Out of the Ashes (Rise of the Empire Book 3) (17 page)

Cheers broke out again among the crew on the CC. Adrian waited, his ships keeping their distance from the shipyard. This was the moment, if the Sowir were going to open communications it would be now. Adrian waited, but again there was nothing from the Sowir. He was tempted to open communications first, but decided against it. The Sowir needed to believe that the Human are more than willing to fight a war with them. A few more minutes passed with no word from the Sowir. Adrian sighed, their mission failed. They would have a true war with the Sowir. Failing to come to terms with the Sowir meant that they would be forced to go to the plan C. Hit the Sowir fast and hard. Keep them off balance with constant raids on their territory using their only advantage, the trans-lanes. With the arrival of Adrian’s fleet in Tarsas system Sowir knew for sure that they had a way to enter inside the system’s hyperspace barrier – if they weren’t sure after Nuva. That was supposed to be another clue to the Sowir that humans might not be an easy opponent.

Adrian sighed, he looked at the other targets in the system. The Sowir had a refueling station in the orbit of the gas giant, a few cargo ships were on their way out of the system, and those that were on their way to the shipyard have started turning around as they saw Adrian’s fleet. He would need to destroy everything in the system, trusting that the Sowir ships running away would carry the word of what happened. While Adrian’s fleet kept attacking every system they find the trans-lanes to.

He highlighted the fleet, readying to order an attack that would destroy the shipyard. But before he had a chance an alert appeared on his board.

“We are receiving a message from the shipyard Fleet Commander!” The Comm Handler yelled out.

Adrian released a breath. “Play it.” Adrian said.

The message was in Nel, simple and short, it was the same message that the Consortium received a hundred years ago when they met the Sowir. A computer voice boomed out on the CC of the Leviathan, “
Terms?
”

Adrian smiled,
“Looks like our gamble paid off.”

Chapter Twenty One

Sanctuary

The teal tinted leaves of Sanctuary trees were slowly entering their winter forms, they would roll up in a tight shell to protect themselves for the winter that will be coming in a few months. Seo-yun watched them from the balcony of her former home, she hadn’t been here in months. She still owned the house built some way out of the city, on the edge of the plateau that the Olympus city was built on. It had a great view of the forest that stretched below. Sanctuary was such a beautiful world in her opinion. In some ways maybe even more beautiful than Earth. She did miss Earth sometimes, but she had made a choice, this was her home now. Seo-yun glanced at the person standing next to her, who was captivated by the view. The Nel looked over the forest below in fascination.

“It is something else isn’t it?” Seo-yun asked.

“Yes.” Lanai Sumia responded mesmerized, “I have never seen so many trees, so much nature.”

Seo-yun raised an eyebrow, “Really? I thought that the Consortium had plenty of different worlds. There must have been at least one as beautiful as Sanctuary.” Seo-yun said.

“No, sadly all the planets in the Consortium had been very developed by the time I was born. The cities almost covered the entire planet. I have never even been in nature until Nuva, and even then I spent most of my time on the station in the orbit. But Nuva is nowhere near Sanctuary in terms of beauty. The only thing that comes close are Mtural forest cities.” Sumia said.

“I read a little about them, the pictures I saw were beautiful.”

“They were beautiful, until the Sowir bombed them from space.” Sumia said.

“I’m sorry.” Seo-yun said.

“You don’t need to apologize to me. Your people didn’t commit those acts.” Sumia said.

Seo-yun kept silent, looking out over the forest. “I know that you don’t approve with our making an agreement with the Sowir…”

“Perhaps a part of me hates it, yes. But I understand that you needed it. And I am thankful that you included Nuva in that agreement.” Sumia said then turned to look at Seo-yun, “You know that they won’t keep that agreement forever? The moment they think they are strong enough to beat you they will attack, and if they ever learn that you have only this one system…”

“We know. That’s why we plan on expanding rapidly, we already have potential systems in mind.” Seo-yun said.

“Good. If they believe that you are just now expanding into this area of space, and have a much bigger territory somewhere else, they will wait and build up their forces.” Sumia said. With that they again lapsed into a silence, enjoying the view. Seo-yun liked the Nel, she liked talking to her and enjoyed being in her presence.

After a while, Sumia spoke, “Your leader still hasn’t made a decision on my request?”

“No… He wants to, but he is still hoping that your people from Nelus will change their minds.” Seo-yun responded.

“I know that my people are little more than a burden now, and I appreciate everything you have done for us. The fact that you helped us, and made sure that we are safe from the Sowir is something we can never repay you for. But I still hoped, that we might become more than a burden to you.” Sumia said.

“Give it some more time. Tomas has been stung too many times by acting rashly. He has made himself stop when it concerns you, he wants to make sure that he does the right thing for everyone.”

“Perhaps I was too rash in giving him the same request again, after he already didn’t approve.” Sumia said.

“But he didn’t refuse either.” Seo-yun said.

Again they lapsed into silence, this time it was Seo-yun that spoke first, “I brought you here, because I have something for you.” Seo-yun said.

Sumia looked at her expectantly, “Oh?”

“This was my home, before I moved to the palace to be with Tomas.” Seo-yun said looking around, “But now I rarely use it. So I wanted it to have a right owner.” Seo-yun said, reaching in her pocket for a small computer stick, that she then offered to Sumia. “These are the codes for the house, a human keeps such codes in his or her implant. But as you don’t have an implant, I made this. It will transmit the codes when you are near the house. As well as help you control a few of the appliances that require an implant.”

Sumia looked at Seo-yun open mouthed. “You are giving me your home? Why?”

Seo-yun shrugged, “I like you, and I know that you will appreciate the view.” Seo-yun smiled.

“But… I planned on returning to Nuva…” Sumia said.

“Doesn’t matter, if you ever come to visit you can stay here.” Seo-yun reached down and took Sumia’s hand in her own, placing the stick in her palm. “I want you to have it.”

“I – I don’t know what to say, nothing like this has ever happened to me.” Sumia said and a tear rolled down her cheek.

“A simple thank you is enough.” Seo-yun said.

Choked up, Sumia managed a soft, “Thank you.” Then she leapt forward and hugged the nearly a head shorter Seo-yun. Then quickly she leaped back, shock and shame were written all over her face. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” Sumia said.

“It’s alright.” Seo-yun said smilingly, and reached over to hug Sumia again. “We are friends.”

“Friends…” Sumia whispered, she had never had a real friend, it was something that the people from the lower class did. Sumia always had her family, until she was disavowed. The closest thing she had to a friend was Retsar Isani, and that was a relationship born out of necessity. But with Seo-yun it was different. Seo-yun didn’t need anything from her.

“Friends.” Sumia said again as Seo-yun moved back. “Do all humans make friends so fast?” Sumia asked.

Seo-yun laughed, “That depends on the person. But when two people become fast friends, we call that “hitting it off.”” Seo-yun responded. Sumia realized then that she didn’t need to keep appearances here, to keep her emotions in check, allowing herself only a courteous smile or a strategic frown. The humans didn’t care about that. So Sumia let herself be who she was with someone who was not a part of her family. For the first time in her life Sumia laughed with no concern for appearances.

***

Tomas and Elias sat in Tomas’ small office at the palace. Tomas was showing Elias the plans for the Sanctuary’s police. On the desk in front of them was a hologram of the Olympus city with its surrounding, a few kilometers away was a small base, with a big installation below the ground.

“I was wondering what it was that you were building there. But no one knew anything, and those that worked there kept their mouth shut. It is for the police?” Elias asked.

“Yes, I have plans for expansion later.” Tomas asked.

“Expansion? Isn’t it already too big? You could fill five thousand people in there.” Elias commented.

“I imagined it as the headquarters for the entire planet. With their own prison system, and room for equipment, vehicles and such. You are right, it is too big for our needs now, but in time we will grow. I accounted for that in the designs now, rather than having to worry about there not being room for expansion later.” Tomas said.

Elias nodded, “It looks good. You plan on them having shuttles?” Elias said, and Tomas nodded, “Then it would take them about two minutes to reach the city, fast enough. I assume that you want my people to start the training of any people that might apply to be police officers?”

“Yes, I know that it isn’t their expertise. They will have problems enough trying to figure out things on their own. Some insight from your people might serve them well.” Tomas said.

“Okay, how long until you finish all the work?” Elias asked.

“The surface buildings are mostly finished, the underground needs a lot more work to be done. But there are a few areas that are finished. I think that we can start recruiting in about a month. We don’t need all the facilities to be operational.” Tomas said.

Elias nodded. Tomas waved the hologram off with his hand and implant.

“Anything else?” Elias asked.

Tomas got a faraway look in his eyes, “You remember a time when our biggest worry was if some paparazzi would get a picture of me? It seems so silly now, the things we used to worry ourselves with.”

“I can’t remember the last time I thought about those times.” Elias said.

“Yeah, it seems so far away. Especially now when we worry about alien races attacking us.” Tomas said, shaking his head.

“Do you remember the time when we found that redhead in your room?” Elias asked, smirking.

Tomas groaned, “Don’t remind me. That was one of the worst experiences of my life.”

Elias let out a laugh, “Not for me, or my men. That was probably the funniest moment of our lives.”

“Wait, didn’t we agree never to speak of that again?” Tomas asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Could be. It was so long ago I can’t remember. What can I say, I’m an old man.” Elias responded in a thoughtful voice.

“But you remember the incident?”

“Well, some things just stick with you.” Elias said grinning. Tomas couldn’t help but grin in return. Then the grin turned to a full blown laughter. They laughed until their stomachs hurt.

Finally Tomas regained his wits, “I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard.”

Elias managed to gather himself enough to speak, “I think that it was when you hired Seo-yun, at Sedna.”

“Yes… She called me a megalomaniac, if I remember correctly.” Tomas said.

“Yes, she did.” Elias added.

“That was the beginning. Of all this.” Tomas said swiping his hand across the room, “Could you have imagined all this back then? Would you have believed if someone told you then, about all this?”

“No… Our world was smaller then.” Elias said.

Tomas nodded, he looked at his oldest friend. “I miss this. Our conversations, we’ve drifted apart over the years.”

Elias sighed. “Yes, we have too much to do and not enough time. And I missed it too.”

“But even though we don’t speak as often outside of work, you are still my best friend, my oldest friend. You are probably the person I trust most in this world, I want you to know that.” Tomas said seriously.

“You trust me more than Seo-yun?” Elias asked half-jokingly.

“Seo-yun is… She is special. I love her, and I trust her with my life. But you and I, we have a bond. You were there with me as I started on the path to fulfill my dream. Never wavering from your place in my shadow, keeping me safe, being my right hand. I want you to know that I appreciate all that you have done for me.” Tomas said, looking at Elias with a piercing gaze.

Elias met his gaze and straightened, “I have always known Tomas, just like I have always trusted you. Your dream was always mine as well. You have my trust, always. And I appreciate all that you have done for me, and the rest of our people.”

Tomas smiled affectionately at his friend, who returned the smile. They spent a few moments in silence, content in each other’s presence. Then after a while, Elias stirred. “You really think that the Sowir will keep their agreement?”

Tomas shook his head, “No. But if they follow a similar path to what they did before, we should get at least some time. They agreed to stay out of our territory, and we out of theirs. No contact between us.” Tomas said.

“We have no way of monitoring the territory we said is ours.” Elias said, they specified their territory as everything in the ten light years from Nuva. Including the systems that have the trans-lanes that lead back to Earth. As per their agreement Sowir will not move past the former Consortium border plus the few systems that they have acquired since then.

“I have been meeting with Laura, we plan on building outposts in every border system, and to push the colonization up the timetable. We were going to include you in the future meetings, we are going to need your people.”

“That’s fine. I have thousands of people just sitting around their bases doing nothing. It will do them good to have something important to do.”