom-built workstation.

Aboard the Partogan warship Mahuika, Queen Marka and her advisor calculated how long it would take them to reach Earth from here.

“Our estimated time of arrival will be… about ten days from now.” The Advisor said. “Radio and Hyperwave transmissions from the surface indicate severe political disruption. Your Majesty, I strongly suspect Pascal Etienne is no longer in power.”

“I concur.” Queen Marka replied. “Order the fleet to halt their advance. Give everyone a chance to rest, recover, and rearm. We must give Robinson enough time to try and remove Etienne on his own. If we have a chance to avoid a full-scale invasion, we must take it.”

“You’ve taken the words out of my mouth, Your Majesty.” The Advisor’s voice wavered a little. “How long do you think we’ll have to wait?”

A knowing smile came over the Galactic Custodian’s face. She fiddled with her scarf in a playful way.

“Not long, I think.” She said.

Before the Advisor could ask why she felt so confident, a communications officer spoke up from the other side of the Hyperwave Relay, waving his arms urgently to get Marka’s attention.

“Madam Custodian! We’re receiving a Hyperwave transmission from Earth! The transmitter is committing a causality violation! They’re calling you from two weeks in the future!”

“Two weeks in the future… you don’t say?” Marka repeated, smirking. “Let me hear it.”

…

November 9, 2086
Berlin, Germany


A dark atmosphere settled over Berlin. The city, once alive with energy and noise and light, now felt like a necropolis. The streets were deserted, windows and doors boarded up; while buildings that once housed alien embassies smoldered and smoked. Trash skittered in the wind.

Berlin was preparing itself for the second alien invasion in living memory.

Up on the second floor of the Reichstag, the United Nations Security Council was gathering for another emergency meeting. As the delegates from the member-states took their seats, Secretary-General Pascal Etienne was having a hurried conversation with Eric DeAngelis, the former President of the Security Council.

Each month, the Presidency of the UN Security Council rotated to another country. Since the United Kingdom was no longer President, Eric DeAngelis returned to his original position, representing the United Kingdom on the Council. This month, Ukraine would be serving as President of the Security Council. Pascal Etienne and Eric DeAngelis were talking to the President of Ukraine, a man named Ruslan Shmyhal.

Next to the Secretary-General, one of his advisors, Marcus Robinson, was looking worried.

The door to the Security Council chamber opened and Blake Robinson entered. He was dressed in a business casual suit and looked as though he had just come here from a meeting of the Disarmament Committee. Blake grabbed Marcus firmly by the shoulder, spun him around and growled:

“Where’s my granddaughter!?”

There was a fire in Blake’s eyes, not seen since the Second Hyperspace War.

“Canaveral.” Marcus replied in a shaking voice. “Sophie’s at Canaveral right now.”

Blake glared at Marcus before turning to leave. He was just at the door when DeAngelis called after him.

“Chairman Robinson! You may want to stick around for this.”

Looking around, Blake spotted the Secretary-General for the first time. Moving quickly, President Shmyhal gaveled the Security Council into session.

“This emergency meeting was called at the request of Secretary-General Pascal Etienne.” Shmyhal said. “Secretary-General Etienne, you have the floor.”

There was a lot of noise as several delegates turned in their seats to face the UN leader. Secretary-General Etienne was clutching a piece of paper in his hands and turned it over repeatedly as he spoke:

“I have spent a great deal of time considering the events of the past few weeks.” Etienne said. “The actions at Alpha Centauri, Spain, Russia, and Morocco have strained the office of Secretary-General and pushed our capabilities to their limit. And it is with the greatest reluctance that I confess myself unable to deliver the quick and decisive resolution I promised to yourselves and your constituents. While the legitimate of Russia was returned to power after a brief standoff, I confess the UN Peacekeeper office does not have the manpower or resources needed to repeat this feat in Spain or Morocco.”

For some reason, the delegates from these two countries did not look upset at Etienne’s words. Their eyes flicked from Blake Robinson to Pascal Etienne and back again. The Secretary-General continued:

“Indeed, while I am not conscious of any failures or errors committed in the course of my duties, I will be the first to admit the possibility that such failures or errors exist. After much consideration, I have decided my next course of action. I was counseled by many to carry on, to keep up the fight and defy those who would see all that I’ve built crumble. But recent events have convinced me of the opposite. The honorable delegation from the United Kingdom has threatened to use its veto power against my candidacy for a fourth term, an act that would deadlock this council and paralyze it during a moment of crisis. This is unacceptable. Were I to resist and fight on against a Security Council veto will only bring needless pain and suffering that could be avoided. To you, the Security Council of the United Nations, I declare tonight that I shall withdraw my candidacy for the Office of Secretary-General. When my term ends on December thirty-first of this year, I will step aside in favor of whatever successor you choose.”

When his speech concluded, Etienne began to slowly walk out of the room, escorted by Marcus. When they reached the door, Secretary-General Etienne put out a hand to steady himself, and by doing so, dropped the piece of paper he was holding. Blake stooped down to pick it up before offering it back to Etienne. As he took the paper, Blake felt the raised bumps of the braille language.

Having worked in Etienne’s government for over a decade, Blake knew how to read braille. He understood what the note said, even though he never saw the text:


“To the President of the Security Council,
I hereby resign the office of Secretary-General of the United Nations of Earth.
Sincerely, Pascal Etienne.”


Etienne had come into the room intending to quit, changed his mind at the last second, and chose to drop out of the election instead. Either way, the result was the same. After fifteen years, Pascal Etienne’s time as leader of Earth had come to an ignominious and unceremonious end.

Before Blake could process this, the Security Council was already discussing the matter of succession.

“We have only one candidate left.” Said the President of Iceland. “We should recommended Chairman Robinson to the General Assembly by acclimation at once.”

“Agreed.” Replied the Prime Minister of Spain. “We cannot be without a leader at a time like this.”

Everyone turned their attention toward the recently-reinstated Russian President. The man folded his arms, knowing what the group was expecting.

“Five years ago, the Russian Federation used its veto power to halt the Candidacy of Blake Robinson.” The President said. “While the Russian Federation does have several objections to the prospect of a Robinson Administration, it sees no reason to use its veto power at this time. We will abstain from any vote regarding Robinson’s ascent to the post of Secretary-General.”

There was a general exhaling noise around the room as everyone relaxed. After this, the Governor-General of Barbados addressed Blake:

“Chairman Robinson, will you accept this body’s recommendation of your candidacy to the General Assembly, and if you are elected by that body, will you serve the office of Secretary-General to the best of your ability?”

Blake regarded the Security Council, his expression unreadable. Then he walked into the center of the horseshoe formation created by the assembled tables. Turning to look at each delegate in turn, he said:

“I am ready and willing to do my duty, but first…”

Several delegates looked nervously at one another.

“These are extraordinary times.” Blake said. “So I will take up the position if and only if the Security Council agrees… in writing… to abide by my conditions.”

The Security Council was struck dumb. After a moment, the President of France stood up, outraged.

“You’re setting conditions for your own election?” He said. “What makes you think you can make demands of us before you’ve secured the post?”

For the first time, a triumphant look dawned on Blake’s features.

“Simple.” He said. “I am the only candidate left in the running, and you don’t have time to start the process over again, unless you feel like asking Etienne to extend his current term. And I have it on good authority he will refuse to stay on after his term is up. But if you really feel like my conditions are too much for you, then I’ll just go back to the Disarmament Committee.”

To prove his commitment, Blake turned to leave, stepping out of the horseshoe.

“Wait a moment.” Called the Barbados Governor-General. “Tell us your demands first. If they are reasonable, we may be able to accommodate you.”

It took all of Blake’s self-discipline to keep from smiling.

He had won.

…

November 9, 2086
Orlando, Florida


Inez blinked.

It took her a few minutes to remember where she was and why she ended up here. She was in a recovery room at the Orlando Gene Therapy Clinic, lying on a medical gurney. Inez tried to sit up, but a painful ache in her gut forced her back down. It felt like someone had punched Inez in the stomach.

“Oh, hey. Sleeping beauty is awake.” Said a voice next to her.

Emanuel Espinosa had clearly spent the night in one of the chairs. A bundle of blankets were coiled up next to him like a nest. Inez started to say a warm word of greeting, but as soon as she showed signs of movement, a black and white torpedo shot across the room and threw itself onto the bed. Inez gasped as a skinny young girl with messy black hair wrapped herself around Inez in a tearful hug.

“Nezzie!” the girl cried out. “I was so scared! You wouldn’t wake up!”

“That’s because she was under anesthesia.” Emanuel yawned. “Enutanga could have held her loudest concert in here and Nezzie never would have woken up.”

“Don’t call me Nezzie.” Inez mumbled, her mouth full of the strange girl’s unkempt hair. “And who the hell are you?”

The skinny person finally got off Inez and stood next to the bed. Inez was startled by just how much this individual looked like Cassandra... but she was too tall to be Subject Two. This person was a kid, standing just over four feet tall. She had shoulder length hair that was blacker than the darkest night and vivid green eyes, set above a scattering of freckles.

For reasons beyond Inez, this lanky kid was wearing clothes that were way too small for her. She looked as though she had been stuffed into her pants, and the buttons of her shirt strained as though they were going to pop free at any moment. Inez held back a snicker, wondering why this kid was being crammed into last year’s clothes.

Then... after half a second, Inez was hit by a realization. She gasped and sat bolt upright!

“Oh Holy Jericho! How long was I asleep!?” Inez screamed.

Emanuel and the lanky kid looked at each other, and then burst into laughter.

“Aw man, I can’t do it!” Emanuel choked.

“Do it! Tell her!” Giggled the skinny girl. “Just say it.”

When Emanuel doubled up with laughter, the kid addressed Inez, talking in a spooky Halloween voice:

“Welcome to the world of tomorrow! You’ve been asleep for a thousand years!”

The lanky girl raised her eyebrows in a funny way and then did some strange poses:

“I’m not a little kid anymore,” she went on. “Now I’m all grew up!”

Inez snorted. Then she started laughing. It hurt to laugh, but she laughed anyway.

“Cassandra!” Inez grabbed the kid and tousled her hair. “You stinker. How’d you do it? Holograms?”

Inez brushed her hands along Cassandra’s shoulders, searching for a hidden emitter. Both Cassandra and Emanuel shook their heads.

“You’ve only been out for, like, a day and a half.” Emanuel said. “Cassie just had a growth spurt.”

Inez looked back at her half-sister. Now that Emanuel said something, all of the puzzle pieces came together. This skinny brat really was Cassandra. At some point while Inez was in surgery, probably during the night, Cassandra sprouted like the mythical beanstalk. She was taller, but not full-sized yet. Also, Cassandra’s face had noticeably changed shape and many of her freckles were gone. Inez gave her sister a smile.

“Congratulations, you’re a preteen now.” Inez said. “Enjoy it, cause soon your body’s gonna turn against you and you’ll wish you were a kid again. So… what have I missed? Before I went under, I heard something about a political hubbub in Berlin, something about a reaction to the big battle at Alpha Centauri?”

Emanuel let out a low whistle.

“You’ve missed a lot. Secretary-General Etienne did a public mea culpa in front of the Security Council and dropped out of next month’s election.”

Inez’ eyes widened.

“You’re kidding!” She gasped.

“Not in the least.” Emanuel said. “So that means Robinson’s running unopposed now. He hasn’t been elected yet but he’s already acting like the Sec-Gen. He’s communicating with UN leadership, negotiating with the American warlords… and I heard he even reached out to the Galactic Community. He’s definitely had a conversation with a representative from the Galactic Defense Force, I know that much.”

Inez felt as though her head was spinning. Blake Robinson represented everything that was the opposite of Pascal Etienne. If Etienne really was out as UN leader, then a sweeping host of changes was about to happen on Earth and all across Human territory.

At that moment, a doctor came into the room with Inez’ medical chart. The badge on his uniform identified him as a Gene Therapy specialist. He narrowed his eyes at Cassandra before ordering her to leave the room, saying:

“This is not a conversation for children.”

Then he disconnected all of the IV tubes and monitoring equipment from Inez and helped her out of bed.

“I’m proud to say the procedure was a complete success.” The doctor said. “You are now completely sterile, though I would refrain from… ahem… testing yourself out for a few days. Your body needs time to heal and recover. Because your collarbone is still healing from its recent injury, I’m ordering you to take it easy for the next two months. No hard labor, no strenuous activity until January. Keep any work as light as you can until after the New Year, understand?”

“I understand.” Inez said. “I just hope my friends don’t expect me to join them on their next expedition.”

…

“We expect you to join us on this expedition.”

“Dude. Fuck you.”

Inez folded her arms and glared at Lawrence Ridge. She was aboard the defunct warship Kakama in the Grey Phoenix base, staring over a map of eastern Florida. The Wolverines and many of their new allies were here, all trying to convince Inez that she needed to join them on their upcoming mission to Cape Canaveral.

“You spent the most time there.” Piper Russel said. “We’ve got plenty of people who infiltrated the base both before and after you got there, and I’m sure they’ll be good guides. But you, Cassandra, and Professor Espinosa were the only ones to actually see the pediatric center. If we’re gonna rescue these kids, you’ve gotta guide us in.”

“Besides,” Jay said. “Piper brought back that machine Akira used to create her fake Jericho, so we don’t have to worry about getting wiped like we did back in Michigan.”

“Nezzie, you promised to go back and save my friends!” Cassandra pouted.

Flustered, Inez gestured to a flatscreen television that was hanging from the ceiling.

“What are you guys so worried about?” Inez countered. “Cause to me, it looks like the whole war is going to be over in just a couple of weeks. The GDF and UN aren’t fighting anymore. Hell, Robinson’s probably gonna roll out a red carpet for them. You can just walk into Canaveral.”

“The United Nations is not fighting because their military was destroyed, and their mercenaries have deserted them as well.” General Osmer said. “I assure you, there are still plenty of people loyal to the outgoing regime who are ready to continue resisting, and Scarlett Freeman will have surrounded herself with them.”

“Her name is Akira.” Inez growled. “Can’t we just call her that? We all know.”

“At this point, her real name might not matter.” Colonel Mason Sharpe interrupted. “The fact of the matter is the remaining high-profile names in the Human Supremacist movement are still on her side. Klaus Eberhardt and Rafi Bakir from the military, Polly Spark from the Science Directorate, Inez Vasquez from the ISO, and that Sidney Beauclair woman who might take over AFUNE. They all know who the Paradox is, they probably grew up reading about her in history books, and I’ll bet you anything they agree with her about Human Supremacy. If Akira is the grand architect of this war, then those people were the builders who did the actual work. We blow her cover, reveal to the world that Scarlett is Akira, all it will do is lure the Human Supremacists to her side.”

Crew Chief Magra raised his head, eyes wide.

“Why don’t we do that, then?” He said. “If it is as you say, we can not only reveal the Paradox to the Galaxy, but we would force all of her allies into the open when they could be identified.”

“And then immediately killed.” Lawrence finished. “I like that. That’ll make it so much easier for us to get into Canaveral and save those kids. Plus, if the new Sec-Gen really is friendly to the GDF, then we’d be giving them a helping hand.”

“We need to get the message out.” Inez said. “Hyperwave is the best way to do it, right? Broadcast a faster-than-light message so mom and her ISO goons can’t stop us.”

“There’s a Hyperwave terminal two decks below us.” Shipbreaker Karfu said. “We can transmit a message tonight. Give both Robinson and the GDF plenty of time to react.”

Robert, Jay’s father, stood up and dusted off the front of his shirt.

“I’ll deliver the statement.” He said. “I used to be a member of the UN government. People will recognize me, and my name may still carry some authority with it.”

There were a few murmurs and nods of assent, but General Osmer raised a hand for silence.

“I dissent.” He said. “There are only two people in this room who can convincingly reveal the Paradox’s identity and be believed. It must be a member of her family.”

He turned to Emanuel and Inez. She took a step back, shaking, while her father remained stoic.

“It must be one of you. The masses will be moved by your words; the authority and trust provided by your rank and status will carry your message to the highest levels of government, and you will be heard.”

…

And that was how, on a cold November evening, Inez Espinosa found herself standing in front of a Hyperwave terminal aboard the old Kakama. She volunteered for the task, without really knowing why. It just… seemed right.

Inez had changed clothes. She was wearing a woman’s business suit, similar to the ones worn by women who sat on the UN Security Council. She did not dare to ask how much money it cost to buy this thing. Piper, Cera, and Cassandra all frantically applied makeup to Inez’ face while someone just out of sight tied Inez’ dirty blonde hair into a bun.

Lawrence, Jay, and Emanuel worked the Hyperwave. They made sure the signal would be broadcasted into every UN facility, starbase, and colony capital. Emanuel also figured out how to hijack the signal of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

“All of the British colonies in the Canis Major system will think it’s a transmission from London.” He said.

Finally, there was nothing left to do. No preparations to make. Everything now rested on Inez’ shoulders. Emanuel pointed at the camera aperture and gave her the signal. Just above the camera, a holographic teleprompter flickered for a moment before lighting up. Two-dimensional words began to scroll up out of seemingly nowhere. Emanuel, General Osmer, and Robert Lansing wrote the script together. It was short and Inez could have memorized it, but this was easier.

“We’re live in five… four… three… two…”

Inez took a deep breath, looked into the camera, and began to speak.

…

“Good evening. My name is Maria Madelina Inez Freeman Espinosa. I am a member of the United Nations government, where I hold the ranks of Field Operative in the Internal Security Office and Commander in the United Nations Navy. I am here, speaking to you tonight, because a terrible crime is in progress at this very moment, and action must be taken.

“For the past two years, you have been told that our nation is in the grip of a great crisis. A space storm separates our planets, while the Galactic Community ostracizes our species because of a minor armed conflict on a distant world. My friends and neighbors, we are in a very real crisis, but we have been lied to. Since June of 2084, the United Nations of Earth have been in a state of open warfare against the Galactic Community, a war that will come to an end mere days from now. Our new Secretary-General, Blake Robinson, is already reaching out to our old allies, and I have no doubt that hostilities will end, and our brave men and women in uniform will return home.

“But our new leader does not know what I have learned. He does not know that at this very moment, the architects of this horrible war are on the cusp of escaping from this disaster with their lives, their freedom, and a second chance.

“The Internal Security Office has been taken over by the Paradox. Akira Robinson, the very same malicious time-traveler who fought the Stormbreakers fifty years ago, has spent the past twenty-five years living under the identity of Scarlett Freeman. She is my mother, although I only learned of her true identity recently. Akira Robinson has been using and abusing the powers that come with the position to carry on her designs. She manipulated and controlled the rest of our government and military. The Cult of Jericho and the Human Supremacist movement are her pawns as well.

“The Paradox has not given up on her dream of a tyrannical ‘Empire of Man.’ For the past two years, she and her lackeys have been using this war as a vehicle for Project Prometheus, an effort to restore the Gift and construct a Psionic army that would have been under her personal control. The Paradox has made significant progress towards this goal. She has developed and successfully tested a Psionic weapon against the planet Amadiio. She has kidnapped approximately six thousand alien children from all across the Galaxy and held them in UN Blacksites, where they have been subjected to a wide range of inhumane scientific experiments. To my knowledge, only two hundred of these children are still alive. They are being held in a Blacksite at Cape Canaveral, in Florida.

“It is clear to me that once her identity is exposed, Akira will attempt to escape, taking her victims and cache of Psionic weapons with her. If she is allowed to escape, Akira will get everything she wants: Power and followers. Unless we stop her. I know I’m asking a great deal. Fifteen men and women paid the price for our freedom half a century ago, and now she has a chance to take that all away again, by turning loose these Psionic weapons and warriors she’s worked for so long to perfect.

“Akira Robinson is the greatest nemesis our Galaxy has ever known. With her timeship, she tampered in the lives of billions. She set whole nations onto different paths. She started wars, assassinated noble leaders, robbed countless people of their futures, and she would have destroyed our future if left unchecked. Akira triggered the First Hyperspace War thousands of years ago; she orchestrated the Levakian Uprising, turned Kyle Bradshaw’s gun against JD Robinson and allowed monstrous tyrants like Irisha Kimoto, Emperor Riesstiu, and Makaan to rise to power all over the Galaxy. Without her timeship, The Paradox has proven to be just as dangerous, if not more so.

“After this war ends, there will be one last battle right here in Florida. I am going to fight Akira Robinson, my own mother. I am ready to pay the same price as the Fifteen Stormbreakers to secure our freedom and our future against the one woman who wants those things for herself and no one else. And I know I am not alone. If you are able and willing to fight, to rescue two hundred innocents and make one last stand against the Paradox, then come to Orlando and join me here. We must stop Akira and rescue her victims at all costs. Nothing else matters. Fiat justitia ruat caelum. Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.”

<=== Chapter 37: The Espinosa Family

Chapter 39: Reichstag Revolution ===>​

In next week's chapter, we are going to answer a crucial question:

In the artwork for Act Three, (see below) Inez Espinosa is clearly aiming the Shadowkeeper at the False Jericho. But... how did she get her hands on a weapon that has belonged to Chihiro Tachibana ever since Chapter 4 of The Stormbreakers?

Credit to Reddit user u/BeforeDreams for creating this epic art!

 

[Macavity116]

Walkin' down the street one day
I ran into a stranger
He asked me what I wanted to be
I said an Army Ranger!

I'm still living and working for Uncle Sam, folks. But that doesn't mean you cannot have a new chapter. Enjoy, and I'll catch up with you all in December!

<=== Chapter 38: Let Justice be Done Though the Heavens Fall

Chapter 40: Angel of Death ===>​

Chapter 39
Reichstag Revolution

​

Let justice be done though the heavens fall.

The final words of Inez’ seemed to ring through all of Human territory. On every colony and space station, including the ones occupied by the GDF, the populace rose up. Protestors swarmed against government offices, demanding answers, accountability, and a change in leadership.

On Terra Nova, GDF occupation forces were alarmed to see a huge mob of angry Humans march past their own positions. After protesting and yelling for a few minutes, nearly four hundred people surged forward and broke into a nondescript compound of buildings. Within minutes, the local branch of the Internal Security Office was being stormed. Similar scenes played out all across Human territory as furious citizens turned against their own spy agency. ISO offices and safehouses were broken into and looted by civilians while dumbfounded GDF soldiers looked on.

At Alpha Centauri, Sirius, Procyon, and Tao Ceti, ISO field agents were dragged into the streets and beaten by the crowd. Then things got even more violent:

At the ISO Blacksite in Yutaka Yamamoto University, a room was found that contained about forty alien children. They were abducted from their Homeworlds by the Progeny, and then handed over for the Prometheus Project. One of the abductees told their rescuers that hundreds of alien children were already dead. GDF soldiers tried to intervene, but it was too late.

That was when the killing began.

All over Human territory, ISO operatives were lynched on sight, and vigilantes hunted down the last remaining members of the Cult of Jericho. What few Acolytes and Sorceresses remained quickly fled into hiding. Those who were caught met far more gruesome fates than ISO agents.

As news of the abductions and murders began to spread, Humans in the occupied colonies appealed to the GDF for help, repeating rumors and tall tales about the horrible crimes of their own spy agency and religious leaders. Without waiting for orders, GDF soldiers joined the mob. They were desperate to capture and detain ISO agents, who would be much easier to interrogate if they were not hanging by their necks from streetlights.

…

November 28, 2086
Berlin, Germany

The armada of the Galactic Defense Force could be seen from the city streets, even in the middle of the day. Tens of thousands of Human protestors gathered in the Tiergarten and Brandenburg Gate could see it above. Just beyond the Brandenburg Gate, the headquarters of the ISO was burning as brightly as the sun. Just like its many field offices, the building was stormed by a mob of civilians. ISO employees were trampled, beaten, and a few were even thrown out of windows. Someone in the crowd found a stack of crucial documents gathered by Human spies, and they set it on fire. The inferno quickly spread and consumed the entire building, causing the protestors to flee.

It was against this backdrop that Blake Robinson and his entourage arrived.

German Polizei flooded out of the Reichstag building, demanding protesters clear out of the Platz der Republik. After half an hour of pushing, shoving, and yelling, the flat grassy plaza was clear of people.

With a loud roar, two spacecraft glided down to the surface: A Partogan Ambassador Corvette and a Human Ambassador Corvette. These diplomatic starships were unarmed and decorated with elaborate symbols and emblems; they also carried a wide array of antenna and lights for communication. Under normal circumstances, Ambassador Corvettes were used to make First Contact with new alien races.

Both vessels landed smoothly on the grass and lowered their boarding ramps. The watching crowd was restless and their own chatter drowned out the voices of anyone on the grass. A tall dragon-like alien stepped down from the Partogan Corvette and began to speak loudly, as though announcing someone’s arrival. Unfortunately, the combined noise of the protestors and starship engines drowned out his voice. A moment later, the Galactic Custodian set foot on the Tiergarten.
Partogan Queen Marka did not acknowledge the protesters. The Polizei formed a cordon around the landing area, ensuring none of the crowd approached the starships. Queen Marka and her Advisor looked up at the Human starship as two people descended the ramp. Blake Robinson and Chihiro Tachibana shook hands with the Galactic Custodian before they turned to acknowledge the crowd. Once they saw Blake, the protestors erupted into cheers and applause. A rallying cry rose up from the gathered people:

“Justice! Justice! Justice!”

Blake, Chihiro, Queen Marka, the Advisor, and an entourage of diplomats started walking toward the Reichstag. As the group drew closer to the UN capitol, the nature of the crowd’s chanting started to change. Calls of support for Blake and pleas for Justice gave way to ant-ISO mantras and messages of hate directed at one particular man… who was standing at the top of the grand staircase.

UN Secretary-General Pascal Etienne looked very haggard, as though he had not slept for most of the night. His shirt and vest were unkempt, his hair uncombed. Two high-ranking members of the United Nations flanked him on either side: Ruslan Shmyhal, the President of the Security Council, and Varuna Das, a Bengali woman who served as President of the General Assembly.

A few members of the crowd managed to guess what was about to happen, and they called on their fellow protestors to hush and be quiet, but the transfer of power happened so quickly that only a few people in the front of the crowd actually heard it.

General Assembly President Das shook hands with Blake and then she spoke:

“Your Excellency, by Resolution 15/1 of the 25th of November 2086, the General Assembly has appointed you Secretary-General of the United Nations of Earth for a term of office beginning on 1st of January 2087 and ending on 31st December 2091. I will now ask you to take the Oath of Office.”

President Das held out a copy of the 2036 UN Charter. It was a heavy book bound in blue fabric. Blake placed his left hand on the book and raised his right hand.

“Please repeat after me.” Said President Das. Then she administered the oath of office.

“I, Blake Alexander Robinson, solemnly swear to exercise in all loyalty discretion and conscious the functions entrusted to me as Secretary-General of the United Nations of Earth, to discharge these functions and regulate my conduct with the interest of the United Nations only in view, and not to seek or accept instructions in regard to the performance of my duties from any government or other authority external to the organization.”

…

There was no time to celebrate.

Secretary-General Blake Robinson entered the Reichstag while Pascal Etienne, guided by Marcus Robinson, followed behind. Custodian Marka and Chihiro brought up the rear. The group had a plan and they were acting on it.

In his final days as Secretary-General, Pascal Etienne had contacted the GDF directly and brokered a deal with Custodian Marka. Pascal offered to immediately step aside for Blake Robinson, and in turn, the GDF would cease all hostilities with the UN. There would be peace.

As the group turned the corner, Blake spoke.

“Marcus, where is the supreme commander of the UN military?”

“She’s right here.” Marcus pointed at an office door just down the hall. “She was just sworn in a few days ago. Took forever to get France to drop their veto against her.”

A Caucasian woman stuck her head out of the office to see who was talking. Her brown hair was tied up in a tight bun and she wore a military dress uniform, adorned with several patches that identified her as a member of XCOM. When she spotted Blake, the woman snapped to attention and said:

“Greetings sir, My name is Sidney Beauclair, Air Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force and recently appointed Supreme Commander of AFUNE. I’m still working on Sec-… uh, I mean… your predecessor’s orders sir.”

“Just before you were sworn in, I told Beauclair to order all UN military forces to cease hostilities and stand down.” Etienne explained. “It was part of the deal I made with Custodian Marka.”

The Galactic Custodian narrowed her eyes at Marshal Beauclair for a moment before speaking to Blake.

“I sent similar orders to my own forces.” She said. “I hope, your excellency, that you will honor the ceasefire your predecessor established.”

“I have every intention of doing that.” Blake said. “Marshal Beauclair, carry on and get the job done.”

“Yes sir!” She replied, already vanishing inside of her office.

…

The group moved upstairs to the Secretary-General’s office. Here, they parted ways with Pascal Etienne. The former UN leader said he needed to meet with a few members of the Secretariat. As soon as Etienne was gone, the remaining members of the group piled inside the Secretary-General’s office and closed the door.

“Was that her?” Blake said. “The Air Marshal?”

His son, Marcus, nodded.

“She’s mentioned five or six times in the Ulysses file.” Marcus said. “Director Freeman always called her reliable, too. So that must count for something. Alright, dad... here we go. Biometric data in the Reichstag computer should have been updated by now, so your thumbprint should be able to open any drawer or safe in this office. Fan out, everyone! We’ve gotta find the Ulysses file.”

The group fanned out and quickly turned the Secretary-General's office upside down. They were doing much the same thing as the people who stormed ISO offices around the world. Blake quickly skimmed over classified documents before placing them in sealed envelopes.

“Ulysses, Ulysses...” Blake murmured. “Where the hell is it?”

“I’ve got it!” Chihiro cried out all of a sudden. “The Ulysses Initiative, authorized by Pascal Etienne, deemed classified on February 11, 2083.”

Everyone gathered around her. Blake, Marcus, and the Dragonlike Advisor quickly pulled the file apart, searching for the most crucial pages.

“They’ve moved the Hyperspace Core!” The Advisor declared. “Etienne was going to have it sent off-world.”

“Psionic weapons, alien children, body armor, ballistic ammunition, reactive armor, starship fuel, military-grade drones and androids, Nanomedikits, 3D printers and fabricators.” Blake read aloud. “Freeman and her allies have stockpiled everything they need to create a Psionic Army.”

“Create and army… and move it.” Chihiro said. “She’s planning to relocate her entire operation to Deneb 2b. Those Prophet-class Command Cruisers have the hangar bays and shuttlecraft required to transport her army.”

“So this is her game.” Queen Marka said. “Akira is going to create her own highly mobile military, one that’s under her own personal control. Then she’ll hide out in Deneb to gather strength…”

“When she’s ready, Akira will come back and reconquer Earth.” Blake finished. “And rule as a Psionic overlord.”

Marcus let out a gasp of alarm, then held up a folder for everyone to see. It was empty.

“The launch codes!” Marcus said. “She took the launch codes for the Prophet-class Cruisers! They’re all gone!”

Blake moved quickly to the door and yelled out for the Master-at-Arms. A UN soldier quickly raced to the Secretary-General’s office.

“Find Marshal Beauclair and arrest her!” Blake ordered. “And you, Marka! You must order the GDF to blockade Florida at once! Nothing gets out of Canaveral!”

...

December 1, 2086
Cape Canaveral, Florida

Sophie Murphy, the youngest member of the Robinson family, looked up at the sky and gulped. She had never seen a Juggernaut before, and the view of one descending toward her was the stuff of nightmares.

The Partogan flagship Mahuika, painted with the colors and liveries of the Galactic Defense Force, was settling into position almost directly above the Kennedy Space Center. From here, the Mahuika looked like a gigantic wing. She was almost fifteen kilometers wide from wingtip to wingtip, and a further eight kilometers in height. The gargantuan warship hovered about fifty kilometers above Cape Canaveral, ready to impede any attempted escape.

“Still no sign of Director Freeman?” Said a voice to Sophie’s left.

It was Klaus Eberhardt, the Commander of XCOM. He was looking over the base’s security in Scarlett’s absence.

“She should have been back by now.” Sophie said. “The Vengeance said they picked her up near Ceres.”

“But now they’ll have to run a blockade to get back here.” Commander Eberhardt replied. “We must be patient.”

…

December 3, 2086
Elberton, Georgia

Rocking her wings unsteadily, the JSDF Ark Angel glided through Earth’s atmosphere. Below her, a mixed force of GDF and Contingency starships carried out their own landings.
All over Earth, the forces of the Galactic Council were being allowed to land. Word about the end of the war was spreading just as quickly as the news of Etienne’s fall from power. While most Humans were cautious and gave the GDF a lukewarm reception, there were some cities where the GDF was being greeted and celebrated as a liberating force. Elberton was one such town.

The Ark Angel aimed for a rally point just outside of the town in the countryside. Gripping the control column tightly, Randall and Chris guided the spaceplane onto a grassy runway, coming to a stop in between a Taiidani frigate and a Scyldari corvette. GDF crews helped Himawari disconnect from the ship before everyone disembarked.

“That Battlemaster is pretty beat up.” One of the crewmen said. “You folks want a new ship?”
“Not on your life.” Amako said. “We’ve been through a lot with the Angel. We’re going all the way to the end with her.”

Of course, Amako said this before he saw the extensive damage done to the Ark Angel’s left-hand wing. It was a miracle they were able to land without shearing it off.

Eerabik clicked her beak loudly, and within seconds, a Baterra Warform answered her summons.

Unlike the bipedal robots seen on Spherus Magna, the dedicated combat units of the Contingency-controlled Baterra were huge armored machines of war. Each warform stood about nine feet tall and had a rounded exoskeleton reminiscent of a beetle shell. Like their smaller noncombat variants, these machines walked on two legs and had two arms. The Baterra warforms carried a large rounded shield in each hand; made from some kind of metal, the shields had niches and sliding doors that concealed some secret technology.

Eerabik parted ways from Himawari’s group here. She went off to commune with the Baterra. Meanwhile, Himawari, Amako, Chris, and Randall walked to the far end of the field where someone was waiting for them.

“That’s it!” Amako pointed towards a group of four large stones. “That’s the rally point!”

The rally point was an old monument, constructed in the days of the Old World. Known as the Georgia Guidestones, the four slabs of granite were engraved with ten instructions that detailed how to rebuild society after an apocalyptic event:

1.Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
2.Guide reproduction wisely – improving fitness and diversity.
3.Unite humanity with a living new language.
4.Rule passion – faith – tradition – and all things with tempered reason.
5.Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
6.Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
7.Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
8.Balance personal rights with social duties.
9.Prize truth – beauty – love – seeking harmony with the infinite.
10.Be not a cancer on the Earth – Leave room for nature – Leave room for nature.

Standing around the Guidestones, the Stormbreakers were debating whether the monument succeeded in its mission.

“Well, the first stone says Humanity’s population needs to stay low.” Corder was saying. “How many of you are there now?”

“There’s about five billion of us on Earth, plus another twenty million living on the colonies.” Varian replied. “Guess we kinda screwed that one up.”

“Avoid petty laws.” Kingi read aloud. Then he laughed. “Yeah, you Humans screwed that one up, alright.”

Maui pointed to the second Guidestone.

“This one says ‘Guide reproduction wisely.’ That sounds a lot like something the old ADVENT regime would say. They were all about Eugenics and Gene Therapy.”

Ninu only had eyes for the final tablet, where the ninth and tenth rules could be found.

“These rules about living harmoniously with the planet…” Ninu commented. “They are very similar to the Environmentalist Creed we have on Kelta. Perhaps, in one of the alternate timelines, the Humans came to worship their Homeworld just as my people do.”

Ninu did not have much time to think about this, because it was in this moment that Himawari and her crew caught up to the Stormbreakers. Varian cried out and puller her (or his) mother into a tight hug.

“Well how about that? It’s a small Galaxy, isn’t it?” Randall said, patting his former stepchild on the back. “You all look like you’ve seen more action than us.”

Corder narrowed her eyes at Randall.

“I know who you are.” She said. “Yet another of Himawari’s ex-husbands. And you are… oh, my!”

Randall Murphy did not respond. He was looking around anxiously. He caught Himawari by the arm. She twitched uncomfortably at the sudden touch from her ex-husband, but she paid attention as Randall quickly spoke to her in Sign Language:

“I need to go for a little while. I have not heard from our daughter since we left Earth.”

Himawari’s eyes widened.

“Last I heard, Sophie was working for the Etienne government.” Himawari replied. “I think you should try talking to my brother Marcus. He will point you towards our daughter.”

“Good idea. Thank you.” Randall replied before he turned and ran toward a nearby starship. He grabbed a Partogan soldier and demanded access to their Hyperwave relay. The Partogan nodded and let Randall away.

Meanwhile, the other Stormbreakers had spotted Chris Wright.

“The History Dude, here in the flesh!” Maui said. “What are you doing here? I never would have taken you for a man of action.”

“I’m not.” Chris replied. “But when things get rough, staying near the Robinson family is a good way to keep your head attached, you know?”

“So, what happens now?” Himawari asked. She spoke in sign language while her child interpreted for the group.

“I think that’s obvious.” Kingi replied. “We all saw that message Inez put out, right? We’ve got to start heading for Orlando, immediately.”
Everyone agreed. Varian pointed a thumb over his (or her) shoulder.

“We can just follow the Americans.” Varian said. “They’ve been helping GDF forces make the trip to Florida ever since the landings started.”

“They’re cooperating? Just like that?” Amako said, confused.

“We got kinda lucky.” Varian said. “The Columbus regime is the successor to the American government that cooperated with XCOM during the last war. They’ve negotiated some kind of deal with Blake Robinson. The Americans help the GDF and in return, they get to rejoin the UN as a full member… which means all of the other militant groups in America, even the other successor governments… yeah… they’re all screwed.”

…

Orlando, Florida
December 7, 2086

“Sir, I would feel much better about this if you had a bodyguard.”

“Out of the question. No.”

“Sir, I feel I need to remind you that Grey Phoenix does have an established history of run-ins with the government.”

“I’m well aware. I was there when those run-ins started half a century ago.”

“Sir, I still want to position some Space Rangers-”

“If I see one soldier on the ground or a drone over my head, I’ll see to it that you spend the rest of your days working moisture farms on a desert planet.”

“Yes sir.”

Unarmed and unescorted, UN Secretary-General Blake Robinson stepped out of his car and walked toward the Grey Phoenix base. Two Mutons, who were guarding the gate, recognized him on sight and opened it for him.

…

Inez and her sister Cassandra were sitting on top of the starship Kakama’s conning tower, almost one hundred feet above the rest of Orlando. It was beautiful winter morning and there was nothing to do. Tens of thousands of people were still answering the desperate message Inez broadcasted into the Galaxy days earlier. Looking out to the horizon, Inez could see dozens of GDF starships coming in to land at the Orlando spaceport. A handful of vessels she did not recognize were also landing there. It seemed as though for the second time in history, the entire Galaxy was travelling to Earth, answering a call for help and setting the stage for the final battle in some epic story.

Since they had time to kill, Inez was getting back into one of her old habits. As she sat on top of the ancient starship, Inez strummed her guitar. It was not the same instrument she once played on the streets of Detroit, that one was long gone. This was a parlor guitar, purchased from the flea market in downtown Orlando. Parlor guitars were small and easy to carry, which made them perfect for people of small stature… such as Cassandra.

As Inez strummed her instrument and ran her fingers along the fretboard, Cassandra mimicked her sister, plucking away at her own guitar, a copy of the one belonging to Inez.

Today, Inez was playing a down-tempo adagio. It sounded very mournful and tragic. Perhaps it was because she was filled with dread about the upcoming assault on Cape Canaveral. She knew that it had to be done; the lives of two hundred abductees were at stake… But Inez also knew about the ill-fated assault led by Lawrence Ridge back in July. No matter which way she looked at this, Inez was asking people to risk their lives to save alien children. It was a tall order.

Cassandra watched her older sister, fascinated. Inez was starting to lose herself in the music again. Inez rested the guitar on her crossed legs and stared into the distance, not seeming to notice the hustle and bustle of starships or the soldiers down below. The sound of a hatch opening nearby escaped her until…

“Adagio for Strings, Samuel Barber, circa 1936.” Said a voice behind her. “Where did you learn such an old tune?”

“Lawrence Ridge.” Inez replied absentmindedly, not looking around. “He taught me to play.”

Cassandra looked around and let out a sharp gasp, which caused Inez to stop playing and turn to face the new arrival.

All of the color drained from her face.

UN Secretary-General Blake Robinson was casually leaning against one of the old sensor antennas, peering down at the two girls. He was holding onto the antenna with one hand and holding an ornate golden cane with the other.

“Forgive me for not coming down there to join you.” Secretary-General Robinson said. “I’m not as limber as I once was, and the days I spent fighting at the top and bottom of the world have not been kind to me as time goes on.”

Inez sprang to her feet and raised her hand in salute. She was, after all, still a member of both the ISO and the UN Armed Forces. Blake waved a hand and gave her a warm smile.

“No need for all that formality, it just gets in the way.” He said. “Though I take it you must know who I am already. That’s good.”

“I’m honored, sir.” Inez said, her voice shaking.

“I should be honored.” Blake replied. “It’s been half a century since I met someone like you.”

Inez faltered.

“Oh… you mean, how I’m… you know… her daughter?”

Inez looked down in shame. Blake tapped his wife’s cane on the metal hull.

“No, no, no.” He said. “I mean a person of conscious mind, and of great consequence. It is normal for some people to change sides in war. I’ve seen it happen. One of my closest friends came to me from the enemy.”

Inez felt Cassandra take hold of her hand and squeeze tightly.

“What I learned from your story, Inez Espinosa, is that you slowly awakened to a great wrong, an injustice. You took action to make things right and motivated others to join you in that mission.”

“I wouldn’t say it like that.” Inez said. “I made a promise to Cassandra. I told her I’d go back and help those other kids.”

Blake leaned in towards her.

“And you’ve kept your word in the most definitive of ways.” Blake said. “You’ve not only brought the Galaxy to Akira Robinson’s doorstep, but you may well be the first person to truly corner her in all of history. That is no small feat. You’ve brought the Galactic Defense Force, the Columbus Americans, the Stormbreakers, and so many more new allies together for a noble cause: to set Akira’s victims free and bring her to justice.”

Inez finally found the will to look Blake in the eyes.

“And what happens when we get to her? When we finally fight my mom?”

Blake reached out and put a hand on Inez’ shoulder.

“You just need to remember one important thing.” He said. “You are not alone.” Your friends and allies will be the key to fighting the Paradox. You don’t have to face her alone just because she’s your mother.”

Blake let go of Inez, straightened up, and pointed to the north.

“You have reinforcements coming.” He said. “A combined force of American and UN soldiers are on their way to join up with the GDF. Then you will have a sufficient force to break into Canaveral and save those children. Just wait until the Stormbreakers arrive. Then you’ll be ready.”

Cassandra ran toward the Secretary-General and grabbed the front of his coat.

“Please!” Cassandra cried out. “When can we go! When can we save them!?”

Blake gently patted her head.

“I promise, the rescue will happen before the new year.” Blake replied. “For security reasons, I can’t give you an exact date yet… but…”

He raised a finger to his lips and whispered:

“You should go to bed early on the twenty-fifth. I hear the day after Christmas will be a busy one.”

Inez could feel, through the telepathic link, Cassandra’s spirits being lifted. The not-so-little girl hugged Blake and helped him step through the hatchway and back into the ship. But before he departed completely, Blake withdrew an object from his coat: a large wooden box that had a golden emblem stamped onto its lid. He beaconed Inez to draw near.

“By the way, Miss Espinosa… There’s something you should know: I am the one who set up the new Stormbreakers. I handpicked each member of the team. I intended from the very beginning for you to be the seventh member of the team, and I am so sorry you never got the chance to be with Varian and the others. I still stand by my belief that you would have been an incredible Stormbreaker. But now I can at least start to make this right.”

“How are you going to do that?” Inez asked.

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” Blake said. “Our connection?”

Inez and Cassandra shook their heads in unison.

“Akira Robinson was… in some distant and long forgotten alternate timeline… my daughter. An intrinsic connection exists between the Espinosa and Robinson families. I would like to keep you and your sister close after all this is over.”

“Close?” Cassandra repeated.

“How close?” Inez added, raising her eyebrow.

“Well, if you were to show up in Berlin, looking to join me and my family, you will be welcome. Please take this, as proof of my word.”

Blake held out the wooden box.

“It is a gift from my wife, Chihiro Tachibana. She gives it to you with her blessing, and prays it will serve you as well as it did her.”

And then Blake was gone. Inez and Cassandra were left with the wooden box. Inez took another look and realized that she recognized the golden seal on the lid. It was the emblem of the Chrysanthemum, the official symbol of the Japanese Imperial Family. Slowly, Inez opened the box and peered inside.

Wrapped carefully in white cloth, she found an ancient-looking pistol that looked as though it belonged in a bygone age. Inez recognized the oversized hammer and ramrod assembly along the barrel at once. This was one of the famous weapons used by the original Stormbreakers; one that Chihiro Tachibana carried into battle during both the Battle for Earth and the War in Heaven.

It was the Shadowkeeper.

<=== Chapter 38: Let Justice be Done Though the Heavens Fall

Chapter 40: Angel of Death ===>​

 

[Macavity116]

Week 2 of Army Leadership school.

Uncle Sam's gotta try harder to make me stop posting chapters.

Buckle up folks, this is gonna be a long one.

---

The Emerald Institute was created by @Midnite Duke. Used with permission.

The Advisor was created by @Nikolai. Used with permission.

The Saiiban were created by @Chilango2. Used with permission.

Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician. Used with permission.

<=== Chapter 39: Reichstag Revolution

Chapter 41: Hell is for Heroes ===>​

Chapter 40
Angel of Death

​

December 21, 2086
Ocean of Storms, Earth’s Moon

David Sepulveda had not gotten much sleep. Currently, he was still aboard the Singaporean destroyer Vengeance. The ship itself was sitting on the surface of the Moon, about three-hundred-eighty-four thousand kilometers from Earth. It was not safe to return. The Galactic Defense Force was everywhere, having seized full control of the Sol System. At any moment, the Vengeance might be found.

For weeks, he and Scarlett Freeman had gone back and forth in a series of arguments. Each encounter typically ended in a shouting match that produced no results. Every day, the topic remained the same:

Fight or flight.

Thanks to the Hyperwave Relay network, Scarlett, David, and the crew of the Vengeance all knew about the events of the recent weeks. Everyone knew that Pascal Etienne's administration had not survived the Battle of Alpha Centauri, and that Blake Robinson was taking over.

David told Scarlett plainly that the war was lost, and that she needed to consider fleeing at once.

“We need to go to the Ulysses rally point.” David had said. “We'll get to Deneb, lie low, and wait for Marshal Beauclair to catch up with us. There’s no point going to Earth. We’d be wasting our time going back. Plus, there’s nowhere to go. All of our safehouses are compromised.”
“We have to go to Canaveral.” Scarlett replied. “Beauclair is going to need all the help she can get to get all of our troops and assets away safely. Plus, Subject Three is the only catalyst on the ground, and with Inez gone, I’m the only conduit. There’s no point going to Deneb unless we can extract Subject Three.”

“No one is getting off Canaveral, no one’s getting off Earth!” David was exasperated by this point. “Did you see the Mahuika? Or the Ashoka? Or those weird robot aliens who came out of nowhere!? Those vessels are heavy-hitters. You might not get past them at all, and if you do, there’s no way you could run the blockade a second time.”

Back and forth they went for a week while Vengeance hid on the moon. The Captain and his staff occasionally jumped in as well, with a slim majority favoring an immediate escape to Deneb. But the stalemate endured.

...

A few days later, David was lying on his bunk on Deck Two, watching a flotilla of GDF vessels out the window. He was trying to settle in for a nap and let his voice rest when there was a frantic pounding on the door.

“Sepulveda! Are you in there?” Called a voice. “You need to see this!”

David reluctantly opened the door and found a UN Army soldier. She was an African woman with very short hair. A name tag identified her as Sergeant Rella from South Sudan. Before David could say anything, Sergeant Rella pushed a tablet computer into his face.

“Look at this!” Sergeant Rella said.

It was a live Hyperwave broadcast. David froze when he saw who was on the screen. It was Inez Espinosa! She looked even more beautiful than what he was used to, and his eyes locked onto the screen as Inez continued speaking:

“...she would have destroyed our future if left unchecked. Akira triggered the First Hyperspace War thousands of years ago; she orchestrated the Levakian Uprising, turned Kyle Bradshaw’s gun against JD Robinson and allowed monstrous tyrants like Irisha Kimoto, Emperor Riesstiu, and Makaan to rise to power all over the Galaxy.” Inez said.

“What is she talking about?” David said, talking over the broadcast.

Sergeant Rella put a finger to her lips and pointed up at the ceiling. The bridge was just one floor above them.

“Director Freeman.” Sergeant Rella whispered. “She’s the Paradox! She’s Akira Robinson!”

David felt his breath catch in his chest.

“Bullshit.” He said.

The Sergeant pointed down at the tablet.

“I am going to fight Akira Robinson, my own mother. I am ready to pay the same price as the Fifteen Stormbreakers to secure our freedom and our future against the one woman who wants those things for herself and no one else.” Inez was finishing her speech.

She did say something after this, but David never heard it. At that moment, the intercom crackled and Scarlett Freeman’s voice rang throughout the ship:

“Central Officer Sepulveda, report to the bridge.”
David had about five seconds to process this massive revelation. Had he really been taking orders from the Paradox this whole time? When did Akira supplant Director Freeman? Those questions would have to wait.

“Don’t go!” Sergeant Rella grabbed David by the shoulder. “You know what the Paradox is like. What if she brainwashes you? Telepathy, you know?”

“Can she brainwash us at all?” David wondered aloud. “I thought Jericho destroyed the Gift.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, David knew he was wrong. He remembered, very vividly in fact, the many long nights at Bannack Base when Scarlett would test out her personal Prometheus Device. The contraption, worn as a backpack and gauntlet pair, was able to function as a Psionic Amplifier. If even a small trace of Akira’s powers were restored, then she could use the device to return to full strength.

David rephrased his question.

“What if we’re already brainwashed? How long has Akira had us under her spell?”

The two soldiers were paralyzed in fear. David could not find the willpower to defy Akira. No matter how many reservations he had, refusing her summons seemed to be out of the question. Akira was still speaking in the voice of Scarlett Freeman, still using her name, rank, and authority... and David was beholden to those things... that was what he thought, anyway.
Sergeant Rella did not hesitate. She put both hands on David’s shoulders and started to push. Awkwardly, the pair started to make their way down the corridor.

“Wait, what are you doing!?” David said, finding his voice.

“Somebody has to save our skins.” Sergeant Rella replied. “We’ve gotta find a place to hide!”

“Hide where?” David said. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re on the freaking Moon! It’s not like we can just joyride an escape pod to the next town over!”

Sergeant Rella looked around the corridor frantically, her eyes wide.

“I don’t care. I won’t serve the Paradox. I won’t!” She said.

Then Rella locked her eyes on a metal grate on the wall. It was covering an access hatch. Above it, a red-and-white warning sign pointed at the hatch with lettering that spelled out:

“Danger! Active waste disposal.”

Sergeant Rella pulled out her laser pistol and used it to melt the locking mechanism. Then she pulled the grate open.

“Into the garbage chute, flyboy!” Rella said.

And without waiting for an answer, Sergeant Rella pushed David into the crevice. As soon as the Central Officer was gone from view, Rella stepped inside and pulled the grate back into place over her. In seconds, the two fugitives vanished into the labyrinthine interior of the destroyer.

…

December 23, 2086
Hurd’s Deep, English Channel


In the dead of night, a heavily-laden cargo ship quietly sailed across the calm water. The seagoing vessel was flying the flag of Brazil and travelling west, away from Europe and into the Atlantic Ocean. Around two o’clock in the morning, dense clouds blew in from the north and blocked the moon, casting the sea into darkness.

The crew worked quickly. Two heavy-lift cranes became active, one at the bow and one near the stern, just before the conning tower. Under the watchful eyes of the ship’s captain and a UN observer, a huge metal sarcophagus was lifted off the deck. The box-shaped structure was half the length of the super-sized cargo ship and took nearly an hour to be lifted into the air by the twin cranes. While the sarcophagus hung suspended, the crew worked frantically, moving a series of ramps into position and welding them down.

After about two and a half hours of intense work, a large ramp now existed on the starboard side of the vessel.

On the bridge, Sophie Murphy, the youngest granddaughter of Blake Robinson, watched in awe as the sarcophagus was lowered onto the ramp and released. With a terrible scraping noise, a shower of brilliant sparks, and a cascade of saltwater, the metal tomb slid off the ship and into the sea. In moments, the Third Hyperspace Core sank below the surface and vanished from view, descending to its watery grave six hundred feet below. Sophie followed the instructions she was given by the ISO. She looked over the shoulder of the ship’s navigator and wrote down the exact location coordinates.
Once the Hyperspace Core was sunk, the cargo ship sailed out into the Atlantic Ocean before turning south, en route to Africa.

Sophie spent the next three days in her cabin. She was carrying out the next part of her instructions. Sophie began committing the location coordinates to memory. She made up a quiz, tested herself, and recited the numbers forwards and backwards. On the third day, Sophie woke up and brushed her teeth:

“Forty-nine degrees, thirty-six minutes, fifteen-point-eighty-three seconds North.” Sophie recited before spitting out her toothpaste.
“Three degrees, twelve minutes, one-point-thirty-nine seconds West.”

Over lunch, she recited the Core’s location quietly to herself.

“Forty-nine degrees, thirty-six minutes, fifteen-point-eighty-three seconds North. Three degrees, twelve minutes, one-point-thirty-nine seconds West.”

Finally, as the sun went down, Sophie watched as a submarine emerged from the waves and approached the cargo vessel. This military sub would take her off the ship and all the way to Cape Canaveral.

Returning to her cabin, Sophie packed her gear and recited the location one last time:

“Forty-nine degrees, thirty-six minutes, fifteen-point-eighty-three seconds North. Three degrees, twelve minutes, one-point-thirty-nine seconds West.”

Taking a deep breath and feeling confident in her memory, Sophie picked up the piece of paper on which the coordinates were written. Then, she shredded the paper into little strips, set the strips on fire, and threw the ashes into the sea.

From now until the moment she returned to Cape Canaveral, Sophie Murphy would be the only person in the Galaxy to know the exact location of the Third Hyperspace Core. The seventeen-year-old activist spent the whole journey riddled with nervous anxiety, twisting her hair in her hands until she saw dry land once more.

She was anxious about keeping such a massive secret, of course. But there was another thing. By doing this, Sophie was permanently aligning herself with Scarlett Freeman… or rather, as Inez Espinosa had so dramatically revealed… The Paradox.

“It’s okay.” Sophie told herself. “I’m doing the right thing. Akira wants the same thing we do. She’s on our side.”

…

December 24, 2086
Bay Lake, Florida

The city of Orlando was abuzz with activity. Starships from the Galactic Defense Force were landing by the dozen, dropping off soldiers, and taking off again. Most of the local population shut themselves away in their homes, but a few came out to greet the GDF. Small children waved colorful flags and stared at the many different species of alien who marched into their city. Earthborn aliens, leftover from the ADVENT occupation of Earth, gave the GDF a warm reception. Vipers, Mutons, and Sectoids came out to meet the GDF and greeted them as liberators. A few troopers stopped to offer candy to youngsters.

The busy nature of events in Orlando distracted from events taking place only a short distance away...

About twenty miles to the west of Orlando, there was a series of ruined buildings, left untouched since the beginning of the Second Hyperspace War. The forces of nature had done their utmost to reclaim the land, breaking up concrete and crumbling walls. However tonight was different. For the first time in over seventy years, the educational facility once known as Disney University was being used. A mixed force of American and GDF workers used advanced fabrication technology from the Taiidan Republic to quickly restore the ruined complex to working order.

Phased Disassembler Arrays broke down solid matter, trees and rubble alike, and then reconstituted it into construction materials. Micore droids did most of the heavy lifting while organic workers assembled the individual parts. Within two days, the former site of Disney University was partially restored. A grand building was erected, ready to serve as a venue for the most consequential of meetings. While the building and its interior were restored, all of the symbols of its former owner were painted over. The logo of a now-defunct megacorporation was covered up and replaced by the insignia of three organizations, the United Nations, the Galactic Council, and the United States of America.

Inside, a grand assembly was taking place. Dozens of meetings and conferences were taking place simultaneously, each room filled with sentient beings who argued and debated one of two topics: The end of the war and what happened afterward.

In one room, representatives of the United Nations were attempting to formalize the end of hostilities with the Galactic Community, as they were ordered to do by their new leader, Blake Robinson. Meanwhile, just down the hall, another group of UN dignitaries were following another of Blake’s orders. This group of negotiators were hammering out a deal that would allow the United States of America to rejoin the UN, while simultaneously respecting Hawaii’s newfound status as an independent state.

And on the second floor, Inez Espinosa found herself in a large, grand room. Long tables and fancy chairs facilitated the high-level discussions between Secretary-General Robinson and Galactic Custodian Marka. Both leaders were leaving the peace talks to their underlings. Today, Blake and Marka were focused on the planning of their final battle.

They were not alone.

The Stormbreakers, Wolverines, Shipbreaker Karfu, Crew Chief Magra, Eerabik, General Macavity, the Dragonlike Advisor, Emanuel Espinosa, General Osmer, Colonel Sharp, Marcus Robinson, Ruslan Shmyhal, Varuna Das, former Secretary-General Pascal Etienne, and the Director of the Emerald Institute were all attending this planning session. Jericho was also present, but she stayed near Blake Robinson, almost as though she was hiding behind him.

“What happened to Marshal Beauclair?” Custodian Marka asked.

“She eluded the Polizei and we’ve lost track of her.” Secretary-General Robinson replied. “Wherever she is, Commander Eberhardt from XCOM is with her, same for Yassen Ackermann and Rafi Bakir. I’m working to have her apprehended now.”

“What do you mean by that?” Shipbreaker Karfu asked.

“I’ve appointed an interim director of the Internal Security Office.” Blake explained. “Alex Edinger used to be Secretary-General a few decades back. He's a good decade younger than me, and he knows UN institutions inside and out. With him in charge of the ISO, we can disentangle the government from Akira’s influence and shut out her allies.”

“Getting control of the ISO will not be instantaneous.” General Osmer said. “Akira was its director for almost eight years. It will take time for Mister Edinger to undo his predecessor’s machinations and remove her lackeys from the equation. We must proceed as though the ISO is still a threat.”

Queen Marka nodded.

“I realize that hostilities between our peoples are over, but I have to confess... I see an armed assault against Cape Canaveral as our only recourse. Those children have families who are waiting for them back home, and we cannot wait for much longer.”

“Agreed.” Secretary-General Robinson replied. “We’ve already waited too long, as far as I am concerned.”

Inez waved her hand to get everyone’s attention.

“Cassandra told me that Polly Spark and her team stopped executing kids after the Battle of Amadiio.” Inez explained. “So the number I gave Lawrence and his crew back in October is probably still good.” She said.

Piggybacking off her words, Lawrence spoke up.

“On the high end, We think there are two-hundred fifteen children inside the Canaveral base. The low estimate is one-hundred eighty.”

“My intelligence officer says there are two-hundred-two children.” Queen Marka corrected him. “At least forty Partogans, twenty-five Hiigarans, thirty Scyldari, a dozen Saiiban, seven Ozkox and a collection of Kelt, Assurians, Voor, Blorg, Taiidani, Vanians, Vaygr, Tobari, Amadii, Levakians, and at least one Micore.”

Eerabik ruffled her feathers in disgust.

“About a year ago, the Progeny raided an Ozkox hatchery and made off with dozens of eggs. Enough time has passed for the viable ones to hatch. I urge caution. There could be Ozkox, Vanians, and Amadii who have spent their entire lives in captivity and will know nothing of the outside world. We must have specialized personnel ready to receive them.”

The Dragonlike Advisor answered her.

“A friend of ours has volunteered to solve that problem.” The Advisor said. “Our comrade from the Emerald Institute is willing to help.”

The Director of the Emerald Institute straightened his necktie and gave the assembled group a grin.

“For sensitive crises such as this, the Institute maintains a highly-trained ‘go team.’ This squad of specialists would have been right at home in your old XCOM project had they lived seven decades ago.” The Institute Director said. “The team only has four members, but one of them is a Human and another is Saiiban. They go by the names Emma von Richtofen and Claws of Honeydew respectively. I have full confidence in their training. The Institute and all of its members are prepared for any eventuality involving the Paradox.”

“That’s all well and good.” General Macavity cut in. “But first, we must carry out an actual rescue. Espinosa and Robinson are right. The longer we delay, the greater the risk of these children being either murdered or spirited away to planets unknown. We must act.”

“I agree with Macavity.”

Jericho spoke in a voice that was so soft nobody should have heard it. Somehow, everyone in the hall immediately took note of her and fell silent, giving Jericho their full attention.

“I know my friend Blake hates jumping into things without a plan.” Jericho said. “But we have to remember that our enemies will not be idle this whole time. The ISO forces inside Cape Canaveral are plotting their own escape right now. They will try to slip past us, and the longer we wait, the more opportunities we present for them to do just so. We’ve already waited too long, and any longer will spell disaster for us.”

Blake put a hand on Jericho’s shoulder and nodded.

“She’s right.” Blake said. “My friends, the formalities cannot wait, but we must be swift with them. What is the earliest we could mount an assault on Cape Canaveral?”

“All of the American forces will be in place by December 27th.” Colonel Sharp replied. “We’re just waiting on the last contingent of fighters to arrive. A large unit from Northern Michigan is on the way.”

“The Chippewas!” Jay chimed in. “Those are the guys who helped us take Alpena. We can’t go without them, they’re great at taking facilities like this.”

“I will send a starship to pick them up and bring them the rest of the way.” Blake said. “Madam Custodian? What about your forces?”

“The GDF will be ready for combat on December 28th.” Marka said. “This is something you cannot rush. There are tens of thousands of soldiers who must acclimate to the climate and gravity before being asked to fight.”

“Kelta is a high-gravity world!” Ninu said. “My people will need time to adjust to the spring in our step here.”

“Assuria’s atmosphere contains a high amount of sulfur.” Kingi added. “This world does not. My people will need to be issued respirators.”

“Same for my people.” Cetla said. “Micanawn’s atmosphere has a great deal more Carbon Dioxide and Methane than Earth. We will have to stay on our ships and deploy the droid army.”

The verdict was clear. With nearly two dozen alien species counted among its ranks, the GDF would be useless for at least an additional week while its troops acclimated to Earth. This was the one true disadvantage of a multispecies military. The only members of the GDF who were ready to fight at this very moment were Partogans, Hiigarans, Taiidani, Voor, and Micore Battle Droids. All others were written off... At least for now.

Somehow, the plan to assault Cape Canaveral would proceed.

…

The next day, Inez was woken up in the early morning by her father. She and Cassandra were dressed in semi-formal outfits and spent the next six hours participating in some formal ceremonies.

First and foremost, there was a signing ceremony in the former lecture hall of Disney University. Secretary-General Blake Robinson and Galactic Custodian Marka signed a legal document that formally ended the war between Earth and the Galactic Council. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of dignitaries from the UN General Assembly and the Galactic Council, while soldiers from both sides stood guard around the hall, dressed in ceremonial uniforms.

As soon as the signing ceremony ended, Cassandra looked around for familiar faces and spotted the Stormbreakers. She pointed and laughed.

“Corder looks so silly!”

Inez looked around and followed Cassandra’s finger. The Stormbreakers looked very out-of-place, standing among the GDF soldiers, each member of the team was dressed in a formal outfit. Ninu and Maui looked immaculate in long-sleeved suits, while Cetla’s scales could be seen pressing against the fabric of his clothes. Kingi scowled at everyone like always, seeming not to care about what people thought of his formal clothes.

Then Inez saw Corder. Not only was she stuffed uncomfortably into a woman’s business suit, someone attempted to brush her fur, only to make her look even more like a wildcat. Thoroughly disgruntled, Corder’s ears were flattened against her head and her tail flicked back and forth in a dangerous way. Corder snarled and bared her teeth at anyone who looked at her.

If Corder looked uncomfortable, then right next to her was somebody who looked perfectly at ease.

Varian Robinson had taken the opportunity to dress to the nines, and was wearing a dark blouse underneath a blazer, paired with a matching pencil skirt. Inez had never known Varian to dress so outwardly feminine... or in any way that could be described by a gender, for that matter. Varian looked comfortable and seemed to be enjoying themself. Just before Inez reached the Stormbreakers, Marcus Robinson walked by, leading Pascal Etienne by the hand. Marcus paused and looked at Varian for a moment, then paid his family member a small compliment before moving on with the former UN leader.

“So this is what it takes to make you dress up, huh?” Inez commented, giving them a friendly nudge. “Lookin’ good Varian!”

“Thanks.” Varian replied, speaking in a voice that was far more effeminate than their normally neutral tone. “My parents and grandparents told me that this is going to be a really historic week, and I needed to think hard about how I want the history books to remember me. So... uh...”

Varian trailed off.

“I’m kinda glad Cassandra’s not here.” Varian finished.

Inez, sensing she was close to a sensitive topic, looked around. Cassandra had wandered away, and was introducing herself to a group of Levakians. The lion-like aliens smiled at one another when Cassandra asked if she could scratch their ears.

“Why are you glad she’s not here?” Inez asked,

“Because she would be able to see through my disguise.” Varian replied. “I asked Jericho for help, and she put a Psionic illusion around me. Everyone sees me the way I want to be seen... the way I want to see myself.”

Inez mentally put two and two together in her head. Then she stepped back and took another look at Varian. For the first time, the full effect of the Psionic Illusion hit her. She could just barely see the androgynous form of Varian she had come to know, but overlayed on top of that was the image of a woman. If Inez allowed her mind to wander for even a moment, the illusion was restored to full effect, and Inez was immediately convinced that she was not looking at a genderless person named Varian, but rather a mousy-looking woman called Victoria.

“I never imagined Jericho could do something like this.” Inez gasped. “It’s incredible.”

“I’ve seen what she can do firsthand.” Victoria replied. “I totally understand why people think she’s a god, and why she’s afraid of her worshippers.”

Inez and Victoria turned around to look at Jericho, who was shaking hands with the Galactic Custodian.

“Just think, here in a few days, all this will be over.” Inez said. “What is Jericho going to do after the war? Heck, what are you and I going to do?”

Corder snorted.

“Victoria’s grandfather paid the six of us a pretty massive fee for our work.” She said. “As soon as we deal with the Paradox, I’m gonna buy a small planet in the Somtaaw Highlands and retire. I’m thinking an Arid World with lots of grazing animals.”

“Speak for yourself.” Ninu said. “Many of my siblings will be laying eggs in a few months. I am going to buy them premium spots at the best incubator facility on Kelta!”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Inez confessed. “Aside from the fact that I’ll be living with Cassandra, wherever we end up.”

Victoria grabbed Inez by the shoulder and gave her a little shake.

“Tell ya what, Nezzie. Ask your dad and sister if they wanna move to Honolulu. We’d love to have you as neighbors!” Victoria said.

“Don’t call me Nezzie.” Inez replied. “And… yeah. I’d like that.”

…

A few hours later…
Cape Canaveral, Florida

The Partogan Mothership Mahuika was so massive that her presence above Cape Canaveral could not be ignored. Her fifteen-kilometer wingspan obscured the UN base from view, hiding it from anyone in orbit. But as the sun started to set on yet another day of the tense military standoff, a shimmering point of light could be seen approaching from the west.

Up above, the Mahuika suddenly began to move, burning her engines hard while launching strike craft from her hangars. Down on the ground, Sophie Murphy, Klaus Eberhardt, Inez Vasquez, Rafi Bakir, Polly Spark, Yassen Ackerman, and Sidney Beauclair could hardly believe their eyes.

Yassen Ackermann looked very different from this time last year, when Sophie had last seen him. Yassen had gotten into a fight recently that left his right hand scarred and bandaged. He also seemed to be walking with a limp.

“I don’t believe it.” Commander Eberhardt said. “She actually got through.”

“Did she use the holograms or cloaking device? Yassen wondered aloud.

“From here, it looks like she used both.” Sidney Beauclair said. “Impressive. Doubly so since we know the truth now.”

While the Mahuika and her escorts burned towards Orlando, a single Partogan frigate flew in the opposite direction. The Partogan warship circled the base for a minute before coming down to land in a wide patch of grass, the former site of Launch Complex 39b. Only a short distance away, the historic launch tower of Complex 39a cast a long shadow into the Atlantic.

Even though powerful and high-ranking people surrounded her, Sophie Murphy avoided talking as the group made its way over to the landing site. She had managed to stay true to her word, and divulged the location of the Third Hyperspace Core to no one. The only person she spoke with was the only other individual who was close to her age. Inez Vasquez, the ISO armorer, pushed a cart containing a sealed box as she made her way to Pad 39b.

“Inez, you need help with that?” Sophie asked.

“No, no, I’m good.” Vasquez panted. “Besides, highly classified stuff in here you’re not supposed to know about. You know how it goes in the ISO: ‘knowledge is the most powerful thing in the Universe, get you killed or save your life’… or whatever the Director’s old saying is supposed to be. Did uh, did you come over with Beauclair?”

“No, I came alone.” Sophie said. “I’ve only met the whole team a couple of times.”

“You’re in good company.” Vasquez said. “I don’t get a lot of face-time with the group either. Just follow whatever plan the Director comes up with and you’ll be fine.”

The Vengeance had dropped her holographic disguise as soon as she landed. While she descended the boarding ramp, Director Scarlett Freeman was talking to a Navy officer.

“They’ve probably figured out the rouse by now, but they won’t dare open fire on us. Not now that they know we’ve got hostages. Go get a search team and scan every inch of this vessel. Don’t come back until you find that coward Sepulveda.”

The officer saluted and then turned around to carry out Scarlett’s orders. Then Scarlett arrived in the group of her allies. But things were different now. The truth was out.

“Director Freeman!” Commander Eberhardt said. “Or should we call you something different?”

“That depends.” Replied the woman who called herself Scarlett Freeman. “Are we all on the same side? Human supremacy at all costs? The restoration of the Gift? Liberation of Earth from alien influence?”

Sophie, Klaus, Yassen, Vasquez, Sidney, Rafi, and Polly all nodded.

“You’re in good company, Akira.” Said Rafi. “You don’t need to hide from us.”

And in that moment, the Psionic illusion broke. Akira’s allies could see her for who she truly was. The Paradox looked each of her allies in the face, as though reading their minds… which she was almost certainly doing.

“I know the situation. It’s grim.” Akira said. “Robinson and Ranginui outmaneuvered us. I think Robinson had this one in the works for a couple of years. Earth is lost and there’s nothing we can do for now. Beauclair, are we ready for the trip to Deneb?”

“Almost.” Sidney Beauclair replied. “We are fueling the Solaris, Confucius, and Zoroaster right now. Cargo is being loaded, and the live subjects have been moved to the Apollo Center.”

“How many live subjects?” Akira asked. “Two-hundred-forty-seven.” Polly Spark replied.

“And about thirty are combat-ready. They can plug the holes in the line while we escape.”

“Holes in the line?” Akira repeated. “What holes?”

“Our security contractors!” Yassen cut in. “All of the men from Shrike have deserted their posts.”

“The Mercenaries abandoned us when news of Alpha Centauri reached Earth.” Sidney explained. “They pointed at the images of those robotic starships and said something about ‘what we’ve been preparing for’ and ‘the time has come.’”

“Shrike has gone dark all over the Galaxy.” Yassen finished. “Their mercenaries have all broken contracts and are fleeting… somewhere. We don’t know much, but I do have intel that says their commanders and leaders have hunkered down inside of an underground base near Las Vegas.”

“How much of our base security team was made up of Shrike?” Akira asked, scratching her chin in thought.

“About ninety percent.” Rafi Bakir said. “That leaves just two hundred Space Rangers from my unit to guard the base. Ma’am, Cape Canaveral is almost five square kilometers, not to mention the vast area around the old Kennedy Space Center. Right now, as a Space Ranger, I promise you that we cannot secure this area with just two hundred men. It’s just too big. The enemy can simply go around my men and overrun the base.”

Akira looked concerned.

“The GDF could kill us all while we’re trying to take off.”

Akira folded her arms in thought. Throughout this whole conversation, Sophie had been slowly making her way toward Scarlett. She had her own mission that she needed to complete.

“Excuse me.” Sophie said in a meek voice. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Akira looked over at her. Now that Sophie could see Akira’s true face, she could see that, alternate timelines aside, Sophie and Akira really were blood relatives. There was a little bit of Chihiro Tachibana in Sophie and… well… her aunt.

“Did you do it?” Akira asked. “Is the Hyperspace Core safe?”

Sophie nodded, and then she started to say the coordinates out loud, but Akira stopped her.

“I can read minds, Sophie. I plucked the numbers out of your head a minute ago. You’ve done very well, and I’m proud of you.”

Blushing and smiling, Sophie stepped backwards into the group, where Akira’s allies welcomed her with warm words and high fives.

Akira looked like she had made up her mind.

“Alright. It’s time to be adaptable.” Akira said.
“Spark, I’m just going to assume Nezzie blasted my identity to the whole damn Galaxy. Liquidate everyone in the base who had a change of heart because of me.”

“Oh, is that what you were doing on the Vengeance?” Polly said. “We were wondering why it took you so long to get back here.”

“Beauclair, Eberhardt: you two coordinate the evacuations. I want the cruisers ready to fly as soon as possible. When can we take off and head for Deneb?” Akira said.

“Give us thirty-six hours.” Commander Eberhardt answered. “We’ll be ready.”

“Bakir, Ackermann: We need to hold off the GDF for thirty-six hours.” Akira said. “I have a surprise of our own we can deploy, but I want you to put five hundred troops on the defensive perimeter. Conscript any starship crews or base personnel you want, just so long as all of the holes are plugged. Do not use any of the test subjects. We need them for when we come back to Earth.”

Then Akira addressed the whole group.

“Thirty-six hours, people! I want this base empty by the day after tomorrow!”

…

Sophie was assigned to conscription duty. She ran from one building to the next, pointing at any man who looked like he was strong enough to hold a rifle and saying:

“Rafi Bakir wants to see you at the armory!”

The whole base was active as she did this. The evacuation was now in full swing as base staff worked to dismantle the Prometheus Engine and relocate it to the nearby cruisers. Vans and busses, each one loaded with alien children, moved between the Pediatric center and the Apollo building, where the abductees would be temporarily housed until the time came for the final escape. Sophie ran into the Vehicle Assembly Building, grabbing men and pulling them away from their work with orders to report to the armory.

Then, just before midnight, Sophie and the others were summoned to meet with Akira one last time.

…

Five-hundred and twenty-six feet above the ground, Akira and her allies opened the access door and stepped onto the roof of the old Vehicle Assembly Building. From here, they had a commanding view of the surrounding base and ocean.

Working together, Vasquez, Rafi, Yassen, and Eberhardt all managed to get Vasquez’ heavy case out of the stairwell and onto the roof. Akira looked up at the Mahuika, disgusted.

“By the time the GDF recovers from this, we’ll be long gone.” Sidney commented.

“They won’t recover at all.” Akira said. “Haven’t you been watching the news? The new Secretary-General is here. He’s in Orlando, making peace with the Galactic Custodian… and she’s there too.”

Akira smiled at the western horizon. There was a magnificent orange glow marking the location of Orlando. Behind her, Vasquez opened the case to reveal its contents. It was a newer version of the Prometheus Device stolen from the Apollo Center by Piper Russell a few months ago.

With help from Vasquez, Akira donned the metal backpack and activated the miniature Elerium reactor contained inside of it. Then she ran a series of cables from the generator to a pair of metal cuffs, one on each of Akira’s wrists.

“Robinson, Ranginui, the Stormbreakers…” Akira said. “Everyone is in Orlando tonight. The American leaders, begging for a seat at the table. Every UN commander who was too weak to join us. General Macavity and his staff, Eerabik and her new robot friends. Every conceivable threat to our species… everyone who could ever hold Humanity back… is right there in Orlando.”

Polly spat over the side of the building, showing her distain.

Akira activated her Prometheus Device. Holographic emitters flickered to life and turned themselves onto Akira. Her skin, hair, and outfit all began to change as the illusion came together.

“They think they’ve won!” Akira jeered. “They think they got the best of us, that Humankind will go back to the days of exploitation and subservience, back to their so-called ‘Galactic Community!’ And once they don’t have a common enemy anymore, they’ll just go right back to their petty squabbles and fight each other all over again! Their peace will be temporary and forgotten just as quickly.”

The holographic illusion was coming together. Akira was transforming into a beautiful woman with white hair and blue eyes, dressed in pearly white robes underneath a shining golden corset, while a cape billowed out behind her.

“And Jericho is there too.” Akira said. “I remember when she went to the Galactic Council during the war. She was asked if she would ever become a Psionic God-Emperor… and she refused! Jericho had the power to bring peace, true lasting peace! All she had to do was enforce order, and she could not do it! Now, we are going to rectify that.”

Akira raised one arm to the sky, pointing at the Mahuika above her.

“With this Gift of Psionics, Jericho could have forced an end to all conflict and strife. Jericho could have forced peace on those who refused it! All of the Galaxy was already united behind her, she could have done it! But since she won’t… I will become the Jericho that can! Jericho will rise from the flames of Hell and look down on a tortured Galaxy, calling out for someone to save it from itself!”

Sophie cheered.

“You are the true Jericho!” Sophie yelled. “You are real and that bitch who betrayed her people is the fake!”

“Yes!” Rafi chimed in. “We have the true Jericho on our side! That’s all we need!”

Psionic energy began to swirl around the rooftop. Arcs of green light snapped and popped through the air like lightning bolts. Sophie’s hair was caught up as though in a wind.

“When we return,” Akira declared her voice booming out across the cape, “And we will return, we will expel Robinson and his ilk from our planet. We will fight like the Reapers and Templars of the last war, with a fury none will be able to resist. We will retake what is ours! And if the alien menace tries to subjugate us again, we shall fight! Like William Carter fought in 1962, like Duane Gardner in 2036! We’ll defend our world from the xeno menace! We will fight on our soil, fight in the heavens, we will fight in the asteroid belts and the hyperlanes and in the nebulas! We will fight with growing confidence and strength among the stars!”

A point of green light appeared in thin air just above Akira’s hand. She pointed her palm upward towards the Mahuika.

“We are Humans! We will be superior, and we will never surrender again!” Akira cried out, and then pulled her arm back.

A tiny sphere of darkness appeared in the air above Akira. Despite its small size, it pulled everything in the area inexorably towards itself, like a miniscule black hole. With a great push, Akira sent the singularity flying into the heavens above, where it collided with the Mahuika!

The effect was instantaneous.

The Partogan warship was pulverized as the microscopic singularity tore through its hull and embedded itself somewhere deep within the starship. Mahuika’s armor buckled as the singularity began to implode the vessel from the inside. The sound it made was horrifying, like a freight train barreling headlong into a tornado.

With great noise, explosions started to erupt along the Mahuika’s hull. The warship was coming apart at the seams, looking less and less like herself with each passing moment. Crumpling up, the dorsal and ventral sides of the starship collapsed into themselves while the wingtips detached and fell several miles to the ground below.

“And now,” Akira cried out. “A parting gift to the traitors!”

Akira brought her arm down and pointed her palm towards Orlando.

With a nightmare-inducing sound, the Mahuika began to move. The wrecked mothership was being pulled along by the singularity tearing apart her insides. In seconds, the miniscule point of oblivion was moving too fast, and it tore out of the mothership to fly along its deadly path. At once, Mahukia exploded! Rent apart into a cloud of fire and debris, the shattered remains of the mothership flew across the sky in pursuit of Akira’s dark power. The fireball of Mahuika’s demise was nothing compared to what happened next.

Akira’s singularity, surrounded by the swirling wreckage of the Partogan warship, pulled other GDF starships into its wake. Frigates, Destroyers, and Carriers were all pulled to pieces. Armored vehicles on the ground were thrown into the skies, while the immense forces shredded soldiers limb from limb.

A trail of destruction followed the singularity across the Floridian Peninsula, but soon it passed out of Akira’s range. Her power could no longer sustain it. As the now-shattered city of Titusville was left behind, the singularity, enveloped in a cloud of debris, began to shrink and lose power.

Standing on the roof of the VAB, Akira fell to her knees, utterly exhausted. Panting, she sat up with the help of her allies. Akira, Sophie, Eberhardt, Yassen, Vasquez, Sidney, Rafi, and Polly all watched as the horrific constellation of metal and wreckage vanished over the horizon.

And then, they saw it. The distant orange glow on the horizon began to flicker. Akira stood up, bracing herself against Rafi’s shoulder. The distant glow seemed to become brighter, turning almost yellow. And then, white points of light were suddenly visible in the distance.

It was the city.

Torn up by their foundations, hundreds of thousands of buildings were flying up into the sky, drawn towards the flickering singularity. As they tumbled through the air, high-rises collapsed into glittering clouds of debris. Cars and trucks sailed into the sky, their lights flashing madly in the chaotic scene. Torn off the ground by the sheer force of Akira’s power, the City of Orlando and its fifteen million inhabitants rose high above the surface of the Earth, so far that it could be seen eighty kilometers away! Polly and Sophie screamed out loud and clapped their hands to their mouths!

Finally, the last of Akira’s power was drained. She slumped backwards, falling to the floor.

And as Akira fell…

So did Orlando.

<=== Chapter 39: Reichstag Revolution

Chapter 41: Hell is for Heroes ===>​

 

[Macavity116]

Well, this month has been one helluva ride. Next Tuesday I will graduate from Basic Leader Course and start heading home. By the time Chapter 42 is posted next Saturday, The Last Heroes will return to regular operations. New chapters will go live on Saturdays at 12noon and I'll be much faster responding to comments. I'll also have the time to check out what else is happening on the forum.

Speaking of next week...

The post below will be the last chapter before the final battle of the Stormbreaker Universe gets started. This story has come a long way since Mira Mihaka set out to find Earth back in March 2018, and I cannot thank you enough for reading it, in whole or in part. You, dear readers, are the reason this series enjoyed such a long lifespan. Thank you so much for reading.

Now then, here is the plan for the Rescue at Cape Canaveral, the grand finale of both The Last Heroes and The Stormbreaker Universe:

• Chapter 42: The Rescue at Cape Canaveral
  • Saturday, November 26
• Chapter 43: After Everything
  • Saturday, December 3
• Chapter 44: Faith in Chaos
  • Saturday, December 10
• Chapter 45: The Stormbreakers
  • Saturday, December 17
• Chapter 46: Journey's End
  • Sunday, December 25

<=== Chapter 40: Angel of Death

Chapter 42: The Rescue at Cape Canaveral ===>​

Chapter 41
Hell is for Heroes​

December 24, 2086
Orlando, Florida


Noises and color swirled above Inez. She tried to reach them, but something was pinning her arms. As she strained and struggled against whatever was holding her down, Inez felt cold water running across her forehead.

“She’s alive!” A voice called out. “Hold on Nezzie! We’re gonna dig you out.”

Slowly, things started to come back into focus. Only a few minutes ago, Inez had been standing in the meeting hall of Disney University, showing off her new Shadowkeeper pistol to Chris Wright. Then, there was a chaotic crash, and now Inez was buried underneath concrete and drywall. The building had fallen to pieces around her. Flashlights and voices filled the space as survivors worked to rescue those trapped below.

“Don’t call me Nezzie.” Inez mumbled. “Who’s there?”

The face of a Levakian came into her view. The lion-like alien smiled at her, showing his fangs.

“My name is Munkustrap, I’m with the Emerald Institute.” He said. “Hold on, my team is digging you out now. Honeydew, von Richtofen! Over here!”

A Human woman and a Saiiban male, both dressed in power armor, ran to Munkustrap and started lifting slabs of concrete off Inez.

The Saiiban known as Honeydew said:

“As soon as we clear this debris, you will be free!”

Inez could see her rescuers now. Honeydew was a great blue avian with iridescent purple plumage. Von Richtofen was a large woman with very short brown hair and a severe expression on her face.

“Where’s Cassandra?” Inez pleaded. “Where’s my sister?”

“I’m here!” Cassandra’s voice called out.

Inez was not sure if Cassandra answered via the Psionic link or if she had simply shouted. Either way, the young girl was scrambling over wreckage to reach the spot where Inez was being extracted. Like everyone else, Cassandra was covered from head to foot in dust. She looked like a ghost.

“What happened?” Cassandra cried. “What’s going on!?”

“Mahuika crashed into the city.” Von Richtofen said. “Slammed right into us at speed.”

“This time of night, I think about two million people may have just died.” Munkustrap confessed. “Perhaps more.”

Finally, Inez got free and was able to stand up again. She grabbed the Shadowkeeper off the ground and tucked it unto her blouse. While Cassandra wrapped her arms around her sister, Inez took a look around.

It was devastation as far as the eye could see. There was no way to recognize any nearby landmarks; they were all gone. Rubble from buildings and wreckage from vehicles was everywhere. Random starship parts were scattered about, still on fire. The flames provided most of the illumination since a dense layer of smoke blotted out moon above. Disney University itself was so effectively shattered that it was impossible to tell where the structure had once stood, or even what it looked like. Inez could see several hundred people milling about. Many were in shock and just wandered aimlessly. Others were calling out for survivors and digging into the rubble with their hands.

About fifty yards away, there was a large group of people gathered around… something. Each moment, more and more people joined the assembly. Some of them carrying bundles.

“Let’s go over there.” Inez said. “Find out what’s going on.”

Inez, Cassandra, and the three Institute members stumbled across the sea of wreckage and quickly reached the point of intrest. Before they drew level with the group, however, Inez reached up to cover her nose and gasped in revulsion. She could smell the death long before she saw it.

Hundreds of dead bodies, just dug out of the wreckage, were laid out in neat rows. People moved among them, trying to identify the dead. Mournful cries filled the air as some people found their friends and loved ones.

“No! Why, Sajuuk!? Why would you do this!?”

Ruunhan Somtaaw wailed at one corner of the field of death, refusing to let go of the lifeless body of Hahli Mihaka. Like everyone else, Ruunhan was covered in dust, but the tears running down her face cut shiny streaks below her eyes that shone disturbingly in the night. A group of Ancient Americans deposited the body of General Osmer on the ground, taking it in turns to clear the dust away from his face and uniform. Colonel Mason Sharp looked around for more of his people; he seemed to be frightened. Finally, a group of Mutons all sat in a circle, facing outward. It looked as though they were guarding the body of Crew Chief Magra.

“Oh, holy Jericho.” Inez breathed. “It’s a disaster.”

Inez had not seen the worst yet. Several soldiers, some of them GDF and others UN, called out:

“Make way! Make way!”

The group parted as a squad of troops arrived, carrying more bodies. Ruslan Shmyhal, the President of the UN Security Council, was laid to rest alongside the Director of the Emerald Institute, the unnamed dragon-like Advisor, and finally… the Galactic Custodian herself.

“Oh no!” People gasped and cried.

Queen Marka’s body was broken and mangled, but she was still recognizable. Her silver hair, now saturated in dust, looked even more ghostly now than before.

“So, Ragoba’s dead, and so is the Director.” Said von Richtofen. “What do we do now?”

Inez cast a confused look at the Institute fighters.

“Ragoba was our squad leader.” Honeydew explained. “He was of honorable demeanor.”

Inez was devastated. She barely knew any of these people, but in the short time she had, she grew to respect many of them. It caused her genuine pain to see the Galactic Custodian dead like this. The woman had fought so hard to end this war, only to end up broken in the wreck of an Old World school. Marka did not deserve this. No one did.

Inez felt a tug on her skirt. She looked down at Cassandra.

“Does this mean you won’t go to Canaveral after all?” Cassandra said. “What about the other kids?”

“I… I don’t know, Cass.” Inez confessed.

Suddenly, Cape Canaveral seemed so very far away.

“Just… just for now, let’s try to get back to the Grey Phoenix base.” Inez told her sister. “We can figure things out from there.”

As the two girls started to depart the scene, Inez noticed the trio of Emerald Institute members were following them. She did not object. Where would they go, anyway?

Inez had no way of knowing what direction she was headed. Smoke obscured the sky and the city itself was flattened. She simply started walking over the debris toward the next glowing light. She could see it; just over a hill of plaster, metal, and drywall that was probably a building yesterday. Inez started to climb the hill, but another tug at her skirt caused her to stop. Cassandra was pointing back toward the field of dead.

Somehow, Inez had missed two groups of people she knew well. And now… she found herself wishing Cassandra had not spotted them.

The Wolverines and Stormbreakers were together, the former group having just arrived on the scene. Cassandra pulled Inez along as she walked towards them. As Cassandra pulled Inez into the group, Jay, Lawrence, and Cera set down a body that was so badly destroyed it was impossible to tell who it used to be.

“No, no. There’s nothing you can do.” Jay said. “She’s gone.”

Inez felt her heart drop into her stomach. It was Piper Russell. Just the tone in Jay’s voice was enough to confirm it for her.

“Hey, Ridge.” Victoria said. “We need another pair of hands, can you help us out?”

Inez, almost in a daze, followed the Stormbreakers and Wolverines over the ridgeline to an even worse scene. The Robinson family was here, or what was left of it anyway. Himawari was weeping over the bodies of four men while her father, Blake, held to her tightly. Both Blake and Himawari were visibly injured. Two Saiiban soldiers sprayed their wounds with Nanomedikits, pleading with the two Humans to hold still.

This time, Inez could no longer bear the traumas of the night. She fell to her knees alongside Himawari when she realized just who the dead men were:

Pascal Etienne.

Robert Lansing.

Amako Patariki.

Marcus Robinson.

In one fell swoop, Himawari was robbed of both her husband and her only sibling. Blake Robinson had lost his only son.

“Not like this.” Blake muttered under his breath. “Not like this.”

“Inez!” Victoria cried out. “Lawrence! Over here! We need help!”

Inez looked around to see what was going on. The Stormbreakers and Wolverines were digging frantically at a pile of rubble.

“He’s still alive!” Corder panted. “Hold on down there! We’re coming to you.”

Inez scrambled to her feet and joined the dig. Cetla, Corder, and Kingi were the strongest of the group and carried away huge slabs of concrete while everyone else focused on smaller bits of wreckage.

“There’s two more people down here with me!” A Levakian voice called out. “They can’t breathe! Hurry!”

Munkustrap, Honeydew, and von Richtofen all joined in. In seconds, they could see faces.

General Macavity of the GDF dug his claws into the drywall and pulled himself free. Following him out of the hole was a man dressed up as an American Resistance fighter and Emanuel Espinosa.

“Dad!” Cassandra and Inez cried out before hugging him.

“I thought we lost you!” Inez sobbed.

“And you might have.” Emanuel replied. “If it weren’t for mister Marrah here. He doesn’t lose his head in a crisis.”

Jay, Lawrence, and Cera all greeted the American named Marrah very warmly.

“This is the guy!” Jay said. “He led the Chippewa cell back in Michigan when we took Alpena! It’s great to see you again, dude. When the hell did you get to Orlando?”

“About an hour before all this went down.” Bradley Marrah replied. “I brought about thirty Chippewas with me but… I think they’re buried under all this.”

He gestured around.

“Killed before they got to fight. It’s a real shame.” Bradley said.

So, this really was it then? Inez, like the others, was so preoccupied with digging out survivors and mourning the dead that the greater implications of what had just happened were only now starting to sink in. She looked around once more, and the full weight of the situation finally hit her.

Orlando was destroyed.

A city of fifteen million people was suddenly and violently wiped off the map, and with it, the majority of the combined military force that would have assaulted Cape Canaveral. Several GDF leaders were dead, including the Galactic Custodian herself. The Mahuika was also gone, meaning there was now an opening for the Paradox and her allies to escape from the base.

It was all over. Akira had won.

Despairing, Inez sat down and put her head in her hands.

The Stormbreakers, Wolverines, Institute fighters, and Robinson family members all sat down together, overwhelmed by the night’s events. Maui raised his smart glasses to his face. They were cracked but still functional. He saw that it was just past midnight on December 25th.

Today was the anniversary of the Battle of Archer’s Canyon, the great moment where Whetu Kealoha, the first Partogan Queen, led her people to a glorious victory against a superior foe.

Maui remembered his history lessons on Aoraki. He remembered the words of Tohunga Nixie, passed down from generation to generation, about how Whetu assaulted the Snowskin fortress, fending off enemies who wielded weapons she had never seen before. During the Wars of the Famine, Whetu was motivated by the knowledge of what would happen if she failed. Partogans and Levakians alike would have died out. All would be lost.

Now, the men and women huddled together in the ruins of Orlando found themselves in a similar crisis. The Paradox held every advantage: Numbers, weapons, and Psionic power. Her enemies were laid low, disorganized, and crippled beyond the ability to fight or even prevent her escape.

The war truly was over, and Akira was (at the last second) victorious.

A conversation, soft at first, began to fill the air among the group. Some fighters were trying to discuss a plan for what happened next, in the face of this disaster.

Secretary-General Robinson wanted Emanuel and Inez to flee north, taking Cassandra with them. He (accurately) pointed out how lucky everyone was that the sudden destruction of Orlando had not caused Cassandra to transform and go on an Emerald Avatar rampage. Emanuel pointed out (also accurately) that Cassandra recently displayed control over her powers for the first time. He also said that protecting the young girl should be prioritized over all else.

Ninu wanted to gather up as many fighters who were able and willing and then launch an assault on Cape Canaveral regardless of the massive disadvantage. Emma von Richtofen told the group she wanted to contact the Galactic Council and seek new orders. Jay, Lawrence, and Cera all wanted to scatter and go back into hiding, in preparation for yet another guerilla war.

Finally, though, someone brought up a topic that needed to be discussed, but was being avoided.

“Where’s Jericho?” Cetla asked. “The last time I saw her was at the signing ceremony, about fifteen minutes before the roof caved in.”

Lawrence stamped his foot on the ground.

“She’s probably buried under all this.” He admitted. “And as much as I hate to say it, I think Jericho is dead. There’s no way a frail old person can survive something like this.”

“I did.” The voice of Secretary-General Robinson forced everyone to fall silent. “And Jericho has survived far worse than a building falling on her. None of you saw her at the Battle for Earth, or the War in Heaven. It will take an act of God to kill that woman, I assure you. And if you want proof that Jericho is still alive, then take a look at my grandchild.”

Victoria blushed as all eyes suddenly fell on her. Instinctively, she curled up into the fetal position, covering herself as best she could. This was not really necessary: as while Victoria’s dress was nearly destroyed, she was still covered from head to food in dust.

“I don’t get it.” Emanuel said. “What are we supposed to be seeing?”

“Search your memories. Has my grandson always looked like that?” Blake replied, putting a lot of emphasis on the word “grandson.”

Inez was the first person to understand.

“The Psionic Illusion!” she gasped. “Victoria! I… I mean, Varian! You’re still under Jericho’s illusion! We can still see your real self!”

Victoria looked down at her own arms and pulled at the hem of her tattered dress.

“Holy shit.” Victoria breathed. “So… wait a minute…”

“Jericho is still alive and maintaining the illusion.” Blake said. “My wife is holding down the fort in Berlin and thank goodness for that. But if Chihiro were here, she would tell you about her own experiences with the Gift. She would point out that keeping up an illusion like this is not a challenge, especially if one is experienced. Jericho is maintaining the illusion subconsciously. She’s probably not even aware of it.”

General Macavity nodded.

“If that’s the case, I need to gather up some soldiers and start digging. We need to get Jericho out of wherever she’s trapped!”

Ninu sprang to his feet, looking excited.

“Good idea.” He said. “While you do that, we’ll go to Canaveral and hold the Paradox down until you can send Jericho with some reinforcements!”

A dumbfounded silence occurred as everyone looked at the tiny lizard.

“I’m sorry… what!?” Said Cera. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, little guy, but we are in no shape at all to fight anyone, let alone the Paradox.”

Ninu sighed.

“I know that.” He admitted. “But the alternative is unacceptable. Right now, Akira has Psionic weapons, soldiers that are loyal to her, and total impunity to use both. To say nothing of those three star cruisers.”

Ninu clambered on top of some wreckage, looking down on his seated audience.

“You’ve got to remember we’re not alone out here. The Galactic Defense Force still has units all over the Sol System. They will have seen what happened and will come to our aid. Thanks to Stormbreaker Robinson and Stormbreaker Tachibana, the UN government is slowly coming around to our side again. We can expect help from them too. But what good is that help if it arrives after the Paradox makes her next move?”

Inez felt her heart swell with affection for this little guy, and she stood up to join his plea.

“He’s right!” Inez said. “My mom has the advantage right now, but we can take that away from her. All we need to do is get to Canaveral and take those kids out from under her nose. They are the key to Prometheus! If mom thinks someone is making a move to take the kids, she’ll drop everything to protect a crucial part of her plan. We’ll keep mom’s focus on us until the cavalry arrives.”

“There’s only a handful of us left.” Munkustrap said. “You’re talking about a suicide mission. Akira has got her own personal army in that base. You really think a couple dozen lightly armed folks can break in and secure over two-hundred children?”

“Fifty-three people brought down the entire ADVENT Army.” Secretary-General Robinson said. “I was one of them. Do not doubt your own abilities.”

That was enough for Inez. She walked out of the group and turned back.

“I’m going to Cape Canaveral.” She said. “I’m going to keep my mom busy until General Macavity brings backup. Who is coming with me?”

All six Stormbreakers, the three remaining Wolverines, Emanuel, Bradley Marrah, the two Saiiban soldiers, and the trio of Institute fighters all rose to join Inez. They were committed to the fight now.

Now that Inez had a fighting force, all she needed was a way to get to Canaveral from here. That was going to be difficult. The spaceplanes Ark Angel and Niagara were nowhere to be seen. They were either buried or destroyed. The transportation issue was solved, however, when word of the renewed plan to assault Canaveral reached the other group of people Inez saw earlier.

Several other survivors volunteered to join Inez’ self-styled suicide mission.

Ruunhan Somtaaw volunteered at once, bringing along a Hiigaran man who worked as a crewmember aboard the pirate ship Ashoka. Colonel Mason Sharp joined as well, bringing a fellow Ancient American with him. Finally, with a great crashing sound, Eerabik showed up, riding on the shoulders of a Baterra warform.

The machine stood about eight feet tall. While it was not as tall or imposing as a Sectopod, it was better than no mechanical help at all.

Finally, the Mutons and Andromedons of Grey Phoenix were able to pull Shipbreaker Karfu away from the body of Crew Chief Magra. Karfu not only volunteered for the mission, she also brought good news about a transport.

“If it’s still there in the junkyard, you might be able to fly the Kakama.”

Several Mutons and Andromedons volunteered to stay behind with General Macavity and Secretary-General Robinson. They would dig Jericho and any other survivors out of the rubble, and then send reinforcements to Cape Canaveral as quickly as they could. General Macavity promised to lead the charge personally. But before the party left, the Mutons and Andromedons handed over their weapons. Inez and her allies walked away carrying Laser Rifles, Plasma Cannons, and Gauss Guns. Eerabik’s Baterra attached a railgun to its arm for good measure.

Leaving the wreckage of Disney University behind, Karfu led the party to a barren hole in the ground that used to be Clear Lake. Whatever destructive force attacked Mahuika and Orlando had lost power this far north of the city. Here, buildings and starship parts falling to the ground did most of the damage. Larger structures had managed to remain rooted to the ground. Inez felt sick when she realized how many bodies were strewn about the scene, illuminated by the flames of burning homes and cars.

For the third time that night, Inez felt a tug at her skirt, and this time it was very unwelcome.

“Cass!” Inez gasped. “What are you doing here? I thought I left you with Blake Robinson!”

“Couldn’t stay.” Cassandra mumbled, half-crying. “I don’t wanna lose you again.”

“You can’t go where I’m going Cass.” Inez said. “Battles are no place for little kids. You could…”

Inez wanted to say “You could get hurt.” But she knew Cassandra all too well. It was much more likely that Cassandra would harm everyone around her, friend or foe alike.

Cassandra picked up on her sister’s line of thought right away and began to cry.

“I don’t wanna hurt anyone!” Cassandra protested. “I’m not doing it on purpose!”

“Oh, I know that.” Inez took Cassandra’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “And I’m really glad for that. I don’t want you to be… well… a killer like me.”

Again, Inez had changed her sentence just before speaking it. Even so, she felt disgusted with just how much she was like her mother.

“Please don’t leave me.” Cassandra sobbed. “I promise I won’t hurt anyone!”

Inez hugged her sister, and an idea came to her mind.

“Hey, do you remember that moment at the beach? Where you were kinda floating around in your own bubble?”

“Uh-huh. Yeah.”

“Can you do that again?” Inez asked. “Please? I would be so happy if you could do a Psionic shield again. That way I’ll know you’re safe.”

…

The Grey Phoenix base was a wreck. A multistory office complex had fallen onto the facility before smashing into millions of little bits. Clouds of paper billowed about in the darkness. But perhaps most crucially of all, the starship Kakama was still there.

The historic Partogan Frigate was looking even more battered than it did during both the Battle of Aoraki and the War in Heaven, but she was clearly intact.

“We don’t need her to go far.” Karfu said. “Just about eighty miles to Canaveral, and she’s rugged enough to survive a crash landing if push comes to shove. Well, Nezzie? What do you think?”

Inez squeezed Cassandra’s hand and then loaded her Shadowkeeper.

“Everyone load up.” She said. “We’re doing this. And don’t call me Nezzie.”

Twenty-three men and women, one Baterra, and one child clambered aboard the Kakama. As the aged vessel fired up her engines for one last journey, the team of rescuers made their introductions and got to know each other.

The group who would attempt the Rescue at Cape Canaveral was a motley crew, consisting of people from all over the Galaxy.

There were eleven Humans: Inez Espinosa, Lawrence Ridge, Jay Lansing, Cera Roberts, Victoria Robinson, Mason Sharp, Emanuel Espinosa, Bradley Marrah, Emma von Richtofen, and Ted Navarro. (a friend of Sharp)

There were three Saiiban: Claws of Honeydew came from the Emerald Institute, while Beak of Lavender and Plume of Maroon were with the Galactic Defense Force.

Two Hiigarans: Ruunhan Somtaaw brought Navin Soban from the Ashoka. She explained to her new comrades that Kiith Soban was the greatest warrior clan Hiigara had, and Navin could be trusted in battle.

Kingi, Cassandra, and Corder were all Hybrids, each one having genetic ties to the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth.

Eerabik, Maui, Cetla, Ninu, Karfu, and Munkustrap were the only representatives of their respective races: Ozkox, Partogan, Micore, Kelt, Muton, and Levakian.

Grim handshakes were shared around the old bridge as the Kakama’s nuclear power plant thundered to life one last time. Creaking and groaning, the old starship lifted off the ground in an almost reluctant manner. Her engines and armor made deep groaning sounds that warned the vessel could fall apart at any moment, and she lurch forward leaving behind a few scattered pieces of her engine bell as she went.

At stake this morning were the lives of two hundred alien children, and perhaps the final chance to stop Akira Robinson before she became unstoppable.

<=== Chapter 40: Angel of Death

Chapter 42: The Rescue at Cape Canaveral ===>​

​

 

[Macavity116]

I'm back!

---

The Emerald Institute was created by @Midnite Duke. Used with permission.

The Saiiban were created by @Chilango2. Used with permission.

Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician. Used with permission.

<=== Chapter 41: Hell is for Heroes

Chapter 43: After Everything ===>​

Chapter 42
The Rescue at Cape Canaveral

​

December 25, 2086
Merritt Island, Florida



The starship Kakama thundered across the Florida landscape. It would be a short journey from the ruins of Orlando to the UN base. Aboard the aging vessel, the occupants had only minutes to prepare.

Starting with Inez, Cera, Corder, and Victoria, everyone visited the Grey Phoenix armory two decks below. They discarded their formal outfits and donned whatever armor was available. Unfortunately, because Grey Phoenix was acting (until recently) outside of the law, the armory only contained the sort of gear one would expect guerilla fighters to use. Lightweight plate armor was the only protection available to the would-be rescuers.

Inez and Victoria each took a Spider Suit, an XCOM combat suit that was very badly outdated. Judging from the way hers looked and smelled, Inez would not have been surprised to learn it was manufactured in 2015.

“Without power armor, we’ll be vulnerable to poison gas and incendiary weapons.” Victoria commented.

“Then pray our enemy has neither.” Corder suggested.

Inez tied a holster to her leg and placed the Shadowkeeper in it. Victoria peered down at the weapon before looking back up at Inez.

“That’s my grandmother’s gun.” Victoria said.

“Yeah, your granddad gave it to me.” Inez replied.

Victoria paused. She looked as though she was trying to make sense of something. Then her eyes widened.

“Holy shit. I never thought of that. You and I are family… if you ignore Akira being from some other timeline, I guess.” Victoria said. “Try not to get killed, cousin.”

Lawrence, Jay, and Cera exchanged their guerilla fatigues for slightly more modern plated armor. Maui scanned the old equipment with his smart glasses and reported that protection would be minimal.

“Each of us can only withstand one or two direct hits from a plasma weapon with this armor.” He said. “We must try to avoid a direct confrontation if we can.”

“And how will we do that?” Asked Eerabik.

The Avian senator was riding on top of her Baterra escort. The giant robot stomped around the armory, too big to fit comfortably inside.

“We’ll use this.” Lawrence replied.

He moved swiftly to one of the equipment lockers and opened the door. He withdrew the strange contraption Piper brought back from Canaveral.

“That’s the portable hologram device.” Inez said. “The one my mom was using to create the False Jericho.”

Lawrence nodded.

“There’s a good chance Akira did not know Jericho was in Orlando.” Lawrence explained. “If we show this thing off, we might get a few of the base staff to realize just what kind of monster they’re working for and come over to our side. It’s worth a shot.”

Everyone murmured and nodded in agreement.

“Two minutes to Canaveral!” Shipbreaker Karfu called from the bridge. “We’re going to come in low and fast so the anti-air guns don’t get us!”

…

As the Kakama sailed over the ruins of Titusville, everyone got a glimpse of the wreckage below. Whatever force destroyed the Mahuika and Orlando had struck here as well. A trench was gouged into the town, so deep that it was starting to fill with water from the Indian River. Cape Canaveral lay ahead. On the bridge, Inez could look through the front window and see the lights of the Apollo Center.

An alarm sounded from the helm.

“We’re coming in too fast!” Karfu shouted.

At the helm, Ruunhan Somtaaw gripped the controls tightly.

“Nothing we can do about that.” She said. “It’s either this or get shot down! Everyone brace for a hard landing!”

Kakama put her nose down and dove.

Inez looked around the bridge and grabbed Cassandra, holding her tight. The Baterra warform braced itself in a far corner while the Emerald Institute team held onto its limbs. All three Saiiban fighters flapped their wings and took flight, grabbing onto the backs of chairs with their talons to hold steady.

Ruunhan leveled out the descent just a few feet from the ground, and then gently lowered the Kakama into the surface.

With a great roar, muddy swamp water splashed up and away from the starship before coming back down in a loud crash. Kakama lurched forward and then came to rest in the swamp. The aged vessel made a series of deep groans, and then several pieces of armor fell off.

“The ship’s coming apart!” Cetla yelled. “Everyone out!”

The twenty-four rescuers quickly moved to evacuate the ship. Ted Navarro, one of Colonel Sharp’s Native American allies, kicked open a boarding hatch and led the escape. Two at a time, everyone splashed down into the ankle-deep mud. Behind them, the starship groaned and creaked again. The engine bell detached from the old frigate and fell into the swamp, splashing everyone nearby. Cassandra screamed as slabs of armor plating broke free, sliding down the hull and into the mud.

Just as Eerabik, Cetla, and the Baterra got free of the shipwreck, the Kakama’s lights finally went out, and the two-century-old frigate was finally still.

“Is everyone here?” Inez called out.

She quickly took a headcount and verified that all twenty-four rescuers, plus one Baterra, were present.

“Not gonna lie, I really thought that ship was our ticket outta here.” Bradley Marrah said. The Michiganian resistance fighter looked worried. “How are we gonna get two hundred-some-odd kids outta here without it?”

“We can’t.” Inez said. “That’s why we left Macavity behind with the Levakians and Mutons. He’s going to put together a proper rescue party and then come get us.”

“He’s going to rescue the rescuers?” said Navin Soban. “Some plan.”

Ruunhan gave her compatriot a harsh look. The Hiigaran space pirate quickly changed his tune.

“But it’s the best plan we’ve got, so… uh… engines ahead full, I say.”

Inez tapped her leg to make sure the Shadowkeeper was still in its holster. Then she turned and started walking toward the distant lights of the Apollo Center.

“I know Rafi Bakir pretty well.” She said. “He’ll assume we’ll try to fix the starship before kicking off a rescue attempt. If we leave now, we can get to the kids before base security arrives.”

To her surprise, no one argued with Inez. The team moved out at once. Cassandra rode on Cetla’s shoulders, while Ninu rode on hers. Everyone else started squelching through the marshy ground, putting distance between themselves and the shipwreck.

…

The walk from Kakama to the Apollo Center was less eventful than Inez was expecting. She, and several other members of the party, were expecting to be ambushed or engaged by Base Security at any moment. To say nothing of the five-hundred Space Rangers stationed here. In a nightmare scenario, Inez knew that Rafi Bakir would be on the base, personally leading those elite troops.

Yet the minutes ticked by, and the group moved deeper into swampland surrounding Cape Canaveral. Whenever someone’s feet sloshed loudly in the muddy water, Inez was terrified they would be found out, but no enemies came. There were no searchlights, shouting, or gunfire. This only made her feel more apprehensive.

Inez looked around, checking in on her fellow rescuers. Peering up, Inez saw Cassandra. Her younger sister was riding on Cetla’s shoulders, turning her head from side to side as though she was scanning the horizon. Cassandra held onto Cetla’s head and muttered to herself:

“We’re invisible. We’re, like, totally invisible. The bad guys can’t see us right now.”

Six months ago, Inez would have witnessed this and failed to understand any of it. But things were different now. Inez knew about Psionic sensitivity, as well as the link between herself and Cassandra. Inez had to open her mind for just a moment before she perceived something. A kind of warm energy was radiating out of Cassandra’s body. It was not the same painful heat she gave off just before a transformation, but something else. Cassandra’s body was emitting Psionic energy… and she was making a conscious effort to control it.

For just a fleeting moment, Inez dared to hope that Cassandra’s power would tip the scales. Then she pushed the thought out of her mind. Asking Cassandra to use her power would be the same as asking the young girl to stand in the front line.

…

Up ahead, there were signs of activity. All three drydocks at the Apollo Center were illuminated, and the Prophet-class cruisers were being readied for launch. The Apollo building itself was abuzz. Even from three hundred yards away, it was possible to hear the noise and chatter of two hundred alien children talking to one another.

“We normally aren’t awake this late at night.” Cassandra commented. “They must be getting ready to move everyone.”

“Onto the ships, probably.” Inez said.

Then she turned to the rescuers.

“Stealth!” She hissed. “Everyone keep low and quiet. We need to hold the element of surprise for as long as we can. Eerabik, tell the big guy to hand back until we’re ready for him. Cassandra, when we get started, I want you to find the biggest, thickest tree and hide behind it. You stay there until I come back for you, understand?”

“But I-” Cassandra started to say.

“Stay behind the tree.” Inez insisted. “And if any bad guys come for you, use your Gift.”

Up above, there was a brilliant half-moon. There would not be enough light to reveal the rescuers until they came closer. Tall grass and cattails grew wild in the swamp, allowing Inez and her team to draw near without being spotted. Cetla held back. The sheer size of his body caused him to make sloshing noises in the water, but if a fight broke out, he could catch up and become a giant lumbering terror in the night. Corder and her Levakian comrade were right at home in these conditions, they slunk through the tall grass as though hunting, weapons at the ready.

Behind them, a UN Skyranger flew in circles above the Kakama crash site, trying to figure out where everyone had gone. But after just half an hour, the rescue team had reached the edge of the Apollo Center’s perimeter, and were hiding a dense grove of shrubbery and tall grass, just outside of the carefully manicured lawn.

As quietly as she could, Inez signaled a halt. Victoria and Lawrence carried the message to everyone else, and before long the whole team stopped and was holding position in their hiding spaces. The trio of Saiiban fluttered up and into a nearby tree, watching the scene from high up.

Inez picked out a large tree on the northwest corner of the complex, not too far from the backside of the Apollo Complex’s main building. In between the complex and the drydocks, there was an open grass field, and just over two hundred alien children were gathered together, dressed in winter clothing. The kids were huddled a massive group, standing together, while several men and women wearing base security uniforms patrolled the perimeter.

“Not much longer now.” Said a familiar voice. “We just need to get a few things straightened away and we’ll start loading the ships.”

Doctor Polly Spark was addressing the children, standing on top of a milk crate. While she spoke, UN operative Yassen Ackermann was holding a tablet computer up to her face. Polly adjusted her oversized glasses while she read whatever was on the screen.

Inez counted the armed guards and realized her team of rescuers actually outnumbered them. She turned to Lawrence and Victoria.

“Okay, here’s the plan.” Inez whispered. “Mom needs those kids for Project Prometheus. Without them, she doesn’t have her first generation of Psionic soldiers. There’s twenty-three of us and about ten guards out there. I need you to quietly tell everyone to get in position to spring an ambush. We’ll take ‘em by surprise and get the kids.”

“Then we hole up inside that building?” Victoria asked, pointing at the Apollo Complex.

“I don’t like it.” Lawrence said. “That building is too close to the starships Akira wants to escape on. Plus, we need a place Macavity and his forces can reach more easily. Like a building on a main road.”

“The VAB is your best bet.” Inez replied. “You can get there on major roads from the north and south, and you can see it from far away. Oh, and its huge.”

“How do they move two hundred kids around?” Lawrence asked. “There’s gotta be a bus nearby.”

“Two busses.” Inez replied. “They’re parked just over there, around the far corner of the building.”

She pointed to the east side of the Apollo Center.

“If we need to move the kids, the busses are easy to use, just hit a button on the console and the engines will start up.” She said.

“So that’s the plan.” Lawrence repeated. “Ambush, get the kids, move the kids to the VAB, hole up and wait for rescue. Yeah, I can do that.”

The group started to fan out, keeping to the darkness. Meanwhile, Polly Spark was talking into a two-way radio.

“Get the Director over here!” She was saying. “Tell her Ackermann found something she’ll wanna see.”

A UN Army vehicle started driving across the field. Inez could see it was some kind of armored personnel carrier, armed with a rotary laser cannon attached to its topside. The rescue party stopped moving and hunkered down, watching the vehicle warily. To her left, Inez heard the telltale slam of a car door. Then a group of figures came around the side of the Apollo Center, walking into the field. Inez gasped, remembering at the last second to cover her mouth.

The False Jericho was approaching. Now that she had seen the real Jericho, spotting the fake one was easy. Her snow-white hair and cape billowed behind her, yet there was no wind.

“That’s the Paradox.” Cera breathed. “She’s using that disguise again.”

“The Paradox is impersonating Jericho?” Ninu said. “No wonder my blood boiled.”

“Holograms?” Eerabik hissed.

“Yeah, holograms and maybe some other energy fields.” Professor Espinosa replied. “She can fake Psionic powers with that thing too.”

“Don’t rule out real Psionics.” Karfu warned. “That thing works as an Amplifier, too.”

“Shh!” Inez hissed. “Look over there.”

Two of the guards approached the armored personnel carrier and pulled its back door open. Six men and women were dragged out of the vehicle. They were all handcuffed and looked as though they were recently beaten. All six of them wore the uniform of the United Nations military. Inez saw two American men, a South Sudanese woman, a Chinese man, an Arabic woman, and a Ukrainian man all being marched out of the vehicle. With a jolt of the stomach, she recognized two of them.

Central Officer David Sepulveda had a split lip, but looked otherwise unhurt. Next to him was Adam Barter, a UN soldier Inez hooked up with several months ago. The False Jericho sneered at the group of prisoners, and David gave her an equally disdainful look.

“I do not need to guess.” The False Jericho said, speaking in a voice that just barely resembled Akira’s. “There is only one reason the six of you would be hiding in a refuse bin for days rather than face me. Out with it.”

“We know who you are!” Adam yelled. “You’re not Jericho, and you’re not Scarlett Freeman either. You’re the Paradox. You blew up Asalele! You killed Makara Ranginui, Ignatius Petoskey, and so many other people!”

The False Jericho did not flinch.

“The Paradox is dead.” She said. “She’s been dead for fifty years. How dare you show such disrespect to me, the one who fought and sacrificed to give you this world?”

“You’re not Jericho!” Adam yelled. “You’re a charlatan, a phony! A trickster in a hologram!”

Polly Spark and Yassen Ackermann closed ranks around the false Jericho, as did several of the security guards. They leered at Adam, many of them with homicidal expressions on their faces. Meanwhile, the crowd of children drew closer to one another, seeming to pick up on what was about to happen. Levakian cubs mewed and curled their tails between their legs. Vanians hid behind Mutons and Taiidani, while a Hiigaran pre-teen put his hands over the eyes of an Assurian girl.

The False Jericho looked around at the kids and her supporters.

“For you, this will be a lesson in obedience and respect.” She told the watching crowd. Then she addressed Adam. “For you, it will be your just punishment.”

Hidden in the bushes, Ninu grabbed his laser pistol and started to lunge forward, but Corder grabbed him.

“Are you nuts!?” She hissed. “We’re here for the kids! Don’t throw your life away.”

In any other circumstance, Inez would have agreed with Corder instantly, but this was different. She cared about Adam, and fear was causing her muscles to tense. She too was about to lunge.

The False Jericho stared into Adam’s eyes. His defiant glare met hers, and then the impostor spoke.

“On your knees.”

Adam did not more.

“I do not take orders from a monster like you.” He said.

When she spoke, the False Jericho’s voice sounded almost demonic.

“I said kneel.”

Adam’s eyes went wide and he clasped both hands to the side of his head. He fell to his knees, still holding onto his head, and cried out in pain! It was a strained wail that cracked his voice. Adam pressed both of his hands to his temples and screamed even louder. The other five prisoners took a step back, wincing at the miserable noises coming from their comrade.

Watching this scene from the safety of her concealment, Inez felt something deep inside of her suddenly snap. She realized that no one was going to save Adam, or David, or anyone else. She no longer cared if this was the best moment to interfere. Waiting would do no good anymore.

“Weapons!” Inez screamed at the top of her voice. “Hold your fire until I give the word. Follow me!”

The next moment, twenty-three fighters emerged from the darkness and stepped into the open field. Red and green lights from laser and plasma weapons illuminated the rescuers until they stepped into the floodlights with weapons raised. The mass of children saw the newcomers and panicked, screaming and shrieking to the heavens above. The base security guards started to raise their weapons, only to hesitate when they realized they were outnumbered. The False Jericho broke her gaze and Adam was released from whatever Psionic torture he was going through. Panting, he slumped to the ground.

In that single moment of surprise, Inez raised the Shadowkeeper, aiming with both hands on the weapon, Inez put the front sight directly over her mother’s chest, but she did not fire. Saving Adam was one thing, but the intervention came so early that Inez had still not built up the mental willpower to kill her own mother. Instead, Inez raised her voice and screamed:

“This madness ends right now! Mom, you are a liar and a murderer. You’re not Jericho, not even close to being the kind of savior she is. You’re a monster, you’re lower than the Beast! You are Akira Robinson! Everyone who knows the truth, over here!”

David Sepulveda, Adam Barter, and the other four prisoners quickly scrambled across the grass toward the rescue party, but they had only gone a few paces when, over their shoulders, Inez saw the one member of base security recover from their shock and start running to join Inez and the rescuers

“Cowards!” The False Jericho yelled. “Everyone who years for a free Earth and a strong Humanity, to my side!”

There was an earsplitting bang! A column of white light shot into the night sky before exploding into a ball of red fire that sank slowly back to the ground.

“Flares!” Bradley said. “They’re calling for reinforcements!”

“It’s now or never!” Maui added.

“LIGHT ‘EM UP!” Inez shouted.

Gunfire erupted on both sides of the battle line. Combatants dropped the ground, crawling for any over or concealment they could find. The huddled mass of children screamed and shrieked before turning and starting to run back toward the Apollo Center building. Inez pointed the Shadowkeeper at her mother and blindly pulled the trigger. The weapon made a noise like a cannon and belched a cloud of dense black smoke. At the same moment, a black-and-white blur shot past Inez on her right.

“Ishwar!” Cried out a familiar high-pitched voice. “Din! Nakula! Were are you!? Can you hear me!?”

Inez had no time to see who was talking, as at that moment, a laser bolt sailed over her head and she ducked to the ground.

“Check your fire!” Corder roared above the din. “We’ve got children in the line of fire! Watch your aim!”

The lights and sounds of gunfire were like that of a thunderstorm. Inez holstered the Shadowkeeper and drew her laser rifle. In the tall grass, saturated with early morning dew, she saw steam rising from the barrel of her weapon. Inez spotted a flicker of green light a short distance away, the muzzle flash of a plasma weapon. She squeezed the trigger of her own rifle and returned fire.

Mud and dirt sprayed up into Inez’ face! Someone had just tried to shoot her and missed by a narrow margin. Inez rolled over to one side and looked up just in time to see the Baterra warform and Cetla thundering into the fight while Eerabik and the trio of Saiiban flew above. The Baterra took aim with its railgun and fired a slug. The concussive blast of the weapon deafened Inez for just a moment, and when her hearing returned, she could hear the voice of Akira Robinson yelling:

“Retreat! Fall back now!”

After a few moments, the noise of gunfire died away, and there was only the sound of people panting and asking if everyone around them was alright. Inez stood up and took stock of the scene around her.

Akira Robinson and her supporters had fled the scene, but not all of them got away. Out of the original ten, four security personnel were dead on the ground. One man was blown away by the Baterra, while Corder and Munkustrap killed another. Victoria, Emanuel, and Jay brought down the third man while the fourth was dropped during the opening salvo and it was unclear who was responsible. Polly Spark was also dead. She was shot and killed during the first moments of the fight.

Among the rescuers, there was only one injury. Karfu had been shot in the shoulder by a Gauss Rifle, but in true Muton fashion, she was “shrugging it off.” Karfu’s sheer size and density meant it would take much more than a single gauss slug to bring her down.

David Sepulveda and four of his fellow prisoners came over to Inez’ side. Both of them felt a pang of guilt when they realized Adam Barter was killed by crossfire at some point during the fighting.

“I never saw who did it.” Inez confessed. “I’m sorry, David.”

“I’m the one who should be sorry.” David said. “I should have figured out who your mother really was long ago. She just…”

“She said a lot of things you agree with.” Inez said. “I know. I thought we were all on the same side for a while too.”

With help from Karfu and the Baterra, the prisoners were freed from their shackles and picked up weapons from the fallen. Then Victoria asked:

“Where’d all of the kids go?”

A high-pitched voice replied.

“We’re in here!”

Everyone turned toward the Apollo Center. Standing in front of the glass doors, Cassandra Espinosa waved both hands over her head to get the rescuer’s attention.

“We’re all in here!” Cassandra repeated. “Everyone’s okay!”

Inez felt her heart sink into her stomach. Now that she thought about it, she realized that it had been Cassandra who ran past her during the firefight. As the group ran toward the structure, Inez started to raise her voice to scold Cassandra from disobeying her, but Lawrence stopped her.

“Survive now, parent later!” He said. “We’ve got a bigger problem now, look over there!”

Just as she reached the building entrance, Inez looked around. Far away, on the horizon, a second flare was visible, burning bright red in the night. Someone had answered the first flare from a few moments ago. Maui quickly donned his smart glasses and looked around, taking in as much data as he could.

“Your mother put out a call for reinforcements.” Maui said. “And Rafi Bakir has replied. He’s going to bring a force of UN Space Rangers down on us in a few minutes.”

Inez did a quick headcount, realizing that the rescue party had expanded to twenty-eight members. Twenty-nine if she counted Cassandra.

“How many Space Rangers?” Inez asked.

Maui’s voice cracked as he replied:

“About five hundred.”

<=== Chapter 41: Hell is for Heroes

Chapter 43: After Everything ===>​

 

[Macavity116]

The Emerald Institute was created by @Midnite Duke. Used with permission.

The Saiiban were created by @Chilango2. Used with permission.

Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician. Used with permission.

<=== Chapter 42: The Rescue at Cape Canaveral

Chapter 44: Faith in Chaos ===>​

Chapter 43
After Everything

​

December 25, 2086
Cape Canaveral, Florida


Inez fought down a sense of panic as she walked swiftly through the Apollo Center basement. Alongside the other twenty-eight rescuers, she took a census of the many children they had just taken charge of. There were eighteen species present: Partogans, Levakians, Assurians, Kelt, Amadii, Vanians, Micore, Hiigarans, Taiidani, Vaygr, Saiiban, Morbuzakh, Tobari, Scyldari, Voor, Kel-Azan, Blorg, and Ozkox.

After some frantic headcounting, Inez, Victoria, Lawrence, and Eerabik agreed that there were a total of two-hundred-thirteen children in the Apollo Center.

“One Hiigaran frigate could take them all.” Ruunhan said. “We just need to hold out until Macavity gets here.”

“This building is not a good position to defend.” Colonel Sharp said from the stairwell. “To many windows, too many entrances, too close to those damn star cruisers. If we’re going to move to the VAB, it’s now or never.”

Inez clambered on top of a work bench and shouted for quiet. Getting two hundred youngsters to fall silent was easier said than done, and it took a few moments for silence to fall.

“Listen to me.” Inez began. “I know it may not seem this way, but we are here to rescue you and take you back to your families. But things are going to get much more dangerous before they get better. I need you to follow our directions, alright? To make sure nobody gets hurt tonight before they get to go home.”

“When I say give the word, you’ll follow my friends to the busses, and we’ll take you to the VAB.” Lawrence added.

Both Inez and Cassandra waved to get his attention:

“For stuff like this, we give the older kids some responsibility.” Inez explained. “It was part of mom’s plan to turn them into Psionic soldiers. Future officers and whatever.”

Cassandra cut to the chase. She jumped onto the table, raised her voice and said:

“Big kids, take charge!”

The haphazard evacuation began. David Sepulveda took the time to raid the storage room and get additional weapons and armor for the UN soldiers he defected alongside. Sergeant Rella introduced the other three soldiers to Inez: Corporal Shen Cai was born and raised in China, while Private Tahmin Ashkani was a Tunisian woman. Private Dmytro Rybak was Ukranian. All three had seen the message Inez broadcasted to the Galaxy and accepted the truth about Scarlett Freeman’s identity.

“None of us would have worked for the Paradox if we knew who she was!” Ashkani said.

The Stormbreakers and Wolverines worked to load the busses as quickly as possible, while Colonel Sharp and Ted Navarro kept watch for the enemy. Inez found Emmanuel, Ruunhan, Karfu, Eerabik, and Munkustrap examining the prototype Prometheus device. Someone had brought it along from the Kakama after it crashed.

“I saw the projectile enter here.” Karfu said, pointing at one of the bottom corners of the metal backpack. “The hologram flickered for only a moment, but it was quickly restored.”

“What are you doing?” Inez asked

“I don’t think you noticed,” Munkustrap said, “But during the firefight, your mother was wearing one of these packs. She was using it to sustain her fake Jericho getup.”

“The hologram emitter and Psionic amplifier, yeah, I know.” Inez said. “What about it?”

“Someone shot it.” Karfu said. “During the firefight, your mother withdrew from the fighting as soon as she realized her Prometheus device took a bullet. We think the pack she was wearing suffered damage, but we’re not sure how to exploit it.”

“Karfu’s not being honest.” Ted cut in. “We have an idea, but she and Professor Espinosa keep vetoing it.”

Inez folded her arms.

“Oh, out with it.” She said.

Ted and Munkustrap both pointed at the prototype.

“This thing has a functioning Psionic amplifier.” The Levakian said. “And your sister is Gifted.”

“No!” Inez yelled. “Absolutely not!”

“Hear us out, at least!” Ted protested, but Inez was having none of it.

“I’m not going to ask my sister to put herself in the middle of a gunfight!” Inez said. “That’s too far!”

“You don’t have to ask me.” A small voice said behind her.

“Cass is a kid, not a soldier.” Inez went on. “She’s too young to kill, or die for that matter.”

“Nezzie, would you just listen to me!?” A high-pitched voice rang out and caused Inez to falter.

Cassandra was right there, hands on her hips, looking defiant. Inez started to launch into another declaration, but Cassandra stopped her:

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Cassandra said. “I’ve hurt people before, I don’t like it. But Nezzie… I don’t wanna die, either.”

Inez felt the wind leave her chest. Of course, she had forgotten that despite her age, Cassandra understood the full gravity of the situation, and the eleven-year-old fully comprehended the fact that her life could end just a few minutes or hours from now. Cassandra’s voice cracked as she spoke.

“Nezzie, those bad guys are gonna kill us if they get the chance.” Cassandra said. “Please… I want… I don’t wanna…”

Tears welled up in Cassandra’s eyes, making them looking like shimmering emeralds. A dull light flickered in her body, turning on and off in perfect synchronization with Cassandra’s heartbeat. Inez sighed and relented, with reluctance.

Handling the device with care, Inez, Karfu, and Munkustrap helped Cassandra put on the Prometheus Device. The metal backback was held in place with leather straps and connected to the wrist cuff by a series of electrical wires. Cassandra tapped the Elerium crystal in the cuff to make sure it was fastened in place, and then she looked up at Inez.

“I can make those bubbles more easy now.” Cassandra said.

Inez remembered that day on the beach. Cassandra was talking about telekinetic shields. When this came to mind, Inez relaxed a little. At least her sister would be safe from harm, so long as she kept her cool and did not transform at such a crucial time.

…

Just when there were only about twenty children left to load onto the busses, Eerabik cried out from the rooftop.

“I see the enemy! Space Rangers approaching from the northwest!”

Bright red beams of laser fire lit up the night as the enemy opened fire on her. All of the avians took flight and vacated the rooftop, while the lone Baterra laid down suppressing fire with its railgun.

“Everyone aboard!” Inez yelled. “It’s now or never!”

Cetla, Kingi, Colonel Sharp, and the avians all rode on the rooftops, while everyone else piled into the cabins. Ruunhan drove the first bus while Lawrence took the second. As the two vehicles pulled away from the Apollo Center, Jay, Ted, and David ran to the back of the second bus and kicked open its emergency exit door, firing their weapons out of the opening. Aboard the first bus, Inez gave directions to Ruunhan.

“You’re gonna go southwest on the Kennedy Parkway!” Ienz said. “Then turn left just before you reach the old Boeing hangar. Turn right on Utility Road and it’ll take you directly to the VAB service entrance.”

…

It all seemed so easy.

As soon as the two busses turned onto Utility Road, the pops and snaps of gunfire sounded. Scattered members of Base Security opened fire as the vehicles raced by. Some of them were on ground level, others were on rooftops. Lawrence swore.

“Shit, we’ve gotta clear the building! Victoria! Take the Stormbreakers and the birds, secure the VAB rooftop! All Americans, with me to clear out the ground level. Everyone else, get those kids inside.”

“The Prometheus engine is inside a reinforced chamber!” Inez said. “The kids can hide inside of the bunker!”

The Baterra swung itself around and pointed its railgun at the VAB service entrance. The garage door was down and in the locked position. A single railgun blast rectified this, and the two busses powered into the VAB before coming to a screeching halt. Everyone debarked as quickly as they could. Victoria and the other five Stormbreakers started the long climb up the staircase to reach the roof, while Eerabik and her Saiiban companions flew up to get there first.

“Kids! Hit the floor!” Colonel Sharp suddenly yelled. “Everyone drop!”

Panicked screaming filled the air as all of the children threw themselves down to the floor. Sharp pointed towards one of the vertical bay doors before firing his plasma rifle at it.

“Enemies on the East side!” Sharp said. “They’re moving to flank us!”

Inez, Bradley, Emma, and Sergeant Rella raised their weapons and fired through the wall, but did not dare approach.

“This is a terrible place to have a gunfight.” Sergeant Rella commented. “The building is too wide open, with no cover aside from the bunker in the center.”

“Speaking of the bunker,” said Tahmin Ashkani, “Someone removed the Prometheus Engine from inside of it. We can fit all of the kids, plus ourselves if we need to.”

“Put the kids in there now.” Inez said. “The rest of us need to take defensive positions around it. If we all cluster up, my mom can hit us all at once.”

Inez was thinking about that night in Michigan, so many months ago, when her mother had incapacitated the Stormbreakers and Wolverines in less than a second. The two teams of fighters were grouped together in a single room. Inez knew this disaster could not be repeated tonight.

The discussion was interrupted by the sounds of gunfire and shouting from the rooftop. From down here, there was nothing Inez could do but listen and hope.

…

Five hundred feet above, the Stormbreakers burst onto the rooftop, ready to help Eerabik and her companions.

“Hostiles!” Kingi yelled.

There were seven people on the rooftop, all of them armed. The rooftop defenders were already shooting at the avians when Ninu, Corder, Maui, and Cetla erupted through the door with guns blazing. Victoria spotted a contraption on the roof behind the enemy and felt her heart drop into her stomach.

“Someone smoke that Hyperwave!” Victoria yelled. “They’re calling for help!”

Kingi raised his rotary plasma cannon and spun up it up. A moment later, all four barrels spat green bolts toward the device. The Hyperwave Relay exploded; sending sparks flying in all directions. Eerabik, Beak of Lavender, Plume of Maroon, and Claws of Honeydew descended upon the device and started pushing it towards the edge of the building.

“No!” screamed the smallest of the enemy soldiers. “Stop right there!”

Victoria turned to see a young woman, no older than eighteen, running towards Eerabik. The avian senator had no idea she was about to be shot in the back.

“Freeze!” Victoria yelled. “Stop, or I’ll shoot!”

The young woman fired wildly at Eerabik, sending plasma bolts sailing high over her. Victoria raised her laser rifle, aimed down the sights, and squeezed the trigger once. A single beam of bright red light sailed through the darkness and struck the attacker squarely in the chest. The young woman let out a faint “oh” and crumpled to the ground.

“SOPHIE!!” Another voice screamed.

Victoria had only a moment to react before two people tackled her. It was Inez Vasquez, and Yassen Ackermann. Both of them wrestled the weapon out of Victoria’s hands before pulling her towards the edge of the building!

“How could you!?” Vasquez shouted in Victoria’s ear. “She’s a kid!”

“I need help!” Victoria called out.

A moment later, Corder pounced. Vasquez and Ackermann both released Victoria and tried to face the new threat. Corder snarled at them both, causing the enemy to each take a step backwards. But Vasquez moved in the wrong direction. With a strangled cry, she accidentally stepped over the edge and fell off the roof, tumbling five hundred feet to the ground below.

Perhaps realizing that he was seconds away from a similar fate, Ackermann lunged forward and grabbed Corder around the neck! Corder snarled, clawing and biting every inch of him she could reach. A moment later, Eerabik and Claws of Honeydew both landed, one of each of Ackermann’s shoulders. Digging their talons into his body, they pulled Ackermann off Corder and with a great flap of their wings, sent the man over the side and to his death.

Finally, the rooftop was clear, or at least, the fighting was stopped.

“Oh, holy mother of Jericho!” Ninu gasped. “Vicky, get over here!”

Victoria broke away from Corder and raced to Ninu’s position. The little lizard was holding the hand of the young woman Victoria had shot only moments before. Victoria looked into her eyes, and felt as though the entire world was crashing down around her.

It was Sophie Murphy, her half-sister.

Victoria fell to her knees and grabbed at her step-sibling.

“What… I don’t… what happened!?” Victoria could barely speak. “I need a Medikit here! Someone, please!”

Sophie squeezed Victoria’s hand to get her attention. Victoria looked down to see her sister’s mouth was moving, but only the slightest whisper came out. She leaned in close, so that she could hear every word:

“Forty-nine degrees… thirty-six minutes… fifteen-point-eighty-three… seconds… North.” Sophie whispered. “Three degrees… three… deg… three… th…”

Sophie’s final breath caught in her throat as she desperately tried to force more air into her lungs. She strained and struggled to get those last few words out as her body failed…

…

Inez could hear Victoria’s anguished scream from the ground level, and she felt a new wave of fear wash over her. She could only hope that her cousin was unharmed, though that seemed unlikely right now. Even so, Inez now had a much bigger problem on her hands.

“We’re surrounded!” Navin Soban reported. “Space Rangers are taking up positions in the buildings around us, and we’re got nine Sectopods coming up the Parkway from the south. They’ll be on us in just a few minutes!”

Karfu, Dmyro Rybak, and Emma quickly scrambled to get the last of the children into the bunker. Lawrence started pointing out places along the building that could be turned into defensive positions.

“Macavity is coming!” He said. “We just need to hold out!”

Inez looked around and saw Jay trying to barricade one of the doors. She moved to join him but felt a small hand tugging at her arm.

“Wait a sec!” Cassandra was saying. “I can help!”

Inez fought down the urge to tell Cassandra to go inside of the bunker.

“Okay, how can you help?” Inez said slowly.

“I… I think I can put a bubble around the building.” Cassandra replied. “This amplifier is supposed to make my powers stronger, right?”

“Kind of, yes. Amplifiers don’t give you extra powers; they just increase whatever you already have.” Inez replied. “You really think you can shield everyone here?”

Cassandra nodded. She looked apprehensive, but Inez could detect a small undercurrent of confidence deep within her little sister. Reluctantly, Inez agreed.

…

Outside, Rafi Bakir stood in the parking lot by the ruins of NASA’s once-famed countdown clock. Behind him, the historic launch sites could just barely be seen. In front of Rafi, he could see most of the Kennedy Space Center. One of his assistants pointed out the buildings surrounding the VAB. Rafi could see Space Rangers taking up positions on their rooftops and on the roads surrounding the facility.

“We have a report.” Said the assistant. “Thermal optics tells us that all of the xeno kids are inside of the Prometheus bunker, and the bunker itself is now sealed. All remaining contacts at the VAB are hostile.”

Rafi folded his arms and smirked.

“Good.” He said. “Now we can engage them without restraint. Give the word for all soldiers and Sectopods to open fire. Do not enter the structure, shoot the hostiles through the walls. We’ll deal with the xeno kids once the Stormbreakers and their friends are dead.”

At his words, the darkness lit up once more. Hundreds of rifles, machine guns, cannons, and other lethal weapons opened fire. The sound of the attack rolled across the compound like thunder. Flashes of laser and plasma weapons briefly turned night into day. Nearly five hundred soldiers aimed their weapons at the VAB, shooting blindly into the façade in hopes of killing Inez and her friends through the walls; and the structure was being attacked from all sides. There was nowhere to hide for anyone within.

Rafi watched the attack play out with some satisfaction, but he was distracted when his assistant raised his radio to listen to a message.

“Intel, this is First Platoon. How many hostiles did you say were on the roof?” Said a voice on the radio.

The assistant quickly replied:

“First platoon, Intel here. I told you there were ten hostiles on the roof: Four Avians, plus the six Stormbreakers.”

“Negative.” Replied the First Platoon leader. “We count eleven now. A girl just appeared up there. Not from the stairwell. She just… appeared… out of thin air. We, uh… I don’t know how to say this but… that girl who just popped outta nothing… she’s…. she’s…!”

Rafi did not need to listen to the radio anymore. He could see for himself. On the roof of the VAB, he… and everyone else for that matter… could see a brilliant point of yellow light, one that seemed to be growing brighter and brighter with every passing moment. All nine of the Sectopods stood up to their full height, turning their heavy cannons against whatever this thing was. But Rafi, from his distant vantage point, could see what others could not.

Laser beams, plasma bolts, and Gauss slugs were flying towards the strange glowing light but none reached their target. They were being deflected! He could see each projectile take a hard ten-degree turn in midair, missing the target by a wide margin. Beam weapons were even more apparent, bending and refracting in midair as though striking a mirror.

“Cease fire!” Rafi yelled. “Everyone hold your fire!”

The order went out, and after a few moments, all of the guns at the Kennedy Space Center fell silent. For just a few short seconds, the source of light atop the VAB was so intense that the whole scene was lit up as though it were daytime. The sky above was blue and the stars absent. Long shadows were casted from the VAB in all directions, and Rafi felt so warm that he wanted to take off his armor.

Then, as quickly as it appeared, the light went out. Cape Canaveral was plunged into darkness once more. Up above, the stars winked back into view.

…

Inside the VAB, Emma let out a cheer.

“They quit firing!”

All of the other rescuers, who were starting to appreciate just how narrowly they had escaped death, joined her. The VAB was in ruins. Thousands of holes were punched in the wall by weapons fire. Metal scaffolding, pulverized by laser beams, had fallen to the floor. Smoke and flames crawled up the southern wall, and yet…

No one was dead. Nobody was even so much as hurt.

“That was insane!” Navin yelled, “We should all be dead by now! What happened!?”

The answer was standing just to the side of the Baterra warform.

Cassandra was bracing herself against Inez, struggling to remain standing up. Both of her arms were extended out from her, and she looked a little like an Old World crucifix. Cassandra’s body was flickering intensely as Psionic energy rippled out from her. Inez could tell she was suppressing an imminent transformation.

“Okay, Cass. That’s enough.” Inez said. “That’s enough!”

Cassandra lowered her arms, took a deep breath, and collapsed to her knees. Green lights continued to flash inside of her torso, but with less intensity. Cassandra bent over and rested on her hands and knees, panting heavily, her long black hair fell over her face, hiding it from view.

Inez put one hand on the back of her sister’s head.

“You did great, Cass.” Inez said. “I guess I misjudged you. I’m sorry.”

…

Up on the rooftop, The Stormbreakers, Eerabik, and the trio of Saiiban were staring dumbfounded at one particular spot on the roof. Corder’s jaw hung open, as did Cetla’s and Maui’s.

“Was that… who I thought it was?” Eerabik breathed.

“I hope so.” Kingi replied. “I pray to every god or spirit ever imagined that we just saw… who we thought we saw.”

A distant noise roused everyone from their shock.

“Look!” Corder cried out. “Look to the north!”

Even in the darkness of the night, there was no mistaking the shimmering form on the horizon. A column of battle tanks was thundering at high speed down the main road! Maui quickly put on his smart glasses and scanned the incoming vehicles. His heart leapt with joy so much that he jumped into the air and cried out:

“It’s Macavity! He’s brought the GDF!”

The joyful news quickly made its way throughout the whole VAB, and all twenty-nine defenders raised their voices in celebration!

A formation of nearly a hundred armored vehicles from the Galactic Defense Force raced down the road toward the Kennedy Space Center. Taiidani battle tanks formed the vanguard, while Voor and Scyldari hovercraft formed the main body. Partogan artillery brought up the rear. At the very head of the formation was a Levakian Siege Tank, a massive hovercraft with a railgun mounted on its turret. General Macavity of the GDF was standing up in the commander’s seat, his head sticking out of the turret. In his left paw he wielded a Slugthrower rifle, while in his right he carried the flag of the Partogan-Levakian Commonwealth.

Leading his formation from the front, Macavity urged the GDF column forward, towards the space center, but his allies on top of the VAB could see something he did not.

“Oh, no!” Eerabik shouted. “Look out!”

With a great roar that drowned out all other noises, white flames rose up from the drydocks near the Apollo Center. Silhouetted against these flames, three shapes rose into the night sky. It was the Prophet-class Command Cruisers.

“Oh, holy Jericho!” Victoria gasped.

One by one, the Solaris, Confucious, and Zoroaster rose into the night.

...

Aboard the Solaris, Commodore Lorenzo Vargas took control. Yaroslav Dotsenko, Akbar Saraki, and Zhen Li took their posts on the bridge. None of them had anything to say about Inez Espinosa’s defection. They all knew which side of this battle they were on.

“Commodore, I detect ninety-six GDF military vehicles on the road below us.” Said Zhen Li.

“Transmit their location to the Zoroaster and Confucius.” Commodore Vargas said. “I want all three vessels to open fire on that convoy.”

…

Standing atop the VAB; there was nothing the Stormbreakers could do. But they tried. Maui fired his laser rifle into the air, sending three bolts up at a time. Corder jumped up and down, waving her arms desperately. Cetla shouted and screamed, Victoria tried to contact Macavity via radio, but did not know what frequency he was on. Kingi fired his plasma cannon at the trio of rising starships. Ninu prayed to Jericho.

All three cruisers rose to about one thousand feet of altitude. Then their turrets swiveled to face the GDF convoy. Simultaneously, the cruisers opened fire. Mass drivers and ion cannons tore through the ranks for the Galactic Defense Force. Tanks exploded, their crews incinerated. Armored personnel carriers fell into fresh craters before being buried in mud and swamp water. GDF soldiers tried to flee to either side of the road, only to be cut down by precision blasts from energy cannons.

Finally, a single missile shot away from the Zoroaster. All three of the cruisers rose to a higher altitude while Maui screamed to the group:

“Everyone cover your eyes!”

The nuclear warhead detonated about two miles behind the convoy, about a hundred feet over the ground. There was a flash of white light as the Apollo Center, only a few feet away from ground zero, was completely vaporized! Then the shockwave rolled up the Kennedy Parkway, taking the entire GDF convoy with it. For miles around, the swampland erupted into flames. Keeping their eyes jammed shut, the fighters on the rooftop felt the pressure wave race past them and smash every window in the Kennedy Space Center.

Then, it was finally over. Looking up, Victoria saw the black mushroom cloud rising above Merritt Island, illuminated from below by a wildfire raging through the swamp. The GDF convoy was destroyed. Not one soldier or vehicle reached the twenty-nine rescuers.

<=== Chapter 42: The Rescue at Cape Canaveral

Chapter 44: Faith in Chaos ===>​

 

[Macavity116]

The Emerald Institute was created by @Midnite Duke. Used with permission.

The Saiiban were created by @Chilango2. Used with permission.

Eerabik was created by @Arithmetician. Used with permission.

​

<=== Chapter 43: After Everything

Chapter 45: The Stormbreakers ===>​

Chapter 44
Faith in Chaos

​

December 25, 2086
Orlando, Florida

For a moment, the brilliant flash of a nuclear explosion lit up the devastated landscape around Orlando. Then, about a minute later, a painfully loud crack rent the air. For many of the survivors, it was a signal of recent developments.

“General Macavity and his troops must have just reached Canaveral.” Said Blake Robinson. “If we’re going to get these birds in the air, it’s now or never!”

At his words, a group of Mutons turned and moved quickly to their next project. Blake was standing on what used to be one of the runways at Orlando International Spaceport. Like the rest of the city, it was devastated by Akira’s attack and in no fit state to be used.

But it was being used anyway.

What few starships remained intact were being frantically prepared for launch. Most of the crews were survivors from the pirate ship Ashoka, augmented by the local population of Mutons and Andromedons. As he looked around, Blake took a count.

There were fifteen ships total: Four Partogan Starfighters, a pair of Blorg multirole jets, a Taiidani bomber, a Scyldari gunship, half-a-dozen Contingency vessels, and the JSDF Ark Angel. Blake could not help but feel just a little bit of pride at the sight of the old spaceplane. Himawari and Chris Wright were hard at work on the vessel, helping a pair of Mutons re-arm her energy cannons.

“This old bird just refuses to die, doesn’t she?” He said as he approached.

“You could say the same for the woman who used to own this thing.” Chris replied.

He closed the access hatch and brought the dorsal energy cannon back online before looking at Blake. The two men shared a smile.

“Last time we saw each other, everyone was calling you ‘History Dude’ or something like that.” Blake commented. “Has it really been four years?”

“Feels like longer.” Chris replied, “And… yeah… they still call me that.”

They both paused to admire the old spaceplane.

“This might be her last flight.” Chris remarked. “Sure you don’t want to come along?”

“Someone has to stay here and play traffic cop.” Blake replied. “Friendly forces are starting to pour into the city now. Someone has to stay and point them towards Canaveral.”

“I think that is doing all of the pointing for you now.” Chris said, pointing towards the dimly-lit mushroom cloud, faintly visible on the dark horizon. “But it’s almost time to go. Our pilot just got here.”

A slow-moving pickup truck turned to drive down the runway, and Randall Murphy jumped down from the bed as it moved off. Himawari let out a cry of joy at the sight of him, and the ex-couple shared a tight hug.

“I was in the next town over when it all happened.” Randall explained, both in English and sign language: “I was trying to use the Hyperwave in Clermont to call our daughter… but she wouldn’t pick up!”

Randall was talking about Sophie Murphy. Blake had a general idea of where his grandchild was and spoke up:

“The last I heard, Sophie was at Cape Canaveral.” He said. “She is there of her own free will. My son Marcus said she was drawn into Etienne’s orbit more effectively than he was.”

Himawari and Randall both shuddered. Randall started to ask where Marcus was but Himawari cut him off with a firm gesture. Then they both decided to take action.

“Spread the word.” Himawari signed to her father. “All ships will take off and follow the Ark Angel to Canaveral. We’ll give Macavity and Inez whatever air support they need.”

About an hour and a half before sunrise, fifteen starships lifted off from the ruins of Orlando and started to speed East. Meanwhile, on the ground below, hundreds of Baterra warforms were marching in the same direction. Behind them was a collection of Humans, hybrids, and aliens that slowly coalesced into a ragtag army as they went. Nearly a thousand fighters, armed with whatever they could find, moved in the direction of Canaveral.

There was no organization, no central leader. Everyone simply knew where they needed to go and what needed to be done.

As the haphazard force moved out, Blake turned back to the city, where thousands of men and women were frantically digging into the rubble crying out to survivors trapped below.
Blake prayed that Jericho would be found soon, and that Macavity’s convoy could hold out until she arrived.


…

Meanwhile, the twenty-nine defenders reconvened on the ground floor of the Canaveral VAB. Victoria looked badly shaken, and in no condition to fight.

“General Macavity is dead.” Kingi reported. “Along with a whole regiment of GDF troops and equipment.”

Silence hung over the defenders. Corder and Munkustrap twitched their ears, listening to the enemy just outside. Ninu ran to the north wall and dared to peek through one of the bullet holes.

“I saw Skyrangers flying away, heading out to sea.” Ninu reported back.

“Probably going to the boats.” Inez explained. “There are two ways Canaveral is supplied: by air and by sea. Mom is probably sending someone to get more soldiers from the boats and offshore platforms nearby.”

“We’re already outnumbered, why is the Paradox going for reinforcements?” asked Karfu.

“Because she knows her advantage won’t last.” Emanuel answered.

The Professor gave everyone a meaningful look.

“The GDF is still present in large numbers throughout the solar system.” He went on. “And the UN government is coming around to our side. The Paradox is racing the clock. The longer we hold out, the more friendly forces are going to come racing to Canaveral. We’re doing good by keeping her tied down like this, we just need to keep her focus on us.”

“Yeah, but if we keep the fight on ourselves, we’ll risk hurting those kids.” Emma von Richtofen said, gesturing to the bunker. “I won’t trust that bunker to another bombardment. We just can’t count on getting lucky twice. No offense, kid.”

Cassandra put her hands behind her back and looked away from Emma. Munkustrap raised a paw and put an end to the conversation.

“Those of you with sharp ears, listen!” He said. “The enemy is getting ready to come again! They’re going to have us surrounded in just a few moments!”

“We can’t hold this building again!” Colonel Sharp protested. “If we try to defend it, it’ll come down on top of us! We’ve gotta go somewhere else!”

At that moment, Inez was very suddenly reminded of the night she escaped from Cape Canaveral with her father and sister. They had gone south, towards Port Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. She strained her memory, trying to remember any landmarks along the route… and one came to mind at once! Inez acted on the thought quickly.

“Everyone listen up!” she said. “We’ve got to attack now while they’re still preparing and before they get reinforced. We can get away while they’re off balance.”

She spoke with that tone of authority she developed during her brief command of the Solaris, and everyone froze to listen.

“Victoria, Eerabik, Emma. Get the kids out of the bunker and through that door.” Inez pointed to a concrete pillar on one side of the building. “It’ll take you to a tunnel. The tunnel connects this building to the Launch Control center next door. Outside of the Control Center should be a bunch of utility trucks.”

Corder started to interrupt, but Inez talked over her.

“Load up the kids, drive onto the Saturn Causeway, and then go east until you hit the ocean.” Inez said quickly. “Once you see water, go south alongside the beach until you see an Old World military base. It’s been abandoned for almost a century, but most of it is still sturdy. Get the kids inside we’ll all meet up there.”


Victoria, Eerabik, and Emma broke off from the group. The other defenders looked around at the sound of deep booming noises from one side of be building.

“They’re coming through!” Maui said, scanning the wall with his smart glasses. “They’re trying to breach the doors! West side!”

“They think we’re going to wait for them to come inside.” Inez said. “Let’s use what little surprise we got!”

Inez had no way of knowing how many enemies were stacked up on the west side of the VAB, but she did know they were using some kind of battering ram against one of the doors instead of passing through the garage door, which was wide open. She knew why: the enemy assumed that an open door was being covered, and that anyone passing through it would be shot. Today, assumptions would be lethal.

“Flyers through the garage door!” Inez ordered. “Keep the enemy looking anywhere but forward! Kingi, bring the front door down from our side. Karfu and Celta, raise fucking hell! Cassandra, put up another shield for as long as you can. Shout my name when you can’t hold it anymore! Everyone else, push forward until Cassandra shouts my name! Then we break for the trucks and get out of here!”

Masking her own fear and terror beneath a layer of confidence and authority, Inez took one final look at Cassandra. The young girl’s face was stony, unmoving. Then Kingi raised his rotary plasma cannon, spun up the barrels, and took aim at the west wall. He laid on the trigger and swept the weapon from side to side, spraying the doors, windows, and walls with hot plasma bolts. Confused shouting and panicking could be heard from the other side, but not for long.

Kingi let go of the trigger and signaled his companions. The Muton and Micore put their gargantuan shoulders to the wall, Karfu’s body was so huge she never would have fit through the front door anyway. Everyone raised their weapons, ready. With a great heave, a whole section of the wall collapsed in a swirling storm of concrete dust and insulation fragments. At the same time Honeydew, Lavender, and Maroon soared through the garage door, firing plasma pistols down at the enemy below.

“There they are!” Inez screamed, “Cut into ‘em!”
Once more, gunfire!

Against all odds, Inez’ plan had actually worked. Over a hundred Space Rangers, waiting for their turn to enter and clear the VAB, were caught completely off-guard by the sudden sortie. Men fell by the dozens as weapons roared in the darkness. Sectopods stomped around uselessly, unable to employ their devastating weapons without hitting their own men. The twenty-six defenders found themselves in a target-rich environment. Enemies were everywhere, scattering about as they ran for cover. Inez swept her laser rifle around, not even bothering to aim. In the chaos, she could have sworn she took a man’s arm off with it.

Up on the surrounding rooftops, additional Space Rangers raised their weapons and fired down into the attacking rescuers. Inez could see laser bolts streaking towards her from above, only to bend in midair and sail off in some random direction. Looking behind her, Cassandra was standing at the back of the group, her arms wide. She was panting with the effort of keeping the shield up, sweat staining her clothes.

Like athletes in a footrace, the Stormbreakers charged the enemy, running them down. Cetla tossed a Space Ranger through a second story window like a toy. Corder and Kingi advanced together, one blasting away while the other moved. Ninu rode on Maui’s shoulders, covering the flanks with his laser pistol.

The Wolverines fought as viciously as their namesakes. Lawrence, Jay, and Cera closed the distance and engaged Space Rangers in hand-to-hand combat, seeming to ignore the fact that their opponent were wearing power armor. Lawrence smashed a man’s helmet with his pistol before kicking him to the ground and stomping on his head. Cera, splattered in blood, smashed a nearby window and used the broken glass as an improvised knife. Bradley and Emanuel worked together, fighting as a single unit to bring down one enemy at a time in brutal fashion.

Ted Navarro and Colonel Sharp used the urban terrain to their advantage, sniping the enemy from close range before vanishing into the smoke and fire again. The Saiiban, high above, showed no mercy to the men on the rooftops. Inez heard a yell, a scream, and loud crash as a fully armored ranger hit the ground, Several more followed as Honeydew, Maroon, and Lavender followed up their strikes. Munkustrap helped the avians, firing his laser rifle at rooftop fighters, revealing their targets to everyone on the battlefield.

Karfu were in her element. She tilted her head back and let out a deafening, bloodcurdling roar! It was the Blood Call, the traditional battlecry of the Muton people. Hearing the sound, several Space Rangers panicked, freezing in place or turning their weapons on anything that moved, often hitting each other. Karfu thundered into the fray like one of the old Muton Berserkers. She punched a Space Ranger so hard his power armor shattered like glass! Pinning him to the ground, Karfu punched and slammed the man repeatedly, spraying blood and bones across the ground.

Navin Soban and Ruunhan Somtaaw stayed together, drilling through a whole squad of Space Rangers like monsters from the darkest of nightmares. Ruunhan wielded a large knife in one hand as though it was a sword, while Navin wielded two submachineguns, one in each hand. The Hiigaran man looked almost happy to be part of such a chaotic scene.

Meanwhile, David Sepulveda and the four UN defectors made a scene of their own. David, Rella, Shen, Tahmin, and Dmyrto stayed together, fighting as a squad, and their mere presence on the battlefield became a distraction for the enemy. Several Space Rangers turned to face their former comrades, often with a dramatic cry of “Traitor!”
David, Shen, and Tahmin fought at range with rifles and pistols, but Dmytro and Rella preferred to get close. Armed with Arc Blades and Plasma Swords, they engaged in intense close-quarter combat that would have made a war-era XCOM Ranger proud. Sergeant Rella cut down so many men with her Arc Blade that her arms started to ache.

Amidst the unfolding torrent of violence, Inez could clearly see that her sister’s efforts were paying off. The enemy pointed and fired their weapons at the rescuers, yet nothing seemed to connect. Plasma bolts seemed to fizzle out in midair, laser beams scattered as though hitting a prism, and Gauss slugs veered wildly off to the side, harmlessly hitting the ground. The enemy was simply unable to shoot any of the rescuers with their guns!

And yet…

With a horrible, icy feeling Inez realized something terrible. Her ragtag team of rescuers were cutting through the enemy like a hot knife through butter, and Space Rangers were falling with each moment… but there never seemed to be any fewer of them! In fact, there were more of them now than when the fight began! These were new, fresh troops and they had heavy weapons. Reinforcements had arrived!

“Nezzie!” Cassandra screamed. “Nezzie! I can’t!”

Inez raised her voice to be heard above the din!

“Everyone fall back! Retreat!”

At that moment, the telekinetic shield collapsed. Inez actually felt the sudden shift in Psionic energy as it happened. Cassandra’s eyes rolled up to the back of her head and she slumped to the ground. Stooping as she moved, Inez grabbed her sister and continued back into the VAB. The others waged a fighting retreat, firing their weapons blindly into the enemy force as they withdrew. Just on the other side of the building, Inez could see the tunnel to the Mission Control Building.

Behind her, there was a yell:

“He’s hit!”

Inez looked around to see her father tumble to the ground.

“Argh! Same fucking arm as last time!”

Emanuel cried out in pain, his right arm hanging useless at his side.

Karfu grabbed Emanuel and lifted him into the bridal carry position before charging toward the tunnel entrance. Two by two, the rescuers fled through the entrance. Inez stayed behind, waiting until all of her comrades were through before she stepped into the tunnel as well. Ruunhan Somtaaw and Ted Navarro were waiting for her.

“Keep going!” Ted told her. “We’re gonna collapse the tunnel.”

Inez passed through the Mission Control building, following everyone to the parking lot outside.

“When you said there were trucks, I was expecting civilian vehicles!” Said Maui. “This is perfect for us!”

Truthfully, Inez was also expecting to find civilian trucks here. Instead, about a dozen military vehicles were lined up in the parking lot, all painted in the blue and white colors of the United Nations Army, with the acronym AFUNE painted on their sides. Inez quickly counted two APC’s, an open-top cargo truck, and seven technicals. (a pickup truck with a heavy weapon mounted in the bed)

“Everyone load up!” She said, then turned to Karfu and Emanuel.

Her father looked pale. Corder and Navin had treated his injury by putting a tourniquet on his injured right arm, but Emanuel still had a determined look on his face.

“Dad, you need to take the lead vehicle.” Inez said. “Let Karfu drive, and you guide everyone to that abandoned base.”

“Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.” Emanuel panted. “I know the spot. We’ll get there.”
Inez, the Stormbreakers, and the Wolverines loaded up in the technicals. Cetla was so large that he tore the machine gun off its mount and held it in both hands, making room for other passengers. Truck engines roared to life. Then, with Karfu and Emanuel in the lead, the impromptu convoy sped out of the lot towards the Saturn Causeway.

At once, gunfire erupted. The escaping rescuers were being shot at from nearly all directions as both Space Rangers and base security realized what was going on. Everybody who could returned fire, sending plasma and lasers into all of the surrounding buildings.

“Oh, holy Jericho! Here come the Sectopods!” Ninu yelled, pointing out from his perch on the cargo truck.

Inez, sitting in the rearmost technical, turned around to look. All nine of the massive robots were following the escaping rescuers, standing at their full height and taking fifty-foot strides.

From one of the other technicals, David shouted:

“Open up the boxes in your trucks! We’ve got heavy weapons!”

Inez looked around the bed of her truck and found a long thin box. Cassandra and Corder were sitting on it. They both moved and helped Inez open it. Inside were two Blaster Launchers, a type of shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. Inez and Corder each took one and braced themselves against the metal frame of the truck bed. They tried to take aim, but Dmytro called out from the driver’s seat:

“Sharp turn!”

Inez and Corder were forced to lower their weapons as the convoy turned onto the Saturn Causeway.

The escaping vehicles had departed the Kennedy Space Center and were now driving along a causeway that led directly to the historic launch pad 39A. On either side of the road, trees whipped by at high speed as the trucks accelerated, but the Sectopods lengthened their strides and closed the gap. Corder raised her Blaster Launcher and fired! A shimmering globe of green plasma sailed away and missed the enemy entirely. The resulting explosion was so large that it briefly lit up the nearby nuclear mushroom cloud in stark relief.

On the back of the cargo truck, Eerabik’s Baterra turned around and fired its railgun over the pack of technicals. Unlike Corder, the Baterra struck true. The railgun slug flew low, striking a Sectopod not on its rectangular head, but on one of its narrow fifty-foot long legs. The Sectopod, suddenly losing one of its two legs, lost balance and toppled over, crashing into another Sectopod and taking it down as well. One shot had taken out two highly dangerous enemies. Eerabik cheered just as loudly as everyone else.

There were now just seven Sectopods in pursuit.

Feeling frantic, Inez looked around to her right and spotted the many towers and storage tanks of Launch Pad 39A. Now that she knew where she was, Inez recognized a new sensation: the smell of salt. Engines roaring and tires spinning, all of the vehicles turned hard to the left, following Titus Beach south and away from pad 39A. Just a short distance to the left, dark waves crashed against the shoreline.

With a sense of building horror, Inez realized the seven remaining Sectopods were giving up the chase! The massive robots were turning to the south, and up above, Inez could see all three of the Prophet-class cruisers. The vessels were shadowing the convoy. Looking around, Inez also spotted a single Skyranger flying above the Sectopods.

In a moment, she understood what was happening. Someone flying over the scene had realized where the rescuers were going, perhaps they had even figured out where the kids had been moved!

“Shit!” Inez swore out loud. “We’ve been made!”

As if to confirm her words, the Sectopods veered hard to the left and stepped off the road entirely. The giant robots started walking through the swamplands, pushing straight south to the abandoned military base where Eerabik, Emma, and Victoria were waiting with the alien children.

From here, Inez was not sure who would reach the base first, but either way, it was going to be very close. She had only moments to come up with a plan.

“Honeydew!” Inez screamed over the noise of the wind. “Maroon! Lavender!”

All three Saiiban fighters answered her call. The trio of birds fluttered from one truck to the next, reaching her in seconds.

“Fly ahead to the base!” Inez instructed them. “Tell Eerabik the enemy is onto her! Move the kids to-”

Inez hesitated. There was nowhere left to run. The Old World base had been the last safe place in the area. But Inez knew help was on the way. The rest of the GDF was out there, plus the whole of the UN. They just needed to survive. Inez wracked her brains, and came up with the final answer.

“The lighthouse!” She said. “Move the kids to the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. It’s a mile to the east of the base, you can’t miss it! Just follow the runway leading out of the airport! Now go! Go!”

The Saiiban took flight and flew straight south, crossing over the marshland where trucks could not drive. Looking around, Inez realized the Sectopods were being slowed by the swamp terrain. The Saiiban were going to win the race!

But… in the back of her mind, Inez knew the Sectopods would still reach the base quickly. They might even arrive as the kids were being evacuated. For the first time that night, Inez felt a sense of impending doom. Unless something happened to stall or stop those Sectopods, none of the rescuers would survive long enough for real help to arrive.

…

The rescuers arrived at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station a few moments before sunrise.

Eerabik, Emma, Victoria, and the Saiiban trio were already evacuating the alien children. Walking in triple-file lines, the kids were moving out of a reinforced bunker and climbing into the same trucks they arrived on. In the distance, a yellow light appeared at the top of the a dark tower. It was the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse.

“There’s an Old World bunker near the lighthouse.” Emanuel said. “The Americans used to store missiles in there, but ADVENT emptied the place out.”

Emanuel and Inez looked up to see the trio of starships in the sky above.

“They’re watching us.” Inez said. “They can see our every move, and they’re wire-guiding the Sectopods right into us. They’ll be here in just a few minutes.”

Emanuel looked up at the sky again.

“The GDF armada is still up there.” He said. “We’ve just gotta hold out, you know that. Hold out until they get here.”

Inez nodded grimly. She had already made up her mind.

“Yeah, I know.” She said. “I’ve got a plan for that...”

One last time, the twenty-nine rescuers and their charges moved out. The united convoy now consisted of fifteen military trucks, loaded to the brim with terrified children. In the back of one technical, Inez tightly squeezed Cassandra’s hand, and felt her own heart racing.

She knew what needed to be done.

The enemy needed to be stopped, or at least made to slow down just long enough for help to come. There was a simple and easy way to do this, and Inez knew all twenty-eight of her fellow rescuers would immediately volunteer for the grim task. But she could not ask them to do that. She would not. None of them deserved what was waiting at the end of this road.

As the convoy turned onto Lighthouse Road, orange light spilled over the Atlantic Ocean. Christmas Morning brought a gentle warmth to everyone it touched, except for Inez, who felt as cold as ice. Cassandra squeezed Inez’ hand and asked:

“Are you okay? Your mind is all dark.”
Inez leaned over and gave her sister a tight hug.

“I’m okay.” She replied. “It’s almost over. Everything will be alright soon.”

Then the technical reached the turn in the road. It slowed to a near stop, waiting for one of the trucks to turn ahead of it. About thirty alien kids were peering over the railing, trying to see the Sectopods, which were closing in once again.

In that instant where the truck was almost stopped, Inez summoned the last of her willpower. With a single smooth movement, Inez jumped out of the truck and onto the road, taking with her a Blaster Launcher. The Shadowkeeper was still strapped to her leg. Cassandra screamed and reached out to grab her sister, but Inez just said:

“I’ll meet you up ahead.”

And watched as the truck drove away. Each vehicle in the convoy went around Inez, a few of the kids and rescuers called out to her, but Inez did not say anything. She only had eyes for Cassandra. As they drove past, Victoria, Eerabik, Lawrence, and Emanuel all had looks on their faces that said they understood what was about to happen.

Inez watched the convoy until it was out of sight, turning into a road that was shrouded by trees. Mouth dry, stomach clenching, Inez turned to face the thundering sound of oncoming Sectopods.

Staring up the road, Inez could see everything coming towards her. Seven Sectopods, three star cruisers high above, and a single Skyranger closer to the ground. And all she had was a rocket launcher with a single round of ammunition. Not enough to stop the enemy, but enough to slow them down, perhaps for just the right amount of time. But even if she succeeded or failed, Inez knew one thing for certain:

I am about to die.

She wished she had found the strength to say goodbye to Cassandra.

She wished she had not put together this hasty rescue attempt.

She wished she had waited for the rest of the GDF or Jericho to show up first.

So many wishes and regrets filled her mind, until at last Inez pushed them aside. Instead, she thought about why she was doing this instead.

Inez thought about how those kids would get to go home. Some of them were kidnapped back when this war started, two years ago. So many families would be reunited. Akira would lose the ability to test out her Psionic weapons on non-Humans. The next Amadiio might very well be delayed because of this. In fact, without her experimental Psionic soldiers, Akira’s whole plan to reconquer Earth was shot.

These thoughts gave Inez new strength. With her final act, Inez knew that she would damage her mother’s plans irreparably. In fact, this could be the complete undoing of the Paradox forever. Inez could live happily in that knowledge…

For the next few minutes.

The Sectopods drew closer. One of them finally noticed her and lowered its Gauss cannon, ready to fire. The Skyranger swiveled its tilt-rotor engines and began to hover over the scene. Even the cruisers high above seemed to have slowed down and were hovering as well. All of the enemy’s eyes were on Inez.

As Inez lifted her Blaster Launcher and rested it on her shoulder, she felt a familiar sensation. Psionic energy washed over her body, enveloping her completely. It felt like the warm and comforting embrace of a family member. A smile crossed Inez’ mouth.

“Cassandra, I love you.” She breathed. Then she squeezed the trigger.

The Blaster Launcher went off with a mighty crack, and a moment later, the foremost Sectopod stumbled and fell over backwards! Its head hit the road surface and smashed to bits, leaving the giant robot as nothing more than scrap metal. Her rocket launcher now useless, Inez dropped it to the side and unholstered her Shadowkeeper. She raised the pistol, aimed at the Skyranger, and fired. The weapon expelled a thick cloud of black smoke.

The early morning wind quickly blew the smoke away, reminding Inez just how alone she was...

…

Aboard the Skyranger, an atmosphere of shock filled the cabin. Rafi Bakir was at the controls, flying the troop transporter. Behind him, Klaus Eberhardt, Sidney Beauclair, and Akira Robinson had all dropped their jaws. The XCOM Commander looked down at the six remaining Sectopods in shock. In his hands, Commander Eberhardt was holding a tablet computer. He had been using it to take remote control of the war machines below, and for a brief moment, he had stared (through the eyes of a Sectopod) directly into Inez’ face just as she fired the Blaster Launcher.

Admiral Beauclair shook her head in disbelief.

“There’s no way she can do that again. We should just order the Sectopods to go around her.” She commented.

Akira peered over Rafi’s shoulder, examining the scene below.

“Wait a moment.” Akira said.

At that instant, the smokescreen from the Shadowkeeper was blown away. The four men and women could see that Inez Espinosa was no longer alone. Everyone could see a second person next to her.

There was a moment’s pause as everyone realized just who the second person was.

Akira went pale. When she spoke, her voice contained a faint trace of fear:

“I want every gun we have to fire on those women.”

…

Inez did not see where the other person came from. She did not hear their approach. It was as though the newcomer had simply popped out of the ground.

This person was the single most beautiful girl Inez had ever laid eyes on. She was a mixed-race person, no older than twenty-one, with vaguely Asian features. She had brown skin and wavy hair that was dyed blue. Her round face was set by vivid purple eyes and a gentle smile.
Inez knew she was looking at Jericho.

Not the old woman the Stormbreakers found in Arcadia Bay, no. This was Jericho in her prime, as she had been during the last war, fifty years ago. She was even wearing the same iconic yellow shirt and blue jeans.

Jericho did not say anything. She reached out and took Inez’ hand. The two women stood shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, and stared up at the Skyranger.

And then, the six remaining Sectopods opened fire. Gauss cannons and laser weapons raked the ground, causing Inez and Jericho to vanish in a cloud of smoke and debris. A second later, all three of the Prophet-class cruisers followed suit. Mass driver rounds, Railgun slugs, space torpedoes, energy cannon blasts, plasma bombs, and Ion beams rained down on Inez and Jericho.

The bombardment was ferocious and accurate, lasting for a full thirty seconds. It only stopped when the Ark Angel arrived.

…

Fifteen small starships reached the scene by following the light of weapons fire. Aboard the JSDF Ark Angel, Chris Wright and Randall Murphy watched the destructive downpour play out from the cockpit. Himawari, connected to the ship once again, scanned the area quickly and confirmed the trio of cruisers were the only opposition.

“Holy god.” Chris breathed as he watched three star cruisers mercilessly pummel an area no bigger than a car.

“Everyone lock and load!” Randall called out.

The allied Starfighters rose into an attack formation and accelerated to full speed. Himawari gave the weapons-free signal.

“Squadron, we are weapons hot!” A Partogan pilot said over the radio. “Bird’s away!”

“Friendship 7 on your starboard!” Chimed in a Blorg pilot. “Weapons hot, bird’s away!”

All fifteen vessels opened fire. Missiles screamed across the early morning sky and struck the unsuspecting cruisers. Zoroaster lurched so hard to one side she accidentally shot and destroyed two more Sectopods on the ground. Chris and Randall maneuvered the Ark Angel to cut across Zoroaster’s axis and draw her fire.

“I’ve tone!” Chris yelled, “Target lock, bird’s away!”

Two missiles and a plasma bomb connected with Zoroaster, severing one of her Ion cannons. The weapon fell away from the starship, heading for the ground. On its way back to Earth, the Ion cannon crashed into the tail of Akira’s Skyranger. The troop transport went into a flat spin, swirling in a vortex of white smoke. With its engines screaming, the damaged Skyranger hit a grove of trees, turned over, and crashed into the ground.

<=== Chapter 43: After Everything

Chapter 45: The Stormbreakers ===>​