Awakening: The First Tale of the Trine (Trine Series Book 1) (7 page)

Director Spencer muted the video conference, and turned his attention to his awe-struck team in the observation suite with him. After exchanging a long look with his lead technician, who had been notating certain phrases Orak used, the Director asked, “Where should we begin?”

“Let’s ask more about this ‘aether engine’ he described, which created this ‘Bore,’” the technician said. “Also, let’s find out how Aki avoided being tranquilized, and came to be back in the containment room. I mean, Andy, I know you were with him, but to hear that dog talk! Please, Director ask him more about those points.”

“All right,” Director Spencer said, before unmuting the conference. “Oraki…can you two tell us what this ‘aether engine’ you referred to is precisely? These ‘Bores’ you discussed can obviously be incredibly destructive. Can they be created anywhere, anytime? How do your people protect themselves from such a weapon?”

Orak shared another long look with Aki. Raising a paw to slide the camera more towards himself, Aki began to explain. “Aether engines are devices we build that run on aether, in order to accomplish tasks that break the laws of the physical universe. Your fellow Einstein debunked most aether research well over a century ago with his theories and findings. As far as the physical universe is concerned, he was on the right track. Aether is always discovered later, as it is hard to measure, and requires…special characteristics to harness. Genetic characteristics. At its most basic, some creatures can feel aether, and some can even harness it. If a sentient creature can sense the aether, and learns to manipulate it, they can power these aether engines to accomplish specific effects…like opening a Bore. A Bore is a hole in space time made by creating a tunnel through the aether itself. It’s a very precise instrument, and you have to know exactly where you are opening each side. They are incredibly destructive if not handled correctly, which is what led to this disaster and the loss of life your people have suffered. As far as protecting yourself from the Bore, both of our species have done so through anonymity. We only create a Bore from a satellite world, well removed from our home planet by several steps, so that the origin cannot be traced all the way back. Unfortunately, in your case, the Abbadon already know where you are.”

“So your races can manipulate a power you call ‘aether,’” Director Spencer repeated slowly. “And you use that to power devices that break the laws of the physical universe. What is ‘aether’?”

“Aether is the energy that sustains the universe. It is what all things are created from, and what all things ultimately return too. It is where the energy of the soul resides when free of physical constraints.”

Everyone gathered in the observation room stared blankly at the canine creature as they attempted to process the implications of this statement. Director Spencer looked around at the team, then finally said, “You’re telling us that you arrived here using a machine that harnesses the power of souls?”

Aki grumbled and his lips twisted, as though he were chewing on that statement. “No,” he finally said. “The machine processes aether. The aether is where the energy of souls resides when not bonded to the physical universe. The aether is where the energy of a soul begins, and where it abides. For good or ill, once a soul returns to the aether, it will flourish or endure based on the energy it processed while in the physical realm.”

Orak grabbed the camera, bringing it to focus on his blue eyed glare. “He is overcomplicating a fairly basic concept, even in your society. If you’re an asshole while you’re alive, the energy created stains the soul, and it suffers in the aether. If you’re a decent creature, the soul is joyous when it returns to the aether. It’s a heaven and hell concept your kind have been kicking around for millennia. Other souls abide there, familiar and comforting, or spiteful and harmful, depending on your nature. The aether is not the soul, it is simply the energy where the soul resides. If a soul in a physical body has the capacity, it can even touch the aether here, in the physical realm, and use it to manipulate reality. Many of the Elvahn can do it to some degree. All of Aki’s race have the ability, though weakly.”

“Yes,” Aki interjected. “My people developed a connection with the aether very early in our evolution. It manifests primarily as what your kind call telekinesis, that is, we can manipulate things with only our will. It requires the least amount of aether, even our children can perform simple tasks this way.”

“Is that how you escaped confinement and joined Orak?” Director Spencer asked.

“Yes,” Aki responded. “When your agents came to put me to sleep, I threw their darts back at them and then made the one named Andy bring me back here. Projectiles, locks…they do not overly inconvenience my kind.”

“What about you, Orak? Do you have these…abilities?” Director Spencer asked.

Orak’s eyes narrowed in a glare. “No. At least, not like Aki, or many others of my kind. Very broadly, there are two types of aether channelers. Most can summon the aether to affect the physical world. I cannot. I am what my people call a “Conduit.” I can sense the aether, and use it to affect the souls of others. Generally amongst the Elvahn, Conduits are educated as ritualists, and spend their lives performing the rites of bonding.”

Director Spencer muted the conference again, and covered his mouth with his hands. “God bless America,” he muttered. “I swear the more these two talk the less I understand.”

“Perhaps it’s time we shifted our inquiry to the one named Zion,” Agent Soto said quietly. “If we can figure out what truly motivated this, and what he expects to happen, we may get a clearer picture of how to proceed.”

“All right,” Director Spencer agreed. Unmuting the channel, he informed the pair known as Oraki, “We will likely have more questions for you as our investigation continues. For now, understand that for your safety and that of our citizens, we will be keeping you in custody. If you have any needs, please let the staff know, and we will remain in close contact.”

Making a few adjustments to the equipment, the two technicians in the observation room shifted the video feed to another holding room in the FBI office. This was a normal interrogation room, where the subject named Zion sat at a table. Unlike Orak, Zion had removed the mask that covered the lower portion of his face, and it hung freely from the flexible under padding covering his neck. His features were comfortingly normal, with a straight narrow nose, wide full-lipped mouth, and a narrow jaw culminating in a dimpled chin.

Noticing the screen flicker to life in the interrogation room, Zion turned his attention towards it, and placed his hands on the table. “Excellent, gentlemen,” he said, grinning broadly to reveal a row of gleaming teeth. They were slightly more pointed than a humans, giving his visage a feral twist. “I cannot tell you how I have longed for this to begin.”

Director Spencer took a moment to study the lines of Zion’s face on the screen. They stared at each other impassively, each sizing up the other. After a few long moments, the Director stated, “My name is Director Nathan Spencer, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We have been interviewing the pair who call themselves Oraki. We have been advised that your name is Zion, and that your kind, the Elvahn, have been in contact with our people at some points in our history. Why have you come here, now?”

Zion spread his hands out on the table in front of him, and leaned back in his chair. “The short answer is that our observation team had gathered credible evidence that a colony of the Abbadon have become desperate for supplies, and were preparing a raid on your world. We had sent this information to our…governing agency, you would call them, and were awaiting an official decision on how to proceed. I have extensive first-hand experience in fighting the Abbadon, and realized that while we waited on protocol, your people were in incredible danger of being caught unaware. I made a difficult decision that will undoubtedly damn me in the eyes of my people. I took it upon myself to come personally with a warning, and to help prepare you for the inevitable confrontation you face.”

“So you’re saying you were being proactive in order to help humanity face an incoming threat. Oraki mentioned that there were treaties in place preventing any such incursion onto Earth by these Abbadon, and they further stated that your presence here is what will actually give these Abbadon a reason to invade. What do you say to that?” Director Spencer inquired.

Zion considered the question only a moment. “I would say that you Americans should understand the value of pre-emptive action better than anyone on this planet. When a true threat to your security is identified, a risk must be taken. Words on paper make flimsy shields, and the Abbadon are not known for being trustworthy. Did Orak explain what our observation team does precisely?”

“Not in any great detail, no,” Director Spencer replied.

“Oraki, myself, and several others were assigned to a wasteland planet where an observation Bore had been set up, allowing us to open tiny gateways where we could spy on your kind and the Abbadon colonies we had identified. We were there as an inspection team to make sure the treaties were upheld. When we learned that a rogue colony of the Abbadon planned an incursion to your Earth, we reported our findings. I know my people. The Elvahn would be happy to help your kind after the fact, and help you understand what horrors had befallen your people at the hands of these creatures. But I….I could not accept that.”

Zion’s dark eyes had grown wide, and while alien, his features spoke more than words of the things he had seen in the past. “I have seen personally what they do to their victims. I have been their captive. I could not stand by while others suffered this fate, even if it meant breaking the treaty. My people must not stand on the sidelines while your kind are devoured by these monsters. I understand better than anyone what I have done, and what punishment will come to me…but the Abbadon left me no other choice.” Covering his face with his hands, Zion rubbed at his temples.

Recovering himself after a few moments, Zion continued. “Even if my presence violates the treaty and allows others to contact you, I realized it would not give the Abbadon justification to resume their war of conquest on your species. If they were to resume, my presence will force the Elvahn to act to help protect you, and my guidance can help you prepare for what is to come. That is why I am here. I have come with this warning, and to help prepare your kind for what is inevitable. Let me be clear on this…they
are
coming. We know the Abbadon have mobilized around a new Bore they have created for this world, and it is only a matter of time before they return.”

“So with the knowledge your team gained, you decided to take independent action to warn humanity about this impending threat,” Director Spencer said. “That in itself seems noble. Now, explain to me why your…what would you call them, ‘co-workers’? Explain why Oraki was so upset by your actions that he followed you and stabbed you to stop you.”

“Oraki is a child,” Zion waved a hand dismissively. “Orak has barely passed the first century of life, and that
kazir
…Orak’s ‘second’, Aki is only a few decades old. Did Oraki tell you why they were assigned to the research team? It certainly wasn’t due to any technical knowledge or training. That one hasn’t even completed any formal education. No, Orak was sent there to work as a guard and assistant, as sentence for numerous crimes. You see, our people have a ritual that can bond the souls of loved ones, bringing them closer together and strengthening their connection to the aether. It is done for the purpose of marriage, or establishing familial bonds. Orak used the ritual for personal benefit, binding the soul of a Rydal…that dog, if you will, and another…creature, called ‘Kio’ together. Orak was made stronger by the binding, and gained the ability to channel aether through the souls of those bound. Amongst the Elvahn, binding another Elv to you against their will is a crime akin to murder. However, Orak did not bind another Elv. The two Orak bound were another species, so instead they were sent together to serve Orak’s father at the Bore, where he could watch over them and educate them.”

“As to your question of why Orak would stab me, I presume it was to disable my armament. The blow landed directly on a set of sensors, here,” Zion said, pointing at the gash in his neck armor. “Which regulate many of the suits functions. If you’re asking me why the child took my actions so personally…I can only speculate. I admit, I had to force Orak’s father to help me open the Bore. I am stronger in the aether than they are, and when he would not listen to my appeals, I forced my will upon him. He was exhausted by the opening of the Bore, but will suffer no lasting harm. I fully intend to apologize to him and offer my service as reparation when I return to him, but I am confident that once this is over, I will be vindicated. I will do everything in my power to help your people in the struggle to come. The Elvahn are not without compassion, and they will also come to your aid when the Abbadon appear.”

“Tell us what intelligence you obtained precisely that motivated your intervention. What is the nature of this impending assault from the Abbadon?” Director Spencer asked.

“The Abbadon have numerous colonies throughout the universe that survived the destruction of their home world. These colonies were viable planets teeming with life that the Abbadon used as farms to feed their home. After their home world was destroyed, these colonies agreed to the non-aggression treaty we forced upon them, and contented themselves with the worlds they had colonized. One of those colonies was established on a particularly violent world, filled with apex predators. The Abbadon had sent their greatest warriors and engineers to populate and tame the planet. Those survivors have been beset for ages by the rigors of that place, and we discovered that they were now planning to reopen their Bore, to launch an incursion to your Earth. They have decided that they have no other choice, and our intelligence suggests they feel that if they establish a foothold here, the Elvahn will not launch an all-out war, as we would risk injuring you humans. They intend to establish themselves here, then negotiate with your kind to stop their aggression and legitimize a claim to part of your planet.”

“Do you have any information on how they intend to accomplish this? Where they might strike, what tactics they may use, or what weaponry they may bring?”

“No. I can tell you that they follow certain patterns. They prefer targeted strikes to neutralize what they consider particularly dangerous targets before launching the main thrust of their assault.”

“You think they are likely to attack our leadership structure then? Possibly go after the President or the chain of command?” Director Spencer asked.

“Not at all,” Zion replied. “In fact, they will likely leave what you call the ‘chain of command’ completely intact. They don’t want to threaten your leaders, your decision makers, as that will make you less willing to negotiate with them. They have a much different idea of what constitutes a ‘dangerous target.’ One of the reasons we have kept your species under such close observation is that certain individuals have begun to demonstrate a sensitivity to the aether. It is common as a species evolves, and if those individuals were to awaken to their true abilities, they would be a much greater threat to the Abbadon than your military might. The Abbadon have sufficient technology to combat you on that front, but cannot stand against the power an aether wielder can command. That is why the Elvahn have had such success in subduing them.”

Director Spencer paused, staring at Zion intently while trying to absorb everything he had been told. He was already exhausted from the rescue efforts today, and to be sitting here discussing an alien invasion with this…Elv…it was overwhelming. Finally, he continued.

“So your assertion is that you took it upon yourself to come warn us, forcing your team to open this ‘Bore’ for you. Why open it in that hospital room? Why arrive in an area filled with civilians, and cause such destruction? Those aren’t the actions of a savior. You came to us with death and terror, where we have heard nothing at all from these Abbadon. Explain that to me.”

Zion nodded as though he fully expected this skepticism, and said, “You have every right to doubt my intentions. Arriving in that hospital room was not ideal, in hindsight. I chose that area to arrive near one of your kind that I felt the Abbadon would target, a man named Delmont Jeffries. We believe he is not only sensitive to the aether, but has subconsciously been using it throughout his life. He would be a prime target for the Abbadon, and it seemed appropriate to warn him. He happened to be at that hospital at the moment I was able to force open the Bore. I didn’t take into account how unstable the portal would be, or that my colleague would attempt to hold it open behind me to allow Oraki to follow. If he had closed it immediately, before he was exhausted….but he didn’t. He held it open until his strength failed, and could not regulate the collapse. That explosion and the resulting loss of life was a horrible mistake.”

“Your mistake,” Director Spencer said sternly. “That led to the deaths of dozens of innocent civilians, with God only knows how many injured. We will have more questions later, but at this time you will remain in custody. Any attempt to leave that cell, or any action we deem aggressive, will be met with force.” Clicking off the monitor and microphone, Director Spencer sank back into his chair.

After a moment, he turned towards Agent Soto, who had remained out of frame during the discussion. “Get these interviews uploaded to the Pentagon immediately. Also, double the agents accompanying Mr. Jeffries. If this ‘Zion’ character had wanted to warn Mr. Jeffries, he would have come to the proper authorities. I believe he had other motivations for appearing in that hospital room. Until we figure this out, I want him under our protection. See to it, Agent.”

As the glow of the screen faded, Zion moved to sit cross-legged on the cot in the corner of his cell. Smiling softly he closed his eyes, and let his consciousness flow through the aether. He had a long night of preparations ahead, but was confident he had made the right decision.