“I appreciate that. We will help out with whatever is needed should our ship allow it,” I replied.

  “That is all that I ask. Captain, while the Vael have guaranteed our safe passage in and out of their worlds, everyone, including myself, is apprehensive. Therefore, should something go wrong, we have specific coordinates to regroup with the Bekuni fleet, here.” He waved his hand, and a notification appeared on the screen with the encrypted codes.

  “Do you think it will come to that?” I asked.

  “It is difficult to say. Considering the relationship we have had with the Vael over the past several centuries, this would be the last thing I would have imagined us doing. But this is the only way forward. There is no guarantee that we will be safe of course, hence the coordinates,” he said, his thin mouth flashing small, sharp teeth when he spoke.

  “How do you feel about the possibility of an alliance between the Vael and the conglomerate?” I asked.

  “I would have bet all my credits against such a thing ever occurring,” he scoffed. “But, as strange as it seems, it is looking like a very possible outcome. As to how I feel about it, I, like many others, see no other alternative for repelling the growing Darkkon threat without the Vael’s help. At least, not without losing countless worlds and their people first.”

  “I agree, and given the animosity the conglomerate has had with the Vael over so many years, we may be in for some tense negotiations,” I admitted.

  “No, I do not envy the ambassadors, but they are the best people to voice the conglomerate’s wishes. My apologies, Councilor Marscos,” said Ital, curtly nodding to Lena standing beside me.

  “It is our duty, Lieutenant-Admiral,” said Lena.

  “Shall we get underway then, Captain?” asked Ital.

  “By all means,” I replied.

  “See you in the Vael. Ital out,” he said, closing the channel.

  “Prepare to move,” I announced, taking a seat in the Captain’s chair.

  I hoped the Vael wouldn’t turn on us suddenly once we reached the Hartann system in a few minutes. It would be a blow to the conglomerate that we could not afford at this time. I also hoped that we could come to an agreement with these people and not give away the farm in the process.

  Eight

  Twenty-two portals opened ahead of our fleet; ravenous green cracks that widened enough to fit each vessel through its maw and into another part of the galaxy. The Hartann system was significantly orange, the star settled within a nebula several hundred lightyears in length. Slipping through the gap, its fiery hue replaced the blackness of space, and our exits collapsed off our sterns, sealing us into our new destination.

  Several Vael ships were already approaching us. Close-ups of the incoming vessels noted that their weapons were not trained upon us. A good start, I thought to myself. The vessels reminded me of the ship Princess Ellia had arrived in the Vallus system with. The Vael must have provided her with such a ship.

  The ships were pearlescent white with golden trim along their entire length. Adorning each of their bows was a golden figurehead with one of its arms outstretched, pointing in an accusatory manner as if talking down to whoever dared to face such opposition. Not as great as Poseidon or a mermaid, but a good effort, I thought to myself. All things considered, most of the ships were a bit larger than the conglomerate vessels, while others completely dwarfed The Pillar.

  The lead Vael ship hailed Ital’s ship, and they shared the transmission for the rest of the fleet to hear.

  “Conglomerate fleet, this is Admiral Segrin Huttan of The King’s Honor. Please keep your weapons offline. Move into formation at the following coordinates and await further instructions.”

  “This is Lieutenant-Admiral Ital of Denshin Ray, we read you. Moving to coordinates now.”

  The fleet shifted its position, falling into formation among the receiving Vael’s ranks, as we were guided toward the planet Battarit. From this distance along the outer rim of the system, the super planet was the size of a quarter on our view screens. We edged past the large gas giants, their rings brimming with life with mining operations as freighters and miners worked diligently among the icy rocks.

  Moving further into the system, the planets grew and shrank as we passed the outer asteroid belt, alive with transport vessels and hollowed out cities within the larger asteroids. Battarit was the fourth planet from Hartann, the system’s sun, and its majesty was breathtaking.

  The planet was in the height of its winter season, and the large, white swaths of snow-covered regions were apparent as we slipped into the preordained rally point in its orbit. Four dwarf planets hung around the large planet in a halo. Zoomed in scans of the planets showed an abundance of hulking, planetary defense platforms lining their surfaces in a myriad of mazes.

  The Vael admiral’s voice came over the comms once more. “Halt your position at this point. Please assemble your away teams at the following coordinates, and we will lead them down to the planet. Do not deviate from the set flight plan. Away teams should be minimally armed. Fret not, your safety is guaranteed by the Vael’s hands as our honored guests.”

  “Understood, Admiral,” responded Ital.

  “Lieutenant-Admiral Ital requests to speak with us, Arthur,” said Dotty.

  “Captain, the ambassadors and their guard are preparing to enter their dropships,” he said. “I don’t feel very comfortable not having the troopers armed, but it’s best we abide their rules, lest we provoke or insult the Vael.”

  “You took the words right out of my mouth,” I admitted. “As much as I am against going down to the planet without weapons, we will have to trust them.”

  “Very well. I will remain aboard the ship during the interim. I am not sure how long we are planning on staying, or if the Vael will provide you quarters during that time. Please send the fleet updates as you can,” he requested.

  “Dotty can handle that for us. Messages will be relayed through The Pillar,” I said.

  “Good luck down there, Captain, and be safe,” said Ital, before cutting the channel.

  “No weapons, huh?” said Kayton, crossing her arms with a sour look on her face.

  “There shouldn’t be any need for it apparently,” I said.

  “We are committed at this point,” said Seya. “We are at the whim of the Vael now, and I agree with the Admiral Ital. We follow the request and hope for the best.”

  “Will you want us all to go?” asked Disma.

  “Yes, leave your weapons, but they didn’t say anything about armor. Your objective is to keep Lena and the other ambassadors safe while we are down there.”

  “Of course,” replied Disma.

  “Are you wearing that?” asked Kayton, pointing a finger at my formal top.

  “Yes, the Vael have specifically requested that we come along. It would be best to be as presentable as we can.”

  “I’m guessing the same goes for Seya and Lena?” asked Kayton.

  “It would seem so,” said Seya.

  “Arthur,” said Ellia. “Do you know when I will be able to see my children?”

  “I’m not sure. All I ask is that you show patience until we get through the formalities first,” I replied.

  “When the time is right, I will make sure to request that you be reunited with your children,” said Lena, placing a hand on the woman’s shoulder.

  The Darkkon princess’s eyes began to swell slightly before she refocused, suppressing the excitement and relief she was feeling.

  “Everyone, head to the Dagger. Dotty, continue sending updates while we are planetside to Ital and let us know about your progress with 6653,” I ordered.

  “Yes, Arthur,” said Dotty. “I’ve found nothing of significance as of yet.”

  “How long until the decryption is done?” I asked.

  “One week, six days, eighteen hours,” it said.

  “We won’t need to wait that entire time to possibly find something will we?” I asked.

  “That would depend on where any significant files are stored. It is all up to chance,” said Dotty.

  I clicked my tongue. “Fair enough. Let’s get moving, everyone.”

  *****

  Dagger exited from The Pillar, and it was the first time the larger ship was not in stealth mode while out of friendly territory. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly apprehensive as we left the comfort of the ship. I was also concerned about how Dotty would react.

  If it decided that we were moving against its parameters, what would it do? Would its decision affect the team as well or leave them to their own devices?

  Dotty, please tell me you are still willing to see what the Vael have to offer before you do anything.

  Yes, Arthur. For the moment, I will allow everything to move forward as normal unless the Vael are up to something that would put the safety of the ambassadors or the conglomerate at risk.

  Okay, but you must let the ambassadors do the negotiating. For both of our sakes, do not say anything in the presence of the Vael. I’m sure they didn’t just invite those of us onboard The Pillar out of curiosity.

  I will follow your instructions unless negotiations deteriorate.

  It would have to do for now. I just hoped that we would be able to come up with some sort of agreement. While the Vael said that our safety would be in their hands—and assuming that were true—it would place us in the safest part of the galaxy, nestled within all the defense assets crammed into the system.

  But I couldn’t feel completely safe until we finalized the negotiations.

  I felt naked leaving The Pillar without a blaster or blade on my person—something I hadn’t done even while on Fengar. I was unaccustomed to feeling so vulnerable, my only comfort was the team surrounding me.

  To my right, Seya looked out the cockpit window, biting her lip and slightly bouncing her knee. Despite her earlier assurances, it was clear that she was anxious. I knew steady hands and a stoic expression would replace her nervousness before we presented ourselves. Similarly, I wrung my hands together as the small formation of dropships descended towards the planet and into the winter landscape.

  Large domes lined the countryside, their tops brushed free of the falling snow by flying automatons, revealing fields of crops growing within. In comparison, the infrastructure was exposed to the air, with the snow plowed away only from the open roads. To my surprise, numerous vehicles of varying lengths, complemented the countryside with dotted, ant-like columns, while only a few other flying vehicles danced between the buildings. Tall columns were evenly placed among the snowy fields, and a suspended railway snaked its way along its length at blazing speeds.

  In the hold, the troopers crowded around the few windows available, peering out at the landscape and taking it all in while they could from the air. I wondered if it reminded them of anything familiar.

  Checking my dataslate for some of the planet’s attributes, I noted that the air was breathable without the need for a helmet and the current temperature was twenty degrees Fahrenheit. Gravity was at a comfortable 1.06 G, as was apparent now that we were well into the planet’s atmosphere and only a few hundred feet from the ground. Our altitude was just under a mile, and the vista was not so different from the Colorado countryside. I doubted I would have trouble acclimating to the planet, even without my enhanced body.

  Dagger pitched up slightly, slowing down as we approached the landing pads. Behind a clear cover outside, a group of bundled-up individuals dressed completely in black, waited for us to land.

  Once secured to the landing pad, the engines shut off and the torrent of snow no longer blasted the surroundings. The group promptly emerged from behind its cover to greet us.

  Seya and I got up from our chairs as Kayton prepared everyone to exit. I rested an arm against the small corridor dividing the cockpit from the rear hold, then leaned in and grabbed everyone’s attention, “Listen up. Be on your best behavior. Don’t touch anything, don’t speak unless spoken to, and don’t wander off. Let the ambassadors do the talking. We are representing the entire conglomerate here, alright?”

  “Yes, sir,” said the team.

  “Lena, you have the lead,” I said.

  The woman swept her hair back over her shoulders and fixed her golden circlet. Her bodyglove would give her all the warmth she needed, but she had also brought some heavier gloves for the journey.

  The door slid open, and the cold air began infiltrating the hold like icy hands gripping every part of my exposed neck and face. We ventured out onto the landing pad, grouping up with the other ambassadors and troopers before we were greeted by the heavily bundled Vael group.

  “Greetings, ambassadors, on behalf of King Jermar Kallent and the people of the Vael Empire,” said a short being at the front of the group. The heavy clothing obscured all their faces. “I am Lord Yann Ordatt, speaker for High Lord Lom Fayn, ruler of the Cartarath region and fourth speaker of the King.”

  Okay, I seriously hope all the greetings aren’t going to be like this, I thought, regretting leaving my helmet as the cold bit my ears.

  “Thank you for receiving us Lord Ordatt, I am High Councilor Saybon Dreth of the Inner Circle of the Galactic Conglomerate.”

  The short Lord Ordatt looked around at all of us and then to his own people.

  “Okay, that’ll do. Come, come, I’m freezing out here,” he said, suddenly turning and making his way towards the large entrance to what looked like a castle wall.

  Kayton’s visor was clear with the overcast sky, and her eyes were smiling as she tried hard to stifle a laugh.

  “Easy…” I muttered through clenched teeth to the troopers, as we followed the group inside the wall.

  Inside the walls, and across another blanket of snow lying between us and another large building similar to a keep, the two groups made their way inside, where we were greeted by a very warm and dry room. The vaulted ceiling stretched up nearly a hundred feet where two large portraits flanked the entrance. On the left was a feathered being seated in a chair holding an exotic sword. On the right, another, similar alien stood against a red tapestry with a small animal sitting at its feet. I removed my gloves and clasped my hands over my ears, siphoning heat back into them.

  “I apologize for the harsh conditions this land has greeted you with. You should come back during the spring or summer. It’s much more inviting,” said Lord Ordatt. “But of course,” he removed his headcover, revealing a brightly feathered face and a large black beak, “we cannot always choose the timing of such events,” he said with a much clearer voice.

  “We thank you for your hospitality, nonetheless,” replied Councilor Dreth.

  “Before we continue, I must ask that you allow us to search you for any weapons,” he said, putting up a disarming hand. “I doubt you would go against the Vael’s wishes, but I would be forgoing my formal duties as a lord to not subject you all to a search, first.”

  “Proceed as you must,” replied the councilor.

  The rest of the Vael removed their headcovers, their true forms becoming apparent. The entire group was of varying races that Dotty was unable to classify for me. I had not seen any of these species in my travels thus far, and the array of different skin tones and characteristics shifted drastically from one to the next.

  Retrieving devices from their persons, they came over to each of us and scanned us from head to toe several times before moving to the next. A female alien approached me with the device and began the process, giving me a faint smile before doing so. She had a tall forehead which reached a pointed crest. Tangled black hair jutted out from behind the crest that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were almond shaped and bright red with a flat nose perched over split lips. The device gave a reading to her satisfaction before moving onto Seya beside me.

  Our bright, avian host, Lord Ordatt, walked back towards a long and ornate table which looked to be made of wood. Already covered in food, servers continued piling on more and more plates of the strange and foreign cuisine by the minute. The lord plopped himself down at the head of the table in the center of the large room, whose ceiling seemed to rise even higher than that of the entrance.

  “No weapons?” he asked. “Goo. Everyone, please come sit down and indulge yourselves. This is some of the finest food the Cartarath region has to offer, all locally produced. I know you want to get moving as soon as possible, but if you haven’t figured it out already, the Vael tends to take its times in all manners,” he scoffed. “Consider this an extension from someone who is not so keen on formalities. I trust the receiving committee won’t be ready for another few hours,” he said, resting his head in a clawed hand as we stood around looking at each other briefly. “Please, sit, this is not a trick, I truly am a friend.”

  The High Councilor gave us all a reassuring nod as we followed the rest of the Vael to the table.

  “High Councilor Dreth, would you please sit here next to me, I’d rather not shout our conversation across the room,” insisted the lord and gesturing to the seat next to him. The table was grand—to say the least—and long enough to sit the forty plus individuals in the room.

  “Of course, Lord Ordatt,” replied Dreth.

  We sat amongst ourselves in a mixed fashion with the rest of the Vael retinue.

  “There are no more formalities here, please dig in,” urged Lord Ordatt.

  Dotty scanned the food around me and noted that all of it was edible to me, barring some strange, rounded nut off to one side.

  “If I may be so bold, My Lord,” said Dreth.

  “By all means, Councilor,” said Ordatt.

  “You seem a bit…relaxed in comparison to what our recent correspondence with the Vael would have led us to believe. I mean no offense in saying so,” said Dreth.