Atlantis Rising (29 page)

“Yes, Sir,” the marine said.

“Admiral Breq likes you, Captain
Hunter, did you know that?” Illus said.

“No, can’t say as I did. I’ve
never met the man,” Jon said.

“I’ve known him for over forty
years, and I’ve never seen him take to someone as much as he has to you. He has
a lot of respect for you. He will not let anyone talk bad about you in his
presence. For him to do that, speaks volumes about you,” Illus said.

“Strange, I just met him today,”
Jon said.

“Yes, I know. He, however, has
been following you since your ship left Earth. Every report on your movements
and what you have done has made it to his desk,” Illus said. “The events of the
downing of the Il’las is what I think made him respect you most. No one in our
history has ever destroyed a Titan, no one.”

“I keep hearing that,” Jon said.
“All I did was disable the ship, the planet did the rest.”

“Ultimately, you were responsible
for its destruction, no matter how you look at it,” Illus said.

“Sir, sorry to interrupt, but
we’ve cleared the
Hammer
, and she is moving away to jump into
hyperspace. We will be on approach to the
Scythe
, shortly,” the marine
said.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Illus
said. Illus turned his attention back to Jon. “We have a few things to discuss
before we land on the
Scythe
.”

Jon said nothing but arched an
eyebrow.

“Captain, the
Atlantis
escaped and is now at Ghost Station,” Illus said. “She is currently under
repair in one of the docks, and they have sent the
Titan
out looking for
you. The
Scythe
is under what you would consider ‘friendly’ control, and
will be taking you back to the station. The
Marudas
has been reassigned
for the time being and should not pose a threat for a while.”

“The
Atlantis
made it?”
Jon said in a hushed tone. Then he looked around at the marines watching him.

Illus smiled, “Don’t worry,
Captain they’re loyal to the Admiral.”

“What? I don’t understand,” Jon
said.

“The Admiral is the leader of the
resistance,” Illus said.

“What?” Jon said.

“I’ll explain it more once we
dock, and get underway,” Illus said. “For now, I was ordered to tell you what I
just have. Admiral Breq placed me under your command, as have these marines.
Everyone here is a volunteer, and all of us have sworn to follow your orders.”

“Wow, this is a bit much to take
in, all at once,” Jon said.

“I’m not done, yet. There is a
lot more to discuss on our trip back to your station. While we’re en route we
will meet up with the
Titan
,” Illus said. “I couldn’t say anything while
we were on board the
Hammer
as it wasn’t secure. The Admiral sends his
apologies that he had to say what he said, but it was necessary for the
deception to work.”

“Okay, just give me time to let
this all sink in,” Jon said.

Illus smiled, “Sure you have
about twenty seconds before we dock and are underway.”

“Sir, we’re on final approach,
and will be docking in ten seconds,” the marine said.

“Okay, make that ten seconds,”
Illus said.

Jon laughed.

“Have Captain Vaes leave
immediately for Ghost Station once we dock,” Illus said.

“I have already relayed those
orders, Sir,” the marine said.

The
Scythe
jumped into
hyperspace as soon as the shuttle touched down. Jon stood at the ramp as it
lowered, surrounded by marines. Illus stood next to him as they departed the
shuttle. A beam flew from behind one of the crates in the landing bay and
struck the shuttle just above one of the Marine’s head.

The marines fell on Jon and Illus
as they took up defensive positions.

“What the hell!” Jon said.

“Jon?” Marc said.

“Marc? How the hell did you
survive the decompression,” Jon said.

“Long story, are you okay?” Marc
asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine, as long as
you stop shooting at me,” Jon said.

The marines and Illus stayed
quiet during the exchange.

“I’m ordering all Invaru to lay
their weapons down now and release Captain Hunter,” Marc said.

“Uh, Marc,” Jon said.

“It will be alright, we have them
surrounded. They have nowhere to go,” Marc said.

Jon shoved a few of the marines
back and stood up, “Marc, I’m fine. They’re friends. They helped me escape.”

“What?” Marc said. “Are they
forcing you to say that?”

“No,” Jon said. Jon turned
towards the marines around him. “You all are under my command?”

They all nodded as Illus spoke,
“Yes, Sir.”

“Good stand up slowly and lay
your weapons down,” Jon said.

They looked at each other,
waiting for someone to make the first move. Illus was the first he stood up
slowly and unbuckled his gun belt, letting it drop to the floor. The rest of
the marines slowly did the same.

“See,” Jon said. “Everything is
fine.”

Marc and six marines stood up
slowly, their weapons never wavering off the Invaru in front of them. “Are you
sure you’re okay?” Marc said.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Jon said. “This
is Captain Illus, and these marines are for my protection. They’re under my
command and protection. Put your weapons down. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Then I suggest we make our way
to the bridge. Captain Vaes is waiting for you,” Marc said.

“Retrieve your weapons, and stay
close,” Jon said to the Invaru.

They picked up their weapons and
formed up around Jon, Marc and Illus. Marc’s marines took up positions in front
of and behind the small group.

“How did you do it?” Marc asked
as they made their way to the bridge.

“Do what?” Jon said.

“I think he means us,” Illus
said.

Marc nodded, “How did you gain
support, and escape?”

“They’re part of the resistance,”
Jon said. “Admiral Breq was the one who put this plan into motion. I had no
idea what was going on until just a little while ago.”

“How come we weren’t informed?”
Marc said.

“It was last minute, and rushed,
as the Admiral set it up,” Illus said. “I think only Vaes and a few key
personnel were informed.”

“Could be. We were in planning
for a while, trying to come up with a strategy to spring you,” Marc said.
“Right before we were about to take off, the Captain delayed our launch. When
we saw you coming down the ramp, we jumped into action. It was quite
unexpected.”

“Captain Vaes is a supporter of
the Admiral, and his crew was handpicked by the Admiral himself,” Illus said.

“Excuse me a second,” Marc said.
He reached up and touched the side of his ear. “Yes Captain? Of course. Okay,
we will be there in a few seconds.”

“Change of plans?” Jon asked.

Marc nodded, “Corporal, we have a
change of plans. We’re going to the meeting room just off the bridge.”

“Yes, Sir,” the Corporal said.

“So, what is all this talk about
resistance?” Marc said.

“I’ll explain everything once
we’re in the meeting room. No need to explain it more than once,” Illus said.

Marc nodded, “Good, because we’re
here.” The guards took up positions outside the room and the trio stepped in.

Seated at the far end of a long
table was Captain Vaes. He looked up and smiled at Jon, “Captain Hunter, I
presume.”

“Captain Vaes,” Jon said.

Vaes nodded, “Please sit and make
yourself comfortable. We have a lot to discuss. We’re en route to the
Titan
.
We contacted her while you were on your way here. We will drop from hyperspace
briefly to form up with her and jump to Ghost Station. Carla sent word that
your sister is fine and back at the station.”

Jon sat down in relief at the
news, “Thank God. My ship and crew… how are they?”

“I’m sorry, Captain, that was not
something we had time to discuss,” Vaes said.

Jon nodded.

“Captain Hunter,” Vaes said. He
stood up and knelt in front of his seat. “As ordered by the Admiral, I’m
placing myself and crew under your command. We’re now part of this ADF you’re
forming.”

“I, uh…” Jon said.

Marc raised an eyebrow and stared
at Jon then Vaes.

“Your orders, Sir,” Vaes said. He
stood back up and kept his eyes on Jon, waiting.

Jon looked at Illus, “Um, a bit
of help, here.”

“Don’t look at me. You’re the
Commanding Officer of the ADF, and we’re now part of your personnel,” Illus
said.

“Okay,” Jon said. “My first order
is don’t ever kneel to me.”

“Yeah, he doesn’t like saluting
either,” Marc said. “Or being called Master or M’Lord…”

“Stow it, Marc,” Jon growled,
then started laughing. That eased the tension in the room and Vaes sat back
down. “Just keep doing what you were, Captain Vaes. Now, I would like an
explanation of exactly what is going on here. Why is the Emperor’s son the
leader of this rebellion and who are these people you’re fighting?”

Illus nodded and relaxed in his
chair as he began, “The rebellion has been in place for over twenty years. It
involves many key people in the Empire. Breq’s father is a ruthless
expansionist. He wants to control everything, and everyone. Every civilization
encountered by the Invaru has either been conquered or destroyed.”

The Invaru Collective, though we
use ‘Empire’ when not around the Emperor, has two main groups that compromise
its core: the Invaru, and the Buranis. All others are just pawns and puppets of
the Emperor. They work on back-world farms and construction yards and are
rarely seen in the general population. The Buranis hold a special place in the
Empire as they have a force closely equaling the Invaru, thus they are held in
a higher regard. They have a few Council members, mainly puppets, but something
to keep their general population happy. However, their vote means nothing in the
grand scheme of things. They are generally told how to vote and do so out of
fear.”

Vaes eyes widened, “I didn’t even
know that.”

Illus nodded, “The Buranis are
the only threat to the Empire in existence right now. Well, now there is a new
more deadly threat, but I’ll cover that in a bit.”

“I’ve heard rumors, but I took
them as such,” Vaes said.

“No, they’re more than rumors.
Anyway, let me continue explaining things to our new allies,” Illus said.

“I’m sorry, I’m just surprised.
I’ve never heard any of this,” Vaes said.

“We kept most of it from you
because we were afraid it might leak out to the rest of the Buranis resistance
and start internal conflicts that would disrupt everything we have worked for
through the resistance. Those of us in the resistance are in it because we’re
tired of fighting all the time. We think it is time for peace in the Empire. We
want to allow the various races to live their own lives, and offer them a true
seat in the Empire. All this death and killing has gotten out of control.

“Now, with this new enemy
knocking at the door, it strengthens our resolve to bring the races together.
The Empire as a whole would be stronger if the Empire allowed all races to have
their own fleets and work on their own technology. This suppression of races
has weakened the Empire and not let it come to its full stature and power. We
want to change that, and in a good way. However, we might never get the chance
to do so.

“This new threat flies ships we
can’t damage, and have weapons like we have never seen. They have taken out
super carriers in a single shot, and have sat in the middle of a battle group
and come out unharmed. The best guesses of our scientists, are that they are
made of some type of crystalline substance. As far as what the race looks like,
we have no idea. No one has ever come back from them alive. Countless diplomats
have tried to communicate with them to make a peace treaty and then we never
see them again.

“That is why the Admiral saved
you, Captain Hunter, and allowed you to escape. You are the key to ending the
fighting in the galaxy, and uniting the races under one flag. You are the one
the prophecy speaks of. You are the Ni’Alcha, the Chosen One.”

Jon groaned, “Not you, too.”

“They’re not the only one,” Vaes
said, then turned to Illus. “He is known as the Posadis in our language. I have
been reviewing the reports on him and his people, and he does fit some of our
prophecies.”

“Look,” Jon said. “I’m no one
special. I’m a man who stumbled upon a special ship and got tossed out here by
accident.”

“He shall unlock a special place,
where many people will find refuge. He will then fight with a silver sword the
likes of which has not been seen in hundreds of years. He will restore a
civilization to its former glory while pushing back the darkness that threatens
all. He will form a new Empire from the ashes of many,” Illus said.