Edrym awoke to a gentle pinging of his comms. It was the first time he’d gotten to sleep in his own bed in months and he’d been having a fairly pleasant dream when he awoke. Grumbling, he rolled over and slapped a hand against the device, activating the smart link between it and his military implants.
“This is Admiral Edrym, go ahead.” He spoke groggily, and then a very familiar voice spoke into his ear, or at least, that’s how it had been presented by the smart link. A voice he may or may not have been just dreaming about actually.
“Edrym, it’s Intra, I need your help with something.” He was suddenly more awake than before and with a soft grunt he sat up. “I didn’t wake you did I?”
The sudden concern was touching, “No, not at all.” He lied, clearing his throat as she chuckled.
“Mhmm, anyway, I need you to track a signal for me. It’s fairly urgent.”
“Right, yeah, send me the data.” He mumbled, wiping the sleep from his eyes as the device began to receive the data in question. Once he had it all he sent it off to the spooks at naval intelligence and waited. “Soooo, how’re things?”
There was silence for a moment.
“Things are fine. Ula’s pregnant and on her way to becoming the future empress.” She said, deflecting it seemed and he was awake enough to notice, though he did get stuck on the fact that Ula was pregnant.
“How… how did that even happen? They’re two different species!” He asked, and Intra was silent for a moment as she quickly conversed with Ula on the matter, curious to know herself.
“Well, apparently it has something to do with the rapid evolution they went through, thanks to me. It’s a long story, but I crashed on their planet way back when and I kinda… leaked into the oceans, which was then consumed by her ancestors and now here she is. Anyway, apparently that allows for some… interesting interactions between two different species genes and well, now they’re gonna have a hybrid baby on their hands. Hopefully not one that’s all… awful and monstrous but some good merging of the two.” She shuddered at the thought of her being somewhat the cause of Ula having a horrible mutant baby.
Edrym, to his credit, was just quiet, absorbing it before shaking his head. “Right, well… I’ll need to hear that story sometime.”
“Over dinner perhaps?”
“Yeah, over dinner.” He murmured, before realizing what she’d just suggested. With a soft but sly smirk he shot her a look before getting pinged and glancing at the communique. “Alright, the trace is complete, looks like the signal terminated at the edges of Union territory, a planet called Henvora. It’s uninhabited and rather inhospitable. Temperatures reach well below freezing on average, nothing but snow, ice and some native wildlife with a taste for meat. Charming place.”
He watched her expression shift from playful and kind to colder the more he spoke, till it was an expressionless mask.
“Thank you, Edrym, you’ve been a big help.” She said, and was about to cut the line when he caught her.
“Intra, what is this about? Is there any way I can help?” Again she went still, staring off into the distance before shaking her head.
“This is… something I have to do on my own. When it’s done I’ll tell you everything, alright?” She sounded vulnerable, worried he might be angry at her perhaps. But instead he nodded and accepted the answer he’d been given.
“Then you better come back, from whatever it is you’re going to be doing… I uh, I assume you’ll want me to inform the navy that you’ll be passing through soon?”
“Yes please, with friends. I’d like to not end up delayed.”
“Alright, I can do that. Intra, make sure you do come back.” He looked her in the eyes, and she looked back. There was a longing in them that he knew quite well.
“I will. Goodnight Edrym.” And she cut the line. With a sigh he leaned back and closed his eyes, before attempting to go back to sleep.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
⫷⟪∞⟫⫸
With the location of the Valkyr base discovered, and then cross referenced with the old data on the Valkyr raiding parties, they had their destination. All they needed now was to ensure they had the munitions and resources needed to execute a proper assault. That meant fuel, ammo and enough drones to sweep through a small outpost, or a base the size of a city. The Nemesis fleet shifted out of orbit and dipped into the local gas giants, sweeping collectors through the swirling clouds and taking the materials they harvested and turning them into much needed resources. Internal factories assembled Rustwraiths and the larger Artemis Warmechs, whose spidery locomotion would make moving over the icy terrain a breeze.
But they also began working on troop transports, smaller machines carrying ground troops in pod launchers. As good as dropping troops from the sky was, no doubt Valkyr would have some hefty point defense in place that’d negate attempts at insertions right into the base. Which meant they’d have to drop out of range of those cannons and move in on foot, ground war style. They’d learn whether or not they’d have to do this sooner rather than later, and several stealth probes were launched ahead of their preparations to scout the planet and the system around it. They would not be flying into battle blind.
With preparations well underway, that left Intra with time to get her affairs in order.
⫷⟪∞⟫⫸
I sat in my home, staring at the sunrise as it crested the treetops. I may have inhabited this body for weeks now, but still the sunrise was like an old friend I had nearly forgotten. I never missed it, and each morning I drank in its beauty.
I had taken the time to scour old databases and archives, and the result of my search rested in my hands. A picture, framed in glittering gold. My long lost husband and children. Now they could watch this sunrise with me.
“I wish you could be here to see this in person, to see everything good that I have seen.” I whisper, resting the frame against my stomach, the smiling faces staring out at the sun. “I wonder what you would have become, doctors, scientists, soldiers, explorers perhaps. You both loved to explore, your curiosity was endless. I’m sure it would have gotten you into plenty of trouble, but it… It wouldn’t have mattered because you’d have each other.”
My eyes close and I swallow deeply. “I have to go for a little bit, just a little while, there are some bad people that need to be punished. But I’ll come back, I promise.” Carefully I set the picture aside, facing the window so the sun can rest upon it every morning. And then I stand, calling for a shuttle to take me to the palace.
The trip is quiet and short, and when I arrive I find myself with an escort. Fairly soon I found myself before Ula and Zreeth.
“Ula, in the event I don’t make it back-”
“You will though, you always do.” She interjected.
“Yes, well, should I not, I leave the Warden to you. She’s yours now. Do with her what you wish. Think of it as a… an early wedding gift.” I don’t think she was really expecting that, and who could blame her, it’s not everyday you receive a warship as a wedding gift, especially one like the Warden.
“Thank you, I’ll treat her well.”
“You better, she was my body for a long, long time.” I don’t wait and move in, pulling her into a careful hug. “Be good, Ula, you’ll do just fine without me.” I whisper before pulling away. My attention falls on Zreeth with the same intensity as his mothers gaze might have fallen upon him.
“And you, take care of her, otherwise I’ll make you pay for it.”
“Yes ma’am.” He says, one of Ula’s hands giving his a squeeze. Though it was incredibly against the rules, I did embrace him as well. Ula was part of my family, and now so was he, so he deserved a hug.
I held it for a moment, then parted and turned to leave, striding with purpose out to my shuttle. While Ula and Zreeth watched I ascended into space and boarded the Innocent’s Lament. It was the first time I had ever properly walked the halls of one of my ships, and I wondered what it would feel like to traverse the Warden this way.
Perhaps someday I would find out, but for now our preparations were complete and as I stepped onto the bridge of my new ship I took a look at the command chair. With a touch of hesitation I settled myself upon it, feeling jacks slip beneath my skin and bond with my metal spine, plugging me into the ship. And then it was like I had never left it, but now it was merely an extension of my smaller body.
That would be enough for now, and as the ships of the Nemesis Fleet formed up around me I set my sights on a distant star.
“Nemesis, set course for Henvora. Engage FTL on my mark.” I say, watching as the drives light up on every ship around me as we align ourselves with our target. Once confirmation comes in that we’re all ready to go, I take a deep breath and focus my mind. “Engage.” And one by one, we streak off into the void.
As we flew I thought of those I called family, and perhaps of someone I wished I truly could call family. If and when I got back, I hoped dinner went well. If it did… Well I could finally hope to have a proper family again, somehow, someway.
⫷⟪∞⟫⫸
Arnav Dakua, CEO of Valkyr, looked over the various reports he’d received from scouts within the Union and Imperium. With the war against the Yil’kaa now over, there was nothing stopping them from hunting for his organization. Which couldn’t be allowed. The attempts on Ambassador Ula and the Emperor had of course all failed, and now that the former was set to be married into the Royal family, her protection would be all the greater. A small strike force just wouldn’t work anymore either, the last one had been slaughtered by Intra and her Rustwraiths.
Intra, a thorn in his side that had only been working its way deeper. She even had control of an A.I. extermination fleet, which was unacceptable, and posed far more problems than they could reasonably handle. Considering the intercepted transmissions they’d gathered, it was clear that Intra and her H.I. compatriots were planning an assault on Valkyr’s base, but still didn’t know where they were.
That at least was a boon, so long as Intra didn’t know where they were, that meant they had time to relocate. It’d be a pain, but it had to be done. If they didn’t leave now, then they’d risk discovery. Besides, there were plenty of other unexplored and uncontacted nations in this area of space, they’d make for a good harvest.
Arnav looked up from the reports and rubbed his eyes, before pinging his secretary. “Yes sir?” Came her prompt and chipper response.
“Please inform all staff that we’re going to begin packing up and moving out to the Beta Site. I want this happening now, we’re done here.” He said, and she blinked in surprise but didn’t hesitate to nod.
“Of course sir, right away.” She said, and the connection was cut. With that he leaned back and stared up at the ceiling.
“How bothersome…” He murmured, before he sat up and started to work on packing up the office. Outside the various staff of Valkyr rushed around, packing things away and preparing equipment for transport. There was much to do and little time to do it.
The order had come too late though, the sword having over their heads was about to fall.