The Phoenix Project (5 page)

    
The officer's face looked pale
in the dim lighting. “The beam is on a heading that will intersect the Moon's
orbit.”

    
“Wonderful. Communications, I
need a direct link to the Council."

    
“Yes, Ma’am.”

    
“I need all information
regarding that energy burst downloaded to my link now.”

    
He nodded and quickly carried
out her order. Nadine turned to the rest of her staff.

    
"Clear the bridge."

    
The damage crew stopped their
repairs to cracked consoles. The medical team placed the injured crew members on
stretchers and left with the rest of the bridge crew.

    
The communications station
emitted a faint beep. She gave a quick skim of the material on her link as she
crossed over to the station and pressed the required button. The large main
screen switched from the image of the retreating beam to Catherine’s wrinkled
face.

    
“You have broken with
tradition.”

    
“Prime Counsel,” Nadine nodded
in respect to her mentor. “It was necessary. You told me to contact you immediately
in case of an emergency.”

    
“Proceed,” Catherine allowed
after a pause.

    
“The artificial worm hole
transmitted an energy discharge of incredibly destructive power. It is on a direct
heading for Earth's moon.”

    
The matriarch started and
Nadine heard murmuring from the periphery of the screen. The ruling member gave
several curt nods to the off—screen voices and continued.

    
“So this is the shining
dagger!”

    
“Teacher?”

    
“None of your concern, child.
How long will it be until it arrives at its destination?” the Prime Counsel
asked.

    
“Fifty—three hours.”

    
“Then we have to move quickly.
We need to conduct a short meeting. I will contact you when we are finished,”
the Prime Counsel said.

    
“Yes, My Teacher.”

    
“Following that, Nadine, we
will speak of the importance of adhering to tradition.”

    
The screen returned to the
midnight of space, with the beam now a bright emerald star at its center.
Nadine collapsed into her command chair.

    
A large screen on one of
several walls went dark in the council chambers. A beam of sunlight streamed from
a window in each of the twelve stone walls creating a shaft of light on each
occupied chair.

    
“The shining dagger?”
Catherine asked a silver haired man to her left.

    
“Yes. I should have known from
the image of the dagger driving its edge into the heart of the moon,” Alexander
said in a soothing introspective voice. The inlaid golden coat of arms of the
Council sat on his breast.

    
Catherine sighed in
frustration. “You should have known? Your interpretation of the symbols could
use some polishing, Alexander. The results of this incident directly affect
everything that is to come. Nadine's role now has new meaning,” she said.

    
“Clearly the forthcoming
negotiations are going to be of a different nature than what Alexander had
believed,” Victoria
said.

    
“We still need her to subvert
Admiral Fredericks and be ready for whatever this dagger is going to bring,”
Catherine responded.

    
“There is the subject of how
Nadine is to subdue him,” Cleopatra said.

    
“She is a woman; he is a man,”
said Catherine.

    
“Seduction?” Alexander
inquired.

    
“Opportunity.”

    
“How so?” he asked, narrowing
his eyes.

    
“Why, conception of course,”
Catherine said. “You are not so old as to forget those impulses.”

    
The entire group, Catherine
exempted, erupted into an uproar. Catherine allowed them a few moments to voice
their outrage before she silenced them with a raised hand. Alexander refused to
stay silent.

    
“Another bastard abomination!
Why stop there, Catherine? Why not breed a Coalition jackal to become its
mother?”

    
“I do admit our previous
experiments were failures,” Catherine began.

    
“They were disasters! The last
half—breed crushed both of his parents’ genitals and then their hearts!”

    
Catherine settled back into
her plush dark chair before fixing her gaze on her adversary. “You do not need
to remind me. I have firsthand experience in these matters.”

    
“Apparently I do, Prime
Counsel. Everyone here knew my predecessor and witnessed the sacrifice he made
for you. Everyone knew what Seth was capable of and what it took to stop him. I
cannot believe that you would suggest further attempts at,” he paused at the
bile he tasted in his mouth, "mixing species.”

    
“All of those experiments were
the result of forced copulation or forced donation. All of the Defensives were
given mind altering drugs to ensure their cooperation.” Catherine paused to look
at the platinum ring she had taken from Aristotle’s body as a reminder of her
compatriot’s words spoken only minutes before his death. “Aristotle believed it
had an effect on the results. What if it was the prime cause for their
insanity?”

    
“What if there is no solution?
Will we get another monster?” Alexander demanded.

    
“We have prime material.
Nadine is the best student we have seen in generations and she can still have
pregnancies for another decade. Elliot Fredericks is the favoured acolyte of
the Cooperative. We have a genuine opportunity to see the results.”

    
“Based on orders from the
Council. Nadine would have no choice in this,” Alexander said.

    
“Nadine is a loyal member of
MERA. She will follow our orders, as is her duty. We have an opportunity here
that may never present itself again. We can gain spiritual and political
control over the entire Colonized Sphere, and have an invulnerable soldier to
guard it.”

    
“What if the experiment fails,
Catherine? It took all twelve council members to overcome the last debacle.
This one, this new crossbreed, what if he becomes a psychopath like the last
one?” Alexander asked.

    
“We succeeded against Seth.
This one will meet the same end if he is of the same breed. Believe me
Alexander, it was not easy for us to create a massive heart attack in a twelve
year old child.”

    
Catherine regarded the shame
on her colleagues’ faces. It was an expression she did not share.

    
“Look at your Council,
Catherine: There is no unanimous victory here. We need to vote on this.” Alexander
looked in triumph at the faces around him. The Council usually deferred to
Catherine’s seniority. It was rare for them to hold a traditional vote. He knew
this was just such a time to incite tradition and put the first nail into
Catherine’s coffin. He would take her place with patience and careful planning.
He had already spoken with the other members of the Twelve behind her back.

    
“Of course, Alexander. We will
vote on the proposal of reopening the hybrid experiments. All of those in
favour?”

    
Six of the council members
raised their hands to Alexander's disappointment.

    
“All those opposed?”

    
Six more hands appeared.

    
“Then we have a hung vote. As
tradition dictates, the deciding vote will be cast by the Prime Counsel.” Catherine
stood from her seat and continued. “I vote in favour. Motion carried.”

    
Alexander huddled in his seat.
Catherine smiled at her government in victory. With a smile, she crossed the
faceted circle and leaned over to Alexander’s ear with the appearance of
delivering a short conciliatory message.

    
“It has been too long since we
had a traditional vote Alexander. Thank you for the nostalgic trip.”

    
She turned on her gnarled heel
and walked back to her seat.

    
“Send a signal to Nadine.”

    
People were gathered in small
groups across the large bridge of the
Endeavour
. They hurried to
accomplish the list of orders Elliot had given them. Two men rushed back from
their individual groups and arrived at the same time to deliver reports to
their superior officer. Elliot chose to take the communications officer’s
report first.

    
“Fleet Admiral Nelson has been
apprised of the situation, he requests your immediate report,” the young Ensign
said.

    
“Acknowledged, Ensign.
Lieutenant, your report?” Fredericks
had not taken Joshua’s center seat, opting for a more observatory position from
the north—west corner of the rectangular bridge.

    
“The beam is confirmed at five
billion megatons. The science staff has estimated an eighty percent chance the
moon will be destroyed by the blast. We cannot confirm that the moon will
completely dissipate the beam.”

    
“Will it miss Earth if the
Moon doesn’t stop it?”

    
“No.”

    
“Where would it make
landfall?” Elliot asked.

    
“It would hit the western
portion of South
Dakota.”

    
“Captain Hubbard, I need a
place to confer with the Admiralty.”

    
“Yes, Admiral. You can use my
office.”

    
Elliot exited the bridge and
took his first left into Joshua’s private office. He crossed to an L—shaped
desk in the teal room and sat down at the small monitor that would link him to
command.

    
The screen came alive with his
presence.

    
“Connect to Fleet Admiral
Nelson’s office.”

    
“Level Ten clearance
required,” an artificial voice said.

    
“Clearance Fredericks, Elliot, Vice Admiral,” he
responded. Hidden instruments in the ceiling scanned him and confirmed his
genetic identity. The screen beeped for several seconds before the transmission
was allowed. An image of an older man lit up the screen. Short brown hair
streaked with grey framed a face seamed by responsibilities.

    
“Admiral.”

    
“The readings are confirmed.
There is a high chance that the weapon will hit the moon. There is also a
chance that the beam will subsequently hit Earth,” Elliot said.

    
“I’ll start the evacuation of
every civilian from the Moon and from the potentially affected areas as soon as
possible. Eli, we’ve got another problem.”

    
“Project Horizon,” Elliot said.

    
“Yes. The weapons systems are
still on the Moon. I don’t think we can lift them off of there in time.”

    
Elliot sighed. “What are your
orders, Sir?”

    
“We are doing the best we can.
Projections are that nine hundred of the weapons emplacements will still be on
Luna at zero hour. We will do what we can. Eli, I’ve been given a request from
your priest to call him.”

    
Elliot couldn’t hide his
surprise. The Cooperative rarely called through an official channel, allowing him
to maintain his cover.

    
“I know how you feel about
them, but I told them I would give you the message.”

    
“Well, given the
circumstances, I’ll contact them as soon as I can.”

    
“Eli, the Horizon Project may
no longer be viable. I’m ordering you to use our contingency plan.”

    
“The Phoenix Project?”

    
“If that beam vaporizes ninety
percent of our weapons systems then the vast majority of our new fleet will
have nothing to defend themselves with. What other choice do we have?” the
Fleet Admiral said.

    
“So we abandon the Horizon
Project?”

    
“Eli, we’ve been over this. Phoenix was always a
modification of Horizon, not its abandonment. I need someone to begin quiet
preparations for Phoenix.
With your past work on Horizon, you are the best person for the job,” Nelson
said.