Remember the Starfighter (40 page)

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

The Ouryan, or Richard as he liked to be called, said the words out loud almost menacingly, as he approached. Even though he was technically a hologram, Julian certainly didn’t feel that way. Glowing in the night, the virtual figure opened his arms, and smiled, like he was ready for a friendly, but forced, embrace.

“Sovereign tells me you’ve had a few run-ins with an Ouryan enforcer lately. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble. They can be a bit overly aggressive and militant at times.”

He cornered Julian just outside the shelter. The Ouryan had been looking forward to this chat. Julian, however, was intimidated. The facsimile of the man was both confident and charming. But he was also aligned with the Ouryan Union, the very galactic power that had sought to hunt Arendi down. Julian almost shuddered thinking about his previous encounters with their kind. He had hoped to never meet one again.

“I’m just glad we survived,” he said.

The Ouryan noticed Julian’s hesitation, and tried to help him relax.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m on your side,” he said, letting his holographic hand fall just over Julian’s shoulder in a pat.

He then glanced off at Arendi through the window, and paused as he watched her speak with Alysdeon inside the room.  

“You and that pretty little android have caused quite a bit of commotion,” he said. "The entire Union is searching for you. Fortunately, I’ve been helping to throw them off your scent. From what I can tell, they have no idea any of you are here on Carigon.”

Julian had wondered about that. The Ouryan Union was vast. Outside of the Endervars, they possessed more resources than any other empire in the galaxy. And yet still, after almost a month’s time, they had somehow managed to elude them.

Apparently, it was more than just good fortune; Alysdeon had, in fact, called upon an ally of her own. “Fight fire with fire,” the Ouryan casually said. 

“Who are you exactly?” Julian asked. “Why are you helping us?”

Richard appeared as a seasoned man, looking closer to his late 30s. But as Julian fully knew, in this day and age, appearances were always deceiving.

“Ah,” he said. “I was human once actually. A long time ago. When Sovereign was still our leader. Things were so different back then.”

“That must have been over a century ago.”

“Well, maybe two,” he replied.

“An old friend indeed,” Julian said.

As an Ouryan, Richard automatically did what was in his habit and scanned Julian’s bio-ID. He had hoped to quickly pull up all his files and bring them to his virtual intake. However, as he accessed the data, he found himself faced with an odd familiarity.

“Julian, that is your name, correct?”

“Yes. Is there something wrong?”

The man paced back, and squinted.

“Very interesting, your ID reads differently. An Alliance sentinel, you are?”

“No, no,” Julian said trying to explain the discrepancy. “It’s not mine. It was given to me by Alysdeon. I’m actually a SpaceCore pilot. Or was, anyways.”

“Interesting,” Richard replied, reading the name on the classified ID. “Kinnison... I’m glad to see it’s in use again.”

He looked at his surroundings, and saw the specialist still speaking with Arendi, reaching to touch her newly cut hair with her hand.

“How about you and I take a walk,” he said. “I may be virtual, but even I enjoy a good stroll.”

“Sure, where to?”

He placed his virtual arm around Julian’s shoulder. “Come with me young lad,” he said. “To the past we go.”

Julian had explored the island of Shin-Feng on his own several times, but he had never been to this location before, the stone monument in his midst.

They were on another beachfront, but secluded by the darkness and the native fauna, the green and yellow bushes having grown over the stone path that once led into the area. The plants and their branches had already begun claiming the statue on the slope, the vines rising at the base, and wrapping around the rock. But even so, the monument towered over it all, the figure of the man, a giant perched on the coast, his steely gaze staring out into the shadowed sea.

“Meet Kinnison,” Richard said, resting his arm on the monument’s ankle.

The statue stood dozens of feet high, the depicted man and his features smoothed over, resembling more of an outline than a life-like replica. The chiseled figure stood at attention, one hand at his side, the other clenched in a fist and across his chest. Like the gray stone it was made out of it, he appeared firm and unwavering, the plates of armor sculpted across his shoulders and chest, a pinstripe of faded blue over the right breast.

“Kinnison? You mean
the
Kinnison?” Julian asked.

Richard nodded.

Julian looked back at the statue, its presence both large and looming. It was a fitting tribute for a man who had become legend.

“That ID you wear belonged to him. I guess the Sovereign had it saved.”

“Really?” Julian said, glancing down at his comm-band to check. “I thought it was just a codename.”

“Well, after the battle of Pacifica, as you know—”

“Yeah, I do. Kinnison. The name. It’s synonymous with guardian.”

Richard nodded again, gazing up at the monument.

“It’s hard to believe. But for four days, he and a small fleet defended Pacifica from over a hundred Endervar ships. He held them off. At every turn. His efforts saved millions of lives.”

Julian knew the history as well. He vaguely remembered that the battle was required reading during his academy days, the tactics still brilliant by today’s standards.

“Your age... We’re you there?” Julian asked.

Richard shook his head, a sad smile lingering on the edge of his lips.

“No. But I wish. Kinnison...He was my dear friend.”

He then walked past the monument, and looked out to the ocean, watching the crashing waves in the dim light of the stars. “You know, I used to live here. In New Manarola. That town up north, the red and blue buildings.” He thought back to the settlement, and how it had since become a historical relic of sorts. 

“Yeah?”Julian asked. “I’ve been there. It’s nice.”

“It’s also occupied by a lot of robots now, isn’t it?”

Julian grinned. “The local barber. He’s quite charming to say the least.”

Richard belted a hearty laugh, slapping his knee.

“The barber. Nubin. That guy... ” he said chuckling. “In fact, all those robots. Built from the minds of occupants long gone. I knew them. I still know them.”

“What do you mean? Where are they now?”

“Some left for the stars, although many share the same fate as I. They converted. They joined the Union.”

“Union.” Richard said it with a grim finality. Like there was nothing more.

“We were among the first humans to join. It was a decision I now regret, although I like to think I’ve helped to do some good in my role.”

He cast a tired glance, and was quick to realize that Julian was oblivious to what he meant.

“It’s complicated,” Richard said, brushing back the curl of his hair with his virtual hand. “But even though I’m an Ouryan. I still live on the edges of society, and I do my utmost to try to avoid any influence from the Unity. More of a renegade I suppose.”

“I’ve never heard of that before,” Julian said. “I thought Ouryans usually operated as a collective.”

“Well, I’m a special case. My official role is to convert. To convince other humans to join the collective. But I much rather secretly do the opposite, and provide whatever inside information I can. It’s the least I can do.”

Julian paused, thinking over the remark.

“You sound like a spy.”

“Keen,” Richard replied. “But let’s just keep that between you and me,” he added with a laugh.

Julian didn’t even as much smile. Instead, he recalled the corpse lying silent back at the shelter. “That man just now. Has he converted?”

“Well, the memory of him anyways. It was his dying wish. Physically, he was fine, but as you know, in some cases, the genetic defects can destroy one’s mind. He refused advanced treatment. Said his time had come.”

“But I thought conversion was outlawed on Carigon?” Julian asked, confused. “You’re not even supposed to be here. Aren’t Ouryans banned from this system?”

“True and true. But as you can see, that may change. More and more humans are flirting with the idea, especially those in pain. Not just colonists here, but humans everywhere. What with the Endervars invading everything in sight.”

The Ouryan gave a long sigh, his black eyes looking down at the gravel ground.

“But I come here not to convert,”he said, raising his head once more. “I was invited by Sovereign. Coincidently, she knew this man, and I wanted to help.”

Julian nodded. He felt little doubt about Richard’s motivations. Even if he was intent on converting the colonists, Julian had no reason to stop him. It was plainly evident how harsh life had become for refugees of the war.

“You’re right,” Julian said. “More people do want to convert. Maybe it’s inevitable.”

“No, no. Nothing is inevitable my friend. That’s what Kinnison would say,” he replied in a confident rebuttal. “That’s why he was there at Pacifica. Against all odds, he still chose to fight.”

“I just wished he hadn’t died,” Richard continued. “Then maybe things would be different.”

“Different?”

“Indeed. He would have been a great leader. He was expected to succeed Sovereign and lead the Hegemony.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Nor would I expect you to. It’s all ancient history. Almost forgotten. But still, whenever I see her. I can still see the sadness.”

Julian heard the words and gradually came to understand. He was about to say her name, Alysdeon, when he saw Richard’s pained glance.

“Kinnison. He was her son. When he died, she was devastated. I wish I could have done more.”

The virtual man breathed in, and let the misgivings fall to the wind. He was quick to rebound.

“But she’s back,” Richard said. “Taken a new name. The Ula word for sword. Kinnison would be proud.”

He cocked his head into another disarming smile. It was evident he knew more than Julian could possibly ever know. The man from another era, another history.

“Anyways. I’m an Ouryan now, although perhaps I’m the most human Ouryan.”

He looked at the sky above, the darkness and the sparkling stars in full view.

“I guess it’s not bad being an Ouryan,” Julian said, staring at the ageless man.

Richard scoffed.

“Years ago, I would have agreed. But now...”

He was tempted to reminisce again, and think back to his decision to join. The stories he could recite, the people he could remember. However, Richard stood there, focusing, and realizing that this was a chance to pass something on, the information critical. 

“The Ouryans. They may be part of the Alliance, but that doesn’t mean you should trust them. They’re more sinister than most know.”

Julian slowly nodded, clearly aware of the dangers. However, he had no idea about their true motivations. Or the secrets they closely held.

“This was before your time. But the Ouryans were once isolationists,” Richard explained. “They were very selective to who could join them. They even thought humanity was too inferior. Too crude to comprehend the Union.”

“But that all changed two centuries ago, when they began inviting all to convert. Officially, they said they wished to preserve all sentient life. I remember when I joined. I naively believed them. I thought I was ascending into the next state of existence.”

“Yet it was all a sham, a lie,” he said. “No, I don’t believe them. They want to subjugate intelligent life, just as the Endervars have done over and over again.”

It was a strong accusation, among many others that had been leveled at the Ouryans. Another conspiracy theory no doubt. But it got Julian thinking. The pattern was there.

“Sadly, I only have scraps of evidence. I’ve tried for decades to find more. But only those privy to the secrets of the Ouryans are those that have been directly assimilated into the high Unity. Even I can’t approach, not unless I want to lose what free will I have.”

“But if you’re right...” Julian said. “That would mean that maybe the Ouryans know why the Endervar are here.”

“Exactly. I strongly suspect that’s the case,” he added. “Sentient life has some important value. We just don’t know what that is. Not unless the Ouryans suddenly become willing to share.”

Julian was quiet. For a moment, he thought that maybe it was all too far-fetched. Even ludicrous. The ranting of a stranger. But the confident stare in the man’s eyes convinced him otherwise. As virtual as it was, to Julian it seemed real.

“Humanity,” he replied. “It sounds like we’re being assaulted on both sides. Whether it be the Endervars or the Ouryans. All trying to claim a piece of us.”

“It’s no different for all the other sentient races,” Richard said. “We’re all striving to survive.”

Julian wanted to know more, the questions coming to his mind, when Richard pushed out his hand, stopping him in mid-sentence.

“Speak of the devil,” he said. “I apologize. I’ve just received some distressing information. Very distressing.”

“What is it?”

“The Endervars. They’re on the move again.”