Among Bright Stars... (26 page)

The cyborg pulled back its hood, unveiled a
not quite human, nanometal face. Reptile-like eye slits, sunken
into a ridged skull, could be seen only when they glowed a fiery
red. The silvery shell that armored his few organics and mechanical
parts provided him the resemblance of a humanoid dragon. Beneath
his cloak, Falcanian type wings and tail were folded
out-of-the-way. One could not miss his agile, lethal robotic
talons.

Fafnir found himself a shadowed corner, sat,
began to cycle down. He had but one more task before he entered the
dreamland shared by all Falcanians. Brightly his eyes came on, and
he connected to the virus, the Trojan Horse he seeded onto the
Vralis. Sure enough, the Techla swallowed his hook, thought the
girl too wondrous not to make contact with. They'd always been so
inanely predicable, which he learned from Frederika's original
incursion win Omicron, a mission that planted the seed for this
move against the computer over-mind. T’Skarin began to download
from his link-up. Even now his virus burrowed past the Techatron
Unions firewall. Streams of data began to filter in; he ravenously
consumed the terabytes of information.

Above her, the sky burned. The clouds thick
flashed red lightening. From her place atop a snowy crag, Kheira
watched hundreds of golden winged-discs descend onto the Earth.
Anti-aircraft weapons targeted the winged-discs, only to be
ineffective against the alien’s shields. Pilots of defensive craft,
desperate to stop the invaders hurled their own ships against the
winged-discs, but to no avail. The assault ships came in larger
numbers. Soon they blotted out Earth's sky. To her surprise, the
Vralis watched Saurian troops solidify from out of light beams. Her
heart sank, when she saw what she thought to be a Falcanian woman
leading the assault.

Out of her disturbed slumber, Kheira opened
her eyes. She looked over, and noticed that Fafnir had entered his
rest cycle, though she could tell he was still at the edge of
awareness, processing data of some sort. His red eyes flickered not
unlike a modem. He was always calculating. The Princess pulled the
warm blankets over her head, sighed no wish to return to the
desolation that she had witnessed in her dream.

[Venus Orbit, Lucifer’s Watchtower
Installation]

Fafnir T'Skarin's telepresence materialized.
The Lucifer Watchtower installation began to power on when it
sensed the presence of the holographic avatar. Oberon did not even
know of this place, or the treasures which it contained. The
hologram of Fafnir walked toward the vault, among a thousand bright
stars he stood. Globes of amniotic fluid, archaeozoic spinal
columns pulsed an electric blue linked to positronic brains, which
resembled filaments of spun-glass. The globe's load remained
quiescent. Morningstar embryos, clusters of three, wave upon wave
of a new humanity. Each primed to come to life at Fafnir's merest
whim. “Not yet though...” Fafnir spoke to his unborn creations.
Technically not his, given that these Morningstars were the
Korelia's scientific work, he only dreamed up how to weaponize it,
or use what they had discovered to unite mankind under his single
vision. “For I seek to provide you, my Morningstars, a heavenly
abode to rule, where you will not just inherit this Earth, but the
whole universe.”

Measured by common means of biological
categorization, Morningstars were not even regarded as human.
Turhan Korelia, in his process toward an artificial womb (a number
of which resided here) stumbled on what could only be described as
synthetic DNA. Radiun90, Korelia befittingly called it. The new
substance enabled him to construct biorobotic lifeforms. The
synthetic DNA could be directly manipulated by means of tools which
Turhan created to interact with it. The clay became ostensibly
human, yet robust, and more intelligent. Morningstars were wholly
novel. Far superior than any crude, recombined clones.

To his regret, Uric Kreis never gained the
secret of Radiun90. Korelia zealously guarded it. Though, T'Skarin
had good reason to think that Turhan passed the knowledge of how to
manufacture Raidun90 onto the Falcanians. That's why he helped
Sharr and Nadia find each other. He knew the Korelias would trust
Sharr, far easier than they ever trusted him with any of this
cutting edge technology. The Falcanian creation, testified to
it.

IL-Series #0001 Nadia, first of Dr. Turhan
Korelia's Neo-humans. Following countless unsuccessful cloning
attempts, the Korelias at last created a genuinely synthetic girl.
Who they euphemistically described as a test tube baby. Yet that
did not begin to touch on Nadia's true genesis. When Uric Kreis
learned about Nadia, and the Radiun90 he rushed to India, where he
recruited the Korelias, who worked from out of an illegal basement
laboratory. Fafnir remembered trying to entice Turhan, and his
wife:
The Radiun90, Uric Kreis eagerly effused. It’s remarkable!
You'll revolutionize what it means to be human. No, better than
human. That is, if your Nadezhda's any indication. Imagine, a
planet of people like her? One day, they could supplement, if not
replace humans. Existing people, could even upgrade flawed
flesh...
Naturally Uric acted on his own agenda where it
regarded Radiun90, and fabrication of synthetic people. At the
moment Uric guised himself in Fafnir T'Skarin's argentiferous
scales. Someday though, Fafnir could yet reincarnate. Trade out one
crude robot form, for a better, biorobotic replicant.

At the center of Lucifer’s Watchtower,
reverently encircled by the numerous illuminated Morningstar
globes, rested a cryo-cylinder. Fafnir walked over to it, placed an
affectionate claw on its exterior. Like it might have been a
memorial, a name plate was mounted on the cylinder's side, and
read:
IMOGEN DRAKE, BELOVED DAUGHTER
. Fafnir peered into the
frosted glass. Inside the pod, a young woman, about 18 slumbered.
Eyes closed. Her brunette hair arranged neatly around delicate
features. “Imogen. my child, I promised you a universe to rule. And
you shall have it. Your twin brother provided me an empire to build
from.” On his nanometal face, Fafnir affected a smile. “For that I
am grateful. Soon I shall wake you...”

[Vorkrür Island Mid-Morning]

The Imperator, Shotar, and a few other
diplomats toured the artificial landmass by way of the maglev. At
the moment, they explored the insular nature preserve usually not
accessible by the magnetic train-line, yet it been diverted for
this special occurrence. Beside Sharr Khan Talik waited with his
half-brother. The Shotar was certain that Sheela had provided his
brother with a vast amount of pleasure the night before, which is,
were he to judge by the gleam in Talik’s single blue-eye. The
Shotar had confided to Talik about his dalliance with Natalia. This
greatly amused the Jagirdar to no end; for confident were Dmitri
Antares to learn of it, that the Russian ruler would use it as an
excuse to declare war. In any event, Talik promised to keep Sharr’s
banging Natalia to himself. That of course assumed Nadia hadn’t
gained an intuitive impression of the encounter herself from
Sharr's thoughts.

“All of your food is grown here?” Imperator
Romulus asked.

“Not all, but we try not to rely on
imports,” the Shotar informed, nodded at a nearby Drakorian. The
Drakorian pulled out his Kraris, and slashed a leathery tree, cut
off the plants oblong alligator skinned fruit.. He then tossed it
over to his Lord.

“An avocado?” Guessed Romulus before he got
a better look.

Sharr shook his head, said. “Mukbosch...”
With his own claw-blade, Sharr Khan halved the fruit, and then
handed a section to Romulus.

“Meat?” JR Giovanni said.

“It is.” The Shotar nodded. “Given the
correct nourishment, a mukbosch plant can replenish its harvest in
over a month.”

“Amazing!” Romulus grinned. “How does it
taste?”

“You tell me? That tartare you enjoyed last
night came from a mukbosch tree.”

Romulus had found his meal at the party
rich, exquisitely gourmet. The shaved pieces of flesh, mixed with
shallots, and a tangy brown sauce topped with an egg yolk had been
set into fine pastry. It had been one of the best things he had
ever tasted. To recall it now, caused his mouth to water. “Is it a
matter of pragmatism, or philosophy that you grow meat on a
tree?”

“Vegetable protein is highly inferior for
the Falcanian metabolism, our systems require more fleshy fuel. The
mukbosch serves this purpose. Very useful for deep space
crossings.” With that succinct response Sharr segued into a bit of
philosophy in order to make a point. “According to Arntiraas: ‘in
nature there are two inherent fundamental principles. That of the
hawk, or the rabbit. Which are you?’” He quoted from his Telchar
Shanral, showed a hint of a grin.

“Hunter and prey!” the Imperator
surmised.

“Indeed,” A repressed smirk touched the
Shotar’s lips. “There are only two choices.”

“That’s why you struck first?” JR Giovanni
concluded ,and realized a danger in such a belief system. However
it occurred to him things had long since moved beyond his
control.

“Yes.” Sharr Khan acknowledged. “Though it
often seemed to be a hawk, the USA really in its later days became
a rabbit.” There could be heard no small amount of disapproval is
the Shotar’s tone. “We would not make the same mistakes which
brought about its downfall. Retreating when we should advance
against those who seek to destroy us.”

JR Giovanni recognized truth in his words.
Perhaps he even felt a kinship with this hawk/rabbit dualism? On
some gut level though it disturbed him. He had begun to realize
that maybe Falcanians were not near as human as he might have cared
for them to be. “That’s an interesting religion you have.” The
Imperator sounded incredulous, his own bias put him off. “It seems
rather driven by animal intent, instead of enlightenment.”

“Animal intent is the only true driving
force of the universe” Sharr comfortably replied. “Man spends his
entire life seeking to avoid his primal intentions.” He laughed.
“D’Har Tarik embraces them.”

“What of your soul?” Romulus mused.

“It shall attend to itself.”

“And the core belief of your faith is?”

“That life is, and should be ecstasy!” Sharr
Khan understood such a belief might seem to be hedonistic to the
devout Catholic Imperator. “That is the core of D’Har Tarik.”

In the plaza, which rested in the shadow of
the Tahru’s Temple, and not far from a chunk of black, scarred
granite, Imperial Sub-Strato General Arshira T’Lani Hol-Drakonis
stood, hands on her hips, head tipped slightly to the side, lost in
a thought. A statue of the Telchar, Zarhur-Rao loomed above her,
while all about the plaza blood-red Thunderstrike security droids,
on ever-present patrol hovered past guests, mostly media. Eye
plates glowed crimson, and scanned the crowd in search for
concealed weapons or bombs.

Temujin lingered nearby Arshira, together
they awaited for the return of Sharr Khan from the Imperial hunting
grounds. Meanwhile, Darius Noorani prostrated himself in his
afternoon prayers. Sharr had setup a private area for the Caliphate
of Aslan's ruler to perform his daily prayers. Moored out in the
bay, Temujin Sardur’s now refurbished
Golden Horde
(The
superman used it as his residence) was dwarfed by Darius Noorani’s
fleet, which the 12
^th
Imam brought with him as a
demonstration of solidarity between himself and the Khanate.

Many of the diplomats were ensconced still
in their hotel rooms, located in the shining gold and blue Tariksar
Tower which stood at the heart of Vorkrür City. The opening of the
conference only hours away, and it was likely the officials were
trying to recover from their late night party aboard the Imperial
yacht. Hopefully the warm welcome would set dispositions in
Falcania’s favor.

Queen T’Kara, encircled by her Valküri
maidens sat on a low divan setup under a green and gold canopy, her
son close. She chatted with Shalimar, and even maintained a civil
rapport with Aria, who fanned herself in the warm breeze off the
bay. A low hum signaled the arrival of the monorail. In a flash the
white transport came to a halt at a nearby platform. Cycling-open,
the doors of the train parted with a whoosh, Sharr Khan stepped
out, followed by his brother and JR Giovanni. Talik leaned close,
whispered to Sharr. The brothers shared a laugh, which Imperator
Romulus joined in on. The Imperator placed a hand on Sharr and
Talik's shoulders, in the manner of one who held a new found
fondness for these men. Clearly, his morning with the Shotar had
went very good. Soon JR Giovanni would (officially) meet Darius
Noorani, a man who had always impressed the Imperator, but the old
resentments among his civilians and that of the more vengeful parts
of his military could never have tolerated. That was all about to
change.

Drakorian and battledroids fell in. Down the
heavy steps of the monorail platform, Sharr walked, he took a
moment to pause, and began an oration about the efficient public
transportation of his Island, to which Romulus eagerly nodded.
Three Kulshreik battledroids droned around the platform, no one
gave them much thought, given they were intended as part of the
security measures put in place for the peace summit. Talik’s good
eye noticed the three come unnervingly close, and loiter for too
long where Sharr Khan had stopped to speak with JR Giovanni.

Gatling guns cocked, the arms of the droids
adjusted, a flash of gunfire. Talik pushed Sharr, and the Imperator
off the steps where he tumbled after them in a broken crumble. A
gasp arose from the gathered multitude at the unexpected
violence.

Garbed in simple robes, he came out of his
prayer tent, Darius Noorani gazed at the unfolding, bloody
upheaval. Darius's hand went to the jambiya fastened at his waist,
prepared to act. In a few seconds Noorani calculated his next
movements. How he would need to come at the automatons in order to
do the most effective damage. Like a wildcat, Darius Noorani jumped
over the crowd, propelled by his superior strength to come to his
father-in-laws defense.