Syndicate's Pawns (19 page)

 

CHAPTER 37

DOMIANT

Lick your wounds, learn from your defeat, and know when to play the part of the meek. The cosmos will present you with a chance to make those who have bested you suffer. That is the way of vengeance.

—­From
The Road of Strength
by Gengis Suun

27th of SSM–11 1445 A2E

“Y
ou are in deep trouble, my boy.” It was clear by both Lucky's accent and stance that the old Wolver was from the world of Perse, which the rest of Wolver heretics serving the Pax Humanis called home. Living out their meaningless lives in their polluted and domed cities.

Domiant could not help but openly display his contempt. “Please be quiet. Your very presence offends the air I breathe.” Despite his words, Domiant kept both his shackled hands on the table in front of him.

Lucky gave Captain Morwyn a sideways glance and stepped away from the table. “Keep digging your grave with that smart mouth of yours, kiddo.”

Domiant gave Lucky a hateful sneer. “It looks like you've already got one foot in yours, old man.”

“For someone who offered me his surrender you seem to be remarkably uncooperative.” Captain Morwyn's nose was bandaged and Domiant held back a smile as he saw him wince and rub his sides. Presently, Sopherim, Mikali, Zanza and himself were all being detained in the brig. That he and Sopherim were both followers of the Living Green was the only reason they weren't being forced into carbon sleep.

“I was unaware that my cooperation was required.” Captain Morwyn and Lucky had both taken him to the cantina in shackles, as if he were some common criminal.

“It couldn't hurt your case,” Morwyn replied glibly.

“What do you want then?” Domiant asked, before adding with no small hint of maliciousness, “And more importantly, what do you have to offer?”

This answer seemed to satisfy Captain Morwyn, who pulled up a seat and sat himself down within arm's reach of Domiant. “Information. How did you know about my vessel and Jessie Madison?”

That was indeed quite the question and one Domiant was not certain he wanted to answer. However if he gave the Captain nothing, then he would gain nothing in return. “Have you ever heard of the Syndicate, Captain Soltaine?”

“I was stationed on Ambrosia, so yes.”

“Good, that will save me from having to endure the company of your Perse-­bred mutt over there for any extra time.” Domiant nodded toward Lucky, who only let out a humorous snort.

“Don't think your little jabs are going to get a rise out of me, pupling.” Lucky slipped a vapostick between his lips and blew out a heavy ring of cinnamon-­smelling smoke in Domiant's face.

“You were saying?” Morwyn kept his eyes on Domiant.

“Captain, your vessel's name is on the Elusive Frequency. We were contracted to secure your ship and all the cargo on it.” Domiant gave his neck a crack.

“So there will be others, is what you're saying?”

Captain Morwyn had no idea what he was dealing with, and it delighted Domiant to no end. “I can guarantee it.”

Morwyn leaned back in his seat and looked to Lucky. “Are you buying any of this?”

Lucky exhaled another long steady stream of smoke before answering. “Every last word, Captain Sir.”

“So am I.” Morwyn tapped both his index fingers together for a moment before speaking again. “And what do you suppose the next crew is going to do when they find out we captured your vessel and uploaded all of your computer data into our own?”

“What do you suppose will happen to you the next time this happens?” It was Domiant's turn to lean back in his seat. “And trust me, there will be a next time.”

Morwyn let out a sigh. “We'll just have to make more room in the brig.”

“I know your Covenant's laws. I don't have to tell you anything, Captain Soltaine. I also know that you are duty-­bound to transport myself and my crew back to Central Point, in order for us to have a fair and just trial.” Domiant leaned forward and gave Morwyn a coy wink. “And I also know that it is an incredible distance to cross, with plenty of opportunities for my competitors to catch you off guard between here and there.”

Morwyn stood up and straightened his Covenant uniform. “Infinite willing, the next time I lay eyes on your hateful face will be when I deliver you to the proper authorities on Central Point.”

Lucky walked over to Domiant and helped him to his feet.

“You are woefully ill-­equipped to deal with any of this, Captain,” Domiant said. “I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize it.”

Morwyn considered Domiant's words, then gave them a dismissive shrug. “Fair enough, I look forward to proving you wrong, once more.”

“S
o, brother. What is our next move?” Sopherim asked the moment Lucky had left the two of them alone in a separate holding cell.

“I am shocked you would even hear me out after this entire debacle, sister.” There was no masking the frustration he felt at having been beaten and captured.

Sopherim rose from her cot in the corner of her cell and gave Domiant a long stare. “You are my brother, Domiant. We defeat the odds together or not at all.” When she spoke there was sisterly warmth to Sopherim's voice that was almost alien to him.

“One thing is certain, Sopherim. I am not returning to Uldur to face Elvrid justice. I would rather die in the void.”

All of Sopherim's sisterly warmth was suddenly lost and once more she reverted to her stoic and icy demeanor. “Do not let me hear you speak such words of defeat. I will kill you myself if you do.”

Domiant conceded the point. “We cannot trust Zanza, Mikali or Kendric Loc for that matter. So I say hump them all and let us look out for each other.”

“We are blood, you and I.” Sopherim liked what she was hearing. “As it has always been and will always be.”

“So, for the moment, we cooperate when asked to, while giving them just enough resistance not to raise any suspicions, and we wait. These agents are not the best the Covenant has to offer.” Domiant offered Sopherim a vulpine grin, one that was returned to him in kind. “The road is long to Central Point, and somewhere between here and there, they will make a mistake, and we shall capitalize on it.”

“The will of the Green is the Will of the Green.”

“Spoken like a true Elvrid sister.” Domiant laid himself down in his cot. Allowing for a moment of relaxation. There was nothing but time on his hands now. Time enough to observe and cook up his next move. This game between him and Morwyn Soltaine was far from over. It would only end once Domiant had broken him and proven to him that his was the superior mind and will.

Honeyed thoughts of sweet vengeance brought warmth to his hateful heart.

 

CHAPTER 38

JESSIE

The greatest blessing that the living cosmos has gifted us is that of connection and relationship. Imagine the infinite, now imagine having to experience all of it alone. We are indeed fortunate in the friendships and love we find along the grand stage that is our life.

—­Icarius Odenshaw

27th of SSM–11 1445 A2E

“B
reathe in, breathe out.” Floating weightless, secured to the hull of the
Jinxed Thirteenth
by a diamond wire tether, Jessie did as she was told. Floating next to her, Phaël did the same, taking in a long deep respiration, holding it then exhaling. Her body was so comfortably limp.

“You remind me of a cat.”

Phaël opened her eyes, glaring at her, and for a moment Jessie thought she might have accidentally offended her. “There is no greater insult to a Wolver than to call them dog.” Her face softened as she shot Jessie a friendly smile. “Cats, however? Well, the Great Huntress is often portrayed as one.”

This was Jessie's first zero-­g bath, as she and David had been so fond of calling it, since longer than she could remember. The days where she could let her guard down and enjoy the feeling of safety had been an eternity ago. “I never thanked you for saving me.”

Phaël shrugged dismissively. “Machina Chord and my mates did most of the heavy lifting on that.”

A moment of silence passed between the two as they gazed at the gas giant, Moria. Its mixture of greens, blues and purples intermingling in a perpetual storm playing out like a private show for them and them alone. Somewhere in that gas storm were the destroyed remains of the Moria Three mining facility, the station that had been Jessie and her late husband David's home and prison. It was the last remnants of anything that linked her to the Earth that was gone, erased, no more. Only she, her child, and the road that was the rest of her life remained. Yet despite all this, Jessie's jaw dropped in wonder as she looked past the rim of Moria only to see a veritable endless sea of stars before them in the distance. All known gods, the cosmos was so, so beautiful and she did not know if she could possibly ever appreciate the sheer majesty of it enough.

“Jessie Madison, if my eyes can look on this sight today, it is because of you,” Phaël said, breaking the silence of the moment.

“I . . .” The image of the hole in Niko's chest, the incredible ease of the deed, flashed before her eyes, and Jessie began to tremble. “I could not do anything when David was killed. I could only watch as a machine broke him limb for limb and then tossed his body away into the void as if he were some worthless piece of trash. But he was not. He was . . . we were . . . partners and . . .”

Phaël rested her hand on Jessie's shoulder. The gesture comforted her. “Jessie . . .”

Jessie continued, unable to stop. She needed to say this. “I could have fallen, I could have been hurt, I could have lost my child. But I did not, because you held that lunatic at bay. You took all of his punishment. You protected us.”

“No, we protected each other, as it had to and should be.”

“My husband once said that the cosmos is very, very vast. And we are all tiny living parts of it. Our lives are almost insignificant when compared to the stage on which they are played out.”

“He sounds like the bard Icarius Odenshaw,” Phaël cut in, then waited for Jessie to continue.

“I am certain they would have gotten along just fine.”

“I believe it was by the Will of The Green that our paths did cross on this vast stage.” Phaël took Jessie's hand and brought it to her chest. “With your permission Jessie Madison, I name you my Seft sister. From here to the Infinite's end, I will stand by you and your child. With my dying breath I will protect you both.”

Jessie was taken aback by the incredible gesture. She had not expected so much warmth, and for a brief moment did not know how to accept it. She took Phaël's hand and brought it to her chest. “Phaël Farook Nem'Ador, in the spirit of your words I accept your offer and swear to do the same.”

“Do not worry,” Phaël added after a long moment. “This does not mean we are wed.”

Jessie burst out laughing and took Phaël in her arms, embracing her tightly. In her worst nightmares, Jessie had dreamed that she would awaken from her long slumber only to be crushed by solitude and grief. Doomed to wander alone and friendless. And though this would not be the last time, Jessie was sure of it, she was glad that the universe had proven her wrong.

And while she had no idea what a “Seft sister” was, she could only assume that it meant a sort of familial bond. It was yet another blessing Jessie had not thought she would experience. The
Jinxed Thirteenth
was far from being the ideal environment for a pregnant woman and her unborn child, but she now had a friend and was no longer alone. For the time being at least, she was safe.

Jessie Madison pulled away from Phaël, their hands coming together and fingers interlocking as they both turned to gaze once more at Moria. The gas storm displayed a mesmerizing and breathtaking swirls of colors, all of it a blessing to their new friendship. It was nothing short of awe-­inspiring. Jessie suddenly burst out into fits of grateful laughter, and Phaël quickly joined in until soon neither one of them could stop. Together they floated, enjoying the feeling for as long as they could.

 

LEXICON

Ador:
Ador is one of the rare nations of the cosmos with a population that is incredibly mixed. That being said the nation of Ador has not, until recently, known any lengthy period of peace. Formerly a province of Argent, Ador endured countless horrors under the yoke of its former rulers. Ever since earning its freedom during the Liberation War, Ador has made it a point to have their nation be an active participant in the galactic theater.

The Adoran Liberation War:
Ador as a nation had been under the yoke of tyranny since its birth. Its former rulers were the baron princes of the Nation of Argent, who oppressed and subjected their subjects to countless horrors. The baron princes of Argent were secretly offered backing by the Pax Humanis fleets. In response to this, Warlord Valtros, united the interfighting Adoran mercenary fleets under his banner, challenging the rule of Argent and offering freedom to anyone who sided with his cause. The ensuing civil war lasted seventeen years. In the end the Liberation armies stood victorious, installing a new democratic Parliament. To this day many Adorans still hold a massive grudge against the Pax Humanis for offering support to their former Argentine oppressors.

The Advent War:
The Second Great War, during which Humanis and Machina fought side by side against the machine Singularity called Pontifex, also known as the False Machine God. After the war the Machina offered the Humanis slipdrive technology making starflight and galactic colonization possible. Unfortunately Earth, the Cradle, was left scorched.

Alexandros:
A younger nation comprised mostly of scholars, Alexandros is on the borders of End Space and boasts a rich diverse population. The spirit of cooperation and peace is very present on Alexandros. It is one of the only Covenant Nations that does not possess a single military vessel and all of their progressive scientific developments remain purely pacifistic in nature and design.

Ambrosia:
Once known as the smugglers' gem, the former Syndicate-­run “paradise world” of Ambrosia was forcefully made into a Protectorate of the Pax Humanis. Despite being under the rule of the Hegemon's Law, Ambrosia remains to this day one of the poorest and most violent portions of its population. The majority of Ambrosia is made up of declassified citizens.

Argent:
Formerly a Pax Protectorate, the nation of Argent used its considerable financial powers to break free from the will of the Hegemons. Argent has since then become an Elitist society of godlike rich royals, challenging the Pax Humanis at any or every given opportunity. The Baron Princes of Argent are openly vying for the complete downfall of the Pax Humanis.

Auditor:
Independent Covenant agents sent in to investigate crimes. They are required by Covenant Law to be impartial.

Barathul:
After Sol, Barathul is the second oldest nation in the Pax Humanis, and proud of it. There are few worlds that can boast such a huge level of success and law. Barathul's navy and military are second to none and do justice to the Pax Humanis rigid discipline.

The Breedmasters:
The Breedmasters of Uldur are brilliant geneticists. Capable of raising and creating living creatures to serve their every need, from food to transport to the incredibly complex living skinsuits. The Breedmasters jealously keep their trade secrets and have become a rival voice to the Wolver spiritual ruling caste, the Elvrids.

Central Point:
The current political center of the universe and the closest thing to pass as the Covenant's Capital. Central Point is an ambitious societal gambit that includes all the Covenant nations. The end goal of which will be a fully operational and mobile disonsphere capable of safely housing billions of ­people, thousands of political delegates and the Covenant's volunteer fleets. So far every nation has representation and a stake in completing this project. The InstaNet Signal is broadcast in perpetuity from Central Point, making it a stable map point for anyone navigating the cosmos. Because of this, Central Point is always located at the exact center of Covenant Space.

Chosen Protocols:
Machina Intelligences are typically free to observe the universe and in essence do whatever they want. However, once a Machina wishes to interact with the physical world, it must inhabit a mechanical body or shell. These bodies are hardwired with behavioral control protocols that prevent the Machina from killing, lying or otherwise harming living Intelligences.

The Conclave:
The final volunteer force of the Covenant Fleet, the Conclave serves many functions; chief among them is to ensure fair political discourse between nations. It also secures trade goods and distributes them fairly and readily to the nations of the Covenant. The Conclave's final function is managing the auction between Nations bidding for the expansion rights to surveyed worlds. The Conclave makes sure that every nation has fair and equal access to the data on the worlds available for expansion.

The Confederated Coin:
The Confederated Coin is a new currency quickly gaining power and value on the intergalactic commerce stage. It has become the main currency of the ever-­growing and influential Confederated Nations. Much like the aforementioned union, the Confederated Coin was created to economically challenge and undermine the power of the Pax Credit.

Confederated Kelthan:
One of the younger languages of Covenant Space, Confederated Kelthan is quickly becoming a widely spoken language. It draws its origins from many Kelthans who grew annoyed with having Pax Common as their default language. Over time it became a hybrid of Wolven, Thegran and Pax Common. Confederated Kelthan is quickly cadenced and can be confusing to anyone who is unilingual.

The Confederation of Nations:
A political and military union of seven Nations created to oppose the Pax Humanis. These nations are: Ador, Argent, Highlund, Zerok, Galasia, Seno'Chesh and Troy.

The Covenant:
The Covenant dictates the rules and rights essential to fair space travel, warfare, trade and politics. Signed at the end of the Advent War so that future generations would be spared the horrors of galactic warfare, all Intelligences living within Covenant Space are subject to its Truths. To date, twenty-­two galactic nations have signed the Covenant and are represented on Central Point.

Covenant Space:
The totality of civilized, lawful and charted space encompassing the galactic nations shared by both Humanis and Machina. Space travel and trade are relatively safe and heavily regulated.

The Datastream/InstaNet:
An information super network that reaches across most of Covenant Space. The datastream is also where most Machina consciousnesses reside, observing the physical world. All Machina are originally sparked or “birthed” as code in the datastream.

Declassification/Declassified Citizens:
There are no prisons in the Pax Humanis, just varying levels of classified citizens and the declassified ones. Based on what level of classification one falls under, one is allowed access to greater goods and ser­vices while lower classification citizens are given fewer. Declassified citizens are given the bare minimum of ser­vices and goods; they are also not allowed to vote or gain access to starflight.

The Elusive Frequency:
The Syndicate's illegal InstaNet signal, broadcast from an undisclosed location. All manner of criminal contracts and jobs are perpetually broadcasted from it. Messages on the Elusive Frequency are public for all Syndicate members, so it is not usable for private communication with an individual ship. The codes to the Elusive Frequency are one of the universe's most jealously kept secrets.

Elvrids:
The spiritual leaders of the Living Green. Elvrids are rumored to be able to commune with the worlds they live on and have been known to predict the outcome of events with uncanny precision. They are peerless experts of plant and animal lore. Their word is law for the Wolvers.

End Space:
Sectors of the universe currently still uncharted and unscouted by the Covenant. Lack of InstaNet and Central Point positioning beacon signals have made actually traversing End Space incredibly difficult if not outright dangerous.

The Expansions:
In order to prevent any one nation growing too powerful, the Covenant has strictly forbidden all the galactic nations from colonizing new worlds unless it is during a sanctioned Expansion. All star-­dates are counted after the current Expansion.

First Expansion:
Dating from the end of the Advent War until two thousand years after the Covenant's signing, this is the first wave of expansion in which the then-­homeless bloodlines of the Humanis explored the cosmos in search of new worlds to settle.

Frost:
The newest designer drug on the market, created from the processed by-­product of Somapoline. Incredibly addictive.

Galasia:
The frigid world of Galasia is almost uninhabitable to Humanis, as it is perpetually cast in an endless winter. Fortunately for Galasians, their star system boasts numerous moons and asteroids that can support Humanis life. This has caused the Galasian Council of Khans to convert much of their space into privatized prisons. The Galasian prisons remain the harshest and cruelest places in the cosmos. They also make great recruiting grounds for Galasia's second method of income and military might, which remains their merciless and incredibly effective Pirate Fleet.

Garthem:
The stark and dark Nation of Garthem is comprised of numerous dangerous planets and boasts an almost entirely Kelthan population. While it is the youngest Pax nation, Garthem has in its short history managed to rival both Sol and Barathul with its navy and military. The pride of Garthem remains to this day the Pax Humanis Elite Shadow Commandos: the Thorns.

The Hegemon:
The ruler of the Pax Humanis, embodying the iron will of Kelthan Humanis. The Hegemon's Law reigns supreme and undisputed throughout the Pax.

Humanis:
The name given to the five bloodlines descendant of Ancient Humanity: Kelthan, Wolver, Thegran, Kohbrahn and Darlkhin.

Late Modern:
The last documented tongues of Ancient Humanity. Spoken and understood by few. Late Modern, for the moment at least, is typically studied only by scholars and the Machina.

The Living Green:
The spiritual path embraced by many Wolvers of Covenant Space. Followers of the path believe that the cosmos itself is a living being and that all the worlds and creatures calling it home must be treated as such. One of the main doctrines of the Living Green is an outright refusal to use any sort of technology made by Machina.

The Lost War:
The first and only war ever fought between Ancient Humanity and the Original Intelligences (O.I.s). Records pertaining to the details of the Lost War are nonexistent. What is known is that the current Humanis bloodlines were born in its aftermath.

Lotus:
The corporate nation of Lotus remains an innovator in the developing of cutting-­edge technology and software codes. Lotus boasts a large cloned population and workforce and sells stocks of vat-­created workforces to any nation willing to pay their asking price. Lotus has been very certain to never clone a military force, as this would be a most grievous breach of the Covenant's Truths. Given the often less than ethical treatment of its clone population, the Lotus board of directors chooses not to test their luck on this particular issue.

Machina:
The third generation of self-­made Machine Intelligences created by the O.I.s.

O.I.:
The Original Machine Intelligences coded by Ancient Humanity during the days before the Lost War.

The Patrol:
The Covenant's volunteer fleet of lawmen, the Patrol remains the core enforcers of the Covenant's laws in space. They often operate as both a police force and rescue operation.

Pax Common:
The most common language of Covenant Space. Made prolific by the strength of the Pax Humanis and its media. Pax Common's popularity is also due to the fact that is incredibly easy to learn. It is often criticized by non-­Pax citizens for the irrelevance of emotional inflection. Proponents of Pax Common maintain that this makes the language more widely accessible.

The Pax Credit:
The second most used currency is the Pax credit, due mainly to the Pax Humanis being the universe's largest united superpower. Despite the lack of popularity The Pax credit remains widely accepted and used. In nations like Sol and Barathul, it is often even of greater value than the universal bit.

The Pax Humanis:
The oldest Humanis superpower, with a long military history dating back to the days before the Advent War. Under the rule of the Hegemons, the Pax Humanis now currently controls and encompasses seven united star systems: Sol, Barathul, Sunderlund, Garthem, Perse, Vale and Ambrosia.

Perse:
The Pax Humanis nation of Perse is the farthest from Sol. Located on the borders of End Space the green and yet grim world of Perse was settled at first by Wolvers once serving in the Shock Legion. The Wolvers of Perse are among the few who have no qualms about using machine-­made technology. For the most part the Wolvers of Perse do not actively take a role in Pax Humanis or Covenant politics.

The Pontifex:
In the wake of the Lost War, it was the Pontifex who ruled over Earth and the new bloodlines of Humanity. The Pontifex fashioned itself as a manner of God, using its vast knowledge of technology to visit all manner of cruelties onto the Humanis. It was only the arrival of the Machina and the subsequent Advent War that saw an end to the existence of the Pontifex and the start of the Great Peace.

Rust:
One of Galasia's most infamous prison colonies, Rust is a ship's graveyard in which the remains of the Khan's Pirate Fleet conquests are stripped for parts. The working conditions are horrific. Prisoners are pushed to death and often subject to illegal and unethical experiments. Only the strong survive the work yards. It is therefore no coincidence that most of those serving in the Pirate Fleet hail from Rust.