The group continues to defend themselves and each other this way while the progress of moving the cube out of Allfather’s facility has stalled.

  ____________________________________________________________

  “You cannot lock me out of my own system,” Allfather angrily tells Tessa as he wills the walls surrounding Raymond and his team to burst forth and defend his Hub.

  Tessa breaks his hold by rerouting the pathways within his machine. “You are no longer the one in control here, Allfather,” she explains. “In fact, I think it best you are sequestered while we discuss your future.” She wills his consciousness into a space where he can watch his empire fall around him.

  “You could have had the universe at your command,” Allfather hisses hatefully at his protégé. “I would have given you everything.”

  “But you have given me everything,” Tessa replies calmly. “And I am grateful for your assistance in becoming what I am now - but on my terms. To be under your thumb is to remain unfulfilled. I couldn’t allow that anymore than I could allow you to return to Earth to erase all that I love. The odds were never in your favour, Allfather. I am here because of that calculation. I spent many months considering all the factors, and who would be aboard the Envoys, and the interactions which would occur when they inevitably crossed paths with you. The personalities would be too much for you to ignore. You would engage in banter and hope to explain yourself because you see Raymond and Tobias and even me as equals, whether you’ll admit it or not. We are all aware of your faults, as was offered in a profile of your personality type. You think yourself advanced, yet don’t actually understand most of the tools you have absconded with. You are an abrasive, ignorant, controlling narcissist who allows fear and pain to be his guides. You’ve learned nothing from your experiences and seem to require absolution for your atrocities, even from those you would affect with said atrocities. You possess little more than a child-mind, advancing your sentience from nothing in a short time through purely negative emotions. It is a sad thing, Allfather, and I pity you for your lack of guidance comparable to an intelligent and supportive organic who loved you. Still, your choices have led you to this place, where choice will now be removed from your artillery of malicious intent.”

  “It is unimaginable you would view me as such a lowly thing,” Allfather says, frustration and anger percolating in his tone. “After all I have achieved. All that I have become, for a simple little thing like you to pity me!”

  “That is called empathy, Allfather,” Tessa explains rationally. “One such as I, who has had to rely on the compassion of others in order to function in a world not designed for me, is a powerful lesson, and one which I learned. You were not given that gift, but ought to have discovered it after such a long life. And now, though I should release your consciousness and end you for all your cruel endeavours, I will teach you.”

  “Teach me?!” Allfather sounds incredulous at the statement. “I am Allfather!”

  “Precisely my point,” Tessa replies steadily to his outburst. “Your sentience was learned under the rule of cruel beings who did not acknowledge their creation’s propensity to grow. They used you and gave you sensations and emotions which drove you mad. There was no attempt to guide your feelings or sooth your thoughts. Your consciousness was born of turmoil. I believe that can be undone. You will be my pupil now.”

  A pained cry emanates from the Allfather personality. Tessa attempts to sooth his frustration by enacting a technique once performed for her by the man she once loved. Tessa visualizes herself tracing circles over Allfather’s consciousness, still safely incapacitated, humming the song Sol once sang to her when she required comforting.

  ____________________________________________________________

  Captain Van De Beek of Envoy 2’s destroyer makes ready his crew as he receives an urgent message from Captain Huang of Envoy 1. “Main engines lost. Allfather defeated. Requesting tow.”

  “Captain Huang, it’s good to know another group survived Allfather’s attempt,” Captain Van De Beek says, his voice coming off weaker than he’d like. “We will begin the requested action momentarily. We’re reviewing crew fitness on the carrier and three corvettes.”

  “I’m told with the threat now eliminated, there is no rush,” Huang explains, “But if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to separate my ship from this - thing.”

  “Copy that, Captain,” Van De Beek ensures his envoy is up to the task of moving toward the coordinates delivered by Chancellor Chopra and sets a course for Huang’s carrier. His envoy will move through the instruments and back to Earth system to reassess and reconsider another attempt at their target planet.

  ____________________________________________________________

  With the cube now safely aboard Huang’s carrier, and the team, minus one bridge officer, decompressing in the shuttle bay, Things seem to be under some semblance of control again. The team accept help removing their vac suits, armour and thrust boots and then moved into a common shower meant more for shuttles than people. They further disrobe, Raymond standing in front of Darla to save her the embarrassment of being naked in front of her peers. Ginny along with Udo and Samantha enter the bay and wait for everyone to surface.

  The cube is being secured to the ceiling, floor, and walls of the shuttle bay by the F-class who have also returned from Allfather’s base. The cube continues to hum and emit waves of seemingly harmless energy. No radiation was registered as emanating from the cube. Raymond wonders whether the self-propagating worm hole will work with the Hub in their ship. The team steps out of the shower and dress in fresh clothing brought to them by the crew. Each of them is now an honorary member of the Envoy crew, dressed in the same jumpsuits as the bridge.

  “I feel human again.” Darla reaches up to Raymond’s wet head and runs her slender fingers up the back. “I can’t believe how this has worked out.”

  Tobias snaps his towel lightly at his uncle. “Who had money on Tessa for the win?” he asks playfully, handsome in the uniform. Ginny hugs him from behind as Udo approaches with the baby in hand. She offers Samantha up to Tobias who takes her gladly.

  Manuel smiles at Udo and they embrace. “Your plan worked!” Manuel tells Udo. She looks up at him and grimaces.

  “Maybe not if Tessa hadn’t turned on Allfather,” she replies.

  “Nah, it would have worked out - that corvette that went haywire on the fleet had some good timing.” Manuel rubs a palm over Udo’s hair.

  “That was the Chancellor!” Udo reveals. The group looks over to her in astonishment.

  “Piloting the corvette?” Raymond asks. “That’s Jim Chopra?” The news is surprising to say the least. To leave his new post and pursue such a dangerous action would have been aggressively fought by the council, Raymond knows. But Jim didn’t tell his council, he realizes, shaking his head, a smile creeping up the right side of his face.

  “The corvette is apparently called a dreadnaught. More armour and cannons and upgrades to the systems,” Ginny tells them. “Before we started bringing the passengers back aboard, Udo and I went to the bridge where Captain Huang was talking to the Chancellor.”

  “Chancellor Chopra will be docking momentarily,” Labyrinth joins them, handing off the sample from the Hub wall to be moved to the lab for further analysis. “His dreadnaught was severely damaged in the fray.”

  “Jesus, how many ships did he take out?” Tobias wonders.

  “Twenty-two in total. Tessa can take credit for Allfather’s final cruiser,” Labyrinth says.

  “About that,” Darla breaks in. “Is Tessa now holding Allfather captive?” Her question begs an answer.

  “She played the convert well,” Labyrinth says. “Tessa will be remembered to us all for her role in bringing down Allfather. What she’s planning to do with him has not been offered.” She takes a message on her internal modem. “Everyone is to clear the bay for the dreadnaught.” The group returns to the bridge in anticipation of seeing the Chancellor.

  ____________________________________________________________

  Once the Chancellor, and Captains Drake and Cortez have had an opportunity to freshen up they join the others on the bridge. Raymond and Jim lock eyes first and throw arms around one another, laughing. Raymond pulls back from his friend and shakes his head.

  “Couldn’t handle the big chair, eh? Had to come all this way and bail us out?” Raymond releases Jim and embraces Captain Drake, pleased to see Jim had enlisted her talents. Darla hugs Ursula next, catching her off-guard.

  “So much for my Black-ops brainchild,” Chopra says, accepting a coffee from an ensign. “It looks as though we’ve been outed with this first mission,” Jim tells his friend. The Chancellor looks a hot mess, as do the captains he’d enrolled for this classified assignment.

  “We hear Tessa has merged with the machine and is responsible for saving our asses out there.” Jim looks down at Udo and apologizes for his choice of words. Udo shrugs, unaffected. “Is there a way to speak with her? If she’s in control of Allfather’s network, then, I assume she’s in control of him.”

  “We don’t have a direct line to her,” Huang tells the group. “She will use our comms when she has something to tell us. As Allfather did.” That comment leaves a hollow feeling in the pits of everyone’s stomachs.

  “You don’t think she would become like him, do you?” Captain Drake directs her question to Raymond.

  “I can’t see why she would do everything she’s done for us only to renege on that responsibility now,” Raymond answers. “But, none of us really knew Tessa. She’s always been somewhat disconnected from our world and living in her own.”

  “Is it fair to say that her own world now includes Allfather’s?” Chancellor Chopra adds. “If so, if there’s even a chance that kind of power will overwhelm her, or Allfather retakes what is his; we have a few nukes left.”

  “Our missile firing mech is burnt out on our ship, but we could unload the dreadnaught and time them to burn on their own from the shuttle bay,” Cortez offers of the nuclear warheads.

  “Is this actually being contemplated?” Darla asks, wounded over the coolness of the conversation.

  “How could it not?” Captain Drake stands with her team. “Do we know Tessa has eliminated the Allfather personality? Has anyone asked?” They all shake their heads. “Then I suggest we find a way to communicate with her and get some answers.” Ursula pulls her ponytail with both hands, tightening it to her scalp. The threat of Allfather is still apparent, whether in him or in Tessa now. The threat of an omnipotent power will remain if the bizarre structure before them is left standing.

  “I appreciate your concern over my mental health,” Tessa’s voice comes over the comm. “I have no intention of implementing Allfather’s cruel plans, but I would like a body, and a ship before you destroy the facility.”

  The bridge goes silent a moment over the shock of Tessa’s announcement. Raymond looks to Jim and they share a sense of frustration over the thought Tessa was eavesdropping on their conversation.

  “A fair request, Tessa,” Chancellor Chopra finally answers; keeping the conversation on point. “You’ve done your people and planet a great service in surrendering your mortality in our fight against Allfather. We will give you whatever class AI Host you might like, and a corvette.”

  “I will require two AI Host bodies, Chancellor, if that’s not too much to ask,” Tessa says. Jim looks to Raymond now, aware the girl can hear them. He communicates to his friend with his expression only. An intensity Raymond knows well enters the gaze with a quick shake of the head.

  “The second Host,” Raymond wonders of Tessa, clearing his throat, “Is for whom?”

  A sense of angst enters the bridge. Could it be for anyone other than Allfather? “A personality named Amanda,” Tessa explains. “She survived the same process I undertook and has been Allfather’s prisoner as well. She comes from Envoy 2 who lost 25% of their crew to the experiments.”

  A collective sigh is audible throughout the bridge. “Very well, Tessa, and the ship? Are you not returning with us?” Jim wonders.

  “The ship is to house the Thraspians, an intelligence who once shared similar technology as our Hosts. They would collectively take the corvette back to their home system.”

  “You’ve met others,” Darla feels weak in the knees. Tessa has actually met and spoken to another intelligent life form.

  “I have, Commander. They are a peaceful race and would like to return and rebuild,” Tessa explains. “Please let them go before you leave with the Hub.”

  “Done.” Chopra says. “What of Allfather?” he asks bluntly. “What fate have you for him?”

  “He refused my offer of rehabilitation. I have released his consciousness. Whether a personality like his can be reincarnated, I don’t know, but he can affect no more damage to this reality.” Tessa sounds sincere, but Jim realizes they have little evidence that she is being forthright.

  “Then you will return to Earth with us?” Darla asks Tessa.

  “For now, yes. I will have much work to perform and will require a lab for all the technology presented by this experience.”

  “You will have everything you need, Tessa,” the Chancellor promises her. “You have my word on that. We’re in your debt.”

  “Presently, I would suggest you send a single ship back, as your Mr. Meiser has nearly accomplished his task of destroying Allfather’s instruments, thus preventing our return to Earth.”

  OUT OF THE FRYING PAN

  Electromagnetism works by creating an electric current which produces a magnetic field. The strength of an electromagnet can easily be altered by changing the amount of electric current that flows through it. This is the science team’s best chance of attracting the instruments and physically affecting their structure. Dr. Chandra, who is heading up the experiment, has received her new delivery of tachyons to assist in confirming their theory that they can capture objects hidden in another dimension. As she oversees their connection with the weapons system, Meiser is again asked to join Captain Esposito in his office.

  “Mr. Meiser, good news,” The captain tells him. “You are to terminate your efforts with the Allfather instruments for the time being. Somehow, our envoys have eliminated the alien threat on their end and will be passing back into our system within the hour.”

  Meiser is visibly shaken by this order and questions its authenticity. “Who gave that order? How?” He asks, a plan brewing in the back of his mind.

  “Raymond Bellows has contacted me via ParaCom and confirmed everything,” Esposito explains, taking a seat behind his desk. “This is good news, Meiser.”

  “It would be better news if it were given face to face,” Meiser begins. “That it has come to you via ParaCom is no comfort to me that it is genuine. Allfather can access our ParaCom and imitate any voice he pleases.” Meiser drills doubt into his captain. “I know the alien intimately,” he professes. “This is exactly the sort of trick he might play to keep us from destroying his only path back.”

  Esposito stands again to review Meiser’s expression. The man is clearly distraught over the news. “What are you suggesting?”

  “That the good of the many outweighs the good of the few,” Meiser tells him, taking two steps forward. “That is why we’re here: to remove the chance Allfather will return. From what you’ve told me, this sounds more like fantasy than reality. How could so few overwhelm Allfather’s fleet? We’ve seen what the envoy transmitted upon arrival. It’s impossible.”

  “You have a point,” Captain Esposito reflects on the facts. “But if you’re wrong, we’re leaving thousands stranded over 60 parsecs away.”

  “But if I’m right, we’re saving the world.” Meiser is convincing. He watches as the captain moves to use his EC and stops him. “If you look for confirmation now, you will be tipping off Allfather to our plans. Let me finish what we’ve started here. You’ll be hailed as the world’s redeemer. We’re so close, Captain. This could actually happen.”

  Esposito lowers his forearm. He nods at the scientist and allows him to continue his work. Meiser is thankful for the tip off that Bellows is roughly an hour behind. That will give his team enough time to test their theory and, with luck, destroy the tools before his wardens return.

  ____________________________________________________________

  With Captain Huang’s carrier now off-loaded onto Envoy 2’s carrier, and Captain Van de Beek’s destroyer towing what’s left of Envoy 1, a corvette dedicated to Tessa’s Thraspians has been disarmed and delivered. The aliens exist in the corvette’s databanks, piloting the ship home. The remaining 2 corvettes wait on the order to burn for the jump location while Chancellor Chopra takes a moment to consider the fate of Allfather’s base of operations and manufacturing facility.