“This is Akka, and this tiny speck next to it is the Chupacabra.” I pointed to the looming mass dominating the picture. “And this monstrosity is the Horror. You are about to see a mixture of footage captured by the Chupacabra’s systems and a reconstruction of events as we understand them.”

  Bitsy tapped on the device a few more times and the holographic footage played, showing the gathered council the ineffectiveness of our offensive manoeuvres.

  I watched both sides closely as they scrutinized the video: the subtle shame and embarrassment on Tynan’s face, the simmering anger on the advisors’ faces, the shock and awe on the faces of Ichirō and the Republic’s representatives. But most of all, I noted the look of horror that appeared on everyone’s faces, at one point or another, during the reel. As the footage ended, I spoke up again.

  “This is the threat I have been talking about. This is the Horror,” I said as I gestured at the hologram with both hands. “And as you have just seen, words could not do justice to the description needed to adequately detail this machine and its capabilities. Make no mistake, if we are to have any chance of defeating it, it is going to take our combined strength to take it on.”

  There was a moment of acknowledgement in Tynan’s and Knox’s expressions, an indication that they both understood what was required.

  I turned towards the president. “I know you want to arrest Tynan, but you need to work together to fight the Horror first. And either Tynan will die during the coming conflict, or he’ll survive, and you can see to it that he faces justice once we’ve all beaten this brutal machine.”

  “I understand,” replied Knox.

  I turned towards Tynan now.

  “What?” he said. “What ultimatum can you give me to make me understand, Raith?”

  “I’ve no ultimatum to give you, Tynan. All I have to say, really, is that karma loves the guilty.”

  Tynan squirmed at the word “guilty”, much to my quiet enjoyment.

  “Maybe you survive the fight, maybe you don’t. Either way, you’ll face your dues in one form or another.”

  Tynan’s face became a shade paler, and I almost smiled. He hadn’t seen that response coming.

  “I understand,” he said, his cockiness subdued.

  “Okay, so we agree. We’ll work together to fight the Horror. But we can’t go up against it blindly – we need to know anything and everything we can about it,” Knox said.

  “Understandably, we know very little about the Horror. Fortunately, I anticipated the need for information and left behind some makeshift monitoring satellites that have collected data since our departure from Akka. Bitsy, if you please?”

  A few more taps from the Arachnobot and the projection changed, showing an enlarged version of Akka, with a portion of the Horror looming over it. A vast cloud of the Horror’s swarm surrounded Akka, with trails going back and forth between the planet and the machine.

  “What’s it doing?”

  “As far as we can tell, it’s using its swarm to systematically destroy any traces of organic life or technology and selectively mine mineral deposits from within the planet. These swarm tendrils are making their way to the planet, while these others are moving back to the Horror, bringing with them the collected elements. Now, we believe –”

  “Raith – give us the laymen’s version, yeah?” Knox interrupted.

  I gritted my teeth and looked up, breathing deep breaths as I stared at the clouds above. I expected Tynan to play up, but, surprisingly, he was behaving rather well. Knox, on the other hand, was getting on my nerves.

  “It’s eating the planet,” I said bluntly, looking back at Knox.

  “Oh,” Knox replied.

  “We’re monitoring it, obviously, but bear in mind that the latest data we have is already two months old when we receive it here on Gaia. Whilst the Horror hasn’t left Akka yet, so far as we know, when we see it leave, it’ll be imperative that we’re ready for it, for its arrival would be imminent.”

  “Assuming it comes to Gaia.”

  “Exactly, but that is the next destination we have the most confidence in.”

  “Why?” Knox asked.

  I felt my chest tighten – I’d been dreading this question and the reaction its answer would inevitably garner.

  “The Horror emits a signal that, when our brains listen to it, induces theta waves.”

  “Oh, for fucks’ sake! We – no, not we – you summoned it here with the mass conversion device, didn’t you?” the president snapped.

  A sickening wave of guilt washed over me, and my legs felt like jelly. Knox didn’t know how much her words hurt, and my pain quickly turned into anger.

  “First of all, you sanctioned those actions, so don’t dump all the responsibility for this at my feet!” I retorted as I pointed at Knox aggressively. “And second, we had no way of knowing that this thing existed or that using the mass conversion device would inadvertently act as a dinner bell!”

  Knox’s eyes stood wide, her hands clenched and released. From the tension in her jaw, I could tell she had it clenched as well. But no statement was forth coming – really, what could she say?

  “With this knowledge in mind, it’s fair to presume that the Horror will travel from world to world, either by proximity or by which has the strongest theta waves being emitted. Currently, that would mean it comes to Gaia and then to Ares.”

  The president looked past me to Tynan. “And what about you? Where have you and your people been hiding?”

  “Like I’m going to tell you that!” Tynan chuckled.

  Knox turned to me now. “Either he reveals where his planet is, or this alliance is off!”

  “Well then, we might as well go home now!” Tynan sneered.

  “Well, that’s a relief – these talks weren’t going anywhere!”

  “How could they? The Republic’s bureaucracy is getting in the way, as always. This is why the Empire is superior – we get the job done!”

  “Get the job done?” Knox asked incredulously. “What, like murdering innocent people? Hard-working men and women who had done nothing to harm or slight you, but you shot them out of the sky regardless?”

  “Done nothing? Anyone who serves in the Republic has blood on their hands by association!”

  Knox wiggled a finger in her ear. “I’m sorry – it sounded like you said Republic when you meant to say Empire, because our hands are clean!”

  As the pair continued to shout at each other across the paddock, I looked down at Bitsy.

  “It’s like looking after children, isn’t it?”

  A message scrolled along Bitsy’s back. *I cannot respond to that question.*

  “Yeah … I know, buddy. I know.”

  I checked out Knox, who had gotten to her feet, face flushed in anger as she yelled at Tynan, who seemed ready to tear across the field and knock her out.

  “Both of you, please be quiet. This isn’t constructive,” I said firmly.

  Obscenities continued to fly past, zipping back and forth, as they continued screaming.

  “This isn’t helping!” I said more loudly this time, though my plea fell on deaf ears.

  “Silence!” I yelled; my words projected with authority that held an unwanted familiarity.

  Much to my surprise, and probably that of all the onlookers, both Knox and Tynan fell silent. After a moment’s hesitation, they both sat back down.

  “Your actions should embarrass you both! You call yourselves leaders? More like children!”

  Indeed, a look of embarrassment appeared on their faces moments later.

  “To address the point you raised before, Knox, I know the planet that Tynan and his forces have been hiding on. They call it Erebus, and I can lead you right there.”

  “How do you know that?” Tynan asked.

  “Because when you captured me, Bitsy escaped, and your loyalists couldn’t capture him, so he recorded our entire journey to Erebus and back!” I smirked.

  “Oh,” said Tynan as he deflated like a sail losing the wind.

  I smiled openly – it felt good to have one up on Tynan for once – I was no longer the one on the back foot.

  I turned back towards Knox. “So, we’re all good now, right? You’ll know where Erebus is, and Tynan, you don’t have to reveal where it is.”

  Tynan glared at me. He didn’t like it, but he knew I had him on a technicality, which was always the best thing to pull someone up on.

  “Okay, we agree to work together to fight this thing, but it has to be asked … with what? As you showed us before, rail guns, gauss cannons, Firecrackers, and nuclear warheads – even an asteroid – couldn’t do any harm,” Knox proclaimed.

  “Well, I actually think all of those things might be capable of damaging it – one of the nukes Tynan fired struck the Horror and took a large bite out of its surface. It appeared to repair the damage promptly, but it proves that we can injure it. I think our earlier attacks were ineffective because there weren’t enough of them, and the Horror could use its swarm to dismantle or redirect those attacks, rendering them useless. I believe if we can throw enough at it, simultaneously, that it will overwhelm the Horror’s defences and we will break it.”

  Neither Knox nor Tynan spoke, both thinking through my theory. Did it have merit?

  “I think, in principle, that’s good enough of a plan, and at this point in time, it’s the only plan that I think makes sense. I propose we begin evacuating Gaia immediately, just in case we can’t defend it – we don’t want a repeat of the lives lost on Akka,” Knox said.

  “I agree,” I replied, then turned towards Tynan. “What do you think?”

  Tynan nodded. “I … I hate to say it, but I think I agree with Knox – in principle. It’s the only good plan that makes sense right now.”

  “Okay. Do either of you have any additional weapons or ships that you can bring to bear?”

  “We’ve got a few auxiliary ships we can bring here. We also have a planetary defence laser that we can install in Gaia’s orbit.”

  “Please do both – we need all the firepower we have!”

  I glanced over at Tynan again.

  “We don’t have much, for obvious reasons, but I have two other ships on their way here as we speak.”

  “Okay, thank you – that’ll have to do. It has to be enough.”

  “So, it’s settled then? We have a plan?” Knox asked.

  “We do,” Tynan confirmed.

  “We do,” I echoed. “So, let’s make it so!”

  “Let’s make it so!” Knox and Tynan repeated together.

  As the parties turned to leave, I spoke up.

  “Um … before you both leave, can we at least shake on it? Perhaps we can shake on the outcome instead of signing formalised treaties?”

  Knox and Tynan glared at each other from across the field.

  “Please. Don’t do it for yourselves. Do it for all the people that follow you, that are loyal to you and your governance systems.”

  Both leaders thought about this momentarily, then Knox walked into the centre of the field and stood beside me. We both looked over at Tynan.

  “Come on, Tynan!” I called.

  This seemed to shake him loose from his steadfast position, and he finally walked over to the centre of the field. Knox made the first move, reaching out a hand, and after one last moment of hesitation, Tynan took her hand in his own for a brief shake.

  “Thank you,” I said to them both.

  “It is probably us that should thank you, Raith. Without your mediation, we would’ve been fighting each other and missing the real threat,” Knox replied.

  “Don’t thank me – just work together. Collectively, you’re all that stands between humanity and the Horror. So, for the sake of all humankind, defend us.”

  Knox and Tynan nodded.

  “Agreed. Perhaps to that end, we should discuss some strategy? Fleet formations and such?” Knox said to Tynan.

  “Yes,” Tynan replied slowly. “Let’s talk.”

  [)
  While Knox and Tynan discussed battle plans argumentatively, I walked over to where Ichirō sat. Phobus and Lorcan watched my approach closely, and the soldiers that surrounded them tightened the grasp on their weapons, ready to spring into action if needed.

  “Easy, fellas,” I said once I was within earshot. “I just came to talk to my son. That’s all.”

  Some soldiers relaxed a little, but the advisors’ gazes remained steady and unwavering.

  “Go away,” said Ichirō, glaring at me.

  I knelt before my son and looked up at him.

  “I just want to talk, Ichirō – that’s all.”

  “Yeah, well, I don’t want to fucking talk to you!”

  “That’s fair. Just listen then, okay?”

  Ichirō didn’t respond and averted his gaze.

  “I’d ask if you were alright, but if you won’t talk to me, I won’t get a response. So instead, I’ll say I hope you’re alright. I hope you’re healthy and safe and that being with Tynan is all you hoped it would be.”

  Ichirō continued to look away, but I watched his face shift and twitch subtly – at least he was hearing me out. I only hoped my words would sink in.

  “And listen, if being with Tynan isn’t what you thought – if you aren’t healthy or safe – you can always return to me. The door is always open, okay?”

  “That’s enough,” said Phobus. “He doesn’t need your poisonous ideas in his head.”

  I turned my head slowly to look at Phobus. Our eyes met, and each refused to drop our gaze.

  “Are you so sure that my ideas are the toxic ones?”

  As we maintained our stare, a look of discomfort appeared on Phobus’s face.

  “Would you even recognise the symptoms of a venomous thought inside your head?”

  Phobus appeared to squirm. What was he unsettled by? The gaze we were yet to break or my words, speaking a truth he didn’t want to hear?

  “Do you even know how and when to administer the cure before the damage becomes permanent?”

  A look of recognition flashed across Phobus’s face, and he looked away.

  “Remove yourself … or I’ll have the guards assist you in leaving,” he said half-heartedly.

  I turned back towards Ichirō with one last thing to say. “Always remember, I love you, son.”

  With that, I stood, turned and walked away. I looked over at Knox and Tynan, both still deep in discussion. Hopefully, he’d been too busy to notice my interactions – and too distracted to realise I was sowing the seeds of dissent.

  Chapter 10

  Calm Before the Storm

  2160, Common Era – Planet Gaia, Outer Rim, the Republic of Humanity

  Once the negotiations had wound down, I was effectively told to stand down and stay out of the way – I had no military standing and no real authority above my governorship, after all. Part of me understood; the rest of me desperately wanted to help and hated that it couldn’t. Part of me also knew I still had a role to play in the coming fight. I was certain I’d feel antsy about this at some point, but as the car sped down the road towards the farm, I knew more pressing events would distract me: reuniting with the rest of the family. My palms were slick with sweat as I nervously wrung my hands, a heavy feeling of dread in my stomach. It’d been three years – far longer than the one-year-round trip it was originally supposed to be. Thought after thought bombarded my mind, a ceaseless assault of worry and doubt.

  Were they alright? Had anything terrible happened in my absence? How was Mother getting on with her illness? How was Father coping? Were Adanna and Winona okay? Had I let them all down?

  The warmth of Amorina’s hand resting on mine pulled me out of my spiralling thoughts, and I looked up to meet her gaze. Somewhat confident that he wouldn’t immediately be destroyed, Tynan had released Amorina and Emma, although he had kept Zavis behind. I’d gotten Knox to raise Zavis’s freedom with Tynan, but his ongoing imprisonment was “non-negotiable” apparently. I hoped my old friend would be okay.

  “They’re going to be okay you know?” she whispered, her eyes filled with a comforting and understanding gaze that was all too familiar to me.

  “I know that’s probably true … I just worry about the possibility that it isn’t.”

  “You worry too much.”

  “You said the same when I was worrying about the Empire’s return – but I was right to worry about that, wasn’t I?”

  Amorina’s face hardened as her expression shifted to one of betrayal. “I’ve already apologised for that – you can’t keep welding that against me. I’ve admitted you were right about the Empire, okay? But here and now, I am right about our family. They’ll be fine.”

  I nodded solemnly. “Sorry,” I muttered. “I didn’t mean to take a dig at you … it just came out.”

  We both swayed as the car turned and parked itself in front of the house. I leaned closer to the window, looking out at the house. I felt like it was only yesterday when I was here last; the house looked the same as it had three years ago. The front door opened, and a young woman stepped out.

  “Is that … Adanna?” Amorina exclaimed.

  The young woman gazed at the car with a confused glare. She stepped closer and raised her right hand to shield her eyes from the sun, and my brain finally recognised my daughter.

  “Yes … yes, it is.” My voice cracked, overwhelmed by the sight of my mature daughter.

  She’d grown up so much in three years, and a feeling of lost time overwhelmed me – of memories I would never have a chance to create. The car door opened, and I stepped out into the sun, allowing Adanna a moment to recognise me.

  “Dad?”

  I held my arms out, and Adanna let out a high-pitched squeal and sprinted across the yard, leaping into my embrace and wrapping her arms around my neck. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment, holding her close in a hug I’d not felt in a long time.