Crossroads of Fate (Cadicle #5): An Epic Space Opera Series (10 page)

“Thanks for stopping by.”

“Of course. I’ll see you soon.” Laecy waved goodbye to her friend and retraced her path down the hall toward her lab.
Back to work.

*       *       *

Cris strolled through the administrative wing of H2. There had been far too many meetings over the last few days.

He checked the calendar on his handheld. At last, he was free for the evening.
Finally, I can get some downtime with Kate.

Just as he was about to head for the lift, Cris heard someone approach from behind. He turned to see Taelis.

“Hi, Cris. May I speak with you?”

Not that I have the option of declining.
“Sure, what is it?”

“Walk with me.” Taelis began striding down the hall.

Cris followed him through several corridors with expansive windows giving an unobstructed view into space. It still felt strange to Cris, being exposed after spending so many years in the hidden Headquarters within the moon.

Taelis led them to a small conference room. The back wall was entirely glass, looking out over one of the many spacedocks around the perimeter of the massive H2 structure.

The High Commander sat down on the far side of the table, and Cris took a seat across from him.

“How strong is Wil?” Taelis asked.

Cris was caught off-guard.
This guy really doesn’t care for pleasantries.
“What do you mean?”

“To be perfectly frank, we’ve backed ourselves into a corner. All of our strategies hinge on Wil’s ability to execute, but there’s no assurance that he’ll come through. Don’t get me wrong—I acknowledge that he’s brilliant. What he was able to piece together with those subspace maps is incredible, and I can’t believe we didn’t see it before. Then, from an engineering perspective, he’s strengthened the fleet tenfold. And, of course, I’ve heard the story about how he broke the CR testing sphere.”

Cris’ eyes narrowed behind his tinted glasses. “So what are you asking?”

“I want to know if he’ll break under the pressure. Honestly.” Taelis folded his hands on the table.

“Why are you asking me?”

“Because you’re his father, primary trainer, and supervising officer. I’d say that makes you the most qualified person to make an informed assessment.”

Cris looked past Taelis, out at the spacedock. “I’m not sure.”

Taelis frowned. “That’s not a satisfactory response.”

“Fine, you want my honest opinion? I think we’ve trained him and pushed him, and he could have snapped at any time. Somehow, he’s gotten through it all. It’s not fair for me to place a wager on how much longer he’ll continue bearing the pressure. I’ve watched him bounce back from even the most devastating experiences, but I also acknowledge that even the strongest people have a breaking point. What you need to understand is that he’s the kind of person that will give all of himself to see this war through to the end. Beyond where others would have given up, he’ll make sure we win, even if it’s the last thing he does. So, to answer your question, he’s the strongest person I know. If I had to count on someone to come through, it’d be him.”

Taelis nodded and let out a slow breath. “Would Wil tell me the same thing?”

What kind of a question is that?
“Wil has always been his own harshest critic. He’d tell you he still has a lot to learn, but that he’ll do his best.” Cris straightened in his chair. “I ran out of things to teach him a decade ago, but somehow he’s continued to teach himself new abilities and trained his men to become the most gifted group of soon-to-be Agents we’ve ever seen. It’s no coincidence that he’s never reached a limit to his power, even though he’s maxed out the scales.”

“Our existing equipment might not be able to measure his full potential, but the months ahead will push him to his limit,” Taelis replied.

“None of us knows what he’s capable of doing. Push too hard and…” Cris couldn’t finish the thought.
I like to think that he’d only use such power for good, but some of the enemy lines have blurred over the years.

Taelis sighed. “That’s the thing—we don’t have another choice. We’re counting on Wil to do things that we never dreamed were possible. Stars! The entire notion of simultaneous observation seemed ludicrous when I first heard it—a crazy theory invented by desperate tacticians. Now, that’s the foundation of our entire strategy.”

An act only one person in all the Taran worlds can perform. No backup plan.
“Why wait for Wil all these years? Everything I’ve heard is about how you can’t hold out much longer. Why not just send a bomb to the Bakzen homeworld?”

Taelis let out a bitter chuckle. “You think we didn’t try that?”

“Well, I—”

Taelis leaned forward. “We started with diplomacy—dead end. We tried blockades—overrun. We tried leaving the Bakzen alone—they came for us. And when we threw enough firepower at them to wipe out the whole system, it all just disappeared.”

“Disappeared?”

“Bombs, ships. They just wink out of existence midway to their target.” Taelis rubbed his eyes. “Cris, I can tell you don’t care much for my demeanor, but I’ve been dealing with the reality of this war for nearly forty years. I’ve seen my friends die, seen entire worlds destroyed. As a commander, it’s been my responsibility to hold it all together. But, our enemy is infinitely stronger than us—it hasn’t been a matter of winning or losing battles, but of how heavy the casualties will be on any particular day. Simply put, the Bakzen can move faster than we can attack. Simultaneous observation isn’t for precision strikes or tactical efficiency, it’s a hope for finally making any headway.”

Cris swallowed. “Without that insight, the Bakzen will just move any of our weapons, or bury them in subspace?”

“Yes. That is the grim reality.”

That would wear down anyone, seeing an endless string of failures.
Cris cast his gaze down at the tabletop. “It’s difficult for me, as Wil’s father… knowing what’s being asked of him.”

“I know.” Taelis softened. “I saw that protectiveness when I first met you years ago. At the time, I thought it was counterproductive, but I realize now it was that consideration and caring that’s gotten Wil this far. Without it, he might not be able to trust others in the way that it’s now so critical for him to trust his officers.”

“It’s important to be able to lean on others sometimes.”
Things might have been different for Taelis if he’d let others in.

The High Commander nodded. “Banks was always clear about how tight-knit the Primus Elites are as a group. Much of the technology we’ve developed for Wil relies on that connection with his team. Through their collective ability, we should be able to visualize where the Bakzen are moving on either side of the rift, before the move is complete, so we can preempt their attacks.”

“I’ve gone over the stats from Wil’s practice sessions with his officers,” Cris replied. “If they can achieve even half the speed from those test runs under real-world conditions, it’ll be quite a sight to behold.”

“I hope so. We practically need to fight two wars simultaneously.” Taelis wilted. “As taxing as the battles have been so far, it will only get worse once the Bakzen realize we have officially brought the Cadicle into the war.”

“At least we know what they’ve been planning, now that we’ve seen the subspace map.”

“Indeed.”

“But it also means we need to be deliberate and aggressive if we’re going to successfully head off their plan,” Cris said.

“Which is why the TSS has been grooming Wil. If there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that the Bakzen rely on calculations and reason, even if their movements are too quick for us to anticipate. We need their precise calculation ability, combined with something less predictable if we’re to get ahead. What Wil can see through simultaneous observation surpasses the capabilities of any computer, and he also brings the element of intuition. Our good old fashioned Taran heart and gut instinct is what sets us apart.”

“Is that enough?”

“It has to be. We’ve tried everything else.”

All the TSS’ hopes rest on Wil, and he knows it.
“Wil won’t let you down. You asked me how strong he is, but that doesn’t really matter. He has incredible determination and heart. If that’s what we’re counting on to win this fight, then you’re in good hands.”

Taelis looked as though a weight had been lifted. “That’s what I needed to hear.”

A warm breeze off Lake Tiadon swept across Banks’ face as he strolled down the residential street in Sieten.
How long has it been since I felt the sun?

Rarely was he ever able to leave TSS Headquarters, and the timing of this trip was far from ideal. But, he couldn’t ignore the Aesir’s message. He had to speak with the Dainetris heir.

She was under the assumed identity of one of the longstanding families in the Dynasty’s former service. It was entirely possible that her ancestors were illegitimate children, but so long as both parents were Taran citizens, the default heir was the firstborn child, unless officially named otherwise by the parents. If she stepped forward and made a claim to her rights as a Dainetris Dynasty heir, the balance of power on Tararia would shift. Seven High Dynasties would once again have voting rights and the Priesthood would no longer be the tiebreaker, greatly undermining their ability to constrict the flow of information and undermine the social standing of those with abilities, as was currently the case.

Banks wound his way through the streets, taking in the bustling city life with parents walking their children to school and shopkeepers tending storefronts. It was a neighborhood of administrative staff and laborers, the sort of people Banks would rarely see under other circumstances. He found himself enjoying the window into their day-to-day lives. These were the people the TSS protected—the people behind the population statistics—and each one of them was deserving of a peaceful, safe existence.

For being a poor neighborhood by Tararian standards, the streets were impeccably maintained—well-swept and no litter in sight. Trees planted along the roadway added a dash of color to contrast the white-washed stone and concrete walls.

His destination address was located in a block of government housing on the outskirts of the city, reserved for those in the employ of the Sietinen Dynasty or other administrative offices. Banks found the employment program somewhat questionable, walking a fine line between assistance and indentured servitude. Though room and board was covered in addition to a small salary, the income wasn’t enough to ever break free from working for the employer, aside from the rare instance where the right contacts could lead to a new position with another company, or an opportune marriage. The life was certainly better than homelessness, but it was far from freedom.

He located the correct building and took the stairs up to the third of six stories. The door was dark green, like all the others in the white-washed building. He hit the buzzer.

A muted chime sounded on the other side of the door. After several seconds, footsteps approached. An intercom crackled. “Who are you?” asked a female voice.

“My name is Jason Banks. I’m an officer with the Tararian Selective Service. I’m looking for Marie Pernelli,” he stated, following the cover story he’d concocted for the visit.

“Show me your credentials,” the woman requested.

Banks spotted the security camera and pressed his jacket lapel to display his ID.

The door lock released with a click and swung inward, revealing a woman in her mid-thirties. With her light brown hair loose around her shoulders, she evaluated him with pale blue eyes. “My name is Elaine. Marie was my mother. I’m sorry, but she passed away many years ago.”

“When was that?” Banks asked, already knowing the answer.

“I was very young,” Elaine replied. “Around five years old. I spent my childhood as a Ward.”

It’s likely she really doesn’t have any idea who she is.
He proceeded with the lie, “This may sounds strange, but would you mind if I spoke with you about your mother? We were childhood friends. Anything you can tell me about who she grew up to be would be wonderful.”

“I don’t remember much, but I’ll help in any way I can, Agent Banks.”

“Please, call me Jason,” he said.

She bobbed her head and stepped aside. “Come in.”

Banks followed her into the apartment and she re-bolted the door behind him.

The government housing came furnished with generic, modest accommodations in the compact living space. From the couch’s squared lines and neutral gray upholstery to the black countertop and white walls, all the materials were monochrome and utilitarian. The only color in the room was a holopainting of some exotic red flowers that was displayed on the end table next to the couch. It was only the height of Banks’ hand, but it captivated him from across the room.

“I know this isn’t much,” Elaine said as she stepped away from the door, noticing that Banks was evaluating the room. “But I’m happy to have my own place.”

“I’m in quartered housing, too. I know how it is,” he replied. “That’s a lovely image,” he gestured to the holopainting of the flowers.

Elaine lit up. “That was my mother’s. She left it to me when she passed.”

“It’s nice you have something to remember her by.”

“Yes, the only thing, really. And I never met the rest of my family,” Elaine murmured. “I’ve often wondered what they were like.”

“Based on what I recall from my childhood, they were good people.”

She bowed her head. “That’s kind of you to say.” She glanced at the couch. “I don’t have much to offer for refreshments. Would you like anything?”

“No, I’m fine,” Banks responded, knowing that anything besides water would be cutting into her rations.

“Well, please have a seat.” She directed him to the couch a few steps away. “What brings you here?” she asked when they were seated.

“Like I said, I was a childhood friend of your mother’s. When I tried to find her, I came across you instead.”

Elaine looked down. “I’m sorry you won’t get the chance to see her again.”

“Her daughter is the next best thing, I guess.” Banks paused, weighing how best to find out what she knew about her lineage. “It must have been difficult being a Ward. Did they treat you well?”

“The Sietinen Dynasty is very generous,” Elaine hastily replied.

“I wasn’t suggesting they mistreated you,” Banks clarified. “I just imagine you felt alone, with only memories of your parents.”

“Of my mother, at least. I never knew my father.”

“What about your grandparents?” Banks pressed.

“I wouldn’t have ended up a Ward if they were still around.”

Fair point.
Banks looked around the room for any other personal effects, but nothing stood out. “Besides the painting, do you have anything of your mother’s? Documents, jewelry?”

Elaine inched away from him. “This is all I have. If anything else of hers was left, it was seized when she died. The painting is the only thing that’s mine. Please don’t take it, too.”

“No, no!” Banks held up his hands above his lap to set her at ease. “I didn’t mean to alarm you. Your mother and I had exchanged some little trinkets as children—that’s all. I was only wondering if anything remained.”

“No.” Elaine relaxed the slightest measure.

“What about yourself? Did you ever have interest in applying for a scholarship with the University, or…?”

She laughed. “Me? I was never a good student. Working as a nanny is fine by me. Nothing like a fancy Agent, such as yourself.”

“Being a nanny is good, honest work. I’m glad to hear you enjoy it.”

Elaine wrung her hands. “I never wanted anything special for myself. A comfortable home, a nice dress or two. I’m content.”

Banks released a slow breath.
Taran politics would eat her alive. I understand what the Aesir meant about her. But a child…
“So working as a nanny, did you ever want a family of your own?”

Elaine blushed. “I’d thought about it. Having a little baby to spoil. It’d be good.”

“Why didn’t you?”

She shrugged. “Never met the right person, I suppose. And I’m on an assistance program so I could never qualify for a donor.”

Shite, I have no right to meddle in someone’s life like this. But if a child with abilities were born to a lost Dainetris heir, it would give the Sietinen Dynasty everything it needs to unseat the Priesthood.
Banks took a slow breath. “Would you still want one now?”

“Are you serious?” she asked, incredulous.

Banks blocked out the rational part of his brain yelling at him to stop the madness. “Things never really worked out for me, either. I can’t offer you companionship, but I can provide the other things you need.”

Elaine’s eyes widened with surprise and she let out a little laugh. “Bold, aren’t you!”

Slow down! That isn’t why you came here.
Banks hurriedly rose to his feet and took a step toward the door. “I’m sorry, that was highly inappropriate.”
There has to be another way.

Elaine shook her head. “Talking about babies within five minutes of meeting. Maybe you do things differently in the TSS.”

It isn’t fair to use her like this.
“We in the TSS are outsiders in many ways, yes, but I overstepped my bounds by any standard. Apologies.”

She studied him for a few moments.  “To be honest, I am intrigued by your offer.”

Banks sat back down, stunned that she hadn’t thrown him out the door. “It was a rash suggestion. I suppose I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about family and legacies recently.”

“Me too, actually,” Elaine admitted. “I love the children I care for, but I never get to really live life, you know? It’s always about duty and caring for others.”

“Being a parent is no different.”

“Still, that care would be for a part of me. All the effort would have meaning in my own life—being able to mother someone, like my mother wasn’t able to be there for me.”

Banks swallowed hard.
If we strike an agreement, there’s no turning back from this path. The Priesthood would not take kindly to this intervention.
“Elaine, maybe we should forget I said anything. I spoke without thinking through the implications. I’d be leaving you alone as a single mother.”

She searched his face with her pale eyes. “Do they pay you well in your position?”

“By most measures, yes.”

Elaine clasped her hands in her lap. “I’m willing to have the conversation. We might be able to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

I doubt this is what the Aesir had in mind.
Banks took a slow breath. “Before we go too far, we should at least verify compatibility.”

“Yes, of course,” Elaine hesitated. “How?”

“I’ll need a blood sample,” he requested.
What I really need to check is what’s so special about this genetic line.

Elaine rose from her seat and walked over to the kitchen area. She grabbed a knife and used the tip to prick her finger. She wiped a bead of blood onto a tissue and placed it in a clear plastic bag. “Here.”

Banks hurried over to take the bag from her. “This won’t take too long.”

Elaine wrapped a bandage around her finger. “Call me if you’d like to move forward. The direct contact info is next to the door.”

“I’ll be in touch soon.” He paused at the exit to swipe his handheld over the contact details to save it to the device.

Elaine came up behind him and brushed her fingertips against his hand. “This isn’t what I expected when you showed up at my door, but I’m glad you came.”

“Maybe it was meant to be.” Banks quickly dismissed himself.
So much for my plan of slowly gathering information. I can’t believe I’m considering this.

He headed back toward the TSS shuttle he’d borrowed for the trip. The onboard lab facilities were minimal, but the bioscanner would be sufficient for inputting the blood sample so he could perform a genetic analysis.

Carefully, he removed the tissue from the plastic bag and placed the bloodied spot on the bioscanner. The machine sent a flash of white light through the sample and began sequencing the genetic material.

On its own, the sample wouldn’t tell Banks anything aside from unfortunate genetic anomalies that might impact the health of the subject or their offspring. He needed to compare the sample to his own genetic profile on record in the TSS database to see if their pairing would compound any negative recessive genetic traits.

The initial sequencing of Elaine’s sample completed in ten minutes, finding no concerning code segments. That wasn’t surprising, given the High Dynasties’ level of refinement over countless generations. And, sure enough, Elaine was most certainly of Dainetris descent.

Next, Banks compared her code with his own genetic sample to verify that they were a strong enough match. To his surprise, the result came back at ninety-four percent compatibility—well above the seventy percent threshold used for reproduction approvals. With his TSS clearance and some forged documents, he could certainly receive almost instantaneous approval for the application to disable their contraceptive implants while keeping his involvement concealed from the Priesthood’s prying eyes.

After answering the basic compatibility question, Banks decided to cross-check the Dainetris sample against the genetic profiles for Wil and his family. There had to be some connection between Dainetris and the manipulation around the creation of the Cadicle.