Beyond Asimios - Part 4 (4 page)

Sincerely,

Avery

Again,
Graf leaned back and took a breath. His father was now in the room, smiling his
soft smile and staring across at him in the old father image he remembered.
Gray hair and slightly hunched, the image he carried from the months before his
death. But Graf was not on Earth when his father died. He had been on Asimios. He
only had the images of his father that were sent as he approached death. Now,
for some reason, those images seemed real, like he had been there with his father.
Graf’s mind was playing tricks on him. He was starting to see what he wanted to
see, the way he wanted things to be…the way he wished things had happened.

As
the time for the portal opening neared, Graf and Oreg were concluding their
twenty-fourth chess match (Oreg took the previous game) and Oreg was preparing
a final attack on Graf’s king when an info squirt came through that forced Oreg
to put the game on hold. They had been observing an increase in ship traffic
and there were a couple instances, in Graf’s opinion, when a collision with
their ship was immanent.

—It’s
a damned parking lot out there, Graf said hotly as he stood and stretched his
legs.

—So
many ships, Miranda said. Thousands.

—I
never would have imagined this, Graf said, his eyes wide as he gazed out of the
windows while resting he weight against one of the bridge chairs.

As
activity around the portal increased, so had Consortium presence. Security
patrols consisted of two or three dagger ships that produced neon emergency light
bursts whenever they responded to trouble.

—I’ve
requested that a pick us up, came Oreg’s translation
over Graf’s VI as Oreg turned to Graf. I need to collect some information at Karmehki
Tower, one of the gathering stations, and I was hoping you would join me. You
might find it interesting. Food is there…many places to eat a real meal. You presence
would be of great help.

Graf
was surprised by Oreg’s offer. I think I would very much like that, he said. What
do I have to do? I mean, I don’t really have anything to wear. When I left the
Asimios Station, socializing wasn’t the first thing on my mind.

—We
will find you some suitable clothing, Oreg said. Miranda, Oreg continued as he
turned to look down at the droid who was standing with them on the bridge. It
isn’t safe for you on the tower. A non-Consortium droid will draw attention…or
worse. It is best if you remain here.

Miranda
gave a small bow.

Just
then, in the distance, the torus bloomed with light.

—They’ve
begun to power the portal, Oreg chirruped as he stepped forward to look through
the windows. The others stood next to him and observed the giant ring. Once all
the ships have entered from the other side, Oreg added, it will be our turn.

—How
long will that take? Graf asked.

—Not
long, Oreg huffed. He drew up the holo and brought the torus into
magnification. Lights wheeled and flashed on the perimeter of the circle while an
iris of light grew outward until the entire mouth became a looking glass into a
distant corner of space.

—It
is light form Gorhamash, our home star, Oreg said with affection.

The
portal was now open and for a moment it seemed that everyone in the system was
stunned by the spectacle—activity came to a near stop while thousands of
beings gazed upon the hole punched into a distant part of the galaxy. A pair of
small craft zipped through the portal mouth; then something strange happened: a
long and ominous shadow blotted out the light from the other end. Something
massive and dark was gliding through the opening.

—A
Consortium battlecruiser, Oreg hissed while following the dark shape as it moved
slowly through the ring. This is unfortunate, he said. A moment later Oreg’s
ship alerted them to the approach of a vessel and Oreg collapsed the holo and
turned his attention to Graf. Come with me, doctor, he said. He took Graf by
the hand and pulled him down the hall.

—I
do like a softer boot, Graf said as his chubby body hurried to match Oreg’s long
stride. I have flat feet, you see…