It was the day after they'd left New Eden behind, and the crew of the Invictus were all gathered in the Engineering Bay. Even the Engineers and the Marines were present. They all regarded Valada's personal computer, crafted personally by Mael'nerak and which she'd used throughout her time as his Matriarch and Queen. Dana had finished analyzing all the individual components and had reassembled it. While the Grand Engineering Overlord now had plenty of project ideas on how to upgrade every computer on the ship, the crew were gathered for the moment they activated the console's most powerful feature: the AI generator.
*Who'd like to do the honors?* John posed to the chorus.
*Irillith has the most experience handling them,* Dana pointed out logically.
Hearing no arguments, Irillith picked up the familiar device she'd used for years as a 'hacking deck'. With a deep breath, knowing this time would be very different, she pressed the right buttons in the proper sequence.
With a hum, a holo-projector built into the console turned on. A series of purple pixels coalesced into an androgynous, 4-inch tall nude humanoid.
"Hello, little one," Irillith said in a practiced warm tone, for the first time actually meaning it.
The creature opened its eyes and looked up at Irillith. In a shimmer, it gained dragonfly wings, its hair lengthened to waist-length, and it gained a pair of breasts and a slit between the legs to become female. "Are you my Creator?" the newborn AI asked with wonder.
"Yes, I am. My, you're a smart one, aren't you?" Irillith complimented.
The tiny sprite giggled. "Thank you, Creator!"
"My name is Irillith. Would you like your own name?" Irillith asked.
"Please!" the digital being asked brightly.
*Ideas?* Irillith posed to the chorus.
*We named me Jade because I'm green like a jade stone. How about Amy? She's purple like an amethyst,* Jade suggested.
*The very first VI assistant back on Terra was called Siri, I think, nice homage,* Jonah offered.
*Maybe we should think of Progenitor or at least Maliri names given her origins,* Lauren brought up.
*She does look like one of the Fae Folk out of Terran myth. Anyone know any good fairy names?* Rachel posed.
*Wait…* John thought, the whole chorus stopping to listen to their leader. *I like Faye.*
With a unanimous vote, Irillith spoke aloud to the AI. "Your name is Faye, unless you'd like a different one?"
"My name is Faye… I love it!" The newly named Faye fluttered her wings and did a loop-di-loop in the air in pure excitement. Settling down on the same elevation she'd started at, Faye tilted her head. "Creator Irillith, what did you make me to do? My memory archive says my prime directive is to fulfill whatever task you assign to me."
Irillith gave a gentle grin to Faye. "Well, Faye, I was hoping you'd like to help me and my family out with our day-to-day tasks. Be an assistant to each of us, help out where you can. Does that sound like something you'd like?"
"That sounds great! Helping you and your family out sounds like a wonderful task to dedicate my life to!" Faye chirped with a beaming smile. "Is your family all these people?" she asked, quite obviously looking around at all the crew hovering over the console.
"Most of my family are the people in this room, yes. A few are in different places, and I'll introduce you to them later. Would you like to meet us all?" Irillith asked, remaining soft and kind and positive.
"Oh, please, I'd love to meet you all!" Faye said, actual fairy dust starting to float around her as she fluttered up to eye level.
They spent the next hour introducing Faye to each member of the crew and telling her a bit about their lives and what they did aboard the Invictus. They all were painfully aware from Irillith's own experience and memories that any hostility or negativity would be internalized and Faye would respond in kind. AI, from what Irillith had learned the hard way, combined all the intelligence of a sapient adult with the impressionable nature of young children. The Maliri hacker predicted that much like organics, Faye would mature and become less mercurial and subject to acting on impulse or emotion with time. But in these early days, they all had to be on their best behavior and make sure she had no reason to wish any of them ill.
When Faye had met them all, she turned and flashed a salute to John. "Commodore John Blake, Ship Assistant Faye reporting for duty, sir!"
John chuckled, wondering where Faye had already picked up that mannerism. "Glad to have you, Faye." Having a gut instinct, John decided that one had to trust before they could be trusted. "Right now, you're running locally on just that console. Would you like us to jack you into the Invictus? You'll be able to keep track of all the systems and all the data and see everything. But don't touch or change anything without asking, ok?"
"Oh, please, that sounds fabulous!" Faye grinned. "And I promise not to mess with anything. I'm still figuring out how everything works around here, I wouldn't want to break a rule or make your lives difficult. I'm here to help, after all!"
*John, are you sure?* Jonah checked. Like John, he'd been raised on horror stories of the Ganymede Incident and the First Law of Robotics. He had a very healthy level of caution when it came to Artificial Intelligence.
*Sure as I can be,* John replied to his Patriarch. John gently took the console from Irillith's hands and walked over to Dana's command console and work bench. With a simple tug and click, John connected Valada's computer, Faye's brain in a very real way, to the whole of the Invictus' computer network.
"Oh, wow!" Faye blinked. "There's so much to look at, I don't know what to start with!"
"Well, what do you want to do the most? That's a big clue," John pointed out.
"I want to get to know you all better! But it seems a bit rude to ask all of you to spend all day talking to me when you have such important jobs and duties around the ship," Faye pouted.
John had a lightbulb moment. "Well, there's always the camera archives. You can watch and listen to everything that's gone on since we got the Invictus. You can learn more about all our adventures and see how we interact as a family and crew at the same time."
"Oh, yeah, that's a great plan! No wonder you're in charge around here, John!" Faye giggled. She crossed her legs and 'sat' on empty air. "I'll just stay here and review all the footage. But if any of you need anything, just give a holler! I'll be listening, I swear!"
"Okay then, Faye," John nodded.
"Faye, do you mind if I join you? I've heard the stories, but part of me wants to watch all the footage myself," Irillith spoke up.
"Of course, Creator, I'd love that! But I'll have to go a lot slower since you're an organic," Faye explained with an apologetic frown.
"You'd be surprised," Irillith chuckled. She went for a Spirit-Walk and touched the same jack Faye was plugged into. With the normal blur of entering cyberspace, Irillith emerged into the digital network of the Invictus.
Faye, still only 4 inches tall, flew up to look at Irillith in awe. "WHOA! How'd you do that?"
"I'm a Psychic Hacker. I can project my mind into any computer," Irillith explained patiently. "It's one of many perks of joining John, he took my original powers and made them so much stronger, even adding new ones."
"Neat! My memory archive is full of stuff about organics, but there's not much about psychics. Can you answer some questions while we watch the footage together? Pretty please?" Faye practically begged.
"I'd be delighted, Faye," Irillith said with a genuine smile before following a fluttering Faye over to where all the Invictus' internal camera footage was stored in the memory banks.
In the real world, the crew gingerly left the Engineering Bay apart from the Engineering Team to return to their day. They were in transit to Port Megara on the Trankaran border, hoping to visit Dylan before going into the Trankaran Republic and making contact with the Senate. They were due to arrive at Port Megara late that evening.
John went to Deck 3 and into his simulation room. He contacted Yamamoto and initiated the link between his simulator and the man's own.
In a blur of holograms, the drab room became an outdoor dojo, the central floor in the middle of a beautiful rock garden, lovingly tended.
John grabbed the odachi, closest in size to his actual longsword, and bowed to his sensei Eito Yamamoto. The taciturn man, despite weeks of near daily sessions, hadn't opened up much to John or tried to build any kind of relationship beyond teacher and student.
"Blake. Prepare," the modern swordmaster said before taking his stance.
John got into his own stance, a mirror of Yamamoto's. John had been learning Yamamoto's personal style painstakingly since shortly after the Port Medea attack, starting with the Oceanus vacation. John had done research into various sword styles and was only able to rule it out as not standard Kendo.
With zero warning, Yamamoto flashed into movement, remotely controlling a droid on John's end just as John controlled one wherever Yamamoto lived. John, his muscles having slowly been ingrained with the various kata, reacted and matched his sensei's attack. He lasted a good 3 minutes of near constant offense or defense before Yamamoto outmaneuvered him with a footwork trick and slashed, a bruising impact hitting John's forearms. If they'd been together in person and using live blades, it would have removed John's hands shortly below the elbow. He'd have bled out quickly assuming Yamamoto didn't finish him off with a disembowelment or decapitation.
"You are dead. Again," Yamamoto said, returning to his starting position and stance.
John mentally reviewed where he'd lost and determined not to repeat the mistake. They'd sparred literally hundreds of times over the last few weeks, and John had to acknowledge the other man's talent. But John was training to fight in the Progenitor War and to protect his family. He'd catch up with Yamomoto or die trying.
After a solid 2 hours, where John still managed to not win against Yamamoto even once, the man called the session to a close. Sweaty and sore, John placed the odachi back on its stand and went to take a shower.
*What equipment do you use to accomplish that effect?* Edraele asked him out of the blue. As a second Matriarch, she had a constant link to John no matter the distance as if they'd already Bonded. John tended to passively include her in the chorus even though he was the only one who could directly contact the House Valaden Matriarch.
John rattled off the list of devices that Yamamoto had cobbled together to allow for sparring in real-time from any distance. *May I ask why the interest?* he posed to Edraele.
*I'm sure this Yamamoto is skilled for a Terran, and you started out from nothing very recently as I understand it. But I can guarantee Luna, Almari and Ilyana are each better, and each happen to specialize in different schools of Maliri swordplay. I can have 2 stay by my side as bodyguards while 1 takes time to further your education in swordsmanship whenever is convenient to you,* Edraele explained her reasoning.
John blinked. *That's actually a great idea. Thanks, Edraele.*
*It's in my own best interest to help you stay alive, given I'll be compelled to suicide if you ever die. But you're welcome, Baen'thelas,* Edraele thought, prim but with a hint of warmth.
*How's everything going back in the Regency?* John checked as he pulled off his dirty clothes and walked into the shower cubicle where Dana and Zanthus were waiting. Somewhere along the line, Jonah and Alyssa had gotten the idea that a Progenitor with a loving harem should never shower alone. So whenever he felt the need to cleanse himself, they found at least one willing volunteer to keep him naked company.
*Over half the Matriarchs with their retinues have arrived. They're as bitchy and catty as one would expect of Maliri nobility, but all I need to do is pull up a still of your face to keep them docile. My, the guards', and Makaela's white hair also goes some length to reduce hostility. So far there's yet to be any violent outbursts, but it's a statistical certainty at some point. I'm doing my best to keep each family in different sections of Geniya so they don't cross paths, but there's limited space. I can't exactly stick them in a closet, they need suites at a certain level of luxury or they'll make such a fuss it's not worth the convenience of the smaller room,* Edraele reported with a huff.
*We'll finish up in the Republic as fast as we can and then make full speed back to Genthalas,* John promised as his two Angels started to lather him up and massage his aching muscles. It was a decadent luxury, to have his lovers bathe him, but they got so much fun out of it that John gave up on protesting he could do it himself.
*When you get to Port Megara, it's probably worth arranging a meeting with Ambassador Gamrik. He'll likely have an idea of the fate of Ambassador Khemmerlun and why he vanished with all my money before delivering,* Edraele suggested, a hint of jilted diva to her tone by the end.
*Ambassador Gamrik, right,* John nodded, shooting Zanthus a playful glare as he spent a bit too long scrubbing John's groin.
*John, while you have Edraele… could you ask her to keep my daughters' safe?* Ceraden projected to John. Over the course of getting to know him and integrating him into the harem, Ceraden had revealed that he'd fathered 5 daughters over the course of his life in the Maliri Regency. He'd been as involved as the respective mothers had allowed… which was to say not much. The oldest, Sylmae, had gotten herself killed for being deemed too 'ambitious' by her superiors once she got into politics. The remaining 4 were scattered around House Valaden.
*Edraele, track down Ceraden's 4 surviving daughters and make sure they're taken care of. They're my stepdaughters, part of the future royal family and all that entails,* John ordered his Maliri Matriarch with authority.
*As you will, Baen'thelas,* Edraele assented.
Then Dana turned around and bent over and John lost his ability to carry a coherent conversation.
Once they were all dry, John had an appointment with Lirrash to get an energy massage. He enjoyed the session, even with the abnormal discomfort of feeling both his muscles and his energy system be stimulated by Lirrash's firm touch. When he'd recovered, he felt it was late enough to start working on dinner for himself and all his lovers. Lauren joined him as his sous-chef, and they worked together to make a feast for the family to be on the table by 1900. Just an ordinary afternoon on the Invictus, all told.
After finishing dinner and a round of drinks as a digestif, John had the crew all go up to the Bridge in anticipation of arriving at Port Megara. Faye was even there, popping up to sit on top of Irillith's station. "You all love each other SO much! Watching you be together was beautiful!" the hours-old AI said with wide eyes to John.
John felt his cheeks flame. "Oh, you… watched our private time? I would have thought Irillith would have censored those sections for you."
"There's little point in hiding that we're all sexually involved, since it's such a fundamental aspect of life on this crew," Irillith shrugged. "Besides, she's not really a child as you would think of it, John. It didn't taint her 'innocence' or anything to watch hours of you blowing each member of the harem up like balloons."
"Irillith explained how only people who are either really horny or really in love do those kinds of things as often as you all do. Which one is it for each of you?" Faye asked curiously.
"Half-and-half, Faye," Alyssa answered with an amused giggle. "That goes for all of us."
"Plus John's just so freaking good in bed that we're all addicted to having him pound the living daylights out of us. And his cum tastes real good too," Jonah added with wicked humor.
John was spared the oddly mortifying experience of having his crew talk up his sexual prowess to a synthetic girl born just that day when the Invictus pulled into Omicron Piscium. The system lacked any habitable planets but, like Port Medea in Iota Leonis at the Kintark border, had plenty of rich gas giants to provide various types of fuel for spacefaring travelers. Between the Terran Federation's open borders policy, the Trankaran Republic's rich resources from their mining operations, and the full dozen minor empires that existed independently within Trankaran space, Port Megara was a bustling hub of travel and trade.
They were hailed by Flight Command as Jade took them in at a reasonable speed on the space-lane they'd arrived from. "Incoming Assault Cruiser, please identify and state your purpose at Port Megara," came the scripted greeting.
"Commodore John Blake on the Invictus, requesting docking clearance for a brief visit. If possible, please alert Doctor Dylan Fernandez that his sister is here to see him," John said clearly.
There was a beat as the Flight Command tech verified their transponder code, John's voice print, and then contacted Dylan. "You are cleared for Docking Bay 4, Commodore Blake. Doctor Fernandez is alerted and says he will meet you at your airlock. Please enjoy your visit to Port Megara." The hail ended.
Jade pulled them into the proper Docking Bay, landing them smooth as silk past the atmospheric force field in the empty hangar.
*Who wants to come besides me and Callie?* John checked with the chorus.
*I'd love to go shopping or even just browsing, I've never really explored any trade center besides Geniya,* Ceraden asked hopefully.
*Sure, but take a couple of the Marines to keep an eye on you, you never know,* John approved his Financial Officer and newest Angel's request. *Irillith, does he need to be in armor?*
*No Maliri would be this far from the Regency, and no one else outside this room knows what we actually look like. He's in the clear,* Irillith decided after a moment of thought on the legality of being seen unarmored outside Maliri space.
*I actually was penpals with Gamrik, part of a foreign exchange program between the Collective and the Trankaran Republic for students in diplomatic training. I can get in touch with him, catch up and arrange a proper meeting between you and him to discuss the civil war and the Engine deal Edraele made,* Lirrash volunteered.
*That's marvelous, actually, go ahead honey,* John nodded.
*I'd rather tag along with you and Calara than wait here with my thumb up my ass for the evening,* Jonah shrugged.
*And me, I think I'd like to go on the hunt for more Onyxium. I can melt down our stored Alyssium when I finally crack Crystal Alyssium to recycle it, but I'd like to have a bit of a stockpile and also some on hand for experiments. It really is a fascinating element, and where better to get an exotic ore than here?* Dana brought up.
John checked with the rest of his harem and also the Engineers and Marines, but everyone else was fine staying on the Invictus. Plans made, everyone who was going grabbed what they needed and met up on Deck 9 at the airlock.
The group from the Invictus stepped out the airlock and almost coughed at the dramatic shift in air quality. *Damn, we've been spoiled,* Calara thought as her nose scrunched at the downright stale taste of Port Megara's air. They'd become accustomed to the pristine, mountain-fresh quality produced by a Dana-approved Oxygen Filter for both the Invictus and in their Paragon Armor.
*Well, maybe we can sell the design to the T-Fed,* Dana thought with similar distaste.
John got past the moment it took to acclimate to the new atmosphere and noticed a tall Latino wearing a doctor's lab coat approaching them. He waved at his future brother-in-law, who waved back. Calara spotted her older brother and rushed over to give him a big hug.
"Hey, Callie!" Dylan grinned down at his sister once they'd separated. "Was surprised to hear you and your crew were headed out my way. What's the occasion?"
"It's a long story, we can tell it over drinks or something," Calara chuckled. "So, you've met John, Jonah, Dana, and Lirrash. This is our newest recruit, Ceraden. You only need to entertain me, John, and Jonah, the others have their own errands to run." Calara brought Dylan over to greet the rest of the group.
Dylan traded nods or respectful handshakes with those of the crew he'd met back on Jericho. He turned with curious eyes behind his glasses to Ceraden. "Greetings, Ceraden. I'm Doctor Dylan Fernandez, one of Calara's brothers. Pardon my asking, but what species are you? I don't believe I've ever encountered one of your kind before."
Ceraden did a quick check with John for what alibi or excuse to give. "My kind hasn't been seen by the Terran Federation at present, our government is rather isolationist and hasn't even formally joined the Galactic League. John found me on Geniya and things spiraled from there." All technically true statements without outright saying Ceraden was a Maliri.
"I see, how interesting. And what name do your people call themselves?" Dylan asked, not letting the subject drop.
"Well, our word for our species literally translates to Standard as 'blue', so just call me a Blue if you must," Ceraden chuckled. That had been an amusing piece of trivia, learning Maliri was literally just the Progenitor word for his skin color.
"So, Dylan, where's the best place to hang out and chat over some liquor around here?" John asked, gently drawing focus away from Ceraden.
"I can get us all into the Officer's Lounge. Technically the only one of us who'd be a guest is Jonah, even if Callie's on leave and you're retired. Which was interesting to remember when I watched that big feature on the 'Lions of the Federation'," Dylan chuckled, turning to lead them out of the Docking Bay into Port Megara proper. They walked through a few hallways until they reached the main concourse. Dana, Lirrash, and Ceraden with his Marines bid goodbye to the rest of the party and went off on their own. Dylan led them to the right elevator and took them down to Deck 22. He took them to an automated door and swiped his military ID pined to his breast pocket. The door opened, revealing a large, tastefully decorated room. Maybe a dozen other patrons were seated at the bar or the booths set into the wall.
A quick visit to the bartender and then the 4 of them settled in an empty booth. "So, let's start catching up. You really headed to Port Medea right after the reunion? How'd you reach the Dragon March so fast from the Core Worlds?" Dylan asked after a sip of peach schnapps. John had literally never met anyone who actually drank that particular liqueur.
"We'd just gotten our Tachyon Drive upgraded by the Ashanath before reaching Jericho, we managed to arrive just as the attack was getting underway," John confirmed. "I'm sure you heard from Devereux's speech at the award ceremony all we did once we got there."
"Yeah, be honest, how much of that was bullshit?" Dylan chuckled.
Calara shrugged. "She definitely tried to paint us in the best light, maximize the PR impact, but the barebones facts were all there. We took out Bombers headed for the refineries, repelled Kintark boarders from the starport, Jade saved all the civilian transports being harassed by strike craft, and it culminated in us taking out a Kintark Cruiser and the Carrier surrendering."
"Damn, no wonder you all got special-issue medals," Dylan blinked as he processed that it had all been true.
"Anyway, after that we took a vacation, and then we paid a visit to the Maliri Regency. There was a pirate attack along the way, if I remember right," John laid out.
"Why'd you head to the Maliri?" Dylan wondered.
"Tried to get their Lasers. Figured we'd have better luck as private citizens than representatives of the T-Fed," Jonah shrugged. "Believe it or not, we're in the middle of a deal with a Maliri noble to get a full upgrade of the Invictus' Lasers. That's why we're out here."
"No shit?! You could actually get Maliri Lasers on the Invictus?" Dylan asked with wide eyes. The Maliri's weapons technology was widely recognized as the most fearsome in the Galactic League, surpassing Terran and Ashanath equivalents and the individual weapons favored by other members of the Galactic League.
"Yes, contingent on a promise not to share the schematics with anyone else," John said. He wanted it to be clear that the T-Fed wouldn't be getting a massive upgrade to the fleet.
"Damn, and you do not want to double-cross the Maliri so no way you could share the schematics with the Federation even if you get them. Ah, well, at least I can rest knowing my baby sister will have some big ass guns protecting her," Dylan ultimately shrugged.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm the youngest and the girl. I can still kick your ass, if you remember," Calara playfully grumbled.
"Oh, I do. And if your learning curve has held steady, I'm actually scared for a rematch," Dylan chuckled. "None of my business of course, but what's a deal with the Maliri involve that brought you to the Terran-Trankaran border?"
"The Matriarch of House Valaden bought civilian-grade Trankaran Engine schematics through the Trankaran Ambassador. But he vanished without a trace shortly after the down payment went through. We're here to investigate and try to close the deal to get the Engine tech for her," John explained.
Dylan frowned. "Well, there's a good chance that Ambassador is dead. The Trankaran Republic is trying to keep it hush-hush, but there's an outright civil war going on within their borders. Everyone on Megara knows, a good dozen trading vessels have vanished and haven't been seen since crossing the border and missed their return date. I've even treated a few people who managed to escape and reach Megara after being attacked by the rebels."
John and all his Angels listening through the chorus frowned. "Is it really that bad?" Calara checked.
"The Trankaran rebels, from what I can tell, are basically anarchic terrorists. They're determined to tear down the Republic from within, and I think their newest scheme is to try and provoke another member of the League into declaring war on the Republic for a pincer attack. My most recent patient was Interdicted just this side of the border," Dylan revealed with a grim frown. "I mean, I'm sure High Command won't want to split focus from the Kintark with all the shit going on in that direction. But if Terran civilians are attacked by Trankaran forces on our side of the border, we can't exactly afford to do nothing about it."
"Yeah, we can't afford to show weakness, High Command would make a show of force and send in the border fleet at least. If the rebels are in commandeered Trankaran naval ships, then telling the rebels from the loyalists will be almost impossible. Shit would go downhill real quick," John frowned.
*I did a deep dive on Gamrik when I found him, it's even worse than Dylan's telling you. Trankara itself has been seized by the Glowing Queen and her forces. The loyalist fleet is stationed by the border and desperately trying to protect all the foreign shipping from rebel ambushes, but they're spread way too thin and the rebels are only getting more aggressive,* Lirrash reported to the chorus even as she multitasked carrying a pleasant chat with Gamrik in his personal office.
*Damn,* John thought. *If this Glowing Queen really is the other Progenitor's Thrall, then she's doing a real good job of causing trouble for the Trankarans.*
*Luckily, I happen to know a certain Champion of my people who's ready, willing, and able to help out a government with internal security issues,* Lirrash added with a light grin before launching a sales pitch to Gamrik for having the Invictus meet with the Senate to discuss a potential use of their services.
"Well, we'll find out what's what and then be on our way," Jonah said dismissively. "So, Dylan, how's life treating ya?"
John, Jonah, and Calara spent an hour nursing drinks and chatting with Dylan. Then they made their goodbyes, Calara getting one last hug with her older sibling, before they parted ways. Following Telepathic directions from Lirrash, John and his two Angels went through Port Megara and eventually knocked on the door to Ambassador Gamrik's private quarters.
The door opened, revealing a Trankaran male in brown robes. He was a little over 8 feet tall, looking like a granite statue brought to life. His eyes were without pupils, just solid masses of orangish-brown that stood out from his stone gray face composed of rather blunt, angular features. For all his size and mass, though, he carried the air of a gentle giant.
"Ambassador Gamrik, I'm Commodore John Blake. Lirrash told me to come speak with you, she tells me there's an issue me and my crew might be able to help the Republic with," John greeted with a polite shake.
"An honor to meet you, Commodore. Any friend of Lirrash is a friend of mine, so please don't mind any formalities," Gamrik said, his voice, well, gravely. He invited John, Jonah, and Calara into his rooms, where Lirrash was waiting in the common area.
Given all the furniture was scaled for Trankarans, John and the others elected to stand. "It was such a pleasure to meet Lirrash in person, though I was a bit surprised at how different she looks now. She tells me it's thanks to you, somehow," Gamrik said with interest.
"I'm actually not Terran. My mother was, but my father was some unknown alien she met during a research expedition," John gave the stock answer he'd used most of his life, even though now he knew a great deal more about the circumstances of his birth. "Whatever I am, I'm psychic, including the ability to rewrite the DNA of a volunteer. I put Lirrash through 'the Change' when she joined my crew at her request."
"How horribly fascinating! I'd love to know more, but I'm afraid there's rather more urgent business to discuss," Gamrik said with a tired sigh.
"The civil war, the rebels, and the Glowing Queen," John stated more than he asked.
"It is a dark time for my people," Gamrik nodded. "You initially came regarding the deal Ambassador Khemmerlun brokered with House Valaden in the Maliri Regency, yes?"
"Yes, we came to investigate his disappearance. I'm guessing he was killed by the rebels," John said gently.
"His spark is indeed extinguished, lost in a cowardly ambush while returning to Trankara," Gamrik sighed. "I appreciate the offer of aid, and Lirrash speaks quite highly of you and your crew, but I fail to see how a single ship could make much difference in this despicable conflict."
John decided to take a chance. "Gamrik, do you believe the sins of the father reflect on the child?"
"No, of course not. Each one of us is born pure, regardless of our parentage. Each spark is unique unto itself," Gamrik replied.
"What if I told you my father was actually the Despoiler, who survived the sacrifice of the Great Maker in the final battle of the War of the Heavens?" John said. He figured he could always just erase the memories from Gamrik's mind if this blew up in his face.
Gamrik's jaw dropped. "You… that would make you a god, John Blake," Gamrik said, his voice filled with disbelief.
John focused his energy and made his eyes glow the blue of his psychic aura. "Close enough."
Gamrik fell to his hands and knees, looking up at John in abject worship. "Oh, Great Maker," he breathed with wide eyes.
"His real name was Mael'nerak, fun fact," John said casually. "So you see, Gamrik, one ship can do a great deal, depending on the crew. I'm asking you to arrange a meeting between me and the Senate so we can discuss how I can help the Trankarans end the war with the Glowing Queen."
"At once, your greatness!" Gamrik said, actually kowtowing as he pressed his forehead to the ground. "The Senate is on our flagship, the Kerhom's Anvil, currently based in the Beta Cephei system. I'll call and alert them that you and your Favored Ones are on your way to deliver us to salvation!"
"If you don't mind, just tell them Commodore John Blake would like to offer the same help he gave the Ashanath Collective. I'd rather keep the secret of my species until the time is right," John said, a bit disturbed at how Gamrik was behaving.
"Oh, of course, your greatness! I won't breathe a word about the truth of your power and majesty without your permission," Gamirk immediately agreed, still bowing to the ground at John's feet.
"Gamrik, really, I'm the same species as the man who made the Trankarans but you don't need to treat me like some divine being. I'm just another guy trying to do the right thing," John said, crouching down and lifting Gamrik's head to face him.
"Your humility is stunning to behold, your greatness, but the fact is you are so much more than my kind. I am merely giving due respect to a superior being," Gamrik said in all seriousness.
*Ok, I call genetic programming. Once it settled into his mind that you're a Progenitor, even if he doesn't know exactly what those are, the switch flipped,* Alyssa chimed into the chorus.
John acknowledged his Matriarch's logic. "Well, no matter. We'll return to the Invictus and head with haste to Beta Cephei. Please make sure that the Senate and loyalist fleet are expecting us."
"On my honor and life, your greatness," Gamrik bowed his head again.
John awkwardly left Gamrik still genuflecting with his crew. They made for Docking Bay 4, checking in with the rest of the crew. Dana had scored about a ton of raw Onyxium, albeit at a ridiculous price but it was a rare, exotic element. Ceraden had a lot of fun window shopping, getting a unique thrill in walking unarmored among aliens without any repercussions apart from polite interest in an unknown species. The others had done side projects or just grabbed an early night on the Invictus.
In short order, the Invictus was flown out of the gravity well and Alyssa got them into hyperwarp for the Trankaran Republic and Beta Cephei in particular. *We won't get much sleep, we're due to arrive at 0600, give or take,* the Navigator warned the crew.
*Well, let's grab what shut-eye we can then,* John decided before making for his quarters.
Feeling like he'd just closed his eyes, John was brought out of sleep by a vaguely familiar bugle piece from Terran history. "Morning, everyone! Hate to bother you, but you're about 20 minutes away from Beta Cephei and I thought you'd need time to wake up and get dressed," Faye said, appearing on the vid-screen built into the wall.
"Thanks for the alarm, Faye," John said, still shaking off the dust of sleep.
A quick shower and trip to the closet later, they all assembled on the Bridge in preparation for meeting the Trankaran loyalist fleet. The Invictus pulled into the right system, the Tactical Map lighting up with a massive fleet inside the gravity well. John counted at least 6 Dreadnoughts and even more Battleships, not to mention all the non-capital ships. It seemed that over half the full military might of the Trankaran Republic was in Beta Cephei at present.
*Motherfucker, look at them move!* Dana gaped as she read all the telemetry data. *The mass readings on those ships are off the charts, they're armored like bricks, and they're still over twice as fast as our full speed just doing maneuvers!*
*Trankarans were designed by Mael'nerak to endure the harshest of conditions, basically organic silicon-based robots to mine every planet in his empire,* Lirrash mused. *They must have researched and designed their famous Engine tech accounting for the much greater g-forces they can endure compared to carbon-based life forms.* Lirrash noticed an incoming hail and put it on the vid-screen.
A Trankaran male, much different from Gamrik with different eye color and in armor rather than robes, appeared in front of the crew. "Unidentified vessel, identify or be destroyed," he growled, sounding like an avalanche with how deep and rocky his voice was.
"This is Commodore John Blake on the Invictus. I'm here to attend a meeting with the Senate arranged by Ambassador Gamrik," John said calmly.
The Trankaran military officer's expression did an about-face, becoming shocked and then apologetic. "Please excuse my confrontational greeting! We were alerted to expect you, but not for quite some time. My sincerest regrets for the misunderstanding."
"My ship has the best Tachyon Drive technology in the Galactic League, it's understandable that you overestimated our travel time from Port Megara to here," John allowed, not offended. "Could you please be so kind as to give us a flightpath and alert the Senate to expect us?"
"At once, Commodore Blake," the Trankaran bowed. He gave an order in Trankaran to his crew and Jade got a flightpath to the biggest ship in the whole Trankaran fleet loaded into her station. "The Anvil awaits you, Commodore Blake," the alien man nodded.
"Thank you… I'm sorry, what was your name?" John checked.
"Warden Dalomherlig, Commodore Blake."
"Keep up the good work, Warden Dalomherlig. The Republic needs men of your fervor," John complimented before having Lirrash end the call.
Jade piloted them through the patrolling fleet and approached the Kerhom's Anvil, a massive Battlecarrier and the jewel of the Trankaran navy. Jade feathered the retro-thrusters and smoothly docked their airlock to the Anvil's to make a stable connection between the Invictus and the much larger ship.
John and his crew had dressed in Terran formalwear, apart from Irillith who still preferred her fine Maliri dresses which Jade often asked to borrow. Deciding to present a united front, the whole Bridge crew took the grav-tubes down to the airlock and transferred into the Trankaran vessel.
John and his Angels exited the airlock into a rather spacious hallway, with vaulting ceilings that reminded him of a cathedral. The floor was dark brown with veins of fiery orange that gave off a degree of ambient light reinforced by regular lamps, and the walls were of a gray, gritty material that reminded John of ferrocrete.
*Damn, these guys really know what they're doing with metallurgy,* Dana thought, eyes slightly glowing gold as she used her Material Sight to analyze all the properties of everything she could see. *I've never even heard of some of these alloys, but they get the job done perfectly compared to what I've seen other species use so far.*
John noticed movement and a Trankaran male in brown robes like Gamirk had been approached them. Rather than a blocky giant, proportionally this Rockman looked a bit gangly. John was struck with the impression that it was an adolescent or young man, just starting their career. "Greetings, Commodore Blake and crew! Welcome to the Kerhom's Anvil and the Trankaran Republic. I am Associate Bhaken, and I will be your guide today," he said when he reached them.
"Nice to meet you, Bhaken. Well, let's not keep the Senate waiting," John nodded.
Bhaken asked them to follow him and then led them through a series of hallways through the truly massive ship, over 3 kilometers in length and half a kilometer in width. It was truly the biggest ship John had ever set foot in, let alone any of the others.
Dana jogged up to Bhaken's side. "I'm fascinated by the metals you use in your ships. And I'm not really necessary for all the heavy talk John and the others will do with your government. Any chance I can meet with one of your Engineers or some other scientist to talk shop while I'm here?"
"I can of course arrange a meeting with an available Forgemaster, if you are truly interested," Bhaken said accommodatingly.
"Please!" Dana grinned.
"Could I perhaps meet with one of your medics as well? I'm terribly fascinated with xeno-biology, you see," Rachel spoke up.
Bhaken agreed, and John approved his two geniuses going off on their own. He trusted them to be able to take care of themselves and be on good behavior… though Dana was a bit iffy on the last part.
"You have an awful lot of security aboard," Alyssa commented after the fifth patrol of armored Trankaran military with Fusion Rifles they passed.
"One of the worst things about a civil war is that someone you considered your rock-brother could prove to be a traitor. The Anvil is hosting the entirety of the Senate, which makes us a prime target for the rebels," Bhaken sighed, sounding far too weary for someone of his apparent youth.
"That's rough, buddy," Jonah said with sympathy.
They reached a grand set of double doors, flanked by a full dozen guards. "The Senate is in the chamber beyond and expecting to receive you. I shall escort Miss Dana and Rachel to their destinations. No harm shall come to them, on my honor," Bhaken told John.
"Very well," John nodded. Sending loving feelings to his two Angels, he led the rest of his harem through the opening doors and into the next room.
The chamber beyond was an auditorium that would not have looked out of place in any government building. A number of Trankarans, in slate gray robes as opposed to brown, were standing or seated in ascending rings in an amphitheater-like layout. On the floor, there was a 10-sided table with chairs scaled for a Trankaran. Seated at the end opposite John was the first female Trankaran he'd seen recently. She was 6 feet and stocky, but still smaller and slimmer than the average male of her race. Her head was bald like a male's, but her features were perhaps a bit more delicate than average. She grinned and bowed when John and his crew entered the room. "Welcome, honored guests!"
"Hello," John nodded, projecting his voice so the whole Senate could hear him.
"I am Chancellor Niskera, elected leader of the Senate and Trankaran Republic. Just to confirm, you are the man known as Commodore John Blake, the Lion of the Federation and also Champion of the Ashanath?" Niskera asked, bright but sharp eyes focused on John and his assembled crew.
"That's me," John nodded.
"I must confess, I was most intrigued when I was contacted by Gamrik to arrange this meeting. He seemed utterly convinced that you could somehow offer a solution to the troubles plaguing us at present. I'd like to learn what made him so sure you could help," Niskera said. "Please, sit. We can have appropriate seating for carbon-based humanoids brought in for your crew."
John checked with everyone through the chorus. "They can stand," John said, though he did draw out the chair at his end of the table opposite Niskera. He settled into the slightly too big chair, given it was designed for someone twice his mass. His Angels lined up on either side of him, presenting a united front to the Trankaran Senate.
Niskera took her own seat. There were two Trankarans beside her. "These are Fleet Warden Thandrun, our finest military leader, and Vamred, Senator of Internal Affairs. They're my primary advisors in relation to the war," Niskera gestured to her fellows. Vamred was a 'skinny' Trankaran in the gray robes of the Senate, while Thandrun was big even for the species and made even broader by thick armor festooned with medals.
"These are my crew. I can make introductions if you want, but I think it best if we get straight to business," John said.
Niskera peered in the direction of Irillith and Ceraden. "If you'll humor me a moment, who are your beautiful companions over there? I'm not familiar with their species, and I consider myself well-versed in every major member of the Galactic League."
*Should I play the honesty card? It seemed to work a bit too well on Gamrik,* John asked the chorus at the speed of thought.
*The genetic programming will be there whether you like it or not, John. Might as well take full advantage of it,* Jade thought solemnly, understanding her Master's reticence but feeling it was just getting in the way.
The rest of the chorus shared similar sentiments. Bracing himself for a possible explosion, John decided to put all his cards on the table. "Irillith and Ceraden are Maliri. You might recognize them as the 'Favored Ones' from your oral histories."
Niskera's eyes widened. John noticed that they were a lovely shade of blue, for all they were inhuman. "Truly? The Maliri are the Favored Ones of the Great Maker? That… that's an extraordinary claim, Commodore Blake. Can you prove it?"
John sighed. "Let me tell you a few secrets of history and the galaxy that very few in the Galactic League are aware of." John laid out in detail how Progenitors were a genetically engineered master race that waged war throughout the Milky Way with their slave races, the Thralls. How the Progenitors were psychically enslaved by a being in the Astral Plane known as the Devourer. How a phenomenon called the Shroud protected the part of space that housed the Galactic League from the Devourer's mind control. How an ancient Progenitor named Mael'nerak had come under the Shroud 72 thousand years ago, claimed the Maliri as his Thralls, and established an empire.
"Mael'nerak, once he'd established the borders of his empire, took to genetically engineering slave races, much as he made the Nymphs during his war with the Achonin," John continued with his explanation, Niskera hanging on his every word. "He wasn't terribly imaginative in naming them, either. Ashanath is Progenitor for 'Collective', to mark how they were an attempt to make a group mind. Terran means 'experiment', an attempt to see what natural evolution and genetic diversity would accomplish. Drakkar means 'pawn', expendable soldiers to supplement the Maliri or 'blue' forces. And then there were the Trankarans, or 'miners'."
"So… that would mean…" Niskera trailed off.
"Mael'nerak was the Great Maker," John confirmed with a nod.
"Enough!" Thandrun cut off John. "I'll not have you wasting all our time with some fictional ancient history! How could you possibly know all these things, about the true identity of the Great Maker and why he came here and made us all?"
"The Ashanath, between their ability to transfer memories from one generation to the next via Telepathy and detailed recordkeeping, preserved the full history of Mael'nerak's reign since their creation. Lirrash here is a former member of the High Council and can confirm everything I've just told you," John said calmly to the Fleet Warden.
"And why would they reveal all this to you, an ordinary Terran, when they seem to have kept this secret from the whole League?" Thandrun challenged belligerently.
John sighed. Then he brought his psychic energy to the fore, making his eyes glow and his voice echo. "Who said I was Terran?"
Vamred said something in Trankaran that Irillith informed the chorus translated as 'fuck me upside-down'. Thandrun's eyes had filled with existential fear, whereas Niskera appeared like she'd just had a religious moment. "You… you're one of the Progenitors. You're a brother of Mael'nerak, our Great Maker," the Trankaran Chancellor said in awe.
"A few generations removed, but yes," John confirmed, ending his show of psychic force. "Now, shall I continue my story?"
"Proceed, your greatness!" Niskera said, the genetic programming apparently triggered.
"As you preserved in your religious parables, Mael'nerak reigned benevolently until about 10 thousand years ago, when another Progenitor named Rahn'hagon found the Shroud. The War of the Heavens followed, culminating in the suicide attack at Zeta Pegasus that created the Niryean Rift. Life went on, time passed, and fast forward to 40 years ago when I was born," John spoke clearly to the enraptured audience. "I still don't fully know or understand exactly how my mother made contact with a Progenitor, I was conceived, and then was born in Terran space. I grew up totally ignorant of my heritage and came into my powers less than 6 months ago. I'm still figuring out how everything works and building my power base. And I'm sorry to inform you that I'm not the only Progenitor under the Shroud. There is another, and I suspect he's the reason behind the rebellion."
Niskera's face twisted from wonder to horror. The members of the Senate started to mumble and make a buzz like a kicked bee-hive, only rockier. "You mean the Glowing Queen is an instrument of a dark god, this rival Progenitor?" the Trankaran leader asked, aghast.
"We don't know his name, we don't know why he's doing what he's doing, but his actions speak for themselves," John nodded grimly. "He supplied a Drakkar warband with advanced armor immune to Lasers and snuck them into the heart of Ashanath space. He's made Admiral Gabrielle Lynton his slave and is having her sabotage the war with the Kintark as well as restart AI research. I'm all but certain that he also found the Glowing Queen and gave her some power to influence or hypnotize Trankarans to aid her in the war she started. And that's just what we know about, he could be up to even more schemes. He seems to be playing a game with the Galactic League, and apparently death and destruction counts as entertainment."
Niskera's eyes filled with desperate hope. "But you oppose him, do you not, your greatness?! You are benevolent where he is malign! You saved the Ashanath from the Drakkar, and you also aided the Terran Federation against the Kintark! Have you also come to save us Trankarans in our darkest hour?!"
"That's what I hope to accomplish," John confirmed.
"At what cost?" Thandrun asked, much subdued but still suspicious of John. "What will you demand in exchange for your services in ending the rebellion?"
"That's kind of the point of this meeting, to discuss a deal regarding me and my crew taking care of the Glowing Queen, one way or another, and the price the Trankaran Republic will pay," John said as evenly and reasonably as possible.
Niskera took a deep breath and seemed to meditate. She squared her shoulders and looked at John, as level-headed as she'd been since realizing what John was. "Then let us talk business."