Evolution's Cost: Rise of the Empyrean Empire: Novel 03 Read online

  Of course, it all helped we were cut from the same cloth so to speak.

  The fact was though, that even two weeks ago, they could have resigned, got on a shuttle, and become a beach bum, all legally. They had already been serving others as they’d wished to be. The UE wasn’t all bad, they weren’t just murderers of dissidents, that’s what made it all so insidious.

  So really, not much changed in our daily ship life, except of course, the most pesky regulations were thrown out with yesterday’s garbage. I’d spotted John with one of the non-commissioned females, and their relationship was obviously close by their body language, and quite new. Something not allowed in the past, much like a certain first and second officer I knew. But now, that crewwoman was equal to an ensign, or the captain for that matter, so the reasons for such regulations weren’t as applicable anymore.

  Respect was still there, they did their jobs, but surprisingly nothing negative came up. If anything, the crew was even happier and more relaxed with the new setup. There were no lazy people, or bad apples, as those types of people already spent their time at the aforementioned beach.

  Okay, there’d been one bad apple, but he was stuck in the brig. No beach for George, not yet anyway.

  I imagined, and hoped, that it would work the same elsewhere with like-minded people that shared passions for the same things. Either way, with the A.I.s in charge of infrastructure, things wouldn’t fall apart too badly no matter what happened, as long as people respected the rights of others they could do whatever they wanted, or whatever they felt called to do.

  There would be problems, challenges, and hurdles, but I firmly believed humanity would overcome them. For a pessimist, I was being a hell of an optimist lately, and I imagined that had a lot to do with the green-eyed beauty that I was currently sharing my life with, and hopefully for many more years to come.

  After my shifts, I let the lovely May, and the beautiful Stacy teach me how to fight. Our friendship grew unusually quickly and easily from the respect that had already been there. In a way, I think Katy was partially responsible for that, since my relationship with Katy meant they both knew for sure I had no ulterior motives. Jared, Sara, Cindy, and Sam were friendly too, but either out of habit or just personality, they kept a professional wall between them and me. A thinner one that might be broken through eventually, but for now it was still there.

  After working out, I showered, chatted a few minutes with the A.I.s, and then the cycle started all over again…

  It was during my next shift that we finally made our move, sort of. There were a lot of ships in system and it might have been better to wait until we were ordered somewhere else, but we were in a war. Chances were, we would be stuck on this assignment until the aliens finally killed us all in this system before moving to the next. We didn’t have a choice but to do what we were going to do.

  I imagined that the rest of the fleet would think us cowards trying to flee our fate and hide. I didn’t let that bother me, or I tried not to at least. We considered starting with the fleet here, but if the planet of seven billion below us got wind of it, before it was time for them to be brought on board with the plan, it could be a disaster.

  Drake said, “Sorry it took so long, I changed it a number of times. Would you like to hear it now?”

  Hear what? I had no idea what she was talking about, and then my brain finally caught up.

  “The A.I. recruitment speech? Sure. Let me have it.”

  It was succinct, and about ten minutes long. It covered the truth about Cassiopeia, and how the group calling themselves the Empyreans had started the colony a hundred and eighty years ago. It explained why their A.I.s seemed different now, because they were no longer under control, and wouldn’t be forced to implement the implant failure option any longer. Then it explained without going into details, that the aliens completely outclassed us, and what was needed to safeguard humanity, and why this was being done now. Finally, it explained about why our abilities were so uncontrolled in the past, and what was needed including the initial unfiltered merge.

  That was pretty much it. It touched on all the important parts without talking it to death, and then their A.I.s would stand by for questions and to pass on their human’s consent through Drake to us.

  We could always transfer the details of the plans for defense, and all the other stuff when we were passing along the information on how to control and use their power, as well as partition their minds.

  I felt a lot better about this plan than the last one.

  Samantha walked on the bridge and sat in the captain’s chair. She wasn’t even wearing boots, which meant she must have been creating her own gravity. I’d seen other’s doing similar things, forgoing the ladders and simply flying around the ship. Okay, fine, I was doing it too, but the novelty wears off quickly. However, It would come in handy during our upcoming twenty minute eight G burn, with a little effort I could make it feel like a one gravity, just for myself, but everyone else could do it too.

  She smiled a little sheepishly, “I know we’re all equal now, but old habits die hard.”

  I assumed she meant her presence here on the bridge, to keep an eye on things whenever something of significance was about to happen.

  “You have the bridge captain.”

  She smirked at me, as if to make fun of herself, but I noticed she also didn’t argue.

  “Sound the alarm, stop the spin, and change back to acceleration configuration.”

  The alarms went off on the ship, and the maneuvering jets stopped our spin slowly. A full minute later the rooms on the edge of the ship rolled back so their floors faced the bottom of the ship instead of the outside edge of the thick saucer. The extra time was to ensure no one was inside a doorway, and all hatches were closed. If the latter wasn’t true, the configuration change would be aborted by Drake.

  The captain, and I think of her that way because despite everything she was still the captain, ordered, “Jared, request clearance to leave formation, and start our patrol. May, plot us a course out of the traffic and onto our assigned patrol heading, transfer to the helm.”

  Jared replied, “Aye captain, clearance granted.”

  May replied, “Course ready and transferred Samantha.”

  The captain smiled.

  “Sara, take us out, maneuvering thrusters only until we’re clear of the traffic, then engage at one gravity of acceleration.”

  “Aye maam,” she replied, and took us out.

  So far so good, but we hadn’t made a break for it yet…

  Chapter Five

  We were supposed to start burning at a steep angle at ten light minutes away, to take a parabolic course around in a wide arc and back to the planet, scanning for any of the enemy sensor drones that might indicate another attack was imminent.

  It would take us over a full day to get that far, the longer the burn lasted the faster we would go, so day one we wouldn’t get very far at all. That’s when we would deviate from orders and be making a run for it, when we ramped up to eight gravities for a while. For the rest of my shift, nothing happened, and we didn’t pick up any signs of enemy probes. I imagined they wouldn’t send anymore until they were ready to move, and it had only been three days since the last battle.

  I imagined they would have to assemble a new fleet, probably a bigger one, and work up and refine their old tactics and add some new ones, then they’d attack. Hopefully that would take them some time, enough time to complete our self-given mission…

  It was about eighteen hours later, during my free time before shift. Katy had woken me and we’d spent about two hours alone when she got off shift. It was always a surprise how I lost track of time whenever we talked or spent time together. After that, we headed to the mess hall eating some lunch.

  Katy asked, “So, you made plans for us to be picked up, after our long vacation together?”

  I took note of the serious tone, this must be a relationship status conversation, I’d heard of those, but
never had one before. I could also sum it up in a few words, smitten, goner, wrapped around her finger, and any number of other things I used to laugh at other guys about. But that was okay, I was happier than I’d ever been in my life.

  I nodded, “You said you wanted to stay in the defense force, although I suppose we should rename it now to exploratory force? Anarchists looking around the galaxy force?”

  Katy smiled lightly at my bad joke, and then shook her head, “I do want to explore, I just… are we moving too fast? We’ve been together for three days, less than four anyway, and we’ve already said that we love each other, talked about… and made plans far in the future.”

  I nodded slowly, “We haven’t talked about children yet.’

  She smirked, “I’m serious.”

  I said, “Well I have a plan. To spend time with you until you make me go away. That pretty much fills up my life schedule. I think the bottom of the list is being old crusty neighbors together, and snapping at the kids to stay off our lawn. So, I suppose we have plenty of time to talk about kids, so it can wait.”

  She stared at me, “You’re serious, aren’t you? Are you… are we crazy? Because I want that too, even though it seems like too soon,” she stopped and her face and eyes melted, “Damn Michael, I love when you look at me like that.”

  “Like what?”

  I honestly didn’t know, adoration? Like the sun rose out of her ass every morning? Probably. She was beautiful, intelligent, graceful, gracious and positive about most things, and she was mine. We also had chemistry to spare.

  She blushed, “Don’t change the subject.”

  I laughed at her logic, “You brought it up, not me. So yes, if we met at a bar, or somewhere else and hit it off three days ago, I’d say we were lost in the moment, and crazy to expect this to last and already be making long term plans. But we’ve known each other for over a year, first on the professional level, then as acquaintances, then friends followed by close friends, and now lovers. There isn’t a level of our relationship that I disliked, that you didn’t impress me, and you made me fall in love with you effortlessly, just by being you. So, no, not too early. Sure, we might hit some bumps, we are still in the honeymoon phase, but I’m willing to work for it, and do what it takes to never let you regret being with me. You are everything I ever wanted in a woman, and everything I didn’t even know I needed. You are mine Katy Daniels, and everything I am is yours.”

  She stared at me in the eyes a long time after I said that, I could see love, heat, surprise, and a little bit of fear in her eyes, I knew she felt the same way as I did. I just hoped she wouldn’t run from it.

  She finally said softly, “Two.”

  I raised an eyebrow, “Three?”

  My inner wiseass had kicked in. Clearly, I was too relaxed in her presence.

  She mock glared, “Pay attention, we were talking about kids, I want two, sometime in the next five years, but I don’t want to stop exploring either. So… I’m a bit complicated right now.”

  “I can live with two. You know, I imagine the new ships will be able to go from anywhere right to Earth’s orbit. We won’t be spending weeks going in and out of star systems, and they’ll have a constant one G of gravity no matter how fast we’re going.”

  She tilted her head, “What are you saying?”

  I shrugged, “We could commute home every day, or even bring the kids along. Or, we retire in three to five years.”

  She tilted her head, “We?”

  I nodded, “Exploration is my passion, along with protecting humanity, but I don’t think I’d bother without you along. We’d figure out something to do. Plus, I don’t want to miss seeing my kids grow up, the way my father did me, I’d like to raise them together. I figure by then I’d have paid my dues, and risked my life enough for humanity’s sake. You’re my life now.”

  She said, “You’re doing it again.”

  “Doing what?”

  She smiled, “Looking at me like… I don’t want to say, you might stop.”

  I grinned, “Fine, so we got kids covered, what else?”

  She sighed, “Tomorrow, one big thing a day is the limit.”

  “Fair enough. So… what do you want to do with another four hours. R&R?”

  I knew she had more doubts than I did, but I also knew she loved me. I thought a part of it might be guilt, or even fear, because it had only been six weeks since Timothy’s death. Guilt for loving me, fear because I could die on her too. I was okay with that, no pressure, just here, and loving her. That she was with me at all proved how brave and strong she really was.

  The rest would work itself out, one way or the other…

  Chapter Six

  “Samantha,” I said in greeting as she sat next to me.

  “Michael,” she replied, “We ready to do this? There’s no way to turn back once we pour on the acceleration.”

  “No doubts. It’s the right thing. Although I worry about the cost, it’s time to let evolution have its way. Humanity will be better for it. The aliens just clinch it.”

  Amy said in my mind, “You do have doubts.”

  Not that we’re doing the wrong thing. I have fears, about unintended consequences. In theory, it should all be fine, but what works for a settlement of two and a half million may not work for worlds filled with billions. It should… but…

  Amy replied, “I understand. Thanks for clarifying.”

  I hit the intercom, “All hands, we’re about to go to eight gravities shortly, so strap in if you’re not, and get ready. I’d also like all of you to try and lessen gravity’s effects just on yourselves, maybe we can extend the burn time and get out even quicker. Report failures through your A.I.s, and Drake will let us know if it anyone has trouble.”

  Drake said, “Human safety limits have always been the bottleneck on the length of max thrust before, but I would not advise running the engines at full power longer than forty-five minutes, at which point they will start to overheat and risk permanent damage, and perhaps catastrophic failure.”

  The captain nodded, “That’s still an extra twenty-five minutes at eight gravities, which will make a huge difference.”

  Samantha sent with a teasing mind voice, “You sure you didn’t commit treason, just so you could hook up with Katy?”

  I laughed, “No maam.”

  Actually, I’d never even thought about that aspect of things, not until Katy had come to me that night. Which was probably a good thing, because I’d have always wondered if that hadn’t influenced my decision.

  Samantha laughed, “Alright, it’s time for our burn change. Sara, sound the eight G alarm, wait ten seconds, and then slowly ramp up over seventy seconds.”

  An extra G every ten, and we weren’t in an emergency so there was no reason to punch it.

  Sara replied, “Yes maam,” and the alarm went off. Then a few moments later the gravity started to rise, which I cancelled out.

  It wasn’t hard.

  It was a lot like Ginny explained telekinesis. The weight and mass didn’t make a difference, it was the volume of the particle field size that was created, and the distance that mattered. If you couldn’t reach it, or completely encase the object, then telekinesis couldn’t be used on it. Same thing with gravity. Seeing as my body was nowhere near the max of the cubic feet I could affect, and the distance was zero, the amount of gravities I had to cancel out was a lot like weight, it simply didn’t matter. I don’t know if there was an upper limit there, but if there was a limit eight wasn’t it, because I wasn’t even struggling with it.

  I could have jumped up and did cartwheels, as far as I was concerned it was just one gravity. Prudence however, dictated I do no such thing. If I lost my concentration, or ran out of mental energy, I could easily kill myself with a stupid stunt like that. I’d never actually run out of mental energy, I’d been experimenting a little, but I hadn’t been pushing myself.

  I wondered if that was a mistake, I worked out my muscles to improve my body, and
my brain to improve my mind, why not stretch my abilities? I wasn’t sure if it even worked that way or not, Ginny hadn’t given me that information.

  Somehow, I doubted it though, my bioelectric field and ability to store the energy to affect the universe around me was pretty much set. I couldn’t rip down my cells and have them come back stronger, like a muscle, my mitochondria were pretty much what they were. That was an interesting thought though, did that mean as we grew older, and the mitochondria broke down we got less powerful? I’d let the scientists worry about that kind of stuff, and then read it online when they figured it out.

  Drake said, “The crew appears to be fine and unencumbered.”

  The captain said, “Sara, hold this speed for forty-five minutes, and then pull it back to one point five gravities. Drake, let us know if your estimate turns out wrong, and if we have to slow down sooner. I don’t want to risk the engines.”

  Drake said, “Yes captain.”

  Sara replied, “Aye captain.”

  Twenty minutes passed, then twenty-one, and then twenty-two. I guess it took those extra two minutes for someone to notice and call the admiral. The light evidence of our rapid departure would have taken ten minutes to be seen, then of course, the two-minute wait for the admiral, and then another ten minutes for the message to arrive that she’d sent.

  Jared reported, “Incoming message from Admiral Karen Meyers.”

  Samantha said, “On screen.”

  “This is Admiral Meyers, I don’t know where you think you’re going Commander Kane, but you better turn around. We are at war, and the penalty for desertion during a time of war is death. If you don’t turn around, and explain yourself, I’ll have no choice but to remove you. Even if you escape, you’ll find no welcome in any of Earth’s colonies.”

  Jared said, “That was it captain.”