Star Crusades Nexus: Book 03 - Heroes of Helios (5 page)

“This space is one of the ten that are reserved for the lost people.”

Teresa lifted her head back slightly, but deep down she had a strong suspicion of what was coming next.

“As our peoples came together, here, on this very planet, we understood how life originated in different parts of space at the same time. First there was just us, and then we found others, like our friends the T’Kari. These ten spaces are reserved for new discoveries. There were thirteen spaces only six hundred years ago.”

He then stepped down and placed his hand on the ground in the untouched space.

“This place is now for your own people, the Centauri Alliance. You will be introduced to the others, and if they agree, you shall be formally accepted as one of the sentient Powers.”

Teresa was stunned at the news and turned on the spot to look at Gun and Anderson.

“Uh, did you know about this?”

Anderson smiled back.

“Ayndir told us this might happen. Why do you think we have civilian Alliance officials landing at this very moment?”

“We’ve only just met them though. Why would they just accept us into this, well, whatever it is?”

Anderson nodded in agreement.

“I know. Ayndir has explained this place is not a place of power. This chamber is a meeting place, no more. The Helions want us here so they can learn and keep tabs on us. We will do the same. Think of it as a massive embassy used by all nations, in one place.”

Teresa wasn’t convinced, but the decision had evidently been made back on Terra Nova. She looked back at the space and tried to imagine the standard of the Centauri Alliance hanging from the wall. As nice as the idea was, she simply couldn’t picture the human designs in such an alien place. Gun had no such problems and strode past her to step into the space. He stood in the middle, looked about, and then reached for the ever-present blade on his thigh. In a single swift movement, he pulled out the blade and cut it across his palm. Harlan and the other Helions in the great building watched in horror as his red blood dripped to the floor, leaving dark patches on the ground. One rushed forward with a dressing, but Gun shook his head and simply tore part of his uniform fabric away and wrapped it around his wound.

“Yes,” he stated, “this is Alliance territory now.”

Teresa stepped down and joined him. She held out her hand for him to do the same while Anderson watched, shaking his head in annoyance. As her blood joined Gun’s on the ground, he started to laugh.

“You’re both as bad as Spartan.”

* * *

The sight of the human visitors was as much of a surprise to Harlan as it was to the visitors themselves. He walked away from them and joined Ayndir who was also busy watching them. They looked on in confusion as the three aliens stood in their sacred space and committed their first act in the peaceful great chamber, the spilling of their own blood. Gun stood out the most, but Anderson and Major Morato looked equally barbaric in their military uniforms and carrying primitive weapons.

“They are animals, Ayndir. Why have you brought them to us?” asked Harlan.

Ayndir watched the three standing in their reserved placed for a few more seconds, finally turning back to the feeble looking Helion leader.

“It is good to see our loyal friends of Helios still protecting what is important.”

The venom in her voice was clear, but Harlan chose to ignore it. Ayndir nodded toward the visitors.

“I have seen them in battle, and they are as ferocious and resourceful as the Great Enemy. They defeated them in their sector and turned their technology against them.”

Harlan shook his head.

“This makes no sense.”

“They are our only chance against the Enemy. You know the prophecy.”

Harlan lowered his head slightly as he spoke.

“The warrior race will mark the beginning of the end time.”

The words were flat, as if he were reciting an old phrase he’d heard so many times that its words had lost almost all of their meaning. He shook his head in frustration.

“Your Rift is the only one that was not reopened. We assumed you had been consumed by some tragedy. Tell me about T’Karan? Every one of our allies was either consumed and destroyed or fought off their agents to make themselves stronger than before. When you closed your Rift, your worlds were defended by millions, and your armed forces more powerful than even ours. Why did you not return?”

Ayndir seemed to flush with anger at these words.

“The Great Enemy had already infiltrated our sector when we sealed the Rift. Our numbers are now in the thousands. They raped our worlds and slaughtered our people. Our advanced technology has been stripped from us and used against us. Even when we lost our last world, when our citizens begged for us to open the Rift to ask for help, we refused. That was the measure of our resolve.”

Harlan took a half step back.

“Then why are you here? Why did you not die and leave us in safety?”

Ayndir recoiled in disgust at the lack of compassion in Harlan’s tone.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he snapped back, “This is simple mathematics, and emotions do not come into it. If your people were so lost, then you should never have come. You threaten us with your own fate. If you are here, then the Great Enemy has entered the holy space of Helios, and we are unprepared for them.”

He moved closer to Ayndir.

“You should never have come. You have brought the war to all of us!”

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, the pain quickly spread through the Helion’s body, and he winced in pain. Ayndir noticed movement and turned her head slightly to see the three humans looking at her, confusion showing on their eyes. Not one of them could understand the conversation between the T’Kari and the Helion, but the tones and body language was a universal sign. A confrontation looked the same, whether it was between humans, aliens, or any other creatures. She leaned closer to Harlan, a furious expression now showing on her face, and gripped her comrade's arm even tighter.

“The Enemy is coming, and we need to be ready. Stop cowering and prepare your people! These primitives defeated them on their own and destroyed the soldier leading the conquest of our worlds.”

Ayndir extended her left arm and pointed to Admiral Anderson.

“They saved us from the machines. It is time to end this, once and for all!”

Harlan shook his head, a look of fear showing on his face.

“No, we cannot. The Rifts are sealed, and our people are safe. We have had no need of warriors and ships for generations. We have spent this time expanding our knowledge and understanding.”

Ayndir spat on the ground; a gesture Harlan had never seen before. He looked at her face, and the expression still hadn’t changed from disgust.

“You’ve grown fat and lazy. You’ve done nothing to stop the danger, and it is out there, trust me. The Enemy is there, and it wants to come back in. Is Helios ready for war?”

Harlan said nothing, and his lack of a response seemed to create even greater anger inside Ayndir.

“I said is Helios ready for war!” she shouted, this time so loud that it caught the attention of every single individual inside the building. Gun and the others looked directly at them both, and Harlan quickly turned away to avoid their gaze. Ayndir just shook her head in dismay. Her pale face finally showing an emotion the human visitors had not seen before.

“What’s that?” asked Gun loudly.

His voice was followed by a dull horn type sound, as though somebody was standing outside the building blowing hard on a trumpet. The sound of dozens, then hundreds of people rumbled.

Harlan and Ayndir moved away from each other, Harlan heading for the door while Ayndir joined Teresa and the others. By the time she reached them, the first of the officials had arrived. They were speaking in a dozen alien tongues, pointing and chatting excitedly upon spotting Teresa and her comrades. More and more arrived, and every one of them looked more unusual than the last. Once the first group had moved inside, another delegation approached, this time in conventional clothing. Teresa raised an eyebrow as she spotted Broby Ramir, one of the Alliance’s most prominent senators. He moved with a group of a dozen men and women, each dressed in dark suits, and heading directly for Admiral Anderson.

“I take it this is our civilian delegation?” asked Teresa.

Anderson glanced at her and nodded.

“Yes, the Senator has just been promoted.”

He turned back to find the man just a few meters away. He moved in front of Anderson and extended his right arm. They both shook hands in an excessively formal gesture.

“Admiral, interesting place we have here.”

Anderson raised an eyebrow.

“Interesting?” he answered sarcastically, “It’s only the epicenter of a number of alien empires. This makes the discovery of T’Karan seem like small fry.”

Broby Ramir nodded in partial agreement.

“Yes, T’Karan was an important first step, but this is something completely new to us. On this world, we are just one of many people, and I’ve been sent here with one mission only.”

Anderson waited, but he said nothing.

“Well, Senator, the mission is?”

“To protect Alliance interests, at all costs. Our citizens and our worlds are the only consideration for me and my delegation.”

Anderson hadn’t expected anything different from his politicians. Not that he could blame them, of course. The first contact they ever made with something out of the ordinary had been the Biomechs. War had started that way, and millions had paid the price.

What will be the price be if things go wrong now?”

The Senator stepped to the left of Anderson and handed him a secpad, a small rubberized electronic device that functioned as a computerized multi-tool and communication device. Anderson looked at the display and the image of the Rift that joined T’Karan and Helion space.

“The T’Kari have left ships at the Rift, along with a permanent escort of three warships on rotation. If anything happens that we don’t like, they shut it all down and nothing gets through.”

Anderson looked surprised at the information.

“We’re now trusting the T’Kari with this level of security.”

 
Broby Ramir grinned.

“Hardly. The ships are crewed with a mixture of their and our personnel. Don’t forget, Admiral, T’Karan territory ceded to our authority in exchange for our protection.”

Anderson was well aware of the situation but was still surprised he had not heard of this beforehand.

“Why wasn’t I informed of this?”

Broby Ramir shook his head as though having no idea.

“Not my responsibility, Admiral. As I understand it, each of the colonies is operating just the same as territory back home. Hell, the first of the T’Kari diplomats have even voted in the regional elections back on Terra Nova. T’Karan is under civilian, not military control anymore.”

Again Admiral Anderson looked unimpressed at the news. It had only been a short time since the Alliance had traveled from Alpha Centauri out into the Orion Nebula. It had been his own research team that had built the Rift Spacebridges through the Alliance, and eventually from Prometheus directly to T’Karan. He moved aside as a group of Helions went past, followed by another group of Alliance personnel, this time including General Rivers, now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

“General!” he called out in a mixture of pleasure and surprise.

The Senator was now completely ignored as General Rivers approached. Two marines, both in ceremonial uniforms and carrying sidearms only, flanked him.

“Admiral, good to see you.”

He then looked around at the others.

Major Morato and Commander Gun, I see your new unit has been doing what it does best. Making the galaxy bleed.”

Gun grinned at that, but Teresa seemed less impressed. Rivers looked to Teresa.

“I know about Spartan, and I’m sorry. If this plays the way it should, we will get access to parts of this network.”

He then moved to the Admiral. He beckoned for the man to move away from the others so he could speak briefly. The two men had worked together for a long time, both having been involved in the last battles of the Uprising.