Evolution's Essence (32 page)

“
Some of the Queen’s brood
were intelligent. Especially the Lisks and Dragoons. So long as
they maintain contact with their Queen they don’t have the urge to
eat anything with a pulse. Since we were safe in the Hive we
established a home to further research on a docile insectoid
species that is also deadly.

“
Just when our ship was
completed after ten long years we were attacked again, but this
time I issued the Raptor to fight with our friends. We made good
distractions and eventually got too cocky to receive a blow that we
couldn’t repair. Our FTL drive as well as our Dark Matter crystal
corrupted information on blueprints we needed to engineer them and
our only way of communicating and returning home to reveal our
discovery was ruined. We couldn’t manufacture Dark Matter and the
Keptl certainly cannot refine it nor comprehend how it worked. It
was beyond White Blossom’s ability. So we spent decades in the
hive, starting families, enjoying real Keptl
hospitality.

“
After so long my second son
figured a way to integrate the distress beacon directly to the ship
systems. We couldn’t use long range communications as I said, but
the beacon would work enough to reach out. So I decided it was time
we figure a way home to let the Empire know we have a new ally, not
knowing how long it would take for rescue though. And after so
long, only one stasis pod was functional. I had to pull rank
because our sublight engines was the only way to get away. FTL was
out of the question.

“
White Blossom was adamant
to send protectors with me. Children she specifically bore who had
the ability to maintain influence over the greatest distance she
could impress, but they would keep me safe as I tried leaving such
dangerous space. They had slowed metabolisms to live on as little
as possible and could work the ship if there was a need to miss
something we’d collide with. If attacked the Keptl crew had power
aplenty to keep us out of danger. And the beacon wouldn’t activate
till I was outside Keptl controlled space. They were my friends.”
She wiped her cheeks. “But I can’t blame your ignorance. If you
knew White Blossom like me, there would not be a dogma and you
would have seen their goodness.”

“
You claim she is good, but
then why does the Keptl on your ship have a second brain like those
in Andromeda that have showed up in just the past ten years?” Renee
questioned.

“
What?!” Melanie jumped to
her feet. “The Feral have a second?” heads all nodded. She paced.
“No, no, no, no, no… White Blossom spent fifty years developing
that organ so she didn’t lose her soldiers so much. If the Feral
have it in Empire space… Stars… if one Feral Queen figured it out
they all know how to do it now. But how… White Blossom’s Keptl are
toxic to the Feral when ingested. They couldn’t have eaten it
unless…” Melanie’s head looked up. “One of White Blossom’s
daughters must have been taken advantage of. True Queens aren’t
connected like the Feral and it takes much Psionic strength for
White Blossom to send her psyche to relay information to her
children. White Blossom told us that much.”

“
Could White Blossom have
been killed?” Asked the Queen of Ice.

“
Killed? Possibly. Taken
advantage of to give knowledge of the second, healing heart? Never.
I
just
said her
brood as well as herself is poison to the Feral. My crew and our
families have been aiding White Blossom to ensure it.”

“
How?” one of the men
asked.

“
Adding armor to Goliath
underbellies, arms and face. Using our knowledge in tool making to
help her. She sent some Goliaths filled with Behemoths to iron rich
worlds to make tons of metal each day. You would know if it was her
brood. They all wear armor to battle and don’t fight like crazed
demons on drugs. They fight with military tactics. It is the reason
why White Blossom hasn’t been killed. She’s cunning even without
her astounding power that take no less than five Feral Queens to
match. Have you ever seen or fought armored Keptl?” more shook
their heads.

“
Have you fought alongside
Keptl on the ground.”

“
Not me personally, I’m a
Class Two and hate violence, but my son rode on the back of a
Dragoon in one skirmish. Battles happen once every ten or so years.
Many of the men ride the larger Keptl. My youngest trains with
Trackers when they go hunting for Beasts… he’d be a grown man by
now I imagine. We learned so much from White Blossom and our
friends. As they did with us.”

“
And you shared knowledge
willingly?” asked another male.

“
Yes, but if any of you
faced White Blossom you’d lose.” This oddly caused smirks. “She
could have stolen our knowledge and eaten us if she was inclined.
Yet she brought us into her home, cared for us, helped us be able
to repair my ship…”

“
If you were so important,
why were you covered in five tons of shit?” Soifon wondered as she
played with a strand of hair.

“
We had to gut the
hydroponics so my friends could fit. Especially the Dragoons
Whiplash and Heavy Tail. I slept and they took care of their needs
as all living creatures must. I must warn that if you threaten her,
she will defend herself.” More smirks. “What am I missing? Do you
honestly think any of you are a match for her let alone
together?”

“
Hey grandpa, why don’t you
uncoil the power you wrap around yourself and see if she thinks
this Queen is stronger.”

“
No, Merril. I do not wish
to frighten the female and I forbid any of you to do likewise. She
is understandably distraught and I must attend to this revelation
immediately. If there is a Queen who is considerate and a potential
ally and one of so few, I must inform the Archivers and bring this
White Blossom somewhere safe. She is a rare sentient species
surrounded by enemies. We follow the law.”

Vikki stood. “I will go as well, Papa. As
Queen of Ice, I’m responsible as arbiter and will verify data
before announcing and making contact.” He held out a hand and soon
as they touched they vanished.

“
Whe… Where’d they go. We
can teleport now?!”

“
You’ve missed a lot in over
two centuries, Sweetie.” Said the Queen of Wind in too thin wisps
of cloth that barely covered anything. “Ma, I’m going home to ready
the last ships. We’ll be ready in a week. Let me know if you find
anything else juicy.”

Over the speakers Emperor Coleson’s voice
said “I’ll leave matters in your capable hands, Renee. And I’m glad
you came home safe. I missed that banter while you were away. Luck
to you.”

The next day in a private
council chamber on Jaffablin, inside a Creelin floating colony-city
a decision was reached among the eldest Archivers in the known
universe. The eldest living Creelin was female and much shorter
than Creelin living today. Upon her breast sparkled a significant
pendant that radiated light. It meant she held the highest possible
rank and no other could oppose her judgments. She stared at the
Solarian general and his Ice Queen daughter. Being such good
friends and allies.
“We’ve reached a
decision, Oliver. The evidence you’ve shown us makes it a necessary
vote to move immediately. Thanks to the records you shared eighteen
hours ago, we tasked our Observers and have identified a Psionic
Keptl signature three hundred percent larger than any in our
records. Indeed we also found living Humans inside the Hive and
none have been infested. And among the scans we found these Keptl
have a unique enzyme that acts more like acid to the Keptl we know
and deal with. This new discovery must be handled with upmost care.
If we can sway this Queen to ally with us, we may find a way to
eradicate them since the records point to the discovery and rescue
of the Raptor Marquis being true. This means our common enemy are
mere animals of their former heritage and can allow our Zeelin to
slay without our laws infringing with sentient genocide.

“
Queen Vikki Void, it would
be prudent to send emissaries as well as your father. Bring the
woman to ensure smooth deliberations as she has a connection. We
cannot Allow the swarm to remain so vicious if we have proof they
aren’t truly worth saving and able to join the collective. Contact
this council when you’ve gained this White Blossom’s trust so our
people can let her know we too wish to learn from her and will
openly allow her into our hall. Also ask if she is willing for
relocation. We would certainly be willing to send her world into
our space so she can make more Queens in safety and be able to
flourish. And be sure to ask if she has any qualms about razing the
Feral Keptl.”

“
With your Observers, have
you discovered her age?” Vikki asked before the meeting
disbanded.

“
Indeed we have and it was
exceptionally difficult. The Queen is over nine hundred million
years old, using the Terran calendar. We’ve never encountered such
an ancient creature. And I’m only a hundred and ninety million. It
is not often I feel like a babe, yet I am next to her. I would like
to have an alliance started before our greatest weapons are sent to
the rally point in six days for the opening. Make haste,
Solarians.”
It ended.

Twenty hours afterwards three large
battleships appeared in a new solar system. Two were brown
battleships of Terra and the third was white of Ice.

Aboard the Ice allied ship the queen of it
connected to its systems through her neural chip and sent a
multitude of signals. “This is Vikki Void of the Empire. Does
anyone read me?”

The radio inside the hive blasted her voice,
scaring everyone out of a sound sleep. The Hunter grinned and ran
to the radio and pressed the transmitter “Loud and Clear!” he
couldn’t hide his laugh. “It’s been so long since we heard from
anyone…” he kept talking.

White Blossom sensed several massive Psionic
powers that rivaled her own and immediately summoned her Goliaths
to rise from the oceans and let her prepare defenses.

“
Goliath signatures
detected.” A person on the bridge informed and on the screen it
showed fifty Goliaths encased in full armor covered in ice as water
froze in space. They were clearly designed to fortify weaknesses
and reinforce its claws. The Goliaths moved quickly considering
their size and surrounded the world of water with five continents.
Yet when they got into position the massive creature opened their
claws and surrounded the whole world with a kinetic
barrier.

“
All ships hold position.”
Vikki ordered and the three battleships came to a stop.

“
Never seen them do that
before.” Someone said.

“
Yeah, they always attack
when they know fresh meat is close.” Another replied.

“
Silence!” Vikki said coolly
and the edge made it sound as if she shouted. Even the voice on the
radio quit gushing about being rescued. “Melanie, make contact if
you know who that is on the other end.”

The blonde grinned. “Garrak, it’s me. How are
my boys?!”

“
Still a pain in my ass.”
The voice chuckled. “Damn it’s great to hear your voice, girl. We
all missed you. Especially White Blossom… Ah, speak of the Keptl.
She’s just come in. White Blossom, it’s Melanie. She made
it.”

“
But my young did not.” Said
a strange voice. “Melanie, is that really you, Dear
One?”

“
Yes… and I’m so sorry. I
didn’t want them to die.”

“
It was a risk we both knew
may have happened. I’m glad you found your people, but there are
two near you that are far beyond my power and I know one I think.
Is it a large male with glowing yellow eyes. Is it
Mantiv?”

Oliver’s head snapped at that. He had been
blocking a seeking mind from the planet surface. Vikki as well as
everyone went deathly still. “Do we know each other?”

“
Mantiv! It
is
you! I’d recognize that
voice and power anywhere. Please find me. I miss my friend…
especially after what happened to Reten. Then you live! Oh wondrous
news. You beat the Invaders. Come and find me. Come. Come.” On the
screen all the Goliaths undid the planetary barrier. Then they
spread out some more and one of the larger space-crabs waved its
claw as if gesturing to come right in.

Silence after that was palpable till the
bridge’s teleporter activated and Renee came running through “I
heard her call your name, Olly. She knows you. Did she touch your
thoughts?” Sparky following seconds behind.

“
Not even remotely. Vikki,
take us down. Leave Isabella’s escort remain in orbit. No one comes
or goes without my authorization.”

“
You heard my
father.”

The Solarian style battleship came down for
reentry and landed beside a massive Hive that was even bigger than
the Raptor Marquis’ recordings made it seem. The ship landed on the
ocean and created large waves, but a massive power was detected
flying as fast as possible and landed on the nose of the ship all
alone bouncing in excitement before running up to the deck window,
floated and cupped hands over its eyes under the bright sunlight
trying to sneak a peek inside. When the rather alluring and obvious
Keptl Queen found him she waved as if this was the best day of her
life.

Talk about weird.

Before anyone could stop
her, White Blossom sent a fraction of power to rip the screen off
the bridge and landed to yell “Mantiv! My Friend!” opened her arms
and paused as she blinked at the redhead at his side. “Reten? How
are you… you died. I
saw
you die. The invaders ripped you apart and sent
Mantiv insane. You died saving me. Dammit, I’m dreaming again. My
sleep must have taken me again too close to my nodes…” White
Blossom collapsed to her large abdomen.