Abysm (3 page)
Authors: G. S. Jennsen
A host of vessels ferry the resources collected out of the portal space and traverse the enormous master portal, which they now know leads to Amaranthe. Alex convinces Caleb they should sneak in with one of the vessels. She slips into the walls of the
Siyane
as they near the portal.
The portal denies them entry, sending the
Siyane
ricocheting off into space. The force of the impact causes Valkyrie to malfunction and Alex to have a violent seizure. The
Siyane
comes under attack, and Caleb is unable to wrest control from Valkyrie to escape. Mesme reaches them, surrounds the ship and transports them to Portal Prime.
Alex regains consciousness, and they effect repairs to the
Siyane
while arguing about what had transpired. The argument is interrupted when another Metigen arrives and confronts Mesme, who refuses to turn Alex and Caleb over or shut down the Aurora portal. Lakhes appears and takes Mesme’s side, forbidding any harm to the humans.
Alex tracks the departing Lakhes through sidespace to one of the other portals, and the
Siyane
follows.
She encounters an enormous structure built of light waves. Numerous Metigens are in residence. She comes upon Lakhes conversing with another Metigen about a portal species. The two agree to allow the species to kill itself off then shut down the space. Valkyrie figures out the species is the Khokteh. Lakhes confronts Alex, refuses to spare the Khokteh then forces her consciousness back into her body.
They return to the Khokteh homeworld to find it in ruins. When Mesme shows up, Caleb delivers an ultimatum: they refuse to play whatever role the Metigens have planned for them unless their questions are answered. Mesme complies, explaining that the Metigens do not possess the fierce spirit necessary to wage war. The portal worlds allow them to study many ways to fight and kill, in the hope they might discover a way to defeat their oppressors. Mesme then informs them their presence has been requested at home and departs.
They find Pinchu, injured but alive. Alex pleas with him to make peace, as his entire universe will be obliterated if he does not. She and Caleb agree to help him broker a peace with the other colonies.
They proceed to do exactly that, then inform the Metigens the Khokteh are under their protection. In return for a guarantee of the Khokteh’s safety, they will help the Metigens in their war in Amaranthe.
Mesme declares their terms acceptable, but says there is no war today, only the dream of a future one and confirms the Anadens are the oppressors. When Caleb asks what the Anadens are, Mesme’s response is,
They are you, and you are they.
Humans are the genetic recreation of the Anadens, engineered so the Metigens could study their enemy.
A
URORA /
M
ILKY
W
AY
On Miriam’s return to EASC from a secretive trip to Messium, Major Lange informs her Annie was involved in the theft of the Meno and Vii Artificials. She orders a re-initialization of Annie to default settings, aware Annie’s consciousness no longer resides in the hardware.
Olivia Montegreu, now a Prevo, takes control of Andromeda and kills the governor, then takes control of the disputed planet of Itero.
Devon, Mia and Morgan share the Prevo technology with a select group of hacker friends, with the intent that they will also become Prevos and spread the tech in the warenut underground.
Wary of the growing threat Olivia poses, Mia and the Romane governor create a new coalition, the IDCC. Morgan agrees to command its defense force.
Now living on Romane, Kennedy and Noah bump into Brooklyn Harper, who left the military after the Metigen War. They introduce her to Morgan, who hires her to oversee ground forces for the IDCC.
OTS blows up a corporate building on Seneca, then a known Prevo haven in San Francisco. Miriam and Pamela Winslow spar over enforcement of new anti-Artificial laws. As Winslow is elected Earth Alliance Prime Minister, Miriam accelerates her secret plans. She has Richard sneak her onto Seneca and into Military Headquarters, where she enlists the help of Federation Field Marshal Gianno as well.
Devon encounters Jude Winslow in a Pandora bar, unaware of the man’s identity but recognizing he is OTS. A confrontation ensues, after which Devon sends details on the stranger to Richard for investigation.
Kennedy and Noah are visiting an orbital manufacturing facility, Rasogo II, which produces adiamene for her, when it comes under attack from mercenaries working for Olivia. Morgan learns of the attack and effects a rescue mission on behalf of the IDCC. Her fighters eliminate the enemy vessels guarding the station, then Harper’s ground team infiltrates the station and subdues the mercenaries. Kennedy and Noah are rescued, but Noah is badly injured.
After the mission, Morgan and Harper verbally spar, then flirt, then spend the night together.
Richard takes a leave of absence from Division to help Miriam. He meets with Admiral Rychen on Messium, where Rychen reveals the secret command center for Miriam’s Project Volnosti.
Harper learns where the mercenaries were planning on taking Rasogo II; she and Morgan investigate and find a massive space station belonging to Olivia Montegreu. Morgan uses sidespace to determine Olivia is currently in residence. Harper contacts Malcolm Jenner and tells him they’ve discovered Olivia’s hideout.
Malcolm meets Mia on Romane, and they join Morgan and Harper near the space station. Mia provides him an upgraded cloaking shield that grants true invisibility, as well as a transmitter to disrupt Olivia’s normally unbreachable personal shield. They hijack a mercenary ship and sneak onto the station. Mia uses sidespace to guide Malcolm through the station to Olivia’s office.
After a violent struggle, Malcolm shoots Olivia in the head, killing her. Morgan planted bombs on the exterior while Malcolm was inside, and they then destroy the station. Malcolm and Mia share an affectionate moment before parting ways.
Noah’s arm was badly damaged in the mercenary attack, but he receives a synthetic arm to replace it. The Earth Alliance issues an arrest warrant for Kennedy for violating the laws against the production of adiamene.
Pamela Winslow confronts Miriam at EASC over her refusal to enforce the new laws making Prevo technology illegal, accusing Miriam of treason and attempting to have her detained. Miriam’s security protects her until she leaves the premises in a shuttle flown by Richard. On departing, she transfers control of the Armed Forces communications network from EASC to Messium.
Devon uses sidespace to intercept the Metigen surveillance mechanism and sends a request that they tell Alex and Caleb about what is happening in Aurora.
CONTENTS
M
IRIAM’S
W
AR
T
HE
S
PACE
I
N
B
ETWEEN
S
PIRAL
G
RAVITATIONAL
C
OLLAPSE
D
EWDROPS &
F
LOWER
P
ETALS
C
ONSONANCE
N
ATURAL
S
ELECTION
ABYSM
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PART
I
:
MIRIAM
’
S
WAR
“What is a rebel? A man who says no.”
— Albert Camus
1
MESSIS I
E
ARTH
A
LLIANCE
O
RBITAL
S
TATION
M
ESSIUM
S
TELLAR
S
YSTEM
“
T
HIS IS NOT A MUTINY.
“This is not a military coup d’état.
“This is not an insurrection.
“This
is
a counterinsurgency. We are not the traitors—we are the defenders. We are the resistance.
“The Earth Alliance military exists to defend the people against threats from without and within. I swore an oath to defend you forty-seven years ago. It has been my greatest honor to do so ever since, and I do not intend to stop today.”
Miriam Solovy’s tone grew more measured; no need to be a firebrand, right? “The Biological and Neurological Integrity Assurance Act, or BANIA, is unconstitutional. More than this, it is inhumane. It violates our most fundamental precepts of justice, fairness and liberty. It demands the imprisonment of people not for what they’ve done, but for what they are.
“Yes, I said ‘people.’ Whatever the propaganda being pushed upon you may claim, Prevos are first and foremost people. Humans. Individuals. Enhancing ourselves with cybernetics and eVis over the last two centuries did not mean we ceased to be human, and neither does increasing one’s mental acuity with the quantum processing of an Artificial.”
She paused to smile to herself, hoping the act reached her voice. “Let me tell you a story. A story about the Metigen War.
“When all seemed lost and we were on the verge of being overrun, four individuals risked their lives to defeat the enemy and save us from annihilation. They risked their lives to become the first Prevos, fully aware the untested, unproven augmentation could kill them in any number of ways. Then they risked their lives to go out on the battlefield and fight alongside our military personnel. We won the war because of every infantryman, pilot and Marine, but we also won it because of these individuals.
“This information was classified until now, but perhaps it should not have been. Perhaps we should have awarded them medals in public ceremonies for all to see. They certainly deserved it. And you deserve to know they are not devils, but heroes.”
Miriam’s gaze darted to the left, triggered by a burst of activity near the entrance of the command center.
Three MPs blocked her view…until Alex stepped through the doorway. Behind her Caleb talked quietly with one of the officers.
Alive, yet again. Re-emerged from of the void, yet again.
Relief surged through her, strengthening her resolve as she resumed the broadcast. Her daughter was not only the greatest reason she fought to protect the Prevos but the greatest reason she believed it was right to do so.
“We gave these individuals full control and command of our militaries and our defenses. Do you know what happened? They used these tools in ways your leaders could never have accomplished to protect Earth. To protect Seneca. To protect Romane. They used them to crush the Metigen fleet into surrender.
“Then they relinquished control and went back to their lives, asking for nothing in return. Not power. Not medals, leadership roles or any other reward.
“Yet now we want to imprison those Prevos and others like them. We want to reward heroism and sacrifice with a cage. All because we are afraid.”
More movement on her left demanded her attention. Richard went up to Alex and embraced her in an enthusiastic bear hug. A delightful jealousy flared in Miriam’s chest. She wanted to do that—and she would, very soon. She breathed in.
“But the better instincts of us as humans tell us to react to fear with courage, openness and a willingness to learn and adapt. The history of human progress is one of growth, of discovery and advancement and of never standing idle. This is merely the latest chapter. So I ask you to listen to your better instincts and reject fear in favor of tolerance.”
She steeled herself. What she’d conveyed thus far was all very nice—and true—but now came the real purpose of the speech. Now words must transform into deeds.